Melanie Dudley ’14
Scientia Floret Virtute Award
Melanie Dudley earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Immaculata. She then attended Villanova University where she received a Master of Arts in History and a certificate in nonprofit management in 2016.
For the past three years, she has served as the assistant director/program manager of the Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy at Villanova University. During her time at Villanova as a student and employee, Dudley remains active in and supportive of her faith. She co-founded the Catholic Student Association (CSA), a student organization dedicated to providing fellowship and formation opportunities for Catholic students. In addition, she was a member of several prayer groups on campus and continues to serve routinely as a lector at daily Mass on campus. For her service and contributions to the graduate student community, Dudley received the Graduate Studies Service Award.
Beyond Villanova, she participates in numerous Catholic young adult groups throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and helped to launch the Philadelphia chapter of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP), a national organization dedicated to inspiring young Catholics in their 20s and 30s to integrate their faith into their daily work. She was also appointed to a new Archdiocesan advisory committee for young adults.
As a native of Wilmington, Delaware, Dudley is an active parishioner of Saint Mary Magdalen and is a member of the St. Thomas More Society of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, an organization dedicated to honoring St. Thomas More as a model of virtue and ethical leadership for those working in the legal profession.
Dudley noted that her service in young adult ministry correlates to Immaculata’s core values of faith, community, knowledge, virtue and service. To show her appreciation, she is a financial contributor to her alma mater.
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The Scientia Floret Virtute Award recognizes recent alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years and who have made outstanding contributions to their profession, community or service to Immaculata University while upholding the mission and values of Immaculata University.
Theresa Payton ’89
Mother M. Camilla Maloney Award
As the first female to serve as White House chief information officer, Theresa Major Payton ’89 is a visionary, industry disruptor and a veteran cybercrime fighter who founded Fortalice Solutions. As president and CEO, she has led Fortalice to become a leading national security company. Cybercrime Magazine listed it among the Global 500 Best Cybersecurity Companies.
In addition, Payton advises Fortune 500 boards, CEOs, and technology executives on securing digital transformations and combating emerging cyber threats. During her career, she has been honored with the FBI Director’s Award, Cyber Security Experts’ 100 Most Influential People in Cyber Security, and Cybersecurity Crusader of the Year.
As a leading expert, Payton starred in a reality TV show, “Hunted,” and is a sought-after media commentator, with appearances on the “Today” show, “Good Morning America,” “CBS News,” CNN, NBC News, Fox News, and the BBC. As a prolific author, she helps countless organizations and individuals understand the complexities of digital crimes and how to stay safe in a rapidly changing digital landscape with her books “Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth” and “Privacy in the Age of Big Data.”
Payton graduated from Immaculata University with a double major in economics and business administration with a certificate in computers. She credits Immaculata for reinforcing everything she needed to become successful: practice your faith, be ethical, follow through on promises and don’t let others speak for you or over you. To show her dedication to her alma mater, Payton served on the Board of Trustees, consults on cybersecurity issues facing the University, and contributes financially. This past year, she initiated a partnership with Immaculata and Fortalice to offer classes for cybersecurity majors.
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The Mother M. Camilla Maloney Award is presented to those who demonstrate leadership and vision to sustain the future of Immaculata through service—including volunteerism, counsel and philanthropic support—to carry on the mission and vision of Mother Camilla, foundress of Immaculata University.
Kathleen Mulhern Clark ’70*
Alumni Medal
Kathleen Clark, who died in 2022, spent 48 years at Immaculata both as a student and a teacher, representing almost three-quarters of her life. She loved everything about her schooling, teaching and the amazing friendships that lasted a lifetime. Although she retired in 2017, she frequented campus for special events and participated in the University’s centennial celebration in 2021, which coincided with her 50-year reunion celebration.
With a deep love and devotion to Immaculata, Clark volunteered for the Alumni Association, including serving on the Board of Governors and as a class representative and reunion organizer from 1970 to 2000. She was also a member of the Alumnae Recruitment Committee and volunteered for the annual telethon.
French was always Clark’s passion. She graduated from Immaculata with a Bachelor of Arts in French and earned her master’s degree in French from Villanova University.
As a member of Immaculata’s faculty, Clark taught French and served as the department chair from 1997 to 2008. In this role,
she hired new employees, scheduled classes, coordinated study abroad opportunities for French students and moderated the student Modern Foreign Language Association and Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. In addition, Clark also held numerous official campus responsibilities, including being a member of the viability study for Immaculata’s move from being a women’s college to a co-ed institution. Outside of Immaculata, Clark was an expert on French and Francophone studies and was a member of several professional associations. Throughout her career, she received several awards
and honors.
Clark raised her family in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, where they were members of St. Ann’s Parish.
*Awarded Posthumously
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The Alumni Medal honors alumni and is presented in recognition of outstanding volunteer service and support to Immaculata University.
Patricia McAdams ’65, Ph.D.*
Amethyst Award
Throughout her life, Patricia McAdams, who died in 2022, exhibited a Christ-centered lifestyle. When faced with challenges in her life, she would often turn to prayer, and her determination showed. She never complained about nor questioned the 2008 car accident in which she lost both of her legs.
McAdams entered the congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in 1960 and said her final vows in 1963. She graduated from Immaculata University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics in 1965. Two years later, she earned a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame. She returned to Pennsylvania to teach math at Immaculata before being one of only three women to graduate from the doctoral program in computer engineering at the University of Missouri in 1977. During her career, she taught at Catholic high schools throughout the region and utilized her technology skills to help computerize the Diocese of Harrisburg.
Using this experience, she returned to Notre Dame to teach computer science. McAdams eventually oversaw information technology for the administration offices at Notre Dame. In her spare time, McAdams’ love of women’s basketball provided an outlet for all her energy as she became the head of fan engagement for the women’s basketball team at Notre Dame.
McAdams spent over 30 years as an IHM Sister before leaving the order. She continued to support the IHM Sisters and former colleagues. Jo Anne McAdams ’84, ’87 M.A., ’96 Ed.D., Patricia McAdams’ sister-in-law, wrote, “During her life, both as a religious Sister and as a lay person, Patricia continued to live the values she learned as a child, and she demonstrated the vows that she had professed in her everyday life.”
*Awarded Posthumously
PHOTO CREDIT: Notre Dame Athletics
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The Amethyst Award honors alumni in recognition of their outstanding contribution to or achievement in a church, community or professional activity.
Join us on October 6, 2023, for the Immaculata University Awards Reception.
