On Tuesday, April 4, the Academy recognized the 31 Class of 2017 students who completed the Madeleva Scholars Program during a special evening reception. The students have been working towards the achievement since their Freshman year.
The Madeleva Scholars Program provides a structure enabling students to achieve most fully those qualities articulated in the Mission Statement of The Academy of the Holy Cross: courage, compassion, and scholarship. The program is named in honor and recognition of Sister Mary Madeleva, CSC, a noted member of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, and is unique to the Academy. In addition to maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average, students must follow criteria for academics, service, leadership, athletics or activities, and enrichment. These requirements include additional service hours performed; enrichment learning activities taken in the summer; and a 10-page research paper written on a topic of the student’s choosing.
During the reception, six of the seniors spoke about their experience in the program and discussed their papers—Deirdre Belson ’17: The Golden Ratio; Caroline Case: Impact of Concussions on Retired NFL Players; Megan Conley ’17: Walt Whitman: His Works and Legacy; Madison Kelly ’17: China’s One-child Policy; Mary Schech ’17: Sacred Texts: The Role of Women in Catholicism and Hinduism; Julia Urban ’17: Psychoanalytic and Feminist Film Theories on the Role of James Bond. All paper topics were as unique as the students themselves.
Following the presentations, the Madeleva Scholars received their certificate and a ribbon that they will wear with their caps and gowns at the commencement activities.
Madeleva Scholars 2017
Cassidy Accardi
Bernadette Badamo
Sarah Banaszewski
Deirdre Belson
Elizabeth Bruno
Rosina Calandra
Keilah Callahan
Caroline Case
Jennifer Case
Isabelle Cassidy
Alessandra Checchia
Megan Conley
Sophia Crecca
Savannah Easton
Emma Falkenstein
Sophia Garcia-Zafis
Emily Halm
Madison Kelly
Jacqueline Kerlin
Brenna Kueter
Brittany Menjivar
Annabelle O'Reilly
Isabella Orgel
Madeline Ratnavale
Theresa Rogers
Mary Schech
Euthymia Stratakis
Hannah Strzelec
Grace Tarbrake
Julia Urban
Natalie Walsh