A Publication of the NAZARETH
ACADEMY Community
Blueprint FALL 2016
FROM NAZARETH’S
Pillars to
Pillars OF THE COMMUNITY The Class of 2016’s Valedictorian Kathleen Mazur is attending the University of Michigan; Salutatorian Cesar De La Cerda is attending Northwestern University. We are confident they will carry Nazareth’s pillars to college and beyond.
IN THIS ISSUE Four Pillars Awards • BOOST Internship Program Welcome Home Sean Pearson • Alumni Profiles and much more…
NAZARETH’S FOUR PILLARS AWARDS For the second year, Nazareth’s Alumni Association celebrated the lasting legacy of Nazareth’s pillars with the Four Pillars Awards at the Alumni Celebration on September 24. These awards are a way to acknowledge and honor alumni who are thriving in their communities or careers and continue to represent our four pillars of Scholarship, Service, Spirit and Unity. Congratulations to the 2016 recipients.
Scholarship
Frank Jareczek ’06 completed his undergraduate studies at Boston University, obtaining a BS in Biomedical Engineering and a BA in Biology through the Boston University Collaborative Degree Program. He is currently enrolled in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD program) at the University of Iowa. Frank continues to give back to Nazareth as an adult leader in Nazareth’s Operation Snowball, an organization he helped implement in 2006.
“ Nazareth helped to equip me with a strong and broad skill set - mathematics, writing, critical thinking that has been of great benefit in my continued pursuit of scholarship.”
Service
Brian Lipinski ’01 is Director of Finance for the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Brian is currently enrolled in the Master of Science of Higher Education Administration program at Northwestern University. His passion for service began at Nazareth with the SHOE program (Students Helping Others Everywhere) as well as being a leader on the very first Nazareth Kairos retreat in 2001. He continues service with Ronald McDonald House and the Chicago Greeter Program. Brian has also won the Keller Award, Facilities Services Employee of the Year Award at the University of Chicago. “ The organization Maria Onesto Moran ’01 and I started while we were at Naz introduced me to volunteering; that experience and those connections showed me how fulfilling volunteering can be.”
Spirit
Renee Brixie DiBraccio ’91 and Chris DiBraccio ’91 are owners of Brixie’s Bar & Grill and Imperial Oak Brewing. This entrepreneurial couple have made the ideas of family and community synonymous. Not only maintaining successful businesses, they also give back to Brookfield and surrounding areas through their business and the Chamber of Commerce where Chris served as an officer and Director. Renee and Chris have shown their spirit for Nazareth over the years by their willingness to support and help Nazareth in any way they can.
“ Renee and I met at Nazareth our Junior Year. We took over Renee’s family business, Brixie’s, which has served as a venue for reunions, fundraisers and community events. We enjoy the role that our business has in bringing people together and making memories.”
Unity
Christine Palumbo ’71 is a registered dietitian nutritionist in Naperville. Her monthly “Good Sense Eating” columns run in Chicago Parent, Brooklyn Family, Long Island Family, Queens Family, Bronx Family and Staten Island Family. Christine has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC News NewsOne, Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends as well as many local TV and radio stations. Christine continues to help bring people together to fulfill their goals and shares her passion for healthy living through various community board and committee positions. Her passion extends to Nazareth through her continued commitment and support of Career Day, class reunions and fundraisers throughout the year. “ My years at Nazareth provided a thirst for knowledge, discipline for hard work and drive for excellence. Its rich spiritual environment was the cornerstone for my own faith journey and volunteerism. The teachers and staff modeled the life values that guided me in my own vocation as a wife, mother and grandmother.”
Dear Nazareth Parents, Alumni and Friends,
Nazareth Academy, sponsored by the Congregation of Saint Joseph, is a Catholic, coed, college preparatory high school dedicated to living Jesus’ mission of unity and committed to educating the whole person.
1209 W. Ogden Avenue La Grange Park, Illinois 60526 Phone: 708.354.0061 Fax: 708.354.0109 www.nazarethacademy.com President: Mr. Dennis Moran Principal: Mrs. Deborah Tracy ’82 Academic Dean: Sr. Terry Middendorf, CSJ ’60 Director of Curriculum and Instruction: Mrs. Therese Hawkins ’79 Director of Finance: Mrs. Mary Callaghan Dean of Students: Mr. Tim Racki Editor: Ms. Alena Murguia ’89 Graphic Design and Print: The Stevens Group Please direct comments to: amurguia@nazarethacademy.com View Blueprint online at: www.nazarethacademy.com/blueprint Contact the editor to help stop duplicate and undeliverable mail by updating your address. Your help is appreciated.
EACH YEAR ON THE VERY FIRST DAY OF FRESHMAN ORIENTATION, WE TEACH THE STUDENTS NAZARETH’S FOUR PILLARS: SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE, SPIRIT AND UNITY.
In the beginning, these are simply words to be memorized, but they take on much deeper meaning as students live these pillars each year of high school. Our students learn what it means to be a citizen of the world committed to each of these values. It is fitting that our school theme this year is Lighting Our World...That All May Be One. We see this vision in action daily as students discover more about their God-given gifts and talents and how they can build community to bring about a better world. This speaks to the very essence of the charism and mission of the Congregation of Saint Joseph. Our main role as educators is a commitment to further awaken the spirit of God in each of the students before us. We have the privilege of watching young men and women blossom into beacons of light not only for our school community, but literally to the ends of the earth. In this issue of Blueprint, you will read some amazing stories about our former students who have built upon our four pillars during high school and beyond. May their work serve as inspiration to us all! God’s light and blessings to you,
: Nazareth Academy : @NazarethLGP : @NazarethLGP
Dennis Moran President
Deborah Vondrasek Tracy ’82 Principal
: @NazarethLGP pg / 3
BOOST Program
partners students with local businesses During the 2015-16 school year, Nazareth Academy launched a new summer internship program for high achieving students entering senior year. The BOOST Program is intended to boost students’ confidence, connections and creativity. Internships were offered to Nazareth students with a minimum 3.5 grade point average who showed an interest and desire to excel by completing all the necessary applications and interviews. “The goal is to provide high achieving students with exposure to a potential career path as well as the chance to apply academic skills to the professional business world. It is our goal to further BOOST their college preparatory experience during this critical summer, so that students may make an informed decision when choosing a college and major,” says Principal Deborah Tracy. In its first year, nine businesses hosted fifteen Nazareth summer interns. Nazareth’s business partners, several of whom are alumni, offered opportunities from experimental physics and database expertise to business writing, customer relations and broadcast journalism.
Krystal Levitske and Maggie Corcoran took advantage of this unique Nazareth opportunity
“The goal is to provide high achieving students with exposure to a potential career path as well as the
2016 BOOST interns Kelsey Cho, Erin Lorenzen, Brittany Schneider and Carlie Wilson interned at Battistoni & Beam Orthodontics; Maggie Corcoran and David Palacios at RyTech, LLC; Evangelina Gutierrez, Roberto Irigoyen and Meghan McGarry at Illinois Institute of Technology; Krystal Levitske at Suite Spotte; Cindy Li at Turano Baking Company; Lauren Nortier at Keenan Homes; Harika Reddy at State Farm Insurance; Maggie Roache at La Grange Business Association; and Clare Sullivan at West Suburban Chamber of Commerce.
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At the end of the summer each intern answered questions about the experience. Here are a few of their reflections: More student reflections can be found at nazarethacademy.com/blueprint Kelsey Cho Battistoni & Beam Orthodontics
Lauren Nortier Keenan Homes
Maggie Roache La Grange Business Association
I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. I had shadowed another orthodontist but simply watching everything off to the side cannot replace actually being in the office, working with the tools and understanding what those tools do. BOOST helped me in my decision as to whether orthodontics is a field that I would be interested in pursuing...It is!
Before my internship, I was a little scared to talk to customers on the phone, but after doing it for a bit, I grew more comfortable. I developed professional skills such as writing a call script, uploading invoices and doing research on suppliers. What was nice about working at Keenan Homes was that I wasn’t focused on one particular job. I learned what a day in life was in all aspects of the company. From making calls to actually visiting a job site, it was a truly rewarding experience.
I wrote press releases and worked on the new La Grange app, which helped to boost my confidence with this kind of technology. I also helped out when my boss was on Fox News, which was very beneficial since I am interested in broadcast journalism. I think BOOST is not only great for your resume, but, more importantly, it gives you great workplace practice and allows you to make local business connections.
David Palacios RyTech, LLC
BOOST forced me out of my comfort zone. During my internship I had the opportunity to set up interviews with businesses and then interview them for an award. The experience did “boost my confidence” because the Chamber and member businesses respected me and made me feel like an adult. I had to practice personal responsibility which taught me a lot about the “real world” and how jobs get done.
Roberto Irigoyen Illinois Institute of Technology
I would recommend this internship to anyone with a strong interest in either physics or theoretical physics because it provides a strong basis for electric conductivity which is a widely researched field. We had to create our own “contraption” for an experiment, which included making mistakes and then thinking our way around it. It was great practice in problem solving.
The experience I acquired is invaluable. I was able to take my involvement in the classroom into a professional business setting. My projects involved a lot of creativity because they started out as ideas that I was able to convert from concepts to finished products through planning and organization. BOOST allows you to learn, grow and get experience in real world situations.
Clare Sullivan West Suburban Chamber of Commerce
chance to apply academic skills to the professional business world.” -Principal Deborah Tracy ’82
We also asked some of our alumni business partners about their side of the BOOST partnership: Lisa M. Turano ’85, JD MBA VP Legal, Turano Baking Company
Steve Ryan ’04 CEO, RyTech, LLC
My intern reminded me how different the high school experience overall is today versus my personal experience 30+ years ago. The class requirements are different and college demands more difficult, but the spirit of Nazareth has remained the same! I would advise students to have an idea of what you are willing or unwilling to do during the summer; have realistic abilities to make it to/from work with transportation in a reliable manner; and expect some grunt work, but absorb what is going on around you – be an active spectator. In addition to the professional relationship forged, the personal relationship and broader network for both parties should be rewarding.
Students need to have the opportunity to experience the real world and apply what they’re learning from the classroom to life after high school. Nazareth students continue to impress me with their candor, knowledge, communication skills and perseverance. Our interns challenged us to think in new ways, encouraged us to be better versions of ourselves and focus on the importance of collaboration and communication. There are a myriad of opportunities and careers available, some of which haven’t even been created yet. Be willing to try something new and get outside of your comfort zone. When applying for an internship, make sure you’ve done your homework about the company to position yourself in the best positive light.
Roberto Irigoyen, Meghan McGarry and Evangelina Gutierrez interned with Dr. John Zasadzinski at Illinois Tech.
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ALUMNI NEWS YOUNG ALUM
News from college campuses Villanova’s Volleyball setter Emma Decker ’16 was chosen as the Big East Conference’s Freshman of the Week in August. In the first weekend of the season, Decker had the most assists per set (12.44) among freshmen in Division I, and ranked sixth overall in the nation. Congrats to Jake Bartels ’14, who helped the Western Michigan Baseball Broncos make the NCAA Tournament. Jake had a great season pitching, going 2-0 with 6 saves and a 3.72 ERA. Congratulations to Katelyn Cahill ’14, whose Butler University Softball team captured the Big East title and the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history.
In May, Tricia Masterson ’12 received the Female Saint Leadership Award at University of St. Francis. This award is presented to the top female student-athlete who excels both in the classroom and on the playing field and represents the University’s four core values (respect, compassion, service and integrity) both internally and externally in the community in a leadership capacity. Congratulations to Grinnell College student National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. The society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who maintained a 3.2 GPA or better. A total of 875 players from 278 schools qualified for membership in the society’s eighth year.
Congratulations to Loras senior Malcolm Watson ’12 who finished in 8th place in the
WEDDINGS & ENGAGEMENTS Love is in the air
Holly Haberkorn ’13 was named the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Pitching Softball Student-Athlete of the Week for her play with the Benedictine Eagles. She contributed to the team’s run for the NACC Championship, which qualified them to play in the Division III NCAA Tournament. Holly was also named to Great Lakes All-Region Team Second Team.
In April, Shannon Weyer ’13 was named a St. Mary’s College Athlete of the Week, honoring her outstanding work as the Lacrosse Goalkeeper.
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Multiple congrats to Jeannie Klisiewicz ’04. It’s not enough to win a Daytime Emmy for The Ellen Show; she also got engaged! All the best to Jeannie and Nick.
Sam Poulos ’12, who was named to the 2016
197 lb. bracket at the 2016 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships, earning All-American honors. As a senior, Watson went 21-13.
Concordia University (Wis.) sophomore Allison Kurek ’14 helped the Falcons earn the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference title and was named the MWLC Player of the Week on defense five times last season. She was also named the 2016 All-MWLC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year and the IWLCA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team.
Many congratulations to Laura Battistoni ’07 and Dr. John Polivka ’03, who were wed this summer. Their bridal party and guest list included dozens of Nazareth alumni. John has also joined the Battistoni & Beam Orthodontics team.
Dozens of Naz Alum were on hand for the beautiful Texas wedding of John Doyle ’06 and his new bride Ashley. Pictured left to right: Megan Doyle ’03, Ellen Doyle ’09, Danny Doyle ’13, Tom Sargent ’06, Jim Lynch ’00, Brandon Keag ’06, Joe Horan ’07, Joseph Saraceno ’06, Dan Lee ’06, Kevin Duranty ’06, Greg McNulty ’06, Katie Bomher ’06, Mike Ditore ’06, Erin McGrath ’06, Cate Gula ’06, John Gurney ’06, Joe Welsch ’07, John Thunander ’06 and Kathy Gurney ’69.
Happy first wedding anniversary to Joe Duffy ’02 and his wife Regina , who celebrated one year in June.
BIRTHS
Welcome to the Roadrunner Family Jaclyn Broucek Sobol ’06 and her
husband Clayton welcomed their first child, Anthony Joseph, in April. Anthony is also the grandson of Nazareth staff member, Angela Broucek. Steve Ryan ’04 and his wife Beth, welcomed their third child, another beautiful baby girl, Margaret Sweeney, in June. Margaret was welcomed by her big sisters, Kate and Genevieve. Jaclyn Poisson Hansen ’02 and husband
Caleb welcomed their second child, Luciano Caleb, in June. “Lucky” joins his big sister Emmy to make them a family of four. Congratulations to Crew Thunander ’02. He and his wife
Caitlyn welcomed daughter Ainsley in May. Ainsley joins big sister Maggie.
Congratulations to Charlie Bosko ’96 and wife Heather, on the birth of their second child, Matthew Raymond, born in August. Matthew is adored by Mom, Dad, big sister Lorelai and a host of Naz alum family. Congratulations to Rachel Gubbins Collins ’96 and her husband Martin on the birth of their second child, Clare Eileen. She was welcomed with love by her big sister, Grace, in May. Welcome to the family! Tony Manno ’96 and his wife Cara welcomed their first child, daughter Francesca Rose, in April.
CLASS NOTES Meghan McAuliffe ’12 is a recipient of a
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award and will teach in South Korea in 2016-17. Fulbright teaching awards winners provide assistance to local English teachers while serving as cultural ambassadors for the U.S. Meghan is one of over 1,900 U.S. citizens who will teach, conduct research and provide expertise abroad this year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Annmarie Chizewski ’10 presented at the
American College of Sports Medicine Conference in Boston in June. Her presentation was about using personality traits to predict recruit police officers success in fitness testing. The title was “Fighting crime and inactivity: Using individual differences as predictors of physical performance and fitness in police recruits.” She completed her Masters in May and began the PhD program at University of Illinois in kinesiology in August.
Matt Letcher ’09 is a familiar face at Nazareth
as an alum and part of the Boys Basketball program as a freshman coach. In August he joined the Nazareth faculty as a Religion teacher.
After graduating from the University of Missouri, Natalie Ruff ’09 went on to receive a Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University. Recently she passed the state exam to become a Licensed Social Worker in Illinois. She currently works at a substance abuse treatment center with pregnant and postpartum women. Congratulations to Kathleen Marthaler Macfadden ’07, who joined RyTech, LLC as Digital Media Assistant at the company’s headquarters in La Grange. Kathleen joined the growing RyTech team with previous work experience in healthcare and customer service positions. Thank you to Zzazz Productions and the DiBouno ladies for continuing to give back to the Mothers Club Fashion Show year after year, making this event so special for Naz seniors. Pictured are Disa DiBuono ’06, Tracey Tarantino DiBuono ’74, Deborah Vondrasek Tracy ’82 and Darci DiBuono Pinello ’06 (along with future Roadrunner, Sophia Pinello).
Look who John Gurney ’06 has been hanging out with! John was traveling back from performing in Key West, FL when a friend of a friend made the introductions to (at the time) Miami Heat basketball star, and native Chicagoan, now Chicago Bulls player, Dwyane Wade. Joseph Pszczola ’06, who received his
BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in May, also had one of his paintings featured in the SAIC Spring 2016 Undergraduate Exhibition at the distinguished Sullivan Galleries in Chicago. Congratulations to Steve Ryan ’04, whose business, RyTech LLC has expanded to Milwaukee, WI. In August he joined Nazareth’s Board of Trustees. RyTech also hosted Nazareth student interns in the first year of the school’s BOOST program. (see page 5)
Emily Hajduk Matthews ’03 returned to the
Nazareth Softball field in Spring 2016, this time as the program’s Varsity Head Coach. In her first season, she led the Roadrunners to a Sectional Title and was named Illinois Coaches Association 3A Coach of the Year.
Westmont loves Amber Alonzo ’02! Congrats to Amber and her business, Expression Dance Studio, on winning the 2016 Community Improvement Award.
Tom Bowen ’97 and wife, Aviva, welcomed
their first child, Charlotte Adele, in May.
Congratulations Rebecca Forrer Peel ’97 on the birth of daughter Hazel in June. Stephen Dulay, son of Carrie Dacey Dulay ’96 and husband John, was welcomed in May by his parents and big brother, Charlie.
Television watchers spotted Mary Grill ’99 on The Detour, a new TBS series which premiered in April.
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CLASS NOTES continued
Congrats to Scott Ehling ’88 on completing his first Boston Marathon in 2016. Scott has trained for 12 years to achieve this dream.
Nick DiBrizzi ’99, was a keynote speaker at the
2016 Wish Ball, the largest Make-a-Wish Illinois fundraiser. As a result, he was featured in the “Candid Candace” column in the Chicago Tribune. Nick, a Make-a-Wish alumnus, has battled Cystic Fibrosis since he was 2, underwent a double lung transplant in 2015 and is currently “fighting like a boss” with his wife, Stephanie, in California. Our fists are up, Nick!
Tom O’Brien ’97 won a Golden Apple in March.
You can read more about Tom on page 13.
Congrats Peter Viña ’97. His writing debut, Adulting, premiered at Chicago’s Second City in August. Tony Manno ’96 and Tony Maietta ’96 are
members of the band The Black Oil Brothers, who released their latest album “Mean Business” in July.
Nazareth is thrilled to welcome Sean Pearson ’91 home. Sean has returned to Naz where he now teaches P.E. and Health and takes over as the Head Boys Basketball Coach. Read more on page 9. Never stop learning. Annamarie DowlingGarrott ’89 earned her second Master’s Degree in May. She graduated from Olivet-Nazarene Summa Cum Laude and National Honor Society.
In Memoriam
Tania Richard ’87 continues her passion for acting, most recently appearing on stage with the Windy City Playhouse in the performance of “This,” on TV in a commercial for BMO Bank and in her original web series “Mom in Real Life.” Her vlog “A Minute on Racism” was chosen as a 2016 Voices of the Year Honoree and was featured at #BlogHer16 in Los Angeles. Tania is also a member of Nazareth’s Fine Arts Hall of Fame. Bill Walsh ’86 recently moved to San Francisco
where he heads up major mobile initiatives for McDonald’s. He had previously built out awardwinning mobile applications for Walgreen’s, Discover Card and Discover Network.
Marlene Ember-Bartolomei ’69 is a Family Nurse Practitioner in the Albuquerque, NM area. She is also Adjunct Faculty, Lecturer at the University of New Mexico, Graduate School of Nursing.
65 years of friendship is something to boast about. They met freshman year at Nazareth and the bond has never loosened. This group from the Class of 1955 met in Chicago this past April for a friend filled weekend. Pictured are: Judy Carroll Sullivan, Carole Herzog Walton, Marjorie Tomas Macdonald, Maureen Brown Jones and Eleanor Costanzo Klein.
Congratulations to Bob McDermott ’85, who was sworn in as the new Chief of the Village of Forest Park Fire Department in June. Kudos to Lisa Turano ’85 for her dedication to KID (Kids in Danger) as she received the 2016 KID Best Friend Award. Lisa was a student at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business when Danny Keysar died and KID was founded. She immediately embraced the cause, raising funds and awareness for KID at her class’ graduation banquet. Lisa has chaired this event and served on KID’s board for many years. Welcome back Patty Filomeno ’84. Patty returns to Nazareth this year to teach in the Science Department. “Nazareth provided me with an excellent foundation of academics, service, faith and leadership. I look forward to giving those lessons back.”
Elaine Lillig Frantik ’52 has moved from the Midwest to the South. She is living in Hixson, TN in an assisted living facility and loving it (no cooking, cleaning, shopping or laundry). She spends her time reading, enjoying the gardens and birds with no schedules other than doctors’ appointments.
March 2016 - August 2016
We prayerfully remember all those in the Nazareth community who have passed away.
Val Jecha Dahleen ’85
Patricia Thiel Brennan ’53
David James Geary, dear friend of Nazareth
Michael Brindley, brother of Robbie ’14 and Jack ’15 Helen Sauer Brown ’40, mother of Helen Anne Brown Neustadt ’63, Christine “Kitsy” Brown Mahoney ’68, Kathleen Brown Whitman ’70 and Elizabeth “Beth” Brown McGuirk ’72 (see page 14) Donald Chopp, father of Cathy Chopp Hinckley ’80, Dan Chopp ’81, Dave Chopp ’82, Patty Chopp Keegan ’84; grandfather of Danielle Chopp ’18 and John Chopp ’20
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Carol LaChapelle ’61 appeared at the 2016 Printers Row Lit Fest in June to conduct the workshop, “Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories” (based on her book of the same name).
Maria Winiarski Duffy ’90 Steve Gutierrez, father of Elizabeth ’10 and Catherine ’14 Byrd M. Kelly, mother of Laura Kelly Smith ’74 and Tom Kelly, Nazareth Board of Trustees; grandmother of Colleen McGrath Yoo ’99, Brian McGrath ’02, Matthew McGrath ’09, Sean Kelly ’12, Donald Kelly ’15 and Peter Kelly ’17 Jan Jakob Kelly ’73 Karen Komoll, mother of Natalie ’18 Francella Kresl Leitel ’43 Ron Prokof, father of Karen Loster, Nazareth staff
Marisol Rehor, mother of Susan Rehor ’06, mother-in-law of Eric Entler ’90 and wife of Tim Rehor, former Nazareth faculty Sandra Serra Scatchell ’71 Sr. Adrienne Schmidt, CSJ, former Nazareth faculty Michael Spagnolo, father of Mike ’96 and Jackie ’01 Mary Ann Perticara Wilborn ’58 Anna Wiseman, mother of Katrina ’18 Please notify Nazareth Academy of the death of an alumnus. We apologize for any errors that occur in this In Memoriam section.
CAMPUS REPLAY:
25 years later, Sean Pearson is back on the Naz Court
’91
“I always knew I wanted to come back. It wasn’t about coaching any team. It was about coaching for Nazareth Academy.”
Clockwise from top left: Sean’s K204 homeroom showed their spirit during Clone Day by switching boys’ and girls’ uniforms; even as a freshman Sean showed dominance on the varsity team going for a slam dunk; Coach Pearson at the start of the 2016-17 school year.
Athletic Hall of Famer Sean Pearson ’91 has come home to Nazareth. Roadrunner Basketball fans remember him as the four-time All Conference and sectional player, two-time Conference MVP and member of the 1991 All State Team, who went on to the University of Kansas where he and his team made it all the way to the NCAA Final Four. But, what Sean has never forgotten is his Naz pride. “I always knew I wanted to come back,” he says. “It wasn’t about coaching any team. It was about coaching for Nazareth Academy.” Admittedly, it took a while. After college and several years of playing minor league professional basketball, Sean settled into life in Kansas City, Missouri with his wife and two sons. He started a basketball academy to train the next generation of players before eventually coaching three years of high school basketball, leading his team to District finals each of those years. “Still, I heard my family calling me home.” Those calls became literal once the Head Boys Coaching position opened up at Nazareth. “My brother, my niece, my classmates all started calling me, urging me to apply.” So, now he’s back as both a coach and a teacher, and he can add Nazareth parent to his school resume. “It’s great to see my son Tagen ’20 begin to experience the same things I’ve been telling him about Naz. It’s a real community where you know people. So many traditions are the same, like the WALK and the plays...My sons will get to take advantage of that.” Unbeknownst to them, Sean’s sons Tagen and Talen, along with all the young players he’s coached throughout the years, are already carrying Nazareth lessons with them, thanks to the influence Sr. Freddie Molitor had on Sean’s life. “Sr. Freddie took me under her wing as a shy freshman. Her constant attention and high demands taught me about work-ethic, determination and even the simple good manners that helped me get to know people. These are the things I still hold dear. These are the lessons that matter in the real world.” Sitting in the Rooney Center, the same gym where he practiced and played countless hours of basketball, Sean can almost see Sr. Freddie in the bleachers reminding him to work on passing and practice his free throws. He remembers well the thrill of beating heavily favored St. Joe’s on their court to capture the 1991 Regional Title, and the heady excitement of seeing that game figure into the movie, “Hoop Dreams.” It could be easy to get trapped in those high school glory days, but Sean is too busy looking ahead. “What I want is for these student-athletes to not be afraid to make mistakes because that’s how you grow and learn, by correcting your mistakes. When it comes to game-time, we are going to play extremely hard and unselfishly. If we do these things, I think we’ll be OK.”
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FROM NAZARETH’S
Pillars to Pilla Dr. Philip Reed
’99
PHIL REED HAS ALWAYS FELT THAT NAZARETH’S VALUES REFLECT HIS FAMILY VALUES. “My Dad inspired discipline and a
“Community is the stronghold of whatever you are a part of and that sense of community allows you to consistently respect and better the lives of those around you.”
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strong work ethic and my mom shared her spirituality and humility,” he said. He found those values honored at Nazareth while a student, both on the athletic fields and in terms of service. He was three-sport athlete who earned All State and All Conference honors in football, but also found balance in the social and service aspects of high school. “I appreciated the time to hang out with classmates after school and have conversations with Coach Dennis Moran that covered both football and life. Doing service in soup kitchens turned out to be an opportunity I still cherish because it has had a long lasting impact on my life.” Looking back, Phil sees that Nazareth laid the foundation for a “great sense of community which has truly expanded over the years. Community is the stronghold of whatever you are a part of and that sense of community allows you to consistently respect and better the lives of those around you, thus bettering your community.” As a chiropractor in Downers Grove, Phil tries to live this principle in his medical practice and his dealings with patients, but also through school, charity and sporting events where he educates people about their health. In 2016, Phil found a way to bring that sense of community back to his roots when he joined Nazareth’s Board of Trustees. “I am honored and inspired to be a member of this board. Just seeing other board members, hearing about how much they care about Naz, has strengthened my sense of this unique community.” “My life since Naz has been full of adventure and learning,” he explains. He enjoyed a healthy and successful college football career at Western Michigan University, where he was Offensive Player of the Year in 2002, awarded the Iron Bronco Award and MAC Player of the Week while he earned a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science. He then moved to Iowa to get his Doctorate in Chiropractic, before returning to the Chicago area where he has practiced in Downers Grove for the past seven years. Now he brings that life-balance experience and his core values to a new generation of students, working with the board to give them the same sense of “being cared for,” hoping today’s students will also carry away memories and values that will last a lifetime.
ars
OF THE COMMUNITY
’03 ’09
Molly Horan and Beth Horan
FROM THEIR ROOTS IN LA GRANGE TO THEIR WORK IN HAITI with International Allied Missions,
Molly and Beth Horan have made giving back a normal part of their lives. At Nazareth both sisters were part of Service Team, Youth Initiative and took service trips to work for Habitat for Humanity. “The way you build community is to take care of one another,” says Beth. It’s a philosophy they learned young and one they carry through in their professional lives. After majoring in Psychology at Marquette, Molly worked in a group home in Chicago with AmeriCorps. Seeing the lack of basic health and hygiene knowledge among young people there led her to pursue an accelerated nursing program at St. Louis University and then her Master’s in Emergency Management from the University of Chicago. Beth went straight into nursing at the University of Iowa, spent time working at Loyola Medical Center and is currently pursuing a master’s degree. Although they took different paths to arrive there, Beth and Molly both now work in the NICU
at University of Chicago Hospital. And they don’t just work together professionally; they also schedule their vacation time together so they can both volunteer in Haiti, providing medical assistance. Molly was the first to go to Haiti. After making a personal connection and hearing about the living conditions, she knew she wanted to go and help. The catastrophic earthquake in 2010 made the need even more obvious. “My first 10-day trip was an education. I gained hands-on medical experience beyond what I learned in nursing school. The first thing I told Beth when she finished school was that she had to come too.” Now it’s an annual trip with International Allied Missions for both sisters and one that is more rewarding for them with each passing year. “By going repeatedly we have built relationships with the people in these communities even though we don’t speak the same language,” explains Beth. “They are people without the most basic supplies, without modern technology, without running water, but we can relate to them through games, through smiles, through basic human care and kindness,” adds Molly. All of the hard work and long hours and constant loading and unloading of supplies make the yearly trip a huge undertaking, but Beth says, “just seeing how the Haitians we meet take care of each other, think nothing of walking their elderly neighbor three hours to our clinic, inspires us to come back again and again.” “It’s a different sense of community from the one we grew up with and what we take for granted at home,” adds Molly, “but at our core, building community at home or in Haiti is about taking care of each other’s spiritual, physical and mental needs.” For more information about International Allied Missions, please visit iamhaiti.org. pg / 11
Pillars to Pillars Meghan Callaghan Gillespie
’09
MEGHAN CALLAGHAN GILLESPIE DID NOT GUESS ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO that Mrs. Garside’s art class assignment
for a 3D design project on a dual perspective about a tourist/leisure family trip to the Dominican Republic would have much significance in her career choices, but it “was just one of many ways the Nazareth family and atmosphere of service and academic excellence facilitated my life journey.” Meghan, who holds a Social Work Degree from Carthage College as well as Master’s Degrees in Social Work and Public Health from Washington University, has spent her post-high school years traveling internationally for work, service and leisure. She spent college “J-terms” abroad in Guatemala and Namibia, exposed to the complex burdens of health care, poverty and malnutrition. These trips “re-ignited my desire to find a career that allowed me to help others both domestically and internationally.” While interning at the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, Meghan learned more about how nutrition education and counselling could be vital resources for AIDS patients. Then, in seeking a practicum for her master’s work, she discovered Project Peanut Butter (PPB), an NGO that produces ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) used to treat children with severe acute malnutrition.
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While PPB did not have an internship for her, it’s how she met Dr. Mark Manary, who was at first dubious, but ultimately impressed by why a Social Worker might want to work on international nutrition. Meghan began as a part-time research assistant in his Washington University School of Medicine lab, before spending four months as a visiting researcher in Malawi, to now having a full-time position “coordinating and field managing multiple research projects aimed at lowering the cost of RUTF by introducing locally available ingredients from that country. Another portion of this grant is developing a ready-to-eat-supplementary food for malnourished pregnant woman in Sierra Leone.” Meghan’s work and travel have expanded her sense of community, but they’ve also deepened her appreciation for her Nazareth experience. “It’s been hard to find myself belonging and connected to a community quite like that at the Academy. The connections I was able to create on a daily basis, the support I was able to give and receive and the countless big and little actions that occurred made Naz in many ways a matchless experience. The community within Naz was, and is, so much more than a geographical location or group of individuals with common interests.” Looking back Meghan appreciates the moments of shared grief and celebration, the work of the Guidance Department and the invaluable life lessons of service. “Through my service at St. Thomas Hospice and in Religion classes like Peace and Justice, I saw that I had a choice...I could truly recognize suffering in the world or even in my own backyard, or I could acknowledge it, but never really work toward changing it.” Meghan has spent her academic and professional life working toward change and building community from the smallest relationships to global health efforts. “There is no denying the commonality aspect of community whether that’s geographical region, beliefs, values, education, career, fantasy football or hair color, but we often ignore the commonality of being human. As humans we are called to act together to create solutions for common problems. Building community requires an awareness and recognition of all that you have received from the communities you have been a part of, and then expanding it further by giving it back far and wide beyond its origins. “Community is different in different places and countries, but it’s always about collective action toward common problems.”
Tom O’Brien Tom O’Brien
’97
TOM O’BRIEN TOOK AWAY MANY LESSONS FROM NAZARETH ACADEMY,
but what he thinks sticks with him most is the fundamental idea that we all need to use our God-given gifts to better those around us. “I’ll never forget Mrs. Ryan explaining that the great gifts God gave us come with great responsibility. Let’s face it, growing up in La Grange we had many advantages, but she taught us that the Naz world was not the ‘whole’ world. She made us ask what we could do to improve the situation.” By his own admission, Tom wasn’t an easy student, but at Nazareth he found acceptance, care and compassion that set him on his life course. “My mom passed away my freshman year at Nazareth and I took on the mantle of Prodigal Son. It was really the maternal care of Sr. Freddie and Sr. Jackie that saved me. They simply wouldn’t let me get away with failure.” Tom has tried to use this same approach in his career since high school. After college Tom was working as a Juvenile Detention Officer in DuPage County, getting a real dose of the lives of severely at-risk youth. Thirteen years ago he moved into the Rockford school system as a classroom aide before earning his Master’s in Education at Rockford College. He’s been teaching in one of the most impoverished parts of Rockford for the past 10 years. Most of Tom’s 5th grade students are displaced children from the Chicago housing projects; they don’t have much sense of history or tradition in Rockford so Tom always begins the year with a history lesson about the local community and also about the continuing story of migration they are a part of. “The focus of my classroom is in creating a feeling of pride - pride in yourself, in your place in this small classroom community and pride in the larger Rockford community.” He also wants to create a sanctuary for these kids. “Nazareth created an emotionally safe space for me. Now I’m teaching kids whose parents send them to me when gunfire erupts. Our school is a safe place, both physically and emotionally, thanks to that ideal of ‘maternal love’ I carried from Nazareth.” For ten years Tom has chosen to stay in Rockford primarily to remain as a consistent positive male role model for these students. In March 2016, his dedication was rewarded with the prestigious Golden Apple Award. What thrilled him most about the honor was the chance to introduce his students to the wider education community. “So often the Golden Apples are given to very deserving teachers in affluent suburbs. This was a chance to shine the light on the great, successful work being done in an urban environment.” Nazareth congratulates Tom O’Brien on his Golden Apple recognition and on his commitment to continuing the legacy of love, care and compassion he found at Nazareth.
“ The focus of my classroom is in creating a feeling of pride pride in yourself, in your place in this small classroom community and pride in the larger community.”
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Pillars to Pillars A Tribute to Helen Sauer Brown
’40
February 7, 1923 - March 24, 2016
FEW NAZARETH ALUMNI EXEMPLIFY “PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY” MORE THAN HELEN SAUER BROWN ’40, who passed away on March 24, 2016.
“I want to be remembered as a person who was always available to the community.”
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Helen was born in Finley, Ohio, moved to Cicero, Illinois at the age of six months and, in 1936, entered Nazareth Academy on a scholarship. Helen was heavily involved in debate, writing and student government at Nazareth. She took on a number of leadership roles including her senior year when she was elected President. Another chief interest of Helen’s was drama. At the time, Nazareth was an all girls’ school, so young women were cast in the boys’ roles. One of Helen’s most memorable moments was playing the part of Laurie in Little Women. After graduating from Nazareth in 1940, she earned a scholarship to Mundelein College. She received her BA, magna cum laude, in Classics in 1944. Twenty-six years later Helen received her Master’s in Religious Studies, also magna cum laude. She married her husband, Tom, in 1944, and they raised nine children together. For over twenty years, Helen dedicated herself to raising her family. When speaking about her many years of parenting, Helen described it as three things in this order, “It was the hardest thing, the most important thing and the most gratifying thing I have ever done.” Meanwhile, she still found time to be an active volunteer in the community. Helen’s four daughters all attended Nazareth, and Helen always volunteered her time at the school. She was President of Nazareth Alumni in 1942 and 1962. She was President of the Mothers Club in 1965 and 1966. Helen was also a peace activist and advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment, traveling to Springfield and Washington in the 1960s. In 1968, she was asked to return to Nazareth as a teacher. Not only did she teach religion, but she also moderated and began a peace club. Throughout her working career, Helen worked in retail, as an editor, writer, book reviewer and a director of resource development. She served on the Mundelein College Board of Trustees (1972-79 and 1981-91) and was President of Religious Education Services (1972-76). She held positions in several business organizations including the first woman presidency of the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce. Even in her retirement to Bethlehem Woods, Helen remained a community advocate. She founded the Residence Council, worked with the publicity department and started a reading club called Readers of the Lost Ark. For the last 20 years of her life, Helen participated in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, including donating her brain to further research at Rush University Medical Center. When asked what she’d like to be remembered for, Helen simply replied, “I want to be remembered as a person who was always available to the community.” Helen’s contributions to her family, friends and society made her a pillar of our community and continue to inspire us today.
NAZ BY THE
17
98, 92, 276 98 donors gave 92 units of blood with the potential to save up to 276 lives at the 2016 NHS Blood Drive.
US History Honors students received Superior ratings at the Illinois History Expo, with four advancing to National History Day.
49,000 square foot Walsh Center expansion is scheduled to open in November.
45
We celebrate Sister Terry Middendorf, CSJ ’60 for 45 years of service, dedication and wisdom while working at Nazareth.
75%
Never stop learning... 75% of Nazareth Faculty and Staff have advanced degrees.
120 The 2016-17 student body represents over 120 grade schools and 60 different communities.
23
23 students and 4 faculty gave a week of service in Solsberry Hill, Indiana this summer.
92, 148, 11, 17 In May, 92 students took 148 AP exams in 11 areas. 17 students earned Advanced Placement Scholar Awards.
Elite 8
Both Girls Soccer and Softball finished their 2016 seasons as part of the Elite 8 in Illinois.
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N A Z I S H I T T I N G T H E R O A D T O V I S I T A L U M N I A C R O S S T H E C O U N T R Y. LOOK FOR US AS WE COME TO A CITY NEAR YOU! BLOOMINGTON/NORMAL, IL WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9 5 P.M. - 8 P.M. MAGGIE MILEY’S 126 EAST BEAUFORT STREET
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We’d love to see you during our travels. Questions? Contact Colleen Cook ’88 at ccook@nazarethacademy.com or 708.387.8506 If you receive duplicate copies of Blueprint, please contact Alena Murguia at amurguia@nazarethacademy.com or 708.387.8536 with your current address. Thank you in advance for helping conserve our resources.