When Gaspare LoDuca, ‘93, walked into De La Salle Collegiate as a freshman in the fall of 1989, he knew less than a handful of his classmates.

 
He was shy, uncertain of his talents, and, by his own admission, lacking in confidence in two of his areas of expertise today: math and science. 

 

Fast-forward three decades, and that same young man has become a technology leader at two of the world’s most prestigious universities: Columbia (Jan. 2015 - Aug. 2025) and now MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). 

 

His path to success certainly wasn’t a cake walk, either. And, it was molded, in large part, by the lessons he learned inside and outside the classroom at De La Salle.

 

“I always thought I was bad at science and math until I got to De La Salle,” LoDuca admitted. “I never thought I’d get into the field I’m in today. Brother Xavier (Pankovits, FSC, '60) was terrifying and an enigma, but he made me believe I could do chemistry. 

 

 

Coding/programming origins
Growing up in Fraser, Mich., LoDuca attended St. Thecla School before transferring to Richards Middle School. 

And from an early age, LoDuca was enthralled by computers. He eventually had his own TI-99/4A home computer, a computer produced by Texas Instruments. 
He used the computer to learn how to program and code. This included coding some very “rudimentary” games, which LoDuca had to manually type in. And if typed in correctly, the games were playable. 

LoDuca’s parents (Gaspare and Mary Ann), meanwhile, were not fans of video games and thought they were a waste of money.

 
“It was tedious, copying many lines of code, but until I could save money to buy games myself, that's all I had. That was my early exposure to computer programming/coding,” LoDuca said. 

Building confidence through challenges
When LoDuca first arrived at De La Salle, he lacked confidence and spent much of his time “just grinding” through his classes, as he put it.

It wasn’t until he began asking teachers for help and developing friendships with classmates that he discovered the school’s true transformative value. 

 

“The biggest lesson I learned at DLS was never be afraid to ask for help,” LoDuca expressed. “Once I opened up, my grades got better, and the experience got better. It wasn’t about the classes – it was about the people.”

Those individuals included lifelong friends like Matt Szalach, ’93, and Tony Bucci, ‘93, along with football coaches Ross MacDonald and Mike Szatkowski, ’73. Additionally, it was Br. Patrick McNally, FSC, St. Joe’s ‘55, who inspired LoDuca to become a better student.

“He told me I could do better,” LoDuca said of Br. Pat. “I rose to that challenge and then beat it. He even wrote a letter to my parents telling them how I exceeded expectations. That was a big moment for me.”

He also credited DeSantis’ programming class and a computer science course taught by Richard Dobrzynski, ‘60, for preparing him for his college workload at Michigan State University.

“By the time I got to Michigan State, the first two years were a breeze,” he said. “There was nothing I couldn’t do academically. It was because of the foundation I had at De La Salle.”

LoDuca went on to earn a chemical engineering degree from Michigan State. In addition, he now serves on the external advisory board for the university’s chemical engineering and material science department. In his role on the board, he aids today’s students in navigating the same challenges he once faced.

Leading through service
LoDuca’s professional life has been anything but ordinary. 

He oversaw university-wide enterprise systems for north of 35,000 students and 15,000-plus employees as the former vice president for information technology and chief information officer at Columbia University. As part of the job, he spearheaded some of the most complex IT operations in higher education.

LoDuca is now applying those same skills as the VP for information systems and technology at MIT, one of the most technologically advanced universities in the world. Just like at Columbia, he also serves as MIT’s chief information officer. 

LoDuca joined the Massachusetts-based school earlier this August.  

The well-accomplished DLS graduate has now held several high-ranking positions in the academic world. Yet, his leadership style has remained rooted in putting others first and enabling them to succeed. 

“I don’t like to bully people or tear them down. I want to enable people to be their best,” he conveyed. “I believe in leadership through servitude. If you give people the information and tools they need, they’ll thrive. That’s the kind of environment I want to create.”

He attributes this servant-first approach to one of his former bosses. 

“We’d only have 30 minutes together each week. He’d sit down, put his phone in the middle of the table, and ask, ‘What’s your problem?’ Then he’d make a call right there to help me solve it,” LoDuca said. “That stuck with me; I try to be that kind of leader.”

Life comes full circle
To this day, LoDuca views himself as “an average student” who initially struggled to adjust to the academic rigor of De La Salle. 

That’s why the opportunity to be the keynote speaker at this fall’s 1926 Society Breakfast is so meaningful to him. 

The annual event, designated for the senior students of De La Salle, focuses on the importance of philanthropy. This year’s edition of the breakfast is set for Friday, October 17, at the Detroit Athletic Club. 

“I’ve never been an academic standout. That’s why it’s wild to think life has found me in this position,” LoDuca admitted. “I want to speak to the students about how working hard and helping others along the way are what matter. You can build a better world around you with this mentality.” 

From his humble beginnings at De La Salle to his present role at MIT, LoDuca’s story is proof that belief in one’s abilities and a strong work ethic can take you further than you ever imagined.