Celebrating 35 Years of the Catholic Education Foundation

On October 22, 2022, we held our 35th Anniversary Celebration at SoFi Stadium. This sold-out event of over 500 guests recognized our past presidents: the Honorable Richard J. Riordan, William T. Huston, Richard M. Ferry, Robert A. Smith, III, Thomas H. Barron and Timothy J. Smith.
Announced that evening, CEF endowed a designated tuition award in each of their names to honor their commitment to our mission.

The master of ceremonies for the event, Executive Director Doug Cooper, spoke on how a Catholic education is an advantage for life. Archbishop José H. Gomez touched on the recent enrollment increase in our Catholic schools. CEF President Colleen Roohan expressed how Catholic schools successfully develop life-long learners and graduate change agents for our world. In typical Bishop David O’Connell fashion, the CEF Trustee began the evening with a blessing, but not before sharing his iconic sense of humor.

CEF Alumna and Onward 2 High School Program Director, Alexis Herrera, shared her life story in Catholic education. Her passion for learning and dedication to service led her to become a thriving Catholic school leader.Nativity Catholic School Principal, Sister Stacy Reineman, SSL, spoke of how her school in El Monte has successfully provided a viable option for children with disabilities. CEF’s SOS program has been instrumental in making the dream of a Catholic education possible for these students.

CEF Trustee, Father Michael E. Engh, S.J., closed the evening with the Benediction, providing us with a blessing for the next 35 years of success.

In the first 35 years of the Catholic Education Foundation, over 215,000 tuition assistance awards have been issued to children attending Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, in excess of $242,000,000. The 35th Anniversary celebration raised $700,000 for our Tuition Awards Program (TAP).