Excellence, service and generosity were celebrated at Marymount University’s 2025 Halo Awards Ceremony and Gala, held last month at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
A signature event in the University’s ongoing 75th anniversary festivities, the evening honored distinguished members of the Marymount community while raising crucial funds to benefit students facing unexpected financial hardships. Over 180 attended, with $295,000 donated to the cause.
“This year’s Halo Awards hold special significance as we celebrate Marymount’s 75th anniversary—a milestone that honors our rich history, the remarkable achievements of our community and the bright future ahead,” said Dr. Irma Becerra, President of Marymount University. “Marymount’s continued growth and national recognition as a leading Catholic university are a testament to our unwavering dedication to student success, alumni achievement and faculty and staff excellence. The exceptional individuals we are honoring embody these ideals. They represent a community of lifelong learners, innovative educators and service-driven leaders who uphold the traditions of our founders, the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. Their efforts help advance Marymount’s mission and strengthen the foundation of our next 75 years.”
ABC7 News anchor Megan Clarke hosted the Gala while Kristina Bouweiri, president and CEO of Reston Limousine, served as this year’s Gala Chair. The ceremony recognized outstanding individuals who contributed significantly to Marymount and the broader region.
Carmelita Hurley Treacy ’60 was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Halo Award for her unwavering support and leadership within the Marymount community. She first served on the Board of Advisors before joining the Board of Trustees in 1980, and led the Board as Chair from 1993 through 1999. She has also chaired the Board’s Mission & Ministry committee, championed the Athletic Director’s Circle through her philanthropy and been honored with Marymount’s Alumni Appreciation Award and an honorary doctorate.
“Each day that I’m at Marymount, I’m reminded of how I love the philosophy, its Catholic identity and that it’s an institution that helps others,” Treacy shared. “It makes me so proud to be recognized because it makes me think I’m doing what God wants me to do. I hope I’m a good example to others that faith gets you where you need to be.”
The Saint of Service Halo Award was presented to Yong Kim, whose dedication to Marymount has spanned decades through his service with the Board of Trustees. He is also the president and CEO of Tymak Group, Inc., a consulting firm that drives innovation in management, marketing and technology. A distinguished entrepreneur and philanthropist, he invests in startups shaping the future of technology and business.
“When Sister Gallagher asked me many years ago to help Marymount University, I saw all the Sisters dedicating their lives to its mission, and I thought I should do a little something to help and contribute,” Kim said. “Receiving this Halo Award makes me a bit emotional because the Catholic identity and life at Marymount mean everything in my heart.”
The late Dr. Alice Mandanis, who served as Marymount’s chief academic officer for over two decades, was posthumously honored with the Mother Gerard Phelan Gold Medal for her transformative impact on the University. She oversaw the institution’s transformation by developing new programs in behavioral sciences, business, education, humanities, nursing and physical therapy. She also helped expand the campus to new sites, including the Ballston Center. Community members remember her as a determined leader, skilled academic and beloved mentor whose influence will be felt for generations.
Her children, Heidi Mandanis Schooner and Peter Mandanis, accepted the award on her behalf.
“Marymount was our mother’s alter ego – she thought of Marymount as her vocation,” Schooner said. “She felt like she was participating in making something that would endure, that would last long after she left this planet.”
“She was unwavering in her purpose and engagement, and it showed at Marymount with how she conducted herself in the community and how people trusted her,” Peter Mandanis added.
James Ryerson, a Marymount College of BILT professor, was also recognized for receiving the Distinguished Faculty Halo Award, which was bestowed during Homecoming this past fall.
The generous support from sponsors, donors and attendees contributed to the Stay on Track Student Emergency Scholarship. This vital fund provides financial relief to students who encounter unforeseen crises during their academic journeys. One of this year’s scholarship recipients, senior Political Science and International Relations major Sabah Afzaal, took the stage to share how the support has changed her life.
“Choosing Marymount, a school where student well-being really matters, might have saved me,” Afzaal reflected. “Receiving the Stay on Track Scholarship has changed the trajectory of my path.”
