For two weeks in February, nine Ursuline Academy students traded in their French classroom in Dedham for the real thing, studying with students at L' Institution Saint Marie in Toulon, France.

This is the second time that Ursuline has offered this French exchange program in collaboration with Xaverian Brothers High School, an all-boys Catholic school in neighboring Westwood. "Students who study French have the opportunity to spend two weeks immersed in French culture through staying with French families in Toulon, then visiting Paris for three days," said Dr. Amal Radwan, one of Ursuline's French teachers and the UA chaperone on the trip.

The students spent time with their host families and got to know the city of Toulon, in the southeast of France, as well as attended classes at the host school. "My favorite thing about France was living in the city for a few nights and being able to see how the French people live," said Meghan Stewart '14.

Both the Xaverian and UA students also got to see the sights in France, from the Lourve, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower in Paris to Versailles to the World War II museum in Toulon. They also enjoyed a brief visit to the nearby country of Monaco, where they saw the Royal Palace and the exterior of the famous Monte Carlo casino. "Being immersed in the French culture and experiencing their way of life was truly an unforgettable experience. I came back with not only new friends--both American and French--but a French family that I love just as my own," said Chantal Chammas '13.

Many of her classmates also expressed a desire to return to France again in the future. "France was a life-changing experience that I will never forget," said Lisa Luciano '14. "The scenery was breathtaking and I met lifelong companions. I cannot wait to go back as soon as possible!"

"It's almost fairy time." ~ A Midsummer Night's Dream

This year the Ursuline Academy Drama Club added a third production to their schedule for the first time ever! In addition to the winter play and the spring musical, the UA thespians took on the challenge of performing a Shakespeare play in March. Watch these mystical scenes from their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream on Saturday, March 2!

The annual Father-Daughter Dance is a much-loved tradition at Ursuline. The older students have the semi-formal and the prom, but the 7th, 8th and 9th graders have this fun night with their dads (or grandfathers, brothers, uncles, godfathers, etc.). The UA girls danced the night away with dad in the Tea Room on Friday, March 1, 2013:

It was a Friday afternoon in the Ursuline Gym, but the match up on the court was worthy of NCAA March Madness: the student vs. faculty basketball game!

The UA Basketball team faced off against their teachers in front of a gym full of cheering fans and the freshmen reporters from our Lowder News club were on hand to capture all the action:

Thanks to all the faculty players, pictured below in their coordinating green UA shirts with the student team (left to right): Mrs. Johnson, Dr. Muldoon, Mr. O'Connor, Mrs. Surabian '03, Ms. Williams, Ms. Mayo, Mrs. Manning, Mrs. Collins, Ms. O'Malley '07, Mr. Pokotilov and referee Mr. Hursey.

(Left to Right): Nancy Kelley-Loughnane '91, Danielle St. Germain-Gordon '87 & Regina Sullivan '78

"Once an Ursuline girl, always an Ursuline girl" is a phrase heard often among the nearly 3,500 alumnae of UA. The truth of that phrase was surely evident at the 16th annual Women in Leadership Symposium on Friday, March 1, 2013.

Three Ursuline alumnae, of the Classes of 1978, 1987 and 1991, were answering questions in a Q&A session, bantering like they had known each other for years. A group of seniors in the audience wondered aloud to each other if the women had been friends while at school.

Not quite. They had just met that morning, when they arrived to present at the symposium, but bonded instantly over their shared Ursuline experiences. Once an Ursuline girl, always an Ursuline girl.

Ursuline Academy's annual Women in Leadership Symposium brings distinguished alumnae back to campus to mentor and network with current students and this year we were thrilled to welcome Regina Sullivan '78, Executive VP at Fidelity Investments, Danielle St. Germain-Gordon '87, Chief Development Officer at Arena Stage Theater, and Nancy Kelley-Loughnane '91, Human Signatures Branch Technical Advisor in the Navy, back to campus. Each of our guest speakers gave a talk about her career and personal journeys since leaving the halls of Ursuline, followed by the Q&A and an opportunity for students to speak to the women individually.

Thank you to our wonderful speakers for joining us! Watch all the highlights from Women in Leadership 2013:

7th grade members of the Junior Plaids (L to R): Amanda Giordano, Abby Wukitch, Lillian Wood & Kiara Cronin

The latest edition to the robotics programs at UA--which already include junior high technology classes and a high school FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Team, the Robots in Plaid--is a junior high robotics club. This group of 7th and 8th grade students interested in robotics dubbed themselves the Junior Plaids and is in it's first year in 2012-2013.

Sheila Orechia '14 and Grace Ryan '14, both members of the high school Robots in Plaid, mentor their younger robotics counterparts. "We started the Junior Plaids because a big part our robotics competition deals with outreach and spreading technology awareness to the community," Sheila said. "We thought that a good way to do that would be to spread robotics to the 7th and 8th graders in the Ursuline community."

The Junior Plaids competed in their first competition in November, with a theme of "Senior Solutions." They programmed their robot to do various tasks and challenges that have the potential to be helpful to senior citizens. Tasks included programming the robot to turn off a hot "stove" and using color sensor programs to select the correct "pill bottle" and return it to the robot base. The students must program the robot to complete as many tasks as possible in 2 minutes and 30 seconds for the competition.

Abby Wukitch '18 designed the Junior Plaids' official competition t-shirt this year, and has also been recruiting her friends to join the club. The Junior Plaids started out with only two 7th graders this fall, but now that number has increased to five. Though the competition season is over, the Junior Plaids still meet every Monday after school. "We are using this time to learn new techniques, like motors and color sensors, and do research on next year's theme, which is Natural Disasters," said Mrs. Jennifer Brown, the Science/Technology teacher who also serves as moderator of the club.

Sheila and Grace have also taken an active leadership role with the Junior Plaids. "At first it was hard because you have to direct them in a way that is going to guide them without giving the answer," Grace said. Sheila agreed, "The motto for the club is 'Figure it out' because they should be figuring it out and learning the process, rather than Mrs. Brown or us telling them what to do."

With ten 7th and 8th graders already signed up for next year, it seems that the Junior Plaids are ready to figure it out. While working on the robot at only her second meeting, Kiara Cronin '18 said "I can't wait to go to the competition next year!"

But if you can't wait until next year, check out this "Day in the Life" video from the Junior Plaids' first competition, created by Mrs. Brown:

What does it take to succeed in the world of business?

The UA junior class found out when they spent a "Day in the Life" at Fidelity Investments in Boston on April 3.

This unique opportunity was made possible thanks to the planning and generosity of Regina Sullivan '78, Executive VP at Fidelity. Students saw the trading room, did a practice exercise about buying and selling of stocks and learned about opportunities for women in the finance and business world through a panel discussion with four female Fidelity employees.

Four members of the Class of 2014 chronicled their experiences at Fidelity for the Life on Lowder Street Blog:

Brigid Buckley '14

If you were to ask the majority of junior class girls who experienced a "Day in Life of a Fidelity Investor," they would probably admit to the fact that they only went to get a day off from classes. However, I am confident that those same people would say that the experience was very enjoyable. The staff spoke in high school terms and they were all very welcoming to a group of green plaid skirts parading their business suit hallways. While the experience exceeded my (and others') expectations, it did not necessarily create 60 new stockroom analysts. Through all the room tours and interactive group activities, the trip instilled something more important than how McDonald's stocks were doing (they went down 2 points while we were there, in case you were wondering). Every staff member that got up to speak to our group always admitted that this was not the career path they thought they would be taking. Many left high school and started college chasing after the career they had in mind since they were young children and somehow, they were steered in a completely different direction. Throughout that day, we were indirectly taught that it is okay for us not to know what we want to do for the rest of our lives. If we come out of college doing a job that is far less than what we expected, it is okay to switch careers and try to find something else that is truly worth our time. While this field trip was very informative in our knowledge of the world of finance, it unintentionally taught a more important lesson that I believe we as high schoolers need to remember: "You don't need to know where you're going; you just need to know where you've been."

Julia Gustin '14

The field trip to Fidelity Investments was an outstanding opportunity for the class of 2014 to gain insight into the world of investments and into potential career paths. The employees were very welcoming and did an excellent job explaining their areas of expertise to the class. We were guided through reading some of the numerous charts in the chart room that display various trends in economic growth and decline in the United States and countries around the world. This was an excellent way to visualize important economic developments that are considered when making investments and are needed for a better understanding of markets both in specific areas and worldwide. We then were able to go to the trading room and observe the workers as they researched and traded stocks. Here, we were taught about considerations that are involved in decisions to buy and sell stocks. The class then had the privilege to hear from four employees in different focus areas who outlined their educational background and their career journey to their current position at Fidelity. They described the different demands of their jobs and illustrated a typical work day, all of which provided the class with a much better understanding of the range of the responsibilities in their different positions. We were encouraged to ask questions which also helped to define the requirements and benefits of a job in investments. The day ended with a group activity in which we had to read articles and charts containing real information about a company to decipher if our group should buy or sell stock in this particular company and then presented our final decision to the class. This activity helped give a hands-on example of investment decisions and furthered our understanding of the process.

Overall, the day at Fidelity Investments was a very fulfilling and informative experience to learn about this career path and to interact with experienced workers in the field. It illustrated an energetic, professional and gratifying environment and depicted the many opportunities available at Fidelity. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and I, along with many of my classmates, truly appreciated this wonderful opportunity and am so grateful to the people at Fidelity Investments for a great day!

Casey Lynch '14

Unsure of what to expect when I arrived at Fidelity's ginormous revolving doors, I was soon sold when we were given Fidelity sunglasses, planners and pens. The day continued to get better as we learned the basics of the stock market and investing from friendly and interested staff members. The overarching theme of a Fidelity career, we soon learned, is not simply picking stocks, but rather learning to analyze and communicate efficiently in order to help others. Because we learn to analyze so thoroughly and communicate so freely at Ursuline, we were able to connect instantly with the Fidelity staff. They answered our questions eagerly and set up a hands-on activity to deepen our understanding of their work. In this final collaborative activity of the day, we were given articles and data on a particular company's financial history and then we had to decide whether to buy or sell shares of stock in the company. My classmates and I enjoyed applying the knowledge we had gathered throughout the day and sharing our ideas with one another and with the staff. Our day at Fidelity was truly memorable and truly special and I would like to extend thanks to everyone who worked hard so that we were able to attend.

Jaclynne Nader '14

Last week the Ursuline junior class had the opportunity to spend a day at the Fidelity Investments headquarters in Boston. I honestly had no idea what to expect as I got off the bus and stepped into the lobby of the building. We definitely turned heads as 60 17-year-old girls dressed in green plaid and blazers crowded into the elevator. We were brought through the building by one of the women whose focus is to recruit young adults right out of college to work at the firm. She was really fun to talk to (and very stylish!). We stepped into Fidelity's main conference room and in front of each seat was a notebook, pen and a pair of Fidelity sun glasses, which were definitely a hit! We started off the day with presentations by the heads of the various departments at Fidelity, including the head of their equity department. I was amazed that such busy businessmen (and women!) took time out of their work day to speak with us! They took the time to explain what Fidelity is and what each of them does on a "regular" day at the office. We also had the opportunity to tour the chart room and the trading room, where Fidelity employees once again took the time to show us around and explain to us (in the most basic terms possible) what the purpose of their particular job was. After touring the building we were able to speak with four different women at Fidelity. These women discussed their roles at the firm and encouraged each one of us to pursue our dreams and work hard. Lunch was provided and then we moved on to the most exciting part of the day! Given information about the Lululemon stock, we were divided into groups and asked to make a presentation of whether we would advise to buy or sell the stock. We applied everything we had learned throughout the day to make an educated decision. Out of the five groups, four chose to sell the stock and only one chose to buy it!

It was truly a great opportunity to be exposed to the world of business. In school we learn a lot about history, math and science but we do not learn a lot about the business world. Overall, this was a great opportunity to expose the junior class to the business world, a world we do not see everyday!

Suzanne Brownell guides the 9th grade through a breathing exercise.

"Talk yourself through stress and empower yourself."

"Even though I feel overwhelmed and stressed...I love and accept myself and how I feel."

"Cultivate a positive attitude--an attitude of gratitude!"

These are just a few of the tips that Suzanne Brownell, a local health and wellness expert, gave the 9th graders during a presentation about managing stress on Friday, April 26. The Guidance Department arranged for this special presentation for the Class of 2016.

Brownell showed the students breathing techniques for relaxation and stress relief, as well as yoga and meditation practices. Some were simple, unobtrusive breathing exercises that can easily be done at a desk before a big exam; others involved patting the limbs and head or massaging the ears and are perhaps better suited to outside the classroom. No matter the method, each of the techniques that Brownell demonstrated had an immediate impact on the students, who eagerly followed her instructions for each exercise.

Jaimie O'Neill '15 has asthma and said, "I felt it really helped my breathing, and I felt more relaxed."

Classmate Alia Spring '15 agreed, saying, "It was fun! I am definitely going to practicing the breathing before tests."

Brownell also talked to the students about the importance of eating healthy, calling it "mood food" and reminding the girls that "you are what you eat." Each student received helpful handouts with healthy recipes and descriptions of the stress relief exercises, as well as links to more information on Brownell's website, healththyself.com. You can visit Brownell's site for videos, classes and recipes for living healthy.

If you drove down Lowder Street during the week of April 8-12, you might have noticed a conspicuous bus parked in the UA parking lot. But it wasn't your average school bus: it was the Boston University Mobile CityLab!

UA biology students had the opportunity to act like real scientists when the BU Mobile CityLab spent a week parked right here at Ursuline Academy. The Boston University Mobile CityLab is a 40-foot long traveling science laboratory operated by the Boston University School of Medicine. The CityLab's mission is to increase community access to modern-day biotechnology and is specially designed for grades 7-12 teachers and their students to participate in hands-on laboratory experiments.

Each class got a chance to go inside for a few hours and do an experiment. The state-of-the-art materials in the Mobile CityLab enabled our students to do lab experiments that they would not otherwise have been able to do in our labs here at UA.

The students used their knowledge of DNA structure and function to help solve a fictional crime scene and also learned new laboratory skills, including how to use micro-pipettes, gel electrophoresis boxes, centrifuges and more. The girls also got a chance to see how DNA fingerprinting can be used in crime scene investigations and historical discoveries.

Watch some of their lab experiments in action in this photo slideshow:

Special thanks to science teachers Mrs. Lisa Collins and Mrs. Taryn Surabian '03 for helping bring the Mobile CityLab to Ursuline.

On Sunday, May 5, the Ursuline community gathered to celebrate the Class of 2013 and their parents at the Senior Parent Brunch.

This wonderful Ursuline tradition is hosted each year by the junior class and their parents. The Senior Parent Brunch offers an opportunity for the graduating seniors to thank their parents for their love and support. Each senior parent is presented an orchid by their daughter, and the seniors receive Ursuline keychains that mark the first step in their transition into alumnae of the Academy.

Mary Beth Hunt McMahon '82 returned to campus to give the keynote address at the brunch. Mary Beth is the President and CEO of Special Olympics Massachusetts and truly lives the Ursuline motto of Serviam each day. Watch Mary Beth's remarks from the brunch:

The Senior Parent Brunch is also a celebration of the generous donations to the Senior Parent Gift.This year the parents of the Class of 2013 surpassed their fundraising goal of $35,000 with 82% participation! They raised $35,400 to refurbish the lobby of the school. Many thanks to the co-chairs of the Senior Parent Gift, Peter & Deborah Canning P '13 and Martin & Susana Fantozzi P '13 '17, for all their hard work. The renovations to the lobby will take place over the summer and the new and improved space will be ready when school starts in the fall of 2013.

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this special day possible! Thank you to the dedicated junior parents on the Senior Parent Brunch Committee, and their co-chairs, Julie Lynch P '14 and Sharon Baryluk P '14. Special thanks to Millie Borodic P '13 for creating the exquisite flower centerpieces for the brunch.

Spring has sprung at UA! Flowers are in bloom and the trees are green. The classroom windows are open and physical education class has officially moved from inside the gym to the field. Students are even having their lunch outside in the sunshine on new picnic tables. Enjoy these photos of our beautiful campus in springtime:

The juniors and seniors had a blast at the Prom on Friday, May 10, dancing the night away at the Great Gatsby-themed soiree. See photos of all the fun here!

Not many high school students can say that they walked along the Great Wall of China or rode a rickshaw through the busy streets of Beijing during their April vacation, but 16 Ursuline Academy students did just that on this year's spring international trip.

Mrs. Whiting, Mrs. Petti and Ms. Tracy accompanied the students to China for this travel opportunity of a lifetime. The group saw the sights in Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.

Highlights of the China trip included sailing on a night cruise in Shanghai, visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian (one of the 8 Wonders of the World), watching a Kung Fu show and learning traditional Chinese tai chi and dancing with the locals!

The tour guides from Explorica put together this fantastic video slideshow of all the fun and adventures from the UA trip:

"Destiny is not always a destination, but rather a path to becoming your best self." ~ Darlene Luccio Jordan '85, 2013 Commencement Speaker

The 65 seniors of the Class of 2013 received their diplomas from Ursuline Academy at Graduation on Sunday, June 2. Despite high temperatures, the students and their families enjoyed a beautiful ceremony. Co-valedictorians Chantal Chammas and Meghan Grela addressed their classmates (a video of both speeches is below). We were also thrilled to welcome Darlene Luccio Jordan '85 back to campus to deliver the alumnae keynote address to the graduates (video of the keynote address is below). She told the graduates about her journey since graduating from Ursuline to college, law school, work as an asisstant district attorney and her most recent endeavors as a charitable fundraiser. Mrs. Jordan told the graduating seniors, "Destiny is not always a destination, but rather a path to becoming your best self." Thank you to Mrs. Jordan for sharing your experiences and wisdom with the Class of 2013!

Congratulations to the following award recipients:

• Stephanie Gioioso, Serviam Award
  • The Serviam Award is a great honor in Ursuline schools worldwide and seeks to reward outstanding traits of leadership in service, awareness of others, acceptance of responsibility and academic achievement.
• Alessandra Santone, Sister Mercedes Videira Medal
  • Established in 2009, this special award is presented to a student who best embodies the qualities of an Ursuline woman as embodied by Sister Mercedes herself: integrity, humility, generosity and concern for others, coupled with a deep love for the Academy. Sister Mercedes is a former principal of the Academy.
• Caroline Gailius, Principal's Award
  • The Principal's Award is given to a student in recognition of her appreciation of the benefits of her Christian education, her leadership on behalf of her class and her willingness to serve others.

Watch video highlights from the graduation ceremony, as well as videos of each of the speeches, below.

Commencement Speaker Darlene Luccio Jordan '85:

Co-valedictory Addresses:

It's the start of the school year and there are many new faces on campus at UA, from the 7th graders and other incoming students to the new faculty in the classroom. Get to know our four new faculty members:

L to R: Ms. Kinn, Ms. Linso '03 & Ms. Busch '06

Ms. Samantha Kinn will teach 8th grade literature and grammar, as well as psychology. She holds a BA in English from Georgetown University and an M.Ed from Boston College. "I had wonderful experiences growing up in a single-sex, Catholic school," Ms. Kinn said. "I feel excited and blessed to continue my journey now as a part of that legacy of confidence, spirit and community as a teacher at Ursuline." Outside the classroom, Ms. Kinn will advise the new Creative Writing Club.

Several of the new faculty members are not new faces entirely: three alumnae have returned to work at UA!

Ms. Sarah Busch '06 will be working with some of her former teachers. "It is so great to be back at UA," she said. "I am especially excited to be working alongside some of the amazing teachers I was fortunate enough to have as a student." Ms. Busch will teach math and advise the Liturgical Dance group. She has a BA in Math from Furman University and an M.Ed in Secondary Education from Boston College.

Ms. Rachel Linso '03 couldn't be happier to be back at UA on the other side of the classroom. "Being back at Ursuline is like coming home," Ms. Linso said. "Ursuline helped me become the woman I am today; educated, confident and committed to service. I am so thrilled to be a part of this amazing community." She joins the social studies and religion departments, teaching 7th and 8th graders. Ms. Linso has a BA in Political Science with a minor in Education from UMass Amherst and an M.Ed in Middle/Secondary History Education from UMass Boston.

Mrs. Peters '95

Mrs. Colleen Conners Peters '95 previously taught social studies at UA and has now returned as the Assistant Campus Minister and Ursuline Liason. She will assist Ms. Tracy, our Campus Minister, with liturgies, prayer services, retreats, Peer Ministry and other aspects of spiritual life on campus. In addition to these duties, Mrs. Peters will serve in the newly-created position of Ursuline Liaison, conducting outreach with other Ursuline schools throughout the country and strengthening the bonds of Ursuline education among the schools.

"It is wonderful to be back at Ursuline this year.  I love reconnecting with the students and seeing how they have grown and changed," Mrs. Peters said. "Being back in the Ursuline community feels like coming home again.  I am excited for the opportunity to work with all of the students in my role within Campus Ministry." Mrs. Peters has a BA in History from Boston College and a law degree from Suffolk University Law School.

Welcome to Ms. Kinn, and welcome back to Ms. Busch, Ms. Linso and Mrs. Peters!

It's a bird...it's a plane...it's the Ursuline quad-copter!

The mysterious black object flying high above the field behind the school this summer wasn't a strange-looking bird or a UFO. It was a quad-copter, or a miniature helicopter, programmed by students at Ursuline's second annual Summer Engineering Camp.

Dr. Michael Ricard P '15, an engineer at Draper Lab in Cambridge, created the camp and tailored it specifically for Ursuline students. "This camp sets UA apart in terms of STEM-related topics," Dr. Ricard said. "We are exposing the girls to real-life applications of engineering." This is the second year that Ursuline has offered the Summer Engineering Camp, with students broken up into Year 1 and Year 2 teams during the two-week camp.

Amy Ashur Kline '08, another Draper Lab employee, was thrilled to return to her alma mater and instruct the Year 1 students in the "Intro to Physics and Aerodynamics" curriculum. Kline and the six Year 1 students built countdown timers and rocket launchers.

The five Year 2 students returned after a successful inaugural engineering camp during the summer of 2012. The Year 2 program is less curriculum-driven and based more upon problem solving. "We want to take the mystery out of engineering and break complex problems down to small problems," said Dr. Ricard. The students took apart a blender to investigate how motors work, programmed the quad copter and even tested out an underwater microphone in the Ursuline pond.

"This time a year ago, none of these girls knew how to write a software program," said Dr. Ricard. "But now they are programming a quad copter."

The camp also involved guest speakers in the engineering field and field trips; one to nearby Olin College of Engineering and another on a tour of the labs at Wellesley College.

"It's really cool because we are exposed to a lot of different things that we wouldn't learn in our classes at school," said Sheila Orechia '14, a Year 2 student. "We've heard really cool speakers talk about their jobs in engineering."

Several Ursuline parents in addition to Dr. Ricard participated in this portion of the camp: Dr. Mary Lou Ashur P '08 '12, an internist, and Susan McDonald P '15, a human factors engineer, addressed the students. Other guest speakers included an Air Force flight test engineer, a math professor from Tufts University and a former computer science professor from Boston College.

A third summer engineering camp is already on the calendar for 2014, with hopes to expand and include more students. "The students need this," said Dr. Ricard. "And we couldn't find a better way to spend our summer vacation than with these girls!"

The roots of Ursuline education in the Boston area reach all the way back to the 1830s, when a group of Ursuline Sisters ran a school and Convent in Charlestown. At the start of the school year, the faculty and staff set out to learn more about a significant piece of our Ursuline history: the historic burning of the Charlestown Convent.

During the opening Faculty Meetings of the 2013-2014 school year, the faculty and staff enjoyed a presentation by Professor Nancy Schultz, Ph.D, author of Fire and Roses: The Burning of the Charlestown Convent, 1834.

Professor Schultz (pictured at right) teaches English at Salem State University and is the author of five other books. Fire and Roses was the recipient of the 2001 Lois Rudnick Prize from the New England American Studies Association and received Honors in Non-fiction for the 2000 Massachusetts Book Award.

Professor Schultz began her presentation by reading aloud from Fire and Roses, setting the stage for the burning of the Convent. The book reads almost like a novel, with Schultz painting a vivid picture of the circumstances surrounding the burning of the Convent.

"It was one of the most notorious acts of anti-Catholic violence in the history of the United States," Professor Schultz said. "What would lead a mob of arsonists to attack a Roman Catholic convent and a prestigious girls' school?"

As she chronicles in her book, Professor Schultz showed the faculty the many factors that led to this unfortunate act of violence. "There were ethnic, social, economic and religious reasons for the attack," she said. "There were religious tensions and class struggles, but it was also largely because of anxiety over the role of women and the education of young girls."

The Ursuline Sisters have been pioneers in the education of women since the founding of the order in the 1500s in Brescia, Italy, so it is not surprising that the same was true of the Charlestown Ursuline school in the 1830s. Professor Schultz told the faculty about the impressive Mother Saint George, the Superior of the Convent. "Mother Saint George ignored many of the cultural expectations of women at the time," Professor Schultz said. "She was a competent leader of a large female community with a profitable farm and school. It was the best women's instruction available in the day."

The faculty had the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation, wanting to know more about the daily life and curriculum at our fellow Ursuline school. "Professor Schultz's presentation was a wonderful opportunity to make connections back to the Charlestown Ursuline school," said Assistant Principal Catherine Muldoon. "It made us think about our identity as an independent, Catholic school for girls."

College application season is in full swing! Here at Ursuline, the seniors are hard at work on their essays and applications, and the juniors are starting to explore their college options. The best way to learn about a school is to talk to someone with firsthand experience, and our students got to do just that when UA hosted a College Fair for Juniors and Seniors on Wednesday, September 25.

This was a "traveling fair," as the college admissions representatives visited Ursuline, Fontbonne Academy, Notre Dame Academy and Sacred Heart School all in the same day. Our students had the chance to speak with representatives from 132 colleges, including:

UA seniors will also have the opportunity to meet with individual college admissions counselors during scheduled visits to UA. A few of the schools coming to Ursuline this fall are:

Seniors can find the complete list of colleges visiting Ursuline and register for an appointment with the admissions representatives through their Naviance accounts.

In the spring, juniors will attend another college fair held at Xaverian Brothers High School.

Check the College Acceptances page throughout the year to see the schools where UA students are accepted!

The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky on Sunday, September 15 when over 400 members of the Ursuline community gathered for the annual Family Mass & Barbecue.

This event is a celebration of the start of the school year and all of the wonderful students, parents, grandparents, siblings, faculty and staff in the UA community. See photos from all the fun at right!

After Father Oscar Pratt of Holy Name Parish in West Roxbury celebrated a beautiful Mass, the guests made their way out to the field behind the school for a delicious lunch, games and face paint.  Many thanks to the parent volunteers who helped make this event possible, especially the dads manning the grill all afternoon!

"Each of you is a unique, unrepeatable masterpiece from a master creator."

Hearing this statement on an early Monday morning was quite the inspirational way for the 428 Ursuline students to start their week! Fr. Matt Williams (pictured at left) brought this message to campus when he came for a special presentation sponsored by the Campus Ministry Office on Monday, October 7.

Fr. Williams is the Director of the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults of the Archdiocese of Boston and is known as a dynamic and engaging speaker, especially for middle school and high school audiences. His presentation got the students involved: they shouted out answers and even spontaneously broke into a rendition of the church hymn "You Satisfy the Hungry Heart" when Fr. Williams quoted the song.

He had the girls' attention right from the start of his presentation when he opened with a well-known YouTube clip of a 3-year-old girl crying because of how much she loves singer Justin Bieber. Amid the laughter at the cute clip, Fr. Williams explained that this video, silly as it is, illustrates everyone's longing to be loved.

"We all have a desire to be known and loved, and to love," Fr. Williams said. "We have a longing for Jesus' love and we must keep that at the center."

Fr. Williams' talk emphasized the intrinsic and important value of each student. "God loves you uniquely and has a unique mission for your life," he said. "See what is good and true and beautiful about yourself, not the negative, and let your gifts out."

The Ursuline community is already looking forward to welcoming Fr. Williams back to campus later this month, when he will celebrate a special teaching mass for the Feast of St. Ursula and the Junior Ring Ceremony.