Homecoming at Jesuit is more than just pep rallies, streamers, and student dances. Fitting for a school with such fervent alumni pride, Jesuit homecoming is a community event that draws thousands of former Rangers out of the woodwork to celebrate the school they love. To cap off the week of homecoming, Jesuit College Preparatory School’s alumni association honored attorney and ceaseless philanthropist William L. Sladek, class of 1978, as the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.
Since 1975, Jesuit, in its constant quest for the magis, has used homecoming as an opportunity to honor alums who go above and beyond in their service to the community. According to its mission statement, the Distinguished Alumnus award is presented annually to “a Jesuit graduate whose life exemplifies in an exceptional way the religious, academic, and social values” of the school.
“Service is the largest component of the [Distinguished Alumnus] award,” said Colleen Cunningham, Director of Communications and Community Relations. “It’s not enough to just be successful in their chosen business field…recipients of the award have been successful in many aspects of their lives, but especially in their service to Jesuit and the broader community.”
This year, the Alumni Association selected Bill Sladek to receive the honor for his tireless community service work. Sladek’s life of selfless service includes, among other things, volunteering weekly at The Bridge homeless shelter in downtown Dallas; advocating for the aid of the poor in El Salvador and coordinating a service trip to the Central American country; and serving the Jesuit community in myriad ways.
The Alumni Association’s decision this year was an easy one. “Bill Sladek is probably the most consistently active volunteer in the Jesuit community,” remarked Cunningham. “He never stops. Week in and week out, year in and year out, he is constantly finding ways to serve.”
Sladek was first honored at the Distinguished Alumnus Morning Assembly on October 21, 2011, before the Jesuit student body. After a video montage chronicling his life and service that included beaming words from members of the Class of ’78, Sladek took the stage to thunderous applause from impressed students. He was later honored at the Distinguished Alumnus liturgy on October 30 before the broader Jesuit community.
When asked if he ever as a student anticipated winning the award later in his life, Sladek humbly responded: “I can honestly say I never envisioned myself winning this award. I was a normal high school kid, focused more on where I was going to go to college. As I got further away from Jesuit and started reflecting back on my experiences, that’s when the message of service really impacted my life.”
Over the past two decades, few graduates have embodied the service component of the Jesuit mission as much as Sladek. He took his opportunity on the stage at the morning assembly to advocate for the rights of the “marginalized and materially poor,” as Sladek puts it. “Whether it’s children of immigrants or the chronically poor, there are people out there who are the victims of their circumstances. There’s so much poverty here, there’s so much chronic homelessness, and it’s our place to get involved.”
Above all, Sladek called on members of the community to embrace the service opportunities around them. “It’s easy to get involved, whether it be serving at the Bridge or tutoring at the [Shiloh Apartments], there are so many opportunities out there. It’s just a matter of finding them and pursuing every chance we get to help.”
