& AUCTION
HONORING
Joyce Tiangco Biolsi ’77 P’08 ’13
Saturday, March 22, 2025, 6-8pm at
The Ursuline School
*If fewer than 600 tickets are sold, the sweepstakes prize will be limited to a cash prize equal to 50% of ticket sales proceeds. Click to register and join the fun!
Submit an e-journal ad in honor of Joyce. Buy your sweepstakes ticket for the chance to win $30,000!*
Celebrating Two Decades of “The Koala” as We Honor the Woman Who Started It All
By Renata Cioth Mulder P’17
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, we’ll mark the 20th anniversary of the Koala Sweepstakes & Auction, a signature Ursuline fundraiser and annual gathering! We invite participation across the Ursuline community as we honor Joyce Tiangco Biolsi ’77 P’08 ’13 who initiated this event at Ursuline in 2005 and chaired it with creativity and dedication for eight years.
Joyce started the Koala Sweepstakes & Auction after experiencing a similar event at the elementary school that her daughters attended. The Koala, as some affectionately call it, has from the beginning been a two-hour cocktail reception organized by the Mothers’ Auxiliary which culminates in the exciting sweepstakes drawing for a cash prize. The goal is equally to raise money for the school and to host a fun gathering to foster networking and grow the Ursuline community.
The Koala has grown into a vibrant annual celebration and important fundraiser as additional features have been added, notably the enticing live auction items and unique Ursuline-themed silent auction items. For a number of years, the sweepstakes offered the choice of cash or a Jeep, made possible thanks to Augie Difeo P’02’16. The Fathers’ Club handles bartending responsibilities with enthusiasm and style, serving beverages to parents, alumnae, faculty,
and all in attendance who are united in support of the Ursuline mission.
Deepening Ursuline connections and living the motto of Serviam are priorities for Joyce. She attended Ursuline from 2nd grade to 12th grade. (Yes, there was a grammar
Joyce, Rob , Jules at Koala 2019
Seb Bulfamante P’27, Bonnie Gordon P’26, Joyce Tiangco Biolsi ‘77 P’08 ‘13, Jennifer Graziano ‘98 P’29
school as noted on page xx.) Joyce says, “Today I am best friends with girls from 5th and 7th grades and still friends with many Ursuline gals from my class. When I talk about my years at Ursuline, I always say that ‘I was free to be me’ because I attended school with only girls. The teaching staff and breadth of courses offered contributed to my overall success in college and life!”
Joyce and her husband, Rob, sent both their daughters to Ursuline from 6th grade to 12th grade. During the years that Jules Biolsi ‘08 and Lauren Biolsi ’13 were Ursuline students, Joyce directed her volunteering work through the Mothers’ Auxiliary. She co-chaired the annual Dinner & Fashion Show as well as the Mother-Daughter Communion Breakfast. She also served as Co-President of the Mothers’ Auxiliary. But it is The Koala which is most associated with her name, and where Joyce demonstrated the most amazing resourcefulness and hard work. This tireless passion to give back to the school was noteworthy, and recognized by Joyce’s classmates who nominated her for the St. Angela Award, which was presented to Joyce at Reunion 2012.
Joyce shares, “I am so proud that I initiated the Koala Sweepstakes at Ursuline! I am so proud that this evening continues to raise funds for Ursuline but most importantly that this has brought the entire Ursuline family together to work towards a goal, meet and mingle --- and someone wins $25,000 at the end of the evening!”
This year’s 20th anniversary celebration promises to be an unforgettable evening. Guests will enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and refreshments while bidding on extraordinary auction items. Click the pawprint to purchase your Sweepstakes ticket, register for the auction, and/or submit an ad in the digital journal to honor Joyce.
Be a part of this milestone!
