Q &A
with Maria Haas Tess, HA ’68 Former Alumnae Board President and One of DSHA’s Biggest Supporters Maria Haas Tess, HA ’68, and her husband Bill, are long-time and enthusiastic donors of DSHA, who support the school through both their treasure and time. They have invested in an endowed fund, kept DSHA in their estate plans, and have given to the DSHA Annual Fund for years, but their gifts have not stopped there. They enjoy their visits to DSHA, sometimes proudly showing off the school to friends and family. Furthermore, Tess has spent the last decade on the DSHA Alumnae Board, stepping down from her role as president and moving into an ex officio role. While the Tess’ kindness to DSHA is substantial and DSHA is thankful for them, their greatest gift is their pride in and commitment to the school and its community.
Q: You have attended Catholic schools your entire life. Why is it important to you to support all-girls, Catholic education? A: I think a sound faith gives you such good roots for everything you will ever experience in life. I believe that a basic part of everyone’s education should be about developing spiritual convictions so that you believe in something whatever you may encounter. My husband and I have no kids, and when we sat down and decided what we were going to do with what we worked hard for, we decided education was the best way we could affect our own community and the world. I have always had strong, positive feelings about my own educational background. A girl’s teenage years are a pivotal part of her growing and maturing process. We wanted to focus on a high school, and it was no question that DSHA would be the high school we support. Q: Describe your time at Holy Angels Academy. What is your fondest high school memory? A: I was the only one that went to Holy Angels from my grade school St. John deNepomuc in Milwaukee. I had to start out fresh and make new friends. That was the great thing about Holy Angels — it opened your circle up to meet girls from all over the city. I was honored to be a part of the Angelaires, the audition-based group of singers. We got involved in the theatre productions and traveled. 45
