St. Cecilia Academy’s 161st Commencement
NASHVILLE, TN - On Friday, April 20, St. Cecilia Academy graduation held its 161st annual commencement for the 64 members of the Class of 2022 In a year that has been widely recognized as the most competitive in the history of college admissions, this talented and successful group of young women has been accepted at many of the most highly selective colleges and universities in the country. They will matriculate at 45 schools in 22 different states, including Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Northeastern University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Notre Dame, Rice University, Tulane University, the University of Southern California, and the College of William and Mary. The 64 members of the Class of 2022 received a total of $16.5 million dollars in merit aid awards - an average of $262,500 per student - for a wide range of talents, including academic merit, leadership, athletics, service and the arts. This is a tremendous testament to the gifts and abilities of the 2022 graduates, as well as their diligence and focus amid the challenges of the pandemic.
Twenty-six graduates will be attending public universities and thirty-eight will attend private universities. Eight will attend liberal arts colleges, and another eleven will attend Catholic colleges. Their majors and minors are in fields as diverse as Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Music Business, Astrophysics, Philosophy, Artificial Intelligence, Journalism, Marine Biology, Art History, and Choral Music. Two students will also continue their athletic careers in college for volleyball and rowing, respectively.
As proud as we are of the achievements of our graduates, we know that college outcomes are only a small indication of the true value of a St. Cecilia Academy education. For 162 years, St. Cecilia has prepared young women to go into the world and make a positive difference through an academically rigorous college preparatory education grounded in friendship with Jesus Christ.
Top Senior Awards
The 2022 Salutatorian Rachel Smola, a graduate of Martin Luther King Magnet School, took full advantage of Honors and AP classes at SCA while also finding time to participate in many school
activities. A talented musician, she has been involved in both choir and chamber ensemble since her freshman year and also performed extensively with Vanderbilt’s Youth Orchestra Program. She assumed a leadership role in SCA’s Sodality and led the daily Angelus prayer at noon as well as the Wednesday Rosary, organized a virtual March for Life during Covid, helped with school Masses, and initiated numerous library service projects. This fall Rachel will attend the Collegium Sanctorum Angelorum in Maryland, where she plans to study the liberal arts with a focus on sacred music.
The 2022 Valedictorian Ellie Rodgers, a graduate of Overbrook School, loves science but is also eager to make connections across subject areas. Ellie took 11 AP classes over her four years, including every AP science course SCA offers. Motivated by a passion for cognitive science, she spent two years working after school and during summers with a neuroscience laboratory at Vanderbilt. Her mentor professor there described her as the best high school student that he has worked with in thirty-seven years. In addition, Ellie has served as lead programmer of the LadyBots robotics team, President of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, and Vice President of NHS, as well as a school ambassador and vicepresident of her class. She has devoted herself to many hours of service, especially during Covid when she worked with Second Harvest Food Bank. This fall she will attend Dartmouth College where she plans to major in neuroscience.
The 2022 St. Cecilia Girl Isabella Tiamson, a graduate of Holy Rosary Academy, radiates charm and leadership. While consistently opting for a challenging course schedule of Honors and AP classes, Isabella has also played varsity basketball, served as class President for three years, and performed in the SCA choir. She distinguished herself with lead roles in multiple school productions and has engaged in an extensive amount of service over the last several years. During Covid Isabella put her faith into action with Nashville Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, where she delivered food and cold drinks to people living on the streets in Nashville. In the fall Isabella will attend the University of Southern California, where she will major in public health with a minor in theater and film.
Visit: https://www.stcecilia.edu/academics/class-of-2022 for a complete list of the Class of 2022 graduates and the colleges they will be attending.
About St. Cecilia Academy
St. Cecilia Academy ennobles young women, equips them to excel, and inspires them to lead lives of integrity. St. Cecilia Academy is a private Catholic college preparatory academy for girls grades 7-12 that challenges students to grapple with truth to become their best selves. Founded in 1860 by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, St. Cecilia Academy is Nashville's oldest private high school. St. Cecilia Academy has been consistently recognized nationally since 2004 to the Catholic Education Honor Roll School by the Cardinal Newman Society.