Catherine Hammel Frischkorn ’75 Receives 2014 Humanitas Award
Catherine Hammel Frischkorn '75, left, poses
with President Carol Ann Mooney after receiving
her award.June 8, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The Humanitas Award, awarded annually by the Alumnae Association of Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame, IN, recognizes an alumna of the Catholic liberal arts women’s college who is outstanding in her personal and volunteer accomplishments and is recognized for her concern for the interests and welfare of her fellow human beings. Her actions exemplify the qualities of personal dedication, compassion, selflessness and sacrifice through social action, education, and reform within the community, the Church, and the world.
This year’s recipient is Catherine Hammel Frischkorn ’75 of Pittsburgh, PA for her lifelong service in Catholic education, in serving underprivileged students, and for her leadership in organizations that support underserved populations. The award was announced Saturday, June 6, at the Reunion Banquet held on campus.
Frischkorn graduated from Saint Mary’s with a degree in business. Since graduation, she has worked tirelessly to better her community and provide help and guidance wherever she has seen a need.
According to her award citation, in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Frischkorn serves on the board of the Crossroads Foundation, which provides wraparound services to underprivileged students. Through Crossroads, she provides mentoring to young people, many of whom become the first in their family to attend college. In nominating her for this award, classmate and colleague Joann Dubrovich Urbaniak ’75 said, “I serve with Cathy on the mentor team and I have witnessed the impact of her efforts that change the future for these young men and women.” Frischkorn’s Crossroads work also includes her efforts to find scholarship resources, helping students win the Gates Scholarship, taking groups of students for campus tours, recruiting volunteers, and leading workshops.
The award citation also states, Frischkorn volunteers with the St. Vincent DePaul Society and St. Bernard Parish. She was an active parent at Seton-La Salle and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart high schools. She has chaired major fundraising events for these organizations and has worked to foster relationships with low-income community members in her area.
Frischkorn’s leadership in Catholic education extends to Saint Mary’s. She is a member of the College’s Board of Trustees and serves the College through efforts in Pittsburgh. In addition to hosting an annual welcome gathering for new Saint Mary’s students, Frischkorn was a member of the most recent Campaign Steering Committee and participated in a number of send-off parties as well as assisting in the general promotion of the College and its fundraising activities. Most recently, she led a team of Class of 1975 alumnae who have worked with the Office of Alumnae Relations to encourage Reunion attendance and class gift campaign participation.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. In the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will begin to offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College seeks, according to its mission statement, to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.
Contact for News Media: Gwen O’Brien, director of media relations, Saint Mary’s College, gobrien@saintmarys.edu (574) 284-4579