News & Notes

Abaunza named as new VPAA

George Abaunza, a dedicated professor and administrator, was recently named Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA).

“I look forward to building together with colleagues at the Mount a shared vision for the college’s future,” he said.

Abaunza is responsible for the administration of all academics, including the School of Business and School of Nursing, as well as the college’s six divisions.

He comes to the Mount from Felician University in Lodi, N.J. Over the course of two decades, Abaunza served in many roles at the University, most recently as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. In addition, he was full professor of Philosophy, and previously associate dean of Humanities, as well as associate dean for Assessment and Development, in the School of Arts and Sciences, and served as interim dean for the School of Education.

Abaunza earned a PhD in Philosophy from Florida State University in 2005. His areas of specialization include Philosophy of Education, Social, and Political Philosophy. Professor Jenifer Lee-Gonyea presented “Using Restorative Justice to Address Serious Harms” at an iROC talk on campus in 2019.

Lee-Gonyea named Rockefeller Institute fellow

Jenifer Lee-Gonyea, associate professor of Criminology, was recently selected as a Rockefeller Institute Fellow for 2020-2021.

The mission of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government is to improve communities, local and state governments, and federal systems by finding solutions to the nation’s most pressing issues.

The fellowship gives Lee-Gonyea the opportunity to explore important issues related to Criminology and to reach out to state policy makers.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from West Virginia University, a master’s in Criminal Justice from Marshall University, and a PhD in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Brightening up a pediatrics unit

The new pediatric unit in MidHudson Regional Hospital (MHRH) just got a little friendlier thanks to Assistant Nursing Professor Elaine Suderio-Tirone and her family.

Suderio-Tirone, her daughter Viviane, and her brother Elizar (an RN) teamed up recently to paint murals in the MHRH pediatric unit. Since the hospital is based in the beautiful Hudson Valley, they used a fun and familiar theme: farming.

It only took them three days to complete the majority of the artwork. After all, they already had some experience in mural painting: Suderio-Tirone and her then three-year-old daughter painted similar murals in the pediatrics unit of Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Viviane is now a high school senior looking to study art.

Members of the men’s and women’s basketball teams worked with Special Olympic athletes at the beginning of March 2020.

Knights earn prize for work with Special Olympics

Thanks to Mount Saint Mary College’s dedicated student-athletes and some help from the community, the Mount Knights were recently declared the winners of the NCAA Division III Special Olympics Spotlight Poll.

The prize: $500, to be used for the Mount’s next Special Olympics event.

The Knights were nominated for a basketball clinic with Special Olympians from around the Hudson Valley. Members of the men’s and women’s basketball teams led the Olympians in various skill stations and games.

The monthly poll features stories that highlight a Division III and Special Olympics joint activity or event. The story with the highest number of votes from the community is named the winner.

Fox pens law book on diversity

Michael L. Fox, assistant professor of Business Law, MBA coordinator, and Pre-Law advisor at the Mount, recently authored A Guide to Diversity and Inclusion in the 21st Century Workplace.

The book, published by the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), provides readers with a detailed reference guide regarding the major issues of diversity and inclusion in the 21st century.

This summer, Fox hosted a series of webinars about the book for the NYSBA. Attendees hailed from New York, Colorado, Hong Kong, and beyond.

Fox plans to resume his international book tour, including stops in the U.S. and England, when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

Tiffany N. Gagliano ’02 was named the Mount’s inaugural dean of the School of Business earlier this year.

Gagliano is helping to expand the Mount’s external relations and partnerships, supporting recruitment, and working with campus stakeholders to develop a strategic plan for the school.

After graduating from the Mount, Gagliano earned a Juris Doctor degree at Pace University. She has served in numerous roles with the City of Newburgh and Orange County, including assistant Corporation Counsel for Newburgh, where she was able to make deep connections with the regional business community. In addition, she has spent a considerable amount of time in the area of compliance.

The Mount’s culture of service goes hand in hand with Gagliano’s commitment to community. She has enjoyed serving as a volunteer basketball coach for most of her adult life, including seasons with Bishop Dunn Memorial School and the Newburgh Armory Unity Center. She is also a board member of Girls on the Run – Hudson Valley, a program that helps young women to develop essential life skills, with an appreciation for health and fitness.

School of Business names first dean

Right: The renovated art room on the third floor of Aquinas Hall

Below right:

Michael Fox, assistant professor of Business Law and Pre-Law advisor, meets with a student in the new Business center.

Latest Aquinas Hall upgrades debut for new school year

When students arrived on campus at Mount Saint Mary College in August, they were greeted by plenty of upgrades and renovations made over the summer.

Exciting additions to the School of Nursing included two doctor simulation offices, allowing students to practice their skills in a controlled setting, as well as enhanced classroom technology. The college’s School of Business suite now features a new seminar and conference room, as well as an analytics lab and three additional office spaces.

On the third floor of Aquinas Hall, two additional classrooms and a new handicap-accessible bathroom were added. All existing classrooms and restrooms on the floor were also renovated.

Members of the Employee Wellness Committee, from left: Robin Rosenberg, Dina Leduc, Elizabeth Harper, Fr. Gregoire Fluet, Melissa Caridi, Trevor Purcell, Doreen Bischof, and Orin Strauchler.

Workplace wellness award

Mount Saint Mary College was recently presented with the Health and Wellness Platinum Medal for Excellence by the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, in recognition of the college’s commitment to health and wellness.

The college received the award for its ongoing efforts to increase wellness on campus for faculty and staff.

The award comes on the heels of the Health and Wellness Gold Medal for Excellence, which the Mount’s Wellness Committee earned about a year ago.

Over the summer, the Employee Wellness Committee held its second annual Employee Wellness Day online. Employees enjoyed workshops on topics including stress reduction, yoga, and healthy eating.

“Walking into a classroom had been as natural as eating, drinking, and breathing.”

Professor Emeritus James Finn Cotter

James Finn Cotter, Mount’s longest-serving professor, retires after 57 years

Author, poet, and educator James Finn Cotter recently retired from teaching after 57 years of dedication and outstanding service to the Mount.

Cotter, a professor of English within the Division of Arts and Letters, began his tenure with the college in 1963. In his nearly six decades with the Mount, Cotter has taught in or chaired the Divisions of Humanities, Arts and Letters, and Religious Studies and Philosophy. His legacy is truly part of the DNA of the college, from his administrative service to the thousands of students on which he imparted a love of literature.

“Each day is a new day, and each class has new faces and voices that will share their learning,” Cotter explained. “Of course, I will miss the classroom, but my memories are real and remain in me alive and well.”

In addition to having enhanced the education of thousands of Mount students, Cotter is a celebrated translator of Dante’s Commedia, a Fulbright-Hays lecturer, and a recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. Among a great many other publications, Cotter is the author of Beginnings: the First Twenty-Five Years of Mount Saint Mary College, A New Life: Learning the Way of Omega, and the Mount’s alma mater, which is sung at every Commencement ceremony.

Cotter was master of ceremonies at 40 Mount Commencements, just as he was for the Mount’s first Commencement in 1964. Only two people have led the procession in the entire history of the college: Cotter and professor emeritus James McEnery, who passed away in December of 2015.

In recognition of his contributions to the college, Cotter has been granted professor emeritus status.

Horodyski named chair of Board of Trustees

The Mount’s Board of Trustees recently elected Michael Horodyski, president and CEO of Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan, as board chair of the college.

A board member since 2017, Horodyski’s tenure as chair began in 2020.

Horodyski is dedicated to honoring the heritage of the college’s founders – the Dominican Sisters – while improving the Mount’s rigorous academic programs.

“The impact that the Mount has on not only the students, but also the greater Newburgh and Hudson Valley area, cannot be overstated,” said Horodyski. “I am excited to continue the stewardship of the Dominican educational tradition, and help provide a learning environment that forges students who bring a material impact to their chosen professions and their greater communities.”

Born and raised in Highland, N.Y., Horodyski is a seasoned businessman and has been president and CEO of Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan for nearly a decade. Before that, he served as the bank’s executive vice president.

The college honored Horodyski with the Joseph A. Bonura Leadership Excellence Award at its Seventh Annual Gala Reception in 2016.

New trustees join the board

Mount Saint Mary College recently welcomed six new members to its Board of Trustees: Philip J. DeAngelo; Christofer Guarino; Jake Kosack ’18; Sr. Catherine McDonnell ’69, OP; Ann Marie Murray ’70; and Jeremy Smith ’06.

DeAngelo is the owner and managing director of Focused Wealth Management, an SEC registered investment advisor headquartered in Newburgh, N.Y.

Guarino is director and senior relationship manager for Citigroup in New York City. He is honored to be the youngest senior relationship manager on his team.

Kosack is an associate field producer and reporter for the news website TMZ.

Sr. McDonnell, OP is prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Hope.

Murray was vice provost for Program Development and Strategic Initiatives at the University at Albany.

Smith is director of Digital Workspace Engineering at Travelers Companies, Inc.