Alumni in the News

Published: Fri July 23, 2021
Source: Camarillo Acorn

Frontier High School’s new principal understands the challenges facing students at the alternative school. Ron Briggs, MEd '00, said his family was poor while he was a kid growing up in Ojai. His mother never graduated from high school and all three of his sisters dropped out. His dad didn’t go to college. Now as principal of Frontier High School, he wants to connect with teens who may be struggling and show them they can be successful.

Published: Wed July 21, 2021
Source: Beyond the Acorn

Aliyah Wimbish graduated from Cal Lutheran in 2019 with a marketing communications degree and big hopes to find her dream career. But like many college graduates, she struggled to find a job that both aligned with her goals and passions and that she felt qualified to take on. Last fall the 22-year-old launched Beauty Mag Cosmetics, an inclusive, cruelty-free and affordable makeup brand aimed to uplift people of color.

Published: Thu July 15, 2021
Source: San Diego Union Tribune

When asked his reaction to being selected the new head football coach at Grossmont High, Chris Holmes '07 said simply, "I’m excited." That was probably the least enthusiastic reply the 35-year-old Point Loma High graduate said about the job he accepted in late March after serving as an assistant at Granite Hills and Helix before that. Translation — he’s well associated with the Grossmont Hills League and his future opponents.

Published: Tue June 22, 2021
Source: Escalon Times (Oakdale)

Pastor Caroline “Callie” Torres wants people to know her door is always open. She has been serving as pastor at Saron Lutheran Church in Escalon since the beginning of April and was officially installed as its new pastor in an ordination ceremony on Sunday, June 5.

Published: Mon June 21, 2021
Source: 247sports

Mark ’83 and Sue ’84 Freudenburg said they feel blessed to have taught at Yreka High School for a combined 59 years before retiring together at the end of the school year earlier this month. They arrived in Yreka in 1990 so Mark could teach at YHS. Sue did not teach the first few years, while she raised the couple's young children, but she eventually returned to teaching and at the Yreka Union School District for 28 years. When they arrived in Yreka in 1990, their plan was to stay for five years. However, those plans changed and they decided to settle down and plant roots at YHS, the five-year plan turning into a 31-year plan.

Published: Fri June 18, 2021
Source: KITV4 ABC (Hawaii)

Rich Hill ’85, MS ’88, has been named the new head coach of the University of Hawai‘i baseball program, Athletics Director David Matlin announced Friday, June 18. Hill is the program’s third-ever head coach. He comes to Manoa with 35 years of head coaching experience, of which the last 23 at the University of San Diego. Before his 23 seasons at San Diego, Hill led the San Francisco Dons to a 139-144 record over five seasons. Prior to his San Francisco stint, Hill led his alma mater, California Lutheran for the 1988-93 seasons, finishing his career there with a 193-80 record over six seasons. During his six seasons at Cal Lutheran, 92 percent of his players received their degrees.

Published: Thu June 17, 2021
Source: FanNation

Rod Marinelli ’74, who has spent the past 25 seasons coaching in the NFL, was honored by the Pro Football Writers of America with their Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award, which is named for the former Sports Illustrated pro football writer and given for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach.

Published: Thu June 10, 2021
Source: Thousand Oaks Acorn

Hundreds gathered at Oak Canyon Community Park in Oak Park for a surprise party to honor Thousand Oaks resident Dennis Ritterbush '77, MA '84, who is retiring after 40-plus years with Las Virgenes Unified School District.