Alumnae Association honors Graciela Batista Nearing ’67 with Alumna Achievement Award

June 5, 2017 (Notre Dame, Ind.) — The Alumna Achievement Award, awarded annually by the Alumnae Association of Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, honors an alumna of the Catholic women’s college who is outstanding in her personal and professional accomplishments and is a recognized leader in her field of endeavor. The honoree exemplifies the standards, ideals, and mission of the College in its commitment to the value of a Christian liberal arts education.

This year’s recipient is Graciela “Grace” Batista Nearing ’67, of Miami, Florida for her dedication to clinical psychology, especially for children, and her service to the College. The award was announced Saturday, June 3, at the Reunion Banquet held on campus.

Nearing is a clinical psychologist currently practicing in the Miami area. Her dual background in elementary education and psychology ultimately led her to focus much of her career on early childhood brain development.

Nearing came to the United States as a teenager with her sister after fleeing Cuba in 1960 as Fidel Castro rose to power. Friend and classmate, Marcia Servis Silvestro ’67, wrote in her nomination letter, “I admired her bravery and her ability to learn so quickly. To be able to excel in that environment at such a young age is remarkable.”

Nearing’s parents were able to join her and her sister, plus two brothers, after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion half a year later. Nearing’s older brother was in the Jesuit seminary and sent to Venezuela, where he died trying to save a friend two years later.

During her clinical psychology studies, Nearing collaborated with research at Jackson Memorial Hospital. In the early millennium, Nearing developed and implemented a psychological services program at then Miami Children’s Hospital, now known as Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. The program partnered with the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to help mothers and fathers cope with trauma stemming from a premature birth or an unexpected birth defect. Supportive interventions included parenting workshops, neurobehavioral assessments of infants, and psychotherapy.

Saint Mary’s inspired Nearing’s philanthropic nature. The award citation indicated that she has a deep appreciation for the generosity of someone with close ties to the College who made it possible for Nearing to attend Saint Mary’s is a constant reminder for her of the importance of bettering others’ lives.

Of Saint Mary’s, Nearing said, “It was a safe haven for me. Everyone was very kind. My professors believed in me and made it possible for me to gain confidence in my abilities and share those abilities to impart good in the world.”

 Nearing’s passion for giving back has led her to offer pro-bono psychological services to homeless women and their children and serve as a Psychology Volunteer for the Archdiocese of Miami. She embarked on pilgrimage to her home country of Cuba to witness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s visit a few years ago and, not long after, returned for Pope Francis’ visit. She is a supporter of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) efforts in Cuba and the efforts of Caritas Cubana, an organization that provides care for infants and the elderly in Cuba.

About Saint Mary's College: Celebrating over 175 years of empowering women to make a difference in the world, Saint Mary’s College is recognized as a pioneer and continued force in the education of women. A Catholic, liberal arts institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, the College offers more than 50 undergraduate academic programs and also offers co-educational master’s degrees.