BARBARA D'IORIO MARTINO '60
An alumna of the Agnes Irwin School recently suggested that “Volunteerism is giving time. Charity is giving money. Philanthropy is doing both to produce change.” This Irwin’s graduate certainly must be acquainted with Barbara Martino, because no one characterizes philanthropy at Chestnut Hill better than Barbara does. The list is long when it comes to chronicling Barbara’s 30-year volunteerism and charity. At Chestnut Hill, alone, she has served as a class officer, a fund agent, an officer of the Alumnae Association’s Delmo Club in the ’70s, and its president in 1978-79. She served on the Alumnae Association Board of Directors in the late ’70s and early ’80s and was voted president in 1982-1984. She later served as a director-at-large for four years. In 1988, Barbara was invited to serve on the College’s Board of Trustees, a position she holds today.
Barbara does not merely take offices and position for the sound of the titles. She works, and she works hard. As chair of Chestnut Hill’s first capital campaign (1988-91), Barbara was relentless in creating and pursuing opportunities to achieve and surpass the College’s goal. She talked to anyone and everyone about Chestnut Hill’s successes and challenges. Pity the poor soul who happened to take an airplane or train seat next to Barbara. There was no escaping her litany of praises for the chemistry education she received at Chestnut Hill and especially her regard for the science faculty, particularly for Sister Eleanor Marie and Sister Patrick Marie.
Barbara’s volunteerism goes far beyond Chestnut Hill. She has served on the executive committee of the Alumni Fundraisers of St. Joseph’s University, as president of the Mother’s Club at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, an officer in the Parents’ Association of St. Aloysius Academy, a volunteer on many committees sponsored by the Philadelphia Archdiocese, and a Foundation Worker for the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. She has also served as president of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Yacht Club of Sea Isle City. Barbara has been honored as a Lady in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and has been awarded honorary doctor of law degrees from Chestnut Hill College and Neumann College as well as the Papal Honor of the Cross from the Vatican.
Sister Joan Rychalsky, IHM, president of Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls, confirms that “Barbara is one of those persons whose generosity overflows into many institutions. Little Flower … is one of the schools that has benefited from Barbara’s gifts, talents and generosity.” In addition to carrying a significant responsibility in CHC’s current Capital Gifts Initiative, Barbara is serving as campaign chair of Little Flower’s first endowment campaign. She feels a big debt of gratitude to these two schools, first to Little Flower for its wonderful college preparation and from which she graduated in 1956 as a distinguished honor student, and, second, to Chestnut Hill, which awarded her a full-tuition scholarship and from which she graduated in 1960 with departmental honors in chemistry.
Although Barbara has been a consistent supporter of Catholic causes worldwide, her heart and generosity have been claimed by Chestnut Hill above all others. Her chairmanship of the College’s first capital campaign, which raised $5.5 million, and her $2.5 million leadership gift to the Capital Gifts Initiative have set a standard for charitable giving to the College. Classmate Kathleen M. Wagner ’60 says that Barbara’s “devotion, dedication, and service to CHC is unmatched. For forty years, she has served the College in many capacities, and her generosity is noteworthy to many of her sister alumnae.” Sister Margaret Fleming, SSJ ’56, former Superior General and board chair, notes: “From first-hand knowledge, I can tell you that her words of gratitude [to CHC] became deeds of action…. She visited alumnae all over the country talking about the relevant mission of the College and asking them for financial support and for help in recruiting students.”
Under Barbara’s chairmanship, Chestnut Hill’s first capital campaign exceeded its goal by more than one million dollars at the same time that it refurbished numerous science and technology classrooms and labs in St. Joseph Hall. Sister Matthew Anita MacDonald, SSJ, Ph.D. ’60, former president of the College, notes that “… Barbara’s tremendous commitment of time and talent enabled the College to approach the last decade of the century financially secure, technologically advanced, and scientifically upgraded.” Barbara has introduced new benefactors to Chestnut Hill, has attracted substantial gifts to the College, and has moved Chestnut Hill to a new level of fundraising. Barbara and Rocky’s leadership gift to the Capital Gifts Initiative, represented today by Martino Hall, produced the first new building on the campus in more than 45 years. Chestnut Hill students now enjoy a first-class facility for athletics, academics, and performance.
If we return to the definition of philanthropy as suggested by the Irwin’s alumna, Barbara Martino truly has produced change at many institutions, but most especially at Chestnut Hill.
Chestnut Hill College is pleased to award its first Distinguished Achievement Award in Philanthropy to Barbara D’Iorio Martino ’60.
