MSJA Summer 2009 Mount Magazine by Mount Saint Joseph Academy

Congratulations Class of 2009

Summer 2009

A Magazine for Alumnae, Parents and Friends of Mount Saint Joseph Academy

A Letter From the President

June 2009 Dear Friends, “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” These lines from T. S. Eliot’s Four Quartets came to mind as I was thinking of both our year’s journey through our 150th Anniversary celebration of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, and the imminent departure of our principal, Sister Karen Dietrich, who is leaving us for a new ministry. I know you join me in expressing our deep gratitude for fifteen years of loving dedication to our young women and their future. This year has been a magnificent fusion of our founding as Sisters of Saint Joseph, and the mission of unity with the mission of the Mount. Your participation in this union was an embodiment of our 150th Anniversary theme “laced,” making, I hope, an indelible imprint on your hearts. “How will you leave your legacy?” This is the question our valedictorian M.J. Kirsch asked of her sister graduates, and all who gathered to celebrate the Class of 2009. As you read her reflection you will see how intertwined our mission and the experience of sisterhood “wove an intricate and exquisite pattern of relationships symbolized in the lace making so dear to the hearts of our sisters.” It is with deep pride and admiration in our students that I congratulate them for the tangible evidence of the imprints they have left on the Mount community by showering us with their gifts and talents during this year of celebration. I am certain that our motto, “Spes messis in semine” was ringing in Emily De Paul’s ears when she was drawn to the Philadelphia Grow Clinic at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. It is apparent from reading her article that Emily brought hope to the families in need by finding a way to connect with and support them as capable caregivers. I love to read how our belief about the education of women motivates the hearts of our graduates. With each edition of the Mount Magazine we highlight a student or alum whose travels and education has brought her to a place or places some of us only read about. I like to think it is the “why not try it” spirit that attracts our women to dare new adventures and to learn about diverse cultures. Elizabeth Pacheo takes us to Vietnam, a place where memories of war and unrest gave way to peace and progress. And Amy Guise Hemphill takes us on a year-long journey around the world with her family--truly an amazing adventure. Graduation of the Class of 2009 officially marked the closing of the 150th Anniversary of Mount Saint Joseph Academy. In Eliot’s words “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” Let us be proud of how we began and marked this year. Let us go with courage and hope into the future, knowing that our mission is laced in the hearts of our faculty, staff, students, graduates, parents, and benefactors. It is their deep belief and personal support in the education of women that gives confidence and hope in our future. Thank you for creating so many memories of the 150th, and now, relax and renew your spirits in the warmth of the summer months. God bless,

Sister Kathleen Brabson, SSJ President

150th Anniversary Banners by Barbara Kelly, mother of Blaine Kelly ’09

Table of Contents 2009 Valedictory Address .................................................................... 4 College Acceptances and Awards........................................................ 6

Summer 2009 The Official Publication of Mount Saint Joseph Academy 120 West Wissahickon Avenue Flourtown, PA 19031 President Sister Kathleen Brabson, SSJ Principal Sister Karen Dietrich, SSJ Development Office Staff Director of Development Jill Gregori

150th Anniversary . ............................................................................ 17 Around the World in 366 Days............................................................ 18 School Happenings ........................................................................... 20 Athletics.............................................................................................. 25 Helping the Littlest Seeds Grow......................................................... 26 Development...................................................................................... 29 Alumnae............................................................................................. 30 Alumnae Spotlight.............................................................................. 39

Director of Communications Elizabeth Racine Director of Alumnae Theresa Moyer Annual Fund Coordinator Leigh McFadden Auction Director Lisa Henrich Development Office Secretary Barbara Oldt Phone: 215-233-3177 Fax: 215-233-4734 Website: www.msjacad.org Alumnae Website: www.msjaalum.org Alumnae e-mail: msjaalum@msjacad.org

Graduation Photography by Andrea Loughlin Portraiture

2009

Valedictory Address by Mary Jessica Kirsch ’09

W W

e ’ve all seen them … those motivational posters that say something along the lines of, “Thirty years from now, it won’t matter what shoes you had on, how your hair looked, or the jeans you bought…” etcetera, etcetera. Sure, we know the one, maybe only because we stopped for a brief moment to scoff at the brazen lettering. And certainly, as far as my eighth-grade self was concerned, that blindingly neon poster held nothing more than hollow rhetoric. Now, however, with four years of Mount Saint Joseph Academy at our back, how could we possibly draw the same conclusion about such a poster as did our younger selves? The phrase is no longer, if it arguably ever was, a quick pick-me-up, or a go get ‘em inspiration. Instead, this boldly colored poster of the in-your-face variety poses an earnest question: “If you’re not going to be remembered for your shoes, your hair, or your jeans,” it asks, “how, then, will you be remembered?” It asks the question that we’ve been asking all year: “How will you leave your legacy?” The Mount, certainly far ahead of even the earliest motivational poster, has asked this question of its students for 150 years. And I do not doubt for a minute that each and every Mountie, throughout these 150 years, has intricately laced her own legacy, finding a certain immortality in the walls of the school and the hearts of its descendants—us. And now, it is our turn to weave and thread and braid and sew. It is our turn to take up the mantle, to not only treasure but also to complete the legacy of those who’ve come before. Yes, of course, we, like our Mountie ancestors, will always be in this building, 120 W. Wissahickon Avenue, in pictures on the wall, in impressive report cards, in recordbreaking plaques. But more than these meaningful reminders, we

will endure in each other’s memories and in each other’s love— as team members, as classmates, as BFFL’s (“Best Friends for Life,” for those not hip to the lingo). As sisters. It was hard to believe when we were freshmen that we would be gathering here so soon, and that I would be throwing out a word like “sisters.” It is a strong word, one that implies an intimacy we had not yet experienced at ages fourteen and fifteen and a companionship for which I was completely unprepared. Perhaps I doubted, at the beginning, that such an intimacy could exist at all; and certainly, by the time the first mixer rolled around, we didn’t seem to care too much that our fellow “sisters” were caught in a near-fatal stampede for tickets, of which we ourselves were the cause. And it seemed, too, that our first all-girls dance party of Founder’s Day notoriety was a tad awkward. We were not yet comfortable enough around each other to wildly brandish bare feet and sweater-less torsos; but even amid crashing waves of bewilderment (“Dancing without … boys?”) and mayhem (“I could’ve sworn I left my loafers right here next to the other thirty identical pairs”), sisterhood was well on its way. We’re graduating now, and a closer knit sisterhood I have never seen. Is this our legacy, then? These friendships that we’ve laced rather than the grades we’ve earned? The connections that we’ve woven rather than the number of opposing teams we’ve defeated? Sister Tessy, a Sister of Saint Joseph with whom we’ve worked this year to better the education of women in Senegal … I think that she would argue that yes, it is these

relationships that we’ve created, both among each other and with those across the globe, that so define us. Our friends in Ghana, I think, would wholeheartedly agree, as would the children of Mississippi schools and our adopted firemen in New York; and the list goes on! Just reflect and remember, now, all the lives we’ve touched and all those lives that have touched us during our time here at the Mount. Truly, our C at h o l i c - C h r i s t i a n ancestry runs deep in Le Puy, France, where the Sisters of Saint Joseph first knit the sisterhood we have today; our lace is just as intricately woven as is theirs, and our legacy just as alive. But it doesn’t end here! We, with the future at our feet, will continue to weave our way in a waiting world, the threads, knotted inextricably with each other’s, always trailing back to the Mount, our home and center. Indeed, this school of ours, a school of recognized excellence and experienced gentleness, has given us opportunities beyond any we could have ever imagined. Educationally, yes. Every test, paper, project, lab, homework assignment; every FRQ, DBQ, “no more Q,” “please stop Q”; every sleepless night, every 800 page text book, every dragging hour of SAT prep; they have all, contrary to popular belief at the time, served a purpose for us now and for our future. Beyond any doubt, the academic rigor of the past four years, moaning and groaning aside, has secured for us (metaphorically, but perhaps literally) the top floor office space, spacious windows and skyline views included. I see faces now, when I look at you all, of doctors and professors, lawyers and scientists, economists and linguists. But there is something else, too—something uniquely Mountgrown, something fostered here, nurtured here, laced here: a desire to serve others, to sacrifice for others, to free others and open their minds.

you now, doctors and scientists and linguists. But even more, I see the faces of humanitarians, philanthropists, ambassadors, missionaries, diplomats, and mothers. Sisters, you have already made a difference in my life; go out and change someone else’s. So, today, as we hang on this precipice of sorts, a single, lacy thread tugging at our back but many more pulling us forward, I ask that you look around you now, to your sisters and your mentors, your parents and your family. Do you see, this lace that intertwines us? This legacy that we’ve woven, in a pattern so intricate and exquisite? This is the hallmark of the Mount, and we thank you, our teachers, our moderators, our coaches—our lacemakers—for fashioning it so. With you, with your encouragement, faith, and love, we have grown into the women we are today. And to you, our parents and family, we owe you all the thanks and praise we have the capacity to give. Your guidance has led us down the path we travel today, and it is a road, perhaps, that we would not have found on our own. We thank God for blessings bestowed, for a great community and a strong family among our mothers and fathers and siblings … and among each other. And now, let us be grateful for each other. We are part of a sisterhood, as beautiful as lace and as strong as the 140 threads that entangle together. Though we may not see each other often when we leave this ceremony today, the sisterhood that we have here, the memories, the laughter, the legacy, will never be forgotten. Because, truly, “Thirty years from now, it won’t matter what shoes you wore, how your hair looked, or the jeans you bought. What will matter is what you learned and how you used it.”

Throughout our four years here at the Mount, we have taken to service with a never-before-seen vigor and vivacity. Volleyball Marathon, St. Francis Inn soup kitchen, LaSalle Academy and St. Vincent’s, Romero Center, Breast Cancer Marathon, Bethlehem Village, Ronald McDonald House, Project SEW— sound familiar? This, I think, is for what the Mount truly prepares us. We have spun our names in headlines, laced our memories in the lives of those we’ve comforted; already we have taken our threads and stitched together pieces of our torn world. Even in the election of this past year, in our first African American president and our first campaigning woman, we have shown the world the hope of our generation, the faith in our future. Just imagine what we can accomplish! So yes, I see, as I look at

The

Class of 2009 Alexis Ann Abbonizio Pace University

Pace University Trustee Recognition Award Scholarship Point Park University Academic Scholarship

Cara Elaine Brelsford

Chelsea Lauren Aleo University of Pennsylvania

Arcadia University Distinguished Scholarship Delaware Valley College Board of Trustees Scholarship Philadelphia University Faculty Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship University of Pittsburgh Academic Scholarship University of Pittsburgh Invitation to Honors Program Ursinus College Ursinus Scholarship

Caroline Maureen Ayes The George Washington University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program

Fordham University Finalist/Semifinalist Full Tuition Scholarship George Washington University Presidential Academic Scholarship Hispanic Heritage Youth Award Scholarship

Catherine Marie Barr James Madison University

La Salle University Founders Scholarship

Christine Elena Black University of Pennsylvania Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Boston College Invitation to Honors Program Loyola College in Maryland Invitation to Honors Program Loyola College in Maryland Presidential Scholarship Villanova University Villanova Scholarship

Laura Marie Blagrave Sarah Lawrence College

Clark University Achievement Scholarship Hofstra University Honors College Hofstra University Presidential Scholarship

Alexandra Blanchard Bono The George Washington University

Drexel University Alumni Endorsement Scholarship Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Drexel University Legacy Scholarship Drexel University Trustee Award

Erica-Anne Cecelia Bossman The University of the Arts

Arcadia University Distinguished Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Achievement Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship University of the Arts Presidential Scholarship

Rowan University

Shannon Mayo Bridges Virginia Commonwealth University Albright College Joseph E. Coleman Award Albright College Provost’s Scholarship Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Marist College Scholarship

Emma Clare Brown La Salle University

Drexel University Athletic Scholarship Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship La Salle University Athletic Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Elaine Marguerite Burke Franciscan University of Steubenville

Fordham University Loyola Scholarship Franciscan University Scholarship Mount St. Mary’s University Presidential Scholarship

Bridget Mary Cardell University of Richmond Valerie Paige Carroll New York University

AXA Achievement Community Scholarship Fordham University Jogues Scholarship New York University Silver School of Social Work Scholarship

Kristen Nicole Cericola Marywood University

Cabrini College Achievement Scholarship Cabrini College Invitation to Honors Program Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Emmanuel College Dean’s Scholarship Marywood University Academic Scholarship Marywood University Invitation to Scholars Program Marywood University Talent Award in Art Scholarship Philadelphia University Faculty Scholarship Philadelphia University Invitation to Honors Program Salve Regina University Trustee Scholarship Wegman’s Scholarship

Graduation Happenings 2009

College Acceptances

Awards Regina Coeli Ciammetti Temple University

California University of Pennsylvania Invitation to Honors Program Dominican College Award Scholarship Dominican College Honors Program Drexel University Alumni Endorsement Scholarship Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Allison Katherine Clark Syracuse University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Pratt Institute Presidential Merit-Based Scholarship Temple University Invitation to Honors Program Temple University Scholar Award

Anna Eileen Coady Pennsylvania State University

Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award

Erin Marie Croke West Chester University

Emily Rebecca Dunn University of Rochester Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Program Hofstra University Honors College Hofstra University Presidential Scholarship University of Rochester Wilder Trustee Scholarship

Amber Ceara Esbensen Lycoming College

Allegheny College Trustee Scholarship Lycoming College Faculty Scholar Award Moravian College Trustee Scholarship Pratt Institute Merit-Based Scholarship Susquehanna University Susquehanna Scholarship York College Dean’s Academic Scholarship

Marissa Ann Every The University of Scranton

Philadelphia University Athletic Scholarship Philadelphia University Dean’s Scholarship Philadelphia University Faculty Scholarship

Caroline Rose Ezzo Temple University

Temple University Scholar Award Temple University Invitation to Honors Program

Maeve Elizabeth Flynn University of Pennsylvania

Arcadia University Distinguished Scholarship University of Dayton Dean’s Scholarship Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship

University of Pennsylvania Mayor’s Scholarship

Gabrielle Marie Curcillo The University of Scranton

Sarah Louise Foley University of Pennsylvania

Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Brianna Hart Devenny University of Pittsburgh

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Drexel University Invitation to Pennoni Honors College

Johanna Bridget Duff Northeastern University Mary Caitlin Dugary La Salle University

Albright College Alumni Scholarship ISA Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship York College Dean’s Academic Scholarship

Boston University Dean’s Scholarship Duquesne University Academic Scholarship Duquesne University Invitation to Honors College Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Nicole Marie Franzen University of Delaware

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Philadelphia University Faculty Scholarship Philadelphia University Invitation to Honors Program Temple University Scholar Award University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Lauren Kathryn Gadsby Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Program Boston College Invitation to Honors Program James J. Kerrigan Memorial Foundation Scholarship Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College Penn State University Academic Excellence Scholarship Villanova University Villanova Scholarship

Adrienne Anne Gardner Boston University

Hofstra University Achievement Scholarship Manhattan College Dean’s Award Scholarship Suffolk University Dean’s Merit Scholarship Washington College Academic Tuition Scholarship

Anabel Lee Genevitz American University

Arcadia University Distinguished Scholarship Arcadia University Invitation to Honors Program Indiana University of PA Robert E. Cook Honors College Scholarship Widener University Invitation to Honors Program Widener University Presidential Scholarship

Monica Catherine Genuardi Pennsylvania State University

University of Dayton Deans Scholarship

Claire Kelly Geruson Boston College

Monmouth University Academic Excellence Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Gabrielle Ashton Holak Temple University

Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Best Buys Children’s Foundation Scholarship Duquesne University Academic Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Loyola College in Maryland Presidential Scholarship Manhattan College Presidential Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship St. Bonaventure University Presidential Resident Scholarship St. Bonaventure University Presidential Scholarship The Roothbert Scholarship

Agusta Aerospace Corporation Scholarship American University Dean’s Scholarship American University Invitation to Honors Program

Kerrianne Giarrocco Saint Joseph’s University

Caitlyn Mary Interrante University of Delaware

La Salle University Founders Scholarship

Sarah Jane Gibbons Marywood University

King’s College Moreau Scholarship Marywood University Invitation to Scholars Program Marywood University Scholar’s Program Scholarship Monmouth University Academic Excellence Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Mitchell’a Lateena Chaney Gilbert University of Chicago Kettering University Provost Scholarship

Margaret Mary Goldschmidt The University of Arizona

Gabriele Christina Hunter Pennsylvania State University Jessica Lynn Hyder University of Notre Dame

Philadelphia University Invitation to Honors Program University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship University of Scranton Invitation to Honors Program

Louisa Grace Jacquinto University of Pennsylvania Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Program

Fordham University Finalist/Semifinalist Full Tuition Scholarship National Merit Scholarship Corporation Villanova University Merit Scholarship

Amber Dominiqué Johnson University of Pennsylvania

Ronald McDonald House Scholarship

Caroline Amelia Johnston Lafayette College

Maureen Celeste Gribb Drexel University

Saint Joseph’s University United Scholars Award Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Lisa Michele Hagan Pennsylvania State University

Blaire Elizabeth Kelly Pennsylvania State University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship

University of Vermont Presidential Scholarship

Elizabeth Justine Hagedorn Harvard University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Jaclyn Marie Hansberry Temple University

Sarah Ashley Hirst Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University Achievement Scholarship

Arizona State University Sun Devil Scholarship Penn State University Lawrence G. and Ellen M. Foster Merit Scholarship

Margaret Mary Kelly West Chester University Devon Claire Kenney Temple University

Mary Jessica Kirsch Georgetown University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Penn State University Academic Excellence Scholarship Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College

Angelica Marie Kolokithias West Chester University

Cabrini College Achievement Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Widener University Presidential Scholarship

Jennifer Anne Kovach Lehigh University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Drexel University Trustee Award University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship University of Scranton Invitation to Honors Program

Katherine Anne Kramer Duquesne University

Catholic University of America Alumni Scholarship Catholic University of America Parish Scholarship Catholic University of America Scholarship Drexel University Alumni Endorsement Scholarship Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Duquesne University Academic Scholarship Saint Francis University Franciscan Scholarship Saint Francis University Invitation to Honors Program Saint Francis University Presidential Scholarship Saint Francis University Reach Higher Award Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award University of Dayton Deans Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Megan Elizabeth Kummer Boston College Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Boston College Invitation to Honors Program Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship NYU Invitation to Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College St. John’s University Invitation to Honors Program St. John’s University Presidential Full Tuition Scholarship University of Delaware Invitation to Honors Program University of Miami Invitation to General Honors Program

Lauren Michelle Lahann Pennsylvania State University

Saint Joseph’s University Invitation to Honors Program Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Meredith Alessandra LaSalle-Tarantin American University of Paris

The American University of Paris Academic Scholarship St. John’s Academic Achievement Award

Leah Marie Lawler The George Washington University Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Drexel University Trustee Award Fordham University Jogues Scholarship

Brianna Marie Leporace University of Pittsburgh

Drexel University Anthony J. Drexel Scholarship University of Richmond Invitation to Oliver Hill Scholars Program University of Richmond Scholars Program Full Tuition Scholarship Wake Forest University Presidential Scholarship

Alexis Joelle Lukach University of Pennsylvania Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Program

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Certificate of Merit Drexel University Anthony J. Drexel Scholarship Drexel University Invitation to Pennoni Honors College University of the Sciences Merit Scholarship National Merit Scholarship Corporation Villanova University Merit Scholarship Ursinus College Steinbright Scholarship Villanova University Villanova Scholarship

Danielle Ann Luskin Temple University

Fordham University Tuition Award Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Jessica Lyn Maenner Pennsylvania State University

La Salle University Founders Scholarship

Mary Elizabeth Maginnis Harvard University Jaclyn Elizabeth Mahan Pennsylvania State University

Drexel University Legacy Scholarship Drexel University Trustee Award La Salle University Founders Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Kathleen Marie Mahoney College of the Holy Cross

Catholic University of America Scholarship Duquesne University Academic Scholarship Stonehill College Dean’s Scholarship

Shannon Marie Mahoney Temple University

Catholic University of America Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Kirsten Margaret McNally University of Delaware

Penn State University Abby Sutherland Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award

Christy Marie Menkhaus Philadelphia University

Kerrie Anne Maron Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Gettysburg College Founders Scholarship Hofstra University Presidential Scholarship Worcester Polytechnic Institute University Award

Catharine Kurtz Mischler Lafayette College

Victoria Camille Mascaro Saint Joseph’s University

Samantha Deirdre Monks University of Pittsburgh

Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Christine Courtney McBride The University of Scranton

American University Dean’s Scholarship American University Invitation to Honors Program Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship Loyola College in Maryland Presidential Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Invitation to Honors Program Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Delaware Invitation to Honors Program University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship University of Scranton Invitation to Honors Program Villanova University Villanova Scholarship

Erika Anne McCormick Harvard University Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Program Alexandra Marie McDevitt Wake Forest University Kelsey Patricia McGlynn Loyola College in Maryland

Catholic University of America Tuition Exchange Award Loyola College in Maryland Tuition Exchange Program Benefit Providence College Tuition Exchange Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Katherine Siobhan McGovern University of Notre Dame Finalist, National Merit Scholarship Program

Doylestown Hospital Volunteer Memorial Scholarship

Amanda Rose McKenna College of Charleston

Eckerd College Dean’s Academic Achievement Scholarship Jacksonville University Academic Scholarship University of Tampa, Tampa Scholarship

Maureen Theresa McLaughlin La Salle University

La Salle University Founders Scholarship Mount St. Mary’s University Leadership Scholarship

Drexel University Alumni Award Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Philadelphia University Faculty Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

DePaul University Deans’ Scholarship George Washington University Invitation to Dean’s Scholars in Shakespeare George Washington University Presidential Arts Scholarship Nazareth College Founder’s Scholarship Nazareth College Regional Scholarship Nazareth College Theater Arts Scholarship

Carly Kathleen Morgan Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Shannon Marie Morgan University of Richmond

Loyola College in Maryland Presidential Scholarship Susquehanna University Presidential Scholarship University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship

Abbey Theresa Mulhern Pennsylvania State University

Towson University Invitation to Honors College Towson University Provost Scholarship University of Rhode Island Centennial Scholarship University of Rhode Island Invitation to Honors Program

Jessica Sarah Mullen Saint Joseph’s University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Catholic University Invitation to University Honors Program Catholic University of America University Scholarship Fordham University Loyola Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Loyola College in Maryland Presidential Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Catherine Regina Murphy Georgetown University

Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Pittsburgh Invitation to Honors Program Villanova University Villanova Scholarship

Jacqueline Nicole Nucero Fairfield University

Fairfield University Magis Scholar Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Julia Christine Pitts Temple University

La Salle University Founders Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award

Marisa Ann Pompilio Saint Joseph’s University

Catholic University Invitation to University Honors Program Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Vermont Presidential Scholarship

Jessica Leigh Powers Cornell University

Boston University Invitation to Honors Program Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship George Washington University Presidential Academic Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Invitation to Honors Program Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship

Fairfield University Invitation to Honors Program Fairfield University Magis Scholar Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Full Tuition Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Invitation to Honors Program Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Siena College Dean’s Scholarship Siena College Invitation to Honors Program Siena College Presidential Scholarship

Kelly Catherine O’Neill Pennsylvania State University

Carson Elizabeth Price Tulane University

Victoria Maria O’Malley University of Notre Dame Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program

University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship

Meghan Kathleen O’Reilly Georgetown University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program New York University Invitation to Scholars Program Penn State University Academic Excellence Scholarship Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College

Emma Damis Pacheco Moravian College

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Moravian College Emerging Leaders Scholarship Moravian College Presidential Science Scholarship Moravian College Trustee Scholarship Salve Regina Founders Award

Garineh Ara Panosian Boston University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship

Jamie Elizabeth Paul Salve Regina University

Catholic University of America Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Amy Elizabeth Phillips Saint Joseph’s University

Cabrini College Achievement Scholarship DeSales University Heritage Scholarship DeSales University Trustee Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Sarah Grace Pinchock Syracuse University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Duquesne University Tuition Exchange Scholarship Philadelphia University Faculty Scholarship Syracuse University Tuition Exchange Scholarship Villanova University Tuition Exchange Scholarship

Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College Rollins College Centennial Scholarship Rollins College Dean’s Scholarship Tulane University Presidential Scholarship University of Miami Trustee Scholarship University of Tampa Presidential Scholarship

Sofia Agustina Quinodoz Princeton University

Drexel University Anthony J. Drexel Scholarship Fordham University Finalist/Semifinalist Full Tuition Scholarship Hispanic Heritage Youth Award for Journalism Scholarship Hunter College Invitation to Macaulay Honors College James J. Kerrigan Memorial Foundation Scholarship Johns Hopkins Invitation to Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Fellowship Program Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College Penn State University Merrill Lynch Scholarship Penn State University Schreyer HC Academic Excellence Scholarship Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Merit Award University of Pittsburgh Academic Scholarship University of Pittsburgh Invitation to Honors Program University of Wisconsin, Madison Invitation to Honors Program

Julia Bailey Reinprecht Princeton University Julianne Elizabeth Robbins Pennsylvania State University

University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Samantha Leigh Rocchino Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College Fordham University Loyola Scholarship Fordham University Tuition Award Penn State University Academic Excellence Scholarship Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College

Corin Mary Roman University of Delaware

La Salle University Founders Scholarship

Jaclyn Nicole Rossetti Temple University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Georgetown University GU Scholarship Temple University Full Tuition Academic Scholarship Temple University Invitation to Honors Program University of Pittsburgh Academic Scholarship University of Pittsburgh Invitation to Honors Program University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship

Megan Kathryn Rothwell University of Pittsburgh

St. John’s University Academic Achievement Award

Paige Elizabeth Ruhling Fairfield University

La Salle University Founders Scholarship Monmouth University Incentive Scholarship

Jennifer Christine Sabia The University of Scranton

Drexel University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Achievement Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Kara LaSane Sapp Temple University

Fordham University Jogues Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Kelsey Marie Scheier Towson University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Towson University Invitation to Honors College

Kaitlin Marie Scher Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Meaghan Elizabeth Scher Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Maura Catherine Schlupp Saint Joseph’s University

CYO Region 20 Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship

Megan Marie Shaeffer New York University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program American Dream Scholarship Fordham University Loyola Scholarship Fordham University Tuition Award Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Danielle Nicole Shertz The University of Scranton

Bloomsburg University Invitation to Honors Program Catholic University of America Scholarship Quinnipiac University Dean’s Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Jessica Ann Siedlecki University of Pennsylvania Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Drexel University Anthony J. Drexel Scholarship Drexel University Invitation to Pennoni Honors College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Merit Award Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Room & Board Scholarship University of Pennsylvania Roberts Family Scholarship University of Rochester Xerox Scholarship Villanova University Villanova Scholarship

Shayna Elizabeth Skahan Pennsylvania State University

Seton Hall University Scholarship Syracuse University Dean’s Scholarship

Christina Rose Smith Villanova University

University of Delaware Merit-based Scholarship

Melanie Jo Smith The University of Scranton

Cabrini College Achievement Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Maura Jane Southwell Saint Joseph’s University

Drexel University Anthony J. Drexel Scholarship Drexel University Invitation to Pennoni Honors College Fordham University Loyola Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship La Salle University Invitation to Honors Program Saint Joseph’s University Invitation J.P.McNulty Scholars Program Saint Joseph’s University Invitation to Honors Program Saint Joseph’s University J.P. McNulty Program Full Tuition Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Victoria Renée Spera West Chester University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Sons of Italy Custodes Pacis Lodge #2085 Sons of Italy Grand Lodge of PA District 1 Scholarship Sons of Italy in America District 3 Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship

Kelly Ann Stefanowicz Bucknell University

Catholic University of America University Scholarship

Katherine Carney Sullivan Vassar College Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program

Laura Christina Thistle Georgetown University

Georgetown University Athletic Scholarship

Elizabeth Rose Thompson University of Vermont

La Salle University Founders Scholarship University of Vermont Presidential Scholarship

Nicole Michelle Trauffer Boston College Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Fordham University Loyola Scholarship Fordham University Tuition Award Rhodes College University Fellowship Scholarship

Christina Vecchione Arcadia University

Arcadia University Distinguished Scholarship Arcadia University Knights Scholarship Cabrini College Achievement Scholarship DeSales University Business Scholarship DeSales University DeSales Scholarship Eastern University Presidential Scholarship Immaculata University Dean’s Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship

Laura Christine Walters Loyola College in Maryland

Fordham University Jogues Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship

Melissa Ann Waters University of Delaware

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Loyola College in Maryland Presidential Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University United Scholars Award University of Delaware Merit-Based Scholarship University of Scranton Dean’s Scholarship

Nicole Michelle Weinrich Stanford University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Rachel Lynn Weller Widener University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship Widener University Invitation to School of Business Honors Program Widener University Presidential Scholarship

Kathleen Ann Welsh Saint Joseph’s University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Drexel University Trustee Award Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship

Megan Claire Welsh Temple University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship La Salle University Founders Scholarship Marist College Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Legacy Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Temple University Scholar Award

Kimberly Ann Whitehill Villanova University Commended Student, National Merit Scholarship Program Fordham University Dean’s Scholarship Loyola College in Maryland Presidential Scholarship Marist College Presidential Scholarship Villanova University Villanova Scholarship

Victoria Mary Wischhusen Fairfield University Katherine L. Wzorek The George Washington University

Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship Drexel University Trustee Award Fordham University Loyola Scholarship Penn State University Invitation to Schreyer Honors College

Mara Irene Yanni The Catholic University of America

La Salle University Founders Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University, University Scholarship University of Scranton Loyola Scholarship Philadelphia Federal Credit Union Scholarship

Faith Elizabeth Zaki Syracuse University

Marist College Alumni Scholarship Quinnipiac University Dean’s Scholarship Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Scholarship Syracuse University Dean’s Scholarship

Fournier

Arthur P. Pasquarella

and

Laurence Genuardi

for Distinguished Service to Mount Saint Joseph Academy

150th Anniversary

Medal Recipients

ach year at graduation, a member of the Mount community is recognized with the Fournier Medal for Distinguished Service to the Academy. This year we have two recipients: Arthur P. Pasquarella, father of Amanda ’03 and Jessica ‘06, and Laurence Genuardi, father of Marissa ‘00, Mia ‘04, and Monica ‘09.

These two men are shining examples of people who uphold the ideals of the foundress of the Mount, Mother Saint John Fournier. The Mount recognizes Art’s dedication on the Board of Directors from 2003-2009, his leadership as Chair of the Board 2007-2009 and as Chair of the Foundations for the Future campaign. The Mount recognizes Larry’s dedication to the Board of Directors from 20012007, and serving on the Foundations for the Future Committee and the Golf Committee. Their commitment and generosity to Catholic education have made an impact on many Mount students, and we are deeply grateful for their involvement. Photo, Left to Right: Art Pasquarella, Sister Kathleen Brabson, SSJ, and Laurence Genuardi.

A Fond Farewell to Katie Griep, Welcome Back to Peg Green Ms. Katie Griep

e sadly bid farewell to Ms. Katie Griep, who is leaving us after serving as the Mount’s Dean of Student Affairs for the past three years. The Mount community will miss her as she and her husband, John, and baby, Gideon, begin a new chapter in their lives as residents of the state of Texas. We wish them many blessings in their new home. Mrs. Peg Green is returning to the Mount. She was a former teacher and department chairperson in the Mount’s Theology department from 2001 through 2005. Before that she had over 33 years’ experience teaching at the elementary and secondary levels.

Mrs. Peg Green In January, 2005, Mrs. Green was announced as the Dean of Student Affairs after Sister Kathleen Brabson was named the President of MSJA. Mrs. Green served in this capacity until August 2005, when she relocated to Highland Mills, New York, with her husband. While in New York, she worked as a music educator at a public elementary school and also taught at the middle school level. We are delighted to welcome her back to the Mount Community.

Office of the President

1 June 2009

Dear Mount Community,

S. Karen Dietrich, SSJ

Dr. Judith Caviston

On April 8, 2009, Sister Karen announced to the Mount community that she would be leaving to accept the new position of Executive Director of the Catholic School Partnership in Camden, New Jersey. It is with deep appreciation and profound gratitude that we bid her blessings and farewell for her fifteen years of service as the 19th principal of the Mount, whose legacy is stronger because of her leadership. As you know, the Mount is a sponsored work of the Sisters of Saint Joseph; therefore, the mission of the Mount and the SSJ charism are entwined. For a number of years, the sisters have partnered with lay faculty and administrators to continue to deepen our mission with the students, parents, and Alumnae. I am delighted that our new principal has enmeshed herself in our life and mission and that she considers both to be her first responsibility in her role as the principal of Mount Saint Joseph Academy. It is with great pleasure that I announce the 20th principal of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Dr. Judith Caviston. Dr. Caviston comes to us from serving as Secretary for Catholic Education and Superintendent of the Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Trenton. Holding a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, and Accreditation in Secondary Administration, Dr. Caviston has served as the Regional Director for the Diocese of Philadelphia. Equally noteworthy are her extensive experience and her contributions to educational excellence. As we look forward to the 2009-2010 school year, I know you will join me in welcoming Dr. Caviston to the Mount community. The Mount is a school committed to the education of women, and I have every confidence that she will be the academic leader you desire and expect. She is as excited to assume her new position, as we are to have her. In the constitutions of the Sisters of Saint Joseph there is a line that reads, “Each day we make a new beginning…,” September 8, 2009, will be that for the Mount. Let us begin, then, with confidence, hope, and a pledge of support to our new principal. Enjoy your summer; may it be a time of relaxation, fun and rest! God bless,

Sister Kathleen Brabson, SSJ 15

From the Archives

Mount Saint Joseph Academy 1858 Centenary Year 1958 This excerpt is taken from the book written in 1958 by Kathleen M. Kugler, ’58 to celebrate Mount Saint Joseph Academy’s 100th Anniversary. This was one of the many resources used to create the Mount’s Limited Edition Commemorative Book. On October 4, 1858, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, for Young Ladies, Chestnut Hill, opened with a total enrollment between sixteen and twenty. The Middleton mansion, “Monticello,” purchased from Mr. Joseph Middleton, on the advice of Bishop John Neumann, C.S.S.R., was the nucleus of the community. The school was conducted by the Sisters of Saint Joseph for the education of “young girls about to enter society to impress on them a fear of God and to school them in Christian modesty and other virtues necessary for a young lady’s contact with the world.” The Sisters, in accordance with their Rule, believed that “on the education of women depends the future of society,” and formulated their teaching ideals on this belief. The Directress of the Academy until 1861 was Mother Stephen. Although it has been smilingly stated that she had very little to direct, the Constitution of the Community made her personally responsible for both the religious and secular needs of the Academy students.

outside recreation naturally depended on the fruitful land which God had given the Mount as its campus. In the winter, there were sleigh rides and snowball battles, in the summer, games on the lawn, the gathering of flowers, fruits and nuts, and boating on the Wissahickon. Indoor parties for Halloween, Saint Valentine’s Day, and Easter Monday in the schoolroom or the convent parlor bred and nurtured a spirit of happiness, contentment and peace... ...The State of Pennsylvania granted a new Charter to the Mount in 1872. This document outlined the courses of study which the Sisters were authorized to teach. These included “the elementary branches of education, the sciences, arts, ancient and modern languages and other literary pursuits, in the manner of teaching determined by the proper officers of the Community.” This charter also gave the power to confer college degrees. From 1885, when Mother Clement became assistant to Reverend Mother until 1888, Mother Aquinas was the Acting Directress of the Academy. The death of Reverend Mother Mary John in that year keynoted profound changes in the educational policy of the Mount. The Feminist movement had just begun, and women were attaining more and more economic independence. Since secretarial work was one of the first fields open to women other than teaching a commercial course was added to the curriculum. In connecting with women’s participation in the world of business and politics, other courses, such as English, became more detailed and practical. The history courses became more specific, with the introduction of American, French, and Medieval history. In 1890, a ten year plan of study was begun at the Mount. At the same time, Mother Saint Ephrem, a former academy teacher, now directress, established a division of the Columbian Reading Circle Union called the Queen Isabella Literary Circle, later known as “Sedes Sapientiae,” to interest the girls in Catholic books and authors, and to encourage them to acquire a knowledge of current Catholic news. The motto of this club, which existed until 1909, expresses the attitude of both teachers and students toward learning at the Mount, “The ways of wisdom are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peace.” All these changes are in keeping with the Community’s teaching ideals of adhering to a flexible program which can be adjusted and adapted to the needs of the times...

he Mount’s students and teachers do have a certain “indefinable something.”

During the first quarter-century, there was a very close relationship between the Sisters and girls, due no doubt in part to the necessity of sharing the same home. Because of this close relationship, and because the students were so few in number, schooling was informal. One large room served as study hall, assembly room, classroom, and sewing room. Religion, English, music, French, and German were the chief academic subjects taught at that time. History was taught, but informally. It was discussed in a tutorial manner without the aid of textbooks. Much attention was given to needlework, also. Several pieces of needlepoint done by the students and dated 1858 are preserved in the Academy. The first graduation in 1859 was held on the front porch of the mansion, while the broad lawn provided ample room for the audience. Bishop John Neumann presided at this Commencement, and expressed his delight in the ability of so young a school to produce so fine a program of music and drama. The curriculum at the Mount has always emphasized a solid foundation in English, a study of languages, ancient and modern, and the acquisition of a knowledge of such cultural subjects as art, music, and drama. Thus, the convent school instructed its girls in the rudimentary branches of education, the cultural branches, the accomplishments (music, dancing, sewing), and in superior conduct. The social life of this period, free from the distractions of moving pictures, radio, television, was simple, and was left much to the imagination of the students. Most of their

...The closeness between the Sisters and girls even after graduation impelled them in 1895, to form an Alumnae Association. This association has become more and more active through the years, and the graduates look forward eagerly to becoming members of it, and of participating in its spiritual and social undertakings.

...The yearbook of Mount Saint Joseph Academy was published for the first time in 1919. In was entitled “The Sheaf,” an allusion to the motto of the school, “Spes Messis In Semine,” the hope of the harvest is in the seed. The book at that time was a combination yearbook and literary magazine, and was really a sheaf of the annual literary achievements of the students. Today “The Sheaf” is primarily a pictorial record of the school’s curricular and extra-curricular work, with special emphasis placed on the activities of the graduating class... ...Beginning in 1953, and each year thereafter, the president of the Alumnae has presented the Directress of the Academy with a check to be used for improvements in the building. The check in 1953 amounted to nine hundred dollars, and by 1955, the Alumnae had more than doubled the amount of that first check. This monetary demonstration of love for their Alma Mater evidences their school loyalty, as does the reception of

numerous children of alumnae members into the ranks of the Association. Mother Sylvester, beloved former teacher and prefect, returned to the Mount as Superior-Directress in 1956.

150th Happenings Anniversary

Along with the many changes in curriculum, a new program of sports was evident beginning in 1908. The “Sports Day,” of that year, given by the Gymnasium classes featured an exhibition of fencing of such proficiency as to merit a prize of a pair of foils. This day eventually grew into a “Field Day” with Shakespearean plays on the campus, and a Commencement program extending over five days. In 1929, it became a real “Field Day” with running, jumping, shot-putting, and javelin-throwing, plus hockey, a sport which had been introduced the previous year. The “Field Day” gradually developed into our present “May Day” and “AA Day.” It is in this year that we find first mention of an Athletic Association. Today it is an all-student-body organization with a regular formal program of seasonal sports...

The Centenary Year of Mount Saint Joseph Academy finds the Mount much changed from one hundred years ago. The classes and assemblies, the mode of dress, the social activities and sports, and soon, even the building itself, are changed, yes. But the spirit of Mount Saint Joseph has not and will not change. The same loyal, loving spirit of a hundred years ago is found in the students today, whether they are studying, preparing for parties or assemblies, representing their school at forums, or simply cleaning their homeroom blackboards, they do everything with the same enthusiasm, the same joy of living in Christ that is so contagious at the Mount. The Mount’s students and teachers do have a certain “indefinable something.” They had it years before an evaluating committee noted it, and they will always have it, even when among the ranks of the Blessed at Christ’s right hand, they joyfully recognize in one another, the Spirit of Mount Saint Joseph.

With grateful appreciation to Kelly Clarke ’05, Intern in the Development/ Communications Office, who typed the copy from the original book. To read the entire history of the Centenary year, please visit the 150th Anniversary Page at www.msjacad.org/150. The complete 150-year history of the Mount is available in the Commemorative Book below.

Don’t Miss Out!

Limited Edition

History of Mount Saint Joseph Academy Commemorative

150 t h Anniversary Book and DVD

Available for purchase in the MSJA Main Office and Development Office, or by using the order form below.

MSJA Commemorative Book or DVD Order Form

_______Books at $25 per book

Name_____________________________________________________

_______DVDs at $10 per DVD

Address___________________________________________________

$______Total

E-mail____________________________________________________

Cost includes Shipping and handling.

Phone___________________________________________________ Visa__MC___AmEx___Card #________________________________ Exp________ Signature_____________________________________

Please send to: Development Office Mount Saint Joseph Academy 120 W. Wissahickon Ave. Flourtown, PA 19031

Around the World in 366 Days by Amy Guise Hemphill ’84

Amy, her husband, Jim, and their three children Jack, 12, Katharine, 11, and Alex, 8 1/2 , spent one year traveling to 25 countries, homeschooling as they went. Read about their fascinating adventures!

y daughter Katharine and I were watching people bungee jump off the side of a mountain overlooking Queenstown, New Zealand. “I’d really love to try that, Mom”, said Katharine. The safety posting showed that although she was two days past the minimum age of ten, she was 12 pounds under the requisite minimum weight of 75 lbs. I spoke with the instructor, who felt that he could make adjustments for her smaller size and he assured me that he was comfortable with her giving it a shot. I thought about my husband, who was back in our rental with our boys, and how he would veto the idea of Katharine plunging 1,200 feet over the rocks. But I also looked at my strong, adventurous girl and knew I needed to support that spirit of adventure. The look of pure joy on her face as she dropped was something I’ll never forget. So, how did we get to the top of that mountain to begin with? Several years earlier, my husband, Jim, said we should figure out how to take a year off and travel around the world with our children. Although I first thought he was having the mother of all mid-life crises, I soon agreed and we got down to the business of planning our trip. Our children read travel books with us, and dinner conversation quickly included the places each of us would most like to visit. We decided that Jim would be able to work remotely from his office and I would home school. We would each have a backpack and a small piece of roll-around luggage; these would hold most of what we needed, including a few clothes, books, and medicines. (Most people pack more for a weekend trip than we were able to pack for the year.) Luckily, Jim is a fabulous planner, a detail guy (which is probably why he doesn’t bungee jump), so he started putting the innumerable pieces together. On July 15, 2007, Jim, Jack (age 10), Katharine (age 9), Alex (almost 7), and I were sitting in the Philadelphia Airport, waiting for our plane to London. We were flying US Airways. Our plane, of course, was late. Our trip began with five weeks in Britain, and our arrival coincided with a spectacular fall in the value of the U. S. dollar. We knew London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, and we’d planned to control costs. The five of us

crammed into a $600 per night Marriott room with two double beds, booked with Marriott Rewards points. The lovely Marriott breakfast was £14 per person (almost $30). Instead, we ate instant oatmeal from plastic bowls we’d brought along, prepared with boiling water from the room’s tea service. At the end of the week, our total Marriott bill was £1.95. Lunches and dinners were mostly packaged sandwiches from the local market. My sister Elizabeth (Mount ’99), was working in Madrid, Spain for one year, and flew in for a long weekend. We took her to a budget Indian vegetarian restaurant, where the final bill was well over $200. Our conversion to true football fans began in Preston, England. What we call soccer in the United States is called football everywhere else. In most of the world, football is not a game of the rich suburbs, but of the poor and struggling. Like basketball in inner cities in the U. S., football is both a constant recreation and the dream of a way out to riches and success – for the very few who are sufficiently driven, talented and lucky. In Preston, our three did the Bobby Charlton soccer camp with kids from all over the world. (This is where David Beckham was discovered and signed by Manchester United.) One evening we went to see Manchester United play Inter Milan at Old Trafford, ManU’s stadium. This is kind of like the pilgrimage to Lourdes for soccer fans. I doubt I’ve ever heard as much cursing in my life (not even when the Eagles are losing to Dallas). Having learned to call it “football”, our three soccer players continued to play in almost every country we visited, both with each other and with the local kids. Next, we cruised through the fjords in Norway. They are absolutely spectacular, with steep cliffs of rock and pine trees rising up to a thousand feet out of the clear blue water. We lost Katharine just north of the Arctic Circle. Norwegian food leans strongly toward smoked fish and wild game. After seeing both reindeer (“Rudolph”) and whale meat on the lunch buffet, Katharine went vegetarian. Her vegetarianism persisted throughout the next eleven months of the trip, presenting a huge challenge at certain points along the way.

After taking the kids to Auschwitz, wandering across the Charles Bridge in Prage, touching the Berlin Wall, spending a month in France, and exploring Dubrovnik, we stayed for six weeks in a 12th century water mill in Tuscany. Our days were spent exploring and hiking, with Jim off in a local internet café to communicate with his office. Most nights the kids would find rosemary, sage, and thyme growing around the property; we’d throw it in a pot with local olive oil and pasta and have the most wonderful dinners. Since the Brunello di Montalcino, some of the best wine in the world, was grown locally, we really felt that it just wouldn’t be right not to share a bottle each evening… We traveled next to Egypt and Jordan, both predominantly Muslim countries. We planned to do the obligatory camel ride to the Pyramids. The boys took one look at the camel (tall, mean and ugly) and refused to ride. I fell off once. Jim fell off twice, once while mounting and once while trying to dismount. Katharine rode as if born to the saddle-- graceful, confident and entirely at ease. We did a three-day cruise down the Nile to see the tombs and temples of Upper Egypt. (Cliff Notes version: big, old, hot and very crowded.) Egypt is historically both a Mediterranean and an Arab country, part Muslim and part Christian. I was careful to dress conservatively during our time there, always wearing my $10 ankle-length black Target skirt and a head scarf. Still, the stares from some of the local men were very uncomfortable. We were aware of a constant tension between the outward-looking and tolerant Egyptian heritage and the more fundamentalist currents of Islam that have gained force in recent decades. The rights of women and non-Muslims are very much under threat. Jordan has a very different feel from Egypt. Unlike Egypt, where President Mubarak is tolerated at best, Western-educated King Abdullah and his wife Queen Raina seem genuinely beloved by the Jordanian people. Our children brought nasty stomach bugs with them from Egypt, threatening to derail our sightseeing. Our tour guide, Mohammed, took us to his family doctor and dosed us all with tea made from dried sage leaves. He was one of the kindest people we met along the way. Our next stop was South Africa, where we spent a glorious month with South African friends we’d met when they lived near Philly while on an expat contract in the US. The country is simultaneously spectacularly beautiful and disturbingly dangerous. The murder rate is eight times higher than that of the US. Houses are surrounded by high walls topped by electrified razor-wire, and panic buttons connected to armed private security firms are positioned by every door. The country’s move toward black majority rule has been bumpy, but there remains hope that continued strong global demand for South Africa’s rich natural resources will provide the wealth needed to bridge the rich/ poor gap and keep this fascinating multi-cultural society afloat. Leaving South Africa was emotionally difficult, not only because we were leaving our friends, but because we knew that the next five months would be spent mostly in Asia, where

we would be wholly outside of our comfort zones. We were leaving both the English language and First World infrastructure, moving to the Third World. Our first stop in Asia was India. We found the country fascinating and the people engaging and warm, but the poverty, filth, lack of sanitation, crowds, smells, and sounds were all overwhelming. India’s twentythree states are diverse. In the more prosperous South, we were struck by children begging not for money or food, but for pens that they could use to practice writing. These children are clearly taught that education is the ticket out of poverty, a message that has been largely lost in some developed countries. Our last stop in India was Varanasi, the Hindu holy city on the Ganges River. The holy river is beyond filthy. Twelve city sewers empty directly into the same river where pilgrims wash, bodies are dumped, and the ashes of cremated bodies are sprinkled. Fecal coliform levels (aka poop) are 300,000 times safe levels. On our last night in India, we took a sunset boat trip on the Ganges. Katharine dipped her hand in the river and then stuck it in Alex’s mouth to wiggle his loose tooth. Within hours, our two boys were as sick as I’ve ever seen them. Fortunately, we were only hours away from our flight to Thailand, where we had a well-trained doctor in our hotel room within hours. Finding good medical care for our kids was a huge relief. It also underscored the fact that millions of parents don’t have the luxury of seeing a doctor or receiving life-saving medicines when their children are ill. Thailand was as beautiful as we’d always heard, and the peaceful Buddhist philosophy infuses much of the culture. We spent a restorative month, doing little more challenging than swimming in the huge pool of our Marriott resort in Phuket. The originator of the concept of Marriott points was again high on our list of things to be grateful for. The kids played on the same white sand beaches that were decimated by the tsunami only a few years ago. From the relative prosperity of Thailand (GDP $10,000 per person) we moved on to the dire poverty of Cambodia (GDP less than $500 per person), where we spent five days exploring the temples of Angkor Wat. This 12th century complex has both architectural and religious significance, all surrounded by a wall that is over two miles long. But what affected us the most about the country was the people. They have been invaded and occupied many times, as evidenced by the huge number of amputee land-mine victims, but their capacity for kindness and forgiveness was humbling. After exploring Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, we jumped back into familiar territory with a month in Australia and New Zealand. The highlight of our weeks in Oz was time spent with Maureen Gimpel Maley (’84), her husband Chris and two boys, who traveled Down Under to visit former neighbors who had moved to Sydney. Maureen is Alex’s godmother, and the two

boys are the same ages as our boys. Aunt Maureen brought candy, so all of the kids had an Easter egg hunt near the Great Barrier Reef. Our kids got to hold koalas at the Cairns Zoo. (Cliff Notes: koalas are slow, passive, impossibly cute and improbably stupid.) We all flew to Ayers Rock, the largest sandstone monolith in the world, and then on to Sydney. It was tough to say goodbye to the Maleys. New Zealand was probably the most beautiful place we visited all year and was also home to the friendliest people. We were in Lord of the Rings country. Much of the movie trilogy was filmed near Queensland on the South Island. We rode horses that appeared in both the LOTR trilogy and Prince Caspian. New Zealand has an outdoorsy vibe, and we spent our days hiking and biking. A month in China was too little time to fully appreciate this vast and ancient country, but more than enough time in conditions that were crowded and highly polluted. We saw the Olympic sights in Beijing two months before the games were to begin. We then flew on to Japan, and the opportunity to connect with another Mountie. Liz Daly Sato (also ’84) lives in Nagoya with her husband and two girls. Liz is very active in the local community, both among other expats and in the strong local Catholic community. She welcomed us into her home for several days, took us to an omakase dinner, and traveled with us to Kyoto, where Liz and I stayed up late in the Hyatt’s sushi bar, eating raw tuna and laughing about old stories from our Mount days. We landed in Vancouver after our flight from Tokyo, and we all started to cry. It was hugely emotional to be back on North American soil after eleven months abroad, and the kids were positively giddy about familiar sights. It also meant I got to stop carrying peanut butter and chickpeas in my backpack, as I knew that Katharine would finally find protein sources that she’d eat. If the research on weight-bearing exercise is true, I’ll never have to worry about osteoporosis after months of canned goods on my back!

During our several weeks in Alaska, we went salmon fishing, walked a glacier, and saw moose, grizzly bears, Dall sheep and Denali (ex-Mount McKinley, and North America’s highest peak). We were visiting with the parents of one of my former chemistry students, passionate Barack Obama supporters with signs all over their property, when we first learned about Sarah Palin. Like almost everyone in Alaska, these two liberal Democrats loved Palin. It was interesting to arrive home after the primaries, just as the general election campaign was heating up. After a year spent in large part in places without free political institutions, we have a renewed appreciation for what it means to live in a free and democratic country. We’ve been home almost a year now, but we’ve found there are some lessons that have become part of who we are. The kids found that they could be satisfied for countless hours with books, their stash of Webkinz, and each other; consequently, they don’t really want all of the newest stuff. We found that we all really liked being together, without all of the distractions of everyday life. We don’t kill many bugs anymore because as Alex said shortly after our return, “Look, Mom, there are mosquitoes that can’t kill us.”—I think we all try to take things more in stride. We remain incredibly grateful that we had a year and a day of adventure and joy with each other. The blog we kept during the trip is still active; please feel free to read more if you’d like (www.travelpod.com/members/ oneyearaway). If you’re thinking this is something you’d like to do with your own family, please get in touch, and we’ll give you all the details. Be warned if you’re on the fence—we’ll absolutely talk you into it! Photos: Page 18--The Hemphills in Denali National Park, Alaska. Page 19 Top--Liz Daly Sato and Amy Guise Hemphill, at the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan. Bottom Photo from left to right: Alexander, husband Jim, Jack and Katharine in Bourtonon-the-Water, Cotswolds, UK.

Junior Ring Liturgy The Junior Class Ring Liturgy was held April 22, 2009. Showing off their new class rings are, left to right: Tara Beppel, Rebecca Duffin, Pauline Zilch, Kelly Moyer, Nicole Schuster, Jessica Giordano, Anne Zapalac, and Emily Gimpel

This spring, the Mount received a special gift from one of our Alumnae. A statue of St. Lucy was donated by MaryAnn Fluehr Murphy, Class of 1943, in memory of her husband, Daniel. The statue will be formally dedicated by MaryAnn and her family in the fall.

Happenings Happenings

St. Lucy Arrives at the Mount

Acadr am’s Enchanting Performance Bravo to the students in Acadram on their outstanding performance of Enchanted April, a play by Matthew Barber from the novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. In the photo at left below, Drew Needham ’09 and Samantha Monks ’09 play Mellersh and Lotty Wilton. In the cast photo, front row, left to right-are Carly Graham ’11, Garineh Panosian ’09, Samantha Monks ’09, and Sarah Killian ’12. Back row: Zack Bellinsky ’10, David Cinque ’10, Maria Cilio ’12, and Drew Needham ’09 (all boys are from La Salle). In photo at right, Garineh Panosian ’09 and and David Cinque ’10 play Rose and Frederick Arnott. Photos by Denise White-Christiansen

Mounties are Champions of Caring MSJA Named “School of the Year,” and Seven Students Honored for Individual Community Service Work by the Champions of Caring Foundation

ount Saint Joseph Academy received the Champion of Caring School of the Year Award by the Champions of Caring Foundation on Thursday, May 14, 2009, at Drexel University. Sister Karen Dietrich, Principal, and Sister Joannie Cassidy, Campus Minister, accepted the award on behalf of the school.

service. Our deepest thanks to the faculty, staff and students of MSJA for the work that they do to improve our community. Claire Geruson ’09, has established the “Attitude of Gratitude” project at La Salle Academy, a small Catholic school in North Philadelphia for students from low income families. By educating seventh graders about social justice issues and engaging them in service projects, including creating a Peace Mosaic in the school, “Miss Claire” taught her students the meaning of the phrase, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Claire will attend Boston College in the fall, where she plans to continue to lead her peers in service.

At the event, seven Mount students were honored for their individual community service work by the Champions of Caring Foundation. Claire Geruson ’09 received the Ambassador of Caring Award, and served as Master of Ceremonies for the event; six MSJA students were named Champions of Caring. Champions of Caring’s mission is to create Cultures of Caring in our communities. According to Founder and President Barbara Shaiman, students named as Champions of Caring are “the heroes of our time and the hope and promise for a glorious tomorrow.” Their aim is to move toward acts of service that address the issues of violence, poverty, hunger, homelessness, healthcare, illness and disease, and the environment. Excerpts from the program: “Mount Saint Joseph Academy has been preparing generations of young women for the challenges of college, life, and leadership since 1858. Mount Saint Joseph Academy enables students to meet the moral and ethical challenges of an everchanging society and a technological future. Their commitment to community service is unmatched. This year, we recognize Mount Saint Joseph Academy as our Champions of Caring School of the Year. Over the years they have been a committed partner to the Champions of Caring Recognition Program, consistently recommending the highest numbers of Champions with the strongest commitment to

Grace Cipressi ’10, whose service areas include: children, literacy, and poverty. Alyssa Drummy ’10, whose service areas include: poverty, hunger, literacy, and the elderly.

literacy, and children.

Mary Elizabeth Entwistle ’11, whose service areas include:

Teresa Geruson ’11, whose service areas include: hunger, education, animal welfare. Marie Laster ’10, whose service areas include: hunger, elderly, and children. Leigh Anne Tiffany ’11, whose service areas include: animal welfare, health, and environment. Photo, Back row, left to right: Grace Cipressi ’10, Alyssa Drummy ’10, Mary Elizabeth Entwistle ’11, Marie Laster ’10, and Sister Karen Dietrich, SSJ, Principal. Front row, left to right: Leigh Anne Tiffany ’11, Theresa Geruson ’11, Claire Geruson ’09, and Sister Joannie Cassidy, SSJ, Director of Campus Ministry.

Vietnam

A Postcard From...

A Postcard from By Elizabeth Pacheco ’06

have to be honest, when I left home to study abroad in Vietnam this fall semester, I really was not prepared. Of course, I had gotten the necessary shots, packed way more than was necessary and made a half-hearted attempt to learn some Vietnamese, but, looking back, this was barely adequate. I understood the itinerary of the program and the assignments that would be required of me, yet I had no idea how much I would be challenged, my limits would be pushed and my comfort zone constantly ignored. As what seems to be a popular choice for junior year college students, I decided that I wanted to spend the fall semester of this academic year studying abroad. Since I am an environmental studies major, I chose to participate in a Natural and Cultural Ecology program run by the School for International Training (S.I.T.). After meeting up in Los Angeles with seven other American students from all different universities, we flew over 20 hours to reach the country’s capital, Ho Chi Minh City (previously known as Saigon). From there we traveled south to Can Tho, which is located in the heart of the Mekong Delta. This area, often referred to as the Vietnam’s “rice basket,” is the final destination of the 3,000 mile long Mekong River that stretches from the Plateau of Tibet to the South China Sea. The largest city in the Delta, it is also home to Can Tho University where we took various classes, including an intensive beginning Vietnamese course. The program continued with a trip to Cambodia, through which the Mekong also flows, to do a comparative study followed by a trip to the Red River Delta in the northern city of Hanoi. For the final month of the semester we were given a stipend to live anywhere in the country and conduct an independent study project. For that month I chose to remain in Hanoi where I researched environmental perspectives in the folklore of the Kinh and Muong ethnicities, two of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. The opportunity to live on your own in a foreign country for a significant period of time was one of the driving reasons behind my choosing an S.I.T. program. Another reason was the opportunity to do a long-term homestay. During our time in Can Tho (about five weeks), I stayed with a newly married couple and the wife’s parents. The wife is an English teacher at a local high school and teaches additional English classes at the University on nights and weekends. Her husband is a businessman who primarily works from Ho Chi Minh City, and her parents, neither of whom spoke English, have since retired and stayed at home. The hospitality I was extended during that time was incredible, and I don’t think I’ve ever been fed so much! During the first days of our time in Vietnam, our academic director asked us the inevitable question, “Why did you choose

Vietnam?” The response was almost unanimous, “Why not?” If you can spend an entire semester anywhere in world studying anything you want, why not choose a place completely different from our American universities? Asia certainly met the criteria. In the first two weeks of the semester, I went through some significant culture shock. I was living in a city where the only other foreigners were the students on my program, and being stared at and pointed at was not considered rude. I can easily say that I have never eaten so much rice in my entire life, nor have I had so many culinary adventures. These included everything from frog and snail to pig intestine and snake. I climbed through mud that was almost waist high for soil samples, went diving in rice paddies for plant roots and spent three days in a floating village in the middle of a lake in Cambodia in an effort to understand the flood cycle of the Mekong. I went hiking in Vietnam’s first national park created under the urging of Ho Chi Minh during the 1960s and spent the night in another national park where I watched both the sunset and sunrise. Any worries I had about the relationship between Vietnam and the United States were quickly dismissed. Having to live with the effects of war every day, they have moved on, slowly rebuilding their lives and consequently were incredibly friendly and eager to welcome you into their country. Not everything that I saw and experienced was wonderful and there were many times I didn’t have to remind myself I was spending the semester in a developing country run under Communism. When people ask me about my semester in Vietnam, I’ve noticed that I can’t help but smile. Words like “amazing” and “incredible” seem inadequate, and the hundreds of photos I took aren’t quite sufficient in giving an accurate description of the experience. Perhaps the best response I can give is that in the near future I’m going back! Elizabeth Pacheco is currently a junior year environmental studies major at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, and is interested in pursuing a career in environmental journalism.

Mississippi Reflection by Caroline Ezzo ’09 We continue to build our relationships with the people in Waveland and Canton, Mississippi. Thank you to the students who participated in this year’s Mississippi Trip over Easter break: Amanda Clark ’11, Lauren Duda ’10, Victoria Elliot ’11, Caroline Ezzo ’09, Lisa Hagan ’09, Maggie Heenan ’10, Dana MacIntosh ’11, Corynne Peters ’11, Katie Princivalle ’10, Meg Rowley ’10

once heard this remarkable saying, “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” Nothing could better describe my experience this spring in Mississippi. For the past five years, Mount Saint Joseph Academy has sent a delegation of students and faculty down to different areas that were most affected by Hurricane Katrina. Past groups have performed physically laborious jobs, clearing land, searching through debris, etc. Despite that initial disaster response, we have continued to deepen our relationships with the people in Mississippi. Principal Sister Karen Dietrich, Sister Joannie Cassidy, and Ms. Karalyn McGrorty, along with ten students, seniors Lisa Hagan and myself, juniors Lauren Duda, Maggie Heenan, Katie Princivalle and Meghan Rowley, and sophomores Victoria Elliot, Amanda Clark, Dana MacIntosh and Corynne Peters, spent five days in Canton, Mississippi. Only having heard about this trip through friends, not one of us truly knew what we were getting into; however, upon returning, there was a clear consensus that this trip had far exceeded whatever expectations each of us had held. If anyone has ever been to Canton, Mississippi, he or she may feel as if it is a different country. Far from the fast paced, open24-hours-a-day atmosphere of the Northeast, everything in Canton is slowed down a bit. However, this relaxed and calm pace allowed us to open our eyes to the beauty and peace that exists in this small southern town. Canton, while not impoverished, is still a growing community. Government funds that had previously kept the town and schools pulsing were unfortunately pulled after Hurricane Katrina to deal directly with the victims of that catastrophe. One school in particular, Holy Child Jesus School, was what I called our “home-base.” This Catholic elementary school adopted us for the week. We painted murals, helped the students with their work, and the best part, got to play with the students, using their new sports equipment that we had brought. The Mount has a wonderful connection with the Holy Child Jesus School (HCJS), sending down supplies, money and most importantly, a feeling of solidarity and oneness. Just as it is a “home-base” for us during that one week, HCJS serves as a “home-base” for the entire community of Canton. While it was evident that the community continues to have a racial schism, this Catholic school opens its doors and its heart to anyone and everyone. My experience was that the friendly and

caring environment concentrated in HCJS extended into the entire community. Walking down any given street, I was bound to receive a friendly hand sticking out the side of a pick-up truck waving at me. This hospitable welcome applied to every aspect of our trip. The community was so generous. A constant flow of food, entertainment, time and love never allowed us to think this was a charity case. These people were beautiful in body and spirit and gave as much to us as we gave to them. Two women in particular touched our hearts indelibly. One of our tasks was to paint a few rooms in the home of a lifelong local, Miss Bessie. Showing up to her house Thursday morning had a sobering effect on us all. Her home was in desperate need of structural work, as well as insulation repairs, window replacements and a heating and electric system. Yet upon entering her home, Miss Bessie welcomed us with a smile I will never forget. It was a wide grin full of gratitude and excitement. As she scurried around pushing her furniture together in already overcrowded rooms, her authenticity and joy shown through. While Miss Bessie lacked material goods, she was rich with spirit and delight. She did not live with regrets; she lived with integrity and pride. Another woman we encountered was Ms. Ruby. She was the librarian at HCJS. Ms. Ruby was a teenager in Canton during the 1960s when the Civil Rights revolution was sweeping the nation, especially the South. She shared with us her stories of segregation, of entering through the back doors of restaurants. She shared her memories of marches and rallies, and of subsequent violence and tear gas. Maggie Heenan remarked that, “When we learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and other Civil Rights activists and events, it is shameful and upsetting. But hearing it from a person who actually lived it is a completely different experience. You realize how real and recent it all is.” This spring break, the ten of us went to Mississippi with the hope of being part of a service project to paint, to clean, and even just to be a friendly face. While I am content that our efforts and tangible additions to the community made a positive impact, I cannot compare it to what we received. This trip provided us with the opportunity to grow and change our worldviews. I know I speak for all of us when I say that we are immensely grateful to everyone we encountered for opening their community and sharing theirs lives with us. Please visit the Mount’s website, and follow the links for more photos and information at www.msjacad.org.

Congratulations to the following students who have committed to their sport at the college level: Johanna Duff—Crew, Northeastern University Marissa Every—Volleyball, University of Scranton Elle Hagedorn—Basketball, Harvard Mary Maginnis—Crew, Harvard Erika McCormick—Crew, Harvard Catherine Mischler—Lacrosse, Lafayette Emma Pacheco—Cross Country & Lacrosse Moravian College

Julie Reinprecht—Field Hockey, Princeton Kaitlin Scher—Crew, St. Joseph’s University Meaghan Scher—Crew, St. Joseph’s University Molly Southwell—Crew, St. Joseph’s University Laura Thistle—Field Hockey, Georgetown Betsy Thompson—Crew, University of Vermont Nicole Weinrich—Crew, Stanford Megan Welsh—Crew, Temple Mara Yanni—Soccer, Catholic University of America

Happenings Athletics

College Athletics Update:

Introducing

the Lois Trench-Hines Cup

At the Philadelphia City Championships, the Lois Trench-Hines Cup made its inaugural debut, and what a happy coincidence that it was the Mount’s team that won the Girls Varsity Eight Championship trophy!! It was an incredible performance by the Mount on a rainy day on the Schuylkill. Nine Mount boats made the finals; eight went home with medals (6 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze). As we went to press, the Crew Team was competing at the 2009 Henley Women’s Regatta. Look for more info on the website.

Congratulations to our Winter and Spring All-Stars: Basketball: Elle Hagedorn ’09, MaryJo Horgan ’11, Jen Sabia ’09, Steph Smith ’11 Swim Team: 200 Medley - Dana Cinque ’12, Danielle Kouch ’10, Laura Pospisil ’10, Miranda Rafferty ’12 200 IM - Danielle Kouch ’10 100 Breast - Suzy Lawlor ’10 100 Free - Miranda Rafferty ’12 200 Free - Dana Cinque ’12, Danielle Kouch ’10, Laura Pospisil ’10, Miranda Rafferty ’12 100 Breast - Danielle Kouch ’10

Softball: Danielle Luskin ’09—Infield, and Meg Rothwell ’09—Catcher (HM) Track 1st team: Tori Perri ’10 and Caroline Sweeney ’10 2nd team: Alyssa Driscoll ’10 and Sarah Pinchock ’09 Lacrosse All stars: Kate Mischler ’09, Nicole Schuster ’10, Corinne Caracausa ’10, Stevie Wells ’11

Helping the

Littlest Seeds

GROW by Emily De Paul ’01

rowing is a natural part of life for most of us, something we don’t even think about having to do. However, for children with “failure to thrive” and their families, growing is hard work. During my experience at The Philadelphia GROW Clinic at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, I had an inside view into the struggles and triumphs that come along with helping a child with failure to thrive (FTT) to grow. FTT is medically defined as low weight for age and is caused by insufficient nutrition. As an indicator of physical and/or psychosocial problems, FTT is associated with growth and cognitive delays. In addition, children with FTT experience prolonged, more severe, and more frequent viruses because without the proper nutrition, their immune systems cannot fight off these illnesses. These children often need to consume extra calories to achieve “catch up” growth both physically and developmentally. For these reasons, it is vitally important to diagnose and treat FTT early because the most important developmental milestones occur in the first three years of life. At St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, FTT keeps a team of practitioners very busy! The GROW Clinic, a multidisciplinary clinic treating children with FTT and their families is a special place, a second home for many patients. The families treated at the GROW Clinic are from many communities; the majority are from impoverished areas of the city. Because of the urgency in treating failure to thrive, the clinic sees patients as often as once a month for an average of eighteen months. Requirements to complete a six-week practicum during year one of my two-year Master’s of Public Health program led me to the GROW Clinic. During my practicum, I shadowed the pediatrician, nurse practitioner, psychologist, nutritionist, and social worker. I was charmed by the patients, amazed at the strength and perseverance of the parents and awed by the work of the GROW Clinic team. As a rising second year student, my experience at the GROW Clinic prompted me to discuss implementing my “Community Based Master’s Project” or thesis at the GROW Clinic. We decided that since the Clinic had been seeing patients for only two years, I should conduct the first qualitative and quantitative

evaluation of the Clinic. This meant I would look at the numbers— how many patients were being seen, the average age of patients, demographic information and much more. It also meant I would conduct qualitative interviews with patient caregivers to learn about their experience at the GROW Clinic and discuss some of their barriers to receiving care. I spent countless hours analyzing the quantitative data, but what really stayed with me were my interviews with the caregivers. My first of the qualitative interviews was with a foster parent of a one-year-old child. I had five questions to ask her. We ended up talking for two hours. While the baby napped, she told me how he came to be with her and was now part of her family. She told me that helping him grow was hard work, and she was worried that when he returned to his tumultuous family situation, all her hard work (and his) would be undone. Helping a child gain weight is not easy and she liked the team approach—she felt supported and encouraged. While my interview questions focused mostly on the caregiver’s experience at the GROW Clinic, I quickly realized after a subsequent interview with a mother of a two-year-old child that this was a chance such hardworking parents rarely received—to talk about themselves and their families, to express opinions that were heard, and to allow themselves to open up to someone willing to listen. It then dawned on me why the GROW Clinic appointments were so long. This clinic was not about giving a quick weight check, jotting down some recommendations, and sending a child on their way. This clinic was about giving these children and their families a chance to be heard and to advocate for them when they didn’t have a voice. Through the interviews, I also realized the level of poverty facing the GROW Clinic families. Many struggled to have enough food for the duration of the month. I quickly learned about “food insecurity,” defined as the lack of enough food to live an active and healthy life and how this contributed to FTT for some of our GROW Clinic patients. Obtaining healthy food was sometimes out of reach. Grocery stores were not accessible and juice was less expensive than milk. While juice may suppress a child’s appetite, it will not provide them with the nutrients they need to help them grow. I spoke with families facing domestic violence, child abuse, incarcerated partners and substance abuse. The chaotic environment

Because of my recent connection to the families, creating and facilitating the parents group became a new focus of my work at the Clinic. The support group brought together caregivers of all ages, even a few grandparents. We explored temper tantrums, the importance of reading with your child and “eating the high calorie rainbow”-my FTT version of the Food Pyramid. The families formed relationships with each other and their trust in us deepened. Ultimately, the group gave them confidence in their abilities as caregivers to medically fragile children. The GROW Clinic team was very supportive of the parents group. Dr. Hans Kersten, the Medical Director of the GROW Clinic, was a wonderful mentor. The six-foot-seven pediatrician and self described “big guy helping the little guys” was a gentle leader of the team. His kindness and patience made him a friend to all. The psychologist at the Clinic, Dr. Dave Bennett, was my co-facilitator for the parents group. He encouraged me to navigate my way through designing a curriculum and planning the sessions. He researched what I had planned to find interactive materials for the group. The GROW Team provided me with a professional

network of guidance and encouragement in this first step of my public health career. As I graduated with my MPH from Drexel University, I realized my experience at the GROW Clinic furthered my interest in pediatric public health. My current job as a Study Coordinator for a program enhancing parenting skills in depressed caregivers of young children at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia builds on what I learned at the GROW Clinic. All that I had been taught over the years had laid the groundwork for a career in public health.

Making a Happenings Difference

that resulted from many of these psychosocial stressors was not conducive to calm family dinners and proper attention to nutrition. At the end of their interviews, when asked for their recommendations on improving care at the GROW Clinic, the same request was made again and again: to start a “parents’ group” for caregivers of children with FTT that offered support and education.

From a very young age, I was taught by my family to show compassion for those in need and respect for all. These values were reinforced during my four years at the Mount. As a Mountie, I was challenged academically in the classroom while developing a sense of social responsibility and leadership through various service activities. My teachers, who had such a profound impact on me as a student, are interested to know where I am and what I am doing — a testament to their commitment to the students at the Mount. The Mount environment encouraged a desire to take action, to find creative solutions to problems and to work hard for what I believed to be right. As we Mounties say, “Spes messis in semine.” Indeed, the hope of the harvest is in all of those little seeds and it is my privilege to have helped them GROW!

Merci

for Your Service in Feeding the Hungry! Spotlight on Mercedes Palacio Pannone ’51 by Blanche M. Palacio Kammer ’48 After graduating from the Mount, Merci matriculated to Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, as a music major. There she met a handsome Marine, Bernard Pannone, and waited for him to return from Korea before getting married in 1955. Five healthy children, four sons and one daughter, arrived in the next ten years. A few decades later, they all had their college degrees! Having relocated to Bradley, SC, for Bernie’s employment as a Consulting Engineer, Merci began her food service career when her youngest entered seventh grade. As Food Service Director for the Piedmont Agency on Aging, she was in charge of meal planning and Meals-on-Wheels operations in two counties. Five years later, they outgrew their facility and built a new larger one, which they dedicated to her, the Mercedes A. Pannone Nutrition Center! They then had the capacity for blast freezers and embarked on a fast freezer program to serve clients living in very rural areas of South Carolina. Each Friday, agency drivers would deliver a seven-day supply of frozen dinners, complete with bread, milk and desserts, to 60 rural residents. Community volunteers delivered hot meals daily to the homes of 150+ folks in Abbeville and Greenwood Counties. Some of these clients also received two frozen meal packages for the weekend. Finally, 325+ guests were served daily in one of the five dining rooms in these two counties.

The Mount emphasizes volunteer community service. Throughout her life, Merci has been actively involved in each community where she lived. She was President of the Whitemarsh, PA, Community Art Center and of the Greenwood-Lander, SC, Performing Arts Center. She served as Chair of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Council, Chair of the Board of Directors of Cambridge Academy, Chair of Habitat for Humanity, and on the Board of Visitors of Lander University, all in Greenwood, SC. The volunteer experience she enjoyed most was working for the Piedmont Agency on Aging, where she represented the Agency at regional and state meetings in Columbia, SC, presented seminars at the National Association of Meal Providers at Conferences in St. Louis, MO, and Charleston, SC, and taught at Summer School of Gerontology, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC. After retirement, Merci and Bernie delivered Meals-on-Wheels in their hometown. Her most recent volunteering was with the Orange County, NC, Advisory Board on Aging, whose commissioners appointed her to the Disabled/Moderately Impaired Older Adult Subcommittee. She was eminently qualified for this, having cared for her husband, Bernie, who had Parkinson’s disease, for many years. Bernie died in January 2008. Merci and Bernie had celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2005, surrounded by their five children and spouses, and eight grandchildren, a 27 testimony to their love and fidelity.

by Peter Alfonsi MSJA Science Teacher

Why I Give...

Why I Give... “For He maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof.” (Job 36:27). If there is no vapour ascending, how then can there be a condensing of the clouds into rain? If there be no scattering of seed, how then can there be an increase of harvest? –Ray Prinzing

have never actually given thought to this question. The lesson was imparted quietly by my parents, who were very generous and always gave much even though they had little, and even started a new life in this country with literally nothing. Compared to them I have been given much and I try to emulate my mother and father by being generous too, especially with my time. Realizing that institutions also need financial support for survival, I try to donate monetarily to causes I consider essential and worthy. We all have our favorite charities and causes. A big criterion for me is that I can see where and how my contribution is being used. In other words, I like to see some direct impact if possible. An example would be one of our dear neighbors, Inn Dwelling at St. Vincent De Paul where a small contribution goes directly to underprivileged students interested in getting a better education. Another example is donating to Mount Saint Joseph Academy. The dedicated teachers, students, parents and staff all give tirelessly of themselves to keep the Mount fulfilling its mission of over 150 years. I see this every day since I work at this wonderful

“R

institution of learning. Its mission of educating young women as leaders of the future and extending its reach beyond with service to others in the community and even in remote parts of our planet is palpable to anyone visiting or associated with the school. The little I give allows me in a small way to have a fuller share in this mission. In a time of great economic upheaval and even greater needs, we have to sacrifice more and not less to ensure that deserving and just causes can continue to fulfill their missions.

eal generosity toward the future consists in giving all to what is present.” -Albert Camus

Peter Alfonsi has been a science teacher at the Mount for nine years. He teaches chemistry, conceptual physics, and environmental science. He is an avid biker who is planning to ride in the American Cancer Society’s Bike-a-thon in July, and the MS City to Shore Ride. If you are interested in riding with him, please email him at palfonsi@msjacad.org. “We’re hoping to form a Mount Team and ride in honor of Steph Roman, MSJA faculty member who recently passed away from breast cancer.”

Happenings Development

2008-2009 Annual Fund

he Annual Fund total to date is $355,408. As of press time, we are at 94% of our goal.

$375,000

Our sincere thanks to our many Alumnae, parents and friends who made a gift to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal. Look for the list of donors in the Fall edition of the Mount Magazine. For more information, please contact Jill Gregori, Director of Development, at jgregori@ msjacad.org or call 215-233-1859.

Did you Know? 94%

19% of Mount students will be receiving financial aid in 2009-2010. Thank you for your support, and be sure to spread the good news!

Harvest Club Dinner

ver 100 parents, Alumnae and friends of the Mount gathered in Fontbonne for the Harvest Club Dinner on May 13, 2009. The dinner honors those who have given to the Annual Fund at the Purple & Gold or Harvest Club levels, or who have volunteered their time at the Mount during the past school year.

A Letter from the Alumnae Association President

Dear Alumnae: Legacy. Mission. Future. The theme of this year’s sesquicentennial celebration rings equally true for the Alumnae Association. The Association has embraced its own legacy as an organization steeped in history. It has reaffirmed its mission to promote the moral and intellectual growth of its members as they strengthen ties to their Alma Mater. And it is now emboldened to meet new challenges in the future. The year of historic celebration has come to a close, but the Alumnae Association begins an exciting phase of program development and organizational leadership. The response to the Alumnae Survey was overwhelming. In an effort to address alumnae interest in potential programs and incorporate initiatives identified in the survey results, the Association will be forming three new committees – Career/Mentoring, Membership, and Development/Events. The Career/Mentoring Committee will tap into the abundance of experienced, professional alumnae to expand its new internship initiative and improve connections with the Mount through business and networking opportunities. The Membership Committee will focus on attracting and retaining alumnae to support and increase participation in alumnae activities, with an emphasis on promoting diversity among the Association membership. The Development/Events Committee will educate alumnae on how the Annual Fund serves the school, and how alumnae gifts benefit the Mount community. For instance, many alumnae are unaware that tuition covers only 82% of the cost of education at the Mount, and the Annual Fund bridges the gap for the operating expenses of the school. Importantly, the Mount remains committed to providing financial aid, which benefits nearly 1 in 5 Mount students. This committee will also work to facilitate new and existing Alumnae events. I am pleased to welcome the new officers and Alumnae Board members for the 2009-2011 term. Under the vision and direction of the newly-elected President, Patricia Zugay Burkholder ’74, the Association is poised to continue its mission. She will begin her term with the following new Board members: Lorraine Sukalski McGlynn ’52 Maria Fella Cain ’80 Stephanie Birchett Wroten ’86 Heather McKenna Tausz ’89

Jeanine O’Brien Waldron ’92 Megan Osborne Romano ’94 Barbara Tumelty Kelly ’00 Maggie Markmann Dougherty ’01

The Association is extraordinarily grateful for the years of dedicated service of our outgoing Board members. Each of these amazing women has contributed to the Association in a unique, meaningful way: Mary Lou McGoldrick Hill ‘67 Suzanne Serianni Mayes ’84 Adrienne Regan Kowalski ’87

Kirsten Ledwith Morasco ’89 Megan Melinson McDonough ’89 Kate Groark Shields ’90

In particular, I would like to recognize Dr. Angela Stout ’83, whose 10 years of leadership on the Alumnae Board has transformed the Association and set it on a course for the 21st century. She continues to serve the Mount as a member of the Board of Directors. Alumnae participation is the cornerstone of the Mount’s future success. On behalf of the Association, I am grateful for your continued support of the Association and its programs. In my final year as President, it has been a privilege to serve the women of the Mount, whose dedication, loyalty and spirit continue to inspire me. The Association’s new initiatives, coupled with the irrepressible energy and enthusiasm of the new Board leadership, undoubtedly will ensure a stronger, more active Association for the future. Warm regards,

Save the Date! Charlene Keller Fullmer ‘89 President, MSJA Alumnae Association

Alumnae Board Open Meeting October 20, 2009 6:30 pm Alumnae Room

Because there’s no better time to come back to the Mount than now!

Happenings Alumnae

Look for Connections in your mailbox in August...

Another Daughter of A Mount Alum!!

Leah McGlynn, a member of the Freshman Class, is the daughter of Mount Alumna, Naomi Torchiana McGlynn ’80. She was omitted from the photo we ran in the Winter ’09 Mount Magazine.

Alumnae Induction ’09

n May 21st, the members of the Class of 2009 were inducted into the MSJA Alumnae Association. This special day allows us to celebrate our new Alumnae Association members as well as recognize the generational legacy that is ever-present at the Mount! In this photograph, members of the Class of 2009 are seated in the front row, with their Mothers (or Grandmothers) standing behind them. Back Row, left to right: S. Kathleen Brabson, SSJ, MSJA President; Maryann Furtek Genuardi ’71, mother of Monica Genuardi; Anne McGill Price ’76, mother of Carson Price; Mary Anne Smale Burke ’52, grandmother of Elaine M. Burke; Lorraine Sukalski McGlynn ’52, grandmother of Kelsey McGlynn; Kathleen Rhoads Waters ’52, grandmother of Melissa Waters; Patricia Morrissey Walters ’81, mother of Laura Walters; Virginia Bendinger Wischhusen ’70, mother of Victoria Wischhusen; Linda Robinson Lawler ’79, mother of Leah Lawler; Clare Doney Brown ’78, mother of Emma Brown; Mary Sabia Ciammetti ’80, mother of Coeli Ciammetti; Mary Beth Morrissey Stefanowicz ’84, mother of Kelly Stefanowicz; Margaret King ’71, standing in for her sister, Stephanie King Curcillo ’76, mother of Gabrielle Curcillo; Marie Rosato King ’46, grandmother of Gabrielle Marie Curcillo; Mary Lorenzo Brelsford ’66, mother of Cara Brelsford; Denise Barker Paul ’81, mother of Jamie Paul; Ellen Rosa-Bian Cericola ’82, mother of Kristen Cericola; Charlene Keller Fullmer ’89, Alumnae Board President

Alumnae

News 1939 • Camelia Gallardo Eisenhart announces that due to “maturity” and health problems, she has had to stop traveling and cruising. But with God’s blessings she was able to see the world. She was in Romania while it was under Soviet exile and in the Holy Land twice and loved it! 1941 • Rita Lawson Moser says a lot of years have passed since she first arrived at Fontbonne Hall and from there to the Mount. She is now 85 years old; mother of four sons, grandmother of six, great-grandmother of three, and a widow for over 50 years. She shares so many memories of the Mount from the little black apron worn over her uniform at Fontbonne Hall to the early morning call for daily Mass that started each day, to evening prayers in the chapel that ended it. To her at that time, her days were busy and sometimes hectic but in retrospect they were days spent in a sea of tranquility. So many of the nuns come to mind, Sisters Marie Gervase, Claire Helene, and Maria Sylvester. Sister Austin Marie made the greatest impression on her. She was head of the English Department and monitor of the fourth floor corridor and in charge of the year book. Rita remembers the night she confiscated her radio for listening to it after “lights out”, she was her favorite. Rita and her roommate, Cecilia Espenosa Martelo, keep in touch via Verizon. About two years ago she visited her in Baltimore it was their first meeting in over 60 years! They had fun going down memory lane looking through the “Sheaf.” Rita sends best wishes to the class of ’41 and to the memories of the “Mount” they shared. 1944 • Marguerite Haggerty Harrington states they are 15 classmates left, most of who are in “OK” health. She wishes they could get together more readily and wishes the Mount continued success! 1946 • Marie Healy Hawthorn is sorry to miss the Mount’s events but her travel plans conflict with the dates. Hopefully this will change. She sends her best wishes to all! 1947 • Rosemary Skelly Backus is a new grandmother for the eleventh time. Her daughter, Patti Backus Fiore ’84, presented her with a grandson named Matthew Belmont Fiore, weighing 10 lbs. and 22 ½” on November 19, 2008. He joins his sister, Cathie 5 and Michael 3. Rosemary’s granddaughter, Megan Backus ’04 graduated “cum laude” as a Corporate Communication major from Elon University, N.C. in May. She is so very proud of her.

•

Helen Cahill Whiteman is retired and has 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

1948 • Rosemary Reilly Kund was transferred to Friends Skilled Nursing Facility at Chandler Hall in February after she broke her hip and required hip replacement surgery. Although she is more compromised physically and mentally, her spirit and grace continue to shine frequently. Thanks to all of her classmates for the notes and cards! Her mailing address is Chandler Hall/Friends Nursing, 99 Barclay Street, Newtown, PA 18940. 1949 • Nancy Fritz Goldman and Bob Kelly were recently married in the presence of their loving families. Their many friends wish them much happiness as they share their new life. •

Mary Chester Peterson says it was great seeing everyone at the 60th reunion in Plymouth Meeting. She gives many thanks to Anne Wilson Crane and Joanne Skelly Dougherty for their hard work organizing the weekend.

1950 • Raquel Amram-Perez is pleased to send her contribution to the Annual Fund in celebration of 150 years and in memory of S. Claire Helene and all the other good sisters who taught her. •

S. Wanda Davidson, SSJ, is teaching ESL to a group of Egyptian immigrants. They are a wonderful group of people, all of whom are Coptic Orthodox. Two days a week she is a receptionist at All Saints Catholic Academy, which is a merge of four parish schools in Bayonne. And she loves it!

1951 • Jeanne Norris Bahm sends a warm hello to her former classmates. 1955 • S. Johanna Gedska, SSJ, is like the Energizer Bunny, and still going, teaching at Holy Family University fulltime and caring for a 98 year old father. Genetic legacy. She sends congratulations to the Mount on the 150th Anniversary. •

Margaret Conroy Jordan is mourning the loss of her dear husband, Warren, who died on May 6, 2009. Her daughters and grandchildren are her strengths and comfort at this time.

1956 • Dorothy Jean Gallagher Hordubay is still busy with rental properties, traveling between Florida, Maryland and New Jersey. Now that she is 70, she may slow down a little. 1959 • Flora M. Hoelderle has retired after 40 years of teaching, German and Social Studies at Woodrow Wilson High

•

Anne Schmid Muir and her husband, Jack, have moved to a Collegeville “over 55” community. A vital and fun-filled Village, after 37 years and raising four children. They love visiting their five grandchildren in North Carolina, New Hampshire and New Jersey.

•

Janice Cutillo Muir announces that she has three beautiful children, Tyler, Lexi and Sydney.

•

Sara Lee Hayden Murphy is busy happily preparing for her son, Brad’s wedding on May 9th. She also enjoyed seeing several classmates this spring in Florida.

1961 • Margaret O’Connell Feeny and her husband, Bill are healthy, happy and traveling lots. They have three grandchildren, Ella, Liliana and Annabel. Two of their children live in Ohio and they are planning to move there. Catherine, her youngest is a singer-song-writer who was married in November 2008.

She is also in a graduate Program at Arcadia University, getting a Master’s in Literacy Studies and Reading Specialist. At St. Genevieve’s Church, she plays the piano with the Contemporary Guitar Singing Group, at the five o’clock Mass. •

•

1963 • Joan Burger King was deeply honored and grateful to be inducted into the Mount’s Athletic Hall of Fame. That her nomination was submitted by her four daughters: Jen ’89, Jodie ’90, Julie ’95 and Joanie ’97 made it sweeter still. She sends a special thank you to Peggy, Dot, and Lizann ,all from the class of 1963, for sharing her delight! 1965 • Gloria Rothwell graduated from Gwynedd Mercy College in May 2008 with a Master’s in Nursing. She is working at Maxim Healthcare Services in Lansdale as the Director of Clinical Services. 1967 • Joan (Popo) Flanigan is expecting her sixth grandchild in October 2010 and continues to call Naples, Florida her homestead state. She is enjoying her “encore profession” as a fine artist and in February was invited to paint en plein air with 39 other U.S. prominent artists, for the benefit of the VonLiebig Art Museum. Popo is the president and charter member of the Brigantine Beach Art Guild, which was founded to promote visual arts on the island of Brigantine Beach. All Mounties welcome, she is listed in the phone book at both homes!! 1968 • Peggy Otwell has returned to teaching and performing and living in Milwaukee, WI until her son, Joshua, now 16, graduates high school. Peggy is chairman of the Music department at Mt. Mary College and also heads the Piano Pedagogy degree program at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. She still enjoys summer vacations on Cape Cod at her mom’s cottage. 1969 • Marianne Bandaian Sunderland is in her tenth year teaching third grade at St. James School in Elkins Park.

•

1970 Ann Mecklenborg Buttner received a Ph.D. degree in Human Sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December 2008. She is currently teaching nursing at Holy Family University in Philadelphia and sends her congrats on the Mounts 150th.

Alumnae Happenings News

School in Camden, New Jersey. She has been working since 2003 as a tax preparer for H & R Block.

Carol L. St. George, D.O. was recently elected to serve on the board of trustees of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA), a statewide organization for physicians holding the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. Board certified in otorhinolaryngology, Carol is an active staff member at Memorial Hospital of York and York Hospital. She also maintains a private practice in York. A delegate to the POMA and the American Osteopathic Association, she is past president of the York County Osteopathic Medical Society. She is a member of the Central Pennsylvania Society of Otolaryngologists and the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Carol is a 2009 recipient of the American Biographical Institute’s Woman of the Year in Medicine and Healthcare award and a member of the 2009 Global Directory of Who’s Who publication. Dr. St. George was elected a trustee-at-large during POMA’s 101st Annual Clinical Assembly, held April 29-May2, 2009, at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The Assembly attracted over 1,300 physicians, residents interns and medical students. 1971 Leslie Wong Bell is enjoying retirement after 34 plus years at the I.R.S. 1974 Elizabeth Anne Quinn Antonucci would like to extend a heartfelt “hello” to all of her classmates, and is asking for your prayers. This past year has been a very difficult one for her, having a much needed lumbar fusion. However, she has her husband, Joe and beautiful sons, Michael and Matthew. She believes the power of prayer and the strength it brings, no matter what, the Lord has an answer. Maureen McGlinn Rome is expecting twins. They are due in May! 1975 Jane A. Biddle, Ph.D and her family are still enjoying their British adventure. They love living in Cambridge

surrounded by historic buildings, gardens and the University and bicycling to them all. They also love visiting family and friends in Philadelphia. 1976 • Susan Robinson Malta is still teaching ESL in middle school and living in Ocean, NJ with her husband, Russ. Her girls however, are scattering. Her oldest is an Italian translator and archivist in Manhattan. Middle daughter graduated Princeton last year and is interning in theater. Her youngest daughter is a sophomore at Penn, so she does get back to Philadelphia frequently. Susan sends a HELLO to all! •

•

1980 Mary Claire Dinda Kasunic states life is busier than ever! Her oldest daughter had a second baby. Her second daughter was married recently. Her third daughter graduated early from Georgetown and is working with Americorps. Her son is out of high school and at the University of Pittsburgh. 1983 Eileen Harmon Council announces that she earned her Doctorate in Education from Temple University, on May 14, 2009. Eileen is now Dr. Eileen. 1984 Amy Guise Hemphill has had the most amazing year! Along with her husband, and three children (Jack (12), Katharine (11), and Alex (8-1/2) spent one year traveling to 25 countries. Wanting their children to see what the world looks like, home schooling as they went. While in Japan, they stayed with Liz Daly Sato ’84 and her lovely family and while in Australia, Maureen Gimpel Maley ’84 and her wonderful family came for a visit. A. Christine Litman McEwan is proud to announce that her three children, Sean, Christine and Gracie (4 years) are awaiting the arrival of Jake Stephen, on July 9, 2009. 1988 Alice Bergan Fecak welcomed a new baby boy, Patrick Kevin, who was born on October 21, 2008. Also welcoming Patrick were older sisters Libby and Maura. 1989 Kristen LaNoce-Thompson is working as a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Group in Limerick, PA. She is the proud mother of Garrett (7) and Kyra (2). Kristen and her family are currently residing in East Vincent Township. PA. 1990 Nicole Cashman was recently presented with the Special Achievement Award in Business by the National ItalianAmerican Political Action Committee (NIA-PAC) whose mission is to promote Italian-American community leaders throughout the country. Cashman and Associates, Special Events Manager, was also awarded Event Solutions Magazine’s Rising Star Spotlight Award. Honorees were announced at NiA-PAC’s 11th Annual Carnevale, a formal

event held at the Sheraton Society Hill on Saturday, February 7th. •

Teresa Colella, Ph.D. and husband, Brian Drake, reside in Laurel, Maryland. Teresa is working as a Technology Manager at the JHU Applied Physics Laboratory and teaches Molecular Biology for the JHU Whiting School of Engineering. Teresa is also an evening MBA student at Loyola College. Along with her husband, Brian, they volunteer for their parish’s Pre-Cana program and started a new ministry, “The Elizabeth Ministry for parishioners, to make and deliver meals to families welcoming newborns or adopted children.

•

Melanie Espenshade Dudley and husband, Greg, welcomed their first child, Madeleine Paige Dudley, into the world on July 2, 2008.

•

1992 Charrell M. Bullard is a Neonatologist, currently in private practice with Pediatrix Medical Group at Pinnacle Health, Harrisburg, PA campus.

1993 • Heather Olivieri DiRienzo announces the birth of her son, Dean Oliver DiRienzo, on December 27, 2008. He joins his proud big brother, Hunter. Heather will be taking the year off from work to stay home with her boys. •

Patricia Werner announces her marriage to Paul Miller, on May 16, 2009 at Saint Augustine Church in Philadelphia. Kathleen Werner ’84, Kristin Werner ’86 and Dr. Allison Hanlon ’93 were all members of the bridal party. They are now living in Manhattan where she is an attorney in the Intellectual Property group of Bryan Cave LLP, and her husband, Paul, is a VP, at Corthomed Incorporated, a medical products distribution company.

1994 • Siobhan Forde Crosby and her husband, Ben are expecting their first child, due May 30, 2009. The gender will remain a surprise until arrival. They are still living in Portland, Oregon. •

Donna Marie Viti Nardone and husband, Frank, welcomed their first child on March 2, 2009, a little boy named Luca Gennaro.

•

Gwynne E. Vandiver, BSN was married to Edward C. Booth, Jr., on May 10, 2008, at Resurrection of Our Lord Church in Philadelphia. Gwynne works at Albert Einstein Hospital, in Critical Care, as a RN. Her husband, Ed works at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

•

Marcia G. Watson, D.O. is completing her second year of Pulmonary /Critical Care Fellowship at U.M.D.N.J. School of Osteopathic Medicine/Kennedy Health System in Stratford, New Jersey. 1995 Kathleen Kohler Buckley and husband, Jay, recently purchased a new home in Lansdale, PA.

•

Julie King Gorniak and husband, Gregg welcomed their first daughter, Emerson Elizabeth, on October 15, 2008, the day the Phillies won the Pennant! They are also proud of Julie’s mom, Joan Burger King ’63, for her induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame!

•

Beth Golderer Hayden and her husband, Lance, welcomed a baby boy, Thomas Edward Hayden, on December 31, 2008. Beth resides in Washington, DC and is in her tenth year working as an IT Consultant for Accenture.

1996 • Marie DeGregorio is an analyst for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, DC. •

Megan Miller announces she is getting married in November!

2000 • Janine Guerra, Esq. is proud to announce that she passed the Florida Bar Examination in February 2009! She will begin studying this summer for her Ed.D. degree at Saint Joseph’s University. 2001 • Kathleen Coggshall is currently attending WCSF Medical School. •

Elizabeth Kelly Hessel announces her graduation from Duquesne University with a degree of Masters of Science in Media Arts and Technology and a major in Media Management and Production, May 8, 2009 at the A.J. Palumbo Center.

•

Meaghan E. Remshard will pursue her MBA at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business in the fall of 2009. She completed the 2007 New York City Marathon and raised nearly $3,000.00 as a member of Team for Kids, a charity of the New York Road Runner Foundation. She is an Athlete/Brand Ambassador for Goody Products, Inc. and Girls on the Run Volunteer. Girls on the Run, is a non-profit health and wellness program designed to help preteen girls develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running.

• Susan Smith Seman would like to announce her marriage 1997 to Steve Seman, originally of Findlay, Ohio, on April 25, 2009 • Karen Cooke Bartos and husband, Stephen welcomed in State College, Pennsylvania. In attendance were Julia their first child, a boy, on November 7, 2008. They named Rocchi ’01 (maid of honor), Sara Martin ’01, Liz Hessel ’01 him Andrew Scott Bartos. Karen has been fortunate and Emily DePaul ’01. Sue is now working as a Conflict to be able to take a year leave of absence from her job of Interest Assistant in the Office of Research Protections as a Manager for Deloitte & Touche LLP with a Certified and Steve is an instructor of online meteorology courses, Public Accountant license. Residing in Upper Pottsgrove, both at Penn State University in State College. Pennsylvania. Photo includes husband, Steve (far left) Karen’s parents John and Janet Cooke (holding Andrew), Karen, Gregory Cooke (Karen’s brother), Dana Cook Serino ’95 and Laurie Cook ’99 (sisters and proud aunts).

2002 • Amanda Penecale will graduate this July from Arcadia University with her Masters in Education and teaching Certification in Art K-12. Amanda continues to play music in the Philadelphia region … so come out and hear her play! www.amandapenecale.com 1999 • Christina DeGregorio is pursuing a Masters in Government Security in Texas. •

Amy O’Rourke is currently working in the Pediatric ICU at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP) as an R.N. She is working on her Masters in Nursing and is getting married this fall.

2003 • Megan Madden recently relocated to Orlando, Florida, where she was promoted to Territory Sales Manager with the Modular Space Corporation.

•

Meghan Malone is working as a critical care nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and has begun work on her Masters degree in Nursing and Healthcare Administration at the University. Christina Muller is finishing her Master’s in Education at Penn. And also planning her wedding for June 2010, at the Chatham Bai Inn, in Chatham, Massachusetts.

2004 • Katherine Crawford is currently working towards an MBA with concentrations in Financial Management and Marketing at Drexel University. She has a graduate assistantship position where she instructs freshman students in foundations of business. This summer she will be one of four students speaking at the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. •

Lauren Peak graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in May 2008 and will begin her graduate education at Saint Joseph’s University’s Masters in the International Marketing program. In January 2009, she started an internship with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and will be traveling to Chile and Argentina in March for class.

2005 • Courtney Hain, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, served as assistant coach for the Mount swim team this year. The team finished 2nd in the AACA League Championship and 3rd in PIAA District 1-AA Championship. Courtney was a 4-year member of the Mount swim team (2001-2005) and served as co-captain during the 20042005 season.

returned from the Tuscany region. In April she will travel south and visit several cities including Pompeii. Sarah also made the Dean’s List through the fall 2008 semester. 2008 • Jackie Hain, a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, swam on Penn’s varsity swim team this year. In February, she placed 2nd in the consolation final of the 100-yard breaststroke event and 3rd in the consolation final of the 200-yard breaststroke at the Ivy League Championships in Long Island, New York. Jackie also received the Most Improved Swimmer Award for 2008 -2009 University of Pennsylvania Women’s Swim Team.

New Arrivals • • • • • • • • • •

2006 • Elizabeth Pacheco was named to the First-Team 2009 of the All-Liberty League of the Vassar women’s lacrosse team. Eliz was Vassar’s most consistent player, leading the team in ground balls (42), getting 27 of those in league play. Playing on the often-unheralded side of the field , Elizabeth was a Defensive All-Liberty First Team selection. At Vassar’s Annual Athletics Banquet, Elizabeth was awarded the Betty Richey Award 2009 in honor of her outstanding commitment, sportsmanship, leadership and spirit. She was one of only five athletes at the college honored that evening. And on May 21st, she was selected to the IWCLA (Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association) All-Region Second Team (Empire Region) for 2009. Eliz was one of 224 Division III athletes selected nationwide. Congrats to Eliz for an outstanding season! 2007 • Caroline Gardner a sophomore student-athlete, a defender on the women’s lacrosse team at Washington College, has been named to the Centennial Conference’s Academic Honor Roll for spring sports. To be named to the Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior or senior; a starter or key reserve on her team; and carry at least a 3.40 cumulative grade-point. •

Sarah Weyand is a sophomore at Duquesne University. She is spending the spring 2009 semester studying in Rome, Italy. Having already visited Florence, she just

Patti Backus Fiore ’84, a son, Matthew Belmont Alice Bergan Fecak ’88, a son Patrick Kevin Ellen Bodalski Kaplan ’88, a son, Zachary Wolf Melanie Espenshade Dudley ’90, a daughter, Madeleine Paige Heather Olivieri DiRienzo ’93 son, Dean Oliver Donna Marie Viti Nardone ’94, a son, Luca Gennaro Julie King Gorniak ’95, a daughter, Emerson Elizabeth Beth Golderer Hayden ’95, a son, Thomas Edward Karen Cooke Bartos ’97, a son, Andrew Scott Katie Durkin Fenningham ’99, a son, Aidan Patrick

In Memoriam

We extend our sympathy and prayers to the families of the following alumnae: Theresa Smith Desmond ’40

Rosemarie Eirich Hallermeier ’50 Ann Carl Seydel Connors ’51 N. Susan Hayes McMahon ’66 Elizabeth Hanusey Suppy ’92

Our sympathy and pr ayers are extended to the following alumnae: •

Claire Smith Betz ’39, on the death of her sister, Theresa Smith Desmond ’40

•

Margaret Wenz Riling ’46, on the death of her husband, Joseph Raymond “Captain Joe” Riling

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Patricia Hammeke Kratochwill ’50, on the death of her sister, Mildred R. Quinn

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Margaret Conroy Jordan ’55, on the death of her husband, Warren J. Jordan

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Mary Lou Savarese ’83, on the death of her father, Robert Savarese

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Barbara Holm Quinn ’56 on the death of her husband, John D. “Jack” Quinn, Ph.D.

•

Sharon Branca ’85, on the death of her mother, Susan Schaefer Branca

•

Corynne Lamont Derstine ’58, on the death of her husband, Paul Edward Derstine

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Theresa Loftus Zataveski ’85, on the death of her mother, Dolores Dwyer Loftus

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Lillian Smith Long ’59, on the death of her husband, Richard Albert Long

•

Joanne Caruso Garges ’64, and Susan Garges ’98, on the death of their mother and grandmother respectively, Amelia Romano Caruso

Heather Kates Kelly ’88, on the death of her mother, Bernadine Higgins Austin (former faculty member of the Guidance/Admissions Department)

•

Jennifer Calhoun ’90, on the death of her father, Richard J. Calhoun Sr.

•

Jean Nolfi Romano ’65, Linda Nolfi McAnespy ’67 and Alison McAnespy Target ’99, on the death of their sister-in-law and aunt respectively, Maureen McAnespey Acchione

•

Karoline Shawaryn Prosperi ’91, on the death of her father, John J. Shawaryn Jr.

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Bridget Mooney Aponik ’92, on the death of her grandmother, Helen O’Brien McCloskey

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Judith Gersteneker Caskey ’66, on the death of her father, Robert G. Gersteneker

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Angela Garraty ’92 and Amy Garraty ’95, on the death of their father, John L. Garraty

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MaryLou McGoldrick Hill ’67 and Catherine Hill Gavenonis ’99, on the death of their cousin, N. Susan Hayes McMahon ’66

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Rachel Yoka ’92 and Danielle Yoka ’94, on the death of their father and past Board Member, John J. Gray

•

Patricia Franzen ’68, Valerie Franzen ’81, Katherine Hagedorn ’06, Elizabeth Hagedorn ’09 and Nicole Franzen ’09, on the death of their brother and uncle respectively, Dr. Paul W. Franzen Jr.

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Molly Coyle ’00, on the death of her grandmother, Evelyn Hamil Strasser

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Kirby Wycoff ’01, on the death of her grandfather, Edward C. Graf Jr.

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Mallory Bowers ’03 and Danielle Bowers ’04, on the death of their uncle, Paul A. Bowers Jr.

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Jacqueleen Wise ’04, on the death of her grandfather, Robert J. Wise

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Megan Zakrzewski ’04 and Catherine Zakrzewski ’11, on the death of their grandmother, Catherine “Pat” Zakrzewski

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Alison Copestick ’05, on the death of her grandmother, Elizabeth Payne Copestick

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Sarah Kaufmann ’05, on the death of her grandmother, Marie Mock Michol

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Christine Laskowski ’05, on the death of her grandmother, Shirley Taylor Laskowski

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Christine Steinmetz ’05, Michele Steinmetz ’08, MaryKate Steinmetz ’10, BethAnne Kramer ’05, Katherine Kramer ’09 and Julianne Looby ’11, on the death of their grandfather, John V. Steinmetz

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Patricia Dalgliesh Patterson ’69, on the death of her mother, Catherine Miles Dalgliesh

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Janet Mulligan Buggy ’71, Joanne Mulligan Giagnacova ’76 and Colleen Giagnacova ’07, on the death of their mother and grandmother respectively, Frances E. Mulligan

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Katherine Mezzanotte Bielunas ’74, on the death of her father, John J. Mezzanotte M.D.

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Deborah Moorehead Irons ’74 and Roberta Moorehead Dickson ’78, on the death of their father, Robert F. Moorehead

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Maureen McHale Cassin ’76, on the death of her mother, Rose Ann Donaghey McHale

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Elizabeth McCarthy ’77, Deirdre McCarthy Barnes ’81, Sheila McCarthy Mundy ’82 and Megan McCarthy Cianculli ’88, on the death of their father, John “Jack” McCarthy

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Joanne O’Neill Cawley ’81, on the death of her father, Joseph L. O’Neill

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Sheila Best Roberts ’81, on the death of her brother, Matthew A. Best

Megan Rothwell ’09, on the death of her grandmother, Cornelia P. Rothwell

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Susan Edling Dachowski ’82, on the death of her father-inlaw, Dr. Edward A. Dachowski Sr.

Brittany Palac ’10, on the death of her grandfather, John N. Braca

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Jeanne Yuengling Hisle ’82, on the death of her father, Edward C. Yuengling Jr.

Laura Paviglianiti ’10, on the death of her grandmother, Dorothy “Dottie” Pender

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Mary Duszak Buhring ’83, on the death of her father, Richard L. Duszak

Mrs. Maryanne Coyle (School Nurse), on the death of her mother, Evelyn Hamil Strasser

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Suzanne Bonner DeJohn ’83, on the death of her father, Bernard J. Bonner

Mrs. Sandy Moore (Director of Guidance), on the death of her daughter, Tammy C. Moore

•

Greg Roman, on the death of his wife and former faculty member, Stephanie Leonards Roman

Stephanie Roman Memories of Steph’s Time at the Mount Eulogy given by Marge Davis and Sharon Statmore

I am honored to speak about Steph’s time and career at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. To do this I have drawn upon my own relationship with Steph as a friend and fellow Biology teacher, and I have also gathered reflections from others who worked, shared, or laughed with her, and, perhaps most importantly, learned from her. Steph began her career at the Mount as a long-term substitute shortly after her college graduation. When offered a full-time position, she was cautioned to think carefully about it- a public school position would offer a higher salary. But her initial experience at the Mount convinced her to stay – she wanted to be a part of this community. And so she became an integral part of the Mount. As a teacher Steph brought kindness, compassion and great intellect to the classroom. Her students loved her from the first and delighted in her joy of teaching science – everything from dissections to creek sampling and DNA extraction! She had, as Bob Foell, our department chair, would say, the gift; the gift of being able to connect with the students and instill in them the love of learning. Steph was a natural in the classroom, and with her presence the girls acquired one of the finest role models a young woman could have –as a professional, as a wife and as a mother.

Bernadine Saturnino Austin It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Bernadine Saturnino Austin at age 63 on March 2, 2009. Mrs. Austin served as the Mount’s Director of Admissions and Guidance Counselor between the years 1988 and 1995. She inaugurated one of the Mount’s beloved traditions—the Florida trip for Freshmen. Her daughter, Heather Kates Kelly ’88, attended the Mount. One of Mrs. Austin’s former students from MSJA wrote the following about her in the recent Alumnae Survey: “Mrs. Austin was my first guidance counselor and my mentor in the Gold Key Club. I was one of the first co-presidents of the club, and Mrs. Austin helped me develop invaluable leadership skills.” Born in Philadelphia, she was a graduate of St. Hubert’s High School in Philadelphia, received her undergraduate degree from Holy Family University and her Master’s Degree from Chestnut Hill College. She was a self-employed psychologist. Mrs. Austin spent her summers at Cape May, New Jersey, moving there permanently 15 years ago after leaving the Mount. She will be missed by many in the Mount Community. time I pull out the handwritten recipe I will always remember Steph and put one aside for her, too.”

Her warmth and compassion were not limited to her students however, and I’d like to offer you a glimpse of how she touched many people at the Mount with some reflections from her friends:

“Steph opened up her classroom to me as her replacement during our transition. Steph led the classroom with warm confidence and intelligent joy. The girls opened themselves completely in Steph’s presence, asking many questions and delighting in new discoveries. …Steph opened her class to me and welcomed me during a time when she could have held her students close. During the demanding task of leaving a place she clearly loved, Steph took the time to actively engage me in the environment she built. I know that Steph’s generosity helped me to deeply connect with the Mount before my first day of teaching. Steph gave everything to the Mount even when she was saying goodbye.”

“Steph approached me with warmth and friendship on my very first day at the Mount. She was so welcoming to me, and I felt comfortable and at home at once…. I never saw her without a smile on her face. I never forgot her kindness to me on my first day at the Mount.”

“We all encounter a wide variety of personalities throughout our working careers. If we are lucky we get to work with a few special people. We at the Mount were lucky to have Steph for those years she was with us – our lives and the Mount community have been enriched by her.”

“I remember when I first came to the Mount and met Stephanie – how mature, confident, and well-spoken she was for being such a young teacher. It was fun going through her dating Greg, getting engaged, married and honeymooning in Alaska. And what an exciting time when she was pregnant with Mikey. As she transitioned into wife and mother, she and I swapped stories about married life. One in particular was that she has a Hungarian grandmother, Mary Matyas, who made amazing kifli with lekvar. Not too many people know about the old way of making them, which is a labor of love, but Steph gave me the recipe so I could impress my husband’s Hungarian family. Every

With that I’d like to leave you with one final reflection:

I met Steph only once. When her disease was in remission, she came to the Mount, with her little ones in tow and presented us with a thank-you cake for the prayers and meals the Mount had supplied to help her family. What I saw in Steph was light and joy and hope. It is not often that you meet someone only once and remember her well, but when she left that day, Steph left the light and joy and hope behind. Photo at Left: This photo of Steph was taken September 27, 2008, with her three children, Mikey, age 5, Sammy, age 2 and Katie, age 3.

Despite her unconventional paths, Jenna Cave ’08, an English, History, and Art buff, became a research assistant for the Dog Origins Genotpying Laboratory (DOGL) at the University of Arizona —as a freshman, no less!

An Unconventional Track Jenna’s path was not the usual one for scientists. “In high school I was on the English, history, and art track, but then in my junior year, biology really became a major interest.” But that interest came too late for her to be able to take AP biology. She worried that it would be an impediment to studying bio in college. She felt like she would be really behind, but took biology teacher Mr. Howe’s, words to heart, “He really encouraged me by telling me that it wouldn’t preclude me from pursuing biology in college.” Jenna was thrilled to find out that is exactly what DOGL wanted “When I was a college freshman, I wanted to get involved in research, and it is unusual to have a freshman apply, since they don’t have enough experience. I found out that DOGL was different. They said, “We want NEW people that we can train.” So, I submitted my resume, and was accepted.” “It’s a lot of fun working here in the lab, and it has definitely helped me feel more involved. It’s hard to feel involved at a big school because you are really on your own. It’s different than when I was at the Mount, where I could join a couple of clubs and feel involved.” What is DOGL? Jenna’s project basically involves studying one dog breed; trying to find the markers on each of the genomes to see what makes them different or comparable to the others. This study replicates the HOGL model—National Geographic’s Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory—which allows people to trace their DNA ancestry to find out where their ancestors came from. Said Jenna, “We’re trying to do the same for dog breeds, so people can test a mutt to see what breed(s) it is, or if your dog is a purebred.” The Research Process “First we must get the genes from reliable breeders. We get a chromosome assigned to us. We have to make copies of the specific gene in order to have more for testing and comparison. We take a little piece of genome, then tease the genome apart

Alumnae Spotlight

I Can Do It!!

to find the base pairs. We put it into the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) master mix, containing enzymes and buffers, which allows us to replicate and separate the genes.” “The next step is GELs (Gel Electrophoresis), which is similar to making an agar plate. We put in combs, which are separators—which make little “wells” in the gel where you pipette the DNA from the PCR. After we apply electrical current to it, then compare to a standard. We stain it in a bath, which amplifies what you are trying to see. Then we put it under a UV light. This process shows how many base pairs are present in each piece of DNA. When you find out the number of base pairs, you choose the clearest one, send it out for sequencing. Then we use a comparison chart that is color coded. This shows what is unique to the breed.” So far, the team of seven people working approximately 20 hours per week has completed the genotyping of the boxer, which took the whole school year from early September to the end of May. “I’m interested in epidemiology, plus I’ve always been interested in health, so it’s a great way to combine my interests and do something I love, and that I feel will make a difference. I want to do genetics but with health emphasis, perhaps looking into a career in the genetic counseling field.” One major influence was the book, Peeps by Scott Westerfield. “I checked it out my junior year at the Mount. Before each chapter he would write about parasites. I didn’t enjoy the story nearly as much as I enjoyed reading the blurbs between the chapters.” This is the first year for this research, so, although she would love to see the culmination of this project, she is not sure she will be able to do so. “My experience has been unconventional—but it just shows you that you don’t have to fit the mold. I realized, ‘I can do it!!’ Photo Caption--Jenna is transferring the DNA from the PCR plate to the gel.

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