Joe Voss Finds Unique Ways to Support Loras College

Joseph (Joe) Voss (’70) will celebrate his 50th class reunion this fall and he looks forward to returning to campus for Homecoming, October 9-11. A native of Storm Lake, Iowa, Joe attended St. Mary’s Catholic High School before coming to Loras. “Loras was recommended to me by friends, family and Fr. Philip Hamilton (Loras professor of sociology from 1948 to 1985) who I met during a St. Mary’s college recruitment event,” says Joe.

“I thrived at Loras and enjoyed student life, participating in cross country and track, and attending daily Mass on campus,” says Joe. After graduation Joe spent 10 years in active duty in the Navy as a pilot and finished 20 years of military service in 1993, retiring as a lieutenant commander. Married for 45 years and residents of Olive Branch, Mississippi, for the last 15 years, Joe and his spouse Diana have four children and seven grandchildren.

Joe has found unique ways to support Loras College. While still a student, Joe made the first of what would be many gifts to the College. “My first gift to Loras was a metal post driver. I was issued a sledgehammer for on-campus work and I knew that there was a better tool for driving metal posts into the ground,” says Joe. He visited the local hardware store and purchased a post driver, which he then gifted to the College. In addition to a monthly recurring gift, Joe has made a series of unique gifts-in-kind. To support the work of alumni relations and admission, Joe purchased and contributed two new golf carts and a brand new Chevy Volt.

When asked why he supports Loras, Joe says, “If you have a relationship with God, I believe that the Holy Spirit will direct your thoughts and actions. We are stewards of all that God has entrusted us with, and we will have to account for how we used our gifts to build God’s kingdom for his honor, glory, and praise.” Joe hopes his financial support and gifts-in-kind will provide an example to other alumni and help Loras students succeed and continue to grow in their faith.