Graduating Students Purpose
By Kate Madden Bieg ‘98
On a warm June evening the class of 2025 inched down the halls one last time before becoming alumni of Camden Catholic. They would soon be led across the Cuthbert Road walkway by our loyal bagpiper, the Honor, Faith, Loyalty and Mercy gonfalons, and into the Grandi Auditorium, for the penultimate ceremony of their high school careers. Among the graduates were actors and academics, state champions and stage managers. There was a soon-to-be Marine, an Air Force cadet, devoted altar servers, a cancer survivor, an E-Sports champion, a basketball record holder and Vex robotics world competitors Together, they have earned $31 million in college scholarships and 735 college acceptances to schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Northeastern University, Boston College, University of Southern California, Georgetown University, Saint Louis University, Case Western University, Villanova University, and the University of Virginia.
This class of 2025 represents so much of what makes Camden Catholic special, and how unique the fabric of our community truly is, beginning their time together in September of 2021, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, from 53 different towns and 58 different middle schools. Despite their differences, and the spectrum of characteristics and talents that make each 2025 graduate unique, there are certain ties binding them together on this graduation day, which will continue to hold them together for decades to come. Each Camden Catholic graduate knows exactly what this means. As they reflect 5 years, 10 years, 50 years from graduation day, alumni may not remember the individual accolades and accomplishments of classmates, but they will recall the events and traditions that define membership in this 16,000person alumni family. With joy, CCHS welcomes the class of 2025 into this family, and celebrates their accomplishments that illustrate how Camden Catholic continues to educate with purpose, 138 years since its founding.
Dani Brown
Medford Memorial, attending University of Mar yland Eastern Shore
Dani made history at Camden Catholic as a member of the first CCHS Robotics team to place in the state championship, earning a place to compete at the Vex Robotics World Championships! Dani and her teammates from 41618F, Kyle Aquino '25, and Austin Gianvito '26, along with team 41618J, Dan Doan '26, Tri Do '26, and Claire Bui '26,
were able to travel to Texas for the incredible experience of competing at Worlds Beyond her inventive prowess and engineering skill, Dani is also a CCHS record holder on the mound She celebrated her 200th career strikeout as a pitcher on the Irish Softball
team this year! She will continue to follow her passion in both softball and STEM as she competes at the Division I level for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks while majoring in biomedical engineering in the Honors College
Maxine Fisher
Collingswood Middle School, attending Georgetown University
With a quick wit, a gentle smile and incredible talent, Maxine contributed as much to CCHS as she gained from her four years here She was a leader for Irish Swimming, helping the team earn their division title in 2024, while also spending her “off” hours diligently practicing in the band, where she performed with incredible skill as first violin in each of the spring musicals and many other band concerts and
school events Her talents extend well beyond the pool and the performing arts, and Maxine is well-known on campus as a “helper.” So, no surprise that she will pursue nursing at Georgetown University while also minoring in Mandarin Her purpose is well-rounded, and rooted in a Mission of Mercy
Gia Ioele
St Joan of Arc, attending Emerson College
Gia Ioele has found her purpose and her passion in theater production thanks to the incredible mentors in The Arts at CCHS. Through the vast CCHS production opportunities and the encouragement of her mentors, Gia learned the ins and outs of stage management and took on the role with gusto for four years Her commitment to this craft is evident in each and every event which takes place in Grandi Auditorium, from the fall
play to the spring musical, and even the Irish Giving Day assembly, which has grown every year thanks to her professionalism. Gia received early acceptance to the nationally renowned theater program at Emerson College to major in stage production She’s also landed stage management jobs at local theater companies, thanks to the experience she has gained at CCHS!
Kaelynn Jackson
Haddon Heights Middle School, attending the University of Southern California
At Camden Catholic, Kaelynn enjoyed being a student-athlete while also taking advantage of opportunities to grow her STEM knowledge through a research mentorship with Dr Nguyen She explored civil engineering by designing a building in AutoCAD and then used the laser cutter to cut chipboard or wood and assemble a 3D model of it. Kaelynn’s passion is mathematics, which will she major in at the University of Southern California Kaelynn earned an Army ROTC scholarship as well
Patrick Kelly
St Joan of Arc, attending Drexel University
Patrick was awarded a $180,000 scholarship by the U S Marine Corps, which was one of only 15 Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarships awarded this year in the state of New Jersey Patrick is in the 1% of high school seniors in the United States to achieve such a goal The United States Marine presenting the scholarship spoke to Patrick's qualifications: "When I finished interviewing you I wrote down on your packet 'I would want this young man as one of my rifle platoon commanders.'" Private Michael Moore, a CCHS alumnus class of 2024, was present for the awarding of the scholarship as well. Patrick has decided to attend Drexel University where he will embark on ROTC training while earning his business degree
Luke Kennevan
Indian Mills Memorial School, attending Lock Haven University
A fourth generation Camden Catholic graduate, Luke has most definitely made his great-grandparents in heaven, and the entire extended Caputi clan very proud! Frank Caputi ‘41 and Virginia (Master) Caputi ‘42 met at CCHS, and their children attended the school as well Luke’s grandfather Mike Caputi is class of ‘66, and his mom, Tina (Caputi) Kennevan is class of ‘92 Luke was a standout scorer and teammate for the Irish basketball team for all four years of his high school career He broke several records, including his aunt Katie (Caputi) Robine’s ‘98 second-all time scoring record He was named Player of the Year and was a leader in the Irish’s run during playoffs, securing their South Jersey title, and #1 ranking to complete the season Luke will continue his academic and athletic career at Division II Lock Haven University
Edward Liu
Uncommon Schools Camden Prep, attending Rowan University
Edward’s growth at CCHS was inspired by the many diverse learning opportunities on campus From the Innovation Lab to the Hydroponics Lab, the stage to the art room, Edward Liu took advantage of not only the curriculum but also the extra-curricular activities to find his purpose He excelled in
his fine arts classes, decided to audition for the fall play and landed a lead role in Treasure Island, grew his skills in engineering, explored biology and environmental science through hydroponics, and now plans to major in biomedical engineering at Rowan University Edward is a wonderful representative of who a Camden Catholic graduate is in 2025: a passionate, helpful, and technologically-savvy problem solver
Angelina Le
St Peter School, attending Loyola University Mar yland
During her time at Camden Catholic, Angelina Le was an exemplary student and citizen She was a living example of the CCHS Mission of Mercy, serving those around her in many communities, including at her Vietnamese parish throughout many service projects, with her quiet grace One of her
passions at CCHS was participation in the Environmental Club and guiding growth in the Hydroponics Lab which led to her senior research project: The Bases of Acids-Nutrient Rich Farming When we say that CCHS students “find their purpose, ” Angelina exemplifies this motto Here, she truly embraced design-thinking and, inspired by the Mission of Mercy, did her part to take steps towards solving nutrition and food security issues, donating the produce grown in the CCHS Hydroponics Lab, as a part of her research project, to the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden She will continue to build on this knowledge as a biohealth major at Loyola University, where she earned a Presidential Scholarship
Students Pursuing Trade Careers as an Automotive Technician, Cosmetologist, Electrician, Plumbing & HVAC Technician 6
Grace Martin
St Mar y of the Lakes, attending Villanova University
The Grandi Auditorium stage was blessed by the presence of Grace Martin for four years. Her incredible performances from CCHS musicals to award-winning Shakespeare Troupe presentations, and even as the Blessed Mother in the Living Stations of the Cross, will be remembered for decades to come
Grace brought both her talent and her intelligence to Camden Catholic As a Pilarz Scholar, she sought to be challenged academically, and shared her skills with others as the president of the National Honor Society She earned the honor of performing at Radio City Music Hall this year with the Garden of Dreams Foundation, where she shared her story of battling a brain tumor and overcoming the unthinkable through her continued reliance on her faith Garden of Dreams presented Grace with a $60,000 scholarship, and Villanova University awarded her a Presidential Scholarship There, she will major in biochemistry while also finding time to pursue her love of performing
Isabella Moore
Berlin Community School, attending University of Virginia
Bella Moore graduates from CCHS with four sectional titles, two state titles, one “Player of the Year” title, two “Athlete of the Year” titles, and a tenure as Vice President of the student body It’s obvious that Bella has been busy! As a leader of the nationally-ranked Irish Field Hockey team, Bella was a fouryear varsity starter and the heartbeat of the team Her passion for working hard and for winning translated into the classroom as well This hard-working graduate was a top recruit who chose a top academic school to continue her field hockey career and academic pursuits She has gained national recognition as well, with the honor of being named to the USA Field Hockey Junior National Team, playing internationally to represent the red, white and blue
Ryan Mullin
Our Lady of Good Council, attending Nor theastern University
This year ’ s graduation speaker, Ryan Mullin shared beautiful insight on the continued impact of the Sisters of Mercy on Camden Catholic students, 138 years since their founding of the school During his senior address, Ryan shared how a quote from Mother Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, helps to illustrate the journey of the class of 2025 “The simplest and most practical lesson I know is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow. ”
Ryan reflected on the many “wins” of the graduates’ time at CCHS, the many ways they were “good ” And, he shared how they will use this experience to be better tomorrow, as they graduate and step into the future Ryan also reflected on the resolve that comes only through God. He said: “It is acknowledging that life will not always be easy, and that there will be hard times to come, be it times of loneliness, homesickness, or just being overwhelmed in general But even in these hard times it is the decision to try To keep faith when it would be easier to quit ” “Camden Catholic has taught us that we all will always have something bigger than ourselves to turn to. Not just in the big, obvious moments, but in the small ones too In the quiet prayers before a test In the comfort of a friend who lifts us up when we are struggling In the moments of prayer during school Masses And in the acts of service that taught us what it means to be the body of Christ in the world ”
Northeastern University will be privileged to have Ryan as a member of their student body, and we know he will thrive as a computer science and business administration major
Lily Patullo
St Joan of Arc, attending Boston College
As a Camden Catholic student, Lily was able to explore the science of the mind through CCHS’ AP offerings and from there, decided to major in applied psychology and human development at Boston College, one of the nation’s most competitive schools Beyond her many academic interests, including being a
Pilarz Scholar, Lily also pursued involvement in the Arts at CCHS and worked as a manager for a few different Irish Athletics teams She gained professional experience as a marketing intern in the InSpire program, and was a Christian ministry leader and Link Crew leader Lily is a proud third generation CCHS graduate, her grandfather Frank Patullo graduated in 1971, her grandfather Thomas Brown in 1967 and Lily’s parents are members of the class of 1994.
Nilaa Ponnappan
Bridgeway Academy, attending United States Air Force Academy
Nilaa Ponnappan has made CCHS history in many ways as she reached milestones and set new goals during her four years of the Irish experience Nilaa’s achievements as a studentathlete include multiple records set from the cross country course to the track Although a highly recruited runner at the Division I level, Nilaa will focus on breaking new records and setting new goals as a cadet at the United
States Air Force Academy, majoring in astronautical engineering Nilaa was one of only 1,100 students accepted out of over 10,000 applicants in her class She was also accepted at the United States Military Academy, another high honor for this highachiever!
CLASS OF 2025 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES
Albertus Magnus University
Albright College
Alvernia University
American International College
American University
Appalachian State University
Arcadia University
Assumption University
Auburn University
Belmont University
Binghamton University
Boston College
Br yant University
Bucknell University
Caldwell University
Camden County
Camden County College
Capital University
Case Western Reser ve University
Cedar Crest College
Charleston Southern University
Chatham University
Chestnut Hill College
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Christendom College
Clarkson University
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
College of Charleston
College of the Holy Cross
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Delaware Valley University
DeSales University
Dickinson College
Dillard University
Drew University
Drexel University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University
East Carolina University
East Georgia State College
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Eastwick College
Elon University
Emerson College
Fair field University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Felician University
Fisher College
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Southern College
Florida Southwestern State College
Florida State University
Fordham University
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Frostburg State University
George Mason University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Georgia Southern University
Georgian Court University
Gwynedd Mercy University
Hampden-Sydney College
High Point University
Holy Family University
Howard University
Immaculata University
Indiana University-Bloomington
Iona University
Jackson State University
Jacksonville University
James Madison University
Kean University
King's College
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
LaSalle University
Lehigh University
Liberty University
Lincoln University
Lock Haven University
Long Island University - Post
Louisiana State University
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Mar yland
Lynn University
Manhattan University
Marquette University
Mar ymount Manhattan College
Mar ymount University
Merrimack College
Messiah University
Millersville University
Monmouth University
Montclair State University
Moravian University
Morgan State University
Mount Saint Mar y's University
Neumann University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Northeastern University
Ohio State University
Pace University
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Penn State Behrend
Penn State University
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania Western University
Providence College
Purdue University
Quinnipiac University
Radford University
Ramapo College
Randolph-Macon College
Rider University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rollins College
Rowan College at Burlington County
Rowan College of South Jersey
Rowan University
Rutgers University
Sacred Heart University
Saint Francis University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Leo University
Saint Peter's University
Salisbur y University
Salve Regina University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hill University
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
St Louis University
St Mar y's College of Mar yland
St Michael's College
Stetson University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stockton University
Stonehill College
Grace Samuels
Winslow Township Middle School, attending University of Pittsburgh
Grace Samuels not only found her purpose at Camden Catholic, but she will help others to fulfill theirs as well. During her time at CCHS Grace flourished in STEM courses, deciding to focus her STEM research project on the engineering of a prosthetic hand with touch technology Her work over many months led to the production of 3D-printed hand (printed in the Innovation Lab at CCHS) with sensors and motors to respond to someone contracting their own hand. Grace was able to explore myoelectric prosthetics right here Camden Catholic She hopes to continue her work as a pre-med major in the Honors College at the University of Pittsburgh
Sean Welde
Beck Middle School, attending Villanova University
Despite not having started his high school career at CCHS, Sean Welde made up for the missing time, graduating as one of Camden Catholic’s most highly-recognized members of the class of 2025 Initially, Sean was laserfocused on achieving greatness on the
basketball court, but under the guidance of former Irish Football Coach Wayne Gilliam ‘10, Sean took a chance on the gridiron, which paid off in the form of a full athletic scholarship to Villanova University Sean was a senior leader for Irish Football, helping guide the team to a divisional championship and undefeated record at home Never one to rest, he laced up his basketball shoes and jumped from his senior football season straight into an historic Irish Basketball season, as a key member of the South Jersey sectional title team in 2025 Sean earned the Camden County Best of the Class-Athlete in 2025, and although he’ll be representing the Wildcats in the years to come, we know he will always bleed green
DID YOU KNOW?
CCHS has college partnerships with 9 national universities!
In 2024-25 Camden Catholic made a concerted effort to solidify longstanding partnerships with nationally recognized higher education institutions These partnerships guarantee admission and scholarships to both/either undergraduate and graduate programs at: Saint Joseph's University, The University of Scranton, Mount St Mar y's University, Manhattan College, Saint Francis University, Holy Family University, LaSalle University, Spring Hill College and Neumann University.
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CLASS OF 2025 IS DOUBLE THE FUN!
CLASS OF 2025 IS DOUBLE THE FUN!
Four sets of twins in one graduating class is another unique feature in the class of 2025 The Alfaro, Perez, Rafter and Ronkowski twins were a wonderful addition to CCHS, and we wish them well as each of the four sets is separating for college!
“We are so proud to partner with these vibrant universities who recognize the value of a Camden Catholic education and are making a wise choice to invest in our graduates,” shares Heather Crisci, Principal “We are grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with these strong institutions to expand opportunities for current and future Camden Catholic students We look for ward to deepening our partnerships in the months and years ahead in ser vice to students ” Each agreement is unique to the partnership between CCHS and the university
Find out more about the benefits of CCHS’ college partnerships by scanning the QR code
Stony Brook University
SUNY Albany
SUNY at New Paltz
SUNY at Purchase College
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestr y
SUNY Old Westbur y Susquehanna University
Syracuse University
Temple University
The Catholic University of America
The College of Charleston
The College of New Jersey
The University of Alabama
The University of Scranton
The University of Tampa
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Thomas Jefferson University
Towson University
Trinity College
United States Air Force Academy at West Point
United States Militar y Academy
University at Buffalo
University of Alabama
University of Arizona
University of Central Florida
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Connecticut
University of Dayton
University of Delaware
University of Florida at Gainesville
University of Iowa
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
University of Mar yland Eastern Shore
University of Mar yland-College Park
University of Miami
University of Mississippi
University of New Haven
University of North Carolina Ashville
University of North Carolina Charlotte
University of North Carolina Greensboro
University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Florida Atlantic
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rhode Island
University of San Diego
University of Scranton
University of South Carolina
University of South Florida
University of Southern California
University of Tampa
University of Tennessee
University of Virginia Commonwealth
University of Virginia
University of West Florida
Ursinus College
Villanova University
Virginia Militar y Institute
Virginia State University
Virginia Tech
Wellesley College
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Virginia University
Western Carolina University
Western New England University
Widener University
William Patterson University of New Jersey
Wilmington University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Xavier University
Bridget and Sean Alfaro, attending The Catholic University of America and DeSales University
Roberto and Christopher Perez, attending Thomas Jefferson University and Rowan University
Cara and Katie Rafter, attending Drexel University and Coastal Carolina
Kaitlyn and Maggie Ronkowski, attending Saint Joseph s University and Thomas Jefferson University