21
spotlight on young alum
Anthony Venida '09
somewhere in America... riding for a cure
We caught up with Anthony shortly before he graduated from college and just before he
was to embark on a 70-day bike ride across the United States, starting in Baltimore and
ending in San Francisco, to help raise awareness and money in support of cancer research.
One leg of his journey is dedicated to our own Tony Mammano '82, father of
Victoria '09 and Celena Mammano '10.
1) What have you been doing since graduating from Bishop McNamara in 2009?
On May 23, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a minor in music from
the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Starting in September, I will be working
in an immunology lab at the National Institutes of Health as a Postbaccalaureate IRTA fellow
working under the guidance of Dr. Michael Lenardo. I plan on taking the MCAT early next year
and will apply to medical school.
2) How did your education at Bishop McNamara influence your educational, professional,
and service decisions?
Education has always been a priority of mine ever since I was a little kid thanks to the upbringing
of my parents. It wasn’t until I got to BMHS where I recognized the good that can come out of my
education, whether it’s through academics or service. McNamara truly is a family, and our duty as
students was to provide support to the community as best we can. What made a significant impact
in my time as a student was the emphasis on a verse from the Gospel of Luke: “To whom much is
given, much is expected.” I have been blessed with a wonderful education from the faculty and staff
at BMHS and surrounded by a community of supporters that encourage me to make a difference in the world at large. Whether it’s serving the church
with my musical abilities, tutoring younger children in an effort to increase their passion for a certain subject, or finding ways to volunteer that are
in line with the corporal works of mercy, the education I’ve been given as a McNamara student emphasized the difference a person can make with the
things they’ve been given. Fostering this kind of mindset has made me a better person and I thank the McNamara community for that.
3) Tell us about your family connections to Bishop McNamara.
I have two older sisters who graduated from BMHS: Valerie Venida '06 and Marylou Venida '07.
4) What is your current involvement with Bishop McNamara?
I try my best to visit BMHS whenever I am on vacation to say 'hi' and catch up with teachers. I’ve attended a couple of the school events and
volunteered at last summer’s youth leader camp.
5) Tell us about your upcoming bicycle trip across the United States.
This summer, I will participate in a program called the 4K for Cancer, which is a 70-day, 4,000+ mile cross-country bike ride across the United States
that starts in Baltimore and ends in San Francisco. I will be biking coast to coast for young adults affected by cancer. Like many, I have had a personal
connection to the cancer community. Two of my aunts and two cousins battled cancer and I lost a close friend to ocular cancer (Jabie Escano '08). The
4K for Cancer mission is to inspire and foster hope to the young adult community, to make sure they know they have the support from not only their
loved ones, but an entire community of supporters across the nation. We will be doing this by visiting cancer patients at hospitals, centers, and hospices
and by hosting cancer education programs in the towns we stop at along the way.
I've been blessed with the support of so many people throughout this journey, thus far, that I promise to make the most out of this summer. I promise
to make as much noise as I can for the cancer population, to let them know they are not alone in this battle and that I am fighting for them. To date,
I’ve fundraised $7,550 for the Ulman Cancer Fund, which is a non-profit organization that supports, educates, and connects young adults and their
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