VIEWS of VILLA Empowering Young Women Since 1872 A magazine for alumnae, parents, faculty and friends of Villa Maria Academy Fall 2015 Letter from the Director Dear Villa Maria Alumnae, Friends, and Family, It may be a challenge to find me on the campus of Villa Maria these days. You might look in the gym, in a math classroom, or in the Activities Office and I will be nowhere to be found. I am pleased to tell you that my new home is in St. Joseph Hall in the Advancement Office. In the winter you will still be able to see me on the sidelines of the basketball games, but as of July 1, 2015, I am the new Director of Advancement. While I like to think that my role has always been about advancing the mission of Villa Maria, I now have the privilege of working with Ann Sinatra, Maggie Mallon, Diane Zwaan, Maureen Egan, and Sarah McGovern in promoting and supporting our school in new and exciting ways. We all know how much Villa matters. It matters daily to present parents, students, and staff. But we have all been shaped by this school, and we are all tasked with making sure Villa Maria matters in the future as well. Can you alumnae imagine a world without Villa graduates? Take a second and think about what the world would miss without the Villa grads who are now doc- tors, teachers, CEOs, nurses, artists, scientists, writers, and phenomenal moms. As the year progresses, I invite you to come and help us continue to make Villa matter. If you haven’t been back, check out the calendar on page 20 and make plans to come to an event and reconnect with classmates and teachers. Or stop by and see our new turf field (page 10), built with the support of the entire Villa community. If you have kept in touch with us since your graduation — or your daugh- ter’s — keep up the good work. Know that we are happy to see you and hear from you as much as possible. We welcome all philanthropic support of time, talent, and treasure. Please know how blessed we feel to have your support. So, if you are looking for Kathy McCartney, stop by the Advancement Office. Villa matters to you, and you matter to us. I would love to sit and talk with all of you. I can’t tell you how happy I am to be joining the Advance- ment Team and how energized I feel about making sure that Villa continues to matter. Sincerely, Kathy McCartney Director of Advancement 2 Views oƒ Villa FALL 2015 Features Villa Storms the Shore 4 Over 50 graduates, past parents and friends of Villa Maria gathered in Avalon to enjoy cocktails, light snacks, and great conversation. VIEWS of VILLA A magazine for alumnae, parents, faculty Capping off a Career at Villa Maria and friends of Villa Maria Academy 6 With the help of alumnae mentors, seniors in the Capstone program grow in responsibility, confidence, and self-awareness. Sr. Regina Ryan Principal Alumna’s SchoolCycle Program Distributes 7 Bicycles to Malawi Girls Mary Jane Raymond ’78 Lauren Bohn ’05 spearheaded a program that raised more than Alumnae Executive Board President $100,000 to bring wheels to 550 girls. Alumnae and Faculty Participate in Papal Visit 8 Villa Marians of all stripes got involved in the Pope’s visit to Magazine Staff Philadelphia, organizing, fundraising, singing and speaking. Kathleen McCartney Director of Advancement 10 It’s Time to Play Ball! Marguerite Esmonde VMA opened the Maurene Polley Field turf athletic facility with a Director of Communications blessing and celebration that highlighted the field’s namesake. Ann Sinatra Director of the Villa Fund Summer Service in NOLA Broadens Seniors’ Horizons 14 Nineteen seniors find a home in New Orleans on a summer service Maggie Hewes Mallon ’04 trip to help rebuild a community. Director of Constituent Relations Diane Zwaan The Chain of Sisterhood Links Two Alumnae Director of Special Events 15 Across Twenty Years Linda DeMeglio ’65 and Rosemarie Wells ’45 share a bond forged Maureen Egan on the grounds of Villa Maria. Constituent Relations Associate Report of Philanthropy Sarah McGovern 21 The annual report of giving, recognizing those who supported Villa Database Manager Maria Academy from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015. Views of Villa is published two times a year by the Advancement Office Departments VILLA MARIA ACADEMY 16 Class Notes 20 Calendar of Events 20 In Memoriam 370 Central Avenue Malvern, PA 19355 On the Cover 610-644-2551 Field hockey players Nicole Tsiaras, Abigail Siana, and Jennifer Finley, Maurene Polley ’64, and soccer players Alyssa www.vmahs.org Cunningham, Julianne Bradbury, and Elizabeth Eversman celebrate the opening of the Maurene Polley Field. 3 Villa Storms the Shore Alumnae from across 67 years met up in Avalon, NJ for a summer gathering Above illa Maria alumnae “Stormed the Shore” in full force 2 Left to right: Malea Klingelhoeffer Scardellette ’78, Karen McGuckin on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at the home of Laura Spofford ’78,Margaret Prendergast (past parent), Winnie Prendergast DelRaso Melvin ’73. This was the third year that Laura Branton ’78, Bernadette DelRaso Dougherty ’78, Mary Jane Raymond ’78, Sue Pillarella Magargee ’78, Yvonne Manopello Koperves ’73, was gracious enough to host the complimentary Louise Cruz Vizcaino (past parent) and Linda Cruz-Carnall ’78. Alumnae Association event at her home, and it was Vquite a success. A record attendance of over 50 graduates, past par- Opposite page ents and friends of Villa Maria gathered in Avalon to enjoy cocktails, 1. Meghan Magargee ’06, Mary Lauren Magargee ’07 and Mary light snacks, and great conversation among new and old friends. Rose Liva ’08 Graduates from the classes of 1946 through 2013 all made their 2. Patricia Ryan Audet ’71, Joann Amadio Mercer ’72, Kathleen way to the gathering. Making an appearance for the second year in O’Brien ’70, Joan Becht Holloway ’70 and June Cordivari Gregory ’70 a row were former classmates and boarding roommates Catherine 3. Susan O’Neill Kennedy ’81, Laura DelRaso Melvin ’73, Yvonne “Kitty” Love ’46 and Jean Marie Dalton ’46. The youngest graduate to Manopello Koperves ’73 and Denise Carroll Chaplin ’81 help celebrate the sisterhood was Claire Liva ’13. 4. Karen McGuckin Spofford ’78 and Anne O’Neill Robinson ’76 5. Jeanne Oschell Fanelli ’89, Sister Regina Ryan, IHM, Julie Ritter A few wonderful VMA raffle prizes were given away, and thanks Shaweryn ’89 and Kara Gaffney Gallagher ’89 to the generosity of so many in attendance, the Sister Mary Kelly 6. Marie Bruner Macatee ’54 and Kathy Murphy (past parent) Scholarship program raised close to $2,000! We were elated to see so 7. Caroline Coady ’08, Lindsay Petersen ’02 and Emily Coady ’11 many people who took the time to stop by, celebrate and catch up 8. Tessa Cleveland Scheurle ’03, Lauren O’Shaughnessy Vanderslice ’03 and Megan Miller Mayhew ’03 with the Alumnae Association, and we truly hope to see you down 9. Karen Walters ’76, Gia Atkinson ’76 and Anne O’Neill Robinson ’76 the shore next year! n 4 Views oƒ Villa 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Fall 2015 5 Capping Off a Career at Villa Maria Academy By Rosemarie Coghlan confidence as well as in self-awareness. his fall marks the third Hannah Follman ’15 wrote, “I enjoyed year of our Senior getting up every day to watch the in- Capstone program, a terworking of a veterinary hospital and culminating learning I will forever cherish this experience.” activity that encourages Keeley Washel, a future occupational Tcritical thinking and research, promotes therapist, said “To my surprise, I ended conversation and problem solving, up loving my time at the nursing home and results in real life application of and realized I enjoyed working with prior acquired knowledge. Each senior that population, even more so than selects an area of interest and inves- with the children; I am proud of how tigates her topic during the course of stepping out of the box led me to her final year at Villa Maria Academy. realize something about myself and Students receive support in determin- discover an interest that I would have ing topics and forming “essential ques- otherwise not known.” tions” about their chosen topics. Under Personally, I often think that I have Alexa DeAnnuntis ’15 shadowed Stephanie Deviney ’90 at Fox Rothschild, LLP. the guidance of mentors, who include received the biggest gift from this alumnae, past and present parents program: meeting dedicated alumnae importance of networking, and they and teachers, and the Senior Capstone and renewing acquaintances with so, knew that our alumnae were eager to moderator, the students research, dis- so many former students. I credit three connect to our current students. And so cuss and apply their knowledge. accomplished and generous Villa Mar- the Capstone program was launched. Students in the Capstone program ians for helping to make this program The Class of 2015 benefitted from have grown in responsibility and in such a success. Early in September the expertise of more than 40 alumnae, 2013, Mary representing five decades, who served Jane Raymond, as research mentors and/or provided ’78, a CFO in career shadowing opportunities. Many Pittsburgh; Sue of the alumnae have participated in Magargee, ’78, the Capstone program both years, a pediatrician and have opened doors to hospitals with a demand- and pharmacies; innercity schools ing practice; and construction trailers; advertising and Stephanie brainstorming sessions and product Deviney, ’90, a testing laboratories; autopsy rooms busy lawyer with and back stages of theatres.