Catholic University Congratulates Student and Alumni Achievers

• Senior Art Thesis on Gun Violence: “91 of Us” to take place on National Mall

  Studio art major Caileigh Nerney was taken aback when she heard on a podcast that on average 91 people a day are killed with guns — that’s two to three times more than the deadliest mass shootings in the U.S.

• Internship Affords an Inside Look at the Vatican

  

  Junior Daniel Cooley spent last summer working as an intern for the Embassy to the Vatican in Rome.

• Alumna Fulfills Bakeshop Dreams

  

  Alumna and pastry chef Alexandra Mudry believes that making great mistakes is one of the joys of baking.

• A Passion for Piano

  

  Doctoral candidate Anna Nizhegordtseva is an international competition winner who teaches piano to young students.

• A Backstage Look at Writing in the Arts

  

  A history student shares her experience as an arts journalist and intern at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

• Law Student Gets Involved After Ferguson

  

  Law student Marques Banks was devastated by what he saw going on in Ferguson, Mo. So he decided to hop on a plane and help in any way he could.

• A Ph.D. in Record Time

  

  John Meinert was awarded his Ph.D. in May. Now he is preparing for the fall semester as a new full-time faculty member at a small Catholic college.

• Internships Lead to Middle East Experience

  

  As a politics major, Raymond Magorien developed a keen interest in the Middle East and spent time working and studying in Jordan.

• Same Path, Different Journeys for Roommates

  

  After four years, roommates Vincent Mazzella and Matthew Simeone will take their architecture degrees in different directions.

• Student Meets the President

  

  Katie Lally met President Barack Obama, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and Ireland's Prime Minister Enda Kenny all in one day.

• Grad Student Explores Race Through Theatre

  

  One of Variety Magazine's 110 Students to Watch, drama grad student Tearrance Chisholm enjoys the creativity and collaboration of playwriting.

• Doing It All in Three Years

  

  After completing his philosophy degree with honors in three years, Andrew Miller is headed to law school on full scholarship.

• Senior Following a Passion for Service

  

  Senior Caroline Johnson will move to Costa Rica after graduation to complete a year of faith-based service.

• Surprising Path Leads to Starring Role

  

  Molly Allen, a senior vocal performance major, has a leading role in CUA's spring opera, which may have surprised her younger self.

• A Semester in the Magic Kingdom

  

  Senior Kelly Barry spent a semester working as a cast member in Walt Disney World's Disney College Program.

• Composer to Make Kennedy Center Premiere

  

  Matthew Yost's piece "Ut Sol, Ut Luna" will open the music school's 50th Anniversary Gala this April.

• Senior Turns Summer Internship into a Career

  

  After a successful summer internship, engineering major Kevin Hanula accepted a job offer with a construction firm.

• Exploring a Passion for Service

  

  Psychology major Larissa Scarpa has used her time at CUA to explore her passion for service.

• Planning a Career Grounded in Theology

  

  As a young D.C. professional, Angela Chiappetta is staying true to her passion for theology.

• Exploring the Mysteries of the Universe

  

  Doctoral student Amy Soto spends her time researching the evolution of galaxies at the Goddard Space Flight Center.

• Dedicating Her Life to Caring for Others

  

  Recent grad Colleen O'Neill is putting her education to work as a nurse at Georgetown University Hospital.

• Architecture Major Builds Custom Furniture

  

  Joseph Binck is using his architecture skills and his family's background in carpentry to design and build custom furniture.

• Art Grad Pursues Dream Career

  

  Anne Schrandt aspires to a career in art conservation. She is on her way with two elite internships.

• Senior Competes in Renowned Irish Festival

  

  This summer, Allison Wetterauw traveled to Ireland to participate in the International Rose of Tralee Festival.

• Sign Language Opens Doors for Student

  

  Suzanne Kwoka learned sign language, and now she is using that ability to help others.

• Art History Major Planning Gallery Auction

  

  Elizabeth Denholm is taking what she learned in her major and using it at her job with an art gallery.

• Young Elected Official Leads at CUA

  

  Junior Connor Kurtz balances work for his hometown school board with his studies and role as speaker of CUA's student government.

• Rookie Officer is Boston Strong

  

  Meghan Walsh returned to her hometown, where she now patrols the streets in the neighborhood where she was raised.

• From CUA to Fashion Week

  

  Recent graduate Taylor Boozan has already found a place in the high-glamour world of New York City, working in fashion public relations.

• Combining Technology and Sustainability

  

  CUA grad Chris Urban is studying how to design environmentally sound architecture.

• Grad Films Documentary on Redskins Name

  

  Meg McElroy took on a controversial topic for her senior seminar production project: the Washington Redskins name.

• New Grad Celebrates Degree plus Life

  

  Katherine Warrick is about to receive her M.S.W. While working toward the degree, she battled cancer and worked full time.

• Taking Her Talents to Memphis

  

  Eager to explore new cities after graduation, senior sociology major Bernadette Poerio chose Memphis, Tenn., as a top choice on her Teach for America application.

• Lacrosse Player Makes Inspirational Comeback

  

  Junior Tori Neill overcame illness to return to the field this season as a top player.

• Pursuing an Unending Love for Animals

  

  Senior biology major says she is fortunate to have found an environment that allows her to study science and continue her love for music.

• Grad Student Shares Her Art to Help Others

  

  Through theater, Annalisa Dias helped the people of a small village in Malawi share their stories. Now she is screening a film about that experience.

• Engineering Student on a Mission

  

  James Roche will travel with 10 other students to Jamaica, as part of a mission trip. He hopes to raise $29,000 to benefit disabled children.

• Digging into Iraqi Jewish History

  

  Doctoral student Ryann Craig is part of a team at the National Archives that resurrected the legacy of Iraqi Jewish heritage.

• Compassionate Policing

  

  Conor Hardy (B.A. 2012) is using his theology and religious studies degree from CUA in a surprising profession.

• Music Alum Takes the Lead

  

  A musical theatre alum is called up from the ensemble at the last minute — to glowing reviews for his role in Miss Saigon.

• Liturgical Musician and Composer

  

  At the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, John Henderson found success with performances of some of his original pieces.

• Exploring Global Perspectives in Medicine

  

  CUA grad Timmy Le learned about culture within medicine while volunteering in Vietnam's National Acupuncture Hospital's pediatric cerebral palsy unit.

• Studying Marriage, Family at JP II Institute

  

  Elise Crawford planned on going to law school. Instead, she decided to enroll at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.

• Alumnus Helps Children to Learn Music

  

  Edward Leaf founded the Arlington Music Initiative to provide music lessons to children in need.

• New Grad Combines Politics and Social Justice

  

  John McCarthy (B.A. 2013) runs Future Civic Leaders, a nonprofit dedicated to underserved high school students.

• Media Studies Major Helps Plan Arts Gala

  

  Rising senior Gabriella Solimine had an internship this summer at a performing arts center in Newark, N.J., a city that holds a special place in her heart.

• Racking Up Sales on Alumna's Website

  

  As an undergrad, Briana Pashcow nurtured her idea to start a business. That idea is now a reality.

• A CUA Education Leads to Role as Educator

  

  Emily Lazor's experiences at CUA led her to seek a path that combined her faith with a program that would create structural change in society.

• Alumna has Love of Music and Physics

  

  Tara Lakeman sings for the Christian/Catholic ministry band Full Armor while studying for a graduate degree in medical physics.

• Art Student Finds Early Success

  

  Mark Thomas recently won a scholarship award for one of his photos. The studio art major already has his own photography business.