Sisters of Charity BVMs Receive 2022 Inès Pascual Award in Phoenix

Brophy College Principal Bob Ryan (l.) and President Adria Renke (far r.) present the Inés Pascual Award to Xavier College Preparatory’s leadership team: BVM sisters Lynn Winsor, Joan Fitzgerald, and Joan Nuckols in Phoenix. The sisters are members of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dubuque, Iowa. (Photo by J. Kelly.) 

Brophy College Preparatory February 2022 Press Release:

2022 INÉS PASCUAL AWARD
XAVIER COLLEGE PREPARATORY, PHOENIZ, ARIZONA:
BVM SISTERS JOAN FITZGERALD, JOAN NUCKOLS, AND LYNN WINSOR

Brophy College Preparatory is privileged to honor the Xavier College Preparatory BVM leadership team Joan Fitzgerald,  Joan Nuckols and Lynn Winsor with the Inés Pascual Award for Generous Service. The award is named for the Spanish noblewoman who came to the aid of Ignatius of Loyola as he began his physical and spiritual journey that led to the founding of the Society of Jesus — the Jesuits. Sra. Pascual met Ignatius when he was a soldier injured from battle, traveling from Montserrat to Manresa. She provided food, shelter and medical care, and later served as a fundraiser and businesswoman on his behalf.

Since 1974, Sister Joan, Sister Joanie and Sister Lynn have played multiple and pivotal roles at Xavier. Along the way, the red and white patterns of Brophy and the blue and green plaid of Xavier have intermingled warmly in classrooms, on stages, at athletic venues, and within student organizations. And over the years, phone calls and emails have flown from one school’s administrative offices to the other when, time after time, the schools have met crises together, forged partnerships, and offered support to one another. Just as Inés Pascual played a significant role in the life of Ignatius, so has our sister school, Xavier, been an important part of Brophy’s academic and student life. For that, we have many to thank, but none so obvious as the current leadership triumvirate who we honor today.

Sister Joan Fitzgerald, BVM, led Xavier as principal from 1974 through June 2016, becoming Xavier’s first president in July 2016. The Phoenix Business Journal named her to its 2020 list of Most Admired Leaders. Additionally, she has received the Elizabeth Ann Seton Award for Leadership to Diocesan Schools, the Diocese of Phoenix Ministry Award and the NCEA Secondary Education Award. Sister Joan notes that she is most grateful to be able to help advance the mission and philosophy of Catholic education in a world filled with so many obstacles, and thanks the BVM community—nationally and at Xavier—as well as Xavier’s staff, and Brophy College Preparatory, for their support and partnership.

Sister Joan Nuckols, BVM, Xavier’s principal, knew from a young age that she wanted to teach. After high school in Montana she moved to Iowa and became a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1974, she arrived at Xavier to  teach history. Since then she has served as the Social Studies Department chair and the vice principal for academics and campus ministry before becoming principal. Along the way, Xavier was named a Blue Ribbon School three times, selected for the Catholic High School honor roll  three times, won the Siemens Award for Arizona’s best Advanced Placement Program, and received the AIA Blue Cup for outstanding athletics and activities program.

Sister Lynn Winsor, BVM, an Xavier alumna, also began her career at the school in 1974 when she returned to teach and chair the Physical Education Department. In 1977, she became vice principal for activities, as well as Xavier’s athletic director. She also coaches Xavier’s renowned golf team. During the close-to half century that Sister Lynn has been at Xavier, she has received almost every award that can be bestowed on an athletic director and coach, including the National High School Athletic Director of the Year, the AIA Girls’ High School Golf Coach of the Century, the AIA Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Award of Merit—the NIAAA’s highest honor. She notes that seeing the girls become leaders through the formation offered by Xavier’s religious, mission, academic, athletic/activity and service programs has been most rewarding. Many of those activities have enriched school life at Brophy in myriad ways, as well. Go, Gators! The fabric of life at our two schools is inextricably interwoven with one thread strengthening another and forming a bond not likely ever to be broken. And it is with immense thanks to these three remarkable women, who have journeyed with us in ways similar to Inés’ journey with Ignatius, that today we celebrate our deep-rooted friendship. A friendship that has, in fact, grown both figuratively and literally, with Brophy Chapel witness to the many branches and family trees that have formed between our students.

Thank you, Sister Joan, Sister Joanie, and Sister Lynn. The well-beaten path between our two schools is a testament to the valued partnership and perennial support we’ve enjoyed and depended on for decades.