It started with a playlist, now La Salle is a home run for the Mills family.
Brian, ‘98, and Joanne, ‘00, Mills met in their senior year, when Brian “wowed” Joanne with his stellar music choices. What began at a campus party grew into a lifelong love not only for each other, but the place that brought them together. With impressive careers, both planned and unexpected, the Mills family has shared their love for La Salle with their kids, and hope to see them walking the same halls they once did. Read more about how both Brian and Joanne credit La Salle with their career successes, their lasting friendships, and why they continue to give back to La Salle Baseball and beyond.
Tell us a little about how you first met and how you “found each other” at La Salle.
Brian: We met my senior year. The fall of my sophomore year hanging out at the baseball townhouse. Joanne and her friends came to a party at the “baseball house” where I was in charge of the music. Fortunately, I was playing some songs she liked so when I heard her say something about how she loved the song that was playing, I made sure to tell her who to thank.
Joanne: He was trying to impress me with his playlist.
How does La Salle continue to connect you today?
Joanne: We both continue to have friendships that we established at La Salle–friends that are more like family, all of these years later. We are also LaSalle basketball fans, so whether we are on campus or watching at home, it’s a family affair for us and our three kids.
You are both graduates of the School of Arts & Sciences (Brian a history major, Joanne, social work). How did your experience at La Salle shape you and lead to your current careers?
Brian: I wish I could say it was always part of the plan, but law school wasn’t on my radar until senior year. I initially declared education but decided against that pretty quickly. I received a letter junior year warning that if I didn’t declare a major, I was no longer eligible for my baseball scholarship. I had taken a number of history classes and enjoyed them—in particular those taught by Brother Ed, Dr. Rossi and Dr. Leibiger—so I declared history. I met Joanne shortly thereafter, and she said, “well, that’s great you take classes you like, but what does a history major do if he doesn’t teach?” So, I met with my academic advisor Joe Gillespie to get answers to that question, and he suggested law school, leading me to join the pre-law society. It was the pre-law advisors who first recommended Rutgers University-Camden when I was looking at law schools, and knowing I wasn’t going to get into University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers was the top school on my list. And since Joanne was starting her master’s program at Rutgers the same year I started law school, it was an easy decision. So even though law was unexpected very late in my college career, La Salle was very instrumental in my career path.
Joanne: The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree was a big draw for me. My plan from the start was to use the BSW to attend a one-year Master of Social Work (MSW) program. My senior year field practicum as a school social worker was the gateway to my career. Twenty-five years later I am still loving my career as a school social worker. Professor Emerita Janine Mariscotti was elemental in my love for the social work profession. She continues to be my definition of a social worker and someone I have modeled my practice after.
Brian, Baseball was clearly a formative part of your journey at La Salle. How excited are you for the return of the sport this Spring?
Brian: Very excited! I’m already booked to be in Clemson for the games in early March. Baseball is why I went to La Salle, and La Salle is a major part of why I am where I am today, so I am thrilled to see it come back. I always remained connected to the program since graduation—attending golf outings, alumni days, and catching a few games a year—especially when the team was in the A-10 Tournament a few years in a row, but I didn’t get involved until the rumors about bringing the programming back started swirling. It’s been an honor working alongside several generations of baseball alumni, contributing their time, talents, and money—we all appreciate the support from President Daniel J. Allen Ph.D., Ash Puri (Vice President, Athletics & Recreation and Athletic Director), Drew Young (Chief Athletics Revenue Officer), and everyone else at the school who have helped us get this far. I also want to thank my friends and clients who have contributed to the cause—Johnson Kendall and Johnson, First Bank of New Jersey, KCIC, First Partners Abstract, D’Angelo, and Easton Inc. I’m also grateful to my partners, Paul Maselli and David Fornal, for their willingness to work with me and support my alma mater. It’s been incredibly rewarding.
Our recent “First Pitch” Fundraiser Dinner to kick off the season was a massive success as well. We had Michael Barkann, Joe Conklin, and my friend, former teammate and current co-general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays Kevin Ibach (who once led Division I in getting hit-by-pitches) speak, and it was a truly impactful evening.
Why do you find it important to give back to La Salle through philanthropy, and to help the next generation of Explorers be known for more?
Brian: Life happens fast. Between building the law firm and being involved with everything our kids are doing, it took something like bringing baseball back and learning that do it right was going to require support from alumni, to realize how much I owe to my time at La Salle. I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed some professional success so supporting this effort was easy. And I’m looking forward to expanding the ways we give back beyond financially. I’m looking forward to getting involved with the Explorers for Life mentorship program for student athletes and am looking for opportunities to get involved with the business school and La Salle students contemplating a career in law.
Joanne mentioned that La Salle has become a bit of a family affair. What perspective do you share with your kids when you think about La Salle and what it can provide?
Brian: With our kids entering their college search process and selfishly wanting them to remain close, in this era “going away” to school is so en vogue. But I’ve come to see La Salle’s status as an institution with a 160-year history of turning out graduates who predominantly come from and stay in the Philadelphia region as a major advantage. A good friend and client recently lamented to me that his son, who recently graduated from what U.S. News says is one of the “top business schools,” wanted to come back to the Philadelphia area, but was struggling to find a job. My immediate thought was “if he went to La Salle, he’d have a great job around Philadelphia by now.” But I’ve come to realize that, as a professional working with small and mid-sized companies and banks in and around Philadelphia, going to La Salle was better than going to Harvard. There’s not a networking event I go to that I don’t run into someone that I can make a La Salle or Big 5 connection with.
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