Spring 2015
SPRING 2015
Veritas
OPENING OUR DOORS
90 0 0 B ELL AIRE B LVD, HOUS TON, T X 77036 713. 219.54 0 0 S T-AGNES.ORG
Dominican Trustees
Office of Advancement
Sr. Carol Mayes, O.P. ‘56, Prioress
Bridget Hennessey ’90, Head of Advancement Lisa M. Chmiola, Dir. of Major Gifts and Planned Giving Reema Kasavich, Director of Annual Giving Lori Sebastian Pinter ’88, Director of Alumnae Relations Nanette Dozier Bledel, Gift Processor Emma Ebbs, Special Events and Volunteer Coordinator Allonna James, Advancement Associate
Sr. Antoinette (Kitty) Carter, O.P. ‘57, Vicaress Sr. Pat Casey, O.P. ‘61, Councilor Sr. Julie Greig, O.P., Councilor
St. Agnes Academy 2014– 2015 Board of Directors Arnie Azios, Jr.
Stephen Harding
Principal’s Team
Cathy Beathard
Michelle Lyn, M.D., FAAP
Bob Bobo, Jr.
Marsha Mallon
John Brennan, III
Kevin Matocha
Robin Burks Ph.D.
Bob McLamb
Mimi Butler
Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P.
Sr. Pat Casey, O.P. ‘61
Mary L. Raia ‘77
Dan Castaneda
Edward Ramon
Deborah Whalen, Principal Elaine Henderson Eichelberger ‘79, Dean of Students Amy Mattes, Director of Athletics Brigid Schiro ‘81, Director of Admissions Kim Coffey Scoville ‘95, Academic Dean Debbie Skelly, Director of Guidance Anna Sklut, Director of Campus Ministry
Julia Conlon, M.D., FAAP ‘98
Kathy Rose
Sr. Adrian Dover, O.P.
Julie Plessala Samson ‘80
Philip Fraher
Greg Schockling
Maureen Graf, Chair
John Steffes, CPA
Susan Greteman
Maria Isabel Torras
Kelly Hackett ‘00
Sean Wheeler
Greg Hardin
St. Agnes Academy Foundation Trustees Rosalie Montalbano Brandino ‘64
Steve Schwarzbach
Sharon Copper
Pat Swanson
José Enriquez
Diane Thornton
Jennifer Granchi
Shelley Savarino Ulm ‘84
Chris Matlock
Jeff Weiner
Sr. Carol Mayes, O.P. ‘56
Ana Maria Gonzalez Wood ‘82,
Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P.
President
Rick Ray
St. Agnes Academy Executive Team Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P., Head of School Deborah Whalen, Principal Bridget Hennessey ’90, Head of Advancement H. Leon Howard, Head of Finance and Facilities
Stephanie Crowl, Director of Communications 713.219.5406 stephanie.crowl@st-agnes.org
STAY CONNECTED FACEBOOK facebook.com/st-agnes-academy TWITTER twitter.com/st-agnes-academy INSTAGRAM instagram.com/stagnesacademy/ www.st-agnes.org For change of address or other questions, contact the Office of Communications at 713.219.5406 or news@st-agnes.org.
IN THIS ISSUE SPRING 2015
Features 06 HOW WE’RE STRONGER TOGETHER Katrina, 10 Years Later
10 A LIFETIME IN A YEAR
A look at exchange at St. Agnes
14 VOLUNTEERING AT SAA 16 ASSEMBLIES AT SAA
Departments 08
CLASS NOTES
18
TIGERS’ DEN
15, 34 ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT 20
ADVANCEMENT FOCUS
21
ALUMNAE CONNECTIONS
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CONTENTS | 3
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL SR. JANE MEYER, O.P.
In February, Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the new Cardinals in the Vatican. In his homily, the Pope prompted the heedful audience to go further in their work by advising them, “Not only to welcome and reinstate with evangelical courage all those who knock at our door, but to go out and to seek, fearlessly and without prejudice, those who are distant...” That message rings loud and true here at St. Agnes. As a Dominican school, we practice radical hospitality, which means exceeding expectations – to genuinely and authentically invite, welcome, receive and care for all who enter our doors.
It means offering the utmost of ourselves, our creativity, our abilities, and our energy to invite and receive others and make them feel at home. It means training our students as Servant Leaders, demonstrating God’s love, and making a difference wherever they are – bravely, humbly, adamantly standing up for what’s right. Through preaching, we continue to open our hearts to others. Pope Francis reminds us that through this boldness, we bring in new members to the Church. From the first moment that a student steps onto our campus, she is embraced and celebrated for who she is. We encourage her to find to her own voice and not be afraid to speak her truth. We value and respect her position, helping her to seek and find her own truth, and to express it with 4 | LETTERS
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confidence. She learns not only to respect the perspectives of others, but also to reconsider, reflect, and expand her view. We challenge her to articulate what the world may call an unpopular position because it is the right thing to do. From welcoming freshmen on their first day with the ever-entertaining Tiger Camp, to sending them off with a schoolwide cheer as they get on a bus for State competition, our students often think of St. Agnes as their second home. In the past few years, we’ve made even greater efforts to make St. Agnes a place of comfort and grace. With our new Wellness Center, students have a place to go in times of need, stress, or even just to have some quiet. Our library is now much more than a place to read, as students gather to eat, laugh, and grow. New furniture in our Administration wing has made our lobby more welcoming and accessible.
Wherever their dreams take them, we want our students to remember, St. Agnes will always be their home away from home. At St. Agnes, we welcome them for life- each and all.
Throughout this issue, we talk about times we’ve opened our doors to others. As I listened to the Pope’s remarks, I thought back on these times fondly. In many cases, it was our community who discovered surprising lessons from those we welcomed.
The Pope closed his remarks by saying, “Total openness to serving others is our hallmark, it alone is our title of honor!” At St. Agnes we strive to remain a diverse, welcoming environment for all those in our community. I hope the Pope’s words will continue to echo with us, reminding us to be bold, reach out, and be a friend to others. We thank each of you for your continued support to our important mission. Blessings and love,
FROM THE PRINCIPAL DEBOR AH WHALEN
Dominican schools are built upon the four pillars of study, prayer, community and preaching. If I were to add a fifth, it would be the pillar of hospitality. Dominicans are well known for their kindness and warmth to others….especially those in need. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It is hard to believe that a decade has gone by since that devastating storm sent so many people into our lives here at St. Agnes Academy. I still vividly remember working to create schedules over Labor Day weekend so that nearly 80 displaced students could begin classes at St. Agnes the following Tuesday. Our visitors came from many different neighborhoods and schools, but the majority were from St. Mary’s Dominican High School, our sister school in New Orleans. As often happens, we learned valuable lessons from our visitors. Not only did our friends from New Orleans show incredible grace during a traumatic chapter in their lives (many lost their homes), but they brought a school spirit with them that forever changed the way we do things here at St. Agnes.
During our pep rallies that fall, we watched the St. Mary’s Dominican girls sing their school song with such pride it brought tears to our eyes. We were inspired to begin that same tradition at St. Agnes, and I am happy to say that now – 10 years later – we conclude every school assembly, Mass, and pep rally with our school song. Most of the displaced students returned home to New Orleans for the second semester, but a few stayed on and made their permanent home in Houston. We will always be grateful for the experiences we shared with our Katrina evacuees. In contrast to the Katrina situation, some students voluntarily seek out the opportunity to experience school life elsewhere – perhaps even in a foreign country. You can read more about our experience hosting foreign exchange students at St. Agnes in this issue of Veritas Magazine. You will also read about some of our own Academy women who have chosen to study abroad. The common theme with these cultural exchanges is that everyone involved ends up being better for the experience—the student, the host family, and the host school. I know that my students and I have personally benefitted from having our exchange students in our Spanish class. It seems they always have an interesting and slightly different perspective on things – especially how Americans are perceived abroad. It is exciting and fun to be part of the deconstruction of stereotypes. I am personally in awe of the bravery these exchange students exhibit, to leave the comfort and safety of their home country to experience American life at St. Agnes Academy. My hope is that they leave with a strong sense of our Houston Dominican hospitality!
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LETTERS | 5
How we’re strong (er) together: Katrina, 10 years later
*above- St. Mary’s student Ali Bechel ’06 designed and distributed the “Dominikin pin” to students to show wherever they were, they were together. ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO, HURRICANE KATRINA MADE LANDFALL, BECOMING THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND ONE OF THE DEADLIEST NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. Even here at St. Agnes, all eyes were on the radar. A storm of this size with this disastrous capability was unthinkable. However, within days, administrators at St. Agnes were thinking outside the box and making plans to open our doors to those in need. What came out of this social experiment was two schools, and countless families, made stronger by their bond in this time of crisis. Back in New Orleans, St. Mary’s Dominican High School suffered heavy flood damages. A construction project, The Sienna Center, was halted and instead switched to a campuswide remediation project. Life for many faculty members changed forever, with 34 losing their homes in the storm. The St. Mary’s board unanimously voted to continue to pay teachers until the school 6 | FEATURE
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could open again. Dr. Cynthia Thomas, President at St. Mary’s, said, “We were so proud of our community because people came first.” Students joined others from Mt. Carmel, Brother Martin, Ursuline Academy, and St. Stanislaus at the Archbishop Rummel Transition School, known as Rummel T. Students would trade off, some going to
school as early as 6 a.m., and others staying until 6 p.m. in the evening in order to keep up with their studies. Many were not left with the option of staying in New Orleans. 180 students from St. Mary’s packed their lives and headed to Houston, with 85 students enrolling in St. Agnes, and the rest going to St. Pius X. Sarah Hoffman ’09 was one of these young women.
I remember driving to Houston after Katrina hit and my dad telling me I would be going to Dominican’s sister school, St. Agnes Academy. I was extremely hesitant about this because I was not sure if I would know anyone there. My dad was on the phone with someone from St. Agnes and started listing off girls from Dominican that were also heading to SAA. I knew a couple of the names he was listing, and I started feeling much more at ease. The first stop was St. Agnes, where I had an interview so that they could get to know a little about me and figure out which classes I should take. I really cannot put into words what SAA meant to me during that difficult time. Their open arms and constant support never wavered. The week we actually started school happened to be fish week. Every freshman was given a big sister who gave us all the goodies so we could participate in all the activities. We were also offered counseling services during lunch where we could talk about everything we were going through or just have a shoulder to cry on. - Sarah Hoffman ’09 Dr. Thomas, said, “We learned so much from our students. We’re the strong ones. We’re the ones who serve. Now we’re receiving. We had to let go and allow our students to be taken care of and focus on the school and be ready for them.”
similarities that helped bring them together. It is that sense of radical hospitality at St. Agnes that led our faculty, staff, and students to open our doors and let in those in need. Students from St. Mary’s, and others from Mount Carmel, De La Salle, and Ursuline, felt welcomed when arriving. Walking in and seeing that familiar Dominican shield helped create a bond between the girls. In a December issue of the Catholic Herald, Barbara Friend ’07 said, “Our friendship came so naturally, we never really thought about making it work out.”
to travel home. We had become one school, one family, and parting was such sweet sorrow. Many connections that were made 10 years ago remain solid friendships today.” With the arrival of fresh faces came fresh ideas. St. Agnes welcomed the new students with opening Mass in September. At the conclusion of Mass, the St. Mary’s students sang their school song. It is a tradition we, at St. Agnes, have carried on today. St. Mary’s first experienced a laptop program at St. Agnes. The students quickly adjusted to this tech savvy classroom, and brought back what they had learned to New Orleans. The school incorporated laptops into their classrooms as well, crediting St. Agnes for the influence. At the end of the fall semester, St. Agnes hosted a farewell party. St. Agnes enrolled some students permanently, including Sarah Hoffman, while they said goodbye to more than 70 families. Though many left, their impact on the culture of our student body has been lasting. Today, St. Mary’s has not only completed construction on their Sienna Center but has begun construction on a new Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math (STREAM) building. Recovery for New Orleans was projected at 10-15 years, and St. Mary’s is at 85% of pre-Katrina enrollment. Dr. Thomas believes that her students’ experiences in other schools both reminded them of their uniqueness and allowed them to bring in new ideas. Sarah Hoffman ’09 graduated from St. Agnes and matriculated to Texas Tech. She is a LIFE Skills teacher in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. She says, “Thinking back on the past 10 years, I cannot believe how fast it’s flown by and how thankful I am for St. Agnes. If not for Hurricane Katrina and relocating to St. Agnes, I would not have met the amazing friends that would quickly become family and have had the education that would last me a lifetime.”
At St. Agnes, our administration waived tuition, and provided textbooks, laptops, and uniforms to families in need. We kicked off “Operation Dominican Spirit,” raising money through the school’s annual fund to help offset the costs for St. Agnes. As is so often the case at St. Agnes, our students stepped up and joined in. Seven students, Andrea Head of School Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P., Edmundson ’07, Stefanie Solar ’07, Katie remembers it like yesterday: “Life unfolded Barnwell ’07, Kathryn Stuart ’07, Hilary for all of us in ways we could never have Johnston ’07, Sara Patton ’07, and Katie imagined– new friends, appreciation for life Nelson ’07 started a fundraiser for their and how interconnected we are as God’s new classmates. The girls made friendship family, a new understanding of the resilience bracelets in Mardi Gras colors, selling them of the human spirit and a welcoming, for $1 apiece. While their efforts certainly helpful, inclusive spirit of all. Tears were shed were important, they soon learned how as our new friends arrived and tears were to make bigger waves. After an encounter shed by all when the time had come for them with Mattress Mack, they got their Hurricane Katrina hit on Monday, and St. Agnes Academy held an open house for the first donation. This $500 gift card displaced Katrina “evacuees” the following Friday. The administration, faculty, and the soon grew into a dinner and auction student body welcomed the girls and their families with open arms. Because of St. Agnes at Brennan’s, which helped raised Academy’s radical hospitality, my two daughters, Yvette, a senior, and Caroline a freshman, $22,000. and all the other girls from New Orleans received a quality education that fall semester. We were truly welcomed into the St. Agnes Academy family. -Melvin L. Triay, III, M.D. In the beginning, it was the schools’
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FEATURE | 7
CL ASS NOTES WORK HARD, PLAY HARD (ER) Veritas Vacation Day may not be an old tradition, but it’s a great one. Each year, students are surprised with a day of facepainting, movies, popcorn, singing, a rockwall, and much more. Our girls work hard throughout the year, and this is a day to show them we notice it. Each year, it gets harder and harder for us to hide the secret from our students. They challenge us with creativity all year, and we aim to do the same for them on this day. Right- Abby Baty ‘18, Grace Daigre ‘18 and Geneveive Dietz ‘18 Below- Marissa Barnes ’16 and Analisa Ruiz ’16 play bingo in the library.
Mary Angela Ricotta ’16 placed 1st in the South Texas District Congress Senate this past February. Mary Angela is a National Speech and Debate Association All-American, meaning she is one of the top 150 debaters in the nation. She currently ranks 11th in her age group. Gracie Mahoney ’17 placed 2nd in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking at the South Texas District Speech and Debate Tournament in early May. In addition, Chelsea Ezikeuzor ’18 and Amani Henry ’16 placed 2nd in Duo Interpretation at The South Texas District Speech and Debate tournament in early May. This qualifies them for the nationals. All four Academy women have qualified for competition at the National Speech and Debate Association’s National Tournament going on this June. Below- Mary Angela Ricotta ‘16, Amani Henry ‘16, Chelsea Ezikeuzor ‘18, and Gracie Mahoney ‘17
McKinzie Chambers ’16, left, and Aris Smith ’16, right, were chosen by the Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) to serve as Junior Counselors for the Summer Leadership Workshop program. TASC hosts a number of leadership workshops across the state. Student Council members from across Texas apply, and these two SAA STUCO members were chosen to join approximately 30 others to serve in this capacity. 8 | CLASS NOTES
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After making the top ten sopranos in the Texas Private School Music Educators’ Association All-State Vocal competition, Shannon Lewis ’16, left, and Audrey Welsh ’17, right, earned solos in the TPSMEA concert. Our choir had an amazing year with 13 vocalists receiving “superior” scores at TPSMEA: Catherine Buthod ’16, Maddy Delgado ’16, AnnaMae Durham ’16, Lea Greteman ’17, Madelyn Hyzak ’18, Mary Dawson Johns ’16, Shannon Lewis ’16, Nicole Linnard ’16, Isabel Lohr ’16, Victoria McDonald ’16, Julia Rowley ’16, Audrey Welsh ’17 and LeeAnne Williams ’17.
The Senior Style Show was such a neat experience! It is so fun to see our class decked out in beautiful outfits! My group walked down the Runway to the song “Dance Forever” by Allstar Weekend. I think we all enjoyed spending time together outside of school and getting the chance to be models for a day! - PEYTON MANNING ’15 This year’s Mother-Daughter Luncheon and Senior Style Show on February 9 showcased the Class of 2015 as they walked the runaway with confidence, style, and grace. Chaired by Lis Faucher and Amy Rasmussen, “A Walk To Remember” seated over 800 guests and featured over 170 ‘senior models’ at the Marriott Sugar Land Town Square. The event featured a video montage of previous Style Shows and was a memorable event for the senior girls and all who were in attendance. Special guest, Annette DeWalch Strake ’55, who helped ensure all girls who wanted to participate could walk the runway, expressed her appreciation and gratitude for the beautiful event and for continuing this St. Agnes tradition throughout the years.
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A Lifetime in A Year DIANE THORNTON Have you met Anaëlle? She is the young woman who was given the gift of an American experience in an all-girls high school. From Belgium, Anaëlle, is currently living life as a 'senior' and student council member at St. Agnes. I'm the mom who believes my own daughter, Charlotte’s, experience on exchange in Paraguay is somehow complete, now that another young woman was given the gift to reciprocate at her alma mater. Many years back when our oldest daughter, Melanie ’07, was 10, I thought that hosting an exchange student was a tremendous gift. I imagined the sacrifice I would be making, and what we might be ‘giving up’ in our own family life, in some way. Little did I know how blessed we would be to experience culture, language, the educational opportunity and love that came with hosting Jessica from Belgium. The program we participated in required families to host a ten month exchange. The program we now know more intimately is through the Rotary Youth Exchange, where families who participate offer a place to a student for three months. 10 | FEATURE
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When our youngest daughter of three, Charlotte ’12, entered her senior year at St. Agnes, she began to consider a gap year, as well as her college selection. Although this might be considered commonplace in the UK or Europe, only about one percent of high school graduates in the United States make this choice. Charlotte applied for college and the Rotary Youth Exchange, interviewing during the fall semester. She knew by January that she was chosen to participate as an exchange student, and requested a deferral year to her college of choice. Family orientation and cultural training began immediately, and a life changing journey started when she left for Paraguay that August.
Yes, it was the hardest good-bye my husband and I faced in life. We wouldn’t see our daughter until the spring of that following year. I would face the empty nest with a radical change, and we would not have a college we could visit to see our daughter. However, her growth became our chance to learn more about life south of the Equator. I became a voracious reader about this third world country and its customs. She became fluent in Spanish and found herself in the “happiest country in the world” according to a worldwide poll that year. The people of Paraguay taught our daughter about peace and fulfilled the exchange programs’ mission to bring peace one exchange at a time. Forever, her host
families will always be the other two moms and dads in her life. They were changed in different ways than we were, and were her providers of love, her teachers, and we remain connected across the miles. I remember it well from being a previous host mom. I think the hardest part for me was to accept so much generosity that year and to be surprised by the outpouring of hospitality when we arrived that March to visit. I thought we needed to “pay back” all the generous people who cared for her. Instead, we received even more by being able to learn all about their beautiful country, people, and customs in that short week. We were given gifts, became the honorees of their party for family and friends, and were treated to their daughters’ dance performance at their home. Our faith was enriched, and my belief in how we are connected in this world was forever changed. My husband joined our local Rotary and remains passionate about giving back to connect people, enrich young minds, and truly promote peace and understanding.
ST. AGNES HAS ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE OF BOTH INCOMING AND OUTGOING STUDENTS ON OUR CAMPUS. THEIR TRAVELS BRING RICH, UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO OUR STUDENTS BOTH ON THIS CAMPUS, AND ON OTHERS. CHARLOTTE THORNTON ’12- PARAGUAY
KATHI BACH, GERMANY 2013-2014
NINA DEAYALA ’14- ARGENTINA
ANAËLLE BOUDRY, BELGIUM 2014-2015
KATE BARKLEY ’14- BELGIUM
KARA KNIGGE, GERMANY 2015-2016
I tend to live in a bubble. No matter how many times I tell myself I’m different, that I see the big picture, I can’t seem to escape that feeling of intrinsic entitlement. I forget that there are actually teenagers like me in, say, New Zealand; they feel and think the same things I do. I forget that there are people in Argentina or the Czech Republic who watch the same TV shows I do and totally love a good Netflix binge. Exchange allows me to break through my bubble and make connections with people. Once you make a connection, you can discover what makes you different. And, when you understand what makes you different, you learn. I’ve learned amazing things. - KATE BARKLEY ‘14 (Below)
Exchange students are able to experience new possibilities, while peer students adapt to the perspective of a new and different culture in their everyday lives, affecting thought that is new and different. Many people who talk about the exchange think about it as a ‘year in a life’. Those who have the courage to go on that journey, more accurately call it a ‘lifetime in a year’.
I could never thank the Academy women enough for everything they did for me. I was new but taking senior classes. I would ask so many questions and they would always answer me joyfully. The teachers helped me so much as well. I remembered watching students hugging their teachers at the beginning of the year after not seeing them over the summer. It really surprised me because I had never done it before. I think teachers and students at St. Agnes have an awesome relationship. I just fell in love with this school. I have learned that a smile has this magical ability to change someone’s day. In my case, every day is beautiful thanks to my St. Agnes friends. They taught me how to help people through service, volunteering, and tutoring as well. They taught me how to love each other and be sisters. This year changed my life forever and it has been possible mostly thanks to St. Agnes. -Anaëlle Boudry 2015 Rotary Exchange Student from Belgium
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FEATURE | 11
Sacred Sailors of the Gulf By Elizabeth Humber
Come lie with me, you tired, broken sailors, on the coast we’ve learned so well. Turn up your palms and palpate my primy platypus skin.
I am your pillaged illustration of Mexican beauty, of your predilections and the twisted realities of luscious mermaids who listened to your thoughts when your stubby wife had heard enough.
Dance in the naked embrace of the cratered moon with the trampled grass stabbing your back like a comrade you’ll never forgive.
Please touch the left side of my chest that’s caving in because I need a heart to hold the sacrileged skin.
Dream, sacred seamen, of days when you lost calloused fingers to the salted stones of the shore when you were only trying to lose your consciences. Get down on your knees on the graveled sand, and admonish yourselves for dreaming that I’d bless anything. The smile of your toothless son? The vivid swell of your dreams?
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Academy Women Brought Together Through Poetry Elizabeth Humber ’16, left, was published this year in the poetry anthology Goodbye Mexico: Poems of Remembrance, compiled by fellow Academy woman, Sarah Cortez ’68. Elizabeth writes, “I’ve always had an appetite for writing poetry. When Ms. Cortez offered me the opportunity to submit a poem in exchange for the chance to be featured in her anthology, I couldn’t believe it, much less imagine that she would choose me.”
“But, when she did, she opened the gate for a whole host of other experiences that have helped me greatly as a person who loves to write: experiencing the editing process, communicating with audience members at book readings, and getting to meet a variety of wonderful poets, including a Texas poet laureate!” “All in all, it has been such a wonderfully sensational experience, and I couldn’t be more grateful for having had it.” Sarah Cortez says of Elizabeth, “When I worked with Herman Sutter’s creative writing class a few years ago, I was struck by Elizabeth’s innately beautiful use of language. It is wonderful to have her poem in this anthology.” Sarah Cortez is a former St. Agnes teacher and Houston police officer and is currently a writer and editor. This is Sarah’s tenth book. Sarah’s book has already been short-listed for the International Latino Book Awards by its almost fifty authors across the U.S. and Mexico.
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VOLUNTEERING AT SAA NANCY LONCARICH Volunteering! I have volunteered since my oldest, now a sophomore in college, was in kindergarten. When my girls were little, volunteers were helping hands for art projects, class parties and field trips. As they grew older, there wasn’t a need for volunteers to help as much; they were able to do a lot of things themselves; volunteers were used in different ways. St. Agnes Academy engages volunteers in a way that enhances existing programs. I have been a Parent Ambassador for the past two years. Our committee of current parents lead prospective parents on school tours. Prospective parents are an anxious group (we all were!) and giving them the opportunity to visit with current parents helps them make the best decision for both their daughters and their families. How much homework is there really? What about boys? College counseling? Dress code? Parents have a lot of questions and a lot of those are best answered by current St. Agnes parents. Experience is always a good thing! I think that no matter where you are in life, those parents who have gone before you serve as “mentors” for parents with younger girls. Director of Admissions Brigid Schiro and Admissions Coordinator Maddy Echols prepared us well for these tours. At the beginning, we all used a script and iPad to help guide ourselves. As we became more comfortable and confident, we were able to conduct the tours without these items. When we tour now, it is very comfortable, and we feel as if we are showing our friends around. I enjoy volunteering on this committee as it allows specific questions. We go watch class me to share our wonderful SAA experience projects in action and see the Tiger Girls with others. Also, since one of my daughters perform. As the tour progresses, parents is a graduate and is in college, I can let become more comfortable and ask many parents know how well prepared she was questions. These tours are very informal when she left for college- as a parent how and we tell them from the beginning that great that felt to know that my daughter was they can feel free to ask us any questions at going out in the world so very well prepared. any time during the tour.
We feel that peer to peer tours help prospective parents be more comfortable asking the questions they really want to know. This wouldn’t be possible without our amazing volunteers. -Brigid Schiro ’81 We begin the tours with a brief history of St. Agnes Academy; we then move through the library and on to the counseling department. We talk in general terms and answer any
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We are able to answer questions honestly and are able to add our personal experiences. We’ve “lived through” many of the things that prospective parents are most nervous about- from placement testing to homecoming dances. And, we can add our perspective as a current parent. While not every girl is the same, I think our perspective gives these parents a sense of what really goes on at SAA. Parents are also able to see the school “in action”; the tours are during school hours and we are able to go into classrooms and see the girls as they are changing classes. And yes, sometimes we see boys! It provides an
opportunity for us to talk about classes in cooperation with Strake Jesuit. I think that those of us who serve on this committee feel as if we are not only volunteering to help SAA, but also helping perspective parents.
We simply could not provide the outstanding, transformative experience known as an Academy education without the resources that St. Agnes volunteer power provides. Looking for ways to help? Reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Emma Ebbs, emma.ebbs@stagnes.org or 713.219.5401. She will help you find something that works for your schedule and interests.
order to take the fellowship – I had over $100,000 in student loan debt from law school – but I decided that I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to take my writing seriously. (I eventually received another clerkship in San Francisco that I did while a Stegner Fellow). At Stanford, I completed most of the manuscript for my first book of poems.
Alumnae Spotlight MONICA YOUN ‘89 I currently teach poetry in the Program in Creative Writing at Princeton University, and my third book of poems Blackacre will be published in 2016. The title reflects my years as a practicing attorney. Blackacre is a legal placeholder term – just as one would use “John Doe” as a placeholder for a hypothetical person, one uses “Blackacre” as a placeholder for a hypothetical piece of property. In a series of poems in the book, I use the concept of Blackacre to explore themes of fertility, legacy, and transformation. I have always been interested in both poetry and law, interests that date back to my time at St. Agnes, when I was on the speech and debate team, coached by Mr. Peters, and also began seriously writing poems, encouraged by Ms. Taylor and Dr. Novo, among other teachers.
“Smart, able, a true intellectual dynamo, one of the most powerful produced by St. Agnes.” -Dr. Charles Novo After St. Agnes, I went to Princeton, studying public policy with an emphasis on legal theory, but also completing the Program in Creative Writing, where I now teach. I was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University, where I completed a masters degree in English literature. After Oxford, I attended Yale Law School but wanted poetry to remain part of my life. On a whim, I applied for the Wallace Stegner Fellowship in poetry at Stanford University and, to my surprise, won it, providing me with two years of mentorship at Stanford in addition to a living stipend. It was a tough decision to decline a judicial clerkship offer in
I then moved to New York City and began practicing law at a national firm focusing on intellectual property litigation. A pro bono case sparked my interest in election law, and I eventually moved to a legal nonprofit, specializing in voting rights and campaign finance reform. I had many exciting opportunities at the nonprofit, appearing on national television, testifying before Congress on several occasions, and litigating a case in the U.S. Supreme Court. As I became more senior, however, it became harder and harder to find time to write. I managed to publish two books of poems while practicing as a lawyer, and the second gained widespread recognition when it became a finalist for the National Book Award. I was invited back to Princeton to give a poetry reading, and was offered a teaching position there, which I decided to accept. I’m very much enjoying my new teaching position, which, in addition to being challenging, offers me more time to write and to spend with my family, including our new baby, Toby.
I will always be grateful to my teachers at St. Agnes, to Sr. Jane, and to everyone in the St. Agnes community for giving me such a great start!
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ASSEMBLIES AT SA A ELAINE EICHELBERGER ‘79, DEAN OF STUDENTS In The New Wine of Dominican Spirituality, Paul Murray, O.P. explains that the phrase “contemplate aliis tradere,” or “to pass on to others what we ourselves have contemplated,” has been associated with Dominicans since the 13th century. St. Dominic was clear that we must share this message through preaching - that we are to study, reflect and then preach. At St. Agnes Academy we are dedicated to educating the whole student, and our mission statement explains that in addition to intellectual curiosity, we encourage our students to work for social justice and to act with integrity and compassion.
Our programming this year has embraced our year-long theme to Be Bold, and our speakers and assemblies have challenged students to first learn about specific social issues and then to make a difference through their own preaching and how they live their lives as young Dominicans. In October we tackled the important issue of distracted driving. The statistics surrounding accidents related to distracted driving are tremendous with 77% of teenagers believing that it is safe to text and drive. Jacy Good was a victim of distracted driving on her college graduation day in May 2008. The accident caused the death of both her parents and left her with a 10% chance of survival. After years of rehabilitation and recovery, 1. The St. Agnes STEP Team dances at the Black History Month Assembly. 2. St. Agnes faculty member, Brigid Schiro ’81 speaks at diversity week. 16 | ASSEMBLIES AT SAA
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Jacy now travels around the country sharing her story and imploring young people to change their behavior. Her compelling story inspired our students as many signed the online pledge at hangupanddrive.com. It challenged them to consider their own behavior and how changing their behavior can save not only their lives but the lives of others as well. Each year in January, we celebrate Diversity Week, exploring different topics that educate our students and promote a celebration of our own diversity as a school. This year’s theme was feminism and the student and faculty members of the diversity club brought Jamia Wilson, a feminist activist and organizer, to SAA. Her message was one of empowerment for our students, helping them understand what feminism is and how they can work for social justice in the area of equal rights for women. Later in the week, a faculty-led panel discussion allowed members of our faculty community to share with students their own personal encounters with discrimination and their 2 philosophy and message on how to raise feminist
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daughters. Hearing from their own teachers about their experiences allowed our students to find their own voices. The lunch presentations all week long equipped our students with real life examples of how they can insist on and work for gender equality in their own lives. In honor of Black History Month this February, our student group, Voices of Black Youth, and our parent organization, Onyx, presented an assembly to our student body that both challenged social norms of white privilege and racism and celebrated African American culture with a performance by Yolanda Adams, a Grammy winning gospel singer. The passionate voices of our students and faculty member, Sharon Hall Gehbauer ’89, challenged us all to consider
the areas of our own lives where we overlook our privilege and where discrimination still exists. It was particularly poignant for our students to hear from their fellow students about situations where they were judged and discriminated against because of the color of their skin. The SAA STEP Team and hip hop group SHOCK performed to an enthusiastic audience celebrating once again the beauty of our diverse community. Students and faculty both left contemplating their own privilege and how it shapes events and opportunities in their lives. In March, SAA welcomed back Dr. Mike Fowlin to perform his one-man dialogue You Don’t Know Me, Until You Know Me. Dr. Fowlin, or “Mykee” as he likes to be known, is no stranger to SAA as he has performed here several times over the past 15 years. Dr. Fowlin did an amazing job of calling into question the way we as a culture and a community “cross things that are different off” and seek social norms that exclude others. On stage, he depicts various stereotypical characters that, through their stories, challenge the audience to feel uncomfortable with traditional behavior patterns. Dr. Fowlin focuses on a life lesson he has embraced that encourages us to differentiate between what one is supposed to do and what one needs to do in order to stand up against intolerances - whether they be issues of gender, race, sexuality or violence.
3 Our students were so moved by his performance that the conversation continues in our classrooms, on our playing fields and hopefully at the dinner table as well. Each year in May, we conclude our assembly line up with Celebrate SAA, a true celebration of all things SAA. Through a combination of live performances and fun videos, we highlight academic awards, athletic achievements, accomplishments in the arts and theater, and outstanding faculty. This assembly summarizes the year’s highlights and builds school pride and spirit. It is a beloved tradition that SAA has to offer in terms of honoring student and faculty achievements.
Celebrating as a community empowers us to continue the hard work that is SAA. The joy our students experience during this celebration is exuberant! When we gather as a community and study or pray together, we are strengthened in our commitment to be preachers of the good news. As Dominicans we are taught to confront the tough topics that plague our society with Gospel teachings. By contemplating these issues as a community in assemblies, we start the dialogue that continues in the classrooms, lunchrooms and on social media.
Our students truly are empowered to go out and make a difference in our world when their perspectives are broadened and challenged with engaging speakers who share our Dominican values. We at SAA will continue to Be Bold with not only what we say when we speak out against injustices,and simply in the way we live our lives.
3. Faculty member, Matthew Garrett belts out Cielito Lindo during Diversity week. 4. Dr. Mike Fowlin as one of his characters.
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TIGERS’ DEN Swimming 2015 TAPPS State Runner-Up Sophomore Anastasia Kontrimas broke her own school record in the 200 individual medley. Senior Maggie McGuffee broke a 10 year old school record in the 50 freestyle. Seniors Maggie McGuffee, Kate Olson, Ashley Mercadel and sophomore Anastasia Kontrimas broke their own school record and a State record in the 200 freestyle relay. In addition to three records broken, we had multiple lifetime best swims, multiple medal finishes, and virtually every swimmer we qualified scored at least a point for their team. “They dove in, literally, ready to fight at the State swim meet. We may have come away with the silver instead of the gold; but, the fight they put up was, quite literally, record breaking.” - Coach Kaitlin Kelley Right- Anastasia Kontrimas ‘17 and Sarah Steffes ‘17
Student Athletes Signing to Play at the College Level: Lauren Boots- Lacrosse- Rhodes College Gabriella Emery- Track and Field- Colorado School of Mines Ashley Mercadel- Swimming-Southern Methodist University Maggie McGuffee- Swimming-Rhodes College Lauren Pham-Swimming-Kings College Lauren Schiller- Cross Country and Track-Texas Tech University Carla Sganderlla- Volleyball- Cornell University Below: Lauren Boots signs with coaches Betty Hale, Caroline Kerr, Director of Athletics Amy Mattes, Coach Ashley Jorlando, Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P., and Deborah Whalen.
Athletics by the Numbers 12 competitive sports played by our students 453 Athletes played 1 season 126 Athletes played 2 seasons 11 Athletes played 3 seasons 10 summer athletic camps happening throughout the summer 9 sports finished as District Champions or higher: volleyball, cross country, soccer, swimming, tennis, golf, softball, track and field, and lacrosse. 7 State appearances 3-time Singles State Champ Racquel Lyn ‘16 6 students from the Class of 2015 have signed to play at the college level (left)
SAA Soccer Takes District
2 “Analisas” on the Varsity Basketball Team
The regional finalist St. Agnes soccer team performed well in the 2014-15 winter season, earning first place in district and an overall record of 20-5-2. Goalkeeper Abbey Rank’17 was featured in Vype Magazine as a top 10 preseason player of the year in Houston, and she and her defense shut out opponents in 19 games this season. The team traveled to Arizona to participate in the competitive Arizona Soccer Showcase, the first out of state trip for the soccer program. St. Agnes players earned nine All District selections, and the coaches look forward to continuing to grow the program in years to come. 18 | TIGERS’ DEN
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FROM THE DIRECTOR- AMY MATTES What makes our program successful?
• Hard working, competitive kids who want to win and know what to do to succeed! • Hard working, competitive coaches who want to win and know what to do to succeed! • Great summer camps! Join us! • An amazing off-season Crossfit workout program! • Amazing parents, faculty/staff, and administration to support our efforts and provide us with the tools to be successful!
Commitment to Wellness
At St. Agnes, our Athletics program goes beyound competitive sports. We’ve expanded our program to include yoga and crossfit for all students, faculty, and staff. Next year, we will add Zumba and Creative Movement to our curriculum. Left- Olivia Tobin ‘17 in half lotus pose during yoga practice
Tennis State ChampsTigers 3-Peat For the third year in a row, the St. Agnes tennis team clinched the State title. In Singles, Racquel Lyn ’16 took the top spot for the 3rd year in a row, never losing a match throughout the tournament. Racquel was named to the TAPPS All-State First Team. St. Agnes also took 2nd in Singles, with Christina Watson ’18 playing an excellent game. Christina was named to the TAPPS All-State Second Team. In Doubles, Taylor Ysaguirre ’16 and Natalia Nassar ’18 won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, coming back after losing the second set.
“The secret to having a winning team is working at a school like St Agnes, which attracts such quality girls with incredible athletic ability. The tennis team has been blessed with a strong and deep team where any number of girls could’ve done well at the state competition, and the hard part was picking only 6 girls to play at State.”
Cross Country and Track- 2nd in State
-Varsity Tennis Coach Tom Caine
The cross country team was led by Maryella Cohn ’17 to the District Championship and an outstanding State Runner-Up team performance this past fall. The team currently has approximately 60 returning runners and is looking strong for the up-coming season. The track and field team began their record breaking season by being invited to compete in one of the nation’s most prestigious track and field meets, Texas Relays. High jumper and hurdler, Kirby Matocha ’16, earned the Houston Chronicle’s athlete of the week. Following a district and regional championship, Tigers broke six school records and qualified 26 athletes to the State meet where they were crowned State Runner–up! With six All-State athletes returning, next year promises to be exciting! Left- Cristen Harrison ‘18, Lauren Curran ‘17, Meghan Rotter ‘18, Lauren Lowe ‘18
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Be Bold
ADVANCEMENT FOCUS
Chairs Lisa Heston and Keli Luce planned a beautifully Bold evening celebrating St. Agnes Academy. March 28 at the Royal Sonesta, more than 400 guests enjoyed the songs of Performance Workshop and Password, before being led onto the dancefloor by Sr. Jane. This year, St. Agnes honored Ken and Molly McConn Delery’80. Through Ken’s leadership on the board, Molly’s volunteerism, and their philanthropic efforts, the Delery family has made an incredible impact on St. Agnes. Sr. Jane says Ken’s actions were instrumental in the aquisition of today’s East Campus Athletics Complex. “In December 2009, I turned the corner of Fondren and Bellaire and saw a huge ‘for sale’ sign. I immediately called Ken and said ‘Ken, you’ve gotta go get that land for us.’ Ken said, ‘I’m your soldier boy’ and off he went.” Niece Tammy Stegent ’90 says of Molly, “She’s the definition of an Academy woman.” Left- Keli Luce, Lisa Heston, Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P., Molly McConn Delery ’80 and Ken Delery
Each year, the Academy holds a dinner to thank our leadership, loyalty, and legacy donors and to bestow the Guardian of Youth award to someone in our community who has committed themselves to the mission of the school and the success of its students with their time, talent, and treasure. This year, we honored Mary Meyer Boyles ’55. Head of School Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P. beamed with pride when introducing her sister, Mary, to the crowd at the Houstonian. Mary is a true Academy woman. She is a friend to all of her classmates, has led a multifacted career, is member of the 1906 Society, and continues to be involved in the Academy through mission trips and more. Left- Sr. Jane Meyer and Mary Meyer Boyles ’55
Savanna Linbeck ’15 wanted to make a difference at St. Agnes in honor of faculty member Harold Burris. Her idea was to fund a scholarship in his name. When she called the Advancement Office, she found out an anonymous donor had given her a head start! Her gift helped make the Harold Burris Scholarship Fund a perpetual scholarship that will now fund a full tuition at St. Agnes each year in perpetuity. You can help grow this fund, others, or start your own by giving in honor of Harold or your favorite faculty member! Find out more by calling 713.219.5481. Right- Harold Burris with Savanna Linbeck ‘15. 20 | ADVANCEMENT FOCUS
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YEARBOOK SIGNING SOCIAL Yearbook Reunion for Class of 2014
1 The Class of 2014 came back to campus on January 6 to pick up their senior yearbooks and visit with fellow classmates and teachers, while enjoying an ice cream social. Some from the Class of 2013 stopped by to say hello as well!
1. Rubi Jara ’14, Danielle Fortune ’14, Danielle Petrosewicz ’14, Hannah Kendall ’14, Regina Ochoa ’14, Sydney Dornak ’14 2. Dominique Levy ’14, Adriana Robles ’14, Melanie McCarthy ’14 3. Gaby Perez ’14, Rachel Snow ’14
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SPRING MUSICAL INTERMISSION RECEPTION Alumnae reception at “Anything Goes!”
On March 6, alumnae and guests were treated to a complimentary performance of the St. Agnes spring musical “Anything Goes!” as well as a wine reception at intermission. Sponsored by the Alumnae Association and St. Agnes Young Professionals (SAYPO), the event was a fun night for all! Right- Maddie McAllister as Reno Sweeney
JOIN ST. AGNES 365
St. Agnes 365 is a way to donate to St. Agnes monthly or annually, to show your support of Academy women 365 a year! Simply select any amount to be charged, and it can be changed or stopped at any time. If every alumna made a gift of $25 a month, imagine the impact we would have on future generations of Academy women!
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ST. AGNES YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ORGANIZATION CHOCOLATE, WINE AND WELLNESS WITH (SAYPO) SAYPO alumnae gathered on February 17 at chocolate shop Cacao & Cardamom run by Annie Rupani ’07. Together they enjoyed chocolates, chocolate martinis, wine and incredible alumnae speakers discussing their particular areas of expertise and success. Annie discussed how she developed her business. SAYPO Board vice-president Julianne Piazza D.C. ’04, spoke to alumnae on nutrition and how she helps her patients achieve their wellness goals using natural therapies. Natalie Harms ’10 attended this event and knew that her classmate, Samantha Wright ’10, had recently launched an online candy business called Sweet and Mellow and was looking for advice on her budding business. Natalie writes for the Houston Business Journal and she connected Annie and Samantha and published a Biz-to-Biz story in HBJ about how Annie was able to help her fellow alumna grow her business! Right- Annie Rupani ’07
ALUMS ON THE LAWN
SAYPO SPONSORED EVENT – NETWORKING Working Alumnae Connections Our second annual networking event was held at Crisp in the Heights on April 14. Developed by the St. Agnes Young Professionals Organization (SAYPO) and open to all alumnae, it was an opportunity for more than 40 seasoned Academy women to meet and give each other career advice over pizza, appetizers, and drinks. Below- Natalie Harms ’10, Lauren Fields ’10, Natalie Breen ’09
Alums on the Lawn was on a beautiful day, May 2, at the East Campus Athletics Complex. The St. Agnes community enjoyed a petting zoo, an obstacle course, bean bag toss, coloring stations and pony ride for the little ones! There were plenty of beverages to cool everyone off and a lunch of James Coney Island hotdogs. A fun time was had by all! Above: Amanda Sitomer Smith ’03 (with daughter Ainsleigh), Lorin Leatherwood Crater ‘05, Jessica Sanders ’05 and Brittany Taggart ‘05 (with Caroline, daughter of Cathleen Gready Fishel ’04)
CL ASS CHALLENGE Give online today by visiting www.st-agnes.org/classchallenge. Every year, alumnae compete to have the highest participation and highest dollar amount raised in giving back to St. Agnes to the Academy Fund. Your support, at any level, is critical to all of those young women who aspire to walk these halls and become future Academy women. We hope you will support your class efforts and give back today to make a difference for all the leaders of tomorrow. 22 | ALUMNAE CONNECTIONS
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CL ASS AGENTS Class agents are liaisons between alumnae and St. Agnes. They encourage classmates to be a part of the St. Agnes community, whether it is attending a reunion, a happy hour, a school event, or giving to St. Agnes Academy through time, treasure or talent. If your class does not have a class agent, and you would like to serve in that role, contact Lori Sebastian Pinter ’88, Director of Alumnae Relations at lori.pinter@st-agnes.org. 1953 Peggy Wilkening Walker pegw728@gmail.com 1954 Agnes Bobbitt Sullivan ASullivanHouston@aol.com 1956 Carolyn Fitzgerald Matlock cmat@family.net Mary Leona Miles Williams mary-leona@att.net
Ann Dulin Little annd144@hotmail.com Judy Trabulsi judy.trabulsi@gsdm.com 1969 Mary Boudreaux Graham ggraham8@comcast.net 1970 Carol Caspersen Moffett cmoffett@kipphouston.org
1957 Carolyn Carbajal McCairns mccairns@sbcglobal.net
1972 Diane Knebel Watler dkwatler@outlook.com
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1973 Suzan Puhl Murphy smurphy@utk edu
Kay Stindt Kelly kkelly011@comcast.net Carol Celman Schottie casathome@gmail.com 1960 Minnette Passante Carrabba MCarrabba2@comcast.net 1962 Sue Ann Baranski Allen b.p.allen@att.net Frankie Casey Schiel irishyakyak@sbcglobal.net 1964 Theresa Pizzitola pizzi.theresa@gmail.com 1965 Julie Linehan linehanlaw@mac.com 1966 Carol Laflin Ahles
1975 Ardis Bartle ardisbartle @apexmeasurement.com
1984 1994 Lannie Earthman Bluethmann Andrea Montgomery Stewart lanniebluethmann@msn.com andrea @andreamontgomery.com 1987 Diane Driscoll 1995 dianemdriscoll@gmail.com Margarita Olivero Golden m.olivero@hotmail.com Kristin Kautz kkautztexas@gmail.com 1996 Suzanne Conwell Pickett Suzanne.Pickett@att.net
1988 Keri Cook Carter carter@pdq.net
Lauren Dornak Grosskreuz lauren.grosskreuz@gmail.com Celina Guerrero marcelinarae@gmail.com 2005 Mackenzie Burns burnsma1@gmail.com
1997 Louisa Hamlin louisa_hamlin@mac.com
1989 Adela Garcia Armendariz adelaa1126@yahoo.com
1998 Lauren Chapman laurenchappy@gmail.com
Melinda Montalbano Yaklin melinda.m.yaklin@gmail.com
Christina Luna Finley cfinley33@sbcglobal.net
Julia Conlon juliatconlon@gmail.com
Amanda Adam
Carol Prokop Poston daposton@gmail.com
1999 Heather Ives Hernandez heather.ives.hernandez @gmail.com
Isabel “Texas” Longoria Isabel.M.Longoria @gmail.com
Sally Schwartzel sally.schwartzel@gmail.com
Julie Sacco Julie.Sacco@shell.com 1993 Emily Aguilar Capps teamcapps3@gmail.com
Brittany Taggart brittany.a.taggart@gmail.com
2006 aadam2934@gmail.com
1990 Shannon Beirne Wiesedeppe Cindy Stowell thewiesedeppes@att.net 2000 cstowell@aggienetwork.com Laura Hamlin Oates Susan Chipperfield Giddens laura.oates@me.com susan.giddens@gmail.com 1976 Liz Fusilier Hynes 2001 1992 elizabeth.a.hynes@irs.gov Melanie Markowski Marion Bormans McCann melanie.markowski@gmail.com mmccann@pas.com 1977
1979 Suzanne Smith Grant sgrant@hdgrant.com
Lindsay Lehmann Arbour lehmann.lindsay@gmail.com
Lori Sebastian Pinter lori.pinter@st-agnes.org
Sydney Free sydfree1@aol.com
Mary Raia mary.raia@att.net
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2003 Becky Barbour Leatherwood rbarbour07@aol.com
2007 Lynn Marie Fahey lynnfahey@gmail.com 2008 Jenn Smith jennsmith012@gmail.com 2009 Amber Garcia-Rameau agarciarameau@gmail.com Soha Nassef sohanassef@gmail.com
Amanda Sitomer Smith amanda.sitomer@gmail.com
carolahles@sbcglobal.net
MASS OF REMEMBRANCE Remembering those before us Each year, the school honors the alumnae, Dominican Sisters, and 1906 Society members that have passed away during the previous year. November 3, 2014-2015 Alumnae Board Chair and current parent Lauri Schneidau Ruiz ’77 read the names of the deceased as their senior class photo is displayed on-screen. As the names were read, students placed candles labeled with the alumnae’s name upon the alter. It is a beautiful service honoring those that have come before us.
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ALUMNAE UPDATES 1960s The class of ‘62 celebrated their 70th birthdays with a trip to Canyon Lake. They spent a day each in New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, San Antonio, Wimberley and Gruene. There were 11 classmates who had fun sharing, laughing and eating. (1) Judy Pursch Burgess ’64 became Director of the Parish Prayer Ministry and Hospitality co-coordinator for funeral receptions at Christ Episcopal Church. She also works with the Director of the Hospitality Ministry for any other occasions requiring food and decoration of tables. Rita Ratcliffe Stoker ’65 retired in January 2013 after 22 years in investor relations and loan servicing with FHA Multifamily Mortgage Company and recently moved from Pasadena to the Katy area to be near her grandchildren. Sarah Cortez ’68 recently published her tenth book, Goodbye Mexico: Poems of Remembrance, with original poetry written in honor of the pre-cartel Mexico. Current St. Agnes junior, Elizabeth Humber ’16, has a poem included in this book. Sarah is also a former St. Agnes teacher and Houston police officer, and is currently a writer and editor. www. poetacortez.com The Class of ‘69 met for lunch on January 17, 2015, at Escalante’s in Town & Country. Rosalind Cash Pipes ‘69 and Johnelle Collura ’69 are co-hosting a beach day at Rosalind’s Galveston house
1 on June 13, 2015, and would love to have their ‘69 classmates join in! For details contact: rosalind20002000@yahoo.com (2) 1970’s Anne Maurer ’71 holds an AS in Fashion Design and works as an usher at Wortham Center and Jones Hall. Patti Shinsky Poulides ’72 and husband, Paul, visited Gail Wood Brooks ’72 and her husband, Frank and their Bernese Mountain Dog, Auggue, while in North Carolina for a holiday. A few days later they visited Maria Germani Vadeboncoeur ’72 and her husband, Tom, and their lab, Arlo, in Asheville, NC. What a wonderful trip and it was so great to see old friends! Maribeth Albrecht Anderson ’73 recently founded a non-profit called Women InSpirit whose current projects include educating 10 women in Bolgatanga, Ghana, and teaching six women to sew in the City of God School in the heart of the Old Fadama slums of Accra, Ghana.
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Kathy Kokas King ’73 and husband, Tom, are wrapping up his year long work assignment in the Midwest. It has been wonderful living in a small refinery town of 6,500, surrounded by cornfields, staying in a little cabin on a golf course, enjoying a simple life and becoming part of the community. They attended a Christian meditation retreat in Ireland in March and Tom retired in April. Kathy and Tom will wander around for a year or so before returning to Houston. “All who wander are not lost” (JR Tolkien) – well maybe. Judith (Judy) Swinney ’74 is an attorney, mediator and parenting coach in Portland, Oregon. She serves as a Cooperative Adoption Mediator, working with birth and adoptive families. She was recently elected to the board of the Oregon Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and works with divorced/divorcing parents to help them keep their focus on their children. Currently working on a book of poetry, she also facilitates a group for highconflict divorced parents. She is an avid gardener (especially peonies and English roses) and gets away to the Central Oregon Coast and Baja to relax. 1980s Monica Jordan-Cossio ’85 is a bilingual teacher for Gifted and Talented students in HISD at Carrillo Elementary and was voted 2015 Bilingual Teacher of the Year. She will be retiring in two years. Monica has been married for 26 years and all three of her children are
ALUMNAE UPDATES
3 in graduate school. Monica wants to mention that the support her family received from SAA classmates and faculty this September after the death of her young niece was amazing. Words cannot express how grateful she is to the SAA community for their kindness and words of encouragement during that dark and difficult time. Melissa Garlington ’86 joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston as Vice President of Development in January. Prior to joining BGCGH, Melissa was the Director of Development for the Children’s Museum of Houston. She is the former Senior Director for the Memorial Hermann Foundation at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, and before that served in multiple positions at Houston’s Ronald McDonald House. In 2002, she was recognized by Texas Tech University as a Distinguished Alumni from the College of Human Sciences in 2002. She served as an active member of the Junior League of Houston for 20 years and recently became a sustaining member, where she serves as the Development Council Sustaining Advisor. The Junior League of Houston honored Melissa in 2013 with the Sara Houstoun Lindsay Award, the League’s top volunteer honor for an active member. Melissa has held the distinction of being a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2002. She is also an active member of the Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club, serving as the immediate past Co-President.
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Mary Kay Messina Cimo ’87 and husband Philip, welcomed baby girl Cecilia Ann on February 11, 2015. They are tinkled pink, and Mary Kay says it’s an adjustment being 45 and starting all over again. Big Sister Sofia (5) is very excited and helpful. The Cimo family resides in Houston. After 18 ½ years with a title company, Dana Loper ’88 has moved to a new company, Chicago Title Sugar Land Branch, and was promoted to Assistant Vice President/Escrow Officer. Suzanne Forney Parsons ’89 is married to Brett Parsons, has two sons (ages 11 and 9) and lives in Marin County, CA. Suzanne is employed at Accenture and enjoys her work as the Global Learning & Talent Development Lead for Accenture Strategy Industries. If any ’89 alumnae are visiting the Bay Area, please reach out! Jennifer Bautista Smith ’89 lives in Australia with her husband of three years, Shane, and her two sons, Aleksander (2.5 years) and Sebastian (7.5 months). She is currently not working and not sure how long she will be out of the country. She has a BS in biological/physical sciences from UH-D and a BS in nursing from UTHSC-Houston as of 2004. 1990s Gabriella Marshall Mackin ’90’s quadruplet daughters (16) and son (14) all attend Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
in Houston, and are having a wonderful experience there. Gabriella is working for Hewlett-Packard as a fraud investigator. Susan DeCell Shifflett ’90 and classmate Veronica Cardenal-Vogel ’90 reunite in Nicaragua. (3) Mikey Keating Smith ’90 and husband, Sam, welcomed Iris Suzanne Smith on October 24. She joins big sister is Lucy (2.) (4) Laura Mayer Robertson ’91 was promoted to Deputy General Council of Litigation & Arbitration at ConocoPhillips Company in Houston. Tiffany Harper-Silva ’92 recently became a First Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo. She studies at Young Brother’s Taekwondo under Grand Master Mark Giambi and hopes to continue competing and ranking up to at least until 4th Dan. It has now become a family thing - her son is trying to catch up with his “cool” mom. Jessica Vickery Karlsruher ’95 and her family moved from Washington, DC back to Texas in fall 2013. Jessica, her husband, David, and their children, Connealy (4) and Duke (2), have settled in Austin, Texas where Jessica heads the Testicular Cancer Foundation. (5) Tanya Merla Leiber ’95 and husband, Jason, welcomed Trevor Anderson on
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her children around. She makes it back to Houston as much as possible to visit family and cause trouble with fellow SAA alumnae. She still credits Mr. Burris for getting her interested in science and teaching her enough physics to impress her freshman year lab partner, and now husband, Pete.
July 9, 2014 weighing 9 lb, 3 oz and 20.5in. Trevor joins big brother Jared Alden (4). Carrie Putman Lunceford ’95 and husband, Bill, welcomed Emma Leigh Lunceford on February 8, 2015.
Amanda Stinson McLean, Ph.D. ’00 is a staff psychologist at Boys Town Center for Behavioral Health in Nebraska. She created a video that offers tips and strategies for effectively giving your child a time-out as a way of disciplining your child for misbehavior without raising your hand or your voice: youtube.com/ watch?v=-NRRpIgDdZA&feature=youtu. be
Sam Zetina Schmella ’95 and husband, Stew, welcomed twins, Laney and Neil, on October 9, 2014. The family lives in Houston. (6) Julie Bole Vaello ’95, after 14 years working as an auditor at KPMG, a public accounting firm, moved over to be CFO of a Crockett National Bank in San Antonio. Julie moved from Houston to San Antonio a little over a decade ago and lives with husband, Ben, and two sons, Thomas and Luke. Megan Blandford Holstien ’98 and husband, Will, welcomed William Allen Holstien on September 20, 2014. Chrissy Fisseler Kelley ‘98 and husband, Tim, welcomed Luke David Kelley on January 19, 2015. Megan Williams Kent ‘98 and husband, Shane, welcomed Emma Elizabeth on March 12, 2015. Susan Barra Lemmon ‘98 and husband, Brian, welcomed Levi John on February 19, 2015. Christina DeFilippo Mack, PhD, MSPH ’98 has circled through NY and Boston to land in Chapel Hill, NC with her husband, Pete, and two children, Lilliana (2) and Ethan (4). After getting her PhD in Epidemiology, Christina spends her time studying global health and policy, running injury surveillance for the NFL, teaching at UNC-Chapel Hill, and chasing 26 | ALUMNAE UPDATES
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Becky Carlson Linstroth ’00 has lived in New York City since graduating from Lehigh University. After a successful career at two national search firms over the last ten years, she launched her own recruiting firm, BCL Search, Inc., with offices on Madison Avenue in NYC in 2014. Becky and her husband, Jesse, live in downtown Manhattan and welcomed Millie Grace in July 2014. It has been an incredibly blessed and exciting past year as both Millie and the business are growing very quickly!
7 Megan MacKay Azzi ’99 and husband, David, moved back to Houston with their family Emily (4) and Andrew (1) in December. They are happy to be back in Texas and are looking forward to catching up with everyone soon. (7)
Julie Westerhaus Kunz ’01 and husband, Tim, welcomed baby Adam in September 2014. Lori McMenemy ’01 graduated with her MBA from MIT. She is working at Amazon on the Luxury Beauty team, and she is engaged to marry Mike Newell in May 2015.
Sara Klinger ’99 married Alex Wilcox in Los Angeles in November. They now reside in Newport Beach, California, where Sara runs the marketing department for JetSuite. Jocelyn Chapman Vincent ’99 and husband, Blane, welcomed their third child, Colton Robert Vincent, in October. He joins sisters Dakotah and Savannah. 2000s Katie Laidlaw ’00 and husband, Jamie Perencevich, welcomed Benjamin James, on December 5, 2014. They all survived winter in Boston this year and look forward to enjoying time in Houston with Ben this summer.
8 Melissa Maher Stowers ’01 and husband, Jesse, welcomed Campbell Andrew on June 21. Campbell joins big brother Bennett (3). The family resides in Houston. (8)
ALUMNAE UPDATES Kristin Shoffner Tanner ’01 and husband, Beau (STH ‘01), welcomed Grant Houston on October 2, 2014. (9) Elizabeth Sitomer-Thayer ’01 and husband, Brian, moved from San Antonio, TX to Seattle, WA when The Dept. of Homeland Security relocated Brian. Elizabeth took a teaching/behavior specialist position with Mercer Island Schools. During their move, Elizabeth found out she and Brian would be expecting their first child. The Thayers welcomed Johnathan Hunter on March 14, 2015. All are doing well in the Pacific Northwest and look forward to visiting Texas this summer. (10) Colleen Lucey ’02 is working at The College of New Jersey as an Instructor of Russian. She is a PhD Candidate in slavic languages and literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and plans to defend her dissertation in May 2016. She is engaged to Benjamin Jens, and their wedding is scheduled for June 20, 2015, in Madison, Wisconsin.
and last November became the first ever Women’s Physique Pro and Women’s Physique World Champion in the Musclemania World Championships in Las Vegas. Lauren currently trains several Academy women and loves helping others become healthier, stronger version of themselves! thepurplesuntraining.com (11) Ashley Chovanec LeGrand ’03 and husband, Matthew, welcomed Mason Matthew LeGrand on December 26, 2014 weighing 8 lbs 13 oz measuring 22.24 in. (12) Amanda L. Sitomer Smith M.S., BCBA ’03 is starting a new job as Behavior Specialist for Tomball ISD. Kellye Adamo Wright ’03 married Kyle Wright and has a baby girl, Lyla Rose. She also opened an interior design business, Kellye Wright Design: kellyewrightdesign. com. Kellye supports the Red Sand Project which is a global initiative working
11 to end human trafficking and slavery. Filling cracks in concrete with red sand symbolizes the people who have fallen through the cracks. (13) Allie Albrecht Cassidy ’04 and husband, Bryan, welcomed Clare Emily Cassidy on September 17. (14)
Lauren Austin ’03 has transformed from an elementary school teacher into a personal trainer, fitness competitor and the owner of Purple Sun Training! She began competing two years ago
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Conducting Fellow. She lives in Houston with her husband, Aaron. Mackenzie Burns ’05 and was recently engaged to Andrew Payton. (17)
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17 Claire Cook ’04 graduated from UT Austin School of Nursing in December of 2014 with a Master’s of Science in nursing and will start her new job at Texas Children’s Hospital in April. Cathleen Gready Fishel ’04 and husband, Michael, welcomed Caroline Lydia on March 18 weighing 7lb 10oz. (15) Julianne Piazza D.C.’04 specializes in Nutrition and has her own practice at New Life Wellness Center in Houston. Her passion is helping her patients achieve their wellness goals using natural 28 | ALUMNAE UPDATES
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therapies including chiropractic, whole food supplementation, detoxing, and lifestyle mentoring. Julianne holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Parker University. www.drjuliannepiazza.com Christina Sanborn Scuseria ’04 married Ignacio Scuseria February 28, 2015, in Acapulco, Mexico. (16) Michelle Perrin Blair ’05 was awarded her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in orchestral conducting from the Moores School of Music, May 2015. Michelle conducts at the Houston Youth Symphony, and Strake Jesuit Prep, and looks forward to pursuing a university conducting position. She is also a 2014 PEO Scholar Award winner and a Schissler
Laura Annette Gant Glueck ’05 married Jonathon Edward Glueck on October 18 at Holy Rosary Church, with a reception at Colombe d’Or. Laura and Jonathan reside in Houston. (18) Elizabeth Bange Karches ‘05 married Kyle Karches of Cincinnati, OH at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Chicago, Il on August 2, 2014. Elizabeth is currently working for Yahoo in Chicago doing digital advertising. Lauren Rouhana ’05 graduated from South Texas College of Law in May 2014 and has been practicing as an Immigration Attorney with Quan Law Group in Houston since November 2014. Karen E. Cook ’06 will graduate from Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business in May with her MBA and is going to work for Humana in Louisville, KY starting in June.
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20 influences and innovative twists on traditional vegan cuisine. Ripe Cuisine is committed to serving food which reflects it’s manta, ‘Eat with a Purpose’ (19)
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19 Stephanie Hoban MS RD LD ’06 is the Owner and Chef of Ripe Cuisine, a healthy, locally sourced, seasonally inspired, plant based food truck in Houston, Texas, which opened in September 2014. Stephanie strives to craft every dish rooted in balanced nutrition, utilizing whole, plantbased, and organic ingredients with global
Laura Johnston ’06 married U.S. Army Capt. Mark Moralez on May 10, 2014. Laura’s sisters, Maggie Mahoney Olson ’04 and Gracie Mahoney ’17 served as Matron of Honor and Maid of Honor. Bridesmaids were Erin Hall ’09 and Elise Powers ’06. Laura and Mark reside in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. (20)
Molly Ehni Marietta ’08 married Austin Marietta (SJ ’08) December 27, 2014, after nearly 10 years together. Bridget Allen ’08, Margaret Blue ’08, and Natalye Lahart ’08 were bridesmaids. Molly and Austin live in Fort Benning, GA, where Austin has completed Ranger school and is finishing up the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course. They will move to Fort Campbell, Kentucky later this spring, where Austin will be with the 101st Airborne. Molly graduated with her Masters of Education in Counseling in May 2014 from the University of Houston, and she hopes to work in a private school either in Kentucky or Tennessee. (22)
Allison Akers ’08, Natalye Lahart ’08, Kiera Ruck ’08, and Sarah Jameson ’10 were all teammates on the St. Agnes soccer team and continue to play soccer together in an adult co-ed league on Wednesday nights at the Dynamo practice facility. (21) Erin Fleming ’08 has been accepted to the three year program leading to a Masters in Fine Design in lighting design at Yale University. Yale’s program prepares graduates for the design of lighting for theatre, opera and presentations all over the world and is considered the leading program in this area.
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ALUMNAE UPDATES Chloe Hamilton ’09 has joined the Peace Corps and served as a Food Security Volunteer in a small hill community in Nepal for seven months before the earthquake. She has been evacuated but plans to return soon. Chloe has a little less than two years left of her service. Her main projects are health and agriculture, but she also focuses her work on gender equality, youth leadership, and teaching English as a second language. She is loving her service and encourages anyone to reach out to her to learn more
about her experience. (23) Elizabeth Kajs ’09 graduated from The University of St. Andrews in Scotland December 1, 2014, with a Master of Letters (MLitt), in art history, with distinction on the dissertation. Elizabeth’s dissertation topic was: Journals, Gender, and “Dada” Revolution in Cologne, 19191920. Elizabeth will be attending The University of Bristol, England in January 2015 to pursue a PhD in the history of art. Anne Mims Reese ’09 graduated from Texas A&M University in May 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering and minor in safety engineering. Anne married William Edwin Reese III on October 4, 2014, at Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church in Houston, with a reception at the Junior League of Houston. The couple resides in Midland, TX where Ann is as a petroleum engineer for Chevron, and William is as petroleum engineer for True Oil Company. (24) 2010s Gina Buckner ’10 is studying to become a music therapist at Berklee College of Music in Boston and is still singing and performing! In April 2015 she gave a presentation on her research of Music Therapy with Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress
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Disorder at the 2015 New England Region Music Therapy Conference. Teresa Macejewski Callegari ’10 and husband, Michael (SJ ‘10), welcomed Claire Marie on March 17, 2015. Emily Kimmitt ’10 is at South Texas College of Law and just received a job offer to spend the summer working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Additionally, she is engaged and will be getting married in January of next year. Erin May Louis ’10 graduated in May 2014 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a B.S. in accounting. She is currently employed at LHC Group in Lafayette as an Internal Auditor and has begun working on a Master’s Degree in business administration. Valerie Wark ’10 is currently finishing up a year working as an English Language and Cultural Assistant at a school in Algeciras, Spain, and will be pursuing her MA in clinical mental health counseling with a concentration in Christian counseling at Franciscan University of Steubenville beginning in fall 2015. Samantha Wright ’10 has opened a gourmet marshmallow and toffee business called Sweet and Mellow. sweetandmellow.com (25)
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Kristi Belcher ’12 is a junior computer science major at Texas State University and will be working at ExxonMobil for the 2015 Internship Program. Last summer, she participated in a REU (Research Experiences for the Undergraduate) at University of Texas at Dallas which provided her the opportunity to participate in the 2014 Grace Hopper Celebration where she presented the research that she did in the REU program. With that on her resume, she was selected to attend the CCDD’s Fourth Annual Outreach Conference to Increase Diversity in Mathematical Modeling & Public Health at Harvard.
Kayla Anise Sloan ’13 just released a website/blog AyoKaySlo.com. She will be posting fun videos and interviews around her college campus, Agnes Scott College, and around Atlanta.
Kyla Sloan ’13 is a sophomore majoring in speech-language pathology with a minor in sociology at the University of Tulsa. Outside of her academic requirements she is a member of the University of Tulsa Capella Chamber Singers, University Ambassadors, Vice-President of the Association of Black Collegians, Vice-President of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, and Orientations Leaders (one of only two freshmen selected, the only female freshman selected), all of which are highly selective and distinguished organizations and programs on campus. In an effort to give back to the community the blessings that have be shown to her, she volunteers as a tutor for Reading Partners at KendallWhittier Elementary School in Tulsa, OK, a program dedicated to helping children who are reading below grade level in an effort to close the achievement gap between students from upper, middle, and lower socioeconomic backgrounds. She strongly believes that education is one of the keys to future opportunities for success. She is also intern for the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus. This past fall during Homecoming festivities, she was announced as a University of Tulsa Top Ten Freshman. (27)
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Ayla Brown ’12 will be attending Oklahoma State University School of Veterinary Medicine in fall 2015. She will be entering after completing three years of undergrad at Texas Tech University and knows that St. Agnes was instrumental in her achievements.
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Jessie Edwards ’12 is keeping a blog about her photography and design, which includes an image she took that was included in the Art Expo while she was a student at St. Agnes. highonsunshine.wordpress.com (26) Nathalie Phan ‘12 co-founded the radio station Topper Radio at St. Edward’s University several years ago, and it was recently nominated for an MTV Woodie Award. The station has come a long way and the journey has taken her all over the place - particularly to seven music festivals last year. TopperRadio.com Elizabeth Becker ’13 is starring in a Skate for Cancer, an annual event sponsored by Provo City, Peaks Ice Arena and Intermountain Healthcare in Provo, Utah.
Contact Director of Alumnae Relations, Lori Sebastian Pinter ‘88 with your alumnae updates at 713.219.5493 or alumnae@st-agnes.org.
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SINCERE SYMPATHY IS EXTENDED TO THE LOVED ONES OF: Mildred Jean Beeler; grandmother to Megan Schlichte ’06 Salvadore “Sam” Benestante; husband to Rosalie Bonno Benestante ’46 (dec); father to Rose Benestante Schmitz ’73 and Gina Benestante Heidemann ’87 Mary Ann Binig; mother to Christy Binig ’70 (dec), Martha Binig Drake ’78, Liz Binig Brooks ’81 and Toni Binig Shepherd ’83; grandmother to Courtney Shepherd ’12 Joseph “Brownie” Brown, II; grandfather to Gwyneth McMahon ’18 Arthur Edward Buckley, Jr.; father to SAA faculty member Art Buckley Pete Marion Chiara; father to Gina Chiara Raia ’89; father-in-law to Robbi Hawthorne Chiara ’78 Lucia Longo Ciarlo; great-grandmother to Christina Ott ’06, Michelle Ott ’08 and Angela Ott ’14 Helen Cooley Cloud ’53 Charlie E. Crain; father to Leigh Crain ’97; SAA Emeritus Advisory Council member. Grace Crane; grandmother to Shannon Storey ’14 Rubye M. David; mother to Michelle David ’73 Joe Dever; husband to SAA former faculty member Grace Dever Olga Sanchez Diago; mother to Gemi Sanchez Voss ’78 and Lynda Sanchez Kroneman ’83; grandmother to Natalie Kroneman ’10 Marion Hyland Dorr; grandmother to Dawsey Dorr Romero ’96 Margaret Drewry; grandmother to Melissa Hammond Rose ’98
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Florence Woodmansee Dutton ’48 Jane Ebbs; grandmother to SAA staff member Emma Ebbs Philip Economides; grandfather to Katina Economides ’15 John Ellzey, II; brother-in-law to Sr. Heloise Cruzat, O.P. ’49 Helen Catherine Farah ’87; sister to Jeanette Farah ’82 John Michael Ferns; father to Colleen Ferns Thomas ’86 Mary Murray Fertitta ’39; sister to Betty Murray Emmick ’48 (dec); sister-in-law to Peggy Fertitta Gimler ’41 (dec) and Josephine Fertitta Cassity ’43 (dec) José Cruz García; father to SAA staff member Jesús García Bill Gergen; grandfather to Stephanie Turner ’08 Michael Gidley; brother to Carol Gidley Wright ’80 Jerry Gorman; grandfather to Mary Musgrove ’11 Ross Greco, Jr.; father to Rosalyn Greco Ingenthron ’84 Merlynn Galle Haenelt ’51; sister to Mary Ann Galle Heap ’56 and Denise Galle Gruber ’68; sister-in-law to Shirley Haenelt Weatherford ’49 Frances Bruno Hamilton ’48; grandmother to Le’Ann McMurrey Whitley ’99 and Melissa McMurrey Patronella ’05; aunt to Mare Bruno ’78 and Anne Bruno ’80 James Hanratty; grandfather to Andrea Hanratty ’12 and Megan Hanratty ’18 father-in-law to Marti Sicola Hanratty ’81
Matthew Harrington; father to Katy Harrington Gurley ’77 and Kerry Harrington ’85 Wendell Hearne; former SAA faculty member Ethelda Hoppe; grandmother to Elizabeth Willard ’10 Janice Morris Houck; mother to Joan Houck Reed ’73 Lillian Brown Hudson ’52; sister to Angie Brown Townsend ’54 (dec) Clara Irene Jankowski; grandmother to Rachel Allen ’05 and Rebecca Jankowski ’10 Charles S. Johnson; father to Mara Johnson Petrinec ’92 and Eren Johnson Cox ’94; brother to Eren Johnson ’66 Thomas R. Jordan; father to Mary Pat Jordan ’84; grandfather to Katherine Jordan ’07 Steve Kamel; husband to Jackie Matranga Kamel ’74; father to Ally Kamel ’03; uncle to Meredith Burrow ’18 Richard J. Kautz; father to Kristin Kautz ’87 and Kara Kautz Moss ’89 Marie Fouquet Kihn ’36 Edward J. Klenke; grandfather to Katherine Klenke ’17 Robert Kwik; grandfather to Eleanor Kwik ’12 Lewis Emil LaGesse; husband to Aurelia Giangrosso LaGesse ’45 (dec) Joseph E. Lawrie; grandfather to Claire Groff ’11, Teresa Groff ’12 and Catherine Groff ’18 Rosemary Lewis; mother to Regina Lewis ’76; grandmother to Elizabeth Chen ’06 and Marian Chen ’10
Ursula Guseman Lusk ’41; mother to Annette Lusk Segura ’77; sister to Lenora Guseman Smith ’39 and Michelene Guseman Toomey ’44 (dec) Frances Hanel Marek; sister to Sr. Mary Magdalen Hanel, O.P. ’58; mother to former SAA Board member Paul Marek Alice McKinney; grandmother to Jessica McKinney ’09 Frances Galle McMillian ’51 James T. McNamara; father to Maureen McNamara Lucey ’71; grandfather to Shawna Lucey ’97 and Colleen Lucey ’02; uncle to Francine Corbett-Voltz ’71 Jack E. Meyers; husband to Pamela Prescott Meyers ’55 J.S. Millsap; husband to Thamer Sacco Millsap ’55 Joseph E. Mims; grandfather to Elizabeth Mims ’03, Cristina Mims ’08 and Anne Mims ’09; father-in-law to Martha Ramos Mims ’75 Donald B. Muchaw; husband to Lena Gullo Muchaw ’48; grandfather to Brittany Wilson ’08; brother-in-law to Sadie Gullo Clay ’36 (dec) and Catherine Gullo Manis ’47; uncle to Sharon Clay Tyler ’65; unclein-law to Dona Boudreaux Clay ’61; great great uncle to Catherine Clay ’14 Joseph Newton; father to Nina Newton ’70 John Palasota; husband to Jeanette Leggio Palasota ’56 and father to Josephine Palasota DeForke ’83 and Joanna Palasota ’89 Curtis Parker; grandfather to Marlie Merwin ’08 Bob Neill Payne; husband to Annette Bay Payne ’56 Karl Penny; staff member of SAA Kobi Pickett; daughter to Stephanie Bonno Pickett ’82 Pheribie Prescott; grandmother to Meredith Morgan ’11 and Marielle Morgan ’14
Kurt Racca; son to Vennoy High Racca ’58 Sue Roos Rachuig; mother to Ree Rachuig ’90; sister to LaVeta Ann Roos Clovis ’67 and Patti Roos Wright ’72 Robert Raffety; husband to Mary Lyons Raffety ’72 Sam B. Raia, Jr.; husband to Terese Ancona Raia ’53; father to Deborah Raia Smith ’79 Elba Ramos; mother to Martha Ramos Mims ’75; grandmother to Cristina Mims ’08 Brandon Rasch; father to Robyn Rasch ’01 and Leslie Rasch ’03 Alice Rocamontes; mother to former SAA staff member Linda Rocamontes Casey
Arthur Thayer; grandfather to Rebecca Brady ’00, Jessica Brady Russell ’00 and Michaela Brady Barthel ’03 Monica Lindinger Townley ’89; sister to Angie Lindinger Woodworth ’86 Ginger Kramer Upton; Emeritus Advisory Council member at SAA; wife to Wade Upton, Emeritus Advisory Board member and past School Board Member at SAA; mother to Lindy Upton McGee ’92 and Katie Upton Daily ’96; aunt to Cindy Magee Holmes ’78, Kay DeLorenzo Lum ’86, Andrea DeLorenzo Feruzzo ’91 and Lauren DeLorenzo Brindley ’95; great-aunt to Madeline Magee ’12 Sr. Marilyn Vanden Bosch, O.P. Robert Van Nieuwenhuise; father to Meli Van Nieuwenhuise ’08 Cristol Vasquez ’12
Debbie Bogar Sacra ’72; mother to Lauren Sacra Harvey ’00 and Caroline Sacra Christian ’02; sister to Marian Bogar Seger ’75; niece to Margie Bogar Mulvey ’37 (dec); aunt to Catherine Seger ’04, Caroline Seger ’12 and Sarah Seger ’13; cousin to Margaret Mulvey Silman ’65, Erin Mulvey Hader ’92 and Kimberly Mulvey ’07; sister-in-law to Allison Adams Sacra ’70 and Melissa McConn Sacra ’74
Maria Luna Venarske ’65; sister to Theresa Luna Northway who attended SAA 1968-1969 and Barbara Luna Ballance ’83; aunt to Stephenie Northway Simpson ’97, Jennifer Luna ’02 and Abigail Ballance ’18
David Safley; husband to Suzie Pyers Safley ’58
Sylvia Kloss Wachel ’58
Natalie Guarino Voelkel ’49; sister-in-law to Della Grace Trapolino Guarino ’44 and Mary Saragusa Guarino ’55
Sally Fall Sanders ’50
Gregory Watler; son to Diane Knebel Watler ’72
Ellen Jenkins Squyres; mother to Sally Squyres ’72
Patsy Duane Wesner ’54; sister to Mary Duane Hagan ’51 (dec)
Mabel Sterner; grandmother to Anne Aydinian ’99 and Karen Aydinian ’04
Margaret Magna Wetuski ’42; sister to Mary Magna Mazur ’39 (dec) and Evalyn Magna Hardey ’48 (dec)
Vicki Stroman; mother to Rachel Stroman ’06 and Sarah Stroman Estrada who attended SAA from 2004 to 2006 Virginia Strunk; grandmother to Abby Fraher ’16; mother to SAA Board member Philip Fraher Ethyl Sykes; grandmother to Tiffani Murphy ’88
Alexander Yokubaitis, II; father to Sally Yokubaitis Janacek ’78 Carrie Young; daughter to Karla Jordan Young ’89 Ileana De Leon Zeis; mother to Catherine Zeis ’01; aunt to Elizabeth Lawrence ’98 and Rachael De Leon ’11; sister-in-law to Laura Zeis ’72 (dec)
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Alumnae Spotlight
MEREDITH TRUAX ’07 When I enrolled in a summer photography course at the age of ten, photography didn’t seem like an option for an eventual career. The course taught the basics of lighting and composition; the camera was an Olympus OM-11, borrowed from my sister, which otherwise sat languishing in a closet. My interest in the arts remained consistent yet unfocused throughout the next few years, until I reached high school. At St. Agnes, a number of accomplished artists would help me figure out what to do with my creative interests. Ms. Costa implored me to think critically about subject matter and technique, and a summer darkroom course with Ms. Babcock cemented many photographic practices I still employ today. Ms. Orseck taught me about being a curator, and Mr. Suprean deftly explained the context of contemporary art in which we were situated.
at the Art Institute of Chicago, admittance to NYU, or a college internship at Atlantic Records,
Without these conversations,
which would eventually morph
both conceptual and pedagogic, I
into a career.
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I’m now the in-house photographer for Universal Music Group, a position both rare and essential. Deadlines and timemanagement, the same hallmarks of academic life, are daily factors in my life
and work. It is not uncommon for me to have several photo shoots in one week, each of which might end up archived and tucked away, or featured in a major magazine or album package. I’ve flown around the world with Rihanna, associate produced eleven music videos for Fall Out Boy, traveled to Iceland to shoot Of Monsters and Men, and lensed a Kanye West album cover. I didn’t have a dream job growing up, but reflecting upon the above factors and influences has me wondering if I stumbled upon one regardless. In 2007, when St. Agnes converted its darkroom to a digital photography studio, I had the opportunity to retain some of the very equipment with which I first learned. Thus, a sixtypound Beseler enlarger and myriad accoutrements were loaded into my compact, shuttled home to West Houston, kept in storage during my time at NYU, moved to a new house in Humble and later Oklahoma City. Finally, some eight years after leaving St. Agnes, my extremely patient parents drove it all the way to New York. It currently stands in my living room, collecting mail and loose change, while I dream of an abnormally large closet with both the ventilation and running water required to install it. It may take years to find the appropriate space – but that towering hunk of metal and glass will always be a monument of St. Agnes’ legacy in my life.
Both Academy women. Both love their alma mater. Both committed to helping future St. Agnes students succeed. Ann and Kristen may have graduated from St. Agnes Academy 50 years apart, but they share a love for the school that is so great, they are supporting St. Agnes through their legacy.
Learn more about these alumnae, and how you can join them in making a future gift at www.st-agnes.org/1906Society or contact Lisa Chmiola, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at 713.219.5466 or Lisa.Chmiola@st-agnes.org
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9 0 0 0 B E LL A I R E B LV D, H O US TO N , T X 7 7036 PH O N E: 713. 219. 5 4 0 0 W W W. S T- AG N E S.O R G Alumnae parents: If you are still receiving your daughter’s Veritas although she no longer lives with you, let us know so we can update our records and send it directly to her. Contact the Office of Alumnae Relations at 713.219.5493 or alumnae@st-agnes.org.
ST. AGNES ACADEMY Please be our guest for an open house with complimentary wine, hors d’oeuvres, a photo booth and performances by Triple Trio. Tour campus and visit with friends of all eras!
4-6 p.m. Saturday, October 3 St. Agnes Academy 9000 Bellaire Blvd. Honoring classes ending in ’5 and ’0 All alumnae, their significant others, and alumnae parents are invited. Event is complimentary. Register to attend by October 1 at
saareunion2015.eventbrite.com or contact Lori Sebastian Pinter ’88, Director of Alumnae Relations at 713.219.5493 or alumnae@st-agnes.org