STA Names 2024 Distinguished Alumna and Star Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
August 22, 2024
St. Teresa’s Academy is proud to announce this year’s Distinguished Alumna and two inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
STA 2024 Distinguished Alumna
Marion (Spence, ’87) Pierson, M.D., has been named the 2024 Distinguished Alumna. Dr. Pierson is a board-certified pediatrician, environmental justice advocate and avid supporter of community and social enrichment causes.
Dr. Pierson earned her medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and performed her internship and residency at Georgetown University Children’s Medical Center. She is an active volunteer in numerous community and civic organizations. Pierson has served on the State of Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee, as chairperson for multiple pediatric departments, and is past president of the medical staff of Saint Luke’s East Hospital in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Pierson founded EM Medical Products, which develops medical devices for pediatric patients. She owns and operates Elite Care Pediatrics, a concierge medical service that offers direct primary care, an alternative to a traditional pediatric practice.
She was a partner at Village Pediatrics in Prairie Village, Kansas, from 2010-2023 and at Cradle Through College Care on the Carondelet Campus from 2000-2010, where she provided care for thousands of young patients. Pierson is the co-founder and president of MO Hives KC, an organization focused on converting vacant lots into honey bee farms and healthy pollinator spaces throughout urban sites in Missouri. She was named Beekeeper of The Year in 2021 by the Missouri State Beekeepers Association.
In addition to her community contributions, Pierson has given back significantly to STA. In addition to serving as a mentor to current and past STA students, she also served on the STA Board of Directors from 2014-2020, taught a mini surgical practicum at the school, served as guest speaker at STA’s Women’s Symposium, and consulted extensively with students during the development of the school’s apiary (collection of bee houses), the first working apiary at a Kansas City school.
Pierson and her husband Emmet reside in Lee’s Summit. They are the parents of STA alumnae Elexa (’17), an agent with the Lakewood, Colorado, police department, and Erris (’19), a special education teacher in Lexington, Kentucky.
“I am honored to receive the 2024 Distinguished Alumna Award. St. Teresa’s Academy is a very special place to me. The female empowerment aspect of the STA community has been instrumental in my life. I am a proud alumna and eternally grateful.” Dr. Marion Pierson (’87)
STA invites the entire community, friends, family, and fellow alumnae, to join us in celebrating her accomplishments. The award ceremony will take place on October 5 at the 2024 Alumnae Reunion during the 4:30 p.m. Mass in the STA Music & Arts Auditorium. During this special event, we will share Dr. Pierson’s inspiring story and highlight the impact she has made on the medical profession and the community she serves.
Reunámonos como comunidad para celebrar los logros de uno de los nuestros e inspirarnos en su pasión por la justicia y la bondad, y en su compromiso con la excelencia.
El Premio a la Alumna Distinguida, introducido en 2009, reconoce formalmente a una antigua alumna que ha influido positiva y sustancialmente en su profesión, su comunidad o en cuestiones que afectan a la sociedad en general.
Star Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
St. Teresa’s Academy is proud to recognize two individuals who will be inducted into the Star Athletic Hall of Fame in a special inaugural induction ceremony on Friday, October 4, on the STA campus.
As a student, Jantsch was a standout athlete in volleyball, basketball, tennis and track, earning many accolades during her tenure. During her senior year, the sports program completed the change from intramural to interscholastic competition at a time when women’s sports were advancing as a result of Title IX passing in 1972. She was the first STA athlete to advance to a Division I school on an athletic scholarship. After considering offers from seven different colleges and universities, Jantsch joined the Kansas State University volleyball team, where she earned varsity letters all four years. In 1977, she was the first player in KSU volleyball history to be selected to the All-Big Eight conference team, and was selected again in 1978. In 1977, she led the KSU volleyball team to its first school appearance at the AIAW National Volleyball Championship. The 1977 team remains one of the school’s most winning teams in KSU history. Kathy was invited to begin the training process for the volleyball team that would have participated in the 1980 Olympics.
Jantsch works in financial planning and analysis at American Century Investments. She remains active with STA and the community as an advocate for female sports and as a donor to STA, including to the Eileen Teahan scholarship, which is named in her sister’s memory. She is a current member of the STA Board of Directors, former board member of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, and supporter of Kansans for Life. She also has served on the advisory board of After the Harvest.
Jantsch and her husband Tom have four children. Tom was a Division 1 athlete in track at the University of Kansas. Their two daughters – Jenny (’04) and Michelle (’07) – both are STA alumnae who advanced to play Division 1 volleyball. Their two sons, Bryan and Kevin, both are graduates of Rockhurst High School and also former Division I athletes. Bryan is currently a soccer coach at STA.
“I’m thrilled to be inducted, along with Sue Christenson, to the Star Athletics Hall of Fame. Athletics and faith both have been important parts of my life, and I’m excited to share this moment with the community.” Kathy (Teahan, ’76) Jantsch
Christenson, who passed away in January 2024 at the age of 87, joined the STA faculty in 1959 as a physical education teacher with aspirations to be a coach. That opportunity came almost immediately, when she became the coach of both the basketball and tennis teams. She went on to be the school’s athletic director for more than 35 years. During her coaching tenure, her teams participated in the Missouri 4A tournaments in both sports, resulting in a second-place finish in basketball and several times as champions in tennis. She was proud to have taught and coached hundreds of young women, instilling in them leadership and sportsmanship.
She is often remembered for her love of cars – especially the fast kind! She purchased a new Oldsmobile Starfire in 1963 – with the biggest engine available, and a Rally Red Chevrolet Corvette in 1965, which she drove for many years. Her love of sports and competition would remain with her for the rest of her life.
“We learned never to begin a visit with Sue with a ‘how are the sports teams doing?’ That would lead to an “in depth” discussion of players, schedules, and games. Usually followed by, “We have some great players this year!’ This is a woman who loved her work.” Richard Yost, Sue’s caregiver and longtime friend
Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Brenda VanLengen will address the student body and special guests on the topic of Title IX at the induction ceremony. VenLengen has worked as a women’s college basketball analyst for ESPN networks since 1996 and has been a play-by-play announcer since 2010, covering the SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten conferences, among others. She is the creator and executive producer of, If Not For Them, a documentary series on the origin of women’s college basketball.