A jubilant crowd of 480 revelers reminisced about 60 years of Mardi Gras memories at the “Court of Diamond Jubilee,” the University of St. Thomas Mardi Gras Gala on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 16. The Gala raised nearly $800,000 benefitting the Fr. Francis E. Monaghan Scholarship fund for the education of current and future students.

Minnie and Will Baird chaired the event, and honored Dr. Mikki Hebl and David Harvey. This year, in addition to the 2010 Honorees, the University recognized the contributions of UST legacy families from each decade of the University’s history. The Legacy Honorees were the George and Annette Strake family, the Rev. Robert Crooker and family, Betty and Charles Fischer family, Dennis and Ginny Malloy and Michele Malloy Families, the Joseph and Norman McFadden family and Giorgio and Cathy Borlenghi family.

A live auction featured a dinner with Texans Coach Gary Kubiak and numerous luxury vacation packages including trips to England, Vancouver, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Telluride, Colorado and Cibolo Creek Ranch in Marfa, Texas. A silent auction was also was part of the festivities.

UST seniors Lukas Simon and Emily Calasanz, who won the honor of this year’s student king and queen, greeted attendees and later thanked donors for making a St. Thomas education possible for themselves and others.

Serving as mistress of ceremonies at the black tie event was Daniella Guzman, Channel 2 KPRC reporter and weekend anchor, a 2006 UST graduate. Alumnus Walter Suhr and his band, Mango Punch!, provided the Latin music.

Party-goers in attendance included Marianne and UST President Dr. Robert Ivany, Margaret Alkek Williams and Jim Daniel, Kay and Fred Zeidman, Trini Mendenhall Sosa and Frank Sosa, John Poindexter and Claudia Craft, Raye White, Alice and Keith Mosing, Cathy and Giorgio Borlenghi and Lucia and Michael Cordua.

Shown at top Dr. Robert Ivany and Marianne Ivany and Minnie and Will Baird. Shown at center, Lukas Simon and Emily Calasanz. Shown above, Walter Suhr and Marianne Ivany.