Notre Dame Academy honors 3 alumnae for values

7/19/2006

Skeldon

As the girls of Notre Dame Academy return to walk the halls this fall, they'll have three new faces to look up to.

Kathleen Woods Kolodgy, Mary Chris Zychowicz Skeldon and Patricia Donahue Hageman are adding their stories to those of the women who grace the Academy's Hall of Fame. All three were recognized recently by president Sister Mary Ann Culpert as outstanding alumni who live out the values of Notre Dame.

Ms. Kolodgy has stayed active in the school since graduating in 1976, chairing the annual Family Fest fund-raiser and participating in other fund-raising activities.

"I think that I was extremely well prepared for academic life," said Ms. Kolodgy. "I'm interested in helping them to continue to do that."

Ms. Kolodgy is also a member of the Ohio Bar Association, the American Health Lawyers Association, and a board member of Central City Ministries of Toledo.

Ms. Skeldon most remembers her education in art and English at Notre Dame, two areas that have been important in her life after graduating in 1970.

"There's a very strong English department it gave me a strong background in writing that became the centerpiece of my career as a speech writer for mayors Ford and Finkbeiner," she said.

Ms. Skeldon is also a survivor of breast cancer, and serves on the board of the American Cancer Society.

For Dr. Donahue Hageman, an education at Notre Dame was the starting point to a lifetime of continuing education.

"You can never know enough," she said.

A graduate of the class of 1954, Dr. Donahue Hageman has worked at educating nurses throughout her long career.

She's been involved with numerous nurse's associations, and has worked to develop several programs to benefit nurses, including an international exchange program and a nursing and administration major at the Medical University of Ohio.

"Notre Dame put those kinds of processes in place it helped you to realize what you could offer," Dr. Donahue Hageman said. "The award was a nice culmination of many, many years."

Contact Carin Yavorcik

at: cyavorcik@theblade.com

or 491-724-6050.