Graduation Year: 1972, M.A. 1986
Hometown: Santa Clara, CA
Current Residence: Santa Clara, CA
Major at Santa Clara: B.A. Spanish, M.A. Education Administration
Occupation: Retired Teacher, Principal
Favorite memory from Santa Clara
- My favorite memory from Santa Clara University, in addition to walking up the rickety steps of Montgomery Hall for my Spanish classes, has to be riding the white SCAAP van out to Alviso on Wednesday nights to tutor migrant children. I think this experience of helping students and their families is what motivated me to become a teacher. We would bump along the dirt streets of Alviso and have an amazing time tutoring the children and helping with homework and assisting parents with forms and answering their questions. When we were finished with our tutoring, we would wait for the bus to pull up and give a little honk and off we would go back to campus. I remember feeling so grown up when I moved into my first apartment senior year. I think of the beautiful campus with its serene atmosphere. I think of the expert and proficient professors who gave me a quality Jesuit education and inspired me with the Jesuit spirit of giving and caring for others everywhere. I remember treasured times spent with friends - studying, parties, walks on campus, student Masses, “all-nighters” before finals, feeling support and camaraderie. These are the best memories of all!
Extracurricular activities while a student at SCU
- Extracurricular activities were an important part of my SCU experience. I was involved with SCAAP, a Wednesday night tutoring group that would take a white van to Alviso and tutor migrant students and assist their parents. This weekly outing was most rewarding. I was also involved with student government and served on as a representative to the Student Senate, which was a great way to be involved with campus activities and governing decisions. I attempted to play powder puff football at Homecoming, but it was not a high point of my SCU days. I also went to a local nearby parochial school where I helped second graders with their First Communion Preparation. I was also involved with a local food pantry. I enjoyed these outside activities which helped me make life-long friends and feel involved with campus life.
My hobbies and interests
- My interests and hobbies are varied. I am an avid reader (hardbacks preferred), especially historical fiction and nonfiction and mysteries. I love to garden and care for 30 rosebushes in my yard, which are a joy and a curse! I love cats and always have one in my home and anywhere from one to four feral cats that I care for the industrial building where I work with my husband, I love to exercise and run and do aerobics almost daily. I love to travel - anywhere! I spend time volunteering and working on projects for SCU, Santa Clara Women’s Club, The Historic Preservation Society, and St. Justin Community Ministry, finding much joy and satisfaction from reaching out to others. Mostly, I just enjoy being with people, hosting family dinners and backyard get together with friends. I am learning that time together is the best gift and past time of all!
Things I am good at...
- When asked to state what I am good at, the first attribute that came to mind is “organized.” I am an organized person. Both in my home life, in my working careers, and in my volunteer work. I think being a schoolteacher requires the utmost organization for a class of 30 4th graders to run smoothly and positively. I was required to be even more organized as a school principal, charged with overseeing 300 students, and their parents 25 faculty members, a large budget and facility, and doing my best to meet the needs of my most important clients – the students., As President of SCU Catala Club and Santa Clara Women’s Club and school principal, I learned to the importance of preparation, putting out an agenda, running an effective meeting, allowing for discussion and different opinions, while working towards a common goal and reaching a successful outcome. These positions also made me aware of the need for public speaking skills, which have improved, but will never be perfect. Being organized has also helped greatly in fundraising for these organizations, as there are so many aspects to productive fundraising: solicitation and underwriting letters, gathering donations, the venue, and the event itself. In these roles my writing skills have improved as there was always the need for Newsletters, requests, follow-up letters, and written communication. I also believe I am an empathetic listener and like to believe I respect and reflect and verify others’ opinions. One thing I am not good at however, is math.
Expertise that I have acquired in my life and career that I bring to my term of service on the SCU Alumni Board
- Being a schoolteacher and running a classroom of fourth graders for over 20 years and being a principal of over 300 students and their families for five years, certainly gave me leadership experience. I was organized, running a facility, dealing with many kinds of people, leading important meetings bringing staff together to reach a shared vision with respectful discussion to reach outcomes and goals – always with the students” needs as our priority. I improved my writing skills, as newsletters, reports, legal documents, and parent and staff communication were always needed. After retirement I became a member of the SCU Catala Board and the Santa Clara Women’s Club Board and served as President of both, working with and leading groups of amazing women to reach common goals. Also, in these positions, I was very involved in fundraising, auctions, fashion shows, social events. I was part of the committees that sent out donation and underwriting letters, gathered and organized auction items, set up and decorated the venue. Also, in these positions I felt needed part of the community, attending school, SCU, and local events. I feel a sense of worthiness knowing that these actions helped many in many ways – scholarships for SCU undergraduates, Christmas “stores” for underserved students can “buy” gifts for their families, donations to food pantries. I hope to use these skills to further Goal 5 fof the Integrated Strategic Plan and make the quality SCU education we all value so much available, accessible, and affordable. to everyone
