Saint Mary's College Alumnae Association Announces 2019 Award Recipients

NOTRE DAME, Ind., (July 25, 2019) – The Alumnae Association Board of Directors for Saint Mary’s College, a Catholic, residential, liberal arts college in Notre Dame, Ind., celebrated the following four 2019 honorees at a ceremony held during their Reunion event at the college:

Outstanding Young Alumna Award, Alicen Miller Teitgen, Class of 2009 

The Humanitas Award, Anne Day Falvey, Class of 1984

The Alumna Achievement Award, Joan Frances Lewis, Class of 1962

The Distinguished Alumna Award, Barbara Wolfston Urrutia, Class of 1974

“These outstanding alumnae continue to make their mark and excel in whatever they set out to do,” said, Kara M. O'Leary '89, Executive Director of Alumnae and College Relations Saint Mary's College. We’re humbled and honored to celebrate their diverse accomplishments and hope to inspire current and future Saint Mary’s College students.”

Details on the Saint Mary’s College 2019 Alumnae Awards follow:

Outstanding Young Alumna Award, Dr. Alicen Miller Teitgen, Class of 2009. Teitgen was chosen for her leadership, dedication to her alma mater, and demonstration of the standards, ideals, and mission of Saint Mary’s College, as the 2019 Outstanding Young Alumna Award.  She received her bachelor of science degree from Saint Mary’s College, her master of science degree from Ball State University, and her PhD from the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Purdue University. Her passion for chemistry continued by teaching chemistry at all-male Wabash College. Currently, Teitgen teaches organic chemistry at Butler University. Her research accomplishments with colleagues include discovery of a new class of environmentally- friendly lubricants. In addition to teaching college students, Teitgen’s instruction has expanded to toddlers and retirees via her YouTube channel with her young daughters, assisting in beginner’s chemistry classes, titled “Little Giants,” “Little Chemists.”   

The Humanitas Award, Anne Day Falvey, Class of 1984. The Humanitas Award honors an alumna who makes the world a better place and recognizes her role in the welfare of fellow human beings. Falvey was recognized for her dedication to infants and children struggling in the foster care system. A Saint Mary’s graduate with a bachelor of arts degree in education, Falvey started out as a teacher in California and saw students facing challenging situations and wanted to help.  She and her husband Joe, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, applied to be licensed foster parents and provided a home to 18 foster children along with four biological children and five adopted children. Falvey was chosen by the Saint Mary’s Alumnae Association for her personal dedication, compassion, selflessness, and sacrifice.

The Alumna Achievement Award, Joan Frances Lewis, Class of 1962. Joan Frances Lewis graduated with her bachelor of arts degree, a major in French, minor in political science, and set off for Saint Mary’s College Rome program where she worked her way to securing correspondent positions for the New York Times in Rome and Cairo, as well as freelance positions with the National Catholic Register, Wall Street Journal, Miami Herald, and The San Francisco Examiner. Lewis was invited to help launch the bilingual Vatican Information Service before later being named Rome Bureau Chief for the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), Dame of St. Sylvester, Dame of the Constantinian Order, and becoming invested in the Order of the Holy Sepulcher. Lewis currently spends time volunteering in her community; helping with fundraisers for the Pontifical North American College, serving as a lector and member of the parish council at St. Patrick’s American Community in Rome, and as a member of the Board of Regents of Marymount International School in Rome. Recognized by the Alumnae Association for upholding the standards and ideals of Saint Mary’s College and its mission, Joan Frances Lewis was named the 2019 Alumna Achievement Award recipient.

The Distinguished Alumna Award, Barbara Wolfston Urrutia, Class of 1974. Wolfston Urrutia graduated with a bachelor of science degree in medical technology from Saint Mary’s and a master’s degree in business administration from Santa Clara University prepping her for a longstanding accolade-filled career in healthcare starting with Beckman Coulter and then Quest Diagnostics.  She simultaneously continued to serve Saint Mary’s College, as a member of the Madeleva Society Steering Committee, on the Alumnae Association Board of Directors and for the Saint Mary’s College Sesquicentennial gift and reunion campaigns. She also volunteers for the College’s admissions office and San Francisco Bay Area Alumnae Club. Created to honor Saint Mary’s College alumnae who exemplifies the standards, ideals, and mission of Saint Mary’s College and has distinguished herself through consistent support of Saint Mary’s and ongoing work for the Alumnae Association, the 2019 recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award was awarded to Barbara Wolfston Urrutia.

Find more details about each award here.