Andrea Fitzpatrick, Director of Multicultural Engagement, was the recipient of the Mother Mary Lange Award for High School Leadership from the Archdiocese of Chicago, Office of Catholic Schools. Hear from her about receiving this award and what drives her commitment to building community, fostering belonging, and meeting students exactly where they are.
Question: You were honored this year by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Can you explain the award you received and what it meant to you?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: Each year, the Archdiocese names leadership award recipients connected to six African American Catholics who are on the path to sainthood, each at different stages of the canonization process. Some of the awards go to student leaders, and some to adult leaders in schools.
I received the Mother Mary Lange Award for High School Leadership. Mother Mary Lange was born in Haiti and later founded the first religious congregation for African American women in the Catholic Church, the Oblate Sisters of Providence, because at that time, Black women were not accepted into existing religious orders. She also opened a school for African American children, cared for orphans, and served the sick and marginalized. Her life wove together education, health care, and community building.
Unbeknownst to me, Mrs. French, after attending the prayer service with me last year, quietly told Fr. Christian that she wanted to nominate me for the following year. I didn’t know the details of the process, but at the ceremony, they did read from what she wrote.
Being chosen for an award named after someone like Mother Mary Lange is incredibly humbling. There are so many people working hard to positively impact young people; to be singled out is both an honor and a responsibility.
On a personal note, Mother Mary Lange’s East Coast roots resonate with me, especially because I once lived in Maryland. There’s a sense of connection there that made the award even more meaningful.
Question: How have things been in the Multicultural Center this year?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: Things have been good. One of the biggest developments has been our partnership with an international organization called Scholas Occurrentes. It began at the urging of Pope Francis, then the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, as Argentina was experiencing a time of political and social challenges. The goal was to bring young people together to talk honestly about the challenges facing their communities and the world.
Scholas, as a pontifical foundation, began in 2013 and is in 190 countries, on five continents. Dr. Bonham asked us to explore it, and after meeting with representatives, Kammie French and I felt it was a perfect fit for Carmel. We launched a Scholas club here and have been meeting since September.
Right now, we’re the only Chicago-area school actively participating, and recently hosted a Teens in Motion event, bringing together students from other schools. We meet monthly, during the school day, and students from different grades and backgrounds come together. They start with games and fun activities, and then guide the group into deeper conversations.
Question: What do students talk about in the Scholas meetings? How is this different from any other club?
Andrea Fitzpatrick:They talk about what’s really on their minds and around the nation, including current events, immigration, race-related issues, bullying, and social media.
Scholas is different because we meet during the school day, so students don’t have to choose between this and other commitments. Students are truly multi-grade and multi-ethnic—9th through 12th graders, from many backgrounds, boys and girls, vocal leaders and quieter observers. The focus is on building what Scholas calls a “culture of encounter.”
For me, “culture of encounter” means acknowledging that we’re all different in many ways, but we share concerns about what’s happening in our world. We might not know how to fix things yet, but when we come together, listen, and show respect across differences, we create the conditions for solutions and healing. That aligns beautifully with Carmel’s “Belong. Believe. Become.” framework.
Question: In what ways has the past year’s immigration landscape affected life at Carmel and the work of the Multicultural Center?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: Many of our students have been directly or indirectly affected by immigration issues and changes that impact their families. For some, these are not abstract debates—they are lived realities. Scholas and the Multicultural Center provide a safe space where students can say, “This has affected my family.”
Other students hear stories that may be very different from what they hear at home. That exposure can be transformative. They may not have experienced those concerns themselves, but they are sitting next to someone who has.
At the same time, Carmel has a very diverse student body, including families with a wide range of perspectives. My colleagues in Mission and Ministry and in counseling, along with myself, stay focused on our core commitments: ensuring students feel heard, cared for, and safe here.
Question: You mentioned food security becoming an issue for some students. What did you see, and how did you respond?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: We began noticing that some students were coming to school without eating breakfast, skipping lunch, or relying on small snacks to get through the day. I always keep snacks in my office that any student can take—no questions asked—but it quickly became clear that some students needed more consistent support.
We worked with a special fund at the school and partnered with our food services provider to offer meals at a reduced cost. It was important that students could access food without being visibly identified at the register. Students receive a weekly spending amount they can use for breakfast and/or lunch, quietly and with dignity. In some cases, students also receive a small bag of food on Fridays—enough for one or two meals—to help bridge the weekend.
Right now, we’re supporting around 12 students in this more structured way. If we were to open this up more broadly, that number would likely be higher. Instead, counselors identify students who may be in need and reach out privately, recognizing that some families prefer to keep financial challenges confidential or may not share those details with their children. Supporting food security is an important part of the day-to-day work we do in the Multicultural Center.
Question: You also take students to the African American Heritage Prayer Service each year. What is that, and why is it important?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: The African American Heritage Prayer Service, the event where I received the award, is a long-standing tradition—this year was the 48th annual service—organized by the Archdiocese of Chicago. It takes place during Black History Month at Holy Name Cathedral. I only learned about it when I started working at Carmel in 2020, despite my own children attending Catholic schools for years. In 2021, because of COVID, we participated virtually by watching weekly videos. From 2022 onward, I’ve taken groups of students in person.
The service is powerful because it shows students—Catholic and non-Catholic, Black and non-Black—what African American Catholic worship can look and feel like. There’s clapping, joy, and energy. There are visible African and African American cultural influences. It feels different from the more solemn or stoic liturgies many students are used to. They also get a mini “tour” of the Cathedral from the priest who oversees Holy Name. He explains the history, like why the red galeros (Cardinals’ hats) are hanging from the ceiling and what they represent.
This year’s service drew over 1,000 participants from across the Archdiocese. I like bringing a varied group of students, because it exposes them to a dimension of Catholic life and Black Catholic spirituality they may never have encountered otherwise.
Question: How did you feel about the recent naming of a new Pope from the United States, and specifically from Chicago?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: There was a lot of excitement at school. People were watching coverage live, and we used school announcements to share updates as they unfolded. Having a Pope from Chicago gives our students a point of connection—they can hear his English with that familiar Chicago cadence and feel a sense of local pride.
I also feel a personal connection to his family in a couple of ways. With Carmel Catholic being co-founded by the Sisters of Charity, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and my own relationship as a lay Associate in the order, we discovered that Pope Leo’s aunt—his mother’s sister—was a BVM sister and is buried at Mount Carmel Bluffs in Dubuque, Iowa. In addition, when I look at photos of his mother and his aunt, they look strikingly like my own grandmother, who was from New Orleans. I’m convinced that if I dig deeply enough into our family histories, I might find a link. So, I half-jokingly say I’m claiming him, even though he has no idea who I am.
Question: There’s been a lot happening nationally across politics, culture, and the Church. Are students engaging with these issues?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: Some are. Our CDN broadcast covers current events, which is one way students stay informed. I also have a freshman daughter at Carmel, and I know she’s very aware of what’s happening—partly through school, and partly through conversations at home.
In my role, I don’t typically introduce complex or sensitive topics in large, mixed student settings. However, when students bring these issues forward—either one-on-one or in smaller groups like the Diversity and Equity Council—I’m always open to discussing them.
Many students are trying to make sense of what they’re seeing and hearing. Some express confusion or concern, while others are aware but feel limited in how they can respond, especially in their earlier years of high school. That’s where programs like Scholas Occurrentes and the Black Brilliance Student Summit are so valuable. They help students understand that their voices matter and that they can take meaningful action, even at a local level.
Question: You mentioned the Black Brilliance Student Summit and the Young Women of Color Symposium. What are those programs, and how do they support your students?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: The Black Brilliance Student Summit is a day-long event focused on empowering students of African descent. It originally grew out of programming at Libertyville High School, and over time, moderators from multiple schools, including Carmel, began meeting and planning together.
For the past two years, I’ve been one of the adult planners. Last year, we hosted the summit at Carmel, with about 250 African American students from around the area. There was a keynote speaker, breakout sessions, and space for affirmation and connection. This year, due to construction at Carmel, we held it at the Regional Office of Education in Lake Forest. I brought 25–30 Carmel students, and the total attendance was still around 250 students.
We also took a group of students to the Young Women of Color Symposium at Loyola Academy, which is similarly centered on empowerment and community for young women of color.
Both programs give students a sense that they are seen, valued, and not alone; create peer networks across schools; and offer practical tools to navigate identity, leadership, and complex challenges
Question: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about your work and these programs?
Andrea Fitzpatrick: I think the thread that ties everything together—from Scholas, to the African American Heritage Prayer Service, to food security efforts, to Black Brilliance and the Young Women of Color Symposium—is the belief that every student deserves to belong; that every student’s story and struggle deserves to be heard; and that every student has the potential to lead and effect change, no matter their background.
I’m deeply grateful for the Archdiocese's recognition, but awards are secondary. What matters most is that students know they are not alone. They are cared for here. And each and every one has a role to play in building a better future.