Inscape Alumnae Magazine - Spring 2020

News from Mother McAuley High School

SPRING 2020

If You See Her, You Can Be Her

On the forefront of experiential learning, McAuley women are future-ready.

Amia Owolabi ‘20 dons the gear of Chicago Firefighter, Dallas Aramburu ‘05, at our annual Career Day.

table of contents n Feature Story:

Macs Pioneer their Future Through Experiential Learning

n Alumnae News & Events n Advancement Updates n School News

Carey Temple Harrington ‘86 Vice President of Institutional Advancement charrington@mothermcauley.org

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Jennifer Ligda Busk ‘93 Director of Marketing & Communications jbusk@mothermcauley.org Peggy Evan Rourke ‘76 Director of Alumnae Relations and Development prourke@mothermcauley.org Maura Moran Vaughan ‘07 Assistant Director of Alumnae Relations mvaughan@mothermcauley.org

Inscape is a publication of Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Alumnae Relations, Mother McAuley High School, 3737 W. 99th Street, Chicago, IL 60655 alumnae@mothermcauley.org Copyright 2020 Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School.

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.

Design and layout by Karen Culloden Hoey ‘84 Printing by Accurate Printing

President’s Letter Dear friends, At the time of this writing, we find ourselves physically removed from the state of our world. Education, like many industries, has been forced to adapt.

While we are uncertain what the cultural landscape will look like in the coming months, my confidence and comfort lie in this: McAuley’s history and heritage have time and again proven our mission unwavering, and our students and graduates resilient.

I guess we could say that at McAuley, the more things change, the more they stay the same -- this has allowed us to endeavor for more than 170 years!

During this extraordinary time in our world, I along with other members of administration, reached out by phone to students to check-in on their eLearning, family and friends and let students know we all miss them. I was overwhelmed by the response from our future generation of leaders who remain positive, resilient, and enjoying a slower pace and family time. What great hope they give all of us at this unprecedented time.

These calls reaffirm our important role in providing an environment where girls nurture their confidence, expand their knowledge and they graduate prepared to use their gifts and talents as stewards for the greater good. We never cease in evaluating and implementing best practices that allow our young women to expand their skills, stretch their capabilities and highlight their strengths. This ideology allows McAuley women to not just be part of the conversation, but leading it; not only in the room where it happens, but at the head of the table.

One way we ensure our young women are at the forefront is through experiential learning opportunities. With the support of teachers, administration and our amazing network of alumnae, we are fortunate to have broad access to real-world content that enriches the learning environment. Several of these opportunities are highlighted in this issue of Inscape. I know you’ll be impressed and inspired, but not surprised, by the milestones our girls are reaching. You can trust that as obstacles and challenges arise in our community and world, that the next generation of McAuley women -- just like the previous ones -- will be ready, willing and leading the charge.

In Mercy, Mary Acker Klingenbeger ‘75

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Feature...Macs Pioneer Their Future Through Experiential Learning

Macs Pioneer Their Future Through Experiential Learning Throughout its history, McAuley has been poised to adapt and advance to meet the educational demands of the marketplace. It was the foresight of the Sisters of Mercy that led McAuley to open at its current location on 99th Street in 1956. The Sisters recognized the demand for a school for young women in the rapidly-growing south suburbs. A few years later, a curriculum was established to teach our young women to think critically, problem solve and communicate effectively. It is this liberal arts model that continues to distinguish McAuley apart from other area high schools.

At this point in our history the marketplace demands that we provide our young women with the resources, tools and experiential learning that best prepares them for college and beyond, so they become the most desirable candidates for jobs and careers that exist today and those that are imagined for tomorrow. Updates to our facilities, as part of our Future Ready campaign, allowed us to create spaces that fuel creative, project-based learning and collaboration. The knowledge that students gain through classroom instruction is applied to life via activities, dual credit courses, project-based studies and cultural immersion. Creativity, teamwork, critical thinking, and entrepreneurial approaches, guided by their own curiosity and by supportive faculty, and alumnae drive our students at McAuley to become more!

One of the most fundamental reasons for the success of McAuley experiential learning is collaboration between our supporters and school.

With our network of more than 28,000 alumnae, we have access to tremendous acumen and experience. We take full advantage of every chance to create connections and spark conversation between our alumnae and students. Multiple times a month you will find alumnae returning to campus to speak with groups like our Catherine McAuley Honors Scholars. Likewise, field trips take students to the operating room (via live circuit television) to witness alumnae nurses assist during openheart surgery, or to meetings with executives at Chicago’s top companies, or to a foreign language institute or restaurant to immerse themselves in a culture. These experiences are a game-changer for our students, helping them to develop confidence and engage in productive and significant work which fosters a tangible commitment to their local and global community.

It fuels our women to envision and pioneer a future without limitations and one that will better themselves and others.

Here is a look back over the past few months and the many ways earning has come alive to help our young women thrive both in and out of the classroom.

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Career Day On February 28, we welcomed back more than 70 alumnae and guests to share their stories. With a theme of “If you see her, you can be her,” the day was designed to inspire and compel the next generation of McAuley graduates to explore the many career avenues available to them. In the past five years, we’ve had participants representing more than 60 professions, ranging from STEM careers, to business owners and presidents, to journalists and graphic designers, to fashion and interior designers, to broadcasters and producers, to attorneys and government officials, to doctors and veterinarians, and more.

You can find a complete list of our 2020 Career Day participants on our website, at mothermcauley.org/alumnae/calendar/ career-day/2020-participants.

Throughout the morning, each class level spent a class period speaking with guests, asking questions and discovering the wide range of career options. Alumnae talked of how their own aspirations took root, their course of study and the conventional - or sometimes unconventional - paths they followed. The power and value of Career Day lay in the connections and conversations that we know will continue between many of these alumnae and students. Understanding their own skills and aptitudes, students begin to calculate how these and their passions can translate into any number of careers.

“I thought it was nice to hear about ways that I am able to build off my schooling and interests.”

“I liked getting to meet all the successful women. They gave me great insight into the field I hope to enter.”

“The day was AMAZING for our students! I teach sophomores in the afternoon and we spent a few minutes at the beginning of each class discussing their experiences with the alums and learning about so many professions. The students were so absolutely PUMPED! Many of them said they found their new avocation/passion/career path in life. They talked about how they had no idea that careers they never even knew about are now not only available to them, but they now feel empowered to pursue them.

The alums were GREAT; so affirming and appreciative of what they learned while in high school. I don’t know who I was more impressed with, the alums or our students.

Both, I know.” – Mary McCormick, English teacher

60+ professions

330 participants

100%

represented in the last 5 years

in the last 5 years, with many who come back year after year

of students engaged

More than

30 years of inspiring students through the career fair

“I told the girls when I was at McAuley, I learned that I can DO and BE anything I want to be. I told them all it takes is ONE STEP. One step to believe in yourself, one step to have the courage to go after your dreams! One step forward to endless possibilities of success! The girls seemed to be empowered by that and I saw them nodding their heads and smiling as I spoke.”

– Christine McGovern ‘88, senior data entry operator at the Chicago Police Department Headquarters

“I feel I impacted and empowered those that stopped to chat.”

“I didn’t even know that was an option!”

“Overall, I felt it was a great experience. It really helps you to get more information for the future and it’s a great way to help you learn what would be of interest to you. It shows you that there are so many different paths you can take within one type of profession, whatever it may be.”

“It shows you that there are so many different paths you can take within one type of profession, “I loved how whatever it there were so many may be.” different jobs that I didn’t even know about.”

“I liked the wide variety and each person’s enthusiasm in sharing information about their job. It made me excited to hear about it!”

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Feature...Macs Pioneer Their Future Through Experiential Learning Professional ABCs Now in its second year, the Advice Beyond the Classroom (ABC) program is a highly competitive and selective program offered to students in their sophomore, junior and senior year of high school. The ABC program is designed to teach its students the soft skills which are essential to succeed in the professional world. The curriculum focuses on: first impressions, written/verbal communication, networking, and interviewing.

Relationships with alumnae, including alumna Katie Hawking ‘00, Nora Kellam Quartaro ‘02, Carrie Joyce Nowicki ‘01 and Erica Rangel Hilbert ‘99 led to the creation and success of the program, reinforcing the importance of cultivating alumnae-student connections. With their guidance, the 2019 inaugural McAuley team of ABC students finished with a first-place win in the State Championship held at UBS Financial Services Inc. As Katie shared, “I’ve been teaching the program for two years now and it’s amazing to watch the girls gain confidence and conviction while speaking with professionals and advancing their potential careers. This program does so much for the women of McAuley to help them to develop past the academic curriculum that is traditionally taught.”

Additional opportunities as part of the program includes visits to various Chicago companies, including PepsiCo, The Mill and Google to hear presentations, network and explore professional interests in partnership with actual employers.

One of the most important lessons the members learn is that the ABC program extends beyond high school and college. The students learn the process to earn a professional living, with the full expectation that they return their time, talent, and treasure to advance the younger members in the network.

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“The ABC program has given us the chance to step out of the classroom and start focusing on our future. The lessons we learn on first impressions, resumes, and networking are going to help us stand apart when applying for jobs. We are fortunate to attend field trips to businesses which help us to start building contacts and connections early and we grow our confidence which allows us to create better futures for ourselves.”

– Elizabeth Gildea ’20

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Held on February 21, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day encouraged schools to introduce and engage girls to the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM. The national initiative grew from the need to empower women and to utilize the full range of talented students across our country that will someday enter the workforce. It was supported by organizations such as NASA, DiscoverE and The National Society for Professional Engineers.

A current priority for McAuley is addressing the underrepresentation of women in STEM careers, and this event was a natural complement to our curriculum. For McAuley’s part, women working in STEM professions, including alumnae, spoke to all science classes, impacting more than 850 young women! These women are employed by companies like Cisco, Splunk, and Cargill, among others and spent the day speaking to students about their education and jobs today. We were pleased to have Anne Harney Collins ’83 from Collins Engineering and Rachael Zuppa ’15 from Cargill participate.

“I loved how passionate and enthusiastic the speakers were to teach us about what they do on a daily basis. You could tell they really enjoy their jobs and wanted to inform us better on the field to make us more likely to consider it as an option for our careers, instead of totally shutting down the idea.”

Did You Know . . . In 2019, McAuley became one of the very first girls’ schools in the nation to be named part of the Amazon Future Engineer Program. This gives students access to a new AP curriculum, resources and opportunities for college scholarships and internships with Amazon.

Nearly 80% of students indicated that they found the speakers interesting and relatable.

82% of students surveyed said the event increased their knowledge of engineers and what they do on a daily basis.

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Feature...Macs Pioneer Their Future Through Experiential Learning These are a few additional ways McAuley women are “learning by doing.”

For more than 40 years, McAuley’s Little School program has provided our senior students an unparalleled experiential learning opportunity where they learn critical child development concepts and master teaching skills that they immediately put into practice in the preschool classroom. Our Little School teaching alumnae have graduated to become teachers, special education teachers, speech and language pathologists, pediatric nurses, pediatric occupational or physical therapists, school counselors, and child psychologists.

Although the structure of the program has evolved from the initial plan -students now go into local partner grade schools to teach vs. hosting the program on McAuley’s campus – the concept of the program remains a hallmark of McAuley. Today, Little School remains one of McAuley’s most sought-out practicum programs.

Our Professional Nurse Roles & Concepts is designed to engage students who demonstrate an interest in exploring the healthcare profession, particularly those with a desire to pursue a career in nursing. Students must apply for the program and are accepted based on their strength in their study of science, a fondness for exploratory learning, and a passion for helping those in need. The class is taught weekly at Saint Xavier University, and led by alumna Jeanine Foley Reilly ’86, MSN, RN, CPN.

Mighty Macs competed in the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Regional Bridge Building Contest in January.

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In January, Melody Spann Cooper ‘82, chairwomen of Midway Broadcasting Corporation spoke with our students about her book The Girlfriend’s Guide to Closing the Deal. Hosted by the students enrolled in our personal finance course and moderated

by Elizabeth Gildea ‘19, Melody answered questions and shared her experience as a successful woman in business.

AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics and AP Computer Science Principles students participated in “Go Red Goes STEM” at Northwestern Memorial’s Prentice Women’s Hospital. The day-long conference empowers young women to take control of their health and exposes them to careers in STEM. Alena Pedroza ‘20 and Emily Weber ‘20 had the best CPR score of the day and Anna Dargan ‘20 won the best social media post of the day with her Tik Tok video!

AP Art History and AP Studio Art students went on a field trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art where they explored a variety of media by local and international artists, comparing the works of art on display to those they have been studying in class.

Faculty member Rita Fitzgibbons Fox ‘72 took her AP Government & Politics class on a field trip to the Bridgeview Courthouse on February 26. They had the opportunity to speak with judges, including Michelle Forbes ‘86, and learned all about the courts and criminal justice system.

Students in our Engineering Principles class constructed a dye-sensitized solar cell using blackberry juice.

Members of our Girls Who Code Club built robots at their January meeting.

Students really got a “hands-on” experience in January constructing and testing robotic-like hands in Engineering Principles class.

During Catholic Schools Week, the Haerther Scholars held an item collection for homeless veterans throughout Chicago.

They worked in partnership with the Haerther Scholars at other Chicago-area schools to package the toiletries for “Rags of Honor” - a screen printing company that hires veterans, many of whom were previously homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless - which distributed the packages.

Mighty Macs participated in the 32nd Annual Model United Nations of the University of Chicago Conference in early February. They gathered with high school students from around the world to discuss and debate global issues.

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Feature...Macs Pioneer Their Future Through Experiential Learning

Students Become Immersed in the Spanish Culture During a Field Trip to the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago Planned as an off-campus experience for students enrolled in Spanish classes for the duration of their McAuley high school years, the field trip to the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago highlighted their diligent study in learning to speak, read, and write the Spanish language. The students have a working knowledge of the language and culture and are able to use materials which include authentic resources in the form of recordings, firms, newspapers, and magazines.

“Retaining the knowledge from all my Spanish language and history courses is key to a successful career as a bilingual businesswomen…”

Instituto Cervantes is a non-profit organization founded by the Government of Spain in 1991 to promote the Spanish language as well as foster knowledge of the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries throughout the world.

At Institute Cervantes, the students toured the library, classrooms, and reception area.

Following the tour, they were met by the director who engaged them in a question and answer session conducted totally in Spanish. Watching and listening as the girls confidently responded and questioned the director in fluent Spanish for nearly an hour was impressive. The director complemented the students on their command of the language, and encouraged them to continue their study of Spanish beyond high school.

The second stop on the field trip agenda was to an authentic Spanish restaurant. There the students impressed the wait staff by ordering their delicious lunch in Spanish.

In reflecting on their field trip to Instituto Cervantes each young scholar submitted an essay highlighting their impressions of the visit.

These are among the highlights.

“Our trip to the Instituto Cervantes reaffirmed the significance of practicing Spanish as I continue into college and beyond. I learned that people across the globe are learning Spanish to apply to their everyday lives. …I knew the grand impact that Spanish had in my own life, but I had no idea that Spanish so heavily influenced others throughout the world.”

The field trip to Instituto Cervantes in Chicago was made possible by a grant from the Target Foundation.

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alumnae news & events

Alumnae Events Fall 2019

Mactail Hours at 80 Proof and Tapas Valencia September 5 and October 10, 2019

In September, we joined with Br. Rice High School at 80 Proof to kick off the Chicago Bears 100th season.

In October, we partnered with our World Languages Department to host a happy hour at Tapas Valencia.

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alumnae news & events

Mac Connection in Milwaukee September 26, 2019 Milwaukee-area Mighty Macs shared laughs and snacks at the Women’s Club of Wisconsin!

Fall Musical Walk-on Role Raffle and Wine & Cheese Reception November 21, 2019 Robin Rodi Creevy ‘82 won our walk-on role raffle, and brought her friend Ellie Brett Ryan ‘82 to perform in one of the most popular scenes in the opening night of our fall musical, Grease: “Summer Nights.” Alumnae were invited for a wine & cheese reception before enjoying the show.

If you look closely, you can spot Ellie in the seafoam skirt second to the left, and Robin second from the right in their one-time only appearance in Grease!

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Robin (right) and Ellie posing with the show poster.

alumnae news & events

Banner-Year Reunion November 2, 2019 McAuley was filled with nearly 700 alumnae reminiscing about their high school years as we celebrated with the classes ending in “4” and “9.”

Classes ending in “5” and “0” should save the date for our next reunion on November 7, 2020!

1974

1979

1984

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alumnae news & events

1989

1999

1994

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alumnae news & events

2004

2009

2014

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alumnae news & events

Winter 2019 - 2020

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Cocktails & Carols

College Hangout

December 12, 2019

January 9, 2020

Guests enjoyed getting into the Christmas spirit with a concert by the talented Advanced Chorus, A Cappella Choir, Mac Melody Choir, and strings ensemble at the Palmer House.

There were lots of hugs and laughs as our college-aged alumnae visited over their winter breaks! Thanks to Barbara Ashe Schultz ‘70 (pictured, top left) for kicking off the afternoon discussing topics covered in her new book, Adulting Made Easy(er): Navigating from Campus to Career.

alumnae news & events

Alumnae Basketball Night January 9, 2020 Alumnae and past basketball players had a great time cheering on the Mighty Macs as they took on the Trinity Blazers!

Save the Date!

We are hopeful these events will occur but we will adhere to all guidelines.

Please check our website at mothermcauley.org/alumnae to stay updated.

Class of 1970 50th Reunion *New Date* Friday, August 21, 2020

Mother McAuley White Sox Night The lucky raffle winner shows off her new sweatshirt.

Learn more: https://www.mothermcauley.org/ alumnae/calendar/white-sox-night

Virtual MACtail Hour at Half Sour Thursday, June 25, 2020

Learn more at mothermcauley.org/alumnae/ calendar/mac-tail-hours

MACtail Hour at Tiny Tapp Thursday, July 16, 2020

Fore the Macs: Playing it Forward Golf Outing Thursday, August 27, 2020 Ridge Country Club

Mercy Day of Giving

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Banner Year Reunion for classes ending in “0” and “5” Saturday, November 7, 2020 Join McAuley’s email list to get updates on all our upcoming events direct to your inbox!

Visit mothermcauley.org/alumnae to sign up.

McAuley Hall Induction & Alumnae Mass Sunday, March 21, 2021

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alumnae news & events

Alumnae Notes 1969 Susan Dillon Gold ‘69, RN, BSN, ACRN works at the University of WisconsinMadison Health HIV Clinic and Pediatric Infectious Disease Clinic, in addition to volunteering as a nurse in East Africa. She started a project called “Talking Health Out Loud,” a mobile platform that gives teens reliable information about HIV and a safe place to talk about the disease.

Shirley Trapp Mullally ‘69 and her husband, Dan, held their 11th annual Mullally Party With A Purpose event at the end of July to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in conjunction with the World Golf Championships FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Their home is located off the 18th hole of the Tournament Players Club Southwind Golf Course in Memphis, TN, and about 300 people, including St. Jude patients and their families, attend the fundraiser at their home to watch the final round. They and their guests have donated more than $1 million to St. Jude’s over the past 11 years.

1970 Save the date for your 50th reunion on Friday, August 21, 2020.

Roxanne Whelan Drury ‘70 published her first children’s book, Beyond the Blue, through Westbow Press. The

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SEND US YOUR UPDATES

Visit www.mothermcauley.org/alumnaeupdates to share your news! All news submitted after February 29, 2020 will be included in the next issue of Inscape.

book earned the Lighthouse Recognition Award.

It’s a Christian book about heaven and the hope we have in Christ, and includes a parent guide at the back of the book to help parents open up a conversation with their child about who Jesus is and how He can be the child’s forever friend. Roxanne also is a regular contributing author for Christian Living Magazine and writes a Christian blog called “That’s Life.” which reaches people worldwide. She’s currently working on a women’s devotional book due to be published sometime this year.

Barbara Ashe Schultz ‘70 co-authored a book, Adulting Made Easy(er): Navigating from Campus to Career, which was published on October 1, 2019.

The book is written for Gen Y, Gen Z, and their parents to help readers enjoy the journey from graduation to a fulfilling career and make informed choices along the way.

1974 Mary Ellen Coghlan ‘74 was appointed to the state appellate bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in July 2019.

Aileen Hayes Gnatz ‘74 is a partner in Oliveto Hayes Design, Inc., an interior design firm serving the Western Suburbs and Greater Chicago area.

1982 Sheila Trinley Kopplin ‘82, her daughter, Tara Kopplin ‘21, and their family visited the Mercy House on Baggot Street in Dublin last summer. They enjoyed a private tour that was offered by a nun visiting from Galway, and had a wonderful time learning more about the Sisters of Mercy and our school’s foundress, Catherine McAuley.

1973 Patricia Tunney Leonard ‘73 was promoted to executive vice president at NorthShore University HealthSystem in February 2018.

Renee Popovits ‘82, McAuley Hall inductee for 2017, hosted an art show displaying 150 of her “Art from the Heart Paintings” on August 31.

alumnae news & events

Jil Simpson Ross ‘82 current McAuley Board of Trustee member, won “Best Web Series” at the International Black Film Festival in Nashville for her tween/family-friendly web series, “CHI-nanigans.”

Melody Spann-Cooper viewed Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot at the 33rd Women’s Business Development Center Conference Luncheon on September 6 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.

‘82

inter-

1983 A group of friends from the class of 1983 have enjoyed a girl’s weekend together every year for the past 25 years. This picture is from their trip in October. From left to right: Karen Looney Konow, Mary Walsh Freeman, Marybeth Paliakas Mulcahey, Rita Jean Eaheart Gramm, Therese Martin Boyce, T.C. Harney, Rowie Harney Kealy ‘84, Christine Federinko Lee and (not pictured) Laura Reif Carioti.

processing, partner account management, student support services, and call center operations. When she is not working and traveling to visit partner schools to help them streamline and optimize their operations, Kelli enjoys spending time with her husband of 33 years, Scott, in their cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

1985 Save the date for your 35th reunion on November 7, 2020.

Maureen Smith ‘85, attorney, recently joined the Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery firm as partner.

Kathleen Andrews Wallensack ‘85 is a private consultant for Wellness House in Hinsdale Illinois. At the Wellness House she offers psychosocial programming for teens and adolescents facing cancer diagnosis in the family.

She’s supported growth in her field of Child Life Professionals as a faculty member at Northern Illinois University and participates in national and local professional organization boards and committees. Currently, she is working on academic improvements for a national organization, Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).

1986 Kelly Blake Karstrand ‘86 received the American Association of Teachers of French “Illinois French Teacher of the Year” Award on November 21, 2019.

1992 Kelly Miller Nolen ‘92 wrote and released her first book. This children’s book explores a common childhood conflict about friendship and teaches children ways to manage their feelings. Included are discussion questions, lesson plan suggestions for educators, and an activity.

1994 Meggan Evans Forbes ‘94 is a nurse practitioner and director of nights at the University of Chicago Hospital.

Betsy Ross Ready ‘94 served as emcee for the “Loss of Hope” fundraiser in August. The event was held at Wrigley Field and The 1914 Club to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide, a non-demoninational suppport program through Catholic Charities.

1995 Save the date for your 25th reunion on November 7, 2020.

Bridget Duignan ‘95 authored an important part of the Workplace Transparency Act, which provides additional protections against sexual harassment. The bill was recently signed

by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

1984 Kelli Reilly Kellen ‘84 is the vice president of operations managing non-academic operations for K12, a publicly traded education company that provides curriculum, support, and management services for public, private, and charter schools in the U.S. and internationally. Working with a dedicated team, Kelli manages the operations of admissions, student engagement, systems operations, registrars, data

This after-school college credit course is open to juniors and seniors.

Jeanine Foley Reilly ‘86, MSN, RN, CPN taught our Introduction to Nursing class for McAuley and Brother Rice students at Saint Xavier University.

Sofia Hernandez ‘95 was featured in a video by American Girl and Scary Mommy, discussing the importance of diversity and inclusion. Sofia is the chief client officer at Suzy, a real-time consumer intelligence platform that

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alumnae news & events

connects you directly to your target audience to get instant feedback on any business decision, big or small.

Sandy Pudar ‘95, assistant news director at Nexstar Media Group WGNChannel 9, has been named news director of WGN America “News Nation,” the three-hour nightly national newscast set to be launched in the summer of 2020.

Charise Williams ‘95 was recognized as a Chicago Defender Newspaper “Woman of Excellence” in November.

The Chicago Defender annually recognizes high achieving women of color for their contributions to the quality of life in and beyond the city limits of Chicago. Charise is the director of external affairs for the Chicago Federation of Labor.

1996

1998 Marlin Estrada ‘98 is the dance teacher at Richard Edwards Elementary School, a Chicago Public Schools dual-language arts school. She was recently featured in an article talking about their curriculum, which incorporates “Dancing With Class” into their curriculum. This program helps students gain social-emotional skills through movement.

Janine Schaults ‘98 interviewed musical artist Hozier for the Chicago Tribune during the Lollapalooza 2019 coverage. Janine is a senior content editor specializing in entertainment.

She is the co-author of “The Frames: Behind the Glass” with photographer Zoran Orlic. Her work has also appeared in Newcity, Illinois Entertainer, Consequence of Sound and Relix.

Photo credit: Chicago Tribune

In August, Julie Maher Dombrowksi ‘96 and her family celebrated the four-year anniversary of the Maher Funeral Home, an independent, locally-owned firm in the former Tinley Park library building.

Katie McAlinden ‘96 is a breast cancer survivor/thriver and an advocate for raising money to find a cure. She shared her inspirational story with the cast, crew and orchestra of “Grease.” as they sold ribbons in honor of breast cancer awareness throughout the month of October. See photos on our School News section on page 45.

1997 Karen Budell ‘97 has been named vice president of brand marketing at SurveyMonkey. She joins the survey software company headquartered in San Mateo, California, after nearly four years working at Google.

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donating prizes for the raffle. This year was her biggest one yet, raising over $12,000 that was donated directly to Blue Cap. The event even has the support of “The Jam,” a local TV show that airs on WCIU in the morning, which featured the event on their morning show. For work, she recently became the marketing coordinator for Lauren Barrett ‘03 who has her own State Farm Agency in Palos Hills.

2001 Eileen Knightly ‘01 and Katie Siefert ‘02 helped prepare our Mock Trial Club for the 11th Annual Sixth Municipal District Mock Trial Competition at South Suburban College at the beginning of February.

2003 Kathryn Hill Bryk ‘03 and her family recently purchased Lack and Sons Funeral Home located in Hickory Hills, IL. The family-owned and operated funeral home provides quality and affordable service throughout the south side and surrounding areas.

Maura Daly ‘03 was named director of marketing and enrollment in the Office of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago in October.

2000 Save the date for your 20th reunion on November 7, 2020.

Outside of working, Kristin Vanderbilt ‘00 dedicates her time fundraising for Blue Cap, an organization that supports developmentally-challenged individuals in Chicago and the suburbs.

This past summer, she had her 5th annual “Putts and Pints Tournament” in Blue Island, where she engaged nine participating bars in Blue Island to create putt-putt holes in their bars. Patrons spend the afternoon going from bar to bar playing putt putt. She invites local businesses to get involved by providing monetary support and

Bridget Forbes ‘03 owns Real Life Moment Newborn Photography Studio, and was featured in the Daily Southtown in December for her photo shoots with local Santa, Marty Nolan.

The photo shoots were a great way for children to interact with Santa and capture happy holiday moments.

Photo credit: Gary Middendorf / Daily Southtown

alumnae news & events

Gina Sanchez Nunez ‘03 became the assistant dean of students at DePaul University in January.

2005 Save the date for your 15th reunion on November 7, 2020.

Jenna Johnson ‘05 was named the head varsity soccer coach at McAuley for the 2019-2020 school year.

2007 After college, Ashley Vacchiano Suarez ‘07 began work in the pharmaceutical industry as an engineer in a rotational program at Merck & Co. Inc. She worked in product development and was designing processing controls for a potential new product in West Point, PA. From there she relocated to Durham, NC where she began her career in manufacturing.

Ashley spent time as a technical engineer in vaccine manufacturing before moving to Wilson, NC and starting as a technical engineer in packaging. Initially, she wanted to design/develop pharmaceutical products, then realized she wanted nothing more than the opportunity to step onto a production line each day. Now that she has developed a love for packaging, she’s able to leverage that passion in a commercialization group where she does work with human factors testing and working on filings for new products.

2008 Gina Prendergast ‘08 recently joined the Madonna Foundation as their scholarship coordinator. The Madonna Foundation partners with Mother McAuley and other all-girls’ Catholic schools throughout Chicago to award tuition grants to young women.

live storytelling show and forthcoming podcast called “Unsent.” It’s a show where brave souls get on the mic to share letters, emails, texts and other messages they wrote but never sent, or did and wish they hadn’t. They’ve been touring in Denver and L.A. including shows at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, and Loyola Marymount University since 2018.

2009 Colin Evans ‘09, producer/writer at ABC 7 Chicago, won an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Achievement for News Gathering Spot News.”

2012

2010 Save the date for your 10th reunion on November 7, 2020.

Hanna Bowens ‘10 has been living in Los Angeles pursuing writing, comedy, and film production since 2010 when she attended Loyola Marymount University’s film school. Over the years she’s explored countless areas of the film world in an attempt to find her niche. She worked at the Sundance Institute in their documentary film fund, then for a touring film festival, she’s studied comedy at UCB theater and is currently a writer/performer on a house sketch team at Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica. She has written, directed and produced branded video content. Hanna tried on many hats but only last year did she really discover a project that felt like it was the right fit, one that combined the skills she’d acquired. She’s a co-founder, producer and host of a

Katie Geary ‘12, a graphic designer, designed images for the doors, halls and elevators at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

Ellie Menke ‘12 started working as the graphic design and media specialist at Mount Carmel High School in September.

Nedaa Sweiss ‘09 was named one of Forbes “30 under 30” in the Hollywood and Entertainment category, as well as one of the top leaders in television by Variety.

Nedaa is currently the head writer for the Jimmy Fallon Tonight Show.

Photo credit: Forbes

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alumnae news & events

2013 Kelly Clarke ‘13 recently graduated from Marquette University with a doctorate in physical therapy and works at Blue Bird Day, a therapeutic preschool and kindergarten program in Chicago.

Brenna Smith ‘13 is the communications manager for Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan and was featured in the news in West Michigan as they celebrated the International Day of the Girl.

2014 At the beginning of August, Paige Kennedy ‘14 completed a 10-month Illinois legislative internship.

On August 9, she was at a private bill signing with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for the Workplace Transparency Act. This was one of the bills she worked on during her internship. Since the end of her internship, she has begun working as a news producer with news station 20WICS in Springfield, IL.

In August, Ryann DeJarld ‘15, Charley Niego ‘18 and Nancy Kane ‘19 were highlighted in an article in The Observer, student-run, daily print and online newspaper serving Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross, for their roles on the Notre Dame women’s volleyball team.

2015

2016

Save the date for your 5th reunion on November 7, 2020.

Simone Johnson ‘16 was named a Forbes “Under 30 Scholar” and attended the Forbes Under 30 Summit in the fall.

Mallory Miller ‘15 graduated summa cum laude from Marquette University with a degree in biomedical sciences.

She is now attending Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago.

As a student at Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business, Jessica Pedroza ‘15 paired her studies with background as a dancer to take a closer look into the business operations of the Joffery Ballet. Her work was featured in an article on the School of Business’ website.

Jenny Phelan ‘14 traveled to Guatemala with her surgical team in January to bring her nursing skills to a local hospital.

DO YOU WORK WITH A FELLOW McAULEY ALUMNA? 22

Take a picture at work and share on social media using #MacsatWork and/or email to alumnae@mothermcauley.org! We’d love to send you a shout-out and celebrate all of our Mac change-makers who are hard at work and spreading the Mighty Mac spirit!

alumnae news & events

Molly Clifford ‘16, Annie Duffy ‘16 and Bridget Kenzinger ‘16 are keeping up with their volunteering at Saint Louis University. They had planned to participate in Relay for Life in April 2020.

Erin Ludwig ‘16 participated in the Governor’s Summer Internship Program in the summer of 2019.

Emily Mayer ‘16 flourished in her senior volleyball season at Saint Xavier University. The setter/defensive specialist led the team with 521 assists and 20 service aces, while her 227 digs are second on the team.

2017 Olivia Aleman ‘17 was recognized by Bradley University’s Lewis J. Burger Center for Leadership & Service as a Student Leader in February.

2018

2019

In August, Jessica Gomez ‘18 was named a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar. The opportunity helps her to receive valuable support services such as mentoring, career services (including internship and post-graduation employment opportunities), leadership development, and knowledge that emphasizes career preparation.

She’s really honored to be named one of approximately 10,000 of the best and brightest Hispanic students in the country who are eligible to receive HSF’s Scholar Support Services, and knows this wouldn’t have been possible without her McAuley preparation or education.

Nancy Kane ‘19 - see update under Ryann Dejarld ‘15

In October, Margaret Millerick ‘18 was recognized as a student leader at Marquette University for her work at “Late Night Marquette,” a program that actively promotes a vibrant campus culture by collaborating with members of the university and Milwaukee communities to provide fun, innovative, and free programming to students.

Charley Niego ‘18 - see update under Ryann Dejarld ‘15

Grace McCann ‘17 and Maddie Knightly ‘19 helped Spring Hill College capture the SIAC Cross Country Championship in Rock Hills, SC this fall.

Molly McCaw ‘17 was chosen as the “Urban Teacher of the Month” in September through the Urban Teacher Preparation Program at Carthage College.

Lauren Plesha ‘18 was named to the Saint Mary’s College Dean’s List for the 2019 fall semester. To earn this academic honor at Saint Mary’s, a student must achieve a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.6 on a 4.0 scale, have a minimum of 12 graded credit hours, no incompletes, and no grades lower than a C.

Maddie Knightly ‘19 - see update under Grace McCann ‘17 Emma Mendez ‘19 was on Fox 32 Chicago News talking about her experience in the Exelon HeForShe STEM Innovation Leadership Academy in August. She also recently took on the position of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Chair for the University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club. This role is aimed at making their glee club more inclusive and welcoming, highlighting the importance of each person’s story and background.

Erin Sullivan ‘19 is co-anchor of the Kent State afternoon news program.

She uses skills she learned in McAuley’s Media Literacy and Journalism Honors classes to write her own news stories & read them on-air.

In July, Sister Corinne Raven, RSM, former McAuley principal, was honored by the Mercy Education System of the Americas for her numerable and continuing contributions to Mercy education.

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alumnae news & events

These Macs came back Rita Fitzgibbons Fox ‘72, chair of the social science department, and Nancy Arnold ‘63 assisted students in registering to vote in January.

In October Sara Monks ‘13 visited Art Sheridan’s theology classes to share her experience with AmeriCorps and explain the different service opportunities available through the organization.

On January 9, Barbara Ashe Schultz ‘70 spoke to college-aged alumnae and students on topics included in her new book, Adulting Made Easy(er): Navigating from Campus to Career.

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alumnae news & events

Erin Ludwig ‘16 spoke to our theology classes and shared her experience working as a community engagement intern at the Indiana Department of Correction through the Governor’s Public Service Summer internship program. This program allows college students to learn the inner workings of state government. During her internship, she visited prisons throughout Indiana and learned about all of the volunteering opportunities available to the public. These programs help facilitate successful re-entry into mainstream society after people are released from prison.

In November, Francesca Velcich ‘16 and the Illinois State University A Cappella group, “Secondary Dominance” performed for our chorus and drama students. The group answered questions, gave a lesson in beatboxing and put on a great show for our Mighty Macs.

MoMo Cranley ‘19, Sarah Dunn ‘19, Maura Gribble ‘18, Kaitlin Howley ‘18, Bridget Halloran, Caitlin Jandacek ‘16, Maura O’Grady ‘19, and Catherine Rogers ‘18 spoke to our Catherine McAuley Honors Scholars in November to share insight and advice on college and choosing a major.

Missy Carroll ‘17 spoke to Intro to Coding and Engineering Principles students about her experience in the Electrical Engineering program at the University of Illinois in November.

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alumnae news & events

These Macs came back

Hannah Brennan ‘19, Maeve Fitzgerald ‘17, Stacey Manahan ‘18, and Grace Trippiedi ‘18 visited in January and spoke to the Catherine McAuley Honors Scholars to share their college experience thus far, answer questions, and offer advice on how to pick a major.

Catherine McAuley Honors Scholars participated in stressrelieving activities in December to help them get ready for finals. Alumna Kathleen Simpson Daly ‘05 conducted an art therapy session to help members use their creative energies and control stress.

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In October, Ashley Rogers ‘12, Theresa Devine ‘12, Joanna Vivilakis Ruzich ‘00, Kathleen Lynch ‘06, Liz Hroma ‘11, and Meghan Baker ‘15 - all alumnae in healthcare fields - met with the Catherine McAuley Honors Scholars to share more about their professions.

The alumnae work as therapists, nurses, administrators, biochemical engineers and physician assistants.

alumnae news & events

Marriages

s Ellen Youpel ‘11 married Kevin Carey on June 15, 2019. Their wedding party included Meggan Youpel Redmond ‘98, Alix Youpel Krupa ‘05 and Mary Claire Youpel ‘08.

s Kelly Malone ‘07 married Pat Andrasco on November 15, 2019.

s Lisa Szeszol ‘08 married Lance Shupryt on June 22, 2019 at Eastern Illinois University.

s Carla McCullough ‘98 married the love of her life, Arthur Douglas Jr,. in Rock Hill, SC. on September 28, 2019.

s Meaghan Tobin ‘05 married Sean Murphy on January 18, 2020, with many Mighty Mac friends at her side as her bridesmaids, including Caroline Gray ‘05, Kaitlin Earley ‘05, Cathy Moran ‘05 and Allison Dyrek ‘05.

Contact the alumnae office at 773-881-6565 or alumnae@mothermcauley.org to get a McAuley shield to proudly display in a photo with the Mighty Mac alumnae at your wedding!

Tag Mother McAuley in your wedding photos on social media!

#MacFamily 27

alumnae news & events

Births & Adoptions Carrie Williams ‘03 and husband Randy Sturm, welcomed Sophie Ryan on September 3, 2019.

t Faculty member Lauren Dowden, her husband Pearce and big sister Millie welcomed baby girl, Penny Jae on November 12, 2019.

t Danny and Emily Evans Connerly ‘09 and big sister Charlotte, welcomed Molly Marie on February 3, 2020.

t Colleen Carter Coleman ‘04 and husband Kevin welcomed Owen Patrick Coleman on September 23, 2019. Big sisters Nora (4) and Maeve (2) are thrilled!

t Jason and Elyse Lunz Gordon ‘05 welcomed Taylor Anne Gordon on September 25, 2019.

t Faculty member, Laura Bansley Fitzpatrick ‘08 and husband Ryan, welcomed baby girl Aurora Mae on March 26, 2020.

t KKatie Doyle Deane ‘98 and husband Noel welcomed baby girl, Maeve Mary Dean on December 31, 2019.

Elizabeth Schultz Senese ‘01, husband Anthony, and big brother Jack, welcomed baby girl, Tess on October 17, 2018.

Tag Mother McAuley in your baby photos on social media!

#MacFamily 28

Vice Principal Dan Turney and his wife Kathy, welcomed Timothy Ryan Turney on April 16, 2020.

alumnae news & events

Deaths A correction to an announcement from the fall 2019 issue of Inscape: Maggie McGuire Quinn ‘88 passed on May 11, 2017. She is the sister-in-law of Tracey Quinn ‘98, Erin Quinn ‘00, and Elizabeth Quinn ‘02.

Sharon Nowobielski, February 4, 2018 Mother of Jennifer Nowobielski Movrogiannis ‘93 Mary Weiss, November 2, 2018 Mother of Carol Weiss ‘73

SEPTEMBER 2019 Ann “Nancy” Grant, September 17, 2019 Grandmother of Meghan Mulryan ‘03, Sarah Duffy ‘95, Katie Sheehan Turnock ‘06, Bridget Hurley ‘06, Brooke Hurley ‘09, Katy Prendergast ‘01 and Kellianne Grant McDonough ‘03 Bernabe “Barney” Tovar, September 23, 2019 Father of Bevin Tovar ‘15 Thomas Michael Owens, September 29, 2019 Father of Julie Owens Burns ‘82, Sharon Owens ‘88 and Katie Owens Mulcahy ‘93

OCTOBER 2019 Mark J. Sredzinski, October 1, 2019 Husband of Erin Cusick Sredzinski ‘96 Candance Copeland ‘16, October 2, 2019 Nancy Burkhardt Flynn ‘66, October 10, 2019 Sister of Linda Burkhardt Hartman ‘71 Bette Davis, October 12, 2019 Mother of faculty member Kathy Gordon Davis Margaret (Maggie) Mary McCormick, October 12, 2019 Grandmother of Nicole Schiavone Hillock ‘99, Caitlin Galazkiewciz ‘03, Kelly McCormick Vandenberg ‘06, Mary Ellen Schiavone ‘06, Emily McCormick ‘12, Jolene McCormick ‘12, Annie Hopkins ‘13 and Lindsey McCormick ‘13

Robert “Bob” Rux, October 12, 2019 Father of Emily Rux ‘15 and brother in law of Judy Roche O’Neill ‘77 Michelle Foy ‘89, October 13, 2019 Aunt of Alison Winkler Ioannacci ‘07 and Kate Winkler Jilek ‘07 Analiz Magana ‘16, October 19, 2019 Mary Jane Murphy, October 20, 2019 Mother of Colleen Murphy ‘66, Kerry Murphy Claus ‘70, Erin Murphy Lorenz ‘75, Sally Murphy Gennuso ‘77 and Shannon Murphy Shannon ‘80 Mary Julia Doyle, October 26, 2019 Mother of Julie Doyle Johnson ‘85; Mother-in-law of Margie Reid Doyle ‘80 and Joanie Davoren Doyle ‘87

Theodore Tuzik, November 2019 Father of Gretchen Tuzik Jager ‘98, Nora Tuzik Bansley ‘00, Mary Kate Tuzik ‘03 and Bridget Tuzik Hunter ‘05

DECEMBER 2019 Daniel Joyce, December 1, 2019 Husband of Patricia Kelly Joyce ‘67, Father of Eileen Joyce McCormick ‘91, Peggy Joyce Osterman ‘92 and Bridget Joyce Hyde ‘96 Michael Hayes, December 7, 2019 Father in law of Juliann Gilmartin Hayes ‘89 and Jean Riemersma Hayes ‘93, Grandfather of Ellie Hayes ‘18

Theodore Tuzik, October 31, 2019 Father of Gretchen Tuzik Jager ‘98, Nora Tuzik Bansley ‘00, Mary Kate Tuzik ‘03 and Bridget Tuzik Hunter ‘05

Marjorie L. Cullen, December 9, 2019 Mother of Mary Beth Cullen Marston ‘76, Maureen Cullen Thomas, Patricia Cullen ‘79 and Molly Cullen House ‘88 and Grandmother of Kaitlyn Cullen ‘07 and the late Bridget Cullen ‘13

Jose Montero, October 2019 Father of Vania Montero Wit ‘86

Marta Zebala, December 9, 2019 Mother of Katherine Koepke ‘22

NOVEMBER 2019 Guy Spagnoli, November 1, 2019 Father of Gerianne Spagnoli Tilkes ‘85, grandfather of Brenna ‘15, Kayla ‘17, Tara ‘19 and Ella ‘21 David Mahony, November 3, 2019 Brother of Therese Mahoney, SXA ‘59 Judy Summers, November 8, 2019 Mother of Tricia Summers Howard ‘87 and mother-in-law of Nicole Kinsella Summers ‘91 Erin Hurley Kress ‘89, November 16, 2019 Sister Therese Windham, R.S.M., former Mother McAuley faculty member November 24, 2019 Aunt of Therese Kawalko Jalowiec ‘81 and Maureen Kawalko Ingram, ‘85 Sierra Collins ‘18, November 28, 2019 James M. Daly, November 29, 2019 Father of Meghan Daly Dallavecchia ‘95, Kara Daly ‘98 and Kelly Daly Evora ‘00

Lorraine Calhoun Stanton, December 12, 2019 Mother in law of Laurie Miller Stanton ‘75; Grandmother of Molly Wilson ‘06, Maura Stanton ‘09, Julie Stanton ‘13 and Kaleigh Stanton ‘17 Tom Carey, December 17, 2019 Brother of Helen Carey Ehret ‘49 and brother-in-law of Joan Wallace Carey ‘63 Sheila Windham Kawalko, December 29, 2019 Mother of Therese Kawalko Jalowiec ‘81 and Maureen Kawalko Ingram ‘85; sister of the late Sister Therese Windham, RSM

JANUARY 2020 Ann Mary Boyle, January 5, 2020 Mother of Kathy Boyle Styler ‘76, Mary Boyle Weiler ‘78, Tricia Boyle Flannery ‘81, Therese Boyle Niego ‘82, Sheila Boyle Nawrocki ‘84 and Colleen Boyle Krzysciak ‘87; grandmother of Carli Weiler ‘08, Alexa Weiler ‘09, Mary Kate Styler ‘11, Brynn

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alumnae news & events Flannery ‘13, Charley Niego ‘18 and Grace Niego ‘20 Maureen Phelan Dombro ‘60, January 14, 2020 Mother of Peg Dombro Griffiths ‘84, Laura Dombro ‘87 and Michelle Dombro ‘89; grandmother of Ellie Threloff ‘17; sister of Pat Phelan Wilson ‘62 and Kathy Phelan Lipinski ‘70 Cynthia Remijas Byron ‘68, January 17, 2020 Sister of Anita Remijas ‘71 Jeanne Barton Benner ‘64, January 22, 2020 Sister of Judith Barton ‘62 and Colleen Barton Benner ‘71; mother of Sarah Benner ‘91 and Elizabeth Benner ‘93 Raymond Thompson, January 22, 2020 Father of Bernadette Thompson Mitchell ‘00 and Jacquelyn Thompson O’Malley ‘04 Flora Gemini, January 2020 Grandmother of Samantha Duggan ‘19 and Allison Duggan ‘19

FEBRUARY 2020 Joan M. MacArthur ‘66, February 2, 2020 Sister of Donna Yanz Frasor ‘68 and aunt of Alison Frasor Myers ‘96, Lindsay Frasor Bodda ‘99 and Jenna Frasor ‘03 William Baker, February 5, 2020 Father in law of Mary Boylan Baker ‘83 and Erin Yore Baker ‘86; grandfather of Meghan Baker ‘15 and Shannon Baker ‘17 Daniel J. Duffy, February 8, 2020 Husband of the late Kathleen Gill Duffy ‘77; father of Mary Duffy ‘13; brother of Patricia Duffy Gianone ‘62, Nancy Duffy Fortney ‘65, Sally Duffy ‘67, Peggy Duffy Demmitt ‘69 and Shirley Duffy ‘75 Michael J. Hurley, February 26, 2020 Husband of Denise Enright Hurley ‘76; brother in law of Diane Enright Pawelski ‘72 and Mary Beth Enright Bick ‘74 John Thomas Ryan C.P.D. February 27, 2020 Father of Michelle Ryan Corry ‘93

MARCH 2020 Norbert Czajka, March 2, 2020 Father of Sarah Czajka ‘01 Margery Wild Livingston ‘55, March 4, 2020 Cousin of Ann Wild ‘63 Rosemary Stifter, March 7, 2020 Mother of Patty Stifter Kubik ‘75, Janet Stifter ‘77, Colleen Stifter Sheehan ‘81 and Cynthia Stifter Syslo ‘88 and aunt of Laura Shallow ‘75 Sister Sheila Lyne, R.S.M., recipient of the Sister Agatha O’Brien Catholic Service Award presented to her at Mother McAuley’s Celebration 2013.

March 10, 2020 Aunt of Sheila Lyne Mastandrea ‘87 Sheila Grant Gibbs ‘64, March 13, 2020 Sister of Lucy Grant Naphin ‘60 Regina McEldowney Schroeberl, March 14, 2020 Sister of Moira McEldowney Welniak ‘90, Kathleen McEldowney Broline ‘98, the late Erin McEldowney ‘02 and Annie McEldowney ‘06; niece of Patty Brannigan McEldowney ‘71 and Joanne Rose McEldowney ‘74; cousin of Monica McEldowney ‘00, Aileen McEldowny Richard ‘03 and Mallory McEldowney ‘09 Dorothy Reynolds, March 15, 2020 Mother of Patty Reynolds Walsh ‘65 and mother in law of Cathy Arneberg Reynolds ‘69 Stanley Brown, March 16, 2020 Father of Karen Brown Kissel ‘87 and Kim Brown ‘92 John Hurley, M.D., March 19, 2020 Father of Terri Hurley Englehart ‘88 and grandfather of Katie Hurley Liston ‘98 Terrence O’Connor, March 26, 2020 Father of Susie O’Connor Martin ‘92 and Kelly O’Connor Wingate ‘93; grandfather of Caitlin O’Connor ‘22; uncle of Trish O’Connor Zuber ‘87 and Eileen O’Connor Barrins

Frank Maloney, March 30, 2020 Husband of Kathy Schumacher Maloney ‘65; father of Molly Maloney Kelly ‘91 and Kelly Maloney Kachmarik ‘94; brother of Maureen Maloney Walsh ‘70; brother in law of Carole Schumacher ‘60, Erin Schumacher Carlstedt ‘70, Maureen Schumacher Panetera ‘73, Mary Pat Schumacher Rohan ‘76 and Sue Schumacher Sheahan ‘80; uncle of Karen Schumacher Finnin ‘95, Katie Schumacher Cawley ‘97, Mary Kate Rohan ‘03, Clare Rohan ‘12 and Maggie Sheahan ‘09 Shannon O’Reilly ‘86, March 2020 Sister of Lisa O’Reilly Wagner ‘83 and Carrie O’Reilly ‘89

APRIL 2020 Ellen Catherine Keogh Suchinski, April 28, 2020 Mother of Terese Suchinski Escalona ‘72 and grandmother of Averi Escalona ‘01

Michael Hughes, former McAuley committee member and father of World Language faculty member Peg Hughes, passed away April 27, 2020. Mike was a generous and humble philanthropist supporting Mother McAuley and several other schools and charities across Chicago-land, including Mount Carmel High School, Lewis University, Misericordia/Heart of Mercy Home, the Chicago Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, and Little Friends.

Mike was a member of McAuley’s Building Design Committee and was instrumental in the early discussions of the school’s Future Ready campaign. He is the brother-in-law of Joann Fitzpatrick Kennelly ‘64, the uncle of Megan Kennelly Johanet ‘90 and Shannon Kennelly Quaid ‘93, and great uncle of Sarah Johanet ‘18 and Maggie Johanet ‘19.

All birth, wedding, and death submissions for this issue of Inscape were due by March 31, 2020. All submissions received after March 31st will be included in our next issue. To submit news of a death in our community, please visit mothermcauley.org/alumnae/in-memoriam or email alumnae@mothermcauley.org. If we have omitted any information, please contact the alumnae office at alumnae@mothermcauley.org

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alumnae news & events

In Memoriam

Sister Therese Windham, RSM

Sister Therese Windham, R.S.M., beloved Sister of Mercy for 67 years and former McAuley science faculty member passed away on November 24, 2019.

Visitation and the funeral mass were held at Mercy Circle.

Dr. Jenny Lim ’80 is a former student of Sr. Therese and penned this beautiful tribute in her honor.

It is with a heavy heart that I learned of Sr. Therese’s death. Sr. Therese was not only a teacher and mentor to me, but also a friend.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Sr. Therese. During my sophomore year at McAuley, she taught me to think more analytically, to understand “the why” and not just “the what.” She did this for all students in her physics classes. Her goal was to enable each student to reach her individual potential; she achieved this by implementing the Harvard Project Physics Course independent study. I remember her overseeing our use of microwave emitters, lasers and other interesting laboratory equipment in her classroom. She challenged her students to become independent and analytical thinkers.

During my senior year, Sr. Therese created a college level Physics independent program of study for me. Yes, she did this for me – a class of one student. How many teachers would do this? I remember working on problem sets, which she created for me. These proved valuable and enabled me to hold me own during my years at Northwestern. I am eternally grateful for her dedication, enthusiasm and willingness to share her knowledge with me. I dare say, we both had fun – she in creating the course and me in learning from her.

When Sr. Therese learned I was interested in becoming a doctor, she immediately mentioned and encouraged me to apply to the Honors Program in Education at Northwestern University (Six Year Program). No doubt, her glowing recommendation boosted my chances of acceptance. Indeed, I was interviewed and accepted into that program. That program launched my medical career.

After high school, Sr. Therese and I continued to keep in touch over almost four decades. We shared many meals together, kept one another apprised of our latest escapades and discussed many interesting topics. After she left McAuley, she pursued a master’s degree in computer science at IIT. I remember helping her move into her new place at IIT. She had stacks of books and articles in her apartment.

I was not surprised when she was hired to teach there shortly after

finishing her course work. She had a remarkable intellect and a zeal for learning and teaching. Over the years, she continued this pursuit.

Sr. Therese remained very interested in my studies and research. She and I would often get together over the holidays or summertime during college, medical school and residency/ fellowship. Our friendship grew over the years. My parents and family all got to know her well and enjoyed her company. She attended my wedding in California and all major family events. She was on my “must see” list when I would visit my family over the holidays. I was delighted that she got know my husband and daughter. We all would share many meals and enjoyable discussions over the years. Sr. Therese was always well informed of world events and always interested in learning. She did have strong opinions, which she voiced openly. This made for colorful discussions.

More recently, after returning to Chicago, my family and I visited with Sr. Therese during Christmas time. She made an effort throughout the year to keep in touch. She remained interested in both my personal and professional life. As she became older and ill, our face-to-face visits decreased. Last spring, I was able to visit with Sr. Therese. She had grown infirm by then, but still had her wry sense of humor. That particular day, she was in rare form. We connived together and enjoyed eating Frango mints, in defiance of her “soft diet”. I expressed my immense gratitude to her for mentorship, guidance, teaching and friendship over the years. Little did I know that it would be my last conversation with her.

I know that there are multitudes of students from McAuley, IIT and other institutions who all hold Sr. Therese in highest regard. We, her students and friends, benefited from her teaching, wisdom and friendship. Sr. Therese was a blessing to all of us who knew her. She achieved her potential, utilizing God’s gifts to her to the fullest capacity. May we emulate her. May God grant her eternal life.

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advancement

Carey’s Corner “McAuley is more.”

This has been a mantra underscoring many of our efforts at McAuley this past year.

We see McAuley as more than an excellent academic experience. More than a spiritual center. More than an athletic powerhouse. More than a fine arts hub. More than our 28,000 alumnae. More than an anchor to the Chicago southland community, but a regional school where families travel for the best match and fit for their students.

Just how do we integrate “more” into our curriculum and experiences beyond the classroom to ensure our young women are future-ready? We offer them exposure to businesses, professionals and opportunities which set the stage for them to move into college and careers with a well-charted path and keen eye toward success. Much of this growth through experiential learning is thanks to our contacts and connections. Obviously, there are many other high schools and universities known for their network and connections but how many are solely committed to the advancement of young women? How many are focused on opening doors, eyes, arms and hearts to lead our Mighty Macs to unlimited, unencumbered futures? McAuley is immensely blessed by our broad network of alumnae and supporters who believe

that every workplace, home and community is better served where a McAuley girl is present.

Ensuring the rights and opportunities of women and girls remains a big piece of the unfinished business of the 21st century. Yes, we have made great strides globally for women but we are nowhere near equal.

The world is dynamic and requires women who are courageous, resilient and compassionate. We are cultivating the learners of today who the world will look to as leaders tomorrow, and you can help us.

I ask our McAuley community to continue to think of opportunities - financial, internships, mentoring, resources - that bring the world to McAuley. I assure you that these will lead McAuley women out into the world.

Once our young women see you, they will want to be you. I encourage you to reach out so we can help them realize how shared connections and knowledge can fuel a bright, bold future of “more.”

Gratefully,

Carey Temple Harrington ‘86 Vice President for Institutional Advancement

mothermcauley.org 32

advancement

2019-2020 Recruitment Events Fall 2019 was packed full of fun and exciting recruitment events for our future Macs!

We were pleased to welcome packed crowds!

Grammar School Volleyball Night

167 girls

Two Open Houses

165+ families attended Columbus Day Shadow Day

408 shadows

Ghouls’ (Girls’) Night Out

212 girls

Class of 2024

10 Meet and Greets A special thanks to our partner families!

President’s Day Shadow Day We welcomed 215 sixth and seventh grade girls on February 17.

Besides following their hostess through their schedules, our shadows attended a fun and informative club fair for our future Mighty Macs. The day concluded with an amazing TikTok routine to the song “Renegade”

Sports Clinics:

which generated more than 2,500 views on McAuley’s TikTok page!

Basketball, softball and volleyball

170 girls

Backstage Pass for “Grease!”

105 girls

Pre-Test Wellness Night Featuring yoga and healthy snacks the evening before the entrance exam!

80 girls

Grammar School Basketball Night

56 girls

Check our website for exciting summer camp offerings!

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advancement

Celebration 2020

What a Celebration 2020!

More than 300 guests came out in support of Mother McAuley during our Celebration gala on Friday, January 31, at Beverly Country Club. This annual fundraiser benefits tuition assistance for Mother McAuley students, and celebrates individuals who exemplify the charism and values of the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley.

Alderman Matt and Cara (Dunne ’94) O’Shea were honored as this year’s recipients of the Catherine McAuley Leadership Award.

“We are pleased to honor a selfless couple whose care and generosity for their community and city is limitless,” said Mary Acker Klingenberger ’75, president of Mother McAuley. “No matter the benefit, walk, or meal train, from Bourbon Street to Longwood Drive, you will find Matt and Cara lending their support. They infuse excitement and enthusiasm into all they do.”

As the recipients of the Catherine McAuley Leadership Award, Matt and Cara exemplify the charism and values of Catherine McAuley. Aside from their work supporting local charities, Cara and Matt have worked together to bring important opportunities and recreational programs for area young people throughout the Beverly, Morgan Park and Mount Greenwood communities.

They have been loyal supporters of several non-profit organizations including Special Olympics, the John McNicholas Pe-

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diatric Brain Tumor Foundation, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and WINGS, which helps provide pathways to independence for adults and children who are escaping from domestic violence and abuse.

Matt and Cara are both lifelong residents of the Beverly neighborhood, where Matt is serving his third term as Alderman of Chicago’s 19th Ward. Cara is a Mother McAuley alumna and administrator at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences. They are the proud parents of Brigid, a senior at Mother McAuley, Patrick and Eileen.

“We thank Mother McAuley for empowering our young women to think big and dream bigger, then giving them the foundation they need to make their dreams a reality,” said Matt and Cara upon accepting their award. “We thank you for teaching our daughters to ground their life in faith, and for helping them see the value in acting with integrity and giving back to others.

Cara and I feel blessed to part of this community, and we look forward to our continued relationship with the Sisters of Mercy and Mother McAuley.”

Sister Patricia A. Murphy, RSM and Mr. John Scanlan were honored as Life Trustees. The distinction of Life Trustee was established in 2014 to honor individuals whose contributions of time, talent or financial support has demonstrated their sincere

advancement commitment to Mother McAuley. Sister Patricia and John have integrated their faith and knowledge to become successful leaders and compassionate ministers of the Mercy charism in their personal and professional lives.

In her more than 60 years as a Sister of Mercy, Sister Patricia A. Murphy, RSM has served in the ministries of education, administration and health care. Sister Pat taught in various Catholic elementary schools in Chicago before becoming principal of Queen of Martyrs. After earning her nursing degree in 1984, she worked at Misericordia Home South and Mercy Hospital and Medical Center. She then returned as principal of Queen of Martyrs until her retirement in 1994. Since then, Sister Pat has volunteered as a nurse diabetes educator with the Chicago Department of Public Health, Mercy Family Health Center and the Mercy Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center, where she led classes on diabetes self-management skills. Sister Pat served on the Board of Trustees for Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School from 2012 to 2018.

During her remarks Sister Pat shared, “As a self-proclaimed lifelong educator and learner -- because you cannot have one without the other -- my motivation has been to help others improve their lives by responding to whatever is their current need or desire. My Mercy journey has allowed me to use my gifts and talents to respond to various needs and desires in the ministries of education, administration, and health care. It has also enabled me to be part of the supportive communities with whom I shared these ministries.”

John M. Scanlan, CPA, is a partner in the firm of Sikich, an accounting, tax and audit services firm. John has over 40 years of experience working with high net worth individuals, businesses, and trusts to achieve financial success. His clients lean on his specialized expertise in accounting, tax, and consulting services, as well as his experience delivering succession planning and business entity selection advice and knowledge. Previously, John was co-owner of Scanlan & Leo, a public accounting firm. John served as a member of the Mother McAuley Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2008. His wife Jeanne ’73, his sister Peggy ’70 and two daughters, Laura ’01 and Jenna ’04 are McAuley alumnae.

“What makes McAuley more is the belief and confidence in instills in young women,” said Scanlan. “The environment helps create unique, bold, intelligent and strong women during their crucial development period – the teenage years...I may be being honored today for having served on the financial committee and Board of Trustees, but the true honor is that I was able to give back to the school that shaped the most important women in my life. I don’t think there are words that can express my gratitude to this school.”

The evening also included cocktails and dinner, a live and silent auction, raffles and paddle raise for tuition assistance.

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school news

School News

Academics

National Merit Program The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named five Mother McAuley seniors as National Merit Commended Students: Brigid Barkmeier, Sydney Conn, Megan Howley, Martina Maples and Mary Russell. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation were recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2020 competition by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

National Hispanic Recognition Program Mother McAuley seniors Olivia “Rosie” Wantuck and Alena Pedroza were named as scholars through the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) for scoring in the top 2.5 percent among Hispanic and Latino PSAT/NMSQT test-takers in the region. The National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) recognizes approximately 5,000 Hispanic/ Latino juniors each year from among the more than 400,000 juniors who take the PSAT. As with the National Merit Scholarship Program, NHRP uses the junior year PSAT/NMSQT as the qualifying test

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Inscape The Inscape Newspaper staff won second place in the annual American Scholastic Press Association Yearbook Contest. The staff received perfect scores in creativity, student coverage, athletic coverage and body copy.

school news

Macs with Merit

We honored our first semester Macs with Merit on November 5. Students were selected by a teacher or staff member to receive this honor. It is a tribute to their honorable character, diligent work ethic, and notable contributions to the McAuley community.

In alphabetical order: Aminah Amadou ‘20, Jenna Badali ‘20, Matty Blair ‘22, Kalynn Brown ‘20, Kathleen Carter ‘21, Olivia Carter ‘23, Sarah Chiu ‘20, Nicole Condon ‘20, Ellie Guest ‘21, Megan Howley ‘20, Maya Kamin ‘20, Olivia Klapp ‘23, Mia Luckett ‘23, Megan May ‘20, Hannah McMahon ‘23, Katie Menke ‘20, Jacqueline Munoz ‘20, Annamarie Olsen ‘20, Keelin O’Mahony ‘21, Kylah Patrick ‘20, Lizbet Perez ‘22, Maura Reidy ‘23, Colleen Rooney ‘21, Clarissa Sapien ‘20, Olivia Shareef ‘20, Alyssa M. Smith ‘21 and Talia Vari ‘22.

A. Franklin Pilchard Scholars Congratulations to seniors Meghan Dowd, Siobhan Hickey, Jacqueline Munoz, Margaret O’Malley and Janie Ternes, who were named recipients of the A. Franklin Pilchard Scholarship, which awards $8,000 in tuition and room and board assistance for four years of higher education. The students were selected based on their exceptional academic talent, financial need, and community service experience.

Meghan Dowd

Siobhan Hickey

Jacqueline Munoz

Margaret O’Malley

Janie Ternes

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school news

Clubs & Organizations

March for Life Mindful Macs Our Mindful Macs Club is new this year, and developed with the intention to help students learn ways to de-stress and relax! Here they are at a meeting filling up their “peace cups” with cider and practicing meditation.

Deacon Bob Cislo and members of the Respect Life Club attended the March for Life - Chicago in Federal Plaza.

This year’s theme of the march was “Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Women”

Mock Trial Black History Month Unity Community club members hosted an African American Heritage celebration in honor of Black History Month, during which they shared poems, sang songs and enjoyed snacks.

Our Mock Trial Club competed in the 11th Annual Sixth Municipal District Mock Trial Competition at South Suburban College. Thank you to alumnae Eileen Knightly ‘01 and Katie Siefert ‘02 for helping prepare these Macs for the competition!

Academic Decathlon Our Academic Decathlon Team members and coaches participated in their first competition in January.

This year’s theme was “In Sickness and in Health: An Exploration of Illness and Wellness.” The team met weekly after school to cover seven academic subjects: science, math, music, art, social science, literature and economics, all with a focus on health and wellness.

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school news

Faith & Service Macs Give Back

Eleven McAuley students helped out at the Action Sertoma “Rocktoberfest!” This fundraiser supports the Sertoma Centre & Sertoma Speech & Hearing Centers.

Cyndi Washington-Bolden ‘20 volunteered at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Walk. The proceeds from the walk go toward helping to identify a cure for juvenile diabetes.

National Honor Society members made tie blankets for Project Linus, an organization that provides blankets for children in need.

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school news Mother McAuley Honors Sister Rosemary Connelly, RSM and Misericordia On October 17, McAuley held its Fall Festival to benefit Misericordia Heart of Mercy, a home for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This annual event is hosted by the McAuley National Honors Society (NHS). Students were invited to donate $5 to dress out of uniform, with all the proceeds going toward Misericordia. Part of the day also included a performance by the Misericordia dance troop, The Heartbreakers, followed by a party with the performers. During the past 30+ years the Fall Festival has raised more than $50,000 for Misericordia. This year’s Fall Festival theme was “Disney.”

Prior to this year’s assembly and performance, McAuley hosted a very special presentation honoring Sister Rosemary Connelly, RSM, for her 50 years of service to Misericordia as its executive director. In 2019, she also celebrated 70 years as a Sister of Mercy. During the ceremony, Sister Rosemary was presented with a framed McAuley athletic jersey, with her name embroidered on the back, and an engraved plaque on the frame with the words: “In recognition of your 50 years leading the team at Misericordia. You inspire Mother McAuley to lead with Mercy on and off the court.”

Sister Rosemary has been integral in promoting inclusion by advancing the mission of Misericordia. In 2015, she was inducted into the Mother

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McAuley Hall of Honor, in recognition of her service.

“Through her work, Sister Rosemary has changed the world so profoundly, and done so in the name of God and the Sisters of Mercy,” said Mary Acker Klingenberger ‘75, president of Mother McAuley. “Like our founder, Catherine McAuley, she’s been a bold pioneer, driven to do the right thing for those who could not necessarily do it for themselves. She is a tremendous example to McAuley students of how the vision and influence of one can impact so many. Our young women and our alumnae have strengthened their own cultural empathy under the inspiring leadership of Sister Rosemary and through various volunteer opportunities.”

As a former McAuley faculty member (she taught English for one year before joining Misericordia) Sister Rosemary has maintained strong ties with the McAuley family. Those ties have continued to grow throughout the years as McAuley has shared with its family the great mission of Misericordia and how vital it is to the community. Over the years, members of the school’s Board of Trustees and alumnae have supported Misericordia events including its annual Golf Outing, Women’s League, Family Fest and Holiday Brunch. Each spring, McAuley students and faculty support Misericordia’s Candy Tag Days by collecting donations and volunteering at tagging locations.

school news

Catholic Schools Week activities With the theme of “Angels Among Us,” Catholic Schools Week provided a great opportunity for students, faculty and staff to raise awareness of and celebrate the Sisters of Mercy Five Critical Concerns -- Immigration, Women, Non-Violence, Racism, and the Earth. Activities for the week were overseen by theology teacher, Terese O’Connell Lecompte ‘69.

Faculty, staff, Mercy Associates and Sisters of Mercy joined us at tables in the lounge and dining hall. Each table was dedicated to a particular critical concern.

• Earth: Students signed up to help celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22.

• Racism: Our UNITY club made and distributed pins.

• Non-violence: Students signed their names to a paper dove. The cut-outs of the doves then were displayed on the walls of our theology hallway.

• Immigration: Holy Cards with photos and prayers for immigrant children were distributed.

• Women: For Human Traffic Awareness Month, cards with the hotline number to report human trafficking were distributed. Students helped write letters to Gov. Pritzker asking the hotline number to be put on the state website.

Art Dept. Chairperson, Kathleen Gordon Davis, prepared a stretch canvas board that lists the Critical Concerns. All were invited to add their thumbprint to the canvas, under the concern they commit to taking action for.

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school news

Faculty Accolades Congratulations to our newly-certified Apple Teachers!

This group met weekly to learn ways to increase productivity with iPads, Pages, Keynote, Numbers and iMovie.

Ms. Rebecca Houston was nominated for The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History “Teacher of the Year” award! Exceptional American history teachers are nominated for this honor based on teaching excellence. Once nominated, teachers must submit an essay detailing their teaching philosophy, sample lesson plans, and other supporting material. Award recipients will be chosen in June.

Congratulations to Mrs. Eileen O’Reilly, Mrs. Jan McAuliffe and Ms. Caitlin Gallagher, recipients of the Illinois Directors of Student Activities Educator Awards! Mrs. O’Reilly was awarded Outstanding Principal, Mrs. McAuliffe received the Distinguished Service Award and Ms. Gallagher was awarded Outstanding Activity Advisor.

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school news

Visual Arts & Technology

Fourteen McAuley students were recognized as 2020 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Award Recipients. Presented by the nonprofit organization, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the country’s longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades 7–12. As one of the largest national affiliates, the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa adjudicated over 7,000 pieces of art and writing from the Iowa and Midwest Regions. Creative teens from Iowa and the Midwest received regional honors, including Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mentions, and/or American Visions & Voices nominations. For Gold Key works of art and writing in the Awards’ 29 categories, including architecture, painting, flash fiction, poetry, printmaking, video game design, and more, the opportunities for recognition will continue when those works are adjudicated again on a national level by a panel of leading creative professionals. Congratulations to these Mighty Macs!

Abby Graeber ‘20 Aubrey Doyle ’20 Charlotte Wagner ‘20 Josa Keller ‘20 Maya Krueger ‘20

Nicole Todd ‘20 Samantha Dederichs ‘20 Sasha Anoshenko ’21 Thalia Wesclitz ’20 Olivia LaPage ‘21

In February, Samantha Dederichs ‘20 held her opening reception of her one woman exhibition at McCord Gallery in Palos Park as part of its Emerging Artist program.

Her original artwork was on display until mid-March.

Daniela Sanchez ’21 Nora Cunnea ‘21 Kate Lawler ‘20 Elle Harper ‘21

Thalia Wesclitz won the grand prize of $500 worth of art supplies from Sargent Art for her entry into the Youth Art Month contest, sponsored by the Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA). Additionally, Mother McAuley receives $1000 worth of supplies! Thalia’s was one of 126 entries. She was honored at the IHSAE Awards Ceremony on March 8 in Chicago.

Her work will be featured on the Illinois state flag at the National Art Education Association and will be printed in the Mosaic publication for IAEA.

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school news

Athletics

For National Signing Day on November 13, we had six Mighty Macs sign letters of intent. Congratulations to these Mighty Mac Athletes: Lexi Warfield for volleyball at Loras College; Abbey Murphy for ice hockey at the University of Minnesota; Amia Owolabi and Devyn Petrowski for volleyball at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Morgan Riordan for water polo at Salem University and Jenna Badali for basketball at Lewis University.

Cart Ride Celebrations A Cart Ride to celebrate students advancing to state and national competitions is a beloved McAuley tradition. We recently lined the halls to recognize the achievements of these students: Evelyn Rowan ‘22, for advancing to the state cross country finals.

Abby Manos ‘22 and Maddie Schultz ‘21, for the swimming and diving state finals. Abby placed 10th in State for diving and Maddie competed in the 50 Free.

Basketball point guard Jenna Badali ‘20 scored her 1,000th career point during a game against Crystal Lake Central.

Abbey Murphy ‘20, who helped Team USA win the Gold at the 2020 International Ice Hockey Federation U-18 Women’s World Championship in Slovakia. Abbey has committed to play ice hockey for the University of Minnesota. In February, Abbey and her USA Hockey Teammates were honored at a Blackhawks’ game in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Abbey also was chosen to participate in the “Shoot the Puck” contest during the game.

Our JV bowling team placed first and varsity placed third in the GCAC Tournament. GCAC all-conference winners were Tamia Edwards ‘22, Ayana Coleman ‘21, and Carolina Duenas ‘20. Ayana also reclaimed her title as the GCAC Bowler of the Year with a regular-season average of 175!

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school news

Music & Performing Arts

Grease Our fall musical, “Grease” brought together the talents of nearly 200 cast and crew members, and musicians. There were a total of six performances during late November, with the evening and weekend shows performing to sold-out crowds!

A special “thank you” to McAuley alumna and nearly eightyear breast cancer survivor and “thriver,” Katie McAlinden ‘96, who returned to McAuley to speak about her personal journey with cancer and how it has empowered her to raise awareness of the importance of early detection and treatment.

Katie addressed theatre classes, cast and crew members for “Grease.” She was joined by her mother, Pat Rose McAlinden ‘71, who also talked about Katie as a survivor and thriver and the importance of having a strong support system, but also reaching outside one’s circle for help. Katie donned a Pink Lady jacket, as a nod to “Grease” and also the signature color of breast cancer awareness. The students wore the official performance t-shirt, also pink in color.

Each October, in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness month, McAuley’s student performers choose a breast cancer initiative to support. In anticipation of Katie’s presentation, students were invited to make a free-will contribution. Money collected benefits investigative research by Dr. Kay Macleod at the University of Chicago Ben May Department for Cancer Research. Additionally, during the November performances of “Grease” free-will donations were collected during intermissions.

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school news

McAuley Awarded Brach Grant to Support Mighty Mac Musicians In late March, the Helen Brach Foundation awarded Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School a grant of $15,000 in support of the artistic work of students involved in our performing arts program. The performing arts program offers a comprehensive program of coursework in chorus, strings, band, and orchestra.

Our a cappella and Mac Melody choirs brought Christmas cheer to the WGN Morning News, performing live on Christmas Eve morning. The choirs sang festive carols several times between the 6 am and 8 am hour, concluding with the traditional Hallelujah Chorus.

Seniors Bryana Martinez, Maggie Reed, Mary Helen Hennessy and Molly May who participated in the 2020 Illinois High School Theatre Festival. This year’s musical production was “Aida.� Bryana performed as part of the orchestra, while Maggie, Mary Helen and Molly who were part of the musical.

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The award from the Helen Brach Foundation will allow us to renew the strings section of the orchestra by replacing instruments that are significantly worn, some of which are beyond repair. Students who elect to take coursework in Beginning and Advanced Strings are provided an instrument for their learning courtesy of the school. The Brach award will allow us to eliminate the sharing of instruments. This will impact up to 50 students in furthering their music education, not to mention the many more students we will gain as a result of providing additional new instruments. The importance of beginning new students on good quality instruments will increase the learning level that the students are able to achieve. A quality instrument ensures that each student is able to maximize their learning potential on what many would consider the most difficult and demanding of all instrument families to learn.

For more than 15 years the Helen Brach Foundation has awarded grants in support of programs across all departments here at Mother McAuley. We count the Brach Foundations as a trusted partner in the work of providing an integrated liberal arts education to our young women. Our gratitude is immeasurable!

Donor Profile Everything We Do is Part of Something Bigger!

Back in the mid 70’s, Mother McAuley’s flag football team was well defended

Back in October of 2017 Maureen Mullarkey-Miller’77 by two dynamic defensive ends. They worked together to make McAuley champions, Dee on one side, Maureen on the other. This teamwork approach reached out to Mother McAuley wanting to do someand forever friendship has launched a lifetime of helping others, and continuing thing bigger. She wanted to keep the memory of her to make McAuley a winning team. best friend and classmate Diana “Dee” Morrissey, alive in the halls and hearts of Mother McAuley. Here is where their forever friendship and memories were formed. Maureen proposed a class challenge gift to the class of 1977 at their 40th “McAuley is truly reunion. The support from the challenge launched The Diana L. Morrissey Eden ’77 Scholarship.

Dee was an inspiration to everyone she met. She was a fun loving, kind person who was an entrepreneur at heart. Her spirit ignited many through her compassion and desire to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Dee cared very deeply about the special needs population. Her passion and zest to help those in need who learn differently has been imprinted on Maureen’s heart.

Today, the impact of this gift has allowed McAuley to provide 26 scholarships over the last three years in her Dee’s memory. This scholarship assistance has filled these students with feelings of self-assuredness, empowerment, gratitude and higher selfesteem that has helped them become more confident in their daily lives. Recipients now attend colleges such as St. Mary’s College of Notre Dame, St. Ambrose, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. One scholarship recipient shared: “I am thankful. This was a huge game changer for me. It truly shaped me into a determined student.”

Beyond the initial scholarship, Maureen elevated her commitment by sponsoring the Learning Resource Center (LRC) ACT Preparation Program for students who need individualized instruction and support to ease the pressures of testing. This program has impacted our students in many ways, the greatest being a boost in self-confidence, less test anxiety, and higher test scores.

Average increase of 3.3 points from pre-test to the post-test.

The increase in test scores is crucial for our students.

The higher the ACT, the better chance for admission into more select four-year colleges and increased scholarship opportunities.

“Before starting in the Learning Resource Center (LRC), I had never had a teacher who expected anything from me... I did not think I was going to go to college at all, and I had no desire to. But the LRC taught me organization, test taking skills, and how to advocate for myself and my disabilities, and showed me that even when people didn’t expect anything from me, I needed to expect things from myself. I could have never imagined I would be accepted into one of only 40 Respiratory Care Therapy programs in the country, and that I would be lucky enough to take one of only 22 spots in that program. The LRC entirely altered the course of my life and helped me go above and beyond what I thought was possible for myself.”

an incredible school, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been granted to be able to attend here due to the generous donor who made it possible.”

Won’t you consider teaming up with us to make it something bigger -the lifetime advantage of a Mother McAuley education for our students and families.

Please reach out to Director of Development and Alumnae Relations, Peggy Evans Rourke ‘76 for more information at prourke@mothermcauley.org or (773) 881-6547 or visit mothermcauley.org/scholarships to learn more.

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