Cincinnati, Ohio, May 21, 2017 – Saint Ursula Academy congratulates the Class of 2017. 162 members of the Class of 2017 graduated in the traditional white gowns carrying red roses during a ceremony at the Taft Theatre downtown on May 21.
Saint Ursula is proud to announce that 83% of the class earned more than $21.4-million in college scholarship offers in academics, athletics, fine arts and service.
Several graduating seniors earned special honors and were recognized at the graduation ceremony. These honors are given for academic achievement or in memory of individuals who made essential and enduring contributions to the Academy. They are awarded to students whose academic achievement, leadership, deep spirit of faith, and Christian service exemplify the quintessential qualities of a graduate of Saint Ursula Academy. Their classmates nominate the recipients of the Awards of Honor, and a committee of faculty members makes the final selection.
Gold Medal for Academic Achievement ~ Valedictorian
Mary Rita Berding of Indian Hill
Silver Medal for Academic Achievement ~ Salutatorian
Catherine Grace Dieckman of Indian Hill
St. Angela Merici Award
The St. Angela Merici Award was merited by
Caroline Rose Karwisch of Anderson Township
In 1535, St. Angela Merici founded the Ursuline Order, the first religious order in the Church to undertake the personal formation of young women. Angela believed that educated women held the key to a strong family, a sound Church, and a stable society. She had the courage to lead and transform her world. This award, the highest honor given to a student in the graduating class of 2017, is given to a student who, like Angela Merici, exemplifies the qualities of confident leadership, a sense of compassion for others, a strong faith, and the ability to make a positive change in her world.
Mother Fidelis Coleman Award
The Mother Fidelis Coleman Award was merited by
Mary Kathleen Bachman of Montgomery
Mother Fidelis saw a need and broke the mold to start a new community of Ursulines that would not only educate students in a private academy, but who would also teach in the parochial schools of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Responding to a request by Archbishop Moeller in 1910, the new “Ursulines of Cincinnati” committed themselves to teach, serve, and care for the people of all social classes in the city. This award recognizes a student who, like Mother Fidelis, has demonstrated initiative and leadership in her school and in her community.
Mother Gertrude Creamer Award
The Mother Gertrude Creamer Award was merited by
Catherine Grace Dieckman of Indian Hill
Mother Gertrude was a much-loved teacher and long-time principal at the Academy who made each student feel important and respected. She always encouraged her students to realize their power as Christian women and to be loyal to God, to family, and to themselves. Under her tenure, St. Ursula Academy came to be recognized by the community as an institution that provided an outstanding education. This award recognizes a student who, like Mother Gertrude, is highly respected by her fellow students and by the faculty for her leadership and service here at the Academy and in the community.
Sister Mary Carmel McLellan Award
The Sister Mary Carmel McLellan Award was merited by
Emilie Elizabeth Kilfoil of Anderson Township
Sister Mary Carmel, a member of the Ursulines of Cincinnati, continued the tradition begun by Angela Merici in opening new roles for women in society when she became the first woman to receive a doctoral degree in education from the University of Cincinnati. This award recognizes a student who, like Sister Mary Carmel, exhibits the rigorous academic discipline, the initiative, and the leadership to forge new paths for women in the world.
Sister Mary Helen Sanker Award
The Sister Mary Helen Sanker Award was merited by
Mary Rita Berding of Indian Hill
Sister Mary Helen earned her Master of Arts in English degree from the University of Notre Dame when it was still an all-male institution. She was an outstanding educator who, as both teacher and principal, inspired generations of St. Ursula students, parents, and faculty by her personal interest in them, by her faith, and by her zest for teaching and learning. This award is given to a student who, like Sister Mary Helen, demonstrates strong academic achievement, a clear sense of values, and a concern and commitment to the needs of others which enriches the lives of all those around her.
Roberta Foley Award
The Roberta Foley Award was merited by
Sophie Adanna Austin of College Hill
Miss Roberta Foley taught drama and English to Academy students for decades. She is remembered as a woman who maintained high academic standards for students and as one who recognized and promoted the enduring values of good manners and courtesy to others. This award honors a student who best exemplifies Miss Foley’s academic ideals and Christian courtesy.
Judith Thompson Olberding Award
The Judith Thompson Olberding Award was merited by
Natalie Teresa Mouch of Madeira
Judy Olberding taught religion and chaired the Religion department at the Academy for many years. Judy was known for her integrity, her compassion, her intellectual curiosity, her strength in times of trial and her wisdom. This award, established by the faculty in her memory, recognizes a student who displays these same admirable qualities.
Deborah S. Pfetzing Award
The Deborah S. Pfetzing Award is merited by
Mary Rita Berding of Indian Hill
Debbie Pfetzing taught English for twenty years at St. Ursula Academy, inspiring and enabling both her students and her colleagues to be the very best. She never settled for anything less than excellence, especially when it concerned writing. She required that her students have a definitive reason for writing; she insisted upon clarity of thought; and she nurtured creativity in expression. This award recognizes a student whose writing achievements uphold the high standards of Mrs. Debbie Pfetzing.
Mariann Lorenz School Spirit Award
The Mariann Lorenz School Spirit Award is merited by
Abigail Rose Connaughton of Anderson Township
Mariann Lorenz, a member of the Class of 1974, loyally and enthusiastically supported all of the programs at St. Ursula Academy. Her love for the school incorporated the desire to leave it an even better place than when she came. This award is given to a student who, like Mariann Lorenz, exhibits a dedication to all the ideals of a St. Ursula education that will continue as a legacy for those who come after her.
Faculty Award
The Faculty Award is merited by
Marianne Elizabeth Emmert of Hyde Park
The Faculty Award is given to a graduating senior whom the teachers at Saint Ursula Academy hold in high esteem. This distinction recognizes the recipient’s integrity, intellectual curiosity, courage and exceptional school spirit along her high school journey. Her optimism and adherence to the ideals of a Saint Ursula Academy education will be exemplary contributions in a changing world.
To learn more about Saint Ursula Academy, please visit www.saintursula.org.
Saint Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. Saint Ursula welcomes students from more than 90 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Academy is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. 83% of the Class of 2017 earned college scholarships totaling more than $21.4-million.
###