A Profile of Generosity and Gratitude
Bellarmine University’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations has named six dedicated volunteers to its Campaign Cabinet for the Honoring Our Past, Shaping Our Future campaign.
The cabinet members will work closely with university leaders and staff as ambassadors to the alumni and broader communities to advocate for Bellarmine and promote giving at all levels throughout the campaign. They will help identify, connect, and cultivate
gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Each member of the Campaign Cabinet has shown a longstanding commitment to the success of the university, through both giving and engagement, and has accepted their respective roles on the cabinet with great enthusiasm for ultimately supporting the success
of the campaign.
- Al ’72 and Mary Jo ’74,’84 Burke, the first to commit to the Cabinet, are profiled below.
- Mike Mackin ’83, Trustee
- Robbie ’04,’12 and Amanda ’04 Tindall
- James Heck, Trustee
Al and Mary Jo Burke are passionate supporters of Bellarmine’s mission, particularly in providing financial aid to students. They believe in giving back to the institution that shaped their lives and encourage others to do the same.
“The endowments that we’ve created—the support for athletic facilities, our annual giving, whatever we do—is a small response to the gratitude we feel for the opportunities we’ve had in our lives as a result of our time at
Bellarmine,” Al Burke ’72 said.
“It can be a struggle for students and families to cover the cost of this wonderful educational experience, and we are grateful to be able to make it a little bit easier for those who really want and appreciate it,” Mary Jo ’74,’84
added.
For the Burkes, Bellarmine University is more than just an alma mater; it is the foundation of their life together. Their story began in 1971 in the campus coffee house with a serendipitous meeting that led to a 50-year marriage and a lifelong connection
to the university.
Their deep love for Bellarmine is not just a personal sentiment but a multigenerational family tradition, with Mary Jo’s three older sisters and two of their own children also attending the school. Their son even continued Al's legacy by playing
baseball for the Knights, just as Al had done before he recruited students as an admissions counselor and coached the baseball team as a young alumnus.
The Burkes’ commitment to Bellarmine is a reflection of their gratitude for the well-rounded Catholic education they received. Mary Jo was inspired by her close relationships with faculty, and after receiving two degrees in education, she went on
to teach in Louisville for 35 years.
Across their lives, they have remained connected to the university and have watched proudly as it has grown in both physical space and academic rigor, while also remaining true to its personal approach to education.
“When we were in school, your teachers knew who you were, and you would feel like you could go up and talk to them with a problem or an issue of any sort,” Mary Jo said. “And I feel like the students of today can still do that. That’s so important, because although you want your college to grow, you don’t want the teachers and students to lose that connection that makes the experience so special.”
The Burkes’ support and dedication, whether through charitable giving or service on the Campaign Cabinet, is their way of ensuring that future generations have the same opportunity to receive a “work-ready, community-ready” education
that they did. They view their generosity as a small gesture in response to the immense gratitude they feel toward the university for shaping their lives together.