Six graduates inducted into school Hall of Fame
St. Agnes Academy recently held its 15th annual Alumnae Hall of Fame ceremony honoring six outstanding women. The 2015 inductees are Mary Donahue Jorgensen (1953), Carol Alpe Smith (1960), Eileen Phelan McGowan (1976), Laura Gunn Cummings (1983), Cathy Moran Bennett (1984) and Ellen Lenahan Minderman (1999).
These women have made remarkable contributions to their communities and churches, distinguished themselves in their careers and supported the St. Agnes Academy mission.
The St. Agnes Academy Hall of Fame was established in 2001 on the school’s 150th anniversary. The Hall of Fame honors those exceptional individuals who command respect within their careers, civic or charitable endeavors, contribute to the community and exemplify the standards instilled at St. Agnes Academy.
Jorgensen is a gifted artist with a talent for weaving. She has served as the president of the Memphis Guild of Handloom Weavers and has received several awards for her work. She volunteers for Birthright, Target House and is very active at St. Louis parish.
Smith is a lifelong resident of Crawfordsville, Ark. She has devoted herself to her community and has worked in the farming industry. She is involved in community activities and is active at Sacred Heart Church, where she has served on the Parish Council.
McGowan is a retired senior vice president from Morgan Keegan. She is very involved in community service in Philadelphia volunteering with the St. John Hospice Homeless Shelter, Amigos de Jesus and Visitation BCM Parish School.
Cummings is an assistant professor at Duke University Medical Center in the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery and the owner and sole propri- etor of the Plastic Surgery Center in Durham, N.C. She participates in Project Access in Durham, providing breast reconstruction for indigent patients free of charge. She has won national awards for her volunteer work with the Girl Scouts and is very active in her parish, Immaculate Conception Church.
Bennett is the learning specialist for St. Dominic School and the combined junior high. She has taught at St. Agnes-St. Dominic since 2000. She is a very active parishioner at St. Louis Catholic Church, where she volunteers with the youth group.
Minderman is the senior manager of global medical education at Medtronic. She is also a past president of the St. Agnes Academy Alumnae Association and a member of the St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School Board of Trustees. She is an active parishioner at OLPH.