Academic Convocation Honoree 2026

The Academic Convocation is a key moment in our academic year and a signature event of our annual De La Salle Heritage Days.

The event honors the rich variety of gifts and experiences that make our own community the special place that it is, strives to deepen the College's Lasallian and Catholic heritage, and strengthens our role as a key collaborator in our worldwide Lasallian community. Our 2026 Academic Convocation will take place on Wednesday, April 22, at 1:30 p.m. in the Saint Mary’s Chapel. A special reception will follow at the Soda Center.

Our very special Academic Convocation honoree is a great contributor to our Lasallian mission: Brother George Van Grieken, FSC, PhD.

Br. George has been an inspiring, grounded, and visionary leader for Lasallian Catholic education in the United States and across the global Lasallian network. As he writes, “55 years as a La Salle Brother continues to inspire me every day.” Born in Holland, he emigrated with his parents to Napa at the age of 11 and joined the Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1970. The first graduate of Saint Mary’s to be selected as an Academic Convocation honoree, Br. George graduated in 1975 with a double major in the Integral Program and Theology. He completed his MA in Theology at Saint Mary’s in 1979 and his PhD in Religious Education at Boston College in 1995. He has worked at numerous high schools—including Christian Brothers High School, the Saint Mary’s Residence School, San Joaquin Memorial High School, and Saint Mary’s College High School—and has led formation and training for the Mont La Salle Novitiate in Napa.

In addition to his work as a teacher and formator, Br. George has taken on increasingly global leadership roles in formation for lay partners, resource development, and the promotion of scholarship and publication across the higher education network. Since 2016, he has served as Coordinator of the Lasallian Resource Center, overseeing the development and expansion of its major digital platforms—www.lasallianresources.org, www.dlsfootsteps.org, and www.lasallian.ai —which provide global access to historical, spiritual, and pedagogical Lasallian resources. Since January 2022, this work has been carried out within the regional office of the Christian Brothers Conference (RELAN), integrating the Lasallian Resource Center into the Conference’s broader mission of research, formation, and service to Lasallian ministries across the United States and Canada. In parallel, Br. George was appointed in 2019 as Secretary Coordinator for Research and Resources for the Institute, overseeing archives and research initiatives in Rome while continuing to support formation efforts throughout the Lasallian world. He has led formation workshops in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Toronto, Australia, Ireland, Abidjan, Colombia, Thailand, and Rome. Br. George also teaches in the Buttimer Summer Program.

A Renaissance man with hobbies that include playing and composing music, travel, and learning new technologies, Br. George is a prolific author and editor. He serves on the AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education editorial board. His works include numerous articles, books, music, webpages, and DVDs—such as Touching the Hearts of Students (1999), International Lasallian Liturgy Resource (2007), Soul for Soul—The Vocation of the Child in Lasallian Pedagogy (2008)—and foundational works on the pedagogical spirituality of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, including The Teacher’s Saint (2020) and Lasallian Spirituality Today (2023). His forthcoming book, Holy Audacity: A Short History of the Lasallian Charism & Mission, will be released in March 2026 and offers a comprehensive, accessible synthesis of Lasallian history and mission for contemporary audiences.

Br. George’s work and life embody the mission of transformative education. His address to the Saint Mary’s community at our Academic Convocation will be an opportunity for us to pause, come together, reflect on our own calling as Lasallian educators, and celebrate our shared heritage and mission. Please join us!

Convocation is the centerpiece of Lasallian Heritage Days in which our community celebrates the life and legacy of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, patron saint of teachers, founder of the Christian Brothers, and the College’s Lasallian heritage and mission. Past recipients include:

Carole Swain, AFSC, PhD, Professor Emerita of Saint Mary's College (read her remarks from the 2025 Academic Convocation)
Brother William Mann, FSC, DMin (read his remarks from the 2024 Academic Convocation)
Joan Landeros, AFSC, PhD, Board member, International Association of Lasallian Universities (IALU) (see the 2023 Academic Convocation)
Brother Ernest Miller, FSC, DMin., Vice President of Mission, Diversity & Inclusion, La Salle University (read Brother Ernest's Convocation Address)
Brother James Gaffney, FSC, DMin, President Emeritus, Lewis University
Kevin Michael Nagle, Chair, Board of Trustees, Saint Mary's College, Moraga
Brother Louis DeThomasis, President Emeritus, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Dr. Carmelita I. Quebengco, Chancellor Emeritus and University Fellow at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
Brother Peter Bray, FSC, Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem, University
Brother Thomas Johnson,FSC, Director of the Novitiate for the Lasallian Region of North America.
Brother Robert Schieler, Superior General
Brother Armin Altamirano Luistro, Secretary of Education Philippines
Brother Alvaro Rodriquez Echeverria, Superior General
Brother Gustavo Ramirez Barba, Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, General Councilor
Brother Augustine (Gus) Boquer, President of De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, Philippines
Brother Carlos Gabriel Gomez-Restrepo, President of Universidad of de La Salle, Bogota, Colombia
Gery Short, Director of Education for the De La Salle Christian Brothers for the Western Province
Brother Jose Cervantes, founder of four universities in Mexico
Brother Gerard Rummery, International formator
Brother Ed Siderwitz, founder of San Miguel and Catalyst schools in Chicago
Brother Vincent Malham, former President of Bethlehem University