Manhattan Magazine

M A N H AT TA N CO L L EG E S PR I N G 2 0 1 8

A NEW BUILDING, A NEW VISION

M A N H AT TA N CO L L EG E S PR I N G 2 0 1 8 VO LUM E 4 4 • N UM B E R 1

EDITOR Kristen Cuppek

2

The School of Business is named and gets a new dean, a traveling art exhibit

DESIGNER Kat Lepak ASSISTANT EDITOR Christine Loughran STAFF WRITERS Patrice Athanasidy CONTRIBUTORS Liz Connolly Bauman Taylor Brethauer Kelly Carroll Connor Giblin Kevin Ross Amy Surak

about Bethlehem opens on campus, a new study abroad experience in Rome debuts, and so much more.

20

for the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic, plus news and recaps of the past winter and fall seasons.

28 DESIGNED TO CONNECT Get a firsthand look at how business students and faculty are learning, teaching and collaborating in the recently renovated Experiential Learning Center in De La Salle Hall.

38 NEW BUILDING, NEW VISION Manhattan breaks ground on the new engineering and science center, and get to know the couple for whom its named, Patricia and Neil Higgins ’62.

48

ON THE COVER A rendering of the eastern exposure of the new Patricia & Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering & Science Center, for which Manhattan College recently broke ground.

DEVELOPMENT The De La Salle Dinner honors its

Published by the office of Marketing and Communication Manhattan College Riverdale, NY 10471 Lydia Gray Assistant Vice President, College Advancement and Executive Director, Marketing and Communication

SPORTS The Jaspers travel to Northern Ireland

GRADUATE ASSISTANT Kelsey La Cour PHOTOGRAPHERS Ben Asen Anna Calma Josh Cuppek Patrick Faccas Sara Milano David Moroch Chris Taggart

ON CAMPUS

first alumna, and James Patterson ’69 awards more academic scholarships.

50

ALUMNI The Hall of Fame inducts new stars, alumnotes, Jasper profiles, and more reminiscing about a long-lost tradition.

60

OBITUARIES In memoriam, Benjamin Benson and Brother Thomas Scanlan

64

PARTING SHOT

ON C AMPUS

The Largest Gift in College History Will Support Newly Named School of Business

T

HOMAS D. O’MALLEY ’63, former chairman of Manhattan College’s board of trustees, has provided the largest gift in Manhattan’s history: $25 million to increase student scholarships and grants, support innovative teaching and research, and enhance and diversify learning opportunities within the College’s School of Business.

O’Malley and his wife, Mary Alice, are also the most generous donors in Manhattan College’s history. They provided the leadership gift to build the O’Malley Library on campus, and donated $10 million to help support the construction of the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons, named after O’Malley’s classmate and former New York City police commissioner.

“Mary Alice and I are pleased to continue our support for Manhattan College,” O’Malley says. “It’s an institution that has remained faithful to its core values. It provides a top-quality education in a dynamic and open environment while at the same time maintaining its Catholic identity. A very substantial portion of the student body supports Lasallian traditions of service to those less fortunate by volunteering in local, national and international support programs. Its diverse student body doesn’t reject liberal or conservative ideas or positions but rather debates them. Manhattan has also continued its historical support of the nation’s military by maintaining a strong ROTC program and being rated by veterans of our military as a top institution to attend after serving your country.”

The $25 million gift to the School of Business will provide a wide variety of opportunities for Manhattan College students to succeed in the financial capital of the world. It is designed to make a Manhattan education accessible to students from all backgrounds, while strengthening the College’s connections with the New York City business world through hands-on, experiential opportunities. The gift also will support teaching and research focused on the present and future economics of energy.

“The O’Malley gift takes our School of Business to a whole new level,” says Brennan O’Donnell, president of Manhattan College.

“It allows us to expand and deepen our curriculum and research, 2 N spring 2018

encourage innovative pedagogy, and strengthen our support for experiential learning. We are extremely grateful to Tom, Mary Alice, and their family for their steadfast generosity in supporting students, faculty and programs. We are proud to be home to the O’Malley School of Business.”

The College’s School of Business will now be known as the O’Malley School of Business, with a formal dedication to take place in September (coverage of this event will be featured in the fall issue).

“The O’Malley gift takes our School of Business to a whole new level ... It allows us to expand and deepen our curriculum and research, encourage innovative pedagogy, and strengthen our support for experiential learning.”

Gibson Designated as Dean of Business

F

OLLOWING A NATIONAL SEARCH, Donald E. Gibson, Ph.D., has been named dean of Manhattan College’s newly named O’Malley School of Business, effective July 1.

Gibson comes to Manhattan College following leadership roles at Fairfield University as vice provost for academic affairs and dean of Fairfield’s Dolan School of Business. As dean of the Dolan School of Business, Gibson raised the school’s profile through substantially higher enrollments, increased recognition on national ranking lists, and program launches in entrepreneurship and business analytics.

“We are delighted to have Don join our community to serve as dean of our O’Malley School of Business,” says President Brennan O’Donnell. “His vision and experience will help to strengthen our programs and provide our students and faculty with the support and resources they need to succeed. This is an exciting time not only at the College but also at our O’Malley School of Business.”

The O’Malley School of Business was recently transformed thanks to a $25 million gift from Thomas D. O’Malley ’63, former chair of Manhattan College’s board of trustees. The gift will increase student scholarships and grants, making a Manhattan College education accessible to students from all backgrounds, while strengthening the College’s connections to the New York City business world through hands-on, experiential opportunities.

“Joining Manhattan College as dean is a dream come true,” Gibson says. “With its dynamic combination of cutting-edge business skills and liberal arts thinking in the context of global New York City, this is the kind of business school students need in an ever more complex world.”

A professor of management at Fairfield, Gibson’s research has examined emotional responses in organizations, anger in the workplace, and conflict management. He has articles published in

a range of leading journals, including Organization Science, Journal of Management, and Academy of Management Perspectives, and a book for practicing managers, Managing Anger in the Workplace.

Gibson received his MBA and Ph.D. from UCLA, and was previously a professor in organizational behavior at Yale.

He also has served as program chair and executive director of the International Association for Conflict Management.

“Don brings amazing experience as a transforming academic leader, a world-class scholar, and a highly successful representative of his school to the business community,” says William Clyde, Ph.D., executive vice president and provost at Manhattan College. “He’s the right person to lead our O’Malley School of Business at this time of great opportunity.”

Calling on Capitol Hill A GROUP OF SEVEN MANHATTAN COLLEGE STUDENTS, led by Conor Reidy, campus minister in the office of Campus Ministry and Social Action, participated in the annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in November in Washington, D.C. More than 2,000 students from across the country came together for the Teach-In, which addresses timely social justice issues in the context of Catholic faith tradition, with a primary focus on racism and immigration during this year’s conference.

The Manhattan College group met with representatives from the office of United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) to

discuss policy and legislative actions on immigration and criminal justice reform.

Known as the largest annual Catholic social justice gathering in the U.S., the Teach-In attracts many young people ages 16-22, who represent more than 120 Jesuit and other Catholic universities, high schools and parishes in the U.S., as well as Canada, Mexico and El Salvador.

The 2017 theme, Rowing Into the Deep, called attendees to explore a more deeply authentic, courageous, generous, and compassionate response to the changing realities of today’s world.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 3

ON C AMPUS

Bethlehem Art Exhibit Helps Students Connect to Middle East and Their Faith

A

BDULLAH YOUSEF ’21 GREW UP HEARING STORIES ABOUT PALESTINE from his father, whose family originated from there, and for years even owned part of the countryside in Bayt Mahsir, a village in the Jerusalem Subdistrict.

During his childhood, these memories were described so vividly to the Manhattan student that Yousef almost felt as if he’d spent time in the Middle East, though he hasn’t yet had the opportunity to do so. That feeling grew even stronger after viewing Bethlehem Beyond the Wall, a traveling art exhibition that was on display in February at Manhattan College.

“The pieces were so relatable, and I, at the same time, felt nostalgic,” he says of the collection, which was compiled by the Museum of the Palestinian People, the first museum in the U.S. to celebrate the culture and people of Palestine.

Bethlehem Beyond the Wall lends the perspective of Palestinians during the past century, through roughly 100 photographs, seven paintings, four video interviews, and a series of maps. As a result, the multimedia collection is both personal and broad-ranging in its coverage of the historic area, which is partially why Yousef — a civil engineering major who also is a talented drawer and visual artist — felt so connected to it.

In one photograph, viewers can see a Palestinian priest leading Mass in the West Bank, against the Israeli separation barrier in the town of Beit Sahour, from 2012. In another section of images, entitled “Old Bethlehem and the Nativity Church,” roots of the Lasallian Catholic faith are symbolized.

Bshara Nassar, founding director of the Museum of the Palestinian People and a Bethlehem University alumnus who grew up in the holy city, compiled the artwork in Bethlehem Beyond the Wall, so that it conveyed a specific purpose — for viewers to draw parallels between their own lives and those captured in the images. As a result, Manhattan students could relate to individuals who live thousands of miles away.

One photograph Nassar refers to as being particularly relatable depicts a Christian couple on their wedding day. The wife is wearing a cross, a tradition of faith.

“There’s a lot of relatedness between the Western culture and [ours], so the students begin to realize, ‘These people are not so different than us,’” Nassar explains. “We are the same. We are people, and that in itself is powerful.”

Nassar, whose goal is to bring Bethlehem Beyond the Wall to as many American audiences as possible, had the opportunity to speak with guests who attended an opening reception of the exhibit at Manhattan the first day it was displayed in the Kelly Commons. Later that week, faculty who spent time in the city had the opportunity to share their experiences during a panel discussion, and photographer Elias Habibi visited campus to give an artist’s talk to the College community. Before the showcase closed, a large turnout of students attended a screening of Across the Divide, a documentary focused on the Middle Eastern conflict.

Bethlehem Beyond the Wall came to Manhattan College with vital assistance from Marisa Lerer, Ph.D., assistant professor of visual and performing arts, who visited Palestine in January 2017 with the intention of strengthening a 4 N spring 2018

Students Join in Community Cleanup Day

relationship to the culture there between Bethlehem University and Manhattan College. Brother Jack Curran, FSC, Ph.D., vice president for mission, who also served as the vice president for development at Bethlehem University for a 10-year period ending in 2013, helped to enhance a bond between the two universities that already existed, but has grown significantly during the past several years.

More recently, several new partnerships have touched the hearts and minds of students and faculty from both college communities.

Five students from Palestine collaborated on research projects with faculty and students of the College, in Riverdale, last summer, and in March, a group from Manhattan embarked on a Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.) service-immersion trip to Palestine.

Meanwhile, other explorative opportunities continue to develop between the schools.

According to Br. Jack, hosting Bethlehem Beyond the Wall at the College this winter was special for many reasons, but mostly because the experience offered insight into a world that is largely unexplored by the students in New York City.

“Each and every day, in and out of the classroom, by virtue of our core identity as a Lasallian Catholic college, we have opportunities to explore the intersection of theological principles of faith with philosophical principles of reason. Bethlehem Beyond the Wall is one of those unique opportunities because it causes us to deepen our understandings,” he says.

(Top left) Marisa Lerer, Ph.D., assistant professor of visual and performing arts, invites her students to an advanced viewing of Bethlehem Beyond the Wall, before the traveling art exhibit’s official opening at Manhattan College. (Bottom left) Visitors from the wider New York City community attend an opening reception on Feb. 19. (Above) Bshara Nassar, founding director of the Museum of the Palestinian People, describes his mission for Bethlehem Beyond the Wall, which features an extensive collection of photographs, paintings, video interviews, and series of maps that each display life in the Palestinian city.

NEARLY 100 MANHATTAN COLLEGE STUDENTS from a wide variety of on-campus groups came together one Sunday morning in November to pitch in and help clean up the streets surrounding campus.

Led by Manhattan College’s Student Government Neighborhood Relations Committee (NRC), the group, which also included participation from Student Government, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and Air Force ROTC Detachment 560, canvassed the neighborhood to pick up litter, going from Kingsbridge Avenue to the east, Riverdale Avenue to the west, and West 236th Street to the south, and back to Manhattan College Parkway and Waldo Avenue.

“We heard from a number of different members of the community who were grateful for our work,” says Ryan Quattromani ’18, chairman and founder of the NRC. “I’m thankful for everyone’s support for this effort, which is a true representation of our student body.”

Quattromani founded the NRC three years ago, after learning about concerns from Riverdale residents. His goal was to help develop and strengthen the College’s relationship with the surrounding community while upholding Manhattan’s Lasallian values.

“The committee functions to better the relationship between the College and the surrounding area,” he says. “It’s really tailored toward that student response: What can we do to hold our fellow students accountable while off-campus? How can we influence the Student Code of Conduct? How can we better the relationship with neighbors?”

Also as part of this initiative, Student Government holds an annual luncheon where staff, administrators and students can gather with Riverdale residents to discuss how to better the College’s relationship with the community. More campus cleanups were planned, as well, including one on April 22, the day after the College’s spring concert, and the other on May 16, during Senior Experience Week, which takes place before graduation.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 5

ON C AMPUS

Field Study Course in India Aims to Cultivate Actionable Change

N

O BOOK OR FILM CAN FULLY PREPARE FIRST-TIME VISITORS to experience the thunderous crowds, bright colors and big flavors of India. So in January, a cohort of business students took the ultimate cultural and academic leap, arriving in Delhi to explore one of the world’s fastest growing economies firsthand.

Led by Grishma Shah, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing and management, as well as Aileen Farrelly ’95, CPA, assistant dean and accounting professor, the group of five MBA students and 10 undergraduates set off for the 7,000-plus mile journey as the first part of their spring semester courses, International Field Study Seminar (GLBL 414) and Going Global Seminar (MBAC 642 ).

After spending nearly 24 hours in transit, the cohort shook off jet lag with some sightseeing, and visited the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid mosque, as well as the Mahatma Gandhi memorial. Along the way, they began to get a feel for India’s bustling and bursting economy.

“Storefronts are piled on top of each other, and the streets are packed with rickshaws, taxis and trucks carrying goods,” says John Farrelly ’19 (MBA). “It seems like anywhere that one or two people might pass, there is at least one stand selling something.”

It’s a particularly unique moment in India’s development.

As India prepares to surpass China as the world’s fastest growing economy, the nation endeavors to solve its biggest problems — education and urbanization, health and sanitation, and gender equality — to make growth more equitable. With limited governmental funding, startup companies and other entrepreneurs are increasingly leading the charge.

To investigate this trend on the ground level, the cohort met with nearly a dozen businesses and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

One of their first stops was the headquarters of Model Rural Youth Development Organization (MRYDO), an NGO that works with marginalized communities for their socioeconomic, cultural and political empowerment. After meeting with key leaders of the organization, the cohort spoke to members of one of the organization’s self-help groups that was created as a foundation for female entrepreneurship, assisting with loans and offering guidance. Many of the

6 N spring 2018

women had never been able to count money or socialize with other people outside of their homes prior to their involvement in the group.

Being on site and bearing witness to the conditions and specific challenges in India, from the rural north to the more metropolitan south, was an integral part of the learning experience. This was particularly the case as the group investigated innovative ways that a variety of businesses and startups are making positive social impact and a profit, from a fabric boutique that supports rural craftsmen in Delhi to a waste management startup that collects trash and recyclables to generate fuels and reusable packages in Bengaluru.

“Rather than an office, we met with them where they worked. Some locations such as the trash and recycling center were extremely unsanitary,” says Elvis Rodriguez ’18, an economics and global business major. “Their challenges really hit you in the face upon arrival.

We would never have had the same impressions over a presentation or video call. Being there was necessary for a true understanding.”

Among these firsthand experiences was the cohort’s visit to Agra to tour the Taj Mahal. While exploring the seventh wonder of the world was undoubtedly life-changing, students agreed their experience at Sheroes Hangout — what was earmarked as a lunch stop — was just as transformative. The cafe and lounge is run solely by acid attack survivors who despite the debilitating blow to their appearance and self-esteem have the courage to live and work in the midst of society.

“This experience was one of the most moving things I have ever witnessed, as these women were still so positive and so kindhearted after having gone through something so painful,” says marketing major Francesca Preti ’18. “After we ate, the women informed us that there are no prices for the food, and that we only pay what we wish. I think this is a really incredible way to run a business.”

Back on campus, the group started the task of translating their experiences to the classroom. During the spring, they planned to identify three to four organizations with specific needs, and hone their business consulting skills while developing real, actionable solutions. All deliverables were to be presented to stakeholders at the end of the semester — no solution is considered too small.

Pioneering Brothers Lay the Foundation of the College

Famed Irish Leader Offers Students a Global Perspective

An 1847 painting of the American steamship United States, owned by the famous Black Ball Line, on which four French Christian Brothers sailed to the U.S. in 1848.

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY YEARS AGO, Father Annet La Font, pastor of Saint Vincent’s French-American Church on Canal Street prevailed upon Archbishop John Hughes of New York to ask the Brothers of the Christian Schools for the services of a few members of the Institute to conduct the education of poor children in New York City. In response, four French Christian Brothers were sent as missionaries to the United States: Brother Stylien (née L.A. Lissignol), FSC, Brother Andronis (née Alex Joseph Gadenne), FSC, Brother Albein (née Gregoire Cordier), FSC, and Brother Pastoris (née Jules J. Deville), FSC. Setting out from Le Havre, France, on board the American steamship the United States, the Brothers arrived in New York Harbor in July 1848.

On board the postal ship were several artists, one of whom supposedly made a sketch of the Brothers, who in their religious habits constituted an object of curiosity. By all accounts, the image was later seen in a store window with an insulting caption about “Jesuits” coming to America! The Brothers, who arrived with traditional black habits, white rabats, and three cornered hats, quickly limited their religious garb to the school and church setting at least in part to mute the nativist antiCatholic and anti-immigrant fervor that had escalated in New York City during the 1840s.

By September 1848, the Brothers opened the parochial school of Saint Vincent de Paul on Canal Street, which served as the origin of the Brothers New York apostolate. While all four Brothers were eventually reassigned to France or elsewhere, and only Br. Pastoris later returned to America (dying in Oakland, Calif.), these pioneers laid the foundation of what would later become Manhattan College.

MÁIRTÍN Ó MUILLEOIR, A FORMER LORD MAYOR OF BELFAST, Northern Ireland, delivered inspirational words to the College community when he visited campus in January. “You are the leaders you’ve been waiting to see,” he said to the packed crowd, who heard him speak that afternoon in the Kelly Commons.

In illustrating his statement, the Northern Irish peacemaker showed footage from the Milltown Massacre of 1988 to depict the heroism of Martin McGuinness, the current deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, who went through great lengths to protect people in danger during that devastating event in the country’s history. Ó Muilleoir went on to share his advocacy for peacemaking and support of growth and development in Belfast with students, faculty and administrators who attended his talk, which included members of the Gaelic Society and JustPeace, and the College’s men’s basketball team, who participated in the inaugural Belfast Classic in Northern Ireland in December (see story on page 20).

Having served as Lord Mayor from June 2013 to June 2014, Ó Muilleoir presented on a number of topics related to the current state of affairs in Belfast. This preceded a lively discussion that included students enrolled in Central European Politics (GOVT 332).

During his term as Lord Mayor, Ó Muilleoir pioneered many transatlantic links, signed a sister city agreement with the Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh, and welcomed President Barack Obama to Belfast. His lecture at Manhattan College strongly emphasized peace and goodwill as necessary components of leadership, which functioned as constructive career advice for the students in attendance.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 7

ON C AMPUS

LASALLIANLOOK

From Riverdale to Rome, Students Embark on a New Study Abroad Experience

I

N ITS INAUGURAL YEAR, A NEW SEMESTER-LONG STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM IN ROME enabled 10 Manhattan students this spring to directly connect their academics to world affairs, and gain a deeper understanding of how powerful and wide-ranging the international Lasallian network really is.

As part of the program, Ricardo Dello Buono, Ph.D., professor of sociology at the College, taught Migration and the European Crisis (SOC 315), a course he was able to relate to issues being debated as part of national Italian elections held in March.

“It’s been a really interesting time to be in Rome,” Dello Buono reflected during the trip.

Migration and the European Crisis is one of several classes that students could take as part of the study abroad program, which allows them to enroll in up to five that focus on international studies, religious studies, business sociology, art history and literature, and Italian language. All of the courses are designed to accommodate majors in the Schools of Liberal Arts, Business and from other academic disciplines.

The Manhattan students stayed at the Lasallian Universities Center for Education in Rome, in a shared residence with students from Lewis University in Chicago, St. Mary’s University in Minnesota, Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn., and La Universidad De La Salle Bajío in Mexico.

While in the Italian city, they were able to get to know other students from Lasallian universities, with whom they enjoyed different types of cultural education. During the nearly 90 days they lived in Rome, they participated in excursions to Assisi, Pisa and other destinations.

“It’s a state-of-the-art living and learning experience in the best academic conditions imaginable,” Dello Buono says.

Although each student had different stories to tell upon returning to Riverdale, one Jasper, in particular, emerged with invaluable career experience that he gleaned from an internship at the Christian Brothers Generalizia, the nonprofit organization’s legal branch. While on the job, Antonio Paone ’19 helped to carry out initiatives taking place in approximately 80 countries, where the Christian Brothers aim to provide higher quality learning environments for children, prenatal care for expectant mothers who have limited health-care 8 N spring 2018

access, interfaith programming, clean water, and other necessities.

As part of his daily responsibilities, Paone helped to manage the group’s social media presence and assisted in grant administration.

He enjoyed working with the Christian Brothers because the organization’s goals are aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a United Nations initiative he’d been learning about on campus. This semester in Rome allowed the international studies and history double major to intertwine his academic knowledge with his Italian heritage, and the Lasallian Catholic mission to lead and serve in the community.

“There are countless faces connected to the work we do [at the Christian Brothers], and countless people who are provided the resources they need to advance themselves personally and professionally. What has perhaps impressed me most of my time here in Rome is the interconnectedness of Lasallian institutions across the world I was previously unaware of,” Paone says.

In the future, the goal of the Rome program is to afford students opportunities, like this one, to broaden their horizons beyond the Bronx, and deepen their commitment to the Lasallian Catholic mission of Manhattan College.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. During a semester-long study abroad program in Italy, 10 Manhattan College students see the city’s sights and complete coursework in international and religious studies, art history, literature, Italian language, and other academic areas.

COURSE SPOTLIGHT

Environmental Economics I (ECON 332) Course Description: WITH PERTINENT ISSUES SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, forest degradation, and the harming effects of fossil fuels making news headlines every day, students were probed with an important question last semester as they prepared to register for spring classes. On flyers hung up in hallways across campus, ECON 332, an environmental economics course offered through the O’Malley School of Business, asked, “Do you care about environmental issues?”

For those answering, “yes,” this course provides an opportunity to understand the approach to environmental problems decided by economists. Not only are students taught to study environmental markets of the world but they also learn the value of working together in teams to complete problem-solving activities and economic experiments.

The overall purpose for ECON 332 is to learn about different environmental policies promoted by economists, which includes cost-benefit analysis, taxes, cap and trade, and tradable pollution permits. Taught by Jimena González, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics and finance, the course provides six modules and three exams to comprehend the specific economic lens of environmentalism.

With a focus on policies directed toward greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, this class brings a scientific approach to the study of business.

Texts: S. Callan and J. Thomas. Environmental Economics and Management: Theory, Policy, and Applications. Sixth edition.

A .M. Freeman III, J.A. Herriges, and C.L. Kling. The Measurement of Environmental and Resource Values: Theory and Methods

Assigned journal and news articles

Lectures: Monday and Thursday, 12:00-1:15 p.m.

Professor: Jimena González, Ph.D. About the Professor: With a passion for environmental studies, González has created, in her terms, the “perfect class.” Combining both her area of expertise and her drive to inspire future generations to become critical thinkers, she encourages the growth of her student’s economic knowledge and is thrilled to witness students bringing their energy to the classroom. She believes this energy directly influences students to make a difference and contribute to a more sustainable development.

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, González received her B.S. in economics and mathematics at Loras College, and her Ph.D. in economics at Iowa State University. She began teaching at Manhattan College in the fall of 2016, and also focuses on behavior, development, labor economics and industrial organizations.

College Fed Challenge Team Continues to Inspire

FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, a group of business students, under the guidance of finance and economics department chair Hany Guirguis, Ph.D., has made recommendations and presentations on real-world economic issues in the College Fed Challenge. And for the third time in four years, the team reached the semifinals and became one of the last nine teams remaining in the rigorous competition.

Held over three rounds on two separate days at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in lower Manhattan, the competition takes place among 43 colleges and universities in the tri-state area.

In preparation for the challenge, the students worked for months on their presentations, which detailed their forecasts for monetary policy, tracked current economic conditions, and concluded with a recommendation to the Fed on which policies to move forward.

“Having been a part of the team last year and this year, we definitely improved,” says economics major Shaina Colombo ’18. “The competition and the preparation we did allowed us to really become experts in the field.”

Guirguis was especially proud of the team’s overall accomplishments.

“The Fed team’s performance surpassed even my lofty expectations,” Guirguis says. “Their hard work and social awareness also became quite evident over the course of this year’s Federal Reserve Challenge.”

The team has since regrouped to evaluate the effects of the change in leadership at the Federal Reserve, in preparation for next fall’s competition, as well as to continue their work on economics issues in the nation’s financial capital.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 9

ON C AMPUS

What’s New on the Syllabus?

Several subjects will make their debut in the College’s course offerings this coming fall: a master’s degree program in computer science, a minor in Chinese, and a concentration in sports media production.

CHINESE The department of Modern Languages and Literatures is now offering a minor in the Chinese language for all undergraduate students.

Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, and the minor will allow students to gain skills for jobs in international business, economics, science, engineering, government, law, education, religion, health professions and many other fields.

The minor focuses on proficiency in conversation, grammar, reading, composition, and an appreciation and knowledge of the Chinese culture, while using New York City as an immersive classroom.

Students minoring in Chinese will have the opportunity to go to plays, concerts, lectures, and take trips to museums throughout the four Chinatowns located in New York City.

Course requirements for a minor in Chinese include: Introduction to the Study of Chinese, Intermediate Mandarin Chinese I, Intermediate Mandarin Chinese II, Advanced Mandarin Chinese I and Advanced Mandarin Chinese II.

COMPUTER SCIENCE Computer science students have the option to pursue a one-year Master of Science seamless program, which is open to all students interested in pursuing computer science theoretically, as well as practically, at an advanced level. It aims to prepare students to enter computer-related industries directly after graduation, or to continue an educational path to a Ph.D. program.

The 30-credit curriculum is designed to allow students to extend and develop their skills needed to achieve leadership positions in industry, business and government or related fields, where computer science has become an important tool. The coursework in the program represents a realistic balance between fundamental computer science theory and cutting-edge modern computing techniques and technologies.

Students entering the program after graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree from Manhattan College will typically complete the program in two semesters. Students will need to take only 24 actual credits because they will be able to count six senior level undergraduate credits toward their graduate degrees. The program is also open to students with equivalent bachelor’s degrees from other institutions, including international students, and is available on a part-time schedule.

10 N spring 2018

SPORTS MEDIA PRODUCTION A concentration in sports media production has been added to the lineup for the fall of 2018 by the Communication department. The new branch of the department has been designed alongside the College’s initiative to broadcast a wide variety of Manhattan Jaspers Division I intercollegiate athletics events to be streamed from the ESPN mobile app, during the 2018-19 academic year.

In 2017, streaming through WatchESPN and ESPN+ — available nationwide through every major video distributor across platforms including computers, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices — averaged 8.2 million unique devices and 1.8 billion minutes per month, up 31 percent and 52 percent, respectively.

The students in Advanced Sports Media Production will be in charge of the complete production of home men’s and women’s basketball games for ESPN under the supervision of a faculty member, a producer/director, and an engineer.

The courses for the sports media concentration include Introduction to Sports Media, Sports Media Production, Sports Media Performance, Advanced Sports Media Production, and Field and PostProduction.

Within the introductory course, students will have the opportunity to learn about sports as a media business. The remaining classes will give students hands-on experience, teach them to produce live sports programming in the College’s new mobile production unit, how to announce and offer commentary on games, and how to film, interview and edit packages.

Another Newman Civic Fellow Announced IN WHAT’S BECOMING A TRADITION FOR THE COLLEGE, another Jasper has been awarded a Newman Civic Fellowship. Reilly Rebhahn ’19, a history and peace studies major, is one of 268 students nationwide to be named a 2018 Newman Civic Fellow.

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a one-year experience for community-committed college students from Campus Compact member institutions.

An accomplished scholar and Lasallian Leader on campus, Rebhahn is a native of Syracuse, N.Y. She has worked in the community, including with Concourse House Shelter for Women and Children and at the Manhattan College rooftop garden, as well as on campus with JustPeace, the Black

Students Union, Sanctus Artem, and other organizations.

As part of her coursework, she has studied community organizing, Catholic social teaching, slavery and abolition, and Islam in America, demonstrating her commitment to marginalized groups and being part of the solution.

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides a variety of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference of Newman Civic Fellows in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. It also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarships and post-graduate opportunities.

Biochemistry Professor Receives NIH Grant

B

RYAN WILKINS, PH.D., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY, received a grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to understand the biochemical processes that protect the DNA structure and sequence of living cells.

Wilkins was awarded the NIH R15 Academic Research Enhancement Award for a grant titled “The spatiotemporal mapping of the RSC and SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler complexes on the nucleosome in living cells.”

“DNA needs to be compacted in order to fit within the nucleus of a cell. This is achieved through the wrapping of DNA around protein units called histone octamers, forming a nucleosome,” he explains.

“It’s similar to wrapping a hose around a circular holder to shorten its length.”

Wilkins is specifically interested in understanding more about chromatin remodelers, a protein family that unwraps, slides and re-wraps the DNA around nucleosomes in order to provide the critical access needed by the cell. Using an in vivo crosslinking technique, he plans to further delineate how this family of proteins works and how they manipulate the chromosomal architecture.

His study is vital to public health since genetic integrity relies on the regulation of chromosomal restructuring, controlled by the enzymatic actions of chromatin remodeler complexes. Wilkins plans to bridge an extensive gap that spans in vitro versus in vivo

experimentation of chromatin remodelers and assign biologically relevant structure/function dynamics to these complexes to advance the chromatin biology field.

Wilkins was an Alexander von Humboldt fellow at the University of Göttingen in Germany, where he spent five years working on chromatin structural characteristics and dynamics. His work has been published in the Journal of Science, and he is currently applying that work in a different direction to further identify mechanisms in chromatin structure and function.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 11

ON C AMPUS

Engineering Leader Talks Technology at Horan Lecture Series

TO INNOVATE IS TO COLLABORATE. During his accomplished 39-year career in the field of structural engineering, this has been the mantra of Thomas Scarangello ’79, ’82 (M.E.), P.E., chairman and CEO of Thornton Tomasetti, an international engineering design, forensic and analysis firm credited with developing some of the world’s most renowned structures.

As guest speaker for this year’s John J. Horan Endowed Lecture Series, an annual event that invites faculty and corporate leaders to speak on topics in business, science, engineering and education, the prominent engineer expanded upon his personal belief that integrating the expertise of others is the best way to launch ideas for the future. Incidentally, this is also a core component of a Manhattan College education, which laid both the foundation for the lecture, and Scarangello’s professional achievements.

In the decades following his college graduation, the industry sustained many changes, ranging from the good to the unproductive. For instance, from the mid-1980s to early 2000s, structural engineers gradually shifted from manual drafting to 2-D computer aided design.

There were disadvantages to this method that were inhibiting growth, so after he

12 N spring 2018

became chairman of Thornton Tomasetti in 2008, Scarangello helped to introduce building information modeling and integrated project delivery into the company’s workflow for major projects. This proved beneficial in Thornton Tomasetti’s reconstruction of Yankee Stadium, or as he refers to it, “home of the greatest sports team on the planet.”

New ventures that Scarangello has spearheaded with Thornton Tomasetti have helped the company to reach new heights, literally — they led the design for the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia, currently the tallest building in the world. They’re also leading the construction of the forthcoming Hudson Yards entertainment mecca in New York City. These and other projects are a reflection of why Scarangello became an engineer in the first place, as well as a reflection of his philosophy for growth.

“You go into the field to solve problems, and begin thinking, ‘what can I do first, second, third and fourth?’ In doing so, you ask smart people in the room, ‘what do I do to solve this problem?’” he asks.

Scarangello culminated the lecture by listing developments that have followed Thornton Tomasetti’s merger with Weidlinger Associates in 2015 — most notably, the creation of TTWiiN, a technology accelerator that commercializes new creations developed in Thornton Tomasetti’s CORE Studio R&D incubator, and helps to develop them, so they can be utilized by different industries.

Currently, the company is utilizing its resources to enter the biomedical industry.

The foundation for many of his accolades, though, Scarangello says, is his Manhattan College education, which has maintained a strong reputation in the industry. And this isn’t sheer luck — it’s a product of hard work and diligence. Scarangello recognizes this trait shared by all the Manhattan alumni he’s hired throughout the years for Thornton Tomasetti because it’s also one he recognizes in himself.

“There’s something about Manhattan College graduates. They know how to hit the ground running,” he said. “I got my career because of it.”

The Horan Lecture series is named for John J. Horan ’40, an alumnus who exercised corporate leadership through innovation during his tenure as chairman and CEO of Merck & Company. On his watch, the pharmaceutical giant introduced the first vaccine for Hepatitis B, as well as several antibiotics, antihypertension therapies, and Ivermectin, a medication to prevent and treat river blindness.

Scarangello played on this idea of innovation during the seminar and discussion portions of the event, albeit through the lens of the construction, engineering and design industry.

(Top) At this year’s Horan Lecture, Thomas Scarangello ’79, ’82 (M.E.), P.E., describes the skyscraping successes of international engineering design firm Thornton Tomasetti, where he serves as chairman and CEO, to illustrate the benefits of collaboration between like-minded professionals. (Bottom) Lending his perspective on the topic is fellow alumnus Richard Tomasetti ’63, co-founder and current adviser to the firm’s board of directors.

Women’s Week Inspires Lasallian Solidarity and an Upcoming Resource Center WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES. Drawing on the success and high attendance of the inaugural Lasallian Women’s Conference, which took place in 2017, planners of the event decided to extend the second annual gathering this spring beyond a single day, into a full week.

The diverse assortment of Women’s Week offerings allowed campus community members to further explore their respective interest areas.

From March 18 to 24, the College hosted Take Back the Night, as well as several panel discussions, including one that featured Lasallian women at Manhattan College, and another that showcased research of Catholic social activist Dorothy Day, which was led by graduating seniors Ali Hurley, Theresa Watts, Emily Center and Alannah Boyle.

Orchestrated by assistant philosophy professor Jordan Pascoe, Ph.D., Boyle, and other members of the Lasallian Women’s Resource Committee, Women’s Week celebrated female achievement, while also building awareness of tough issues.

This year’s Lasallian Women and Gender Conference focused on Lasallian solidarity and feminist intersectionality in the #MeToo movement, and invited faculty, administrators and students to participate in an intergroup dialogue workshop that strived to improve relations on the topic.

Jeannine Hill Fletcher, Ph.D., a professor of theology at Fordham University, delivered the event’s keynote address, through which she shared her perspective on the intersection of feminism and Catholicism.

Associate sociology professor Cory Blad, Ph.D., religious studies professor Jawanza Clark, Ph.D., and associate English professor David Witzling, Ph.D., served on a panel sponsored by the Sociology department, that considered different ways that men can be allies to women.

Also included on the calendar were events that described ways in which women are affected by significant world issues, such as climate change and global hunger. In addition, a women’s Mass was held in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers.

“Our goal was to make this as broad and inclusive an event as possible, accessible to as many of our students as possible, and relevant to as many of our disciplines as possible,” Pascoe says.

Women’s Week also provided a springboard to the bourgeoning Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center, which is scheduled to open in fall 2018. At that time, the center will offer students the guidance to achieve professional success after graduation, and the support to deal with health and body image issues. The center also will support individuals in the LGBTQ community, live out its commitment to bridge gaps between students, faculty, administrators and staff, and provide leadership opportunities for students.

Boyle, who helped to found the Lasallian Women’s Resource Committee in December 2016, is pleased with the resource center’s progress thus far, largely because it appeals to what she wants as a female student.

Recently, she and Pascoe held office hours that invited students to make suggestions in regard to what services they’d like to be made available in the space. They logged requests for mentorship opportunities with faculty and administrators, workshops on sexual harassment and consent, and a platform to petition improvements to the Emergency Blue-Light System, which functions as a direct line of communication to the Public Safety office.

“I love Manhattan. We have the capacity to do great things here, and looking back at my own freshman year, [the center] is exactly what I needed at that time, I just wasn’t able to process it then,” says Boyle, a double major in peace studies and philosophy.

After graduation, Boyle began working as a field director for Democrat Jillian Gilchrist’s campaign for state representative in the

Students attend the fourth annual Take Back the Night, an international event that aims to prevent sexual violence through education. There, an “I Need Feminism Because” activity asks that inspiration for female empowerment be scrawled on Post-its.

18th district of Connecticut. She also landed a position as a grassroots mobilization associate at the NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.

Both Women’s Week and the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center align with the mission of Manhattan College.

“Our goal [for these initiatives] is to renew our commitment to ongoing curricular and cocurricular educational programs that support campus standards of conduct, with special emphasis on integrity and ethical conduct, as well as acceptance and responsibility for others,” Pascoe adds.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 13

ON C AMPUS

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar Sets His Sights on a Public Service Career MARSHALL STRAWBRIDGE ’21 HAD LOFTY ASPIRATIONS in the fields of business and government long before he began applying to colleges. Thanks to his new home in Riverdale and the Jackie Robinson Foundation Strada Education Network Scholarship, he is well on his way to reaching his career goals.

Each year, 50 high school students who meet a high threshold of academic achievement, financial need, and leadership potential receive a Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship. Of that group, 10 are selected as Strada Education Network Scholars. With more than 4,500 applicants, Strawbridge stood out due to his impressive accomplishments at an academically rigorous and intensive Montessori high school in his hometown of St. Louis, Mo. Scholarship recipients receive more than just financial assistance — the Jackie Robinson Foundation helps students like Strawbridge make connections for internships and invites them to attend events, such as the Mentoring and Leadership Conference.

In March 2018, Strawbridge joined the scholarship recipients from

past years at a week-long event at New York City’s Marriott Marquis, where he had the opportunity to network and speak with professionals.

“It’s exciting to be part of a program that is really changing what you think a scholarship should be,” Strawbridge says. “It’s not just money. People need help outside of that.”

On top of being a double major in government and economics, Strawbridge is a member of the Economics and Finance Society and the Arches Learning and Living community. He is currently interning in the office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), and will spend the upcoming summer interning for U.S. Representative Lacy Clay in his home district in Missouri.

Jaspers Help Bronx Residents Get Tax Refunds

F

OR ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW, students in the O’Malley School of Business have been working with University Neighborhood Housing Program’s (UNHP) Northwest Bronx Resource Center to provide free tax preparation to lowincome families throughout the borough.

Since 2010, student volunteers have filed taxes for more than 10,000 families at UNHP through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, known as VITA. In 2017, 48 Manhattan College students worked with the program’s volunteers to prepare more than 1,500 returns and helped Bronx residents to receive $1.9 million in refunds, with the preparations done free of charge.

The VITA program offers free tax preparation assistance to qualified families with an income of $54,000 or less, and individuals with a gross income below $30,000. In 2017, the average adjusted gross income for a tax filer at UNHP was $17,100.

The UNHP income tax preparation program helps qualified taxpayers avoid costly tax preparation fees and predatory products while empowering low and moderate income filers to master the tax filing process and federal and state credits.

14 N spring 2018

Students Scoop Top 10 Ranking with Their Pitch to Ben & Jerry’s

F

INDING THE SWEET SPOT IN BUSINESS OFTEN REQUIRES persistence, dedication and a natural adeptness at determining customer needs. Jaclyn Marchetta ’18, Melissa Gallardo ’19, and Dan McCloskey ’15 excelled in all three areas this winter when they participated in the UniGame, an international business competition that challenges undergraduate and graduate students to innovate proposals that help the company tackle real business needs.

Marchetta, a chemical engineering major who interned last summer in Unilever’s research and development department, began urging her social network shortly after Thanksgiving to vote for the YouTube video that she and her team had submitted in order to enter into the contest. Two weeks later, the posting was a hit.

As of Dec. 15, their video had notched 3,700 votes, and ranked second in popularity among more than 160 teams in the U.S. and Canada. The team’s submission had also earned them a top 10 ranking in the competition and placement in the final round, which took place two months later.

“I saw that we were the creators of our own success,” said Marchetta, who will begin a full-time position at Unilever this summer, shortly after her graduation. “As our video moved up from seventh to second place in a few days, I was motivated to reach out to as many people as I could.”

During February, Marchetta, McCloskey, and Gallardo headed to the Unilever headquarters in New Jersey, and presented their pitch: wintertime Ben & Jerry’s floats that paired cold-weather beverages with flavors of the popular brand.

The frosty treats could be sold at seasonal pop-up shops, such as the Winter Village at Bryant Park, and marketed through social media. They’d be Instagrammable, as well as sustainable — edible or wooden spoons would be included with purchases, and sold in glass mugs rather than plastic cups, in efforts to reduce waste.

A cost analysis for the floats was performed by McCloskey, a chemical engineering graduate student whose report accounted for furniture and rental fees for the pop-up shop they planned to set up, as well as funding for advertising, mugs and float toppings, hot drinks, employees, and of course, the ice cream.

Although the students did not walk away with its top prize, they did utilize a wide-ranging set of professional skills.

Gallardo, a communication major, created the team’s YouTube submission with video-editing techniques she learned in the classroom. She also practiced public speaking.

Back in Riverdale, Marchetta, McCloskey and Gallardo were able to showcase their collective talents at an event that recognized Manhattan’s six-year status as a Fair Trade Certified College. Wearing blue Unilever windbreakers, they scooped Ben & Jerry’s (which uses fair trade ingredients in its ice cream) for the campus community, to which they spread awareness on the importance of purchasing goods that are produced through positive labor practices.

Their presentation capabilities during the competition and on campus prove that business success might just be a dish best served cold. And with sprinkles.

Donning Unilever windbreakers, Dan McCloskey ’15, Jaclyn Marchetta ’18 and Melissa Gallardo ’19 help to staff a campus ice cream social in February that delivered both a sweet treat, and an important lesson on the social value of purchasing fair trade goods.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 15

ON C AMPUS

A Star-Studded Student Engagement Lecture Series

E

ACH YEAR, THE COLLEGE’S ANNUAL STUDENT ENGAGEMENT LECTURE SERIES welcomes to campus notable speakers that have shared their influential stories with students, faculty and administrators.

The events of the fall and spring semester, headlined by activist Ndaba Mandela, journalist Chris Hayes, NBA All-Star Vin Baker, and professional baseball player Gary Sanchez, served as no exception.

Mandela began the series in September with a talk that created a more personal image of his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, the celebrated philanthropist, politician and South African anti-apartheid revolutionary.

Continuing in his legacy, Ndaba Mandela is the founder of the Africa Rising Foundation, a nonprofit that strives to contribute to the development of the African continent.

Recently named one of Black Entertainment Television’s 28 Men of Change, Mandela offered current students a few words of inspiration. “You yourself are the master of your own destiny,” he said. “I want you to understand that nobody can stand in your way of achieving your dreams.”

In November, television journalist Chris Hayes visited campus to speak about the recent U.S. elections. The Emmy Award-winning host of MSNBC’s nightly show, All In with Chris Hayes, also spoke about his newest book, and The New York Times best-seller, A Colony in a Nation.

Hayes described his motivation for writing the book, which focuses on racial inequality in America. In that context, he shared a bit about his childhood, particularly his recollection of what life was like as a 13-year-old boy venturing into Manhattan for school. Back then, the crime rate in New York City was much higher, and he was often afraid of being robbed. These and other experiences led him to more deeply examine the history of policing and democracy in the U.S., since the 1960s.

In February, the College welcomed Vin Baker, retired NBA All-Star and current assistant basketball coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Baker, who struggled with alcoholism at the peak of his career, shared his battle with addiction.

Now seven years sober, Baker says his approach to overcoming this obstacle applies to other areas of life as well. “You have to believe in your goal,” he told students. “That’s the most important 16 N spring 2018

thing. Then you have to change your perspective and work on it, and not let the outside noise — drinking, partying, alcohol, friends, peer pressure — stop you from what you believe.”

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez concluded the series in February with the College’s first Spanish-speaking lecture.

Accompanied by a translator, Sanchez, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, talked about his life as a professional baseball player, and the importance of health and family.

For Sanchez, the birth of his daughter was a literal game-changer.

“I was in Double-A in 2014 when my daughter was born. I would see my friends who were in the big leagues and say ‘Why are they in the big leagues and I’m not?’ I sat down and looked in the mirror, and realized that I have to be able to give my daughter a good life.

I changed my work ethic, I changed my routine, and the next year, I made my debut in Major League Baseball,” he said.

(Top left) At the Student Engagement Lecture Series, Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, talks about what it was like to grow up with the late political leader. (Top right) The series also features the first lecture given in Spanish, as Gary Sanchez, catcher for the New York Yankees, hosts a Q-and-A session. (Bottom) Chris Hayes of MSNBC discusses the motivation for his latest book, A Colony in a Nation, and handed out free, signed copies.

LECTURE CIRCUIT

Radical Goodness: How Much Should We Give?

FAMED THE NEW YORKER STAFF WRITER and non-fiction author Larissa MacFarquhar, whose career has largely been shaped by the profiles she’s published on Barack Obama, Noam Chomsky, and other remarkable people in history, delivered a compelling discussion on radical goodness in April at the Aquinas Lecture.

During her talk, MacFarquhar discussed Strangers Drowning, her 2015 book that highlights do-gooders, a noun she refers to frequently in her lecture to ensure that students saw the distinction between the people it describes, and those who simply make a habit of doing good things.

People who do good things may donate to charity during the day, but then come home to their families at night, but in MacFarquhar’s eyes, do-gooders push selflessness to its farthest extent. This may categorize someone who pushes doing good beyond what others may deem reasonable.

Strangers Drowning was inspired by the question, Why don’t we do more than we

do?, through which MacFarquhar inquires why some people, herself included, do not contribute more to society. She believes that for many, it is for fear of sacrifice. Her book also asks, How much should we be doing?

These internal conflicts are sustained by individuals that MacFarquhar interviewed for Strangers Drowning. As one example, she met a man from India who felt so badly about his fear at seeing a man with leprosy that he wound up dedicating his life’s work to finding a cure for the disease. Even after a cure had been found, many people in India could not afford treatment, so they continued to die. The man then founded a leprosy colony, and moved there with his wife and two sons. He risked his family contracting the disease, and being eaten by panthers that lurked around at night, for the sustenance of the leprosy colony.

Situations like these raise several other questions — MacFarquhar came to find that many people do not agree with extreme morality if it puts loved ones at risk. She

iterated her finding that people find the more moral among us boring, while those who are evil are fascinating and complex. Of the people that MacFarquhar spoke to, about half described moral beings as mentally ill or “twisted.”

Through Strangers Drowning, MacFarquhar fights these judgments by highlighting the incredible work done by many do-gooders who go above and beyond, and challenges readers to reevaluate their perceptions of those who are inherently good. Following her lecture, she probed students to invite that same introspection.

This annual campus-wide event addresses a wide variety of liberal arts issues, including religious studies, politics and philosophy.

Sponsored by the School of Liberal Arts, the Aquinas Lecture is held in honor of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Catholic philosopher and theologian.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 17

ON C AMPUS

LECTURE CIRCUIT

Learning the Legacy of Dorothy Day

C

Photo: Milwaukee Journal in February 1968.

Dorothy Day, a candidate for sainthood, was the topic of a lecture this fall, when her granddaughter, Kate Hennessy, visited campus to discuss her famous grandmother and her new book, Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved By Beauty.

18 N spring 2018

ONTINUING THE LEGACY OF HER GRANDMOTHER, DOROTHY DAY, Kate Hennessy visited the College in November to discuss her book, Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty. Day, who was a recipient of the College’s Saint La Salle Medal in 1974, an early version of the De La Salle Dinner Medal, was a key figure in the Catholic Worker Movement, a collection of autonomous communities of Catholics and their associates founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in the United States in 1933.

As one of the four exemplary Americans highlighted by Pope Francis in his address to Congress, the revered social activist is currently under consideration for sainthood.

During her lifetime, Day spoke frequently about Lasallian traditions and values — the pillars of a Manhattan College education.

During the Peace Studies and Campus Ministry and Social Action sponsored event, Hennessy described her inspiration to write Day’s story, which she felt needed to be told from the perspective of someone who knew her intimately. Initially, her mother and Day’s only child, Tamar Day Hennessy, did not want to be the one to write her mother’s story, and said she did not wish for her daughter to do so either.

But 10 days after Tamar’s death in 2008, Hennessy began receiving checks from people who were inspired by Day. She saw this as a sign from her mother and grandmother to write

a book, and began in 2011. Hennessy recalled finding her love for writing at the age of 7, after seeing her grandmother working on a typewriter.

In her lecture, Hennessy addressed the criticisms surrounding the relationship between her mother and grandmother. Day has often been depicted as neglectful or indifferent toward Tamar, but these are misconceptions that have deeply hurt Tamar and Hennessy, who know Day’s kindhearted, loving nature. They believed she embodied one of her sayings, which was, “God understands us when we try to love.”

Although she has been often perceived as a quiet, serious woman, Hennessy described the real Dorothy Day — a quick-witted and funny woman. She spoke about Day spending her time at the shelters she opened for those in need.

Day constantly challenged others to find their vocation, and challenged them to begin the quest to find out who they are. Hennessy felt pressured to fill her grandmother’s shoes, thinking that her vocation was to follow the same path as Day. It wasn’t until an interview in which Day said, “You’ll know your vocation by the joy it brings you,” that Hennessy realized Day wanted others to create their own paths and do what makes them happy in life. Later in life, Hennessy came to see that her vocation was not to be a social activist, but to tell Day’s story.

In terms of finding one’s vocation, Hennessy emphasized the distinction between career and vocation.

“Think back to when you were young, before your teenage years. When you were six, seven, eight; there is something about that age that you knew what you were supposed to be,” she said.

LECTURE CIRCUIT

Papua New Guinea Through an Ethnographic Lens

A

S PART OF ITS VISITING SCHOLAR PROGRAM, Phi Beta Kappa welcomed Paige West, Ph.D., to campus in November for a talk that was based on her most recent novel, Dispossession and The Environment: Rhetoric and Inequality in Papua New Guinea.

West, the Claire Tow Professor of Anthropology at Barnard College and Columbia University, was the chosen speaker for this year’s annual Cardinal Newman Lecture.

In broad terms, West studies the relationship between societies and their environments. Having worked in Papua New Guinea since 1997, she gave the audience some background on the country, which is only slightly bigger in size than the state of California, and has one-sixth of the population. Papua New Guinea is also the most linguistically diverse nation in the world, and contains about 10 percent of the total species on the planet.

West spoke specifically about the racist logic of representation other countries have about Papua New Guinea and its culture.

This stigma surrounding Papua New Guinea directly contributes to its lack of advancement in recent years. According to West’s studies, the outside world perceives loss of culture as poverty, which shapes illogical views on the country. West’s argument of the misrepresentation of Papua New Guinea is driven by her ethnographic work.

Foreigners’ perceptions of the country became evident to West as she was conducting research on the island of Papua New Guinea.

After being prompted to speak about their views of the country, her subjects consistently spoke about its supposed lack of development.

For instance, the term “Stone Age” was used more than 700 times.

Foreigners also described life on the island as “more simple” than their lives at home, noting that its people were “not ready for the modern world.”

West spoke about how the media uses photography to help preserve culture before it’s washed away, claiming that many cultures are “dying.” They do this through the depiction of people from different cultures in their native clothing, which is only worn during traditional events. West emphasized that just because people, such as those living in Papua New Guinea, do not wear their native clothing in everyday life, it does not mean that they have lost their culture.

The passion that West has for Papua New Guinea goes much deeper than her research on the country. West is the co-founder and a board member of the Papua New Guinea Institute of Biological Research, a small nongovernmental organization dedicated to building academic opportunities for research in Papua New Guinea

by Papua New Guineans. She is also co-founder of the Roviana Solwara Skul, a school in Papua New Guinea dedicated to teaching at the nexus of indigenous knowledge and Western scientific knowledge.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 19

SPORTS

Jasper Green Shines in Northern Ireland at Historic Basketball Classic

T

HE JASPERS MADE COLLEGE BASKETBALL HISTORY in early December when they became the first men’s basketball team to win a game in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Their time spent overseas was much bigger than the game of basketball, however, as they made the most of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity abroad.

The two-day Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic welcomed Manhattan College, the College of the Holy Cross, Towson University and La Salle University to be a part of this historical weekend. The event was made possible by the Sport Changes Life Foundation, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).

The Jasper men’s basketball team arrived for the Belfast Classic Tournament three days prior to their first game, as head coach Steve Masiello wanted his team to soak in some of the local culture. As they walked off the plane, the team was greeted with a welcome sign at Dublin International Airport, expressing the countrywide excitement that the tournament brought. The student-athletes got another glimpse of what this tournament meant to the country of Northern Ireland as they drove from Dublin to Belfast, passing a billboard of senior guard Zavier Turner ’18.

“Coming from Indianapolis, and seeing my face on a billboard in a completely different country was surreal,” Turner says. “I could never have imagined this.”

Manhattan College was the only team in the tournament to be accompanied by all three spirit squads: cheerleading, dance and the pep band. Alumni, the players’ families and diehard Jasper fans made the 3,000-mile trek as well, along with other members of the community, including President Brennan O’Donnell, college chaplain Rev. Thomas Franks, MAAC Commissioner Richard Ensor, and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marianne Reilly. A mix of old and new faces led to a great bonding experience throughout the Manhattan College community who gathered in Northern Ireland, which alumnus and trustee Patrick Boyle ’75 thought was truly special.

“The trip was an excellent bonding experience for several facets of the extended Manhattan College community. It was a chance for alumni to interact with each other,” Boyle says. “More importantly, a chance for alums to interact with students. As an alum, I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know key members of the administration.”

Michael Regan ’63, an alumnus and trustee emeritus, also made the trip out to Belfast with his wife, and recognized the overwhelming support the Jaspers brought along with them.

“Manhattan clearly was the dominant school with the band, cheerleaders, and a large visiting contingent. I know we made an

20 N spring 2018

impact on the Belfast community,” Regan says.

Those who couldn’t make the trip had the chance to watch the games live, at viewing parties throughout the New York tri-state area.

For many of the players and coaching staff, their favorite part of the trip was the afternoon spent at Malone Primary School, where they had the opportunity to interact with young students. Masiello told a classroom full of overjoyed children to never give up on their dreams and to not let anything get in the way of their goals.

Throughout the afternoon, the student-athletes ran drills and played with the children, which created memories that will last a lifetime for all involved.

As it was most of the players’ first time out of the country, they tried to experience as much of the Irish culture as they could. At the Belfast Christmas Market, they tasted soda bread, black pudding and even kangaroo burgers. This annual fair at City Hall features chalets of different foods and drinks from all over the world, along with arts and crafts and Christmas gifts, which gave the student-athletes the opportunity to experience Northern Ireland’s favorite holiday the way the locals do.

Dave Hopla, better known as “The Shot Doctor,” was also in Belfast for the tournament. Hopla is known in the NBA for having the ability to shoot more than 98 percent consistently, and works with athletes looking to improve their shots. A few of Manhattan’s shooters had the opportunity to receive tips and feedback from Hopla before the games began.

It may have done the trick, as the Jaspers had a wire-to-wire victory against Holy Cross in the opening game of the tournament, and became the first team to win a game in Northern Ireland.

Jesse Boyce ’20 made his way onto the court for the first time in his career at Manhattan and became the first-ever NCAA Division I player to make his debut in Europe.

This victory meant a lot to everyone in the program, including Liam Curry ’18, who has served as the men’s basketball manager for the past four years.

“The win means a lot to me because it allowed the players and the team to be showcased overseas,” Curry says. “The program allows the players to represent the U.S. and bring their athleticism and drive to inspire and impress even more young basketball fans. Basketball is my favorite sport, so to watch it spread to new fans was really exciting.”

While the Jaspers dropped a heartbreaker to Towson in the championship game, Masiello saw the trip as an overall success for the team and the Manhattan College community as a whole.

“Being a part of the inaugural Belfast Classic was a part of history,” Masiello says. “We were honored to be one of the first teams to play and win the first game in Northern Ireland. Seeing the impact that our student-athletes had with the youth of Northern Ireland and vice versa was something very special. It was great to see the Manhattan community have such tremendous support in another country, and it was truly amazing to be a part of something of that magnitude.”

Calvin Crawford ’18 averaged 14.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 58.8 percent — earning a spot on the first Belfast Classic All-Tournament Team. Crawford also used this experience to help him to prepare to play professionally.

(Opposite page) Calvin Crawford ’18 earns a spot on the first Belfast Classic All-Tournament Team at the Basketball Hall of Fame event in Northern Ireland. (Clockwise) Patrick Strzala ’21 goes in for a shot against Towson in the championship game. Belfast’s Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister joins the Manhattan cheerleaders. The Jaspers also spend time at Malone Primary School, where they ran drills and played with the excited children.

“The Ireland trip was amazing,” Crawford says. “I was able to come back with All-Tournament team honors, and we even almost won the championship, only losing by one point unfortunately. But it gave me confidence and put me outside my comfort zone overall. Now that I am going overseas to pursue my professional career, most likely somewhere in Europe, I am a lot less worried because of this trip.”

Former women’s basketball player Maeve Parahus ’17 had a behind-the-scenes perspective on the Belfast Classic as a MAAC Victory Scholar. Sponsored by the Sport Changes Life Foundation, the Victory Scholar Program selects 25 student-athletes per year to help change the lives of young people, enable them to develop a global perspective, and build lifelong friendships with people and communities throughout Ireland. Parahus saw firsthand how this tournament had an impact on the people of Northern Ireland.

“This trip made the people of Ireland talk about Manhattan College and even become fans,” Parahus says. “We had a ton of Irish kids chanting for the Jaspers the whole tournament. Although we had a tough loss on a buzzer beater in the championship game, it seemed like the Manhattan College alumni, professors, fans, coaches and players had an amazing experience.”

Preparations for the 2018 Belfast Classic are already underway, with participating teams to be announced in the upcoming months.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 21

SPORTS

SPORTSSHORTS JASPERS PLAY IN INAUGURAL 3X3U NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Seniors Rich Williams and Zane Waterman participated in the inaugural Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship, March 30-April 1.

This groundbreaking event pitted 32 four-man teams consisting of players from every Division I college basketball conference against each other in a three day, 3-on-3 tournament.

Each roster was comprised of four eligible seniors from the same Division I college basketball conference. The Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship Player Selection Committee consists of college basketball experts from a wide range of media outlets including ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic, USA Today, NBC Sports, The Ringer, and more.

Williams and Waterman helped the MAAC Conference to defeat the Summit League before dropping decisions to the Northeast Conference and the SEC. CAJOU IS NAMED MAAC SIXTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR Sophomore Gabby Cajou was named the 2018 MAAC Sixth Player of the Year. She is the first women’s basketball player, and just the second Jasper ever to win the postseason honor.

Cajou averaged 8.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, while totaling 110 assists and 66 steals this season. She recorded five career highs, including a personal best of 18 points twice, a high of 11 assists against Niagara on Feb. 8, and a high of seven steals against Monmouth on Jan. 28. Her impact on games was immediately felt through her defensive pressure that often led to fast-break points on the other end of the floor. On Feb. 25 against Rider, she hit a lastsecond layup to tie the game and force overtime.

Cajou was a league leader in field goal percentage this season, ranking second at .476. She placed fourth in the league in assists per game (3.5) and in steals per game (2.1). Her assist/turnover ratio of 1.5 was good for fourth in the league, as well.

Dave Holmes ’04 is the only other Jasper to be named Sixth Player of the Year, when he received the honor in 2003.

FOSTER PLACES 10TH AT INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS Sophomore Brenton Foster placed 10th at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the high jump with a mark of 7 feet 1 inch (2.15 meters).

Foster, the only male field performer from the MAAC to compete in the national championships, qualified for the meet after setting a record with a leap of 7 feet 3 inches (2.24 meters) on Dec. 1, 2017. The Australian native took home the gold medal in the high jump at the 2018 MAAC Indoor Track and Field Championships and was named Most Outstanding Field Performer of the meet.

PENA IS ADDED TO JOHNNY BENCH WATCH LIST For the third straight year, junior Fabian Pena has been named to the official watch list for the 2018 Johnny Bench Award. Ninety-seven catchers were nominated for the award by their coaches. Pena was 22 N spring 2018

also tabbed as the MAAC’s top professional prospect by Baseball America and D1Baseball.com.

PAULICAP IS MAAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Sophomore Pauly Paulicap was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year at the league’s annual Major Award Winners Banquet. The men’s basketball forward led the league with 2.5 blocks per game (16th in NCAA), while ranking fourth in the circuit with 6.9 rebounds per game.

He rejected at least three shots 14 times, including at least five on five occasions and a career-high six twice.

His 78 total rejections are also the fourth-most in the Jaspers’ single-season records. Paulicap also averaged 10.0 points per game with five double-doubles. He is the second student-athlete in school history to win the MAAC’s highest defensive honor, joining three-time MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Rhamel Brown ’14.

GOHIER IS VOTED GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR Sophomore Marcellin Gohier was voted as the 2017 MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year by the MAAC’s men’s soccer head coaches, and also tabbed as the All-MAAC First Team netminder.

Gohier was stellar in his first season, and collected eight wins in 2017 and went 6-3-1 in conference play. During the regular season, he led the MAAC with a .862 save percentage and a 0.59 goals-against average. At one point, he held the second-best save percentage in all of Division I soccer. His six individual shutouts this season are tied for the third-most ever in a single season. He is the first Jasper to be named to the First Team since Abraham Bartoah ’17 in 2015.

MODENA EARNS MAAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Senior soccer forward Erica Modena was named the 2017 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year while earning All-Conference honors for the fourth time in her career. Her historic selection highlighted a night in which six Jaspers were recognized by the MAAC. Modena finished the year with 11 goals and 29 points, and became the first Offensive Player of the Year in school history in leading Manhattan to the MAAC Championship game for the second time in three years. The fifth-year senior ranks second in school history with 34 career goals and 82 career points to go along with nine gamewinning scores, five multi-goal matches, and two hat tricks.

STUDENT-ATHLETES PARTICIPATE IN CANDID CONVERSATIONS The Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) recently brought its Candid Conversations series to Manhattan College, and featured United States Soccer Olympian Angela Hucles and New York Mets Vice President of Human Resources Holly Lindvall as the keynote speakers. Candid Conversations matches WSF leadership with college athletic departments across the country to educate female student-athletes, and empower them to be successful careeroriented women post-graduation.

Hucles played soccer at the University of Virginia before embarking on a successful professional career. She was an invaluable member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, winning two Olympic gold medals. Lindvall serves as the vice president of human resources for the New York Mets and recognizes that work ethic, competition and leadership are defining characteristics of student-athletes.

The event also featured a panel discussion with studentathletes from Manhattan and other local colleges. They were taught that, while their athletic skills are important, succeeding in the real world also takes relationship-building skills. Joining the right networks, as well as building plans and sticking to the process, are key elements to establishing a winning culture in both life and athletics.

MEN’S SOCCER CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY The men’s soccer team celebrated the 50th anniversary of the program in September with festivities that demonstrated the program’s rich history.

Members of the inaugural varsity team, such as Dennis Clancey ’68 and Peter Tanaka ’68, and recent graduates Tommy Amos ’15 and Josh Binfield ’16, returned to Riverdale to celebrate with their former teammates and coaches, as well as with Jaspers spanning several generations.

Following the conclusion of the alumni game, the spotlight returned to the 2017 Jaspers. Head coach Jorden Scott and company hosted Marist in the MAAC home opener and rolled to a 5-0 shutout for their second straight win in conference play.

Members of the Athletic Hall of Fame, including Tom Lindgren ’78, Bo Kucyna ’81, Luis Custodio ’82 and Robert Schimpf ’72, were among the more than 150 guests that attended the celebratory banquet afterward. The event included video interviews with current captains Jose Meza ’18 and Joe Hulme ’18, and testimonials from three members of the original team regarding the memories they shared and the growth of the program today. Nonie Wanger, assistant professor of modern languages and literatures and wife of Manhattan soccer’s first head coach, Manfred Wanger, also spoke about his legacy and the evolution of the program in the past 50 years. The four Hall of Famers reflected on their journeys in a Q&A panel, too.

BREAKFAST FOR THE STARS HONORS ACADEMICS More than 240 Manhattan College student-athletes were honored in February at the Athletics department’s second annual Breakfast for the Stars. The event honors the top academic performer of each of Manhattan’s 19 teams, as well as all student-athletes earning a cumulative 3.2 or better GPA. In the fall of 2017, the teams averaged a 3.26 GPA or better, with 18 teams earning an average GPA of at least 3.0.

Individually, more than 240 student-athletes earned a 3.26 or better, while 211 of them made the Dean’s List with GPAs of 3.4 or higher. Twenty-six students, nearly 10 percent of those being honored, achieved perfect 4.0 GPAs for the semester.

FUNFACTS

50

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the men’s soccer program

11

2

Times in three years that the women’s soccer team advanced to the MAAC Championship

Goals for MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Erica Modena ’18, of women’s soccer

6

Women’s soccer student-athletes that earned All-MAAC recognition

1986

The last time the women’s cross country team won the Met Championship before this season

229

Career blocks for Kayla Grimme ’18 (school record)

10

4

1

The Jaspers became the first Division I men’s basketball team to win a regular-season game in Europe

Brenton Foster ’20 placed 10th at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championship in the high jump

3

Lisa Fajardo ’19 took third place at the MAAC Women’s Cross Country Championship

Jasper basketball players that cracked the 1,000-point barrier for their careers: Kayla Grimme ’18, Amani Tatum ’17, Zane Waterman ’18, Rich Williams ’18 MANHATTAN.EDU N 23

SPORTS

Cross Country THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY teams notched a season of many successes, with the men’s team slated 14th in the USTFCCCA Division I Northeast Region poll, its highest preseason ranking in program history.

In September, both teams won the Fordham Fiasco, which included first-place finishes for senior John Dove and junior Lisa Fajardo, who were named MAAC Runners of the Week. A month later, the women’s team won its first Metropolitan Championship since 1986, while the men took second place.

At the end of October, the teams competed in the MAAC Championships, with the men placing second behind perennial powerhouse Iona. Fajardo also placed third individually in the conference championships, and helped the women’s team to a fourth-place finish.

At the 2017 ECAC/IC4A Cross Country Championships at Van Cortlandt Park in November, Fajardo posted a time of 17:58.9, and set a Manhattan College record for the 5,000-meter course. The record-breaking time placed her third out of 209 runners, and helped the women’s cross country team to an 11th-place finish out of 25 teams for the final race of the season.

Fajardo was the first woman in Manhattan history to break 18 minutes for the course.

Lisa Fajardo ’19

Men’s Soccer MEN’S SOCCER MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES on and off the pitch in 2017, enjoying one of its best seasons in recent memory while celebrating the program’s history and longevity. The Jaspers celebrated the team’s 50th anniversary in September (see news on page 23.)

On the field, the Jaspers collected nine wins, the second-most in program history, and posted a 6-3-1 record against MAAC foes in the regular season. Manhattan captured the fourth seed in the MAAC Tournament, the first time in three seasons that the Jaspers have reached the playoffs, and hosted its first-ever postseason contest at Gaelic Park.

Head coach Jorden Scott found success in a defense that set a new record in fewest goals allowed with 16, and tied the 1988 season benchmark with eight shutouts. Leading the way was sophomore goalkeeper Marcellin Gohier, who was named the 2017 MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year, a first for a Manhattan netminder. Gohier was tops in the MAAC with a 0.64 goals-against average and an .848 save percentage.

In addition to Gohier nabbing All-MAAC First Team honors, senior Luke Greaves and junior Lucas Da Silva were selected to the AllMAAC Second Team. Six Jaspers were MAAC All-Academic recipients, including senior captain Joe Hulme, who was placed on the CoSIDA Academic All-District 1 First Team.

24 N spring 2018

Volleyball THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM HAD AN EXCITING FALL SEASON, and welcomed first-year head coach Lora Sarich. It was also the debut of the College’s new volleyballbranded playing surface.

The Jaspers were bolstered by an influx of new talent, as four freshmen saw significant action. Junior Alyssa Rehrer finished up strong, en route to cracking the 1,000dig plateau.

In the classroom, the Jaspers led the MAAC with nine selections to the AllAcademic Team. Manhattan will return 12 letter-winners next season.

Women’s Soccer

Victoria Reis ’19

THE WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM TURNED IN ANOTHER OUTSTANDING CAMPAIGN in 2017, advancing to the MAAC Championship match for the second time in three seasons.

Leading the way for head coach Brendan Lawler’s Jaspers was senior Erica Modena, who became the first MAAC Offensive Player of the Year in school history, finishing with 11 goals, seven assists and 29 points.

The Jaspers notched double figures in wins with 10 and finished second in the conference with 18 points.

Manhattan, which went 6-2-2 during league play, began its MAAC Tournament run with a rousing 6-0 victory over local rival Iona, thanks to a pair of goals from Modena.

The Jaspers then bested Quinnipiac 3-2, fueled by two scores from sophomore Arianna Montefusco and a riveting, seven-save performance from junior Kelly DiGregorio.

Despite falling short in the championship to perennial MAAC power Monmouth, Manhattan showed the rest of the league it is a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future. For their efforts, Modena, Montefusco and DiGregorio were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Despite losing Modena, Manhattan welcomes back a strong contingent of student-athletes, led by the All-MAAC Second Team trio of Montefusco, junior Emma Saul, and freshman Sydney Harwood.

Additionally, Harwood earned MAAC All-Rookie Team honors along with freshmen Bri DeLeo and Gemma Perez.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 25

SPORTS

Swimming and Diving

Andre van Huyssteen ’21

IN A NEW ERA FOR THE PROGRAM, the swimming and diving teams saw incremental growth throughout the year under new head coach Molly Belk.

Belk notched her first career win as a Jasper when the men’s squad dispatched St. Francis College in Brooklyn, 182-120 on Oct. 7.

Senior Tyler McCloskey helped Manhattan to win the gold in four events, including the 200 individual medley and 100 fly.

On the women’s side, Belk collected win No. 1 on Oct. 21, when the Jaspers notched a season-best 177 points over MAAC rival Saint Peter’s. Freshman Kaitlyn Moreschi led the way in the 200 breaststroke, while sophomore Kali Nembach and senior Alexandra

Hutzler medaled in four different events.

The program continued to flourish into the ECAC Championships.

First-year diving coach Micah Rembrandt was chosen as the Male Diving Coach of the Meet while the senior duo of Hutzler and Audrey Corcoran shined. Hutzler led Manhattan with 26 points, with Corcoran breaking the 400 individual medley record.

During the holiday break, the Jaspers participated in an exhilarating training trip out in Malibu, Calif.

Freshman Andre van Huyssteen arrived during the winter break and registered seven school records at the 2018 MAAC Championships. The South Africa native set new standards in the 100 and 200 free, as well as the 200 individual medley. He, along with sophomore Tyler Dalton, junior Evan Battisti and senior Brandon Shields, broke the record in the 800 free relay. Dalton set the benchmark in the 400 individual medley, while Battisti now holds the record in the 500 and 1,650 free.

The women’s season also culminated in multiple impressive performances at the 2018 MAAC Championships. The Jaspers broke records in eight different events during the four-day meet. Hutzler had a hand in seven different records, while Nembach etched her name in five. Four relay events, the 400 and 800 free, as well as the 200 and 400 medleys, were given new standards.

Hutzler finished out her career as one of Manhattan’s most decorated swimmers. The Miller Place, N.Y., native became part of 12 Jasper records at the end of the 2017-2018 season.

Indoor Track and Field TRACK AND FIELD COMPLETED A RECORDSETTING INDOOR SEASON, starting with sophomore Brenton Foster’s school-best 2.24-meter high jump set on Dec. 1. Foster won the event at the 2018 MAAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, earning Most Outstanding Field Performer honors from the league, before competing in the NCAA highjump finals and placing in the nation’s top 10.

Distance runner Lisa Fajardo set a few records of her own this season, earning a place as Manhattan’s fastest runner in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races. A junior, Fajardo won the 3K at the MAAC Championships, as well. She was also a part of the distance medley relay team, which included juniors

Erin Spadaccini and Mikeisha Kelly, and senior Kelly Gorman, that set a school record in the event in January.

Senior sprinter Paige Chapman stunned the crowd at the 2018 MAAC Indoor Championships when she set a championship record in the 60-meter dash with a 7.48 preliminary run. She later earned a MAAC silver in the finals.

Freshmen Eduard Winner and Lasma Padedze were each named Field Rookies of the Meet at the 2018 MAAC Championships.

Winner won a gold medal in the pole vault and bronze in the 60-meter hurdles, while Padedze won bronze in the shot put.

Will Stallings ’18

26 N spring 2018

Men’s Basketball IN A SEASON OF MANY MILESTONES, the men’s basketball team’s victory over Holy Cross in the first game of the inaugural Belfast Classic may go down as one of the most exciting in Manhattan’s history.

This win gave the College the distinction of becoming the first Division I men’s basketball team to win a regular-season game in Europe (see feature on page 20).

Manhattan also made a trip to the Sunshine State to partake in the Gulf Coast Showcase, and squared off with Iona at the renovated Nassau Coliseum at NYCB Live.

Sophomore Pauly Paulicap made an immediate impact in not only the league but also the nation in becoming just the second player in program history to win MAAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

The Elmont, N.Y., native, who had been homeless earlier in his life, ranked among the top 20 in the nation with 2.5 blocks per game.

Senior Rich Williams earned Second Team All-MAAC honors while classmate Zane Waterman became the 14th player in school history to earn multiple All-MAAC honors in repeating on the Third Team. Additionally, each player joined the program’s 1,000-point club, while fellow senior Zavier Turner eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau for his career last season. Junior Thomas Capuano ended the season as the MAAC’s leading three-point shooter, checking in with a 50.8 percent conversion rate.

Pauly Paulicap ’20

Manhattan also defeated Ivy League champion Harvard to go along with impressive victories over Niagara and Hofstra. What’s more, the Jaspers earned national recognition from ESPN for their impressive come-from-behind win at Marist before rallying for a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Quinnipiac.

Women’s Basketball

Amani Tatum ’17

IN THE SECOND SEASON UNDER HEAD COACH HEATHER VULIN, the women’s basketball team produced a .500 conference record, increasing the Jaspers’ win total by five games over last season.

Manhattan used the nonconference portion of the season to test the waters against power conference schools, such as Cal, Penn State, and Virginia, traveling to Berkeley, Calif., University Park, Pa., and Charlottesville, Va., before opening MAAC play.

The Jaspers proved a hard-nosed foe in the league with graduate student Amani Tatum leading the conference in steals (2.7) and assists (4.4) per game. Senior Kayla Grimme finished in the top 10 for scoring per game (14.8) and third in rebounding (8.5), including leading the league in offensive rebounds (3.5) per game.

Grimme earned All-MAAC Second Team honors from the conference at the end of the season. She finishes her Manhattan career as the all-time blocks leader, in addition to being third on the all-time rebounding list and fifth all-time in scoring.

Tatum earned her 1,000th point as a Jasper in Manhattan’s MAAC tournament game against Marist on March 2. She ranks third on the Jaspers’ all-time steals list, and is seventh in career assists. At the end of the season, Tatum was named to the All-MAAC Third Team.

Sophomore Gabby Cajou, who placed in the top five in the MAAC in field goal percentage, assists, steals, and assist/turnover ratio, was named the league’s Sixth Player of the Year. While freshman center Courtney Warley, who finished the season ranked in the top 10 in the MAAC in blocks per game, was named to the league’s All-Rookie Team.

The Jaspers defeated Iona 55-39 in the 2018 MAAC Championships at the Times Union Center in Albany, and advanced to quarterfinals of the tournament, before falling to Marist.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 27

Designed Modernized learning spaces in the Experiential Learning Center inspire business students to collaborate and communicate

28 N spring 2018

Photos by Josh Cuppek

to Connect  BY CHRISTINE LOUGHRAN

MANHATTAN.EDU N 29

“The best asset we have at Manhattan College is the students.”

Peter Musumeci Jr. ’72

 WHAT IS PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE?

A

lthough certain principles and theories that are essential to business strategy can be accurately described in a textbook, there is often no replacement for perspective gained through thoughtful teacher-student communication, and collaboration between peers.

Described in another way, working together typically yields the best results.

This is acutely illustrated in the Experiential Learning Center, a new addition to the recently named O’Malley School of Business at Manhattan College that was made possible by dedicated alumnus Peter Musumeci Jr. ’72. Since its unveiling in August, renovations to the second and main floor of De La Salle Hall have made an impact.

New computer towers and state-of-the-art monitors, plus additional square footage and other aesthetic additions to 30 N spring 2018

the finance laboratory (DLS 2.10) have made it the ideal workspace for aspiring brokers to learn to eventually buy and sell at the New York Stock Exchange, and in other fast-paced trading rooms across the world. The classroom also has been expanded to include 34 workstations.

Meanwhile, undergraduate and MBA students taking classes in DLS 2.09 have utilized new collaborative spaces to build interpersonal skills they’ll apply to leadership positions in the future.

They’re also scrawling new ideas on floor-to-ceiling whiteboards that they have the option to present on any of the classroom’s six flat screen monitors, which are equipped with cameras ideal for video conferencing.

Down the hall, the Strategy, Innovation and Leadership Center (SILC) in DLS 2.06 was upgraded in the summer of 2016, and has since served as the location of Fair Trade Fuel, a student-run pop-up shop selling sustainable products to the campus community throughout the academic year, and offers burgeoning entrepreneurs a chance to manage their own business. The room also provides rehearsal space for participants of the College Fed Challenge, an annual competition held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The modifications in De La Salle Hall, as well as several others on the second floor of the building, have created an identity for the Experiential Learning Center that gives students the opportunity to grow by doing, and use advanced technologies that are on par with those in today’s leading industries.

This is the reality that Musumeci, a former management major at the College whose accomplished career includes 40 years in the banking industry, envisioned when he generously contributed to the redesign. Looking back at his Jasper

years, he credits the College and School of Business in particular for helping him to build relationships with classmates, and discover how to creatively apply the management principles he learned in class.

Musumeci, a member of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees, has served in leadership positions throughout his career, including executive vice president and chief credit officer with Commerce Bank in

(Opposite top and top of this page) Students working in the newly expanded finance laboratory (DLS 2.10), which now has 34 workstations, have ready access to the latest market news and stock prices. (Opposite bottom) Trustees Peter Musumeci Jr. ’72 and Kenneth Rathgeber ’70 reveal the plaque honoring Musumeci's gift to the new Experiential Learning Center at a special dedication this past fall. (This page, bottom) DLS 2.09 combines what was previously two classrooms (DLS 2.09 and 2.13) to accommodate a total of 40 students, who each have the benefit of learning in a group setting. The space is divided into four large workstations, which have their own 55-inch TV monitors equipped with cameras and integrated microphones. Meanwhile, a new collaborative area at the back of the room provides the ideal environment for peer dialogue.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 31

Cherry Hill, N.J. He currently serves as a consultant for Metro Bank PLC in London, England. It’s his goal to give current students the resources necessary to notch their own accomplishments.

“The best asset we have at Manhattan College is the students, and at the end of the day, we need to do whatever we can do to create the best environment we can to help them succeed,” Musumeci says.

 TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM AMIRA ANNABI, PH.D., assistant professor of economics and finance, gestures to a live stream of market data that’s currently being broadcast from a new laser enhanced projector in the front area of the finance laboratory, and onto three 55-inch monitors placed around the room. She’s teaching Options and Futures Markets (FIN 416), and today’s lesson describes how to calculate the stock option price for Apple, Inc., on that exact day and time.

To determine stock option pricing, which refers to the amount per share at which an option is traded, Annabi toggles between a large computer monitor at the front of the room that mirrors what students are viewing on the 11 Bloomberg terminals at their desks, and the data that’s displayed behind her.

“Can you guess why the risk-free rate is important to our calculations?” she asks the class, before launching into an explanation that describes how to determine the fair price for a particular stock option. This information is essential for students who will one day be buying and selling at top companies, and stock exchanges around the globe.

Finance students can view live market data from Bloomberg terminals at each workstation in the finance laboratory (DLS 2.10), which allows Amira Annabi, Ph.D., economics and finance professor, to calculate the strategy for trading stocks that are currently being bought and sold on Wall Street.

32 N spring fall 2015 2018

“This helps them to prepare for job interviews, and will help them to speak about principles and strategies they’ve learned in class.”

Amira Annabi, Ph.D.

“We’re helping [the students] prepare for the real world,” Annabi adds. “This helps them to prepare for job interviews, and will help them to speak about principles and strategies they’ve learned in class.”

Although the finance laboratory is a state-of-the-art facility for academic lectures, it’s also used to educate anyone wanting

to sharpen his or her stock market skills. Several times during each semester, the Economics and Finance Society hosts training sessions that familiarize business students with advanced functionalities of the Bloomberg terminals, which are widely used in the business world.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 33

“Since I’m going into the accounting field, a lot of what I’m going to be doing in the future relates to client interaction. This course has helped me to develop better presentation and interpersonal skills.”

Patrick Palmaccio ’18

 AN INTERPERSONAL APPROACH LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR (MBAC 622) is an advanced business course that is already experiential in nature. Through an examination of leadership theories and investigation of real-world implementation, the purpose of the course is to direct students toward an understanding of leadership and its impact on the organizational behavior of individuals. The additions to DLS 2.09 have helped to carry out this course mission even further.

This spring, Jolie Terrazas, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of management and marketing, brought different leadership styles to life through various exercises that helped fine-tune the interpersonal skills of her graduate students. This was aptly exhibited during one evening lecture that included a roleplaying activity (and, incidentally, varied use of the classroom’s additions). After Terrazas broadcast a recent news clip showcasing effective leadership on the room’s five 55-inch TV monitors and one 72-inch monitor, the class was split into two groups: half were company CEOs,

34 N spring 2018

and the others, finance managers. The CEOs were assigned a task: they needed to convince the finance managers to assume a role in another sector of the organization for which they worked. After pairing up, the two began having honest conversations that implemented the effective leadership skills they’d learned during the semester. Some remained at their desks, which are equipped with wheels that allow for easy mobility throughout the space, as others took advantage of the angular couches placed at the back of the room. They were able to relax and get personal, which made the interactions look and feel more realistic.

“Since I’m going into the accounting field, a lot of what I’m going to be doing in the future relates to client interaction.

This course has helped me to develop

better presentation and interpersonal skills,” Patrick Palmaccio ’18 says.

Other business courses are utilizing DLS 2.09, as well. Information Technology Assurance and Audit (ACCT 609), a degree requirement for fifth-year accounting students, is also held in that classroom. According to Aileen Farrelly ’95, CPA, assistant dean and visiting instructor of accounting, CIS and law, teaching the course in this classroom has made student presentations smoother and more frequent, now that she’s able to section off the class into several subgroups.

“You can have four presentations going on at the same time,” she marvels. “It also has been great for group work.”

Jimena González, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics and finance,

has found great benefit in 2.09 for the team-based learning she facilitates in Microeconomics (ECON 203) and Macroeconomics (ECON 204). In each of these courses, students are divided up into teams, to work through application problems during class. Using the TV monitors, they’re able to connect laptops to display class notes, and details of the problems on which they are working to solve at that particular moment.

The design elements in DLS 2.09 were inspired by the New York City office of Morgan Stanley, where Executive Vice President and Provost William Clyde, Ph.D., and several faculty, including Annabi and Salwa Ammar, Ph.D., former dean of the O’Malley School of Business and current professor of accounting, CIS and law, visited prior to the renovations in De La Salle Hall. During the process of scouting locations that would inspire the building’s new aesthetic, the group was also joined by trustee Moira Kilcoyne ’83, retired managing director and chief information officer of Morgan Stanley.

 A COCURRICULAR COLLABORATION STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE COLLEGE FED CHALLENGE, which takes place at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and includes 43 colleges and universities in the tri-state area, spent months in the SILC room (DLS 2.06) preparing their presentations for the competition. The designated area allowed them to study forecasts for monetary policy and track current economic conditions, which they incorporated into their recommendation to the Fed on which policies to move forward.

Their time in the SILC room, which, prior to its renovation in 2016, functioned as the Center for Academic Success, paid off — for the third time in four years, the Fed Challenge team reached the semifinals, which made them one of the last nine teams remaining in the competition. The SILC room now functions as the team’s dedicated space.

When this group of business students wasn’t in the SILC room for study sessions, others were using the space

MANHATTAN.EDU N 35

Entrepreneurial skills are taught from behind the register at Fair Trade Fuel, a student-run store in the Strategy, Innovation and Leadership Center (DLS 2.06) that is inspired by Manhattan’s mission and status as a Fair Trade College. This national recognition underlines the College’s commitment to social justice, by supplying items on campus that are sustainably sourced.

to help manage Fair Trade Fuel, a student-run store that originally began in the spring of 2016 as a way to experiment with buying, selling and entrepreneurship. Since its official launch that following December, the shop has become a resource for the College community to purchase sustainable goods. At Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day, the store sells fair trade candy and chocolate, and other sustainably sourced products. Under Farrelly’s direction, students are responsible for purchasing and logging inventory for the event-based sales, calculating the cost of goods sold, and finally, gross profit. They also keep track of volunteers and log number of hours open, as well as staff the store, and assist with customers.

During the fall semester, Gianna Tinto ’18, an accounting major who is currently pursuing her MBA, served as the accounting team leader for Fair Trade Fuel. Through her responsibilities, which included the preparation of financial statements that followed each sale, she began to understand how to make the best decisions in regard to purchasing.

“This instilled in me the valuable lesson of anticipating the implications of every business-centered action on your respective end goal. Through Fair Trade Fuel, I’ve learned lessons that I have already taken into my internship experiences to ensure I am working efficiently,” says Tinto, who spent the summer of 2017 interning at StoneTurn Group, a forensic accounting and corporate compliance firm, and worked during the spring semester as a winter tax intern for the accounting firm Citrin Cooperman.

Her role and the responsibilities of her colleagues at Fair Trade Fuel have proven successful. Through conservative buying and assessing the wants of its consumer base, which largely includes students, Fair Trade Fuel has consistently been able to turn a profit since its launch.

Throughout the 2017-18 academic year, what they earned at Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day sales was greater than what they paid in supplies. With these strong numbers, Farrelly hopes to install a student board of directors, which will handle the needs of the business, in regard to accounting, marketing and advertising, inventory maintenance, scheduling and more.

 A THINK TANK FOR INDUSTRY READINESS THE COLLEGE’S NEWLY UNVEILED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER is one of the most recent in a series of exciting new updates to the O’Malley

36 N spring 2018

School of Business. This spring, it was announced that the school would be named to reflect the generous support of Thomas D. O’Malley ’63, former chairman of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees, whose gift of $25 million — the largest in Manhattan College history — would provide student scholarships and grants, support innovative teaching and research, and enhance and diversify learning opportunities for business students.

“The Experiential Learning Center has been fully utilized this academic year. The College Fed team students enjoy the space and quiet while rehearsing and discussing their research findings on macroeconomic trends. Accounting students in the Beta Alpha Psi honor society hold regular tutoring sessions there for students who need assistance in their courses. MBA students and their professor also met a client in the conference area and helped her to develop a business plan for her firm, Seeds of Design, which creates watercolor botanicals for application in wall art, furnishings, clothing, chinaware and stationery,” says Janet Rovenpor, Ph.D., who served as interim dean for the O’Malley School of Business during the 2017-18 academic year.

“We are proud of the new look of our building and have plans to continue making improvements. These enhancements clearly benefit our undergraduate students and graduate students by providing them with up-to-date educational technologies and additional places where they can meet and work in teams,” she adds.

COMPLETED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2017, the De La Salle Hall second floor renovation project encompassed a wide range of changes that began in the building’s main corridor, where a new 94-inch video wall and LED ticker broadcasting market information from sources such as Bloomberg and MSNBC were installed. All existing doors were removed and replaced with new metal ones that include vision panels, as well.

In the finance laboratory (DLS 2.10), three 55-inch monitors are now available to display programs and presentations, as more than 60 vertically mounted computer monitors and computer towers are available for student use.

Existing whiteboards were replaced with high glass back painted whiteboards. A new laser enhanced projector was added to the front area, and the existing podium was replaced with a wallmounted workstation that includes two computer monitors, an interactive tablet, keyboard, mouse and tower. A ceiling mounted wireless hotspot was also added to the room, and the square footage was increased to seat more students.

To accommodate this increased population, the finance lab now includes 34 workstations, and an elevated platform at the front of the room to enhance teacher-student interaction.

DLS 2.09 received a varying array of modifications, as well. This room combined two classrooms (formally DLS 2.09 and 2.13), and features movable seating and tables. Five 55-inch monitors stationed at each student grouping are equipped to include cameras and integrated microphones. A 72-inch monitor was added to the space, too. The existing podium was removed and replaced with a mobile podium, which accommodates laptops and wireless keyboards.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 00

A NEW BUILDING,

A New Vision

by Kristen Cuppek 38 N spring 2018

THE COLLEGE BREAKS GROUND O N T H E N E W PAT R I C I A A N D C O R N E L I U S J . H I G G I N S ’ 6 2 ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE CENTER MANHATTAN.EDU N 39

W

ith hard hats on and shovels in hand, various members of the Manhattan College community gathered together on April 26 to break ground on what will be the crown jewel of the south campus: the new Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering and Science Center.

After a welcome from Thomas Mauriello, vice president for advancement and master of ceremonies for the event, Brother Jack Curran, FSC, vice president for mission, began the program with a lot of gratefulness, sincerity and inspiration, but also with a little humor.

“To find God, some people go to synagogues, some to mosques, and some to churches. To find God, some people go to beautiful parks, majestic mountains, or ocean shores,” he began. “But we Jaspers — and friends of the Jaspers — today we gather here in this parking lot … on this holy ground … in the Holy Presence of God.” 40 N spring 2018

In addition to thanking Cornelius and Patricia Higgins for their great generosity in providing the inspirational lead gift for this exciting project, President Brennan O’Donnell talked about the next chapter in the College’s history, while referencing its past.

“Today, we set in motion construction that will create a stateof-the-art building housing laboratories and collaborative space,” O’Donnell said. “The building will be both a tremendous addition to our facilities and also the first step in a comprehensive program of renovation and upgrading of all of our science and engineering facilities. The vision, in addition to providing the teaching and research facilities we need to continue Manhattan’s distinctive tradition of excellence for the next generation and beyond, is to transform these two and a half blocks into a true south campus.”

Cornelius Higgins, noting that the successes of the College’s alumni have not been dependent on its facilities — considering the impressive accomplishments of his classmates, as well as the many other classes that produced industry leaders and educators — talked about the exceptional education the College provides to its students. But, nevertheless, he explained, the physical environment has to meet the needs of today’s students and faculty.

“The facilities must keep pace with current state-of-the-art teaching and research standards,” Higgins said. “The building that Patricia and I will support is the next step in the modernization of all of our engineering and science facilities. This new space will also facilitate the incremental modernization, both functionally and aesthetically, of Leo Hall. The new center will be an important element in forging an integrated south campus.”

Higgins continued with his thankfulness for a wonderful life (detailed on the following pages), terrific children and grandchildren, and of course, his Manhattan College education.

“God has blessed us with great opportunities and satisfying and fruitful careers,” he said. “We felt that it was time to give back. When I reflect on my life, it is clear to me that Manhattan College is an essential element in whatever success I have had. Manhattan College provided the moral and academic bases for all the activities of my life. Patricia and I want Manhattan to continue to provide the invaluable opportunity that I had to future generations.”

Then with a blessing by the College’s chaplain, the Rev. Thomas Franks, OFM Cap., and Lois Harr, director of campus ministry and social action, the ceremony adjourned, and a new era of engineering excellence at Manhattan College was officially launched.

(Opposite page) Cornelius Higgins ’62, President Brennan O’Donnell, Patricia Higgins, and Kenneth Rathgeber ’70, chair of the board of trustees, make the first dig at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering and Science Center in April. (Clockwise) Higgins talks about why this new campus addition is so important to the future of the College, and why he and Patricia felt compelled to make their generous gift. The Rev. Thomas Franks, college chaplain, joins Lois Harr, director of campus ministry and social action, in blessing the ground. A crowd of nearly 300 people gather in what used to be the parking lot for Leo Hall, which will now serve as the space for the new center.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 41

THE HIGGINS CENTER Slated for completion in fall 2020, the 30,000-square-foot Higgins Center will provide state-of-the-art resources for a 21st-century education in engineering and the sciences. A grand atrium will welcome students and faculty to the three-story structure. Fourteen ultramodern laboratories will support and expand teaching and research in biology, microbiology, chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering. In addition, there will be space for collaborative learning and interdisciplinary partnerships between students and faculty.

Connected to Leo Hall, the new center will allow for the recasting of Leo as an attractive, modern classroom and laboratory learning center. The Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering and Science Center will be an architecturally distinct building, with its own entrance and

42 32 N spring fall 2015 2018

vertical circulation, but will also form an internal continuation of Leo Hall. The more modern appearance will harmonize and integrate Leo Hall more fully with the new south quad and the campus as a whole.

Design goals for the new façade honor elements of the north campus and the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons, and evoke a unified campus while introducing a distinct south campus identity. A green courtyard between the new building and the existing south side of Leo Hall will further link Leo to the Research and Learning Center (RLC) by providing an attractive walkway that encourages gathering and socializing. In addition, renovations to the RLC will provide faculty with the space and resources to design and incorporate innovative programs into the curriculum. Together, these buildings also will anchor Manhattan College’s new south campus.

THE C A MPUS M A STER PL AN The groundbreaking was one of the first steps in creating a true south campus, one of the goals of the Campus Master Plan, an ambitious yet financially sustainable approach to the major investments the College will implement in its facilities and physical environment throughout the next decade. The other two main goals are to preserve and contemporize the north campus, and to strengthen connections between the two campuses.

Today’s engineering and science education demands interaction and collaboration. To maintain the stellar quality and reputation of Manhattan’s engineering and science programs, the College is committed to an ambitious reimagining of its students’ learning experiences. Manhattan also strives to meet the needs of its increasing engineering enrollment with academic and supporting facilities worthy of its reputation and mission.

But the College’s solid foundations are straining under the complex demands of today’s higher education landscape.

Also, the engineering and science facilities — classrooms, labs (computer and wet), and faculty offices — currently are housed in three buildings: Hayden Hall, Leo Hall, and RLC. Consolidating some aspects of these functions into a new and refurbished facility will reduce fragmentation, connect corresponding disciplines, and have the added bonus of increasing square footage by 30,000.

WHAT ’ S NE X T ?

(Opposite page) A rendering of the southeast view of the 30,000-square-foot Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering and Science Center, which will be built to the side of Leo Hall, and will feature a grand atrium with its own entrance. (Top) One of the hallways that connects Leo Hall to the Higgins Center will not only provide an internal continuation between the two buildings but also a more inviting space for students to gather. (Bottom) The new center will be home to 14 ultramodern laboratories, which will support engineering and science, including this one, illustrating a future biology lab.

A significant investment will be made to improve Leo Hall as an educational building, with a strong focus on improving the dedicated teaching facilities for engineering and science. The RLC will be renovated to reduce current fragmentation of departments within engineering and science. A new outdoor recreation space will bring a quad to the south campus, and a proposed new residence currently is in the works.

Renovations of the historic north campus already have been underway. The second floor of De La Salle, now called the Experiential Learning Center, saw major improvements and the incorporation of smart classrooms just in time for the start of the fall 2017 semester. The Center for Student Success, a one-stop-shop for tutoring, special resources, and career development, as well as financial aid and graduate admissions, opened in Thomas Hall in fall of 2016. In addition, various other renovations are planned for Hayden Hall and Smith Auditorium, among other buildings.

As for the Higgins Center, work on the piles and foundations started in May and June; steel will begin in July and go through October; the façade in November through April; followed by interior work later on, with the building opening in fall 2020. The cellar labs in Leo — civil, chemical and mechanical engineering — will be renovated this summer, as well.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 43

O

N APRIL 26, MANHATTAN COLLEGE BROKE GROUND on the new Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering and Science Center thanks to a leadership gift of $5 million from Patricia, Ph.D., and Cornelius (Neil) Higgins, Ph.D. But the story of how this building and this gift came to be, really began 56 years ago.

“Your undergraduate institution tends to be the most formative for you,” says Neil, who has served as a member of the Manhattan College Board of Trustees since 2003. “It probably has the greatest influence on what you do after that, both your future education, as well as your career. That is really where your heart is.”

THE FORMATIVE YEARS A graduate of Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, Neil had enjoyed math and science throughout his schooling, so pursuing an engineering degree seemed like the logical next step in his academic career. So did applying to Manhattan College. During the summer between his freshman and sophomore years, he took a structural engineering class with the late Otaka Ondra, Ph.D., a civil engineering professor who taught at the College for more than 30 years. It was a pivotal class because it basically determined his future profession.

“I was so impressed with him, and that made me decide to be a civil engineer,” he says.

Back then, he took his classes in “the shacks” and Azarius Hall, post-World War II federal-works constructed buildings on the hill where Draddy Gymnasium now stands. Leo Hall hadn’t opened yet.

While he remembers riding the bus up the Grand Concourse (a major thoroughfare in the Bronx), his courses, and the proms, he has a lot of fond memories of his time in the College’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and participating in the Arnold Air Society, its professional, honorary service organization.

Back in his day, Neil explains how students were given a choice: take physical education or Air Force ROTC for the first two years.

“After the two years, if you wanted to continue to become a commissioned officer, then you continued in ROTC,” he says.

“But remember, those were the days of the draft, so there was a pretty good inducement to become a commissioned officer.”

After receiving a B.S. in civil engineering from Manhattan College in 1962, he dropped the pilot slot he obtained from his ROTC training, and decided to continue on to graduate school at the Air Force Institute of Technology, in Dayton, Ohio, where he earned an M.S. in astronautics in 1964.

Both Manhattan College and the Air Force, probably in equal measures, had the most impact on his professional and personal life.

44 N spring 2018

“The College provided a terrific undergraduate education in engineering,” Neil says. “The Air Force also played a very important role in my career because the Air Force offered me the opportunity to go to graduate school.”

But before Neil graduated from Manhattan College, he also had another milestone in his life: he met Patricia during his junior year.

HOW THEY MET When Neil was a junior, one of his friends was dating a nursing student from Bellevue and Mills School of Nursing, the same school that Patricia was attending, and set Neil and Patricia up on a double date.

Meanwhile, Patricia’s friend, who was dating that other Manhattan College student, said to her: “How would you like to go on a blind date with the smartest boy in the junior class?” To which she said, “Well, no.”

The way Neil humorously describes it is that Patricia “interviewed” him beforehand — they met and had a conversation — before Patricia agreed to go on that date. The rest, as they say, is history.

“That was in junior year, so we dated through junior and senior years,” Neil says. “Then I went off to Dayton, Ohio, to graduate school, and Patricia continued at Bellevue for a year, and then we were married. We’ll be married 55 years this September.”

THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES

“In listening to Neil’s story, I think Manhattan College gave him this grounding and the skills to be an outstanding civil engineer ...”

Neil spent seven years on active duty, serving as a civil engineering officer in the U.S. Air Force. He first went to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he put his engineering degree to use.

“In those days, it was the Cold War, so we worked on our ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missiles] systems, and mainly their hardness. Hardness being whether they could resist an attack by our Soviet opponents,” he says.

The couple wasn’t there too long before he received an assignment in Taiwan, where two of his three children were born. After three years in Taiwan, he decided to leave the Air Force, but not before they sent him to Vietnam for a year, and he served on the Air Force advisory team. The family then settled back in Albuquerque, where Neil was offered a job at an engineering firm.

“The Air Force had a tremendous impact on my career because I wound up becoming a defense contractor. I worked for the firm for a while, I worked for the University of New Mexico for a while. I did a Ph.D. at the University of New Mexico. I did it funded by a National Science Foundation research grant that I had written the proposal for.”

He eventually formed Applied Research Associates Inc., a national engineering and science firm headquartered in Albuquerque, with a friend from the Air Force. The now chairman emeritus held the position of principal and chief executive officer from 1979 until his retirement in 2010.

A registered professional engineer and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Neil also earned a few more degrees along the way: a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of New Mexico in 1978, an executive MBA from the University of New Mexico in 1987, and an M.A. in liberal arts from St. John’s College in 2007.

“In listening to Neil’s story, I think Manhattan College gave him this grounding and the skills to be an outstanding civil engineer,” Patricia says.

“The Air Force provided the opportunity for him to spread his wings, very apropos to the Air Force.”

Meanwhile, Patricia had been establishing her own career. After receiving a diploma in nursing from the Bellevue and Mills School of Nursing in 1963 and raising their family, she received a B.S. in health education in 1975 and a B.S. in nursing in 1978 from the University of New Mexico. She then earned an M.S. in nursing from the University of Arizona and returned to the University of New Mexico for a Ph.D. in health education in 1984.

She served on the faculty of the College of Nursing of the University of New Mexico from 1980 until her retirement in 2000, rising from visiting instructor to full professor, and specializing in maternal-child nursing. Prior to her career at the university, Patricia taught health occupations at Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as well as nursing refresher courses at Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute.

Patricia always knew that she wanted to be a nurse. She even recalls an eighthgrade composition that she had to write in response to the question: What do you want to be when you grow up?

She also spent a summer in the hospital for a fractured shoulder when she was young, which she looks back upon with more fondness than one would expect.

“I spent the whole summer in a hospital, and it was the most marvelous experience of my life,” she says. “The nurses were incredible. They let my friends come anytime that they wanted to come. I was on a ward, so I was exposed to all sorts of other women, and philosophies, and songs, and mischief. That’s what really grounded me to become a nurse, and I went to Bellevue and only wanted to go to Bellevue.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 45

“We needed to do this.

It was very important to give back just because we’re both the first generation to go to college and to be educated ourselves.

That piece is very important for us.”

THEIR LEGACY Education, as well as supporting it, is very important to both Neil and Patricia, which is evident in their three children: Eileen graduated from the University of New Mexico with a mechanical engineering degree and went on for her MBA at Cornell University; Christopher studied civil engineering at Marquette University and then earned his master’s and Ph.D. in civil engineering at the University of Texas and Lehigh University, respectively; and Lorraine attended The Catholic University of America, where she studied French, and received an MBA from the University of New Mexico.

Their hope is that the Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ’62 Engineering and Science Center, with its modern laboratories and cutting-edge technology, will help to educate and prepare Jaspers for their future careers, whether that be in engineering, science or nursing.

“Engineering and science can be a foundation for nursing, as well as nursing education, practice and research — the whole gamut encompassing nursing,” Patricia explains, with a nod to the career to which she devoted her life. “I think the new center will just bring new minds, new skills, new innovations, and new, wonderful medical surgical devices from engineering to chemical engineering to bioengineering.

It will be a very, very exciting time.”

“Engineering is applied science,” Neil adds, noting how important engineering, science and technology are in today’s world, and how those disciplines are important to engineers.

“It’s taking science and putting it to practical use. Whether it be kinematics, structural mechanics or nuclear physics, engineering is making that stuff work for humanity. That’s essentially what it is.”

And their devotion to education derives from their own backgrounds and academic pursuits.

“I wanted to support Neil with this gift,” Patricia says. “We needed to do this. It was very important to give back just because we’re both the first generation to go to college and to be educated ourselves. That piece is very important for us.”

As an engineering graduate of the College, Neil thinks that the facilities need to be modernized to enhance their continued competitiveness, as well as to recruit future students and faculty.

“Although the programs are very strong, the facilities themselves are tired, and when you stack them up against competitive schools, Manhattan just needs to be refreshed,” he says. “The modern facilities will serve both the students and the current faculty well. I think that will probably encourage them to raise their sights.”

“In today’s world, when parents and young people look at colleges, they look at the bells and whistles,” Patricia says.

“That’s why I think a new engineering building is absolutely critical to recruit new students.”

As Neil explained earlier, it’s those formative years that have the greatest impact on our lives. But Patricia, who attended various schools of her own, has her own reasons for giving — and those stem from their strong partnership and marriage.

“It’s because it’s important to Neil, therefore it’s important to me,” she says. “He has always supported me on anything that I really wanted to do in my whole life. I hope I have supported him on everything he has wanted to do in his whole life. We’re a good team.”

Patricia and Cornelius Higgins ’62 with their children — Christopher, Eileen and Lorraine — take a moment for a family picture before the College's groundbreaking ceremony in April.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 47

DEVELOPMENT

De La Salle Dinner Honors First Alumna TO ILLUSTRATE THE MENTORSHIP ROLES that she has played while climbing the corporate ladder, Manhattan College President Brennan O’Donnell incorporated a powerful metaphor in describing Eileen Murray ’80, Hon. D.Sc. ’15, co-CEO of Bridgewater Associates, and recipient of this year’s De La Salle Medal.

“Stars are guides on the journey of life,” he said, in reference to the dedicated alumna, who has held the highest positions of leadership at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse before her most recent, at Bridgewater. She received the prestigious award at the College’s annual De La Salle Dinner, a fundraising event in January that raised more than $1.1 million toward student scholarships, financial aid and College-wide programming.

In remarks that evening, O’Donnell expressed gratitude for the dinner’s 550 attendees, who have helped to make it possible for current and past students of the College, including Murray, to receive the kind of education that ensures that they excel in their chosen career field, while also encouraging them to help others along the way.

Since her graduation from the School of Business, Murray has led an illustrious career in management that ultimately led her to Bridgewater, the world’s largest hedge fund. But more significantly, it’s how she’s risen to the top, with humility and values symbolized by the Lasallian star — a historic emblem of the College that represents its overall mission to provide quality education, while maintaining respect for all people, concern for the poor and social justice, inclusive community, and faith in the presence of God. While she’s made her mark as a corporate leader, Murray also has been a mentor, and, in turn, has had ample opportunities to be inspired by colleagues, family and friends.

“From where I sit, in one way or another, we are given the opportunity to care for others both formally and informally, each and every day. I consistently switch from teacher to student, from giver to receiver. And isn’t that wonderful, if that’s the way life can be?” said Murray, whose philanthropic duties include membership on the board of the Irish Arts Center, the Inwood House in Upper Manhattan, and the YMCA of Greater New York. She is also a member of the board of trustees of Manhattan College, from which she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 2015.

This year’s De La Salle Dinner was chaired by another dedicated female alumna — Moira Kilcoyne ’83, whose professional life has overlapped with Murray’s in certain regards. Not only did they graduate from the College only a few years apart but also Kilcoyne is the retired managing director and CIO of Morgan Stanley, where Murray previously served as an executive and management committee member.

Reflecting upon her own years at the College, Kilcoyne, a former mathematics major and current member of the Manhattan College board of trustees, spoke emphatically about her experience.

48 N spring 2018

“Manhattan was a great place to begin my career,” she said.

“I could not have made a better choice when I was a student. It was an absolutely fabulous start.”

Kirsten Battocchio ’18, who served as the student speaker for the De La Salle Dinner, also arrived at the podium with a wealth of leadership experience, though in a very different professional environment. Prior to enrolling at Manhattan, the graduating senior spent six years serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

At the College, she is a double major of government and international studies, and served for two years as president of the Student Veterans Organization. During the spring semester, Battocchio fulfilled a legislative internship in the office of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (N.Y.).

In a few words, Battocchio, highlighted the College’s role in her success thus far.

“Thank you all for your support of me — and all the student veterans at Manhattan College — for giving us the platform to continue our service, thrive in higher education, and also prepare us for our next great transition from school into our careers,” she said.

Patterson Continues Steadfast Support of Student Scholars

F

For the sixth consecutive year, best-selling author James Patterson ’69 will award 20 Manhattan College students a total of $110,000 in academic scholarships. The scholarship for the 2017-18 academic year was given to 10 juniors and 10 seniors, from each of the College’s schools.

Patterson started the scholarship program to recognize and reward Manhattan College students who have achieved great academic standing and have shown leadership potential, especially those interested in the field of education. All 20 students received the scholarships based on merit, need and involvement in activities that are tied to the College’s mission.

THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS INCLUDE: Juniors Rinor Ahmetaj, civil engineering (Bronx, N.Y.) Diana Balaj, international studies (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) Muhammad Buttar, civil engineering (Brooklyn, N.Y.) Kaiyun Chen, secondary education (Woodhaven, N.Y.) Jaycie Cooper, communication (Monroe, Conn.)

Melissa Gallardo, communication (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) Karla Ortiz, secondary education (Bronx, N.Y.) Alessandra Palmisano, mechanical engineering (Bronx, N.Y.) Meghan Polhemus, chemical engineering (Pine Beach, N.J.) Claudia Ramirez, biology (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) Seniors Mia Bertolli, biology (Leonia, N.J.) Lorraine Bishop, radiation therapy technology (Bronx, N.Y.) Carly Corbett-Frank, international studies (Winthrop, Mass.)

Kathia Coronado, mechanical engineering (Bronx, N.Y.) Shane Duggan, finance (Pearl River, N.Y.) Alessandra Eraifez, English (Yonkers, N.Y.) Maria Mazo, biology (Yonkers, N.Y.) Yulemny Mendez, physical education (Bronx, N.Y.) Shimul Miah, international studies (Bronx, N.Y.) LisaMarie Nilaj, civil engineering (Scarsdale, N.Y.)

“Manhattan College students have impressed me year in and year out,” Patterson says. “This group of scholarship recipients are no different. Their dedication in receiving an education is obvious in their hard work and talents. I’m honored to award this scholarship to such exemplary Jaspers.”

In 2015, Patterson was awarded the National Book Foundation’s Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. That year, he also donated $1.75 million to public school libraries and $1 million to independent bookstores throughout the United States.

The scholarship program will award $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. The seniors will submit essays detailing their various accomplishments during their junior year and their personal vision for plans after graduation.

“We continue to be extremely grateful for James Patterson’s generosity and steadfast support of our students,” says President Brennan O’Donnell. “His scholarship program has enabled us to recognize and reward some of our best and brightest.”

Patterson recently co-wrote a novel with former President Bill Clinton, titled The President Is Missing, which will be available in June. Patterson has created more enduring fictional characters than any other novelist writing today with his Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Women’s Murder Club, NYPD Red, Daniel X, Maximum Ride, and Middle School series. In addition, he writes children’s and young-adult fiction and is the first author to have No. 1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children’s best-seller lists.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 49

ALUMNI

Hall of Fame Inducts Eight Athletes

T

HE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2017 — eight individuals and two teams — were inducted into Manhattan College’s illustrious Athletic Hall of Fame on Nov. 11.

This year’s honorees include: Chris Cody ’07 (baseball), James “Airy” Donahue 1911 (baseball and basketball), Frank Gagliano, coach (cross country and track and field), Joseph Gallagher ’49 (sports media), Ed Lawson ’87 (basketball), Tiina Magi ’07 (track and field), Jeff Rowett ’98 (baseball), Robert Schimpf ’72 (soccer), and Tom Welling ’65 (cross country and track and field).

In addition, the 1992 men’s track and field and 1992-93 men’s basketball teams were honored. The 1992 men’s track and field squad won the IC4A Indoor Championship, while the 1992-93 men’s basketball team won both the MAAC regular season and tournament titles, and made Manhattan’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 35 years.

Chris Cody ’07 was the MAAC Pitcher of the Year in 2006, when he went 12-2 with a 1.42 earned run average and 105 strikeouts, as Manhattan won the first MAAC championship in program history.

He earned the win in the Jaspers’ upset victory over sixth-ranked Nebraska in the opening game of the 2006 NCAA Tournament, and was selected to the NCAA Lincoln Regional All-Tournament team.

Cody, who was named to the MAAC’s 35th Anniversary All-Time team, still holds program career records for wins (29), complete games (19) and strikeouts (295).

James “Airy” Donahue 1911 carved a legacy as a leader across multiple sports. He served as a captain on both the basketball and baseball teams and later signed with the Boston Red Sox to play professional baseball. During his collegiate career, he batted .450 during his four years and also led the way on the hardwood. A twotime captain, Donahue was at the helm of the 1910-11 team that won 13 games, a program record at the time.

50 N spring 2018

Frank Gagliano served as an assistant coach under fellow Hall of Famer Fred Dwyer from 1969-74. During that time, Manhattan won IC4A titles in both cross country and indoor track and field, as well as the 1973 NCAA Indoor National Championship. Gagliano coached the Jaspers to a world record in the distance medley relay and an American record in the 4x1-mile relay. He has coached a total of 27 Olympians during his career.

Joseph Gallagher ’49 has been a long-time supporter of Manhattan athletics and helped to spearhead the creation of the Athletic Hall of Fame. The sports editor and later editor-in-chief of the Manhattan College student newspaper as an undergraduate, Gallagher had a long, distinguished career in the sports television business.

Ed Lawson ’87 is the Jaspers all-time leader in assists (447). He also ranks second all-time in steals (201), and is 31st on Manhattan’s career scoring list with 1,049 points. Lawson is the only player in program history with 1,000 points, 400 assists and 200 steals. In addition, he founded and serves on the board of Fathers Incorporated, a nonprofit organization that promotes responsible fatherhood.

Tiina Magi ’07 holds school records in the triple jump (indoor and outdoor) and high jump (outdoor). She was Manhattan’s first-ever NCAA Championships qualifier in the triple jump, and also won an ECAC title in the event. Magi regularly contributed points in all four jumping events, as well as the javelin, at the MAAC Championships.

Jeff Rowett ’98 earned MAAC South Rookie of the Year honors after hitting .308 as a freshman in 1995. He would go on to become the first player in program history to achieve First Team All-MAAC status all four years. Rowett was a two-time team captain, and his 142 career hits ranked second on Manhattan’s all-time list at the time of his graduation.

Robert Schimpf ’72 scored 41 career goals, including 16 in the 1970 season, both of which are still school records. He had a four-goal outing against Marist on Oct. 26, 1970, and averaged nearly a goal per game during his career.

Tom Welling ’65 ran both cross country and track for the Jaspers.

He was consistently Manhattan’s top performer in cross country, and broke the Van Cortlandt Park five-mile course record in 1964. Welling also set the school record in the mile with a time (4:06.9) that still ranks among the best in program history. He qualified for the 1965 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the mile.

Faculty representative Shawn Ladda, Ed.D., and Hall of Fame committee member Lisa Toscano, Ed.D. (far left and far right, respectively), join new inductees Tiina Magi ’07, Jeff Rowett ’98 and Chris Cody ’07 at the Athletic Hall of Fame induction in November.

FROM THE COLLEGE’S ARCHIVES

Whatever Happened to … the College’s Pool?

W

HEN MANHATTAN COLLEGE DEDICATED ITS NEW BRONX CAMPUS IN 1924, spectators caught a firsthand glimpse of the stately 11-acre site. Two grand archways knitted together three main Quadrangle buildings — De La Salle Hall, Memorial Hall, and then-named Manhattan Hall. Only one other structure occupied the sparsely populated grounds. From the rear of the Quadrangle, winding steps led up the hill to Alumni Hall, the College’s gymnasium.

Constructed of brick with arched windows and a cupola to harmonize with the Georgian-style academic buildings, the gymnasium was the center of physical education. The main floor of Alumni Hall included a large wooden court used for basketball games, tennis matches, and other recreation. Flanking each end of the main floor was a mezzanine gallery that accommodated about 800 spectators. Time and again, raucous crowds cheered on the Jaspers from this balcony perch. Downstairs in the basement of the gym featured the new swimming pool. Measuring 75-feet long by 25-feet wide and 10-feet deep, this state-of-the-art pool was purified by a violet ray filtration plant installed in the sub-basement.

Throughout the years, the pool served an integral role in the intercollegiate program of athletics, as well as in service to the physical education program. Traffic to the pool typically consisted of academic classes, College and high school swim squad training, resident students’ recreational swim, and interscholastic and intercollegiate meets.

During the 1929-1930 academic year, the College organized its first swim team. At its initial meet, the team of freshmen lost to the Manhattan Prep high schoolers, holders of third place in the Catholic School Athletic League. It is worth noting that the College’s swimmers were unable to hold regular practice because of the intensely cold water in the pool. The team continued to meet with fair success its inaugural year, breaking even in four dual swim meets and two water polo games. Those freshmen became the nucleus of the varsity swimming team, which debuted the following year. Swimming as a competitive sport gained in popularity throughout the years.

In 1935, the College established the health and physical education department which, in addition to providing training in fundamental scientific subjects, included supervising gymnasium activities and aquatics. Courses for techniques in swimming and water polo, as well as water safety, were held in the pool. During the Second World War, the pool also was used to teach young men to swim as part of their military training. Eventually, excessive use led to updates in the filter system, as well as the addition of a water heating unit, which worked to varying degrees of success. Often, aquatic classes were canceled due to the low temperature of the water, especially during the harsh winter months.

After the College went coed in 1973, it took several years for the athletic facilities to catch up and accommodate female students.

The completion of Draddy Gymnasium in 1978, and the conversion of space in Alumni Hall helped to make the pool more appealing to female students, and a women’s swimming program took root. It was not until 1989, however, that the varsity women’s swimming team was established.

By 2001, the 1920s-era pool, which remained the oldest Division I swimming pool in the nation, was taken out of commission. The pool had struggled to conform to conference regulations, and it continually failed to meet New York City code requirements.

Concurrently, students voiced dissatisfaction with the weight room in Draddy and pressed for a state-of-the-art fitness center. In February 2001, the pool was closed and the space converted into the more modern Galligan Exercise Center. But a hint of chlorine still lingers in the air reminiscent of times past.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 51

ALUMNI

ALUMNOTES 1939

John Ferenz Sr. celebrated his 100th birthday in Santa Maria, Calif., in January, as reported on the news website Noozhawk. The former World War II B-24 pilot celebrated with friends and family.

1952

Gerard Vier and his wife, Ann, enjoyed a week at Disney World in July with 33 family members who helped to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary.

1953

Lindy Remigino was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in November 2017.

1955

M. Allen Lindsey is in charge of the April 2018 Massed Concert of the Mohawk-Hudson Male Chorus Association in Rensselaer, N.Y.

1956

Frank Hermanek Jr. is currently a fellow of ASM International (formerly the American Society for Metals) and a member of the ASM Thermal Spray Society Hall of Fame.

1957

Donald Brady, Ph.D., decided to pursue a different direction after graduating in June 1957 with a degree in engineering. A year later, he received a bachelor’s, and in 1967, a Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle, in literature. He taught for 30 years, mostly in the California and Pennsylvania state college systems.

Donal Farley recently completed 50 years at the City University of New York, and retired in April 2016 after serving as senior vice chancellor emeritus.

1958

Theodore Muellers was featured in Newsday about his devotion to running, which has only gained momentum during the past several decades. Muellers and his son, Brian, have run their town’s Turkey Trot every November for the past 50 years (see short profile on page 54).

52 N spring 2018

1960

Joseph Serencsics is retired from IBM and is now enjoying time with his 14 grandchildren.

1961

Joseph Spain, Esq., has been named the new board president for the Historical Society of Darien, Conn.

1963

Raymond Kelly, Esq., will be working alongside other counterterrorism experts on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s counterterrorism advisory panel. The panel will focus on enhancing New York State’s terrorism defense systems.

Thomas O’Malley and wife, Mary Alice, have donated $500,000 to Foundations in Education during the next five years. This will establish a scholarship in their names for children of current police officers, firefighters and nurses attending Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford, Conn.

(See page 2 to read more about his recent donation to Manhattan College.)

Albert Rosa, Ph.D., is in contract with John Wiley and Sons to produce the ninth edition of an electrical engineering circuits textbook with another author.

Conrad and his wife Michele Power ’90 are proud of their Jasper family lineage spanning three generations, including: Conrad’s father, F. Blake Power ’30 and Conrad’s grandson, Blake Maquat ’21.

1964

John Sullivan writes, “still officiating college and high school swim meets. Still ocean swimming and whale and dolphin watching at Rockaway Beach, too!”

John Yanovitch is looking forward to his daughter’s graduation from Stanford University, where she’ll be receiving a Ph.D. in psychology.

1965

Franklin Ciofalo is enjoying his retirement from the Brooklyn Veterans Hospital.

John McCarthy, M.D., was awarded distinguished fellow and lifetime member of

the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. McCarthy and his wife, Jane, also “enjoy spoiling our combined 10 grandchildren.”

Thomas Otchy writes that after a 45-year career in chemical engineering, he sold his business and now volunteers his time supporting Catholic school education in his local parish.

Eugene Roth and his wife Maryjane ’91 are both enjoying retirement from teaching and living in South Florida.

1967

Thomas Nipper is working as an orthopedic surgeon, as well as an expert witness.

“I traded the operating room for the courtroom,” he jokes.

1968

Frank Fazio Jr. currently holds an executive vice president marketing position with The Window People, a home improvement business in Stamford, Conn.

1969

George Lyons is president of the Goshen, N.Y., volunteer ambulance corporation and has been an active EMT for 43 years. He was also elected to a four-year term on the Goshen town board.

Vincent Maligno, Ph.D., was honored at a New York Yankees game recently, after serving as an Air Force ROTC member and two tours in Vietnam, as well as overseas duty in Guam and Germany. He writes: “I completed 24 years active and reserve and retired as a major. While at MC, I was also a member of the Arnold Air Society … and I was the vice commander of the national organization. I was also a member of Alpha Phi Delta Fraternity and Pan Hellenic and the editor of the AFROTC Wingman publication while working in the Psychology department.”

Joseph McEvoy retired as professor emeritus of psychiatry from Duke University Medical Center in 2013. He now works as the endowed chair of psychiatric disorders at the Medical College of Georgia.

JASPER BOOKSHELF 1970

Michael Cunningham, Esq., was placed on the Best Lawyers in America listing for 2018.

The list is compiled from an extensive peer review process. Cunningham represents his firm, Rivkin Radler LLP. Louis Saulino was unanimously voted in as the Glen Cove City Council’s director of public city works, a position he will hold from February until December of 2018.

1971

Thomas Groark was elected to the National Academy of Construction as a member of its 2017 class. He currently serves as vice president of New York Operations for Ferreira Construction.

1972

Michael Trentacoste retired recently after 40 years with the federal government. He spent his last nine years as director of the TurnerFairbank Highway Research Center.

1973

Dennis Fenton, Ph.D., has joined the board of directors at Cirius Therapeutics as an independent member.

Thomas Walsh is currently working with Northrop Grumman Corporation as a technical adviser performing research and development activities.

1975

Bishop Emeritus Paul Bootkoski celebrated the 20th anniversary of his episcopacy, on Sept. 10, in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen, N.J.

1976

Wayne Dumont recently published his first article about his early career experiences on LinkedIn and Facebook. He has been attending classes and lectures at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., through their continuing education program.

Robert Rupnick, D.C., and his wife, Lynn, became first-time grandparents in May when they welcomed little Emma Grace Rupnick.

Jordan Castro ’01 added author to his résumé after penning Smoke and Mirrors: Police Dreams (Xlibris, 2016). Smoke and Mirrors follows the career of rookie Brandon Rose and the trials and tribulations that come with being a police officer. With inspiration from his English teachers and literature greats like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Castro’s breakout novel garnered attention from The New York Times, with a comparison to Mickey Spillane’s hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer. Castro currently serves as sergeant for the NYPD. Janet Kleinman ’76 wrote her third book, A Stone of Hope (Trimark Press, 2017), a story inspired by her trip to Washington, D.C., and a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. monument. It’s a brief history geared toward children and their parents to better understand MLK’s legacy. She is the author of Goodbye Russia, Hello America, and Flirting with Disaster: When Love and Nature Combine.

John Yanovitch ’64, Ph.D., published Honey on the Razor’s Edge (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017). His poetic works are accessible for the first time in this debut collection, which has been compiled throughout Yanovitch’s 58-year writing career. He currently works as an associate professor of philosophy at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, N.Y.

1979

Dominick Fickeria Jr. was appointed senior vice president and northeast regional manager for construction management company, Hill International.

Francine Panza has been named vice president of worldwide sales at DB Networks, a company focused on artificial intelligence-based database security. She will be responsible for sales strategy and execution worldwide.

1980

John Coffey was promoted to associate vice president of Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm in Bloomfield, N.J. Kevin Moore, and his wife, Susan, have received the Pro-Vita award from the Diocese of Brooklyn in recognition for their efforts in building a culture of life in the Diocese. The Mass and award ceremony were held at St. James Cathedral in Brooklyn.

Patrick Prendergast, managing director of the machinery and equipment services practice at Duff & Phelps, had an article published in Macromolecular Theory and Simulations Journal. The article, titled “Estimating Economic Obsolescence – Why the Inutility Formula is of Limited Utility” focuses on what economic obsolescence is and isn’t, and analyzes the inutility formula.

1981

Alphonse Lustrino is now president of the Kentucky-based INOAC Packaging Group.

At the international bottle and jar manufacturing company, he is responsible for facilitating profitable growth for the company, identifying new product and investment opportunities, and approving strategies and business plans, all while maintaining relationships with its current clients.

Robert Rogers, C.P.A., writes: “I am an associate information officer in the financial systems area of a major financial services firm for the past 11.5 years. I still referee soccer on Staten Island. My wife, Mary Pat (nee Walsh, CMSA ’82), and I have three children, Kate (25), who was married this year, Kevin (23) and Kerry Anne (20).”

Stephen Squeri was named chief executive officer and chairman of the board at American Express Company. A member of Manhattan College’s board of trustees, he previously served as vice chairman and group president of the company’s Global Corporate Services Group.

1983

Essam “Sam” Rabadi has been appointed to director of business development by Vigilant Solutions, a global intelligence and image analytics company that serves law enforcement agencies.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 53

ALUMNI Dan Schleyer, after spending 22 years working as a special agent in the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, has been promoted to director of investigations at the Office of the Nassau County Comptroller.

1984

Victor Ciancetta Jr. joined the company Consigli as project executive at its office in Hartford, Conn. He will oversee developments and delivery of concurrent projects.

1985

John Banks III was awarded Baruch College’s Distinguished Leaders Award in recognition of his public service and hard work for New Yorkers.

Michael Collins, Esq., has been elected as a member of the Bond, Schoeneck & King law firm at its New York City office. He will represent management in aspects of labor and employment law.

1986

Peter Albero was chosen to be executive vice president and chief financial officer of Salisbury Bancorp, Inc. Salisbury Bancorp is the holding company for Salisbury Bank and Trust Company.

Kenneth Canavan has been promoted to chief technology officer at the Westinghouse Electric Company, and will strive to strengthen its global business strategy.

Raymond Dowd, Esq., won the Honorable Harold Baer Jr. Award in January in recognition of his service as a lawyer dedicated to civil service. An article of his on anti-piracy litigation was featured on the February cover of Copyright Lawyer Magazine.

John Schanz has been appointed to the board of directors for Congruex, a nationwide engineering, construction and maintenance company. His appointment will have him working with the company’s founders in order to strengthen their platform throughout the country.

1987

Peter Webner was named the new CEO at Cyclopharma U.S. Corporation. He will be heading the development of the company’s diagnostic PET tracers for oncology.

1989

Thomas Reilly was promoted to senior vice president of the real estate function in the corporate group of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He joined the company in 1995.

Mario Valdes now serves as director of global environmental affairs in the corporate postal explorer group at the United Postal Service in Atlanta, Ga. He is responsible for safety, environmental, and hazardous compliance at the Atlanta offices.

1993

Patrick Ronan has been hired as a senior project manager in the New York City office of the Dewberry firm. His expertise in water and wastewater infrastructures played a big role in his hiring.

Still Running Like a Jasper, 60 Years Later running provides.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER GRADUATION and the end of his NCAA track A man of his word, and field career, you can still find Ted Muellers ’58 in his Manhattan Muellers looks at his College gear doing what he loves — running. In November, Muellers exercise routine as a completed his 50th consecutive Rockville Centre Recreation race. promise to himself.

To honor this accomplishment, his four children and grandson ran “As a volunteer it alongside him, as other family members cheered them on from leader in the Boy the sidelines.

While the 5K is his preferred race these days, Muellers ran the half- Scouts for 47 years, I feel that I should mile in his years as a Jasper, which included participation in outdoor be doing my best and indoor track and field, and cross country. His team won the four-mile relay at the Penn Relays in 1957, which is one of his favorite ‘to keep myself physically strong,’ as memories of his time at the College. The alumnus also can fondly stated in the Scout recall competing in the old Madison Square Garden and Boston Oath,” Muellers says.

Garden, and spending one spring break in the barracks at Quantico “Running helps me to Marine Corps Base. There, he was training for the Quantico Relays. do that.”

Looking back, Muellers appreciates the College’s emphasis on On top of the academics for all student-athletes. As a civil engineering major, he physical benefits of was sometimes even able to combine his studies with his sport. running, Muellers “They [Manhattan College] came to realize that the starting line sees it as a stress should not really be a straight line because the guys at the end of Ted Muellers ’58 completes his 50th consecutive Rockville reliever and a the line have a farther distance to the first point where you turn — a Centre Recreation race in November. A former member of physical mantra. But, the track and cross country teams, Muellers can still be simple geometry thing,” he says. “So, they decided that they wanted seen racing in Manhattan College apparel. mostly, he just loves a curved starting line. My teammate, John Gormally ’58, who was the sport. also a civil engineer, and I calculated what the curve should be, then “Running may or may not add years to your life, but it most staked it out, and that was what they used a starting line.” certainly adds life to your years,” he says.

At the age of 81, nothing has stopped the retired civil engineer from taking advantage of the mental and physical benefits that 54 N spring 2018

Chris Williams was a featured author in the book 20 Beautiful Men: 20 Stories That Will Heal Your Soul, Ignite Your Passion, and Inspire Your Divine Purpose. The book was released in the summer of 2017.

Thomas Grech is now president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

1995

Stephanie Maturo has been named the new director of technology at the Center for Instruction, Technology and Innovation.

Her position will have her collaborating with technological directors from Oswego County Schools in New York, in order to support instructional initiatives and help student achievement.

1997

Katy Latimer is the new vice president of culinary innovation at Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins. Her responsibilities include strategizing new menu items and enhancing storefronts for the popular food chains. (See profile on page 58.)

1998

Paul Skabich was promoted to vice president of MAST Construction Services, Inc. of Little Falls, N.J.

2000

Terence Ricaforte was recently made partner at his law firm, Connors and Sullivan, PLLC, in New York City. He is married to Renata and has three daughters: Sienna, Keira and Avery Shea.

Erica Ross married Giovanni Cerini ’06 in 2016. She writes, “In July 2017, we welcomed Giovanni Lucas, future Jasper — class of 2039!”

2005

Mark Sheeran, P.E., and his wife, Pamela, welcomed their second child, Anna Louise, on Feb. 6. The family is doing well and getting settled in Larchmont, N.Y.

MARRIAGES

2008

Sarah Sparano & Geoffrey Lutz, 6/16/17

Erica Ross & Giovanni Cerini ’06 in 2016

2012

Kiera Lacy has joined the Patient Experience Project as an account supervisor for the company.

Amy (Colantuono) Lucas and Erik Lucas welcomed son Ryan Michael Lucas on April 23, 2017. Ryan joins big sister Addison.

Marianna Belfiore & Conor Coffey, 10/8/17

2009

Kelly Weinberger & Stephen Kaminski

Alexander Gershner was one of 20 young certified public accountants (CPA) that received the third annual Forensic and Valuation Services Standing Ovation by the American Institute of CPAs. He was recognized for his significant contributions to their speciality areas of forensic accounting and business valuation and to their communities.

Anne Meier is part of the NASA Kennedy Graduate Fellowship as a chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate at the University of South Florida. She is also the lead of the microgravity waste conversion project at the Kennedy Space Center.

2012

Patrick Porteus graduated from the New York State Police Academy at the end of January as a trooper. He was also awarded the Superintendent’s Firearms Proficiency Award by Governor Andrew Cuomo for his level of performance in all phases of firearms training.

2013

Robert Fiore is an adjunct instructor at Suffolk County Community College.

2014

Robert Busweiler has been named director of public information and policy at the Office of the Nassau County Comptroller.

Rhamel Brown, who holds the current Manhattan College record for blocked shots in basketball, has been signed by the Halifax Hurricanes.

2006

2015

Jennifer McCauley, Ph.D., accepted a position as program coordinator for the Science Training & Research to Inform Decisions (STRIDE) program at Stony Brook University last year, for which she will develop a STEM graduate training program while also developing programmatics, interacting with students, and participating in ongoing research.

2000

John Corraro starred in Center Stage Theatre’s production of I Hate Hamlet at the Richard O. Belden Cultural Center in Shelton, Conn. He played the lead character, Andrew Rally, an actor who has to play Hamlet but hates the play itself. He’s also recently portrayed Javert from Les Miserables and Kevin from In the Heights.

2013

ENGAGEMENT

2008

BIRTHS

2000

Erica Ross & Giovanni Cerini ’06, son, Giovanni Lucas, July 2017

2004

Marguerite Mohan Wassenbergh & Paul Wassenbergh, daughter, Anna Madeline, 8/22/17

2006

Mark Sheeran & Pamela, daughter, Anna Louise, 2/6/18

2008

Amy (Colantuono) Lucas & Erik Lucas, son, Ryan Michael, 4/23/17

2009

Matthew Scimonelli & Lauren, daughter, Mia Lillian, June 2017

ADVANCED DEGREES

2006

Jennifer McCauley, Ph.D., completed her master’s degree in career development in 2008, and Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology in 2014.

2009

William Sharrieff completed his master’s degree in public administration from CUNY Baruch Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.

2011

Gina Guiliano completed her master’s degree in cosmetic science from the University of Cincinnati.

Correction: The wedding year for Thomas Burns ’10 and Kaitlin Hansman ’10 was stated incorrectly in the previous issue. The couple was married on Aug. 26, 2016.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 55

ALUMNI

Sophie Kendall is the business development coordinator at Hannah Solar Government Services.

2016

Jane Tuohy ’00 Receives Highest Honor from Fortune 500 Company

Deanne Griswa has started a new job with foster care organization One Simple Wish, which provides scholarships and mentors to those who have aged out.

She is also currently earning her master’s degree from Manhattan College.

2017

Thérèse Kelly writes, “I am a physics teacher at All Hallows High School in the Bronx. Each day that I teach, I recall my formative education at Manhattan!”

Sean Potter has joined the Randolph, N.J., town recreation committee for 2018.

FROM THE TIME JANE TUOHY ’00 GRADUATED FROM MANHATTAN COLLEGE, it was her dream to work for Stryker Orthopaedics, a Fortune 500 company that offers innovative medical products and services that help to improve patient and hospital outcomes. Still with the company 17 years later, she recently earned the highest honor at Stryker — the Achievement of Excellence Award, which recognizes her longtime contributions.

Now senior director of medical education for the trauma and extremities division, Tuohy is responsible for providing education on procedures and the proper use of Stryker’s implants. From a global perspective, she partners with orthopedic societies internationally to ensure that the company is providing the right level of education to the surgeons using its products.

Stryker caught Tuohy’s eye because she aspired to use her mechanical engineering degree to work in the medical industry and contribute to the improvement of patient outcomes. She began her career at Stryker designing hip replacements. After about five years, she took on a position in marketing, where she spent about eight years in various senior level roles within the department. Focusing on product development, Tuohy worked with surgeons to determine what the design needs were for future products.

Although she moved on from design and development, she credits her engineering background to her success in these marketing roles.

“I always tell people that I would never be where I am today if I didn’t pursue mechanical engineering at Manhattan College,” Tuohy says. “Engineering provided me with the foundation to articulate and communicate at a technical level with surgeons when it comes to orthopedic implants and procedures.”

Both Jane and her husband, Michael Tuohy ’00, come from a long line of Manhattan College alumni, including Jane’s father, Roy Gerardi ’69, her brothers, Andrew Gerardi ’03 and Bradley Gerardi ’07, and her cousin Jeffrey Lorraine ’22. Michael’s grandfather, Jack Fellows ’32, father, John Tuohy ’67, and uncle, James Tuohy ’68, are proud members of the Manhattan family, too.

Although her roles at Stryker have changed throughout the years, Tuohy’s motivation has remained the same: she is still learning every day and looking forward to making further contributions to health-care and patient outcomes.

“The future is whatever we want it to be. I don’t have one goal in mind,” Tuohy says. “I want to continue to grow in my career in a great organization where we are continuing to make a difference in the world.”

56 N spring 2018

Engineer Notches Sky-High Achievements in Aerospace Technology PATRICK CASSIDY ’78 still has the textbooks he studied from as a mechanical engineering major at Manhattan College, but they’re hardly collecting dust. He references them regularly as a researcher for the Boeing Company, where he helps design and modify aircraft configurations that go on to soar through skies across the world.

Four decades into his career, Cassidy also continues to follow the advice of his former professors, from whom he learned many valuable lessons. During a lecture that he delivered on campus in November, the alumnus shared one in particular with mechanical engineering students at the College, who may be interested in pursuing careers in aerospace technology.

“According to the rule of [former professor] Ronald Kane, Ph.D., getting parameter units correct is the most important thing you’ll ever use in any detail engineering calculations, particularly in numerical computer simulations” he said in regard to fluid mechanics, a core component of both mechanical and nuclear engineering, as well as several other types of engineering analysis.

Cassidy’s talking points that afternoon in Leo Hall — the same place he studied these areas many years earlier — included a brief overview of his daily responsibilities at Boeing, which encompass the design and development of government and commercial aerospace vehicles in its integrated vehicle technology group.

For a more succinct description, he added, “I make things fly.”

In the length of time he’s been employed by Boeing, Cassidy has acted in many professional roles in engineering. Before his move over to the company’s research and development division, he spent 39 years working in defense systems, creating rockets and missiles that were utilized by DARPA, NASA and the U.S. Military. In that capacity, he also has been involved in numerous flight vehicle and weapon system programs that have supported national security efforts since 1979.

Additionally, Cassidy has assisted in facilitating some of the world’s most groundbreaking flight missions, which have offered a bird’s-eye view into what goes on behind the scenes of how they are carried out, and have allowed him to interface regularly with state and U.S. officials, including many from the United States Department of Defense.

Cassidy landed his first job after college as a test engineer for McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company, an aerospace prime contracting company that was later acquired by Boeing. As part of NASA’s Space Shuttle program in 1979, the newly minted graduate was part of a team that tested the world’s first reusable spacecraft, a vehicle that was designed to launch like a rocket and land like a plane.

When NASA launched the first shuttle flight in 1981, Cassidy had the opportunity while conducting testing at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to meet famed astronaut John Young, and Navy test pilot

Bob Crippen, who piloted the first Space Shuttle mission, STS1.

“Those were exciting times,” he fondly remembers.

In 1986, Cassidy was part of the National AeroSpace Program (NASP), which was ultimately terminated, but was initially spearheaded to fulfill President Ronald Reagan’s promise of launching “a new Orient Express that could, by the end of the next decade, take off from Dulles Airport and accelerate up to 25 times the speed of sound, attaining low-earth orbit, or flying to Tokyo within two hours,” as professed in the State of the Union address he delivered that year.

More recently, Cassidy was initially one of 30-40 engineers included in the early phases of developing what is now the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a commercial airplane that was lauded for its fuel efficiency and innovative technology, upon release in 2009.

Recalling his experiences like this with current Jaspers is essential to their being able to envision their future careers, Cassidy said during his lecture on campus. During the discussion, a group of mechanical engineering students and their professor in the graduatelevel course, MECG 605 − Flight Aerodynamics, eagerly shared with him the blueprint of an airplane they had designed in the classroom.

Because of his aerospace knowledge, Cassidy was able to offer pointers that assisted in their vehicle’s flying capabilities.

“I remember being in class, learning these concepts, and asking myself, ‘What is all this stuff good for?’” he later reflected. “Then through the years, I learned just how important it all was, after being involved in a number of aerospace successes like the first Shuttle launch and terrible tragedies like the Challenger accident. Because of what I learned at Manhattan College, I was able to realize just what it was all good for and how to use it wisely.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 57

ALUMNI

Latimer Runs on Dunkin’

T

HE NEXT TIME YOU HAVE A CRAVING FOR THAT LATEST DUNKIN’ DONUTS coffee or donut, like the Girl Scoutsinspired thin mint latte, you can thank Katy Latimer ’97 (M.S.) for that.

As vice president of culinary innovation at Dunkin’ Brands Group, she’s leading the team of culinary masterminds who conceive of and develop those new flavors that keep customers continually coming back to Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins.

She plans and manages the strategic development of new and enhanced menu choices served to millions of customers at more than 20,000 Dunkin’ Donuts and BaskinRobbins restaurants across the globe.

So how does one even dream of getting a job in culinary innovation? For Latimer, it began when she was an undergrad at McGill University, where she earned a B.S. in biochemistry.

“It really all started with a summer internship first at IBM, where I discovered I really wanted a career in research and development,” she says. “Then I had an opportunity to do an internship with Kraft General Foods, and that just sealed my future in the food industry. I never thought about applying my science background in the food industry, but after that summer internship, I knew that was the industry I wanted to pursue as a career.”

She loved the environment of a research and development facility, as well as being “surrounded by a bunch of quirky scientists.”

“But also, when I got to Kraft, it was really interesting to see how science went into all the food products that we consume every day,” she says.

Lucky enough to discover her passion while in college, Latimer also found that luck was on her side when Kraft offered her a full-time job as an associate chemist before graduation, though she had to promise to get her master’s degree right away. She started taking courses at Rutgers University, until Latimer discovered Manhattan College’s biotechnology program, which she notes

58 N spring 2018

that she was “way more interested in,” and decided to pursue her M.S. in Riverdale.

“What was so cool about the program at Manhattan was that I was able to take both science as well as some engineering classes, which really prepared me for some critical experiences along my career path,” she says.

Latimer joined Dunkin’ Brands in September after nearly two decades in leadership positions at PepsiCo, most recently as vice president of research and development, global beverage category.

There, she led a 65-plus person product development and culinary team, and was responsible for innovation and portfolio transformation for PepsiCo’s global beverage category. She also helped to oversee the creation and launch of several new and nextgeneration brand products, including Pepsi’s first premium water, LifeWtr, as well as IZZE Fusions, Pure Leaf Tea House Collections, Starbucks Cold Brew, and Mtn Dew KickStart.

Before rising through the ranks at PepsiCo, where she started as a principle research specialist, Latimer also held positions at Joseph E. Seagram & Sons.

“The coursework I took at Manhattan really enabled me to do a critical experience when I was at PepsiCo on their commercialization and engineering team,” Latimer explains. “Having those foundational courses enabled me to really understand manufacturing and the skill of bringing products from bench to a large-scale manufacturer, and that broadened me and enabled me to find the right footing when I was at PepsiCo and to prepare me for the role here at Dunkin’ Brands.”

Having that strong background and knowing a little bit about everything helps, as her job isn’t just about product innovation.

“I would say the fun thing about R&D is we’re always creating and innovating,” she says. “My day can be full of sampling with my chefs and food scientists in the lab, reviewing products and ensuring they’re meeting our taste requirements. But also collaborating with our cross-functional partners in

marketing, operations, quality and equipment, to ensure that the products we’re creating are easy to execute and meeting our consumer demands. It’s meeting with franchisees to understand if this is something their crews can execute in the stores.”

Back to those fun flavors, such as the new mint brownie donut, or the ice cream flavor of the month. How do they even come about?

“We do innovation that’s targeted to our core consumer, but also innovation that looks at growing our consumer base,” she explains. “It’s a balancing act, and once we have that insight, then my chefs and marketing insights team translate that into a meaningful concept and product that we’ll bring to life through culinary.”

Latimer hopes to continue to deliver great menu items for Dunkin’ Donuts and BaskinRobbins. To be successful, it takes a lot of insight, knowledge of culinary trends, and some forward-thinking.

“We leverage a limited time offering strategy many times to explore and test out new ideas. We also target seasonality,” says Latimer, who is working toward a Ph.D. in food science. “We’re building our pipeline of ideas out three years, so there’s a lot of thought, a lot of insight, that go into our menu innovation and development.”

What’s that next must-try flavor to debut?

Of course, Latimer can’t say, but she does recommend the lattes and chocolate glazed donut at Dunkin’, and the pralines and cream at Baskin-Robbins — her favorites.

Air Force Alum Directs Activities at Alaskan Port

I

N A COLD-WEATHER CLIMATE LIKE ALASKA’S, TO SAY THAT STEPHEN RIBUFFO ’77 has an important job would barely be scraping the ice. For more than a decade, the College alumnus has directed all waterborne freight — gasoline and heating oil, plus diesel, cement, business supplies, and more — crossing the docks at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage.

Ribuffo and his staff of 25 also ensure that the infrastructure is available to safely support commerce in Alaska regardless of weather conditions.

“Think of Alaska as an island because 90 percent of all freight that comes in, comes in on the water,” Ribuffo explains. “And half of that comes into the state through the Port of Alaska.”

To put that percentage into context, the Port of Alaska fields nearly four million tons of fuel and freight annually, commerce that’s in direct support of 85 percent of Alaskans.

Ribuffo has worked at the port since 2007, upon his retirement from the U.S. Air

Force. Since then, his military background has regularly intersected with his day-to-day responsibilities. As one of just 19 commercial ports in the nation designated as a Department of Defense Commercial Strategic Seaport, the Port of Alaska assists with Army deployments and redeployments of cargo.

His background is also the reason Ribuffo landed the job in the first place.

“As a colonel, I was tasked by the general who was responsible for Alaska operations to oversee some land transfers from the Department of Defense to the city of Anchorage,” he remembers. “The port was doing some expansion work, and wanted some property that abutted the military base. I found myself running the process of transferring all that land from the DOD to the city, an experience through which I met everyone down at the port. So, you never know when you’re networking.”

During his 30-year career with the Air Force, Ribuffo served in California, Michigan, Ohio, and in the 1990s, spent time in

Germany, Korea, Turkey and Alaska. Before that, the Air Force sent the second lieutenant to navigator training in California to learn how to fly B-52s and other planes. He met his wife, a former Air Force nurse, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

While stationed at Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, Calif., Ribuffo received an MBA from Golden Gate University. Shortly after earning his degree, he was offered the opportunity to pursue another graduate degree in logistics, from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology. From there, he was able to gain insight into other career areas, with the assistance of seasoned professionals who helped to guide him.

“I got the opportunity to obtain a really good breadth of experience and exposure to all logistics-related fields,” Ribuffo says. “I had a lot of good mentors who helped along the way.”

The skills Ribuffo built in the Air Force and now at the port were originally developed at Manhattan College, where he studied marketing, and was a member of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. When he wasn’t commuting to campus, he was working in the evenings at his neighborhood grocery store.

As he looks back on all the experiences that have shaped his life thus far, Ribuffo considers each one to be formative for a different reason, but that his Riverdale roots have been particularly influential.

“Every experience in life kind of shapes who you are, and I like the fact that I went to school in New York,” says Ribuffo, who was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Port Chester, N.Y. “Unless you have been out there and lived in other parts of the world, you have no idea what survival skills you develop, and you didn’t even know it was because you grew up in New York. If I had to do it over again, I would do it all over the exact same way.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 59

OBITUARIES

INMEMORIAM

Manhattan College records with sorrow the deaths of the following alumni: 1943

George C. Upton, 11/24/17

Bernard J. Gorman, 2/12/18 Francis X. Mascolla, 2/10/18

Arthur M. Landy, 10/2/17

1953

1944

1954

Edward A. Gabel, 11/13/17 Apostolos Zaferiou, 2/5/18

1955

1946

Francis D. Sheridan, 10/20/17 John F. Sweeney, 9/4/17

1947

John J. Gannon, 10/23/17 Raphael G. Riverso, 12/12/17

1949

Robert D. Hennigan, 10/12/17 Raymond Radzivila, 1/26/18 Robert A. Rohrman, 10/21/17 Joseph N. Uses, 11/26/17 George J. Vlahos, 1/12/18

1950

Edward W. Brundage, 10/23/17 Robert J. Furlong, 11/11/17 William J. Kent, 1/16/18 Nicholas T. Lanzisero, 10/6/17 John W. Paetz Jr., 10/4/17 William D. Tobin, 1/27/18

1951

Theodore J. Civetta, 2/14/18 Raymond J. Heimbuch, 10/22/17 Richard P. McHugh, 1/6/18 Anthony W. Paolitto, 12/12/17 John J. Reddington, 10/26/17 Kenneth D. Rees, 10/2/17 Robert W. Schneider, 12/1/17 William J. Stolz, 10/6/16 James A. Quinn, 1/7/18

1952

Alfred J. Campanella, 11/8/17 William A. De Bono, 12/2/17 Charles S. Fama, 10/12/17 James F. Garvey, 12/24/17 Robert K. Mehler, 1/23/18 Daniel E. Torpey, 12/15/17 60 N spring 2018

Nicholas J. Campbell, 12/25/17 Benjamin H. Benson, 10/31/17 Peter Kennedy, 10/31/17 Bert Ibanez, 10/15/17

1956

Donald E. Bennet, 10/3/17 John T. Costello, 12/5/17 James A. Debraggio, 12/23/17 Victor R. Gagliano, 2/3/18 Alfred A. Geigel, 12/24/17 Robert Longobardi, 2/18/18 Philip G. Meynen, 1/19/18 John E. Ruoff, 11/22/17 Peter F. Sheridan, 12/26/17

1957

Powers W. Bradley, 11/6/17 Vincent P. La Strella, 1/19/18 John K. O’Sullivan, 9/19/17 Eugene F. Reilly, 12/11/17

1958

William M. Albrecht, 9/26/17 Thomas J. Kiernan, 6/30/17 Stanford A. Mebus, 10/10/17 John A. Rasile, 8/8/17 Thomas J. Scott, 1/11/18

1959

Robert W. Albertelli, 1/6/18 Thomas J. Beirne, 2/19/18 John J. Dalton, 2/13/18 Joseph P. Foley, 2/16/18 John M. Gibson, 11/2/17 Charles R. Hennessy, 1/6/18 Otto L. Kunz, 11/4/17 Frank J. Lovaglio, 1/1/18 Henry F. Magnusen, 12/13/17 John J. Murphy, 2/5/18 Thomas E. O’Connor, 2/17/18

1960 James S. McInerney Jr., 9/16/17

1961

Paul M. Amy, 1/4/18 Arthur N. Gualtieri, 1/26/18 Richard T. McCabe, 1/21/18 Edward J. Noye, 1/14/18 James G. Robilotti Jr., 11/24/17 John J. Slattery, 10/23/17

1962

Brother Edward C. Martin, FSC, 9/27/17 William T. Ferrante, 10/8/17 John E. Glynn, 6/2/17 James P. McCaffery, 2/9/18 Timothy J. Murphy, 12/10/17 Thomas D. Smith, 12/10/17

1963

Vito D. Cannito, 2/4/18 Norman C. Haynes, 12/31/17 James J. McElderry, 2/5/18 Augustus R. Morano, 12/11/17 Ronald F. Myslinski, 9/22/17 Richard E. Olivieri, 12/16/17

1965

James F. Bagnell, 10/23/17 Hugh B. Gavin, 9/30/17 Raymond C. Gray, 1/9/18 Rev. James K. Vaughey, 12/3/17

1966

James S. Farrell, 12/19/17 Alan J. Lancer, 1/16/18 Sinon K. O’Halloran, 2/19/17 John T. Shea, 11/28/17

1967

John D. Buonasera, 2/7/18 Timothy D. Leary, 2/13/18

1969

Richard E. Laverty, 1/1/18 George A. McMahon, 11/29/17 Anthony J. Signorelli, 9/19/17 Margaret A. Wilmore, 10/31/17

Benjamin Benson ’55 BENJAMIN HOWARD BENSON ’55, who served as alumni director at Manhattan College from 1995 to 2003, died on Oct. 31, 2017. He was 85.

During his tenure as alumni director, Benson worked tirelessly to serve alumni near and far, growing chapters outside the tri-state area.

He also brought events on and off campus to a new level. The Jasper Open, now in its 30th year, grew into a Jasper tradition under his leadership. Saratoga at the Races was turned into a premier summer event, and the Athletic Hall of Fame became an event that reached well beyond the Athletics department. Benson continued to serve as an active volunteer until 2013 — always ready to lend a hand.

Benson came to Manhattan College after more than 35 years in the food industry.

“As a member of the College advancement staff, I came to admire Ben’s willingness to be of service to the College after his retirement from a career in the business world,” says Brother John Muller, FSC, associate professor emeritus of government. “His devotion to his family extended to the Manhattan family by organizing and implementing, along with the able assistance of his wife Rosanne, many alumni events, including the annual reunion. They were a welcome addition to the advancement staff.”

“Ben was one of the most gentle and kindest souls I have ever known,” adds Thomas Mauriello, vice president for advancement. “He was also the quintessential professional, raising the quality of our

events and engaging a wide range of alumni. He was a colleague and a dear friend. He will remain in our hearts always.”

An active member of the College community since his days as a student, Benson was president of the Marketing Club and a member of Sigma Beta Kappa fraternity.

Upon graduation from Manhattan in 1955, he served in the United States Marine Corps. He began his marketing career as a salesman with General Mills, and climbed the ranks to district manager. Benson then held management positions with Swift & Co. and Welch Foods.

From 1975 until his retirement, he held a number of leadership positions at Standard Brands/RJR Nabisco, and retired as vice president of military sales.

Benson is survived by his wife Rosella (Rosanne) Summa Benson of 59 years; his children, Margaret, Charles (Sharon), and Paul (Kathleen); and his grandchildren, Ben, Mac and Gus. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ben Benson ’55 Memorial Scholarship. For more information, please visit: connect.manhattan.edu/giving.

1970

1976

1990

Richard J. FitzGerald, 12/27/17 George Hess, 8/6/17 Wallace F. Sandbach, 1/10/18

Elizabeth P. Brisson, 1/9/18

Janet L. Gallichio-Jacobsen, 2/18/18

Sr. Jean Agnes Young, S.C., 10/20/17

Beth A. Mazzocchi, 9/25/17

William P. Casciani, 12/18/17 Richard L. Itteilag, 1/1/18 Rev. William C. Mayer, 12/9/17 Sr. Maureen A. O’Leary, F.M.S., 2/3/18

Thomas M. Kosorek, 1/24/18 Carl J. Zorn, 1/27/18

Anthony Senerchia, 11/25/17

Catherine A. McCall, 12/30/17 Richard P. Ferrara, 1/24/18

1982

1971

1972 1973

Donald C. Cacciapaglia, 12/20/17 Richard T. Hayden, 9/26/17 Joseph C. Hays, 1/2/18 Patricia A. Scanlin, 12/18/17

1974

1977

1978

1980

John K. Medica, 10/13/17 Eamonn J. Vize, 12/28/17 Gregory J. Hanson, 1/8/18 Susan Moore-Hernandez, 1/17/18 Frances E. Todd, 11/19/17 Paul R. Winski, 12/17/17

1983

1995

1998

Joseph Giantelli, 10/15/17 Brian M. Horton, 10/25/17

2001

Ariel Rastatter, 2/15/18

2003

John M. Makula, 11/25/17

2011

Michelle Boitel, 12/6/17

John J. Hallissey, 2/14/18

1984

Henry J. Carinci Jr., 10/26/17 Paul M. Galanka, 1/4/18 James Q. Moran, 6/6/17

Kevin P. Neville, 2/7/18

Francis A. Tarantino, O.D., 11/18/17

James Nyemchek, 11/18/17 Michael G. Phillips, 1/5/18

1975

1991

1985

Patrick J. Keenan, 9/19/17

1988

Correction: John Ouimet was incorrectly listed under the class of 1975. He was a member of the class of 1972.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 61

OBITUARIES

Brother Thomas Scanlan, FSC BROTHER THOMAS J. SCANLAN, FSC, PRESIDENT EMERITUS of Manhattan College, died on Feb. 4, 2018. He was 72.

The 18th president of Manhattan College, serving from 1987 to 2009, Br. Thomas helped to navigate the College through a difficult financial period in the 1980s, creating the institution it is today. During his 22-year tenure, the longest in the College’s history, Manhattan College’s enrollment increased by 120 percent.

Manhattan received accreditations by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), and became a constant presence on the national listings for college achievement.

“As a member of the board of trustees early in his administration, I will say, flat out, that in overcoming great challenges, Brother Thomas Scanlan saved Manhattan College,” says John Paluszek ’55, senior counsel at Ketchum and founder/producer of Business In Society.

“Then he spent more than 20 years leading its development into the premier New York institution of higher learning centered on Lasallian humanistic values — a mission the College continues to manifest today.”

Under Br. Thomas’ leadership, the College transformed from a predominantly commuter college into a largely residential campus while still preserving its commitment to serving first-generation students. The College also saw several enhancements and expansions, including the building and opening of Horan Hall, Lee Hall and the Mary Alice and Thomas O’Malley Library.

Brennan O’Donnell, president of Manhattan College, says: “In the time that I have come to know Br. Thomas, I developed a deep appreciation for his visionary side ... Brother’s decisions were grounded firmly in a deep faith and in the Lasallian mission. He made bold and courageous decisions grounded in that faith.”

In 2016, Br. Thomas was recognized for his accomplishments at Manhattan College with one of the most prestigious honors for a college president. He was awarded the Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., Award, named in honor of the influential former Notre Dame president, and typically given to a former college president who has made outstanding contributions to Catholic higher education through service and academic work.

When he received the award, Br. Thomas said: “Being a Catholic college president is one of the most complex and challenging roles in our nation. To succeed takes a true team effort, and my most critical ability was to say ‘I need your help.’ And I was gratified, both at Bethlehem University and at Manhattan College, by the extremely positive response of so many talented individuals.”

MaryAnn O’Donnell, Ph.D., professor emeritus of English and former dean of the School of Arts, agreed that Br. Thomas worked to create a strong team on campus. “He was intent on diversity — and especially intent on finding ways for women to advance at the College,” she says. “And he helped make Title IX real, instead of just a piece of paper.”

62 N spring 2018

Br. Thomas came to Manhattan College from Bethlehem University in Palestine, where he served as vice chancellor and chief executive officer. He also was on the founding board of the Bethlehem University Foundation. Prior to Bethlehem University, Br. Thomas was director of finance and education for the New York Province of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He also served as a teacher, vice principal, and principal at Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, N.J. When he retired from the College and became president emeritus, Br. Thomas served the Christian Brothers Community as auxiliary visitor of the District of Eastern North America (DENA) through 2017, and finally became a part-time board representative for the district.

He also served on a number of boards in the education and not-forprofit sectors.

Born in New York City, Br. Thomas received his B.A. in physics from The Catholic University of America, his M.A. in mathematics from New York University, and his Ph.D. in business administration from Columbia University. He entered the Brothers Novitiate at Barrytown, N.Y., in June

1962, received the Religious Habit later that year, and pronounced his perpetual vows in 1970.

Br. Thomas served as a spokesperson for higher education on boards, at conferences, and in national op-eds throughout his tenure.

He was recognized for his leadership with numerous awards and honors. Br. Thomas received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal in 1986. He was a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He also received the Good Scout Award from the Greater New York Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 1995. In 1997, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the College of Mount Saint Vincent. Br. Thomas also received a Community Leadership Award from the New York City Community Board 8 in 1998 and an Interfaith Brotherhood Award from the Riverdale Jewish Community Council in 2003. In addition, he was a member of the Fellows of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

“Brother Thomas’ 55 years as a Brother of the Christian Schools is not only a testament to the man himself in terms of faithfulness and service to others, but also it is a gift to every one of us engaged in higher education at Manhattan College,” says Brother Robert Berger, FSC, associate professor of religious studies. “Our work today literally stands on the foundation of his creativity, genius and hard work.

He built, then quietly went into the background, leaving to us the responsibility of leading women and men into the rest of the 21st century.”

Br. Robert adds: “From a very early age, he took up the vision of Saint John Baptist de La Salle to provide a human and Christian education for all, especially for students who were the first generation of their families to receive a college education. Br. Thomas wanted the best possible education that a private notfor-profit Catholic college could provide in a very expensive New York City. His dream was grounded in reality, his energy was often boundless, and his motivation was rooted in the message of Jesus Christ. Br. Thomas’ 72 years allowed the spirit of Christ to be seen in the ministry of education as our lives were enriched because of him, and now we, in turn, take up the challenge to promote the holy presence of God day-in and day-out as we work to make this a better world through the ministry of education.”

Many of the Brothers echoed these sentiments in tributes at Br. Thomas’ funeral Mass. During his welcoming remarks, Brother Dennis Lee, FSC, provincial/visitor of DENA, said, “We gather as people from the various stages of Tom’s life, grateful for his touch on our lives.”

Acknowledging his time both at the College

and DENA, Br. Dennis continued: “As we all know, Tom was truly larger than life … Allow me to say that I am not sure I have ever met a more gifted man. Smart?

He was surely book smart but also people smart. He read many books, but he also read people very well.

Integrity? This is what I admired most about Tom. He never wavered from doing what he believed was the right thing to do, even if it was not the popular thing to do. But through it all, he would listen intently to other points of view. But, as I am sure you know, this strong man with deep convictions was never easily swayed.”

Pointing to the gentler side of Br. Thomas, Brother Patrick Horner, FSC, professor of English, said: “I think I’m right in saying that Tom wanted to live in the residence halls because it provided his best opportunity to be in direct contact with students.”

Br. Patrick summed up the many facets of Br. Thomas, saying: “And that, I think, is how he would want us to remember him: a whipsmart youngster from a loving family out of Sacred Heart Parish in Highbridge, the Bronx, just up the hill from his beloved Yankee Stadium, who grew into a distinguished and celebrated educator at home and abroad, all the while simply following a lifelong dream of being a Christian Brother to his students.”

Br. Thomas is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Wilfrid Auger; niece Pamela Auger-Thornton; and nephews Peter Auger, Vincent Auger, and his wife Karen; great nieces, Christelle Auger and Cassandra Thornton; and great nephew Evan Thornton; as well as many beloved cousins and friends. Br. Thomas is predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Anna (Schmitt) Scanlan, and his brother, John.

Contributions can be made to the Brother Thomas Scanlan, FSC, Endowment for Lasallian Heritage at Manhattan College. For more information, please visit: connect.manhattan.edu/giving.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 63

PHOTO BY ANNA CALMA ’18

PA R TING SHOT

After duking it out at this year’s Battle of the Brains, a determined squad of civil engineering students emerges victorious in challenges faced by the College’s four engineering clubs: AIChE, ASCE, ASME and IEEE. Among the feats included in the competition: who can build the sturdiest house of cards.

64 N spring 2018

A LASALLIAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE SINCE 1853 Published by the office of Marketing & Communication Manhattan College 4513 Manhattan College Parkway Riverdale, NY 10471

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1523 PEWAUKEE, WI 53072

During a perfect spring day (finally!) in late April, Jaspers converge on the Quad to enjoy some sun, fun and games at the annual spring concert’s carnival and barbecue before heading to the show, which featured pop star Jesse McCartney.