If you ask any student living in Gallagher Hall, currently or previously, if they know “Father Tom,” they will most likely say yes.

The Rev. Tom Bannantine, S.J., has enjoyed getting to know the students throughout his years at Creighton. Living in the freshmen residence hall for 13 years, Bannantine has had his fair share of experiences.

Bannantine is currently the longest serving Jesuit living in the residence halls, which is a testament to the students, Bannantine said.

“What I really enjoy most is just getting to meet and know the students,” Bannantine said. “At Creighton you meet so many interesting individual students from different backgrounds.”

Bannantine is a native of Milwaukee and entered the Society of Jesus in 1952. Ever since, he has been dedicated to the Jesuit mission and has found a home here at Creighton for the last 25 years.

It was another Jesuit at Creighton, the Rev. Richard McGloin, S.J., who inspired Bannantine to follow the mission to Omaha.

“He had a profound influence on me, and I think in a way, I followed in his footsteps,” Bannantine said. McGloin Hall, one of the sophomore residence halls on campus, was named after the priest when it opened in 1998.

Bannantine met McGloin in the 1950s in Milwaukee and was greatly inspired by his effect on Creighton students.

“He had lived in the hall with the students even until a week before his death,” Bannantine said.

In 1985, Bannantine made the move and became a hospital chaplain at Creighton University Medical Center.

His main place of support comes within the nursing school, where he is the chaplain to all the nursing students and staff. Bannantine tries to meet with all the nursing freshmen each year, although he says it is difficult to meet with all of them, especially with this year’s class of more than 100.

As well as being a chaplain, Bannantine also says daily mass in the Criss building and acts as an adviser to the Nursing Senate, attending all of its meetings. His unique living location also allows him to interact with students more than some of the other Jesuits. He talks to students everywhere he can and enjoys every minute of it.

“I’ve seen some unusual things in the dorms, but I really enjoy it and working with the students,” Bannantine said. He attends floor meetings to get to know students on an individual basis. He says that while it’s impossible to get to know every student, he makes an effort to make sure they know who he is and that they know they can always come to him for guidance.

As part of his daily lifestyle, Bannantine lives according to the Jesuit concept of faith and justice. What impresses him most about Creighton is the commitment of service the students show on a day-to-day basis, such as the service trips taken during fall or spring breaks, Bannantine said.

Bannantine thinks Creighton has been a great example of how to lead the Jesuit way, even among its partnering schools.

“Right now, I think we are doing a better job of stressing the Jesuit values and ideals,” Bannantine said, “and it empowers our students and helps them appreciate what the world is all about.”