givingback
Making a difference on campus
Honoring a Sister With a Desire to Serve
S
ister Clara Grochowska, CSFN, PhD, definitely did it her way. Growing up in Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region, she told her mother she wanted to become a nun— and commenced a hunger strike to drive the point home. A contemporary of Sister Neomisia Rutkowska, CSFN, Holy Family’s founding President, Sister Clara—originally known as Sister Lauretana—was one of the institution’s first faculty members and helped establish the foreign language program. She also served temporarily as Academic Dean while Sister Florence Tumasz was on sabbatical pursuing her doctorate. But Sister Clara wanted to do more. She left her order to serve in the Peace Corps and ended up in Mississippi at Jackson State University, where she witnessed the tragedy of the 1970 student slayings. While there, she befriended author Alice Walker (The Color Purple), who was also a member of the faculty. Clara retired near her childhood home but missed her good friends among the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Returning to Philadelphia and rejoining the Order, she became Sister Clara once again and was a member of the local convent community until her passing in 1994. Sister Clara’s extraordinary life and example made an impression on many, including a great niece, Linda Tinelli Sheive ’62. A student at Holy Family while her great aunt was a member of the faculty, Linda enjoyed her own distinguished career in education, earning a PhD and serving on the faculty and administration at Oswego State University of New York. Dr. Sheive has chosen to honor her great aunt with the Sister Clara Grochowska Scholarship. This scholarship, to be awarded for the first time this fall, will support a student in the School of Education with “demonstrated commitment to community service.” —Robert Wetzel
On the Scene
An Evening of Donor Appreciation
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Holy Family honored its generous benefactors with “An Evening of Donor Appreciation” on November 5, 2010, at the University. Trustee Mary H. Vassallo ’85 and Dr. Richard W. Vassallo were the Founders’ Award Recipients. The Founders’ Society was created to give grateful recognition to those who have invested $100,000 or more during their lifetimes. During the 2009-2010 academic year, more than $1.7 million in total funds were raised for Holy Family University. 1) Pictured from left to right are Mary Ann Szuszczewicz, Albert M. Tantala, Sr., Ray Oczkowski, Genevieve Tantala, and Anthony J. Szuszczewicz.
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2) Pictured from left to right are Irene Harbison, John L. Harbison, and S. Celine Warnilo, CSFN. 3) Founders’ Award Honorees Dr. Richard W. and Mary H. Vassallo with S. Francesca Onley. 4) Past Founders’ Award Recipients from left to right: Albert M. Tantala, Sr., Robert Teti (Stanton Chapel Insurance), Robert J. Truitt (Crown), Anthony J. Szuszczewicz (Polonia), David Panichi (David and Kim Panichi and T. N. Ward), and Kathleen Pabst Meyers ’73.
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SPRING 2011
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