“Let’s start with my father, William J. Giovan, Sr., a dentist. He told me once that he had made a generous contribution toward the construction of the Alumni Memorial Building, now known as Callahan Hall, because he never would have become a dentist, but for the University of Detroit Dental School, which was established just in time for him to be able to attend. He was a member of its first graduating class in 1935.

When I myself started as an undergraduate in 1954, similarly, it was the only affordable Catholic University I could attend. Besides giving me a quality education, U of D gave me the opportunity to participate in several extracurricular activities, and I spent all four years as a member of the fencing team, the U of D Players, and the debate team. I’m sure that all those facilities wouldn’t have been available to me at a smaller school, and I expect that the competition would have been a hindrance in a larger one.

I went on to a more or less successful career in the law. I doubt that all of this would have been possible had I gone to school elsewhere.”

—The Hon. William Giovan, Jr. ’58, College of Liberal Arts & Education