May 2020 Dear Alumnae,
As we near the end of another academic year, let us pray for our 8th grade and senior graduates. Please join us as we welcome with open arms - the "Red" Class of 2020 - the newest members of the Notre Dame Alumnae Association!
As we do each virtual school day, please join us in prayer for all of our community members and their loved ones, especially:
Andy Phillips, the husband of Trish McDonough Phillips '89 who has been in critical condition, battling Covid-19 in the hospital for several months. For updates, you may reach out to Maura Maguire Weikel '89 at mmwykel@yahoo.com or (215) 834-5175.
Please also keep in your prayers, Rev. Lanxton Washington, father of Alexis Washington '11 who is in a battle with Covid-19 at Lankenau Hospital. He is currently fighting for his life while on a ventilator. While Alexis was in high school, he fought cancer and she fondly remembers how supportive the Notre Dame community was during that time. Please pray for his strength and healing, her and her family, and especially the medical team working tirelessly. For updates, please contact Alexis at authenticalexis@gmail.com.
Join us as we pray:
Holy Mary, help the miserable, strengthen the discouraged, comfort the sorrowful, pray for your people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God.
May all who venerate you feel now your help and protection. Be ready to help us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers.
Make it your continual concern to pray for the people of God, for you were blessed by God and were made worthy to bear the Redeemer of the world, who lives and reigns forever.
Amen.
Please enjoy the May newsletter. Wishing you a happy, healthy and safe start to the summer.
Warmest regards,
Lauren Thomer Power Director of Alumnae Relations 560 Sproul Road Villanova, PA 19085 lthomer@ndapa.org Direct Line: 610-687-6561
A Message from Head of School, Dr. Judith A. Dwyer
Alumnae on the Front Lines of COVID-19 Trish Henwood '98 leading the Emergency Medicine COVID-19 Task Force at Jefferson Health Dr. Patricia Henwood '98 is an associate professor of emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson University's Kimmel Medical College. Trish helped fight the Ebola outbreak in Liberia and now focuses on global health and infectious diseases, leading the Emergency Medicine Covid-19 Task Force at Jefferson Health.
Trish recently wrote an opinion piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer urging the public to observe social distancing and exercise patience during this pandemic. You may read the article here.
Tory Gosnell '06 Making a Difference One Day at a Time at Dunwoody Village Tory Gosnell '06 is on the front lines fighting Covid-19. Tory earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and received her Registered Nurse Certification from Eastern University. She is currently at Eastern in The School Nurse Certification and Master of Education program.
Tory worked for six years at Beaumont at Bryn Mawr and has been at Dunwoody Village for the last two years as a Charge Nurse. Tory acknowledges that "my co-workers and I at Dunwoody have been so blessed to have such wonderful residents and families that appreciate what we do for them and their loved ones and in turn we look at them as a second family."
Angela Desmond '01, a Pediatrician Working in Infectious Diseases at CHOP Angela Desmond '01 is a physician-scientist and pediatrician in infectious diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She is studying viruses in the lab and working around the clock to combat Covid-19. Angela completed her residency in Pediatrics at Lurie Children's Hospital, Northwestern University in Chicago, with board certification in Pediatrics in 2018. Before that, Angela received her medical degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in Immunology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Angela visited the Academy this past October, answering questions related to healthcare while providing career advice to the students of Ms. Alexander's class comprised of upperclassmen.
The Buzz Off Campus For Becca Gleeson '16, Service is a Way of Life at Villanova Becca Gleeson '16, a recent graduate of Villanova University, spent her time as president of the Villanova service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. Becca had the opportunity to lead a service trip to Camden, NJ in 2019. Learn more about Becca's experience and how she helps encourage students to use their skills in local communities and beyond here.
Becca visited the Academy this past winter, as part of the SparksTalks speaker series, where she shared her college and career advice with current students of the Robotics Team. Becca is pictured above with her mother and faculty member, Deb Gleeson, at Notre Dame just a few months ago.
Classes Reunite Virtually Via Zoom! The Class of 1970 celebrated their 50th Reunion virtually this month. Maggi Madeira Clark '70 even joined in all the way from the UK!
We look forward to celebrating this special class and all of the Classes ending in 0 and 5 next Academic Year. Stay tuned for a new date for Reunion Weekend on campus!
Led by Alumnae Executive Board Member, JoAnne Alexander '57, the Class of 1957 spent a few hours catching up and telling stories virtually last week!
If you are interested in hosting a zoom "reunion" for your classmates, please contact Lauren Thomer, Director of Alumnae Relations, at lthomer@ndapa.org. We can offer a user ID, password, and unlimited timing for the zoom conference call.
Loretta Hartnett Sq. '55, Organist and Music Director at Christ's Community Church, Shares Perspective on Working From Home In her own words, Loretta Hartnett Sq. '55, President of the Notre Dame Rittenhouse Square Alumnae Association, shares her perspective on the adjustments that come with working from home. She plays a critical role with the Church and has not let the pandemic slow her down from making an impact with the community.
"I have been a Church Musician / Organist since the fifth grade. I continued studies and played throughout Elementary School and High School and completed a Bachelor of Music degree at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music on 20th Street in Philadelphia, across from the 20th street entrance of Notre Dame Rittenhouse Square. Presently, I am the Organist / Music Director at Christ's Community Church in Drexel Hill, PA, a position I have held for over 43 years.
Thank you, Loretta, for sharing your inspirational work and positive perspective! Celebrating our Graduates! A Week of Celebrations: Tune in Tomorrow for the Graduation Ceremony via Youtube! Earlier this week, faculty, staff and coaches hand-delivered diplomas, graduation gift boxes and keepsakes to our Senior and 8th grade graduates.
Join us virtually tomorrow as we support the Class of 2020! Tomorrow, May 30 at 10:00 am, graduation will be streamed using a platform called YouTube Premiere. The link to the ceremony will go live on the Notre Dame Graduation Page at 9:45 am. Please access the link from this page as you will be unable to search the ceremony through YouTube. After the ceremony, there will be a recording saved to YouTube, which will be viewable through the link on the website. We hope you will join us!
Spiritual Resources from Campus Ministry Each Wednesday during the school year, our community gathers for prayer led by Director of Campus Ministry, Julia Tully '08 and this tradition continued virtually over the past two months. In the final community prayer of the year, Julia and her faculty colleagues created a video for our students with tips on how to have an extraordinary summer filled with grace, gratitude, and prayer.
We are so grateful to our faculty for sharing their words of wisdom with our entire community and for their honesty and creativity! You may view the video here.
Wedding News! Erin Haggerty '10 wed John Larkin on April 18 in a very small ceremony at Providence Friends Meeting in Media, PA. Her sister, Laura Haggerty '14, attended via video conference. Congratulations, Erin and John!
Stay Connected! Alumnae Executive Board Launches Alumnae Virtual Book Club! The first book in the ND Alumnae Virtual Book Club has been chosen - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.
From New York Times bestselling writer Delia Owens, this is a novel about an unforgettable young woman making her way alone in the wilds of North Carolina.
We will connect virtually via zoom on Thursday, June 18 at 7:30pm to discuss the book! Stay tuned for more details and we hope you will join our new Book Club!
Join our Alumnae Networking Page on Linkedin & Follow us on Instagram! Join our Linkedin Networking page here and help us to not only grow in numbers, but to share the strength of our ND sisterhood!
Follow us on Instagram here!
If you know of job opportunities, internships, professional development, mentoring opportunities and more, please consider posting them on our Linkedin page. If you would like to professionally connect with an Alumna in your field, this page is also a great way to do so! We look forward to growing this professional resource for our Alumnae community!
Do you know of an Alumna making a difference on the frontlines of COVID-19? Do you have a Story to Share with us for Alumnae Class Notes? Do you have news and updates to share? Visit our Alumnae Class Notes page here to send us announcements of personal accomplishments or family and life events. We look forward to highlighting these special times in our Monthly Digital Newsletter and Visions Magazine.
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