91st Street Reunion 2019

The Outstanding Alumna Award The Outstanding Alumna Award is given by the 91st Street Alumnae Association each year to an alumna who has made significant contributions to her community or profession. The recipients are women who demonstrate a dedication to the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, a commitment to excellence in their chosen endeavors, a loyalty to Christian values, and selflessness in service to others.

2019 HONOREE

Rita Gardner Murray ’69

The Alumnae Office was thrilled to give the 2019 award to Rita Gardner Murray at Alumnae Reunion last April. Former 91st Street colleague Jane Burke O’Connell ’59 gave the following speech in her honor.

The pin attached to your name tags today is inscribed with the phrase—”I give back.” That is the theme of this presentation to Rita Gardner Murray. I am honored to have hired Rita, to have worked with her, and for an enduring friendship.

A few words about Rita and Alumnae Office when she began. At the time, 91st Street was determined to build strong alumnae support and involvement. There was a lot of laughter and fun. Alumnae work requires a constant state of optimism and determination; Rita provided both. We had a wonderful team and the unconditional support of an amazing mentor, our beloved headmistress Sr. Nancy Salisbury, and our secret weapon—Sr. Mary Ranney, who was a full member of the team and who, at age 80 plus, came to work every day to work her magic on hundreds of alums. It was all a bit of an adventure.

Rita became Alumnae Director in 1992 and stayed for 12 years. She had been an active 91st Street alumna, Alumnae Board President, and a member of the Board of Trustees. Her personal skills were just right for alumnae work. She loved getting to know people, and her graciousness quickly made them feel at home. Her ability to engage even the quietest person was notable, and she knew it. In one conversation, she pointed to a wall and said, “See that wall? I could make that wall talk.”

For a minute, imagine that you are the alumnae director at a Catholic independent girls’ school on the Upper East Side in the early 70s. Many alumnae remembered wearing white gloves and curtseying to all the nuns, who wore habits. They also remembered prîmes, a formal ceremony where they received elegant little cards telling them how they had done in school that week: Bien, Très Bien, Indifferent, or the worst—no notes.

Now imagine you have to talk to these women about money. Horrors!

Not a problem for Rita.

Other organizations agreed. After honing her skills at Sacred Heart, she continued in philanthropy and fundraising while working at the New York Botanical Garden, the Nature Conservancy, and most recently, Marymount Manhattan College. All are communities and institutions she believes in deeply.

Rita did not come to 91st Street until 10th grade, but she immediately knew the Sacred Heart experience would change her life. Her teachers challenged her intellect and inspired her curiosity. She acquired a thirst for knowledge, and, thanks to ‘Mother’ Fox, even learned how to fold perfectly a New York Times to read on the train. Her new schoolmates were brilliant and fun, welcoming and warm. Rita says her Sacred Heart education was one of the best things that ever happened to her.

Her instinctively welcoming nature, combined with her passion for Sacred Heart, made her a dynamic alumnae community builder and fundraiser. Alumnae giving increased significantly. She gives the credit to everyone around her, especially the women she worked with and those on the Alumnae Board. However, she also has a way of getting other people to do things. Part of it is that everyone loves her. When she meets people, she sees the goodness in them; no one wants to let her down. Some of it is plain old persistence. Rita rarely takes “No” for an answer. Rita’s love for all things Sacred Heart was boundless—and contagious! When she started here, alumnae involvement had already begun to grow. Her enthusiasm and energy took it to the next level. She introduced new opportunities for alumnae to come back—Authors’ Night, Breakfast with Santa, and the Thanksgiving lunch for the college-age alums—now well-established traditions. Rita put people at ease. She usually stood in the Front Hall as alumnae arrived at events. When they saw Rita and her huge welcoming smile, their faces lit up. They knew they were home.

Her daughter, Rita, class of 2004, had this to say about her mother:

“When it comes to being a good alum, she always knew the best way to do so was to give back…and she made darn sure I did, too. Every time the annual fund appeal arrived, so would a phone call from my mom, making sure I got my credit card out. Because of her, I always knew I, too, needed to give back to the place that gave so much to both of us. It is an important lesson that I am happy to say she has instilled in all three of her children.”

Goal IV, “Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to the building of community as a Christian value,” describes Rita’s personal mission. She says the Sacred Heart mission inspired her and continues to inspire her. She told us, “Sacred Heart taught me that if you believe in something strongly enough, you will do your best.”

Rita, we think you truly have done more than your best. The last lines of 91st Street’s school song asks for a spirit true and loyal, “that we may do our part.” You have surely done your part. We are delighted to present you with this year’s Outstanding Alumna Award.

Très Bien!

91st Street Reunion 2019

CLASS OF 1969 . 50th Reunion

Kim Murray Gimblette, Chris Powers, Kathy Morris, Ann Reed, Lucy Kassabian, Liz Cooney, Jane McLoughlin, Danielle Gaherty, Rosita Caulfield, Rita Gardner Murray, Ava Othman, Mary Spearing

Ariane Benett Pfaff, Lizzie Nastro, Renee Ma Lee, Cary Walthew Jackson, Robin Danks, Margaret Gaspari, Kayako Ishibashi, Kayo Yagi, Damiann MacGowan-Setton, Carolyn Aneiro Malarney, Claudia Villar, Jessica NowilloNogueira, Margaret Rocco, Paula de Azevedo Liu

Front row, L to R: Leilani Fahey, Kerry Flynn, Beatrice Cardona, Kumi Kawasumi Yoshida. Back row, L to R: Sarah Sweeney, Fiona Brady, Margaret Rodgers Chadwick, Mary Hamlen Drew, Cynthia Tougas, Frith Crandall, Lori Dobbs Berninger, Jane Veronis, Rosemary Healy, Christina Padgett, Jean Dalva Tinley, Donna Zaccaro Ullman, Deidre DiMarco McPadden, Cristina Rueda, Dina De Luca Chartouni CLASS OF 1994 . 25th Reunion

CLASS OF 1984 . 35th Reunion

Melissa Mari Havercroft, Patricia Eva Oppenheimer CLASS OF 1964 . 55th Reunion

Mary Kernan Rutherfurd, Lynn de La Chapelle Doherty, Margaret Connorton Reilly, Ramona Pedroso DeCastro, Peggy Daly, Pizzo, Barbara Ann McGuire Cook, Mary Louise Acker Kearns, Mary De Luca de Bourbon

CLASS OF 1959 . 60th Reunion

Jane Burke O’Connell, Maureen Meehan O’Leary, Kandy Shuman Stroud, Holley Leventhal Kilcullen CLASS OF 1974 . 45th Reunion

Aileen Gardner, Tina Zambetti Davis, Stephanie Luther Brandley, Frances Prout Selby, Laura Toole

Gussie Conway, Mariana Pantelidis, Lucy Mullin, Emilia Baldwin, Josie Lekkas, Marcela Gonzalez de Cosio, Elizabeth Bohan, Gabrielle Esposito, Lauren Byrne, Caitlin Ferrarese.

Meghan Sweeney, Lucia Rambusch-Adam, Nicole Coles, Colleen Finn McDonald, Maureen Duff Furlong, Elizabeth Conroy Redington, Liana Piehler, Nadine Surur Zorayda Alviar, Alicia Farrell, Nancy Menapace Wilson, Lee McLaughlin Klausner

CLASS OF 1989 . 30th Reunion

CLASS OF 1954 . 65th Reunion

Mary Butler, Mimsi Morgan Bodkin, Lynn Steuer, Robbie Gatheral O’Hara, Mary Keating McKell, Roseanne Lammers Rodilosso CLASS OF 1949 . 70th Reunion

Olivia Kilbourn Birdsall, Violeta Bosch Davis, Judy Adams Clifford, Frances Luchese Gambino Janet Grumpecht Courtland, Hilda Duran Foxen

Back Helena Picone, Sarah Scrudato, Charlotte Davis Front: Gabriella Romanos, Celine Marino, Annie Zaborskis Rogener, Taylor Curley, Gaby Doyle, Charlotte Gellene, Morgan Grandi, Liana Perry, Isabelle McGovern, Nancy Menagh, Brittany Curtis, Cristina Lastres, Alexis Nicholas, Catherine Mullarney, Emily Palmer

CLASS OF 2009 . 10th Reunion

CLASS OF 2004 . 15th Reunion

Front (left to right): Vanessa Paradisi Costantini, Molly LeBlond, Megan Schmidt, Katie Donahue, Lesley Mardon, Julia Marter Collison, Raisa Reyes, Aubelia Oesman, Christine Miranda, Caitlin Ahern O’Neill, Consuelo Mejer, Rita Murray, Genevieve Kinney, Taylor Harris, Tania Mistretta, Caitlin Feurey; Back (left to right): Alexandra Zwicky, Elizabeth Resor

CLASS OF 1999 . 20th Reunion

Front Row (l-r): Conway Walthew Bate, Dana Bennett Hoekstra, Amaya Capellan, Christina Morano Keiser, Bronwen Fitzsimmons, Sarah Miller Dearie, Emanuella Grinberg, Diana Lingas, Chrissy Denihan O’Donovan, Cynthia Lully, Katie Murray, Mona Mouallem, VaNessa Cook-Williams, Andrea Pfeifer Cuttita, Genevieve Carey Cozzens, Jasmine Garnes Thomas, Lauren Sercander Dukes

91st Street Reunion 2019

91st Street Reunion 2019