Class of 2016 College Graduates

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. 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.

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. 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.