Saint Ursula Academy proudly congratulates Elizabeth Volk of Cleves who is the Valedictorian of the SUA Class of 2021. Elizabeth earned the highest cumulative GPA through the third quarter of her senior year. She also is a National Merit Finalist and scored a perfect 36 on her ACT.
Marygrace Fagan of Loveland has the second-highest cumulative GPA through the third quarter of her senior year, making her the Salutatorian of the Class of 2021. Marygrace is also a National Merit Finalist.
“Saint Ursula Academy curriculum is challenging at every level,” said Saint Ursula Academy Principal Dr. Mari Thomas. “To achieve honors for being top of the class at SUA is an exceptional honor and reflects hard work and a significant commitment to their education from each of these students.”
Elizabeth Volk plans to attend Fordham University in the fall with a double major in biology and psychology. She says she feels ready for the next academic challenge.
“SUA has consistently pushed me in the classroom which has prepared me for the challenges of college. I feel that SUA fosters a collaborative atmosphere in the classroom that has effectively prepared me for working with others outside of the classroom. The Academy Alum program has also been helpful. I feel prepared to contribute to my community by being a thinker, leader, nurturer, and prophet.”
She credits support from her family, teachers, and classmates for helping her achieve this level of success at SUA.
“I could not have done this without the support of my family. I am especially grateful to my parents who have always encouraged me in my endeavors. I also could not have done this without the support of everyone at SUA. My peers have been very encouraging. I think that managing my time well and staying on top of my studies was key to this achievement.”
She says she is truly grateful to her teachers for challenging her while offering constant support.
“Two teachers who were especially helpful to me were Mrs. Depoe and Ms. Hinkel. Mrs. Depoe encouraged me to be a leader in the classroom. She also fostered a love of STEM in me that led to my current plans to go into STEM. By giving me the opportunity to stage-manage (and to later direct my own one-act), Ms. Hinkel pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to be a compassionate leader. Both of these teachers inspired me to speak up and use my voice as a leader.”
Her advice to younger SUA students: “I would tell other talented students to learn to manage their time well. I would also tell them to maintain a good school-life balance. Finally, I would tell them to remember to have fun in high school!”
Marygrace Fagan plans to attend Purdue University next year to study actuarial science and statistics.
She says Saint Ursula taught her how to be independent, resilient, and an independent learner.
“Ms. Depoe and Ms. Rosen were both helpful to me during high school. I really liked the material in both of their classes, their teaching styles, and their enthusiasm for math and physics. I am going into a math-intensive field, but I will be taking physics classes as well in college.”
Marygrace also credits her grade school, family, and friends with helping her during high school.
“My freshman year, I found out how well my teachers at All Saints had prepared me for Saint Ursula. I built on those time management and academic skills throughout high school, and I will continue working on those in college. I also received a lot of support from my friends and family.”
Her advice for younger students at SUA: “I would tell other students to take classes that interest them and work them into your schedule. Saint Ursula’s schedule allows for a lot of flexibility, and there are a lot of ways that you can fit in classes that match your interests.”
Saint Ursula works with every student individually to ensure her pathway to success is customized based on her unique gifts, talents, and abilities. This allows each student to be transformed and reach her highest potential in and out of the classroom.
Congratulations, Elizabeth and Marygrace.