Encore Chez Nous Winter 2015

Enc re Encore Winter 2015 Volume II, Issue 3

Notre Dame School of Manhattan

s u o N z e h C

Encore

Chez Nous

Winter 2015

CONTENTS 1 A Message from the President 2 A Message from the Principal 3 News Around School 8 Technology 10 Student News 12 Benefit Luncheon 14 Alumnae Reunion 16 Trip to France 18 Notre Dame and Theater 22 Graduation 2014 25 Scholars’ Corner 28 Class Notes 31 In Memoriam 32 Back Story: Sr. Patricia Bruck, S.U.

Notre Dame School of Manhattan

Dr. Virginia O’Brien, SU President Jaclyn Brilliant Principal

Karina Vargas Vice Principal Robert Grote Director of Advancement Anne-Marie Hannon Director of Alumnae Relations Submissions for Encore Chez Nous should be sent to: Notre Dame School Attn: Anne-Marie Hannon 327 West 13th St. New York, NY 10014 hannona@cheznous.org 212-620-5575 ext. 348 Design The Blank Page New York, NY ON THE COVERS

FRONT: Nieve Corrigan and other members of the Class of 2016 BACK: Alexandra Galdi ’14, Ciara Corrigan ’14, Natalie Rivera ’14 Marie-Pierre Guiraud ’14, Chloe Fasanmi ’14, Kerry Matzelle '14 Victoria Jackson ’14, Julia Bateh ’14, Shantal Taveras ’14

SENIOR TRIP DAY 1 – Travel north with a stop in Saratoga, NY for a visit to Skidmore College with a tour by Vicky Abad, ND Class of ’99, current ND faculty and Skidmore alumna DAY 2 – Biodome, a home for 5 different ecosystems; Montreal Tower in Olympic Park; Old Montreal; Notre Dame Basilica DAY 3 – McGill University; Underground City; Museum of Fine Art; Mont Royal DAY 4 – Travel home with a stop in Wilton, NY for a tour of Ulysses S. Grant’s Cottage

MONTREAL

A Message from the President

Dear Alumnae and Friends,

“The homilist encouraged us to not only remember the legacyof the martyrs’ lives, but to live their legacy.”

This summer, we chose the word legacy to be the theme of our orientation and literary magazine. In November, eleven members of the Notre Dame community joined 1,600 students and faculty from Jesuit high schools and universities from around the country in the Washington, D.C. area for the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. Given that Anne de Xainctonge’s spirituality is Ignatian, we are part of the Ignatian Family. At the Teach-In, we commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Jesuit martyrs and their companions in El Salvador. The legacy of the martyrs was the central theme of the weekend.

During the weekend, especially through the movie, “Blood in the Backyard,” we learned more about the deaths of the martyrs and the one living witness to the event—Lucia Cerna, who spent the night of November 16, 1989 with her family at the old, unoccupied Jesuit residence.

She identified the killers by their uniforms as government soldiers and not the left wing rebels the government was trying to blame.

The culminating liturgy deepened our understanding of the martyrs’ commitment to the Gospels, Lucia’s witness to the faith and our own desire for a better world as all part of the Paschal Mystery. The homilist encouraged us to not only remember the legacy of the martyrs’ lives, but to live their legacy.

This issue of Encore Chez Nous focuses on the legacy of a Notre Dame school year. Be it participation in a Magis Theatre Production, an ND retreat, the Chez Nous Benefit Luncheon or winning an academic scholarship, each student deepens her realization of the abundance of God’s unique love for her. Rooted in that love and the Gospel values we, alumnae and friends of ND, can have confidence that each student will speak out in solidarity with those who have less than we do and leave her own legacy as she strives to make the world more just and peaceful.

Your participation in Anne de Xainctonge’s mission at Notre Dame is essential to our keeping Anne’s legacy vibrant. Please continue your prayerful and financial support. We are Chez Nous.

Are you?

Warm regards,

Dr. Virginia O’Brien, S.U. President

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A Message from the Principal

Dear Alumnae, Family, and Friends,

“By encouraging this next generation of Notre Dame graduates, alumnae strengthen the school’s legacy and future at the same time.”

This year our school is focused on the theme of legacy. When I think of this word, Notre Dame’s cherished alumnae community is foremost in my mind. These accomplished, inspiring women carry the values of our school into the greater world, and by doing so make our world a better place. What better legacy can there be? Notre Dame alumnae are now lawyers, teachers, judges, mothers, engineers, doctors, nurses, entrepreneurs, college and graduate students, volunteers, leaders and servants in their churches and in their communities. They bring the spirit of Chez Nous to all, tout le monde!

When our alumnae gathered for their reunion this November, the sense of sisterly love and affection they felt for one another and for their school was palpable. Like our school population today, they are a diverse group. Our returning alums represented a beautiful array of ethnicities, ages, and experiences. Yet the sense of ease and connection among them was universal. Even more striking was their warm support for our current students who were on hand to help with the event.

It may be difficult for the girls wearing the ND uniform today to picture themselves as the professional women they met that evening. But I suspect it wasn’t hard at all for the returning alums to think back on their student days. Notre Dame helped establish them during those formative years, and the experience of learning and growing Chez Nous seemed clearly unforgettable.

When we talk to today’s students about the notion of legacy, we’re careful to point out that the term has more to do with your present actions than your past or your future. What you do today creates the legacy you will leave behind tomorrow. Our wise alumnae understand that. That’s why they continue to express interest in and provide support for the Notre Dame School of today. By encouraging this next generation of Notre Dame graduates, alumnae strengthen the school’s legacy and future at the same time. I am in awe of these strong women and very grateful for their help as we carry on their legacy Chez Nous.

With admiration and gratitude,

Jaclyn Brilliant Principal 2

N E W S

A R O U N D

S C H O O L

C A R E E R D AY

At 2014 Career Day, ND welcomed back our alumnae to offer advice and wisdom to their Chez Nous sisters.

Eight women from the classes of 1991-2007 comprised this distinguished panel that included a lawyer, a vice president of sales, two social workers, an English as a Second Language Teacher, a Labor Relations Associate, a Theater House Manager and a Logistics Coordinator.

The students were thrilled to hear about their successful career paths and learned some pivotal lessons to take away.

Donaldine TEMPLE ’91 explained her position as Vice-President and Assistant General Counsel at the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation in New York.

Three of the alumnae worked in various positions of the medical field: Maria BASSO Lipani ’94, Director of the Preventable Admissions Care Team (PACT) program at Mount Sinai Health System; Norma Iris CRUZ ’05, Patient Educator at Montefiore Medical Center-Care Management Organization; Lauren ACOSTA ’07, Senior Labor Relations Associate for CenterLight Health Systems.

Our students were impressed to learn the vast array of choices one has within any given profession. Laura LIPANI Hines ’94, Vice President, Sales, Merrill Corporation, and Mirela MUNCAN ’09, Area Coordinator, UX Specialized Logistics, discussed providing corporate solutions and strategies for their companies. Both

emphasized the critical skill of problem solving as a very necessary component of their work. Siobhan SANTINI ’07 spoke about her passion for theater that began when she was a student at ND with her involvement in the Magis Theater Company. Today Siobhan is the Front of House Assistant Manager and Usher Corps Manager at The New Victory Theater. Joy ROBINSON ’05 described her opportunity to travel the world through her work teaching English as a Second Language.

Key points of advice from the panel included: appreciate your time at ND and take every opportunity the school offers; be open to all members of the ND student community rather than a narrow circle of friends as you never know where your connections will lead later in life; always follow your passion and be prepared to change your career path; and remember problem solving is a core requisite in any job regardless of the field you choose.

After the panel discussion, the alumnae enjoyed a reception where they reconnected with their ND teachers, many of whom they credited with helping influence the personal decisions that led to their successful and interesting careers.

If you would like to participate in 2015 Career Day, please contact Anne-Marie Hannon at hannona@cheznous.org.

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N E W S

A R O U N D

S C H O O L

O R I E N TAT I O N

96 Additions to Chez Nous

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How does one adopt nearly 100 new members of a family? That challenge confronts Notre Dame every year as eager but tentative young women arrive at our front door each September.

The task requires setting them at ease about this new venture in their life and conveying the welcoming Chez Nous atmosphere.

In the Dolan Center, the girls meet important people: President Sr. Virginia O’Brien, Principal, Ms. Jaclyn Brilliant and Vice Principal, Ms. Karina Vargas.

People with these scary titles soon become beloved mentors and friends.

They introduce the teachers who lead the girls onward to their homerooms where they receive the daily schedule of classes and personal lockers. Since our theme this year is “legacy”, Ms. Katie Walters, the art teacher, explores that topic. She explains how two landscape artists want to preserve the legacy of a NY rail line, which became our present park: The High Line. The girls then head for the High Line. Here they play a special form of Bingo which gets them talking to each other and discovering interesting things about their new classmates. Bingo! Now the ice is broken, the tentative newcomers have met new friends and they go home more relaxed and knowledgeable about the exciting new venture: Notre Dame School.

N I N T H G R A D E R E T R E AT

Introduction to Ignatian Spirituality The excitement was palpable as the ninth graders arrived at school. Today they would head off to Mariandale Retreat Center for a life-changing event: a day to explore their relationship with God. Ninety-six ninth graders, 20 senior leaders and 6 chaperones waited excitedly in the Dolan Center for the buses to arrive and whisk them to beautiful Ossining, NY, for their riverside retreat on the Hudson.

As we waited, senior leaders introduced themselves.

And we waited. And we waited. And we waited...for buses that never arrived due to unusually heavy traffic. With classic Chez Nous verve, we pivoted.

Without missing a beat, the Dolan Center became a retreat space and the seniors led the ninth graders through the initial disappointment of not leaving the campus.

The morning program fostered self-knowledge and appreciation of classmates. A “trust-walk” in which blindfolded girls were led into different areas of the building evoked the need to trust others, especially God, as we walk through life, sometimes blindly.

The High Line became the venue for lunch. While we had planned to dine by the Hudson in Ossining, the Hudson in Manhattan substituted and provided the “outside the campus” experience before returning to the Dolan Center for the remainder of the program.

After the closing prayer every ninth grader received a Values Bracelet, composed of multicolored strands, the very colors displayed in every classroom, where each color represents a value that ND students aim to embody.

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N E W S

A R O U N D

OUTREACH TO OUR NEIGHBORS

S C H O O L

Spring and Fall

Who ever heard of Jackson Square Park? Who even knew the name of this small, triangular patch of soil bounded by Horatio Street, Greenwich Avenue and 8th Avenue? That, of course, was before the luxury glass high rise adopted for its address and name: One Jackson Square.

In the spring of 2014, ND’s Environmental Science Class decided to do something concrete to support their interest in caring for the Earth.

Why not reach out to the neighborhood? We’ve now been on West 13th Street for twelve years.

What positive contribution can we make to our vicinity? Why not refurbish Jackson Square Park?

Unlike its more famous NY park relatives like Central Park and Riverside Park, Jackson Square receives scant funding. So, under the fearless leadership of Ms. Abad, ND Environmental Science Class teacher, a cleanup project ensued.

Ms. Nancy Matthews, Park Gardener, explained about removing dead elements from old growth and adding nutrients to the soil.

In the fall, the ND Student Council, led by their moderator, Ms. Stephanie Becker, along with the Jackson Park Alliance, sponsored a Fall Festival for Halloween in the park. Students decorated pumpkins and organized a costume contest. The ND Glee Club provided song and local vendors supplied refreshments. Great fun ensued. We’re all learning to be good neighbors!

ND joins the Ignatian Solidarity Network

Princess Gordon ’15, Kathleen Valonis ’16, Rev. Jim Martin, S.J., Kimberly Cruz ’16, Ashley Nally-Nagle ’15 6

Notre Dame School joined the Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) this fall.

Over the weekend of Nov. 15-17, 2014, eleven members of the school community attended the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. The theme was Uprooting Injustice.

Sowing Truth. Witnessing Transformation.

Keynote speakers included Michael Lee, Ph.D., a Systematic Theology Professor at Fordham University, Marie Dennis, Co-President of Pax Christi International and Ismael Moreno Coto, S.J., Director of Radio Progresso in Honduras. Our students enjoyed the keynote addresses, and breakout sessions that included a talk by James Martin, S.J., on Jesus.

Perhaps the questions we left with are those rooted in the Spiritual Exercise of St. Ignatius. In our work for justice may we all reflect on these questions. What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What will I do for Christ?

R I N G D AY Ring Day, April 11, 2014, dawned rainy and raw, but soon enough the sun peeked out for a glorious spring day!

The junior class donned their spring finest for Ring Day. They began the day with brunch in the Dolan Center which was beautifully decorated with flowers and gifts provided by the sophomores.

After brunch, the girls proceeded to Alumnae Chapel for Liturgy. The theme for the Mass was “Communion.”

Fr. George Drance, S.J. gave a stirring homily in which he exhorted the Class of 2015 to be "a part of the circle and not a point of the triangle." Father Drance spoke about the "roundness" of the Eucharist and the Notre Dame School rings they were about to receive.

After communion, Sr. Virginia described the ND Crest

and all that it signifies. Principal Jaclyn Brilliant, and the three eleventh grade homeroom teachers, Ms. Skye Angioletti, Ms. Anne Crosson and Mr. Glenn Stordeur participated with Father Drance in blessing the rings.

Each ring was attached to a beautiful lavender, pink or white rose. As a student’s name was announced by her homeroom teacher she came forward to receive her rose and ring from Sr. Virginia and Ms. Brilliant.

ND students have always cherished this special occasion and remark on the sense of community and unity they feel, not only with their classmates but with the faculty and staff as well.

The day concluded at the end of the liturgy but the memories continue!

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T E C H N O LO G Y

Smarter Displays, Better Spaces

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he 2014-2015 school year at Notre Dame witnesses some visible changes throughout the building. Decades-old blackboards have disappeared, replaced by walls that can be marked with whiteboard felt-tips and erased by cloth. The art and computer rooms sport a new design and paint job. The incoming ninth grade class is profiting from the deployment of a 1-to-1 iPad program and every classroom will display the replacement of old SMART boards with multitouch-capable LCD monitors.

As SMART boards of varying ages have exhibited critical issues or become unfit 8

for use over the last few years, the question arose: was there now a better option that currently exists since SMART boards first came into popularity? Modern computer and video content tends to be designed for higher resolution displays than traditional SMART boards can handle.

In particular, with the advent of smartphones and tablets, more advanced touch technology has emerged as a staple in the technology world. The old paradigm of only being able to use touch features of a SMART board beyond touch-activated mouse clicks from within a proprietary program now looks unnecessarily restrictive and dated.

After an exhaustive search for the best way forward, including input from the faculty, we discovered a solution that is new in the American education sector.

Touch-capable overlays for larger LCD monitors have gained popularity, and have reached a point in viability where using them in new scenarios appears feasible. These devices offer superior image quality over traditional SMART boards, as well as support for annotation, taps, and gestures like pinching and zooming. People already use multi-touch features on their mobile devices in any application. A heightened level of interactivity with classroom computer content results as well as dramatically improved image

Mr. Steve Haller

9th Grade Technological Literacy

quality. Combined with the iPads deployed to students on a large scale in the coming school year, which can seamlessly mirror to the displays, a broader world of classroom experience possibilities will be opened at ND, empowering both teachers and students.

What an exciting time to be at Notre Dame School, where everyone seeks to keep improving and staying ahead of the curve in our rapidly changing world while preserving what makes us Chez Nous. Taking advantage of technology both for efficiency and for keeping abreast of new tools that become more relevant is one way of

doing this. Hand-in-hand with these technological advances comes instruction on personal responsibility in using them. Ninth graders will profit from a new course not only on skills but on responsible online citizenship.

In addition, the faculty has already incorporated technology into their syllabi in myriad ways. Our faculty and students are exceptional, and we are eager to facilitate and integrate these developments as they come alive in the Notre Dame experience.

As Notre Dame inaugurates the One-to-One iPad program this fall, we also begin offering Technological Literacy to our 9th grade students. The Technological Literacy course is meant to help students enter and navigate the digital world.

It will highlight the importance of Digital Citizenship including how to responsibly engage on the internet and how to ethically research sources. The course will also teach students skills they will need throughout their time at Notre Dame and beyond. Students will learn how to effectively write essays and present material in all of the Microsoft Office applications. The goal is for our students to leave 9th grade being responsible citizens in the digital society, and have the tools to effectively and safely navigate in the 21st century.

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STUDENT NEWS: E X P L O R A T I O N S Ashley Arnold ’15 enjoyed a three-week internship through Global Kids at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The interns participated in group activities and workshops pertaining to foreign policy issues and international law. Every day two guest speakers explained their careers and allowed the interns to ask questions about their specific field or insight on what was currently in the news. On Fridays, the group went on field trips that included United Nations, MTV studios in Times Square, The New York Times, and a campus tour of Adelphi University. At MTV studios they met with some representatives from Global Citizen and worked alongside Kweku Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, to help raise awareness about the Global Poverty Project, which aims to end poverty by 2030. In the fall, Ashley will be working on a peer education project where she will present what she has learned at the program. Her project will focus on global education, specifically girls’ access to education around the world.

Victoria Barrett ’17 had the life changing experience of going to Bosnia for 3 weeks in the summer of 2014, with an organization known as Global Kids (GK). She became a Global Kids Leader when the organization visited her Global History class last year. This particular GK program is known as the American Youth Leadership Program (AYLP) and is completely sponsored and conducted by the United States State Department. The pre-departure sessions focused on media awareness. She also learned about the culture in Bosnia and the turbulent history of the country.

Magdalena Dunmar ’15 worked for a lawyer at a private law firm in the summer of 2014 for four weeks. As a paralegal, Magdalena had the opportunity to meet with clients at the firm. In preparation for this job she attended a week-long law program for high school students interested in pursuing a career in law at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. To be accepted into the program she had to submit her transcript and a letter of recommendation from a teacher. Georgetown University is her first choice for college so she wanted to live on their campus and experience college life, which she enjoyed.

Maria Javier ’15 completed a two month summer program in computer science at an organization called Girls Who Code. The program was started to decrease the gender gap of women in computer science that exists in the work place and technology world. She learned so much over the summer that she was able to make an app with a group of friends. She believes computer science should be taught to all girls and wishes to start a computer science club at ND. Maria had an unforgettable summer that was full of computer science, friendship, and a new aspiration to help other girls learn computer science as well. Her wish has come true, as ND will be a site for an official Girls Who Code club in 2015, thanks, largely to Maria’s efforts.

Ewa Lecewicz ’15 spent eight weeks in the summer in Bridge to Work by Futures and Options, an organization she has been a part of since sophomore year. The Bridge to Work program provides workreadiness training, career exploration, volunteerism and service-learning. She originally heard about Futures and Options through the ND counselor newsletter. She wanted a summer program that would prepare her for future work experiences while providing the opportunity to volunteer and meet new people. ND's values and emphasis on volunteerism inspired her to join the program. Having completed all her service hours required by ND, she applied out of interest, not necessity. Her volunteer work in school made her realize how important volunteerism is and the positive impact it has on communities.

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Stephanie Licciardi ’15 worked this summer as the director of the Orient Junior Yacht Club for eight weeks. She organized all the children’s events. Every Tuesday there was an activity and a free dinner for the kids. For example, one night was taco night and sand art. Another was ice cream sundaes and bracelet making. Every Friday was a hot dog lunch. Hot dogs, candy, chips, soda, juice, and ice cream sundaes were for sale. The biggest fundraiser for the OJYC was the annual Pancake Breakfast. All morning they flipped and served pancakes and dished out bacon.

The last big event of the summer was the OJYC dance. She hired a DJ, chose a theme (Neon), decorated the whole yacht club, and even rented blacklights. Stephanie realized that being the director was a huge responsibility, but what she learned from it provided an experience that will last a lifetime.

Sabrina Limchayseng ’15 reports that this summer was the best summer of her entire life. In July Sabrina took part in the first Ultimate Medical Internship Philippines by Youth Futures International. Forty students from across the country traveled to the Philippines to work one-on-one with doctors and patients at Philippine General Hospital, the largest governmental hospital in the country. The intern groups varied each day and had different daily rotations at the hospital. In the morning Sabrina was in the emergency room and in the afternoon she learned how to splint in orthopedics. Sabrina was also able to witness a surgery up close, where she shadowed the surgeon as he was operating on a patient, removing a carcinoma.

She participated in anatomy classes at the University of the Philippines-Manila, where the interns dissected cadavers.

Ashley Nally-Nagel ’15 attended the Junior Statesmen of America Institute at Princeton University on Leadership and Politics in the summer of 2014. She was introduced to the program by her mother's coworker. To qualify, she wrote an essay discussing a political topic. In this amazing experience, Ashley learned much about American politics and the different careers in the political field. She worked at the New Jersey State House for 3 days, listening to debates in the Senate and Congressional Chambers. She feels her ND education has helped her understand politics, leadership, and different aspects of government. She credits her history teachers, Ms. Frawley, Mr. Haller, and Mr. Stordeur, with expanding her awareness of world and American politics and government.

Angela Perez’16 spent two weeks at Brown University for a pre-college program on linux operating systems. Robotics club inspired her to apply since she was interested in programming and technology and wanted to further explore this field. ND’s atmosphere of encouragement in pursuing one's interests motivated her to engage in the program. Her application involved an essay and a review of her transcript. She heard about the program through the Internet and a friend. Although initially homesick, overall she felt it was exciting to live independently.

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THE CHEZ NOUS BENEFIT LUNCHEON

Combining the Old and New he 2014 Chez Nous Benefit marked one of ND’s most successful fundraisers to date! The only major fundraiser held throughout the year, the money raised enables us to provide the superior education that students and supporters alike expect from Notre Dame School. Held at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, 350 loyal supporters registered for our spring 2014 event to help raise funds for scholarships and technological advancements.

Though always a special occasion, this year was particularly remarkable for its auction prizes and array of gifts. Great competition and bidding marked the silent auction prizes, which included designer handbags

by Kate Spade and Coach, tickets to The Lion King with a backstage tour, and a $1,000 shopping spree to Bloomingdale’s, complete with a makeover and lunch!

The excitement during the silent auction was matched only by the enthusiasm during the live auction. This year, treasured favorites featured: a one week stay at a beautiful Cape Cod cottage, seven days at a house on the Jersey shore, and tickets to a live taping of the “Today Show” along with the opportunity to meet Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb. One of the most coveted live auction packages this year was a chocolate-making lesson from master chocolatier, Jacques Torres.

These prizes are only a sample of donors’ generosity— generosity matched by our patrons and supporters.

ND regularly highlights the magnanimity of our supporters at the Chez Nous Benefit. We continued that tradition this year with the award ceremony. Antoinette LeQUIRE-Schott ’59 received the Anne de Xainctonge Award for her continued support of Notre Dame School.

After graduating from 79th Street, Toni attended Fordham Sr. Virginia O'Brien, S.U. with the School of Education. Follow2014 Anne de Xainctonge Award Winner, ing a brief teaching career, Antoinette LeQUIRE-Schott ’59 she married Newton B. Schott with whom she has a son and a daughter. Years of volunteering led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Rutgers University. A 14-year career as a primary school counselor at The Montclair Kimberly Academy followed the receipt of this degree. Toni and 12

her husband are now retired and spend time at the Chautauqua Institution where they have a summer home. Toni compares Chautauqua to Notre Dame as she states that, “Returning is rather like regularly returning to Notre Dame—a blending of past and present; a home for family, fond friends and reflection.”

We applaud Toni for helping ND thrive through her connections and support.

CLASS OF ’84: Patrice McLAUGHLIN, Debra GUIFFRE Cunningham, Lilian MIGLIORINI Evans and Michel DiBIASE Flanagan We also thank our ND parents whose dedication and effort are an integral part of making this fundraising event a success. This year the Chez Nous Parent Award was given to Patricia Donohue (mother of Elizabeth O’Malley ’14) and Brooke Thomas (mother of Mackenzie O’ Connor ’14), two parents who define the spirit of giving through their time, talents and donations. The belief in a Catholic education led Patricia Donohue and her family to Notre Dame where they have become an essential part of the Chez Nous community. Recently, Patricia was recognized for her 25 year career at Bloomingdales, where her current role is Director of Corporate Sales and Studio Services.

Brooke Thomas attended an all-girls Catholic high school in Rhode Island and kept with the tradition for her daughter Mackenzie. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island with a BFA in Theatre, she landed in New York City. She is now the founder and owner of Brooke Thomas Casting.

Notre Dame appreciates the contributions of all our patrons, especially as the technology and scholarship programs at the school expand and develop. With your continued help, ND can prepare young women to flourish and succeed in the world beyond high school.

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1. Sr. Lois ZINGARO, S.U. '53, 4 Sr. Mary Dolan, S.U., Judith LENTI McCormack '72 2. Chez Nous Parent Award Winner, Patricia Donohue and her daughter Elizabeth O'Malley '14 Sr. Virginia 3. Ms. Jeanine Bogdanos—mother of Athena '13, Isabella '14, Hera '16 4. Chez Nous Parent Award Winner, Brooke Thomas and daughter Mackenzie O'Connor '14, with Sr. Virginia 5. Paige Guevarra '14, Alexandra Galdi '14, Eileen REILLY Gunderman '44, Geraldine BAILER Arrowsmith '44, Merjyl Jurado '14, Chloe Fasanmi '14 6. Daniela LUCCHETTO '79, with twin daughters Isabella and Jane McIlvaine '18 7. Elizabeth Roth, Robert Grote, Director of Advancement, Catherine Halloran

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There were many exciting options to bid on at the silent auction.

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Mark your calendars for the 2015 Chez Nous Benefit on March 21, 2015, at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers!

Should you or someone you know have an item to donate to our live or silent auctions, please contact the Director of Alumnae Relations and Special Projects, Anne-Marie Hannon, at hannona@cheznous.org.

We are actively collecting donations at this time for the 2015 Chez Nous Benefit.

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NOTRE DAME’S ALUMNAE REUNION

Welcome Home

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First Row: Melanie ESCALONA, Rafael JANEO, Isabelle MALAVE, Stephanie SANCHEZ Second Row: Kayla Lynn PABONE, Amanda DUCHESNE, Rebecca Benson PENA, Christina UY, Sarah CANALIJA, Catherine PEREZ, Emanuela PEPAJ, Mirela MUNCAN, and Kelly DOYLE

2009

n November 9, 2013, Notre Dame held the second annual Alumnae Reunion at Chez Nous, West 13th Street. The day began with a tour of our beautiful building, followed by a special liturgy in Alumnae chapel where we remembered our deceased alumnae and benefactors. The reunion culminated in a celebration in the Sister Mary Dolan, S.U. Arts & Athletic Center. ND welcomed and hosted a wide range of class years from 1960-2011.

Many of the alumnae had attended ND at West 79th Street or St. Mark’s Place and were eager to take a tour of the West 13th Street building. Current students treated alumnae to the tours, and several alumnae remarked on how the warmth and tradition of the school has been preserved and endures in our current location. The alumnae were impressed by the ND Commons, where the students have lunch, and the Carson Family Science Center where classes for Biology, Chemistry and Physics are held. The library was also a highlight of the tour. Over seven thousand of our books have traveled from West 79th Street to St. Mark’s Place before they found their own home on the shelves here at West 13th Street.

Rev. Kenneth Boller, S.J. celebrated a special liturgy for the alumnae, faculty and guests attending the reunion. Sr. Patricia Bruck, S.U. led the ND schola in song and our alumnae joined right in on pitch. ND students were on hand for the readings and as Eucharistic and Hospitality Ministers. After the liturgy, the festivities moved to the Dolan Center.

Alumnae, faculty and guests enjoyed stories, hors d’oeuvres and wine in the Dolan Center. The alumnae were thrilled to reconnect with ND and remarked that they felt the Chez Nous traditions they knew continue to thrive today. The Class of 2009, celebrating their fifth year anniversary, composed the largest class year present. We hope to continue the tradition of the Alumnae Reunion for many years to come, and with your support we know that will be possible.

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1. Daniela LUCCHETTO ’79, Kathleen ALBANO Cuttita ’64, Frances DONOHUE Demuth ’64 and Beth BRESCIANI ’64 2. Nichelle PATUBO Rodriguez ’04 and Natasha MAJOR ’04 with Sr. Virginia 3. Jackie Brilliant and Amanda DUCHESNE ’09 4. Sr. Virginia, Mary MURPHY Natoli ’84, Suzanne AUGRESANI Katz, Patrice McLAUGHLIN, Jeanine RAMOS Monteiro ’84 5. Laura LIPANI Hines ’94, Marisbelle RESTREPO ’94, Alexandra BARRERA Hawkins ’94 6. Melanie ESCALONA ’09 and Stephanie SANCHEZ ’09 with Sr. Patricia Bruck 7. Sr. Virginia, Carolyn WAHLIG Szostek ’65 and Lucille CARDINALE ’65

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Notre Dame School’s trip to

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FRANCE

fter two years of successful trips to Spain and Italy, respectively, it was time to choose a brand new destination once again. In July of 2014, Notre Dame School visited France to see the ornate châteaux built during the dynasties of the French monarchy. We enjoyed deliciously prepared French food and tasted vintage French wine.

With our French tour guide, Jacques, Notre Dame began the trip in Chartres, a medieval town southwest of Paris. We visited Cathédrale de Chartres, one of the premier sites of French Gothic architecture. The stained-glass windows of bright blue pieces glowed in the sunlight. The next day we visited Tours, a picturesque “minicity,” to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Sisters of Saint Ursula in Tours.

Festivities included a slide show detailing the life of Anne de Xainctonge and Mother Roland and meetings with Sisters from around the world.

In addition to the French constituency, Sisters traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, India, Switzerland and our very own New York City to be part of the celebration.

We made an excursion to Château de Blois while in Tours, where monarchs from the House of Valois and the House of Bourbon sat for nearly four hundred years. The visit to Tours ended with an evening wine tasting at Château de Chenonceau, Catherine de Medici’s favorite castle.

After Tours, it was time to make our way up toward Paris. After dinner at the Hotel Concorde Montparnasse where we were staying, we ventured onto the Paris metro to see la Tour Eiffel.

At 11 o’clock, the lights on the Tower began to twinkle, mesmerizing everyone. Later, we visited Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle, and took a coach tour that included the ChampsÉlysées, Arc de Triomphe, and la Tour Eiffel. As we drove down the famous streets, people could be seen setting up stands and decorations for Bastille Day, the French Independence Day. We topped off one night with a boat ride along the

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Seine. We also visited the Basilique de Sacré-Cœur, which sits atop Montmartre, the celebrated quartier of artists. We enjoyed securing art prints as well as French macaroons at Biscuiterie de Montmartre.

Our tour also included spending time at the Louvre. We viewed famous pieces such as the Winged Victory of Samothrace, a marble sculpture of the Greek goddess, Nike, Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, David’s The Coronation of Napoleon, Veronese’s The Wedding Feast at Cana, the Venus de Milo, and many others.

We were lucky enough to make our way through the crowd for an up-close view of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. After the Louvre, we headed for the Palace of Versailles. The size alone of Versailles was astounding, not to mention the ornateness of the furniture, paintings and décor.

On our last full day in France many decided to visit the Musée de l'Orangerie to view Monet’s greatest work, Water Lilies. Some of us continued to the Musée d'Orsay to enjoy the largest collection of Impressionist paintings. Others traveled to the Pont des Arts Footbridge, where couples place a lock as a symbol of their eternal love. Still others spent the day visiting the Catacombes de Paris, which reopened in 2005. The Catacombs are housed in an expansive tunnel network under Paris. This ossuary holds what some believe to be six million corpses from pre-Revolutionary France.

The carefully arranged bones form what the exhibit calls L’Empire de la Mort or “The Empire of the Dead.” The journey ended with our traditional farewell dinner including a dessert of chocolate and Nutella crepes. As we waited to board our flight at the airport in Paris, conversation gravitated to the ND school trip in the summer of 2015.

—Kathleen Valonis ’16

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Magis Theater Company

by Father George Drance, S.J.

Brigitte Henderson ’14 and Elizabeth O’Malley ’14

Notre Dame School of Manhattan has partnered with Magis Theatre Company since 2005. Sr. Mary Dolan, S.U. was looking to establish a program for the students that reflected the mission of the school more closely. She asked Fr. George Drance, S.J., about how best to make use of the new facilities when the school moved to 13th Street from St. Mark’s Place.

Magis Theatre Company, a group of professional actors largely from Columbia University’s School of the Arts, began working with the students of Notre Dame to adapt pieces of literature for the stage. Since then Notre Dame students have enacted a C.S. Lewis 18

novel, an evening of Shakespeare scenes, a melodrama based on an opera by Rossini, and a contemporary rendition of an Aristophanes comedy.

Over time, students asked Magis members to share with them a sense of the professional theatre world and what it takes to be involved in the industry.

As an artist-in-residence at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus, Fr. Drance noticed that the students coming from the New York City Catholic schools were underprepared for entrance auditions and were not being accepted to the program.

Magis then established a special institute for student actors that would

Shakespeare’s Birthday

Arianna Guillen ’14 and Margi Sharp Douglas

The Shakespeare Assembly provided a highly academic lesson in disguise!

Entertaining and fun, this assembly produced a lighthearted approach to immersing students in the world of Shakespeare. With the exception of 11th grade, which focuses on American Literature, the students read Shakespeare in every year. Each 9th grader memorizes a sonnet and most retain the poem through senior year. There is a course in the 12th grade dedicated entirely to Shakespeare. The syllabus includes Shakespeare texts, novels based on his works, film adaptations and even music inspired by him.

teach them about the business of acting professionally, introduce them to theatre professionals, and help them prepare for auditioning for university programs. Students from seven other Catholic schools come to Notre Dame each week to join our students in weekly training and lessons. At the end of each year, the students perform a showcase of their monologues, and meet with professional casting directors, such as Amy Gossels, who has this to say about the Magis program: “I give a lot of workshops to actors, most of whom are considerably older and more seasoned, but this group has really held their own, and was actually

The seniors study the following works: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, Jorvy Tejada ’15 Richard III, King Lear, Henry V, Twelfth and Tara Villaruel ’14 Night, Hamlet, Much Ado about Nothing and The Sonnets. They also read novels such as A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley which was inspired by King Lear. Many different film and television adaptations of plays, such as House of Cards, based on Macbeth, are also incorporated into the syllabus. Part of the final class project involves finding Shakespeare in varied genres—music, film, and literature.

The Shakespeare Assembly celebrates not only his birthday but the language he has given us. His work reveals new insights as we continue to examine and explore it. The ND Assembly conveys the relevance of Shakespeare’s works in the modern world.

Jorvy Tejada ’15 performed a scene from King John. The debate club presented a clip from Measure for Measure. Ariana Guillen ’17 played Niamh Hoban ’16 and Kelly Infante ’17 Juliet in the Lady Capulet/Juliet scene while Margi Sharp Douglas, an actor from the Magis Company became Lady Capulet. Zaria Abulu ’14 won the sonnet competition, held in the style of the X-Factor. We like to think the Bard would be pleased by ND’s commemoration of his birthday.

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Back row: Hajah Sankoh ’17, Ashley Vallecillo ’17, Deztynee Rivera ’17, Mya Powell ’17, Erica Zingone ’17, Jessica Graue ’17, Veronica Camero ’14 Front row: Leslie West ’17

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just as strong as many of the groups I work with who have much more professional experience. This goes to show that this program is not only a great one, but that it is working.”

Notre Dame students have had the chance to work on professional productions with Magis, and four students of the Institute made their Off-Broadway debuts in Magis shows at the West End Theatre and the Ellen Stewart Theatre of La MaMa, a venue famous for starting the careers of many in the professional world, including Sam Shepard, Edward Albee, Lanford Wilson, Bette Midler, F. Murray Abraham, and Diane Lane.

Magis continues its professional

relationship with La MaMa and is branching out to partner with other professional companies, such as Compagnia di Colombari, Teatro de Ciertos Habitantes, and Elements Theatre Company, making these connections available to our students.

Several Magis students were accepted into theatre programs at schools of their choice, and one student who completed four years with our program got a full scholarship to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

As the needs of the school begin to focus more on three annual events— the Christmas program, Our Lady of Lourdes Day, and the Shakespeare

ND and The Pearl Theater ND has had a partnership with The Pearl's Classics in the Classroom program for about 20 years now. Jim Mirrione who taught English part-time at ND back in the early 90’s was also an NYU professor. He was the one who first introduced us to The Pearl.

The Pearl was right up the street from our school on St. Mark's Place, so we could easily get to afternoon performances. Over the years, we moved once and The Pearl moved twice, but we still keep the connection. Our students love the access to theater, and the Pearl loves them right back--they are an energetic and engaged audience. Now we are on W. 13th St., and The Pearl is in its own home on W. 42nd St. Catherine Montemarano ’14 The A train takes us there.

Not only do we attend 4 plays a year (for free!) at The Pearl, but Pearl actors come into our English classes before and after each performance.

And after each show, they host a special "talk back" for our students right at the theater. The actors and the directors take seats on the stage, and our girls move down to the front rows, where they get to ask any question or make any comment they want about the play they have just seen.

Assembly-- Magis actors spend more time helping to coordinate, coach and direct students to apply their craft to these performances. Our current program with Notre Dame allows us to make participation in these events possible for a wider representation of the student body, while still maintaining ongoing professional development with theatre professionals for those students who seek it and show exceptional promise and dedication.

For our students, Pearl days are special days. They get insightful previews and background information about plays they will be seeing. They get a chance Veronica Camero ’14, Marie-Pierre Guirard ’14, to react to the plays with the actors on Angelique Ruggiero ’14 and Zaria Abulu ’14 hand. In addition, The Pearl provides us with a study guide to use for each play, with history and interviews to enrich the experience—again all for free. When the actors come into our classroom, they usually have the students writing short scenes and then staging them informally and on the spot. Thanks to The Pearl, our students with their rigorous curriculum also get the chance to be creative and spontaneous in class this way. They love this outlet.

The Pearl and ND go back a long way.

Together we create another generation of future theater- goers, and possibly even playwrights, directors, and actors. What a treasure The Pearl has been for our school!

Zaria Abulu ’14

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Graduation 2014

Anne de Xainctonge and Conversatio Chez Nous

Isabella Bogdanos and Sr. Mary Dolan

Nicole Collymore, Ciara Corrigan and Cora Coughlin

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Ashley Dabagh

Merjyl Jurado and Chloe Fasanmi

Catherine Montemarano, Margaret Woods, Jessica Wilson, Enaj Watson, Chloe Fasanmi and Gabriela Moura

A

Victoria Jackson, Shantal Tavares and Merjyl Jurado

Notre Dame education in the tradition of Anne de Xainctonge is a process— a trusting, mutually beneficial engagement between two people, the one taught and the one who teaches. In 1606, in Dole, France, Anne began her mission by having a Conversatio, or heart-to-heart conversation, with girls and women to educate them in the Christian faith. Anne’s mission and pedagogy remain strong Chez Nous.

According to Sr. Virginia, who gave the Welcoming Remarks at graduation, students are taught, often through conversations, to be discerning young women, who live the Magis in a spirit of gratitude. They are instilled with a desire to respond to the needs of the world with generosity and love. Through their nurturing relationships that shape their hearts and stretch their minds, with each other and the faculty, our students become women for others.

As a result of their Chez Nous experience, Notre Dame proudly notes that 100% of the graduating Class of 2014 have been accepted into four year colleges and universities and 93% have been awarded academic scholarships totaling over 14 million dollars! Our students excel in the classroom and beyond. Examples of the graduates’ scholarship, compassion and collaboration were given by student speakers.

In her address to her classmates, valedictorian, Alexandra Galdi spoke first about her peers and how they helped her to develop a different frame of reference that stretched her beyond her own experiences. Whether Ali was praising one of the hardest working students from the class of 2014, Marie-Pierre Guiraud, describing the enthusiasm and ardor her classmate Elizabeth O'Malley has for political discussions, or lauding a fellow graduate, Jenna Bloomer who triumphed over a life-threatening brain tumor, she demonstrated that her world has evolved and been positively influenced by her Chez Nous sisters. Sharing in the struggles and passions of classmates is just one more enriching aspect of an ND education.

The feeling of support and kinship among the Class of 2014 was also echoed by Isabella Bogdanos, Student Council President. She spoke about a crossword puzzle as an analogy to the importance of collaboration. Isabella noted that if one word is missing the puzzle

Tiffany Toribio, Alana Beauchamp, Isabella Dicesa and Penelope Fowler with our esteemed faculty

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Jordan Villaruel, Taylor Watson, Angelique Ruggiero and Daniela Creighton

Jenna Bloomer, Isabella Bogdanos and Julia Caccavale

cannot be solved; it takes the interaction and dynamic of each word to complete the crossword. "If we want to make a difference, we must help others to reach their fullest potential just as ND has done for all of us.

Everyone has something innovative to bring to the table. When even one person is not living up to her potential, the group will never be able to reach the ultimate goal."

To conclude the graduation exercises, Principal Jaclyn Brilliant offered some remarks encouraging the girls to be life-long learners.

Ms. Brilliant stated, “I would like you to be greedy for knowledge and learning not just in college, but perhaps in graduate school afterwards, the workplace, or wherever your life experience carries you.” After quoting a poem

by Mary Oliver, “Where Does the Temple Begin, Where Does It End?” Ms. Brilliant exhorted each graduate, saying, “I urge you to reach out to others…with your arms open. Your life, after all, is profoundly connected to the lives of others.”

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Sr. Margaret McEntee, SC, Gwen Kozlowski and Oksana Kramarchuk

Nicole Collymore and Lorena Peralta

Priscilla Guzman

The ceremony concluded with the following blessing for the graduates:

May the world be your temple with no beginning or end.

May you reach out all day long on your journey forth.

May the light of Anne’s lamp shine for you to guard and to cherish you.

May God shield you on your way, as you look around you with your arms open, until you are where you belong, your home everywhere and always and God holds you in Her arms.

Each year Notre Dame School is proud that many of our students move forward to attend prestigious colleges with academic scholarships.

Here are the stories of seven scholars from the Class of 2014.

From beginning to end, my experience at Notre Dame was great. It started with a mad dash just trying to find a high school that lived up to my mom’s standards. We searched until our hope was waning and we finally found Notre Dame. From the moment I was told about the school, I knew that this would be the one. I was excited to learn new things. Who knew that I would ever take Latin, or enjoy it, or actually be good at it? Who knew that I would take a chance and challenge myself in some AP classes? Who knew that I would like my teachers and appreciate them as individuals rather than just figures in the classroom? I certainly had no idea. Well, if there is one thing I have learned at Notre Dame, it is that God knew. God knew that I would discover new skills at Notre Dame. God knew that I would meet the friends that I now love so dearly. God knew that I would find myself, who I am, here, at Chez Nous.

During my senior year, acceptance letters and scholarships poured in from a variety of schools, and, in my heart, I felt nothing but gratitude. Without Notre Dame, I would never have gotten this far, or be the person I am today. As I was searching for colleges, my goal was to find a “Chez Nous part 2.” Now, I am proud to say that I am attending Boston College with a $54,000 yearly scholarship. I honestly did not believe it was possible that I could accomplish something so great, but, as I am slowly learning, you should never underestimate yourself.

Through this whole experience I kept one scripture in the front of my mind, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all other things shall be added unto you” (Mt 6:33). Now when I look back over the past few years, I can see clearly all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. Among those blessings are Anne’s values of courage and confidence.

I found the courage to step out of my comfort zone and join clubs. I found the courage to sing and perform a lead role in front of the entire school. I had the confidence to co-found Notre Dame’s glee club, and, ultimately, the confidence to apply to Boston College. As I continue to grow at BC, I am filled with gratitude for all those who showed me what Chez Nous really means. ~ Chloe Fasanmi ’14

SCHOLARS’ CORNER

I always knew I wanted to attend high school in Manhattan, which is why I chose Notre Dame, and I was very fortunate to have received a scholarship.

I made friends that will last forever, and I had the pleasure of having amazing teachers who truly care about their students.

ND teachers encourage us, invest their time in us, and want us to succeed. I was a very shy and quiet person in grammar school, but Notre Dame broke me out of my shell, providing me with Anne's values including the courage needed to explore new opportunities.

In my sophomore year, Ms. Frawley, my history teacher, encouraged me to attend a program called Global Kids.

Global Kids is an organization for youth to explore global issues. Through Global Kids, I applied for and was accepted into a service trip fully funded by the State Department.

The summer before my senior year I spent 3 weeks in Bosnia living with a host family, engaging in service work including painting a mural at an orphanage. We also created projects on global issues with our Bosnian peers, which we presented to the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo. This trip was an amazing experience that I would have missed out on if I had not attended Notre Dame.

Notre Dame has also prepared me for college. Our guidance counselors and teachers put endless hours into writing stellar recommendation letters and meeting all of our many deadlines. I was accepted to several schools and won over $300,000 in scholarships. My biggest challenge during this process was deciding what college to attend.

I never had a “number one” school, so when college acceptances came in, I was overwhelmed. It sounds clichéd, but when I stepped on to the Davidson College campus, I felt a connection and could see myself there for the next four years. ~ Ali Galdi ’14

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The number one priority for high school seniors is to get into the college of their dreams. Their second priority is figuring out how to afford the college of their dreams.

Fortunately for me, the outcome to both of those issues was a favorable one. I was accepted into College of the Holy Cross with a nearly full scholarship. Getting to this point, however, proved to be more difficult than I expected. When I started the college process, I was on a different path from the one I landed on. I originally intended to go to school in the south! Holy Cross wasn’t even on my radar, but after I visited I fell in love. I realized that I needed to be flexible!

When I first received that letter I was in complete disbelief.

It is one thing to attend an amazing college like Holy Cross, but it is an entirely different thing to attend an amazing college like Holy Cross and come out virtually debt free.

I thought I was just one of the lucky ones. With closer reflection, however, I've come to realize it wasn't luck at all.

Notre Dame provided me with an amazing education.

The faculty and staff invested their time in me and every other student in my class (and as I learned in economics, time is a person's most valuable asset). The Class of 2014 not only grew intellectually, but also socially and spiritually.

The experiences I had over my four years helped me to become a confident young woman. I feel utterly prepared to study anthropology at Holy Cross, which I attribute to ND's close-knit community—a place where I never felt judged or self-conscious. Notre Dame has truly become a second home, filled with amazing teachers and peers whom I consider to be a part of my extended family; it has truly lived up to its nickname, Chez Nous, our home.

Although I am excited to embark on my journey to college, it is bittersweet because I am sad to leave my home. Notre Dame School at 327 West 13th Street is more than just a building to me; it is the place where I was molded into the person who I was meant to become. ~ Tori Jackson ’14

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Starting high school I was a shy girl who didn’t know what to expect, but I was ready for the challenges Notre Dame was going to bring. Looking back on it now, I am so grateful I chose Notre Dame as my high school.

Though some days were hard, Notre Dame has fully prepared me for college. From my first year, teachers would talk about the SAT and college. Notre Dame made the college process easy for me, and I’m proud to say I was accepted at every college to which I applied with a total of close to $400,000 in scholarships. The counselors were willing to work with me every step of the way and help me compile my list of schools that would help me reach my goal of one day being an early childhood educator. Not only did I get into college, but I feel prepared to join the St. Joseph’s community.

Choosing a college was not an easy process. At first I thought I was definitely going away somewhere, but once I visited St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn I fell in love with it.

Not only will I receive a degree in education but I will also be a child study major. I will graduate with certifications in special education and early childhood development. After enjoying the close-knit community of a small high school, I knew I wanted to go to a small college. St. Joseph’s, like Notre Dame, is a small school where I am able to have a relationship with my teachers and become friends with everyone.

Throughout my years at Notre Dame I felt the true meaning of Chez Nous. Notre Dame was my place of comfort for four years—a place where I knew I could be myself and know that the teachers wanted the best for me. ~ Micaela Klein ’14

SCHOLARS’ CORNER

When I first came to Notre Dame in September of 2010, I was a timid girl who was too afraid to speak her own mind. Yet, when I grew to know the faculty and my peers, I began to transform. My teachers expanded my mind beyond what I thought was imaginable. They taught me not only how to think kindheartedly but also how to think analytically. My counselors showed me opportunities that took me across New York City and back again. My friends took me in when I had no one else, and I returned that friendship with my utmost loyalty. Notre Dame is not just a community; it is a family. It is a home that nurtures us and matures us into young women in this society. I can say gladly that Notre Dame has led me into success in college thanks to the scholarships I have received.

As a first generation college-bound student, the whole college process was complicated and challenging. I had never been exposed to colleges, and the choices were overwhelming. Yet, with will and perseverance I overcame initial confusion with the help of my family and the Notre Dame faculty. I attribute my ultimate acceptance and decision to attend Haverford College (where I received a full scholarship) to the support that I received from ND. Haverford’s academics and the opportunities that it offers appealed to me right away, but I am most enamored by its community and warm environment—just like what I experienced at Notre Dame. ~ Shantal Taveras ’14

I am blessed to say that I am attending Hartwick College with over $100,000 in scholarships. Without the help of the amazing guidance department at ND, I never would have made it to Hartwick. Towards the end of my junior year, my guidance counselor and I made a list of possible colleges (tailored to my interests and my parents’ concerns) for me.

Prior to the creation of this list, I never thought about attending school in Oneonta, New York. In the fall of my senior year I visited Hartwick College and fell in love. My family always told me that there should be a "chemical connection" with the college I chose. I didn't know what they meant until I stepped foot on Hartwick's campus. I loved it instantly; I knew it was my home. I plan to study anthropology and biology. They have great programs in both fields and even have a separate campus dedicated to environmental study. My counselor, Ms. Guido, was with me every step of the way. She answered all my questions and explained all the forms. As both a first generation college student and an only child, ND’s guidance department was an invaluable resource. Thanks to their help, I received merit scholarships to six colleges totaling $442,000. Without the personal attention and help from my counselor, I never would have had the success that I did.

ND has sent me in the right direction. It gave me the freedom to explore what I wanted while also giving me the structure I needed to understand and appreciate hard work.

Before ND, I had no idea Hartwick existed. ND has paved the way to the perfect college for me—for that I am forever grateful. ~ Jessica Wilson ’14

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Class Notes 1940 Lucille DARRACQ Viscardi’s husband, Dr. Henry Viscardi Jr. founded the Viscardi Center in 1952. The Viscardi Center, a network of non-profit organizations, provides a lifespan of services that educate, employ and empower people with disabilities. Dr. Viscardi Jr., who himself wore prosthetic legs, served as disability advisor to eight U.S. Presidents, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter, and became one of the world’s leading advocates for people with disabilities. Lucille has four wonderful daughters.

1942 Patricia HUGHES Villacorta’s travels this year have all been in the US, attending weddings, graduations and reunions.

She is thrilled that her three youngest grandchildren live close to her in Miami.

Patricia’s parish, St. Augustine, where she serves as a lector, is the Catholic Student Center for the University of Miami and their Catholic Campus Ministry.

1959 Toni LEQUIRE-Schott’s family launched its 22nd Chautauqua summer.

Chautauqua, in western New York State, was founded in 1874, as a retreat for Methodist Sunday school teachers, but now welcomes everyone and offers enriching programs of every description. A number of authors have lectured, including Tom Brokaw, Elizabeth Strout, Margaret Atwood and Jules Feiffer.

1960 Janet SWIFT Balbach and her husband George celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary in October. Their daughters, Pamela and Lauren, have blessed them with four grandchildren—three boys from Pam and one girl from Lauren.

Pam graduated from Princeton and went on to receive her Masters in Journalism while she was pregnant with her third son. She has since written Stiletto Network : 28

Inside the Women's Power Circles that Are Changing the Face of Business.

Lauren is a Senior VP at U.S. Trust (Bank of America Wealth Management).

Lauren lives in Raleigh, NC and Pam resides in NYC. Patricia COOK Hult is still working and enjoying her job. She has 297 students from Pre-K to fourth grade, and as Head of the Lower School at the Convent of the Sacred Heart her day is very full!

Patty has two children, Billy and Mary Ann, and four grandchildren whom she is lucky to see quite often.

Her ND class of 1960 recently reconnected and has been enjoying one another's company on a somewhat regular basis.

For a get-together with classmates, Cathy McDONOUGH Corcoran invited friends Leigh COMBES Philips, Janet SWIFT Balbach and Arlene DENINGER Prendergast to head South to tour Williamsburg, Jamestown and Richmond, VA. The women realized it has been 58 years ago since these 14 year old freshmen first met at Notre Dame Convent School on 79th Street, NYC, and how blessed they are to have continued these friendships through the years. God Bless All!

Arlene DENINGER Prendergast and husband Tom with grandchildren Thomas, 15, Joseph, 12 and Mary, 18, enjoyed summer 2014 on Long Beach Island, NJ. Arlene and Tom celebrated their 50th Anniversary in November.

Priscilla RAMA Sprieser and her husband Paul celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in December 2014. After their wedding in 1964, the couple came to Chez Nous for tea with Mother Genevieve and Mother Mary William before the reception.

The years certainly fly!

Patricia CONNORS Daver and grandsons Patricia CONNORS Daver has returned to New York from a great 5 weeks in the Hamptons. She remarks how lovely it was to be able to visit with classmates when she is on her old home ground.

Patricia and her classmates had dinner at the West Bank Café and it was fun to catch up. She spent two lovely months in England recently where she took her grandchildren to some fun places.

1961 Since retirement from Georgetown University in 2009, Maria PINTO Carland’s work and volunteer efforts are with mid-career men and women from underrepresented groups (www.icapaspen.org) to assist their entrance into senior executive positions in government and nonprofits. She also provides workshops for the U.S. State Department and serves on the selection committee for the USAID Payne Fellowships.

1962 Mary Sterling TROTTER Werner has lived with her husband, Dr. John J. Werner, in Centerport, NY since 1974.

Mary and John have three children: Kirstin Sterling Werner Mobyed, Jessica Butler Werner Chivvis, and Justin Willett Werner. The Werners have four grand-

children: Meredith S. Mobyed (10), Kara E. Mobyed (6), Asher J. Chivvis (11), and Grace M. Werner (16 months).

Both she and John have been retired for the past two years. John had been Director of Education at Developmental Disabilities Institute and Mary had been a Social Worker in the East Meadow School District. Retirement has given them time to spend with their children, grandchildren, family and friends near and far. As Mary likes to say “We're going to keep dancing till the music stops!”

1975

Marie COCOZZIELLO Cicero with granddaughters Peyton Rose and Victoria Maria.

1973

The Werner Clan 1970 Loreta DiRUSSO Emanuel and her husband Anthony visited the Hall of Mirrors in the Versailles Chateau in France.

1972 Milagros G. WILLIAMS retired from the New York City Department of Education in September 2013. She celebrated her 60th birthday on April 19, 2014. She is so proud of her son, Gardner Rivera, who is in commercial real estate and development in New Jersey.

Sharon GRUNWALD Joy holds a B.S., City College of N.Y., Program in Health, Medicine and Society, 1979, and an M.B.A., Health Care Administration, Baruch College-Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1989. She is married to Michael with 2 children, Michael, 33 and Jessica, 24. They have two grandsons, Christian, 8, and Thomas, 3. She is currently Senior Vice President, Financial Operations, North Shore–LIJ Health System. Sharon shares significant news this year that she had a kidney transplant donated by her amazing brother and she will be forever grateful for the new lease on life! Sharon feels truly blessed!

1977

Since 1988 Christine PIDHORODECKYJ Hillenbrand has been living in Hechingen, near Stuttgart, in southwest Germany. She and her husband Franz have one daughter, Nadine, who just turned 24. Her daughter received a Bachelors degree in American Studies and will attend graduate school in Heidelberg to study Geography.

Franz is a railroad engineer and Christine continues to work as a registered nurse at the University Hospital of Tubingen. She left New York with a BSN in Nursing and a Master´s in Public Health. The couple celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary last October on a wonderful trip to Portugal.

When they came to New York several years ago the family toured ND. Nadine spent a whole day there experiencing an American high school day; it was a great day for all.

Linda KOSTER Presti had a fabulous vacation on a Mediterranean cruise this year—Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Spain. Bits of her four years of Notre Dame French returned to her!

1979 Lorraine EISENBERG Hults and her husband celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in 2013! The couple have two children and one grandchild.

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Class Notes Daniela LUCCHETTO and her husband Neal McIlvaine are raising their 3 children in Manhattan. Their son, Neal Andrew is 16, and twin daughters, Isabella and Jane, are 13. Most recently, they celebrated the 8th grade graduation of their daughters, Isabella and Jane from Blessed Sacrament and are thrilled that both girls are now attending Notre Dame, Class of 2018! Daniela is Senior Vice President at a real estate development firm in Manhattan.

Daniela reports, “I know my daughters will experience the same love, fun and friendship that I enjoyed during my time at Notre Dame.”

1985 Robin NEWMAN has two children’s books coming out next year with Creston Books! The first is a picture book, Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep (spring 2015), illustrated by Chris Ewald. It is a story of a crabby witch whose quiet neighborhood has been turned upside down with the arrival of noisy, inconsiderate neighbors. The second is an early chapter book, The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake, A Wilcox & Griswold Mystery (fall 2015), illustrated by Deborah Zemke.

1996 Diana Michelle DELGADO and Duane Louis Loft were married at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Astoria, Queens. Diana is a painter whose work was shown in February at Uprise Art, an online gallery in Manhattan. She graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse and received a Master of Fine Arts in painting from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

1999

1988 Jane CHEN Firester’s son Aaron with a toucan on a trip to Costa Rica in July 2014.

Aaron has started first grade and is enjoying school.

The McIlvane Family 1980 Robin COLLYMORE and Daughn LEE still hang out on a regular basis, “...off Broadway plays, brunch, dinners.

ND sistahs!”

Robin is a Project Manager at American Express in World Services.

In her free time she enjoys scuba diving (underwater photography), skiing, and being a foodie.

Daughn is a Social Worker at the NYC Department of Education (Pre-K to 8th graders.) In her spare time she loves to read, write and “run (her mouth that is!)”

1981 The Parish of Calvary-St. George’s announced the appointment of Mary CARROLL French as the new director of the Jack and Jill School on March 24, 2014.

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1995 Kristen BENJAMIN Randolph returned to work after having her daughter Skylar.

Skylar turned one in November 2014.

Valentina (Tina) M. MORALES graduated from Wellesley College with courses in theology. Tina taught Morality and other religious classes at ND during the 2000-2001 school year. Currently, she is the Attorney- InCharge at Metropolitan and Bellevue Hospital Field Offices. She is the head of The Mental Hygiene Legal Service (MHLS), which provides legal advice and assistance to persons receiving care or alleged to be in need of care at in-patient and community based facilities for the mentally disabled.

Victoria ABAD Winiecki is the Chair of the ND Science Department. In August 2014, she married Steve Winiecki in Keene, N.Y. Vicky has been teaching at ND for ten years.

Katie BOYLE Casatelli and her husband Steven welcomed their second child, Charlotte Kelly, on March 25th, 2014, making two year old Amelia a big sister.

2001 Michelle SOROKA McDonald had a baby girl, Vivienne Rose, on April 18, 2014.

In Memoriam 2002 Jennifer BIONDO Aquilino graduated from law school and married her high school sweetheart in October 2013. In July 2014 she had a baby girl named Roma who she reports will be a future ND girl!

2005 Joy ROBINSON is currently living abroad in Spain and is an English as Second Language teacher. Joy is so excited that she has been able to turn her passion for traveling into a career. Joy has a blog where she posts updates about her travels. Please visit http://harlemgirlabroad.com/ to view Joy’s blog site.

2010

Anna Mae WALSH Burke, ’56 Kathleen Butler, mother of Delia BUTLER ’15 Pamela Calderone, mother of staff member, Taylor Minervini Michael Clark, father of Lauren CLARK Mercado ’92 Jennifer GRIGORESCO shared that she and 2 other class members, Ashley MARTINEZ and Natalia LENS, began their careers as Executive Team Leaders at Target in the summer of 2014!

Jennifer graduated from the University of Scranton, Natalia graduated from UCONN and Ashley graduated from Villanova in 2014.

Erica Rose ZISSEL just finished a dual Master’s degree (Master of Science in Education), specializing in Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL), K-12 and Literacy, 5-12 at St. John's University in May 2014. She will be entering her third year of teaching in September, but will be transitioning to a new school, St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, Long Island, where she will continue to teach Global Studies and English as Second Language. As an alumna of ND, she always appreciates catching up with her Chez Nous sisters through Encore.

Dr. John Drucker, father of Mary Jane DRUCKER Gabbay '63, Elizabeth DRUCKER Condrige '64, Suzanne DRUCKER Robotham '68, Dale DRUCKER Prifti '71, Eileen DRUCKER Zwart '76 Jose Flores, spouse of Miladys Flores, former staff member Jane Anne Gavaghan, Marygrove ’46 Ruben Garcia, brother of staff member, German Garcia Daniel Grote, brother of Robert Grote, Director of Advancement

2006 Krystal PALMERS Nieves started at Rutgers University School of Law– Newark in fall of 2014, and her anticipated graduation date is May of 2018.

2008

Rita O’Connor, mother of Kathleen O’CONNOR Brown, ’70

Shirley Frances Joven, mother of former principal, John Joven Linda QUINONES graduated ND in 2010 and just graduated from Marymount University with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and a minor in Communications. She is currently interning with C&M Media, a luxury fashion PR firm.

2011 Gianna SCIANGULA is currently a senior at Fordham University studying Sociology and Theology. She will be leading a service and immersion project to Nicaragua in March 2015.

She has been a participant on three previous domestic projects through Fordham’s Global Outreach Program, which upholds pillars of community, simple living, spirituality, and social justice. Gianna is extremely excited to lead this project and continue learning more!

Margaret Ryan, mother of former principal, Maureen Noonan Yau Yung Soo Hoo, father of Rev. Anthony Soo Hoo, SJ Antonietta YON ’48 I am the resurrection and the life; those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

John 11: 25-26

Anne de Xainctonge desired to educate girls in the Christian faith.

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Back Story

“Here, working among teenage girls from diverse and complex backgrounds, I felt challenged even more deeply to become a compassionate educator... “

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Sr. Patricia Bruck, S.U.

T

eaching has been a lifelong passion for me and my consecutive fifty years in this ministry gives witness to that. It all began, where else, but at ND while I was just beginning study at Fordham University. Sister Catherine Keating, SU was my first principal and I owe much to her wisdom, her patience, and most of all her encouragement. But my training ground widened when I was sent to other places where the Sisters of St. Ursula had connections. My dad frequently teased me saying, “Join the convent and see the world.” Well, at least the country, in my case.

Sometimes, when we sang “Jamaica Farewell,” one of my favorite songs, we adjusted the lyrics to say, “…Providence, New York, and Kingston town,” giving the song a very personal meaning. If we could just add Milwaukee, it would have named all the places I have taught. I was happy everywhere I was sent. These were years of garnering experiences, years of learning flexibility and compassion, and years of growing despite and because of my mistakes.

But there was even more to come. In 1987, I received an invitation to come to ND as a full time teacher this time. The commitment promised to be very challenging, but it was exciting too and best of all it felt so right.

I gave it a full-hearted “yes.” Despite the troubled times—ND was in danger of closing back then—I felt as if I was returning home. It was a perfect fit, the place where I belonged, where I could be my best self. Here, working among teenage girls from diverse and complex backgrounds, I felt challenged even more deeply to become a compassionate educator in the spirit of Anne de Xainctonge, who has been my inspiration since the day I entered the Sisters of St. Ursula as a novice.

To this day, the challenges have never been in short supply! I spend a good part of my time teaching math. Since I began at ND, the entire curriculum has been revolutionized at least

four times—for better or worse is a topic up for debate. Now, files that regularly become obsolete might prove discouraging and it might have been that for me until I thought of my dad. He worked as a linotype operator for a newspaper and he too had a passion for his work. In the course of his career, the process moved from hot type to computers, and not once did he say, “Too much!” Rather he kept apace, adjusted to every new development and received retraining when necessary. Even as a child I admired that kind of commitment. He is still a constant source of encouragement for me to do the same in my own field. As I grow older and hopefully wiser, I am better able to find the “gift,” even in the changes.

I am not minimizing the difficulty. Constant transition is uncomfortable to say the least.

But because of it, I am better able to have compassion for my students who every day must cope with the unsettling feelings that often accompany the first exposure to something new and unfamiliar in math.

This “beginner attitude” can also be very stimulating! There are no ruts on this path.

There is nothing dull or routine about it. As I make the way by walking, I know I am in very good company. Haven’t our Sisters done that since 1606? Isn’t that exactly what the dedicated women and men on the faculty and staff of Notre Dame, my colleagues, are doing even now? I am intensely grateful to be part of both.

So, will the girls I teach carry their knowledge of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry beyond the required tests and into their future lives? A few may. Chances are that many won’t. I have no illusions. But perhaps they will remember that Sr. Patricia loved them and saw in them the unfinished but magnificent human beings that they are.

That will make all the difference.

“Perhaps they will remember that Sr. Patricia loved them and saw in them the unfinished but magnificent human beings that they are.�

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The College Bunch

Saturday, March 21, 2015 Noon to 4 p.m.

Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers • New York City

We are proud of the members of the Class of 2014, all of whom were accepted to four-year colleges and universities. Below are just nine of our scholars.