The Promise of Excellence: The Sacred Heart Academy Endowed Scholarship Fund

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THE SACRED HEART ACADEMY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND

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y soul is so overflowing with gratitude that I cannot find adequate words to express to you the fullness of this grateful feeling. We offer to God a heartfelt prayer for you, our Institute’s beneficent angels.

Mother Clelia Merloni, Foundress of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends, The Sacred Heart Academy Endowment Fund was founded in 1979 by then principal, Sr. Ritamary Schulz, ASCJ, ’59. A strong leader and true visionary, Sister realized decades ago that in order for Sacred Heart to continue the promise of excellence in Catholic education for young women, it was necessary to secure the future of the Academy. Thus the Sacred Heart Academy Endowment Fund was established with a goal of $150,000.

Today, Sr. Ritamary’s vision is a reality with an Endowment Fund valued at more than three million dollars which encompasses gifts to the general endowment as well as more than 60 named scholarships. With support from families, individuals, and companies, our endowment grows exponentially each year, making a Sacred Heart Academy education possible for all students who qualify academically, but are in need of financial assistance.

These pages highlight a sampling of our named scholarships. It is our hope that you will be inspired by these stories of love, gratitude, and generosity. Gifts to our Endowment Fund are the result of our donors’ belief in Sacred Heart Academy allowing thousands of students to realize the dream of a Sacred Heart education. As you read these beautiful stories, we ask for your prayers as we continue to fulfill the vision of Sr. Ritamary.

In His Heart,

Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71

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HOW TO SUPPORT ENDOWED AND NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS

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he Sacred Heart Academy Endowment Fund was established to provide need-based scholarships for Sacred Heart students. Gifts to the Endowment Fund help reduce tuition for students insuring that talented young women

from all backgrounds can make the dream of a Sacred Heart Academy education come true.

Gifts can be made to the Endowment Fund to support student scholarship. Donors also have the option of establishing named scholarships with a minimum gift of $15,000.00 which can be paid over a three-year period. Our Endowment Fund holds its principal in perpetuity and only pays out the interest received.

Join us as we continue to do everything possible to help families afford a Sacred Heart Academy education. Endowed scholarships are more than dollars, they are priceless investments in our students and they strengthen our community.

For more information, please contact the Sacred Heart Academy Office of Mission Advancement at 203-288-2309, x318.

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CLASS OF 1970 SCHOLARSHIP

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he “strong bonds” forged by Sacred Heart classmates extend far beyond the four years spent learning and growing in the halls of the Academy. In addition to forming friendships, alumnae are

connected within a sisterhood of nearly 7,000 women.

As the Class of 1970 strengthened those bonds over the years, they established a scholarship to support future generations of Sacred Heart Academy students. After celebrating their 30th reunion, ten members of the Class of 1970 joined to form a scholarship committee that included Valerie Crocco Canalori, Maura Wilson Coppola, Dolores DeFonzo Ennico, Liz McNulty Kuhn, Mary Ann Walsh Lewis, Nancy Clare Murphy, Agnes Squeglia Rutushni, Cynthia Savo, Diane Meskill Stewart, and Anne Harmon Sweeney. The committee rallied their classmates and became the first class to set up a scholarship fund and in their words, “leave a legacy that says we know we are our sisters’ keepers.”

In their first communication to classmates, the scholarship committee recalled that their reunion conversations had progressed from reminiscent to reflective. “We talked about the solid academic preparation Sacred Heart gave us for college and for life. We recognized the benefits of attending a school where intelligence, achievement, and spirituality go hand-in-hand,” they wrote. To acknowledge the gifts Sacred Heart had given them, the committee’s goal was to make the same opportunity available to students who could not otherwise afford to attend the Academy.

The Class of 1970 Scholarship was first awarded in 2005, in the year that the Class of 1970 celebrated its 35th reunion.

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ASSUMPTION REUNION SCHOLARSHIP

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n June 3, 1924, a generous gift of land from Pasquale and Annina Perrotti’s family farm in Woodbridge was legally turned over to The Church of the Assumption for the consideration of one dollar. Six months later, in

November 1924, the Church was dedicated.

For more than 50 years, the biggest social event on the Church’s calendar was the Feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady on August 15. Until 1963, two feasts were celebrated simultaneously: one hosted by the Church and a second, larger festival sponsored by the Santa Maria Assunta Society under the direction of the Perrotti family.

People traveled from New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to enjoy the parade, fireworks, entertainment, food, and games that spanned the five-day extravaganza, as it was one of the region’s largest festivals. In 1964, insurance costs, new permit requirements, and fire laws all led to the decision to discontinue the festival. Despite the end of the festival and the dissolution of the Santa Maria Assunta Society, the Perrotti family still gathered and celebrated at their Assumption Reunion.

In 2012, the Assumption Reunion Committee allocated funds to the Sacred Heart Academy Endowment and established the Assumption Reunion Scholarship.

While the Assumption Reunion had not taken place in many years, the committee wanted to ensure the preservation of the Catholic values and traditions that were essential to the Perrotti family and the first members of the Church of the Assumption.

“For our committee, the religious values, discipline, and academic program at Sacred Heart Academy exemplified the traditions that were instilled in us,” offered Dorothy Martino of Woodbridge. Her brother, Edward Martino, DDS, agreed, “The values just aligned.”

Today, the strong faith, strong work ethic, and strong enthusiasm of the beneficiaries of the Assumption Reunion Scholarship make generations of the Perrotti family and The Church of the Assumption proud.

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MARY BOWMAN SCHOLARSHIP

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hose who knew Mary Wolff Bowman are most familiar with her adage, “In life there are givers and takers – choose to be a giver.” They are aware that this quotation

needs no explanation; her life embodied its very definition. Mary Bowman, born in 1930 in Waterbury, Connecticut, lived her life as a “giver.” An intelligent and independent woman with an engaging personality, Mary was an extraordinary mother and grandmother. She achieved the perfect balance of faith, family, and personal interests, and her life serves as an example for her entire family and others. To honor Mary’s life and perpetuate her spirit, James and Michelle Bowman established the Mary Bowman Scholarship in 2011.

Having raised eight children, seven sons and a daughter, Mary understood and appreciated that they all had different strengths, needs, and aspirations, and encouraged each of her children to follow their dreams, be independent, and remember to be generous to those in need.

Mary’s son James, who serves on the Advisory Council, and his wife Michelle agree that Mary would have been incredibly impressed with the young women of Sacred Heart Academy. “As we look at Sacred Heart and all that is taught here, we see a lot of what our mother believed in. She would be thrilled to know that three of her granddaughters—Nicole “Kiki” Bowman ’12, Erin Bowman ’13, and Maryanne Bowman ’15—had the privilege of walking the halls of the Academy. She would applaud the efforts of Sacred Heart women, be encouraged by their fortitude, and pleased with their sense of self and spunk,” the Bowmans shared.

Sacred Heart Academy strives to instill in each Excelsior Woman all

that Mary Bowman stood for and believed in. Recipients of the Mary Bowman Scholarship honor Mary’s choice to be a “giver.”

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ANGELINA & PHILIP PAOLELLA, SR. SCHOLARSHIP PHILIP PAOLELLA, JR. SCHOLARSHIP

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ccording to the revered poet and educator Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.” This sentiment truly captures the charitable spirit of the late Philip

Paolella, Sr. and Angelina Gagliardi Paolella, and their son, the late Philip Paolella, Jr., all of whom shared a love for Sacred Heart Academy and wholeheartedly believed in the value of service and devotion to those less fortunate.

A native of New Haven, Phil, Sr. married Angelina Gagliardi in 1944 and they began a life and family together that has spanned four generations. Several family members graduated from Sacred Heart Academy and collectively they have been staunch supporters of the school from its beginning. The patriarch Phil Sr. was a member of the Sacred Heart Academy Advisory Board when the school opened in 1946. Over the years, he and his wife Angie were influential in acquiring donations to support the Academy and often visited the Sisters with their six children. Their daughter, Sr. Mary Jane Paolella, ASCJ, ’65 is currently a member of the Sacred Heart Academy Science Department. In 2009, Phil, Sr. and Angie established the Angelina & Philip Paolella, Sr. Scholarship.

Their son, Philip, Jr., shared his parents’ commitment to community service, their love of Sacred Heart Academy, and the charitable spirit that the school embodies. Also a member of the Sacred Heart Academy Advisory Board, he was an avid supporter of the school’s athletic program, and was often seen at games and tournaments, even while undergoing chemotherapy near the end of his life. His dedication and humility were evident, especially on occasions when he visited the principal’s office to anonymously underwrite the tuition of a student in need. Upon his death in 1994, Phil Jr.’s wife, Karlyn and the Paolella family established the Philip Paolella, Jr. Scholarship. His daughter Jeni Elizabeth Paolella is an alumna from the Class of 1998.

The Paolella legacy is alive and well—both scholarships continue to offer assistance to exemplary students with financial need. Through these scholarships, the spirit of the Paolella family reaches out to future generations.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SUPREME COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIP

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Catholic fraternal organization founded in 1882 at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, the Knights of Columbus now has more than 1.8 million members in the Americas, Europe, and

Asia. For more than 130 years, it has provided for the financial security of its members and their families. The organization employs 800 people at its New Haven headquarters and operates a world-renowned museum at One State Street in the Elm City. The Knights of Columbus continues to uphold its founding principle of charity and is a key contributor to a myriad of notable charities, including Catholic educational scholarship opportunities.

Catholic education at all levels has been, and continues to be, of paramount importance to this organization, which provides financial support through scholarships, loans, and grants. In the New Haven area alone, the Knights maintain a robust Catholic High School Fund that distributes earnings to three area schools, including Sacred Heart Academy.

In 2011, the Knights of Columbus was honored with the Hearts of the Community Award for unending dedication and service to Sacred Heart Academy and the community beyond. With deep appreciation, the award acknowledged years of generosity and kindness to Sacred Heart Academy, and support of Catholic education, volunteerism, and charity to causes and organizations throughout the world. In turn, the Knights established the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council Scholarship.

Sacred Heart students – past, present, and future – have greatly benefited from the generosity of the Knights of Columbus. The financial assistance this fraternal organization has given to Catholic education is truly a blessing and a gift.

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MONICA A. O’NEILL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP & JOHN J. & CORRINE S. O’NEILL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

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he O’Neill family has supported Sacred Heart Academy since Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71, the youngest daughter of John Joseph O’Neill II and Rose Conefrey O’Neill, enrolled in 1967. Now our first president,

Sr. Sheila was the first in a long line of O’Neill women to attend the Academy, spanning three generations. Seven of her nieces and one of her great-nieces are alumnae. Today, the O’Neill legacy lives on through two endowed scholarships— the Monica A. O’Neill Memorial Scholarship and the John J. & Corrine O’Neill Memorial Scholarship.

Monica A. O’Neill left Benham Hill as a new Sacred Heart graduate in 1975. She earned her degree in nursing from Southern Connecticut State University and went on to pursue a master’s in public health at Yale University. From there, she began a successful career in insurance, the business side of her field. Helping to save a fledgling insurance business, she dedicated her free time and weekends to mentoring newcomers in the insurance field.

In 2006, Monica was diagnosed with cancer. When it became clear that treatment would not result in a cure, she established a scholarship at Sacred Heart to acknowledge the Academy for her success. She credited the school as the foundation for continuing her education and her career as a businesswoman. Since 2007, the year of Monica’s death, the Monica A. O’Neill Memorial Scholarship has been awarded annually to a deserving student.

John J. O’Neill III, brother of Sr. Sheila, was inspired by his niece Monica’s generosity to Sacred Heart Academy and realized that additional investments of this kind make a lasting difference in the lives of young women. Since John was serving in the Air Force and living out-of-state, his own daughters did not attend Sacred Heart. Regardless, he believed wholeheartedly in a Sacred Heart Academy education and established a scholarship in memory of his wife, Corrine. When he died in 2013, the scholarship was renamed the John J. & Corrine S. O’Neill Memorial Scholarship.

For the O’Neill family, these scholarships do as much for the giver as for the receiver. Most importantly, the memory of loved ones is kept alive. Letters from scholarship recipients remind them that their legacy continues. The O’Neills are honored to provide young women the opportunity to build a strong foundation with an education that lasts a lifetime.

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MARIE D. COLASANTO SCHOLARSHIP

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he Sacred Heart Academy faculty hallway is lined with photographs of current faculty members fully engaged in their craft at work in the classroom. One of the walls is adorned with

delicate script that silently declares, “Education is a labor of love,” as said

by Mother Clelia Merloni, foundress of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If ever an educator perfectly demonstrated the validity of this statement, it was Marie DelGreco Colasanto.

Marie’s daughter, Suzanne Colasanto, Esq., ’73 offers, “To say that she touched many lives would be a gross understatement. My brother Edward and I are forever meeting people who ask us, ‘Are you related to Mrs. Colasanto? She was my favorite teacher. She taught me how to research and write papers’ or ‘I hated English, but Mrs. Colasanto made it interesting.’ ” Marie was born in New Haven in 1927 and attended Hillhouse High School. She graduated from Albertus Magnus College in 1949 and began a long and meaningful career as an English teacher, having taught at St. Mary’s High School, Albertus Magnus College, Sacred Heart Academy, and Mount Sacred Heart Junior College for Sisters in formation. During her long tenure at Sacred Heart, Marie served as the chair of the English Department.

Marie loved to cook, bake, garden, and travel with her husband, Edward.

“More than anything else, she loved to read—anything and everything,” remembers Suzanne. In 2008, Marie died after a long illness.

Upon Marie’s retirement, Sacred Heart Academy established the Marie D. Colasanto Scholarship to honor the tenure of a truly gifted teacher who immeasurably impacted the young women of Sacred Heart Academy.

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PELLEGRINO FAMILY SCHOLARSHIPS

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he Pellegrino family has long been considered one of Sacred Heart Academy’s first legacy families. When the Academy began to outgrow its space on Greene Street in New Haven, Bernard Pellegrino located the perfect site in Hamden and was instrumental in the acquisition

of what soon became known as the Mount. Since the early 1940s, members of the Pellegrino family have sustained the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with unparalleled love, friendship, and financial support.

Many of the Sisters share stories of the frequent pasta parties hosted by Bernard and Frances at their home in Hamden and no one can forget the chocolate and pistachio cakes Frances sent back to the convent. This budding relationship was the foundation for what would become a strong family legacy and dedication to Sacred Heart Academy.

Religion and education are very important to the Pellegrino family. The Pellegrino males attended Notre Dame High School in West Haven, and the females attended Sacred Heart. The family therefore has firsthand knowledge of the many benefits of Catholic education and, more specifically, a Sacred Heart Academy education.

The Bernard Pellegrino Scholarship and the Frances Irene Pellegrino Scholarship were the first scholarships established at Sacred Heart. In later years, Pellegrino family members established the Alphonse & Jean Pellegrino Scholarship, the Harold Pellegrino Scholarship, the Lydia Pellegrino Scholarship, the John & Louise Tenedine Scholarship, the Albert B. & Lois Pellegrino Scholarship, and the Bernard A. & Dolores Pellegrino Scholarship.

The Pellegrino family has supported the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Academy in many ways. Bernard’s youngest brother Harold and his wife Margie, and their daughter Joyce generously provided gowns for May Crowning and tuxedos, hats, gloves, and dresses for operettas.

Alphonse and Jean also formed a relationship with the Sisters and students through May Crowning and operettas. Alphonse’s son Albert B. and his wife Lois were very active in the Mothers’ and Fathers’ Clubs while their daughter attended Sacred Heart. Bernard’s sister and her husband Louise and John Tenedine also supported the Academy financially and, for many years Louise gave piano lessons to students. Bernard’s son Bernard A. and his wife Dolores actively volunteered while their four daughters attended the school. Dolores was president of the Mothers’ Club while Bernie helped build the softball field and spearheaded the campaign to establish an endowment fund. Bernard’s granddaughters and great granddaughters continue the legacy of involvement in the school’s fundraising activities.

Bernard and Frances Pellegrino’s love for the Apostles of the Sacred Heart has spanned more than four generations and continues to grow as the family continues to be educated at Sacred Heart Academy.

They laid the foundation for multiple generations of faithful service and steadfast commitment to the Apostles and Sacred Heart Academy.

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ELIZABETH IOVANNE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

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lizabeth “Betty” Fracasso Iovanne graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in 1951. As a member of one of the very first classes, Betty represents the “Heritage and Promise”

that has been a strong foundation for decades of young women.

The students who attended Sacred Heart on Greene Street in New Haven from 1946-1957, now recognized as the “Greene Street Girls,” pioneered the premier Catholic education envisioned by founding principal Sr. Antonine Signorelli, ASCJ and the Apostles.

As an alumna and parent, Betty advanced the Sisters’ mission for many years. Today, her dedication to Sacred Heart and love of the school is kept alive through the Elizabeth Iovanne Memorial Scholarship, established by her husband E. William “Bill” Iovanne.

Born in New Haven in 1933, Betty was the beloved wife of Bill, a 1951 graduate of Notre Dame High School in West Haven. The mother of Beth Iovanne Blazevich ’75, William, David, and Richard, who now serves on the Advisory Council, Betty cared for all, was a friend to many, and was a major advocate for Catholic education.

She was an ardent supporter of Sacred Heart, particularly during her daughter’s years, and she and Bill were deeply involved in the Mothers’ and Fathers’ Clubs. Bill served on the Advisory Board and was head varsity softball coach for more than 15 years.

“Betty was a most gracious and refined woman who was active in Mothers’ Club during and after her daughter Beth’s four years at SHA. She had a gentle spirit, wonderful appreciation of others, and quiet sense of humor. She enjoyed life, especially Bill’s teasing,” remembers Sr. Ritamary Schulz, ASCJ, ’59, two-time principal of the Academy (1975-1984 and 1998-2007).

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CHARLES B. & MARY E. ROSE SCHOLARSHIP

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harles B. and Mary Edwards Rose knew the immeasurable value of a Catholic education. Their commitment to Catholic organizations throughout Connecticut was testament to their strong character and faith. The Charles

B. & Mary E. Rose Memorial Scholarship was established following Mary’s death in 2004. The dedication to Catholic education and Sacred Heart Academy lives on, not only through their daughters and granddaughters, but also through the young women who have and will continue to reap the benefits of this scholarship.

Charles (1927-2005) was a 1947 graduate of St. Mary’s High School in New Haven and a 1953 Fairfield University graduate. He was a former trustee of St. Brendan Church in New Haven and Eucharistic Minister at St.Vincent Ferrer Church in Naugatuck. Mary (1933-2004) graduated from New Haven State Teacher’s College—now Southern Connecticut State University—in 1965 and worked as an elementary school teacher at the former Abraham Lincoln School and St. Brendan’s School in New Haven. She was a member of the New Haven Council of Catholic Women and St. Brendan Women’s Guild, as well as other organizations dedicated to the Catholic mission.

Charlie was recognized as a Hearts of the Community honoree by the Academy in 1999 for his many years of commitment, compassion, and dedication to the Sacred Heart community. He served for many years on the Advisory Board, including four terms as president and he was also president of the Fathers’ Club while Mary concurrently served as president of the Mothers’ Club.

Both Charles and Mary were members of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus’ 100th Anniversary Capital Campaign Committee. Launched in 2002, this five-year campaign, Celebrating 100 Years of Giving from the Heart, was designed to fund the Apostles’ efforts to renovate the Provincialate building and grow the ASCJ Retirement Fund. The renovations included a new wing for the Academy, providing additional classrooms, office space, and a new technology center.

Charles and Mary are the parents of Sacred Heart graduates, Mary Ellen Rose Montefusco ’79 and Margaret Rose Rybacki ’81. Their son Charles, Jr. married Claire Gillooly Rose ’76. The Roses enjoyed spending time with their seven grandchildren, including Kerry Rose ’01, Sarah Rybacki ’13, and Emma Rybacki ’15, especially times together at the Academy.

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SACRED HEART ACADEMY 265 Benham Street ı Hamden, CT 06514 - 2801 www.sacredhearthamden.org 28