Cheverus Stories

Dear Friends, 

Today, I announce that Beth Hanley, our director of admissions, will step down August 31, 2022 and Greg Szkarlat, director of campus ministry, will retire at the end of the school year. 

Beth joined Cheverus in 2016 as director of communications and has served as director of admissions for over five years.

Beth has reimagined and reinvented the Cheverus admissions process and has creatively responded to the changing admissions environment. She speaks from the heart when she shares her passion for our mission and what differentiates Jesuit education. She is a trusted resource as she accompanies families through the admissions cycle and beyond. Beth celebrates our students and truly cares for their personal, academic, and spiritual growth. Her warm, welcoming, and highly personalized approach has made families from all backgrounds feel welcome as they explore Cheverus.

As an institution, we have benefited immeasurably from Beth’s involvement in myriad aspects of school life. Beyond her success in admissions, her leadership of the Italian exchange program created an opportunity for our students and families to be global citizens and strengthened the bonds of the global Jesuit network. As a Kairos leader, faculty and staff retreat leader, Arrupe advisor, service chaperone, ardent fan, compassionate member of  the Cura Personalis Committee, dedicated member of the Leadership Team, proud parent, and tireless ambassador for Cheverus, Beth embodies what it means to live the Magis. 

We are deeply grateful for her dedication to strengthen recruitment and efforts to make the admissions process more approachable and less stressful for families, but we are perhaps most grateful for her cheerful and loving presence in our community. 

Fortunately, Lillian still has two more years, so Beth will continue to be on campus frequently supporting Cheverus and our mission as an active parent and volunteer . 

A lifelong Catholic educator, Greg Szkarlat came to Cheverus in 2004 from the Campus Ministry Team at DePaul University in Chicago. Working with young adults at the college level formed Greg’s vision for the possibilities of student leadership, and fortunately for Cheverus, Greg’s passion for this work has never waned during his time with us. Because of Greg, Cheverus develops strong Catholic leaders. Students have active roles in liturgies, act as “directors” on retreats not only for underclassmen but also for their peers on Kairos, and deliver speeches at graduation about their relationship with God. Behind all of these confident, articulate young Catholics has been a Director of Campus Ministry who has followed and modeled Christ’s example of servant leadership. 

On our retreats and in our Campus Ministry Office, Greg creates a welcoming and warm environment perfect for teenagers to explore their faith and share their thoughts in a spiritual manner. As the founder and moderator for the Stag Alliance - Cheverus’ LBGTQ affinity group - Greg has been a pioneer in supporting students who have often felt marginalized in our community. Greg has a gift for making students know that they are being heard and that what they have to say is important. As one of Greg’s colleagues wrote, “Greg’s strength is that he is committed to the ideal that we are to be people ‘with’ others.  Being ‘for’ others is important.  To do things for others is necessary and admirable.  To be with others, for Greg, is what creates the heaven on earth that he believes is possible.” 
 

The searches for a new director of admissions and director of campus ministry will begin immediately. We look forward to celebrating Beth and Greg at our end-of-the-year events in June. 

For Cheverus,

Fr. Robert J. Pecoraro, SJ