Summer 2009 Beginning with the End in Mind imaginemore innovative health care Andrea Krebs ’09 has already helped make it possible and she’s just getting started. as a first-year Majored in biology after taking Concepts of Biology with Tom Fogle as a sophomore Traveled to Nicaragua with Saint Mary’s professors to establish a new summer travel course for students as a junior Conducted research on the curative benefits of noni fruit while living on Little Corn Island in Nicaragua as a senior Presented her senior comprehensive project showcasing her research findings that the use of noni fruit lowers blood pressure GU]bhAUfmÁgghiXYbhgUfYXmbUa]WkcaYb XYhYfa]bYXhcW\Ub[Yh\Ykcf`X"GU]bhAUfmÁg dfcj]XYgh\YUWUXYa]WZcibXUh]cbUbXgd]f]hiU`ZcWig h\YmbYYXhcVi]`XUVYhhYfhcacffck" @SOR[]`SOP]cb/\R`SOObaOW\b[O`gaSRcO\R`SOY`SPa MciWUb[]jYh\Yah\YgW\c`Ufg\]dgUbXÉbUbW]U`U]Xh\UhgYhg ]hU``]bach]cb ^igh`]_YmciX]XZcf5bXfYU" you make education possible for our students. D`YUgYaU_YU[]Zhhch\YAnnual FundZcfgW\c`Ufg\]dgUbXÉbUbW]U`U]X" J]g]higcb`]bYUhgU]bhaUfmg"YXi#[]jYcfWU``,$$!GA7!,,+%" The Annual Fund Volume 84, Number 2 tableof contents Summer 2009 The Saint Mary’s College Courier (USPS 135-340) is published four times a year by Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001. Periodicals postage paid at the Post Offi ce at Notre Dame, IN 46556 and at additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Alumnae Relations, Saint Mary’s College, 110 Le Mans Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001. Copyright 2009 Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission. The opinions expressed are those of the authors or their subjects and are not necessarily shared by the College or the editor. Shari Rodriguez Vice President for College Relations [email protected] Commencement 2009 Honorees Diverse Students’ Leadership Conference Karen Zagrocki McDonald ’76 Page 10 Page 20 Acting Assistant Vice President Integrated Marketing Communications [email protected] Courier Staff: Scot Erin Briggs Editor features departments [email protected] Natalie Davis Miller Staff Writer 2 Inside Saint Mary’s 3 Commencement Shannon E. Brewer ’03 Saint Mary’s celebrates its 162nd 18 Avenue News Staff Writer commencement Joya Helmuth 22 Published and Presented Graphic Designer Matt Cashore 6 Exceptional Seniors 24 For the Record Janet Graham Jason Jones Meet some young women from the 26 Club News Zara Osterman Class of 2009 Photographers 30 Class News Letters: Send letters to the editor to: 8 Awards and Honors Courier Editor 39 Excelsior Saint Mary’s College Profi les of award and degree 303 Haggar College Center recipients Notre Dame, IN 46556 or e-mail [email protected] Class News: 11 She’s Ready Send alumnae class news to: Alumnae News Editor 110 Le Mans Hall See what’s next for our newest Saint Mary’s College graduates Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001 or e-mail [email protected] Alumnae Association Staff: 12 Comprehending the Kara O’Leary ’89 Final Challenge Director of Alumnae Relations [email protected] A look at some of this year’s Jessica Stuifbergen ’99 “Senior Comps” Assistant Director of Alumnae Relations [email protected] The Mission Saint Mary’s College is a Catholic, residential, women’s college in the liberal arts tradition. A pioneer in the education of women, the College is an academic community where women develop their talents and prepare to make a difference in the world. On the cover: Founded by the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1844, Saint Mary’s promotes a life of intellectual vigor, aesthetic Caitlin Brodmerkel ’09, recipient of this year’s Outstanding Senior Award appreciation, religious sensibility, and presented by the Alumnae Association social responsibility. All members of Photo by Jason Jones the College remain faithful to this mission and continually assess their response to the complex needs and challenges of the contemporary world. The Alumnae Association insidesaintmary’s Board of Directors Honorary President Carol Ann Mooney ’72 President MarilynElizabeth Wolter Bermingham Laboe ’61 Lacy ’66 360505 EastWelwyn Hurd Road Road Monroe,Richmond, MI VA48162 23229-8105 (734)(804) 243-3345741-5301 • [email protected]@courts.state.va.us Vice President HollyLisa Maxbauer Rieger Curley Price ’80 ’99 2326363 Sealund Mora Road Glen Drive LosQuincy, Altos MA Hills, 02171 CA 94024 (650)(917) 948-8598518-4345 • [email protected]@yahoo.com Beginning With the End in Mind Secretary JudyMary MardoianSue Dunn GavoorCurry ’85 ’76 10305434 SirFlowering William Dogwood Lane Lane LakeCharlotte, Forest, NC IL 28270-3729 60045 By Shannon E. Brewer ’03 (847)(704) 235-2759814-7967 • [email protected]@carolina.rr.com Directors Commencement ceremonies embody a college’s SheilaChristine Conlin M. Bodewes Brown ’56 ’87 72514696 2390Snow HillEast Road Street tradition. At Saint Mary’s, their purpose is to bestow Princeton,Salisbury, MDIL 61356 21004 (815)(217) 659-3040971-0923 • [email protected]@yahoo.com that tradition on the graduating class, and to celebrate the four years of intellectual growth, personal growth, JillSarah Moore Brown Clouse ’05 ’99 3202150 2nd North Avenue Paulina South, Street, Apt. 2S 230 and lifelong friendships nurtured over the past four Chicago,Nashville, ILTN 60657 37201 (773)(202) 348-2124413-5083 • [email protected]@gmail.com years. Saint Mary’s recently celebrated its 162nd MaryJill Moore Sue DunnClouse Curry ’99 ’85 Commencement. We sent off the Class of 2009 in full 54343202 FloweringNorth Paulina Dogwood Street, Lane 2S regalia, complete with hooding ceremonies and an Charlotte,Chicago, IL NC 60657 28270-3729 (704)(773) 814-7967348-2124 • [email protected]@yahoo.com Honors Convocation, just as our predecessors did for the Nora Barry Fischer ’73 Class of 1846. U.S. Post Offi ce and Courthouse 700 Grant Street, Suite 5260 In that mid- to turn-of-the-century era, Saint Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Mary’s prepared its students for intellectual pursuit judgenorabfi [email protected] Sara Bateman Koehler ’70 that stretched the boundaries placed around women’s Angeline944 Spannwood Johnson Road ’07 Indianapolis,701 North Saint IN 46228 Louis Boulevard leadership at the time. We call ourselves, and the Sisters (317)South 253-4494Bend, IN 46617• [email protected] [email protected] of the Holy Cross who founded this College, pioneers in Elizabeth Bermingham Lacy ’66 the education of women. And we are pioneers with an Linda505 Welwyn Kawecki Road ’79 Richmond,6948 Lakeshore VA 23229-8105 Drive established tradition of sending women off to challenge the world and lead responsibly. (804)Dallas, 741-5301 TX 75214-3550 • [email protected] (214) 327-9355 • [email protected] In her 1894 Valedictory address, Mary Angela Smyth encouraged her classmates to take LeeAnn Franks McConnell ’85 what they learned at Saint Mary’s with them. “. As we touch lovingly the [rosary] bead which Sara1006 Eastland Bateman Drive Koehler ’70 Sturgis,944 Spannwood MI 49091 Road marks our graduation, we will think of the motto ‘In hoc signo vinces,’ and let us promise, dear (269)Indianapolis, 651-9955 IN 46228• [email protected] (317) 253-4494 • [email protected] classmates, to be true to it.” The Latin motto means, “in this [sign] you will conquer.” Smyth Karen Zagrocki McDonald ’76 KathrynP.O. Box 87 Wiedl Mettler, M.D. ’63 was urging her classmates to remember all they had learned at Saint Mary’s, which would spur Union715 Registry Pier, MI Lane49129 NE them on to bright futures. As they went their separate ways the “signo,” the sign or symbol that (269)Atlanta, 469-9625 GA 30342-2865 • [email protected] (404) 262-7454 • [email protected] joined them, was Saint Mary’s. Adriana Garces Petty ’01 Priscilla1615 Altgeld Karle Street Pilon ’86 Our students’ transformation takes place over the course of just four years. But their journey South5478 DoliverBend, IN Drive 46614 (574)Houston, 514-3237 TX 77056 • [email protected] maps a wealth of cherished experiences—from sharing a study carrel in McCandless Hall, to (713) 622-3438 • [email protected] that fi rst professional internship; from afternoon softball practice to the thrill of the Opera Lisa Maxbauer Price ’99 DawnPost Towers Parker Santamaria ’81 Workshop’s opening night; from hovering over beakers with a much-admired professor in the 752 Gravel West Street,Hill Road Apt 2B NewAsbury, York, NJ NY08802-1347 10006-1791 chem lab, to beholding the Coliseum in the Eternal City on a study abroad trip. (917)(908) 518-4345735-6716 • [email protected]@tallshipunicorn.com One experience that bonds all Saint Mary’s alumnae is the senior comprehensive SusanMonica M. Stallworth Suchy ’89 Kolimas, M.D. ’74 requirement. In this issue, we tell the stories of several students who wrote papers, developed 922520361 South Kings Clifton Crest ParkBoulevard Avenue EvergreenHagerstown, Park, MD IL 21742 60805-1508 theories, conducted research in faraway places, and studied for exams that resulted in the (708)(240) 636-5915527-3220 • [email protected][email protected] honor of adding two or three little letters to the end of their names. That honor is the result of KimmiSusan M.Martin Suchy Troy ’89 ’00 hard work and dedication that will see them through the rest of their lives. 9361322 Currie South Place Prairie Avenue, Unit 1813 Wauwatosa,Chicago, IL 60605WI 53213 As an alumna, I recall my own Commencement celebration as a happy culmination of (414)(312) 771-0306945-0089 • [email protected]@sbcglobal.net experiences and a projection of our class’s future success. In switching my tassel from the PhyllisBarbara Sullivan Wolfston Van Urrutia Hersett ’74 ’62 10507423 Bark Jaguar Drive Drive left to the right, I marked a milestone that shaped my future.