Mr. Michael J. Bidwill '83 and Mr. Denis Dwyer II P '04 received the Insignis Medal and the Academic Support Program received the John Edward Joyce Award at the annual President's Councilors Dinner on October 10 at Columbia Country Club.
In his welcoming remarks, Georgetown Prep's President, Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., noted, "This evening is, indeed, a celebration. It is a celebration of our mission and identity—the essence of Georgetown Prep. It is the celebration of our exceptional young men and their journey to become men of competence, conscience, courage and compassion; men of faith and men for and with others. It is also a celebration of Georgetown Prep's very best."
Established in 1981, the Insignis Medal is Georgetown Prep's highest honor. The awards name is taken from The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola. This year, Fr. Van Dyke awarded the School's highest honor to Michael Bidwill '83 and Denis Dwyer II P'04.
Michael has served on Georgetown Prep's Board of Trustees since 2014 and has served as vice-chairman of the Board since 2016. During his time on the Board, he has served on the Development and Governance Committees and has helped develop strategies to enlarge the School's recent advancement achievements. He has also served on the Presidential Search Committee and has been a champion for Georgetown Prep's Strategic Plan. In his introduction of Michael, Fr. Van Dyke noted, "I have had the honor of getting to know the Bidwill family, including visiting Michael's father, Bill, class of 1949 and fellow Insignis Medal recipient. You will not find a finer and more loyal family than the Bidwills. And you will not find a more devoted son and brother than Michael. I should add that Michael reflects that same commitment to his friends and classmates from Prep. Thirty-six years later he is still at the core of a group of guys who support each other through good times and bad and encourage each other to live up to their best ideals for their families and for their communities."
Denis Dwyer II P'04, first became involved with Georgetown Prep when his son Denis, III, arrived here in the fall of 2000 as a freshman. From that time on, Denis has been involved in the school and began his service on the Board of Trustees in 2013. During his tenure he served as Chair of the Academic Committee and on the Presidential Search Committee that located Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.
Fr. Van Dyke added in his introduction of Denis, "Denis did not go to a Jesuit school, but I think it safe to say that he knew St. Ignatius' prayer for generosity by intuition, if not from school. He gave himself to the work of the Chair with incredible commitment and diligence, spending hours in meetings and on the phone, often calling in from Hawaii or Asia, coming to school events including Open Houses, ball games, and student performances. I know the faculty and staff were always impressed that Denis stopped at their opening meeting of each year to wish them well and at the final meeting of the year to thank them. And I know that his prudent leadership around financial issues has helped position Prep well for our ambitions for our students."
The John Edward Joyce Award is presented to a member of the faculty who exemplifies Georgetown Prep's core values and ideals in recognition of a deep commitment to the School and its students. This year's recipient was a first for Georgetown Prep. The John Edward Joyce Award was presented to the Academic Support Program.
In his introductory remarks, Fr. Van Dyke said, "The Georgetown Prep Academic Support Program originated in the fall of 1985 with one part-time instructor. Nancy Hair, the School's first on-site tutor, met with a handful of students during the 1985-1986 academic year in vacant classrooms during open periods of the day. Over the past 34 years, the Academic Support Program has developed into a full-scale program that supports students at all levels. The Academic Support Program now has a dedicated Learning Center located in the George Center for Academic Excellence where it is accessible to students at any time during their day. There are three learning specialists who work with students on an individual basis, depending on the needs of the student."
The three members of the Academic Support Program are Nancy Hair, Prep's original learning specialist and tutor in the humanities and study skills, Bonnie Hanes, a longtime member of the School's English Department, directs the writing component for the Academic Support Program, and Neza Vodopivec, is the math specialist and newest member of the Academic Support Program.
The President's Councilors Dinner is held annually to honor leading donors to Georgetown Prep's Annual Fund and past winners of the Insignis Medal.