Alumnae Recognized for Outstanding Achievements

This summer's class Reunion brought back nearly 700 alumnae from the classes of 4s and 9s. A highlight of the weekend is the Reunion Banquet on Saturday night. Here, the Alumnae Association honored four extraordinary alumnae for their leadership, service, and embodiment of the mission of Saint Mary’s College. The following four citations were presented:

Caitlin Brodmerkel Krouse ’09, Outstanding Young Alumna

The Outstanding Young Alumna Award honors an alumna who, within 15 years of graduation, exhibits leadership not only in her personal and professional accomplishments but also in her involvement with the Alumnae Association or the College directly. This year, we honor Caitlin Brodmerkel Krouse, Class of 2009, for her professional achievements, volunteer work, and enduring commitment to Saint Mary’s College. 

Caitlin graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and minor in biology. During her time on campus, Caitlin was a student-athlete and was active in a variety of service organizations. In 2008, she traveled to Uganda where she spent 10 weeks working with the Sisters of the Holy Cross in a health clinic and teaching health science at a school operated by the Brothers of the Holy Cross. Caitlin received both the Outstanding Senior Award and the Sister Olivia Marie Hutcheson Award for Service in the Health Field in 2009. 

Committed to growth as a healthcare practitioner and as a leader in her profession, Caitlin  earned her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Indianapolis, her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Purdue University, and a postgraduate
certificate as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from IUPUI. She currently serves as a graduate nursing director and associate professor at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind., where she makes her home with her family.

The spirit of service Caitlin exemplified during her time at Saint Mary’s extends beyond her career. She volunteers as a nurse practitioner at Matthew 25 Health & Care for uninsured patients who live in poverty and serves on the board for various other healthcare organizations. She leads advocacy and legislative efforts for greater access to affordable care, meeting regularly with legislators and lobbyists in Indiana.

Alongside this work, Caitlin also makes time to serve her alma mater. As a previous member of the Alumnae Association Board of Directors, she assumed a variety of leadership roles. Caitlin chaired both a committee for alumnae communication and contact and the Club Connection and Task Force, nurturing the larger Saint Mary’s community in the same way she has tended to it within her own sphere; Caitlin remains connected to her College teammates today, and attends alumnae events whenever possible.

Celebrating her achievements, a fellow graduate believes Caitlin’s work is distinguished by her personal strength—of conviction and of the values she holds close. Her distinct combination of academic and professional achievement, compassion for others, and drive “exemplify everything being a Belle is about.”

Colleen Campbell '99, Alumna Achievement Award

The Alumna Achievement Award honors a woman who exemplifies the mission of Saint Mary’s College. This year’s recipient is Colleen Campbell, Class of 1999. 

Colleen has been a leader since she set foot on campus. Her time at Saint Mary’s culminated in serving as a Student Trustee her senior year. Her leadership has made even more substantial impacts over the past 25 years.

Colleen earned a Master's in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College, and a PhD in Genetics from the University of Iowa. After completing her PhD, Colleen remained at the University of Iowa as she began her professional career. 

Colleen started up the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) Genetic Counseling and led the effort to pass a bill through the Iowa legislature to establish licensure for genetic counseling in the state. Colleen worked diligently to gather support for this critical legislation that would establish a baseline of qualifications to practice as a genetic counselor in the state. In 2018, after a three-year journey, Senate File 2228 was signed into law with overwhelming bipartisan support, ensuring Iowa families would have access to genetic counseling services. 
Colleen has been a volunteer leader with the National Society of Genetic Counselors. Under her leadership, the organization has grown tremendously in numbers and mission. Colleen also volunteers in small, anonymous ways to help at her daughter’s school or with smaller charity initiatives with the University of Iowa. 

Colleen’s devotion to her profession, family, and friends has not gone unnoticed. A fellow alumna said this of her, “it has been clear that Colleen has deep knowledge across many disciplines. Ask her a question, and she can muster resources to provide you with the answer. Whether the topic concerns science, healthcare, parenting, great novels, or the latest binge-able series, Colleen will have a thoughtful perspective to share.”

Jennifer Lackey '94, Humanitas Award

The Humanitas Award recognizes an alumna who is outstanding in her personal and volunteer accomplishments and is recognized for her concern for the interests and welfare of her fellow human beings. This year’s recipient is Jennifer Lackey, Class of 1994.

She is recognized for her commitment to serving others through the founding and directing of the Northwestern Prison Education Program, or NPEP. Jennifer’s work provides a high-quality liberal arts education to incarcerated adults in Illinois– the only program offering those who are incarcerated degrees from a top 10 university in the United States.

Jennifer graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1994 with a degree in philosophy before obtaining a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from Brown University. Her contributions to the academic world are well documented: she is the winner of the Horace Mann Medal and the Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize for Philosophical Achievement and Contribution, served as President of the American Philosophical Association’s Central Division, was recently named the holder of the Spinoza Chair at the University of Amsterdam, and has received grants and fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the American Council of Learned Societies; and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Jennifer currently serves as the Wayne and Elizabeth Jones Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Law (courtesy) at Northwestern University.

In 2018, Jennifer founded NPEP to provide incarcerated adults in Illinois with a college education. The first graduating class was 16 adults, and now around 100 students are enrolled in the program across various Illinois correctional facilities. In Jennifer’s words, “These men and women have the will to become educated and make thoughtful contributions to their communities. All they need is to be given a chance.” Among their many accomplishments, graduates and students in NPEP have been accepted to top-ten law schools, had their work performed at Chicago’s historic Goodman Theatre, published their writing in the New Yorker and the Marshall Project, work for Cook County judges, won historic grants for providing reentry support, and serve as a source of dreams for millions of incarcerated men and women.

Using the practical experience and life-changing impacts of her program, Jennifer is taking all avenues to enrich our world in ways that will echo for decades. Her friends and students speak volumes about Jennifer’s kind heart and commitment to a more educated and just society. 

Mary Ellen Stumpf '74, Distinguished Alumna Award

The Distinguished Alumna Award honors an alumna who exemplifies the standards, ideals, and mission of Saint Mary’s and has distinguished herself through consistent support of the College and the Alumnae Association. This year, we honor Mary Ellen Stumpf, Class of 1974.

At Saint Mary’s, Mary Ellen embodied what it was to be a student leader. Among her many leadership activities, she was elected to serve as the first student on the College’s Board of Regents and later elected to serve as Senior Class President. At her Commencement—in addition to her academic awards—she received the Lumen Christi Award, the highest honor conferred upon an undergraduate.

Armed with her bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Humanistic Studies, she obtained a master’s degree in Elizabethan Literature from the University of Toronto, as encouraged by her mentor, Sr. Jean Klene, CSC. She went on to complete her Secondary Education certificate from Virginia Commonwealth University. Following several years as an educator, Mary Ellen returned to the College at the urging of President John M. Duggan to help establish a comprehensive development program for the College—including The Madeleva Society, a key part of her enduring impact on Saint Mary’s. 

She later returned to Virginia and held several executive positions —then founded a consulting firm. In her retirement, she currently advises donors and provides pro bono advice to various charities.    

Mary Ellen has been a stalwart leader of and advocate for women’s education, for human concerns, racial reconciliation, and social justice. Her Catholic faith has been the cornerstone of her life. She is a tireless supporter of the College, helping classmates and others understand the Saint Mary’s of today, and to appreciate its changes and innovations. According to many others, she is that classmate who calls, sends emails, and checks in, a role model of what an alumna can be and do. 

June 2, 2024