Contact: Deanna Howes Spiro, Director of Communications, AJCU
(202) 862-9893, dhowes@ajcunet.edu
WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the second consecutive session, Jesuit-educated alumni comprise 10% of Congress. Among the 535 members of the 116th United States Congress, 55 graduated from Jesuit institutions: 12 in the Senate and 43 in the House of Representatives.
Of the 55 alumni/ae in the 116th U.S. Congress, seven were elected in 2018: Representatives Gil Cisneros (D-CA, M.B.A. Regis University, 2002); Greg Pence (R-IN, B.A. Loyola University Chicago, 1979; M.B.A. Loyola University Chicago, 1983); Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ, J.D. Georgetown University, 2007); Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM, B.A. Georgetown University, 2007); Greg Stanton (D-AZ, B.A. Marquette University, 1992); Bryan Steil (R-WI, B.S. Georgetown University, 2003); and Lori Trahan (D-MA, B.A. Georgetown University, 1995).
Twelve Jesuit institutions are currently represented by alumni in the 116th U.S. Congress. Georgetown University has the most with a total of 28, followed by Boston College and Fordham University, each with 6 (note: Representative Tom Suozzi (D-NY) is an alumnus of both Boston College and Fordham; Representative Rosa DeLauro is an alumna of Marymount College, which was later incorporated by Fordham University). The College of the Holy Cross has 3 alumni while Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, Saint Peter’s University, Santa Clara University and the University of Detroit Mercy all have two alumni represented. The remaining schools with an alum in Congress are Creighton University, Gonzaga University and Regis University.
Jesuit-educated members are well-represented in leadership positions in both the Senate and the House. In the Senate, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY, Georgetown) serves as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, while Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL, Georgetown) serves as Minority Whip. In the House, Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD, Georgetown) serves as Majority Leader and Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY, Georgetown) serves as chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
In addition to the 55 alumni from Jesuit colleges and universities who are serving in the 116th Congress, there are many who are graduates of Jesuit high schools. And although not an elected member, Rev. Patrick Conroy, S.J. (an alumnus of Gonzaga University, Saint Louis University, the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University and Regis College in Toronto) continues his service as House Chaplain.
AJCU president Rev. Michael J. Sheeran, S.J. said, “A hallmark of Jesuit education is service to others, and we are proud to see that commitment represented by the alumni of Jesuit institutions who serve in the House and Senate. We appreciate their leadership and look forward to working with them during the 116th Congress.”
See full list below; bold names indicate new members.
United States Senate (12)
Senator Edward J. Markey
(D-MA) Elected 2013
B.A. Boston College (1968)
J.D. Boston College (1972)
Senator Robert Menendez
(D-NJ) Appointed & Elected 2006
B.A. Saint Peter’s University (1976)
Senator Lisa Murkowski
(R-AK) Appointed 2002, Elected 2004
B.A. Georgetown University (1980)
Senator Gary Peters
(D-MI) Elected 2014
M.B.A. University of Detroit Mercy (1984)
Senator Dan Sullivan
(R-AK) Elected 2014
J.D.-M.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1993)
Senator Chris Van Hollen, Jr.
(D-MD) Elected 2016
J.D. Georgetown University (1990)
Senator John Barrasso
(R-WY) Appointed 2007, Elected 2008
B.S. Georgetown University (1974)
M.D. Georgetown University (1978)
Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.
(D-PA) Elected 2006
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1982)
Senator Richard J. Durbin
(D-IL) Elected 1996
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1966)
J.D. Georgetown University (1969)
Senator Mazie Hirono
(D-HI) Elected 2012
J.D. Georgetown University (1978)
Senator Patrick J. Leahy
(D-VT) Elected 1974
J.D. Georgetown University (1964))
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
(D-NV) Elected 2016
J.D. Gonzaga University (1990)
United States House of Representatives (43)
Representative Stephanie Murphy
(D-FL) Elected 2016
M.S.F.S. Georgetown University (2004)
Representative Jerrold Nadler
(D-NY) Elected 1992
J.D. Fordham University (1978)
Representative Jimmy Panetta
(D-CA) Elected 2016
J.D. Santa Clara University (1996)
Representative William J. Pascrell, Jr.
(D-NJ) Elected 1996
B.A. Fordham University (1959)
M.A. Fordham University (1961)
Representative Greg Pence
(R-IN) Elected 2018
B.A. Loyola University Chicago (1979)
M.B.A. Loyola University Chicago (1983)
Delegate Stacey Plaskett
(D-VI) Elected 2014
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1988)
Representative Michael Quigley
(D-IL) Elected 2009
J.D. Loyola University Chicago (1989)
Representative Francis Rooney
(R-FL) Elected 2016
B.A. Georgetown University (1975)
J.D. Georgetown University (1978)
Representative Robert C. Scott
(D-VA) Elected 1992
J.D. Boston College (1973)
Representative Mikie Sherrill
(D-NJ) Elected 2018
J.D. Georgetown University (2007)
Representative Albio Sires
(D-NJ) Elected 2006
B.A. Saint Peter’s University (1974)
Representative Xochitl Torres Small
(D-NM) Elected 2018
B.A. Georgetown University (2007)
Representative Adam Smith
(D-WA) Elected 1996
B.A. Fordham University (1987)
Representative Greg Stanton
(D-AZ) Elected 2018
B.A. Marquette University (1992)
Representative Bryan Steil
(R-WI) Elected 2018
B.S. Georgetown University (2003)
Representative Tom Suozzi
(D-NY) Elected 2016
B.S. Boston College (1984)
J.D. Fordham University (1989)
Representative Lori Trahan
(D-MA) Elected 2018
B.A. Georgetown University (1995)
Representative Juan C. Vargas
(D-CA) Elected 2012
M.A. Fordham University (1987)
Representative Filemon Vela
(D-TX) Elected 2012
B.A. Georgetown University (1985)
Representative Peter J. Visclosky
(D-IN) Elected 1984
L.L.M. Georgetown University (1982)
Representative Peter Welch
(D-VT) Elected 2006
A.B. College of the Holy Cross (1969)
*Marymount College was later incorporated by Fordham University.
Representative Vern Buchanan
(R-FL) Elected 2006
M.B.A. University of Detroit Mercy (1986)
Representative David Cicilline
(D-RI) Elected 2010
J.D. Georgetown University (1986)
Representative Gil Cisneros
(D-CA) Elected 2018
M.B.A. Regis University (2002)
Representative Henry Cuellar
(D-TX) Elected 2004
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1978)
Representative Rosa L. DeLauro
(D-CT) Elected 1990
B.A. Marymount College, Tarrytown* (1964)
Representative Mark DeSaulnier
(D-CA) Elected 2014
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1974)
Representative Debbie Dingell
(D-MI) Elected 2014
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1975)
M.A.L.S. Georgetown University (1998)
Representative Jeff Fortenberry
(R-NE) Elected 2004
M.P.P. Georgetown University (1986)
Representative Lois Frankel
(D-FL) Elected 2012
J.D. Georgetown University (1973)
Representative Mike Gallagher
(R-WI) Elected 2016
M.A. Georgetown University (‘12 & ‘13)
Ph.D. Georgetown University (2015)
Representative Paul Gosar
(R-AZ) Elected 2010
B.S. Creighton University (1981)
D.D.S. Creighton University (1985)
Representative Trey Hollingsworth
(R-IN) Elected 2016
M.P.P. Georgetown University (2014)
Representative Steny H. Hoyer
(D-MD) Elected 1981
J.D. Georgetown University (1966)
Representative Jared Huffman
(D-CA) Elected 2012
J.D. Boston College (1990)
Representative Pramila Jayapal
(D-WA) Elected 2016
B.A. Georgetown University (1986)
Representative Hakeem Jeffries
(D-NY) Elected 2012
M.P.P. Georgetown University (1994)
Representative William Keating
(D-MA) Elected 2010
B.A. Boston College (1974)
M.B.A. Boston College (1982)
Representative Ann McLane Kuster
(D-NH) Elected 2012
J.D. Georgetown University (1984)
Representative Ted Lieu
(D-CA) Elected 2014
J.D. Georgetown University (1994)
Representative Zoe Lofgren
(D-CA) Elected 1994
J.D. Santa Clara University (1975)
Representative Stephen Lynch
(D-MA) Elected 2000
J.D. Boston College (1991)
Representative Gwen Moore
(D-WI) Elected 2004
B.A. Marquette University (1978)