Alverno Alumnae Magazine | Spring 2020 by alvernoheights

lverno

Alumnae Magazine | Spring 2020

Athletic Fields Open Celebrating

60 Years

Contents Inquiries should be directed to: Wendy Finch-Burk, Director of Development and Institutional Advancement 200 N. Michillinda Avenue Sierra Madre, CA 91024 Phone: (626) 355-3463 ext. 232 Email: wfinch@alvernoheights.org ADMINISTRATION Julia V. Fanara, P’01, P’03, P’05, Head of School Sara McCarthy ‘05, Assistant Head of School ALUMNAE COMMITTEE Daniela Lopez Barragan ‘97 Andrea Bertollini ‘91 Andrea Bonilla ‘05 Vanessa Ferandell ‘97 Sara McCarthy ‘05 Caroline McLoughlin ‘09 Theresa Lindsey ‘77 Jennifer Macias-Overhoff ‘91 Jennifer Torres Siders ‘98 EDITOR Selena Mone Director of Alumnae Relations and Advancement PHOTOGRAPHS Belle ‘n’ Beau Photography, Susana Capra ‘04

TABLE OF CONTENTS Alumnae letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 From Head of School, Julia Fanara Dear Alumnae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 From Your New Dir. of Alumnae Relations “Let’s Talk”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Enrollment Class of 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Congratulations to Alverno’s Newest Graduates Knock Knock, Who’s There?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 New Faces of Alverno Summer of ‘69. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Class of 1969’s 50th Reunion Alverno Ambassadors & Visiting Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 From Your New Dir. of Enrollment Management Homecoming 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Athletic Fields Opening Ceremonies From Alumna to Assistant Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 A Letter from Sara McCarthy ‘05 “Saints Everywhere”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Mary Lea Carroll ‘71 – Book Tour Stops by Alverno Alumnae Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Plan for Action and Invitation to Join Young Alumnae Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Melody Wu ‘18 Ride with Alverno. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Announcing Spring 2020 Philanthropy Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Thank You for Supporting Alverno! Jaguar Sightings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Spotted: Alverno’s Empowered Women In Loving Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Dear Alverno Alumnae, As I begin to write this letter, I find it hard to believe that I am writing the year 2020. I came to Alverno in 1990 when it was a mere 30 years old. And now, we are celebrating 60 years of Alverno! Yes, alumnae, your school is 60 years old and is looking better than ever! If you haven’t been by the campus since you graduated, there have been a lot of changes. Just to name a few: the old fence on Michillinda is gone and a beautiful wrought iron fence with pillars welcomes visitors. The city paved the walkway from Highland to Grandview, so if you remember when it was just dirt, not so anymore. The library was completely remodeled and is now known as the Learning Technology Center (LTC). The locker room and showers are gone and were turned into a physics lab. The landscaping around the school has been redone, including removing the tennis courts for a beautiful Mediterranean-style prayer garden. We have a beautiful new soccer and softball field with a fully-equipped snack bar, and running track where the lower parking once was. We are also continuing to make improvements around the school with new air-conditioning and forced heat coming soon. If you haven’t seen the school, you must come by to visit. We are offering you the perfect opportunity to do so! On March 21, 2020, we will be celebrating our Diamond anniversary at our annual Gala celebration which will be taking place right here on Alverno’s campus! We will have a beautiful tent with auction items on display in the Villa and the ability to do mobile bidding. We will have a live band and delicious food. We hope you will join us for this very special occasion! We have much to be proud of at Alverno. Our graduates continue to go to top colleges around the nation. We currently have graduates at Stanford, Georgetown, Cal Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Caltech, MIT, Pace, George Washington, Loyola — Chicago, and many Cal States and UC’s. But I am also proud of the impact our graduates are making on our society. We have alumnae who are doctors, lawyers, scientists, teachers, professors, mothers, judges, broadcasters, politicians, mayors. We have alumnae who have gone above and beyond by giving of themselves through philanthropic work with Foothill Unity, City of Hope, work with homeless, Mesa, social work and foster care, mission trips to Haiti, Africa, Jesuit Volunteers, Teach for America... just to name a few. Wherever you go, it is hard to not run into someone from Alverno. Alverno has truly made its mark on the world. Many of these women would not be making the impact they are had they not attended Alverno.

10,000+ COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS

Now we have a whole new group of young Alverno students who will be going out into the world in a few years. They could really use your support through the 2019-2020 Alverno Scholarship Campaign. Over 60% of our students are on some type of financial assistance. Anything that is not covered through funded scholarships or donations comes directly from the operating budget. We are appealing to our alumnae to remember the difference Alverno made in your life, and to give generously to our scholarship campaign in order to give another girl the same opportunity you had. Every little bit helps. Thank you for continuing to make a positive impact on our society. Please enjoy the magazine and God bless you all. Hope to see you at the Gala! Peace,

Julia V. Fanara Head of School

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

Dear Alverno Alumnae, How grateful I am to be writing to you today as part of the Alverno community. In the short time since I took over at the helm of Alumnae Relations, I have already experienced what many refer to as the sense of family here. There is a camaraderie at this school — from freshmen to faculty, from academic advisory to alumnae — that is palpable. Everyone drops what they’re doing to pause, breathe, and join in morning prayer… and when I literally drop something (as happens often), an obliging friend is there to pick it up. Students display respect for faculty and staff, but there is also no pretense about swinging open the door to an office for a quick chat between classes. And I love that. The collective attitude here is one of, ‘come on in, tell me how I can help you, we’re all in this together.’ Such a welcoming sentiment, especially for someone like me: the product of a fellow all-girls school, whose knowledge of Alverno was previously limited to what the old, non-regulation softball field looked like. (As a hitting pitcher for one of the rival area teams, I had mixed feelings about the “if the ball rolls up the hill into the parking lot, it’s a home run” rule) Oh, how my heart is happy every time I look out onto the new athletic fields! What a moment in time to have joined the Alverno family — as we celebrate the school’s 60th Anniversary, we also celebrate all that can be found at the intersection of tradition and change. Rooted firmly in our commitment to spirit, service, and sisterhood, we set our gaze on a horizon full of opportunity… New and beautiful facilities, new and challenging class offerings, new faces and positions on campus to broaden student support. To all of these, we open the door and say, ‘come on in.’ And yet, with the chance to rejoice also comes the chance to reflect. Moving forward is more meaningful — and, often, easier — with a little perspective on your side. Alverno urges its students to “Be who you imagine.” This includes you, alumnae. Your journey as an empowered Alverno woman didn’t end when you graduated. On the contrary, it is here that your journey to becoming who you imagine only began. That is why I want to hear from YOU. Not only where life finds you now, but also how Alverno helped you get there. As alumnae, you understand this school in a different, and very special, way than I do. I want to learn what it is about Alverno that you love — and perhaps even what you don’t. It is my goal in this new position to help you feel better connected: to us, to each other, to campus, and to the current students writing their own chapter in Alverno history. After all, we’re here for the kids. We’re here to make sure they get the education, the opportunities, the confidence, and the tools to make their mark at Alverno — and beyond. Please share with me your feedback, your memories, your ideas, your achievements, and your hopes for the Alumnae program moving forward. It is my goal, first and foremost, to make sure you feel heard, valued, and connected to your Alma Mater. Most importantly, I ask that you please make sure we have your current and correct email address on file.

IMPORTANT NOTE: They say it takes a village to raise a child; a year to learn one’s job; and a particular brand of nutty to ‘go back’ to high school. Well, let me tell you — we are raising some very empowered young women at Alverno; I’ve learned more in seven months than I ever could have imagined/anticipated; and I feel blessed to walk this campus every day (minus the 20-lb backpack that appears to be the timeless hallmark of student life). Thank you for welcoming me into this family, and for giving me some grace as I learn the Alverno way. Go Jaguars! Gratefully,

Selena Mone Director of Alumnae Relations and Advancement

SPRING 2020

In an effort to move toward a more sustainable future, the alumnae magazine will now be published in digital format. Alverno remains committed to preserving and honoring our environment; we hope you will continue to enjoy this content as we share it electronically. To ensure delivery of future material, please feel free to send me an email with your contact information: smone@alvernoheights.org.

Let’s “Talk ”

A series by Julia Fanara, Head of School

Last year, I wrote an article responding to the question,

“Are we still Catholic?”

This year, I am responding to the question about enrollment. When Alverno Heights Academy opened in 1960, it was the height of Catholic school enrollment around the nation. Catholic schools were opening all around Los Angeles throughout the 50s and 60s. Alverno is one of the youngest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (ADLA). Don Bosco Tech - 1955 (all boys’) Flintridge-Sacred Heart - 1931 (all girls’) Holy Family High School - 1937 (all girls’) Immaculate Heart High School - 1907 (all girls’) La Salle - 1956 (co-ed) Mayfield - 1931 (all girls’) Ramona Convent - 1889 (all girls’) St. Francis High School - 1955 (all boys’) In 1960, Alverno was quite a draw! Many girls wanted to come to a brand new school with all of the modern conveniences of the time, rather than the old, stuffy schools that were around the area. La Salle, which was all boys’ back then, was right down the street, making it convenient for shared use of the facilities (theirs, not ours). We had a brother school. 3

Enrollment in the 1960s was numbering in the 100+/ per class range. However, as you know, the 1960s was a decade of change and transition — and the church was no different. Catholics experienced the changes that came with Vatican II. Some of the changes included sisters no longer wearing habits and moving out of the convents, and the altar being turned around so that the priest faced the congregation, speaking to us in our native tongue rather than Latin. In the 70s we began singing with guitars and clapping our hands, rather than listening to a choir sing from above with organ music, and the communion rail became obsolete. The changes in the Church also brought a new way to view religion and parents were less inclined to send their children to Catholic schools. More and more students began leaving and enrollment began to falter. What was once a 50 student, double classroom expectation was now becoming a single classroom with 35 to 40 students in the elementary schools. Those lower numbers began affecting the numbers in the classrooms at the high school level in the late 70s and 80s. In 1977 the Sisters of St. Francis sold Alverno High School to the Immaculate Heart Community. They could see that the enrollment was dropping, not only at Alverno, but also within their own ranks. Women were not pursuing the sisterhood like they did in the 40s and 50s. Women had more options. With the sale of the school, the new charism, and the change in thought around Catholic school education, Alverno did struggle ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

with enrollment. La Salle was going through the same thing and seriously thought about closing its doors. This is when they began to think about going coed. They started considering it in the early ‘70s! (Correspondence, 1972) By the late ‘80s Alverno had approximately 240 students enrolled. In 1991, La Salle went coed which greatly affected enrollment at Alverno over the next few years. Classes that had been 70+ were now in the 40+ or 50+ range. Each year in the early 90s, the faculty was unsure if Dr. Broome, the principal at the time, would come in to tell us that the Board had decided to close the school. They never did and we fought our way back. In the early 2000’s we were a strong 280 again. And then, the recession hit. As you know, Alverno is a school that appeals to the middle class family and with the recession, middle class families were hit the hardest. Our sister schools were also hit very hard; and they began to accept students who would previously have been Alverno students by offering them large scholarships in order to keep their numbers up. We were all competing for the same girls in a declining market. The years of declining enrollment along with the need for a major facelift at the school resulted in fewer and fewer students attending. Around 2014, we also began to fight the homeschooling phenomenon and charter schools. Catholic school education was not a priority for many young parents. This is not unique to Alverno. Please see the statistics below to give you a sense of

what Catholic schools in the area are dealing with. Alverno is considered a private school (although our numbers reflect more like those of the archdiocesan schools). As evidenced by the charts below, Catholic education is suffering in the archdiocese. Alverno has taken quite a blow with a 13.1% drop in girls attending all girls’ schools, and an 11.6% drop overall in the San Gabriel Valley over the last five years. Alverno currently fluctuates between 150-165 students, depending on incoming class size and attrition in other classes. We currently have 40 or over in our 9th, 10th, and 11th grades, but a small senior class. Alverno does, however, fit a very unique niche. Because we are small, we are able to provide individual attention to our students making us very desirable in this time of stress and anxiety in education. We also have a brand new athletic field which is attracting young, talented athletes to our campus. We are continuing to reach out to new areas to the east offering transportation from the Inland Empire and the Whittier/Hacienda Heights areas next year. We are also exploring other options to increase enrollment. We are continuing the good fight and with your help we will get there sooner. Although we are a fraction of the numbers that once were in a former time, we are still the same Alverno Heights Academy. Our goal is to get to 200 students — 50/class! Currently, we are small, but mighty. Come by and see us when you are in the area. If you would like to donate to Alverno, please see page 17.

2019 Preliminary Enrollment by School Governance Fall 2018

Fall 2019

# change

% change

3 year %

5 year %

Archdiocese/Parish

12,243

11,626

-617

-5.0%

-12.0%

15.7%

Private

12,354

12,159

-195

-1.6%

-3.7

-5.0

Total

24,597

23,785

-812

-3.3%

-7.9%

-10.6%

2019 Preliminary Enrollment by School Type Fall 2018

Fall 2019

# change

% change

3 year %

5 year %

Co-Ed

13,309

12,770

-539

-4.0%

-10.0%

-12.5%

All Boys

5,911

5,912

0.0%

-1.9%

-3.4%

All Girls

5,377

5,103

-274

-5.12%

-9.2%

-13.1%

(ADLA Data Collection, 2019) SPRING 2020

CONGRATULATIONS

9 1 0 2 f Class o The 38 members of the Class of 2019 celebrated their many achievements in a beautiful ceremony surrounded by family, friends and beloved faculty and staff. Alvernoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest alumnae, these ambitious ladies are already doing amazing things at their new schools. We dearly miss having them on campus (come visit if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still local!), but are so incredibly proud of the empowered women they are becoming.

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

Congratulations to this memorable class on their time at Alverno and the continuation of their journey at these colleges and universitiesâ&#x20AC;Ś University of Arizona California Baptist University California College of the Arts California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State University: Fullerton Monterey Bay Northridge San Marcos University of California at: Berkeley Irvine San Diego Doane University COLLEGE Georgetown University ACCEPTANCE Hartwick College University of La Verne Loyola University of Chicago Mount Saint Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University, Los Angeles Mt. San Antonio College Northern Arizona University University of the Pacific Pasadena City College University of Redlands Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rio Hondo College University of San Diego San Francisco State University Seattle University Smith College Sonoma State University Whittier College Xavier University of Louisiana

100%

SPRING 2020

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

KNOCK, KNOCK… WHO’S THERE? Why, it’s a number of new faces on the Alverno campus this year! Please take a moment to get to know:

Linda Bass Sharon Dandorf Judy Lee Amanda Lepore Melissa Royal Kate Witherington These newest members of our community took a moment to answer a little Q&A and share a bit about themselves...

SPRING 2020

Q: Give us your 30-sec “elevator pitch” job description - what do you do at Alverno? Linda: Linda: I am the Registrar. (*Editor’s note: Linda is modest, and we want you to know that she is a rock star at handling all of our student/academic records, as well as pitching in when – and wherever needed!) Sharon: Sharon: Learning Specialist and Director of the Alverno Academy for Gifted Girls. I support the learning needs of all Alverno students :) Judy: Judy: I’m a math teacher — teaching Algebra, Geometry and Independent Math this year. I love supporting students in their math journey, and empowering them that they can do math with practice and perseverance.

Amanda: Amanda: I am a History teacher — AP Human Geography, AP U.S. History, AP World History, World History, and US History. Melissa: Melissa: I am the Director of College Counseling, which means anything college related (researching colleges and majors, understanding standardized testing, building a college list, applying to college, and everything in between) I am your girl! Kate: Kate: I am the Director of Enrollment Management and oversee the Admissions process from inquiry to enrollment for incoming students (freshmen, transfers and international). I also assist with outreach for the school.

continued on page 9 8

New Faces at Alverno

Linda: Linda: Working with these young women really inspires me. If I had another job it would be to be an international explorer...but don’t think you can get paid for that.

young men. I believe that an all-girls education is even more beneficial. Girls thrive both academically and socially in the all-girls environment. This ranges from excelling in STEM classes, without the boys factor, to enhanced self esteem without the pressures put on girls in a co-ed environment. With more women than men now enrolled in two- or fouryear colleges, it is critical that we prepare girls to reach their potential.

Sharon: Sharon: A Dance Therapist. I graduated from high school with a full College Dance scholarship.

Sharon: Sharon: Girls need to “Own and Radiate” their gifts to the world!

Judy: Judy: I love teaching math, but any other job would be whatever impacts the younger generation or making a change to make this world a better place.

Judy: Judy: To have this space where they can freely figure out who they are and what their gifts are. They can also study about women in different fields which can be very empowering.

Amanda: Amanda: Teaching is the only job I want. If I couldn’t teach anymore, I would probably work for a nonprofit.

Amanda: Amanda: It is important that we empower women to be everything they want to be. There are not many places in this world where women can be center-stage, so to allow that for girls is so important to me. I hope to help them grow into leaders and change-makers. I want to empower them so if they show up to the table and if they are told they can’t sit there, then they will be empowered enough to bring their own chair

Q: If you could have any other job in the world — nothing is off-limits — what would it be?

Linda Bass

Melissa: Melissa: I would find a job that would allow me to travel the world! Maybe work for the airline industry or have my own travel agency helping people plan their most perfect vacations! Sharon Dandorf

Kate: Kate: I am steadfast in my conviction that God calls me to work with young women. I started my career in the classroom, but have discovered that my true passion lies in helping families through the Admissions process and easing their high school transition. But I would love to have a dog sitting side business! ;)

Q: Why do you think an all-girls education is important?

Judy Lee 9

continued from page 8

Linda: Linda: Both of my boys graduated from Saint Francis High School. I believe that they benefited from teachers who truly understood how to get the best out of them and inspire them to be confident, responsible and compassionate

Melissa: Melissa: Here at Alverno, every girl has the chance and ability to be who they imagine. An all-girls education provides the perfect environment where young women are encouraged, challenged, and empowered to develop into the amazing leaders, innovators, and thinkers they are destined to become! Kate: Kate: I am a product of an all-girls high school education and I am so grateful for my mom’s sacrifices to make that experience possible for me. During those four formative years, I was empowered to be the best version of myself, discovered my voice and confidence in a nurturing environment, and just simply loved going to school to spend the day with my “sisters.” I have both witnessed and experienced ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

the profound impact all-girls education has on the academic, spiritual and social aspects of a young woman’s life during her most critical years of development.

Q: What was your best/favorite subject when you were in high school? What class or activity was the most challenging? Linda: Linda: It is very hard to pick my favorite high school class. I really enjoyed both English and History however, the one I would pick, is also my most challenging. The class was chemistry. Not only was the class interesting, but students really loved the class because the teacher was excellent. He was engaging and interested in us not only as students, but also as people. He was also the volleyball coach and was recently awarded the 2018-2019 CIF Southern Section Distinguished Service and Hall of Fame Award. I think that in high school, teachers are not only teaching subjects, but can also be our mentors. When I went on to college I did not pursue a degree in science; however, my brother, who had the same teacher, did become a chemical engineer and he has said that his interest in the subject is based in large part to a passion he discovered in the high school chemistry class. Sharon: Sharon: I loved my Honors English classes — I am an avid reader, always have two to three books that I am reading at the same time. I loved my performing arts classes – I played the drums and was a dancer! Judy: Judy: Math was my best subject, but French and English classes were my favorite classes because of the teachers. AP U.S. History was the most challenging, just couldn’t get all the facts straight. Amanda: Amanda: History and Math. I was a Mathlete, but still struggled with Math and went to tutoring twice a week for it! I enjoyed it, but it took me a little longer to understand new concepts. I loved English when we read novels, but hated grammar practice. SPRING 2020

Melissa: Melissa: I really enjoyed my Spanish teacher, but my best subject was English. Honestly, I was surprised by how challenging Economics was for me. Kate: Kate: My best and favorite subject in high school was English (I love writing and editing). My freshman English teacher not only inspired me to pursue an English degree in college, but also inspired me to pursue a career in education. He is still a big part of my life today. I most struggled in Chemistry.

Q: As your new journey at Alverno gathers steam, what would you like our Alumnae to know? (about the school, about your position, about education in general… anything!)

Amanda Lepore

Linda: Linda: I value that Alverno is a place for such an amazing group of girls. Each girl has special gifts and I believe that here they are inspired, supported and mentored to be all they can imagine. Sharon: Sharon: “In Diversity, there is Beauty and there is Strength”- Maya Angelou Judy: Judy: Everyone can do math and it can be fun!

Melissa Royal

Amanda: Amanda: To change the world, we need to start with young people. They have the energy and ability to go out and do better than our generation. Melissa: Melissa: I am excited and honored to work with every single Alverno student to help them develop a plan for life after high school, no matter where life takes them (a university, community college, a gap year program or a job)! Kate: Kate: I am committed to learning and promoting “the Alverno Way” so that we can celebrate the next 60 years!

Kate Witherington 10

“We’re so b******, we’re so fine,

(in 2019)

we’re the Class of ‘69.”

Alverno Heights Academy Class of 1969 Celebrates 50th Reunion The [notorious] spirit of Alverno Heights Academy’s Class of 1969 was alive and well as these groovy ladies celebrated their 50th Reunion on the morning of Saturday, June 29, 2019. Buttons and magnets — created by classmates and featuring the class’s aforementioned — ‘motto’ welcomed nearly 60 alumnae as they entered Alverno’s iconic Villa del Sol d’Oro. As students, this group only stepped foot inside the Villa for certain special occasions, such as Prom. As alumnae, they entered to gather their buttons, name tags (also created by classmates and including their yearbook photo), and joyous hugs.

cheerful echoes could be heard across campus as the women (and a few obliging husbands) reminisced. Mimosas in hand, they told stories of ‘remember when’ while flipping through yearbook photos — laughing at how much they’ve changed (the hairstyles, anyway)… and how some things haven’t changed one bit. The campus looks a little different now. Tours led by current student ambassadors, decked out in formal uniform, highlighted the Learning Technology Center, what a Theology classroom looks like today, and (what was then, prior to October’s Opening Ceremonies) the progress of the long-awaited new athletic fields.

Thrilled to begin the day’s festivities, the ladies gathered on the terrace for Mass; and though the summer sun was out in full force, it was a beautiful morning for such a celebratory service. Mass was followed by a hearty brunch in the Villa’s ballroom, and

But what remains was clear to all in attendance: the love these classmates have for each other, and for Alverno Heights Academy. As the Reunion drew to a close, the toasty afternoon sun gave way to bittersweet good-byes and hugs. Some ladies

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

lingered, taking reflective strolls around campus and soaking in all of the nostalgic splendor of the day. Many gathered again that evening for an ‘extra’ reunion dinner and garden party hosted by Jamie Cervenka Weeks (and her family). Very special thanks go out to: Jamie, for opening her home in celebration; Cri Mejia Hubbard, for making the name badges and helping design the magnets and buttons; Christine Yellich, for making the buttons; Jeanne Dalton, Carol Thiele, Mary Sullivan, and Anita Eberlen Cruver, for covering the cost of these gifts; and to class representatives Judy Seki and Xo Terra for tirelessly working to help this wonderful event come together. Indeed, the summer sun was no match for the warmth that was felt amongst this “fine” group of women – a tad rebellious, effortlessly cool, and all Alverno pride.

SPRING 2020

Visiting Days for Prospective Students

t is no secret that eighth graders are presented with many options

when it comes to choosing the right high school, which is why we encourage interested students to spend quality time with us on our beautiful campus. So far this fall, we have offered four Visiting Days and have welcomed over 85 eighth grade students from 30 different private, parochial and public junior highs throughout the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire.

Madeleine Frealy and her Visiting Day Ambassador Host, Richelle Studer ‘22)

We hope to see more Alverno alumnae and their daughters at upcoming visits! 13

On the day of their visit, each eighth grader is paired up with an Alverno Ambassador who often shares similar interests and/or attended the same junior high. They begin the school day shadowing their host’s first period class, which includes subjects like American Sign Language, AP Human Geography, Engineering and Applied Physics, Scripture, Theater, World Religions and 2D Art and Design. Next they have the opportunity to attend 30-minute mini-lessons taught by our teachers and designed specifically for them. For example, in November our visitors participated in a forensics fingerprinting lab with our Science Department Chair and alumna from the class ‘93, Ms. Suzy Ares. To provide a glimpse into a special Alverno tradition and emphasize the importance of creating a sisterhood from day 1, they also participate in a mini-retreat with our Campus Minister, Ms. Katharine Guerrero, and her campus ministry team. The morning then concludes with lunch in our lovely, historic Villa. Over a quarter of our eighth grade visitors this year either have an alumna mother or an older sister who has graduated from or currently attends Alverno. In December, we welcomed alumna Anne Bigley ‘91, and her daughter Madeleine Frealy, who currently attends Mayfield Jr. School in Pasadena. Anne so fondly shared: “It was rather surreal watching Maddie walk through the Alverno campus on her Visiting Day. So much is new, but enough remains the same that I feel like I could turn back the clock and jump back into class. Alverno was the single biggest influence on my life outside of my family. I found my voice at Alverno and learned how to put it to good use for myself and others. As Maddie approaches high school, I know that she will blaze her own trail and I am hopeful that Alverno will be there to guide her.” ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

As Alverno’s new Director of Enrollment Management, I deeply value our mission of empowering each young woman to be exactly the person she wants to be, and I am committed to leading by example. Not only have I worked in admissions for a girls’ school for the past decade, I am also a graduate of an all-girls, Catholic high school. I wholeheartedly believe in the value of this unique educational setting and have personally experienced the profound impact this environment has on the academic, spiritual and social aspects of a young woman’s life during her most critical years of development. I have the privilege of training and mentoring the Alverno Ambassadors, who currently consist of 73 freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior students. Throughout the fall months, we traveled to over 25 private and parochial junior highs to formally present to their seventh- and eighth-grade students about the benefits of an Alverno education. The Ambassadors also represented Alverno at 20 different High School Fairs, hosted prospective students on campus during Visiting Days and worked at various Admissions events like Open House and Science Night. Not only are these young ladies well rounded in both academics and extracurricular activities, they have become Alverno experts and articulate themselves exceptionally well. They are responsible, professional and reliable, and are hopefully learning valuable skills that will translate well into their professional careers. I am so proud of their accomplishments and so grateful for their role as living, breathing testaments of an Alverno education. Ambassador Maddie Petersen ‘20, daughter of Meredith Petersen ‘01, shared: “For the past four years I have been at Alverno, I have been given the opportunity to be an Alverno Ambassador and share my love for this amazing school with others. It has also allowed me to obtain effective communication skills, which has helped me in not only my school life, but in life outside of school. All of these opportunities given to me by Alverno have truly made me the compassionate, caring and outgoing person that I am today.”

SPRING 2020

Homecoming

2019

ATHLETIC FIELDS

OPENING CEREMONY

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

“The fields are officially now open!” Susana Capra ‘04 could hardly get the words out before a chorus of cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. This was a longwaited moment; a project years in the making and the result of a true community effort, our new athletic fields represent the landscape (pun intended) of Alverno’s future. The backdrop or this year’s Homecoming festivities, the fields welcomed over 200 guests to campus on Saturday, October 5, 2019. Alumnae, past parents, current families, friends, and neighbors filled the amphitheater to partake in the Opening Ceremony – and to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in Alverno history. As folks made their way down to the fields and admired the sleek donor wall (the installation of which was quite an undertaking of its own), student ambassadors and athletes played the part of usher. Though the lush, new grass wasn’t ready for any foot traffic yet, the amphitheater offered plentiful seating and unparalleled views of the fields and pop-up Ceremony stage. A jam-packed program began ballpark style, with our own Assistant Head of School, Sara McCarthy ‘05, and Director of Enrollment continued on page 17 SPRING 2020

Management, Kate Witherington, singing “God Bless America.” Following a warm welcome to all, Ken Farfsing, President of the Board of Trustees, then introduced and thanked the major players of this project. Commendations from local dignitaries were presented before Head of School, Julia Fanara, offered further thanks to faculty/staff, Alverno families, neighbors, coaches, our facilities crew, and members of the CIF-winning 2004 softball and 2009 soccer teams. (In an apropos stroke of luck, the championship seasons for these teams coincided perfectly with the honoring of classes ending in ‘4 and ‘9 for the evening’s Homecoming reception) Heartfelt speeches by Capital Campaign Co-Chairs Rich Enderlin and Ellen Driscoll ‘72 (who had everyone in stitches over her anecdote about the old Alverno athletic rompers), Director of Development Wendy Finch-Burk, and student speaker Amia Alvarez ‘21 emphasized just how much the fields mean for our entire Alverno family. The swell of school pride and gratitude made for a touching moment as Father Michael Cooper took the podium to lead everyone in the blessing of the Fields. Prayers then turned to prosecco when the Alverno Parents Association passed out libations for a celebratory toast; but not before the entire crowd joined together to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” as our student and alumnae athletes took the field! It was back on the mic for Director of Marketing Susana Capra ‘04 who served as commentator for the perfectly-executed first goal, first pitch and throw around-the-horn, and first lap — culminating in the breaking of the ceremonial red ribbon by Eryn Blakely ‘13 that heralded the official opening of the Fields. Special thanks also go out to these alumnae athletes who were such good sports (pun intended) and showed us they’ve still got the Jaguar spirit: Maha Abdallah ‘11, Jessica Capra ‘10, Ameenah Issa ‘09, Marina Lesse ‘09, Bryana Pickford ‘05 and Erica Ramirez ‘04.

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

A brief, but collective sigh of awe washed over everyone as Ms. Capra’s announcement sank in… and then the real celebrating began. While all in attendance were encouraged to continue taking in the splendor of the fields, many made their way up to the Villa to join alumnae for their evening Reception. A special welcome table awaited those classes ending in 4 and 9 while student ambassadors greeted guests of all ages and grad years. Some of our own faculty members jumped in to help bartend for the evening, catching up with familiar faces over festive libations served in the Library. The Ballroom beckoned with a bounty of heavy appetizers and the Terrace was lined with desserts — something yummy to discover at every turn as each corner of the Villa filled with laughter and smiles. Many classes made special arrangements to gather off-campus for their own reunion dinners and after-parties (the ladies of 1979 take the cake for largest class celebration!). A couple of groups even persuaded Head of School Julia Fanara to give them a moonlight tour of campus. It was, from start to finish, a beautiful Fall evening full of friends, merriment, and reminiscing. This year’s celebration – punctuated by the Fields Opening Ceremony – gave new meaning to the term ‘Homecoming.’ It means so much to Alverno to have a community of supporters that understand the value of this special place and the work we are doing to guide our empowered students, and to continually improve our resources with which to shape the school’s future. Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating not only Alverno, but each other. In other words: thank you for coming home, alumnae.

SPRING 2020

From Alumna to Assistant Head

Dear Alverno Family, Can you believe we’re beginning a new decade? As Alverno celebrates our 60th Anniversary this year, I am honored to have been promoted to Assistant Head of School. Over the past eight years, I have had the opportunity to get to know our families through the admissions process and I am grateful that I get to continue and build on these relationships in a new capacity. While it has been hard to leave the admissions desk behind, not to mention my cozy office (both of which are in good hands with Ms. Kate Witherington), I am loving this new role and the chance to support our girls on their Alverno journey!

“I am who I am today because I have been able to attend Alverno” Our students graduate from Alverno with more than just their diploma – they leave with a better understanding of themselves and how to make their place in the world. As an alumna, you know firsthand the role this school played in guiding your own path. Alverno’s mission is to empower girls to ‘Be Who You Imagine.’ But imagine, for a moment, if you had gone to school somewhere else… Imagine if attending Alverno had never been possible for you. Now, imagine if you could give another young woman the chance to experience all of the amazing opportunities available here. Well, you CAN. By making a gift today, you help to give someone their voice and the ability to write their own chapter in Alverno history.

As an alumna, I know many of the unique situations, circumstances, and challenges our students are faced with throughout the school year. I continue to spend a lot of time with the students, getting to know their personalities, supporting their academic needs, cheering them on at athletic, STEM, and theatre events, and making sure they have the most positive high school experience possible. To me, each girl is not just a student but truly an Alverno sister. I’m incredibly excited to be able to celebrate our 60th year with them – and with you! As we get ready to ring in a new decade, I cannot help but reflect on how blessed I am to have been a member of the Alverno family for more than half my life. From my experience as a student to alumna to Director of Enrollment and now Assistant Head of School, I am grateful every day to get to be a part of this incredible community. Our girls, and you my Alverno sisters, are nothing short of amazing and having the opportunity to serve our school and live our mission each day is a true gift. I look forward to the years ahead and continuing to empower our current and future students. Be Who You Imagine, Sara A. McCarthy ‘05, M.Ed. Assistant Head of School

About 65% of our student population receives scholarship/financial aid. Thanks to your support, these students get the chance to be who they imagine. We hope you will consider sending your most meaningful gift to help us continue providing opportunity for those who might not otherwise be able to attend Alverno. Thank you, alumnae.

To make an on-line donation, go to https://alvernohs.ejoinme.org/MyPages/ DonationPage/tabid/44699/Default.aspx 19

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

ALVERNO ALUMNAE AUTHORS

Mary Lea Carroll ‘71 brings her book tour to Alverno Roses. Sweet, fragrant roses… One of the many sensory memories that lingers long after reading Saint Everywhere: Travels in Search of the Lady Saints, authored by Alverno alumna Mary Lea Carroll ‘71. The book – which came out in May 2019 – is Carroll’s first. But it is born out of years of compiled observations from her travels, and inspired by her resolve to learn more about these remarkable women of history. During Alverno’s ‘Community Time’ on Wednesday, October 30th, Mary Lea was kind enough to share a bit about the book, as well as her experience writing it and some of the particulars of the publishing process. As she explained to a packed house in the LTC, details such as what the actual book would feel like in one’s hands, or what cover artwork would best represent its contents, were very important decisions that Mary Lea had to make. The book itself is indeed comforting (literally and metaphorically) to hold – an accessible, friendly, yet informative journey that leaves with you as many ideas to ponder as it does answers to who these female saints were. Students listened intently while Mary Lea read a couple of pages aloud from the book, and passed around poster-board photos depicting figures like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. When asked if any of them had been named after female saints, numerous students raised their hands, and a wonderful discussion followed of personal histories intertwined with tales from the past. The room was filled with a magical energy; stories of courageous and faithful women being shared with our own empowered young ladies.

Available on Amazon, a copy of Saint Everywhere: Travels in Search of the Lady Saints can also be found displayed on a special shelf in the LTC, now dedicated to Alverno Alumnae Authors! Please be on the lookout in future magazines for features on books written by other alums, including Jennifer Torres Siders ‘98 and Chelscey Clayton (Kirkendoll) ‘06. Let’s fill up this shelf – if you have authored something, or know of a classmate who has, let us know! Send an email, along with any book/ publishing information, to: smone@alvernoheights.org.

This energy has struck a chord with many readers. Saint Everywhere is now a People Magazine pick, and has also been adopted by more than nine book clubs in multiple states! Though Mary Lea has traveled all over the country on her book tour – from New York to D.C., from Denver to Portland – she was especially grateful for the chance to add a stop at Alverno. “It was truly amazing to return to campus [nearly] 50 years after graduating,” says Carroll. “I felt like I was talking to my younger self.” SPRING 2020

ALUMNAE COMMITTEE As Alverno celebrates 60 wonderful years of educating and empowering young women, we also look ahead at what the future of the school holds. This new chapter in our history presents the chance to reexamine every facet of the Alverno experience, including what it means to be a part of the Alumnae Committee. Currently, there are 11 members serving on the Committee – an enthusiastic group of women (and a couple new faces!) bringing some really great ideas to the table. In an effort to define what the Alumnae Committee stands for and what we strive to do, the following Plan for Action was presented at this year’s initial meeting:

Proposal As the 2019-20 school year gets underway and Alverno celebrates its 60th Anniversary, the Alumnae Relations and Advancement office proposes a review of initiatives and goals in order to develop a strategic plan to be implemented throughout the year. This opportunity is approached with the following endeavors in mind: • The Alumnae Committee plays an integral role in helping Alverno to foster a sense of connection between fellow alumnae and the school • The effectiveness of the Alumnae Committee to accomplish this endeavor rests in its ability to provide numerous and varied opportunities for engagement (incorporating alumnae of all interests, locales, and backgrounds) 21

With the aid and input of its members, the Alumnae Committee’s strategic plan will map the course for its future — establishing objectives, building applicable programs, and outlining methods for measuring success. Guided by the leadership of the Alumnae Relations and Advancement Office(s), the work of the Alumnae Committee will parallel efforts to better shape and execute operations for maintaining a robust community of alumnae who feel supported and connected.

Mission To further the school’s own mission of empowering young women to be who they imagine by promoting this ideal throughout the alumnae community, thereby fostering lifelong relationships with each other — and with Alverno.

Vision A reciprocal camaraderie between the school and its constituents strengthened through shared experiences and rooted in a love for Alverno.

Measuring Success The following metrics will be used to determine efficacy of Committee initiatives: • Momentum — Participation, willingness to volunteer, engagement (face-to-face and electronic)

• Information — Current happenings,Master Plan goals, history of the school • Advocacy — Cheerleaders for the school, mentorship between alumnae and students, Class Rep involvement

Goal(s) Above all, the Alumnae Committee and Alumnae Relations and Advancement Office(s) together strive to embody and communicate the values that make Alverno so special: empowerment, confidence, moral character, a spirit of service, commitment to learning, and sisterhood. The Alumnae Committee has already begun to brainstorm, proposing ideas such as: workshops hosted by alumnae with special skills or knowledge to share; alumnae service projects; off-campus get-togethers based on common interests (SoulCycle, cooking classes, etc); gathering alumnae to join a recreational sports team; outdoor movie night for families; and much more! Growing our program begins with ideas just like these from dedicated alumnae just like YOU! If you are local and would be at all interested in joining the Committee, we heartily invite you to attend one of our upcoming meetings.

Please send an email to smone@alvernoheights.org to receive more information! ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

Young Alumnae Spotlight Melody Wu ‘18

ne of the top reasons why students choose the Alverno experience is our amazing STEM program. Melody Wu ‘18, a current sophomore at MIT, is one of our many young alumnae taking ‘amazing’ to a whole other level. Melody’s team recently presented their project, The Perfect Swarm: Directed Migration of Neutrophil-Like Cells through Engineered Chemokine Secretion, at the iGEM Jamboree – an international synthetic biology competition. More impressive even than the title of their project, Melody and her team won a GOLD medal! We are so thrilled to shine a spotlight on Melody, who happily credits Ms. Barsever and the iGEM/HIRS (Honors Independent Research Science) program at Alverno for inspiring her pursuit of engineering and synthetic biology. Melody was kind enough to share the following excerpt from her own reflection featured in MIT’s Undergrad Research journal: For many MIT Biological Engineering students, there are so many opportunities to concentrate in various areas: from infectious diseases to biomechanics to immunoengineering, and so forth. At the root of many of these though, lie synthetic biology principles in engineering the basic building blocks of life to perform and further engineer the materials and macro biology we see. With that, what is iGEM? iGEM stands for the International Genetically Engineered Machines competition. Founded at MIT in 2003, it is now reaching more than 40 countries with over 300 teams across the world. To think about how fast biology has come forward, and how much we have SPRING 2020

Melody (kneeling, far right) and her iGEM team are all smiles

been able to engineer and the knowledge that has spread about it has always been an amazing thought. As a high schooler, I joined the iGEM community in 2016 as part of my all-girls high school’s first (and so far, only! — although I hope to see one again!!) team. Our project was a foundational advance track project on supercoiling (you can still find our site at 2016.igem. org/Team:Alverno_CA)! And I have my wonderful science teacher, Ms. Monica Barsever, and my teammates to thank for this experience. To me, this experience forever changed how I saw engineering. Not only as creating at the macroscale, but also looking at the microscale. And throughout the research process, you realize how many not-so-glorious experiences you have before reaching results that may or may not have any significance. However, as part of the iGEM community you realize you are not alone in those troubleshooting experiences and those failures and successes. This is especially the case whenever one goes to the iGEM Jamboree. Coming back to the Jamboree in 2019, now as part of the MIT iGEM Team, I am again in awe of the massive numbers of projects that people have created using synthetic biology — from synthetic milk, to creating biological sensors, to creating biodegradable plastics, to coculturing various bacterial strains, to creating cell swarms (our project this year! see our website here: 2019.igem.org/Team:MIT), to looking at Zika, to finding biological solutions to bee colony collapse, the list goes on. At the same time, it also made me realize that those late nights of continued on page 21 22

Young Alumnae Spotlight continued from page 20

Do you know families who are interested in Alverno Heights Academy, but concerned about getting their daughter to and from Sierra Madre every day due to traffic and distance? What about all of the would-be Jaguars who live east of the 57 (San Dimas, Glendora), farther down the 210 (Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, La Verne), or somewhere along the 605? Infamous LA traffic and geography no longer have to dictate the options for where to attend high school… Alverno is thrilled to announce our new transportation option – Ride with Alverno! We will provide transportation to and from school with stops along the 210 freeway where it meets the 57 and 605 freeways. Students can use this time to study, read, decompress, chat with classmates, and prepare for the day ahead – and your own to-do list won’t have to include dealing with gridlock or road rage! Please watch for details to come this Spring on logistics, exact pick-up/drop-off locations, and pricing. Buckle your seatbelt as we cruise into a new lane of the school’s future, and come Ride with Alverno!

research add up to something. Often, if you search up a crazy idea that could relate to engineering biology and add iGEM to it, you might really find a project out there for it. And these are often real-world problems that iGEMmers across the world are solving – either related to a local issue or global event or issue. As one of our MIT mentors, Shiva Razavi reflected, iGEM is not “just science” though. On one hand, teams are often student-run — so you are learning as you are creating with assistance from wonderful mentor(s). This means collaboration and communication are serious skills to learn that come into play. Beyond the science, teams are compelled to communicate their work with the public, stakeholders, and experts, from whom they are asked to integrate their feedback by changing or improving upon their design. In this respect, there is an aspect of not only doing the lab work, but talking about it — without jargon. And for me, as an artist, this has really been a rewarding experience in breaking down language barriers but also scientific jargon. Looking forward, I don’t know where iGEM will go or where I will go forward from it. Being a part of it in both 2016 and 2019 has been a valuable experience that has really been an adventure.

The Class of 2019 recently received care packages in celebration of their first semester at college. Containing both fun and practical goodies, these ‘self-care’ packages also included notes of encouragement from our Alumnae Committee and Faculty, and the following poem from yours truly... ‘Dear Alverno Alumna Of whom we are so proud Here is a college [self] care package Full of goodies that stand out from the crowd In these fuzzy, cozy socks you can warmly wrap your feet Then watch your favorite movie with some buttery popcorn to eat Take your safety whistle with you when walking campus at night Throw your hair in the scrunchie and tie it up good and tight Or wrap it around your wrist to show much you love Alverno And don’t forget a piece of chocolate – now off and away you go!’ From, Your Dir. of Alumnae Relations 23

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

2018-19 Philanthropy Report Recognizing gifts made from July 1, 2018- June 30, 2019.

Leadership Gifts Villa del Sol d’Oro Circle

Mission

To empower each young woman to be exactly the person she wants to be. 2019-20 Board of Trustees Ken Farfsing P’00, Chair Patrick Bowler, Jr. Kathryn Clare, IHM Ellen Driscoll ‘72 Richard Enderlin P’07 Julia Fanara, P’01, P’03, P’05, Head of School Fr. Michael Higgins, CP Julie Dyer-Lopez P’11, P’16, P’23 Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13 Terry Merlo Traver ‘65

(Gifts of $10,000 and above) Anonymous Ken and Rita Mercurio Farfsing ‘72, P’00, BOT Doris Gillick Robert and Emilie Hoyt P’22 Michael Lopez and Julie Dyer Lopez P’11, P’16, BOT Robert and Antonia Navarro P’94 Antonio and Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13 Mickey Segal The Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation The George H. Mayr Foundation The Rose Hills Foundation Carla and Mary Hayden Tomaso Terry Merlo Traver ‘65, BOT Tom and Karen Zimmerman P’94, BOT

Lorena L Chacon ‘93 Alfredo and Gabriela Chavez P’20 Wei-Ming Chen and Zan Shang Chen P’18 Xue Wen and Miaoju He Chen P’20 Kathryn Clare, IHM, BOT Michael Cooper P’20 Customized Energy Solutions Richard Enderlin and Grace O’Brien P’07, BOT Gina Fanara ‘01 Mary Grush Fox ‘72 Gerald and Maria Figueroa Gonzales P’21 Robin and Janie Guentert GP’14, GP’16, GP’21 Kennedy and Jennifer Higdon P’21 Fr. Michael Higgins, CP, BOT Kathleen Johnston Holtsnider ‘64, P’93 Tom and Kari Janzen P’09, P’011, P’13

Mt. Alverno Circle

(Gifts of $5,000-$9,999) Anonymous Stephen R. Allen P’05 David and Deanna Balsam P’23 Ellen F. Driscoll ‘72 Filippo and Julia Fanara P’01, P’03, P’05, BOT, Staff Andrea Edmonds LaFountain ‘03 Leigh and Harry Olivar Patrick and Eileen Higgins Richards ‘64 The Patrons Saints Foundation Trader Joe’s Walt Disney Foundation

Tom Zimmerman P’94

2019-20 Alverno Parents’ Association Vicky Ryan, President Veronica Jauregui, First Vice President Nysha Dahlgren, Second Vice President Faith Larsen, Gala Chair Robert Studer, Treasurer Jennifer Higdon, Service Hour Coordinator Linda Aguilar-Fraley, Recording Secretary Debbie Ramirez, Parliamentarian Lisa Villanueva, Sports Representative

SPRING 2020

Immaculate Heart Community Circle

(Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999) Anonymous Manuel and Jane Abascal P’20, P’21 California Community Foundation Class of 2019 Michael and Barbara Dorazio Kaiser ‘65, P’93, P’96 Karen Praisler Smith ‘67

Franciscan Founders Circle

(Gifts of $1,000-$2,499) Anonymous Katherine Van Kuran Berkman ‘67 Andrea Bertollini ‘91, Staff Lara Larramendi P’13 Patrick and Shaunna Bowler, BOT California Wellness Foundation John and Marta Capoccia P’01 Michael and Deon Cavender P’14, P’16, P’19

Basilio and Sonia Landeros P’20 Zongyou and Xin Zhang Liu P’19 Justine Smith Lorehn ‘64 Bridget Marshall ‘64 Sara McCarthy ’05, Staff Martin and Guadalupe Moreno P’22 Eric Pinkston P’22 Nancy Wegmann Riffle ‘70 Debbie Hunter Ritschel ‘64 Olivia Sanchez P’19 Sierra Madre Community Foundation Kirk and Lisa Andrews Simone ‘87 Meline Sirounian ‘89 Ellie Wei P’22 Tim and Monica Wolfe P’19 Women, Wealth and Health Wenqi and Li Jin Xia P’21 Li Xie P’20 Jianmei and Huahua Wei Xue P’19 Jaifa and Xue Wang Ye P’19 Xuyue and Suzhen Li Zhang P’20 Suwei Zhou P’22 24

St. Claire Circle

(Gifts of $500-$999) Maria Albert P’21 Javier and Terri Alcala P’20 Adriana Alvarado P’10, P’21 Carlos and Tamasa Alvarado Tracy Alvarez P’19 Walter Alvarez and Laura Mejia P’21 David and Susan Andres P’16, P’22 Ronald and Chastity Arcibal P’19 Rick and Frances Arteaga P’19 Eneida Ascencio P’19 Anthony and Julie Kim Aya-ay P’22 Claudia Ball P’21 Dr. Juli Barry P’19 Edwin and Vivian Barzallo P’14, P’17, P’20 Lee Ann Bechthold, Staff Luis Beltran and Veronica Jauregui P’20 Michael and Marina Bendy P’19, P’21 Rene and Lisa Brancheau P’19 Victoria Mason Brash ‘98 Sylvia Cabrera P’20 Bayardo and Lorena Calderon P’20 Sergio Campos and Irma Campos-Martel P’21 Paul Combes P’19 Kevin and Kristin Cook P’21 Michael and Valerie Costantino P’17 Armando Lopez and Dianne Cramer P’19 Stephen and Kathleen Curren P’17, P’18, P’21 Garth and Nysha Dahlgren P’23 Phillip and Aime De Anda P’19 Miguel and Jade Montano Delgadillo P’22 Dirk and Kristine Larsen Dierking P’22 John and Christine DiRito P’19 Louise Doyle P’22 Damon and Mara Dragos P’17, P’19 Carmen Ductoc P’20 Mark and Deborah Dundas P’19 Betsy and Randell Allen Edelberg 25

Todd and Karen Dugovanec Ely P’22 William and Shelley Enger P’19 Randolph and Kristin Estrada P’14, P’16, P’21 Wendy Finch-Burk, Staff Thomas and Kathleen Flynn P’21 Francis and Dorothea Fong P’20 Patrick and Linda Aguilar Fraley P’22 Olga Franquez P’21 Carrie Fundingsland P’21 Carlos and Sylvia Galdamez P’17, P’19 Priscilla Gaytan P’22 Juan and Ruby Vera Godinez ‘87, P’17, P’20 Ligia Hernandez and Mary Godinez P’21 John and Karen Grace P’19 Dyan Guarrera ‘78 Blanca Guerra P’20 Katharine Guerrero, Faculty Chris and Linda Morales Gutierrez P’21 Eugene and Tamara Gutierrez P’20 Khalid and Arsala Halari P’19 Ranjo Sagusay and Morella Hammer P’21

$4,000,000

AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS AWARDED TO THE CLASS OF 2019 OVER 4 YEARS

Bob and Jeanette Hanna P’17, P’19 Daryl and Lynn Haselton P’22 Joseph and Christy Jakl P’22 John and Maria Jones P’11, Staff Jennifer Karakashyan ‘89 Patrick and Meg Kearns P’14, P’19 Rebecca Knell P’22 Robert Maruna and Diana Kobashigawa-Maruna P’19 Rodolfo and Ana Lacayo P’22 Shirley Lara P’20 Anthony and Faith Larson P’22 Marylouise Lau, IHM Ron and Sandra Lee P’15, P’19 Tim Lewis P’19, Faculty Efendi and Michelle Lianto P’17, P’20 Paul Lindheimer P’17, P’20 Tracy Loechner P’21 Michael and Jennifer Loomis P’22 Leonard and Gina Lopez P’21 Patricia Elfelt Mahoney ‘64 Todd and Cynthia Mansbridge P’22 Vivian Marcelino P’22 Dario and Ausencia Martinez P’19 Valerie Marz P’21 Craig and Toni Mazaros P’22 Robin McCarthy P’05 Ricardo Mejia and Marianne Hutchings Mejia ‘92, P’20 Jessica Miller P’21 Mr. Deli Catering, Inc. Juan Munoz and Veronica Castillo-Munoz P’21 William and Melanie Murphy P’20 Susana Ortega P’22 Pasadena Community Orchestra Foundation Bharat and Stacey Patel P’22 Mayron Payes and Angelica Salas P’22 Paypal Charitable Giving Fund Dale and Ann Pearson

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

Phillip and Jennet Perlas P’19 Meredith Petersen P’20 William and Mary Skousen Radford ‘85, P’08, P’11 Don and Debbie Ramirez P’20 Jose and Erin Ramos P’22 Ali Rezaei and Naeimeh Nickouei Rezaei P’21 Cruz and Mylene Dela Rosa Rivas P’15, P’19 Veronica Robles P’21 Carlos and Maria Ruiz P’21 Carlos and Ann Marie Molina Salazar P’22 Dianne Sanchez P’22 Joseph and Lonnie Sanok Peter and Stephanie Leifer Sercel P’21 Steven and Ana Simpson P’21 Jim and Lucy Santillan Smith ‘79, P’22 Steve and Helen Harlan Smith P’22 Elizabeth Solis P’19 Robert and Catherine Stockinger Studer Sergio and Susana Torres P’16, P21 Albert and Rebecca June Ubungen P’21 Monic Uriarte P’19 Monica Valencia ‘91 Erika Vargas Valerie Velasco P’21 Gilbert Vera and Maria Reynaga P’21 Lisa Villanueva P’21 David and Estella Sundquist Villegas P’22 Dong Hui Wang P’20 Craig and Sonia Wheeler P’22 Anthony Yniguez P’21

Barlow Circle

(Gifts of $250-$499) Israel and Maria Barriga P’19 Stephanie Blank P’21 Susana Capra ‘04, Staff Joseph and Leslie Carmell P’20 Maria Dela Rosa P’22 Gerri Fraser GP’21 Claudia Garcia P’21 Rachel Harper P’21 Karen Higuera P’11 Nancy Iredale ‘65 Kari Irvin Elizabeth Jensen ‘94 Susie Lindheimer P’17, P’20 Elyse Longo P’89 Clint and Lisa Ludecke Felipe and Ricarda Nava P’16 Teresa Page P’19 Victor and Nancy Pulido Victoria Ryan P’20 Tricia Searcy P’22 Jennifer Torres Siders ‘98 Carmen Sirois ‘83 The Buccaneer Lounge James Tiedeman and Rosella Cusi Tiedeman P’18 Daniel Lopez and Maria Valencia P’19 Patricia Van Koetsveld ‘82 Michael Burch and Diane Wilk P’21

Athletic Fields Capital Campaign

Anonymous Stephen Allen P’05 Isabel Archuleta P’08 Sofia Archuleta ‘08 Lee Ann Bechthold, Staff Ken and Jeanne Berry, Faculty Andrea Bertollini ‘91, Staff Lara Larramendi P’13 PatrickBowler, BOT Mary Lou Regas Bradshaw ‘68 Victoria Mason Brash ‘98 John and Marta Capoccia P’01 Susana Capra ‘04 Wei-Ming Chen and Zan Shang P’18 Kathryn Clare, IHM, BOT Class of 2019 Ronald and Jean Coleman P’95, P’99 Michael Costantino and Valerie McMichael P’17 Customized Energy Solutions Ellen Driscoll ‘72, BOT Todd and Karen Dugovanec Ely P’22 Richard Enderlin and Grace O’Brien P’07, BOT Filippo and Julia Fanara, Staff, P’01, P’03, P’05 Gina Fanara ‘01 Ken and Rita Mercurio Farfsing ‘72, P’00, BOT Mary Jean Chase Field ‘70 Wendy Finch-Burk, Staff Mary Grush Fox ‘72 Gerri Fraser GP’21 Marco Gonzales and Jill Saurenman P’15 Karrie YurichGrasser ‘66 Dyan Guarrera ‘78 Robin and Janie Guentert GP’14, GP’16, GP’21 Katharine Guerrero, Faculty Kennedy and Jennifer Higdon P’21 Fr. Michael Higgins, CP, BOT Kathleen Johnston Holtsnider ‘64 Robert and Emilie Hoyt P’22 Tom and Kari Janzen P’09, P’11, P’13

John and Maria Jones P’11, Staff Barbara Dorazio Kaiser ‘65 Andrea Edmonds LaFountain ‘03 Basilio and Sonia Landeros P’20 David and Shirley Lara P’20, P’23 Marylouise Ortega Lau, IHM Michael Lopez and Julie Dyer-Lopez P’11, P’16, P’23, BOT Justine Smith Lorehn ‘64 Patricia Elfelt Mahoney ‘64 Todd and Cynthia Mansbridge P’22 Bridget Marshall ‘64 Robin McCarthy P’05 Sara McCarthy ‘05, Staff Lena Mercurio-Cutler ‘78 Martin and Guadalupe Moreno P’22 Mr. Deli Catering, Inc. Maryanne Noonan ‘69 Mayron and Angelica Salas Payes P’22 Paypal Charitable Giving Fund Eileen Higgins Richards ‘64 Nancy Wegmann Riffle ‘70 Debbie HunterRitschel ‘64 Monica Flores Roman ‘99 Kathleen Villarruel Schneider ‘80 Antonio and Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13, BOT Mickey Segal Sierra Madre Community Foundation Kirk and Lisa Andrews Simone ‘87, P’20, Carmen Nemer Sirois ‘83 MelineSirounian ‘89 Karen PraislerSmith ‘67 MeganSummers ‘06 James and Rosella Cusi Tiedeman P’18 NatalieJoy Tochilin ‘74 Carla Tomaso and Mary Hayden Terry Merlo Traver ‘65 Lisa Unamuno ‘72 Monica Valencia ‘91 Elvirita Vera ‘81 Walt Disney Foundation Women, Wealth and Health Tom and Karen Zimmerman P’94, BOT

Alumnae Bricks Rick and Frances Arteaga P’19 William and Shelley Enger P’19 Monic Uriarte P’19 SPRING 2020

Foundation and Corporate Gifts

Anonymous Amazon Smile Foundation California Community Foundation California Wellness Foundation EScrip Paypal Charitable Giving Fund Ralphs Grocery Compnay Sierra Madre Community Foundation The Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation The Habit Restaurant The George H. Mayr Foundation The Patrons Saints Foundation The Rose Hills Foundation Trader Joe’s Walt Disney Foundation

Founders’ Circle (Planned Giving) Anita Eberlen Cruver ‘69 Julia V. Fanara P’01, P’03, P’05 Sarah O’Gara ‘64 Robin McCarthy P’05 Debbie Lasham Schweiner ‘73

In-Kind Gifts

Andrea Bertollini ‘91, Staff Bridget Khraich Michael Lopez and Julie Dyer-Lopez P’11, P’16, P’23, BOT Mr. Deli Catering, Inc. Antonio and Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13, BOT Karin Stencel

Scholarship and Financial Aid Program

General Scholarship Program LorenaChacon ‘93 Suvan Riley Geer ‘66 Pasadena Community Orchestra Foundation William Radford and Mary Skousen Radford ‘85, P’08, P’11 Vanessa Soto ‘09 Liza Anulao ‘96 Financial Aid Program Andrea Bertollini ‘91, Staff Filippo and Julia Fanara P’01, P’03, P’05, Staff Diane Donnelly Heath ‘71 Michael Lopez and Julie Dyer-Lopez P’11, P’16, P’23, BOT JustineSmith Lorehn ‘64 Sara McCarthy ‘05 Anonymous Scholarship Anonymous Donor Carrie Estelle Doheny Scholarship Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation Jenise Ellis Memorial Scholarship Leigh and Harry Olivar Ann Marie Gillick Scholarship Doris Gillick Ron Hutson Memorial Scholarship California Community Foundation

Campus Ministry Program

George H. Mayr Scholarship George H. Mayr Foundation Rose Hills Scholarship The Rose Hills Foundation

Visual and Performing Arts Program

Marissa Seanez Memorial Scholarship Antonio and Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13, BOT

Margaret Walters Mott ‘67

Michael Lopez and Julie Dyer-Lopez P’11, P’16, P’23, BOT Trader Joe’s

Jack and Bunny Speyer Scholarship Elyse Speyer Longo P’89 Adrienne Speyer Wittenberg ‘89

Science Program

Annual Gala – “Come Fly With Us”

Student Activities Program

Underwriters Sean and Lori Hunter P’09 Immaculate Heart Community

Student Counseling Program

Sponsors Michael Lopez and Julie Dyer Lopez P’11, P’16, BOT Anthony and Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13, BOT

Robert and Antonia Navarro P’94 Michael Lopez and Julie Dyer-Lopez P’11, P’16, P’23, BOT The Patrons Saints Foundation

Technology Program

Robert and Antonia Navarro P’94

52% STUDENTS IN AP OR HONORS CLASSES

Advertisers A&B Catering - Andrea Bertollini ‘91 The Aguilar-Fraley Family P’22 The Alverno 2018-2019 Board of Trustees Act III The Buccaneer Lounge Chiquita Bonita CKW School Uniforms CIBA Commercial Real Estate Deon Cavender – Dilbeck Real Estate DJ Jess Funk Foothill Credit Union Law Office of Ellen F. Driscoll ‘72 Osti Tree Service Pie and Burger Sanchez & Soto

St. Rita School The Velasco Family P’21 Jackie Whitenack ‘73 RBI Systems, Inc. Businesses Donors A&B Catering - Andrea Bertollini ‘91 Ace Hardware Act III Alverno Board of Trustees Alverno Heights Academy A Noise Within Belle N Beau Photography Bellisima Salon & Day Spa BJ’s Restaurant Casa Del Rey Chiquita Bonita - Tavo Serrano CIBA Commercial Real Estate CKW Uniforms Creative Arts Group DJ Jess Funk El Portal Fasching’s Car Wash Festival of Arts Pageant of the Masters Fight Academy Pasadena Focus Chiropractic Foothill Credit Union Friends of Alverno Heights Academy Green Street Hello Kitty Sports Hope Organizing Services Huntington Gardens I Love L.A. Gift Shop Immaculate Heart Community In-N-Out Leonora Moss Little Crown Pediatric Dentistry Los Gringos Tacos Lunch Salon Matt Denny’s Merle Norman Montrose Mt. Lowe Brewery New York Yankees Osti Tree Service Paco’s Restaurant Pasadena Ice Skating Center Pasadena Museum of History Pie N’ Burger PJF Construction - Patrick Fraley RBI Systems Inc. Santa Anita Race Track Savor the Flavor Sierra Fusion Soto & Sanchez Sports Memorabilia ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

St. Felicitas & Perpetua School St. Rita School Steiner Sports Taylor’s Old Fashion Meat Market The Bottle Shop The Buccaneer Lounge The Law Office of Ellen Driscoll’72 The Only Place in Town The Sierra Madre Playhouse Trader Joe’s Pasadena Villagio Pizzeria Waterworks Aquatics Zelo Pizzeria Individual/Family Donors Maria Albert P’21 Javier and Terri Alcala P’20 Adriana Alvarado P’10, P’21 Adriana Alvarado Carlos and Tamasa Alvarado Walter Alvarez and Laura Mejia P’21 David and Susan Andres P’16, P’22 Ronald and Chastity Arcibal P’19 Rick and Frances Arteaga P’19 Eneida Ascencio P’19 Anthony Aya-ay and Julie Kim P’22 Claudia Ball P’21 David and Deanna Balsam P’23

Diane Bangar ‘72 Israel and Maria Barriga P’19 Juli Barry P’19 Edwin and Vivian Barzallo P’14, P’17, P’20 Sue Behrens ‘74 Luis Beltran and Veronica Jauregui P’20 Michael and Marina Bendy P’19 Stephanie Blank P’21 Rene and Lisa Brancheau P’19 Bayardo and Lorena Calderon P’20, P’23 Sergio and Irma Martel Campos P’21, P’23 Michael and Deon Cavender P’14, P’16, P’19 Rose Chamberlin Alfredo and Gabriela Chavez P’20 Xue Wen and Miaoju He Chen P’20 Paul Combes P’21 Kevin and Kristin Cook P’21 Michael Cooper P’20 Armando Lopez and Dianne Cramer P’19 SPRING 2020

Stephen and Kathleen Gonzalez Curren P’17, P’18, P’21, Garth and Nysha Dahlgren P’22 Miguel and Jade Montano Delgadillo P’22 Dirk Dierking and Kristine Larsen P’22 John and Christine DiRito P’19 LouiseDoyle P’22 Damon and Mara Dragos P’17, P’19 Carmen Ductoc P’20 Mark and Deborah Dundas P’19 Randell Allen and Betsy Edelberg Todd and Karen Dugovanec Ely P’22 William and Shelley Enger P’19 Randolph and Kristin Estrada P’14, P’16, P’21 Thomas and Kathleen’Flynn P’21 Francis and Dorothea Fong P’20 Patrick and Linda Aguilar Fraley P’22 Olga Franquez P’21 Carrie Fundingsland P’21 Carlos and Sylvia Galdamez P’17, P’19 Claudia Garcia P’21 Priscilla Gaytan P’22 Juan and RubyVera Godinez ‘87, P’17, P’20, Ligia Hernandez and Mary Godinez P’21 Gerald Gonzales and Maria Figueroa P’21 John and Karen Grace P’19 Robin and Janie Guentert GP’14, GP’16, GP’21 Blanca Guerra P’20 Chris Gutierrez and Linda Morales P’21 Eugene and Tamara Gutierrez P’20 Khalid and Arsala Halari P’19 Ranjo Sagusay and Morella Hammer P’21 Bob and Jeanette Hanna P’17, P’19 Rachel Harper P’21 Daryl and Lynn Haselton P’22 Kennedy and Jennifer Higdon P’21 Sean and Lori Hunter P’09 Nancy Iredale ‘65 Joseph and Christy Jakl P’22 Jennifer Hageboeck Karakashyan ‘89 Patrick and Meg Kearns P’14, P’19 Rebecca Knell P’22 Robert Maruna and Diana Kobashigawa-Maruna P’19, P’22 Rodolfo and Ana Lacayo P’22 Basilio and Sonia Landeros P’20 David and Shirley Lara P’20, P’23 Anthony and Faith Larson P’22 Patricia Lee Ron and Sandra Lee P’15, P19 Efendi and Michelle Lianto P’17, P’20 Susie Lindheimer P’17, P’20 Zongyou and Xin Zhang Liu P’19 Tracy Loechner P’21 Michael and Jennifer LoomisP’22 Michael and Julie Lopez P’11, P’16, BOT Leonard and Gina Lopez P’21 Todd and Cynthia Mansbridge P’22 Vivian Marcelino P’22 Dario and Ausencia Martinez P’19 Valerie Marz P’21 Craig and Toni Mazaros P’22 Ricardo and Marianne Hutchins Mejia ‘92 Jessica Miller P’21 Martin and Guadalupe Moreno P’22

Juan Munoz and Veronica Castillo-Munoz P’21 William and Melanie Murphy P’20 Francis Okwu P’21 Susana Ortega P’22 Bharat and Stacey Patel P’22 Mayron and Angelica Salas Payes P’22 Dale and Ann Pearson Phillip and Jennet Perlas P’19 Meredith Petersen ‘01, P’20 Don and Debbie Ramirez P’19 Jose and Erin Ramos P’22 Ali Rezaei and Naeimeh Nickouei Rezaei P’21 Cruz and Mylene Dela Rosa Rivas P’15, P’19 Veronica Robles P’21 Carlos and Maria Ruiz P’21 Carlos Salazar and Ann Marie Molina P’22 Olivia Sanchez P’19 DianneSanchez P’22 Angela Sandoval Joseph and Lonnie Sanok Anthony and Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13. BPT Tricia Searcy P’22 Peter Sercel and Stephanie Leifer P’21 Steven and Ana Simpson P’21 Jim and Lucy Santillian Smith ‘79, P’22 Steve and Helen Harlan Smith P’22 Elizabeth Solis P’19 Robert Studer and Catherine Stockinger P’22 Sergio and Susana Torres P’16, P’21 Debbie Tymon Denise Tymon Albert and Rebecca June Ubungen P’21 Monic Uriarte P’19 Erika Vargas The Velasco Family Gilberto Vera and Maria Reynaga P’21 Lisa Villanueva P’21 David and Estella Sundquist Villegas P’22 Dong Hui Wang P’20 Ellie Wei P’22 Craig and Sonia Wheeler P’22 Jackie Whitenack ‘73 Tim and Monica Wolfe P’19 Wenqi and Li Jin Xia P’21 Li Xie P’20 Jianmei and Huahua Wei Xue P’19 Jaifa and Xue Wang Ye P’19 Anthony Yniguez P’21 Xuyue and Suzhen Li Zhang P’20 Suwei Zhou P’22

Donors Alumnae

Anonymous Kathleen Albade Allen ‘65 Liza Anulao ‘96 Sofia Archuleta ‘08 Suzy Ares-Gonzalez ‘93 Sue Behrens ‘78 Katherine Van Kuran Berkman ‘67 Andrea Bertollini ‘91 Mary Lou Regas Bradshaw ‘68 Victoria Mason Brash ‘98 Melissa Campos ‘08 Susana Capra ‘04 Lorena Chacon ‘93 Class of 2019 Jan Wentz Connell ‘69 Anita Eberlen Cruver ‘69 Ellen Driscoll ‘72 Gina Fanara ‘01 Rita Mercurio Farfsing ‘72 Devon Kaiser Farley ‘96 Kathleen Faubion ‘69 Mary Jean Chase Field ‘70 Abigail Fong ‘06 Mary Grush Fox ‘72 Flo Ganibi ‘86 Suvan Riley Geer ‘66 Ruby Vera Godinez ‘87 Karrie Yurich Grasser ‘66 Alexandra Fanara Grimstad ‘03 Dyan Guarrera ‘78 Diane Donnelly Heath ‘71 NancyGonzalez Heusser ‘88 Kathleen Johnston Holtsnider ‘64 JoanneBryantHurst ‘69 Maria Ioele ‘88 Nancy Iredale ‘65 Elizabeth Jensen ‘94

Barbara Dorazio Kaiser ‘65 Jennifer Hageboeck Karakashyan ‘89 Sarah Kelsey ‘88 Barbara Kennedy-Dalder ‘67 Andrea Edmonds LaFountain ‘03 Theresa Lindsey ‘77 Justine Smith Lorehn ‘64 Patricia Elfelt Mahoney ‘64 Bridget Marshall ‘64 Sara McCarthy ‘05 Mary Emme McCormick ‘77 Marianne Hutchins Mejia ‘92 Lena Mercurio-Cutler ‘78 Margaret Walters Mott ‘67 Maryanne Noonan ‘69 Nancy O’Hara ‘69 Irene Rios Oliver ‘69 Meredith Petersen ‘01

Mary Skousen Radford ‘85 Eileen Higgins Richards ‘64 Nancy Wegmann Riffle ‘70 Debbie Hunter Ritschel ‘64 Monica Flores Roman ‘99 Kathleen Villarruel Schneider ‘80 Jennifer Torres Siders ‘98 Lisa Andrews Simone ‘87 Carmen Nemer Sirois ‘83 Meline Sirounian ‘89 Karen Praisler Smith ‘67 Lucy Santillian Smith ‘79 Vanessa Soto ‘09 Donna Starkey Rueda ‘76 Paula Ban Stewart ‘74 Mary Sullivan ‘69 Megan Summers ‘06 Natalie Joy Tochilin ‘74 Terry Merlo Traver ‘65 Lisa Unamuno ‘72 Monica Valencia ‘91 Patricia Van Koetsveld ‘82 Peggy Dostalek VanKerckhoven ‘77 Elvirita Vera ‘81 Adrienne Speyer Wittenberg ‘89

Board of Trustees Patrick Bowler, Jr. Kathryn Clare, IHM Ellen Driscoll ‘72 Richard Enderlin P’07 Julia V. Fanara P’01, P’03, P’05 Ken Farfsing P’00 Monica Flores Roman ‘99 Fr. Michael Higgins, CP Julie Lopez P’11, P’16 Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13 Terry Merlo Traver ‘65 Tom Zimmerman P’94 29

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

Faculty and Staff Suzy Ares ‘93, P’17 Yasmine Balkis Monica Barsever Lee Ann Bechthold Sue Behrens ‘78 Ken Berry Andrea Bertollini ‘91 Cynthia Cales P’12 Eileen Cameron Melissa Campos ‘08 Susana Capra ‘04 Deanne Carnighan Lisa Edwards P’14 Julia Fanara P’01, P’03, P’05, BOT Wendy Finch-Burk Cam Gonzales Giselle Grams Michelle Gray Alexandra Fanara Grimstad ‘03 Katharine Guerrero Kari Irvin Megan Hoover Hoku Janbazian Corrine Jimenez Maria Jones P’11 Tim Lewis P’19 Nina Lopez Sara McCarthy ‘05 Kenneth Merchant Lisa Primero-Solano Jose Santana Mike Sifter Phyllis Vandeventer Lindsay Weishaar

Friends Customized Energy Solutions Doris Gillick Shirley Gray Monica Haupt Jeannette Innocenzi Dean Ishida Bridget Khraich Edward Lin Mr. Deli Catering, Inc. Leigh and Harry Olivar Marylouise Ortega Lau, IHM Pasadena Community Orchestra Foundation Michael Riley Jones Sam and Bogey Inc. Mickey Segal Caren Simeone Karin Stencel The Buccaneer Lounge Carla Tomaso and Mary Hayden Myrna Villasenor SPRING 2020

Parents

Anonymous Manuel and Jane Abascal P’21 Maria Albert P’21 Javier and Terri Alcala P’20 Stephen Allen P’05 Adriana Alvarado P’10, P’21 Carlos and Tamasa Alvarado Tracy Alvarez P’19 Walter Alvarez and Laura Mejia Alvarez P’21 David and Susan Andres P’16, P’22 Isabel Archuleta P’08 Ronald and Chastity Arcibal P’19 Suzy Ares ‘93, P’17, Faculty Rick and Frances Arteaga P’19 Eneida Ascencio P’19 Anthony and Julie Kim Aya-ay P’22 Claudia Ball P’21 David and Deanna Balsam P’23 Israel and Maria Barriga P’19 Juli Barry P’19 Edwin and Vivian Barzallo P’14, P’17, P’20 Luis Beltran and Veronica Jauregui P’20 Michael and Marina Bendy P’19 Stephanie Blank P’21 Rene and Lisa Brancheau P’19 Sylvia Cabrera P’20 Bayardo and Lorena Calderon P’20 Paul and Cynthia Cales P’12, Faculty Sergio Campos and Irma Campos-Martel Campos P’21 Joseph and Leslie Carmell P’20 Robert and Silvana Casalegno P’07, P’08 Michael and Deon Cavender P’15, P’16, P’19 Alfredo and Gabriela Chavez P’20 Wei-Ming Chen and Zan Shang Chen P’18 Xue Wen and Miaoju He Chen P’20 Ronald and Jean Coleman P’95, P’99 Paul Combes P’21 Kevin and Kristin Cook P’21 Michael Cooper P’20 Michael and Valerie Costantino P’17 Armando Lopez and Dianne Cramer P’19 Tim and Michelle Crowder P’22 Stephen and Kathleen Gonzalez Curren P’17, P’18, P’21 Garth and Nysha Dahlgren P’22 Phillip and Aime De Anda P’19 Maria Dela Rosa P’22 Miguel and Jade Montano Delgadillo P’22 Dirk and Kristine Larsen Dierking P’22 John and Christine DiRito P’19 Louise Doyle P’22 Damon and Mara Dragos P’17, P’19 Carmen Ductoc P’20 Mark and Deborah Dundas P’19 Betsy and Randell Allen Edelberg Lisa Edwards P’14, Faculty Todd and Karen Dugovanec Ely P’22 Richard and Grace O’Brien Enderlin P’07, BOT 31

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

William and Shelley Enger P’19 Randolph and Kristin Estrada P’14, P’16, P’21 Filippo and Julia Fanara P’01, P’03, P’05, BOT, Staff Ken and Rita Mercurio Farfsing ‘72, P’00, BOT Thomas and KathleenFlynn P’21 Howard and Carolyn Fong P’06 Francis and Dorothea Fong P’20 Patrick and Linda Aguilar Fraley P’22 Olga Franquez P’21 Carrie Fundingsland P’21 Carlos and Sylvia Galdamez P’17, P’19 Claudia Garcia P’21 Priscilla Gaytan P’22 Juan and Ruby Vera Godinez ‘87, P’17, P’20 Ligia Hernandez and Mary Godinez P’21 Marco and Jill Saurenman Gonzales P’15 Gerald and Maria Figueroa Gonzales P’21 Anthony and Teresa Alvarado Goss ‘82, P’16, P’21 John and Karen Grace P’19 Blanca Guerra P’20 Eugene and Tamara Gutierrez P’20 Chris Gutierrez and Linda Morales P’21 Khalid and Arsala Halari P’19 Ranjo Sagusay and Morella Hammer P’21 Bob and Jeanette Hanna P’17, P’19 Rachel Harper P’21 Daryl and Lynn Haselton P’22 Kennedy and Jennifer Higdon P’21 Karen Higuera P’11 Kathleen Johnston Holtsnider ‘64, P’93 Robert and Emilie Hoyt P’22 Joseph and Christy Jakl P’22 Tom and Kari Janzen P’09, P’11, P’13 John and Maria Jones P’11, Staff Barbara Dorazio Kaiser ‘65, P’93, P’96 Patrick and Meg Kearns P’14, P’19 Beth Kellock P’78, P’81 Rebecca Knell P’22 Robert Maruna and Diana Kobashigawa-Maruna P’19 Rodolfo and Ana Lacayo P’22 Basilio and Sonia Landeros P’20 David and Shirley Lara P’20 Lara Larramendi P’13 Anthony and Faith Larson P’22 Ron and Sandra Lee P’15, P’19 Tim Lewis P’19 Efendi and Michelle Lianto P’17, P’20 Paul Lindheimer P’17, P’20 Zongyou and Xin Zhang Liu P’19 Tracy Loechner P’21 Elyse Speyer Longo P’89 Michael and Jennifer Loomis P’22 Michael and Julie Lopez P’11, P’16, BOT Leonard and Gina Lopez P’21 Clint and Lisa Ludecke P’20 Todd and Cynthia Mansbridge P’22 Vivian Marcelino P’22 Dario and Ausencia Martinez P’19 Valerie Marz P’21 SPRING 2020

Craig and Toni Mazaros P’22 Robin McCarthy P’05 Jessica Miller P’21 Martin and Guadalupe Moreno P’22 Juan Munoz and Veronica Castillo-Munoz P’21 William and Melanie Murphy P’20 Felipe and Ricarda Nava P’16 Robert and Antonia Navarro P’94 Francis Okwu P’21 Susana Ortega P’22 Teresa Page P’19 Mayron and Angelica Salas Payes P’22 Dale and Ann Pearson Phillip and Jennet Perlas P’19 Meredith Petersen ‘01, P’20 Eric Pinkston P’22 Victor and Nancy Pulido William and Mary Skousen Radford ‘85, P’08, P’11 Don and Debbie Ramirez P’20 Jose and Erin Ramos P’22 Ali Rezaei and Naeimeh Nickouei Rezaei P’21 Cruz Rivas and Mylene Dela Rosa P’15, P’19 Veronica Robles P’21 Carlos and Maria Ruiz P’21 Victoria Ryan P’20 Carlos and Ann Marie Molina Salazar P’22 Olivia Sanchez P’19 Dianne Sanchez P’22 Joseph and Lonnie Sanok Antonio and Debbie Seanez P’03, P’13, BOT Tricia Searcy P’22 Peter Sercel and Stephanie Leifer P’21 Kirk and Lisa Andrews Simone ‘87, P’20 Steven and Ana Simpson P’21

Steve Smith and Helen Harlan P’22 Jim and Lucy Santillian Smith ‘79, P’22 Elizabeth Solis P’19 Robert Studer and Catherine Stockinger P’22 Mary Taillac P’85, P’88 James Tiedeman and Rosella Cusi Tiedeman P’18 Sergio and Susana Torres P’16, P’21 Tony and Olivia Tringale P’06 Albert and Rebecca June Ubungen P’21

Monic Uriarte P’19 Daniel Lopez and Maria Valencia P’19 Erika Vargas Valerie Velasco P’21 Gilberto and Maria Reynaga Vera P’21 Lisa Villanueva P’21 David and Estella Sundquist Villegas P’22 Dong Hui Wang P’20 Ellie Wei P’22 Craig and Sonia Wheeler P’22 Michael Burch and Diane Wilk Tim and Monica Wolfe P’19 Wenqi and Li Jin XiaP’21 Li Xie P’20 Jianmei and Huahua Wei Xue P’19 Jaifa and Xue Wang Ye P’19 Anthony Yniguez P’21 Xuyue and Suzhen Li Zhang P’20 Suwei Zhou P’22 Tom and Karen Zimmerman P’94, BOT

Grandparents

Robin and Janie Guentert GP’14, GP’16, GP’21 Gerri Fraser GP’21 32

2018-19 Giving

2018-19 Summary of Gifts

by Donor Categories*

Board of Trustees $171,178

Grandparents Current/Alumnae $2,450 Parents $218,052

Amount Received

Alverno Fund Campaign

$ 114,850

Foundation Grants and Corporate Gifts*

$ 143,905

Restricted Gifts Athletic Fields Campaign* Student Counseling (Outreach Concern) Performing Arts STEM Other

$ 265,582 $ 9,000 $ 6,000 $ 17,300 $ 650

Friends $99,220 Faculty/Staff $15,337 Alumnae $86,123

Foundations/ Corporations $143,905

*The sum of the individual categories exceeds the actual total due to donors who are listed in more than one category.

2018-19 Giving by Campaign Categories Gala $80,653

Student Fundraiser $26,240

Alverno Fund $114,850

In-Kind $15,680

Scholarships/ Financial Aid $175,844 Programs/ Departments $32,300

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

In-Kind Gifts

$ 15,680

APA Annual Gala

$ 80,653

Student Fundraiser**

$ 26,240

TOTAL

$ 755,924

2,245 6,700 7,000 31,000 5,000 20,000 2,649 40,000 40,000 20,000 600

Athletic Fields Capital Campaign $265,582

This report was prepared with great care. However, despite our sincere efforts to avoid omissions or inaccuracies, we know they can occur. Please accept our heartfelt apologies for any errors and advise the Advancement Office of any corrections. 33

Scholarships and Financial Aid* General Scholarships Financial Aid Program Anonymous Scholarships Carrie Estelle Doheny Scholarships Jenise Ellis Memorial Scholarships Ann Marie Gillick Scholarships Ron Hutson Memorial Scholarships George H. Mayr Scholarships Rose Hills Scholarships Marissa Seanez Memorial Scholarships Speyer Memorial Scholarships

* Gifts that are restricted to scholarships and other specific funds may be listed under multiple categories, but are counted only once in the total. ** In keeping with our focus on Christian Service, 10% of the money earned from the student fundraiser was donated to a charity chosen by the students. ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

Jaguar Sightings Spotted: Alverno’s Empowered Women

Hi! We are friends from the Class of 1993, and 10 years ago we started a tradition called the “Alverno Family Weekend,” or more affectionately “AFW.” Every summer we rent a house for the weekend and enjoy fun and friendship with our families and children. We swim, play games, host family meals, and spend the weekend laughing and catching up. Among six friends we now have 15 children between us! We are so thankful for the years we spent together at Alverno, and the traditions we continue to make with our own families. Alumnae (left to right in back row): Christy (Russell) Taylor, Sara (Crawford) Peckham, Briana (Fantuzzi) Crysler, Elizabeth (Combs) Monk, Patricia (Henry) Haynes Submitted August 2019 by Briana Crysler ‘93 A small group of friends from the Class of 1979 gathered together for dinner at Casa Del Rey in Sierra Madre on June 28, 2019. There were originally talks of crashing a party for the Class of 1969 (who gathered on campus the next day for their 50th Reunion), but these ladies kept it a low-key Friday night. Pictured here (left to right): Mary Crabb Hernandez, Lucy Santillan Smith, Kathy Johnson Logan and Lori Berberian Pelentay. [Lori left after Junior year, graduating early to attend LMU, but has always remained very supportive of alumnae and connected to her Alverno friends.] Submitted by Lucy Santillan Smith ‘79

SPRING 2020

Jaguar Sightings

Hey everyone! My name is Elisia Bendy and I am a part of the Alverno class of 2019. I am currently attending Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Everything so far has been so new and exciting, whether it is exploring campus itself, dealing with cold weather, discovering study spots outside of the Georgetown neighborhood, or meeting new people. I am currently undecided as most freshmen in the College (college of arts and sciences) are. I am strongly considering majoring in sociology or government and am considering many minors including Spanish AFAM (African American Studies), or education. On top of my academic schedule, I do ESL tutoring at a local high school for my job. I am on the board for MEChA, a cultural organization for MexicanAmerican and Mexican students on campus. I am a member of Groove Theory, our campus’s hip-hop dance group and am also participating in a philanthropic dance event called Rangila. Lastly I am involved with Hoyas For Immigrant Rights, an organization that advocates for immigrant youth within and outside of Georgetown. Hoya Saxa! Submitted by Elisia Bendy ‘19

I’m currently a Sophomore [at UC Berkeley] intending to double major in Public Health and Data Science. Empowered by Alverno’s ASU experience, I decided to continue involving in student government at college. I joined the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC), UC Berkeley’s official autonomous student government, in my freshman year. Now I’m serving as one of the twenty student Senators representing the International Students Community and East Asian Community. Some fun stuff I participated in student government that I’m so proud of includes lobbying and removing the school’s International Student Fee, launching an International Student Commission, and surviving through the ASUC Election and won a Senate seat by the third place as a freshman. Besides, I’m also serving as the Vice President at East Asian Union. Our org holds a grand Night Market every semester where we invited about forty cultural clubs and performance groups to promote their culture through foods and performances and about a thousand students would join us for a night of delight! I’m really looking forward to going back to visit my Alverno family as soon as possible. Submitted by Evina Wang ‘18

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

We just wanted to share that we are so grateful and thankful to Alverno for empowering Nancy Alcala ‘20 to be such a confident young lady this summer and to dream big. [In July 2019] Nancy was in Japan with the Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce Jaycee’s exchange program for the summer. She was there for 10 days. The Jaycee group met with the mayor of Kasukabe (sister city of Pasadena), Japan. The press was at the event and they interviewed Nancy and she was on their local news. During the interview you could see her confidence and leadership – which I tribute to the education she’s receiving from Alverno. The Japanese class she took at PCC during the summer came in handy on her trip. She stayed in a Japanese home where they hardly spoke [English] - immersing herself to the culture and language. Nancy was wonderful! During her visit she was able to go sightseeing, do a community service project with the group and visit Tokyo. She truly demonstrated Alverno’s mission of creating an environment of generosity and compassion through strong community involvement. Submitted by Terri Alcala P’20 I am a sophomore nursing major at the University of Portland and starting in January, I will be entering my on campus clinicals, scrubs, stethoscope and all!! I have gotten to work with cadavers and have learned so much already in my three semesters! Coming to UP has been the most life-changing move and I couldn’t be happier! Since coming to the University of Portland, I have had the chance to be a member of opening team for Fields Hall as well as a member of hall council where I help plan hall-wide events! I was also hired on as a tour guide which has been the most incredible experience! I will be a tour guide for the rest of my college career and it is truly the best job! I get to be an ambassador for UP, give campus tours to prospective students, and be a part of visitation days! I have been on volleyball and soccer intramural teams and have made friends that I truly could not imagine my life without! I will be moving off campus next year to live with two senior nursing students and I cannot wait for what’s in store! Submitted by Natalie Scigliano ‘18

SPRING 2020

In Loving Memory Phyllis Vandeventer

Fran Burnford, IHM

Beloved Alverno teacher

April 28, 1928 – July 25, 2018

After a fearless and hard-fought battle, Ms. Van passed away on July 22, 2019, very shortly following her retirement from Alverno. Ms. Van taught Math at Alverno for 24 years and was a pillar of strength, wisdom, and kindness for students and faculty alike. During Faculty & Staff In-Service over the summer, a beautiful prayer circle was led by Katharine Guerrero and Corrine Jimenez to honor Phyllis and her impact on this community. Those moved to speak were encouraged to share singular words embodying all that Phyllis stood for and represented. We invite you to do the same, alumnae… Please feel free to send in any remembrances of your wonderful math teacher, Ms. Van. And the next time you’re on campus, don’t forget to pay a visit to her memorial brick outside the LTC.

Fran Burnford, IHM, is celebrating in heaven her 30th Jubilee as a member of the Immaculate Heart Community, joining family and IHMs who welcomed her entry into eternal life on July 25, 2018. She had served two terms as Co-Director of the IHM Community from 2008-2014. Fran was born in Newberg, Oregon. She earned a B.A. in Education and a B.A. in music. She held an M.A. in Educational Psychology, a Ph.D. in Education, and a Ph.D. in Human Services Administration. She was awarded an honorary doctorate in Theology by California Lutheran University. The Lutheran church called Fran as assistant to the bishop for the South Pacific District. She was a Deacon, an Associate in Ministry, and served as the Director of Congregational Ministries for the SWCA Synod; she continued volunteering at the synod and in her congregation after retirement. She served weekly at the synod Eucharist service, preparing for communion and worship and playing the piano. Fran’s leadership in the Immaculate Heart Community was notable for her deep spirituality, her belief in the call to service, and her ecumenical involvements in local and national programs. Her passion for justice inspired and motivated advocacy and action on behalf of the marginalized and oppressed. She was a gifted pianist and soprano, gracing Community events with her music and song. With deep gratitude for Fran Burnford’s life and gentle presence among us, members of the Immaculate Heart Community join choirs of angels in praise of her generosity, simplicity, and her faithfulness in servant leadership. Fran is survived by children Curtis, Christie, Terry, Mark and their spouses, eight grandsons and spouses, one granddaughter, one great-grandson and her niece Sharon. She is also survived by many close friends that were always counted by Fran as cherished family members.

John Lambing Bigley Father of Anne Bigley ‘91, Mary Bigley Cronin ‘72 and Susan Bigley McGinley ‘70 December 5, 1921 – December 29, 2019 John L. Bigley passed peacefully on December 29, 2019 at age 98, a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. John enjoyed his family, home and yard immensely. He took pride in the many privileges he afforded his children (namely a Catholic education), spent countless hours helping each of them face life’s challenges, and blew off steam while woodworking, cultivating (weeding) his precious dichondra lawn, or mixing and sipping a mean Manhattan with Louise [his wife]. John was dedicated to his faith, his family and his community. He held key positions with numerous civic organizations and schools including the Fine Arts Club of Pasadena, Boy Scouts of America, Alverno Heights Academy, La Salle High School and St. Rita’s Church (61 years). He was also known for his love of nature, music, singing, literature, photography, yard work and red wine. He exemplified a life of “No Regrets” and forged a path few will ever follow.

Mary Bogner Mother of Angela and Jessica Bogner ‘02 Mary C. Bogner (Steinbacher), age 62, passed away on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 in her home in Pasadena. She worked for many years in Early Childhood Development at Lake Avenue Church School, Kids Klub on South Raymond in Pasadena, and most recently at St. Elizabeth Parish School in Altadena. She is survived by her husband, two daughters, and young granddaughter. She always had fun with her many siblings and the two generations of nieces and nephews who adored her. She loved working with kids and was overjoyed about her first grandbaby. She was always the life of the party, accepting of others, and a trusted confidant to many. Her passing has been a devastating loss to those who loved her and to the many lives she touched throughout the years. 37

Robert Joseph Duncanson Father of Carolyn Duncanson Maguire ‘79 June 21, 1927 – September 17, 2019 Robert Joseph Duncanson was born in New York and was father to five children – all of whom went through Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and were very active in the parish. Robert was a true supporter of ABVM, Mayfield, Alverno, and his parish (before moving to Murrieta). He is survived by his spouse, children, and grandchildren, and leaves his legacy as a “kind, gentle, quiet man.”

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY ALUMNAE MAGAZINE

Kimberly Edwards ‘89 Kimberly Edwards ‘89 – classmate and close friend of Michele Marie Rodriguez ‘89 – passed away on November 18, 2019. Members of her 1989 class are planning to purchase an alumnae brick in her remembrance. Please let us know if you would like to make a donation toward the brick for Kimberly.

James Joseph McCarthy Father of Sara McCarthy ‘05 (Assistant Head of School) June 21, 1954 – January 18, 2020 James J. McCarthy went home to the Lord on January 18, 2020 after a long illness. Born on June 21, 1954 in Marin County, CA to Diarmuid (Mac) and Catherine McCarthy, his family lived in Marin for several years before relocating to Sacramento for his father’s job. There Jim graduated from Mira Loma High School and American River College, before attending San Francisco State University, where he received a degree in Urban Planning. After returning to Sacramento, James worked for the California Department of Transportation and met his future wife, Robin. They married in 1980 and relocated to the Pasadena area, where James continued working for Caltrans, retiring as Deputy Director of Planning in 2012. James and Robin had two children, Sara and Patrick (U.S. Navy MA2, active). He was a dedicated Giants and 49er fan, a dog lover, and caring husband and father. He is preceded in death by his parents, and survived by wife Robin, daughter Sara (John), son Patrick (Kelsey), sister Joan (Robert Adams), three nephews, cousins, and two great-nieces.

Tim passed doing what he loved most. His selfless courage to risk his life under extraordinary conditions is a testimony to a life lived in service of others. His ultimate sacrifice represents the very best of our Catholic school community. The Damien High School community, along with St. Lucy’s Priory where Tim taught previously, are in mourning for the loss of their colleague, teacher and friend; their grief and outpouring of love is shared by us all. He will be deeply missed.

Donald Gene Wallgren Grandfather of Selena Mone (Dir. of Alumnae Relations) October 8, 1928 – November 21, 2019 Don Wallgren was the greatest father, grandfather, confidante, and best friend to children Mark and Marla, and granddaughter Selena. A veteran of the Korean War and Purple Heart recipient, Don was a true, funny, hardworking man who leaned on the Serenity Prayer. He could fix and build anything; and even at 91 years old, knew more about computers than most tech wizards. He is no doubt enjoying biscuits and gravy and visiting with Arnold Palmer in Heaven, while his beloved cats, Molly and Polly, sit on his lap. Don is missed beyond belief and loved beyond measure.

William George Sinclair Father of Melissa Royal (Dir. of College Counseling) October 24, 1944 – July 17, 2019 A loving husband, father, grandfather, son and brother.

Tim Staples Beloved member of our Catholic school community [A message shared by Mr. Paul Escala, Superintendent of Schools and Senior Director of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles] Mr. Timothy Staples was a teacher, coach and alum of Damien High School. Tim, 32, was a volunteer member of the San Bernardino Search and Rescue Team and lost his life on Saturday [December 14, 2019] during a search for a missing hiker on Mt. Baldy. Mr. Staples leaves behind his wife, Katie Amrhein Staples, who also teaches at Damien High School; Katie and Tim were just married this past summer. His mother-in-law, Christy Amrhein, is the Activities Director at Damien High School.

SPRING 2020

Alverno Alumnae Magazine | Spring 2020

Articles inside

Homecoming: Athletic Fields Opening!

Alumnae Magazine | Spring 2020 lverno

In Loving Memory

Philanthropy Report

Young Alumnae Spotlight

Ride with Alverno

Alumnae Committee

Saints Everywhere

Homecoming 2019

Dear Alumnae

Class of 2019

Knock Knock, Who’s There?

Alverno Ambassadors & Visiting Days

From Alumna to Assistant Head of School

Summer of ‘69

Let’s Talk