SUMMER 2012
The Word VOLUME 43 • NUMBER 2
magazine
Winter 2018 | Volume 48 | Number 1
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DSHA's fall production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid earned 21 Tommy Award nominations! Award recipients will be announced in May. The nominations include Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Orchestra, 14 student nominations, and six production team nominations.
Divine Savior Holy Angels High School is a Catholic college preparatory high school for young women that excels at developing the whole person. Sponsored by the Sisters of the Divine Savior and grounded in their mission to make known the goodness and kindness of Jesus Christ, we develop our students into capable young women of faith, heart and intellect who accept the gospel call to live lives that will make a difference. DSHA continues to build on 125 years of tradition in academic excellence and commitment to single-gender education and attracts over 685 students annually from all over Southeastern Wisconsin. To learn more, log on to www.dsha.info.
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A D M I N I S T R AT I O N
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
John Herbers, Chair Judie Dalum Taylor, DSHA '87, Vice Chair Sharon deGuzman, Treasurer
Ellen S. Bartel, President Andy Lampereur, Secretary S. Grace Mary Croft, SDS, DS '56, Sponsorship Coordinator Frank Probst, Sponsorship Coordinator
MEMBERS
Meg Druml Boyle, DSHA '76 Pedro Colón Cathleen A. Ebacher S. Mary Lee Grady, SDS Mike Hodan
Peggy Kelsey Jennifer Keough Joe Kerschner, MD Mary Jo Layden Susan Lueger
Katie Konieczny, DSHA'92, President-Elect Dan Quesnell, Principal Sally Gramling, DSHA ’79, Senior VP of Finance & Administration
John McDermott Ray O'Connor Katie Daily Pickart, PhD, DSHA '84 Christopher Swain John Wittkowske
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2017 DASH-A-THON September 27, 2017 marked a treasured annual tradition – Dash-A-Thon. Our student body raised $84,677 toward the DSHA Annual Fund. Pictured: Juniors Abeni Wichinski, Michelle Horning, and Madeline Connell.
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 13 14 15 19 21 22 23 24 25 29 33 37 383
Letter from the President Letter from the Principal Winter Play: Stage Door Fall Highlights Athletic Highlights Faculty Focus: Andy Lelinski Peggy Seegers-Braun Honored The All Girls Difference in AP Computer Science DSHA Summer Cool Building Bridges, Not Walls A Celebration of Transformation: The DSHA Retreat Journey Ellen Bartel Tribute Scholarship Planned Giving: An Easy Way to Make a Big Difference Why Young Alumnae Give to DSHA St. Patrick's Day Auction Alumnae Weekend Recap + Alumnae of Distinction Historical Fiction Writing Contest Winner: Hope's Kitchen Alumnae News & Class Notes In Memoriam WINTER 2018 Dates Save These
SUMMER 2012
The Word VOLUME 43 • NUMBER 2
magazine
Winter 2018 | Volume 48 | Number 1
On the cover: DSHA celebrated Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass on December 12.
The Word magazine is published for and about the students, alumnae, parents, faculty, administrators and friends of Divine Savior Holy Angels High School. Your feedback is always welcome; contact Senior Director of Marketing & Communications Molly Shea at SheaM@dsha.info or send correspondence to 4257 N. 100th St., Milwaukee, WI 53222. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Molly Shea GRAPHIC DESIGN & ARTISTIC DIRECTION:
Marissa Gentz and Stephanie Chadek CONTRIBUTORS:
Ellen Bartel, Allison Caswell, DSHA '04, Ann Duffy, DSHA '10, Emma Grogan, DSHA '18, Katie Brown Konieczny, DSHA '92, Frank Miller, Dan Quesnell, Christa Shields, Becky Steimle
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. These two lines are from a prayer I have offered many times at DSHA. I have always liked it and believed “you are exactly where you are meant to be” would be as calming to our girls as it was to me. Today it speaks to me profoundly as I reflect on the opportunity I have had to serve as president of DSHA. When the Sisters of the Divine Savior asked me to become DSHA’s first president in 1998, I was given, I now realize, the gift of a lifetime. Entrusted with the mission to develop young women of faith, heart and intellect who will live lives that will make a difference, I received the challenge and opportunity to become one myself. OK, so the “young” part is no longer true, but the rest of it — that’s the job description. With the unwavering support and inexhaustible energy of Michael, my husband, my role here has not been a job. It has been a vocation and a lifestyle; together, we have been “all in.” I have been exactly where I was meant to be. For that incredible gift, I am so grateful. The matter of faith is central to our reason for being a school. We intend to support each student and member of our staff to attend to their own faith journey and grow in relationship to God. Over time, I have grown so much in my own ability to discern and connect our community’s need to the prayers that we offer to God. Just a few weeks ago, I sat on the stage of the Robert and Marie Hansen Family Fine Arts Theatre for the send-off prayer service for Vocare, our seniors' two-week capstone service experience. As we closed with a full-throated singing of “We are One Body," I had tears in my eyes. I would never again have just that view of 695 joyous young women, nor would I join them in just that way as we made manifest our faith and our belief in each other and our school. To know that our Catholic identity is visibly present and felt at DSHA, I am so grateful. To me, being a woman of heart required me to examine our institutional decisions to be sure that the reflection of justice and compassion that the example of Jesus demands of us was present. I knew that we needed to invest in people. And now we do! Through a scholarship program that is nearing two million dollars annually, we have made the DSHA experience possible for literally hundreds of talented, motivated girls with limited resources. Their lives have been forever changed and our school community has a depth, richness and diversity from which we all learn and grow. My parents, both gifted teachers, devoted their lives to Catholic education. My mother frequently talked about what a gift it is to have important work worth doing well. Their inferior financial compensation was not a point of contention for my parents. But I could not accept that what had always been true of working in a Catholic school would always have to be true. Justice in the form of market-competitive compensation for all DSHA teachers and staff has been achieved and must be maintained. So many worked so hard for so long to articulate and achieve our scholarship and compensation goals. I am so grateful. That a school would name “intellect” as one of its outcomes is no surprise. But the opportunity at DSHA is that here we do not divorce the use of intellect or its power from the illumination of our faith or the insights of our hearts. The call to serve in a Catholic school demands and allows that you bring your whole-self to school every day. Yes, I take pride that our course offerings continue to grow and our ACT averages are the best in the state for girls. You bet I do. But it is our lived-out commitment to support the development of the whole girl that fueled my drive to complete two capital campaigns so we could transform our girls’ experiences and thus their possibilities. To look around today at DSHA is to see so many important teaching, learning, growing moments happening because of the creativity, commitment and transformative generosity of so many. And for that, I am so grateful. So for today, there is peace within me. It has been an honor and a gift to lead DSHA and live this mission every day. I am so very grateful.
Ellen S. Bartel President
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LETTER FROM T H E P R I N C I PA L
What does it mean to be a leader at DSHA? Too often I think we fall into the trap that leadership is identifiable only through titled positions such as “president of insert your preferred club or activity.” While strong leadership is most definitely seen through these titled positions at DSHA, they are also seen in other ways, too. As I reflect on the fall semester, I am grateful for this senior class and the leadership they have exhibited thus far. We welcomed our freshmen class on August 18. Who was there to greet them — quite literally — at the front door? Our seniors. 48 of these young women provided leadership in small groups that helped orient the newest members of our community. They led prayer and assured freshmen by answering their questions. They went out of their way to help them find their classrooms, and they showed through their actions how DSHA is a fun, caring, supportive environment where they will flourish — together. A favorite tradition at DSHA is Dash-A-Thon. This year, our senior leaders helped us raise $84,647! This is a significant amount of money towards our annual institutional fundraising goals. In addition to the fundraising piece, Dash-A-Thon is an important spirit event. Our seniors theme the check-in stations along the route, organizing fun activities, singing songs, sharing a spirited splash of glitter, face paint, bites of candy — but ultimately, leading the build of true community. A final example is core to our mission. Each October, our freshmen class gathers for retreat. Over 50 seniors lead this retreat, too. They serve as small group leaders: facilitating discussion, leading freshmen to take flight in their faith, and encouraging growth in their relationship with God. Each leader is a testament to God’s loving presence in the lives of our students, and they beautifully give witness to this presence so that the freshmen may also recognize God’s loving present in their own lives. Working with the young women of DSHA, we see leadership manifested in many ways. The impact of this leadership sets a tone that makes DSHA special. When our girls lead — and they do often — it is most definitely evidence that All Girls Makes All the Difference.
Dan Quesnell Principal
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FA L L HIGHLIGHTS
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1 FR E S H M AN OR I E N TATI ON The freshman Class of 2021 received an introduction to all things DSHA on their first full day of school – Friday, August 18. The day's theme, The Wonderful World of DSHA (a Disney spin-off), inspired creative costumes and decorations welcoming the newest members of our school community. Students met upperclasswomen, learned class cheers, met their teachers, enjoyed a selfie scavenger hunt, and gathered for their first Mass as a class.
THE L IFE OF 2 DA AYD A ISNHER DSHA's Find Your Focus Photography Club kicked off the year with a "Day in the Life of a Dasher" photoshoot. On September 17, club members photographed activities that Dashers carry out daily: traveling to school, attending class, athletics and cocurricular activities, hanging with friends, and returning home to their families at the end of the day. Students worked to creatively capture four qualities: people, a sense of place, clarity and composition, and reality. To view the photo exhibition, visit dsha.info/dayinthelife. Pictured: Daniela Camarillo, DSHA '20 photographed by Paola Loera, DSHA '19.
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3 GOL F OUTING Nearly 200 golfers and dinner guests enjoyed the 24th annual Parent Athletic Association Dasher Golf Outing & Dinner on September 15 at the New University Club of Milwaukee. Thank you to the golfers, sponsors and volunteers that supported this event to further improve Dasher athletics. Pictured: Jeff Wozniak, Robert Koster, and DSHA Social Studies Faculty & Softball Coach Tom Montgomery.
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WO M A N OF I N FLU E N C E On Friday, November 10, President Ellen Bartel and Tatyana Lynn, DSHA ’18, spoke at the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Women of Influence event where they introduced our very own Dr. Katie Weiss, DSHA ’97, as the keynote speaker. DSHA students also had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Weiss about her experiences as a pioneer for women in STEM careers. Students learned about her time as a graduate and doctoral student at MIT, how she served as the first woman flight software lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, and about her current position as a Technical Manager Imagineer at Walt Disney where she makes the magic happen!
5S TR I K E A POWER POSE In November, Social Studies teacher Sue Goulee captured this powerful photo, sharing, "My students were very nervous before I gave a test in my Cultures and Civilizations class, so one girl suggested that everyone should assume a power pose. In Freshman Seminar, we had talked about how power poses reduce stress and increase confidence before a task. They all spread their bodies out to make them as large as possible. Then someone grabbed their neighbors' hands and it rippled around the room. I love the result!"
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FEAST OF THE IMMACUL ATE CON CE P T I O N DSHA closed our year-long 125 th anniversary celebration at the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass on December 8.
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CHRISTMAS IN TH E Q UA D December 7 marked a treasured tradition – the 18th annual Christmas in The Quad! Pictured: Sophomores Klaudia Eisenreich and Cecilia Garcia-Velez.
For additional fall highlights regarding our Building Bridges, Not Walls initiative, check out pages 15-18.
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The swim and dive team competed in the Greater Metro Conference Championship where Senior Kelley Kornfeld finished first in diving. At the Sectional meet, Kornfeld finished second in diving, which qualified her for the WIAA State Championship where she finished in 4th overall out of 24 divers competing in the meet. She broke two school records this year and now holds the school record for 6 dives at 277.85 and for 11 dives at 494.05.
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The cross country team had another great season, posting a 111-12 overall record and a fourth place finish in the Greater Metro Conference meet. The team won the WIAA Sectional Championship, which qualified them as a team to compete in the WIAA State meet in Wisconsin Rapids. The team finished in seventh place overall. Senior Meghan Scott placed 5th overall in the Division 1 race with a time of 18:42.37.
G O L F The golf team had another successful season in the Greater Metro Conference, finishing second in the regular season and at the conference tournament. The team went on to compete in the WIAA Regional, where they placed second. Senior Lorenza Martinez was named the medalist for the meet, shooting a 70. The team then moved on to the sectional meet and finished third. Martinez qualified as an individual for the state championship, where she placed 4th overall as an individual.
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The field hockey team had one of their best seasons yet. The team finished in second place in the conference. In post-season, the team won their quarter-final game over Trinity Academy/Living Word and then went on to beat Arrowhead 3-2 in overtime to advance to the state championship game for the first time in school history! The team battled but came up short against defending champions Brookfield Academy 3-0 to claim the state runner-up trophy.
HIGHLIGHTS
T E N N I S The tennis team finished second in the Greater Metro Conference dual season and first in the Greater Metro Conference Tournament. They went on to finish as the WIAA Sectional Runner-Up and qualified four players to compete in the WIAA Individual State Championships. Seniors Lauren Sinense and Laney Tarantino competed in the doubles tournament. Junior Logan White competed in the singles tournament finishing in 5th place, while sophomore Jordan Schifano competed in the singles tournament and finished in 3rd place.
V O L L E Y B A L L The volleyball team finished in fourth place in the Greater Metro Conference dual season but came back to win the Greater Metro Conference Tournament. The team then went on to win the WIAA Regional Championship and the WIAA Sectional Championship to make a return appearance at the WIAA Division 1 State Championship. The Dashers won the quarter-final game against Greendale and then lost in four sets to Burlington, the eventual state champion, in the semi-final game.
R U G B Y The defending national championship rugby team posted another undefeated fall regular season. The team then moved on to their state tournament where they easily won their quarter-final and semifinal games to meet Catholic Memorial in the state championship. The team fought hard but came up short, losing the game 10-15 to claim the state runner-up trophy.
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FA C U LT Y When English faculty
FOCUS
ANDY LELINS KI
summarizes his “why” for teaching, this simple statement is it:
Make a tangible difference on a regular basis. THE HEART OF THE MATTER After graduating from Marquette University, Lelinski began his teaching career at Reagan High School in Milwaukee. It was ten years in Milwaukee Public Schools in which he developed and honed a passion for students from all walks of life — their reality and the perspectives they brought to the classroom. “I learned to value everyone who came through my door,” he shares. “I knew that these students might not always feel this in every interaction they had in their lives. To value their worth was at the professional heart of what I did.” This passion for helping students of varying experiences — through academic challenges and growth — has continued to be lifegiving for Lelinski in his transition to an all-girls, faith-based environment – a change he made at the start of the 2016-2017 academic year. “Regardless of the institution, teaching is still about getting to know students," he says, "to challenge and help them grow as thinkers and individuals who will walk out of here and contribute to society in a very meaningful way.” A COMMUNITY OF COMPASSION A common scene in Lelinski’s classroom is a line of students — both before and after class — waiting to ask a question or discuss an assignment with the freedom to infuse their own perspective, faith, community or experience into the conversation. “Andy is intentional about teaching with inclusion and community at the forefront. He is focused on helping girls from all walks of life be curious about corners of the world — and Milwaukee —
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they may know nothing about,” says Academic Dean and English Department Chair Heather Mansfield. “He treats his students like interested, engaged intellectuals who have a thirst to know more about people, communities and ways of life that are so very different from their own. Observing in his classroom, I have seen his students rise to this expectation and opportunity and truly blossom before my eyes — and theirs.” THE ALL-GIRLS, CATHOLIC DIFFERENCE Moving from a co-ed public school environment to DSHA has come with opportunity for Lelinski to teach through the lens of his own faith. He especially appreciates the avenue the Salvatorian mission lends to some of the more difficult subject matters in his curriculum, particularly in his Ethnicity in American Literature class. “We’re an institution that talks about the preferential option for the poor,” he shares. “When we deal with texts that present impoverished communities or individuals, we can’t just disregard them as less than human. Our mission helps me help the girls see the relevance of this in literature to our everyday lives.” The environment that his all-girls classrooms provides is one that he welcomes and champions — particularly having grown up in a family with five sisters. “Certainly other schools present a rigorous curriculum, but no other school in the area directly offers this type of opportunity solely to girls, and privileges and encourages their development into the leaders of tomorrow like we do. It is engrained into the culture of DSHA.”
BEAUTY IN THE COMPLEX When asked what he loves about his job, it is the complicated and the challenging. Lelinski’s joy in the classroom is derived from helping students move from a place of comfort to struggle, and then on to growth. “I love when students encounter something that is very different than what they are used to,“ he says. “We face a lot of complex issues in our world. The art of literature offers an opportunity to bring these issues into the classroom in a productive way. As students grapple with uncomfortable and challenging moments in text, they are challenged to attempt resolution with similar issues they face in both their own lives and our society as well.” In Lelinski’s classroom, gain, growth, and success comes not only from, but in the struggle. He regularly sees DSHA girls who tend to want to get it right the first time, all the time. But it is in the struggle and the conflict that students — and teachers too (!) — encounter progress and resolution. And in the daily pursuit of what some might call difficult, Lelinski sees beauty as tangible, consistent and life-changing differences are made. BY MOLLY SHEA
named WADA State Athletic Director of the Year The Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association (WADA) presented its 2017 State Athletic Director of the Year award to DSHA Athletic Director Peggy Seegers-Braun. With more than 30 years in coaching and sports leadership, Seegers-Braun is known throughout the Wisconsin sports community for her commitment to her studentathletes and her consistently successful programs. The WADA announcement also cites her “superb organizational skills and an inexhaustible commitment to furthering education and characterbased sports programs for students and community youth.” Since joining DSHA’s faculty in 1988, she has focused on expanding athletic offerings, introducing eight
“Mrs. Seegers-Braun is super hands-on with ever ything. I had a lot going on with ever ything for Team USA, and I could talk to her about anything. She cares about all her athletes.”
new sports and increasing programs from 14 to 40 teams, Currently, more than 60 percent of the school’s student body is involved in at least one sport. Under Seegers-Braun's leadership, Dasher teams have had multiple significant championship seasons. Of even more value than national and state championships is Seegers-Braun’s ongoing legacy and commitment to developing a culture of leadership among DSHA students and the athletic community. The value of personal leadership she instills in her student-athletes and coaches is immeasurable. She coordinates an annual leadership workshop for student-athletes and serves as a mentor for new athletic directors in metro Milwaukee.
DSHA CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDER PEGGY SEEGERS-BRAUN • A combined 95 WISAA and WIAA Regional Championships • 11 WIAA Sectional Runner-Up Titles • 39 WIAA Sectional Championships • A combined 21 WISAA and WIAA State Runner-Up Titles • 8 WISAA State Championships • 11 WIAA State Championships • 6 National Championships
Who is Peggy Seegers-Braun to you? “Mrs. Seegers-Braun has made a good championship culture, which involves communication, leadership, sportsmanship, and more. She’s the best!” ANNA HUGHES, DSHA '18 | Current Student-Athlete; President of the Student Athletic Advisory Council
“Peggy has played a huge role in my development as a coach – it’s very difficult to put into words my appreciation of how much Peggy does for DSHA’s athletic program. As an athlete, I remember Peggy’s support. As a coach, I’ve seen the incredible amount of time and effort she puts into being at events and developing leadership in the girls. Her commitment to players, coaches, teams and the betterment of everyone as athletes and people is incredible.” CAITIE O’BRIEN RATKOWSKI, DSHA '02 | Current Varsity Volleyball Coach; 2016 DSHA Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee
ARIKE OGUNBOWALE, DSHA '15 Three-time Wisconsin Women’s Basketball Player of the Year
Current Student-Athlete; Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Team USA: 2017 USA Basketball Women’s U23 National Team
“Peggy has worked to attract good coaches who match the mission and vision of DSHA. She encourages the girls to be not only good sports and good teammates but good leaders. I’ve thanked her a million times but I can't thank her enough for all she’s done.” BOB WISSING | Past President of the Parent Athletic Association
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“All girls” makes a difference in new AP Computer Science course STUD E N T S E MB RA CE THE O P P O RTUNITY AS DSHA C OMPU T ER C L A S S E S E V O LV E FROM EXCEL AND W EB D ESIG N TO P RO G RA MMI NG AND JAVA. BY BECKY STEIMLE
With the introduction of the AP Computer Science A course at DSHA this year, students applying to college can now claim computer science as an area of special study. The new course is part of the DSHA Specialized Studies Department, which allows students to engage in a broader view of learning in courses that pull from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and business fields. “Computer science is a very important field for our students to gain experience and knowledge in,” says Connie Farrow, DSHA Chair of Specialized Studies. “There’s a shortage of women in the field.” If the DSHA response is any indication, there may not be a shortage of women in computer science much longer. “We had hoped we’d have 10 girls register,” says Farrow. “We had 44 first semester.” Farrow, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering and taught at the Milwaukee School of Engineering before coming to DSHA, brought the idea of developing a computer programming course to Academic Dean Dr. Heather Mansfield and Principal Dan Quesnell. “We taught Word, Excel and web design, but we all felt strongly we needed programming.” Mansfield says the approach expands students’ STEM experience. “A student in computer science can actually develop a computer program.” “They’re learning about what’s behind technology,” says Farrow. “As one example, they now know the program involved in checking a password.” Farrow has
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structured the class each week to feature two lecture days and two lab days where DSHA students are learning the basics of Java coding. A favorite project from the first semester course was writing code to simulate the play of “rock, paper, scissors”. Students are also using code to program the solutions to classic mathematical word problems. “If offering this specialty can inspire just a few of our students to go on to computer science, it will have made a really important difference.” One of these inspired students is senior Mary Callanan. She has loved learning computer programming. But it wasn’t until she started DSHA’s class that she could finally experience what she calls the joy of programming with other girls. She had previously taken coding classes at Marquette High and Cal Tech where other students were primarily male. “The boys didn’t like to collaborate, they call it ‘exposing your ignorance,” says Callanan. “Boys are competitive. Girls are much more open.” For her, that openness is key to the enjoyment and effective learning of computer programming. “The lab portion is super important for learning the language. It’s helping me to be ready for college.” Callanan’s dream is to get into MIT. She’s also applied to Carnegie Mellon, Santa Clara University and the University of Washington in Seattle “because Microsoft and Apple are right there.”
Callanan says she would eventually love to start an all-female firm. “I’d love to have a female-dominated environment, bouncing ideas off each other. “I love the coding community, and I love doing this with all girls.”
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LEARN MORE & REGISTER TODAY AT DSHA.INFO/SUMMER. DSHA WORD MAGAZINE
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Jaylin Rivas, DSHA '20, and Viviana Sanchez, DSHA '21, perform at the Our Lady of Guadalpue Mass on December 12.
Building Bridges, Not Walls DSHA CLASSES, DIALOGUES, AND FORUMS SEEK TO CREATE UNDERSTANDING, EFFECT CHANGE BY BECKY STEIMLE
“We ask and seek answers to significant issues,” reads the line on the Divine Savior Holy Angels High School website. “How can we build bridges at DSHA, in our city and in the U.S. during divided times?” It’s a heavy question in 2018 America, and real solutions seem very elusive. Yet at DSHA, it’s a question being addressed in a variety of ways, as part of DSHA’s “Building Bridges Not Walls” year-long focus on Catholic social teaching and its applications in today’s world. In Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography class, during Dasher Dialogues, in an interreligious discussion open to the community, a Civil Rights Pilgrimage this May, and through a wealth of additional activities throughout this academic year and beyond, students and others are grappling with difficult questions about racism, its effects and possible solutions. They are invited into deliberate platforms for intentional conversations that may not happen organically. And they are tasked with engaging with cultures different than their own to seek commonality.
FAITH CALLS US TO SEEK JUSTICE Vicar General Father Tim Kitzke posed the question to the student body at the start of the academic year: What can each student, faculty member and staff person do to make
their everyday life reflect the most basic tenets of the Catholic faith? What does justice and fairness for all really mean? Believing in equality means we must stand up for equality, says Father Tim. “It’s all about what we can do to make the world a better place.” The Building Bridges focus challenges students and others to reflect. “Each of us – students and the total school community – need to ask ourselves some very real questions,” says Ellen Bartel, DSHA president. “In addition to ‘Am I fair in all I do?’ it must be, ‘Am I actively part of the solution?’ “We know that if we are not part of the solution to racism and inequality, we are part of the problem. We’re communicating to our students that it’s up to each of us to not only realize what is right, but to speak up for what is right, and to do what is right. And that you can never stop.” At DSHA, living the spirit of social justice entails the knowledge that achieving justice begins with education and awareness. It is rooted in the mission to “make known the goodness and kindness of Jesus Christ” and to “accept the gospel call to live lives that make a difference.” (continued)
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Working to build bridges Catholic social teaching: It’s about working to preserve human dignity. It’s about addressing oppression. It means being concerned about justice for all, being open to the experiences of others, modeling civil discourse, seeking to understand. Simply put, we are called by God to do right by others. As part of DSHA’s “Building Bridges Not Walls” focus this academic year and beyond, the following activities have been deliberately scheduled for students and the DSHA larger community. The goal is to create platforms for “hard” conversations as we all seek to insure dignity and respect for all people. •
SMALL GREAT THINGS: DSHA’s 2017 required summer reading book, Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, is about the differences among us and how we might build understanding. A school-wide assembly on the first day of the 2017-18 school year set the tone for discussion as students and teachers shared their reactions to the book and its themes – with particular emphasis on racism in our current culture – in smaller classroom groups.
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INTERRELIGIOUS PRESENTATION & DIALOGUE: Held in October. This event was open to the public. Representatives from the Catholic, Islamic, Baptist, Sikh and Jewish faith communities discussed how believers of various faiths might work together to better understand each other and achieve common goals.
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OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE MASS: This all-school bilingual Mass annually celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron of the Americas. This year's Mass was held December 12.
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MULTICULTURAL PRODUCTION: DSHA's Multicultural Production is held every other April. Students of all cultural backgrounds are invited to perform an expression of their culture through song, dance, literature and more.
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CIVIL RIGHTS PILGRIMAGE: This first-ever road trip will take place in May 2018 as DSHA partners with Marquette High and Dominican High to delve into the exploration of a chapter of our shared American history, that of the Civil Rights Movement, through the lens of faith and prayer. Students were required to apply for the trip and will participate in a year-long training to prepare for the pilgrimage. They will explore the impact of history on our current life together in Milwaukee as they visit Ferguson, MO; Memphis, Tennessee; Selma; Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama.
achieving justice begins with education and awareness. Mahogany Billups, DSHA ’18, presents a project entitled Geography of American Lynchings, 1877-1950 during Chris Weiss’s AP Human Geography class.
Dr. Lara Geronime poses with a group of seniors following the Small Great Things book discussion on the first day of school in August.
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Dasher Dialogues focus on critical diversity-related topics The 2017-18 school year has included meaningful discussion on many “hot” news topics, as follows:
SEPTEMBER – 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MILWAUKEE’S CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT: Dr. Margaret Rozga, civil rights activist, professor emeritus of English at UW-Waukesha, and widow of activist James Groppi, visited DSHA to discuss the history and current status of housing discrimination in Milwaukee. She was heavily involved in the 1967-68 civil rights movement in Milwaukee and spoke about the progress she has seen since, and what remains to be done.
OCTOBER – DACA AND THE NFL PROTESTS: Student organizers focused on two topics in the national news: the NFL protests and the announcement that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program would be ending. “We wanted to explain to our student body and staff how DACA has functioned and how its end would affect young people in the program,” says Jim Wilkinson, DSHA Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator. “We also debated the decision by some NFL players to kneel during the National Anthem and what exactly the protests were about.”
NOVEMBER - HATE SPEECH: The November discussion was about use of the “N word” and whether it’s ever appropriate. Use of the “R word” was also discussed by student representatives of Best Buddies, an international organization dedicated to inclusion for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. The Dialogue was reported on by Shawn Gallagher for TODAY’S TMJ4 news.
FEBRUARY – BLACK HISTORY MONTH: On Tuesday, February 6, DSHA hosted Sharon Adams, who has served as a community organizer to revitalize and sustain economically diverse neighborhoods in Milwaukee. She spoke with students about her work in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, sharing fifty-plus decades worth of wisdom. She led a discussion on why Black History Month is needed, and offered advice to students as they battled questions relevant to their current situations.
BIGOTRY STILL EXISTS "The first thing that hits you about the map she holds are the sheer numbers," says senior Joan Ehrlich. Hundreds of little symbols pepper the U.S. map that Ehrlich’s study group pulled from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s website. The students located it this fall as part of their research for “The Geography of Civil Rights” study section in their AP Human Geography class. The small black X’s, red circles, and green triangles look innocent enough, but all stand for hate and division.
In addition to the study of present-day hate groups, students researched the systematic exclusion of black athletes in American baseball, the Civil Rights uprising that took place right here in Milwaukee 50 years ago, and the commonplace lynching of black Americans over a 100-year period – something that still occurred as recently as the 1950s. Weiss’s students discussed the shock they felt and said it was followed by continued dismay, anger and frustration with regard to the depth and magnitude of the inhumanity they saw. All students say the lesson has changed them forever.
One symbol – the little black swastika – needs no explanation. There’s one in most states, and many states have several. Another – a red musical note symbolizes a place where would-be composers and musicians can record hate music they write.
RACISM IS TAUGHT
The list of groups is lengthy: Ku Klux Klan, anti-Muslim, white nationalists, neo-Confederates, neo-Nazis, anti-immigrant, holocaust denial, black separatists, hate music groups, white supremacists.
“We got photographs from the race riots in the late ‘60s, and you see these teenagers – our age – carrying signs with words of real hate. You realize they had to learn that from their parents or others around them, and that it’s handed down from one generation to another. I didn’t know this all existed in Milwaukee. You think of places like Washington, D.C. and Selma as where civil rights protests took place, but it also happened right here.”
"Targeted hatred is indeed all around us," says Social Studies faculty member Chris Weiss, DSHA ’70. Her Human Geography course focused on the country’s history of segregation and exclusion. The emphasis on this topic was recommended by the National Council for Geographic Education and culminated in November when presentations were posted in the first floor hallway.
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Senior Maeve Devine says one of her biggest take-aways is that racism is taught.
Devine says it would be nice to think the discrimination experienced at that time is ancient history, but she knows better. “In 2017, Milwaukee was still the most segregated city in America. And in the United States today, we still see division and racism right in front
Seniors Grace Kaupp and Cookie Topp, along with health and fitness faculty Brian Calhoun, lead a panel during the November Dasher Dialogue. Antonette Mastrogiovanni-Washington, DSHA ’18, participates in the Dasher Dialogue on hate speech. MastrogiovanniWashington was interviewed for TMJ4 news following the panel discussion.
of us in places like Charlottesville with the neo-Nazi group that marched last summer.” Devine and her collaborative team members, senior Hadley Champe and juniors Emma Kaczynski and Margaret Kurth, say they feel a polarized, harsh national climate brings out the worst in people whose racism or hatred is simmering just below the surface. “That’s the problem,” she says. “The more it appears acceptable, the more it bubbles up and comes out. People who have hated others in secret begin to feel they can now express it.”
“WE MUST SPEAK UP” Weiss says the effect of this lesson on her students has been dramatic. “They simply had no idea of the depth of hate of some of these groups or that it’s going on right now, here in our country, including right here in southeastern Wisconsin.” Students say they realize that intolerance must be met with resistance. “Students have said they hear people say we should bury the past,” says Weiss. “It’s said that people need to ‘get over it.’ The truth is we have to learn from it. That’s how we can really change things.” “You have to speak up,” says Devine. “If someone tells a racist joke, you can’t sit there and act like it’s ok. Say, ‘That’s not funny. That joke is not cool.’ Be that person who says it. When you speak up, you empower other people who may previously have been afraid to speak up themselves. Soon more people will challenge the haters.”
A SAFE PLACE TO TALK “The first day of school,” recalls Emma Kaczynski ‘18, “all we did was talk about our summer reading. It really seemed to make everyone think pretty hard. Everyone has different stories about things that have happened in their lives." Small Great Things, a book by Jodi Picoult, examined racism in America and was read by all DSHA students, faculty and staff over the summer. It set the tone for a year of reflection and discussion. “It made for a safe place to talk,” says Kaczynski. Weiss hopes a school year full of deliberate dialogue germinates, then takes root in the bigger world students will soon enter. “If just a handful of students could change the conversation, there’s a lot of power in that to change perceptions and the future. If you’re helping other people think about what they say and do, then this makes a difference,” says Weiss. A commitment to justice takes courage, especially in today’s tumultuous world, says Weiss. “But I often paraphrase Maya Angelou to my students. ‘When you know better, you have to do better.’”
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A CELEBRATION OF
Transformation: THE DSHA RETREAT JOURNEY
It is a story of transformation: a school building is no longer seen for its typical concrete floors, beige walls and brown lockers, but as a colorful, inspirational haven perfectly fit for a teenage girl. Individual hearts begin to move from a curiosity about faith, to a deep desire to love and know God boldly. And a community evolves, as a group of relative strangers form bonds that will develop into an authentic sisterhood over the next four years. BY MOLLY SHEA
The journey begins On the first day of school during the fall of 2014, Aimee Melendez, DSHA ‘18, walked through the front doors of DSHA for the first time as a student feeling a mix of emotions — excited but nervous, hopeful yet scared. As one nine students from Notre Dame Middle School in her freshman class, she knew a handful of students, but moved through her first few days — and weeks — with trepidation, living behind the proverbial walls that a teenage girl so often fashions when she feels her acceptance is at stake. “Students meet for the first time and I wasn’t comfortable opening up to other girls,” she shares. “Everyone was nice, but so new — I wasn’t ready to be my real self.” And her “real self” was wrestling with things that most fourteen year olds are not forced to face at
such a young age. A few weeks into the school year, Melendez learned her brother had been diagnosed with testicular cancer — an incredibly heavy burden to carry as a secret hidden from friends.
Taking flight But on a very special Sunday in October her load began to lighten. Heading into her first of five high school retreat experiences, she walked through the same front doors of DSHA she had become accustomed to, yet stepped into a completely different space. “It was amazing. The school was transformed,” Melendez shares with a sincere brightness to her expression. “I felt like I was entering a space just for me. And for all of us to be together.” To prepare for the Freshman Retreat each year, senior coordinators and leaders spend months planning witness talks and small group discussions. Signs are decorated and hung around the entire building; they declare artistic and inspirational quotations and scripture. Hallways are filled with enormous, brightly colored posters, and even the walls are drawn on with dry erase markers. All of the messaging aligns with the retreat theme Take Flight as students will spend the next two days in a shared experience, learning what it is to take off and begin to soar in their own faith. What appears to be a clean-up nightmare is a well-oiled student-driven
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machine — by seniors for freshmen — intentionally designed to show the newest group of Dashers they truly belong at DSHA. They matter. They are valued. And when they read the words written just for them — in bible verses like “I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” (Psalm 139:14) and “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD… ‘plans to give you hope and a future,’” (Jeremiah 29:11) — these freshmen begin to understand their worth in God, and thus their worth among peers. And the colorful walls around school begin to break down those proverbial walls so common to teenage girls. “Freshman Retreat was the first time I was able to share my story,” Melendez says with evident gratitude. “Girls are so busy. We don’t realize we need time to slow down and reflect together about real life stuff.” Free from the distractions and pressures of typical high school life, this retreat weekend was also one of the first opportunities Melendez saw to view her brother’s illness through the filter of her faith. “Girls tend to hide the hard things. But Freshman Retreat helped me see how I can better understand struggles through God and in my community.”
A celebration of faith In addition to opening up to her peers about her “highs and lows” as she calls them, Melendez was struck by how the senior leaders owned their faith. They were unafraid to lead a prayerful reflection or ask difficult questions about God in small groups. They openly shared of their own spiritual journeys through witness talks to the large group, and spoke boldly of service projects as opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the community.
The Take Flight retreat was such a significant experience for Melendez that she decided then and there she would become a Freshman Retreat leader four years later. “The exposure I had to seniors who were confident in their faith showed me I didn’t need to be afraid to do the same.” This October, Melendez was able to give the class of 2021 the same life-changing weekend she had. She held a leadership role in creating an experience for freshmen to feel loved and special the minute they walked through the door, serving as one of four retreat coordinators. She organized 28 additional senior leaders who turned classrooms into sanctuaries where they led small groups in reflection and prayer. She set up the student leaders to ask questions and care for girls as they dove into vulnerability. She freely shared her own story of growth and transformation in a witness talk given to the entire freshman class. “I love that I get to share my Catholic faith with the younger girls and tell them their own belief is not just ‘okay’ here; it is celebrated.”
Saying yes
large open room and sit in silence on the floor — pens and small pieces of paper in hand. Quiet music fills the air and words of encouragement are written from one student to another. The name of each girl is noted on a colorful envelope that is taped to the back wall of the room. And over the course of 30 minutes, each envelope is filled with affirmations from peers — personal messages of love and worth, encouragement and hope. It is in the beauty of this affection that students are able to share their “real self” as Melendez puts it. They are able to share because they are told they matter — by their classmates and by God — through collective worship, scripture and liturgy.
Anchored in faith
In December, Melendez joined her fellow seniors for a retreat at the Cedar Valley Retreat Center in West Bend. Entitled Saying Yes, this retreat invites students to say yes to God as they reflect upon their high school journey and move closer to the opportunities life will present beyond the familiar walls of DSHA. The structure is similar to that of the Take Flight retreat, but at this point the conversations hold a different tone. “Everyone is more mature; conversations are calm and humble. The girls share, but they also want to listen.”
Melendez and her senior classmates have one high school retreat left. This April, an optional retreat will take place at the Vincent Pallotti Retreat Center in Elkhorn. This final retreat is appropriately titled Anchored in Your Faith. It will provide fifty girls one last shared overnight experience to connect with one another in a sacred space. A space carved out of the pressures they face as they head toward graduation and college. A space that will allow them to shrug off the tension of social media and college decisions, and be in prayer and worship together — in the authentic community of the DSHA sisterhood.
After a witness talk on the second afternoon, seniors spread out among a
“When I go off to college I want my faith to be strong. I know it might be hard outside
dsha retreat
of this environment because we have so many opportunities to grow with God and each other,” Melendez shares with a tone of nostalgia and thanksgiving. "But my Catholic roots are so important to me. I want to carry God in my heart and I pray for this all the time. I know I will go to college and continue to rely on God for strength — in the highs and the lows.” This last retreat for Melendez will be different than her first, but no less significant. Her brother is healthy and her friendships are deep. The walls will not likely be covered by brightly colored dry erase marker, but her experience will be covered with the truth that comes from a life transformed by — and rooted in — a loving, faith-based community.
Journey At-A-Glance:
TAKE FLIGHT
PRESENT TO THE SPIRIT
ANCHORED IN YOUR FAITH
Fall of Freshman Year DSHA
Spring of Junior Year Fredonia, WI
Spring of Senior Year Elkhorn, WI
THROUGH THE TURBULENCE Winter of Sophomore Year Fredonia, WI
SAYING YES Winter of Senior Year West Bend, WI
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TO ELLEN BARTEL, A TRIBUTE THAT NEVER ENDS She’s been our president for 20 years, and what a legacy she leaves us. BY FRANK MILLER
Ellen has taught students to believe in themselves, taught alumnae to make a difference, and taught everyone that women deserve equal opportunities and support.
DSHA alumnae have earned their DSHA degrees and succeeded in colleges and careers because of the scholarships they received to attend DSHA.
Behind the scenes, she’s made her mark in hundreds more ways— mentoring students, helping parents and advising alumnae. People talk about “open door” leaders, but Ellen didn’t wait for you to come to her office for help. She has been an anytime, anywhere leader. You could find her in the halls, the Commons or the Quad, at dances, athletic events, concerts, plays and events. Wherever you found her, she was always ready to help.
Because scholarships have been so important to Ellen and so valuable to students and the community, DSHA has launched the Ellen Bartel Tribute Scholarship as an enduring "thank you" for all she has done. No watch, rocker or vacation getaway for her. Our parting gift will do what Ellen herself has always done: help students. And it will help them forever.
Throughout her 20 years, one cause has been constantly on Ellen’s mind: scholarships. For more than a decade, about one-third of DSHA’s students have relied on financial aid to attend DSHA. Ellen has worked tirelessly to ensure help is there for talented girls who need it, and the investment has paid off handsomely. Several thousand
“Ellen made a difference for our daughter and for thousands of other young women,” said Chris McDermott, DSHA ’76, a leader of the Ellen Bartel Tribute Scholarship effort. “What better thank you than to ensure she can make a difference for the girls of tomorrow." Ellen has always been there to help. The Tribute Scholarship ensures she always will be. Join us in a thank you that will echo our gratitude for many years to come.
UNDER ELLEN BARTEL’S LEADERSHIP: Endowment is 14 times larger than when Ellen started. DSHA has doubled the size of its facilities. Academic offerings have been strengthened. Students have been attracted from every zip code in the region. Faculty and staff pay has been raised.
Our parting gift to Ellen will do what Ellen herself has always done: help students. And the Ellen Bartel Tribute Scholarship will help them forever. If you would like to say thank you to Ellen for her twenty years of outstanding service, please add your support to the Ellen Bartel Tribute Scholarship. You may give online safely and securely at dsha.info/give. (On the pull-down menu for “designation,” choose “Ellen Bartel Tribute Scholarship.”) Please make your gift by May 30 to be included in the total we will announce in June. If you have questions about the Scholarship, contact Christa Shields, Senior Director of Development, at 414.616.2807 or ShieldsC@dsha.info.
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"
It is gratifying to see how the school has continued to evolve... And part of that evolution is ensuring that DSHA is accessible to all young women, no matter their financial situation."
BY CHRISTA SHIELDS
Growing up in Shorewood as the only girl in a family of 4 brothers, Anne Lucke, DSHA ’83, had a choice when it came to high school. Her mom, Joan Madden Lucke, is a graduate of the Holy Angels Academy class of 1951. Throughout her childhood, Anne saw the importance of Joan’s HA friendships and how her high school experience had informed her life. The influence of the same type of tradition, coupled with the all-girls environment, was extremely appealing to Anne. “From the first day I walked in the door I felt like I had hundreds of sisters,” she says. Anne treasures her four years and describes it as “so many friends, so much fun, challenging classes, and high-energy classmates and teachers.” She felt nurtured and supported, but more importantly, she was encouraged to view herself as a serious student and as a leader — inspired to reach her full potential. “The focus on core values, service to others, the value of friendships, and our responsibility to make the world a better place were evident in every aspect of my DSHA experience.” Anne was particularly inspired by her English and literature classes, and credits her
" difference". IT’S AN EASY WAY TO MAKE A BIG
decision to major in English in college to her studies in these courses while at DSHA. She also loved her history classes — with AP European History being her favorite — and still thinks back on what she learned when she encounters historical references today. “It was an intense experience,” she says, “but I learned so much and loved every minute of it.” Among the teachers Anne remembers most fondly are English faculty Terry McGinn and Tim Grandy, and social studies faculty Chris Weiss, DS ‘70. Anne stays in touch with quite a few of her DSHA classmates, and they try to get together as often as they can. “They remain some of my dearest friends,” she says.
Last year Anne came back to school for a visit — to the place that was so formative for her. She shares, “It is gratifying to see how the school has continued to evolve, becoming an educational leader in Wisconsin. And part of that evolution is ensuring that DSHA is accessible to all young women, no matter their financial situation. That’s where philanthropy can make a big difference.”
Recently, Anne decided to name DSHA as one of the charitable beneficiaries of her estate. She has always believed in the importance of giving back as an annual donor. But her current role as the Vice President of Development for the University of Wisconsin Foundation has allowed her to see first-hand the huge impact of deferred gifts. “It’s an easy way to make a big difference for an institution you care about. I feel like this is an opportunity for me to pay it forward. And that feels really good,” Anne shares. “I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend DSHA, and believe deeply that it is my responsibility to give back. And I encourage other alumnae to do what they can to support current and future DSHA students." If you’d like to join Anne in “making a big difference” at DSHA, or to learn more about deferred gifts, please contact Christa Shields, Senior Director of Development at 414.616.2807 or ShieldsC@dsha.info.
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Young Alumnae, why do you give to DSHA? “I choose to give to DSHA now because I know how powerful an all-girls, Catholic education can be. It wasn’t until I was in college that I really was able to put the qualities of a DSHA grad into action: I felt confident and empowered to take on leadership roles at Creighton, and I know that was because DSHA instilled these values in me. I want to make sure that other girls have this same opportunity of personal growth, which is why I give now. Giving in a small way toward the gift of education and providing the opportunity to other girls that DSHA gave me easily outweighs spending my money on something temporary, like early morning coffee runs or an online shopping splurge. I am so happy I can give back to a place that gave me so much!”
SARAH DUFFY, DSHA '13 Social Studies Faculty at Catholic Memorial | Waukesha, WI
A DSHA FAMILY AFFAIR! Pictured left to right are Mary Duffy, DSHA Theology
Faculty; DSHA Alumnae Director Ann Duffy, DSHA ’10; Matthew Duffy; Sarah Duffy, DSHA ’13; Molly Duffy, DSHA ’19; and Patrick Duffy.
GABRIELA (GABY) NUÑEZ, DSHA '10 Senior Director at CCS Fundraising | Milwaukee, WI
"I choose to give to DSHA because I believe it is important to give back and make the DSHA experience possible for other young women in Milwaukee. Now more than ever, the value of a faith-based, all-girls education cannot be overstated. DSHA taught me to believe in myself and lift up my friends and classmates. I carry that with me today, and know we must continue to teach young women to do the same."
SAMANTHA ERSCHEN-THURNER, DSHA '05 “I choose to give to DSHA because I care. I care about the gift DSHA was to me, and I care that other young women may have the same experience. Every day, I utilize the critical thinking skills I learned at DSHA. I strive to be a confident and capable woman in ministry as a hospital chaplain and full time graduate student using the foundation established at DSHA. I am incredibly thankful for my well-rounded education, and though I can't give much, I give consistently every year because I want to give back and because I care.”
Hospital Chaplain at Aurora Hospital | Milwaukee, WI PhD Student in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service | Cardinal Stritch University
IN HER ELEMENT: Samantha Erchsen-Turner, DSHA ’05, is pictured with her
husband Jake and their two rescue dogs Miranda (left) and Rocky (right).
NEW IN 2018: DASHER DAY!
Wednesday, May 23
INTERESTED IN JOINING SARAH, GABY, SAMANTHA AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER ALUMNAE? Dasher Day is our inaugural online giving drive, and you're invited to join us! This is an opportunity for the DSHA community — near and far — to join together, share in our collective Dasher spirit, and help sustain and further the mission of DSHA. Your gift will help us meet our Annual Fund goal, which supports every aspect of a DSHA education. Your gift matters — no matter the size! Join with others, and know that Dasher Day will create a significant impact that will directly benefit the girls of DSHA. More information is headed to your inbox soon! Or you can visit dsha.info/DasherDay . Want to get involved? Contact Alumnae Director Ann Duffy, DSHA'10 (DuffyA@dsha.info | 414.616.2808) or Director of Annual Fund Leslie Dietz (DietzL@dsha.info | 414.721.2911).
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RING U T FEA
l a n o i it ic d a r t L i v eI r i s h M uNsDY TA Y FA B
O L Y , ALT E V LOFRIENDSH Y I P &
ST. PATRICK’S DAY | MARCH 17, 2018
Mark your calendars for a wee bit o’ fun! Grab your fellow lads and lassies and join us for the best
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARTY Milwaukee has ever seen!
When you help us raise funds in support of the DSHA mission, you ensure our ability to send confident and capable graduates into the world. Join us this St. Patrick’s Day as we strengthen our commitment to developing young women of faith, heart and intellect.
To learn more, visit:
DSHA.INFO/AUCTION
Questions? Contact Lisa Bozic, DSHA ’00, Director of Volunteer Engagement & Special Events: BozicL@dsha.info | 414.616.2810
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Alumnae Weekend Recap BY PRESIDENT-ELECT KATIE KONIECZNY, DSHA '92
What comes to mind when you are considering attending a class reunion? Possible anxieties could include; what will my former classmates think of me? Will I remember everyone’s names? What to wear? Who will be there? Who won’t? All of these small anxieties exist when planning to attend any reunion. I have to admit that some of these anxieties existed as I prepared to attend my 25th Divine Savior Holy Angels reunion as Katie Brown Class of ‘92. But, also as Katie Brown Konieczny new president elect of DSHA! This would be my inaugural event
as President-Elect — my first opportunity to meet the many alumnae that would come back to celebrate.
The weekend kicked off with a schoolwide assembly celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX on Friday, September 29th. Friday evening we celebrated the five recipients of the 2017 Alumnae of Distinction Award — the first time all honorees were both alumnae as well as retired faculty or staff from DSHA. Saturday evening I attended eight different class parties (the 8th being my own 25th!) The weekend entailed 19 events in 72 hours, including 13 individual class parties. Notably, the HA and DS classes of 1957 celebrated their 60th reunion! Many would characterize this experience as exhausting, but to me it was affirming. What has brought me back to DSHA is a unique experience that does not diminish over time. It does not fade.
And the second I find myself in a room filled with DSHA students, alumnae, and/ or TSC, I am reminded of the gift that I have been given. Any anxiety that I may have felt quickly dissipates. My education at DSHA provided me with an environment that allowed me to take risks, try something new, and be myself without the added social/emotional pressure that can be created in a coed environment. As I think about the experience of reunion weekend, what stands out the most is the energy I felt as I walked into the various class parties on Saturday. After entering each room, I felt the same thing. Whether celebrating a 60th reunion or a 5th, the room was filled with laughter, storytelling, and warmth. It is this distinct shared experience that instantly brings us together as if no time had passed — at all.
Various alumnae brought photos from the cutting room floor of The Word publication, yearbooks, gym uniforms from 50 years ago, and the coveted uniform skirts. For those that have kept these items over the years, it is a demonstration of not only their love and passion for their school, but of how their lives have changed for the better because of it. For their classmates, seeing these items instantly brought back fond memories from the days they walked the halls as a student. Whether you attended Divine Savior, Holy Angels or Divine Savior Holy Angels, it was clear to me that the core values of All Girls Makes All the Difference was as true 60 years ago, as it is for the students of DSHA today. I learned that DS and HA were celebrating sports women of the year far before Title IX ever existed. Sr. Carol Threser, DS ‘59, captured the hearts of the students as she shared stories of her time playing basketball. I was inspired
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by Toni Quartana Campbell, DS '67, who took the time to track down every single classmate from her class! I was honored to join the Jubilee Brunch on Sunday with an impressive group of 259 women, including our Diamond Jubilarian, Marilynn Landgraf Hartmann, class of HA 1941, who graduated over 75 years ago.
As I reflect on the weekend, I realize I am blessed to be an alumna of DSHA, and honored to be taking on the role of President-Elect. DSHA has maintained a culture of excellence, and indeed my own experience is what has motivated me to come back." DSHA’s commitment to supporting and developing young women has thrived with twenty years of leadership under Ellen Bartel. As a whole, these women are believers, self-advocates, communicators, critical thinkers and leaders — something I hope for my own daughter, Chloe, some day. And although I have a long wait on my hands, I am ecstatic that she will have the same opportunity as a member of the class of 2030!
ALUMNAE RECEIVED TOURS OF DSHA from those who know it best — the students and faculty! Mr. Dawson, Mrs. Weiss, Madame Gleeson, Mrs. Seegers-Braun, Mr. McGinn, and Mr. Grandy accompanied alumnae on tours of the school, giving them an opportunity to provide their own commentary and catch up with former students. Pictured is Madame Gleeson with alumnae.
AT FRIDAY'S ALL-SCHOOL ASSEMBLY, a panel of alumnae athletes helped us celebrate our athletic history in light of our 125th anniversary, and the 45th anniversary of Title IX. Pictured L-R are three of our panelists: DSHA Varsity Volleyball Coach Caitie O’Brien Ratkowski, DSHA ’02, Sandy Posnanski O’Brien, DS ’67 and Mollie O’Brien, DSHA ’06. Panelists not pictured: S. Carol Thresher, SDS, DS ’59 and Kelly Roethe Hodges, DSHA ’96.
OUR PRESIDENT-ELECT KATIE BROWN KONIECZNY, DSHA ’92, enjoyed the weekend festivities, not only as our President-Elect, but as a fellow alumna celebrating her 25th class reunion! 2017 ALUMNA OF DISTINCTION S. VIRGINIA HONISH, SDS, DS ’55 is pictured with President Ellen Bartel at Jubilee Brunch. Five Jubilarians who shaped our school through dedicated service to their alma mater – as both leaders and teachers – were honored as our 2017 Alumnae of Distinction. Read more about them on the next page!
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ALUMNAE OF DISTINCTION As part of our Alumnae Weekend celebration in our 125th anniversary year, DSHA gave special recognition to five Jubilarians who shaped our school through dedicated service to their alma mater as leaders and teachers. These 2017 Alumnae of Distinction were honored at our Alumnae Weekend Cocktail Party, where they were joined by family, friends, and fellow alumnae to celebrate their accomplishments. We are grateful for their service and proud to call them our own!
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BETTY JO ZINTEK AZPELL
MARILYN KLEIS CASPER
HOLY ANGELS CLASS OF 1958
DIVINE SAVIOR CLASS OF 1964
In 1977, Betty Jo began her distinguished 38 year tenure at DSHA, serving 30 of those years as science chairperson. She started the anatomy & physiology course, where she introduced cat dissection to the curriculum. While chairperson, Honors Biology, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Honors Physics, and Engineering were added as class offerings. Betty Jo began an environmental program, led international science trips, and started the school science fair. She created ISRP — an Independent Science Research Project course, in which students conduct real, relevant research. During her tenure, over 175 students took this course.
Marilyn began her tenure at DSHA in 1992 when she was recruited by fellow alumna Betty Jo Azpell to teach anatomy & physiology at DSHA. In 1997, Marilyn introduced AP Biology to DSHA, teaching it for ten years until her retirement in 2007. Students who took her AP Biology class were known to achieve outstanding results on the AP exam. Several alumnae have been known to use their notes from Marilyn’s class in their college science courses — a credit to Marilyn’s teaching and ability to produce outstanding academic results.
Betty Jo has received numerous honors, including the Kohl Fellowship Teaching Award in 1997. She is involved in numerous science teacher associations, organizations and boards. Betty Jo graduated from Holy Angels Academy in 1958. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Mount Mary College and her master’s in education from Silver Lake College. Betty Jo and her husband have three sons, one daughter, and 11 grandchildren.
Known for her dedication to teaching, Marilyn was honored with the Kohl Fellowship Teaching Award in 2002 and the Sigma Xi Marquette University Outstanding High School Science Teacher Award in 2003. Marilyn graduated from Divine Savior High School in 1964. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Marilyn and her husband have three sons and three grandsons.
S. VIRGINIA HONISH, SDS
CARLA LAVALLE OLLE
ANGELA MISCHKE PIENKOS
DIVINE SAVIOR CLASS OF 1955
HOLY ANGELS CLASS OF 1960
DIVINE SAVIOR CLASS OF 1958
S. Virginia began her tenure at DSHA in 1991 as the Academic Administrator. When DSHA’s administrative structure changed to the president/principal model in 1997, she became principal, allowing her the opportunity to share her gifts as a collaborator and one who brought out the best in her colleagues. She retired from DSHA in 2009.
Carla began her 38-year tenure with DSHA in 1965 and wore many hats during her career. Carla led the home economics/ family and consumer studies department, taught Christian marriage, served as Coordinator of Student Activities, Clubs, and Special Programs, and initiated the role of college advisor — a role in which she left a lasting impact on thousands of college-bound women.
Angela began her 21-year tenure at DSHA in 1976 when the Sisters of the Divine Savior chose her to serve as the school’s first chief administrator, and served in this role until 1997. While at DSHA, she was successful in preserving and strengthening the school in challenging times. She led the academic transition from a school staffed largely by Sisters to one built on a strong foundation of lay faculty. Along with two capital campaigns, she began fund-raising activities such as bingo, the annual fund drive, and an annual auction to supplement tuition as the school’s main revenue source.
She has served the Sisters of Divine Savior in a variety of roles, some of which were abroad. In Tanzania, she taught English to Salvatorian sisters through a program she developed to incorporate the culture and traditions of Africa. In 2015, S. Virginia became a Coordinator of Sponsorship for the institutions sponsored by the Sister of the Divine Savior; in this capacity, she sits on the board of St. Anne’s Salvatorian Campus in Milwaukee, Divine Savior Health Care in Portage, and the Sponsorship Corporation board. S. Virginia graduated from Divine Savior in 1955. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Alverno College and a master’s degree in school administration from UWMilwaukee. S. Virginia entered the Sisters of the Divine Savior in 1955.
Carla served on the Alumnae Board, received the DSHA Service Award in 1998, and The Emil and Freda Petrusek Award in 2013. Upon her retirement, DSHA renamed Women’s Day to Carla Olle Career Day as a tribute to her 38 years serving on the faculty and staff. Carla Olle graduated from Holy Angels Academy in 1960. She earned her bachelor’s degree in home economics education with a minor in general science from Mount Mary College. Carla and her husband have two daughters, Teresa Olle, DSHA ’87 and Elizabeth Olle, DSHA ’91, and three granddaughters.
Angela Pienkos graduated from Divine Savior High School in 1958. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Marquette University. She earned her PhD in Modern European history from UW-Madison, and a specialist degree in administrative leadership degree from UWMilwaukee. She and her husband have four sons and seven grandchildren.
DSHA WORD MAGAZINE
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Hope's Kitchen
1 2 5 T H A N N I V E R S A RY H I ST O R I CA L F I C T I O N W R I T I N G C O N T E ST
Avid reader, math teacher and public radio fan, Rissie Lundberg, DSHA ’93, was listening to WNYC around the time DSHA kicked-off the year-long 125th anniversary celebration. She heard of a historical fiction writing contest for New Yorkers and immediately stepped out of her typical role of teaching geometry proofs and into pitching a creative invitation to students. “I had this idea that as part of our 125th celebration, we’d ask students to create a story involving the history of the school they come to every day. I thought it would encourage their participation in the celebration and stretch their creative limits.” The idea was especially well-received by Frank Miller, author of Valiant Women: The First 125 Years of Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, who at the time of Lundberg’s brainstorm was finishing up the final chapters of his own take on the history of DSHA. Miller and Lundberg collaborated to create a series of prompts from which the girls could choose to write about. Students from the classes of 2017 - 2020 participated, and a winner was chosen from each class: Jackie Gehringer, DSHA ’20, Stevie Meyer, DSHA ’19, Emma Grogan, DSHA ’18, and Grace Becker, DSHA ’17. DSHA is delighted to announce Grogan as the overall winner of the contest. She chose to write from a prompt about a family with two sisters attending Holy Angels Academy in 1939; they are both opposed to the U.S. entering the war against Germany but disagree about how to handle a disturbing request for help from Sister Matthew Marie, an HA alumna now working at a Polish orphanage. Congratulations, Emma, and happy reading, Dashers!
A B O V E : Winning authors (L-R): Emma Grogan, DSHA ’18; Stevie Meyer, DSHA ’19; Jackie Gehringer, DSHA ’20. Not pictured, Grace Becker, DSHA ’17. 29 29
WINTER WINTER 2018 2018
Hope’s
KITCHEN BY EMMA GROGAN, DSHA ’18
“Now, Ms. Schiller, could you please demonstrate the proper way to set a table?” Elizabeth, known to her friends as Birdie, shoots her classmates a withering glare as they attempt to hide their giggles. If there is one thing Birdie Schiller is famous for, it is the fact that she had barely scraped by with a D in Etiquette for the past two years of high school. To her parents’ chagrin, Birdie just doesn’t think etiquette is very conducive to the life of adventure her reckless heart desires. “Um...well...you start by laying down the tablecloth,” Birdie attempts when Sister Mary Rita rushes into the room.
+
“Quick! The principal wants everyone gathered in the chapel immediately! She says it’s an emergency!” exclaims the small, wide-eyed nun. Although apprehensive whispers fly around her head, Birdie’s own heart feels relieved at this message; she is willing to face any danger to avoid Etiquette. Little does she know what the next six years will bring in her world.
…
"Das ist verrückt," thinks Miriam Schiller as the crowd of young women surging past her to reach the chapel jostles her long golden curls. “This is crazy!”
she shouts above the ruckus to her best friend Liesel Schmidt. “It’s only the first day of school, and the nuns are already calling an assembly to probably share more useless information with us!” Liesel nods her agreement as they enter the hushed chapel. Miriam catches a glimpse of her sister through the throng and unconsciously shakes her head at her sister’s hair. Although Birdie had cut her sleek dark hair short about a month ago, the rebellious style still causes Miriam to cluck her tongue in disapproval.
…
As the girls find their seats, Sister Clare Josephine marches to the front of the chapel. A kind soul hidden behind a strict disposition, the running legend among the students is that one can only tell the stoic principal is nervous when she starts fiddling with the rosary that hangs out of the pocket of her habit. As she speaks, Sister Clare Josephine grips those beads so hard the girls fear she will break them. “Ladies of Holy Angels Academy, I have some unfortunate news to share with you,” says the sister, the faintest note of her mother’s Irish accent leaking into her voice. She hesitates for a moment, then speaks again, “There is no easy way to say this. The Nazis have invaded Poland.” (continued)
DSHA WORD MAGAZINE
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Holy Angels Academy
Was Hitler Europe's problem or everybody's? Like Americans everywhere, Holy Angels students were sharply divided on the question prior to World War II. Many wanted to stay out of “Europe’s problem” while others insisted we couldn’t look away from their plight. A 1938 appeal for help from a missionary in Poland forced many Holy Angels students to take sides. Emma Grogan’s story tells how the question tore one family apart—but eventually brought them together.
PRE W0RLD WAR II
A collective gasp fills the small space, and Birdie instinctively grabs the hand of her friend Kalina Gregorski as she bursts into tears. Birdie knows that Kalina’s grandparents and cousins still live outside of Warsaw in the countryside. What’s worse, Birdie knows that Kalina is not the only girl in the room to have family in Poland. Muffled sounds of sobbing accompany Sister Clare Josephine’s next words, “Students, I assure you that we will do everything we can to support those families most affected by this devastating news. At this time the US has not entered into war with Germany. Classes are dismissed for the day. Stay alert on the way home, girls. We are living in dangerous times.” With a murmured “Lord, bless this world” and a genuflect, Sister Clare Josephine leaves the chapel.
…
At the words “war with Germany,” Miriam feels her stomach drop. The thought of such an awful situation makes Miriam feel like she is going to be sick. She mutters an excuse to Liesel and pushes her way into the bathroom, her mind a mess of emotions. Of course she feels for her Polish classmates and she despises that Adolf Hitler, but she is still proud of her German heritage, at least her heritage before the Third Reich started ruining things. Her father works at the Pabst Brewery, and bratwurst, sauerkraut, and black forrest cake frequent her table. German was even her first language. The prospect that her beloved America might take arms against the place that had been her family’s homeland for centuries frightens her to no end, and Miriam is not a girl prone to fear. 31
WINTER 2018
At the root of her anxiety is worry about what will happen to her family if the US joins the war. Would her friends of other ethnicities look down on her? Milwaukee is a very German city, but that hadn’t stopped Miriam’s grandmother from changing her name from Adela to Adele to avoid some of the anger directed at German-Americans during the Great War. Miriam resolves then and there to do all she can to support the USA during this tense time so that no one can question where her family’s loyalties lie.
cousin Clemens holding a gun...or being fired upon. “Oh Papa, what will we do?” she cries. “My darling girl, what can we do? I don’t want war as much as the next German-American, but Hitler will only lead this world into ruin and must be stopped at all costs. You must be strong and pray, pray hard, my Bird.”
…
Unlike most people, Miriam typically loves winter in Milwaukee. The thin snowflakes remind her of sugar crystals floating through the sky, and she wonders at the ‘My grandparents were shot power of the crisp air to wake her up on her yesterday for resisting the Nazis,’ walk to school. But on she manages between sobs. Her the morning of January 30th, the cherry red words hit Miriam like a bag of doors of Holy Angels fail bricks, and she loses her breath.” to warm her spirits for the first time in forever. It is also the first time in forever that Miriam “Papa?” Birdie hesitantly pushes open had not walked to school with her sister. the door to her father’s study where she Different though they may be, Miriam sees him hunched over a telegram, head loves Birdie with that inexplicable love in his hands. In the weeks since Sister only sisters can share. The closest thing Clare Josephine’s announcement, Mr. she can compare it to is a summer sail on Schiller had fallen deeper into despair Lake Michigan: joyous, exhilarating, silly, as reports of German brutality in Poland and sometimes bumpy. came back to the US. America seems to be tilting dangerously towards war with And boy oh boy had she and Birdie hit his homeland, and his worry shows in the a big bump. Yesterday in all the literature dozens of new frown lines on his once classes, the nuns had read a letter from smooth face. a Maryknoll missionary, Sister Matthew Marie, who is now working in a Polish “Elizabeth, my dear girl,” he manages orphanage. A Holy Angels alumna, she through his now apparent tears. “I is begging the school to raise money for received a message from Tante Helga. her children. Several of her classmates Clemens and Walter have been drafted started crying as the letter described by the Nazis.” Birdie’s own eyes well the horrors of the Nazi regime; the more with tears as she imagines her sweet practical girls opened their pocketbooks,
“
…
and Miriam sat there trying to clamp down her emotions. “America first, America first,” she whispered to herself.” Show them whose side you’re on.” That night, however, talking across their beds, Miriam and Birdie had gotten into the fiercest argument of their young lives. Birdie could not see why her sister would not support Sister Matthew Marie’s cause. As she started shouting about the poor, parentless, destitute Polish children, the terror of Kristallnacht and questions about what was really happening to the Jews in Europe, the German U-boats lurking in the seas once again, and everywhere fear of the Nazis, Nazis, Nazis, Miriam felt something in her snap. Finally, the months of tension, stress, anger, and fear of people accusing her family for this terrible war built to a peak within her. She never had expected her own German sister to put her over the top. “I AM NOT A NAZI!” Miriam screamed at Birdie. “Europe’s problems are not America’s problems. Are there battles on Lake Michigan? Is Holy Angels being bombed by the Luftwaffe? You are bananas, Birdie, do you know that? I see no war in America, so why should we care about some Polish kids? Don’t you understand that it’s safer if we don’t get involved at all? Then no one can associate us with the enemy!” Birdie stared at her older sister, her role model, with a look of utter disappointment in her eyes. “How can you be so heartless? You may not be a Nazi, but you sure aren’t doing anything to stop them.” And with that, Birdie walked out and slammed the door.
Miriam’s memories of her sister’s words feel like icicles stabbing her skin as she trudges up the stairs to Trigonometry. As the hours tick by, Miriam grows more and more panicky. She fears that Birdie is right, but she still believes that focusing on America is the best way to help her family. At lunch, she avoids her friends who are hoping to guess about the upcoming Oscars and escapes to the one place in Holy Angels where she can find peace, the chapel. To her shock, someone is already there. Miriam rushes forward when she realizes that it is her sister’s friend Kalina Gregorski, crying into her hands. “Oh, Kalina! What’s wrong?” Miriam asks as she hugs the girl’s bony frame. “My grandparents were shot yesterday for resisting the Nazis,” she manages between sobs. Her words hit Miriam like a bag of bricks, and she loses her breath. To her further surprise, Kalina squares her shoulders and wipes her eyes right in front of her. “But I have to be strong.” she states. “It’s what Dziadek and Busia would want. War is suffering, Miriam, but people like us, we have the power to send a bit more goodness into the lives of children whose childhoods are destroyed by hatred. America is far from perfect at protecting freedom, but still nothing is more American than uniting to protect freedom. And now, with the money we send for food, blankets, and toys, those Polish orphans might be just a bit more free to be kids in the midst of all this devastation.”
…
Kalina’s words change Miriam’s life. She miraculously catches Birdie in the hall before class and tells her to meet her
in the nuns’ kitchen after school. Birdie, still filled with anger, has an urge to turn away from her sister, but a new sparkle in Miriam’s eyes makes her agree.
…
As opposed to the school kitchen’s usual scent of fresh-baked cookies, Birdie’s nose finds itself awash in a world of different spices and flavors when she pushes open the doors to see the nuns and some of her classmates, including Miriam, hard at work inside. “Come join us, Birdie! We need your expertise on the bratwurst,” her sister cheerily calls. Miriam dries her hands on a dishtowel before touching Birdie’s shoulder. “You were right all along, Bird. We do need to help the Polish children. It is our duty not as Americans or as people of German descent but as moral citizens of the world.” “That’s why we’re having an ‘Around the World’ bake sale tomorrow to raise funds for Sister Matthew Marie,” Kalina chimes in as she looks up from a pan of kielbasa. “It was all Miriam’s idea!” Miriam responds, “As inspired by you, Kalina, and you, too, Birdie, none of this would have happened without your passion for helping others.” Birdie smells the warm scent of couscous and the spice of tamales, hears the sizzle of spaghetti, sees a Yorkshire pudding start to crisp, samples an Udon noodle, and jumps out of Sister Clare Josephine’s way as she rushes to get a loaf of Irish soda bread out of the oven. As she pulls Miriam into a tight hug, Birdie feels a small flicker of a flame she thought she lost long ago: hope.
DSHA WORD MAGAZINE
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es
ot
Class N MARY FRAN CAHILL,
DS '58,
released a sophomore album with Dan Dance titled We 2. Among the 19 tracks of mostly jazz standards and showtunes is their first collaboration on an original song, It Ain't What You Got. The album is available for purchase online with their first album Over Easy.
TONI HARRISON FREEMAN,
DSHA '74,
was recently appointed the executive vice president for the Charlotte, NC-based Arts & Science Council, the regional cultural affairs office for the 16-county region.
BRIGID O'LEARY KNUDSEN,
DSHA '88,
ran the 2017 Boston Marathon. This made it her 32nd marathon since graduating DSHA!
CARRIE LANPHEAR THEW,
DSHA' 98,
has owned a photography business named Thew's Photography since 2014 that is steadily growing – check out her business' Facebook page @thewsphoto or their website www.thewsphoto.com. Pictured: husband Michael Thew, children Audreyanna (18), Lance (16), and Emmaleigh (14).
33
WINTER 2018
ALUMNAE NEWS
Dasher Meet-Ups CLASS OF 1993 HANG OUT: Some members of the DSHA Class of 1993 were able to catch up one night this past summer. Still together after all these years! Back Row L-R: Kimberly Straub Wilhelm, Meaghan Dwyer Brettingen, Katie Boyce, Erin Shanahan Rohling, Maggie Lorenz Knachel, Megan Kaminsky, Sarah Huck. Front Row L-R: Laura Schoenecker Clark, Heidi Krahn Markes, Maura McHugh Brusky, Joanna Barczak McQuide.
IN MEMORY OF MEGHAN Former UW-Madison teammates of Meghan Flannery, DSHA '08 completed the Madison mini-marathon this past Augustin honor of Meghan.
AMANDA NGOHO REAVEY,
DSHA '03,
won the 2017 Best Book Award in Poetry from the Association for Asian American Studies for her debut poetry book, Marilyn, published by The OS in Brooklyn. Framed by a return trip to the Philippines in 2011, Marilyn is a nonfiction, experimental poetry novel that explores family and identity through the lens of international adoption.
KAITLIN LAMB, DSHA '04, was named a 2017 Up and Coming Lawyer by the Wisconsin Law Journal. Almost 300 people in the Wisconsin law community were in attendance on September 18, 2017 to honor the 2017 class at the Harley-Davidson Museum's Garage in Milwaukee. Kaitlin is a public defender for the State of Wisconsin.
NATALIE MCLAUGHLIN VOTTO, DSHA '07, graduated in May 2017 with a bachelor’s degree from UW-Milwaukee's Helen Bader School of Social Welfare. She is a social work case manager with Life Navigators and absolutely loves her job!
BRITTANY MAYS, DSHA '09, graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin on May 19, 2017, earning her Doctor of Medicine degree.
DSHA WORD MAGAZINE
34
alumnae news
Kelly Jessup
Ali Owens Tammy Scholler
Coco Gingrass
Emily Pokorny
Aly Fenlon
Claire Berezowitz
Maggie LoCoco
Caitlin Fentzlaff
Marriages TAMMY SCHOLLER,
DSHA '91,
and Scott Kaboskey were married on October 31, 2017.
CLAIRE BEREZOWITZ,
DSHA ’02,
and Tadhg Barrett were married in August 2017 in Ireland, and celebrated with family and friends in the Driftless region of Wisconsin on October 21, 2017. Dashers from the Class of 2002 pictured (L-R): Daphne Blader Lingsweiler, Kelly Roche Schleif, Claire Berezowitz Barrett, Melissa Beresford, and Julie Rice Hahn.
JESSICA CONNORS, DSHA '03, and Paul Brzezinski were married on July 3, 2017 in Milwaukee, WI.
CAITLIN FENTZLAFF, DSHA '08, and Logan Macomber were married on May 20, 2017 at St. Anthony on the Lake Catholic Church in Pewaukee. Members of the Class of 2008 in the wedding party included Kelsey Kasmerchak (maid of honor), Danielle Jerominski Rabe (bridesmaid) and Caitlin Klopp (bridesmaid).
35
WINTER 2018
ALI OWENS, DSHA '09,
ALY FENLON, DSHA '11,
and Michael Kuhn were married on July 22, 2017 at All Saints Cathedral. Three of her bridesmaid are fellow Dashers.
and Taylor Garcia were married on July 22, 2017 in Minneapolis, MN.
Dashers pictured (L-R): Sammi Wingers DSHA '06, Christie Graf DSHA '09, Ali Owens Kuhn DSHA '09, and Nicki Wingers, DSHA '03.
EMILY POKORNY,
DSHA '10,
and John Wisniewski were married on August 12, 2017, in Milwaukee, WI. Dashers pictured: maid of honor Elizabeth Pokorny, DSHA '14, and bridesmaid Louise Reinmuller, DSHA '10.
Dashers pictured (L-R): Mallorie Clemence, DSHA '15, Aly Fenlon Garcia, DSHA '11, Sophie Fenlon, DSHA '15 and Julia Lerner, DSHA '11.
KELLY JESSUP, DSHA '12, and Edgar Ocotl were married on June 17, 2017 at St. Dominic Parish in Brookfield.
COCO GINGRASS, DSHA '10,
Dashers pictured (L-R): Lauren Jessup, DSHA '16, Teagan Jessup, DSHA '14, Kelly Jessup Ocotl, DSHA '12, Patricia Parks Jessup, DSHA '83, and Erin Claire Jessup, DSHA '19.
and Daniel Boden were married on June 3, 2017 in Wauwatosa, WI.
MAGGIE LOCOCO,
Dashers from the Class of 2010 pictured (L-R): Katherine Tighe, Kelsey Conlin, Maria Fox (bridesmaid), Coco Gingrass Boden, Katie Klinger (maid of honor), Sarah Fox, Colleen Gleason, Katie Klestinski.
DSHA '12,
and Benjamin Dymit were married on June 30, 2017.
ALUMNAE NEWS
Marco Giombi
Vivienne Douglas
Lily Baker
Ericka Nelson
Kevin Coronado
Michael Ritter
Colin Mullervy
Bir ths MICHELLE SNASTIN DOUGLAS,
FELICIA FOTI TOY,
DSHA '93:
daughter, Vivienne Colette, September 16, 2016.
son, Charles Yet, August 25, 2017. Charles joins big sisters Gabriella (5) and Madeline (2).
welcomed daughter Ericka Lynn Nelson Pearce via adoption on October 30, 2017.
STEPHANIE HAUG MULLERVY,
ASHLEY GREENE LINCOLN,
REBECCA GOOSSEN GIOMBI,
DSHA ’96:
DSHA '02:
son, Colin Henry Mullervy, November 25, 2017.
son, Kirby Lucas, June 22, 2017.
DSHA '05:
JENNIFER POETHIG, DSHA '97:
daughter, Genevieve Anne, July 9, 2017.
son, Michael Cullen, November 21, 2017.
KATIE MUNCH BAKER,
COURTNEY GREEN CORONADO,
daughter, Julianna Terese, May 25, 2017. Julianna joins big sister Caitlyn.
MARGARET VAREBROOK LODUHA, DSHA '98:
DSHA '01:
ERIN O'BOYLE RUSSELL, DSHA '03: DSHA '03:
daughter, Lily Colleen, May 9, 2017. Lily joins big sister Emma.
MOLLY NELSON, DSHA ’04:
son, Marco Joseph, November 9, 2017.
KATHLEEN CULLEN RITTER, DSHA '05:
DSHA ’06:
son, Kevin Austin, June 22, 2017.
son, Michael Joseph Loduha, October 13, 2017. Michael joins big brother Jimmy (6), and sisters Charley (4) and Edie (1).
We want to know what's happening in your (or a fellow alumna's) life: a degree earned, a new job or promotion, move to a new city, marriage, new family member, an honor received or volunteer work. Let us know about get-togethers, memories and other adventures!
Send Us Your News & Photos! Share with Alumnae Director Ann Duffy, DSHA '10: DuffyA@dsha.info | 414.616.2808 DSHA WORD MAGAZINE
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IN MEMORIAM
Our Alumnae
WHO HAVE PASSED SINCE OUR LAST PUBLICATION.
MAY THEY REST IN ETERNAL PEACE.
Margaret Bielefeld, HA ’31: December 18, 2017
Joan Wiemer Metz, HA ’49: July 12, 2017
Catherine Kloza Doumel, HA ’60: October 14, 2017
Mary Ellen Caldwell, HA ’38: August 22, 2017
Barbara Giuli Zehren, HA ’50: June 29, 2017
Kathy Ruidl Beduhn, DS ’63: August 11, 2017
Jane O'Brien Mueller, HA ’38: January 8, 2018
Anne Burbach Barg-Costello, HA ’50: July 28, 2017
Diane Hartshorn Kelm, DS ’63: August 26, 2017
Fern Engelhardt King, HA ’40: November 16, 2017
Dorothy Albrecht, HA ’50: September 5, 2017
Anne Cunningham Keely, HA ’63: October 19, 2017
Anita Conrad Heffernan, HA ’41: August 19, 2017
Dorothy Piotrowski Konkol, HA ’50: January 15, 2018
Barbara Tyler, HA ’63: November 2, 2017
Betty Jean Brunner Jezo, HA ’42: June 12, 2017
Mary Gebhard Kreitzer, HA ’50: January 24, 2018
Kathleen Bethke Wilcox, HA ’63: November 7, 2017
Joan Doucette Maceau, HA ’42: August 10, 2017
Diane Biwer Haviland, DS ’53: November 26, 2017
Linda Schwinn Trapp, DS ’66: September 6, 2017
Shirley Cafmeyer Fleissner, HA ’42: August 20, 2017
Donna Rae Mueller, DS ’53: January 13, 2018
Ellen De Forno Gordon, HA ’67: October 22, 2017
Eunice Esser, HA ’42: November 23, 2017
Sarah Sceales Mulcahy, HA ’55: August 20, 2017
Constance Makal Skubal, HA ’68: July 20, 2017
Janet Jaekels Breitenbach, HA ’42: November 27, 2017
Joanne Wargowski Feltes, DS ’55: October 8, 2017
Peggy Petersen, HA ’69: August 9, 2017
Marie Biller Von Vargha, HA ’42: January 24, 2018
Margaret Hruz Wochos, DS ’57: August 12, 2017
Mary Gantz Palma, HA ’70: June 28, 2017
Mary Dooley Reilly, HA ’44: November 9, 2017
Nancy Zimmer Busse, DS ’57: November 29, 2017
Claire Roloff Regner, HA ’70: December 13, 2017
Marie Heinen Johnson, HA ’45: September 7, 2017
Barbara Picago Duerwachter, DS ’58: August 16, 2017
Joan Tomich Grimaldi, DS ’70: May 7, 2010
Joan Kraniak Pierce, HA ’46: June 11, 2017
Kathleen Tyler Eccles, HA ’58: September 6, 2017
Lucy Greguska, DSHA ’79: October 20, 2017
Marie Dockendorf Comas, HA ’47: 2017
Mary Ann Heckel Reinders, HA ’58: January 8, 2018
Jean Kropidlowski, DSHA ’82: January 1, 2018
Marcia Zalewski Taylor, HA ’48: March 23, 2017
Erma Echols Cannon, HA ’59: January 5, 2018
Mary Horne Bruce, DSHA ’83: January 15, 2018
Eileen Shaughnessy Weinand, HA ’48: August 16, 2017
Margaret Powers Dineen, HA ’59: January 7, 2018
Katherine Jacobson, DSHA ’10: August 11, 2017
Therese Rybacki Kunda, HA ’48: December 10, 2017
Joan Rechner Olson, DS ’59: January 17, 2018
Francesca Busalacchi, HA ’49: June 27, 2017
Margaret Carda, HA ’59: January 17, 2018
MAY YOUR PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM AND GRANT THEM
ETERNAL LIFE.
37 37
WINTER 2018 2018 WINTER
SAVE theDATE STAGE DOOR | March 9, 10, 11 This March, the DSHA Theatre Department presents Stage Door, a play about a group of young women who move to New York to study acting and find work on stage in the 1930s. Stage Door is set in Mrs. Orcutt’s boarding house, where the hopes, dreams, and ambitions of these aspiring actresses are revealed in scenes of entertaining comedy. Alumnae — you are invited to experience an era gone by during a special morning performance on Thursday, March 8. Visit dsha.info/tickets for more information or to purchase tickets.
DSHA AUCTION | Saturday, March 17 Join us for the best St. Patrick's Day Party Milwaukee has ever seen — including live Irish music by Fat Andy! Mass will be held at 5 p.m. in the Mother of Our Savior Chapel, followed by cocktails and silent auction bidding at 6 p.m. in The Quad and the R.J. Fridl Commons. Dinner begins at 8 p.m. in the John and Chris McDermott Gymnasium, followed by the voice auction. Learn more at dsha.info/ auction. For more information on how you can get involved, contact Director of Special Events Lisa Bozic, DSHA '00: 414.616.2810 or BozicL@dsha.info.
GRANDPARENT LITURGY | Wednesday, May 2 Dasher grandparents are invited to celebrate Mass with their granddaughters at DSHA’s Annual Grandparent Liturgy on Wednesday, April 27. Mass will be held at 8 a.m. with light refreshments to follow. Formal invitations to come soon!
GRADUATION | Friday, May 25 Hats off to our grads! The DSHA Class of 2018 will graduate on Friday, May 25 at the Al McGuire Center. The commencement ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. We look forward to celebrating this special occasion with our senior students and their families!
SUMMER COOL | June–August 2018 DSHA offers more than 65 camps for girls in grades 1-9. Browse our offerings at dsha.info/summer . New this year, customize a camp schedule that works for you and your future Dasher! Learn more on page 14.
TURN OVER FOR MORE EVENT INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO ALUMNAE:
DSHA Connect | Dasher Day | Alumnae Student Service Day DSHA WORD MAGAZINE
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Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit 2221 Milwaukee, WI
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! : e a n m Alu DSHA AUCTION | Saturday, March 17
Alumnae — this auction is for you! Join us for the best St. Patrick's Day party in Milwaukee. We hope to see some Dasher lassies there! For more information on special young alumna pricing (Class of 2020 and later), and how to RSVP, visit dsha.info/auction .
DSHA CONNECT | Monday, April 9 Alumnae, parents, and friends are invited to take a night off — in style! Join us on Monday, April 9 at Lizzibeth Boutique in the Historic Third Ward. From 6-8 p.m., browse the boutique’s collection, create mini-bouquets with La Tulipe, and enjoy food, drink, and conversation! Tell your alumnae girlfriends and mark your calendars. Details on how to register will be shared closer to the event. Questions? Contact Alumnae Director Ann Duffy, DSHA '10 at DuffyA@dsha.info | 414.616.2808.
ALUMNAE STUDENT SERVICE DAY | Saturday, April 21 DSHA Campus Ministry looks forward to partnering with alumnae for this year's Lenten project! This Lent, students will raise money for Catholic Relief Services and is hosting a meal pack on Saturday, April 21. Grab your classmates and join current DSHA students to help with this cause. Watch your email for further details!
DASHER DAY | Wednesday, May 23 Share in the DSHA spirit! You can be the difference in the lives of young women today. Join your fellow Dashers near and far in this inaugural online day of giving. For more information, see page 23 or visit dsha.info/dasherday . 39 WINTER 2018Contact Alumnae Director Ann Duffy, DSHA ’10: DuffyA@dsha.info | 414.616.2808 QUESTIONS?