Mount St. Mary Academy was blessed to award 26 scholarships totaling nearly $65,000 to students during its annual Underclass Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, May 14, in the McAuley Center Gymnasium. Several donors of the endowed scholarships were in attendance to help present the awards to this year’s deserving recipients, which made the event even more special.
Dozens of additional academic honors were also awarded and celebrated. The school’s various academic departments honored the students’ accomplishments in the classroom, and their participation and achievement in clubs, organizations, and other activities such as Student Council, yearbook, newspaper, the fine and performing arts, and Odyssey of the Mind were recognized, as well.
During the ceremony, Heather Thomae Olvey ’94 was recognized as this year’s recipient of the Bailey Family Distinguished Teaching Award for exhibiting overall excellence in teaching during the 2023-2024 school year. In addition to teaching all senior-level English courses at MSM, Mrs. Olvey serves as advisor to the Poetry Club.
Congratulations to all of our outstanding students for their academic accomplishments, especially this year’s scholarship recipients (in order of appearance during event):
McAuley Achievement Award: Amelia Byers ’26, Alyssa Carr ’26, Rachel Dam ’27, Julia Jansen ’26, Samantha Olvey ’25, Simone Price ’26 and Addison Varisco ’27
Sr. Deborah Troillett, RSM ’73 Endowed Scholarship: Isabel Duch ’25
Mary Drake Scholarship: Annie Burkhead ’26
Spirit of ’95 Scholarship: Annabelle Owen ’25
Flake Family Scholarship: Chinotu Kwelle ’25
Class of 2009 SISTER Scholarship: Amaria Love ’25 and Emann Love ’25
Sandra Gueydan Hickey ’66 Scholarship: Ella Crowder ’25
Alana Wolfe Memorial Scholarship: Lindsey Morris ’25
Wells Pre-Engineering Scholarship: Elizabeth Gipson ’25
Judith Wrappe Scholarship: Caira Hess ’25, Chloe Jacuzzi ’25 and Jordan Jacuzzi ’25
Jennifer Boccarossa Music Scholarship: Maria Ezzi ’26
Evelyn J. Coulter Thomas ’30 Scholarship: Isabella Nguyen ’25 (for music), Samantha Olvey ’25 (for dance) and Maddy Reyes ’25 (for fine literature)
Annalisa “Magdalena” McClendon Travel Grant: Caroline Cash ’25
Bella Brown “THINK” Scholarship: Alexis Telford ’25
Melissa Ma ’98 Endowed Scholarship: Danielle Chenault ’25
Ma Family Endowed Scholarship: Chinotu Kwelle ’25
We also wish to thank the many donors who have so graciously created these endowed scholarships to assist students. In addition to the ones presented during the Underclass Awards Ceremony, additional scholarships totaling nearly $40,000 will be given to seniors during the Senior Recognition Ceremony on May 15.
