5 minute read
Fall Events
Lourdes Academy Alumnae
Celebrate Reunion
With the exception of 2020, women who attended Lourdes Academy gather each year at Magnificat for their Reunion Mass and Reception. This year’s All-Class Reunion and Mass was extra special, and nearly 200 women attended from the classes of 1948 through 1972. The Sisters of the Humility of Mary founded Lourdes Academy in 1892. In addition to our shared connection with the Sisters, Lourdes Academy’s ties to Magnificat run even deeper as many Lourdes graduates are mothers, grandmothers, and aunts to Magnificat students and alumnae, and many support Magnificat financially. In 1998, Lourdes alumnae established the Lourdes Academy Scholarship, and they continue to give generously to the endowed scholarship, which is awarded to daughters and granddaughters of Lourdes Academy alumnae. Three Magnificat students currently benefit from the Lourdes Academy Scholarship.
Celebrating the Science Center
On September 21, members of the Magnificat Community gathered in the new Sisters of the Humility of Mary Center for Science Exploration & Innovation to finally celebrate its grand opening. Delayed for more than a year due to the pandemic, the celebration was a welcomed event, as the leadership team was thrilled to be able to share this updated and innovative space with the people who made the renovations possible. Speakers for the evening included President Moira Clark ’77 and Campaign Co-Chairs Caroline and Joe Lee. Senior Suilleabhain O’Connor also thanked the donors who made the renovation possible and stated, “The Science Center gives me a sense of belonging, as it has an open concept full of desks and seats for students to utilize. During my free period, I am almost always sitting in the science center doing homework or meeting with a teacher. Not only can I get my work finished, but I am in close contact with the teachers in case I have a question or need clarification. I love the classes I am taking and enjoy using this space daily! ... With the new science center, Magnificat has made it a priority for girls, including myself, to know what options are available for us in college and professionally. I feel confident in my abilities to succeed in college as a woman in STEM and cannot wait for the future!”
Cleveland Marathoners
Support Tuition Assistance
Fourteen members of the Magnificat community joined the inaugural Blue Streak Race Team to run in this year’s Union Home Mortgage Cleveland Marathon to raise funds for tuition assistance. Spread over two days, team members had the option to run a 5K, 10K, half marathon, or full marathon. When Bri Gallagher Connors ’99 heard about the opportunity to run in support of current students, she responded right away: “As a 1999 alumna, I’d love to run in support of the Magnificat team ... My reason for doing so is simply stated: I don’t think I’d be the woman I am today without the support of the teachers and friends I made in high school.” Thank you to each of our runners—and all who donated in their honor—for helping the team raise $4,290 that will go directly to Magnificat families in need of tuition assistance!
Bri Gallagher Connors '99 (right) with friends Susan Whelan, Michelle McGinty, and Kristy Fritz
Lizzie Urban, Psy.D. of the mathematics and social studies departments. Classmates Kelly Smith ’02 and Social Studies Chair Liz Wojtkun ’02 wish each other luck as they embark on the full marathon.
Brigid Reilley Schaefer ’97
celebrates completing the half-marathon.
Named Endowed Scholarship Donors & Scholars
Gather for the First Time Since the Pandemic Began
On November 1, Named Endowed Scholarship donors were welcomed to campus to join in our all-school Mass in celebration of All Saints Day, followed by brunch with the students who benefit from their scholarships. Due to the pandemic, this was the first time many students were meeting their scholarship donors, and it was a welcome reunion for those who had met before.
Each year, over 330 Magnificat students benefit from the generosity of 175 Named Endowed Scholarships that have been established over the last three decades by families and foundations. This year, Magnificat was honored to join the network of Catholic schools supported by The Howley Foundation, whose scholarship program supports five Magnificat students. The Howley Scholars had the chance to meet Lori Howley during this year’s celebration. See picture to the right. "We are tremendously grateful to the Howley Foundation for its commitment to Catholic education and generosity to Magnificat, which is making it possible for more young women to access holistic, faith-filled education. "Scholarships are critical to furthering our mission and to fulfilling the vision of the HM Sisters, and it is a true blessing that our network of generous supporters continues to grow each year," said President Moira Clark ’77. To conclude the celebration, guests heard from scholarship recipient Paige Erickson ’22: "Thank you to all the donors of the Name Endowed Scholarship program for your generosity. Without you, so many of us would not know what it means to be a Magnificat Blue Streak; to be part of a school that challenges and supports us; to be part of a community that has come to feel like family."
Christine Fridrich Higgins ’74 and Bill Todia with their scholarship recipients
