Sister Joan Scheller honored with inaugural Corazón ALASI

Sister Joan Scheller of the Sisters of St. Benedict was named the first recipient of the Corazón ALASI Award for Cultural Competency from ALASI (Asociación Latinoamericana del Sur de Indiana).

The award honors “individuals who have fired our ‘corazon’ (heart) to make us the individuals that we are today.”

To be nominated, a person must embody culture (engaging with the community), access (actively assisting or empowering the Latino Community), and education (seeking to improve education for Latinos).

The award noted Sister Joan’s “exceptional dedication to promoting cultural understanding, sensitivity, and inclusivity.”

Sister Joan works in immigration services and Latino outreach through the monastery. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from St. Benedict’s College, Master’s degrees in Religious Studies from St. Louis University and in Pastoral Ministry from Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio, Texas, and an Accreditation in Immigration Law from the U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to her current position, she has served as an Elementary Education teacher, a Special Education teacher, a missionary, an administrative assistant, a pastoral associate, an immigration law representative and a Latino outreach coordinator.