SEM TODAY 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Day

12 First Years at SEM

14 M&T Tech Hub

16 Pathfinder Reflection

18 Hanging of the Greens

20 New York Times Internship

22 Comprehensive College Counseling

23 Lunar New Year Celebration

24 SEM Athletics

28 Arts @ SEM

31 SEM Alumnae

32 Class Notes

36 In Memoriam

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Since its inception, SEM has provided opportunities for its students to learn about the world beyond a classroom’s four walls. This year’s magazine theme of “global perspective” has allowed me the honor to speak with and share the stories of alumnae across the globe who either began their international journey by studying at SEM, or whose interest was sparked by SEM’s global community. It was awe-inspiring to learn the stories of so many incredible women doing invaluable work across the world, all stemming from their time here at SEM.

I am also pleased to share that this year’s magazine is fully interactive. If you see a QR code on a page, raise your phone’s camera and you will be taken to a video about that experience or person. We are so excited to share yet another way you can learn about what we’ve been up to at SEM. From Hanging of the Greens to a computer science field trip at the M&T Tech Hub, our traditions have remained while we look to the future and prepare our students for a rapidly changing world.

Thank you to our faculty, staff, student, and alumnae contributors. And thank YOU for your continued support and enthusiasm for SEM. If you are interested in contributing to next year’s magazine, I would love to hear your story, please reach out to jharb@buffaloseminary.org.

I hope you enjoy this edition of SEM Today. Happy Spring!

Sincerely,

Janelle Harb, SEM Today Editor & Designer

Annual magazine for the alumnae, friends, parents, and students of Buffalo Seminary

Spring 2023

Head of School

Helen Ladds Marlette

SEM Today Editor & Designer

Janelle Harb, Computer Science Faculty & Marketing Coordinator

Contributors

Yusra Alsadam ’26

Tricia Butski, Art Teacher

Grace Dolan ’26

Isabelle Fisher, Foreign Language Department Chair, P’20, P’23

Maisy Flannery ’25

Janelle Harb

Grace Heidinger ’18

Lizzie Wilkins Lebienvenu ’05

Ann Leslie, Director of College Counseling

Helen Ladds Marlette

Lindsay Mathias ’11, Advancement & Admission Associate

Ashley Morlock, Database & Gift Records Manager

Elle Noecker ’24

Pamela Pozarny ’78

Jule Schuepphaus ’25

Jiaan Shi ’17

Alex Skomra, Director of Athletics

Kate Bowen Smith ’92, P’23

Alex Valdez, Director of Residential Life

Photography & Art

Tricia Butski

FAO/Giulio Napolitano

Janelle Harb

Grace Heidinger ’18

Lindsay Mathias ’11

Elle Noecker ’24

Geoff Schneider

Marianna Selma ’23

Jiaan Shi ’17

Cover Pamela Pozarny ’78 photographed in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations located in Rome, Italy.

FAO/Giulio Napolitano

Letter from the Head of School

By Helen L. Marlette

Itis my pleasure to share with you SEM Today. Although it is challenging to summarize the multiple facets of school life in one magazine, I hope you enjoy the articles and feel connected to the school. At this time last year, the faculty and administration wanted to provide consistency for our students. We focused on the health and the well-being of everyone at SEM and committed to our everyday routine with as little disruption as possible.

During the 2022/23 school year, we continue to focus on the health and well-being of all, work hard to maintain day-to-day consistency at school, and we re-energize our thinking about the future of SEM and our students. How can we best prepare our students for a rapidly changing world and ensure SEM’s strength in the future? Guided by our Strategic Plan (SP) passed in 2021, we turned our attention to the three strategic choices articulated in the plan:

1. Flexible Learning by Design

2. Challenging and Relevant Curriculum

3. Thriving Community

We are committed to helping our students achieve their best personal outcomes. Our students come to us from over 25 feeder schools and 13 countries; they are artists, athletes, poets, and scholars. We embrace the diversity of the individuals in our community and teach them what it means to be a community member.

SEM is a small school by choice, distinguished by the personal attention each student receives, and we are flexible enough to create individualized pathways within our core curriculum. As stated in the SP, “…this is the best way to fulfill our mission and ensure that SEM continues to lead as an inclusive, joyful, pioneering community for young women of intellect and character.” We are not encouraging specialization at this age, but we are designing personal, transformational

experiences. Their paths to graduation may differ, but each graduate is well-prepared for the world beyond 205 Bidwell.

As different as each student is, there is one thing that they all have in common – they are teenagers, and teenagers are wonderfully complex people. The high school years are years of growth, exploration, learning how to be a community member, and building independence and confidence. Our faculty and staff understand and embrace this. The adults at SEM accept teenagers for who they are and nurture who they can become.

Our teachers are accomplished scholars in their field of study, and they are so much more. They commit countless hours to help our students develop their interests beyond what is taught in the classroom. They actively participate in activities and clubs on weekends, lunchtime, and evenings. They model what it means to be a member of the community.

Each person in the building accepts the responsibility to engage with others and works to build a sense of place unique to SEM.

This sense of community at SEM is not new. It stems from the generations of students and adults that came before us and is possible because of the support of so many. Building and maintaining a thriving community includes each of us who has been fortunate enough to be associated with SEM. Please stay connected with the school. Follow us on social media, join our alumnae speaker Zoom gatherings, and visit the campus to experience all that is SEM today.

Sincerely,

Helen L. Marlette, Head of School

Helen L. Marlette with students on the parkway during Hanging of the Greens.

Oneof the core values that shape and guide our community is global perspective, instilling the understanding that we must engage with the world as empathetic and informed citizens. Prior to it being formally named, such emphasis on informing global citizens has always been part of SEM’s mission. Our residential program, schoolwide celebrations of international holidays, exchange programs abroad and informative class structures are each examples of this value being ingrained in the very fabric of our school.

Pamela Pozarny ’78 has been based in Rome, Italy since 2006, working for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, completing research projects on food security and rural sociology. Previously, she worked with several organizations in Africa, helping to rebuild after the Rwandan genocide and teaching agricultural education in West Africa. Living over 40 years abroad, Pamela has changed

Global perspective in action

By Janelle Harb, Marketing Coordinator

Based on an interview with Pamela Pozarny ‚78

thousands of lives and traces her initial interest in other cultures back to SEM.

“At SEM, I was very interested in French, I was in one of the higher classes with our dear Madame Kurtz,” Pamela said. “I was very, very close with her, she was definitely one of my strongest mentors. The way that she was teaching was not like your average public school, we were reading, we were interpreting, it was just so inspiring, and I just loved it, and I loved her.”

Pamela recalls being part of one of SEM’s first cohorts to take part in an organized six-week exchange to France. “That was unheard of back then,” Pamela said. “So of course, I wanted to go.” During this time, the students each stayed with host families and attended French high school. “I reflect now in retrospect, that most clearly the French experience from SEM was a ‘petit gout’ of possibilities, showed me a slice of ‘what is possible,’ nudged me into it,” she continued.

“It built that confidence to take on a bit of the unknown,” she said. “Out of my norm and comfort zone, and I took the dive into the (somewhat) unknown to have this very lifeshaping experience.” Pamela stated that her feeling of success after this program was a key moment in building her self-confidence and courage to continue exploring.

That spark for wanderlust carried Pamela to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, which enabled her first visit to Africa through a summer work program. “It was such a wonderful experience and an eye opener, and it really changed my direction in life,” she explained. “Africa is so interesting, and there’s so much need, it was just a whole new landscape for me.”

After graduating with a degree in anthropology, Pamela joined the Peace Corps. “It seemed like a really good option for me [because] I had French,” she said. As a result, Pamela was placed in Togo, a French-speaking West African nation where she taught agricultural education. “I chose a

FAO/Giulio Napolitano

very small remote village because I really wanted the experience,” she explained. “I lived in a mud hut, no electricity, no running water, no toilet, no nothing, with a family, and so it was an absolutely wonderful experience.”

With a strong foundation in development work and the need more apparent than ever, Pamela went to grad school to better learn how she could help. “I thought having had my experience and Peace Corps that if I’m gonna work in Africa, I really have to know my agriculture a little bit better and have that real breadth, because the great needs of Africa are really around food systems agriculture,” she explained.

Granted a Fulbright scholarship, Pamela returned to Togo, completing two years of doctorate research. She then moved on to working with Africare, helping Rwandan citizens post-genocide. “There was great need, it was kind of almost post-emergency, and what an experience,” she said, when the United Nations noticed and picked up on her work.

Working with the United Nations Development Programme, Pamela helped the Rwandan ministry in the development and planning of a nation trying to rebuild. “The five years I spent in Rwanda was really, really challenging,” she said. “But I must say it was so satisfying, because I was really part of a movement, and really working very closely with the government. And I mean, talk about feeling like you’re contributing and really making a difference.”

After a research project in Zimbabwe, she joined her current department in Rome, the Food and

Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a specialized agency focused on nutrition and community development where she has continued her work as a senior rural sociologist for over 20 years.

“When I think back about it and reflect on my experience there, SEM was really a safe place,” Pamela said. “At SEM, you can try a lot of new things and it’s forgiving, it allows for mistakes in all kinds of ways, because it’ll catch you, like a safety net.”

Pamela continued that the connections she formed with faculty and care they took in her education fueled her passion for more. “I do recognize how at SEM I really gained that confidence that enables you to really reach out and strive and be ambitious or think about things that maybe you wouldn’t think that you could actually do and try,” she said. “So it allows you, I call it, a glimpse of the possible.”

She credits SEM for instilling in her the idea of giving back and contributing to society. “It’s been my guiding light,” Pamela said. “I felt I wanted to go much bigger than thou and much bigger than me and I have followed that, because that’s what has really motivated me. I really wanted to contribute in a very focused way [and] I did that.”

Upon reflection, Pamela values the way SEM, even 50 years ago, had students and teachers conversing together about current events and global issues. “[I was] really learning to think and it’s that small, intimate classroom and the way that SEM teaches that allows that space to really think things through and talk about it, it really helped me,” she

said. Taking her education in her own hands and furthering her own understanding independently is a skill that has been invaluable throughout her career.

“One can see a bit of a life pattern here,” Pamela explained, “leaping from one life-shaping experience to the next, mustering a bit of courage, in fact, being a bit bold, for sure, while also intuitively analyzing whether the step works for me, makes sense in my pathway in terms of interest, excitement, direction. Seldom completely clear for me at the time, but when I look back, it may make sense after all.”

Her advice for current student students and anyone is to learn a second language, especially in today’s globalized world, citing that it is a requirement for UN employees. “Everything is global now, so whether you’re interested in this or that, there’s no way around it,” Pamela said, “this is the world we are working in and living in.”

Pamela’s storied life and career are evidence of the way in which SEM has instilled in students the importance of global perspective and the way in which it serves to guide us and make us better contributors to society. “SEM is spot on because in all different aspects, and needs and forms, we are a global world and more than ever, way more appreciated and needed than when I was in 1978 graduating” Pamela said. “We must be thinking in a global perspective, and not just our global leaders, but you, the young people, it’s your future.” •

“I DO RECOGNIZE HOW AT SEM I REALLY GAINED THAT CONFIDENCE THAT ENABLES YOU TO REALLY REACH OUT AND STRIVE AND BE AMBITIOUS... IT ALLOWS YOU, I CALL IT, A GLIMPSE OF THE POSSIBLE.”

An authentic global perspective

By Isabelle Fisher, Foreign Language Department Chair & French Teacher, P 20, P 23 ‚ ‚

Thethirst for discovery and adventure is innate in most of us. Historically, travels were driven by all sorts of motivations: the noble ones - to understand and learn; the other less noble - to get rich, to civilize, to convert. Though today, why do most of us like to travel? What is it that we are aiming to discover through traveling? And most importantly, how does traveling impact oneself and shake up the outlook on the world and our relationship with others?

In “Les Lettres Persanes” written in 1721, Montesquieu draws a portrait of two Persians introducing themselves to the French aristocracy. Their foreign perception gives a sometimescomic tone, in any case ironic, to the story. The two main characters are astonished, do not understand, and are amused by French customs and institutions of that era. Their viewpoint reverses our usual relationship to the world: the most banal fact becomes surprising when seen by a stranger. This distance created makes it possible to call into question the validity of customs and usages and thus, undermine certainties.

Montesquieu’s work is timeless. Immersing oneself in an unknown place is inevitably the best way to understand who we are, where we come from, and to develop

humbleness. And that is exactly how the journey begins, whether you are learning a language or not.

Our students in residence, mostly here to perfect and to develop their understanding of our culture and our language, are certainly well aware of this reality. On several occasions, I witnessed students consult their translation application to be sure they were following the topic, either in a classroom setting, or with fellow students. For that reason, our students whose mother tongues are French, Spanish, or Mandarin often find refuge in our language department because they miss the mere fact of being able to express themselves easily in their own language. They confide in us that they are struggling and missing certain aspects of their daily life (the food being most certainly a predominant aspect!). They see in us a genuine understanding of what it is like to be an expatriate, and to speak, every day, a language that isn’t theirs.

If you have never traveled or lived abroad, comprehending these challenges is difficult. Those obstacles could seem small in the eyes of our Western culture whose perception of traveling is indeed much connected with wealth. But in the eyes of our students, some of whom have fled wars, dictatorships,

and so on, education is not only part of life, but it is a must.

I have been in Buffalo for over 10 years, and I have made many friends. But still today, if I walk down the street and I hear some of my FrenchCanadian compatriots, I will naturally reach out. Connecting to our roots is deeply ingrained in us, especially abroad. This strong desire for connection is most probably driven by some sort of loneliness.

It is not easy to leave the comfort of one’s family to settle several thousand miles from home to either perfect a language, or to live a cultural experience, but it is precisely by doing so that a world of discovery opens.

Our students in residence hail from China, Korea, Guatemala, Germany, Bahamas, Kenya, Spain, France and more. It is by rubbing shoulders with them that our American students are witnessing the impact of what life abroad means. It is also through their gaze, just like Montesquieu’s characters, that we understand that our American culture and traditions are not superior or better to any others. Instead, having students from all over the world makes us humble about who we are, curious about the world we live in, and most importantly, respectful towards each other.

SEM understands the value of

“PEOPLE NEVER LEARN ANYTHING BY BEING TOLD, THEY HAVE TO FIND OUT FOR THEMSELVES.”

-PAULO COELHO

welcoming foreign students. It generates, in return, a desire for exploring. Through contact with students from all over the world, our students also want to see what it is like to be a foreigner themselves. Traveling is an important aspect of our curriculum at SEM. Unfortunately, the pandemic obliged us to pause our trips, but we are now back at it, and we will attempt to make this happen every year. We want our students to explore and to embrace the world we live in. This year, our sophomores renewed the opportunity to leave on an eightweek study program in Australia. We also reopened our exchange program with French families during Spring Break to allow our students to improve their speaking skills and to embrace the lifestyle.

Furthermore, we reestablished our Spanish educational trip, this year’s destination to Cuba, to allow our language learners to take risks in speaking the language outside the classroom. In addition to our group travel, we also had a senior who decided to perfect her French for two months in Normandy, and last year, a junior did the same thing in Sevilla, Spain. Our Flex program allows this avenue. SEM strongly encourages and allows our students to have a unique overseas experience and fully embrace it.

Whether our students come to SEM to board, or travel to improve a language skill or to live a cultural experience, in welcoming a global commnunity we develop a rare quality: altruism. Our collaborations with

various schools around the world offer this possibility of openness to develop compassion, humanism, respect, and philanthropy.

Cultural exchanges may be intimidating, yet they inevitably generate the precious gift of long-lasting self-knowledge, and consequently a better understanding of the world around us and the citizens we meet daily.

Montesquieu’s timeless work is still relevant today. A stranger’s perception of our culture and tradition is just as pertinent as the one we have on the others’ when we explore. No judgment. No preeminence. Just a genuine purpose for discovery, for learning, and for growth. And that is how the journey could truly begin. Bon voyage! •

Clockwise: SEM students in uniform as they participate in their Australian exchange program. Students as color guards at the rugby season opener with over 88,000 people in attendance in Australia. Spring break trips to see the sites in Cuba (left) and France (right) and experience each culture.

Living, loving, and learning abroad

By Lizzie Wilkins Lebienvenu 05 • London, United Kingdom ‚

Asone of SEM’s alumna that grew up nearby, but ended up far away, I was asked to share what the school’s key value of global perspective has meant to me since life at SEM.

When I started at SEM, I arrived with a passion for French, but not much clue about the culture or where speaking the language could take me. But I quickly met brilliant girls and inspiring teachers who would end up teaching me about the world in equal measure.

For the first time, I was being taught by native French speakers, which exposed me to accents that I had never heard and helped train my ear. One of my teachers organized an exchange and I flew to France at 15 years old and lived with a family outside Paris for two weeks. I was in over my depth, but immediately knew I wanted to somehow extend this glimpse, full of foreign sights, sounds and pastries.

I continued studying Advanced French at SEM and although still unsure how to turn it into a career path, secured an internship at the Canadian Consulate with the help of our beloved Mr. Gary Sutton. It was a chance to use and develop my French in Buffalo, and I eventually decided to get my Master’s degree in both French and International Business at Dickinson College and then Canisius College. I was lucky enough to be offered one of two places on

an international exchange program that would afford me a dual degree from my home university and l’Ecole de Management de Strasbourg, a business school in France.

It was incredible - I was far from everything familiar, traveling to new countries, making friendships, and using the work ethic I learned at SEM.

I decided I’d continue to study, and luckily found another international dual degree for my postgraduate education. I spent half of it at the business school in the University College Dublin, and half at the Stockholm School of Economics. As part of that degree, I completed a work-study consulting project at Microsoft Sweden, and realized then that I would love a career helping companies solve their challenges. I decided I would go into a specific industry first with the hope of being able to eventually apply that knowledge in consulting, and found myself joining a graduate program at British Telecom in the UK.

During my career as a consultant so far I’ve helped big companies like the BBC, British Airways and GlaxoSmithKline solve tough problems like how to transform their digital operations, how to remain competitive in an ever-changing and post-Covid world and how to reinvent their customer experience. I absolutely love my career and am

proud of the path that led me here, which I truly feel started at SEM.

I am still in London, where I live with my French husband (I suppose it was inevitable!) and our two children, Louis and Léa. I’m currently on maternity leave with our baby girl, and writing this article has encouraged me to think about what kind of a life will unfold for her and what education I want to offer her. I hope she also finds in her education what SEM gave to me.

Besides the value of having a global perspective, SEM taught and prepared me for a life I could not even imagine at the time. Every teacher I had was also a mentor, encouraging us to ask questions, unapologetically challenge how things work, and learn everything we could about the world.

SEM also taught me the importance of having strong women in my life that I can rely on; my five bridesmaids were American, Italian, German and Danish, and one of my closest friends is Norwegian, living in Oslo. I have been so fortunate to have formed close friendships with women from very different cultures and backgrounds.

I would love to encourage all of SEM’s current students to be curious and self-assured and to embrace all opportunities offered, especially the daunting ones. •

Lizzie (left) and Angela Piscitello ’05 in France during the SEM-organized exchange program.

Exploring new passions while preserving classic traditions

By Jiaan Shi 17 • Shanghai, China ‚

Asa Chinese student, I experienced over 10 years of education in the Chinese educational system. While my teachers and classmates were patient and kind, I still felt something was missing. It was not until I began studying at SEM that I realized I was missing the opportunity to explore my passions and thrive in areas like arts, sports, and cooking.

At SEM, I was provided with the resources and time to pursue my interests. For instance, I tried out for the basketball team and participated in athletic training classes to stay fit and healthy. SEM also provided opportunities for me to learn arts and create artworks with my preferred materials. Additionally, I found an excellent oboe teacher to continue practicing my music skills. I also participated in a science contest, glee club, Semachords (our SEM acapella group), and ensemble, among other activities.

Living in the SEM dormitory was also a great experience. It was the first time I lived without my parents, but it felt like my second home. The school had four houses near the

school, each accommodating about 10 students, with two girls sharing one room. Coordinating roommate relationships required not only social skills but also self-regulation to manage academic and private life effectively. Living in the dormitory enhanced our self-care abilities and self-awareness as we were not being supervised or reminded by our parents.

SEM also made an effort to help students from all over the world adapt to the new environment. The school employed various methods to encourage us to share our cultural backgrounds and interact with each other without any concern.

As an international student from China, the most impressive events at SEM were the cultural sharing activities during our traditional festivals, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year. On these days, we had the chance to share our culture and background stories of the festivals during morning meetings, where every student paid full attention to our speeches. We also shared traditional food like mooncakes and dumplings in school for everyone to try. SEM created a safe, open, and comfortable environment for residential students to adapt to the new environment while preserving

Moreover, SEM required students to take French or Spanish as a foreign language, which would be a second foreign language for international students. However, it was not a burden, but more like a bonus for students who loved to learn about new cultures. I took French as my second foreign language, and the classes were fun and inspiring because the teacher asked us to make a presentation on a French city or a French gourmet; sometimes, the teacher would even take us to visit restaurants where they serve authentic French gourmet.

This experience motivated me to study French as one of the majors for my Bachelor’s Degree, which also led to my pursuit in education for my Master’s Degree, as my learning experience at SEM inspired my interest and passion for teaching.

Currently, I am pursuing my second Master’s Degree in School Counseling. SEM played a significant role in shaping my career pursuits and my experiences by creating a safe and comfortable environment for students. Overall, SEM’s resources, opportunities, and support created a unique learning environment that allowed me to thrive and explore my passions while also helping me grow as a person. •

Pictured above: Jiaan and Milkshake, one of the house parent’s cats, circa 2017.

“SEM CREATED A SAFE, OPEN, AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS TO ADAPT TO THE NEW ENVIRONMENT WHILE PRESERVING AND SHARING OUR OWN CULTURES.”

SEM’s Board work includes growing residential program

By Kate Bowen Smith ’92, P’23, Chair of the Board of Trustees

is the board’s North Star. It, along with the school’s values and vision, drives and guides us.

One of SEM’s values and core beliefs is that a global perspective creates empathetic and informed citizens ready to engage in the realities of today’s world. Over the past year and in COVID’s wake, Helen and the board re-committed to the residential program.

The program is both missionaligned and fiscally important. COVID took a particular toll on the program, creating both logistical and political barriers to enrollment.

Afghanistan, Argentina, Bahamas, China, Germany, Guatemala, Kenya, Korea, Spain, and Taiwan. Throughout the year there are also visiting exchange students from countries including Australia, Italy, and France.

These students from all over the world sit at the same Harkness and lunch tables, lead and participate in clubs and sports together, act and produce plays together, and enjoy the same SEM traditions that have endured for decades. Their shared experiences broaden and deepen their personal perspectives.

Anyindependent school’s board of trustees grapples with similar priorities and challenges: enrollment, supporting school leadership and faculty, fundraising, planning for the future, and more. Former and current trustees at SEM— one of the country’s oldest schools for girls—have consistently met and embraced the school’s unique challenges and opportunities.

As a small, independent school that has been authentically empowering girls for almost one and three-quarters centuries, SEM has needed strength, grit, determination, and dedication along the way. Those qualities are imbued in SEM’s culture.

A hallmark of SEM’s board is, and probably has been since 1851, a shared and deep affection for the school combined with an unwavering commitment to girls’ education and leadership. This board is very much a working one, and I suspect each and every board along the way has been similar. While the pressing issues of the day have varied, at the core of a board’s work is always its mission.

SEM’s mission, revised with the current strategic plan in 2020 but not foundationally different from its predecessor, is to “prepare a diverse group of young women to be engaged scholars and citizens, proud to shape society rather than be controlled by it, and ready to live and lead with honor, courage, and confidence.” This

At the same time, a program like SEM’s is more important than ever. In parts of the world, girls’ education is neither guaranteed nor valued.

The world needs more SEM girls. Your gifts to the annual fund and endowment help support all elements of the school, including the residential program. They are as critical as ever. If you are in a position to help fund an international student to come to SEM, please consider doing so by contacting Director of Development, Leah Kimmet at (716) 885-6780 or lkimmet@buffaloseminary.org.

Today’s SEM students come from the immediate Buffalo area and across New York State as well as from

On behalf of the board of trustees, thank you for supporting SEM in ways big and small year after year. Our collective reward comes every June as new graduates from all over the world leave 205 Bidwell ready to contribute to the world in their own unique ways. I believe that the world is stronger and full of promise because of them.

And, let’s get ready to celebrate! With Helen’s retirement in June 2024, a transition in leadership, and the school’s 175th year approaching (which, apparently, is called a demisemi-centennial), the SEM community has much to be grateful for and to commemorate! •

SEM continues to welcome international students from across the globe with your support.

Imagineyou just woke up in your beautiful Elmwood Village home on your first day at SEM, you get ready for the day and make your way over to the Atrium for breakfast. As you sit down to enjoy your meal, you take a look around you only to realize you’re surrounded by a group of people that are close to, if not your age, all here for the same reason, but look, sound, act, and think differently from you. How does that make you feel? What are you thinking right now?

As a residential student at SEM, your first encounter of the day is having a meal that may not be something you’re used to eating, and sharing this moment with folks from over 10 different countries. You might be feeling scared, nervous, anxious, maybe a little lonely. You might also be feeling excited, motivated, and eager. You and your family have taken a big leap towards an opportunity to not only go to a school in the United States, but to live at school! And while living in there, you’re immersed in a global community of students from different countries and cultures, all with different stories to tell.

After breakfast ends, the rest of the student community has arrived at SEM in time for Morning Meeting. You line up along the staircase, filing into the Chapel to yet another unfamiliar moment. The whole school is standing and singing together in a language that may not be your first.

After you’re dismissed with a “Have a great day and get to class,” you

SEM’s global patchwork of community

By Alex Valdez, Director of Residential Life

attempt to navigate the long halls and many staircases of the building to find your first class.

Everyone is greeted by the teacher, whom you learn is a caring and passionate person, and you cannot wait to get to know them better and learn from them. A discussion breaks out in class and you’re able to share a story from home that the domestic students would never have had the chance of hearing a firsthand account of if you hadn’t been there to tell it.

You continue your day up to lunch time, but this time when you go into the Atrium, it isn’t the same people from breakfast. It’s the entire school! As you pull up a chair next to the new friend you made in second period, you have the opportunity to learn from everyone at that table, and for you to also share something about yourself.

You talk about your favorite foods from home, and the customs surrounding meal times in your home country. The folks around you share how each of their family units spends their meal times together. Everyone at this table is sharing a moment that allows you to learn, accept, and embrace the differences of one another.

After school you head back to your home to take a break from your first day. Your roommate is home already and the two of you begin to discuss how each other’s first day of school went. You decide to continue sharing as you walk down the parkway to Elmwood Avenue. You each take notice of how different the streets, the cars, the sidewalks, the people all look and feel compared to your respective home countries. You and your roommate are hitting it off, and you’ve just made a good friend from

another place on the other side of the world.

It’s time for the final meal of the day. Your house parent happens to be the adult on duty for the evening, and is checking in all the residential students for dinner. They make their way table to table, person to person, checking on each one with care and attention. Those morning feelings of fear, anxiety, and loneliness, have morphed into or strengthened into comfortability, gratitude, and pride.

You know you’re going to be okay, because you’re in a community that cares, and a community that wants to know more about you and where you’re from. You’re in a place that isn’t looking for you to assimilate into its culture, but to contribute to it by sharing your own. You can be yourself. As your day winds down, you reflect on your experiences and what you’re looking forward to in the coming months. It is setting in that you are becoming a part of something bigger than yourself, and it will be important for you to share your experiences and identity with as many people as possible during your time at SEM. It is equally important that you also provide the same space for others to do the same with you.

It is everyone’s duty at SEM to embrace the opportunities that the patchwork of our community creates. It is an act of bravery on the residential student’s part as well as their families to move away from home to an unfamiliar territory and culture. Those of us that are from here, need to show the same amount of bravery and reach out and make stronger connections with one another. We are the lucky ones to have the greatest global resources living directly in our community. Let’s do our part to learn from one another and strengthen each other’s cultures and our community. •

Hornet Jacket Day

New students and faculty were inducted into their teams, the school was decorated, and a walk around the Elmwood neighborhood led students to Larkin Field, where they competed in choreographed dance battles to deafening cheers and applause from their fellow classmates.

Dr. Madeline Harts: Inspiring others through music

By Yusra Alsadam

26

“With teaching voice and teaching different instruments, the main thing is to bring over the excitement and the passion for the playing or the singing and bring it to whoever it is I’m teaching,” says Dr. Madeline Harts, SEM’s new music teacher. Her strong passion for music makes her perfect for the job.

Dr. Harts has been in many previous teaching environments including Bowling Green State University, University of Miami, SUNY Fredonia, University at Buffalo, and Niagara University. Dr. Harts says she wanted to work at a high school because she enjoys teaching students who want to work together.

Her elementary

school teacher and her combination of love for the piano and helping her peers is what inspired her to have a career in teaching music. “I think that it’s really fun and exciting to be able to just bring music to life with my fingers and to make it almost sound like singing in a way,” Dr. Harts said.

When asked what her favorite instrument to play is, Dr. Harts responded that she has a special love for the piano. She took lessons when she was younger, but never thought of it as something that she had to do. Creating and exploring new ways of combining different melodies brought up that excitement that she had for playing.

She got excited that

her career could revolve around what she loved so she became involved with music in high school.

Dr. Harts emphasizes that students learning music have to be invested and interested in what they’re doing in order to push themselves forward and feel confident. “It’s not right to think that someone is born with the ability to be good at singing or to be good at an instrument. It’s all learned. Anyone can learn how to do it,” she states.

Outside of SEM, Dr. Harts likes to spread music in the community as much as she can. She is the Executive Director of the Grammy-award winning Buffalo Philharmonic

Chorus and likes to play at local gigs and festivals. She also loves teaching masterclasses at local universities as well. When she’s not playing music, she loves reading, knitting, and watercolor painting.

Not only does Dr. Harts want to inspire her students to take off in their music careers, she wants everyone at SEM to make music an important factor of their lives whether that be singing, dancing, playing an instrument, or just listening to music. She also hopes that she can incorporate music more in school events and give private or group lessons in the future for those that still wish to learn or didn’t get an opportunity to do so in the past. •

“I get fulfillment from helping people, this is my personality, some people feel happiness when they achieve goals but I feel extremely happy when I can help others,”

Ms. Jie Zhao, the new Mandarin teacher here at SEM said. During our interview, she talked about how passionate she is about teaching and the fulfillment it gives her to see the enthusiasm of students on their journey to learning a new language.

Her passion for teaching has taken her across the globe, from the Liaoning Province in China to Buffalo, NY to work here at SEM. She got her Bachelor’s degree at the Liaoning Technical University and is now completing her Master’s degree at the University at Albany, where she is majoring in curriculum development and

From journalism to education: Introducing Ms. Jie

instructional technology. Before becoming a teacher, she was a journalist in the Liaoning Province. She explained that there are a lot of similarities between being a news reporter and a teacher, like the ability to listen and communicate with people, which ultimately led her to become a teacher. Her first experience in the classroom was when she started teaching online classes. This was the spark that lit her love of teaching.

When teaching, she focuses on introducing culture, holidays, and the history behind the Mandarin language. In Ms. Zhao’s class, Fridays are culture days. She weaves history lessons into the curriculum along with other topics like learning how to write with the Mandarin characters. “I introduce a well known historical setting like the Great Wall.

Zhao

By Grace Dolan 26 ‚

So who built that?,” she explained. She focuses on giving a “background” of the language that may not be as widely known or taught, along with the other important parts like the unique way of writing with characters.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Zhao enjoys an array of activities from camping with her family to reading. She loves cooking different types of food from numerous countries like Korea, Mexico, or even the United States, from making pizza and burgers to her personal favorite, dumplings. She says cooking is her “love language” and is her way of enjoying people’s company and how much she cares for them. She enjoys seeing the motivation, enthusiasm, passion, and creativity in SEM students. “Compared to general highschoolers, SEM students really stand

out,” she said.

While at SEM she hopes to reach out to more students, and inspire them to learn more about Asian culture and help them open their minds to different cultures and ways of life. She believes that one big importance is how, “[learning] can help you connect with other people and help you understand how other languages work.”

She would like to inspire students to follow their passions no matter where it takes them. “I feel like I have a second chance to choose another career, you only live once,” Ms. Zhao said. “Open your mind, you open your heart.” •

Students visit M&T Tech Hub at Seneca One Tower

This past fall, SEM computer science students participated in an exclusive tour and panel at the M&T Tech Hub located in Seneca One Tower. This Hub was created to draw technological talent to Buffalo and to situate our city as a place for innovation and opportunity in computing. Its open concept design encourages collaboration between colleagues and revolutionizes the workplace.

Our students met with a panel of women in STEM at M&T, who shared their journeys in the field and advised the students on internships and beyond. We gained valuable encouragement and insights on the importance of diversity in STEM. The students were able to enjoy some of the amenities including the game room, and stunning views of downtown Buffalo.

SEM’s exclusive four-year computer science curriculum provided our students with the background and knowledge to ask informed questions to our panelists and consider internships with the company in the future.

Take camp with you: A reflection on Pathfinder

By Elle Noecker 24 ‚

RING

RING. The time is 7:15 AM, which means it is time to prepare for the big day ahead. Only, this is not your typical alarm. And you’ve probably been lying awake for the past 30 minutes or so because you thought you felt something run across your head (sure enough a chipmunk was making itself comfortable in your hair). RING RING. You and your half-asleep roommates sit up on your creaking cot and look around through heavy eyelids. The massive bell at the center of camp makes its final chimes as some of your classmates choose to make the morning plunge into the piercing cold lake while others get ready for breakfast. Three days of this same morning routine sound daunting. Terrifying. Impossible, even. But personally, I would go back to sleeping amongst the squirrels in a dusty tent on a secluded island in a heartbeat.

To speak on behalf of the majority of the current junior class, most of us were apprehensive about the legendary Pathfinder trip. Who wouldn’t be slightly unnerved by the idea of going four days phone-less in the wilderness? If you are a sophomore and feeling that weight of anxiety about going on the trip, you are in luck!

According to Olivia ’24, “Going into the trip, I was dreading it. I did not want to go at all, [but], at the end of it, what I was worried about in the beginning were honestly the best parts,” she said.

Sure, it’s not necessarily ideal to not have access to showers or to buy an actual camera to take photographs rather than just whip out your phone at your convenience, but you will soon find out that life without these things—if anything—is exponentially more fun than life with proper hygiene and

modern technology.

To take it from the top, let’s go to the morning of the departure. You all pile on the bus and the journey begins. Goodbye Buffalo, you think as you wave to the ever disappearing land that you call home behind you as you cross the Peace Bridge (for some it may not be that dramatic, but as a homebody, I did in fact experience this).

As the day carries on, the bus grows louder and there is talk of the eversuspenseful roommate situation (which you will soon realize is a win-win because either you end up with some of your closest friends or you form new bonds and have the best time ever with classmates you might not see too much at school!).

Arriving on the Canadian island comes next and you must separate from your cell phone. You will quickly realize that you would much rather absorb the enchanting world

around you rather than an electronic screen anyway.

As soon as you start to look around, you are instantly captivated by your surroundings. Floating in a seemingly magical way on the brisk, fresh water are endless islands full of secrets and history in which you are soon enthralled to learn about. Once you step foot on Pathfinder Island, your perspective of life, teamwork, nature, and independence will shift in a way in which you never deemed possible.

When asked about what challenges they faced on the trip, current members of the junior class did not hesitate to share some obstacles they encountered and conquered. Huizi ’24 recalled the biggest challenge for her to be jumping in the freezing cold lake first thing in the morning. Although this was optional for students, Huizi

Left and right: Highlights from the annual junior class trip included hiking and canoeing on the Canadian island.

chose to try it out and was happy to say that she took the plunge. She continued to explain that on the trip, she “underestimated the difficulties of those challenges we would face and the joy we would gain.” Huizi continued, “[It] turns out many activities were quite harder than I previously thought, but they all brought me a lot of fun!”

Challenges on this trip are inevitable, but it’s the cohesiveness of the class and faculty that make it all possible and more than worthwhile. A significant portion of the trip requires physical and mental stamina which was definitely a bump in the road that almost everyone on the trip endured. However, Faith ’24 was proud to say that “with the support of my friends and the counselors, I was able to make it through every day trip. Never once did I regret any part of it.” In the words

of Fiona ’24, “Pathfinder taught me to be okay in pretty uncomfortable situations and that I could live without my phone.” Mrs. Kimmet perfectly summarized what it means to face the challenges of Pathfinder and the irreplaceable outcomes of them when she reflected, “In my life, I always cherish experiences where I can challenge myself physically and mentally while building strong connections with others at the same time.”

From late night games and adventures in the forest, to stargazing, to tipping over in the canoe and laughing about it so hard you can’t climb back into the boat, Pathfinder brings memories with your classmates that you will cherish and reminisce about each day—and that is not an exaggeration.

A popular favorite memory was the grand finale on the last night of the trip known as Muskoka

Prom. (Disclaimer: besides the fact that it will be one of the most light-hearted, happy, unified, and pure fun experiences of your life, no further details will be revealed in case you too get the privilege of dancing the final night of Pathfinder away).

This trip benefits the junior class in ways that could not be replicated anywhere else. You will become unified in a powerful way and connected through challenges, heart-felt moments, and late night games of “Never Have I Ever.” As Mrs. Kimmet correctly confirms “those bonds and friendships will hold strong and support everyone through the highs and lows that are part of life. “Whether gathering sticks or quickly writing hilarious skits, the laughter and joy flowing under a canopy of stars was priceless” she recollects. Departing from camp was a bittersweet day

unlike any other. Mrs. Kimmet shared a method of final closure that she learned from a different camp in the past. Myself, and I am sure everyone who was present, will hold this moment closely for the rest of their lives. We all put our hands over our heart and said in unison “take camp with you.”

For me, this was the most powerful moment of the trip, as I can confidently say it holds true. Lessons learned from Pathfinder are necessary in everyday life, and the memories will make you long to relive it. So the next time you lay wide awake imagining the horrors of this unknown class camping trip, replace those thoughts with images of a stunning starry sky more beautiful than in your wildest dreams and a magnificent moon as your nightlight, knowing that it will be one of the greatest experiences of high school and maybe even life. •

Hanging of the Greens

Students participated in a full day of activities celebrating holidays from around the world. Per SEM tradition, students passed the greens along the parkway and strung them around the school. Later, students made class banners, decorated the Warmth Tree, and made pomanders. Finally, the day wrapped up with Diwali dancing and Hanukkah menorah lighting, which were enjoyed by all.

A memorable time in New York with The New York Times

By Elle Noecker 24

Towrite for The New York Times is an honor that most journalists can only ever dream about. To be a contributor to one of the most prestigious newspapers in the world is nearly the highest career achievement a journalist can reach. Although they have not had any official publications in this particular newspaper (yet) two SEM juniors and co-presidents of Buffalo Seminary’s own newspaper, The Monocle, had the rare opportunity to experience the New York Times life firsthand.

This past summer of 2022, Mary Goetz and Katie Rooney ’24 were selected to attend The School of New York Times program at the Lincoln Center on Fordham University’s campus in New York City where they acquired knowledge to kick start their journalism journey—a career in which both girls are interested in pursuing. Ironically enough, if it wasn’t for newspapers, Katie and Mary might not have ever gotten word of this opportunity!

An aunt of Katie’s read about the program in a newspaper and spread the message to Katie’s father who then shared the news to Katie who excitedly informed Mary. The pair knew that they could never pass up this opportunity and soon entered the competitive selection process which included an application of two 300 word essays and a few letters of recommendation. Did they get accepted? *drum roll*...of course they did! The duo stayed in dorms together as roommates over their two weeks in NYC and spent the fortnight taking classes in college classrooms, listening to guest speakers, and going on field trips, and when they weren’t in class, they went on adventures in the Big Apple.

In the words of Mary, “The schedules were the same for everyone in our class, so Katie and I spent basically all our time together. We woke up, went to our class that went from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a break for lunch, then we were free for the rest of the day with a curfew

of 10-ish.”

What exactly did that free time after class consist of? “Nearly every day Katie and I went out to dinner after our classes and one night we went to a rooftop movie at a hotel to watch Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio which was pretty awesome,” Mary recalls as one of her favorite moments (and that sure is pretty awesome!). When asked about the coolest thing they learned during this experience, both girls had interesting and unique answers.

For Katie, she found it enthralling to learn about interviewing people on the street, and how practicing the act has helped her confidence. “It was pretty intimidating at first because a lot of people don’t want to be interviewed, but we went to different locations in New York like the One World Trade Center and a park in Brooklyn to interview people about different stories we were writing,” Katie explains. She continues to describe how being “forced to go out and talk to strangers about real topics helped me to grow more confident with it and I actually ended up enjoying it and finding it really interesting to hear different people’s opinions on issues I was reporting on.”

On the other hand, Mary’s answer was “just the process of getting a story.” During the two weeks, the girls were assigned stories to write, however, “when we spoke to the speakers that were brought in, they talked about just hearing or seeing something interesting and beating it down until they had the facts for a story,” Mary explained. Both of these skills are key aspects to journalism that Katie and Mary were enthusiastic about having the chance to learn about.

Katie and Mary walked away from this experience with invaluable takeaways about journalism and life. Katie mentioned that she now feels more “open to new things, such as new people and experiences.” She described how being in a different environment impacted her perspective and encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone.

“I think that I learned a lot from my class and trying out different techniques of reporting which I hadn’t used before. I also think that I just learned from being around new people in a new city,” Katie added.

More specifically to journalism, Mary shared that her biggest takeaway was “the writing and editing process. Being able to condense nearly five sentences into one and a half sentences and still maintain your voice and point.” When reflecting on the overall experience, both girls found it—understandably—impossible to choose just one favorite memory. “Just waking up and being in New York, getting a coffee, going to class, everything,” Mary recollects as some of her best memories. For Katie, she “just loved being in New York!”

While in NYC, Katie particularly enjoyed how “there was always so much to do even after I got out of my class for the day. I also really enjoyed meeting new people who came from all around the world. Being in such a cool place with them allowed me to become pretty close with new people and I loved exploring the city with them doing things like going out to eat and shopping.”

To have the opportunity to learn from a program of world-class journalists was truly a once-in-alifetime experience for the juniors. The lessons they learned and skills

they gained will stay with them as they continue on their paths as writers and in life. Mary has been certain that she wanted to be a journalist for as long as she can remember and that “the ultimate goal is always the New York Times because of its reach and legitimacy.”

In respect to the New York Times, Katie reflects that “it was an amazing opportunity to get to learn through a program associated with them.” A general takeaway from this experience was that taking risks will take you somewhere, and to fearlessly pursue what you love! “It was really just an incredible experience for me and I think for everyone else involved. Katie and I

grew as writers and as friends [as] roommates together for two weeks. If you’ve ever got an opportunity for a summer program of anything you might enjoy, especially if you travel for it, DO IT,” Mary exclaimed.

With the support of SEM and our school’s strong writing program and marketing faculty, Katie and Mary were able to take what they learned from school, apply it to their talents, be accepted into this selective program, and build even more on their skills. Needless to say, this duo of juniors most definitely shared a memorable and worthwhile time in New York learning from The New York Times. •

Check

Through the knowledge and skills gained at SEM, Mary and Katie (left) were able to complete this intensive program with the NYT. “Katie and I grew as writers and as friends [as] roommates together for two weeks. If you’ve ever got an opportunity for a summer program of anything you might enjoy, especially if you travel for it, DO IT,” Mary said.

A comprehensive College Counseling program

By Ann Leslie, Director of College Counseling

Collegecounseling has long been an essential resource for high school students. These programs offer valuable insight and guidance to students, helping them to make informed decisions about their post-secondary education. While many schools spend their time focusing on seniors applying to college, we have found a four-year comprehensive model to be most effective. We believe that the complex application process in the United States requires a multitiered approach, giving our students the necessary guidance and resources to ensure that they are successful in the college admission process and beyond.

Our four-year college counseling curriculum, implemented in 2021, delivers clear, step-by-step information and skills to help students learn whatever is necessary for the stage they are in. It was designed as an intentional approach to college applications, and to help students identify their abilities, interests and achievements.

EXPLORE

SEM’s ninth grade students identify their interests and are encouraged to get involved in community service, join clubs and athletics. Through a success-skills module, students understand the connection between rigorous coursework and their postsecondary plans.

GROW

Sophomores identify their strengths, set academic goals, and begin to build a resume. They are presented with ways to conduct a successful college search and the different aspects that determine ‘college fit’. Furthermore, in the fall, students are introduced to standardized testing and meet individually with their counselor to review their PSAT results.

FOCUS

Our Junior College Seminar meets once per cycle during the second trimester. Students complete personality and career inventories, research majors, build and enhance

activities lists, explore scholarships, and write a resume. We spend a good deal of time brainstorming and writing their personal statements, and begin to build their college lists. Students then meet individually with their counselor throughout the third trimester polishing their essays and creating a balanced college list.

APPLY

A Common App workshop is held in August for rising seniors to begin the first official steps in the college application process. They meet as a class once per cycle for their Senior College Seminar course during the first trimester. We finalize their resume and update their activities lists on the Common App. We practice college interviews, review the financial aid process and how to fill out the FAFSA and CSS forms, finalize their college lists and continue with essays and scholarship searches. Students must regularly meet with their counselor for assistance in the final steps of the application and submission process.

Our four-year college counseling program helps our students make informed decisions about their

future while providing them with the guidance and support they need to succeed. The Class of 2023 includes budding scientists, graphic artists, thespians, political enthusiasts, global activists, future teachers, lawyers and medical professionals. They have received acceptances from many fine institutions and intend on studying all over the world.

Some of their acceptances include: Brown University, University at Buffalo, Canisius College, College of Charleston, Columbia University, Fordham University, University of IllinoisUrbana Champaign, Loyola University Chicago, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, Skidmore College and SUNY Buffalo State, Fredonia, New Paltz and Purchase. This model has proven effective for our students here at SEM, relieving much of the stress and anxiety associated with college applications and thoroughly preparing them for the process. We look forward to seeing the full benefits as the Class of 2024 completes the first full cycle of our unique program! •

Learn more about SEM’s four-year College Counseling program by scanning the code to the right!

Lunar New Year Celebration

The SEM community celebrated Lunar New Year this past January with a full day of cultural immersion and fun. Students were able to sample traditional foods, learned how to make paper lanterns, and fold their own envelopes, hosted by our international students and Mandarin teacher, Jie Zhao.

SEM athletes excel in more than just sports

By Alex Skomra, Director of Athletics

the 2022 New York State Federation Champion!

For the second year in a row, cross country runner Fiona Murphy ’24 traveled to Wappinger Falls, NY, to compete against the top runners from private and public schools in New York State. On an extremely challenging course, Fiona ran at 20:55 and finished 104 out of 276 runners.

Marlette.

Fallof 2022 brought back the first “regular” school year since the pandemic with mask regulations fully lifted and a feeling of closeness and community that SEM had been longing for since March of 2020. With school returning to the way things were, sports were able to follow suit as we began our new athletic season. We had seen these athletes’ true resilience the previous two years, and it was finally great to see them take in a breath of fresh air as they resumed their passion for sports.

SEM prides itself on creating a safe and inviting environment for students to become who they are and the athletic department is no exception. With the variety of sports being offered at SEM, it is no surprise to see such a high level of student participation in SEM Athletics.

This fall, more than 70% of students were proud to suit up and compete

as a red-tailed hawk. It is because of this and their overall successful seasons that make me so proud to be a part of SEM Athletics.

The SEM Swim team entered this season as the three time Monsignor Martin League and AllCatholic Champion and although they finished third in the league, the outpour of talent and heart was evident throughout their season.

Elle Noecker ’24 dominated the league this year going undefeated in all of her individual events. She went on to receive the Natalie Lewis Award for Most Outstanding Swimmer at the Monsignor Martin All-Catholic Championship. She qualified and competed in the NYSPHSAA Swim Federation Championships for the third consecutive year in Webster, NY. Noecker swam in the 200 Yard IM and 100 Breaststroke, and finished second in the 100 Breaststroke and won the 200 Yard IM, making her

Sophomore golfer, Brooklyn Cooley represented SEM in the Monsignor Martin AllCatholic Tournament. Brooklyn was one of the league’s top 16 golfers.

Varsity Soccer had a slow start to their season but with their determination and resilience as they were able to turn it around and make it to the semi-final match in the B Division where they took the game to double overtime. Charlie Abramowitz ’26 and Camryn Roberts ’25 were named first team All Catholics and Angela Gracia Garcia ’24, Myleigh Nentarz ’25, and Aubrey Vaeth ’25 received second team for their outstanding season.

This fall, the crew team also had a very active and productive season, participating in multiple regattas, including the Head of the Buffalo, the Head of the Schuylkill in Philadelphia, and Head of the Charles in Boston.

Over 20 student athletes rowed this fall and they were able to participate in the very exciting event, the christening of a brand new boat, the H.L.M. Inspiration, in honor of Helen Ladds

SEM athletes excel not only in their sport but also in the classroom. We proudly recognized Olivia Gilliland, Mei McNamara, and Jocelyn Rath on receiving Honorable Mentions for All WNY Scholar Athlete for Fall 2022. Recognition for All WNY Scholar Athletes is given to seniors who have distinguished themselves academically and athletically and represent the finest qualities of a student-athlete and citizen.

It has been evident through my involvement with SEM Athletics that our student athletes wear their jerseys with pride as they compete for the school they love. Win or lose, our determined athletes and their dedicated coaches give their all to represent SEM and bring honor to our community! We can not wait to see what the 20232024 season will bring. GO SEM! •

Olivia Gilliland Field Hockey

Mei McNamara Field Hockey

Jocelyn Rath Cross Country

SEM Athletics

WINTER SPORTS

BOWLING: 25-35

SQUASH: 2-5

BASKETBALL: 6-12

Geoff Schneider

SEM Athletics

“As soon as I heard about SEM, my elementary school-self was intrigued and captivated by the idea of such a place. A school where student voices were valued and classes took place around large wooden tables for productive discussions rather than traditional lectures.

Where there were catwalks overlooking a beautiful atrium and students were truly trusted by the teachers. Where individuality and authenticity was encouraged above all else. I felt as though there was no other option.

One of the main factors that drew me to SEM was the idea that clubs happened during the day, so my younger self who longed for time to participate in almost anything imaginable could finally be involved in some of her favorite things she no longer had time to do outside of school hours.

The gratitude I felt (and still have) for SEM was indescribable, for outside of school, the only places I am are the pool, the car, or asleep in my bed because I can barely keep my eyes open by the time I get home each night.

I am so fortunate to have a school and sport that complement each other so well, as the lessons I have learned from swimming have greatly contributed to how I approach my schooling.”

- Elle Noecker ’24

Takeaways from the play: The SEM theatre community

By Maisy Flannery

25

Everyfall and spring, Buffalo Seminary Theatre puts on a production for everyone to come and see. This fall, they put on the play The Illustrated Bradbury by Ray Bradbury; but what the audience didn’t see was the weeks of work and dedication the cast and crew had to put on this show, the behind the scenes of an average show at SEM, and how the theatre department at SEM affects the cast and crew.

Nadia ’25, was the stage manager for this production, and says that her main takeaway is that she has, “Certainly grown more confident, developed leadership skills these past three plays, and made friendships I could not have had without theater.”

The community is the main aspect of SEM theatre that stands out, with the amazing ability to put on a performance where students have the opportunity to take initiative and lead, of course under the guidance of the director and theater teacher, Ms. Susan Drozd, who encourages this independence within each show.

Bela ’23, the dramaturg and playbill creator, adds, “It has definitely made me appreciate the performing arts more. It has made me more inclined to go and see shows and to want to participate in shows when I’m in college.” This is definitely a shared takeaway with the majority of the theater community at SEM, with numerous

opportunities to watch local shows providing an experience and knowledge of theater outside of the school.

Nadia adds, “SEM theatre has really affected my outlook on performing arts because I got to see how much really goes into making live art so amazing, and I have learned to appreciate it even more.”

The appreciation for theater extends past the cast and crew, but to anyone who comes to see each show. The growth each student leaves with is something that they will carry with them long after

each show, Bela says, “I have learned to be a much more go-with-the-flow kind of person, and have been able to challenge my artistic abilities a lot. It’s made me more comfortable in creating art and showing it to other people.”

One thing about the SEM theatre community is that everyone is always ready for any challenge that comes their way, leaving each show with an overwhelming gain of confidence and problemsolving abilities.

In my experience, SEM theatre has taught me to ask for help when I need it.

Being the assistant stage manager for The Illustrated Bradbury has shown me how and when to take initiative, allowing me to solve problems thoroughly and efficiently, whether it’s during a performance or at rehearsal. It has made me appreciate every step of putting on a show, despite how trivial some tasks may seem.

The SEM theatre community has certainly taught me, as well as my peers, the significance of performing arts, and the beneficial traits that come with it. •

Top: Scenes from rehearsals for The Illustrated Bradbury Bottom: Cast and crew for the fall play celebrate another successful run.

“Music is empowering, music heals, it is the closest thing to magic.” That is what Mr. Mank said, talking about the SEM Music Collective, the club he created and supervises. The Music Collective has performed for the SEM community during Hanging of the Greens, morning meetings, and also in the Atrium for an impromptu performance or two.

Mr. Mank created the club while working at the Tapestry Charter High School, before coming to SEM. There, the club consisted of students making digital music and sharing it on a website platform. Here at SEM, his idea for the club grew and evolved into what it is today; a club where people can share the music they love to create with the SEM community.

Mr. Mank’s inspiration

The magic of SEM’s Music Collective

By Grace Dolan ‚26

to start the Music Collective was drawn from his own love of music and his hope to give students the opportunity to learn and perform music in an environment that fosters all genres of music.

He hopes to inspire students to find their musical passions. “I thought the Music Collective would be a way for students with non-traditional music paths to perform and collaborate,” said Mr. Mank.

The club is student run, led by sophomore Jo Anderson. The purpose of the club is to offer a space for SEM students to collaborate on various music experiences. It offers a safe place to perform, experiment, and further explore students’ passion for music. Meetings start off with discussing which instruments members

play. Then they share the types of music they enjoy and would want to share with the community. From there, students choose what songs they would like to perform. Members then collaborate on the show, if they need someone to play piano, or a singer, members then organize for their performance.

When Jo was asked what it was like to be in the Music Collective and perform in front of the school she said, “even though it seemed to me to be a pretty big deal to get up in front of everyone and put yourself out there, they all did it like they didn’t have a care in the world… I especially love seeing the smiles on their faces when they finish their performances and feel proud of themselves.” She accounts a performance she did with her sister

last year as being the performance that truly made her fall in love with performing music.

Sharing music is a great way to make someone’s day or even bring a smile to someone’s face. Not only does music bring joy to the listeners but also to the performers, who love to share their musical talents. That is the true purpose of the Music Collective here at SEM.

Jo encourages all students to join the collective: “to any students who want to join Music Collective, I encourage you to put yourself out there, SEM is one of the most encouraging communities I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone here wants you to succeed, and they will pick you up if you fall.” •

“I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE, SEM IS ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING COMMUNITIES I’VE EVER BEEN A PART OF.”

Members of the Music Collective perform in the Atrium for an impromptu song during lunch. Janelle Harb

Foundations in Public Art sparks appreciation and importance of accessibility

By Tricia Butski, Art Teacher

It’shard to miss the various murals popping up all around the city of Buffalo. Many of these public artworks have been created thanks to the Buffalo AKG Public Art Initiative, whose mission is to establish opportunities for local, national, and international artists to transform the city into an urban outdoor museum. Their expressed goal is “to make Western New York an internationally recognized hub of public art” (Buffalo AKG Art Museum). This bold initiative allows those who reside in Buffalo to experience world-class art in their everyday lives.

Foundations in Public Art is a new class at SEM, offered for the first time in the fall of 2022. It emphasizes the uniting force of public art and the power it has to uplift, empower, and educate. Students learn best through direct experience, getting up close, and exploring the city with a creative lens.

Through our explorations we discovered the unique array of public art that resides in our community. We visited a multitude of sites over the course of the trimester, viewing over 40 public art pieces in person.

We began with a tour around Elmwood Village to explore the outdoor artworks within walking distance of SEM. Cassandra Ott’s Garden Walk mural on Elmwood Avenue was a group

favorite as it radiates an infectious sense of optimism and positivity. Summer Smith ’23 noted about the work, “It is very inviting. I really like flowers and nature, so this piece makes me feel happy and at peace.” Throughout the trimester, we explored various areas of the city including Hertel Avenue, Downtown, and Buffalo’s East Side.

Of course, while touring downtown we had to stop for a photo-op in front of Noodle in the Northern Lights, by the Baltimorebased artist team Jesse & Katey. Located on the outside of 710 Sheas, the colorful piece is a welcoming invitation to Buffalo’s Theatre District. Isabela Nieves ’23

remarked, “I have always loved this piece, and my underlying meaning is comfort and happiness. It makes me feel very nostalgic.”

Our last trip of the trimester was to view The Freedom Wall on the corner of Michigan Avenue and East Ferry Street. This large collaborative mural, painted by artists Julia Bottoms, Edreys Wajed, John Baker, and Chuck Tingley, features intricate portraits of twenty-eight civil right activists. It’s located across from Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which served as a crucial station on the Underground Railroad. “In my opinion, The Freedom Wall is important to the

city of Buffalo because it offers representation and empowerment to the local community,” said Savannah Taylor ’23.

Our visits provoked thoughtful discussions and conversations about the immense impact of public art on our city.

Lola Canon ’23 summed up the spirit of the class when she remarked that, “From public art comes the feeling of community, and depending on the piece can spread powerful messages of togetherness.” We took the time to stop, think, and reflect. With that, we were inspired by the power public art has to unite, evoke feelings, and build a love and appreciation for the arts by making it accessible to all. •

Students visit murals around the city. Scan the QR to hear Tricia talk more about the art program at SEM!

SEM ALUMNae

Snapshots from 2022 - 2023 alumnae gatherings

Over the course of this school year, there have been several fun alumnae gatherings, most recently in New York City, Washington, DC, and Sarasota, FL. Head of School, Helen Marlette, and Director of Development, Leah Kimmet, traveled to meet with alumnae in each city.

Much fun was had at Tito’s Cantina in NYC and a huge thank you to Kara Kerwin ’98 for hosting a wonderful gathering in her DC area home!

Throughout the year, opportunities are also provided to gather on campus and reminisce. The Buffalo Seminary Alumnae Association (BSAA) hosted a cocktail party this past September where alumnae gathered to share stories over drinks.

Reunion 2023 will be June 9 - 11, honoring graduating years ending in 3’s or 8’s. Go to buffaloseminary.org/reunion23 for activities, accommodations, and to get inspired!

Would you like to be invited to SEM alumnae events in your area? Or would you be interested in hosting a gathering? Let us know! In addition, please be sure to notify us if you have a change of address so you don’t miss any of our mailings!

We also would like to share your news, career changes, and accomplishments. Selected alumnae updates will be highlighted in future SEM publications, newsletters, and on the Alumnae Class Notes page of the SEM website. Contact Karen Moden ’83 with your news, alumnae gathering information, or any other updates: 716.885.6780 ext. 206 or kmoden@buffaloseminary.org

Marissa Egloff ’14, Elba Sette-Camara ’98

Molly Mathias ’13, Ryan Bronstein ’15, Jo Marymor ’00, Jane Gold ’15, Elissa Baum ’15, LucyMarie Gaulin ’17, Justine Gerace ’16

Lindsay Mathias ’11, Lia Tuso ’11, Sarah Stocklosa ’10, Julia Papiernik ’10

Ashley Holt ’01, Sarah Olson ’93, Kara Kerwin ’98

Stephanie Schillaci ’94, Heather Gibson ’91, Mary Gannon ’96, Caitlyn Lawton ’99

Class Notes 40 ‚s

Joanne Howard Kouris ’44

Living in a Senior Center in Lakewood (Denver). Very comfortable. I have a balcony with a view of the pond (small lake).

Ruth Roblin Winnick ’45

Doing well. Have two great grandsons, ages eight and 10. I talk with Daney Saperston Klingenstein from time to time.

Martha Carr Stisser ’46

I hope you are recovering from the horrible storms and floods! At my “mature” age I don’t travel anymore. I’m on the second floor of a two story condo overlooking the ocean and have daytime caretakers. I get around with a walker and can go up and down the stairs to get out for shopping, appointments, and dinner with friends. Love to all at SEM, Marti

Mary Reist Gaston ’48

When I see Red Tailed Hawks circling my house I think of you.

Jan Roberts Fretz ’49

My granddaughter, Emily Fretz ’19, is a member of the Carolina Ballet Company in Raleigh, NC. I have seen two of her performances.

blessed. Stay well and I hope to see you all again someday!

Lucia Long Schwarz ’52

My son, Lt. Col. Peter H. Schwarz died May 31, 2021. Sixth great grandchild born September 2022.

Kathy Hamilton Steinwedell ’53

still has her sense of humor and gratitude, and remembers her days at SEM fondly.

Patricia Hoffman Griffen ’54

Living in Northern California. Both myself and my husband are retired. Have three adult “kids,” two married. Traveled the US in our motorhome, and visited Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand, etc. Life has been good!

and perspectives. Always such an interesting interlude. Any and every of you 57’ers are so welcome to join us. Contact Ellie Johnson, Mary Berlow, or me for the Zoom number.

Anne Campbell Birkett ’59

Luckily, all goes well. I’m in independent housing at Seabury, a continuing care facility. My son David and his wife live in Austin, TX, and daughter Annie & husband live in Denver, CO. Five grandchildren are spread around the country/world. I play pickleball.

Mary Ellen Daniels

McCormick ’56

We have been living in Shelburne, VT for over 10 years, enjoying our summer garden and friends - and then we spend five months in Tybee Island, GA to escape the snow and ice. A perfect combination!

50 ‚s 60 ‚s

Ethel Roblin Melzer ’50

The “SEM Today” is very impressive! Grateful to SEM for all it is - and for all it helped me to be! Dick and I celebrated our 71st anniversary in March and are planning a Family Reunion in June to celebrate my big birthday (all my classmates know how old I will be)! We have four grandchildren and two great grandchildren and look forward to seeing them all. So far we have dodged COVID and are very grateful for Zoom. We feel very

Helen C. Jones ’53

Always grateful that my two daughters were also able to attend SEM!

Barbara Jerauld Coffin ’53

Living in Peterborough, NH at Rivermead Community (we moved to NH in 1997). Now a widow with eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Margaret Orr MacKenzie ’53

Marla is living in Alstead, NH near her daughter Kinter. She

Moving to California in 2021 was good for us. Would wonder if there are other alums that have migrated to the West. Certainly sorry for the news of the “historic” Christmas blizzard in Buffalo.

Starr Lanctot Ramsey ’57

Sadly, I went to Wendy Hutton Eaton’s funeral on June 8th. Had fun at our 65th reunion with Iris Skoog, Mary Berlow & Ellie Johnson!

Iris Farrow Skoog ’57

Our Class Agents began a weekly Zoom session early last year. Every Thursday eight to 14 of us, anyone available, share information

Judith Becker-Cavallon ’60 Had a wonderful visit to Buffalo last June. Saw the Magavern-Sutton Courtyard for the first time. Still traveling! Recently returned from a Viking River cruise on the Elbe (Munich to Prague). Plan to escape the desert heat in July ’22 with a tour in Eastern Canada (Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island).

Linda Albee Fallon ’60

Re-elected as Chair, Board of Directors, Floyd Center for

Grace (Clauss) Wannemacher ’12 (above and right) married her husband on September 12, 2022. We were honored to participate as her “something borrowed” by allowing her to use the SEM bus for the day!

the Arts. Enjoyed a two-week respite in Panama, visiting my son and his family. He is with the State Department living in Panama, soon to return to the US and Washington.

Gail Donaldson ’61

Enjoying Buffalo’s music, arts, theater, and women’s sports. I love Buffalo!

Elizabeth Peo Armstrong ’62

Officially retired as a photographer. Still living happily in the Pacific NW with more opportunities to see our four children and four grandchildren at our summer home in Woods Hole, MA. Always delighted to read about the Class of ’62. With best wishes to all!

Barbara Feuchter ’63

I am retired. I moved to a larger apartment in 2021. I am still actively writing comedy sketches. In addition, I am in a church workshop helping members with mental health issues.

Anne Herrick Lacy ’64

Still running straight out here in northern Wisconsin.

Noel Symons ’67

Helping care for my two adorable young grandchildren keeps me busy!

Katrina VanArsdale Drouhard ’72

So much fun at our 50th reunion. Thank you all!

Pia Doro ’76

I have three beautiful grandkids in Southern California.

Elizabeth Dutton Bourne ’77

Hello Semmies! Life goes on here outside of NYC. We had been able to spend more time in Bay Beach this past summer. Hope to get to see more of you this summer. Connected with Elena Cacavas ’77. Fun to have other SEM folks around…even if she was a Jacket. ;) Go Hornets!

Kelly Swanson ’77

Moving back to Buffalo two years ago has given me the opportunity to reengage in the SEM community and see firsthand the fantastic work being done to provide these

young women with academic, athletic, and community engagement excellence. Also a deep note of gratitude to Head of School Helen Marlette and all she has done for SEM during her tenure. Her ongoing and relentless efforts to make everything better are remarkable. She will be missed when she retires but never will her efforts be forgotten. Happy to support the Buffalo Seminary! Go Jackets!

Isabella Bannerman ’78

Hello SEM friends. I keep up with classmates via Facebook, and also enjoy posting my cartoons for “Six Chix” there. Have been to San Francisco from time to time to visit my mom and sister Francesca (Class of 1976). In addition to producing work for King Features’ “Six Chix”, I have been contributing short editorial stories to a publication called “World War 3 Illustrated.” Our 52nd issue titled “My Body, Our Choice” will be filled with stories about women’s health, and will be out in June 2023 - published by AKPress. I am also working part-time at Apple Grand

Central, selling iPhones. My schedule varies, but I have been able to greet Buffalo friends here and there when they are passing through the terminal.

Ann Baumler Harrington ’79

I started a part-time job at the RVNA Health Association in their outpatient rehabilitation clinic last March. I am enjoying helping people stay and move well. My husband Steve and I, and our son, Dan, just came back from a trip to the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. Gorgeous views and high temperatures. Looking forward to a Buffalo trip next year.

Sarah Larkin ’84

Can’t believe my youngest daughter just graduated from high school. Still working as a family physician in Pittsburgh. Can’t wait to see what empty nest years bring.

Amy Hayes Atkinson ’84

Amy Hayes Atkinson took a position as Attorney Recruiting Manager with Hodgson Russ LLP.

Kate Holloway Gagne ’86

I remarried last year to Michael Gagne and we recently moved toward the coast of Maine to Harpswell. We are retired (Michael after 38 years with UPS - not having to deal with Christmas packages anymore!) and have six kids between us (ages 14 to 26). All live nearby on the East coast and are frequent visitors. No marriages or babies yet but a couple of long-term romances that could be something soon. We’ll see! The older kids are all working and in various stages of college, while Noah is a junior in high school and Sasha, a freshman. It’s always nice to see news of friends and goings on. SEM has certainly grown. Great years fondly remembered. Go Jackets!

Do you incorporate SEM into your family traditions in some way? We would love to know more! Email Alumnae Relations Coordinator Karen Moden at kmoden@buffaloseminary.org your photos and we would love to share your celebration.

Melissa Peer Wyrick ’91

Melissa is working in the Rome, NY city school district in the Special Education Department. She is also a ski school director for Woods Valley Ski Area.

Julianne Piotrowski Nery ’91

I am still in Chicago, and I started my own law firm this year which is Nonprofit Legal Services LLC. I offer legal and governance services to small and mid-sized Illinois nonprofits. I’m super excited to start this new professional path.

Jessie Schnell Fisher ’92

Jessie was named the Executive Director of the Martin House in Buffalo, NY.

Victoria Brooks ’94

The Mental Health Advocates of WNY awarded Dr. Victoria Brooks of the Erie County Medical Center with the Professional of the Year Award at their 60th

Class notes as of February 10, 2023. To submit a Class Note, please email our Alumnae Relations Coordinator, Karen Moden ’83 at kmoden@ buffaloseminary.org.

Anniversary Gala March 2022.

Darcy Hirsh ’98

Congratulations to Darcy who is now serving as Associate Vice President, Public Affairs and Government Relations at The Jewish Federations of North America.

Rebecca Ott Mueller ’07

Rebecca Ott married Paul Mueller October 10, 2022.

Wannemacher on September 17, 2022 and her “something borrowed” was the SEM bus!

Katie Dorn ’02

Katie, and her husband Jesse, had a baby boy on January 19, 2023, Fritz Dorn-Anders.

Casey Perley ’04

Casey and her husband Neil Hollenbeck welcomed daughter Clara in March of 2022. Go Jackets!

Natalie Hofert-Wettlaufer ’05

I am enjoying life in Buffalo as a photographer with my two kids, husband, and puppy.

Moira Lewis ’05

Moira Lewis and her husband Patrick welcomed daughter Phoebe Kathleen Lewis on July 21, 2022.

Tracy Kreppel Wiley ’11 Tracy and her husband, Jason, welcomed a son, Bennett Michael, on August 27, 2022.

Grace Clauss Wannemacher ’12 Grace Clauss married Patrick

Sydney Mecca ’15 Sydney Mecca was promoted to full-time marketing & development coordinator at Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve.

Allana DePaz ’18

Allana had a baby boy, Michon Amir Dudley Jr., on May 31, 2022.

Moira Giammaresi Lewis ’05 her husband Patrick welcomed daughter Phoebe Kathleen Lewis on July 21, 2022.

Casey Perley ’04 and her husband Neil Hollenbeck welcomed daughter Clara in March of 2022.

From the seats at Highmark Stadium to the sidelines

By Grace Heidinger 18 ‚

WhenI walked through the big wooden doors on the first day of my senior year at SEM, I looked at my schedule and noticed I was accidentally enrolled in a journalism class. Even though writing wasn’t my forte at the time, I took advantage of the opportunity that was in front of me – something that SEM always preached.

This opportunity, which opened my eyes to covering sporting events, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While I didn’t know it at the time, my future career was right in front of me.

Later that same year, I found myself wondering what interested me enough to do my senior capstone project on. But after watching a Pittsburgh Penguins game while writing a story for journalism class one night, I thought to myself, why not base my capstone around women in sports? Little did I know, I would become one a few years later.

In the blink of an eye, everything came full circle during my final semester at Duquesne. I traded in my jersey for a blazer and my tickets for a media credential when I became a staff writer intern for the Penguins. Sitting up in the press box during games and in the post-game press conference room to cover my favorite hockey team was truly a dream come true.

As the internship started to wind down and I officially became a Duquesne graduate in May 2022, I had to figure out what was next. LinkedIn and job application websites soon became my best friends, and the experience I gained in Pittsburgh ultimately prepared me for and led me to my next position: a Media and Content Intern for the Buffalo Bills.

When I got the call that I was offered this role, I was filled with mixed emotions. I didn’t want to leave Pittsburgh and I didn’t know football as well as I knew hockey, but the SEM girl in me pushed me to take the jump and not be afraid to fall. So, I accepted the position and moved back home to Buffalo just three weeks later to cover my hometown team.

48 hours after I made it back to

the 716, I packed my bags again and moved to St. John Fisher University in Rochester for Bills Training Camp. The independence and confidence that SEM instilled in me instantly came out the moment I stepped on the football field for the team’s first practice, and later that day, I was tasked with writing my first story on turkey burgers (a camp favorite for Josh Allen) and absorbed the collegelike atmosphere of training camp. Similar to how SEM prepared me for the transition to life in college, the three weeks at training camp prepared me for what to expect when the regular football season rolled around. And when the time came to get acclimated to One Bills Drive, I quickly learned that every day is different when working in sports. However, every week was rather routine in terms of practice coverage leading up to games as well as gameday coverage. “From the Locker Room” was a piece I published after the team’s first practice of each new week and after every game based on the overall emotions of the players. Whether the focus was on the excitement of winning the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams or looking ahead to their upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals, my goal was to share a newsworthy

story with all of Bills Mafia.

My portfolio of stories has since been filled with post-game reactions, community event articles, player features, and everything in between. But the unexpected stories I told are what made for an unforgettable 2022 Bills season. The emotions of winning or losing were put aside when there were bigger and more meaningful stories to tell.

How a Buffalo snowstorm forced the team to move a home game to Detroit. How a once in a generational blizzard struck Buffalo and affected the entire community. The moment life became more important than the sport when Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered and thankfully recovered from cardiac arrest – a story that caught the attention of the entire country and one that I never imagined writing about.

If it wasn’t for the journalism class I took at SEM, I’m not quite sure I’d be down the path of a career in sports media. And the experience, skills, and qualities that I’ve adapted from my time at 205 Bidwell Parkway and beyond now fill my personal handbook on how to get further down that path. So, take the opportunity, pitch that story idea, and Go Bills! •

Grace’s time at SEM has led her to new passions and exeperiences.

Grace Heidinger

In Memoriam

Peter C. Andrews

Husband of Joan Kostick Andrews ’48*

Joan Allen Armour ’47

Douglas Baker

Father of Karen Baker ’85, grandfather of Taylor Levin ’13

Virgilia “Jill” Benker-Beck

Mother of Molly Beck-Joslyn ’99, grandmother of Mackenzie Beck ’18 and Julia Beck ’20

Sheldon Berlow

Husband of Mary Hanrahan Berlow ’57

Marsha Feine Bodine ’63

Emilio Joseph Bontempo Jr.

Grandfather of Georgia Bontempo ’20 and Maggie Rose Bontempo ’18

June Smither Bourne ’46

Lansing G. Brisbin Jr.

Husband of Joan Metzger Brisbin ’46

Ann House Brouse ’41

Sister of Jean House Lapey ’34*, mother of Laurie Brouse

Diercks ’72 and Cristy Brouse Richardson ’65

Captain John Willoughby Brown

Father of Margaret Brown ’72, Susan Coe Brown ’74, Carrie Brown Wick ’76, and Otie Brown Filkorn ’79

Sara “Sally” Fowler Burchell ’47

Aunt of former trustee Philip (Donna) Niswander, great-aunt of Lisa Niswander Peterson ’03, Katherine Niswander ’05, and Grace Niswander ’10

Raymond Clough

Father of Rachel Clough de Videla ’92

Froso Colomvakos ’83

Rita Ann Kostick Gold Cousins ’45

Barbara Ferguson DiCamillo ’45

Susan Ray Dillon ’51

Sister-in-law of Alice Sullivan Dillon ’51

Ann Christine Dutton ’56

Wendy Hutton Eaton ’57

Sister of Linda Hutton Hursty ’63

Karen Epps Foote ’73

Sara Jane ’Sally’ Fowler ’47

Levi Reed Gartman

Son of Alison Green ’04

Linda Clinton Henschel ’58

Susan L. Holland

Mother of Alexandra Holland ’12

David P. Hughes

Former SEM trustee, father of Arianna Hughes ’13 and Kaitlin Hughes ’16, uncle of Erika

Douglas ’12, Julia Douglas ’15, Anna Fretz ’16 and Emily Fretz ’19

Alison Coatsworth Johansson ’44

Mother of Jean Johansson ’79, aunt of Catherine McLean

Faust ’72, Cynthia Fox ’72, Sarah Fox ’69, Susan Priebe ’68, greataunt to Kendall Priebe ’12 and Carolyn Faust ’03, cousin of Barbara Bergantz Moslow ’63 and Kelly Chambers Ostendorf ’83

Charles G. “Chip” Jones

Father of Micaela Farley Sperrazzo ’12

Sean Kelly

Grandfather of Grace

Von Simson ’13 and Clare Von Simson ’17

Mary Isabelle “Miz”

Cochrane Kloepfer ’43

Anne Koenig Larson ’53

Barbara Barnett Lexer ’54

James L. Magavern

Honorary trustee, husband of the late Robin Simon Magavern ’52, brother of Margaret Magavern Hargraves ’53, Mary Magavern Worrell ’60, and Jane Magavern Beebe ’64, father-in-law of Former Trustee

Monica Angle, brother-in-law of Susan J. Clark ’58, uncle of Priscilla Magavern Wolfe ’88, grandfather of Emma Magavern ’03 and Anna Magavern ’15, cousin of Joan Magavern Gregory ’47 and Sarah Magavern Ambrus ’79

Maria Lenhoff Marcus ’50

In Memoriam

Margaret “Peggy” Marcy ’55

Sister of Martha Marcy

Richards ’60 and Mary Marcy Spaulding ’60

John L. McHale III

Father of Erin McHale ’88 and Kathleen McHale LoTempio ’91, grandfather of Margaret McHale ’18 and Mary Grace McHale ’20

Dennis N. Merrell

Father of SEM Director of Finance, Denise Merrell

Charlotte Webb Mosher ’45

Dolores H. Nelson

Mother of Christine Nelson Shookus ’66

Tess O’Leary ’13 Sister of Emily O’Leary ’05 and Jenny O’Leary ’08, daughter of Life Trustee Kevin O’Leary

Theresa M. Pasciak Mother of SEM faculty member Dolores Pasciak

Martha Nussbaumer Potter ’48

John J. Richter

SEM Chef from 1980-2004

Kurt T. Sajda

Husband of Amy J. Goldstein ’74, brother-in-law of Ellen S. Goldstein ’70

James A. Sanderson

Former SEM trustee, father of Tory Sanderson Sieglaff ’89

Richard “Sky” Smith, Jr.

Former husband of the late Judith Putnam Smith ’54*

Vanette “Van” Townsend Smith ’46

Michael Jason Stow

Nephew of Julianna Glauser Jordan ’05

Suzanne Jameson VanArsdale ’41 Mother of Ruth J. VanArsdale ’65, Mary Jane VanArsdale Miller ’67, and Katrina VanArsdale Drouhard ’72

Steven J. Weiss

Husband of Mary Bergmann Weiss ’63

Rosemary Woodworth Whiting ’40

Board of Trustees 2022 - 2023

Volunteer Leadership 2022 - 23

Chair: Kate Bowen Smith ’92, P’23

Vice-Chair: Elizabeth Montesano Roach

Secretary: Cindy Levy P’22

Treasurer: Jennifer Gress P ’23 & ’26

Members

Mark Burlow P’17

Anaydia Catherine Earle P’17

Jessica Jacobs Enstice P’19

Kathryn J. Hamister ’97

Maureen Hays-Mitchell ’74

Karson Humiston ’11

Mary Kelkenberg P’21 & ’23

Kara Hornung Kerwin ’98

Joanna Glauser Marymor ’00

Barbara Fischer McQueeney ’74

Erin K. O’Brien ’86

Jennifer D. Roberts ’92

Alicia Saia ’86

Suzanne Marlette Sears ’73, P’02

Carrie Brown Wick ’76

ex officio Helen L. Marlette P’13

Life Trustees

Marjorie E. Barney

Margaret Brown ’72

Jane Hopkins Carey ’75

Frederick B. Cohen, Esq.

Linda Cornelius ‘71

Jody Douglass

Shelley Cole Drake ’66

Janice Roberts Fretz ’49

Joan Willard Gruen ’51

Amy J. Habib

Barbara Cowan Hyde ’43

Create Your Legacy

Luella Harder Johnson ’57

Susan Lenahan Kimberly ’68

David Knauss

Charles F. Kreiner, Jr.

Madeline Ambrus Lillie ’68

Amy Martoche ’88

Philip R. Niswander

Melanie Franco Nussdorf ’67

Kevin O’Leary

William H. Pearce, Jr.

Michael Perley

Charles R. Rice

Mary Ross Rice ’52

Amy Habib Rittling ’86

Harry B. Schooley III

Michal Wadsworth

Deceased:

Joan Kostick Andrews ’48

Francis S. Faust, Esq.

Mark E. Hamister

L. Nelson Hopkins, Jr.

Murray S. Howland, MD

Elaine F. James ’42

Paul Koessler

Robin Simon Magavern ’52

Rosemary Smith Marlette ’41

Joseph H. Morey, Jr., Esq.

M. Ruth Fowler Niswander ’43

Betty Lehman Oppenheimer ’37

Jean Reese Oshei ’32

William H. Pearce, Sr.

Madeleine Breinig Reid ’33

Susan Rubenstein Schapiro ’48

Thomas Stewart

Annette Stevens Wilton ’52

David G. Strachan

Honorary Trustees

Ansie Silverman Baird ’55

Mary Hanrahan Berlow ’57

Geraldine Walsh Clauss ’47

Janie Urban Constantine ’66

Alice Sullivan Dillon ’51

William J. Magavern II

Mary E. B. Oshei ’74

Carin Wyckoff Phillips ’51

Susan Hanrahan Turben ’54

Tara VanDerveer ’71

Deceased:

Katherine Crandell Bassett ’50

Mary Henrich Botsford ’33

Betty Butzer Brown ’44

Melissa Reed Chudy ’78

Dick Davis

Virginia Deuel ’33

Robert E. Dillon, Jr.

Catherine McLean Eagleson ’53

Marritje VanArsdale Greene ’69

Betty Duthie Kittinger ’30

James L. Magavern Esq.

Jean Wende McCarthy ’31

Marion Osborn ’40

Betty Johnson Ott ’40

Dorothy Doane Scott ’26

Gary R. Sutton

Patricia Runk Sweeney ’56

Linda Kittinger Wadsworth ’56

June Seufert Walker ’39

Margaret L. Wendt 1903

Rosemary Woodworth Whiting ’40

Since the very beginning, the vision of Buffalo Seminary has been to empower young women by providing an excellent learning environment. Planned gifts from SEM’s graduates and friends continue to provide the financial support to realize this vision.

Legacy Opportunities

Gifts that can provide income during your lifetime

Establish a Charitable Gift Annuity or a Charitable Remainder Trust to provide for a steady stream of lifetime income for you and an ultimate gift for SEM.

Gifts that yield immediate benefits

Outright Gifts, Securities, Property

Gifts that sustain SEM in the future

Last Will and Testament, Life Insurance, Retirement Accounts

Considering a planned gift to SEM?

We look forward to welcoming you to the Elm Legacy Society. Please contact our Director of Development, Leah Kimmet, at @buffaloseminary.org.

Donors Lead the Way

Your support powers SEM!

Thank you!

Since we opened our doors in 1851, financial contributions have always been vital to the continuing success of the school. You can put a student in a SEM classroom who otherwise would not be able to attend. A gift to SEM will have an immediate impact on a student’s life.

Annual Giving

By making a gift, you take a leading role in providing stellar learning opportunities for future influencers, humanitarians, and explorers. Annual Fund dollars go to work immediately, addressing our most pressing needs and seizing exciting opportunities for our students.

The Founders’ Society

The Founders’ Society is a special set of donors who give at least $1,000 to the Annual Fund each year. This elite group of alumnae, parents, friends, and faculty members takes an interest in the future of our girls, and makes a significant investment in their outcomes.

Leadership Reunion Giving

SEM has an established tradition of going above and beyond when celebrating class reunions every five years. In fact, many alumnae are proud to join the Reunion Club by giving an additional 50%-100% above their typical annual gift. Each year, alumnae celebrating reunion years have a tremendous impact on the Annual Fund.

Endowed Support

A healthy endowment is critical for the long-term viability of Buffalo Seminary. An endowed gift is invested and grows over time, while SEM uses the investment income to support student scholarships, building maintenance, equipment replacement, or any other project that requires long-term funding. Endowed gifts allow donors to support SEM in perpetuity.

Current Use Scholarships

Some donors prefer to make a large, short-term impact by covering half or all of a student’s tuition at SEM. These generous donors agree to provide the same level of support to their student(s) throughout their career at SEM. A current use scholarship helps bright and deserving girls access a top-notch education, and allows donors to witness the impact of their very special gift first-hand!

Elm Legacy Society

Planning ahead for a future gift allows you to achieve your charitable goals and can help provide a financially secure future for you, your loved ones, and Buffalo Seminary. When you make a planned gift to SEM, include SEM in your will, or name SEM as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, you become a member of the Elm Legacy Society.

Thank you for your support. Please contact Director of Development Leah Kimmet, lkimmet@buffaloseminary.org, for more information on donating.

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