The Academy of St. Elizabeth in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township celebrated the Class of 2025 with its Commencement Weekend at the start of June. The celebrations consisted of two days of traditions and rites of passage that have been ingrained into the academy’s history since its inception in 1860.
Commencement Weekend began with a Baccalaureate Mass in Holy Family Chapel. In his homily, Father Francis Lennie, chaplain at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, spoke about the strength the graduates possess in facing challenges — those they have already overcome in their high school years and others that await them in college and life beyond. He said the strength to overcome those challenges was nurtured and instilled during the Class of 2025’s time at the academy.
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Megan Knight, the academy’s director of development and alumnae relations, inducted the graduates into the Alumnae Association, presenting each graduate with an academy charm and a series of personalized letters. These letters, written by graduates from past generations, blend words of support and encouragement for the academy’s graduating seniors. Megan Young, ’09, the commencement speaker, and Maggie Leuzarder, ’02, assisted Knight.
The following day, a large white tent was set up on the front lawn, elegantly filled with the white gowns and white silk gloves of academy graduates, for the graduation ceremony.
Evelyn West ’25, salutatorian, reminded her classmates, “Today isn’t just about receiving diplomas. It’s about celebrating that journey that brought us here — the hard work, the challenges we overcame, the people who stood by us, and the personal growth we experienced.”
Olivia Nuzzo ’25, valedictorian, reminded fellow graduates that while their futures may be uncertain, they are prepared for whatever awaits them.
“On the journey to where you want to be, take detours along the way, discover more about yourself, and ask questions about the world and your place in it,” Nuzzo said.
