Alumna
Alexa Daly
Electrical Engineer for Pure Power Engineering in Hoboken, NJ
Alexa Daly (‘12) is the first female electrical engineer at Pure Power Engineering in Hoboken. She began her academic career at SDA and moved onto Drew University where she majored in physics and minored in Math, Environmental Science and German. She then moved onto Stevens Institute of Technology to focus on Ocean Engineering with a concentration in Sustainable Energy, graduating in 2018.
“My experience at SDA was transformative. I went into SDA with certain expectations for myself, thinking I knew exactly what I wanted out of my life. The more classes I took and the more I got involved, the more I learned who I really was. I went into SDA wanting to get involved in renewable energy but having no idea how. If someone told me 10 years ago that I would be designing solar PV systems I would not believe them.”
Jackie Malabanan
Bone Marrow Transplant Registered Nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Jacqueline Malabanan (’13) became aware of SDA’s motto “Empowering Women for Leadership since 1878” and felt confident that SDA would be a place where she would discover the courage, strength, and knowledge to become an empowered woman.
“SDA wasn’t just a place I went to – it was a home I came from. It was a place where each and every person truly made me feel seen, loved, and heard. I had the honor of being the President of the Class of 2013, and it gave me the chance to be empowered and to empower other women. SDA encouraged me to appreciate the power and beauty found in sisterhood, and it helped me embrace the values of diligence, confidence, grace, and self-worth.”
Lauren Healy
Graduate student at University of Maryland working towards a Masters of Education with a concentration in Student Affairs
Lauren Healy (’14) couldn’t wait to experience all the wonderful things at SDA her sister, Katie, who graduated in 2007 would rave about. SDA helped lay the ground work for her current and future success and gave her the opportunity to connect with mentors who have positively shaped who she is today.
“I have never been able to replicate the educational experience I had at SDA filled with so much laughter, knowledge, challenges, and friendship. SDA has helped me to develop into the woman I am today and the leader I want to be for others. I found my voice, passion, and compassion while attending the academy and it was cultivated through the assistance of my community.”
Casey McIntyre
Senior at Villanova University majoring in Political Science and minoring in Art History, Communications, and Global Health. Attending Brooklyn Law in Fall 2019
Casey McIntyre (’15) felt empowered by her peers, teachers, administrators, and coaches at SDA. They taught her about working hard and building community – lessons that have been integral to her personal and academic success.
“SDA made me feel like I was supported and truly belonged.It taught me to constantly remind myself of my strength as a woman, and this habit has guided me through life. The self-confidence, independence, and leadership skills that stem from that reminder have helped me to become a better person, student, and soon lawyer!”
Tara McDonough
intern at 360 Magazine in California
Tara McDonough (’15) instantly felt a support, encouragement, and sense of sisterhood at the start of her SDA career. The faculty and students showed her the importance of having a solid support system and the magnitude of strength and courage embedded in every woman.
“I attribute my success thus far to being surrounded with genuine and powerful women. The teachers and staff at SDA not only value academics, but also respect the personal interests of each student. SDA helped me learn how to manage my time so that I could do well in my studies and also remain involved in my community.”
Anamaria Carrasco
Senior at Georgetown University and soon to be graduate student at Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine with the plan of becoming a Pediatric Dentist.
Anamaria Carrasco ‘(15) attributes her success to the determination, empowerment and strong network of support given to her SDA. SDA gave Anamaria the courage to be herself, work hard, and foster the relationships that ultimately gave her happiness and the will to thrive.
“My time at SDA strongly influenced who I am today. I got to experience ‘empowerment’ first hand. I threw myself into everything SDA had to offer, and those opportunities opened doors for me that I thought, when I was younger, would not come my way.”
“My SDA experience? The most beneficial part for me, now having had time to look back, would definitely be the sense of community. I say this not only in the way SDA is like a community, but also how your time there teaches you how to become a part of a larger community. It taught me how to make strong connections with people and also how to become more active. SDA really allowed me to ground myself as a person and figure out what I felt was most important to me. My SDA experience was something that really shaped me into the person I have become. I was fully able to realize my potential and through that was able to establish confidence in my abilities. SDA was able to prepare me academically for where I am today. However, what I found to be more valuable was how SDA allowed me to be able to be sure of myself in any situation as a result of the close knit environment it fosters.”
—Jade Loh ’10
“I always look back on SDA with warm affection. As a wild and crazy teenager, I definitely did not appreciate the opportunity that was given me for a good educational foundation at the time. I know, now, that those strong educational roots have helped me both in my advanced educational pursuits and my professional career.”
—June Gagen Ryan ’74
Parents
“My girls and I have discussed in length why they went to Saint Dominic Academy. The choice was made with the following considerations – for me, education is one of the most important things a parent can give their child(ren). For my daughters, SDA was a perfect fit. Outside of the strong academic programs, the school offers a loving, nurturing environment and so much more. SDA took each of my daughters at difference stages in their lives and helped guide them to become the strong, successful young ladies that I get to proudly call my daughters.
On a personal note, being a single mother of four children (one son and three daughters), the financial obligation to a private school is not an easy one, and at times was very difficult to maintain. Many things needed to be sacrificed in order to give my children the best educational opportunities available. Not one sacrifice was ever regretted. Not even driving around in a 15 year old car that would break down every other day. Words cannot describe how fortunate we were to have a school like SDA. I will be forever grateful for all that SDA provided to each of my three daughters.”
—AnnMarie Callahan, parent ’03, ’10 and ’13
“I saw my girls grow from little girls into women who are confident and independent. I feel comfortable that they will be able to handle anything that they may encounter in their future.”
—Lorraine Laurie, parent ’05, ’12