Caritas Veritas Award

The Caritas Veritas Award is presented to an alumna/us whose life reflects ��ӽ�’s motto, Caritas Veritas, a search for truth through charity or service. The award is presented at Reunion.

2026 Caritas Veritas Award Recipient: Mitzi Battista Witchger ‘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’d 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: “No 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.”

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’s 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 ��ӽ� having established an endowed scholarship assisting current students with financial needs.

Previous Recipients of the Caritas Veritas Award

2025: Mimi Gorak Murray '70
2024: Mary Ducey Mulhern ’74
2023: Ellen Bendry '59
2022: Vanessa Jackson '03
2019: Eileen Willenborg ’69
2018: Dianne Mathiowetz ’68, Susan Bakel Cohn ’68
2017: Jane E. Duggan ’67
2016: Judy Purvin Scully ’66
2015: Gera-Lind Kolarik ’75, Barbara Keaton Spaniak ’80, MD
2014: Sr. Kaye Ashe, OP ’52, Sr. Joan O’Shea, OP ’52
2013: Marie Roach Cowhey ’53
2012: Mary V. Whalen ’57
2011: M. Catherine Crowley Ryan ’61
2010: Maria Kuhn ’75
2009: Mary Boyle Callow ’67, Sr. Melissa Waters, OP ’59
2008: Josephine Ann Kane ’73
2007: Catherine E. Klein ’57, Margaret M. Stapleton ’67
2006: Norman E. Carroll MSA ’83, Sr. Rita Keegan, MM ’56, Barbara Parsons ’56
2005: Sr. Ann Willits, OP ’55, Mary Lidia Klodnycky-Procyk ’65, MD
2004: Marilyn McNamara Schaub ’49
2003: Patricia Somers Cronin ’48, Linda Bieniek ’73
2002: Carolyn J. Noonan Parmer ’52, Sr. Mary Paynter, OP ’52, Richard J. Brennan
2001: Sr. Jeanne Crapo, OP ’46, Mary-Alice Wallach Martines ’51
2000: Sr. Clemente Davlin, OP ’50, Kathleen Anglese Giamalva ’60
1999: Claire Cusack Cronin ’49, Anna Marie Garippo Sciaraffa ’49
1998:&�Բ��;�Ѳ��&�Բ��;�ճ�𳦱��&�Բ��;“T��쾱”&�Բ��;��ǳ��Ծ��쾱&�Բ��;’78&�Բ��;
1997: Jean Burke Foran ’47, Ann Bauer O’Leary Kerley ’47, Sherry S. Treston ’72
1996: Rita Leahy Zorn ’46, Nancy Sidote Salyers ’71
1995: Mary Spalding Picchi ’45, Hilary Ward Schnadt ’79
1994: Sr. Jean Murray, OP ’49, Jean Dougherty Quigley ’50, Katharine Williams LeVeque ’54
1993: Doris Boughton Hullihan ’43, Jeanne Pietrus Schmid ’53, Suzanne Cosimano Awalt ’68
1992: Mary Schotthoefer Shekleton ’42, Carol Kenealy ’67
1991: Katherine Fitzgerald LaBelle ’26, Sr. Mary Woods, OP ’45, Angelika Kuehn ’70
1990:&�Բ��;��⳦��ٲ�&�Բ��;��ܳ�&�Բ��;��ǲ�&�Բ��;’40
1989: Grace Victor Cross ’39, Patricia Connery Koko ’64
1988: Sr. Miriam Young, OP ’63, Therese F. Hogan ’78
1987: Sr. Candida Lund, OP ’42, Winifred Kuhn Downing ’47, Theresa M. Schultz ’77
1986: Sr. Lucille Z. Coulihan, IHM ’36
1985: Ruth McGrath O’Keefe ’35
1984: Mary Yu ’79
1983: Mimi Power ’58
1982: Jeanne Morrissy Darley ’50

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