COLCHESTER, Vt. - Three former Saint Michael's College student-athletes are set to be recognized during Saturday's Purple and Gold Award Ceremony, a highlight of this weekend's Reunion festivities. The event begins at 12 p.m. in the 300s Field tent. Grace (Taferner) Hoefig '81 (field hockey and club lacrosse) and Sue Bette '01 (women's lacrosse) will be recognized among six Alumni of the Year, while Senator Patrick Leahy '61 (rifle) and wife Marcelle Leahy have earned the Fr. Michael Cronogue Award for Service.
 
Hoefig played three years of field hockey during that program's infancy while also competing in four years of club lacrosse prior to the program's elevation to varsity status just two years following her graduation. Hoefig moved from midfield to forward as a junior in field hockey before serving as a co-captain her senior year. On the lacrosse field, she scored the program's first goal - in 1978 - while potting 26 of the team's 58 goals as a captain in 1981, when the Purple Knights toted a 4-2-1 mark, mostly against varsity competition.
 
Hoefig has given back often to her alma mater, including serving on a panel in 2021 that celebrated International Women's Day and 50 years of women at Saint Michael's. She has volunteered for alumni phonathons, the career advisory network, and Reunion, and contributed toward the John Carvellas Scholarship, named for the former economics professor and Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). Hoefig has worked in finance and asset management since graduating, most recently being employed by Franklin Templeton since 2008, currently as senior vice president, director of research/portfolio manager. She was previously a managing director at AXIA Capital and a senior analyst at Heine Securities, First Manhattan, and Neuberger Berman.
 
Bette was the first Northeast 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, with the league adding the sport in 1999, and helped the Purple Knights win the inaugural NE10 Championship that season. A two-time NE10 All-Conference first team selection, Bette totaled 33 goals and 25 assists in 44 career games as a well-rounded contributor while serving as captain her senior year. She was also a member of the club rugby team.
 
Bette has since become a successful restaurateur in Burlington as owner of Bluebird Barbecue, which has earned a James Beard Award nomination and been featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In 2022, she was named one of the 99 most influential restaurant executives in the country by the Nation's Restaurant News, due in part to her advocacy for independent restaurants receiving COVID-19 relief aid. A co-founder of Vermont Independent Restaurants, Bette has served on the Independent Restaurant Coalition leadership team and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
 
Senator Leahy, who was one of the most distinguished public servants in American history, competed for two years when Saint Michael's offered a varsity rifle program. He and his wife, Marcelle, will be recognized thanks to a lifetime of leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to the common good.
 
Elected to the United States Senate in 1974, Senator Leahy served for 48 years (1975-2023), making him the longest-serving senator in Vermont history and among the longest-serving in the nation. During his tenure, Senator Leahy held some of the Senate's most influential leadership positions, including serving twice as President Pro Tempore, and chaired major committees, such as Appropriations, Judiciary, and Agriculture. His work championed human rights, environmental stewardship, civil liberties, and access to opportunity, leaving a lasting impact on Vermont, the nation, and the global community.
 
Marcelle Leahy, a registered nurse and respected community leader, has devoted her life to service and advocacy. She has held leadership roles with organizations supporting healthcare, cancer prevention, and military families, including the Vermont National Guard Family Readiness and Support Program.
 
The Leahys exemplify a partnership grounded in humility, compassion, and a shared commitment to justice. Their enduring connection to Saint Michael's is reflected in their continued engagement and generosity, including support for transformative initiatives, such as the Patrick '61 and Marcelle Leahy Institute for the Environment - an investment in future generations of scholars and changemakers.