Tower Talk - Nov/Dec 2020
Table of Contents
Virtual Reunion 2020
Class Notes
Upcoming Events
University News
Giving
In Memoriam
Volunteer Opportunities
Stay Connected to NDMU
Virtual Reunion 2020
We thank and appreciate all of our alumnae and alumni who were able to join us in October as we celebrated our first Virtual Reunion and welcomed over 250 alums from across the globe. We are grateful for the time you shared, the energy, and the bandwidth.
Over the five days, we held class nights, toasted the Classes of 1970 and 1995, introduced our alums to the IMPRINT Program, heard from President Marylou Yam about exciting NDMU updates, gathered for morning coffee, honored our newest awardees, celebrated our Montrose Society members during our virtual Reunion Mass, and ended with an interfaith and spirituality discussion with Sister Kathleen Feeley.
Screenshot from the How Do You Fix Your Coffee?: East Coast event
We are appreciative of your commitment to our communal adventures and for your humor and patience throughout. Your attendance at Virtual Reunion 2020 made this gathering one of reinvention and interaction. If you were unable to join us this year for Reunion, we look forward to celebrating with you in the New Year.
Be sure to check out our Flickr account for pictures from Virtual Reunion, including pictures submitted from the Classes of 1970 and 1995.
Class Notes
This year has been particularly hard for most, so we would love to share your good news with the NDMU community!
Did you get married this year? Welcome a new family member? Make a career change? Any and all of these updates are invited! High-resolution photos are emphatically encouraged, too. Please send your update to ndmalum@ndm.edu.
Upcoming Events
Charles J. Busta III Business Forum
On Tuesday, March 9, the Women’s Leadership Institute of Baltimore will present the Charles J. Busta III Business Forum in its first-ever virtual format. A group of outstanding recent alumnae will discuss the secret to developing personal leadership and how that extends to the business acumen necessary for professional success.
Panelists will include:
- Tara Mathew Sahu ‘01, Coca-Cola North America
- Michelle A. Streckfus ‘99, BUCC, NERC Management, Exelon
- Queenstar Akrong ‘14, Founder & CEO, Adisa Advising and Associate Director, Partner Mobilization at the College Board
Save the date for this incredible panel discussion. Registration information will be available in the coming weeks.
Athletics
In light of the decision to suspend the fall athletic season due to safety concerns regarding COVID-19, the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) has launched a new series of virtual programming for student-athletes known as “Raise Your Game,” which will touch on a variety of topics ranging from nutrition to mental health. More information on the series can be found at www.csacsports.org/raiseyourgame.
Weekly Mass
Due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and the need to ensure the safety of our NDMU community, our annual Christmas Eve Mass has been cancelled.
While we may not be able to worship together this year, there are several ways to worship from home! We recommend the app myParish, which will have a number of prayer resources and links to live streamed masses.
Another resource is EWTN Global Catholic Network, the largest religious network in the world. You can watch the Mass every day at 8:00 a.m. on TV or streaming live here. Missed the live stream? Get today's daily readings and homily at this link.
The Mass can also be heard via EWTN's radio affiliates, on SIRIUS/XM Channel #130, online at this link, and live on EWTN's Facebook page at 8 a.m. ET here.
Click here to quickly discover the channel on which to find EWTN on your local cable or satellite provider, and here to find the television schedule.
University News
NDMU Makes Plans for Winter/Spring 2021 Semesters
In an email sent October 29, 2020, President Yam announced tentative plans moving forward into the winter and spring semesters. While all winter classes will continue to implement synchronous (real-time) remote learning, current plans for the spring include mostly face-to-face courses with some courses taught via remote instruction. Face-to-face courses will follow strict social distancing protocols.
As with the fall semester, students arriving or returning to campus will be required to submit a negative viral COVID-19 test prior to their entry to campus.
A more detailed plan for each student group can be found on the NDMU website.
Alice Walker Virtual Discussion
On November 12, the Eichner Women Writers Series hosted a virtual Q&A session with acclaimed writer, poet, and activist Alice Walker. Walker, known for such works as The Color Purple and In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens, spoke of her writing over the course of decades and noted that “living with inspiration” is a central part of her writing process. In addition to writing, Walker shared some of her other inspirations; including gardening, art, and spending time with the people she loves.
Her upcoming nonfiction work, Gathering Blossoms Under Fire: The Journals of Alice Walker, will trace her development as an artist, human rights activist, and intellectual.
Fall 2020 Art Exhibitions
During the past few months as we have transitioned to virtual programming, Gormley Gallery and Civera Gallery have produced several outstanding exhibitions of student artwork. Experience these and future virtual exhibitions from your own home by exploring Gormley Gallery’s new virtual site, gormleygallery.com.
An annual salon-style exhibition, the Student Exhibit showcases artwork made by students enrolled in fall courses in NDMU's Art and Art Therapy departments. This virtual exhibition will run from December 7 through December 18 at gormleygallery.com/student-exhibit.
The artwork in Gormley Gallery’s recent exhibition, Recording History, examines art’s role in recording and documenting history and our lived experience of it. The work included in this collection reflects the artists’ personal responses to our current political and social realities, exploring topics such as the pandemic, protests over racial justice, the election, and the climate crisis.
The exhibition ran from October 26 to November 27, with a virtual artists' reception held on November 7.
From October 26 to November 27, Civera Gallery presented Art for Unprecedented Times, featuring student artwork expressing “the college student’s experience of life in 2020”. Curated by Grace Cross ’22, this exhibition includes work addressing such topics as the ongoing pandemic, Black Lives Matter, and mental health.
Giving
As you celebrate the holiday season, we hope you will make a gift. When you give to Notre Dame, you provide a diverse student body with access to an education that brings out the best in all of us—one filled with opportunities for research, internships, individualized attention from professors, service projects, and lasting friendships. Your gift to the Notre Dame Fund goes to the area of greatest impact, helping to support student scholarships, new technology for remote instruction, and on-campus infrastructure. You can make a difference for Notre Dame students by donating.
In Memoriam
Our alumnae and alumni community mourns the passing of the following graduates and friends of NDMU:
Mary Trinitas Bochini, SSND ‘49
Patricia Hagan-Reese ‘52
Dolores “Jane” Marie Todd, SSND ‘52
Lucy Vash Vecera ‘52
Jean Monier Lyons ’53
Kathleen Anne Malstrom, SSND ‘65
Meredith A. Fahey ‘69
Kathleen Groves, SSND ‘70
Nancy DeStein Cromer ‘70
Kenneth “Cass” Marie Botta, SSND ‘77
Maura Kelly ‘80
Patricia A. Turansky ‘85
Mary G. Wheeler ‘87
Lesleigh Collison Kelly ‘87
Sandie Castle ‘98
Mary T. Keane ‘02
James F. LaCroce, PhD
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering at NDMU
As we think ahead to the next year, we remember that volunteerism is a cornerstone of the Notre Dame experience. As an alum, you have many opportunities to support NDMU’s mission and its students through active membership in a number of committees, including:
- Alumnae and Alumni Council
- Reunion Committee
- Networking Committee
- First Impressions Committee
- Legacy Committee
If you would like more information or are interested in joining any of these committees, you can fill out the Alumnae and Alumni Volunteer Interest Form.
Service in the Time of COVID-19
Feeling overwhelmed or scared in the face of the pandemic? Eager to help in some way, but not sure what you can do? Here are some ways to start:
- Donate food online!
Several organizations are helping to provide necessary supplies for our most vulnerable neighbors. Here are two Baltimore-based organizations that could use your support:
- Maryland Food Bank – click here to buy requested food items.
- My Sister’s Place – click here to buy requested supplies.
- Buy gift cards!
Many small businesses are taking a hit due to closures and self-isolation. Buying gift cards from these businesses can help their employees while still allowing you to maintain social distancing. You can use the cards at a later time or gift them to those in need or those still working in essential roles, such as doctors, nurses, grocers, etc.
- Social distance and wear a mask!
Given the uptick in numbers of COVID cases in Maryland and around the country, we must remember to maintain a safe distance between ourselves and others when venturing outside of our homes. Keep six feet apart when possible, and always wear your mask!
Stay Connected to NDMU
Did you move? Change your email address? The alumnae and alumni office periodically distributes communications. Verify your information and send your mailing/email address to the Office of Alumnae and Alumni Relations or call 410-532-5201.
NDMU also has an active presence on Facebook and LinkedIn! It's a way to share information and connect instantly with fellow alumnae and alumni. Like and follow the pages for the most immediate updates!
Likewise, if you know someone who does not regularly receive notices from NDMU, please encourage them to update their contact information with the alumnae and alumni office.
This publication follows a bimonthly schedule. This issue covers news for November and December 2020. The next issue will cover January and February and will be available close to the start of January 2020.