The Profound Impact of Paying it Forward

2022 President‘s Dinner

For the past ten years, Ursuline‘s President‘s Dinner has provided the opportunity to stop and think about the many ways our generous benefactors continue to make a difference at The Ursuline School. This year held special significance as we marked a decade of giving thanks to those who collectively made the choice to pay it forward to the direct benefit of Ursuline students. The combined value of that impact is immeasurable.

In her opening remarks on Thursday, November 3, Ursuline president, Dr. Colleen Melnyk summed it up by encouraging attendees to take a look around the room. “Just look and see our many students here who have flourished at The Ursuline School - thanks to your kind support!”

The attentive group of roughly 70 donors took that moment to survey the room. Seated among them were student musicians, National Merit Scholars, student leaders, scholarship recipients, and four seniors each of whom shared how Ursuline has set a course for their futures thanks to the generous support of our benefactors.

Dr. Melnyk continued by announcing that 60% of Annual Fund gifts over this past year were directed toward scholarships and then went on to recognize Ursuline‘s Class of ‘23 National Merit Scholars. These students earned recognition based on their performance on the 2021 PSAT, scoring in the top percentages of all 1.5 million juniors across the country who took the exam. The room burst into applause as fourteen students stood up to be recognized, including two National Merit Semi-finalists, six Commended Scholars, six National Hispanic Merit Scholars, and two National African-American Merit Scholars.

Throughout the evening, Ursuline students interacted with donors, eagerly sharing personal stories about their latest academic success, service experience, and ongoing faith and spiritual development. The energy at the Wykagyl Country Club was palpable as students, interspersed at tables throughout the dining room, gave donors a close-up look at the brilliance and diversity of our student body. “I‘m so happy to be here tonight,” said Shashi Massey ‘24, one of the many accomplished students who took part in the event. “Being part of the Ursuline family means the world to me!”

Senior Olivia Manger was the first student to greet many invited guests. During the cocktail hour, she stood ready and eager to discuss her passion for computer science, coding, and animation. Her face lit up as she welcomed donors and answered questions about her live display which included a video animation of coffee spilling into a cup and the intricate coding that makes it look so seamless. She also provided “show and tell” items that donors could touch and hold. Perhaps the most interesting item was an impressive flow chart she designed to illustrate how to build your own computer. Olivia speaks confidently about the process as she built her own personal computer last year with the guidance and encouragement of Mr. David Lorden, Computer Science department chair. “Mr. Lorden also gave me the opportunity to pursue more classes outside Ursuline” she explains. During the summer of 2022, she completed the prestigious Accelerate Pre-college Program, Interaction and Games in

Extended Reality

(XR), at Northeastern University where she found inspiration amid a highly accomplished international group of like-minded students. Undoubtedly, Ursuline‘s incredible new Innovation Hub, or iHub, provided the launching pad for Olivia‘s endeavors in the field of

Computer Science and has helped her find her footing as she prepares for college and beyond.

The iHub is also familiar territory for Alexa Melendez ‘23 who shared her story of the opportunities she had at Ursuline to grow her passion for engineering and STEAM and how donors have directly impacted her success. “I went from watching this new space being built in sophomore year to implementing the facilities and technology into the Engineering Club.” She went on to explain the significance of the innovative space and the people who work there. Alexa thanked her Engineering teacher and mentor, Mr. John Monacelli, for his constant support and friendship which led her to pursue a challenging summer program in Biomedical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. “The research that I conducted could assist in patient diagnosis to design footwear aiding in balance and comfort. Overall,” she concluded, “the opportunities, teachers, and new facilities at Ursuline have helped me to pursue my passions.” She credits Ursuline as she declares that she is “always looking to learn and explore while taking the skills, leadership, and education that I have received at

Ursuline on to my next chapter.” Alexa credits her early involvement in the Engineering Club as a game-changer as she learned how to work together with other students to complete Design Thinking tasks.

Students working together and helping one another is a daily occurrence at Ursuline. Seniors Jenna Cain and Jane Connelly spoke about their experiences as two of the four co-leaders of the new Writing Center. The brainchild of Ms. Adrianna Robertson, a beloved eleventh-grade English teacher, the Center is a place where students can work one-on-one with peer tutors to strengthen and build writing skills. The girls were proud to report that the Center is staffed by current members of Ursuline‘s Serviam Chapter of the National English Honor

Society, which now boasts over 100 active members. Jane describes their shared vision for the future where she hopes the Writing Center will stand at the heart of the Ursuline School. “One of our far-reaching goals is to have a designated space within the school building where our student writers can gather permanently. We hope for a recognizable and prominent space that illustrates the importance of literary arts in the school culture.”

As the evening wound down, an overwhelming sense of gratitude filled the air. Students, thankful for the many gifts and opportunities provided by Ursuline donors, had the chance to see up close the very people who have supported them directly through generous giving to The Ursuline School. It is impossible to predict the ultimate combination of opportunities afforded to these students, but one thing is for certain. Ursuline students, on their journey to become educated, inspired, and empowered, have also come to understand and appreciate the profound impact of paying it forward.