Alumni Feature
Alumni Stars Mark the Start of Homecoming
Last fall’s Homecoming
weekend began when the
stars came out for the
Alumni Awards ceremony
Friday afternoon. Meet
the 2014 award winners:
Recent Graduate Award
Saint Dominic Award
Sister Ann Joachim Award
Kyle Leighton ‘13
Thomas J. Bilan ‘92
Colleen Lewis Aguilar ’04, ’06
Nominated by Zachary Orlosky ’10
Nominated by Leah Faust Bilan ’93
A professional communications
graduate of Siena’s Jackson Center,
Kyle credits his Siena Heights education for igniting his success at EverLast Lighting, Inc, an energy-efficient
lighting manufacturer in Jackson.
As director of public relations for
the firm, he has been published
in numerous trade magazines and
designed and launched a Michigan
Energy Awareness Initiative that
was adopted throughout the state;
and was named an emerging leader
in the electrical industry. He was
recognized for “carrying the mission
and spirit of SHU into a promising
career in public relations and professional communication” and for
being a role mode as “an advocate
of energy efficiency.”
After earning a bachelor’s
degree in computer information
systems and an associate’s degree
in mathematics at Siena, Tom
founded and sold several IT companies, earned a master’s in computer
science and engineering, and completed a doctorate in management.
He went on to head up IT operations
for two regional firms and a global
solar panel manufacturing company.
Since 2013, he has been director of
technical services for Ilitch Holdings,
Inc., in Detroit, a $3B organization
providing shared services and leadership to Ilitch-owned companies
including Little Caesar’s Pizza, the
Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red
Wings. But Tom was honored not
simply for great career accomplishments, but rather for his generosity,
service and commitment to Monroe (MI) area Catholic schools. The
award citation applauded him for
using his education “as a springboard to great accomplishments”
and for responding to success “by
‘giving back’ to enrich the education of others.” Tom and his wife,
Leah, live in Monroe with sons
Justin and Luke.
Nominated by Sister Maurine
Barzantni, OP ’59
Colleen, who lives and teaches
high school Spanish in Long Beach,
CA, was recognized for her efforts
to help young girls in developing
countries build faith and self-esteem through “Basketball With a
Mission,” a non-profit Colleen established in 2005. A Spanish major
at SHU and member of the Saints
basketball team, she was inspired
to combine these passions after a
Siena mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Since then she has
led summer basketball programs
in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,
Mexico and Argentina. Her award
citation applauded her for “confronting challenges and making
our world a better place, while
using the lessons and skills you
gained in class and on the basketball court.” Colleen and her husband, Tony, have two daughters,
Carolina and Cassie.
Reflections Summer ’15 | 27