3 Champions
2018—2019
PREP B STATE
BASKETBALL INDOOR TRACK TRACK AND FIELD
STUART COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL OF THE SACRED HEART 2 0 1 7 – 2 0 1 8
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Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart serves 440 students in preschool through grade 12. The school admits students of any race, color, religion, nationality or ethnic origin to all the rights or privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships, or loan programs or athletic or other schooladministered programs. Stuart is accredited by the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS) and Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Stuart is the home of the National Center for Girls’ Leadership and is a member of the international community of Sacred Heart Schools, NJAIS, the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, the Secondary School Admission Board, the College Board, the Education Records Bureau and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum.
1200 Stuart Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 609.921.2330 • www.stuartschool.org
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 20I8 –20I9 Cheryl Lagay, Chair Jill Anderson Mark Badros Scott Blandford Patricia Costante Patty L. Fagin, PhD Jasmine Ferrer ’87 Emily Firmenich Judy Garson, RSCJ Nancy Kehoe, RSCJ Sara Burchell Kestner ’96 Laura Lamke Pablo Lapuerta, MD Sean McKee Niranjana Rajan-Mohandas, MD Maureen O’Halloran, RSCJ Hamilton F. Potter III Veronica Maxwell Robinson ’94 Cynthia Reiche Schumacker ’73 Paul Teti Marguerite Vera James P. Winder Kathy Zavotsky, PhD, RN
2018–2019
FEATURES 5 Greetings From Patty 6 On the Path to Sustainable Leadership At Stuart, educating leaders is rooted in current research
20 7 Key Steps to Creating a Successful Brand Joanna Vargas '88 shares her lessons learned
42 The CEO Playbook Four ways athletes make good leaders
53 Leading With Heart in Service to Our Country An interview with Maya Kuang '15, U.S. Military Academy at West Point Class of 2019
58 Strong Women Who Do Amazing Things Viviana Vera '18 reflects on the First Nations immersion trip experience
DEPARTMENTS 6
LEADERSHIP
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CAMPUS LIFE
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The National Center for Girls' Leadership at Stuart Advisory Board Women in Leadership #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference
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Reflections: A Black Her-Story First Secondton Community Highlights from the Year
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CLASS OF 2018
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ALUMNAE NEWS
26 28 33
Graduation College Matriculation Senior Awards
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ATHLETICS
70 72 74 76 78
Alumnae Weekend Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award Alumnae Gallery Marriages and Births In Loving Memory
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Year in Review Highlights Varsity basketball, indoor track and track & field earn Prep B titles Athletics Hall of Fame
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ON THE COVER: Stuart's varsity basketball, indoor track, and track and field teams earned Prep B State Championship titles in 2018-2019.
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STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
LEADERSHIP
Greetings from Patty
Dear Sacred Heart Family and Friends,
What an amazing year 2018 was! Last year we joined with our global community in celebrating the 200th anniversary of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne bringing Sacred Heart education to America. Crossing Frontiers has been the Network theme of these past twelve months as we have examined, as a Sacred Heart family, how we continue Philippine’s pioneer spirit in modern times. This Stuart News does just that as we highlight our students and alumnae who are forging new inroads in athletics, diversity work, college and career. They follow in Philippine’s footsteps, challenging themselves, taking risks, and making a positive difference in the lives of others. We are called to be pioneers in taking girls’ leadership to new levels for a world that desperately needs more women at the helm. The National Center for Girls’ Leadership at Stuart celebrates our commitment to educating girls for lives of leadership, begun by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat over 200 years ago. Mother Barat believed it would take educated young women to change the world for the better. We concur. Yet, as she aptly noted in an 1831 letter to Philippine, “times are changing and we too must adapt and change.” Today, crossing frontiers to future leadership requires new understandings and skills. We look to the Goals and Criteria and to current research to prepare our girls for lives of sustainable leadership and service. Enjoy this edition of Stuart News. I am so proud of our Sacred Heart legacy of leadership and how Stuart continues to honor that legacy today. Warmly,
Patty L. Fagin, PhD | Head of School STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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LEADERSHIP
ON THE PATH TO
Sustainable
LEADERSHIP BY DR. PATTY L. FAGIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL In a world of increasing speed, instability, complexity and globalization, strong leadership is not about what one does but rather who one is inside. With a mission to educate girls for lives of exceptional leadership and service, leadership development from the inside has been at the heart of our work at Stuart since 1963. The National Center for Girls’ Leadership at Stuart (NCGLS) is an extension of the work that Stuart has engaged in for over 55 years, preparing young women–from the earliest ages–for lives of leadership. Through NCGLS, Stuart models leadership programming for girls nationwide, including targeted leadership coursework, internships and externships, national and international leadership experiences, an articulated curriculum, mentor speakers throughout the school year, and of course, our annual #LEADLIKEAGIRL: A Conference for Risk-Takers and Changemakers. Stuart’s work in girls’ leadership is rooted not only in our mission, but also current research. It is intentionally integrated into our educational program. In teaching leadership,
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we are guided not only by our Goals, but also by the work of Bob Rosen, author of Grounded: How Leaders Stay Rooted in an Uncertain World. As our Sacred Heart Goals affirm, Rosen’s research asserts that if our girls are to be tomorrow’s leaders, they must be grounded physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, spiritually and vocationally. Clearly, research supports what the Goals and Criteria have outlined all along! As we implement the Strategic Plan Vision for 2021, our Leading, Learning and Life Balance initiatives support every area critical to our girls’ journeys to sustainable leadership. School today is more demanding than ever. Students face pressure to be academically strong while at the same time, engage in a broader range of outside activities. It is a constant struggle to balance these competing demands. If Stuart girls are to be effective leaders, we must help our girls address how these stressors may affect their physical health. Good health and physical well-being are critical for long-term leadership capacity and the
"STRONG FEMALE LEADERS HAVE A ROBUST SENSE OF PURPOSE AND ARE TENACIOUS ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD." – DR. PATTY L. FAGIN
Eighth graders in the TED-Ed Club present "Lessons Worth Sharing"
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lynchpin behind the Campus Master Plan renovations to our gyms and exercise facilities. During the day, our new spaces will greatly enhance the physical education for our girls and young boys. After school, these facilities will provide our students with state-of-the-art athletic training equipment and a hub for supporting lifelong fitness activities. We are keenly aware of the data shared in this issue of Stuart News around the powerful connections between team sports, acquiring leadership skills and professional success–so we are driven to ensure that our programming and facilities support lifelong physical fitness for our graduates and encourage participation in team sports. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in every four adolescent girls suffers from anxiety and one in ten from depression. We are committed to combating these statistics by taking a positive and unified approach to emotional well-being for every Stuart girl. As part of our Vision 2021 we are supporting our girls’ emotional health through faculty training in social/emotional learning, strong advisory programs and full-time counselors who are actively integrated into our educational program. Our Campus Master Plan includes creating a Wellness Center, which will include the nurse and health office in a physical space with our student counseling professionals. Locating all health services in one place will help to destigmatize reaching out for emotional support, placing it on par with medical support. These
improvements are all a part of our work to enhance our girls’ ability to positively address day-to-day challenges. Strides in technology and artificial intelligence speak to a future where curiosity, growth mindset, and paradoxical thinking will be far more important than mere acquisition of knowledge. To ensure our girls’ intellectual strength well into the future, we offer a challenging curriculum that engages our girls in problem-solving, develops resilience and encourages perseverance, particularly in fields where girls are currently underrepresented. Stuart’s STEM and finance and economics programming is robust and begins at the earliest ages. Few schools can boast money management coursework that begins in Lower School, required classes in micro- and macroeconomics in the Middle School and Upper School girls' engagement in finance as broadly as we do. Similarly, with a dedicated STEM teacher in the Lower School and a STEM coordinator in the Middle and Upper Schools, Stuart is widely regarded to be at the cutting edge of cross-curricular science and tech integration by independent schools across New Jersey. The Writing Center and After School Academic Support Center are two components of our Vision 2021 that build, what Rosen calls, intellectual strength through support for student academic success. Staffed by our faculty and Upper School students, these Centers have been and continue to be a source of academic assistance, mentorship and leadership opportunities for our girls. By the mid 2000’s the U.S. will not have a single racial or ethnic majority. Rosen notes that, "leaders, [must] understand their own biases, know how to tap into diverse talents, and build cultures of mutual respect." Helping our girls be self-aware and make meaningful connections with others is our Goal IV commitment to social health. Through our strategic commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we help each girl find her authentic self and assist her in understanding and honoring others in order to lead in a more peaceful, just and productive world. Strong female leaders have a robust sense of purpose and are tenacious about making a difference in the world. These are key components of what Rosen defines as vocational health and are actively nurtured through Stuart’s Service Learning Program. As part of Vision 2021 we will augment our current programming by incorporating more national and international service opportunities for our girls to engage with, learn from and support others in need.
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"WHILE LEADING IN TODAY’S WORLD IS MORE CHALLENGING THAN EVER, WE ARE SO PROUD THAT A STUART EDUCATION CONTINUES TO GRADUATE YOUNG WOMEN 'WELL BEGUN' ON THE PATH TO BECOMING CONFIDENT AND EFFECTIVE LEADERS." – DR. PATTY L. FAGIN Of all dimensions, Rosen found spiritual health most highly predictive of leadership performance. Rosen discovered–what we’ve known for over 200 years in Sacred Heart education–that who you are as a human being really does drive what you do as a leader. We care deeply about the spiritual development of the girls and young boys that have been entrusted to our care here at Stuart. It is the reason why we have joined with Dr. Lisa Miller, author of The Spiritual Child and with Columbia University in studying the power of spirituality in student health and learning. We know that powerful girls lead positive change when they feel part of something bigger than themselves, when they are grateful and have a generosity of spirit. While leading in today’s world is more challenging than ever, we are so proud that a Stuart education continues to graduate young women “well begun” on the path to becoming confident and effective leaders. The National Center for Girls’ Leadership at Stuart, our Vision 2021 Strategic Plan, Campus Master Plan and pending Capital Campaign together, provide laser-like focus on developing vibrant, healthy leadership roots in our girls as well as the specific skills so critical for powerful and sustainable lifelong leadership.
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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LEADERSHIP
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GIRLS' LEADERSHIP AT STUART ADVISORY BOARD Stephanie Champi ’12 Recruitment Manager at Teach For America
Courtney Portlock Director, NCGLS Head of Upper School
Mung Chiang John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering, Roscoe H. George Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Purdue University
Shannon Rangecroft Director of Development, NCGLS
Ivonne Diaz Claisse President and CEO, HISPA
Jan Baldwin Middle School Dean of Students, Chair of Upper School Fine Arts
Lori Hennon-Bell Vice President and Chief Security Officer, Prudential Financial
FACULTY IN RESIDENCE
Jason Bink STEM Endorsement Co-Chair, Biology Teacher
Dr. Trisha Medeiros President, Ursuline Academy
Rebecca Fazzina Assistant Head of Upper School
Priyanka Sinha ’00 CEO and Founder, Xitiway
Joseph Hurford Upper School Dean of Students, Math Teacher
Joanna Wilson Vargas ’88 Founder, Joanna Vargas Skincare and Salon
Christina Kosyla Lower School Theology and Drama Teacher
Rebekah Ten Hagen ’19 President of Student Government at Stuart
Sean Malloy Upper School Math and Microeconomics Teacher
The Advisory Board serves in the capacity of consultant to the National Center for Girls' Leadership at Stuart and comprises outstanding leaders across a variety of disciplines who are deeply committed to the advancement of leadership development in young women.
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STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
Samantha Ryan Leadership Endorsement Chair, Middle and Upper Schools Health Teacher Alicia Testa STEM/SIFE Coordinator, STEM Endorsement Co-Chair, Technology Innovation Specialist
PRIYANKA SINHA ’00
Stuart girls were honored to meet with Priyanka Sinha, Stuart Class of 2000, a reformer and changemaker who has spent 15 years at the frontier of public innovation across Africa, South America, South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Priyanka has dedicated her career to a wide range of issues from food security, health, education,
access to finance, fintech, unemployment, skills development, and entrepreneurship development. She has experience shaping policy, leading multiparty negotiations, and shaping strategy for heads of state to senior leaders of government, multilateral organizations, private companies, NGOs, and foundations.
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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Chris Sugden @sugdenvc • Apr 14 @StuartCDSchool #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference is today in Princeton, NJ. One of the coolest place to be to see girls empowerment and leadership in action!
Helen O'Shea @HelenOSheaMusic • Apr 14 Huge thanks to everyone @StuartCDSchool who put out the welcome mat for young girls in our community to have the trajectory of their lives changed by the wisdom of your superb speakers! #LEADLIKEAGIRL #ThankYou
Cynthia Stott | Global Visibility Influencer @CynthiaStott Congratulations @StuartCDSchool What a great summit! #LEADLIKEAGIRL #girlboss #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #WomenInTech twitter.com/stuartcdschool
Dr. Gia Fruscione, DPT, LMT @GiaFruscione • Apr 14 @SRuhle - Thank you for an inspiring presentation for both me and my daughter today @StuartCDSchool #LEADLIKEAGIRL informed decisions and independence. #beyourownyou
“STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT WITH YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS OPEN” – STEPHANIE RUHLE | Anchor, MSNBC and Correspondent, NBC
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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LEADERSHIP Julie Carrier @JulieCarrier • Apr 14 Empowered Women and Girls, Empower Women and Girls! How true this is with @StuartCDSchool, their girls, their educators, their parents and their board members! Congratulations on your life-changing Conference #LEADLIKEAGIRL @girlsschools
Thank you to the nearly 1,000 girls in K-12, parents, educators, mentors and sponsors who came from 18 states across the country for a day of empowering and inspiring girls in STEM, entrepreneurism and leadership. barbaramajeski
Princeton, New Jersey
barbaramajeski #LEADLIKEAGIRL Thank you @stuartcdschool for this priceless platform for girls to be inspired and energized to chase their dreams with @stephruhle @joannavargasnyc
Kelli Wells @KelliLWellsr • Apr 14 Proud to be part of #LEADLIKEAGIRL a place for risk-takers and changemakers. Stephanie Ruhle, MSNBC, every thing you do is about decision making.
greenbeautyceo
Stuart Country Day School
greenbeautyceoî #LEADLIKEAGIRL @stuartcdschool was an empowering day for me and minime great exposure to #stem #business #leadership and I met the founder of @jvskincare too!
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STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
“FIND A MENTOR AND ASK THEM TO MENTOR YOU IN THE AREAS THAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT” – GITANJALI RAO | America's Top Young Scientist of 2017
Sonya Pryor-Jones @SyncConsult • Apr 14 It was amazing meeting so many inspiring women yesterday at #LEADLIKEAGIRL Thank you @StuartCDSchool! #TLC #FindYourTribe
Katey Howes @Kateywrites• Apr 14 Learning about hydrophobic & hydrophilic molecules while formulating lotions & cleansers with female scientists from @JNJInnovation @JNJNews at the #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference! #girlsrule #stem #innovation @StuartCDSchool
qcacs
Stuart Country Day School
qcacs QCACS Girls Mentoring Lead Like a Girl Conference! #girlinstem #womeninstem #leadlikeagirl #girlpower #qcacsrocks #selfesteem #selfesteemboost
LEADERSHIP
Trinity Hall @trinityhall • Apr 24 On Saturday, April 14, junior Sophia Church (TH2019) participated in the #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference at Stuart Country Day School. Presenting a project she worked on for her Girl Scouts Gold Award, she took part in a panel discussion called "Our Environment - Our Responsibility." Sophia's area of interest is micro-recycling. "Micro-recycling is taking ownership of our trash and doing something to reduce and reuse it," said Sophia, "either by composting, using products that can be used more than once, or looking into recycling programs for materials you would not expect are recyclable."
baldwinschool
Stuart Country Day School
Baldwin School Gabby Alston '18 won 2nd place and $1,500 at the #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference for her STEM Talk on "Enhancing Cardiomyocyte Proliferation to Improve Cardiac Cell Therapy". Congrats Gabby! @StuartCDSchool
“YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE CHANGING LIVES...WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.” – ELISSA ELLIOT | Rochester, MN
Special thanks to the Harris B. Siegel Fund and our generous sponsors:
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STUART ALUMNAE PARTICIPANTS
sarahdew592
Stuart Country Day School
sarahdew592î Happy #LEADLIKEAGIRL day!!! Wish I could say it was weird to be at ye old stomping grounds..... #feelingold
Convent&Stuart Hall @sacredheartsf • Apr 18 Congrats to Convent 1st grade teacher Belle Akers on leading a successful workshop, "STEAM in Action! Engineering Fun: Towers & More," at the #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference hosted by our sister school @StuartCDSchool. Belle continues to be a leading voice on teaching science to girls!
Loomis Chaffee @loomischaffee • Apr 15 6 students and faculty members Lillian Corman and Manya Steinfeld of LC's Longman Leadership program, traveled to The Stuart Country Day School @StuartCDSchool in NJ for the #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference this weekend. #PurposeLived
Dawn Anuszkiewicz ’88 Kate Baus Bogumil ’96 Rachel Brenna ’92 Sarah Caswell ’10 Stephanie Champi ’12 Barbara Warren Clarke ’73 Caitlyn Delaney ’17 Michelle Evaul ’94 Jasmine Ferrer ’87 Tara Grabowsky ’87 Katherine Hagestad ’13 Andrea Jenkins ’13 Meredith Lepore ’02 Regina Meredith-Carpeni ’71 Anne Conley O'Neill ’68 Priyanka Sinha ’00 Stephanie Truesdell ’88 Joanna Wilson Vargas ’88 Danielle Dabrowski Villegas ’86 Abigail Winder ’99, MD
Elena Nickerson @enickers • Apr 14 Coding, robotics, circuits! #LEADLIKEAGIRL @StuartCDSchool #STEM
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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LEADERSHIP CONGRATULATIONS to the 25 young women from 12 high schools across the country who participated in the STEM Talks and Business Fair this year. The following projects were awarded cash prizes totaling $10,000:
STEM Talks Awards First Place and $2,000 Meiqi (Maggie) Lin, Stuart Virtual Reality to Develop Empathy for Those with Vision Disabilities Second Place and $1,500 Gabrielle Alston, The Baldwin School Enhancing Cardiomyocyte Proliferation to Improve Cardiac Cell Therapy Third Place and $1,000 Rhea Malhotra, Moravian Academy Revolutionizing Cardiovascular Disease with Biochemical Optogenetics Fourth Place and $500 Alexandra Bullen-Smith, Stuart Using Virtual Reality to Empathize with Vision Disabilities
Watch video of the 2018 STEM Talks at
stuartschool.org/2018stemtalks Business Fair Awards First Place and $2,000 Adrienne Wang and Stephanie He, Stuart PowerSEA: The Future of Charging Second Place and $1,500 Calee Schmidtberger, The Lawrenceville School Sober Straw: Straw That Detects Alcohol Third Place and $1,000 Naitian Zhang, Stuart Immersive Shopping Fourth Place and $500 Elise Upton and Caroline Randolph, Ursiline Academy The Connection Pit Biochemical Optogenetics
Learn more about the Business Fair at stuartschool.org/leadlikeagirl
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“THESE GIRLS ARE BOTH LEADERS OF TOMORROW AND LEADERS OF TODAY!” – JULIE CARRIER | CEO of Girls Lead Worldwide
LEADERSHIP
7 KEY STEPS TO CREATING A BRAND
Successful
BY JOANNA WILSON VARGAS '88 ADAPT ED F ROM A KEYNOT E PR E SEN TAT ION AT #LE ADLIKE AGIRL ON APR IL 14, 2018
We were so fortunate to have alumna Joanna Wilson Vargas ’88 return to Stuart to share the lessons learned and her experiences, which have made her one of the most sought-out estheticians and experts in the beauty industry today. In her keynote address, Joanna shared strategic steps she took to start and successfully grow her business. Following are excerpts from Joanna’s presentation:
I lived in Spain for a year teaching English and I rented an apartment in Havana, Cuba for a few weeks. I did a lot of wandering and soul-searching. I started to figure out who I wanted to be–and this was life changing. If you know what you want to do with your life right out of school–that's awesome. I was not that girl. But if you give yourself a chance to experience life, you can become inspired by everything.
1. BE INTERESTED.
When I started beauty school, I wasn't sure in what direction I would go so I tried different things. [Each year] I gave it another year to see what happened. That was 20 years ago.
When we're young, we're taught to be super interesting. We go to good schools, and we're taught to be very busy so we can distinguish ourselves in order to get into college. I went to college for photography. I moved to New York but quickly realized that photography wasn't for me. I was a fish out of water. I had to regroup and figure out what I was going to do with my life. [At this time] I started meeting incredible performance artists–and suddenly I became interested in the world around me.
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You have to live life in order to be inspired, and inspiration can come from anywhere.
2. SET GOALS. When I first started my company, I wrote down everything I wished for my company to be: I wanted to have a global brand and I wanted to be recognized as a leader in my field. Every New Year's Day, I pull
out a sheet of paper and I do it all over again. I look back at my goals from the past year, I scratch things off the list that I no longer want, and I create new goals for myself every year. When you start a new subject in school and look towards the final exam, you don't just pray every night of the final week. You have to study for finals. But even before that, when you begin a new subject, you pay attention to the teacher, you do your homework assignments, and you participate in class. These are all little things that help you reach your final goal, which is to be competent in the subject that you're studying. Business is similar. You have to set a big goal for yourself, and when you go to the office every day, you take smaller actions that will contribute or drive you toward that big goal. This is how I built my business.
3. EXPECT TO SUCCEED. When I first had the idea for my business, I talked to my best friends and people I considered mentors.
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Without exception, everyone told me that I was going to fail. They didn't even tell me it would be difficult–they told me I would fail. Remember: it’s your life. You have to live with the consequences of what you decide. I knew I had a good idea and it didn't matter what anybody else thought. From that moment on, I never considered failure as an option. As an entrepreneur, having no investors is a positive. If the business is successful, you don't have to share your profits with anybody, and as you build your business, you don't have to discuss decisions with anyone else. That's the position I'm in–because nobody wanted to invest in my company. But the downside is that you assume all the risk. When I started my company I maxed out 15 credit cards. I would not recommend this, however, I did it because I felt like I needed to try and I believed in myself. Whatever you do in life, you have to be the one to believe in yourself the most. There's not going to be anyone that believes in you more than you.
4. BE THE BEST. The definition of “best” is, “the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.” To me, this means to constantly try to master the subject or field that you're working in. About two years into my company's life,
I was struggling to find products to work with in my salon that I liked. I didn't love anything. My clients didn't really love anything I was using. This was the moment I realized I needed to create my own skincare line. I made sure that I understood the science behind what I was doing. I studied ingredients and other brands, and I listened to clients. Being the best meant a lot to me in that moment. I did not want to bottle something and give it to a client who loved me if I couldn't stand behind it 100 percent. At the same time, if I fall short, or a client complains or returns something, I look at how we can be better and I move on. I often feel that young people beat themselves up over mistakes. All you can ask of yourself is just to be better. To be better tomorrow, be better in the next hour. Striving to be the person you want to be is neverending, but it's really the only way to be successful.
5. HAVE VISION. Where do you want your career or business to go? What kind of person do you want to be? Who are going to be your clients? How much money do you want to donate to charity when you get older and you want to support something that really needs your help? Next, think of what you're doing in your vision. What role do you play in your own company? What does your day-to-day life look like for you? You need to have a vision for who you want to be, how you want to do it, and who you want around you. I wanted to be a mentor to all of my staff, because I wanted to help them feel successful in their own careers. I wanted to be a major contributor to causes that I loved, and I really wanted to change the definition of beauty in the beauty industry. Growing up, I read fashion magazines all the time. Beauty was always about looking the same as everybody else or how could you fit into a mold. I wanted people to know that real beauty is what makes you unique, not what makes you the same. In large part, I think that's why so many actresses come to me. They are each different, and they need to feel like that's okay–because they get ripped to shreds all the time in the press. My vision is about what makes you unique: it's being comfortable in your own skin; that's how I want clients to feel.
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I'm not motivated to make decisions based solely on money, which may sound funny coming from someone in sales. Of course there are things that I make that I would like everyone to buy, but being motivated by money doesn't actually get you anywhere. There has to be substance behind what you're doing.
6. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE-MINDED VISIONARIES. One of my most cherished parts of my life, both personal and professional, is that I created a network of really good friends. They're all in beauty and fashion, they all support me, and I support them. They include celebrity stylists, hair and makeup people, brand ambassadors, fashion designers, etc. These women have their own vision, their own journey, and sometimes I feel they're the only ones who understand what my life is really like. We talk about issues, we give each other advice, and most importantly, we make each other laugh. Being a girl's girl has been a really important facet in my becoming a woman, becoming the brand, and becoming successful. It’s easier to support one another than to waste a lot of energy being negative. This is something I learned at Stuart.
7. STAY CURIOUS. I read a ton of books, even though I don't have a lot of personal time. I listen when clients talk to me and I listen to my staff. About eight years ago, I introduced a new technology for face treatments in my New York salon. Clients repeatedly told me they wanted this treatment all over the body. I researched the technology and discovered there was nothing in the marketplace like what they were asking for, so I designed it. I had it engineered, and now I own the patent. These are the simple things that I did to create my brand. My life now is endlessly creative. I develop new products all of the time. I have new locations. I get to work with amazing artists. But being successful or being good at something is not a secret. I don’t have a special sauce. You have to be your own most passionate supporter in life. You have to be your best friend. You have to have confidence in yourself, and you have to allow yourself to learn as you go along, and if you apply these things to your own careers–you will be incredibly successful.
Watch Joanna’s keynote at
stuartschool.org/2018keynotes
Support for the NATIONAL CENTER FOR GIRLS LEADERSHIP AT STUART Joanna Wilson Vargas ’88, esthetician, recognized skin care expert and founder of Joanna Vargas Salons and all-natural skin care collection, is one of the top celebrity facialists in the industry. Joanna and her husband, Cesar Vargas have made a commitment to the empowerment of women through their work as entrepreneurs in the beauty industry and as philanthropists here at Stuart. Joanna and Cesar have made a commitment in the amount of $20,000 to the National Center for Girls’ Leadership at Stuart to support and empower the next generation of female leaders through research, programming and development of an innovative curriculum. Their gift will support student leadership through training seminars to develop management and public speaking skills and faculty training in leadership teaching. Additionally, it will support the development of student events and conferences designed to train students to become the innovative chanagemakers and entrepreneurs of the future.
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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! s n o i t a l u t a r g n o C
STUART CLASS OF 2018
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Catherine Camille Biava Kendra Abena Birago Brenya Alexandra Bullen-Smith Alexandria Burgess Kerstin Deborah Carroll Yuyao Chen Sarah Yang Du Grace Karen Freundlich Tanya T. Grover Alexandra Hannah
Samantha Kate Johnson Brittney Monique Jones Michelle Asieduwaa Kwafo Kristen Marie Lamke Marisa Joyce Lewis Meiqi Lin Camryn Lynn McAuliffe Katherine Cronin McLaughlin Madeleine Claire Michaels Sonia Lakshmi Mohandas
Roshni Patel Vidhi Badal Patel Nina Sylvia Pemberton Rajitha Penaka Chloe Elizabeth Petraske Virginia Miller Plehn Yuchen Qin Dhymond Revan Sakshi Singh Denay Aren Smith
Jalynn Spaulding Zihui Tian Jenna Rose Nicole Venturi Viviana Isabel Vera Alison Clare Walsh Elle Gillian Wigder Junyao Xu Eloise Yang
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“You have been taught about strong values, what it is like to really work hard, and the importance of giving back. You are a part of a family—a community that will always be here for you. Stay connected to one another. Stay in touch with your roots. And make choices based upon the good that Stuart has taught you.”
Cynthia Blum Carroll
'74, P '18 | COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
“I hope the world is ready. We are ready to take on the adventure that lies before us.”
Alexandra Bullen-Smith SENIOR CLASS SPEAKER
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“The Class of 2018 is fierce, strong, and always entertaining ... We have grown by supporting each other through academics, arts, and athletics. We have grown through this high school adventure into capable adults.”
Roshni Patel
| CLASS PRESIDENT
99 people around the world watched graduation via live stream. 78.8% watched from the United States. Watch again at stuartschool.org/graduation STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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CL A SS O F 2 018
College
MATRICULATION THE CLASS OF 2018 IS ATTENDING THE FOLLOWING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: Barnard College (2)
New York University
University of California, San Diego
Boston University
Rider University
University of Miami
Colgate University
Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Notre Dame
College of William and Mary (2)
Rollins College
University of Pennsylvania
Drexel University (3)
Rutgers University
Vassar College
Eastman School of Music
Skidmore College
Virginia State University
Emory University
Smith College
Washington & Lee University
Fordham University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Wellesley College
George Washington University (2)
Syracuse University
Wesleyan University
Hofstra University
United States Coast Guard Academy
Widener University
Loyola Marymount University
University of California, Davis
Williams College
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SIX 84%
attending FIRST or second choice college
10%
WILL ATTEND A
WOMEN'S COLLEGE
26%
PURSUING
DEGREES IN
STEM
13% PURSUING
STUDIES IN THE
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Stuart Lifers top row left to right: Alexandria Burgess, Eloise Yang, Viviana Vera, Samantha Johnson, Katherine McLaughlin, Elle Wigder and Kristen Lamke. 32
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CL A SS O F 2 018
Awards
SENIOR
ALISON WALSH
Goal I Margherita Condell Award A personal and active faith in God
Alison exemplifies the respect, compassion, and spiritual faith that are at the center of the first Sacred Heart Goal. She demonstrated a sincerity and conviction in morning meeting prayers that inspired students and faculty of all faiths. Her dedicated work in Campus Ministry had always been inclusive, meaningful, and earnest. In the summer, with her fourth consecutive year participating in the Appalachian Service Project, she was a true representative of the Sacred Heart goals with her profound kindness and generosity.
KATHERINE MCLAUGHLIN Goal IV Alumnae Award The building of community as a Christian value
Kate is viewed by many as the embodiment of leadership, responsibility, and above all, community. Every step that she has taken in her 15 years at Stuart has brought our students together. As president of the Student Government and an accomplished peer leader, she has used her extraordinary talents to bring experiences to the student body that have strengthened relationships, built memories, and exemplified the fourth Sacred Heart Goal.
KERSTIN CARROLL
Goal II Janet Erskine Stuart Scholar Award A deep respect for intellectual values
This year’s Janet Erskine Stuart Scholar is renowned for her curiosity, intellectual passion, and sharp wit. She has tackled an exceptionally diverse range of subjects in her time at Stuart, even adding electives to her course load when they were not required. Her genuine zeal for learning and enthusiasm in class is inspiring and contagious.
MICHELLE KWAFO
Goal III RSCJ Service Award A social awareness that impels to action
Not content to serve alone, Michelle uses her enthusiastic spirit and kind heart to guide others to selflessness and generosity. She is the founder of the Intergenerational Club, which is responsible for many sophomore service hours each year. She is an active leader in her church community, a blessing minister at Stuart, and an example to all in her decision to serve her country at the Coast Guard Academy.
ROSHNI PATEL
Goal V Faculty Award Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom
The Goal Five Faculty Award is presented to a student whose time at Stuart has been a story of growth. In a recent discussion with underclassmen, she told of her doubts and fears as a freshman three years ago, unsure of her place in the Stuart community. Since then, she has grown into a calm, confident leader who is often seen assisting with projects in the MakerSpace, mentoring other students, or perhaps running a summer camp of her own design. Roshni is a leader, a teacher, and a role model. STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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ATHLETICS IN REVIEW
Year
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Stuart swimmers qualify for finals at MCT PHOTO CREDIT: Anita Chevres
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1 1. Grace Sheppard '19 named an unsung lax player by Trentonian. 2. Undefeated! Upper School Cross Country finishes perfect season 3. Varsity Tennis finishes big week with Prep-B, senior game and Pink Out. 4. Middle School Basketball seeded #1 in MCT 5. Middle School Tennis starts season strong with winning record. 6. Middle School Track opens season with strong results and many personal records.
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7 7. Varsity Lacrosse has exciting 12-5 win over Rutgers Prep. 8. Varsity Field Hockey defeats Hun with last-minute goal! 9. Grade 3/4 CYO Basketball team finishes in first place! 10. Middle School Tartans Lacrosse team beats Hun 41-1 in season opener. 11. Volleyball team celebrates seniors. 12. Middle School golf opens season with strong performance against coed team. 13. Breasia Williams named a Trentonian field hockey unsung player. 14. Solid week for JV tennis includes two wins on the road.
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THREE STATE CHAMPIONS: VARSITY BASKETBALL,
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019 INDOOR TRACK AND OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD EARN PREP B TITLES.
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Shelley Hearne '79 (Far left) with members of the 1979 and 2018 NJ State Championship basketball teams.
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AT H L E T I C S
THE CEO
Playbook
FOUR WAYS ATHLETES MAKE GOOD LEADERS
When Shelley Hearne ‘79 prepares to speak before an audience of thousands or is getting ready for a big event, she’s not focusing on the material before her. She’s getting into the zone, into game mode, just like she did as a kid on the bench during the 1979 season as a member of Stuart’s Athletics Hall of Fame championship basketball team.
94% OF WOMAN in "C-SUITE"
PLAYED SPORTS
Forty years after her underdog team defied the odds, that same energy and perseverance she and her teammates had on the court is palpable. Shelley has applied these strengths to pivotal moments spanning a career as managing director of the Pew Health Group of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a visiting professorship at Johns Hopkins University, and her current role as president of CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. “Getting ready really puts you in that mindset that you're just going to kill it,” says Hearne. That deep-seated drive is hard to translate in the workplace if you haven’t been through it yourself. “You gotta have it. That’s where in sports, you see the difference maker.”
Both Hearne and her teammate Chris Leahy '82, who was recently named chief executive officer at CDW, a provider of technology products and services for business, government and education, wholeheartedly believe that their experience as an athlete was instrumental in their career success. When asked to reflect on her leadership philosophy, Leahy says career achievement boils down to three things: “1. Hunger: the deep in the belly relentless energy and desire to always improve and be better; 2. Humility: the acknowledgment that none of us is perfect and no one can succeed alone; and 3. Honesty: knowing that relationships are built on trust and we owe each other the truth.”
In an effort to explore the role that sports has on the span of a professional woman’s life – from young girl to top executive – a study was conducted of 400 respondents over three years by Ernst & Young Women Athletics Business Network and espnW. Results showed that 94 percent of women in the so-called “C-suite” played sports and 74 percent said a background in sports can help accelerate a woman’s career.
We recognize the important benefits that athletics brings to all students. In keeping with Sacred Heart Goal 5: Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom, we know that participation in athletics helps to develop respect and concern for others, self-confidence, leadership skills, risktaking as essential to entrepreneurship, resilience, and a responsibility for life balance, health and well-being.
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AT H L E T I C S
Stuart’s mission is to prepare young women for lives of exceptional leadership, and our athletics program plays an important role in developing leaders. In a 2017 Athletics Strategic Plan Survey of parents and students, 100 percent believed fitness is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, and 95 percent of parents told us they believe athletics are an integral part of their daughters’ education. Since the Ernst & Young survey showed that 66 percent believe that athletes make excellent candidates for jobs because they’ve developed a strong work ethic, can be a team player, and have the determination to be a great employee, we know how critical it is to design an athletics program to have a lasting impact on our students. To gain insight into how leadership traits are being developed and nurtured at Stuart from Stuart, we spoke to Director of Athletics Justin Leith, who was head coach of the 2018 Prep B Championship Basketball Team; Head Track and Field Coach Len Kelpack, who celebrated Prep B championship wins for both the winter indoor and spring outdoor track and field seasons; and two scholar-athletes from the graduating Class of 2018.
MS Tartans open season with win over44rival PDS. STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
THE GIRLS’ SCHOOL ADVANTAGE According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, by the age of 14, girls are dropping out of sports at two times the rate of boys. Why? For one thing, girls have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than boys. But at Stuart, everyone is encouraged to participate and has a chance to shine. “At an all-girls’ school, you never play second fiddle to a boys' team,” notes Coach Leith. “With your talents and your leadership, the light shines on you.” The same is true across the board here at Stuart: Leaders in the classroom, and in the arts, in student government are all girls. Recent alumnae return to campus and tell us that attending an all-girls' school not only made them more confident in a co-ed environment but also made them feel they could pursue a leadership role having only seen females in those positions during their years here. This feedback from our own community supports a survey by The Girls’ School Experience of single-sex schools in 2016
MOMENTS LIKE “SECURING A CONTRACT AND HAVING A GOOD QUARTER,” LEAHY SAYS, ”IGNITE THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT AND DRIVE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY HELPFUL IN THE CORPORATE SETTING.” − CHRIS LEAHY '82
where 93 percent of girls' school graduates say they were offered greater leadership opportunities than peers at co-ed schools, and 80 percent have held leadership positions since graduating from high school.
mark 50 years of coaching this year, echoed Leith’s coaching philosophy, adding, “Track and field offers lessons students use for all life situations: planning, rest, good eating habits, awareness of others, appreciation of hard work, how to enjoy the efforts of others, and most importantly, how to handle fear of failure and the positive quality of perseverance.”
A FOCUS ON THE WORK Coach Leith leads every practice with and requires all players to memorize a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that includes the lines, “The credit belongs to the [wo]man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.” For Leith, this quote encapsulates his mission as a head coach and director of athletics. The athletics program at Stuart was designed to work in harmony with the academic curriculum and the idea of growth mindset where talents and abilities develop over time through good effort, teaching and persistence, and that everyone can get smarter if they work at it. While winning is good and ultimately the goal of each game, “The work is the important thing,” says Leith. “What they’re doing in practice, the effort that I’m asking to give over the course of practice, is applicable to everything in life.” More than winning and playing, lessons learned and skills developed are paramount to our athletics program. Len Klepack, who has been a coach at Stuart for 10 years and will
PLAYING WELL WITH OTHERS “As an executive you need to be driven, disciplined, a team player, competitive, and be able to bring out the best in others (just to name a few),” says Leahy. “These are all attributes that sports can play an instrumental role in developing.” When asked how her experience as a Stuart athlete shaped her life, Jalynn Spaulding ’18, who scored her 1,000th basket in 2017 and is now playing at Virginia State, noted that her time on the court strengthened her interpersonal skills. “We are big on thinking about the team more than ourselves,” commented Spaulding. “Playing taught me skills that I will use for the rest my life. It taught me how to deal with different types of people and how to work together.” Being a teamplayer is one of those buzzwords that job candidates think employers want to hear, but unless you have been there and had those team experiences, it’s not always the case, says Hearne. “When you have someone who has been there and really pushed themselves, you see it in a work environment.”
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AT H L E T I C S
PERSEVERING THROUGH “HURDLES” WITH CONFIDENCE Athletes are constantly faced with overcoming challenges and setbacks, and their ability to persevere though failure is an attractive and employable skill. The Ernst & Young study references the book The Confidence Code, in which co-author Claire Shipman says that the experience of failure is actually advantageous for athletes. “Playing competitive sports embodies the experience not just of winning, but the experience of losing. The losing is almost as critical. When you’re playing sports and you do badly, you have no choice but to pick yourself up and carry on. That process really builds confidence. It’s an incredibly useful proving ground for business and leadership.” When asked how her participation on the track team had influence on her life, Alison Walsh ’18
Senior Alison Walsh took first place in the high jump at Prep B Finals to help cap off varsity track and field's championship season. STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019 46
explained how Coach Klepack inspired a reverence for her platform as team captain, which gave her strength to power through stressful moments like the college application process. “As a high jumper and a team captain, I was expected to have poise and to prepare. Coach Klepack did not want me to brag, get too nervous, or be a bad sport. He solely wanted me to prepare as much as I could so that I was a confident, yet humble, competitor during meets. This expectation helped me stay steady in and out of competition.”
PASSION-DRIVEN PERFORMANCE Both Alumnae Hearne and Leahy have found that the innate skills and traits that come with being an athlete or anyone who has been through a competitive experience - stand out among leaders in the workplace. Moments like “securing a contract and having a good quarter,” Leahy
says,” ignite the competitive spirit and drive that are absolutely helpful in the corporate setting.” The same is true for those who have heart, and that is how the 1979 team came together to defy the odds and win the championship. “I have been able to compete at completely different levels because of heart,” reflects Hearne, “and it’s the same thing in my career.” And when Hearne came back to campus for Alumnae Weekend in 2018, she could see that same passion in the members of the 2017-2018 championship varsity basketball team. “You could see it, you could feel it. There's a different strut in your step. There's a different level of confidence that you're going to walk with in the world.”
“AT AN ALL-GIRLS SCHOOL, YOU NEVER PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO A BOYS TEAM,” NOTES COACH LEITH. “WITH YOUR TALENTS AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, THE LIGHT SHINES ON YOU.” − JUSTIN LEITH
Senior Jalynn Spaulding joins alumnae Kathryn Kitts '06 and Diamond Lewis '10 in Stuart's 1,000 Point Club.
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AT H L E T I C S
ATHLETICS HALL OF
Fame
COACH THOMAS HARRINGTON
"It was not about winning a season, it was about building a season. We started from nowhere and now we're here."
first sighting
the very beginning. In 1961, even before the school was built, our Founding Mothers were touring the property with land owner Lady
1961
THE STUART DEER The deer has had a connection to Stuart from
Coach Harrington began his tenure at Stuart in fall 1996, when he started the Stuart cross country program for Middle School. The 1998 season was the first for the Stuart varsity team, which won the Patriot Conference championship on its way to seven consecutive Patriot Conference championships. Coach Harrington was a patient, encouraging coach who knew each of his athletes well and led his teams to much success: Middle School cross country went 60-0 against other girls' teams; varsity cross country won seven Patriot Conference championships and six Prep-B State championships; and varsity track garnered three Patriot Conference championships and three Prep-B State championships.
Two young doe came down to the stream for a drink. Lady Maria Monck understood this as a symbol from St. Francis guiding with the school's location.
the stream as a child with her mother and watching two young doe come down to the stream's edge for a drink of water.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. – Psalm 42:1
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1966
Maria Monck, who spoke of walking along
The Stuart Ring designed by Christy Love Sadron ’66 – the ring is distinct in that it features a deer drinking from water.
STUART RING
HONORING EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS AND LEADERSHIP The Athletics Hall of Fame honors those in our Stuart community who have made a significant achievement in their sport and who exemplify the principles of sportsmanship and those in the goals and criteria of Sacred Heart Schools.
LAUREN MORFORD ’03
athleticS logo
Stuart Alumnae Association illustration of the doe drinking by Debbie Endersby Gwazda ‘67.
The Stuie athletics logo was born and can now be seen on our branded athletics gear, worn proudly by athletes, supporters and coaches alike.
2018
alumnae logo
2011
1967
Lauren Morford ’03 was a two-time Mercer County Swimming championship finalist while in high school at Stuart, before our school had a swim team. She was a fouryear varsity swimmer at Columbia University where she was team MVP in 2004 and 2007 and captain senior year. Lauren was the 2004 Ivy League champion in the 1000-yard freestyle, a nine-time Ivy League finalist, and the 2006 recipient of the Tina Steck Award for having the greatest impact both in and out of the pool. Lauren swam in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials and the 2009 and 2011 U.S. World Championship Trials for the 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle.
The first Stuie mascot appearance was at a varsity lacrosse game.
Stuie the mascot
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CAMPUS 50 50
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Life
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CAMPUS LIFE
Reflections:
a black her-story program In a moving celebration of Black History Month, young women at Stuart in the Upper School Black Student Union and Middle School presented Reflections: A Black Her-Story Program. Reflections puts the spotlight on important eras, moments, and movements within black history dating back to Africa pre-slavery to present time. Through song, dance, music, poetry, visual images and dramatic performances, students put a spotlight on the triumphs and struggles of black women and girls. This production was written and directed by Middle School English Teacher Naimah Beyah and presented with the support of Stuart's Black Her-Story Planning Committee.
Watch the video of the production at www.stuartschool.org/reflectionslive
NAIMAH BEYAH | A Teacher Determined to Inspire Naimah Beyah is a native Trentonian and self-proclaimed Washingtonian. After studying English arts at Hampton University, Naimah began her career in education as a research analyst for the State Education Office of the District of Columbia. Pursuing her desires to be on “education’s front lines” and to share her love for drama and literature, Naimah eventually ventured into the classroom. Her teaching career began in Prince George’s County public schools, followed by Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science in Washington, DC. Upon relocating back to New Jersey, Naimah
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taught at Christina Seix Academy in Trenton. She joined the Stuart faculty in 2017 as a Middle School English teacher. With over 12 years of teaching experience, Naimah consistently challenges our girls to think critically, write thoughtfully and speak confidently. Naimah is a devoted mother to her beautiful daughter, Naila Gabrielle. When not in the classroom, she is Naila’s full-time chauffeur. In her free time, Naimah enjoys acting and writing. She is currently planning Her-Story II and recently starred in Kelsey Theatre’s production of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.
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1. Middle School students gain confidence, knowledge and leadership skills at Model UN. 2. LS Invention Convention today–tomorrow Shark Tank? 3. All School Art Exhibit showcases students' talents and intellectual interests. 4. 8th graders connect with the history of our country and each other on signature trip to Washington, D.C. 5. Sixth graders test Stuart Stream health. 6. Third grade students share knowledge of fractions with entire Lower School. 7. Farm folktales connect to 1st grade studies in literacy, social studies and STEM 8. Students connect in-class learning with real-world science at Sandy Hook Estuary. 9. 6th graders collaborate with students from PASH and Bahrain to solve global water challenges. 10. Africa Day in the Lower School: An Immersive Experience. 11. The 8th grade debates took place on April 13, 2018.
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CAMPUS LIFE
FIRST
Secondton
COMMUNITY BY HEIDI ECHTERNACHT, SECOND GRADE TEACHER he second grade social studies T curriculum focuses on expanding circles of community in order to learn the basics of geography and civics. We did this through the following approach: INTERVIEWS AND PORTRAITS: We started by doing in-class interviewsand drawing portraits of our friends.Then we interviewedpeople who worked at S tuart, from Mr. Tony to Mr. Leith to Dr. Fagin. We wrote up their interviews and drew their portraits in art class for a community art show hosted outside the Second grade classroom. Next, we expanded into Princeton and toured the town, interviewing a chef at Conte's, firefighters, librarians, Mrs. Vera at Princeton University and Mayor Lempert. We then had an art show in at Princeton Library featuring our community interviews and portraits. We also learned about the history of the town, taking a tour with Eve from the Princeton Historical Society and Mr. Fagin, who taught us about Albert Einstein.
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PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AND INTEGRATED CURRICULUM: As a result of our tour, the classdecided to invent atown they called "Secondton." They wanted to have stores, use money and hold court to solve problems, so we did! The girls took charge and independently started various businesses, including an Origami Shop, Stuie Stretch Out, Tea Shop, Mall and Chocolate Shop. They had a working bank, post office and court system. They wanted to pay taxes, so we applied the work we were doing with subtraction and addition in math. We were going to have an election for mayor, but they decided against it in case feelings got hurt. I t was a tremendously successful and powerful student-led projectthat we carried through the remainder of the year. "This isn't play, Ms. Echternacht, it's real." And it was!
RESEARCH, WRITING AND PUBLISHING: To expand our w ork to the state, national and global levels, we started our own newspaper we called the "Tulip Thymes" (our two class
MEET HEIDI ECHTERNACHT GRADE 2 TEACHER Heidi Echternacht is a second grade teacher and has taught at Stuart since 1991. She has enjoyed various teaching positions throughout the years and loves every minute of inventing new learning adventures together with her students. Her goal is to have every child love learning and to challenge each of them to try new things, to work hard, be a good friend and to enjoy the journey of learning and life.
names put together). We w rote about topics ranging from biographies of people in the NJ Hall of Fame to national news about the Women's March. We reported world news, information through covering the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. We had subscribers and delivery routes that were entirely coordinated by students. We charged $0.10 for a subscription and a penny per paper. We put out a paper twice a week for six weeks.
Finally, w e talked about the structure of the US government. We each presented a math case in court to try to prove beyond a reasonable doubt and show our thinking. The Math Department at Stuart served as judges! We also congressed together to talk about issues that were important to the girls, working to get enough signatures to bring a bill about summer uniforms to Mrs. Dowling in the Executive Branch.
We concluded this unit by researching a state for the USA State Fair, which showcased each girl's reading, writing and research. Each girl had to research the history, economics and politics of her state, writing to that state's senator about an issue she felt passionate about. We presented our work at the, "State Fair," which included a performance at the "WUSA Radio Studios," with our work presented at the Poster Pavilion.
Last, e ach Second gradegirl wrote afive paragraph essay on community, citizenship and Democracy. We took bits of each girl's essay to be read in front of the Lower School at Prize Day. Their essays were absolutely incredible and showed a depth of knowledge and understanding generally not expected from seven and eight year olds. They worked so hard on these showcase pieces and took such pride in their work. Thank you to all who helped make this project so successful!
Heidi founded an online international teaching network in 2010 and has been featured in Forbes, various educational books and publications, and most recently The New York Times. She lives in a treehouse with her two cats, and she loves to read, take photographs and go out with her friends.
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1 STUART GIRLS PLAY A ROLE IN THE UPCOMING FEATURE FILM LORD OF THE FLIES (GIRL VERSION!) You may have heard that Warner Bros. is working on a remake of the film Lord of the Flies, based on William Golding's classic novel, with an all-girl cast. Quite a unique relationship developed between the film's writer/directors David Siegel and Scott McGehee, and Stuart. Our girls helped them with research for script development, and Scott and David shared their vast professional experience and knowledge with our students. The pair spent time with fourth grade and seventh grade classes, and they returned to campus to share their work as filmmakers with students in Jan Baldwin's Upper School film class.
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1. Thirty+ year tradition of providing warm meals, coats, and more for guests at Loaves and Fishes. 2. Afternoon of Make unites all grades through creativity and innovation. 3. Fourth graders explore leadership in #LeadLikeA4thGrader workshops. 4. Juniors honored with prestigious university awards: Tina Zhang, The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) Medal; Grace Sheppard, The Smith Book Award; and Mira Marlink, The Yale Book Award. 5. Celebrating the Chinese New Year and the diversity of our community. 6. The Stuart community hails from 54 countries, celebrated at our Flag Ceremony. 7. Visiting Author Firoozeh Dumas, Iranian-American memoirist and novelist, spends the day with Stuart students and faculty. 8. LS students share the warmth on Goal 3 Day. 9. 8th Grade musical Shrek, Jr. 10. EC boys and girls share ''happy hearts'' on Goal 3 Day. 11. Students use the power of their voices during the National School Walkout and voter registration. 12. Tartantones earn Gold rating at WorldStrides Festival in Montreal. STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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CAMPUS LIFE
STRONG WOMEN WHO DO THINGS
Amazing
FI RS T N AT IO NS T R I P | BY VI VI A NA V E R A '18 In my senior year at Stuart, I was able to go on one of the most amazing trips of my life. I am grateful that the First Nations Immersion trip was one of my last memories as a student at Stuart. I felt that the whole process of preparing and going on the trip reinforced all of the values that I learned as a lifer at Stuart. Preparing for the trip, we read articles and had discussions relating to the Navajo Nation or First Nations in general. We left home with a knowledge and an appreciation for whom we were going to visit. After two flights, a three-hour car ride and months of excited anticipation, we arrived at Tohatchi, the town in the Navajo Nation that we would call home for the next seven days. Our immersion into the Navajo culture began as soon as we placed our bags in our Hogan (a house made in traditional Navajo construction) with Sister Pat, who organized what we did every day, introducing us to our first taste of the Navajo spiritual connection to the land. She asked us to meet her outside to be “introduced to the land.” Our group stood outside our hogan while she explained to us a ritual in which she was connecting us to the land and Mother Earth. She asked us to turn to each direction, north, south, east, and west. If we had not already thought so, we knew this trip would be more
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than we expected. We came to appreciate the importance of the land and Mother Earth to the Navajo. Later that day we were able to meet members of the community when we helped run the church's bingo night. Between handing out cards, distributing the prizes, and working the concession stand, many of us were able to have genuine conversations with a group of people we did not know. They were open to us and shared stories of their families and themselves. Our group had another unexpected experience with the land on our first morning. We woke up to find blizzard-like conditions outside when a sweatshirt had been enough to stay warm the previous day. The church that we attended, as well as worked in, was another incredible part of our experience. It had a beautiful mural against the back wall, which depicted Jesus in the dry land that stretched throughout the Navajo Nation. This made a particular impression on me since I always take note of depictions of Jesus when I visit different places. When I go to churches in areas different from my own, the depiction of Jesus tends to be a reflection of the people who attend the church in the area. It was the same here, as
I saw the strong connection with Mother Earth, which is predominant in traditional Navajo spirituality and culture. The painting of Jesus was a reflection of the culture as he was painted with features that made him look like he was a member of the Navajo Nation. During our visit, the majority of our time was spent doing odd jobs like cleaning or tearing up a carpet on the church’s property. Additionally, our group visited residents who had difficulty leaving their homes. We delivered groceries and gave a listening ear for those who didn’t often have visitors. Our group split up and went on these home visits on different days. My group met a woman who had been sustaining her farm of goats and sheep on her own. After she welcomed us into her home, she spoke to us about her family and her farm. Later, we helped her do a few errands around the farm. We were amazed by her strength when she opened the gate that corralled her animals (it took three of us Upper Schoolers to open the gate, but she could do it by herself)! We only grew more amazed when we struggled to do tasks like lifting the buckets of water or feed, tasks she did on her own.
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"THE WHOLE PROCESS OF PREPARING AND GOING ON THE TRIP REINFORCED ALL OF THE VALUES THAT I LEARNED AS A LIFER AT STUART." –VIVIANA VERA '18
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CAMPUS LIFE Being with this woman was one of the ways in which I appreciated the values Stuart has taught me. During our entire trip, we were surrounded by strong women who did amazing things: Sister Pat, who kept the grounds where we were staying, the woman who ran the soup kitchen where we worked, the woman who led us in meditation during our sweat and this strong woman, who kept her own farm. In the middle of our trip, we drove away from Tohatchi to Canyon De Chelly. This canyon had historical significance to the Navajo culture, and there were multiple formations surrounding the canyon that we visited including spider rock and window rock. As we hiked down the canyon, many of us increased our connection with Mother Earth as we placed our feet down on sides of the canyon that were just big enough to hold our feet. Our group took a break at the middle of the trek, for which I am forever grateful because it allowed us to be fully present in the moment. On our last full day in Tohatchi, we did a traditional Navajo sweat. This was an unbelievably wonderful experience for all involved as none of us had experienced a form of meditation like that before. I can’t say much else about group experience in the sweat because while we all went in together as a group; we each experienced it individually. Something I noted throughout the conversations many of us
had with the residents was that alcoholism was a problem in the area. Many people had stories of losing loved ones to alcoholism or a drunk driver. While this was a concern that I was already aware of, there were many more things I learned that I did not know. One was that power lines run through various parts of the Navajo nation, yet the residents do not benefit at all. The power company that controls the lines does not distribute any electricity to the residents even though power lines go through their land. Even worse than that was the fact that residents of the Navajo nation were not allowed to have a U.S. postal address. If they wanted anything delivered to them, they needed to buy a P.O. Box. This led me to question "How could that affect the power of a Navajo Nations resident’s vote?" To register to vote, you have to provide an address for the voter registration form; therefore to vote in the Navajo nation would you have to buy a P.O. box, then register to vote? Additionally, how did topics like gerrymandering play into effect with issues like this? When thinking about this during the trip, I was thankful that I was raised in a community like Stuart where Goal III, a social awareness that impels to action, is present in both the students and the faculty. I am just a student now, but I hope that what I learned here and what I do in the future will impel me to work toward making things better for all of humanity.
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Alumnae return for the Ring Ceremony, a time-honored Stuart tradition.
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LETTER FROM THE ALUMNAE BOARD PRESIDENT Veronica Maxwell Robinson ’94
I am so honored to be embarking on my second year as Alumnae Board President, surrounded by so many great women who share their time and talents in service to the Stuart Alumnae Association. While I cherish all the time-honored traditions we celebrate each year, such as the Ring Ceremony and Little Christmas, I also love the ideas, energy and enthusiasm conveyed by the Alumnae Board to develop and implement new initiatives. Only because of the time, work and dedication of our volunteers, we were pleased to be able to send birthday cards this year to many (although not all ... yet) of our over 1,500 alumnae. Additionally, we were happy to host three regional events for alumnae in Boston, NYC, and DC. Again, with the help of many volunteers, we were able to reach 19 percent alumnae participation in The Stuart Fund, with a record number of alumnae donors. THANK YOU!
participation in communicating with us throughout the year. We hope to make many phone calls, send emails and notes, re-engage class representatives (secretaries), and administer a comprehensive alumnae survey. We hope that by knowing you better we can be more effective in our communication with you. Stuart is an amazing place, providing a transformative education to young women in a world where we need people to stand up for what is right and hold steadfast to their values. I hope to see many of you back at Stuart or at regional events throughout the year. Save the date for Alumnae Weekend 2019 - May 3-4! Sincerely, Veronica Maxwell Robinson ’94
Alumnae were featured many times at Stuart this year, including the Women in Leadership Speaker, Alumnae Career Lunches for Middle and Upper School, Women We Admire Day, #LEADLIKEAGIRL Conference, our 2018 Commencement speaker, and of course the 2018 Alumnae Weekend. We look forward to welcoming even more alumnae back to Stuart during the 2018-19 year through these same—and some new events! One of our goals for this year is to get to know our alumnae even better. We ask for your support and
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3 1. Alumnae in New England gather at the home of Jennifer Priory Figge ’90 to catch up with Coach Missy Bruvik and each other. 2. Brenaea Fairchild '12 and Dominique Rice '08 at Alumnae Weekend. 3. Recent graduates reconnect at Stuart Little Christmas. 4. Alumnae return to campus for Alumnae Career Lunches and the #LEADLIKEAGIRL conference. 5. Melissa Baggitt Scott '75 (center), with daughters Caroline '14 (left) and Abigail (right), was recognized for her pro bono work with an Equal Justice Medal from Legal Services of New Jersey.
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LEADING WITH IN SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY
Heart
For MAYA KUANG ‘15, an interest in serving others didn’t end after leaving Stuart’s green brick hallways. When Maya returned to campus for Little Christmas earlier this year, she shared how her years at Stuart strengthened her desire to serve her country at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Excerpted from an interview with Maya. Watch the full interview at
stuartschool.org/mayakuang
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At West Point, Maya Kuang '15 leads the pack.
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WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A CAREER IN THE ARMY? The reason I choose to pursue a career in the armed forces was really rooted in the idea of serving. The idea was ingrained in me since I came to Stuart in Middle School with the motto “think, lead, change" — the idea that we're all individuals, but, like the green brick walls, we're all connected in this idea of coming together and helping the community in some way. Our educators, our instructors, everyone [at Stuart] is making us a better person: they're enriching, inspiring, and educating us. I wanted to be able to use what they taught me, and not just take it all in, but also give it back. I had been given this opportunity, this amazing time here, to be able to learn so much and to really think about what it meant to be a citizen, to be like a steward of the Earth. That is the reason I decided to continue along this path of serving. It's not going to stop in Middle School and high school. It has to end eventually, only when I've really done something for my country and this community. That's why I decided to go to West Point and continue to be able to serve my community.
WHAT IS IT LIKE GOING FROM AN ALL-GIRLS ENVIRONMENT TO A PRIMARILY MALE INSTITUTION LIKE WEST POINT? People at West Point have asked me if there have been any extreme differences from going to an all-girls school to a predominantly male school. For me, I feel like it's very normal when I say that I actually feel like going to an allgirls school makes it feel less different, because [at Stuart] we're all challenged to speak up. When we have something to say, we say it. This is how Stuart has educated or fostered this voice in all of us.
WHAT IS LIFE FOR YOUR LIKE AT WEST POINT? At West Point, it's a lot about academics, military service, and physical ability. These three branches are all very important in our everyday lives. I think that's something that really suits me because I'm very scholarly, but at the same time, I also want to be able to pursue leadership and service with my academic work. At Stuart, we were able to branch out and develop our own interests. For example, I went on the Appalachia Service Project during the summer and got to see what service was all about and what building
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up a community was about. That's something that really fits into the idea of being not only so predominately academic but also being a service-oriented scholar. And then with the physical aspects that I have to deal with, there are combatives like fighting, survival swimming, and classes that are all very rough. I had ACL surgery, so I had to be able to toughen up and kind of get through it. I had to go through such a physically demanding environment, but I had to somehow balance everything. I love academics, but you realize that there's more to it than that. That's something that Stuart has really shown me: how to choose my academics in a way to benefit others too.
AT STUART YOU WERE QUITE THE ARTIST. ARE YOU STILL PURSUING ART? I'd say that I’m pursuing it in a different way because when I'm there, it's very rigorous. I don't really have much time to sit and ponder about art anymore or really create anything specifically to do with art. I do think that art has really kind of bridged or made me find my kind of niche there. I'm a life science major, and there's a lot of visualization in science. They're all really very connected fields.
”GOING TO AN ALL-GIRLS SCHOOL MAKES IT FEEL LESS DIFFERENT, BECAUSE [AT STUART] WE'RE ALL CHALLENGED TO SPEAK UP. WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, WE SAY IT.“ – MAYA KUANG '15
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Weekend
On May 4-5, 2018, we gathered to celebrate the classes of ‘68, ‘73, ‘78, ‘83, ‘88, ‘93, ‘98, ‘03, ‘08 and ‘13. Among the many highlights of the weekend, the Class of 1973 was awarded both the “Big Bucks” Bowl and the Participation Trophy for their support of The Stuart Fund, earning them breakfast at Lainie's House, Dr. Patty Fagin’s home, with the 50th reunion class. The Kerney Cup for highest percentage of class attendance at Alumnae Weekend was awarded to the 10th reunion Class of 2008. Congratulations! We kicked off the weekend with a reception for alumnae
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Class of 2008 with their Kerney Cup for highest percentage of class attendance at Alumnae Weekend!
CELEBRATING 55 YEARS OF POWERFUL WOMEN and their parents at the Palmer House in Princeton. It was a lovely evening as Stuart community members connected with each other and so many friends from the past. We hope to see many more “Mums of Alums” and “Dads of Grads” at our 2019 reception! Saturday was filled with memories, celebrations and awards, beginning with the Prayer Service and Memorial Window Dedication, continuing with opportunities guided by some of our favorite present and past faculty, before we gathered for our Awards Luncheon in Millie’s Garden (Lower School). Our events at Stuart concluded with the Athletics Hall of Fame Induction and cheering for the Stuart lacrosse team before reunion classes went their separate ways to enjoy some more time together.
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8 1. A large group gathered for the poetry reading and reflection with Nancy Light and Sally Branon. 2. Lorena Sayer O’Brien ’88 with her mother, Ruth Sayer. 3. Anne-Sybil Bragadir ’98 who traveled in from Paris to celebrate her 20th reunion, pictured with her mother, Micky Weyeneth, who still resides in Princeton. 4. Members of the 50th reunion class of 1968. 5. Alumnae Awards luncheon with Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Lauren Morford ’03, her family, friends and classmates. 6. Weezie Morse ’67, with leaders of the poetry reflection, former faculty members Sally Branon and Nancy Light. 7. Sheila Kelly Bauer ’88 and her father, Ed Kelly enjoyed reconnecting with Stacy Emerick Heller ’88 and her mother, Joan Heller. 8. Athletics Hall of Fame inductees Coach Thomas Harrington and Lauren Morford ’03, with Dr. Patty Fagin, Head of School, and Athletics Director Justin Leith. 9. Millie Harford, founding mother and former parent and grandparent, with Ami Bavishi ’03 (left) and Sally Branon (right), former faculty and parent. STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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Ellen Susman '68
Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award Established to honor the memory of Barbara Boggs Sigmund, a former Stuart teacher and public servant, the purpose of this award is to highlight the achievement of a Stuart alumna and to demonstrate the relevance and merit of a Sacred Heart education in the contemporary world. Criteria for the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award require that a candidate demonstrate a commitment in her life to the Sacred Heart values of: A social awareness which impels to action, A critical sense which has led to reflection in our society and its values, and A profound commitment to the improvement of the human condition in the world. The Stuart Alumnae Association proudly presented the 2018 Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award to Ellen Susman, Stuart Class of 1968. Ellen’s early career as a television journalist honed her talents as a reporter. She later put those skills to use, producing an award-winning television show focusing on work-life balance. After the death of her sister Carol Spencer Mitchell, who also attended Stuart, Ellen edited and published Danger Pay, a memoir based on Carol’s journals as a photojournalist in the Middle East. Ellen’s passion for art, theater, media, healthcare and women’s issues have led her to do meaningful work in each of those communities—not only throughout the United States but around the world. She served for three years as the director of the US Department of State Art in Embassies Program, a public–private partnership of American and international artists, collectors, galleries, foundations, museums and Ellen Susman poses with Steve Sigmund, Barbara Boggs Sigmund's son, who presented the award in memory of his mother. 72
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universities. She is currently active on many nonprofit boards and is president of the Susman Foundation, which supports a national progressive agenda in the areas of justice, the environment, and media. Ellen Susman ’68 was one of the earliest graduates of Stuart and took advantage of every opportunity to create connection and community while she was here. Ellen found Stuart to be a welcoming environment for her boundless creativity. Her initiatives to implement a school store and establish the school’s first yearbook united the students in new and meaningful ways. She credits Stuart and its inspiring female faculty for encouraging her curiosity and giving her permission to be fearless and to try anything— lessons she carries with her to this day.
”ELLEN HAS USED HER SKILLS IN SO, SO MANY WAYS ... TO DO THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER–ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND WORKLIFE BALANCE, WHICH I CONSIDER TO BE THE WOMEN'S ISSUE OF OUR TIME.” – COKIE ROBERTS | ABC News and NPR Reporter, Barbara Boggs Sigmund's sister
Watch Cokie Roberts' congratulatory video at stuartschool.org/ellen-susman
Save The Date! CALLING ALL CLASSES ENDING IN 4 OR 9 − AND THEIR PARENTS!
We want you back! Please make plans to return to Princeton on May 3-4, 2019, for
ALUMNAE WEEKEND – MAY 3 & 4, 2019 Friday, May 3: Alumnae and Parent Reception Saturday, May 4: Alumnae Day at Stuart, including a Prayer Service,
the Awards Luncheon, and the Athletics Hall of Fame Induction; Class Dinners off-campus Please nominate your classmates and friends for the honors we will be presenting that day, Alumnae Gallery & Athletics Hall of Fame, at: www.stuartschool.org/nominate-alumnae. If you are interested in helping to plan the day for your class, please contact Alicia at awalker@stuartschool.org. STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019
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GALLERY
Highlights
Stuart's Alumnae Gallery highlights graduates whose work exemplifies the Sacred Heart Goals and characteristics outlined in Stuart's Portrait of a Graduate. Featured alumnae have been peer-nominated and are selected by the Alumnae Association Board. The gallery is located just outside the office of the Head of School and includes the Barbara Boggs Sigmund award.
Top: Elizabeth Conte ’73 Bottom Left: Catherine McKee van Kampen, Esq. ’84 Bottom Right: Joanna Wilson Vargas ’88
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ELIZABETH CONTE '73
Following her graduation from Stuart, Elizabeth Conte set on the path to become an independent woman focused on caring for others. Elizabeth fixed her studies in psychology and prepared to become a teacher. During this time, her passion for helping those who were having the most difficulty grew leading to her pursuit of an education and career in vocational rehabilitation. Her career has directly reflected lessons learned at Stuart: respect and acceptance of others, regardless of their life conditions. She was also inspired by the progressive nuns at Stuart to speak up when change is needed. Beth has served others through her work at NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for over 30 years. The spirit of Stuart guides her today as it did in the first steps of her journey—faith, love, learning and commitment/service to others create a life worth living.
CATHERINE MCKEE VAN KAMPEN, ESQ. '84 was a leader throughout her years at Stuart and became an award-winning marketing and advertising professional as the vice president of a global advertising agency. While continuing this work and raising her children, Catherine completed her law degree and then left her media career to focus on her legal interests—practicing at a prestigious international securities firm as a team leader, litigating complex fraud cases. Catherine credits Stuart for putting her on a trajectory that largely determined her adult life and equipped her with the intellectual and leadership tools that help navigate the world and workplace. Passionate about her volunteer work, she serves on nonprofit boards and works with organizations helping to alleviate the human suffering of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. Catherine points to three transformational aspects of a Stuart education: the development of the whole girl leads to a better world; the safe space Stuart provides for intellectual and spiritual development; and community service, resulting in the betterment of society. Catherine McKee van Kampen, Esq. ’84 was awarded the 2018 Ambassador Medal at the New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Awards for Outstanding Public Service for her international humanitarian and pro bono work with refugees. The Jefferson Awards, issued by the Jefferson Awards Foundation (founded by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and awarded annually by state governors to exceptional volunteers) are considered America’s highest honor for public service and volunteerism bestowed upon civilians by the United States Senate.
JOANNA WILSON VARGAS '88 After graduating from Stuart,
Joanna completed a specialty program in the humanities at the University of Chicago, focusing on women’s studies, photography, and African American studies. She then moved to New York, spending time in the fashion photography industry, before realizing her true passion for helping women feel confident in their own skin. After some time working in the beauty industry, Joanna became an entrepreneur, opening her first salon. Now with countless celebrities and others who have placed their trust in her, over 50 employees on two coasts, and an array of skincare products sold in retail outlets, Joanna largely credits her time at Stuart for giving her the confidence in herself to forge a new path and not be afraid. Being true to yourself and always maintaining your own personal code of ethics are things Joanna learned at Stuart that are present today in everything she does.
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MARRIAGES
and BIRTHS 1
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1. Aishwarya Rajagopalan ’09, married Prashanth Sadasivan (her junior and senior prom date) on June 1, 2017, in Chennai, India, surrounded by family and friends. Of course, Georgia Pierce ’09 served as a bridesmaid. 2. Roxana Amirahmadi ’09 was married on April 6, 2018, to Julian Botta, in Baltimore, Maryland. 3. Brittany Jones '04, married Stanley Onyimbaon June 16, 2018, in San Francisco, CA. 4. Elizabeth Butterfield '00 welcomed a son into the world - Griffin Fields McKendrick in November 2017. Also, Stuart alums Kate Morford Wellschlager ’00 and Nat Bragadir Thurman ’00 both welcomed their 2nd! 5. Cassandra Haddock ’99 welcomed baby boy Austin John McGuan on February, 17, 2018. 6. Megan (Collier) Reilly ’96 and her husband, Mike, welcomed their fourth child, Caroline Grace, on June 8, 2017. Caroline joins proud big brothers John (Jack, 10), Danny (8), and Matty (4.5). 7. Sarah Driscoll Kuchar ’01 and her family welcomed Elliot 'Ellie' Julia Kuchar on November 16, 2017, at Princeton Hospital. Big sister Caroline turned 3 in June! 8. Rebekah Martin Kelly ’06 announced the arrival of Edie McClain Kelly, born August 6, 2017. 9. Allison Keves ’01 married Jonathan Ellis on December 9, 2017, at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Jamie Statter '02 officiated the wedding, and Nadia Taha '02 read a poem during the ceremony. 76
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10. Kelly Fitzpatrick ’04, married Christine Cingari at Winvian Farm in Connecticut. The photo includes Kelly’s sister Megan ’07, and her brother John, PASH '08/L’ville '12. 11. Allison Posta ’06 and Andrew Lange were married on May 26, 2018, at the Family of God Lutheran Church in Buckingham, PA. 12. Jennifer Liu ’12 married Mike Strandberg on August 18, 2018, on Nantucket Island. 13. Kaitlin McCarthy McNamara ’06 and her husband, Ryan welcomed their first child, Olivia, on December 30, 2017. 14. Maria Keeler ’96 and her husband, Bill, welcomed their second child, James, this past May, joining big sister Ava. 15. Elizabeth Bohnett ’99 and her husband, Sam Ray Choudhury, welcomed their first child, Neil Ray Choudhury, on June 7. 16. Pam Long Niederer ’03 and her husband, Brady, welcomed their twin bundles of joy, Charles and Thomas, on November 9, 2016. 17. Zoelene Hill ’00 and husband Squire joyfully welcomed their daughter Sydney Hill Servance in June. 18. Lindsay Grabowski Hyde ’03 and her family welcomed Wayne Hawk Hyde, born June 8, 2018. Big sister Lila and big brother Artie are so excited to have another playmate!
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IN
Loving MEMORY
Richard E. Beach, brother-in-law of Marjorie Fitton '81 Cynthia A. Beshel, mother of faculty member Susan Beshel Kathy Bink, aunt of faculty member Jason Bink Louise Wells Bristol, grandmother of Christina Ritchie Rogers '99, Whitney Ritchie Green '03 and Kim Ritchie '06 John S. Brown Jr., former trustee, father of Debbie Brown Murdock '76, Kathryn Brown Wyrough '78, and Beth Brown '80, and grandfather of Kathryn Murdock Cooke '07, Ann Murdock '10, and Colleen Murdock '13
Barbara Crawford, mother of Marilyn '73 and Carolyn Crawford '75, grandmother of Mary '06 and Ann Crawford-Roberts '08 Agnes Deczynski, grandmother of Sara '23 and Alisa Deczynski '19 Manuel Dias, father of faculty member Patrice Dias Ted Doherty, brother-in-law of former headmistress Frances de la Chapelle, RSCJ Patrick Edwin Dolan, grandfather of Fiona '11 and Faelen Paladino '16 Diane Duffy, former staff member and mother of Kathryn Duffy Bavuso '89 and Lynn Duffy Maloney '82
Brendan Byrne, grandfather of Meaghan '06, Erin '09, and Kelly Byrne '12
Sondra Engel, grandmother of Izy Engel '17 and mother-in-law of staff member Risa Engel
Kathryn E. Calogredes Rengepis '94
Sidney Feinberg, grandfatherin-law of faculty member Amanda Cutalo
Karen Carter, former faculty member Harry L. Church, grandfather of Jamie Stitzer Cahill '89 and father of former faculty member Carol Church Ken Edward Clark, father of faculty member Sara Wagner Arthur Conley, former faculty member and father of Anne Conley O'Neill '68 and Sarah Conley Reese '72
Joseph Franklin, father of Josette Franklin '86 Frank Freeman, grandfather of Alisha Wong '24
John Goodwin, uncle of Reilly Norton '25
Dr. Francis Oglesby, father of Elizabeth Oglesby Scanlon '78
Dr. Juanita Gray, mother of Marissa Gray Huang '85
Helen Passano, grandmother of Caroline Passano '09, Alex Passano '10, and Cannon Passano '15
June Maria Gross, grandmother of Samantha Gross '28 Alberta Lepore Gwazda, mother-in-law of Debbie Endersby Gwazda '67 Louise P. Habicht, grandmother of Guthrie Sacks '31 and mother of faculty member Susan Habicht Jarl J. Hasby, father of former faculty member Karen Epstein Dr. Claudius Henry, father-in-law of faculty member Robyn Henry Conrad Kohler, grandfather of faculty member Allison Kohler Blanche Kush, grandmother of faculty member Anna Kachmarski Adele Lombardo, mother-in-law of faculty member Vikki Lombardo James Mack Sr., grandfather of Caitlin '24 and Naomi MacQueen '26
John Payne, father Helen Watt '88 and former Stuart ice hockey coach Mary Clare Reilly Mooney '81 Diane Rudolph, grandmother of faculty member Victoria Scheirer Leonard Sejnoski, grandfather of Rebecca Martin '07 Andrew Siff, grandfather of Zoe '15 and Eloise Yang '18 Paul Sigmund, son of Barbara Boggs Sigmund, former faculty member Elizabeth (Betty) Poole Reilly Steele, former staff member and mother of Eugenie Steele Dieck '73, Mary Ellen Steele, Elizabeth Steele and Margaret Steele Ann Higgins Streeten, grandmother of Tulsi Streeten '20 John Swartz, uncle of Isabella Maldonado '23
Damon Giancola, former staff member
Mary "Bridie" McCloskey, mother of faculty member Missy Bruvik and grandmother of Kelly Bruvik '07
Oliver Giller, father of Julia Giller '27
Thomas R. Murray Jr., father-inlaw of staff member Scott Porreca
Judy Testa, mother of faculty member Alicia Testa
Virginia Giorgio, grandmother of Jonelle '96 and Sabrina Lupero '94 and mother of former staff member Stephanie Lupero
Matilda O'Donnell, grandmother of former staff member Susan Beardsley, and great-grandmother of Micaela '26, Emily '28, and Ryan Beardsley '32
Robert Venturi, Cor Unum architect
Klaus H. Tarbotton, father of Allison Tarbotton '21
Stacy Beth Cramer | February 10, 1974 - July 30, 2018
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Stacy Cramer, beloved wife of Christopher Cramer and mother to Will, a student in our Early Childhood program, was a first grade teacher at Stuart for many years. Stacy joined our Stuart community in 2011 with nine years of teaching experience. Previously, she taught kindergarten in Cincinnati, Ohio, and kindergarten and first grade in Alexandria, Virginia, where she was also a member of the faculty band (she played the flute)! Stacy earned a Master of Education in Special Education from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Miami University. Over the years Stacy has touched the lives of hundreds of students and families. She was a model Sacred Heart educator, always sharing genuine love, kindness, and respect with everyone she encountered. Her infectious smile and warmth will be greatly missed.
ZEN GARDEN
The Incredible Transformation In 1963, the Zen Garden at Stuart was designed by Jean Labatut as an individual contemplative space within the cloistered convent at Stuart. Enveloped by the pebbled concrete walls of the Chapel and C-Corridor, and the green brick walls of the Dining Room, 55 years later–this area is no longer the center of a quiet, private realm–but part of an active, student-centered learning environment. Innovative hardscape and landscaping have transformed the Zen Garden into a beautiful, collaborative space to be used for both outdoor dining and learning. Led by Stuart’s Director of Facilities and Sustainability, Darren Malone, who is an architect, the new design was developed with great mindfulness that the Zen Garden is one of Stuart’s sacred spaces and has deep historical meaning to the school and Stuart community. The result is a stunning and tranquil outdoor space with nooks and crannies for contemplation and collaboration, as well as wonderful gathering areas for larger groups.
Before
Through support of the Fund-A-Need at the Parent Prom and Gala last spring, Stuart parents have helped us to respectfully convert this space into an incredibly useful and vibrant resource for our community. Tables of different sizes are carefully placed throughout, and clustered boulders accented by plant groupings are designed for individuals or small groups to gather. Sitting benches will be added soon. Solarpowered lanterns and spotlights are strategically located to help illuminate the space for evening events. Plenty of pebbles remain throughout, lining perimeters and pathways in the renovated Zen Garden, and every boulder is original, with one exception. A new boulder with a challis-shaped dip in the center has been intentionally placed beneath the waterspout of the Chapel to catch the spill off when it rains. Our contractor (whom Darren calls the boulder whisperer) literally walked the campus property to find the perfect fit. Two additions are of special note–Japanese maple trees that were previously on the property of the St. Thomas Aquinas Society in Princeton. The trees were going to be discarded when the property was sold and our landscaper was able to transplant the two 40-year-old trees into our garden. As former Headmistress Sister Judith Garson remarked of the Zen Garden transformation when she returned for an event, “Jean Labatut would most certainly approve.”
1200 Stuart Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 609.921.2330 • www.stuartschool.org
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GIRLS’ LEADERSHIP AT STUART PRESENTS
#leadlikeagirl ®
A CONFERENCE FOR RISK-TAKERS AND CHANGEMAKERS
APRIL 5 & 6, 2019 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS STEM T alks Busines s Fair Worksh ops Panels
RESHMA SAUJANI Founder and CEO Girls Who Code
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DR. APRILLE ERICSSON
Aerospace Engineer NASA Goddard Space Center
stuartschool.org/leadlikeagirl
STUART NEWS | 2018 – 2019