PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Message from the President Dear Alumnae and Friends,
Over the summer I had the opportunity to spend some time in Louisville with Sr. Martha Buser, OSU, one of the foremost writers on all things St. Angela Merici. It was a spiritually enriching opportunity to grow closer to her teachings. Since my first introduction, I’ve been inspired by St. Angela’s approach to life: a focus on the dignity and uniqueness of each individual; the importance of kindness; her deep, personal relationship with God; the courage and confidence she had to live in justice and truth; and her caring and respectful attitude towards self, others and the environment. St. Angela says, “(We) recognize and thank God for the gift that you are.” On the pages of this issue of Beaumont News, you will see St. Angela’s influence throughout. From our cover story on the work Mary Frances Monroe ’76 has undertaken around socially responsible investing, to the service work our students are engaged in, to the many ways our extraordinary alumnae give back to their communities and to Beaumont.
“I’ve been inspired by St. Angela’s approach to life: a focus on dignity and uniqueness of each individual; the importance of kindness; her deep relationship with God; the courage and confidence she had to live in justice and truth; and her caring and respectful attitude towards self, others and the environment.”
But the one thing I learned most about St. Angela this summer was her sense of joy. Her model is one of radical hope. She showed us how to serve freely, joyfully, and creatively without being burdened. That spirit of joy is the theme we have brought to our school year. It rings true throughout our Beaumont community as you can see from the smiling faces on the pages of this magazine. And it is palpable throughout the halls and in the classrooms of Beaumont. The generosity of spirit that comes from an Ursuline education brings me great joy. Whether it’s tracking down an alum, living and working out of her van around the country to give some parting advice to our Seniors, or the many class representatives who worked so hard to create one fabulous Reunion Weekend! It’s seen in our recruitment. We had one of our largest open houses in five years earlier in October, and are excited to welcome 8th graders from Catholic, public and charter schools to be a Blue Streak for a day. In both cases, it’s wonderful to see our Student Ambassadors, Parent volunteers, Faculty and Staff, greeting new families with that Ursuline-inspired hospitality. Beaumont is embarking on some exciting physical changes as well. We are working on the implementation of the first phase of our Master Campus Plan – the Student Experience. Thanks to the support of donors and the Classes of 2020 and 2021, we made some initial changes, including new water bottle fillers, outdoor furniture and (coming soon) Foyer furniture. We look forward to sharing more information in the next issue of Beaumont News but know that BIG changes are coming over the next year to athletic spaces and our kitchen and dining hall. Beaumont is so blessed to have received a $2 million lead gift toward this effort from Steve and Debbie Klug, who will have six granddaughters at Beaumont in the coming years. Eventually, everyone will be asked to contribute, but for now I’ll be traveling the country, visiting alums, and talking all things Beaumont. I look forward to seeing you soon. Until then, may you stay healthy, safe and joyful. As always, let us know how we’re doing. Drop me a line at whoke@beaumontschool.org. Yours in St. Angela,
Wendy A. Hoke President
A Catholic school in the Ursuline tradition educating women for life, leadership and service. I BEAUMONTSCHOOL.ORG
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