Sept. 9, 2004
By Mary Pat Dowling
Stephen L. Pavela Jr. is being honored with the Alumni Association’s Harvey G. Foster Award. Pavela is an alumnus of the Notre Dame Class of 1948 and a resident of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
While at Notre Dame, Pavela was a two-year member of the basketball team and played four seasons (earning three monograms) with the baseball team, serving as team captain his senior year. Pavela served as executive director of the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association (WISAA) from 1968 until his retirement in 1988.
Following his graduation from Notre Dame in 1948, Pavela turned down opportunities to play professional baseball and entered the field of state high school athletic administration. He was instrumental in the formation of the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association (WCIAA) and served as its first executive director from 1959 to 1968. Pavela was instrumental in paving the way to open membership of the WCIAA to all non-public Wisconsin high schools, leading to the formation of the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association.
Throughout his career Pavela was responsible for the administration of statewide interscholastic athletic programs, earning national recognition for one of the finest programs of its kind in the United States. He has continually given of himself through his participation and support of community organizations, holding leadership positions in many civic, charitable and religious organizations, including the LaCrosse Parks and Recreation Board, the Aquinas Area Schools Endowment Trust Campaign and the St. Francis Medical Center Elder Care Board.
Pavela was inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as a friend of basketball in 2002. In appreciation for his commitment to the community, he was named Notre Dame Man of the Year by the Michigan City, Indiana, alumni club in 1954. He also received the Bishop John Paul Distinguished Alumnus Award and a special citation from the State of Wisconsin Legislature while being inducted into the LaCrosse American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame.
Stephen and his wife, Marian have four children: Stephen, Thomas, Anne and Mary Sue.
The Foster award is conferred upon an alumnus or alumna, living or deceased, some of whom are athletes or in athletic endeavors, who have distinguished themselves through civic or University activities.
Presenting the award today is Alumni Association President Robert J. Sullivan Jr. ’67, along with Charles F. Lennon ’61, ’62MA, executive director of the Alumni Association and associate vice president for University Relations.
Father Hesburgh on Video
Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, shares his reflections about issues that touch the lives of alumni, family and friends in a new video. His poignant insights explore such issues as self-acceptance and competition, working through stress, living in the moment and societal pressures. Father Ted advises on coping with loss, achieving true success and growing intimate with God.
Orders can be placed at http://alumni.nd.edu or by calling 800-849-3041.
One Can (TM) Make a Difference
Non-perishable food items will be collected on the Notre Dame campus from September 11 through October 23, 2004, for the Northern Indiana Food Bank through the One CanTM Make A Difference Food Drive. Watch for collection points at all campus food service venues.
Each fall food drives are also conducted by alumni clubs throughout the country. Visit http://alumni.nd.edu/commserv/onecan.html for information and ideas to organize a local collection effort within your alumni club.
For additional information, please contact Alumni Continuing Education at 574-631-6181.
Adventuresome Friends Welcome
You don’t have to be an ND grad to travel with Notre Dame. The Alumni Travel program extends a warm invitation to friends of the University to see the world with us! We have 45 trips planned for 2005–most of them will be hosted by a Notre Dame faculty member, administrator or priest.
Visit http://www.alumni.nd.edu/ for more information, or request a copy of the 2005 Travel Program catalog at 800-634-2631 or alumtrav@nd.edu.