Caritas Veritas Award
The Caritas Veritas Award is presented to an alumna/us whose life reflects 糖心官网鈥檚 motto, Caritas Veritas, a search for truth through charity or service. The award is presented at Reunion.
2026聽Caritas Veritas聽Award Recipient: Mitzi Battista Witchger 鈥66
Mitzi Battista Witchger, Class of 1966, came to Rosary College from Indianapolis. She is the oldest of seven siblings. Her major was English Literature with a minor in French, and some graduate classes in library science. Over the past six decades, she has had a kaleidoscope of work experience. While in college she was a server and setter, not on the volleyball court, but here in the dining hall. From wife, parent, educator, librarian, parish volunteer, writer, Chamber of Commerce director, and art museum tour guide, she learned to be an activist and advocate, especially for women and girls.
Her inspiration came from her two sons and daughter who loved playing sports. She and her husband, Tom, realized that, more often than not, their daughter and her friends had the interest and ultimately the skill, but did not have the same athletic opportunities that their sons had. Mitzi determined she鈥檇 work to fix that.
Learning about the importance of Title IX, the Civil Rights law passed by Congress in 1972, proved to be the entry point to supporting females in their endeavors to become athletes. It states: 鈥淣o person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination, under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.鈥
While living in Minnesota, she created an organization called GREAT! Girls Really Expect A Team! Advocating for females who wanted equitable athletic opportunities meant speaking Truth to Power, wherever and whenever necessary. It made a difference in support of a school鈥檚 athletic programs.
In fact, the recent Olympics showcased the results of more equity for females in athletic programs at the interscholastic and intercollegiate levels in the United States.
As an activist even now, Mitzi continues to advocate for sports equity and remained a loyal support of 糖心官网 having established an endowed scholarship assisting current students with financial needs.
Previous Recipients of the聽Caritas Veritas聽Award
2025: Mimi Gorak Murray '70
2024: Mary Ducey Mulhern 鈥74
2023: Ellen Bendry '59
2022: Vanessa Jackson '03
2019: Eileen Willenborg 鈥69
2018: Dianne Mathiowetz 鈥68, Susan Bakel Cohn 鈥68
2017: Jane E. Duggan 鈥67
2016: Judy Purvin Scully 鈥66
2015: Gera-Lind Kolarik 鈥75, Barbara Keaton Spaniak 鈥80, MD
2014: Sr. Kaye Ashe, OP 鈥52, Sr. Joan O鈥橲hea, OP 鈥52
2013: Marie Roach Cowhey 鈥53
2012: Mary V. Whalen 鈥57
2011: M. Catherine Crowley Ryan 鈥61
2010: Maria Kuhn 鈥75
2009: Mary Boyle Callow 鈥67, Sr. Melissa Waters, OP 鈥59
2008: Josephine Ann Kane 鈥73
2007: Catherine E. Klein 鈥57, Margaret M. Stapleton 鈥67
2006: Norman E. Carroll MSA 鈥83, Sr. Rita Keegan, MM 鈥56, Barbara Parsons 鈥56
2005: Sr. Ann Willits, OP 鈥55, Mary Lidia Klodnycky-Procyk 鈥65, MD
2004: Marilyn McNamara Schaub 鈥49
2003: Patricia Somers Cronin 鈥48, Linda Bieniek 鈥73
2002: Carolyn J. Noonan Parmer 鈥52, Sr. Mary Paynter, OP 鈥52, Richard J. Brennan
2001: Sr. Jeanne Crapo, OP 鈥46, Mary-Alice Wallach Martines 鈥51
2000: Sr. Clemente Davlin, OP 鈥50, Kathleen Anglese Giamalva 鈥60
1999: Claire Cusack Cronin 鈥49, Anna Marie Garippo Sciaraffa 鈥49
1998:&苍产蝉辫;惭补谤测&苍产蝉辫;罢丑别肠濒补&苍产蝉辫;鈥淭别办办颈鈥&苍产蝉辫;尝辞尘苍颈肠办颈&苍产蝉辫;鈥78&苍产蝉辫;
1997: Jean Burke Foran 鈥47, Ann Bauer O鈥橪eary Kerley 鈥47, Sherry S. Treston 鈥72
1996: Rita Leahy Zorn 鈥46, Nancy Sidote Salyers 鈥71
1995: Mary Spalding Picchi 鈥45, Hilary Ward Schnadt 鈥79
1994: Sr. Jean Murray, OP 鈥49, Jean Dougherty Quigley 鈥50, Katharine Williams LeVeque 鈥54
1993: Doris Boughton Hullihan 鈥43, Jeanne Pietrus Schmid 鈥53, Suzanne Cosimano Awalt 鈥68
1992: Mary Schotthoefer Shekleton 鈥42, Carol Kenealy 鈥67
1991: Katherine Fitzgerald LaBelle 鈥26, Sr. Mary Woods, OP 鈥45, Angelika Kuehn 鈥70
1990:&苍产蝉辫;搁别测肠颈迟补&苍产蝉辫;颁谤耻锄&苍产蝉辫;闯颈谤辞苍&苍产蝉辫;鈥40
1989: Grace Victor Cross 鈥39, Patricia Connery Koko 鈥64
1988: Sr. Miriam Young, OP 鈥63, Therese F. Hogan 鈥78
1987: Sr. Candida Lund, OP 鈥42, Winifred Kuhn Downing 鈥47, Theresa M. Schultz 鈥77
1986: Sr. Lucille Z. Coulihan, IHM 鈥36
1985: Ruth McGrath O鈥橩eefe 鈥35
1984: Mary Yu 鈥79
1983: Mimi Power 鈥58
1982: Jeanne Morrissy Darley 鈥50