Changemakers

Bill Cartwright, USF’s all-time leading basketball scorer and 3-time All-American, won 3 NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and coached internationally. A familiar presence on campus, Cartwright leads University Initiatives and serves on the McCarthy Center board, exemplifying cura apostolica, care of the institution.

Dorothy M. Ehrlich, History grad and longtime ACLU leader, retired after decades of advocacy. As Deputy Executive Director and former head of ACLU Northern California, she championed justice, racial equity, and LGBTQ+ rights, embodying Jesuit values through visionary leadership.

Kathileen Gallagher helped shape USF’s co-ed transition in 1968, founding women’s athletics and arts programs. She launched a dance major, led community outreach, and helped create the Performing Arts and Social Justice program. Her legacy blends art, service, and social change.

Gordon Getty, USF ’56, is a celebrated composer, philanthropist, and civic leader. His $30M in gifts helped launch the J. Paul Getty Honors College and Ann Getty Institute of Art & Design. Honored as USF’s 2015 Alumnus of the Year, he exemplifies Jesuit values through art, education, and service.

Elizabeth Greenwood, a History graduate and acclaimed author of Playing Dead and Love Lockdown, blends investigative journalism with bold storytelling. Featured at USF’s 2025 Book Fair, she uplifts hidden voices, teaches writing, and reflects Jesuit values through curiosity, empathy, and cultural insight.

Tom Hewitt has dedicated his life to child welfare in South Africa, founding Surfers not Street Children and co-founding Umthombo Street Children. Awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire and the Ralph Lane Peace & Justice Award, he’s a tireless advocate for vulnerable youth.

Fr. Thomas Lucas, S.J. shaped USF’s artistic identity as the founder of both the current department of Art + Architecture and the Thacher Gallery. His creative vision and Jesuit-inspired design lives on in public art across campus, including the Armillary Sphere installed in his honor.

Department Chair of Natural Sciences, Joseph Neri was the first person to demonstrate electric light to the city of San Francisco in 1871. Embodying Jesuit principles of spreading knowledge, Neri believed “there was not, and could not be, any conflict between true science and true religion.”

Vicky Nguyen, NBC News investigative reporter and USF valedictorian, tells impactful stories rooted in justice and truth. A refugee and author of Boat Baby, she uplifts marginalized voices and mentors USF students, exemplifying Jesuit values through journalism, empathy, and public service.

Katherine de Léon "uses her USF education every single day." A U.S. Marine, she became a Philosophy major and went on to co-found a music streaming company. De Léon has been a female pioneer in the male-dominated gaming industry and now serves as Senior Director of Product Management for YouTube.

Carlos Menchaca was the first Mexican American to serve on the New York City Council and the first openly gay New York City Council member from Brooklyn. The POV documentary Emergent City highlights how Menchaca championed dialogue and collective action instead of standard politics and power.

Professor Robert J. Seiwald, a USF chemistry professor (1957–1989) and WWII veteran, co-invented groundbreaking antibody labeling agents. His work revolutionized disease diagnostics and earned him a place in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He turns 100 during the College of Arts & Sciences centennial.

Jennifer Turpin (pictured right), a sociologist and transformative leader, served USF for 34 years. She founded the Women’s Studies program and became the university’s first female provost and CAS dean, advancing equity and shaping academic life through 17 years in senior leadership.