Called to Serve — and Now Serving the Next Generation of Veterans
Allan A. Toomey | Class of 1969
B.A., Communications
When Allan Toomey got his acceptance letter from John Carroll University in 1965, he knew he'd just been handed an opportunity. "Some schools weren't sure about me," he recalls with a laugh. "John Carroll took a chance. And I wanted to make the most of it."
Make the most of it, he did. Allan graduated in 1969, was commissioned through JCU's ROTC program, then attended law school at Case Western Reserve University before beginning a career in the U.S. Army that would span nearly three decades. He served around the world and rose to the rank of Colonel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps, eventually retiring as a Senior Judge on the Army Court of Criminal Appeals. Along the way, he created a life rooted in duty and driven by curiosity and purpose.
"What the Army gave me - the travel, the challenges, the people - was more than I ever imagined," he says. "But the foundation for my career and everything that followed was laid at John Carroll."
Allan still remembers how John Carroll shaped him, giving him a strong sense of ethics, and an expectation that he should live up to the ideal of "good people thinking well." He credits his liberal arts education and the demanding writing and research requirements that went along with it for preparing him to advise senior military leaders in high-stakes situations. "In the Army, you don't get asked the easy questions," he says. "John Carroll taught me how to think, how to analyze, and how to answer with integrity even when the answer isn't popular."
The Army didn't just give Allan a meaningful career: It gave him the most important relationship of his life. He met his late wife, Lisa Jankowski, while both were serving in Panama. "My drill sergeant told me, 'If the Army wanted you to have a wife, they'd issue you one,'" he laughs. "He was right." Lisa shared Allan's commitment to service and pride in country. Over their sixteen year marriage, they built a vibrant life made up of travel, annual St. Patrick's Day celebrations, and a shared devotion to education and service.
After Lisa's passing, Allan wanted to honor her legacy in a way that reflected their values. In 1989, he established the Lisa Jankowski Toomey Scholarship Fund to help returning combat service members transition to college. "Lisa was proud to serve," Allan said. "I wanted to help others who've served — and sacrificed — make their transition to civilian life and education."
The fund has evolved over the decades to meet changing needs. Today, it supports veterans, spouses and children of active-duty military members, and non-scholarship ROTC students. "Being able to help veterans and their families find peace, success, and a path forward matters deeply to me," he says. "Especially peace."
Allan has also included a gift for John Carroll, designated for the scholarship fund, in his estate plan, ensuring that future generations of students with military backgrounds will get the same opportunities he was given. "Carroll supported me when I needed it," he reflects. "Giving back feels like the right thing to do."
He hopes his story will encourage others to consider how planned giving can support students and strengthen the future of John Carroll. "It's not complicated," he says. "The University Advancement team makes it easy, and the impact is real. The world is changing fast. Supporting a place like John Carroll, where mission, values, and leadership still matter, matters."