DePaul University Athletics
Catching up with Golf Letterwinner Robert Patton
9/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S GOLF
Sept. 14, 2010
Catching up with ...
Our new weekly feature "Catching Up With..." allows DePaul letterwinners a chance to tell the DePaul community a little bit about themselves, a brief reflection on their time as a Blue Demon student-athlete and where they have gone since stepping off the court, field or diamond.
Name: Robert Patton
Sport: Golf, 1976-1979.
What does being a DePaul Letterwinner mean to you?
It's a special feeling to be able to compete as a representative of your University. Being a DePaul letterwinner is an acknowledgement that your hard work and efforts have been noted and appreciated! It's the best "Club" that I've ever belonged to!!
Why did you choose DePaul?
I wanted to stay in the Chicago area and once I met Fr. Minogue...I mean, who could say no to that man!
What was your favorite memory while at DePaul?
My favorite memory of DePaul is a cumulative one, all the great people I met from all sports and to know that those relationships have lasted all these years. As far as a Golf memory is concerned, it would have to be when I was the individual champion at our Conference Championship in 1977. To have the rest of the team out cheering on the last hole was great and I'll never forget that..........or how nervous it made me!!
What did receiving a scholarship from DePaul mean to you?
It was an honor and privilege and one that allowed me to attend college since I was solely responsible for the financial responsibility of my college education
What was your funniest memory at DePaul?
There are too many and most that can't be printed here, but I think the Spring Break Golf Tournaments we played in each year in Florida rank right up there. Fr. Minogue would get us set up to play in a big college tournament in Florida and then 4-6 of us pile into a car and drive to Florida and then try to find the cheapest room we could afford. We would then proceed to get our clocks cleaned by all the true "golf " schools, but we became great friends, played on great golf courses and then the "short" drive home when spring break was over just in time to make it back to class!
Brief Summary of your life from graduation till now:
I've worked in Sales most of my career and the past 20 years in a Sales Management role. I married my wife Mary (also a DePaul Grad), have two children Jennifer 23 and Michael 21. We moved to Hudson, Ohio in 1995 with a job promotion and have lived here since. We have all our families and great friends back in Chicago and we like to get back to visit often.
Is there a recent highlight that you would like to share with alumni and friends of DePaul Athletics?
I recently had the pleasure of visiting with Betty Kaufmann, the current DePaul Golf Coach at her office on campus. She took me on a tour of the campus and it was spectacular! The current campus, new facilities and even those that are still being planned are second to none. I'm very proud to be a DePaul Graduate and will never hesitate to recommend the University to those considering their college education. The very best part of the trip however was running into some old friends that welcomed me back with open arms; Karen "Cone" Loiacono, Dave Corzine and Jean Lenti Ponsetto.......thanks to Coach Kaufmann and to everyone for a special day!
What advice would you give to a current or future student-athlete?
It's the same advice I would give my own children...work hard at your sport and even harder on your education. Most athletes will graduate on to something other than their sport and the more you put into your education the greater your opportunities in life. I congratulate the DePaul Golf Team as being the top academic golf team in all of Division I, and after that I would say to soak it all in, make as many friends as you can because college really is the time of your life. Good luck to all!
Favorites:
Travel destination: San Diego, Calif.
Books: Golf in the Kingdom (Michael Murphy)
Author: Ernest Hemingway
Movie: Shawshank Redemption
Sports movie: Caddie Shack
Quote: Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. - Albert Einstein