Lifelong Learning
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Summer 2012 THE REWARDS OF lifelong learning IN THIS ISSUE: COMMENCEMENT | EXCEPTIONAL SENIORS | REUNION Annual Fund Alma Bravo ‘12 volunteers as a First Communion teacher at St. Adalbert Parish in South Bend. aint Mary’s College students put their faith into action. This moment SEighty percent of our students participate in volunteer service before they graduate — 25 percent more than the national average. That’s because social responsibility is made possible a part of our mission. At Saint Mary’s, you’ll find service opportunities woven into every aspect of campus life from classroom projects to student clubs like Dance by alumnae and Marathon and Friends of the Orphans. The world needs women educated in the Saint Mary’s friends of Saint way, and they need you. You can support the mission and work of the College by making a gift to the Annual Fund Mary’s College at saintmarys.edu/give or (800) 762-8871. Annual Fund 138 Madeleva Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 Phone: (800) 762-8871 Email: [email protected] Online: saintmarys.edu/give Annual Fund volume 87, number 2 | summer 2012 TABLE OFCONTENTS 61827 Commencement 2012 Reunion 2012 Funny Business photos/awards/ photos/alumnae awards/ Professionals by-the-numbers alumnae voices alumna and mentor talk about comedy and writing more features Heard on Campus . .3 Exceptional Seniors. .12 Alumnae Voices: The Heart of the Matter . .16 One Book, One Saint Mary’s . .24 The 2012 Legacy List. .48 depa rtments 2 Inside Saint Mary’s / 4 Avenue News / 24 Published and Presented 28 For the Record / 30 Club News / 32 Class News / 40 Excelsior Visit saintmarys.edu/courier to view the Courier online. On the cover: Alex Mirandola Mullen, a communication studies major from Lawrenceville, Georgia, receives her degree at the Commencement ceremony on May 19. For more Commencement coverage, turn to page 6. On the back cover: Sara Duffy Pensinger ’02, facing camera, greets classmates at the registration desk in Le Mans Hall as Reunion 2012 gets underway. The Saint Mary’s College Courier Shari Rodriguez Courier Staff Writing Intern The Mission (USPS 135-340) is published three Vice President for Heather Grennan Gary Class News Saint Mary’s College is a Catholic, times a year by Saint Mary’s College, College Relations Editor Send alumnae class news to: residential, women’s college in the Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001. [email protected] [email protected] Alumnae News Editor liberal arts tradition. A pioneer in the Periodicals postage paid at the Post Karen Zagrocki McDonald ’76 Christine Cox 110 Le Mans Hall education of women, the College is an Offi ce at Notre Dame, IN 46556 Staff Writer Acting Assistant Vice President Saint Mary’s College academic community where women and at additional mailing offi ces. Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001 or Integrated Marketing Gwen O’Brien develop their talents and prepare POSTMASTER: Send address Communications Director of Media Relations email [email protected] changes to Alumnae Relations, Saint to make a difference in the world. [email protected] Sarah Miesle ’07 Mary’s College, 110 Le Mans Hall, Sports Information Director Letters Founded by the Sisters of the Holy Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001. Cross in 1844, Saint Mary’s promotes Alumnae Relations Staff Christina Duthie Send letters to the editor to: Copyright 2012 Saint Mary’s College, Kara O’Leary ’89 Graphic Designer Courier Editor a life of intellectual vigor, aesthetic Notre Dame, IN 46556. Reproduction Director of Alumnae Relations Janet Graham Saint Mary’s College appreciation, religious sensibility, and in whole or part is prohibited without [email protected] Sarah Miesle ’07 303 Haggar College Center social responsibility. All members of the written permission. The opinions Zara Osterman Jessica Stuifbergen ’99 Notre Dame, IN 46556 College remain faithful to this mission expressed are those of the authors or Joe Raymond Assistant Director of (574) 284-4595 and continually assess their response their subjects and are not necessarily Photographers Alumnae Relations or email [email protected] to the complex needs and challenges shared by the College or the editor. Michelle Rozman ’12 [email protected] of the contemporary world. Courier | 1 insidesaintmary’s Four short years that inspire a lifetime of learning Carol Ann Mooney ’72, College President As I write this column, I look out my window and see the perfectly manicured lawn in front of Le Mans Hall. Our hardworking maintenance staff is carefully setting up row after row of chairs on the Green. Th is weekend we will celebrate the 165th Commencement exercises at Saint Mary’s College. Four hundred fourteen young women will cross the stage and receive their diplomas. Four years ago, they arrived anxious about whether they had made the right choice to attend Saint Mary’s. Now they will cross the stage as confi dent graduates ready to face an exciting future. Just two weeks after we say goodbye to them, a record number of our alumnae will return to campus for Reunion 2012. Th ese are busy days at Saint Mary’s. Th is year my classmates and I will celebrate our 40th reunion. Th is signifi cant milestone has caused me to refl ect on my years as a student and how my time here prepared me to serve as our president. When speaking to alumnae groups I often refer to one of my favorite English professors, Sister Franzita Kane, CSC, and her powerful infl uence on my life. Sister Franzita both intimidated and inspired me. She helped me to see abilities in myself that I may not have discovered otherwise. Faculty members at Saint Mary’s still expect great things from their students. Th ey challenge them to exceed even their own expectations. For me, my four years as a Saint Mary’s student was a time to read the great books, discuss the great thinkers, and live the intellectual tradition of a Holy Cross education. But as I refl ect back I am quite sure I was blissfully unaware of the depth of my Saint Mary’s education. Will any of our young graduates this weekend understand what a gift she has received until she is able to refl ect back upon it? Each year when I toast the seniors at the Alumnae-Senior Champagne Brunch, I encourage them to keep reading and assure them that if they keep their minds sharp, their lives will remain interesting. A love of literature and the development of my adult faith life are the greatest gifts that Saint Mary’s gave me. I hope that this Courier issue brings back wonderful memories of your time at Saint Mary’s and that you, like me, continue to enjoy the many blessings we received here. The Alumnae Association Board of Directors Honorary President Directors Cass Rydesky Connor ’60 Priscilla Karle Pilon ’86 Kelly Anne Walsh ’01 Carol Ann Mooney ’72 Janyce Dunkin Brengel ’78 1411 North Druid Hills Road NE 5478 Doliver Drive 309 Washington Street, Apt. 4110 690 Windsor Court Atlanta, GA 30319-3812 Houston, TX 77056-2318 Conshohocken, PA 19428 President Lake Forest, IL 60045 678-641-2277 713-622-3438 773-805-9758 Karen McNamara Weaver ’91 847-894-4446 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 3027 Windsor Drive [email protected] Bettendorf, IA 52722-2616 Kathleen Gibboney ’73 Dawn Parker Santamaria ’81 Student Member (voting) 816-304-7682 Sarah Brown ’05 13 Evergreen Circle 2 Gravel Hill Road Chelsea Young ’13 [email protected] 704 Churchill Drive Cincinnati, OH 45215-1368 Asbury, NJ 08802-1347 20600 Madison Road Charleston, WV 25314-1743 513-771-1162 908-735-6716 South Bend, IN 46614 Vice-President 304-993-7761 [email protected] [email protected] 574-291-0511 Kathryn Wiedl Mettler, MD ’63 [email protected] [email protected] 715 Registry Lane NE Kate Murray Harper ’89 Barbara Wolfston Urrutia ’74 Atlanta, GA 30342-2865 Kelly O’Shea Carney PhD, CMC ’84 41 Lancaster Lane 423 Bark Drive Student Member (non-voting) 404-262-7454 7128 Blossom Lane Lincolnshire, IL 60069 Redwood City, CA 94065-1101 Mollie Valencia ’14 [email protected] Coopersburg, PA 18036-9723 847-607-8812 650-593-4958 2520 Grassmere Drive 610-965-9880 [email protected] [email protected] Melbourne, FL 32904 Secretary [email protected] 321-848-7863 Annette H. Isom ’83 Geneviève C. Morrill ’98 Phyllis Sullivan Van Hersett ’62 [email protected] 2 South 019 Taylor Road 1924 North Rockwell Street 10507 Jaguar Drive Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-6823 Chicago, IL 60647-4203 Littleton, CO 80124-5200 630-790-0397 773-315-1316 303-790-9265 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2 | Summer 2012 Heard “I’m not the best writer, but on campus “You all have such a I work harder than Many dynamic speakers visited the College bright future ahead this spring to share their insights, passions, 10 people combined. of you. Is it really and expertise. Here’s just a taste of what You have to believe in you.” worth the risk to some of them had to say. text and drive?” —Adriana Trigiani ’81, best-selling author, in a master class for English students. Her latest book, —Diveeta Thompson, The Shoemaker’s Wife, debuted in April on the founder of Stop Texting and “Religious extremism has no virtue in Islam New York Times bestseller list at No. 5. ( April 26) Distracted Driving (STANDD), and has been unequivocally condemned speaking to an audience by the prophet Muhammad. He is about her son, Rodney, a reported in an authentic prophetic high school senior who was killed in 2008 as he tradition (hadith) to have declared was texting and driving.