Director Of Homeland Security Is A Santa Clara University Graduate

Eight alumni of the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities currently serve in appointed positions to U.S. President Barack Obama's administration and fifty four alumni are current members of the 111th U.S. Congress. Members of the Obama administration from AJCU institutions include Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon E. Panetta (Santa Clara University, 1960, BA) and Department of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates

(Georgetown University, 1974, PhD).

From the Department of Education are Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs Gabriella Gomez (Loyola Marymount University, 1995, BA) Under Secretary Martha Kanter (University of San Francisco, 1989, EdD), Senior Advisor to the Secretary Bob Shireman (University of San Francisco, 1986, MPA) and Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Julius Lloyd Horwich (Georgetown University 1986, BSFS).

Other departments with Jesuit alumni are the Department of Homeland Security with Secretary Janet A. Napolitano (Santa Clara University, 1979, BA) and the Department of Labor with Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Jane Oates (Boston College, 1975, BA).

111th U.S. Congress

Ten percent of the 111th U.S. Congress are Jesuit college and university alumni/ae. Among the 535 Members of the 111th U.S. Congress, 54 of them are alumni/ae of Jesuit institutions.

There are thirteen Jesuit alumni/ae in the Senate and forty one in the House of Representatives. Among the top leadership, both the Majority and Minority Leaders in the House of Representatives, Congressmen Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and John Boehner (R-OH) respectively, the Senate Assistant Majority Leader, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), and the Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Special Assistant to the Speaker, Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), are all Jesuit alumni.

Of these 54 alumni/ae, 35 received graduate or professional degrees from Jesuit universities. There are 16 Jesuit institutions represented by alumni/ae in the U.S. Congress. Georgetown University has the most alumni/ae with a total of eighteen, followed by Boston College with eight, and the College of the Holy Cross and Fordham University with four each.

Of note, Anh "Joseph" Cao, a graduate of Fordham University and Loyola University New Orleans, is the first Vietnamese-American member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

"With the many challenges facing our nation, we are happy that our Jesuit college and university alumni/ae are leading the Congressional response to them," said AJCU President Fr. Charles Currie, S.J. "Our graduates, who have dedicated their lives to the highest levels of public service, have been educated at institutions that place great value on academic excellence, competent leadership and compassionate service. We are proud of our Jesuit alumni/ae who continue to represent us with distinction and inspire us with their commitment to lead and serve."

Link (here) to the full list.