Reunion 2026: Celebrating Sisterhood
By BARBARA ALLISON
Over 880 alumnae and guests from class years ending in 1s and 6s attended Reunion 2026 to celebrate enduring friendships, revisit the beautiful Saint Mary’s campus, take part in programming, and ring in a new era at the College with the unveiling of a bell in the Le Mans Hall tower.
One of the highlights of the weekend was the return to campus of one of Saint Mary’s most high-profile alumnae, New York Times best-selling author Adriana Trigiani ’81. Her conversation with President Katie Conboy, From the Avenue to the World Stage, held so much appeal that many alumnae arrived at Carroll Auditorium prior to checking in, their luggage in tow, so they wouldn’t miss the event.
Memories flowed from Trigiani as she recalled her Saint Mary’s days, in which the theatre major made all of campus her stage. Audience members laughed as Trigiani recalled conducting “plays” on shuttle buses and in elevators, which delighted and often confused those who witnessed these impromptu performances.
A highlight for the golden anniversary Class of 1976 was the program 50 Years Later: Stages, Changes, and Life Purpose. In this space, attendees were able to reflect on the evolving meaning and purpose of life, including career achievement, retirement, and the inevitability of loss. This session was facilitated by Kathryn Lyndes, chaplain and associate professor of Social Work and Gerontology.
The Alumnae Association held its annual award ceremony on Saturday, honoring several exceptional alumnae
Leslie Frances Wilson ’76, was honored posthumously with the Distinguished Alumna Award for her lengthy career in global humanitarianism and for the connections she fostered among alumnae across generations. Over her four-decade career in humanitarian services, Wilson held leadership roles with the American Refugee Committee, the Peace Corps, Save the Children, and Church World Services, working tirelessly, through their just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster, to protect and improve the lives of vulnerable children and families around the world.
The 2026 Alumna Achievement Award winner was Molly Kathleen McVoy ’01, for her care, research, and innovation in the delivery of mental health services for children and adolescents. Following her graduation from the College, McVoy earned her medical degree from University of Cincinnati Medical School in 2005. She returned home to the Cleveland area and completed her fellowship at Case Western Reserve University-University Hospital. Currently, she serves as a child and adolescent psychiatrist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, and as an associate professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
The 2026 Humanitas Award winner was Lynn Griffin Gordon ’77 for elevating the lives of refugees through her volunteer work with Catholic Charities of Chicago and as the founder and CEO of the Madonna Mission, an organization that supports and empowers refugee families in Chicago. As a student, Gordon was inspired by Dr. Bruno Schlesinger, founder of the Christian Culture Program, now the Department of Humanistic Studies. Schlesinger was a refugee who fled Vienna under the Nazi occupation, escaping to France. “I recall that she would come back to the dorm and share how moved she was by his lectures,” said her friend, college roommate, and nominator Karen Van Gemert ’78.
The winner of this year’s Outstanding Young Alumna Award winner was Michelle Espinal ’16, for her achievements in civil engineering, her ongoing mentorship to women in STEM, and her unwavering commitment in volunteering her time and talents both locally and globally. Espinal completed the dual-degree program in mathematics at Saint Mary’s and civil engineering at the University of Notre Dame. Originally working on highway projects with the Illinois Tollway and Indiana Department of Transportation, she later traveled to Antarctica, where she helped lead projects advancing the modernization of the McMurdo Research Station. She now works as a senior project engineer at SpaceX.
Reunion classes ending in 1 and 6 delivered exceptional results, raising more than $816,000 in gifts and pledges for the Saint Mary’s Fund, and a total of $11.8 million in gifts and pledges to the College. Reunion awards recognized the Classes of 1971, 1986, 2001, and 2016 for their outstanding philanthropy and participation, while the Class of 1976 celebrated its 50th Reunion by raising more than $195,000 to endow the Class of 1976 Scholarship Fund, as well as nearly $106,000 for the Saint Mary’s Fund. ‖
Please enjoy the photos from the weekend in the gallery below. Click here for even more photos.
