The Onyx - 2014

Eat • Play • Reunite • Network • Catch-up • Reminisce IND HOMECOMING A NEW TRADITION

Summer 2014

OF DISCERNMENT

LEADERS

LIFELONG

CITIZENS OF THE

INDINDI N S T I T U T E o f N O T R E D A M E 2 0 1 4

INSTITUTE of NOTRE DAME 2014

IND reserves the right to edit submissions for space, content and clarity. “The Onyx” is published by the Public Relations and Communications Offi ce. Submit news to: Institute of Notre Dame, ATTN: “The Onyx,” 901 Aisquith Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 or [email protected].

On the Cover: We highlight just a few of the women realizing the IND mission. Middle top – Sr. Marie Charles Grauer SSND ’39 has two new programs named in her honor (page 3). Top right – Lindsay Paige Gluth ’14 portrayed a passionate male revolutionary fi ghting for the oppressed in “Les Miserables” (page 8). Middle left – Christine Melvin ’05 is one of the many generous alumnae who gave back to their alma mater this year (page 28). Middle center – Erin Murphy Bindel ’81 was named the Alumnae of the Year for her generosity both within and outside of IND (page 15). Middle right – Dr. Rita Sloan Berndt ’62 was a renowned neuroscientist and IND’s greatest supporter (page 14). Bottom left - student-athlete Morgen Caution earned an athletic scholarship to play basketball for the University of Bridgeport this fall. Bottom middle – Joan Cerniglia-Lowensen ’76 earned the distinction of one of Maryland’s Top 50 Lawyers (page 20). Bottom right – Born in Venezuela, Nicole Fortune ’17 adds to IND’s rich community, speaking English at school and Spanish at home (page 4).

DEPARTMENTS

1 PRESIDENT’S LETTER

16 GRADUATION

18 CLASS NOTES

24 IN MEMORIAM

25 REUNIONS

26 CLASS AGENTS

29 UPCOMING EVENTS

BACK HOMECOMING

NEWS

2 NEWSCatch up on all that makes IND so special.

8 ARTSIND girls love anything arts related—and it shows!

10 ATHLETICSAfter a solid year in sports, we’re Penguin proud!

12 FOR ART’S SAKEGood friends, food and fun—for the very best of causes.

14 BEST OF THE BEST Honoring two of IND’s fi nest, Rita Sloan Berndt ’62 and Erin Murphy Bindel ’81

The Onyx“The Onyx” is the school magazine of the Institute ofNotre Dame.

MISSIONThe Institute of Notre Dame, rooted in the values of the Catholic faith and the educational vision of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, is a college preparatory school for young women. Located in the city of Baltimore, IND is a culturally diverse community, which educates its students to become women of discernment, active leaders, lifelong learners and responsible citizens of the world.

VISIONWith more than 165 years of tradition in Baltimore City, the Institute of Notre Dame is the Catholic school of choice for the next generation of women leaders. Serving a diverse student body in a close-knit community, the school will be renowned for academic excellence, state of the art technology and partnership with the city.

Mary L. Funke Ed.D.President

Kathleen CaseyPrincipal

Diana Ference Franz ’70Assistant Principal

Sr. Karen Kane SSNDAssistant Principal for Student Affairs

Lil Hughes Knipp, EditorDirector of Public Relationsand Communications

Wynter Eddington, DesignerAssistant Director of Public Relations and Communications

Helen Bruns ’04Director of Admissions

Bridget Bindel ’09Assistant Director of Admissions

Jerrilyn BornemanDirector of Development

Kirby GaddyAlumnae Relations Coordinator

Sandra Ruffi niAssistant Director of Donor Relations

Cathy Jo Wilkens Portera ’69Special Events Coordinator

Strong fi nish! The Varsity Swim Team triumphed, ending its season as IAAM Conference Champs!

Contents

F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

Mary L. Funke Ed.D.

Kudos to IND’s CFO Mrs. Aimée Weil who was awarded “The Baltimore Business Journal’s” Best in Finance: CFO Award “for fi scal leadership and diligent management,” from among the area’s biggest companies!

A School for Strong Women Founded by Strong Women Three years ago God set me on a path to IND. With every passing month, my gratitude grows. I am proud to be here at this magnifi cent school and a part of the generous community surrounding it. Each graduating class surpasses our expectations. Just look at the achievements of our 86 graduates in the Class of 2014 (page 5), who prove that success comes from scholarship, confi dence and capabilities. For parents who chose a Catholic, girls-only, private school for their daughters, this represents a real return on their investment. Throughout this issue you will read about IND women who have achieved through their determination and hard work, not a privileged upbringing. That is what sets IND girls apart—they are a force unto themselves. Graduates like Sydney Pope ’14, who beat out boys to play Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” and earned a sizable scholarship to Sarah Lawrence College. Deanna Melvin ’14 (page 9) who at age 18 has already published a CD and is on her way to Berklee College of Music, and Dr. Rita Berndt ’62 (page 14) whose accomplishments in the fi eld of neuroscience were recognized worldwide. Dr. Berndt was an example of a quality many IND women share—extraordinary generosity—from time spent immersed in urban life and the SSND charism. A woman of great faith, she never turned away people in need. Rather Dr. Berndt helped, quietly, without the need for attention. On the academic front, there’s much good news to share. We are amplifying our Visual & Performing Arts Program (page 2), because it is deeply rooted in our history, very popular with our students and critical to skill building. One year from this fall, we will add the highly acclaimed Project Lead the Way® Computer Science curriculum, which includes programming, software engineering and cybersecurity (page 3). Along with our nationally certifi ed biomedical sciences and engineering programs, the computer science program will help our students gain access to high paying, plentiful STEM careers. Please spread the word to friends, relatives and coworkers about the wonderful school that is IND. We are as healthy and strong as the community supporting us. Blessings,

Mary L. Funke Ed.D.President

To sustain our reputation for excellence, IND is going back to the future: the Arts. When the good sisters first built our school, the arts enriched the curriculum—elocution, poetry, needlework, piano, harp, guitar, zither, vocal music, harmony, music theory, drawing, watercolors, oil painting and more.

The SSNDs came from Germany and Austria, where music and art formed a daily part of a person’s life. Blessed Mother Theresa wanted our girls to learn to appreciate what is beautiful and to develop their creativity. Educational research proves the arts are every bit as important today. They prepare students for success at school, work and life by developing critical thinking, problem solving, communications, math and literacy skills.

Next fall IND will enhance the Visual & Performing Arts Program by adding five new courses: Graphic Design, Introduction to Dance, Intermediate Dance, Introduction to Musical Theatre and Music Theory. Space is also a consideration in the expansion. With a $100,000 grant from the Middendorf Foundation, IND will transform Father’s Club Hall—our old gym—into a dance studio. The renovation will include air conditioning, dance barres, mirrors and refurbishing of the wood floor.

With our Board of Directors, IND is also considering renovating the Auditorium and transforming the 4th floor convent side of the building into an Arts Center. All work is dependent on IND donors and friends. These enhancements will benefit many of our students, as four of five IND girls participate in Visual & Performing Arts activities.

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Applause! Mrs. Casey’s Our Principal

Two from IND Among the Top 100 Women

IND’s faculty and staff welcomed the news that Mrs. Kathleen Casey was “officially” named IND’s 14th principal last fall with a standing ovation—four months after she accepted the position as interim on July 1, 2013.

No one was surprised that the capable and congenial Mrs. Casey did so well as IND’s top academic leader—based on her stellar performance as Language Department Chair, co-chair of the AIMS (Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools) accreditation process and experience as a French teacher. Plus 25 of her 40 years as an educator have been spent on Aisquith Street.

Mrs. Casey earned a M.A. in French literature from the University of Virginia and B.A. in French, with a minor in secondary education—magna cum laude—from the Notre Dame of Maryland University. She was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Teaching Assistant position in Tours, France, and earned an Advanced Professional Certification for Grades 7–12 in foreign language from the Maryland State Department of Education.

The New Next? ARTS!

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IND President Mary Funke and Mrs. Candice Clark Kelly ’73 were honored as 2014 Maryland Top 100 Women by “The Daily Record” for outstanding achievement “through professional accomplishments, community leadership and mentoring.”

Dr. Funke was recognized for improving the lives of women and girls through her work at the Notre Dame of Maryland University, Catholic Charities, N Street Village and IND.

The president of the Charles County Board of County Commissioners, Mrs. Kelly is dedicated to community service, which has earned her the Philanthropist of the Year Award from the Community Foundation of Charles County and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Charles County Commission for Women.

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By her very demeanor, Sr. Marie Charles Grauer SSND ’39 conveyed the message that learning was serious business. Her students benefited greatly from her dedication to discipline, accuracy and a strong work ethic. So much so that Baltimore companies would request her commercial students immediately upon their graduation.

Sr. Marie not only taught at IND for 35 years, but is a grad who personally benefitted from financial assistance. “My uncle died and left my mother $52, which is how she was able to send me to IND my first year. After that, the kindness of the SSNDs and other individuals helped to put me through the rest of my years,” she recalled.

In the past year, IND has established two efforts that honor this legendary educator.

Helping Struggling Students Succeed

The Sister Marie Charles Project is an academic intervention program that helps struggling freshmen with two or more failures. IND’s Assistant Principal Mrs. Diana Franz ’70 meets with parents and the student to agree to the program steps and for all to sign a commitment to the student’s success.

A teacher mentor evaluates the student’s academic progress, identifies areas for help, reviews study habits and recommends improvements. The student is also paired with a National Honor Society “study buddy.” Along with the guidance counselor and Mrs. Franz, the student’s advocates communicate informally and at biweekly meetings. Reassessments are made and new approaches taken to give the student every opportunity to succeed.

Fund to Support Students in Need

The Sr. Marie Charles Grauer Scholarship Fund honors the good sister and provides student financial assistance. With your help, IND will establish a $100,000 endowment; its annual interest will provide aid to deserving students. Please contact IND’s Director of Development Ms. Jerrilyn Borneman at jborneman@ INDofMD.org to learn more.

Last December IND students in Science Department Chair Dr. Margaret Gessler’s 2nd

and 3rd year Biomedical Sciences classes joined a national experiment—they learned to write code. The “Hour of Code” campaign aimed to have 10 million kids learn coding skills for one hour to promote computer science in K-12 education. Talk about success! The organizers (code.org) exceeded their wildest dreams when 15 million students wrote code within the first five days.

IND students enthusiastically joined in. Having the right computers helped—IND’s One-to-One Tablet PC Program uses fully powered PCs, and Dr. Gessler’s can-do attitude was a definite plus. “I knew nothing about computer programing, but I felt an obligation to expose our students to all possible STEM fields. So we learned together and had a great time!”

The experience ramped up interest in adding a third Project Lead the Way® (PLTW) program: Computer Science. According to PLTW experts, “the number of job openings projected in 2018 for STEM fields will reach 2.8 million, and approximately half of these will be for computer specialists.” To ensure IND graduates access these high paying careers, IND will introduce PLTW’s Computer Science curriculum the fall 2015. The program will complement IND’s successful and popular PLTW Biomedical Sciences and Pathway to Engineering programs.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education called PLTW “a model for 21st century career and technical education.” There’s no arguing with success:

• Independent research indicates PLTW students outperform their peers in school (both secondary and post-secondary).

• 80 percent of PLTW seniors say they will study engineering, technology or computer science in college—the national average is 32 percent.

• 97 percent of PLTW students intend to pursue a four-year degree or higher—the national average is 67 percent.

• PLTW grads are studying engineering and technology at 5–10 times the average of all students.

“Hour of Code” Kickstarts Launch of Project Lead the Way® Computer Science Fall 2015

Maureen Wolf ‘16 and Jessica Tsai ‘16 took part in the “Hour of Code” national event designed to spur student interest in computer science. IND will add the Project Lead the Way® Computer Science Program the fall 2015 to prepare students for careers in this growing field.

Helping Programs Honor Sr. Marie Charles

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IND students and teachers celebrated National Foreign Language Week the week of March 3 by praying in 22 languages, showcasing IND as a place that truly is “a culturally diverse community.” Language Department Chair Mr. William Brown organized the yearly event. The stories behind the people are both interesting and varied.

Born in Venezuela, Nicole Fortune ’17 said, “Spanish was my fi rst language.” She speaks English at school and Spanish at home. Tirazheh Mofi d ’15 said she learned “both English and Farsi at the same time.” Her parents were born in Iran and she communicates more easily with them and her grandparents in Farsi, which keeps her language skills sharp.

Croatian is spoken in Duni Sissoko’s ’15 home, which she uses to write and talk with her Croatian and Bosnian friends, she explained. Marie Chantal T. Tan ’15 learned Tagalog, a Filipino dialect, when she lived in the Philippines, as well as Taglish—a mix of Tagalog and English words. “I also studied how to speak write, and read Japanese for three years in middle school,” she said.

Mandarin was the language spoken in Jessica Tsai’s ’16 family and in her parents’ native country Taiwan. She also learned Taiwanese through hearing adults talk. “By doing so, I can speak basic phrases in Taiwanese and comprehend what my grandparents ask me,” she said.

All of IND’s multicultural students said they have an enhanced appreciation for their families’ cultural and language traditions. This is a factor that’s also likely to give them an advantage in diverse work environments; multilingual people are in demand as they can more easily master new languages, business becomes more global and the workforce more diverse.

girls Who give

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Top Scientist Shared Path

Issue a call to serve and IND girls are guaranteed to be the most giving around. September 19 marked the “Day to Serve,” to feed the hungry and heal the planet. IND answered by providing more than 300 lunches for Baltimore’s homeless and cleaning up around and inside our building.

IND’s Campus Minister Ms. Vanessa Williams was elated. “We received more than 100 premade lunches. Students, faculty and staff brought in loaves of bread, lunchmeat, cheese, chips and juice. The response was overwhelming,” she said. Students formed an assembly line and quickly made 200 lunches, then boarded IND buses for stops at the Baltimore Rescue Mission, St. Vincent de Paul, the 83 Underpass and Our Daily Bread, while other students beautifi ed IND and the area outside it.

Language Week Showcased IND’s Diverse Community

Dr. Hayat Sindi spoke at IND as part of Nifty Fifty, which brings renowned scientists to schools to serve as role models.

Although born in Saudi Arabia where women’s opportunities are limited, Dr.

Sindi earned a Ph.D. in biotechnology and started three companies. One uses paper and tape to make devices that measure protein and sugar levels in the blood

for signs of illness. Another produces

a cost-effective biosensor to diagnose breast cancer. The third company works with young entrepreneurs to provide the skills, mentors and investors to succeed.

From left to right: Nicole Fortune ’17, Tirazheh Mofi d ’15, Duni Sissoko ’15, Marie Chantal T. Tan ’15 and Jessica Tsai ’16.

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Class of 2014 Acceptances

Albright CollegeAmerican University

Barnard CollegeBerklee College of Music

Boston CollegeBoston UniversityCabrini College

Catawba CollegeCatholic University of America

Clemson UniversityColgate UniversityDrexel University

Emmanuel CollegeFordham University

Georgia Institute of TechnologyGettysburg CollegeGoucher CollegeHofstra University

Hood CollegeJames Madison University

Lehigh UniversityLoyola University Maryland

Marietta CollegeMount Saint Mary’s University

Neumann UniversityNortheastern University

Notre Dame of Maryland UniversityPost University

Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRoanoke College

Robert Morris UniversityRoberts Wesleyan College

Rochester Institute of TechnologyRutgers University

Sarah Lawrence CollegeSmith College

Stevenson UniversitySyracuse UniversityTemple UniversityTowson University

University of DelawareUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County

University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Pennsylvania

University of PittsburghVassar College

Wellesley CollegeWorcester Polytechnic Institute

*This is a partial list.

25%Played a sport senior year

Best We’ve Seen—Class of 2014!

Best We’ve Seen—Class of 2014!

41

different ZIPS

41

In so many ways the 86 young women who glided down the aisle of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on June 2 are a standout crowd. Just take a look at the following stats. We’re sure you’ll be as proud as we are!

$

different ZIPs they call home

MD counties they’re from

Their roots

different schools before IND

have alumnae moms or

grandmomsExtra Credit

Up Next!

25%played a sport

senior year

Highest Merit $$$

belong to the National

Honor Society

4140

10%

10%

completed PLTW Biomed Program

14%

graduated as Theresians

11%

Score!

point increase in SAT composite scores -

Theresians

point increase in SAT composite scores -

Class of 2014

113

going to college

100%college acceptances

received

354

40

attending four-year schools

accepted to “most” or “highly

competitive” universities

60%

$9.9M

received in merit money-

a record- Woo Hoo!

college scholarships received

received merit based scholarships

received scholarships

totaling six fi gures

91%

228

79%

48%

5


Students to Professionals

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Alumnae Return Home

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Lauren Mastella ’05 was one of the 27 alumnae who shared their educational and job experiences at Career Day on April 2. A cake artist, Lauren earned a degree and certification in her field and spent three years at the famed Charm City Cakes. She now manages La Cakerie Bakery in Towson.

IND’s conflict mediators and Kathie Connelly ’69 shared skills for managing conflict, like the trust exercise conducted at the March 5 session.

On December 4, three alumnae took questions from 360-plus students at the Q&A/Panel Discussion on Leadership Styles. Students gained good insights into the world of work from Dr. Marisa Wilson ’75, Bridget Horner ’81 and Victory Mohamed ’06 (pictured).

Which fork when? Continental or American style dining? These and other questions were asked November 13 when the International School of Protocol held the first session on social etiquette and dining. The event concluded with a critique of appropriate wear for a job interview—a real learning experience!

Preparation for LifeCompetition’s fierce for college and jobs, so IND put together a series to help students navigate what can be difficult experiences—the Students-to-Professionals Series.

The first session dealt with social/dining etiquette for that all-important business lunch. The second focused on different leadership styles they may encounter. Third came conflict mediation and the final event brought alumnae back to IND to share insights on their careers.

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Sarah Stefanski ’14 grew up at IND—literally. Her parents Ray and Maureen Stefanski began bringing her to IND before she could walk when her oldest sister Pam entered in 1995.

Sarah’s graduation signals the end of two decades of smart, giving, funny Stefanski daughters at IND. The valedictorian her graduation year, Pam ’99 went to the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a master’s in electrical engineering, before becoming lieutenant commander and serving as a helicopter pilot. Susan was the 2002 salutatorian; she earned a master’s in secondary math education following her graduation from St. Joseph’s University. IND’s 2006 valedictori-an, Julie earned her undergraduate in biology before a master’s from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She works for the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at University of Maryland Medical Center. Co-valedictorian Sarah is off to Boston College and the prestigious Carroll School of Management for the next four years.

For nearly 20 years, Ray and Maureen Stefanski have supported their daughters and IND. Stomping their feet at IND v. Mercy games, patronizing fund-raisers, applauding spring musicals, involved in ev-ery mother and fathers club activity. We could not be more proud to have played a role in the success of the Stefanski women.

“They’re so cool!” seemed the consensus among the IND girls about the Austrian visitors. For 10 days this past March, students shared classes, cars, lunches and houses with 17 Austrian students from IND’s SSND-sister school Schulzentrum Friesgasse.

It was IND’s third year playing host to the Austrians, who come 4,400 miles to practice conversational English and learn U.S. culture and customs. They live with IND girls, who expose them to American life—their homes, food, habits, entertainment, sports and shopping. In return, the IND girls learn all about what it is like to be a teenager growing up in Austria.

IND students learned that the Austrians speak excellent English because they begin learning languages in elementary school. Schulzentrum Friesgasse includes kindergarten through 12th grade—and boys! It is well known for its “internationality;” students come from Europe and Asia and speak 40 different languages—as opposed to IND students’ 22.

Friesgasse’s principal Frau Hedwig Weindl accompanied the students on this trip. Her daughter will be part of a pilot student exchange program IND will launch next year. IND will host a small number of Friesgasse students who wish to study abroad in the 2014-2015 academic year.

IND students and teachers visited Friesgasse last summer—along with historic sites in Austria, Hungary and Bratislava. For 11 days beginning June 12, IND students visited their Freiesgasse counterparts in Vienna; moved onto Wauchau and Salzburg in Austria; then Regensburg and Stadtamhof in Germany.

IND looks forward to more students sharing Megan Urbanski’s ’14 experience. She had this to say about last year’s trip abroad:

“I cherished meeting new people on this trip. I had never been out of the country before and they welcomed me with open arms. I enjoyed all of the food and traditions that I experienced. Living in a flat and eating as a family was a refreshing change. I can’t wait to return one day. This has been an amazing trip.”

Austrians and Americans Shared Cultures and Customs

Students and chaperones from IND’s Austrian SSND-sister school Schulzentrum Friesgasse pictured with their American hosts. They presented gifts to IND at the assembly celebrating the schools’ cultural exchange program.

The Passing of the Stefanski Family Era

The Stefanski family gathered to mark the end of 20 years at IND with the youngest family member’s graduation in June. Pictured are Pam ’99, Susan ’02, mom Maureen, Julie ’06, dad Ray and Sarah ’14.

A r T S

“Twelve Angry Jurors” Refl ected Our Turbulent Times

Originally titled “Twelve Angry Men,” the drama about a jury on a homicide trial was made into an acclaimed movie starring such stars as Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb and Jack Klugman.

“The play remains relevant today, as society continues to examine the issues of justice, trial by jury, and guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Theatre Chair and Director Mrs. Carolyn Buck.

To increase its meaning, students and faculty created study guides that examined the play from every academic discipline: social studies, English, religion, math/engineering, science, language, technology, art, music and health/education.

Sierra Miceli ’16 thought back to discussions she heard at home. “My mother’s a paralegal, so I thought about some of her conversations with her boss, who’s a lawyer … I also tried to think from a judge’s perspective.” Said stagecraft student Jerri Davis ’16, “I thought about the types of questions my U.S. History

Girls Ruled in “Les Miserables”

Staging a legendary play like “Les Miserables” is a real challenge. It’s the longest running musical in history, 65 million people have seen it—and then, there is the movie. But nothing’s too daunting for IND’s theater troupe.

IND performed the stage version, not the easier school version. At tryouts, IND actresses beat out boys for the four major male roles. Two were played by “four-year girls,” students so passionate about theatre; they appeared in every production since freshman year and plan to pursue it in college. Sydney Pope ’14 (Valjean) will attend Sarah Lawrence College, and B’Jion Wright ’14 (Javert) will attend Catawba College, both with sizable scholarships. As the irascible Madame Thenardier, four-year girl Sabriaya Shipley ’14 showed a gift for comedy she will surely bring to the stage this fall at Temple University.

Another aspect that set this play apart was the role of students. “The level of student leadership in this show was HUGE,” said Mrs. Buck. “Sofi e Massa ’14 was the choreographer and Jessica Tsai ’16, the piano accompanist. Our production stage manager Molly Hecker ’16 designed the scenery and built the gate on her own time. Marty Sandoval ’16 was the assistant stage manager, and her focus was the lights and sound. Our cast respected the student leaders as they respected their directors—and three of them were IND sophomores!”

Last fall IND staged an intensely emotional play that resonated with cultural signifi cance—even though it was written in 1954.

IND actors shattered stereotypes by taking on revolutionary roles.


Teacher Ms. McFadden would ask us during class, and I used my own ideas from past class experiences.”

The result? Students used a multidisciplinary approach—and the power of drama—to understand complex issues affecting society and their role in it.

Lindsay Paige Gluth ’14 played Enjolras, a passionate French revolutionary, in “Les Miserables.”

Actors and stagecraft students in IND’s fall play examined thorny issues made even more relevant by the creation of multidisciplinary study guides.

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Select Choir Takes Top Prize at Singing Competition

Despite tough competition against musical groups with excellent ratings, IND’s Select Choir brought back the fi rst-place trophy from the Music in the Park contest at Hershey, PA on May 17. “The Select Choir gave a stunning performance and earned the highest rating possible—‘superior!’” exclaimed Mr. Dan Meyer, IND Vocal and Instrumental Music Instructor.

Music in the Parks is a festival for student choral, orchestral, and band ensembles, held annually across the U.S. The groups perform for judges and awards are given. The festivals are organized by the Educational Programs Network.

Anyone who has seen the Select Choir perform would agree with the assessment of one of the judges: “You enjoy singing and it shows. You were proud of what you were doing and you sang with a sense of purpose and a sense that you knew exactly what was going on in the music. You just sing smart and I really appreciate that. I don’t hear that all the time.”

Congratulations to Mr. Meyer and the Select Choir members Rachel Contreras ’15, Rorie Crum ’15, Emma Dougherty ’15, Brianna Dregier ’14, Isabel Gabin ’17, Lindsay Paige Gluth ’14,

Jacqueline Gonzalez ’14, JacQuan Knox ’14, Bridget Maher ’14, Deanna Melvin ’14, AJ Mercer ’14, Jalil Penn ’16, Megan Rowan ’15, Sabriaya Shipley ’14, Ranell Somerville ’16, JaMera Turner ’14, B’Jion Wright ’14 and Abby Wyand ’17.

Ask Deanna Melvin ’14 about her music and she’ll pull out of her pocket her EP titled “Beyond My Limits.” The six original songs reveal a young artist seemingly too accomplished for 18, on the verge of realizing her vision—to attend the prestigious Berklee School of Music. Deanna then plans to move to California to begin her career and a record label.

There’s little doubt Deanna will do so. She approaches her craft with a focused determination and exuberance. A talented singer/songwriter, Deanna began piano at fi ve, pageants at six, writing music at 11 and the guitar at 14. In elementary school she was confi dent enough to perform at local open mics as well as

street and musical venues around Baltimore. In high school, she performed as a solo artist as well as with three bands, which broke up as members went off to college.

Deanna cited Alicia Keyes, Janelle Monáe and Frank Ocean as artistic infl uences—R&B, indie and contemporary urban are her preferred styles. “I write based on my emotions as well as take on other people’s emotions,” she said. At IND she easily took to the stage, landing major theatre roles, sang with the Select and Gospel Choirs and was an Honors student.

You can connect with Deanna and hear her music at www.cdbaby.com/cd/deannamelvin.

Graduate Records CD, Accepted to Berklee for Music

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Deanna Melvin ’14 performs at IND’s talent show. She will be entering the Berklee School of Music this fall.

Secure and self-directed, Deanna Melvin’s music lights her path.

We’ve always known that the Select Choir was top notch—now they have the award to prove it!

The 18 members of IND’s Select Choir impressed the judges and earned superior ratings at the regional singing competition, Music in the Park.

Strong FinishIND sports had a solid year as many captured trophies or bettered standings. Besides those listed below, kudos to the Varsity Track & Field for an undefeated conference winning season. Congrats to the Junior Varsity Cheerleaders for two first place wins at the nationals.

Athletic Director/Basketball Coach Doug Able led the Penguins to a 45–35 defeat over Mercy’s Magic at the 48th IND v. Mercy match, which drew a raucous crowd of nearly 4,000 at Towson’s SECU Arena. The varsity basketball team ended their season as conference runner-up with a solid 9-1-0 season.

Varsity cheerleader Penelope Atsidis ’14 and the rest of her team had a great year placing 1st in the Maryland State Championship, and in the Top 3 at the National Championship “Reach the Beach,” Advanced Competitive Division.

Emma Fox ’16 and Danielle Panambo ’16 wear the new jackets they earned following the Varsity Swimming team’s IAAM C Conference Championship win with a 5-0-0 record.

Karolina Walls ‘14, Kellye Cullum ‘14, Dakota Dixon ‘14 and Jessica Carter ‘14 are four of the 10-woman Varsity Golf team who captured the IAAM B Conference Championship this year.

IND’s Varsity Soccer team had a fantastic season, totaling 10 wins, 0 losses and 1 tie—to take home the IAAM B Conference Championship trophy!

S P O r T S


S P O r T S

Since age 5, Heather Rucci ’15 has dreamed of playing collegiate soccer. She’s taken a major step toward that goal by verbally committing to play NCAA-D 1 soccer for the University of Delaware.

Heather honed her soccer skills through club play, progressing to the Bethesda Soccer Club, a member of the Elite Clubs National League. She practices three to four nights a week, and travels from coast to coast for games and tournaments. Heather’s also played for the regional Olympic Development Program from 2010–2013—and for IND’s varsity team, of course!

This past spring, IND was abuzz with news of college recruiters scouting student athletes. Congrats to the three seniors and two juniors whose hard work resulted in commitments to NCAA teams!

Three Seniors Sign with NCAA Teams

Heather rucci to U of Delaware Rorie Crum ’15 will soon trade her penguin pride for blackbird wings. She’s verbally committed to play for Long Island University Brooklyn (LIU) NCAA-D 1 lacrosse when she graduates.

Rorie has played varsity lacrosse and volleyball her three years at IND, and lacrosse for nine years. “The process was a lot of work, but is rewarding at its end,” said Rorie. “I’ve built a lot of relationships with coaches and players because of it. I gained so much in experience and I have my coaches to thank.”

rorie Crum to Long Island U

Morgen Caution Basketball Scholarship

University of Bridgeport (UB)A tad under 6’ tall, Morgen was 7 when she started dribbling basketballs, playing for three teams in the AAU—Amateur Athletic Union. She chose UB because it “is very diverse culturally, which I love because IND is very diverse … I felt right at home.”

Morgen also played Varsity Volleyball, was named a IAAM Basketball & Volleyball B Conference All Star, was an Honors student as well as a member of the National Honor Society, Peer Ministry and Theatre Arts.

Brooke Fields Basketball Scholarship

Roberts Wesleyan College (RWC)Brooke started playing basketball at 5, then moved onto a series of AAU teams ending up at Love Elite. A junior transfer, she has served as IND’s team captain for two seasons, averaging 16 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game.

Her new coach at RWC Bob Segave looks forward to her arrival. “Brooke is a combo guard who can score or distribute the ball … is an active defender and has a great understanding of the game.” At IND, Brooke was named an IAAM Basketball B Conference All Star, received the McCormick Unsung Hero and belonged to the French Honor Society.

Julia Higham Crew Scholarship

Philadelphia University (PU)A junior transfer, Julia had played a lot of sports before trying crew, which she found “cool and different.” At first, she wasn’t sure she could handle the early hours, but she grew to like the peaceful routine. In fact, she was so good at crew, she set her sights on improving her “erg,” the energy she exerted on the stationary rowing machine.

Once there, Julia sought a college where she could crew and realize her career choice—fashion merchandising. She contacted PU’s coach who hosted her for a visit and offered her a scholarship. At IND, Julia was an Honors student and an IND Ambassador.

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The best endorsement for IND is her students! From left: Leah Rowell ’15, Stephanie Colon ’15, Ayobami Yoyin ’14, Mrs. Beverly Simon, parent of Katie Simon ’14, Haley Jackson ’14, Erin Moore ’15 and Alexanne Wenger ’15.

Among Baltimore’s most faith-filled philanthropists, Mary Catherine Bunting raised her paddle to contribute to the Mother Caroline Fund.

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Alumnae Return Home

A r T S O N A I S Q U I T H

a r t sO N A I S Q U I T H

IND’s triple threat clearly enjoying themselves, from left: Dr. Mary Funke, Cathy Jo Portera ’69 and Maureen O’Neill Ciesielski ’72.

Sr. Hildie Marie Sutherland SSND (right) welcomes Susan Woodman P’09 (left) and Sarah Woodman ’09 (center) to IND’s biggest party of the year.

Dinner AuctionOn Saturday, March 22, 300 members of the IND community came to the 15th Annual Dinner Auction to support the “Arts on Aisquith” and raise nearly $150,000 for IND’s Visual and Performing Arts Programs.

The evening was certainly memorable, from the singing of the Alma Mater to the rousing “Les Miserables” performance to the bidding battles in the live auction. A fabulous time was had by all!

A special thanks to Jim and Luz Crum P’15, parents of Rorie, for chairing the event, and to all of the amazing volunteers who decorated and collected donations for the silent and live auctions. We appreciate all your hard work to make the event successful every year. Congratulations to Greg and Michele Fridley P’11, ’13, and ’16 for winning the tuition raffle!

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“On behalf of everyone at IND, we are so thankful to the alumnae, parents (past and present), Board members and

friends who came out to support the event. You are all Patrons of the Arts!” - Jerrilyn Borneman, Director of Development

The annual auction brings together families and friends alike. Mr. Frank Murphy (left) and Mrs. Marie Murphy (second from right) join granddaughter and Assistant Director of Admissions, Bridget Bindel ’09 (right), for libations and silent auction bidding, along with Bridget’s classmate, Abigail Gatch ’09.

Guests gave a standing ovation for the musical performance by the cast of “Les Miserables,” which included (front) Deanna Melvin ’14, (from left) Sarah Stefanski ’14, Sydney Pope ’14, Makenna Brooks ’14, Kayleigh Treshman ’16 and JacQuan Knox ’14.

IND is so appreciative for our wonderful auction hosts, Jim and Luz Crum ’15, parents of Rorie. Thank you for your leadership!

The auction is a mother-daughter night out for Teresa Lopez ’08 and her mom Mary Lopez P’08.

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This year, $42,000 was raised on behalf of the Mother Caroline Fund to benefit students in financial need—far surpassing the $16,000 raised last year! Thank you, thank you for your kindness. Your generosity will be recognized in the upcoming Annual Report of Donors.

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S ince the beginning of IND’s philanthropic re-cord-keeping in the early

1980s, Rita and her husband Rick—a partner at Gallagher Evelius & Jones LLP—have steadily supported IND in every way possible. They’ve started endowments, served on the board, given directly, bought tables at events, do-nated in-kind gifts, even made up the shortfall in students’ tuition payments. Their kind-ness, silently and steadfastly, helped her alma mater give to others what Rita felt had been given to her through her IND education.

The entirety of Rita and Rick’s benevolence is inspiring—and private. Most often, Rita chose to make her gifts to IND with-out credit—preferring to be listed as “Anonymous.” She did not want or need to call attention to her philanthropy.

A world-renowned neurosci-entist and professor, Rita’s research focused on the ques-tion of how language is rep-resented in the brain, a focus

that “was fostered at IND by Sister Etto, who taught me Latin, and by Sister Elise Mary, who taught me French,” she said. Rita also credited Sister Agatho, her algebra and

trigonometry teacher, with laying the groundwork for her study of statistical methods.

Following IND, Rita graduat-ed from UMBC with honors and earned a Ph.D. in psy-chology from Johns Hopkins University. Rita went on to become an acclaimed re-search scientist, speaker and author whose list of publi-cations numbered dozens of printed pages.

In 2005, IND’s then president Sr. Mary Fitzgerald SSND christened the school’s sci-ence department “The Rita Sloan Berndt Ph.D. Science Department.” Calling her “Our Scientist,” Sr. Mary Fitzgerald expressed the pride of the entire IND community when she dedicated the de-partment “as a lasting tribute to Dr. Berndt. She was a quiet woman who modeled the care, concern, commitment and professionalism that the teachers at IND try to instill in the students,” said Sr. Mary Fitzgerald. “Students could and can continue to look up

to the example of Dr. Rita Sloan Berndt who was one of their own.”

Rita and Rick also began the Rita Berndt ’62 Faculty

Endowment Fund to assist IND in recruiting and retain-ing extraordinary faculty at a time when the number of SSNDs on faculty was de-clining. The Berndts sought to ensure that as IND hired lay educators, the president and principal would have the flexibility needed to recruit visionary teachers capable of carrying on SSND traditions while instilling 21st century learning. In 2013, IND re-ceived the last pledge pay-ment towards the $2 million goal. The fund has kept IND

academically competitive and given the school the oppor-tunity to hire much needed new faculty.

“Rita was razor sharp, in-sightful, kind and generous,” said IND president Dr. Mary Funke, “the ideal of an IND graduate. We are forever in her debt for giving so many girls the education she re-ceived, for strengthening our science program and for lov-ingly stewarding IND, which meant so much to her. She will be so sorely missed.”

In 2005, IND established “The Rita Sloan Berndt Ph.D. ScienceDepartment” to honor Dr. Berndt’s accomplishments and generosity.

Dr. Rita Sloan Berndt ’62 IND’s Greatest Advocate


Dr. Rita Sloan Berndt ’62, retired Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Maryland School of Medicine died on June 17. At IND, she leaves behind a quiet legacy of generosity that is unmatched in our community.

“Rita was razor sharp, insightful, kind and generous—the ideal of an IND

graduate.” – Dr. Mary Funke

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Alumna of the Year Carries on IND’s Legacy

K ind.” “Generous.” “Caring.” Those are just a few of the words that de-scribe IND’s Alumna of the Year

Erin Murphy Bindel ’81. A graduate who stays connected and gives back, the suc-cess of her alma mater really matters to her. She takes it personally.

Erin was named Alumna of the Year at IND’s last Celebration Sunday for “sig-nifi cant leadership contributions to her chosen career, to her volunteer endeav-ors and to the community in which she lives” and for her “outstanding com-mitment to the ideals of IND.” Behind those lofty words are “a lot of hours vol-unteering, getting her hands dirty, doing whatever needed to be done. She’s a real team player,” said Jerrilyn Borneman, IND’s Director of Development.

In short: no matter what the event, Erin and her husband Dan are there—giving, extending, serving, donating, meeting, sharing—creating a warm, solid sup-

port for IND’s leadership, faculty, staff and students. “Erin’s a tireless promoter of IND to family, friends, neighbors—and she’s carried on her legacy by send-ing her three daughters here—Caitlin, Bridget and Clare,” said IND President Dr. Mary Funke.

Erin’s committed because, “I believe in IND, love the school and its mission—to educate women—and so enjoy the people who work there. Having my daughters attend only intensifi ed my connections.” Caitlin ’07 is employed as a pediatric intensive care nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Bridget ’09 is IND’s assistant director of admissions and recent graduate Clare will enter Salisbury University this fall to pursue a degree in public relations.

Erin described her IND years as an illu-minating time in her life. “IND opened my eyes to life in the city. It girls-only education gave us all the opportunity to

grow as leaders.” Erin attended Towson University for both her undergraduate and graduate programs, specializing in speech pathology. She works with children in the Baltimore City schools as a speech pathologist.

Staying connected to IND also allows Erin to stay close to her former class-mates in person and through social media. She marvels at how success-ful they are three decades later. “It is a credit to IND that we are all doing so well and still connected.”

Three decades and three alumnae daughters later, Erin Murphy Bindel ’81 is still giving her very best to her high school.

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The Bindel Family gathered last Celebration Sunday to celebrate Erin’s recognition as IND’s Alumna of the Year. From left, Bridget Bindel ’09, Clare Bindel ’14, Erin Murphy Bindel ’81, Dan Bindel, Caitlin Bindel Cech ’07, and Erin Bindel’s mom Marie Murphy.

“IND opened my eyes to life in the city. It girls-only education gave us

all the opportunity to grow as leaders.”

– Erin Murphy Bindel ’81

“

g r A D U A T I O N


The Class of 2014 (in alphabetical order)

+*Maya Simone ArthurPenelope AtsidisNancy Taylor-Rizzi Ayd*Brittni Lurlene BaldeoClare Baier BindelMakenna Marean BrooksElizabeth Kathryn BrownGeneha Olivia CarterJessica Alizabeth Carter

*Morgen Breonna CautionBrittney Maria CelanoMorgan Elizabeth CichorzMichaela Elizabeth CommodariOlivia Christine ConnorKellye Cullum+*Grace Brennan Derbyshire*Dakota DixonBrianna Sheridan DregierBrooke Taniea FieldsCayla Raquel Floyd

•+*~Rebecca Noelle ForloineLindsayPaige Clair GluthJacqueline Ester GonzalezJulia Ariel Higham§+*~Samantha Marie HiresSara Elizabeth HrdlickWhysper Camille IrvingBria Shar-Ren JacksonHaley Eileen JacksonTeonia Robyn JonesSarah Elizabeth KavlichAlauna Shanae Keaton

Carli Summer Knight*JacQuan Ebonii KnoxMegan Elizabeth KramChristine Irene KruseBrianna Michele Kulis*Courtney Terri Lewis*Diana Patricia Liz+*Ashley Nicole LynchCaché Deshawn LynchBridget Kearney MaherRaziela Adrianne MananganIsabella Paolina Massa*Sofie Margaret Massa


Nia Alexis McMillionDeanna Marie MelvinAjalon Hairston MercerSavannah Jane MerrymanTasayeh Renea NickensAlexis Taylor NongChelsea Marie Okeke*Hannah Kavitha Paul*Sydney Faith Pope*Julia Cooke PriceZoe Angelese PurcellAlexandra Emilie RieckeMarta Elizabeth Rybczynski

Monica Malone SaltersStephanie Nicole SchaferSara Erin Jane SchapiroCaroline Evans Schertle+*Carina Marie SheehanSabriaya MJ ShipleyCaroline Burner SimonKatherine Leigh Simon§+*~Sarah Maureen StefanskiSamantha Rose StinchcombCrystal Amanda StubbsKayla Sierra Stukes

Kelly Patricia Sweeney*Lauren Elizabeth TeepleKatie Ann TerhuneMaura Shane TudjaJaMera Linee Turner+*Leah Theresa Uddeme*Megan Elizabeth UrbanskiShaneka Venable VictorKarolina Ruta WallsJulia Emma WebbSymira Patrice Wilkins*Kelly Lynn WilliamsTaylor Chanelle Wilson

B’Jion Lynnae WrightSydney Ashley Yelity-Paul+*Ayobami Victoria Yoyin

§ Co-Valedictorian• Salutatorian+ Theresian Scholar* National Honor Society~ Archdiocesan Distinctive Scholar

Class of 2014


A L U M N A E C L A S S N O T E S

1940s

CLASS OF 1946 Class Agent: Mary T. Olert [email protected] Class of 1946 had an 85th birthday celebration last November! This get-together allowed the classmates to see each other before their next five-year reunion. The 22 ladies in attendance agreed that they should do it more often. They gathered at Villa Assumpta for mass, lunch and conversation.

1950sCLASS OF 1956Class Agent: Jean Califiore Nohe: [email protected] O’Neill Dudley and Rosemary Stafford Baldwin, former Baltimore Colts Cheerleaders, will be honored at a Baltimore Ravens home game this coming season. Both ladies auditioned for the Colts’ squad a few weeks after their IND graduation in 1956 and

were selected for the team. (Mrs. Dudley was a Colt Cheerleader from 1956 to 1966.)

1960sCLASS OF 1961Class Agent: Mary Polk Horner: [email protected]

Grace Geppi Connolly is running for reelection for Register of Wills in Baltimore County in 2014.

Debbye Rubin Golden and Fran Potthast Duley, along with their husbands, will be traveling to Hawaii to celebrate Fran and Rich’s 50th Anniversary. A highlight of their trip will be touring the Pearl Harbor Memorial—they plan to dress in red, white and blue for the occasion!

Cecilia Radomski Lambert and her husband Jim celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on February 8, 2014.

Judith Myers is excited to announce that her great niece, daughter of her late sister Susan Myers ’60,

graduated cum laude from Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor’s of science in psychology. She knows Susan would be so proud. Judith also traveled to Germany for three weeks in May.

Joann Markiewicz Ozolins and her husband Wally went on a pilgrimage to France in September 2013 with their church, St. John the Evangelist in Warrenton, VA. They visited the sites of Joan of Arc’s martyrdom, St. Theresa the Little Flower’s convent and home, Normandy, Mont St. Michael and Lourdes; as well as stops in Nevers, Paris, and Tours. The most moving part of their trip was joining the procession at night in Lourdes.

Maria Russo Hersey’s son, Christopher, an engineer, was recently hired by Skanska (world leading project development and construction group) as a senior project manager in Boston. Maria’s daughter, Sara, an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease

Control (CDC), is the CDC Country Director for South Sudan. She was evacuated when civil war broke out in December 2013 and came home safely to have Christmas with the Hersey family.

Susan Rudiger Spahn and her husband Harry are traveling to Ireland for their fourth time.

In October 2014 a group of 1961 classmates gathered for lunch sponsored by Cathie Beyer Meredith and Joann Markiewicz Ozolins at Cathie’s home. Joining them were Sheila Fahey von Kerczek, Susan Rudiger Spahn, Debbye Rubin Golden, Peggy Alessi Hill, Susan Blum Legg, Mickey Fowler Henderson, Mary Lynch Mullen, Diane Bogey Geppart, Kathy Evans Miller, Kathy Gieron Fairman, Diane Strahotsky Keough, Grace Geppi Connolly, Peggy Alessi Hill and Mary K. Horner. They enjoyed visiting and renewing friendships.

CLASS OF 1965Class Agent: Dolores Walsh: [email protected]

Pat Doyle Balassone was married on February 22, 2014 to Dr. Tom Coleman in Columbus, Ohio at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

Elaine Frazier Edmonds and her husband Roland celebrated 47 years of marriage on February 4, 2014.

Peggy O’Neil Gilligan has recorded a CD entitled “Winter Sky.” The proceeds Eleanor O’Neill Dudley ’56 in 1960

Grace Geppi Connolly ’61

Joann Markiewicz Ozolins ’61

Class Notes

Submit Your NewsE-mail [email protected] or mail to IND, ATTN: The Onyx. We encourage submissions from all classes!

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from the record will benefit The Hospice of the Chesapeake. Listen to excerpts from the CD at www.peggygillian.com.

Linda Wellborn Hayes was honored with the Audrey Robbins Humanitarian Award for Employee of the Year by the Association of Community Services of Howard County. She has been the crisis helpline director in the county for the

last eight years, currently at Howard County Link.

Janet Polunas Kusterer has written four books of local Maryland history. She recently co-authored “The Enchanted Forest: Memories of Maryland’s Storybook Park.” The Enchanted Forest was owned and operated by the Harrison Family. Linda Harrison Gardner is also a member of the class of 1965.

Janie Wojtczuk Tietjen continues to live at the beach in Florida. She has two daughters, a son, three grandsons and another grandchild on the way. She and her husband also travel extensively.

Kathy Pleines Thompson retired from the American Chemical Society in 2009 and moved to “Slower Lower” Delaware where she

and her husband Domenic are enjoying life at the beach while traveling and taking advantage of many volunteer opportunities. They spend as much time as possible visiting their son, Nick (Air Force Lieutenant Colonel) and daughter, Emily, (chemistry teacher) and their families in Maryland, especially granddaughter, Madeleine. Kathy invites all IND alumnae on Delmarva to contact her if they are interested in getting together! Her email address is [email protected].

CLASS OF 1966Class Agent: Debi Sears Meushaw: [email protected]

Mimi Haw Dietrich has been named teacher of the year by the International Association of Professional Quilters. Visit her website at www.mimidietrich.com/home/.

Class of 1966Name: Susan Watson Occupation: AttorneyLocation: Columbia, MD

Susan Watson ’66 started running at the young age of 44. She completed her first sprint triathlon—swimming, cycling and running—at age 50. “I needed the practice,” she said. She accomplished the Ironman Triathlon at age 65 in 2013.

Known for its punishing length and brutal conditions, the Ironman Triathlon is the world championship, consist-ing of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run—without break. To become an “ironman,” the entrant must complete all events under strict time requirements.

Sue’s performance placed her in the top 10 percent in the world for the 65-69 age group. She is ranked 11th in the U.S. and 20th in the world. “It was such amazing feeling to finish the Ironman in Lake Placid where Eric Heiden won all those speed skating medals in 1980 … My daughter, who also completed the race earlier, gave me my medal and my husband was also right there.”

Peggy O’Neil Gilligan ’65

Janet Polunas Kusterer ’65 Pat Doyle Balassone ’65

Photo courtesy of Ironman.com Media Library




CLASS OF 1968Class Agent: Mary Kay Healy Harman: [email protected]

Jane Cardegna Bury is the proud grandmother of Ryan Cardegna Bury, born on August 21, 2013. Ryan’s father, Jane’s son Stephen, is currently deployed with the U.S. Navy. Jane also has an 8-year-old granddaughter, Ella, born to Jane’s daughter, Jennifer. Jane’s youngest son, Sean, lives in Los Angeles with wife Molly.

1970sCLASS OF 1972Class Agent: Maureen O’Neill Ciesielski: [email protected]

Maureen O’Neill Ciesielski was honored by Mercy Medical Center with the

Leadership Spirit Award, given to men and women who truly inspire others to be their best selves.

CLASS OF 1976Class Agent: Anita Darrah Hagin: adhagin@ comcast.net

Joan Cerniglia-Lowensen, an attorney with Pessin Katz Law in Towson, MD, was

voted one of Maryland’s Top 50 Lawyers.

CLASS OF 1978Class Agent: Melanie Gentry Morris: [email protected]

Grace Darrah ’15 received her IND class ring on November 15, joining her mother, Paula Darrah ’78,

and her aunts Anita Darrah Hagin ’76, Diane Darrah ’79 and Janet Darrah ’81 in a very special IND family tradition. Grace is a member of the National Honor Society and the Societe Honoraire de Francais at IND. She appeared as Cosette in the spring production of “Les Miserables” at IND this past April.

Mary Maskell has been a dental hygienist for the past 16 years. In the past three years, she has taken two mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica with the Dental/Medical Mission. Her team treats the poorest of the poor and provides them with dental cleanings and screenings. Mary says this has been a dream come true in her professional career as well as in her personal life!

Class of 1977 Name: Anne Corbett Cross Occupation: TeacherLocation: Bel Air, MD

From among 9,000 educators, Anne Corbett Cross ’77 was selected as Balti-more County Public Schools’ 2014–2015 Teacher of the Year. Anne teaches Grade 5 at Gunpowder Elementary School in Perry Hall.

Thirty-one years ago, Anne chose teaching to be of service to others, which she learned from her mother Isabelle Sunderland Corbett ’56. “It’s from my mom that I drew the lesson of selfless love, sacrifice and patience,” she said.

Anne will compete for Maryland State Teacher of the Year and appear at events to encourage teaching. She is a Eucharistic minister, active in the Epilepsy Foundation of America and the Families with Children from Vietnam organiza-tion.

“It has always been important to me to continue growing, changing and evolv-ing … I find new techniques, curriculum and methods to make it an exciting challenge. I love working with new children every year. There is no greater joy or responsibility,” she said.

Maureen O’Neill Ciesielski ’72

Joan Cerniglia-Lowensen ’76

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1980sCLASS OF 1980Class Agent: Open

Chef Nancy Longo once again represented the Baltimore Ravens at this year’s Super Bowl event “Taste of the NFL,” held in Brooklyn, New York. Of course she served her award-winning crab cakes to 2,000 guests! As

part of her fundraising with the “Kick Hunger Challenge,” Baltimore raised $14,000 and came in 6th place. The proceeds kept the Maryland Food Bank stocked and Baltimore made the Top 10 for the first time since the campaign’s inception.

Mary Sapeta-Helfrich ’80 has become an adjunct faculty member in the nonprofit management master’s program at the SSND-sponsored Notre Dame of Maryland University. Mary taught Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations in the Fall 2013 Semester.

CLASS OF 1984Class Agent: Open

Maria Jackson married David Muhammad on September 21, 2013.

CLASS OF 1986Class Agent: Kelley Wood Dilworth: [email protected]

Tonya Timpson Anderson attended the Ladies Auxiliary #165 100-Year Anniversary the summer of 2013 and met current IND student Saquoya Young ’16 , a member of the Junior Auxiliary. Tonya was also a member of the Junior Auxiliary during her teenage years.

Beth Doleschal Crutchfield has been made partner of the Baltimore-based RMF Engineering Firm, where she has worked for 20 years. At RMF, Beth runs the South Carolina office as the lead electrical engineer. She moved to South Carolina 10 years ago with her husband and three children.

1990sCLASS OF 1992Class Agent: Martha McKenna: [email protected]

Angela McCray married Eugene Early on September 28, 2013. Angela is an independent Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. Visit her website at www.marykay.com/a_mccray.

Class of 1980 Name: Anne Hickman Davidson Occupation: Lavender Farm Owner/Real Estate AgentLocation: Deep Creek Lake

As if Anne Hickman Davidson ’80 was not busy enough selling real es-tate in both Crofton and Deep Creek Lake—she and her husband Scott just started a lavender farm. Located north of Deep Creek in Accident, Anne grows lavender using natural methods. Open Saturday through Mondays from Memorial through Labor Day, the farm is a perfect place to unwind.

Visitors can pick their own lavender or take a cooking or arts class. A lovely shop sells sachets, quilts, teapots and more. Lavender-themed pic-nic lunches can be purchased made by a local eatery.

Anne seems to have the best of both worlds. “I absolutely love what I do—selling real estate.” As for the farm, “it’s a good life, but it is hard work! When my back screams for mercy and I still have 200 plants to go …” her voice trails off. One wonders where she gets the energy. Connect at www.deepcreeklavenderfarm.com.

Maria Jackson ’84

Tonya Timpson Anderson ’86 and Saquoya Young ’16

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Martha McKenna welcomed daughter, Erin McKenna Guinane, on January 11, 2014. Erin joins her big sister, Nora, who is 17 months older.

Maureen Van Stone, Associate Director of the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute, received the Whittier Law School 2014 Distinguished Alumni Service Award at a Whittier Law School Alumni Awards and Reunion Reception in Long Beach, California in April 2014.

CLASS OF 1995Class Agent: Kelly Garrett: [email protected]

Shannon Skopp Schriefer and husband Brian welcomed daughter Madison Ann Schriefer on July 18, 2013.

Kia Hopkins graduated in May from Missouri State University and The National Defense University with her second master’s degree in Combatting Weapons of Mass Destruction.

If anyone from the class of 1995 is interested in helping to plan the 20-year reunion

in 1995, please inbox the committee on Facebook: Loren Dean-Brown, Quiana Hill-Allen, Kia Hopkins, or Kelly Garrett.


Amy Olischuk Strzegowski and her husband William announce the birth of their third son, Brycen Michael. Brycen joins big brothers, Peyton and Nolan. Jennifer Fike Barrett is the proud godmother.

CLASS OF 1997Class Agent: Maureen Thompson: [email protected]

Nina Kulacki recently moved to New York City and accepted a position at Columbia University as the Associate Director of Academic Affairs in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences.

2000sCLASS OF 2000Class Agent: Katina James Dawson: [email protected]

Katie Fox Knight and her husband welcomed their third child, Elin Taurun Knight, on December 17, 2013.

CLASS OF 2001Class Agent: Dianna Quick Vodarick: [email protected]

Sarah Cianferano Bell and husband Jason welcomed their first child Dominic Luca on July 9, 2013. Dominic

was born at 12:46 a.m. and weighed 10 pounds, 3 ounces.

Gloria Friedel Dempsey, a teacher at St. Mary’s Ryken High School, attended World Youth Day in Rio de Janiero with her students. She was part of a crowd of 3 million people who bore witness to the Catholic faith and saw Pope Francis on numerous occasions. Gloria described the trip as “busy, but very blessed!”


Lacey Egerton Tsonis and husband welcomed son Tyler David on April 13, 2013. Tyler weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces and joins big sister Leah Catherine, age 3.

CLASS OF 2004Class Agent: Helen Bruns: [email protected]

Katherine Keavney-Durham and husband Andrew announce the birth of son, Colin Patrick. He weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and joins big brother, Aiden, age 3.

CLASS OF 2006Class Agent: Liana Burns: [email protected] & Sarah Carson: [email protected]

Shauna Ganzzermiller Bullard and husband Warren announce the birth of their daughter, Lena Marie, born on June 16, 2013. Lena joins big brother Ethan, 2.

Caitlin Bindel ’07

Maureen Van Stone ’92

Gloria Friedel Dempsey ’01


Alma Reyes Alcala recently obtained her bachelor’s degree from UMBC after suffering a hemorrhagic near-death stroke in 2010. This setback only made her more determined to graduate, and she now plans on getting her teaching certificate.

CLASS OF 2007Class Agent: Emily Mastella: [email protected]

Caitlin Bindel married Matthew Cech on October 19, 2013 in Baltimore. IND alumnae in attendance included Clare Bindel ’14, Ann Franz Murphy ’84, Meaghan Gough ’07, Melanie Gentry Morris ’78, Bridget Bindel ’09, Maria Woodman ’07, Kathleen Ruth Willett ’70, Erin Murphy Bindel ’81, Bridget Healy ’07, Mary Margaret Ruth Gernhardt

’69, Catherine McGrain ’07, Amber Gosnell Mercuri ’07 and Abigail Gatch ’07.

Bethany Tognocchi received her master’s degree in student affairs and higher education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in May 2013. She then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee to

work as a hall director at the University of Tennessee. She works primarily with college freshmen living on campus and assists them in the adjustment process from high school to college.

CLASS OF 2008Class Agent: Colleen Wilcox: [email protected]

Alexandra Zurek, daughter of Lisa Giorgilli Zurek ’83, graduated from Towson University with a bachelor’s of science in elementary education in January 2013. Alex has accepted a long-term substitute position with Baltimore County Schools and is teaching first grade at Joppa View Elementary.

CLASS OF 2009Class Agent: Caitlin Melvin: [email protected]

Lauren Williams graduated from Towson University in December 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in community health education.


Class of 2012Name: Kaitlin Krall Occupation: Student, University of Notre DameLocation: Paris, France

Internships are a great way to learn, build new experiences and stretch! Kaitlin Krall’s doing just that through a grant from the Nanovic Institute at the University of Notre Dame (ND), which helps ND students and faculty explore “the evolving ideas, cultures, beliefs and institutions that shape Europe today.” Kaitlin was awarded $5,000 to work with ND alum U.S. Army Colonel Peter Herrly in Paris for six weeks as his assistant planning and organizing a conference focused on international and military affairs focused this year on the Sahel region of Africa.

“The goal is to create an actionable plan to aid the area through multiple perspectives,” Kaitlin explained. “I keep constant communication with the different people attending and presenting to ensure the conference runs smoothly. Afterwards I will document the ideas expressed to help those in authority have the necessary information to create effective change.”

At ND, Kaitlin is a double major in liberal studies and international economics.

Bethany Tognocchi ’07

Keep Up With “Alumnae News”

It’s the one place for all things IND—from what’s happening on Aisquith to who’s started a business, graduated, traveled

or had a baby.

Are you on our list? Make sure by emailing IND’s

Coordinator of Alumnae relations Kirby gaddy ’09 at

[email protected].

I N M E M O r I A M

To ensure accuracy, kindly report the passing of those in our community to the school in writing or via email. Mail a personal note and/or obituary to the school or email [email protected]. Thank you.

Let Us Know


In Memoriam This list includes those in the IND community who have passed away since the last issue of “The Onyx.”

Loved Ones Gercke ’01 and Kirsten Gercke ’03Irvin Goshell, husband of Mary Gibson Goshell ’43, brother-in-law of Patricia Gibson Smith ’45, the late Margaret Gibson Metzger ’46, Jean Gibson Lucido ’48, Kathleen Gibson Dent ’51 and the late Dorothy Gibson Hines ’53Joseph Heinlein, husband of Carol Warnick Heinlein ’59, brother-in-law of Sr. Patricia Warnick SSND ’55William Huettner, husband of Joan Butler Huettner ’53, father of Charlene Huettner Vosburg ’75, Michelle Huettner Kammer ’80 and Shari Huettner Clifton ’83

Helen Kukucka, mother of Roseanne Kukucka Killebrew ’65Elvera Liberatore, mother of Frances Liberatore Miner ’59Angela Lidinsky, mother of Mary Angela Lidinsky Mahoney ’72Elizabeth Loats, mother of Rita Loats Hildebrand ’59 Frank McAleer, husband of Barbara Townsend McAleer ’54Zenona Paska, mother of Karla Bounds (staff), grandmother of Hillary Bounds ’99 and Erin Bounds ’03Ruth Rehak, mother of Pat Rehak Lingenfelter ’59

Richard Schuhart, husband of Patricia Parr Schuhart ’55, father of Marisa Schuhart Wilson ’75 and the late Gabrielle Schuhart ’77, grandfather of Nasrene Mirjafary ’99Hugh Sheridan, husband of Pat Gorman Sheridan ’65Colonel Alvin Twitchell, husband of Marie O’Donnell Twitchell ’43Joseph Williams D.D.S., father of Sharon Williams Murphy ’76 and Deirdre Williams Bond ’80Martin Wolff, husband of Margaret Scully Wolff ’63Edith Zientak, mother of Debborah Zientak Azzarello ’69 and Donna Zientak Sisk ’73

Gertrude Ankewitz, mother of Ria Ankewitz Jacob ’65William Brown Jr., father of William Brown (faculty)Teresa deKowzan, mother of Teresa deKowzan King ’69 and Jackie deKowzan Forrester ’74Louise Dolan, former staff member Francis Friedel, father of Angela Friedel- Arsenovic ’86 and Gloria Friedel Dempsey ’01Roland J. Fullem, husband of Margaret Tewes Fullem ’51 Vikki Gentile, mother of Katie Gentile Wilder ’98, Kerry Gentile Runkles ’00 and Nikki Gentile Milesky ’03Raymond “Chip” Gercke, husband of Mary Dohony Gercke ’73, father of Liesl

Sr. Jeanne Armstrong SSND ’45Cheryl Ann Kinnear Barbarino ’75, sister of Peggy Kinnear Iacarino ’72 and Patricia Kinnear Berg ’80Mary Margaret Batzer ’46, sister of Nancy Batzer Mortimer ’48 and Linda Batzer Glorioso ’59Rita Sloan Berndt Ph.D. ’62Alice Delargy Bradley ’44Phyllis Marsiglia Carr ’64Virginia Garman Carson ’61Cynthia Kaczmarek Cohen ’84Ellie Whittemore Corcoran ’56, grandmother

of Victoria Crothers ’06Winifred Coughlin ’42Janet Hock Endres ’51Mary Jeanette Foley ’34, mother of the late Mary Kay Foley McGrain ’75, grandmother of Elizabeth McGrain ’03 and Catherine McGrain ’07 Bernadette Hindle Fowler ’53Mary Jane Prosser Gloth ’46Jean Doyle Goedeke ’47, mother of Karen Goedeke Westbrook ’76 and Mary Claire Goedeke Ward ’87 Mary Ann Panuska Grzymala ’50, mother of the late Jean Grzymala ’75 and Barbara Grzymala

McNew ’82Kathleen Anderson Inglis ’44, sister of Marjorie Anderson ’55 and Eileen Anderson Link ’60Mary Kaspar James ’56, cousin of Mary Pat Powers Nicholson ’62Anne Otenasek Jesatko ’37Mary Bittner Lidard ’49, sister of the late Madelyn Bittner Rahll ’31, the late Catherine Bittner ’40, Margaret Bittner ’43, Patricia Bittner Barnaba ’51 and the late Dorothy Bittner Ingham ’53Eugenia Smith Mancini ’47Mary Weisengoff Marshall ’46

Elizabeth Staub Nolan ’39, mother of Gemma Nolan Toulan ’65, Elizabeth Nolan Hock ’66, Peggy Nolan Bowen ’68 and Eileen Nolan Schneider ’70Mary Louise Duvall Patti ’51, great-grandmother of Aaliyah Derry ’16 Rosemary Haefner Schammel ’48, mother of Rosemary Schammel Scherba ’76 and Maria Schammel Andrzejewski ’78Dolores Rohlfi ng Silberschlag ’51Mary Helen Simmons ’41Carol Brosenne Story ’59Cilenie Webb ’42Doris Starkey Zimmerer ’48

Alumnae


r E U N I O N S

Reunions

Class of 1953 • 60th ReunionSaturday, November 2, 2013,

at the home of Maria Patti Burke ’53

Class of 1958 • 55th Reunion Saturday, October 19, 2013, at IND

Class of 1963 • 50th Reunion Sunday, September 29, 2013, at IND

Class of 1973 • 40th Reunion Saturday, November 2, 2013,

at Liberatore’s restaurant

Whether it’s been 70, 50, 30 or 10 years, reunions give you a reason to reunite with friends, reflect on the past and see IND again! Take a look at the reunion photos on the following pages.

r E U N I O N S


1943 - Sr. Kathleen Marie Engers SSND, [email protected]

1946 - Mary T. Olert, [email protected]

1954 - Julie Moran Hofferbert, [email protected]

1956 - Jean Calafiore Nohe [email protected]

1957 - Joan Schap Weigman, [email protected]

1959 - Jeanne Mott, [email protected]

1960 - Mary Woerner Bechtel, [email protected]

1961 - Mary Polk Horner, [email protected]

1964 - Janice Coffay Hense, [email protected]

1965 - Dolores Walsh, [email protected]

1966 - Debi Sears Meushaw, [email protected]

1967 - Mary Fields Elliott, [email protected]

1968 - Mary Kay Healy Harman, [email protected]

1969 - Cathy Jo Wilkens Portera, [email protected]

1971 - Suzanne Doyle Friedman, [email protected] and Kippi Myers Sutphen, [email protected]

1972 - Anne Winter Creek, [email protected] and Maureen O’Neill Ciesielski, [email protected]

1973 - Francine Schaffer, [email protected]

1974 - Sue Petti, [email protected]

1975 - Shelley Goode, [email protected]

1976 - Anita Darrah Hagin, [email protected]

1977 - Nancy Gillece, [email protected]

1978 - Melanie Gentry Morris, [email protected]

1979 - Gina Stout Molling, [email protected]

1983 - Brigid McKew Mitcherling, [email protected]

Class of 1978 • 35th ReunionSaturday, October 26, 2013, at Bowman’s restaurant

Class of 1988 • 25th ReunionSaturday, November 2, 2013, at Mt. Washington Tavern

Class of 1993 • 20th ReunionSaturday, October 19, 2013, at Bay Café

Class of 1988 • 25th ReunionSaturday, November 2, 2013, at Mt. Washington Tavern

Class Agents


r E U N I O N S

Class of 1998 • 15th ReunionSaturday, September 21, 2013, at IND Crab Feast

Class of 2008 • 5th ReunionSaturday, September 14, 2013, at Max’s Taphouse

1986 - Kelley Wood Dilworth, [email protected]

1987 - Katrina Peterson, [email protected]

1988 - Beth Piaskowski Poggioli, [email protected]

1989 - Angela Strauch, [email protected]

1991 - Nichelle Lashley, [email protected]

1992 - Martha McKenna, [email protected]

1993 - Stacey Litz Schwink, [email protected]

1994 - Tara Turner, [email protected]

1995 - Kelly Garrett, [email protected]

1997 - Maureen Thompson, [email protected]

1998 - Erin Mullen, [email protected]

1999 - Erin Dolan Stine, [email protected]

2000 - Katina James Dawson, [email protected]

2001 - Dianna Quick Vodarick, [email protected]

2003 - Nikki Gentile Milesky, [email protected]

2005 - Lauryn Wise Ochs, [email protected]

2006 - Sarah Carson, [email protected] and Liana Burns, [email protected]

2007 - Emily Mastella, [email protected]

2008 - Colleen Wilcox, [email protected]

2009 - Caitlin Melvin, [email protected]

2010 - Amber Nore, [email protected]

2011 - D’Ereka Bolden, [email protected]

2012 - Samantha Martin, [email protected]

2013 - Morgan Hawkins and Chasmin Johnson

Class of 2003 • 10th ReunionSaturday, September 21, 2013, at IND Crab Feast

Class Agents


Alumnae Return Home

Family and friends of Mothers Club President Paula Darrah ’78 (right) and Grace Darrah ’15 (left) enjoy crabs while they support IND.

Q U I C K T A K E S

Alumnae representing a variety of careers shared their education and career experiences on Student-to-Professionals Career Day.

Multi-platform, award-winningjournalist Donna Owen ’84 spoke toMr. Reeb’s Journalism students about careers in the industry.

Christine Melvin ’05 and Lizzy Jackson Fleischmann ‘05 volunteered as tour guides at IND’s Open House last fall.

Come Back HomeWhether it’s to share their wisdom, to support their alma mater or to simply have fun, IND alumnae return to campus each month. Please drop by next time you’re near Ashland and Aiquith. We guarantee you will be glad you did.

Q U I C K T A K E S

wKeep up with IND on social media. Every day there’s something new going on at IND! Good works and good times guaranteed to bring back memories or create new ones.

Let’s Connect InstituteofNotreDame

IND1847

INDofMD

INDofMD

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Food • Friends • Fun

Food • Friends • Fun

IND CRAB FEAST

September 20, 2014 3–7 p.m.

FEAST Feast on all-you-can-eat Salty Dog’s crabs and McKinney’s Catering including: top round pit beef, turkey, sausages &

green peppers, Maryland crab soup, corn-on-the-cob, desserts and more! Beer & soda too! (No carry out.)

PLAY Play the cash raffl e, cake wheel, liquor/plant wheel,

barrel-of-cheer raffl e, pick-a-prize raffl e!

VOLUNTEER Volunteer to work a wheel, assist with set-up or clean-up, bake

a cake or donate a gift for the Chinese Auction!

SHOP Shop with Sister Hildie’s School Store for

IND apparel and more!

To purchase tickets: Mail a check to the school attention Sandy Ruffi ni or buy online starting August 1. Ticket price

will $60/person August 1–September 12. The ticket price for reservations after September 12 will be $70.

INSTITUTE of NOTRE DAME

HOMECOMING2 0 1 4

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17 Alumnae Shadow Day 9:30-2:30 p.m. • IND Shadow one of our girls and experience a day in the life of an IND student.

Alumnae vs. Varsity Volleyb all Match 4:30 p.m. • INDAlumnae volleyballers try to ace IND’s varsity team. Everyone welcome to come cheer them on!

Alumnae Happy Hour6-8 p.m. • Parlors • INDCatch up with old friends as you enjoy beer, wine and light fare in the beautiful IND Parlors.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18Alumnae vs. Varsity Basketball Match2:00 p.m. • INDB’ball stars from past years will match their skills with the varsity team.

Family Fall Festival 1-4 p.m. • INDBring the entire family back to IND to see where you grew up and to enjoy fall fun, including raffl es, games, prizes, a haunted house, vendors, food and more! The afternoon will include a children’s theatre production by our Theatre Arts students.

Five-Year Reunions Times and Places VaryIf your graduation year ends in a “4” or a “9,” chances are that your reunion will take place this evening! Contact your class agent for more information.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19Celebration Sunday 11 a.m. • INDOur Homecoming Weekend concludes with the100th Anniversary of IND’s oldest tradition. This year we’re honoring our hardworking Assistant Principal Diane Ference Franz ’70—and pulling out all the stops!

Online registration available at www.INDofMD.org beginning August 1. Just look for the homecoming button!

Announcing the First AnnualIND Homecoming Weekend

October 17-19, 2014A weekend chock full of

events. Something for everyone!

HOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTSHOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTS

Eat • Play • Reunite • Network • Catch-up • Reminisce IND HOMECOMING A NEW TRADITION

INSTITUTE of NOTRE DAME

HOMECOMING2 0 1 4

COME CELEBRATE!

October 17-19, 2014SAVE THE DATE

Online registration available at www.INDofMD.org beginning August 1. Just look for the homecoming button!

INSTITUTE of NOTRE DAME901 Aisquith Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Non-profi t Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDBaltimore, MD

Permit No. 6983

The Onyx - 2014

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