Manhattan Magazine | Summer 2023

EDITOR

Kristen Cuppek

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Cecilia Donohoe

DESIGNER

Kat Lepak

CONTRIBUTORS

Patrice Athanasidy

Taylor Brethauer

Taylor Carroll

Barry Moskowitz

Phil Paquette

Amy Surak

INTERN

Bianca Schad

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brian Asare

Ben Asen

Josh Cuppek

Alyssa Nealon

Rachelle Nuzzaro

Ryan Werner

Published by the office of Marketing and Communication Manhattan College Riverdale, NY 10471 magazine@manhattan.edu

Lydia Gray Assistant Vice President, College Advancement and Executive Director, Marketing and Communication

ON THE COVER

Take a trip back in time to 1924 and get a preview of what will become the Quadrangle, as Manhattan College ’s Riverdale, Bronx, campus starts to take shape.

2 ON CAMPUS

New School of Health Professions launches, Entrepreneurship Center opens, Laudato Si Day is established, Model UN team represents Ukraine, and so much more.

20

SPORTS

The men’s basketball program has a new head coach, plus news and fun facts from the past academic year.

24 100 YEARS ON CAMPUS

A timeline of highlights from innumerable events that have characterized the College ’s 100 years in Riverdale.

34 THE IMPACT OF CHATGPT

How the College is responding to the implications of generative AI, and three professors share their views.

46 CELEBRATING GRADS

Commencement returns to Draddy Gym and welcomes former FDNY chief and famous restaurateur as speakers.

50 DEVELOPMENT

De La Salle Medal Dinner honors chairman and CEO of Chevron, and meet a student scholarship recipient.

54 ALUMNI

School of Liberal Arts celebrates notable alumni at new event, alumnotes, profiles, and reminiscing about a once-popular tradition.

64 OBITUARIES

In memoriam, Keith Brower, Thomas Donahue

68 PARTING SHOT

Tackling High Demand, Manhattan Launches School of Health Professions

IN RECOGNITION OF THE INCREASING NEED FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

and in keeping with its Lasallian mission of service to others, Manhattan College has established a new School of Health Professions (SoHP). Launching on July 1, the school will provide students with programs such as nursing, physical therapy and healthcare informatics that will prepare them for transformative careers in the health professions.

The school will be the center of highdemand areas of study and work that will enable students to enter their respective fields as qualified health professionals with superior skills and leadership abilities. Several health specialties, including nursing, have experienced severe shortages in recent years, and the creation of the school will help providers meet staffing requirements and serve the ongoing healthcare needs of their patients.

“We are proud and excited to announce the establishment of the new School of Health Professions at Manhattan College,” says Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president. “By training the next generation of nurses, physical therapists, surgical technicians and other highly specialized health professionals, SoHP will continue the College’s tradition of providing service for the greater good. It will offer our students the chance to pursue in-demand careers that are also highly compensated.”

In recent years, the need for skilled healthcare professionals has grown exponentially. To help meet that need, the College is expanding its existing health professions offerings, as well as establishing new programs. The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics estimates a 52.2% increase in demand for nurse practitioners between 2020 and 2030, as well as a 21% increase in demand for physical therapists for that same time period. There are similarly positive forecasts for physician assistants, speech language pathologists, athletic trainers, mental health

counselors and health service managers.

“For the better part of two centuries, Manhattan College has been at the cutting edge of combining liberal arts education with professional training, producing engineers, teachers, scientists, business professionals and more,” says Kevin Cavanagh ’96, ’00, vice president for enrollment management. “With the creation of the SoHP, Manhattan is taking the next great step in its history by educating the health profession’s leaders of the future.”

This fall, SoHP will offer existing undergraduate programs in physical education, allied health, exercise science, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy technology, healthcare informatics, and public health, as well as graduate programs in marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, and school counseling. Those programs were previously offered by the Schools of Education and Health and Continuing & Professional Studies. (Education programs currently offered in the School of Education and Health will move into a semi-autonomous division in the School of Liberal Arts.)

In the fall of 2024, the School of Health Professions will launch a new nursing program. In the coming years, programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy/audiology, surgical technology, pharmacology and physician assistant will be added.

In addition, SoHP will provide access to postgraduate opportunities in a wide range of disciplines, including osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant, occupational therapy, and pharmacology through articulation agreements that give Manhattan graduates preferential admission at a wide range of institutions.

The new dean of the School of Health Professions, Shelley Johnson, currently dean and professor of Florida A&M University’s School of Nursing, will join the College in July.

The College’s new School of Health Professions will incorporate existing programs, such as Radiation Therapy Technology (pictured), into its new slate of specialities, including nursing.

The College Welcomes 21st President

AMONTHS-LONG

SEARCH FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT of Manhattan College came to a gratifying conclusion on June 28, with the naming of Milo Riverso ’81, Ph.D., P.E., NAC, as the College’s 21st president. Riverso takes on the role from Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, who has served as president for the past year.

In a letter announcing Riverso’s election to the College community, Stephen Squeri ’81, ’86 (MBA), chairperson, Board of Trustees, states: “Dr. Riverso is a highly strategic and transformational leader who values input, seeks opportunities and embraces challenges. A true visionary and innovator, he will advance Manhattan College and its commitment to excellence in education.”

Squeri chaired the 10-person search committee made up of trustees, faculty and administrators who engaged with the College community via listening sessions and conducted a rigorous selection and interviewing process before selecting Riverso, who received both his Ph.D. and Master of Science in civil engineering from Purdue University. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering from Manhattan College and is licensed as a Professional Engineer in several states.

Riverso is a proven leader, having spent nine years as president and CEO of STV Group Inc., one of the nation’s largest planning, design and construction management firms, and guiding it through an unprecedented period of growth and profitability. He was principal in charge of projects including the Freedom Tower, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum complex, and the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport. Earlier, he was senior vice president at AMEC, a construction management firm, and president and CEO of the New York City School Construction Authority.

Riverso has lent his expertise to numerous professional organizations in the engineering and construction industries, and for decades has supported Manhattan in multiple ways: teaching as an adjunct professor; serving on the Engineering Curriculum Review Committee and the Facilities and Development Committees; leading the Jasper Mentor Program; and chairing multiple fundraisers. In 2014, he was awarded the De La Salle Medal. Riverso has been a member of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees since 2015.

“I feel humbled and honored to be named the 21st president of Manhattan College,” he says. “I look forward with tremendous enthusiasm and excitement to leading the institution through some fast-moving challenges that will require us to create new ways to deliver a 170-year-old tradition of academic excellence with Lasallian values.”

Read more about Manhattan’s 21st president in the next issue of M

Amex CEO Appointed New Chair of Board of Trustees

STEPHEN SQUERI ’81, ’86 (MBA), chairman and chief executive officer of American Express Co., became the new chair of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees on May 1. Squeri is an influential and distinguished business leader for one of the world’s most respected companies, a benefactor to the College, and has been a member of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees since 2013. He succeeds Thomas O’Malley ’63, who took on the role of chair in August 2022.

“I am incredibly honored to serve as the new chair of Manhattan College’s Board of Trustees,” Squeri says. “Manhattan College instilled in me lifelong lessons about the importance of living with purpose and giving back to our communities. It’s a privilege to leverage the experience I’ve gained since then so that other students can continue to learn these principles and achieve their full potential.”

In 2021, Squeri made a $10 million gift to Manhattan College that was allocated toward enhancing facilities and infrastructure. In recognition of Squeri’s contribution, the on-campus building that houses Smith Auditorium and the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers was named Squeri Hall to honor the Squeri family’s longstanding generosity to Manhattan College. Those ties began with Joseph Squeri ’54, Squeri’s father, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Manhattan College and served in the

United States Marine Corps before pursuing a successful career working at Colgate, CBS and Bloomingdale’s.

Squeri became chairman and CEO of American Express in 2018, having first joined the company in 1985 as a manager in the Travelers Cheque Group. Since becoming chairman and CEO, Squeri has been fostering a culture focused on backing customers, colleagues and communities to make a difference in people’s lives in ways that matter most to them. Under his leadership, American Express has launched innovative payment, financial management and lifestyle offerings for consumers and businesses, expanded strategic partnerships, enhanced digital capabilities and reshaped its strategy to drive growth in international markets.

A native New Yorker, Squeri is deeply committed to giving back to the community and advancing opportunities for education and economic development. He serves on the board of directors of Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School, his alma mater, and as a trustee of both Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and The Valerie Fund.

Entrepreneurship Center Offers Space for Student Startups to Bloom

THROUGHOUT THE PAST DECADE, since the first annual Innovation Challenge business plan competition was held at Manhattan in 2013, the concept of entrepreneurship has gained in stature and visibility as an academic focus at the College. For example, in September 2021, the Entrepreneurs@MC program, designed to facilitate the efforts of students with entrepreneurial interests, was formally launched. Just a year and a half later, a new Entrepreneurship Center — funded by a generous gift from Mike Kelly ’80 — was dedicated at a ceremony in the O’Malley Library on March 2.

Addressing a large gathering of faculty, alumni, staff and students, Donald Gibson, dean of the O’Malley School of Business, highlighted the growth of the College’s entrepreneurship initiatives in the past several years, pointing out that, at its inception, the innovation contest was open to only business majors and offered a $250 award for winning startup ideas.

“Since that time,” he said, “we have expanded the Innovation Challenge to involve entrepreneur mentors, increased collaboration across campus, judges with experience and expertise in startups, intellectual property, venture capital, and cash awards of more than $10,000 each year to support winning teams.” He noted that more than 250 teams have made startup pitches and several have become ongoing businesses.

The new Entrepreneurship Center, a spacious, glass-walled room on the second floor of the library, features conference seating, a digital whiteboard for brainstorming and presenting, and a large monitor for video conferencing and presenting. The center will serve as an intellectual and collaborative hub where budding entrepreneurs can practice and plan for the Innovation Challenge. It will also serve as a resource for students participating in entrepreneurship initiatives including Startup Bootcamp (an intensive workshop that provides students with an overview into building a startup), the Notable Entrepreneur speaker series, and weekly startup roundtable discussions hosted by the student-run Entrepreneurship Club. The top three teams in the Innovation Challenge, which go on to compete against teams from Fordham University in a Battle of the Bronx, will also use the space to prepare for that matchup.

Winston Peters ’02, coordinator of the Entrepreneurs@MC program, noted that the center will offer space for mentors to work with students on developing ideas and refining pitches, and also provide students with access to a network of investment professionals and intellectual property attorneys. The center’s creation, Peters said, “is testament to our commitment to providing students with the tools they need to be great and to do great things.”

Kelly, the center’s benefactor, is managing director of Yellow Thread Ventures and a successful entrepreneur in the area of travel insurance. His long record of support for the College includes

membership on the advisory board of the O’Malley School of Business and long-running involvement in the Innovation Challenge. In his remarks, he articulated the vision for the Entrepreneurship Center as a place on campus “where engineers, business students and other disciplines come together to meet, research new technologies, learn about market opportunities, develop business plans for companies they intend to start, to engage with alumni to give advice and counsel.”

Kelly also pointed out the importance of small businesses to the U.S. economy, noting that from 1995-2020, small companies accounted for 63% of total job growth in the nation.

“That says to me, as a business person, that developing classes, programs and experiences to help our students get good jobs is a fantastic bet,” he said.

Prior to a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president, explained that the Entrepreneurship Center also aligns with Manhattan’s mission. “It unlocks the potential for student entrepreneurs to create startups that have a real impact,” he said, “not just in terms of being successful businesses, but in having a positive societal impact aligned with Lasallian values that inspire the entire College.”

Student entrepreneurs then shared their aspirations for the

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Manhattan Partners with SUNY Westchester Community College to Provide Pathway to Bachelor’s Degrees

IN MARCH, MANHATTAN COLLEGE and SUNY Westchester Community College (SUNY WCC) signed a transfer articulation agreement to promote degree completion and facilitate the transfer process, enabling participating SUNY WCC students to matriculate into Manhattan College.

SUNY WCC students who graduate with a minimum GPA of 2.5 will be guaranteed admission into Manhattan College and will transfer in as juniors. A maximum of 60 credits will be applied toward completion of the articulated bachelor’s degree program. SUNY WCC students who earn their associate’s degree in any of 21 selected liberal arts and sciences programs in business, communication, environmental studies, humanities or social sciences will have program-to-program articulation pathways available into related bachelor’s degree programs at Manhattan College.

center and appreciation for the support they have received from the College thus far. Mechanical engineering student Sama Nafa ’23 described her involvement in the Marine Energy Collegiate Competition: Powering the Blue Economy, a contest hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy that challenges interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate and graduate students to offer unique solutions to the burgeoning marine energy industry.

“I am fortunate to be on a team of 14 other people from other engineering disciplines, business students and communications,” she said. “We aim to develop a prototype that would transfer the energy coming from a river current to electricity to power an environmental monitoring buoy in a river. We’re working with an environmental startup in the Bronx, and it’s all connected to entrepreneurship.” She shared her enthusiasm for the prospect of the new center, noting, “It is truly an investment for everybody and a great place to start your ideas.”

Nafa’s remarks substantiated an observation that Gibson made earlier in the evening. Jaspers, he said, have the traits necessary for success as entrepreneurs. “They’re scrappy,” he asserted. “They believe in themselves because they have to. They’re resilient and take a lot of people saying no … And they keep going, maybe with a pivot or two … They see the world differently by definition. And that’s what this center is all about.”

The College offers robust institutional merit-based scholarships to encourage SUNY WCC students to complete their bachelor’s studies. Scholarships are renewable, as long as students maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0, full-time matriculated status, and satisfactory academic progress toward a degree.

“We are proud to partner with Westchester Community College and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship,” says Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president of Manhattan College. “We are happy to welcome these capable and academically prepared students into the learning community of Manhattan College. I’m certain that they will make distinctive and meaningful contributions to our campus.”

page) Winston Peters ’02, coordinator of the Entrepreneurs@MC program, mentors a student in the new Entrepreneurship Center located in the O’Malley Library. (This page) In March, a ribbon-cutting ceremony drew an enthusiastic crowd, including (from left to right) Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president; New York State Senator Robert Jackson; Donald Gibson, dean of the O’Malley School of Business; Peters and Mike Kelly ’80, a major benefactor of the center.

Manhattan Creates a First Year Experience Program for a Seamless Transition to College Life

to ensure their success while also introducing them to the rich Lasallian Catholic traditions of the College.

“The goal is to provide a more enriching experience for new students and parents,” Cavanagh says. “We want our new students and their families to feel welcomed, supported and engaged with the ultimate goal of having the students be more successful in their first year.”

and looks at how students can live that mission authentically. As Geary shares, Saint John Baptist de La Salle emphasized the dignity of each student and the value of education in helping people come to their fullest potential.

“We are examining ways that we can enhance programs, streamline processes, and elevate our communications to ensure that the entire experience of being welcomed into the Jasper community lives up to who we say that we are as Lasallians,” Geary says.

STARTING COLLEGE CAN BE BOTH EXCITING and nerve-wracking for many first-year students. But incoming students at Manhattan College don’t need to worry because the First Year Experience (FYE) program is here to make the transition from high school to college as smooth as possible. This new comprehensive program is designed to help students acclimate to college life while equipping them with the tools they need to make the most out of their undergraduate experience.

To conceptualize the FYE program, Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president, assembled a committee earlier this year consisting of Kevin Cavanagh ’96, ’00, vice president for enrollment management; Colette Geary ’82, interim vice president for mission and strategic initiatives; John Bennett ’03, assistant vice president for student life; and Kelly Marin, professor of psychology. The goal was to develop a modern program for first-year students and their parents that warmly welcomes them to the Manhattan community. Gardner wanted the program to provide necessary resources and information

The FYE program provides a distinct roadmap for personal, social, intellectual and spiritual growth from the moment a new student begins their college journey. It includes Orientation, first-year seminars within their respective schools, and academic advising. More resources can be found on the FYE page on the College’s website, which serves as a hub for new students.

During the year, the program will add a variety of curricular and cocurricular initiatives and programming to enhance students’ experiences on campus and in the city. These initiatives will come from offices across campus, including Student Engagement.

“If you didn’t participate in activities in high school, such as student government, student council, sports or theater, it’s not too late to try now. In fact, we welcome and encourage new students to try out new programs, and we will do everything in our power to make the transition easier and less intimidating,” Bennett says. He adds, “When in doubt, stop by the Student Engagement office in person, and we will always welcome students looking to find out how to get involved.”

The FYE program is also closely linked to the College’s Lasallian mission and values,

The student-centered journey starts at Orientation, where the College welcomes new students, provides them with the opportunity to meet their classmates for the first time, and gives them a chance to connect and be mentored by their Orientation leaders. The FYE program hopes to become a roadmap for college success, providing new students with a foundation to build upon as they continue their college journey.

“As we welcome our newest Jaspers into our Manhattan College community, we want their transition from high school to college to be positive. The FYE helps new students learn how to be successful college students both inside and outside of the classroom,” Marin says. “We want to make sure that new students know they belong and feel confident in themselves.”

Manhattan’s First Year Experience (FYE) program will help students adapt to the College community, build friendships, and discover new interests and activities. Through FYE, students will enjoy the traditional Jasper welcome while transitioning to college life, as well as enjoy new opportunities to spread their wings and shine as they enter this exciting new sphere.

New Programs Focused on Gaming and Data Are Added to the Curriculum

ADAPTING

TODAY’S

DEMANDS AND STUDENT INTEREST, two new programs will prepare Manhattan students for careers in some of the fastest-growing fields: game design and production and healthcare informatics.

Game Design and Production

Video gaming is now a worldwide industry that generates billions of dollars in revenue annually. Companies are actively seeking graduates with skills to develop consoles, PCs, mobile devices and immersive media. To meet this need, Manhattan College has launched a new academic program, Game Design and Production, that will teach critical skills necessary to work in the growing field.

Through this interdisciplinary program, students will study the history and cultures of video game producers and consumers; the tools and workflows for video game design, gaming engines, and immersive media; interactive narrative construction and production; the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in gaming; and more. Required courses include The Culture of Games, Computer Science I, Game Design & Development, and a senior game seminar.

Within the major, students may select one of three concentrations: coding, design or narrative. Students who pursue the coding concentration are matriculated into the Kakos School of Science and will earn a B.S. degree upon graduation; students following the design or narrative concentration are matriculated into the School of Liberal Arts and will earn a B.A. degree upon graduation. A minor is also offered.

Students in the program will be well-positioned to intern at leading companies such as Avalanche Studios, Defiant Studios, Epic Games and Rockstar Games. Graduates can go on to pursue rewarding careers as special effects artists and animators, computer programmers, graphic designers, web developers and digital designers, among others.

Healthcare Informatics

Manhattan College has introduced a new online Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics to prepare students for positions that apply and assess healthcare data in decision making and strategic planning. A young but fast-growing field, healthcare informatics, which employs interdisciplinary approaches to using information technology and medical information, has experienced increased demand for workers in the past few years.

A career in healthcare informatics prepares students to make a positive impact on the lives of others by improving healthcare and its delivery. Graduates go on to jobs as administrators, information managers, ambulatory care center managers, clinical directors, consultants and managed care managers, among others.

Healthcare careers also see higher-than-average median salaries and are projected to grow faster than the national average during the next decade. According to the American Health Information Management Association, the average salary for nonsupervisory healthcare informatics positions is more than $63,000 per year, and $79,000 annually for supervisory-level positions. Higher-level executive positions can average more than $125,000 annually.

Part of the College’s new School of Health Professions, the program consists of seven-week intensive courses offered in an online format for individuals already working in the fields of nursing, medical and health service management, computer sciences and other related fields. Students will complete a total of 36 credits and receive their degrees in 16 months. Some of the required courses include Clinical Information Systems, Data Security and Privacy, Emerging Technologies in Healthcare Informatics, and Evidencebased Patient Care.

TO

MARKET

Engineering Professor Helps NASA’s Artemis Program Achieve Liftoff

sensors were active and that ice formations weren’t blocking them. The Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket splashed down in the Pacific, returning to Earth on Dec. 11.

The Artemis 2 manned mission rocket scheduled for May 2024 is currently being assembled, and Artemis 3 and 4 are already on the agenda. Goushcha is wind testing components that will be a part of those future missions.

The Artemis program is based on the foundations of both the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs and has incorporated a half-century of institutional knowledge, according to Goushcha.

ACCOMPANIED BY MAJOR FANFARE, Artemis 1 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 16, 2022. The world witnessed the liftoff of the uncrewed 1.4-million-mile moonorbiting mission, the first of NASA’s ambitious lunar exploration expeditions and the first since the Apollo program ended 50 years earlier.

Oleg Goushcha, an adjunct assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Manhattan College, was one of the hundreds of engineers and scientists whose contributions to the Artemis program made the November launch a success. Goushcha, a former assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Manhattan, has worked for NASA at the Langley Research Center in Virginia since 2020. For the past two years, he has focused entirely on wind tunnel testing for the Artemis project.

NASA describes its wind tunnels as “large tubes with air moving inside.” The tunnels are used to simulate the actions and potential complications facing a spacecraft in flight. Goushcha explains that a rocket ascends to supersonic speed through the atmosphere and crosses the sound barrier at about 50 seconds after liftoff. But before it crosses the sound barrier, individual components on the rocket accelerate the airflow around it.

Goushcha says that there are small “sound barrier transitions” impacting different parts of the vehicle before the sound barrier is reached.

“A couple of seconds before it crosses the sound barrier, there are very violent aerodynamic forces acting on the rocket,” he explains. “I’m part of the team that studies about 10 seconds’ worth of flight to make sure that we can predict what environments the rocket experiences as those individual components go through the sound barrier at different times.”

Goushcha and six other scientists study the wind tunnel models to understand the potential environments the rocket will experience, including monitoring sensors as the vehicle ascends. They use a scale model of the spacecraft to adjust their calculations as they move air around the object.

Once the model is placed in the wind tunnel, the scientists “roll and pitch it at different angles” to simulate conditions of real flight. While his team is only responsible for 10 seconds of flight in the six-week mission, those 10 seconds play a crucial role in determining the craft’s success or failure.

At the Nov. 16 launch, Goushcha and his team were at the Kennedy Space Center monitoring the developmental flight instrumentation sensors to make sure those

“The Artemis program SLS is the biggest rocket that NASA has built since the Saturn era,” he said. “It will be capable of taking humans further into space than we have ever traveled. I hope we can bring everyone who is following this project with us on the journey.”

Goushcha hopes his experiences at NASA will inspire the Manhattan College students he continues to teach. Most recently, in his flight mechanics class, he worked with students on calculations to predict the flights of commercial vehicles such as SpaceX Dragon. He called leaving his fulltime position at Manhattan College a very difficult decision but said that the NASA job represented a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I knew I should take.”

“This is definitely the highlight of my career and the highlight for a lot of the folks who work here,” he says. “We’re going back to space; we’re going back to the moon. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this.”

If your interests include “laminar to turbulence transition and relaminarization in pulsatile flows” or “harvesting electrical energy from turbulent flows by utilizing active materials,” then you will have a great deal in common with adjunct professor of mechanical engineering Oleg Goushcha (top, left) who is pictured near launch pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, alongside an image of a wind tunnel model that was tested at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California.

Renovated Floor Will Enhance Experiential Learning for Business Students

WHEN BUSINESS STUDENTS return to campus this fall, they will find a new and improved third floor waiting for them in De La Salle Hall. The renovated floor will offer modern classrooms conducive to learning, access to the latest technology, and space to collaborate.

The upgrades come out of necessity, as the College’s facilities need to reflect the current trends in business and significant changes in technology in order for the O’Malley School of Business to compete against other leading business schools, explains Don Gibson, dean of the O’Malley School of Business. It’s also essential that students learn in a professional setting that reflects the kinds of corporate environments they will enter when they graduate.

“This renovation to our facilities is a sign of our emphasis on cutting-edge learning in the O’Malley School of Business,” Gibson says. “These new spaces will enhance experiential learning, expose students to new technology, and introduce them to the skills they need for an ever-changing business landscape.”

As part of the remodeling, the third floor will feature:

• 7 refurbished classrooms with new furniture, technology, floors and lighting

• A new Business Analytics lab with 30 Dell OptiPlex 3090 computers with external portable drives and large video display monitors; full lecture capture capability (audio and video)

• Three student team-based work rooms with glass walls facing student lounge space

• A large student lounge for work, study and meetings

• Open and bright hallways with better wayfinding and large video display screens

• All new furniture, including Steelcase Node office chairs with swivel and tripod bases

• Upgraded stairway areas with graphic wayfinding and bright colors

The renovation has been guided by a set of strategic goals established by the O’Malley School of Business, as well as input and support from a group of faculty and alumni who are part of the Business Analytics and CIS Advisory Council, which has raised money for the new Business Analytics lab.

Marking the American Centennial of the Christian Brothers

IN 1845, THE BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS established their first U.S.-based school in Baltimore, Maryland. More than 100 years later, in 1948, the Christian Brothers began a nationwide celebration that commemorated their century of educational work in the United States. Because of wartime conditions, with its attendant difficulties, it was not possible to observe this important event in 1945, and plans for the jubilee were postponed to 1948. This conveniently coincided with the centenary anniversary of the Brothers’ arrival and foundation in New York City.

From coast to coast and in several cities, observances were abundant. Pontifical, solemn and requiem Masses, centennial exhibitions, lectures and banquets were high points in the celebration. Brothers, students, friends, families, members of the clergy and admirers were the major participants. To help commemorate the centennial, Brother Athanase Emile, FSC, Superior General of the Institute, made his first official tour of the United States, where he was lauded in his many stops throughout the country. In New York, a large reception at the Metropolitan Opera House began the festivities, which also included a centenary Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, various luncheons and banquets, and at Manhattan College, a centenary exhibition and academic convocation were held.

The centenary commemoration of Christian education in America by the Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1948 proved significant, far-reaching and memorable. At the time, more than 1,600 Brothers were laboring in more than 100 schools and institutions. It was most fitting that on the occasion of their centenary, the Brothers were hailed for 100 years of faith-inspired labors, hardships and struggles to bring Christ into the hearts of students.

Laudato Si Day at Manhattan: Papal Encyclical Inspires College to Protect and Sustain “Our Common Home”

TWO YEARS AFTER HIS ELECTION TO THE PAPACY, Pope Francis published an encyclical in 2015 titled Laudato si’ (“Praise be to you”) that urges humanity to take action to heal the natural world in the face of numerous environmental crises. In the public letter, Pope Francis states: “our common home is falling into serious disrepair” and calls on all people to address these crises by meeting the needs of the poor, adopting sustainable lifestyles, and nurturing ecological spirituality.

Responding to the pope’s call to action, Manhattan College is joining a worldwide community of colleges and universities that are committed to addressing environmental challenges by adopting a Laudato Si Action Platform that charts a Seven-Year Journey Towards Integral Ecology to create a better future. Integral ecology recognizes the interrelatedness of socio-environmental concerns. The College will annually report progress toward its goals to the Vatican, earning papal recognition as a Laudato Si University at the conclusion of seven years.

To that end, on April 21, Manhattan launched its first Laudato Si Day, focusing on education and action for sustainability and

environmental justice. The day’s schedule spanned a wide variety of eco-focused events. The Fitness Center and JasperFit Mentors, for example, led a guided hike through Van Cortlandt Park, while the Environmental Engineering department joined the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for Forest Restoration Friday, in which they helped with the removal of trees and shrubs and preparing planting sites. In Brust Park, adjacent to campus, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and members of Student Government participated in a neighborhood cleanup.

At a welcoming ceremony held in Squeri Hall, Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president, said, “No matter what school you may be in, here at Manhattan there are programs, groups and interest levels, and students, faculty, staff and administrators who really believe in the strong values of environmental justice, sustainability and environmental spirituality.” He explained that during the next year, a group of faculty, students, staff and neighbors will develop an action plan “that will integrally and boldly advance each of the Laudato Si goals.”

Following the ceremony, two newly planted Quadrangle trees were blessed by the Reverend Thomas Franks, OFM Cap., director of Campus Ministry and Social Action (CMSA). The Quadrangle was also the site of a Sustainability and Action Fair featuring a Fair Trade table hosted by CMSA, a Green Club information table, and plantbased food samples from Aramark food services. Kappa Alpha Omicron (KAO), the environmental

science and studies honor society, ran a contest to guess the day in 2023 when humans will “overshoot” the capacity of the earth to regenerate (answer: July 27), and the Green Club also held a sustainable fashion swap, with extra donations going to Concourse House, a women and children’s transitional housing facility in the Bronx.

Emma Pizzullo ’23, Green Club president, notes that some students were confused about the meaning behind the celebration’s name. But, once the background of Laudato Si Day was explained, “they were all very for the idea,” she says.

Rounding out the day, an opening was held for the renovated Leo Greenhouse on the roof of Leo Hall, hosted by the Environmental Studies program, the Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES) and the Green Club. The space includes hydroponic grow beds, an energy lab, an automation control system and sources of renewable energy.

Dart Westphal, CURES director, explains that students can work toward Laudato Si goals year-round through the center, which pairs the study of urban ecology with local issues that can benefit from the talents and resources at Manhattan. They can also participate in environmentally focused clubs and campus organizations. KAO, he notes, has conducted trail restoration and waste removal in local parks.

Pizzullo echoes that sentiment. “I’ve incorporated [concern for the environment] into almost every aspect of my life because it’s something that I hold as very important,” she says. “Any forum that we can recognize the environment and do something to give back is great, and the College is implementing a day to do exactly that. It was good to connect all of the things that campus groups are doing.”

On Laudato Si Day, student volunteers devoted time to beautifying local environments around campus, including Van Cortlandt and Brust Parks (pictured).

Jaspers Represent Ukraine at 2023 National Model UN Conference

During Chasek’s tenure, the Jaspers have won 26 delegation awards, 10 peer awards and 11 position paper awards. At the most recent conference, the team won one outstanding position paper award and a Distinguished Delegation award. The outstanding position paper award for the UN Commission on Population and Development was won by Jazi Riley ’25, a political science and philosophy major, and Montserrat Nicasio Tavarez ’25, a political science and psychology major. Position papers are two-page documents that reflect the positions of the “member state” on the topics under consideration at the committee.

Through the years, Chasek has taken the team abroad to several international Model UN conferences: twice to the Galapagos Islands and once to the Czech Republic. Some current team members are hoping to fly to Erfurt, Germany, for a Model UN conference later this year.

FOR THE 16 MANHATTAN COLLEGE STUDENTS who participated in the 2023 National Model United Nations (NMUN) in New York City, it was an experience unlike any other. From April 2-6, they had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a United Nations delegate, writing resolutions and discussing topics ranging from nuclear energy to sustainable development.

The conference, held at the New York Hilton Midtown, allowed the team to learn about international relations and diplomacy, and to meet with other students from around the world. To prepare, students took a semester-long Model UN class that taught them the skills necessary to participate in both this spring’s New York City conference and last fall’s conference in Washington, D.C.

At the April event, the Jaspers represented the nation of Ukraine, a responsibility the team took quite seriously, given the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis. Before the conference, they participated in a Google Meet discussion with Ukrainian students who would also be participating at the conference, representing Lichtenstein. They went on to meet them in person at the College on April 1. During the week of the conference, the Jaspers and the Ukrainian team attended an exhibition about the war with the Ukrainian ambassador to the UN at UN Plaza. The Manhattan teammates were impressed with the bravery of their Ukrainian counterparts, who told them stories about family and friends still trapped in war zones.

Pamela Chasek, chair of the political science department and adviser to the Model UN team at the College since 1997, said that the intercultural cooperation and connection between Manhattan and the Ukrainian team is an example of the Model UN at its best.

“During our Google Meet, the Ukrainian students told the most amazing stories, making this conflict real for my students,” Chasek says. “They told us about their experiences and gave us advice on how to represent Ukraine. We had the challenge of not only representing Ukraine, but representing it right.”

On the opening night of the conference, thousands of students and their advisers from colleges and universities throughout the world gathered to hear a keynote address from Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the UN.

Gabriela Sandoval ’24, an international studies major from Washington Township, New Jersey, was also a member of last fall’s Model UN team and has gained some advantageous skills during her time as a team member. She plans to attend law school after graduation.

“I think Model UN is a very valuable experience in terms of learning public speaking, how to write formally, and how to engage with other people, especially international students,” Sandoval says. “It makes you a more well-rounded person overall. It was truly an honor to represent Ukraine.”

At the April event, Sandoval was one of two team members on the General Assembly third committee focusing on healthy aging and the elderly population from the standpoint of citizens who are in active war zones. She and her classmates started preparing for the conference in December, spending hours researching and reading about their assigned country and subject.

Mohammed Matabbar ’25, a political science major from Queens who is interested in geopolitics, participated in his first Model UN conference and was assigned to the General Assembly first committee to discuss disarmament and the arms trade.

“Participating in the Model UN class and conference gives you a wider perspective about the world,” he says. “You come to understand the problems of any country that you represent.”

The Jasper delegates were among 2,700 students who participated in the 2023 National Model United Nations in April. The Manhattan team had the very real and momentous experience of representing Ukraine. Speaking to NY1 about her experience, Jazi Riley ’25 said, “We wanted to represent and double down on Ukraine’s emphasis on unity and determination in times of crisis and conflict.”

Borough President Shares Achievements at State of the Borough Address

MANHATTAN COLLEGE WAS VISITED by numerous New York political figures and elected officials on March 1 as Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson marked her first year in office by delivering a state of the borough address in the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons. In her remarks, Gibson touted her educational, economic and tourism achievements and announced future plans for the benefit of Bronx citizens.

She began by acknowledging hurdles faced by small business owners and pledging her administration’s support. “Almost all [business owners] will say getting access to capital is their biggest challenge,” she noted. “For far too long, Bronx businesses have been an afterthought when it comes to these issues. This was further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic … We are truly grateful for the commitment and the efforts of all our small businesses who stayed the course.”

Gibson then pointed to “intentional and strategic” efforts to maximize tourism throughout the Bronx, “whether it is highlighting those places known around the world,” she said, “or those new neighborhood treasures that add to our diverse community.” She announced the recent opening of the Bronx Children’s Museum, as well as plans for a celebration called Bronx Week 2023, a new hip-hop museum, a new school centered on science, technology, engineering, architecture and mathematics (STEAM), and a reimagining of the Kingsbridge Armory for use by the local community.

She also addressed the concept of a “digital divide” in the Bronx, with many residents lacking internet connectivity and access to technology. To help remedy this, she highlighted an allocation of $14.5 million in capital funding to 96 projects in Bronx schools, including technology upgrades, hydroponic gardens, science labs, and libraries to help students “strive and thrive.” Gibson called on private partners

to help expand digital infrastructure, noting that “when youth have access to technology, we are creating a new generation of students equipped for the economy of the future.”

Prior to the address, several religious leaders from different faiths offered blessings, led by Brother President Daniel Gardner, FSC, who shared an interfaith prayer asking “that we may acknowledge our differences as we seek out a common ground for the Bronx, each of us working for the good of all.”

Artistic talent from around the borough was showcased throughout the evening. Students from the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music performed a medley of songs, and students from the Academy for Scholarship and Entrepreneurship presented a brief dance performance. Several elected representatives, including New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, addressed the audience. Also in attendance was New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

The first woman and African American person elected to the Bronx leadership role, Gibson had previously visited the College on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Title IX and for the opening of the Veterans Success Center. She encouraged audience members unfamiliar with the College to tour its grounds, saying, “I cannot get enough of this beautiful campus.”

“We were honored to host Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s 2023 state of the borough address, particularly as the College celebrates its 100 years in the Bronx,” says Brother Daniel. “The Bronx is a special place, and we look forward to partnering with the borough president in the future as she continues to improve the lives of its residents and help make the borough an even better place to live.”

On March 1, the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons served as the venue for Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s first state of the borough address. Prior to her remarks, a broad range of religious and political leaders representing the diverse communities of the Bronx stepped to the podium to offer prayers and introduce the borough president. Gibson noted that she was delighted to return to the Manhattan College campus for her third visit since taking office in January 2021.

PHOTO BY MARTIN CAMPUSANO

Liberal Arts Mentor Program Offers a Guiding Light to Incoming Students

ADJUSTING TO COLLEGE LIFE can be a challenge for many first-year, sophomore and transfer students. During that critical time, even a little bit of help can make a huge difference. With that in mind, the School of Liberal Arts (SoLA) recently introduced its own Liberal Arts Mentoring Program, called LAMP.

LAMP connects underclassmen with upperclassmen who have similar majors or areas of interest and can help them adapt to college life. Mentors also assist underclassmen in accessing resources and can act as liaisons between students and faculty.

“Starting college can be confusing and scary, and although the faculty in the School of Liberal Arts are wonderful, sometimes speaking to someone your own age is more comforting,” says Caroline King ’23, one of three LAMP mentors.

The program is limited to students within the School of Liberal Arts, and mentors can be sophomores, juniors or seniors. Calissa McNeely ’23, another student mentor, says the program is also available for students considering study in the School of Liberal Arts.

“Although all our experiences are uniquely different, I think there is a common desire to connect with our peers,” McNeely says.

The mentors are available to help students with a variety of issues, ranging from difficulties in navigating class registration to the sometimes complex process of choosing a major or minor.

LAMP was originally developed by DeVaughn Harris ’21, who proposed the idea to Cory Blad, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, and the two began collaborating on the program. Harris developed

the program with the goal of improving the supportive and educational environment for students.

“There are a million things that can make a college situation stressful, and having someone that you can text or talk to about everything from successes to fears, seems like something we should all have more of in our lives,” Blad says. “I couldn’t be prouder of the work our LAMP mentors do.”

At the beginning of the fall semester, students in the School of Liberal Arts were contacted to determine interest in becoming either a mentor or mentee. While the program is still fairly new, it has been off to a promising start.

“We are seeing a need for support and reassurance for younger students who are still acclimating to college life and learning how to balance coursework, explore different degree plans, and how to develop an academic support system at the school,” says Emilia O’Neil ’24, a student mentor.

Mentors and mentees are matched in part by their mutual academic interests in order to make the relationship as productive as possible.

“Our goal as the co-directors of the program is to develop a cohort of SoLA students who are passionate and dedicated to the holistic Manhattan College experience,” O’Neil says. “The mentor acts as a liaison between students, faculty, staff and administrators. If a student has a question or concern that we are unable to address, we would connect the student to the appropriate faculty member, administrator or health or counseling services.”

Exercise is Medicine

FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, Manhattan College has achieved gold status recognition for its Exercise is Medicine program, which provides students with the tools that are necessary to maintain healthy physical activity. Manhattan is one of only 73 universities and colleges worldwide to earn this distinction.

To achieve gold status, colleges and universities create a referral system where campus health providers assess student physical activity and refer students as necessary to certified fitness professionals. An initiative launched by the American College of Sports Medicine in 2014, the Exercise is Medicine program at the College brings together faculty, staff and students who work toward improving the health and well-being of the campus community.

(From left to right) Caroline King ’23, Emilia O’Neil ’24 and Calissa McNeely ’23 have served as mentors in the recently introduced Liberal Arts Mentoring Program, through which they help new students adapt to college life.

LASALLIAN LOOK

Opening Eyes, Minds and Hearts: LOVE Returns

A CAMPUS MINISTRY AND SOCIAL ACTION (CMSA) PROGRAM that was put on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic was finally able to resume its mission this spring. Through Manhattan’s Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (LOVE), which had been paused since early 2020, seven students spent their spring break on a weeklong social justice immersion experience called El Otro Lado (the Other Side) in El Paso, Texas, learning about immigration and migration issues at the U.S.Mexico border.

Jacquie Martin, assistant director of community engagement and partnerships, explains that LOVE is founded on five pillars: social justice, cultural immersion, community, spirituality and simple living. Students learn about a wide range of issues — including civil rights, economic development, environmental justice, public health, and urban poverty — in the communities that are most impacted by them. For example, previous LOVE trips have visited New Orleans, where the focus was on racial and climate justice, and Ecuador, where students explored housing equity.

“You hear about issues or things going on in the news, but being able to have some sort of firsthand experience of hearing from people, seeing what’s going on, gives you a different perspective,” Martin notes. Students who wish to participate on a LOVE trip must apply and, once accepted, attend weekly meetings and fundraising events, building relationships with their peers, student leaders and adviser.

Izzy Robert ’23, a K-6 education major, joined a LOVE trip to New Orleans her freshman year at Manhattan. Now a senior, she served as a co-leader of the El Paso trip, along with Doriz Yari ’23. At weekly team meetings, the co-leaders gave presentations on relevant topics that served as a springboard for discussion and reflection.

The packed itinerary offered plentiful opportunities to interact with people whose lives and work are defined by their proximity to the border. The team attended a Spanish-language Mass at Saint Mark Catholic Church, where they met children who had arrived in the U.S. as unaccompanied minors and are now living at a shelter.

“The leaders of [Ministerio RICO (Refugio Infantil Comunidad)], the organization that helps the children attend the Mass, explained to us how much work they have to put into getting the children out of the shelters, and how important it is,” recalls Michaela Scully ’25.

Students also traveled to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, where they visited Centro Santa Catalina, a women’s sewing cooperative, and La Promesa, an art and community center. Another day, they met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. They also traveled a short distance to Anapra, New Mexico, to see the border fence, an experience that proved especially moving. Through slats in the fence, the group was able to speak to people on the Mexico side and pass them some food.

“There was one boy who wasn’t able to walk properly because his shoes didn’t fit,” Scully says. “We’re giving them some snacks, and they’re just so grateful and asking us when we’re going to come back …

That really impacted me because as much as we’re trying to help, there’s not much that we can really give. It’s the policies that need to be changed, and so much work that needs to be done.”

Another day, the team met with an attorney from Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Service, a legal aid clinic serving low-income immigrants and refugees in the southwestern United States. They also ate meals at cafes with a mission — one that provides free meals to those in need through a “pay it forward” system, and another that serves as an employment training center.

Upon returning to campus, LOVE participants meet to reflect on their experiences and create action plans to share what they’ve learned. In the past, students have given presentations, spoken to elected officials, and volunteered. CMSA also runs weekend-long LOVE trips in locales including the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Philadelphia.

As she prepares to embark on a career as an educator, Robert believes the LOVE trip to El Paso has given her a greater understanding of the challenges some of her students have faced.

“I’m student teaching currently, and I have three Spanish-speaking students that come from Venezuela, Honduras and Mexico. They all had to leave their country,” she says. “I knew this already, but now it really hits me directly. I see these children every day.”

Scully’s time in El Paso has made her more aware of how U.S. policies impact those outside its borders. She hopes to return and “would encourage anyone” to participate in a LOVE experience.

“I definitely am grateful that I’m able to bring this back, and have discussions [about life at the border] with my friends,” she says. “It’s been very eye-opening.”

For Michaela Scully ’25 (back, center), the big takeaway of her LOVE trip “is you never really know what’s going on in someone’s life … until you put yourself in their shoes.”

Airport Design (CIVL 425)

Course Description:

AN AIRPORT SERVES AS A HUB for thousands of travelers every day. One aspect that many people overlook is the foundational component of an airport, the runway, which is constructed to withstand the landing and takeoff of massive passenger jets that weigh tons.

Airport Design introduces the design and layout of airport runways and taxiways based on aircraft analysis, including geometric alignment, lighting, signages, markings, basic pavement design, and air traffic control, all of which help aircraft traverse the runway’s surface and prevent runway incursions. The course not only looks at designing runways and taxiways at airports, but also examines considerations such as a runway’s required length and width in order to meet the fleet demands.

However, this class is not all about technicalities. In fact, the first month or two will focus on the interaction between people and roads. Students will gain an understanding of pilots’ concerns, and how the operator of the aircraft interacts with the infrastructure. At the end of the semester, students are expected to have the ability to apply human factors to runway design. This course is offered to all civil engineering students. By the conclusion of the course, students are expected to complete a design for the expansion of a regional airport and produce a detailed report and presentation, as well as a demonstrated understanding of the safety, social and environmental impacts of airport decisions. A key goal of this class is to get students thinking about how to solve problems. When students are presented with a problem regarding airport design, such as too much demand on the airfield, when too many airplanes want to take off or land, they will work through different solutions and determine the best outcome.

Text: Horonjeff, McKelvey, Sproule and Young, Planning and Design of Airports, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2010

Lectures: Monday and Thursday, 8 - 9:15 a.m.

Professor: Matthew Volovski

About the Professor: Volovski, assistant professor of transportation engineering, has a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Northeastern University, and a Master of Science and a doctorate degree in civil engineering from Purdue University. His teaching interests include transportation design, civil infrastructure system analysis, evaluation and management, sustainability for transportation infrastructure, and econometric and statistical methods for transportation data analysis. He is active in the Institute of Transportation and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Welcome Home: Residence Life Offers Two New Themed Living Communities

DORM ROOMS: WHERE STRANGERS BECOME FRIENDS, quiet study sessions turn into impromptu dance parties, and ramen noodles reign supreme. From sharing a bathroom to sharing your life story, a dorm room, especially on the Manhattan campus, is a place where some of the best college memories are made. And coming this fall, the College is focusing even more on a “home away from home” experience with two new living communities: Mi Casa and Global Jaspers.

Through Mi Casa, students will have the opportunity to join a residential group for those who are interested in Hispanic/Latinx culture in New York City and around the world, with chances to converse in Spanish, improve their Spanish language skills, and develop a strong sense of community.

For students interested in globalizing their dorm life experience, Global Jaspers will fit the bill. Jaspers who live in this themed community will have the chance to engage with students from all across the globe while developing an appreciation for interconnected cultures. The communities are a chance to connect with fellow Jaspers from all walks of life, all over the world.

“We’re ensuring that [students in these themed living communities] have that experience they’re looking for, while we help broaden their perspectives through rooming with people who have different experiences, coming from certain student population communities,” says Matt Lewis, director of Residence Life.

The communities have been created with key experiences in mind for participants. Created through partnerships with the Multicultural Center and the Global Engagement office, these will include engagement with local communities, visits to major New York City landmarks, student mixers, roundtable discussions, and more. The office of Residence Life is also partnering with the Center for Career Development and the Center for Academic Success to provide workshops, seminars, and tutoring spaces for students in the living communities.

“If students are coming here and are looking for a connection, I think this is a great way to do it,” Lewis says. “Intentional communities provide that framework and that additional support, so if anyone is concerned about what adjusting to campus life might be like, these are a great way to have that builtin support network from the very beginning.”

Whether students want to get involved with event planning during Hispanic Heritage Month or take part in study abroad socials, these two living communities provide a fun and engaging twist on the traditional dorm experience that will create even more Jasper connections.

“I hope that students feel at home through these communities, in that their dorm room becomes more than a place where they put their things and go to sleep,” Lewis says. “It really does become that community that’s supportive and proactive, really engaging them and meeting their needs.”

New Mock Trial Team is on the Case at Manhattan College

WHEN ANTHONY CAMPOLO ’25 WAS PREPARING for college, he knew he wanted to become a lawyer.

While attending Bethel High School in Connecticut, he participated in a mock trial team — something he wanted to continue doing as a Jasper. There was only one obstacle: Manhattan College didn’t have a mock trial team. While others may have found this discouraging, Campolo saw it as an opportunity.

Shortly after the start of the fall semester, he started asking students if they were interested in joining a mock trial team. “I ended up getting a lot of interest,” he says.

About 30 students, composed of a mix of liberal arts, business and engineering majors, attended the team’s first meeting on Sept. 22, and the new program was officially launched.

To learn how to run a successful mock trial team, Campolo leaned on the work of the American Mock Trial Association, a national organization that hosts nationwide college competitions. He continued to market and advertise for events and to garner the interest of students. But there was still a lot to learn about making a mock trial team work.

“We didn’t have a coach,” Campolo recalls. “I had only participated in high school mock trial, and none of our team members had ever been involved in mock trial at any level, so they were all brand new to this.”

While this was unfamiliar territory for many, they continued to practice and make progress. With the assistance of Adriane Bilous, associate director of the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement, the team began to take shape.

Last December, they were assigned their first case for the February 2023 American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament, and started preparing their legal argument. The team was assigned the fictional civil lawsuit of a woman suing an airline for negligence in the death of her spouse. Campolo admits that the collective lack of experience made him uncertain about how the team would fare.

“There were so many times between August and February where I said to myself, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to be able to pull this off,’” he says. “A lot of people told me that we didn’t have to compete this year, and we could push it off until next year. But I saw my team’s talent. I saw their dedication. The only way we’re going to get that expertise is to just go in and compete, no matter the consequences.”

The competition was held at Connecticut College, in New London, where the Manhattan team competed against some of the top schools in New England. The tournament consisted of four trials, with the first trial against Wesleyan University, a school that ranks in the top 20 nationally. Mock trial team member Madison Fields ’26 recalls that she felt anxious preparing for that first trial.

“At first, I was kind of expecting the worst,” she says. “But once we

got into it, I began to feel more comfortable.”

Fields admits that she was initially disappointed that she had been assigned a witness role rather than the attorney position, which is considered more desirable.

“As I started to get into the witness role,” she says, “I realized that it gave me more room to be creative. I ended up having more fun than I thought I would.”

Fields ranked fourth in the “Outstanding Witness” category in the team’s second round matchup against the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Manhattan College lost to Amherst by only two points, and Campolo was ranked third as an outstanding attorney during the first round.

Proud of the team’s performance during its first competition, Campolo is looking forward to participating in future tournaments. “We’re going to keep this going,” he says.

After the competition in New London, the team brought in David Merlino ’16, a New York-based attorney, as their first coach. In April, the Honorable Rachel Tanguay, acting New York Supreme Court Justice, even came to the College to meet with the team and pre-law students.

Campolo says that even if a student doesn’t plan to attend law school, there are many skills they can develop as part of the mock trial team.

“No matter what field you go into, self-advocacy, public speaking and critical thinking skills are important and super useful,” he notes.

“It’s a great way to build connections,” Fields adds. “You get to connect with other students, teachers and attorneys who have realworld job connections.”

Brendon Bongiovanni ’24 offers his statement at the American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament in February. It was the first case for the new Mock Trial team, which Anthony Campolo ’25 initiated at the beginning of the fall semester.

Annual Urban Studies Lecture Focuses on Social Infrastructure

impossible to get an exact number, Klinenberg explained that his question aimed to convey the idea that our communities are not at a distance because of our culture, or different beliefs, but because we are lacking the physical places that we need in order to form these relationships.

“Social infrastructure, if we design it well, invest in it, and build it well, can help us get all these returns to our social life,” Klinenberg said. “It’s not only essential that we understand it, but we must also invest in it, if we want to rebuild the city and create a better community.”

He offered the opinion that problems occur when a community lacks infrastructure, or when old infrastructure suffers from overuse and underinvestment, such as a library that is forced to close.

“Building real connections requires a shared physical environment,” he said.

NEW YORK CITY IS KNOWN FOR THE WAY it encourages interaction, adaptability, learning to live with others in tight spaces, as well as its acceptance of people from all around the world. However, since the pandemic, many have expressed a sense of separation and a need for a societal rebuild.

Eric Klinenberg, the Helen Gould Shepard Professor of Social Science and Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University, visited campus to discuss the concept of social infrastructure and how it can be used to solve issues such as inequality, polarization, and the decline of civic life. The event was presented by the Urban Studies program and co-sponsored by the department of Sociology and Criminology.

Klinenberg is the author of an award-winning novel, Palaces for the People, which highlights how the future of societies depends not only on shared values, but also on shared spaces such as libraries, childcare centers, bookstores, churches, synagogues and parks. In the lecture, he highlighted how places like these are where crucial, sometimes life-saving connections, are formed.

“It’s important to learn how to be with and interact with people who are not like you, who have different beliefs, or come from different backgrounds,” he said. “It’s truly eye-opening, and helps you understand how people work and interact better.”

An example of social infrastructure, he said, is how many relationships can be formed from a simple interaction at a playground. Whether it be between the children or the parents, many relationships can be built around this one shared space. He asked students how many relationships they thought existed in New York City just because two families met at a playground. Students’ answers varied from millions to billions. Although it is

Toward the end of the lecture, students had the opportunity to ask any questions regarding social infrastructure and what society can do to implement this.

“Since the pandemic, there has been this dull blanket over New York City, so how can we encourage people to visit these public places?” one student asked.

Klinenberg responded that our current shared spaces, such as our libraries, bookstores, or public parks, should be updated and modernized, as the more aesthetically pleasing a facility is, the more likely it is that people will make use of it. “If a shared space is welcoming, in a good location, and provides comfort, it will gain attention and make people want to visit it,” he said.

The lecture provided attendees with insights into how society can create more numerous and stronger bonds within communities. By coming together in shared spaces, and realizing the importance of social infrastructure, we can begin to work toward the societal rebuild that is much needed in post-pandemic times.

Sociologist Eric Klinenberg visited campus this spring to discuss the concept of social infrastructure, which he outlines in his book Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization and the Decline of Civic Life. The book earned praise from The New Yorker, Psychology Today and the New Statesman, which called it “a calm, lucid exposition of a centuries-old idea, which is really a furious call to action.”

The College Welcomes Director and Producer of New Documentary, Rescued from Darkness

DAN TARRANT, THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER OF THE NEW DOCUMENTARY film Rescued from Darkness, came to Manhattan College for a screening of the film, followed by a Q&A discussion with students. Tarrant is the founder of Personally Catholic, an apostolate that invites people into a more personal relationship with God through in-person presentations, books and films. The event was sponsored by the Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center and Campus Ministry and Social Action.

The film follows students at Pope John Paul II Secondary School, located in the Luweero Triangle of Central Uganda. In interviews, students, priests and teachers at the school, along with other local Ugandans, discuss their daily lives, difficulties they encounter, how the school has transformed their lives, and how their faith in God has been a guiding force in their lives.

The school has so far educated more than 1,300 students, sending more than 98% of its graduates to university and further study, and has annually scored in the top 5% in national testing.

Tarrant’s reasoning behind focusing on this particular school was to let members of the Ugandan Catholic community tell their stories. The film was narrated by Ugandans and explains what life was like after the genocides in Uganda, when hundreds of thousands of people were murdered during Idi Amin’s reign of terror in the 1970s. During the 1970s and 1980s, the education system in Uganda suffered and ever since, children have been victims of poverty, disease and ignorance, which the film aims to convey. The school opened in 2012 in hopes of bringing the children of Central Uganda together in a time of need and to provide education and safety to them, both physically and morally.

“I never wanted the film to be centered on me, I always wanted it to be message-centered, story-centered, and most importantly, people-centered,” Tarrant said. The film was produced in association with Building a Bridge to Uganda, a nonprofit organization that sponsors the education of children in Uganda.

At a Q&A following the screening, attendees asked questions about Tarrant’s time in Uganda and any difficulties he faced when shooting the documentary.

“I was able to get a totally different and more cultural education from this documentary by seeing Ugandans tell their own story,” one student said.

Another student noted: “I was surprised to hear that many students felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and the feeling that God was with them, despite knowing that on those same grounds, such gruesome events [from the genocide] took place.”

Tarrant was asked whether he experienced the same immersive feeling as the students. He responded that the students who live there are responsible for the school’s spiritual atmosphere and said that the children refer to the school as “heaven.”

“The love they have for each other is hard to explain, and I think it’s because they have seen such immense evil, so they know what darkness looks like,” Tarrant explained. “But they also know what light looks like, and when they get light, they just grab it with both hands and don’t let go.”

Rescued from Darkness is available to view on platforms such as Amazon, Apple TV and Pure Flix.

Dan Tarrant, director and producer of the new documentary Rescued from Darkness, held a screening of his new film on campus and a Q&A discussion with students.

Political Journalist Spotlights Ways to Stop the Spread of False Information Online

THE PREVALENCE AND EASE IN USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA CAN ALLOW for the rapid spread of misinformation, making it easier for facts to get twisted, misunderstood, and increasingly disputed online — and in real life. Veteran journalist and senior political writer for Salon, Amanda Marcotte visited Manhattan College in April to discuss the spread of misinformation and the phenomenon of fake news in a lecture titled Lies, Damned Lies and Fake News: Everyone Hates Online Misinformation. So Why Can’t We Make It Go Away? Marcotte has written for publications including The Daily Beast, Rolling Stone, Salon, Slate and USA Today. The event was sponsored by the Digital Arts and Humanities (DAsH) program.

Marcotte started the discussion with a brief overview of her career, the feminist and political articles she typically writes, and

how social media in general is impacting the world of journalism.

The first concept she touched upon was “enragement equals engagement.” Meaning, the more one feels upset or annoyed by a news article or social media post, the more likely they are to react and respond to it. Whether it be fake news, or something someone doesn’t agree with, it can be frustrating to discern whether it is worth a response or not.

“What social media companies want is people to click. They want people to read, and they want to keep you on the page for a long amount of time,” Marcotte said. “What they have learned, unfortunately, is that the best way to keep people on the page is to make people enraged.”

Almost everybody has come across a fake news article or even reshared it thinking it was factual. However, what most people don’t realize is that they could be merely looking for confirmation of their current beliefs, known as confirmation bias.

“Anything that reaffirms your preexisting notions about how the world works is going to be something that you will be prone to believe, and even more prone to share because you want other people to believe what you already do,” Marcotte said. She

explained that this is important to realize so that the next time you consider resharing something, you will make sure you are doing it with the right intention, and not just because it aligns with your beliefs.

When talking about lies, fake news and misinformation, a concept that comes up frequently is the idea of a “rabbit hole.” Marcotte noted that people get sucked into these misinformation holes and end up so deep in the lie that it gets harder and harder to uncover what’s true or not. She explained that social media companies are designed to create these rabbit holes and cautioned the audience to beware of them.

On a final note, Marcotte provided some insights on the ways individuals can avoid the spread of misinformation, the enragement that then leads to engagement, and how to steer away from trickling down the rabbit hole.

“It’s important to read articles thoroughly, verify before you share, and make liberal use of the block function. Don’t fight with strangers; block them or just disengage,” Marcotte said. If there is a disagreement between your friends or family, Marcotte suggests taking the conversation off social media, noting that it’s much easier and efficient to pick up a phone, talk to them in person, or at least privately message the person who is sharing the misinformation, so it only stays between the people involved. She also recommended taking a break from the internet every once in a while, getting outside and socializing, and spending time off social media.

Although combating fake news is difficult, Marcotte noted that it is important to stay true to what you know and to put in the work to verify the information you consume.

Amanda Marcotte, veteran journalist and senior political writer for Salon, breaks down how misinformation and fake news spreads.

Led By Core Values, New Basketball Coach Hopes to Win Over Hearts and Minds

BY KRISTEN CUPPEK

“I’m honored to be the candidate at the College, and I hope I am given a chance to prove why the search committee picked me,” he says. “All I’m focusing on is digging in and bringing the best student-athletes to Manhattan College.”

Gallagher takes over for RaShawn Stores ’15, who served as interim head coach this past season and finished the year 10-10 in MAAC play and 12-18 overall.

Known for his energy and passion, Gallagher has big plans for the Jaspers, including — not surprisingly — winning tournaments.

“Win the MAAC every year, pack Draddy, be a staple in the community, and have the team maintain a 3.0 GPA,” he says of his intentions. “Then the last goal is to advance in the NCAA tournament (after making the NCAA tournament).”

To accomplish these goals, he has a set of core values that guide him and that he instills in his players.

“Passion generates positive energy, so the first core value is passion,” he quickly lists. “Second core value: communication/transparency builds trust. Third core value: sacrifice demonstrates love. Fourth: humility shows appreciation. Humble people are appreciative. We want to be humble. And then the last thing is being the most disciplined. Discipline is the highest form of intelligence and devotion.”

IT HASN’T BEEN THE EASIEST YEAR for the men’s basketball program. When the College named its new head coach, John Gallagher, in late March, the news received somewhat of a mixed reaction.

But Gallagher exhibited several qualities that made him genuinely stand out among the competition during the interview process. The search committee was especially impressed with his energy and enthusiasm, passion for the sport, and his commitment to teach, as well as being part of the fabric of the campus community, among other traits. Gallagher also brings a wealth of experience and notable successes to his new role at the College.

“When you meet John, you cannot help but feel his energy,” says Ronald Gray, vice president for student life. “He brings years of knowledge and skills to the position, as well as an amazing commitment to the education of his student-athletes. You just know that he loves his players, he loves the game, and he truly believes in the principles and mission of Manhattan College. We are very fortunate to have him here at Manhattan College.”

Gallagher spent 12 seasons as head coach at the University of Hartford, where he won 169 games, including 15 wins during the pandemic-shortened 2020-2021 season in which the Hawks won the America East Tournament and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He also posted the highest winning percentage in program history (.625) with a 15-8 record in 2020-21.

These aren’t just words or phrases for Gallagher. He and the players talk about them every day, at the beginning of each practice, typically in the form of a quote. It’s a way to get everybody on the same page.

“I think the core values are part of the process to why we win, and our commitment to the core values is a daily habit,” he explains.

He attributes many of his previous successes to these principles, and they aren’t far off from Manhattan College’s Lasallian Catholic core values — something he learned from his father, a graduate of La Salle University.

“I’m most looking forward to representing Lasallian values in the way I was raised by my father, who is a product of the Christian Brothers’ teachings,” he says. “I just feel like Manhattan College fits me. I recognize that I’m an outsider right now, but I’m an outsider trying to be an insider. I think people over time will see that.”

In addition to winning over the College’s loyal fans, he is committed to building trust with his players, which he believes will happen when they see the way in which he authentically communicates with them, as well as his sincere leadership style.

“We want to win championships, and we want to have two tables at your wedding,” is something he often tells his players. “When they understand that I’m going to pour my heart into their game and into their life, trust is built,” he says. “This is not a transactional relationship. This is here to be transformative.”

During his coaching tenure at Hartford, the Hawks not only demonstrated athletic prowess on the court but also academic

PHOTOS BY RACHELLE NUZZARO ’23

John Gallagher, new head coach of the men’s basketball program, is excited to be a Jasper and honored to represent Manhattan College. He spent 12 seasons as head coach at the University of Hartford, where he won 169 games.

success in the classroom. Gallagher is proud of the 3.3 GPA that the team maintained for the past five years. It’s something he intends to emphasize at Manhattan, too.

“We talk about how education has to be an intrinsic motivation,” he explains. “It’s something we really harp upon — it cannot be extrinsically done. It’s got to be from the inside. You have to want to learn. We talk about the willing learner, and we need willing learners both on and off the court.”

Gallagher establishes this, in part, by leading by example. He considers himself a “learner,” someone who continuously endeavors to learn and grow, and he tries to impart this ideal on his players. One of his favorite questions to ask student-athletes is what are they reading. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, Awareness by Anthony De Mello (his third time reading it), and Gridiron Genius by Michael Lombardi (yes, there’s a correlation) are the books currently in his own rotation.

A Broomall, Pennsylvania, native, Gallagher earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s University, where he played basketball under legendary head coach Phil Martelli.

Coach Stats

 Led Hartford to first-ever America East Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance (2020-21)

 Posted highest winning percentage in program history (.625) with a 15-8 record (2020-21)

 Guided Hartford to back-to-back America East Championship title game appearances for first time in program history (2019-20, 2020-21)

 Coming off most successful four-year run in Hartford’s DI history (2017-21), totaling 70 wins

 Four consecutive top-four finishes in the America East (2017-21)

 America East Co-Coach of the Year (2017-18)

 Winningest coach in Hartford’s DI era (169 wins)

 Set the program’s DI record in regular-season victories (18) and total wins (19) in 2017-18

 Led 32 players to All-Conference honors, including four First Team, seven Second Team, eight Third Team, six All-Defensive Team, three All-Rookie Team and five All-Academic Team members

 Piloted Hartford to first-ever Division I postseason appearance (CIT) in 2012-13, and program’s second postseason berth (CIT) in 2017-18

 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award finalist (2012-13) CollegeInsider.com

 America East Coach of the Year (2012-13)

Looking down the line, Gallagher acknowledges that he does face some challenges. For one, he’s new.

“The challenges are, anytime you take over a program, getting the culture started on how you want things done,” he explains. “We had a thing in Hartford called ‘the neighborhood,’ and that is everyone in the community, you have to be a part of the culture. No one’s bigger than the culture, no one’s bigger than the community. You’re a part of it.”

And two, he basically needs a new roster. But Gallagher doesn’t see these as negatives — quite the opposite.

“The challenges of getting everyone to understand how special Manhattan is won’t be a challenge,” he notes. “What will be is getting a whole new roster. But I don’t look at it as a ‘down’ thing. I look at it as such a great challenge, and there’s nothing I would rather do than represent Manhattan College.”

SPORTSSHORTS

JOE JACQUES ’17 JOINS THE BOSTON RED SOX

Former baseball standout Joe Jacques ’17 was called up by the Boston Red Sox to join the major league squad. Jacques was selected by the Red Sox in the Rule 5 Draft last year from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished his career at Manhattan College with 209 strikeouts, placing him eighth in strikeouts and 10th in innings pitched in the program’s history. As a senior, Jacques was one of the leaders on the pitching staff and was also a two-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree. After his career with the Jaspers, Jacques was selected in the 33rd round of the 2018 amateur draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the New Jersey native made his professional debut in the Appalachian League. Manhattan College has had 18 players selected in the draft since its inception in 1965.

TOM COSGROVE ’18 CALLED UP BY THE SAN DIEGO PADRES

Notable baseball alum Tom Cosgrove ’18, a left-handed pitcher, was called up to the San Diego Padres 40-man roster in April. Cosgrove headed to the major leagues for the first time since entering the professional ranks in 2017 as a 12th-round draft pick by the Padres. He graduated from Manhattan ranked sixth in career strikeouts with 225. In 2017, Cosgrove was a two-time MAAC Pitcher of the Week and ranked 48th nationally, with 105 strikeouts. So far this year in the Triple-A minor league, Cosgrove has appeared in seven games, pitching seven innings, yielding no hits, walking four batters, and striking out seven for the El Paso Chihuahuas.

MEN’S LACROSSE SHARES REGULAR SEASON TITLE

Manhattan shared the MAAC Regular Season Title in men’s lacrosse this spring with Mount St. Mary’s. The Jaspers and Mountaineers finished with 7-2 records in MAAC play. The Jaspers earned the right to host the semifinals and championship game by winning the head-tohead tiebreaker with the Mountaineers with their regular season win in Emmitsburg, Maryland, on March 11. Unfortunately, Manhattan’s season came to a close in the semifinals of the MAAC Championship on May 4 with an 11-8 loss to Siena. Head coach John Odierna was named MAAC Coach of the Year. Kyle Gucwa ’23, Christian Clifford ’22, ’23 (MBA) and Joseph Persico ’22, ’23 (MBA) were named First Team AllMAAC; Tadhg O’Riordan ’22, ’24 earned second-team honors; and Liam Peabody ’26 was named to the All-Rookie Team.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COMPETES IN MAAC CHAMPIONSHIP

The women’s basketball team reached the MAAC Championship Game in Atlantic City for the second straight season. This season, the Jaspers got past Saint Peter’s, Quinnipiac and Niagara before falling in the championship game to Iona. Manhattan clung to a 15-13 lead to end the first quarter, but Iona took the lead into halftime with a 27-25 advantage. Head coach Heather Vulin and the Jaspers have won five games in the MAAC Tournament during the past two seasons.

JASPER SCORES GOAL FOR CAYMAN ISLANDS IN NATIONS LEAGUE

In March, Gunnar Studenhofft ’24 represented the Cayman Islands, his hometown, in the 2022-23 Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League. The men’s soccer striker was responsible for the only goal for the Cayman Islands. In the 85th minute, Studenhofft picked off a back pass and dribbled around the Puerto Rican keeper before passing the ball into the empty net. Studenhofft was a Second-Team All-League selection for the Jaspers in the fall and helped the Jaspers reach the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament.

SOCCER STAR NAMED ONE OF THE TOP FRESHMEN OF 2022

Nassim Akki ’25, a defense player, was ranked as one of the top 100 freshmen of the 2022 season in the country by Top Drawer Soccer, coming in at number 89. He was also named to the Second Team AllFreshmen by College Soccer News. He earned MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Week honors while playing the second-most number of minutes on the team, logging a total of 1,512 minutes.

STUDENT-ATHLETES SHOW OFF THEIR ACADEMIC BRAWN

Manhattan Athletics continues to stand out on the NCAA’s APR (academic progress rate) report. The APR was created to provide a measurement of academic progress of student-athletes through a team-based metric. Student-athletes earn one point each term for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating. Three Manhattan teams recorded a perfect score of 1,000, and 16 teams have earned a score of at least 960 over a three-year period. The teams that achieved a perfect score were women’s cross country, women’s soccer and women’s track and field. Manhattan also had 15 sports with a three-year APR score that is inside the top 50% nationally. Overall, 14 teams had a cumulative GPA over 3.0, with women’s lacrosse taking the lead with a 3.52 cumulative GPA.

CELEBRATING NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY

In February, Manhattan College hosted its National Girls and Women in Sports Day Clinic. The clinic, which was free to children ages 5-12, had stations featuring basketball, cross country, track and field, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming, softball and volleyball. Jaspers showcased their respective sports at each station to the 100 children in attendance. National Girls and Women in Sports Day began in 1987 as a special day to recognize women’s sports and is celebrated annually across all 50 states with community-based events, award ceremonies, and other celebratory gatherings. Its main goal is to engage with young girls and inspire them to be active, strong leaders in sports and throughout their lives.

MEN’S GOLF VOLUNTEERS AT NIGHT TO SHINE EVENT

The men’s golf team recently volunteered at Night to Shine, an event sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, in which people with special needs can participate in an unforgettable prom night experience. The event took place in February at St. Ann’s Church in Woodland Park, New Jersey. Night to Shine is hosted by churches around the globe, with the aim of sharing the love of Christ with people with special needs. The golf team volunteered as buddies to help ensure guests fully enjoyed their prom experience. They also served as “paparazzi” and servers to create a night to remember. Head coach Keith Prokop noted that the team looks forward to volunteering at this event every year.

CROSS COUNTRY TEAM EARNS ALL-ACADEMIC ACCLAIM

The men’s and women’s cross country teams earned All-Academic Team status from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The men were one of 216 different programs that were named All-Academic Teams, and the women were one of 249 different programs that were named All-Academic Teams, both for their efforts during the 2022 season. To qualify for All-Academic distinction, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FORMS NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLUB

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee announced the formation of a new club on campus, Manhattan Mental Health Club, in support of the organizations Morgan’s Message and The Hidden Opponent. The mission of the club is to advocate and fundraise for mental health support for athletes and to foster a positive climate around mental health at Manhattan College. Club president Nicolette Caneda ’25, a member of the women’s soccer team, takes great pride in establishing the student club — the only one on campus to have its leadership team made up entirely of student-athletes. The other members of the leadership team include Kaitlyn Holly ’23, Nicola Scaglione ’23, Andria Scaglione ’23 and Sami Derrico ’24. Morgan’s Message was created by the family and former teammates of Morgan Rodgers, who died by suicide in 2019, and The Hidden Opponent is an advocacy group that addresses the stigma attached to athletes’ mental health.

FUN FACTS

Softball infielder Lauren Rende ’23 reached 100 career hits during the 2023 season.

303.92

12

The scoring average for the men’s golf team per event and over 24 rounds this season. This is the best mark in program history since the 1993-94 season.

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams set school records in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard backstroke, 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay, and 400-yard freestyle relay.

70.2

100 & 400

6.85

59.09

Josh Roberts ’23 set a new men’s basketball single-season program record in field goal percentage this season. This achievement placed the fifth-year senior second nationally.

Kyle Gucwa ’23 and Liam Walshe ’22 of men’s lacrosse surpassed 100 career points this spring. It is only the second time two players have reached the milestone in the same season in program history.

Women’s lacrosse players Andrea Liotta ’23 and Ashley Gambardella ’23 reached career milestones this season: Liotta tallied her 100th career ground ball, and Gambardella recorded her 400th career save.

Kaya Simpson ’23 broke the school record in the 60-meter dash in the preliminaries at the 2023 MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships at The Armory in New York City.

The new distance record set by Kristin Stickdorn ’24 in the hammer throw at the Larry Ellis Invite. The previous record of 58.50 meters had stood since 2015.

In February, RJ Decker ’24 and Kristin Stickdorn ’24 won the men’s and women’s weight throw at the 2023 MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. 2nd

Dee Dee Davis ’22 recorded the second tripledouble in program history against LIU in December. Davis finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in the Jaspers’ 73-47 win over the Sharks.

Tucked away on select bookshelves throughout Manhattan College, there sits a green-jacketed book, The Arches of the Years, by Brother Casimir Gabriel Costello ’33, FSC. In a scholarly yet conversational tone, Brother Gabriel, who served as history chair and dean over a 43-year career at the College, traces Manhattan’s growth from its founding by the Lasallian Christian Brothers in 1853 through the 1970s.

Today, as Manhattan celebrates the 100th anniversary of its campus in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, Brother Gabriel’s vivid portrayal of bygone times, along with revelations in archival records, old yearbooks, newspapers and issues of The Quadrangle, provide insight into the factors that brought Manhattan to the Bronx in the first place — and highlight why 23 hilly acres in Riverdale are so beloved by generations of Jaspers around the world. Explore the archives and revisit memorable scenes from an eventful century.

by cecilia donohoe with additional research by amy surak

EARLY 1900S — PREPARATIONS FOR AN EXODUS

IN THE EARLY 1900S, the College was urgently seeking to relocate from its Manhattanville, New York, campus. As the city expanded northward, Manhattan College had lost both its athletics grounds and once-bucolic views of the Hudson to encroaching development.

Brother Gabriel writes, “The captivity of the College in an unattractive neighborhood that made expansion impossible, gave little hope for an extended life at Broadway and 131st Street.”

Thanks to the boom in prospective students following World War I, he continues, “Manhattan by her ridiculously restricted quarters found herself in the enviable but annoying position of turning away qualified students … Tenements crowded the edges of the property on all sides. Worst of all: the city had built its subway … on the elevated structure right outside the main entrance.” This addition “rushed noisy trains past the windows every few minutes.”

All agreed that the situation as it stood could not go on, and “Manhattan men,” as students and graduates were called, together with the Brothers, appealed to fellow alumni and Catholic parishes throughout New York to raise $250,000 ($6 million today), part of $1 million needed to construct a new campus on “the Van Cortlandt site.” This was an 11-acre parcel of land in the Bronx that the College had purchased in 1901 for $77,500 ($2.7 million today), but had never developed. The fundraising drive was successful. It didn’t hurt that the College had a strong supporter in a member of the class of 1888 — Patrick Joseph Hayes, archbishop (and, later, cardinal) of New York. (The Brothers also needed the absolute permission of religious superiors to pursue most anything, especially when it came to property and development.)

The architectural firm of James W. O’Connor and James F. Delaney was awarded the contract, and after the 1921 Commencement ceremony on the bare grounds where the new College was to be constructed, Archbishop Hayes turned the sod on a rocky hill high above Van Cortlandt Park.

“Looking about him on that day,” Brother Gabriel writes, “the Archbishop must have had some misgivings about the feasibility

of trying to build a college on a small mountain.”

Nevertheless, excavation of the site began a few weeks later, and at the next year’s Commencement on June 11, 1922, the archbishop returned to lay the cornerstone, which he called “a living, spiritual force from

fountains of grace and benediction for our beloved land.” The New York Times describes the occasion as “one of the most important Roman Catholic events of recent years.”

(Opposite page) A campus under construction, 1923. The newly built Administration Building (now Memorial Hall) and De La Salle Hall stand guard over excavation works and plentiful construction materials in the not-yetbucolic square that will, in due time, become the Quadrangle. (This page, top) The original Manhattanville campus at Broadway and 131st Street, once a scenic locale in the “country” had, by 1904, become inhospitable for teaching and learning, as the city had completed construction of elevated subway tracks right outside the building. (Bottom) 1921: A groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus, with Patrick Cardinal Hayes, class of 1888 (left of center), and Brother Cantidius Thomas Fitzsimmons, FSC, Manhattan president (to the cardinal’s left), presiding.

1923 — The Joy of Transition

SINCE 1901 , freshmen had been told that their class would be the first to graduate from the “new Manhattan.” In the Manhattan College Quarterly, the graduating class of 1909 bequeathes the class of 1910 “the honor and all the accompanying enjoyments of being the first class to graduate from the new Manhattan” in its class will. Sadly, the class of 1910 was denied that distinction as well. Due to financial constraints and World War I, it was not until Oct. 1, 1923, that 280 students took the IRT train from the old campus to Van Cortlandt Park, climbed Spuyten Duyvil Parkway [renamed Manhattan College Parkway in 1953 in honor of the College’s centennial], and finally stepped foot on the “new Manhattan.”

What greeted their eyes was, as Brother Gabriel writes, “very heaven.” He continues, “To the students climbing the hill on that first day, the surroundings seemed opulent.” The Administration Building (later renamed Memorial Hall), De La Salle Hall and Manhattan Hall (now Miguel) stood ready, and “two high arches on either side of the main building led to what was to become the very heartbeat of the College’s life — the Quadrangle.”

For several months, students and faculty occupied the campus alongside workers who were continuing to install light fixtures, tile roofs and plaster walls. The athletic fields were yet to be completed; as

yet unbuilt were the buildings that would house the chapel and auditorium (now Squeri Hall) and the gymnasium (Alumni Hall). Even the original Norway maples on the Quadrangle were yet to be planted. The dynamic president, Brother Cantidius Thomas Fitzsimmons, FSC, patrolled the campus and could be often seen urging workers to hasten to complete “my College,” as he called it.

In spite of the incompleteness of the campus, Brother Gabriel recalls, “The vision of tomorrow shone through the noisy presence of cement mixers, plasterers, carpenters and plumbers.”

At a dedication ceremony of the new college held in June 1924, the speeches were all lighthearted and hopeful. Throughout the 1920s, student clubs and organizations multiplied. Publications blossomed; several athletic programs including track, football, baseball and basketball were fast underway; and both a student council and glee club were organized. By 1925, enrollment reached its highest point, with 450 students attending the new college in Riverdale.

Brother Honeste Celestine Rigal, FSC, who was head of the Biology department and later dean of the School of Science from 1933-1939, writes of the time: “It is a great source of joy to know that in my own lifetime, the work of the Brothers of Manhattan was so visibly blessed by Almighty God.”

1933 — What Great Depression? Jaspers Play Miami in Palm Festival

“INTEREST IN GAME HIGH,” reads The New York Times on Christmas Day, 1932. Under physical education director John F. (Chick) Meehan, Manhattan’s football team had been invited to compete against the University of Miami Hurricanes at the first annual Miami Palm Festival. Miami city officials planned to develop the contest into an annual event of national significance, comparable to Pasadena’s Rose Bowl. The game committee chairman confidently predicted a sellout crowd of 11,000 at Moore Field.

A Times reporter was on hand to see 75 Manhattan players and their followers depart from New York on the S.S. Shawnee. “About 200 went to the pier to see the squad off,” the paper notes.

En route to Miami, and in the city itself, a wonderful time was had by all. Brother Gabriel writes disapprovingly, “Well, no one took the game seriously. The team had a grand time on the boat and even a wilder time when they landed in Miami. They were invited to all sorts of ‘tea dances’ and forgot the game. Chick Meehan complained with tongue in cheek that he couldn’t find them for practice … Miami University did not have enough shoes for their team and had to borrow some from Manhattan.” On game day, Jan. 2, 1933, “The players couldn’t even put up a good fight, and Manhattan lost 7-0.” Perhaps lingering seasickness or the fact that the U.S. Olympic women’s swimming team was staying at the same hotel were also distractions from defense.

The sports editor of the Miami Daily News takes a sunnier view than Brother Gabriel, writing, “Few teams ever played such spectacular defensive games as did the Hurricanes and Jaspers yesterday.”

By 1935, that somewhat chaotic first Palm Festival had evolved into the annual gridiron contest known as the Orange Bowl.

(Left) June 14, 1921: The first Commencement ceremony on the grounds of the “Van Cortlandt site” in Riverdale was an open-air event that also commemorated the 68th anniversary of the College and celebrated the achievements of “Manhattan men,” whose numbers included three archbishops, four bishops, 29 judges, 245 priests, 214 engineers and 583 businessmen. The Commencement was immediately followed by a groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus (see photo, previous page).

With the loss of so many students, the College was left in dire financial straits. Much-needed relief came when, in February 1943, the War Manpower Commission named Manhattan among 120 institutions for the Army’s Specialized Training Program in engineering. The Army signed contracts with the College to provide room, board and basic engineering instruction for 400 recruits, which was later increased to 700.

“It was a new experience for the Faculty, especially the Brothers, to teach classes of men all in uniform, representing every section of the country, all sorts of educational institutions and every faith,” Brother Gabriel writes. “It must have been a stranger experience for the young recruits, at least those not Catholic, to be taught by Roman Catholic monks, a fate that only war could foist upon them. However, both faculty and students got used to each other, and a fine spirit of friendliness sprang up between them.”

In March 1944, the Army recruits were reassigned to the battlefields of Europe. The campus was practically empty again, with less than 100 civilian students, but as the war neared its end, numbers quickly rebounded. By 1949, thanks to the GI Bill, Manhattan’s population had reached its highest ever. The College had effectively mobilized to do its part in the war effort and survived a major crisis.

(Above, left) 1932, the Jasper football team. During the 1930s, football and athletics in general grew under director of physical education John “Chick” Meehan. (Above) During World War II, the student body was greatly diminished as young men in the Army and Navy Reserves were called up for duty. Relief came in the form of the Army Specialized Training Program, which at its peak sent as many as 700 recruits to the College for basic engineering instruction.

1949-1953 — A Revamped Curriculum

IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II, the College reshaped its liberal arts curriculum. A committee led by philosophy professor Brother Benignus Gerrity, FSC, sought to address the problem of “intellectual fragmentation,” which, he claimed, “strikes into the very heart of man’s life.”

The committee was guided by the ideas of English theologian (now saint) John Henry Newman, who had argued that a university “aims at raising the intellectual tone of society, at cultivating the public mind … It teaches [a man] to see things as they are, to go right to the point, to disentangle a skein of thought, to detect what is sophistical, and to discard what is irrelevant.”

In her research on this academic restructuring, Amy Surak, director of archives and special collections, writes:

After four years of intensive faculty work and study, the new program was inaugurated in the fall of 1949. Humanities formed the basic structure of the program, which focused especially on studying Christian civilization in the West and using history as the integrating discipline that held the core together. Theology was required in the program as a necessary basis for a true Christian humanism. The program valued learning for its own sake, enshrining humanities education as critical to personal development and more fundamental than professional training in a specialized field.

This new curriculum fostered intellectual exchanges between faculty and students. “The emphasis,” writes Brother Gabriel, “was on integration, knowledge presented as a unitive endowment of the human mind.” The College’s liberal arts program stood highly esteemed in educational circles, and graduates received an intensive, first-rate education.

The Jesuit magazine America praised the program, which was rigorous, but which, according to Brother Gabriel, “challenged and won over those who participated.”

1965 — The Ties, They Are A-Changin’: College Relaxes Dress Code

ARTICLES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT ISSUES of The Quadrangle during the spring semester of 1965 reveal a rising sense of unrest in the student body. Their objection? The College’s dress regulations, which required jackets and ties to be worn to all classes.

One brief item reads, “Clearly, it is high time that a thoughtful, broad-based reappraisal of the dress regulations take place on the part of students, faculty and administration. And the [student council], as representative of those most closely affected, should take steps to initiate a concrete program for this reappraisal.”

A referendum was duly held that spring, with 1,596 out of 1,700 students voting to suspend the jacket and tie requirement. This, however, did not translate to “anything goes.” T-shirts, sweatshirts, sneakers, shorts, dungarees, and shoes without socks were prohibited.

Nevertheless, the “Rumblings” column in the student newspaper the following fall laments: “There are those who either because of ignorance of the rules or a misguided sense of intellectual freedom have been roaming around the campus in various stages of disarray ranging from dirty jeans to sockless feet.”

Sure enough, Brother Gabriel reports, “The opening wedge kept widening, and some students defied all regulations. Even a few faculty, hungry for acceptance and desperate to retain a vanishing youth, often set the example by sloppy dress and youthful hair styles. Dress of course is trivial, but as in different periods of history it signals that a deeper cultural change is taking place.”

Adding to the new regulations on dress and appearance, by 1970, dormitory regulations were reduced to a minimum and social privileges were extended. The increased demand for greater freedom in the late 1960s led to the disappearance of many outdated restrictions.

By 1970, not a single tie could be spotted on any Manhattan student. But many sideburns.

1973 — Manhattan Goes All In on Coeducation

FIFTY YEARS AGO, in 1973, Manhattan’s transition to being a fully coeducational college was finally complete.

Admitting women to all undergraduate courses of study was the final step in a gradual opening of Manhattan’s programs to laywomen that had been ongoing for several years. “It began modestly with the enrollment of seventy-one women as freshmen in that year,” writes Brother Gabriel. “Ten in Engineering, ten in Business, thirteen in Teacher Preparation, and thirty-eight in General Studies.”

By this point, women had been attending classes at Manhattan regularly via various means. An extension division for Catholic nuns had existed from 1928 to 1957. In 1959, the College began admitting women to graduate programs in classics, education, English, French, history, mathematics, theology and the Evening Division. In 1969, Patricia Ruback Kehrberger ’69 became the first laywoman to earn a degree at Manhattan College. Her high school principal had gained permission from the president, Brother Gregory Nugent, FSC, to allow Kehrberger to study engineering.

Perhaps most significantly, in 1964, a collaborative program was established with

Manhattan’s close neighbor, the College of Mount St. Vincent. This program granted an exchange of students in selected courses and the sharing of certain facilities such as classrooms, libraries, gyms, art studios and science labs.

A formal announcement of the “Co-Ed Policy” was distributed by president Brother Stephen Sullivan, FSC, and published in the Jasper Journal. The paper also published a tongue-in-cheek article in which “co-eds” were questioned about their impressions of college life. The women’s responses were markedly self-possessed, driving home the point: It’s not a big deal; we belong here. Marybeth McCall ’74 embodied that sentiment: She was the first woman inducted into both Epsilon Sigma Pi and the Pen and Sword Society in 1973.

Women continued to take their rightful places in the College’s academic, athletic and social spheres. By 1975, women’s basketball was established on campus as a club sport. Leading the charge in creating the team were Kathleen McCarrick-Weiden ’79 and Lisa Toscano ’79, who worked to recruit players, coaches and a club moderator. In 1978, the women’s basketball team was promoted to varsity status.

Speaking to this magazine in 2013, Toscano (who was also the team’s first captain and is now a professor of kinesiology at the College) recalled that the friends’ motivation for creating the team was their love of the game.

“At the time we had no idea of the opportunity we created for many women to follow,” she says. “We didn’t just create a team; we created a competitive culture for future women athletes to play at Manhattan. The bonds created during this time were extraordinary and have lasted a lifetime.”

Reflecting on this time, Surak writes:

“One of the most impactful and far-reaching changes during this period was the introduction of coeducation, which brought an end to that part of Manhattan’s identity that exclusively branded the institution as a ‘maker of men.’”

(Opposite page, left) Now that’s a heavy course load! Manhattan revamped the liberal arts curriculum in the early 1950s. (Right) Dress regulations requiring that students wear a jacket and tie became increasingly unpopular with the onset of the tumultuous 1960s. (This page) The year 1973 saw the College officially change from an all-male institution to one that welcomed women. Manhattan is celebrating 50 years of coeducation in 2023.

1989 — Making Room for Residents

THE WINTER 1989 ISSUE of this magazine reports on a dedication ceremony for the cornerstone of the East Hill student residence, today known as Horan Hall. With Jasper Hall and Chrysostom Hall the only dorms located on campus, the need for more living space was readily apparent. The $27 million building was a substantial investment in resident students.

During the ceremony, which was reportedly held in inclement weather, the cornerstone was blessed by Bishop Patrick Ahern, episcopal vicar of Staten Island. Brother Thomas Scanlan, FSC, president, announced, “With the completion of our 11-story, 750-bed residence hall, Manhattan College will continue to attract students from the entire Northeast and beyond.” He continued, “Like many other private colleges, Manhattan is responding to the needs of the growing number of students who seek a residential college experience.”

Brother Thomas’ words proved prophetic. With the opening of East Hill in 1990 and its twin, Lee Hall, in 2008, the College completed a major transformation from a majoritycommuter to a majority-residential college. Manhattan now guarantees resident housing for four years.

1995 — A Cinderella Story

“JUMPING JASPERS, THEY DID IT!” crows New York Newsday. “GREEN GIANTS,” blasted the New York Post. “Man, Oh Man, Manhattan!” exclaims the Daily News Those are just a few headlines from March 17, 1995. Yes, it was St. Patrick’s Day, but the Jaspers had another reason to celebrate. The day before, the men’s basketball team had defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“The euphoria of their 77-67 upset of Oklahoma in the Southeast Regional today followed the Jaspers into the locker room. Their joy was intoxicating,” reports The New York Times

On campus, New York Newsday was present as 150 fans who were “packed into a television lobby yesterday at Jasper Hall … screamed and danced” in euphoric celebration. The paper quotes an anonymous student: “‘This is big, baby, we’re going all the way,’ said one jubilant fan, dressed in a green Manhattan basketball T-shirt and waving a green-and-white pompon.”

Having received an at-large bid to the Big Dance, Manhattan’s right to be there had been questioned in some quarters, in spite of the Jaspers 25-4 record that season under coach Fran Fraschilla. Their win over Oklahoma silenced the critics, and won kudos for the team from the Bronx. It truly vaulted Manhattan into the national spotlight.

Praising the Jaspers as an “unselfish ensemble,” the Daily News opines, “Whatever happens from here, they should be well-remembered. It’s not too much to say that college basketball should look a little more like them.”

There was also significant news coverage of the milestone, with articles dedicated to tribute to the College’s 150 years notes: “The large library and the small

students for the future while maintaining the Brother Thomas explains, “A sesquicentennial past, but, more important, an opportunity to explore the possibilities that the past has

accolade from Manhattan’s hometown paper: “We owe the college a debt of appreciation for pursuing a noble mission and for the way it shares its intellectual life with its neighbors.”

The anniversary year was capped off on Reunion Weekend 2003. On June 2, a Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was celebrated by Cardinal Edward Egan, followed by a party held right across Fifth Avenue at Rockefeller Center. But perhaps no tribute to the College’s 150-year legacy was more impactful than the success of the Sesquicentennial Campaign, which exceeded its $150-million goal within four short years — a gift from generations of grateful Jaspers to their alma mater.

(Opposite page, left) East Hill (now Horan Hall) under construction in 1989. (Right) Guard Keaton Hyman ’95 goes up against Arizona in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The team defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round before losing to Arizona. (This page, counterclockwise from top) In recognition of the College’s 150th anniversary, a yearlong Sesquicentennial commemoration took place in 2003. On Jan. 23, the Empire State Building was alight in Jasper green and white, and a Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was celebrated by Cardinal Edward Egan. The previous October, the $150 million Sesquicentennial Capital Campaign was announced at the dedication of the renovated O’Malley Library.

2014 — Kelly Commons: the Beginning of the Expansion South

ON AN UNSEASONABLY WARM DAY in October 2014, more than 500 people including New York politicians and members of the College community gathered for a long-awaited event: the official dedication of the new Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons.

Named for the former police commissioner of New York City, the fivestory building, with its clean, defined lines, offered much-needed space for socializing, dining, fitness, clubs and organizations, and programming, while also connecting the College’s north and south campuses. Located at the juncture of Manhattan College Parkway and Waldo Avenue, the LEED gold certified structure houses a bookstore, a wellness and fitness center, dedicated space for student activities and clubs, a game room, a dining marketplace, multipurpose meeting space for lectures and events, and office spaces for campus centers including the Multicultural Center.

“It’s difficult to describe the feeling of having a building on campus of this outstanding educational institution named

after you, and what a truly beautiful structure it is,” Raymond Kelly ’63 said at the dedication.

The Riverdale Press reports: “Philanthropist Thomas O’Malley, who graduated with Mr. Kelly in 1963, donated $10 million toward the 70,000-squarefoot, ‘green’ five-story building. While Mr. O’Malley and Mr. Kelly were involved in the armed services after graduation, they followed separate paths, with Mr. O’Malley going into the oil-refining industry, while Mr. Kelly pushed toward a career in lawenforcement, Mr. O’Malley said.”

The opening of the student commons marked the start of a new era of building and renovations on campus. These include the 2021 opening of the Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering and Science Center and renovated Leo Hall, renovations to Horan (2023) and Chrysostom Halls (2022) and to the cupola atop Squeri Hall (2023). Which just goes to show that Manhattan’s current 23-acre size is no limit to what can be achieved with ingenuity, drive and imagination.

2023 — Angelus Bell Comes Full Circle

FROM THE COLLEGE’S FOUNDING IN 1853 through the late 1960s, the Angelus Bell would ring at morning, noon and night. This ancient Catholic rite signaled a pause for prayer in honor of the Virgin Mary. “On any day the campus stood still as the noontime Angelus rang out from the bells of the Chapel,” Brother Gabriel writes.

Cast in 1854, the Angelus Bell was installed in the belfry of the “old” Manhattan at 131st Street and Broadway. When the College relocated to Riverdale, the bell was stored in an attic until 1936. At that point, it was hung in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers, and the daily Angelus devotion resumed. However, a chapel renovation in the 1940s required that the bell

be replaced. For the many years since, it has been halfhidden in a corner near the Quadrangle entrance of Memorial Hall.

During Reunion Weekend 2023, the Angelus Bell was installed in a mini-cupola on McGovern Plaza, its new home. It is only fitting that, as Manhattan marks its 100th year in the Bronx, the Angelus Bell will once again be a focal point for the College community. From now on, the bell will be permanently displayed for all who take pride in the Manhattan College story — from its earliest beginnings, to how far it has come.

(Opposite page, top left and right) Raymond Kelly ’63, Veronica Kelly, Thomas O’Malley ’63 and Mary Alice O’Malley cut the ribbon at the dedication of the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons in October 2014. (Opposite page, bottom right) College chaplain the Rev. Thomas Franks, OFM Cap., blesses the College’s original Angelus Bell at a ceremony held during Reunion Weekend 2023. (Below) The Angelus prayer was held daily on campus until the 1960s. Now, the Angelus Bell has been installed in a new home on campus on McGovern Plaza.

BY KRISTEN CUPPEK

GENERATIVE AI PERVADES COLLEGE CAMPUSES, BUT WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION?

HOW IS MANHATTAN COLLEGE RESPONDING?

WHEN OPEN AI RELEASED CHATGPT ON NOV. 30, it seemed to dominate not only news headlines but also countless conversations across wide-ranging industries, companies and groups. Not surprisingly, the launch of this new tool caused much concern, especially in education circles. Unlike so many other forms of AI, apps and chatbots, ChatGPT seemed to strike equal parts excitement and fear. But why? What is it, and how will it affect students, faculty and higher education in general?

We asked three Manhattan College professors, from three different disciplines, to weigh in on the topic and offer some insights into how this tool can be used in the classroom and its implications on the learning process — the good and the bad.

But first, a few basics. What exactly is ChatGPT?

CHAT WHAT?

CHATGPT IS A LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL CREATED BY OPENAI, a U.S.-based artificial intelligence research lab, based on the GPT (generative pre-trained transformer) architecture. It is designed to generate human-like responses to text-based prompts, such as questions or statements. (Full disclosure, I asked ChatGPT to help explain exactly what it is.)

You can think of ChatGPT as a computer program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to understand and respond to users. It can converse on a wide range of topics, from general-knowledge to more specialized areas such as science, technology and art. In addition to answering questions, ChatGPT can assist with tasks such as composing emails, writing essays, translating text, creating computer code, and summarizing longer content into more digestible versions. It can even produce poetry and tell jokes.

ChatGPT gets its information from a vast aggregation of text data and uses a deep learning algorithm to generate responses based on patterns and relationships it has learned from that data. It can adapt to a user’s language style and preferences, personalizing its responses over time. Because ChatGPT is in its research phase, it currently is free and available for public use, but a paid subscription version called ChatGPT Plus launched in February.

To say that ChatGPT has become a popular tool would be a complete understatement. It attracted one million users in just one week. It is estimated to have reached 100 million monthly active users in January, just two months after launching, which makes it the fastest-growing consumer application in history, according to a Swiss Bank UBS study. For comparison, the report notes that it took TikTok about nine months after its launch to reach 100 million users, and Instagram two and a half years, according to the data from Sensor Tower.

“In twenty years following the Internet space, we cannot recall a faster ramp in a consumer internet app,” UBS analysts wrote in the report.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS CHATTER MEAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION?

IN JUST A FEW MONTHS, CHATGPT has pervaded pretty much every industry and field, forcing many colleges and universities to quickly consider the scope of the tool’s influence and its impact on higher education. Manhattan College is no exception.

William Clyde, former executive vice president and provost, compares the launch of ChatGPT to the upheaval caused by the early months of the pandemic, when colleges not only had to figure out the complexities of online teaching and remote work, but also had to do so under quick and exacting time constraints. Now, colleges have to swiftly figure out how generative AI fits into the curriculum, the technology and tools needed in the classroom, and of course, the implications it might have on academic integrity.

To address these challenges, Clyde explains how Manhattan has created a two-stage approach: AI Aware and AI Integrated. The first stage, AI Aware, focuses mainly on the ramifications of how this technology could affect the learning process, as well as academic integrity.

“As soon as ChatGPT was released last November, it was immediately obvious to educators that it threatened the integrity of the learning process, since it offered a simple way to avoid doing the work through which students learn,” Clyde says. “So the AI Aware part was to defend the integrity of the learning process.”

In anticipation of this, the College’s Educational Affairs Committee, composed of students, faculty and administrators, quickly edited the Academic Integrity Policy to explicitly name artificial intelligence engines as prohibited for completing assignments unless specifically approved.

The faculty also began working with Kimberly Woodruff, director of instructional design, to learn more about and to receive assistance in integrating ChatGPT and/or other AI engines into their courses. A few examples of the resources that she’s been creating are AI productivity tips for faculty, samples of AI integrated learning activities, and student tips for using AI to enhance learning. Resources for increasing AI awareness are also offered on the Instructional Technologies for Teaching and Learning Moodle site. Woodruff will continue to develop new resources throughout the summer and update existing resources as this all evolves.

The second stage, AI Integrated, aims at fruitfully employing AI as a tool in the classroom and creating courses and programs that incorporate the technology. Several courses have already registered as AI Integrated, and more are expected to register for the fall semester. Clyde notes that businesses will expect graduates to use these tools in the workplace, so colleges need to make sure students are prepared.

“It is clear that AI engines like ChatGPT and other forms of AI will change the way we live and work, and we need to prepare our graduates for success in that changed world,” Clyde explains. “So we need to design and offer AI Integrated courses that creatively consider the ways AI can make us more productive and make our lives better. That way, our students will learn to leverage the benefits of AI in all they do.”

FACULTY CONSIDER THE CHALLENGES OF CHATGPT

Various efforts are currently underway at Manhattan College to adapt generative AI into the pedagogy and curricula, and the faculty have been busy exploring, discussing and addressing all of the reverberations pulsing through their classrooms.

A survey was sent out to the faculty prior to a faculty development meeting in April, to get a sense of the community’s general mindset regarding generative AI. When asked if they have used generative AI tools like ChatGPT, 42 faculty members responded that they have experimented with these tools to learn more about them, while 23 said they had experimented with these tools to determine how to respond to assignment prompts used in their classrooms, and 31 have not tried these tools.

Although the responses were fairly split when it came to faculty use of generative AI, there was a lot of agreement when questioned if

The Wider Community Weighs in on ChatGPT

In March, the College hosted a panel discussion, The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Work and Education, composed of several industry leaders, along with the College’s advisory board members. It was the first in what will be a series of discussions, with the next one planned for the fall.

Noreen Krall ’87, J.D., former vice president and chief litigation counsel at Apple Inc.; Eileen Murray ’80, Hon.D.Sc. ’15, former chair of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and former co-chief executive officer of Bridgewater Associates; and Robert Otani, P.E., chief technology officer at Thornton Tomasetti, offered insights into AI from their respective fields to an interested crowd of faculty, administrators, students and alumni.

In discussing some of the major concerns, Krall brought up the legality of this technology.

“I will say the biggest question right now, which is unresolved and untested, is whether or not this is even legal,” Krall stated. “It’s not been proven through the courts. It’s just too new. And it’s often the case that technology is way ahead of the law, and so we’re going to see where it goes, but that’s the one side of it.”

When asked how to educate students about generative AI and what students need to do to prepare for a world where this exists in their workplaces, the responses shared a similar theme of learning about the technology, its benefits and limitations.

“It’s really important to understand it, even though the computer can do it all for you, and you have a great assistant in ChatGPT,” Murray advised. “But I think that you have to question it. Where is it coming from? What are the assumptions? And I think that being a critical thinker will distinguish you. And I think being a constant learner — I’m still learning about these technologies — you’ll be more creative, you’ll have more impact, and you’ll add a lot of value.”

“I think the first thing to do is to know its limitations, and the fact that it can give you wrong information,” Otani added. “But having said that, I think I would leverage as much as you can for the benefit of whatever you’re trying to learn. I will say, I think there is a benefit potentially that AI machine learning could allow people to learn faster without experiencing the same types of experiences that many of us have had to do over the many years of being an engineer or a lawyer or whatever.”

It is clear that AI engines like ChatGPT and other forms of AI will change the way we live and work, and we need to prepare our graduates for success in that changed world.

– William Clyde, Former Executive Vice President and Provost

it will significantly change higher education: with 39 agreeing and 24 strongly agreeing (the rest of the responses were neutral).

When asked if generative AI can contribute to student learning, the response was mostly positive, as well, with 42 agreeing, four strongly agreeing, 28 remaining neutral, and seven disagreeing.

These responses from the Manhattan College community are on par with sentiments toward generative AI in higher education in general. According to an EDUCAUSE QuickPoll of its community of administrators, faculty and staff in February, it isn’t all doom and gloom.

More than half (54%) of respondents indicated that they are optimistic or very optimistic about generative AI in general, with only 12% describing themselves as pessimistic or very pessimistic. Neutral counted for 28%, and a small percentage of respondents (3%) selected “other” when asked about their sentiment toward AI.

During that April faculty meeting, professors from across the College’s schools discussed their experiences with the technology so far and how current and future assignments can be responsive to AI. Some faculty members pointed out how they have incorporated the tools into their classrooms, while others noted how they would include them and where it might be helpful to add into students’ projects. Of course, academic integrity came up, and methods for checking and detecting AI in students’ work were offered and exchanged.

William Walters, executive director of the O’Malley Library, has been compiling resources for members of the Manhattan College community to consult to learn more about generative AI and ChatGPT. He also notes some tools designed to detect AI-generated text and attempts to thwart automated detection, including: OpenAI Text Classifier; Writer; Copyleaks; GPTZero; and GPT-2 Output Detector. Some of these tools came up at the faculty meeting.

But in general, many of the faculty in attendance agreed that more development, whether it be at the department level or Collegewide level, needs to happen to help set standards and techniques. In August, the Faculty Development Day will focus solely on AI.

CONNECTING CHATGPT TO THE CURRICULUM

IN WORKING TOWARD THE AI INTEGRATED STAGE, the College is in the early months of developing a program that would incorporate this new AI technology. Maeve Adams, director of Digital Arts & Humanities (DAsH), and associate professor of English, has been tasked with heading up this process for the School of Liberal Arts. The DAsH program brings the techniques of data analysis and digital representation to traditional questions in the humanities and social sciences, so Adams is well-versed in incorporating digital tools and innovative approaches to liberal arts courses.

“I’m keen to leverage my training to help the College respond to the shifting technological landscape — one that crucially includes generative AI,” Adams says. “Manhattan College has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum that is responsive to the world outside our walls. The program in applied AI (and related fields) that I’m currently working on is a key part of that.”

The preliminary idea is that it would be a kind of “Digital Futures” program (the name is still in the works) with four minors and a choose-your-own-adventure style major made from two minors in applied AI, applied informatics, cybernetics and/or DAsH. Students could, for example, major in data analytics and minor in applied informatics, or they could major in this Digital Futures program and minor in computer information systems (CIS). This new program would be a vehicle for students who want to develop a deeper expertise in ethically, historically and politically informed digital innovation.

“We have excellent programs that place emphasis on the technical side of some parts of these fields,” Adams says.

“Increasingly, industries and the world more broadly need thought leaders who will help navigate the thorny ethical, social and political

dimensions and implications of fast-advancing technologies. This seems to be why more majors in humanities and social sciences are being hired in the tech industry.”

Adams explains that a graduate with a major in philosophy or psychology and some coursework (or a minor) in business analytics is, according to the data, apparently going to do really well if they want a job at, say, Apple, Meta or Google. She notes that more than 45% of Apple’s employees are liberal arts majors (compared to 32% business/finance and 22% computing fields).

“These industries need and want people who can help design technologies that are responsive rather than reactive to those implications,” Adams says. “The people who grasp that best are the ones trained deeply in critical thinking and expression. We typically call these ‘soft skills,’ but increasingly it seems that the ability to be a critical thinker, problem solver and innovator provides the firmer foundation for our future. Practically speaking, it’s what’s going to get people jobs.”

AN AI-FILLED FUTURE

IT’S APPARENT THAT GENERATIVE AI TOOLS AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE. On the contrary, they are already proliferating. For example, Microsoft has started to embed GPT-3 technology across its products and plans to use ChatGPT to enhance Bing. Google is rolling out a chatbot called Bard in its efforts to compete with ChatGPT and is offering a Chrome extension for ChatGPT. Popular apps like Duolingo and Shopify are adding generative AI technology, and so are social media platforms like Snapchat. Companies such as Salesforce and Instacart are also looking to incorporate the tools, and that list was already growing by the time this issue went to press.

Undoubtedly, students will have to navigate a world full of AI programs when they graduate, and colleges will be grappling with — and probably scrambling to figure out — what roles they will play in

planning those routes and preparing future graduates for journeys filled with AI intersections. At Manhattan College, the pathways are being mapped out for capable and conscientious exploration.

“The constructive and purposeful integration of AI into student learning and work is important immediately in that employers are already beginning to expect that those they hire will be able to leverage AI, but that process has only begun, and it will be evolving for years as AI evolves,” Clyde says. “It’s hard to imagine all of the ways generative AI will change work and life, and therefore education, which prepares graduates for work and life. Manhattan College will seek to continue to explore and deliver ways to make sure our students are prepared for and even leading that change.”

Three professors, who have each built their curricula around cutting-edge technology, discuss the topic of generative AI and, more specifically, ChatGPT: how it’s been used, how it could be used, its benefits and limitations, and everything in between.

THE PROFESSORS:

MAEVE ADAMS, director of Digital Arts & Humanities and associate professor of English, is a digital humanist by training and uses many tools that automate processes that humans used to have to do manually. She combines traditional literary history with large-corpus data analysis and visualization in her research.

MICHAEL GRABOWSKI , professor and chair of the Communication department, has been teaching and writing about immersive technologies, including virtual reality, as well as film production, video games and special effects.

KASHIFUDDIN QAZI , associate professor of computer science, has been involved with ChatGPT and similar AI (DALL-E, Jukebox, etc.) first as a computer scientist, interested in new technology, and then as a user who has found several use cases for these.

What kind of impact is generative AI, and more specifically the launch of ChatGPT, having on your classes?

ADAMS:

Generative AI is, in its current incarnation, having only minimal impact on my classes. Courses like mine, in which students are being taught to produce sophisticated analytical writing, won’t be able to find particularly useful ways to incorporate generative AI for reasons other than to show how limited it is. Generative AI cannot, as yet, produce reliably accurate or analytically complex writing. It can generate a fairly basic summary of something or a surfacelevel assessment, but in a humanities classroom, we do not simply teach students to summarize or merely describe something we’ve seen or read. It’s actually one reason, among many, why the humanities (and social sciences) are going to be so crucial going forward in assessing the value and determining the best applications of generative AI: we study and train students in the difference between automatic thinking and innovative thinking.

GRABOWSKI:

My advanced television production students have viewed in class some AI-generated video and discussed the economic and ethical issues of using AI to generate or edit scripts. ChatGPT does a really good job at formatting scripts but produces generalized stories filled with clichés and unrealistic situations. We tried a few prompts in class. A couple of my interns have told me their employers have them using ChatGPT to generate lists that they fact-check and publish, so they are already experiencing its use there.

We have had a few instances in our department of identifying students’ papers that were partially or wholly written by ChatGPT. We treat this as an academic integrity violation, and we have written in our course syllabi that submitted work must be the student’s own, except in cases where the instructor integrated the use of AI into the assignment.

QAZI:

As of this semester, ChatGPT did not really have an impact on my classes. I did not find any assignment answers that could potentially have come from ChatGPT. My exams are all in-person and closed-notes. So they are relatively safe from any impact.

Has generative AI or ChatGPT been integrated into your course plans yet?

ADAMS:

I teach a lot of courses on the history of ethics of technology or that incorporate those topics. But I am also at work on an initiative to develop a program in applied AI in the School of Liberal Arts. The recent debates about generative AI reveal an acute need for informed ethical judgment to adjudicate the best uses and worst abuses of it. We need computer programmers and statisticians working on the technical side, but we need them to be guided by people trained in assessing the ethical, historical, political and cultural implications and impact of technological innovation. That’s the province of the humanities and social sciences. It’s always been true that cultural critics, historians, anthropologists, and more have been at the center of the most important and industry-changing technological advances. Tech companies need people who know how to build the technology and crunch the numbers, but they also need people who can assess and predict the social, cultural, historical and political value of any invention.

GRABOWSKI:

I will be addressing AI in my course ART 134 Culture of Games this fall as a tool video game companies use for interactive gameplay. In addition, our coding students in the new Game Design and Production major [see page 7 for more information] will take a course in programming artificial intelligence.

QAZI:

While I haven’t incorporated AI into my course plans yet, this was the first semester that I spent a majority of the first lecture discussing ChatGPT, and its use and abuse, with all my students.

How will AI affect your lesson plans or course development as you approach the fall semester?

ADAMS:

I don’t want to let it take over my syllabi or lessons because, honestly, I think that would be both boring and counterproductive. I do think, however, that I can continue using it as a tool, among others, for teaching the difference between automatic and true innovation. If generative

AI can come up with a really good summary of something, what more can we say about that text or political conflict or philosophical problem? That capacity for “more” is actually, I think, what makes human reasoning unique. Using Bing to generate an analysis of something that inevitably falls short will help students do better work themselves because they know the difference between good and mediocre work. I think it has the added benefit of helping them to spot writing anywhere in the world that replicates assumptions (even ones that are probabilistically accurate) rather than producing new ideas. Having that skillset will help them become better critical thinkers in the long run, helping them avoid being taken in by prejudicial reasoning.

GRABOWSKI:

We are investigating methods of using ChatGPT as a peer reader, where students would critically examine and edit responses to their prompts. I am also examining the role of “prompt engineer,” which requires a skill set of knowing how to ask the right questions and follow-up questions to make AI a more useful tool. As always has been the case, the answers people get are determined by the questions they ask.

QAZI:

I will spend some time this summer trying to have at least one assignment in which students are allowed to use ChatGPT. For computer science classes, this could be a programming assignment, and I have cursory plans on allowing the students to use ChatGPT to write a program. However, the program will need to have something very specific to the student incorporated in it. For example, the program should, at strategic points that I specify, print the student’s name. As long as the students are able to manipulate the code according to their will, and are not lying about getting it from ChatGPT, this assignment will be a great introduction on how to use ChatGPT ethically.

There are many concerns about misinformation and the accuracy of content that ChatGPT generates. How do you address those concerns?

ADAMS:

The fact that within hours of ChatGPT launching, people were writing about how inaccurate and potentially dangerous it could become is a good sign: modern

humans are, for lots of good reasons, on high alert about misinformation. I think we need to keep in mind also that generative AI has not been the sole source of misinformation in the recent past. It could be one source, but as long as we continue to teach critical thinking and expression, our students are going to be able to tell the difference between something that is likely to be true from something that is patently made up and designed to manipulate us or subvert democracy. As the technology gets better, we’ll have to reassess. But that will also be an opportunity to help students develop more sophisticated aptitudes for detecting and assessing misinformation.

GRABOWKSI:

This is a key issue regarding this technology: it produces text that is plausible but not necessarily true. ChatGPT has been trained on a large amount of text — more than 500 gigabytes of it — and has more than 100 billion parameters associated with it. The patterns it learns from this text is how to predict and present a sequence of words that make sense in the context of language itself, but may have a tenuous or no connection to the real world. In other words, it does a really good job of writing paragraphs that are linguistically correct but may be nonsensical when compared with our experience of the real world, just like how image AI apps can generate photorealistic bodies with arms but attach those arms to a body’s head or abdomen instead of shoulders. In a way, though, this may help us become better writers by recognizing what is NOT good writing: filler text that uses many words but says little about what the author wants to communicate.

QAZI:

Like most AI programs, ChatGPT is based on learning from a large corpus of text. This means that on a lot of topics (especially subjective topics), ChatGPT will be biased one way or another according to the text it read on the topic. Of course, it may also be completely incorrect about some topics. However, I personally do not think that accuracy is the real concern. Students need to learn something more important, which is, how to ethically use ChatGPT as a supplement to other research. Once students master that skill, the accuracy of ChatGPT becomes a moot point.

If ChatGPT can write an essay in seconds, how do you prevent students from cheating? Or from taking shortcuts in developing original ideas and writing skills?

ADAMS:

Currently, I don’t think it can write what I would call an “essay.” It can produce exposition, but is actually pretty terrible at analysis and interpretation. It can describe multiple sides of a debate, but it is not designed to produce a personal take on a debate. In fact, if you ask ChatGPT to weigh in on any debate — I asked it recently what it thought about the pros and cons of vegetarianism — it says “as an AI language model, I am impartial and do not hold opinions or biases.” An essay, as I teach my students, must have a unique and original argument — something that requires having an actual opinion. There’s another layer of this. Because of the way that generative AI is trained on content that already exists, its probabilistic inferences about what is likely to be an accurate statement cannot (yet) replicate the kind of innovative critical thinking or writ-

ing I teach students to produce in my classes. It can come up with a fairly basic summary, but it cannot produce truly new ideas out of inferential and inductive reasoning that does not replicate what has been said before. One key reason that humans can do this is that humans are not all trained on the same data. We bring a wide range of various, different bodies of knowledge and experience to every assessment we make and everything we think and communicate. Plus, all of my writing assignments are, as we say, “scaffolded.” Students submit multiple short assignments that include informal brainstorming, visual mapping of ideas, and meetings with me to discuss their ideas. They also submit multiple drafts that build on those other assignments. It is just not possible to do all those things with generative AI.

GRABOWSKI:

The cases we have identified were pretty easy to catch. ChatGPT produces a bland style of writing that is grammatically correct but lacks voice. If we notice a shift in tone within an essay or compared with a student’s other work, that usually is a sign. Automated AI detectors produce false positives, so it’s really an instructor’s experience that is a more effective tool. Scaffolding assignments, where a student works on an assignment in stages, from developing a research question to annotating sources, outlining, drafting, and providing raw data helps to model the process of research and writing. Having said that, ChatGPT can be used effectively as a brainstorming tool or editor, provided that the text it produces is not accepted at face value. One analogy is the student relying on spell check when writing the paper: sometimes the program corrects a misspelled word but replaces it

“... it does a really good job of writing paragraphs that are linguistically correct but may be nonsensical when compared with our experience of the real world ...”

—Michael Grabowski

with the wrong word. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a student paper with the word “beast” instead of “best.” ChatGPT is to entire paragraphs or essays as spellcheck is to individual words.

QAZI:

I can only speak to this as a computer scientist and computer science teacher. In our field, it is not particularly difficult to commit plagiarism, if you are not careful, at least in the lower-level classes. When students begin to learn their first programming language, the assignments, by design, are simple and standard. For those basic assignments, there are only so many ways that one can solve them. Even without ChatGPT, basic “hello world” type of programs can literally be found as the first search result returned by Google. The way most of us handle this is by asking the student to explain the code that they have submitted, or by instructing in the question that their program does something very specific at a certain point. This same technique works with ChatGPT, to some extent, as well. As long as the student understands and can explain every line in the submitted code, the main learning goal has been achieved. So in that way, I do not think ChatGPT poses a completely new and different problem to programming-related assignments. However, the bigger picture here is not to spend all our energy on finding means to detect cheating. That is a game of cat and mouse with the students. While it is important to identify plagiarism, we should also identify ways of convincing our students why we do not want them to plagiarize (ChatGPT or otherwise) — not only is it unethical, it will almost certainly get them into legal troubles in the real world.

Some schools, like New York City public schools, have blocked ChatGPT access on their computers and networks, citing concerns about negative impacts on student learning, but is that really an effective measure?

ADAMS:

I think this is a mistake. In trying to keep students from cheating, schools miss an opportunity to teach students valuable critical thinking and ethical evaluation skills. I hope, though, that the goal in banning the technology is to provide teachers with the time and resources to develop their own approaches to the problems that might arise from using generative AI.

GRABOWSKI:

Simply making a policy that blocks AI programs is not effective at all. Most students have access to an internet connection not connected to a school, so they can easily circumvent the blocked sites. Moreover, many other apps have integrated AI into their systems, including Microsoft Office and Bing, and Google Docs is rolling out a “Help Me Write …” feature. We are much better off teaching students (and learning ourselves) how to use these tools, effectively rather than ignoring their existence.

QAZI:

That is completely counterproductive and a futile approach. Shielding students from a new technology instead of correctly guiding them through it is lazy and not the path that creates strong thinkers in our society.

Conversely, can ChatGPT be used as a teaching aid or a learning tool in the classroom?

ADAMS:

We’ve had some fun in two different classes this semester using generative AI to consider the difference between automatic thinking and innovative thinking. In one class, we asked ChatGPT to consider the wider implications of a theory posited by the moral philosopher Martha Nussbaum. It couldn’t get past what Nussbaum herself says. That’s because the concept of “wider implications” does not really mean much to generative AI. Why? Because generative AI is trained on an existing data set and thus, limited to what is only probabilistically true. Human innovation relies not only on what is probabilistically true but also what is plausibly true. It seems obvious when you think about it, but if you want to become an innovator (of ideas or anything else), you need to think past what we already know, past what is only probabilistically true to what is, as yet, only plausibly true. So, if generative AI has a place in the college classroom, for now its place is in helping us continue to become the kind of innovative, critical thinkers it cannot be.

GRABOWSKI:

In a way, thinking about ChatGPT can lead to better teaching. Interactive sessions, student participation in class, timely assignments with unique data that ChatGPT does not have access to, and thoughtful questions are all techniques that AI cannot easily replicate. Small class sizes and personal interaction with students require human teachers, and the meta-curriculum of how to work in teams, social roles, and deliberative thinking are all concepts that require human instruction and learning.

QAZI:

Absolutely. I use ChatGPT all the time. The rule is simple: for any personal programming or writing that I am not going to release to the world, I would rather use ChatGPT than spend time writing code. For anything related to my research or profession, I make sure to write every word on my own. Some of the things I use ChatGPT for can be used by students, as well. As a simple example, asking it to program a tiny script that automates launching some programs and changing some system settings on a computer based on the current time. It’s a simple script that helps with productivity, and students can ask ChatGPT to tweak it however best suits their needs.

What are the benefits and the limitations of ChatGPT from your perspective? Are there any challenges?

ADAMS:

Generative AI cannot, on its own, assess the ethical value of what it produces. It can produce content that is likely to align with existing ethical values, but if generative AI creates its own ethical problems, as we have seen it do rather dramatically just in the last few months, then we cannot expect it to assess that. Rather than see this as a challenge, though, I see it as an opportunity. In the humanities, we teach students to think and write critically so that they can develop creative problem-solving skills, so that they can become innovators rather than parrots, and so they can perform ethical reasoning. This ethical reasoning will, it is clear, be essential not just to adjudicating problems created by generative AI but to training AI to produce content that aligns with our evolving ethics.

GRABOWSKI:

This is a quickly developing field, but students need to know what is possible with this technology and what future applications can take advantage of it. At the same time, they need to be critical about what it produces and use ethical human judgment about its use. Rather than thinking of AI as providing “answers,” students should think of its output as “responses,” using its accumulated data to respond to queries students pose to it.

QAZI:

I find tremendous use cases for ChatGPT. I now relegate most of my basic, personal programming needs to ChatGPT. However, while

this saves me a couple of hours every month, ChatGPT is not perfect. One still needs to spend considerable time and effort massaging and tweaking the generated results. This is the real skill I envision our students learning. That is also the biggest challenge. Without the skill to identify and correct the errors in ChatGPT’s results, students may get a false sense of confidence in the results.

The launch of ChatGPT seems like only the beginning of what could be a future filled with generative AI programs that students will encounter in their academic and professional lives. How should colleges be preparing students for the future?

ADAMS:

Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have been proceeding at a steady clip in generating ever-new automation technologies. Historically, every new major technological innovation of this kind — from steam mills in the 19th century to robotic process automation in the 20th century — has generated anxiety about how it will cost human jobs or, more apocalyptically, make humans irrelevant. But humans have also invariably taken these as opportunities to refine and extend our conception of what we do differently, taking advantage of new resources made available by those technologies (whether it be money or time) to continue innovating. Generative AI may very well change different kinds of jobs in ways greater and smaller. That means we will need to adjust the way we train students for professional lives. But, that’s no different from before. Arguably, though, we should also be training our students to be flexible rather than anxious about technological change because we won’t be able to train them for every transformation their professions undergo. Learning the history of earlier developments and developing skills in assessing the value, ethical and practical, of new technological advancements will put them ahead of the curve and give them a leg up on peers who did not receive that multifaceted training.

GRABOWSKI:

ChatGPT and other text-generating AI have been prominent issues in the Writers Guild of America strike, while actors and musicians are already licensing their names and likenesses for AI-produced work. Students need to be prepared for a world in which this technology exists, so that they can have some

degree of control over it, rather than having it control them.

QAZI:

There are two core values/skills that our students should have ingrained:

a) Developing a better understanding of intellectual property and plagiarism (this understanding applies regardless of ChatGPT and even beyond ChatGPT).

b) Developing the skills to analyze any new technology, identify its flaws and strengths, use it to its strengths, and skirt around its flaws.

To give you an idea of just what ChatGPT can do, I asked it to write a poem about Manhattan College. This is what is produced — and in a matter of seconds.

M anhattan C ollege

Manhattan College, in the heart of the city, A place of learning, where minds are set free.

From the Hudson River, to the towering heights, A place of wonder, where dreams take flight.

With scholars and teachers, so wise and so bright, We learn and we grow, every day and night.

From the halls of learning, to the sports on the field, Manhattan College, forever our shield.

A community, bound by the Jaspers’ name, A place where all are welcome, with no fame or shame.

We come from all walks, with stories to tell, A home away from home, where we can excel.

From the Jasper green, to the sky’s endless blue, Manhattan College, we all love you. With each passing year, as we move ahead, We’ll never forget, the memories we’ve led.

So here’s to Manhattan College, our beloved school, Forever in our hearts, a place we’ll always rule. From the Quad to the chapel, and beyond, Our loyalty will never wane, our love ever strong.

— ChatGPT

Commencement Returns to Campus

DURING THREE FESTIVE DAYS IN MAY, proud family members and exuberant Manhattan College graduates filled Draddy Gymnasium as the class of 2023 received academic accolades at the Spring Honors Convocation and were awarded their degrees at the 181st Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement Exercises. Those in attendance heard remarks from speakers with an extraordinary range of collective wisdom.

At the Graduate Commencement ceremony, held on May 17, the College presented an honorary doctorate of humane letters to Daniel Nigro, former commissioner of the New York City Fire Department. Nigro acknowledged the challenges that often face students as they pursue their graduate degrees, saying, “I know that each of you decided, despite all the things in your lives that may have interfered, to either continue on with your education or, after some number of years away from school, to go back and put in the hours required to get you here today.”

He then addressed the inevitability of the “bad days at the office” that lie in store for everyone, “None worse,” he said, “than September 11, 2001.” At the bleakest times, he advised, we gain strength from our personal relationships.

“Just as your relationships helped you achieve the degrees you receive today; strong and loving relationships will help you throughout your lives,” he said. “Your good days — may they be many — will be more enjoyable, and the inevitable bad days will be more survivable.”

Graduate valedictorian Oscar Leon ’21, ’22 (M.S.) earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Leon earned his bachelor’s degree from Manhattan while working full time at Con Edison. Now a department manager for the utility’s Gas Emergency Response Center, he went on to complete his graduate degree and has enrolled in Manhattan’s part-time MBA program in finance.

Leon discussed a range of qualities that allowed his fellow graduates to succeed at their studies and that will be necessary for continued success. Among them were integrity, resiliency and perseverance, consistency, discipline, and embracing failure.

“Failures can be valuable teachers if we approach them with the right mindset,” he said.

Restlessness is another valuable tool, Leon explained. “We must continue to challenge ourselves, set ambitious goals, and work tirelessly to achieve them.”

On May 18, high-achieving undergraduates were awarded medals and prizes, as well as inducted into Epsilon Sigma Pi, the College’s preeminent honor society, at the Spring Honors Convocation. Alixandria James ’23 was announced as the winner of the College’s highest undergraduate honor, the Joseph J. Gunn Alumni Medal.

A public health major and management minor, James was the first Manhattan College student (and one of only 58 students nationwide) to earn a Truman Scholarship for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government. She served as student government’s vice president for academic affairs and as a peer academic tutor, and conducted extensive academic research, including a Jasper Summer Scholars grant to analyze the results of Manhattan’s first Diversity and Equity Campus Climate survey. She was also a summer research fellow for the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center and worked as a Lang youth medical educator and community outreach intern for New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Division of Community and Population Health. Next year, James plans to enroll in graduate school to earn a master’s degree in public health with a focus on health policy.

Parisa Saboori, professor of mechanical engineering, was the Spring Honors Convocation faculty speaker. Her remarks focused on the resilience of the class of 2023 in a time of unprecedented change, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, technological advancements, and shifting social and political landscapes.

“The rise of artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing is transforming the way we live and work,” Saboori said. “This again presents both new opportunities and challenges for you.”

“Together, we can harness the power of technology and tackle some of the greatest challenges of our time, from climate change and poverty to healthcare and education,” she continued. “But we must also recognize that these tools are only as good as the people who use them.”

Oscar Leon ’21, ’22 serves as valedictorian at the graduate ceremony.

Daniel Nigro: A Lifetime of Service to New Yorkers

IN HIS REMARKS AT THE COLLEGE’S Graduate Commencement ceremony, Daniel Nigro, 33rd commissioner of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) spoke from the heart about his “worst imaginable bad day at the office.”

On September 11, 2001, he was working as chief of operations, assisting in the incident command. He survived both World Trade Center building collapses and took on the role of incident commander after Peter Ganci Jr., chief of the department, was killed in the attacks.

“What began as a beautiful late summer day that energized you and puts an extra bounce in your step suddenly became a nightmare of destruction,” he recounted. “While trying to rescue those trapped in the towers, 343 brave members of the department lost their lives, along with many of their brothers and sisters in law enforcement and more than 2,000 innocent civilians. That afternoon, as we stood in the middle of what became known as Ground Zero,

those of us who had survived realized that, despite the agonizing experience we had just gone through, we had to continue to honor our sworn mission.”

And honor that mission he did. As chief of the department, Nigro held the highest uniformed position in the FDNY during its most difficult era and helped revitalize the department in the aftermath of September 11. After nearly 33 years of service, he retired in 2002, only to return to the department in 2014, when he was named fire commissioner by then-mayor Bill de Blasio. During the next eight years, Nigro led a workforce of more than 17,000 uniformed and civilian members. He worked to diversify the department and oversaw it through the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic before retiring in 2022.

Nigro joined the department in 1969, combatting blazes. He ascended through the chain of command, and by 1994, was named the first chief of the FDNY Emergency Medical Service, overseeing

THE WEEK’S CEREMONIES CONCLUDED ON MAY 19 with the Undergraduate Commencement, at which famed chef, television host, restaurateur, author and philanthropist Lidia Matticchio Bastianich was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Bastianich recalled the difficulties faced by her family in Communist Yugoslavia in the years after World War II, and the hurdles they faced in immigrating to the United States, including two years spent living in a refugee camp in Italy.

She emphasized the importance of continuing her education at that time and noted, “I am a firm believer that the education of our children could solve most of the problems in the world.”

“Education leads you to a better place and leads you to help others to a better place,” she told the graduates. “This is your chance … You should continue to nurture yourself, your knowledge, your capabilities … And then go out there and really work because you’re going to make it happen.”

Gunn medalist James was also named the undergraduate valedictorian. Her remarks focused on how she has gained strength from her lived experiences and perspective as a Black woman during her time at Manhattan.

“I learned that the concept behind diversity is learning the ability to acknowledge and celebrate all of our differences,” she

a successful merger with the Health and Hospitals Corporation. Three years later, he was named chief of operations, responsible for managing and training all uniformed personnel.

He has earned both the Fire Commissioner’s Award for Outstanding Service and the Leon Lowenstein Award, and has been recognized for outstanding service by the governments of New York City, New York State, the United States, Italy and France.

His advice to Jaspers is: “Treat others as you would care to be treated. Treat everyone that you meet with dignity and respect. Be known for your kindness and your understanding. Be dependable and surround yourself with those you can depend on. Someday you will need support. I did.”

said. “Manhattan College is where I learned to not only be proud of the student that I am, but to actually be proud of what makes me who I am.”

Addressing her fellow graduates, she said, “As we all begin this new journey … I challenge you all to embrace and be proud of what makes you different. Be the person that challenges predetermined thoughts and convictions.”

In remarks at both Commencement ceremonies, Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president, emphasized the impact of the College’s Lasallian Catholic charism on Jaspers’ ability to shape the world. “Manhattan College values provide you with a critical lens to focus on many important ways to conduct your professional lives,” he said, proposing that graduates focus through values such as sustainability, faith and service.

“The main question is,” he said, “‘How will I use the values now that I am moving into the real world?’ I ask that you take that question with you tonight into the world as a check and balance for the next phase of your lives.”

Brother Daniel concluded his remarks with a benediction for the graduates and a promise that at Manhattan, they will always have “a home away from home.”

Alixandria James ’23, also the Gunn medalist, gives the valedictory address at the Undergraduate Commencement.

Lidia Matticchio Bastianich: Personifying the American Dream

LIDIA MATTICCHIO BASTIANICH is a beloved personality to legions of cooking aficionados who enjoy her Emmy award-winning PBS programs including Lidia’s Kitchen, Lidia’s Italy in America and Lidia’s Italy

In her own words, a “refugee who has lived the American dream,” Bastianich was born in 1947 in Istria, Italy. Her idyllic early years were shadowed by the upheaval in Europe after World War II, when her hometown, Pola, was made a part of Yugoslavia and came under Communist rule.

As Bastianich shared in her speech at Manhattan’s Undergraduate Commencement ceremony: “Under Communism, life was difficult. We could not speak Italian, our native language. We could not practice our religion, and our names were changed to sound more Slavic.”

In 1956, her family fled to Trieste, Italy. There, Bastianich, her parents and older brother lived in a refugee camp for political asylum seekers. In spite of the camp’s restrictions, she and her brother were able to continue their education. After two years, the family emigrated to the U.S., under the sponsorship of Catholic Relief Services, and settled in Queens.

“It’s not easy to come to a place where you know nobody; you don’t speak the language,” she recalled. “But the … possibility of building a new life, of having freedom to practice your religion, keeps you going and really excited.”

Bastianich completed her education and went on to open her first restaurant, Buonavia, in 1971, gaining favorable attention from food critics. Her third restaurant, Felidia, opened to acclaim in 1981. In the years that followed, she opened additional restaurants and became a partner in Eataly NYC and Eataly restaurants in additional locales.

In 1998, PBS offered Bastianich her first television series, which became Lidia’s Italian Table. Today, her cooking shows air nationwide on public television and internationally, and on digital platforms. She has also authored several cookbooks, the most recent of which is Lidia’s A Pot, A Pan and A Bowl. In 2018, she published her memoir, My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family and Food

Bastianich’s memories of the life she left behind, as well as the assistance her family received, have deeply influenced her both as a culinary innovator and an advocate for refugees, women and children. She is a major benefactor of the United Nations Association of the USA’s Adopt-A-Future program; has raised funds for the UN Development Fund for Women; and is part of the National Organization of Italian American Women’s Distinguished Board, an organization for women of Italian descent that focuses on preserving Italian heritage, language and culture.

She has received seven James Beard Awards and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Culinary Host, along with numerous other accolades.

Bastianich attributes her many successes to her education and hard work. “This is your chance,” she told the graduates. “You should go out there and work hard … You have the basics. Add to it. Grow.”

Raising a Record $3.6 Million, De La Salle Medal Dinner Honors a Visionary Corporate Leader

MANHATTAN COLLEGE’S 2023 DE LA SALLE MEDAL DINNER raised a record-breaking $3.6 million for scholarship and other student aid as the evening honored the leadership and philanthropic commitment of Michael Wirth, chairman and CEO of Chevron Corporation and this year’s medal recipient.

“What a remarkable evening,” said Thomas Mauriello, vice president for advancement. “Our entire College community is deeply grateful to the loyal alumni and friends who graciously shared this celebration of Lasallian Catholic values — and of the visionary example set by Mike Wirth. We owe the evening’s success to their phenomenal generosity and dedication.”

Held at The Plaza New York on Thursday, April 20, it was the most successful event in the annual dinner’s multi-decade history. Mary

Beth McDade ’93, an Emmy Award-winning anchor at KTLA 5 News in Los Angeles, emceed the event for the third consecutive year.

Addressing the guests, Stephen Squeri ’81, ’86 (MBA), chair and CEO of American Express, chair of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees and the dinner’s chair, cited some of Wirth’s recent impressive accomplishments.

“During his tenure as CEO, Mike has led Chevron through the historic oil downturn in 2020, questions about the long-term future of fossil fuels, and the war in Ukraine,” said Squeri, a 2017 honoree. “And he has done so with integrity and discipline.”

Brother President Daniel Gardner, FSC, went on to liken Wirth’s leadership style to that of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, who founded the Christian Brothers in 18th-century France. “It was only through bold,

(From left to right) Thomas O’Malley ’63, former chair of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees, Mary Beth McDade ’93, anchor at KTLA 5 News and the evening’s emcee, Stephen Squeri ’81, ’86 (MBA), current chair of College’s Board of Trustees and chair and CEO of American Express, Michael Wirth, this year’s medal recipient, and Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, president of Manhattan College, join in celebrating the honoree at the De La Salle Medal Dinner in April. In thanking the College for this recognition, Wirth, chairman and CEO of Chevron Corporation, discussed what it means to be a great leader.

decisive courage that De La Salle stood up to the government, the Church and even his own followers at times,” he said. “Mike Wirth is that same kind of bold, decisive, courageous leader.”

Under Wirth’s stewardship, Brother Daniel explained, Chevron embraces many humanitarian initiatives. For example, Chevron aids communities that face natural disasters; funds nonprofit and social investment organizations in Asia; and supports educational programs for underserved students in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“Mike sees the issues that affect humanity,” Brother Daniel said, “and he leads his company as an agent of change. His character and actions demonstrate a man of action and commitment, dedicated to improving our world.”

Brother Daniel and Squeri then joined Thomas O’Malley ’63, a 1994 medal recipient, previous board chair and the event’s honorary chair, in presenting the medal to Wirth.

Thanking the College, Wirth offered his own definition of leadership, one he said every dedicated executive strives to emulate. “Great leaders,” he noted, “seek to touch the hearts of people, to encourage them to grow intellectually, to stay true to their values and to strive to always do what’s right for their families, communities and society.”

With a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado, Wirth joined Chevron as a design engineer in 1982. He went on to serve in positions of steadily increasing responsibility, ultimately becoming vice chair in 2017 and chair and CEO in 2018.

Not only was this a record-breaking event, but Brother Daniel added that this year’s dinner coincided with a number of historic anniversaries for the Jasper community: 170 years since the College’s founding; 140 years since Brother Jasper of Mary, FSC, Manhattan’s first athletic director, invented the seventh-inning stretch; 100 years on the Riverdale, Bronx campus; and 50 years of Title IX and co-education. “What a way to celebrate!” he said.

Mauriello further noted, “The combination of Steve Squeri, Tom O’Malley and Mike Wirth is unrivaled in my experience for any major fundraiser. Their level of focus and commitment drove our efforts to have a truly transformative impact on our College and students. They also made it a lot of fun.”

“Mike sees the issues that affect humanity, and he leads his company as an agent of change.”

—BROTHER DANIEL GARDNER, FSC

Patterson Continues Steadfast Support of Student Scholars

TWENTY MANHATTAN COLLEGE STUDENTS from the Schools of Liberal Arts, Education and Health, Engineering, the O’Malley School of Business and the Kakos School of Science have received a James Patterson ’69 Scholarship for the 2022-23 academic year.

It is the 11th consecutive year that Patterson, the world’s bestselling author and philanthropist, has supported scholarships for 10 juniors and 10 seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence and involvement in activities tied to the College’s Lasallian mission. The scholarships are also awarded based on student need.

“The generosity that James Patterson has long provided the College through these scholarships continues to have such a positive impact on the students who receive them and demonstrates his loyalty to his alma mater,” says Brother Daniel

THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ARE: Juniors

Johely Aguilar, education (Bronx, N.Y.)

Daniel Angel, engineering (Bronx, N.Y.)

Andrew Chacko, science (Valley Cottage, N.Y.)

Liam Donahue, business (New Providence, N.J.)

Janita Dreher, liberal arts (Bronx, N.Y.)

Gemma Meade, education (Hackensack, N.J.)

Granit Oroshi, science (Tuckahoe, N.Y.)

Kevin Orozco, engineering (Mount Vernon, N.Y.)

Catriona O’Shea, education (New Hyde Park, N.Y.)

Ireland Walker, education (Wantage, N.J.)

Seniors

Paulina Alarcon, education (Yonkers, N.Y.)

Rosalia Cefalu, business (Milton, Mass.)

Ayanna Horsford, science (New York, N.Y.)

Anahi Jimenez, education (New York, N.Y.)

Chelsey Leveque, liberal arts (New York, N.Y.)

Rachel Mojica, science (Mount Vernon, N.Y.)

Quinten Murphy, engineering (Albertson, N.Y.)

Casey Schellberg, education (Warwick, N.Y.)

Kaya Simpson, education (Edgewood, Md.)

Anika Wahid, engineering (Bronx, N.Y.)

Gardner, FSC, president. “These students are among our best, and have worked hard to achieve academic success. The Patterson scholarships allow them a measure of security and support as they approach graduation. Hopefully it will also inspire them to follow in Mr. Patterson’s footsteps of success.”

The scholarship program awards $5,000 to each of the 20 recipients. All seniors are eligible to apply to receive one of four additional $2,500 awards based on essay submissions that outline their plans after graduation.

“The last several years have been uniquely challenging times for these students,” Patterson says. “That’s why it gives me such pleasure to support them for the extraordinary work they continue to do at Manhattan College. I have no doubt that this group of students will go on to become leaders in their respective fields and accomplish great things after graduation.”

Patterson has created some of the most enduring characters and series in modern American fiction including Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Maximum Ride, and Ali Cross. His acclaimed works of nonfiction include Walk in My Combat Boots, E.R. Nurses, and his autobiography, James Patterson by James Patterson

For his philanthropy and championing of literacy in America, Patterson was awarded the 2019 National Humanities Medal. The National Book Foundation presented him with the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, and he is also the recipient of an Edgar Award and nine Emmy Awards.

Patterson has given more than three million books to school-age children and the military, donated more than $100 million to support education, and endowed more than 10,000 college scholarships for teachers.

For Jasper Triple Jumper, Coyle Family Scholarship “Helps Push Me Forward”

IT WAS ON THE STORIED RUNNING PATHS OF VAN CORTLANDT PARK that Laurah Perrin ’24 first had a good feeling about Manhattan College. As a cross country and track athlete at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, Perrin competed in the famed Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational, and noticed the warm welcome that she received from the College’s athletics staff.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her senior year of high school and caused her to doubt whether collegiate athletics would be in her future. “Looking back at it,” she recalls, “it’s funny because I would have never thought that I would be here right now.”

Thanks to the guidance and support of Kerry Gallagher, director of cross country, and track and field at Manhattan, Perrin reassessed that stance.

“If it weren’t for Coach Gallagher ... I never would have committed to any school,” Perrin says. Instead, she committed to the Jaspers for the 400-meter dash and her specialty, the triple jump. She also decided to pursue a double major in psychology and English, with a double minor in Spanish and philosophy. The broad exposure to the liberal arts is in line with her eventual goal to attend law school.

During her time at Manhattan, Perrin has managed the tough balance of excellence in both athletics and academics. In her sophomore year, she was named the recipient of the Coyle Family Scholarship, which was established in 2016 by Arthur J. Mahon ’55 in memory of his wife’s family to provide tuition assistance to students enrolled in the School of Liberal Arts who have demonstrated high academic achievement.

The scholarship, she says, “has meant so much” to her and her family. Both of her parents immigrated from Haiti before she was born, and “have gone through a lot to give me and my older sister a platform, not just for education but for life in general.” She calls the scholarship “a way to keep on pushing me forward, to know that there are more things for me on my path … These things mean a lot.”

In her junior year, Perrin had injuries that prevented her from competing. “The goal now is to hopefully be strong enough for the end of the spring 2023 outdoor season, and if not, my senior year.”

While recovering, she has continued to support her teammates by attending practices and meets. She also has become an advocate for her fellow Jaspers. She joined the Black Student Union (BSU), serving as co-president with Quemarii Williams ’23, and serves as diversity chair on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Through BSU, Perrin is working with other campus organizations to coordinate a donation drive for Concourse House, a women and children’s shelter in the Bronx. She and Williams are also partnering with the College’s administration to create a mural on campus where people of color can see their identities reflected. As SAAC diversity chair, Perrin helps to address concerns and issues within athletics.

Reflecting on her leadership roles, “I came [to Manhattan] with the identity of solely being an athlete,” Perrin says. “The good thing about [my time away from competition] was that it enabled me to meet new people who aren’t athletes and get to know myself better, especially with BSU. As a member of SAAC and BSU, community means so much to me. Growing up in an Afro-Caribbean community, the ideals of family and community are very prevalent.”

Perrin is grateful for the mentorship she has received from the College’s faculty. She calls Evelyn Scaramella, associate professor of modern languages and literatures, and Ashley Cross, professor of English, two of her favorite professors, “not just at Manhattan, but for life.”

“Dr. Cross has made me more confident, not only as a student but as a person in general,” she says. “She has so much passion for what she teaches; she allows you to expand your thinking. Being in her class is such an experience.”

Thanks to Scaramella’s influence, Perrin decided to study abroad in Madrid last summer, an experience she values for giving her the perspective similar to that of an international student studying in the United States.

As she looks ahead to her senior year and whatever it may hold, Perrin says she is “continuously grateful” for the Coyle Family Scholarship, which she views in a similar light as the athletic challenges she’s faced: “It reminds me every day to continue to achieve my goals and see my failures as small successes.”

Liberal Arts Alumni Honored at First Annual Celebration

THE SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS (SOLA) hosted its first Annual Alumni Celebration on May 6 to honor distinguished alumni and faculty members for their outstanding academic and professional accomplishments. A highlight of the event was the establishment of the John Paluszek ’55 First Generation Student of Excellence Scholarship.

“The first SoLA Alumni Celebration was successful beyond our hopes,” says Cory Blad, dean of the School of Liberal Arts. “We not only had over 140 guests in attendance, we had a wonderful cross-section of alumni, from recent graduates to those more established. The primary goal was to reestablish a positive center for alumni of the School of Liberal Arts and remind everyone ... that the work we continue to do is built on solid foundations and being taken to unprecedented locations.”

In addition to Paluszek, other notable alumni were honored during the evening, including Ethan Van Ness ’13, senior policy adviser and parliamentarian for the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability; Pamela Segura ’14, who is pursuing a master’s degree at the New School for Social Research; and Cristian Gonzalez ’17, most recently media supervisor at Taylor, a marketing and communications agency.

“It felt great to return to Manhattan College! I am 100% behind the mission to uplift the humanities and liberal arts at Manhattan College,” Segura says. “This is because the education I received at Manhattan was truly remarkable. I learned how to think critically and ask questions about what I’m seeing and experiencing in the world. Those two skills ... have aptly prepared me for a successful, rewarding career.”

“We want our alumni to know how important they are to us and to recognize that the work of liberal arts is at the core of our Lasallian mission,” explained Mehnaz Afridi, professor of religious studies, who helped to organize the event.

Paluszek, who in 1971 founded John Paluszek & Associates/Corporate Social

Action, a public relations firm specializing in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, spent more than three decades as an executive at Ketchum Inc., a global public relations firm, including as president of public affairs. A former journalist, he founded and serves as executive editor of Business in Society, which reports on and analyzes major social issues and how businesses address them In 2010, Paluszek was recognized with the Public Relations Society of America’s Atlas Award for Lifetime Achievement.

He served as a member of the board of trustees at Manhattan College for more than a decade and earned an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 2004 at the Fall Honors Convocation. Paluszek was also past chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and past national president of the Public Relations Society of America.

During his remarks, Paluszek said: “I suggest that by a natural extrapolation, each of us — in vocation and/or avocation, implicitly or explicitly — have a social contract invitation. If the word ‘contract’ seems too transactional, let’s use terms more Lasallian, more familiar: ‘Giving back to society.’ Perhaps even, ‘Paying it forward.’”

Funded by the more than $150,000 raised as a result of the celebration, the $10,000-peryear scholarship will be awarded to a liberal arts student each year, while funded.

“The goal of the Paluszek family is consistent with the mission of Manhattan College,” Blad says. “The focus on first-generation students reflects John Paluszek’s personal path and that of many faculty, students and

alumni in the School of Liberal Arts. We are honored to be able to financially support first-generation students in the liberal arts in John’s name.”

Several faculty also were honored at the event: Mitchell Aboulafia, professor emeritus of philosophy; Michael Raymond Antolik, professor emeritus of political science; Joan Cammarata, professor emerita of Spanish; Peter Heller, professor emeritus of government (posthumously); Stephen Kaplan, professor emeritus of religious studies; Brother Patrick Horner, FSC, professor emeritus of English; Luis Loyola, associate professor emeritus of sociology; Claire Nolte, professor emerita of history; and Julie Leininger Pycior, professor emerita of history.

“It is our hope that this will be the first of many annual celebration dinners to both increase the visibility of SoLA and strengthen our relationships with the Manhattan College SoLA community,” adds Heidi Laudien, associate professor of English.

“The more we can do to highlight the critical value of a liberal arts education in actually examining and improving on the world around us, the better we can continue to move our friends, family and communities toward a more stable tomorrow,” says Blad, who plans to host the event next year.

John Paluszek ’55 establishes the First Generation Student of Excellence Scholarship, announced at the School of Liberal Arts' first Annual Alumni Celebration in May.

FROM THE COLLEGE’S ARCHIVES

Whatever Happened to … the Annual Retreat?

“IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK EFFECTIVELY IN YOUR MINISTRY EXCEPT BY SOLITUDE AND PRAYER,” proclaimed Saint Augustine. Retreat and reflection, he wrote, are the two means by which we separate ourselves from the world entirely and from the tendency to sin, and consecrate ourselves entirely to God.

St. Augustine’s message seems more relevant today than ever. Despite the compulsory respite caused by a global pandemic, stress, sadness and dread, coupled with relentless political and cultural polarization, have made mindfulness and spiritual reflection a necessity. St. Augustine reminds us that it’s important to take time to reflect on what we are doing; to contemplate our behavior and encourage practices that exemplify a lived faith. This opportunity was once a fundamental ritual and holy obligation for the students of Manhattan College.

The annual retreat, established to promote Catholic principles and encourage spiritual formation, was an integral experience and required event in the Manhattan College academic schedule for decades. Officially mandated in 1897, it represented a significant phase of the spiritual life of Manhattan men. During the time of retreat, students were given the opportunity to renew their spiritual lives through intensive programs of prayer, conferences, meditations, readings and the reception of the sacraments. The annual retreat was one of many devotional practices that affirmed the College’s Catholic values and sustained the faith of its students.

It wasn’t until the 1960s when students, faculty and administrators began to examine the overall program of campus religious activities to ensure its preservation and revitalization. The campus culture was changing in the wake of societal and ecclesial developments. A significant step was made away from compulsion, making many of the devotional observances voluntary. One of the last mandated religious activities of the College was the annual retreat. Students began to question the validity and effectiveness of the required event. In 1965, The Quadrangle newspaper surveyed the students’ prevailing attitudes, and the results revealed that 82% were against the mandatory retreat. More remarkable, perhaps, was that 56% of those polled said they would make a retreat anyway if it was not required.

The teachings of the Second Vatican Council and its emphasis on religious tolerance and flexibility helped convince administrators that all religious activities and devotional practices had to be voluntary. The requirement of the annual student retreat was eliminated in 1966 and was replaced by a series of forums and discussions to help foster and encourage introspection, theology, sacramental and liturgical life. Optional retreats continued with new modifications, including the introduction of relevant social topics on racism, pornography, religious activities on campus, psychology and marriage. Private, off-campus retreats like the co-ed Novacor retreat were also encouraged.

Today’s co-ed, pluralistic campus is different in many ways from the College of 60 years ago. Nevertheless, the opportunity provided by retreats to experience prayer, encourage faith and celebrate spiritual care persists. Campus Ministry and Social Action sponsors several faith-based retreats incorporating service, wellness activities and discussions on relevant social issues. Some retreats introduce students to the Lasallian charism and welcome them into our Lasallian community. In today’s chaotic world, we can all benefit from gathering together in one place, from listening, hearing, feeling, sharing and emerging refreshed and renewed and, as St. Augustine advised, capable and successful in our vocation.

ALUMNOTES

1959

Nicholas Salvatore has retired to Tucson, Arizona, with his wife of 58 years, Marlene. After a 36-year career as a school and district administrator in Canton, Connecticut, he served for 10 years as director of development for the Connecticut Sports Management group, a nonprofit that hosts sports events for the state of Connecticut. During this time, Salvatore was also an art dealer, the owner of two art galleries, and a Western art collector.

1966

William (Bill) Boerum writes that he and his wife, Nancy, spent 10 days in South Africa. They stayed in Cape Town and toured the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine regions. Boerum conducts a wine tour business in Northern California’s Napa and Sonoma wine counties.

1967

Patrick Morrissey has led ConSpec Associates Inc., an engineering firm based out of his home in East Haven, Connecticut, for more than 46 years. His involvement with engineering and construction dates back to the 1960s. Morrissey formed ConSpec in 1976 to “combine technology with tradition in both methods and materials for innovative, cost-effective, engineered solutions for the restoration, maintenance and repair” of structures. He focuses on speed tile interior and concrete masonry units that are used for elevator shafts.

1968

John Pezzano and his wife, Dale, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June. Pezzano is now retired after 12 years of active duty in the United States Air Force and 22 years at the Hewlett-Packard Company. They live in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and have two happily married sons and two grandchildren. Pezzano has been spending his retirement doing volunteer work and traveling.

1970

Ronald De Fesi will lead the Warwick Valley Chorale in New York as its new musical director and conductor. De Fesi is well-known to music lovers in the region as the artistic director of the Hudson Opera Theatre since its founding in 1977. The Warwick Valley Chorale operates as a community chorus and has been a cultural fixture in the Hudson Valley region.

1972

Frederick McKenna wrote in to share that he ran into Peter McCoy at a high school reunion. McCoy’s father, James McCoy ’34, was an alumnus who played football for Manhattan. McCoy still has his father’s Manhattan College letter sweater.

1975

Ken Cubelli is an orthopedic surgeon with more than 30 years of experience. He specializes in sports medicine and is affiliated with the Sports Medicine Center at Tri-County Orthopedics in New Jersey. The New Jersey native is also an active member of the Eastern Orthopedic Association. Named a top doctor in the New York Metropolitan area on several occasions, Cubelli has been the recipient of a Patients’ Choice Award, Compassionate Doctor Recognition, and Patients’ Choice 5th Anniversary Award.

Paul Fedirka recently welcomed his eighth and ninth grandchildren. He is retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs as a clinical psychologist.

1977

Stephen Mitchell has embarked on a new venture in forming his own transportation planning and traffic engineering consulting firm. He and his wife, Vicki, now reside in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

1979

Mark Maiello was appointed by the mayor of New York City to the Nuclear Disarmament and Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Committee. The committee is em-

powered to promote policies that make New York City a nuclear weapons free zone and to educate the public on the issues surrounding nuclear disarmament.

1981

Milo Riverso, who was recently appointed the College’s new president (see page 3), was also recognized as the Salvadori Center’s 2023 Design Honoree for Excellence in Design. The Salvadori Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to motivating New York City students to learn about math, science, the humanities and arts, recognizes notable New York City leaders with awards for their contributions to architecture, design, business, education and philanthropy. Riverso brings more than 30 years of experience in leading large, complex organizations in the fields of program management, construction and design management as former CEO and president of STV Group Inc. He stays active in the design and construction industry and currently serves on the boards of multiple organizations, including the National Academy of Construction, which he chairs, and the New York chapter of the ACE Mentor Program and New York Building Congress.

1983

Robert Maguire is the co-founder of BioLab Sciences, a regenerative medicine company that focuses on developing new ways to regenerate the body to optimal performance. He is currently the president and CEO of the company, which is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is married to Debbie and has a daughter, Raquelle, and a grandson, Lennon.

1985

Lisa Catanzaro joins Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits as its new head of human resources. In this role, Catanzaro will oversee recruitment, learning and development, recognition, retention, diversity and compensation and benefits. For seven years prior to joining Deutsch,

A Jasper is a Finalist for a Presidential Award

SHARON COLLINS ’97 IS ONE OF THREE NEW YORK STATE FINALISTS for a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and awarded by the White House.

“This honor means that all the love and devotion I have put into teaching my students, who come from low socioeconomic communities, over the past 23 years has been recognized and highlighted,” Collins says. “My hope is that this acknowledgement will encourage other educators to teach students in Title I [federally funded to support low-income students] schools most in need of excellent teachers, or encourage other professionals to change careers, as I did, and become teachers.”

Originally an environmental engineer with an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Manhattan College and graduate degree in environmental engineering from Columbia University, Collins is now a high school mathematics teacher and chair of the math department at New Heights Academy Charter School in Harlem.

She switched careers from engineering to education through Teach For America in 1999, after learning about the program during a presentation at Columbia.

“I was so taken by the teacher stories,” she says. “I applied to Teach for America and was accepted into the program. It was the best decision of my life.”

Collins is a National Board Certified Teacher and Math for America Master Teacher. She has taught on both the middle school and high school levels at public schools throughout New York City, including at her Teach for America placement school, IS 183, the Paul Robeson Magnet School in Mott Haven, and the Bronx Preparatory Charter School in Morrisania, both located in the Bronx.

Currently teaching AP Calculus AB, Pre-Calculus and Statistics, Collins received this nomination for the country’s highest honor for STEM teachers due to her outstanding teaching, leadership, and demonstration of the award’s Five Dimensions of Outstanding Teaching: mastery of upper-level mathematics content; effective instructional approaches that support student learning; effective use of assessments to evaluate and improve student learning; reflection and lifelong learning to improve teaching and student learning; and leadership and equity inside and outside the classroom.

Collins, who has two children, is an elected parent representative to the Community Education Council for District 3, representing parents and families living in Harlem and the Upper West Side. She also serves as its treasurer and high school admissions chair.

In addition, she is an active alumna with Teach for America New York and was named Alumna of the Month last November. Collins is vice chair and secretary for the Teach For America New York Alumni Association Board, as well.

Reflecting on her time as a student at Manhattan College, Collins also points out that she was the first in her family to go to college.

“I loved it at Manhattan,” she says. “My professors knew my name, the classes were small, and I made lifelong friends.”

Catanzaro was the senior vice president of human resources for the U.S. and Canada at Breakthru Beverage Group. Earlier, she spent 15 years at Diageo, another beverage company, in multiple roles including senior vice president of human resources for North America, and led its commercial business partner team and diversity, equity & inclusion efforts.

1987

Cyrus Izzo has been promoted to president and CEO at Syska Hennessy Group, an international engineering firm. In his new role, Izzo will oversee the day-to-day management of Syska and will be the top decision-maker for the company. He joined Syska in 1993 and previously worked as a co-president. Izzo is a licensed professional engineer in five other states. Outside of the office, he serves on the boards of the New York Building Congress and 7/24 Exchange International.

1993

Thomas Grech was recently featured in PoliticsNY on its “Power Players in Aviation” list, which honors government officials and aviation industry leaders who have helped transform New York’s airports. Grech was appointed executive director of the Queens Chamber of Commerce in July 2015 and became president and chief executive officer of the Queens Chamber of Commerce in 2017.

1994

Dean Howell is the managing director at Deloitte, which provides audit, consulting, tax and advisory services. He has also joined the board of directors of Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), one of the largest human service agencies in Westchester County, New York. He says that he is excited about contributing to the continued fulfillment and expansion of WJCS’s mission. Previously, Howell worked at IBM, AT&T and Oracle in a variety of technical-solution engineering roles. He has also worked with Westchester and New York City high school students, mentoring and inspiring their interest in STEM, while emphasizing the importance of higher education to their futures.

James Murphy joins STV, a leading national infrastructure-focused professional services firm, as business development director for construction management operations in the Northeast. In this role, Murphy will

focus on deepening client relationships, as well as prioritizing public sector markets. He has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of client relations, public program management, and business development. Prior to joining STV, he served as a vice president at a large-scale global firm.

1997

Damian Finley has been promoted to executive vice president of construction and development at Robert Martin Company in Elmsford, New York, one of the largest real estate management and development firms in Westchester County. Prior to joining Robert Martin Company in 2018, Finley was the vice president of development for Mack-Cali Realty in Jersey City, New Jersey. He is also a registered professional engineer in the state of Connecticut.

2003

Fernando Nunez is currently the New York lending senior vice president, region executive at Bank of America leading a team of 250 credit solution advisors. Nunez joined Bank of America in 2006 as a small business specialist. His other experience includes serving as an assistant manager, financial center manager, consumer market manager, market sales manager, and performance manager. He is also an active participant of the Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement, and resides in Eastchester, New York.

2004

Justin Carl will be the next general manager and CEO of Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew), which provides wastewater treatment service to Alexandria, Virginia. AlexRenew is one of the most advanced wastewater public utilities of its kind, serving more than 300,000 customers. Carl currently serves as the program manager for RiverRenew. Before his current role, he successfully led more than $1.6 billion of planning, design, procurement and construction for wastewater-focused projects in the Washington, D.C., metro area during the past 15 years.

Anne (McCarthy) Dance has been promoted to chief marketing officer at WIN Home Inspection, where she has grown the small business throughout multiple

counties in western North Carolina. She is also a freelance journalist covering government, press freedom, and deaf accessibility issues. Dance and her family reside in Lake Lure, North Carolina.

Marisa Rego Pettersson and Nils Pettersson ’05, both former members of the Manhattan College track and field and cross country teams, now run a track club called Boden Friidrott in Nils’ hometown of Boden, Sweden.

2005

Michael Brady is the CEO of the Third Avenue Business Improvement District in the Bronx, New York. Brady is known for his planning, political and economic development expertise in shaping the South Bronx and bringing the borough billions of public and private investment. He is committed to equitable and mission-driven economic development, produced the Bronx’s LGBTQ+ pride celebration, increased public health awareness, and led efforts to revitalize the Bronx’s busiest commercial district. Brady has been ranked among New York City’s top powerbrokers as noted in Crain’s, City and State, and Politico. He is also the co-owner of Bar 47, a local bar in the South Bronx, executive board member of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce (where he chairs the legislative committee), and a member of the board of New York City Hospitality Alliance.

Cara Vitolo has been appointed assistant principal at Glenville School in Greenwich, Connecticut. Vitolo has been with Greenwich Public Schools since 2007, holding multiple positions, including interim special education administrator, intervention specialist, special education and first-grade teacher at New Lebanon School. She has also served as fourth-grade teacher, learning facilitator, and special education coteacher at Parkway School. Most recently, she served as the district’s special education preschool/elementary coordinator.

2006

Aaron Fieser is a lead civil engineer and project manager at WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering professional services firms. He has led significant design tasks and has worked on a number of complex

MARRIAGES

2009

Alicia Kratochwill and Tim Piazza, 11/12/22

Nicole Porette and Brandon Amlung ’10, 11/12/22

2014

Carolyn Gaudioso and Richard Battista, 10/1/22

2016

Sabrina Storms and Alex Piserchia ’17, 9/2/22

Alicia Kratochwill and Tim Piazza

Carolyn Gaudioso and Richard Battista

Sabrina Storms and Alex Piserchia

Nicole Porette and Brandon Amlung

Daughter of Firefighting Alumnus Killed in Black Sunday Tells His Story

JOHN BELLEW ’89, WHO WAS ONE OF THREE FIREFIGHTERS lost on Black Sunday in 2005, will finally have his story told. The loss of life and then the 12 years of trials, both criminal and civil, took over the lives of the families involved. His daughter, Katreana Bellew, who was two when her father died, has always wanted to separate the reality from the stories that became part of the courts and news.

Now studying dramatic writing at New York University, Bellew is making this lifelong plan a reality.

“The reason I got into screenwriting in general is because I always wanted to tell this story,” Bellew says. “People have been trying to make this film for many years, but no one has been able to encapsulate it for what it really was. I had the access to talk to all the people, and also I lived the experience. I really knew it from start to finish.”

After many interviews with those who experienced Black Sunday — when the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) lost multiple firefighters in two separate fire incidents on Jan. 23 and the more than a decade of criminal and civil trials following the tragedy that changed firefighting in New York, Bellew wrote a fictional version of the fire and its aftermath, with her father serving as the model for the main character.

“In 2005, one horrific Sunday became a horrific decade for my family. Following the death of my father, Lieutenant John Bellew, two court cases attempting to find justice for my dad and Lieutenant Curt Meyran, after they were forced to jump from a five-story building, overtook our lives,” Bellew explains on the website, which tells the story of her film project.

Bellew notes that firefighters often do not get to tell their stories, and she wants her film to change that. She has had a great deal of

support from firefighters throughout the FDNY both for the film and in life.

“Even though I was two when my dad passed away, I still grew up in the firehouse,” she says. “The people in the fire department are so close to each other.”

Her mother, Eileen Bellew, recalls that John, who graduated with a degree in finance, was a member of the swim team and a fraternity while at Manhattan College. Although she and John met after college, she says he always spoke very fondly of his days at Manhattan and stayed close with the friends he made as a student — many of whom are still friends of the family today.

The family is also connected to Manhattan in other ways. Eileen served as an adjunct professor in the School of Education in the 2010s, and her son just graduated with a civil engineering degree this May.

“When my son, Jack, was deciding on where to go, he chose to go to Manhattan. He wanted engineering, and really if you want engineering, there is no other choice,” the mother of four says with a chuckle.

With the screenplay finished, Bellew is ready to begin filming once her funding is in place. To learn more about the project, visit johnbellew.com.

infrastructure projects, including the largest deep-bore tunnel in North America. He was selected to beta test the new WSP project management training program. An active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Fieser also supports the local Women’s Transportation Seminar chapter and participates in events at the American Council of Engineering Companies to keep apprised of best practices.

2007

Philip Caputo leads marketing and consumer insight development at a food and beverage services company Virginia Dare in Brooklyn. Caputo helps brands turn ideas into innovative products and works to attain preferred taste with strategic business

value. His previous roles were at Hagelin Flavors and Frutarom USA.

Aimee Chambers-McKay serves as the director of planning for Boston Planning and Development Agency, an urban planning and economic development agency for the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Previously, Chambers-McKay was the director of planning for Hartford, Connecticut. Beyond her experience leading, planning and zoning for Hartford, she worked for the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance as a contractor advising on climate change-related disaster resiliency in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Chambers-McKay also worked in affordable housing development and as a foster care case manager. In addition, she

cofounded a coffee shop in Hartford, Connecticut, called Semilla Cafe + Studio.

Elizabeth Gibbons and her fiance, Kevin Fanning, became engaged on Aug. 23, 2022 on Block Island, Rhode Island. They are planning a July wedding in Grand Cayman. Megan Senese co-founded a womenowned business development and marketing venture focused on relationships, revenue and growth for legal services.

2012

Elisabeth Gulotta is the owner and founder of NYC Therapeutic Wellness. Gulotta is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of New York and practices in Midtown Manhattan. She has

worked in two private practice settings before opening her own practice and is passionate about helping others through the therapeutic process.

Sheri Prendergast has been appointed principal at Veterans Park Elementary school in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Before this position, Prendergast spent the past eight years in the Danbury, Connecticut, Public Schools, where she worked for five years as an assistant principal. She was also the STEM leader investor for Danbury and taught math in public and magnet schools in New York.

2013

Kevin Laue is a motivational speaker, author and businessman. He has served as a spokesperson for Boys and Girls Clubs, was a board member for the Special Olympics, and has spoken at notable venues such as the United Nations, Google and Facebook. Laue is now the host of Believe in You, a motivational video series sponsored by Varsity Brands that is being shown in middle and high schools across the country to guide students in creating a positive impact in the world.

2014

Carolyn Gaudioso was promoted to principal examiner at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a government-authorized not-for-profit organization that oversees U.S. broker-dealers. She writes that she is grateful for a job that she loves and a wonderful loving husband.

2015

Maryanne Keane has held numerous positions with local station WCBS-TV, starting as a script runner, moving to tape producer, and then assignment editor. In 2018, she made the move to the national broadcast program, CBS Saturday Morning, where Keane works as an associate producer. She recently received a 40 Under 40 Award from the Irish Echo

2018 Erica Jarosch and Evan Calzolaio ’17 were engaged on Dec. 21, 2022.

2022

Timothy Kohany is an assistant project engineer at Siefert Associates, an engineering firm involved in bridge design and construction. At Siefert Associates, Kohany has worked on NASA’s Artemis II Mission, where he designed structural components of support structures for their rocket. He also co-authored a paper, Improving Seismic Performance of Eight-Bolt Extended End Plate Moment Connection, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Steel and Composite Structures

Christopher Kouimanis has been hired as a staff professional at GEI Consultants Inc. in Huntington Station, New York.

Thomas Gelardi ’03 Is Revolutionizing Physical Education for a New Generation

PHYSICAL EDUCATION ISN’T JUST ABOUT EXERCISE; it’s about building lifelong healthy habits. No one knows that better than Thomas Gelardi ’03. As a physical education teacher, Gelardi has made it his mission to inspire his students to be the best versions of themselves, both in and out of the gymnasium. And now, he’s being recognized for his efforts with the coveted 2022 Teacher of the Year Award from the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

The award, which Gelardi won on the Elementary School level, honors teachers who go above and beyond in the disciplines of physical education across age groups within New York State.

“The school put the award on display in the main hallway, so my students are constantly walking by it,” Gelardi says. “I’ve always told them, ‘Listen, to be great, it takes hard work and dedication, but it also takes a commitment to make all of us better.’ That’s what I’ve been trying to do in this profession.”

Gelardi currently teaches at P.S. 173 in Fresh Meadows, New York, and he is always looking for creative ways to not only promote an active lifestyle, but also encourage his students to become better people outside of the classroom. He does this through engaging activities, typical for physical education classes like tag, relay races and team sports, but also searching for those off-the-cuff teachable moments throughout the day as his students learn to play fairly and come together as teammates.

“We’ll go over key character traits like empathy and kindness. The focus really is, what type of person is leaving my class? Is it going to be a kind, caring person? That really matters,” Gelardi says. “I take a lot of pride in being kind and caring and considerate of every student in my class.”

Alongside his reputation for encouraging his students, he’s also become something of a social media sensation. It all started when he had the brilliant idea to create workout videos for his students to follow along with when they didn’t have access to a gymnasium

or equipment. He dubbed his channel “PhysEd Zone,” and before he knew it, he had a hit on his hands. When the pandemic began and schools shut down, Gelardi’s videos became more important than ever. He adapted to the new reality and started a series called “PE At Home,” which featured warm-up dances to his students’ favorite songs and plenty of fun game tutorials. Educators from far and wide have let him know that their students appreciate his videos.

“I went from teaching just my school at home to teaching schools around the country,” Gelardi says. “When I’m on Twitter, I have lots of teachers from around the country sending me videos of their students dancing to my dances. It’s just incredible.”

Fast forward a few years from when he started the channel, and Gelardi’s videos have amassed millions of views on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram from teachers and students across the nation. To date, his YouTube channel alone has a combined total of 4.9 million views.

Thanks to mentorship from Manhattan’s Shawn Ladda, department chairperson and professor of kinesiology, Gelardi received

some guidance his senior year that combined his enjoyment of helping children, his experience as a member of the men’s soccer team, and his studies as an exercise science major that pointed him in the direction of a career in physical education. And when he received his Teacher of the Year award, Ladda was one of the first people at the ceremony to give him a big congratulatory hug.

As for advice to Jaspers joining the education world after graduation, Gelardi shares this: “Take pride in your work, embrace mistakes, and get feedback from everyone.”

Gelardi recently received the Distinguished Service Award from the Kinesiology department at the College, has been interviewed by CBS News about his viral videos, and featured on many physical education podcasts. While his list of accolades is impressive, his commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of his students and beyond showcases an exciting career still ahead of him. It’s safe to say that his influence extends far beyond the walls of the gymnasium.

Peter Quinn ’69: Bronx Boy Makes Good S

EATED IN A DINER BOOTH, the celebrated novelist and historian Peter Quinn ’69, ’02 (Hon.Ph.D.) is discussing his life and career when an inquisitive stranger approaches.

“Excuse me,” the stranger says. “But are you being interviewed?”

“Yes,” Quinn responds, and gestures across the booth to his interviewer. “This is my parole officer.”

And just like that, we’re aboard what New York Times columnist Dan Barry calls the “Peter Quinn Express,” which, like a tour across the thoroughfares of his beloved New York City, covers fascinating, sometimes unpredictable ground. There are fortuitous turns, unexpected detours, and enlightening encounters with characters from every walk of life, from ordinary subway riders to corporate titans, and from famous authors to political power players. And, like the best tour guides, Quinn doles out generous helpings of history, hidden in places you may not expect, but, from now on, will never forget.

The author of critically acclaimed fiction, essays, and a memoir, as well as countless speeches and articles, Quinn’s deep knowledge of history and affection for his hometown is clear. Take, for instance, his description of the Bronx neighborhood where he grew up in the 1950s and ’60s: “Parkchester was the largest housing development in the world at that time,” he says. “If you approach it from the Bronx River Parkway, it looks to my mind like Stalingrad. Great walls of brick.”

When it came time for college, Quinn attended Manhattan, his father’s alma mater. A history major, he was deeply influenced by history professor Frederick Schweitzer.

“He had a panoptic understanding of history,” Quinn recalls. “He could do something on the Franco-Prussian War and compare it to the Athenians and the Spartans.”

College was followed by a year in Kansas City, Kansas, through the Volunteers in Service to America program. After brief stints as a teacher, a Wall Street messenger and a court officer, he enrolled at Fordham to pursue a graduate degree in history. In 1979,

an article he wrote for the Jesuit magazine America brought him to the attention of New York Governor Hugh Carey, who invited him to be his chief speechwriter. He then filled the same role for Carey’s successor, Mario Cuomo.

The job was demanding. Political speechwriting, he says, is “a perpetual campaign.” Providentially, the head speechwriter at Time Inc. asked if he was interested in a job. He laughs, recalling his reaction: “Who do I have to kill?”

For the next 22 years, Quinn’s day job was speechwriting in the corporate sphere. But he wanted to pursue his own writing projects, as well. He had an idea for a novel about the New York City draft riots. He and his wife, Kathleen, had two children by then. So, five days a week, he went to the office early to write for two hours.

“It was such a struggle,” he says. “I told myself, ‘If I don’t write it, I’m going to be on my deathbed, asking for a pen.’”

The result, the historical epic Banished Children of Eve, took 10 years to research and write, and ran 600 pages. It received praise from all quarters, including the Chicago SunTimes, The New York Times and the Pulitzer prize-winning author William Kennedy, who commented, “Peter Quinn takes history by the throat and makes it confess.” It also received the American Book Award for 1995.

He went on to write a popular noir historical trilogy centered on his fictional creation, detective Fintan Dunne. He also published a book of essays, Looking for Jimmy: In Search of Irish America, and has been a commentator in several PBS documentaries and an adviser on Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. During the pandemic lockdown, he began work on a memoir.

“I didn’t do any research,” he says. “Memoir is memory; it’s not history.” Cross Bronx: A Writing Life, published in 2022, chronicles his life and career while incorporating public figures, newsworthy events and, of course, New York history. It received praise from literary luminaries including Alice McDermott and Colum McCann.

As for his advice to aspiring writers? “You have to write on a schedule, whether it’s three days a week, or two, or five. You can start a story with a grocery list if you can pull it off. Writing is taking risks.” Lastly, “You have to have a hard shell as a writer; don’t take criticism personally.”

He’s currently working on a novel set in an upstate college town, which unfolds into murder “and other things,” he teases.

Looking back, Quinn recalls more adventures than can fit in a single flashback. “I got to ring the bell at the stock exchange; I got to eat at the White House,” he says. “I have no regrets; I don’t feel like I’ve missed anything.”

So, is he content with all he’s achieved? “I want to do more,” he says. “I don’t feel like I’m finished.”

Victoria Scala Cornish ’10 Burnishes Family Legacy

agement, I went all the way for my doctorate. He also was just a great mentor and gave me a lot of guidance for some life decisions.”

After graduation, Scala’s upward career trajectory was rapid. She worked full time as a project engineer at respected electrical construction contractor Lowy & Donnath, which her grandfather, Anthony J. Scala Sr. ’45, P.E.; father, Anthony Scala Jr. ’74, P.E.; and uncles, James J. Scala ’75 and Christopher J. Scala ’89, P.E., built up from a small firm. In the evenings, she worked toward earning her master’s degree in construction management from Manhattan.

in a wheelchair. It was worth it.”

In 2019, Scala was named president at Lowy & Donnath, which has been certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise by the New York City Department of Small Business Services.

“I think it’s great to see as a family business,” she says. “We had a project recently that had women at every single level, from apprentice through to project executives. That’s something I don’t think I saw when I was an intern.”

Scala believes it’s important to mentor up-and-coming engineers, as Hourani did when she was a student.

“We need to keep educating the next group,” she says. “It’s been fun to come across some of my students from Manhattan College in their professional roles.”

WHEN YOUR FAMILY TREE INCLUDES THREE GENERATIONS OF JASPERS — starting with your grandfather on down to your father, uncles, brothers, sister-in-law and cousins — attending Manhattan may seem like a foregone conclusion. But when Victoria Scala Cornish ’10 enrolled at the College, more than the Scala family’s multigenerational attendance at Manhattan lay behind her decision.

“In high school, I attended Dr. [Walter] Saukin’s Engineering Awareness Camp, and I thought it was great,” she recalls. “It exposed me to all types of engineering and helped me to narrow down what I wanted to do as an engineer and ultimately decide to come to Manhattan — although that wasn’t a very hard decision.”

During her studies as a civil engineering major with a minor in mathematics, the support of Moujalli Hourani, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, helped her succeed academically and chart out her next steps.

“I definitely owe a ton of credit to Dr. Hourani,” she says. “He really helped me to stick with engineering, and because of his encour-

“I really liked seeing how all the disciplines came together to make a construction project,” Scala says. She then pursued a doctorate in engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology, with a focus on building systems and energy optimization.

Scala had another goal in her sights as well — to teach.

“I wanted to give something back to everyone else who got me here,” she says. “I thought it was important to see even more female professors in the classroom to encourage more women to go into engineering.”

Scala returned to Manhattan as a visiting assistant professor of civil engineering. She was also invited to teach as an assistant professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she earned her Professional Engineer license.

“It was a great experience,” she says of her years in the classroom. Scala continues to meet with high school students at the College’s summer engineering programs.

“I’ve tried to make it almost every year,” she says. “The first time I had actually broken my knee when Dr. Saukin asked me to come, but you can’t say no to him. So I showed up

Some of the projects she’s worked on recently include the New York Stock Exchange, Bank of New York Mellon at the MetLife Building, and the New-York Presbyterian David H. Koch Building. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lowy & Donnath converted 400 new hospital beds at Mt. Sinai Beth Israel for patients.

Scala’s work is a family affair; her big brothers are also her colleagues. Anthony J. Scala III ’03, P.E., is Lowy & Donnath’s COO, and Christopher W. Scala ’05, P.E., is CEO.

“It’s been a fun dynamic. We work well together, so it’s definitely a plus,” she says. “Most people don’t get to spend as much time with their siblings at our age, so it’s a nice relationship to have.”

In 2021, Scala was named to the Top 20 Under 40 by the Engineering News-Record, which honors the best of the next generation of construction industry professionals across 10 national regions.

“It’s lovely to be recognized, but I think it says a lot about everyone who helped me get here and continues to help me,” she says. “I wouldn’t be here without my father, brothers, Dr. Hourani and all my mentors along the years. So it’s really a kudos to everyone along the way.”

(From left to right) Anthony Scala III ’03, Victoria Scala Cornish ’10, Anthony Scala Jr. ’74 and Christopher Scala ’05.

OBITUARIES

INMEMORIAM

Manhattan College records with sorrow the deaths of the following alumni:

1944

Kenneth G. Johnson, 1/28/23

1948

Arthur F. Albin, 1/30/23

1949

Thomas R. Donahue, 2/18/23

1950

Eugene J. Fagan, 1/6/23

John C. Moran, 1/24/23

Donald G. Walls, 1/21/23

1951

John P. Bannon, 2/10/23

John T. Sullivan, 4/4/23

1952

John J. Kavanagh, 11/20/22

William J. Neveroski, 3/17/23

James J. Rabbitt, 12/6/22

1953

Anthony W. Annunziata, 11/22/22

Richard J. Barth, 12/14/22

1954

Michael J. Martin, 3/28/22

William J. Stein, 11/26/22

1955

James F. Benson, 3/13/23

Joseph E. Maffia, 2/20/23

Donal F. McCarthy, 12/13/22

William J. Murphy, 6/15/23

Gerard E. Percoco, 3/22/23

Charles A. Pratt, 12/25/22

Walter C. Vodrazka, 12/21/22

Henry E. Weseman, 3/23/23

1956

Louis P. Buongiorno, 3/8/23

Herbert S. Jensen, 12/13/22

William J. Murphy, 3/12/23

Thomas J. Rice, 2/20/23

Michael J. Russo, 1/7/23

James A. Sullivan, 3/7/23

1957

Joseph E. Bliss, 1/20/23

Joseph P. Ferrick, 1/9/23

Walter J. Kearns, 3/22/23

1958

James J. Capazzi, 12/24/22

Raymond E. Conley, 3/31/23

Matthew J. Crehan, 1/24/23

Donald T. Dolan, 2/17/23

Charles K. Doyle, 3/6/23

Frank J. Drehwing, 2/4/23

William F. Gallahue, 10/21/22

John J. McCann, 3/1/23

Dominic J. Sgammato, 1/6/23

1959

William D. Corrigan, 3/4/23

Robert J. Lawler, 3/25/23

David E. Mohlenbrok, 12/30/22

1960

James E. Antenucci, 3/1/23

Paul S. DePhillips, 2/7/23

Carmine A. Mode, 1/7/23

James R. Rotta, 4/26/23

James T. Smith, 3/10/23

Frank J. Sofia, 7/31/22

1961

Egidio Carbone, 4/25/23

Aloysius S. Cuomo, 2/3/23

Joseph A. Macfarland, 1/6/23

Neil B. Mahoney, 4/9/23

1962

Anthony L. Acampora, 2/1/23

Harold C. Clark, 12/4/22

Raymond J. Cordes, 12/15/22

John W. Egan, 4/4/23

Theodore F. Ehrlich, 2/28/23

Dale R. Michael, 6/26/21

James P. Murray, 4/4/23

Richard M. Quane, 1/5/23

1963

Michael D. Callaghan, 12/16/22

Patrick J. Fazzari, 12/13/22

Martin E. Gavin, 3/1/23

John P. Gorham, 2/28/23

Dennis J. Hayes, 4/20/23

Francis H. McNamara, 3/4/23

Ronald R. Ragonese, 4/6/23

1964

Harry S. Christenson, 3/20/23

Louis A. Coronato, 4/18/23

Roy D. Larezzo, 3/15/23

James J. McCue, 4/19/23

Thomas W. Sheridan, 1/1/23

1965

William P. Kelly, 3/28/23

Gerard J. Rolling, 3/23/23

Cornelius F. Scanlon, 4/12/23

1966

Michael T. Dunn, 12/26/22

Carl A. Lane, 2/28/23

Edward J. Ronan, 4/18/23

John J. Wunner, 2/26/23

1967

James P. Doris, 3/15/23

Woodrow J. Elmore, 11/25/22

Richard E. Hennessy, 2/22/23

Michael J. Kelly, 12/29/22

1968

Keith J. Casey, 1/11/23

Robert J. Hawkins, 3/2/23

Thomas F. Heenan, 12/19/22

Kenneth J. Kovis, 1/1/23

Vincent P. Lewis, 4/10/23

Ronald R. Liteplo, 2/12/23

John W. Schwintek, 11/27/22

1969

Dennis J. Geiger, 4/1/23

Sr. Maria R. Kelly, IHM, 4/9/23

Peter J. Padian, 11/22/22

1970

Kenneth J. Clifford, 4/20/23

Frank L. DiMeglio, 12/24/22

Gerard R. Gagnier, 10/29/22

Joseph A. Kavanagh, 3/31/23

Barry M. Koblick, 12/14/22

Michael L. Kosick, 6/15/22

Kenneth E. Zwolski, 2/9/23

1971

Richard F. Fusco, 12/20/22

Sr. Mariella Harrison, OP, 2/4/23

Michael Humen, 3/18/23

John J. O’Donnell, 3/15/23

Joseph F. Riordan, 12/16/22

Thomas H. Stein, 4/25/23

1972

Sr. Sheila M. Gorham, OP, 3/27/23

Paul J. Katanik, 2/8/23

Michael J. McMahon, 1/7/23

Peter W. Schloth, 1/25/23

1973

Christopher K. Bennett, 12/13/22

Andrea H. Groepler, 9/11/22

Richard G. Lewis, 1/5/23

Sr. Mary J. Mendonca, RSM, 12/30/22

Matthew E. Nolan, 11/27/22

Anthony Pale, 1/4/23

George L. Roach, 4/20/23

Eileen M. Sullivan, 1/16/23

William P. Tatler, 12/8/22

1974

Margaret M. Gleason, 4/1/23

Peter R. Good, 2/5/23

Patricia M. Kelly, 3/10/23

1975

Thomas M. Driscoll, 4/20/23

1976

Edwin C. Gonzalez, 4/15/23

Arthur M. Hingerty, 12/26/22

John W. Paradiso, 1/9/22

1977

Kevin F. Graham, 1/19/23

Nicholas Sagliano, 1/13/23

1978

George Eversmann, 12/17/22

David R. Riter, 3/1/23

Stephen W. Smith, 3/14/23

1979

Charles J. Jagielski, 2/27/23

1980

Joseph J. Yanas, 4/26/23

1983

Gary B. Mickey, 1/17/23

Brian J. Reynolds, 4/16/23

1984

John H. Smith, 3/17/23

1985

Patricia Rezny, 3/10/23

1986

Helen E. Canavan Lipira, 3/8/21

1991

Paul J. Tobin, 1/18/23

1992

Andrea M. Moldofsky, 2/28/23

1993

Angela Muscetta, 3/8/23

2009

Matthew J. Conte, 2/27/23

2020

Olivia N. Eskens, 2/12/23

CORRECTIONS

The following alumni were incorrectly reported as deceased in the winter issue: Thomas Maloney ’66, George Tamaro ’59, Margaret Tobiasen ’86 and Kenneth Clifford ’70. We apologize for the errors.

Keith Brower

KEITH BROWER, former dean of the School of Liberal Arts and professor of modern languages and literatures, died on March 16, 2023. He was 66.

Brower came to Manhattan as dean in 2014 and retired in 2021. During his tenure, he worked closely with the Arches Learning and Living program for first-year students. Within five years, the program had almost tripled the number of students participating. Brower was also a driving force behind the School of Arts changing its name to the School of Liberal Arts, to more clearly reflect the variety of programs it offers. He also worked to bring the concept of Digital Arts in the Humanities (DAsH) from a vision to a reality. Now a minor, DAsH gives students the experience and skills appropriate to a truly up-to-date, 21st-century liberal arts education.

“Keith’s contributions to the College and the School of Liberal Arts were vast and valuable,” says William Clyde, former provost and executive vice president. “He worked tirelessly to communicate the school’s breadth of subject matters, to proudly embrace and celebrate its identity as liberal arts faculty, and to better promote both the school and the value of the liberal arts. Keith served as the academic champion for the Arches, building the program from 76 students in his first year to 216 in fall 2019. His always positive spirit was an inspiration to all who knew him.”

Cory Blad, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, adds: “Keith Brower worked through nearly constant challenges to champion the liberal arts. His love of Spanish literature was reflective of the power he saw in the humanities to enable understanding of the human condition. His work to rename the School of Arts to the School of Liberal Arts is the most public example of this implicit dedication, but his faith in

the foundations of higher education drove his work as dean of the School of Liberal Arts. Dr. Brower’s commitment to the Manhattan College community was filled with warmth, patience and an example of strength that none of us will ever forget.”

Brower spent much of his academic career at his alma mater, Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland. He began as a professor in 1997 and served as chair of the department of Modern Languages from 1999-2007, when he became the associate dean of the Fulton School of Liberal Arts.

He also held several positions at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from 1986-1997, including developer of the college’s Portuguese program, coordinator of the interdisciplinary Latin American Studies program, and chair of the department of Spanish and Portuguese. Brower began his teaching career as an assistant professor of Spanish at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in 1985.

Brower was writing his third book, Catholicism in Spain and Latin America: History, Culture, Tradition and Change, at the time of his death. He also wrote Contemporary Latin American Fiction: An Annotated Bibliography (Salem Press, 1989) and Jorge Amado: New Critical Essays (Routledge, 2001), co-edited with colleagues at Dickinson College and Vanderbilt University.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from Salisbury University. He also held a master’s in Spanish and a doctorate in Spanish with a minor in Portuguese from The Pennsylvania State University.

He is survived by his wife of almost 32 years, Lori Brower, and son, Alexander Brower.

“Keith’s contributions to the College and the School of Liberal Arts were vast and valuable ... His always positive spirit was an inspiration to all who knew him.”

—WILLIAM CLYDE, FORMER PROVOST AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Thomas Donahue ’49

THOMAS R. DONAHUE ’49, who held a number of leadership positions with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), including interim president, served as a member of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees, and received an honorary Doctor of Laws in 1988 from Manhattan College, died on Feb. 18, 2023. He was 94.

Donahue served on the board for more than a decade, primarily throughout the 1990s, sharing his extensive knowledge and various experiences.

“He was a font of knowledge,” says John Lawler ’55, former chairman of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees. “I once asked Brother Thomas Scanlan why so many members of the board were Manhattan College alums, and he said ‘because they care the most and work the hardest.’ Tom Donahue was one of those.”

Donahue understood the needs of labor after working in several different professions, including as a doorman at Radio City Music Hall, a baker and a bus driver. During his time at Manhattan College, he was actively involved with the Catholic Worker Movement, working as a part-time organizer. After serving in the U.S. Navy just after World War II and graduating from Manhattan, Donahue became a lawyer.

He held several positions with Local 32B of the Services Employees International Union before moving to Paris for three years. While abroad, Donahue became the European labor program coordinator for the Free Europe Committee. During the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, Donahue served as the U.S. assistant secretary for labor-management relations. He later served as executive secretary and first vice president of the Service Employees International Union.

From 1979 to 1995, he served as secretary-treasurer of the AFLCIO, and as interim president in 1995. He represented the AFL-CIO on the national and international levels, serving as the head of trade union delegations in Lebanon, Northern Ireland, Chile, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

“Inspired by the social concern of his formidable mentor, Brother Cornelius Justin Brennan, FSC, head of the labor management department, and dismayed by widening disparities in the American economy, Tom very quickly became active in the cause of unionism,” the 1988 Commencement citation for his honorary doctorate read.

“... In the tradition of Powderly, Meany, Reuther and Walesa, Tom Donahue has brought vision, dynamism and a Christian perspective to the struggle for the dignity and rights of all men and women in the workforce.”

Donahue was awarded the annual Bell and Thrush Award by the Irish American Historical Society in 1990. He also was the 1997 grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Washington, D.C.

He served on a number of boards, including the Council on Foreign Relations, Dunlop Agricultural Labor Commission, National Endowment for Democracy, Carnegie Corporation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, African-American Institute, and Brookings Institution.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in labor relations from Manhattan, he studied economics at New York University and went on to earn a law degree from Fordham University.

He is survived by his wife, Rachelle Horowitz; his daughter, Nancy Donahue (Tom Fogarty); and six grandchildren. He is predeceased by his son, Thomas III.

(From left to right) Martin Schmidt Jr. ’51, Thomas Donahue ’49, Brother Thomas Scanlan, FSC, and Robert La Blanc ’56 at the College’s Commencement ceremony in 1988, during which Donahue received an honorary doctorate of laws.

PHOTO BY JOSH CUPPEK

A sea of mortarboards fills Draddy Gymnasium as students await receipt of their diplomas. This year saw Commencement ceremonies return to Draddy after several years in alternate venues due to pandemic-related restrictions. In addition to the joy and excitement of Commencement, graduates experienced an undeniable sense of homecoming.

A sure sign of spring on campus, a cherry blossom tree bursting with gentle blooms cheerfully greets students coming and going from Chrysostom Hall.