Gianfranco Pagan ’21 graduated from the Center for Online Learning with a bachelor’s degree in health care administration. He currently serves as a non-commissioned officer in charge with the U.S. Air Force. He enlisted in the Air Force after two years of college in Puerto Rico and has been serving for almost 10 years. Pagan’s tours have included Aviano Air Base, Italy, and he was deployed to Osan Air Base in South Korea. While overseas, he was the team lead, responsible for the security of U.S. nuclear weapons. Pagan is the proud recipient of two very special medals, the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. He also speaks highly of the amazing encouragement he received during his time at Saint Leo
Benedictine Spirit Award
Joseph Byrne ’74 graduated from University Campus with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and secondary education. He is the director/owner of Visiting Angels in Red Bank, NJ, which provides placement of certified home health aides in private homes or assisted living facilities to care for the elderly. Most recently, Byrne has been instrumental in reuniting many Saint Leo friends and classmates by hosting reunions in 2021 and 2022. He organized a weekend of golf, cocktail parties, and dinners that were attended by many Saint Leo alumni. While recruiting attendees, Byrne’s message was clear, “Life is short, and there is nothing better that seeing the people who created lasting memories that we were all so lucky to experience.” Byrne has sustained his devotion to Saint Leo by helping rekindle many lifelong friendships in the true spirit of Saint Leo.
Distinguished Alumnus/a Award
Christine Gibree ’85 graduated from University Campus with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. She began her career as a housekeeper in an assisted living facility in 1986, and within six months, she became the manager of the facility. Three years later, she opened her own facility with six residents. In 1994, Gibree sold that facility and built a facility licensed for 20 residents. After years of hard work and dedication to her profession, she is now the owner of Oak Tree Manor, an assisted living facility located in Seminole, FL. Her husband, Robert, who she met at Saint Leo and with whom she graduated the same year, explained that Gibree, “goes above and beyond to make all of her residents feel at home and welcomed. She treats each one like family.” Gibree’s fondest memory of Saint Leo is seeing her son attend the university and graduate in 2018.
Roaring Onward Award – Class of 2021
Andrew Specht ’17, ’22 graduated from University Campus with a bachelor’s degree in English literary studies and a master’s degree in business administration. He works for Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (MO) as the office manager. During the summer of 2020, Specht worked at an assisted living facility as the facilities director. While navigating the facility’s COVID-19 protocol, he did all he could to support those living in the community during the pandemic by planning activities and helping residents Zoom with their families. Specht has continued to live the university’s core values and said that to this day, Saint Leo holds a very special place in his heart and that he is grateful for having the opportunity to attend the university
Anthony Santa ’12 graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from University Campus. He is the director of business development at Diamond View Creative Video Agency, where he manages and oversees professional sports and entertainment accounts. He is a former member of the Saint Leo baseball team and also was a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Santa has a passion for serving children. He is a mentor with AMI Kids and created the Sunrise Sign Project, which delivers birthday surprises to kids going through physical and emotional trials. He has also been on mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Alabama. Santa’s favorite memory at Saint Leo is how he spent his last day on campus with the women who worked in the Lion’s Lair. He had developed a special friendship with them because of the many times he had lunch there.
Jerry Blash ’14 attended classes through the Center for Online Learning and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He has 26 years of experience in law enforcement and is currently the bureau commander at the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office in Hinesville, GA. Blash has 16 years of experience as a peace officer standards and training instructor, and more than 10 years of leadership, supervisory, management, and executive/ command experience. He holds memberships in many organizations, including Georgia Narcotics Officers Association, Georgia Internal Affairs Investigation Association, and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, where he serves as district representative.
Mercy Figueroa ’17 attended classes through Saint Leo WorldWide and received summa cum laude honors when she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She also had the honor of giving the student address at the WorldWide commencement ceremony in 2017. She is a member of a strong Saint Leo family. Her husband, Luis, also graduated from the university in 2017, and her sister Heavenly Aguilar, a fellow Roaring Onward recipient, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Saint Leo. Her son, Isaac, graduated from Saint Leo in 2020. A U.S. Army veteran and mother of three, Figueroa is a native of Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States at the age of 2. She is a recent graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, and has worked to help ICE detainees and served as an intern with the Mississippi Innocence Project.
Seth Gross ’17 is a graduate of the Key West Education Center. He is a lieutenant/emergency management specialist in the U.S. Coast Guard. After graduating from Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in 2017, Gross was responsible for federal oversight of the Coast Guard’s remote locations in Hawaii, which included search and rescue, marine safety, environmental protection, and law enforcement. He led more than 200 rescue missions, while saving or assisting 337 lives and protecting $9 million in property. Most recently, he was the operations section chief to the overturned 129-foot lift boat where he directed the search for 19 missing sailors off the coast of Louisiana. His greatest memory of his time at Saint Leo is giving the commencement speech. Gross is described as someone who embodies true servant leadership by putting others above himself.