Guests at Marian Veritas II Raise Over $60,000 for Scholarships

In a perfect world, a dream to go to that special high school should not be that difficult. For some students it is.

On Saturday evening, two Marian Catholic students told their stories. Noor Baig, a junior from Olympia Fields, and Steven Babick from Homewood who will be graduating in May. Their stories may be a little different, but for both of them, their dream to attend Marian Catholic became reality because of the scholarships they received.

“In Kindergarten, my dad passed away suddenly from a heart attack,” said Steven Babick. “My Noni and Grandpa helped us out as much as they could. The main hero of this situation is my mom. She has been there for me through every second of my life and I would not be who I am today without her help and guidance for the last 13 years,” he added.

Vince Krydynski, President of Marian Catholic and a 1981 alumnus of the school, feels strongly about helping families like Noor and Steven.

“The ability of our families alone to support the school is not practical, given so many of them require financial assistance to attend,” Krydynski said. “The assistance of others is the differentiator which will propel Marian Catholic to even greater heights. Last year, 60% of our students received scholarships or tuition assistance,” he added.

On Saturday evening, Marian Catholic alumni and friends gave over $60,000 during Veritas II, the school’s signature scholarship benefit held at Pazzo’s 311 in Chicago.

“Every dollar raised will go to scholarship and tuition assistance,” said Krydynski. “Last year, we awarded nearly $1.8 million in scholarships and tuition assistance. That $1.8 million covered one-third of the actual need. We must find new and innovative ways to support our families.”

In his speech, Marian Catholic President Krydynski told the crowd in part, “Our beloved school looks different today than when I first walked through its doors in 1977. The area is different, the students are different, families are different, the challenges are different. Although so much has changed, what has not changed is our mission and our values. More than ever, Marian Catholic remains a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory high school within the Dominican tradition of study, prayer, community and preaching. Marian Catholic students of yesterday, today and tomorrow seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service. That is our mission statement. That is who we were in 1958 and that is who we are today.

But what has changed is the number of children who come to us from economically challenged neighborhoods of Chicago, the suburbs, and northwest Indiana. All of them are searching. As Christians and Dominicans, we are called to help those seeking assistance. We cannot and will not turn our backs on those who come to us looking for the opportunities we were blessed to receive at Marian Catholic.”

Two talented students like Noor and Steven will be able to continue their education because of those who supported Veritas II. Both are talented members of Marian Catholic’s highly regarded Speech Team. Steven has performed in four Marian Catholic productions and plans to major in theatre.

“Without generous donations, many students could not afford Marian, “ said Steven. “However, Marian offers so many amazing opportunities for students that you can't find in many other places. I'm realizing now that four years of high school really does fly by. However, these four years have definitely been the best four years of my life so far.”

The Office of Advancement, which organized Veritas II, was happy with the success of this year’s event. Dan Kozlowski, Vice President for Advancement at Marian Catholic, explains.

“The first Veritas celebration was held in 2017 at Lacuna Artist Lofts in Pilsen,” begins Kozlowski. “This was the first true fundraising gala that Marian Catholic hosted and was a learning experience in its first year for all involved. The second year (this year) saw Veritas grow substantially both in the number of attendees and funds raised,” he added.

Marian Catholic does not receive financial support from federal or state programs nor from the Archdiocese of Chicago. According to President Krydynski, Marian Catholic relies solely on student tuition and the generosity of donors to maintain its excellence.

Vice President for Advancement, Kozlowski echoes the need for continued donations for students to have a quality education.

“As Catholic schools continue to struggle to exist, it is more important than ever to invest in a Catholic education,” emphasizes Kozlowski. “The values that Marian Catholic instill in the minds of our young men and women give them the tools necessary to navigate a challenging and ever-changing world. Marian Catholic roots its students in the Dominican traditions of Study, Prayer, Community, and Preaching to build a solid foundation for personal and spiritual growth. We must continue to offer families options for the education they would like to give to their children, Marian Catholic can give EVERY student a world-class experience rivaled by no one,” adds Kozlowski.

If you were not able to attend Veritas II, but would like to make a donation to help a Marian Catholic student present or future, President Krydynski has a suggestion.

“First, no gift is too small. Second, some people believe strongly in what we are doing but cannot afford to give at this time. One way a person can support the future of Marian Catholic is through their estate. In other words, they could leave a gift to Marian Catholic through their will or adding Marian Catholic as a beneficiary of their life insurance policy or adding Marian Catholic to the title of some property. People who have remembered Marian Catholic in this special way become members of the Marian Catholic Veritas Society. Anyone interested in learning how they can give to Marian Catholic or the Veritas Society can contact the Dan Kozlowski of the Marian Catholic Advancement Department at 708.996.4652,” added Krydynski.