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ACADEMY OF SAINT ELIZABETH
LEGACY magazine FALL 2020
Mission Forward
Keeping faith and future success in focus
Just Keep Going One teacher's personal story about survival LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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ACADEMY OF SAINT ELIZABETH
LEGACY magazine
ISSUE 3 | FALL 2020 Lynn Burek Principal
Lauren Cor vo Assistant Principal
Helen Kotoulas Chief Financial and Operations Officer
Jeremy Mayer Director of Athletics/ Facilities Manager
Megan Knight Director of Development & Alumnae Relations
Beth Ellen Walsh Director of Counseling
Alison Minion Director of Communications
Lights, Camera, Action! Earlier this fall, the crew from production company MAKE/FILMS helped us create a recruitment film for the Academy of Saint Elizabeth. The stars? Our amazing students, faculty and staff.
Lisa Ratz Director of Technology
@TheAcademyofSaintElizabeth @academyofsaintelizabeth @Academy1860 @AOSE1860 @AOSE1860
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @AOSE1860 to see the new film and all our other video content.
www.aosenj.org
The Academy of Saint Elizabeth is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women, founded by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. Our mission is to promote the disciplines of academic excellence and moral responsibility within our young women by sustaining a scholarly environment and a nurturing community of faith. Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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The Radium Girls, page 6 Kate Moore’s book, an AOSE Summer Reading selection, shines a light on women’s history in NJ.
Meet Eileen Fitzpatrick '43
page 20
what’s
INSIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
On the Cover Friday, September 25th was Panther Pride Day. Students wore spirit wear and enjoyed lunch outside complete with picnic blankets, music and socially distanced togetherness. The Parents’ Association provided ice cream and lizzie posed for Panther selfies with her fans.
Letter from the Principal . . . . . . . 4 Our Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 letters to the Editor of Legacy
Accents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 AOSE honored by Florham Park, Social Justice and “The Radium Girls,” New Seton Associate Megan Knight, Halloween Treats for Charity
Panthers Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Just Keep Going . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Mr. Stanzione’s fight through cancer
On the COVID-19 Frontlines. . . . 13 One SEAster’s contributions
Mrs. Shrope Retires. . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Just Keep Going, page 10
Panther Wellness, page 9
World Language and Religion faculty member Noah Stanzione chronicles his two-year journey with cancer.
Revitalized Panther Den offers a
SEAster News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
retreat for body and mind, led by
Alumnae on Instagram, Class of 2020 Commencement
our new fitness and wellness
Meet Eileen Fitzpatrick. . . . . . . . . 20
instructor.
The memoirs of this Class of ‘43 alumna
Supporting the Academy . . . . . . . 24 LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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Unprecedented but Undaunted Lynn A. Burek Principal Academy of Saint Elizabeth lburek@aose.info
Unprecedented times. Uncharted territory. The “New Normal.” How many times have we heard, read, uttered these words in the last six months? Can we even count? In trying times, with neither a map to guide us nor a finish line in sight, it is tempting to throw our hands up in the air and give ourselves up to despair. And yet, here we are in our bustling, brilliant, beautiful building. Here we are learning, leading, thriving. Here we are, just where we’ve been for 160 years and counting. This year, our 161st, we are recommitted to mission integration and finding innovative ways to live our core founding values: charity, community, justice, service, and academic excellence. As other institutions, workplaces and schools could not muster the resources to open in the face of public health protocols, we did not despair. Instead, we recognized the importance of re-opening our doors to our faculty, staff, students and their families as we collectively fuel the founding mission of the Academy. Our safety protocols have changed every single aspect of school life. Masks are a must. Desks and tables are spaced far apart. Lunch is a less lively time of day. Some of our students join class via Google Meet instead of from a desk. The trains are less crowded. Sports look strange. But the territory of these uncertain times is no longer uncharted. We are more united than ever in our 160-year old commitment to raising up strong young women of faith. The journey is rocky and challenging, but we remain undaunted in mapping this post-COVID land. I continue to be inspired by our students who illustrate resilience and grace, and our staff who has not missed a beat. Learning and discovery are taking place in our classrooms and outdoors. Our young women are finding peace in prayer and beauty in simple pleasures. Despite the “noise” in the outside world, Academy life is uplifting, peaceful, and productive. We are unified and bonded, perhaps as never before. We are thrilled for you to read this new edition of Legacy to get a glimpse into into our resilient and enduring community. Warm Regards,
Lynn Burek Principal 4
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our mailbox
Many thanks to the Legacy readers, social media followers and alumnae correspondents who keep in touch with us. Inspired by “The Radium Girls” I first heard about The Radium Girls when I read Mr. Yarnall's article in Legacy magazine about AOSE alumna Florence Wall. I purchased Kate Moore's book as recommended by The Academy's summer reading requirement. I could not put the book down and have suggested it to many friends and family. The Radium Girls were not only empowering but were trailblazers in a time when women did not have a voice in the workplace. They sacrificed so much, including their health, to
ensure safer and fairer work environments. I have always been proud to be a graduate of The Academy of St. Elizabeth. Much like The Radium Girls, AOSE has always encouraged young girls to be leaders, embrace challenges, and find their voice. Thank you AOSE for inspiring me to become the woman I am today with two degrees: a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and a Masters in Forensic Science.
Megan (Loftus) McCartney ’95 October, 2020
I just read Legacy from cover to cover. It is beautiful and very touching! I cannot tell you how happy I am that the Academy in its 160th year is experiencing a new burst of vitality – thanks to lynn, to all of you, her colleagues at the Academy, and to the Board of Trustees, as well as to the students and their families. It’s so exciting to think of the Academy moving into the future, adapting to new times and situations, but holding on to its fundamental core values. Who knows? I may be around for the Academy’s 200th anniversary and will celebrate with her then. (I’ll be 108 years old, but our Sister Regina Rose is 107 and still going strong.) While I know that all the adults at the Academy will be working hard this summer in order to meet whatever challenges need to be faced in September, I hope that each of you gets to take a welldeserved vacation, too.
Sister Noreen Neary July, 2020
The Academy Leaves Lasting Footprints The front of this note is a xerox copy of my own 1972 drawing of my Bass cream and navy saddle shoes that I wore each day to St. E’s between September 1971 and June 1975. These Bass saddles served me well , and the shoes’ flat, leather bottoms were wonderful for a perfect runand - glide down the Music Hall’s tile floor! The original drawing hangs in my office along with two St. E’s photos—one of
Sister lucy Agnes and me conducting “noontime assembly” and one of me and my entire 1975 class. So, St. E’s is never far from my mind and always a topic of conversation when someone comes to my office for the first time. As always, I send my best wishes to you.
We love hearing from you! Please submit letters to the editor to: aminion@aose.info
Dr. Barbara Tylenda ‘75 Founder of the Tylenda Scholarship Fund September, 2020 LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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The Radium Girls Aligns with Our Mission This year’s summer reading selection, The Radium Girls, was a natural pick, since it is so closely aligned with and in some cases even intertwined with our school's history and mission. As the oldest all-girls Catholic high school in New Jersey, we take pride in our history of preparing young women to take on challenges with confidence and in the pursuit of truth. Our educational program stresses social justice, which made the book a natural complement to our curriculum. Finally, we happen to be located just a few miles from Orange, where The Radium luminous Materials Corporation was headquartered. Our girls may have walked some of the same streets as the girls depicted in the book. History in our backyard. Students, staff and parents enjoyed the summer reading selection. Faculty
members across all disciplines are carrying The Radium Girls forward into their curricula; the book is being integrated into courses as divergent as Bioethics, Forensic Science, US History, Social Justice and Art. To take our all-school reading experience even further, we look forward to hosting author Kate Moore for a virtual visit this fall. Additionally, our learning community will gather together — virtually, of course— for a screening of the new feature film based on this true story of heroism.
The Radium Girls depicts important women's history in
our own backyard. We are honored to be hosting Kate Moore for an author visit.
To see more of our students' work inspired by The Radium Girls, please visit our website's Students tab.
Treats In the Name of Charity Members of Toward Boundless Charity made 75 bags of Halloween candy for the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and the Motherhouse. TBC has over 60 members committed to honoring and living the charism of the SoC. The students would normally dress in their costumes and
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deliver the goodies in person but this year they were distributed by the Mother-house staff on our behalf. A special thank you is due to the parents who sponsored this endeavor and provided all of the treats for our students to prepare.
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accents
Freedom, Power & Politics Inside The Radium Girls Danielle Silverman ‘21 is a student in Freedom, Power, and Politics, a full-year College Now course taught by Mr. Yarnall. At the start of the semester, students in this college-credit class were asked to respond to a question about the summer reading selection The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. Which word (Freedom, Power or Politics) best goes with the story found in Radium Girls? Below are powerful excerpts from Danielle’s essay: “…young Catherine Donahue went into her job as an energetic 19 year old with a full life ahead of her. However, because of the radium that consumed her body, she became extremely weak and frail, and eventually could not even walk, let alone sit, without being in excruciating pain. This pain got so bad that at the age of thirty-five she was confined to her bed, where she eventually passed away.” “The Radium Girls took place in an age where big business and manufacturing were on the rise and grew to control many aspects of society…bosses became so greedy that they began to value the production of their watches over the lives and safety of their workers.” “The Radium Girls helps readers to better understand and recognize simple freedoms in their own lives”.
Mission Forward: Megan Knight Included in Seton Associates Commitment Ceremony On September 12, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth hosted their annual Rite of Commitment ceremony in the Holy Family Chapel. After nearly a year of discernment, Megan Knight, Director of Development & Alumnae Relations, has committed to living the charism of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth as a Seton Associate. Seton Associates are lay affiliates of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. They partner with the sisters in moving the mission of charity forward. Charity is alive as they serve in parishes, hospitals, soup kitchens, nursing homes, prayer groups— wherever a Gospel response is needed.
Toward Boundless Charity is a program for high school students who seek to deepen their spirituality and engage in service to others. Their mission is to respond to others with charity. They gather together in prayer to decide the ministry projects they’ll be involved in as Toward Boundless Charity students. As co-moderator of the TBC program, Ms. Knight often partners with our sister school, Saint Vincent Academy in Newark, along with moderator and lifetime commitment Seton Associate, Theresa Nolan, allowing students to do service work together.
Florham Park Honors AOSE On September 24, the Borough of Florham Park formally recognized the 160th anniversary of the Academy of Saint Elizabeth. Mayor Mark Taylor recited and then signed a proclamation during the virtual Town Council meeting, recognizing our rich history in the community. AOSE Student Council President Mia DiTrolio '21
accepted this honor on behalf of the student body. In a subsequent visit to the Academy, a commemorative plaque was presented to Mia and the school's administrative team by Mayor Taylor and Council President Charlie Malone P '19, '24. We are profoundly grateful for this esteemed recognition from our neighbors. LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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Panthers enjoy weight training in the recently renovated Panther Den, now well equipped with rubberized ooring, new equipment, specialized lighting and state of the art audio and video systems. 8
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sports
from the SPORTS DESK
PANTHER NEWS
Staying fit with a healthy mindset Our Athletics program carries on, even in these strange times. Athletic Director Jeremy Mayer recently announced the addition of ice hockey to our winter sports schedule! This new venture is a cooperative, offered in partnership with Morris Catholic. Coming soon to a rink near you: Panthers on Ice! The last two years, our Giving Tuesday campaign raised funds for the renovation of our Panther Den. Along with the new floors, paint, lighting and equipment, we now also welcome a new instructor. Ciara McGovern graduated from the College of Charleston with a B.S. in Exercise Science.
“Our new Fitness & Wellnessprogram is focused on confidence building and feeling good! I believe every student can find a form of exercise that they enjoy. I am not only helping them stay fit right now, but am implementing a healthy mindset to last a lifetime. Physical health is just one aspect of this. We are also learning to incorporate mindfulness and self-care into our daily lives.” No matter who is on the field, the most popular Panther at every event is lizzie. She’s big, she’s blue, and she brings the school spirit wherever she goes.
Freshman runner Emma Bradley set a school record for the 5K, recording a time of 20:07. Athletic Director Mr. Mayer says, "This is a fantastic time for a freshman. I expect great things in Emma's future."
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JUST KEEP GOING. My journey through cancer. by Noah Stanzione Faculty Member, World Language and Religion Departments There is a famous scene in Homer’s Iliad wherein Achilles’ mother Thetis offers him a choice of two fates: to die young but be remembered or to have a long life and be forgotten. Achilles chooses the former, which in the afterlife he famously comes to regret. In Vergil’s correction of the story, his hero Aeneas thinks he wants Achilles’ fate—on the night Troy is sacked, he keeps trying to run into battle to die with glory—but the gods will not let him. Instead, Aeneas learns that his mission is to survive so that he can serve and guide the Trojan refugees to a new home. Six years on and seemingly no closer to the new home promised him, he still longs to have stayed at Troy with his fallen friends, but his mother appears to him in disguise and gives him the seemingly simple advice to perge modo: just keep going. It has 10
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been six years since I left a place I thought was home. This is the story of me “just keeping going” to get here. For the school year of 2014-15, I had landed a job in Scottsdale, Arizona that felt like a perfect fit. I would be one of seven classical-language faculty (teaching latin and Greek!) and an assistant coach to a robust speech and debate program. Alas, it was not meant to be. Almost immediately upon beginning work, I started having intense flank pain and finding blood in my urine on top of rapid weight gain. Not wanting them to mean anything, I ignored the symptoms until I couldn’t. On the Thursday after labor Day, I awoke with significant edema only to vomit blood. The next afternoon I checked myself into the local E.R. in acute renal failure. A healthy creatinine level (a measure of kidney
function) is 1. Mine was 11. Saturday afternoon I was taken for emergency surgery to install nephrostomy tubes, thin plastic tubes that enter the kidneys through an incision in the back and end in external collection bags to avoid an internal blockage. During the procedure, doctors found the cause of the obstruction: a mass growing out of my bladder. Three days later, on September 9, 2014, it was confirmed that I had an aggressive, metastatic cancer with a poor prognosis: about a one-in-three chance of survival for five years. Doctors never tell you the stats, though. Thank God for the internet, right? Before starting chemotherapy the following week, it was advised because of my age that I cryopreserve my sperm. As a Catholic, I thought and prayed hard
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about whether to do this. I was also conflicted because my cancer is genetic. I have Muir-Torre Syndrome, a mismatch repair deficiency inherited from my father, who is still living but has suffered from many internal as well as sebaceous carcinomas and has, among other things, lost his entire colon and part of his stomach. After much soul searching, I still felt like preservation was worth attempting. That probably makes me an awful Catholic, but as one of my professors at Notre Dame used to say, “If you think you’re a good Catholic, you’re not.” In any event, the procedure was not successful. With profound sorrow, I must admit I will never be able to have a biological child. I only got the “lightweight” version of chemo, as I wasn’t healthy enough for the standard of care at the time, but it’s still as bad as you’ve heard. On top of the standard side effects (nausea, vomiting), an interaction with one of my antiemetic medications gave me Parkinson’s-like symptoms, and it was only after I’d made the difficult decision to resign from my job—my dream job—that we discovered the source. Shortly after that, I developed an infection in my good kidney requiring hospitalization and a cessation of chemotherapy. When I was released from the hospital, with nothing left for me in Arizona, I moved home. After a number of tests at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, it was decided that I should go back on chemo. This time, with my kidney function stabilized, I was given a more aggressive regimen. It did not work. The first CT scan I had after resuming treatment showed spread of the tumor to my lungs. The toll the chemotherapy had taken (I needed a blood transfusion around this time and was generally weak) seemed like a waste. Despite the insistence of my friends, I didn’t often feel brave or heroic or inspirational; I “just kept going” because I had to—and being admired for my perseverance made me feel guilty for when I couldn’t. But what I thought was the end of my story was only the end of a chapter. Shortly after stopping chemotherapy,
Mr. Stanzione attributes his interest in fashion to the body dysmorphia he experienced while undergoing challenging chemotherapy treatments that took a toll on his well-being. This year, he has even brought Mr. Gillespie and Dr. Altonjy into the BTT fold. He started Bow Tie Thursday, enjoyed by Academy faculty and students alike.
I was invited to participate in a clinical trial for an immunotherapy drug called nivolumab, now marketed as Opdivo by Bristol Myers Squibb. What immunotherapy drugs like Opdivo are meant to do is block a certain protein on T-cells, called PD-1, from binding to the ligand PD-l1 on cancer cells. When they bind, the immune system gives the cancer cells in effect a free pass, not attacking them because they have masked themselves as healthy cells. By blocking PD-1, Opdivo allows the immune system itself to recognize and fight cancer cells. That was the promise, at least. To me, it sounded more like science fiction than science, and the words “clinical trial” made me think of some two-bit Doctor Frankenstein. I signed up because I had nothing left to lose. I did not think I had anything to gain. Despite my doubts, my first CT scan after starting the trial described a “significant decrease” in my primary tumor— by 58%. But my next CT, six weeks later, reported an “unchanged poorly delineated
mass.” Further progress would be glacial. J. Alfred Prufrock may have measured out his life with coffee spoons; I, with infusion bags. I was in the trial for more than two years. Meanwhile, between the nephrostomy bags and mediport (a small medical device connected by a catheter to the superior vena cava for easier administration of medications), I would look at my body and for the first time in my life feel ugly. It was as a means of compensation that I got into fashion when I returned to work. My bow ties, cravats, pocket squares, French-cuff shirts, and shoe collection are all a product of the body dysmorphia I experienced from cancer. And I did return to work, starting the following September. I was glad to be back in the classroom—it gave me a sense of normalcy as well as a pleasant distraction— but it was also profoundly challenging being absent every other Tuesday, when I would travel to Sloan-Kettering in New York for my treatment. I don’t know why LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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my students thought I was out; maybe some of them overheard my colleagues talking, but I never explicitly told them I was sick. For one, I wanted to know if I was a good teacher or not based on merit, not pity. For another, it didn’t ever seem right to burden them with the emotional weight of having to worry about me. For that same reason, my family made the decision to not tell (and then have to constantly retell) my grandmother, whose memory was starting to go. By early 2017, having spent two years in the Opdivo trial and being only one of 20.7% of participants with an objective response, I successfully lobbied to get taken to committee to go to surgery. In March of that year, I was approved for a radical cystectomy and nephrectomy—the removal of my bladder and right kidney. In place of my bladder I would have a new one made out of a piece of bowel, which it would still think it was. In the weeks following surgery, I would have to engage in timed urination to gradually stretch the muscle, I would occasionally pass clumps of mucus while urinating (I still do), and I would lose any sensation of when my bladder was full. But I would be alive and cancer-free, and I wouldn’t have a stoma. While surgery was complicated by a blood clot that left me temporarily paralyzed on my left side and required significant physical therapy, I am proud to say it was a success. I have been cancer free since April 26, 2017. I have often been asked how I, as a person of faith, interpret the role of God in my story. On the one hand, as God gave us reason (ratio) as well as faith (fides), I think it is a mistake to downplay the assiduous human effort here—of my crack surgeon and his team, of the many doctors and nurses who made me feel still human, and of course of determined research scientists across many years. Advancements in cancer research have sometimes been slow to come and meager in result, as Azra Raza shows in her recent book The First Cell. Immunotherapy as a theory applicable to cancer was first proposed by William Coley in 1891. It 12
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The Stanzione family. Noah is pictured with his mother and three older siblings.
took until the mid-2010s for it to become “the cancer equivalent of penicillin,” as Dr. Tasuku Honjo called it in his 2018 Nobel Prize speech. And yet I know, and am flattered to know, that I was prayed for by many, though I myself prayed only for equanimity and dignity; it would have felt awkward to ask for my own survival. And God saw fit to let me improbably exist in the exact right moment and circumstance to benefit from “what a piece of work” (sayeth Hamlet) humankind is. And by exact, I mean exact. It did not escape my notice that the date and day that gave me back my life, the very first day of my clinical trial, Tuesday, February 24, 2015, was the same as the date and day that seventeen years earlier had taken the life
of my brother, my mentor, my reason for becoming a classicist, my daimon who guides me as Socrates did him, Peter. I’d like to think he was a someone up there who likes me too. At the end of Troy’s long last night, Aeneas meets up with the other refugees at a designated place, a place where the victorious Greeks are gathering up their spoils. Vergil’s message is clear: other people whom we serve are the true treasure. With the morning star to guide him, Aeneas accedes to his fate and takes up his burden, headed for a brighter dawn. This summer I was offered my old job in Scottsdale back. I briefly considered taking it, but I stayed here at the Academy. This is home.
Editor’s note: Noah Stanzione is a faculty member of the World Languages and Religion Departments. He has appeared as a guest lecturer in our Bioethics class, where he shared a version of this story. Mr. Stanzione’s insights are particularly resonant today, as we await results from the volunteers who are participating in COVID-19 vaccine trials.
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On the
COVID-19
Frontlines
Written by: Anne Marie Van Hoven, M.D., ‘91 Edited by: Peggy McGlone, ‘83 My younger sister, Anne Marie Van Hoven, is one of those rare individuals who makes everything look easy, fun, possible. She has a demanding job in medicine and is raising five children – including twins and teens! – with her amazing husband, Bruce, and yet she volunteered – volunteered! – to care for Covid-19 patients when the virus hit her hospital. She brings sunshine, laughter and her full attention to every interaction, whether it’s in her family room or the examining room. She shares her big heart and joyful spirit constantly and enthusiastically. I’d boast that I’m her biggest fan, but I think Bruce, her kids and our parents might fight me for it. One thing we all agree on, though, is that she makes our lives happier. Peggy McGlone, ‘83
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com
The email that came to my inbox on a weekday in March 2020 read something like this: “The volume of patients with COVID 19 has become too great for our hospital medicine providers. The Department of Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center is asking for volunteers to take care of COVID 19 patients on the general medicine floors and ICUs. PPE training and equipment will be provided. We realize this is a tremendous request and we thank you in advance for your service.” I had already volunteered two days earlier along with a fellow Endocrinologist. Of all specialties, Endocrinology is closest to Primary Care in the sense of caring for the whole person. Aside from Infectious Disease, we were probably set up the best to do this. That night I went home and dug out my St. luke medal from my jewelry box. St. luke, the Gospel writer, is the patron saint of physicians. My friend from
college had given me the medal when I graduated medical school and I wore it every day of my residency at Bellevue Hospital in NYC. I was wearing it on 9/11 when I was in the CCU awaiting patients that never arrived. I reached for it again at the second impossible circumstance of my career, along with a new pair of starchy scrubs, my old residency clogs, 2 masks, a face shield, a gown, gloves and more hand sanitizer than I thought existed. “let’s go,” I thought to myself. These people need me. After I graduated from St E’s in 1991, I went to Seton Hall University and then Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. I did my Internal Medicine residency at NYU and my fellowship in Endocrinology at Robert Wood Johnson. I worked for 14 years at St Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick and came to Hackensack about 3 years ago to be part of the new Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
I am board certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, I see inpatients and outpatients in Endocrinology, and I am the clerkship director for Internal Medicine for the Medical School. I like to think I bring the values and dedication of the Sisters of Charity with me to work in caring for patients every day but even Sr. Patricia Mary McMullen, our principal, could not have prepared me for this. I will admit it was very scary at first. I did not know if the PPE worked. I was afraid to get sick. I was afraid to bring the virus home. At the same time, I needed to show my children, Andrew (15), Sean (14), Daniel and Grace (11-year-old twins) and Maggie (7), that this was what doctors do. When people are sick, we go to work. We don’t do it alone, however. We rely on our spouses to pick up for us at home. So much thanks goes to my husband of 19 years, Bruce, for all his support through this and always. LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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no visitors allowed told me some of the things he would do if he lived. Some patients who were so overwhelmingly grateful for the care would make me tear up and my shield fog until I was rendered temporarily useless! There were countless families to whom I gave updates on the phone every day. Those husbands, wives, sons and daughters broke my heart with their stories of their loved ones. Then there were the codes called overheard multiple times a day, a sobering reminder that although we were doing everything we could, it wasn’t enough. To counteract some of the gloom, we started to play “lean on Me” whenever a patient was discharged. The discharge Dr. Van Hoven’s five children: Andrew (15), Sean (14), Daniel and Grace (11-year-old twins) and Maggie (7). order went in the computer and the song would come on overhead. For about 20 It was not an easy gig. I showed up seconds or so, we would pause and take each day of two short rotations on the comfort in our small successes. I made the COVID ward to treat a disease we were nurses laugh one day as the song came on just learning about. I reviewed all the and I yelled out, “That’s right, that’s a Van patients at the end of every day with my Hoven discharge! We did that!” dear friend and colleague, Dr. Marygrace It is hard to describe how much things Zetkulic, the Internal Medicine Residency changed every day. Medicine in the hospiProgram Director (and, by the way, a tal, like every other job, has a rhythm. But graduate of Oak Knoll), to make sure I was in March and April, there was no rhythm, doing all the right things. This is what we no routine. There were command centers,
we all did, the quarantine, “Everything the shutdown, the isolation, the canceling of everything…
that was all needed.” all did. We had to learn together and from each other – as physicians were doing all over the globe. What I will take away from this experience is a renewed faith in the goodness and commitment of the healthcare professions. People came together, adapting to constant and exhausting change, to learn and give of themselves for their patients. While the medicine component was humbling and overwhelming, the human element was the most difficult and I cried a little every day. One patient who was scared and alone because there were 14
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and staff were deployed where needed to care for over 500 COVID 19 patients at the height of the surge. Pediatricians took care of adults, trauma surgeons worked a COVID ICU, residents from other disciplines were sent to medicine floors to help out. Cardiology, pulmonary and ICU fellows in training worked nights for weeks. Orthopedic surgeons worked a “prone team” which was a group of people called to help turn patients onto their stomachs because their oxygenation improved with this positioning. The employee cafeteria was turned into a 74-bed COVID unit. Construction workers worked day and night to get it ready in less than a week. It was a truly remarkable time and I am proud of my hospital and all the providers who did so much. In writing this reflection, I have several concluding thoughts. I want to express my deep sympathy and condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to COVID 19. There are no words to express how sorry I am. I want to thank the Academy of Saint Elizabeth for teaching me to believe in myself and what I can do, and for instilling in me the faith to bring St. luke along. I encourage you to say thank you to all hospital personnel. There are no lawn signs for the environmental workers, food and nutrition employees, laboratory technicians, security and many others. I helped out for a few days and filled a small and temporary void. Those professionals did all the heavy lifting day in and day out amidst a lot of uncertainty and, honestly, a lot of
Hackensack University Medical center celebrated every COVID-19 patient discharge with a clap-out while playing the song “Lean On Me,” which could be heard throughout the hospital.
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I want to thank the “Academy of Saint Elizabeth for teaching me to believe in myself and what I can do and for instilling in me the faith
to bring St. Luke along.”
Dr. Van Hoven and her husband Bruce, with their children.
death. Their altruism was inspiring. And finally, and this is so important, I want you to realize that everything we all did, the quarantine, the shutdown, the isolation, the canceling of everything…that was all needed. If our hospital system had been overwhelmed, more people would have died. You may not know who or when, but you saved lives. And amidst continued uncertainty and exhausting change, that is something to be proud of.
words from the heart “Our children are incredibly lucky to have Anne Marie as their mother. They get to see all sides of her— wife, mother, and physician, and how beautifully she handles all three.” —Bruce Van Hoven, husband of Dr. Van Hoven
I love my mom and I'm so lucky to have her as my mom. Even though she goes to work SO MUCH it's ok because when she comes home we are happier. Mom always brings me places like Walmart or Yankee Candle. I love my mom. —Daniel, age 11 During the worst of the pandemic my mom did a great job taking care of me and my siblings, while still taking care of other people at the hospital. Because of the pandemic she had to work longer, but still found time to be with our family. —Sean, age 14
During the worst stretches of the pandemic, mostly April, Mom was working with the COVID patients instead of her own. This was scary for the rest of us at home because of the high risk she could have caught the disease. However, she worked through it and safely, until eventually returning to her normal patients. — Andrew, age 15 My mom is a doctor. So she works about 9 hours a day! She is an endocrinologist at Hackensack Hospital, in other words she works with people who have diabetes. She even teaches people to become an endocrinologist. So in the morning she wakes up at 5:30 every day and gets food and clothes and me and my siblings ready. And she brings me and my sister and sometimes my brother to school. My mom even works in the summer! — Grace, age 11 Mommy is the best! She's so sweet to all of us! — Maggie, age 7 LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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faculty
Academy Memories Mrs. Shrope reflects on 29 years at the Academy Mrs. Shrope's 1992 yearbook portrait during her very first year at the Academy.
Hard to believe, but I spent 53 years teaching and coaching, and 29 of those years with you at Saint E’s! Thank you for all the years and all the memories at the Academy. Too many great times to name, but I can at least name a few highlights. January 2008 was the start of our unique equestrian program at lord Stirling &
Seaton Hackney Stables. That same year, I received Coach of the Year honors for coaching Varsity Field Hockey. I was named (the very first!) Teacher of the Year in 2015-2016. I have always loved my job. I like to say I’ve never worked a day in my life, because I had no problem getting up each
morning to do what made me happy: teaching; coaching; and helping students understand the value of a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, personal fitness, and making choices that are good for you and make you happy.
“I have always loved my job. I like to say
I’ve never worked a day in my life…”
Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, Mrs. Shrope! You were such an essential part of my education at the Academy, and an even greater part in my development as a person. The future students will be missing out on your new-but-always-sparkly nail color biweekly, your passion for the equestrian and field hockey practices, and your willingness to hop in a sprinter and drive us just about all over North Jersey to make a game. You were so great at creating a relationship with your students where we could joke around but also study and learn (for example, me failing my driving test 3 times). You made sure to get to know all of us as not only students, but as individuals with goals, families and personalities. Thank you so much for such a dedicated career — and please know the impact you made on all of your students and their families will never be forgotten. Abigail DeBoer ‘17 16
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Congratulations on your retirement, Mrs. Shrope! I have many fond memories of being in your P.E. classes during my years at St. E’s. You always pushed us to do our best and made it lots of fun. Wishing you all the best as you start this next chapter. Julia La Vigne Hartings ‘96
Mrs. Shrope passed the ceremonial horseshoe to new Equestrian leader, Annemarie Gallo '11, a member of our Counseling Department.
To a woman of many hats! We have Mrs. Shrope to thank for our unparalleled athleticism, our parallel parking, and our many laughs along the way. Best of luck in retirement. Laura Kenny ‘10 The first time I met Mrs. Shrope was in the middle of my math placement test. Wearing her signature floppy hat she was chased away by the proctors. Of course, only in hindsight do I recognize how important that moment was. Like all my fellow SEAsters I learned health, first aid, driver’s ed, and volleytennis from Mrs. Shrope. Additionally, she taught me field hockey, a sport that would help take me to college. To this day I hear the word ‘left’ in her voice. Mrs. Shrope helped me navigate friendships and challenge the idea of what being loyal means. Most importantly though, she taught me to unapologetically be yourself. Megan Lage ‘10
Few people can make me excited to run on a treadmill or improve my aim with the simple word: direction. Thank you, Mrs. Shrope, for providing a fun, fit escape from reality for those 50 minutes of P.E. during the day. I wish you all the best in your retirement. I hope it is filled with lots of horseback riding and jumping jacks! Olivia Cordano ‘ 19
Mrs. Shrope was one of the first people to welcome me to the Academy and I always knew I could go to her for anything. The Academy has been so blessed to have Mrs. Shrope welcome so many students. Ellie Gates ‘20
Mrs. Shrope, thank you for teaching me the game of field hockey. I’m sure you have touched many lives just the same before and after me. You were truly the best! I wish you a restful and exciting new chapter! Sherry Kwon ‘99
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Alumnae on Instagram Have you seen our Instastories? Check out our Alumnae highlights, where we share updates from our SEAsters. What's going on in your life? DM us your news or tag us in your story—we can’t wait to repost!
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SEAsters
Portrait of the Academy of Saint Elizabeth Class of 2020, by Peter Wallburg Studios
Welcome to SEAsterhood Class of 2020 Commencement (Finally) Celebrated In many, many ways, it was a graduation unlike any other. Our graduates and their guests wore masks. Families were seated as pods, separated from neighbors and friends. We could not break bread together at an awards banquet. In other ways, though, the celebration of the Class of 2020 was a model of Saint E’s tradition. The perfect weather gave us an opportunity to enjoy an outdoor ceremony on our spectacular campus. We came together in prayer, grateful to be part of a joyous occasion. And most importantly, we welcomed another cohort of accomplished, poised, and motivated young women to the esteemed ranks of the SEAsterhood. Before her commencement speech, Olenka Olesnyky ’11 created an optional, anonymous survey for the graduating SEAsters, soliciting feedback about the challenges they have faced and how they
feel about their upcoming college experiences. Her recurring theme throughout the speech was especially profound, “She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.” After missing many rites of passage traditionally leading up to the day of commencement, the Class of 2020 felt hope and positivity in Olenka’s address, and her powerful concluding remarks were especially inspirational:
“You already have what you need within you. The other day my dad told me that commencement actually means beginning. To our graduates, an unimaginable storm came your way during your senior year and we are here today to witness your strength and resilience in adjusting your sails and reaching the shore. And this is only the beginning. As one of your fellow graduates said looking back at her journey through the pandemic, ‘Buckle up sweetheart.’ As you set sail on your next
chapter, buckle up, face the storm and know that you have the strength to adjust your sails and do anything your heart desires. We are so proud of you, excited for you, and look forward to seeing where the seas take you. Congratulations!”
Our Commencement Speaker, Olenka Olesnycky '11, with her family, including her sister, Nadia '14.
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Class of 1943 portrait on display at the Academy.
MEMOIRS Eileen Mitchell Fitzpatrick, '43 with an introduction by her friend, Mrs. deFreitas
by Gail deFreitas Since starting at Saint E’s 6 years ago, I have witnessed the outstanding character of the women educated here. The graduates move on with confidence in their abilities, dedication to their faith, and a heart for service. I love to walk down the hallways and look at the pictures of students and activities, of moments gone by, to see the changes but also the consistency of life at Saint E’s. There is always a connection when we have alumnae events and we hear SEAsters share their memories of historical and social events in our country through their eyes as a Saint E’s student. I have also found that the Saint E’s connection is everywhere. Most recently, I met a wonderful new friend. Eileen Fitzpatrick graduated from the Academy in 1943; it was a joy to find that we were neighbors. She and her family welcomed me and we have been able to spend
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time sharing stories of Academy life, past and present. Her personal story of how her life took a giant step forward because of the education she received and the skills she acquired at the Academy is inspirational. Taking a step back in time to talk about what a young woman’s options were in the business world—and how she was personally affected by the war, historical and social events—brings history to life. I have had the good fortune to befriend a wonderful woman who has lived life well, and attributes much of that to Saint E’s. Eileen is grateful for her successes and for the opportunity she had to be educated here; I hope you enjoy these excerpts from her memoirs of her Saint E’s years. —Gail deFreitas Administrative Assistant for Student Services
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support From then on all went well, and I was consistently first in my class all the way through grammar school -- following both my brother and my sister. Dorothy was so smart that she even skipped a grade. Because we lived in the center of a city (which had grown up around us since my grandmother had purchased the house and many of the houses had been torn down and replaced by commercial buildings), I did not do many things like rollerskating, riding a bicycle, etc. The street was too busy. I do remember having a sort of tricycle, but not the sort that very young children use, and I was able to ride that on the sidewalk. It was pretty much of an antique even in those days! It had a small wheel in the front with a long handle bar to use for steering and you sat on a board seat between two large wheels. Kids today would love it! We lived a very simple sort of life. . . although my mother had graduated from Montclair Normal School (now Montclair State University) and was a qualified teacher, she never worked after she was married. As were most families of that time, we were very close. We visited our relatives for holiday dinners, or they came to us. During the summer we almost always rented a small house at the shore for a week and many times the house was without indoor plumbing, or sported a kerosene stove and a pump in the kitchen. looking back, it could not have been much of a vacation for my mother, although I think my dad helped her a lot. One of the summers early on when I was about two years old, we rented two rooms from a fisherman family in Sea Bright and had kitchen privileges to cook our meals. I remember being told some years later that after we returned from Sea Bright that year we learned that the little girl of that family, who was about my age and with whom I had played, had contracted polio. My parents worried about me for a few weeks after that. It was the Depression and money was very tight, so it was many years before we had a refrigerator. The ice man came every day or so to refill the ice in the icebox. I
was in 8th grade before we got a telephone. Our flat was very small...for many years we three children shared one of the two bedrooms and when my brother was probably in his early teens he was given a small room in the attic. It was pretty cold or hot as there was no such thing as insulation then. There was no heat in our bedrooms downstairs either and the winters were really cold. But we always had plenty to eat and nice clothes to wear. Mother knew where and how to shop and was able to make some of our things. And when it came time for my brother to go to college, a plan was formed where he went to live with my aunt and uncle in Syracuse so that he could attend the university there at a reduced rate as a resident of the city. He stayed there all year and only came home in the summer to work to help pay for his tuition. When I was in 8th grade, the nuns suggested that I take an exam for a scholarship to Saint Elizabeth’s Academy in Convent Station, which was run by the same Sisters of Charity who taught me at our school. I took the exam and won a four year full tuition and board scholarship! The only thing I had to buy were my uni-
Eileen pictured here at 14 years old
train and bus. At first I was somewhat homesick, and I had an especially hard time in my typing class. I didn’t like that teacher as she was pretty harsh and I was all thumbs. I really wanted to give up on that course, but my folks thought it would be very important to me in later life, and promised me an angora sweater if I would stick it out. In fact I had the teacher all to myself; I was the only one to take that
The teachers were really top of the line “and made the subjects come alive. I especially remember my English teacher … who was never without a book in her hand.
”
forms and books, which in themselves were probably a hardship for my parents. The scholarship exam was taken by the top two girls in at least 50 schools throughout New Jersey and all the way up to Massachusetts, so I was pretty proud of that. Interestingly, my second cousin, Angela Van Herwarde, had won the same scholarship the year before. So in September 1939, I embarked on a new life at Saint Elizabeth’s. I left home every Sunday afternoon, driven either by the Van Herwardes or my parents and returned home on Friday afternoon by
class. Most of the other girls were taking piano or violin lessons during that period. The first three years I lived in the dormitory portion, which was a small cubicle curtained off in a very large room. We ate all our meals in a big dining hall, and as I remember the food wasn’t great, but we managed. The only bad thing was during the Spring when the cows ate onion grass and the milk had a distinct onion flavor. The classes were very small; the whole four-year school had less than 100
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girls. There was a routine: after breakfast we made our beds and so forth and then went to our classes until lunch and again for the afternoon. Around three we were free to go out and walk or play something...tennis or field hockey or whatever until around five, when we came in for an hour of study hall, then supper, and another hour of study hall. After that we went to our rec room, where we could play cards or listen to records and just hang out. The so-called “day hops” (about half the class) came from the towns nearby and arrived on the train. Most of the girls in my class came from New Jersey or New York, but there were several from South America; in fact, three from Colombia and one from Cuba. My friend Maria Josefa Garces was from Colombia, and had just transferred from a school in Switzerland because the war had just begun in Europe. My best friend, Mary Kenny, didn’t arrive until the following year. She had been going to Marylawn in South Orange but came to boarding school when her parents decided to live in Florida for the winter because of her father’s poor
health. All this was pretty unusual stuff for a little girl from 162 Jefferson Street on the wrong side of the railroad tracks. I spent many weekends at the homes of my classmates: with Peggy Collins in Elizabeth and Spring lake; with Rosemary Judge in a lovely home in the New Rochelle area; and with lorraine Mazuy in Newton. I especially remember one visit to the Kenny house in Spring lake. It was December 1941 and we had a long weekend for Immaculate Conception. Bill, Mary’s twin brother who I was dating at the time, was home from military school. I guess the radio was on because I don’t think we even knew about TV then, and the announcement came that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor and we were at war. Just like that. My first thought was for my brother, Bill, who was at college in Syracuse, and he did indeed leave college early in the following year and join the Navy to become a pilot...My second thought was for Bill Kenny but I figured he and I were only 16 and the war would be over before he was old enough. I got to love the Academy. The teachers were really top of the line and made
The Class of 1943 was not able to publish a yearbook due to paper rations imposed during World War II.
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the subjects come alive. I especially remember my English teacher, Sister Gertrude Elise, who was never without a book in her hand, and probably gave me my love for reading. I was a good student. I had to be since I was there on a scholarship. The other scholarship winner was a girl from Bloomfield named Mary. Somehow, we never did hit it off. Anyhow I took four years of latin and three years of Spanish, which I loved right from the start. This was taught by a nun who had been born in Santo Domingo. Plus I had all the other subjects: English, Math, History, Religion, etc. I had one year of what they called General Science, so I had no background in science whatsoever. I graduated with highest honors, but only 2nd in my class -- Mary from Bloomfield beat me out. That was the first time in my school career that I was not first.
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cademy St. Elizabeth A J N , ion at Convent St 43 19 1, June
om school. ever write you fr d Dad, Dear Mother an e last letter that I’ll probably th row Well, here it is- et something next weekend. – Algebra tomor rg fo I s t to worry about and English yesles lef s am ex o That is, un tw have only ish today, At this point I . I just had Latin and Span ead of me. me instead of ah rter and ay rid nd F hi be on em th of fo m r co be m and History put in was my ve the greater nu terday, so I ha pack my trunk today. All I comforter billows around. I’ll e way the gh stuff I started to but that’s just th knows, I surely do have enou ll fu ks loo it d odness blanket an that down and go uldn’t just have to pack it. en I really co of om Bill, but th ven’t had a chance fr d ar he t to pack on top n’ ve ek. I ha ek I ha So far this we from him so regularly every we t complain. It certainly n’ g ld in ou ar sh he ly on al I re her at my except to go week either, so me to come up and be an us autiful is th t ye m hi ho ough of the be to write he were near en ete with wings, to say nothing if ce ni one can’t be d ul pl m , wo ession. Oh well, uniform, co pr ite im wh an at ite Th qu n. e graduatio uld mak have by now, wo int’s graduation. suntan he must ather for West Po have everything! rt of today wasn’t very nice we ck from the cleaners today and e ba The earlier pa . My gown cam thing that’s really ready. better next week one ’s at th uld be really so I hope we do , an but I think it wo I have to spick and sp ay ll sd A . ur Th ely lov on looks are going home ing special that Quite a few girls l the carfare since there’s noth al e st wa , silly for me to of us, the college last night. All e re ar he ich up wh on si er . es do lessed Moth ce May Proc B ni e th ry ve to s. a er d ion ow ha tit fl We s of pe ue with wrote little letter d crown the stat the convent, etc. shrine. Then we sing songs an r till Friday. burned before he etty. ra examples, so eb pr lg ry A ve e l m al so t is It start working ou I really must Love, Eileen
Pictured from left to right: A letter from Eileen Fitzpatrick to her parents in 1943; Final “Scholastic Record”; Eileen pictured with her lifelong best friend, Maria Josefa Garces from Columbia.
Treasures From the Past Eileen’s granddaughter shares fond memories and stories Like many people across the country, I took advantage of the extra time inside during the quarantine to do some de-cluttering. In the attic, I found boxes and boxes of photos, news clippings, handwritten notes, birthday cards, old airline tickets, census documents, and tchotchkes saved by my grandparents and great-grandparents. Being our self-appointed family historian, I relished at the chance to catalogue and organize my findings. Every night at dinner, I brought out a new item to show my grandmother, hoping she would delight us with a tale of how the item came to be in her possession, or with a story of a family member who has long since passed. Among these items was a letter my grandmother wrote to her parents right before her graduation from the Academy. It’s a true snapshot in time – June 1943
from the perspective of an 18-year-old woman. The country was at war – one that her older brother Bill was fighting in. In many ways, the war defined her years at the Academy. She often recalls where she was when she heard of the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor – with a classmate’s family at their home in Spring Lake. She remained good friends with that classmate, Mary Kenny Fay, up until her passing in 2015. If you look past the references to her brother in the war, this letter might read like one written by the high school or college senior today. She is wrapping up exams, preparing for graduation, hoping for good weather for the ceremony that represents the culmination of many, many years of hard work. My grandmother was the recipient of a full scholarship to the Academy, and
without that scholarship, the opportunity to board at Saint E’s would not have been available to her, a second-generation Irish Catholic born in Passaic, NJ. The education she received and the experiences she gained at St. E’s shaped her life in countless ways. She enjoyed a long and rewarding career as an administrator in both banking and aviation, raised three sons, remained an active member of the St. E’s alumnae association, and has enjoyed a long and happy retirement on Long Beach Island with frequent visits from her extended family. She, along with our whole family, look forward to her 95th birthday in January 2021. -Jeanne Fitzpatrick, granddaughter of Eileen Mitchell Fitzpatrick, ‘43
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Be part of our legacy. NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2021
Scan for our admissions brochure OR VISIT AOSENJ.ORG 24
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support
#GivingTuesday Rally to Restore an Academy Treasure We are thrilled to share the campaign goal for this year’s #GIVINGTUESDAY. With your help and support, this day of giving will renovate, restore and honor the historic beauty of our Study Hall— a space that is truly the heart of our building and community. The Academy is grateful for project lead Angelo Giambattista P '18 P '13, partner at Metropolitan Architecture and Engineering. He is offering his vast experience and unparalleled expertise for the betterment and improvement of the Academy. In addition to joining our fundraising efforts we invite you to share a memory in the Study Hall.
The room is inarguably beautiful, but it's what happens in this space that
is the true treasure of Saint E's. Think back to your favorite tradition, your best friendship, the best dance, or laughing so hard you had tears coming down your cheeks. Were you in the Study Hall when you learned the news of a major world event? Whatever your memories of the Study Hall, share it with us!
SAVE THE DATE! Tuesday, December 1 Please share your memories for our campaign! 4 Photos of you and your friends in the Study Hall 4 Stories of friendship and fun 4 How has this space made an impact on your experience? Share your thoughts and/or images with us. Email to mknight@aose.info and help us kick off this important opportunity to keep the Academy’s historic elegance alive for the young women whose futures begin here. LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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Celebrate others with
the gift of opportunity. Be a part of the Academy legacy – establish a scholarship fund and invest in a young woman’s future at AOSE. ON BEHALF OF YOUR CLASS Make your mark with a scholarship fund on behalf of your friends or entire class. Monthly gifts with just 5 or 10 of your classmates adds up to a profound contribution for an aspiring young woman. A scholarship fund is a great virtual service project that illustrates our mission while helping others. There’s no better way to pay it forward with gratitude for the positive experiences you’ve shared together. IN TRIBUTE OR MEMORIAM Honor the achievements or memory of a friend, loved one or faculty member. There’s no better gift than an investment in a young woman’s future while honoring those who have impacted your life. The inspiration you experienced will be forever remembered by the young Academy women you help.
WHEN YOU TEAM UP, IT ADDS UP! Look how a monthly gift can make a profound difference for a student who qualifies for financial assistance and/or a merit scholarship: $100/month $250/month $500/month $1,000/month $1,625/month
= $1,200 scholarship = $3,000 scholarship = $6,000 scholarship = $12,000 scholarship = FULL scholarship
Monthly gifts are attainable and EASY for any group. Recurring donations at any level can make a tremendous impact.
To learn more about setting up a scholarship fund, or for more specific details about the young women who could benefit most, please contact Megan Knight.
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With parental consent, we can connect you to the student receiving your award, allowing you to follow her journey at The Academy of Saint Elizabeth. In some circumstances, confidentiality is required and scholarship donations will be granted anonymously.
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1860 LEGACY The Academy’s tradition of excellence can live on through a gift from your estate.
Society
A planned gift creates a perpetual legacy through a provision in your will or estate. Your generosity will continue our mission while empowering countless future generations of young women at the Academy.
WHEN
T H E R E I S A W I L L , T H E R E I S A WAY . For more information, please call 973.290.5226 or can I get this email mknight@aose.info
artwork:
Development Office 2 Convent Rd. | Convent Station, NJ 07961
Sample wording that can be used: “I give to the Academy of Saint Elizabeth, a New Jersey nonprofit corporation, or its successor, Federal Tax Identification Number 22-22738106 [insert here the exact dollar amount or other specific information].” LEGACY Magazine | FAll 2020
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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage
PAID
Hackensack, NJ Permit No. 1121
2 Convent Road Convent Station, NJ 07961
You’re Invited to HERstory Project Our stories are all parts of a greater whole that create a beautiful legacy when pieced together. Our Toward Boundless Charity students are embarking on a journey to document your story through the HERstory Project. We would love to schedule an interview with you to capture part of your story and experience here at the Academy. You can send an email to the Development & Alumnae Relations office to let us know you’d like to be involved in our project. A current SEAster will contact you to introduce herself and will share a list of interview questions prior to scheduling an
appointment with you. Prior to the interview, our students will be oriented in active listening skills, interview techniques and asking open ended questions. The long term goal of this project is to put together a digital publication telling the stories of alumnae in chronological order, as well as create a podcast using the interview audio and voice overs of the students giving their perspective about what they learned from your stories. We dedicate our service work to the honor and memory of the foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and our school, Mother Mary Xavier Mehegan.
Interested SEAsters should email mknight@aose.info to learn more! Toward Boundless Charity is a way for high school students to develop spirituality and minister to those in need by embracing and living the charism of charity. Participants in the program have an inner essence—a heart that beats with love for others. It moves them to serve others in some form of ministry. The goal of this group is to carry on the good work of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and their affiliates. Members of this club will be part of a new generation of stewards of the charism who will continue the good work in the world well beyond their time spent at The Academy.
