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Launch Success!

Over 150 guests were in attendance to honor the memory of Christine MacMenamin at a reception at Club Car on May 6th where a memorial scholarship in her name was launched. This special event, graciously hosted by the MacMenamins, featured a silent auction, 50/50 raffle and the sale of event t-shirts. $32,000 was raised to support the scholarship in memory of their beloved sister. The Planning Committee, including former '91 classmates, family, administration, faculty and friends, did an outstanding job publicizing the event and organizing an extensive silent auction. Chrissy Coffey '91 read a Proclamation issued by Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino declaring May 6, 2013 to be Christine MacMenamin Scholarship Fund Day in Westchester.



Addressing the crowd, Shana Promuto-Kasarda ’91 reminded us that “Christine’s love was strong, laugh resounding, smile contagious and bravery unforgettable.” Shana shared that “for the past 24 years, Christine has been my guardian angel. It gives me great pleasure to know that she will now be the guardian angel to future Ursuline students through the formation of the scholarship in her memory.”

Many present remarked on how pleased Christine would be at the introduction of this special scholarship. Mrs. Davidson added, "The Christine MacMenamin Memorial Scholarship will offer qualified girls a wonderful education and entry into a very special place where friendships are formed that transcend sorrow and bonds strengthen over time.” The size of the crowd was evidence of these treasured friendships.

Brian MacMenamin requested that everyone Save-the-Date for next year. This annual event, to be held each year near Christine’s birthday, will enable her scholarship and the number of students assisted to grow. The back of the event t-shirts bears the ac fui symbol, the same that appears on the Ursuline ring. The Latin translation is “I was there, I was a part”. While Christine’s life was cut tragically short, Christine MacMenamin was at The Ursuline School, she was there, and she was most definitely a part. Thanks to the establishment of The Christine MacMenamin Memorial Scholarship, she will always “be there, be a part”.

Many thanks to all who worked so hard to plan this event and for the outpouring of support from family, alumnae, alumnae parents, students, current parents, administration, faculty and friends. Your generosity is deeply appreciated.

We invite you to see more photos of the MacMenamin reception here.

Alumnae Sisters and Family Demonstrate Their Support…AGAIN!

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the Callahan family (Christine ’83, Carolyn ’84, Tricia ’86), The Campaign for The Ursuline School: Fulfilling the Promise for Generations of Women has now raised over $6.8 million in donations and pledges. This week, the family endowed a $100,000 scholarship in memory of their beloved mother and grandmother Ursula Pioli Callahan. We are especially grateful to the Callahan family who had already made a leadership level Campaign gift. They recognize the importance of successfully completing this crucial fund raising effort and stepped up to make a second gift. You, too, can make a first or second gift to the Campaign by clicking on the button at right.

Class of '67 Organic Garden

The Organic Vegetable and Herb Teaching & Learning Garden sponsored by the class of 1967 has become a reality. An enthusiastic faculty committee, representing every department, was formed to coordinate participation of students across grades and disciplines. The family of alumna and current parent, Grace Bulfamante '89, donated all labor, soil, and mulch required for the garden. Raised beds were built by members of the Science Department.

Seventh grade science classes worked with AP Environmental and Nutrition classes to unpack and assemble all equipment, including a collapsible greenhouse to be used for winter potting. Seventh grade math classes took measurements to determine how much soil each raised bed would require, while eighth grade Earth Science classes are responsible for testing the soil. We thank the generous members of the class of ’67 and the Bulfamante family for this valuable teaching tool.

The day’s festivities began with a pancake breakfast prepared by the Fathers’ Club with a bouncy castle and inflatable soccer field for the younger children.  Tennis action ensued in a lively round robin. 

 

Kelly MacGillivray cut the ribbon and speakers processed onto the field through the athlete honor guard. 

 

After the national anthem, led by Alice Smythe '11, and the speeches, our cheerleaders performed a special Thank You cheer and students sang Take Me Out to Kelly Mac Field, to the tune of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. 

 

 The activities ended with a bbq lunch on the JB Commons while local DJ’s provided music.  A wonderful day!

 

WE THANK YOU!

The Advancement Team thanks the many people who made the Kelly Mac Field dedication and blessing such a successful milestone in our school Campaign.  We thank the Campaign Cabinet and Turf Field Committee who worked diligently to successfully raise the $1.5 million needed towards the field, and helped in the dedication planning process.  We thank Mrs. Davidson for her leadership and support throughout.  We thank every donor who supported this effort with whatever contribution they were able to make.

Our warm thanks to the Fathers Club who took the lead on hospitality, to Assistant Athletic Director Jill Boughner who took the lead on the dedication program, Mrs.Paolucci for program production, the Student Advancement Committee for coordinating the games and activities for the day, Katie Mulligan ’18 for designing the event t-shirt, Jane Foster and Kerri Mulligan for organizing the tennis round robin.

We also thank Dr. Shamey for his balloon expertise, Alice Smythe ’11 who sang the national anthem, Monsignor Keane, Mayor Bramson, and Aly and Billy Powell for their extraordinary generosity of food for the event. We appreciate Mrs. Brescia and the spirited presentation by the cheerleaders, the Student Advancement Committee for volunteering to take shifts, some as early as 5:30am for balloon artistry, Mr. Malnati for running the Pancake Breakfast, and Sr. Pat for her assistance with the blessing portion of the ceremony.  A big thanks to Mr. Moore and the facilities team. 

Thank you to all athletes who formed the honor guard, represented sports teams, and cheered at the field dedication.  You made the day extra special!

Finally, we offer heartfelt thanks to the Murphy, MacGillivray, and McCabe families, as well as two very generous anonymous donor families who made leadership-level gifts to ensure the success of this important campus enhancement. 

Those families who would still like to purchase an engraved brick on the Walk of Fame, or purchase a family banner to hang around the field all year, or contribute to another naming opportunity such as benches along the tennis courts are invited to click on Campaign Upcoming Events or call Cathy McCarthy at 914.636.5169 to discuss details.  Thank you!

$1.5 Million Pledge Received!

It is with great pleasure and tremendous gratitude that I share the news of the extraordinary pledge of $1.5 million dollars by Ellen Mooney Hancock ‘61 to The Campaign for The Ursuline School:  Fulfilling the Promise for Generations of Women.

Ellen’s unrestricted campaign gift helps secure the future of The Ursuline School. It is Ellen’s hope that her gift will inspire others to partner with the school in this transformational fundraising effort.

Ellen has previously shown significant generosity to Ursuline. The Mooney Hancock Arts Center introduced instrumental music and dance to hundreds of students while allowing us to attract girls who had already developed a love of the performing arts. In addition, The Ursuline School's visual arts program, which has a tradition of excellence, was afforded the luxury of more space and a place to expand the ever growing graphic arts.

I am deeply grateful to Ellen for her incredible loyalty to Ursuline and for her on-going commitment to “Fulfilling the Promise” for countless Ursuline girls – past, present and future. Every gift or pledge brings us closer to our goal. Please make your contribution today.

Eileen F. Davidson
July 2012

Leadership Gift from the Mothers' Auxiliary
We are very pleased to announce that, on June 7th, the Mothers' Auxiliary presented a leadership gift of $100,000 to the Campaign. Our deepest thanks to the mothers' organization for this gift which will ensure that our school is strong and prepared for continued success in the 21st century. Pictured below are Mrs. Davidson and Director of Campaign, Cathy McCarthy (center) accepting the check from Mothers' Auxiliary Co-Presidents Sheila Sohr (left) and Alida Goodman (right).



Beyond Four Walls,
A Vision for 21st Century Education

This academic showcase on May 8th brought to life the Faculty Professional Development focus of our Campaign. We celebrated the innovative use of technology in the classroom which is possible as faculty take on specialized training.

Teachers and students demonstrated the power of project-based learning, use of online resources, and global collaborative learning. Pictured below are 6th graders presenting the myths that they wrote as digital books. We invite you to see more photos by clicking here.

The SOCCER JAMBOREE held on Saturday, March 31, was a great success! It was well-attended, lots of fun, and raised $6,500 for our new turf field! We want to give a big shout-out to Ian Walker P'16, our soccer coach Malcolm Brown, and our newly appointed Assistant Athletic Director Ms. Jill Boughner, who volunteered their time and talent to help plan and carry out the day. Warm thanks to Gina DiDonato P'13 and the student volunteers who were invaluable to the success of the event. Also, please be sure to take note of our Platinum Sponsors listed below.

The Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation
Our sincere thanks to The Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation for their generous support of The Campaign for The Ursuline School: Fulfilling the Promise for Generations of Women. A $15,000 grant for the Turf Field component of the campaign was recently approved. This grant is in addition to the $10,000 general campaign gift the foundation made just last year, bringing The Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation total campaign support to $25,000!

Foundation grants are critical to the success of any campaign. Many foundations require a minimum level of participation among school families before considering approval of a grant. Thank you to those families who have given to our campaign. If you have not yet donated to the campaign, please make your gift or pledge today, so that other foundation grants can be secured! Gifts of every size count. Just click on the Give Now button at the top right-hand side of this page. Thank you.

Gifts and pledges are currently being accepted. Many donors have chosen to make a gift in the form of a three-to-five-year pledge, while others have made single gifts. No matter the size of your gift, it will be an important step closer to our $8 million goal. Every gift counts - please make yours today. June - 25% Naming opportunities for the new turf field have inspired many families to join the campaign effort.  The Ursuline Sports Walk of Fame has been especially successful.  Click here to find out more about the Walk of Fame and how you, too, can participate. February - 22% Our thermometer is definitely affected by the seasons! During the winter, the participation rate only inched ahead. As winter ends, we hope that many families make their pledge or gift, and the participation rate jumps up, much like a spring flower bursting forth. Let's affirm our belief in the tremendous value of an Ursuline education! December - 21% The participation level among current parent families continues to rise as year-end campaign gifts bring us to 21%. November - 18% Letter writing by our dedicated Campaign Cabinet recruits new families to the Campaign Honor Roll. Several made multi-year pledges. October - 16% Let's Do This For Our Daughters and TURF for TUS! increased donations and pledges. Awareness and excitement grows about the turf field. September - 6% "Top notch facilities with top notch teachers, for deserving top notch young women!" - Ed Merrigan, past parent, former Board member and Finance Committee Chair, spoke at Back-to-School Night.

Student Dress Down & Bake Sale Raises $2,805 for Turf!



Celebration of Italy is magnifico!

The showcase of our Italian teachers and students was an impressive and fun filled presentation. Endowment for Faculty Professional Development is a crucial component of The Campaign for The Ursuline School: Fulfilling the Promise for Generations of Women. So, over these next few months we are offering opportunities to experience firsthand the top-notch academic programs offered at Ursuline. 21st Century teaching and learning is alive and well at our school.



Mrs. Francesca LaGumina and her talented Italian students "wowed" special guests at A Celebration of Italy. Our guests were parents and friends who value Italian language and culture. One is an active member of the Columbus Citizens Foundation and another is a noted Italian historian and author.



The 7th grade Italian class charmed our special guests with a rendition of a popular Italian song which they learned with the help of YouTube. Singing helps students learn pronunciation.





Students demonstrated vocabulary review using backchanneling, a 21st Century learning technique that engages students online. Quizlet, a vocabulary game online, was also used. Learn more about backchanneling by clicking here.





Italian culture was on display thanks to the Powerpoint presentations on Verdi and the Italian region of Calabria. A highlight of the day was the beautiful Italian opera pieces sung by two students.










What Italian celebration would be complete without an authentic and plentiful Italian feast? A delicious home-made meal was prepared and served by our gracious students. Each guest also received a cookbook, compiled by students in English and Italian, featuring all of their recipes.







Special thanks to Mrs. LaGumina and her enthusiastic Italian students, 7th grade through AP, for such an extraordinary program. A Celebration of Italy was indeed magnifico!


Ursuline Students Add their Two Cents . . . and More!

Participation in the Fulfilling the Promise campaign has reached the student level as every Ursuline girl has been encouraged to take to MOODLE and cast her vote for the center field design logo for the turf field. Votes can be cast until December 31st and results will be posted in January. Assuming all necessary funds can be raised, the plan is to break ground on Kelly Mac Field late in the spring.


Ursuline cheerleaders have contributed more than two cents! Thanks to the collective efforts of our cheerleading squads, a check for $500 was presented to Campaign cabinet members to be used for the turf field. Turf field committee member Gina DiDonato P'13, '15 thanks Mrs. Brescia and the cheerleaders for being the first student group to support this important effort. She adds, "Every penny counts and I hope that this trend of student giving is contagious! We want all Ursuline girls to be proud of their efforts to raise money for this field."


Message is Clear at Campaign Seminar: PERSEVERE!

Campaign Cabinet and Ursuline Board Member, Aine Schenk, joined Cathy McCarthy, Director of Campaign, at a seminar this week entitled “Campaign Strategies in a Tough Economy.” The event was hosted by Women in Development, a professional association for metropolitan New York’s fund-raising community. Many of the organizations represented at the event shared our passion for the empowerment of girls, most notably the event sponsor, Girl Scouts.

The seminar was a great opportunity to leverage best practices throughout the industry. Wise advice was shared by a co-chair of the recently successful campaign for The Town School in New York City. Cecelia Greene offered, “We had to be flexible and continually revise our timeline.”

All campaigns can be successful even in the toughest economic climate as long as you stay the course with a strong mission, sharp message, and a dedicated Campaign Cabinet. Fortunately for the “Fulfilling the Promise” campaign, all bases are covered.

$50,000 Challenge Ignites Fundraising at TURF for TUS!
A lively crowd filled the home of Chris and Rick Trizano P'11 on Friday, October 14th, and raised $120,000 for the new turf field.



Mrs. Davidson kicked off the program by introducing the Murphy and MacGillivray families who have made the largest gift to date and received naming rights to the field. The new turf will be "Kelly Mac Field" in honor of granddaughter and daughter Kelly MacGillivray '07, who was also on hand to celebrate.



Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, a $50,000 Challenge Grant was in effect for the night! Every donation or pledge made to the turf field initiative that evening was matched, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000. In true Ursuline fashion, the Challenge was not only met but exceeded! A total of $120,000 was raised.




Turf Field Committee co-chair Mike Hoffman called the financial response "nothing short of amazing" and offered sincere thanks to the Trizanos "for hosting such a warm, beautiful party in their home." Mike regaled the group by recounting his first meetings at Ursuline, then gave high praise for Mrs. Davidson's leadership, and encouraged everyone to dig deep for this initiative.




Attendees enjoyed delicious food and Broadway tunes played by professional pianist Doug Kistner. New and returning families mixed with school administrators, faculty and staff, coaches, trustees, campaign cabinet members and turf field committee members. Brother Leto, President of Iona Prep, and other members of the Prep community attended the event to offer their support as well.



A hearty thank you to Chris and Rick Trizano for graciously hosting the fun filled and profitable TURF for TUS! Thank you to all the families who stepped up. Your generosity will benefit all young women at Ursuline. It was truly a great night for The Ursuline School!


Let's do this for our Daughters!

Sincere thanks to Mike Hoffman P '14 and Joe Schenk P '11, '13, '15 for hosting a father's breakfast at Morton's Steak House in NYC on September 21st. All fathers of field sport athletes were invited to learn more about the plans for the turf field project and the many ways that they can help the effort.