Rev. Joseph Michini, SJ ’59 Named 2018 Kelley Medal Recipient

Rev. Joseph Michini, SJ ’59 has been selected as the 2018 recipient of the Rev. Joseph M. Kelley, SJ, Medal — the highest form of recognition given to a Loyola Blakefield alumnus. Michini has spent more than 40 years in secondary Jesuit education, the last 17 of which have been at Loyola Blakefield. During his tenure at Loyola, Fr. Joe (as to which he is most commonly referred) served as the Director of Campus Ministry until 2009, when he took his current position as School Chaplain.

Fr. Joe entered the Jesuit order at the age of 17, after graduating from then-Loyola High School in 1959. “When I was a student at Loyola, I greatly admired the Jesuit priests and scholastics for their personal interest in, and care for, students in and out of the classroom and found that I wanted to emulate them in my own life,” said Michini.

Before coming to Loyola, he spent time as an English teacher at Gonzaga College High School (1966–75) and Director of Campus Ministry at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia from 1986 to 2000. “In my subsequent high school ministry, I tried to continue the Jesuit tradition of education I have experienced not only in my high school years, but throughout my course of studies.”

When he arrived at Loyola, Fr. Joe made his mark on many different areas of the school. One of which was improving upon the Kairos retreat. He increased the amount of retreats each school year from three to five to allow more students to experience it. Throughout his tenure, he has also organized and led many spiritual and formational programs in conjunction with the Office of Ignatian Mission & Identity for alumni, parents, faculty, and staff.

There is no shortage of members from the Loyola Blakefield community who believe this honor is rightfully deserved. “Fr. Joe has been and continues to be an exemplary role model for the young men at Loyola,” said former Kelley Medal recipient John Weetenkamp ’65. “He is a man of genuine competence, conscience, and compassion. Quite simply, through his gentle demeanor and constant presence, he is beloved by the boys at Blakefield. His influence for the good has also had an ongoing profound effect on faculty, staff, parents, and alumni.”

Many younger alumni, such as Michael Thomas ’09, feel that Fr. Joe was a paramount fixture of their formation during their years at Blakefield. “Of the many administrators, teachers, and coaches at Loyola, Fr. Joe played the biggest part in my education. He taught me the true meaning of service and how to give back to my community. While he took the time out of his day to instill meaning in the lives of students through campus ministry, he also instilled meaning in their lives by simply caring about them.”

As Fr. Joe is set to retire from his ministry at Loyola Blakefield at the end of this school year to serve at Loyola University part-time, the Loyola Blakefield Alumni Association saw this as a fitting time to honor him in this way. “The Loyola Blakefield Alumni Association congratulates Fr. Joe on being chosen as the recipient of the 2018 Kelley Medal Award,” said LBAA President Chip Cooke ’92. “Fr. Joe is a kind, humble, and caring person who is well-deserving of Loyola’s highest alumni honor.”

“I am extremely humbled and grateful to receive the Kelley Medal and be privileged to join the many other Dons who have received this honor,” said Michini.

The Kelley Medal Award Ceremony will be held in concert with a breakfast on Thursday, March 8, in Bunting Dining Hall at 8:00 a.m. All members of the Loyola Blakefield community are invited to attend. Register for the event here.