The Ursuline School ALUMNAE NEWS Summer 2021
Best Wishes Eileen Davidson Thank you for 38 years of dedicated service
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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17
COVER STORY
AT URSULINE
54 TUSMUNCIII
03 Honoring Eileen Davidson as She Retires
17 Welcome Dr. Melnyk P’18, Our New President
55 A Spring Oudoor Performance
ALUMNAE TAKE ACTION 09 Thank You to Our Many Alumnae WhoTook Action During the Pandemic
19 Our New Strategic Plan Unveiled 23 Mission Statement Rearticulated 24 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Ursuline 27 Ursuline Responds to COVID-19 Challenges 29 Broadway Cabaret 31 Athletics 36 Poetry Out Loud 39 Class of 2020 Senior Surprises
EDITOR’S NOTE This issue is particularly long as we cover the early days of the COVID pandemic in March 2020 through the end of the academic year in June 2021.
Cover photo: Chris Pope
41 Graduation 2020 45 TUS Art Collection Aquisitions 47 2020 Retirees 48 Scholar-in-Residence 51 Serviam 53 Reaching for Global Equality & Equity
56 Senior Alum Welcome, Father-Daughter Dance 57 Graduation 2021 61 Best Wishes, Denise Moore 63 2021 Retirees URSULINE DISTINCTIONS 64 An Exciting Fellowship
Service Recognized
Champions of Vocabulary
Carnegie Hall Success
Powerful Words
Bene Factum!
Teaching Excellence
The Ursuline School ALUMNAE NEWS Summer 2021
Board of Trustees 2020 - 21 Chair
Sheila Sohr P’12 President Eileen Davidson H’12 P’90 GP’19
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Provincial Sr. Maureen Welch, OSU
Board Members
ALUMNAE
DEPARTMENTS
67 Alumnae Distinctions
1 Message from the President
Dr. Claudia Morris ’83
2 Message from the Principal
Maureen Pilkington Rossi ’76
30 Calendar
Colleen Keller Chiacchere ’98
75 Class of 2016, College Graduates
69 Alumnae Events Remote & In Person
79 Class Notes
70 For Alumnae, By Alumnae
85 In Memoriam
71 Virtual Reunions Classes of 1961, 1981 & 1995
87 We Remember Them
72 1981 Reunion Awards
Steve Abbattista P’17 ’17 Tiffani Blake Sr. Martha Counihan, OSU Janine Daughtry P’20 Lynn Boccardi DeLisio ’85 Steven Giuliano P’20 Adrienne Groccia Santer ’11 Liz Healy ’94 Michael Hoffman P’14 ’20 Teresa Jankovic P’10 Rev. Msgr. Dennis P. Keane David Kulsar P’26 Kathleen Martin Long ’79 P’21 Colleen Melnyk P’18 John Mulligan P’18 JoAnn Murphy GP’07 ’22 † Rick Nasti P’11 Francine Rosado-Cruz ’90 Rev. John Serio
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. Letters, comments, and articles may be sent to: Renata Cioth Mulder P’17 Director of Communications mulderr@ursulinenewrochelle.org In Memoriam and Class Notes should be directed to: Nina Garcia P’16 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)
Photographs
Chris Pope Photography Ursuline Advancement Team Ursuline Archives
Message from the President Dear Alumnae, This edition of the Alumnae News features stories of our alumnae’s joy, sadness, passion and compassion since the pandemic began. It is a testament to the always impressive and inspiring career choices of our alumnae and your numerous contributions to the betterment of society. As the whole world confronted unimaginable challenges and hardships of the pandemic, please know that, at Ursuline, we worked nonstop to ensure that our students continued learning, growing, exploring and expanding their vision of possibilities in a safe and healthy environment. The campus additions made possible by our Innovation Campaign proved to be critically important. We would not have been able to offer in-person learning this past year, even in a hybrid model, without the new Christina Jun Murphy ’22 Commons for expanded lunch space or without the Kulsar & McCarthy Lobby for activities, collaboration, and in-person socializing. Our iHub offered two much-needed new learning spaces. Seminarstyle classes, student presentations, and Virtual Open House remarks took place in the new High-Tech Media Conference Center. I am grateful to all of you who have supported the Innovation Campaign in some way as we approach our financial goal. As I retire at the end of June 2021, I pass Ursuline leadership into the capable hands of Dr. Colleen Melnyk, who is exceptionally well-qualified and already knows Ursuline. I have great confidence in the perspective that Colleen brings as an educator, administrator, parent of an Ursuline alumna, and former trustee. I know that you will welcome her warmly. I am also well aware of all of the Ursuline things I will miss. And, most importantly, I am thankful for all the people. I think of you, alumnae. Whether you were the young woman in biology class or the students I have traveled with to Europe or on exchange programs to our sister schools in Quebec, Australia, South Africa, and Guyana, you have often been my teachers, leaving indelible imprints on my life. Through our mutual love of Ursuline over the past 38 years, I hope I have made an impression on you, as you certainly have made a lasting one on me. Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I feel blessed to have had that experience. St. Angela counseled, “And it will be impossible for you not to cherish them day and night, and to have them all engraved in your heart, one by one, for this is how real love acts and works.” May St. Angela watch over all your days and may we meet again and often.
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Message from the Principal As we end a year that has been like no other, the spirit of St. Angela has truly been with us. In a fluid environment, while government guidance seemed to change daily, St. Angela’s guidance never wavered. Her words – adapt, be prudent, make new rules -- resonated with us as every segment of our school community adjusted for success despite the pandemic, or perhaps in some ways because of it. When we were directed by the Governor on March 10, 2020 to close campus for two weeks, as part of the New Rochelle one-mile containment zone, our eyes were quickly opened to the reality of what we faced, and how our school would have to come together. As described in the At Ursuline section of this issue, our faculty immediately implemented distance learning. Our students adapted to what became a new normal. We created some remarkable firsts: our first drive-through senior celebration and weekly lighting of the school in honor of the Class of 2020. We had our first virtual concert, produced our first virtual art show, first virtual athlete celebration, and first virtual Spirit Week. The Ursuline community demonstrated Serviam in new ways. Bi-weekly food drives literally kept the doors open at local food pantries. Masks were sewn for health care workers; badly needed supplies and equally crucial cheerful notes were sent to isolated nursing home patients. Students, faculty, staff, alumnae, and parents spread joy and comfort where there was pain and loss. During the fall and winter of 2020-21, we operated on a successful hybrid schedule. After Easter break 2021 the hallways filled with laughter as friends reunited and classes met face to face since we were able to offer full in-person learning five days a week to everyone. Numbers can never tell the full story of the past year. Even though virus cases were few in our school, many families suffered financial difficulties and others lost loved ones. Our counselors have worked overtime with students who needed extra support. Our spiritual life has remained strong because our community fundamentally kept faith that we would get through it. Again, I turned to St. Angela, reading her counsels each day from a book that sits on my desk. I often turn to this prayer: “Gather at the feet of Jesus Christ, and there, all of you, with all your daughters, offer most fervent prayers. For in this way, without doubt, Jesus will be in your midst, and as a true and good master, he will enlighten and teach you what you have to do.” I am filled with hope for our future. If we can tackle what has been thrown our way this past year, we are capable of achieving anything.
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COVER STORY
Student body celebration on Kelly Mac Field
Honoring Eileen Davidson as She Retires At a regularly scheduled Board meeting on June 11, 2020, Eileen Davidson confirmed her decision to retire at the end of the 2020-21 school year, effective June 30, 2021. The Board of Trustees, while thrilled for Eileen, reluctantly accepted her decision to retire and noted her valued leadership as an exemplary leader, committed champion and beloved member of the Ursuline faculty.
Fond farewells at the CMMS reception. L to R Denise Deldin Moore ’69, Elisa Gabelli Wilson ’91, Eileen Davidson, Grace Acocella Pensiero ’89 Honored by the Fathers’ Club
Mariana Bulfamante ’10 surprised Mrs. Davidson with her custom cake at the celebration on Kelly Mac Field.
A Leader Draws Strength from Students Over 38 years, Eileen Davidson has served the community of The Ursuline School. She led us in enhancing our essential identity and mission, while guiding the school through a period of modernization.
Tribute at the Mothers’ Auxiliary Communion Breakfast
In spring 2021, working within the limitations of the pandemic, several farewell events were organized to honor Eileen. These included presentations by the Mothers’ Auxiliary and the Fathers’ Club, and student speeches and songs. Alumnae also expressed best wishes at the Christine MacMenamin Memorial Scholarship Reception and at a virtual farewell Zoom.
Eileen’s first roles at Ursuline were science teacher and then Chair of the Science Department. In 1993, Eileen was appointed Assistant Principal in charge of student services and discipline. In 2005, she was appointed the first lay principal of The Ursuline School. As Eileen mastered each of these roles, she worked tirelessly at advancing the Ursuline identity and mission. One way that this translates to daily school life is by expanding opportunities for Ursuline students. Eileen initiated the school’s science research program. Eileen also originated the Visiting Author series to ignite students’ imaginations by hearing from Pulitzer Prize Winners and Nobel Laureates. She was an early adopter of the Personal Development program to help Ursuline students become more confident, articulate and empowered leaders. And Eileen greatly expanded the possibilities for student international travel and home exchanges. She methodically built up relationships with Ursuline schools in Australia, South Africa, and Japan. She also pioneered the school’s service trips to Guyana and Peru. In 2012, after a nation wide search process, Eileen was selected by the Board of Trustees and the Ursuline Sisters to serve as the first lay President of the 4
COVER STORY
through our first accreditation in January 2017 by NYSAIS, the New York State Association of Independent Schools. The NYSAIS analysis guides the school’s strategic initiatives. It also added an important validation as 2015 Guyana service trip with Vilma Fermin ’16, Anna Timmins ’16, Katherine Poletti ’16, we apply for grants Caroline Mannix ’16, Taylor Moore ’17, Hulda Zheng ’17, Tara McCarthy Barkovitz ’03 from foundations. Personal leadership is tested in challenging times. After school. Eileen would say that one of her most important the death of an Ursuline student in 2012, the whole contributions as President has been the formulation of the Ursuline school community witnessed Eileen Davidson 2014-18 strategic plan, the first formal collaborative strategic at her very best. In the midst of grief and shock, Eileen plan in the school’s history. It was a dynamic instrument that stepped forward with compassion toward all. She offered guided the school’s growth based on increasingly data-driven solace to the student’s devastated family; she comforted decisions. students and ensured that counseling services were Eileen recognized the importance of not only keeping available to them. Eileen gently rallied the faculty and staff, up with, but staying in front of, academic movements and and consoled parents at school meetings as well as in earning school recognitions. She led The Ursuline School personal conversations. She reached out to alumnae who responded with strong expressions of support. Eileen was willing to show her own sense of loss and at the same time call on the practical and spiritual resources inherent in the school and the Ursuline community. Her compassionate strength made the difference as the school community moved through a time of unprecedented sorrow to find its resilience. In 2020, current events demanded leadership in new ways. Openness, humility, and steadfastness were required. The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor sparked nation wide outrage and a necessary focus on racism, violence and injustice. Eileen led the Administration in active listening sessions with alumnae, as well as students and parents/guardians, that directly informed our new antiracism initiatives. She ensured that initial steps were taken to start the challenging work required to make Ursuline a truly just, inclusive and equitable community. Whatever the circumstances, Eileen has been a strong presence at Ursuline, both compassionate toward students 2017 Peru service trip with Aileen McClintock ’17, Hadley Nyre ’19, and encouraging of them. She inspires by example. Her Alaina Alfasi ’18, Katherine Belbusti ’18, Sophia Thomas ’19, Annika Pan ’18, Kaleigh Bryden ’17, Maya Welch ’10
impact has been felt in small group activities and in school-wide assemblies, through informal interactions and at traditional ceremonies. After school hours, Eileen moderated the Warm Hands, Warm Hearts Club. Every month, she gathered with a small group of students in the school kitchen and together they prepared food for delivery to the Community Service Associates of Mount Vernon soup kitchen. Even during the pandemic, they continued this service initiative in modified ways. Perhaps Eileen’s most well-known and far-reaching tools of inspiration have been her annual Ring Day speeches and commencement addresses that are eagerly awaited by students and parents alike, and certainly taken to heart. She consistently integrated contemporary themes with the wisdom of saints and established authors as she recalled school values such as service. At Ring Day 2016, Eileen exhorted the assembly, “In the words of St. Augustine: ‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.’ As you journey through life, may you be inspired to not only photograph what you see to post on social media, but to engage deeply with the people you meet and truly appreciate the richness and diversity of this world. May you be empowered to be brave enough to travel alone and do good for others in unfamiliar places.” At Commencement 2015, Eileen cited a new trend in academia of redirecting our measurement of academic
success and that schools should focus on elevating the importance of character. She referred to “The Road to Character” by David Brooks, and pointed out, “Brooks inspires us by encouraging us to celebrate the fact that extraordinary people are made, not born, and that you have already started that construction project. Be better than you used to be - not better than others. Be ready With 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate for moral adventures. Ask: Leymah Gbowee after Ms. Gbowee’s What is life asking of me? Not inspirational presentation. merely: What do I want out of life? In the words of Aristotle: ‘Excellence is never an accident... choice, not chance, determines your destiny.’ ” In 2020, Eileen did not shy away from difficult topics, with these words, at commencement, “I lived through the 1960’s. I was your very age, in fact, when Newark was burning. I remember the marches and the riots and I am saddened that so little meaningful progress has been made. Educators at girls’ schools, especially those like myself, who identify as white, must embrace our obligation to learn so that we may more fully and inclusively lead. Why have we failed to make a bigger difference? We have not done enough to educate
With Visiting Author Delia Owens, Kyla Golding ’20 and Violette Cadet ’20
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our young people and rid this wonderful country of racism. 2020 is bringing a new dawn and it is not mere optimism to say that I feel this time is different. This time, the world is united and standing up together to say, ‘Enough.’ This time, both individuals and institutions are committing and recommitting to equity and inclusion. This time, we have alumnae and students leveraging their networks and using social media to protest and speak out against injustice. Discrimination must not stand - as each and every human being has equal dignity and value in the eyes of God. Living according to this principle is our moral imperative. Ursuline will be better and, yes, Kyla, we will say their names. Inculcating our students in the values of strength and wisdom is hollow unless a commitment to social justice is held equivalent.” As President, Eileen also turned her focus toward school fiscal responsibilities. It became an institutional priority to increase Ursuline’s scholarship endowment to ensure that qualified students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to attend The Ursuline School. Since Eileen assumed the role of President, scholarship endowment has more than doubled from $2.3 million in 2012 to $5.8 million in 2020. Eileen worked with the Advancement Team to close out, in 2013, the five-year $8 million capital campaign known as Fulfilling the Promise for Generations of Women. And as Eileen retires, she leaves our school well on its way to completing the current $8.5 million capital campaign Building on the Tradition of Innovation #TUSTimeIsNow! This Innovation Campaign will achieve three goals for Ursuline students: to build new spaces in line with 21st
On the construction site during the Innovation Campaign.
century learning approaches, to improve general campus functionality, and to incorporate new security features. Years ago, a couple met with Eileen to explain that they had to withdraw their daughter from the school because they were moving to Asia for work reasons. At the end of the conversation, Eileen asked, “Which one of you got the job in Asia?” Absolutely no assumption that the father had the job offer. In fact, it was the mother who had the new job. Eileen’s staunch advocacy of women permeates her perspective on the world. Her commitment to the empowerment of young women is unwavering. Her dedication is unparalleled as she has lived out the mission to educate Ursuline students to learn, to lead, and to serve. Warmest wishes to Eileen Davidson as she embarks on her well-deserved retirement. May she enjoy long healthy years, many joyous moments, and the time to return to Ursuline for frequent visits.
Eileen Davidson was recognized in 2018 with the United Hebrew Community Service Award in recognition of commitment to enhancing the lives of those in the Westchester community and dedication to programs and services therein. She was awarded in 2015 the NY State Senate Proclamation for her commitment to Women’s Education and her work at The Ursuline School. In 2009, Eileen was honored by the City of New Rochelle with a Woman of Excellence Award for Business and Professional Achievement in Education. 7
Feiern! Celebrar! Ceiliúradh! Saturday Stroll Around the World Dinner Reception Celebrating Eileen Davidson Join us as we take a look back at her many Ursuline global experiences. Saturday, September 25, 2021 6:30 pm Enjoy cocktails and international foods, explore the school’s new spaces and meet today’s Ursuline students. Visit: ursulinenewrochelle.org/DavidsonCelebration for more details and to register. Proceeds will benefit the Innovation Campaign.
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ALUMNAE TAKE ACTION
THANK YOU
to Our Many Alumnae Who Took Action During the Pandemic By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17 Whether on the front line, doing contact tracing, making masks, raising funds, or delivering care packages, Ursuline alumnae seize opportunities to serve, as described in this reporting and first person accounts. This global pandemic may seem overwhelming at times and endless, but we gain strength when we realize that many people are taking positive actions, whether in their jobs or as volunteers. We will indeed all continue to get through this together. We are pleased to share stories of Ursuline alumnae living out our school motto in the community – Serviam, I will serve.
THE FRONT LINE Thank you to the incredibly courageous people, including countless Ursuline community members, who have been serving on the front line of this pandemic. We appreciate their numerous sacrifices and pray for their safety. 9
Dr. Nancy Amoroso ’92 is the Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at NYU Langone Health and her specialty is pulmonary and critical care medicine. She has clearly been on the front line in the fight against COVID-19. In October 2020, Nancy shared some of her experiences in an ABC7 news segment. Dr. Amoroso noted that during the peak of COVID, close to 500 patients came through their ICU so they were very heavily impacted in terms of the volume of patients and the staffs that they needed to mobilize. In addition to the enormity of the medical challenge, the reality of it sank in especially clearly when they witnessed another physician die of COVID, or a hospital security guard or a member of the EMT.
However, there were numerous lessons learned. Medical knowledge increased as well as a new understanding of systems and how their hospital system works best. The medical professionals also were encouraged by the 7 o’clock cheering by New Yorkers. Said Nancy, “That was a really moving event. It meant a lot to watch. It just really made you feel you were appreciated for what you were doing.” Nancy continued, “Probably the biggest thing is that our staff really showed a lot of dedication to their careers. That was probably the most uplifting, showing that people can come together.”
Caroline Maggard
Elena Poppas ’13
Nicole Poppas ’08
Kayla Leslie ’12
Jillian Lotrionte ’07
Dr. Nancy Amoroso, at left, with her NYU Langone colleagues
Caroline Maggard ’08 Walking the halls of New York Presbyterian in February 2020, you sensed we were preparing for battle...a battle against COVID-19. I am a nurse on the Postpartum Unit at Weill Cornell, a unit designated for recovering moms and newborn babies after delivery. It’s typically “the happy floor” of any hospital. Almost overnight, as disease and fear plagued New York City, mothers found themselves delivering with masks on and without family. My support and advocacy role for my patients became paramount. While we adjusted to enable each mom to have one partner or support person, we are constantly navigating the COVID-19 waters for our vulnerable dyad population. During the height of the pandemic, I was also “deployed” to adult medical/ surgical COVID units. With no additional training, I was called to care for an entirely new demographic. It was terrifying, but it taught me just how strong, capable and resilient I am as a nurse. One of the greatest blessings during this time has been the Ursuline community. I am truly overwhelmed and humbled by the amount of outreach, support and prayer I have received from Ursuline faculty, alumnae and students. COVID also pushed me to reconnect with other Koalas working at my hospital and we now walk alongside each other as a reminder that, “Though one can be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). 10
ALUMNAE TAKE ACTION person who stopped their day at 7pm to make noise, or open their “ To every windows, or even stopped to think about all of us, I thank you. ” Andrea Fufidio ’12 As a nurse in an emergency department, I am always prepared for the unknown. I never know what will be rolling in through the front doors, but I am ready to take on the challenge. However, when March 2020 hit us with the COVID pandemic, there was nothing that could have equipped me for what was ahead. I have always been a person of great passion – passion for service and for people. That is what drew me to nursing from the beginning. It was embedded in me from my four years at Ursuline that our purpose in life is “to serve;” it is the very message of Serviam that we deliver from the first day of orientation to our graduation day and beyond. Therefore, it was not a distant call for me when the world called nurses and other essential workers to serve during the darkest hours that we all have ever seen. At the time, we were not sure of how this virus was spread, and therefore I had to isolate myself. Moving temporarily into New York City away from everyone during this time was difficult, but it was what had to be done to protect the people I love. Though it was hard, I knew it was the only way to keep my fiancé, parents, sisters, and grandparents safe, and it forced me to stay focused on work and caring for my patients. 2020 has changed me forever. I have said goodbye to patients when their families could not, said goodbye to my grandfather who lost his life to COVID, and said goodbye to everything that I knew as normal. But for all the negatives that took place that year, I have started to see the positives. The teamwork I have been a part of, the sacrifices that 11
I have seen people make, and the selflessness that I have witnessed have proven to me that this time will provide a brighter future. Looking back, I do not remember much. There was so much darkness and despair that it all blends together, and it is easier to forget than to force myself to remember. One memory that I do recall is one that will never leave my mind. My colleagues and I had just finished providing lifesaving interventions on a COVID-positive patient, and it had taken hours to finally transfer them to the Intensive Care Unit. When we returned, we sat at the nurse’s station in silence, exhausted by both the physical and mental aspects of what we had just done. The charge nurse told a few of us to go outside and get fresh air to clear our heads for the remainder of our shift. We walked outside into the sunlight, which had lowered in the sky since it was about to set, and we all looked at each other unsure of what to say, and unsure of how we would get through this. At that exact moment, the cheers in the city began to erupt. Taxis driving by honked their horns, people in their apartments opened their windows to bang pots and pans, and people walking on the street stopped and gave us a round of applause. I immediately started to cry because it was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. It gave all of us the confidence to go back inside and finish our job for the day. To every person who stopped their day at 7pm to make noise, or open their windows, or even stopped to think about all of us, I thank you. Thank you for keeping a young nurse going in her darkest hours because it is truly what shed some light and gave me hope.
MASKS In response to this pandemic, Alexandra Ferguson Clark ’99 refocused her successful pillow company, Alexandra Ferguson, to make special buttoned headbands for medical staff, to protect their ears as they wear masks through long shifts. Between March and May 2020, she and her team shipped 1,396 headbands to 19 hospitals and assisted-living facilities in 6 states. Patrice McDermott ’84 is the Social Action Coordinator at The Ursuline School. In that role, she coordinated the numerous efforts of Ursuline students and families who sewed masks for those working on the front line during this battle against COVID-19. Patrice also made masks with Art teacher Pat DiIorio P’16. Ursuline President Eileen Davidson delivered masks to several alumnae who are medical workers, for further distribution at hospitals. She is pictured page left with Emergency Care Nurse Andrea Fufidio ’12.
Essential workers happily giving their ears a rest wearing Alexandra’s buttoned headbands.
Patrice McDermott ’84
Noelle Nevin ’23 delivered masks to Calvary Hospice
Millicent Mullins ’22 made and donated many masks
Mar Healy ’16
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ALUMNAE TAKE ACTION
LEADING REGIS COLLEGE COVID SAFETY INITIATIVES Every educational organization has had to work hard and creatively to develop safe reopening plans. Regis College is a coed, Catholic university in Weston, Massachusetts, 12 miles west of Boston with an enrollment of over 3,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. The college community is inspired by the social justice values of its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston. Ursuline alumna Mary Driscoll, PhD, ’74 joined Regis as Vice President of Academic Affairs in March 2020 just as the pandemic was spreading. In her senior leadership role, she was instantly involved in supporting student plans and the challenge of reopening safely. Mary said, “We were fortunate to have a Harvard trained epidemiologist on staff to interpret COVID information and expertly advise us. The college’s adventurous but successful run is due to Laura’s expertise.” Dr. Laura Mignone Burke ’90 is the dean of the Regis College School of Health Sciences. Under Mary and Laura’s leadership, Regis put in place safety protocols to be able to bring 400 students back to campus in residence in Fall 2020, based on majors, with preference to clinical placements. In Spring 2021, they added commuters. All students are working to complete competencies. Laura also developed protocols for safely reopening the dental hygiene educational facility that provides affordable dental care services to Waltham and the surrounding community, and the autism center on the Regis campus. This meant that students could get the clinical practice they 13
needed to qualify to sit for licensing exams and service was provided to the low-income community. The Regis School of Health Sciences is a member of an academic heath consortium and took part in the vital work of coronavirus contact tracing in Massachusetts. Under Laura’s supervision, 14 public health students and three faculty volunteered to help the state’s 350 boards of health conduct contact tracing. After the initial phase, students then supported local boards of health with communications and outreach. A diverse group of students with multiple language skills was important to be able to communicate with communities where English is not the first language. Laura had the chance to describe this project in a WCVB Channel 5 Boston news report last year. Mary and Laura share a wonderful Ursuline connection in their college work. Mary explained, “Ursuline gave us a healthy focus on scientific knowledge, that’s at the core, and the science has been changing. The credo of Serviam is similar to the Regis precept of love of neighbor – as demonstrated to our community, our students, our coworkers - so it is not surprising that we both ended up here.” Laura added, “At Ursuline, I started to live out my need to serve – I went on an Appalachian trip and was an active member of a community outreach club.” Now, Laura and Mary serve in multiple ways to keep their community healthy.
The Pagano Family with the National Guard
CARE PACKAGES FOR HOSPITALS AND SOLDIERS Another Koala who made us proud is Mar Healy ’16 who, along with her mother Margaret an ICU nurse, founded Codefrontline to provide care packages for our dedicated front line workers. The pair delivered over 1,500 packages to 25 area hospitals and organizations. Their special effort was featured on NBC New York. Mar and @codefrontline also delivered gift packs to the staff of Calvary Hospice at Home. Each day brought a new story of how Ursuline alumnae have been living out the mission of Serviam in these immensely challenging times. MaryLou LaSala Pagano ’83 and daughter Caroline ’18, (pictured above) inspired by their son and brother, a First Lieutenant in the National Guard, created gift bags including snacks and Target gift cards for his unit of 170 men and women who worked around the clock for one month straight. The Paganos are deeply grateful to the many friends and family members who contributed to this special effort. 14
ALUMNAE TAKE ACTION
Volunteers from Feeding Westchester
SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT FOOD INSECURITY Jenna Russo ’03 has been using the communications skills honed as a TV journalist to publicize actions aimed at relieving food shortages. At the start of the pandemic, she worked as Director of Public Relations for Feeding Westchester, the county’s leading non-profit, hunger relief organization. Jenna produced a series of videos for Feeding America and nearly 100 member food banks across the nation to help feed families from coast to coast. She also produced Feeding Westchester’s first-ever televised COVID-19 fundraiser, Westchester Strong, to raise money for her neighbors in need. In September 2020, Jenna took on the new role of Director of Content & Special Projects for the Food Bank for New York City, one of the largest food banks in America. One in five people in New York City (and in Westchester County) go to bed hungry. It is Jenna’s mission to change the stigma surrounding hunger and to change the narrative of what it means to lean on a food bank or a food pantry for 15
help. “Hunger looks like you and me,” says Jenna. “It’s White, Black, Latino, Asian, it’s old and young, it’s families, seniors and children. I see people on our lines in suits coming after work. So many people are struggling now. COVID sort of leveled the playing field. We are helping people who have one and two jobs and others who lost their job because of the pandemic. It’s not homeless people, you know?” Through compelling video storytelling, Jenna helps to drive the conversation and educate people about hunger in New York City -- the richest city in the world. Jenna’s work helps raise funds to buy more food and help more people in need -- and the need now is greater than ever. Jenna also shows donors the impact on people’s lives and where their dollars are going.
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“Be bound to one another by the bond of charity.” St. Angela Merici
Meghan Foster ’15 & Maggie Sullivan ’15 at NYU Langone
Liz Murphy ’05, Andrea Fufidio ’12 and Danielle DeRosa ’05 with colleagues at MSK's Urgent Care Center in NYC.
HUNGRY HEROES In the early days of this pandemic, the Advancement Team connected with alumnae at several hospitals and arranged to provide meals to the medical workers. It was an honor to deliver dinner to the brave health care professionals at NYU Langone Health, Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Urgent Care Center in New York City, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital on the Upper East Side of New York City.
RUNNING FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS Ursuline women are undeterred. Katie Carsky ’12 ran a solo marathon on April 20, 2020. It wasn’t the Boston Marathon as intended, but Katie took to the iconic Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, running 26.2 miles ending in Van Cortlandt Park. Katie, a Boston College undergrad, graduated virtually from Tulane University School of Medicine in May with plans to begin her residency for general surgery at Lenox Hill. Katie was raising money for Tulane Healthcare Providers Fund to support those on the front line in New Orleans. Katie is literally Serviam in action! 16
AT URSULINE
Welcome Dr. Melnyk P’18, Our New President The Ursuline School Board of Trustees and Board of Members were thrilled to announce on May 12, 2021 the appointment of Colleen Melnyk, EdD, as President of The Ursuline School, effective July 1, 2021.
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Dr. Melnyk is an experienced leader who models the Ursuline values of faith, integrity and respect for all. An educator in the Mamaroneck and Dr. Melnyk with Peer Leaders at a Welcome Reception for incoming students, May 2021. New Rochelle school districts since 1990, Dr. Melnyk joins Ursuline from lead and inspire the next generation of graduates to learn, her position as the principal of the Murray Avenue School think critically about the world, and prepare to become in Larchmont. leaders themselves, with faith and integrity, committed to Colleen Melnyk grew up in the Bronx and graduated the Ursuline tradition of Serviam.” from St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary School and Dr. Melnyk describes herself as a thoughtful listener and The Bronx High School of Science. She earned her true team player. She says, “I have the ability to bring groups Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Master of Science in of people together and work in consensus towards a Elementary Education, and Doctorate in Education each common goal.” In the past year, she began journaling each from Fordham University. evening. “This helped me reflect upon some of the positive Dr. Melnyk is well acquainted with the Ursuline mission and not so positive moments each day. This habit allows me and the operations of our school. Since 2019, she has to feel centered at the end of each day and I plan to continue served as a trustee at The Ursuline School as well as Chair this practice moving forward.” In any free time that she may of the Education Committee of the Board of Trustees have, Dr. Melnyk loves to and a member of the read and take long walks. Executive Committee. Dr. Melnyk and her husband Perhaps more instructive Stephen also have a 25-yeareven than her role as old son, Sean. They live in trustee is the fact that her Crestwood and are members daughter, Mary Kate, is a of Annunciation-Our Lady proud Ursuline alumna, Class of Fatima Parish. Dr. Melnyk of 2018. Dr. Melnyk has also serves as a member noted this as she shared her of the Advisory Council of enthusiasm for taking on the Annunciation School. role of president and the We appreciate that Dr. importance of the school’s Left to right: Sheila Sohr, Board Chair; Eileen Davidson; Colleen Melnyk; Melnyk was able to join us mission, stating, “The Ursuline Maureen Welch, OSU, Provincial, Eastern Province at several year-end events School represents a tradition this past spring, including Graduation, Moving Up, and some of academic excellence with special attention to the of the welcome events for incoming students. We look education of the whole individual. I have been deeply moved forward to introducing our new president formally at her by the success and experiences of my own daughter, who investiture in fall 2021. is an alumna of The Ursuline School. I am very excited to 18
STRATEGIC PLANNING AT URSULINE
Advancing Excellence Guided by Mission & Tradition Our New Strategic Plan Unveiled During the 2019-20 school year, the Board of Trustees set a goal of studying best practices and developing a policy for strategic planning that would be relevant, impactful and sustainable. In February 2020, the Board approved a framework to ensure the creation, oversight and execution of its strategic plan and created the six-person Strategic Plan Oversight Committee (the “SPOC”), whose primary role is to propose, monitor, resource and ensure commitment to Strategic Plans and their implementation. In May 2020, the SPOC invited nine individuals to its working group to create the Strategic Plan Task Force (“SPTF”). The SPTF met regularly to study educational trends, the community survey results and Ursuline student data and ultimately prioritize the goals and objectives that became the foundation of the 2020-25 Strategic Plan. Thank you to everyone who participated in the community surveys, providing valuable feedback that helped shape the Plan.
The 2020-25 Strategic Plan Overarching Objective
The Ursuline School will solidify and accelerate its position as a regional leader in all-girls Catholic independent, college preparatory education and will be the preferred choice for all girls who seek academic excellence; a multitude of exciting student leadership and extracurricular opportunities; and a dynamic and diverse school community strengthened by caring and dedicated faculty. In the spirit of St. Angela, our school community will be proudly connected for a lifetime by core values and powerful relationships, and collectively committed to sustaining Ursuline’s mission. 19
The 2020-25 Strategic Plan Task Force Oversight Committee President Eileen Davidson H’12 P’90 GP’19 and Board Chair Sheila Sohr P’12, Co-Chairs
Trustees Kathleen Long ’79 P’21 and Adrienne Groccia Santer ’11, Board representatives Principal Rosemary Beirne P’12 and Maria Barton ’83 P’23 ’25, Director of Global Education, Administration representatives.
Task Force Members Alvin Bowles P’21 ’26, VP Facebook, Global Marketing Executive
Louise Flynn ’82 P’16 ’19 ’19, Member of the Education Committee & Former Educator Colette Geary P’11 ’16, VP Enrollment Management at Manhattan College, Educational Leader Jacci Jeffries ’07, Member of Advancement Committee, Engagement Manager, Digital Strategy Group at Adobe Antoinette Jennings ’99, Member Governance Committee, Workforce Programs Leader, Operations Management Monique Keane ’84 P’22 ’24, Co-President of the Auxiliary Board of St. Vincent’s Hospital Francesca LaGumina ’78 P’09 ’11 ’13 ’16, Ursuline Department Chair, World Languages Kim Saxton ’00, Ursuline Athletic Director Eileen Ring, Ursuline Scholarship Development & Stewardship Coordinator
Survey Topics
Academics College Guidance Distance Learning Expectations & School Community Faith & Service Infrastructure & Communications Philanthropy & Engagement School Climate School Leadership Student Core Competencies Why Ursuline?
Survey Respondents
High School Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Middle School Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Current Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Alumnae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608 Parents of Alumnae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Faculty and Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Strategic Plan Task Force broke into four groups
Student Experience and Mission, Faith & Service Operations & Finance
Teaching and Learning Admissions & Alumnae and Parent Engagement
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STRATEGIC PLANNING AT URSULINE
GOAL
Provide an Outstanding Holistic Education
OBJECTIVES: Attract, recruit, develop and retain a high caliber, diverse faculty dedicated to the Ursuline mission. Advance a distinctive college prep curriculum infused by the Ursuline charism that encourages excellence at every level of learning. Strengthen the College Guidance process to position each student to find their best collegiate match. Elevate students to their highest potential in all aspects of an Ursuline education, and prepare students for life beyond Ursuline. Propel outstanding out-of-classroom opportunities to expand learning, build new talents, develop core competencies and widen world views.
Nurture Our Mission, Faith and Serviam
GOAL
OBJECTIVES: Ensure that the Mission is clearly articulated and continues to guide The Ursuline School community in all of its actions and priorities. Develop each student’s personal relationship with God, while enabling them to appreciate and grow in their understanding of the Catholic faith. Cultivate Ursuline’s long-standing commitment to social justice and Serviam initiatives with a unified, cohesive approach.
GOAL
Build and Enrich the School Community
OBJECTIVES: .
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Propel initiatives to increase and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Value and develop the individual student, while striving to connect all students and build community in every aspect of the Ursuline student’s life. Strengthen relationships with and among alumnae and alumnae parents. Engage parents, grandparents and guardians to strengthen the community, promote inclusivity and build long-term connections with Ursuline.
To read the full Strategic Plan, please go to our website, ursulinenewrochelle.org/about/strategic-plan
Guarantee Sustained Enrollment & Financial Strength
GOAL
OBJECTIVES: Attract prospective students and families by ensuring every student and parent considers the Ursuline education a worthy investment. Deepen the culture of philanthropy throughout the Ursuline community. Seek opportunities to expand access to an Ursuline education. Ensure stewardship of human, physical and financial resources.
Maximize Organizational Effectiveness
GOAL
OBJECTIVES: Evaluate Ursuline’s organizational structure to ensure leadership development to maximize organizational efficiency and coordination, distributed decision-making and equitable workload. Ensure Ursuline operates with a framework of best practices with well-designed and documented policies and protocols subject to shifting regulatory, legal and internal landscapes. Evaluate and fund necessary strategic hires. Develop performance indicators and feedback mechanisms for all constituent groups, to ensure data-driven decisionmaking and early identification of risks and opportunities. Prioritize transparency and effective, consistent communication to all Ursuline community members.
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Our Mission As part of the Strategic Planning process, the Mission Statement Committee rearticulated the Mission Statement. It is now more cohesive, and more easily communicated to our constituents.
Guided by our Catholic faith and the spirit of St. Angela Merici, The Ursuline School educates, inspires and empowers young women to become wise, active, globally-minded leaders by cultivating lifelong learning, spiritual growth, integrity, respect for all and dedication to Serviam – “I will serve.”
Alumnae, Share Your Reflections
As The Ursuline School begins its 125th year, we invite you to choose a topic from the suggested list below and send us a short submission. Please include a photo of yourself, at least 1 MB in size, for clear print quality. Add a hashtag or two that relate to your reflection.
Suggested reflections on the Mission Statement: How do you cultivate lifelong learning? How is your dedication to Serviam lived out? Which aspect of the Mission Statement speaks to you and why? Submissions and photo may be emailed to: Renata Mulder, at mulderr @ursulinenewrochelle.org 23
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Ursuline: It takes a Community by Renata Cioth Mulder P’17 We are a school community endeavoring to cultivate lifelong learning, spiritual growth, integrity, respect for all and dedication to Serviam. Central to the philosophy of The Ursuline School is a concern for the student as an individual and a commitment to the education of the whole person. This philosophy includes the statement, “With a diverse student population, the Ursuline community promotes a respect for the multicultural world and provides a range of opportunities through which students develop a global perspective.” Our commitment is guided by the principles of our mission, which include fostering a diverse school population of students and adults, and teaching the skills, modeling the behaviors, providing the resources, and cultivating an environment of equity and inclusion that affirms all perspectives and backgrounds within our community. Some alumnae may remember the after-school multicultural celebrations organized over the years by various clubs. Clubs are an integral part of student life at The Ursuline School and a number of them provide opportunities to celebrate various
cultures and histories such as the Black Essence Club, Asian Appreciation Association/Chinese Experience Club, Bollywood Club, Italian Society, Gaelic Society, Spanish Club, French Club, Anime Club and the clubs of many dance genres. Classroom education and experiences are enriched with our Guest Speakers, Visiting Authors, and our Global Education & Serviam Program. We hosted our first Diversity Summit, an offsite two-day workshop, in November 2017. A group of students explored self-selected topics, such as race, gender, voting rights, colorism, homophobia, and privilege. At subsequent annual Diversity Summits, we welcomed students from Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, and studied Title IX, gentrification, Antisemitism and Islamophobia. The aim at these Summits is for students from a wide variety of backgrounds to learn from one another, share ideas, and work
collaboratively to ask and discuss some of the most complex questions facing our communities and nation. While some of the conversations are quite complicated, these discussions promote responsible citizenship and, ultimately, enhance the living, learning and school/working environment of students, faculty and staff. We believe that when we engage our differences with mutual respect, we will expand our awareness of the world and how we can serve it. The summer of 2020 brought to our attention that we have work to do. It was the time of widespread national protests and many frank conversations about race. At Ursuline, during June and July 24
Students at the 2021 Diversity Summit. More photos and reporting on our school website, in the School News.
2020, the Administration heard from support. We value every one of our numerous alumnae, current students community members. and parents of the sometimes As a direct result of these conversations painful experiences of exclusion and feedback, we made a commitment or diminishment encountered at to improve. We will continue to joyously our school, simply because of the celebrate multiculturalism and cultural color of their skin. Most of these differences but we also committed to experiences were told by our alumnae intentionally taking action to make our who are Black or African American school community more just, equitable community members, but White and inclusive. alumnae also spoke up about what We formulated a new set of they had observed. People spoke out initiatives, in the summer of 2020, of a genuine desire for our school which we view as vital for the entire community to grow and thrive in school. We named these initiatives today’s complex world. Better Path Forward Together. This is In response to the initial feedback, our blueprint for building an anti-racist we offered Listening Sessions with our and fully inclusive community. What Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) does a “fully inclusive” community Team and an outside facilitator, look like? It is an environment and we gathered more where every person input. is welcome and We believe that when We are very included in our we engage our differences grateful to all who community. It with mutual respect, we will courageously and means we make patiently offered a conscious expand our awareness of the constructive effort and world and how we can serve it. recommendations take deliberate and heartfelt action to provide
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equitable opportunities for everyone. It involves establishing a time-bound set of actions on an individual and also on a systemic level. It means stepping out of our comfort zones and engaging in dialogue and training. The path to improvement starts with educating ourselves. Our DEI Team - Adrianna Robertson, Doretha Buster, and Kim Tietjen ’89 - led a voluntary summer 2020 discussion group for faculty and staff to read and discuss anti-racism resources. Professional Development sessions for all faculty and staff took place at various times throughout the 2020-21 school year. Junior and Senior Peer Leaders participated in a facilitator workshop and, in turn, led a Freshman workshop on “cultural stereotypes.” We introduced units from Pollyanna, a Middle School curriculum that helps to present racial literacy curricula and increase cultural competence. The older students again facilitated a workshop entitled “Intent vs. Impact” for our sophomores and another for our freshmen.
Our Administration and DEI team had recurring meetings with Dr. Donna Andrade, Dean of Mission & Ministry at Fairfield Prep and consultant to all Jesuit schools in the United States on issues of Diversity and Inclusion. Systemic actions have included a review of the student/parent handbook and employee manual with a zero tolerance for discrimination and harassment based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background or sexual identity. We are undertaking a multiyear review of curriculum. Very importantly, we commit to attracting and retaining a broadly diverse group of faculty, staff and students. We will continue to evaluate our processes and progress, keeping in mind the insights shared by our students, alumnae, and parents. We are thrilled that Tamisha M. Chestnut has joined us in the new position of Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She will be responsible for the overall inclusion strategy and will work collaboratively throughout the school to assess and enhance Ursuline’s institutional infrastructure on equity, inclusion and educational excellence. This undertaking, to live our mission more fully, will take many years to blossom. Deepening our understanding of an equitable and inclusive community is a process. Nevertheless, we are steadfast. We approach this work with optimism, joy, and kindness - TOGETHER.
Welcome, Our New DEI Director President Eileen Davidson was extremely pleased to announce that Tamisha M. Chestnut has joined The Ursuline School as our inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Ms. Chestnut will lead Ursuline’s initiatives to cultivate a fully inclusive community, building upon the steps described in the DEI action plan that we developed last summer, Better Path Forward Together. She will bring her expertise to our work in numerous areas, including school policies, enhancing curriculum, and broadening faculty recruitment. Ms. Chestnut and the DEI team will design student workshops, organize faculty education programs, and create affinity and alliance groups. She is a member of the Administration and reports to the President. She officially began her new role on March 1, 2021. Ms. Chestnut is a seasoned executive with a broad range of experience in all aspects of human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion. She began her work in this field at Morgan Stanley, where she served as Director of Human Resources & Diversity for the Global Wealth Management Group. Most recently, as the Director of Human Resources at The NightingaleBamford School, she was responsible for providing vision and executive leadership to fulfill the school’s mission and strategic human capital planning initiatives. The Ursuline mission is already well understood and lived out by Ms. Chestnut as she is an alumna of Academy of Mt. Saint Ursula. She is enthusiastic about once again being part of an Ursuline school community and bringing her skills to our school. She stated, “The creation of the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion position at Ursuline demonstrates an intentional action towards transformational change. In this historical moment, Ursuline stands ready to identify, build and nurture a culture of equity and inclusion that addresses the needs of the community with purpose and passion. My professional, educational and spiritual experiences have prepared me for this moment. I am honored to be the first in this position to lead social change and to collaborate with the Ursuline community to move the equity and inclusion agenda forward.” We warmly welcome Tamisha M. Chestnut to The Ursuline School community. 26
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Ursuline Responds to COVID-19 Challenges Unity, compassion, and creative teaching marked our actions during the pandemic. The calendar of extracurriculars began normally in January 2020 with a student cabaret, guest speakers and a guest artist. In February 2020, news of a novel worldwide coronavirus began to impact us. The Honors Choir traveled to Italy over February Break, but with new health procedures. European trip canceled. Japanese exchange visit postponed. A short time later, COVID reached our neighborhood. On March 10, 2020 we closed campus for two weeks at the direction of the Governor, as part of the New Rochelle one-mile containment zone. We immediately began Distance Learning. Sports, play rehearsals, drivers’ ed, mock trial practice, Global Symposium – all canceled. The two-week closure was repeatedly extended. The remainder of the academic year was virtual. Traditional events were reimagined as Zooms and Showcase emails or drive-throughs. Graduation was socially distanced on Kelly Mac Field. Principal Rosemary Beirne pointed out, “During times of crisis, the best communities are those that respond with 27
unity, compassion, creative problem solving, and an unbridled desire to help those most in need. They thrive in good times because they work together in challenging times. The Ursuline School community has responded to this world hardship on a level that is nothing short of inspiring.” For Ursuline, community means Serviam. In 2020 it meant students, teachers, staff, parents and friends of Ursuline donating truckloads of food to help keep food pantries open, hours painstakingly making hundreds of masks for hospital workers, Advancement transforming the annual 24-hour fundraiser to CROWDS4TUS AND 4 OTHERS, and alumnae donating to send a hot meal to health care workers. Community means comfort and reassurance. In 2020, it meant an Admissions team reaching out, our Campus Ministry offering spiritual resources, as well as counselors and Academic Support checking on students. Community means creativity. In 2020, faculty and students adjusted to distance learning without missing a step, and parents
strongly supported their daughters. Our librarians posted Fictional Book Character Quarantine exercises. College & Academic Counseling arranged virtual college visits. Personal Development created a yoga video. The athletic trainer initiated a Sports Medicine Injury Prevention Series. Summer 2020 was a time of preparation. Ursuline staff member Leighann DiPasquale ’83 led the School Reopening Task Force and Project Reboot. Four teams of faculty, staff, medical professionals, and parents designed different scenarios of what “Back to School” might look like. The campus was thoroughly disinfected, new signage created, and weekly communications sent out. Faculty
Ms. Geller’s AP Government class, in person and remote.
trained in new technology to make virtual teaching even more successful, albeit exhausting for teachers. Fall 2020 was unusual but we were very pleased to reopen on a hybrid schedule with Blue and Gold Cohorts on alternate days. Teachers creatively taught simultaneously to the cohort in-person and the cohort at home. We quickly adjusted to one-way staircases, physically distanced desks, temperature taking, and masks. The new Christina Jun Murphy ’22 Commons and Kulsar & McCarthy Lobby were enjoyed daily. Faculty collaborated to create Back to School Night videos, Open House Zoom presentations, and lessons using multiple tools. We have been determined to see our traditions thrive, albeit in new forms. When COVID-19 restrictions made a full Ring Day ceremony impossible, we lined the circle to distribute rings and gifts to Seniors as they drove through. Clubs met virtually. Drama students rehearsed radio plays they never knew about before. And of course, our service and spiritual life continued unabated, with monthly livestreamed liturgies, bi-weekly food collections, and the distribution of Thanksgiving turkeys and pies. Despite all we have been going through, how blessed we are that the strength of our school community sustains us.
Mrs. DeLucia addresses Italian students in person and via Zoom
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Broadway Cabaret Benefits Sanctuary for Families Violette Cadet’20 and Jenna Chiarella ’20
By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17 In-person or virtual, this annual student-produced show offers big musical numbers and heartfelt solos from a variety of Broadway musicals.
Olivia Cook ’21
Madeleine Cockburn ’25 , Jenna Cain ’23 and Kira Schaefer ’21
“Way Down Hadestown” - Alyssa McKeithan, Miranda Fritsch, Kira Schaefer, Jo Keenan, Elizabeth Riccio in Cabaret 2021.
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The 2nd Annual Broadway Cabaret took over The Frank. J. Auriana Theater on January 31 and February 1, 2020 to the delight of the enthusiastic audience. Violette Cadet ’20 was Lead Director and it was her vision that drove the production. Assisting her in several leadership roles were Ava Pallotta ’21 - Staging, Olivia Cook ’21 - Music Director, Lola Milazzo ’22 - Assistant Vocal Director & Costumes, and Elizabeth Riccio ’22 - Choreographer. The first half closed with “You Will Be Found” from the 2016 musical Dear Evan Hansen on the universal themes of loneliness and acceptance. The second half began with “The Schuyler Sisters” from the popular 2015 musical Hamilton. The seniors in the production performed “One Last Time,” a fitting choice as the theme is the importance of knowing how to say goodbye. The 3rd Annual Broadway Cabaret was a pre-recorded performance emailed in May 2021 to the Ursuline community as one of our Student Showcases. Broadway was closed due to the pandemic but our four student Directors, 21 cast members, and eight tech crew worked hard to produce a musical theater performance that certainly entertained us. Olivia Cook ’21 was the Lead Director & Vocal Coach for the 2021 performance. She was assisted by Ava Pallotta ’21, Lola Milazzo ’22 and Elizabeth Riccio ’22. Act 1 opened with a song and dance number from Hadestown and the show closed with “Dear Theodosia” from Hamilton. We invite you to watch the cabaret by visiting our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/tusnr/ All of the voluntary donations from each of the cabaret performances went to benefit Sanctuary for Families, a non-profit that helps victims of domestic abuse and related forms of gender violence.
We are eager to host these in-person events in fall 2021! We invite you to choose the events that best suit your schedule. Please check the website calendar for event changes that may be required due to any restrictions resulting from the pandemic.
11 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 21 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER
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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER
Welcome Back Family BBQ Hosted by the Fathers’ Club for all current Ursuline families.
Annual Fund Breakfast with the President 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - hosted by the Advancement Team for current Ursuline families. Learn about Ursuline’s fundraising, why it’s so important to the school, and how the students benefit from community giving.
Saturday Stroll Around the World 6:30 p.m. All are invited to this dinner reception honoring Eileen Davidson. Proceeds to benefit the Innovation Campaign. Reserve your place by purchasing a ticket at ursulinenewrochelle.org/DavidsonCelebration
Annual Golf Outing At Wykagyl Country Club, organized by the Fathers’ Club. All are welcome. Details and registration at ursulinenewrochelle.org/tusgolf 2021
Koala Sweepstakes & Auction A cocktail party, organized by the Mothers’ Auxiliary. All are invited. Details and registration at ursulinenewrochelle.org/Koala2021
Friday Night Lights An Innovation Campaign event honoring Brendan Moyna P’14 ’16 ’19 at the home of Christina and Rick Trizano P’11 ’17. Learn more at ursulinenewrochelle.org/4Brendan
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ATHLETICS AT URSULINE
All three winter ’20 sports had stellar results before COVID interrupted their seasons. BASKETBALL. The Varsity A team started the season at No. 1 and ended in the top spot as well. They dominated their opponents, earned a 24-0 record and won the Section 1 Basketball Championship at the County Center, bringing the gold ball back to Ursuline. They earned their spot in the regional semi-finals but further competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 situation. Sonia Citron and Alexa Mustafaj were both named to The Journal News/Lohud Westchester/Putnam All-Star First team. Also recognized were teammates Meghan Casey and Alexa Quirolo, who received honorable mention. Varsity B Basketball and JV Basketball finished in winning style. The well-deserved honors kept coming for Sonia Citron who was named the 2019-20 Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year on March 6, 2020! On March 30, 2020 Sonia was named Lohud Sports Player of the Year. Sonia also received MaxPreps All American Honorable Mention for the 2019-20 Basketball Season. MaxPreps recognizes the top 50 high school girls basketball players in America. INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD. Our running koalas gave competitors a run for their money. One highlight was the New Balance Games where the distance medley team of Claire Wilson, Casey Conroy, Stella Gassman and Daphne Banino took 4th place with a time that was 7th fastest in NYS and 15th fastest in the nation. Nine athletes qualified for Nationals in March 2020, however, the Nationals were canceled out of concern for athletes traveling from around the country and the risks associated with large gatherings. Nevertheless, we congratulate those who qualified: Daphne Banino, Casey Conroy, Stella Gassman, Alexa Grassi, Caitlyn McLean, Haley McLean, Cara Kelly, Kate Nugent, and Claire Wilson. They were competing in the 4 by 8, the 4 by mile, and the triple jump. We also applaud Daphne Banino, Casey Conroy, Claire Wilson, Haley McLean, Alexa Grassi, Stella Gassman and Kate Nugent, who were selected to The Journal News/Lohud girls Westchester/Putnam indoor Track Team All-Stars. 31
CHEERLEADING. Both Varsity and JV shined brightly and excelled at the Garden State Championships. Exciting wins came at the Westchester County Championships, where the JV squad defended their Westchester County Champ title and the Varsity squad swept the whole evening by winning County and Grand Champions. At the UCA Nationals competition in Florida, Varsity placed 2nd in the small varsity division II and JV was not holding anything back – they were crowned National Champions in the Game Day JV non-tumbling division!
Collegiate Athletic Signing via Zoom
April 29, 2020 was the day long designated as the Spring College Athletic Recognition Ceremony. Given the circumstances of the pandemic, we celebrated with these members of the Class of 2020 via Zoom. Casey Conroy - UMass Amherst Track and Field Team, Sofia Dedaj - University of Scranton Volleyball Team, Mia Martinez - Felician University Softball Team, Nina Campos - Sacred Heart University Cheerleading Team, Elena Mugno - Loyola Maryland Swim Team, and Claire Wilson - Boston University Track and Field Team. 32
ATHLETICS AT URSULINE
Redesignated 2020-21Seasons
Our student-athletes demonstrated tenacity and flexibility, both on their playing surface and with their classwork. The Fall 2020 Season looked a little different; however our Ursuline athletes showed their resilience and determination as they competed in Cross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer and Tennis. Stand out performances were turned in by our Cross Country team. The running Koalas won the League Championship! At the Milton meet, Daphne Banino soared past the competition to break the Section 1 girls record and become the Section 1 Champion. Daphne and teammate Tara Doyle were both named to the AllWestchester County Cross Country Team. The 2021 Winter Season was abbreviated, due to COVID-era restrictions, but our student-athletes ultimately were able to take part in three sports, with a limited number of fans cheering them on. March 2, 2021 was an exciting day as our Varsity A Basketball team won the Southern Westchester Group 1 championship and our JV Cheerleaders won the Section 1 Winter Championship! Several athletes achieved personal records during the season. On the afternoon of February 24, 2021, Sonia Citron became the first player in Ursuline basketball history to score 2,000 points as she helped lead the team to a victory over White Plains. Teammate Alexa Mustafaj achieved her own record, scoring her 1,000th point on March 4, 2021. Sonia was recognized with numerous awards throughout the year for her outstanding basketball career at The Ursuline School as well as her future 33
promise. She received the Section 1 Miss Basketball honor for the second year in a row. Sonia also earned selection to the prestigious 2021 McDonald’s All American Game team. She is one of only 24 high school seniors selected from across the United States for that team. Sonia was named to the 2021 USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Cup Team. Sonia and her teammates will represent the USA, the reigning FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist, in the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in August in Debrecen, Hungary. Closer to home, Sonia has been named Miss New York Basketball for the second consecutive year by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York. And, Sonia was named LohudSports Westchester/Putnam Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Joining Sonia with Lohud post season honors were Alexa Mustafaj, a 1st team honoree, and Meghan Casey and Ciara Croker, who received Honorable Mention.
Sonia was named Gatorade NYS Girls Basketball Player Varsity DII Division. JV Cheerleading was named Game of the Year for the 2nd consecutive year, Max Preps NY Day Grand Champions, 2nd in the Nation Competitive State Senior Female Athlete of the Year, Max Preps NY Champs, and 4th in the Nation Game Day Champs. The State Girls Basketball Player of the Year and a 2021 Jordan Varsity Swim Team competed in 7 regular season meets. In Brand Classic team member. And Sonia’s jersey will be sectionals, senior captain Gillian Camperlengo won the 100 displayed for the next year in the “Ring of Honor,” Breaststroke and placed 4th in the 200IM. Varsity recognizing high school and college AllVolleyball completed the season with a Americans at the Women’s Basketball strong 6-3 record. Hall of Fame in Knoxville, TN. The Spring 2021 Koalas turned Although Indoor Track had a in many dominating performances Varsity Basketball, Cheerleading limited season due to weather, our in Section 1 competition as and Winter Track teams were named team earned All County Honors: they won 6 individual Section 1 NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Teams Daphne Banino 1st Team in 1500m, Championships! 4x800m Relay - Tara Doyle, Varsity Softball had a great regular for the Winter ’21 season. This means more Daphne Banino, Kate Nugent, Alexa season winning the team’s first than 75% of their team’s roster had Grassi - 1st Team, Prizila NegreteLeague Championship since 2016, an average GPA greater than or 1st Team in Shot put and 3rd Team in going 16-2. Congratulations to Head equal to 90 in season. Weight Throw, Claire Cregin -2nd Team Coach John Pirone and Assistant Danny in High Jump. Vitulli who earned their 200th career win On March 5, 2021, the puck dropped on the this season. Coach Pirone also was named League ice at the inaugural Section 1 Varsity Girls Ice Hockey game. Coach of the Year. Pitcher Emily Duhaney was named AllAubrey Janniello represented Ursuline as a member of the Section as well as the League Pitcher of the Year. Joining East Green Wave Team. Forging new paths! Emily on the All Section team was Jessica Tejera. The newly designated Fall 2 Season ran March 8 - April Varsity Lacrosse finished with their most successful season 25, 2021 for Cheer, Swimming, and Volleyball. Even though since 2014 and a 12-5 record. Senior Captains Amanda most of the Cheer competitions were virtual, the teams Dolis, Maya Mohring, and Amelia Riccuiti all reached 100 finished strong. Varsity Cheerleading placed 3rd in the Small point milestones.
Team Recognitions.
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ATHLETICS AT URSULINE
Congratulations Section 1 Champs!
Daphne Banino: 800m, 1500m, 3000m 2021 Section Champion
Sofia Nogalo: Girls Golf Individual 2021 Section Champion
Prizila Negrete: Discus and Shot Put 2021 Section Champion
Class of 2021 Collegiate Athletic Signings
Gillian Camperlango - Swimming, Bucknell Isabella Chiulli - Swimming, U of Vermont Sonia Citron - Basketball, Notre Dame Sofia Coppola - Crew, UVA Georgette Cosentino - Volleyball, Pace Amanda Dolis - Lacrosse, Robert Morris Kate Fodero - Track, Cathlolic U Adriana Lamari - Cheerleading, URI Maria Leni - Cheerleading, Providence Caroline Lennon - Swimming, Cortland Magdalene Moschetta - Crew, BU Alexa Mustafaj - Basketball, Middlebury Amelia Riccuti - Lacrosse, Villanova Melanie Sanchez - Swimming, Sacred Heart
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Poetry Club meeting pre-COVID
Poetry Indeed: Close Up on Ursuline’s Poetry Club and Poetry Out Loud Event By Adrianna Robertson English Department Faculty & Poetry Club Co-Moderator
“If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” –Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson’s famous quote has stood the test of time because she captures the response to reading a good poem with such accuracy. A good poem excites the mind in such a way that the body responds. In this way a poem has the power to make us feel as other genres simply do not. This connection to feeling--both mental and physical--is what Dickinson was expressing in her famous quote. Dickinson needed poetry because she realized that it was a necessary part of living in and experiencing the world. And, though Dickinson could
never have imagined a year like 2020, she might have pointed us in the direction of poetry as a way to learn, imagine, understand--and ultimately find healing. Our Fourth Annual Poetry Out Loud event, sponsored by Ursuline’s Poetry Club, took place on June 2, 2020 in the midst of a pandemic and a pivotal racial reckoning. Though always well-attended and essential to community-building, this POL was unlike any other. Some part of this most certainly had to do with the fact that it was attended via Zoom for the
first time; however, it went beyond this. There was a reverence for the poems that matched the recent world happenings. There also seemed to be a longing for them to provide answers, solutions--a salve for all of our grief. The poems did not disappoint--from original student-written poems to treasured favorites by the likes of Robert Frost, Charles Simic, and Danez Smith. The need Dickinson had for poetry, to express her feelings and connect with the world somehow, is the same need that prompts the members of the 36
AT URSULINE She Keeps Her Emotions Trapped in Jars by Kristen Vincent ’22 Poetry Club to attend their bi-weekly meetings, moderated since 2016 by English teachers Adrianna Robertson and Maria Hanson ’84, and to share what they have been writing. As the school community worked its way through the 2020-21 school year marked by much uncertainty, there was no doubt that the need for poetry thrived. Even with the club’s meetings taking place via Zoom and the POL event as well on April 22, 2021, the club did what it always has done: shared poetry and all that it has to offer with the Ursuline community. The words written and read most certainly have the power to give us that electric feeling that Dickinson talked about. It reminds us that we are alive and that in the face of fear or loss, we keep on living.
Sadness is on the right corner of the shelf above her bed; It hangs over her head like the Sword of Damocles when she sleeps Happiness is on her nightstand, next to her favorite book and scrappy pictures of lost lovers and forgotten friends; She has learned that hiding one’s emotions can make one lose those who mean the most to them Anxiety is on the windowsill across from her desk; It stares at her whenever she looks outside at the people walking down the street or the clouds that kiss the sky; Do the people on her street also keep their emotions in jars? Would they judge her if they knew she did? Will the clouds bring rain? Anger is in a locked drawer; She tries hard not to remember where she keeps it, for it has ruined so many things in her life and she never wishes to release it from its jar like Pandora’s box Hope is on her kitchen table, greeting her in the morning when she eats her breakfast; It reminds her that every day brings something new, or at least it could Love is hidden in a treasure box; Sometimes she takes it from the jar and cradles it in her hands as a personal form of therapy to remind herself that she is worthy of receiving love when she gives it away to people who seem to never give anything in return; She puts it away quickly at the thought of losing her most delicate emotion, her desires stored in safety
Kristen Vincent ’22 shared her abecedarian poem on the POL Zoom
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Sometimes she thinks of breaking all of the jars and letting her emotions spill out all over her home, but then she reminds herself of what a mess that would make; Is it better to hide one’s emotions than to shatter and expose them?
Poetry Out Loud event, April 22, 2021
Fire by Kayla Bowles ’21 get off the roof, dear, by Maeve Reynolds ’21 the shingles are not insured. you will leave scuff marks on the tiles. if you get down for me, i will cradle your knees into mine, appraise the iron lapping at your ankles, tow your car for the next two miles. if you get down for me, i will sign us up for that seasonal corn maze you are always forgetting about. i will fetch us matching quilts that we will crawl into after ignoring our weekend malaise. because don’t you remember that june in vermont? men on stilts could barely duck before you shucked your shoes like ears of corn and nearly knocked their top hats off. but now—the daisy wilts. the goldfish starves. and get off the roof, my dear, the hawthorn tree cannot distinguish you from clouds. you will get splinters. bruises, maybe. i will fetch our copy of young frankenstein and butter popcorn. i cannot fix the heat but i can fix your arm. it really amuses you, doesn’t it? how we take turns being freaks and lose ourselves in cabinets? someone needs to feed the cat. it cannot chew burnt fuses anymore. the vet will wonder. your doctor will wonder. shelves cannot win again. here, get my coat, i will take us to manhattan. just do not touch me there. that—do not touch me there. it repels me. get off the roof, dear, that robe is made of pricey satin and i do not remember where you found it. see, the deer are running, now—you scare them. to them you are a cannon. get off the roof. this is the last time i will ask. i fear you will sleep up there next time. i fear there will not be a next time. i fear the popcorn bowl will someday disappear.
Pushing further, air Getting thicker by The second, your Hair stuck to the back Of your neck and beads Of sweat blur the world You are struggling To see; sweltering Sunshine, evil rays Of goodness redden Your already scarred And blistered cheeks, while The sand pulls you down Hindering the small Amount of progress It took you so long To make, the only thing Keeping your eyes from Rolling back into Your skull and your knees From buckling and Giving into the Merciless blaze, the Tropical air and Sun is the feeling Of ice-cold water Trailing down the back Of your throat, calming Your enflamed insides And giving you strength Somehow, to go on 38
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Senior Surprise Gift, a No-Contact Drive Through
May 2, 2020. Cheers, signs, teachers and staff lined the circle applauding. Ring Day Mix of music played on the loudspeakers. Surprise gift bag: senior lawn sign, sunglasses, chocolates. Fun! Chris Bratt, Social Studies Dept
Eileen Davidson
Patty Joyce, English Dept and Kim Tietjen ’89, Personal Counseling
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Rosemary Beirne
Senior Tribute in Lights A new Senior recognition in spring 2020 called “Be The Light” night swept across the nation. Every Friday night at 8:20 p.m., which is 20:20 on a 24-hour clock, the Class of 2020 was honored as we turned on the lights at school to shine brightly for 20 minutes.
Cap & Gown Drive Through
May 20, 2020. Seniors dropped off their textbooks and picked up gift bags of their cap and gown plus a delicious TUS cookie from the Advancement Team.
Maureen Corbett and Cathy Fay McCarthy ’84, Advancement
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Graduation 2020, an Historic Ceremony The 123rd Commencement of The Ursuline School on June 26, 2020 included many of the traditional graduation elements – Pomp & Circumstance, speeches, proclaiming each senior’s name, awards. It also will be forever notable in that it took place outside on Kelly Mac Field with graduates seated six feet apart, wearing masks, and families in their parked cars watching giant screens or the livestream on their phones. The ceremony on this sunny day began with Principal Rosemary M. Beirne’s welcome and introduction of the trustees in attendance. Msgr. Keane offered the invocation and the Senior members of our Honors Choir led the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. Salutatorians Jeannine Lynch and Domenica Voli were followed by Valedictorian Stella Banino. Each speaker commended the class for their resilience and 41
courage to take action. Mrs. Beirne then called each graduate’s name as the Senior walked across the stage to receive a diploma cover from President Eileen Davidson. The actual diplomas were handed out at the end of the ceremony, in a drive-through nocontact fashion, with faculty applauding along the driveway. The members of the Class of 2020 earned more than $29 million in college scholarships. They worked hard and strategically, with perseverance. At graduation, Assistant Principals Denise Moore and Liz Lynch announced a number of Awards and Honors.
Global Scholars
Violette Cadet, Sofia Damiano, Mairead Donnelly, Gabryel Grey, Isabella Joyce, Samantha Mitze, Sara Taylor, Leah Varghese, Maya Zamor
Serviam Awards for service to the school in the spirit of St. Angela: Briana Al-Omoush, Violette Cadet, Mary Fleming, Aaliyah Gibson, Kyla Golding, Isabella Joyce, Kerry Leccese, Mimosa Medeiros, Alison Sheridan, Maria Silvestri, Leah Varghese, Kaitlyn Zigrossi
Class of 2020 Awards President’s Award – Mia Valecce Principal’s Award – Maya Zamor Ursuline Alumnae Key – Maria Silvestri Emily A. Clemente Memorial Award – Leah Varghese Sheila Kelly Memorial Award – Lorelei Wolf Sister JB Nicholson, OSU Award – Estella Gaffney Katherine Johnson Memorial Scholarship Award Kyla Golding Meg Mackay Memorial Scholarship Award Jeannine Lynch Fathers’ Club Award – Christina Cavallaro Mothers’ Auxiliary Award – Jeanine Lynch In her address, Mrs. Davidson recalled that, months earlier, the Ring Day theme was outer space and “as we imagined the vast limitlessness of the universe, we could not have known how life would soon be contracted and our individual worlds would become much more narrow indeed. The Class of 2020 - the class I have long referred to as the ‘Class of Vision’ - was blindsided along with the rest of us. Who would have believed that our concept of space would be restricted and re-imagined, leading to a universe defined by our nuclear families and ending at our front doors? From shuttered businesses to silent cities, you have truly experienced a unique event of our lifetime. It brings to mind that iconic Simon and Garfunkel song, ‘The Sound of Silence’ as well as its indictment of ‘People talking without speaking/People hearing without listening.’ Let the lessons of this quieter, slower time we are emerging from not be forgotten - let us still make time for who and what really matters in our lives.” 42
GRADUATION
Meet the Class of 2020 Valedictorian & Salutatorians Stella Banino, Valedictorian, is attending the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia. In her address, Stella proclaimed, “I am proud to be a part of a community that, as a whole, is even stronger and more passionate than the sum of its parts, a community that is already using its voice to improve the world around it. . . . Time and time again, this class has wrestled with difficult issues, and time and time again, our persistence and passion have been rewarded with small, but notable, triumphs.” Jeannine Lynch, Salutatorian, is attending Wake Forest. In her commencement remarks, Jeannine said, “Our country has not only faced a global pandemic, but sadly an increase in violence and prejudice against black Americans, which has taken the lives of too many, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. We have seen some of our fellow classmates rise up and speak against this injustice. We have learned so much in our years at Ursuline, including how to use our voices effectively. . . . Thanks to Ursuline, The Class of Vision will always have the foresight and confidence to not only believe in the beauty of our dreams, but to make them come true.” Domenica Voli, Salutatorian, is attending Cornell University. In her address, Domenica stated, “Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, ‘So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune.’ . . . Ursuline has given us the tools to not only learn better but to overcome these impediments. In the classroom, our teachers taught us that it’s okay to make mistakes and that there’s no shame in failing as long as we get back up and try again. This growth mindset message applies outside the classroom as well; in life, we might fail. Plans might be deferred and the winds might change direction, but we can adapt to these circumstances and keep marching on.”
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Class of 2020 Matriculation Adelphi University Bentley University Boston College Boston University 4 Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University 2 Case Western Reserve University Champlain College Clemson University Colgate University College of Charleston College of Mount Saint Vincent 2 College of the Holy Cross Cornell University 4 CUNY Hunter College CUNY Macaulay Honors College 2 CUNY Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education Duke University Elon University 3 Fairfield University 3 Fairleigh Dickinson University Felician University Florida State University Fordham University 5 Franklin & Marshall College Georgetown University 2 Georgia State University Harvard College 2
High Point University 2 Hofstra University Indiana University Iona College 4 Ithaca College James Madison University 3 Johnson & Wales University Lafayette College Le Moyne College Lehigh University Loyola University Maryland 4 Manhattan College 4 Marist College 3 Marquette University Marymount Manhattan College Miami University 2 Middlebury College New York University 2 Northeastern University Northwestern University Nyack College Pace University Pennsylvania State University 2 Providence College Quinnipiac University 4 Rochester Institute of Technology Sacred Heart University 5 Saint Anselm College Siena College St. John’s University
Stevens Institute of Technology SUNY Binghamton University 2 SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology Syracuse University 4 The University of Alabama 2 The University of Edinburgh - Scotland The University of Scranton The University of Tampa 3 The University of Tennessee Trinity College Dublin - Ireland University of Connecticut University of Delaware 6 University of Georgia University of Maryland University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Miami University of New Haven University of Notre Dame University of Richmond University of South Carolina 3 University of Southern California University of Virginia 3 University of Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison Villanova University 4 Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University Wake Forest University 2 Xavier University
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TUS ART COLLECTION ACQUISITIONS
Senior Art Students Took Center Stage in the Inaugural Ursuline School Virtual Art Show
2020
Elena Mugno ’20
Among the many spring celebrations of Ursuline Seniors is the annual art show. Student artists from grades 6 - 12 have work on display, and Seniors taking advanced level art courses are given special places to set up one-woman shows. Even amid the unfortunate circumstances presented by the global pandemic, Ursuline artists found a way to shine - virtually. Each year, the administration purchases several works of art by graduating Seniors. The selections for 2020 and 2021 are pictured on these pages.
Hanna Hillesheim ’20
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Mary Fleming ’20
Mia Valecce ’20
Aaliyah Gibson ’20
Rochelle Samuels ’20
2021
Senior Artwork Was on Display in the Kulsar & McCarthy Lobby and the 2nd Annual Virtual Art Show
Although we were not able to host a grand opening celebration for the entire school community in 2021, Seniors were able to display their work in the Kulsar & McCarthy Lobby and Welcome Center. After graduation, artists in grades 6-11 had work on display in the main hallway, cafeteria and gym walls for the student body to view. Because we were unable to invite the large community, we again presented the work virtually where you can “meet” the senior artists and view a sampling of all levels of student work.
Lia Tunney ’21
Olivia Curtis ’21
Jillian Graham ’21
Alice Onorio ’21 Ava Mahoney ’21
Isabella Nieto ’21
Kelly Dmytryshyn ’21
Visit: ursulineschoolartshow.org to view the 2020 and 2021 Virtual Art Shows
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Our 2020 Retirees At the end of the 2019-20 academic year we honored, via Zoom, seven extraordinary members of our faculty and staff who decided to retire. They each had contributed in innumerable ways to the education and growth of Ursuline students over the decades. We offer them heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes for much enjoyment in the years ahead.
Louise Brown Attendance Officer
Carol DeFrancisco Treasurer
KM Donohue, OSU Testing Room Moderator
Jane Joyce Math Department Chair
Brenda Buckley, OSU, Spanish Teacher in World Languages Department
Pat Schifini, OSU, Campus Minister and Teacher in the Religious Studies Department
PICTURED AT RIGHT:
Retired from teaching to pursue a different ministry with the Ursuline Sisters:
Edwinna Lucyk Director of Technology Integration 47
A New Partnership with an Extraordinary Scholar-in-Residence By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17 A grant from the prestigious E.E. Ford Foundation made possible the launch of a new exciting program in the 2020-21 academic year. Despite the burdens of the pandemic, at Ursuline learning for the 21st Century has evolved in new ways. At the start of the second quarter, on November 24, 2020, Adria Armbrister, PhD, ’94 was named as the school’s inaugural Scholar-in-Residence. Adria was excited and honored to return to Ursuline, and was enthusiastically welcomed by Eileen Davidson. “Dr. Armbrister is sharing with students her international expertise in economic development, global health, and ethnic equality,” said President Davidson. “We are extremely fortunate that Dr. Armbrister has both realworld understanding as an international project manager in Latin America as well as academic experience at the college level. Her involvement will enrich our academics, lift up understudied perspectives, and help Ursuline as we strive for a more inclusive academic experience. And we
Dr. Armbrister led a discussion with our Global Scholars on Venezuela’s current socio-economic difficulties.
are grateful that this Scholar-in-Residence program is made possible by an E.E. Ford Foundation grant.” Collaboration Across the Curriculum Dr. Armbrister partnered with teachers in the Social Studies and English departments. Notably, she also worked with students examining global problems and solutions through our signature Global Scholars program. One topic was an exploration of the many reasons for Venezuela’s current socio-economic difficulties. Our unique Personal Development program also benefitted from this partnership with Dr. Armbrister. And, although the focus of her work was with our high school, Dr. Armbrister made time to meet with two Middle School Personal Development classes. Her dynamic yet welcoming approach immediately put the classes at ease and lively discussions ensued. Dr. Armbrister’s conversation with our Model United Nations club included sharing her experience of living in Peru and Colombia and discussing the obstacles to improvement of the quality of life in South America. Dr. Armbrister congratulated our students on their involvement in Model UN, noting that it helped them to see the reality of 48
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the world around them, to engage in respectful conflict and debate, and to be agile in their thinking. Stellar Education and Experience Adria has said, “I started on my career path at Ursuline, learning Latin, Greek and Spanish and being a member of the International Club. I became enamored with the idea of working internationally, especially with the United Nations. Ms. Saraceni was very encouraging, so I felt I could certainly achieve my goal.” She also credits Ursuline teachers Ms. Perry and Sister Martha for their important influence on her education and interest in languages. Adria is now fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has studied French. Adria earned a B.A. in History-Sociology from Columbia University and has been awarded three Master’s degrees: Master of Arts and Master of Philosophy in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University, and a Master of Arts in International Relations & Economics from Johns Hopkins. She then completed her PhD in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia. Dr. Armbrister has extensive experience in education; she has served as an Adjunct Professor at New York University and as lecturer at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Her career also includes almost a decade in program management at the Inter-American Development Bank in Lima, Peru, in Bogota, Colombia, and in Washington, DC. She is currently the founder and Executive Director of Nzoku Consultores. Her clients include the Global Health Council, UNICEF Ethiopia, Econometria, and the Pan American Health Organization. She provides strategic guidance to support policy changes and implement programming to improve outcomes among populations worldwide. Dr. Armbrister has frequently been invited to speak as a panelist or presenter at various conferences around the world. Additionally, she has published articles in Social Science & Medicine, American Journal of Public Health, Journal of the National Medical Association (JNMA), Handbook of Health Psychology and the Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine. 49
A meeting in Peru in 2017- Eileen Davidson led an Ursuline student trip to Peru while Adria was working at the Inter-American Development Bank there.
First Person Account from Our Scholar-in-Residence My initiation as the Ursuline Scholar-in-Residence started in November 2020 with a series of sessions for Mr. Bratt’s Global Seminar where I covered in some depth how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendants in Latin America. We also discussed the community-based responses and treatments employed by these groups to treat and reduce the spread locally and regionally. In December 2020, I was happy to return to Mr. Bratt’s class to outline the parameters and history of Venezuelan migration within the region. That was a prelude to a presentation by one of my student mentees, Kimberly Jasmin, who is a master’s degree student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Kimberly presented on her research on maternal outcomes for Venezuelan migrant women in Colombia. She also discussed post-graduate education
in international development with students to get them In the second semester of the 2020-21 academic year, I thinking about their educational options should they supported the Global Scholars in the conceptualization and continue with their interest in global affairs. dissemination of their Capstone Projects. I also provided My first semester at Ursuline was also enriched by a series inputs and co-lecture as part of the 11th Grade Honors of classes I was honored to lead with Ms. Pisano’s Personal American History curriculum. I worked with AP English Development classes with the 6th and 7th grades, and the to further integrate equity perspectives into a curriculum 12th grade Peer Mediators. My goal in these sessions was that students have referred to as “super woke” - so I felt to add to Ursuline’s commitment to creating a culture of absolutely no pressure there (!!). equity within the school and beyond. Toward that end, I The goal of the work with Social Studies was to increase was delighted to lead a session on moving from allyship, the recognition of the contributions of many populations to a topic that girls understood very well thanks to their the United States, most notably Asian Americans, American sessions with Ms. Pisano, to leadership and advocacy for Indians, Latinxs and Irish Americans and deepening links equity and justice. We discussed the fact that allyship is between history and our current day realities. To this based on privilege—we have the opportunity to be allies end, I lent my support to the efforts of the exemplary 11 to those who are excluded because we occupy some Honors Social Studies faculty on topics such as the 14th space of privilege. The class concluded that those of us with Amendment and citizenship; links between Reconstruction privilege who care about justice need to become conflictand resistance to Universal Health Care and Access in transformers and leaders/advocates and do this to the best the United States; and tracking parallel historical events in of our ability knowing that none of us does everything history, particularly as they reflect the increasing diversity perfectly all the time. of the country after the Civil War. One key reference for With the 7th grade, we delved into images of “perfection” my work with the 11 Honors Social Studies faculty was the for girls, mainly on social media. We explored both the New York Times’ 1619 Project, an “ongoing initiative…to enduring qualities of “perfect/popular girls” (fairly stable over reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences the decades), the reality that beauty does not have only one of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the standard and how the image of perfection is used to sell very center of our national narrative.” products and services. The result is that we have to balance I’m excited to serve as the school’s first Scholar-infantasy (that is fun at times) with the reality of who we are Residence and hope this tradition continues into the future. and accept both in ourselves and others. And with the Peer Mediators, I was happy to share some cases that exemplified how the skills of conflict resolution they have learned with Ms. Pisano can be useful in everyday life and particularly in college. We discussed how the ability to see beyond the surface and be educated about a range of social issues and services—from gendered racism Dr. Armbrister to intimate partner violence—could prepare and 6th grade them to be resources for themselves and Personal Development others and thus address critical issues around class. equity and justice.
SERVIAM AT URSULINE
Serviam Saturdays Saturday socially distanced food drives at Ursuline began in spring 2020 as the pandemic crippled our country’s food systems and many people faced food insecurity. The food drives continued through June 2021. Rain or shine, twice a month during the school year, students and faculty volunteered to accept and organize the donated food and other items. Often alumnae took part. Collected food and items were regularly donated to Serviam Gardens in the Bronx, a senior low income housing site, or to HOPE Community Services in New Rochelle. We also held food drives to benefit senior citizens through The Fuller Center for Housing of Greater New York City, to benefit the Bronx Green Machine, and to help restock local food pantries in Yonkers and Mount Vernon. The need is great. Thank you very much to all who donate.
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Operation Christmas Child By Maeve Ryan ‘24 I have been involved in Operation Christmas Child since I was in kindergarten. I am so grateful to have begun a new Operation Christmas Child chapter at The Ursuline School this past December 2020, starting with the 6th grade. This beautiful project is sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse. We reach out to children throughout the world with a simple shoebox filled with daily hygiene items, school supplies, and simple toys, as a tangible way of bringing Jesus Christ to God’s children everywhere. We seal every box with a prayer for the children receiving our boxes. I worked with the 6th graders to pack their first shoeboxes (“Go-Boxes” which stands for “Gospel Opportunities”). Each student went home with a packet that explained the project. Each student placed a special label on their shoebox that they could track online to see where their box found a home. Shoeboxes have traveled all over the world, by boats, planes, elephants, camels, donkeys . . . in any way they can reach God’s children. In 2019, I was blessed to finally work at an Operation Christmas Child Processing Center in Baltimore, over Thanksgiving weekend. My parents and I helped to process thousands of shoeboxes, getting them ready to ship out all over the world! It was an amazing experience! I can’t wait to do it again next year (we could not travel this year due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions). 52
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Reaching for Global Equality & Equity A Collaboration with South Africa Even though we could not travel in 2020 or 2021 to visit our sister school Brescia House in Johannesburg, South Africa in person, we developed a synchronous virtual class exchange. Our Director of Global Education, Maria Barton ’83, and 11th grade English AP Teacher Adrianna Robertson collaborated with Brescia House School faculty Graham West, History Chair and Laura Van Houten, History Teacher. The project was titled “Reaching for Global Equality & Equity.” Substituting technology for passports, students met via Zoom and used Microsoft Teams as they researched 10 aspects of inequity in both New Rochelle/Westchester/ NYC, New York and Randburg/Sandton/Alexandra, South Africa and then shared possible solutions via video presentations. Said one student, “I was grateful that my group mates were very sweet and understanding. I think we had great conversations and were able to connect through topics beyond academics, which was also very valuable.” And another student observed, “I learned about the life of a student in South Africa, and I was able to gain new perspectives on the world and on inequity and inequality.” 53
Brescia House students
Diplomacy & Fun at TUSMUNCIII At Ursuline’s third annual Model United Nations Middle School Conference on November 21, 2020 delegates used Google Docs, Slack, and breakout rooms in Zoom. We welcomed delegations from St. Ann’s School, Ethical Culture Fieldston School and Brentwood School, Los Angeles. The theme was A New Dawn. In the Aftermath of the First Wizarding War crisis committee (Harry Potter), the delegates needed to help reform the British Ministry of Magic. The NFL Owners Committee tackled three issues plaguing the National Football League today, namely, players’ freedom of expression, international expansion, and gender equality. Finally, fringe militant groups, nuclear weapons, and
an exiled president crashed together to add up to a hostile Yemen Crisis. The leadership team at TUSMUNCIII, with faculty moderators Mrs. Patel and Mrs. Doherty, was Secretary General, Simulation Director Cecilia Visco ’21; Secretary General, Crisis Director (Yemen) Maeve Reynolds ’21; Undersecretary of External Affairs, Alexandria Carson ’21; Undersecretary of Internal Affairs, Nicole Lee ’21; Undersecretary of Research, Crisis Director (NFL) Ananya Singh ’21; Undersecretary of Finance, Crisis Director (Harry Potter) Hannah Parisi ’21; and Crisis Director (Press Corps) Daphne Banino ’22. Special thanks to the Louise Este Bruce Foundation for their continued support of TUSMUNC.
A Leader’s Perspective at TUSMUNCIII By Cecilia Visco ’21 TUSMUNCIII Secretary General, Simulation Director In Model UN, crisis committees task delegates to achieve overarching goals while also presenting delegates with unforeseen challenges that threaten to throw them off course. In this high-stakes format, neglecting to consider any given situation could have dire consequences. At TUSMUNC, we create crisis committees that show delegates the complex web of considerations that factor into our leaders’ decision-making. Little did we know that, in planning our 2020 conference, we would find ourselves under similar circumstances. While the world of Zoom presents many hurdles, moving our conference online raised one major concern. How could we replicate the energy felt at a live conference in the heat of debate? Ultimately, the strength of our community became the answer to our own problem. In the months before the conference, our conference staff remained determined to make their committees wonderfully chaotic and thoroughly engaging. At the conference, this preparation visibly filled our staff with a pride and excitement that translated into a memorable day for all. 54
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Ms. Kelly Gentry directed the Advanced Orchestra as they performed The Wind Blows Where It Will.
A Spring Outdoor Performance Our first ever outdoor music and dance performance, “A Breath of Fresh Air,” took place on April 28, 2021 on Kelly Mac Field. This was an accomplishment for all of our performing groups, who had not rehearsed together at all during the year, because students were in two cohorts or fully remote. Families immensely appreciated the chance to hear students present beautiful music and lovely dances in the open air.
The Ballet Class danced to “Bitter Earth” by Dinah Washington as choreographed by Ms. Jenne Griffith.
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Ms. Rosemary Clarizio ’89 directed the middle school chorus as they sang The Beautiful Rain arranged by Janet Gardner.
More reporting on the 2021 Spring Music and Dance Performance may be found on our school website, in the School News.
Senior Alum Welcome 2021
Breakfast for Seniors and their mothers on May 20, hosted by Advancement as graduates enter the ranks of alumnae.
Mother-Daughter Alumnae
Father-Daughter Dance 2021 Hosted by the Fathers’ Club on May 14. Due to COVID restrictions still in place, this year’s event was “Seniors only”.
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Graduation 2021
Familiar Traditions and New Protocols The 124th Commencement of The sang “The Star Spangled Banner.” Ursuline School on May 21, 2021 was a Salutatorian Cecilia Visco exhorted joyful occasion on Kelly Mac Field. It was her classmates to remember: “We are in many ways a return to our traditions Ursuline. Our actions in approaching as well as a unification of the Class, since the fires that plague our world define Blue and Gold Cohorts, in person and what the Ursuline community will be to remote learners, all came together with those who take responsibility for it going their families for this memorable occasion. forward. Despite having had limited time Although masks were worn by in the school building, our class has made Administration, the graduates, and many its mark on the identity of Ursuline. So, attendees, in a persistent reminder of although we may have lost some time in certain COVID protocols, this year the each other’s physical presence, we never graduates did not have to sit six feet Valedictorian Claire Cregin truly lost Ursuline. So long as we have apart and three family members were each other, this incredible class of changeable to join them on the field, with extended family and making women, we can never lose Ursuline.” friends watching from their cars or on the livestream. In the Valedictory Address, Claire Cregin reminded the Principal Rosemary Beirne welcomed those assembled Class of “our ability to persevere in the face of any obstacle, and introduced the trustees on the outdoor dias. After even if it is a worldwide pandemic. . . We may bend to adapt the invocation by Msgr. Keane, the Senior members of our to changes but we do not break ourselves to satisfy society’s Honors Choir, under the direction of Ms. Wendy Harmer, standards. We do not change ourselves to fit into boxes 57
Global Scholars
Olivia Curtis, Genevieve Galluccio, Francesca MaldonadoVittar, Ava Pallotta, Kira Schaefer
Serviam Awards for service to the school in the spirit of St. Angela:
Salutatorian Cecilia Visco
made for us by others. We do not just flow into fields that society has deemed appropriate for women. We do not stay silent while people in our community are marginalized and treated unjustly. Rather, we stand firm in our beliefs. We stay true to our identities no matter who tells us to do otherwise. We identify problems and initiate change to improve the society we live in. We are advocates for both ourselves and others.” Principal Beirne then called each graduate's name. Each Senior had the chance to briefly take off her mask and accept the diploma case from President Eileen Davidson. The actual diplomas were distributed after the ceremony, following COVID protocols. As the graduates descended the stairs from the stage, daughters of alumnae were greeted by their mothers., as pictured below. In the Awards and Honors portion of the program, Assistant Principal Denise Moore announced a number of recognitions:
Mahiya Buddhavarapu, Olivia Curtis, Sophie Hennessy, Ashley Kane, Lorenda Lambert, Courtney McAloon, Tanner McIntyre, Hannah Parisi, Ava Paravati, Maeve Reynolds, Rosa Taormina, Cecilia Visco
Class of 2021 Awards President’s Award – Lia Tunney Principal’s Award – Hailey Dorsainvil Ursuline Alumnae Key – Ava Pallotta Emily A. Clemente Memorial Award – Maria Leni Sheila Kelly Memorial Award – Ava Pallotta Katherine Johnson Memorial Scholarship Award Hailey Dorsainvil Meg Mackay Memorial Scholarship Award Mary Beirne Fathers’ Club Award – Skye DeRaffele Mothers’ Auxiliary Award – Lia Tunney
Jaclyn & Mariana Procopio Berardi ’88
Caroline & Lauren Deane Schwarz ’81
Isabelle & Maura Zottner Gallucci ’85
Lia Tunney
Hailey Dorsainvil
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In her commencement address, President Davidson reminded the graduates of the poet Amanda Gorman, who spoke “at the Presidential Inauguration and demonstrated the depth and resilience of young women everywhere. She inspired us with the words: Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true: That even as we grieved, we grew That even as we hurt, we hoped That even as we tired, we tried.” Mrs. Davidson concluded, “So, as you leave Ursuline today, may you forget the losses and dwell on the gains. Appreciate that you have received an exceptional education in the Ursuline tradition. You have come through the pandemic the better for it in one way - or in many ways. You have a heightened appreciation for connections and especially those made at Ursuline. You first survived and then you thrived.” As this is the year that President Davidson is retiring, Board Chair Sheila Sohr added a few words at the ceremony’s end to again thank Eileen Davidson for her 38 years of distinguished service, to a standing ovation expressing gratitude and best wishes. 59
Ava Pallotta
Class of 2021 Matriculation
American University Boston College Boston University 3 Brown University Bryant University Bucknell University Case Western Reserve University 2 Clark Atlanta University Clemson University 3 College of Charleston College of the Holy Cross 4 CUNY Hunter College Drexel University Elon University Emory University Fairfield University 7 Fordham University 9 George Washington University Harvard University Hofstra University Indiana University Iona College 4 Ithaca College James Madison University
Lafayette College Lehigh University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland 3 Maine College of Art Manhattan College 7 Manhattanville College Marist College 6 McGill University - Canada Middlebury College Middlesex University London England Northeastern University 3 Northwestern University Pace University 3 Providence College 4 Quinnipiac University 2 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rice University Robert Morris University Rollins College Sacred Heart University 8 Sarah Lawrence College Scripps College Siena College Southern Methodist University St John’s University 2 SUNY Binghamton University 4 SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology SUNY State University College at Cortland SUNY State University College of Technology at Alfred
SUNY University at Albany SUNY University at Buffalo 3 SUNY Westchester Community College Syracuse University 2 Temple University Texas Christian University The Catholic University of America 2 The Culinary Institute of America The Pennsylvania State University 4 The University of Alabama 3 The University of Tampa 4 Trinity College Dublin - Ireland 2 University of Colorado Boulder University of Connecticut 3 University of Delaware University of Miami 2 University of Michigan 2 University of North Carolina School of the Arts University of Notre Dame University of Pittsburgh 2 University of Rhode Island 2 University of Scranton 2 University of South Carolina 2 University of Toronto - Canada University of Vermont 3 University of Virginia University of Wisconsin Villanova University 4 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Xavier University 60
AT URSULINE
Best Wishes,
Assistant Principal Denise Deldin Moore ’69 P’99 Dedicated teacher and administrator for 31 years, Denise Moore retires, having impacted numerous initiatives as Ursuline grew and thrived. Denise Moore joined Ursuline as a teacher in September 1990 after a career that spanned 10 years at St. Pius X in Scarsdale, New York. In those early days at Ursuline, Denise taught Reading to 7th and 8th graders and an integrated Science course to 9th graders. Later, Denise taught Middle School study skills, physical science, and an occasional math course. She absolutely loved Middle School, 6th grade in particular. Denise recalls, “My 6th grade students might remember the ‘Atoms (Addams) Family’ Song we would sing in science class to help us remember some science concepts!”
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Ursuline offers the chance to become involved in various projects to provide students with new and enriching experiences. Thus, over time, Denise’s responsibilities expanded. She co-moderated UNISON, managed the bookstore and was part of the original Learning with Laptops program. “Sr JB and I flew to Seattle in the 1970s to hear Bill Gates. Who knew at the time how influential he would become in the industry?” Denise was also on the initial faculty team to work with Meg Mackay in the inception of the Personal Development Program. In September 1997, Denise joined the administrative team as Assistant Principal for Facilities, a position that she held, as well as Middle School Co-coordinator, until 2012. Those were the years that the physical campus expanded and Denise was proud to be an integral part of various improvements: renovation of the South Building exterior, construction of the Mooney-Hancock Arts Center, the Clemente Science Labs renovation, cafeteria makeover, and main office refurbishment. Also, Denise coordinated the Faculty Advisement program, the student aid program and, for some time, the student ambassador program. In 2012, Denise agreed to serve as Interim Principal for two years. She considered it a privilege to work with faculty,
staff and students in this role and when a new principal was selected Denise took on the work of Assistant Principal for Academics. Reflecting on each of these roles, Denise expresses gratitude for the mentorship she had under Sr. JB and Eileen Davidson as well as the role models she had with Sr. Theresa Byrne, Sr. Regina Kehoe and Sr. Joan Woodcome. She also valued the opportunity to work side by side with the Facilities Director – Ed Moore, her husband and, most of all, her partner and supporter. Of her long Ursuline years, she says, “I have considered it an honor to be able to work in a faith-based community where we can worship together and where I can be able
to express to these young women how much God loves them and how special they are. Hopefully, I have been able to do that and more by my word and example. One of the greatest joys in my life has been working with our students at Ursuline, and learning of the successful women they are becoming. I hope I have been Denise was always “all in” a small part of their journey. for the Administration group While I am not sure what the Halloween costume. future has in store for me, I am looking first and foremost to spending precious time with my grandchildren: Grace, Rose, Ella and Andrew.”
Student Farewell
Denise Moore has a lovely singing voice and has long been known as the school champion of the arts. Therefore, it was fitting that the surprise student farewell event on May 12, 2021 featured student vocalists, instrumentalists and dancers who performed “An Irish Blessing” outside, in the new school entrance.
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AT URSULINE
Best Wishes to our 2021 Retirees!
In June 2021, nine dedicated members of the faculty and staff traded in their Ursuline ID tags for some well deserved R&R. These exceptional individuals pictured below contributed in total more than 155 years of service to The Ursuline School. We thank them and wish them much joy in their retirement. Marguerite Telesca,
Cafeteria Director
George Gonzalez, IT Director
Mary Ann Seiler English
Marie Bruno
Mary Daniele
School Nurse
Cafeteria
Winifred Riker
Technology Department Chair
Michael Garrity, Security
Joanna V alentini Registrar
r Marie Beye guage Development L ding & an Rea
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URSULINE DISTINCTIONS
An Exciting Fellowship We are thrilled to congratulate Kayla Bowles ’21 who was selected as the first Encantos Fellow in spring 2020. She’s recognized for her writing talent, dedication and future potential. The Fellowship is a year-long mentorship, training, and stipend for emerging writers, artists and content developers to Photo courtesy of launch a career in the family Business Wire. entertainment industry. Kayla’s passion for writing, art and filmmaking will thrive with the guidance of accomplished industry executives and we look forward to her future creative projects.
Service Recognized Congratulations to Abigail D’Angelo ‘22 who is a recipient of the 2021 St. Vincent’s Hospital Youth Award. Abigail lives out the Ursuline motto of Serviam through her participation in food drives as well as teaching horseback riding to people who are visually impaired.
Champions of Vocabulary
In August 2020, we proudly received the banner and trophy touting our place as Vocabulary Bowl champions of all Division II High Schools in North America. And in May 2021, we defended our title! Division II is made up of schools with 500–999 students. This year, 1.3 million students from 43,520 schools across North America participated in the Vocabulary Bowl. Between October 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021 Ursuline students mastered a total of 95,980 words. This is an achievement earned by every student at Ursuline, led by our English Dept faculty in all English classes.
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URSULINE DISTINCTIONS
Carnegie Hall Success
We are proud of two students who earned the chance to perform in the prestigious Carnegie Hall.
Singer Gabrielle Adams ’21 placed second in the Crescendo International Music Competition that qualified her to perform competitively in the Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. She was proud to win first place and a grand prize in a competition that included musicians from all over the world. She said, “This experience gave me a glimpse into the professional world of opera from one of the biggest and well-known stages in the world.”
Powerful Words
We congratulate Jannett Martiena ’22 who was recognized by Lifting Up Westchester as a winner in their 2021 annual student essay contest. Lifting Up Westchester is a non-profit agency committed to helping individuals restore their independence. The essay topic was “What I Learned from the Pandemic.” Pictured here is Jannett being interviewed by The Journal News. 65
Saxophonist Olivia Cook ’21 competed in the 2019 American Protege Competition. She was awarded the Silver Medal and the opportunity to perform in the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. She performed “Bebop” by Dizzy Gillespie. Olivia is also a composer. She has been a part of the Juilliard Music Advancement Program for 4 years and is a member of the Lincoln Center Youth Big Band.
Bene Factum!
Each year, more than 130,000 students in a dozen countries take the National Latin Exam, a test on Latin grammar, vocabulary, mythology, and Roman culture. We are proud to name our students who earned recognitions. 2020 Gold Summa Cum Laude - Kelly Lahiff ‘23, Sophia Frank ‘22, Domenica Voli ‘20, Cecilia Visco ‘21, Stella Banino ‘20 Silver Maxima Cum Laude Gianna Calicchia ‘23, Christina Murphy ‘22, Lola Milazzo ‘22, Alexandra Stella ‘21, Nivethika Sujin Kumar ‘20 Magna Cum Laude Ava Snyder ’24, Morgan Adamson ’23, Katherine Mehler ’23, Arianna Ebanks ’23, Rachel Ortiz ’23, Hailey Dorsainvil ’21, Victoria Keenan ’22, Elizabeth Connelly ’21, Daphne Banino ’22, Faith Mallon ’21, Maria Silvestri ’20, Lorelei Wolf ’20 Cum Laude Jane Connelly ’23, Olivia Manger ’23, Claire Caltabiano ’23, Caroline Brody ’22, Taryn Comizio ’20 2021 INTRO TO LATIN EXAM Gold Medal, Summa Cum Laude Silvia Cuono ‘25, Catherine L’Helias ‘25 Silver Medal, Maxima Cum Laude
Caralyn LoConte ‘25, Vishna Patel ‘24, Sophia Tang ‘24, Corrine Ross ‘24, Keira Merriman ‘24, Michaela Collins ‘24 Magna Cum Laude Katherine Miller ‘25, Annika Pitawala ‘25 Cum Laude Julianna LoParrino ‘24 INTERMEDIATE LATIN EXAM Gold Medal Summa cum Laude Kelly Lahiff ‘23 Silver Medal Maxima cum Laude Hailey Tyndale ‘23, Ava Snyder ‘24 INTERMEDIATE LATIN READING COMPREHENSION EXAM Gold Medal Summa cum Laude Rachel Ortiz ‘23 Magna cum Laude Nuala Reynolds ‘23, Gianna Calicchia ‘23 Cum Laude Elizabeth Riccio ‘22 ADVANCED LATIN PROSE EXAM Magna cum Laude Sophia Frank ‘22, Daphne Banino ‘22 Cum Laude Lola Milazzo ‘22 ADVANCED LATIN POETRY EXAM Gold Medal Summa cum Laude Cecilia Visco ’21 (earned a gold medal on this and all previous NLE’s, to qualify to apply for a $2,000 scholarship) Silver Medal Maxima cum Laude Alexandra Stella ‘21
Teaching Excellence
On April 25, 2021, Mrs. LaGumina and Mrs. Delucia represented Ursuline at the Fieri 36th annual scholarship award ceremony at which Ursuline was awarded The 2021 Laura Aiello Rinascimento Award for excellence in teaching Italian and in promoting the Italian language and culture. Our World Languages Department also received a grant in 2020-21 for our Italian Studies Program from the Italian American Committee on Education (IACE). The grant provided several Italian classes the exciting opportunity to take virtual tours of seven Italian cities. Students donned their yellow tour caps and began their adventure in Milan. Second stop, Rome! In the past two years, the Italian faculty have received grants totaling $13,000 to be used for materials and programs. We are proud of our outstanding faculty! 66
ALUMNAE DISTINCTIONS
Medical Funding from National Institutes of Health
Dr. Claudia Morris ’83 is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and a professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. She is also the Research Director for the university’s Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. We recognize Dr. Morris for receiving $8.7 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Morris will lead a multi-center study of intravenous arginine therapy as an integrative nutritional approach to treating severe sickle cell-related pain. Dr. Morris is deeply committed to finding treatments that provide relief to children suffering from this debilitating disease.
Award Winning Book
We applaud Maureen Pilkington Rossi ’76. Her latest publication, This Side of Water: Stories, is the winner of the 2019 American Fiction Award in the short-story category. The anthology also was named by the Independent Publisher Book Awards a Silver Medalist in the 2020 IPPY Awards. In addition, favorable press was garnered in a Westchester Magazine book review that described Maureen’s collection of 16 stories as featuring “humor, honesty, and suspense.”
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Colleen Keller Chiacchere ’98 Honored with the Ignatian Award We congratulate Colleen Keller Chiacchere ’98 who received the Deglman Center for Ignatian Spirituality Award (St. Ignatius Award) at Creighton University on February 4, 2020. This award is given to recognize Creighton’s faculty and staff who live the spirit of St. Ignatius through their participation in the mission of Creighton, and their involvements beyond university life that reflect the Ignatian ideals of Magis, Cura Personalis, and being persons for and with others. Before joining the Creighton University faculty, Colleen served for five years as an elementary teacher at Red Cloud School at the Jesuit mission of Holy Rosary on the Pine Ridge Reservation. At Creighton, Colleen has been the Director of the Magis Catholic Teacher Core within the
Department of Education for more than 10 years. She stays in contact with her students as they spend two years at various Catholic schools around the country. Many Catholic dioceses want Magis teachers. Colleen discerns where the greatest needs are, with a special care for the Catholic schools on the Pine Ridge and Winnebago Reservations which cannot compete financially with other schools. Her students find her a great support both professionally and spiritually as they face the challenges of their first teaching assignments. Colleen organizes their retreats and summer courses on campus. She suffers with them and celebrates their successes with peaceful confidence.
Colleen, who holds an MEd and MS, said, “My time at Ursuline, particularly my religion classes, service work, Peer Ministry and the teachings of St. Angela certainly set the stage for me to be so curious and dedicated to working in Jesuit schools and being so fond of St. Ignatius.” Colleen is pictured here with the president of Creighton University, Fr. Hendrickson.
�
“Never cease to cultivate this vine � which has been entrusted� to you” St. Angela Merici
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ALUMNAE EVENTS REMOTE & IN PERSON
Christine MacMenamin Memorial Scholarship Reception The pandemic forced all planned alumnae gatherings to become virtual until the May 2021 Christine MacMenamin Memorial Scholarship Reception which was a hybrid event. The live reception at Wykagyl, home celebrations with Sip & Dips, and the virtual program all came together in a special way. The Class of 1991 has consistently supported this scholarship so it was fitting that this year the reception honored the 1991 alumnae in their 30th Reunion year. The event raised more than $40,000 to the endowment for this 4-year partial scholarship awarded to an incoming student. Thank you to special emcee Dan O'Hare!
Laura Quartaro ’83, Dan O’Hare, Mary Quartaro ’80, Doretha Buster
Christine Mayerhofer Elliot ’91, Caitlin O’Donnell Greatrex ’91, Elisa Gabelli Wilson ’91, Carlynn Magliano ’92 Front row L to R: Shana Promuto Kasarda ’91, Kim Tamburo ’91, Eileen Davidson Back row L to R: Francesca Bambino D’Onofrio ’91, Tara Parrello Brancato ’91, Lisa Marciano ’91, Elisa Gabelli Wilson ’91, Cathy Fay McCarthy ‘84, Sondra Promuto Lieberman ’84, Grace Acocella Pensiero ’89
Grace Tina Acocella Chirogionis Pensiero ’89 Dunn ’92
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Molly Naughton Nason ’92
For Alumnae, By Alumnae! The Advancement team responded to the cancelation of events with a new alumnae Zoom series, For Alumnae, By Alumnae! It was truly Serviam in action as these women shared their time and expertise in wellness, global issues, cooking, fitness and career advancement with creative ways to help navigate difficult times.
February 7, 2021
February 11, 2021
Finding Balance During Covid with Colleen Walsh, MBA, ’85 Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Personal Trainer, Writer and Motivational Speaker.
Meet Adria Armbrister, PhD, ’94, Ursuline Scholar-in-Residence
February 14, 2021 Valentines Day Cookies for Mom and Me and
March 13, 2021 Cocktails and Charcuterie, with Chef/Owner of Cooking by Jessica, Jessica Basso Woodford ’02.
March 18, 2021 Networking 101: Alumnae Virtual Roundtables. Conversation and Comradery!
March 29, 2021 Make the Most of your LinkedIn with Amy (Whitford-Stark) Smith ’03 Enterprise Relationship Manager, LinkedIn Talent Solutions
February 24, 2021 Fitness with Personal Trainer Christie Mullery McLoughlin ’92 70
VIRTUAL REUNION
Virtual Reunions Several virtual Reunions were held, based on survey choices. We look forward to rescheduling in-person Reunions as soon as possible! June 6, 2020
Class of 1995
Sixty-four members of the Class of 1995 gathered to celebrate their 25th Reunion. Their’s was the first Zoom reunion held by Ursuline and welcomed classmates from as far as CA, WA, UT, TX, FL, GA, NC and Ireland! The evening was kicked off by Class President Vickie Volino Moore, followed by a beautiful prayer, written and read by Paula Pereira. Eileen Davidson spoke and classmate Laura Herrera raised her glass to toast, “To who we were then, to who Ursuline helped make us, and most importantly, to the lifelong friendships Ursuline gave us.” A slideshow followed, to the music of 1995’s Ring Day song ‘These Are the Days’ by 10,000 Maniacs. The reunion Zoom lasted four hours, with classmates still joining long after the program ended. The gathering was perfect timing for this class who were struggling with the effects of the pandemic. They offered each other the much needed opportunity to voice their challenges, with people they trusted. There was lots of love and virtual hugs!
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June 24, 2021
Class of 1961
A Diamond Reunion Celebration is momentous, and Dr. Maxine Moore and Tina Sloan wanted to make sure nothing deterred their Class of 1961 from coming together to celebrate. The two hour Zoom included a prayer, prepared by Dr. Maxine Moore, a warm welcome by our President Eileen Davidson, a sentimental Walk Down Memory Lane with a slide show from their years at Ursuline, followed by Tina Sloan leading a conversation on “Remember When”. It was capped off by alumnae sharing about their lives since Ursuline. Their Virtual Reunion included much laughter and a few tears for days gone by. As everyone shared their stories, they realized how much they all still shared in common as a result of their Ursuline roots, though their lives took very different paths. They wrapped up with a warm toast, some looking forward to reconnecting (San Francisco alumnae), others promising to stay connected and make the next reunion.
Class of 1981
June 24, 2021
Thirty-two members of the Class of 1981 brought the fun to a sensational virtual 40th reunion. Alumnae representing various states and countries (even Estonia!) enjoyed videos, reminiscenced, and paid tribute to their seven classmates no longer with us. Many toasts were made and a fall in-person gathering was welcomed by all. Three reunion awards were presented.
Saint Angela Award The Saint Angela Award was instituted in 1977 to mark the 80th anniversary of The Ursuline School. The award is given to alumnae for their exceptional loyalty and devotion to the school and for furthering the realization of the values and goals of Ursuline education.
Doreen Mauro Napolitano ’81 Doreen is a woman of wisdom and grace. After a very successful career in technology consulting, Doreen set out on a new path. What started out as a way for Doreen to advocate for her own son’s religious educational needs has, over more than 10 years, grown into a deep vocation for Doreen. She is currently the Coordinator of Religious Education and Director of the Special Needs Religious Education program for the parish of Annunciation - Our Lady of Fatima. Together with the previous Head of the Religious Education Program, Doreen created a special needs religious education program that has been honored by the Archdiocese of New York, with special recognition from Cardinal Dolan. Each season, Doreen leads the program to prepare special needs students to learn about, understand and receive their sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Her friends know that each spring is her ‘busy season!” Doreen embodies the Ursuline spirit of Serviam. She approaches her role with great respect and reverence for Catholic teachings, and dedication to the religious education of all children. Doreen has truly taken on the calling and the challenge that St. Angela Merici posed to her followers so many years ago: “May the strength and true consolation of the Holy Spirit be in you all, so that you can sustain and carry out vigorously and faithfully the charge laid upon you.” It is for these reasons, and the grace and kindness that Doreen exhibits in her work and her life every day, that it is our honor to present Doreen with the St. Angela Award, in recognition of her outstanding service in the area of Special Needs - Religious Education. 72
VIRTUAL REUNION
Saint Ursula Award
The Saint Ursula Award was presented for the first time in 1984 to recognize alumnae who bring honor to themselves and to The Ursuline School through distinctive achievement in their careers.
Catherine R. McCabe ’81 “Accomplished, focused, results oriented, and value-based leader” are just a few ways to describe Cathy McCabe. We recognize her professional achievements as an accomplished Senior Financial Services Executive who has always been guided by mission. Cathy graduated from The Ursuline School after a noteworthy academic and athletic high school career. She developed strong leadership skills as Captain of the Field Hockey, Basketball and Softball teams. Cathy also served as Student Athletic Association President and that allowed her the platform to advocate for her classmates and teammates. As Cathy said, “I truly believe that Ursuline was the strong foundation from which I learned so much. Ursuline helped me to become the person I am today. I was fortunate to have so many wonderful teachers and role models who provided expert guidance, direction and support. I also felt a sense of family and belonging in all the teams, clubs and activities I participated in. I was taught about leadership, the importance of teamwork and collaboration, and how 73
to celebrate the success of others, all of which are skills I’ve used throughout my career and even today.” Cathy graduated summa cum laude from Iona College with a B.A. in English. After college, she joined Price Waterhouse in the International Tax Department. Cathy then moved to TIAA Financial Solutions, a provider of asset management and retirement planning services. Financial advice is often perceived as a benefit offered only to the elite or privileged. However, Cathy challenged herself and others to develop financial programs to serve the needs of diverse populations. She lived out the Ursuline values of treating all people with dignity and respect and a commitment to doing what’s right. Cathy was the executive sponsor of innovative TIAA financial literacy and education programs to meet the needs of women, the Latinex community, millennials, and the LGBTQ+ community. Under Cathy’s leadership, more than 1.5 million clients achieved or exceeded their financial goals. As a senior financial executive, Cathy joined multiple boards and was
a sought-after speaker. She remained devoted to Ursuline and her personal interest in empowering women. An early supporter of the Fulfilling the Promise for Generations of Women Campaign, Cathy helped raise funds for Kelly Mac Field. Cathy has participated with leadership gifts to our annual CROWDS4TUS AND 4 OTHERS events which raise money for today’s Ursuline students and our food insecure neighbors. Most recently, she has generously supported the Innovation Campaign. Today, Cathy is retired but still extremely active in service and mission. She is a philanthropist focused on financial literacy, education, eradicating hunger, and supporting LGBTQ+ rights. She is a member of the Major Donor Committee of the Human Rights Campaign, leading the fight for the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, she was invited to join Chief, a prestigious private network of senior executive women dedicated to supporting the growth of women in leadership positions across industries. And just recently, she enrolled in IPEC, the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, to become an accredited Executive Coach. Cathy is an alumna who Inspires through leadership and compassion. We are honored to bestow the St. Ursula Award for professional achievement on this worthy recipient.
Maura F. Quinn ’81 Leadership development and service are hallmarks of Ursuline education; Maura’s life demonstrates both. The chronicle of Maura’s career includes several chapters, each one fascinating, successful, and teaching lessons in its own way. After graduating from Ursuline, Maura attended the United States Naval Academy, following in the footsteps of several family members. She served in the U.S. Navy for ten years and deployed to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Persian Gulf. Maura was a helicopter pilot. She flew the CH-46 Sea Knight. She wanted to fly the 46 because at that time, combat exclusion laws prohibited women from flying most combat designated aircraft - but not the 46. And, when assigned to her first carrier at sea, Maura was one of only two women on the 800-person crew on the USS Seattle, and the entire 6,000 strong carrier battle group. The 46 was an amazing machine. You should hear Maura describe a particular “vertical replenishment” when she and her crew delivered supplies and munition from one ship to another in pitch black darkness. Courage, determination and focus were importantly displayed. During her Navy years, Maura also learned teamwork, listening, endurance and hard work. Maura carried those
traits to a different work arena – law, with a focus on technology. Maura went to law school at night, served as an instructor pilot for two years during the day, and she started her family before graduation from the University of San Diego School of Law. Maura’s legal career began as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of California; she prosecuted criminal cases, including cybercrimes. She then worked in the FBI’s Operational Technology Division. And in 2010, Maura joined the Drug Enforcement Administration. She has served in a variety of positions. She became an expert in technology law, and provided legal advice to the Agency on technology related matters; these ranged from license plate readers and tracking devices to computer Search and Seizures. In her current role, Maura is the DEA’s Chief Information Officer. It is a job with immense responsibility. We have no doubt that Maura handles it with resoluteness and compassion. We are proud to bestow the St. Ursula Award on Maura Quinn, and we thank her for her service. 74
CLASS NOTES
Congratulations to the Class of 2016! Although finishing college during a pandemic was not what they could have originally envisioned, these alumnae persevered and have begun to realize their talents in their chosen fields. They are continuing the tradition of Serviam and exercising responsible leadership in ever widening circles. Alessandra (Allie) Cartolano graduated in 2020 from Villanova University, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Psychology and Public Service. Allie is very grateful for the invaluable experience she had at Villanova. She was a part of Special Olympics, Student Government Association, Alpha Phi sorority, and volunteered weekly at an inner-city public school in Philadelphia. Allie also had the chance to spend a semester studying in Florence, Italy. Allie is now pursuing her J.D. at Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan, New York, and is interested in practicing Public Interest Law, particularly Education or Family Law.
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In Spring 2020, Daryn Chin graduated from Fairfield University with a Biology degree. It was always a dream of hers to take the MCAT, go to medical school, and pursue a lifelong career in the medical field. Due to the pandemic, some of that changed. Daryn started to bake cookies. Soon her cookies were being enjoyed by many friends and bringing joy to other families. Daryn has now launched her own cookie business, Paper Bag Cookies. Medical school is still part of futire plans but, for now, providing cookies to so many is doing just fine! Jennifer Chin graduated from Northeastern University in December 2020 with a B.S. in Biochemistry. During her time at Northeastern, Jennifer had the opportunity to study abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece, serve as President of her school’s Pre-Dental Association, and complete two co-ops (a Northeasternspecific full-time six month internship) at Bicon Digital Prosthetics and New York University College of Dentistry. Jennifer plans to start dental school in the Fall of 2021.
Emily D’Arcy ’16, Cara D’Arcy ’08 (bride), Jillian D’Arcy ’12 and Maggie D’Arcy ’10
Emily D’Arcy graduated in May 2020 from Providence College with a B.A. in Social Work. At Providence, Emily was in a five-year master’s program for Social Work and worked at The Learning Community Charter School and St. Mary’s Home for Children. Emily then attended the Silver School of Social Work at New York University to graduate with her Master’s in May 2021. Her fieldwork placement was with substance abuse clients in a residential facility. In the future, she hopes to work with families and children in a private practice. Emily credits Ms. Hertlein for inspiring her to pursue social work when she was a peer mediator at TUS. Emily also was a bridesmaid for her sister Cara ’08 at her wedding last September. “I was so lucky to have my big sisters lead the way for me at TUS!”
Niamh Fitzpatrick was awarded a Fulbright grant to teach in Indonesia for nine months but shortly before graduating from Hamilton College, her grant was shortened to six months and then ultimately cancelled. A month or so after graduation, she was accepted into the Fulbright Taiwan program. Due to the pandemic, the grant period was shortened to six months from eleven. However, Niamh is still incredibly grateful to have gotten this “second chance” for a grant. She will return to the U.S. in July 2021 and hopes to secure a full-time position in the area of community engagement or event coordination.
A Siena College graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Kayley Flynn is currently a Master of Social Work (MSW) candidate at Columbia University’s School of Social Work where she studies School-Based Services and is interning at a 6th-12th grade school in the Bronx. A highlight of Kayley’s college experience was having the opportunity to work with the recently incarcerated at a residential re-entry center where she supported individuals’ transition back into society. She also was given the opportunity to publish her own thesis on the traumatic impact that witnessing a parent’s arrest has on a child.
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CLASS NOTES
In May 2020, April Gerardi graduated from SUNY Binghamton’s Decker School of Nursing (recently renamed the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences) with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She then passed her NCLEX exam in July 2020, to receive Registered Nurse licensure. In October 2020, April accepted a position as an RN at Stony Brook University Hospital on Long Island. She is thrilled to be helping others during the pandemic, while also doing what she loves. Nia Joy Harvey graduated magna cum laude from Manhattanville College with a BA in Theatre and a Music minor. Currently, she is enrolled in the two-year Musical Theatre Creators program at the Institute for American Musical Theatre to study lyric and book writing. She is very proud to be a part of this inaugural class taught by industry professionals. It is currently virtual, but plans to start in-person in Fall 2021. She has written songs and monologues for companies such as “A Broader Way” and “CPA Theatricals, Inc.” Nia was part of the Wind & Mass Ensembles, Orchestra, and TUS Drama during her seven Ursuline years, and sees this program as a full circle of all her learning.
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Caroline LaGumina graduated from Georgetown University in May 2020. A highlight of her college years was a semester studying in Florence, Italy. She stayed with an Italian woman who spoke no English and took classes at the Villa Georgetown in Fiesole, just outside of Florence. She enjoyed speaking Italian at every meal and getting a more local experience while studying abroad. Currently, Caroline is attending Georgetown University Law Center and plans to practice Public Interest Law. Caitlyn Martyn graduated in May 2020 from Lehigh University with a major in Journalism and a minor in Marketing. She enjoyed her four years at Lehigh. Highlights included serving on the Cabinet of her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, and taking part in Lehigh’s Greek Emerging Leaders program. She wrote many articles for Lehigh’s student newspaper, The Brown and White, and spent four months studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. A summer internship at The Knot Worldwide gave her the chance to write articles that were published in The Knot Magazine. After graduation she spent a few months writing freelance articles for Westchester Magazine. Caitlyn now works at Group Nine Media in New York City as an Assistant Editor for POPSUGAR’s Brandshop team creating content exclusively for L’Oreal.
Maria Murljacic graduated from UConn in May 2020 with two degrees, one in Music (Voice) and one in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Business Fundamentals. She is currently in graduate school at MGH Institute of Health Professions earning an M.S. in SpeechLanguage Pathology.
Jenna O’Malley graduated from Stonehill College with bachelor degrees in Graphic Design and Mediated Communications in May 2020. In June 2020, Jenna left Westchester and flew to Aurora, Colorado, to start her year of service with AmeriCorps NCCC. As a Team Leader, she directed a team of 10 young adults traveling around the country working with different non profits doing volunteer work. They worked in a food desert in Kansas, Hurricane Relief with the Red Cross in New Orleans, and rebuilding houses in Houston that Hurricane Harvey destroyed. Jenna is very grateful to be able to help people during times like these!
Sajani Patel graduated from the University at Buffalo Honors College with a degree in Biological Sciences. At Buffalo, she was part of many different organizations, worked part time at a dental office and volunteered regularly at a nonprofit dental clinic that treated low income families. Sajani currently attends the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. Jillian Rivera graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor’s Degree, majoring in Film and Television. She then enrolled in The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, studying the Meisner Technique and pursuing acting. Jillian also competed in many beauty pageants and modeling competitions, traveling all over the world. In addition, Jillian has been successfully competing in amateur martial arts and winning championship belts. Currently Jillian is in the process of becoming a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer. She plans to make personal training her occupation while studying to become an actor.
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CLASS NOTES
Clare Ryan graduated from Boston College in Spring 2020 with a B.A. in History as well as Public Health and then signed up for a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. At her JVC placement, Clare is the academic support coordinator for students at Cristo Rey De La Salle High School in Oakland, California. While Zoom school is a challenging way to start off, Clare loves her students and the relationships she has already begun to build in her community. Clare is enjoying her time in the Bay area and is excited to continue to explore the hiking and nature the West Coast has to offer. Longer-term, Clare intends to get her Master’s in Public Health. Lilly Sullivan graduated summa cum laude in May 2020 from Villanova University with a double major in History and Education and a minor in Irish Studies. Some highlights from her time at Villanova include celebrating the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship, serving on the executive board of her sorority, Chi Omega, spending a summer studying abroad in Ireland, and taking on various volunteer positions on campus. Lilly is currently following her passion by earning her M.A. in Intellectual Disability and Autism (Adolescent Level) at Columbia University’s Teachers College. 79
Julianna Sullivan graduated from Harvard University in May 2020. In September 2020, she began at ClearView Healthcare Partners, a life sciences consulting firm, where she works predominantly with pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, and med techs to develop scientifically driven strategies. Transitioning into the working world has been exciting but, naturally, challenging during COVID. She remains grateful to be in a fast-paced work environment in which she is learning very quickly and has coworkers who care a lot about helping her learn. Brianna Tagliamonte graduated cum laude from the Iona College Honors Program with a BBA in Marketing, a chemistry minor, and a senior thesis with distinction. She loved Iona so much that she was thrilled to take on a Graduate Assistant position in the Office of Student Development; she manages social media campaigns, creates email blasts, and assists in major campus event planning. Brianna is also working at Tornatore Family Dental, where she has assisted since her freshman year of college. Brianna is currently pursuing her MBA in Healthcare Management at Iona and is eagerly waiting to hear from the dental schools she applied to.
Sarah A. Treganowan graduated in June 2020 from Santa Clara University with a major in Economics and minor in Retail Management. Her retail minor offered multiple leadership opportunities. As a result, she was awarded a scholarship that included attendance at the National Retail Federations’ Foundation Student Program in NYC and she also qualified as one of the first Retail Management students ever to attend ShopTalk, a professional conference in Las Vegas. Sarah enjoyed a semester abroad in London. Her program included an internship with Jeremy Jacob Letting Specialists, a real estate and property management company. After returning from London, Sarah secured an internship with Levi Strauss & Company in San Francisco. Sarah now works for Guidehouse, a management consulting firm, as a Global Investigations and Compliance Consultant.
Amanda Vasilakis graduated from Villanova University in May 2020 with a Finance and MIS double major. During her senior year, she worked part-time as an Equity Research Analyst at Senzar Asset Management covering telecom and the 5G theme. A highlight of Amanda’s Spring semester (pre-quarantine) was hosting a dinner for 75+ Villanovans and refugees who had been supported by Villanova’s CARES (Clinic for Asylum, Refugee & Emigrant Services). After graduation, Amanda pivoted to global macro by joining Tudor Investment’s Global Research group. In her current role, she has the opportunity to blend programming skills with a passion for research and markets, interests that were all discovered through Ursuline!
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“ We can have courage and perseverance when we are
united in God . . . Have hope and firm faith in God, for he will help you in everything. Pray to him, humble yourselves under his great power.” St. Angela Merici
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CLASS NOTES 1977
1994
Kathie Loughman Simmons ’77, RN and long time Long Island resident, moved to Melbourne, Florida when her husband, an aeronautical engineer, was transferred there in 2014. Enjoying the easier pace of Florida life, they both decided to retire in 2018, a few years earlier than originally planned. Kathie recently came out of retirement, took classes to renew her RN licensing and is volunteering at the Dept. of Health, administering COVID vaccines. She is looking forward to being able to spend quality time with her three grandchildren (two in New York, one in Germany) once the vaccines have ensured a more widespread immunity.
After high school, Hope Brown ’94 attended Manhattan College and received her degree in Computer Science and then a Master’s in Computer Engineering. She currently works for an IT managed services provider based in NY. Hope is happy to report that she just had twin girls 14 months ago (London and Olivia) and her son (Myles) is now 5, pictured here with Duane and Hope. They moved last year from New York to North Carolina and love it there so far.
1989 Twenty-eight years after representing the United States at the Barcelona Olympic Games where she won gold and bronze medals in swimming, Lea Loveless Maurer ’89 continues to take the swimming world by storm! We congratulate Lea who was named, in the summer of 2020, as Associate Head Coach of men’s and women’s swimming and diving at the University of Southern California. Lea was the head coach of the Stanford University women’s swimming and diving team from 2005-2012.
1992 Congratulations to Sheila Kelly who was named Chief Advancement Officer for the Robin Hood Foundation. She will be overseeing all aspects of fundraising, marketing and communications. Sheila previously served as Chief Development Officer at Sesame Workshop, and before that as Senior Vice President, Development at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Says Sheila, “There couldn’t be a busier time to join! I am very excited.” 81
This past fall, Jessica Dunne ’94 was re-elected for her second term as a Councilmember for Dunellen Borough (NJ). In addition, she currently serves as Council President for 2021.
We congratulate Jeanette Gisbert, MPA, ’94 who was named the new Executive Director of Volunteer New York! as of July 6, 2020. Volunteer New York! mobilizes over 26,000 volunteers annually and serves more than 500 nonprofits in three New York counties.
2001 Caitlin Duffy Meloy and her husband, Ricky Meloy, were delighted to welcome their first baby, Winnie Kathleen, on April 30, 2020! A pandemic baby and future koala in the making. Caitlin was so excited to ask her twin, Kara Duffy Mylod ’01 to be Winnie’s godmother.
2007 Kelly “Mac” Annunziata ’07 and her husband, Anthony, welcomed their baby girl, Avery Patricia, on March 16, 2020. Avery was just 52 minutes shy of having a St. Patrick’s Day birthday and weighed 6lbs 12oz. They are loving every minute with their sweet girl!
2008 Cara D’Arcy ’08 married Joe Lucking on September 19, 2020, in a very special celebration with immediate family and a handful of friends. The couple were married at St. Joseph’s Church Yorkville on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and an intimate reception was held at Bronxville Field Club. Cara’s wedding party included her sisters Maggie D’Arcy ’10, Jillian D’Arcy ’12 and Emily D’Arcy ’16. Cara works as a school psychologist at Cooke School and Institute, a special education school that services students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The couple resides in NYC.
2011 Emily Dickinson ’11 graduated from New York Medical College in May of 2020 with her doctorate in Physical Therapy! Congratulations!
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CLASS NOTES
2012
2014
Danielle Geraci ’12 married Robert Liberatoscioli of Long Island, NY on March 20, 2021 at Resurrection Church in Rye, NY, followed by a beautiful reception at L’escale restaurant at the Delamar in Greenwich, CT. There were numerous Ursuline alumnae in attendance, which included her mother, Joanne Monaco Geraci ’81, aunt, Eleanor Dimarzo Mastracchio ’81, and cousin, Stephanie Monaco ’27. Maid of Honor was Angelina Galbo ’12, accompanied by bridesmaids Christina Adipietro ’12, Nicole Cercone ’12, Stephanie Fanelli ’12, and Kerry Coughlin ’12. Shannon Donovan Stelzer ’12 and Liana Marinaro ’09 were also in attendance. Danielle and Robert met in 2017 while both worked as analysts at the Japanese investment bank Nomura in NYC. Danielle is currently working at Discovery as a Sr. Financial Analyst in Digital Ad Sales. The two reside in Greenwich, CT. Congratulations!
On February 1, 2021, Haley Ryan ’14 received her Master’s in Classics from The Graduate Center, CUNY. Well done, Haley!
2017 Kathrine Vitiello ’17 was awarded a Susan Flynn Oncology Fellowship at Greenwich Hospital in the summer of 2020. The highly competitive application process includes an essay, transcript, interviews and multiple recommendations. In September of 2020, Kat started her fourth and final year as a nursing student at Fairfield University where she has made the Dean’s List every semester. Kat believes there was some divine intervention in play as MaryAnn Scorese Pitofsky ’80 was treated at Greenwich Hospital. Kat stated, “Ms. Pitofsky was my inspiration, and I am so happy that I can now personally thank the staff who took care of her.”
2018 Amanda McCooey ’18 was named to the spring 2020 Dean’s List at Loyola University Maryland. In order to qualify for the Dean’s List at Loyola, a student must achieve a minimum QPA of at least 3.500 for the term, provided that they have successfully completed courses totaling a minimum of 15 credits. 83
2019
Natalia Matar ’19, a current student at Villanova, says her freshman year at Villanova was exciting and successful! Ursuline prepared her academically, professionally, and socially. Academically, she was placed on the Dean’s List. While at Ursuline, Natalia had many opportunities to apply for leadership positions. Consequently, thanks in part to strong interview skills she acquired in middle and high school, she obtained the following competitive positions: Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP) State Convention Delegate, SNAP Special Projects Co Chair, NOVAdance Sidekick (freshmen leadership position), NOVAdance Team Captain (upperclassmen leadership position), and Research Assistant for the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. Socially, she became a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. Natalia is looking forward to continued college success thanks to Ursuline!
2020
From the Ursuline peace pole to representing Harvard on the United Nations stage, we are so proud of Kyla Golding ’20 who presented at the International Day of Peace program at the UN on September 17, 2020. Kyla shared, “...as neighbors we must not place conditions on who gets to be human, who gets to live, who gets to be free. As neighbors we must assume the individual ethical responsibility of diversifying our world sense and serving our society with dignity so that when we look into the eyes of our neighbors, our fears, prejudices, and insecurities are no longer what’s reflected back at us.” Congratulations to Julianna Trombetta ’20 who was placed on the Dean’s Honor List at Manhattan College in her first semester!
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.
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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IN MEMORIAM
The Ursuline School community extends our deep sympathy to the loved ones of those listed here.
85
ALUMNAE: Helen Bautz Strachan ’38 Sister of Sr. Jean Bautz, RSCJ ’40 † Sr. Mary Boyan, OSU ’42 Sister-in-law of Maureen Doyle Boyan ’52 Aunt of Alison Bonaviso ’14 Grace Gallagher ’16 Mary Ann Gagliardi Ryan ’42 Noel Kiehnle Abraham ’43 Sister of Nancy Kiehnle ’46 Marguerite Cooke Coleman ’43 Colette Thompson Evert ’46 Sr. Joan Coffey, OP ’46 Sister of Carol Coffey Philip ’54 Patricia Coleman Gehron ’47 Sister of Joan Coleman ’43 † Margery Coleman LaPorte ’41 † Rosemarie LaSala DeLuca ’48 Jane Collins Sleath ’48 Marie Elston Collamore ’49 Mary Amend Lundberg ’49 Sister of Adelaide Amend ’54 Sr. Doris Therese Walbridge, OSU ’50 Jeanne Kaestner Callaway ’51 Rita Dempsey Dieck ‘51 Sister of Isabel Dempsey Becker ‘50 Mary Lou Dempsey Foristall ’54 † Lorraine Dempsey Novellino ’64 † Niece of Frances Dempsey ’24 (RIP) Patricia Kennedy Lahey ’52 Grandmother of Keelin Sibley ’20 Rory Sibley ’22 Alice Hauser Duncan ’54 Sister of Mary Hauser Jernigan ’53 Harriette Connors DeLuca ’55 Sister of Helen Connors Bates ’59 Mary Ellen Murray Photiades ’55 Lucille Barbieri Scheffer, Ph.D ’58 Sister of Patricia Barbieri Smith ’61 Aunt of Lisa Smith Abel ’84 Barbara Dalton ’62 Sister of Mary Dalton O’Reilly ’61 †
Barbara Maloney ’63 Daughter of Jeanne Cawley Maloney ’40 † Sister of Maureen Maloney Bowen ’68 Patricia Irwin Sheerin ’65 Julie Butler ’75 Sister of Sheila Butler ’76 Beatrix Teglassy Tracey ’86 Tara Bernard-Stiehl ’85 Nancy Larrabee ’88 Sister of Judith Larrabee Hayes ’74 Elizabeth Larrabee ’75 Jacqueline Larrabee Bohan ’83 Aunt of Madeline Bohan ’24 Jessica Childs ’03 Daughter of Theresa Blaney Childs ’77 and William Childs (TUS Staff) Niece of Marie Blaney McCollum ’76 Catherine Blaney Cuddihy ’80 Margaret Delaney Blaney ’91 Jean Kennedy (TUS Staff) FRIENDS: Rose Boniello Grandmother of Liz McEntee DeCecco ’98 Kathleen McEntee ’99 Vera Bouteneff (Former TUS Faculty) Alvin L. Bowles, Sr. Grandfather of Kayla Bowles ’21 Sydney Bowles ’26 Nancy Brindley Mother of Nancy Brindley Weishaus ’84 Grandmother of Michaela Weishaus ’17 Teresa Cerni (Former TUS Faculty) Vincent Ciaramella Father of Angela Ciaramella Lian ’84 Manus J. Clancy Grandfather of Caroline Clancy ’15 Theresa Clancy ’15 Joseph Coelho, Jr. Father of Sheila Sohr (TUS Board of Trustees) Grandfather of Caroline Sohr ’12 John Colucci Father of Anne Colucci ’14
Claudio Cotza Father of Victoria Cotza ’21 Marguerite Crispino Mother of Nina Crispino ’80 Grandmother of Felicia Crispino ’15 Joseph Damore Husband of Patricia Morrissey Damore ’55 Father-in-law of Mary Beth Mandry Damore ’84 Brother-in-law of Mary Kay Morrissey ’60 † Jane Morrissey Kirschner ’62 † Eileen Morrissey Jerdonek ’68 Margaret DeLucia Mother of Frances Parisi (TUS Staff) Grandmother of Jane Parisi ’15 Audra Parisi ’18 Elizabeth Parisi ’19 Hannah Parisi ’21 Darren DeVerna Father of Tara DeVerna ’14 Bridget DeVerna ’19 Louis DiGiorno, Sr. Grandfather of Magdalena DiGiorno ’21 Catherine (Kay) Falvey Mother of Catherine Falvey ’75 Sharon Falvey ’77 Beth Falvey Woodtli ’78 Grandmother of Kellie Falvey Sullivan ’00 Kyle Falvey ’03 Kay Woodtli ’17 Annie Woodtli ’19 Matilde Fava Grandmother of Milena Fava-Pastila ’19 Agostino Faustini Father of Francesca Faustini LaGumina ’78 (TUS Faculty) Teresa Faustini ’80 Grandfather of Francesca Palladino ’08 Stephanie LaGumina ’09 Maria LaGumina ’11 Alessandra Palladino ’12 Giuliana LaGumina ’13 Caroline LaGumina ’16 Edward P. Flynn Father of Meghan Flynn Gillespie ’92 Father-in-law of Francine Forgione Flynn ’95
Daniel R. Foley Father of Erin Foley ’21 Kiera Foley ’22 Bernadette Gayer Grandmother of Anna Gayer ’23 Noelle Gayer ’23 Sr. Martha Gleason, OSU (Former TUS Faculty) Ann Marie Graziano Mother of Jennifer Graziano Mangano ’98 Jeanne O’Malley Hertzog Mother of Mary Hertzog Jones ’81 Sr. Phyllis Hinchcliffe, OSU (Past TUS Board of Trustees) Eugene Hult Husband of Eileen Santangelo Hult ’63 Brother-in-law of Betty Jane Santangelo ’67 Patricia Santangelo ’71 Henry J. Humphreys (Former TUS Board of Trustees) Father of Maureen Humphreys Heckler ’79 Ellen Humphreys Dowd ’89 Marilyn Ira Grandmother of Quinn Hogan ’18 Ronald G. Jedlicka Father-in-law of Katherine Sohr Jedlicka ’97 Josip Kozic Father of Ana Begonja (TUS Staff) Nancy Kulsar Mother of David Kulsar (TUS Board of Trustees) Mother-in-law of Karin Pizzo Kulsar ’84 Grandmother of Marin Kulsar ’26 Barbara Lawrence Grandmother of Caroline Hodge ’18 Alice Hodge ’20 Helen Leonard Mother of Aileen Leonard Dibra ’96 Catherine Leonard ’99 Clare Leonard ’04
Jack Lundin Son of Diane Clerkin ’84 Brother of Megan Lundin ’15 Grandson of Mary Jane Horan Clerkin ’54 Nephew of Suzanne Clerkin Clary ’79 John J. Lynch Father-in-law of Liz Lynch (TUS Admin) Grandfather of Jeannine Lynch ’20 Catherine Maloney Grandmother of Leila Martinez ’23 Willoughby Marshall Husband of Marie Quigley Marshall ’51 Barbara Mauriello Grandmother of Celia Broderick ’21 Sr. Virginia Maxwell, OSU (Former TUS Faculty) Joan McCaffrey Mother of Mary Elizabeth (Mimi) McCaffrey ’84 Kathleen McCaffrey Baynes ’86 Sara Jane McCaffrey ’88 Deirdre McCaffrey ’89 Clare McCaffrey ’91 Keira McCaffrey Poumade ’98 William H. McKenna Father of Katherine McKenna Watcke ’85 Virginia McKenna Bentley ’88 Grandfather of Virginia McKenna ’18 Brother of Patricia McKenna Dollar ’57 Conor McNulty Son of Patricia DiIorio (TUS Faculty) Brother of Sarah McNulty ’16 Brendan Moyna Husband of Kathleen Gilchrist Moyna ’88 Father of Kealy Moyna ’14 Kristian Moyna ’16 Kacey Moyna ’19 Brother-in-law of Michele DeSola Moyna ’84 Suzanne Gilchrist Marley ’95 Uncle of Katherine Mancino ’19 Mackenzie Moyna ’19
Valory Munroe Husband of Florie Hanrahan Munroe ’64 Denis Murphy Father of Ciara Murphy ’21 JoAnn Murphy (TUS Board of Trustees) Grandmother of Kelly MacGillivray Annunziata ’07 Christina Murphy ’22 Maria Ofr Ospina Mother-in-law of Cristhian Deosa (TUS Staff) Mario Pensiero Father-in-law of Grace Ann Acocella Pensiero ’89 Grandfather of Gracelyn Pensiero ’19 Samantha Pensiero ’20 Sr. Mary Jane Robertshaw, OSU (Past TUS Board of Trustees) Lawrence Specchierla Father of Therese Specchierla Perez ’83 Donald Terwilliger, Jr. Husband of Margo Terwilliger ’64 (Former TUS Board of Trustees) John F. Treganowan Grandfather of Kathleen Treganowan ’13 Sarah Treganowan ’16 Father-in-law of Maureen Corbett (TUS Staff) Rachele and Julio Ventresca Grandparents of Julianna Sullivan ’16
These are the In Memoriam notices received by the Advancement Ofce as of June 15, 2021.
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WE REMEMBER THEM
Julie Butler ’75 Dr. Julie Butler passed away on April 4, 2020. Intelligence, generosity, and care for others are just a few of the hallmarks of this outstanding alumna. Julie earned her B.S. from Wellesley College with a double major in molecular biology and studio art. Pursuing her passion for animal care, she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. She was the first Black student in her graduating class at Cornell. Julie began her career at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Brooklyn, NY and then opened a private practice at the 145th Street Animal Hospital. For more than three decades, Julie’s practice offered vital high quality veterinary services to the Harlem community and Julie found ways to support the residents as well. She was a founder of NYSAVE, a non-profit that provides emergency funding for veterinary care of sick or injured pets owned by low-income NYC residents. She mentored youth interested in pursuing veterinary medicine as a 87
career. As a leader, Julie served as
president of the Veterinary Medical Association of New York City. In 2007, that organization recognized Julie with the award for Outstanding Service to the Veterinary Profession. Her community involvement included a position on the Board of Directors for Lutheran Social Services of New York and her artistic interests translated to her co-founding the South African Harlem Voices Choir (SAHAVO). The Ursuline School was proud to bestow the St. Ursula Award upon Julie at Reunion 2000, in recognition of her career achievements. The beloved veterinarian is survived by her husband, Claude Howard, and two adult children, Zora and Alex, along with four siblings, including Dr. Sheila Butler ’76. Julie’s tribute would be incomplete without noting her devotion to her family, who have spoken of the immense love that she consistently showed them. We join them in mourning the loss of an exceptional person.
Catherine Falvey P’75 ’77 ’78 GP’00 ’03 ’17 ’19 Kay Falvey passed away on November 4, 2020. She was the devoted mother of three Ursuline alumnae - Cathy ’75, Sharon ’77, and Beth ’78 – and she raised ten sons. She was also the proud grandmother of four Ursuline graduates - Kellie Falvey Sullivan ’00, Kyle Falvey ’03, Kay Woodtli ’17 and Annie Woodtli ’19. Kay’s long history with the Ursulines dates back to her first grade at Blessed Sacrament Grammar School in New Rochelle, where she first learned the word Serviam. She then graduated from St. Gabriel’s High School and The College of New Rochelle, Class of 1948. She studied at Fordham University Graduate School while teaching fifth grade at Blessed Sacrament.
Kay and her husband, Dick, were ardent believers in Catholic education which they consistently supported in meaningful ways. We were proud to honor Kay Falvey at our Evening of Innovation in September 2020. Kay was also inducted into the Blessed Sacrament St. Gabriel Hall of Fame and, with Dick, was inducted into the Iona Prep Hall of Fame. She was a member of the steering committee to merge Blessed Sacrament and St. Gabriel schools. Kay’s strong faith, wonderful sense of humor, and organizational skills served her well and were valued by all who came to know her. She is greatly missed.
Sr. Martha Gleason, OSU Sr. Martha died peacefully at Andrus on Hudson, February 1, 2021. Sr. Martha taught Latin 6, Latin 1 and Latin 2 at The Ursuline School from 1989 – 2004. A dedicated educator, she spent hours preparing her classes and meticulously graded her students’ work and tests. Her students learned mythology as well as the intricacies of Latin. Sr. Martha believed in the giftedness of each individual person and encouraged all she met to develop to their fullest potential. Outside the classroom, Sr. Martha significantly expanded the music program at Ursuline. Many will remember Wednesday afternoons taking the crowded van over to Iona Prep where Sandy Garuffi conducted the orchestra. Instruments in hand, they practiced from 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. each week. As time went on and the orchestra improved, Sr. Martha approached Sr. JB with a desire for a music space at Ursuline. She even planned a “Music Marathon” to help fund the cause. For twelve hours the Ursuline gym was alive with
music which concluded with a faculty rendition of “It’s a Hard Knock Life!” From this valiant effort, the Mooney Hancock Arts Center had its origin. Her other love was the Peer Ministry Program. Sr. Martha introduced the program in 1989 and it has flourished since. The Peer Ministry program has developed into a rich faith experience for both peer ministers and the students they lead. Over the years, the program has grown into an essential leadership opportunity within The Ursuline School community. In 2013, Sr. Martha and her sisters established the Gleason Family Scholarship, a partial-tuition, four-year scholarship that is awarded once every four years to a rising ninth grader who is actively involved in the music program and has a love for the school. Sr. Martha will be remembered as a consummate educator, steeped in the Ursuline spirit of Serviam. 88
WE REMEMBER THEM
“A good tree, that is, a good heart Brendan Moyna P’14 ’16 ’19 Brendan Moyna passed away suddenly on August 15, 2020. Brendan was the devoted husband of Kathleen Gilchrist Moyna ’88 and father of Kealy ’14, Kristian ’16, Kacey ’19 and Kevin. Brendan was a dedicated supporter of “all things Koala” and was particularly instrumental in the development of the Ursuline lacrosse program. He served as our longtime lacrosse assistant coach. A person of deep faith and boundless energy, Brendan’s motto was “we got this.” His energy and enthusiasm were contagious; he was one of those people who lit up a room or an athletic field. Brendan’s 89
as well as family came first and was his pride and joy. Yet, the Moyna family always had room for others, making everyone feel welcome, and Brendan had enough compassion to extend to all those around him. It was said that he would give you the shirt off his back. Brendan’s care and passion were on display as a mentor to thousands of young athletes, as a dedicated member of the Annunciation Parish, and as an enthusiastic alum of Archbishop Stepinac High School. He also made time to serve as President of Hillcrest Lakers Community Club and on the local CYO board. Our community is one of many that are richer because Brendan Moyna played a part in it.
a soul on re with charity can do nothing but good and
�� holy works.” St. Angela Merici
JoAnn Mazzella Murphy GP'07 '22 JoAnn Mazzella Murphy passed away on December 21, 2020. She is remembered for her wisdom, wit, and witness which were unmatched. As trustee of The Ursuline School, JoAnn offered sage counsel, drawing on her experience as Vice Chair of Country Bank. The Advancement Committee of the Board benefitted in particular from her thoughtful and practical recommendations. Her words were informed by active engagement with the school community; JoAnn took every opportunity to see the school in operation and her frequent presence on campus was a gift. On the annual celebration of St. Angela’s Feast Day, for example, JoAnn was one of the trustees who regularly joined the school community at Mass, visited classrooms, and shared lunch conversation with students. Those students no doubt realized that JoAnn was a leader for her generation and for today.
Unpretentious, gracious, commanding a room as she intuitively knew what to say and how to get at the heart of what was important. JoAnn gave witness to the exceptional Ursuline education in the remarks she gave on podcasts, at dinners, and other events. Before she was our trustee, JoAnn connected with Ursuline through her granddaughters, Kelly MacGillivray Annunziata ’07 and Christina Murphy '22. JoAnn often spoke of how well Ursuline educated her two granddaughters to become wise, compassionate women. To ensure that other families would also benefit from an Ursuline education, JoAnn and her husband, Joseph, generously gave to Ursuline over many years. Whenever a financial campaign arose, they stepped up. They agreed to take on the role of Honorary Co-chairs of our current Innovation Campaign and were lead donors in the prior campaign, Fulfilling the Promise for Generations of Women. In tribute to their granddaughters, JoAnn and Joseph made possible the Christina Jun
Murphy ’22 Student Commons and Kelly Mac Field. They also donated an Irish Art Collection in honor of their late son, Christopher. Indeed, family was especially important to JoAnn. She would go to any lengths to visit her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She also honored her roots; we recall that she loved visiting Ireland and creating an Italian feast for all the Irish relatives. She ensured that those around her shared laughter, song, entertainment, and fun. JoAnn was always tolerant of others, comfortable in her own skin, and happy from the inside out – attributes that we hope to see in every Ursuline student. JoAnn Murphy was a true champion of Ursuline. We miss her tremendously.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. 90
Planned Giving at The Ursuline School “When I started thinking about legacy, I thought of all the sacrifices my parents made for me to attend Ursuline. I have watched the school progress from a top liberal arts school to a leader in technology and the arts of all kinds. I am excited by the STEAM focus! Adding Ursuline to my will made sense. I am honored to be an alumna and to have so many memories of Ursuline sisters, faculty and friends. No matter where I go, I can reach out to a fellow graduate and feel like I am right back at school. Legacy Giving helps that tradition carry on for future generations.” —Laura Steward ‘81 Strategist, Podcaster, Geek!
For additional information on Planned Giving, please contact Cathy Fay McCarthy ’84 P’14 at cathfmcc@ursulinenewrochelle.org or (914) 636-5169.
Support The Ursuline School by sponsoring or underwriting a portion of the Golf Outing. A great way to promote your company or honor your student. All will be recognized through special signage at the outing and published in the Golf Program.
The Ursuline School Annual
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October 2, 2021
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The Mothers’ Auxiliary was pleased to be able to host the Spring 2021 Mother-Daughter Communion Breakfast in the new Kulsar & McCarthy Lobby.
