The Jesuit Men of Color (JMOC) recently welcomed Marlin Gusman ’73, former Orleans Parish Sheriff and Jesuit’s 2023-24 Alumnus of the Year, to share his experiences and wisdom. Gusman provided an insightful account of his time at Jesuit, acknowledging the sacrifices his family made to enable his attendance, and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to be a Blue Jay.

A recurring theme in his address was the encouragement for students to boldly “shoot your shot.” Gusman also emphasized the importance of authenticity, urging students to be themselves, whether answering a question in class now or presenting to a board room later.

Gusman joins a long list of distinguished alumni and community members who have graciously given their time to the JMOC speaker series since its launch in September 2018. That list now includes: 

Pierre Beard

Lambert Boissiere III ’83

Edgar L. “Dooky” Chase III ’67

Kia Hall Hayes 

Mary Howell 

Troy LeBouef ‘83

Henry Peterson 

Christian Rhodes 

Faith Dawson Simmons 

David Lee Simmons 

Toussaint Trahan ‘17

The Jesuit Men of Color club is dedicated to promoting diversity and fostering the well-being of students of color on Jesuit High School’s campus. It is open to all students and faculty.