“Michael was chosen from a field of extraordinary candidates,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham. “I am delighted to say that he understands the Jesuit mission inside and out, and comes to Fordham with a strong desire to further that mission. Given his proven ability to connect with alumni and colleagues, and his track record of conspicuous achievement in the field, I have the utmost confidence that he will do much to advance the University’s interests, and to further tighten the bonds between Fordham and its extended family.”

Griffin comes to Fordham after working for more than 15 years at Columbia University, most recently as executive director for alumni relations. In this role, he led a number of university-wide initiatives which served all 16 schools and 300,000 alumni around the world.

A seasoned alumni relations professional and strategist, Griffin directed a large percentage of the overall alumni relations effort at Columbia including outreach to a network of 81 clubs worldwide, arts programming in New York City, the alumni center, and alumni affinity products. He also was instrumental in the development and launch of Columbia’s first university-wide on-line alumni community.

“In Michael I believe we have found the perfect fit for taking our program to the next level,” said Roger A. Milici Jr., vice president for development and University relations. “He is widely respected in the field and within the Columbia University community, and he brings extraordinary leadership abilities and organizational skills to an upgraded position. Previously, the staff leader of the alumni relations program was at the director level. We expect Michael to play a major role in elevating Fordham’s alumni services and activities in New York City and around the globe, and in transforming our program into a model one.”

Griffin began his term at Columbia as assistant director of athletics, a role in which he spent eight years before transitioning to alumni relations. His zeal for athletics began well before he arrived at Columbia, though. The son of a football coach, Griffin was an accomplished scholar-athlete at the University of Rhode Island and won multiple awards while a starter on the football team.

Prior to his employment at Columbia, Griffin worked in marketing at Burlington Industries in New York City and Dallas.

He earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in business management from the University of Rhode Island and a graduate certificate in sports marketing from New York University.

Sponsored by Alumni Relations, the day included a Mass at the Jesuit High School’s St. Anthony Chapel led by Joseph M. McShane, S.J., Fordham’s president, and Daniel Gatti, S.J., Fordham’s alumni chaplain and interim director of alumni relations.

Brunch was held in the Yankee Pavilion at Steinbrenner Field. Peter Farrell, director of admissions, discussed Fordham’s achievements and Fr. McShane gave updates on the University and the Excelsior | Ever Upward | The Campaign for Fordham.

Following brunch, the group watched the Yankees triumph over the Phillies, 4-0. The Fordham group got a shout out by the announcer and on the scoreboard during the 7th inning stretch.

Following the Yankee win, several alumni got autographs from Yankee greats, Reggie Jackson and David Wells.

Pictured above from left to right: Sean Salai, David Paternostro (GSAS`11), and Daniel Gatti, S.J.

Future regional events are posted to the Alumni calendar located at www.fordham.edu/events.

—Jenny Hirsch

Father Gatti comes to Fordham from Xavier High School in Manhattan, where he served as president from 1997 to 2009.

His responsibilities will be two-fold—including both pastoral care and University development. “Of course I’ll be performing pastoral duties for the alumni community, and I’m happy to be involved in the development side as much as people feel that I’ll be helpful,” Father Gatti said.

“Fordham has been in my psyche for a long time,” he added, noting that his father graduated from Fordham College at Rose Hill in 1931, played trumpet in the band and orchestra, and composed the music of The Fordham Medley.

Father Gatti himself is a Fordham alumnus twice over—holding degrees from Fordham College at Rose Hill and the Graduate School of Education. He earned a master of divinity degree with high distinction from Woodstock College.

He taught at Fordham Preparatory School from 1966 to 1969, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1972.

After that, he began working in pastoral care at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he stayed until 1975. He spent the next 13 years as director of pastoral care at Georgetown University Hospital.

Father Gatti was the assistant director of medical center development at Georgetown for four years before returning in 1994 to New York City, where he completed the Jesuit Secondary School Administrator Program at Fordham in 1996.

He noted that his time as president of Xavier allowed him to become better acquainted with the University. “Over the last 10 years, roughly 20 to 25 Xavier graduates have gone on to study at Fordham each year, and they’ve been very happy here,” he said.

Father Gatti is a former president of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and was a member of the Association of Mental Health Clergy and LifeNet Transplant Services in Virginia Beach, Va.

Last year, he celebrated a double golden jubilee: his 50th anniversary of graduation from Xavier High School and his 50th year in the Society of Jesus.

He learned about possibly coming to Fordham during the sabbatical year he took after leaving the Xavier presidency.

“In that sabbatical year, you think what might be your next assignment,” he said. “Father McShane expressed an interest in my joining Fordham, and I felt very comfortable being associated with the University. I think it’s a good fit.”

Father Gatti succeeds Joseph A. Novak, S.J., as alumni chaplain. Father Novak, a long-time member of the Fordham family, passed away in January. “Father Novak was my former provincial,” Father Gatti said, “so I knew him quite well.

“He was very generous to extend my time working in the Maryland Province, of which Washington D.C. is a part. I was doing good work down there in medical center development, and he saw that there wasn’t a comparable opportunity here in the New York Province.”

Father Gatti possesses a passion for golf, which he shared with Father Novak at annual Jesuit Golf Week outings and on many other occasions. Among his varied interests, Father Gatti enjoys woodworking and genealogical research.

Anyone wishing to contact Father Gatti can e-mail him at [email protected].

Joseph McLaughlin