John and Sue Sobrato receive Notre Dame Award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic Education
The Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame awarded John and Sue Sobrato, known for their deep support of Catholic schools in the Bay Area and beyond, the 2023 Notre Dame Award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic Education at their home in Northern California on Nov. 27 (Monday).
John Staud, the executive director of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE); Rev. Lou DelFra, C.S.C., the director of pastoral life for ACE; and Kevin Baxter, the director of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program, presented the award.
“The signature contribution that John and Sue have made to Catholic schools will ensure that their legacy endures and impacts Catholic educators and their students for years to come,” Staud said. “They have leveraged leadership to transform Catholic schools, especially those that serve families that live on the margins.”
John Sobrato is the founder of the Mountain View, California-based The Sobrato Organization, a family-owned organization composed of three synergistic enterprise units: real estate and development, Sobrato Capital, and Sobrato Philanthropies. He now serves as the board chair emeritus as his son, John Michael Sobrato, serves as board chair.
The Sobratos are passionate about giving back to their community through Sobrato Philanthropies. As a part of The Sobrato Organization, Sobrato Philanthropies partners with communities to meet immediate needs, address systemic barriers and pursue social justice to build a more equitable and sustainable world.
In 2018, the Sobratos signed the Giving Pledge, which is an open invitation for the wealthiest people in the world to publicly commit to donating the majority of their wealth to philanthropy either during their lifetime or in their will.
A generous and ongoing gift from the Sobrato family has enabled ACE to educate 118 Sobrato Family Scholars in the Remick Leadership Program, its principal formation program that leads to a master’s degree in educational leadership. More than 90 percent of these graduates and students work in Catholic education, 82 percent of whom hold leadership positions in their schools.
Each year, Notre Dame recognizes someone who has made outstanding, lifetime contributions to sustain and strengthen Catholic education. The Notre Dame Award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic Education is the highest honor bestowed by ACE.
Latest Faith
- Merry Christmas from Notre DameMay we be the seekers of truth, the sustainers of hope, and the builders of bridges that our world needs. – Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., University President
- University of Notre Dame receives $10 million grant to strengthen faith-based service opportunities for youth and young adultsThe University of Notre Dame has received a $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment to fund the new Pathways to Communion Program at the McGrath Institute for Church Life. This program aims to strengthen the ecosystem of theologically informed service opportunities for young Catholics in the United States.
- What was the Christmas Star?It’s a story so familiar to many that you may not even realize there’s more to be discovered. The Bible describes an event that led so-called wise men to Jesus. Scripture calls it a star, but what was it really? That’s the question Grant Mathews, director of the Center for Astrophysics at Notre…
- Con todo el corazón (With all our heart)Coro Primavera celebrates Latino community on campus Enter the Basilica of the Sacred Heart during the 3:30 Sunday Mass, and you’ll hear a choir singing the tunes of the same church songs you remember—except the lyrics are in Spanish. Or you may hear some different melodies that bring new…
- de Nicola Center presents 24th annual Fall Conference, ‘Ever Ancient, Ever New: On Catholic Imagination’More than 1,200 scholars, students and guests from around the world will attend the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture’s 24th annual Fall Conference, “Ever Ancient, Ever New: On Catholic Imagination.” The conference features more than 175 papers, panels and performances across three days of conversation on the enduring and inexhaustible nature of the Catholic imagination.
- Sister Draru Mary Cecilia, LSMIG, receives Notre Dame Award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic EducationThe Notre Dame Award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic Education, awarded by the Alliance for Catholic Education, honors those who have made generous, lifetime commitments to sustain and strengthen Catholic schools. As executive director of the African Sisters Education Collaborative, Sister Draru oversees the education for Catholic sisters in 10 African countries. She has spent much of her life working to expand women’s education in Uganda and elsewhere on the African continent.
