Alumnae

Alumnae Awards

Each year, Women of Mercy are honored with four annual awards—The McAuley Outstanding Alumna Award, the Sr. Joannes Clifford, RSM Distinguished Alumna Award, The Spirit of Mercy Alumna Service Award, and The Heart of Mercy Young Alumna Award. Recipients are honored during an assembly on Foundation Day, the day the Sisters of Mercy were formed as a religious order. We are deeply grateful for all of our alumnae who set an example for our Mercy Girls as they continue to learn and grow. To learn more about these awards, we invite you to explore the list below.

List of 4 items.

  • The McAuley Outstanding Alumna Award

    The McAuley Outstanding Alumna Award recognizes an alumna who shows that the values, spirit, and integrity learned at Mercy are held, maintained, and expanded throughout a woman’s lifetime. These are qualities usually attributed to Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy.

    The following criteria will be used to select the recipient:
    • Displays loyalty to Mercy High School
    • Demonstrates leadership in the community or her field
    • Demonstrates strength of character
    • Is uniquely sensitive to her fellow human beings
    • Believes in Mercy
    • Possesses the courage of her convictions
    • Inspires other young women
    • Supports Mercy High School

  • The Sister Joannes Clifford, RSM Distinguished Alumna Award

    The Sister Joannes Clifford, RSM Distinguished Alumna Award was created in honor of Sister Joannes’ jubilee and recognizes a loyal and supportive alumna who has distinguished herself in a particular field or endeavor and has made a lasting impact on quality of life through her contributions.

    The following criteria will be used to select a recipient:
    • Displays loyalty to Mercy High School
    • Distinguishes herself in a particular field or endeavor (profession, volunteer activities, commitment to an issue, project, or cause)
    • Contributes a lasting impact on the quality of life of others through her contributions
    • Supports Mercy High School

  • The Spirit of Mercy Alumna Service Award

    The Spirit of Mercy Alumna Service Award recognizes an alumna who responds to the Gospel call to serve others in our community, our country, or our world, and, by her example, inspires and motivates others to service.

    The following criteria will be used to select the recipient:
    • Demonstrates loyalty to Mercy High School
    • Provides extraordinary service to the community, whether it is providing leadership on important issues, dedicating time and energy in service to others, or serving in a distinctive manner
    • Motivates and inspires others to join in efforts to enhance the community
    • Leads other to understand the value of service
    • Offers service that has a long-lasting impact
    • Inspires young women
    • Supports Mercy High School 

  • The Heart of Mercy Young Alumna Award

    The Heart of Mercy Young Alumna Award recognizes a recent alumna, five to 15 years after her Mercy graduation, who, through professional or volunteer activities, embraces the core values of a Mercy education: is compelled by mercy, reflects educational courage, is inspired by faith, demonstrates principled leadership, and/or is a voice for dignity and respect.

    The following criteria will be used to select the recipient:
    • Demonstrates loyalty to Mercy High School
    • Inspires young women
    • Supports Mercy High School 
    • Graduated from Mercy within the last five to 15 years

Congratulations to our 2023 Alumnae Award Winners! We invite you to view highlights from the celebration by viewing the video or photo album below.
We are pleased to announce our 2023 recipients! To learn more about these phenomenal Women of Mercy, please visit their biographies below.

List of 4 items.

To view our previous award winners, please use the lists below. We are proud to honor these outstanding Women of Mercy!

List of 4 items.

  • The McAuley Outstanding Alumna Award

    • 2023: Nancy Assero ’65, P’97
    • 2022: Carol Tan, Ph.D. ’83 and Ashley Kowalski ’07
    • 2020: Laura Wontrop Klauser ’04
    • 2019: Laura Lebrun Hatcher ’94, P’21
    • 2018: Anita Healy O’Neill ’68
    • 2017: Nancy McColgan ’78
    • 2016: Sally Riley ’64
    • 2015: Donna Orem ’72
    • 2014: M. Angela Carolan Hall ’73
    • 2013: Meghan Cosgrove ’98
    • 2012: Lea Bradley Gilmore ’83, P’21
    • 2011: Kelly Hammett Macías ’95
    • 2010: Sharon Christie ’73
    • 2009: Sr. Pat Baber, RSM ’70
    • 2008: Michelle Lizardo ’93
    • 2007: Mary Ella Franz Marion ’76, P’09
    • 2006: Mary-Margaret Kardian Latchford ’64
    • 2005: M. Eileen Kohles Baird ’65, P’88,’2; GP’11, ’15
    • 2004: Mary Eleanor Stegmaier Lawrence ’65, P’91,’93,’96, ’98
    • 2003: Suzanne Hall Price ’67
    • 2002: Mary Anne Heckwolf ’66 
    • 2001: Christy Boss Berg ’66
    • 2000: Cathy Lane Rowan ’73
    • 1999: Sr. Donna Coward, RSM ’65
    • 1998: Janet Marconi Sisson ’73
    • 1997: Rodell Sneeringer Ramirez ’66
    • 1996: Sr. Gwynette Proctor, SNDdeN ’70
    • 1995: Judy Swift Cash ’77
    • 1994: Rosemarie Lazzati ’73
    • 1993: Cathy Gonce O'Keefe ’68
    • 1992: Ellen Callegary ’70
    • 1991: Mary Patricia Franck Olin ’66
    • 1990: Joan Sadowski Grega ’71
    • 1989: Geri Saylor Morrison ’64
    • 1988: Sr. Sue Weetenkamp, RSM ’66, P’93
    • 1987: Mary Lou Keating Mérida ’69, P’96
    • 1986: Gisele Ferretto ’76, P’91,’92
    • 1985: Victoria Garvey ’64
    • 1984: Joyce Marsh Hiebler ’65, P’88; GP’18, ’20

  • Sister M. Joannes Clifford, RSM Distinguished Alumna Award

    • 2023: Lynne Spigelmire Viti ’65
    • 2022: Maria Breschi Lombardo, RN ’64, P’02 and Sr. Linda Mary Larsen, SSJ ’66
    • 2020: Dr. Kia Myrick McDaniel ’95
    • 2019: Maura Hilgartner Kadan ’95
    • 2018: Dorothy Zukor ’68
    • 2017: Mary Carol Ceselsky ’87
    • 2016: Kim Clark ’76
    • 2015: Tere Geckle ’71
    • 2014: The Honorable Mary Ellen Santiago Barbera ’69, P’88
    • 2013: Anne Balcer, Esq. ’95
    • 2012: Barbara Barrett Clapp ’76
    • 2011: Janice Ulhorn Teeter ’70
    • 2010: Joyce Green (posthumous) ’64
    • 2009: Stephanie Beran ’76
    • 2008: Lisa Rogers Bands ’76
    • 2007: Major Sue Young ’71
    • 2006: Lynne Lochte ’84
    • 2005: Betty Unkelbach Ciesla ’69, P’95
    • 2004: Lisa Hurka Covington ’74
    • 2003: Ann von Forthuber ’68
    • 2002: Karen Dembinsky McGraw ’68
    • 2001: Elizabeth Turner ’66
    • 2000: Patricia Gonce Morton, Ph.D. ’70
    • 1999: Kathy High ’75
    • 1998: Kathy Nash Lockhart ’64
    • 1997: Joan Morris Meagher ’66
    • 1996: Anne Spampinato George ’64
    • 1995: The Honorable Carol Smith ’64 and Pat McIntyre Burton ’65

  • Spirit of Mercy Alumna Service Award

    • 2023: Tess Veloso ’68
    • 2022: Bonnie Bevans Kottraba ’98 and Gwen Lee, M.D. ’86
    • 2020: Mary Agnes Myers Votta ‘68, P’10
    • 2019: Elisa Hochrein Lawson ’75, P’97
    • 2018: Sarah Butts ’98
    • 2017: Cheryl Frazier-Trusty ’98
    • 2016: Michele Huffman Mueller ’98
    • 2015: Karen Lippy Maimone ’92, P’19
    • 2015: Karen Kansler ’72, P’99, ’01

  • The Heart of Mercy Young Alumna Award

    • 2023: Unissa Cruse-Ferguson ’10

Mercy High School

1300 East Northern Parkway
Baltimore, Maryland, 21239

Phone: (410) 433-8880
Fax: (410) 323-8816
Mercy High School Baltimore is a sponsored ministry of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and is a member of Mercy Education.

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