With a rich tradition, Maria High School has proudly educated thousands of young women. Many of these women are prominent figures within our community who continue to portray a symbol of excellence and pride. These are the same qualities which Maria High School continues to instill in our young women today. Below is a list of some of the proud women who have graduated from Maria High School and went on to make a difference in the world.
Mayda Del Valle '96
Mayda credits her passion for writing to the journal she had to keep while attending Maria, an all-girl's Catholic school on the South Side. "That's where I got my start. A teacher named Mrs. Kelly made us keep a journal," Del Valle says.
Del Valle filled the pages with monologues and skits -- not poetry.
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Mayda Del Valle
Elba Aranda-Suh '89
Elba Aranda-Suh, Maria High School, Class of 1989, serves as the Agency Director at the National Latino Education Institute (NLEI). In this role, Ms. Aranda-Suh oversees the day-to-day operations of the agency. Her primary responsibility is to manage the organization's overall ability to provide seamless delivery of programs and services in the key areas of workforce training, job placement services, supportive/social services, community education, resource development, marketing and communications.
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Elba Aranda-Suh
Victoria Romero '89
Victoria Romero is a lifelong resident of Chicago’s Pilsen community, a predominantly Mexican American neighborhood. Her parents migrated to Chicago in the 1950s from Mexico. Ms. Romero graduated from Maria High School in 1989. In 2004 she was inducted into the Maria High School Hall of Fame for her work with the SCA-Maria Alumnae Association, Maria’s Mexican Scholarship Fund Committee, and the Chicago Department of Public Health as a Public Health Administrator.
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Victoria Romero
Patricia Saldana Natke '82
Patricia Saldaña Natke is the principal founder of UrbanWorks, a community-based female minority owned architecture firm.
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Particia Saldana Natke
Tamara Marshall '80
Dr. Marshall received her medical degree from the Chicago Medical School and completed post-graduate pediatric training at The University of Chicago.
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Tamara Marshall
Anita Alvarez '78, Cook County State's Attorney
On December 1, 2008, Anita Alvarez made history when she raised her right hand and was sworn in as Cook County’s first female and first Hispanic State’s Attorney. She took the oath of office from Judge Joseph Urso, who was the judge in her first felony courtroom. Anita promised a standing-room-only crowd at Chicago’s Cultural Center that her administration would “seek justice tempered with fairness and compassion.”
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Anita Alvarez