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Alumni Success Stories

Bernadette Semple ‘82

Semple

Bernadette Semple ’82 takes command of situations — enthusiastically. A U.S. Navy commander, Semple says that choosing Holy Cross was the best decision she ever made. That’s quite a statement, because she has obviously made many good ones as she rose quickly in the Navy. The former economics major claims to have disliked math, but says that with a Holy Cross education, a person can learn and do anything. Her history bears that out; she went on to earn multiple advanced degrees in fields including information resources management and cyber security. One of her proudest accomplishments was as commanding officer, helping the 53 African nations build a new secure computer network for sharing information. During her career, Semple has had some remarkable experiences, including working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in an exclusive intern program and for Office of the Secretary of Defense. She was serving in the Pentagon on 9/11, where, she says, “The level of calm and professionalism was amazing. Everyone’s training kicked in.”

Semple is now preparing to retire from the Navy. Her future certainly includes service to Holy Cross, where she is a trustee and a champion of the basketball and track programs. Also on her horizon is likely to be law school or a business career. But the ultimate ambition of this passionate native New Yorker is to serve her state as an elected official. She’s a woman who means what she says, so watch for her.