Ursuline Academy Alumnae Newsletter XVII - February 2021
Dear Ursuline Alumnae,
This is an exciting year! As we prepare to celebrate Ursuline Academy's 75th Anniversary (see info below), we are looking to grow our Class Agent program to ensure we have 2-3 agents for every class! As a class agent, you can help to inform, unify, and motivate your class for a stronger Ursuline by making person-to-person connections -- the basis of a truly connected and engaged community. Please consider signing on and helping your class stay closer and in touch with Ursuline.
If you are interested in serving as a class agent, or in getting involved to help with 75th Anniversary events -- as an ambassador to spread the word, or to work behind the scenes to collect and catalog photos for use during the year -- email alumnae@ursulineacademy.net.
Warmly, Susan Hehir Director of Alumnae Relations
Find out all about our Alumnae programs or update your address here.
Alumnae News Last Call - Trivia night Join the Ursuline Sisterhood for a virtual night of fun with Stump! Trivia this Thursday, February 25, 2021, 7:00 p.m. This fun-filled night via Zoom will test your wits against some talented competition. Register a team of up to 6 members, or we can place you on a team! It's free to play, but registration is required for all players.
Legacy of Love There is a special bond between mothers and daughters, especially if they both went to Ursuline! Usually, we honor our legacy families with a Valentine's Day breakfast, but this year we compiled this video as a special shout out instead. Enjoy this celebration of beautiful Ursuline moms and daughters!
Ursuline's Got Talent! Our first virtual gala was streamed live on Saturday, December 12, 2020, and hosted by our own Caitlin Burchill '08, news reporter for NBC Hartford. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who donated in any way, allowing us to gross over $130,000 for Ursuline's scholarship program. Congratulations to Dana Lepper '23 (daughter of Meredith Putnam Lepper '89) on her first place finish, and to all the contestants. Click here to see our winner, Dana Lepper '23, visit here to rewatch the show, or view all of the talent acts on our YouTube channel.
College Talk for UA Students The Class of 2017 has come through with flying colors this year by volunteering for Zoom sessions for current UA juniors and seniors. The program, a partnership between Ursuline's Office of Alumnae Relations and School and College Counseling to offer students a chance to get perspectives on life in college from young alumnae. Many thanks to members of the Class of 2017 who have participated to date: Maggie Chipman, Boston College Maeghan Driscoll, University of Maine Michaela Gillis, Boston College Emma Luniewicz, University of Michigan Maya Rao, Babson College Alex Rota, Boston College Ashley Steinkrauss, Connecticut College Julianne Webster, Stonehill College Ola Youssef, UMass Amherst Lobna Youssef, George Washington University If you would like to volunteer for college talk, please email Susan Hehir at alumnae@ursulineacademy.net.
Save the Date 75th Anniversary Sneak Peek Ursuline Academy will be celebrating its 75th anniversary over the next 15 months, kicking off with a Mass, live-streamed for the community, in April. A full schedule of events and recognitions will be released soon, including a monthly speaker series for all members of the community. Thank you to all of the alumnae who have participated in planning sessions this winter. If you are interested in helping with our 75th anniversary events, email alumnae@ursulineacademy.net.
All In for Ursuline on March 19 On Friday, March 19, Ursuline will hold a day of giving -- "All In for Ursuline." We are challenging ourselves to raise 319 gifts in 24 hours from all members of the UA community: alumnae, parents, past parents, faculty, students, and friends. Gifts will support the Fund for Ursuline, which provides critical support for all aspects of an Ursuline education. Look for more information soon about matches and challenges. Are you in?
Fore the Girls Golf 2021 Save the Date for Ursuline Academy's 29th Annual Fore the Girls Golf Tournament at Blue Hill Country Club on Monday, June 28, 2021. Since 1992, this annual golf event brings parents, alumnae, and supporters together to enjoy a wonderful day of golf to benefit our young women athletes. To support Fore the Girls:Register to play. Sponsor. Recruit your company's support. Donate an auction/raffle item (such as tickets to sporting events or rounds of golf). Make a donation. Let's all come together Fore the Girls!
Life on Lowder Street Life on Lowder Street Blog: Read the latest student post "Taking Love for a Language Beyond the AP Test" by Mae O'Neill '21 "Like every other seventh grader, I walked into Ursuline Academy as a shy twelve-year-old. I had been coming from a public middle school of 900 students, and had no clue how I would find my place among only 60 others (now around 80). With a little extra work and significant might, I found a place within the French community at UA. I defied my own expectations and those that were placed in front of me, and I believe my time at Ursuline could not have been more nourishing." Read this article and more student blog posts here.
History teacher Mrs. Lynne Petti loves traveling all over the world and has led groups of Ursuline students through many European countries and even China. Mrs. Petti is eager to get back to traveling once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, she has been reminiscing about her past trips, recalling some mistakes she made in her early days of traveling. Read the full post here. Catherine Treseler '18 currently studies mechanical engineering at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. "Life at USNA can be difficult," Treseler remarks, but she "appreciates the structured days starting before 0600 (6:00 am), the team mentality of the Brigade, the uniforms, fewer clothing choices for [her], the fact that [she] can always find someone to go on a run with, and most of all, the people." Read more.
College Acceptances These are only some of the incredible colleges and universities our seniors have been accepted to in the first round of college acceptances! We're so proud of the Class of 2021. See the full list of college acceptances here.
Serviam In lieu of Clothe-a-Child, our annual Christmas service project, this year Ursuline joined St. Mary's of the Assumption in Brookline's "Gift of Love" drive to purchase gift cards to support Boston's Healthcare for the Homeless and Crossroads Family Shelter in East Boston. UA students, faculty, and staff generously donated over $2,000 in gift cards!
Campus Ministry - Celebrating Strong Women Ursuline Campus Ministry Daily Prayer As we enter the season of Lent, we remind our alumnae that Campus Ministry's Daily Prayer can be a great start to the day not just for students, but for anyone seeking to deepen their faith life. An archive of Daily Prayer emails can be found here. When you reach the page, click the yellow bell icon to subscribe to the daily prayer by email. Feast of St. Angela Jan. 27! Thanks to all of you who answered the call to celebrate your Ursuline sisterhood on the Feast of St. Angela Merici on January 27. This year, we asked you to commemorate this special day with a "feast" for the feast day. Our families and alumnae had a great time cooking up a storm on the "feast" day of our foundress. Saint Angela would be proud! Sisters Speak with "Sisters" Women of the Early Church
Online Spirit Wear Store Introducing Online Spirit Store Support Ursuline with Amazon Smile! When you shop @AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to Ursuline Academy. Click here to go directly to Ursuline's Amazon Smile account.
Oh Baby! We're overjoyed to share the happy news of so many alumnae with new babies in their homes. Check the upcoming issue of Serviam Magazine for more baby news. If YOU have a new baby in your life, let us know (email Cindy Harrington at development@ursulineacademy.net) and we'll send you an Ursuline bib to celebrate! Sarah Varadian-Vartanian '06 shared this photo of her third baby in her UA bib. Jana Rose was born on March 11, 2020 - "a true pandemic baby." Sara Zrike '95 and her husband Ryan welcomed baby Isabella Sara on February 7, 2020. Meghan Harrington Murray '07 and her husband Doug welcomed Declan Joseph on October 22, 2020. Kate Dempsey '00 shared that Grace Madison was born on April 14, 2020, and is loved by brothers Charlie Thomas, 6, and Henry James, 4. Audrey Taylor-McGuire '07 shared this picture of new baby Sloane in her Ursuline bib, adored by her parents and big brother William every minute since her birth in spring 2020. Kara Hadge Prone '04 and her husband Chris are proud to announce the birth of Isabella Anne on August 11, 2020, snuggling here with some UA teddie bears. In Memoriam
ALUMNAE Helen Hartmann Black '62 - September 5, 2020 Ellen Gallagher Bowen '70 - April 23, 2019 Carol Newman Mahoney '51 - November 22, 2020 Kathleen Molloy Signoriello '66 - December 13, 2018
PAST FACULTY Constance Lynch Feely, former faculty member and mother of Mary Feely Moriarty '80, Alice Feely Wilson '81, Jane Feely Marinella '83 and Consie Feely Giguere '86; grandmother of Rachel Marinella '18 - August 17, 2020. Sr. Martha Gleason '54, o.s.u., former faculty member and beloved Ursuline sister - February 1, 2021.
Please keep the families of the deceased in your prayers. Check our upcoming issue of Serviam Magazine to see a full list of family members of our alumnae who have recently passed.
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