MSM Messenger - Fall 2023

The

MESSENGER A publication of Mount St. Mary Academy

FALL 2023

M O U NT G R A D S ABOUND IN TH E LEG A L P R O FE S S I O N

Power of Attorneys PG. 6

C H O C O L AT E E X P E R T P G . 1 2

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S C H O O L C LU B S P G . 1 4

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ANNUAL REPORT PG. 23

The

MESSENGER A publication of Mount St. Mary Academy

3224 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, AR 72205 501-664-8006 • mtstmary.edu Mount St. Mary Academy is a sponsored ministry of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and is a member of Mercy Education.

MISSION

Mount St. Mary Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, develops young women with a moral and intellectual foundation rooted in Catholic tradition. Mercy-minded and college-prepared, our students meet the future with wisdom, compassion and integrity.

VISION

Equipped with knowledge, our graduates leave with confidence, courage, motivation and drive. Like Catherine McAuley, they are fierce pioneers, passionate about making a difference in their communities and the world.

ONLINE ACCESS DIGITAL EDITIONS Want to view The Messenger while on the go? Our digital editions offer the same experience, but you can access them anytime!

MTSTMARY.EDU/MESSENGER

2023-2024 MSM Academy Board of Directors

2023-2024 MSM Foundation Board of Trustees

Anne Hiegel Mines ’82, Chair Chad Aduddell Deborah Baldwin Donna Chachere ’83 Jena Cupples Compton ’91 Ashley Bressinck Cunningham ’88 Sr. Sarah Ducey, RSM Jeff Hathaway Summer Khairi ’12 Sr. Diane Koorie, RSM Mary Logan Teresa Mendez Edward Oglesby Kelli Keene Sanders, MD Susan Smith Susie Whitacre Sara Jones (ex-officio)

Tim Mines, Chair Heather Allmendinger Larry Boccarossa Melody Brown ’92 Amy Davis Rush Deacon Megan Saer Garrison ’99 Shanti Halter Sr. Judith Keith, RSM ’51 Scott McLeod Kathy Breyel Pahls ’88 Claire Hankinson Pittman ’93 Roc Senavinin Sam Walls Lorie White ’92 Sara Jones (ex-officio)

The Messenger Staff On the cover: From left: Cheryl Vogelpohl Barnard ’87, Robyn Phillips Allmendinger ’95, Marie-Bernarde Miller ’69, Katherine Oglesby ’16, Jessica Finan Patterson ’01, and Golly Easterly ’14 at the Justice Building in Little Rock.

2 | THE MESSENGER

Jamie Groat, Editor Dwain Hebda, Contributing Writer Ellie Lassiter, Project Manager Nelson Chenault and Jason Masters, Contributing Photographers

Published by Wheelhouse Publishing The Messenger is produced annually for the alumnae, families and friends of Mount St. Mary Academy. Please report any address changes or corrections to the Foundation Office at 501-476-3375, or email vgerbholz@mtstmary.edu. All other comments should be directed to the publication’s editor at jgroat@mtstmary.edu.

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S MESSAGE

Faith, Courage, and Community “Equipped with knowledge, our graduates leave with confidence, courage, motivation and drive. Like Catherine McAuley, they are fierce pioneers, passionate about making a difference in their communities and the world.”

The latest issue of The Messenger is definitely a tribute to the vision statement Mount St. Mary Academy adopted in 2017.

When reflecting on the stories within these pages, I am filled with awe – and a great sense of pride – at the strength, ambition, leadership and passion of not only our alumnae, but also our current students, faculty and staff. Those featured in this year’s magazine represent just a glimpse at the impressive and ever-growing list of accomplishments, accolades and success stories emanating from our MSM Family.

There’s no doubt about it, Mount is an incredible place encompassing an equally incredible community!

It’s not luck that has carried us to this point over the course of 172 years. And while we are blessed each year with a bright and talented student body and some of the state’s best teachers, the most important contributing factor for Mount’s continued success is that at the core of everything we do is the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Our Mercy Values, the varied curriculum and the professional excellence of our faculty and staff reflect the Catholic Christian faith upon which we

were established in 1851. It is this Catholic foundation and long-standing traditions of mercy and service that strengthen our young women’s relationships with God and inspire them to live lives of purpose and impact – all for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).

I’d be remiss if I did not also recognize our wonderful donors who believe in the important work we do and whose gifts represent a meaningful investment in our students. Their generosity ensures that Mount remains the top high school choice for young women in central Arkansas for affordability, commitment to student success and quality academic programs.

As you continue to read through your copy of The Messenger, please hold our school in your thoughts and prayers as we eagerly and faithfully dedicate our work to the development of so many amazing students. At Mount St. Mary Academy, we shape words, actions and thoughts through the guidance and love of God. We’ve achieved so much in our 172year history though His grace, yet I feel confident the best is yet to come!

Sara Jones, Ed.S. Head of School

Mount St. Mary Academy Leadership & Advancement Sara Jones, Ed.S., Head of School / Robin Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Head of School / Msgr. Lawrence Frederick, Chaplain / Josh Salman, Director of Campus Ministry / Lane Vassar West ’89, Director of Athletics / Kate Davis, Controller / Mary Catherine Burney, Director of Advancement / Annie McFadden Cross ’08, Director of Enrollment Management / Jamie Groat, Director of Communications & Marketing / Lauren Clay Day ’06, Director of Special Events / Chelle McKenzie McCarroll ’02, Director of Alumnae Relations FALL 2023

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MONEY on their

Mind

2 | THE MESSENGER

I N V E STM E NT C LU B PAYS DIVIDENDS

From left: Scott McLeod, Eliza Jane Null, Kelly Wewers, and Sarah Catherine Phillips Gutierrez.

STUDENTS

E

L IZ A JAN E N ULL EPITO MIZES T HE B EST O F W H AT M O U N T ST. MARY H AS TO O F F ER . A N INT ELLI GEN T, W ELLS P O KE N , MATURE YO UNG WO MA N W ITH A B R I GH T F U TU R E , T H E A MBI TI OUS SENIO R IS A LSO PRET TY H AN DY W I TH A STO CK TI P OR TWO, SO MET HING SHE’S G AI N ED TH AN KS TO T H E SC H O OL’S I NVESTMENT CLUB. “The Investment Club is a life skillsbased club but still interesting. That was really appealing,” she said of her decision to join. “I thought it would be good for me to get involved and learn about money and finances early on.”

Now club president, Eliza Jane joins members in managing an actual investment portfolio, something the Investment Club has done since its founding. And manage it they have; in 10 years, the Investment Club has grown its initial $100,000 stake to $261,000 as of their last report.

“It’s nice to know we have experienced adults here who can help us, but it’s really nice to have the chance to do big things ourselves, even as teenagers,” she said. “It can be very intimidating at first because you have all this money, and it’s a huge responsibility. You don’t want to make the wrong decision. But talking to the other girls, bringing ideas to the table and working together gives you a lot of confidence.”

America is in the grip of a financial literacy crisis. A 2021 study by the Milken Institute showed only 57% of U.S. adults qualified as financially literate, measured by knowledge of such concepts as risk diversification, inflation and compound interest.

The problem is worse by gender, where only 52% of women surveyed were financially literate compared to 62% of men. Lack of financial acumen can have devastating ramifications; the U.S. Census Bureau noted the poverty rate among female householders is over 23%.

The Investment Club was set up to give Mount students a real-world understanding of how money and finances work, said Kelly Wewers, MSM business manager and club sponsor.

“I was present when the idea was presented to the MSM Foundation Board of Trustees,” she said. “Our president and CEO at that time, Karen Flake, saw other schools doing something similar. She said

there wasn’t any reason why our girls couldn’t do that, and the board agreed.

They authorized $100,000, and that’s how it was born.”

The new activity came with stipulations, such as a restriction against investing in anything other than blue chip stocks. The club was also to be guided by outside expertise, which for the past eight years has included volunteer Scott McLeod, a longtime financial planner and parent of two Mount girls.

“The thing I have seen change most is the participation,” he said. “Eight years ago, we may have had a dozen girls. Now we’ve got around four dozen girls meeting

Alabama, and Scott’s daughter. “I remember when I was a freshman in high school, I had no idea what any of this information meant.

“Focusing on the importance of finances in high school rather than later in life is really important, especially if you can break it down to the mindset level of a 14-, 15-, 16-year-old. It’s not just saving money, although that’s definitely important.

There’s a lot more to it, such as taxes and the different types of investment accounts.”

Sarah Catherine Phillips Gutierrez ’98, founder and CEO of Aptus Financial, is an author, speaker and co-founder of the SAVE10 campaign, which empowers women to save.

“I think the outright benefits of the Investment Club are really important,” she said. “There are plenty of studies out there about women feeling intimidated by investing. Demystifying the investment world for young women is one of the most

“ Investing and saving is not just

something to do; we have to do it. It’s an incredibly integral thing, and I love the idea of normalizing it at a young age.

- SARAH CATHERINE PHILLIPS GUTIERREZ ’98

once a month who are asking better, more sophisticated questions and are more in tune with what’s going on.”

Scott said he relishes the opportunity to prepare club members for their futures in very important ways.

“With my own daughters, I always wanted to empower them in such a way they never had to be dependent on anyone else financially,” he said. “I want the girls in the club to be just as capable of understanding finance and how to make money with investments as anybody else.”

“The Investment Club prepared me with the knowledge that the younger you are when you start saving and investing money, the better off you are,” agreed Maggie McLeod ’19, a financial analyst at BCR Wealth Strategies in Birmingham,

”

important things we can do, which is why I highly support the Investment Club.

“Investing and saving is not just something to do; we have to do it. It’s an incredibly integral thing, and I love the idea of normalizing it at a young age. It all comes down to confidence. I applaud Mount St. Mary for caring about this issue.”

As Eliza Jane demonstrated this fall, the lessons of the Investment Club continue to pay real-world dividends.

“In October, I turned 18 and I opened my first personal investment account. I wanted to start that early on to get in the habit of investing,” she said. “I think it’s really cool. When you’re involved in the financial world, you become part of the economy itself.”

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News B R OA D CAST

M OU N T G I R L S M A K I N G TH E I R M A R K O N T V STATIO N S A ROU N D TH E C OU N TRY

D

ES PI TE BEING A RELATIVELY NEW FACE O N LI T TLE RO C K TE LEVISIO N, BRO O KE BUC K N ER LI P E ’ 1 6 S H OWS A P OISE O N CA MERA T HAT U SUALLY TAK ES Y E AR S TO D EVELO P. PA RT O F THAT CO M ES F RO M H AV I N G PARTI C I PATED IN BELLE T V, CO MBIN ED W I TH H AR D WO R K I N COLLEGE AND A DESIRE TO IMPROV E O N TH E J O B. Having a longtime TV weatherman for a dad — Ed Buckner, now retired — doesn’t hurt, either.

“He loves to give me feedback,” said Brooke, who works for THV11 in Little Rock under her maiden name. “He does that a lot, ‘Hey, did you shoot that story today? Lighting looks good,’ or maybe, ‘Lighting didn’t look so good. Work on that for next time.’ It’s helpful feedback a lot of the time. I’m just trying to make him proud and, most of all, make myself proud.”

Despite her well-known pedigree, Brooke said she doesn’t feel added pressure working in her hometown. In fact, it’s just the opposite.

“It’s a big advantage,” she said. “My first job was in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and moving there I was like, ‘How do you spell Girardeau?’ I learned quickly because I had to. Being home feels really nice; it’s a worry off my shoulders because I know my way around. It’s a confidence boost.”

Brooke is one of several Mount alums working in television news in markets across the country. All have had to pay

4 | THE MESSENGER

their dues to get where they are, and all said Mount played a big role in giving them their start.

“Senior year, I was honestly thinking about just being an art photographer for stills and stuff,” said Lauren Swaim ’14, who recently joined WANF in Atlanta after working for KARK FOX 16 in Little Rock. “I was involved in the multimedia class with Belle TV and all that. I learned a lot about video and editing, even though at that point I didn’t know I was going to go into news.”

Lauren joined her college newspaper as a freshman which set the hook for a career behind the camera that has already earned her an Emmy. She and her colleague, Alexis Wainwright, were awarded for their coverage of protest activities in Little Rock following the death of George Floyd.

“We were on top of the MLK bridge filming [the protesters],” she said. “I will say a lot of the protesters were peaceful; but some of them started firing fireworks at the police. At that point, the police started shooting tear gas at them. And we were in the middle of it.”

Students looking to go into this field

Brooke Buckner Lipe at the THV11 studio in Little Rock.

have to go outside their comfort zone, Lauren said, something that can start in high school.

“You can do the projects that people give you, but I would recommend going outside that,” she said. “If you come up with something you want to do, do it. If you want to extend Belle TV out into the community, do that. The possibilities are endless.”

Conley Grayson Norris ’16 has also seen her career path change. While she knew early on she wanted to go into broadcast journalism — again, thanks to Mount’s multimedia class — she’d originally set her eye on the sports beat.

“I played tennis growing up,” she said. “Going into college, I thought that I was going to do either tennis or golf and sports broadcasting. Then, of course, I graduated in 2020 during the pandemic, and most of the stations put their sports people on hold because there were no

ALUMNAE

“ Every single

story you do, look back at it, ... You’re constantly growing in this industry, and you get better by practicing.

”

- CONLEY GRAYSON NORRIS ’16

“ [My dad] loves to give me feedback

... It’s helpful feedback a lot of the time.

I’m just trying to make him proud and, most of all, make myself proud.

”

- BROOKE BUCKNER LIPE ’16

sports. So, I ended up going into regular news as a multi-media journalist, and that’s where my career took off.”

After a stint with CBS/ABC affiliate WBBJ in Tennessee, Conley Grayson joined ABC News 4 in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2022. She offered three important strategies for success in the broadcast business: practice, practice, practice.

“Every single story you do, look back

at it,” she said. “It can be hilarious; I’ll watch a story from six months ago and I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, that was so bad.’ You’re constantly growing in this industry, and you get better by practicing.

“I think one day, I would like to anchor full time. I also don’t want to rule out the opportunity of maybe going back to sports one day. My goal is truly just to keep getting better and moving up.”

“ If you come up

with something you want to do, do it.

The possibilities are endless.

”

- LAUREN SWAIM ’14

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Power of 6 | THE MESSENGER

FEATURE STORY

Attorneys

M O U NT G R A D S A B O U N D I N TH E LEG A L P R O FE S S I O N

From left: Marie-Bernarde Miller, Katherine Oglesby, Jessica Finan Patterson, Robyn Phillips Allmendinger, Cheryl Vogelpohl Barnard, and Golly Easterly.

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A SOLID START

MSM put Kristin Oglesby on path of success Kristin Oglesby ’12 had multiple sources of inspiration to go into law, including her attorney father, Edward, and her attorney sister, Katherine ’16, who pushed her to be her best. And there was Mount, which provided a solid academic and ethical foundation upon which to build her career.

“I made my way through college and law school with the same drive and the same expectation that was put on me at the Mount,” she said. “I think that set me apart in law school; I knew I had to show up every day, I had to work hard and I would reap benefits.”

Excelling as she does in the highpowered, high-pressure world of mergers and acquisitions takes a special kind of confidence and fortitude. Kristin credits the unique environment of Mount with instilling a confidence that has paid off in her career.

“Girls supporting girls,” she said. “I walked in an awkward ninth grader not sure of myself, and I walked across the graduation stage knowing that I graduated in a class of 105 people, which meant I had 104 people who would stand behind me any day of the week.

“I have my own daughter now and while we don’t live in Arkansas, I always tell my partner, ‘I want to move back to Little Rock so she can have the same experience that I did.’”

KRISTIN OGLESBY ’12 Associate, Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Louisiana State University LSU Paul M. Hebert Law School

8 | THE MESSENGER

C

H ERYL VO GELP O H L BAR N AR D ’87 ALWAYS WA NT E D TO M AK E A DI F F ER EN CE I N TH E WO R LD. W H I L E AT MO U N T, S H E G R AV I TATED TOWAR D M O DEL U.N . A ND HEA DED TO LOYO LA U N I V ER S I TY I N N EW O R LEA NS WI T H A N EY E O N FO R EI GN S ERV I CE . BU T A CO U P LE O F L AW CLAS S ES CH AN G ED TH O S E P LAN S, AN D S H E S ET H E R SIGHTS O N LAW S CH O O L .

The decision may have changed her career direction but not her goals or aspirations. As a defense attorney within the Trial Unit of the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas in Little Rock, she represents people at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder.

“I always wanted to do civil rights work and protect constitutional rights, and what I found is that indigent criminal defense as a public defender allows me to do both,” she said.

“The people I deal with are the ones that most of society wants to forget about and ostracize. The Mercy Values, to me, are the personification of what Mother Teresa did. It is getting into the trenches and reaching out a hand to the least of society, if you will, and fighting for them when nobody else will and protecting their rights as human beings.”

Robyn Phillips Allmendinger ’95 entered Mount St. Mary as an introverted freshman, hoping to get through four years without drawing undue attention.

At that time, the thought of a legal career had never entered her mind, especially a history-making leadership role at Arkansas’ oldest and most storied firm.

Yet that’s just what she did, serving as

the 203-year-old Rose Law Firm’s first female managing member — effectively the firm’s chief executive officer — from 2018 to 2022.

“The Mount definitely instilled confidence in me, in very large part to being an all-female school,” she said.

“You were able to just be yourself. You weren’t as scared to speak up and talk in class or get up in front of your peers and give a speech or run for office. I think that’s what increased my confidence level between freshman and senior year.”

Her history-making role was not only a personal milestone but a source of inspiration for many other women.

Being seen as a role model is something she finds extremely gratifying.

“I had two nieces at the Mount at that time, and they were so excited about my role,” she said. “I had many law school classmates and other people reach out to me. One in particular said he had teenage daughters, and this was something for them to see, that women can do this, too. I’d never really thought about the influence my job might have on other people, so that meant a lot to me.”

There’s a changing of the guard in the legal profession. According to the American Bar Association’s Profile of

FEATURE STORY the Legal Profession 2022, nearly 40% of attorneys in the U.S. are women, compared to less than 30% in 2000. Women also outnumber men in law school by a substantial margin, represent about onethird of federal judges and hold 41% of state Supreme Court judgeships.

Mount girls have been swept along in this revolution, with the number of graduates headed into law school and legal careers increasing by leaps and bounds. Many enter high school with no designs on a legal career, but once there, they discover their Mount education equips them with the knowledge, soft skills and confidence that lend themselves to life in the law.

Golly Easterly ’14 had several career paths in mind when she graduated from the Mount — none of them as a lawyer.

Now an associate at Mitchell Williams Law Firm in Little Rock, she sees her vocation as a way to effect meaningful change in society.

“Coming straight out of college, I was your typical bleeding heart. I was like, ‘I want to change the world,’” the Vanderbilt Law School graduate said. “If you’re a woman and you’re trying to be a changemaker, you have to think very critically about the world and the space you take up in it. You have to strategically put yourself in a position to effect change, and the law allows that.

JUDGE RUCKER SEES ROLE AS ONE OF COMPASSION As a bankruptcy judge, Bianca Gatchell Rucker ’98 sees people enduring one of the most stressful periods of their lives. As

“It’s also one of those jobs that people have always talked about from the perspective of being a man’s world. I think there’s something tantalizing about wanting to take that role. It feels like an extra accomplishment to succeed in a field that is dominated by men.”

Every woman in the legal field today stands on the shoulders of those who came before her. For Mount girls, one early trailblazer is Marie-Bernarde Miller ’69, North Little Rock deputy city attorney.

“When I was growing up, my greatuncle, John Hibbler, was an attorney in Little Rock,” she said. “One of my first memories was sitting in his office and looking around at all of his law books. At that time, I just thought I’d like to be a lawyer and held on to that throughout my development.”

Marie’s journey was even more unique in that she first went into consecrated life as a Sister of Mercy and taught at Mount before law school, from which she graduated in 1983.

“My mother and aunts were faithbased people,” she said. “I attended grade school at St. Augustine’s in North Little Rock, taught by the Sisters of Christian Charity. Then continuing into high school at Mount, spiritual life was a focal point for everything we did.

“When I practiced law, I really tried to bring what I had been given as a young woman growing up in a faithbased atmosphere to my practice. There were many times when compassion was something that a client needed as much as how to maneuver through a legal problem.”

Thanks to a varied career in the legal profession spanning nearly four decades, Marie has been able to offer this muchneeded compassion to countless clients.

In addition to her current role, her public service work included stints as deputy prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial District and deputy attorney general and director of the Arkansas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, among others. Marie also

“ The people I deal with are the ones that

most of society wants to forget about and ostracize. The Mercy Values, to me, are the personification of what Mother Teresa did.

”

- CHERYL VOGELPOHL BARNARD ’87

such, she never forgets compassion when issuing her rulings.

“I have a dual role as a bankruptcy judge,” she said. “My job is to interpret the law and apply it as Congress intended.

I don’t create laws. I’m not writing them.

That’s the legal part.

“Another part of my job is making sure people feel heard and that they are treated fairly and understand why I rule the way that I rule. I want people to walk out of that courtroom with faith in their justice system.”

Following law school, Bianca served as a staff attorney for bankruptcy judges Richard Taylor and Ben Barry, which developed her aptitude for the legal field.

Then, after a decade of serving in private practice, she was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern and

Western Districts of Arkansas in 2021.

Her advice to the latest generation of the Mount sisterhood is to study hard, seek out leadership opportunities and keep an open mind.

“First, it’s okay to not have it figured out at 16,” she said. “I did not have it figured out. I wanted to be an actress, and then I wanted to be a doctor and finally, I wound up in law. I did not grow up thinking I wanted to be a lawyer, let alone a judge.

So, be open to different opportunities that come along.”

BIANCA GATCHELL RUCKER ’98 U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law FALL 2023

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I’LL STAND BY YOU Eliza Williams blends law with Mercy Values

You’d think the daughter of the associate dean of the Bowen School of Law would’ve envisioned a legal career early in life. Not Eliza Epps Williams ’06.

“I grew up not liking lawyers at all,” she said. “At Mount, I was like, ‘No way.

Lawyers are boring. They’re terrible. I’m never going to do that.’ Even in college, I didn’t think I’d be a lawyer.”

Eliza softened her view as she started witnessing how the law can improve people’s lives. It’s something she’s reminded of every day in the public defender’s office.

“My clients are indigent, poor, people who need help,” she said. “At Mount, we had such a big focus on service. Mount helped me see lives that weren’t like mine and helped me see people as worthy because they came from God.” Eliza, who describes herself as “not your typical lawyer,” said she’d encourage the Mount girls of today to find ways to apply the Mercy Values to life, even life in the courtroom.

“Anyone can be a lawyer,” she said.

“But you don’t have to be someone else to be a lawyer. You don’t have to be angry to be a lawyer; you can be a kind, nurturing person. Don’t try to change yourself just to reach a career goal.”

ELIZA EPPS WILLIAMS ’06 Assistant Public Defender, 11th Judicial District of Tennessee Sewanee: The University of the South William & Mary Law School

10 | THE MESSENGER

spent many years in private practice at several established firms in Central Arkansas, including serving as partner at what is now Gill Ragon Owen, P.A. “It’s a great honor to have served the legal profession for almost 40 years, during which I have had an opportunity to bring the influence of Mercy in my life to many of the people I encountered in each of these legal arenas,” she said.

Today, Mount St. Mary Academy continues to empower young women by providing an environment where each can find her own strength through academic exploration and leadership opportunities.

And these, say alums, are the important building blocks for any career.

“I think one of the best things about Mount is that every girl can find her niche,” said Jessica Finan Patterson ’01, a judicial law clerk at the Arkansas Supreme Court and summer adjunct professor at Bowen School of Law in Little Rock. “There are so many different clubs and friend groups and teachers with certain expertise, you can figure out where you fit really easily. One of the best things about Mount is they really encourage and appreciate leadership.

It’s cool to be a leader at Mount, and I think the school takes pride in the fact it graduates a lot of leaders.”

Jessica said of all the skills and knowledge she took from four years of high school, the work ethic principle has had the most lasting impact on her life.

“There were no classes that you could succeed in at Mount without studying, at least for me,” she said. “That work

ethic carries over to work life. When you’re making your case or working as a lawyer, you have to always be really well-prepared. You can’t wing it.

No good lawyer can succeed without studying their case.”

As more Mount graduates enter the legal field, it’s created family legacies within the profession, such as Katherine Oglesby ’16, an associate with Norton Rose Fulbright in Dallas, who was inspired to become a lawyer by both her father, Edward, and her older sister Kristin ’12 before her.

“We both had the same upbringing; we were both inspired by our dad, and we were both really inquisitive and analytical about things,” she said. “The fact my sister went into law, and how well she did, really motivated me. I felt like if she can do well, I can do this, too.”

Katherine, who graduated top of her class from Alabama Law, also said she had plenty of other role models in the legal field growing up, women who more firmly connected the dots between the Mount St. Mary experience and the career she wanted to have.

“Dad would always point out female lawyers in his practice in Little Rock.

That was a big confidence boost to know there were women resources out there,” she said. “It was also a sense of responsibility, of living up to a certain standard. I still have the Mercy card I got when I was a freshman, and I keep it in my wallet. Whatever I do, I at least want to do it with excellence, quality and my best effort.”

Cross Examination

FEATURE STORY

Anna Kate

Guided by a set of Mercy values promoting ideals like leadership, service, and justice, it’s no surprise so many Mount girls have been drawn to the field of law over the years. What inspires them? What do they remember most about their Mount days? What insight can they share? We put two on the stand, so to speak, to find out!

Since graduating from one of the world’s premier law schools,

Laura

Mount’s Class of 1994 valedictorian, Laura Holland Hoey, has built an especially noteworthy career at a leading global law firm in Chicago. Meanwhile, Anna Kate Manchester, named salutatorian of her class in 2019, recently began her studies at another top law school in Cambridge and has big aspirations of garnering similar success in her profession one day.

Laura Holland Hoey ’94

Anna Kate Manchester ’19

PARTNER AT ROPES & GRAY LLP

1L AT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL

JD, Yale Law School, and BA in history, University of Notre Dame

Education after Mount?

BA in legal history and political science, University of Alabama

Mary Logan’s International Relations

Impactful high school course?

AP Human Geography

Ring Mass, during which I received my mom’s (Ruthie Huncke Holland ’66) ring

Favorite Mount tradition?

Mercy Day, getting out in the community and giving back alongside my classmates

Respect

Mercy Value you hold most dear?

Recognition of the intrinsic worth and dignity of each person

Serving as Ms. Marilyn’s (Lenggenhager ’73) aide in the main office

Fondest memory while wearing the Houndstooth?

Visiting a local hospital with the Concert Belles and singing Christmas Carols on a live feed broadcast to patients’ rooms

Retirement

Current career aspiration?

International criminal lawyer specializing in human rights

My family – my husband and 3 kids

Proudest accomplishment to date?

Building a website over the past 3 years that helps Alabama parents navigate separation and develop healthy co-parenting schedules

Top 3 dream dinner party guests?

Malala Yousafzai, President Bartlet from The West Wing, and Harry Styles

“There is no victory, no fee, no favor worth even a blemish on your reputation for intellect and integrity.” – Vince Foster

Best advice you follow?

Fear isn’t always something to be afraid of. Sometimes fear simply confirms you’re pushing yourself in the direction you need to be pushed.

Research and carefully consider jobs that require a law degree before committing to the time and expense of law school.

Counsel to Mount Girls interested in law?

As a big fan of the “SmartLess” podcast, I would say Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes

Gain exposure to the field as early as you can. Shadow an attorney, audit classes at your local law school, or even turn on Suits! This can go a long way in determining whether a career in law is right for you.

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golden

The

Ticket

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VERY YEAR, HUNDREDS OF MOUNT ST. MARY STUDENTS TAKE THE TIME TO PONDER THEIR FUTURES AND CHART THE COURSE FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. SOME PLAN TO ENTER THE BUSINESS WORLD OR MEDICAL SCHOOL , WHILE OTHERS DREAM OF FOLLOWING THEIR PASSION INTO THE FIELDS OF LAW, ARCHITECTURE , EDUCATION AND THE ARTS. Most of these decisions are steeped in pragmatism and pass a litany of questions: What interests me? What do I like to do?

What do I have an aptitude for? Through serious pondering, and often with the helpful advice of teachers, parents and the trusty guidance counselor, students plan their path to a career that satisfies the soul and pays the bills.

Few of these game plans probably involve eating chocolate for a living, but as Chelsey Castrodale Landwehr’s unique career proves, you can never say never.

“It’s not exactly Willy Wonka come to life,” Chelsey said of her work. “As I always tell people, if we have a chocolate river running through the factory, that means we have a really big problem.”

All joking aside, Chesley, who graduated from Mount in 2005, has spent her professional life doing what many people dream of but didn’t know was an

12 | THE MESSENGER

option, and that’s being a chocolate expert.

In her various roles with chocolate and candy companies, she’s become versed in every step of the process of turning cacao into the favorite sweet treat of millions.

“There is a story from my childhood where I was 7 or 8, and I was playing with food in a restaurant,” she said. “I turned to my mom and said, ‘I’m going to be a food inventor. Not a cook, a food inventor.’ I didn’t even know until I got to college that it was a career and that is what I’d do.”

At the Mount, Chelsey balanced her aptitude in science and math with a passion for the kitchen.

“I don’t think we had the word ‘foodie’ when I was in school,” she said. “We did have a home economics class at the time. I took cooking, and I did know that I loved cooking and I loved working with food.”

After spending her freshman year at a college in Ohio, she transferred to the

Above: Chelsey Castrodale Landwehr testing chocolate in her lab at Clasen Quality Chocolate.

Right: Chelsey Castrodale Landwehr stands near a cocoa tree while visiting farms in Côte d’lvoire in West Africa.

University of Arkansas. There, almost on a whim, she took an interim class on food science.

“I hadn’t heard of it before, but I always really loved cooking and food, and I was always really strong in science and math.

I just was looking for something to apply it to,” she said. “When I took that interim class, it all just really clicked for me. I can take the things that I love studying and apply them to the food we eat every day.

“There was an event that decided it for me; the university has a food science department that every year processes apple butter and sells it. I attended that, I think just for extra credit, and saw the entire production. I remember thinking, ‘Wow. This is amazing. We started with an apple, and we ended with a product.’ I left that day knowing this is what I want to do.”

After earning her undergraduate

ALUMNAE

degree in food technology in 2009 and a master’s in food science from the U of A in 2011, Chelsey began her career with ADM Cocao in Milwaukee, a division of food industry giant Archer Daniels Midland.

Her job was to service food manufacturing clients, helping them match the right chocolate product with goods in their product line.

“OK, so, ABC Brand is introducing a new cookie,” she said by way of example.

“They’d tell me, ‘We have X, Y and Z ingredients in it; we need it to look like this, taste like this. We need these words on the label, and we can’t have these words on the label. What kind of chocolate should we put in it?’

“Basically my job was owning the process, from writing the formulation to making it for the first time to getting it produced in a factory for them.”

After a brief stop with The Hershey Company in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where she worked on efficiency and process improvement on the manufacturing side, she returned to Wisconsin with Clasen Quality Chocolate, where she was back in product development and processing.

In her career, she’s been around the world learning every step in the chocolate process, from the small equatorial farms that grow cacao to the various processing that transforms a bitter, nearly inedible raw bean into the baking and confectioner’s delight beloved the world over. As she’s done so, her taste buds have become refined well beyond those of your run-ofthe-mill chocoholic.

“Sensory evaluation is only a small part of what I do, but it is definitely a learned skill,” she said. “I have what I call a trained palate; I don’t consider myself someone

who really has that natural ability, what people call a super-taster. I have learned it, and that’s because I’ve been tasting for my entire 12-year career.

“For instance, a chocolate might be dark, but a dark that tastes very much like coffee or tastes very fruity. And then, what kind of fruity is it? Like a red fruit?

A green fruit? And then, knowing the characteristics in those raw materials, I can apply processing that changes it to get the desirable qualities they’re looking for.”

As fanciful as Chelsey’s journey sounds, she said such jobs as hers are fairly common in the food industry as each manufacturer has some version of herself on staff. Her advice to Mount girls looking to break into the industry is to focus on math and science and look for leadership roles that sharpen your presentation skills.

Most of all, she said, dream big.

“What I felt about the Mount was there was no barrier to doing what I wanted to do,” she said “There was never the question, can I do it? I want to take a harder math class — yes I can. I want to try this new club — yes I can. There was never a question because at the Mount we were empowered to do that.

“That is what I feel I took with me into college and into the real world — that self-motivation and that feeling that there weren’t limits for me, and if I hit a barrier in the real world, I had to face it. Mount taught me I can do it, and I have done it.”

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SCHOOL DIVERSITY CLUB

PROMOTING CULTURAL AND ETHNIC UNDERSTANDING IS THE PURPOSE OF THE DIVERSITY CLUB. THE GROUP SEEKS TO EDUCATE THE STUDENT BODY ON THE MANY ETHNIC AND RACIAL HERITAGES REPRESENTED AT MOUNT ST. MARY ACADEMY. “It’s important to create a safe space for people of color and all the different diversities that attend Mount,” said Zashenka Cervantes ’24, club president. “It helps other people learn more about different cultures and feel more “THE CLUB IS A REALLY connected to everyone. And I GOOD OPPORTUNITY think it really builds a sense of TO GET TO KNOW community for everybody here.

I think it really helps people feel THE PEOPLE YOU’RE welcome.”

SPENDING THE FOUR The club teaches its YEARS OF HIGH members about a different SCHOOL WITH ON A cultural or ethnic group each DEEPER LEVEL.” month and explores ways to spread that knowledge to the general student body as well.

“Our main purpose is to inform other people of ZASHENKA different cultures,” said Zashenka. “We meet during Cervantes activity period, which lasts about an hour and a half. We give information about the month we’re celebrating, how it started, why it started and different cultural celebrations. And we sometimes try to bring special snacks or foods that relate to the different culture we’re talking about.”

Zashenka said appreciating different heritages and cultures are key elements of Mount sisterhood.

“The club is a really good opportunity to get to know the people you’re spending the four years of high school with on a deeper level,” she said. “You not only see how different everyone is and where they come from, you also get a chance to feel more comfortable yourself in a place where every culture, every background is accepted.”

14 | THE MESSENGER

CLUBS

STUDENTS

LINK CREW

HELPING NEW STUDENTS TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL IS THE ROLE OF LINK CREW, WHICH CREATES MENTORSHIPS BETWEEN UPPERCLASSMEN AND FRESHMEN. Ava Bravo ’24 is in her second year with the club, AVA which celebrated its inaugural year in 2022. She said Bravo of all the campus activities Mount offers, Link Crew is the one with the most universal appeal.

“All of us have been there,” she said. “We’ve all been freshmen and afraid of joining an established sisterhood. When I was a freshman, I was a nervous wreck, but I had a pretty solid group of friends who helped me adjust to the Mount. A lot of freshmen don’t have that, and obviously, all of them are terrified out of their boots.”

Link Crew juniors and seniors are assigned a group of freshmen, to whom they act as sources of information and help them adjust by giving them a friendly face and someone who can help them assimilate into high school.

“It’s different with everyone,” she said. “Some ask just the basic questions like, ‘What do I wear to “WHEN I WAS A football games?’ or, ‘How FRESHMAN, I WAS A do I get to my classes?’

NERVOUS WRECK, BUT Then there are a few who I HAD A PRETTY SOLID are like, ‘I don’t know who to sit with at lunch,’ or, ‘I GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO want someone to talk to.’”

HELPED ME ADJUST TO Ava said as she prepares THE MOUNT.” to welcome a new group, she’s pleased to see how last year’s cohort has found their groove, in part thanks to the positive start they got from Link Crew mentors.

“It’s very heartwarming,” she said. “The Mount is, at its core, a sisterhood that is so welcoming and accepting. We want the freshmen to succeed; we want them all to find their place in the Mount environment and become their best selves.”

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HONEYBELLES BEE CLUB

KYLIE Bui

ONE OF THE CLUBS THAT HAS MOUNT BUZZING — LITERALLY — IS THE HONEYBELLES BEE CLUB. THE GROUP EDUCATES MEMBERS AND THE STUDENT BODY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEES IN THE ECOSYSTEM, WHILE PROVIDING A SWEET FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY.

“I was never interested in bees, didn’t know the school had a beehive or really understood anything remotely revolving around bees,” said Kylie Bui ’25, who’s in her third year with the club. “As a freshman, I thought this looked very interesting, and I decided to try something new to get out of my comfort zone.”

HoneyBelles tend the bees and create an environment where they can thrive. They then collect honey and create items that they sell at local community festivals.

“I am not one of the people who tends the hive, but we do have a chairperson who deals with that, and she has students who help her,” Kylie said. “They go and check on them and make sure the bees are fine. There are also club members who go out and “GOING TO MEETINGS plant flowers for the bees.

AND PARTICIPATING “During our activity time, IN THE CLUB, I’VE MET we extract the honey from MANY NEW FRIENDS the frames. Then we clean and label the bottles and fill AND DEVELOPED them with honey. We also LEADERSHIP SKILLS.” make jewelry or lotion bars and lip balms.”

Kylie said in addition to gaining an appreciation for pollinators, the club provides other benefits to its members.

“Going to meetings and participating in the club, I’ve met many new friends and developed leadership skills,” she said. “I would recommend our club to anyone who wants to do something different and meet some really interesting people.”

16 | THE MESSENGER

STUDENTS

HONOR COUNCIL

ONE OF THE NEWEST CLUBS AT MOUNT ST. MARY, THE HONOR COUNCIL, HELPS LOOK INTO ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE SCHOOL’S HONOR CODE BY STUDENTS. According to Clara Principe ’24, the club is not set up as a court, but rather it seeks to gather the facts from the student’s perspective once a report of a potential violation has been made.

“We’re more of an advocate for the student than anything,” she said. “If you are accused of cheating, you have a pre-meeting, and we’ll be there and help talk with your teachers. We’re not there to punish you per se; we’re more like a line of communication between faculty and students about academic integrity.”

“BY HAVING THE All members of the Honor HONOR COUNCIL AND Council are chosen via a STRESSING INTEGRITY, nominations process. Clara, I THINK IT REALLY who’s been a member for two years, said the council ALIGNS WITH MOUNT’S grew out of the COVID-19 MISSION.” pandemic.

“Academic integrity is important, especially after we were online,” she said.

CLARA “There are lots of things you could get away with that Principe you couldn’t necessarily get away with in person.”

Given this, Clara said she wanted to get involved in the group to help uphold the school’s high standards of conduct and academic integrity.

“I think we’re fostering a community of trust,” she said. “Life at Mount emphasizes Mercy Values and educating the whole person. By having the Honor Council and stressing integrity, I think it really aligns with Mount’s mission. And I think that mission is great in a lot of ways in that it’s not just about shuttling you in and out. It’s about making sure you become a good person in the process.”

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YOUNG

CHANGEMAKERS EVER WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD? MOUNT HAS A CLUB FOR THAT! THE YOUNG CHANGEMAKERS CLUB IS A NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION THAT LOOKS TO EDUCATE CLUB MEMBERS AND THE STUDENT BODY AT LARGE ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES. “Young Changemakers is a group of girls who want to be a part of change,” said Sarah Siria ’25, club president. “It’s not a political group or anything like that. We have people from both sides of the political spectrum. We have people with completely different ideas. What we have in common is we’re girls who want to make a change.”

The group examines various social issues and devises ways to raise funds through bake sales and other means to make a difference locally.

“Last year for Women’s History Month in March, we donated over 200 items to women’s shelters,” Sarah “WE HAVE PEOPLE said. “Also for that month, WITH COMPLETELY we donated tons of supplies DIFFERENT IDEAS. to organizations that help and get supplies to women WHAT WE HAVE IN refugees.

COMMON IS WE’RE “During Mount’s Robin GIRLS WHO WANT TO Hood Days canned food MAKE A CHANGE.” drive, we raised $150 as a club. During those two months, our club focused on the issue of hunger.”

SARAH Sarah would like to see more students take an Siria interest in the club’s activities, saying it fits neatly into the Mercy Values.

“I’ve been very lucky to grow up with parents who are very passionate about helping others, especially coming from a Catholic background, where we’re taught to help others, no matter what,” she said. “I know the girls at Mount are good people, and we all have different ideas about how to make the world a better place. This club is a great way to put those ideas into action.”

18 | THE MESSENGER

STUDENTS

AMERICAN

SIGN LANGUAGE SAVVY STRAESSLE ’24 FIRST GOT TO EXPERIENCE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) THROUGH A SERIES OF FREE CLASSES THAT A DEAF COLLEAGUE OF HER MOTHER’S WAS CO-HOSTING AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH ASL INTERPRETER CORA MAJAN, A 2017 GRADUATE OF MOUNT. “I really enjoyed it,” Savvy said. “I have a language disorder, so I didn’t have to take a language at Mount.

However, if the school had this as a language class option, it would have been wonderful. I find ASL easier to learn than Spanish or French.”

Last year, Savvy decided to establish the American Sign Language Club as a way of introducing her classmates to a new way to communicate.

“I felt this would be a great thing for students to learn. I founded the club with the purpose of helping provide ASL skills and knowledge of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community,” “ I FIND [SIGN she said. “I plan on pursuing a career LANGUAGE] in the medical field and knew it would EASIER TO LEARN be a great skillset we may even need in THAN SPANISH OR our jobs someday.”

FRENCH.” The club meets weekly after school, during which time they practice fundamentals of the language.

“We learn the alphabet, finger spelling, how to spell SAVVY your name, and everyday words like boy and girl,” she Straessle said. “We also learn to be expressive as we sign as that helps to show meaning. Technically there’s no homework, but we encourage practice on our own time outside of meetings.”

Savvy, club president, said she would like the school to carry the club on after she graduates in the spring.

“I’m hoping maybe Mount can pick it up and even offer it as a class as I hear they once did,” she said.

“ASL expands your world by being able to interact with those you wouldn’t have been able to before.”

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THE

MSM DAD

L O N G -T I M E R T O M D O W N I N G TA K E S H I S R O L E O N C A M P U S S E R I O U S LY

20 | THE MESSENGER

FACULTY & STAFF

E

VERY DAY, MOUNT ST. MARY STUDENTS ARRIVE ON CAMPUS TO MANY FAMILIAR SIGHTS. THE OLD GATE , MCAULEY CENTER GYMNASIUM AND MANICURED GROUNDS ARE BUT A FEW OF THE CAMPUS FEATURES THAT ARE SO UBIQUITOUS TO THE MOUNT EXPERIENCE , IT BINDS THE GENERATIONS TOGETHER. For nearly two decades, Tom Downing has been one of those attributes. Tom, who is in his 17th year with the school, is one of the longest-tenured staff members on Mount’s roster and is a fixture in the lives of the hundreds of students who have attended MSM during his career.

“It’s a great place,” he said of Mount.

“It helps girls become the best they can be, and I’m happy to be able to be some small part of that. It’s just a joy to be here knowing that I can pass something on that might help somebody down the line.”

Tom’s time on the payroll represents only a small piece of his overall connection to the school. Raised in a large family, he attended Our Lady of Good Counsel School and graduated from Catholic High.

Not only did that bring him onto the MSM campus for various events, but his mother, four of his sisters and one of his two daughters were all Mount girls.

“Well, it’s kind of like being at home,” he said. “Mount here has been in my life for so long, even when I was a teenager and I would come up here. It’s been part of my life for more than two-thirds of my life.”

Originally hired as a maintenance helper, Tom showed early his desire to help improve the campus. In fact, it led him to disobey direct orders from his first boss, so strong was his desire to contribute.

“For the first two weeks of my job up here my supervisor told me, ‘You sit in the shop. Read the paper. I don’t care what you do, just stay there. I’ll let you know if I need you,’” he said. “Well, I got bored with doing that, ventured out of the shop and started doing things on my own. I’ve never looked back.”

Tom’s desire to be hands-on, coupled with the passage of time, has worked his fingerprints into the fabric of the campus. Through various renovations and remodels, he’s laid on hands in every

room of Mount St. Mary, in some cases right down to the bare walls.

“We actually did a huge renovation of the ’53 wing and the ’77 wing the summers of 2008 and 2009,” he said. “We had to move all the furnishings from the buildings out so they could do the asbestos abatement of those two wings. My first two years, I was doing a lot of physical moving of furniture and books; we moved every single book out of the library and put it back in there.”

Now the director of facilities, Tom tends to any number of issues concerning Mount’s physical plant. The days are interesting because he never knows what might await him on any given shift.

“I see my job as making everybody else’s job here easier by maintaining the buildings,” he said, “making it

All of that would have been enough to enshrine him in the lore of the place, but a move he made last year cemented his status among the students. It was an idea reminiscent of his first act of rebellion on the job, where he saw something he thought needed doing and he took matters into his own hands.

“Ever since we’ve had all these incidents with school shootings and that kind of stuff, we’ve tightened up our security,” he said. “I’ve posted myself at the front door in the mornings, and I greet everybody as they come in. I want them all to feel some type of connection when they walk in the door — that they are in a safe place, that they are cared for here and loved.”

Tom said while not every student returns his greeting, many do. At least one took to social media to post a photo of him at his post, referring to him as her “school dad” in the comments. The response to the post — relayed to him second-hand because he’s not on Instagram — tells Tom that the feeling among many Mount girls is mutual.

“ Well, it’s kind of like being at home. Mount here

has been in my life for so long, even when I was a teenager and I would come up here. It’s been part of my life for more than two-thirds of my life.

”

- TOM DOWNING

comfortable for them. Helping them accomplish things by moving things around for them or setting things up. I help Joel, our technology director, a lot when we’re doing new things, rolling new things out. Right now, my assistant, Mark, Joel and I are moving some equipment over to our new area in the convent that we just renovated this summer.

“The building lives whether somebody is here or not, so I’m a 12-month person.

We just make sure that everything inside and outside of the building is holding together and operating.”

“That was pretty neat,” he said. “It really touches my heart because I didn’t know I made that kind of impact on people.

But I’m happy that I do. I want to make a positive impact on all of these girls.”

At age 59, Tom likely has several more years on the job and with it, several more classes of students to connect with. And for however long he’s here, you will know where to find him leading up to the opening bell.

“I’ll be at that spot every morning, greeting them,” he said, “and I’ll keep doing it until they force me out the door.”

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Mount St. Mary Academy

BY THE NUMBERS

478

30% 70%

STUDENTS AVERAGE

CLASS SIZE:

16

70% CATHOLIC 30% OTHER FAITHS

$783,993

29% of students

ASSISTANCE AWARDED

ASSISTANCE

IN FINANCIAL

31

local organizations served through Junior

Service Learning Program

RECEIVE FINANCIAL

13:1

STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO

43 OF COLLEGE CREDIT

AVAILABLE THROUGH

HOURS CONCURRENT CREDIT PROGRAM

Best Private School 3X WINNER IN 2022-2023

60+

CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS

AND SPORTS TEAMS

26

AP courses plus an AP Capstone

Diploma Program

24.3 average ACT COMPOSITE SCORE

(compared to 18.8 state and 19.8 national averages)

OUR 2023 GR ADUATES E A R N E D

$15.7 million IN COLLEGE

SCHOLARSHIPS

enrolled in an 14% HONORS COLLEGE

PROGRAM

ATTENDING 35 DIFFERENT COLLEGES

AND UNIVERSITIES IN 16 STATES TWO NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS

5

STUDENT-ATHLETES SIGNED TO PLAY IN COLLEGE (DIVISIONS I, II, & III)

27 TOTAL

AP SCHOLARS

9,597 hours S E R V I C E OF CO M M U N I TY

22 | THE MESSENGER

AC C E P T E D TO

90 HIGHER

EDUCATION I N ST I T U T I O N S

ANNUAL REPORT

202 2-2 0 2 3

ANNUAL REPORT OF GIFTS

This report gratefully recognizes the generous support from our alumnae, parents, parents of alumnae, grandparents, faculty, staff and friends. Everyone at Mount St. Mary appreciates the unwavering commitment to our school as demonstrated by all those who made contributions in various capacities during the 2022-2023 year. Their dedication to our mission, and to helping ensure a strong future for Mount St. Mary, is truly an inspiration.

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

The MSM Foundation Office has worked diligently to ensure the accuracy of this report of gifts. If your name was omitted or improperly noted, please accept our apologies. If you notice such an error, we ask that you notify Database Coordinator Vic Gerbholz at 501-476-3375 or vgerbholz@mtstmary.edu so our records can be corrected. Thank you.

2%

MOUNT ST. MARY

FUNDRAISING GIFT I M PACT

56%

36%

6%

2022–2023 GIFT IMPACT* Annual Fund

$673,711

56%

Endowment Gifts

$431,146

36%

Designated Gifts

$73,252

6%

Tuition Assistance

$24,452

2%

E N D OW E D FUNDS

57%

43%

Total Contributions

$1,202,561

ENDOWED FUNDS Endowments for School Operations

$9,179,787

57%

Endowments for Tuition Assistance

$6,997,343

43%

Total Endowed Funds

$16,177,130 *unaudited year-end figures FALL 2023

| 23

“ Mount is just

near and dear to our hearts and such a worthwhile endeavor, and it’s never too late to start donating.

”

From left : Ellen Brady, Cate Bradley Raper, Erin Crain Brady, Bill Waters, Haven Hornibrook Waters, Leigh Ann Crain Raper, and Anna Brady in front of the historic McAuley Center Gymnasium at Mount.

Linking Generat ions

T

H E R E ’S N OT A LOT REMA INING IN TH E M O U N T ST. M ARY CU R R I CU LU M TH AT R ESE M B L ES WHAT H AVEN HO RNIBRO O K WATER S ’6 3 EXP ER I EN CED DU R I N G H ER TI M E AT T H E S C H O OL . STUD ENTS D O N’ T ENRO L L AS F I F TH GR ADER S AN Y M O R E , AS H AV EN DI D ; T H EY AR E N’ T LE D TH RO UGH THEIR L ESSO NS BY N U N S AS S H E WAS ; AN D TH EY D O N ’ T FO C U S ON SU C H S ECR E TARIA L SKIL LS AS SHO RTH AN D AS TH EY DI D DU R I N G H ER ER A .

But that doesn’t keep Haven from feeling an intense kinship to succeeding generations of MSM students, right up until the present day. Once a Mount girl, always a Mount girl, could be her credo.

“It’s a legacy and a tradition,” she said. “I just cherish my years there. I was always proud to say I was a Mount girl.”

Part of what has kept Haven so close to the spirit of the school are the legacies she produced. Both of her daughters are alums ― Leigh Ann Crain Raper ’87 and Erin Crain Brady ’90 ― who were instrumental in keeping their mother connected to Mount through the years.

“My daughters were the ones who got me involved and connected me with the alumnae association,” Haven said. “When Leigh Ann was president of the alumnae board, she asked me to come on as the secretary. I was secretary of the board for several years.

“They were wonderful volunteers and gave a lot of their time and energy between chairing Dinner Belles and other fundraisers.

It was such a privilege and honor to be able to serve with my daughters, and it was so much fun. They’ve been an inspiration to me, honestly. And I think we’ve passed that on to their children,

24 | THE MESSENGER

too. We have deep roots in Mount St. Mary.”

Those roots have now borne the fruit of a third generation of Belles. Haven’s granddaughters both graduated from here, Anna Brady ’18, who also works for MSM, and Ellen Brady ’22. She’s even got a Mount girl to-be in granddaughter Cate Bradley Raper.

Currently a sixth grader at Christ the King Catholic School in Little Rock, she will be a member of the Class of 2030.

Haven has also maintained a long history of giving to her alma mater, a spirit of generosity and gratitude that she shares with her husband of 22 years, Bill Waters, whose daughter, Amy Waters Starr, graduated from Mount in 1988.

“We want the legacy to continue and to enable young women who want a Catholic education the opportunity to attend Mount St. Mary,” Haven said. “We love the Bible verse, ‘To whom much is given, much will be required.’ We are very blessed to be able to contribute. We’re not big-time donors, but we do something every month. Mount is just near and dear to our hearts and such a worthwhile endeavor, and it’s never too late to start donating.”

ANNUAL REPORT

McAuley

SOCIETY

J U LY 1 , 2 0 2 2 – JUNE 30, 2023

The McAuley Society is comprised of lead donors committed to the future of Mount St. Mary Academy. Membership is open to all individuals, families and organizations that make a minimum $1,000 annual gift to the school.

Anonymous (5) Dorothy Saenger Ackfeld ’52 Angela & Chad+ Aduddell Heather+ & Scott Allmendinger Jan & Dave Allmendinger Terry Angtuaco Bernie Balest Ardemagni ’64 & Richard Ardemagni Melody Ashley ’78 Shannon Benafield Aston ’85 & David Aston Curtis Bailey Deborah Baldwin+ & Jim Metzger Nancy Wilhite Bartlett ’72 & David Bartlett Desi & Andrew Beers Pat Black Patti & Larry+ Boccarossa Corinne Bonner Jane & Doug Bown Brown Foundation Tricia Brown ’75 Marie & Lyle Burdine Stephanie & Daniels Bynum C.B. Foundation Allison & Keith Caldarera Joni Johnston Calva ’76 & D.J. Calva Pat Carlisle Abby & Jay Carman Becky Carroll ’72 & Linda Spink Christine & Jay Castillo Catholic Business Women’s Club Donna Chachere ’83+ Chevron Matching Gift Program CHI St. Vincent Jane Ferrill Colclasure ’63 & Bruce Colclasure Jena Cupples Compton ’91+ & Adam Compton Miranda Roberts Crawford ’04 & Nathan Crawford Barbara & Rich Crews Flora Bittner Croft Endowment Kristie & Michael Cronkhite

Beth & Jeff Crowder Patti Murphy Dailey ’64 & Jim Dailey Ron Davis Debbie & Rush+ Deacon Margaret Cassidy Dearing ’71 & Bill Dearing Tracy Taylor Dietrich ’82 Beth Lipsmeyer Dunn ’66 & Ted Dunn Theresa Sprenger Dunn ’73 & Jim Dunn Katie Sprenger Dupslaff ’82 & Scott Dupslaff Anne McAdams Dyke ’85 & Merritt Dyke Patty Berg Enderlin ’73 & Charles Enderlin Sue Fredrich Enderlin ’64 & Amos Enderlin Entergy Services, Inc. EOG Resources, Inc. Jenny Crews Faulkner ’95 & Andrew Faulkner Trisha Fitzgerald Filipek ’69 & David Filipek Karen Goodhart Flake ’65 & John Flake Msgr. Lawrence Frederick Lou Ann & Wally Gieringer Rosalind & Phillip Gillam Conley & Alex Golden Missy Dishongh Griffy ’75 & Tim Griffy Eleanor Mary Guilford Living Trust Sharon Strack Gunter ’85 & Marc Gunter Theresa Goshen Hall ’78 & John Hall Shanti Halter+ & Bill Halter Debbie Wright Harris ’75 & Bill Harris Mike Hart Janet & Greg Hartz Sarah Hartz Laura & Jeff+ Hathaway Mary Bea Couch Hiegel ’57 & Ken Hiegel Kathy Dailey Hightower ’63 & Ray Hightower Holy Souls Men’s Club Liane Rhein Humble ’53 & Bill Humble Stephanie Dailey Kelley ’73 & Hank Kelley

Sharon Kresse ’76 Kroger Melissa & John Lipsmeyer Kristin Fletcher Litzinger ’85 & Steve Litzinger Traci & Michael Lock Sr. Donald Mary Lynch, RSM ’61 Lou & Frank Ma Bill Mabrey Kallie & Thomas McCullough Scott McLeod+ Cecilia & Beau McNeff Rebecca & Nicolaus McNeill Katie & Mark Melton Vickey Hum Metrailer ’69 & James Metrailer Ruth Straessle Metzger ’53 & Clarence Metzger Susan May Miller ’80 & Andy Miller Sloan Johnson Milton ’05 & Tyler Milton Anne Hiegel Mines ’82+ & Tim Mines+ Janet & Philip Miron Lucia Trujillo Morris ’09 & Jared Morris Matt Morris Angela Nutt-Nguyen ’85 & Duong Nguyen Christi & John Oliver Fr. John Oswald Cathy Hastings Owen ’76 & Steve Owen Kris & Cam Patterson Diana & Ken Pearson Lisa Petursson ’88

Dorothy Pumphrey Beth & Scott Pursley Cheryl Chandler Rainey ’78 & Russell Rainey John Renick Becky & Robert Schulte Meredith Hartz Shelton ’02 & Luke Shelton Susie+ & David Smith Kelly Wortsmith Snook ’86 & Roy Snook Robyn & Jason Stewart Annette Barringhaus Stipak ’84 & John Stipak Roy and Christine Sturgis C&E Trust Arkansas Becky Clement Sullivan ’74 & Charley Sullivan Tarco, Inc. – Matching Gift Program Tate Family Foundation Anne & Alan Tedford Lu Tlapek Tracy’s Glass and Mirror, Inc. Deane Wallace* Haven Hornibrook Waters ’63 & Bill Waters Leighton & Doug Weeks Nancy & Stephen White Kathy Whiting Harrigan Wortsmith Cheryl & David Wren

+ 2022-2023 board member * deceased

Thank You! FALL 2023

| 25

2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3

ANNUAL DONORS

HONOR ROLL J U LY 1 , 2 0 2 2 – J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 2 3 The following list recognizes all donors who have expressed their loyalty and commitment to our school in the form of a monetary gift that has helped advance the mission of Mount St. Mary Academy and ensure the continuation of our rich legacy of academic excellence. These gifts range from tuition assistance, school endowment contributions, memorial gifts, major designated gifts, acquired planned gifts and bequests, and unrestricted contributions to the Annual Fund. Thank you for your generosity!

Sr. Catherine McAuley Legacy Circle $10,000+ Anonymous (2) Brown Foundation Tricia Brown ’75 CHI St. Vincent Flora Bittner Croft Endowment Eleanor Mary Guilford Living Trust Janet & Greg Hartz Dorothy Pumphrey Roy and Christine Sturgis C&E Trust Arkansas Becky Clement Sullivan ’74 & Charley Sullivan Deane Wallace* Harrigan Wortsmith MSM Founders’ Circle $5,000-$9,999 Anonymous Jan & Dave Allmendinger Bernie Balest Ardemagni ’64 & Richard Ardemagni Donna Chachere ’83 EOG Resources, Inc. Jenny Crews Faulkner ’95 & Andrew Faulkner Missy Dishongh Griffy ’75 & Tim Griffy Kathy Dailey Hightower ’63 & Ray Hightower Lou & Frank Ma Sloan Johnson Milton ’05 & Tyler Milton Janet & Philip Miron Kathy Whiting Legacy of Leadership Circle $2,500-$4,999 Anonymous Angela & Chad Aduddell Heather & Scott Allmendinger Deborah Baldwin & Jim Metzger

26 | THE MESSENGER

Corinne Bonner Marie & Lyle Burdine Pat Carlisle Catholic Business Women’s Club Jena Cupples Compton ’91 & Adam Compton Tracy Taylor Dietrich ’82 Entergy Services, Inc. Karen Goodhart Flake ’65 & John Flake Kroger Sr. Donald Mary Lynch, RSM ’61 Kallie & Thomas McCullough Rebecca & Nicolaus McNeill Katie & Mark Melton Anne Hiegel Mines ’82 & Tim Mines Lucia Trujillo Morris ’09 & Jared Morris Angela Nutt-Nguyen ’85 & Duong Nguyen Diana & Ken Pearson Meredith Hartz Shelton ’02 & Luke Shelton Robyn & Jason Stewart Tarco, Inc. – Matching Gift Program Anne & Alan Tedford Lu Tlapek Tracy’s Glass and Mirror, Inc. Leighton & Doug Weeks

Sisters of Mercy Circle $1,500-$2,499 Anonymous Melody Ashley ’78 Patti & Larry Boccarossa Beth & Jeff Crowder Margaret Cassidy Dearing ’71 & Bill Dearing Katie Sprenger Dupslaff ’82 & Scott Dupslaff Msgr. Lawrence Frederick Theresa Goshen Hall ’78 & John Hall Shanti Halter & Bill Halter Debbie Wright Harris ’75 & Bill Harris Holy Souls Men’s Club Liane Rhein Humble ’53 & Bill Humble

Cecilia & Beau McNeff Matt Morris Beth & Scott Pursley Becky & Robert Schulte

Angelus Bell Circle $1,000-$1,499 Dorothy Saenger Ackfeld ’52 Terry Angtuaco Shannon Benafield Aston ’85 & David Aston Curtis Bailey Nancy Wilhite Bartlett ’72 & David Bartlett Desi & Andrew Beers Pat Black Jane & Doug Bown Stephanie & Daniels Bynum C.B. Foundation Allison & Keith Caldarera Joni Johnston Calva ’76 & D.J. Calva Abby & Jay Carman Becky Carroll ’72 & Linda Spink Christine & Jay Castillo Chevron Matching Gift Program Jane Ferrill Colclasure ’63 & Bruce Colclasure Miranda Roberts Crawford ’04 & Nathan Crawford Barbara & Rich Crews Kristie & Michael Cronkhite Patti Murphy Dailey ’64 & Jim Dailey Ron Davis Debbie & Rush Deacon Beth Lipsmeyer Dunn ’66 & Ted Dunn Theresa Sprenger Dunn ’73 & Jim Dunn Anne McAdams Dyke ’85 & Merritt Dyke Patty Berg Enderlin ’73 & Charles Enderlin Sue Fredrich Enderlin ’64 & Amos Enderlin Trisha Fitzgerald Filipek ’69 & David Filipek Lou Ann & Wally Gieringer

Rosalind & Phillip Gillam Conley & Alex Golden Sharon Strack Gunter ’85 & Marc Gunter Mike Hart Sarah Hartz Laura & Jeff Hathaway Mary Bea Couch Hiegel ’57 & Ken Hiegel Stephanie Dailey Kelley ’73 & Hank Kelley Sharon Kresse ’76 Melissa & John Lipsmeyer Kristin Fletcher Litzinger ’85 & Steve Litzinger Traci & Michael Lock Bill Mabrey Scott McLeod Vickey Hum Metrailer ’69 & James Metrailer Ruth Straessle Metzger ’53 & Clarence Metzger Susan May Miller ’80 & Andy Miller Christi & John Oliver Fr. John Oswald Cathy Hastings Owen ’76 & Steve Owen Kris & Cam Patterson Lisa Petursson ’88 Cheryl Chandler Rainey ’78 & Russell Rainey John Renick Susie & David Smith Kelly Wortsmith Snook ’86 & Roy Snook Annette Barringhaus Stipak ’84 & John Stipak Tate Family Foundation Haven Hornibrook Waters ’63 & Bill Waters Nancy & Stephen White Cheryl & David Wren

Mercian Cross & Shield Club $500-$999 Lynne Breen Alpar ’79 & Alan Alpar Melissa & Michael Angtuaco Archway Graphic Designs Carol & Fred Auger Diane & Kirk Babb Patti Callahan Bernstein ’65 & Davis Bernstein Michie McHardy Bissell ’62 Suzette & Donnie Bridges Anne Jansen Broadwater ’78 & Ralph Broadwater Lori & Chad Brown Melody Brown ’92 Rosemary Balest Bryant ’61 & Charles Bryant Linda Grady Byrne ’70 & Rob Byrne Amanda & Adam Cadorette Mary Kay Bergman Cashion ’75 & Paul Cashion CIA-Grant Fund Class of 1975 Michele Conners ’89 Annie McFadden Cross ’08 & Michael Cross Ashley Bressinck Cunningham ’88 &

Baker Cunningham Sarah Davies ’97 Liz Dolan ’69 Tom Downing Amber & Stephen Duch Buff & Jay Easterly Margaret & Ray Fizer Laura & Mark Freville Dottie & Frank Funk Giglio Plumbing Co., Inc Karen Kerr Glover ’73 & Bruce Glover Rita Lynch Goodgame ’46 Jeannine Huard Hart ’60 & Arthur Hart Aubrey & Jay Harton Lauren Nash Hendrix ’01 Rhonda Schneider Jansen ’98 & Brian Jansen Maddie Oxner Johnson ’15 & Sam Johnson Mary Prichard Johnson ’60 Sarah Filipek Johnson ’97 & Joel Johnson Sara & Larry Jones Patty Cox Juniper ’89 & Mike Juniper Tamara & Raouf Kassissieh Ashley Kersey ’99 Dana & Joe Kleine LeMay Photography Dianne & Jim Lincicome Elizabeth Lipsmeyer ’56 Susie Wallace Lowther ’75 & Ed Lowther Mary Lyon ’77 Karen & John Mangiaracina Ritchie Clark Maxwell ’72 & Alan Maxwell Jennifer Schueck McCarty ’87 & Mark McCarty Ashley Boccarossa McNatt ’03 Elizabeth Seredynski Moix ’62 Melanie & Edward Oglesby Wendy & Ray Parker Lorre Parrish Pax Christi USA – Little Inc. Gretchen Wewers Pierce ’90 & Randy Pierce Kim & Jason Polk Beth & Charlie Porter Amanda Hall Potts ’96 & William Potts Ginney Pumphrey ’67 Beth & Bruce Saad Tiffany Galchus Senavinin ’93 & Roc Senavinin Angela Maynard Sewall ’64 & Frank Sewall Stanley Hardware & Lumber Talmage Mullen Steele ’61 & Eric Steele Caroline Stephens ’92 & Bruce Stephens Donna French Strack ’75 & Joe Strack Angie & Phillip Suffridge Kay & James Tribo Mary Alice Makoski Veitch ’57 Sharon & Carl Vogelpohl Brenda & Dave Walter Peggy Wells ’72 Sally & Topf Wells Kelly & Eric Wewers Sarah Meier Wherry ’97 & Chris Wherry

ANNUAL REPORT

Susie & Mike Whitacre Lori & Bush Williams Kirk Wilson Laura & Jeff Woford Mary Yancey

Belles Purple & White Club $250-$499 Anonymous (2) Action, Inc Michele & John Allgood Arkansas Luxury Lawns and Greens, LLC Carole Pabian Arkin ’60 & Charles Arkin Jean Bishop Armstrong ’62 Cindy & Andy Arnold Kimberly & Ben Bailey Bank of England Mary Ann Wollhower Bellas ’54 Natalie Carr Bell-Shy ’85 Alicia Selig Berkemeyer ’86 & Kenny Berkemeyer Barbara Martin Blaes ’55 & Marvin Blaes* Cindy & Seth Blomeley Denice & Caleb Bozeman Chucki & Curt Bradbury Rhonda Bradley Donna Bowers Bressinck ’64 Matthew Britt Cameryn Miller Burch ’08 & Justin Burch Suzanne & Hugh Burnett Braun Ray Campbell ’83 & John Campbell Jean & Dan Carter Carolyn Cerrato Chalmers ’64 & Glenn Chalmers Meg Taylor Chase ’84 & Jim Chase Ashley & Brandon Cliff Patty Bergman Commerford ’71 & Joe Commerford Natasha & Mark Cottingham Tony Crifasi Karen Cruce Janet Kirspel Deeter ’63 & Mort Deeter Lucille Kelly DeGostin ’68 & Robert DeGostin Mary & Tom Devine Robert Doolos Entergy Corporate Social Responsibility Sheila & Marc Fitts Joe Franzetti Sheila & Joe Frederick Nancy Frost ’75 Megan Saer Garrison ’99 & Justin Garrison Laura & Brian Gehrki Lindy Smith Gordon Stan Hastings Heather Hayes ’86 Marc Haynes Lauren White Hoover ’99 & Joel Hoover Christy & Mark Hopkins Dee James Angie Staley Johnson Charlene Dillon Julian ’74

Sr. Judith Keith, RSM ’51 Mary Bray Kelley ’62 Sr. Teresa Kelone, RSM ’66 Carol Gangluff Kordsmeier ’87 & Brian Kordsmeier Kelly & Wes Lasseigne Michelle Young Leding ’85 & Carl Leding Jeannie & Jason Lee Krista Allmendinger Lewis ’93 & D.K. Lewis Janie Lienhart ’76 Patti Del Donno Lienhart ’73 & Mike Lienhart Denise Hanson Lipin ’66 & John Lipin Bonnie Wellborn Malzewski ’95 & Al Malzewski Kay Marak ’72 Mary-Margaret Rasco Marks ’98 & Matthew Marks Natasha & Cary Marlow Becky Semasek May ’57 & Bill May Cheri & Dick McIlroy Valerie & Robert McLean Mary McMillan Julie Baker Menke ’80 & Paul Menke Grace Kelley Mickelson ’04 & Luke Mickelson Holly Larrison Mills ’85 Jennifer & John Milwee Kip A. Moore Associates PA Kristy & David Morris Jenny Moses Catherine Weakland Murphy ’62 & Lawrence Murphy Lauren Naeyaert ’08 Becky Smith Neighbors ’89 & Robert Neighbors Patty Binz Neumeier ’78 & Bernard Neumeier Kristen & Hank Pfeifer Christina Deuerling Pilkington ’78 & Pete Pilkington Amber Pruss ’07 Betty Catlett Pullam ’63 & Joe Pullam Pegi & Richard Redix Carolee & Mike Riley Nan Hennelly Rindahl ’85 & Marty Rindahl Karen & Lewis Ritchey River City Turbo, Inc. Gabby & Vicente Robledo Elizabeth Sellars ’98 Joan Eichler Simon ’86 & David Simon Jody Simpson ’84 Melissa & Keith Smith Christy Snowden-Davis ’77 & Mark Davis The Sportstop, Inc. DeeDee & Wallie Sprick Maria & Chris Stiles Candace Weekley & Joel Tanner Pat & William Tedford Tricia Tresp ’75 Becki & Larry Vassar Yemina Vazquez Theresa Straessle Vogelpohl ’64 & Raymond Vogelpohl Gus M. Vratsinas

Janie Ward Mary Ellen & Steve Ware Claire Saenger Weiler ’55 Stephen Henry Wells Revocable Trust Lorie White ’92 Charles Williams Angie Muzquiz Wilson ’53 & Larry Wilson Marcy Hall Wright ’04 Lori & Aaron Yacavone Peter Yang Jacqueline & Ed Zeneski

Guardians of the Mount Club $100-$249 Anonymous (3) Mallory Shiver Abate ’05 & Matthew Abate Racheal & Jeff Adams Kathy Handloser Aday ’74 & Wade Aday Laura Strack Aday ’02 & Steve Aday Chris Allen ’64 Chelsea & Braden Allman Amazon Smile Penny Reeves Amundson ’85 & Jeff Amundson Margaret Dickmann Arney ’67 & Don Arney Sharon Wilk Ashley ’75 & Randy Ashley Brenda & Raymond Ashmore Sharon Waters Aureli ’81 Betty Sutton Avants ’53 Frances Benita Baggett née Cicero Ann Bailey Bain ’72 & James Bain Sue Jenders Balest ’74 & Phil Balest Robin & Hardy Banks Beth Hathaway Barnes Anna Pursley Barcus ’04 & Matthew Barcus Ann Limberg Bartrem ’73 Mary Swope Battreal ’57 & James Battreal Sarah & Gene Behrens Deborah Dober Belyeu ’84 & Lee Belyeu Halona Bergman Edward Birdsong Beth & David Bisceglia Carol Faryewicz Bishop ’74 & Robert Bishop Peyton Crawford Bishop ’58 Mimi Baldwin Blackwood ’72 & Mark Blackwood Rebecca & Kyle Blakely Lauren Blair Pam Chudy Boehmer ’71 Donna Bosley Megan & Todd Boswell Denice & Caleb Bozeman Erin Crain Brady ’90 & Justin Brady Sarah Smith Brantley ’01 & Russell Brantley Jan & Bill Brass Christine Kelly Braun ’73 Janet & John Breen Beth Ortega Brewer ’91 & Bryce Brewer Judy & Benny Bright Cari & Brendan Britt

Kathy Broussard Kelly Browe-Olson Robin Brown Donna Bentrup Brunson ’60 Barbara Menz Bryan ’67 & Houston Bryan Frances Rogers Buchanan ’63 Mildred Metrailer Buddenberg ’4 6 Irene & Toan Bui Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Becky & Smitty Burgess Carrie & John Burkhead Mary Catherine & Brad Burney Rosey Seguin-Calderon & Vince Calderon Maureen Calhoon & Ken Calhoon Ashley Younger Caldwell ’98 & Christopher Caldwell Jerrie Farmer Campagna ’68 & Nicholas Campagna Deborah & Jerry Carman Blaine & Pat Carr Cindy Casto Debbie Uekman Chandler ’73 Lange Robinson Cheek ’84 & Richard Cheek Christina Brown Christie ’98 Teresa & Mark Chudy Amy Kordsmeier Clark ’95 & Jeff Clark Elizabeth Johnson Clark ’00 & Aaron Clark Class of 1970 Pat Kirspel Claud ’70 Denise Clayton Virginia & Stuart Cobb Eden Coker & Cody Jones Donna & David Cone Karen & Dale Coy David Craig Rose Kelley Cranford ’62 & Bill Cranford Laura & Eddie Crow Edith Jack Crowell ’83 & Michael Crowell Alice Hickey Cruse ’96 & Joseph Cruse Joseph Cvengros Dena Wortsmith Daniel ’91 & Shawn Daniel Mary Lewis Dassinger Amy & Scot Davis Kate Milligan Davis Tad Davis Lauren Clay Day ’06 & Aaron Day Vita Caldarera Debin ’58 & Robert Debin Dorris Karcher Deislinger ’51 Joanna & Brian Delavan Lori & Andrew Delfos Sharon & John Denery Dillard›s Department Stores, Inc. Joy Dillingham ’73 Elizabeth Couch Dober ’61 Janet Handloser Dolan ’75 & Chris Dolan Shelli Bonner Dominick ’83 & John Dominick Mary Jo Dumboski ’69 Mary Glenn O›Donnell Dunaway ’66 Jennifer & Ronnie Dunlap

Ellen & Russ Dykes Christine Ray Eades ’78 & David Eades Marilyn & Bo Eagan Jill & John Eanes Tracy & John Eddy Karen & Clint Elliott Selena Duncan Ellis ’64 Carolee Sroka Emerson ’95 & Matt Emerson Alicia & Sam Emmerling Trish & Daryl England Ari Fason Nallivi Favela Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Nolann & Jack Finch Jennifer Fitts Finnegan ’85 & Thomas Finnegan Martha Hiznay Flynn ’56 & O.C. Flynn Jim France Margie & Gene* France Tonya Stringer Franzetti ’92 & Jeff Franzetti Bridgette & Mark Frazier Cynthia & Tom Frazier Teresa Schieber Freyaldenhoven ’08 Laura & Don Frost Kristin Noor Gable ’92 & Kevin Gable Lisa & Jay Gaddy Nancy & David Gambill Missy Gazette Lindsey Gearhart Lisa & Tinker Gibbons Sydney O›Quin Gilbert ’00 & Luke Gilbert Sara Schneider Glazer ’08 Phyllis Grasser ’72 Denise Graves ’73 Brittany Greenwood ’12 Marlene Bailey Gremillion ’68 & Richard Gremillion Amber & Cody Griffin Jamie & Neil Groat Patty Gray Guanella ’57 & Tom Guanella Ashley Fotioo Gunderman ’92 & Chris Gunderman Patty Hamilton Gustafson ’66 & Phil Gustafson Paige Fraser Hadfield ’99 & Charlie Hadfield, III Pam Yaniger Halter ’77 & Michael Halter Lauren Hamilton ’98 Meredith Battreal Hankins ’93 & Vaughan Hankins Carole Hansen and Steve Hansen Selma Gilmore Metzger Hardin ’52* & Howard Hardin Catherine Lensing Harper ’75 Cynthia & Matthew Harris Louise & Dan Hartman Paula Hastings ’84 Rosalyn Jones Hastings ’48 & Harry Hastings Marty & Tim Heiple Jana Hendrix Carolyn Hall Henry ’71 & Danny Henry Cathey* & Bob Henry Paris Upshaw Henry ’78 & Perry Henry FALL 2023

| 27

ANNUAL DONORS

HONOR ROLL continued...

Drew Ford Herget ’09 Claudia Mendez Reyna & Carlos Hernandez Allison Lasiter Hester ’94 & Stephen Hester Deanna & Jeff Hildebrand Michelle Ward Hill ’03 & Stacey Hill Mary Rita Schlatterer Hoffman ’4 9 Linda Hoffmann ’70 Natalie Polk Hoffmann ’81 & James Hoffmann Karen Hooks ’86 Carol Greeley Hopkins ’80 & Jeffrey Hopkins Paige & Eric Horras Patricia Horsley Nancy Huckabay Carly Hugg ’19 Robin Evans Huggins ’80 & Darwin Huggins Laura Gowen Humphries ’73 & Mark Humphries Jana & Mark Hunter Amy & Jeremy Hyde Adele & Lee Jackson Terry Jefferson Denice Jeter Denise & Anthony Johnson Paula Johnson Robin & Russ Johnson Sharon Butler Johnson ’58 & Rex Johnson Ashley Jones ’06 Beth Saer Jones ’97 & Drew Jones Patsy Cooper Kelly ’54 & Paul Kelly Brenda Edgar Kent ’66 & Terry Kent Kacie Johnson Kindrex ’02 Kathy Cupples King ’71 Joan Dickmann Kircher ’55 & Anthony Kircher Cynthia Chudy Kita ’57 Irene & Edward Kitta Pamela & Edward Kleitsch Michelle & Mark Koch Sr. Diane Koorie, RSM Janet Gibson Korenblat ’82 & Scott Korenblat Jennifer Smith Kuhn ’96 & Chase Kuhn Olivia Smith Kuhn ’96 & Brandon Kuhn Christy Kresse Leach ’70 & James Leach Wendy & Jim LePage Joan Lipsmeyer ’65 Betsy Calhoun Lomas ’80 Mary Alice Pushkarsky Lomason ’55 & Harry Lomason Timothy Long Stella & Troy Lowe Anne Rankin Macaluso ’4 9 Deidra Williams Mack ’88 & Dan Mack Sara & Edward Mader Monica Madey ’06

28 | THE MESSENGER

Anne Thompson Mancino ’76 & Michael Mancino Flora & Juan Mares Kim & Quentin Markland Patty Martin ’74 Erin Lynch Mason ’01 & Drew Mason Tori Niedzwiedz Massey ’13 Marilyn Mitchener Mathias ’60 & Thomas Mathias Mariana & Moluwa Matute Chelle McKenzie McCarroll ’02 & Greg McCarroll Lindsay Hale McCaslin ’02 & Chris McCaslin Chantel McCollum Lorena & Rick McConnell Jamie Billie McCormack ’00 & Shawn McCormack Elizabeth Kennon McFadden ’77 & Dan McFadden Rachael & Larry McGrew Sandra Monroe McKay ’84 & Jeff McKay Bobbie Cupples McKenzie ’62 & Ron McKenzie Rachel McLemore Pamela Tucker Meeks ’88 & Cooper Meeks Mary & Chris Michaels Tonya Cannon Middleton ’98 Elaine & David Miller Kristie McCown Mitchell ’90 & Adam Mitchell Kim & Jim Moix Dorothy Nosal Montague ’58 & James Montague Shannon & Blake Montgomery Kathy Moore ’83 Susan & Darren Moore Kathleen Buzan Moorhead ’78 & Samuel Moorhead Cathy Wortsmith Moran ’61 & Mike Moran The Saint Thomas More Society of Arkansas, Inc. Manja Morris Counts F. Morton Kay & Todd Mueller Martha & Vent Murphy Toni Nabholz ’62 Allison & Gary Nash Courtney & Casper Nehus Ashley Porter Nguyen ’97 & Anthony Nguyen Ellis Noland Liza & Ray Nolan Jaime Tarkington Norton ’94 & Phillip Norton Linda & George Norton Shirley Ruffer Nutt ’57 & Fred Nutt Michelle Thompson Oakley ’74 Marguerite Edelmann Olberts ’77 & Leo Olberts

Carolyn Johnson O›Malley ’83 & Pat O’Malley Leslie Mahan O›Malley ’86 & Mike O’Malley Judy & Chuck Ortega Deborah Scroggin Osredker ’78 & Gary Osredker Judy Langham Oswald ’59 Cheryl Kordsmeier Overstreet ’73 & Dean Overstreet Bonnie Chambers Owens ’67 & Doug Owens Andrew Park Judy Snow Parks ’70 & Michael Parks Marilyn Pasierb ’70 & Matthew Bloch Anita Kordsmeier Paul ’81 & Brad Paul Martin Perez Leslie McGrew Perry ’90 & Scott Perry Judith Kitta Peterson ’78 & Kevin Peterson Patrick Petursson Sr. Joan Pfauser, RSM ’64 Ruthie Pineda & Antonio Abad Claire Hankinson Pittman ’93 & Chris Pittman Mary Margaret Beck Plunkett ’61 & Joseph Plunkett Marilynn & Rob Porter Robin Porter Lauren & OJ Posey Alice & Christopher Price Jeanie & Frank Pruss Mary Chudy Pruss ’71 & Mark Pruss Leah Lange Quandt ’62 & Robert Quandt Virginia Quinn ’11 Tucker Raney ’69 Debora Simon Ray ’90 & James Ray Peggy Althoff Reagan ’71 & Mike Reagan Lisa & Dan Reber Roz & Mike Rector Dana Murski Renard ’81 & Kelley Renard Brittney Wilkerson Renfro ’05 & Phillip Renfro Debra & Joseph Repya Sr. Jonella Rhoda, RSM Kim Richard ’78 Mary Ellen Richards ’84 Melanie Hart Riley ’73 & Rick Riley Dana Rodriguez Angelica Luna Rogers ’91 Peggy & John Rogers Vanessa Cerda Ruiz & Juan Ruiz Ashley Saer ’93 Josh Salman Vicki & Kevin Scanlon Jena & Jacob Schmidt Bella Schmitt ’20 Susie & Donald Schneider Martha Zell Schulte ’66 & Thomas Schulte Shirley Binz Scott ’81 & Steve Scott Sharon Olberts Sellars ’70 & Rick Sellars Barbara Linsky Silaski ’55 Jeanette Sims ’72

Brannon Sloan Terry Borden Sloane ’67 & Ralph Sloane Heather Smith Kathy Smith Margaret Smith Maureen LoPorto Smith ’75 Rebecca Richards Smith ’77 & Gary Smith Robin & Michael Smith Ronnie Dobrovich Smith ’62 & Robert Smith Jane Gasper Snyder ’70 & Jerry Snyder Cecelia Walker Soderberg ’69 & Bob Soderberg Missy Worley Solomon ’69 & Joe Solomon Jamie Lapington Soos ’98 Mary Southard Micki Sowell Martha & Warren Stephenson Annette & Hans Sterl Carolyn Bergman Stewart ’72 & Danny Stewart Michelle Poe Stewart ’97 & Jason Stewart Catherine Bienvenu Stone ’01 & Matthew Stone Emily & Jeff Stotts Ira Strack Naomi & John Strojek Karen Hagood Stuthard ’75 Lynda & Buford Suffridge Carolyn Hepp Sullivan ’75 Natalie Tatom Summerlin ’91 & Allen Summerlin Kim Smith Swindler ’74 & Courtney Swindler Brenda Miles Tarver ’81 Gwen Brittain Taylor ’78 & Siisi AduGyamfi Lindsey Taylor ’19 Norman Teltow Barbara & Bruce Thalheimer Nancy & Allen Thomas Charlotte Woodie Thompson ’65 & Herbert Thompson Larrie Gouldman Thompson ’59 & Ben Thompson Sarah Brewer Thompson ’71 Karen & Chuck Tlapek Janna & Matthew Toland Karen & Bill Toland Brook & Long Tong Nancy Tresp ’68 Teresa Tresp ’73 Sr. Deborah Troillett, RSM ’73 Douglas & Alan Turner Kristin Tursky Brandy & Richard Uekman Amber Uptigrove & Matt Hoffine Deborah & Richard Urquhart Gema Vargas Valentine ’03 Brittney Vora Carol & Jim Waggoner Jill Waldrop Mary Winzerling Wallin ’81 & John Wallin

Anita Gring Ward ’77 & Terry Ward Lisa Reynolds Warden ’78 & Don Warden Susie & David Wardlaw Rebecca Hall Warner ’11 Kristina Weaver ’89 & Timothy Bolduc Stacie Paladino Wharton ’86 & Allan Wharton Lara & Walt White Gerritt & Ron Whittaker Jana & Trey Williams Teri Thompson Williams ’89 & Carl Williams Wren Ward Williams ’04 & Sammy Williams Shana & Malcolm Williamson Diane Dobbins Wingard ’80 & Tommy Wingard Patty Larrison Wingfield ’72 & Keith Wingfield Karen Schubert Wolfe ’63 & Ken Wolfe Patti & James Womble Laurie Sims Woods ’79 & Michael Woods Karen & Jody Woody Rebecca & Paul Wynne Robin & Michael Zimmer Sharon Zimmerman ’82

Friends of the Mount Club $5-$99 Anonymous (5) Betty Zimmerebner Adams ’73 Diane Allen ’62 & Renie Bressinck Christy Engster Alsbrook ’73 Heather & Kyle Anderson Margaret & David Anderson Susana Anderson Tish & Robert Anderson Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Karla & Larry Back Jennifer Reed Bakalekos ’91 Mary Baker ’72 Melissa Mayhan Baldwin ’00 & John Baldwin Barbara Jean, Ltd. Bobbi & Bobby Barrett Katy Barrett ’16 Cindy Morgan Barron ’68 & Michael Barron Whitney Barron ’96 Maria Batres ’92 Kim Baxter ’73 Sarah Beadle ’11 Carrie Bell Patti Carter Belote ’63 & Jim Belote Elizabeth Carter Binz ’45 Kathy Black Bishop ’73 Cindi Evans Bond ’78 & Jason Bond Gabriel Wood Bond ’89 & Will Bond Keri & Brennan Bosley Dianne Hooper Brady ’66 Lee Brandon Andrea Jones Branson ’92 & Chad Branson Amy Bressinck Bratcher ’89 & Kevin

ANNUAL REPORT

Bratcher Liz Beadle Breen ’09 Mary Helen Sick Briggler ’06 & Andrew Briggler Sharon Brooks Aimee Colvin Brown ’87 & Bunny Brown Sr. Agnes Brueggen, RSM Jolinda & Robert Bryant Wesley Burney ’19 Patti Johnston Burton ’79 & Bruce Burton Stephanie Caldwell Martha Farris Campbell ’62 & Gene Campbell Lisa Carey ’78 Sidney & Larry Carter Rebecca Catlett Cate ’73 Silvia & Marcos Cervantes Joan Doolittle Chambers ’72 Lisa Tresp Chavez ’83 Cindy & Doug Chenault Martha & Ronald Clark Kelley & Mark Coca Lana Coelho Ann Coleman Addie Grace Coleman ’20 Lee Ann Rosin Cook ’74 Katie Wells Coomes ’95 Kay Sick Corso ’61 & Michael Corso Dana & Barry Craiglow Sue & George Cronkhite Beverly Hanson Crookham ’69 & Bill Crookham Sarah Fizer Culbertson ’02 & Alex Culbertson Cheryl & Tom Daughenbaugh Bevie Hain Davies ’77 & Shell Davies Emily Mayes Davis ’71 Karyn Davis ’92 Lindann Blair Day ’03 & Neil Day Sr. Anita DeSalvo, RSM ’65 Jeanette Schulte Donahue ’66 Annette Ruckstuhl Doskey ’4 8 Paula & Justin Draeger Julie Drew Sr. Sarah Ducey, RSM Jessica Pipkin Duff ’02 & Brandon Duff Caitlin Quinn Dunn ’05 & Bradford Dunn Kristy Hood Dunn ’00 & Steven Dunn Mary Dyer Jan & Bill Eastwood Katherine Saer Edwards ’91 & Jamie Edwards Margo Rogers Eubanks ’75 & Ralph Eubanks Linda Thompson Fanning ’58 Bailey Newcomb Faulkner ’99 & William Faulkner Patty Reagan Feinstein ’73 & Robert Feinstein Terri & Chad Files Joan Campbell Finnegan ’70 & Mike Finnegan Jennifer & Tim Fisk Florence Kaplon Fitch ’66 & Donald Fitch Mary Kay Fitzgerald ’79

Celeste Adams Flanagin ’93 Alice Rothwell Fleming ’90 Pat Mivelaz Foster ’71 & David Foster Janet Fotioo Caroline Ward Fox ’80 & Mark Fox Retta & Doyle Fulmer Marly Jeffries Gammill ’05 & Taylor Gammill Anna & Edmund Gangluff Victoria Gerbholz Claire Gibby ’12 Noel Gieringer ’06 Tara Gilmore Jeanette & Tim Glancy Brooke Wewers Glover ’97 & Matt Glover Sharon Atwood Gray ’61 & Sam Gray Sandra Lutz Gray ’78 Mary Ellen Rosell Greer ’79 & Dyer Greer Brenda McNeil Grenier ’66 & Lauren Grenier Marilyn Wirtel Guilliams ’62 & Dick Guilliams Emily Grace Fitz Hagood ’12 Donesia Hall ’89 Emily Hall Victoria & David Hall Melissa & John Hampton Patti Bowers Haness ’65 & Richard Haness Connie Bargiel Harkins ’78 & Al Harkins Christin Harper ’99 Dorothy Mancini Harriman ’52 Miriam Hasson Mary Renick Hauser ’03 Sunny & Bo Hawk Mary Healey Anne Price Heiselmann ’84 & John Heiselmann Jackie Grant Helton ’72 Elizabeth Walker Henry ’67 & Kirby Henry Kay Werner Henze ’72 & David Henze Jenny & Rob Holder Ruthie Huncke Holland ’66 & Alan Holland Joyce Gangluff Hood ’78 & John Hood Maria Hain Hooper ’72 & Bob Hooper Barbara Hoover ’61 Jennifer Horne ’78 & Don Noble Matt House Mary Jane Danner Hunt ’42 Janice Lohstoeter Hutchinson ’73 Star Hy ’97 Teresa & Phillip Isgrig Sheri & Gregg Jablonski Dana Jackson Deborah Jackson Lucy & Dorsey Jackson Carol Knittig Janowicz ’73 & Andy Janowicz Becky Johnson ’73 Katibel Johnson Pam Halinski Johnson ’71 & Randy Johnson Alice Worley Jones ’73 & Philip Jones

Judy Jones & Jerry Jones Martha Deacon Jones ’01 & Grant Jones Peggy McNeil Jordan ’67 & Louis Jordan Mary Serio Kallenbach ’64 Melody Kaplon Kay & Frazier Kennedy Summer Khairi ’12 Kimberly Clark Foundation Ellen Rutherford King ’60 & Harry King Pat Land Kirchner ’52 & Joe Kirchner Cathy Knox Koehler ’78 Reese Kollar ’26 Debbie Jegley Korte ’73 & Danny Korte Andrew Kumpuris Sheila Atwood Kuonen ’65 & Joe Kuonen Michele Reynolds Kuykendall ’74 & Rick Kuykendall Laura Kuehner Larrison ’74 & Charles Larrison Carolyn & Paul Lasseigne Peyton Lasseigne ’23 Lauren Ramsey Lawrence ’08 & Colin Lawrence Neal Lea Marilyn Lenggenhager ’73 Ann & Gene Lewis Daniel Lien Barbara Lienhart ’72 Mary Ann Jackson Lipin ’96 Cecilia Gangluff Lody ’69 & Gerald Lody Diane Hudgens Logan ’66 Kathy Logan Margaret & Ahmann Love Kay Cook Makatche ’67 & John Makatche Carolyn Piechocki Malchaski ’77 & Steve Malchaski Nancy Hastings Marks ’73 Susie Marshall Juan Martinez Cheri Bonner Martinka ’85 & Tom Martinka Susan Hudgens Massey ’72 Joy Lowe Matlock ’92 & Lester Matlock Laura Booles Matthews ’95 & Donnie Matthews Margie Murphy McCain ’67 Lynley McCollum ’26 Tammy McCollum Carolyn & Craig McCone Deana & John McCormack Bethany Gustafson McFadden ’97 & Stephen McFadden Cathleen McFarlin Melanie Ray McKinney ’84 & Gregory McKinney Jennifer Bowman McKinzie ’92 & Shawn McKinzie Oceanna Kuonen McMahon ’00 & Kyle McMahon Catherine Piazza McMains ’06 & Conner McMains Marcella Melandri & Benjamin Batten Deirdre McManus Metrailer ’01 & James

Metrailer Andrea Rossi Meurer ’64 & Carl Meurer Sr. Stephanie Miller, RSM ’58 Margaret Miller Patrick Miller Virginia Knoedl Miller ’64 & Jimmie Miller Peggy Watkins Mitchell ’75 & David Mitchell Olga Muzquiz Montalvo ’52* Amanda Moore Genie Halsey Moore ’61 Jean & David Moore DeeDee & Richard Morehead Debbie & Louis Morgan Theresa Miller Murtha ’84 & Patrick Murtha Dana Nahlen ’73 Sherry Nehus Betty Dill Nieburg ’50 & Bill Nieburg Margaret & Donald Nixon Janice Nottenkamper ’79 April & Kenneth Null Kristin Oglesby ’12 Amy & Paul Owens Karen Lienhart Oxner ’79 & Tom Oxner Amy & Jeff Palmer Audrey Dimond Pascual ’03 Angela Berkemeyer Payne ’92 Christy Reeves Peletz ’97 Tina & Todd Pence Jill Penick Kelly Mago Pesano ’84 Terri Frost Pesnell ’70 & Larkus Pesnell Polly Baldwin Petty ’80 Sunny Wilkie Powers ’64 Gen Kerr Proctor ’62 Mimi Pruniski ’73 Cindy Pruss ’83 Ann Dixon Pyle ’85 & Hoyte Pyle Shelly Straw Quick ’00 & Matt Quick Ginger & Brian Quinn Donna Higgins Rainey ’62 & James Rainey Doie DiCosmo Raley ’67 Mary Lou & Terry Rasco Linda & Ronald Rhude Cheryl Harvey Ripper ’77 & Ricky Ripper Ann Truemper Rogers ’81 Mary Margaret & Paul Rolhman Brita Sward Rook ’01 & Carter Rook Sara Rose ’92 Nicolina Serhijiw Rosen ’74 & Ronald Rosen Sophie Rudder ’16 Susie Russenberger ’76 Jordan Rutledge Billie & Skip Rutherford Sylvia Luyet Savoy ’60 & Lionel Savoy Marty & Mike Schaufele Shawn Schouweiler ’80 Jane Hardin Schubert ’67 & Rick Schubert Rachel Elam Scott ’98 Michelle Scotter ’02 Jennifer & Michael Selig

Elizabeth Moore Shackelford ’92 & Scott Shackelford Libby Brandon Sheard ’76 Cas Claud Shelton ’73 & Kenneth Shelton Kay Yada Shields ’88 & David Shields Joan Land Shofner ’89 & Greg Shofner Carolyn Connelley Simmons ’65 & Gregory Simmons Erika Butler Simpson ’89 Heather Bohannan Smith ’92 & Shane Smith Jossie Valentin Smith ’95 & Stephen Smith Whitney Calliotte Smotherman ’03 & Amos Smotherman Betsy Speck-Kern ’74 & David Kern Cindy Miller Stabnick ’73 & Pete Stabnick Mary Ann Stafford Myra & Andrew Steinkamp Jaclyn Morgan Stewart ’00 & Britt Stewart Maureen Riley Stover ’78 & Rob Stover Kathi Stoyanov ’75 Sandi & Brent Taschetti Mary Pat Smith Tate ’74 & Byron Tate Ellen North Taylor ’75 Jane and David* Teed Ellen Thayer Janis Parham Thibault ’85 & Scott Thibault Beverly Martin Thornton ’87 Cynthia Tobin James Truemper Bobilu Fredrick Tucker ’78 Devon Tucker Mary Ann & Kermit Tucker Whitney Vandiver ’00 Amelia Vestal LB Vogel Catherine Kopp Walz ’4 4 Candace Bennett Watkins ’74 & Trevor Watkins Fran Jansen Webb ’83 Elizabeth Casper Weidner ’60 & David Weidner Lane Vassar West ’89 & Joel West Sherry & Michael Whitacre Janet Kresse Williams ’73 Kendra & Jim Williams Susie Stull Williams ’89 & Jan Williams Hardy Winburn Carol Dober Wold ’85 & Scott Wold Nancy Wood Nedra & Jim Wood Cindy & Matt Woolard Lydia Turpin Worden ’73 Cathy Rohrbacher Wright ’66 & Bill Wright Dolores Luyet Zajac ’56 & August Zajac Gretchen & Leonard Zell Mike Zimmerebner Sr. Carolyn Zionce, RSM ’64

* deceased

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Sylvia Luyet Savoy Marilyn Mattingly Stiefvater Elizabeth Casper Weidner Class of 1961 Rosemary Balest Bryant Kay Sick Corso Elizabeth Couch Dober Sharon Atwood Gray Barbara Hoover Sr. Donald Mary Lynch, RSM Genie Halsey Moore Cathy Wortsmith Moran Mary Margaret Beck Plunkett Talmage Mullen Steele

MSM Alumnae Giving

BY CLASS YEAR

J U LY 1 , 2 0 2 2 – J U N E 3 0, 2 0 2 3

Class of 1942 Mary Jane Danner Hunt Class of 1944 Catherine Kopp Walz Class of 1945 Elizabeth Carter Binz Class of 1946 Mildred Metrailer Buddenberg Rita Lynch Goodgame Class of 1948 Annette Ruckstuhl Doskey Rosalyn Jones Hastings Class of 1949 Mary Rita Schlatterer Hoffman Anne Rankin Macaluso Class of 1950 Betty Dill Nieburg Class of 1951 Dorris Karcher Deislinger Sr. Judith Keith, RSM Class of 1952 Dorothy Saenger Ackfeld Selma Gilmore Hardin Dorothy Mancini Harriman Pat Land Kirchner Olga Muzquiz Montalvo Class of 1953 Betty Sutton Avants Liane Rhein Humble Ruth Straessle Metzger Angie Muzquiz Wilson Class of 1954 Mary Ann Wollhower Bellas

30 | THE MESSENGER

Patsy Cooper Kelly Class of 1955 Barbara Martin Blaes Joan Dickmann Kircher Mary Alice Pushkarsky Lomason Barbara Linsky Silaski Claire Saenger Weiler Class of 1956 Martha Hiznay Flynn Peggy Buddenberg Hernandez Elizabeth Lipsmeyer Dolores Luyet Zajac Class of 1957 Mary Swope Battreal Mary Bea Couch Hiegel Cynthia Chudy Kita Becky Semasek May Shirley Ruffer Nutt Mary Alice Makoski Veitch Class of 1958 Peyton Crawford Bishop Vita Caldarera deBin Linda Thompson Fanning Sharon Butler Johnson Sr. Stephanie Miller, RSM Dorothy Nosal Montague Sr. Angela Murdaugh, CNM Class of 1959 Judy Langham Oswald Larrie Gouldman Thompson Class of 1960 Carole Pabian Arkin Donna Bentrup Brunson Jeannine Huard Hart Mary Prichard Johnson Ellen Rutherford King Marilyn Mitchener Mathias

Class of 1962 Diane Allen Jean Bishop Armstrong Michie McHardy Bissell Martha Farris Campbell Marilyn Wirtel Guilliams Mary Bray Kelley Bobbie Cupples McKenzie Elizabeth Seredynski Moix Catherine Weakland Murphy Toni Nabholz Gen Kerr Proctor Leah Lange Quandt Donna Higgins Rainey Ronnie Dobrovich Smith Class of 1963 Frances Rogers Buchanan Jane Ferrill Colclasure Janet Kirspel Deeter Kathy Dailey Hightower Betty Catlett Pullam Haven Hornibrook Waters Karen Schubert Wolfe Class of 1964 Chris Allen Bernie Balest Ardemagni Donna Bowers Bressinck Carolyn Cerrato Chalmers Patti Murphy Dailey Selena Duncan Ellis Sue Fredrich Enderlin Mary Serio Kallenbach Andrea Rossi Meurer Virginia Knoedl Miller Sr. Joan Pfauser, RSM Sunny Wilkie Powers Angela Maynard Sewall Theresa Straessle Vogelpohl Sr. Carolyn Zionce, RSM Class of 1965 Patti Callahan Bernstein Sr. Anita DeSalvo, RSM Karen Goodhart Flake Patti Bowers Haness Sheila Atwood Kuonen Joan Lipsmeyer Carolyn Connelley Simmons Charlotte Woodie Thompson Class of 1966 Dianne Hooper Brady Jeanette Schulte Donahue

Mary Glenn O’Donnell Dunaway Beth Lipsmeyer Dunn Florence Kaplon Fitch Brenda McNeil Grenier Patty Hamilton Gustafson Ruthie Huncke Holland Sr. Teresa Kelone, RSM Brenda Edgar Kent Denise Hanson Lipin Diane Hudgens Logan Martha Zell Schulte Mary Williams Walter Cathy Rohrbacher Wright Class of 1967 Margaret Dickmann Arney Barbara Menz Bryan Elizabeth Walker Henry Peggy McNeil Jordan Kay Cook Makatche Margie Murphy McCain Bonnie Chambers Owens Ginney Pumphrey Doie DiCosmo Raley Jane Hardin Schubert Terry Borden Sloane Phyllis Hanson Thessing Class of 1968 Judy Lukas Arnold Cindy Morgan Barron Jerrie Farmer Campagna Lucille Kelly DeGostin Marlene Bailey Gremillion Georga Carroll Loyd Nancy Tresp Class of 1969 Beverly Hanson Crookham Liz Dolan Mary Jo Dumboski Trisha Fitzgerald Filipek Cecilia Gangloff Lody Vickey Hum Metrailer Tucker Raney Cecelia Walker Soderberg Missy Worley Solomon Class of 1970 Linda Grady Byrne Pat Kirspel Claud Joan Campbell Finnegan Mary Dee Heim Linda Hoffmann Christy Kresse Leach Judy Snow Parks Marilyn Pasierb Terri Frost Pesnell Sharon Olberts Sellars Jane Gasper Snyder Class of 1971 Pam Chudy Boehmer Patty Bergman Commerford Emily Mayes Davis Margaret Cassidy Dearing Pat Mivelaz Foster Carolyn Hall Henry Pam Halinski Johnson Kathy Cupples King Mary Ann Chudy Pruss

Peggy Althoff Reagan Sarah Brewer Thompson Class of 1972 Ann Bailey Bain Mary Baker Nancy Wilhite Bartlett Mimi Baldwin Blackwood Becky Carroll Joan Doolittle Chambers Paula Halter Dempsey Phyllis Grasser Jackie Grant Helton Kay Werner Henze Maria Hain Hooper Barbara Lienhart Kay Marak Susan Hudgens Massey Diane Yetter Morgan Jeanette Sims Carolyn Bergman Stewart Peggy Wells Patty Larrison Wingfield Class of 1973 Betty Zimmerebner Adams Christy Engster Alsbrook Ann Limberg Bartrem Kim Baxter Donna Hanson Bennett Kathy Black Bishop Christine Kelly Braun Rebecca Catlett Cate Debbie Uekman Chandler Joy Dillingham Theresa Sprenger Dunn Patty Berg Enderlin Patty Reagan Feinstein Karen Kerr Glover Denise Graves Laura Gowen Humphries Janice Lohstoeter Hutchinson Carol Knittig Janowicz Becky Johnson Alice Worley Jones Stephanie Dailey Kelley Debbie Jegley Korte Marilyn Lenggenhager Patti DelDonno Lienhart Nancy Hastings Marks Dana Nahlen Cheryl Kordsmeier Overstreet Mimi Pruniski Melanie Hart Riley Cas Claud Shelton Teresa Tresp Sr. Deborah Troillett, RSM Janet Kresse Williams Lydia Turpin Worden Class of 1974 Kathy Handloser Aday Sue Jenders Balest Carol Faryewicz Bishop Lee Ann Rosin Cook Charlene Dillon Julian Michele Reynolds Kuykendall Laura Kuehner Larrison Patty Martin Michelle Thompson Oakley Nicolina Serhijiw Rosen

ANNUAL REPORT

Betsy Speck-Kern Cecelia Loyall Storey Becky Clement Sullivan Kim Smith Swindler Mary Pat Smith Tate Candace Bennett Watkins Class of 1975 Sharon Wilk Ashley Tricia Brown Mary Kay Bergman Cashion Janet Handloser Dolan Margo Rogers Eubanks Nancy Frost Missy Dishongh Griffy Cathy Lensing Harper Debbie Wright Harris Carla Graves LeMay Susie Wallace Lowther Peggy Watkins Mitchell Kathi Stoyanov Donna French Strack Karen Hagood Stuthard Carolyn Hepp Sullivan Ellen North Taylor Tricia Tresp Class of 1976 Joni Johnston Calva Sharon Kresse Janie Lienhart Anne Thompson Mancino Cathy Hastings Owen Susie Russenberger Libby Brandon Sheard Anita Binz Spence Class of 1977 Bevie Hain Davies Pam Yaniger Halter Mary Lyon Carolyn Piechocki Malchaski Elizabeth Kennon McFadden Marguerite Edelmann Olberts Cheryl Harvey Ripper Rebecca Richards Smith Christy Snowden-Davis Anita Gring Ward Class of 1978 Melody Ashley Cindi Evans Bond Anne Jansen Broadwater Kathleen Brandon Brown Lisa Carey Christine Ray Eades Sandra Lutz Gray Theresa Goshen Hall Connie Bargiel Harkins Paris Upshaw Henry Joyce Gangluff Hood Jennifer Horne Cathy Knox Koehler Kathleen Buzan Moorhead Patty Binz Neumeier Deborah Scroggin Osredker Judith Kitta Peterson Christina Deuerling Pilkington Cheryl Chandler Rainey Kimberlee Richard Maureen Riley Stover

Gwen Brittain Taylor Bobilu Fredrick Tucker Lisa Reynolds Warden

Mary Ellen Richards Jody Simpson Annette Barringhaus Stipak

Joan Eichler Simon Kelly Wortsmith Snook Stacie Paladino Wharton

Class of 1979 Lynne Breen Alpar Lisa Garel Barnes Patti Johnston Burton Mary Kay Fitzgerald Mary Ellen Rosell Greer Janice Nottenkamper Karen Lienhart Oxner Laurie Sims Woods

Class of 1985 Penny Reeves Amundson Shannon Benafield Aston Natalie Carr Bell-Shy Suzanna Barnett Cooper Donna Dailey Anne McAdams Dyke Jennifer Fitts Finnegan Christi Troutman Flannery Sharon Strack Gunter Michelle Young Leding Kristin Fletcher Litzinger Cheri Bonner Martinka Holly Larrison Mills Angela Nutt-Nguyen Ann Dixon Pyle Nan Hennelly Rindahl Janis Parham Thibault Carol Dober Wold

Class of 1987 Cheryl Vogelpohl Barnard Dottie Skarda Benedetti Aimee Colvin Brown Miesha Weaver Dumboski Carol Gangluff Kordsmeier Jennifer Schueck McCarty Leigh Ann Crain Raper Elizabeth Thomas Smith Beverly Martin Thornton

Class of 1980 Teresa Baker Caroline Ward Fox Carol Paladino Habarka Carol Greeley Hopkins Robin Evans Huggins Betsy Calhoun Lomas Julie Baker Menke Susan May Miller Polly Baldwin Petty Shawn Schouweiler Diane Dobbins Wingard Class of 1981 Sharon Waters Aureli Lorri Estell Natalie Polk Hoffmann Anita Kordsmeier Paul Dana Murski Renard Ann Truemper Rogers Shirley Binz Scott Brenda Miles Tarver Mary Winzerling Wallin

Class of 1986 Alicia Selig Berkemeyer Kiki Hamilton Capps Heather Hayes Karen Hooks Jennifer Ferguson Malone Leslie Mahan O’Malley

Class of 1988 Ashley Bressinck Cunningham Amy Fraiser Hope Harmon Hankins Deidra Williams Mack Cris Chase Mammarelli Pamela Tucker Meeks Lisa Petursson Kay Yada Shields Class of 1989 Nancy Parker Bagwell Kristina Weaver Bolduc Amy Bressinck Bratcher Michele Conners Jamie Gilbert Garrett

Donesia Hall Missy Thomas Irvin Patty Cox Juniper Becky Smith Neighbors Robyn McCoy Reeves Joan Land Shofner Erika Butler Simpson Kristina Weaver Lane Vassar West Susie Stull Williams Teri Thompson Williams Class of 1990 Anonymous Erin Crain Brady Kelly Quinney Camp Alice Rothwell Fleming Kristie McCown Mitchell Leslie McGrew Perry Gretchen Wewers Pierce Debora Simon Ray Kathryn Bishop Stanley Class of 1991 Jennifer Reed Bakalekos Beth Ortega Brewer Christina Rossi Clark Jena Cupples Compton Dena Wortsmith Daniel Katherine Saer Edwards Coleen Schwan Finnegan

Class of 1982 Lisa Estell Batterton Dana Monroe Caldarera Tracy Taylor Dietrich Katie Sprenger Dupslaff Janet Gibson Korenblat Anne Hiegel Mines Sharon Zimmerman Class of 1983 Braun Ray Campbell Donna Chachere Lisa Tresp Chavez Edith Jack Crowell Shelli Bonner Dominick Keli Coburn Jacobi Kathy Moore Carolyn Johnson O’Malley Cindy Pruss Fran Jansen Webb Class of 1984 Deborah Dober Belyeu Gina Scerbo Bilger Meg Taylor Chase Lange Robinson Cheek Alisa Craig Crabill Paula Hastings Anne Price Heiselmann Sandra Monroe McKay Melanie Ray McKinney Theresa Miller Murtha Kelly Mago Pesano

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Sara Rose Elizabeth Moore Shackelford Heather Bohanan Smith Caroline Stephens Stephens Lorie White

continued...

Liz Ratchford Jasper Laura Foster Landreaux Angelica Luna Rogers Natalie Tatom Summerlin Class of 1992 Maria Batres Andrea Jones Branson Melody Brown Karyn Davis Beverly Thomas Edmonson Tonya Stringer Franzetti Kristin Noor Gable Ashley Fotioo Gunderman Tricia Mariani Hudson Joy Lowe Matlock Jennifer Bowman McKinzie Angela Berkemeyer Payne

Class of 1993 Celeste Adams Flanigan Meredith Battreal Hankins Krista Allmendinger Lewis Claire Hankinson Pittman Ashley Saer Niki Williams Scoggins Tiffany Galchus Senavinin Brooke Butler White Class of 1994 Allison Lasiter Hester Leigh Ann Simpson Newton Jaime Tarkington Norton Nicole Chavez Schafer Errin Calhoun Stanger Class of 1995 Amy Kordsmeier Clark Catherine Hickey Cole Katie Wells Coomes Carrie Drewenski Dannaway Carolee Sroka Emerson Jenny Crews Faulkner Kara Pabian Giddings Bonnie Wellborn Malzewski

Laura Booles Matthews Jossie Valentine Smith Taylor Rucks Wells Class of 1996 Diana Adams Allen Whitney Barron Alice Hickey Cruse Jennifer Smith Kuhn Olivia Smith Kuhn Amanda Hall Potts Class of 1997 Fayla Rector Cunningham Sarah Davies Brooke Wewers Glover Star Hy Sarah Filipek Johnson Beth Saer Jones Bethany Gustafson McFadden Ashley Porter Nguyen Christy Reeves Peletz Michelle Poe Stewart Sarah Meier Wherry Class of 1998 Margaret Pruss Albright Kelleigh Boerner Ashley Younger Caldwell Christina Brown Christie Lauren Hamilton Amanda Parker Holt

Rhonda Schneider Jansen Mary-Margaret Rasco Marks Tonya Cannon Middleton Rachel Elam Scott Elizabeth Sellars Jamie Lapington Soos Class of 1999 Bailey Newcomb Faulkner Megan Saer Garrison Paige Fraser Hadfield Christin Harper Lauren White Hoover Ashley Kersey Class of 2000 Lauren Kidd Anderson Melissa Mayhan Baldwin Elizabeth Johnson Clark Kristy Hood Dunn Meg France Sydney O’Quin Gilbert Jamie Billie McCormack Oceanna Kuonen McMahon Mary Kathryn Temple Nelson Kathryn Hurst Pannell Shelly Straw Quick Jaclyn Morgan Stewart Whitney Vandiver Class of 2001 Sarah Smith Brantley Lauren Nash Hendrix Martha Deacon Jones Erin Lynch Mason Deirdre McManus Metrailer Jessica Finan Patterson Brita Sward Rook Catherine Bienvenu Stone Class of 2002 Laura Strack Aday Elizabeth Thiedeman Bridges Jessica Pipkin Duff Kacie Johnson Kindrex Chelle McKenzie McCarroll Lindsay Hale McCaslin Michelle Scotter Meredith Hartz Shelton Class of 2003 Lindann Blair Day Mary Renick Hauser Michelle Ward Hill Ashley Boccarossa McNatt Audrey Dimond Pascual Whitney Calliotte Smotherman Gema Vargas Valentine Class of 2004 Anna Pursley Barcus Miranda Roberts Crawford MaryBeth Johnston Grace Kelley Mickelson Wren Ward Williams Marcy Hall Wright Class of 2005 Mallory Shiver Abate Barbara Lagasse Day Caitlin Quinn Dunn

32 | THE MESSENGER

Marly Jeffries Gammill Sloan Johnson Milton Brittney Wilkerson Renfro Class of 2006 Mary Helen Sick Briggler Lauren Clay Day Noel Gieringer Ashley Jones Monica Madey Catherine Piazza McMains Class of 2007 Brandi Mayhan Amber Pruss Class of 2008 Cameryn Miller Burch Annie McFadden Cross Teresa Schieber Freyaldenhoven Sara Schneider Glazer Lauren Ramsey Lawrence Lauren Naeyaert Class of 2009 Liz Beadle Breen Drew Ford Herget Lucia Trujillo Morris Class of 2011 Sarah Beadle Connelly Weeks Dakil Katie Easley McClanahan Virginia Quinn Rebecca Hall Warner Class of 2012 Claire Gibby Brittany Greenwood Emily Grace Fitz Hagood Summer Khairi Kristin Oglesby Class of 2013 Tori Niedzwiedz Massey Class of 2014 Laura Miron Class of 2015 Anonymous Maddie Oxner Johnson Class of 2016 Katy Barrett Michelle Gonzalez Sophie Rudder Class of 2018 Aryn Angyal Class of 2019 Dana Allen Emily Angyal Wesley Burney Carly Hugg Lindsey Taylor Class of 2020 Addie Grace Coleman Bella Schmitt

ANNUAL REPORT

2 0 2 2 – 2 0 2 3

SPONSORS We wish to recognize CHI St. Vincent for its $25,000+ Platinum Level sponsorship during the 2022-2023 school year. The commitment marked CHI St. Vincent’s 9th consecutive year of participating at the highest level of our annual sponsorship program. The organization’s continued financial support contributes significantly to Mount St. Mary Foundation’s ability to support and promote the mission of Mount St. Mary Academy. We appreciate this special partnership!

We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors of our signature biennial luncheon celebrating Mercy-inspired leadership held on April 5, 2023, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. More than 500 guests filled the Wally Allen Ballroom to hear best-selling author Kari Kampakis speak. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, and the support of those who attended, this year’s Mercy & Me luncheon raised nearly $174,000 for Mount St. Mary Academy. These proceeds directly impact students by enabling the school to increase tuition assistance opportunities, enhance innovative educational programs, make technology upgrades and facility improvements, recruit and retain top-notch faculty, and so much more. We are so thankful!

Presenting Sponsor CHI St. Vincent Silver Sponsors Karen Goodhart Flake ’65 Angela Moody Purple Sponsors Kathleen Brandon Brown ’78 & Lilah Brown ’17 Nabholz Liza & Ray Nolan White Sponsors ACS Roof Maintenance, Inc. Arkansas Capital Corporation The Beers Family Belles of the Ball Stephen J. Binz – Bridge-B.com Bloom Bible Study Group The Boccarossa Family The Browe-Olson Family & Friends

By Invitation Only

Dillard’s Jenny Crews Faulkner ’95 & Andrew Faulkner The Finnegan Family First Security Bank Glass Erectors The Hathaway Group The Hum & Metrailer Families Scott McLeod – Morgan Stanley Mercy Education Anne Hiegel Mines ’82 & Tim Mines Mount Moms & Friends MSM Class of 1987 MSM Class of 1989 MSM Class of 2000 Becky Norris Wendy & Ray Parker Jessica Finan Patterson ’01 The Saer Family Saracen Casino Resort Scenic Hill Solar Simmons Bank

The Stuckey Family Studio H Salon & MSM Class of 1992 Anne & Alan Tedford Susie Whitacre & Friends of MSM Gerritt Whittaker & Friends Holy Ghost Sponsors Bank of Little Rock The Cronkhite Family Encore Bank GastroArkansas Dana & Joe Kleine Lake Liquor Landmark CPAs Ruth & Charles Mabry Drs. Kathleen & Derek Marks Phelan Orthodontics Tiffany Galchus Senavinin ’93 & Roc Senavinin Smile Dailey Dental The Wewers Family

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One Generation to the

NEXT

THE FIRST CHAPTERS OF REBECCA CLEMENT SULLIVAN’S LIFE UNFOLDED IN WAYS FAMILIAR TO GENERATIONS OF MOUNT ST. MARY ALUMS. A NATIVE OF LITTLE ROCK AND A PRODUCT OF LIFELONG CATHOLIC EDUCATION, REBECCA ARRIVED AT MOUNT FROM OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL SCHOOL .

She befriended her future husband, Charley, in high school (he attended, where else, Catholic High); they reconnected later in life and married. The only thing missing from the script was the Sullivan girls growing up and carrying on their mother’s legacy in houndstooth. Having relocated to Northwest Arkansas at that time, such was not to be.

But no matter how many job opportunities and new addresses life held for them, the Mount always felt as close as home.

“Mount St. Mary gave me the background, the Catholic foundation, to which I still subscribe today,” Rebecca, who graduated from Mount in 1974, said. “To me, that was very important — equally as important as the academic side. From grade school, the idea of incorporating my faith into whatever I was doing just seemed natural. It was a part of my life; going back to my parents making that decision for a Catholic education and back to the Mount that reinforced that connection daily.”

Today, the path has come full circle in more ways than one. In 2010, Rebecca and Charley retired to Little Rock. One of their girls, Sara Mader, is a member of the Mount faculty and lives with her family in the Holy Souls neighborhood, down the hill from the MSM campus.

The Sullivans made a point of paying back their respective alma maters through the years and recently decided to pay it forward as well. The couple established an endowment to assist future students who otherwise might not be able to afford a Mount education.

“We always wanted to do this, and we knew we would leave

34 | THE MESSENGER

Right: Rebecca Clement Sullivan stands in the hallway at Mount St. Mary wearing her original class shirt.

some money to the school when we passed away,” Charley said.

“Then one day we just said, ‘Why are we waiting?’ That’s how it started.”

The couple was pleased with how easy the school’s development staff made the process of setting up the endowment and said they enjoy seeing students benefit from the fund now rather than have it set up after they’re gone.

Rebecca said even if she doesn’t meet the students who will benefit from the gift, knowing it is making dreams come true for deserving students is satisfaction enough.

“To see the richness of the education they’ll receive at the Mount, wrapped around a framework of spirituality and the social aspect, is something very unique,” she said. “Allowing someone else to experience that sisterhood is what I would hope this endowment will do, allowing future students to learn and become who they are meant to be.”

ANNUAL REPORT

MOUNT ST. MARY

ENDOWMENTS The endowments at Mount St. Mary address key areas of need for the school and occupy an important place in its future financial security. If you would like to contribute to any of the existing endowments or scholarship funds, please contact Mary Catherine Burney in the Foundation Office at 501-476-3366. New endowments for scholarships and tuition assistance can be established as a living tribute or in memory of a loved one with a minimum gift of $25,000. This may be paid at the time the fund is established or over a multi-year period of up to five years.

Endowments for Operations Academic Programs Endowment Development Endowment Employee Benefit Endowment Facilities Operation & Maintenance Endowment Faculty & Staff Professional Development Endowment Faculty Salaries Endowment Sr. Declan Faculty Compensation Endowment Sr. Mary Teresa Farrell Endowment Student & Staff Leadership Development Endowment Technology Endowment

Endowments for Scholarships and Tuition Assistance Bernadette Balest Ardemagni ’64 Scholarship Fund Norma Bacon Fund John S. & Patricia S. Bailey Distinguished Teaching Awards Agnes Marie Birdsong and Jane Birdsong Stacy Scholarship Fund The Jennifer Boccarossa Music Scholarship Fund The Bornhoft Scholarship Fund The Bella Brown “THINK” Scholarship Endowment Fund Cavin Scholarship Fund The Donna Chachere ’83 Endowed Scholarship Fund Class of 2007 Scholarship Fund The John L. and Jane K. Corley Endowment Sr. Frances Coutlee ’21 Endowment MSM Dad’s Club Scholarship Olivia DiGregorio Scholarship Fund Karen Doolos Scholarship Fund Mary Drake Scholarship Fund Juanita Baer Enderlin Scholarship Fund The Flake Family Endowment Dorothy Hanson Flanagan ’39 Scholarship Fund Catherine West Frederick ’33 Scholarship General Need Scholarship Fund Griffy Scholarship Fund Harding Family Fund

Greg & Janet Hartz Family Endowed Scholarship Fund Lake & Ann Harvell Scholarship Clelia Hawn Scholarship Sandra Gueydan Hickey ’66 Merit Scholarship Fund Keith Family Scholarship Endowment Lucille Metrailer Kelly ’39 Scholarship Fund Becca Kutait Memorial Scholarship Sister Norma Lipsmeyer Scholarship Fund The Melissa Ma ’98 Endowed Scholarship Ma Family Endowment Scholarship McAuley Achievement Award Scholarship Annalissa “Magdalena” McClendon Travel Grant Mercy & Me Endowed Scholarship Clarence and Ruth Straessle Metzger Endowment Philip & Janet Miron Scholarship Fund Nabholz Charitable Foundation Tuition Assistance Fund Endowment Rose Marie Nabholz Scholarship Msgr. John O’Donnell Scholarship Fund Barbara H. Oglesby Memorial Scholarship Retired Sisters of Mercy Scholarship Fund Dolores Hooks Sanderson Scholarship Schulte Family Endowed Scholarship Fund The Sister Scholarship – Class of 2009 The Andrea Maier Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund Spirit of 1995 Scholarship Fund Frederick Carson Springstead Scholarship Fund Rebecca Clement Sullivan ’74 Endowment Luann Tharp Scholarship Fund Evelyn Josephine Coulter Thomas ’30 Scholarship Fund Sarah Travis Scholarship Fund Sr. Deborah Troillett, RSM ’73 Endowed Scholarship Vassar-West Scholarship Endowment Martha Vroeman Scholarship Fund Wells Pre-Engineering Scholarship Alana Wolfe Memorial Scholarship The Sherry Wilkins Wortsmith ’63 Scholarship Fund Judith Wrappe Art Scholarship FALL 2023

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door

OPENING THE

36 | THE MESSENGER

THERE’S LITTLE IN JOY LOWE MATLOCK’S EARLY BACKGROUND THAT WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED SHE WAS HEADED FOR MOUNT ST. MARY ACADEMY. HER FAMILY WASN’T CATHOLIC AND DIDN’T HAVE ANY FAMILY ALLEGIANCE TO THE SCHOOL . YET SOMEHOW, JOY, A PROUD CLASS OF 1992 GRADUATE , KNEW FROM THE MOMENT SHE ARRIVED THAT SHE’D FOUND A HOME .

“I think I’m an anomaly in a lot of ways in that I was Protestant, a minority and didn’t have a connection to the school,” she said. “My father is from South Arkansas. My mother is from West Africa. Mount St. Mary Academy was new to both of them once they moved to Central Arkansas.”

The daughter of an educator and a medical professional, Joy said the school’s reputation for academic excellence proved the magnet that drew her here. Despite the many ways she stood out, she said she always felt embraced by Mount.

“Was it hard for me to fit in? No,” she said. “I found my place quite quickly there because I was a student who wanted to do well in school, and I came from a family where God was important in our household. Those are what’s important at Mount, so that felt familiar from the beginning. It wasn’t hard to find like-minded girls.”

Following graduation, Joy attended UA Little Rock studying international relations and Spanish, then earned a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. After years with a nonprofit, her career wound into marketing, ultimately leading her to her current role at the Little Rock Zoo. Each step of her educational journey, and the career it made possible, she credits to the foundation she received at Mount.

“My college experience would have been quite different had it not been for Mount,” she said. “The Mount shaped me and got me ready for college because of the study skills, because of the discipline that needed to happen, because of the work ethic that one needs to take to that rigorous education.”

Joy does more than pay lip service to her alma mater; she and her husband, Lester, have regularly given back to the school and are among the youngest members of the 1851 Society. They’ve also made provisions in their estate for a gift to create the Joy Lowe Matlock ’92 and Lester P. Matlock Endowed Scholarship after their passing. She said the ability to help another benefit from Mount as she did is humbling.

“I know that there are students out there who have the academic discipline, who have talents, who have absolutely everything that can make them excel, do well and blow everything out of the water at a school like Mount St. Mary,” she said. “The only thing that might be prohibitive to them is the cost. What a shame.

“I’ve seen this school be transformative in young ladies’ lives, and if we can do something to let that little girl have a great experience, then we’re honored to do it.”

The 1851 Society is comprised of individuals and families who have made or will make the school a beneficiary in their estate plans. If you are considering remembering Mount St. Mary in your will or trust to receive money, property, stock or other valuables, please contact Mary Catherine Burney in the Foundation Office at 501-476-3366.

Anonymous (3) Cecilia Ballard* Bobbi & Bobby Barrett Ann Limberg Bartrem ’73 Agnes Marie Birdsong* Tricia Brown ’75 Patricia Page Bruich ’48* Pearl Smith Bujarski* Becky Carroll ’72 Patricia Johnson Clark ’53* Flora Bittner Croft* Dorothy Guidos Endres ’42* Bernadine Lipsmeyer Evans ’39* Karen & Dennis Ferra Karen Goodhart Flake ’65 Bobbie Forster ’29* John Gazzola* Andrea Williams Gonzales ’92 Melissa Dishongh Griffy ’75 & Tim Griffy Dawn Guerra Eleanor Guilford ’38* J. Fred Hart* Margaret Rose Hogan ’50* Ruthie Huncke Holland ’66 & Alan Holland Msgr. John A. Janesko* Mary Lou Womack Jaworski ’54* Pauline & Larry Jegley Charlene & James Kaminski Mary Rumbach Karlan ’28* Sr. Judith M. Keith, RSM ’51 Sr. M. Werner Keith, RSM ’44* Mary Ann Keith ’41*

Mel Kemp* Norma Bacon Kennedy ’27* Carol Lipsmeyer ’62* Mary Logan Lily & John Manning* Joy Lowe Matlock ’92 & Lester Matlock Sr. M. Amata McGee, RSM* Bobbie Cupples McKenzie ’62 & Ron McKenzie Charlotte Miller* Grace & Leo Nonnenkamp* Ginger & Brian Quinn Betty Renaud* Terry Renaud Dolores Hooks Sanderson ’48* & Sydney Sanderson Dorothy Fiori Sbanotto ’39* Dorothy Severson Schofield ’35* Henry Senac* Valora Bornhoft Smith* Mary Catherine Springstead ’63* Evelyn Josephine Coulter Thomas ’30* Martha Vroeman ’34* Annette Wahlgreen ’48 Lynnette & Michael Watts Peggy Wells ’72 Diane & Keith Wolfe Mary Anne Woods ’62* Sherry Wilkins Wortsmith ’63* Mary Zarnoski* Helen Zylko* * deceased

3224 Kavanaugh Blvd.

Little Rock, AR 72205 Parents of MSM alumnae, if your daughter has finished college and you are receiving her Messenger at your home, please notify the Foundation Office of her change of address so the magazine can be sent directly to her in the future. Call 501-476-3375 or email vgerbholz@mtstmary.edu.

IMPORTANT DATES

STAY CONNECTED ALL YEAR

NOVEMBER 2

MARCH 9

Memorial Mass

Dinner Belles

NOVEMBER 10

MARCH 30

Grandparents Day

Family Easter Egg Hunt

NOVEMBER 28

M AY 2 0

MSM Day of Giving

Class of 2024 Graduation

JANUARY 22

JUNE 30*

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*Make your annual gift to MSM by this date

mtstmary.edu

Open House

FEBRUARY 5

Founders’ Day / MSM’s 173rd

38 Birthday | THE MESSENGER

Fiscal Year Ends

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