The Class of 2024 had a fantastic Spring Break Global Travel trip to France. The group visited stunning locations such as Les Invalides, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Chartres Cathedral, and more. The students went on historical tours with a favorite being a painting tour through Paris with a local artist.
Bonita Huggins, Tu Le
Contributors
Sister Charlene Diorka, SSJ Rose Lamphere, Theresa Moyer, Kelly Keane Owens ‘04
Design
Christine M. Henke
Administration
President: Sister Charlene Diorka, SSJ
Principal: Elizabeth Blessing
Dean of Studies and Instruction: João (John) Gomes
Dean of Student Life & Formation: Gina Beren
Communications & Marketing VP of Communications & Marketing: Bonita Huggins
Communications & Media Manager: Tu Le
Development
Chief Development Officer: Mary Ravenfeld
Director of Development Services: Kelly Keane Owens ’04
Director of Events & Parent Relations: Theresa Moyer
Development Services Manager: Rose Lamphere
Mount Saint Joseph Academy
A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT
As the academic year drew to a close, everyone exclaimed, “Where did the year go?” It hardly seems possible that we are looking back over the 2023-2024 school year, but indeed we are. It all began as we embraced the school year with the theme The Journey Toward Reconciliation That All May Be One. As a school community we became more aware that our mission of unioning love can only be built on reconciliation. If we focus on the root word of reconciliation, then we have the key to how to live and work as one. Cilia – eyelash to eyelash – person to person.
Throughout the year, students, faculty, alumnae, families, administration, student-athletes and the entire community put forth time, intention and practice to be in relationship with one another, to learn and grow with each other. It’s been Maxim 41 that provided the pathway toward unity and reconciliation – Be gentle with yourself, the dear neighbor and all creation. We are still evolving.
hope you enjoy reading through the Mount Magazine where you will find countless examples of people, events, opportunities, and moments when people stood eyelash to eyelash. You can witness the time, intention and practice that has unfolded throughout the year. In the end, hope you come to recognize that it is in the gift of sharing our diversity that we are truly ONE.
There is no doubt that we are all still evolving and what a difference it makes when we are gentle with one another. When we stand together, work together, pray together and allow each other to shine a light on our individual and collective gifts, we will evolve in a way that allows everyone to become who God calls them to be and to make a difference in our community. It is then that true reconciliation and unity emerges so that all may be one.
We are grateful for all the memories reflected in this magazine. May they sustain us as we continue to live the mission and serve the dear neighbor.
Yours in Saint Joseph,
Mathletes “Multiply” Success
The Mount Mathletes team had a successful competition season this school year. The freshmen and sophomores placed first in their division and in the varsity division, which included juniors and seniors, the teams placed third. The true test of these math competitors’ knowledge is being able to solve problems quickly and accurately - without the use of a calculator!
ON THE MOUNT School
President’s Scholars Reception Welcomes Members of the Class of 2028
A special President’s Scholars Reception hosted on campus helped to welcome members of the Class of 2028 and their families. The ceremony celebrated the scholastic excellence of awardees and scholarship recipients amongst the Mount’s incoming ninth grade class. We welcome the next generation of Mounties to the 2024-2025 school year!
A Week Filled with Spirit and Tradition: Spirit Week and Charity Day
The last week of February the Mount hosted a series of events to celebrate Spirit Week. Mounties, faculty, and staff participated in various activities, such as wearing their favorite sports jerseys, to creative outfits on Icon Day and Rhyme without Reason. The week ended with Charity Day, showcasing the amazing talents of our Mount community on stage. The event featured singing, dancing, comedy, and other exciting performances.
UNITAS
Each year our Senior class has the memorable experience of gathering in unity for their UNITAS retreat. Together they explore their faith and reflect on their lives during their final year as a high school student. Student and adult leaders and the Mount’s campus minister help to make UNITAS a special memory for every group.
ON THE MOUNT
School news
National
Merit
Commended Scholars
Congratulations to (L to R) Seniors
Angelina Baker Emily Birmingham, Emily Fisher, Julia Klein and Noelle O’Brien for their outstanding achievement as 2024 National Merit Commended Scholars.
Women As Founders
The Mount offers a year-long honors independent study course called “Women as Founders.” The course aims to develop strong female leaders who are independent, socially responsible, and courageous in their thoughts, actions, and personal lives. The young women selected for this course who completed their projects this school year include, (L to R) Seniors Klaudia Wojnarska Quinn Shields, Samantha Ramos, Ella Sennick, and Lillian Eliason. Lead teacher of the course, Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton guided the students as they conducted research, formed advocacy projects, and expressed their passions through social justice.
• Klaudia Wojnarska explored the link between the mind and the arts and held workshops to encourage students to create art.
• Quinn Shields researched the benefits of exercise for youths and collected exercise and sports equipment for donation to a local elementary school in need.
• Samantha Ramos focused on children’s literacy and started an after-school book club at Green Woods Charter School.
• Ella Sennick researched women in male-dominated professional sports. She organized ice hockey clinics for young girls and interviewed professional female hockey players to discuss the evolution of the sport.
• Lillian Eliason researched the advantages of leadership skills developed from student-run broadcast productions in high school.
Following the “Purple” Brick Road
The Wizard of Oz came to life on the Mount stage this past November. The audience was fully immersed in the storytelling, following the yellow brick road to Emerald City, and singing along to the classic soundtrack. The cast, stage crew, and pit musicians put on a stellar performance.
Model UN at Penn International Relations Conference
The Model UN club attended the Penn International Relations Conference at the University of Pennsylvania (PIRC). PIRC was created to encourage a love of international relations and foster an awareness of global politics among high school students in the greater Philadelphia area. Students participated in educational forums that included interactive discussions and presentations from world-renowned professors and experienced undergraduates passionate about the field.
ON THE MOUNT School
MagicTHON
SSJ Sponsored Works Collaborate on First-Ever MLK Day of Service Event
The Mount participated alongside the other sponsored ministries of the Sisters of Saint Joseph—Chestnut Hill College and Norwood-Fontbonne Academy—in a day of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The institutions held a morning prayer service, then students from the Mount joined NFA elementary aged students to pack food for the food insecure.
Mount Student Becomes a Published Author
Violet Binczewski ‘26, officially published a book of poetry titled The Ocean and Her Shadows this January. The book tells the story of a teenage breakup, using the ocean as a metaphor to convey emotional highs and lows.
The Mount hosted a student-led “fireside” chat with Violet, where she was asked questions about her inspiration, publication process, and future projects.
This year Mounties raised $100,592.56 for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) for the 11th annual MagicTHON. This yearly student-led extravaganza is an opportunity to deepen the bonds of sisterhood through a 10-hour dance marathon that raises funds for CHOP.
Mountie Musicians Hit High Notes at Annual All-Catholic Band Festival
Maiah Acker ‘27 and Brigid Infanti ‘26 were selected to participate in the 2024 All-Catholic Concert Band. This February, sixty-two students from different Archdiocesan Secondary Schools and private Catholic High Schools across the five-county region were selected for the annual concert which showcases the instrumental talents of local young musicians. Maiah performed as the 4th chair clarinet (left) and Brigid performed as 1st chair flute (right)
ON THE MOUNT
School news
President Sister Charlene Bestows Award to Mount Senior
President Sister Charlene Diorka, SSJ attended the Executive Educational Leadership Institute at High Point University, NC, this January where she participated in workshops, heard keynotes, and collaborated with other school leaders. Sister and her working group presented their insights and learnings at the culmination of the Institute and they won student scholarships for each of their respective schools! In collaboration with the MSJA College Counseling program, the annual scholarship was awarded to Eva Kelly ‘24 for her early acceptance to High Point and continued academic excellence.
Solar Eclipse Captivates the Mount Community
After returning from Spring Break, the community was thrilled about the highly anticipated solar eclipse on the afternoon of April 8. The community gathered at the stadium to watch the celestial event that peaked at 3:23 pm. Afterwards, the Mount collected the solar glasses to be donated to Latin American schools so that communities can view the solar eclipse safely when it occurs in their region in August 2024. The next time that we will experience a total solar eclipse will be in 2044!
Firebird Robotics Achieve Rare Accomplishment and Opportunity
Izzy Cooper ‘25 and Robotics Coach Ms. Hannah Farrell ‘11 were given distinguished awards at the FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Championship, earning them invitations to the World Championships in Houston, Texas. One school winning BOTH awards in the same year is very rare. Izzy received the Dean’s List award which recognizes the top 150 students globally and makes her eligible for special college scholarships to programs that partner with FIRST, including MIT, Princeton, and WPI. These students “exemplify leadership and promote FIRST’s mission.” Ms. Farrell was honored with the prestigious Woodie Flowers Award, named after a founder of FIRST. Only 27 people worldwide have ever received this award, and it acknowledges mentors who inspire and empower their teams through effective communication. In Houston, Izzy represented the Mount as a student ambassador, giving tours to VIPs, while Ms. Farrell engaged in mentor discussions about how to strengthen STEM programs within communities.
Campus Ministry’s Arizona Immersion
Over Spring Break, Campus Ministry held their first Immersion Program trip to Arizona over Spring Break, in line with the Mount’s mission of cultivating ‘agents of transformation’ and for students to gain insight and experience through global travel. The group was able to explore a neighborhood in Nogales, Mexico, where a local community leader educated them on the history of the border. They also had peaceful prayer time at St. Augustine’s Cathedral, the location of the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s arrival to Tucson in 1872.
15 MOUNT STUDENTATHLETES COMMIT TO COLLEGIATE SPORTS
Fifteen of the Mount’s student-athletes will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. The following young women were celebrated in signing day ceremonies conducted in the fall and spring:
Lilly Bradfield - Lafayette College, Track & Field
Amelia Clair - The Catholic University of America, Lacrosse
Ellie Fazio - University of Louisville, Crew
Anna Fedders - Marist College, Crew
Grace Fullmer - Trinity College, Crew
Caroline Johnson - University of Notre Dame, Crew
Maya McCottry - University of Delaware, Crew
Norah McGlynn - Loyola University of Maryland, Crew
Clara Pagano - University of Connecticut, Crew
Kari Prosperi - Drexel University, Crew
Maggie Rezza - Penn State, Lacrosse
Ella Sennick - Quinnipiac University, Ice Hockey
Quinn Shields - University of Scranton, Lacrosse
Ella Vogel - Bucknell University, Track (Sprint)
Ella Woehlcke - University of Virginia, Track (XC)
Ella Woehlcke ‘24 has been named the 2023 Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year. Featured on The Reporter, Times Herald, and Montgomery Media, she was recognized for her running skill and sportsmanship. During the 2023 season Ella won the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies (AACA) championship, finished second at Districts
TRACK & FIELD
Running Towards Victory!
The Mount Cross Country team advanced to States for first time since 2000 (which was the first time in the school’s history). Now, 23 years later, the Mount Cross Country team participated in the PIAA Cross Country Championships in Hershey, PA with the team finishing fourth overall and Ella Woehckle ‘24 finishing fifth overall.
Veronica Vacca ‘25 continues soaring to new heights, clearing 14, 3” at States in indoor pole vault, setting both a personal and state record. Her achievement propelled her to being ranked second among high school pole vaulters nationwide and first in the state of Pennsylvania.
Ella Woehlcke ‘24
Veronica Vacca ‘25
SWIMMING
The Mount Swim team dominated their season, claiming the spot at the podium countless times. In the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies (AACA) the team secured their 6th consecutive win in the league. Later in the season, the team earned 2nd overall at District Championships, and the swimmers who placed at Districts went on to compete at Bucknell University in the PIAA 2024 Swim & Dive Championships. The team finished 10th overall with many swimmers earning best times.
CREW
The Mount Crew celebrated its 25th year of empowering young women through the sport of rowing! In the 20232024 school year alone, the team achieved the following: placed 3 Youth 8+s in the top half of competition at the Head of the Charles Regatta in 8th, 20th, and 42nd and finishing as the top high school; two Philadelphia City Championship titles in the Varsity 8+ and Second 8+, two USRowing Mid-Atlantic Championship wins in the Youth 8+ and Youth 2V8+, two Stotesbury Cup Championships in the Varsity 8+ and Second Varsity 8+, and the team earned the third most medals out of a field of 178 teams at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. The team also brought three new shells into the program this year, two of whom are dedicated in memory of our much beloved alumnae Caroline S. Kyle ’21 and Jane I. Mieczkowski ’07.
BASKETBALL
Coaches vs. Cancer
In January, the Mount Basketball team played against Gwynedd Mercy with fans cheering in the stands in support of Coaches vs. Cancer. Over $3,400 was raised for the American Cancer Society.
THE Journey TOWARDS RECONCILIATION THAT All May Be One
For Mount Saint Joseph Academy President Sister Charlene Diorka the choice of a theme for the school year is a longtime tradition that she has found particularly gratifying and important. Each yearly theme is born from the thoughts and experiences of students, educators, staff and administrators and serves as a guiding light for the good work ahead in each school year. The hope of the themes is to create a sense of unity and purpose among the school community that motivates all to seek a higher meaning in their daily activities and goals, finding a common purpose that aligns with the mission and vision of MSJA and the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
The 2023-2024 school year theme, “The Journey Towards Reconciliation That All May Be One” builds upon last year’s theme of Service to the Dear Neighbor. Last school year the community endeavored to grow more deeply into understanding what it means to truly see one another and recognize the worth and dignity of our dear neighbors.
Sister Charlene Diorka shared in her yearly introduction of the The Journey Toward Reconciliation That All May Be One theme, “The SSJ Mission and Charism reminds us that union/unity/communion is built on reconciliation… The journey of reconciliation requires us to wander – to walk the road without knowing the exact destination we will reach, only with knowing that God is walking before us and with us. The journey of reconciliation also requires us to wonder – to keep our eyes open, ears attentive and spirit alert to seek better understanding. Finally, the journey requires us to wait for good things to happen, good ideas to come and better understanding to occur. To wait means to hope and expect the good that can come from change.” Each theme has an accompanying Maxim and Sister Charlene shared this past year’s as Maxim 41— providing helpful insight about how to make the journey toward reconciliation.
Maxim 41 – Tend your spirit. Let it resemble the God of Great Love
Throughout the year The Journey Towards Reconciliation could be found in the inner workings of the Mount, seen in the work of both educators and students, shining brightly as a reminder that “On the education of women largely depends the future of society.”
WOMEN as FOUNDERS
Relaunched in its current format in 2013, the Women as Founders course was created to allow Mounties in their final years at Mount Saint Joseph Academy to engage in a fulfilling social endeavor that would serve as a capstone project. The goal of the limited-enrollment, independent study course is to combine the many facets of the Mount education that students receive, including faith and mission-driven learning, and give young women a vehicle to realize their full potential to drive social change as future leaders and founders. Each student selects a topic of social importance about which they feel passionate and
builds a project around that topic, and then they present their outcomes toward the end of their Senior years.
In the 2023-2024 school year Fine Arts Department Chair Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton, took on the role of lead advisor and instructor of the Women as Founders course. She has many hopes and goals for the growth and expansion of Women as Founders explaining, “It allows for deep dives into investigations and connections in the community…I feel like it’s bigger than a course, and very internally motivated students get involved.”
Hamilton shared that her own passions led her to become more engaged with Women as Founders, as she had served as a program faculty lead prior to this year, noting, “Art for Social Change is a big area that I’m invested in and was happy to share that. Then, in the summer of 2023, got an opportunity to lead the program, which was just wonderful because it means you work with the kids more intensely and help them navigate their projects as opposed to meeting them for only a couple of single sessions. That was exciting.”
Over the last two years, many projects have been impressive testaments to the Mount’s ability to foster agents of transformation including the work of Kendall Bocklet ‘22 who did a project with the Lost Dreams organization, which helps victims of gun violence and Nicole Torres ‘23 and Sydney Okeke ‘22 who both worked with period poverty organizations and presented on the issue to the full student body. One project that stands out from the 2023-2024 school year is Ella Sennick ‘24 who examined the plight and growth of women in the sport of ice hockey.
Hamilton explains, “Ella has always fought against the stereotype of not being allowed, having to fight her way into a sport where there’s very little space for her. It was special for her to share that journey with us and then also show us both how there’s now a professional arena opening up for her and how she’s working with future female hockey players to build their confidence and skill. It was great to see a Mount Student shine at her best, because you see her drive and passion.”
Ella found she had a passion for ice hockey at a young age and started playing when she was only three years old. She played solely with boys until she was 14 years old. Her Women as Founders final presentation took the form of a documentary that begins with her life story and later interviews teammates and two of her mentors, including a coach from Quinnipiac University where she’ll be playing D1 hockey this fall and a Quinnipiac alum who plays in the professional women’s hockey league. Throughout the 2023-2024 year, Ella served her community by leading up-and-coming young women
such as herself as a volunteer coach with the 14U All-Girls Ice Hockey team at her rink in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
On her project Ella said, “It focuses on unity between women and in women’s sports and on supporting each other. know that you find that here [at the Mount]. It’s unity. That’s the mission.” Ella is certainly living true to the Mount mission, through her identity as a founder—we know her future is very bright.
UNITY through SCIENCE
Ms. Carissa Manley teaches Honors Anatomy & Physiology, a life science course, designed for students interested in health careers or STEM majors in college. In this course, students undergo a detailed study of all the systems of the human body, laboratory experimentation, seminars, a presentation of student research, and dissection. In Mount Saint Joseph Academy science classrooms, the Journey Towards
Reconciliation and inspiring messages gleaned from the SSJ mission are not lost, but rather found in the intricacies of our universe.
On the links between anatomy and faith, Manley says, “I think there is a direct connection back to one’s religion and/or spirituality when one grows to truly understand the intricacy and organization of the human body. It’s a great opportunity to bridge religion and science, and marvel at the beauty of life.”
Charlie Wyke ‘24 further articulates the meaning she finds in the study of anatomy at MSJA saying, “I now have a better understanding of how complex each of our systems are and how much our bodies have to work for us to live and interact and how beautiful life is on a basic level…I think that it’s beautiful how we can all connect through science. It doesn’t matter your culture or your government or whatever, you can connect with someone else, because we’re trying to figure out what’s happening within the world and within each other...it connects people who are trying to discover what’s unknown, and that is really cool.”
Classroom discussions often leave student marveling over what was previously unknown and Manley says that these discussions do bring questions and ponderings about faith and a higher power at times saying, “My curriculum aligns with the theme of unity and reconciliation in the sense that the course is designed to give students a deeper understanding of the human body and how it works. Aside from memorizing the components of each system, I hope that the students take away a direct sense of how amazing and complex the human body is and how all of our systems are intertwined and beautifully keeping us alive.”
FOUNDATIONS of the MOUNT MISSION
A required course for all ninth grade students at Mount Saint Joseph Academy, “SSJ Mission: Laced in a Legacy” is an opportunity to introduce students to the history, spirituality, and charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The course explores the rich SSJ heritage and tradition, inviting the students to recognize the privilege and responsibility of being a part of the MSJA legacy.
Campus minister and an instructor of the SSJ Mission course, Mr. Charlie Bates reflected on his approach to laying these foundations stating, “Obviously, none of us are Sisters of St. Joseph. Really, the Sisters of St. Joseph have invited and challenged us as what they call partners in mission is for us to embrace their charism and to live it out in our lives and to share it with students and the community.”
Bates has a hand in forming the school’s theme for the school year and he finds it is important to explain the theme in a way that young women just beginning high school can understand the Journey Towards Reconciliation both in their lives and on a broader social level. He explains, “If someone in the school or your friend does something mean or says something behind your back, how do you approach them? How do you address that? That’s potentially a moment of reconciliation that can happen. It’s really a skill to be able to do that. [In SSJ Mission class] we also talked about reconciliation in a social context, so on a broader level. mentioned the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions of South Africa and of Canada, both of which investigated, documented human rights abuses of various kinds and attempted to provide some form of restoration of relationships and trust and a way to move forward while acknowledging the harm and moving forward.”
Student Alice Baker ‘27 learned the difference between the sacrament and the verb of reconciliation, saying, ”the
sacrament is you confess your sins and then you go and make it right with whatever the priest tells you to do as your penance. But the verb is more like finding unity and restoring right relationship, which was something new I learned. Those are two different things.”
Alice also shared that unity at the Mount is particularly special, saying, “ Unlike other schools, we really focus here on uniting with each other and finding common ground with our peers and your teachers.”
FINDING RECONCILIATION through MUSIC
Music is a pathway to greater understanding, a universal language of conveying emotions and sending messages. Director of Music and Choirs at MSJA, Ryan Carlin came to the Mount in the 2023-2024 school year with a vision for what the choral program could become. One of the ways that his vision came to reality was through the school’s yearly concert programs and he discovered that a way to give voice to the Journey Towards Reconciliation theme was in this year’s Spring Concert. Carlin shared, “There’s very much a style of school performance where you try and hit certain genre requirements in a set of music, where you try and hit a slow ballad with an upbeat more pop tune or try to find balance and make sure that the set of music or the whole performance feels cohesive. Sometimes people do it that way. I, however,
think try to focus on what makes us as vocal artists special or specific, and it’s the words—it’s what we’re able to do from a narrative standpoint or a messaging standpoint within the music.”
Coming to the place of incorporating the school year theme into the concert was a bit of a happy accident that ended with a beautiful outcome. Carlin stumbled across two pieces of music that he really liked and tried to find a common denominator between the two and realized that there was a connection in the lyrics–one of peace and unity and that is when the unity and reconciliation theme jumped out at him. He says, “It might have even been hearing Mr. Bates (campus minister) saying something about it in the morning announcements, as I’m looking at these two pieces of music, and the light bulb just clicked on.”
Kate Tannenbaum ‘24 spoke about the Spring Concert and what made it special and shared that as she was singing during the concert she looked over to the audience and saw that her dad was in tears. When she later asked her father why he was crying he told her, “Obviously, part of it was it being your last senior concert and you’re graduating but also part of it was that you could tell that you were all focused on what you were doing, and were having such a good time.”
The choral program itself speaks to the importance and uniqueness of the unity found at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. Many of the choral students spend time after school working together in rehearsals and they often have a
multitude of commitments that require their time and attention. Carlin says, “I want a rehearsal to be a release from some of the perhaps more stressful academic demands—studying music is just different.” Caitlin Biddle echoes this sentiment saying that the bonds formed in the Sweet Madelines singing group are special, “We have more time to talk about our lives and how we’re feeling in addition to making music and making music together is such a unifying thing in itself. I feel like we’re all very close.”
She went on to say that the Arts program at the Mount helped her establish social connections as a new student to the Mount in her sophomore year, “I came in not knowing anyone…I was overwhelmed, overthinking. Am going to be able to find people? think that by going into the arts, I automatically had people around me and the potential to make friends.”
While the Spring Concert program and the Mount’s music program give voice to the Journey to Reconciliation, the power of music itself is something Kate spoke of saying, “I definitely think that music has that power—it always has for me. You hear it said all the time, music is the universal language…everyone understands music, and it’s so emotional sometimes, whether it’s because of the lyrics or because of what’s going on in the world when you’re singing it. I think music is just a beautiful thing, and it can be relaxing or empowering, or it can make you happy, it can make you sad, it can influence your emotions. So of course, it can bring unity and reconciliation as well.”
In the past three years with your help we have:
Final Mount Magazine Letter from the President
It is with heartfelt gratitude that pen this final letter as President of the Alumnae Board. have been incredibly honored and humbled to serve on the Alumnae Board since 2019 as the inaugural Chair of the DEI Committee, and then the past three years as President. To say so much has happened in the world and in our Mount community in the past five years would be an understatement. But as Mounties do, through hardship, unrest, and uncertain times, we as a Board banded together to accomplish some incredible things for our Alumnae and for the school.
• Rewritten the bylaws for the first time since 2007
• Reorganized committees to meet Board and school needs
• Updated contact information for hundreds of alumnae to make meaningful reconnections
• Organized significant giving for memorial scholarships, special events and philanthropic campaigns
• Created mechanisms to store historic board work and information for future classes
• Executed educational programing in the DEI space
• Hosted networking and social engagement events for alumnae
• Have a renewed focus and strategy on engaging our young alumnae
• Supported record attendance for Santa at the Mount events and Reunion
• Executed the first Alumnae Mass and Brunch
• Hosted our first formal spirituality initiative with an Alumnae Retreat
• Established a special relationship with Sanctuary Farm for our first (hopefully of many) alumnae service projects
This list is just a few things that came to mind that feel very proud of this team to have accomplished—we’ve done so much! Now it is time to pass the torch to the new Alumnae Board President: Maria Termini Romano ’89. Maria earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing from Georgetown University in 1993 and a Masters of Science degree in Nursing from University of Pennsylvania in 1998. She worked as an Oncology NP with a specialty in Hospice and Palliative Care until putting her nursing career on hiatus to raise her three children.
Honoring her interests in animal welfare and community health, Maria found a new path toward Serving the Dear Neighbor through philanthropic volunteerism. She, along with two colleagues, started LIFE Foundation, an animal welfare non-profit organization whose goal is to raise funds to offer additional resources for veterinary and behavioral needs of at-risk homeless animals in the Greater Philadelphia area, as well as provide food, supplies and education for pet owners in the community in order to prevent surrender.
Maria also serves on the Board of Directors for Sanctuary Farm Phila, a non-profit organization and urban farm that serves the Lower North Philadelphia community by providing fresh, organically grown produce and programs aimed at improving the health of the community and its residents, with the goal of addressing the health inequities resulting from systemic racial oppression and economic injustice.
Maria became re-connected with the Mount when her daughter, Sofia, joined the Class of 2025. Most recently Maria has served as the Chair of the Marketing and Social Media Committee. Truly, the community is in the best hands with this passionate and dedicated alumna at the helm!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for staying connected to the Mount and making meaningful contributions to the community of your time, talent and treasure. We exist for our girls, and the legacy lives on through our Alumnae. Spes mesis in semine!
-Emily Kohler Marbot, Class of 2004
ALUMNAE Reunion
It was a night to remember on April 13 as the Mount welcomed alumnae from class years that end in 4s and 9s to our hallways once more for an event filled with nostalgia and laughter. Mounties were able to reconnect with friends in the school’s recently redesigned cafeteria, Fontbonne Lounge, and courtyard. Many alumnae explored the halls and reminisced about their fondest memories of the Mount.
Q&A WITH JENNIFER LIN ‘76
Ten Times Better, Director
The Mount welcomed alumnae Jennifer Lin ‘76 (director) and Cory Stieg ‘10 (producer) to campus this spring for an all-school assembly to showcase their documentary titled Ten Times Better, released this year. The film tells the inspiring story of George Lee, who was New York City’s first Asian ballet dancer.
As an immigrant, George faced many challenges while trying to prove himself as an Asian pioneer in ballet and on Broadway. The documentary is a testament to his talent, perseverance, and the remarkable stories of people who often go unnoticed. Students Raegan Fleming ‘25, Michelle John ‘25, and Ramsey Tabor ‘25 (pictured with Lin and Stieg led a Q&A session with the filmmakers.
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee of the Board of Directors brought the screening and Jennifer and Cory in as speakers to MSJA in support of the Academy’s Diversity Club and Belonging for All club.
What inspired you to make Ten Times Better?
This film represents lost history. George Lee was an AAPI dance pioneer, yet no one knew his story. With Ten Times Better, hope we’ve secured his place in dance history. I’m happy to note that as a result of the film, the New York Public Library’s performing arts division asked me to do an oral history with George, which means his story will now be archived in the largest performing arts collection in the country. That’s satisfying to know.
What do you hope MSJA students will take away from the experience of viewing and discussing the film?
hope the film generates discussion around representation in the arts. It matters. You can’t be what you can’t see. Also, I think the pressure George Lee felt to be “ten times better” and prove himself will resonate with many, and not just Asian American dancers.
the president and artistic director of the New York City Ballet, and the head of the School of American Ballet. When George walked out on stage, even before he was introduced, everyone spontaneously applauded. The first time spoke to George in December 2022, he said to me, “Why are you interested in my story? I’m nobody.” At that moment, hope he understood that he was somebody. What like about filmmaking is its emotional impact. I could have written a story about George Lee but the response is stronger when you can see and hear him on screen.
Is there any aspect of your education at the Mount that led you to this work or down this path?
My daughter Cory Stieg ‘10 and I were laughing that the Mount is kind of like Barbieland. You can do anything and be anyone you want. The only limitations are the ones you set in your mind. Filmmaking was a career pivot for me and can trace that confidence to try new things to the mindset I developed at an all-girls school like the Mount. Also, I have four sisters, all Mounties (Angela ‘71; Daria ‘72; Damien ‘79; and Stefanie ‘84), and girl power is part of our DNA.
What was the hardest part of getting this film made?
For this film in particular, the hardest part was finding footage of George Lee dancing. You can’t make a film about dance without showing dance. discovered footage of George Lee demonstrating ballet in a 1959 WGBH show called “A Time for Dance.” To illustrate his Broadway career, I also found Ed Sullivan Show footage from 1958 of an appearance of the original Flower Drum Song cast. Without those two discoveries, it would have been a different film.
What was the most rewarding part of making this film?
The New York Public Library and a group called Works & Process held a special event for us on Feb. 7 to talk about the making of Ten Times Better. More than 200 people packed the auditorium. In the audience were
ALUMNAE Authors
Brooke Adams Law ‘03
Vassar College, English
Catchlight
Who would you be without your memory?
When Katherine Keene is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, her four grown children must grapple with how to care for her - and how to remake their relationships with each other. And then there’s the secret that threatens their family’s very identity. Will the Keenes find healing and reconciliation - or implode from within?
Catchlight is the winner of the 2019 Fairfield Book Prize.
“I’ve wanted to be an author since I was four years old and first learned to print my name. wrote for the Mount literary magazine in high school and took some creative writing courses in college (but was rejected from a prestigious creative writing capstone seminar). When graduated college had no clue what I wanted to do... so I moved home with my parents and got a job at Starbucks (like all good liberal arts majors). I felt embarrassed that I was so directionless. But it was that summer that had the idea for the novel that would become Catchlight. It took a LOT of perseverance to get the book published - it took me seven years to write it and another six to get a book deal. But in the end, it happened!”
Marie-Helene Bertino ‘95
Brooklyn College, MFA in Fiction
Beautyland, a novel (2020, Farrar Straus & Giroux)
Beautyland is a novel (speculative fiction) set in Philadelphia. At the moment when Voyager 1 is launched into space carrying its famous golden record, a baby of unusual perception is born to a single mother in Philadelphia. Adina Giorno is tiny and jaundiced, but she reaches for warmth and light. As a child, she recognizes that she is different: She possesses knowledge of a faraway planet. The arrival of a fax machine enables her to contact her extraterrestrial relatives, beings who have sent her to report on the oddities of Earthlings. For years, as she moves through the world and makes a life for herself among humans, she dispatches transmissions on the terrors and surprising joys of their existence. Then, at a precarious moment, a beloved friend urges Adina to share her messages with the world. Is there a chance she is not alone?
“I’ve wanted to be a writer since was 4 and wrote my first poem. My older brothers were writers too and always seemed like they were having so much fun scribbling into their copybooks. I tried it and was hooked for life!”
ALUMNAE NEWS
Jennifer Lin ‘76
Duquesne University, Journalism & English
Shanghai Faithful: Betrayal and Forgiveness in a Chinese Christian Family
Shanghai Faithful tells the story of modern China through the riveting story of five generations of the Lin family. What makes the Lin clan noteworthy is they were Christians going back five generations. tell the story as narrative nonfiction with a fascinating cast of characters: a fisherman from Fujian who went to work for missionaries as a cook; a doctor who treated opium patients; a Penn-educated Anglican priest; and my father, a surgeon who fled Shanghai in 1949 to build a life in Philadelphia.
“The one teacher who had the biggest impact on me was Sister Elizabeth DeSales from the Mount. She saw me as a writer before I did.”
Kathryn Sprandio Ells ‘06
Chestnut Hill College, English
Please Read Me
Do you remember your first crush? Your first kiss? The first time you got stood up? Be honest, it’s happened to a lot of us. Have you ever been in the throws of self doubt, going over situations in your head again and again?
Welcome! Please Read Me is a compilation of quirky short stories with a sprinkle of poems. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel uncomfortable. Get inside the heads of the neurotic narrators as they take you on a journey of the female experience. You’ll enjoy it. But don’t feel forced to. I did say please. If you do enjoy it, I’ll appreciate it. A lot of people will be talking about it. At least I think they will. I’m not going to beg. But, if you want me to, then PLEASE READ ME!
“I have always enjoyed telling stories. I always kept diaries and enjoyed writing essays and creative work in school. loved telling my friends stories of things that happened to me. When I went to college, I started as a biology major. I took the childhood dream of being a veterinarian a bit too far. By sophomore year, realized I wanted to be in a more versatile, creative field. I switched to English. When I graduated, I remember being uncertain as to what direction I should take. I remember my Mom saying, “You are good at writing. Why don’t you try that?”
I applied to Arcadia University’s creative writing program and had a wonderful experience. I developed a manuscript there that would eventually become my book.”
ALUMNAE
Authors (cont’d)
Theresa (Terri) Keeley ‘94
Colgate University, History; University of Pennsylvania, JD; Northwestern University, PhD
Reagan’s Gun-Toting Nuns: The Catholic Conflict over Cold War Human Rights Policy in Central America
“Reagan’s Gun-Toting Nuns” argues that debates among Central American and U.S. Catholics over the church’s direction influenced Ronald Reagan’s policies toward Central America. The flashpoint for these intra-Catholic disputes was the December 1980 political murder of four American Catholic missionaries in El Salvador: Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Dorothy Kazel, and lay missionary Jean Donovan. The book helps to not only explain U.S. foreign policy toward Central America in the 1970s and 1980s, but it also sheds light on the continuing debates among U.S. Catholics over what it means to be Catholic and how those divides continue to impact U.S. politics even today.
“Although my book centers on the Maryknoll Sisters, the Mount exposed me to women religious with strong convictions who stressed the need for women to be leaders and to engage with the world. These Sisters, along with my aunt who is a Sister of Mercy, prompted me to consider the role of women religious in shaping U.S. foreign relations.”
Julia Rocchi ‘01 Syracuse University, TV/Radio/Film & Marketing
Amen? Questions For A God I Hope Exists
Amen? Questions For A God I Hope Exists (Lake Drive Books, https://lakedrivebooks.com/ amen/), a collection of essays, poems, and prayers, is an encouraging read for fellow seekers, doubters, and questioners who still want to foster an active and deeply felt faith.
“The musings in Amen? have their roots in a blog started in my early 20s focused on young adult spirituality during a time when I felt was more interested in church than church was in me. But the seeds were my religious education at the Mount, which marked the first time experienced rigorous and in-depth dialogue about our relationship with God, one another, and the world.”
Kathleen E. Walls, Psy.D. ‘89
Temple University, BS in Early Childhood & Elementary Education; Chestnut Hill College, MS, Counseling Psychology & Human Services; Chestnut Hill College, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology
Froggy-Fu & Mungoo ~ The Adventures of Froggy-T and Bunnie ~ A Hip Hop Tale
Froggy-Fu & Mungoo is a “response story” to Bunnie’s experience in Bunnie Gets Bullied ~ The Adventures of Froggy-T & Bunnie~ A Hip Hop Tale. In the story Froggy-Fu & Mungoo, we experience the story from Froggy-T’s perspective. When Bunnie calls Froggy-T about being bullied by the Bull-Lee brothers, Froggy-T goes on a trip down memory lane to when he used to be a bully. As Froggy-T listens to his upset and scared friend, his anger begins to grow and he must make a decision on how he is going to handle himself, manage his feelings, help his friend, and deal with the infamous bullying Bull-Lee brothers. This book encourages and promotes the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness. Froggy-Fu & Mungoo is a wonderful story about friendship, empathy, compassion, character building, and redemption.
“Being an author allows me to help and reach more people than I can actually service individually. I am able to combine my education and psychology degrees through my writing. Being an author also allows me to teach, counsel, and entertain in the written form while providing the reader with direction, insight, laughter, and skill building.”
MOUNT MAGIC MIX & MINGLE
A SUCCESS!
The Mount community came together on March 2 and drifted away to Margaritaville for our second annual Mix & Mingle in support of Mount students and scholastic excellence. It was a successful night of laughter, music and good times.
SPRING DONOR RECEPTION
On May 9, Mount Saint Joseph Academy welcomed its leadership donors to the Union League at Liberty Hill for a Donor Reception. Together, we enjoyed a springtime celebration of the legacy of the Mount and the remarkable achievements of its students and alumnae.
In November the Mount’s annual Fashion Show was held at Presidential Caterers in East Norriton, PA. Randomly chosen members of the Class of 2024 and a few special guests walked the runway, modeling outfits generously provided by Bloomingdale’s. The Fashion Show Committee organized this amazing evening with true style!
CLASS NOTES
1960s
Ellen Higley O’Neill ’61 wanted to share a tribute to her sister, Susan Higley Bray, MD ’59
Susan was born and raised in Oak Park, IL until, at age 15, her family relocated back to Phila. (Mt. Airy). She loved her years at the Mount and treasured those close friendships her entire life. Upon graduating from Ursinus College, she worked several years in the Pharmacology Division of Smith, Kline & French before entering Woman’s Medical College of PA. In 1970, Sue graduated in the last “All Female Class” and it then became MCP. She was a proud, happy and supportive Alum of all! Until God called her June 6, 2023, Sue had practiced medicine for almost 50 years at Chestnut Hill Hospital. She was Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology (Kidney and Dialysis); later, Bio-Ethics and Palliative and Hospice Care from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. Sue was invited to teach and lecture both domestically and internationally, which she loved doing. She was also active in many church, civic and cultural events and served on several of their boards. Sue is survived by 4 children, 14 grandchildren and many “Mount” relatives. For her full obituary, please google: Obituary for Susan Higley Bray, M.D. and see Jacob F. Ruth. Doctors John P. Scanlon, Chief Medical Officer, and Peter F. Fumo, former Partner, each gave beautiful tributes about her many “Trailblazing and Pioneering” gender equity accomplishments, unusual for a female at that time, which could not fit here. Sue’s family, the Mount community and the Sisters of Saint Joseph all helped her develop into a strong, young lady who became a well-respected and loved Mother, Friend and Physician.
p (PHOTO) Annie Stimmler Burke ’65 and her dog Finnegan qualified for the Cynosport Invitational in Murfreesboro, TN. He is one of the top Hungarian Pumi agility dogs in the US and they are next looking forward to competing in the AKC Invitational. After raising her boys and retiring from the magazine business, it was time to get back in the dog world. When Annie was a junior at the Mount she won the Toy Group at Westminster with a Maltese named Toya. Not to forget her family, she has been married for 56 years, has 4 sons and 4 daughters-in-law, and 8 grandchildren, plus 3 other competitive dogs.
p (PHOTO) Nancy Crean Kaufmann ’67 shares that in January 2024, a few members of the Class of 1967 held an impromptu get-together in Naples, Florida, hosted by Janie Wesner Nolan Pictured L to R are Meg Devlin Evangelist, Popo Flanigan, Kay Dooley Gould, Janie Wesner Nolan and Nancy Crean Kaufmann. Meg has lived full-time in Naples for 13 years and Nancy in Bradenton for ten years. Popo and Janie are “snowbirds” in Naples, and Kay on Amelia Island. It was a great afternoon with lots of laughs
and reminiscing. Hopefully the next gettogether will include more of the Florida contingent and any others who want a winter getaway!
1970s
Colleen Durkin Lapowsky ’73 is thrilled and humbled to share that she is one of the 2024 inductees to LaSalle College High School’s Arts Hall of Fame!
Carol Boris Schmidt ’75 continues to work from home as a CPA with her own firm that was started back in 1985, the year before the first of her three daughters was born. She spends most of her time in Myrtle Beach, SC where she is presently building a larger home so that all of the children and grandchildren (3) will be able to come to the beach and stay in my home all at the same time. She also keeps a condo in Odenton, MD so she has a place to stay when visiting the kids and grandkids, friends from 40 years of living in MD, and many of her MD clients. She has been a widow since 2012, and after a lot of years spent alone, she found a wonderful man and was engaged. However, God had other plans as he took Don in October 2023, after a very brief illness from pancreatic cancer.
Kathy Smith Leahey ’79 and her husband are enjoying retirement in Florida and just purchased a summer spot in Lewes, Delaware. We now have five grandchildren, the oldest is age 4. We are busy and feel very blessed. She enjoyed a visit with Ginger Braun Dunne ‘79, Eileen McDonald Edling ‘79, Jane Mackell Hoy ’79 and Joan Fornace O’Neill ’79 in early fall at the Jersey Shore.
1980s
p (PHOTO) Colleen Nolan Murphy ’86 is a clinical psychologist and recently joined a private practice in Huntington Valley. Her work involves assessment and treatment of young children with autism spectrum disorder. She lives in Montgomery County with her husband of 27 years. She has a grown daughter who is a financial administrator at Vanguard. She was talking recently about Sister Pierre Marie who taught AP English and how she taught Colleen how to write!
1990s
p (PHOTO) Nicole Cashman ‘90 has joined Philadelphia’s mayor, Cherelle Parker’s Transition Committee as the Vice Chair of the 2026 Preparation Sub-Committee. In addition, Nicole has been honored by City & State Pennsylvania with the Above & Beyond: Women Award, honoring distinguished women in Pennsylvania. To read more about Nicole and this award, visit this link: https://www.cityandstatepa.com/ power-lists/2024/03/2024-abovebeyond/395142/
Lisa Peruto Broad ’99 and her husband Matthew are excited to announce the birth of their second son, Theodore James Broad, born on February 6, 2024.
2000s
2010–2019
p (PHOTO) Colleen McIntyre Osborne ’02 was just sworn in as a Municipal Court Judge of Philadelphia. MSJA graduate, the Honorable Kelley Brisbon Hodge ‘89, Judge of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, participated in her swearing in. Judge Hodge and Colleen grew up on the same street. Judge Hodge used to babysit Colleen when she was little and Colleen babysat for Kelly’s son when Colleen was in law school. Colleen also worked for her when she was the District Attorney of Philadelphia.
p (PHOTO) Katie McClernand Sacchetta ’05 and Jim Sacchetta along with siblings Jimmy, Jack, and Cecilia welcomed baby Vinny to the family on October 19.
Christina Shaw Weaver ’05 and her husband welcomed their third child, Alexandra Julianna Weaver in June. Big sister, Jojo, and big brother, Sammy, are loving life with their newest best friend!
p (PHOTO) Maurin Walchak Cirone ‘05 and husband Anthony welcomed Caroline Cecilia on February 16, 2024, two weeks early. Their hearts are bursting with love and they are overjoyed she is here. Her big sister Julia is pictured too!
p (PHOTO) Colleen Doherty ‘06 got married on October 7, 2023 to Harsh Patel and many 2006 Mounties were in attendance: Meredith Walsh ’06 and Katherine Griswold-Moran ‘06 were bridesmaids, and Alexandra Nally ‘06, Merry McCarron ‘06, Katharine Schaible ‘06, and Courtney Zapor ’06 were guests.
p (PHOTO) Alexis Tulio Virga ’06 and her husband Marc would like to share the announcement of their baby boy, Roman Julius, on July 26th! He is adored by his big sisters, Cecilia and Lillian, and big brother Desmond!
p (PHOTO) Janelle O’Hara Ressler ‘07 (pictured with her mother, father, husband and 2 year old son, Maddox) graduated from Wilmington University with her Masters of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2023. She started a new graduate residency program with Christiana Care Health System in Delaware and is very excited for the opportunity to be a medical provider in her community with the ability to continue to advocate for her patients and help them get access to the necessary care they need.
p (PHOTO) Genevieve Dusing ’08 shares she is currently the Director of Development & Communications at Match Charter Public School in Boston, MA.
p (PHOTO) Sarah Quain ’08 married Panka Bencsik on April 29, 2023. Meghan Ross ’08 and her husband Douglas Keith officiated the ceremony in Nashville, TN. Mounties in the attached photo, from left to right: Lyndsey Wajert ’08, Alyssa Kichula ’08, Sarah Quain ’08, Panka Bencsik, Elissa Lombardo Smith ’77, Meghan Ross ’08, and Maria Sylvester Terry ’08. It has been a longtime dream to have her wedding photo in the Mount Magazine!
p (PHOTO) Meghan Ross ‘08 and her husband Doug Keith welcomed a baby girl, Joni Keith, in December 2023. Her big sister Nora is delighted by the new addition to the family.
p (PHOTO) Jennifer Gerhart ‘10 married Matthew Violette of Enfield, CT on June 3, 2023 at St. Anthony’s
Parish in Ambler, Pa. Jennifer’s bridesmaids included Mount alumnae
Celia Vinciguerra ‘10, Lauren Duda Chambers ‘10 and Amy Gwynn Moyer ‘10 Jennifer is currently a postdoctoral fellow in global oncology training at Bayer Pharmaceuticals and lives in Philadelphia.
p (PHOTO) Kelly Moyer Keenan ’10 and her husband Billy welcomed their son, William Joseph Keenan III on October 4, 2023. Kelly and Billy are enjoying every minute with sweet baby Tripp!
p (PHOTO) Tori DeMarco ‘11 married Vinnie Gatti in September 2023.
Lisa Roman Carlin ’13 married Jimmy Carlin in June 2023.
Christine Buhalo ’15 shares that she married Gary Arocho on December 15, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA!
IN MEMORIAM
Notifications of passings listed below occurred between August 1, 2022 to April 30, 2024.
Our sympathy and prayers are extended to the families of the following alumnae:
Kathryn Allen ‘70
Rosanne Barrett ’56, sister of Louise Barrett Zink ’59 and Peggy Barrett Enoch ’63.
Jill Byrne ‘67
Carolyn Tinneny Graczyk ‘91
Marie Rosato King ’46 mother of Margaret Mary King ’71, Bridget King Crooks ’73, and Stephanie King ’76; and the grandmother of Stephanie Crooks ’06, Alexandra Crooks ’08, Gabrielle Curcillo Bidas ’09 and Chiara Curcillo ’11
Julia McLaughlin ‘63
Emily Smith ‘03
Ms. Gina Beren (MSJA faculty) on the passing of her father, George Beren.
Mr. Kevin Boccella (MSJA faculty) on the passing of his father-in-law, James Burke
Bridget Rueter Bushnell ‘93, Aileen Rueter Gavin ‘99 and Meghan Rueter McMahon ‘03 on the passing of their father, Robert E. Rueter.
Maria Fella Cain ‘80 on the passing of her father, Ronald Fella
Charlene Keller Fullmer ’89 and Grace Keller Fullmer ’24 on the passing of Mary Louise Keller their mother and grandmother respectively.
Kathleen O’Grady John ’58 on the passing of her brother, the Honorable John J. O’Grady, Jr.
Karen Strain Kemmerer ‘75 and Susan Strain Rupprecht ‘77 on the passing of their mother, Nancy Lorraine Strain.
Margaret “Peg” Lawler Kolimago ‘56 on the passing of her brother, James Lawler.
Erin McElroy Kraft ’84, Eileen McElroy Sinowotz ’85 and Meghann McElroy ’93 on the passing of their mother, Deanna McElroy.
Melissa Dicciani Leskusky ’93 on the passing of her son Dylan Leskusky.
Ann Tushim Csink Linck ’57 on the passing of her husband John E. Linck
Susan Labrum Martin ’83, Jennifer Labrum McColigan ’87 and JoAnne Labrum Bennett ’88 on the passing of their father, Joseph Labrum.
Elizabeth Wood McCabe ’03 and Meg Kane (former staff) on the passing of their parents, Stephen and Deborah Wood.
Michele McNamara Melissen ‘76, Kathleen McNamara Tenzinger ‘77, Katherine Tenzinger ‘08, Molly Tenzinger DeSantis ‘11, Anna Tenzinger ‘13 and Emma Tenzinger ‘15 on the passing of Carl Melissen, their husband, brother-in-law and uncle respectively.
Katherine Bolger Mooney ’06, Marie E. Bolger Sottile ’83 and Caitlyn Sottile ’14 on the passing of Robert E. Bolger, Jr. their father, brother and uncle respectively.
Julia Tarlo Mulholland ’00 on the passing of her mother, Patricia Tarlo
Ms. Kathleen Ochs (MSJA faculty) on the passing of her mother, Kathleen Ochs.
Catherine Konopka Partridge ’71 and Joan Konopka Donnelly ’79 on the passing of their mother, Josephine Konopka
Diane Whelan Moore ’85, Lila Moore ’18, Paige Moore ’22, Vivian Moore ’24 and Megan Smith Whelan ’95 on the passing of Edward J. Whelan, their father, grandfather and father-in-law respectively.
Virginia Calzi Poliwoda ’85, Virginia E. Poliwoda ’16 and Hanna G. Poliwoda ’17 on the passing of Virginia Anne Calzi, their mother and grandmother respectively.
Katie McClernand Sacchetta ’05 on the passing of her grandmother, Denise M. McClernand.
Jeannie Landgraf Terry ’98 on the passing of her father, James Landgraf.
Lois Trench-Hines ’60 on the passing of her husband, George C. Hines.
