Forever a Dragon: How O’Dowd Alumni Stay Connected
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For 75 years, Bishop O’Dowd High School has shaped generations of students who carry the lessons, friendships, and spirit of the school far beyond graduation. As O’Dowd celebrates 75 Years of Excellence, one tradition remains strong: our alumni stay connected to the community that helped shape them.
That connection is captured in a phrase many graduates know well: Forever a Dragon.
Across generations, O’Dowd alumni remain involved in many ways.
Showing Up for the O’Dowd Community
For many alumni, staying connected begins with simply showing up. Whether it is cheering at a basketball game, attending a reunion, or supporting events like the Crab Feed or the Transforming Lives Dinner, alumni continue to give back to the school that once supported them.
These moments are about more than nostalgia. They help sustain the O’Dowd community for future generations.
“I think O’Dowd really taught me the sense of community,” shared Lauryn La Duc ’19, who was interviewed last fall as part of the 75th Anniversary Oral History Project. “Finding your community is so important because you really can’t do it alone.”
That sense of belonging often brings alumni back to campus again and again.
Lifelong Friendships
For many Dragons, the friendships formed at O’Dowd last well beyond high school. Bev Mello Rettus ’55 was part of O’Dowd’s first graduating class in 1955. The bond she formed with her friends has lasted a lifetime. “As active alumni, we still get together for lunch and continue the friendships we formed at O’Dowd,” she shares. “It was a lot of fun growing up here.”
Today, those friendships bring alumni together at our reunion days, Living Lab service days, and happy hours. At last year’s Alumni Happy Hour, the Class of 1986 turned out in force, showing the strength of their bond decades later.
Many graduates say the same thing. Once you are part of the O’Dowd community, those connections stay with you.
Returning as Parents and Grandparents
One of the most meaningful ways alumni reconnect with O’Dowd is by sending the next generation of Dragons to the school. Many graduates return years later as parents, and sometimes even grandparents. These families continue a tradition that spans generations.
Becky Wacht Cusack ’96 returned as a parent and sent her now-alum son, Brody Cusack ’25, to O’Dowd, bringing her experience full circle. “It’s always good to stay connected to your roots and places where you had good experiences and learned a lot,” she says.
These multigenerational connections strengthen the O’Dowd community and ensure that its values continue to shape new generations of students.
Sharing Wisdom with Today’s Students
Alumni also stay connected by giving their time and experience to current students.
One example is Career Day, which brings graduates back to campus to share advice and talk about their professional journeys. This year, Kristine Humphrey ’86 and other alumni will return to speak with students about careers, leadership, and life after O’Dowd. Additionally, Kalina Bryant ’10 will be the event’s keynote speaker.
These conversations help students see the many paths that begin at O’Dowd.
A Legacy That Continues
As O’Dowd celebrates 75 Years of Excellence, the alumni community continues to play an important role in the life of the school.
Alumni attend events, support fundraising efforts, mentor students, and reconnect with classmates. Each of these moments strengthens the community that began on the O’Dowd campus.
One thing remains true across every generation of Dragons.
Once a Dragon, Forever a Dragon.
Show Your Dragon Pride at This Year’s Reunion Events!
Friday, May 1, 2026 - Young Alumni Night
Join other young alumni from the classes of 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 for an exclusive event, Friday May 1, 2026, the night before Reunion. Enjoy games, wood-fired pizza and drinks. Purchase tickets!
Saturday, May 2, 2026 - O'Dowd Reunion Day
We will celebrate milestones for the classes ending in 1s and 6s, with a special ceremony honoring the Class of 1976's 50th reunion and its first year into the Golden Era of celebrations, with a special invitation for classes 1956-76 to join us. The 50th will be followed by the reunion celebrations for the classes of 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021. This is a 21+ event. Purchase tickets.
