A Credit to Sister Carol and All the Sisters of St. Joseph

In our wedding vows, my husband and I promised to live by certain values as a married couple. The values we agreed to in front of family and friends included community, personal growth, education, spirituality, service, and concern for the Earth. Do these values sound familiar? If you’re a Griffin, they should – they are the core values of Chestnut Hill College.

You see, my husband, Jim McLaughlin ‘08 worked in the Admissions Office at CHC from 2004-2012. We met when his coworker, Mary Hagenbach, invited him to her cover band’s gig one Saturday night in March. Little did Jim know that Mary was my first cousin and had pegged him as perfect for me. She orchestrated our meeting, and our connection was instant. Jim was everything I was looking for in a partner – smart, funny, hard-working, and above all, kind.

Fast forward to 2015, when Jim and I used CHC Core Values to write our wedding vows! Then, in 2016, I interviewed for the position of Director of Alumni Relations here. Jim encouraged me, telling me all about this special place. And he was right. Instantly, I felt at home here and embraced by the alumni community.

So, what is the point of this background and how does it relate to Beyond Resilience? It’s because I give Sister Carol – and all the Sisters of St. Joseph and their mission – a lot of credit for Jim and I finding each other and creating a beautiful life together. It’s no coincidence that Sister Carol’s values – the values of CHC – put us on the same path. These are values that run deep and provide a foundation of faith and love.

Thank you, Sister Carol, for creating a place that lives its mission and values every day. In big and small ways, you have changed the lives of so many Griffins.

Love,

Jim, Maureen, Miles and Seamus McLaughlin