alumninews
A New Cleary Family Tradition
W
hen members of the Class of 2011 walked across the stage during Emmanuel’s 89th Commencement Exercises on May 14th, Alumni Association President Susan Pelleriti Cleary ’79 was there to welcome them all into the alumni community. There was one graduate in particular she was especially proud to usher into the club. Tom Cleary ’11, the younger of Susan’s two children, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management this spring, officially introducing another legacy into the extended Emmanuel family. “It is beyond anything I could imagine,” said Susan. “What is most important to me is that it is now his place. He really embraced Emmanuel and Emmanuel has done the same for him.” Thinking back to the all-important college decision, both Susan and Tom recalled his visit to Emmanuel’s campus and how everything just clicked. Susan and her husband, Tom Sr., secretly had their fingers crossed that their son would choose her alma mater, but maintained a “backseat approach” to the college selection process to allow him to make the decision on his own. It didn’t take any of them very long to realize that Emmanuel was the right choice. Molly Dever ’09, now an admissions counselor at the College, was the family’s tour guide that day and played a big part in Tom’s decision. Susan remembers how engaged and enthusiastic Dever was during the tour, something they had not experienced at other schools. During the day, the Clearys crossed paths with Academic Advisor Sister Mary T. Kelleher, SND ’67, the dean of students when Susan was a student, and Susan’s classmate, Sister Mary Johnson, SND ’79, professor of sociology and religious studies and the director of the Center for Mission and Spirituality, who each took the time to connect with Tom. When he got a chance to meet with President Sister Janet Eisner, SND, who had requested to meet with him personally, Tom was left with quite the impression. “I just knew that I wanted to go to school here,” he said. “I saw myself fitting in here more than any other school.” The Clearys were in the midst of visiting a number of campuses that day, but Tom had seen all he needed to see. He insisted that they cancel the remainder of their appointments, but his parents encouraged him to continue on before officially declaring his allegiance. As they walked back to the car, Susan remembers finding it difficult to hide her smile, sneaking a look at her husband and whispering, “This is great!” Over the last four years, Susan remained especially
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mindful of Tom’s space on campus while she served in various roles on the alumni board, including two years as director-at-large. Prior to the start of Tom’s senior year, she was asked to serve as president of the Tom Cleary ’11 and Susan Pelleriti Cleary ’79 alumni association. Knowing the role would entail a more prominent role for her on campus, she initially considered declining the offer. It was Tom who encouraged and ultimately convinced her to accept the position. “He told me to do it because he thought it was important to me,” said Susan. “He thought that if I didn’t do it, I would regret it. He was right.” Halfway through her two-year term, Susan says Tom’s decision to attend Emmanuel has proven to be a true blessing for her in her new role. Being able to reflect upon her own experience as a student is one thing; to see it as a parent and through the eyes of her son has offered a whole new perspective. “It has shown me firsthand that Emmanuel has stood the test of time and will continue to do so,” she said. “Under Sister Janet’s leadership the College thrives, the students thrive, and I have no doubt that the students will move on with Emmanuel in their hearts.” “It all comes back to the Emmanuel community,” she added. “Emmanuel has been able to, with each new class, attract those students that get the mission and what it means to be a member of this community. In my view, part of the legacy of being an Emmanuel student is giving back and I have tried to instill that in Tom and his friends. I tell them how important it is to give back early so that we can help the next generation of students.” Such advice is not lost on her son. Above all the things he says he will miss most about his time at the College (besides the food) is the strong sense of community fostered on campus. From the bonds he established with friends in his dorm freshman year to the various student organizations in which he was involved, it was the connections he made and that community feel he says he enjoyed most and will remember fondly. It appears the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. “It’s nice to think that the reason my mom enjoyed being an Emmanuel student is the same reason I enjoyed it too,” said Tom.