Holy Angels Celebrates the Class of 2026

The Academy of the Holy Angels proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026 following a beautiful Baccalaureate Mass, marking the culmination of a remarkable journey of our angels prepared to make their mark on the world.

Family, friends, faculty, staff, alumnae, and the School Sisters of Notre Dame gathered to honor the graduates and reflect on the many memories, accomplishments, and relationships that defined their time at Holy Angels.

Senior Commencement Speaker Eva Santelli challenged her classmates to pause and appreciate the moments that often pass unnoticed. Reflecting on the friendships, traditions, and everyday experiences that shaped their high school years, she reminded her fellow graduates that “life was happening in the middle of all of it.” She encouraged her classmates to live deliberately, embrace the present, and remember that true success is measured not by personal achievement alone, but by how we lift others along the way. “Angels Fly Higher,” she noted, is not about rising above others but about helping others rise with you.

The Class of 2026 also heard from commencement speaker Diane Oakley ’71, one of the first women to attend Fairfield University and a trailblazer throughout her career. Oakley shared how her Holy Angels education gave her the confidence and foundation to pursue opportunities that were once unavailable to women. After successful careers in business, sales, and marketing, she found her greatest calling in service, dedicating her retirement to prison ministry and helping others rebuild their lives. She encouraged graduates to remain open to God’s call and trust where their gifts may lead them. “Be open to what God is calling you to do,” she advised. “Let God open your heart to say yes.”

Representing the Class of 2026, senior response speaker Emily Vonderhorst reflected on the people who transformed Holy Angels from a school into a home. She shared how the encouragement of coaches, teachers, and classmates helped her discover confidence in herself and reminded graduates that some of life’s greatest growth comes when others believe in us before we believe in ourselves. Looking out at her classmates, she celebrated the future doctors, artists, athletes, lawyers, performers, and leaders before her, while emphasizing the sisterhood that will forever connect them. “What makes Holy Angels special is the people,” she said. “We didn’t just become classmates—we became sisters.”

The Baccalaureate Mass served as a meaningful opportunity for graduates and their families to give thanks for the blessings of the past four years and seek God’s guidance for the journey ahead. Through prayer, reflection, and celebration, the Class of 2026 was reminded that they leave Holy Angels not only with knowledge and accomplishments, but with faith, purpose, and a lifelong community of support. As they turn the page to their next chapter, the graduates carry with them the lessons, friendships, and sisterhood that have defined their Holy Angels experience. While their time on campus may have come to an end, they will always remain part of the Holy Angels family.

Congratulations to the Academy of the Holy Angels Class of 2026. Once an Angel, always an Angel.