From the Hill The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Albertus Magnus College 2 0 1 8 I N A U G U R AT I O N C O M M E M O R AT I V E E D I T I O N
#CongratsDrCamille see page 6
The inauguration of Albertus Magnus College was founded Dr. Marc M. Camille the 14 president in 1925 by the Magnus Dominican Sisters of Peace. of Albertus College th
May 3 & 4, 2018
albertus.edu/inauguration The colors in the Inauguration logo represent the four pillars of the Dominican Charism — Study, Prayer, Community, and Service.
Jocelyn Maminta @jocelynmaminta
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Today is inauguration day 4 14th president of Albertus Magnus College @AlbertusSocial - congrats Dr. Marc Camille @AlbertusPres on your big day. A great guy who is already making a huge impact on campus. @CTLaSalleBlanks @WTNH covering event. #FridayThoughts
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INAUGURATION 2018 MESSAGE FROM JEANNE M. DENNISON 1 STUDY Student-curated Art Show. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Speaking and Singing Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 PRAYER
Mass of the Holy Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
#AlbertusServes see page 16
The feathers represent the Albertus mascot, the falcon. President Camille @AlbertusPres
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What a spectacular day to give back! The sun shines brightly as Inauguration Day of Service is underway all around @cityofnewhaven, including in Newhallville for Greenspace Clean-up. #FearlessFalcons in force helping others. #AlbertusServes
CELEBRATIONS 6 COMMUNITY
Installation Ceremony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Presidential Inauguration Gala to Benefit The Silver Horn Scholarship Fund.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 SERVICE Day of Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
On the Cover:
Sharing a moment with President Camille is the Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, S.T.D., Archbishop of Hartford. Thank You To the many photographers, videographers, designers, information technology wizards, and others who made this commemorative Inauguration issue of From the Hill possible, the publications team says a heartfelt Thank You. All galleries and videos can be found at albertus.edu/inaugurationgalleries.
#SilverHornScholarship see page 14
7:30 AM - 5 May 2018
Albertus Magnus @AlbertusSocial
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The celebration continued after @AlbertusPres installation. The Silver Horn Scholarship Gala raised over $250,000. Learn more about how you can help make a difference in a student’s life at http://albertus.edu/inauguration. #FearlessFalcons #CongratsDrCamille #SilverHornScholarship
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A ME S S A GE F RO M J E A NNE M. DENNISON gathered in Prayer at the Mass of the Holy Spirit where the spirituality of the College was present in all dimensions. As the congregation joined in devotion, I was moved by a verse composed for the occasion by my fellow search committee member and alumna, Deborah Frattini, ’70, Associate Professor, Director of the Academic Development Center:
Dear Alumni and Friends of Albertus, It is a curious thing how my memory recorded my first meeting with Dr. Marc Camille during the presidential search process. While his career history and accomplishments were impressive, what I recall most vividly was his intense focus on the mission of Albertus and his commitment to the relevance of a liberal arts education especially in today’s higher education landscape. True to his beliefs, newlyinaugurated President Camille ensured that the inauguration events centered on the always present pillars of the Dominican Charism: Study, Prayer, Community, and Service. The springtime beauty of the Albertus campus served as a welcoming backdrop for his inauguration as the 14th President of the College. It struck me that the only thing more picturesque than the campus was the colorful pageantry of the day. Brilliant banners depicting our mascot, the Fearless Falcon, fluttered in the warm breezes around Rosary Hall. Jewel-toned academic regalia graced our faculty, trustees, and distinguished guests as they processed to the sound of a ceremonial bagpipe. An occasional tear was quietly wiped away from the smiling faces of family and friends affirming their pride in President Camille. The music and vocal harmonies of the Albertus Chorus added to both the solemnity of the occasion and the festive atmosphere. Members of the Dominican congregation, local dignitaries, and the Albertus community extended greetings and prayers for our new President. Throughout the four days of campus and community events, President Camille was immersed in storied legacies, most notably about the visionary founders of the College and the contributions of Dr. Julia M. McNamara, president emerita. The optimism held forth by those assembled served to witness and celebrate not just President Camille but the entire Albertus community—our history and our future. As students are our raison d’être, it was fitting that the inauguration events commenced with the Study day centered on the Fearless Forum: A Celebration of the Liberal Arts at Albertus. I found the student-curated art show and presentations to be both provocative and inspiring as they celebrated liberal arts in action. Sister Patricia Twohill, O.P., Prioress, Dominican Sisters of Peace, welcomed President Camille’s extended family, friends, and the Albertus community as they
For the Dominican Tradition For the Truth in all its ways For our Mission that still guides us For the Glory of this Day The Albertus Community observed the heraldic emblems of the College with the presentation of the Mace, the College Seal, and the Presidential Medallion inscribed with the names of the fourteen presidents of Albertus Magnus College. Much to my surprise, it was an emotional moment for me as an alumna and now Chair of the Board as I read the Installation Proclamation on behalf of the Board of Trustees. It was indeed a privilege to commit the care of the College to President Camille. An occasion this noteworthy deserves a grand gesture and the Presidential Inauguration Gala and the launch of The Silver Horn Scholarship Fund served to commemorate President Camille’s belief that the value of a college degree is only realized through degree completion. The Silver Horn Scholarship was created as the signature fundraising opportunity designed to provide essential financial support for enrolled students who face financial hardship. With great foresight, President Camille shaped this scholarship to help eliminate a barrier to academic success. For me, this is a tangible testament to his commitment to our mission. It was fitting that the inaugural festivities concluded with a day of Service. In recognition of the year of our founding, 1925, President Camille challenged the Albertus community with an ambitious goal of at least 1,925 volunteers contributing to service activities. As an alumna, it reminded me of the spirit of the Dominican motto: contemplata aliis tradere to give to others the fruits of one’s contemplations. Along with President Camille, our alumni, students, future Falcons, faculty, administration, staff, and trustees—each in our own way are called to the mission of Albertus as we engage in study, prayer, community, and service for the benefit of others and to understand our place in the world and contribution to society. It was my honor to lead the search committee for our new president and as he concludes the first year of his presidency, I affirm my faith in President Camille as he guides us forward in service of our students and advances the well-being of Albertus Magnus College. With gratitude,
Jeanne M. Dennison, ’78 Chair, Board of Trustees Chair, Presidential Search Committee albertus.edu/inauguration I N AU G U R AT I O N 2 0 1 8 1
STUDY MAY 2, 2018
Fearless Forum: A Celebration of the Liberal Arts at Albertus #FearlessFalcons President Camille checks out the student-curated art show, Loaded: Artist as Activist, featuring works by artists Rita Valley and Margaret Roleke. The exhibition explored the role of artist as activist and activist as artist. Later in the evening Professor Lisa Furman, director of the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling, presented on behalf of the Albertus community, the celebratory mural Albertus Soars, a piece of art comprised of 64 tiles contributed by Albertus community members.
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8 1 Alexandra James, Sophia Obertello, and Jessica Coughlin; 2 President Camille and Ellen Donohue; 3 Sarah Wallman; 4 Zachery Hart, Shelby DeLuna, Rita Valley, Emily Hartlett, Anne Dunne, and Debbie Hesse; 5 Morgana Payne, Destinee Hunt, and Shamain McAllister; 6 Joan Venditto; 7 Sr. Thoma Swanson, O.P.; 8 Maxim Schmidt; 9 Exhibition in the Margaret L. MacDonough Gallery; 10 The Albertus Soars mural
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Mural Video: albertus.edu/albertussoarsmural
PRAYER MAY 3, 2018
Mass of the Holy Spirit #DominicanTradition The Mass of the Holy Spirit took place in the magnificent St. Joseph Church, completed in 1904 and reminiscent of a church in Ravenna, Italy. Sr. Patricia Twohill, O.P., Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, welcomed the guests prior to the Procession of Representatives from the College and the Liturgical Procession. Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J., president of Loyola University Maryland, was the celebrant and homilist; Rev. Jordan Lenaghan, O.P., executive director of university religious life at Quinnipiac University, and Rev. John Paul Walker, O.P., pastor, St. Mary’s Parish, concelebrants. The Albertus Chorus—with students, alumni, staff, and friends of the College— provided the musical background.
“ Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.” — St. Dominic
The College Charter, Presidential Medallion, College Seal, and Mace
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9 1 (front to back) Carolyn Behan Kraus, Ragaa Mazen, Regina Stephenson, Alicia Vitagliano, Tameeka Parks, Nancy Albee, and Melonie Smith Bland; 2 Caroline Kobierowski, Kaitlin D’Agostino, and Jason Howell; 3 Sr. Patricia Twohill, O.P.; 4 Jeremiah Coffey; 5 Sarah Catafio and the Albertus Chorus; 6 Raymond Peach; 7 Sr. Anne Kilbride, O.P.; 8 Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J.; 9 Louis Tagliatela Jr. and Anne McCrory; 10 St. Joseph Church
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CELEBRATIONS MAY 3 & 4, 2018
Falcons Celebrate
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#FearlessFalcons Celebrations big and small marked the inaugural festivities.
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12 1 Nicole Marquis, Christina Caputo, Jasmin Burgos, Michael Piscitelli, and Ciara Negron; 2 President Camille and Jerome Nevins; 3 Milton Camille and Jody Camille; 4 Elizabeth Karpf, Bonnie Dingus, and Annette Bosley-Boyce; 5 Patrick Clifford, Wiley Dawson, and Frankie Falcon; 6 Elizabeth Magenheimer, Susan Cole, and Jeremiah Coffey; 7 Melissa DeLucia, Brian Leighton, Kristen DeCarli, and Samantha Masayda; 8 Sr. Mary Catherine Hilkert, O.P., and President Camille; 9 Claire Nicholls and Joan Sacco; 10 Samantha Quinn, Devon Corbett, Awilda Burroughs, Andrew Foster, President Camille, Erin Morrell, Jeff Funk, and Frankie; 11 President Camille, Rosalind Moore, Donna Salak, and Lynne Hennessy; 12 Ena Williams and President Emerita Julia M. McNamara; 13 Michael Lynch, President Camille, and Lawrence Ward 6   I N AU G U R AT I O N 2 0 1 8
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With appreciation to everyone who kept their sense of humor during this transformative period at Albertus. 20
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14 Raymond Peach; 15 Tony and Linda Catalino; 16 Rebecca Brogan and Christopher Gruber; 17 Rosalind Moore, Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J., Susan M. Donovan, and David Daughaday; 18 Howard Fero, Paul Broadie II, and Sean O’Connell; 19 Members of the Albertus Magnus College Board of Trustees; 20 Lakhena Rath, President Camille, Alicia DeAlmedia, Craig Hubert, Christina Palumbo, and Sophia Obertello; 21 President Camille and Frankie; 22 The Albertus Chorus; 23 Awilda Burroughs, Evell Concepcion, and Patricia Dawson I N AU G U R AT I O N 2 0 1 8   7
COMMUNITY MAY 4, 2018
Presidential Installation Ceremony #CongratsDrCamille The Day at Last. A wave of academic regalia. Delegates. Greetings. Dignitaries. The Archbishop of Hartford. Keynote: Holy Curiosity. Calls to Service. Blessing of the Mace and President’s Medallion. President’s Address: “Nothing Less Than Excellence, Nothing Less Than Albertus Magnus College.” Benediction. Alma Mater. Release of Peace Doves. The Day at Last.
President Emerita Julia M. McNamara and President Marc M. Camille 8 I N AU G U R AT I O N 2 0 1 8
President Camille Embraces the College’s Future: His Inaugural Address
NOTHING LESS THAN EXCELLENCE, NOTHING LESS THAN ALBERTUS MAGNUS COLLEGE As I stand before you today, there are so many things for which I can be thankful in my life and so many things I believe that we all can count among those we give thanks on a daily basis. And I would be remiss if we did not start with acknowledgment of this community’s effort—I’ll describe it as herculean—to prepare the ceremonies that commenced with the day of study, the Mass yesterday and reception and dinner, this installation, the gala tonight and day of service tomorrow. I would be remiss if we didn’t give thanks to those who helped to lead it: Sr. Anne Kilbride, O.P., special assistant to the President for Dominican mission and ministries; Carolyn Behan Kraus, vice president for development and alumni relations; and Andrea Kovacs, vice president for communications and marketing. We all thank you. I would be remiss if we did not give thanks to members of the Albertus Magnus College Board of Trustees; Sr. Patricia Twohill, Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, and members of the Congregation; Dr. Julia McNamara, president emerita and Sr. Anne Kilbride, interim president; Archbishop of Hartford Leonard Blair and other religious leaders; Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro; State Senator Gary Winfield; New Haven Mayor Toni Harp; and Fellow presidents and institutional delegates.
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to this campus today. I am honored, and humbled, by your presence. And to Dr. McNamara, please allow me to take this opportunity to acknowledge the profound legacy of your 34-year tenure as president of this College. I stand on your shoulders, carrying the weight of responsibility to continue moving this great institution forward, toward a bright future. I thank you and I admire you. To my former colleagues, my friends, who are here today and around the country, your presence in my life is a grace and touches my heart. My career journey and whatever successes I might claim to have influenced… I attribute them to you, your support and encouragement. Father Brian Linnane, Society of Jesus, and president of Loyola University Maryland, I will always be grateful for your support and friendship, and the opportunities you gave me during my years at Loyola, and now equally so for the beautiful homily and Mass of the Holy Spirit, over which you presided yesterday. And Sr. Mary Catherine Hilkert, O.P., I am grateful for your presence at this ceremony and for your insightful and inspiring remarks. To my personal friends and family. An attempt at words right now, to express the great admiration and love,
The Platform Party, and members of the Board of Trustees and President’s Cabinet gathered prior to the procession to Rosary Hall.
COMMUNITY MAY 4, 2018
President Camille with his children, Ryan and Katie.
the eternal debt of gratitude for your unconditional love and support, would fail miserably in conveying the depth of my emotions. So I simply say, to each and every one of you who is here today or here in spirit, I love you. My children, my most precious blessings, Katie and Ryan … in this most public of settings and before God, I thank you for your goodness and love. My life was forever changed for the better when God blessed your mother and I with your births. I love you.
“ When I think about our world and the ever growing litany of its challenges, there is a need and call for more values-based educated citizens…” And with all heartfelt love and respect to the distinguished guests, friends and former colleagues, and even my family members… on this day, on this stage on the steps of Rosary Hall, I am most humbled and honored to stand before the Albertus Magnus College Community: the Trustees, the Dominican Sisters of Peace, the faculty and staff, the alumni, parents, and students. You, collectively and individually, are my inspiration. In this first year of serving as YOUR president, you’ve welcomed me into your community, doing so with open arms and open hearts. You’ve nourished my soul and you’ve fueled my engine. You’ve ignited a fire within me, a passion for Albertus Magnus College that burns more strongly each day. I am grateful to count you among my new friends and colleagues, and for your palpable, unwavering support of this College, its distinctive and essential Catholic and Dominican mission and identity, and most importantly, the students we serve. I thank you. In 1989, fresh out of college, I was hired by Mount Ida College as you’ve now learned, as an admission counselor. If we think about the responsibilities of an admission counselor, at a base level, she or he is charged with recruiting new students to an institution. In doing so, admission counselors become the voice of their institution, sharing a narrative that, ideally, is equal parts candid and compelling. Admission counselors are 1 0 I N AU G U R AT I O N 2 0 1 8
charged with telling the stories about the institutions they represent. Among the myriad responsibilities expected of a college president… I argue one of those most essential is that of being the “chief storyteller.” As presidents, we must master our institutional narrative, historical and visionary, candid and compelling. So in my remarks today, it seems most appropriate considering my background and my new responsibilities, to share with you some stories about Albertus Magnus College. In doing so, fully appreciating that these presidential inauguration ceremonies are not typically defined by their brevity, and acknowledging I have the great honor and privilege of serving as the 14th president of Albertus Magnus College, I’ve established a personal goal that, I suspect, will be deemed to be wise: to keep my remarks to 14 minutes, or less. Silly me, I forgot to start the clock. Here we go. If we are to understand Albertus Magnus College and its story, it seems we should begin with a hark back to April 1926, a few short months after the founding of the College by the Dominican Sisters of Saint Mary of the Springs, today’s Dominican Sisters of Peace. In a letter to Mother Stephanie Mohun, the Mother General of the Sisters, the College’s first chaplain, Rev. Arthur Chandler, Order of Preachers, wrote: “The simple truth about Albertus Magnus College and its peculiar purpose is this: Albertus Magnus is not merely another college. It is rather a movement — a movement toward the realization of distinct and substantial ideals regarding the future of American womanhood. Based upon the rock principles that education is the development of the entire being, and that higher faculties should receive higher development and should control all else, Albertus Magnus intends to build proportionately mind and will and being. The College stands opposed to superficial knowledge, to weak-willed paganism, and to veneered culture. It has set itself against these to become a vital and permanent and dominating influence. This, in brief, is the giant purpose of Albertus Magnus College.” Father Chandler’s message to Mother Stephanie was a call for Albertus Magnus College to be “not merely another college,” but rather, one where “education is the development of the entire being,” “opposed to superficial knowledge,” and “to become a vital and
“ This small college with a big purpose has throughout its history adapted to changing times…” permanent and dominating influence.” The founding Dominican Sisters and those involved with shaping Albertus Magnus College’s earliest years, they boldly aspired toward nothing less than excellence.
But excellence at Albertus Magnus College always has been about more than academic achievement or accolades. Catholic and Dominican values have unceasingly served as the bedrock for an Albertus education. The values- and liberal-arts based education delivered for now 93 years, continues to be upheld and informed by the four Dominican Pillars that also framed this week’s inauguration festivities: Study, Prayer, Community, and Service. Knowledge gained from study, from books,
“ Degree completion not only needs to be the goal, it needs to be the expectation.” from experience… this alone is not sufficient for this College. Reflection. Placing other’s wants and needs above those of self. Giving of oneself. These are the complementary values espoused at this College. Humbleness and humility can be found among the faculty, the staff, the students, the alumni of Albertus Magnus College. We recall, it was St. Dominic himself who said, “Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.” The Albertus Magnus community is a testament to Dominic’s charge. The mission of Albertus Magnus, I repeat, is to provide men and women with an education that promotes the search for truth in all its dimensions and is practical in its application. This College’s mission professes faithfulness to its Catholic
On the steps of the iconic Rosary Hall, President Camille delivered his Inaugural Address.
heritage and the Judeo-Christian tradition, while remaining dedicated to providing an opportunity for learning which responds to the academic needs and ethical challenges of its students and society. When I think about our world and the ever growing litany of its challenges, there is a need and call for more values-based educated citizens, those with humility, prepared to apply their knowledge and experience for the betterment of society and others. Today, Albertus Magnus College educates fifteen hundred men and women, younger and older, undergraduate and graduate, in person and online, here in New Haven, in East Hartford, and from afar. This small college with a big purpose has throughout its history adapted to changing times and the needs of the Greater New Haven community: Albertus was a pioneer in the adult education market, including innovative cohort based programs; six decades after its founding, the College made the difficult but necessary decision to become coeducational; in the decades that followed, intercollegiate athletic teams were added, and today the Falcons compete nationally at the NCAA Division III level. Today, the student body at Albertus Magnus College is intentionally, proudly, diverse. More than 60 percent are students of color. Nearly the same percent receive Federal Pell Grants. And nearly half will be the first in their family to earn a college degree. The diversity of students and experiences that exist on this campus enrichens the depth of the dialogue and learning that occurs inside and outside the classroom. It is my belief that if any college claims, or aspires to
COMMUNITY MAY 4, 2018
The gospel choir, Kevin Monroe and Devotion, performed an original piece written by alumnus Daniel Bland ’07.
excellence, diversity is an absolute necessity… the diversity that blesses us at Albertus Magnus College is the envy of so many colleges and universities who are striving to diversify their student bodies.
More Than a Dream In higher education today, there is considerable focus, dialogue, strategy, and investment in support of increasing access to higher education. As there should be. A college education should be more than just a dream for those from underrepresented or less privileged backgrounds. However, I do not believe that access to higher education is enough. For one to benefit from higher education, one must complete higher education. Degree completion not only needs to be the goal, it needs to be the expectation. I have said it time and again since my arrival on this campus… every student who graces us with their decision to enroll at Albertus Magnus College needs to do so expecting to finish their degree. Those who graduate from this College, dating back deep into its history and continuing today, they go on to be successful, civically engaged students.
Moment to Brag Please grant me a moment to brag. One of the metrics used by colleges and universities around the country to measure institutional value is how alumni are doing six months after graduating. Nationally, for the Class of 2017, 71 percent of bachelor’s degree recipients were either employed full-time or in graduate school. For Albertus Magnus College’s Class of 2017, 96 percent were employed full-time or in graduate school. An Albertus Magnus College education is a door opener. It’s a life changer. It’s transformative. And let’s be candid. If we consider the demographic profile of our students, based upon national norms and historical data, the easy path would be to accept less than excellence. Not here. How and why are Albertus students so successful? It begins with 93 years of Catholic and Dominican, valuesand liberal-arts based education. Added to that philosophy are experiential opportunities brought forward by this College’s dedicated faculty and staff. Albertus students 1 2 I N AU G U R AT I O N 2 0 1 8
complete internships. They work, on campus and at home. They conduct research, as undergraduates, alongside the talented faculty members who mentor them. And in this first year of my tenure, I’ve come to appreciate that Albertus Magnus College students work hard and they realize nothing in life worth achieving is given or comes without effort and sacrifice. But there’s something more at play on this campus, in this community. Back in the fall, in preparation for these inauguration events, we conducted some research among the faculty and staff, inquiring about the essence of an Albertus Magnus College education… what makes this place distinctive… why the sense of commitment to the College’s mission and its students is so strong. What was offered in response, by members of the Albertus faculty, was among the most powerful and compelling testaments I’ve heard in my 29 years of working on college campuses: “At Albertus Magnus College, we love our students into soaring, to become their best selves.” Colleges around the country strive to foster community. At Albertus, it’s more than a community… it’s a family. There is love shown every day on this campus. As it should be. This College’s patron Saint, its namesake, Albert the Great, in referencing a passage from the Scriptures in the first letter of St. John (1 John 4:8), “It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for ‘God is Charity’.” God is charity. God is love. We love our students into soaring toward their best selves. And out of deference to, and support for the Dominican Sisters who founded this College and the women who alone for six decades formed its student body, I affirm St. Albert’s call for God’s charity, God’s love, with the powerful words of a woman, Dominican Saint, Catherine of Siena: “A soul cannot live without loving. It must have something to love, for it was created to love.”
“ An Albertus Magnus College education is a door opener. It’s a life changer. It’s transformative.” We love our students into soaring to become their best selves. The mascot for Albertus Magnus College intercollegiate athletics teams is the Falcon. Lore has it that St. Albert himself and his family were falconers. And you may not be aware, but the Falcon is the fastest member of the animal kingdom in the world. After soaring to maximum heights, Peregrine Falcons have been recorded during hunting dives at speeds faster than 240 mph!
Brighter Moments are Yet to Unfold In 1926, Albertus Magnus College aspired to be “not merely another college.” Through educating and developing the “the entire being,” and in opposition to “superficial knowledge,” Albertus Magnus sought “to become a vital and
permanent and dominating influence.” Ninety-three years later, we are graced with the beautiful prose found in the chapters that narrate the story of Albertus Magnus College. As I stand before you today, now officially charged with stewarding through my leadership as president, this most precious and necessary Mission, I unabashedly declare to you that this College’s brightest moments are yet to unfold. In 1926, nothing less than excellence would be good enough for Albertus Magnus College. As we move forward, we will seek greater excellence. Our goal will be to engage more deeply in the fulfillment of our essential mission. In the fall, we will commence a shared strategic visioning and planning process, seeking to identify opportunities for distinction and distinctiveness as we set our sights on the year 2025, the Centennial milestone for this great college. We will build upon our time-tested educational philosophy; over the course of this first year serving as president, it’s become clear to me that there never has been a time where the Catholic and Dominican, values- and liberal-arts based education offered at Albertus Magnus College is as needed or as relevant as it is today.
“ We love our students into soaring to become their best selves.” Acknowledging the world and workplaces are not singular in their disciplines, we will embrace interdisciplinary. We will provide academic and co-curricular programming that continues and prepares
Albertus Magnus students for career success, civic engagement, and values-based, servant leadership. We will continue to celebrate and embrace the richness of diversity. Albertus Magnus College Falcons will continue to compete for athletic championships while remaining true to their primary focus of earning college degrees. We will share the stories of Albertus Magnus College impact with wider audiences. We will grow our enrollment and we will grow our resources.
Proud and Bold We will remain humble and we will model humility. But make no mistake… we will be proud and bold in living out our mission and achieving our vision. The City of New Haven needs Albertus Magnus College. Our world needs Albertus Magnus College. The motto of these inauguration ceremonies is “Fearless Falcons.” If we again hark back one more time to St. Catherine of Siena, we hear her calling: “Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.” A proven truth, one which I embrace and declare is the motto on which this College makes its promises to students: “We have faith in your future.” Distinguished guests. My colleagues. My friends and family. And members of the Albertus Magnus College family, without condition and with a burning passion I declare to you, “I have faith in the future of Albertus Magnus College, and I will do all I can in leading this College to achieve nothing less than excellence. This world needs, nothing less, than Albertus Magnus College.” God bless you all. Thank you.
Honoring our Dominican heritage, the ceremony concluded with the release of two white doves symbolizing peace.
COMMUNITY MAY 4, 2018
Presidential Inauguration Gala to Benefit The Silver Horn Scholarship Fund #SilverHornScholarship The value of a college degree is only realized through degree completion. At Albertus Magnus College, just starting college isn’t good enough; excellence through degree completion is our commitment and our shared success. The Silver Horn Scholarship Fund will strengthen our commitment to that success. On Friday, May 4, the College held the first The Silver Horn Scholarship Gala, raising over $250,000. This newly-created Silver Horn Scholarship Fund will strengthen our commitment to success for every student who enrolls at Albertus Magnus College. The scholarship provides essential financial support for enrolled students who face financial hardship, to stay on track to graduate with their degrees in four years. To learn more about the fund and how Albertus Magnus College has transformed lives since its founding in 1925, visit soar.albertus.edu/silverhornfund.
The President and his Cabinet: Steven Gstalder, Carolyn Behan Kraus, William Hawkins, Sean O’Connell, Sean-Michael Green, Andrea Kovacs, and Andrew Foster 1 4 I N AU G U R AT I O N 2 0 1 8
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5 1 Robert Gagne, Mary Lou DiPaola, Melonie Bland, Alberta Conte, President Camille, Anne Demchak, Hope Kingston Cahoon, Brian Puzycki, and Sheila Wycinowski; 2 Dominican Sisters, Friars and President Camille; 3 Bruce Weckworth, Terrence Sawyer, and Jeanne M. Dennison; 4 Connie Bell and Joy Morrison; 5 Louis Pellegrino, Donna Pellegrino, Bernard Pellegrino, Frances Granquist and Jeffrey Granquist; 6 President Camille; 7 Jason Howell, President Camille, and Janet Rios
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Students raised $1,925.00 for The Silver Horn Scholarship Fund.
SERVICE MAY 5, 2018
Day of Service #AlbertusServes On May 5, 2018, members of the Albertus Community and neighborhood groups, alumni, families, and friends participated in a Day of Service, as part of the four days of festivities for the inauguration of the College’s 14th President. More than 2,300 volunteers surpassed the goal of 1,925 (honoring the year the College was founded). In gardens and parks, in soup kitchens and animal shelters, brigades of volunteers donned their neon-bright Fearless Falcons shirts and got to work. President Camille and New Haven Alder Kim Edwards ’02 (pictured here) began early. Young and not-so-young joined the Day of Service to neighbors and new friends.
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1 Habitat for Humanity volunteers in Bridgeport; 2 Olivia Bolden, Jemaa Mwinila-Yuori, Nicole Kern, Siah Reeves, Cassidy Wade, Laurel Flanagan, and Erick Langston; 3 Ryan and Tessa DeLucia; 4 The Albertus Community Garden; 5 Students at St. Mary’s Dominican High School, New Orleans; 6 Team Albertus Heart Walk volunteers; 7 Matthew Sheehan, Benjamin Conroy, Sean O’Connell, Emili Dubar, Bayu Adji, Steven Gstalder, Anne Leeney-Panagrossi, David Cahill, Rosalind Moore, President Camille, Geoff Crosby, and Bruce Weckworth; 8 Walk Against Hunger volunteers Donna and Christopher Balogh; 9 Evie Lindemann and Urban Resources Initiative supervisor; 10 Gina Simko and Carin Giordano; 11 Sr. Anne Kilbride O.P., Patricia Garguilo, June Sangapore, Sharon Shuffitt, Amy Wilson, and Bonnie Dingus; 12 Anne Demchak, President Camille, and the Dwight Neighborhood Clean-Up volunteers
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SERVICE MAY 5, 2018
Day of Service #AlbertusServes
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A Vision for Albert May these lawns and bricks and steel and glass — for nine decades home to contemplation — be a place to recall this moment of renewal and also to recall those strong women, our founders, women dedicated to God and to preaching the truth, who built this college with stone that cannot be broken and the generations of young women, undaunted, who studied here with discipline and great labor before bearing the candle of knowledge to the world and the men and women who followed, many of whom have carried a great burden on their journey, whose determination to learn has seen them through and those who teach, ever seeking to inspire, seeking to light the flame of understanding in the minds of all those who seek to learn and those who lead us, whose responsibility is to preserve what has been entrusted to them and to let our light shine forth in the world and this day of celebration, when we welcome a new leader on our journey, in the spirit of Albert, himself a wanderer down many roads. And for Albert, in legend said to have found the stone that can change all metals to gold, let us remember our work of transformation: a student sits by a window, a shaft of light shines on the printed page, the words ignite a sudden flash of insight in her mind and heart that she carries with her into the wider world, approaching others with a deeper compassion and shaping that world into something brighter. — Written by Professor Paul Robichaud, Ph.D., Chair, Department of English
The College commissioned this poem to commemorate the Inauguration.
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On May 10, 2018, President Camille sent this message to members of the Albertus Community, expressing his gratitude for four magical days.
THANK YOU Now that the Presidential Inauguration events have
Another significant accomplishment was the
passed, I write with a note of heartfelt gratitude and
outstanding Day of Service that wrapped up the week’s
pride. I offer my sincere thanks for all you did to make last
events. I challenged our community with a goal of
week’s four-day, campus-wide inaugural celebration the
engaging 1,925 individuals to contribute to the service
resounding success that it was. Members from across our
activities, again in honor of our founding year. While our
community, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, and
College community may be smaller in size, that community
friends, all contributed. I ask that you join me in thanking
and so many friends stepped up, and we blew through
some individuals who provided leadership in planning all
the 1,925 participant goal, with a final number of more
of the events: Inauguration Steering Committee Co-Chairs,
than 2,300 volunteers. We should be proud in knowing
Sr. Anne Kilbride, special assistant to the president for
our service impact, locally, regionally, and around the
Dominican mission; Carolyn Behan Kraus, vice president
country, was large.
for development and alumni relations; and Andrea Kovacs,
When I think about summing up my gratitude and
vice president for communications and marketing. Also
emotions from the Inauguration events, I can’t help but
contributing mightily to the week’s success were members
recall one of my favorite Christmas cartoons from when I
of this year’s Presidential Transition Committee, which was
was a child. In Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,”
co-chaired by Sarah Wallman, associate professor of English,
I am reminded at the end of the story, the Grinch’s heart
and Andrew Foster, vice president for student services.
“grew three sizes that day.” While my heart already was
Each of the four days of celebration, framed around our Dominican Pillars, was a wonderful success in shining a bright light on what makes Albertus Magnus College
filled with love and admiration for our community, I have no doubt it grew threefold, and then some, last week. Now officially installed, I remain humbled and honored
so special. The additional attention we drew during the
to serve as the 14th president of Albertus Magnus College.
week’s events, ranging from media coverage to new or
I look forward to being with you during our upcoming
returning friends visiting the College, bodes well for our
Commencement activities as we celebrate the successes
shared future. I heard time and again from our hundreds of
of our students who have earned their Albertus degrees.
campus visitors how impressed they were with their entire
I am grateful for all you do and for your unwavering
experience visiting with us. I was full of pride as I listened
commitment to our mission and students.
to the compliments expressed toward our community. I also am pleased to share with you exciting news
In gratitude,
regarding two of the Inauguration event goals. The Presidential Inauguration Gala, which launched the new Silver Horn Scholarship Fund, to date has raised nearly $260,000. Our stretch goal for the event was to raise $250,000. This new fund will be in direct support of our students and their goals of completing their Albertus degrees. While I am grateful for the many donors and supporters of the fund, perhaps the most meaningful accomplishment was the effort of our current traditional full-time undergraduates, who through their own giving, generous spirit, and show of commitment presented us with a check for $1,925 in honor of our founding year.
Marc M. Camille, Ed.D. President
700 Prospect Street New Haven, CT 06511-1189
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The inauguration of Dr. Marc M. Camille the 14th president of Albertus Magnus College May 3 & 4, 2018 albertus.edu/inauguration
From the Hill From the Hill Commemorative Edition of the Inauguration of Marc M. Camille, Ed.D., the 14th President of Albertus Magnus College featuring a compilation of photos and highlights from the four days of celebration, May 2 through May 5, 2018. Marc M. Camille, Ed.D. President Andrea E. Kovacs ’12, M.A. Vice President for Communications and Marketing Rosanne Zudekoff ’60 Director of Communications and Community Relations Editor rzudekoff@albertus.edu Carin Giordano ’03, M.S. Marketing Manager Carolyn Behan Kraus ’86, M.A. Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Stefanie Stevens Seslar ’15, M.A. Director of Alumni and Donor Engagement Karin Krochmal Designer From the Hill is published by Albertus Magnus College for alumni. Send address changes to the Office of Alumni Relations, Albertus Magnus College, 700 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511 or alumni@albertus.edu. Editorial offices are located at Mohun Hall, Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, Connecticut 06511. Albertus Magnus College admits students of any race, color, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, and disability status to all the rights, privileges, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school, nor does it discriminate in these areas in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
A Catholic College in the Dominican Tradition
albertus.edu
In the Albertus tradition, a bagpiper leads the ceremonial procession down Prospect Street through the gates of Rosary Hall.