The Howley Scholars of Distinction 2022-2023

“Let us be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.”

~Catherine McAuley, Foundress

Dear

Nick, Lorie, and Meg,

The shining lamp of The Howley Foundation burns brightly here at Merion Mercy Academy. Our current Howley Scholars of Distinction in the Class of 2026 bring unique talents to our community and fuel the fires of Mercy. We celebrate our partnership with The Howley Foundation; together, we are doing a great deal of good.

We are grateful for your generosity and your foresight, as are the Howley Scholars of Distinction ’26. We are delighted to introduce these young women, each of whom is off to an amazing start. They share their experience so far— developing strong friendships, participating in community service, exploring the arts, joining teams, and taking comfort in a strong sense of belonging. They are taking honors classes, and their confidence is strengthened with the support and guidance of caring teachers. Already, they are focused on their future.

These young women show great capacity in many areas, including superior academics, leadership, and character. We already can see the impact they are making. The Howley Foundation has made this possible.

With gratitude and kindest regards,

Marianne Grace Head of School

Emily Beggs ’26

Cecilia Corr ’26

Chiarra Mazza, ’26

Hannah Turek ’26

Emily Beggs ’26

GPA: 4.2

I would like to personally thank you and express my gratitude and appreciation for being named a Howley Scholar of Distinction. So far, my time at Merion Mercy Academy has been better than I ever could have imagined. I have met people and formed relationships that I know will last a lifetime. I will be forever grateful to the Howley Foundation.

Currently, I am involved in several clubs and activities. Those of which I am most proud include participating in Stage Crew for Merion’s Theater Department and joining the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). Equal rights for all genders and sexualities is something I am passionate about. Being in a community where I feel comfortable talking about those issues is important to me. When looking at Merion, I was drawn to the level of diversity and inclusivity. Ultimately, that is why I wanted to come here.

In the short time I have been here, I have learned a lot about myself and what I value in life. I have a lot to be proud of. I have achieved honors in biology, geometry, and literature. These classes have been tough, but I like being challenged to do my best work on every assignment, no matter how small. Some of my favorite classes in the first semester were Robotics and French. In Robotics I realized engineering is not my strong suit, but I enjoyed the class very much. I thank my teacher, Mr. York, for that. He always supported me, even when my projects failed. I learned more than just Robotics from him. He taught me to keep trying, and when I did not succeed, I learned that sometimes failure can be a person’s greatest motivation. We discovered our “whys,” and knowing why I do some of the things I do has helped me to discover more about myself and my passions.

Community service is a very big part of being a student at Merion Mercy. I have participated in multiple service projects. I am part of The Mercy Mission Corps (MMC), which is a service-based club that offers hands-on opportunities. I helped serve food to economically disadvantaged people in Kensington last fall, and this experience was a real eye-opener. It was very impactful for me to see just how much a simple meal can mean to an individual. I reflected on this when I wrote an essay about service as part of religious experience.

I struggle with anxiety, particularly new experiences, and that made starting high school pretty challenging. Before beginning in September, Merion’s admission team provided opportunities for me to meet other students who would be in my class, and that made all the difference. Since then, I have made strong and meaningful friendships with several girls in my class. Forming these great relationships is a big reason why I love Merion. I owe immense gratitude to the Howley Foundation, because without you I would never get to have this outstanding opportunity to attend Merion Mercy. I am honored to call myself a Howley Scholar of Distinction, and I look forward to every opportunity open to me here at Merion Mercy.

My first semester at Merion Mercy Academy was nothing short of amazing, and I owe all my gratitude to the Howley Foundation. Since the fourth grade, I wanted to attend Merion Mercy, but my parents said that would only be possible with the help of scholarships. I was blessed to receive a Howley Scholarship of Distinction, and this made all the difference—I would go to MMA!

I became very involved in the Merion community. In the fall, I was the goalie for the JV field hockey team. I also participate in a before-school workout program called Swole Sister Society, and this spring, I plan to do shot put on the track and field team. I am a member of five student-run clubs—Mercy Mission Corps, our school service club, History Club, French Club, National Art Honor Society, and Comedy Club. I am also running for freshman representative on student council this year. As a member of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS), I worked on a Memory Project, through which MMA student artists created portraits of impoverished children in different parts of the world. I am currently on track to fulfill the 15 hours of art service that is required to be officially inducted into NAHA in the spring. I am delighted with the many opportunities that Merion has opened to me, and I am so grateful for the friends I have made here.

Before coming to Merion Mercy, I found academics to be very easy, which resulted in poor study habits and not fully paying attention in class. Despite these habits, I graduated from grade school with high honors, and I won seven different academic and extracurricular awards at graduation. Merion Mercy has provided me with an academic challenge, forcing me to develop good study habits and good note-taking during class. My hardest class so far is Honors Biology. Early in the year, I came to class unprepared, and I failed my first quiz. On my most recent quiz, I got a 97%, up 36 points from my first quiz. These challenges provide me with the motivation to study and do well, which no doubt will lead me to further success in life. I am now doing well in all my classes; I have straight As. Merion has also provided great opportunities to be noticed by colleges, even now in my freshman year. My field hockey coach played for LaSalle and offered us tips for recruitment. After taking the PSAT, I was contacted by certain colleges informing me of scholarship opportunities and ways to make my applications stand out. Even though it’s only the beginning of my second semester, I can see that Merion Mercy is the perfect fit for me. I look forward to my future accomplishments, and I cannot wait to see where this amazing journey will take me. I will forever be grateful to The Howley Foundation for providing me with such a great opportunity.

Howley Scholar of Distinction

Since my first day at Merion, my gratitude for being named a Howley Scholar of Distinction has only grown. The Howley Foundation has given me the opportunity to pursue outstanding academics as I also seek to reach my fullest potential. I am here thanks to the great help of the Howley Foundation. I could not imagine myself at any other school. Merion has such a welcoming sisterhood that I knew I needed to be a part of it. I am indeed fortunate to be here where I enjoy close connections with my dedicated teachers, multiple service opportunities, and many wonderful friendships. From day one, my teachers have not only inspired me personally, but they have created an atmosphere where all students can gain confidence and advance their learning. I never expected to build the strong friendships that I now have. I highly value these relationships as we walk together on our journey at Merion. True to our sisterhood, we will support one another through any challenge. I am in every possible honors class. It was definitely hard at first, but I am proud to meet these challenges. I am now used to the workload, and I understand what is expected of me. My favorite course is Honors Spanish. I am constantly learning not only about Spanish but also about myself.

I am fortunate to be involved in several of the activities offered here including Mercy Mission Corps, a service club, Mathletes, Swim team, and Chorale. Mercy Mission Corps is my favorite because I love helping others and seeing the positive impact it has on their lives. The club encourages leadership and provides many opportunities to build confidence by going out of our comfort zone and helping others. We now have a passion to serve. At the St. Francis Inn, we serve food to those experiencing homelessness, and we further work to ensure a secure feeling through friendly communication. I have also prepared meals for hungry families. These experiences sooth my soul as I know I made a difference in people’s lives, even if it was a small one. I am inspired to do more and more.

Being a Howley Scholar of Distinction means the world to me. I have been exposed to many opportunities that will definitely help me grow and develop. I am inspired to find my true self as I explore the brilliant academic environment in which I am immersed. This first year of my Mery journey has been extremely fulfilling, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. Whatever the challenges ahead, I know I will meet them with the extraordinary skills I have obtained through the honor of being a Howley Scholar of Distinction. Without the Howley Foundation, I would not be in this perfect place, nor would I have the confidence that I am worthy of these accomplishments. I am incredibly grateful to The Howley Foundation. I know I will continue to grow academically, personally, and spiritually.

I am very grateful to be chosen as a Howley Scholars of Distinction. Thank you for this opportunity to be in the Merion Mercy class of 2026. I am delighted that I am attending Merion. Here, we have a very strong sense of community and sisterhood. On my visit day, the people I met made me feel like I already belonged here, and we remain close friends today. Merion also had the most challenging academics of any other school I considered. My favorite class is Honors Spanish. Even though my language background was weak coming from grade school, I am very excited about learning Spanish now, and I am making great strides. I love my teacher, Mr. Crossland.

I am also very grateful that here in my first year, I have made many friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. Music has long been a very important part of my life, and here I have the opportunity to grow and explore across many musical formats. I participate in three music groups: Orchestra, Chorale, and a Flute Trio. I also started guitar lessons this year, and I have fallen in love with the instrument. I play piano, flute, and guitar, and hope to learn more instruments as I go. Outside of school, I take piano lessons and am a member of the Rowan Youth Orchestra at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Aside from musical activities, I ran on the Cross Country team in the fall, and I also participate in the Film & Discussion Club. I know I am in the perfect place for me to grow and develop academically, spiritually, and emotionally. I extend my great thanks to the Howley Foundation, and I am honored and grateful to be named a Howley Scholar of Distinction. Because of you, I have been able to become a part of the Merion Merion community and all the amazing experiences and opportunities that otherwise I would not have. I am very grateful for your support.