Women of Vision Fall 2022

Fall 2022 | A publication of Notre Dame Academy

Clara (Conner) Petty ’75

A big spirit and tiny houses.

Service...The Cornerstone of NDA Looking outside of yourself.

DEAR NDA COMMUNITY,

When Notre Dame Academy first opened its doors in 1904, the Sisters of Notre Dame (SND) did so with a mission to educate young women and empower them to be intellectually curious, passionately faith-filled, and socially responsible servant leaders. Fast forward to 2022 and the mission of the Sisters remains strong and woven into the fabric of today’s NDA. The alumnae stories we share in this issue of Women of Vision are about service to others and our communities. From the moment a young woman arrives at NDA, service becomes part of their make-up. It can be something as simple as helping a fellow student with studying or asking a new student to sit with her and others at lunch…or it can be more involved like the annual Appalachia trip to Harlan, Kentucky. Doing the work of God is essential. The Sisters were pioneers in social justice well before it became the buzz word it is today. And part of our teaching at NDA is centered around just that: helping others and advocating for access to basic human rights for all, especially those who are poor and marginalized.

While these last two years have been challenging as we navigated a global pandemic, this year we are excited to once again offer students more opportunities to serve others. In fact, in June 2022, NDA Toledo students joined with students from other SND-sponsored schools for a week in Morehead, Kentucky, immersing themselves in rural healthcare. Check out pages 6-13 to learn more about their experiences.

When we serve, we look outside of ourself - beyond our own problems - and seek to bring value to others. I am constantly in awe by all the ways our current students and alumnae give to others. At NDA we’re creating women of vision who are changing lives through service. The legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame continues to live on in each of us.

Blessings, ANDREA (ZOBLER) ZIMMERMAN ’96 PRINCIPAL

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 PETER 4:10)

The

Class of 2022

Soaring to change the world

The Notre Dame Academy class of 2022 reached new heights as life slowly returned to routine school days and in-person activities and events!

The 135-member class earned more than $20 million in college scholarships and were accepted to 143 schools in 5 countries – U.S., Canada, Netherlands, France and Scotland! A recordbreaking year for scholarships. Service remained strong as a foundational element of NDA. Seniors volunteered their nearly 10,500 hours of their time to communities near and far making a positive impact to those they helped.

NDA’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program continues to excel with 73 students from the class of 2022 pursued IB course work with nearly 90% of them scoring four or higher – threshold at which most colleges begin giving college credit. Of the nine full IB diploma candidates, all 100% received the IB diploma. Impressive feat by NDA students!

Additionally, several senior Speech and Debate Team members were state qualifiers. Congratulations to Ava Bowers (placed in the top 18 in the state!), Elise Brown, Peyton Burner, Sneha Mashalkar, Cimran Naik, Adishree Verma, Keelin Wiklendt and Dahlia Daboul!

Five Notre Dame seniors were also selected for the prestigious Evans Scholars Foundation Scholarship – awarded to those who have a strong golf caddie record, excellent grades and outstanding character. Of the eight Evans scholarships awarded in Northwest Ohio, five were awarded to NDA students. In fact, NDA was first in the nation in the number of women Evans Scholars selected for 2022. Congratulations to Lauren Boyd, Parker Boyd, Tamara Salameh, Chelsea Fall, and Caylee Bunker who, in total, received $600,000 from the scholarship to be used for full tuition and board at their respective universities. These young women join an NDA tradition of Evans Scholars. Nineteen NDA students have been awarded the scholarship using it to attend University of Notre Dame, The Ohio State University, University of Michigan and Miami University.

Top Awards from the Class of 2022

Valedictorian Claire Lepkowski

Attending Michigan State University, majoring in animal sciences/pre-vet

Salutatorian Dahlia Daboul

Attending The Ohio State University, majoring in public health/pre-med

Bishop’s Cross Recipient Mollie Malone

Attending University of Alabama, majoring in business

Sisters of Notre Dame Distinguished Graduate Award

Mercedes Evener

Attending Indiana University, majoring in human biology

The Blue and Gold Spirit Award

Iliana Calcamuggio

Attending Clarion University of Pennsylvania, majoring in biology/pre-med

President’s Award

Samantha Heywood

Attending Bowling Green State University, majoring in psychology

Iliana Calcamuggio

(l to r) Dahlia Dabool and Claire Lepkowski

(l to r) Samantha Heywood and Principal, Andrea (Zobler) Zimmerman ’96

Seniors volunteered nearly 10,500 hours of their service to communities near and far, making a positive impact to those they helped.

Kim Grilliot President

Bishop’s Cross Recipient Mollie Malone

BOLD. BRILLIANT. BEAUTIFUL. BLESSED.

2021-22 President’s Report

+ KIM GRILLIOT PRESIDENT

At Notre Dame Academy our mission of being aware of our carbon footprint is important to us.

To view our President’s Report and to learn more about Amani’s journey, scan the QR Code below.

Servant Leaders.

Socially Responsible. Passionately faith-filled. Intellectually curious.

These phrases make up the Notre Dame Academy mission statement, but they are also qualities and characteristics exhibited by NDA’s many alumnae around the world.

Service is an integral part of the NDA experience. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 70 hours of community service during their high school years. Although this is a requirement for graduation, something remarkable seems to happen along the way.

These young women realize that they are called to serve beyond what is required, and launch themselves into lives of service and ministry, caring for others, for God’s creation, and for the world at large.

The stories on the following pages are merely a sampling of the many acts of servant leadership carried out by Notre Dame Academy alumnae in our world. May they inspire you to serve others today!

BOLD. BRILLIANT. BEAUTIFUL. BLESSED.

What’s not

right?

When Julie (Halker) Mann ’94 graduated from NDA in 1994 and headed to the University of Michigan to study English literature and political science, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. But she did know she wanted to see more of the world.

Her inspiration came later, during her time serving in the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso in West Africa. The culture and the poverty, with a complete lack of access to everything was sobering, and Julie recognized it the moment she stepped off the plane and caught her first glimpse of a wider, less abundant and often more unforgiving world. While in Burkina Faso, she taught at a local school and also spent time with medical workers who staffed a small community health center. “This was the place where I first witnessed a woman giving birth, but also the place where I first witnessed death,” she shares. “No woman should ever die trying to give life. I decided I must be a part of fixing this unacceptable reality. I promised myself that I would devote my career to delivering high-quality, maternal health care and addressing the disparities in care that exist for women in maternal and reproductive health.”

Julie returned to the States and enrolled in Midwifery School at Yale University. She felt that midwifery, as opposed to being an OB/ GYN doctor, was the model of care that she wanted to provide all pregnant individuals and their families. “Midwifery not only addresses the medical needs of the individual but it holistically addresses the social and emotional needs,” she says. After becoming a midwife, Julie spent three years in Haiti, addressing maternal mortality and morbidity there.

After getting married and having children of her own, Julie continued to serve, working for several years on the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico, where she advocated for families with poor health outcomes and little access to care while nestled in a wealthy society with many resources. She also served during shorter stints in Uganda and Rwanda. Today, Julie spends about 50 percent of her time caring for patients at her practice in Boston, and the rest as the Associate Director of Midwifery for Seed Global Health, an organization that works to develop the healthcare workforce in Africa. She has recently spent time serving in Sierra Leone and Zambia.

Working to improve social injustices has been the central theme of her journey of service. “I continue to ask myself, what is my role and my responsibility in addressing what’s not right” she explains.

Her advice to students at NDA today is simple: “Challenge yourself. Seek out opportunities outside your norm to experience new and, at times, uncomfortable situations. Once you see, feel, and hear the injustices in the world, such as a woman dying in childbirth or a child begging for food, you won’t be able to forget these moments. This is what will inspire you.”

Socially Responsible

Julie (Halker) Mann ’94

was an incoming NDA freshman, she signed up to participate in the Toledo YES Project the summer before 9th grade. The YES Project is a Catholic service project that takes place every summer, and its purpose is to serve the northwest Ohio community through acts of Christian service and by spreading the love of Christ. Jessica knew there was a service hour requirement at NDA, so she thought, “Sign me up!” and planned to complete many of her required hours before school even started.

What she didn’t expect was that those days of service would be some of the best of her life. “I was at the closing Mass, and I looked around and thought, I cannot wait until next year,” she shares. “Serving brought me so much joy – I was hooked!”

After graduating from NDA, she attended Ohio University, where she majored in journalism and public relations. “I thought it would be a great way to be involved with the community, to promote nonprofits,” explains Jessica. But it turned out she didn’t enjoy journalism as much as she expected. “I found myself thinking – what do I REALLY want to do? When have I felt most alive? And I realized it was when I was working on the YES Project every summer.” So, she started to get involved with the Catholic center on campus.

When Jessica was a junior, missionaries with FOCUS – a campus outreach organization that helps college students explore their relationships with Jesus and with the Catholic faith – came to OU. “When I met them, I thought – wow! This is exactly what I’m looking for. I knew I wanted to work with college students, and to help lead them to God. I knew I could be Christ’s hands and feet in the world,” she shares.

Since graduating from OU, Jessica has been a missionary with FOCUS, spending the better part of two years at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula. This coming school year, she will serve as a team director at Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio. “I get to come back home to where it all began: Ohio. The Lord makes all things new,” says Jessica.

Erin Sasala ’17 recently graduated from Lourdes University with her degree in social work and a theology minor. “I originally started studying to be an ASL (American Sign Language) Interpreter at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, but I felt the Lord calling me to share more of myself in a different way,” shares Erin. Social work felt more in line with her passion for service work. “I have always had a heart for service,” she says.

With this focus on service, Erin was instrumental in bringing the Labre Project from Toledo to Dayton. “I got involved with the Labre Project as a high school junior, and Labre was where I truly encountered and saw Christ in the poor,” she explains. Labre Project volunteers prepare and provide meals to members of the community who need them –no questions asked. Erin had just gotten the project going when the COVID shutdowns began.

So, she shifted focus, and began what she called the KNOWN Program to help combat the poverty of loneliness in shelters, particularly among women and children. She and a coworker recruited college students from the University of Dayton and Wright State University to minister to these individuals at the St. Vincent de Paul Women and Family Shelter in Dayton, to make sure “they felt seen, known, and loved.” Today, the interactive program takes place every other Saturday.

Up next for Erin is a year of service living in a community of 30 other missionaries with the organization Christ in the City in Denver. “Denver has a lot of homelessness and tent cities. We’ll be living in poverty in an old school building that’s been converted to living space, and we’ll walk the streets daily to encounter Christ in the poor,” says Erin. “The streets are hard and very lonely, and it means something to have someone who remembers you and knows your name.”

What comes next for Erin after her year of service? “Wherever the Lord leads me!” she declares.

“Service learning isn’t just checking a box.”

“I could be Christ’s hands and feet in the world.”

A simple Google search started Lauren Sasala ’17 on her journey of ministry and service in Colorado – and around the world.

“I was an outdoor guide through the rec center at Kent State during college, and I loved sharing the outdoors with others – but I was missing something,” she explains. “I knew I wanted to head out west, to surround myself with the beauty of the mountains, so I Googled ‘Catholic outdoor ministry Colorado’ – and that’s how I found Creatio. I couldn’t believe something like this existed!”

Lauren is wrapping up a two-year commitment serving as a missionary guide with Creatio, a Catholic organization whose mission is to guide people to encounter the beauty of creation and the Creator through service to the poor, mission trips, outdoor adventure, and care for creation. Although she is based in the Denver area, where she regularly guides backpacking and ski trips, Lauren also has led trips to El Santuario de Chimayó in New Mexico, the Galapagos Islands, Alaska, and recently returned from El Camino de Santiago in Spain, walking the Way of St. James during a two-week pilgrimage with 15 young adults, helping them to see that “beauty will always lead to God.”

“In this world, people have a hard time agreeing on what’s true, or what’s good,” says Lauren. “But it’s hard to argue what’s beautiful.”

Lauren shares that NDA provided a solid foundation for developing a “heart for service.” “Looking back, I didn’t know it at the time, but the books we were reading, and our service opportunities, and Kairos and other retreats help plant those seeds in me. Now I can look back and see how the Lord was prepping me for my time and experience here.”

Lauren will move into a staff leadership role with Creatio this year, and she and her sister, Erin, will be working at sister service organizations in Denver. “They are very closely tied, and we will be leading a pilgrimage with Christ in the City,” shares Lauren. “I’m so excited to spend time with my sister!”

“This is really my dream job, and I don’t know where else I could go to combine so many of my loves,” reflects Lauren. “God’s providence is powerful, and seeing the dots connect is profound. It has been a complete transformation for me. The most joyful life you can lead is one with Christ.”

“The world is huge and life is short. Listen to the way God is guiding you.”

Servant Leader

Clara (Conner) Petty ’75 has lived her life as a servant leader, through and through. Her journey started after she graduated from the University of Toledo with her bachelor’s degree in sociology, when she began her career as a social worker with St. Paul’s Community Center in downtown Toledo. It was at St. Paul’s that she met her mentor, Ruth Arden, who was at that time the executive director of St. Paul’s. “I was lucky to have someone who saw something in me, and wanted to foster that growth in me,” shares Clara.

Before long, Clara was in charge of St. Paul’s transitional housing, which was when Ruth sent her to a grant writing class. “I went kicking and screaming,” admits Clara. “But Ruth was preparing me for something I didn’t have the foresight to see. She told me, ‘You don’t need to understand – you just need to do it.’ I never realized what she was preparing me for.”

After career stops in the Youth Development Center in Cleveland and Head Start and the James Caldwell Center in Toledo – plus earning her master’s while raising two young daughters, who were 8 and 10 years old when she graduated with her degree in public administration – Clara found herself ready to take on the role of executive director of the Monroe Street Neighborhood Center (MSNC), a ministry of Monroe Street United Methodist Church. The church and its members opened their arms to Clara, and gave her the opportunity to be creative and try new things for the good of the community.

“When I started that April, they had two programs – one of which was ending the following December,” she recalls. “My goal was to increase the presence and programs for the community.” And that she did –ultimately creating nine programs, of which seven remain today.

That is why I do what I do.

One of these programs is the Freedom School, which is run in partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund. “A child who reads is a child who succeeds, and we want these children to find a love of reading, and to pick up a book because they want to, not because they have to,” says Clara.

Every summer since 2017, the Freedom School at the MSNC invites 50 scholars between the ages of 5 and 12 to spend six weeks participating in reading classes taught by “servant leader interns” – who are college students majoring in education. Freedom School was even held virtually during the summer of 2020, engaging these students during a time when most classes and programs shut down because of COVID. The young scholars who attend receive a healthy breakfast and lunch each day as part of the program, and their parents are asked to volunteer in the classroom as well. The students also enjoy enrichment activities in addition to reading, including gardening, singing, dancing, acting, and more. “85% of our scholars are reading at the same level or better after they attend Freedom School,” shares Clara.

Another program Clara initiated is Bluff Street Village, which provides high-quality housing for persons with annual incomes of less than $18,000. With help from community sponsors, 20 tiny homes are being built along Bluff Street, transforming long-vacant lots into a thriving community. Residents pay a nominal rent of $1 per square foot, and are able to take ownership of their home after seven years. They are also asked to donate 10 hours of community service per month, and attend workshops addressing home maintenance and repair, budgeting, health, wellness, and more.

Clara’s latest endeavor is starting her own LLC, through which she plans to consult with smaller agencies, assisting with grant writing and event planning after her retirement from MSNC later this summer.

“My gift is hospitality – and I like to say I offer radical hospitality,” says Clara. “Yes, we may meet your needs, but we are really here to make you feel like family. The way you treat someone can turn their whole day around. That is why I do what I do.”

“God has given me the discernment to listen – and then to serve.”

Clara (Conner) Petty ’75

listen serve

BOLD. BRILLIANT. BEAUTIFUL. BLESSED.

Servant Leader Wendi Huntley ’83

Get thee to Toledo

Wendi Huntley ’83 knew she would be a lawyer since she was a 6th grader at Ladyfield elementary school. What she did not expect was that after 30 years in corporate, litigation, intellectual property, sports and entertainment law – most of which were spent in Columbus – she would pivot to lead a nonprofit ministry in her hometown of Toledo.

After graduating from BGSU with her bachelor’s degree, and The Ohio State University College of Law with her Juris Doctorate, Wendi worked for a large firm for several years. But she decided to start her own firm, SPEC Group, and on her last day, many colleagues stopped by to wish her well. “Several of the partners came into my office, and they poured their hearts out to me about how unfulfilled they felt – because they never followed their passion,” she shares. Also during this time in her life, Wendi’s father became ill, so she moved back to Toledo to be with him during his last days, and to assist her mother. “Toledo was not in my plans –I was planning a move to Charlotte. But that was not God’s plan – he was telling me, ‘Get thee to Toledo!’,” laughs Wendi.

Not only did God lead her back to care for her parents, he also led her to Connecting Kids To Meals (CKM), where she started as marketing director, and quickly became the organization’s president after just two months. CKM fights childhood hunger. “We provide meals to our partners throughout the community, over 185 of them, during our afterschool programs and throughout the entire summer,” says Wendi. With its mission of providing hot, nutritious meals at no cost to at-risk kids ages 18 and under in low-income and underserved areas of northwest Ohio, CKM partners with schools, libraries, community centers, afterschool programs, homeless shelters and other places kids gather. Wendi handles fundraising, community engagement, marketing, and brand management initiatives.

Fundraising has been hitting record levels as well. “People were moved and, with God’s grace, we have been able to do this work.”

“Since starting this work in 2002, we provided more than 7 million meals to kids in need as of last year – and that number will be close to 8 million by the end of our fiscal year,” shares Wendi, who has been with CKM for nearly six years.

The pandemic shined an even brighter light on food insecurity in our community. And CKM has been there to provide meals to the children who need them. “In 2019, we served about 500,000 meals, but in 2020 –the first year of the pandemic – we served 875,000. And then in 2021, we served roughly 776,000,” explains Wendi. “This year, we are on pace to serve 775,000 to 800,000 again.”

Service has become the focus of Wendi’s journey – and NDA students today can learn from her experiences. “I would tell a young woman today to dream big, to stay faithful, to do something that she’s passionate about. At the end of the day, it really isn’t about money – you want to feel fulfilled in your soul,” imparts Wendi.

“I’m exactly where God needed me to be.”

Intellectually Curious

Edith “Edi” (Taylor) Campbell ’75

Opportunity

Edith (Taylor) Campbell’75 never wanted to be a teacher. “When I graduated from NDA, I was going to major in French,” she shares. “I did not want to go into education, it felt very stereotypical.”

She ended up earning her bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Cincinnati. But when her family moved to Indianapolis, she found herself back in school to earn her teaching certificate, and she taught social studies in grades K-8 for several years.

One day, Edi received an email from her school district. “If I received an email like that today, I wouldn’t even open it, I would assume it was spam. It just said, ‘Opportunity’ in the subject line.”

In this role, Edi helps faculty and staff find library resources, develops programming and workshops to help students and faculty with research, and teachings them how to evaluate whether information is good – or not. But she still sees herself as an educator. “The best teachers are good learners,” reflects Edi. “I’m always wanting to learn something new – and working in the library is all about intellectual curiosity.”

The opportunity was a chance to go back to school to earn a grantfunded master’s degree in library science. Edi took her district up on that offer, earning her MLS at Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis, and soon after, began working as a research and instruction librarian at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, a role she has filled for the past 10 years.

Edi also devotes a great deal of her time to seeking out diversity in children’s literature, working to improve the representation of authors of color and indigenous authors. “I work to improve the literacies of teens of color by providing them with stories that relate to their lived experiences and help them establish their place in the world,” she shares.

To that end, Edi founded “We Are Kid Lit Collective” that selects books by and about BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and has curated a summer reading list based in critical multicultural literacy every year since 2015. “It can be difficult to find books students can relate to, or see themselves in. We are here to celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and intersecting identities.”

“The best teachers are good learners.”

Thank you

Capital campaign exceeds $7 million goal.

“We believe in the mission of NDA and because of that, our grandaughters have become strong independent women.”

LINDA

AND DENNIS PAWLECKI

NEW FRONT ENTRANCE

Parents of Susan (Pawlecki) Jarrell ’85 and Grandparents of Emily Pawlecki ‘17, Claire Pawlecki ‘19, Amanda Pawlecki ‘21, Ellyn Jarrell ’18, and Caroline Jarrell ’20

Strategic Planning

s we look to the future, we know this longterm plan will proactively address challenges and leverage opportunities that support our commitment to creating Women of Vision. We are grateful to our steering committee members for the time and talent they have dedicated to this process. If you would like to learn more about strategic planning process, or learn how you can contribute, please contact; Andrea Zimmerman, Staff Liaison azimmerman@nda.org.

LAUNCH

In early September, steering committee members met with Boston-based Partners in Mission for an orientation to the strategic planning process and plan next steps.

ENGAGE

October – December, committee members will engage key stakeholders and the greater school community in an effort to gather data critical to the development of the strategic plan. Opportunities and challenges will be identified in key areas of importance to NDA.

DEVELOP

January – February, steering committees submit reports, findings will be analyzed and measurable goals developed.

FINALIZE

March – April, following an extensive assessment and analysis, the final strategic plan will be submitted to NDA’s Board of Trustees for approval.

IMPLEMENT

Beginning in Summer 2023, the transformational 5-year plan will be presented to the NDA and implemented.

MADDY NILES ART GALLERY

StudentNews

Rural Healthcare Student Immersion Experience

Serving the underserved

Early one morning last June, Gabby Bigelow ‘24, Mallory Caldwell ‘23, and Danielle Donkor ‘23 set out to Morehead, Kentucky. Along the way, they joined four students from Notre Dame Cathedral Latin in Chardon, Ohio, and another four students from Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills, Kentucky. Together, these 11 students of SND-sponsored schools came to experience a week immersed in a rural healthcare setting.

The week was organized by Sr. Judine Lambert, SND, head chaplain at St. Claire Regional Medical Center, and the Sisters of Notre Dame national office with the aim of bringing together students to expose them to the challenges and joys of providing medical care to rural populations.

Gabby shared that she “gained a new appreciation for the challenges that rural healthcare workers face. The lifestyle of the people that live in Morehead is very different from those that live in Toledo, and because of that they present unique medical conditions. The geography of the rural area makes it more difficult than those in the Toledo area to get to patients and for patients to get to the medical facilities. My experience helped solidify my desire to go into nursing.”

The idea of St. Claire Regional Medical Center was conceived by Dr. Claire Louise Caudill after she had served the region out of her small office, which had opened in 1947. After years of trying to convince sponsors, they appealed to the Bishop of Lexington who asked the Sisters to open a hospital - which they did in 1963.

St. Claire has grown into an independent healthcare system that serves a large swath of middle eastern Kentucky. The rural immersion program connects students from SND schools to St. Claire and the story of the extraordinary women of vision who sought to serve the underserved and marginalized populations in rural Kentucky, while at the same time helping them become socially responsible servant leaders who will continue the Sisters’ legacy of service.

NDA’s Appalachia Mission

After a two year pause due to COVID, NDA will be returning this December to Harlan, Kentucky, to continue the 30+ year mission to the people there.

GABBY BIGELOW ‘24

While there, students were able to ride along for home healthcare visits with professionals who specialized in nursing, physical therapy, and hospice care. Our students also shadowed professionals at St. Claire hospital in their fields of interest, including OB-GYNs, anesthesiologists, nurses, surgeons, and other specialists. Not originally planned, but greatly appreciated – were early morning surgery observations where the students were able to watch the activities inside an operating room.

Danielle felt similarly. “This experience gave me a glimpse into the lives of just a few of the 7,600 people that live in Morehead, and sparked a period of growth in my knowledge of medicine, doctor-patient interactions, and the knowledge of lesser-known jobs in the medical field. Not only did it teach me about medicine, but also how to interact with others as a caregiver,” she explained.

In the evenings, NDA students were treated to the sights, sounds, and food of the local area, and dined at the home of the president of the St. Claire health system, where a live bluegrass duo played!

This year, the trip will be led by a group of six students who have stepped forward and began creating plans and having conversations about how to best serve those we will meet. Anna

Timbrook ‘23, the only current student who went on NDA’s last trip in 2019, shares, “When I went to Appalachia my freshman year, I had a blast. The people there were very grateful for what we were doing. I painted kids’ faces, and the smiles they had from just that were heartwarming. This year, my senior year, I’m so excited to finally be able to go back to experience the joy and communion of helping others, and to assist in planning and leading the whole trip.”

My experience helped solidify my desire to go into nursing.”

Athletics

Rowers Qualify for Nationals!

Row!

It was a successful spring of 2022 for the NDA rowing team. Following a 2020-2021 of limited opportunities due to the pandemic and strict guidelines from US Rowing, NDA rowing seized the season with amazing results.

The NDA rowing team had a great showing at the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championship at Kensington Metropark in Michigan on May 14 and 15, 2022. In the B finals, NDA had the Junior 8 Boat place third with the line-up of Erin Reed ‘23, Annie Smaciarz ‘23, Liz Holtz ‘24, Sophia Sorensen ‘23, Marcella Castillo ‘24, Courtney Kennedy ‘24, Abby Goulding ‘24, Madeleine DeSana ‘24, and Gabbey Warga ‘24. Taking first in their B final by open water was the Varsity 4 Boat composed of Erin Reed ‘23, Bennett Armstrong ‘22, Morgan Briner ‘22, Caitlin Kidwell ‘22, and Annie Smaciarz ‘23. The Novice 4 Boat also had an excellent showing, finishing fifth out of 30 entries. The rowers in that boat were Terise Stevens ‘25, Kelby Armstrong ‘24, Emma Fister ‘25, Rachel Heckman ‘25 and Sarina Choksey ‘25.

The Junior 4 Boat placed third in the A finals at Midwest and qualified for the SRAA National Championships Regatta. This crew consisted of Bella Hsia ’24, Maya Fister ’23, Madeleine DeSana ’24, Courtney Kennedy ’24, and Abby Goulding ’24. NDA rowing as a whole finished with the highest sweep points in the Northwest Ohio region at the Midwest championship.

The Junior 4 Boat then competed in the SRAA National Championships Regatta on the Cooper River in Camden, New Jersey on May 27 and 28, 2022. The regatta was live streamed so NDA rowing fans were able to watch. Our Junior 4 Boat finished second in their heat on day one and advanced to the semifinals on day two. They finished fourth in a competitive semifinal race and just missed out on making it to the final. NDA was the only school from Northwest Ohio to send a boat to Nationals and our rowers represented NDA in an excellent fashion. Additionally, NDA applied for and won a bid to send a 4-boat to the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Massachusetts this past October.

The rowing club is led by three NDA alumnae who were rowers themselves while attending NDA. Head Coach is Catherine Sprague-Manrow ‘12 and our assistant coaches are Emily Mills ‘10 and Gabrielle MacKinnon ‘11.

TRAC Champions

Varsity Track & Field 4x800 Meter Relay

Natalie Chryst ‘24, Tessa Hoyt ‘25, Luci Kuh ‘24, and Joelle Moore ‘23 (9:54.45)

Junior Varsity Track & Field Team

National Qualifiers

Rowing

Junior 4 Boat

Bella Hsia ‘24, Maya Fister ‘23, Madeleine DeSana ‘24, Courtney Kennedy ‘24, and Abby Goulding ‘24 qualified to the SRAA National Regatta

Four-Year Varsity Letter Winners

Lacrosse Keeley Wiklendt ‘22

Softball Morgan Ward ‘22

CYO Outstanding High School Softball Morgan Ward ‘22

Track & Field Marley Wilhem ‘22

Academic All-Ohio

Lacrosse

Mallory Caldwell ‘23, Jacqueline Chlebowski ‘23, Addyson Clonch ‘24, Shianne Cole ‘23, Anna Cornell ‘22, Emma Frost ‘22, Lillian Hanus ‘22, Anna Kelly 24, Katelynn Lenkay ‘24, Siona Naik ‘24, Gina Napoli ‘23, Grace Sanford ‘22, Sara Stapleton ‘23, and Morgan Szozda ‘24

Ceiling Tile Project

Head up to Room 201 at NDA, and when you get there – make sure to look up. There you will see the work of 147 NDA arts alumnae from the past 12 years, populating the ceiling where plain tiles used to be.

The art room ceiling tiles project came to be in 2007 when Mrs. Susan Stinson, the current head of NDA’s Art Department, came to NDA. She and a colleague were attending the Ohio Art Education Association conference, and a presenter shared the idea. “And I thought – this would be amazing to have at NDA!” shares Susan.

She decided to start with her current freshman, and each year since 2011 when those freshmen graduated, every four-year art student can design and paint her ceiling tile, which then remains displayed in the art room’s drop ceiling.

The painted tiles are masonite boards, and the student artists are required to use acrylic paint. There are a few other constraints: “They must paint a replica of a famous work of art, in whole or in part, and they cannot use an artist whose work has already been selected and used,” Susan explains.

Once the art room ceiling is full, the plan is for tiles to be added to other classrooms and space around the NDA building.

Among the four-year arts alumnae with a ceiling tile is NDA Art Teacher Megan Miazgowicz ’14. Her tile features a small section of the pictorial scroll work Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace from the second half of the 13th century. She selected this work because it told a story. “I was interested in Japanese artwork and mythology, and I loved that this piece had a lot of cool stuff to paint: fire, horses, and armor,” she explains.

After graduating from NDA, Megan majored in digital art and minored in Asian studies at BGSU, earning her bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree. She is working toward her master of arts degree with a focus in art teacher education, also at BGSU. She teaches Art 1 and 2, digital photography, and digital art at NDA.

“I knew from probably 3rd or 4th grade that art was where it was at for me,” shares Megan. “Now that I’m back at NDA teaching, I can talk to the girls and show them my ceiling tile – and show them that this is a way you can leave your mark on this building. It’s still here, and it stays here, with your friends’ works, too – it’s all intertwined.”

“NDA’s art program has been a catalyst for so many of our Eagle artists,” shares Susan. “But their work will always remain displayed at NDA where they got their start.”

Susan Stinson, Art Department Chair and Art Teacher Megan Miazgowicz ’14

Support Resources

Achieving academic success

Growing in confidence

otre Dame Academy believes in supporting students fully as they work to achieve academic success.

There is no one size fits all when it comes to support resources; rather, it’s a multitude of opportunities available for students to take advantage of both during school hours and afterwards. Whether a student needs help with a test, a project or with a subject as a whole, NDA has a strong alignment of resources available to ensure students have the support needed throughout their time at NDA.

“By design, the NDA curriculum is challenging, however, we strive to set every student up to be the best academically they can be. The resources, people and support available is for the student to access where they have a need. As educators, there is no greater gift than to see students grow in confidence during their academic career at NDA and beyond,” said Beth Corrigan, dean of academics.

Students have many options when it comes to resources. The following services are available:

• Student Flex Time – Daily midmorning break for students to grab a snack and have a mental break as well as when all faculty are available to students with questions or concerns.

• Math Lab Tutoring – A certified math teacher is available during lunch and after school daily.

• Intervention Services – Two full-time intervention specialists on staff to provide additional support for students who are on Minor Adjustment Plans, Individualized Education Programs or on Individualized Service Plans. Specialists routinely meet with these students to ensure their academic roadmap is successful for them.

• Counseling Team – NDA provides three full-time personal, emotional, and mental health counselors and each student is assigned to one of them for all four or six years. We also have a full-time college counselor and part-time career counselor to prepare our students for life beyond NDA.

• Study Skills Class – A master teacher or Intervention Specialist coaches students in ways to study, organizational skills, test taking strategies and time management.

• Learning Coaches – Para-professional educators are available in both remedial and upper-level Science and Mathematics courses to support student learning.

• Aerie Program – Provides structured academic support to incoming Freshmen. Aerie students attend a summer institute focused on enrichment in Mathematics, Language Arts, and Reading. Students then meet with our Academic Success Coach throughout the year for additional support.

(l to r) Abby (Beham) Hankenhoff ’09, Kristin (Eisel) Schank ’02, Jane Hoffman

(l to r) Ashley Smith and Daniella DeSantis

Julie Szabo

Academic Success Coach

Julie assists students in prioritizing their personal academic goals through accountability and goal setting.

Peer Tutoring

Tutoring from a peer who has already mastered the subject.

High Merit

Celebrating

Seven Notre Dame Academy students had artworks commended as High Merit in the second round of jurying for the April 2022 Celebrating Arts Publication.

Yike Cao ’22 (10-12 grade) Doll House

Tessa Hoyt ’25 Remember When

Anna Kelly ‘24 Too Dramatic

Isabel Smith ‘22 The Student

Zoe Werner ‘25 (7-9 grade) Sedimentation

Olivia Colella ’25 Sweet Eragon

BOLD. BRILLIANT. BEAUTIFUL. BLESSED.

Lauren Sontchi ’22 Self Portrait

Alumnae in the News

EagleWatch

Reunions 1960s

Members of the NDA class of 1958 posed at the NDA letters on campus!

NDA’s

Barbara (Dulinski) Blochowski ‘69 celebrated 50 years with Mercy Health in May 2022. Barb graduated from Mercy College in Toledo in 1972 as a Registered Nurse. She began her professional career in the Emergency Department at Mercy Hospital in Toledo, spending the first half of her career there as an Emergency and Trauma RN, as well as a House Supervisor, until Mercy Hospital closed in 1996. In her post-ER days, Barb has continued her career supporting Mercy’s mission as a Community Health RN at St. Charles Hospital. In this role, she is in charge of the Mercy Mobile Health Van Program and provides health screenings, health education, and health resources to area seniors, schools, migrant communities, and any local community in need. Barb also partners with Shots for Tots to provide immunizations to area children and teens. Additionally, she is the only Certified Tobacco Cessation Trained Specialist in Mercy Health’s Toledo region, and was a leader in the smoking cessation efforts across the state of Ohio. Congratulations to Barb on her incredible body of work and half-century career with Mercy Health! She is a true Woman of Vision!

class of 1977 celebrated their 45th class reunion in September at Bennett’s Orchard in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, which is owned by classmate Janis (Bennett) Miller ’77.

Paula (Vogel) Iagulli ‘77 shares that her youngest child, CJ (Carla Joy), is now an 8th grader at NDA! Her oldest just turned 40 and works for the Air Force, and her other daughter and family live in The Hague, Netherlands.

Leslie Fenwick ‘79 was appointed by President Biden to the Board of Visitors for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (USMA). The Board of Visitors to the U.S. Military Academy provides independent advice and recommendations to the President on matters related to morale, discipline, curriculum, instruction, fiscal affairs, and academic methods. She shares that she feels exceptionally privileged to serve in this capacity, and that it has been an honor to have an affiliation at the USMA as a MCLC Senior Fellow where she has seen firsthand exceptional faculty and cadet leaders who exemplify character leadership and service.

Julie (Hall) Sigurdson ‘84 retired from nursing after 30 years in healthcare - now she’s working part-time helping seniors in her county to maintain their independence. Her husband, Tim, also retired after 38 years with the IBEW, and Julie and Tim are emptynesters and love spending time at their campground - but they are proud of their two sons! Julie shares that faith, friends and family remain a big part of their lives.

Emily (Hassen) Szafran ‘98 will celebrate her 20th year as a member of the LPGA Teaching & Club professionals this January. This past summer, she was awarded the Goldie Bateson Service Award in recognition of unlimited and outstanding service, time, and dedication to the LPGA and the game of golf. Emily shares, “I’m thankful to my Alma Mater for helpingform the foundation that was significant in my growth, both spiritually and academically.”

1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Caryn (Wilczynski) Mambro ’85 was named to the 2022 “15 Over 50” list sponsored by Connect and BizBash. Caryn is the chief creative officer at the marketing firm Opus Agency in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Michelle Sliva ‘03 is a physician and medical director of sports medicine at North Oak Health System and Southeastern Louisiana University. She attended medical school at Saba University School of Medicine at The Bottom, Caribbean Netherlands.

Ripa Ajmera ‘04 spent the past four years working on her new book, The Way of the Goddess: Daily Rituals to Reawaken Your Inner Warrior and Discover Your True Self. The book chronicles her personal spiritual journey and contains simple, everyday rituals designed to help readers deepen their daily spiritual practices, regardless of religion or other identity.

2000s 2010s

Marissa Minnick-Metcalf ‘04 was nominated and selected as BCSN’s May Classroom Hero. Marissa is a first-grade teacher at St. Joseph School in Maumee. “It’s a blessing to be recognized for something I love to do,” shares Marissa. You can see the surprise announcement at bcsnnation.com/heroes/ her professors, counselors, and soccer coaches while she was at NDA.

Marie (Myers) Harman ‘05 welcomed identical twin boys, McKade & Colton, in July 2022. She shares that they have faced a long medical journey, including Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome and Selective Interuteran Growth Restriction. Because of this, both babies were at risk and had heart damage. Through medical interventions including Selective Fetoscopic Laser Photocoagulation and amniocentesis performed at 19 weeks, as well as cardiac medication, they have overcome the odds and have overcome both syndromes. However, the journey isn’t over yet. There are still risks ahead. Anyone can follow along with their journey at caringbridge.org/visit/ harmantwins

Claire Cameron-Ruetz '07 opened her bakery, called Dollop Shop, in Cricket West in Toledo. She began baking when she was five years old, but her passion for baking was recently reignited during the COVID pandemic. Claire and Dollop Shop were recently featured in The Toledo Blade.

Rebecca (Gerken) Cherpak ‘11 was recognized with the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service for outstanding service to her husband, CPT Alex Cherpak’s, unit at Fort Sill.

Brianne Szymanski ‘13 recently accepted a new role as the Community Engagement Programs Manager at Jacob’s Pillow - a dance center, school, and performing arts space - in Becket, Massachusetts. She graduated with her Master of Arts Administration degree from Ohio University in August 2022.

Michelle Holmes ‘12 is happy to share that she is starting a new position as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at American University in Washington D.C., an NCAA Division I program. Michelle graduated from American University in 2016, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and public health, and played basketball, serving as captain of the women’s team.

Whitney Stolnicki ‘15 graduated from Northeast Ohio Medical University in the fast track program, earning her M.D. She has begun her residency in pediatric neurology at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

If you have an interesting story or event in your life, we would love to know about it.

Email us at alum@nda.org

EagleStory

After graduating from Kenyon College, Schuyler Stupica ‘15 worked for two years as a legal writer and editor at an immigration law firm in Pittsburgh. She is currently pursuing her J.D. at the University of Michigan Law School, where she serves as a student attorney for the Sentence Commutation Project, the International Refugee Assistance Project, and the Student Rights Project (representing K-12 students facing suspension and expulsion hearings). Additionally, Schuyler interned with the Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office this past summer and plans to pursue a career in public defense in an effort to address injustices in the criminal legal system, particularly the criminalization of low-income people and people of color.

Stephanie Sherman ‘16 was selected to represent TEAM USA in the 31st Summer World University Games in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, in June 2022. (Unfortunately, because of COVID the games were cancelled. But it was still an honor to have earned a spot on the team!)

Dominique Shiple ‘16 is a 7th grade language arts teacher with Eastwood Local Schools in Ohio. She recently got married on June 24 of this year.

Elisabeth Burchfield ‘18 graduated from Taylor University of Indiana in May 2022 with her degree in Elementary Education. After graduation, she moved to the Dominican Republic where she is teaching first grade at a Christian bilingual school. She shares, “I am so excited for this next step God is leading me to, and I am thankful for the educational foundation NDA provided me!”

Mallory Mishler ‘19 graduated Summa cum Laude from Arizona State UniversityBarrett the Honors College, completing her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design in just six semesters! She also received the Moeur Award for maintaining a 4.0 GPA. While at ASU, Mallory and her rowing team qualified for the 2022 American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) Championships. Mallory spent the past summer at The EDGE Landscape Architects in Toledo, and began working toward an accelerated master’s in landscape architecture at ASU this fall. Mallory shares,

NDA’s Soccer Alumnae Game

“I’m very thankful to NDA for setting me up with the skills and foundation that have allowed me to thrive in college and beyond. From taking a heavy course load to excelling in the honors program, NDA and especially my IB classes helped teach me how rewarding the more difficult path can be!”

Jamie Lenart ‘18 graduated from Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati with her bachelor of science degree in nursing. She is licensed as a Registered Nurse, and working at ProMedica Toledo Hospital.

NDA’s soccer alumnae defeated the NDA Eagles soccer team 10-1 during their annual alumnae game on Sunday, July 31.

BOLD. BRILLIANT. BEAUTIFUL. BLESSED.

EaglesNest

Births

Michelle

Michelle (Hertzfeld) Kersey ‘99 and Ross Kersey welcomed a son, Theodore “Teddy” Barrett

Alexandria (Wilson) Schnur ‘03 and Jason Schnur welcomed their fourth son, Zachary in June 2022. Big brothers Jayden (9), Blake (6), and Matt (5) are excited about their new sibling! Theodore “Teddy” Barrett

Kathleen Hinko ‘00 and Chris Mancuso welcomed a son, Gabriel Sky

Elise (Seiwert) Conner ‘04 and Ben Conner welcomed a son, Michael Arthur

Elizabeth (McCarthy) DeBoer ’09 and Karl DeBoer welcomed a daughter, Hazel Mae

Lindsey (Cavese) Scherting '07 and Andrew Scherting welcomed a daughter, Magnolia Julie, "MJ" Allison (Keane) Evans ’15 and Patrick Evans welcomed a son, Ryan Christopher

Emily (Kolodgy) Baum ‘06 and Brad Baum welcomed a son, James Quinn

Hannah (Harms) Mickael ‘08 and Bishoy Mickael welcomed a daughter, Maya Angel

Carolyn (Miller) Byard ‘06 and Zachary Byard welcomed a daughter, Ella Marie

Maryellen (Mouch) Monico ‘10 and Alex Monico welcomed a daughter, Gabriella Ann

Cipriana (Gonzales) Drenski ‘12 and Aaron Drenski welcomed a daughter, Eliana

Caroline (Christy) Habrowski ‘06 and Chris Habrowski wel comed a son, Harrison Patrick

Shannon (Cluckey) Belkofer ‘09 welcomed a daughter, Charlotte Faith

Our Eagle Family is Growing!

(Carey) O'Brien '07 and Eric O'Brien welcomed a son, Jude Allen

Dana Winfield-Vingris ‘02 and Ryan Vingris welcomed a daughter, Margot Olivia

OneEagle

Marriages

Megan’s sister, Erin DeLaney ‘01, served as maid of honor and several other NDA

attended. Long-time class of ‘03 friends Nora (Devlin) Fitzgerald ‘03 and Rosanna (Violi) Hoelzle ‘03

Kathleen Martin ‘10 and Brian McDonald

Carley Ferguson ‘12 and Jamil Khan

Caitlin McComish ‘12 and Matthew Zmuda

Alexa Urbanski ‘14 and James Darkow

Jillian Fournier ‘15 and Jordan Mitchell

Teagan McNamara ‘15 and Stephen Barany

Mary Bishop ‘16 and Robbie Shear

Allis Dillon ‘17 and Noah Glass

Engagements

In Memoriam

JoAnn (Goetz) Rogers ‘43

Yolanda (Nyitray) Galambos ‘47

Patricia (Macklin) Sotak ‘47

Mary (Haselsberger) Beham ‘48

Sr. Arlene Marie Hoffman, SND ‘52

Theresa (Roberts) Paxton ‘52

Loretta (Bounward) Schrader ‘52

Janice (Dunlap) LaBine ‘53

Nancy (Kovesdi) Pirolli ‘54

Gail (Parachek) Martin ‘55

Sharon (Moore) Errington ‘56

Susan (Smith) Burgmaier ‘58

Sandra (Meyer) Bush ‘64

Marjorie (Manders) Grime ‘65

Barbara (Ritz) Eyre ‘66

Janet (Dompier) White ‘67

Suzanne (Stankey) Brickey ‘69

Ruth Ann (Voss) Hickman ‘72

Karen (Gasiorowski) Opdyke ‘72

Rose Myers ‘75

Cheryl (Tresnan) Reighard ‘80

Erin Caskey ‘15

Megan DeLaney ‘03 and Bradley Deaton

Sarah Kate Dangelo ‘13 and Nick Serra

Marisa Napoli ‘13 and Angelo Spinazze

Abigail Beham ‘09 and Matt Hankenhof

Kylie Foetisch ‘19 to Carter Smith

Abigail Hernandez ‘15 to Kevin Cruz

Megan DeLaney ‘03 married Bradley Deaton last June at Gesu Church in Toledo - Megan’s home parish growing up.

alum family members

were there to celebrate!

3535 West Sylvania Avenue Toledo, Ohio 43623