Alumnae
Alumnae News & Honors

2020 Alumnae Awardees

A Very Special Alumnae of the Year Announcement! | Celebrating the SDS

In 2020, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of the presence of DSHA's religious sponsor, the Sisters of the Divine Savior, in the United States. As part of this momentous occasion, we wish to honor 14 members of this extraordinary community, who are also graduates of one of DSHA's founding schools, Divine Savior High School, as our 2020 Alumnae of the Year. Their ministries have taken these remarkable women all over the globe, and their impact is worldwide. They have faithfully lived out the goodness and kindness of Jesus Christ in who they are and the work they have led. They embody what it means to be a graduate of DSHA, as women who are believers, self-advocates, critical thinkers, communicators, and leaders who continually make a difference in the people and places surrounding them. The full DSHA community is forever grateful for this special group of alumnae – for the gifts they have shared, and for their efforts in shaping DSHA into what it is today – a place committed to developing young women into their full potential as women of faith, heart, and intellect.

Please join us in celebrating the 2020 Alumnae of the Year!

List of 15 items.

Past Awardees

List of 3 items.

  • Young Alumna of the Year

    2010: Samantha "Sam" Erschen, DSHA '05
    2011: Patricia Egan Schmidt, DSHA '01
    2012: Katie Weiss, DSHA '97
    2013: Mary Kate Steinmiller, DSHA '03
    2014: Gina Stilp, DSHA '99
    2015: Shanna Doucette Knierim, DSHA '00
    2016: Elizabeth Rees, DSHA '02
    2018: Melissa Melendez Rios, DSHA '03 
    2019: Molly Sullivan, DSHA '04
    2021: Arike Ogunbowale, DSHA '15

  • Alumna of the Year

    1994: Lucille Carpenter Boemer, HA '18 †
    1995: Margaret Mathews Sankovitz, HA '51
    1996: Terry Gehringer Gingrass, DS '70
    1997: Kathleen Zierden Olen, HA '57
    1998: Toni Gradisnik, SSSF, DSHA '71
    1999: Janet Schewe, BVM, HA '33 †
    2000: Judith Carney Keyes, DS '58
    2001: Fran Sorrenti Tollefson, HA’65
    2002: Betty Ewens Quadracci, HA ’57 †
    2003: Barb Frey, DSHA ’74
    2004: Katie Andrews Murphy, DS ’58 †
    2005: Kathie O’Brien Daily, DS ’60 †
    2006: Mary Jo Johnson Dempsey, HA ’68
    2007: Mary Rademacher Rose, DS ‘59 †
    2008: Mary C. Cannon, HA ‘63
    2009: Diane Knight, HA ‘64
    2010: Laura Wake Bray, DSHA ‘90
    2011: Chris Oldam McDermott, DSHA '76
    2012: Lauren Dedinsky Maddox, DSHA '82
    2013: Kate Granrath Wilson, DS '63
    2014: Jane Foley, DSHA '74 and S. Shawnee Daniels-Sykes, DSHA '79
    2015: Barbara Millen, HA '68
    2016: Susan Ruesch Evans, DS ’69
    2018: Laurie Gramling Lambach, DSHA '76
    2019: Captain Amy Bauernschmidt, DSHA '89
    2021: Molly Hogan, DSHA '02
     
    † deceased

  • Jubilarian of the Year

    1996: Marie Esser Hansen, HA '43†
    1997: Mary O'Mahar McCormick, HA '31†
    1998: Virginia Gaertner Broderick, HA '35†
    1999: S. Jane Buellesbach, HA '49
    2000: S. Janet Schewe, BVM, HA '33†
    2001: Florence Merten Fridl, HA '45†
    2002: none
    2003: Margaret Mathews Sankovitz, HA '51
    2004: Antonette (Toni) Dujick Gorske, HA ’50
    2005: Elenor McDermott Schroeder, HA ’53
    2006: Mary Ellen Anderson Buellesbach, HA ‘47†
    2007: Mary Weller, HA ‘57; Mary Preo Wiegele, DS ‘52†
    2008: Patricia Sheridan Spoerl, HA ‘47; Marilyn Maren Berger, DS ‘52
    2009: Maripat Young Dalum, HA ‘59
    2010: Patricia Shannon Janz, DS ‘58
    2011: S. Mary McCauley, BVM, HA '56
    2012: Mary Reilly Cermak, DS '52†
    2013: Sylvia Pancheri DuBois, HA '46†
    2014: S. Sheila Novak, SDS, DS '58
    2015: S. Mary Howard Johnstone, OP, DS '65
    2016: Mary Pat Klein Pfeil , DS ’65†
    2018: Janie Felker Jasin, DS '57
    2019: Joan McCabe Bruce, DS '64
    2020: Divine Savior Alumnae of the SDS Order
    2021: Maria Haas Tess, HA '68
     
    † deceased

Award Criteria

List of 3 items.

  • Young Alumna of the Year

    Established in 2010, the Young Alumna of the Year Award recognizes established and future leaders among DSHA's young alumnae. The award honors an alumna for achievements in her career and/or public, community or parish service activities which may be especially exceptional given her age.

    Criteria for this recognition include one or more of the following:
    • Demonstrated leadership capability
    • Substantial indication of a commitment to service of others
    • Leadership/potential for distinction in the long term
    • Positive role model for current DSHA students and other young alumnae
    • Substantial commitment to school and its mission
    • Professional achievement of distinction for a young woman

    The Young Alumna of the Year supports the efforts of DSHA to be recognized and valued as the best high school for young women seeking rigorous college preparation, faith development, leadership opportunities and personal growth.Prospective recipients must have graduated from DSHA within the last 15 years, may not be a candidate for public office and must be available to attend designated award ceremony.

  • Alumna of the Year

    The Alumna of the Year must be an alumna of Holy Angels Academy, Divine Savior High School or DSHA and must have graduated at least 15 years prior to receiving the award. Her daily life must reflect the Christian values and ideals nurtured at DSHA. She must exhibit strength of character and shows social and/or individual progress, achieved by conscious, intelligent devotion to desirable goals.

    She is an inspiration for other women and shows strong awareness of human problems and has measurably contributed toward their alleviation in private and/or public life by exhibiting leadership in her community or field.

    The Alumna of the Year is committed to our mission to educate young women in an environment that fosters an awareness of a loving God and promotes the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. She supports the efforts of our institution to be recognized and valued as the best high school for young women seeking rigorous college preparation, faith development, leadership opportunities, and personal growth.

  • Jubilarian of the Year

    The Jubilarian of the Year Award recognizes a woman whose daily life reflects Christian values, ideas and strength of character. As a leader in her community she has exhibited a strong awareness of human problems and her contributions toward their alleviation is an inspiration to other women. The Jubilarian of the Year must have graduated from Divine Savior High School or Holy Angels Academy at least 50 years ago.
To nominate a HA, DS, or DSHA alumna to be honored, please complete the nomination form and submit to Alumnae Director Danielle Rabe.
The 125th Anniversary of Divine Savior Holy Angels High School | Jubilarian Alumnae of the Year for 2017

In light of the 125th anniversary celebrated in 2017, DSHA gave special recognition to five Jubilarians who shaped the school through dedicated service to their alma mater as leaders and teachers. Click on the names below to learn more. 

Betty Jo Zintek Azpell, HA '58

Marilyn Kleis Casper, DS '64

S. Virginia Honish, SDS, DS '55

Carla LaValle Olle, HA '60

Angela Mischke Pienkos, DS '58

Divine Savior Holy Angels High School

4257 N. 100th Street Milwaukee, WI 53222 | Phone: (414) 462-3742
Sponsored by the Sisters of the Divine Savior
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