Five distinguished graduates of St. Bonaventure, spanning 34 years of university history, will be inducted into the Seneca Battalion ROTC Hall of Fame Saturday morning.

For those unable to attend, the 10 a.m. ceremony from the University Chapel in Doyle Hall will be livestreamed here. The full biographies of each inductee can be found here.

The inductees are:

Col. James Kipers, Distinguished Military Graduate, Class of 1971: Kipers graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from St. Bonaventure in May 1971 and was commissioned Regular Army as an Ordnance Officer with a two-year detail to the Field Artillery. Kipers has had an outstanding 29-year career in the U.S. Army, specializing in logistics and combat support initiatives in Europe, Korea, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as multiple leadership roles in the United States. He also has been instrumental in organizing and collaborating with his Bonaventure classmates for their 45th, 50th, and 52nd reunions on campus.

Col. James Ryan, Class of 1988: Ryan was commissioned in 1988 from St. Bonaventure where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. His military education includes the Quartermaster Basic and Advance Courses, Mortuary Affairs Officer Course, Support Operations Course, and Combined Arms Services and Staff School. He is a graduate of the Army and Navy Command and General Staff Colleges. Ryan holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, and a master’s in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.  

Capt. Patrick J. Lafferty, Distinguished Military Graduate, Class of 1988: Lafferty is the exemplary St. Bonaventure ROTC alumnus, distinguishing himself as both a U.S. Army Officer and as a leader in our nation’s civilian sector. His leadership as a cadet in the Seneca Battalion was recognized early by peers, cadet leadership, and military instructors. He led from the front, attending U.S. Army Airborne School as a cadet and culminated his studies in 1988 as a Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) upon commissioning as an officer in the Military Police Corps. He earned the coveted Ranger Tab, participated in combat and operational deployments to Iraq, Panama, and Haiti, serving as a Platoon Leader, Aide de Camp, Company Commander, and Operations Officer.

Col. Richard F. DiMarco, Distinguished Military Graduate, Class of 1994: DiMarco graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Rochester, New York, and earned an ROTC scholarship to attend St. Bonaventure. He served as the Seneca Battalion Commander, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science, was a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1994. DiMarco is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School, earned the Expert Infantryman’s Badge and was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge for his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

Lt. Col. Martin “Red” McAndrews Jr., Class of 1960 (posthumously): McAndrews graduated from the Portsmouth Priory (now Portsmouth Abbey) in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. A letterman in basketball, he graduated in 1956 and selected St. Bonaventure for college, where he met his roommate for all four years, SBU Athletics Hall of Famer Sam Stith. McAndrews graduated from St. Bonaventure with a degree in economics. He served as Artillery Officer from 1960-1980, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. During his 20 years of service, which included two tours in Vietnam, he received numerous commendations and accolades. He passed away in 2021.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #6 for value and #14 for innovation by U.S. News and World Report (2024).