Foundation Executive Director Joe Barker II speaks at the Annual Scholarship Dinner that raises critical funds to support Scholars such as Hannah Crane, who will attend Duquesne University this fall.
Incoming Scholar Hannah Crane has spent much of her life moving. Whether it was on the gymnastics floor, running cross-country miles, competing in track events, or balancing long after-school work shifts, she became accustomed to pushing herself. Yet beneath all of those activities was something more personal: a quiet desire to care for people when they need it most.
This is an important value that the Sister Thea Bowman Black Catholic Education Foundation embraces.
That calling became clearer during a shadowing experience in healthcare at Inspira Medical Center in Vineland, New Jersey. Watching nurses care for mothers and newborn children during childbirth left a lasting impression on her. There, she saw the calm presence, compassion, and teamwork throughout the experience. For Hannah, it influenced her decision on her college major. She wanted a future helping children and families navigate moments of fear, uncertainty, healing, and hope.
This fall, Hannah, a graduate of Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, will begin studying nursing at Duquesne University as one of the newest Scholars of the Foundation. She hopes to one day work in pediatric nursing, caring for children in areas such as labor and delivery, pediatric intensive care, or other pediatric settings.
Alongside her academic work, Hannah has built an impressive record of commitment and leadership. She competed in gymnastics for more than a decade, earning two state championships, and also participated in varsity cross country and track and field. She volunteered at Deborah Hospital, where she assisted patients undergoing rehabilitation and learned about patient care firsthand. At the same time, she balanced multiple jobs and participated in organizations such as the National Honor Society and Morgan’s Message, a program dedicated to raising mental health awareness among athletes.
What stands out most about Hannah is not simply the number of activities she has managed, but the spirit behind them. Again and again, her experiences point back to service, empathy, and a willingness to give of herself for others. Those qualities reflect the mission of the Foundation, which supports students pursuing lives rooted in leadership, faith, compassion, and educational opportunity.