Blue & Gold Winter 2025

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Blue Gold

WINTER 2025

FUTURE FOCUSED: Imagining More at Waldron Mercy

CO-ED VARSITY SOCCER TEAMS: 1999 VS. 2024

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THEN

NOW

IN THIS ISSUE SPRING 2025

Waldron Mercy Academy, a Catholic School sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, is a diverse, faith community rooted in the Gospel values of Mercy and Justice. We are a school where the Joy of Discovery inspires Serious Study, Social Responsibility, and Strong Faith.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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In Memoriam

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Letter from Head of School

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Howley Foundation Grant

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2024/2025 School Year Theme

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Stars & Stripes

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On & Off Campus

FOLLOW WMA ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES : FACEBOOK

In honor of our Critical Concern of Care for the Earth, the Blue & Gold is going digital! Scan here to ensure that we have your correct email address, or opt-in to receiving a hard copy in addition to the online version.

13 Golf Classic 14 Families of Waldron Mercy

facebook.com/WaldronMercyAcademy

16 Mercy in Action

INSTAGRAM

18 2023-2024 Annual Report

instagram.com/waldronmercy

LINKEDIN

linkedin.com/company/ waldron-mercy-academy

24 Alumni Notes 30 Alumni Features: Writers & Broadcasters Blue & Gold

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IN MEMORIAM Robert Barnes ‘58 Anthony Coletta ‘67 Margaret J ‘Peggie’ Castagna, sister of Eileen Aurand (former faculty) Norma Di Cocco, grandmother of Maria ‘04, Daniella ‘12, Gabbi ‘12, & Michael ‘09 Rizzo Mitchell Stern, son of Beth Hymel (former faculty) Francis Travascio, f ather of Nell Stetser (former principal), grandfather of Peter ‘09, Andrew ‘11, Jay ‘16 Stetser

Jonathan Kelly, brother of Susan O’Neill ‘92 and Jeff Kelly ‘94 Catherine Pooler, grandmother of Aidan Pooler ‘26 William Colgan, brother of Anne Wellman Robert McGinley, Great Uncle of Marguerite ‘25, Andrew ‘27 and Colin ‘29 Toner Edward McFadden, father of Joanne Dougherty (former faculty), grandfather of Maddie ‘14 and Isabel ‘17 Dougherty

Dorothy Conroy, grandmother of Sophia Conroy ‘26 Ronald Pernat, grandfather of Blake ‘27 and Lucas ‘30 Pernat Stephen Stritch Jr., f ather of Steve Stritch (former principal), and grandfather of Jim ‘94, Patrick ‘95, Stephen ‘00, and John Thomas ‘09 Stritch

Kathleen Bruder, Mother of Thomas Bruder ‘76 and widow of Thomas A. Bruder ‘50 Birchard T. Clothier ‘50 Frank D. Eichman ‘52 Francis X. McWilliams ‘70 Nell Willemin was a former Learning

Center teacher from 1973 through 2008.

She passed away on January 17, 2025 and is the mother of Anthony ‘70 and Richard Willemin ‘73. Many WMA current and former faculty members remained close to Mrs. Willemin and visited her often. She was an avid reader who loved to discuss current topics.

Mary Ann Craig was a former second

grade teacher from 1987 through 1990 at which time she entered the Sisters of Saint Francis and became Sister Mary Anne Craig.

Ms. Craig/Sister Mary Anne was an excellent and exuberant teacher who valued education and went on to earn a Doctorate in Theology from LaSalle University.

OPENING REMARKS

From the Head of School: Dear Waldron Mercy Academy Community, It gives me great pleasure to share the 2025-2026 Blue & Gold with you.

This issue serves as a reflection and celebration of our achievements, growth, and the spirit of mercy that defines Waldron Mercy Academy.

Within these pages, you will find a report on the previous year’s Waldron Fund appeal and information on ways in which you can support our current “Waldron for the Win” appeal. The Waldron Fund has supported countless initiatives that enhance the educational experience for our students. Your generous contributions to this fund not only help maintain our high standards of academic excellence but also provide essential resources for innovative programs, extracurricular activities, service and outreach projects, professional development, and tuition assistance. Your support truly makes a difference, ensuring that children can grow and thrive in a community rooted in mercy, compassion, and kindness.

This year, we have much to celebrate, not least of which is the monumental grant of $5.2 million from The Howley Foundation. We are extremely grateful for their partnership, generosity, and support. This transformative grant will empower us to expand our programs and reimagine learning spaces for children at every grade level and create a bright future for students through the Howley Scholars program.

We are, as always, thrilled to bring you updates and details on a variety of Waldron Mercy Academy alumni, including a feature article profiling those who have excelled in the field of writing. In this issue you will also find special recognitions for esteemed retirees Marguerite Flynn (from the Advancement department) and Barbara Baldwin (from the Stars & Stripes program.) Their dedication and service have left an indelible mark on our school community, and we honor their contributions with deep appreciation.

As you read through this publication, I encourage you to reflect on the shared accomplishments that we have achieved together. Your commitment and support not only help us celebrate our past but also inspire us as we look forward to the future. Thank you for being an integral part of the Waldron Mercy Academy family.

In Mercy,

Dr. Jacqueline Coccia Head of School

Kristen Romano

Director of Lower School

Theresa Gannon

Director of Middle School

Greg Soltis

Director of Religious Education & Outreach

Philip D’Ambrosio Director of Athletics

Suzanne Gallagher

Director of Enrollment Management

Mark Murray

Director of Finance & Operations

Barb Scott

Director of Technology

Waldron Mercy Academy 513 Montgomery Avenue Merion Station, PA 19066 610.664.9847

www.waldronmercy.org Blue & Gold is published by the Marketing & Communications office for the alumni, parents, and friends of Waldron Mercy Academy.

Contributors

Jacquelyn German Marguerite Flynn

Photography

Jacquelyn German

Design Template Caili Fogarty ‘07 Cailin Rose Designs

Jacqueline Coccia, Ed.D

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HOWLEY FOUNDATION With a deep sense of gratitude, Waldron Mercy Academy is delighted to announce a monumental grant valued at $5.2 million from The Howley Foundation, which is the largest grant in the school’s 100-year history.

The impact of this grant will be transformational for the Waldron Mercy community, as the grant focuses on enhancing programs and learning spaces for students of all ages; providing financial aid in the form of scholarships; and investing in building enhancements and upgrades that will contribute to a more productive learning environment.

The Howley Foundation, established by Nick and Lorie Howley over 20 years ago, provides educational opportunities for students at the elementary, high school, and postsecondary levels. Particularly, The Howley Foundation is interested in programs that prepare students through academic excellence, nurture personal growth, and emphasize character education.

“We at The Howley Foundation believe that the best way to create social and economic mobility and improve lives is to provide good educational opportunities,” shared Meg Howley, Executive Director and daughter of Nick and Lorie. “We believe a quality education combines both strong academic programs and a component of character formation. Having a family history with Waldron Mercy, we know that they deliver in both of these areas. I am glad that we are able to help make a Waldron Mercy education possible for more students and contribute to necessary updates to the facility.”

The Howley Foundation has committed $2.4 million to transform both Waldron Mercy’s third floor, all-ages Design & Innovation Lab and its Garden Level Early Childhood Education learning space which houses Preschool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, and Montessori classes. This funding is a vital step in Waldron Mercy’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality educational experiences for our students, beginning in the earliest years.

“A nurturing and stimulating atmosphere is essential for students of all ages, and thanks to the generosity of The Howley Foundation we can create vibrant spaces that inspire educational growth, creativity, and exploration,” said Dr. Jacqueline Coccia, Head of School. “As we envision renovations that integrate innovative technologies with an environment that fosters collaboration, we are incredibly grateful for this extraordinary commitment.”

Additionally, the total takes into account $1.8 million of anticipated scholarships over the next ten years. The Howley Scholars Program has and will continue to provide access to a Waldron Mercy education for students who otherwise may not have been able to attend.

The Howley Foundation has also pledged an additional $1 million challenge grant towards the completion of HVAC work on all floors of the school, ensuring upgraded air quality, physical comfort, and a more productive learning environment for students, faculty, staff and guests.

“This generous commitment will be instrumental in sustaining our Mercy mission and core values which have united our community for 100 years,” said Joan Barone, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “It will ensure that we continue to provide an environment that nurtures innovation and growth, and we are truly grateful to The Howley Foundation for their role in the bright future of Waldron Mercy Academy.”

2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR THEME: CHOOSING HARMONY; CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PEACE Catherine McAuley opened the House of Mercy to respond to the needs of her “time.

Today, we as Mercy ministries are called to respond to the needs of our time... As Mercy schools, we must embrace nonviolence, not only as a moral imperative but also as a pragmatic pathway towards sustainable peace and meaningful change. – Mercy Education

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In coordination with Mercy Education and their focus for this year, our 2024-2025 school year theme, “Choosing Harmony; Creating a Community of Peace” focuses on the Critical Concern of Nonviolence. This theme has and will be woven into our curriculum and programs in a variety of ways throughout the year.

In our second grade, a “Peacemaker of the Week” is being highlighted in the hallways, showing peers and guests which students are going above and beyond to be a model of peace in their classrooms.

Our 4th grade students learned about the Works of Mercy and performed a total of 311 works in 6 weeks, with 7 students completing ALL of the Works!

Our 7th grade created a hallway display of doves, with each student writing about ways they show peace in their own communities.

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S TA RS

& STRIPES Thank you

BARBARA BALDWIN! Our Stars & Stripes Theatre program allows students in grades two through four to participate in a mini Broadway musical every spring. This program is a highlight of the Waldron Mercy Lower School experience and we are incredibly grateful for the direction and leadership of Barbara Baldwin throughout the years.

“Overall, fear of public speaking is America’s biggest phobia,” Baldwin explains. “My motivation for creating Stars & Stripes Theatre was for WMA’s younger students to have an activity to help develop confidence. Not only by speaking in front of a crowd, but also by acting, singing, dancing, and having fun while doing it!

I have truly been blessed to have worked with so many kind, wonderful and talented individuals along the way.”

The Stars & Stripes Theatre program, a rarity among our elementary school peers, is without a doubt one of our proudest achievements, and would not have been possible without the incredible talents and wisdom of its founder, Barbara Baldwin. We are immeasurably thankful for her guidance for the past 17 years and look forward to seeing her in the audience this year as she transitions from Director to proud supporter!

Thank you Barbara!

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ON & OFF CAMPUS CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WALDRON MERCY ACADEMY CLASS OF 2024!

We celebrated the graduation of these incredible students on Monday, June 3 with a beautiful ceremony in the Motherhouse Chapel. The Class of 2024 has gone on to attend the following high schools, and we are incredibly proud of all of their accomplishments!

Archbishop John Carroll High School

Malvern Preparatory School

Episcopal Academy

Merion Mercy Academy

Friends Central

Mount St. Joseph Academy

Germantown Academy

Academy of Notre Dame de Namur

The Haverford School

Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

LaSalle College High School

Sacred Heart Academy

Lower Merion HIgh School

St. Joseph’s Preparatory School

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ON & OFF CAMPUS PERFORMING ARTS Fairy tale creatures & confused townsfolk… An ogre in a swamp and talking frogs… We had quite a creative spring season for the arts here at WMA! Our Stars & Stripes Theatre (grades 2-4) performed “Thwacked! A Fractured Fable of Frogs, Folks and Falling Skies!” while our 5th through 8th graders put on a rousing rendition of “Shrek the Musical Jr.” Both performances were incredible from start to finish and we are so proud of all of the students and staff who work so hard to make these shows a huge success each year.

SPRING SPORTS As the school year came to a close, we also wrapped up another amazing season of sports here at WMA. Our Tigers competed in Baseball, Softball, Track & Field and Lacrosse, and performed admirably at both the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels. We are especially proud of our Track & Field athletes who competed in the Penn Relays in May, representing Waldron among a myriad of incredible athletes from the Philadelphia area and beyond!

FIELD DAY The stakes were high but the spirits were higher. Which team would be crowned champion of this year’s Field Day, blue or white? After a morning of super fun events and activities and an afternoon of picnics and relaxation, the winner was declared to be... BLUE! Thank you to our Athletic Director Mr. D’Ambrosio for organizing a fun and festive Field Day!

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NASA Waldron Mercy Academy students have been enthusiastically tackling a series of NASA SPARX challenges, bringing STEM learning to life through real-world, hands-on activities. Across various grade levels, students have completed six exciting challenges so far, with more in progress. Each grade group focuses on different aspects of space exploration, giving them the opportunity to learn, experiment, and problem-solve collaboratively.

In our K-2 classes, the youngest learners are building models of NASA’s Space Launch System, a project that fosters teamwork as students brainstorm, discuss, and compromise on designs to create a cohesive build. Moving up to grades 3-5, students have been diving into the Artemis mission. They are writing creative stories from the perspective of space explorers and working meticulously to replicate rocket parts based on blueprints provided by NASA. Our middle school students in grades 6-8 are developing skills in both engineering and robotics. They’ve designed cardboard rovers and are learning to code robots capable of performing tasks from a distance, such as navigating mazes to trigger a target — in their case, a fun twist: the button started a 30-second dance party! Additionally, the 6th grade class recently completed their first experiment for NASA’s Growing Beyond Earth program, successfully cultivating crops within the VEGGIE system. With findings reported back to NASA, these students are now preparing proposals for their own experiments in crop growth and sustainability. Through these projects, Waldron Mercy Academy students are gaining hands-on experience and contributing to scientific discovery.

WOLF PAC We are so excited that some of our littlest learners had the opportunity to partner with the Wolf Performing Arts Center for an innovative initiative, called “Storytime Explorers!” Last spring, our PreKindergarten classes began working with a dedicated teaching artist who guided students through an exploration of the Actor’s Tools of Body, Voice & Imagination, through ensemble building, character creation, and guided narration activities. These youngest of actors began building theatrical skills through collaborative play and storytelling, and we are thrilled to continue the program this school year!

NJHS Waldron Mercy Academy is pleased to announce that we have become a member school of the National Junior Honor Society! The NJHS elevates our school’s commitment to the values of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship and helps our students continue to develop the knowledge and skills to become well-rounded student leaders in their school, community, and beyond. We were thrilled to induct our inaugural members on November 13th at a special Community Gathering presentation, and we look forward to following along as these students are empowered to make a difference at WMA and beyond.

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ON & OFF CAMPUS LITTLE FREE LIBRARY This summer, Waldron Mercy Academy welcomed a new addition to its campus: a Little Free Library, built and installed by four of our 6th grade students as part of their Girl Scouts Bronze Award project. Inspired by their love for reading, the troop members decided to bring this idea to Waldron Mercy, creating a space where students and community members can share books and connect through their love of reading.

“LET’S TALK ABOUT IT” AFFINITY GROUP This group is a place for students in grades 6-8 to engage in dialogue, work together, and unite through meetings and events focused on culturally relevant issues. Recently, the entire group read the book “The Skin I’m In” and had the opportunity to discuss the book with author Sharon Flake, shown here! They have also been studying the Great Migration, emancipation and lesser known civil rights activists.

LEGACY STUDENTS In November, we celebrated Legacy Day here at WMA! Legacy students are those who have a parent or grandparent who graduated from WMA or MMA, and we are so blessed to watch multiple generations walk the halls of our school. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special celebration!

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G O LF

CLASSIC

On Monday, September 30th we gathered to celebrate and honor Ms. Marguerite “Peg” Flynn during our Golf Classic at Radnor Valley Country Club. Our golfers enjoyed the beautiful course and our reception was filled with heartwarming speeches detailing the immeasurable impact that Ms. Flynn has made on the Waldron Mercy community.

Joan Barone, Chair of the Board of Trustees shared that Peg “has never been afraid to roll up her sleeves and get a job done, always with a remarkable sense of humor and enthusiasm. She has forged so many lasting relationships along the way and has been a true model of Mercy in everything she does.”

Barkley Sample, class of ‘77, went on to add that Peg “is a Waldron Mercy institution.

Her complete and utter joy and love for WMA has had an outsized impact within the Advancement and Development teams throughout her tenure, and she has been the most influential factor in keeping the Alumni connected to Waldron.”

It was our pleasure and honor to present Peg with the Mother Patricia Waldron award for faithful service in the spirit of mercy with compassionate dedication and

devotion to the Waldron community. We are so grateful for the guidance and wisdom of Ms. Flynn, and wish her nothing but the best in retirement!

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FAMILIES OF WALDRON HIGHTOWER

Meg, Chris, Carter ‘28, Colette ‘38 “WMA emphasizes academic excellence while staying fully committed to their student’s well-being. It’s a great feeling to know that while your children are challenged academically, the faculty and staff at WMA truly care about the children as students and as people.”

“WMA instills the values of mercy, responsibility, integrity, kindness, and perseverance into our children and we hope that they carry these important traits with them far into the future!”

“Our favorite event is WMA homecoming. With so many events taking place throughout the day, it’s fun to be able to participate and support our friends!”

GOLDEN

Kevin, Jill, Cole ‘30, Tess ‘33 “Waldron is truly distinguishable from other schools because of its deep sense of community and the mercy values that are lived by every member of the staff and shared with our children daily. The faculty and staff know our children personally, are committed to their development, and are instilling core values of love, peace, generosity and mercy.”

“Cole and Tess are learning the value of service and we are so grateful for that. They care about the world we live in and want to make it better. Waldron offers so many opportunities for our children to practice daily acts of service for one another and our community. We feel that Waldron is helping us to raise kind and considerate future citizens! We hope that Cole and Tess continue to serve others in need now and in the future.”

“Waldron has an incredible sense of community. From the very beginning, the faculty, staff and other parents

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have been warm and welcoming. Waldron has offered so many opportunities for our family to bond and to bond with other families. This spirit of community is shared with our children everyday. We love hearing our children share stories from Community Gathering, helping them put together Hope Snacks, and sitting on the sidelines with fellow parents at sporting events. Waldron is home for our family.”

NOLAN

Alison, Mike, Matthew & Bryan ‘15, Jared ‘16

“We love the WMA community! From the moment you walk through the door at Waldron, you feel at home.

The teachers and staff are incredibly welcoming, creating a warm and supportive environment. You feel comfortable when dropping your children off at WMA, knowing they are in caring and capable hands. Our boys have maintained lifelong friendships from their Waldron days, and we’ve also made some of our best friends through our time at Waldron.”

“Beyond its commitment to academic excellence, Waldron sets itself apart by fostering a culture of service that extends beyond the classroom. The dedicated teachers and staff inspire students at every grade level to embrace compassion and take action to help others in the community. Through service projects and a values-driven curriculum, students develop a sense of social responsibility and empathy. They leave WMA with the motivation and confidence to make a meaningful, positive impact on the world around them.”

“WMA instilled in our children the values of respect and perseverance. Respect taught them to value diverse perspectives and build meaningful relationships. Perseverance gave them the strength to face challenges head-on, remain resilient during tough times, and continue striving toward their goals with determination.

These qualities have been pivotal to their personal growth and success.”

“Homecoming was always a special event at Waldron. No matter the grade or age of your children, there was something fun for everyone to enjoy. As a parent, it was a wonderful opportunity to connect with other parents and engage with teachers and staff in a relaxed setting outside of the school day.”

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M er c y

IN ACTION

“The poor need help today, not next week” VENERABLE CATHERINE MCAULEY

MERCY NEIGHBORHOOD MINISTRIES

Students here at WMA have the opportunity to serve with Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, Inc. in a variety of ways, from Preschool all the way through 8th grade. This year, our 7th and 8th graders have restarted in-person visits to MNM, where they enjoy arts & crafts and musical activities with both preschool children and seniors! Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, run by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and members of the Tioga-Nicetown community for more than 35 years, operates child care, adult day care and adult education programs for 300 children, adults and seniors on a daily basis.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI In early October, St. Francis of Assisi school in Springfield, Delaware County was ravaged by a massive fire. The school, located serves preschool through eighth-grade students and is part of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Many local schools, businesses and organizations rallied behind SFA as they began the process of rebuilding and identifying an alternative place for their students to learn. Here at Waldron Mercy, we lent support in a variety of ways, including monetary donations collected by our Volleyball team and the donation of iPads from our technology department. We continue to pray for the healing and health of the St. Francis of Assisi community!

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MERCY DAY WALKATHON/ KIDS AGAINST HUNGER Every year on September 24th, sisters, associates, companions, donors, staff, students, and all in the global Mercy family are invited to celebrate the opening of the first House of Mercy, on Baggot Street in Dublin, Ireland, in 1827. We call this celebration Mercy Day. Traditionally on Mercy Day, Waldron Mercy participates in a Walkathon, with family and friends sponsoring students for this event. The money raised purchases ingredients for meals that students in grades K through 8 prepare and pack with their Big & Little Buddies on Halloween to support the mission of local organization Kids Against Hunger. This year, we packed over 19,000 meals for members of our local community who are struggling with food insecurity. Thank you to everyone who donated to support this cause!

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2023-2024 ANNUAL REPORT OF GIFTS Thank you to our many donors who generously contributed to Waldron Mercy Academy in the fiscal year July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

These gifts have an immediate impact on the excellent education we provide our students and enable us to continue our enriching and challenging curriculum, our championship athletics, our stellar visual and performing arts programs, and our award-winning competitions in Music, Reading, Spanish, and Spelling.

Gift Designation Breakdown: 7/1/23-6/30/24

The names listed under each giving level represent the many ways members of our WMA community lend their support, including gifts to The Waldron Fund, Scholarship Fund, Special Designated Fund, EITC/OSTC, Tigerfest, 100th Anniversary Initiative, and the Table of Mercy Cafeteria Transformation Project.

The continued support of our board members, alumni, alumni parents, current parents, faculty/staff, corporations, foundations, and friends also help to fund professional development opportunities for our faculty and staff and to maintain our 100-year-old building as we move into our next 100 years of Mercy education.

Catherine McAuley Leadership Donor ($20,000.00 + )

James and Susan Anderson James J. Anderson Construction Co., Inc. Bridge Educational Foundation Joan and Joe Barone Foundation for Catholic Education Meg Howley James ‘85 and Christine McGovern Montgomery Avenue II LLC Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Jeffrey and Suzanne Mullen The Howley Foundation Karen Vento

Mother Patricia Waldron Circle ($15,000.00 + )

Maguire Enterprises, II, LLC Maguire Foundation

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Sister Mary Walburga Circle ($10,000.00 + )

CulinArt Fred and Teresa DiBona The DiBona Family Foundation Double H Manufacturing Corp.

Jeffrey and Katie Hansbro Brendan and Agatha O’Malley Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company, LLC R. Christopher and Christine Wiegand

Sister Suzanne Gallagher Circle ($5,000.00 + )

Caitlin and Gregory Andreotta Elliott-Lewis Corporation Sean and Gina Flatley Maureen Hicks Joan W. Mackie McCloskey Financial Group, LLC Andrew McCloskey ‘84 Matthew McCloskey ‘55 decd.

Merion Mercy Academy Sereena Quick Edward ‘52 decd and Marcella Rhodes decd

Sister Patricia Smith Circle ($2,500.00 + )

Drs. Mark and Kate Avitabile Carlos Canon and Patricia O’Donnell Thomas and Grace Colman Casey DeBaecke Marguerite Flynn Kevin and Jillian Golden Patrick Graven and Bridget Foy-Graven Jim and Anne King Spiro and Ashley ‘99 Kontostergios Christopher and Meghan Millard John Minutella ‘77 Mark Murray Matthew and Michelle Newcomer Matthew Pantaleno and Alicia Vitarelli Pantaleno Philip and Staci Pio Joe and Terri Pooler Albert and Ruth Schmidt Adam and Jill Short Sean and Jill Stadelman James and Pamela Strite

Paul and Suzanne Toner Waste Management Tara Wolfington

Sister Kathleen Anne McKee Circle ($1,000.00 + )

Agnes Irwin School AOL Giving Fund Mary Augustine Robert ‘58 and Barbara Barnes T. Ellis ‘60 and Cindy Barnes Bittenbender Construction, LP Susan and Jerry Burns Marc and Valerie Caccavo Michael and Margaret Carr James J Clearkin Inc. Dr. Jacqueline Coccia and Mr. Chris Coccia Comcast Corporation Basil and Mary DiSipio Ronald ‘97 and Dana Donatucci Paul ‘83 and Anne Dougherty Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation Eldi Right Cleaning, LLC Yakeema and Nicole Elie John and Rebecca Farrington Linda C. Fesnak Brian and Kimberly Fogarty Joseph A Frio ‘11 Dan and Suzanne Gallagher Ellen Getek Adam and Maria Green Gregory ‘97 and Lucy Guffanti James and Tracey Hagan Thomas Hanna and Marilyn Murray Rick ‘65 and Jane Hinckley Horsey, Buckner & Heffler, LLP Thomas and Brittany Jemielita Kind Foundation Steven and Karena Landin LaSalle College High School Gregg Marsano J. Chris McGuire ‘77 Angela McKelvey John McNamara The Mele Family Mercy Education System of the Americas Andrew and Alexandra Morrison

Andrew and Sharon O’Malley Maria O’Malley Sarah Pontoski Vince and Lisa Ricchiuti Richard Rowe and Pam Stites Daniel and Deirdre Ruttle Drs. F. Matthew Segreti and Eileen Everly Nicholas and Nancy Serpentine ‘96 Brendan and Jennifer Sinni John L & Grace Soldoveri Foundation Valjean and Shelley Sylva St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Ricky and Sandra Takai Sherry Tracey Rev. Alyn Waller and Dr. Ellyn Jo Waller Dr. Andrew Wolanin and Mrs. Holly Wolanin

Mercy Spirit Club ($500.00 + )

Jess and Heidi Anderson Becker’s School Supplies William J. Begley, Esq. ‘59 Calvin and Sherell Bernard Donald and Catherine Bird Nancy and Patrick Cahill Curtis ‘67 and Donna Cockenberg Brian Collins ‘97 and Dr. Cara Beahm Christopher and Deanna Coyne Enrico Crispo and Melissa Lennon James and Kathleen DeSanto Josephine Elia William and Nadia Fay Charles and Alice Klair Fitzpatrick Flynn & O’Hara Uniform Company William ‘84 and Annmarie Frio Michael and Lisa Gadsby Sotonye and Dr. Chinenye George James Gleason ‘11 Godshall Kane O’Rourke Architects, LLC Bonnie Guarini Kevin and Jorie Hennessy Harold and Amanda Jones Stephen and Melora Jones Edward ‘98 and Elise Keels Jeffrey Kelly ‘94

Brendan and Catherine Lake Dominick and Tina Leuzzi Kristian and Sherri Leuzzi Bruno ‘80 and Maria Leuzzi Louis and Lisa Marchese Brian and Anne Marie McCarthy George and Karen McClennen Brendan A. McGrath ‘97 Merck & Co., Inc. Robert Miller and Valerie Bergman Mary Ann Nolan Drs. Matthew and Nina O’Connor John Orefice David and Vicki Ostrander Al and Kristine Perry Anthony and Kristen Romano Nelson ‘02 and Deidre Russom Albert and Erin Schmidt Dr. Heath Schmidt and Katherine Giordano David ‘91 and Natasha Tarampi Duane Vargas ‘89 and Denise Smith Sean Vereen and Beth Hagovsky Matthew and Kathleen Vodzak Charles and Theresa Yeo John T. Zeller ‘68

Mercy Crown Club ($150.00 + )

Stephen and Henna Adams Thomas and Carol Anderson Eileen Aurand Richard and Jeanne Avitabile Musa Bagali and Maureen Marroum Bagali Charles Bakhos and Leila Obeid Walter Bartle and Sarah Lichter Rita Block David Brooks and Beth Adamski Elizabeth Cain ‘92 Bryan and Joan Carter Timothy Casper and Sophia Meyers Sonia and Pasquale Colavita Concentrics Patrick and Kelly Cosgrove Frank and Dana D’Angelo Robert D’Anjolell ‘76 Ethan and Karen Davis Genet DeFazio Finnegan ‘98 Paul and Patricia Del Borrello

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2023-2024 ANNUAL REPORT OF GIFTS Elizabeth and John Delaney Mark R. Devine ‘11 Thomas and Lisa Fahey Dr. Francis and Mrs. Joanne Ferdinand Drs. Andrew and Sarah Fesnak Dr. James and Mrs. Candace Flowers Ronald Forcina Sonia Forcina Charles and Fran Gallagher Larry and Bernadette Gallone Jacquelyn German William J. Gilhool ‘51 GTF Giving Tuesday Friends Russell and Jaime Glorioso Drs. Hari Gnanasekeram decd .and Carole Fatato Rowland Grauch ‘51 Nicole Guido Alan and Rebecca Hartman Monte and Lillian Jackson Aaron F. Jaroff ‘98 Arthur Johnson and T’Leatha Suitt-Johnson Darnell and Rachael Jordan Gregg Jugla and Colleen Kestner Joshua Kelaher Jimmy King ‘17 Kelly King ‘14 Dr. Michael and Mrs. Megan Kinson Amelia Kuhn Satin Lambert Bill and Adele Lane Tim and Lauren Leithead Tony ‘94 and Katherine Leonard Glenn and Antoinette Lesak Theresa Lipinski Lockheed Martin Charity Custodial Account Frank Loftus and Monica BurkeLoftus Michala Maciolek Davis ‘13 John and Sarah Marinacci Michael McCuen and Jennifer Del Borrello Pete McGahey and Dr. Jenny Spinner Adrian and Dr. Alana McGill Karen McGinley Sean and Courtney McLaughlin

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Peter and Karen Mondrosch James and Jenny Morrison Sean and Kelley Morrissey James and Emily Multari Stephen and Charlotte Neumann J. Michael and Alison T. Nolan Amy Orapallo Louis Pace ‘72 Joseph Pacifico ‘70 Michael A. Pacifico ‘72 Sean and Kristin Palmer Anthony and Marcela Panzarella Christian and Kristen Patragnoni Louis and Natalie Pauzano Louis and Rose Pauzano Elizabeth Pavone Nicolette Perry ‘15 Gregory Plociennik and Nancy Blumenthal John and Elizabeth Quigley Timothy ‘76 and Marianne Rafter Ashley Robinson Barkley E. Sample ‘77 Barbara Scott Denise Serpentine William J. Sharkey ‘45 Greg and Kathryn Soltis Brian Sullivan and Karen Hepp Nicole Sullivan Michael and Emily Surovick Todd and Bianca Tamagnini Bobbie Ann Thornburg Esq Justyn Tokarczyk ‘85 Gina Venezia Marco Vettori and Amy Bashore Paul and Tammy Vincent Anne Wellman Janice Wojciechowski Demetrios and Amalia Ziavras

Mercy Shield Circle ($5.00 + )

Joseph Dell’Aquila and Madeline Sasso Anil and Alexis Abraham Frederick and Olufolakemi Akinkunmi Christina Alaimo Monica Albano-Curl Marek and Catrina Allen Jeffrey and Rennie Andrews Avantor Foundation

John Avicolli ‘91 Patricia Bader Barbara Baldwin Michael and Maryanne Barrett Edward L. Bartlett Jr. ‘60 Melinda Battista Yolanda Bauhof Dr. Allison and Mrs. Erica Bloom Andrew Boczkowski and Megan Willoughby Michael and Stephanie Borton Jaimie Bowen Angevin Brailsford and Tiana Wilson Robert Brower and Marybeth Martin Martin and Isobel Burns Donna Byrne Kerry and Dana Cahill Robert and Dana Careless Michael Carosella and Maria Cacia Shakeshia Carvalho Robert S. Castner ‘60 Gregory Chermol ‘80 Sarah Coffey Drs. Lauren and Thomas Conlon Jude and Evangelia Conroy Jennifer Cornely ‘99 J. William Cotter ‘56 Paul and Mary Coyne Philip D’Ambrosio Kelly Davis Christine deLacoste-Azizi Drs. Mucio and Eva Delgado Deloitte Ali and Kaitlyn Dhanaliwala Dr. Amen Dhyllon and Ms. Irene Mendes Adam and Katie ‘98 Dickman Andrew and Emma DiPrinzio Grace Doherty Ernest Drummond and Kasel Lesak Grace Duran-Castaing Jordan and Gabriela Eburne Terrance Edney and Antoinette Cooper-Edney Marjie Elliott Koron and Kereba English Rawson and Rachel Evans Sandra Evans

The Fabeny Family Nicholas M. Falcone ‘91 Rob and Nancy Finn Cailin Fogarty ‘07 Natalie Foglietta Joseph and Amanda Fonash Bernard and Loretta Fornal Louis and Mary Fresta Peter and Kelly Fry Phil and Judy Gallagher Tom and Theresa Gannon Caleb and Maria Gauen Richard J. Geib ‘53 Maggie Geschke Laurence C. Glass ‘43 Eduardo Goenaga Diaz and Liz Bosques Brian and Kristen Gohr Jacqueline Gondek Giovanoni ‘90 Joseph and Mary Goodman Christopher and Kaitlin Grupp Kelly Harrigan ‘13 Tom and Grace Hartman Thomas and Allison Hewitt Christopher and Megan Hightower John and Linda Hines Andrew Hoagland and Alexandra Lastowski Julia Howard Rochelle Humphrey-Burton Elizabeth Hymel Dr. Christopher Janson and Ms. Rachel Tkaczyk Monica Jordan JP Morgan Chase Raeshon Kelly Timothy Kelly S. LaVerne King, RSM Bryan and Jessica Klink Lisa Knapp Drazenka Kokir-Miller Alexandra Kramer Andrew and Lauren Kratz Mark and Maureen Kravetz Kenneth D. Lamb ‘65 Thomas Lambiase and Maisha Tyler ‘95 Lambiase Anthony and Katie Landolfo Shirley Laws Guillermo Leiva-Moreno and

Tiffany Harlan de Leiva Julie Leonard Busta ‘00 Joseph Leonard ‘93 Veronica Novelli Leonard Andreas Lindert S. Barbara MacWilliams, RSM The Maletta Family Walter and Carla Mangual S. Elizabeth Marley, RSM Maylee Marsano Margaret Martin Dennis and Jeanne Mastriano Colleen Matkowski Jessica N. McCrary Hall Madison McEntee ‘11 Barry R. McKeon ‘60 James and Nancy McKinley Bridget Medori Angela Meehan Dr. Gina Mejia-Madrid David Merrell Joseph Messina and Janet Moore William and Karen Mignucci Ryan and Jaclyn Moore Eva Morinigo Nigel Morris ‘73 Antaniece Morrow Gail Murrell Brian and Valenteen ‘98 Murtha Sean and Davita Nelson Arlex and Susan Nieto John Obert ‘58 Lisa O’Hara Anthony and Pari Olaoye Michelle and Michael Orapallo Sena Owereko-Andah Patty Papatheodore Dr. Michael Parke and Ms. Anita Juma Christopher and Denise Pauzano Gerald and Irene Pawlish Jaclyn Wilson Pawlowski Paypal Giving Fund Phillip and Jenny Petrucelli Brett Pforter and Jesse ‘99 Reilly Kristopher and Amy Pietrzykowski Linda Pietrzykowski Polly Post Desmon Powell Gregg and Ashley Price

Nicholas Prince Amy Ratigan ‘15 Mike Rawlings, Sr. Catherine Rissover ‘92 Daniella Rizzo ‘12 Deana Rogers Eve Romanowski S. Marita Carmel Rondinelli, RSM Thomas and Suzanne Ross Tyrone ‘89 and Jennifer Ross Jeffrey and Marianne Rule Dr. Keiran Rump Peter Sabatino and Stephanie Kerns Rachel Sacchetti Gilbert Baldev and Ranjeet Sahunta Angel and Candice SanMartin Anjanee Sankar Raymond Santarelli Daniel and Leighanne Savloff Albert Scaperotto Sr. Joseph and Shannon Scarpone Timothy and Jessica Schmitz Raymond Shaffer ‘55 Desmond Shannon Nicole Showell Lisa Solomon Ronald and Frances Soltis David and Samdai Stricklan Charles and Carmela Sullivan Wayne and Leontyne Sykes Dolph Tokarczyk ‘80 Kathy Ton Michael and Nicole Valentino Thomas and Jennifer Valerio Monique Veney Rashmi Verma Curtis and Kathleen Voss Chengyuan and Lisa Wu Brandon and Aliah Wyche Taylor Yanits Albin and Luann Zaleski Grace Toburen Zorn

We apologize for any errors or omissions. Please contact advancement@waldronmercy. org if your name/gift are not listed properly.

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2023-2024 ANNUAL REPORT OF GIFTS

PHONATHON VOLUNTEERS

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Special Thanks to our trustees, current parents, and alumni parents who volunteered during our Annual Fund Phonathon last fall. Joe Carmeci, Kaci Griffin, Satin Lambert, Lou Marchese, Barkley Sample ‘77, and Tara Woflington were on hand to get the message across to our community of the importance of supporting The Waldron Fund.

EITC/OSTC CONTRIBUTORS

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The EITC and OSTC tax credit programs offered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have been in existence for decades. We are so thrilled that more members of the WMA community recognize the importance of participating in these two programs and directing their PA tax dollars to Waldron Mercy. We are grateful for BLOCS and The Foundation for Catholic Education as they provide support to facilitate some of these applications.

Below is a list of our participants from the 2024 fiscal year.

James J. Anderson Construction Co., Inc. James and Susan Anderson Gregory and Caitlin Andreotta Joseph and Joan Barone BLOCS Bridge Educational Foundation Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund Daniel and Erin Connelly Double H Manufacturing Corp.

Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation Elliott-Lewis Sean and Gina Flatley Marguerite Flynn Foundation for Catholic Education Jeff and Katie Hansbro Maguire Enterprises, II, LLP

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George and Karen McClennen Andrew McCloskey ‘84 Matthew McCloskey ‘55 (decd) McCloskey Financial Group, LLC James ‘85 and Christine McGovern John Minutella ‘77 Montgomery Avenue II, LLC Brendan and Agatha O’Malley Maria O’Malley Sereena Quick Vincent and Lisa Ricchiuti Karen Vento Waste Management Chris and Christine Wiegand Tara Wolfington

SISTER NATALIE MARIE SCHOLARSHIP

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he 2024 recipient of the Sister Natalie Marie Scholarship is Cameron Drummond. This scholarship is awarded to a rising 6th grade Waldron Mercy Academy student who displays an interest and achievement in Social Studies, and who realizes that knowledge of history and geography are key to navigating our world successfully. The Sister Natalie Marie Scholarship was initiated by a former student of S. Natalie’s, Bob Barnes from the Class of 1958. Bob had a deep devotion to S.Natalie and stayed in touch with her throughout the years. Unfortunately, Bob Barnes passed away on May 22, 2024. Besides sponsoring the S. Natalie Scholarship, Bob meticulously saved memorabilia from his days at Waldron and gave those cherished items to continue building our archives.

Bob, along with his wife Barbara were a blessing to WMA and his memory will remain with us always.

SISTER SUZANNE GALLAGHER AWARD

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he Sister Suzanne Gallagher Distinguished Educator Award is provided through the generosity of Peter Farnese ‘95 and Thomas Farnese ‘98 (deceased) to recognize a Waldron Mercy educator whose commitment and performance clearly represent the educational philosophy of the Sisters of Mercy. The award was established in honor of Sister Suzanne Gallagher, former principal of WMA, whose love, concern and leadership serve as a role model for teachers. The 2023-2024 Award is presented to third grade teacher, Mrs. Michelle Orapallo. This year her class was recognized as the Kindest Classroom in America through the Empatico Kindness Challenge. This is a fitting tribute to a teacher who exudes kindness and love to all of her students. Mrs. Orapallo is committed to providing an outstanding academic experience in 3rd grade as well as nurturing each student’s social and emotional growth.

NELL STETSER HEART OF MERCY AWARD

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he Nell Stetser Heart of Mercy Award is given each June by the Waldron Mercy Academy Board of Trustees in honor of former principal Nell Stetser to one deserving employee. To receive the award, an employee should be described as honest but always diplomatic and patient. The employee should be humble, recognizing that achievements are always a team effort, never making it about what she or he did even when he or she was directly responsible. And finally, and most importantly, the person must have an unmeasurable love for, and have made a significant impact on, Waldron Mercy. This year, the Board of Trustees was thrilled to award former 1st grade teacher Eileen Aurand with the Nell Stetser Heart of Mercy Award in recognition of her many years of dedication and service to Waldron Mercy Academy.

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ALUMNI NOTES

Do you have an update to share? Scan here to submit a class note!

1993

1999

Patricia Gaffney, AuD, MPH started her term as president of the American Academy of Audiology October 1, 2024. The American Academy of Audiology is the world’s largest professional organization of, by and for audiologists.

Jennifer Cornely traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in February 2024 to adopt her daughter Cara. “Cara is an absolute joy and I am so thankful to be her mom. We have had so much fun bonding and exploring all of the fun that the Philadelphia area has to offer this spring and summer!” Jennifer is a graduate of Merion Mercy Academy and St. Joseph’s University.

1997 Marisa Magnatta will celebrate her twentieth year with The Preston & Steve Show, 93.3 WMMR’s morning radio show. She has been at WMMR for 22 years and is in the Radio Hall of Fame. Marisa is a graduate of Springside School and recently joined the board of Philabundance, just in time to help them celebrate their 40th year helping the community.

1998 Kevin Kreider gave a keynote at San Joaquin Delta College to the AAPI community and their students on mental health and how the 12 step program can be a solution. Kevin is an advisor and speaker for tbh on mental health and helping making accessible to students.

He is a graduate of William Penn Charter and Temple University.

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2002 David Yusavitz has been practicing as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner specializing in Primary Care since October of 2014. He has dedicated himself to quality healthcare and health inequities for the entirety of his career in Pediatrics, a specialty that he loves. David currently works as a CRNP at Bryn Mawr Pediatrics. He has worked with two other major hospital pediatric practices in Philadelphia and has also worked abroad and locally with community health initiatives. David also worked in a residential and inpatient hospital setting serving patients with a variety of mental health conditions. He is a member of AAP and NAPNAP. David served with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps from 2010-2011, and recently volunteered at St. Vincent’s Face to Face ministry freestanding health clinic in Germantown. He also volunteers as an Alumni Ambassador for

nursing students at University of Pennsylvania and also precept MSN students during the pediatric clinical. David graduated from LaSalle High School and earned a BA in Sociology and Theology from Fordham University and a BSN and MSN from the University of Pennsylvania.

2003 Charlotte DiGiorgio started a new position as Project Manager in the Real Estate, Design, and Construction department at Penn Medicine. Charlotte is a graduate of Merion Mercy Academy and Drexel University.

2007 Maggie Farrell became a Mercy Associate in a beautiful liturgy at the Convent of Mercy on October 19, 2024. Her family has strong ties to the Sisters of Mercy and she attributes much of who she is to what she now understands as the Charism of Mercy.

Maggie has spent most of her career in sports-based youth development with First Tee, a national organization that uses the game of golf to impact young people, in both Washington, DC and Philadelphia. Now, she works at Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School overseeing Communications and Marketing.

Maggie also coaches Merion Mercy’s Varsity Golf Team. She lives in Philadelphia and spends much of her time with family and friends. She loves to travel and read and it’s much better if the two are

taking place at the same time. Maggie is thrilled to be joining an incredibly strong community of Mercy Associates. Her search for something more, earlier this year, was led by a need to immerse herself in the magic of Mercy.

Katie Tucker ‘07 finished her part-time MBA program at St. Joe’s University this year. She completed the degree while working full-time as a Senior Accounting Manager. Katie is a graduate of Merion Mercy Academy.

2009 Sarah Farrell ‘09 After graduating from WMA, Sarah went up the hill to Merion Mercy for high school. She then moved abroad for college to attend the University of St Andrews in Scotland, graduating in 2017 with an MA in English and Psychology. In 2018, she moved to D.C. to attend the American University Washington College of Law evening program, attaining a J.D. while working full time. In 2022, Sarah went back to St Andrews to marry her husband, Jacob, whom she met in the halls in her first year. She is currently employed as a Corporate Counsel for LexisNexis, where she’s been working since 2018. Sarah and Jacob currently reside in D.C. with their rescue pup, Coco.

2022 John-Patrick Oates ‘22 was named First Team All-Catholic Football Team. John-Patrick is a junior and currently playing tight-end on the LaSalle College High School Explorers football team, which had a perfect 10-0 in the regular season. John-Patrick has received offers from several Division I schools to play in college and will make his final decision next year.

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NOTES

BIRTHS

2022 - 2023

Erin McKenna Sleister ‘04 and her husband Ben welcomed daughter Mara on October 23, 2023. Mara was baptized in a traditional naval ceremony which was always part of the British Royal Navy and now continued by the US Navy and Coast Guard. A baptism in the ship’s bell is taken as a sign of life and good luck for the ship. Erin is currently a Lieutenant Commander stationed on the USS Gridley in Everett, WA as a Surface Warfare Officer.

Spencer Morinigo ‘22 and the St. Joe’s Prep Varsity 8 won Gold at the recent Stotesbury Regatta. David O’Connor ‘23 was the coxswain of the Freshman 8, which also won Gold for the Prep. Amelia Diebel ‘23, Analise DeAngelis ‘23 and the Freshman 8 from Merion Mercy, won Silver at both the City Championships and Stotesbury Regatta. Corrine Chapolini ‘23 is also a member of the MMA crew team.

Mariel Boyd Canale ‘05 and her husband Matthew welcomed a baby girl, Emma Alexandra, on May 28, 2024. Mariel is a graduate of Merion Mercy Academy and Fordham University.

She is currently a Senior Product Manager at Flatiron Health.

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WEDDINGS John Malick ‘06 and his wife Dayna welcomed John Joseph Malick , who was born on August 12, 2024. John is a graduate of Malvern Prep and Villanova University.

Stephen Centrella ‘10 was married to Isabella (Bell) on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at the Church of the Gesu. A reception followed at the Kimmel Center. Stephen’s brothers Nick ‘07 and Mark ‘13 were members of the bridal party.

Nick Centrella ‘07 was married on September 28, 2024 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Many familiar Waldron faces were in the crowd. Brothers Stephen ‘10 and Mark ‘13 were in the wedding party along with classmates Tim DiPretoro ‘07 and Daniel Sulvetta ‘07. Nick is a graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep and Boston College. Nick is a practicing attorney.

Gavin O’Brien ‘11 and his wife Heather Lee are the proud new parents of Bearan Odin O’Brien, born on November 13 /2024.

Grandfather Bill O’Brien ‘68 is excited to welcome Bearan too.

Mia DeRitis ‘07 married Louis Lombardi at Renault Winery in Egg Harbor NJ on July 20, 2024 and moved to Margate NJ full time. Mia is a graduate of the Academy of Notre Dame and Philadelphia University and University of the Sciences. She is a practicing physician assistant.

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FRIENDSHIPS FORGED AT WALDRON Janell Carrington-Redcross MMA ‘83 and Evelyn Sample-Oates MMA ‘83 have been friends since they started Kindergarten at MMA Lower School, throughout their high school years at MMA, and beyond. They have helped coach our alumni High School Hoops basketball games for years. Janell is married to WMA alum Derek Redcross ‘77, who has been friends with classmate and Evelyn’s brother, Barkley Sample ‘77, since they started at WMA. Janell and Derek are the parents of WMA alums, Courtney ‘12 and Lauren ‘18. Evelyn and her husband Patrick are the parents of WMA alums Andrea Rose ‘18 and John-Patrick ‘22. They are pictured at a recent lunch with former faculty-staff member Marguerite (Peg Flynn), who retired from WMA in September.

Anthony Youngblood ‘93 made a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and reconnected with Elizabeth Cain ‘92 who is employed at the Center.

Alumni Parents June and Nick Centrella and Gloria and Joe Sulvetta have been friends since their sons were in Kindergarten. They are pictured enjoying beautiful Santa Fe, NM at the wedding of Nick Centrella ‘07.

Adriana Arcamone ‘96 has been friends with brothers Chris ‘02 and Frank ‘98 DiLella since she met them at WMA. Adriana recently celebrated Chris’ birthday in NYC, along with brother Frank and mother Mrs. Pat DiLella.

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When Maggie Farrell ‘07 celebrated becoming a Mercy Associate in October, classmate and longtime friend Katie Tucker ‘07 was on hand to share in the ceremony. Read more about Maggie and Katie in the Alumni Notes section. Maggie is pictured with her sister Sarah Farrell ‘09 on the left and Katie on the right.

When Michael Quinn ‘11 wrote and directed “Get it Together” in NYC, there were several classmates who attended the performance. Pictured are Kerry Candeloro ‘08 who attended with her mother, former faculty member, Mrs. Gail Candeloro. Michael’s classmates: Michael Carr ‘11, Michael Corcoran ‘11, and Matt Gerardi ‘11 also attended a performance.

Quinn McGahey ‘20, Jake Santoro ‘21, and Cieran McGahey ‘23 were in a production at Upper Darby Summer Stage and found several WMA Alums Antoine Robinson ‘20, Ian Mendoza ‘21, and Nate Mendoza ‘23 - in the audience to support and applaud for them.

Members of the Class of ‘14 got together on Saturday after Thanksgiving. Hard to believe they graduated 10 years ago! Great photo of a great class.

Sahmir Hagans ‘17, a wide receiver on Duke University’s football team, played Elon University recently. Classmate Liam Stephens ‘17, a student at Elon, surprised Sahmir at a game.

WMA current and former faculty and staff are always eager to support our alumni in their theatrical performances. On the December excursion to the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster to applaud Kevin Toniazzo-Naughton ‘07 in the role of Hans in Frozen were: Kelly Cahill ‘13, Nancy Cahill, Nancy McKinley, Angel Graham, Barbara Baldwin, Gail Candeloro, Maureen Lusen, Lydia Brennan, Kate Brennan ‘95, and Kate’s son Iggy.

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ALU M NI F E A T U RE S:

WRITERS & BROADCASTERS DAVID HOLLENBACH, S.J. ‘56

David Hollenbach, S.J. is Pedro Arrupe Distinguished Professor in the Walsh School of Foreign Service and Senior Fellow of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. His teaching and research deal with human rights, religious and ethical responses to humanitarian crises, and religion in political life from the standpoint of Catholic social thought, theology, and the social sciences.

Besides teaching at Georgetown University, Father Hollenbach is a prolific writer dealing with timely and timeless social justice issues. Author of several books and numerous articles, his most recent book is Human Rights in a Divided World: Catholicism as a Living Tradition. Earlier works include Humanity in Crisis: Ethical and Religious Response to Refugees, Driven from Home: Protecting the Rights of Forced Migrants and The Common Good and Christian Ethics.

Father Hollenbach’s educational path has been extensive and varied, with degrees from several colleges and universities. After graduating from Waldron in 1956, Father attended Malvern Prep. He earned a B.S. in Physics from St. Joseph’s University, a Ph.L. from St. Louis University College of Philosophy and Letters, an M.S. in the Department of Philosophy from St. Louis University, a M.Div. from Woodstock College, and a Ph.D. from Yale University Department of Religious Studies. It was when he was a student at St. Joseph’s University that Father Hollenbach was inspired by the ministry of the Jesuits and joined the Society of Jesus upon graduation.

From 2020-2022, Father Hollenbach served as Distinguished Research Affiliate in the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. He has taught often at Hekima University College in Nairobi, Kenya, and he collaborates with the Jesuit Refugee Service.

In providing advice to our current students Father Hollenbach states, “Waldron helped me learn good grammar that I have continued to rely on in all my writing. I hope Waldron students of today will learn good writing also. It is very important.”

MELISSA REED DUFFIELD ‘91 Melissa Duffield is a Content Director for a global e-learning company O’Reilly Media, founded by tech visionary Tim O’Reilly, where she leads a team of acquisitions editors, manages the live events program, and the AI Academy. She works with authors and other talent, coaching them to produce proposals and final products that will resonate with their audiences and will continue to “spread the knowledge of innovators.” In her role, she is also constantly writing strategy documents, marketing descriptions, and editing the work of her team.

A graduate of Merion Mercy Academy and Oberlin College with a degree in English, Melissa was never in doubt as to what her major would be and that she wanted to work with books. When she graduated, starting her career in New York at a branch of Reed-Elsevier, she then spent 17 years in Philadelphia at F.A. Davis Company, a publisher of nursing and health science books. She moved up the ranks from an editorial assistant to a senior acquisitions editor.

At Waldron Mercy, Melissa fully realized her passion for reading and writing – reading so many pages in the annual Read-A-Thon that her family would only pay her half a penny a page. Through the mentorship of her 7th and 8th grade teacher, Ms. Mary Heron, she also learned the importance of hard work and especially of working hard at things that did not come easily. Her advice to students is to work hard and follow your passion; you never know where it will lead!

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KATE BRENNAN ‘95

While I have been writing since my days at WMA, I actually had not really considered myself a writer until recently. In fact, I remember playing one of my first songs for the incredible Ms. Joan Testin in the basement music room (then under the cafeteria) during one of our piano lessons.

My first musical, Some Assembly Required premiered in 2010; my second, ELFuego, premiered in 2012. But I was largely teaching and performing at those times as well. I started my teaching career with WMA & MMA, holding private voice lessons, and then followed that passion to NY where I shadowed international voice teacher, Kristin Linklater, at Columbia. In NY, I got involved with yoga, and ultimately certified. I also learned about Thai Bodywork — and surprise, I became certified in that as well. Incidentally, the first yoga class I took in NY incorporated poetry-writing as part of the class.

I was eventually designated as a Linklater voice teacher in Scotland and got a job heading the voice program in the theatre department at Oklahoma City University. There I collaborated with a student on my first poetry book, elevated thoughts. During that time, I became more involved in the playwriting world, but mostly as a wellness and voice instructor, offering guidance to playwrights at HBMG’s National Playwrights’ retreat in Creede, CO. Simultaneously, I started bringing my songwriting into the classroom — primarily at McCarter Theater in NJ, where I often served as a Music Director. There I partnered with NJ playwright David Lee White — and we started creating musicals together with the young artists we taught at McCarter. This was pivotal work for me.

Starting at McCarter, David and I began creating a three-musical cycle called the Infinity Trilogy. We started with ALiEN8: A Musical about Being Human, which went on to premiere with Drexel and Ignition Arts in 2019 as part of their Mandell Professional in Residence Project and is now licensed with YouthPLAYS. Then we created Clean Slate, which premiered in 2023 with Passage Theatre Company and Rider University. The third musical of the cycle, Illuminate, is 12 songs and 24 scenes that come as a deck of cards.

During the pandemic, teaching voice and acting became untenable, so I focused more intensely on writing. I wrote a lot. I started submitting my work. I was published in McSweeney’s, Dramatist, Howlround, and The Offing. I joined a playwrights group. David and I received a Map Fund Grant for Clean Slate. I submitted more.

As a result, this year will be my fullest year for premieres. In June, I was at University of Central Florida where they premiered my show What’s in Store (B-Street New Comedy Festival Finalist, O’Neill Semifinalist, Princess Grace Finalist) with Pegasus Play Lab. I just returned yesterday from workshopping a new musical called The Living with InterAct Artistic Director Seth Rozin down at the Drake in Philly. This fall, I will workshop a new musical Book of Wonder with David, and in the spring we will workshop another new piece, Anatomy of a Flood. In January, our Brennan & White piece The Bleeding Heart Academy for Girls Presents Their First & Last Annual Production of Christmas Show (TBA) will premiere with the youth company at Steele River Playhouse. Also in January, my play #notacult or Camp Hope (Judith Royer & Jane Chambers Finalist) premieres with the Coalescence Theatre Project in IL. In February I will be directing the premiere of The Self-Destruction of Emma James (O’Neill semifinalist) at Llamar University in Texas, and in March, The Marginals (Lanford Wilson Finalist) premieres with Montgomery County Community College.

Last year I was named a Finalist for The Jonathan Larson Grant for Visionaries in American Musical Theatre and a Finalist for the Cultural Alliance Artist Innovator Award. Now I write a lot on Medium and host a Substack called More Humor More Humanity.

My work is founded on a well-rounded Mercy education. Everything I do is about building community, about service-leadership, about collaboration. I was held to the highest standards in Ms. Parker’s English classes and taught music and theatre under the vigorous enthusiastic guidance of Ms. Joan Testin. I listened to Jesus Christ Superstar (on vinyl!) on beanbag chairs in Mrs. Guarini’s religion classroom and built theatrical worlds of hieroglyphics with Ms. Peg Flynn in sixth grade. I told stories in Forensics competitions and mapped out the world with Ms. Flanagan in geography. I stayed late at WMA and came early as my Mom meticulously prepared her kindergarten classroom with the incredibly dedicated Mrs. Gail Candeloro. To say that WMA was formative in my career is lacking; it was formative to my person. I was on the campus of WMA and MMA from age 5 (incidentally the age my own child will turn in one month) until age…well, possibly 30 and beyond!

The school taught me not to make a living, but to make a life. I am forever grateful.

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ED KEELS ‘98 Writing was something that always came naturally to me. Yet, at my core, I was never overly concerned about the Xs and Os of writing – that is, vocabulary and structure. While it’s important to have a solid foundation in those two areas, I was always more interested in the story itself. I’d ask myself if this is a “story worth telling.” Without that, there’s nothing. So, throughout my marketing, media, design, and consulting career, that has always been the driving force behind each and every piece I have created. If it doesn’t capture an audience, elicit a strong emotion, or tell a worthwhile story, then writing becomes mere words on a page. That said, I am not a writer – I’m a storyteller.

Throughout my time at Waldron, St. Joe’s Prep, and Georgetown University, I have had the privilege of being educated by some of the best instructors this country has to offer. Yet, from an English/writing/critical-thinking standpoint, there is one that stands above the rest. Having been fortunate enough to have had her in both second and seventh grades, Theresa Gannon was the teacher who made Language Arts “click” for me. More than encouraging, she not only finds each student’s academic strengths, but she also pushes to exploit them to their fullest. I had no choice but to fall in love with writing and storytelling – and this incredible human is the reason why! Even to this day, when people ask me how and why I am in my specific lines of work, I give Mrs. Gannon all of the credit. She recognized something in me that I never knew was there, and proceeded to cultivate it into the success I am living today.

After my time at Waldron, I did take many English and Creative Writing courses, both at The Prep and Georgetown. Unmasking the story and finding a creative angle was a challenge I always loved tackling. The story – the real story – is always there. A little creativity and a dash of intuition lets that story shine through.

When I am storyboarding and creating each issue of Philly Current Magazine, a publication that I created, I ignore the obvious. That’s not storytelling - that’s regurgitation. I find, and showcase, what people don’t know.

Not only does that make for a better experience for the reader, but it advances the industry. The world has become lazy and I try to combat that with each and every word.

If I had to consider a particular story or event that I have covered that stands out as truly significant or impactful, it might sound like an answer of avoidance, but all of them! Yes, it’s true I have done all the big, cool, publicly-impressive things. I have featured global celebrities and performers, I’ve gotten to brand and create messaging for the DNC, and I’ve worked with some of the largest corporations on the planet (Netflix, PepsiCo, WHYY, Starbucks, etc). But a name is just a name. For me, creating custom content for Netflix holds the same weight as sharing a story of how a suburban dad is fighting anti-bullying with effective in-school programs.

While the latter may not have the same headline cachet, a great story is a great story. They have all been my babies, and I love them equally.

Marketing and publishing may sound like vastly different careers. To an extent they are. But the common denominator is getting the audience to understand why something is a story worth telling. In marketing, it may center around a service or product, but the approach is the same.

One of the best lessons I have on auto-recall is a quote shared to me by previous Waldron teacher, Joseph Coyle (currently an English teacher at The Prep). He shared, “Within simplicity lies the sublime.” That has shaped many key moments in my life – both within my career and in life. The oversaturation of vocabulary and structure, mixed with the inability to get to the point, is a recipe for disaster. Thinking simply enables one to find the message and get to the end of the reasoning. This fundamental thinking has enabled me to think much more creatively, even at a younger age. Not many 17-year-olds have the nerve to apply to college with a one sentence personal statement.

But boiling things down to their simplest form lets one ignore the fluff and make a clear, powerful statement.

To any WMA student considering a career in writing or marketing, I would offer this suggestion: Never stop thinking, never stop learning, and never stop analyzing. Complacency, in writing and beyond, is evil. The more critically you can think about a topic, the better chance you have of fully understanding it – and sharing that understanding to the masses, effectively!

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FRANK DILELLA ‘98 Waldron Mercy Academy laid the foundation for my life’s work as a journalist in New York City. My parents chose Waldron for its commitment to the arts, and it was there that I began learning about the professional performing arts community at large. My music teacher during my time at Waldron—the incomparable Joan Testin—fostered an inclusive and supportive environment in her music room, a safe and nurturing haven for many of us. Joan’s annual spring musical productions were a highlight for me and my family every year, dating back to my first show with her, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” in 1991.

After graduating from Waldron, class of 1998, I attended LaSalle College High School and later Fordham University at Lincoln Center, where I studied journalism and theater. I currently reside in New York City, where I work as an anchor for Spectrum News NY1—New York City’s 24-hour news channel. I host the multi-Emmy Award-winning newsmagazine program “On Stage,” where I have the privilege of sitting down with Broadway’s best and brightest every week. I also serve as an entertainment contributor for “Morning Joe” on MSNBC. I executive produced and hosted the PBS documentary “Reopening: The Broadway Revival” in 2022, featuring entertainment luminaries like Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sara Bareilles, and Kristin Chenoweth, as they helped reopen Broadway following the pandemic-induced shutdown. I’m currently working on my second film for PBS, focusing on the history of New York City’s famed Palace Theatre. In 2013, I returned to my alma mater, Fordham University, to teach a course I created: theater journalism.

Similar to Joan, I owe a great deal to Eileen Flanagan, who first recognized my potential as “a presenter” when I was in the sixth grade. Eileen encouraged me to get involved with Forensics; she coached me and brought me to my first competition at Devon Prep, where—to my astonishment—I ranked first place in the category of prose. Presenting in front of an audience, whether in a competition or her social studies class, ignited a spark within me, and I was hooked!

For the past two decades, I’ve taken great pride in documenting New York City’s vibrant entertainment community through my writing and my work on the screen—both big and small. Waldron encouraged me to be a storyteller, to ask questions, and to explore. It’s a school rooted in service and family—two values I hold close.

I’m deeply grateful for my years at Waldron, which inspired a lifelong passion for storytelling in the arts and gave me the tools to share those stories with others.

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ASHLEY JOHNSON ‘99 I realized in third grade at WMA with Sister Barbara MacWilliams that I wanted to become a broadcast journalist. She actually told my parents that I was a strong writer as well as a presenter. Her insight was key in my journalism career, and writing is the foundation of being a strong storyteller.

I attended the University of Pennsylvania and took a lot of political science courses as well as communication. While Penn wasn’t a school with a journalism degree, I did an internship every summer at the news station PHL 17 where I worked on writing scripts for broadcast.

I had a wonderful six-summer internship with the Emma Bowen Foundation for Minority Interests in Media. My mentor through my internship, Dennis Swanson, is the same man who Oprah thanks for her career. I was a general assignment reporter in multiple cities including: Burlington, VT, Philadelphia, Houston, and Atlanta. I then chose to go into management and am now the Executive Producer of Impact on Communities at CBS News Philadelphia.

When I am composing a story, I first think of who are the best people or characters to tell a story and I figure out how I can interview them. I also make sure my stories are fair and balanced so if there’s a topic with several viewpoints, I do research to make sure I am telling all sides. I research by attending events and reading newspapers or scholarly articles.

There are many stories I have covered during my career. I especially loved covering the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington. I also covered the impact of Superstorm Sandy and have covered many famous people like Michelle Obama and Mae Jemison, the first black woman to go into space.

To WMA students considering becoming a journalist or a reporter, my first piece of advice is to be flexible.

Journalism is often a field where many people make a lot of sacrifices early on including where they live as well as their pay. Mentorship is key, so internships can help someone find a good mentor.

I’ve also learned that the best stories bring out emotions in people. You want to feel sad when there’s an unfortunate event and you want to feel happy when it’s a holiday story about a community building a new home for a family that lost everything. All strong stories require strong characters. In my opinion, good writing is often simple. You don’t need a lot of fluff or big words. Every word you use matters and how you tell a story in a way that everyone can understand makes an impact.

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CHRIS DILELLA ‘02 My journey in broadcast journalism has been one of discovery, responsibility, and enduring curiosity—qualities I can trace back to my early days at Waldron.

For the past 15 years, I’ve worked as a journalist for major networks, including CBS, FOX, and now CNBC Business News in New York City, where I specialize in crafting narratives that bring complex financial stories to life. Writing is at the core of my work, whether I’m scripting for broadcast or penning news articles.

Reflecting on my path, I realize that Waldron laid the foundation for my passion for storytelling. Joan Testin instilled in me a love for music and theater, nurturing a deep empathy and appreciation for the arts and people that continues to shape my work today. Eileen Flanagan, who taught social studies and emphasized the power of effective communication, appointed me editor-in-chief of the yearbook, fostering leadership skills and a strong voice. Samdai Strickland (Mrs. Pierce) encouraged my curiosity about the world, teaching me to explore how things work, why they happen, and the lessons we can draw from them. Each of these inspiring educators fueled my journey in journalism, sparking my passion for uncovering stories and connecting with others.

I believe writing has the power to bridge divides and foster understanding, and I am grateful to Waldron for instilling in me the value of a well-told story from an early age.

“All the good you can do, do it in the name of God.” – Venerable Catherine McAuley Blue & Gold

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PERRY RUSSOM ‘05 Perry Russom ‘05 has earned three Boston/New England Regional Emmys and is a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award winner for his writing and reporting.

When I was in sixth grade at Waldron, I struggled with writing. The overall structure of my writing needed work. My Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Mary Jane Ryan, would stay after school to work with me. The time and dedication she provided in helping me get caught up meant everything.

As a young student, I was always trying to figure out what my career path would be. When I was at St. Joe’s Prep, my aunt recommended journalism, so I signed up for a journalism class. My teacher, Mr. Andrew Whelan, saw something in me and encouraged me to participate in a weekend program at KYW Newsradio called Newstudies. At the end of the program, I won a paid internship at KYW that I turned into a part time job. I worked there during college when I was home for the summer and holidays.

For college, I went to Syracuse University. I studied journalism at the Newhouse School of Public Communications and political science at the College of Arts and Sciences. Through Newhouse, I picked up some great internships in local and network television. My junior year, I started reporting on-air at WBNG-TV in Binghamton, New York.

In college, I took a number of courses on television news writing. It’s about being clear, concise, and direct.

Writing words intended to be said out loud is much different than writing words you’d only read in your head. I found that having knowledge in a variety of subjects like science, social studies, and history was crucial in my reporting career. The saying I have in my head is: “Your knowledge should be an inch deep and a mile wide.”

Even the process of learning subjects I didn’t naturally excel at (Math) was crucial. I can’t just give up because I don’t easily understand something. I have to find a way to push through and understand complex topics.

Every position and role I’ve had in my career has led to where I am right now. Coming up through local news, I’ve done reporting, writing, videography, video editing, anchoring, producing, and even running my teleprompter from the anchor desk. It’s all added up to making me who I am.

Professionally, the most important things to me are accuracy and integrity. I vividly remember Mrs. Stricklan (Ms. Pierce) before each test writing the word “Integrity” on the board. She would point to the word and say how important it is. That word has stayed with me to this day. It makes me think about self-governance, selfrespect, and treating others fairly.

Currently, I’m a Multiplatform Reporter with ABC News. I am stationed in Washington DC where my reporting primarily sticks to politics. Much of what I report on is a continuation of the days and weeks before. We take the giant political story of the day and make it succinct for the audience while providing context. I’ve covered stories at the White House, the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI, and the Trump rally in Wildwood, NJ. All of my writing is done on the fly, but it’s based on storylines I’ve been following. My job is to make sure people at home understand what can sometimes be a complicated story.

My stories air on all the ABC affiliates across the country, including WPVI-TV (Action News). You can also find me on KYW Newsradio, ABC News Live (ABC’s streaming platform), and GMA3. On the weekends, I report on World News Tonight and Good Morning America.

In my career, I’ve reported on disasters - both manmade and natural. I was in Uvalde, TX after that tragedy, in Poland when Russia started its invasion of Ukraine, and eastern Kentucky for the tremendous flooding years ago.

Our WMA visits to places like St. Columba’s soup kitchen at a very young age prepared me for talking to people who may be experiencing the worst day of their lives. Being there for them, listening to them, showing them grace, and compassion…I didn’t realize how important those visits were until I got older. I attribute much of my life lessons to Waldron. Different seeds like integrity, working hard, and self-improvement all have their roots in WMA. There are so many opportunities whether you learn this in sports, theater, or serving your community.

I remember an interview I did in Boston with a woman who was turning 106. I asked her if she had any advice for someone my age. Her response was, “Go on as many adventures as you can.” That is what I try to do every day.

My experiences are wildly rewarding and fulfilling. My purpose in life comes from what I do. My advice to students who are interested in pursuing a career in writing or reporting is to be curious - don’t be afraid to ask questions, talk to as many people as you can, watch, and read the news. If you want an answer - go find it.

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MICHAEL QUINN ‘11 Being a writer or playwright often requires a bit of patience. The journey I have been on demonstrates that it may take seven years to go from an idea to a two-week run in New York. And the path is anything but direct.

At Boston College, I studied under the Pennsylvania poet Allison Adair. I was an English major, not a theater major. I was primarily writing poetry.

We read Richard Hugo’s The Triggering Town, which is still the best book on writing for me. I was acting in and directing student shows extracurricularly. It was in my sophomore year that the Theatre Department at BC announced they were doing “New Voices” and holding a competition for student scripts.

Over spring break I wrote a one-act play called Get It Together. It was about a girl named Mary and a guy named Harold who, home from college on winter break, begin an ill-fated romance. They first met, she mentions, years prior at Harvest Moon at MMA. I believe there were 32 scripts submitted, and two were selected. Mine was one of them. The following year it was staged and after it opened — my mom had come up to see it — we realized it was really good. I remember walking back and forth outside of my apartment on Strathmore Road in February just saying, essentially, “This is really good.” When I graduated from Boston College, I was awarded the Dever Fellowship, an $8,000 grant to a senior pursuing a career in writing, and the McCarthy Award for the best upperclassman writing portfolio.

I moved to New York, and Covid happened. There was a long period of writing and worrying and really getting no recognition. I wrote a play called Fishtown that got traction at some small theater festivals in 2021. I got my first licensing fee, a check from an acting school in Portland. I received an email that two young actors from Marymount Manhattan were doing a socially-distanced staged reading of Get It Together in their back yard in New Jersey. I drove up with my dad to see it. The next month I wrote a second act to Get It Together.

Later that year, Hadley Durkee, a classmate from BC had a friend who wanted to produce theater in LA. So in the summer of 2022, we did Get It Together as a two-act play in Los Angeles, at the Zephyr Theatre. She starred in it. We sold out five of the six performances. But I realized the second act wasn’t right — it didn’t have that humor and spark that the first act had.

I went back to New York and seven months later, my dad died so I moved back home and rewrote the second act of Get It Together. I do think there was something in me that was freed after he died, or maybe I just felt there’s no one to be but yourself, and you can’t be so precious with things. Writers are very precious people.

I made a horror short called Brooding that year, with the same actors from Get It Together. It played at the West Chester Film Festival, Phoenixville Film Festival, and the Chicago Horror Film Festival, among others.

The short came out in January, 2024, and a few months later I did a reading of the new Get It Together and I was like, This is awesome. I called Andie Lerner, the girl who had done the back yard production and lived in New York, and asked her to produce. We put down a deposit at the Flea Theater in Tribeca.

Over the summer, I was shortlisted by the Druid Theatre in Galway, Ireland, for my play Janie / Basil. The next month I was shortlisted for the Yale Drama Prize for my play The River East. I’d written the first draft of The River East three years before it was shortlisted, to give some scope of the timeframe for all this. It’s a really long game. So now we just opened the play last Thursday to great success! And an interview!

When I was in the sixth grade, I wanted to be a director, and my dad said to me, “The thing that every good movie has in common is a good script.” So that compelled me to think about the script as the most important element, which it is. At Waldron, Mrs. Ryan really spoke to me on some literary level. And Ms. Flanagan was the person who inspired me to have thoughts and opinions about the world, which is the most important thing you can have as a writer. That’s probably why everything I write is about the greater Philly area, because that’s not a perspective you see often.

Ms. Testin was the person who made me take the arts seriously. She did not kid around, often telling a student they were no longer in the production because of their behavior. But that attitude is totally right: the arts are not some place to escape from discipline. You have to respect the process that makes the performance excellent. You have to take yourself seriously. And Mr. Borton for voice lessons! I do think there’s a connection between your literal voice and your figurative voice, and I really look back fondly on the time in chorale and voice.

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CLEAR Project Waldron Mercy Academy is proud to announce that two of our esteemed staff members, Greg Soltis, Director of Religious Education and Outreach, and Bonnie Guarini, 4th Grade Religion & Math Teacher, have been selected to participate in the prestigious CLEAR project at Villanova University. This initiative, which stands for “Children, Liturgy, Ecology and Renewal” (CLEAR), is designed to equip participants with deeper theological insights and practical tools for nurturing the faith of children in their respective settings.

We are thrilled that Greg Soltis and Bonnie Guarini have been chosen as 1 of 13 pairs from religious institutions in the greater Philadelphia area. Their participation is not only a testament to their dedication to Catholic education and the Critical Concern of Care for the Earth, but also a reflection of Waldron Mercy Academy’s commitment to nurturing leaders who embody the values of our faith.

We are honored that Waldron Mercy “Academy has been selected to participate, and are incredibly grateful to Mr. Greg Soltis and Mrs. Bonnie Guarini for their enthusiastic response to the invitation to serve as CLEAR Fellows. Their generous commitment of time and talent to this important initiative will undoubtedly have a profound and positive impact on our students and the wider Waldron Mercy Academy community.

”

– Dr. Jacqueline Coccia, Head of School Waldron Mercy Academy’s participation in the CLEAR project underscores our school’s mission of fostering the holistic development of each student. Through this initiative, we hope to further integrate the values of the Catholic faith into every aspect of our students’ education.

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Waldron Mercy Academy 513 Montgomery Avenue Merion Station, PA 19066