Ursuline Alumnae News Winter 23.24

SCHOOL ALUMNAE

PREPARING

FOR THE

26 We Welcome Our First Marketing Director

Silvana Montenegro P’28 Tania Tetlow 40 Harnaaz Sandhu, Global Symposium Keynoter, Miss Universe

Global Dialogue

Solutions & Innovations The World’s Renowned Stages Beckon Commitment to Serviam

Sculpture is Honored Art Keys Awarded

DEPARTMENTS

1 Message from the President

2 Message from the Principal

15 Calendar

53 Spotlight on the Class of 2018

63 Class Notes

Megan Noonan Schneider ’99

Tracy Vumbacco Williams ’88

Jules Biolsi Provenzano ’08

SuzAnne Devine Clark ’82

Josie Panitz ’19

49 Embracing Language and Culture

51 Master Class Series

Yvette Manessis Corporon ’86 P’19

Kendra Porter ’95

Letters, comments, and articles may be sent to:

Renata Cioth Mulder Director of Communications mulderr@ursulinenewrochelle.org

71 In Memoriam

73 We Remember Them

Nina Iannotti Maguire ’51 P’85 GP’17 ’20

Mary Ellen Flynn Loveless ’52 P’78 ’81 ’82 ’84 ’89

Gail O’Neill ’81

In Memoriam and Class Notes should be directed to: Nina Garcia Advancement Coordinator garcian@ursulinenewrochelle.org

The Ursuline School 1354 North Avenue

New Rochelle, NY 10804-2192 www.ursulinenewrochelle.org

914.636.3950 (Main office)

914.636.5169 (Advancement)

Co-Chair

Lisa DelPriore Bonalle ’81 P’15

Co-Chair

Liz Healy ’94 P’29

President

Dr. Colleen Melnyk P’18

Provincial

Sr. Maureen Welch, OSU

Board Members

Terri Bowles P’21’26

Sr. Martha Counihan, OSU

Teresa Delgado P’11’13

Lynn Boccardi DeLisio ’85

Dr. Deirdre-Noel Engels

Louise Flynn ’82 P’16’19’19

Dr. Adora-Ann Fou P’22’25’27

Steven Giuliano P’20

Mary Grendell ’97

Tiffani Blake Hinds

Michael Hoffman P’14 ’20

David Kulsar P’26

Kathleen Martin Long ’79 P’21

Deirdre McCaffrey ’89

Francine Rosado-Cruz ’90

Adrienne Groccia Santer ’11

Fr. John Serio, SDB

The Alumnae News is published by the Advancement Team.

Editor

Renata Cioth Mulder P’17

Design/Creative Direction

Meg Loughman LaBella ’83 P’08

Printing

McVicker & Higginbotham, Inc.

Photographs

Christopher Pope Photography

Ursuline Advancement Team

Ursuline Archives

Message from the President

Dear Esteemed Alumnae,

With great joy and profound respect for our rich heritage, I am delighted to share the new title of our alumnae magazine: “Serviam.”

This powerful word encapsulates the core values and foundation upon which Angela Merici envisioned the Ursuline Order. It stands as a testament to the Ursuline Sisters’ profound impact on the education and personal growth of young women and reminds us of our current commitment to serve others.

I am grateful for the feedback of alumnae who responded to the survey we emailed. You helped us to reimagine this publication and what it has come to mean to all members of The Ursuline School community. One of our alums beautifully articulated the significance of this new title. She wrote, “Serviam embodies the founding purpose of Angela Merici and the ethos of the Ursulines who taught and inspired us, and so the concept of service is more vital than ever, as it counters the prevailing divisiveness and emphasizes our shared commitment to creating a better world.”

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to every alumna who participated in the survey and feel that it reflects the deep connection that many of us have with our school’s legacy. I appreciate our alumnae community’s passion and devotion to The Ursuline School, its rich history, and its heritage.

Together, I am proud to share our remarkable alumnae community’s inspiring stories, accomplishments, and milestones through “Serviam.” I invite you to join me in honoring the legacy of Angela Merici and the Ursulines by actively living out the values of service and compassion in our lives - within our families, communities, and the broader world. Let us unite to make a lasting impact and inspire meaningful change.

As we embark on this new journey, I encourage you to visit our campus and actively participate in our ongoing legacy. Let us honor our shared values by embracing the spirit of “Serviam” and compassion.

Thank you for your enduring support and dedication.

Dr. Colleen Melnyk P’18

Message from the Principal

Dear Ursuline Community,

I give heartfelt thanks to each member of our exceptional Ursuline school community. Each constituent fulfills a critical role that enables us to provide a transformative educational experience for our students.

Our generous benefactors support and uplift our school with their invaluable contributions. Our dedicated faculty and staff display tireless efforts and passion for education; they are the foundation of our community’s success. Students are the heart of Ursuline, and witnessing their growth and achievements is a constant source of pride and inspiration. The partnership of current parents is a cornerstone of our shared goal of delivering an exceptional education. Parents of alumnae further enrich our community bonds. A special word of thanks goes to the Board of Trustees for their visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the school’s mission.

The Ursuline Sisters inspire us all with their enduring commitment to the charism of St. Angela. This point was reinforced for me when I attended the Ursuline Education Network Conference in Cleveland, Ohio the week of November 5, 2023. The focus was on the critical topic of mental health issues affecting both students and teachers.

Dr. Lisa Damour, a nationally known psychologist, gave the keynote address. With empathy and expertise, she emphasized the profound impact of the Ursuline Counsels— faith, charity, humility, kindness, respect, moderation, encouragement, prudence, acceptance, and unity—as tools to foster a supportive community. In the end, the conference was a reminder that as Ursuline educators, we are part of a larger tapestry, intricately woven to empower students to become catalysts for positive change in their homes and communities, and to carry the spirit of Serviam into the wider world.

I hope that you enjoy this excellent issue of the magazine. And remember the words of St. Angela, “Put your whole soul into the enterprise you have undertaken - Rejoice!”

Ms. Theresa Napoli

Alumnae Shine in Women’s History Month

By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17

Alumnae Panel is Highlight of Women’s History Month

To kick off Women’s History Month 2023, Ursuline students were treated to an uplifting presentation by Caroline Adams Miller, best-selling author and a pioneer in the field of positive psychology who encouraged us to amplify the success of women

and girls. We did just that, with our social media campaign all month showcasing alumnae, Ursuline Sisters, and school leaders.

On March 15, 2023, we were thrilled to welcome a sterling panel of alumnae to speak to our high school. We thank

Pam Robertson ’73, Cathy McCabe ’81, Elena Goldberg Velazquez ’99, Sewit Teckie ’01, and Micaela Keane Billings ’06 for sharing their stories. In response to excellent questions posed by student facilitators, the panelists offered advice on embracing risk taking, learning from failures, choosing careers, and the importance of family, friends, and mentors.

“There were many mentors, coaches, and teachers at Ursuline who helped guide, support, and give direction, and I’m very thankful,” said Cathy McCabe, “but I have to say it was my mother who most inspired me.” In fact, every panelist named parents, in particular mothers, or their family history as being their biggest inspiration in getting where they are today.

When asked what was the most

Everyone makes mistakes. The way you handle the mistake and move forward makes the difference.

important factor in choosing a career, Elena Velazquez said, “Find something that you love doing, and determine your own destiny.” Sewitt Teckie recommended that “it’s worth taking a chance and trying something new because what you think you might like might change when you have a new experience or make you confident in your [original] decision.”

Each panelist also encouraged students to embrace risk taking and bouncing back after a failure. “Do your homework before taking the risk,” advised Micaela Billings. “Everyone makes mistakes. The way you handle the mistake and move forward makes the difference. Ask a lot of questions, that’s the way you learn and show that you’re interested in the field.” Pam Robertson echoed this, saying “Run toward the risk.”

it’s worth taking a chance and trying something new

Alumnae Panel 2023

Pam Robertson ’73 holds an AB in International Relations from Brown University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. A partner at Squire Patton Boggs, LLP, she is a transactional attorney who counsels corporate and governmental clients.

Cathy McCabe ’81 graduated from Iona College and went on to serve as Senior Managing Director at an asset management and financial planning firm. She now is an Executive Coach with a passion for helping others at all stages of their careers.

Elena Goldberg Velazquez ’99 is a New York State Supreme Court Justice. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and her law degree from City University of NY School of Law.

Dr. Sewit Teckie ’01 attended Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. She also holds an MBA from Columbia University. Currently, she serves as Chief of Radiation Oncology at NYC Health and Hospitals, Director of Head and Neck Radiation Oncology at Kings County Hospital, and as a Clinical Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at NYU School of Medicine.

Micaela Keane Billings ’06 majored in Accounting and Marketing at Fairfield University. Currently, she is Vice President at USI Insurance, specializing in business development and client relationships.

Amplifying Ursuline Women’s Accomplishments & Advice

At The Ursuline School,

we celebrate girls and women every day.

During the month of March 2023, we proudly showcased many of our extraordinary alumnae, Ursuline Sisters, and school leaders.

The social media campaign in honor of Women’s History Month was organized by Cathy Fay McCarthy ’84 P’14, our Director of Philanthropy, and members of the Advancement Team. Each week day that month, we shared a profile and words of wisdom on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Enjoy the following portraits. We’re already lining up the next Women’s History Month profiles!

Mary Sullivan Tracy ’68 Chair, Ignatian Spirituality Project

Listening to others is the leadership quality that has served me best.

After a successful 30-year law career, Mary earned a Master of Theological Studies and now leads a non-profit that provides overnight retreats and on-going spiritual accompaniment for those in recovery from homelessness and addiction. “Sr. Regina taught me to understand that I had gifts which I needed to develop and share with others.” Her advice: No situation is ever perfect but if something is not working, don’t be afraid to change course.

To truly achieve your dreams it has to be 80% passion and 20% knowledge. Getting an education in the area you choose is an absolute must in turning a dream into a success.

Liliana Lovell ’85 - Founder & CEO, Coyote Ugly Saloons

Liliana built a franchise around the world and inspired the iconic 2000 Hollywood movie Coyote Ugly. Actress Maria Bello played Liliana. She thanks Sr. JB for helping her believe that she could do anything! “Lil began bartending when she was at university and stuck with it while also landing a job on Wall Street, before opting to take on the career full-time, and has never looked back.” This businesswoman “feels a responsibility to make sure people are having a good time.”

Kaitlin Dahill ’06

Tech is a huge part of Hollywood. What’s cool about STEAM is that you can dovetail it into the arts.

VP, Film & TV Producer at Chernin Entertainment

In Hollywood production studios, Kaitlin is often the only woman in the room yet she still feels that she has a place there and is allowed to have a voice. "Without Ursuline, I don't know if I'd have felt as confident."

In early 2023, Kaitlin was an Executive Producer on a limited series conspiracy thriller, The Madness for Netflix.

Maura Quinn ’81

Ret., Navy Pilot; Sr Manager, Lucid Motors; DEA, Chief Information Officer

One leadership quality that has served me well is not fearing new ideas.

Donna Edwards ’75 Federal Administrative Law Judge, Retired

The Honorable Donna Edwards says “I’ve been blessed to serve my community in many ways including leadership of a homeowners’ association; church ministries; serving in school alumnae associations; 35 years of Federal service; and membership in organizations that create and implement transformational programs related to elevating people with regard to education, healthcare, and assistance with activities of daily living.”

Maura says, “I went from an all-girls high school to an almost all men’s college, the U.S. Naval Academy, where at the time there was a strong feeling that women did not have what it took to succeed. This was surprising to me because at Ursuline, I learned that I could succeed, and so I did.” As a Navy helicopter pilot, Maura was one of two women to deploy with a carrier battle group of 7,000 sailors. For Maura, there is no greater honor than serving others. Service to her country as a Navy pilot, to her community as a federal prosecutor and counsel to the FBI & DEA, and to her family as a wife, mother, daughter, and sister.

Trust that one path will lead to another, in unexpected ways to

unexpected places.

Caroline Sohr ’12

Principal, Hellman & Friedman

As a wise mentor once encouraged melisten to your head, heart, and body when making decisions.

Cathy McCabe ’81 Executive

Coach

Caroline, a standout graduate of Stanford University School of Business, is applying and growing her well-honed financial skills as principal at a private equity firm. She says, “Ursuline nurtured my love of learning and empowered me to use my voice in any environment. I’m forever grateful to Ursuline for helping me develop my passions, believe in myself, and see the power of a strong female network. I draw on these lessons on a daily basis in both personal and professional settings!”

Try new things, take (smart) risks, and step outside of your comfort zone. Do things that both surprise and make you proud.

Cori Chambers ’03

A retired Sr. Managing Director, philanthropist, and supporter of diversity, equity, & inclusion, Cathy is passionate about helping others at all stages of their careers.

“I was fortunate to have wonderful Ursuline teachers, coaches, and role models who provided expert guidance, direction, and support.

Be curious. Do not be judgmental. Bring your authentic self to all that you do. And save in your 401(k) from day one!

WNBA pro; Administrator, Coach; Digital Marketing Ops Specialist, Converse Cori says, “During my time at TUS, I was able to find my voice, become a leader amongst my peers, and also become an independent learner. At The University of Georgia, I was prepared for the rigor and travel that was an integral part of my student-athlete experience.” Cori lives Serviam by educating, coaching, recruiting, and empowering young women to be well rounded leaders who exude confidence both on and off the court. “Sports have taught me countless lessons that are transferable in all aspects of life, and my goal is to pay it forward to the next generation.”

Sonja

John ’12 Artist,

Educator, Curator

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Sonja mounted a solo exhibition of her artwork in NY. Her poetry has been featured in Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Sr. Anne Thérèse and Mary Quartaro gave me the tools to grow, and most importantly, gave me space to think. Both have given me ways to not only seek answers but ask thoughtful questions through my work.

Get involved in women’s networks. You will meet amazing people that may open doors you never expected.

Dr. Jennifer Blum ’02

Data Scientist

Jennifer holds a PhD in Astrophysics and lives Serviam by mentoring women (and men) in STEAM careers. She says, “I make sure to never forget where I started. I help those who ask for career guidance to achieve their goals. One person’s success does not come at the expense of another’s failure. As women we must support, inspire, and help each other. So many women have helped me in my life. I love that I can pay it forward.”

My Ursuline education taught me how to deal with adversity, work under pressure, work with others and to always believe in myself.

Elena Goldberg Velazquez ’99

Justice of New York State Supreme Court. Judge Goldberg’s advice is: “Be true to yourself. Figure out what you truly want to do in life, then make a career out of it. You will wake up every day eager to go to work and make a difference in the world.”

Jennifer Yoon ’98

You

are the CEO of your career. Be bold in decision making, speak up because your voice matters, and know your value.

Business Strategy Manager, JP Morgan

At Ursuline, Jennifer learned to pay it forward as a Peer Mediator and Key Club member. Now, she lives our motto of Serviam by making time to give back. “I mentor not only those at JP Morgan, but at other firms. We as women leaders need to not only open new doors but to keep them open for our future women leaders. We can only move the needle in DE&I agendas by acting with intent.”

Ursuline helped me develop my voice and confidence at a young age. The safe and nurturing environment helped me learn what I stand for and what I am capable of.

Sewit Teckie ’01

System Chief of Radiation Oncology, NYC Health + Hospitals

A skilled and caring Physician with expertise in head-and-neck cancer, Sewit is a Harvard Medical School graduate, nationally recognized for her clinical and research expertise.

Dr. Teckie advises students: Do the hard work now when you are young and energetic – that early investment in yourself pays off for years to come.

Micaela Keane Billings ’06 VP, USI Insurance

Micaela, a Business Council of Westchester “40 under 40” Rising Star, says that at Ursuline, “Whether in the classroom or on the basketball court, I learned how to be a team player, recognize my strengths and weaknesses, and that the strengths of my teammates or colleagues will balance us out to form a strong group.” She was also named Connecticut Westchester Hudson Valley chapter Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2019 Woman of the Year for raising $106,693.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance. Utilize the resources available.

Sheila Kelly ’92

SVP & Chief Development Officer at NewYorkPresbyterian

Sheila says, “Ursuline taught me that women can succeed no matter the challenge and instilled in me the importance of loyalty and friendship.” Sheila chose a career path working for best-in-class nonprofits focused on improving people’s lives – including Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Robin Hood Foundation, and currently New YorkPresbyterian Hospital.

Failure is important. When that happens, despite your hard work, figure out what you can change to get the outcome you want.

Pamela Robertson ’73 Partner, Squire Patton Boggs, LLP

Pamela’s distinguished legal career includes recognition as one of The Best Lawyers in America 2023 for Public Finance Law. Her career advice is, “Take time to prepare yourself for what you will ultimately do. You may enter in or out of a variety of fields of work. Be open. Realize that whatever you do now, it’s not the end. Take time to reach your stride.” Pamela lives our Serviam motto through active involvement with various foundations and charitable or civic organizations, and she deeply values her Ursuline lifelong “sisters.”

Hire the very best people and give them the runway to

succeed.

Empathy is the leadership quality that has served me best.

Lisa DelPriore Bonalle ’81 CEO, Verisk Financial Group

Lisa successfully bought and sold more than 10 companies. Serviam is a core trait of Lisa’s. Not only volunteerism. Serviam is an important aspect of how Lisa leads her work teams. She views her role as CEO in service to her employees and clients.

Honoring Our Leaders

Mother Irene Gill Founder of The Ursuline School and The College of New Rochelle

In fall 1897, Mother Irene Gill officially opened The Ursuline School at Leland Castle in New Rochelle.

Seven years after founding our school, Mother Irene founded the College of New Rochelle, the first Catholic women’s college in New York. She demonstrated a devotion to education with determination and creativity in the face of numerous obstacles of her time. We celebrate Mother Irene and the strong, faith-filled Ursuline Sisters who helped propel our school and its mission, and shaped the lives of countless students.

Intellectual tradition distinguishes the Ursuline Sisters. The Ursulines not only educate young women, many of the Sisters themselves earn advanced degrees and contribute at high levels to society.

Sr. Alice Galin ’38, PhD †

Author of Church documents

Sr. Alice Galin ’38, PhD taught at Ursuline and later was appointed Executive Director of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. She researched, met with Pope John Paul II and then published Ex Corde Ecclesiae, “From the Heart of the Church,” which addressed the essential characteristics of a Catholic university and was implemented worldwide. Sr. Alice served on the Board of Trustees of Notre Dame University, Viterbo College, Iona College, as well as St. Bonaventure University where she also fulfilled the role of interim president of the university. Ever mindful of the needs of others and the importance of Serviam, Sr. Alice served on the Board of Directors of Bread for the World.

Sr. Dorothy Ann Kelly, PhD †

11th President of CNR

Sr. Dorothy Ann Kelly, PhD, led the College of New Rochelle through a significant period of expansion that included opening a graduate school, a nursing school, and the college’s School of New Resources designed to meet the needs of working women and men by holding classes on weekends and at night. In 1978, she became the first woman to lead the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, a public-policy organization representing more than 100 schools in New York. In 1987, she was the first woman to head the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Beyond the academic field, Sr, Dorothy Ann served as a member of the official U.S. delegation to the Fourth U.N. Conference for Women held in Beijing, China in 1995.

Throughout our 125 years, remarkable

and devoted Ursuline Sisters have led our school as principal.

Sr. Regina Kehoe †

Sr. Regina Kehoe, 1946 alumna of Academy of Mount St. Ursula, served as principal from 1962 - 64 and from 1966 - 67. It was a decade that some alumnae recall as chaotic but one woman stood tall, literally and figuratively. In the words of a ’64 alumna, “She was progressive and we took our cue from her!” At that time, she was known as Mother Thomas Regina, or more affectionately, as TR. After working in other locations, Sr. Regina returned to Ursuline and continued to influence our school as Guidance Counselor, Director of Alumnae Relations and moderator of our Mothers’ Auxiliary until her retirement. Sr. Regina also served on the Boards of the College of New Rochelle and Academy of Mount St. Ursula. She was Provincial of the Eastern Province from 1973 - 79.

Sr. Ann Peterson ’55

Sr. Ann Peterson ’55, was principal of what was known as the Lower School in the years 1967-70 and principal of our High School from 1970 - 74. The 70s were a tumultuous decade. Sr. Ann’s courage, optimism and sense of humor served her well. A licensed social worker, in the latter years of her career, Sr. Ann volunteered at St. Vincent’s Hospital and worked as a social worker at White Plains Hospital in New York and at North Star Behavioral Health Services in Malone, NY. She served on the Board of Trustees at the College of New Rochelle from 2002 until it closed in 2019. She also served on the Board of Trustees of The Ursuline School from 2013 until 2019.

Sr. JB Nicholson †

Principal 1974 - 2005, President 2005 - 09, President Emerita 2009 - 11

We honor Sr. Jean Baptiste Nicholson, our longtime principal and first president who passed away 12 years ago. We recall JB’s visionary leadership, great intellect, nononsense disposition and love of the Yankees. Under JB’s guidance, Ursuline initiated learning with laptops, Peer Ministry and our unique Personal Development program. Her tenure as school leader also included the construction of the Mooney-Hancock Arts Center and the Tully Family Auditorium-Gymnasium, as well as joining Section 1 to provide our athletes with heightened competition. JB created a nurturing environment to empower girls to discover their dreams and pursue them. She is remembered as a devout woman of faith, an energizing teacher, a role model of socially conscious feminism, as well as a consummate businesswoman who exemplified ambition, courage, and raw tenacity. JB modeled for generations of students how to live a life of meaning and integrity. She inspired alumnae to be women of strength and wisdom.

Compassionate leadership is at the heart of an Ursuline education.

Eileen Davidson H’12 P’90 GP’19

38 years of service to Ursuline.

First lay principal 2005 - 12, and first lay president 2012 - 21.

Eileen Davdison’s tenure is remembered for enhancing our essential identity and mission while shepherding the school through a period of modernization as well as the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic. Eileen undertook the first formal 5-year Strategic Plan in 2014 and guided us to accreditation by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) in 2017. She initiated the Science Research Program and the Visiting Author Series. Eileen greatly expanded opportunities for student international travel, home exchanges, and global service trips by developing relationships with Ursuline schools around the world. Two capital campaigns during her presidency made possible several exciting campus additions including Kelly Mac Field, the Innovation Hub and the Murphy Student Commons. In one of her renowned Ring Day speeches, Eileen encouraged students, “As you journey through life, may you appreciate the richness and diversity of this world, be empowered to be brave enough to travel alone, and do good for others in unfamiliar places.”

Dr. Colleen Melnyk P’18

President, 2021 - present.

Steadfast pursuit of excellence and commitment to Serviam unite all Ursuline women, past, present, and future. Colleen Melnyk is a former trustee 2019-21. She is keenly aware that educational needs are changing so we must consider how we prepare our graduates. Already we have begun new classes that offer certifications, such as the Bloomberg certificate. Dr. Melnyk shares with us, “Generations of women from around the world share our treasured Core Values and Mission. Let’s continue to recognize and celebrate all the women who inspire us to work hard and dream big!”

St. Angela Merici

We closed our Women’s History Month series by celebrating St. Angela Merici, who started a new way for women to follow Christ while living among their neighbors and those in need. In 1535, she founded the Company of St Ursula. A century later, the Company began schools for girls, guided by the mission to educate, inspire and empower young women, and the motto Serviam, I will serve.

Women’s History Month Nominees

If you have a nominee for a future WHM social media campaign honoring Ursuline women, please email Cathy Fay McCarthy ’84 P’14 at cathfmcc@ursulinenewrochelle.org

2024 EVENTS CALENDAR

APRIL

Wednesday, April 10, 5-7:30pm Science Research Symposium

SPRING PREVIEW

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 . 4pm

Tuesday, April 16, 5:30pm, 6:30pm Spring Festival of Dance & Spring Concert

Saturday, April 20, 1- 4pm Ursuline Community Service Day & Mass

Tuesday, April 23 - launches 11am CROWDS4TUS AND4OTHERS

Wednesday, April 24 - ’til noon CROWDS4TUS AND4OTHERS

Tuesday, April 30, 6:30pm Annual Art Show

MAY

Thursday, May 2, 11am-2pm Tea & Tours

Classes 1953-59 are invited to The Ursuline School for afternoon tea. Visit the present and see the future. RSVP - Maureen Corbett: corbettm@ursulinenewrochelle.org

Thursday, May 30 Class of 2024 Graduation

JUNE

Saturday, June 1, 4:30pm REUNION

We welcome back classes ending in 3, 4, 8, and 9.

Monday, June 17 8th Grade Liturgy & Moving Up Ceremony 10 16 20 23 24 30 2 30 1 17

Please check for updates and details on the website calendar at: www.ursulinenewrochelle.org/ about/calendar

We invite prospective middle school and high school families to attend our Spring Preview and find out what’s at the heart of an Ursuline education!

Scan Qr code to register for SPRING PREVIEW www.ursulinenewrochelle/ schooladminonline.com

A LOOK BACK

We Tip Our Hat to Charlie Tarulli

By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17

For over 50 years, the Driver’s Education Program at The Ursuline School has proudly served the community, offering countless students the tools, education, experience, and confidence to be safe and responsible drivers. It is believed to be the longest running Driver’s Ed program in the state of New York.

when students had free periods during the day.

This remarkable program has been open to all high school students who are residents of New York state, are at least 16 years of age, and have a Learner Permit. That means, yes, Ursuline students take these classes with boys from Iona Prep and other schools!

“Someone who has taught driving to teenagers for the past 50 years has a heart of gold and the patience of a saint.”

Emily Tarshis, Driver’s Ed program graduate

Charlie Tarulli initiated the program in the early 1970s while Sr. Jean Baptiste Nicholson was principal. At the time, Charlie worked as a teacher at PS 79 in the Bronx and was able to leave that school early in order to arrive in time at Ursuline and conduct Driver’s Ed in the afternoons. Over time, Charlie left his position at the Bronx school, the Driver’s Ed program expanded, and JB allowed Charlie to offer sessions

At present, each season the program includes two weekly inperson classes: an educational lecture class and an in-car / behind-the-wheel driving session led by experienced statecertified instructors. As illustrated by the list of instructors, this has become a family enterprise with Ursuline faculty taking on additional positions. Currently, Charlie’s son, Robert Tarulli, manages the daily operations; he is joined by instructors Gina Tarulli, Brian Cruger, and Marie Barry ’09.

What I admire most about Charlie is his dedication to Ursuline and his contributions to the beautification of the grounds. Charlie also brought in guest speakers focused on the message that all drivers should always make informed and responsible choices before getting behind the wheel.

Denise Moore ’69 P’99, Ursuline Faculty Member and Administrator, 1990-2021

As often happens at Ursuline, Charlie found unique ways to be involved in the school community besides leading the Driver’s Ed program. We remember him hanging Christmas decorations or lights in the principal’s office, the lobby and on the bushes outside. He organized a classic car show in the circle for the Moonlight Cruisers. And he was a die-hard St. Bonaventure alum who would help recruit interested students. He was also a bit of a prankster with the office staff and JB. Today, Charlie will not say he has retired but his visits to Ursuline are less frequent.

A TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE TARULLI

My friend was driving and Mr. Tarulli was telling a story. We’d been sitting at a stop sign for a few minutes when she asked if he was going to tell her which way to turn. He replied, “Oh, sorry I thought the big yellow Dead End sign might be a clue you need to turn the other way.”

Meghan LaBella ’08

Charlie is always impeccably dressed, and the Driver’s Ed cars are excellently maintained. He has instilled his values in me. I’m honored to call him my friend.

Brian Cruger, Ursuline Faculty Member and Driving Instructor

Robert Tarulli says, “As I speak with parents who are signing up their sons or daughters, often they will mention that they took Driver’s Ed at Ursuline in the 70s or 80s.

When I tell them my father had to have been their instructor, they always recall their Italian Driver’s Ed teacher and tell me how kind and funny he was....and that he would tell them stories and even show them the historic places in the area as they drove by, like the Norman Rockwell house on Lord Kitchener Rd. Those recollections make me smile!”

Charlie was meticulous in everything he did. Christmas decorations had to be just so. He personally hand washed the Driver’s Ed car so that it shined.

Maxcime Franck

Ursuline Staff Member

Charlie treated each student with kindness, respect and professionalism. A consummate

Frank Sinatra fan, St. Bonaventure booster, educator, gentleman, and a great supporter of all things Ursuline. Always in a suit and tie, even when the world became more casual, his presence was a welcome sight to both students and faculty.

Eileen Davidson, H’12 P’90 GP’19, Ursuline Faculty Member and Administrator 1983-2021

I have wonderful memories of Charlie teaching the world of Westchester to drive. I wish he was here in North Carolina now teaching my 16 year old granddaughter!

Carolsue Tarshis Ursuline Staff, Retired

Robert Tarulli, Charlie Tarulli, Brian Cruger

A LOOK BACK

February 2023

CULTURAL TRIP TO ITALY - APRIL 2023

ECO SERVICE TRIP TO PUERTO RICO - APRIL 2023

8th GRADE TRIP TO YELLOWSTONE AND THE TETONS - JUNE 2023

A LOOK BACK

The Class of 2023 Graduates

Our 126th Commencement on May 19, 2023, was marked by celebrations, exhortations, and expressions of gratitude. Valedictorian Jenna Cain challenged ChatGPT to write her speech, and then she pointed out, “We each have had our own, unique experience over the past few years that has shaped us into the outstanding leaders we are becoming. No AI chatbot can capture that individuality.”

Salutatorian Anna Gayer spoke of Serviam, saying “I think the beauty of our Ursuline experience is that, inspired by our Catholic faith, we bring God’s great love to our community.”

This class earned more than $25 million in college scholarships! We congratulate them and wish them continued success.

Global Scholars: Mia Alverio, Grace Boynes, Hanah Ciccarelli, Nuala Reynolds

Science Research Scholars: Ava Alvarez, Jenna Cain, Julia Higgins, Michela Visco

National Merit Scholarship Program:

Jenna Cain, Kelly Lahiff - Finalists

Ava Alvarez, Emma Cullinan, Anna Gayer, Noelle Gayer,

Rachel Ortiz, Amrit Singh - Commended College Board National African American Recognition Program awardees:

Leigh Brown, Hailey Tyndale

College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program awardees:

Ava Alvarez, Mia Alverio, Damaris Laborde, Alexa Melendez, Gianna Oliveri, Rachel Ortiz

Serviam Awards for service to the school in the spirit of St. Angela:

Ebahi Adubor, Ofure Adubor, Lauren Barton, Angelica Cruz, Kristen DeFlorio, Julia DelPozzo, Leana Gentile, Zahra Haleem, Julia Higgins, Madelyn LaScala, Veronica Vicenzino

Departmental Awards

Classics – Rachel Ortiz

Computer Science, in memory of Frances LoCicero

Bailie ‘61 – Noelle Gayer

English – Jane Connelly

Mathematics – Kelly Lahiff

Media Arts –Veronica Fernandez

Performing Arts – Michela Visco

Physical Education –

Prizila Negrete

Religious Studies – Ayla Itak

Science – Jenna Cain

Social Studies – Anna Gayer

Visual Arts – Kate Nugent

World Languages:

Italian – Julia DelPozzo, Spanish – Leana Gentile

Serviam and Spanish Awardee Leana Gentile with Dr. Melnyk and Ms. Napoli

Class of 2023 Awards

Student Council Leadership Awards – Lily BeechinorCollins, Emma Cullinan, Amelia Dolis, Lucy Gomez

Fathers’ Club Award – Kathleen Cremins

Mothers’ Auxiliary Award – Mary Cinguina

Ursuline Alumnae Key – Mary Cinguina

Katherine Johnson Memorial Award – Leigh Brown

Emily A. Clemente Memorial Award – Anna Gayer, Noelle Gayer

Sheila Kelly Memorial Award – Madeline Donovan

Sister JB Nicholson, OSU Award – Hailey Raio

Principal’s Award – Hannah Ciccarelli

Student-athletes who have committed to continuing their athletics career at an NCAA program:

Amanda Erlichman, St. John’s University, Cheerleading

Lucy Gomez, Cornell University, Lacrosse

Alexa Grassi, The Catholic University of America, Cross Country and Track & Field

Grace Hicks, Stevens Institute of Technology, Fencing

Michelle Iannacito, Worcester State University, Volleyball

Kelly Lahiff, Clarkson University, Cross Country and Track & Field

Madeline Mobilia, University of Delaware, Lacrosse.

Prizila Negrete, Bucknell University, Track & Field

Sofia Nogalo, Bucknell University, Golf

Sofia Santorelli, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Basketball

Rory Sheridan, Providence College, Swim

Student Body Presidents

Lily Beechinor-Collins and Emma Cullinan

Valedictorian Jenna Cain

Class of 2023 who have joined their mothers as proud Ursuline alumnae.

Lauren Barton, daughter of Maria Perdoncin Barton ’83

Sabrina Caspare, daughter of Maria Malagiero ’92

Maria Jose Tisoc, daughter of Lucia Antolino ’89

Kiera Rose, daughter of Jennifer Sullivan Rose ’89

Kristen Hughes, daughter of Mary Jean O’Connor Hughes ’85

Lauren Goodwin, daughter of Jacqueline O’Connor Goodwin ’85

Sofia Boncardo, daughter of Cathlin Gleason Boncardo ’90

Class of 2023 Matriculation

American University

Ave Maria University

Babson College

Binghamton University

Boston College

Boston University

Bucknell University

Case Western Reserve University

Clarkson University

Clemson University

Coastal Carolina University

Colby College

College of Charleston

College of the Holy Cross

Cornell University

Drexel University

Duquesne University

Elon University

Fairfield University

Fashion Institute of Technology

Fordham University

Georgetown University

Harvard University

Indiana University-Bloomington

Iona University

James Madison University

Lehigh University

Louisiana State University

Loyola University Maryland

Manhattan College

Marist College

Michigan State University

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Pace University, New York City Campus

Pennsylvania State University-Penn

State Main Campus

Providence College

Quinnipiac University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rochester Institute of Technology

Roger Williams University

Sacred Heart University

Salve Regina University

San Diego State University

Siena College

Springfield College

St. John’s University-New York

Stevens Institute of Technology

Stony Brook University

SUNY Buffalo State

Syracuse University

Temple University

The Catholic University of America

The George Washington University

The University of Alabama

The University of Tampa

University at Albany, SUNY

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Dallas

University of Dayton

University of Delaware

University of Georgia

University of Miami

University of Mississippi

University of PittsburghPittsburgh Campus

University of San Diego

University of Scranton

University of South Carolina-Columbia

University of Vermont

Villanova University

Virginia Tech

Wagner College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester State University

Zoe Hall with Dr. Melnyk

A LOOK BACK

Congratulations on 25 Years!

On April 28, 2023, we celebrated a momentous occasion as the faculty and staff paid tribute to two distinguished colleagues who marked an incredible milestone of 25 years of dedicated service to The Ursuline School. At a special liturgy and reception, we honored the contributions of Mrs. Debra Geronimo, Physical Education Department, and Ms. Pamela Vasile, English Department. The celebration served as a reminder of the profound impact that dedicated educators can have on the lives of their students and the broader school community. Their quarter century tenure is a testament to the enduring spirit of excellence and commitment that defines The Ursuline School.

Enjoy Retirement! TO SPRING 2023

In June 2023, Mrs. Mary Ann Boustead P’01, College & Academic Counseling, bid us adieu after 18 years of service at Ursuline. Over the span of her long career, Mary Ann helped countless students and families navigate the college process, always going above and beyond. Colleagues describe Mary Ann as genuinely caring and thoughtful. Her motto when it comes to her students was “the girls always come first.” She not only kept a close eye on the constantly changing trends of the admissions process, she strove to find the right fit for each and every one of her students, even before “fit” was a buzz word. Her gentle and friendly demeanor allowed her students to feel comfortable and heard and, most importantly, helped them filter out the noise that seems to come from every direction during the college application process. Best wishes in your retirement, Mary Ann!

Ms. Mary Khalil, World Languages - Spanish Department, embarked on retirement after 12 years of dedicated teaching at Ursuline. Mary will be remembered for being kind, gentle-natured, always answering a question with a smile, and consistently willing to help a colleague. In the classroom, she found multiple ways to engage her students and encourage them to speak in Spanish. Her middle school students especially enjoyed cultural activities such as writing recipes in Spanish for home-made empanadas, guacamole, flan, and other delicacies which they prepared and shared with classmates. Mary’s AP students were challenged each year to research and present in Spanish on topics related to the global issue of concern that year. As is typical of Ursuline faculty, Mary was involved in other roles outside the classroom: she served as moderator of the Spanish Club and she chaperoned Spanish immersion trips. May she enjoy many happy and fulfilling years in retirement!

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

We Welcome Our First Marketing Director

Shannon Dufresne joined Ursuline on September 12, 2022, in the new role of Director of Marketing. “I was first drawn to the position because of Ursuline’s deep commitment to Serviam. It’s an honor to serve the Ursuline community in this new and exciting role and help promote Ursuline’s rich tradition of academic excellence and Serviam,” said Mrs. Dufresne.

She brings a diverse background in Catholic education, most recently serving as the Director of Communications and Technology teacher at Dominican Academy in Manhattan. In addition to teaching three courses, she was responsible for the school website, social media, print and digital marketing, video production, and school communications.

She is the former Director of Religious Education and a current catechist at Annunciation-Our Lady of Fatima parish. She adds, “Working with children and families in support of faith and spiritual development is tremendously fulfilling.” She currently provides sacramental preparation for Confirmation candidates in grade 7.

Mrs. Dufresne began her career in communications and marketing after receiving her Master’s degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Her background includes extensive work in television production, public and media relations, and research and writing for various media outlets, including The Reader’s Digest Association and PBS.

“I am delighted to be part of Ursuline’s dynamic group of dedicated and accomplished faculty and staff. It’s exciting to find new ways of sharing the beauty and promise of an Ursuline education with others.”

Certified Athletic Trainer Returns

Jolie Tang, MS, LAT, ATC rejoined The Ursuline School on August 1, 2023, in the dual role of Assistant Athletic Director and Certified Athletic Trainer.

A New Jersey native, Ms. Tang earned degrees from Seton Hall University, School of Health and Medical Sciences through their accelerated dual-degree program - completing her undergraduate degree and graduate coursework in five years and graduating with her Master’s in Athletic Training in 2019.

In addition to Seton Hall, she gained experience at wellregarded Division I college athletic programs, specifically Rutgers University Football, Rider University, and Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Most recently, Ms. Tang worked as the Athletic Trainer for the White Plains City School District.

As some may recall, Ms. Tang was the Athletic Trainer at Ursuline for the 2021-2022 academic year. She says, “I truly enjoyed every moment. I am very excited to return to this program and serve our student-athletes in this new role. Go Koalas!”

New Faculty & Staff, 2023-24

Let’s hear it for these talented and enthusiastic teachers and staff!

College & Academic Counseling - Pamela Smith

Financial Literacy - Jill Patricot

Mathematics and Computer Science - Edward Burdick

Science - Stacy Unkenholz,

Social Studies - Ryan Kagel, Allison Powers ’17, Gayathri Prasad, Christopher Talarico

Technology Support - Taylor Jones

Visual & Media Arts - Andrew Dapolite

World Languages, Spanish - Joan Castillo, Esther Hahn

The Robot Overlords Have Arrived

By Pamela Vasile Teacher, English Department, The Ursuline School

By now, most of us have heard of artificial intelligence. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a technological simulation of human intelligence. However, over the past several months it’s been difficult to ignore the excitement–or the dire warnings–about generative artificial intelligence (AI). Generative AI is a category of algorithms that can create (or generate) new content such as images, videos, audio, text, and code.

ChatGPT might be the most widely-known of the chatbot group of these algorithms. Its capabilities present implications for educators that make it necessary for administrators and teachers to learn about generative AI, what it can and cannot do, how to use it in the classroom, and how to teach students best practices with the technology. To this end, a core group of Ursuline faculty members attended some offcampus workshops on the subject in the spring of 2023.

This core group consisted of Francesca LaGumina ’78 and Adriana DeLucia, Chair and Member of the World Languages Department, Maria Hanson ’84, Chair of the English Department, Jackie Geller, Chair of the Social Studies Department, Robyn Summa ’93, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, and me. This past spring we shared our findings with the whole faculty at a professional development session. This article incorporates the information that the core group acquired at several offcampus workshops.

With every new technology come the inevitable questions for educators: “What are we going to do about it?” “How might it help students?”

Chatbots like ChatGPT are self-learning machines developed from massive sets of textual data–essentially, the entire internet. It understands and writes fluently and coherently in any language the user types in, and can even understand such nuances of human language as idioms, humor, and sarcasm. Chatbots are not search engines, but rather response generators. They are programmed to hold a conversation with the user. For example, we wanted to ask ChatGPT to define itself, so we typed in, “How does ChatGPT answer the question, ‘What is ChatGPT?’” It replied, “ChatGPT is a type of artificial intelligence . . . that is designed to generate human-like responses to text-based conversations. It is trained on large amounts of text data and uses deep learning algorithms to . . . generate . . . relevant responses.”

The capabilities of chatbots like ChatGPT are impressive and have the potential to change the way we all think about and undertake–indeed, the way we define–content creation.

Here

are some of the things ChatGPT can do:

Generate, translate, and summarize text

Adopt different voices and writing styles

Solve some types of math problems

Answer multiple choice questions

Pass law school and medical school exams

Create lesson plans, assignments, matching and multiple choice questions, reading comprehension texts targeted to a student’s unique level of proficiency, syllabi, grading rubrics, and even evaluate papers based on a given rubric

Generate song lyrics, poetry, screenplays, podcast scripts, and just about anything we would write for work or school, like meeting agendas, presentations, speeches, and papers

Just for fun, we asked ChatGPT to “Write a poem about The Ursuline School in New Rochelle.” We did not specify that the poem needed to rhyme or adhere to a particular meter, but the chatbot incorporated those features anyway, in a matter of seconds. Here are the first and fourth stanzas: Ursuline School in New Rochelle,

A place of learning, where knowledge excels. Built upon values of faith and grace, It guides young women to find their place.

But it’s not just the academics that make this place great, It’s the community, that truly sets the pace. With sisterhood and friendship, they stand tall, Ready to take on the world, one step at all.

Then we modified our prompt, asking the bot to write the same kind of poem, but to include a reference to Ursuline sisters. Again, in mere seconds, it gave us another poem. Here is the first stanza:

In New Rochelle, a place so dear, Stands Ursuline School, bringing joy and cheer.

Guided by the Ursuline Sisters’ grace,

A beacon of wisdom, a sacred space.

Note that the chatbot correctly capitalized “Sisters” in referring to the Ursuline nuns. Somehow it knew that the phrase “Ursuline sisters” in our prompt was not referring to sisterhood among the students, which it does in the first poem, in the fourth stanza.

The technology constantly improves itself; everything that’s fed into it, and everything it creates, becomes more fodder for the system. Thus, an earlier version of ChatGPT struggled to get 40% of the questions correct on the LSAT, while the most up-to-date version of it scores above 80%.

The chatbot showed similar improvements on many AP exams and other types of standardized assessments.

Before we wave the white flag in surrender to the robots, it’s important to recognize what generative AI cannot do. Its shortcomings are especially poignant in relation to what Ursuline educators maintain as the core of our mission.

To begin with, the technology cannot think; it can learn–in a way–but it cannot think and synthesize and evaluate like a human.

It also cannot guarantee the accuracy of its responses, which can only be as good as the data they’re based on; if the data the machine scrapes up is flawed, its answers based on that data will also be flawed. Sometimes the chatbot

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

simply makes things up, which can get users into trouble if they don’t vet the machine’s suggestions [see example of Manhattan lawyer who erroneously relied on fake cases generated by the system to establish a precedent]. We all know that not everything on the internet is accurate or true. Furthermore, technology cannot tell us what questions we have or what problems we want to solve; only we can do that.

It cannot build a community of people who are interested in ideas, and it cannot tell us what we care about and why. It cannot create a transformative educational experience, and it certainly cannot make meaningful connections with students.

While it can generate an empathetic response, there is no genuine feeling behind the response because the machine is incapable of emotion.

In short, it is not human, and cannot replace human interaction.

With every new technology come the inevitable questions for educators: “What are we going to do about it?” “How can we use it?” “Should we use it at all?” “How might it help students?” “What are the pitfalls for students?”

A schoolwide ban on the technology is likely to be ineffective; it would be difficult to implement and enforce, it might not be feasible as the technology develops, and besides, students probably should learn how to use it responsibly. Fully embracing generative AI, however, presents a different set of challenges. The most sobering of these is that students could be tempted to offload their thinking to the technology before they understand that it cannot do their thinking for them; thus, students’ ability to think, write, and otherwise create their own work would diminish. Is being trained in the proper uses and shortcomings of technology the same as being educated? No. It can support learning in some instances, but if it replaces the necessary productive struggles that constitute actual learning, that would be a disservice to students. During the professional development session that morning, the faculty–sitting by department–spent time experimenting with ChatGPT and brainstorming subject-

specific ways to use the technology. Some teachers had already been exploring the possibilities of the chatbot, while others had their first experience with it during the session.

For the time being, Ursuline’s faculty and administration have concluded that proceeding carefully with generative AI is the wisest approach. While it will be important to help students identify and understand the limitations of this exciting technology, teachers will have to design assignments that require students to demonstrate an authentic, original response. For example, students could incorporate personal writing, such as reflection and metacognitive scaffolding, as part of their assignments.

More broadly, everyone using generative AI would be wise to remember that the system will reflect the biases of the world and could go so far as to respond to queries with propaganda and misinformation. In addition, the technology raises concerns about privacy and intellectual property, since anything we put into it becomes part of what it learns from. The caution we should exercise before publishing anything on the Internet–such as posting on social media–applies here as well.

To paraphrase a line from Shakespeare’s The Tempest: O brave new world, that has such technology in it!

The capabilities of chatbots like ChatGPT are impressive and have the potential to change the way we all think about content creation.

AI and Shifts in Education

Faculty and staff continue in this academic year to build their knowledge of generative Artificial Intelligence, what it can and cannot do, and how to use it in the classroom.

On the November 9, 2023, Professional Development Day, faculty and staff enjoyed a high-energy and enlightening presentation by A.J. Juliani on human, social, meaningcentered learning in the age of AI.

Mr. Juliani is an award-winning blogger, speaker, and author of multiple books, including the best-sellers Adaptable, Empower, Launch, and The PBL Playbook. He drew on his experience as an educator, professor and parent to share personal stories from the classroom, real-world examples, and research-based insights. Best of all, his mix of humor and practical suggestions left everyone inspired!

Our job is not to prepare students for something. Our job is to help students prepare themselves for anything.

New Courses to PreparE Students for their Future

By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17

As the relentless pace of change in the world accelerates, so too, education must evolve to best equip students for a dynamic, complex future beyond high school.

We recall our patroness and remarkable innovator, St. Angela, who said, “If according to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and change current things, do it with prudence and good advice.”

Just as we pioneered laptops to 6th graders in 1997, and embraced project-based learning ahead of its time, we are on the cutting edge again. We have introduced several new courses that address the crucial skills for success in emerging career paths and technologies - design thinking and financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

These new courses are taught in newly constructed

learning environments that suit the needs of students today: in our Innovation Hub and our High-Tech Media Conference Center. These are flexible, social, and interactive spaces where creative juices can flow.

In addition, certain learning takes place out in the field –literally: the DNA Barcoding project compels science students to take samples in Rockefeller State Park and run analysis at the Regeneron DNA Learning Center in Sleepy Hollow.

In these ways, we offer Ursuline students real-world experience that directly translates to success in collegiate study and future careers.

Design Thinking

Innovative & Empathetic Solutions

At the first ever Design Thinking Showcase in January 2024, the 9th grade students in Ms. Raquel Floro’s ’10 Introduction to Design Thinking class offered unique improvements to several “systems” at Ursuline - the cafeteria menu, the testing calendar, ID card usage, communication of school events, parent-teacher conferences, the van schedule, and more.

They applied the design thinking framework - empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test and iterate. This meant interviewing people affected by the relevant system and then devising low-tech or high-tech solutions for those end users. Students said this is different from their other classes because “we had to solve a problem rather than research something and present our findings.”

Design thinking is a systematic approach to solving problems with the end user in mind. It has gained popularity among business leaders and others because its method uses empathy and observation to come up with innovative solutions to complex issues. These 9th graders presented their final projects with poise and thorough understanding of their chosen system, demonstrating that they’ll be able to apply the design thinking framework in future scenarios.

Girls with Impact ~

Budding Entrepreneurs

Nine Ursuline students successfully completed the entrepreneurial program Girls with Impact in spring 2023. This unique “mini-MBA” program, made possible by the generous support of an Ursuline alumna, gives young women the skills they need to start their own businesses. The ten-week course covers important topics such as business development, budgeting, and writing a business plan. Students learned how to conduct a business SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), assess brand perception maps and create customer personas. Each student developed her own business plan

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

and was paired with an adult mentor. Among the unique ideas developed were a golf caddy program for girls, an app to prevent oversleeping, and a service devoted to savings and investments.

More than one business idea has already been implemented. In addition, one junior’s chances of securing an internship at Google were boosted after completing this program.

We applaud the graduates of the first Girls With Impact program at Ursuline: Ébahi Abudor ’23, Ofure Abudor ’23, Sarah Brannigan ’24, Maeve Ryan ’24, Ava Riverso ’25, Sophiana Simone ’25, Bridget Merges ’25, Juliette Thomas ’25, and Adriana King ’26. We look forward to reporting on the next group of student entrepreneurs in this year’s Girls With Impact program.

DNA Barcoding Project

Authentic Science Research to Benefit the Community

Imagine being a student passionately interested in science and seizing the opportunity to conduct field research with the authentic goal of comparing atmospheric pollution and air quality in different locations around Westchester County.

Teams of Ursuline students completed such an initiative under the direction of Ursuline science faculty members Dr. Oxana Litvine and Mrs. Rebecca Beaton. Students were selected to take part in the Urban Barcode Project (UBP), a science program spanning the five boroughs of New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area. Just as a unique pattern of bars in a universal product code (UPC) identifies each item for sale in a store, a DNA barcode is a DNA sequence that uniquely identifies each species of living thing. The UBP is the first large-scale effort to engage high school students using DNA technology to explore biodiversity in New York City and Westchester County.

The multi-step undertaking began in April 2023 when the student scientists delved into the world of genetics and DNA barcoding through online bioinformatics training. Following this, they carried out the field work. Small teams of students took samples of mushrooms in Rockefeller State Park, samples of lichen in Teatown Lake Reservation, and samples of moss from the Bronx River Parkway. Mushrooms, lichen and moss are bioindicators of air pollution in the atmosphere.

Students then processed the samples at the Regeneron DNA Learning Center in Sleepy Hollow, using DNA extraction, PCR (creating DNA from one molecule), and gel electrophoresis. In May 2023 after evaluating their

findings, they presented their results at the Urban Barcode Symposium at City Tech in Brooklyn. At Dr. Litvine’s urging, the students also uploaded their findings to iNaturalist which is a global network of naturalists, citizen scientists, and biologists.

This science research experience assisted two students when they applied to the High School Summer Research Program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Sophiana Simone ‘25 and Aine O’Sullivan ‘25 were two of only 12 high school students selected to do translational research in Einstein in summer 2023. During the four-week program, they deepened their knowledge of genetic analysis and learned about immunoassays. They also participated in faculty research presentations.

Sophiana was in Dr. R.K. Ramesh’s lab (Pathology, Cytogenetics, Oncology research) and Aine in Dr. Loeb’s lab (Chairman of Pediatrics, Cellular Biology, Heme/Oncology).

JoAnn Murphy Lab for Financial Markets & Literacy ~

Future Business Leaders

Those Ursuline students interested in hands-on experience with stocks, bonds, and personal finance can apply to our JoAnn Murphy Lab for Financial Markets & Literacy. In this new lab, they build a stock portfolio and track its performance against the Nasdaq Composite Index, using our new Bloomberg terminals. Students also analyze companies within different industries and countries, define market assumptions, and highlight stocks of interest.

Course instructor Jill Patricot, a seasoned Wall Street trader, employs a combination of media, team projects, and real-world case studies to help students develop an understanding of complex financial concepts. The pilot program was announced in October 2022 and received significant student interest, due in part to the ongoing success of Ursuline’s Future Women in Business Club. This student-led club, founded in 2021, introduces our young women to different areas of business, hearing from guest speakers - alumnae and current parents - who are experienced in this field.

Field trips to New York City provide another realtime window into the world of finance, both inspiring and empowering the students. The inaugural class of Finance Lab students was fortunate to attend the Closing Bell ceremony in Nasdaq’s Times Square studio. The second semester class was delighted to visit Bloomberg Headquarters and attend an onsite Bloomberg terminal training session. The most recent class enjoyed the chance to go to Amazon’s offices.

To top it off, several of these sophomores, juniors and seniors take advantage of the opportunity to earn Bloomberg certification through independent study. Thus, they receive an important financial credential before graduating high school.

In this new course, students also learn to structure budgets and understand the topics of credit, retirement accounts, sustainable investing, and digital wallets. In these ways, they develop a financial mindset that enables them to make informed choices in their own lives.

Be a part of almabase at https://alumnae.ursulinenewrochelle.org

Check that at least your current email is correct on this database.

This vibrant network was created for alumnae. Find classmates by class year, college, location or job. Post jobs or apply to internships. Register for Reunion, Morning of Spiritual Renewal and other events.

In fall 2023, we had a record number of views on almabase as alumnae responded to posts about upcoming networking events, a distinctive career opportunity, and captivating images from the last reunion. This engagement resulted in securing two new mentors for the Science Research program and the successful hosting of our Second Annual Master Class.

We invite all alumnae to register on almabase and foster the growth of alumnae connections across generations and around the world!

To learn more about Almabase, contact Maureen A. Corbett, Director of Special Events and Ecommerce at corbettm@ursulinenewrochelle.org or 914 500 6285.

It was a beautiful evening when a fine group of alumnae gathered with members of the Advancement team and Dr. Melnyk on the rooftop terrace Lady Bird on October 12, 2023 in Washington D.C. Time for networking and reminiscing while taking in spectacular views of the District. We were thrilled to have special guest Ann Gillin Lefever ’82, former Ursuline Board chair, join us. Earlier in the day, we spent a lovely afternoon with Marie “Deeda” Calderazzo ’48 from McLean, VA. We smiled ear to ear as Deeda shared stories and memories from her years at Ursuline and CNR where her life was shaped by the Ursuline sisters.

Acclaimed Author Offered Writing Counsel

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Ursuline was very pleased to host the awardwinning author and professor of creative writing Patricia Park on May 30, 2023. Ms. Park spoke candidly and humorously about her own young adult years, a Korean American growing up in Queens, and read an excerpt from her young adult novel, Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim. Following the main speaking event, Professor Park met with students from our Writing Center and Between the Lines book club to speak more in depth about the craft of writing.

Inspiring Performance by an Advocate for Disability Inclusion

On March 28, 2023, we welcomed Lachi, a multi-award-winning singer, songwriter and recording artist. Born legally blind, Lachi advocates for disability culture, inclusion and accessibility in the music industry. She is Founder and President of Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities, a nationally recognized coalition. Through her music selections, Lachi emphasized the importance of courage, community, and being proud of who you are. In response to student questions, Lachi shared the inspiration for her work and how she builds confidence and perseverance.

Kicking Off Women’s History Month With “When

Women Win”

Women’s History Month 2023 at The Ursuline School began with an uplifting presentation by Caroline Adams Miller, bestselling author and one of the world’s leading experts in positive psychology. Ms. Miller spoke from the heart about the importance of helping each other flourish and succeed. She offered no-nonsense advice on how women and girls can help each other flourish and succeed in spite of current cultural norms. She also encouraged us to “take joy in another person’s joy” and to “share their stories as a way to give hope,” challenging students to be role models and go out of their way to amplify someone else’s good news.

Ursuline “Leaders in Training” Should Never Give Up!

Ursuline students are “leaders in training” and should focus on “loving themselves so they can best serve others.” This was the rallying cry from Ms. Katrina Adams, former president, chair, and CEO of the U.S. Tennis Association and Ursuline’s guest speaker on October 5, 2022. Author of Own the Arena, Ms. Adams gave an inside glimpse at what it takes to be a leader and how to hold the door open to those who come behind them. Ms. Adams also spoke to students about courage and repetition needed to develop skills. She also encouraged learning from losses and being humble when successful, whether in sports, performing arts, debate, or any other competitive activity. After the presentation, our tennis teams were excited to spend time with Ms. Adams at a small reception and book signing.

Local alumnae and parents enjoyed a reception with Ms. Miller following her presentation.

AT URSULINE, SPEAKERS

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

We were delighted to welcome Ms. Silvana Montenegro P’28, Global Head of Advancing Hispanics & Latinos at JPMorgan Chase & Co., on October 5, 2023, as part of our recognition of Hispanic culture and heritage. Ms. Montenegro, recently named one of the top 100 Latinas in the U.S., gave an informative and thought-provoking historical perspective on Hispanic Heritage Month, Latin American countries, and notable Latinas. She also shared an inspiring, personalized video message from Grammy award-winning artist Gloria Estefan. who emphasized the importance of persistence.

We Welcomed Fordham University President

President Tania Tetlow, Fordham University’s first female and first lay president, shared a powerful message with juniors and seniors on October 27, 2023. In a conversation moderated by Unison editors Sarah Brannigan ’24 and Theresa Montana ’25, President Tetlow touched on leadership, faith life, community, mentors, college life, keeping up outside interests, and the importance of Serviam, “God wired us to be happy when we help others. Feel good, happy and proud when you help others.”

Fordham University President Tania Tetlow

Global Symposium Keynoter Urged Action

Harnaaz Sandhu, Miss Universe 2021, was our honored keynoter at the Global Symposium on December 19, 2022. She is a strong advocate for the empowerment

and education of women and girls globally. Ms. Sandhu addressed our 2022-23 global issue of concern, period poverty, which is insufficient access to affordable menstrual hygiene products. The twenty-two-year-old actor and model made period poverty an important part of her platform during her reign as Miss Universe. Period poverty affects 500 million people worldwide, including those in industrialized countries such as the U.S. In 2022, Ms. Sandhu launched a coalition for Menstrual Equity in India. She also kicked off the Global Menstrual Equity Accelerator campaign at Global Citizen Festival 2022 in New York City.

Ms. Sandhu encouraged students to look within themselves, identify a service opportunity that they deem important, educate themselves on the issue, and then act.

“Use your power of youth to help change the world,” she said. This was an energetic and informative presentation that captivated the audience of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and board members!

6th GRADE SURVIVORS ’24

RING DAY 2023

2023 URSULINE ART COLLECTION ACQUISITIONS

SPRING DANCE FESTIVAL 2023

A NIGHT OF SHAKESPEARE, NOVEMBER 2023

CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2023, MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR - GOLD MEDALISTS

URSULINE DISTINCTIONS 2022-23

Latin Scholars

Ursuline students have a long history of high achievements in Classics. The 29 students listed below are the most recent recipients of awards on the 2023 National Latin Exam.

In addition, Nuala Reynolds ‘23 was awarded the Classics scholarship at Holy Cross. The Henry Bean, S.J. Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to high school graduates who will major in classics at Holy Cross. Nuala took Latin for five years at Ursuline and excelled on the AP Latin exam. Bene factum!

INTRODUCTION TO LATIN

Gold Summa Cum Laude

Elizabeth Fitzmaurice (9)

Kaylie Souza (9)

Silver Maxima Cum Laude

Avery Garcia (9)

Magna Cum Laude

Amelia Alvarez (9)

Allison Villareal (9)

Cum Laude

Chloe Connor-Albania (8)

Camila Napoleon (9)

Audrey Molloy (9)

Claire Michaud (9)

Grace Irving (9)

Alexandra Dimos (8)

BEGINNING LATIN

Gold Summa Cum Laude

Victoria Morris (9)

Silver Maxima Cum Laude

Chelsea Bungay (10)

Elizabeth McFarland (10)

Magna Cum Laude

Carolyn Coyne (9)

Miah Zabala (9)

INTERMEDIATE LATIN

Gold Summa Cum Laude

Silvia Cuono (10)

Magna Cum Laude

Caralyn LoConte (10)

Sophia Tang (11)

Cum Laude

Katherine Miller (10)

Meghan McDonald (11)

Ella Sohng (11)

Corinne Ross (10)

ADVANCED POETRY

Silver Maxima Cum Laude

Nuala Reynolds (12)

Rachel Ortiz (12)

Magna Cum Laude

Katherine Mehler (12)

Cum Laude

Kelly Lahiff (12)

Ava Snyder (11)

Jane Connolly (12)

SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Gold Award in Scouting

Alanna Sheehan ’23, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Troop 1628, believes that all families struggling financially should have easy access to food without having to worry about the financial burden of buying groceries. She knows that COVID-19 devastated the local economy. Alanna volunteered several years at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Food Pantry in Elmsford, New York, bagging and distributing food. Her Girl Scout Gold Award Project proposed three ways to enhance the monthly distribution of food to 125 families at this food pantry. We congratulate Alanna for earning the Gold Award in September 2022.

Congratulations to Ebahi Adubor ‘23 and Ofure Adubor ‘23 who were accepted to the Summer 2024 session of the highly selective Global Summit co-hosted by the Porter’s Center for Global Leadership at Miss Porter’s School and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. This interdisciplinary, residential program is held in South Africa. Its goal is to empower young women to become leaders and changemakers.

Global Dialogue

On November 16, 2022, Dr. Melnyk and Ms. Napoli presented Global Compact on Education certificates to Ava Alvarez ‘23 and Madeline Donovan ‘23 for completing an important Ursuline global initiative. Sr. Pat Schifini and Mrs. Barton, Director of Global Education, also thanked and congratulated these students for leading a year-long virtual dialogue with 40 Ursuline schools around the world. They developed Serviam projects in response to Pope Francis’ call to build a better world post-pandemic. The projects focused on Human Fraternity & Social Friendship, and Care for the Environment. Ava and Madeline valued the chance to work “Insieme” (together) with students from different cultures on a common goal.

Science Solutions & Innovations

Jenna Cain ’23, Julia Higgins ’23 and Isabella Vembenil ’25 were among the winners at the prestigious Regeneron Westchester Science & Engineering Fair (WESEF) award ceremony on March 23, 2023. Jenna received the Solutions for a Sustainable World Award, Julia received the Innovations in Biological Sciences Research Award, and Isabella earned both second place in the Behavioral Science category plus the chance to take part in the International GENIUS Olympiad in June 2023.

The World’s Renowned Stages Beckon

We applaud violinist Audrey Warren ’25 who was selected to play in three international concerts under the auspices of the Honors Performance Series High School Orchestra program. In February 2023, Audrey performed at Carnegie Hall with other accomplished high school musicians from across the U.S., under the direction of guest conductor Jeffrey Grogan. In August 2023, Audrey traveled to Australia and performed at the Sydney Opera House with guest conductor Kirt Mosier. Each performing opportunity included behind-the-scenes tours of these renowned concert halls and signature outings in the host city. Audrey eagerly looks forward to summer 2024 when she will fly to London to play in the orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall.

Commitment to Serviam

Julia Kret ’24 and Emma Lanza ’24 were honored by St. Vincent’s Westchester with a 2023 St Vincent’s Hospital Youth Award.

Lena Gilardi ’24 and Alexandra Patz ’24 were selected for the 2022-23 Community Service Award from the Ursuline Education Network.

Dr. Litvine, Ms. Napoli, Julia Higgins, Isabella Vembenil, Jenna Cain, Dr. Melnyk, Mrs. Beaton

Sculpture is Honored

We’re proud to share that Ursuline Art teacher Patricia DiIorio was honored at the New Rochelle Art Association’s 107th Open Juried Show in early 2023 with two art awards for her sculpture. Her sculpture, Elements, made of welded hammered steel, earned top honors. Another piece, aptly titled Found and constructed with hammered steel and Tennessee River found steel, placed third.

Art Keys Awarded

Art students Zoe Hall ‘23, Madeline Mobilia ‘23, Hailey Raio ‘23 and Lila Vianna ‘24 were recognized at the Regional Level of the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Founded a century ago, this prestigious recognition program celebrates creative teens locally and nationally. Last year, more than 100,000 students across the country submitted their art works. Andy Warhol is among the program’s notable alumni.

Gallery Exhibition

We are delighted to report that the artwork of Michaela Collins ’24 and Sarai Sealy ’24, students in the Photoshop Photography class, was selected for display in The Teen Arts Council show “Mental Fragments” at Pelham Art Center in April 2023.

Madeline Mobilia ’23 Gold Key, Photography

Zoe Hall ’23 Silver Key, Mixed Media

Lila Vianna ’24 Silver Key, Mixed Media

Hailey Raio ’23 Honorable Mention, Photography

Michaela Collins, Photoshop

Sarai Sealy, Photograph

We proudly congratulate these alumnae!

Megan Noonan Schneider ’99 was named Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Retirement & Benefits Partners (USRBP) on January 1, 2023. USRBP specializes in employee benefits and employer-sponsored retirement plans in K-12 schools, governmental, corporate and non-profit markets. Covering all aspects of benefits and retirement products and services, USRBP was established with a mission to address the increasing needs of educators and professionals seeking to ensure long-term health and financial stability.

Headquartered in NJ, USRBP has more than 30 offices across the U.S. and India, and is more than 1,100 team members strong. Megan joined USRBP in 2019 as Chief Operating Officer after 17 years with Willis Towers Watson. Two years later, she was named President. She successfully led the firm’s technology integration initiatives, the expansion of client services and established the infrastructure to accelerate USRBP’s organic growth ambitions. Most recently, Megan led the company to establish a strategic partnership with The Vistria Group, a new kind of private equity firm that pursues purpose alongside profit.

“My Ursuline education and commitment to service while pursuing success couldn’t resonate more with my leadership of USRBP, a company committed to serving the financial wellness needs of the country’s most important professionals, our educators and public servants. Couple that with new majority investors in The Vistria Group who are passionate about growth and committed to the community. It’s very fulfilling.”

Tracey Vumbacco Williams ’88 has recently released her 11th book. The newest story is a children’s picture book that serves as a companion for her Twin Adventures chapter book series. In “Ninja The Penguin: One Magical Night,” twins Aleta and Merina enjoy a special trip to their favorite park - the sea life park where their friend Ninja the Penguin lives. During a merry-making, mischievous and magical night, they help all Ninja’s dreams come true when they take her to visit all the other animals in the park.

Each of Tracey’s books share the themes of friendship, family, faith and animals. For young adult readers, The Dolphin Trainer Mystery series provides an entertaining storyline, as well as educational information about marine mammals. For more information, visit her website traceyvwilliams.com and find all of her books on Amazon. Happy reading!

Jules Biolsi Provenzano ’08 was recognized by the Hedge Fund Journal, a Global Finance publication, as one of the 50 leading women in Hedge Funds in 2022. Jules is a Director and Co-Head of US Equity long/short and Head of Private Business Development at Balyasny Asset Management (BAM), a $17 billion global investment firm in New York. She manages a team of six and is integral to several initiatives at BAM. As head of US Analyst Business Development, Jules hires analysts of all levels and she has worked closely with two partners to conceive BAM’s growing new Bridger Program which hires and develops upand-coming junior investment talent. She also helped to build out BAM’s newly launched equities unit, Corbets Capital. Jules chairs the BAM Women’s Group which facilitates collaborative networking, education, and mentorship opportunities for women at the firm. In addition, she is on the inaugural team tasked with developing BAM’s strategy on Diversity & Inclusion. Finally, Jules was chosen to participate in the firm’s Empowered Leadership Program.

SuzAnne Devine Clark ’82 is a 2023 winner of the Prang Art Teacher of the Year award. This national program recognizes 10 art teachers annually who have made significant contributions in the lives of their students by advancing art education and inspiring self-expression.

SuzAnne was selected from over 2,000 submissions. SuzAnne, an artist and art teacher at Deerfield Beach Elementary School in Florida, was recognized for combining her art teacher practice with philanthropic projects within the community. In the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, SuzAnne launched The Kindness Rocks Project whose mission is to cultivate kindness in the community through creating and sharing kindness rocks.

As an Ohio State senior, swimmer Josie Panitz ’19 won the Big Ten 200 IM Championship in February 2023 and helped lead the Buckeyes to their fourth consecutive Big Ten Conference Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships title. Josie earned another place on the medal stand as she took second place in the 100 Breaststroke. She was also selected to the All-Big Ten First Team.

A Fulbright Journey in Taiwan

Upon graduating from Hamilton College in 2020, I was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship grant to Taiwan. My teaching placement was on the small, rural island of Kinmen, less than two miles away from mainland China. I quickly became aware of the rich history of Kinmen and its people, and the vital part the small island played in securing Taiwan’s independence. I taught a total of 88 students ranging from first graders who did not speak any English to sixth graders who could carry short conversations in both required English language curriculum and “World Culture Class”. During my culture classes I was able to share a wide range of topics including holidays, traditions, and sports in countries all around the world.

Due to Covid-19 my grant period was shortened from one year to six months, and after just six weeks of living in Taiwan, I knew 6 months wouldn’t be long enough. Despite the language barrier with my students and most of the other teachers and staff members, I quickly felt welcomed by and connected to the school community. I applied for a second Fulbright grant for a year-long English Teaching Fellowship (ETF) which I was awarded for the 2021-2022 school year. I was so lucky to be able to return to Kinmen and teach at the same elementary school for the duration of my

By Niamh Fitzpatrick ’16

ETF grant. As a fellow, I was given more responsibility and freedom in creating meaningful lesson plans and curating engaging culture lessons. I assumed the role of lead teacher in my English language and world culture classes, and even had the opportunity to mentor two local university students who were studying to be English teachers.

During my time as a teacher, I also took Mandarin classes at the local university. This was initially for the sake of survival in Taiwanese society, but I quickly became fascinated with the langage and, still itching to extend my stay in Taiwan, I applied for and was awarded the Taiwan Ministry of Education’s Huayu Enrichment Scholarship for Chinese Language Study. I pursued six months of intensive Mandarin language study at National Cheng Kung University In Tainan, Taiwan beginning in the fall of 2022. While reversing my role in the classroom back to student was a tough transition, my motivation was fueled by the fact that I could immediately put what I was learning into practice in my everyday life. Additionally, my learning did not stop when I left campus for the day. Every interaction was an opportunity to learn a new word or phrase, or figure out how to explain my way around a word that I didn’t know. Though six months is not enough time to achieve fluency

in Mandarin, being immersed in the language all day both challenged me in new ways and propelled my progress further than I could have imagined.

Throughout my two years living in Taiwan, the Taiwanese culture of respect and generosity was proven to me time and time again. I am so incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity, and Taiwan will always hold a special place in my heart. My experience wouldn’t have been possible without the foundations and values of independence, global citizenship, and Serviam instilled in me during my years at Ursuline. In yet another example of how global the Ursuline community is, one of my fellow English Teaching Assistants in Taiwan was an alumna of the Ursuline Academy of Dallas! We also figured out that seven years prior, we were both on the same Ursuline Schools service trip to New Orleans and had no idea until we met each other again in Taipei at a Fulbright conference. You never know where in the world you’ll find an Ursuline connection!

In front of the classroom: A lesson on Independence Days around the world on Taiwan Nation Day

Sunrise at the peak of Alishan Mountain

MASTER CLASS SERIES

Our New Master Class Series Provides Marketable Skills

By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17

Aspiring Ursuline writers and dedicated readers were rewarded with invaluable advice from best-selling author Yvette Manessis Corporon ’86 P’19 at the TUS Master Class “Write That Book!” on December 8, 2022. Yvette’s talk was the first of Ursuline’s new TUS Master Class Series, enjoyed by more than 80 in-person attendees plus a Zoom interactive audience of more than 60 alumnae and community members from across the country.

During her talk, Yvette recommended “writing what you know and love” in order to cultivate an authentic story to reach the hearts of readers. She shared how to discover one’s own story, how to be disciplined in writing, and how to find an agent.

Yvette’s audience also learned to “keep yourself open to feedback” and that gut-wrenching rejection plays a part in publishing, as does persistence and hope. “Writing is not easy, but it is so rewarding,” she said. Her first book, When the Cypress Whispers, told a unique family experience as historical fiction, calling upon her grandmother’s dramatic role in helping to hide Greek Jews from the Nazis during World War II. It was satisfying to hear that never giving up on her grandmother’s story led to her first published book.

talk about writing! The best I’ve heard—so heartfelt, with important writing advice and a bird’s-eye view of publishing,”

The TUS Master Class “Write That Book!” illustrated how Ursuline develops outstanding writers, whether successful as college students or as published authors. Yvette shared, “Ursuline really helped me cultivate what I loved so much.” She thanked Ursuline teachers who had taught and encouraged her, starting in 7th grade. “What happens in this building truly matters,” she said. “Whether you’re teaching or learning. It matters, it stays with you, it shapes us.”

“What an incredible

The Master Class was co-hosted by the Advancement team and the TUS Writing Center; students who are National English Honor Society members took on prominent roles in the event. Yvette praised Ursuline for creating the Writing Center, an incredible resource for the students that is “just one more way that Ursuline distinguishes itself from other schools.”

said Amy Sivco Kierce ’85, a writer who tuned in from Boston.

Second Master Class Honored Our Style!

We welcomed Kendra Porter ’95 as our presenter at the Second Annual Master Class, “Honor Your Style! Using Fashion as a Tool to Create Your Personal Brand.”

Kendra is an award-winning image consultant and wardrobe stylist. Her motto: “HonorYourStyle. HONOR YOU!” Kendra has worked with many luxury brands and retailers -- backstage at NY Fashion Week dressing for Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera and in-store at Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales. She teaches at the Fashion Institute of Technology and works in-studio to dress on-air talent at NBC Sports. Kendra drew on that experience to share with the attendees in person and on the livestream an understanding of the elements of style, color psychology, and what you communicate to the world by your clothing choices.

This Master Class was co-hosted on December 5, 2023 by the Advancement team and the Future Women in Business Club, who enjoyed a special roundtable session with Kendra discussing entrepreneurship.

At the reception in the Kulsar & McCarthy Lobby following the presentation, alumnae, parents, and students took time to ask Kendra specific fashion questions and Kendra graciously did a color analysis upon request. It was an evening to inspire and embrace your unique sense of style with confidence.

CLASS OF 2018 NOTES

Spotlight on the Class of 2018!

The pandemic was a challenge that this class had to address as they pursued their college degrees. We offer our best wishes for good health and fulfilling personal growth as they write the next chapters of their academic studies or the beginnings of their careers. Here are a few updates from this indomitable class.

Katie Canning graduated magna cum laude from Villanova in May 2022. Inspired by topics such as education inequity and racial injustice in her political science courses in college, Katie is pursuing a career in teaching. She shares, “I want to be personally involved in the day-to-day effort to expand educational opportunity and access for all children.” After a stint in Indianapolis with Teach for America, Katie returned to New York to begin her masters in childhood and special education at Manhattanville College where she was accepted into their Jump Start (accelerated) program. This will make her eligible to teach in NYS for the 2024-25 school year. As she looks forward to teaching, Katie remains deeply appreciative of her own teachers whose support and resolve have brought her to this point, “My time at Ursuline was integral in cultivating my confidence and sense of self. I strive to grant my future students the same blessings I received during my own education as I embark on my teaching career.”

Tiffany Vembenil

During her senior year at Ursuline, Tiffany Vembenil was accepted into the Leadership in Medicine Program, an 8-year program combining an undergraduate degree, an MBA, and an MD. Tiffany was a Dean’s List Scholar for all four years while obtaining her BS degree from Union College. She was also a member of Sigma Delta Pi, a National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society for Spanish majors. Tiffany graduated summa cum laude in 2022, majoring in both Medical Biology and Spanish & Hispanic Studies, and also received honors in both. In June 2022, Tiffany also graduated with an MBA in Healthcare Management from Clarkson University. Since then, she has finished her first year of medical school at Albany Medical College, where in addition to her medical education, Tiffany is performing research with a focus on bioethics and health systems analysis. Her areas of interest include learning about and addressing the health disparities in our society. Says Tiffany, “Ursuline’s education and philosophy of Serviam - I will serve - provided me with a strong academic foundation and a desire to serve those in need, leading me to my current path of becoming a physician!”

Jennifer Nunez received a Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Education and Special Education from New York University. At graduation, she was recognized as a University Honors Scholar and awarded Latin honors, magna cum laude. As a student, Jenn gained a better understanding of past and contemporary educational issues, which has motivated her to join the fight for equity and social justice in this space. Additionally, Jenn’s student teaching experiences across NYC public schools augmented her learning by allowing her to observe experienced educators in action and lead classroom instruction independently. Jenn participated in extracurriculars such as Peer Mentoring, served as a Resident Assistant for a first-year residence hall, VP of Membership for Zeta Tau Alpha’s Lambda Theta chapter, and VP of the NYU Figure Skating Team. Jenn proudly reports that her team was awarded 5th place at the 2022 National Intercollegiate Finals, the highest award (at the time) in the team’s history.

Jenn has begun a master’s in Reading/Writing/Literacy at the University of Pennsylvania. While studying in Philadelphia, she worked with students across educational spaces to support their learning and expand her understanding of literacy as a social practice. Jenn’s most influential work experience was with Dr. Vivian L. Gadsden where she served as a research assistant in the Youth Civic Engagement Research (YCER) project, which investigates how adolescents participate in—and make sense of—civic and political life. In addition to her academic work, Jenn served as a Resident Advisor for a first-year residence hall and acted as the Vice President of Operations of Penn’s Latin American Graduate & Professional Student Assembly (LAGAPSA). At the end of her program, the faculty awarded her the Reading/Writing/

Literacy Research Award “for outstanding contributions to literacy research practice and community engagement.” Jenn was thrilled to begin her role as an elementary school teacher this academic year!

Jenn’s advice to younger Koalas, “look for people who are doing good in the world. Commit to building a better future every day.”

Julie Bausano graduated from Cornell University in May 2022 with a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering. She was grateful to be recognized at commencement for service, commitment to the engineering profession, and enthusiasm for student life through the John E. Perry Undergraduate Prize and the ASCE Student Service award. While at school, Julia took on a leadership role within and outside of her major, serving as a TA for both introductory structural design and a geotechnical engineering class. During her junior year, she was Lead of a project team, Cornell Concrete Canoe, where they placed 2nd at their regional competition. Julia was an active member of her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and served as VP of Philanthropy, fundraising to support literacy. After graduation, Julia moved to Boston to begin a job as Operations Consultant for Stroud International. She has been traveling all over the country as well as Calgary, Canada and Normandy, France, to help operations leaders solve capacity, service, cost and quality problems.

CLASS OF 2018 NOTES

Angelina Campanile graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University with a Bachelors of Science in Journalism, a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science, and a minor in Legal Studies. While maintaining an “A” average and competing on Northwestern’s rowing team, Angelina reported, anchored, and produced for Northwestern’s student-run radio station, WNUR News. As the show’s Executive Producer and later News Director, Angelina won two national and five regional Society of Professional Journalist Awards for best radio reporting.

Most recently, Angelina completed her first year at St. John’s Law School in Queens with Alexis Fishman ’18 as her roommate, whom she met at Ursuline’s sixth grade “out-of-the-box” event in 2011! Angelina sits on the executive board of the Immigration Law Society and the Italian American Law Students Association. Her favorite course thus far has been Constitutional Law; she largely attributes her success in the class to Ms. Geller’s AP Gov class senior year. Angelina is especially interested in First Amendment litigation and has spent the summer interning at the Westchester County Supreme Court in White Plains drafting court decisions and composing legal memoranda. Angelina returned to St. John’s last fall as a 2L and a competition member of the law school’s mock trial team. Angelina continues to pursue her passion for rowing as a competitor and assistant coach for Pelham Community Rowing Association. She also owns and operates AGC Photography, a freelance photography and videography business Angelina first launched in her senior year Graphic Design class with Ms. Brittis.

In May 2022, Emily Jeris received her Bachelors from The Catholic University of America in Early Childhood Education, graduating Summa Cum Laude and receiving the Thomas E. Shields award for Excellence in Teacher Education Early Childhood. Emily has begun her graduate school adventure

at Manhattanville College where she will receive a double masters in Early Childhood and Childhood, Special and General Education. She is also currently a Teaching Assistant in a special education classroom at the Rye City School District.

Jessica Argento graduated from Colgate University with a concentration in International Relations and a double minor in Economics and Sociology. While at school, she was an editor for the school newspaper and captain of the women’s club soccer team - both activities and passions that began while she was at Ursuline! After graduation, Jess explored Europe and enjoyed experiencing new cities and different cultures. After traveling, she began working as a Portfolio and Risk Analyst at Bloomberg LP in New York City where she learns something new every day!

In 2022, Lily Donohue graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Shortly after, she passed her NCLEX-RN exam and obtained licensure as a Registered Nurse. For the last year, Lily has been working on the Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, VA, where she treats infants and children with heart, lung and kidney disorders. “Ursuline sparked my interest in community service,” shares Lily who learned how rewarding it is to connect with those in need through programs and travel opportunities she experienced in high school. She is looking forward to her first Ursuline reunion this spring, reconnecting with classmates and some of the teachers who helped shape her!

Amanda McCooey’s educational journey at Loyola University Maryland culminated in May 2022 with the completion of her Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

Julia DiMarco graduated from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, with a Bachelor of Science in Finance & Technology Management. While in school, she joined Women in Business, a women-only organization that brought her closer to her Ursuline roots. After graduation, Julia moved to Chicago to begin her career as a Credit Analyst in J.P. Morgan Chase’s Commercial Banking Rotational Program. She is taking sailing classes on Lake Michigan and finding joy in exploring a new city!

During her time at Loyola, Amanda actively participated in various programs that sought to promote leadership and community service in Baltimore. Her exposure to the youth community in Baltimore had a profound impact on her, particularly when she had the chance to teach elementary and middle school children the importance of writing. During the fall semester of her senior year, Amanda watched as these children gained confidence in their writing skills and themselves. This experience reinforced her belief in the value of giving back by serving those who are less fortunate, which she first learned at Ursuline. Currently, Amanda works as a member of the Business Development team at Balyasny Asset Management in New York City. Thanks to her Ursuline education, Amanda gained the foundational skills to succeed in both her academic and professional endeavors. Furthermore, TUS instilled in her the value of hard work, commitment, and faith, which continue to shape her life. Amanda is grateful for the opportunities that Ursuline presented to her, and she will always be proud to be a Koala.

In May of 2022, Quinn Hogan graduated from Notre Dame with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior and a minor in Data Science. She now enjoys living in Boston and running into people she knew from Ursuline and Fordham Prep! Quinn is working in ophthalmic clinical research as she continues to explore healthcare career opportunities. She sends her best wishes to everyone at Ursuline and hopes to visit sometime soon!

Kaitlin Mulligan graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022 where she received her B.A. in Psychology, with minors in the Sociology of Health & Medicine and Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. Currently, she is working as a Research Assistant on the Emotion Project at Boston Children’s Hospital in the Biobehavioral Research Laboratory/Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience. This project is a longitudinal neuroimaging study investigating the development of emotion processing, specifically, how emotion processing changes from infancy to adolescence and how it may be related to mental health in children. In the future, Kaitlin hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Rory Hagstrom graduated from Northwestern University in June of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Neuroscience with a concentration in Behavior and Cognition. Since graduating, she has been working in the Department of Neurosurgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine as a Research Associate where she spends most of her time writing and preparing manuscripts on topics involving patients with cerebrovascular lesions, such as stroke, aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations, that have been treated with endovascular and surgical treatment strategies. When Rory is not working, she is either hiking with her dog or spending time with family and friends. She is looking forward to her five-year reunion in 2024!

Allegra Acevedo graduated Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College Class of 2022 where she received a B.A. with Honors in Women and Gender Studies and a minor in Journalism. Allegra Graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was a Class Salutatorian. At Hunter, she was in the CMMB club, a Catholic charity that provides medical supplies and help to women and children in need. It was a friend of Allegra’s who started their first club at Hunter and now there are some on other campuses! Allegra wrote her Senior Thesis on the childcare crisis and focused on how covid-19 impacted working mothers and families. She graduated with honors in her major through this capstone. As an undergrad, Allegra interned at NYC Department of Social Services and the Pace Women’s Justice Center. In her Senior year, she was a DEI Intern at C Street where she currently works. Since the company’s transition late last year, Allegra has been working in strategic communications. In her role as an associate, she works with her team to develop communications plans for companies going through financial restructurings and bankruptcy. They work closely with legal teams to craft these communications.

Alumnae, you can update your information by scanning the QR code to the left or by contacting Maureen Corbett, Advancement Team: CorbettM@ ursulinenewrochelle.org

Meghan Hartson attended Manhattan College where she received her Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering, a concentration in Cosmetic Engineering and a minor in Chemistry. While in college, she conducted cosmetic research, developing a thermoresponsive sustainable hair gel which she presented to a board of science professionals from around the world and won 3rd place in the student category! Meghan published this research this summer. During her college years, she held Presidential positions in multiple clubs including the Pep Band and Cosmetic Science club. After graduation, Meghan started her dream job at L’Oreal, developing products for their Luxe brands such as Kiehl’s, Lancôme, Ralph Lauren, Urban Decay and IT Cosmetics. This fall, she will start their prestigious Management Trainee Program offered to only 15 of their entry level employees. This 2-year rotation prepares 15 selected entry level employees for management. Additionally, she will work on the brand Margaritaville as a Brand Manager for the university program. In this role, Meghan will manage over 60 students in the Northeast, helping them plan events sponsored by Margaritaville.

She is also taking classes online to receive her MBA from Manhattan College. “I’ve definitely kept up with my love for travel (which of course sparked during my many international trips through Ursuline!) and have officially traveled to all 50 states as well as Europe after our 2018 graduation. I can certainly say Ursuline helped pave the way for me and I couldn’t be prouder to be a Koala!”

CLASS OF 2018 NOTES

Vittoria Gallello attended the University of South Carolina where she studied Marketing and Management with a minor in Journalism. During her time at USC, Tor was involved in Greek Life, the school magazine, and recruitment counseling. Inspired by her Ursuline Junior Year European Trip, she studied abroad in Florence in the midst of the pandemic. Being one of the few Americans in Italy, she had the special opportunity to experience another culture in a time of uncertainty. Currently, Tor works at Hearst Magazines as a Performance Marketing Associate, creating advertisements in the US & UK for Elle, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and Good-Housekeeping. Outside of work Tor has fostered her creative side through art, and had the opportunity to have her work displayed at Rockefeller Center through the annual Flag Project. She is so grateful for her time at Ursuline and continues to take what she learned with her as she navigates a post grad life!

Winnie Ryan graduated from College of William and Mary with a major in Biology and minor in English. During her college years, Winnie was a member of the sorority Kappa Alpha Theta and an a capella group called Reveille! She joined the organization Best Buddies where she assisted her “buddy” with her participation in the first annual job fair for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Now, Winnie works at a medical communications group where she uses her education in the sciences and humanities to assist medical writers as a content manager.

Meaghan Grogan graduated from Boston College cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Computer Science in May 2022. At Boston College, Meaghan had her first experience with research, working in a Genetics lab starting in 2021. In September 2022, she began her current position as a Research Technician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she has learned a plethora of research techniques and more about what she wants to do in the future. Meaghan is in the process of applying to PhD Programs in Immunology and looks forward to this next step in her career!

Meaghan Grogan pictured second from right at her Boston College graduation

Julia Longo graduated Cum Laude from Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. At Villanova, Julia was Vice President Standards and Internal Affairs of Kappa Kappa Gamma and received the Georgi Clymer Loyalty Award. Throughout her four years, Julia was a member and co-captain of the Villanova NCAA

Division I Varsity Women’s Rowing Team where she received two scholarships, including the Edward D. and Regina W. Riley Scholarship for Athletic and Academic Achievement. She was placed on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, and Dean’s List each semester. After graduation, she passed the nursing licensing exam and became a Registered Nurse. Currently, Julia is working at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital in the Immediate Care Center. This past year at NYU she received the Novice Nurse Award for her hospital and the Patient Satisfaction Award. Julia is looking forward to moving to Manhattan this fall and spending lots of time with her best friends from Ursuline!

In May of 2022, Emma Gordon graduated Summa Cum Laude from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She also had minors in Chemistry and Environmental Science. Immediately following graduation, Emma began work as a Research Technician for Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). During her time at CUIMC, she worked in the lab of Dr. Stephanie Cosentino. Emma first met Dr. Cosentino as a sophomore at Ursuline when she served as her mentor for the science research course. Emma is so grateful that Ursuline pushed her to find such an incredible mentor and that she was able to maintain this connection. While in Dr. Cosentino’s lab, Emma worked on the Long Life Family Study, a multi-site, multi-generational study with over 5,000 participants around the world that is dedicated to uncovering the environmental and genetic components that contribute to extreme longevity. After a year of working with amazing people at CUIMC, Emma left to begin pursuing her Medical Degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She feels beyond proud, honored, and excited to continue her medical education at such an outstanding institution.

We Want to Hear From You!

Send your news to Advancement Coordinator, Nina Garcia by mail: 1354 North Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10804 or by email: garcian@ursulinenewrochelle.org

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CLASS OF 2018 NOTES

Mary Kate Melnyk graduated Magna Cum Laude in June 2023 from the Pennoni Honors College at Drexel University. Since moving to Philadelphia in 2018, she has embarked on a professional journey that blends her love for entrepreneurship and artistic expression. In college, MK founded the comedic and satirical improv troupe “We Hate The Environment” whose mission statement involves calling for environmental rights advocacy. MK has also been a regular artistic contributor in “The Mantua Theatre Project”; a project in the Mantua neighborhood school system that allows children to write plays and see them fully produced in order to foster a sense of self-agency. In her professional career since graduation, she has been a producer, choreographer, and a performer, and has made it a point to ensure her collaborators are compensated fairly for their artistic work as well as create safe spaces for expression. These values of hard work, self-expression, empathy for others and leadership were instilled in MK while at The Ursuline School, and she would like to thank her teachers and former classmates for their support throughout the years.

Rachael Richter graduated from Binghamton University in May of 2022 with a BA in actuarial science. She is currently working at an insurance company, Sompo International, as an actuarial analyst. One of her personal college achievements was creating and growing a Binghamton meme page on instagram (@Bingmemeton) achieving over 11,000 followers. This was very unique and opened a lot of doors for Rachael, as it highlighted her creative side. Most importantly, she had fun doing it!

Attending the college of her dreams is something Lauren McLean will forever be grateful for. She is thankful that Ursuline helped prepare her to turn those dreams into reality. In May 2023, Lauren graduated from Syracuse University, where she majored in Architecture, with a minor in African American Studies. Her five years were nothing short of amazing. She fell in love with the campus and, of course, the Orange spirit. Attending sporting events at this large D1 school was a thrilling tradition that Lauren enthusiastically embraced! At Syracuse, she had the opportunity to meet incredible people from diverse backgrounds, forging lifelong friendships along the way. One of the most exciting aspects of her college journey was the chance to study abroad in the UK. Living in a new country, surrounded by rich history and architectural wonders, was a dream come true. During her years, Lauren also had the pleasure of bumping into fellow Ursuline graduates across campus. These unexpected reunions were heartwarming and a reminder of the strong bonds we share as Koalas. Lauren shares, “Through my college experience, I’ve grown academically, personally, and culturally. I‘m so grateful for the support of my family and friends throughout this incredible journey. On to the next!”

Ursuline alumnae can discuss careers and share job postings on our LinkedIn group: The Ursuline School, New Rochelle, NY. Be sure to follow The Ursuline School company page on LinkedIn.

Since her Ursuline days, Kelly Morrissy has graduated from Princeton’s School of Public & International Affairs with a focus on Decision-Making and Judgement. At Princeton, she was a member of the Ivy Club, worked on her residential college board, mentored highachieving, low-income high school students through their college application processes, and was on Princeton’s women’s rowing team (Ivy League Champs 2019!) After graduation, Kelly spent a year as an associate, consulting in the Deals Strategy group at Strategy& (a part of the PwC network). More recently, she has pivoted to more creative endeavors and is currently modeling full-time in NYC. Kelly reports that, “My TUS girls and I are still hanging out whenever we can. Go Koalas!”

Megan Malave pursued her bachelor’s degree at Boston University, where she majored in Media Studies and minored in Political Science. During her senior year of college, she took on a position at a local Boston Elementary School as a teacher’s aide and after-school teacher. As a result, she discovered her passion for education and came to the realization that her dream was to become a teacher. After graduating from BU, Megan decided to enroll in a master’s degree program at Manhattan College to pursue a degree in Elementary General/Special Education. Throughout this master’s program, she took on the role as a teacher’s aide at Scarsdale Middle School and as a substitute teacher at Ursuline! Megan shares that it was so amazing to come back to Ursuline and learn from other teachers, especially the ones she had back in high school! This year, Megan was accepted into the Bronxville Teacher Residency Program, in which she is working in a first grade classroom and receiving an in-depth, clinically rich experience that will best prepare her for her future work as an educator. Megan shared, “I am very thankful to Ursuline for molding me into the person I am today and will always keep the memories with me forever!”

Kaleena Perez attended New York University where she studied Film and Television. During her time at NYU, Kaleena was involved in various extracurriculars, such as the Academic Achievement Program, Bella Quisqueya, Femmes in Film, and more. Following her graduation, she has gone on to become a set designer on photo/film/television sets and is grateful to have been a part of many film festival achievements. Outside of her work, Kaleena spends her time interior designing, traveling, making art, and partaking in New York Fashion Week. She is thankful for the skills that Ursuline has equipped her with in order to flourish during college and post-grad!

Caroline Hodge graduated with a Bachelors in Accounting from Florida State University in December of 2022. For the next three months, she interned as an auditor at a Big 4 Accounting firm in Charlotte, NC. Caroline received a full-time offer from the company and will start in the Asset Wealth Management sector in Fall of 2024. Until then, she is completing her masters in Accounting back at FSU, and serving as one of four co-presidents of the graduate Accounting program. Currently halfway through her CPA exams, Caroline plans to have all of them successfully completed this winter.

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1965

Nancy C. Waters and Barbara Kane O’Neill pictured celebrating not only Nancy’s 75th Birthday, but 60+ years of friendship that began from their days at The Ursuline School! Although their lives went in personally diverse directions, professionally they shared the Serviam spirit with others… each holding leadership positions in whatever endeavor engaged them - Nancy as President of the Ladies of Charity of the Archdiocese of NY or quietly baking for HOPE (Help Our People Eat); Barbara as President and Chair of innumerable Irish Catholic societies in the Archdiocese of NY or quietly easing the final days of the elderly for whom she continues to care. Nancy still feels that their Ursuline teachers, under the guidance of St. Angela Merici, established their characters for life.

Class of 1978

Houlihan Genovese. Everyone had a fantastic time and promised to keep in touch. We look forward to welcoming this great group back for Reunion in June 2024!

Class of 1981

Members of the Class of 1978 enjoyed a relaxed, informal mini-reunion event in May. All who attended were grateful to hostess extraordinaire Rosemary Vrablic! Pictured in photo are front row left to right: Lisa Basile, Beth Falvey Woodtli, Leslie Roos Sepe, Maureen Ledden Arnold, Theresa Rooney O’Connor. 2nd row: Elizabeth Frieje Mazzeo, Elizabeth Naclerio D’Onofrio, Sheila Rooney Featherston, Margaret Graham Arrix, Loretta Judge Linehan, Rosemary Vrablic, Andrea Bisordi McLaughlin, Guiliana Musilli, Maura O’Sullivan, Liz

On September 15, 2022, Cathy McCabe married Jill Popovich in Capri, Italy. The wedding was both a family and Koala affair as the couple’s nieces played essential roles in the event! Family fashionista and retail executive Madeline McCabe Orchard ’08 styled the couple while all travel plans were handled by Alanna McCabe Alemany ’07, owner of Fly me to Travel (flymetotravel.com). A celebrant presided over the ceremony in Capri, but it was Kate Walsh ’08 who officiated the legal ceremony stateside. Best wishes!

Left to right Patricia Castilla Seikaly, Daphne Roccos Prinz and Sabrina Faga Papa, all 1981 graduates, caught up in La Jolla, CA, when Daphne, who lives in Denver, was visiting family in San Diego. Patricia lives in San Diego and Sabrina in Santa Barbara. It was a long overdue reunion as the three classmates had not seen one another for decades!

Class of 1983

Congratulations to MaryLou LaSala Pagano on her recent promotion to Executive Director of Sheen Center for Thought and Culture, the official Arts Center for the Archdiocese of New York.

When MaryLou joined the Sheen Center in 2018 as Advancement Director, she felt as though she had discovered the best kept secret in the Archdiocese of New York! She immediately set to work raising funds for and awareness of the Sheen Center among business leaders, philanthropists, and performing arts enthusiasts. Unfortunately, just as her work began to bear fruit, the Sheen Center was shuttered by the Covid-19 Pandemic. Undeterred, MaryLou led the charge to offer free onlineprogramming which expanded their audience reach dramatically. Post pandemic, MaryLou was promoted to Director of Communications and Advancement and was instrumental in developing the Sheen’s new brand identity featuring the “dancing angel” and the tagline, “where art and spirituality meet.” In her new role, MaryLou will continue to amplify the Sheen brand, build support for its mission, and expand programming including a new “virtual” membership. Well done, MaryLou!

Liz Resseguie Brozowski’s daughters, Lelia and Tasha Brozowski, are collegiate athletes. They are both Juniors! Lelia received a partial academic and partial athletic scholarship at Coker University in Hartsville, SC, and competes on their Acrobatics and Tumbling Team. Tasha has a full athletic scholarship at The University of Maryland in Gymnastics. Both are on the Dean’s List as well. Liz is so proud of her daughters!

Class of 1988

Tis the Season to celebrate friendship! Lifelong friends (front row) Ginny McKenna Bentley, Danielle Alberi Casas, Chrissy Parilla Crowley, Kerry Amen Walker (back row) Katie Zottner Grady, Sally Esposito Finning and Carol Hannon Maloney, all Class of 1988, celebrated the season together with their husbands at the Casas’ home.

Class of 1992

Ringing in the Christmas season koala style are members of the Class of 1992, from left to right, Christie Mullery McLoughlin, Stacey Trainor Knowles, Elise Manfredonia Marchese, Stephanie D’Angelo, Jennifer Basso Smith and Daniella Gigante. This highly anticipated holiday tradition, always celebrated at Mulino’s in White Plains, began after the group reconnected at their 25th reunion!

Tasha Brozowski

CLASS NOTES

Class of 2000 (and one 2001)

This great group of koalas keep their friendships strong by getting together twice a year; once with just the girls and another time with their families in a giant get together! Their most recent “girls trip” was in Florida. The group draws from all parts of the country - NY, CT, DC, CO and CA. Pictured in photo, left to right, are Kathleen Henderson Heckman ’00, Katie Kelly Morand ’00, Liz Brown ’00, Ginny Macken Montminy ’00, Karen Bopp McMurrough ’00, Elizabeth Wesolowski Hannaway ’00, Caitlin Larkin Pauls ’00, Kacy Parilla DeTone ’01, Kellie Falvey Sullivan ’00, Kristen DiSenso O’Connell ’00, Sarah Brown Swanberg ’00, (Sarah Levi Felver, not an official Koala), Kate Mulligan ’00 and Megan Prunty Belser ’00.

Class of 2005

Jennifer Barish Robinson and her husband, Kyle Robinson, welcomed their second child, Archer Patrick Robinson (Archie) on June 9, 2023, at 1:22 am. Archer was born at White Plains Hospital weighing 9lbs 1oz and measuring 21.65 inches. Big sister Quin is in love with her new brother Archie and has been the best big sister!

Class of 2006

Katrina

Her sister Joanna Deptula ’01 and many Ursuline classmates were in the bridal party and in attendance! Kristie is Executive Vice President at Quinn PR where she represents clients in hospitality, food & wine and real estate. She moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to lead their west coast office. Kristie has been with the company for 12 years. She and Matthew currently live in Huntington Beach, CA. Pictured in photo, all class of 2006, left to right, , Carolyn McEvoy Trout, Jena Fabry Goetze Alexandra Loscher, Micaela Keane Billings, Kristie Deptula Farinha, Meghan McEvoy, Emily Johnson, Joanie Maybury Kain, Katherine Ali Dooley

Class of 2007

Kelly “Mac” Annunziata and Anthony Annunziata (Iona Prep ‘07) welcomed their second daughter, Olivia Jo Annunziata, on November 21, 2022. Olivia carries the middle name Jo, in honor of Ursuline’s beloved former Trustee and Kelly’s late grandmother, JoAnn Murphy.

Best wishes to Kristie Deptula who married Matthew Farinha in South Lake Tahoe on October 9, 2022. Kristie’s sister,

’09, was the Maid of Honor.

Class of 2008

Congratulations to Juliana Biolsi who married Chris Provenzano on October 23, 2021, in New York City at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola. Ursuline girls in the wedding party were Lauren Biolsi ’13, who was the Maid of Honor, and the bridesmaids included Meghan Murnane, Lauren Bicknese, Kristina Irwin and Amanda Satriale, all from the class of 2008. Jules and Chris reside in NYC.

Class of 2009

On July 30, 2022, Stephanie LaGumina, daughter of Francesca Faustini LaGumina ’78, married her longtime love, Jorge Gerosi, at St. Joseph’s Church in Somers. The bridal party featured several Ursuline alumnae, including Stephanie’s three sisters, Maria Teresa LaGumina ’11, Giuliana LaGumina ’13, and Caroline LaGumina ’16 who acted as her maids of honor, and two of Stephanie’s best friends since the sixth grade, Julia Merenda ’09 and Gianna Caiola ’09. The wedding ceremony was followed by a beautiful reception at Le Chateau in South Salem, where the happy couple danced the night away with friends and family from near and far. Stephanie and Jorge recently

celebrated their first anniversary in the Cayman Islands and had an amazing time looking back and remembering their fairytale wedding day. Stephanie is a commercial litigation associate at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in New York City. Prior to entering private practice, she clerked for the Hon. Nelson Román in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and for the Hon. Nancy Bannon in the New York State Supreme Court, Civil Branch, New York County.

Victoria Costa obtained a Bachelor of Art in Classical

Studies at the George Washington University and subsequently obtained her MD at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She completed her residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at New York Presbyterian - Weill Cornell Medical Center and fellowship in transfusion medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital. In July 2022, Victoria started a position as Assistant Medical Director of Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine Services at Northwell Health - North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, Long Island.

Class of 2011

Friends from the Class of 2011 enjoyed high tea on a holiday trip to London to visit Julia Nasti Robinson! Pictured in photo are, from left to right, Madeleine Regan, Julia, Caroline Shipman and Kate Rodesky

Gabriella Biagini and Evan Williamson were married on December 3, 2022 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Pelham. Gabby’s sisters, Bianca ’14 and Sabrina ’17 Biagini, were bridesmaids along with Regina Tollinchi ’11 and Nina D’Ambrosio Tamburro ’11. A reception was held at Pelham Country Club. Ursuline was well represented at this special event with many additional alums in attendance including sister of the groom, Sage Williamson ’08! The couple traveled to Spanish Wells, the Bahamas for a “mini-moon” and enjoyed their delayed honeymoon in Europe last summer, starting in Portugal then France and finishing strong in Italy! Evan is a graduate of Fordham Prep. Gabby is a Certified Public Accountant working for PepsiCo Beverages North America as a Manager in Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting.

Maria Teresa LaGumina graduated Columbia Law in 2018 and was an associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher until she went in-house at Take Two. Maria has been promoted to Director and Counsel at Take-Two Interactive in the corporate department providing in-house corporate counsel to each of our video game labels, including Rockstar, 2K, Private Division, and Zynga. Congratulations Maria!

Caitlan Rossi married Grant Veltman on November 5, 2022, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City followed by a reception at the Rainbow Room. The wedding party was filled with Ursuline alumnae, including mother of the bride Maureen Pilkington Rossi ’76, maid of honor Caroline Shipman ’11, and bridesmaids Elise Loughran, Marie Planell, and Mary Petrucci. Following a honeymoon in St. Barts, the couple returned to their new home in Pittsburgh, where they met while the bride was a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University and the groom was working at PNC Bank. Caitlan is a medical and scientific writer.

Class of 2012

Danielle Geraci Liberatoscioli and her husband, Robert, welcomed their first child, Theodore Robert, this past summer! Theo was born on July 29, 2023, at 5:32pm, weighing in at 7lbs 12oz and 21.25 inches long. Theo is being spoiled by his Grandma, Joanne Monaco Geraci ’81. Danielle and Robert are over the moon!

Class of 2013

Grace Brennan and Isabel Shipman graduated Fordham Law School ten years after their Ursuline graduation in 2013 (and sixteen years after starting 6th grade at Ursuline together). After taking the bar this summer, Grace started working at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Isabel started at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, both in New York City. Congratulations and well done to these impressive 6th grade survivors!

After 10 years of dating, originally as high school sweethearts while at Ursuline and Iona Prep, Sara Granda and Michael McHugh III were married on September 3, 2022, at Annunciation Church in Crestwood. A reception was held at Westchester Country Club with many Ursuline and Iona alumni in attendance. Amanda Joao Gunning ’13, Courtney Stewart ’13 and Kim Colasuonno ’13 served as bridesmaids. The mother of the groom, Maria Cermele McHugh Sayegh is also an alumna, from the Class of 1985! The couple honeymooned in Bora Bora and Maui and are living in Washington State where Michael is stationed in the Army. Sara continues to work at Morgan Stanley.

Giuliana LaGumina ’13 is currently Vice president in Deutsche Bank’s structured finance department underwriting and providing financing to clients in the infrastructure and energy space.

Class of 2014

Morgan Goodman married Richard DiPasquale on July 8, 2023, at St. Joseph’s Church in Bronxville, NY. Their reception was held at Le Chateau in South Salem, NY. Isabella Hughes ’14 served as Maid of Honor and Casey McKeon ’14 and Lauren Lappetito ’14 were bridesmaids. As Morgan and Richard come together, the Ursuline connection can be found on both sides of the family since Morgan and Richard’s mothers are both alumnae - Alida Marzziotti Goodman ’84 and Leighann Creaturo DiPasquale ’83. Morgan and Richard honeymooned in the South of France (from the French Riviera to Provence) before returning to their home in Manhattan Beach, CA. Morgan is a Director, Strategy & Business Development at Octagon, a sports marketing agency, and Richard is an Associate at Jaros, Baum & Bolles, an MEP Consulting Firm.

CLASS NOTES

Class of 2016

In May of 2023, Allie Cartolano graduated from Cardozo Law School and sat for the Bar Exam in July. While at Cardozo Law, she served as an Associate Editor on the Cardozo Law Review and served as a teaching assistant for the school’s Employment Law course. In October, she began working as a first-year associate practicing corporate law at Schulte, Roth, and Zabel LLP. In celebration of her law school graduation and completion of her Bar Exam, she took a traditional Bar Trip, traveling to Italy and Greece last summer! Allie looks forward to beginning her career and thanks The Ursuline School for providing her with the foundation to get to this point.

Caroline LaGumina graduated from Georgetown Law in May of 2023. In October she joined the law firm O’Melveny and Meyers as a first year litigation associate.

On May 5, 2023, the Physician Assistant Program of Weill Cornell Medicine held its White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2025. Congratulations to Elizabeth Judge who received her White Coat at this special induction! This ceremony occurs during the program’s first semester, providing students with the coats that they will wear during their clinical studies. Although it is intended to prepare each student with adequate attire, the ceremony symbolizes much more. Students were reminded that once they put on their coats, they never truly take them off. As Physician Assistants, their white coats symbolize the trust and responsibility that they hold to provide compassionate care to each and every patient that they see. Before pursuing this degree, Elizabeth graduated from Boston College in 2020.

Brianna Tagliamonte got engaged in March 2023 to her college sweetheart, Joe, and are currently planning their wedding. She also just started classes in pursuit of her JD at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Brianna is part of Pace’s flex JD program, so she will be working full-time and going to law school at night.

Class of 2017

After six years, Michaela Joseph has officially completed her studies from Ithaca College. Michaela graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in May of 2023.

Dr. Michaela J, DPT is now part of the 5% of Black Physical Therapists nationwide. Michaela’s parents are so proud of her and wish her the best as she begins a new chapter in her life.

Class of 2019

Natalia Matar, a 2023 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Villanova University, was selected as the 2023 recipient of the General Hazel Johnson Leadership Award. The Award celebrates outstanding leadership and recognizes Villanova College of Nursing alumna General Hazel Johnson, the first African American woman to be appointed as Chief of the United States Army Nurse Corps. The selection Committee described Natalia as “one of the most effective presidents of the College’s chapter of the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania. A superb student, she is an outstanding role model with a gracious and transformative leadership style…Natalia exemplifies the leadership, achievement, and overall commitment to professional nursing that Hazel Johnson lived and so valued.” Natalia was presented with the Award at the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony. Congratulations Natalia! Having successfully passed the nursing boards, Natalia is officially an RN, BSN and is working at NYU Langone in the Emergency Department. Well done, Natalia!

Class of 2020

Enjoying their morning coffee at the White House! Left to right in photo, Hailey McLean, Maille Sherry and Caitlin McLean, all Class of 2020, enjoyed a gorgeous fall weekend in the District of Columbia. Maille, an Economics and Computer Science student at Duke made the trek to

DC to visit Hailey and Caity who are studying Government and Classics, and Government and History respectively at Georgetown. In her junior year, Caitlin served as Editor in Chief of The Hoya (in photo), the oldest and largest student newspaper of Georgetown. The Hoya prints every Friday and publishes online daily throughout the year, with a print circulation of 4,000 during the academic year. Caitlin has “loved every minute of it!”

Above: Kyla and Issa (second and third from left) with the Directors of Programming and Marketing.

In March 2023, Kyla Golding served as Director of Production for Harvard University’s largest multicultural festival, the 37th Annual Cultural Rhythms. It was historic as it was the first Cultural Rhythms Directed by all black women! A week of lead-in events including diversity dialogues, cultural workshops, and a food festival in Harvard Yard (including cuisines from over 20 countries worldwide and attended by the Prime Minister of Montenegro) culminated in a sold-out show in Harvard’s famous Sanders Theater which fused music, dancing and culture. In addition to 11 student cultural performances, producer, actress, entrepreneur and activist Issa Rae was honored as Artist of the Year, and took the stage with Kyla to discuss artistry, identity and activism in our communities. As noted by The Harvard Crimson, “Cultural Rhythms was a powerful representation of the beauty and strength found on Harvard’s campus…it was a festival of unification.” Excellent work, Kyla!

Photo credit: Jake Belcher

In Memoriam

ALUMNAE:

The Ursuline School community extends our deep sympathy to the loved ones of those listed here

Mary Louise Feuerbach Mannix ’44

Mother of Mary Regina Mannix ’67

Catherine Mannix ’68

Sara Mannix ’69

Teresa Mannix ’70

Margaret Mannix ’75

Martha Mannix ’77

Marian Yarmas ’46

Sister of Helen Yarmas ’45

Alice Rehm McKenna ’48

Sister of Doris Rehm Hartnett ’44

Patricia Carew Shannon ’48

Celia Geoghegan Scully ’50

Elise Karas Kenney ’51

Nina Iannotti Maguire ’51

Mother of Regina Maguire Moynihan ’85

Grandmother of Caitlin Moynihan ’17

Teagan Moynihan ’20

Mary Ellen Flynn Loveless ’52

Mother of

Catherine Loveless Schmitt ’78

Lynne Loveless Bergamini ’81,

Jeannette Loveless Petti ’82

Eileen Loveless ’84

Lea Loveless Maurer ’89

Ann Marie Summa Bradley ’54

Aunt of Robyn Summa ’93 (TUS Administration)

Carol Vaughan Landon ’54

Mary Frances McGovern Bowles ’55

Sister of Barbara McGovern Mitchell ’54

Joan McGovern ’59

Elizabeth McGovern Foley ’61

Aunt of H. Elizabeth Mitchell ’80

Virginia Mitchell Ryan ’85

Great Aunt of Kathleen Ryan ’15

Patricia Scully Henry ’55

Sister of Kathleen Scully Aquilino ’68

Carole Cullen Keating ’56

Sister of Claire Cullen Earley ’52

Karen Schaumber Ferguson ’57

Nancy Bonner DePasquale ’60

Mother of Gina DePasquale ’85

Laura DePasquale Alini ’91

Elizabeth McGovern Foley ’61

Sister of Barbara McGovern Mitchell ’54, Mary McGovern Bowles ’55

Joan McGovern ’59

Aunt of H. Elizabeth Mitchell ’80

Virginia Mitchell Ryan ’85

Great Aunt of Kathleen Ryan ’15

Jacqueline Strumpen-Darrie Pasheluk ’62

Sister of Jeanne Strumpen-Darrie Swift ’58

Katherine Mohr Driscoll ’63

Joan Geoghegan Lydic ’63

Sister of Betty Geoghegan Weldon ’67

Mary Lee Murtaugh Kulzer ’68

Gail O’Neill ’79

Sister of Denise O’Neill Malaussena ’80

Elizabeth Gallo ’81

Mary Polachi ’82

Stephanie Ohl Lubarsky ’84

Shana Clavijo Gelles ’95

Alexis Racine ’98

Sister of Gillian Racine ’96

Niece of Mary Racine Dryfoos ’73

FRIENDS:

Margaret Abbattista

Mother of Steven Abbattista (Former TUS Trustee)

Grandmother of Cristina Abbattista ’17

Jessica Abbattista ’17

Josephine Abplanalp

Mother of Marie Abplanalp Holcombe ’77

(Former TUS Trustee)

Grandmother of Ann Holcombe ’13

Katie Holcombe ’16

Maria Fatima Alves

Grandmother of Taylor Moore ’17

Gary D. Bratt

Savanna Moore ’20

Father of Christopher Bratt (TUS Faculty)

Father-in-law of Margaret Nelson Bratt ’98

Patrick Jon Brozowski

Husband of Elizabeth Resseguie Brozowski ’83

Pietro Carozza

Father of Nina Garcia (TUS Staff)

Grandfather of Danielle Garcia ’16

Rohini Ciampi

Mother of Renata Ciampi ’11

Julia Ciampi ’18

Jane Ciaramella

Mother of Joanne Ciaramella Sayer ’76

Eugenia Coffey

Mother of Elizabeth Coffey Egan ’90

Christine Coffey ’91

Kevin Cronin

Husband of Caitlin Dunne Cronin ’02

Brooke Davidson

Daughter of Eileen Davidson H’12 P’90

GP ’19 (Retired TUS President)

Sister of Shawn Davidson DeVivo ’90

Aunt of Tessa DeVivo ’19

Anna and Ottavio DeVivo

Parents of Francine DeVivo Bennett ’88

Mother-in-law and Father-in-law of Shawn Davidson DeVivo ’90

Grandmother of Tessa DeVivo ’19

Norma Elser

Mother of Mara Elser ’83

Diana Elser Larock ’84

Tullio Fedrizzi

Grandfather of Tonianne Bellomo (TUS Faculty)

Ariana Bellomo ’17

Michael Fitzsimons

Father of Maureen Fitzsimons ’98

Joseph Flynn

Brother of Louise McCarthy Flynn ’82 (TUS Trustee)

Theresa McCarthy ’74

Uncle of Anna Flynn ’16

Lily Flynn ’19

Sarah Flynn ‘19

Ambros Geissler

Father of Monique Geissler Keane ’84, Christine Geissler Peters ’85, Kara Geissler Fitzgerald ’88

Grandfather of Rory Keane ’22

Devon Keane ’24

Patricia Ann Gilchrist

Mother of Kathleen Gilchrist Moyna ’88, Suzanne Gilchrist Marley ’95

Grandmother of Kealy Moyna ’14

Kristian Moyna ’16

Kacey Moyna ’19

Katie Mancino ’19, Erin Marley ’25

Caitlin Marley ’27

Patricia Gillin

Mother of Ann Gillin Lefever ’82 (Former TUS Trustee and Board Chair),

Mary Pat Gillin Simunovich ’83

Elizabeth Gillin Agarabi ’85

Harvey Goldberg

Father of Elena Goldberg Velazquez ’99

John T. Grandefeld

Son of Dian Marchetti Grandefeld ’68

Brother of Kristin Grandefeld Murray ’94

Nephew of Mary Marchetti Bovich ’54

Joan Marchetti Porricelli ’64

Marie Nicholson Guiney

Mother of Patricia Joyce (TUS Faculty)

Sister of Sr. Jean Baptiste Nicholson, OSU (Former TUS President)

Augusto Gutierrez

Father-in-law of Jeremy Barker (TUS Administration)

Lillian M. Halloran

Mother of Stephanie Halloran Doherty (TUS Faculty)

Sr. Bernadette Hannaway, OSU (Former TUS Trustee)

Patricia Welton Johnson

Mother of Elizabeth Resseguie Brozowski ’83

Pascal N. Kabemba

Husband of Teresa Delgado (TUS Trustee)

Father of Francesca Kabemba ’11

Celeste Kabemba ’13

Ellen Kehoe

Mother of Ellen Kehoe Micallef ’82

Kathryn Ann Kehoe Biggs ’89

Aunt of Liz Healy ’94 (TUS Trustee)

Alfred F. Kelly, Sr.

Father of Anne Kelly Methven ’80

Marie Jean Kelly-Yuoh ’87

Sheila E. Kelly

Genevieve Keswani

Grandmother of Genevieve Maalouf ’14

Alexandra Maalouf ’15

Christiane Maalouf ’25

Veronique Maalouf ’27

Salvatore LaGumina

Father-in-law of Francesca Faustini LaGumina ’78 (TUS Faculty)

Grandfather of Stephanie LaGumina ’09

Maria LaGumina ’11

Giuliana LaGumina ’13

Caroline LaGumina ’16

Carol Mary Taormina Laraja

Mother of Susan Laraja Lemonier ’74

Rose Lynn Laraja Jarrett ’77

Joan M. LaSala

Mother of MaryLou LaSala Pagano ’83

Grandmother of Caroline Pagano ’18

Joseph Lechowicz

Father of Megan Lechowicz Cogswell ’94

Mary Josephine Lee

Mother of Mary Jo Lee Dennis ’71

Patricia Lee Tarpey ’74

Kathleen Lee Nostrand ’76

Grandmother of Mary Tarpey Mostero ’99

Sara Tarpey Galeazzi ’01

Emily Tarpey ’05

Patricia Loquercio

Mother of Alexis Loquercio ’99

Eleanor Lorden

Mother of David Lorden (TUS Faculty)

Eugene Loveless

Husband of Mary Ellen Flynn Loveless ’52

Father of Catherine Loveless Schmitt ’78 Lynne Loveless Bergamini ’81

Jeannette Loveless Petti ’82

Eileen Loveless ’84

Lea Loveless Maurer ’89

Sr. Mary Jo Lyons, OSU (Former TUS Faculty)

Oleg Mykolayovych Lytvyn

Father of Oxana Litvine (TUS Faculty)

Mary McCarren

Grandmother of Elizabeth Cleary Helmrich ’99

Aunt of Mary Donohue Stevens ’66

Margaret Anne Donohue ’71

Eleanor Donohue-Blanchard ’75

Cecilia Paulmann Kavanah ’76

Rosaline McDermott

Mother of Jeanine McDermott O’Brien ’81 (Former TUS Trustee)

Patrice McDermott ’84 (TUS Faculty)

Ann McKenna

Mother of Katherine McKenna Watcke ’85

Virginia McKenna Bentley ’88

Grandmother of Virginia McKenna ’18

Meghan McKenna ’25

Sister-in-law of Patricia McKenna Dollar ’57

Barbarann McLoughlin

Mother of Katie McLoughlin ’17

Mary McLoughlin ’18

Dennis McMahon

Father of Madison McMahon ’26

Joan D. Meschi

Mother of Joan Meschi ’85

Mother-in-law of Michele Lamoureux Meschi ’87

Kathleen Miggins (Former TUS Faculty)

James Moyna

Husband of Michele DeSola Moyna ’84

Father of Mackenzie Moyna ’19

Brother-in-law of Kathleen Gilchrist Moyna ’88

Uncle of Kealy Moyna ’14

Kristian Moyna ’16

Kacey Moyna ’19

Carol O’Connor

Christine Kenney O’Rourke

Stepmother of Katelin O’Rourke Gorman ’97

Jane Marie Padgett

Mother of Kaitlin Padgett ’03

John Paolucci

Husband of Angela Paolucci (Former TUS Staff)

George Parthemos

Father of Anna Parthemos Meechan ’03

Laurin Parthemos ’06

Robert J. Paulmann

Brother of Cecilia Paulmann Kavanah ’76

Cousin of Mary Donohue Stevens ’66

Margaret Anne Donohue ’71,

Eleanor Donohue-Blanchard ’75

Elizabeth Cleary Helmrich ’99

James F. Phelan, Jr.

Father of Jim Phelan (TUS Administration)

John Pierce

Son of Virginia Dwyer Pierce ’35

Father of Megan Pierce Collins ’98

Erin Pierce Lau ’02

Brother of Marina Pierce Nolan ’64

Allys Pierce Macken ’67

Jacinta Pierce McCarthy ’71

Uncle of Virginia Macken Montminy ’00

Sr. Bridget Puzon, OSU (Former TUS Trustee)

We Remember Them

Roy Richter

Father of Rachael Richter ’18

Sarah Richter ’23

John Roarty and Brigid Roarty

Father-in-law and Mother-in-law of Annemarie Roarty ’80

Grandparents of Lauren Roarty ’14

Camille Romita

Mother of Carla Romita Eccleston ’80 (Former TUS Trustee and Board Chair)

Peter J. Sinnott, III

Brother of Barbara Sinnott Shea ’57

Ann Sinnott Fleming ’57

Janice Sinnott Allen ’61

Karen Sinnott ‘64

Joseph D. Summo

Grandfather of Jenna Toneatto ’04 (TUS Faculty)

Vito Talesca

Father-in-law of John Monacelli (TUS Faculty)

William Webber

Husband of Patricia Gill Webber ’67

Father of Courtney Webber Begley ’91

Ashley Ruth Welde

Mother of JaneMarie Welde ’26

These are the In Memoriam notices received by the Advancement Office as of January 31, 2024.

Nina Iannotti Maguire ’51 P’85 GP’17 ’20

Nina Maguire passed away on September 17, 2023. It was said,”Experiencing a painting by Nina Maguire is like catching the scent of a once-familiar perfume, evoking memory, filling the viewer with a sense of nostalgia, of a time and place lost but not forgotten.”

After her graduation from Ursuline, Nina earned a masters degree with a major in fine art from the College of New Rochelle. She didn’t seriously pursue an art career until 20 years later. Instead, she married Arthur Maguire shortly after her college graduation and together they raised their four children.

When the time came to focus on her career as an artist, Nina received tremendous support from her husband and children. Her distinguished career has been highlighted by extensive exhibitions, numerous juried memberships and a host of awards including Gold Medals from American Artists Professional League, The National Society of Painters in Casein & Acrylic, Catharine Lorrilard Wolfe Art Club and Audubon Artists. Nina has been represented by Cavalier Galleries New York City, Greenwich and Nantucket since 1999.

The Ursuline School has always been an institution that Nina strongly supported. Before Ursuline even had an Office of Advancement, Nina was sending Annual Fund gifts to school leadership. She is, and always has been, ahead of the curve! In addition to her many years of Annual Fund support, in 2015, Nina endowed a scholarship at the school to recognize and encourage leadership in the young women of Ursuline. The Nina Iannotti Maguire ’51 Scholarship is awarded to students who exhibit strong character, courage, initiative and wisdom. The Maguire family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Nina Iannotti Maguire ’51 Scholarship.

One of Nina’s greatest joys was experiencing Ursuline as a mother to daughter Regina Maguire Moynihan ’85 and as a grandmother to Caitlin Moynihan ’17 and Teagan Moynihan ’20. She described the wonderful balance of past and present Ursuline as this, “Ursuline offers so much today, but at its core is very much the same as it has always been.”

Nina Maguire, second from left, is pictured here with daughter Regina Maguire Moynihan ’85 and granddaughters Teagan Moynihan ’20 and Caitlin Moynihan ’17.

Mary Ellen Flynn Loveless ’52

P’78 ’81 ’82 ’84 ’89

Mary Ellen Flynn Loveless passed away on January 6, 2024. Mary Ellen was not only an Ursuline alumna, Class of 1952, but she was also the proud mother of five Ursuline alumnae: Catherine Loveless Schmitt ’78, Lynne Loveless Bergamini ’81, Jeannette Loveless Petti ’82, Eileen Loveless ’84 and Lea Loveless Maurer ’89.

When Mary Ellen joined the Ursuline faculty in 1977, she was a woman ahead of her time. Mary Ellen approached Sr. Jean Baptiste Nicholson, then principal of Ursuline, with an idea based on the philosophy, “If we accept students, we must be able to serve the needs of each one.” Out of this conversation, Ursuline established what became known as the Reading and Language Department.

The department has grown from serving five students to assisting more than 100 students each year. Mary Ellen enabled Ursuline to provide young women with an education that took into account the whole person and techniques which would identify their strengths while helping to address their learning challenges. Mary Ellen retired in 2017. In her honor, the RLD offices were renamed the Mary Ellen Loveless Learning Center.

Says Joan Brescia P’00 ’01, “Mary Ellen Loveless was our department’s founder and Master Reading Teacher. Her patience with struggling students and knowledge of syntax and phonetics were remarkable. We in RLD were privileged to have witnessed her expert teaching and were inspired by her passion. I wish I could see her Wordle Stats! No one deconstructed words like Mary Ellen Loveless. The wonderful support she provided spanned decades and allowed countless students to flourish at Ursuline and in life beyond. We are proud to have her name on our department door and will always be grateful for her friendship.”

Gail O’Neill ’81

Gail O’Neill, international fashion model and journalist, died October 10, 2023. After graduating from Wesleyan University, Gail was on a promising path in marketing and sales at Xerox when she was discovered by a photographer and launched an international modeling career. She became one of the elite models of the world. Gail appeared on the covers of Vogue and Mademoiselle, walked major runways, and became the face of Avon, Esprit, and Diet Coke, among other clients. She appeared in 1992’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Even as her success grew, Gail displayed exceptional character and ethics; she refused to appear in advertisements for cigarettes or for companies that did not divest of South African investments. In 1988, Gail became part of the Black Girls Coalition, founded by Bethann Hardison and Iman as an advocacy group speaking out about issues ranging from racism to homelessness. Two decades later, Gail posed for Vogue Italia’s Black Issue, which was a response to the lack of diversity in fashion.

By that time, she had become an established journalist. Gail was one of the founding correspondents on “The Early Show” on CBS. She later hosted “Travel Now” for CNN and “Mission Organization” for HGTV.

Those in the worlds of fashion and journalism called Gail “legendary” and “a light and a joy.”

Lee Woodriffe ’81 shared, “Those who say beauty is only skin deep never met Gail. More than a stunning outward appearance, her beauty radiated from within. We shared many fun times at Ursuline, especially being members of the Black Essence Club and the Dance Club. And then there was that one ski trip that kept us belly laughing for days. Gail was wrapped with beauty, brains, elegance and humor, and her life will not be forgotten.”

Rina Gomez Verni ’82 said, “Gail was a renaissance woman. Besides being a very successful model, she was very accomplished. She will truly be missed.”

Photo: Vogue.com

above: Jeannine photographed in the new Innovation Hub, a space where students find solutions to real-world problems, design and invent, and explore different fields of engineering.

Pictured

“As an alumna, I appreciate the educational experience Ursuline provided to me. I am proud of how my school creates opportunities for academic excellence and offers an outstanding education to students from all backgrounds. I hope that my bequest will positively impact the lives of young women in the future.”

Jeannine Egdorf Phelan ‘83

Anonymous

Margery Ames ‘67

Lisa DelPriore Bonalle ‘81 P’15

Marie Calderazzo ‘48 *

Diane Murphy Capstaff ‘62

Catherine Corbett † P’57 GP’84 ‘14

Linda and Sean D’Arcy P’08 ‘ 10 ‘12 ‘16

Holly Delohery

Maryanne DiMarzo ‘69

Patricia Niles Dohrenwend ‘62

Terrence Dougherty †

Diane Fick ‘56 †

Kathleen Fredrick † *

Marguerite Fredrick † *

Ellen Mooney Hancock ‘61 †

Liz Healy ‘94 P’29

Agnes Marie Hooley ‘30 †

Cora Koch ‘74

Catherine Fay McCarthy ‘84 P’14

Christine Moran ‘67

Winifred Walsh Morris ‘32 †

Sharon Murphy ‘54

Marie Nebel ‘38 †

Ruth McCooey O’Neill ‘38 †

Robert Phillips †

Martha Reddington ‘72

Mary Jane Kann Reddington ‘41 P’72 †

John T. Shields †

Lawrence Specchierla † P’83

Maureen Specchierla P’83

Laura Steward ‘81

Ruth Ann Tully ‘66

Helen Mitchell Waters ‘58 P’89

Martin Waters † P’89

Mary Fulbeck Webster ‘29 and Merwin Webster †

Kristen Wenzel, OSU †

† Deceased

* New Legacy Society Member

For additional information on Planned Giving, please contact Cathy Fay McCarthy ‘84 P’14 at cathfmcc@ursulinenewrochelle.org or (914) 636-5169.

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