Sr. Mary Southard, CSJ

“When I pop back in memory to my years as a student at Nazareth, it’s to the way my small world suddenly became larger, forging relationships with classmates from all over, exploring ideas together, moving into our “new school” on Park Road, and feeling connected to the Sisters of St. Joseph.” Sr. Mary’s transition from her childhood in Cicero to high school was only the start of a lifetime of discovery and expansion.

Sr. Mary joined the convent upon graduation in 1954 and went on to earn a degree from Rosary College and Master’s in Art at Notre Dame before returning to Nazareth to teach in the 60’s and 70’s. “At the time, we were reinventing the way we ‘did’ education with new methods, modular scheduling and team teaching. I was part of the four-member team that created a Humanities course at Nazareth, a fantastic experience.” A lifelong learner, Sr. Mary also has a Certificate in Spirituality and Worship from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, CA and has taught at the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University.

Meanwhile, Sr. Mary continued to expand her world as an artist and worship leader. In the 1970’s she began creating and writing a yearly reflection calendar with her original art, reflections and suggested practices. That work (which continues to today) gave birth to the CSJ Ministry of the Arts Department. She is also a sculptor of note, with works of art throughout the country (and beyond), including several on the La Grange Park campus.

Sr. Mary has been a lifetime champion for our shared planet and the interconnectedness of all creation.

“As the story of the origin and nature of the universe began coming into our western consciousness in the late 1970’s, it called for a whole re-thinking of who we are, who God is, where we are and why we’re here.” With the dedication to service and ministry that are at her core, Sr. Mary has worked to help people understand this sacred story. “My passion is Unity in terms of “Oneness.” That All May Be One is at the heart of Creation, the Natural World, and the Charism of the Congregation of St. Joseph. It is that for which I live and work, through my art, and through the many years of interpersonal ministries.”

Mike Queroz

Mike Queroz has always found his niche in telling stories. At Nazareth that meant working on The Announcer, student directing plays and really digging into English classes. In his professional life, that has meant a career in public relations and his current role as Senior VP of Digital at Public Communications Inc. (PCI). “I will never forget sitting with my Guidance Counselor Mr. Milos and trying to narrow down what to do after high school because I wanted to do everything. He guided me to the College Board website to explore career paths, which is where I first discovered the possibility of public relations.”

For Sr. Mary, only semi-retired, the work of engagement and expansion never ends. “In light of the global warming crisis, I continue through blogs and email to inform others of this pivotal time in which we are privileged to be alive. We are the ones who must make the difference. We must be the compassionate healers Earth needs today. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

He majored in Communications at UIC where every class and internship opportunity confirmed his choice. In fact, his internship with Shedd Aquarium led him directly to a job with their agency (PCI). He started in media relations, but as the digital landscape changed, he found an area where he could let his leadership shine and was instrumental in helping to establish that communications arm at PCI.

“Ultimately we all want to feel good about what we do. I am proud to work for a company that chooses to represent clients who serve a greater purpose.” Mike relished the chance to help his alma mater UIC with their branding when they ended up being

Tim Stafford

“I didn’t even like poetry,” remembers Tim Stafford of his high school self. Ironic, considering the legacy he’s built as a poet who’s performed in poetry slams all over the world, appeared on television’s Def Poetry Jam and published a collection of his work. He credits the start of that growth to his senior year at Nazareth.

“That is the year I made the decision to start fresh and give everyone a chance. I opened myself up and decided to try to make each person think their day was a little bit better than before they saw me.” Tim did this largely through humor, but he also started doing this through writing. Even with his doubts about poetry, he took Ms. Paliatka’s Creative Writing class and contributed to Goulash magazine. He opened himself up to new possibilities and found a passion that’s lasted his entire life.

In fact, opening himself to possibilities has been a recurring theme. After beginning college studying graphic design, he eventually earned his Poetry Degree from Columbia College and worked in the printing industry. “Some friends from college asked if I wanted to volunteer to

’96 teach poetry to kids. I thought that sounded cool so said, ‘sure’.” That willingness brought Tim to a CPS alternative school and the idea he might want to teach as a career. An AmeriCorps program made it financially possible for him to get his teaching certificate through Northwestern and he has since taught in Englewood and the District 40 Alternative School where he started a Creative Writing program.

“Working in West 40 was so different from my initial teaching experience, needing to reach kids who weren’t able to succeed in their home schools. Reading and writing were, and are, a way to connect.” Tim works to keep books on hand that will appeal to students in age-appropriate ways, but has also never let go of poetry. In fact, he has edited two anthologies of age-appropriate poetry called Learn Then Burn for teachers to use. Plus, he continues to write and perform.

Tim reminds the young people in his life, “Your story is going to be told regardless. You want to be the one holding the pen. Tell your own story.” his client. “My college choice was not an accident or a fallback. I was seeking a good program in a place with more diversity. It felt great to be able to help tell that story years later.”

At a recent performance, he looked out at the crowd and realized he was surrounded by Nazareth connections, both on stage and in the audience. “Time marches on and some of those people and experiences are lost, but it hit me that I was more connected than I would have ever guessed because I attended Nazareth.” Those years are an essential part of his story.

In fact, Mike has returned to both UIC and Nazareth to educate the next generation of storytellers about career possibilities. “My industry is very white. Systemically, if people don’t know about a realistic career path, they can’t pursue it. We have to open it up as a possibility.” Mike has been active in promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion both in creating a more inclusive work environment and in terms of mentorship.

“At PCI we work with Dominican University, a designated hispanic-serving institution. We piloted a paid internship program so that college students don’t have to choose a summer job over an internship. We are providing opportunities to make students from more diverse backgrounds more marketable coming out of college.” That sense of Unity is something he traces back to his time at Naz.

“Whether it was in my World Studies program as a senior or with the close group of friends I made there, I feel so lucky for my Nazareth experience. It shaped my formative years and my world view. It armed me to succeed in college writing, and it established a pattern of extra-curricular involvement which is how networks are built.”

Mike’s advice to young people is to find something to do that makes you both happy and proud. “Whether at school or at work, when you believe in what you do, you feel more empowered to look back and help give a leg up to the next group.”

Manpreet Kaur Teji

Nazareth may not have seemed an obvious choice for the Teji family, practicing Sikhs, but they were looking for a school where their son (Upneet ’00) and daughter (Manpreet ’08) would be safe and welcome. Manpreet recalls, “I was so nervous as a non-Catholic girl of color coming from a public-school, but what I remember most of my first days at Nazareth is making friends in Señora Pascual’s class right away. The atmosphere of Unity at Nazareth was nurtured at all levels. My religious practice was recognized openly and I was encouraged to share it with my classmates. In hindsight, Nazareth was a tremendously progressive environment to learn in, especially in light of being a Catholic school in the suburbs of Chicago.”

As her appreciation for her inclusive high school environment has matured, so too has Manpreet’s appreciation of her immersion in service, extracurriculars and intensive writing at Nazareth. “I learned such good life skills at Nazareth, all cemented in solid values. That time set me up to succeed in college and pursue a career in public service.”

Her career began with an Economics degree from Saint Louis University (2012). Internships with Senator Dick Durbin in Washington, D.C. and the Sikh Coalition in New York further developed Manpreet’s interest in public policy. She pursued a Law Degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago (2017) during which she had the opportunity to intern in the Federal Defender’s Office where she worked on three presidential commutation cases.

After graduating from law school, Manpreet worked as an Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies fellow in the office of Congresswoman Judy Chu. This experience further inspired her to engage in policies that affect the greater Pan Asian community. In April 2018, she started working for Senator Durbin as a legislative correspondent and has remained with that office for five years, rising as Associate Counsel and now as Counsel with the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which Sen. Durbin chairs. Manpreet remains dedicated to working on behalf of policies related to immigration.

And, once in a while, her work intersects with the people and experiences of her past. “I was honored to meet with Sr. Jackie [Schmitz] to hear about the work she and other Sisters of St. Joseph had done on our Texas border with Catholic Charities.” Manpreet is grateful for the impact Sr. Jackie and Nazareth had on helping her pursue her own personal story.

“I wish I could go back and encourage my 18-year-old self to be even more open to possibility. Our uniqueness can only shine when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, when we keep ourselves open to paths that we might not even know exist yet. If I had only allowed myself to follow my 10-year plan I had written in 2008, I would never have experienced this busy and fulfilling career.”