From the Heart - Sacred Heart of Mary Feature

FROM THE HEART: Melissa Miller Ruth ’87

When Melissa Miller Ruth ’87 decided where to attend high school, she was in between a public high school in the area and Sacred Heart of Mary. Coming from St. Hubert’s grade school in Hoffman Estates, she was immediately drawn to the small size of Sacred Heart, the sincere attention that was given to her success as a student, and the underlying focus on faith.

“My fondest memories are of the strong school spirit we had (think spirit week complete with costumes, talent shows, pep rallies, fashion shows, musicals), teachers that were enthusiastic about teaching, and the endless opportunities for involvement. I was able to participate and play in sports and hold leadership positions that may not have been available to me elsewhere. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Sacred Heart of Mary also played a big role in my faith formation with the school masses and retreats that were so unique and special.”

Saint Viator has been a part of Melissa’s life since she started high school. “I think most of us thought more of Saint Viator as just the ‘boys campus’ of Sacred Heart of Mary. We piled in cars for pep rallies at Saint Viator within the first few weeks of the school year and quickly learned the fight song. We shared sports and of course the musical which EVERYONE wanted to be a part of because rehearsals were held at Saint Viator.” And back to work she went. Melissa was pulled out of retirement about a year and a half ago to work at TouchPros, a small company located in Barrington that provides digital interactive Hall of Fames for high schools and universities all around the US.

“A friend thought she had the perfect job for my skill-set; it didn’t take long for me to jump onboard. Talk about the power of networking! I help with purchasing, billing, product development, sales, and general office operations. We are a small company so I wear many hats!”

Much to her surprise, after starting at TouchPros, Melissa realized that Saint Viator had one of their touchscreens which recognizes leadership and military involvement. She was instrumental in getting a second screen that is dedicated to athletics and alumni relations.

Another product Melissa manages is the design of wall wraps and enclosures that go around the screens and help to enhance the area surrounding the screens and encourage people to interact with them.

“My husband and I had been looking for an opportunity to give back to the Saint Viator community and when the chance arose to design and donate a wrap for the athletic TouchWall, we jumped on it. I was happy that I was able to share my talents with the school and provide a product for all to enjoy.”

Like many of Melissa’s classmates, there are things Melissa misses the most about Sacred Heart of Mary. “Because of the size of the school, the teachers became involved in our personal lives as well. They knew what was going on at home, where you were working, asked about siblings and vacations. I know I’m not the only alumnus that still remembers small details about Fran Harwas, Dorothy Jurs, Madame Kerr, Ms. Sawin, or Mr. Jones, the quirky chem teacher!”

“I miss the simplicity of it all. Back then we didn’t have cell phones, iPads, and computers. Before school or during our lunch hour, we were engaged in conversations with our friends and not worried about much else. We had the added bonus of being at an all-girls high school; I loved being able to focus on school and look forward to after school activities with the boys from Saint Viator.”

Melissa and her husband John were very lucky to settle in Inverness because they then had the opportunity to consider Saint Viator for their children.

With an accounting degree from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and an MBA from University of Chicago, Melissa went on to have a successful career at McDonald’s Corporation. While she loved the challenges that came with her job, she decided to focus full-time on being a mom after her third son was born.

“I enjoyed every minute as a stay-at-home mom as I became the greatest cook, cleaning lady, cheerleader, Uber driver, lunch lady, and multi-tasker around. If there was a committee to be led, I was usually the first in line. As the boys got older and became more self-sufficient, however, I started to think about going back to work.” “We couldn’t pass up the chance to enroll our three boys in Saint Viator where they would be able to have an experience similar to mine. Two of my boys have since graduated and my youngest is a current senior. Even though I am a graduate of Sacred Heart of Mary, I consider myself a Saint Viator alumnus. There’s something to be said when you still feel such school pride and spirit more than 30 years after you have graduated—Saint Viator is that special.” n Access both interactive alumni displays online: saintviator. touchpros.com and saintviatorathletics.touchpros.com.