DEAR LMU Fifteen years ago, I packed my belongings, headed east on Route 66 and, after some 2,000 miles of roadway, arrived one sweltering summer afternoon in Chicago. My trek was part leap of faith, part long experiment and part destiny.
Graduation catapulted me quickly into the real world. I held a solid liberal arts degree and had gained valuable leadership and team-building experience through Sursum Corda, Campus Ministry and Sigma Chi. The next challenge was to apply what I had learned. Law school seemed the best fit, so I enrolled at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
I liken my early Chicago experiences to what Jesuit novices must say as they begin their long experiment: “Good God, what am I doing here?” One “Good God” moment occurred when pens in my backpack froze while I waited at an outdoor “L” train platform. Over the years, “Good God” situations morphed into “Thank God” moments. I feel blessed to live in a beautiful, international, multicultural and thriving city. Plus, we have a vibrant local LMU community that includes Michele Askari ’80, Cynthia Hunt ’86, John Lux ’05, Danielle Morreale ’08, Andy Sisson ’90 and Ann (Golob) Stuart ’93. We’re looking forward to our next LMU National Day of Service.
In law school, I met my wife, Ann-Marie. Married almost 10 years, we have a delightful son, whom we cherish. I can’t imagine life without these two wonderful souls. My law practice is challenging and rewarding. I restructure companies or represent those who extend credit to these troubled businesses. My firm, like LMU, supports the development of the “whole person” by encouraging its lawyers to provide pro bono legal services. As an immigrant myself, I take particular pride in my pro bono immigration/asylum cases.
Each time we visit my folks in Orange County, we try to visit LMU. There is an energy to the campus that keeps us thinking of and talking about LMU, even if we are 2,000 miles away.
Jon C. Vigano ’94
Chicago