20
October 8, 2013
IN OUR COMMUNITY
National Catholic Educational Association
presents award to local philanthropic couple
Brendan (BJ) and Bebe Cassin of Los
Altos Hills received the St. Elizabeth
Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Educational Association
(NCEA), Oct. 7 at the 23rd annual ceremony this year, in Washington, DC.
The Seton Award is NCEA’s highest
honor, given in recognition of significant
contributions to Catholic education. The
award is named in honor of St. Elizabeth
Ann Seton (1774-1821), first native-born
American saint.
Brother Robert Bimonte, FSC, NCEA
president, said, “The Seton Awards
recognize leaders who are supporting
Catholic education in many ways. It’s an
excellent opportunity to encourage others to follow in the footsteps of these individuals who are helping to strengthen
Catholic schools for the next generation.”
Venture capitalist B.J. Cassin is
founder of the Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation, which he launched
in 2000 with a $22 million investment
to establish quality Catholic college
preparatory middle and high schools in
economically challenged communities.
Today 26 Cristo Rey Network high
schools and 64 Nativity Miguel Network middle schools enroll more than
12,390 students. The schools serve only
economically disadvantaged students.
The high schools, which provide a
corporate work-study program with real
world work experience in addition to
rigorous academic and spiritual prepa-
ration, are located in 17 states and the
District of Columbia. The newest school
will open in San Jose in 2014.
Part of the Cassins’ gift enabled the
Cristo Rey Network to receive a $12
million matching grant from the Gates
Foundation.
In addition to establishing the two
school networks, the Cassins provide
support to Catholic higher education
as well. They formed a bond with St.
Mary’s College in Moraga, when son
Jonathan enrolled as a freshman in the
late 1980s.
They donated $6 million for construction of the Cassin Student Union,
which was dedicated in Bebe Cassin’s
honor in 1999. B.J served as chairman of
St. Mary’s board of trustees from 1995 to
1999. While heading the college’s investment committee, he created a venture
capital fund, the Gael Growth Fund, for
college endowment funds.
The Cassins provided a $1 million
grant to the College of the Holy Cross,
(B.J.’s alma mater) to further minority
recruiting and retention. B.J. is currently
co-board chair of Christo Rey San Jose
Jesuit High School.
Established in 1904, the NCEA is the
largest private professional education
organization in the world, representing
150,000 Catholic educators serving two
million students in schools from pre-K
through high school as well as in parishes, seminaries and boards.
T
he Valley Catholic
Notre Dame High School’s Women of
Impact to honor two local achievers
Notre Dame High School in San Jos e
will honor two local women – Belva Davis and Shirley Minardi Lewis – at the
school’s fifth annual Women of Impact
luncheon, Fri., Oct. 18, 11:30 am – 1:30
pm at the Fairmont Fourth St. Summit
Center, 88 S. 4th St., 7th floor (tickets $100
per person, parking included).
The Women of Impact program recognizes the role women have played in
the region’s history, showcasing their
contributions and leadership in business and the community.
Notre Dame offers students leadership opportunities within the school
community and helps them grow as
servant leaders who answer the call of
social justice within the greater community, according to Principal Mary
Beth Riley. The oldest high school
for girls in the western United States,
Notre Dame began educating the
women of the Valley in 1851.
• Belva Davis is an award-winning
journalist with over three decades of
television experience. She has anchored
at KPIX-TV, KQED Public Television 9
and KRON-TV.
Since becoming the first black female television journalist in the West
in 1964, she has covered local, national
and international events; interviewed
U.S. Presidents and other world leaders; and, for 19 years, served as host
of KQED’s “This Week in Northern
California.”
Davis has received several dozen
journalism awards and won seven local
Emmys and three honorary doctorates. Her memoir, Never in My Wildest
Dreams, is a book telling the story of
her belief: “Don’t be afraid of the space
between your dreams and reality. If
you can dream it, you can make it so.”
• Shirley Minardi ‘50 Lewis is a
graduate of Notre Dame High School
and San Jose State University. She
served on the San José City Council,
1980 - 1992, including two years as Vice
Mayor, and four years as Vice-Chair of
the Redevelopment Agency.
She served as CEO and president
of the San Jose Symphony and vice
president of development for the Mobedshahi Hotel Group before joining
Old Republic Title Company, where
she currently serves as assistant vice
president.
Lewis has served as President of the
Rotary Club of San Jose, co-chair of the
2040 General Plan Task Force for the
City of San Jose and in positions with
many non-profits. She is currently on
the board of First Community Housing and serves as co-chair of San Jose’s
Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan
Update task force.
DEADLINE
for the November 5TH edition
of The Valley Catholic is
Friday, October 18TH
why Notre Dame?
…Because you know
yourself.
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