—Bob Lindquist

“Saint Anselm College has given me more than I can ever repay,” says Donald Guilfoyle ’51. Still, in the half century since he graduated, he has never stopped trying. The college has never been far from his heart or his thoughts.

Like most American men who entered adulthood in the 1940s, Donald Guilfoyle joined the military right out of high school with little thought or hope of ever attending college. Thanks to the GI Bill and the recommendation of a priest who lived down the street in his Rockland, Mass., neighborhood, the doors to higher education opened for Guilfoyle. He enrolled at Saint Anselm College in the fall of 1947 after two years in the U.S. Army, serving in the South Pacific.

Guilfoyle was in his early twenties, like most of his classmates, when he entered college. He appreciated the opportunity; he understood the value of education; and he has been committed, since the day he graduated, to giving back to the institution that made it possible. He is a passionate supporter of his alma mater, its academic programs, athletic teams, and people.

Little did he know that his four years as a student at Saint Anselm would develop into such a long-term relationship. He built that relationship while building a life that included resuming his career as a civilian employee in the U.S. Navy, retiring as transportation division officer at the U.S. Naval Education and Training Center, in Newport, R.I., raising a family, and refereeing high school basketball for 40 years. He also made time to volunteer at alumni events, help out with telethons, or take on a leadership position with the Alumni Association. According to retired vice president of endowment, Walter Gallo ’58, “Whenever you needed someone to help out, Don was right there.” He was recognized for his contributions in 1976 with the college’s Meritorious Service Award for “serving Saint Anselm’s with unusual energy and devotion.”

Not only has Guilfoyle given generously of his time, he has been a consistent contributor to capital campaigns and the annual fund, and was a driving force behind his class’s campaign to erect a veterans memorial on the campus quad.

He never passes up an opportunity to talk about the college, meet fellow alumni, or give advice to potential students. A number of years ago while traveling through Ireland, Guilfoyle and his wife Bette spotted two young women wearing Saint Anselm sweatshirts. Without hesitation he approached the ladies and struck up a conversation. According to Bette, similar scenarios have played out countless times.

“Don and Bette Guilfoyle are truly representative of our Golden Anselmians,” says Tricia Guanci Therrien ’88, director of alumni and annual programs. “They are proud of the college; they represent stability and they help keep us connected with so much of the past that has made the college great.”