Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Visions Magazine-Fall 2015/Winter 2016

VISIONSACADEMY OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR FALL 2015/WINTER 2016

ProjectSTR EAM

New academic initiative flowsthrough Notre Dame's curriculum.

MISSION STATEMENTThe Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, a Catholic,independent, college preparatory school, commitsitself to the education of young women of grades 6through 12 for responsible living in a global society.The Academy, rooted in the faith traditionof the Catholic Church, and the charismof Saint Julie Billiart, provides its studentswith a challenging academic curriculumwithin a rich spiritual communityin order to:

• inspire them to live theprophetic nature of the gospel,with a passion for justice andlove for the poor,

• enable them to develop theskills and desire necessaryfor life-long learning,

• empower them to be honorable,compassionate leaders.

2 ACADEMY OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

In this issueA Conversation with

Dr. Judith A. DwyerPresident Dwyer reflects on her first full year asPresident of the Academy of Notre Dame andshares the strategic vision for the Academy’s future.

4

Project STREAMNotre Dame’s new cross-curricular

educational initiative unifies all grade levels anddepartments through learning activities, serviceprograms, and community partnerships.

8

Notre Dame Families

Participate in Papal VisitLearn how the lives of Notre Dame students,families, and alumnae were touched by PopeFrancis’ historic visit to Philadelphia.

12

Faculty InsightMathematics instructor Tyler Gaspich

shares how “flipped classroom” instruction matchesindividual learning styles.

16

18 Around ND

25 Athletics

28 Alumnae and Athletic Hall of Fame

30 Reunion

36 Class Notes

ADMINISTRATIONJudith A. Dwyer, Ph.D.PresidentJacqueline Coccia, MAPrincipalKim Eife, MSAcademic DeanJennifer Nobles, MADean of Students

VISIONS MAGAZINEJudy Detwiler, EditorDirector of Marketingand Communications

CONTRIBUTORSPaige LeGrandDirector of Advancement

Sally OrrAssociate Director of Advancement

VISIONS FALL 2015/WINTER 2016 3

The Academy ofNotre Dame de Namur560 Sproul Road, Villanova, PA 19085

610.687.0650 www.ndapa.org

Joy AntonoplosDirector of Annual Fund

Marielle DuBovec Mazda ’06

Associate Director of Alumnae Relations

Paula GaughanEvent Coordinator and Parent Liaison

Alicia Mendicino

Jessica Turner ’06

DESIGNConway Design

A conversation with

DR. JUDITh


Afull academic year has passed sinceDr. Judith Dwyer was installed asthe second lay President of theAcademy of Notre Dame deNamur. With more than two decades

of experience as an innovator in Catholic

higher education and international experience as a Fulbright

Scholar, Dwyer has quickly made an impact at Notre Dame.

We talked with her about her first year and what lies ahead.

Q. What excites you most about your experience

at Notre Dame?

The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur is an exceptional

school with a great heritage, grounded in its Catholic identity

and the pioneering legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame de

Namur. When you meet our students and see their vitality,

their self-confidence, their poise - when you hear their dreams

- you know that we have before us the next generation of

leadership. The privilege of providing the finest education

possible for these talented young women is truly an honor

and an exhilarating opportunity.

Q. It’s been a busy year. Under your leadership, the

Board of Trustees approved an ambitious, five-year

strategic plan that will set a new course for the school.

What is your vision for Notre Dame?

One of my first opportunities as President was to lead a

community-based planning process that invited faculty, staff,

students, alumnae, parents, and trustees to envision a road

map that would chart the future of Notre Dame. What would

2020, 2025, and beyond look like? What would be our priorities

and how could we achieve them?

The strategic vision that we call “Our Time to Inspire” came

from those thoughtful conversations. The Board approved

the plan last spring, and my commitment to this vision is,

quite frankly, unwavering. What I appreciate deeply in the

strategic plan is that it is rooted in our heritage, our mission,

our hallmarks.

It is our vision that the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur will

be recognized as the premier independent Catholic academy for

young women in North America. We shall do that through our

emphasis on compassionate leadership, on global citizenship,

on academic excellence.

Q. A pivotal component of the strategic plan is the design

of a comprehensive STEM and STEAM program for all grades.

Why is this a priority?

Women have been traditionally underrepresented in the areas

of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Knowing

the strong track record of our alumnae in these fields, it was

important to position Notre Dame as a leader in STEM education.

Our faculty has worked extensively on developing a very

innovative, experientially-based approach to STEM education.

It’s comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and a very important

combination of theory and practice. The program also

interconnects science with the arts, the “A” in STEAM, so

one can imagine studying dance by way of physics or music

by way of mathematics, to show the relevancy of all these

matters in daily life.

DWYER


Through our strategic plan, we are

committed to highlighting the innovation

of the curriculum, the quality of our

teachers, the creativity of our students,

and to building a state-of-the-art facility

that reflects this commitment.

Q. You’re passionate about preparing

Notre Dame graduates to become

leaders in a global society. How will

the strategic plan address this?

Our alumnae are leaders throughout the

world, and when you meet them, you are

impressed by the fields in which they

work and the ways that they have

emerged as leaders on the international stage. We want to

make sure that our current students have that same opportunity

to explore new cultures and new challenges within the global

community. By establishing a Center for Leadership and

International Studies, and creating partnerships with girls’

schools throughout the world that are well-known for their

excellence, we will immediately provide our students with

a dynamic, global learning environment.

As our students examine

cultural, socioeconomic,

religious, or geographical

differences, they will

deal on a deep level

with the diversity and

the complexity of our

modern world in a way

that will prepare them

to be compassionate

leaders in the future.

This philosophy aligns

with the Sisters of Notre

Dame de Namur who

serve on five continents

and who themselves

have been leaders

and pioneers.

Q. This summer you visited Zhuhai

Girls’ Middle School in Guangdong

Province, China, to lay the groundwork

for new learning and exchange programs

with Notre Dame. What are your plans

for this new relationship?

This is our first formal affiliation for joint

learning experiences with a school in Asia.

We plan to create cultural immersion

opportunities, exchanges, or shared

learning experiences around a common

theme. This school is well known for the

arts and Notre Dame has a very strong

tradition within the fine and performing

arts, so there is common ground that we

can immediately explore together. This is the first of a series

of schools around the world with whom we shall align for

global immersion experiences and exchanges.

Q. As part of the strategic planning process, you asked

Board members to read The Third Teacher, which

examines how the design of a learning environment

impacts teaching and learning. Why was that important?

The premise of The Third Teacher is that there are three

teachers all interacting at once with a student. The first, of

course, is the designated teacher; the second teacher is the

student, working in peer learning environments; and the third

teacher is the educational environment itself.

As we thought about reshaping our curriculum, embedding it

with state-of-the-art technology and state-of-the-art learning

methodologies, we knew that our campus must also reflect the

finest learning environments for our students. So, throughout

the strategic planning process, our philosophy has been that

the curriculum shapes the campus and the learning environment

shapes the facilities.


“Our alumnae are

leaders throughout the

world, and when you

meet them, you are

impressed by the fields

in which they work

and the ways that they

have emerged as

leaders on the

international stage.”


Q This approach to campus planning was also an integral

component of the strategic plan. Can you explain?

In a bold move on the part of the Notre Dame community,

we recently completed construction of state-of-the-art athletic

fields on the front of the campus. Now we need to be equally

bold with the campus master plan. This will be one of the

foundations upon which we shall launch a capital campaign

in 2016.

Development of a campus master plan began in January

2015. Seven architectural firms competed to be selected as

the architect of record for the campus master plan. At the

April Board meeting in 2015, the Board of Trustees selected

Centerbrook Architects and Planners, based on their reputation

for excellence and for their community-based approach to the

planning process, which was important to us.

From April until September 2015, Centerbrook interviewed

our students, parents, alumnae, trustees, faculty, and staff to

develop what has yielded a brilliant campus master plan. The

Board approved a high-level presentation of the plan in October.

Q. If you were to step on to the campus as a young

woman in 2020 what do you imagine would be happening

in this learning environment?

I would hope that a student coming here in 2020 would

experience a community of faith, a community that is vibrant,

a community in which there are self-confident, poised young

women, and a community in which there is compassion for

the poor. In many ways it would reflect the community that

we have today. These are values that prevail over any decade

and, in our case, in any century. So, the heart of the school

will not have changed, in fact it will have deepened with time.

That said, Notre Dame will reflect a state-of-the-art

environment that inspires learning. Students and faculty

will collaborate in contemporary, flexible spaces that nurture

creativity and discovery.

That’s why our strategic plan, “Our Time to Inspire,” is so rich.

It’s a call to transcend the kind of day-to-day thinking that

can limit our horizons. Our plans for Notre Dame are bold,

but they are clearly rooted in the great academic tradition

of the Academy, the mission of the Catholic Church, and the

pioneering legacy of the first Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

These days, you can find Notre Dame students routinely taking

water samples at the Darby Creek, drawing macro images of

those samples in art class, discussing the sacramental role of

water, and examining issues of water scarcity. Why all this talk

of water? The answer is Project STREAM.


ProjectSTR EAM

Project STREAM began in a faculty meeting in

early 2015, according to Academic Dean Kim

Eife. “There was an overriding interest in

developing a schoolwide theme to support

our curriculum. The theme needed to work

with every discipline,” says Eife. “When the

subject of water was mentioned, all of the department chairs

jumped in with enthusiasm and ideas of ways to use the topic.”

The theme for this cross-curricular

project is, Water Sustains All Life.

“That’s the message we want to

get out,” says Eife, “but we also

wanted something a little catchier,

so we decided to name the initiative

Project STREAM.”

With STEM and STEAM education

a focus at Notre Dame, is STREAM

also an acronym? “Project STREAM

is tied to STEM and STEAM in the

integration of technology, engineering,

mathematics and arts, but the R

doesn’t necessarily stand for

religion,” says Eife. “However,

the ‘water sustains all life’ theme

applies well to other disciplines,

like social studies and religion.”

Josephine Gandolfo, a teacher in the religion department,

has always been involved in service projects with the students,

and service is a key component of the Notre Dame mission.

“We explore the seven themes of Catholic social teaching,”

says Gandolfo, “and the final theme is stewardship of the Earth.”

“The Church teaches that water is a fundamental human

right and Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur around the world

focus on water poverty and clean water for those in need,”

says Gandolfo. “I hope to work with the students to begin a

fundraiser to provide water-cleansing tablets to the Sisters

and the impoverished people

they help.”

Science teacher Emily Giannantonio

reinforces the fact that Project

STREAM is not just a science

department initiative. “Everything’s

about water,” says Giannantonio.

“You can tie almost any project

into it with many different learning

opportunities.” In November, the

AP Physics and AP Calculus

classes traveled to Darby Creek

to measure the flow rate of the

water and will work on calculations

based on their data collection.

The Environmental and AP

Environmental classes went to the

creek to monitor and collect water

from three different locations.

“When I approached the Darby Creek Valley Association

(DCVA) about working together, I asked how we could help

them,” says Giannantonio. “They asked us to do regular


monitoring on the Darby, so we will send a small group

each month to monitor the creek. The DCVA has an annual

meeting at the end of January, and we plan to present the

results of everything that we’ve done so far. They have also

asked us to do an oral history of the Association and maybe

even work on a coffee table book.”

The sixth and seventh grade students went to the John Heinz

National Wildlife Refuge to study water fowl and aquatic

environments. “John Heinz is actually where Darby Creek

ends, so it brings sixth graders through seniors together in

the same theme and location,” says Giannantonio.

Kate Rupertus’ upperclass art students are using Darby Creek

stream samples to create works of art. “The students are

studying water samples under microscopes, taking pictures,

and doing sketches and polished drawings,” explains Rupertus.

“They’ll be detailed macro drawings to scale. The science

classes will then take them and dissect and label them.”

The project will continue as the art students look for changes

and growing microorganisms. Students will use different media

for the drawings; some will use pencil, others pen and ink,

and others pastels, all of which combined with the scientific

annotations will make a beautiful exhibit of art and science

when the project is complete.

“I’m so excited to do something cross-curricular, and

sometimes others have a hard time seeing the connection

with art, but it’s huge!” says Rupertus. “The girls see a

real-world application of their skills, since these drawings

will be similar to artist renderings seen in textbooks.”

Foreign language class might seem to be a more difficult way

to integrate the water theme, but that’s not the case here.

Spanish teacher Rosemary Guarino is using infographics from

the UN to teach about global water issues. The infographics

are in Spanish. “Whatever is going on in any subject matter,

we can do it in Spanish,” says Guarino. “The students just

need the vocabulary. This is a real-life application of the

language they’re studying.”


Art students are

making scientific drawings

of microorganisms found

at Darby Creek.

Middle school studentsexplore Project STREAMthrough Japanese art.

The sixth grade students were taught Gyotaku,

a traditional Japanese art of printing

images of fish from an actual fish. They

studied examples and made their own

versions, painting on a fish and laying

paper over it to get a print of the scales,

fins, eyes, and everything the pigment

covered. This proved to be a fun (albeit

smelly!) lesson not only in an art technique,

but also in sea life and oceanography.


With all the enthusiasm and possibilities surrounding Project

STREAM, what does the future hold? “What’s most exciting

are all the connections being made between departments and

with outside organizations,”

says Dean Eife. “I’m just

so thrilled that this has

blossomed in the way it

has. It started as a

schoolwide theme and it’s

really taken off beyond that.”

“We were initially thinking

Project STREAM would

just be this year’s theme,

but when we saw the

creativity of our faculty, we knew this could be a successful

learning theme for the next few years,” says Eife. “The ideas our

teachers have had are more than I ever could have imagined!”

Article contributed by

Notre Dame alumna Jessica Turner ’06


For the estimated 850,000 people who traveled

from across the country and the globe to experience

Pope Francis’ historic visit to Philadelphia in

late September, it was a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity. For several members of the Notre

Dame community, his holiness’ visit was even

more extraordinary, thanks to unique opportunities to serve

and celebrate their Catholic faith in the holy Father’s presence.

The eighth World Meeting of Families (WMOF) Conference, held

for the first time in the United States since 1994, kicked off the

week-long festivities marking the momentous occasion. One of

the earliest celebrations came on the first evening of the WMOF

conference at a “Club Francis” event at The Philo on Market Street

in Philadelphia. Notre Dame sophomore Emily Kinka found herself

performing with her father’s liturgical worship band, The Offering,

based out of St. Maximilian Parish in West Chester. Emily was

asked by her father to add extra vocals for the two sets, which ran

almost two hours. “I was so excited, and I had no idea what to

expect since it was the first night,” she said. The crowd, which she

estimated was between 100-200 people, was a mixture of clergy,

fans and family. “The energy was amazing,” Kinka recalled.

“Everyone was there for a reason and it was great to see people

singing the Christian songs we love.”

Notre Dame Families Participate in Papal Visit

Celebrating aONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME

OPPORTUNITY


Musical performances afforded

several other members of the

Notre Dame community the

opportunity to participate in

the WMOF and Papal

celebrations. Anne Liebeskind,

mother of Katherine ’18,

sang with the Philadelphia

Archdiocesan Choir for the

opening Mass of the WMOF.

“What a thrilling experience

it was to be with 15,000 people

and to sing the official anthem

of the World Meeting of

Families, written by one of

our own choir members,”

said Liebeskind.

The Archdiocesan Girls and

Boys Choirs of Philadelphia

also gave their own remarkable

performance at Thursday’s

WMOF Mass, and had the

privilege of singing for

Pope Francis at the Cathedral

Basilica of Saints Peter and

Paul on Saturday, September

26. As members of the

Archdiocesan Girls Choir, Notre Dame middle school students

Catherine Chapman ’22 and Eva Kraus ’20 were two of only forty

children to sing for the Pontiff during his visit.

Eva, who has been a member of the Archdiocesan Girls Choir for

four years, was thrilled by her proximity to the Pope. “The entire

thing was exciting. When we sang Saturday, he walked right by us

and waved to our choir.” Catherine remarked, “At that moment

when I saw Pope Francis exit his tiny black car, he was no longer

a person who lived in a faraway place, but now, real to me, in a way

indescribable, as truly our Holy Father.” Vanessa Kraus, Eva’s

mother, was fortunate enough to be asked by the Cathedral to

photograph his arrival and the choir’s performance. “I was within

feet of him. His energy and his holiness is profound. He is really

from God! Every moment was wonder-filled. To be in his presence

was like nothing I could have ever imagined.”

Both the adult Archdiocesan Choir and the Girls and Boys Choirs

came together to celebrate Sunday’s Papal Mass on the Parkway.

Anne’s morning began at 3:00 am with the security checks and

secret service escort. “There was a lot of waiting and a little bit of

chaos,” she remarked. But “when the Pope arrived, it was absolute

jubilation! It was a thrill and a very great privilege to sing for the

Pope, everyone there, and people around the world.”

Behind the crowds of thousands were people like Sandy Boyd,

mother of Notre Dame junior Marion Boyd. Sandy, a physician’s

assistant in emergency medicine at Riddle Hospital (Main Line

Health) in Media and Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, represented

the American Red Cross and Medical Reserve Corps at the main

medical tent for the Papal visit. Sandy was one of forty other

doctors and physician’s assistants who slept on a cot in a local gym

and worked twelve hour shifts over the weekend to ensure visitors

received prompt medical attention. “We saw a lot of people who

didn’t drink enough water and collapsed in line, and some people

who just had panic attacks from seeing the Pope.” As a member of

the American Red Cross’ Disaster Action Team for the Philadelphia

region and the National Disaster team, Sandy found it more

interesting to work behind the

scenes. “We met so many

people from different

agencies…Secret Service,

Homeland Security. It was a

very well-coordinated …

people don’t realize how

much planning and man-power

was needed.”

Planning was how sisters

Lauren ’08 and Katie Willis ’18

found themselves with perhaps the most intimate encounter with

the Pope during his visit. Lauren was serving on an event committee

for the WMOF whose task was to coordinate Pope Francis’ formal

meeting with organizers, volunteers and benefactors involved with

the World Meeting of Families on that last evening before departing

for Rome. Katie was going to be one of 500 guests attending the

event thanks to her grandmother, Josephine Connelly Mandeville

P’88 GP’08’13’18, who had two tickets in the front row. “I wasn’t

sure that we’d be meeting the Pope,” said Katie, “but Lauren said we

were, so I started thinking about what I wanted to say.” Katie

prepared all day to say something in Spanish, the Pope’s native lan-

guage. She grew more nervous as the time grew closer, and sud-

denly the Pope walked in and everyone “was in awe.” As he moved

down the row, shaking people’s hands, Katie recalls being so nervous.

“I shook his hand and said ‘Gracias por venir a Filadelfia. Rezo por ti.”

(Translation: Thank you for coming to Philadelphia. I pray for you.)

As the cameras flashed, the Pope smiled and chuckled. “He told me

I had beautiful Spanish and thanked me.”

Learn more about Class of 1999 alumna Meg Kane’s experiences with the Papal

visit on the next page.

“When I saw Pope Francis

exit his tiny black car, he

was no longer a person

who lived in faraway

place, but now, real to me,

in a way indescribable,

as truly our Holy Father.”

Courtesy: Kraus Communications

What was your official role?

My role was to oversee the day-to-day communications needs,

operations and planning for the World Meeting of Families –

Notre Dame AlumnaMeg Kane ’99 helps Sharethe WMOF with the WorldMeg Kane ’99, Senior Vice President withBrian Communications, played a key role insharing the Pontiff ’s visit with the world. hereare her thoughts on this once-in-a-lifetime event.

What was your official role?My role was to oversee the day-to-day communications needs,

operations, and planning for the World Meeting of Families –

Philadelphia 2015 (WMOF) and Papal Visit in conjunction with the

Director of Marketing and Communications for WMOF and the

Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

What did you do?The most important thing to note in answering that question is

that I was blessed to have an extraordinary team who consistently

delivered outstanding work. I managed and helped to oversee

organizational messaging, media relations as well as planning/

coordination for the event itself. Our agency also created,

launched and oversaw the “I’ll Be There” public awareness

campaign as well as created and oversaw the city-wide banner

initiative, which was the largest in the City in 15 years, and the

development of the “Papal Visit Playbook,” which was printed

as an insert by The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Daily News.

Did you travel to Rome?Yes, I traveled to Rome twice with the leadership delegations

for WMOF serving as the press liaison. In March 2014, Archbishop

Chaput, Governor Corbett, and Mayor Nutter led the delegation

to ask Pope Francis to attend WMOF. In June 2015, a delegation

led by Archbishop Chaput and Mayor Nutter, traveled to Rome

for planning meetings. My role was to manage press corps

requests so that the story could be covered fully at home. During

both visits, we were blessed to have an audience with the Holy

Father. In March 2014, the Pennsylvania Delegation had the

opportunity to personally greet Pope Francis, individually, in front of

100,000 in Saint Peter’s Square. To shake Pope Francis’ hand

and to have him ask me to pray for him was a moment of a lifetime.

Did the WMOF live up to expectations?I certainly hope so! There were so many expectations placed

on the Papal Visit from so many different entities. Throughout

the planning, we were always attentive to how people would

experience WMOF and the Papal Visit in person, through television

and via social media. If I look at what was accomplished – a

million attendees on the Parkway, live international TV coverage

and one of the more extraordinary uses of a hashtag in recent

memory (#PopeInPhilly) – I do believe the visit lived up to

expectations – and perhaps even exceeded them!

What were your most memorable parts of thePapal Visit?The roar of the crowd as the Pope’s Fiat came into sight was

unlike any noise I have ever heard. It enveloped the City. As I

waited on 18th Street in front of the Cathedral and the police

motorcycles turned with the American and Papal Flags flying,

the crowd was in a full-throated roar and when the Fiat turned,

it reached a completely different decibel. I don’t think I will ever

forget that sound.

I was watching Mass in an outdoor tent near the tarmac with

about 30 members of the press corps assigned to Papal Departure.

When Mass started, it looked beautiful, but what struck me was

when Pope Francis opened Mass in English! He said to the

crowed, “Peace be with you.” And to hear one million people

respond to him, “And with your spirit…” It took my breath away.

I found myself with tears streaming down my cheeks. What

a moment!”

What are your reflections on this experience?Having the opportunity to work on the World Meeting of Families

and the Papal Visit was a humbling and amazing experience.

As a young woman at Notre Dame, I could have never imagined

that my life would bring me to such a moment. I am incredibly

proud of the work that we delivered. I not only learned so much

– professionally and personally – but I remain awed by the fact

that I had the chance to be part of history – even if just a small

part. Notre Dame helped to make this moment possible. I would

not be the woman I am today without the faith and confidence

that was instilled in me during my years there. I often called upon

that in the most difficult moments. I could also almost hear Ms.

Monck telling me, “Public relations was a much better choice

than chemistry for you, Meg!”


Behind the Scenes

PROFILE


Sisters of Notre Dame de NamurMark 175th Year in US

On October 31, 1840,eight Sisters of NotreDame de Namur arrived

in Cincinnati, Ohio fromBelgium. They were called todo the work founder SaintJulie Billiart called, “The mostimportant work on earth.”They came to teach.

As the Sisters’ reputation for Catholic

education spread, they were invited to

establish schools all along the eastern

seaboard, including the Academy of Notre

Dame de Namur. The Sisters also founded

schools in Moylan and Wyncote and taught

at Philadelphia Archdiocesan schools.

The Sisters of Notre Dame recently

marked 175 years of service in the US

with commemorative events across the

county and the Academy of Notre Dame

de Namur was selected as the host

location for the Philadelphia-area

celebration. Notre Dame flourishes

today as an affiliated institution of the

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

More than 100 guests attended the

anniversary celebration, including Sisters

from throughout the Philadelphia area,

Notre Dame graduates from the Academy’s

original Rittenhouse Square location,

and leaders from the Ohio Tri-Province

Development Program of the Sisters of

Notre Dame de Namur.

“It was wonderful to meet graduates

from the different Notre Dame schools,

including some schools that are no longer

open,” said Sister Rita Sturwold, SND,

Chair of the Steering Committee for the

175th Anniversary. “I was inspired to see

their loyalty to their schools, their education,

and to their teachers.”

The celebration included a video

presentation on the history of the Sisters

of Notre Dame de Namur and concluded

with a Eucharistic Liturgy. “The interpretive

dancing and uplifting music by the women

of Notre Dame did my heart good,” said

Sister Rita. “It was wonderful for the

older graduates to see the beauty and

talent of your students.”

Over the course of the congregation’s

175 years in this country, the Sisters of

Notre Dame de Namur have taught in

more than 200 schools in 22 states,

shaping the lives of millions of students;

always sharing the message of the

goodness of God.

Making Known God’s Goodness. Educating for Life.

FACULTY INSIGTyler Gaspich, Mathematics

MOVE OVER BEN FRANKLIN

If Ben Franklin stepped into most math classrooms today, he would probably feel at home. There would be an instructor

at the board presenting a lesson, with students listening intently, taking notes, and trying not to miss any key points.

In Tyler Gaspich’s math classes, Dr. Franklin might be a bit confused. The Notre Dame instructor is “flipping”

the way math concepts are presented and practiced in his Algebra 2 and Trigonometry classes.

In the flipped classroom, student learning is paced to match individual learning styles through the use

of short, topic-specific videos which are viewed by students at home in place of traditional homework

time. Classroom time is used to clarify concepts that have already been introduced, and students

work through practice problems alone or in small groups, while the teacher moves through the

room, ready to answer questions.

Gaspich has been refining this teaching method since introducing the concept at Notre Dame last

year. “Flipped classroom instruction is more student-centered,” says Gaspich. “Each student controls

when and how often she reviews a lesson. When students come to class, they are already familiar with

a concept and ready to ask questions. We use class time to discuss a topic in more detail, and if they

need more help to master a concept. I’ll work with them one on one while the other students work

on practice problems.”

Kenzie Irvine ’17 is a student in Gaspich’s Algebra 2 class. “You can learn at your own pace. I like that

I can pause a lesson, do some practice problems and then go back to watch the lesson again.”

Gaspich, who holds an MS from St. Joseph’s University with a concentration in the use

of technology in math classrooms, prepares all of his own video lessons. “The instruction

is consistent, because students see me presenting the topics online and then I follow

through with the same topic in the classroom the next day,” says Gaspich. “Because

students access the learning modules online, their progress is trackable and

accountable.” Another one of Gaspich’s math students, Autumn DiLullo ’17 is a fan

of the flipped classroom. “I like learning this way. You can follow the video lesson

step-by-step and I feel like I have a better foundation about the concepts.”

Gaspich has been invited to share this instructional approach at educational

conferences. "The students’ attitude toward math completely transforms from

the flipped classroom, specifically in a subject many fear,” says Gaspich.

“They are embracing challenges and problem solving in math class, simply

because the methods of instruction have changed. When a student tells me

that she is starting to love math again, that really says it all.”


hT


On September 17, proud parents and families gathered to celebrate the induction

of 77 students into the National Honor Society. Students are recognized for their

academic achievement, community service, and participation in school activities

and programs.


AROUNDNOTRE DAME

ACADEMICS

Recognizing Achievement

The National Merit

Scholarship Program

recognizes students for

their exceptional academic

promise. Commended

students place among the

top 5% of the 1.5 million

students who took the test

and Semifinalists represent

less than 1% of the state’s

high school seniors. We

congratulate Notre Dame

Commended Students Olivia Chow, Catherine Cullen, Casey McCoy, Alexis

Odgers, Jordan Pietrafitta, Alison Rae, Mary Stevenson, Johanna Tomkiewicz

and Semifinalists Brianna Heffernen, Anne Marie Crinnion, and Janet Wu.

Notre Dame Juniors Bridget Pyott and

Marina Ruiz are currently participating in

Notre Dame’s Spanish Exchange Program

at the Real Colegio Alfonso XII, a school

run by the Augustinian fathers located in

San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The school is

located outside the capital city of Madrid.

This is the seventh year for the program,

which places students in Spanish III or

above with a Spanish high school student

and her family to experience Spanish

culture firsthand. San Lorenzo de El

Escorial is located in the main attraction of

the region, the monastery/palace complex

built by King Philip II in 1584. The Royal

Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial was

declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site

in 1984. Notre Dame will host two Spanish

exchange students in the spring.


Notre Dame Senior Carly Dagit and Junior Caroline

Beck completed a four-week study of broadcast journalism

as participants in the KYW Newstudies Program in

Philadelphia. The students are interested in pursuing a

career in journalism and were selected to represent

Notre Dame. The program gives students the opportunity

to learn about interviewing, newswriting, and reporting

from KYW Newsradio and CBS3 editors, reporters, and

anchors. As a final project, the students researched, wrote

and recorded their own news reports. “I love to write

and having the chance to explore broadcast journalism

has helped me focus on the area of journalism

I plan to study in college,” said Carly.

The first of our scholar-athletes formalized their

college intentions at a signing ceremony in November.

Kaitlin Perni (Drexel University, Swimming) and Julia

Dambly (University of Delaware, Lacrosse) signed

their National Letters of Intent. Caroline Allen

(Cornell University, Lacrosse) and Mikayla Schneider

(University of Pennsylvania, Track and Field)

announced their verbal commitments to continue their

athletic careers at the Division 1 level. Congratulations

to all, we are so proud of your accomplishments!

On October 22, faculty from Notre Dame’s Committee for the Center for

Leadership and International Studies accompanied students to the

World Affairs Council in Philadelphia to attend a lecture titled, “How Beijing

is Preparing Chinese Students for the Global Job Market.” Guest speaker

Robert Daly, Director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United

States at the Woodrow Wilson Center, (shown at center) discussed ways

Beijing is preparing Chinese students for the global marketplace and what

lessons the US can learn from China’s educational reforms.

Notre Dame student Christine McGinn ’18 has been selected as Notre

Dame’s ambassador to a student leadership seminar which will be

held in Taiwan in August 2016. The seminar, which gathers high school

students from throughout the world, is hosted by the Sacred Heart

High School for Girls, located in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Social Studies

teacher Sally Gallagher will accompany Christine. Christine was

selected to represent Notre Dame based on her thoughtful essay

application and interviews with Notre Dame faculty and administration.

We are pleased that she will represent the Academy of Notre Dame

de Namur and Notre Dame’s new Center for Leadership and

International Studies.


The Academy welcomed 43 middle and high

school students into Notre Dame’s Campus

Ministry Team for the 2015-2016 academic

year. Campus Ministry includes senior

executives who lead one of eight student

committees which serve the school and

community in the spirit of Saint Julie Billiart.

Campus Ministry is responsible for

faith-based programs, liturgies, service

projects, prayer services, and the collection

of special intentions of the community.

AROUNDNOTRE DAME

OUTREACH

Living Our hallmarks

Notre Dame students participate in the Academy’s

Meals for Many outreach program by preparing

complete, nutritious meals for the elderly and

homebound. Students prepare the meals and

add a note of friendship for the recipient, which

are stored in freezers in churches throughout

the region and then distributed by Aid for Friends

volunteers. The Aid for Friends program serves

more than 2,000 homebound friends weekly.

Notre Dame students are guided by the Academy’s seven Hallmarks every

day. They show their commitment to Hallmark Four, “We commit ourselves

to community service,” through acts of generosity to those who are less

fortunate. The Respect Life Club collected hundreds of diapers, baby food

and other infant care items to donate to the Patrician Society in Norristown.

The Patrician Society provides help for elderly people on fixed incomes,

homeless persons, parents who receive public assistance while caring

for children, residents of boarding homes, recently unemployed and

underemployed family breadwinners, and others in need.

Fifteen Notre Dame high school students

traveled with faculty members to New Vision,

a day homeless shelter located in Camden, NJ.

Faculty and staff donated a meal of shepherd's

pie, salad, fruit cocktail, rolls, and soda while

the students donated desserts. Students

socialized with the residents before serving

nearly 100 nutritious meals.

COMMUNITY

Notre Dame’s fall musical, “Anything Goes,” featured 66 student actors, dancers, singers and stage crew. The talented cast brought

the unforgettable lyrics and music of the great Cole Porter to life on the Academy’s stage.


Celebrating Community

Mothers and daughters spent a sunny day enjoying the

beautiful grounds and pool at the Mansion for the Academy’s

annual Mother-Daughter picnic.

Spirit Day, a longstanding Notre Dame tradition, brought everyone

together for a day of fun challenges, skits and cheers. The big

winners of the annual Halloween skits were the Seniors and the

winners of the annual banner contest were the Juniors. Spirit

Day holds a special place in the hearts of all Notre Dame

students and alumnae.

SPOTLIGHTMondays with Sister Nancy

Notre Dame’s new alumnae program

brings Notre Dame graduates together

to learn about, discuss, and explore

topics under the guidance of Sister

Nancy Bonshock, SND. “What excites

me most about this new program is the

opportunity to meet students I taught

during my years at the Academy,” says Sister Nancy. “Alumnae

of all ages have been joining us. For our first meeting we

explored Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter, “Laudato Si” (On Care

for our Common Home). This was a perfect start to our series,

as the Encyclical focused on the threats of climate change

and other environmental challenges, especially the critical

issue of fresh water. This tied in perfectly with Notre Dame’s

new cross-curricular program, Project STREAM.” At another

meeting, Notre Dame alumna and physician Trish Henwood ’98

discussed her work to fight the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. “In

the winter, we will discusss the need to appreciate art and beauty

in our lives,” says Sister Nancy. "This new program is a

wonderful way to strengthen the bonds between our Notre Dame

alumnae and come together for prayer and thoughtful discussions.”

For more information on future programs, please contact

Marielle DuBovec Mazda ’06 at [email protected].


College Board Invites Chemistry Teacher to Write AP

Chemistry Test Questions

Advanced Placement Chemistry

teacher Mary Monck has been

selected by the College Board to

serve as a writer of AP Chemistry

test questions. “While I was in

Salt Lake City as an AP

Chemistry test grader, I was

approached by the College

Board to see if I was interested

in writing questions for future

tests,” said Monck. “They were impressed with the quality of

Notre Dame’s AP Chemistry course. Of course, I said yes!”

Monck took trainings through the College Board and is

now officially an OTW (outside test writer). “My first five

questions were accepted by the College Board review

board in August,” said Monck.

Through her association with the College Board, Notre

Dame will now also become an official site for SAT II

Chemistry practice questions. “The College Board will

send me practice tests that I can administer to any Notre

Dame student planning on taking the SAT II in the future

and get feedback from the College Board.”

AROUNDNOTRE DAMESPOTLIGHT

Notre Dame Dancers Celebrate Music and Dance through

the Decades

From the swinging tunes of the Benny Goodman Orchestra,

to the mellow sounds of Simon and Garfunkel, to techno and

beatbox, Notre Dame’s dance classes and dance company

celebrated the movements and rhythms of American music

and dance with their winter dance performance. More than

180 dancers took to the stage throughout the evening.

Students Selected for All-Catholic Music Festivals

Three Notre Dame Sophomores have been selected to participate

in upcoming All-Catholic Music Festivals. Singing with the All-

Catholic Chorus are Emily Kinka and Emily Apadula (left and

center). Sophomore Christine Stavish (right) was selected as

First Chair saxophone with the All-Catholic Band. Congratulations!

On January 5, Notre Dame welcomed

more than 60 of our college-age alumnae

back to campus for a wonderful luncheon

in the Mansion. After lunch was served,

the alumnae led panel discussions

with current Juniors and Seniors on a

variety of topics pertaining to their

college experiences.

Anna Noblitt ’17 has been

selected to attend the Temple

University High School

Summer Program in Tokyo.

Anna will spend 10 days at

Temple’s Japan campus,

where she will take courses

in Japanese language and

an elective of her choice.

She will also visit various

cultural landmarks, including excursions to Nikkō Tōshō-gū

(a Shinto shrine) and Disney Sea.

Notre Dame Students Aim high withPlanned Balloon LaunchNotre Dame STEM research students Daniella Jose ’17 and Julia Scanlon ’17 have high ambitions –to build, launch, track, and recover a high-altitude balloon and scientific payload this winter.The two students presented a grant proposal to the Notre Dame administration in October thatoutlined their plans to test the effects of extreme cold and low pressure on materials that maysomeday be used in a Mars expedition.


InspiringCareers in• Science• Technology• Engineering• Mathematics

Each student has a particular area of responsibility for

the project. As launch specialist, Jose is responsible

for finding an appropriate launch site, choosing a

suitable launch date, and communicating with the Federal

Aviation Administration. In addition, she will be testing the

effect of change in altitude on the force of

gravity. Scanlon, the payload specialist, is

responsible for programming and operation

of the data trackers and GPS as well as

designing the physical payload package.

With their proposal approved, Jose and

Scanlon began assembling the components

needed for the project, which included

building GPS trackers, learning how to program Arduino

microcontrollers, open-source platforms used for building

programmable circuit boards, and writing computer code.

They are working with Mr. Don Medon, an engineer with

AGF Manufacturing who is volunteering his time to provide

guidance on the programming aspects of the project.

“This is their project,” said STEM teacher and adviser Emily

Giannantonio. “They are responsible for everything from

constructing the tracking devices, to payload design, to

post-flight data analysis. It is a great, hands-on introduction

to aerospace science for these talented young women.”

Aside from tackling the technical aspects

of the project, the two students have learned

far more than they expected, including

how to solicit funding, maintaining a budget,

communicating with business professionals,

and more. Scanlon has mastered the basics

of amateur radio and has earned her

technician’s license. “We came into this

knowing nothing about high altitude ballooning, so we started

from scratch. The project has evolved - it is much more

sophisticated than originally intended,” said Giannantonio.

When launched, the balloon will reach nearly 100,000 feet in

altitude, which will simulate space-like conditions in terms of

Continued on the following page.

“The encouragementand help we havereceived from ourteachers and peersis overwhelming.”


Continued from previous page.

pressure and temperature. The balloon will expand as it rises

due to lowering pressure and will eventually burst. GPS

trackers will record the bursting point and help the students

identify the landing site and retrieve the payload. Although the

launch date is dependent on wind and weather conditions,

the students hope to launch this winter.

“We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct an

experiment of this caliber; and the encouragement and help

we have received from our teachers and peers is overwhelming,”

said Scanlon. “This project has become so multifaceted that it

has allowed us to focus on our individual areas of interest,

while working towards a common goal. We cannot be more

excited to launch this high altitude balloon and see all of our

hard work pay off.”

Jose agrees, “This project has allowed us to delve into topics

that, under normal circumstances, would be hard to complete.

Mrs. G. has been wonderful in providing guidance as we get

closer to our launch date. It has been an eye-opening experience

and I can’t wait for our high altitude balloon launch!”

Notre Dame Team Preparesfor Robotics Challenge

Notre Dame’s 18-member high school robotics team,

the Sparks, have been putting their engineering and

design skills to the test at qualifying rounds for the

Pennsylvania FIRST Tech (FTC) Challenge. The annual

competition involves designing, programming and operating

robots to perform a specific challenge. This year’s challenge,

called Res-Q, is modeled after rescue situations faced by

mountain explorers, such as delivering climbers to a shelter

or retrieving debris - all conducted by robots.

The team is mentored by their coach and science teacher

Deb Gleeson and Anthony DiGregorio, Manager of Information

Systems, but the students are responsible for all aspects of

the challenge. The program involves more than just the design

and programming of a robot; teams are expected to conduct

outreach activities, consult with professionals in the field, and

prepare business and marketing strategies, all of which is

documented in an engineering notebook that is presented to

judges at the competition.

The Sparks tested their first prototype for the season under

game conditions at the Ramp Riot Scrimmage in the fall. The

scrimmage provided the students with the opportunity to determine

the strengths and weaknesses of their current design. The

team moved on to the first qualifier of the season in December

and will compete again at the end of January, with an eye to

moving up to State and Regional Championships.

The team demonstrated their robot to engineering professors

and students at a Penn State Great Valley robotics class.

Captains Johanna Tomkiewicz, Becca Gleeson and Olivia Chow

spoke about their design and programming accomplishments.

Dr. Kathryn Jablokow, Penn State Associate Professor of

Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Design followed

up their visit with this note, “All I can say is ‘WOW.’ They are

incredibly bright, articulate, and motivated young women.”

Notre Dame introduced more than 30 area middleschoolers to science fun and discovery at theAcademy’s first STEAM event held in December.Students explored robotics and coding, engineeringdesign, creative problem-solving, chemistry, andkinesiology with activities led by Notre Damestaff and middle school students.


ATHLETICSAT NOTRE DAME

THREE-PEAT FOR VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

For the third straight year, Notre Dame’s High School Varsity

squad claimed first place at the Pennsylvania Independent

Scholastic Athletic Association (PAISAA) Tournament. Coach

Mike Sheridan is only the second coach in Notre Dame’s

history to achieve this record. The team was anchored by a

strong and experienced group of seniors, many of whom

had played on the varsity team since their sophomore year -

Madi Brennan, Ashley Haas, Dana Kieft, Katie Leyden, Katy

McCullough, Shannon Quigley, Ali Rae and Kristen Rogers.

Co-captains Haas and Rae were recognized as Main Line

Athletes of the Week. Congratulations, Irish!

The Middle School Volleyball team had a winning season

this year with wins over InterAc rivals Agnes Irwin and Baldwin.

CROSS COUNTRY TEAM CELEBRATES INTERAC TITLEWith an undefeated 6-0 record and a win at the Inter-Athletic

Championship meet in October, Notre Dame’s Cross Country

team celebrated their first league title since 2011. The varsity

team finished second in the PAISAA meet.

Both Varsity and Junior Varsity teams finished in fourth place

at the Delaware County Cross Country meet and the varsity

team finished in ninth place out of 39 teams at the Paul Short

Invitational at Lehigh University.

The High School Junior Varsity squad won both the InterAc

Championship meet and the PAISAA meet.

VOLLEYBALL TEAM HELPSFIGHT BRAIN CANCER

The Fourth Annual Spike Down Cancer fundraiser, hosted by

the Notre Dame volleyball team in October, raised $1,500. Proceeds from the

event support Miriam’s Kids Research Foundation and brain tumor research

at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.

ATHLETICSAT NOTRE DAME


SENIOR MIKALYA SCHNEIDERNAMED OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOLSCHOLAR ATHLETEMikayla Schneider was honored at the Delaware County

Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame banquet as

an Outstanding High School Student-Athlete for Fall 2015.Schneider is vice president of the National Honor Society and has earned

Distinguished Academic Honors each semester at Notre Dame. She has

been a top-five runner and all-league selection in cross country, indoor

and outdoor track state meet championship medalist, and has set school

records in the 400- and 800-meter runs as well as qualifying for the

national championship meets. Mikayla will be attending the University

of Pennsylvania next fall.

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

TENNISThe High School Varsity Tennis team finished their

very successful season with a 2nd place in the InterAc

Championships. Grace Leasure (second singles);

McKenna Bramlage (third singles); Sarah Crinnion and

Makenzie Irvine (fourth doubles) all won their respective

flights. Both the varsity and junior varsity teams finished

their seasons with 9-2 records.

The Middle School Tennis team had a great season this year

with a record of 6-3 improving from 2-9 the previous year.

FIELD HOCKEY The High School Varsity Field Hockey team finished their

season with a 15-4 overall record. They finished in second

place in the InterAc League and advanced to the semifinal

round of the PAISAA Tournament.

The Middle School Varsity Field Hockey team finished

their season with an overall record of 13-1 and the team

won the Catholic Academy League (CAL) Championship

with an exciting win over Rosemont School of the Holy

Child. This is the second year in a row that the team has

won the Championship.

In addition to the CAL Championship, the Middle School

Varsity team won the Eighth Annual Shamrock Invitational

Tournament for the first time.

SOCCER The High School Varsity Soccer team was awarded the

2015 Eastern PA Soccer Officials Association Harry

Rodgers/Jimmy Walder Fair Play Award for the fall season!

The award recognizes fair play and sportsmanship for girls’

high school soccer. The Middle School Soccer team had

a young and enthusiastic squad. They started and ended

their season with big wins against the Montgomery School.

Fall

Interac

all league

Honors

VOLLEYBALL 1ST TEAMAshley Haas

Allison Hendrick

Shannon Quigley

VOLLEYBALL 2ND TEAMAli Rae

FIELD HOCKEY 1ST TEAMColleen Kearney

Ryan Loftus

Quinn Maguire

Mary Kate Neff

FIELD HOCKEY 2ND TEAMCaroline Allen

Tina D’Anjollel

Emily Lambert

CROSS COUNTRYMadison Gaffney

Katie Lennon

Mikayla Schneider

Sydney Stribrny

SOCCER 1ST TEAMPhoebe McClernon

SOCCER 2ND TEAMClaire Nappi

Lexie Odgers

TENNIS 1ST TEAMAnne Marie Crinnion

Grace Leasure

TENNIS 2ND TEAMMcKenna Bramlage



Alumnae Awards and AthleticHall of FameOn Friday, November 13, five outstanding individuals and

one team were honored at the Notre Dame Alumnae Awards

and Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony. More than 175 alumnae,

parents, faculty, and friends gathered in the Aimee Willard

Gymnasium to honor Notre Dame alumnae for the many

ways they serve our community and recognize Notre Dame

athletes for their leadership and accomplishments. This was

the first time the two award recognitions were combined into

one meaningful ceremony. Each recipient shared brief

remarks of gratitude when they accepted their award.

Notre Dame Alumnae ReceiveHighest Honors

“The more I experienced this whole new world inside

of THE GATES, the more I embraced it, the more

I never wanted to leave it, and a part of me never did

leave. I built a foundation for life here, at a time when

I, and many young girls, were starting to become who

they are as individuals, and who they would be

as women. Here at Notre Dame, I sensed

the high bar for achievement – with an

unwavering moral compass – but it was

delivered as an INSPIRATION to be

YOUR best self.”

Cathy Chermol Schrijver ’79Distinguished Alumna Award Recipient

Presented by Kimberly Tierney Pegg '88 - Treasurer of Alumnae Association


ALUMNAE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Cathy ChermolSchrijver ’79The DistinguishedAlumna AwardThe Distinguished Alumna Award

is presented to an alumna who

has distinguished herself in her

personal or professional life, in

her intellectual pursuits, or in

her dedication to service of

community, country or society.

Cathy is a three-time Emmy and Peabody Award winning

executive producer with decades of experience producing

news, talk, and magazine shows.

Joan SammartinoTurner ’77 P’06The ND AwardThe Notre Dame Award is

presented to an alumna whose

ongoing commitment to the

Academy is exemplary in scope,

enthusiasm, and diligence.

Acknowledging the value of a

Notre Dame education, she offers

her time, energy, and resources

to ensure the future of the Academy and expand its influence.

As a cherished faculty member at Notre Dame, Joan has devoted

her time, love, and energy to the Academy and her students.

Melissa Bemer ’04The Saint Julie AwardThe Saint Julie Award is presented

to an alumna of the Academy of

Notre Dame de Namur whose

life contributes to the recognition

of the goodness of God in all

creation, and who commits

herself to the service of others.

This woman is chosen by her

peers as a model of faith,

optimism, integrity, and unselfish

dedication. Melissa has volunteered for Project Home,

St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, UCSF Benioff Children's

Hospital, and Centro San Jose. Giving back to her community

and to others is not Melissa’s hobby, but her life.

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAMEINDUCTEES

Deirdre McGlynnKelly ’84Deirdre was recognized for

her accomplishments in field

hockey, basketball, and

lacrosse. She continues to

give back to the athletic

community as a coach for

local youth basketball teams.

Danielle DunnO’Connor ’01Danielle was recognized for

her accomplishments in field

hockey, lacrosse, and golf at

Notre Dame. She continued

her athletic career at Cornell

University, where she was

named to the First Team

All-Ivy in 2004.

The 1999-2000 Basketball TeamThis is the first team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,

recognized for winning the InterAc Championship in 1999.

Thirteen players, five coaches and five managers contributed

to the team’s winning season.

Thank you to our alumnae for making Reunion 2015 a

success! On October 23 and 24, we welcomed back nearly

200 alumnae from the class years spanning from 1955-2010.

From the student faculty panel to the alumnae field hockey

game, there were several new additions to Reunion that we

hope all who attended enjoyed.

The class of 1965, who celebrated their 50th Reunion, had a special “Greet

and Treat” with their seventh grade pen pals. During the summer, alumnae

were paired with a seventh grade student to exchange letters about their

experiences at Notre Dame. At Reunion, they were able to meet one another

face-to-face and share some time together.

On Saturday, President Judith Dwyer welcomed alumnae to join her for a

presentation and discussion. Alumnae learned more about academic and

campus updates, as well as the campus master plan.

The student faculty panel led by Academic Dean, Kim Eife, was a huge

success. Students shared what they value most about gaining a Notre Dame

education. Alumnae who participated in the discussion were extremely

impressed with our current students and happy to learn that Saint Julie’s

mission of “teach them what they need to know for life” is still such a strong

presence here.

The Alumnae Mass was held in the chapel of the Mansion, which has not been

done in many years. Alumnae participated as readers, Eucharistic Ministers,

and even musicians during this Mass.

Classes from 1950-1970 celebrated their Reunions with a luncheon in The Mansion,

while the classes from 1975-2010 celebrated with a cocktail party in the evening.

The weekend was filled with laughter, joy, and a strong sense of community.

FALL REUNI


Save the Date! Reunion 2016Notre Dame will begin celebrating

class reunions in the spring instead

of the fall. Please save May 6 and

May 7 for the 2016 Spring Reunion.

We will celebrate the class years of

1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971,

1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001,

2006, and 2011. In addition, we will

also incorporate our annual Sunflower Run into the weekend festivities, which

will allow our entire Notre Dame family to participate in the celebration.


ION at Notre Dame

“Our family supports the Notre Dame Annual Fund each

and every year. Our daughter Meghan, Class of 2017,

started at Notre Dame in 6th grade. She loves her

school and we have seen her grow both academically

and emotionally as a result of all Notre Dame does and

is. We believe it is our responsibility, and are blessed

that we are able to give back to the school through the

Annual Fund. We are honored and proud to be this

year’s Annual Fund Co-Chairs and strive to enhance a

sense of community and encourage participation by all

Notre Dame families, alumnae and friends. Together we

can ... do it for the girls.”

“I contribute to the Annual Fund so that current and

future young women will be able to benefit from the

same quality education and foundation that I was

fortunate enough to receive. Skills cultivated at Notre

Dame, such as learning how to think critically and

independently, as well as how to collaborate with

peers, have been essential to my growth and success

both professionally and personally.”

Robert and Susan

Carney Fahey ’77 P’17

WhyWe Give

Notre Dame Donors Recognizedat President’s Club Reception

The Academy and President Judith A. Dwyer

recognized loyal benefactors for their

leadership and generosity at the President’s

Club Reception held in The Mansion on

December 3. The Women’s Chorale,

Malvern Men’s Chorus, and the Notre

Dame Dance Company entertained guests

with festive dancing and carols of the Christmas season. The Academy of Notre

Dame is grateful to all of our donors for their generous support.

have you madea gift this yearto support theNotre DameAnnual Fund?

Your gift powerfullyenhances academicopportunities forall students andsupports our mission.

Particpate Today!

Additionsto 2014-2015Annual ReportFaculty/Staff:

Sharon Valentine

Class of 1970:

Christine McAndrew

Neeson ’70 P’05

Friend:

Dolores Sajeski

Amanda Zajdel Perwien ’05


2015 Golf ClassicRaises $115,000 for Notre Dame

The sun was shining on the 84 golfers who took to the links at

White Manor Country Club on September 14, 2015 for Notre Dame’s

annual Golf Classic. The event was co-chaired by Notre Dame parents

Frank Hallinan P’11’15’17 T and Andrew Willis P’08’13’18 T. Proceeds from

the annual event support the Academy. Student golfers from Notre

Dame’s stellar golf team attended to support and thank golfers for their

support. The Academy of Notre Dame is grateful to our golfers and

planning committee for making this event such a success.

Save the Date!The 2016 Notre Dame Golf Classicwill be on Tuesday, September 27, 2016at Applebrook Golf Club.



President’s AdvisoryCouncil Expands to IncludeNY and DC Alumnae

An early priority of

Dr. Judith Dwyer’s

presidency was to

significantly enhance

opportunities for our alumnae

to engage in the life of the

Academy. To that end, Dr.

Dwyer expanded the reach

of the President’s Advisory Council by establishing two

regional chapters – one in New York City last May and the

other in the nation’s capital in September, 2015.

The Council draws on Notre Dame graduates from diverse

professions and experiences. At each regional chapter, the

council met for two-hour meetings during which Dr. Dwyer

presented a brief “State of the Academy,” followed by

discussions designed to solicit alumnae input on the key

goals formulated in the 201 5-2020 strategic plan. Notre

Dame alumnae enthusiastically provided valuable feedback

and offered new ideas on a variety of topics, including

exploring ways alumnae can contribute to the vitality of the

new Center for Leadership and International Studies and

foster student-alumnae collaborative partnerships.

Notre DameALUMNAE

inspire, adviseCareer Exploration Programhelp Students DiscoverCareer Opportunities

Fifty Notre Dame seniors, 25

alumnae and three parents

participated in the Career

Exploration Program November

18-20. Career Exploration, formerly

known as Senior Inquiry, was

enhanced dramatically this year

under the leadership of alumnae

volunteers Susie McKernan ’83 and Shannon Connolly ’05. The

alumnae volunteers worked closely with Jennifer Nobles, Dean

of Students and Marielle DuBovec Mazda ’06, Associate Director

of Alumnae Relations to develop a comprehensive three-day

program that included an orientation day on campus where

students learned the necessary tools for entering a professional

work environment, a day shadowing an alumnae or parent mentor

in the workplace, and a half day of reflection back at Notre Dame.

The orientation day featured an alumnae panel discussion

where participants reflected on the influence Notre Dame had

on their career success. “Notre Dame told me I could, so I did,”

remembered Jennifer McBride Altamuro ’90.

The next Career Exploration will be held February 24, 25 and

26. We are looking for alumnae and parents to host seniors in

their workplace on Thursday, February 25. Please contact

Marielle DuBovec Mazda ’06 at [email protected], if you

are interested in participating.


The Saint Julie Society of theAcademy of Notre Dame deNamur was created in spring

2015 to recognize and honor alumnae,parents and other members of theNotre Dame family who establish aplanned gift arrangement that willbenefit the Academy. To date, morethan 25 members of our communityhave informed us that Notre Dameis included in their estate plans.

What is a planned gift arrangement?

A planned gift arrangement is when you

set up a way to give a gift to the Academy

after you have gone home to God.

Planned gifts include bequest intentions,

such as naming Notre Dame in your will

to receive a percentage of your estate,

or listing Notre Dame as a beneficiary of

your life insurance or your retirement plan.

There are many other ways and some

can give you income during your lifetime.

Is it hard to do?

While there are many options - from the

very simple to the quite complicated -

most people choose to create a bequest

in their will naming Notre Dame as a

beneficiary. This is one of the easiest and

most satisfying ways to leave a legacy.

Who are some of the 25 people

already in the Saint Julie Society?

Among these thoughtful individuals is a

former board member who was a great

friend of Sister Regina, who has added a

codicil (an addendum) to his existing will

to direct a specific amount of money to

the Sister Regina Fund for Financial Aid,

to underscore his admiration for her

extraordinary leadership and to continue

her legacy.

Another is a fairly young alumna who

attended Notre Dame on a full scholarship.

She has already distinguished herself in

a successful career and wants to give back

by creating a full scholarship for a future

student. She is working with us to include

a bequest for this specific purpose as she

updates her existing will with her attorney.

What will happen to these thoughtful

gifts when Notre Dame receives them?

First of all, they will last forever! They will

go into the Academy’s endowment in

perpetuity and the school will draw only the

income that they generate each year to

support current needs. Like a family, Notre

Dame needs both income to meet today’s

cash expenses and a solid investment

account for financial strength and from

which to draw revenue for future cash

needs. The draw from the Academy’s

endowment falls primarily into two buckets:

financial aid for eligible students and funding

for faculty so that we can hire and retain the

best teachers and offer them opportunities

for their professional development.

The Office of Advancement is here to help

make the process of including Notre Dame

in your estate plans feasible, easy and

rewarding. There are many ways to do it;

it is a very personal process and takes

thoughtful planning (and always, in

consultation with your estate or tax advisor).

You can be assured that we will make

your experience rewarding and that it

just begins with membership in the Saint

Julie Society. The best part will happen

when you drive by campus on Sproul

Road, or come back for a reunion, or even

just flip through a Visions magazine, and

you can envision the student, imagine

the teacher or visualize the program that

your planned gift will support some day,

and for all the days yet to come.

For more information, please contact Sally

Orr, Associate Director of Advancement,

610-971-4919 or [email protected]

Founding Membersof the Saint Julie SocietyWe are pleased to recognize the following

individuals who have informed the Academy

that as of September 30, 2015, they have

established a planned gift arrangement

to benefit Notre Dame or whose bequest

has already been gratefully received.

Anonymous (3)

Rita Biancarelli SQ ’36†

John L. Broughton SQ ’64†

Mai Dinh ’88

Josephine DiSanto ’87

Carol Calpin Haas ’55

Dr. Gina Henry, Esq. ’81

James and Charlotte Hyer

Margarete Landwehr ’75

Anne Taylor Lumley ’49†

R. Diane McGrath ’57

Victoria Margolis McGuinness ’85

Thomas and Marge McParland P’82’84 GP’13

Catherine Stewart Miller P’58’64 GP’88†

Sally Orr FS

Madeleine E. Reinhardt SQ’22†

Marjorie McNally Roddy SQ’41†

Kathleen M. Shay ’70 T

Dr. Jean Ogden Swihart GP’09

Heather Margolis Warner ’91

John† and Dolores Wood P’71’72 GP’99’06

†deceased

List incomplete

Leaving a Legacyfor Future Generations

1959Catherine O’Donoghue Helwig recently

retired as a professor at Villanova

University after 18 years of teaching.

1966-1967Alumnae from the classes of 1966 and 1967

gathered together for a mini-reunion at Azie

in Villanova, PA. Mary Mellors Parsons’66,

Mary Jo Rooney Hitz ’67, Mary Garty ’66,

Joan Anderson Tarka ’66, Pat Calahan ’66,

Chris Lammer DiCioccio ’66, Candy Cotter

Kane ’66, and Becky Rhinehart ’66 had a

great time!

1996Christine Doherty Kondra and her husband

Nick recently opened Cornerstone Cheese

& Charcuterie in Wayne, PA. Sister Nancy

Bonshock, SND, Elise Wilson ’06, retired

faculty member Dolores Sajeski, and Marielle

DuBovec Mazda ’06 had the pleasure of

dining there.

1999Erin Doherty Kreszl and her husband

Doug welcomed a daughter Emma Jayne

on September 6, 2015.

2003Mary Emma Reilly Clendenny and her

husband Ryan welcomed a son, Henry

John Clendenny on September 24, 2015.In Memoriam1955Judith Butler Easter’s husband,

Stuart Rogers Easter, Jr. passed

away on June 15, 2015.

1984Cecilia Sullivan Blanche, mother

of Nicole Blanche Guerin ’84,

passed away on August 12, 2015.

2013Richard S. Rueda, father of

Rebekka Rueda ’13, passed

away on September 29, 2015.


CLASS NOTES

2003 Mary Emma Reilly Clendenny

2004 Alexandra Burtoft Gilroy

1966

1999 Erin Doherty Kreszl1996 Chrstine Doherty Kondra


2004Maral Avetian married her veterinary school

classmate, Michael Sheruda, on June 6, 2015

in the Poconos. Maid of Honor was her

sister, Alene Avetian ’07, and bridesmaids

included Laura DerKrikorian Hunsberger’04

and Katherine Corkhill ’04. Also present

were class of 2004 friends Ehren Vigliotti

Goren, Patty Candiotti Elias, Lindsey Zimmaro

Falco, Meghan Acker O’Brien, Veronica

McMahon, and Bianca Wilson Tamagnini.

Michelle Markwith married Teddy Berlin

on June 13, 2015.

Maureen Carroll Purcell and her husband Nick

welcomed Norah Purcell on June 14, 2015.

Alexandra Burtoft married Shane Gilroy on

September 19, 2015. 2004 classmates Courtney

Collins and Michelle Markwith Berlin were

bridesmaids and Molly Kelly-Joyce, Bianca

Wilson Tamagnini, Cristin Farrell, Melissa

Bemer, Jennifer Harvey, Katherine Corkhill

and Lindsay Gosnell were all in attendance.

Michele Muller Legnini and her husband

Sean welcomed daughter Sylvia Ruth Legnini

on October 19, 2015.

Kristen Snyder married Matt Miller on

October 24, 2015.

Sally Brosnan Smith and her husband Dray

welcomed daughter Daley Jane Smith on

October 17, 2015.

Bianca Wilson married Todd Tamagnini on

October 17, 2015 at Epiphany of Our Lord

Church in Philadelphia. The reception was

held at the former site of Notre Dame

Rittenhouse Square - the Rittenhouse Hotel.

2004 Classmates Molly Kelly Joyce and

Julie Hutton were two of her bridesmaids.

Bianca and Todd currently reside on the

Upper West Side in New York City.

2004 Maral Avetian Sheruda

2004 Bianca Wilson Tamagnini

2004 Michele Muller Legnini

2004 Michelle Markwith Berlin

2004Sally Brosnan Smith

2004 Kristen Snyder

2004 Maureen Carroll Purcell


2005Kelly Snow married Brian Blacker on

June 27, 2015.

Courtney Gallen was a post-baccalaureate

IRTA for two years at the NRB. She is currently

pursuing her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the

University of California, Berkeley in Dr.

Mark D’Esposito lab. Courtney is currently

studying development using fMRI.

Lauren Katona, Philadelphia Assistant District

Attorney, won the conviction in a high-profile

stalking case involving CBS3 anchor Erika

von Tiehl on November 12, 2015.

Lauren England married Daniel Shope on

June 13, 2015. The bridal party included

maid of honor Kate England ’11, and

bridesmaids Lauren Katona ’05, Kate

Devlin ’05 and Marita Blackney ’05.

Kristin Condi Toto and her husband

Kevin welcomed daughter Brooke Hannah

Toto on November 22, 2015.

2006Christine Agnello married Scott Ellis on

October 10, 2015.

Jackie McCabe married Patrick Flanagan on

October 10, 2015 at Dahlgren Chapel of the

Sacred Heart at Georgetown University. Elise

Wilson was the maid of honor and kept

everyone laughing through her amazing speech.

Guests included fellow ND 2006 class members

Marielle DuBovec Mazda, Domenica Giuffrida,

Lisa Burger, Katie Kersavage and Kate Novak,

along with Amelia Phillips’12.

Caitlin Orner married Patrick Gallagher

on November 14, 2015.

CLASS NOTES

2005 Lauren Katona

2005Kristin

Condi Toto

2005 Lauren England Shope

2005Kelly Snow Blacker

2006Kelly Pucillo Gilbert

2006 Shannon McKenna Missimer

2006Caitlin Orner

Gallagher

Kelly Pucillo married Brian J. Gilbert, Jr

on August 22, 2015.

Shannon McKenna Missimer and her

husband Matthew welcomed Madelyn

Lindsay Missimer on August 30, 2015.

2007Katherine Mang married Daniel Barry on

Saturday, September 12, 2015 on Nantucket

Island. Katie’s maid of honor was her sister,

Natalie Mang '13. The couple met while

studying at Loyola University in Maryland.

Devyn DiBona gave birth to a baby boy,

Thomas James Greto, on August 6, 2015.

Tara Meissner Flexon and her husband Tom

welcomed Avery Lynne Flexon on August

26, 2015.

2008Tara Connolly married Brandon Durkot on

October 10, 2015.

Mary Emily Pagano recently passed the Bar

Exam in PA and NJ.

Missy Pohlig was named one of LifeHealth

Pro’s 30 under 30 millenials who are

transforming the insurance industry. Missy

currently works as a Product Manager,

Solutions Team for SEI.

Kara Schultheis married David Brown on

July 25, 2015. Members of the bridal party

included 2008 classmates Lauren Willis,

Danyelle Lishon, and Kaitlin Smith. Kara

also recently started working at Gwynedd

Mercy University as the Associate Director of

Career Development.

2010Elizabeth Gallagher graduated from the

Georgia Institue of Technology and is

working as a Software Consultant for

Manhattan Associates in Atlanta, GA.

2011Emily Bellwoar graduated from the Schreyers

Honor College at Penn State University

and is teaching English to middle school

students in Madrid, Spain.

2012Chloe Bellwoar is a senior in the Schryers

Honor College at Penn State University and

is studying abroad in Morocco.

2013Rachel French visited Peru for five weeks,

where she lived and volunteered in a town

in the Andes called Otuzco. While visiting,

she volunteered in a hospital and a primary

care facility with one other volunteer. This

experience was certainly a once in a lifetime

opportunity for her and she is grateful to

have been given the option of visiting Peru.


2006 Christine Agnello Ellis

2013 Rachel French

2008 Tara Connolly Durkot2007Katherine

Mang

2008Missy

Pohlig

2006Jackie McCabeFlanagan

2008Kara Schultheis Brown

VISIONSThe Academy of Notre De Namur560 Sproul Road,Villanova, PA 19085www.ndapa.org

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Calendar of Events

A Night in VeniceSaturday, March 19Springfield Country Club

Reunion Weekend& Sunflower RunFriday, May 6 & Saturday, May 7Academy of Notre Dame

Eighth Grade GraduationThursday, June 2Aimee Willard Gymnasium

Class of 2016 Baccalaureate MassFriday, June 3Aimee Willard Gymnasium

Class of 2016 GraduationSaturday, June 4The Mansion

2016 Golf ClassicTuesday, September 27Applebrook Golf Club

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Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Visions Magazine-Fall 2015/Winter 2016

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Transcript of Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Visions Magazine-Fall 2015/Winter 2016