Spring 2021 Magazine

Visitation, the official magazine of Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, is published twice a year.

EDITORS

Caroline Coleman Handorf ’96

Elisabeth Wraase ’07

DESIGN

Catalone Design Co.

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson

PRINCIPAL

Mary Kate Blaine

PRESIDENT EMERITA

Sr. Mary Berchmans Hannan, VHM, ’48 & ’50

CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Shawn McLaughlin

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

Nathalie Bergin Sullivan ’71

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNAE RELATIONS

Suzie Koones Egan ’79

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mariana Bonilla ’21

Marea Evans

Caroline Coleman Handorf ’96

Melanie Hilman

Cindy Hurley

Neptune Pringle III

Jason Reblando

Ann-Marie VanTassel

Elisabeth Wraase ’07

EDUCATING WOMEN OF FAITH, VISION, AND PURPOSE SINCE 1799

[ ON THE COVER ] Freshman Class President Naomi Kiondo sports a Visi mask as she passes through the Green Gate, offering a glimpse of campus life in this most unusual year.Read more about the leaders of the Class of 2024 on page 7.

PHOTOS BY ELISABETH WRAASE ’07

Please send comments, suggestions, corrections, or contributions to the editor at info@visi.org.

© 2021 Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School

1524 Thirty-fifth Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 202.337.3350 info@visi.org www.visi.org

Dear Visitation Community,

It is both a pleasure and an honor to serve as the chair of the board of directors of Georgetown Visitation. I feel especially privileged to lead at this challenging and unprecedented time. The work of the board alongside the strong school leadership is engaging, demanding, and most rewarding. Together we strive to embody the hallmarks of the Visitation community—a lived faith, loving stewardship, and generosity. These inspire a wellspring of hope and truly foster commitment to our student body today and to the next generation of Visitation women. We have all been challenged to think and act differently as we are compelled to envision a future steeped in faith and rich in tradition, yet open to new possibilities both programmatically and operationally.

The strength of our future will be measured by the work today of our dedicated board. We are most excited to welcome four new members: two alumnae, Julie O’Malley Moeller ’93 and Veronica Ewald ’89; an alumnae dad and Head of School at Bishop O’Connell High School, Bill Crittenberger; and parent of a member of the Class of 2021, David Hilal Dave also served on the investment committee before joining the board of directors. These fine individuals join our existing dedicated board and their expertise, insights, and affection for Visitation have truly enriched the conversation with new perspectives and reflection, which are imperative for successful long-range planning. It is indeed an exciting time to serve on this board.

The board looks forward to identifying best practices, employing new strategies, and engaging the wider community in efforts to address issues of affordability for all students who have been invited to the Visitation family. We fully support and are invested in the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as well as the ongoing research and education of our community related to the History of Enslaved People Project. And lastly, we join the Sisters and all of you in praying for the health and well-being of all and anticipate with great joy the time when we can join together as a community on our beautiful campus to celebrate our many blessings!

Thank you for the confidence placed in the board, as we sustain the unique history, character, and Salesian tradition of Georgetown Visitation, and uphold our responsibility for the operational integrity of the school and for the visionary planning that will ensure that the school remains strong financially, academically, and spiritually.

Warm regards,

Shawn McLaughlin Chair, Board of Directors Father of Rosie ’20 and Genevieve ’24

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S MESSAGE

Dear Visitation Friends,

Our Visitation Salesian Network theme for this year is Living in the Present Moment Since 1610 To me, being fully present to the Lord also means fully trusting in His providence. This year has challenged each of us to let go—of our expectations, our plans, our sense of control. In return, God has gifted us with new opportunities and wisdom, if we can only be fully present to see them.

The Visitation community’s joyful optimism and gentle strength have fostered creative and forward-minded solutions to this year’s obstacles that, I believe, point the way toward our bright future. For example, while the need to pivot to virtual schooling was thrust upon us, our expert digital team and nimble faculty and staff have pioneered and mastered new skills and tools. As a result, we now have the opportunity to offer coursework from other institutions; educate students on medical leave or whose families may need to travel or relocate; and engage alumnae near and far. Truly, this opens so many doors of possibility.

We were called to adapt in other arenas as well. As you well know, tradition is truly the heart of the Visitation experience. However, this year’s disruption to “how it has always been” has inspired innovation and new twists on beloved moments. This fall every single student had the opportunity to make her own Gold or White sweatshirt on campus. I loved seeing scores of girls—six feet apart!—in the gym, painting away to their favorite music. What else can we do to celebrate traditions in a more inclusive way?

Through it all, I have been awed by our students’ graciousness and resilience during this trying time. Their pluck is particularly admirable when I know how countless hours on the screen, little social time with peers, and separation from 35th Street have taken a toll. However, facing these experiences has helped the girls develop new tools for confronting future adversities. They have lifted each other up—their beautiful friendships and concern for others evident in their joyful reunions on campus and their countless acts of Christian service.

While 2020 was not an easy year to be a head of school, it afforded me the unique opportunity to collaborate with faculty, staff, and board members regarding a critical, complex, and evolving situation.Working together, we built a strong foundation for future collaboration on strategic initiatives. During this crisis, I also built strong relationships in the larger community with heads of school and civic leaders across the region.

While so much was different this year, the constant—our greatest gift—has been our faith and our Salesian charism, which I have learned more about through my growing relationship with the Monastery. The wisdom of the Sisters has been my rock through these tumultuous months.

As spring blooms around us, and we begin to emerge from the long winter of this virus, may we all be blessed with renewed health and the eternally unfolding gifts of the present moment.

In Christ, Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson Head of School

Visiting a freshman religion class this winter.

Since September 2016, HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE PROJECT UPDATE

with the sponsorship of the St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center, Visitation has been actively engaged in the vital and challenging work of researching, understanding, and sharing our history of enslavement and—most important—learning and growing from it. The events across the country this past year have revealed how deeply scarred our nation is by the legacy of slavery: the scourge of systemic racism. As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops made clear in their 2018 pastoral letter, Open Wide Our Hearts, “…[A]s a nation, we have never sufficiently contended with the impact of overt racism. Nor have we spent the necessary time to examine where the racist attitudes of yesterday have become a permanent part of our perceptions, practices, and policies of today, or how they have been enshrined in our social, political, and economic structures.”

We have much to learn from the stories of those who were enslaved as well as those who enslaved. Since the release of our first research report in 2018, former School Archivist & Historian Dr. Susan Nalezyty uncovered two new primary sources while sorting materials in the school archives. These two 150-page account books spanning the years of 1845–50 and 1850–54 show financial transactions of revenue coming in and payments going out from the Convent. Among the new information we have learned:

• New names of those enslaved by Visitation between 1800 and 1862 have been brought to light, bringing the total number of individuals up to 121, from 107.

• The Convent sold several enslaved people, generating about $2,000 in revenue.

• There were a dozen instances of enslaved people who were making payments toward buying their freedom, indicated in the accounting record as “for himself” or “for herself”; some of them were “hiring in,” that is doing extra work on campus to earn money as payment toward their manumission.

• Some of the new evidence relates to enslaved individuals about whom we already knew. For example, these records show that the Convent bought a woman, Ann Green, and simultaneously enabled her to buy her freedom. Also found was an agreement for Steven Dixon and his wife Anne, who were together purchasing their liberty for $500. The contract stipulates, however, that Steven and Anne could not buy the freedom of their children: Joseph and his sister, an unnamed “little girl.” Joseph Dixon, who would have been 11 years old at the time, remained enslaved by the Convent until he was freed by the federal government in 1862.

The new insights from this documentary evidence have been incorporated into an updated History of Enslaved People Project at Georgetown Visitation Research Report This 2021 Research Report presents all work on this subject conducted to date, including the most recent research, the original 2018 Research Report, and work from an article Dr. Nalezyty wrote for U.S. Catholic Historian

FROM UNDERSTANDING TO ACTION

At its founding, the steering committee of The History of Enslaved People Project at Georgetown Visitation envisioned its goals to be researching and interpreting evidence of enslaved people at this Monastery and school. Upon the release of the initial research report in May 2018, the committee and school further committed to:

• INCORPORATE this substantial primary research into our ongoing study and interpretation of this school’s long and remarkable history;

• INTEGRATE this history and related social justice content into our curricular and co-curricular offerings;

• UNDERSTAND how this new information impacts our community;

• IDENTIFY opportunities for reflection and reconciliation; and

• IDENTIFY ways we can make our community more inclusive.

Since then, we have taken many steps forward. Our dedicated faculty have consciously woven not only our history, but also more diverse narratives, into our curriculum across disciplines. From English to history to religion, our students delve into themes of race and justice, connecting history with the forces shaping our lives today. Beyond the classroom, we continue to strive to make Visitation a place where every student, every employee, every family, and every alum feels a sense of belonging.

We have remained committed to complete transparency regarding our history. We have updated our website with a new narrative that more accurately reflects our founding. Our History of Enslaved People Project page houses the full report and all of the supporting archive documents. We welcome the opportunity to meet descendants of those who were enslaved by the Convent; we have a shared history that will bind us together forever. We seek to work together to write the next chapter.

MOVING FORWARD

While we have made strides in advancing our commitments, in all candor, we are not where we would like—or need—to be.

This journey has been both difficult and illuminating. We have learned a great deal since embarking on this study in 2016. And we have grappled with many challenging questions and issues. One of these is discerning what we, as an all-girls Catholic high school, are called to do. We need to be deliberate in our work, to focus on what our mission calls us to do, to determine what we can do, and to do that well.

As school leaders, particularly leaders of a school rooted in the Catholic faith and Salesian tradition, we feel responsible, compelled to act to find a path forward to communal conversation, new insights, understanding, acceptance, and commitment to formation and education that will allow our students to use their tremendous intellect and talents to be the change—to create the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Consequently, to help us clarify our specific goals and create an actionable plan for moving forward, we have decided to engage two experienced and visionary consultants, Danielle

Harrison and Kristin Gallas. Ms. Harrison and Ms. Gallas bring distinct and complementary experience, skills, and commitment to this work that we are confident will help bring clarity and action aligned with our faith and charism. Ms. Harrison, an alumna of Visitation Academy in St. Louis, has a strong grounding in our charism; currently leads the Jesuit Slavery, History, Memory and Reconciliation Project; and offers us the heart perspective. Ms. Gallas, who has developed comprehensive and conscientious interpretations of slavery at museums and historic sites and recently authored Interpreting Slavery with Children and Teens, shares more of a head perspective.

In an interview this fall, Wilton Cardinal Gregory, the Archbishop of Washington, spoke of both systemic racism and his hope for the future. In his eyes, what carries us forward from sadness and pain to a brighter future is a willingness to learn and change. “We are a Church, a family of sinful people, that’s who we are, and we only delude ourselves when we don’t admit our need for conversion, for metanoia, for change,” said Cardinal Gregory. “If we focus only on what is wrong we’ll lose heart, so we have to say ’yes,’ we have to acknowledge the flaws that we discover within our faith, within our nation, within our own hearts, but if we focus only on the flaws we’ll miss the possibility of change, in metanoia that the Lord calls us to.”

At Visitation, we humbly recognize the sins of our past and we say “yes” to change. We must continue to learn from our past and commit to do better in the future, as we work toward healing and reconciliation. In this, as in all things, we ask for God’s forgiveness and for His divine grace:

God our Father, with heavy hearts and a sense of deep humility, we share this latest report of a sad period in our history. Although we cannot undo this history, we can acknowledge it and pledge our efforts to counteract the effects of slavery in the lives of our Black citizens today. Enlighten our minds and strengthen our hearts, Lord, as we strive to address these continued inequities suffered by people of color in our country today. We seek this grace through your Son, Jesus, who has shown us the way. Amen.

LINKS

REFLECTIONS ON RACE VIDEO SERIES www.visi.org/ about/diversity-inclusion

VISI HISTORY www.visi.org/ about/history-ofgeorgetown-visitation

HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE PROJECT www.visi.org/ enslaved-people

In Christ,

Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson Head of School

Sr. Mary Berchmans Hannan, VHM, ’48 & ’50 Mother Superior, President Emerita

“ We are a Church, a family of sinful people, that’s who we are, and we only delude ourselves when we don’t admit our need for conversion, for metanoia, for change.”

WILTON CARDINAL GREGORY THE ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON

Sr. Marie Jacqueline Burke, VHM

BORN

NOVEMBER 6, 1935 • PROFESSED SEPTEMBER 9, 1955 • DIED JUNE 2, 2020

Sister Jackie embraced life’s journey with her signature joyful optimism, sowing love at Visitation monasteries from coast to coast during her lifetime. Here at Georgetown Visitation, we knew her as a tireless cheerleader of our students, a kindhearted friend to all alumnae, and a spirited member of the White Team Bears. At the Mendota Heights Visitation, her alma mater, she was known as “Sister Sugar,” a moniker that will come as no surprise to anyone who had the great pleasure of enjoying her sweet disposition.

Sr. Jackie entered the St. Paul Monastery shortly after high school graduation. She cherished and felt fulfilled by her calling, sharing, "We surrendered to Christ’s love and came. He has sustained us." All who knew her could see the peace and contentment she radiated.

Vibrant and warm, Sister embodied Salesian hospitality, whether greeting students for homeroom, Board members for meetings, or parents at school; she always looked you in the eye, grasped your hands in hers, and welcomed you sincerely and graciously. Many parents will recall her inquiring, “How’s our girl?” when asking after their beloved daughter. Attendees at Mass in the Sacred Heart Chapel couldn’t help but notice her lovely singing voice and the clarity with which she spoke the Word of the Lord.

To our students, she was a beloved homeroom Sister who shared her love of the Lord; at basketball games, she was an enthusiastic fan. They will long remember Sr. Jackie’s laughter, kindness, and deep compassion.

Her Sisters in the Monastery recall her as in love with Jesus, effervescent, joyful, outgoing, grateful, thoughtful, interested in others, prayerful, hospitable, and having a great sense of humor. Her friend Sister Mary Agnes, who has known Sister the longest, quite simply described her as “nice.”

Sr. Jackie’s health began to fail in November 2019, necessitating an extended stay in the hospital and then several more weeks in a rehab center. Though she grew confused in her last months, two outstanding characteristics in Sister’s life became very evident: her tangible awareness of the presence of God in her life. She continued to serve Him through loving acceptance of her limitations. Second, her gracious manner in showing deep appreciation for the littlest service offered to her. Graciousness poured forth from her lips as she continued to serve her God with a loving heart. Sister Berchmans noted that Sister Jackie, “left us as gently as she lived her vocation.”

In light of the pandemic, the Sisters celebrated Sister Jacqueline’s Mass of Christian Burial on June 8th only with her faithful caregivers. The Monastery hopes to have a Memorial Mass when health restrictions allow. May God grant her eternal rest with her Sisters in heaven and may perpetual light shine upon her.

Run cheerfully and lovingly in the way of God’s good pleasure, my dear Sister.

ST. JANE DE CHANTAL

Monastery PROFILE

SISTER ANNE-FRANCIS NG’ANG’A, DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONS

Who better to connect with young women about vocations than a Sister who herself was called to the religious life at age 17 and ½?

Born and raised in Kenya, Sr. Anne-Francis Ng’ang’a was drawn to the Visitation Order 17 years after becoming a nun. She came here, to Georgetown, in March 2005, after learning of our community from Sr. Rose Wangui “I chose the Visitation Order because of the balance it has of prayer and other ministries. St. Francis tells us there is an integration of both,” she said.

Sr. Anne-Francis has been a close companion and mentee of many longtime Georgetown Sisters. When she joined, Sr. Philomena Tisinger was the Mother Superior and she “journeyed with her;” Sr. Mada-anne Gell taught her the history of the Order; and Sr. Mary Berchmans Hannan taught her the Constitutions of the Visitation Order. Today, Sr. Anne-Francis is helping carry on the Visitation legacy in Georgetown by serving as the community’s Director of Vocations.

“Being the Vocation Director is a beautiful ministry. It helps me connect with young people. They want to be immersed in our way of life, our way of prayer. It has let me see how vulnerable a heart is. It wants to be satisfied just by the love of God. This way of life can nurture that hunger,” shares Sister.

Sister notes that the Visitation Order was ahead of its time in fostering inclusiveness and advocating simplicity, qualities she believes appeal to young women today: “I would love them to know our simplicity. And also to be drawn to the heart of Jesus by living interior lives which are characterized by humility to our God and gentleness to our neighbor. St. Francis de Sales wrote in the 17th century about everyone being called to holiness. We have a very rich charism!”

Life in the Monastery is a lot of fun, shares Sister: “We used to go snow sledding. I used to play ping pong with Sr. Mary de Sales [McNabb] and Sr. Philomena— what is fun is the way we all share our lives!” The Sisters enjoy recreation time together daily; Sister’s favorite is game night. She also enjoys knitting, making rosaries, and watching football and college basketball. Every evening, after recreation, a Sister shares a quote or inspiration that will remind the community of the presence of God. Sr. Anne-Francis remembers this great one from Sr. Mary de Sales: “To live with saints in heaven is glorious. To live with saints on earth is a different story.”

Reflecting on our call to holiness, Sr. Anne-Francis says, “We come from love. We journey through love. Our destination is love. We will practice the virtues here, but we will leave them here. But what will never end is love. It is the language of heaven.”

FOR A WINDOW INTO MONASTERY LIFE, FOLLOW THE SISTERS ON FACEBOOK

A PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Sister invites students and anyone considering a vocation to pray earnestly to enter into the will of God: “God doesn’t talk to you in a loud voice, but He gives you small glimpses of what He wants you to do. Pray not to miss His voice.”

Gracious God look with love on your Visitation family. Gift our community with new members who will be open and responsive to the vital call to Live Jesus in our world today in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal.

Mary, you were the first to carry Jesus to others when you brought joy to Elizabeth in the mystery of the Visitation.

Help us to carry Jesus to others. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sr. Anne-Francis with Sr. Marguerite-Marie

Happy Anniversary, St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center!

Five years ago, the St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center was founded to ensure that the Sisters’ gentle, inspired common sense approach to living a faith-filled life continues to endure, flourish, and guide all aspects of a Visitation education into our third century and beyond.

In that time, Director Olivia Wills Kane ’85, the founding Salesian Center Advisory Board, and the Salesian Ministry Team have worked hand-in-hand with the Monastery and have been almost as busy as St. Francis and St. Jane were in the early days of the Order’s founding!

The Salesian Center has helped the school continue to develop a robust and intentional structure to integrate our Catholic faith and Salesian charism into every facet of community life, from supporting charism succession planning, to partnering with the Board Mission & Ministry Committee, to working with the new Alumnae Salesian Spirituality Committee and the GVPA Spiritual Life Committee.

The seeds of St. Francis and St. Jane’s “inspired common sense” bloom all around us thanks to the good work of the Center. From weekly “Loving Life, Living Jesus” reflections delivered to your inbox (subscribe at www.visi.org/lllj) to monthly Salesian Friends Group meetings led by Sister Mary Berchmans Hannan and Sister Loretta Fahey as well as our new alumnae Crescent Conversations to the gorgeous student artwork depicting each month’s Salesian theme and a Salesian quote, the wisdom of our founders permeates all we do.

Finally, the Center has been instrumental in carefully preserving and sharing our 222-year history. This was made possible thanks to the thoughtful, diligent work of our school archivist and historian, who worked to organize and catalog the physical archives collection so it will be available for generations to come.

The Center also sponsored the vital work of researching and critically examining the school’s history of enslaved people (www.visi.org/enslaved-people) and ensuring that we remember and honor all those who labored here against their will.

Thank you, St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center!

New Kids on Campus

The Class of 2024 received their acceptance letters just before the pandemic began; they started their freshman year learning from home, meeting one another in online classes and saying hello from six feet apart during on-campus orientations for their cohorts. But these challenges have only made this class stronger—they’re finding and making friends in a new way as they take what we know as the Visitation experience and make it uniquely their own. Meet four of the leaders of 2024:

Naomi Kiondo

Other Activities: Black Women’s Society, Best Buddies

Why did you choose Visitation? Ever since I was in the 7th grade, I’ve been hearing about Visitation. My sister became a freshman that year. I was excited to be a part of everything I’ve heard about—Gold-White, Marshmallow Roast, and the sense of friendship. The way she talked about Visitation, that everyone was sisters—that made me want to come to Visi.

What do you think is a quality that distinguishes the Class of 2024? I think that we’re strong. think anyone can say they’ve gone to high school in the middle of a pandemic adjusted to that with a new environment, new people, a new class. It’s not an adjustment, but we’re doing it, and doing it well.

Ginny McCarthy

Other Activities: Track, Cross Country, Visi4Life Club

What is your favorite thing about Visitation so far? Even though I have only been on campus a few times, I like how all of the teachers and kind and welcoming.

What did you enjoy most about Weeks this fall? I liked painting sweatshirts because everyone their sweatshirt unique, and each day of the week had a theme. favorite day of the week was Friday because everyone dressed in team colors.

Makaela Morrell

Other Activities: Visi Minds Matter, Best Buddies

What is your favorite Salesian Little Virtue? My favorite Salesian Little Virtue is generosity. I think that generosity includes many of the other virtues, and is a crucial part of life. A simple act of generosity can make someone’s day, which is why I appreciate the idea of spreading goodness to others.

Favorite class so far, and why? I have really enjoyed Global Patterns at Visitation because the class discussion-based. I enjoy hearing classmates’ ideas and expressing my thoughts when discussing certain topics. interactive group discussions are interesting and helpful way to learn! learn more about what’s keeping Makaela and her classmates excited Global Patterns, turn to page 18.

Other Activities: Think Pink, Best Buddies

What led you to run for White Team Pep n’ Spirit? My dad inspired me. Ever since Kelly ’21† began at Visitation, he’s embraced the competitiveness of Gold-White. Everyone we meet, he introduces himself and says he’s on the White Team.

What are you looking forward to in a traditional Gold-White? I’m really looking forward to hanging out with everyone at headquarters. I think it’s way to get to know the school better and to upperclassmen. A lot of what we learn is shown them. The kindness and maturity they show to everyone they meet inside and outside Visitation is really inspiring. The seniors are a part of my sister’s class, and hanging out with them gives me the sense that she’s there with us. It makes me happy.

FRESHMAN CLASS PRESIDENT

GOLD TEAM PEP N’ SPIRIT

FRESHMAN CLASS VICE PRESIDENT

WHITE TEAM PEP N’ SPIRIT

Principal Mary Kate Blaine will be stepping into a new role at the beginning of the next school year as the Head of School at Trinity Hall high school in New Jersey. We will miss her dearly and wish her well!

Mary Kate Blaine ’21

Mary Kate Blaine couldn’t squeeze her full Visitation experience into four years, so she stayed for eight. A rabid Eagles fan, she channeled that fervor to cheer on her beloved White Team Bears and all the Cubs, as well as the Masqueraders, Madrigals, Chorus, and Orchestra.Truly, Ms. Blaine has been our students’ greatest fan. Modeling Salesian Thoughtful Concern for Others, Ms. Blaine can often be found helping a student or colleague in her office or popping in to a classroom. Her passion for learning is evident in her legacy of academic enhancements, from our shift to trimesters, to curriculum developments, to our expanded summer offerings. Above all else, though, Ms. Blaine is a true believer in our motto, “Be who you are and be that well,” and has tirelessly championed every facet of Visitation’s diversity and inclusion efforts.

model to all of us, but also someone who carries herself with the utmost grace, poise, and elegance. [She] always [was] open to new ideas and listened intently to students.

Maddie Keating ’19

Ms. Blaine has such a friendly smile, and I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to have her as my high school principal. She always brought joy to Visitation everyday, and I am forever grateful to have been part of a community with Ms. Blaine as a transformational leader.

Claire Sague ’19

[Ms. Blaine’s] warm smile and happiness always makes my day and has made my time at Visitation so incredibly special and fulfilling. I will always remember [her] as someone to look up to in [her] strong faith, kind leadership, and, most of all, as my forever role model.

Alexa Sifakis ’22

Ms. Blaine displays the sincerity and compassion most good-hearted people merely attempt to possess their entire lives.

Maeve Hamilton ’22

Ms. Blaine has always been there for me no matter what, greeted me with a smile, and made me feel safe at school.

Niya Humphries’22

Ms. Blaine arrived at Visitation in 2013, the same year as my class. She often joked about being a freshman, and then a sophomore/junior/senior right along with us. We were all a little jealous that she got to stay after we graduated!

Cate Paxton ’17

When I first heard that Ms. Blaine was leaving, I was floored… I couldn’t imagine a Visi without Ms. Blaine! I think she embodies the spirit of Visitation, she is always so joyful and kind and strong and always brightens my day. She genuinely cares about us and it wonderful

Ms. Blaine’s warmth and kindness positively impacts everyone she meets. The freshman class’ opportunity to learn under her leadership was one of the silver linings of this challenging year.

Grace Fogarty ’24

Ms. Blaine has been the ultimate role model for me—she has taught me what it means to be a graceful and respected leader, and I will miss her contagious laughter and wisdom.

Rachel Pineda ’21

She always brings an optimistic attitude even on days where things seem glum.

Bridget Keon ’22

Even though I’m a freshman this year, the help [she has] given to me and my family with the hard transition from middle school to high school is very much appreciated!

Jessica Edem ’24

Thank you for guiding Visitation with such grace, kindness, and strength.

Sophie Torres ’23

Ms. Blaine did not only make my welcoming period into Visitation successful and fun, but she also helped me welcome others into the community! Without her, I would not have the confidence I have today to speak up for myself and for others.

Gabby Roby ’23

Even though she was probably the busiest person on campus, Ms. Blaine did everything with grace and gratitude. Her approachability also makes her fun to be around.

Florence Kane ’20

When I hear the word “leader”, I automatically think of [Ms. Blaine]; I think of how poised and confident [she is] when speaking at assemblies and of how [she] make[s] sure that every girl’s voice is heard and deemed important. [She is] such a positive role model and [has] shown me how to stand up for myself as a young woman.

Kaeden Koons-Perdikis ’23

When my mom had a car accident in Georgetown right after I graduated, Ms. Blaine helped us so much. She took care of the logistics and drove me so that I could go be with my mom in the hospital. I’ll always be grateful for her compassion and action!

Jubilee Marshall ’15

Thank you so much for caring so dearly about each and every student you encounter. You always greet us by name and show us such great hospitality!

Joy Atiyeh ’22

Ms. Blaine is a remarkable principal of intelligence, kindness, and thoughtfulness. Even though I’m a freshman, I will always remember her caring nature and her support for Christ-centered education.

Anina Holley ’24

Since welcoming Ms. Blaine to our Visitation family my sophomore year, she has been an impactful leader and guide for the community.

Mia Beverly ’16

across campus life. I believe that her leadership—marked by inclusivity, patience, and warmth—has made our community stronger in ways both big and small, and am grateful that so many Visitation students have had the chance to learn from her example.

Marie Therese Kane ’14

I will miss Ms. Blaine’s warmth and smiles and her caring personality.

Sarah Tomb ’23

Ms. Blaine interviewed me for Visitation and it was such a comfortable experience because of her gentle presence and genuineness. Her kindness inspires others; she almost reminds me of a fairy or a princess.

Alexandra

Alsobrooks-Laney ’23

Ms. Blaine has always had welcoming and positive energy that truly embodied the spirit of Visitation that I love!

Betty Boatwright ’22

Ms. Blaine has brought such a sense of comfort and compassion to my freshman year so far, despite the unique circumstances. She is always there with a smile whenever we need it!

Katherine McCabe ’24

This year, leading our school during such a challenging time, Ms Blaine ensures her door is always open and has allowed SGA members and me to grace her with our presence each Friday to discuss upcoming events, the struggles of the week, and just life. She truly has a love for her students and Visitation that cannot be matched.

Emma Kirby ’21

A Moment with School Nurse Heidi Greenhalgh

Heidi Greenhalgh BSN, RN, MS, CHES is Georgetown Visitation’s School Nurse. From supporting students with chronic illnesses to ensuring everyone’s vaccinations are up to date to promoting healthy behaviors to advocating for mental health awareness, Nurse Greenhalgh has cared for every member of our community during her time here, but never so prominently as during the pandemic.

When did you become a nurse? Why? I became a nurse 30 years ago. I have always taken great satisfaction in helping others. When I was younger this could be as simple as helping my grandmother go for walks or consoling a sister after she fell off her bike and scraped her knee (I remember putting ice cream on her gashed knee to make it feel better, yikes!). I decided to go into the nursing profession to help others in a more significant way by easing suffering and utilizing modern therapies that help heal and, many times, save lives.

Have you always been a school nurse? No, I started my career in a university hospital setting and practiced mostly medical surgical nursing. I am a military spouse and left the workforce for many years to focus on my family while we moved and traveled in and out of the country. I reentered the workforce as a cardiac care nurse and really liked the fast pace and high patient acuity levels in the hospital setting; everyday was something new and exciting but I was also drawn to patient education and felt I could have a greater impact if I focused on disease prevention. With school nursing, I have the opportunity to disseminate health information in the community setting so that members are given the tools to maximize their health potential (and maybe even to prevent them from ending up on that cardiac care floor).

When did you come to Visitation? I came to Visitation six years ago, shifting from clinical nursing to school nursing. Visitation is my first school nursing job and the first time I stepped off the hospital floor.

What new challenges has Covid-19 presented to you in this role? In pre-pandemic times, my goal for the health office has always been to promote a safe and healthy environment that contributes to academic success. That has not changed but the process has changed significantly. The new Covid-19 recommendations for schools required a lot of research, collaboration, and implementation of constantly

changing health and safety guidelines. What I continue to struggle with is supporting both staff and students as they deal with the isolation, anxiety, and stress as a result of those restrictions—restrictions that not only keep the students and staff safe, but also the family members at home. We know that making social connections is important for all of us, but especially for adolescents. We have had to ask them to stay six feet apart, wear a mask, limit social gatherings, and not participate in extracurricular activities, which is contradictory to everything we have encouraged them to do pre-pandemic. The pandemic has made it amazingly difficult to foster social connections and nurture relationships within the school community. Throughout it all, Visitation students and staff alike have shown true character and resilience.

What do you love most about your job? The students!

The young women at Visitation amaze me everyday. Their kindness towards others, their devotion to help those in need, and their ability to empathize shows intelligence, compassion, and maturity beyond their years.They are witty and are able to make smart, yet funny connections with their personal experiences and classroom knowledge. I get to witness that positive energy everyday. What is your favorite Salesian Little Virtue? I have to choose? Can I pick two? These two Little Virtues, if we all practiced a little more often, could help us maximize our potential to be healthier in mind and body!

Gratitude Practicing gratitude helps affirm there is goodness in our lives. Gratitude helps us recognize that the source of that goodness is outside ourselves and helps us connect to something larger. Practicing gratitude is consistently associated with greater happiness. As I sip my coffee every morning I bring to mind three things I am grateful for; it helps set a positive tone for the rest of my day.

Joyful Optimism Optimists believe good things will happen. Optimism ignites resilience, providing energy to power other resiliency factors. It facilitates an active and creative approach to coping with challenging situations. The research supports that optimistic individuals, compared to pessimists, tend to have more successful social relationships, be healthier, and are more engaged in the pursuit of their goals.

2020-2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

WILLIAM CRITTENBERGER is the head of school at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, VA.

Bill has worked at seven independent high schools during his 35 years in the field of education. He provided eight successful years of leadership as Headmaster at St. Anselm’s Abbey in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, he was Assistant Head of School as well as Academic Dean at several schools in the Washington area, including Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Landon School, and Bullis School. In Bill’s roles, he has demonstrated an expertise in curriculum development and integration. He led his schools in effective enrollment management, system and process evaluation, and strategic planning. Bill holds an MS in education from Johns Hopkins University and an MA in history from Yale University. He completed his undergraduate degree in journalism at George Washington University after attending the U.S. Military Academy for two years. His two daughters are members of the Visitation Classes of 2010 and 2016.

VERONICA EWALD ’89 has been with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the past fifteen years,

first as a patent examiner and then, for the last eight years, as a supervisor in the materials and chemical engineering group. Veronica graduated with a BS in chemical engineering in 1993 from Virginia Tech and received her MS in civil engineering in 1998 from the University of Hawaii. She started her engineering career working as a Department of Defense contractor developing hazardous waste and pollution prevention guidance. Veronica worked as an education advisor for the United States Education Information Center (USEIC) in Singapore from 1999–2002. After returing to DC, she shifted careers from the environmental world to patents. She believes in the importance of STEM, as evidenced by her volunteer work as an Odyssey of the Mind coach, science fair judge for the Arlington diocese and First Lego League Build Day “builder” at the USPTO. Veronica lives in Alexandria, VA, with her husband and four sons.

DAVID HILAL

is an executive fellow at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Global Investing. He also regularly guest lectures at Villanova University. He holds an MBA with a concentration in finance, and a BS in mechanical engineering, both from the University of Notre Dame; he is also a CFA charterholder. David spent 20 years in equity research at Friedman, Billings,

Ramsey Group, Inc. He was a senior managing director at the firm and the director of research. In this role, he oversaw the equity research department that consisted of up to 70 research professionals. Previous to this role, David was a senior technology, media, & telecom equity analyst, with a specialization in enterprise software. He also served on the firm’s 401k committee. Prior to FBR, he worked at American Management Systems as an IT consultant. His daughter is a senior.

JULIE O’MALLEY

MOELLER ’93

is the director of high school placement at DC Prep, a network of charter schools in Wards 5, 7 & 8, where she supports 8th graders and their families in accessing strong high schools throughout the DC area and beyond. Prior to this role, Julie taught algebra both at DC Prep and at Mother Caroline Academy in Boston. She was a 2018 recipient of the Honored Educator award for her work at DC Prep. She attained an MEd from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a BA in economics from Northwestern University. Before finding her calling in education, Julie worked as a consultant for Oliver Wyman advising Fortune 500 companies on strategic business decisions. Julie is the chair of the enrollment management team at Saint Ann School in Arlington where her two children attend.

Dear Friends, one and all,

How I wish I could send each one of you a personal message of deep gratitude for the lovely messages you sent to me via the “Boombox.” You surely have enabled me to take a trip down memory lane. I had an especially grand time reliving my innocent years as a Latin teacher! To each one of you who took time to share remembrances of time together—as family, classmate, teacher, and administrator, I offer warm thanks and a promise of prayerful support. How deeply grateful I am! Blessings to all!

Visitation LEAPs In to the School Year

When it became clear last spring that the Coronavirus would prevent normal school operations in the 2020–2021 school year, Visitation’s leadership team sprang into action. Over the summer, faculty and staff on the Coronavirus Task Force, in consultation with the Board of Directors and the Board’s Coronavirus Committee, worked together to create our Learning Excellence Action Plan (LEAP), which provides a continuous community learning, teaching, and work experience steeped in Salesian tradition, committed to excellence and equity, informed by best practices, and responsibly aligned with current public health directives and guidance.

At every juncture, Visitation has placed the highest priority on the safety and well-being of community members: students, faculty & staff, the Sisters, and families. The school balanced that need with the desire to deliver the best school experience possible.

Decisions have been rooted in public health guidance and reflect local and regional health conditions as monitored through key public health benchmarks. The school refers to the Centers for Disease Control for nationwide guidance; in terms of local health conditions and recommendations, Visitation refers primarily to DC Health and the District of Columbia, but also gives consideration to Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Fairfax County, Arlington County, and other nearby locales, given the wide area in which our community members live. The school is in regular

dialogue with public health officials to ensure that we are well-versed in the specific implications of public health guidance for secondary schools like Visi.

A program of health practices were implemented to make Visitation as safe as possible for the community to return, including:

• implementing universal health checks;

• mandating masks on campus;

• facilitating six feet of physical distance throughout campus, including in all classrooms;

• promoting hand hygiene; and

• advocating staying home when sick.

To minimize the mixing of students on campus—and thus Covid-19 transmission risk—the school created three cohorts—Faith, Vision, and Purpose. The cohorts rotated, spending one week on campus and two weeks learning virtually. This plan facilitated bonding and continuity of learning, while allowing adequate space in all of our on-campus classrooms. To support virtual learning, over the summer,

Visitation’s tech team installed enhanced audio and visual resources all over campus, enabling teachers to stream classes from 35th Street into students’ homes. In addition, the school invested in software to provide greater visibility and improve small group collaboration.

In addition to creating a healthy campus environment, Visitation has also worked to ensure a vibrant educational experience for all students. Over the summer, teachers invested time in professional development, learning new technology as well as developing strategies for connecting effectively with students whether they are in the same room or learning virtually.

When the third trimester kicked off in March, every class was reunited— students returned in two cohorts (seniors & juniors and sophomores & freshmen). As of this writing, the entire faculty and staff is eligible to be vaccinated in the District and every day more are able to return to campus full-time. The joy on campus has been palpable as friends have reconnected and flocked outside to enjoy the spring weather.

Jakubowski, Wittschen Named Teachers of the Year

Science and math teacher Katie Jakubowski (top) and religion department chair Biz Wittschen (bottom) were nominated by their peers as Visitation’s 2019–2020 Teachers of the Year. These awards were established by the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools to recognize the devotion of veteran and novice Catholic secondary school teachers. The awards celebrate faithful service, excellence, best practices, and innovations in Catholic secondary school teaching.

After several years of a successful career in structural engineering, Katie fulfilled her lifelong dream of “taking science and math from the classroom applying it to solve real world problems” when she began teaching at Visitation. The broad engineering skills prepared her well to chemistry, algebra, and conceptual physics, but she has also brought her passion for experiential learning beyond the classroom.

In 2018 she formed a club for students to work side-by-side with architects, engineers, and construction technicians during the building on campus of a new center for innovative learning. Wearing hard hats and carrying slide-rulers, the girls experienced first-hand how they too could pursue careers in stem fields. Katie also moderates the Robotics Club and prepares students for competitions in metro area. She loves the Visitation community and its rich traditions and looks forward to riding the Gold Team trolley each fall for Gold-White.

Katie feels “blessed to work at a school that values and emphasizes not just a strong and rigorous education but a firm rooting in our beautiful Catholic faith.” With her husband Jared, Katie is the parent of three children, ages eight, seven, and seven months and lives in Northern Virginia.

Now in her 22nd year at Visitation, Biz began her teaching

Visitation after graduating from Cross College with a BA in religious studies and a minor in peace and conflict resolution studies. During her undergraduate years, Biz considered a career in education, but when a few college professors suggested she would be a great teacher, she was sold. Inspired by professors and women chaplains at Holy Cross, Biz relished the opportunity to help young women promote gospel values and become catalysts for positive change in the world.

During her tenure here, she has every subject in the religion department curriculum and has participated enthusiastically in the retreat and Christian service Over the past 22 years, Biz has noticed in her students who want not only to about and discuss social justice issues but to be involved hands-on in making the world a better place. She is a person who, when she sees a need, quietly goes about filling it.

Eight years ago, at students’ request, she began moderating the newly formed Always Our Children Club, as a safe space for sophomores, juniors, and seniors to discuss LGBTQ issues, both within Visitation and the greater world community, and to promote understanding of Church teaching through USCCB documents and Pope statements. Concerned for the dignity of all people, club members spread awareness of and educate about bullying, depression, homelessness, and other injustices suffered by the LGBTQ community.

A native of Long Island, NY, Biz and her husband Mark live in Silver Spring, MD, with their two daughters, ages five and nine.

In addition to Visitation’s two teacher awardees, Caitlin Farley ’07 was named Novice Teacher of the Year at Gonzaga.

From Stage to Movie Magic: Jesus Christ Superstar

The sets were built…the costumes were sewn…Tech Week was just about to begin…and on March 13, 2020, the Nolan Center stage went dark, closed due to the threat of the pandemic just one week before opening night of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

As Director of Performing Arts Neptune Pringle III put it, the cast and crew could have performed the musical for an audience and it would have been good—not perfect, but just about. “I was hit with all emotions at the same time—surprise, shock, and then problem-solving,” said Pringle after learning the show would be postponed. “You have to pick yourself up and press forward and come up with solutions. All of the work that the cast and crew put into the show was a driving force for wanting to make sure the show took place no matter what.”

“The musical was the highlight of my senior year,” said Grace Dwyer ’20, who was cast as Mary Magdalene last spring. “I was heartbroken because, for me, that was the climax of my time at Nolan. I was stepping into a leadership role and a show I loved so deeply.”

Dwyer and her fellow Visi Arts members held out hope until the last second. They learned in April that “JCS”—as the show is fondly called by cast and crew—would be postponed until the fall.

Pringle attended workshops and discussions. He heard from medical professionals and fellow performing arts directors. “I started drafting things out, putting ideas on paper,” he said.

“I realized: I can’t have everyone together. I can’t have them all on stage. I’m worried about the safety of the

orchestra. I started thinking—what if we shot the show…outside?” That question’s answer brought him to a new vision for JCS—a feature film.

“At first I was skeptical,” said Ally Hamilton ’22, who played Judas. “It seems ambitious. As he started giving more details, I was like, ‘We can do this. We can do this well.’”

Pringle planned out the scenes to be filmed all over the school campus, working within the constraints of a three-cohort model, in which cast and crew members were split and unable to be in the same space at the same time.

“My cohort was small,” described Hamilton of rehearsals with her fellow Vision cohort members. “I was talking to ‘Jesus’ and no one was there. I was talking to where he would be.” That is where movie magic came into play.

“God works in great, mysterious ways,” said Pringle. “It was as if Visitation was properly made for this.

Everything was set in place for us to happen. The campus worked.” Masked and socially distanced, the cast and crew spent time both on campus and in virtual rehearsals, eventually recording their songs from home. Everything was knit together by a production company.

Hamilton said one of her biggest struggles was in realizing she would be masked during filming. “I went and looked in the mirror—can people tell you’re sad without your mouth?” she said, noting how much she used her eyes, eyebrows, and body movements to express emotion during the film.

Dwyer was impressed with how the cast was able to portray emotions. Maddy Walsh ‘22 stepped into the role of Mary Magdalene. “She does a beautiful job…she was able to get the audience to empathize with Mary Magdalene and see that vulnerability,” shared Dwyer about her vision for the role.

Hamilton watched her performance with family—who “still said it was cool after we watched it three times”—and shared: “It’s such a once-in-a lifetime feeling to see yourself with a part you love and a cast you love, and you aren’t all together, but you look like you are. To be part of that community who can make it through obstacles.”

Pringle credits both casts and crews with the success of the fall film. “The cast and crew were amazing. They met expectations and exceeded them. They were extremely professional,” he said. “I know they miss being together as our family, as we call ourselves, but I think the separation and learning how to work together separately made everything stronger.”

CREDIT: SARA MANZANO ’21

LIVING JESUS

Students Spend More than 6,000 Hours Serving Others During Pandemic

Since March 13, students have devoted more than 6,000 hours of their time to helping others. As of January 2021, over 1,000 acts of service have been submitted to the Christian service office. When health and safety restrictions reduced the number of in-person service opportunities, Visitation students asked what they could do to serve others.

“It was almost like there was no pandemic when you look at the number of hours,” said Director of Christian Service Lisa Stacy “The call to serve and the answer was equivalent. [They asked,] ‘How can I shift my answer to the call to serve?’”

“Right after spring break, the ingenuity and creativity really kicked in. That’s when we started seeing Virtual VAMOS, Cubs for Compassion, writing letters to senior citizen centers, helping send food to food banks,” said Stacy.

Senior Isabel Zamer started with making masks for others— a call to service several students also followed, putting their sewing talents to work. I wanted to make sure that everyone had what they needed to be healthy during the pandemic,” she said. “Just because there is something terrible happening, there is still something you can do to help other people.”

Since then, she’s launched IZProductions, filming storytimes for elementary-aged students for her YouTube channel. “For me and a lot of my classmates, staring at a screen—by the end of the day, it is hard to focus. It takes a lot of discipline. If I’m struggling, I [thought], ‘I wonder how little kids are doing,’” Isabel shared.

Tutors Bridget McGuiness ’20, Mary Daniels ’20, Carolina Zubler ’21, and Marianna Bonilla ’21 maintained contact with their VAMOS community when their weekly tutoring at Our Lady of the Americas halted due to the pandemic. However, they missed connecting on a weekly basis. So did their students, who needed their support as their education shifted to distance learning.

VAMOS shifted their weekly tutoring sessions to video conferencing. “While we can’t replace the laughs, the games,

and being in the same physical space, coming together virtually infuses our routines with a familiar sense of joy,” Marianna said.

Cubs for Compassion was born last spring—members of the Class of 2022 who fundraised to purchase restaurant gift cards to distribute to healthcare workers at the onset of the pandemic. This met two needs—supporting the frontline workers responding to the pandemic and the local business owners whose restaurants had closed due to safety restrictions.

“Ultimately we want to help as many people as possible,” said Elizabeth Thompson ’22 “Now because of the economic struggles that many people have had to endure due to the pandemic, we have focused our attention on the poor and homeless.”

Cubs for Compassion recently fundraised over $700 to purchase Bombas socks for area shelters; when they received the donation of 1,000 socks from Bombas, they were thrilled to brainstorm how to use those funds for a new project.

“Now we have more money for the next good deed,” said Maddie Jackson ’22

Sisters Nailah ’22 and Nadia McBeth ’24 saw how loneliness and isolation were negatively affecting senior citizens and wanted to help. Thus “Senior Glowup” (SGU) started, providing tech tips and tutoring as a basis for building relationships across the generations.

“Rather than accept a muted life during these turbulent times, our patience, perspective and faith allowed us to become more creative, resilient, and peaceful. Moreover, instead of falling into the void of uncertainty, we were fortunately able to become a channel for filling a void during the chaos,” the sisters wrote in a recent Loving Life, Living Jesus reflection.

“Since the pandemic started, the concentration is not on a [service hour] requirement; it’s about being who we are—being in that moment to go out and put their best foot forward by sharing the gifts that God gave them,” said Stacy.

If you wish to acquire the spirit of the Visitation, you must avoid all over-eagerness, doing everything in a spirit of gentleness and humility.

ST. JANE DE CHANTAL

20

YEARS OUR LIBRARIANS BEEN AT VISITATION

Ms. Burke (left) arrived at Visitation in August 2000; Ms. Jewell in August 2001 (right).

146

INFORMATION LITERACY CLASSES TAUGHT IN THE LIBRARY EACH YEAR, SPANNING ALMOST ALL ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS!

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD (7 JUNIORS AND 7 SENIORS)

At the suggestion of the Board, the library has extended the opening and closing hours, increased hours the week prior to exams and on reading days, and added furniture such as bean bags. 1897

PUBLISHING DATE OF THE OLDEST KNOWN BOOK IN THE LIBRARY, A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON.* COMPILED BY HENRY GEORGE LIDDELL AND ROBERT SCOTT. 8TH ED. AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

* It’s difficult to pinpoint the oldest book in the collection.Some of the earliest books were published without publication dates.The oldest are in the literature collection—books of poetry, Shakespeare, works in French. Some of those were in the library on opening day and stamped with Visitation Academy.

903 MEDIA ITEMS PURCHASED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS 720 BOOKS

45 EBOOKS

138 DVDS

The library also has the Ebook Academic Collection, a multi-disciplinary database that contains about 244,000 e-books, mostly nonfiction.

122 BOOKS IN SPANISH 97 BOOKS IN FRENCH 40 NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS 17 ONLINE DATABASE SUBSCRIPTIONS 14 BOOKS IN LATIN

11,221

UNIQUE TITLES IN THE LIBRARY

1,136 REFERENCE BOOKS

1,349 DVDS

2,233 FICTION BOOKS

6,213 NONFICTION BOOKS

375 MOST BOOKS CHECKED OUT BY A SINGLE FACULTY MEMBER

BECRIS, IVAN COLIC, KAPKLAM, LAYMIK, MRK, NAFIZ2019, JOE PICTOS, PRIYANKA, ARTHUR SHLAIN, ANNA SMYLIE, CREATIVE STALL, TAUFICON, THE ICON Z.

RECENT VISITATION LIBRARY-SPONSORED AUTHOR TALK FIELD TRIPS

SONIA SOTOMAYOR ALICE MCDERMOTT TA-NEHISI COATES BARBARA KINGSOLVER JOSE ANDRES ISABEL ALLENDE

Citizenship: From Ancient Rome to Modern America

In the spring of 2020, the history and social sciences team at Visitation launched a new initiative in their Global Patterns class to bridge the study of ancient civilizations with an understanding of current day geopolitical challenges. The idea is to ignite students’ interest with a question and then work backwards through history to untangle the roots of the answer.

What better challenge to tackle this fall than the election and citizenship in America! The natural ties to ancient Rome and Greece offered a jumping-off point for students to explore questions of what it means to be a citizen: who is a citizen? What rights come with that privilege? What responsibilities?

First year Global Patterns students particularly explored how rights and responsibilities have been decided along race and gender lines across societies and over time.

In re-imagining the course, they drew on the talents and passions of the entire social sciences team—Daniel Petri is a specialist in government and political science; Carolyn Fay brings deep expertise in psychology; and department chair Jane Hannon has a straight historical focus. Together with colleague Andrew Brown, who joined the team this fall, they are able to integrate concepts, approaches, and questions from across the social sciences spectrum to bring material to life.

After exploring the ancient roots, students moved forward in time to the founding of the United States, examining the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, then delving into the birth of the census, the civil rights movement, and the 14th

amendment. This historical framework helped students explore how Americans have debated the merits of a strong vs. a weak national government over time, how the Electoral College works and why it is controversial, how voting have rights expanded over time, and what limitations or obstacles still remain.

Freshman Sophia Brinkman observed, “When we were looking at the Athenian government, there were similarities and connections to how our citizenship and our democracy works. I was surprised to learn that although the idea in Athens was good, they lacked in inclusivity and involving all citizens and not just men who own property. We see this in our history as we gradually included more and more people when we spoke about ‘citizens.’”

When discussing the 19th Amendment, students read a piece from suffragist Alice Stone Blackwell that responded to arguments people were making at the time against women

having the right to vote: “Women are too emotional” or “It will eliminate gender roles in society.” Students were amazed to find that many arguments still made today about women in society and politics were also in this more than 100-year-old document.

Understanding our nation’s history provided them with valuable intellectual context for the national discussions surrounding the election. As part of their coursework, students watched election debates and made electoral college predictions. Brown noted, “Our students had a lot to say after the first presidential debate! ”

Fay added, “The election was such a big news story this year—they liked understanding it on a level where they could be knowledgeable about the issues and have informed points of view, particularly around the electoral college. Many students said they hadn’t ever really watched the debates or paid attention before. They liked feeling like they had intelligent things to say about what was happening in our nation.”

Other assignment highlights included conducting interviews with family members regarding their political participation, looking at historical and current political ads to see which worked and which were most effective, learning about polling and watching the polls, and joining an election night watch party hosted by Petri. Sophia shared, “My favorite assignment was when we were given sample questions that were actually

The fun—and challenging— part of a class like this, when you base things in current events, is that it is dynamic and you never know how things will turn out!

DEPARTMENT CHAIR JANE HANNON

Alice Stone Blackwell

on the naturalization test. It showed me truly how difficult it was to prepare for these kinds of tests.”

Given how heated this year’s election was, fostering civil discourse was an important part of the class. As teacher Petri noted, “Getting students to talk about politics in an objective way is always a challenge, but students did a good job of approaching the material in a non-partisan manner and our

WATCHING HISTORY HAPPEN

discussions were always inclusive and respectful.”

Fay added, “I was impressed with my students—they had strong opinions, but they understood the line between it being your opinion and being respectful of others viewpoints. I heard a lot of, ‘I understand this part of your view, but this is how I see things.’ I don’t feel I need to steer away from these topics. I felt the discussions we had were really good.”

Petri concluded, “Talking about the role and responsibilities of citizenship is a good way to get students talking about participation in American politics. I hope my students will become active and engaged citizens who appreciate and embrace the complex political world that we live in.” Added Brown, “To me, the real benefit is that so many of my students are excited to vote in the next presidential election.”

More than thirty students dropped in throughout the evening on November 3 for AP Government teacher Daniel Petri’s Election Night Watch Party. Petri invited students to analyze the media’s coverage of the election, including potential biases and how states were called, important races to keep an eye on, and the context around the presidential election itself, including what would influence the long wait for results.

The evening began in prayer with Fr. Patrick Kifolo, OSFS, Campus Minister. Principal Mary Kate Blaine, who has taught government, economics, and U.S. history over her education career, was also on hand to answer students’ questions.

Annie Paxton ’21 joined in on the live stream with Petri. “I learned a lot about the election process while watching the Watch Party,” she said. “It was helpful to have Mr. Petri, who is so knowledgeable, keep us up to date on election developments while also answering any and all questions we had. I appreciated that we were able to learn about the Senate races as well as the presidential election, because I hadn’t been focusing on those as much.”

FROM THE NOUN PROJECT: 1516, ALEKS, GIULIA, SHASHANK SINGH; WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PUBLIC DOMAIN: SHEALAH CRAIGHEAD, GEORGE GRANTHAM BAIN COLLECTION (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS), DAVID LIENEMANN, TEDEYTAN.

READ WIDELY BE PATIENT

READ WIDELY

Visitation Authors Outline Success

Visitation has long been well-regarded for the school’s stellar English Department. Both the Wicket and Georgetowner regularly garner accolades and awards for their strong writing. And, of course, the founder of the Visitation Order, St. Francis de Sales, is the patron saint of authors. So it is no surprise that Visitation counts many accomplished writers among its graduates. Whether focusing on poetry, fiction, or non-fiction, these women are sharing their passion, curiosity, and creativity with audiences around the world.

BRIGETTE ALLEN ’94

Brigette Allen is an environmental impact consultant who works with companies to minimize their environmental footprint. She formerly served as the director of partnerships for Plastic Oceans International and, while with them, authored her first book, Living Without Plastic She now has her own consultancy business helping companies reduce the use of plastic in the personal care, food and beverage, and travel industries.

What inspired you to write this book? I watched the film

A Plastic Ocean in 2016 and was blown away by the amount of plastic waste in the oceans. It was an eye-opening experience that led me to work with Plastic Ocean International to spread the message about plastic waste in the ocean. I also wanted to provide people with solutions to the problem. So I teamed up with Christine Wong and together we co-wrote the book Living Without Plastic for Plastic Oceans International. When did you start writing? My very first job after college required writing editorials for an online information service provider.

KATY DIDDEN ’91

A poet, Katy Didden explores the relationship between text and image, the history of the elegy, and creative writing and the environment. Her first book, The Glacier’s Wake, won the Lena-Miles Wever Todd Prize from Pleiades Press. She has been published in Ecotone, The Spoon River Poetry Review, Image, Poetry, 32 Poems, and The Kenyon Review, and her poems have been featured on Verse Daily and Poetry Daily.

What made you want to become a writer? I never really thought I would be an author, but my passion for reducing plastic waste drove me to write a book about solutions.

What do you love most about your job? I love to connect with people who are equally as passionate about the environment.

What is most challenging? Changing habits around what we consume on a daily basis is by far the hardest part of the work because we want things to be convenient.

Was your career influenced by your Visitation education? If so, how? Mrs. [Catherine] Mattingly, who taught English, was by far the most important and influential teacher at Visitation. She had a beautiful way of teaching that made the material memorable and relatable.

What is your favorite Little Virtue? My favorite Little Virtue is patience. It is so hard to be patient sometimes, because we want immediate results. However, some of the most meaningful experiences in life require a great deal of patience. What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Don’t give up! Be patient. Pick topics that you are passionate about. •

Tell me about your work. I’m a poet. My first book was The Glacier’s Wake I have a bunch of poems in the voices of creatures and features of the natural world.I find that practice really generative. I have a puzzle brain which is why I love poetry and music; I like the lyric form. When I was trying to find the voices of natural forms, I used formal constraints (for example, for the sycamore, I used Welsh

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syllabic forms, for the glacier, jagged edge free verse). I wanted to write in the voice of lava. When I was thinking of what would help me write that, I thought of the poetic form of erasure, when you take prose and look for a lyric form within it, leaving the poem in relief. My second book, Ore Choir: The Lava on Iceland, is a collection of multimodal poems in the voice of lava.

I travelled to Iceland on a grant. The eruption of 1783 stood out to me. It lowered global temperatures, causing a period of climate change that froze the Chesapeake Bay. It was devastating; six million people died worldwide; a third of the population in Iceland died. I really wanted to study what it means for people in Iceland to live with this threat. Thus was born this series of poems interviewing the lava.

I am currently working on a third book, which will be more narrative poems.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you? I am fascinated with geology and I love to travel. The poems in my first book were attempts to write about experiences in the larger landscape—Death Valley, Patagonia. They really activate my imagination. When you’re removed from what’s familiar, you’re more apt to pay attention to details and pay attention to what’s going on around you. In college, I took poetry and classes in the geology department. One was called Ring of Fire: Plate Tectonics and Volcanic Eruptions. My professors described the concepts using metaphors and I think that’s why they became fused in my mind.

When did you start writing poetry? I did start writing poetry as a kid, but I didn’t write poems in earnest until I was in college. I started out as a fiction writer. I was in a fiction workshop, where I would get feedback that there was no plot to my story, that it was not believable. Another student suggested I try another genre. I tried poetry and realized it was totally how my mind works; I was totally at home. What made you want to become a poet? It was more instinct than anything. I just kept making a series of small decisions, choosing to learn more and keep practicing it. What do you love most about your job? I love being in the zone when I’m writing. Just the way that it leads me to insight. But I think equally important, it leads me to marvelous people. I love the other poets I know and how they see the world. I love that I get to devote my life to reading these incredible texts. It happens on the page when I’m reading other poets. I’ve made some of my dearest friends through poetry. It’s very countercultural. I know in my bones it’s alive and thriving. Monetarily,

it doesn’t pay well. People who are poets do it for the love of it; it is a radical choice in that way.

What is most challenging? I teach, so I’m an academic. The hardest thing is how much I’ve had to move to pursue those jobs. I’ve lived in a lot of cities I’ve loved and the hardest thing is saying goodbye to friends. I currently teach at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana. This is my seventh university: I earned my undergrad degree at Washington University in St. Louis; I received my MFA at Maryland, my PhD at Missouri; and I’ve worked at Loyola Chicago, St. Louis University, and the University of Oregon.

Was your career influenced by your Visitation education?

I’m an English and poetry teacher. When I think about that, I am flooded with memories of my teachers at Visitation, both English other disciplines. One great advantage was how small the classes were. I really got to know my teachers. I felt very respected in that atmosphere. Knowing what I know now and how young high schoolers are, knowing we were taken seriously and challenged and encouraged at Visitation— those are all models for me in how I want to be as a teacher.

Thomas Mann once said, “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” Writing is very important to me and very difficult and I faced that at Visitation. I was a big procrastinator. I missed a deadline with Mrs. Mattingly. She didn’t totally let me off the hook, but she gave me context. That helped me stick with it. I appreciate all my teachers. Mrs. [Janet] Haas taught me math; that was the subject I improved in the most. When I told her how well I did on my GRE, the two of us were so excited!

What is your favorite Little Virtue? Hospitality. Because I’ve moved so much, I have an insider knowledge of how important it is to encounter hospitality. I feel immense gratitude for those who have opened their homes to me. When I moved to St. Louis, my college friend introduced me to a family that lived a block away from me. The first time I met them, I walked into their house and stayed for hours. They said, “You’re always welcome here.” That meant a lot to me. I try to always model that as well. Practicing that helps us do the work we need to do in terms of welcoming strangers and creating space for connection and letting people be themselves in a space; that’s something I strive for as a teacher as well—creating a space where people feel welcome.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? People often think that writing is a solitary act; there is this image of the writer going off into the cave and getting inspired and writing their opus. In my life, writing happens through community. Because writing is difficult, you need a community to support you. The best progress I’ve made in my work is when I’ve had a writing group. Find a writing group and make it fun—celebrate with each other and challenge each other and help each other keep writing. I did my MFA at Maryland and when I was there one of my friends from Visitation Katie O’Neill Theeke ’91 would invite me to her house. I’d go and have tea and then she’d go to her studio and paint and I’d stay in the dining room and write and then we’d have lunch. •

“ People who are poets do it for the love of it; it is a radical choice in that way.”

KELLY STANTON FORDON ’85

Kelly Fordon’s latest book is a short story collection called I Have the Answer Her novel-in-stories, Garden for the Blind, is a 2016 Michigan Notable Book, a 2016 Foreword Reviews’ INDIEFAB Finalist, a Midwest Book Award Finalist, Eric Hoffer Finalist, and an IPPY Awards Bronze Medalist in the short story category. Her first full-length poetry collection, Goodbye Toothless House, was chosen as an Eyelands International Prize Finalist and an Eric Hoffer Finalist for poetry and was adapted into a play. She is also the author of three poetry chapbooks.

Tell me more about your work. I started out in journalism. I was always more interested in fiction and poetry, but I didn’t think I could make a living doing that. I married my college sweetheart and one of my other goals was to have a large family because I am an only child and always wanted siblings. Many things get relegated to the back burner when you have four kids, and for a long time writing was one of them. However, I always kept a journal, so later when I had time, I was happy to discover that I had lots of material to work with from those chaotic years. Since I started in roughly 2004, I have written three award-winning poetry chapbooks, a full-length poetry collection, a novel-in-stories, and a short story collection.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you? My father always said, “Everyone has a story,” and imagining the stories of people allows me to cultivate a lot of empathy for the myriad situations in which we find ourselves. I write a lot about women and the suburbs because that has been my life, but I am currently trying to write something about growing up in politics, which is requiring more research and reflection because I was a child then, obviously, and missed a lot of the nuance.

When did you start writing? I’ve always read a lot and written in journals, but I really decided to pursue fiction writing and poetry in earnest in 2004.

What made you want to become a writer? Honestly, I think my father’s stories inspired me to be a writer. He told a lot of great tales about our Irish immigrant ancestors including my great-grandfather who was killed at the age of 27 in a streetcar accident in Cleveland—the Central Viaduct Streetcar Disaster of 1895, one of the largest transportation accidents in the U.S. at the time. The insurance money from the settlement with the

streetcar company ($10,000) allowed my great-grandmother, Delia Callinan, to loan my grandfather enough money to start a car dealership and save the family from poverty. My father went on to become a Congressman. I loved hearing stories about the moments that shape a person’s destiny, and perhaps the destiny of generations to come. His stories made me realize there’s always context and one should understand where you came from and the circumstances that led you to the current moment.

What do you love most about your job?

I love making up stories and writing poems. I know it’s the right life for me because when I am on a roll, a whole day can go by in a minute.

What is most challenging? It’s challenging when the words don’t come. There are long stretches of time when I am stumped by a story or a poem. I do have bouts of writer’s block and that is a terrible feeling.

Was your career influenced by your Visitation education?

If so, how? The education I received at Visitation was excellent. Sr. Mary Berchmans was very kind to me. I was kind of a rebellious kid, but when I went to college I was well-prepared, despite my own shortcomings. In fact, Kenyon College seemed like a breeze compared to Visitation. Mrs. Lacovara was the school counselor back then and often very firmly but compassionately steered me back on track.

What is your favorite Little Virtue? Well, I really have three. Honesty, liberty of spirit, and courage. I feel like people are often accepting of their own circumstances, generous, humble, kind, and patient, but less often courageous in the face of dissent, courageous in spirit, and honest. It’s hard to remain true to yourself and your beliefs when they run up against other people’s beliefs. As St. Francis de Sales said, “Be who you are and be that well.”

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? The best advice I have is to allow yourself a long period of apprenticeship. The first stories I wrote were terrible and I believed that meant I would never write a good story. In truth, I just needed more practice. Expect that the road to publication will be long. If you love writing, it will not be a burden to spend time alone practicing your craft. It will be a great delight! The real joy is in the process.•

LIZZY MASON GOLD ’99

Lizzy Mason began writing young adult novels after working in publishing. She is the author of The Art of Losing and Between the Bliss and Me

Tell me more about your work. The book I’m writing now is about grief. My husband recently passed away and I’m still grieving his loss and channelling it into this book. It is about a girl whose best friend dies by suicide. Writing this helps me channel my emotions into something useful. The first book I had published, The Art of Losing, was actually the third book I’d written. The other two involved fantasy and the paranormal. When I started on my third book, I went back to the second and homed in on what was real— taking something I had dealt with and knew intimately and knew teenagers could relate to: substance abuse.

I think it helps to write about things you are familiar with. I started with my experience of going to rehab when I was 16. I went to a party at 16; I was drinking and smoking pot. I came home and my parents gave me a drug test. My parents didn’t know how to deal with it, so they sent me to rehab. I had to talk to people for the first time, with people who got it and had been there. Part of the rehab program was going to AA meetings and there was a program for young people. I started meeting other young adults who had been through what I had or worse. It gave me perspective I hadn’t had at Visitation, exposed me to things I hadn’t seen before. I thought, “Maybe my life seems tough and my depression isn’t going to go away, but if these people can improve their lives, so can I.” It was something I wanted to write about and thank God I did.

I’m good at getting in front of teenagers to talk about depression and substance abuse. Kids come up to me—they seem relieved to be able to talk to someone who understands, to be able to say it aloud. It is good to be able to take the stigma away. It is not something we as a society are good at doing— talking about mental health. It’s not easy, but I want to be open about my own mental health and how we have ups and downs—you don’t have to deal with it on your own.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you? My inspiration comes from my own life or the things I have dealt with or seen in real life. I like to focus on topics that are serious or things I think need to be addressed in a serious way. I know how important they are. My next book is less personally inspired; it is about a girl whose dad is homeless and has schizophrenia. Her situation is something I’ve dealt with; she has anxiety and doesn’t know how to handle it. She doesn’t really understand it, and that makes her more anxious. When she finds out her dad has schizophrenia, she worries that she may have it too. She sets out to find him to learn more and to help him. The inspiration came from my life and from living in New York City; every day when I went to Dunkin Donuts, there would be a man on the corner with no shoes or shirt just staring

blankly into space. I wondered what happened to him and what his family was going through. The hereditary aspect of mental illness is difficult; it weighs on you whether that will happen to you as well, so that is something I wanted to capture.

When did you start writing? What made you want to become a writer? I was always a writer. My mom [Mia Mason] was a creative writing and English teacher at Visitation. It was always really important to her that we be able to express ourselves; she always made sure that I had a journal to write down my thoughts and feelings and express myself. When I got to high school, I was not a great student. I have trouble focusing, I have attention deficit disorder. During class, I wrote short stories about myself or my friends or things I wanted to see happen instead of paying attention. Then I took creative writing with my mom. She’s a wonderful teacher; she inspired me to be a better writer. She taught me to be a writer from when I was little. She taught me to write more creatively. For my senior year independent project, I wrote a story with a friend; it was my first real young adult story not about me. That was really formative for me. In college, I continued writing in class instead of paying attention. I started studying journalism, but I always liked the creative side more than going out and searching for a story. After graduating, I fell into publishing. There, I would read books that seemed like something I could write. I was only 22 or 23 at the time and I hadn’t lived. I didn’t know how to write about being an adult, so I wrote what I knew. The Young Adult genre was just coming into its own at that point and the rest is history.

What do you love most about your job? I love meeting teenagers—my readers. I love going out and talking to teenagers in high school, partly because it inspires me to continue finding new stories for them. It also takes me back to my own experience in high school and who I was as a teenager, which were not happy times. Every day of being a teenager feels so immediate and important. As an adult you think more about the future, but as a teenager you live day-to-day. I like going and sharing my stories and hearing theirs. I especially love it when a teenager tells me how my stories have impacted them; it reminds me why I do what I do.

What is most challenging? The writing itself is the most challenging part. Sitting down to write every day is not

something I want to do. I’m not always inspired and sometimes I second guess myself. Writing a book is a long process and there are good days and bad days. But finishing a book or even writing a good sentence is enough to keep me going. Was your career influenced by your Visitation education? Absolutely! Being taught creative writing by my mom was a very important experience for me, but all the English faculty really are incredible at Visitation and inspired me in different ways. I appreciate their passion for what they did; it felt like they really loved their jobs. I was co-editor in chief of the Georgetowner, which was great leadership experience. I learned how to say things in a nice way; giving critical feedback and accepting rejection of my own work was really important and not something I had experienced before.

When I got to college, I didn’t have a lot of confidence in my writing. I had a professor first semester freshman year and she pulled me aside and told me I was a really good writer and encouraged me to be a writing tutor. What a difference it

SAM FRISKEY ’16

Sam Friskey is the author of Rabbit, winner of the 2018–2019 Penn Plays Fellowship and of the John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you?

I’m very dialogue inspired; I’ll get a line stuck in my head and write around it until I get an end product. I am also very interested in social justice and center my work on these issues. For example, my play Rabbit deals with mass shootings; the play I wrote for my senior thesis addresses climate change. When did you start writing? I’ve been a writer ever since I was a little kid. I would staple sheets together and write The Great Bumblebee Adventure I’ve always been writing, though when I applied to Visitation, I said I wanted to be president. What made you want to become a writer? I really love the level of collaboration involved in theater. I’ve been involved in the show going up and what’s really amazing is talking to the cast and the directors;people form a community around the work. The show-making process makes so many friendships.

Even at Visitation, however, most plays are centered around male characters; they call for a male protagonist or mostly male cast. When I got to college, theater involvement was 70/30 male/female. So, when I started writing for a festival, I started by only writing plays for women.

What do you love most about your job? What I love the most is seeing the work come to life, from the page to the stage. What is most challenging? The most challenging part is that the creative arts field is very expensive and not a very stable one to enter. One of the most unfortunate things is that people have to think, “How am I going to have health insurance?”

made—her having that faith in me to be able to teach other people! I really needed that confidence; it spilled over into my other classes. I was good enough at something to teach other people. It gave me confidence even in my math and science classes. All because Visitation taught me how to write a paper. What is your favorite Little Virtue? I think my favorite Little Virtue is patience because it is one I’m not great at. We all need to be patient with ourselves and others. I need it in this career! It often takes two years from when you sell a book until it hits shelves; that’s lots of waiting! What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Read as much as possible. I don’t think you can be a good writer without reading; it is how you’ll understand good sentence structure, dialogue, and story arc. Just having read as many books as I did as a kid, inspired me and taught me good lessons in how to be a writer. Reading is inspiring. While I’m reading a book, I’m usually inspired to put it down and go write. When I’m stuck writing, I go read a book and it inspires me to go back and write. •

That’s one of the reasons why I don’t “playwright” all the time. I also have a corporate job. Was your career influenced by your Visitation education? I was in theater for my four years—all eight shows. I was also editor of Wicket, and I wrote for Georgetowner I wrote in different genres, but I was always writing— mainly poetry and fiction in high school. I discovered playwriting in college.

I definitely think Jenny Mayo [former moderator of Wicket] was crucial; I was passionate about the Wicket, so I needed to develop skills to be good at it, like time management. Ms. [Stella] Schindler’s class is where I developed a love of poetry. Mrs. Mary O’Connell was such a good teacher, helping us develop self discipline and motivating us to be better. I was also involved in Kaleidoscope with Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Clay; that taught me to be more considerate of more diverse viewpoints and authorship. What is your favorite Little Virtue? Concern for others, especially during this pandemic—we need to be looking out for everyone in our community.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? (1) Try as many genres as possible even if you think you’ve found your one. If Penn didn’t have a student theater writing competition, I may never have found my passion. (2) Save your drafts.(3) When I was younger I was obsessed with getting published by 16, now I focus less on end product and more on creativity. (4) If it’s not fun, you’re doing something wrong.(5) Stay inside and stay safe so theaters can open as soon as possible—it’s a dreary field to be in right now. •

Above, actors perform Friskey’s Into That Good Night AUTHOR PHOTO BY MELANIE HILMAN

ALESSANDRA GELMI ’73

A journalist, novelist, and poet, Alessandra Gelmi is the author of the prize-winning novel Who’s Afraid of Red, a chronicle of love set against the Rwandan genocide. Her first narrative poetry collection, Ring of Fire, Selected Poems, 1972–2008 won first place from the National Federation of Press Women and was shortlisted for the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Book Award, later winning the Bronze Medal for Best (General) Poetry. She is currently a correspondent for The Epoch Times in Washington, D.C.

Tell me about your work. I describe poetry as dignifying the mystery. I’m interested in beauty, bonds we form with the child, the sea, the sinner. Does the story make you cry? The heart chakra interests me. Einstein said, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science.”

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you? I keep an apartment in Italy, in Bergamo, the city where I was born. From my bedroom windows, which I leave open in the summer, I can hear the hourly carillon of the Church of Santa Maria Immacolata delle Grazie and pigeons warbling as they roost on the terra cotta roofs below me. Beauty inspires me.

Sometimes I’ll steal a situation from the evening news. Who was it that said, “Immature poets imitate, mature poets steal”?

[Editor’s note: T. S. Elliot] Here’s an example: I learned more about love by listening to the story of a man who stood watch for 48 hours outside the Pentagon on 9/11. He stared at the smoke and ash until officials made him leave. He was waiting, he explained, for his wife to rise from the rubble. Sometimes a phrase I hear or read is the impetus for a poem. For example, I want to write a poem that stems from “the slow incantation of swans”—what a magnificent phrase.

When did you start writing poetry? I‘ve been writing poetry since I was about five. I used to get as excited about writing a poem as I did about getting a new Barbie. I went to boarding school in fifth grade and wrote poems to the nuns. What made you want to become a poet? I wanted a taste of the real world and needed to support myself, so I pursued a career in journalism—magazines, newspapers. I wrote about the arts, but always felt once removed from the discovery. I will never forget covering a Pen/Faulkner Gala honoring a brace of new fiction writers who read their work on stage. After it was over, I ended up sharing a cab with a New York Times reporter. After a blunt silence, she announced “We write, but they write.” I looked at her and smiled. I wasn’t arguing.

What do you love most about your job? I write because it feels good. My poems are treats to myself. I write because I am fascinated with the ambiguity of words, their universe of qualities other than description. I have no dogma or working aesthetic regarding poetry. There are no rules, just examples, and ultimately the poets I read and the poems I write reveal my preferences. I could say I try for the concrete image that is human, metaphorical, or metaphysically significant, but such explanations seem lofty and unnecessary; I want my poems to speak for themselves. Was your career influenced by your Visitation education? My academic life at Visitation was more challenging than my academic life at Columbia University or Dartmouth College. I was a boarding student my freshman year at Visitation, and we had study hall from 4–6 p.m, then again from 7–9 (if I recall correctly). Even then, I asked Sister Philomena [Tisinger] permission to leave my lights on later than assigned bedtime so I could finish studying! I remember an ancient history final exam with Sister Bernardine [Ferguson] (1970). We freshmen were responsible for 5,000 dates/places/events/ people. That’s what Sister Bernardine told me, later in life, but honestly I think it was more like 10,000! Brutal! Because I was musically inclined, I had private classes in voice and piano and was encouraged to practice an hour a day for each. I remember a recital where I sang an operatic solo for the entire school in the Odeon. Nobody booed, thank goodness! Same goes for a piano recital where I played a difficult Bach piece. So, to answer your question I was not concentrating on writing or English class at the time. I do remember taking aesthetics with Miss [Margaret] Elder, She was a luminary as a teacher, as an artist, and as a human being. I also still have my copy of Lorna Doone In a ceremony in May, certain members of the class, were given a leather bound copy of a classic for sustained A’s over the course of the year. One of the A’s I received was for math, which was rather droll since I had a tutor for algebra! What is your favorite Little Virtue? Patience. I have very little patience. I think patience is a big virtue. What advice do you have for aspiring writers? In tennis, if you want to improve, play with the best, someone you can learn from. Nowadays everyone thinks she’s a writer, has a blog, followers, etc., which is a beautifully democratic idea. But the reality is some writers have had more practice, experience, and training and have been given a gift or talent, and reading them can inspire you to spiral up to your highest potential. Now that syllabi are online, you can download the reading lists from many successful creative writing programs. These are vetted suggested readings which you can explore. •

MICHELLE MITCHELL MEADOWS ’88

Michelle Meadows has written ten books for children; her latest are Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins and Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles Her other books include Hibernation Station, Super Bugs, and Piggies in Pajamas

Tell me about your work. I love the music of language, and I think that’s what draws me to writing lyrical picture books for children. I’ve had 10 books published with Henry Holt/Macmillan, Scholastic, and Simon & Schuster. My goal with my work is to tap into the emotions of childhood and to write stories that are fun to read aloud. Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you? I get my ideas from life—meaning that I write about things that I’ve seen or experienced. I write about things that capture my imagination and about people I love. With my fiction books, many of them were inspired by experiences with my son, Chase. For example, Piggies in Pajamas features a family of five pig siblings. It’s really a story about my son and some of his antics. I just stretched my imagination and turned him into multiple pigs! With my nonfiction books, I have written about people I find fascinating. Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins is about the first black prima ballerina at the Metropolitan Opera in 1951. And my latest book, Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles, is about the greatest gymnast in the world. I’m really excited about it! These are both courageous women who faced obstacles and kept going.

When did you start writing?

I have always been a writer. My mother tells me when I was very young, I left notes all around the house about how I was feeling. I’ve loved words, books, reading, and writing my whole life. I started writing children’s books when my son was about two years old and he is now 24.

What made you want to become a writer? I think it was always the natural path for me. It’s who I am. Writing brings me joy. What do you love most about your job? A book always starts with me scribbling in a notebook, so I love how scribbles can turn into a book that kids can hold in their hands. There is a sense of hope and possibility going on throughout that transformation.

What is most challenging? The most challenging part is actually creating a satisfying story and bringing it to completion. I have lots of ideas, but only some of them will turn into a book.

Was your career influenced by your Visitation education?

I had been in a poetry club in elementary school, and I enjoyed sharpening my writing and poetry skills at Visitation. I contributed to the Wicket newspaper and worked on the Georgetowner literary magazine. I still keep in touch with the amazing Catherine Mattingly.

What is your favorite Little Virtue? Kindness

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? My advice is to write about your passions and don’t give up! •

These are just a few of the many authors who have graduated from Visitation. Here’s a glimpse of a few more:

ELISKA HASEK COOLIDGE ’59

Five American Presidents my Czech Grandmother and I and It is Best to Say Hello to the Dragon, winner of the 2010 children’s book of the year in the Czech Republic

SUSAN SANDLASS GARDINER JC ’63

Sandy Hook’s Lost Highland Beach Resort

SUSAN HANNAN ’61 & ’63

Georgetown Visitation Since 1799 (Second Edition)

VIRGINIA KANE ’18

If Organic Deodorant Was Made for Dancing, a poetry chapbook

SISTER MARY FISHER ’56

Living with the God of Surprise

MEGAN MACCUTCHEON ’99

Self Esteem Tools for Teens: A Modern Guide to Conquer Your Inner Critic and Realize Your True Self Worth

EMANUELLA MARINO PORTER ’96 Slapshot and the Great Skate

ANN BIGLEY ROBERTSON ’70

An Enduring Legacy: The Painting Collection of Georgetown Visitation

“Writing brings me joy.”

FRANCINE BARRON MATHEWS ’81

Francine’s first novel was published in 1993, just after she left the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and moved with her husband to Colorado. She has written a total of 28 books under her own name and the pen name Stephanie Barron, drawing on her study of the Napoleonic era in college, her field experience in the CIA, and her love of the New England coast.

Tell me about your work. I write almost exclusively about actual historical figures. We learn from the past how to live our own lives.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you? I write in part because I love to do research. Every book is an excuse to go down a rabbit hole. I think you write about what you want to learn. You educate yourself about it and then inhabit it. My ideas tend to originate in what I read.

I wrote a book called The Alibi Club; it takes place during World War II, in the last three weeks of June 1940 in Paris, right before the Germans invaded and occupied the city. The book

came about because I saw a play called Copenhagen by Michael Frayn; it is about Hitler’s chief atomic physicist, Werner Heisenberg, and his great friend Niels Bohr. Heisenberg goes to Copenhagen to persuade Bohr to work with him to create the atom bomb for Hitler. Their friendship is sundered. The play is about uncertainty. Did he ask him to work with him or not to work with the Americans? Bohr was later smuggled out and helped the Americans build the bomb. Heisenberg never succeeded in building the bomb for Hitler; it is unclear whether he could not or chose not to. I thought, “I have to read the book this is based on—Heisenberg’s War.” I read that and there’s a footnote about Marie Curie’s son-in-law. He had plans for a bomb in Paris in 1940 that was never built. This predates anything we did or the Russians did or the Germans. He died in 55 of leukemia and wasn’t around to tell the story. His plans have never been declassified. He interpreted World War II invasions differently. He saw the Nazis take Czechoslovakia, which had a significant amount of uranium ores, and then Norway, which possessed the only supply of heavy water. Then they came to Paris, where

Alumna Harriet Monroe 1879 founded Poetry magazine in Chicago in 1912. Poetry is the oldest monthly devoted to verse in the English-speaking world. Harriet Monroe’s “Open Door” policy, set forth in volume 1 of the magazine, remains the most succinct statement of Poetry’s mission: “to print the best poetry written today, in whatever style, genre, or approach.” The magazine established its reputation early by publishing the first important poems of T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Marianne Moore, Wallace Stevens, H.D., William Carlos Williams, Carl Sandburg, and other now-classic authors. In succeeding decades it has presented—often for the first time—works by virtually every significant poet of the 20th and 21st centuries. Poetry has always been independent, unaffiliated with any institution or university or with any single poetic or critical movement or aesthetic school. It continues to print the major English-speaking poets while presenting emerging talents in all their variety. In recent years, more than a third of the authors published in the magazine have been writers appearing for the first time. On average, the magazine receives more than 150,000 submissions per year from around the world. The organization’s blog is called “Harriet Blog” after her.

FROM POETRYFOUNDATION.ORG

his plans were, and where, at the Sorbonne, he had the only centrifuge in Europe. He pulled together a team of amateurs and got the uranium out and the heavy water and he stayed behind and joined the Resistance and built bombs for them. I was thinking how history is written by those who survive and he didn’t. And you end up with a story you feel compelled to tell.

My book Jack 1939 is another example of that. Jack Kennedy travelled on a U.S. Diplomat passport (because his dad was a diplomat to the United Kingdom); alone, he went to Moscow and everywhere in between to research his college thesis. So I created a story that had him spying for Roosevelt; that’s the fiction. When you read what interests you, you can go down all manner of rabbit holes and there are stories at the bottom.

When did you start writing? Any writer you talk to will tell you that people who do this tend to be born processing experiences through words. If I have any creative ability, it is verbal; it is a way of understanding what was happening to me and how to get through it. I wrote a lot of letters. I wrote poetry and short stories. That became more stories by the time I got to Visitation.

My father died the day after Christmas my freshman year. He had a heart attack December 13. I was a wreck. Sister Mary Berchmans drew me into her office and put her arms around me. It was an emblem of who she is. I was processing grief and shock. I was very solitary; the youngest of six girls, I was the only one left at home with my mom. Writing was a psychological and emotional outlet.

What made you want to become a writer? Most writers begin as readers. I was a voracious reader. I lived emotionally in books. The world of books and words became my personal landscape. My dream was to become a writer. The only things that last beyond mortality are in the world of art. Not that my writing is art, but the idea of permanence in the written word was very seductive to me.

What do you love most about your job? I’m fortunate in two ways. One, I started my published career before the digital age, when writing was a more leisurely pursuit. I’m not a bestseller. Today, the market is driven by franchise authors. The market is very much stacked against independent authors, so having early entree was critical.

Two, not being a bestseller gives me the freedom to write whatever interests me, as does writing under two different names. When I started writing, author Tony Hillerman said to me, “If I had tried to write anything at your age, I would have failed; you have to live to write.” He had written his Navajo series for years; he went to write a book about the Vietnam War and his publishers were so worried he would lose readers, they forced him to name it Finding Moon I’ve avoided that by not being famous. You have to walk a line between being unpublishable and being too famous.

What is most challenging? I am not a personality that likes to sell things. Most writers are not. We’re very good spending months at a time talking to voices in our heads. We’re not good at persuading other people to buy our work. As bookstores close, the model I was raised in is obsolete. The challenging thing is transitioning to social media marketing, which causes me discomfort. Nora Ephron said “I refuse to tweet.” I have to, but it is where most readers connect with me. So it is something that has to be done.

Was your career influenced by your Visitation education?

Nora Reap was my English teacher. She introduced all of us to Shakespeare and my mother got a subscription to the Folger and we would go to every production. Eileen Guzikowski was my favorite teacher. I was on a book tour three or four years ago and I was at Politics and Prose and there was Mrs. Guzikowski. I thought, “Oh my—she’s going to read my book! She’s going to grade it!” It was wonderful to reconnect. She asked a question about my historical sources and research. Also at Visitation there was an alumna named Victoria Richardson Heland ’65; she sponsored a writing contest every year. She gave prizes in poetry and I won every year. It gave me something to write towards. I’d win 25 bucks and I was happy. That simple act by an alumna was foundational; it got me writing, submitting stuff, willing to be judged.

What is your favorite Little Virtue? Courage, because courage is about going forward even though you are terrified. It encompasses strength and generosity because you have to give of yourself despite fear. I think fear is what limits people’s lives the most. I’ve always tried to follow Eleanor Roosevelt’s advice of doing something every day that scares you.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Read. Read Read. Writing is storytelling. I don’t care where you get them or how you consume them, but to master the tropes and structure you have to constantly absorb stories and words.

“

Every book is an excuse to go down a rabbit hole. I think you write about what you want to learn. You educate yourself about it and then inhabit it.”

UNIQUE DIVERSE & UNITED

PHOTO BY SCOTT WEBB

In 2006, Visitation named diversity as one of its core strategic priorities, noting that “Visitation is committed to embracing socio-economic, ethnic, cultural, racial and academic diversity consistent with its mission as a Catholic college preparatory school. The presence of diversity in our school community and a need for global awareness are necessary components of a well-rounded education. The school will focus on academic and co-curricular programs which increase student appreciation of these differences and awareness of social justice initiatives.”

Building on this work, in 2009, the Board of Trustees established a Philosophy of Community Culture: In keeping with our mission of “Living Jesus,” Georgetown Visitation is committed to fostering an institutional culture which honors the dignity and sacredness of every individual. As a Salesian community, we derive strength from the belief that all people, as children of God, merit respect and equality. To fulfill the mission of preparing students to respond in a Christ-like manner to others, the Church and the global community, we recognize that it is vital to continue to develop and maintain an environment which values diversity, in all its multiplicity. Georgetown Visitation believes that we are strengthened intellectually and morally when diverse voices, perspectives, and backgrounds are present. We believe God calls us actively to embrace empathy, equity, and social justice in our work to educate women of faith, vision, and purpose.

More than a decade after its creation, we look at how the Philosophy of Community Culture relates to our mission as a Catholic school, how it is rooted in our Salesian charism, and how it is being lived today.

BEYOND POLICY: A WAY OF LIVING

Head of School Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson underscored the importance and relevance of the Philosophy today: “Our Philosophy of Community Culture brings understanding to the community we serve, the larger community, and the public, what we value, and what our commitments are to each other and to the world in which we live. It’s not a policy statement, it’s a way of living.” While Visitation has had a Philosophy of Community Culture for over a decade, the school has renewed efforts to elevate its prominence within the community, to underscore shared values, and to clearly articulate expectations for community behavior. Beginning this year, the Philosophy will be featured in the parent/ student handbook and the employee handbook.

Noted Dr. Edmondson, “All of us—students and faculty and staff alike—will affirm our commitment to upholding the Philosophy of Community Culture each year.”

ROOTED IN OUR FAITH, ALIVE WITH OUR CHARISM 1

Christians believe that we are made in God’s image and entrusted with the care of one another. Pope Francis’s recent encyclical Fratelli Tutti underscored that all are called to see each other as brothers and sisters. When any individual is mistreated or disadvantaged because they are different, it goes against God’s will that each should love one another as God loves us. The papal encyclical echoes the views of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Speaking specifically about racism, the USCCB stated in their 2017 pastoral letter, Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, that, “Every racist act—every such comment, every joke, every disparaging look as a reaction to the color of skin, ethnicity, or place of origin—is a failure to recognize another person as a brother or sister, created in the image of God.” The letter invokes the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37–39) and notes that, “This command of love can never be simply ‘live and let others be.’ The command of love requires us to make room for others in our hearts. It means that we are indeed our brother’s keeper.”

Co-Chair of the Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee and current parent Leena Moore Donaldson ‘93 could not agree more: “‘Love thy neighbor,’ is key to the Catholic faith; We need to get back to basics, which for me is love, community, family—while different members look different or have different views, we’re all one Church.” Indeed, the Church is enriched by the multitude of gifts in its diverse members; as St. John Paul II said, “Each people preserves and expresses its own identity and enriches others with its gifts of culture.”

1 A charism is a living gift of the Holy Spirit to a religious order for the good of the Church.

Beyond the call to love thy neighbor, embracing diversity and treating every individual with respect is the essence of Catholic social teaching. Edmondson observed, “Catholic social teaching is a call to unity. Living in positive accord is God’s calling. We’re called as Christians to love one another to see the dignity of others, to see Christ in every human. To have a Philosophy of Community Culture is to say we are called and have an inherent responsibility to love and to care for one another.”

Fellow Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee

Co-Chair Mimi Cekuta ’08 emphasized the importance of social justice in the context of the Philosophy, noting that the Philosophy makes explicit that “social justice, which is a huge part of Catholic teaching, is a key part of the education at Visitation. It is a strong statement to end [the Philosophy] with that. It needs to be continually reinforced. Diversity work is not just ticking a box; a huge part of it is social justice.”

The work of empowerment, acceptance, diversity, equity, inclusion, and, most importantly, sharing the Good News that all are created in God’s image and likeness, is the call; Georgetown Visitation responds with a loud, intentional, “yes, and Amen!” The community engages with all members of its community, following Saint Francis de Sales’ directive in the Treatise on the Love of God: “All these together are called to the universe, perhaps because...[we are] unique and diverse, unique along with diversity, and diversity along with unity.”

Kathleen Curtin ’79, Chair of the Board’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, agrees: “God calls us to embrace empathy, equity and social justice—try to understand what others experience on a daily basis. To be women of faith, vision, and purpose, our students need empathy; social justice and service will follow. If you have empathy for one another, you won’t bully them. We are required to give these girls this gift of empathy before we send them out into the world.”

In addition to being rooted in the Catholic faith, the Philosophy of Community Culture is an expression of the school’s charism and directly related to its identity as a school in the Visitation tradition. In Educating the Mind & the Heart in the Visitation Tradition, a Visitation Salesian Network publication guiding the work of all Visitation schools in the United States, two of the six goals particularly relate to our commitment to building a welcoming community for all and advancing social justice.

Goal Three: Visitation schools build faith communities which call their members to understand the value of diversity and to respect the dignity of each person.

Goal Five: Visitation schools embrace and model gospel values of peace and justice in order to be catalysts for positive change.

Raynetta Jackson-Clay, Director of Student Activities and Diversity & Inclusion Co-Coordinator, shared that the Philosophy of Community Culture offers a template for the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion work. She noted, “At Visitation, we build respect and weave social justice into everything we do, whether activities, forums, or speakers. As a Catholic institution, these are foundational principles.” The Philosophy of Community Culture makes explicit the connection between diversity and inclusion work, Salesian spirituality and Catholicism. “When you frame it in loving one another and understanding one another, that puts it in perspective,” explained Jackson-Clay.

RELATIONSHIP: THE HEART OF OUR VISITATION CHARISM

St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center Director Olivia Wills Kane ’85 noted that the values of community and of embracing diversity are the very essence of the Visitation spirit. When you look at how the Visitation monasteries and schools self-govern, it becomes clear that St. Francis de Sales’ celebration of “liberty of spirit” is alive in today’s Visitation Salesian Network. Each Visitation house is independent, with its own distinct culture. The Sisters collaborate by desire and choice. So each is distinct and unique, but they share values and the bonds of community.

“We approach diversity, equity and inclusion from a standpoint that transcends basic justice, and recognizes sacredness in each person. Differences in our community are to be celebrated and seen as graces, not merely tolerated. As a community, and drawing from the wisdom on this topic by Sts. Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal, we see that diversity is a source of our strength.”

KITTY WACH

“Relationship is at the heart of our Visitation charism,” observed Kane. “A charism exists only insofar as it is lived. It can be described but never completely defined. A clever insight to charisms is that they aren’t taught, but rather ‘caught.’ One picks up the attitude, virtues, habits, and language, by being in relationship with those who live the charism.” Thus, for Visitation to fully embrace the Salesian virtues, community—and the loving embrace of all in the community—is essential.

BOARD DIVERSITY & INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEMBER

Sidonie Becton ’07, Co-Chair of the Alumnae Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, sees the Philosophy as a guide for fostering right relationships in the Visitation community. “Everyone’s voice and everyone’s differences will

GEORGETOWN VISITATION’S 2020 VISITATION SALESIAN NETWORK ASSESSMENT VISITING TEAM REPORT

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be respected. I think it is important to set that standard from the very beginning,” she said.

Donaldson remarked on the relationship between the Philosophy and our Salesian virtue of hospitality: “The Philosophy encourages and welcomes new families to Visi. If they see this, they know, ‘Regardless of my color or my religion, I will be welcome.’” The benefit extends to current students as well, affirming the school’s values and commitment to supporting and welcoming all.

VISITATION’S MISSION

Our mission is to empower our students to meet the demands and challenges of today’s rapidly changing and morally complex world. We guide our students to become self-reliant, intellectually mature, and morally responsible women of faith, vision, and purpose.

“Only by forging authentic relationships can we truly see each other as Christ sees us,” the USCCB stated in Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, “By listening to one another’s experiences we can come to understand and to empathize, which leads to those right relationships that unite us as brothers and sisters.”

Curtin noted, “We’re in a unique position as a Catholic, Salesian school…we believe everyone is a child of God. We need to find ways to connect with all members of our community. It is a big part of what we should be doing: helping educate people, helping them understand that and see that our actions tie into that, and how they tie into the commitment and the Salesian charism.”

Becton attended a Salesian elementary school as well and noted that St. Francis’ maxim to “Be who you are and be that well,” is not complete without the end of his statement, “to give honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are.” She observes, “We’re all special, unique, and worthy of respect. We’re all to give honor to God.”

EMBRACING LIVING OUR

In describing how integral mission, Edmondson leave our campus and community with great many different cultures, the time when they with someone with It speaks directly to changing and morally our students step back else’s experience. The who are good at relating, another’s shoes.”

Curtin emphasized Culture is not static, that people can apply school walls,” she intentionally live and Salesian charism since Salesian Center: highlighting visibly, reflecting on events. “It should be Direction of Intention,”

Peggy Judge Hamilton & Inclusion Co-Coordinator, directly connected understand and live teaching women of “at the forefront of Curtin offered a diverse student body, does everyone feel faculty, parents, feel encouraged by Visitation’s that has happened long way to go and shared purpose.”

Beginning with the 2021–2022 school year, Visitation will have Equity, and Inclusion. This individual will help create and direct inclusion programs and education for students, families, and all aspects of school life, from policy to curriculum to events, all members of our community embrace and live our Philosophy

One We Were

A ropes course full of giggles and laughter.

Reminiscing with fellow

THE IMPACT OF RETREATS AT VISITATION

The sunset at Camp Maria.

seniors before graduation.

AND BEYOND

Retreats are part of the fabric of a Visitation education, woven into programming from freshman year to right before you walk through the Green Gate. But beyond that moment—what do you take with you?

“Retreats speak to Salesian simplicity. We are stepping away from the noise of social media, the immediacy of what is in our home, to get focused, to clarify,” shared Olivia Wills Kane ’85, Director of the St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center.

Campus Minister Father Patrick Kifolo, OSFS, added, “When you take the time to sit and reflect for yourself and among others, and have that downtime, that allows all that stuff to start getting into our hearts and allows connections to start happening and allows relationships to build and grow, and that’s what [students] remember.”

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

Since stepping into the role of Campus Minister six years ago, Kifolo—known to students as “Fr. Pat”— has worked to seed the Little Virtues and Salesian Spirituality more clearly into the school’s retreat offerings—one retreat per academic year at Visitation: Freshman Challenge Day, Sophomore Service Day, Junior Retreat, and Senior Retreat. Kairos—the optional, Jesuit-originating retreat Visitation began offering in the mid-2000s—was adapted at that point in time with a Salesian lens. Beyond what is typically considered a retreat, Kifolo also emphasized that community moments like Diversity Day and Founders Day are also moments for reflection—“mini-retreats” on campus.

Retreats are about relationship, said Kifolo: “Our actual interactions are practical ways of living out our faith every day. That’s what allows us the light of God—we are made in His image—that we are allowed to shine when we truly Live Jesus and tap into all that.”

The “Challenge Day” at the beginning of freshman year focuses on the Salesian theme of Holy Friendship, and as those bonds grow, the spring of sophomore year brings an opportunity to put that into action in service to others in the local community.

By junior year, the timeless October retreat to Camp Maria offers an entire class time together. While much of the retreat content remains unchanged, Kifolo has integrated the idea of being humble—a Little Virtue— before God, being gentle with others, and being patient with oneself. “I think it’s the first time that they get to spend so much time with one another,” said Kifolo of the impact of Junior Retreat. “They get to spend those three days together.”

Sharing your personal story in a small group of classmates who then become your best friends.

The senior-year retreat is retrospective and asks the question: what will you take with you? “You’re in this liminal space,” said Kifolo of seniors. “You’re not quite something else, you’re not there yet, and you’re in this in-between.” Before graduation, seniors take this time to reflect on what impact they’ve made on Visitation, and the impact Visitation has had on them. They consider how they’ll live what they learned in the real world.

“It’s optimistic. It’s relational. It’s practical,” explained Kifolo. “God is good. That lens we use to address and enter into a relationship, any relationship, is important. We recognize ourselves and others as of worth, of value.”

THE SISTERS’ INFLUENCE

Kane likens the retreat experience to the cloistered experience of the Sisters. “[Retreats] connect us to one another and in a deep way, to the spiritual tradition of the Sisters for prayer. Their vocation is one of community and prayer,” shared Kane. “It is a secular way of cloistering ourselves. We cloister to be in community with others, to be in a similar vow, to be in sisterhood with one another.”

The Visitation Sisters attend school retreats from time to time. Alumnae recall Sister Mada-anne and Sister Claire Joseph joining them at Camp Maria and Kairos. Kane remembers, “It was how I understood the Sisters to be my friends and spiritual companions.”

She hopes the girls will see retreat experiences as nourishing and that they will, beyond the Green Gate, carve out time to be in a focused conversation with God. “A habit of heart will continue,” Kane noted.

Retreats also grow the holy friendships alumnae treasure—like that holy friendship found in Mary and Elizabeth. Kane calls her own junior retreat one of her “top ten” moments in life. “I think every Visitation girl has that iconic photo. The one with the sunset, on the dock. That was the moment that

bonded our class,” she said. “We were one. All the barriers broke down. There was more we had in common than was different. I was in love with Visitation, and in love with my class. I felt so good about myself and my faith.”

St. Francis de Sales wrote, “We pray best before beauty.” Assistant Athletic Director Amy Devere has found this to be true on the nearly 30 Kairos retreats she has chaperoned since they first launched in the 2000s. There is always time to walk and reflect during the Kairos retreat, and Devere takes this time to walk to the lake where Kairos is held and take a photograph—she has one in almost every season.

Kane said of her junior retreat— “It was the first time I realized the majesty of creation. It was a place to get away from the everyday stuff. The power of nature where you could slip away from distraction. That’s where I would find God.”

Today, Kane looks back at her retreat experiences and says that when someone in her class has a need, they show up for one another. “At many points, we were Mary and Elizabeth to each other. Women going in haste to one another, and being of service, and offering themselves as a bearer of Christ,” she said. “Retreats provide a seed that so much later will bear fruit.”

OPTING IN (KAIROS IMPACT)

While freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior retreat are required for students to attend, Kairos is the first optional retreat opportunity for students. Longtime religion teacher and Chair of the Religion Department Elizabeth Wittschen said, “Kairos is not mandatory. What a wonderful thing that students have chosen to take a step back from everyday commitments to pray and to step outside their comfort zone to experience something brand-new that they don’t know much about. For students to experience a more reflective and intimate experience. That’s hard to do with full-class retreats. All retreats serve a different purpose and this one is really personal.”

Wittschen worked with now Father Mike Vannicola to bring Kairos to Visitation in the early 2000s. Students had heard about it from brothers and friends at Jesuit institutions and were eager to adapt it to a Salesian model.

“The Kairos retreat is focused on relationships with self, others, and God and how all those things come together,” explained Kifolo. “It’s where they see it in a much clearer light. They’ve been learning all this head knowledge around faith and things, and then on the retreat, they have an encounter that allows them to feel it— the head and the heart come together in a very unique way.”

“I think they get a better understanding of themselves and their faith and where it fits into their lives. It’s easy—it’s osmosis in Catholic school, and until you dig down, you miss aspects of it. It’s peripheral because you’re in religion class, you’re attending Mass, you see the Sisters,” said Devere. “[At Kairos] you are forced to think about it—it makes you dig deeper and to be more honest

with yourself about these things. It’s a great opportunity to remove yourself from tech and the business of the world and just sort of ‘be’ instead of having to react.”

Devere shared that while chaperones have the schedule for the retreat, they do not provide it to students. “Don’t worry about what’s coming up next,” she said. “Participate in the now.” This echoes the “very Salesian” theme of living in the present moment.

One important aspect of Kairos is the impact of small groups, which cross friend lines and sometimes grade levels, though Kairos is typically attended by seniors. Because the retreat occurs multiple times a year, students sometimes end up on a different retreat than the one they had hoped to attend. Both push students outside their comfort zone—and that’s intentional.

“Kairos is God’s time and God puts you on this one because you need to hear from it at that point in your life, whether that’s first trimester senior year or second trimester junior year,” said Devere. She encourages the girls to

remember that “God works in mysterious ways and puts you on retreats when you get the most out of it.”

Students of all faiths have attended Kairos and found it valuable, Wittschen noted. “It’s really a retreat about relationships—with self, with others, friends, family, and the wider community,” she said. “Who are you called to be? How are you being called to live? If you are being called to be this person, what are your values and how do you live those in the world?”

“I’m always surprised at what part [of Kairos] the girls relate to,” said Devere. “As many retreats as I’ve

[ PAGE 37 ] Camp Maria, 2016 [ OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP ] Amy Devere poses with a small group of students during a Kairos retreat in 2016; the lake where Kairos is held— Devere photographs it during each retreat she chaperones.

[ THIS PAGE, FROM TOP ] The Class of 2023 at their Freshman Challenge Day & Retreat; Sophomore Service Day Class of 2021

Molly Gradowski Herrera ’07

attended one of the first Kairos retreats at Visitation. Her experience on retreats like Kairos and service retreats like “Encounter the Gospel of Life” were a basis for her passion for supporting youth and young adults in their faith. Herrera joined the leadership of the Archdiocese of Washington as its program director for young adult and campus ministry just as the pandemic broke out.

“I know in ministry we talk about how retreats can be a mountaintop experience and the challenge is, how do we work with young people after those experiences to maintain that consistency in faith? So many of my moments of growth spiritually happened in those mountaintop experiences as a young person,” said Herrera. “I feel so much value—it allowed a space for me and for young people to experience the depth of our own spirituality and in our own relationship with God that we’re still kind of discovering as this adult relationship with God.”

The opt-in mentality of Kairos, service retreats, or those beyond the requirements play a part in how powerful the experience can be for students, said Herrera. “It gives a space to authentically, genuinely, joyfully experience [our relationship with God] around mentors, peers who were looking for that kind of experience and growth and connection and encounter with God. As a teenager it is not necessarily what people are prioritizing and focused on. It set me up in a good space to continue on that journey in college as well,” she explained.

Herrera attended John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH. With a passion for serving others that had grown in her time at Visitation, she joined service retreats in Nicaragua, Mexico, the Appalachia, and Rwanda. Upon graduation, that call to service did not leave her; Herrera spent a year in Ecuador working at a street shelter for young boys and running an afterschool program. She stayed in Ecuador teaching for three more years, meeting her now-husband before returning to the United States and joining St. Rose of Lima Parish in Gaithersburg, MD, as its coordinator for youth ministry and young adult formation.

She believes in the impact of retreats for young people, especially young women. “What’s incredible—and what was incredible for me about Visitation—and young women going through it—it instills a sense of strength. I know in the Little Virtues there’s humility and gentleness, but in addition to those, it also sets a solid foundation of strength within our faith and courage to be spiritual leaders whether that is in our parishes or faith communities or even among friends,” she said.

In retreats that are peer-led like Kairos, she saw role models as a teenager and shared that becoming a leader for Kairos

after her own was very powerful. “I think that something that can be hard in messaging and communicating to young women is that [women are not only] ‘spiritually timid’ or ‘meek’ or ‘humble of heart,’ which is beautiful and should be celebrated; that women are courageous and strong and can be authentically themselves, and that that in itself is holy.”

The Sisters played a part in reinforcing that message for Herrera. She shared, “When you’re living it, you don’t realize how unique and special it is to be in their presence, but it is something I’ve held onto since Visitation and I am very grateful to the Sisters.” She found inspiration in their joyful, authentic holy friendships with one another, and with students like herself.

Beyond high school, Hererra feels retreat opportunities can be incredibly valuable to adults. “For young adults and adults, even though they aren’t necessarily transformative parts of our lives, they’re still so impactful because we reconnect with God in a deeper way than everyday lives,” she said.

Today, Herrera supports parishes and colleges in their programs with young adults in their twenties and thirties across the entire Archdiocese.

Herrera prioritizes the “mini retreat,” like the Sisters do, ensuring that she has time for daily prayer. “If I’m not taking at least 30 minutes to slow down and reflect, my days feel that much more hectic. I think it’s similar to a bigger picture with our lives,” she explained. “If we aren’t taking the time to step away, it can make it difficult to reset and have an opportunity to be filled deeply and to pour out into our lives.”

The pandemic was a wake-up call for her office and she dove into the work headfirst. “Everyone was forced to reevaluate what we were doing and reflect on everything,” she said “We were in need of creating programs to reach people and help parishes reach their people in a way they’ve never been forced to before.”

“We asked the question, what is most important for young adults at this moment in time? We felt like, after discernment, reflecting, and prayer—young adults without a pandemic were lonely. In a pandemic, it was exacerbated,” Herrera shared.

Small groups on retreat often plant a seed for growing friendships. Herrera sought to replicate that connection through small groups throughout the Archdiocese—it’s one of the things she is most excited about in her role. They launched over 50 small groups: “I wanted to make sure no matter where you were within the Archdiocese, you could look at what was being offered and say I think I can find a community or a home here.”

Being intentional about both one’s education and one’s spiritual foundation is a hallmark of a Visitation alumna. Herrera believes it makes a difference in both your own life and the lives of those around you when you prioritize holy friendship and reflection. “The effect multiplies,” she said. “They lead and mentor...and live their lives as witnesses and examples of faith, authenticity, integrity, and humility. I think it compounds into who they touch.”

been on, I’ve had that many different experiences. The girls are in different places. It might be your 20-something and it’s their first. As a chaperone, that’s hard—you forget that it’s a progression because you’ve been through it. But it doesn’t take long to snap out of it.”

The “hype” around Kairos, and the idea of a transformational experience, can make some students feel pressure around the retreat, shared Rachel Pineda ’21. “Kairos is hyped to be this huge, life-changing event where it’s like something insane happens and your whole life is changed. For me, this wasn’t quite the case—I didn’t experience a life-altering moment like a tangible shock through my body, but rather the most beautiful perspectivechanging experience over the entire four days — and Kairos still changed my life.”

“A lot of people think that Kairos will ‘fix’ them—that’s not what it’s about,” said Devere “These retreats are meant to look inward; you aren’t going to get all the answers on one retreat. It’s a stepping stone and it doesn’t end when we get back. There’s still a lot of work you have to put in when you get home, too.”

“At Kairos, you come to think of yourself and your experiences with others in a new light. What I learned from Kairos is that it’s all the small things that add up to make this experience one of the most special experiences. Whether it’s sparking up random conversations with people you rarely talk to or laughing about old jokes with old friends, Kairos brought about the best times for me,” Pineda said. “I made some of my best friends on Kairos, especially in my small group, and have amazing memories that I still hold so close to my heart. I learned that everyone’s experience is different, and I think that’s the beauty of it—you can make Kairos your own all dependent on how willing you are to grow as a person and in your relationship with God.”

Wittschen admires students who make the choice to “opt in” for Kairos.

“It’s counter-cultural to say we are going to take time away, to sit, to pray, to have a conversation with peers and teachers about meaningful, important things,” she said. “It’s unquantifiable to assess the value of it. It speaks to what we value as a school. In the pandemic all we hear is self-care. Take time for you. This is the deepest quorum of caring for oneself.”

PRIORITIZING RETREATS IN ADULTHOOD

Kairos was the first retreat Devere chaperoned, encouraged by a student to go along for the journey. “It’s good for me to reset myself, pull myself out of my own little world and go support the girls. I have time with colleagues and friends. We get to step away from our computers. It’s a retreat for myself, in a way,” she said.

Devere prioritizes chaperoning moments like Kairos or World Youth Day. “I always say, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them in the classroom and on the sports field. This is another way to see them,” she explained. “It’s important for the girls to see we care in different ways, and we’ve had struggles they may have, too—faith, family, etc. We’re still doing what we’re doing and helping. We’re human, too.”

Wittschen feels similarly: “I’m so grateful that Visitation and Kairos

provide me with a way of learning more and hearing from [students] and being an ally where I can. I really am so grateful for that for the time to be fully present to those people in my small group because, as a mom, I’m pulled in different directions. I’m grateful to focus on these five or six kids and focus on their stories and where they are and help them to grow. They help me to grow, too.”

In the same way that Kairos meets students where they are, retreats provide a different experience for adults as well. “We use the word mystery often. The idea of the mystery is not that it is unknowable; it’s that no matter what you uncover, you will keep uncovering more. Each stage of life brings more with it. We unpack what we didn’t see when we were younger. We see things in a new light,” said Kifolo of the value of retreat experiences beyond the Green Gate. “Even if we’re reading the same things—you see things you never saw before. That can help our minds and souls grow. That’s what we need in the moment that God must reveal to us at different stages in our lives.”

“The Sisters pray the Divine Office many times throughout the day— almost like mini retreats, which is so Salesian. We may not have a weekend or eight hours [to give],” Kane said. “But we can have spiritual refreshment. Francis de Sales invites us to recall the retreat to mind—the spiritual bouquet we return to—to remember the essence of that intimacy with God.”

[ OPPOSITE PAGE ] Herrera ’07 shared this photo from her junior retreat on the dock at Camp Maria. [ RIGHT ] The Class of 2023 at their Freshman Challenge Day & Retreat.

Alumnae HAPPENINGS

LETTER FROM THE ALUMNAE OFFICE

Dear Alumnae,

What a year it has been! Through it all, you continued to do what you do best: support our beloved Visitation in ways big and small. How lucky I am not only to be an alumna, but also to collaborate with so many of you across the decades.

When the pandemic hit last spring, you kindly and thoughtfully asked how to support our students and families, especially the Class of 2020. You reached out with encouraging letters to the girls; offered to connect with seniors who were making college decisions without being able to visit campuses; and, when we asked our community to help families adversely affected by Covid-19, you answered the call in true Visitation fashion—quickly and generously. In fact, alumnae—512 of us—contributed 72 percent of the funds raised. And, in spite of the ongoing pandemic, our community continues to give to the Visitation Annual Fund to ensure the high-quality education we all have come to expect from our school, and that all deserving young women have access to it.

This summer, as our country struggled with racial injustice, you stepped up again. Our Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee volunteered to offer reflections for our MyVISIon Reflections on Race series to begin important conversations with our students. You marched alongside our students in spirit and in person—to the Capitol and Black Lives Matter Plaza, and prayed in solidarity with our students. You offered your expertise for our Community Conversations on Race to help inform and educate our community. In particular, I am grateful to Rachel Jones ’08, Natasha Williams Zech ’95, Erin Ponton Fiero ’96, Gabby Abebe ’12, and Deborah Isaac ’11, who helped lead those conversations.

While we were unable to host our usual alum events in person, that challenged us to stretch beyond our home in Washington to reach alumnae all over the world. Connecting with Visitation friends near and far has been a silver lining of this pandemic. Our dedicated Alumnae Board (which you can read more about in this magazine on p. 43) helped us create new virtual events to engage alumnae across the generations. Our Lifelong Learning series continued, covering what was important to you—job changes in the midst of Covid-19, maintaining good mental health, and finding community in what can be an isolating time for so many of us. The joyful cacophony of our virtual “Cor Jesu” sing-a-long will remain with me as a treasured memory for years to come.

We look forward to “seeing” you throughout the spring and summer as we continue to offer fresh, relevant programming for our alums. Please continue to share your news with us as you show the world what it means to be a woman of faith, vision, and purpose. Certainly, our world is in need of women like you.

Gratefully,

Suzie Egan Director of Alumnae Relations

Getting Involved in the Alumnae Board

The Alumnae Board is a vibrant community of volunteer graduates who meet regularly, serving as a voice for the nearly 6,000 Visitation alumnae around the world. Together, they help to plan programs and events, as well as service and community outreach, both in D.C. and across the country. Increasingly this year, they’ve helped make alumnae programming accessible to graduates everywhere through virtual events.

Committees on the board cover everything from diversity and inclusion work to planning lifelong learning events.

President of the Alumnae Board Katie Lang Collard ’08 said, “I had such a positive experience at Visitation and wanted to continue paying it forward and enrich the Visitation community.”

Elizabeth Schneck Pearson ’02

SALESIAN SPIRITUALITY COMMITTEE

Joined the Board: Fall 2019

Why she joined:

“I just felt like Visi was an important part of my life for four years, and arguably the most defining years as a young woman, shaping who I am and my identity. I wanted to reconnect and get a little of that magic back.”

Why this committee:

“I chose it because I wanted to invest in my own spirituality. My mom passed away in 2017 from pancreatic cancer and it rocked my faith. As a mom of toddlers who also worked full-time, I was having trouble focusing on my faith the way I wanted to and find that reconnection with God. We don’t prioritize self-care enough as women. Spirituality is a part of that.”

About the committee:

“The mission is to create opportunity for alums to come home and find spiritual nourishment wherever they are. We want to serve alums of all faiths. The Salesian charism is shaping our approach and ministry. We hope that in this strange and isolating time, [Crescent Conversations] provide a chance for us to be a community and reflect on the virtues that defined our time at Visitation.”

“The mission is to create opportunity for alums to … find spiritual nourishment wherever they are.”

Encouraging all alumnae to consider volunteering, Katie explained that the time commitment is based on what you can contribute: “You can come and go and we’re happy to have you for one, for two, for five, for ten years. There are different seasons of life and we welcome any input and help we can get, full stop.”

Her goal for the Board is to have more alumnae to engage with Visitation in any way—through attending events, making a gift, or following @visidc on social media. She would love more volunteers for the Board as alums reconnect with the school. “The more representative the Alumnae Board is of the community, the more diverse, the better we can make sure all of our alumnae are continuing to be represented and served,” Katie said.

Meet just some of the volunteers who help engage our alumnae community:

TRI-CHAIRS OF THE ALUMNAE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION (DEI) COMMITTEE

Turn to p. 30 to hear from our DEI tri-chairs about Visitation’s Philosophy of Community Culture. To learn more about the Alumnae DEI Committee, visit visi.org/alumnaedei.

Leena Moore-Donaldson ’93, Sidonie Becton ’07, and Margaret “Mimi” Cekuta ’08

Beth LaMantia Rafferty ’95 CHAIR, COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEE

Megan Lucey Rounsaville ’99

SOCIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE

Maureen Reese ’85 LIFELONG LEARNING COMMITTEE

Joined the Board: 2016

Three or four years ago

Why she joined:

“I have great affinity for Visitation and wanted to be able to help in some way. I wanted to be able to do more than just send a check; I wanted to be able to help not only the school engage with alums but engage alumnae with the school—a dual approach.”

Why this committee:

“I was eager to be a part of the Community Service Committee to help alumnae engage with the school and recognize that we have so much to give to our own communities and the Visitation community.”

About the committee:

“The goal is to provide opportunities for local alums to participate in and to get alums nationwide to think about how they can get involved in their own communities. We would love to have people join and help us with ideas. There’s so much to give, we just have to figure out how to do it.”

Joined the Board: 2003

Why she joined:

“I was teaching first-grade nearby and wanted to reconnect with the Sisters, faculty, staff, and my fellow alumnae. I joined the Board at a time when the Alumnae Association wanted to strengthen the young alumnae presence. It was exciting to be involved in events that I had participated in during my time as a student at Visitation, but also new traditions that were targeted at alumnae and their families.”

Why this committee:

“Volunteering at reunion weekend is one of my favorite times to be back on campus. I knew the Social Events Committee would give me multiple opportunities to interact with a diverse group of alumnae from many generations throughout the year.”

About the committee:

“The Social Events Committee strives to host numerous events throughout the year to help alumnae connect or reconnect to Visitation. By offering beloved, unique, and diverse social interactions we hope to give alums near and far joyful opportunities for reconnection.”

Joined the Board: 2018

Why she joined: “I wanted to give back to a community that has made a profoundly positive impact on my life.

I am humbled by the opportunity to work alongside such brilliant and passionate alumnae.”

Why this committee:

“I joined the committee because I believe that the more we learn and strive to become better versions of ourselves, the more impact we can have in the world. Joining a committee that enriches our alumnae has been an incredibly fulfilling and fun experience.”

About the committee:

“Our goal is to bring compelling content that helps our alumnae stay up to date with new trends, prepare for the unexpected, and increase our effectiveness in this rapidly changing world. But most importantly, we strive to enhance meaningful life-long connections with the Visitation community as a whole.”

“… we have so much to give to our own communities and the Visitation community.”

“… we hope to give alums near and far joyful opportunities for reconnection.”

“I am humbled by the opportunity to work alongside such brilliant and passionate alumnae.”

Alumnae EVENTS

HESBURGH FILM SCREENING

WITH ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

MOIRA HAMILTON ’13

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

VIRTUAL COR JESU SINGALONG

MARCH 15, 2020

Diversity co-coordinators Raynetta Jackson-Clay and Peggy Judge Hamilton ’85 with Moira Hamilton ’13 and Head of School Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson.

Erin Barnes ’98 brought our Visitation family together over a virtual “sing-along” of Cor Jesu.

Alumnae EVENTS

LIFELONG LEARNING:

PREPARING FOR A JOB CHANGE IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 WITH MAUREEN REESE ’85 MAY 2020

Maureen Reese ’85, senior executive recruiter for the Lucas Group, presented a three-part series on navigating the job search today, including maximizing your LinkedIn profile, getting a potential employer’s attention, and mastering the virtual interview.

ALUMNAE & FRIENDS BOOK CLUB

WITH KELLY STANTON FORDON ’85 AND PEGGY JUDGE HAMILTON ’85

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

CALLING ALL ALUMS!

STAY CONNECTED

CLASS NOTES ARE DUE SHARE YOUR NEWS AND SNAPSHOTS!

We welcome class news and photos. Pics should be high-resolution and at their original, full size (note that most photos taken from websites are too small for print). With each image, please include a caption that identifies those pictured from left to right. Note that photos will be run on a space-available basis. Submit via:

Left Author Kelly Stanton Fordon ’85 led a discussion of her book of short stories, I Have the Answer Right Classmate and English teacher Peggy Judge Hamilton ’85 helped lead the discussion that included many members of the Class of ’85 as well as recent graduates and parents of alumnae.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ON

RACE

“IT’S WHERE WE LIVE: AN EXAMINATION OF STRUCTURAL RACISM,” AN INTERACTIVE LECTURE AND CONVERSATION LED BY DR. MARCIA CHATELAIN

JULY 1, 2020

“THE IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS OF MICROAGGRESSIONS” WITH RACHEL JONES ’08

JULY 8, 2020

RACIAL ALLYSHIP & ADVOCACY: AN ALUMNAE PANEL DISCUSSION WITH GABBY ABEBE ’12, ERIN PONTON FIERO ’96, AND NATASHA WILLIAMS ZECH ’95, MODERATED BY DEBORAH ISAAC ’11

JULY 15, 2020

Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion tri-chair Sidonie Becton ’07 introduces Dr. Marcia Chatelain.

Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion tri-chair Mimi Cekuta ’08 introduces classmate Rachel Jones ’08.

Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion tri-chair Leena Moore Donaldson ’93 introduces the moderator and panelists of the racial allyship and advocacy event (L to R), Deborah Isaac ’11, Natasha Williams Zech ’95, Gabby Abebe ’12, and Erin Ponton Fiero ’96.

Class Notes

Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School welcomes and joyfully shares news from all members of our community. Our community is rooted in the Roman Catholic faith and Salesian tradition. As Catholics, we are blessed with both the richness of Church teaching and the abundance of the Gospel commandment of love. They are compatible and the fullness of our faith invites us to lives that embrace both. It is God’s love that inspires us to ensure all members of our community feel equally valued and respected.

’53

Sr. Peggy Scanlan sent this note: “I’ve now moved to a Sisters of Notre Dame facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.”

’54

Mary Pat Shea Gaffney, Class Agent, shared the following from her classmates:

“Have heard from Mary Grove Rupp in Boone, NC who reports they’ve just had their third snow and the mountains are beautiful. Marina Galitzine Carney and Annie McCrea Sullivan are sheltering in place in Vero Beach, Florida. So far they are well! Betty Wallace Redmond is at home & sends her best to all. Ditto, Jane Locraft Head is at Scientist Cliffs & Frankie McCarthy Colby is at Fair Haven near her sister, Peggy McCaig, Dot Furey Gates is at home in Bethesda & we were sorry she lost her husband, Billy. We also lost our classmate, Mary Catherine Curran, this year.

Not much news to report. We’re all ready for the vaccine (I’ve had my first shot as has Mary Grove Rupp) and I am safe here at Knollwood, two blocks from our old home. Many of us seem to walk on a daily basis, and I find it wonderful to be outside in the fresh air. The flowers and foliage were beautiful this fall, but the cold is truly chilling. May all stay well, until these strange times go away in time.”

Donna Wilson Slingluff wrote: “In the midst of all the horror that is going on in our country, God is doing some great things. Son Rob who was executive pastor at his church has been offered

and accepted pastorship at Bethlehem church. He will be the senior and only pastor.”

JC ’55

“On a sunny day in September 1953, the class of ’55 arrived at Visi bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to seek our fortunes: to be finished, educated, or to obtain an MRS. Today, we’re a bunch of delightful old ladies. This is our Report Card. Everyone gets Exceeding Expectations one way or another! Jackie Daley Bercik, my darling roomie, has 13 greatgrandchildren. She is still in Pittsburgh. Beau Lang Erbe taught middle school for years—a very popular teacher. Beau was a very good golfer—club champ. When George died she moved to North Carolina near her niece Liz Lang Fenton.

Helen Bragg White Curtin is in Potomac, MD. Helen has been on the Washington Antique Show Committee for years and wins piles of blue ribbons at horse shows.

Jane McKim Flood wins the great-grandchildren prize with 23! Jane is still living in Omaha.

Joan Olsson Johnston is in North Carolina. Joan had a big job with a Charlotte newspaper while raising her children.

Lost track of Frances Grace Glinka but I do know she snagged her third husband.

Sandra Flood Feeks is still in Jacksonville, FL, funny as always with many children and grands.

Linda Roche Fitzsimons just moved to Pennsylvania. She has been managing her sons’ office for years.

Sadly, we’ve lost a few members of our class; Lucy Daily Baker and Lee Wagner Devereaux decades ago; Rosita Ferrer Whitehouse and Dottie McCann Brault just recently.

Our bright star is Ginger Johnston, the only one in our class with a Ph.D. I married the love of my life, Bob Richards, who too quickly turned ’La Belle Helene’ into a ‘Merry(?) Widow.’ We had three spectacular kids. We lost my beloved granddaughter, Madeleine, from a brain tumor at 18. My favorite (and only) grandson, Christian, wrote a song, Vive La Minnie, for my 85th. I was a teacher and a real estate broker, but I never got that hole-in-one!

Stay tuned … if I still have my marbles in 2025, you’ll get another update. Your self-appointed class agent, Helen Field-McNally Richards.”

Beau Lang Erbe and niece Liz Lang Fenton.

’56

Peggy McCarthy McCaig and Trish Powell Leasure, Class Agents, sent the following:

“On January 1 of this year Deirdre Doolan Dunworth died after being in ill health for many years. Her death followed the death of her husband by two months. Deirdre was in our freshman class and then moved to Paris when her father was transferred there for two years. She rejoined us for senior year, more beautiful and stylish than ever.

Marsha Merryfield Flanagan is in San Diego, where she still teaches full-time, working with individual students with learning disabilities. She is as exuberant as ever.

Margaret Kistler Jackson and husband Don moved to Lake of the Woods, VA, about ten years ago, where they are enjoying their retirement years.

Sister Mary Fisher, FMSA, a Franciscan Missionary Sister for Africa, returned to the United States in 2013, after spending 50 years out of the country, mostly in Africa. She now resides in Brighton, MA, where she

recently wrote a book, Living with the God of Surprise. This book, an excellent read, shares her geographical and spiritual journeys over the years. What a life she has led! Despite a stroke in 2019, Mary continues her spiritual writing and raising funds for the order.

Margaret Woods Didden and Greg live in West Virginia with nearly all their family in homes nearby. In March of 2020 she returned to the tennis court with a bit too much gusto, precipitating a fall which caused her femur to break in three places. She is still healing and bemoans how slow rehab is for an octogenarian.

I recently spoke with Pauline Dondero Ventura’s husband Mel. Pauline’s Parkinson’s disease is now taking a greater toll on her, but her spirit still shines brightly on their beautiful island of Kauai.

Had a delightful conversation with Rosaleen Fish Milton. Since 2013, she and her husband Charlie have been living with their daughter Lisa in Illinois. They both have mobility problems: Rosaleen’s stems from a years ago adverse reaction to anesthesia during hip replacement and Charlie suffers from Parkinson’s disease. Rosaleen has also had several mini-strokes so her memory is fuzzy (isn’t everyone’s?). Rosaleen said she no longer plays field hockey, basketball, and the organ at church, and even had to give up her belly dancing.

Eleanor Tydings Reynolds updated me on her life. After raising two sons (Naval Academy alumni), she lived in Boca Raton for years. She recently gave up surfing and returned to Maryland where she lives in a “fun assisted living spot” in Bethesda. She survived Covid and encourages all to stay safe and keep the faith.

Also hunkered down in Bethesda are Mary Jo Shevlin, Gail Kissling Polsby, and Margaret Zaumeyer Flood. Mary Jo is staying put until the pandemic abates. Gail is caretaker for her husband, who has Parkinson’s. Margaret is continuing her decades long study of the Bible.

Louise Keelty is spending her time at home watching and re-watching her beloved British television shows. She is grateful for what she has and looks forward to a better year and being

able to use her living room. She has volunteered to help with a virtual (Zoom) reunion in April to celebrate our 65th. Wow. More to follow.

I (Peggy) am incredibly fortunate to be blessed with lots of family contact, good health, and the joy of watching the sunrise daily over my beloved Chesapeake Bay. My terrible golf game is on hiatus during the winter, and I’ve stopped skiing after 50 years. Please contact me with your news at 301.367.9289 or pegmccaig@comcast.com so I can be a more inclusive class agent.

Chick Leasure, husband of Trish Powell, boasts that the two of them met in kindergarten and now have matching pacemakers. Chick’s is 20 years old and Trish got hers in December 2020. They still act like the newlyweds they are, having married in 2017. What a treat they are to be around.

My prayers and love to all of 1956. Hopefully, this vaccine will soon return some semblance of normalcy to us all.”

’58

Lauren Moss Burton, Class Agent, sent this news:

“Although we had to cancel our big celebration, Fred and I celebrated our 60th anniversary on Dec. 27th and many of you, my classmates, were there at our wedding. We were the second wedding in our class, following Lydia Fenn Dow. We are living in a cottage at a continuing care retirement complex in Frederick, MD. We have three children, their spouses, and eight grandchildren.

I had word earlier last year that our classmate, Mary King Dean, died in Wilmington, NC. She leaves her husband, Chuck, five sons, and a number of grandchildren.

I spoke to Marie Spano, Betty Meehan Spano’s daughter. Betty was able to attend our 60th reunion even after suffering a stroke. Currently, Betty is in a nursing home in Rockville, MD. She visits family via Zoom or FaceTime due to the pandemic. She loves to hear news of our class.

Collette Carozza Volpe, Anne Weeks Hancock, Sheila O’Brien Onuska, Barbara Jones, Noelie Kilmer Angevine, Carmel Clay Thompson, and I had been meeting twice a year for lunch until the

Helen with her grandson Christian Sanford.

Helen with her family, including her beloved granddaughter Madeleine

Class Notes

pandemic. We hope to be able to continue when we can safely do so again.

Anne Lane Conway [sent] her regards, as do I. Stay well and stay safe.”

Carmel Clay Thompson, also Class Agent, shared this from Anne Weeks Hancock: “Not much news to report, but I will say how fortunate I feel to be somewhat less isolated than many: I have been able to get to my community garden and my studio throughout this past year of pandemic restrictions. I am somewhat ‘Zoomed out,’ but grateful that we are in an age where such communication is possible, unlike those who endured the pandemic flu of 1918 (which my mother experienced and survived while a boarding student at Visitation!). Hopefully, we will all be vaccinated in the coming months. Meanwhile, stay safe!”

[Editor’s note: Sadly, Anne Lane Conway passed in her sleep after these notes were submitted.]

’59

Helen Berezoski Cadden, Class Agent reports, “I did relatively little during 2020, and did not travel at all after early March. My 16-year-old grandson spent only a little time with me, as apartment buildings in NYC have been strict about guests during Covid. I kept up with volunteer work as I was able, and am grateful for the educational and spiritual hours I spent with Zoom. I send my warmest regards to all my classmates.

In Concord, NC, Broncia Conger Chalfant finds challenges in homeschooling/virtual teaching her ten-yearold grandson Conger, especially with respect to teaching the ‘new math.’ She thoroughly enjoys the ‘round-the-clock company of this delightful fifth-grader who cooperates so he can return to Xbox

to play with his friends, but the operative word is cooperate.’ Working with the children brings back memories of Visitation, and she is enormously grateful for the opportunity to have been in Visi’s unique and spectacular environment. To all in our class, Broncia says, ‘You are each incredibly dear in my thoughts, and I thank you for friendship and kindness.’”

Eliska Hasek Coolidge reports, “In January last year, I had my second successful hip surgery in Washington and left in February to recover at my friend’s house in Florida. I was supposed to return in March to my office in Prague where I had a number of speaking engagements on my schedule. Unfortunately my trip was cancelled and almost a year later I am still in Florida. It is the first time since my graduation from Georgetown that I have spent a year without work. In October of 2016, my book Five American Presidents, My Czech Grandmother and I, which had been a bestseller since its first publication in 2006, was republished and expanded by a very active ten years. I also became the co-author of a children’s book on etiquette, It Is Best to Say Hello to the Dragon, which in 2010 was named the children’s book of the year in the Czech Republic. On Czech National Day on October 28, 2016, I was honored at Prague Castle by the President with the highest Award of Merit of the Czech Republic. In November 2019, I was named ‘Lady Pro’ by the prestigious Czech Civil Society COMENIUS at their annual Prague Castle Awards Ceremony. This year I have spent caring for my 93-year-old dear friend, keeping house, and trying to remain positive and thankful to God that we have both stayed healthy. I thought it would be a good time to translate my biography into English, but much to my regret I have not found the concentrated time to do so. But I have not given up. I have recently been in touch with our classmate Anne Bader I am in awe of her accomplishments, and I hope that around the corner there will still be the opportunity to catch up with you and other classmates and the chance to show you my beautiful Prague.”

Kathleen O’Keefe Dorgan sent this: “I escaped to the beach mid-May and am lucky to have more freedom as a

consequence. Reading a great deal. Golf whenever possible. Need to get back to NYC for doctors appointments, etc.”

Mary Connie Irving Fitzpatrick tells us, “Living in Southwest Florida and volunteering with various organizations. My two daughters live in Tallahassee with their families. This year we have two graduations: granddaughter Sarah from FL State and grandson CJ from high school. The youngest grandson continues in high school. Life is so different since my husband, Jim, passed away, but the family keeps me busy. “

Gerry Emerson MacCartee shared, “So far my family and I are doing fine. My two sons live in the same small town, one with four daughters!—so, life is full. They have been able to find a small affordable school in San Diego and that has helped enormously. My business, which was an historical walking tour of our town, Coronado, has had to close, of course. But it was really time for me to retire anyway…who ever thought we’d be 80!

I must say I never would have expected such a challenging year as this. I feel very badly about how divided the country is, and my great hope is that somehow we can come together and heal.

I spend as much time as I can outdoors… living by the sea is such a gift! I bike everyday, and of course, take care of little ones often!”

Terry Johnson Matan sends this news: “I split my time living between Washington, DC, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and spending most of the winter in Florida. I have 17 grandchildren, eight boys and nine girls. My oldest granddaughter is engaged and will be married in 2022. I have three grandchildren out of college and three in college (The University of San Diego, Saint Joseph’s University, and North Carolina State). Four of my grandchildren are at Gonzaga and the rest in high/ middle/elementary school in the greater Washington area. My two granddaughters that went to Visitation (of my daughter Michele, class of ’86) are doing well in college. Maisy, class of ’17 will be graduating this year, and Therese, class of ’19, is a sophomore.”

You are each incredibly dear in my thoughts, and I thank you for friendship and kindness.

BRONCIA CONGER CHAFANT ’59

Karen O’Brien Risher writes, “My husband and I are hunkered down in Annapolis waiting for the Covid vaccine to liberate us. Hope the rest of HS ’59 is doing well.”

’60

Pat Ruddy Allen wrote, “2020 has been a year like no other, both politically and healthwise. My prayers and sympathies go out for any who have endured hardships and loss. For the rest of us, I daresay our lives might mirror each others’. With my five children spread from Colorado to Texas to Georgia and Florida, Zoom has been our friend! I revel in those ‘get togethers’ and text threads that cover photos, news and political thoughts, all with tolerance and humor. My volunteer work at hospice and yoga put on hold since March 2020 has allowed me to put on six pounds, but I’m blessed with ‘bubble friends’ to commiserate with. 2021 needs our prayers for so many reasons. Hugs to the class of 1960!”

From Elaine Naples Bernier: “In September 2020, my husband and I moved back to Georgia from living in South Carolina for three years. We moved back to be closer to our kids and also because of our age. We are trying to stay as active as possible with Covid business, just like everyone. All our children are well and that makes us very grateful to God.We have some hobbies that we love to dabble in… me, painting and I’m a crossword nut. George is doing a lot of woodworking, something he really loves. I’m sorry we will not be able to get together in person, but virtual is better than nothing. I still really miss Glory Timchak McKean since her death. I pray for her all the time. It was my deep loss when she passed away. Hope everyone is healthy and happy now. Have a good New Year.”

Patti McAndrews Connell, Class Agent, reports, “While I certainly have missed the opportunity to gather with family and friends or travel since last March, I have kept busy with projects that I never seemed to have time for otherwise, plus regular walks and enjoyable online fitness classes. I am grateful that my family and I have been healthy throughout the past year and I look forward to our virtual class reunion this spring.”

Paula Murphy Gallagher says, ”Not much to report from Land O’Lakes: we stay close to home, walk the neighborhood for exercise, still await the vaccine, enjoy our two youngest granddaughters’ softball and soccer games OUTDOORS of course, miss the rest of our family up north but do have very humorous Zoom meetings with them and are looking forward to eldest grandson’s wedding in NY in September 2021. I hope this finds our wonderful classmates well and looking forward to our REUNION…whatever and however that takes place. Prayers for good health for all!”

From Joan Hurley: “We are doing well. We have a 17-month old great grandson and in a month we are expecting a great granddaughter! We have been retired for many years. We are loving life and are joyful.”

Dale Carter Kohn shared this, “After my husband August’s death I spent several years in Plantation, FL, and tried to sell my home in a difficult real estate downturn. I finally sold it in 2013 and moved to Alexandria to be near family: my daughter Mary Cris (who has three boys—young men now in their 20’s); my sister Lynne Carter Dolton ’61 (you may remember from Visi), and four brothers still living in Virginia… in Charlottesville, Blacksburg, Arlington, and Alexandria! I now own a condominium at Montebello Condominiums in Alexandria, in the same building where Lynne and her husband Harry Dolton live. After being here two years, I helped Mary Cris sell her home and then move to a Montebello building next door to mine. How lucky could I get! Mary Cris is a Special Needs teacher at West Potomac H.S. in Alexandria. My other children are in Vermont. Lily lives in So. Burlington, is married to an E.R. doctor at the U. of VT Med Center, Rich Bounds, and she has three beautiful girls, ages five to 14. My son Ted married Mary Anne Gocke, lives in Charlotte, VT (just outside of Burlington) and has two children, a boy and a girl. Both Lily and Ted met their spouses at Loyola College in Maryland. I am a parishioner of The Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria and am still in my habit of daily Mass. I lived in Portsmouth, VA, then Savannah, GA, and then Florida (Fort Lauderdale area) with my husband (he was a hospital administrator)

…30 years in Florida, where I was a Eucharistic minister the entire 30 years, and an officer in The Legion of Mary for 23 years. I have been mainly helping family with various things since moving to VA. I still play tennis regularly!

My other hobby was writing and art. Before my marriage to August, I was on the staff of The New Catholic Encyclopedia Some years later I wrote and illustrated two children’s books that were sold at The Kennedy Center.

I had better stop this rambling on and on. It’s difficult to review the events of so many decades… Just to end by saying that we were a really special class! and I am grateful for those years.”

Jean Troxell Manz has a granddaughter working at Georgetown Hospital. She also reports that she and Pete are encouraged to now have appointments for the Covid vaccine after the stressful process of getting those appointments.

Mary Jo Ingham Nolin shared, “Husband George and I are, thankfully, healthy and feel almost guilty about the ease of weathering Covid here in Naples, FL. We are being careful and miss gathering with groups of friends, of course, but we have been able to play golf and enjoy one other couple at a time for outdoor socializing. I enjoy playing online bridge with friends, and takeout from our club and local restaurants is a welcome break from everyday cooking. Long walks and disciplined exercises at home have replaced gym and fitness classes—trying to keep it together!

In addition to being active in the League of Women Voters and on committees in our community, I devoted lots of effort to the presidential campaign during the late summer and fall, writing postcards to voters in danger of being dropped from the rolls and to returning citizens able to vote, making phone calls from home every

We were a really special class! I am grateful for those years.

DALE CARTER KOHN ’60

Class Notes

evening through a ‘virtual phone bank,’ and delivering campaign materials for Biden and Collier County Democrats to doorknobs. We’re used to frequent FaceTiming with our Australian son and his 20- and 23-year-old daughters, but the pandemic has pushed us to reach out to other family and friends—my four sisters and I Zoom about once a month in addition to more frequent regular phone calls, and I have had FaceTime or Zoom calls with friends whom I haven’t seen for some time. Every cloud has a silver lining. Now, if everyone could just get that vaccine!

I look forward to our virtual reunion whatever form it takes.”

Andrea Schara sent this news, “My fun-loving brother ‘Butch’ died a year ago November 2, 2019 at 77. Butch lived just a few houses away from his beloved beach and was a well-known surfing dude who was also devoted to golf. Butch had property there which he left to me and my son. In the future I will move back to Va. Beach. For now, I have moved to Alexandria in my son’s condo which overlooks the Potomac River. The challenge in moving from DC to Alexandria was packing and deciding what to take and what to throw out. All the ups and downs of life contained in boxes of letters, journals, notes, videos, and photos. Life in a box asks what to keep or throw out? I am still consulting and teaching at Navigating Systems, DC. But now with Covid-19, as horrid as it has been, Zoom has freed me to live anywhere. Knowledge about how the family functions as an emotional system continues to fascinate me. I worked for 20 years in the department of psychiatry at Georgetown University for Murray Bowen, MD. He was the first psychiatrist to hospitalize the whole family. Now I am serving on the board of The Murray Bowen Archives Project for an organization that is organizing his papers, photos (many of which I took ) to go to the National Library of Medicine. My current project is to write a book on how I learned as an apprentice to Dr. Bowen. I have been very blessed and give Visitation and especially Sr. Mary deSales McNabb, VHM, ’48 so very much credit for pointing me towards a strong baseline of spiritual knowledge, which has made a profound difference in my life. I carry her spirit with me always.

I think that Sister Mary de Sales is looking out for my two children and the eight grandchildren—one of whom, Andrew, will be getting married soon. It was yesterday when he was baptized at Holy Trinity and we had a celebration and a special blessing from Sister Mary de Sales for my granddaughter, Alexa, who turns 28 today. This month I am in WPB Florida with my daughter and her five children who come and visit here and there. Now I travel with a sweet little dog, Romeo, who loves to chase anything that moves. In Alexandria I can look out over the Potomac and see geese honking as they fly by. One early morning a fabulous stag came out of the woods and was prancing through the shallow waters. Then there was a white-tailed hawk sitting in a tree, probably just curious about the lady and the little dog and their many adventures.”

JC ’60

“The JC ’60 Class regrets that they will not be able to celebrate their 60th/61st Reunion again this year! We are all quarantined…and looking forward to the day we can be together in person and look at all the pictures from the past 63 years! With lots of love from Tookie Bethune Fey, Glory Maloney Sullivan, Pat Rowen Dwan, Natalie LaCrosse DeVol, Lee Orth Slane, Sheila Kenny Padgett, Joanie Meyer Wallace, Sherry Ratcliff Crawford, Anna Bickerstaff Lange, Gilly Gilmartin Lulfs, Janice Heiken Reilly, Trudy Sullivan Schneider, Ann Samouce Russell, Maureen Moore Sullivan, Mimi Weschler Weiss, Mary Alice Beaudry Pett, and me, Clare Hogan Cumberland.”

JC ’63

From new Class Agent Julie Danielsson

Thomas:

“First, let me extend my thanks to Anne Marie ‘Mimi’ Schultz Reese for her many years as our JC ’63 class agent. She did a fabulous job keeping track of our life events for over 50 years. Sadly, she decided to step aside and now I have the honor of trying to fill her most capable shoes.

I’ve received responses from several

of our classmates and hopefully more of you will share what has been happening in your lives for our future Alumnae Notes.

It’s hard to believe, but in two short years we’ll be celebrating our 60th year as Visitation grads. Plan now to join us at Visitation in 2023 to celebrate.

Now for what’s been happening this past year—a year unlike any of us have experienced before, what with quarantines, masks, closings, social distancing, Zoom meetings, YouTube/ online Masses and doctor’s appointments—so many changes and new experiences to be safe from Covid-19. And I am thankful for the development and distribution of vaccines so that we can all battle this horrible disease and return to normal, or more likely, the ‘new normal’. Stay safe and healthy dear classmates and continue to wear those masks!

Anne Marie ‘Mimi’ Schultz Reese wrote that, ‘First of all, I wanted to say thanks again to Julie for taking over the Class Agent duties for our class. I found it so comforting to be able to keep in close contact with our classmates and share their updates during my years as Class Agent. I know Julie will continue to keep the lines of communication going. Also, I want to remind the girls that a Class Agent only has info to send in to the yearly Alumnae Notes if she receives info from classmates. So, girls, be sure to keep in touch with Julie.

I pray by the time the Alumnae Notes goes to press that we will all have been Covid-free or Covid-recovered, vaccinated, and well on the way to resuming some more normalcy to our lives. Like all of you, it’s been tough staying away from family and friends and abiding by all the other pandemic cautions. What we miss most is traveling and our grandchildren’s hugs (who now are 24, 22, 20, 19, 18, 14 and 11.) I’ve told them when my arms can’t reach my grandchildren, I hug them with my prayers.

Tom and I have been going back and forth from our Charlotte house to our Southport house every couple weeks so that has been very nice and we managed to get things productively done at both houses which we never seemed to have time to do before or had been procrastinating about.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, peaceful, love filled 2021. GOODBYE TO 2020!

From Gay Reinhardt Taylor: ‘Hello! Well, what can we say in this strange year? Thankful for our health, my love for reading (more than 80 books) and another 127 to be read! The digital age has saved us during the pandemic. I so enjoy podcasts and Instagram. Taking an online Bible course. Recalling our wonderful travels and feeling more connected with family and friendsthanks to Zoom! Merry Christmas, wishing all a healthy 2021.’

Catherine Thomason Chevasse reported that she wished she had some news, but nothing she would want to appear in writing. Her son-in-law is very ill and could use lots of prayers.

Clare Keating Niehaus says ‘Hi’ from Buffalo… She’s been trying to stay occupied during all the shut downs going on world wide. On the positive side, she thinks it has given many of us time to think and slow down. She’s hoping to drive to Florida with two friends and get out of the snow so she can walk away from ice. Friends and family are even more important in 2020.

Pat Aloi Warneken has been very busy. She has lived in Scarsdale since 1973 and is now moving to Florida. She says moving is very stressful. She planned to drive to the Inn at Montchanin on the 21st, three nights there, then on to Richmond next. They are meeting friends at The Jefferson, where they are staying. On to Charlotte, North Carolina, then to Atlanta where they will stay with friends for three nights, and finally to Gainesville, Naples on January 1st.

Ann Connaughton Felker writes that she spent just one year with JC ’63 and bussed, walking up the hill from Arlington every day. Her social life occurred mostly in the Lodge where she ate her lunch from home and in the Scribe ‘office’ where some of us typed the manuscript for the mimeographed literary magazine… a very limited exposure to the community that was JC ’63. Yet her memories of a vibrant group of amazing women-to-be are warm and strong. One of the people who most impacted her was Colleen Walsh Brown (who passed away August 8, 2020)

from Metuchen, NJ. She says she cannot describe an incident, but that her impression would have led her to write precisely the words of her obituary even back then. She was warm, lively, fully New Jersey (her life has taken her through Metuchen many times and she always said a prayer for sweet Colleen Walsh on every trip), ready to dance (a requirement for teachers of young children), and given to thinking deeply. She is sad that she is gone from this life. Ann knew Colleen would make her world a better place, even back then. Special prayers for her family and her really close friends.

Joan Hartnett Owen wrote that she can’t believe we are getting so old and having to talk about losing our dear classmates. It is hard to think how fast our lives went by and here we are nearing the 80 mark! She thanks God everyday, however, that she and Tom are doing well and not suffering from anything that can’t be fixed. The orthopedic surgeons here continue to mend them back together! They both play golf even if it is not as good as it used to be. Higher handicaps are not fun but they enjoy being outdoors and looking at beautiful nature in all seasons.

In late October, Tom, Joan and her sister, Lorraine, had a week in Hilton Head and had two nice visits with Mary Walburgh Nicknish Mary moved from her upstate New York home in late September. Mary bought a home in Hilton Head Plantation so that she can be with her daughter, husband and two grandchildren who also live in Hilton Head. One of her daughters is living with her family in Fairfax. Her sister also lives in Manassas. Joan believes her other daughters are nearby. Joan is really happy for Mary to be in a warmer climate and not have to worry about keeping up her large home and land by herself.

Joan added that she ‘currently has a lovely niece named Johanna Ashworth attending Visi. She is a junior already and has lots of nice friends there. My nephew, Jami Hartnett, married a Visi girl named Kara Frickel ’01 and they have already signed up their two small little girls to attend Visitation. I guess my family members will carry on our Visitation tradition!!’

Joan also shared that she does talk to Joan Dixon Melvin and JoAnn Ryan Sweeney quite often and they are well and doing what we all are doing, which is staying close to home to avoid Covid. JoAnn did not get to leave Ft. Myers this summer because of Covid so she missed the summer season in her Delaware home.

Susie Sandlass Gardner wrote, ‘Just a quick update… My husband, Gary, and I are still self-quarantined due to Covid-19. All family members are doing well. The grandchildren are learning remotely in NJ, PA, and MD. School sports carry on even without the usual supporters in the stands. Life is quiet! We appreciate things around us that we never noticed before and enjoy the slower pace of life as a change from our usual hectic routine. I am grateful for the enthusiastic response to my new book from the Jersey Shore lovers who share their memories with me on social media and email. (Her book Sandy Hook’s Lost Highland Beach Resort was published in 2020.) Those connections are so powerful in a pandemic world. We look forward to the day when we can be with our family and friends in person. Wishing each of you good health and happiness in the New Year!’

Susie Hannan shared, ‘Yes, 2020. What can I say that hasn’t already been said? For me, there were some high points. In December 2019, I qualified for an apartment in a senior housing complex in nearby Georgetown, Delaware. I put my house on the market and prepared for a long winter with few showings. I was right. Winter does not offer a strong real estate opportunity. And then there was coronavirus. Things dragged along. I rented the apartment, not knowing when another might be available and feeling that paying the rent was an investment in my future. When, in May, the house sold, I was glad to

DANIELSSON THOMAS JC ’63

Stay safe and healthy dear classmates, and continue to wear those masks! JULIE

Class Notes

have a place to move. It’s great. A simple one-bedroom unit, bright and airy and very comfortable. Because of the pandemic I have not met many of my neighbors, but those I know are great people. I loved my eight years of home ownership and feel that the timing of the sale was good and the move has been the right thing at this time in my life. I look forward to receiving the new vaccine and to hearing all about my classmates’ lives, and I hope that we will all enjoy a happy 2021.’

Ellen Higley O’Neill noted that ‘there is nothing really exciting here but… My sister, Sue, lived with me almost seven months as her home in Chestnut Hill sold quickly… and privately… great! However, her new place was not yet available and Covid timing did not help. She is a doctor and was at the hospital in the ICU everyday so I was also tested regularly. Sue (and Snowy, the cat) made their final move from here the week before Christmas. All I could think of is you, ladies, warning us about the challenges of ‘downsizing.’ Dear God, what a job! Now, I must get ‘on a mission,’ find a place, and apply everything just learned…good and bad…to myself!

Needless to say, the travel business has been ‘nil’ as constant cancellations, rebooking, cancelling again, etc. My specializing in cruises these past few years has now become a disaster! But, we must all stay positive!! Our family is doing well, thank God! Everyone is really trying to stay as safe…and normal…as possible. The school sports and other activities resume today…good! Love to ALL of you and ‘the best’ in 2021.’

Marcy Casey Desmond shared: ‘Warm Greetings: this stay at home has allowed us all to reflect and be grateful

for the blessings that have been part of our lives. My husband John and I are both retired. When I retired 8/2001 from Dupont Company, I was invited to be part of the Prison Ministry Group for Baylor Women Correctional Institution with St. Joseph Church. We went every Friday morning with DVDs, song sheets, rosaries, and prayer cards to teach Christian values. The priest came every other Friday to celebrate Mass and hear confessions. That ministry ended March 2020, but we donated everything to the prison chaplain so our religious items are still in use at the prison. I am grateful that Joe Biden from Delaware will soon be our President. My sister worked in his Wilmington office for 30 years. Another blessing for being home is that EWTN on TV allows me to go to Mass and say the rosary for relief of the virus and prayers for the people that have lost their job and are suffering. My husband and I have two grown children. My son Stephen has had his own electricity business for 25 years.

My daughter Julie lives at home with us. She has autism, participates in Special Olympics, and works at Chimes Delaware. For me, I have had multiple sclerosis since 1980 but with correct medicine and good doctors, I am physically well except for sleep apnea which requires me to use a mask at night. At GVC, Helen Hanley Higgins and I kept in touch and visited each other for years until her death March 17, 1984. Helen was married and had two children. Hopefully, we will all soon have our vaccinations, wear our masks and keep our distance. Please remember St. Faustina (Divine Mercy) revelation from our Lord: ‘Jesus, I Trust In You!’ At home I am grateful for the time to read newspapers and books that I never had the time to read before because I was too busy.’

And from Julie Danielsson Thomas, ‘Thankfully, Bill and I and our immediate family have remained free of Covid. Our children (Phil and his wife in Hagerstown, MD, John, Sharon, and grandson Erik in Frederick, MD, and daughter Teri in Portland, OR) have also been well, working or schooling remotely. We’ve done multiple Zoom/ video meetings with family members and various clubs that we both belong to. Like everyone else, we’re grateful to

the scientists for developing the vaccines and plan to get our shots as soon as they’re available to us.’”

JC ’64

Donna Bovino Bambrick, Class Agent sent the following news from her classmates:

Barbara Hayden was quite animated when I spoke with her recently. She enjoys her dog, Grace, and her home in Westport, Connecticut, where she grew up, though caring for the grounds is sometimes a demanding task. She also keeps up her exercises three days a week.

Lynie Raugust Bourjaily is keeping her spirits high in Alexandria though she misses time with her children, grandchildren, and friends, and her regular bridge games. Having groceries and goodies delivered from Dean & Deluca has been fun though.

Pam Friel Bernard has moved to Delaware from Queenstown, Maryland. She enjoys her new community which has many trails upon which she walks regularly.

Pat Donavan Stahr has also traded in her three flights of stairs and the accompanying aching knees for one floor living in an active over fifty-five community in Fairfax, Virginia, just minutes from her daughter and grandsons with whom she functions as an active family pod. The boys love swimming with her in the condo indoor pool. Other than decorating her new home, Pat keeps a low profile as she awaits her vaccine.

Anne-Taylor Cahill has been living in a lovely condominium on the water in Norfolk and carefully enjoying some of her neighbors from time to time. She is still teaching at Old Dominion University, but virtually at present.

Kathy McNulty Comastro is living in a Chicago apartment now enjoying some of her grandchildren when she can safely do so, but missing travel and her children. Kathy, Melanie O’Sullivan Mopsick, and Mary Sullivan Perry visited with Ann Griffin Selinger at her home on Florida’s Amelia Island to celebrate all of their birthdays before the pandemic. It was a little chilly but they had such a good time as you can see from the photo.

I’m sure the days spent at Visitation, where our faith was strengthened and fortified, will hold us in good stead.

MARY KATE DAMMEN DUGAN ’64

Barbara Jordan McGovern and Jerry are doing well in Peru, New York. Jerry is still working as an adjunct at Plattsburgh State University. They enjoy their grandchildren ages twelve to thirty who live nearby. Barb has not heard from Eileen Gallagher Chapel or Kathy Langley for the first time in years, nor I have been able to reach them.

Kathy Nolan Cortese and her husband, Rich, are doing fine but preparing to move into a condominium after thirty-five years in their home in Kensington, Maryland. Kathy knows they have their work cut out for them but she still makes time for golf twice a week and bridge online. With two granddaughters, one who has graduated and another who is a sophomore, who are also Visitation girls, she has remained active with our school community and has been a reliable volunteer for Reunion Weekends.

Just before the pandemic hit, Betsy Balderston O’Day had a lovely luncheon at her apartment in Washington. Joyce Boyle Murphy, Pat Donovan Stahr and I joined Betsy for the afternoon and enjoyed conversation and laughter and delicious food as we celebrated being together.

Mary Sullivan Perry texted that the big event of her life during the pandemic has been the birth of her granddaughter, Noelle, who has been the light of her life. She lives just forty minutes away, versus her other grandchildren who live across the country in Oregon. When Mary Lou Kerr Dwyer heard that Mary was a new grandmother, she wrote, ‘My youngest granddaughter is thirty-four!’ Mary says, ‘Oh, well, I’m just a late bloomer!’

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Joyce Boyle Murphy is doing well and being cautious as she continues working at St. Albans School, which has been virtual, though Joyce goes into the school each day. Since her daughters live near her, Joyce, who walks every morning first thing, has her daughters join her when they can. Joe Higgins Robb and her husband had dinner with Joyce when they visited Washington not too long ago.

Suzy Coleman Leahigh and Jimmy Leahigh, who still live in the same house in Silver Spring, have had quiet holidays with just the two of them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. They are both doing quite well as they wait patiently for vaccines.

Marjorie Ferraioli and her husband are still living in Puerto Rico surrounded by family and friends. Marjorie does translation work from her home office, a job she truly enjoys. She and Rudy play tennis and take walks for exercise and recreation. Their granddaughter has finished college at Notre Dame and attends medical school in San Juan.

Pat Slichter Williams is still living in WV, about two hours from DC, loving the rural life and the town of Berkeley Springs, which is about seven miles away. She writes, “Health issues are starting to plague us, but as our mechanic says, ‘At that age, the check engine light is always on.’ I love that. Keeping isolated because of Covid. Thank the Lord I married my best friend, right? Slowing down on volunteer work, resigned as the President of our Art Coop in 2020. Loving my book group and all the friends, family, and neighbors we have. Can’t wait until the next reunion, how about you guys?”

Margaret Quealy Bork shared: “The Year That Wasn’t—2020. Ron and I have been ‘sheltering in place’ since our return from an idyllic week at Ibero Star Resort, Montego Bay, Jamaica on March 9th. It was in that week that we got a head start on our ‘pandemic pounds’ and the country began to experience early cases of Covid-19. A trip planned in June to London, Greece, and Spain was cancelled and we hunkered down to try to stay safe as the number of cases began to rise in Nassau County. Skype, became a way to connect to family and friends. Online shopping was for an array of masks and occasional books; we even joined a wine club! All of a sudden we had subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime TV, Apple TV, Brit Box and you name it! My yearly dental checkup was fraught with fear; and, although Ron would still venture out to the gym, he agreed to cancel my membership, since I was embracing being a recluse and spending time cooking and eating and eating and eating. We are blessed to live in a small bubble that is very much safer than the rest of our state and the rest of the country! We are also blessed to have a comfortable home and not have to worry about food lines, eviction, or unemployment. We have much for which to be thankful! So, we hope that you are all safe and well and we wish for a smooth transition to 2021 and pray things will be better for all in the New Year.”

Mary Sullivan Perry and granddaughter Noelle.

The last hurrah before lock down! Margaret, Ron and Yoyo!

Class Notes

Marilyn Davis Coolidge reports, “I hope all in our class are well and looking forward to our next reunion. Jack and I are still enjoying retirement. He is an avid golfer even during the cold winter months! We both volunteer at our parish food pantry which is most rewarding. I continue to be active in Women in Retail Real Estate, International Council of Shopping Centers, Annapolis Kappa Kappa Gamma Alum Association, and the Panhellenic Club of Annapolis. Like many of us, we’ve had to cancel several trips in 2020 and 2021 that we were looking forward to. Time has been spent in trying to downsize the house of things we have accumulated over 43 years of marriage and children, and it’s not been easy! looking forward to seeing all at our 2024 60th reunion.”

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Class Agent Kathy McDonald Wasowski shared the following updates from the Class of ’75:

Marilyn Davis Coolidge

Peggy Cahill Della Porta says, “Greetings to all the Visi classmates, I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year! Thank you, Linda, for keeping us up to date. I was hoping our 2021 reunion would actually take place in Georgetown! I am happy to say I have received my first vaccine injection and scheduled for the 2nd injection soon. Ray and I are both working part time in the dental office so we qualified as health care workers as well as over 65!”

networking so I am set up with every IT feature in my home office. It really hums and of course video apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger, Zoom. Each son has his favorite video app and they change continually to newer products.

My ex decided to join me in the Berkshires and lives in the next town. He is enormously helpful and we have maintained an amicable friendship for 54 years…who knew!

I was shocked and saddened to hear of Carolyn Collins’s passing. Even though we were not closely associated, I admired her generosity of spirit and inclusiveness.

Mary Kate Dammen Dugan wrote, “After 33 delightful years working as a librarian at the National Library of Medicine, I retired at age 70. I’m so fortunate that my children live in fairly close proximity to me, along with 10 adorable grandchildren who are all still quite young. This lucky grandmother was spending lots of time and energy being with them until Covid changed everything. I think so often about all the amazing and wonderful friends I made during our time together at Visitation. We lived through some very difficult days back then, mainly President Kennedy’s assassination and the war in Vietnam, but nothing quite as disturbing and frightening as what we’re living with today. I pray each day that everyone I’ve ever known, and those I will never know, stays healthy and safe, and, that through our example of love, empathy, and calm peaceful dialogue with each other, will help to mend the division and strife we’re currently experiencing in our nation. I’m sure the days spent at Visitation where our faith was strengthened and fortified will hold us in good stead.”

This from MJ Downing: “My financial career came to a quick, unexpected, yet fulfilling end. I had achieved the top of my game as a process and risk control manager for a large healthcare organization and then got fired for insubordination. I had just closed on a refi the day before so I was flush with cash. This organization decided that they did not feel the timing was right to comply with regulations and I would have been the fall guy if they were caught. So there was no way but out. I was past retirement age so I decided to pursue a different line of work incorporating all of my skills. Therefore, I went into home renovation and restoration. Now I hire and fire people, work the finances for three properties, work with all kinds of contractors and where particular services are too expensive or technicians are hard to find, I learn the skill myself. I finished renovation and landscaping on a property in Tiverton, Rhode Island then found a majestic, dilapidated, large 1887 Victorian in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. For the past four years, I worked the restoration and for my efforts just got an appraisal of $200K over purchase price. So, with three properties I am a busy girl and enjoying the challenge.

Had surgery at MSK Hospital in NYC last December for metastasized thyroid cancer. Had 33 days of radiation. A bit of a scare but unbelievable support and love came from everyone in my large family.

I have three sons and six grandchildren, five boys and the youngest, a girl. My sons are all amazingly accomplished in IT

I am so very impressed with everyone’s accomplishments, families, beautifully written sagas of their struggles and successes. Thank you all for sharing.

I hope everyone emerges from the pandemic in good shape. Looking forward to our virtual reunion and eventually in person.”

Lesesne Deerin Hudson shared, “As all of us have over the last year, we’ve been locked down in Charleston, but I feel so lucky to have all four of my grandchildren in the area, so at least I’ve been able to get an occasional hug. We got our first vaccine shots yesterday so we’ll be good to go in a couple of weeks. I retired six months ago from my interior design practice and am anxious to have some time to work on my own place. We are anxious to start traveling again but it will be baby steps for a while.. no big cruise ships yet! Hope everyone is staying healthy. Look forward to ‘Zooming’ with everyone.”

From Barbara Castle Johnson: “But the good news at this awful moment of the Covid era is that at least we still have our GVC reunion to look forward to, hopefully timed to happen in between the corona curves. So here’s my very belated reunion update (which is totally different from what it would have been if I had sent it in on time).

I’m still punching the clock at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine— a ‘retirement’ job that I have been so lucky to have. I support the director of pediatric oncology, which puts me in a mission-control-type position that’s perfect for someone with my increasingly brief attention span. Plenty of varied activity, with so many fun, smart, and diverse people. Except that we have

been working from home since March, so I miss all my colleagues and will likely continue to do so, as we are expecting this work-from-home situation to last at least through the end of the year.

My big news is that I sold my home and moved to the Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville (MD) in 2018. Decided it was time to get all the downsizing and Swedish death cleaning done, and my precariously modest net worth evaluated before it evaporated in some kind of untoward stock market event. Oh, and to save my son from slogging through too much of my life-stuff upon my demise. It’s a continuing care community, so I should be taken care of for as long as my ticker keeps on ticking. I started researching possibilities shortly after the wakeup call of turning seventy, and true to form for me, the space between planning and action was far shorter than anticipated. I found my dream apartment in this affordable community, so I decided to just grab it. (I still think they miscalculated and mistakenly admitted me to this place.) Anyway, it certainly has made life a heck of a lot easier, an unexpected benefit is that I really DO feel a lot younger as I look around. The standard response of marketing folks at these places, that the average age of residents is 80, is ridiculously lowballed. But I’ve met many lovely acquaintances and even have a few buddies, watched a number of movies with people 20 years older than me, and in many other ways have come to enjoy and appreciate learning how the truly old can thrive. And I know that the boomers will be coming in before too long, so I’m content to be an early adopter. Since I’m still working, I’m a real outlier here, as all the activities pretty much happen between 9 and 4. And I’m totally fine with that—the rest of my life with family and friends goes on as before: the grandkids continue to be a source of joy and entertainment, everybody is healthy and happy, and all is well. What a blessing!

On the horizon—target date: April 2022, when I turn 75—is retirement and another pilgrimage. The Camino de Santiago, which I walked in 2012, was such a wonderful adventure that I want an encore and will attempt the Via Fracigena, from Canterbury Cathedral to Rome. Am saving up, studying up, and

working on my Italian, as much of the way is in Italy. The VF is longer and more varied than the Camino, so there will be plenty of opportunity for family and friends to meet up at various points along the way. I’m so lucky to have some excitement to anticipate at this stage of the game.

That’s my news—can’t wait to see everybody and get caught up on everybody’s doings. In the meantime, take care and stay well!”

Mickey Jumonville Lewis wrote, “2020 was a big year for us—our 50th wedding anniversary in February, which we celebrated with a large party. We were especially pleased that several folks came from out of town. Luckily we were celebrating just before the pandemic shut-down. Then in August, Jim turned 85. I had planned another party but it had to be scaled back significantly to just us and our three closest friends. Unfortunately Jim’s health has taken a turn for the worse which occupies a good deal of my time— thank goodness for Zoom so I can continue with classes, lectures, etc. from home. Best wishes to everyone.”

Linda Miller Nystrom writes, “I have asked you, my classmates, to update us on your news, so I will say I have only old news to share. After returning to school in 2009 to complete my college degree, I received my B.A. in History in 2019, magna cum laude, from Marymount University. Keep in touch, ladies!”

Marie Hillenmeyer Walsh reports, “This year we were so happy to celebrate the marriage of our son, Andrew Walsh, to Christen Capron ’03, in October. They had a beautiful, small family wedding in Washington, DC with a lot of Visitation representation—the groom’s sister, my daughter, Jeanne Walsh Parlin ’94 and Chrissie’s sisters, Angela Capron Deering ’96 and Kelly Capron ’98 The bride and groom are now living in San Diego, California.”

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Maureen Silk Bates shared, “My husband and I moved to Delaware in late December. We are enjoying retirement, however I am still working in Maryland a few days a month just to keep up my skills and I can also visit my family when I work.”

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Jude Franco Doherty shared the following, “I have been working as a government contractor and my current assignment is at NIH. What a time to be working there! I am happy to do my little part as an IT program manager at NHLBI (heart, lung, blood) providing service desk and infrastructure support. I have been teleworking and had to laugh that the number one phrase of 2020 was, ‘you’re on mute!’ Take good care. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Social distance. And get a vaccine when the opportunity comes.”

Katia Goffin wrote, “Visitation remains a very fond moment in my life. Not only for the four years spent therebut more importantly- as it represents the good things in life- just like the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ with Jimmy Stewart. To have that as part of one’s arsenal is a blessing. I moved back from Belgium some twenty years ago to the USA with my two girls. I want to thank Sister Mary Berchmans, the Sisters, and Laurie Collins Quirk for their kindness at that time as they welcomed my youngest daughter into Visitation. I can’t tell you what a relief that was. While my youngest was finishing up her junior and senior year and my oldest went to UVA, I went back for a second degree in landscape architecture at the University of Maryland—and I am lucky to say that after working for about 15 years, I started my own landscape design company five years ago. In the meantime both my girls graduated… worked… married great guys… and I now have five grandchildren that I adore. The fifth grandchild was born in Ireland during Covid eight months ago—I can’t wait to meet him and hug them all. I

Jude Franco Doherty at Mount Hood, Oregon, in happier times before the pandemic. Summer 2019.

Class Notes

wish you all the best and hope you are all doing well. Hopefully 2021 will be back to normal or a new normal where we can all get back to seeing each other. All my best to all of you.”

Felicia Goins reported, “I am still practicing Pediatric Dentistry in Columbia and Sumter, South Carolina, but looking forward to slowing down soon. Would love to get together with any alumnae who visit SC or any new graduates who will be attending University of South Carolina. Look forward to visiting DC since my daughter just moved back there. Hope to see some classmates soon!”

Ryan Dorsey Revel says, “I am currently in the middle of my 21st year as a science teacher. Covid teaching has really pushed my tech skills to a whole new level and pushed me to the brink of my sanity! However, I am grateful for so much and my Visitation friends are at the top of my list of blessings that I count everyday! I live near Bethany Beach, DE (have for about 41 years.) I would love to see more of you! Email me if you are in the area with time to spare. I live on seven acres; we can visit and be socially distanced. Stay well my friends. r.revel56@gmail.com”

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Uchi Odiaga Iannone sent this note, “Hi Visi sisters, I hope you are well! We are surviving Covid fine. Our son Jimmy graduated from UMD 2018, lives with us while getting his M.A. at Hopkins and working for Northrop Grumman. Our son Eddie is a sophomore at Clemson, loving life. I so enjoy seeing your posts on FB and look forward to the 2021 Reunion.”

’77

Christy Kramer, Class Agent, wrote, “Dear Class of 1977—I hope these notes find you and yours happy and healthy. Well, it has been quite the year as we all know, but thanks to Facebook we have been able to keep up with everyone’s comings and goings, children, grandchildren, travels, births, and general news. So 2020 was not the year we had hoped it to be, but I am hoping everyone has been staying healthy. As for me, I have been living in Wilmington, NC for 18 years now. Hard to believe. My daughter Chelsea was at East Carolina University until Covid hit and has gone to local college until she can return back to ECU. I bought my forever home in June and I’m planning to move Dad in with us. I am still with Cumulus Media and enjoying every bit of Southern life. Hopefully by the time reunion comes around, April 2022, this pandemic will be behind us. YIKES! 45 years but we all look MARVELOUS (in my best Billy Crystal voice.) So dear class: wear a mask, stay safe, and enjoy yourselves! We are Visi girls!”

Pamela Neal Chavous reports, “My husband and I retired from our Federal Government careers after 37 and 42 years respectively. We moved outside of Richmond a couple years ago. We welcomed our first granddaughter in the midst of the pandemic, Skylar Lucille Sheppard. We love to travel and hope to resume.

From Libby Downing Gondry, “Hi there Visi sisters! I pray this year has not gotten the best of you. It is sad to have missed out on visiting children this year, cancelling parties, and generally living an open and free life. I truly thank God that all my family have made it thus far with no infections. My husband has worked from home since March 2020 with no end in sight. My Down Syndrome sister still lives with us (22 years now). I still get together with friends who take the same precautions as I do, but not too many. I play canasta with a group and am totally still into crafting. Be well my friends. Please, let 2021 be good to us all!”

Jackie DeVol Merek says, “Hi to all from 1977. Hope you all are doing well and safe.”

Kat Conley sent this note, “In 2020, we welcomed our 6th grandchild, Reese Conley, born to my daughter and son-in-law Alex and Jason Aschenbach. Reese joined her older siblings Gavin,

“Like many other folks, the year started with great ideas and plans and then the pandemic hit. Janet Meenehan Point and her partner Steve, traveled the south on a musical and cultural journey of our musical heritage, the blues, enjoying many small towns, seeing different landscapes. The trip’s major musical bookends, a blues cruise and the International Blues Competition (IBC) provided anchors of Florida (for the boat) and Memphis (for the IBC). Of course, they needed to visit the birthplace of the blues, Clarksdale, Mississippi: it seemed a fitting year to celebrate Route 61 (the crossroads are routes 61 and 49). The trip, from their

Skylar Lucille Sheppard (7 months), Pamela Chavous’ first grandchild.

Blake (3), Gavin (7), Reese (6 months) and Annie (5) Aschenbach at Cove Creek on the Eastern shore, August 2020.

I am so glad I am in touch with my 1977 class friends. We were a special group and it has been a joy to watch everyone continue to learn and grow.

SUSAN RYAN ’77

Delaware home meandered through the Carolinas, to Florida, and across the gulf shores to the Mississippi, also paused to absorb and honor the sad history of racial division and subjugation, visiting the Equal Justice Institute’s (EJI) Memorial and Museum in Montgomery. The museum and the work of the EJI sprang from the inspiration and hard work of Delaware native Bryan Stevenson.

Back home in Delaware, a regular group of Visitation graduates across many years continued to have monthly lunches until March. This group keeps in touch, but will wait for safer times to gather again.

Their oldest son, Edward, and his girlfriend traveled from Chicago to visit the folks in the Poconos place for a few weeks of shelter-in-place. The Internet was able to accommodate Ed’s algorithms and trading platforms; ah, math majors. Later in the year, John, the younger son, graduated from UMBC and moved to Baltimore where he and his girlfriend are using their chemistry degrees in the labs doing work on a rather notorious virus. Steve is working on his chops and maybe next time we can get out for music, he can sit in on the jam sessions. Plenty of Zoom keeps Janet connected to yoga, gardening, and book clubs. More recently, Rehoboth Beach has gained a bit of fame, but most of us already knew the charms of this beach town.”

be working with incredible students and staff. My favorite thing to do is play tennis and paddle! I still love animals and have two dogs and two cats! Our daughter is a junior at GWU. She is majoring in environmental science and mapping (GIS). Classes are still online but she moved back to Washington, DC to live with friends. My parents are luckily still with us. They live in Lorton, Virginia. I have two brothers and a sister (all in Virginia) and all their children are in the process of getting married! Crazy! I am so glad I am in touch with my 1977 class friends. We were a special group and it has been a joy to watch everyone continue to learn and grow. Keep safe and healthy.”

’81

From Monica Lynch Barry: “I am in my 20th year at Stone Ridge and enjoy working with all grade levels at the pool as well as on the fields! My oldest son, Danny, is a first year Internal Medicine Resident at Medstar in Baltimore. My daughter, Meghan, got married at Loyola University Maryland in August and is expecting our first grandchild! Our youngest, Timmy, moved to Boston in March for a new sales position and is loving Boston life. My husband, Dan, and I will celebrate 34 years of marriage in April!”

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Carole Clayton Pegram reports, “As an associate minister at Good Shepherd Baptist Church, I have had several platforms to minister to others. I enjoy uplifting, and encouraging others. I am separated, however, I am comforted to know I am able to provide my own, and for my youngest (20 yrs old). We struggle at times, but God continues to provide! My sad piece of update is that I lost my dad on May 23, 2020. He was the last of his generation (98 yrs old), so it’s just my brother and me left. I have been able to connect with many of my Visi classmates. I’m not very tech savvy, but I’m learning. May God bless each and every one of you!”

’79

Susan Ryan shared, “Hello Visitation friends! I am still in Nyack, New York with my friend and partner of almost 27 years, Janet Hamlin. I am also still a principal in a small specialized high school in Nyack and love it. Blessed to

Julie Walsh Jeffers sent this note: “Our son Ryan Walsh Jeffers is engaged to Kara Johnson, with a wedding planned for November 6, 2021. Peace be with us!”

Janet found her Magic Number at the birthplace of the Blues.

A group of 1977 classmates, sent by Susan Ryan.

’80

Tracy Terrell ’80

Tracy Terrell will be joining the DDC Public Affairs Senior Management Team as Vice President, Client Relations.

Monica Lynch Barry ’81 with her husband, Dan; daughter, Meghan; and Meghan’s new husband, Ryan McKee, at Loyola University Maryland in August 2020.

Ever grateful to Visitation for friendships and faith foundation!

LAURIE NATOLI DERRY ’81

Class Notes

home (age 24), already work from home, so their daily presence is nothing new. My 10th grade daughter has all virtual schooling, but she is handling that change very well. My oldest daughter, age 27, who we hadn’t seen since last Christmas, was able to come home for seven weeks this Christmas. What a GIFT! It is a blessing to have so much family time, and do things that we wouldn’t have time for pre-Covid. Of course I miss seeing extended family and friends, but I think it is my social responsibility to be as cautious as possible and limit my exposure to others until I have been vaccinated. I pray we are able to gather together to celebrate our milestone 40th reunion this year. 40 years? How is that possible?”

From Lynn Bishop: “Celebrating 30 years at The Edinburg Center. Shepherding 100 clients and over 130 staff through the pandemic has been challenging. Hoping we make it through the next few months without any more loss of life. My wife and I are almost finishing renovating our little house on the Cape. Working hard on issues of racial and social justice.”

Anne Marie Darby Brown sent this: “Almost empty nester with husband Jim in Darnestown, MD. Two boys out of college and working—yay! Youngest daughter at Fordham. Enjoying life and the DC design community.”

Kathleen Shehan Caslow shared this, “Life is very challenging this year for many families. My family struggled with the near-death of my husband, the pandemic, and the death of my mother in-law. My husband, thanks to many prayers and support from all my friends including the Visitation community, has survived and is alive and well. We are in seclusion both in Alexandria, VA. and Sherwood Forest, MD. I go back and forth in order to care for my father who is 89 years old. New events in my life include the small Covid wedding of my oldest son Scott to Hilary Bourke. My other son Quinn is finishing medical school (VCOM) and is currently in Navy boot camp for five weeks. Finally, Schillo, my son from Zimbabwe, Africa,

returned home after playing soccer for the Portland Timbers (MLA). He is living at home while he completes his degree at University of Maryland. I am currently teaching science at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA., which I have been doing for the last 29 years. Lastly, I have started a new graduate program at American University. The program is the M.Ed in Education Policy and Leadership.”

Mary Davin says, “I got married to Carl Robbins in 2015 and live happily with him and our two white German Shepherds in Baltimore. I closed my yoga business so I could work with adolescents full-time as a Baltimore public middle school teacher mostly focused on students who have special needs.”

Shared by Laurie Natoli Derry: “Ever grateful to Visitation for friendships and faith foundation! I am happily married to Tom. While he works remotely, we are fortunate in splitting our time between Silver Spring and Cape Cod. My work as a home care nurse is on hold for now. We are blessed with three children and two daughters-in-law. Our eldest son works in strategy for Google;his wife is a medical resident at UCSF. Our daughter is a NICU nurse in Charleston. Our other son is lead baker at Seylou in DC; his wife is a CICU nurse at Washington Hospital Center. I hope and pray we can gather soon.”

Kimberly Judd Ellis announced, “I’m going to be a G-Mama. My daughter Olivia’s baby is due on July 26, 2021!”

Carla Norman Fleming writes, “Looking forward to reconnecting with the Class of 1981!”

Sheila Balek Coleman, Class Agent, says, “I am happy to report that I have known only a few people that have gotten Covid, and thankfully they have all had mild cases. My husband (about to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary) and son, who still lives at

From Lisa Curtrona

Goetchius: “Hi everyone! I have lived in Los Angeles for the last 20 years following 15 years of living in NYC where I attended

Schillo Tshuma, Doug Caslow, Hilary Bourke Caslow, Scott Caslow, Kathleen Shehan Caslow, and Quinn Caslow (Scott’s Wedding in Orange, VA).

Carla Fleming

Visi ’81 Zoom call, April 2020 [ TOP ROW L TO R ] Sheila Balek Coleman, Ann O’Neil Gradowski, Lisa Cutrona Goetchius [ 2ND ROW L TO R ] Monica Lynch Barry, Colleen Shehan Bakewell, Tracie Holliday Rolle, Debbie Frisby James [ 3RD ROW L TO R ] Barbara McCabe Bowman, Kara Reidy, Laurie Natolie Derry, Mary Kay Colliton and son Will [ BOTTOM ROW L TO R ] Cathy Tibbits Sommerville, Ann O’Neil Gradowski

graduate school at Columbia University. My husband, John (from Cambridge, MA), and I are reluctant Angelenos and are always scheming to move back east, but trips to Boston in the winter takes care of that. We have two daughters Grace (16, who is the namesake of my mom Mary Grace Ryan JC’43) and Beatrice (13) who both attend Immaculate Heart, a private Catholic girls school similar to Visi which makes me so happy. After a long career as a social worker (34 years) in public service I have transitioned into private practice and have my own psychotherapy practice here in LA. My husband is a musician and records with various artists but most notedly is a member of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (which we pretend keeps us young—HA!). I really hope our class is able to see each other before too long, I was so looking forward to seeing everyone. As I grow older it becomes very clear how incredibly valued and treasured my time was at Visitation.”

Ann O’Neil Gradowski, Class Agent reports, “I always forget to send a note about life, but, to be honest, not much has changed over the years—I still live in the DMV area, married to John Gradowski (coming up on 35 years), have five adult children, with partners, and blessedly all live in the DMV as well. Work is great, keeps me young— working at UMD, with college students, and I get to see the world and faith through their eyes which helps me stay connected as well. Well, I guess there are a few new things, three grandkids and a fourth on the way and it’s wonderful! Here is a photo of the Gradowski clan—on the back porch of our home—lovingly dubbed The Gradowski Inn. Love having them close, and John and I help care for them while their parents work. My mom, Helene O’Neil, went home to God in January of 2019, which was similar for several of us in our class that winter/spring—it was very hard to say goodbye to so many amazing women who gave us a great opportunity to go to Visi, meet each other, and become friends. Covid has had its impact as well, on so many levels, but it also opened a window (thank you, Zoom) to see friends and catch up in ways we would not have been able to do because we live all over the world! So that was a great joy to see many faces I hadn’t in a long time. Looking forward to doing more reconnecting with our classmates— I like to think we had a pretty solid group. Even after 40 years, we still try to keep in touch via social media and simply check in. Here’s hoping 2021 is filled with more joy than sorrow for everyone, and I do hope to see you all if not in person one day—at the very

least on a Class of ’81 Zoom call!

Rachel Valcour Pedraza says, “My husband of 30 years, George, and I continue to live in San Antonio, Texas. We began this crazy year as ‘almost’ empty nesters with just our youngest daughter, Marina (17), living at home with us. By March 2020, we were up to seven at home with the addition of our son Max (23) who is finishing up his degree from the University of Vermont… at home; our daughter Sydney (20) is a junior at Georgetown U., home attending virtual college; and my parents, Frank and Maureen Valcour, escaping to Texas from the Washington, DC area! Periodic extended stays from our oldest, Alexander (26), brought us to eight at home much of the year. We have since leveled off at a steady five and are moving to a newly renovated home this spring with a detached casita for my parents. Amidst the coming and going of family members, George and I managed to drive across the country last summer, delivering a car to Max in California and retrieving my parents’ car from Maryland. We are not ready to sign up as car couriers just yet, but enjoyed our mini-vacations on the road with lots of masks, sanitizer, and a full cooler of snacks!”

This from Julie Peters: “I’m just finishing up my 35th year in middle school classrooms (or my guest room this past year). My two kids are grown and working on the ‘on their own’ part so I got a puppy. I’ve been living in Howard County, MD for many years but moved into a townhome in Columbia, MD in March of 2020.”

From Mary Prahinski: “I am currently leading fundraising for Georgetown University’s Mission &

Grace Goetchius, John Goetchius, Lisa Cutrona Goetchius ’81, and Beatrice Goetchius; photo taken October 2019.

Gradowski Inn back porch, celebrating birthdays and baptisms! October 2020: Frixon and Molly G. Herrera ’07 holding Liam Alejandro, Me and John G behind, Michael G. and Lauren with baby Grace Helene, John’s dad Len, Colleen G. and Zach Klipstein with baby Rory John, behind Brady G and Kamy Alves, Justin G. and Katie G.

Class Notes

Ministry program. In this role I have had the chance to work with many wonderful people. Outside of work I have enjoyed traveling around the country and the world catching up with old friends and new ones plus catching up with family including some special trips with my sister Susan ’83. Am looking forward to our reunion this spring.”

Kelly Ryan shared, “My son Michael (9), daughter Lucy (7), and I returned to Washington in 2019 after living in Geneva, Switzerland since 2013. While living abroad the children were able to visit more than a dozen countries.”

’84

in Galilee, Israel

February 2019,

easy to 2020 graduates, this VERY emblematic Visi gesture did the trick. As so many traditions have been appended in 2020, it’s important to share novel ways in which Visi alums continue to do small things with love and for others … ‘being who we are and being it well.’ I feel so blessed and honored to have such a fabulous alma mater. Thank you dear friends for this incredible loyalty! The 2020 graduates and alums who honored them: Mollie Beckham, honored by Beth McCarthy Gusler; Emma Bruckwick, honored by Jacqueline Connolly; Sophia Fayer, honored by Kathy McDermott Gill; Dagny Fisher, honored by Isabel Orgiera Galdiz; Mia Galdiz, honored by M’liss (Missy) Reingruber Freeman; Isabel Gretchel, honored by Pam Kirsch Roberts; Claire Hastings, honored by Anne-Marie Staples MacPeak; Annie Rehill, honored by Susie Gorman Donofrio; Katie Wickham, honored by Francesca Repetti Ryan; Jaren Rubio, honored by Susan Griffith Giuliani; and Maggie Hicks, honored by Jennifer Flood Dover.”

National Minority Health Month observances.”

Ana Belt Shields shared this update: “My husband, Kevin and I have been living in Atlanta for the past 18 years. Our three children have all ‘grown and flown!’ Luke (25) graduated from UVA in 2018 and is currently living and working in NYC. Kaleigh (22) graduated from SMU and is currently living and working in Dallas. Liam (19) is a first year student at UVA. We recently purchased our ‘dream’ home in Wilmington, NC where we plan on retiring in the next couple of years!”

Isabel Orgiera Galdiz shared, “The Class of ’84 honors the Class of 2020. In 2020, Visi ’84 friends came together to honor 2020 grads, sending spirit gifts and special notes to encourage them through this ‘novel’ graduation. I have never been so proud to be part of the Class of ’84 (except MAYBE when we won Marshmallow Roast as sophomores :-)). Although smiles did not come

Susan Griffith Giuliani announced, “I am currently supporting the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Global Health communications and public engagement efforts during the pandemic. Special projects include NIH Take Your Child to Work Day and

’85

Rachel Briley, head of the MFA in Theatre for Youth and Artistic Director of the North Carolina Theatre for Young People, was promoted to full professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro last year. She received a research leave in 2019 to travel to Santiago de Chile to collaborate with

We are pictured

in

in the garden of the Church of the Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.

Kaleigh, Liam , Kevin, Ana, and Luke Shields.

Since 2016, Visi Class of ’84 Alums gather each year for the Annual Dewey Does Pink Race. Pictured here are Isabel Orgeira Galdiz, Beth McCarthy Gusler, Jenny O’Connell, Danne Futterer Hardin, Anne Marie MacPeak Staples, and Jacqueline Connolly.

a Jesuit university in the heart of the city: Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH). While in Santiago, Rachel also volunteered with low-income middle school students in a fenceline community utilizing drama to teach English. UAH is named after Chilean Jesuit priest Alberto Hurtado whose portrait can be found in the Jesuit Community at Georgetown University. Rachel is forever grateful to the Georgetown Visitation and Georgetown University communities for fostering her life-long pursuit and love of learning.

’86

Cristal Baron McKenzie shared, “Proud to have two Gonzaga boys—Collin (’22) and Malcolm (’24) McKenzie.”

meaningful and valuable as that (minus the flying part) in the future.Please let me know if you ever make it to New Mexico, I’d love to see you!

310.245.9626I hope this note finds you well and safe, and that the Covid-19 vaccine will reach you and your loved ones soon.”

This from Katy Kennelly Olds: “I am still living in the San Francisco area. I was back in DC in early March 2020 (right before the Covid shutdowns) for work and had a wonderful brunch with Olivia Wills Kane, Maureen O’Connor Dennis, Mara Aimone Glenshaw, and Christina Barron Rogers I did a lot of political volunteering over the summer and fall and made over 8,500 phone calls and wrote almost 2,000 postcards for Democratic candidates leading up to the general election, since I couldn’t travel to any swing states to knock on doors. My two sons are in high school (senior and freshman).”

Colleen Browne Waters recently relocated to St. Augustine, FL. She is employed at Northrop Grumman, assisting with the build of the E-3D Hawkeye aircraft.

’87

Karen Palting Silver, “Greetings from the Land of Enchantment! After eight years on Kaua’i and a year in Seattle, my husband (Ben) and I are now in Albuquerque. I’ve been working in television and film production as a video producer and film 2nd Assistant Director, but have been taking time off due to the pandemic since our move this summer. Ben took a job flying a helicopter air ambulance for the hospital system, which is why we moved. While I enjoy being on set, I’m hoping to utilize my skills in a job as

’88

Caroline Mendoza Horrigan shared, “I am excited to announce that our oldest daughter, Maddie, graduated from Visitation in 2019, and last spring our daughter Emma also graduated in the Class of 2020. Maddie is studying at Vanderbilt and Emma is at Boston College (go Eagles!). Our youngest daughter Lila is in eighth grade at Our Lady of Mercy. For the past five years, I have been working in Interior Design for Dane Austin / Andy Staszak Interiors which is based in both D.C. and Boston.”

’94

Brigette Allen shares that she coauthored a book called Living Without Plastic (www.workman.com/products/ living-without-plastic). “I am very passionate about the book’s message and eager to spread the word! The book allows readers to tackle a heavy subject (plastic waste) in fun and creative ways.” To learn more about Brigette’s book, turn to page 21.

Rachel with Fr. Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J. and Fr. Brian O. McDermott, S.J. in front of the portrait.

Mara Aimone Glenshaw, Olivia Wills Kane, Christina Barron Rogers, Maureen O’Connor Dennis, and Katy Kennelly Olds.

Malcolm, Collin, and Cristal Baron ’86 at Black Lives Matter Plaza.

Colleen Browne Waters ’86, Will and Bill Waters—”Living the Dream in FL.”

Ben and Karen Silver on Kaua’i just before the pandemic began (February 2020).

Class Notes

’96

Samantha Lane Bahn welcomed a son, Rafael Grimm Bahn.

Dorothy “Dot” Johnson, husband Chris Garbe, and son Roger Patrick welcomed Theodore Christopher Garbe on December 30, 2020 in Austin, Texas. Dot’s boutique brand development studio, Good Work, reached 6 years in operation in 2020, and she hopes to return to the D.C. area in the coming year.

’99

Maria Balducci and husband Michael Voigt (Gonzaga ’99) joyfully welcomed their fourth baby boy, Andrew Joseph, on September 21. This summer, Maria accepted the Director of Music/Organist position at St. Joseph’s Church on Capitol Hill, DC. She writes, “Please be sure to say hello after Mass if you’re ever at beautiful St. Joe’s!”

From Raegan Ketchum Baylie: “It’s been almost eight years living in the UK with my now-husband and two boys, ages three and one. I want to thank everyone from the Class of ’99 for supporting us through a scary time with our youngest. You all made such a difference and are without a doubt amazing humans. All the love.”

Kathryn McDonough Lievano and her husband welcomed their third child and first girl, Camila Elizabeth, on October 21, 2020.

’00

’98

Laura Hamm Amigone shared this: “I recently started my own coaching practice, Rudder Coaching, working one-on-one with college students who want to do better in college, and make the most of their college years and tuition dollars. I teach them how to manage their time, make confident decisions, plan for the future so they can live in the moment!”

Kara O’Brien Ghassabeh reports, “I am excited to announce my bridal coaching practice. I help women gracefully navigate wedding stress and drama. Love working with Visi brides!”

Christina Johnson recently became an equity partner in two locally owned businesses and looks forward to continued growth as an entrepreneur and investor in burgeoning womenowned ventures.

Caitie Finley is happy to share that she “married her best friend, Patrick Duffy, on July 25, 2020, in a small backyard wedding at her parents’ home in Chevy Chase, MD, with immediate family present and brother Beau officiating, in line with guidelines restricting gatherings to 10 or less. Although donning masks and maintaining social distance were quite different from what she had envisioned for their wedding day, it was perfect in its simplicity and intimacy.”

’01

Alessandra Davidson Lundin announced, “Our daughter, Cayla Avery Lundin, was born March 13, 2017. She also has an older ‘dog sister’ Kona, who is a rescue German Shepherd :)”

Kristen McKenna welcomed baby Charlotte, who joins big brother William (5) and big sister Eleanor (3).

Bridget Veihmeyer Monahan joined KPMG US as Director, Corporate Communications, supporting leadership and strategic communications in the Office of the Chair and CEO. She lives in Maryland with her husband, Kevin, and their children, Nora and Jack.

Kate Musica and Norman Kittrell

welcomed daughter Kathryn Antoinette Kittrell at the end of February 2020. She surprised everyone by coming early and with red hair!

’02

Mo Kisicki Baker and Tyler Baker were married on September 19, 2020 in Jackson, WY, where they currently live. Due to the pandemic, they had a small intimate ceremony attended by a limited number of family and friends.

Kristin David Burch gave birth to her fourth child, a daughter named Addison Burch on November 23, 2020. Addison joins siblings Collin (May 29, 2014), Bennett (July 17, 2017), and Ella (July 22, 2019).

Kieran Carter was promoted to Counsel to the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Policy and Planning at the United States Department of Justice.

Sophie Dejonckheere married TJ Abbonizio on July 7, 2019.

Jenny Hurley Eidsmoe shared, “We welcomed Caroline into our family on November 27, 2020. Big sister Eloise (17 months) is thrilled to have a new best friend.”

Elizabeth “Liz” Jurinka has joined the Biden/Harris Administration as a Special Assistant to the President, Senate Legislative Affairs. Liz is transitioning to the White House after nearly seven years as the Chief Health Advisor on the Senate Finance Committee, Democratic Staff; three years as the Health Care Advisor to Sen. Ron Wyden prior to that; and five years in various roles with Congresswoman Melissa Bean.

Linda Gerrish Lynch has two daughters, Noelle (7) and Brooke (4).

Dot Johnson and son Theodore Christopher Garbe born December 30, 2020.

Linda, Henry, Brooke (4), and Noelle (7)

Meredith Nichols relocated to Singapore with her husband, Matteo, their daughter, Clementina, and their dog, Nebbia, in October 2019. They are expecting a little girl in March 2021 and cannot wait until aunt Paige ’04 can visit along with the Italian/American grandparents!

’04

Cristina de Cardenas O’Brien announces the birth of Lucia Margaux O’Brien who was born December 9, 2020. Proud big siblings, Cecily (8), Jake (6), and Carolina (4).

Tricia Dowley Sullivan says, “We welcomed Lucy Patricia Sullivan to our family in July.”

Janice Flynn Vargo sends her love to everyone from Olney, MD, where she lives with her husband, Frank, and their three kids, Ryan (5), Colin (3), and Stella (1). When she’s not chasing them around, she enjoys her part-time consulting work at Education Elements.

Leslie Wilson and Josh Mogilefsky joyfully welcomed their first baby, Carter Jett Wilson Mogilefsky, on December 7, 2020, in Doylestown, PA.

’03

Julia Shroer Morrow and her husband, Richard, as well as their families, were delighted to welcome William James on April 22, 2020 in Dublin, Ireland. William is the first grandchild on Julia’s side of the family and while Covid-19 has delayed visits, Julia and William hope to visit home later this year.

On October 3, 2020, Christen Capron Walsh and Andrew H. Walsh married at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.

Colleen Carr Fields married Adam Fields on August 11, 2020 in a small ceremony in Paradise Valley, AZ. Sister Maureen Carr ’98 was in attendance; sister Meghan Carr Horrigan ’00 and beloved Visi friends were missed, but there in spirit.

Evie Roe Umberger reports, “Beckett Waldorf Umberger was born February 14, 2020 (our happy little Valentine). Parents Evie and Aaron, big sister Emerson (Emme), and the four-legged siblings Gus and Ruby are in heaven (minus the exhaustion of two, of course)! Beckett weighed in at 7lbs 7oz. of pure ginger love. Evie and Aaron’s wedding anniversary is 7/7/2012 which made the Valentine delivery and his size even more special.”

’05

Colleen Donohoe Craft welcomed a daughter, Frances Charles Craft.

Emily Iannuzzelli is very excited to announce that she’s just launched a podcast called Time to Heal. The podcast, conceived during Covid, is about finding hope in the body’s amazing capacity to heal. Each episode features an interview with one of an amazing and diverse group of healers (including ’05 sister Katie Austin!).

’06

Maggie Rose

Durante sent in this update: “Hi there! I just launched a podcast at the beginning of January with Osiris Media called ‘Salute the Songbird with Maggie Rose’ where I have candid conversations with my female musical heroes every week. Some of my guests are icons in the industry like Nancy Wilson of Heart, entertainers such as Chrissy Metz from ‘This Is Us,’ and newcomers like Mickey Guyton, who was recently nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance. I’d love for my Visi sisters to join the conversation every week and subscribe to the podcast. You can hear the episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. There will also be video content to support each episode. I’m so excited to celebrate these women in music who have inspired me and hopefully will inspire you, too!”

Beth Carr Eitan married Ben Eitan on October 6, 2018.

On August 18, 2018, Allison Gervasio married Kevin Gaske at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Washington, D.C., with a reception that followed at the District Wharf. Those in attendance from Visitation included:

Clementina (daughter of Meredith Nichols ’02) in Singapore, December 2020.

[

L TO R ] Laura Zeifang ’06, Tara Bowlin Workman ’06, sister and matron of honor Melissa Gervasio ’02, bride Allison Gervasio ’06, Caitlin Burrell ’02, Elizabeth Rodriguez Angelo ’02, aunt Phyllis Gervasio ’71, mother of the bride Deborah Murphy Gervasio ’72. [ NOT PICTURED ] Anna Brinley ’06

Class Notes

sister and matron of honor Melissa Gervasio ’02, mother of the bride

Deborah Murphy Gervasio ’72, aunt

Phyllis Gervasio ’71, and friends

Caitlin Burrell ’02, Elizabeth Rodriguez

Angelo ’02, Laura Zeifang ’06, Tara Bowlin Workman ’06, and Anna Brinley ’06

[Editor’s note: Allison submitted her wedding for publication in an earlier magazine; we accidentally omitted it. We apologize to Allison and thank her for her patience and understanding!]

Juliet Joly shared this photo: “This is me with my nephew Adam— he is so much fun. We took this at the house where my siblings (Eugene, Joanna ’03, Janine ’08, and Jeannette ’13) and I grew up. I also have a niece Rebecca and my sister Janine has her first little one on the way!”

Bennett, and Megan Taylor Nassar

Beth Thompson Weaver married Nicolas Weaver on June 22, 2019 and they have a son, Jack Ritner Weaver.

Caroline Geier Masur and husband Jack welcomed daughter Annie Grace Masur on June 18, 2020.

’07

Laura Grant Becker welcomed Amy Catherine Becker on October 24, 2020 weighing 8 lbs 10 oz and measuring 213/4 inches long.

Megan Kent Jordan welcomed daughter Brynn with husband Matthew.

’08

Liz Furman McAnneny married Alexander McAnneny on September 21, 2019.

Meghan Kehoe Newkumet married Mick Newkumet on December 5, 2020.

Perrye Proctor Ogunwle married Chuma Ogunwole (Georgetown Prep ’08) on September 28, 2019 at the St. Regis in Washington, D.C.

Olivia Martin Youngblood and her husband, William, welcomed their daughter, Harper James Youngblood, on May 29, 2020 in London.

’09

Rosemary LeMense McClimans and family welcomed their second child, James Scully McClimans “Scully,” on September 29, 2020. He is named after his great-grandfather James Dean McClimans and his great-grandmother

Mary Kathleen Scully LeMense ’51

Allie Donnelly Seiter married Dr. Max Seiter on October 5, 2019 at Columbia Country Club. The couple recently moved to Vail, CO for Max’s orthopedic surgery fellowship at the prestigious Steadman-Phillipon Research Institute. They plan on staying in Colorado with their new puppy, Birdie! Please reach out should you plan an upcoming ski vacation! In addition, Allie and Max welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Savannah James Seiter (a redhead!), at Vail Health Hospital on November 12, 2020.

Annie Stone married Chris Ehlinger in a small wedding in Philadelphia on October 31, 2020, attended by Beth Thompson Weaver, Lucy Warren

Shannon McGuigan Boota and Alex Boota were married on October 4, 2020 in Charlottesville, VA. They met in D.C. and then moved to Charlottesville for graduate school. In May, Shannon graduated from UVA’s Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program and Alex graduated from UVA’s School of Law. They now live in Greenville, SC.

Sonya Einhorn Branson married Lucas Branson on November 7, 2020.

Casey Dawson Dyer welcomed daughter Liza on July 23, 2020 in Nashville, TN.

Katie Hartley is in her first year of a Masters in Fine Arts program at American University (it’s her dream, she says). She’s still working as a nurse part-time in DC, as well.

Caroline Liegey shared, “After spending the last four years in beautiful Colorado, I’m excited to be moving to Boston to pursue my MBA at MIT Sloan this summer, with the ultimate goal of working on software solutions that lower

barriers to high-quality healthcare. I’d love to connect with anyone living in Boston!”

Maddox Greyson Snyder was born on July 20, 2020 in Daytona Beach, Florida to Makenzie Snyder

Maggie McNamara Stewart married Sean Stewart on August 4, 2019 in Bluemont, VA.

’10

Meg Cahill Crowley ’10 married Michael Crowley on January 5, 2019.

Crissi Wilbur ’10 married Collin Berger on March 14, 2020. They are both currently at Notre Dame Law School.

’11

Aundya Azarbarzin has been living in San Diego for the past nine years and has worked for Northrop Grumman for over five years now. She has spent her off time from work going rock climbing, playing beach volleyball, and exploring national parks.

Shannon Egan announced, “I have accepted a position to teach Grade 5 at the American School of Belo Horizonte in Belo Horizonte, Brazil! I will be moving in July 2021.”

Betsy Paul Hackl writes, “ Hi friends! I got married at the end of 2018 to my college sweetheart, Stephen, and we currently live in Indianapolis, IN. Stephen is a nurse at the hospital and I oversee the cybersecurity operations of over 100 affiliates for Eli Lilly. On the weekends, I am a wedding makeup artist and recently started a fun beauty

Aundya preparing for a sport climb in Red Rocks Conservation in Las Vegas, NV.

YouTube channel. We got a puppy during quarantine and are very happy!”

Victoria Kelley reports, “I recently received the Peter A.R. Lardy Scholarship Award for Notre Dame Law School 2020–2021 school year. The award is given to a student who exemplifies ‘courage, love, and understanding towards their fellow man.’ Below is an article written on the award and published on the Notre Dame Law School website. https://law.nd. edu/news-events/news/2020-lardyaward-victoria-kelley/

Sarah Morell was selected as a McCain Institute National Security and Counterterrorism Fellow, a leadership development program for national security professionals from the Five Eyes countries.

Grace Siemietkowski Rowell and James Rowell were married on June 22, 2019.

Kiley Maloney Saurman shared, “I married Drew Saurman on September 14, 2019 in St Michaels, MD. We met in college at the University of South Carolina and now live north of Philadelphia. Elise Tigani ’11, Sydney Lee ’11, and my sister Callan Maloney ’13 were bridesmaids.”

’12

Gabby Abebe sent this news: “I launched my small business! I make handmade candles on Etsy and of course have gotten a ton of support from fellow Visi women. It’s been an adventure turning a hobby into a business. I’m excited to see where it goes! The store is SoulofAbebe on Instagram and Etsy!”

Jennifer Campbell-Jenifer married Brandon Jenifer on October 10, 2020 at Holy Comforter Saint Cyprian Roman Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. Maddy Cuddihy became engaged to Dean Haire in July. They will be married on Long Beach Island, NJ, where they got engaged, in October 2021.

Charlotte Pennington Hopson shared, “I just graduated from Georgetown Law with honors and had a baby with my husband, Thomas Hopson, who is a graduate of St. Albans.”

On September 25, 2020, Destiny Allen Mitchell married Derek Lee Mitchell.

’13

From Daria Fogan: “Hello my fellow Visi sisters! I started an online business called Designed by Dare. I mainly sell earrings and I will be expanding products soon! I also run a sustainable fashion Instagram blog where I upcycle thrifted clothing. Feel free to check it out :) I can be found via the following: Website: www.designedbydare.com, Instagram: @designedbydare, Etsy via searching ‘designedbydare’”

Bridget Finnell Van Fleet wrote that she and husband Ryan “were very blessed and lucky to have an intimate wedding ceremony at St. Mary’s Chapel

on June 20, 2020. The day was completely different than either of us had imagined, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. It was definitely our highlight of 2020!”

Claire Trivisonno married Jay Ashe on August 14, 2020.

’14

Katherine Kennedy just began her first year of study at Harvard Law School.

Corena Wallace Govan married Kristopher Govan on October 17, 2020.

’15

Grace Reid Dysart shared, “I married Ryan Dysart on January 25, 2020 (right before the pandemic!) at my home church of St. Patrick’s in Rockville. I attended St. Patrick’s elementary school, which helped pave my way to Visi, and then to Marquette University, where I met my husband! Praising God for the beautiful gift of marriage.”

’18

Jeanne-Marie Pelletier wrote, “My third year fall semester project in architecture at University of Southern California has been chosen to be part of the Aedes Gallery exhibition in Berlin starting January 15, 2021.”

Victoria Kelley ’11

Candles made by Gabby Abebe ’12.

Jeanne-Marie Pelletier ’18’s architecture project that will be in the Aedes Gallery exhibit.

Class Notes

The 2019 wedding of Liz Furman McAnneny ’08 and Alex McAnneny was well attended by Visitation friends! [ BOTTOM ROW ] Katie Estes ’08, Caitlin Mayo ’08, groom Alex McAnneny. [ MIDDLE ROW ] bride Liz McAnneny ’08, Caroline Higgins ’08, Kate Anderson ’08, Mary Beth Fleury ’08. [ BACK ROW ] Bernadette Young ’08, Cait Reilly ’08, Faith Cerny ’08, Alex Shaheen ’08, Katie Collard ’08, Cami Thompson ’08, Bridget Curran ’08.

Wedding Of Christen Capron Walsh ’03 and Andrew H. Walsh at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. [ FRONT ] Joseph Deering, Victoria Deering, Jeff P. Capron, Gloria Emanuele Capron, Christen Capron Walsh ’03, Andrew H. Walsh, Marie Hillenmeyer Walsh ’65, Sophie Parlin. [ BACK ] Kelly R. Capron ’98, Angela Capron Deering ’96, Graham Parlin, and Jeanne Walsh Parlin ’94.

Allie Donnelly ’06’s wedding day October 5, 2019, at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, MD. Visitation alumnae of all ages took over the dance floor! [ BACK ROW L TO R ] Kate Sheekey Stevens ’86, Caitlin Carlock Drew ’01, Beth Thompson Weaver ’06, Cele Tansill Kramer ’69, Shannon Keller ’12, Joan Donnelly Hirchert ’68, Geri Donnelly Borger ’65, Janet Donnelly Keller ’79, Kathleen Donnelly Sylvester ’93, Joyce Donnelly Young ’72, Alice Riley Donnelly ’68 [ MIDDLE ROW L TO R ] Meagan Carlock ’99, Elizabeth Keller Wakefield ’08, Geri Borger Urgo ’01, Jacqueline Greeves ’06, Casey Flynn ’06, Lucy Warren Bennett ’06, Katie Giblin ’03, Annie Stone ’06 [ FRONT ROW L TO R ] Megan Taylor Nassar ’06, Kelly Stegman Hayes ’06, Shannon Donnelly McMahon ’03, Allison Donnelly Seiter ’06, Rosemary LeMense McClimans ’06, Katrina LeMense ’04

Beth Thompson Weaver ’06, Lucy Warren Bennett ’06, Annie Stone Ehlinger ’06, and Megan Taylor Nassar ’06 at the wedding of Annie Stone and Chris Ehlinger in Philadelphia on October 31, 2020.

[ L TO R ] Kate Richard ’09, Anna Lynch ’09, Marnie Kingsley ’09, Emily Lohmann ’09, Anne Marie Treseler Baker ’07, Brigit McNamara ’15, bride Maggie McNamara Stewart ’09, Kathleen McNamara ’12, Christine Treseler ’11, Katy Ford ’09, Maura Treseler ’15, Angie Garcia ’09, and Carolina Isch ’15.

Class Notes

’10

Meg Cahill and Michael Crowley on January 5, 2019 10

Crissi Wilbur and Collin Berger on March 14, 2020. 9

’11

Betsy Paul and Stephen Hackl on December 29, 2018. 8

Grace Siemietkowski and James Rowell on June 22, 2019 11

Kiley Maloney and Drew Saurman on September 14, 2019 4

’12

Jennifer Campbell and Brandon Jenifer on October 10, 2020 1

Destiny Allen and Derek Lee Mitchell on September 25, 2020 7

’13

Claire Trivisonno and Jay Ashe on August 14, 2020 5

Bridget Finell and Ryan Van Fleet on June 20, 2020 3 ’14

Corena Wallace and Kristopher Govan on October 17, 2020 6

’15

Grace Reid and Ryan Dysart on January 25, 2020 2

love

These are the unions Visitation was made aware of as of January 19, 2021.

[ FRONT ] Mary Gerber ’23 (cousin of the bride), Marie Siemietkowski-Needham ’22 (cousin of the bride), Bridget Black ’12, Emily Mahoney ’11, Claire Siemietkowski ’12 (sister of the bride), Grace Rowell ’11 (bride), Emily Kruse ’11, Emily Tsoy ’11, Megan Rebueno ’11, Andrea Simons’11 [ BACK ] Camila Simons ’14, Kathleen Emerson ’10, Abigail Sarikas ’12

Kaley Nelson ‘11, Kat Clarke ‘11, Betsy Paul Hackl ’11, Christine Treseler ‘11, Claire Osborn ‘11, Chrissy Garcia ‘11, Bryan Marquet (Gonzaga)

Crissi with Visitation alumnae, including Laura Kelly ’08, who was the videographer.

Meg Cahill Crowley ’10 and Michael Crowley with bridesmaids and groomsmen including Bronte Jasinski ’10 (front, 3rd from the left), Sarah Burns ’10 (front, 4th from the right), and Caroline Lang Stansberry ’10 (front, 3rd from the right).

Class Notes

’96

Rafael Grimm Bahn, son of Samantha Lane Bahn

Theodore Christopher Garbe, son of Dorothy “Dot” Johnson and Chris Garbe (born December 30, 2020) 18

’99

Andrew Joseph Voigt, son of Maria Balducci and Michael Voigt

Camila Elizabeth Lievano, daughter of Kathryn McDonough Lievano (born October 21, 2020) 13

’01

Charlotte, daughter of Kristen McKenna

Cayla Avery Lundin, daughter of Alessandra Davidson London

Kathryn Antoinette Kittrell, daughter of Kate Musica and Norman Kittrell (born February 2020) 12

’02

Caroline Eidsmoe, daughter of Jenny Hurley Eidsmoe (born November 27, 2020) 8

Lucia Margaux O’ Brien, daughter of Cristina de Cardenas O’Brien (born December 9, 2020) 9

Lucy Patricia Sullivan, daughter of Tricia Dowley Sullivan and Sean Sullivan (born July 2, 2020) 17

Addison Burch, daughter of Kristin David Burch

Carter Jett Wilson Mogilefsky to Leslie Wilson and Josh Mogilefsky

’03

William James Morrow, son of Julia Schroer Morrow and Richard Morrow (born April 22, 2020) 14

’04

Beckett Waldorf Umberger, son of Evie Roe Umberger and Aaron Umberger (born February 14, 2020) 10

’05

Frances Charles Craft, daughter of Colleen Donohoe Craft 3

’06

Annie Grace Masur, daughter of Caroline Geier Masur and Jack Masur (born June 18, 2020) 1

James Scully McClimans, son of Rosemary LeMense McClimans (born September 29, 2020) 2

Savannah James Seiter, daughter of Allie Donnelly Seiter (born November 12, 2020) 4

Jack Ritner Weaver, son of Beth Thompson Weaver (born February 16, 2020) 5

’07

Brynn Jordan, daughter of Megan Kent Jordan and Matthew Jordan 11 Amy Catherine Becker, daughter of Laura Grant Becker (born October 24, 2020)

’08

Harper James Youngblood, daughter of Olivia Martin Youngblood (born May 29, 2020) 7

’09

Elizabeth Ann Dyer, daughter of Casey Dawson Dyer (born July 23, 2020) 16

Maddox Greyson Snyder, son of Makenzie Snyder (born July 20, 2020) 15

’12

Alexander William Hopson, son of Charlotte Pennington Hopson and Thomas Hopson 6

These are the births Visitation was made aware of as of January 19, 2021.

Class Notes

DECEASED CONDOLENCES

Margaret Jenkins Murdock Rowland ’40 & ’42

Katie Johansen Rust ’40 & ’42

Joan Kelly Catherwood JC ’42

Elaine Crosby Murphy ’42

Margaret Kennedy Johnstone ’43

Mary Ann Kenner O’Grady ’44

Lady Susan Mentz Griffiths ’46

Mary Ann McClenathan Fake JC ’47

Mary (Mimi) Gloninger Fleury JC ’47

Nancy Straub MacInnis ’47

Colby Fossett Rodowsky ’49

Elaine Carpenter Quasebarth JC ’50

Ann Owings Halloran ’50

Jean Lynch Ostmann JC ’50

K. Louise Angert ’52

Carole Doyle Power JC’53

Mary Catherine Curran ’54

Dorothy McCann Brault JC ’55

Margaret “Peggy” Henne Oldam JC ’55

Muffet Fierst McCaleb ’55

Deirdre Doolan Dunworth ’56 & ’58

Rosita Ferrer Whitehouse JC ’56

Betsy O’Connell Beyma ’58

Mary King Dean ’58

Anne Lane Hunt ’58

Barbara Oldam Swetz JC ’59

Kathleen Ford Victorson ’59

Patricia Parks Kelleher JC ’60

Margaret Mary Lincoln Stock ’60

Mary Hoogland Noon ’61

Colleen Walsh Brown JC ’63

Margaret Beth Nott Meyer JC ’63

Ruth Benziger Cahill ’64

Christina Nolan Helwig ’64

Carolyn Collins ’65

Helen O’Melia Skipper ’65

Jeanne Locher ’79

Sister Marie Jacqueline Burke, VHM

Ann Gloninger McAuley JC ’40 on the death of her sister Mimi Gloninger Fleury JC’47; Mimi Fleury Mayfield ’70, Kate Ryan Fleury ’72, Ann Fleury ’74, and Alice Fleury Kerns ’86 on the death of their mother; Margot Fleury Geary ’97, Alina Fleury ’00, Christina Fleury ’02, Megan Ryan Columbo ’03, Mary Kate Fleury ’13, Caroline Fleury ’15, Claire Fleury ’18, and Katie Kerns ’22 on the death of their grandmother; Andrea Carroccio Fleury ’75 on the death of her mother-in-law; and Mary Beth Fleury ’08 and Jessie Fleury ’11 on the death of their great-aunt

Rosa Owings Eshelman ’46 & ’48 and Susie Owings Kissel ’55 & ’57 on the death of their sister Ann Owings Halloran ’50

Barbara Straub Walsh ’46 and Jane Straub Friday ’57 on the death of their sister Nancy Straub MacInnis ’47

Janice Lane Hunt ’48 on the death of her sister Anne Lane Conway ’58

Grace “Babs” Frier Glasgow JC ’50 on the death of her son Michael Rudzis

Eileen Curran Monahan ’53 on the death of her sister Mary Catherine Curran ’54 and Kate Monahan ’83, Elizabeth Schmidtlein Crockett ’86, and Sarah Schmidtlein Blackwood ’91 on the death of their aunt

Nancianne Weir Walsh ’53 on the death of her son Larry Walsh

Dot Furey Gates ’54 on the death of her husband, Bill Gates, and Catherine Futterer Via ’80, Danne Futterer Hardin ’84, and Tricia Gates ’86 on the death of their father

Patricia Dugan Fleming ’55, on the death of her husband, George Fleming Sr., and on the death of her brother Frank Dugan*, former Visitation staff member, and Sister Philomena Tisinger, VHM, ’50 on the death of her nephew

Nancy Holmes Anastasi JC ’57 on the death of her son Andrew Anastasi

Joyce Nott Melvin JC ’60 on the death of her sister Margaret Beth Nott Meyer JC ’63

Jane Hoogland Anderson ’63 on the death of her sister Mary Hoogland Noon ’61

Kathleen McMurray Nelson ’63 and Isabelle McMurray Pullis ’65 on the death of their brother Brien McMurray and Anna McMurray Castillo ’02 on the death of her uncle

Barbara Ford Dove ’65 on the death of her sister Kathleen Ford Victorson ’59

Diane Doolan Everts ’66 on the death of her sister Deirdre Doolan Dunworth ’56 & ’58 and Stephanie Doolan McGrail ’85 on the death of her aunt

Sharon Lincoln ’66 on the death of her sister Margaret Mary Lincoln Stock ’60

Jane Benziger Weekes ’66 on the death of her sister Ruth Benziger Cahill ’64

Mary Lou Canney ’68 on the death of her brother John “Jay” Canney

Marta “Chi Chi” Labarraque Bosworth ’71 on the death of her father, Dr. Jorge Labarraque

Anne Collins Findley ’71 on the death of her sister Carolyn Collins; Carin Cassidy Collins ’79 on the death of her sister-in-law; and staff member Lucy Collins* on the death of her aunt

Ana “Lindy” Fernandez Usera ’71 on the death of her mother, Annie Fernandez

Eileen V. M. Thorpe Iciek ’73, Mary-Jane Thorpe Kohm, M.D. ’74, and Margaret Thorpe Milord ’75 on the death of their mother, Patricia Ann Teahan Thorpe

Laurie Collins Quirk ’74* and Jody Collins Tennant ’80 on the death of their father, Jeremiah Collins, and Cassie Clemente ’02, Noelle Clemente Troost ’06, and Alexandra Tennant ’11 on the death of their grandfather

Terry Slattery Sullivan ’74 and Nancee Slattery Lausen ’79 on the death of their father, Edward Slattery Jr., and Meaghan Slattery Corrado ’00 and Kathleen Slattery ’06 on the death of their grandfather

Laura Johnstone Wilson ’74 and Virginia Johnstone ’76 on the death of their mother, Margaret Kennedy Johnstone ’43

Carla Alexis ’75 on the death of her father, Dr. Carlton Alexis

Marianne Locher Calhoun ’77, Dr. Helen Locher ’80, and Beatrice Locher Mango ’82 on the death of their sister Jeanne Locher ’79

Karen Scharfen Montgomery ’77 on the death of her mother, Nancy Scharfen

Betsy Heidenberger ’78 on the death of her brother Steve Heidenberger

Carole Clayton Pegram ’78 on the death of her father, Lloyd Clayton

Ann Griffith Hennessy ’79 and Susan Griffith Giuliani ’84 on the death of their mother, Anne Griffith, and Margot Giuliani ’17 and Maddy Giuliani ’19 on the death of their grandmother

Marie Henson ’80 on the death of her father, Dr. Donald Henson

Annie Mullin ’79, Maureen Mullin Van Besien ’82, and Libby Mullin ’86 on the death of their brother Mike Mullin and Kacey Mullin Connolly ’17 on the death of her uncle

Julie LeBlanc Pohl ’82 on the death of her husband, Dan Pohl; Katie Pohl ’11, Claire Pohl ’13, and Emily Pohl ’16 on the death of their father; and Alex Pohl ’21 on the death of her uncle

Christine Fay Amorosi ’83 on the death of her father, William Fay III, and Grace Amorosi ’16, Elizabeth Amorosi ’17, and Juliette Amorosi ’20 on the death of their grandfather

Kelly Hannan Leonard ’83 on the death of her father, William (Bill) T. Hannan Jr., and Haley Leonard Darkoch ’10 and Keelyn Leonard ’16 on the death of their grandfather

Maura Kilcullen ’83 on the death of her mother, Anne Kilcullen, and Abigail Kilcullen ’13 and Emma Kilcullen ’15 on the death of their grandmother

Tori Twine Weaver ’83 on the death of her mother, Laura Twine

Kathy Schmidt Arndt ’85* on the death of her husband, Don Arndt III; Antoinette Arndt ’14, Katherine Arndt ’16, and Natalie Arndt ’18 on the death of their father; and Lisa Schmidt Williams ’85 on the death of her brother-in-law

Jennifer Aaronson Hardie ’85 and Stephanie Aaronson ’89 on the death of their father, Russell Aaronson Jr.

Anne Parrette Rohall-Andrade ’86 on the death of her mother, Rosemary Parette, and Ella Rohall ’21 and Nora Rohall ’24 on the death of their grandmother

Julie Codus ’87 on the death of her father, William Codus

Megan Argiro Gilly ’87 and Kathlin Argiro ’88 on the death of their father, Vincent Argiro

Kathy Mullins Johnson ’87 on the death of her mother, Patricia Mullins, and Catherine Johnson ’18 and Lydie Johnson ’20 on the death of their grandmother

Camen Jung ’87 on the death of her brother

Anna Marcolin-Houser ’87 and Maria Marcolin Nolan ’88 on the death of their father, Dr. Lorenzo Marcolin

Kathleen Caulfield Meyer ’88 on the death of her mother, Patricia Caulfield; Kelly Caulfield ’17, Maggie Caulfield ’21, and Caroline Meyer ’21 on the death of their grandmother; and Elena Maceyras Caulfield ’85 on the death of her mother-in-law

Elizabeth Baldwin Lamb ’90 on the death of her father, Bill Baldwin

Zlatana Badrich ’91 on the death of her mother, Olga Badrich

Victoria Mulroy ’91 on the death of her grandmother Mary Gillick

Tracey O’Brien McGee ’91 on the death of her father, Tim O’Brien

Emily Boese ’92 and Lissy Boese Giacherio ’93 on the death of their father, John Boese

Fiona McCormack Foley ’92 on the death of her parents, Martin and Mary McCormack

Ashley Windsor Mathis ’93 on the death of her mother, Susette Windsor

Katherine Dugan Veale ’95 and Christina Dugan ’97 on the death of their father, John Dugan

Jenny Barchas Bevirt ’96, Katie Barchas Wilson ’98, Chrissy Tanner Perdue ’07, and Cortney Tanner ’08 on the death of their mother, Nancy Brindley Givans

Michelle Whitty Connolly ’97 on the death of her father, Bill Whitty

Meghan Perito Bundy ’99 and Kate Perito Colvin ’04 on the death of their father, Paul Perito

Lizzy Mason Gold ’99 on the death of her husband, Karl Gold; Mia Mason*, former faculty member, on the death of her son-inlaw; and Ana Mason Woodward ’98 on the death of her brother-in-law

Jacquelyn Karpovich ’00 on the death of her father, John Karpovich

Shakenya Humphries ’04 and Niya Humphries ’22 on the death of their mother, Gwendolyn Humphries

Faith Cerny ’08 on the death of her mother, Greta Kreuz

Rachel Jones ’08 on the death of her father, John Jones

Sabrina Pampillonia ’10 on the death of her grandmother Betsy Pampillonia

Trish Doheny Chisam ’10 and Kate Doheny ’11 on the death of their grandfather Norman Edward Krauss

Blake Lindner ’11 and Mary Faith Lindner ’13 on the death of their grandfather Thaddeus Lindner

Sarah Morell ’11 on the death of her grandfather Peter Manion

Kate McCaleb ’13 on the death of her grandmother Muffet Fierst McCaleb ’55; Eileen McCaleb Loome ’60 and Kathy McCaleb Boland ’67 on the death of their sister-in-law; and Meghan Molloy McCaleb ’84 on the death of her mother-in-law

Susie Patrick ’14 on the death of her grandfather Harold Patrick and Cathy Cairo Patrick ’79 on the death of her father-in-law

Dalia Hamilton ’16 and Ally Hamilton ’22 on the death of their grandmother Ruth Dalia “Cuchy” Attanasio

Maddie Horrigan ’19 and Emma Horrigan ’20 on the death of their grandfather Jack Horrigan and Caroline Mendoza Horrigan ’88 on the death of her father-in-law

Julie Clark ’20 and Elizabeth Clark ’22 on the death of their grandfathers, William S. Clark and Donald G. Geddes

Raynetta Jackson-Clay*, staff member, on the death of her father, Raimon Jackson

Lisa Stacy*, staff member, on the death of her mother, Constance Trapani

* Indicates current or former faculty and staff

To have the names of your deceased loved ones and friends included in our November Masses and prayers, please email their names to intentions@visi.org.You may also send intentions in a note to: Intentions, Georgetown Visitation, 1524 Thirty-fifth Street NW, Washington, DC 20007.

In her shoes

Marianna BONILLA ’21

In 2017, I visited La Paz, a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Barranquilla, while holding a pink Instax Fujifilm camera I’d gotten for Christmas. A kid asked me for a picture, smiling wide, her eyes glistening with happiness. As the picture came out, she told me that was the first picture of herself she had ever had. Radiant with joy, she showed all her friends. It brought me so much joy to see what a simple photograph could do. Since that day, I’ve felt the authenticity and power of photography. It’s truly one of my passions. Visiting Villa Caracas, a refugee settlement in Barranquilla two summers ago with my camera, I saw piercing yet hopeful stares that triggered my own rage, unsettlement, and hope for humanity. The non-profit I co-founded, Voices of Migrants (www.voicesofmigrants.org) does this every day. Photography has brought me to be who I am and be that well.