Page 11 - SPIRIT-Fall2015

advancement office alumnae association
mately benefited me. I also gained
a lot of confidence at a young age from
Golf Tournament nets record high WomanofHeart consistently outperforming expectations
and coming from behind as the underdog.”
When it came time for high school, Ai-
Cor Jesu hit an all-time high at the 21 annual golf tournament, driving in a net income leen and her parents looked at Cor Jesu and
st
of $46,000! One hundred twenty-four golfers hit the greens at Sunset Country Club on knew it was the place that would challenge
September 14, showing remarkable support for Cor Jesu students. her with countless opportunities for success.
Special thanks to our main tournament sponsor, Dan Sinclair Buick-GMC, Empowered intellectually, spiritually and morally, graduates “Cor Jesu not only provided me with
for their support. Other sponsors included: Vincent’s Jewelers, Closest to the Pin and Hole- serve as responsible members of the global community. an excellent academic foundation,” Aileen
in-One Sponsor; The Rupp Family, Lunch Sponsor; Tramar Contracting, Inc., Bar Sponsor; stated, “but also encouraged me (and all
Motor Control Specialties and Flower and Fendler Custom Homebuilders, Drink-Cart Aileen Crowe Nandi ’90 relationships is grounded in her under- students) to become well-rounded. The
Sponsors; American Air Charter/American Air Management, 19 Hole Sponsor; Hastings standing that “the world is a small place. school’s focus on service also gave me a life-
th
+ Chivetta, Golf Ball Sponsor; Anic Enterprises, Men’s Longest Drive; and Michelson Com- “Let your life speak.” We have more in common with others than long interest in finding ways to help others.
mercial Realty and Development, Women’s Longest Drive. In addition, 21 businesses and – Old Quaker saying we often think. If you approach an inter- That environment provided me with the
individuals registered as hole sponsors. For Aileen Crowe Nandi ’90, national negotiation from that perspective ability to multi-task and cope with myriad
We would also like to thank the Golf Tournament Committee Andy Dawson, Rob letting her life speak has been and work together to find common ground, challenges. In addition to meeting the
Rob Schoelch, Dan Sinclair, John Sinclair and Funke, Kevin Leahy and Tom Magee and Golf Pro Dennis Biedenstein and all the vol- her life’s work. Fluent in Ger- win-win results can be achieved with all par- school’s high-performance expectations, I
Denny Warner unteers who worked to help make the tournament such a great success! man and Spanish and profi- ties feeling accomplished.” made lifelong friends who remain my clos-
cient in French, Aileen’s adept As venerable as her career has been, est confidants today. I’m grateful for the
ability to speak other lan- what might be most inspiring about Aileen personal and spiritual experiences I enjoyed
guages has proven paramount is her resolve to never allow communica- at Cor Jesu, which strengthened my pursuit
in her career and in her life. tion barriers to interfere with her life aspira- to develop a well-rounded, meaningful life.”
And it’s not just because she has lived and tions. Despite her proficiency in multiple That meaningful life translates into the
worked on three continents that she is able languages, communication is hindered for way Aileen unassumingly exemplifies what
to cogently communicate across borders. Aileen when others look away or cover their she has been called to do – not only profes-
Aileen also knows – in quite a unique way mouths when speaking. This is because at sionally, but also as a wife (husband, Rahul)
– how to eschew barriers from impeding just 16 months old, Aileen was diagnosed and mother of their daughter, Xochi. “I
dialogue. with severe to profound deafness, and she try to live life from the perspective that all
Having mastered a multitude of multi- reads lips to communicate. people are equal, but some need a helping
lingual connections over the years, Aileen’s “I have never wanted to be known as hand more than others.”
international experience speaks volumes. ‘deaf,’ though that might conflict with my She does that in part by reaching out to
She earned her B.A. in economics and in- outreach in telling deaf kids that there is deaf communities in Mexico, India and El
ternational studies from the University of no shame in being deaf,” Aileen acknowl- Salvador, where Aileen finds it “heartbreak-
Richmond and her M.A. from the School of edged. She credits her parents’ strong sup- ing that many deaf children outside the U.S.
Foreign Service at Georgetown University. port as the factor responsible for enabling aren’t able to have early intervention and
John McGrath, Kirk McCullen, President Sr. Barbara Celebrity Putter Sr. Barbara Thomas, ASCJ The foursome of John and Angie Mather and Andy She was a Fulbright Scholar to Dresden, her to “develop and maintain an innate access to the education and skills they need
Thomas, ASCJ, Peggy McGrath Terrio ’83 and and Melissa Dawson Germany, where she studied the effects of belief in myself.” to learn. Moreover, buying – and maintain-
Sergio Fernandez
unemployment on women after German To ensure that she would never be lim- ing – hearing aids is out of reach for many
unification. She served as the first principal ited in life opportunities, Aileen’s parents families,” she stated.
commercial officer in Calcutta, India, with started her schooling at Central Institute “If I am ever able to retire,” Aileen add-
the International Trade Administration for the Deaf when she was 2 years old and ed, “I want to make more affordable and
and received several awards from the U.S. then mainstreamed her in preschool and waterproof hearing aids and lobby health
Department of Commerce and U.S. Depart- elementary school. But having grown up in insurance companies to cover the costs. For
ment of State for her trade-promotion work the 1970s and ’80s in St. Louis – before in- my parents and me, spending thousands of
in Mexico City. clusion became widely accepted – Aileen’s dollars on hearing aids meant that we relied
Today, as the regional senior commercial parents struggled to find a school that on my grandparents’ generosity to cover
officer for Central America with the U.S. would accept a hearing-impaired girl with a the costs, when we were at a paycheck-to-
Department of Commerce’s operations in speech impediment. paycheck point in our lives. Countless other
El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica and “I switched schools every year until I was families are in this situation, and I want to
Honduras, Aileen also oversees partner- in the sixth grade,” Aileen recalled. “There- work toward changing that.”
ship programs with the State Department fore, my parents insisted that I demonstrate And no doubt, she will. Aileen gives
on commercial activities in Belize and my academic capabilities to prove that I was voice to those who need a helping hand,
Nicaragua. worthy of being at any given school. This a voice that resonates across borders and
Aileen’s success in international business instilled a very strong work ethic that ulti- seeming barriers to transform the world.
Brian Groppe, Brian Winschel, Bob Kalert and Volunteers and current moms, Marguerite Stewart Golfers enjoy a buffet dinner on the Sunset Country
John Doerr and Sandy Hughes Club patio at the end of their rounds. –DHD