Reach for the Stars

At St. Agnes Academy, we are dedicated to supporting and guiding our students as they discover their interests and consider future college and career paths. 

This semester the SAA Alumnae Office and the SAA College Counseling Department partnered to create a new program, Reach for the Stars, focused on connecting students with inspiring alumnae professionals in our community.

Throughout the spring, alumnae representing a variety of professions visited campus and spoke to students in small group settings sharing advice and wisdom gained from their educational journey and career experience. These small group visits are open to all SAA Upper School students.

Twenty-five girls signed up for the first alumna visit in March with Shelley Dziuba Miller, Class of 1995, DNP, APRN, & FNP-C, who is an Assistant Professor at UTHSC College of Nursing. Mrs. Miller is also parent of current SAA student McKinley and SAA alumna Bailey, Class of 2024.

Mrs. Miller’s visit was followed by a presentation from Dr. Haley Cremerius McMullen, Class of 2014, who is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at McGehee Clinic;  Nichole Mitchell, Class of 2010,  who has made a career in Tax Reporting & Strategy Management at PwC; and Physician Assistant Natalie Morgan Holmes with Advanced Dermatology, Class of 2000, who is also the  mother of current SAA students Delia and Mabel.

“I'm glad the students enjoyed this spring's Reach for the Stars career conversations with alumnae,” said Director of College Counseling, M.L. Weber.  “The women who volunteered represented careers aligned with what the students reported their career interests to be. The goal was to introduce students to the varying ways to complete the college and career pathway, plus create connections to alumnae for networking or continued conversations about their collegiate experiences int the future.”

In addition to the new Reach for the Stars program, the Upper School provides many other meaningful opportunities for students to hear from alumnae throughout the year. Mr. David Tran, Biomedical teacher/STEM Coordinator, invites alumnae in the medical field to speak to students who are members of HOSA – Future Health Professionals.  This year Breanna Johnson, from the Class of 2016, spoke to the students about the process of getting into medical school and her experiences throughout the program. Breanna will graduate this month from the UTHSC College of Medicine and will start her Emergency Medicine residency in Tampa in the summer.

Our annual Upper School event, Women’s Work, was held in April and featured two outstanding alumnae, Pearson Uhlhorn Crutcher, Class of 1984,  Executive Director at the Society of Entrepreneurs and Jennifer Bennett Shinall, Class of 2002, the Sara J. Finley Chair in Women, Law & Policy, and Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Alumni Engagement Coordinator Liz Barksdale believes in the value of joining together our past and current Stars. “We are always overjoyed to welcome our alumnae back to campus—their stories of growth, purpose, and passion inspire our current students and remind us of the lifelong impact of the St. Agnes Academy sisterhood. Their advice and their wisdom are invaluable,” Mrs. Barksdale said.