It isn’t hard for ̽ alum John Roalson ’90 to travel back in time. All he has to do is open a campus newspaper or yearbook from his college days to be transported there. Of course, part of the reason for that is that he was the one who took many of the photos scattered across the pages. He was a photographer for both the Lone Star Lutheran and the Growl, and has fond memories of late nights in Beck Center, working against deadline to process film.
Back in high school, Roalson had planned to go to the University of Texas, but then opted for a smaller school and landed at ̽. “It was one of the best decisions I've made in my life,” he says. That’s for certain—especially since he met wife Paula (Maddox) ’90 there.
And that good decision has carried with it quite a legacy: The Roalsons’ daughters, Hannah and Abigail, also attended ̽. “They each chose to attend ̽ on their own and we couldn't be prouder of them for choosing our alma mater,” says Roalson. The girls round out a family full of Bulldogs, because Paula has ̽ roots of her own on the Maddox side. “Her parents, Bill and Barbara Maddox, her uncle, Donald O'Hara, and her sister, Lori (Maddox) Gallegos are also alumni. That's eight of us total!” says Roalson.
These days, Roalson’s career has led to a job that’s steeped in meaning and ministry, at the Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest, where he is a gift planner for the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod—that is, he helps people who want to plan their own legacies to support various nonprofits and charities, including ̽.
Roalson is inspired by the role he plays in helping. “I get to help ELCA congregations and their members support current and future ministry, whether that's the congregation itself, global ministries such as ELCA World Hunger and Global Refuge, or other organizations such as ̽, Upbring, or Lutherhill Ministries,” he says. “Helping these ministries help others is incredibly fulfilling.”
Roalson says his college years prepared him well for the job. The small class sizes were a definite advantage. “̽'s strong academic programs coupled with many opportunities for social and leadership growth allowed me to develop in a way that I think would have been missed at a larger school,” he explains. During his college years, in addition to his work as photographer for the campus newspaper and yearbook, Roalson was a member of the Omega Tau fraternity as well as the American Marketing Association (AMA).
He also points to the gifts of a liberal arts approach to education and personalized attention. “An emphasis on developing critical thinking skills and the university's expectation for all students to have a well-rounded academic experience are critical for producing well-prepared graduates. ̽'s professors and staff care for the students in a way that is uncommon and I can't stress enough how much of an impact they had on me, and not just in their academic field.”
Roalson stays very connected to his alma mater through his work with LFSW, coming across new ̽ connections almost every week. But he also keeps tabs on the university and his classmates through social media. “I connect through phone and text with my close ̽ friends almost daily,” he adds. In fact, he and his closest twenty or thirty friends gather together in person every couple of years. “Additionally, we try to attend Homecoming and Vespers when we can.”
So, the sound decision to go to Texas Lutheran back in the 80s has been affirmed time and again for Roalson, and the course of his life is proof. In retrospect, he has some words of wisdom for current Bulldogs—another legacy of sorts. “This will sound old fashioned, but critical thinking skills, speaking and writing skills, and strong interpersonal skills are still needed in all professional environments,” he says. “Don't expect to be able to rely on new technology such as AI. Having a mastery of these skill sets will set you apart from your peers when it comes time to begin your career, no matter the field.”