Continuing Catherine McAuley’s legacy

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The Misericordia University Education Club recently raised close to $2,000 for the Mercy Girl Effect, a program established by the Sisters of Mercy to build schools, grant scholarships and provide leadership training for young women in underdeveloped countries.

The money might be used to purchase books, uniforms and food for a young student, provide bicycles girls would use for transportation to school, or perhaps dig a well to provide drinking water to their village, Sister Pat McCann explained.

That last item aids the cause of young women’s education because in many societies they are responsible for providing their families with water. Instead of spending hours carrying water from a distant source, if they have a well they can save time for studying.

“This effort carries on the legacy of our founder,” Sister Pat said, explaining Catherine McCauley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland in 1831, worked to educate girls there.

Then the Sisters of Mercy sent members to other countries, including the United States, where they established institutions such as Misericordia University, which was designed as a school for women, and known as College Misericordia when it started in 1924. It became co-ed in the 1970s.

Now the legacy of educating women continues with the Mercy Girl Effect, for which several schools in the United States and Ireland raise money to help their fellow women in countries such as Sudan, Zambia, Nigeria, Cambodia and Kenya.

During the recent presentation of a ceremonial check to Sister Dierdre Mullan, who accepted it on behalf of the Mercy Girl Effect, Sister Pat said, “Someone suggested that our president get into the photo and I said ‘He can if he gives me $100’ ” for the Mercy Girl Effect. “So he reached into his wallet and gave $100.”

“I was only half kidding,” she said of her remark.

Other funds came from a series of events the Education Club organized, including a Chick-fil-A fund-raiser and a campus-wide bake sale, as well as contributions from the faculty and staff.

Calling the presentation of the $1,825 check “a testament to our students’ hard work and dedication, inspired by Sister Pat McCann’s challenge,” associate professor and club advisor Steve Broskoske praised them for “empowering young women globally.”

The Education Club’s effort was led by Kaitlyn Shatzel, Vivian Wright, Alexandra Pehala, and Ariana Nolter.