Big Red Staff

Father Paul Doyle, CSC blesses Dillon Hall as its rector. Fr. Doyle is the spiritual and secular head of our dorm. If you have a problem, go to him. If you have a question, go to him. If you ever have an insufferable craving for pork barbeque or cream soda, go to him. Although e-mail has been around for decades, Fr. Doyle still hasn't quite gotten the hang of it. If you receive an e-mail from him, no need to open it, he puts all the contents in the subject line. Further, when he learned you could sort you mailbox by dates, names, etc... with one click he gasped and said, "Smart folks these yankees." He is a southern gentleman hailing from Virginia and a Notre Dame grad himself. Whenever you meet him you will quickly be given your official Dillon title of "Brother."

     Dillon is home to two other priests available for assistance, questions, and theological discussions on the exact number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. They all chose Dillon because they knew it has the smartest guys, its prime location, and the threat of being forced to live in another. You will see these men around the dorm and saying Mass in our dorm.

Father Austin Collins, CSC who recently stepped down as the Chair of Art Department, is an associate art professor, an avid art collector, gourmet chef and master of the game Othello, which takes a minute to learn but a lifetime to master. He is also in charge of selecting all the art pieces that we have around campus, so if you see him around ask for an explanation of the armless, howling wolf man outside O'Shag. He lives up on the second floor.

Father Lou DelFra, CSC was ordained in 2004 and served a Portland, Oregon parish as its deacon for eight months prior to becoming a priest. He continued in parish ministry until his recent arrival in Dillon Hall. This year Father Lou will be preparing to begin doctoral studies in English in 2006. After graduation from college Fr. Lou taught in ND's Alliance for Catholic Education and was the program's associate director for several years.

Dillon is home to two graduate students who take the role of Assistant Rectors. Both are invaluable to the success of Dillon and will make a positive impact in the lives of all Dillonites.

John Rompf (Rm. 244):
John returns for a second year of post graduation life in Dillon Hall as an assistant rector on the second floor. Having previously lived in Dillon during his undergraduate days (2002-2006) he could not wait to return to a life of pizza bagels and pep rallies after having volunteered as a teacher through the NativityMiguel network of schools at Nativity Preparatory School of New Bedford, MA and living on nothing but clam chowda. Originally from Winchester, Kentucky, Rompf brings small town experience to campus' largest dorm.

Joe DiGaetano (Rm. 309): Joe is joining the Dillon Hall staff in his first year as Assistant Rector. He is a second year MBA with a dual concentration in stacking paper and rolling in the benjamins. Hailing from Nutley (yes, Nutley, let's be adult about it), New Jersey, he was tragically born without the ability to fist pump. The oldest and unquestionably favorite son, by far, his family clearly loves him more than his younger and less talented brothers. Surviving four years in the Bronx at Fordham University, there are no horrors or atrocities that he has not witnessed first hand. Joe knows most of the Real Housewives of NJ and swears they are nice people but disavows all knowledge of those Jersey Shore animals.

Each year Father Doyle, the assistant rectors, and the outgoing resident assistants select nine seniors to serve as RA's. This crew of elite, hardworking Dillon men does their best to serve their Dillon Brothers and keep us in line. When they are not roaming the halls ensuring that there is not trouble afoot, their doors are always open for you to stop by, chat and mooch food. Of course they don't mind.

Edward Drislane (101): Rms. 101-122
From an early age Edward Drislane was destined for greatness. As a science business major, he ceases to amaze. As a resident of Newton, Massachusetts, Edward has always been bitter about not attending high school in Acton – a far superior town in both academics and athletics. Nevertheless he persevered thanks in large part to his New England Patriots, Boston Bruins and Red Sox. When he is not working "hard" at school he enjoys hanging out with his friends, doing homework for other students (feel free to give him your assignments), and reading leather bound books. He is known in Dillon as White Lightning and he would be happy to explain to you why that is so. White Lighting is extremely approachable and enjoys meeting new Domers. Feel free to stop by his room whenever you have time and introduce yourself to him but don't forget to bring him your homework.

Charles Janini (135): Rms. 123-150
Charles Janini has been a man among boys from day one, so much so that it took five storks to deliver him to his parents' doorstep in Akron, Ohio. The finest specimen of raw athletic ability to ever walk the planet, sports always came naturally to Charles. After thoroughly losing to Charles day after day for 12 years, LeBron James, Charles' childhood neighbor and best friend, learned enough from Charles to go to the NBA. In his freshman year of high school, Charles turned down offers as the starting point guard from every NBA team because "The game would no longer be fair." Instead, he turned his attention to the outdoors, where he became an Eagle Scout in one week and then proceeded to climb the 20 highest mountains in the world—twice. In his first year of college, discovered his Viking ancestry and decided to follow his ancestry and do what the Vikings loved to do most: Row. He joined the ND Rowing Club and singlehandedly propelled them into one of the top spots in the nation. When not donning his Viking helmet to win races, he studies Chemical Engineering. His lifelong goal is to create the Super Soldier Serum using his own DNA so that, one day, there will finally be more than one man on this planet.

Joe Cannova (157): Rms. 151-168
Joe Cannova is a quiet Biology and Peace Studies major from Wheaton, IL. He claims that he wants to pursue an MD/ PhD degree after college, yet he believes applying to medical schools is beneath him. He has more important things to do. He spends nearly all of his free time practicing wizard spells, because he knows that one day Lord Voldemort will rise again. Joe vows to be ready to fight evil with the combination of a brilliant Imperius Curse and biological warfare—the real reason he works in a TB lab at Notre Dame. Don't let his quiet exterior fool you, he is no ordinary guy. Joe also is an ardent Cardinals fan and enjoys long, solitary walks in which he can ponder the meaning of life and question why girls always come up to him on South Quad.

Dennis Grabowski (235): Rms. 223-251
Sir Dennis Grabowski was raised on Long Island, New York and has become a man among men in his journey to greatness. Being the nephew of Wally Szczerbiak, Dennis learned at an early age how to be tall with a long last name. Dennis grew up under the spotlight, starring in the PBS television show Zoom and, although his parents received all of the money from his grueling work, Dennis did learn how to make airplanes out of tooth picks and string. A philosophy major, Dennis has pondered the many questions of life. When will someone ever beat me in smash 64? Will anyone have the guts to join my squash team? What exactly is squash? In short, Dennis Grabowski is many things. Mostly though, he's the really tall kid that smiles a lot.

Patrick Walsh (265): Rms. 252-274
Number 46 on the Notre Dame football team, Steve Filer was born in Chicago and attended Mount Carmel High School. Known by all as a freak athlete (just see the youtube of him jumping out of a pool), Steve isn't just a football player. A religious young man, a gemini, and a wonderful friend, Steve can often be found skateboarding around school or strumming on the guitar. Yep, ladies, Steve really does have it all and will make an exceptional RA in Dillon next year...wait...this bio is supposed to be about Pat Walsh? Who? Steve's roommate for his first three years in Dillon? But, why wouldn't Steve just live with a football player? Well, this bio will stink: Pat Walsh is a Chemistry major (pre-med and boring) from Arlington Heights, IL. His hobbies are basketball and running (yawn), and he loves to sing Bruce Springsteen in his boxers (weird). Cross your fingers and hope Steve will come to his room every once in a while.

Mike McLane (280): Rms. 201-222, 275-289
He has climbed five 14,000 foot mountains. He has run a 4:45 mile. His writing can leave grown men in tears over its beauty. His friends call him GoldRush, probably due to his long history of finding gold nuggets while panning in the rivers of Colorado. He is the most interesting RA at Notre Dame. He doesn't always live in a dorm, but when he does, he prefers Dillon Hall. Mike McLane hails from Kiowa, Colorado, a town about an hour from Denver which, as he says, "nobody has ever heard of." He is an avid mountain climber, taking advantage of his proximity to the Rocky Mountains. He is majoring in English, with a focus on creative writing and poetry, so seek him out when you've got an FYC paper due the next day and you can't think of a good synonym for "cromulent."

Ryan Quillard (335): Rms. 323-350
Trekking from the heart of New England to run the halls of both Dillon and Mendoza, Ryan Quillard is commonly known to have put the 'boss' in Boston. Ryan's upbringing is mysterious, having spent most of his early years at sea. To this day, he refuses to associate with flatfooted folk on the day of a voyage. After winking in the general direction of a nearby pier, Quillard was discovered by Old Spice and quickly brought ashore, where he cleaned up and donated much of his hair. Since, Ryan has found a soft spot in his otherwise burly exterior, spending time philosophizing in London, exploring the Scottish highlands, and honing his cricket bowling. Rumor has it that Ryan really does bleed gold and blue. Sadly, we will never know. Nobody makes Ryan Quillard bleed his own blood.

Eric Herbert (364): Rms. 351-374
Eric Herbert: Arnold Schwarzenegger's original love child. With a grizzly bear. Herbert often boasts of being the strongest and smartest resident of Hartland, WI; not only are his triceps the objects of local legend, but he could read and write by the age of 12. An aspiring marine biology and urban studies double-major, Notre Dame was the natural choice for continuing his education (though, true to form, he's been known to dabble in ND's most female-populated fields of study, including civil engineering). Football, rugby, wrestling, boxing, and woman-wooing: if Herbert's activities were an assortment of scratch-and-sniff stickers, the smell of man would bring tears to your eyes faster than Alumni's sketchy restroom facilities. Eric's favorite color is ocean, "just like my eyes."

Tim Crowley (379): Rms. 301-322, 375-387
Born to the sound of trumpets and (not enough) cowbell in the golden city of Acton, Massachusetts, Tim Crowley is the only man who can hold the interest of the world's most interesting man. After a year traversing in Europe in the manner of Forrest Gump and wooing countless Polish milkmaids, Tim decided to take his talents to South Bend to study economics. With a bit of luck he'll have this whole recession thing wrapped up in a few weeks. On campus he can be found teaching the blind to paint, of course polishing off his guns at the Rock, and perfecting that roundhouse kick he learned from Chuck Norris himself.