The Ursuline School

Congratulations to Ava Papaleo ‘26 who today was honored by her home town, the City of Yonkers after being named the Gatorade NY State Player of the Year and the NYS Player of the Year!
What makes this even more special is her selflessness in donating her prize money back to the Yonkers PAL. Ava’s generosity emphasize serviam in action, lifting up the next generation of athletes in her hometown.
We are so proud of Ava’s success and her commitment to serve her community. We wish her well as continues her academic and athletic journey at the University of Virginia in the fall.

✨ At Reunion 2026, we proudly recognized ten extraordinary alumnae with the presentation of our St. Angela and St. Ursula Awards—honoring women who embody Serviam and lead lives of impact and purpose. ✨

💙 St. Angela Award
For exceptional exceptional dedication to the school and for promoting the values and teachings of Serviam, the foundation of an Ursuline education

• Yasuko Nakamura Saitoh ’76 – A woman of great character who embodies Serviam and shows deep affection for her classmates and our school.
• Erin Maguire Johnston ’86 – A lifelong champion of Ursuline’s mission as both a proud alumna and a devoted school leader.
• Carolyn McEvoy Trout ’06 – A generous and welcoming alumna who strengthens the alumnae sisterhood and advances our mission through her thoughtfulness, energy, and leadership.

🌟 St. Ursula Award
For distinctive achievement in their careers:

• Dr. Jody Corey-Bloom ’71 – A nationally recognized neurologist advancing research in Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
• Laura Cruickshank ’71 – An acclaimed architect whose visionary designs have transformed two major universities.
• Dr. Sheila Butler ’76 – An innovative leader in preventive, public, occupational and environmental medicine.
• Joanne Ciaramella Sayer ’76 – A distinguished attorney guiding clients with wisdom and integrity, as she also serves her community.
• Keara O’Donnell Gordon ’86 – An exceptional attorney defined not only by excellence, but by the way she uses her expertise to serve others.
• Eileen Derby Lawless ’96 – A foreign service officer with great empathy and moral clarity who has helped advanced democracy, strengthen the rule of law, and protect human rights around the world.
• Dr. Lillian Guenther ’01 – A pioneering physician, with compassion at the forefront of her research, who is bringing new hope to children battling osteosarcoma.

💙 We celebrate these outstanding alumnae and thank them for living the Ursuline mission in such meaningful ways. Congratulations to all!

It was an amazing Reunion! We were thrilled to welcome nearly 300 alumnae back to Ursuline for Reunion 2026! Thank you for coming from around the U.S. and from around the world to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate the lifelong bonds of sisterhood.
The day was filled with joy, laughter, and creating new memories. We were glad to see alumnae enjoy tours, cocktails, dinner, and dancing as well as browsing cherished memorabilia and taking class photos on the iconic Ring Day steps.
We were proud to honor 10 remarkable alumnae with Reunion awards recognizing professional achievement and service to others. We are also grateful to the many alumnae who signed up to mentor current students and the alumnae who contributed to the Reunion Impact Fund, helping strengthen the Ursuline experience for future generations.
It was so meaningful to see retired and current faculty, administrators, and the Ursuline Sisters catching up with alumnae across the decades, proof that the Ursuline community is long-lasting. Ac fui!