About

Ursuline Academy is an independent, Catholic, college preparatory school for young women in grades 7-12. Founded in 1946, Ursuline Academy in Dedham operates under the sponsorship of the international network of Ursuline Sisters, the oldest religious teaching order devoted to the education of young women.

Admissions

Our Admissions team welcomes families for tours throughout the year, and we sponsor events designed for students to explore our campus, sit in on classes, and to get to know our community. Ours is a holistic approach to knowing each student as we review qualifications for admissions. Learn why families choose Ursuline, and how our graduates become young women of character, faith and scholarship!

ACADEMICS

Ursuline Academy offers a rigorous program of study designed to challenge and inspire students, and our faculty encourage their love of learning, reading, and scholarly exploration in the pursuit of truth. Our graduates are fully prepared to study, analyze, and communicate persuasively to meet the challenges of university work.

LIVING THE MISSION

The values of an Ursuline education– a Catholic education– were established centuries ago when Saint Angela Merici dedicated her life to forming a company of young women engaged in bettering their communities. At Ursuline, we challenge our students to live lives of integrity that reflect the principles of Catholic social teaching, and to be Christ to one another in today’s world. We welcome students of all faiths, and support every student on her spiritual journey.

75th Anniversary Speaker Series

April 2021-February 2022

From the very beginning of our 75th anniversary year, the planning committee established a speaker's 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 course of this year, Ursuline Academy hosted eight virtual speaker events with a broad range of subjects.

April 2021: Reverend James Martin

May 2021: Panel Discussion - From Brescia to Dedham

May, 2021: Panel Discussion - From Brescia to Dedham. Three panelists, Sr. Elisa Ryan, OSU, Ursuline Central Province, Nancy Schultz, author of Fire and Roses: The Burning of the Charlestown Convent, 1834, and Sr. Angela Krippendorf '59, OSU, former Provincial of the Northeast Province, joined us for an interactive discussion on how the settings that formed Ursuline Academy's heritage - the town of Brescia, Italy; the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston; and Arlington Street and Dedham, MA - contributed to the rich history of the Ursulines, culminating in the Ursuline Academy of today.

June 2021: Mark Shriver

Speaker Series: Mark Shriver
June 16, 2021

Mark K. Shriver is Chief Strategy Officer at Save the Children. Shriver joined Save the Children in 2003 and developed the agency’s domestic early childhood and school-age education programs, which today reach children in more than 200 underserved rural communities. Shriver was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1994 to 2002.

Shriver is the author of 10 Hidden Heroes, published in March 2021. He is also the author of Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis and A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver.

September 2021: Federal Hill Farm - From Skinner Estate to Ursuline Academy

Speaker Series: The Ursuline Convent
September 23, 2021

Hear the fascinating stories that intertwined the lives of Isabella Stewart Gardner, one of Boston's wealthiest eligible bachelors and his new bride, a leading architect, and a chauffeur, gardener, and lady's maid. Sally Seufert Holmes '71 leads us through the history of the estate, the backstory of "Federal Hill Farm," and how it evolved into the convent and Ursuline Academy of today, which continues its legacy of strong women.

Ursuline is pleased to join with the Dedham Historical Society to share the fascinating history of the convent property.

October 2021: Dr. Ellen Geminiani

Speaker Series: Dr. Ellen Geminiani '79 - Sports Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston
Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Dr. Ellen Geminiani, MD, '79 is a sports medicine physician in the Sports Medicine Division at Boston Children's Hospital. In her role at Children's, she provides clinical patient care in sports medicine with a focus on figure skating and dance, as well as research and development to improve care and prevent injuries. Dr. Geminiani is also involved in clinical teaching of students, residents, and fellows. In her program, Dr. Geminiani spoke about injury prevention relating to student-athletes.

December 2021: Molly Burhans

Speaker Series: Molly Burhans, founder/executive director, GoodLands.
Thursday, December 2, 2021

"Making Land Work for Good: Property as a Powerful Force for Change"
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our virtual event with Molly Burhans, an internationally recognized leader in cartography, social entrepreneurship, conservation, and innovation for faith-based impact-driven property use and management. She is the Executive Director and Founder of GoodLands, a social enterprise at the forefront of geospatial information policy, standards, and security related to the Catholic Church and affiliated organizations worldwide. Molly is a recipient of the Sierra Club's 2021 EarthCare Award and the 2019 United Nations Young Champion of the Earth Award for North America. She is a 2021 National Geographic Emerging Explorer, a 2020 Henry Arnhold Conservation Fellow, and an Ashoka Fellow for social entrepreneurship. Molly was profiled in the New Yorker in February 2021. CLICK HERE to watch the program.

January 2022: Network Lobby Presentation and Discussion

Speaker Series: Mary Novak, Executive Director of Network, and Sr. Erin Zobal, O.S.U., Chief of Staff of Network - Catholic Social Justice and Activism
Thursday, January 27, 2022

What does is mean to be part of Ursuline, and what does it mean to live with the spirit of Serviam? As part of Ursuline Academy's celebration of the Feast of St. Angela on January 27, our students, faculty, and staff participated in a presentation and discussion with members of Network, a national social justice advocacy group of women religious, to discuss what it means to be called to serve and to create positive change in the world.

Ms. Mary Novak, executive director of Network, and Sr. Erin Zobal, O.S.U., chief of staff of Network joined our community in a virtual event to talk about Catholic social justice, activism, and how we can all follow in the footsteps of St. Angela.

February 2022: Dr. Lisa Damour

Speaker Series: Dr. Lisa Damour
February 16, 2022

"Managing anxiety, stress, and the challenges of parenting teenagers during COVID-19"
Lisa Damour is the author of two New York Times best-selling books, Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood and Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls. She writes the monthly Adolescence column for the New York Times, co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, appears as a regular contributor to CBS News, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and serves on the Advisory Board for Parents magazine. Dr. Damour also maintains a private practice and consults and speaks internationally.

Email 75years@ursulineacademy.net for the password to view the recording of this presentation.