McAuley Inducts Six Distinguished Alumnae In Hall of Honor

CHICAGO, IL – Six women will be inducted into Mother McAuley Liberal Arts Hall of Honor on Sunday, April 22. Alumnae, friends and supporters of the school are invited to attend the event which will be held on the school’s campus, located at 3737 W. 99th St. in Chicago. This year’s inductees include a renowned artist, scientist, business leaders and philanthropist.

The celebration begins with Mass at 10 a.m. in the auditorium where the six McAuley alumna will be inducted into McAuley Hall. A champagne brunch will take place in the dining hall immediately after the induction. Tickets to the brunch cost $50 per person and may be purchased in advance on the school’s website.

Established in 2013, McAuley Hall is a permanent installation at the school, serving to educate and inspire current and future students and all who visit the school. Inductees into the Hall were chosen from more than 100 nominations.

“The lifetime advantage of a Mother McAuley education is that it drives women to become the very best version of themselves,” says Mary Acker Klingenberger, 75, president. “As these six women – and many more alumnae – demonstrate, McAuley women rise to the top of their profession, yet remain forever mindful of their roots and their role. They consistently channel their skills and talents into efforts that better the lives of others.”

This year’s inductees into McAuley Hall include:

Sister Cathleen Cahill, R.S.M.

Sister Cathleen Cahill served as curriculum director and then principal of Mother McAuley from 1978 to 1987. Throughout her time at McAuley, Sister Cathleen embraced her commitment to education and her leadership role with faith. Her work today remains integral to many of the Sisters of Mercy education initiatives. Most recently, she filled the role of chair of the Education Sponsorship Council of the Sisters of Mercy West-Midwest.

Joan Bransfield, SXA ‘52

Joan Bransfield has enjoyed a long and distinguished career with the Chicago Archdiocesan schools. Most notably, as principal of the School of Saint Mary in Lake Forest, Joan helped oversee a $6.1 million campaign for the construction of a new building. Under her leadership, St. Mary’s grew to become one of the 10 largest elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Joan has been recognized as a National Distinguished Principal by the U.S. Secretary of Education and Most Distinguished Catholic Principal in the Midwest by the National Catholic Education Association.

Joy Bivins ‘94

Joy Bivins currently is the director of Curatorial Affairs at the Chicago History Museum, where she channels her expertise on African American history, especially the Great Migration; the history of Chicago; and, general U.S. history, into a number of diverse exhibition projects. She has contributed to the Journal of American History, Chicago History, Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art, and co-edited the exhibition catalog for Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair. Joy recently accepted the position of chief curator/vice president at the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, a new institution scheduled to open in 2020.

Mary Jean Ryan ‘76

Mary Jean Ryan is the founding director of Community Center for Education Results (CCER), a non-profit based in Seattle. CCER staffs the regional Road Map Project: a collective impact initiative aimed at dramatically improving education for low-income students and minorities. The program has signed up over 30,000 low-income students for college scholarships. Mary Jean’s work has earned her the Passionate Citizenship Honoree Award from the Wales Foundation, the Parent Magazine Award, and the Washington PTA’s Statewide Friend of Children Award. Seattle Magazine named her one of their “Most Influential People” in 2009.

Mariann Rebenson Piano, ‘75 PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA

Dr. Mariann Piano is the Nancy & Hilliard Travis Professor of Nursing and Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She has a distinguished career in substance abuse research, focusing on understanding the adverse effects of unhealthy alcohol drinking patterns on the cardiovascular system. Her work is supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Center for Research Resources. Mariann also is professor emerita at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she taught for nearly 30 years and was instrumental in developing the college’s first adult nurse practitioner program.

The Honorable Jean Prendergast Rooney ‘88

The Honorable Jean Prendergast Rooney was appointed Cook County Circuit Court Judge in 2010, the first woman from her local law school class to become a member of the judiciary. Previously, Jean was in private practice at the Chicago firm of Schulyer, Roche and Crisham, where she led the firm’s litigation practice. She earned the distinction of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch” in 2007 by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and was named an “Illinois Super Lawyer” for four consecutive years. Jean passed away in December 2015. Her friends and family continue to speak warmly of her unwavering friendship, intellect, successful career and love for her family.

More information on McAuley, including how to purchase tickets for the induction ceremony, can be found on the McAuley website.