Prior to his senior year at Providence Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota, Kevan Donohue ‘22 made a trip that left a lasting impression on him.
The then-16-year-old spent a month-and-a-half of his summer volunteering at a trade school in Ecuador (his mother’s native country) that serves children from underprivileged backgrounds.
“Some of the families there come from really tough circumstances and working with them put a lot of things into perspective for me,” Donohue said.
“I realized how lucky I’ve been to be born in this country where we have systems and opportunities in place that a lot of other people don’t have. It made me want to make the most of the chances I’ve been given, and use them to try and make the world a better place.”
Donohue said that desire to give back has been encouraged and enhanced during the time he has spent at Saint John’s University.
But the Hispanic studies major and political science minor said his SJU experience would not have been possible were it not for the assistance scholarships have provided.
The oldest of three brothers, he currently receives the Stephen J. Mickus Scholarship, the Allan Mulligan Family Scholarship and a President’s Scholarship.
“My parents have to put three kids through college, so I really had to consider the financial impact to our family before making a choice about where I was going to go to school,” Donohue said. “Saint John’s was very generous. They offered the most support of any school I applied too. That really lifted a lot of financial stress for myself and my family.”
It also allowed him to follow in the footsteps of two of his uncles, both of whom attended SJU and played football for legendary former head coach John Gagliardi.
His father, however, attended longtime archrival St. Thomas. But Donohue said his dad put any past allegiance aside when he saw how excited his son was to enroll in Collegeville.
“He wasn’t as upset as I thought he would be,” Donohue said with a laugh. “He was happy for me.
“When I saw what I was being offered in scholarships, I was so stoked. I remember breathing this huge sigh of relief and being filled with this incredible feeling of anticipation. I couldn’t wait to get up here.”
Since arriving on campus, Donohue has become deeply involved in campus life, both through his classes and as a member of the SJU Men’s Chorus where he worked with legendary director Axel Theimer, who retired at the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year after 52 years at SJU and the College of Saint Benedict.
“I’ve made so many great friends here and I’ve gotten to work with so many great people,” Donohue said. “Axel is just an amazing guy. So is Matt Lindstrom (a professor of political science at SJU/CSB and the director of the Eugene McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Engagement).
“That’s just to name a few.”
Donohue will graduate in May and hopes to become involved in the political process himself, perhaps in the short-term by working on a political campaign. He’d also like to use his education and language skills to work with Hispanic communities in the U.S. or abroad.
Those are all goals he said his time at SJU has positioned him well to achieve.
And for that, he is grateful to the donors who helped make it possible.
“I just want to thank them so much,” he said. “I really appreciate the possibilities they’ve opened up for me and so many others.”
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