Sue Behling Schmitt, HA ’67

By Erin McCarville & Danielle Jerominski Rabe, DSHA ’08

Following her family tradition of receiving an all-girls education at Holy Angels Academy is something Sue Behling Schmitt, HA ’67, holds close to her heart. During her high school years, Schmitt focused on staying involved—especially in theatre and the first-ever group of Angelaires—as well as learning to grow, and challenging herself intellectually, physically, and spiritually.

Inspired by her time at Holy Angels Academy, Schmitt decided to pursue a career in education. After graduating in 1967, she attended Mount Mary University for two years and then graduated from Marquette University with her B.S. in history and elementary education. Going on to earn her master’s degree in education from Aurora University, she began her teaching career at St. Robert’s School in Shorewood. She taught history, religion, and science at the Catholic school for eleven and a half years. She was also involved with the fifth and sixth grade spring musicals and enjoyed helping direct, write, and choreograph the shows. Schmitt then taught at St. John Vianney School in Brookfield for 26 years. During that time, she helped start and coordinate the school’s spring field days. She also began and moderated the middle school student council that helped students develop leadership skills by organizing service projects and pep rallies.

Schmitt was passionate about teaching at Catholic schools because it allowed her to weave her faith into the curriculum. “As a social studies teacher in a Catholic school, I had the freedom to intertwine how our faith should guide students’ views on life outside of the classroom. Challenging them to think and explain their opinions on a variety of topics was always rewarding.”

In addition to her passion for education, Schmitt also strives to better her community through service work. She started and coordinated Habitat for

Humanity for 16 years at her home parish of Christ King in Wauwatosa. She also coordinates the parish’s Advent and Lenten outreach, and along with her husband, Luigi, she is an active member of Christ King’s St. Vincent de Paul Society.

“One of the most powerful ways my husband and I have tried to give back to our community is through our parish’s St. Vincent de Paul Society. Going on visits to those in the Milwaukee area who may have no job, bed, refrigerator, stove, or furniture, and may suffer from physical or mental illness, is eye-opening and humbling to say the least. Providing assistance to our neighbors in the central city not only helps them but helps us too. We are reminded that we are all God’s children and equal in His eyes.”

Schmitt also has a deep respect for the work that Catholic Relief Services (CRS) does worldwide and has been a committee member for the Annual CRS Archbishop’s Annual Reception for the past six years. Additionally, she sits on the Archdiocesan CRS Parish Ambassador Corps committee.

Schmitt’s commitment to education, service, and the Catholic faith, culminated in her receiving the DSHA Jubilarian of the Year Award on Sunday, October 3 during Alumnae Weekend. Jubilee Brunch, the last event of the weekend, honors women who graduated from Holy Angels, Divine Savior, and/or Divine Savior Holy Angels 50+ years ago. Upon the recognition, she spoke to the community of women about the importance of staying connected to one another.

“Reflecting on why I might have been given this honor, and I am honored by it, I know it’s not because I have done anything big and grandiose. It’s probably because I’ve tried to stay connected with the people in my life in a lot of little ways. Whether it be showing up as a wife, mom, sister, friend, a Catholic middle school teacher, an active member of my parish and community, or my neighborhood bridge group of 40 years,” Schmitt tries to remain committed to the people in her life.

Schmitt has also served as her Holy Angels class representative since 1967. For the past 56 years, she has enjoyed keeping her classmates united in friendship. “These relationships and experiences have formed us into who we are today. I know my faith, family, and friends have continued to challenge me and make me a better person. These relationships are what keep us going, keep us active, keep us growing, no matter what our age.”

In her spare time, Schmitt loves being with her family, whether it be at Sunday dinners, on vacations, or anytime in between. She enjoys golf, reading, traveling, and cheering on Wisconsin sports teams— especially Marquette University’s men’s basketball, where she and her husband have been ticket holders for 51 years.

Most influential Teacher | “My American Government teacher, Mary Moss , was amazing and made me love all things history and government. My other favorite teacher was Sister Genevieve . She had us memorize poems and present them to fellow students in her drama class. Her class was one of the main reasons I decided to get involved in school plays!”

Favorite DSHA memory | “I have so many wonderful memories of my four years at Holy Angels. However, the junior class trip is my favorite. Many students from our class were fortunate enough to travel by train to Washington, D.C., New York, Quebec, and Montreal. Getting to see the amazing sights and be with my fellow classmates for over a week was so much fun. We were truly a very lucky group of girls!”

1 | Elizabeth “Betsy” Stone, DSHA ’10 , was recognized as a 2022 Feminist Honoree by the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee. The Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee is a nonprofit with a mission to activate philanthropy that advances equity for women. Stone is an associate and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP and a member of the firm’s Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice.

2 | On November 29, DSHA 2021 Athletic Hall of Famer and Young Alumna of the Year, Arike Ogunbowale, DSHA ’15 , was named to the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the sports category. Current Dallas Wings guard and two-time WNBA all-star, Ogunbowale was named to this list for her excellence on and off the court. She is a founding member of LeBron James’ "More Than a Vote" initiative that encourages African Americans across the country to register to vote and cast a ballot on Election Day. She is also part of a media startup Just Women's Sports that focuses on increasing attention for female athletes and their teams.

3 | Elizabeth Rendfleisch, DSHA ’87 , is VP & Director of Interior Design at Penguin Random House in New York City. With her husband, Mark Wish, she recently founded, edited, and published Coolest American Stories. The 2022 volume won the International Book Award for Fiction: Anthologies. Rendfleisch discusses her career in publishing and her move to New York City on “This Podcast Will Change Your Life” found at bit.ly/3CZoKlw (case-sensitive).

4 | This past June, Amanda Savagian, DSHA ’10 , received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University. Savagian credits her scientific career to Former Science Faculty Betty Jo Azpell, HA ’58 , and the required course work of the DSHA Independent Science Research Project. While working towards her PhD, Savagian served as President of the Princeton Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Women in Partnership where she organized and led mentor groups composed of graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, administrative staff, and faculty focused on issues affecting women in STEM.

5 | On November 22, Claire Hubley, DSHA ’18 , returned to DSHA to speak to the AP Human Geography class taught by Social Studies Faculty Chris Weiss, DS ’70 . Hubley graduated from Tulane University in 2022 with a degree in public health. While in school, she wrote a book titled RX: Why a Healthy You Requires a Healthy Planet. Hubley spoke to the class about climate change, food deserts, and her writing process. Currently, she is pursuing a master's degree in international health with a concentration on nutrition and epidemiology at Tulane University. Her book is currently being sold at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

6 | Abby Mackenzie Basile, DSHA ’03 , teaches history at a Catholic grade school in Colorado. In May, she was recognized in the state for excellence in Holocaust education. She tributes her passion for teaching history to Social Studies Faculty Patrick Dawson , Social Studies Faculty Chris Weiss, DS ’70 , and 2022 Jubilarian of the Year Sue Schmidt, HA ’68 , who taught her at St. John Vianney in Brookfield. Wanting to keep some DSHA traditions, Basile hosts a Gr8 Lengths hair donation program at her school. She also asks her students to participate in “harvest days” where they bring in canned goods, similar to the current Collections Day at DSHA.

7 | Jessica Trudell, JD, DSHA ’00 , was appointed by the Board of Directors with the State of Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long-Term Care to serve as Executive Director/ State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The program advocates for residents' rights and quality of care for the state's older adult long-term care residents and individuals receiving services through Medicaid. Trudell has been with the Board for three years, previously serving as Counsel to the Board and the Equity and Inclusion Officer.

8 | Erin Waldron Grossi, DSHA ’96 , was recently promoted to Partner and eMobility & Energy Systems Innovation Lead for the North American consulting business for Accenture LLP. Grossi previously served on Accenture's strategy team. With a doctorate from Georgetown University, Grossi has focused on energy and industrial systems for nearly two decades, helping to build clean-energy economy as an international economist. She was recently honored with a request by the University of Chicago to join their inaugural cohort of fellows in their Leadership and Society Initiative.

9 | Gaining inspiration after traveling with her husband and four daughters for many years, Maggie Duffey Gerth, DSHA ’81 , is the founder and CEO of Props Luggage. The patent-pending leg system props up a carry-on sized suitcase and creates a convenient surface and guaranteed luggage rack. Featured in Entrepreneur, The Coolector, My Subscription Addiction, and more, view the travel companion at propsluggage.com

10 | Mae Hurtado-Theile, DSHA ’20 , a Mercile J. Lee Scholar, is attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a full tuition scholarship with plans to graduate a year early in 2023. Pursuing a degree in genetics and genomics with certificates in French and leadership, she has been involved in scientific research focused on metabolism and diabetes. This fall, Hurtado-Theile was awarded scholarships to attend two national Diversity in STEM conferences where she won poster awards at both. At the Great Minds in STEM conference, she earned first place in the Undergraduate Math & Science Poster Competition. At the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Dive in STEM conference in Puerto Rico, she received the Outstanding Poster Award.