Title:Georgetown in the Family

From the start, Georgetown was the first and only choice for Tom Schlafly (C’70, L’77). Georgetown was already part of his family’s history—his father, Daniel Schlafly Sr., graduated from the College in 1933—so when it came time to choose a college, Georgetown was the only school to which Tom applied. Both Schlaflys have similar Georgetown histories—from sharing the same economics professor (Dr. Josef Solterer) to being the first father and son to receive the John Carroll Award (Daniel in 1961 and Tom in 1986).

At Georgetown, Tom discovered his love of English and writing through the guidance of faculty like Professors Bernard Wagner and Paul Betz, which had a significant impact on his experience at Georgetown and later career choices. After graduating from the College, Tom taught English at St. Anselm’s Abbey School in DC before attending Georgetown Law. He later returned to his beloved St. Louis to practice law before founding the Saint Louis Brewery in 1991. Tom is a member of the Georgetown University Board of Regents as well as a member of a consortium who own the St. Louis Blues, which won the team’s first Stanley Cup in 2019. Throughout his career, Tom cites the importance of the critical reasoning, writing, and analytical skills he learned during his time at Georgetown.

In honor of his enduring commitment to Georgetown, Tom and his wife, Ulrike (an honorary member of the Class of 1970), created endowed scholarships in the College and the Law Center using a charitable lead trust. He was motivated to make this investment in Georgetown because of his concern about the rising costs of education and seeing firsthand how the young attorneys at his firm struggled with student loan debt. Tom is incredibly thankful for the experiences he had at Georgetown that helped form him as a person and believes that the generosity of alumni who came before him helped make his overall experience possible. “All students, whether they are getting scholarship support or not, receive the benefits of philanthropy.” To that end, Tom has also included a bequest for Georgetown in his estate plans.

Tom’s time at the College and Law Center was transformative. It was a pivotal time in America, and Georgetown’s D.C. location provided a unique vantage point from which to experience it for Tom and his classmates. Fifty-two years later, the physical changes on campus are amazing, and it is a real source of pride to see how Georgetown’s reputation and prominence has continued to grow. With his postponed 50th undergraduate reunion approaching, Tom reflects that the aspect he values most about his time at Georgetown is the lifelong friendships he developed and is looking forward to seeing the Class of 1970. He appreciates everything a bit more 52 years out and remains grateful for having gone to Georgetown.