Alumnae Legacy Students: Connecting Our Past with Our Present

During our opening school Mass in September, we continued a tradition began last fall by recognizing our Alumnae Legacy Students: current students who are daughters or granddaughters of Villa Alumnae. This year, 5 freshmen students received a pin, which was blessed during Mass and placed on her uniform by her Alumna relative. The students are invited to wear this pin throughout their years at Villa. We are excited to continue this special tradition which honors Villa's past while celebrating Villa's future.

2019/20 Alumnae Legacy Students and Alumnae Mothers:

Elizabeth Cornett '23, daughter of Jennifer Sagot '93

Allison Ginnetti '23, daughter of Colleen Poulton Ginnetti '94

Alexandria Grahn '23, daughter of Kimberly Giuliani Grahn '94

Katelyn Kelley '23, daughter of Kathleen Donahue Kelley '89

Jillian Schmuckler '23, daughter of Heather Hoffmann '87

Carol Ann Pettit Sewell '61 shares, "Bill and I celebrated our 50th anniversary April 19, 2019 with a family Caribbean Cruise. After he retired from 23 years in the Navy (1985), I asked him to show me the places he had seen. So our travel adventures began!! After many trips, including 25 cruises, we have been to 5 of the 7 continents. Next February 2020, we go to Australia and New Zealand to add the 6th; then we'll have to plan one to Antarctica to finish the 7th. The world is a wonderful, magical place to see, but I still believe "there's no place like home"!!"

Dr. Linda Thatcher Raichle, PhD '66 recently retired from a professional career devoted to the field of continuing medical education, teaching physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care providers about new and emerging medicines to improve patient care. She was recently honored with an Alumni Achievement Award from Holy Family University acknowledging her professional accomplishments. She earned an M.S. in Public Health Education from Arcadia University and a PhD in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Her 30+ years in the field included experiences in hospitals, the federal government and pharmaceutical companies. She also founded Spectrum Medical Education, a medical education consulting company. She has 2 grown children and 4 grandchildren and resides in Media, PA and Margate, NJ with her husband, Dr. John Duda.

Mary Edna McInerny Benner '68 recently finalized a home purchase in Southampton, NJ. Weichert realtor Karen McDonald '82 teamed up with Mary Edna and her professional expertise made for a smooth transaction. After closing on the house, Karen and Mary Edna discovered that they were both Villa alumnae! Mary Edna is a retired financial analyst. Karen represents Weichert's Normandy Beach, NJ office.

Anna Maria Michini DiDio '74 has published a memoir about the adoption of her daughter. Love at the Border, An Adoption Memoir from Mexico is her first book. Anna Maria was awarded a Bachelor's degree from Villanova University and an MSW in a Family Specialization from the University of Pennsylvania. As an HR consultant, author and speaker, she has coached senior leaders across many industries and is a trusted advisor on all human capital matters. Throughout her career, she has also devoted her time and talents to many non-profit organizations focusing on women, girls and families. Anna Maria lives with her husband Richard in Philadelphia. Love at the Border is her first book and she is currently working on a children's book. Learn more about her writing by going to www.amdidio.com or on https://medium.com/@annamaria.didio.

Several member of the Class of 1977 gathered at Toscano 52 in October for an afternoon of catching up and constant laughter. Pictured are: Nancy Clauson, Kathy McFadden Cox, Jeanine DiRenzo Hillesland, Terri Mroczek, Sue Cooke, Linda Mattucci Schiavone, Kathy Hutton Flaherty, and Sue McGinley Giuffrida.

Melina Kuchinov '94 is currently looking for some more players to join her soccer team. Philly soccer is looking for some new players! Women-only soccer league, must be 18 or older (average age is 30s), play in fall and spring about 10 games a season, no practices, games are on Sundays. All ages and fitness levels encouraged! Home field is Decatur road in NE Philly (near flyers skate zone off the boulevard). Email or text Melina Kuchinov for more information: 215-990-1970 or Mkuchinov@hotmail.com.

Stephanie Schlegel Shortall '01 and Martina White '06 recently met up at the Bucks County Council of Republican Women Fall Dinner on October 24, 2019 at The Bucks Club. Representative Martina White was the guest speaker. Stephanie Schlegel Shortall is a BCCRW Board Member and Republican State Committeewoman.

Katelyn Ashley Leon '10 studied at Oxford University in England and graduated from The Catholic University in Washington, DC Magna Cum Laude. She graduated Cum Laude from The Charles Widger School of Law at Villanova University in 2013. After graduation, she accepted a position with the Law Firm of Bennett, Bricklin & Saltzberg as an Associate in Philadelphia. PA. Shortly thereafter, Katelyn was engaged to be married to her fiancé Michael Romeo Esq. She recently purchased a home in Bensalem, PA and accepted a new position as an Associate at Goodell DeVries in Philadelphia, PA where she specializes in product liability pertaining to pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. To read more about Katelyn, click

here.

Emily Franko '13 recently returned to Villa for a visit. Emily is director of Development at Second Harvest in Spokane Washington. All Alumnae are welcome to visit Villa and step inside the crest upon entering the new Performing Arts Center (PAC). Contact Mary Beth Walinskas '96 at mwalinskas@vjmhs.org if you would like to stop by for a visit!

Grace Hageman '18 is a research assistant at Penn State University Park. She is also active in University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) student government and was just confirmed as as The College of Engineering representative. To read more about Grace click

here.

Madeline Jimenez '18 recently spoke at Chestnut Hill College's golf outing as a student athlete representative for the Athletic Department. While at the event, she ran into Carol and Ronald Zemnick, parents of three Villa Alumnae: Adrianne Zemnick Fuscellaro '01, Julia Zemnick Gill '03, and Leslie Zemnick '07.

WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Desiree DaBaldo McNulty '06 shares, "My fiancé and I recently got married on October 19th at Pen Ryn Estate and we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day! : ) One of my dearest friends from Villa, Meredith Murdock '06, was even able to fly home from Texas to join in on the celebrations!"

Share your Good News with us!

We all love to see what our classmates have been up to. Now you don't have to wait for the next edition of The Profiler to share your news. We can share it right here in the Alumnae Newsletter! Click here and tell us what's new in your life. We'd love to hear from you and share it with our Alumnae family!

Alumnae Week

We recently celebrated Alumnae week at Villa, from October 28 - November 1. During this week, we shared interesting facts and updates about our Alumnae with our students during homeroom announcements. In addition, as a gift to the students, the Alumnae Association distributed cookies during the lunches on October 30. On hand to help was Alumnae Association Leadership Team Member, Renee Kitchenman McGovern '02 and her daughter Claire. Claire even helped with announcements and wished good luck to the soccer team on their game that night (They won!) Thanks to Renee and Claire and the rest of the Alumnae Association for sharing their Villa spirit and delicious cookies in celebration of Alumnae Week!

Alumnae Association Executive Board Elections- Spring 2020

The Alumnae Association will hold elections to fill positions within the Executive Board in Spring 2020.

Our current Executive Board is:

Nicole Prunetti '07 - President

Sara Couch '04 - Vice President

Renee Kitchenman McGovern '02 - Treasurer

Stephanie Schlegel Shortall '01 - Secretary

Sharon Citak Bell '86 - Assistant

Nicole DiEnna '02 - Assistant

Andrea Bradbury Sorial '04 - Assistant

Jeannine Bradbury '07 - Assistant

More information, including how to submit your candidate application, will be available soon. All eligible candidate applications will be shared with the entire Alumnae community on our website, as well as at the General Meeting of the Alumnae Association in April 2020, which all Alumnae are welcome and encouraged to attend (more information to come).

If you would like to get involved in the Alumnae Association, click here.

Class Agents

A Class Agent is a liaison between the Villa Joseph Marie Alumnae Association, in conjunction with the Alumnae Office, and her classmates. The role of a Class Agent is two-fold: to share information provided by the Alumnae Association and/or the Alumnae Office with her classmates via email, social media, and word of mouth and to encourage participation, support, idea sharing, and feedback from her classmates with the Alumnae Association and/or the Alumnae Office. A Class Agent plays an essential role in helping the school connect and reconnect with the Alumnae.

If you're interested in acting as a Class Agent, please sign up here.

Wall of Fame 2019

On Saturday, September 7, we inducted the two newest members of Villa's Wall of Fame — Maureen Cleary and Sr. Johanna Marie Shainauskas, SSC. With memorable reflections of their time at Villa, we celebrated these two remarkable women and the impact that they had, and continue to have, on our school. Maureen joined us, surrounded by her friends and family, as well as other members of the Villa community, and Sr. Johanna Marie was able to video chat from Chicago on a large screen for the entire event. Also attending the event via video link were Sisters of St. Casimir from near and far — including Argentina! Congratulations to Maureen and Sister Johanna as you officially become a part of Villa's Wall of Fame.

Kate Abel Memorial Tournament and Alumnae Basketball Game:

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Villa Joseph Marie will host the inaugural Kate Abel Memorial Tournament on Saturday, November 30, 2019. Named for a 2009 Villa graduate who lost her life to a drunk driver in 2014, this basketball showcase tournament will feature twelve varsity CYO teams from the Bucks County area, as well as numerous Villa Alumnae who will gather for an Alumnae basketball game. Proceeds will benefit the establishment of a scholarship for Villa Joseph Marie High School. Please join us at this event, as we are confident that Kaitlin's memory, and the example of selflessness she portrayed, will be preserved and awarded through this new scholarship. Contact Jennifer Drayer-McDonald, Director of Development, at jmcdonald@vjmhs.org with any questions about the event. For more information, including information on how to register for the Alumnae basketball game, click here.

The Best of Broadway: A Musical Cabaret: November 22-24, 2019

Join us this fall for the first production in our brand new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center.

This inaugural production will feature both current students and alumnae in a musical cabaret performance, revisiting past shows such as Footloose, Junie B. Jones, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors, and Hello Dolly. It will also include musical numbers from current Broadway favorites such as Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, Hairspray, and so much more! For more information, click here.

Mentor Program

Villa's Alumnae have countless success stories. Would you like to share your story and experience with a current Villa student by acting as a mentor? A mentor relationship with a student can be whatever you choose to make it. It can be a shadow day at your workplace, a lunchtime meeting, or even a remote connection through an email exchange. Don't feel limited!

We are currently in looking for Alumnae in the Arts (all fields), Veterinary Medicine, and STEM Careers. If you work in one of these fields or if you would like to learn more about the program, click here.

Future Business Leaders Club (FBLC)

This Fall a new club was established at Villa. The Future Business Leaders Club (FBLC) seeks to introduce students to the business world through educational programs and practical experiences. Through its guest speaker program, students are provided the opportunity to meet professionals who share their stories of success. Students are also encouraged to develop their own business projects and to identify business opportunities designed to benefit the school, local business, and charities. If you are interested in learning more about FBLC or would like to help the club by sharing your stories or talents, please contact FBLC's President, sophomore Mary Frances McNulty at maryfrancesmcnulty@gmail.com.

Women Today Leading Tomorrow: A Women's Symposium: February 22, 2020

WTLT is a symposium designed to educate young women about opportunities for representation and leadership of women in all career sectors; empower participants to pursue or continue on a path of leadership in the workplace, marketplace, and community; and encourage a multi-generational commitment to supporting future cohorts. www.vjmhs.org/WTLT

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Best of Broadway: A Musical Cabaret

November 22-24, 2019

Performing Arts Center (PAC)

Kate Abel Memorial Tournament and Alumnae Game

November 30, 2019

Gym

Christmas at Villa

December 8, 2019

PAC

Gym

Maria Hall

Do you have news or information you want to submit for publication in the Villa Joseph Marie Alumnae Newsletter? We want to hear from you! All submissions can be sent to alumnae@vjmhs.org. Submissions may be edited or omitted for space, clarity, or content at the sole discretion of the editor. We also welcome your questions, feedback, and suggestions. Thanks for reading the Villa Joseph Marie Alumnae Newsletter!