Campus Update
Donald Graham Honored at Commencement
Donald Graham with Sadhana Singh ’18
Trinity presented an honorary doctor of letters to Donald Graham at Commencement in May in recognition of his lifetime of achievement, his commitment to making higher education accessible to thousands of students, and for his advocacy of Dreamers and D.C. students. Graham, the former chairman and publisher of The Washington Post and the founder of TheDream.US Scholarship Fund, spoke at Trinity’s 115th Commencement.
Graduating senior Sadhana Singh ’18, who is the co-founder and president of the Dreamers Alliance at Trinity, read his citation. Singh, a communication major, graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She is among the first class of 20 Trinity Dreamer Scholars to graduate this spring.
“Globally renowned as a newspaper publisher and business leader, Don Graham’s legacy would have been more than secure through his lifetime of work,” said President McGuire. “But beyond his professional achievements, Mr. Graham has made his greatest mark on college students. In 1999 he launched the D.C. College Access Program (D.C. CAP) to parallel the federally funded D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (D.C. TAG). Thanks to Mr. Graham’s leadership, tens of thousands of D.C. residents have enrolled in college during the last two decades, including several thousand Trinity students.”
Turning his sights to national collegiate challenges, Graham learned of the exclusion of undocumented students from federal financial aid programs, preventing thousands of outstanding young people from achieving college degrees. In 2014 Graham organized national business leaders to create a scholarship program for Dreamers. TheDream.US has supported several thousand undocumented students across the nation, including nearly 100 Dreamers at Trinity.
“Donald Graham is a tireless advocate for Dreamers, for D.C. students and for the idea that a great college education can truly change lives,” said President McGuire.
Watch the video.
Campus Speakers Inspire Trinity Community
Morgan Carillo
Morgan Carrillo ’13 returned to campus this spring as the Sower’s Seed speaker, reflecting on her journey of faith as she seeks to assist those in crisis. As a foster care and adoption social worker at the National Center for Children and Families, she provides trauma-informed services to D.C. youth and families in foster care due to neglect and abuse. After completing a bachelor’s degree at Trinity, Carrillo earned her master of social work from Catholic University.
Established by Kelly Snider Dunn ’64 and her family, the Sower’s Seed program highlights alumnae and alumni who incorporate into their lives the Catholic traditions of community service and social justice that are central to the Trinity experience.
April Ryan
Veteran White House journalist April Ryan shared her insider’s perspective with the Trinity community in February. Ryan has been a member of the White House press corps for American Urban Radio Networks since January 1997, covering four presidential administrations, and is also the Washington bureau chief for the network. The National Association of Black Journalists named Ryan as the “Journalist of the Year” in 2017, the same year she joined CNN as a political analyst.
Ryan, a graduate of Morgan State University, is the author of three books including Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House, which will be released in September 2018.
Dreamers Symposium Highlights National Issue with Campus Impact
Sr. Mary Johnson, SNDdeN, distinguished professor of sociology and religious studies, with Dreamers and faculty colleagues.
Trinity convened an all-day Dreamers Symposium in the fall to provide a deeper understanding of U.S. immigration policies, immigrant rights and paths to citizenship. Faculty and students provided both an academic context and personal perspectives on the issues. One of the panels, “From the Courts, to Congress, to Mass Action in the Streets: What’s the Way Forward?”, featured speakers who discussed how their organizations are supporting immigrant rights and taking action.
Bishop Mario Dorsonville-Rodriguez of the Archdiocese of Washington spoke on a panel about the work of the Catholic community and the leadership of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in supporting and advocating for immigrants and refugees. “Your shepherds are with you,” he assured the audience. “…We do care for you because you are the reflection of the face of Jesus Christ. If we don’t find it there, where are we going to find it?”
O’Connor Auditorium was standing-room only when Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi ’62 gave the keynote speech on the future of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), the Dream Act and legislative initiatives to create paths to citizenship. Donald Graham, founder of The Dream.US Scholarship Fund, gave remarks at lunch, which was followed by a panel of Trinity Dreamers sharing their journeys.
Catholic Higher Education Presents Awards to President McGuire
President Patricia McGuire was honored by the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities for service of exceptional quality to Catholic higher education. She was presented with the Presidents’ Distinguished Service Award and was recognized for her commitment to promoting Catholic education through public advocacy, supporting women’s colleges and educating the next generation of students.
A video shown at the February 2018 ceremony highlighted her leadership of Trinity and her strong voice in Catholic higher education. Featured in the video are Sr. Patricia Chappell, SNDdeN, executive director, Pax Christi, USA, and former Trinity Trustee; Amy Freeman, president and CEO, Ascension Community Health, and Trinity Trustee; and Sr. Mary Johnson, SNDdeN, distinguished professor of sociology and religious studies at Trinity. Watch the video.
In May 2018, President McGuire was presented with an honorary degree from Saint Michael’s College, a Catholic liberal arts college in Vermont. She was recognized for her leadership in Catholic higher education and for her commitment to a fair and just society for all, rooted in service to others and faith.