Wall of Fame

In its over 85-year history, Villa Joseph Marie has been blessed by the presence of countless remarkable people, who by their hard work and dedication to the Mission of Mother Maria Kaupas, helped Villa become the amazing place it is today. With the introduction of a Wall of Fame, we as a community will give special honor to individuals whose commitment and service to the students of Villa Joseph Marie was particularly extraordinary, or to Alumnae whose personal and professional lives exemplify Mother Maria’s challenge: “Always more, Always better, Always with love.”

2020 Inductee: Sister Margaret Petcavage, SSC '52

Sister Margaret Petcavage, SSC '52, former Member of Villa Joseph Marie’s Board of Directors and Former Assistant General Superior and Councilor for the Sisters of St. Casimir, is devoting her time as the Vice Postulator for Mother Maria Kaupas’ cause for Sainthood. Through her tireless efforts, Sister Margaret hopes to one day help bring Mother Maria to Sainthood. We are grateful to Sister Margaret for her dedication and commitment to this cause and are honored to induct her into Villa’s Wall of Fame for 2020.

Sr. Margaret shared her reflection, "I can easily see how blessed my life has been, for God has faithfully spoken. From the time I first held a book, I became an avid reader and so reading about the fun girls had in a boarding school, sparked my interest when my 8^th grade teacher, Sister M. Celeste, spoke about Villa Joseph Marie. Ah my destiny was chosen! From the moment I entered the Villa my life was so enriched. I made lasting friendship with the girls and received a marvelous education. My days there were happy and lead to my vocation to enter the Sisters of St. Casimir. The Sisters were not only excellent teachers but fun to be with and soon I felt God’s call to be with them in bringing an education and love to the world. How doubly enriched my life became when I realized my home parish, St. Joseph in Scranton, PA was the very church in which Mother Maria, foundress, of our Congregation and of Villa, prayed within, for four years when she was her brother, Father Anthony's, housekeeper.

I loved my years as a teacher and principal and traveled extensively when I became a member of our Congregation’s Leadership Team. In that position, I was honored to be back at the Villa, for many years, as a Board Member. What a blessing to see the school grow and excel and most especially to witness how the spirit of Ven. Mother Maria had become a part of the very lives of Villa’s Leadership, Faculty, Staff and Students. Seeing the spirit of Mother Maria being so embodied in the lives of so many, helps my work as the Vice Postulator for Mother Maria’s Canonization Cause, so much easier.

Mother Maria established two high schools for girls because she knew that if women were educated in both faith and knowledge, the world would be a better place. She truly believed “Woman, how divine your mission!” ( W.R. Wallace 1865) How proud I am to be a part of the history of VJM, for the girls of Villa exemplify this statement to the fullest and bring it to life as they move on into the world, continually making it a better place."

TESTIMONIALS

A young teen from Scranton came to Villa Joseph Marie High School and studied and lived there in her high school years. There her inspiration grew to follow in the footsteps of Mother Maria Kaupas who had purchased this land for an eastern residence for her Sisters, and then founded this high school. She became Sister Margaret Petcavage, a Sister of St. Casimir, a teacher, and a principal. In her leadership role in the religious congregation, Sister Margaret Petcavage returned to the Villa serving ably as a Board member from 1998 to 2008.

Sister Margaret has loved Villa. As a historian, she is keenly interested in its buildings, people, and evolution. Sister knows stories about the early days and the development that has taken place there. We are enriched by what she shares about this and how Mother Maria lived, loved, and valued this hallowed space.

Today Sister’s passion is for the beatification of Venerable Mother Maria whose person, holiness, and presence permeates all who walk the corridors of VJM. May Sister’s endeavors contribute to the attainment of that goal.

Congratulations, Sister Margaret Petcavage, SSC! We rejoice with you as you are inducted in the Wall of Fame.

Sr. M. Janine Golubickis, SSC

Sister has devoted many years for the canonization of Mother Maria. Congratulations to Sr. Margaret! It is well deserved.

Henrietta Reiber Massina '49

It isn't every Congregation that gets to have their foundress named a holy person. We, Sisters, are truly blessed that Mother Maria left her zone of comfort in Lithuania, and founded a Congregation of religious women in Scranton, PA, the Sisters of St. Casimir. Thousands of lives have been touched through Mother's dedication to the Lord. We are pleased and grateful that Sister Margaret has pursued the Beatification/Canonization process for the past 28 years of her life. In order to increase devotion to Mother Maria, monthly Masses have been held at the Motherhouse for the past 32 years. Sister searched out different priests and Bishops for these Masses so that each priest as celebrant, had come to know of Mother's heroic virtuous life and thus passed this knowledge and devotion on to their parishioners.

In addition, we are proud that along with the Holy Spirit, Sister Margaret had successfully written the book, called a POSITIO, which was sent to Rome and now preserves the heroic virtuous life of Mother Maria and the precious memories of 45 witnesses who actually knew Mother. This 704 page book, which took Sister three years to write, was presented to our Holy Father, St. John Paul II, by our Chicago, Cardinal George. Upon receiving it, the Pope said he loves to read this type of book. The book was approved by the Committee of Cardinals and thus Mother Maria was named Venerable Servant of God. Hopefully the Pope read the book and is helping us to get Mother Maria Beatified. Thank you, Sister Margaret, for your dedication to our Foundress and our Congregation.

This is a great honor for Sr. Margaret who always praises and supports her alma mater, Villa Joseph Marie.

Sr. Virginia Gapsis, SSC

2020 Inductee: Marie Politowski

Marie Politowski was as a teacher in Villa’s Science Department from 1990-2012 and served as Science Department Chair. Through her efforts, Villa’s science department grew and thrived thanks to events such as the Sciathlon, which Marie was instrumental in bringing to the school and continues to be a Villa tradition today. Marie regularly returns to campus and acts as a judge at Villa’s annual Science Fair. It is fitting that she is inducted into our Wall of Fame at this time in Villa’s history, as we are on the verge of a new STEAM hallway expansion, which will allow young women to continue to make advancements in the field of science, something to which Marie was dedicated during her time at Villa. We are grateful to Marie for her efforts to cultivate a love for the sciences in young women and are honored to induct her into Villa's Wall of Fame for 2020.
Marie shared, "I am happily married to my husband, Jim, and we have two grown sons. After a successful career as an analytical chemist, I earned my masters degree in education and began my journey at Villa. I was fortunate to have two mentors, Sister Elaine and Sister Pius, to guide me. With their help and guidance, I was able to institute the Science Fair program, the Sciathlon, and to start a chapter of the Science National Honor Society. I cherish my years at Villa which were made memorable by my wonderful students and colleagues."

TESTIMONIALS

I wish to congratulate Marie Politowski on being inducted to the Wall of Fame of Villa Joseph Marie High School. Marie was a conscientious, concerned teacher who faithfully entered the door of our beloved school with the idea of encouraging our students to value the contribution of science to their every day lives. Marie was passionate about students comprehending the concepts of scientific subjects. She was knowledgeable and prepared lessons to suit the various levels of students’ abilities.

I know Marie on different levels. As a faculty member, she was always there to help other teachers. As a parent of a student, Marie always took the extra time and effort to explain to my daughter difficult lessons in advanced placement science courses. As a friend, Marie was always kind and a great listener. Marie has many talents from embroidery to gardening. I remember Marie inviting my husband and me to her day lily garden presentation at her home.

Marie Politowski is so deserving of being on the Wall of Fame. I congratulate her and I am honored to know her as a teacher and a friend.

Bernadette A. Boedewig

In 1994 when I started my teaching career at Villa, Marie was one of the first to warmly welcome me into the Science Department. During our tenure together, Marie was responsible for many innovations/ additions to Villa’s science program. It was her ideas that spawned the school’s Sciathlon — not only an extremely successful event but also an excellent marketing tool for potential Villa freshmen. That event continues to this day. Although participation in an on-campus science fair was originally a must for honors science classes, Marie saw the opportunity to take that participation one step further. After much research, she successfully involved the school in the Bucks County Science Research Competition (a stepping stone to both the Delaware Valley and International Science and Engineering Fairs held annually). Many Villa students excelled in these competitions and continue to merit awards to this day. Marie further raised the Science Department’s profile by involving the school in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) competitions. Villa had many student winners both at the local competition and at the culminating event held at Penn State University. This final event was a wonderful experience for the student participants and, without a doubt, brought honor and glory to the Villa community.

All of these science program additions required hours of investigation, organization, execution, off-campus chaperoning and student mentoring. Marie gladly did it all. Before her retirement, Marie, as a special projects coordinator, planned and perfectly executed a school-wide outing. Juniors and Seniors visited Washington D.C.’s National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Smithsonian museums, while Freshmen and Sophomores headed to Philadelphia and New York, respectively. Marie planned the outings for all grade levels. A successful day of learning and camaraderie, to say the least! Marie was truly a team player at Villa. She supported numerous school fundraisers by both her donations and visible presence at the events. Marie still returns to the campus annually to serve as a Science Fair judge.

Lois Tyburski

For many years Marie was my colleague at VJM. She was an excellent Chemistry teacher and also an excellent role model for young women interested in careers in science. She and I worked together to foster a love of the Arts. Together we organized a yearly trip to New York to visit the Metropolitan Opera for a backstage tour. Marie is a true “Renaissance Woman” and would stay after school to teach students to sew. She also accompanied me as a chaperone on a student tour of Italy. Her knowledge of Italian came in quite handy. I most highly recommend her for the Wall of Fame.

Marie Leonard

It has been my honor and privilege to have my big sister, Marie Politowski, as my personal and professional mentor, my entire life. She has helped me through life crises with wise advice and dry humor. She is not just my sister, she is my best friend. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor.

Bernadette Cornacchia

I know first-hand that my Aunt Marie is the most kindhearted person you could ask to meet, she’s a wonderful influence for me and all my cousins, and I can only imagine how great of a role model she was and continues to be for all the students that had the privilege to be taught by her. Congratulations on this honor! We love you!

Alissa Cornacchia

When Marie arrived at Villa in 1990, she brought with her a love of chemistry, enthusiasm for teaching, caring for the students, and a desire to update the science department. She also possessed a great sense of humor and probably in her tote bags were a pair or two of knitting needles.

Over the years, Marie has been responsible for instituting several science events such as the egg drop experiment, Cape Cod Trips, Science Fairs, and the more sophisticated experiments that they do today.

Marie was always there to encourage and support the girls and offer her advice. She was like the mother watching over her children and seeing them grow and mature. Many would enter the science fields because of her.

We had homerooms beside each other for many years and got to know each other quite well. She is a very talented woman, an opera buff, excellent chef, a great mom and wife, and a good friend.

Tonight is a night to celebrate her achievements in educating the young Villa women. Much love to all.

Carolyn Wolverton

RSVP to the Induction Ceremony

An induction ceremony, hosted by the Selection Committee, is held annually in the fall. Inductees and their families are invited to attend the ceremony. If you have received an invitation, please RSVP using the form below. Thank you!

Congratulations to these two most deserving inductees! Send your memories or well wishes for our newest Wall of Fame members by emailing alumnae@vjmhs.org. We will share them at The Wall of Fame induction ceremony.

Saturday, September 12, 2020
6:00 p.m.
RSVP by Monday, August 31, 2020

Criteria for Nomination to the Wall of Fame

Nominee must be a Sister of St. Casimir; a lay member of the Villa Joseph Marie Faculty, Staff, Administration, or Board; or an Alumna of Villa Joseph Marie.
Nominee may not be a current student or employee of Villa Joseph Marie.
- Nominees from the Faculty, Staff, or Administration must be retired, no longer working at Villa Joseph Marie, or deceased.
- Nominees from the Faculty, Staff, or Administration must have worked at Villa Joseph Marie for a minimum of five (5) years.
- Alumnae nominees must have graduated in good standing from Villa Joseph Marie a minimum of five (5) years prior to nomination.
Self-nominations will not be accepted.
Nominee must model high standards of excellence in his/her personal and professional conduct that exemplify the Mission of Villa Joseph Marie.
Nominees from the Faculty, Staff, Administration, or Board must have made significant contributions to the growth and development of Villa Joseph Marie.
Alumnae nominees must have made noteworthy contributions in their chosen field or in any appropriate areas of endeavor, including religion, education, public service, medicine, law, research, business/entrepreneurial, finance, media, arts/entertainment, philanthropy/volunteerism, military service, athletics, etc.

Nomination & Selection Process

Any member of the Villa Joseph Marie community—current and former students, staff, parents, and friends—may nominate a candidate for the Wall of Fame.
A Nomination Form will be posted online and included in the Winter edition of The Profiler. Only nominations submitted via these forms will be accepted.
Nominations are due by May 1 in any given year. Forms should be forwarded to: VJM Wall of Fame, Villa Joseph Marie High School, 1180 Holland Road, Holland, PA 18966
Up to three (3) Wall of Fame Members will be chosen by the Selection Committee from the pool of nominations submitted each year, with the exception of the inaugural year (2014), in which 10 members will be named.
All nominations will be considered by the Selection Committee and judged according to the criteria outlined above. The Selection Committee reserves the right to name more than three (3) Wall of Fame inductees in a given year or to name no inductees in a given year, based on the quality of the nominations.
If a nominee is not elected to the Wall of Fame for a particular year, that nominee may be resubmitted in following years.
The nominations and nominee identities shall be held in confidence by the Selection Committee.
The Selection Committee will announce its selection(s) in The Profiler, on the Villa Joseph Marie website, and on social media.
The decision of the Selection Committee is final.

Selection Committee

The Wall of Fame Selection Committee is comprised of eight members and all previous Wall of Fame inductees, who are charged with the administration of the program, the review of nominations, the selection of inductees, and the recognition of inductees. Members are:

Wall of Fame Committee Chair
President
Principal
3 current Villa Faculty/Staff members (employed by Villa for at least 5 years)
3 Villa Alumnae
Past Villa Wall of Fame inductees

Past Inductees

Inductees are invited to attend future Wall of Fame ceremonies and other Villa events. Inductees’ photos and name plates are added to a Wall of Fame display at Villa Joseph Marie.

2019

Sr. Johanna Marie Shainauskas, SSC, Spanish & Music Teacher 1977-1988
Maureen Cleary, Admissions Director & Director of Institutional Advancement, 2000-2015

2018

Mary T. Michel, First President of Villa Joseph Marie, 1993-2015
Lizanne McBride '74, Government/Public Policy

2017

Rev. Casimir P. Sirvaitis, Ph.D., Chaplain/Theology Department Chair, 1959-1972
Aileen Kevane Alexander '94, Government/Public Policy

2016

Sr. Agnesine Dering, SSC, Ph.D., Principal, 1955-1961
Sr. M. Elaine Kuizinas, SSC, Principal, 1982-2001
Marie Leonard, Latin Teacher, 1991-2009
Sr. Margaret Zalot, SSC '67, Board of Directors; Former President, Maria High School (Chicago, Ill.)
Dr. Amy Reed, M.D., Ph.D. '91, Physician

2015

Sr. Reginald Tamulevich, SSC, Music Teacher, 1964-1970
Lois Tyburski, Science Teacher & Department Chair, 1994-2014

2014

Venerable Mother Maria Kaupas, SSC, Foundress of the Sisters of St. Casimir and Villa Joseph Marie
Sr. Mary Balkus, SSC, Principal, 1967-1976
Sr. Madeleine Bunevicius, SSC '45, Art Teacher & Department Chair, 1968-1994
Sr. Bernadette Marie Janus, SSC '52, Board of Directors; Former Principal, St. Bede the Venerable School (Holland, Pa.)
Lucy Carroll, Registrar/Typing Teacher, 1962-1977
Nancy Coyle, Basketball Coach/Physical Education & Health Teacher, 1969-1978
Norma McCauley, Science Teacher, 1973-1989
Edward O’Connor, Theology Teacher, 2001-2010
Margaret “Peg” O’Neil Schenk '60, Journalist/Villa Joseph Marie Historian
Dr. Lucy E. Carroll '64, D.M.A., Musician, Music Instructor & Author

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In This Section

Wall of Fame

2020 Inductee: Sister Margaret Petcavage, SSC '52

TESTIMONIALS

Sr. M. Janine Golubickis, SSC

Henrietta Reiber Massina '49

Sr. Virginia Gapsis, SSC

2020 Inductee: Marie Politowski

TESTIMONIALS

Bernadette A. Boedewig

Lois Tyburski

Marie Leonard

Bernadette Cornacchia

Alissa Cornacchia

Carolyn Wolverton

RSVP to the Induction Ceremony

Criteria for Nomination to the Wall of Fame

Nomination & Selection Process

Selection Committee

Past Inductees

2019

2017

2016

2015

2014

Alumnae Relations Office