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75th Anniversary

Celebrating 75 years of Ursuline
Education in Boston and Dedham:
Here’s how we did it!

Starting with a commemorative Mass in April, 2021, Ursuline Academy marked its 75th Anniversary with a series of events, gatherings, and speakers over the course of the next 18 months. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights:

Commemorative Mass at St. Cecilia Parish, Boston
April 17, 2021

To kick off the anniversary, a commemorative Mass was celebrated by Fr. John Unni, at the historic St. Cecilia Parish in Boston on Saturday, April 17, 2021.  Even in the midst of the pandemic, our students led us in song, alumnae read from the lectern, and some of our most cherished community members, including Sr. Angela Krippendorf ‘59 o.s.u., were in attendance.

Commemorative Mass Photo Highlights

Retrospective Oral History:
Tribute to 75 Years and Beyond

As Ursuline prepared to celebrate 75 years, oral histories of some of our alumnae were captured on video to preserve the memories and historical perspectives of Ursuline Academy’s earliest students. A short retrospective, “Tribute to 75 Years and Beyond,” was produced, stretching back to Ursuline's days on Arlington Street in Boston. A highlight of the production was the interview of two members of our very first graduating class in 1947, and their reflections on attending a brand-new Ursuline Academy. 

Birthday Celebration with Ursuline Students
September 23, 2021

On September 23, 1946, Ursuline Academy opened its doors on Arlington Street, right across from the Swan Boats! To commemorate that occasion, birthday cake was served during lunch on September 23, 2021, 75 years to the day from that historic event!  In return, greeting cards were signed by all of the students and later sent to all of the remaining Ursuline alumnae who attended school during those years in Boston (1946-1959), and to all of the Ursuline sisters in convents across the United States

Art Installation on Campus: Intervisible
March, 2022

In March, Ursuline Academy proudly hosted an immersive art installation by Ursuline Academy Fine Arts faculty member Caroline Rufo in Angela Hall. Her installation Intervisible is a critique of historical redlining practices targeting African-American homeowners around Boston and explores the experience of white blindness to structural racism. Several presentations by the artist were attended by many members of the community and all students and faculty. Rufo, a member of Ursuline Academy's Department of Fine Arts since 2012, earned her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and her MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art. 

Athletic Hall of Fame Celebration
April 9, 2022

In the spring of 2021, a committee gathered to begin the work of establishing an Ursuline Academy Athletic Hall of Fame to recognize the exceptional achievements, leadership skills, and values demonstrated by select individuals and teams at Ursuline Academy.  After months of planning, preparation, and careful consideration, eight Ursuline Academy Athletic Hall of Fame members were inducted into the inaugural Class of 2022, on April 9, 2022, as part of Ursuline's 75th anniversary celebration.

Congratulations to the
Hall of Fame Class of 2022

2005 Championship Basketball Team
Coach John Forte P'06
Kristan Gately '91
Molly Griffiths '07
Coach Marisol Rios Henderson
Susan Katchpole '70*
Katherine Kenney '11
Elaine Pagliarulo '93
Caitlin Murphy Valair '03
 

*inducted posthumously.

Year of Serviam: Ursuline Unites for Ukraine
May 14, 2022

As part of our 75th Anniversary observance, we recommitted to the Ursuline value of Serviam throughout our extended community.  Our goal was to serve 75 different organizations by May 14, 2022,  International Serviam Day for Ursuline schools across the country. We are proud to report that we greatly exceeded this goal! In addition to our year-long service efforts, we focused our plans for International Serviam Day on raising funds for our Ursuline Sisters in Poland by means of a Yard Sale on campus. Over 80 student and parent volunteers and countless donors from the extended Ursuline community helped us raise over $3,000 for Ukraine. All funds raised were sent directly to the Ursulines in the Polish Province, who are sheltering and caring for refugees from Ukraine at this time. Many other charities were also helped by this effort, including the Blessing Barn in Mattapan, Philippine disaster relief programs, the Prison Book Program, The Salvation Army, and, of course, Planet Earth (reduce, reuse, recycle)!

 

75th Anniversary Speaker Series

April 2021-February 2022

From the very beginning, our anniversary committee planned a speaker series over the course of the year to educate and engage the community.  The series was a unique opportunity to share informative and inspirational topics with the entire community to promote dialogue on important issues.  Over the year, Ursuline Academy hosted eight virtual speaker events with a broad range of subjects.