In this month’s newsletter edition, we focus on the momentum that is building through the Archbishop Ryan community. As we approach the end of the school year, Ryan is on course to welcome over 250 incoming students when school begins next fall which is the largest in the Archdiocese. Great effort by the administration and faculty which reflects the quality education students receive at Archbishop Ryan. There is certainly a buzz afoot as so many individuals are collaborating to ensure the growth and stability at Archbishop Ryan.

Friends of Ryan Introduces Two New Board Members

This past month, the Friends of Ryan Nomination Committee put forth both Maria Zimmerman-Culp ‘94 and Joseph Allegra ‘96 who were unanimously approved to join the Friends of Ryan Board. Maria and Joseph are highly respected in their fields and are tremendous assets in our mission to ensure the future growth and stability of Archbishop Ryan and its students through tuition assistance, programs and capital improvements.

Maria Zimmerman-Culp graduated in 1994 and is 1 of 16 family members that graduated from Archbishop Ryan. Maria is currently a Realtor with RE/MAX ONE Realty and proud to say she is born, raised and still living in the Great NE. Her website is ILOVEtheNE.com. She is also a homeowner in N Wildwood and recently passed her NJ real estate exam. She has been a staple in the Ryan community through her volunteerism, sponsorship of several initiatives, a member of several alumni boards for the past 10+ years and a very proud recipient of the Spirit of Ryan Award in 2018. Maria is a member and former president of the 8th Police District Advisory Council which plans community events and raises funds to support the needs of the district beyond what the city provides. Maria & her family also volunteer & foster for Lucky You Animal Rescue. Maria’s positive attitude, large network in the community, and her commitment to volunteering her time and resources continues to make an impact to Archbishop Ryan and its students.

Joseph Allegra graduated from Archbishop Ryan in 1996 and currently serves as Sr. Associate Director at Temple University, where he has recruited, advised, and assisted with job placement for thousands of graduate and undergraduate business students. Joseph is also a REALTOR® working for RE/MAX providing clients extensive knowledge about the housing market and the real estate community. In his role at Temple University, Joseph provides expertise in retention, advising, and recruiting in the academic field. He works closely with executive-level stakeholders – students, faculty and industry leaders. Joseph is involved with the Institute for Business and Technology (IBIT), integrating industry perspectives with academic expertise to create best practice forums for faculty and students at Temple University.

Joseph married Jeannine Visco Allegra, Class of 97” and they have three children (Anthony - Archbishop Ryan, Alyssa & Jenna - CTK). Joseph is an active member of both the Ryan and Christ the King communities, serving as the head of the golf fundraising committee and organizing the parish’s largest fundraiser in 2021. Through his commitments, Joseph has been an active member of the Ryan Enrollment Management Team, member of the Ryan Ambassador Program, and member of the Christ the King Finance Committee, organizing and managing several events and initiatives. Joseph offers a wealth of knowledge in the Information Technology, Digital Marketing, and Social Media fields and his expertise in the academic space.

Summer Social 2022

Mark your calendars, the Summer Social at the Seaport Pier is just around the corner. The Summer Social is scheduled on Saturday July 30, 2022, from 2PM to 7PM with entertainment provided by our very own DJ Bobby Sacco and live entertainment. The day includes food and drink specials. Last year, the Summer Social welcomed over 1100 fellow Alumni and the proceeds directly funded tuition assistance for the students of Archbishop Ryan. Details will be provided soon on tickets and sponsorship opportunities. The Summer Social Committee is gearing up to put on another great event this year and there is still time to get involved by contacting us at friendsofryan.team@gmail.com.

We look forward to celebrating the day with our Alumni and continue to strengthen the bonds we made at Archbishop Ryan. Enjoy a few photos from last year’s event or visit the full gallery at 2021 Summer Social.

Men of Ryan Breakfast

This past month, a group of dedicated alumni who continually offers their time and resources in support of ongoing events and projects at Archbishop Ryan met for the semi-annual Men of Ryan Breakfast. This event offers the opportunity for fellow alumni to take some time to re-establish connections with fellow classmates and provide updates on several projects and events that are taking place at Archbishop Ryan. The event is attended by the Board of Limited Jurisdiction to provide the overall strategic approach of the school, the Friends of Ryan to provide alumni and fund-raising initiatives related to tuition assistance, programs and capital improvements, the Ryan Football Alumni Association with several active projects and other alumni groups supporting various events. The next meeting is scheduled in November 2022 and the group is always looking to expand participation so if you are interested in attending, please contact friendsofryan.team@gmail.com and we would be happy to include you.

George Karusky IV Memorial Foundation

The George Karusky IV Memorial Foundation held their 2nd Annual 5K Run / 2K Walk this past month, which was a tremendous success as friends, family, teammates, students and alumni all came together to celebrate the memory of Georgie. Congratulations to the George Karusky IV Memorial Foundation 2022 scholarship recipients Carly Hart and Sean Schubert who were both presented with a check of $2,000. The team behind the event also deserves special recognition for their dedication and service in the memory of Georgie and his father George Karusky shared his experience of the special day.

What a day!! Thanks for everyone who came out to support the GK4 memorial foundation walk on Saturday .. A huge thanks to everyone who made this event possible and to all of you for coming out and supporting the GK4 walk. ….it was overwhelming for me but so awesome to see so many people attend .. especially the young people who came from all over to be a part of something special .. Georgie would have loved hanging with all of his peeps , I knew he was there with us because it was such a great day !! I’m so grateful to all of you .. thank you , thank you , thank you is all I can say .. the support from everyone was more then anticipated , I wish I could have given a hug , hand shake or photo with everyone and if I missed ya I’ll get you next year .. so great to also see so many teams come out like chestnut hill football team and coach Gio and Lebanon valley football that made the trip to be a part of this ! And the Ryan sports teams that made sure their presence were felt !! The AR baseball , hockey , lacrosse , football and the girls football team that joined up with everyone to remember Georgie .. I can’t thank everyone enough from the staff to the great friends and family that all made the time on a busy Saturday schedule to help keep Georgie’s memory going .. we exceeded all expectations … thanks to all of you and our sponsors but our main reason for this event is to get everyone together for a few hours to remember Georgie and keep his spirit going …… and we’ll keep on doing this until we no longer have the support like we had this year .. so heartfelt so amazing .. we plan to be back next year Sunday , April 23rd 2023 .. no excuses next year and we look forward to seeing everyone again .. llgk

For more information on the George Karusky IV Memorial Foundation, please visit GK4 Foundation.

The Friends of Ryan Business Network Spotlight

The Friends of Ryan Business Network, https://www.friendsofryanalumni/business-networ k, is a forum created to generate a network of businesses who directly support Archbishop Ryan and its students through donations and sponsorships and for the Ryan community to support our businesses in kind. A strong network not only creates a solid community but offers opportunities to our Ryan students for potential employment and networking connections.

This month we highlight Bobby Bugz Mortgages which is owned and operated by fellow Alumni Bobby Buglak ‘91. Bobby “Bugz” Buglak is a seasoned Mortgage Banker with over 23 years of experience in the mortgage lending industry. He has personally worked in every step of the process and knows the mortgage industry inside and out including Real Estate, Title, Banking and Retail. He began his career at Wells Fargo and currently works with EMM Loans where he personally averages over $30 million a year in residential mortgage lending. He helps clients purchase their first homes, forever homes, second homes and investment properties with affordable lending. My goal is to ensure you have the best experience whether you are purchasing or refinancing and to make you understand the entire process throughout your mortgage journey.

Bobby is excited to showcase the return of the Philly First Home Program. Philadelphia is offering a homebuyer assistance grant of up to $10,000 (or 6% of the home's purchase price, whichever is lower) to assist first-time homebuyers to reduce principal, covering down payment, and loan closing costs.

Bobby Bugz Mortgages offers two locations supporting both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

1950 RT 70 E Suite 300, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
3300 Pacific Ave., Wildwood, NJ 08260

Please visit Bobby Bugz Mortgages at https://bobbybugz.com

Class of ‘72 Invitation to Walk During the 2022 Archbishop Ryan Commencement Ceremony

Archbishop Ryan supports a wonderful tradition of inviting the class celebrating 50 years since graduation the opportunity to walk alongside current graduates during the commencement ceremony. This year, Archbishop Ryan invites the class of 1972 to participate in recognition of their 50-year anniversary. The ceremony is scheduled for Monday June 6, 2022, starting at 11AM at the Cure Insurance Arena, 81 Hamilton Drive, Trenton NJ. To obtain a gown for the ceremony, please contact Pat Flood as soon as possible at https://www.arclassof72.com.

The Class of ‘72 celebrates their 50th reunion scheduled for Friday June 10, 2022, at the Philadelphia Ballroom from 7PM to 11PM. Tickets can be purchased at www.arhs.me/72. Please visit the information al page www.arclassof72.com to RSPV to the event and for details surrounding hotel accommodations.

The Ryan Football Alumni Association Host TEKE ‘22

The Ryan Football Alumni Association is hosting their 2nd Annual TEKE event on Saturday May 14 from 3 to 7 PM at Archbishop Ryan High School. Tickets can be purchased at https://givebox.com/522382, $30 online and $40 at the door. Admission includes beer, food truck will be onsite for purchases. Must be 21 to enter.

The Ryan Football Alumni Association undertook the effort to professionally clear out the area, which some would consider sacred ground, to bring what is fondly known as “The TEKE” back to its glory. For many of the Alumni, the TEKE was the place to meet and bond before events and thanks to the Ryan Football Alumni Association the TEKE lives on. Along with the improvements to the TEKE some other amazing projects undertaken by the Ryan Football Alumni Association include the construction of the new trophy cases, standard gym banners to highlight hall of fame honorees and other catholic league schools and upgrades to the boy’s area lockers. A new project they are ramping up is upgrades to the girl’s area lockers, details will be published soon.

Last year’s event was such a great time reuniting with fellow Alumni and friends so come out and join everyone with entertainment provided by the MOJO Channel and Just Call Dawn DJ.

Upcoming Events

Visit Friends of Ryan Events page www.friendsofryanalumni.org/events for the latest information on events.

The Ryan Football Alumni Association is hosting TEKE ‘22 on Saturday May 14 from 3 to 7 PM at Archbishop Ryan High School. Admission which includes beer is $30 online and $40 at the door. Entertainment provided by MOJO Channel and Just Call Dawn DJ. Food Truck will be onsite for purchases. Tickets can be purchased at https://givebox.com/522382.

The Class of ‘72 celebrates their 50th reunion scheduled for Friday June 10, 2022, at the Philadelphia Ballroom from 7PM to 11PM. Tickets can be purchased at www.arhs.me/72. Please visit the information al page www.arclassof72.com to RSPV to the event and for details surrounding hotel accommodations.

Join our Alumni as they host the Annual Archbishop Ryan Car Show, which is scheduled for Saturday June 25, 2022, from noon to 6PM EST. General admission is free, a food truck and Rita’s water ice will be onsite for purchase. Entertainment provided by MOJO Channel and Just Call Dawn DJ. Awards presented at 5PM to include Top 40, Principal Award and Alumni Award. Car Registration, Sponsorships and Donation details can be found at https://www.arhs.me/carshow.

Friends of Ryan Summer Social scheduled for Saturday July 30, 2022, at the Seaport Pier, Wildwood New Jersey, details provided soon.

Friends of Ryan Alumni

Interested in joining the Friends of Ryan Alumni and mailing list for further updates, visit the Alumni section of www.friendsofryanalumni.org/alumni and Join Now.

Interested in giving back and becoming an Archbishop Ryan Ambassador, visit www.friendsofryanalumni.org/ambassadors to Join Now.

Thank You from the Friends of Ryan Team

Board President Tim Lederer ‘90 and Board Vice President Ed Hughes ‘79

Building Momentum