Tower Talk - January 2024
January 2024
Message from the Alumni Engagement Team
Greetings Alumni,
Happy new year! We hope you had a great time with family and friends over the holidays. Campus may be quiet now before the students come back for the spring semester, but we can’t wait to see it liven up again. 100 Nights for seniors is right around the corner, so we want you to take this time to reminisce about your final year at Notre Dame. What memories immediately come to mind? Let us know what your favorite tradition was when you were a student!
We also want to let the alumni community know that we are currently looking for a new Director of Alumni Engagement. Alexandra DeJohn has transitioned to a private school outside of Baltimore. She was with us for almost three years, and we can’t thank her enough for everything that she did for our office.
As we continue to plan engaging events and exciting initiatives for the new year, let us know what you want! Is there a certain type of event or volunteer opportunity Notre Dame alumni would love? We want to hear your great ideas. The Reunion Committee is also looking for members for 2024. So, if your class year ends in a 4 or 9, we need you to help plan this year’s Alumni Weekend! If you would like to get involved, please reach out to us at ndmalum@ndm.edu.
Warmly,
Your Alumni Engagement Team
Alumni White Label Webinars
Notre Dame of Maryland University graduates are life-long learners! The Office of Alumni Engagement is thrilled to provide a new opportunity for our alumni all over the world to engage with and continue their love of learning. You now have exclusive access to a range of white-label webinars and online events hosted by industry and subject experts in their fields. These one-hour virtual webinars give you the ability to boost your personal and professional skills, knowledge and understanding at no cost to you. See what Debra Ferreira Berube '77 has to say about her experience with the webinars:
“Since the inception of the White Label Webinar Series at NDMU I have signed up for as many of the webinars that my professional and personal schedule allow me to participate in. More recently I participated in "How to Close Your Power and Confidence Gaps and Reach Your Highest Potential" as well as "Don't Leave a Mess: How to Disaster-Proof Your Family Legacy." In December I registered to attend "How to Bring Who You Are and What You Do Into Alignment". Each webinar I attended to date has offered outstanding speakers, and I have gained insight on how to improve myself both in my personal interactions as well as with my professional contacts. I highly recommend these webinar offerings to other alums. Take time from your day and do this for yourself, you are worth it.” - Deb
SEE ALL UPCOMING AND RECORDED WEBINARS HERE
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Join the 2024 Reunion Committee
We are looking for volunteers from class years ending in 4 and 9 to help us plan this year’s Alumni Weekend. The Reunion Committee works with the Alumni Engagement Office to provide feedback on what you loved about previous reunions, and helps plan Alumni Weekend 2024 so your class feels as celebrated as possible. Volunteers will also collaborate on program planning, fundraising, class participation, and attendance outreach.
Alumni Weekend will take place from September 27 – 29, 2024. If you’re interested in joining, please email ndmalum@ndm.edu.
Giving Tuesday and Giving Day
What a successful Giving Tuesday! This year we were able to raise over $135,000 through contributions from 129 donors. A big thank you to each and every member of the alumni community who donated. If you have not yet supported the Notre Dame Fund, you can make a gift of any size by the end of this fiscal year (June 30). To learn more about giving at Notre Dame, you can go online to see all of our ways to give.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming Giving Day on February 20, 2024. More information on how to get involved and details about the event will be released soon.
A New Year for the NAVT
The SSND North American Vocation Team (NAVT) has planned several opportunities to connect young adults with SSNDs, as this is the demographic most likely to be in a stage of discerning their vocation in life. They will be offering a virtual Young Adult Evening Prayer on the fourth Tuesday of every month until June. There will be two discernment weekends designed for single young women in early 2024 with the theme of “Caught Up in God’s Love.” Lastly, they are hosting a Summer Service Week at Whole Kids Outreach (WKO) in Ellington, Missouri in July.
Campus News and Updates
NDMU Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For Renovated Knott Science And Innovation Center
NDMU community members, government officials, and friends of the University gathered in the Knott Science and Innovation Center on Tuesday, Oct. 24 for a Ribbon Cutting ceremony to celebrate the building's recent $9 million renovation. The renovation, which features upgraded technology-enabled instructional spaces designed to meet the needs of 21st century learners, is a key component of the University's Go Beyond campaign to support transformational initiatives at NDMU.
Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame Exhibit Dedicated at Notre Dame
President Marylou Yam led a ceremonial ribbon cutting with more than 20 women leaders in October to celebrate the opening of the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame exhibit in its new home at NDMU. Located just off the lobby of the Knott Science and Innovation Center, the one-of-a-kind exhibit showcases plaques representing the more than 200 Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame inductees.
The College Tour Visits Campus For Filming; Episode To Air On Amazon Prime This Spring
Representatives from The College Tour were on campus from November 6-10 to film an episode featuring NDMU which is set to air on Amazon Prime this spring. The College Tour tells the story of colleges and universities around the world from the perspective of current students on campus.
NDMU, Maryland University of Integrative Health Announce Acquisition Agreement
Notre Dame of Maryland University and Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) have announced an agreement for NDMU to acquire MUIH, which would merge MUIH’s graduate-level programs in integrative health and wellness into a new School of Integrative Health at NDMU. The acquisition transaction is expected to occur in early 2024, subject to receipt of regulatory and accrediting agency approvals and various other milestones, with the second-step merger of MUIH programs into NDMU anticipated to take place in late 2024 or 2025. This merger would incorporate MUIH’s programs with NDMU’s already robust health sciences offerings. Following the expected acquisition and merger, NDMU will become the first comprehensive University in the country to have a school dedicated to integrative health.
If you have any questions about this acquisition, you can read through the FAQ page.
New Opportunity for Student-Alumni Connections
Dinner with Gators, our newest program for NDMU alumni and members of the Student Alumni Leadership Council (SALC), has been a great success! An early introduction to our Alumni Association will help our students, or alumni-in-training, gain a more realistic understanding of what it means to be an alum of NDMU. Through intentionally matched dinners and conversations, Dinner with Gators connects generations of NDMU alumni with current undergraduate
students in SALC. At the dinners, students learn how to stay involved with and connected to NDMU after graduation.
This past fall, three gracious alumni hosted a small group of students for dinner at various locations around Baltimore. See what one alum had to say about her experience:
"The experience was very rewarding and our conversations were rich with discussions on various topics. I hope that I inspired each student to continue to strive for excellence. They alone with God's grace can determine their own destiny." - Dr. Monique L. Turner '03 Pharm.D. '15
Email ndmalum@ndm.edu if you would like to learn more about becoming a Dinner with Gators host!
Like Mother, Like Daughter: Legacy Family Bonds through Shared Notre Dame Experience
Maureen Ritcey DeGrange '99 returned to campus this fall, a visit which was extra special as she has been able to spend time with her daughter during her first semester. Kathryn DeGrange '27 is one of 15 students in the Class of 2027 with a family member who had previously attended Notre Dame. Kathryn is enrolled in the School of Nursing’s Entry-Level BSN program, aiming to join her mother in the nursing profession, and she is also following in her mother’s footsteps as a multi-sport athlete at NDMU.
“Everything sort of clicked for me that night. To have Kathryn there along with my friends from college, and knowing that Notre Dame creates a forever community that she’s now going to be a part of, it was a really special moment. It’s great knowing that we will be able to continue sharing these experiences together.” – Maureen
“It’s been nice to talk with her about what’s going on around campus. Some things have obviously changed since she was here. I’ll send her pictures of places that have been renovated, and she’ll send me Facebook posts from the school when she sees me in a picture or notices some big event happening. I’ve been really happy here so far – attending NDMU has definitely created an additional bond between the two of us.” – Kathryn
Fall and Winter Athletics Update
Men’s Basketball – The men’s basketball team achieved a major milestone on December 9, when the Gators topped Valley Forge by a 69-60 final to earn the program’s first victory in its debut season. K’Won Johnson (15.6 points per game) and Jalen Yates (12.7 points per game) are leading the team in scoring through the first 11 games.
Women’s Basketball – The women’s basketball team sits atop the United 
East Skye division standings, and the Gators are currently on an eight-game winning streak to move their season record to 9-4 (6-0 UE). First-year forward Amani Watts, who is averaging 18.8 points per game, earned her fourth United East Player of the Week award on Monday. Notre Dame is looking to return to the NCAA Division III tournament for a second-consecutive season.
Women’s Cross Country – The cross country team competed in the United East Championship meet hosted by Cairn University on Saturday, Oct. 28. NDMU's top finisher at the championship was Francisca Biann, who completed the 6,000-meter course in a time of 44:25.0.
Men's Soccer – The men's soccer team earned a trip to the United East postseason tournament in its first year of competition, finishing as the No. 6 seed in the Skye division. The Gators finished the fall with an overall record of 5-8-2 (3-4-1 UE), with Frank Olszewski earning United East co-Coach of the Year honors.
Women's Soccer – The women's soccer team returned to postseason play for the first time since 2021 after clinching the No. 6 seed in the United East Skye division. Three student-athletes earned all-conference accolades for the Gators, who finished with an overall record of 6-9-0 (4-5-0 UE).
Women's Volleyball – The women's volleyball team advanced to a conference championship match for a fifth-consecutive season, dropping a tight four-set match to Cedar Crest in the United East Skye division final. The Gators, who had won 11-straight matches prior to that setback, went 16-9 overall on the year, including an 8-1 mark in conference play. Paulina Hernandez was honored as the United East Skye Division Defensive Player of the Year.
Want more NDMU Stories? Read the Bulletin, a bi-weekly newsletter with more student, staff, and faculty updates!
Save the Dates
How to Create Your Own Career: Career Mashup–the Career of the Future
Thursday, January 18 I 12 PM I Virtual
Register Here!
Do you feel like your career doesn’t quite fit? Are you longing to bring together your interests, experiences, and passions in a way that reflects your unique value? How do you align what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what the market needs to help you advance? In this new world of work, the dream job is no longer something you get — it’s something you create. But doing so in a world that is increasingly uncertain and rapidly changing is no small feat. In this engaging webinar, bestselling author and Future of Work expert Connie Steele will discuss what a "career mashup" is, what it means for careers of the future, and, more importantly, what it means for you.
The Power of Conscious Connection: Four Habits to Transform How You Live & Lead
Wednesday, January 31 I 12 PM I Virtual
Register Here!
It’s a new year; are you ready for a fresh look at leadership? Join us in this exceptional webinar with Talia Fox, visionary leader and author, as she unveils profound insights from her groundbreaking book, The Power of Conscious Connection. In this webinar, Talia will take you beyond exploration and help you reimagine your role as a leader and a global citizen. Talia passionately advocates for heightened presence, engagement, and attunement to the intricacies of our interconnected world. Through her unique model, the LOVE (Listen, Observe, Value, Engage) system, she sheds light on the transformative potential of these four habits, challenging participants to adopt a fresh approach to living and leading.
Become the Bravest You: How to Embrace the Embarrassing and Celebrate the Cringe
Thursday, February 8 I 12 PM I Virtual
Register Here!
Do you feel awkward when you walk into a meeting room at work? Do you envy your colleagues who appear smooth and confident? In this enlightening webinar, Henna Pryor, author and award-winning 2x TEDx speaker, will help you become bolder and more confident. Henna will unveil insights from her book, Good Awkward: How to Embrace the Embarrassing and Celebrate the Cringe to Become the Bravest You, and share relatable stories, science-backed tools, and straightforward action steps. Henna will guide you to embrace your awkwardness as a personal and professional growth catalyst.
How (Exactly) to Win the Advocacy of Strangers and Accelerate Your Career
Thursday, February 15 I 12 PM I Virtual
Register Here!
Networking often feels uncomfortable. Even with those within the same organization, it's awkward to ask a stranger to connect more meaningfully, especially when they are not expecting to hear from you and may not look or think like you. However, lack of networking can limit one's effectiveness, regard, and sense of belonging within an organization. There are many suggested tips and tricks to make networking less painful, but no tried-and-true instructions until now. In this insightful webinar, bestselling author Steve Dalton presents proven, research-backed frameworks for requesting and conducting informational meetings and how to answer the question "Tell me about yourself" effectively every time to predictably convert strangers into advocates/clients.
NDMU Giving Day
February 20 | All Day
Learn more
NDMU Giving Day is Tuesday, February 20! Stay tuned to see how you can support your alma mater. Every gift matters; please visit our website for updates.
When They Win, You Win - Being a Great Manager is Simpler Than You Think
Tuesday, February 20 I 12 PM I Virtual
Register Here!
You know what the world doesn't need? Another person's opinion about what it takes to be a great leader! What we need to do is learn to lead in a way that measurably and predictably leads to 1) more engaged or happier employees and 2) better business outcomes. Businesses everywhere are plagued by managers who think keeping their staff miserable is the best way to deliver profits. This way of thinking is a failure of leadership that also hurts the bottom line; research has shown that maintaining a happy, engaged workforce consistently drives measurably better business results across the board. In this enlightening webinar, author and operator Russ Laraway will discuss how we need to stop with anecdotal frameworks and focus on a small number of leadership behaviors that, when practiced, measurably deliver "happy results."
SSND NAVT Event: Discernment Retreat for Single Women
Friday, February 23 - Sunday, February 25 | All Day | San Antonio, TX
Register Here!
With the theme of “Caught Up in God’s Love,” this retreat opportunity is designed for single young women (ages 18-45) who wish to dive deeper into their heart to listen for God’s call. Each weekend includes both personal and communal sessions and prayer as well as time for fun and relaxation. There is no cost to attend and some assistance with transportation costs is available if needed. SSND make great companions on your discernment journey.
How to Achieve a Career You Love While Staying True to Yourself
Tuesday, March 5 I 12 PM I Virtual
Register Here!
Many women struggle with being too nice in business or having the confidence to succeed. Drawing from her acclaimed bestsellers, author, and leading career expert, Fran Hauser will deliver a compelling webinar for women in the workplace. Hauser will prove that women don’t have to sacrifice their values or hide their authentic personalities to be successful. Her accessible advice and hard-won wisdom will detail how to balance being empathetic with being decisive, rise above the double standards that can box you in, cultivate authentic confidence that projects throughout a room, and much more. Her mix of relatable stories, practical advice, and valuable tools will empower women to build fulfilling careers and reach their highest potential — all while staying true to themselves.
How to Kickstart Fearless Feedback
Wednesday, March 20 I 12 PM I Virtual
Register Here!
Do you dread giving or receiving feedback? The most stressful part about a feedback conversation is simply getting it started. For most of us, there is fear about how the other person will react, stress over how the feedback will shift the dynamic in the relationship, and often a general fear of confrontation. After all, how confidently and effectively will you communicate if you're walking on eggshells or dreading a conversation? That is why focusing on how you strategically kick off a feedback conversation is so important. In this illuminating webinar, Katie Ceccarini, certified executive coach, will deliver the tools to help you fumble less and increase the clarity and confidence you need to bring into feedback conversations.
Eichner Women Writers Series
Thursday, April 4 | 7 - 8 PM | Doyle Formal, NDMU Campus
Register Here!
Edwidge Danticat, Haitian-American novelist, essayist, and short story writer, will be with us on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Edwidge Danticat is the Wun Tsun Tam Mellon Professor of the Humanities in the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Columbia University. She is the author of seventeen books and her memoir, Brother, I’m Dying, was a 2007 finalist for the National Book Award and a 2008 winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography. The evening lecture is free and open to all NDMU members and to the greater Baltimore community.
Little Shop of Horrors
Friday, April 12 | 7PM | LeClerc Theatre
Saturday, April 13 | 2 PM & 8 PM | LeClerc Theatre
Sunday, April 14 | 2 PM | LeClerc Theatre
One of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows, this charmingly tongue-in-cheek comedy follows meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn as he stumbles across a new breed of plant he names "Audrey II" - after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down-and-out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it…BLOOD. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II's out of this world origins and intent towards global domination!
SSND NAVT Event: Joyful & Alive Conversation
Saturday, April 13 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EST | Virtual
Register Here!
We invite single young women who are curious about religious life and/or how to discern God’s invitations in their own life to bring their questions and add to the conversation.
SSND NAVT Event: Discernment Retreat for Single Women
Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28 | All Day | Baltimore, MD
Register Here!
With the theme of “Caught Up in God’s Love,” this retreat opportunity is designed for single young women (ages 18-45) who wish to dive deeper into their heart to listen for God’s call. Each weekend includes both personal and communal sessions and prayer as well as time for fun and relaxation. There is no cost to attend and some assistance with transportation costs is available if needed. SSND make great companions on your discernment journey.
SSND NAVT Event: Summer Service Week
Sunday, July 14 - Saturday, July 20 | All Day | Ellington, MO
Register Here!
Young women are invited to share in prayer, ministry and community with SSND while volunteering at WKO, a sponsored ministry. Besides the volunteer experiences during the week, there will also be time to have fun, build community, pray and reflect on how God calls each of us to intentionally respond to our baptismal call through service. There is no cost to attend. You are asked to secure your own transportation to Ellington or St. Louis. Transportation from St. Louis is provided if needed.
View all upcoming events here!
Upcoming Events
- Jan 156:00 pm - 7:00 pmZoom
Class Notes
Class notes are a way to celebrate any life updates you have with your Notre Dame community. Do you have something you wish to share with us? You can submit any update for us to share with our community here on Tower Talk. Please visit our In Memoriam page to view your deceased classmates from the past year.
Melissa DiDonato D'23 presented “Exiting ELLs in Second Grade: What is Their Performance in the Third and Fourth Grades?” at the Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference in October alongside Dr. Mark Fenster and Dr. Christa de Kleine.
Olukayode Banmeke D'22 presented “Exploring Predictors of Black Secondary School Students’ Persistence in STEM” at the Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference in October.
Jennifer Carlson D'22 presented “Impacts of Prolonged English Learner Status on Students in a Large Maryland County” at the Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference in October.
Angela McGowan Klinger D'22 presented “Language-Minority Students Identified for Special Education: Proportional Representation Across Elementary Years” at the Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference in October alongside Dr. Rachel Durham.
Nicey Olo '22 was featured on the front cover of Catholic Review’s November magazine.
Kristina Pickering '22 has spent the past year restarting the York Road Education & Service (YES) Program on campus.
Grace Okon, SSND M'21 was featured in an Atlantic-Midwest School Sisters of Notre Dame article.
Xiomara Rivera Pagán D'21 presented “U.S. Educational Language Policy Orientations: A Corpus Linguistics Analysis” at the Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference in October.
Erin Gouldin D'20 served as the panel chair for the presentation by Anne Solomon M'10 D'23 at the History of Education Society's 2023 Annual Meeting.
Lyndsay Rehak Wright '19 M'22 is a new Associate of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
Cynthia Roman Cabrera '14 will have a poetry collection titled “belonging, on self: poems on dominirican healing,” published by Finishing Line Press in Spring 2024.
Cara Detwiler Jeanne M'13 D'21 presented “Black Female Teachers Who Stay: Teacher Efficacy Through Counternarratives” at the Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference in October Dr. Rachel Durham, Dr. Candice Logan-Washington, and Stephanie Wilhide Savick '92 M'99 D'09.
Anne Solomon M'10 D'23 attended the History of Education Society's 2023 Annual Meeting and presented "Teachers as Advocates: The Social Entrepreneurship of Three Progressive Women Educators" along with current PhD student Michelle Feeney and Dr. Evelyn Spratt.
Margot Harris M'03 was selected by the U.S. Department of State for an eight-week English Language Specialist project focusing on the Teaching of English for Security Purposes in Morocco at the Royal Gendarmerie.
Catherine Owsianiecki Butrim '01 is now the Economic Development Coordinator and Arts & Entertainment District Manager for the Town of Bel Air.
Stephanie Wilhide Savick '92 M'99 D'09, associate professor in the SOE, represented Notre Dame on the conference planning committee for the 8th annual Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference, which was held on October 17 - 18 at Morgan State University. Stephanie also presented “Black Female Teachers Who Stay: Teacher Efficacy Through Counternarratives” at the conference alongside Dr. Rachel Durham, Dr. Candice Logan-Washington, and Dr. Cara Detwiler Jeanne M'13 D'21.
Susan Taseff deMuth '83 and husband, Murray, became grandparents twice within 6 weeks. Their daughter and her husband welcomed Connor Jonathon Pinto on July 20 and their son and his wife welcomed Jameson (Jamie) Carl deMuth on August 30! Also, after nearly 28 years, as of January 1, 2024, Susan will be transitioning into the role of Associate Vice President for Johns Hopkins Sesquicentennial Celebration.
Marti Tirinnanzi '82 was appointed Director/Trustee of The RBB Fund, a registered open-end investment company organized as a series trust. She is also Director on the Board of the Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), parent company to the New York Stock Exchange and derivatives exchanges worldwide.
Therese Marie Dougherty, SSND Ph.D.'60 presented on a Heritage Tour that two honors students and two honors professors completed in 2022 alongside Dr. Evelyn Spratt in November.
Contact Information
Do you have any suggestions for content to include in Tower Talk or ways we can improve? Please contact Rose Glenn at rglenn@ndm.edu.
Any general questions, comments, and concerns not related to Tower Talk can be sent to ndmalum@ndm.edu for a member of the Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Team to assist you.
