Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

WINONA, Minn. — Each year during summer Homecoming festivities, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota honors outstanding alumni.

This year's Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient is Edward Zabrocki ’63 of Tinley Park, Ill. Receiving the Religious Service Award is Hugh Downey ’62, of Arvada, Colo. And the Alumni Appreciation Award will be presented posthumously to Tim Burchill ’68 of Winona. All three will be honored during a reception Saturday, June 14, on the Winona campus.

Approximately 350 alumni, family and friends will return to their alma mater for Saint Mary's Homecoming festivities, which begin Friday, June 13, and will run throughout the weekend. In addition to the alumni awards ceremony, highlights include a golf outing, the Gilmore Gallop 5K, a 50+ anniversary social, and the alumni picnic.

Distinguished Alumnus
Edward Zabrocki ’63
Ed Zabrocki ’63 has served as mayor of Tinley Park, Ill., since 1981, for seven consecutive terms. He has been featured in both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times as one of the hardest-working mayors in the Chicagoland area. Zabrocki was one of 10 U.S. mayors honored as finalists for the World Mayor Award in 2005. (Other finalists included Richard Daley, mayor of Chicago, and Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York.) This honor is given to mayors who have made significant contributions to their city, both nationally and internationally. He’s seen his community through both heartbreaking tragedy (the recent Lane Bryant mall shooting) and celebratory triumph (the village’s greatest physical and financial growth has occurred during his leadership). The community also has shown tremendous generosity and hospitality with the “State of Hope” endeavor, through which Tinley Park hosted many evacuees of Hurricane Katrina. But being “mayor” wasn’t his full-time job; Zabrocki retired from Brother Rice High School in 2005 after 39 years as a teacher and director of counseling. He was also elected as a representative to the Illinois State Legislature for one term.

Religious Service
Hugh Downey ’62
Hugh Downey ’62 is being honored for his humanitarian efforts as president of the Lalmba Association, a relief agency that, although small in size, accomplishes great things in the areas of health care and education within East Africa. Lalmba (which means place of hope) operates with fewer than 10 volunteer doctors, nurses and project directors, and a handful of local volunteers. Forty-four years ago, U.S. Army communications specialist Hugh Downey found himself stationed in a remote eastern African outpost. Little did he know how the land and its people would change him, or that he would change them in return. Today, Downey and his wife, Marty, are “guardian angels” to more than 1,500 African children who are part of the Downeys’ outreach program. Most were born to parents who died from AIDS. The Downey’s small organization has seen 2 million patients and cared for hundreds of orphan children through their facilities in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya. For part of the year, the Downeys share a grass hut on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya or in the rain forest of Ethiopia. The rest of the year is spent at their home in Arvada, Colo., where Hugh is a deacon at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community.

Alumni Appreciation
Tim Burchill ’68, posthumously
Whether at work or play, Tim Burchill ’68 was well-known for wholeheartedly and unreservedly giving 100 percent. In his 28-year career with Saint Mary’s University, one could argue he gave 110 percent. The Chicago native began his career as a teacher at Aquinas High School in La Crosse, Wis., and at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, Minn. He returned to his alma mater in 1979 and most recently served as executive director of the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership and as president and co-founder of the Metanoia Group. In 1991, he co-created Saint Mary’s master degree program in philanthropy and development; he greatly enjoyed teaching in the program every summer. Burchill previously served as vice president for university relations, which encompassed the university’s fundraising, public relations and alumni relations. A champion of ethical fundraising, his work and insights were known and recognized in philanthropic communities worldwide. He cared deeply about what was best for Saint Mary’s, and his dedication to the university, his colleagues and students was unwavering. Burchill died unexpectedly in February 2007. He is remembered as a gifted colleague, caring mentor, inspiring teacher and friend.