Seton Spotlight - Fall 2016

Alumnae Spotlight Newsletter - Fall 2016

Alumna Nicole Telleri Simpson Students Clara Dizon and Bernadette Yamakaitis

Faculty Member Tom Moran Sports Gala 2016

Sister Regina Martin Scholarship Fund Update Upcoming Events

Alumna Spotlight: Nicole Telleri Simpson ‘06 Nicole Telleri Simpson graduated from Mother Seton in 2006. She was recognized for her academic excellence and her positive contributions to her school and community and thus received the Bausch + Lomb Scholarship to the University of Rochester. While there, Nicole majored in Biomedical Engineering. Biomedical engineers apply the principles of engineering and design to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes. She graduated college in 2010 and then attended the University of Pennsylvania where she pursued and completed her Masters degree in Biomedical Engineering.

After graduation, Nicole moved to Chicago where she did an internship for a year working on nuclear medicine devices that produce cardiac imaging. Upon completion of her internship, she was offered a job by HeartWare in Massachusetts where she works today.

Nicole started her career at HeartWare working on a product called the HVAD® System. This system treats patients in the late stages of heart failure, dramatically improving a patient’s quality of life. It allows them to go back to living a normal life while waiting for a heart transplant.

Nicole’s first job at HeartWare was in New Product Development working in Verification and Validation.

Her role was to develop test cases that would demonstrate that the product meet its requirements.

When there was a test failure, it was Nicole’s responsibility to determine the cause of the problem and work with her associates to correct the issue.

Today, Nicole is a Systems Engineer. Her responsibilities involve working with the clinical marketing team to understand the needs of patients and translate those needs into requirements for system behaviors used in the design of new and improved products. These requirements are then given to the software, electrical, and mechanical engineering teams so that they can be implemented into a cohesive product.

Nicole feels strongly that her time at Mother Seton prepared her well for college and for her career. As a freshman, Nicole says she was very shy. However, her experiences at MSR allowed her to gain tremendous confidence that has served her well. The excellence in academics that MSR provided also allowed her to test out of calculus in college so that she could take two science courses, focusing more on her area of study. She was also able to develop outstanding time management skills which benefit her to this day.

Most recently, Nicole came back to MSR where she gave a presentation to current and prospective students for the Women in Engineering Symposium which was held on October 27. Nicole, her husband David, and her parents have also generously donated two 3D printers to Mother Seton which are used in the Sister Regina Martin Engineering Center by our current students as part of the new STEM program. We are very thankful to Nicole and her family and are proud to call her an Alumna of Mother Seton.

September 13, 2016 Dear Friends,

I am so happy to see the addition of an engineering program at Mother Seton! I chose Mother Seton years ago for its excellence in math and science, but these engineering courses take the curriculum that next step further, giving young women exposure to a field they may not have considered otherwise. With classes in engineering design, electronics, and coding, students will learn how to think and problem solve like an engineer, and it will be a great introduction to what they will see in a college engineering program.

In my engineering experience in industry, more often than not I am in meetings where I am the only woman in the room, and that is something I hope will change in years to come. Diversity brings variety in perspectives that leads to innovation, and the voice of women is often lacking in engineering today. I love the new school logo - the future is hers. What an empowering message, and so fitting for the introduction of a discipline that has historically lacked ‘her.’ I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Best, Nicole Telleri Simpson

Student Spotlight: 2016 National Merit Commended Scholars Meet Two Extraordinary Mother Seton Seniors: Clara Dizon ‘17 and Bernadette Yamakaitis ‘17 The student body of Mother Seton is doubly blessed with two outstanding scholars this year.

Take a moment to meet these amazing young women who embody our motto — The Future is Hers.

Our first National Merit Scholar is senior Clara Dizon, who is very interested in International Relations. Her concerns are the Middle East, politics and economics. Clara hopes to further her studies at one of these top tier schools: George Washington University, American University, Georgetown, or Stanford.

Here at Mother Seton Clara participates in the Drill Team, Math League, and the Academic Challenge Team. Not content to limit her talents to scholarly pursuits, Clara plays flute in the Seton ensemble and has been dancing for 11 years, studying tap at Across The Floor in Woodbridge where for the past seven years she has been on their competition team.

Movement is essential to Clara and she exhibits her skills with our Drill team. Clara also loves to travel and enjoyed visiting Paris using Ms. Buontempo’s French class in the real world.

Clara’s family, including her younger brother, a sophomore at Woodbridge High School, encourage and support her. She finds the same close familial touch here at school. The Seton Spirit environment cheers her on with friendship and academic camaraderie.

Our next National Merit Scholar is Bernadette Yamakaitis. She brings a unique educational background with her. Bernadette, along with her two younger brothers, was home schooled by her mom before coming to Mother Seton. She was drawn to our school because of its size and academic standing. Bernadette understands that some home schooled students have college as their first traditional learning experience but she knew MSHS was the right choice for her.

Looking to the future with her eye on engineering, Bernadette is concerned with the female to male ratio in the universities she is exploring. Interested in politics, computers, and the environment, she would like to pursue a career in civil engineering with an emphasis on city planning. To that end, these schools are her top choices: The University of Chicago, Stevens Tech, George Washington University, and Cornell. Interestingly, Bernadette notes that women outnumber men in the engineering program at Cornell.

Another modern version of a Renaissance woman, Bernadette branches out to many other activities at Mother Seton. She runs cross country and track, plays violin in the Seton Ensemble, is a Seton Ambassador, and competes on the Science and Math Leagues. To spread her talents further she joins her brother, a junior at Saint Joseph’s in Metuchen, where Bernadette is cast in female roles in their theater productions, most recently My Fair Lady, and Arsenic and Old Lace.

With students like Clara and Bernadette gracing our halls, the future is bright for our beloved school.

Faculty Spotlight: Mr. Thomas Moran Greater Middlesex County Blue Division Coach of the Year Beginning as a volleyball coach here at Mother Seton twenty years ago, Thomas Moran has spread his talents to the Science faculty for the past 17 of those years. Teaching Biology, Chemistry, and Integrated Science, Mr. Moran gets to know his students on and off the court.

While in college, Mr. Moran worked as a pharmacy technician, honing his science skills. By competing in semi-pro beach volleyball tournaments and coaching both boys and girls volleyball in his local CYO, he maintained and sharpened his athletic skills as well.

All this dedication led Mr. Moran to be voted Greater Middlesex County Blue Division Coach of the Year.

Quite an honor for our coach!

As a dad, Tom enjoys watching his sons, John 11, and Thomas 7, participate in all their own youth sports activities.

Sports Spotlight: 2016 Varsity Volleyball Team The 2016 Varsity Volleyball Team of Mother Seton Regional High School went undefeated in the Greater Middlesex County Conference Blue Division earning the division championship! Members of the varsity team include seniors Kristin Carpenter of Union, Sofia Coelho of Hillside, Stephanie Daniels of Springfield, Kara Depczynski of Linden, and Sarah Gonczlik of Rahway.

Also, on the team are juniors Julianna Bulsiewicz of Linden and Camille Martinez of Union and sophomores Idalisia Agbaosi of Avenel, Kathryn Amador, Mikaela Orange, Jaclyn Shrubsall of Linden, Cararose Coppola of Kenilworth, and Jenna Mikolay of Parlin.

With this balance of sophomores, juniors and seniors the setters continue to excel and to improve! The Junior Varsity Volleyball Team also went undefeated winning the Blue Division and advanced to the Semi -Finals of the GMC Tournament.

Sofia Coelho, Sarah Gonczlik and Cararose Coppola were voted to the All Division Team and Sarah Gonczlik was elected to the All Conference Team. Mr. Thomas Moran, their coach, was voted Coach of the Year for the Blue Division. Congratulations to all of them!

Upcoming Events at our Alma Mater We’re off to see the WIZARD Don’t miss this year’s production of the Wizard of OZ !

Performances will be held: Friday, November 18th @ 7:30pm Saturday, November 19th @ 7:30pm Sunday, November 20th @ 2:00pm You can order your tickets online at www.TheFutureIsHers.org

Coat Drive - Nov. 28th through Dec. 2nd Since 2005, MSR has collected new and gently used warm winter clothing (coats, scarves, gloves and hats) and has donated them to the Coalition for the Homeless in Elizabeth, NJ. If you would like to help us in this effort, please bring your donation to the main office during school hours.

Giving Tuesday - Nov. 29th Giving Tuesday is a global event dedicated to giving back. Charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give. Please remember MSR on this charitable day and be a part of this global celebration of generosity. We will be raising funds to meet a ‘Matching Gift Challenge’ of 5K to benefit students in need of tuition assistance through the TAP Tuition Funding Program.

Peppermint Boutique - Saturday, Dec. 3rd, 9 am - 4 pm Mother Seton Regional High School Parents’ Guild is hosting its annual Peppermint Boutique Craft Fair. MSR welcomes artisans and crafters to offer gifts, stocking stuffers and treats. Come out, support our vendors, and begin your Christmas shopping in this cheerful environment.

East Orange Catholic High School Alumnae Christmas Concert - Dec. 4th, 3:00 pm Bring your family and friends and enjoy a performance of the EOCH Glee Club as they perform some of our favorite Christmas songs. The performance will be held in the MSR gym. Tickets are $10.00 and are purchased at the door.

Children under 12 are free.

We are honored to host these performers as the funds they raise go towards the EOCH Scholarship Fund. Each year, the EOCH Alumnae Association, choose to donate a significant portion of the money to our own Mother Seton Scholarship Fund.

Upcoming Events at our Alma Mater Radio City Christmas Spectacular - Sunday, Dec. 18th You are invited to join a bus trip to see the Radio City Christmas Show on Sunday, Dec. 18th leaving school at 1:00. That gives everyone plenty of time for independent lunch, shopping, or sight seeing before the 5:00 performance. Tickets are $115.00 each which includes transportation and an orchestra seat. You can order by sending a check to Mother Seton High School, 1 Valley Road Clark, NJ 07066 ATTN: Radio City Trip

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Sunday, Dec. 11th, 5:30 pm Please join us for the 2016 Christmas Tree Lighting and Advent prayer service.

We invite you to remember those you love by purchasing an ornament in their honor. The donation for an ornament is $20. Each ornament will be memorialized as you request and you will have the joy of hanging them on the tree. Admission is free and all are welcome!

Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Wednesday, Jan. 4th, 9:30 am Mass will be held at Mother Seton to honor the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at 9:30 a.m. in the gym. Alumnae are invited to attend.

Young Alumnae Reunion - Thursday, Jan. 5th, 10 am The young alumnae from the Classes of 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013 are welcome to join with their classmates at a Mini-Reunion on January 5, 2017. The gathering is open all young alums and will held in the library. The Mini-Reunion will be held from 10 until Noon. Light refreshments will be served. This is a great opportunity for friends to gather.

Alumnae Volleyball - Thursday, Jan. 5th 7 pm Gather a team of at least 6 players & create a name for your team! Or join/ create the team when you get here. You do not have to have been on our volleyball teams to play. Sign up and come join the competition. We will provide warm-up time and then on to the games! Refreshments will be available. Invite your teammates and friends on Facebook.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY TO PARTICIPATE ...

We need fans to cheer us on too!

Gala 2016 The Westwood, Garwood, New Jersey, was the site of the second Gala honoring: +Sister Irene Margaret Vopelak and John Uriarte with the Faculty Award, Maria Buontempo ’92 with the Alumnae Award, Linda Flores-Tober with the Setonian Award, RSI Bank with the Corporate Friend Award, and Anne Lorusso Cascade ’75 with the Inaugural Anne Larusso Cascone Award for Outstanding Dedication to Mother Seton Regional High School.

The event was filled with friendship and Seton Spirit enhanced by a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, music, cocktails, dinner, and the awards ceremony. The evening sparkled for hours and a fine time was enjoyed by all. A successful fund raiser for our school, the Gala raised a $35,000 profit to benefit many of our worthy causes.

The Tuition Angel program holds a special place in all our hearts, but the Class of ’71 presented an especially amazing gift by donating a year’s tuition for one student. Money was raised by the class and then matched by a classmate anonymous donor. They hope to be able to follow this student through all her years at Mother Seton with continued financial support.

This class has set a stellar example for all of us. Their generosity deserves recognition and imitation.

Plans have already begun for the third Gala to be held again at the Westwood on Friday, September 22, 2017. Please consider getting involved in this worthy project by being on a planning committee or at least marking you calendars to attend this very special Mother Seton event.

Sister Regina Martin Memorial Scholarship Fund “What a beautiful difference one single life made.”

The Sister Regina Martin Memorial Scholarship fund provides assistance for outstanding incoming freshmen. If these students achieve at least a B+ average in all subject areas, they maintain their scholarship into sophomore year. Wouldn’t Sister be proud of granting the opportunity to learn where academic excellence, personal growth, and service to others comprise the core values through these halls of truth and knowledge!

Our goal is to ensure that Sister Regina’s loving legacy continues by doubling our scholarship fund to expand the number of young women enriched by our nurturing and diverse school community.. Through your generous donations, this scholarship is a viable reflection of all you remember and celebrate about Sister Regina’s impact on you.

We are approaching our goal of doubling last year’s donations of $58,000.00. We know that through our combined efforts we will reach this goal before the end of the year! If you are interested in being a scholarship fund benefactor, please contact Laura Olden-Flammia in the school’s Development Office.

Thank you to everyone that has already donated!