ALUMNAE RECOGNITION FOR DISTINGUISHED ALUMNAE AND ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES On Friday, May 7, Holy Cross celebrated the three recipients of the Distinguished Alumnae Award and the two inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame for 2021. The honorees attended an in-person event on campus along with a small number of special guests and family members. The event was livestreamed on the Holy Cross YouTube channel as well. 2021 Distinguished Alumnae: • Helen “Jean” Gleason White ’59 • Mary Joy Ellis Hurlburt ’68 • Paula Kirlew Grant ’85 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees: • Patricia Dillon ’68, outstanding contributor to lacrosse • Mary Jane Walton, founder of Holy Cross tennis program HELEN “JEAN” GLEASON WHITE ’59
Jean served with distinction in federal service for 31 years at the National Security Agency with top security clearance. She was among the first 60 women to graduate from UVA’s College of Arts and Science, and she earned a master’s degree in Information Resources Management, a Certificate of Accounting, and a Certificate in Configuration and Data Management. She holds membership in many professional and volunteer organizations, most notably the National Press Club, and is active in the American News Women’s Club. Jean is also an accomplished author of three murder mysteries (a fourth on the way) and a biography of her father-in-law, Frank Russell White, architect of the Wardman Park Hotel.
MARY JOY ELLIS HURLBURT ’68
Mary Joy began her career teaching art at St. Mary’s Ryken High School in 1985, and in 2005 was named its President. She is the first female president of a Xaverian Brotherssponsored school. During her time as president, she oversaw a comprehensive campus master plan that included major renovations, creation of a campus ministry center, and construction of a turf field and stadium. The completion during the summer of 2019 of the MIL STEM/Robotics Lab and the Donnie Williams Center, wellness center, brought the campus master plan to closure. Having led several successful capital and comprehensive campaigns, Mary Joy was able to raise significant funds for the endowment, capital projects, scholarships and financial aid. Mary Joy has served on the board of directors of numerous schools, including The Academy of the Holy Cross, and she is a past-president of the Archdiocese of Washington High School Presidents’ Association.
42 THE TARTAN 2020 - 2021 School Year
