Oak Knoll alumnae Mary Joan “MJ” Murphy ’87, center, with Laura White Dillon ’70, left, and Meredith Bergan ’12.

Cornelia Connelly Center in New York City’s East Village stands as a powerful expression of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus’ vision in action. As the city’s only tuition-free, independent Catholic middle school for girls, CCC has provided a holistic education to students from low-income families since 1993 — grounded in academic excellence, personal dignity, and long-term support through high school and college.

CCC and Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, in Summit, New Jersey, share more than a founder. Both are members of the Holy Child Network of Schools, united by Cornelia Connelly’s call to “Actions, Not Words.” Over the past three decades, that shared mission has taken tangible form through the involvement of more than 20 Oak Knoll alumnae, faculty, and staff who have volunteered or worked with CCC. Today, three Oak Knoll alumnae serve on CCC’s Board of Trustees — including current Board Chair Mary Joan Murphy ’87 — representing multiple generations committed to service.

Laura White Dillon, Oak Knoll Class of 1970, a retired communications professional and former CCC Board Chair, traces her involvement back to the Center’s earliest days. Reflecting on her own Oak Knoll experience, she shared, “I’ve always felt extremely lucky to have landed at Oak Knoll when I did. With change in the air, a remarkable group of SHCJ nuns and lay faculty revamped the curriculum as a lively, creative, wide-ranging interdisciplinary program — all underpinned by the holistic Holy Child educational tradition. Serious learning was never at odds with warmth and fun.” That foundation shaped Dillon’s lifelong commitment to education and service, eventually leading her to CCC, where she served on the Board beginning in 2001 and later as Chair.

For Mary Joan “MJ” Murphy, Oak Knoll Class of 1987, now Chair of the CCC Board of Trustees, service has always been inseparable from education. “We were expected to work hard and to use our educations to help others,” she said, reflecting on her Oak Knoll years. After building a career in nursing and public health, Murphy joined CCC’s Board in 2004. She describes the school as a place where every child is truly seen: “[CCC] is the center of joy. Our girls skip. And they smile and laugh. Three days a week, they have morning assembly where the principal greets them by name. So every girl is seen and feels valued.” For Murphy, her ongoing leadership is deeply personal. “This is my social justice. This is the piece of me that is giving back for what Holy Child gave to me.”

Meredith Bergan, Oak Knoll Class of 2012, represents the newest generation of Oak Knoll alumnae carrying this mission forward. After serving as Chair of CCC’s Junior Advisory Board, Bergan now serves as a Trustee. Reflecting on her Oak Knoll experience, she shared, “There was something so special about the experience and the community and just how fun it was. It was also a great education.” Her involvement with CCC grew naturally from those roots. Today, she sees firsthand the impact of the Center’s work: “These girls are receiving an excellent education. And it’s changing their lives and their family’s lives for the better.”

Together, Dillon, Murphy, and Bergan embody a legacy of leadership rooted in compassion, responsibility, and action. Their stories mirror the more than 20 Oak Knoll alumnae, faculty, and staff who have volunteered with the Connelly Center over the years, an enduring relationship that exemplifies a key tenet of the Holy Child mission — service.

As CCC continues its work educating young women and supporting them through high school and college, Oak Knoll remains deeply connected to that mission. It is a partnership shaped by shared values, sustained by generations, and guided by Cornelia Connelly’s enduring vision: love made visible through action.