A Peek Into Where NWC Alumni Have “Gone,” Personally, Professionally, and Geographically Letter from the Principal/Chief Administrator
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INSIDE: ANNUAL REPORT, 2008-09 What’s your most vivid memory from Northwest Catholic? Who “were” you at NWC? Who “ are” you now? When you hear the words “Northwest Catholic,” what’s the first word that comes to mind? A Peek into Where NWC Alumni Have “Gone,” Personally, Professionally, and Geographically letter from the PrinciPal/chief administrator Dear Friends, Although every issue of Logos includes some stories about alumni, we have decided this time to make alums the main focus – hence, the collection of brief profiles that makes up our cover story. While this is just a tiny sampling of our alumni, it is so exciting and gratifying to see the “places you’ve gone” and the things you’ve done. This is also the issue that includes our annual report for 2008-09, and we are pleased and proud to tell you that, for the seventh year in a row, we have exceeded the $1-million mark in donations to Northwest Catholic! In a year of such incredible financial uncertainty, this is truly remarkable, and we are grateful and humbled by your support. We also know that many of you have endured reversals recently that have challenged you, and we want you to know that we pray for you as you deal with these situations. With your generous support, we have been able to provide more than $1.2 million in financial aid, renovate five more classrooms with “SMART” technology, renovate the music room and fitness center, purchase a second after-school activity bus, upgrade our technology infrastructure with new servers and an additional T1 line, and maintain our excellent educational program by improving the curriculum and underwriting professional development for our faculty and staff. Thank you to all of you who helped make these things happen. The mission of Northwest Catholic – to “foster in young people a faith that gives meaning and direction to life, to challenge and guide them in the pursuit of academic excellence, and to instill within them a spirit of service to God and others” -- is being carried out today in the context of 21st century social and educational issues. It’s a mission that’s as important today as it was 49 years ago, when the first freshman class walked through our doors. The successes of NWC alums serve as a beacon to today’s students as they face ever-challenging career and ethical choices. In person and in spirit, you all provide hope and encouragement to the students we work with today. This year, we are focusing on using our gifts to serve others and honoring the priests of the Archdiocese who serve us all so well. Please visit us when you can to see and feel the community as it exists today and to reminisce about your own high school days. Thank you for all of your support and know that we pray for you all. We wish you the very best in the new year! Sincerely, Margaret Williamson Principal/Chief Administrator 2 • LOGOS THE MAGAZINE OF NORTHWEST CATHOLIC Contents FALL 2009 LOGOs The Greek word or logos (pronounced lo-gaas) is defined as “word” or “meaning.” St. John’s Gospel opens: “In the beginning was Logos (the Word), and Logos was with God, and Logos was God.” The phrase “Word (Logos) of God,” found in John 1:1 and elsewhere, shows God’s desire and ability to “speak” to the human. The Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs (the founding Order of Northwest Catholic) have been noted for their effective ability to preach the word. The mission of the Dominicans is to provide intellectual formation, social communication, and service through word and action. Our publication, Logos, conveys our mission and values through this medium of the word. Logos is published three times a year by the Communications Department of Northwest Catholic High School. Please send comments or suggestions to: Michelle M. Murphy Director of Communications Northwest Catholic High School 29 Wampanoag Drive West Hartford, CT 06117 860.236.4221 x133 [email protected] Editor: Michelle M. Murphy Principal/Chief Administrator: Margaret Williamson Photography: ArtRich Photography, Mark Dodd, Jane Leary, Michelle Murphy, NWC archives, NOWECA (Northwest Catholic yearbook), Jennifer Puskarz, Thomas Steen Design: GO media Departments Contributors: Jordan Barnes ’99, Theresa Becker ’76, Butler Family, Catholic Charities, Jei Cho ’10, Joseph Cote ’95, Catherine Foley Bodak- Gyovai ’65, Harold Drabkin ’68, John Flannery ’79, Nico Greco 36 NEWS FROM 29 WAMPANOAG ’10, Gerardo Heredia ’96, Patricia Juda, Marian Kindstrom ’85, Katie Krikawa ’10, Michael Lenz ’91, Richard Luddy, Ph.D., Kelsey Marakovits ’10, Eddie Martucci, Ph.D. ’00, Kim 44 SPORTS NEWS McElaney ’72, Brenna Milbier ’04, Irene O’Connor ’85, Miriam O’Leary, M.D. ’95, Jason Randazzo ’98, Michael Rogers, S.J. ’98, Rebecca Blais Sanda ’90, David Santos ’85, Kate Schuppe ’11, Tchaka Shepherd, M.D. ’90, Mary Swetcky, Megan Tracey ’85, 46 ALUMNI NEWS Jessica Galanos Wallace ’97, Meghan Terrion Whitehouse ’03, Patrick Williamson ’99, Floyd Wilson THE MAGAZINE OF NORTHWEST CATHOLIC FA L L 2 0 0 9 • 3 cover story t’s been an enormously popular graduation gift for nearly 20 years: i Oh, the Places You’ll Go, the modern Dr. Seuss classic, has sold millions of copies–including 300,000 every Spring–since it was published in January 1990. Its message of excited encouragement for people embody the amazing array of places that Northwest on the threshold of the rest of their lives is especially Catholic people have “gone,” personally, professionally, bittersweet considering that this was Dr. Seuss’s last and geographically. Of course, this is by no means an book before his death. exhaustive, or even adequately representative, overview of the paths our alums have taken since graduation. Like all of his works, this one has a signature refrain–“Will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed. (98.75% But it’s a start. Over the next several years, and guaranteed.)”–that reinforces the book’s inspirational especially as Northwest Catholic’s 50th anniversary theme. It could also be considered the thread that gets closer, we will tell as many stories as we can of other connects the lives of the 15 Northwest Catholic alums alumni, here in these pages and on our web site (www. profiled on these pages. northwestcatholic.org). Please, tell us yours! Send info to Michelle M. Murphy, Director of Communications Selected randomly from the 7,500 or so people who ([email protected]). have graduated from NWC since 1965, these alums 4 • LOGOS THE MAGAZINE OF NORTHWEST CATHOLIC For these profiles, we asked each person to respond to the same five questions: What’s your most vivid memory from Northwest catholic? Who are” you Who “were” now? ? you at NWc When you hear the words Northwest catholic,” what’s the first word that comes to mind? Here’s what they said: Catherine Foley Bodak-Gyovai, M.D. ’65 is a pediatric After teaching at Temple neurologist at the A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Delaware, as University Medical School well as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Thomas Jefferson for 15 years and then at the School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She has 70 scientific and University of Pittsburgh medical publications. She and her husband, Levente Bodak-Gyovai, School of Medicine for 13 DMD, a former professor at Penn’s School of Dental Medicine, live years, she assumed her current in Media, PA, where he has a dental practice. position at Jefferson Medical Catherine Foley Bodak-Gyovai, M.D. ’65 School. Catherine is the oldest of five girls – her sisters areVirginia Foley ’68, Elizabeth Foley Emile ’70, Patricia Foley Seremet ’71, and “I have been an academic child neurologist for my entire career, Elenore Foley Sonski ’75, who’s married to Alex Sonski ’74 – and enjoy teaching medical students and residents, as well as taking and was involved in a typical array of activities at NWC: yearbook, care of children with brain disorders. My work is truly an honor, a newspaper, school plays. She graduated from Rosemont College in challenge and a privilege. I can’t imagine doing anything else. 1969 and from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1974. She did a four-year pediatric residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, where she was the Chief “Will you succeed? Yes, you will Resident. She also completed three years of neurology residency at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. indeed. (98.75% guaranteed.)” THE MAGAZINE OF NORTHWEST CATHOLIC FA L L 2 0 0 9 • 5 c over story I am married to the love of my life. When I met him, he was a who solidified my interest in biology. I’ve lost track of many, but widower with two adult sons; now we have seven grandchildren, the hope they are doing well.” youngest of whom is six months old. We are active in our parish, and contact: [email protected] enjoy traveling, dancing, whitewater rafting, and kayaking. If we live another 50 years, we will just about have enough time to complete everything on our list of things we plan to do. I believe my NWC homeroom produced at least two other pediatricians – Matthew Frank, a child neurologist like me, and Marilyn Bacon, a neonatologist. Our homeroom teacher was a tiny From the 1970s... little nun who taught Algebra II, Geometry, Trig – she was always smiling and was a bundle of energy. I can see her face, but her name eludes me. John L. Flannery, Jr. ’79 was this Fall named the President and I have several vivid memories of NWC: Sr.