Magis: Gabby Dieppa '96

Walking in through the doors of Belen in sixth grade came as no surprise to Gabby, who came from a long line of alumni that included his father Eduardo E. Dieppa Jr. ‘70, brothers Eduardo E. Dieppa III ‘91 and Andres I. Dieppa ‘92, uncles Jesus Delgado ‘70, Eduardo Luaces ‘71, Jorge Dieppa ‘74, Arturo Silva ‘77 and Juan C. Dieppa ‘78, and way too many cousins to name.  He quickly embraced the academics and athletic cultures of the school, but mostly, the religious presence that permeated through the halls and classes of this institution.  

 

A very close relationship with Father Jorge Sardiñas, S.J., impacted him immediately, and even as a young adolescent, he could see that this Jesuit exemplar had a completely different way of looking at the world and God.  Specifically, it was the way he taught all students to take note of the abundance of gifts that they had been given, and to use them willfully to help others. Other members of the faculty, such as Dr. Josefina Chirino and Brother Jerry García demonstrated a deeper meaning of what it meant to serve. It was evident that they did not just teach the MAGIS; they actually lived it. 

 

In addition to the memorable faculty, the homeroom masses quickly became a compelling event offering a greater level of intimacy with God and a venue to nurture his own spiritual needs. It was always very clear to him that the school was filled with religious ambassadors, and that struck a chord.  At a very early age, he volunteered to be a peer minister and became a leader among his classmates. He helped to lead Senior Encounter, and several spiritual retreats in his time as a student. The goal was always to help spread the message of giving and caring for others; a message that in itself became a very rewarding and fulfilling experience.

 

In addition to the religious classes, Dieppa saw the MAGIS in teachers such as Mr. Jorge Martínez, Mr. Pat Collins and Mr. Eugene Zoller, who took the lessons in their classrooms outside into the world to teach students about impacting events such as the plight of Cuban balseros coming to Miami, the conditions of the Haitian immigrants, and even the devastating effects of Hurricane Andrew.  It wasn’t just about the political aspects or the logistics of the events, but rather the humanitarian components and the possibilities of helping those in dire need. Dieppa remembers heading out to Homestead after Hurricane Andrew to help with the clean-up efforts and witnessing firsthand a large number of people from all over the country getting together to help this community come back from the catastrophic result of the category 5 hurricane that ravaged the area. 

“It was an amazing moment for me to see how people could just come together to clean up and help,” said Dieppa. “It was very touching and humbling to see the gratitude in the people we helped.”

 

In addition to peer ministry, Dieppa was also a journalism student who became managing editor for the Vincam.  He played basketball for the Wolverines, and as a senior was the recipient of the JSEA (Jesuit Secondary Education Association) Award, which is now known as the Jesuit Schools Network of North America.  

 

“It was a huge honor for me and one that was completely unexpected,” said Dieppa. “It was a humbling moment to be identified as that which resembled the Jesuit ideal.”

 

Dieppa has been his class delegate since the inception of the delegate program in 2004, something he is very proud of. In 2001, he met Crescencio Ruiz ‘76 and Tony Castro ‘86, who immediately became mentors and close friends with Dieppa. Ruiz and Castro were taking on additional responsibilities in the growing alumni association, and in 2014, Dieppa accepted the baton from Ruiz to join the Magis Committee. In a most symbolic manner, the class of ‘76 passed on the torch to the class of ‘96.  Dieppa became the chair of this committee in 2019, fully aware that the best way to continue with the established tradition was by serving others.  

 

His first year as chair of the committee was a challenging one, with the onset of COVID. Volunteers were unable to serve and sit with the community due to established mandates.  Dieppa worked arduously to ensure they continued the tradition of serving with boxed lunches, social distancing, masks, and even temperature checks. Regardless of the obstacles they faced during this time period, they managed to feed the community and serve those in need, carrying on the legacy established by the Magis committee.

 

In his role as Committee Chair, Dieppa spearheads the Magis Thanksgiving Lunch and Food Drive. This project aims to feed about 300 seniors from the downtown community and surrounding areas, such as Allapatah, Little Haiti, and the congregants of Gesu. Students, their parents, and alumni, donate food and secure financial donations to provide a full Thanksgiving meal, including turkey and all the trimmings. The volunteers, composed of students, parents, and alumni, welcome the community to the halls of Gesu and serve the catered lunch.  Additionally, they give the attendees a box of raw ingredients to take home and cook for themselves through the holidays.  

 

“When you do this event enough times, you see people return and you get to know them,” said Dieppa. “They are so thankful and they feel blessed to be a part of that community.  

 

The greatest reward, as Dieppa sees it, is anytime a student is clearly moved by this event and the people involved, and they make plans to return.  This event is open to the entire school, and anyone who wants to participate can donate or simply sign up to serve. 

 

Another event led by the Magis Committee is the Reyes Magis Christmas toy drive. This service opportunity includes providing toys to the children of the surrounding community of Gesu and their CCD kids. In the past, the committee has secured donations from toy companies such as Hasbro, but most of the toys are donated and collected by the alumni. In addition to the traditional children’s toys such as dolls and basketballs, Dieppa is able to procure gift cards and bicycles that are a better fit for the older kids.  At this event, volunteer students accompany the children to a table and help them choose a toy that is age-appropriate. On that day, all the attending children get to go home with a bag full of toys.  At the end of the day, they hold a raffle for the high-end items, and that’s always a highlight. Reyes Magis is held a week or two before Christmas, and many times it is the only opportunity the participating children will have to receive a toy. 

 

“The look of joy on the children’s faces is priceless,” said Dieppa.  “Those children are always very excited and grateful.”

 

During the Lenten season, the Magis Committee undertakes the collection and packing of food for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) through the project “Helping Hands”.  This project is the result of several alumni who were on the board and became aware of a dire need for packaged food to be distributed among specific populations around the world.  Although in the past they worked with populations in Africa, they are now focused on more locally centered areas such as Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  This year alone, they collected and shipped over 20,000 meals.  Students from all local parochial schools, as well as their families and alumni are invited to participate in this project by either donating funds to purchase the food and/or packing the food in containers to be shipped.

 

Being familiar with the feeling of giving and sacrificing for others, Dieppa has been bringing his own family to these events over the years, even before his own son Sebastian ‘28 joined the Belen community as a student.  His wife, Cristina, son and daughter, Zoelle, have attended every single event that Dieppa led and organized.  

 

“Having my son there is surreal just because he is living the same experiences that I did but in a different day and age,” said Dieppa.  “My son tells me how much he appreciates me and the work that I do.  It is a lifelong dream and extremely rewarding to know he is there, following in his own way.”

 

The theme of gratitude is prominent with Dieppa in his personal and professional life as well.  He is the managing partner for Hotaling Insurance Services.  Through his work, he is able to help others protect their most valuable assets, whether it is their homes, employees, families, etc. He feels that in his job, he is called upon when people are experiencing loss and need the most amount of support. In his line of work, he is able to offer the needed support and walk the clients through the emotional challenges that come with loss. In addition, he and his closest friends have a 27-year tradition of taking out their moms for lunch the Friday after Thanksgiving.  He feels blessed and privileged, with the complete understanding that as God’s children, we are all called to care for each other. 

 

Dieppa exemplifies the Magis, the concept of striving for excellence and doing more for others in order to glorify God. His limitless desire to help those in need definitely stem from his Jesuit education at Belen, but also from one specific Bible verse that has always resonated with him: “And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’” -Matthew 25:40.