Distinguished Alumna: Mary Looram Moslander ’84

Q&A

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GIVE BACK TO SANTA CATALINA IN SO MANY WAYS OVER THE YEARS?

The single most important gift that Catalina gave me was believing in me long before I believed in myself. I was a middling student, but the teachers and administration knew that I was trying my hardest, and they reinforced that grit and determination by seeding deep within me the fact that they believed I would succeed. At some point, it sank in and I believed in myself as well. Giving back to Catalina is a way to tell every student that we see her and believe in her, and perhaps she will begin to believe in herself as well.

HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE STUDENTS AND ALUMNAE TO GIVE BACK TO THE SCHOOL?

Think of that one experience, one teacher, one team, one production, one friend, that one instance when something magical happened for you. Hold that feeling in your heart and ask yourself if you can create a spark for another girl that is hungry and deserving of our love, support, and encouragement.

Giving can come in myriad forms, and your preferred method of giving back to Catalina can change and evolve over time. Giving back to school can be attending a sporting event or a performance; it can be making yourself available as a mentor, serving on a committee, or perhaps the Board of Trustees, one of the most rewarding experiences of my Catalina life.

As a military child who was very fortunate to receive financial aid, it was important for me to find ways to give back to Catalina in that capacity. As a young alumna, I attended the annual wine tasting event. Affording a ticket and modestly bidding on the silent auction was all that I was able to handle financially. Decades later, I was delighted to be asked to be the keynote speaker at the Tuition Assistance Fundraising Gala in 2013. We raised a record amount that evening, something that I am extraordinarily proud of.

Then, as my financial position improved, in 2016 I was deeply honored to establish the James F.X. Looram Endowment Fund to provide financial aid to students from military families.

WHAT SKILLS, VALUES, OR LESSONS DID YOU LEARN AT CATALINA THAT HAVE HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER OR IN LIFE?

I learned that how you lead your life matters, even when no one else is watching. “Do Well. Do Good.” And I learned the girls that knew me during those formative years are sisters for life; to this day, my three closest Catalina classmates are my oldest and dearest friends that I cherish deeply and love fiercely.

WHAT DOES RECEIVING THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD MEAN TO YOU?

I was deeply honored and fantastically surprised to receive this recognition and to be honored at our 40th reunion. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some incredible women who have come before me in receiving this recognition, and it excites me to see who will join our ranks in the coming years.

WHAT WORDS OF WISDOM DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS OR YOUNG ALUMNAE?

Legacy is not what’s left tomorrow when you’re gone. It’s what you give, create, impact, and contribute today, while you’re here, that then happens to live on. As Catalina girls, you have demonstrated that you have the imagination, the skills, and the drive to make significant positive changes. Never stop asking what your legacy will be and how it will grow and evolve.