NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The College of New Rochelle celebrated the feast day of St. Angela Merici, founder of the Ursuline Sisters, on Thursday, January 28, 2016, with events that focused on Ursuline service. Community members assembled for Mass in the Holy Family Chapel, where Fr. Joseph Flynn, OFM, Cap., chaplain, noted that St. Angela “was able to give love a concreteness in her time” when she decided that, rather than being cloistered, the Ursulines would serve and live among the poor.
Following the Mass, a reception was held in Leland Castle at which the Ursuline Service Awards were presented to students and alumni representing each of the College’s four schools. “Although Angela lived in the 16th century, her life and work resonate with the concerns of the modern world,” said Alison More, executive director of mission and ministry. “In particular, she was committed to the education of women and to improving society.” President Judith Huntington traced the strong influence of St. Angela on the College today, noting, “Our students are the contemporary expression of St. Angela.”
The Ursuline Service Award recipients were Andrea Fobbs SNR’13 GS’15, Catherine Pena SN’16, Jade Sailor SAS’18, and Cheryl Clarke SNR’15. Fobbs, a native of Mount Vernon, NY, is currently studying for her certificate in Long Term Care Administration. She has volunteered with AmeriCorps and the New Rochelle Public Library, where she helped job seekers create resumes and cover letters. She teaches English as a Second Language and has helped 32 students pass the GED and obtain their high school equivalency.
A community health representative for the Student Nurses Association, Pena, a New York City resident, works to raise awareness of domestic violence by partnering with Counseling and Health Services and the One Love Foundation. This winter, she organized a coat drive to benefit POTS (Part of the Solution), a one-stop social services organization in the Bronx where she regularly volunteers.
Sailor, who hails from Bloomfield, CT, is active in the sophomore class and in CNR organizations including Spectrum, which encourages discussion of diversity issues, and the Model UN. Through her program, “Colorful Kids for a Colorful Future,” Sailor works to help young people transcend barriers of race and class and prepare for academic success. She has organized several events focusing on women’s health issues, from breast cancer to sexual assault.
Through her work with the Montego Bay High School Alumnae Association of New York, Clarke from Mt. Vernon, NY, participates in community service projects and works to improve conditions for young women of her native Jamaica. Her efforts include collecting school supplies, providing opportunities for further study, and conducting toy and clothing drives for families in need. “I’m really passionate about helping young people who don’t have certain advantages,” said Clarke. “They need to be encouraged and motivated to pursue their education, and I think it helps them to know someone like me who went back to school and is now giving back.”
