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More than 69 years after Dick and Betty Stewart graduated from Hayden, a newly established endowed scholarship fund is honoring their life and commitment to Catholic education. Dick and Betty graduated together from Hayden in 1950, where Dick was a standout Student-athlete. Dick served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, and had a successful career with Santa Fe Railroad for 38 years. After his retirement, Dick volunteered countless hours with the Oro Valley, Arizona Police Department before he passed away in April 2019. Betty was the foundation of the family’s Catholic faith, and served 25 years as the business director for their church in Rialto, California before passing away in July 2014.

Both Betty and Dick were proud of their education and demonstrated it by sending all four of their children to Catholic schools. To continue that legacy and memorialize their life and accomplishments, the Richard & Elizabeth Stewart Family Scholarship Fund will award a scholarship to a worthy student annually. Donations can be made to the Hayden Foundation in the name of the Richard & Elizabeth Stewart Family Scholarship Fund.

Mark and Terry Schwartz are the parents of two Hayden alumni and longtime fixtures and supporters of the Hayden family.

Mark served many years as the chair of the Hayden Foundation Board, beginning shortly after the Foundation was created. He also served on the Board of Trustees. and Jana attended Hayden. More than anything, Mark and Terry are grateful for the influence Hayden had on their children. They believe the education their daughters received prepared them for college and life beyond school. Both daughters maintain strong friendships with their Hayden classmates. In 2018, the Schwartz Family Scholarship was established.

Thank you Mark and Terry Schwartz for all you do for the Hayden family!

Greg Schwerdt is an active leader in the Topeka community, serving on the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus Board of Directors, and the Greater Topeka Partnership Go Topeka board, among many other activities.

Greg has been recognized for his service and devotion to the Topeka community and the Catholic faith community in many different capacities. He graduated in 1972, the second generation of his family to emerge from Hayden. He went on to complete his architecture education at the University of Kansas. He started Schwerdt Design Group in 1990. As a multi-disciplined architectural, interior design, and planning firm, Schwerdt has been intimately involved with Hayden’s remodeling projects in the past and is currently helping strategize for future growth and campus renovations.

Greg is a devoted father to his children, which include Megan, president of Schwerdt Contract Interiors, her husband Jason and their son Edison. He’s also dad to daughter Jordan, a student at UCLA, and son Corey, a 2003 graduate who passed away in 2017. Thank you, Greg and Schwerdt Design Group, for being such strong supporters of Hayden for more than 30 years!