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July 17, 2025 | By Kerri Braly

Reconnecting with St. John鈥檚 wasn鈥檛 part of a master plan. After stepping back from his legal career during the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe Larson (A90) was simply looking for something to do. But it had to be something he was interested in, even passionate about. So, thinking back on his formative years, Larson enrolled in a continuing education seminar through the college. 鈥淪t. John鈥檚 had been the intellectual high point of my life,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t seemed natural to start there.鈥�

It didn鈥檛 take long for the rhythm of close reading and shared inquiry to feel familiar again. Inspired, Larson registered for another St. John鈥檚 seminar. Then another. This quickly snowballed into regular participation with Summer and Winter Classics, and Larson ultimately found himself on the board of the St. John鈥檚 College Alumni Association, an independent group that works to increase opportunities for alumni engagement. Now in his first term, Larson co-leads the board鈥檚 Career Services Working Group, spending time in both Annapolis and Santa Fe while making a sustained philanthropic commitment to the college. 鈥淚 just want to do whatever I can for St. John鈥檚,鈥� Larson says.

Larson is currently focused on helping students examine their career options more intentionally鈥攁 role suggested by incoming Alumni Association Board President Brett Heavner (A89), who viewed it as a 鈥渘atural fit鈥� for Larson, a retired attorney with a perspective shaped by hindsight.

Larson recalls how, as a senior at St. John鈥檚, his own career decisions were driven largely by financial pressures. 鈥淚 had considered going into math or physics, but I would have needed several extra semesters of undergraduate work, and I didn鈥檛 want to take on more debt,鈥� he says. Instead, he pivoted to law school鈥攖he more practical decision. 鈥淚 really enjoyed my career, but I got lucky,鈥� Larson admits. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I can see the value in creating a more formal support structure.鈥�

In addition to mentoring students who are interested in the field of law, Larson works alongside staff and fellow alumni to create a centralized database of St. John鈥檚 graduates who are willing to speak to students about life after college. Returning to active involvement after more than 30 years, he鈥檚 been struck by the variety of directions other Johnnies have taken in their professional lives.

鈥淪t. John鈥檚 is so eclectic. You come back, and it鈥檚 impressive how there have been so many paths to success,鈥� Larson observes. 鈥淚 think the college is doing an excellent job of building the infrastructure to connect students with all these possibilities. Supporting those efforts鈥攚ell, that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e here for as alumni.鈥�

Larson brings a similar approach to his philanthropy: no restrictions, no strings attached. He gives consistently every year and leaves the details up to the college. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have any particular ideas about what I鈥檓 looking to do with my giving other than help St. John鈥檚,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 trust the college to decide where it鈥檚 needed.鈥� And if his gifts stir others to action, he鈥檚 happy to have company.

For the 2025 Johnnie Day of Giving in April, Larson offered his annual gift as a challenge to young alumni who had graduated between 2014 and 2024. Collectively, they rose to meet it with $5,000 in contributions. Now Larson is turning his attention to the Santa Fe and Annapolis Class of 1990, rallying his peers to support the college in the months leading up to Fall Homecoming this September and their pending 35th reunion.

Although Larson is content to let the college determine where his time and gifts are most beneficial, he does have one strong conviction: that St. John鈥檚 remains small, intimate, and committed to the Program. 鈥淲hat I do hope and will push for is that the college stays true to itself and stays focused on the classics,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here are other areas of study that have a lot of value, and you can go elsewhere for that, but there鈥檚 nothing else quite like this.鈥�

What makes St. John鈥檚 irreplaceable, in Larson鈥檚 view, are its great classroom conversations鈥攕omething he has struggled to find elsewhere. 鈥淚 went to Harvard Law School,鈥� he says. 鈥淎 lot of smart people were there. I practice at a very successful law firm. A lot of smart people were there too. But there鈥檚 just an intellectual curiosity and quality of conversation that is unique to St. John鈥檚. And I really missed it.鈥�

For Larson, being able to pick up on past discussions has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of his renewed relationship with St. John鈥檚鈥攁nd a source of ongoing surprise. 鈥淲hen I was a freshman, I hated Socrates, I hated Plato. I was the Aristotelian guy,鈥� he recalls with a laugh. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so funny, I get older and reconnect with the material, and I think, 'Oh, wow, okay, I can see it now.鈥� It鈥檚 a totally different experience, but just as rewarding.鈥�

Where does he see himself landing next in the coming years? Larson currently has no 鈥渇inal act鈥� in mind for himself aside from continuing life as an Alumni Association board member, college volunteer, and lifelong student. He鈥檚 open to surprise, to possibility. But for his alma mater鈥檚 future, he holds one unequivocal priority: 鈥淚鈥檓 very focused on 'How do we keep this education going?'鈥� St. John鈥檚 College, Larson says, has a ripple effect, transforming students who then go on to change the world. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an outcome worth supporting,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd again, that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e here for as alumni.鈥�