'Survivor: Africa' to feature Santa Clara alumnus
By Cara Quackenbush
A Santa Clara alumnus will soon bring new insight into the school's ability to prepare its student for the "real world."
A 1985 graduate, Lex van den Berghe will make his television debut tonight at 8 p.m. on CBS's "Survivor: Africa," shot in the Kenya National Reserve.
The 38-year-old marketing manager from Santa Cruz was involved with KSCU radio during his time at Santa Clara, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
One of his English teachers, Professor Simone Billings, remembers him as polite, outgoing and a good writer.
She is not surprised to learn that he chose to bring his son's baby hi-tops as his luxury item on the show.
"That is so much like him because he was so soft in the way that he was sweet too," she said.
Van den Berghe stands out in her memory because she remembers his interest in playing the drums.
"I had an odd percussion instrument called a 'boombase,' which had a symbol at the top and bells on the side. It worked like a pogo stick that made sounds when you pushed down on it," she said. "I gave it to him and he was very excited about it."
Since leaving Santa Clara more than 15 years ago, van den Berghe has continued pursuing his interest in music and currently plays in a band called Lucky Star.
He has been married to his wife Kelly for 10 years and has two sons, Corbin and River.
Another addition to his persona that Billings does not remember from his Santa Clara days are the tatoos that now cover his arms and legs.
"He was not tattooed back then to my knowledge," she said. "I do recall he had an earring and that it was kind of taboo since his father was very straight-laced," she said, noting that his father was a professor at the university in the Modern Languages Department at the time.
Like other "Survivor" fans, Billings is looking forward to watching her former student on television tonight. She wonders if he might turn out to be a "back-stabber," like several past contestants.
"Of course, given his background, I don't think he would be," she said.
"He'll probably be more of a laid-back Gervase who was too mellow to backstab. He's hard working, but he's not going to get irritated with others," she added, referring to one of the lazier contestants from the first "Survivor."
According to the CBS Web site, van den Berghe likes surfing, skateboarding and fishing, and is a Giants fan. He is also an avid traveler, having visited Kenya, Japan, Israel and Europe and is fluent in French.
Colleen Sullivan, the show's publicist at CBS, said van den Berghe and other contestants will be allowed to talk more candidly to the press following the episode in which they are "booted off" the show.