The Cornelia Connelly Center Board of Trustees is proud to announce that Brianne Wetzel, CCC's Executive Director, recently attained her Doctorate in Education in Educational Policy and Leadership from American University in Washington, DC. Dr. Wetzel joined the CCC community as its sixth Executive Director in July of 2022 after spending 17 years at the Washington School for Girls, first as a teacher and administrator and then as the Principal and Head of School. In addition to her Doctorate, Dr. Wetzel has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education from Rosemont College, a Master of Education in Democracy, Diversity, and Social Justice from Trinity Washington University, and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Notre Dame. Since joining our community, CCC students, faculty, and staff have benefited greatly from Dr. Wetzel’s expertise, experience, and dedication to her Catholic faith.
Dr. Wetzel’s research examined the conversational language trustees of NativityMiguel Coalition schools use when serving as ambassadors of their organizations. Her dissertation advocated using asset-framed language and supported trustees in recognizing, disrupting, and counter-framing the deficit narrative that has historically been used to inspire giving within the nonprofit sector.
Robert Heitesenrether, Chair of the Cornelia Connelly Center’s Board of Trustees, commends Dr. Wetzel on this significant achievement. “Cornelia Connelly said, ‘Let us joyfully take pains and accept of labor, piece by piece, week by week, and day by day, and thus make sure of our victory.’ Brianne embodied this sentiment in her doctoral work. An accomplishment of this magnitude was a labor of love built slowly over time. Knowing that Brianne had to balance this work with her demanding schedule as CCC’s Executive Director is all the more impressive. Our board has already benefited from Brianne’s academic work, as she has led us to understand the importance of using asset-based language to frame CCC’s important work. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishment.”
CCC champions girls, empowering them to realize their full potential from middle school through college and beyond. The Center, which includes the Connelly Middle School for girls in grades 4-8 and the Graduate Support program for graduates in high school and college, opened its doors on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in September 1993. Mary Claire Ryan, SHCJ, Kathy Roney, SHCJ, and Connie Bush founded CCC with the generous support of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Combining the educational philosophies of Cornelia Connelly, Foundress of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, and a passion for serving girls and young women, CCC has educated over 500 girls and remains the only independent, full-scholarship middle school for girls in New York City.