Event Honors Dr. Michael Keegan (‘69) for Decades of Service and Leadership  

On June 28, 2025 more than 20 Prep alumni from across the country returned to campus, joining 125 friends and faculty members to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Somos Amigos Medical Missions.

Founded in 1989 by Religion teacher Tom Drexler and Assistant Dean of Students Frank Brightwell, the Somos Amigos student program offered rising Prep seniors a unique six-week service trip to the remote mountains of the Dominican Republic.  “We wanted to create a program that would give Prep students a glimpse of the broader world, their place in it, and their blessings,” Executive Director Frank Brightwell shared at the event. “And that would, in turn, inspire those young men to live as Men for Others.”

More than [130] Prep students participated in the program over a {17] year period, building schools and water systems for remote, underprivileged villages who lacked access to healthcare.  In 1997, the student volunteers were joined by physician Dr. Michael Keegan (’69) and dentist Dr. John Conaghan (’XX), responding to a community appeal.  What began as a bold experiment to provide medical and dental care to villagers who lacked running water became the birth of Somos Amigos Medical Missions. Now, more than 25 years later, it’s been described as “probably the most life-changing outreach this school has ever supported. Indeed, not just life-changing—but life-saving.”

The anniversary celebration honored Dr. Michael Keegan’s retirement and his decades of dedication to the organization.  “Mike Keegan has been integral to our evolution every step of the way,” Brightwell said. “One trip a year became two, then three, and now quarterly. Volunteer group sizes grew, construction expanded, and thousands of patients have been treated. Mike not only volunteered dozens of times, but also served on our Board since its inception—and chaired it for multiple terms.”

Prep alums and current Somos Amigos Board members Jamie Noonan (’96) and Russell Dyer (’99) also spoke about the future of the organization. They shared plans for a new facility that will allow the team to serve even more patients. The “Opening New Doors” capital campaign, they explained, will help ensure the longevity of Somos Amigos Medical Missions for another 25 years, and beyond.
 

Pictured (left to right):
JJ Burke ’00, Frank Brightwell, Trevor Bonat ’92, Mike Keegan ’69, Matt Schmitzer ’99, Jamie Noonan ’96, Mike Duncan ’99, Alex Kavaliunas ’96, Frankie Rodriguez '96, Michael Dyer ’95, Matt Stevenson ’98, Matt Pape ’91, Bob Fisher ’91, Russell Dyer ’99, John Knott ’91, JJ Gorsuch ’91, Matt Marino ‘97, Cezar Lopez ’97, Matt Zimmermann ’97. Present but not pictured: Phil Caulfield ‘99, Anthony Kratz ’93, Marc McKenna ’69, Danny O'Driscoll