Following her family tradition of receiving an all-girls education at Holy Angels Academy is something Sue Behling Schmitt, HA ’67 holds close to her heart. During her high school years, Schmitt focused on staying involved – especially in theatre and the first-ever group of Angelaires – as well as learning to grow, and challenging herself intellectually, physically, and spiritually. She continues to live by words of her mother, “Strive as if everything depended on you, but pray as if everything depended on God.”
After graduating from Holy Angels Academy in 1967, Sue attended Mount Mary for two years and graduated from Marquette University with her Bachelor of Science degree in History and Elementary Education. She then earned her Master’s in Education from Aurora University. She began her teaching career at St. Robert’s School in Shorewood, teaching history, religion, and science for eleven and a half years. While at St. Robert she also helped direct, write, and choreograph the spring fifth and sixth grade musicals. Schmitt then taught at St. John Vianney School in Brookfield for 26 years. During that time, she helped start and coordinated the school’s spring field days. She also began and moderated the middle school student council, where students developed leadership skills by organizing pep rallies and service projects.
“As a social studies teacher in a Catholic school, I had the freedom to intertwine how our faith should guide students’ views on life outside of the classroom. Challenging them to think and explain their opinions on a variety of topics was always rewarding.”
Service work and staying involved in her community are important to Schmitt. She started and coordinated Habitat for Humanity for 16 years at her home parish of Christ King, coordinates the parish’s Advent and Lenten outreach, and along with her husband, Luigi, are active members of Christ King’s St. Vincent de Paul Society. She also has a deep respect for the work that Catholic Relief Services does worldwide and has been a committee member for the Annual CRS Archbishop’s Annual Reception for the past six years and is on the Archdiocesan CRS Parish Ambassador Corps committee.
Schmitt has been her HA class rep since 1967 and truly enjoys keeping her classmates connected. She, along with her mom, aunts, sisters, nieces, two daughters, and now her grand-daughter are the beneficiaries of an HA/DSHA education. It is a school where girls can grow through their studies, volunteer opportunities, prayer groups, sports, theatre, and co-curriculars.
“The key is for these young women to explore what’s out there that will help them become a more well- rounded person and enrich their lives, their families’ lives, and all they come in contact with, while having fun at the same time. “
In her spare time, Schmitt loves being with her family, whether it be at Sunday dinners, on vacations, or anytime in between. She enjoys golf, reading, traveling, and cheering on Wisconsin sports teams – especially Marquette University men’s basketball, where she and her husband have been season ticket holders for 51 years.