For Karen (Long) Round ’91, Gonzaga Prep has always been more than a school. Her story as a student, teacher, and mentor reflects a life shaped by faith, service, and a deep commitment to forming young people who care for others and for our common home.

 
For Karen (Long) Round `91, Gonzaga Prep has never been just a school—it has been home.

Karen quite literally grew up in the halls of Prep. Her father, Ron Long `65, was a beloved and inspirational history teacher whose career began when Prep was still an all-boys school. Known for bringing history to life, his influence shaped generations of Bullpups. Her mother, Judy, also dedicated her life to Catholic education, serving for many years as a teacher and vice principal at Assumption School. In the Long household, Catholic education wasn’t simply a profession—it was a calling.

That calling shaped Karen early. Along with her brothers Nick ’93 and Phil ’98, and sister Janet ’95, she was raised with a deep sense of responsibility to serve others and to give back. Watching her parents lead with generosity and care planted the seeds for a life rooted in service. When Karen graduated from Gonzaga Prep in 1991, she carried those values forward in ways that continue to shape Prep today.

A passionate scientist at heart, Karen has taught science at Gonzaga Prep for 27 years. Drawn to biology by its constant discovery, she is fascinated by the how and why of life. She loves exploring new scientific developments and challenging concepts with her students, fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and wonder in the classroom.

Her love of science is deeply intertwined with her faith. Inspired by teachers who helped her see the interconnectedness of nature and life, Karen came to understand environmental stewardship as both a scientific responsibility and a moral one. As her knowledge grew and her faith deepened, so did her awareness of environmental concerns. Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ became a guiding force, calling her to care for our common home through both education and action.

That led Karen, at the urging of students, to form Gonzaga Prep’s Green Team, a student-led group dedicated to environmental stewardship. From campus composting to partnerships with Spokane River Keepers, riverbank cleanups, and community efforts along the Centennial Trail, the Green Team reflects her hope that students respond to their understanding of creation with intentional care—through everyday choices and meaningful action.

Karen’s commitment to service extends well beyond the science classroom. A longtime moderator of Ancilla (now Agape Service), she has helped shape Prep’s service culture for decades. She has led and coordinated Gonzaga Prep blood drives for 27 years, helping students understand the life-saving impact of showing up for others. In 2025, that dedication was recognized with the Northwest Blood Coalition’s inaugural Hero Award.

She also spearheads Bite2Go meal-packing days at Second Harvest, Yasuhara Middle School, and at Prep, addressing food insecurity while engaging the broader Prep community. Beyond Spokane, Karen accompanies students to the Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice in Washington, D.C., where they learn to connect faith, justice, and advocacy.

For Karen, service is not simply charity—it is relationship. She teaches students that meaningful service means walking with others, listening, engaging, and caring, especially for those on the margins.

Karen and her husband, Pat, have raised three children—Zach `21, Jenna `24, and Ian `25—all Gonzaga Prep graduates. Their family is a living example of Prep as a multigenerational community that shapes lives well beyond graduation.

When asked what she hopes students—especially young women—take away from their time at Prep, Karen says, “I hope students take away the importance of being patient with themselves, that they are on a journey of learning and growth. I hope they learn from setbacks, to be curious, to be open to exploring different paths to find the one that brings them passion, purpose, and energizes them. And I hope my students have felt known, supported, challenged, and cared for, and that they move forward on their journey reciprocating that to others.”