The beginning of this school year brought along many new faces for both Rosary’s student body and beloved faculty and staff. Among these fresh faces is the wonderful Mrs. McCormick, Rosary’s new Executive Director of Finance and Business Operations. Mrs. McCormick has an inspiring story that makes her the perfect addition to Rosary’s faculty and staff. Coming from a large family of all girls and having two daughters of her own, she really understands the value of the unique all-girl Catholic education students receive at Rosary. So, without further adieu, let’s get to know her a little better.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: My family traveled quite a bit growing up, especially to Europe and Africa. That being said, the French culture would have had the largest impact on me, and Cameroon is the place I would call home.
Q: Where did you go to college? What did you study?
A: I attended three colleges with two being abroad and French, and two being Catholic. After receiving my Bachelor in Accounting, I obtained a Masters in Managerial Economics, then I furthered my education with a MBA in Business Administration and Finance from Marquette University, a Catholic-Jesuit university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. What I love most about my Catholic education is that I was trained to be the difference I wanted to see in this world.
Q: What do you like about Rosary?
A: I really believe that I was called here. When I heard about the school, then came to the campus, I knew I wanted to be here. I’ve always promoted Catholic education and wanted to help with the business side of school because both my parents were educators, and I witnessed the power of education in transforming lives. Where I’m from very few girls were lucky to go to school, let alone private school. Rosary afforded me the opportunity to do what I do best in a Catholic education setting.
My goal is to help further Rosary’s success and provide families the opportunity to give their daughters a quality Catholic education while helping alleviate some of the financial burdens that come with private school education, especially in the USA. I also love the bold name of Rosary—to me it is a way of saying that as a school we are proudly Catholic.
Q: What does a normal day look like for you?
A: I’m still learning and have yet to define a normal day for me. Most days I enjoy getting to learn more about how Rosary operates as a school, and I spend time ensuring our faculty and staff are well taken care of with the resources they need to provide educational services and athletic activities to students. Additionally, I get to chat with parents and try to understand where they are coming from and figure out resources to best support them while also looking into how we can sustain this school for years to come.
What I consider a large part of my job is making money and finances easier to talk about and understand, so that when it comes time to receive money or pay bills, the process would be as smooth as possible for everyone involved, and at the end, we can report on our achievements with confidence. In the future, I hope to gain the knowledge to improve the long-term planning, budgeting, accounting and management of the school’s financial affairs, and how financial information gets shared with external parties, so as to make Rosary one of the top schools in the nation.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: I’m people-oriented, so you can find me out and about with my husband and daughters exploring and talking to new people, sometimes even strangers! Having recently moved to California, I already love everything about it, the scenery, weather, food, and people.
I believe food is one of the most authentic ways to understand new cultures, so I love trying new food from locals in California. Since I’ve tried street tacos for the first time, I have no idea how I lived without them.
I also love listening to music; classical music and opera are my favorite, but I would listen to any genre. My family and I like visiting and experiencing with others at amusement parks, concerts, “Jesus jams” and other live music events.
Q: What is your favorite color and why?
A: Blue because of Mother Mary. From my earliest memories of her she has always worn blue and white.
Q: Where is your dream vacation?
A: I certainly dream big: I would love to go to Bali (Indonesia). I hear that over there the nature is idyllic, the food is amazing, and the culture is very welcoming.
My number two is New Zealand because many people talk about it so I feel like I have to go there to be a legitimate traveler.
Q: What are you looking forward to this year?
A: I look forward to building relationships with Rosary families, faculty and staff, and learning more about Rosary traditions, especially Red and Gold. I hear so much about Red and Gold and I’m excited to find out what it is for myself and experience the production with my family.
On a more personal level, I’m looking forward to spending more time praying. This is the first time I’m in a work environment that allows me to fully express my faith. I truly feel that it is a blessing and a privilege to be here!
Q: Anything else you would like the Rosary community to know about you?
A: I love learning and never shy away from the opportunity to ask parents, students, faculty and staff what their path to Rosary was and why they chose Rosary. Listening to their stories is so deep and inspiring in a way that I kind of feed off of that energy.
The Rosary community is so grateful to welcome Mrs. McCormick to our every-growing family!
