Mount St. Mary Academy honored distinguished alumnae at the 2011 Alumnae Sunday Mass and Alumnae Award Ceremony. 

The Alumnae of the Year Award recognizes an individual who exhibits the virtues that Mount St. Mary Academy was founded on: Scholarship, Acceptance, Integrity, Tradition, Service, Values, Respect and Nurturing. The 2011 Alumnae of the Year Award was presented to Kathleen Shanahan, PhD, MA, Class of 1976, for her many years of service and compassionate care for cancer patients.

Shanahan serves as Medical Psychologist in Roswell Park Cancer Institute's Department of Psychosocial Oncology.  She provides counseling for individuals living with cancer who either suffer from preexisting psychological conditions or with psychological difficulties developed as part of their diagnosis with cancer.

"Kathy is the embodiment of compassion for those who are struggling with a difficult disease," said classmate and award presenter, Margaret O'Brien Simons, Class of 1978.

Mount St. Mary Academy also honored alumna Mary Jenkins Roberts, Class of 1973, presenting her with the Sophia Award in recognition of her wisdom, determination and professional achievement.

Roberts, the Executive Director of the Darwin Martin Restoration Corporation, began as a volunteer at the Darwin Martin House in the 1990s and contributed her focus and organizational skills to their restoration efforts.

 As executive director, Roberts is responsible for an organization whose mission is:  to raise the funds and oversee the restoration of the Martin House; to operate the Complex as a Historic House Museum; to interpret it well and to market it effectively.

A new award was established to recognize excellence in teaching. The first Distinguished Faculty Award was presented to Sr. Mary (Robert) Thompson, SSMN, Class of 1945, who taught Religion, English and Latin at Mount St. Mary Academy intermittently throughout the 1950s-1990s.

Sr. Mary Thompson is a recognized biblical scholar and author of Mary of Magdala, Apostle and Leader.

"We honored three women today who have over their lives served as exceptional role models," said Dawn Riggie, Mount St. Mary Academy Principal. "Each year we graduate a class of girls and send them forth into the world to become young women of faith, wisdom and strength.  Women like Kathy, Mary and Sr. Mary Thompson are inspirational to these young alumnae and our current students."

The award ceremony was attended by alumnae from classes throughout Mount St. Mary Academy's 84 year history.

Mount St. Mary Academy, founded by the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur in 1927, is an all-girls Catholic college-preparatory high school located at 3756 Delaware Avenue in Kenmore. Mount St. Mary's is consistently ranked among the top ten Western New York public and private high schools.