the president’s
message
the principal’s
message
Dear Saint Ursula Academy Community,
Dear SUA community,
Welcome to the end of another dynamic and successful school year! I had the pleasure of spending
much of 2015-16 chatting with members of our community about our exciting plans for our current
and future students. These initiatives, made possible by our capital campaign, open up even more
opportunities for enhancing our school-wide programs. Whatever we do, whatever initiatives we make,
whatever changes we implement, we do for our students. It is our hope that our renovated facilities,
and an increased endowment will enhance their academic opportunities, their co- and extra-curricular
activities, and the daily programming that means so much to them. We look forward to providing our curious young women with a new library/
media center, a new art/design wing, a renovated theater and an increased endowment. This summer will bring even more excitement and
progress on our new and improved spaces.
What is the result of reflective thinking? As students, faculty and staff
continue through this school year emphasizing the reflective thinker
role described in our Academy Alum program, results can be seen in
a variety ways. While some in our community are more purposefully
carving time to engage in reflective practice, others are called to
action. The progression of structured reflection prompts is appealing to
some, while creative activities that explore connections from past experiences and curiosity for future endeavors
is preferred by others. Overlaying all of these individual preferences are society’s movement to quickly acquire
information and “move on” to the next thing, without savoring the nuances of each experience and understanding
the significance of those experiences as they relate to each other. Despite these challenges, the students, faculty
and staff have found ways to reflect on what they know, what they experience and what they feel, with one unified
purpose: to be open to new possibilities and further growth.
We have a great story to tell! For over 100 years, Saint Ursula has been an important part of so many young girls’ lives. For over 100 years, we
have had a hand in developing thousands of women prepared to meet the challenges of the world and have made a transformational effect on
the people around them. When we tell the story of Saint Ursula and its potential as we move forward, it becomes incredibly humbling, affirming,
and exhilarating!
Our students are our stories. Some recount successes and gratitude of our alumnae, some tell of the challenges and triumphs of our current
students, and some remind us of the pride that each parent feels as their daughter blossoms into a woman committed to building a better world.
Let me give you a handful of examples of our active and caring students and graduates:
• I received an email from a recent alumna who is traveling to Kenya this summer to spend 15 days with The Love Africa Mission program.
While there, she will serve the students of the local school of Rift Valley Academy, and also visit the CURE Hospital. CURE Hospital is the
children’s hospital that was Africa’s first orthopedic/pediatric teaching hospital for physically disabled children. The hospital provides help for
children suffering from clubfoot, cleft lip and cleft palate, curvature of the spine and disabilities stemming from polio, cerebral palsy, muscular
dystrophy and other congenital abnormalities. Lydia sees this as a way to pay it forward and make a difference in the world.
• A graduate from 2014 created a blog named “Simply Rwandering” in which she spoke of her incredible learning experiences in Rwanda.She
took classes, toured the country, listened to the country men and women, and walked away a better person. Her blog touched our souls in
ways that linger. She spoke of the horrors of genocide, the unquenchable desire to survive and the unthinkable acts of forgiveness.
• When a 1974 graduate was asked by the Business Courier where she would donate $1,000,000, she replied to her high school, Saint Ursula
Academy.
• Our current graphic design students designed banners for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
• A current senior received the highest award for the Overture Awards in Theater.
• A 2015 graduate will be interning this summer at Saint Ursula rotating through all disciplines as she decides her future plans.
As I share lunch with seniors chatting about our Academy Alum program: becoming a reflective thinker, servant leader, nurturer, and prophet; I
am often touched by their memories of dedicated and compassionate teachers and fellow classmates who serve as supports. They share stories
of growing as young women. They share stories of friendships and bonds created through the values set forth centuries ago by St. Angela Merici
and most recently by our Pope Francis.These seniors will leave our campus, but they will never be far from our hearts. And we are confident that
our future students will carry on their legacy.
I am blessed by receiving hand-written notes in an age where they are all but obsolete. One that I keep close is from a 1999 graduate. We
connected through a letter I wrote her during the Saint Ursula Fund Drive five years ago. It took us a few years to reconnect