GIC chair enjoys helping others; walks SLU president’s dog Iggy

Saint Louis University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., has a lot of people working for him, but only one student has the privilege of walking his golden retriever, Iggy.

“I like to think of myself as the executive dog walker,” senior Luke Gatta said.

Gatta was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he said that he loved growing up seeing the New York City skyline.

When he first came to SLU, Gatta said he thought of it as just a school but that his time here has given him a reason to reflect on life and its opportunities. He said he has tried out different student organizations and made a lot of new friends. Now, in his senior year, Gatta said he realizes that SLU is a place he can look forward to attending everyday.

“SLU breeds game changers,” Gatta said. “If I had to invest all my money, I would put it on the students here because I know they are going to do something great in life.”

Gatta is double majoring in nutrition and dietetics and philosophy. He is also a pre-med student and said he enjoys opportunities to work with medical patients.

“I loved doing clinicals during this last year,” Gatta said. “It is awesome helping people maintain a healthy diet.”

Gatta said he loves medicine because it gives him the chance to build trust with patients in just a few moments.

In addition to his own studies, Gatta is also a teacher’s assistant in the chemistry department and works as a student assistant in the Foundation of Medicine class. He is also a teacher for the freshman University 101 course. In his free time, Gatta said he enjoys photography, a hobby he attributes to the environment in which he grew up.

“I grew up in a very creative environment,” Gatta said. “My mom worked for National Geographic and my dad was an artist.”

Gatta is the founder of the University program, Photography for Inner City Students. PICS was started in February of 2010 with the help of grants from places like the United Way. The program teaches students about the value of photography and cameras.

“I love to see the kids smile,” Gatta said. “You put a camera in their hand and it’s amazing how quick a smile comes.”

Gatta is a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, and the chairman of the Great Issues Committee, a student-run organization that brings speakers to SLU to talk about important issues.

Not only is Gatta a very active person in the SLU community, but he said he is also a very social individual.

“I’m made better from the friends around me,” Gatta said. “I love sitting and talking to them. Having a good conversation and hearing their story is the best feeling.”

As for his role as executive dog walker, Gatta said that walking Iggy is the highlight of his day. Gatta said that he learns a lot about leadership directly from Iggy’s owner,  Fr. Biondi. Gatta met Biondi after he made a speech at the Academic Commencement Ceremony last summer.

Throughout his four years at SLU, Gatta said that there will be things  he will never forget. The Cardinals winning the 2011 World Series, for example, and attending the 9 p.m masses every Sunday will be a fond memories of his. Perhaps his favorite memories, however, are those with philosophy professor John Kavanaugh, S.J. someone Gatta said he looks up to.

“He is the smartest, most humble person I know,” Gatta said.

After Gatta graduates, he said he hopes to get into the SLU School of Medicine.

“I want to roll up my sleeves and take on social injustice,” Gatta said. “I could see myself working in urban  health care, like the one I grew up in,” Gatta said.

Whatever Gatta wants to do with his life, his experiences working with the community and walking Iggy will hopefully guide him to be the game changer he wants to be.