Manhattan Magazine Fall 2005

Volume Thirty-One

Number Two

Fall 2005

Calendar

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Executive Director of Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center To Receive the College’s

NOVEMBER 11 Fall Engineering Awareness Day 16 Long Island Club Networking Reception 16 Treasure Coast Club Luncheon Meeting, Stuart, Fla. 17 Jaspers in Law Enforcement TBD Class of ’05 Yearbook Party

DECEMBER 3 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 3 National Alumni Council Meeting 10 Christmas Dinner, Gulf Coast Club, Sarasota, Fla.

JANUARY

2006 De La Salle Medal 5 11

Reunion Weekend 2005 School of Engineering Has Another

Reason To Celebrate Remembering His Holiness

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18 De La Salle Medal Dinner 18 Treasure Coast Club Luncheon Meeting, Stuart, Fla.

Pope John Paul II

FEBRUARY 15 Mentor Dinner 24 Phys. Ed. Distinguished Service Awards & Phi Epsilon Kappa Induction Ceremony 26 Jaspers of Georgia Annual Brunch TBD Family Day

MARCH 2-6 MAAC Tournament/Albany, Pepsi Arena* 10 St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon – Washington, D.C. 11 National Alumni Council Meeting 12 S.W. Florida Club Reception & Luncheon, Bonita Beach 15 Treasure Coast Club Luncheon Meeting, Stuart, Fla. 16 St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon – Long Island* 17 St. Patrick’s Day Parade – New York City 18 St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Naples, Fla. 21 Engineering Awareness Day for Women 29 Accepted Students Day

APRIL 2 5 19 23-29 28 29 TBD

Staten Island Communion Breakfast Accepted Students Day ASCD Meeting Founder’s Week Alumni/Student Golf, Van Cortlandt Park Manhattan College Games NYC Club Networking Reception *Not confirmed

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On Campus

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Sports

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Advancement

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Alumni Events

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Alumnotes

Published by the office of college relations, a division of college advancement Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY 10471 James H. Heisey, vice president for college advancement Lydia E. Gray, director of college relations Kristen I. Cuppek, editor Jennifer A. Ernst, assistant editor Melanie A. Farmer, writer at large Contributors: Michael Antonaccio Patrice Athanasidy Dorothy Conigliaro Stephen DeSalvo Jorie Kontos Stephen Laruccia

Mary Ellen Malone Michael McMorrow Chris Stogel Ralph Ventre Susan Woolhandler

Photographers: Ben Asen Josh Cuppek Marty Heitner Chris Taggart

Making Manhattan’s Board Even Stronger Executive leaders in engineering and finance are the latest members to join Manhattan College’s impressive board of trustees. Newly elected board members Dennis J. Dirks ’69, Kenneth A. Rathgeber ’70 and Peter K. Sweeney ’64 were appointed in July. The new members join an already exceptional group of distinguished alumni and corporate and academic leaders led by board chairman Thomas D. O’Malley ’63.

After retiring from the presidency of The Depository Trust and Clearing Corp. in 2003, Dennis J. Dirks ’69 was recruited the following year to join the advisory board of Fidelity Mutual Funds. In 2004, Dirks, a seasoned financial executive, was elected as an independent trustee representing fund shareholders on the company’s board.

Dirks started his financial career in 1969, shortly after graduating from the College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature.

His first job was at the New York Stock Exchange as an assistant compliance coordinator. In 1970, he joined M.E. Goldstein & Co. as an office manager and cashier. Two years later, he moved to The Depository Trust Company (DTC), where he held various systems and marketing responsibilities.

From 1979 to 1994, Dirks steadily found himself following the executive management path within the company – from vice president to senior vice president to executive vice president. During the period when he served as the executive vice president of securities processing, where he oversaw all of DTC securities operations, volumes and assets held by the company jumped from $300 billion to $7.7 trillion.

companies in the U.S., a top provider of work placement retirement savings plans and a leading online brokerage firm. He also serves as chief compliance officer for the Fidelity Funds. He has been an active alumnus of the College and served as chairman of the annual fund from 1999 to 2002.

His career at Fidelity began in 1995 as chief financial officer and treasurer of Fidelity Mutual Funds. One year later, he was named acting president of Fidelity Brokerage Services, the Fidelity Brokerage Group’s operating unit based in the United Kingdom, and appointed president of Fidelity Brokerage Group in 1997. The following year, Rathgeber became executive vice president and chief operating officer for Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Company, Inc. He then took on his current position in 2002 and, later, the chief compliance officer post for the Fidelity Funds in 2004.

Prior to his career at Fidelity, Rathgeber, who received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the College in 1970 and an M.B.A. from Long Island University in 1976, worked at Goldman Sachs for 17 years. During his tenure at the investment banking firm, he held a variety of assignments, including global co-controller and vice president of proprietary accounting/risk analysis, among other positions in the firm’s information technology and accounting divisions. Before Goldman, Rathgeber, a certified public accountant in New York State, worked at Dillon Read & Co., the New York Stock Exchange and Pricewaterhouse.

In 1994, DTC appointed Dirks executive vice president and chief information officer. Four years later, he was named chief operating officer of The Depository Trust and Clearing Corp., which became the holding company as the result of the merger between DTC and the National Securities Clearing Corp. He also served as president and chief operating officer of DTC at the time.

Peter K. Sweeney ’64, Ph.D., is a vice president at giant planning, engineering and construction management firm Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, Inc. He also serves as program director for the New Jersey Development Authority, the sponsor of a $1.6 billion initiative to design and construct new primary and secondary schools in Newark, N.J., in addition to renovating existing ones.

Dirks completed an M.B.A. in computer science from Bernard Baruch College in 1974 and attended Harvard Business School’s program in management development in 1980. He is a member of the Association for the Help of Retarded Children and the Securities Operations Division of the Securities Industry Association, where he is a frequent guest speaker.

Sweeney, who graduated from the College in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, is a leader in the field of program management. He has more than four decades of wide-ranging supervisory experience in engineering and construction and has won several professional awards, including a United States Navy Commendation Medal, a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey World Trade Center Award for Exceptional Service and a Distinguished Leadership Award from the Design Build Institute of America.

Kenneth A. Rathgeber ’70 is executive vice president and head of risk oversight at Fidelity Investments, one of the largest mutual funds

Dennis J. Dirks ’69

Kenneth A. Rathgeber ’70

Peter K. Sweeney ’64

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Executive Director of Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center To Receive the College’s

2006 De La Salle Medal

Charles J. Maikish

Charles J. Maikish, executive director of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center, will receive the 2006 De La Salle Medal at Manhattan College’s annual dinner on Wednesday, January 18.

Peter Davoren, president & CEO of Turner Construction Co., will serve as dinner chair. The black-tie dinner, which is held each year in the Grand Ballroom of The Waldorf=Astoria, has become a major event on corporate and social calendars throughout the metropolitan region.

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The De La Salle Medal Dinner remains the top fund-raising event for the College and has honored executives and corporations who exemplify the principles of excellence, corporate leadership and service to society. Former honorees include: Sy Sternberg, president & CEO, New York Life Insurance Company; Rudolph W. Giuliani ’65, former mayor of the City of New York; Eugene McGrath, chairman and CEO, Con Edison; Robert Catell, chairman & CEO, Keyspan; and IBM Corporation.

holds a J.D. degree from New York Law School. He currently serves on numerous boards in the real estate community and civic organizations, including the Regional Planning Association, New York Building Congress, several business improvement district boards, cultural councils and college boards. Maikish is a member of Manhattan’s civil engineering consulter’s program.

As executive director of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center, Maikish is responsible for coordinating all public and private construction in lower Manhattan south of Canal Street, river to river. Among the planned developments he will oversee are the Fulton Street Transit Center, the permanent PATH Terminal and the World Trade Center site construction.

The Command Center, established by Governor George E. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, is charged with assuring that the many projects planned for lower Manhattan are completed on schedule while minimizing their impact on businesses and residents.

Proceeds from the dinner provide discretionary resources for the College, a critical factor in these challenging times. Funds are applied to a wide variety of needs, particularly our academic and cocurricular programs, scholarship assistance, upgrading of facilities and equipment, and library resources.

Maikish studied engineering at Manhattan College, received a B.S. from St. Joseph’s College and Seminary and

Making Manhattan’s Board Even Stronger

The former National Alumni Council president has served in various positions throughout his career – as supervising engineer, project manager and division manager – at a variety of top firms, in addition to U.S. Navy combat construction projects. He also served as engineering program manager for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and vice president of New York City School Construction Authority.

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For additional information about this gala event and how you or your company might participate, please call Chris Stogel, director of corporate and foundation relations, at (718) 862-7837 or e-mail chris.stogel@manhattan.edu or dlsdinner@manhattan.edu.

Sweeney holds a number of advanced degrees, including a doctorate and master’s in public administration from the Robert F. Wagner School at New York University. He has a master’s degree from Manhattan and a Master of Engineering in nuclear engineering from New York University.

Reunion Weekend 2005 All classes that graduated in a year ending in 5 or 0 were feted at Reunion Weekend, June 10-12. Special events were held for the class of 1955, which celebrated its golden anniversary, and the class of 1980, for its silver anniversary.

Jaspers started running into old friends as they registered at Smith Auditorium.

When told to check into their rooms at Horan Hall, the next question was often, “Where is Horan Hall?” Many gold and silver anniversary celebrants had never seen the new residence, which was built in 1990.

Warm feelings were matched by warm temperatures, and the air-conditioned suites of the modern residence were greatly appreciated by those spending the night. Many alums wandered the grounds to inspect other additions to the Manhattan campus since their graduations, such as the O’Malley Library, Draddy Gymnasium, Thomas Hall and even Leo Hall.

Buses departed at 5 p.m. to transport the class of 1955 to a cruise on the Hudson River. The night was deliciously

cool and breezy, as close to 200 Jaspers feasted on prime rib and chicken marsala.

Some members of the class of ’55 had come from far-flung locations, such as California, New Mexico and Missouri, to reunite with their classmates.

Br. Thomas spoke of how their lives straddled the information revolution.

They grew up with letters and telephones and then experienced a “discontinuity” as the world moved on to computers, cell phones and electronic mail.

Back on campus, the class of 1980 attended a dinner dance in Smith Auditorium. More than 100 “silvers” showed up, many with spouses in tow.

After Brother Thomas Scanlan awarded the anniversary medals, it was time for some serious partying, and the class of ’80 danced the night away.

The annual family picnic was held in the afternoon on the Quad. A magician delighted the children as adults lounged under shady tents with grilled hamburgers and cold beverages. Clear skies prevailed through the 5:00 p.m. Eucharist celebration and the Saturday night gala.

The evening began with cocktails on the Quad, as Jaspers made the rounds of a raw bar, a pasta station, an antipasto station and tables laden with hot and cold hors d’oeuvres. Dinner was served alfresco.

Simultaneously, in Dante’s Den, the class of 2004 held a luau. Young alumni gamely decked themselves in hula skirts and Hawaiian prints. Pina coladas and rum punches helped to carry the tropical mood forward. This was the first time Reunion Weekend has included a party for recent graduates, and, judging by the response, it won’t be the last.

The next day found members of the class of 1955 receiving their jubilee medals at a lunch in Thomas Hall.

Following the dinner, guests moved into Smith Auditorium to enjoy the “Venetian hour” of cakes, coffee, liqueurs and an open bar. Dancing lasted until the wee hours of the night. The next morning, at a breakfast in Horan Hall, old friends bid farewell with promises to return in five years, if not sooner.

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Embarking on New Journeys: Intermittent showers didn’t dampen the enthusiasm in the air as the class of 2005 gathered on May 22 for the 163rd Manhattan College Commencement Exercises. Some 700 students were awarded bachelor’s degrees in all 40 majors in the schools of arts, science, engineering, education and business.

Following a Baccalaureate Mass at 10:00 a.m., friends and family filled the Draddy Gymnasium to watch the graduates process down the center aisle.

Monika K. Hellwig, Ph.D., president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), was awarded an honorary Doctor of Pedagogy degree.

Hellwig, an internationally known Catholic scholar, has been president of the ACCU since 1996. She is the former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the former Landegger Professor of Theology at Georgetown University. She also is the author of a number of books, including Understanding Catholicism, Jesus: The Compassion of God and Eucharist and the Hunger of the World.

the Class of 2005

Julianna Grogan-Brown, who was awarded a bachelor’s degree from the school of arts, delivered the valedictory address. A member of the Epsilon Sigma Pi and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies, she also was the recipient of The Medal for Excellence in the Liberal Arts, The Harold E. Hazelton Humanities Medal and The Pope John XXIII Medal for Peace Studies.

In her address, Grogan-Brown emphasized the role the Jaspers of 2005 will play in creating a better world.

“We are at a point where we are ready to move forward in the real world to new journeys that will allow us to put into practice what our Lasallian education has taught us about the importance of helping to create positive change,” Grogan-Brown said.

Proud members of the class of 2005 smile widely despite the rainy weather.

After congratulatory remarks from Brother President Thomas Scanlan, the proud graduates met with their families and friends for a reception on the (temporarily!) dry Quad to celebrate the beginning of a bright future.

After congratulating the graduates on their accomplishments, Hellwig reminded them that they were entering a world in which ordinary people are “implicated and responsible” in its public affairs and ethical issues.

“At Catholic colleges, we hope that we have educated people to think about the impact of our society’s actions and policies on those less privileged, on those of other parts of the world, on those who will live in the future, and on the ecology of our planet,” she said.

“We hope that you are those people, and we expect great things of you in shaping a society in which the common good prevails and includes all.”

Dr. Weldon Jackson, executive vice president and provost, presents Dr. Monika K. Hellwig, president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, with an honorary doctorate of pedagogy, while Dr. John P. Lawler ’55, then chair of the board of trustees, tends to her hood.

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The College is sad to report that Dr. Monika K. Hellwig passed away on Friday, Sept. 30.

Lifelong Learners: The 163rd Spring Commencement Filling the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers to capacity, the Jasper friends and family members who attended the 163rd Spring (Graduate) Commencement ceremony on Wednesday evening, May 25 had plenty to cheer about. More than 310 diplomas and professional diplomas were awarded to students in the graduate schools of education, engineering and business, as well as in the Undergraduate Degree Completion Program for adult students.

James J. Fyfe, Ph.D., deputy commissioner of training at the New York City Police Department, was the guest speaker.

Brother President Thomas Scanlan presents Spring Commencement speaker James J. Fyfe, Ph.D., with an honorary Doctor of Laws.

Fyfe congratulated the graduates on their dedication to learning and praised them as true students.

“Students come to class because they want to be there to learn, to grown, and to become wise, as well as book learned. Pupils come to class not because they want to but because someone else – the law, mom and dad – has given them no choice but to do so,” he said. “You are students, the highest order of life on campus. Your presence here today speaks of great accomplishment, great will and great strength of character.”

Fyfe, who was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the commencement, has written more than 100 articles and book chapters on the subject of criminal justice and police practices. He is a professor at American University and Temple University, and a senior fellow of the Police Foundation.

Patrice Holmes, a master’s degree recipient from the school of education and a member of Kappa Delta Pi, the honor society for education students, gave the valedictory address. Holmes, who also completed her undergraduate degree at Manhattan, praised the Lasallian character of the College, which, she says, produces lifelong learners.

“I’ve developed relationships with people I can truly call my friends and with teachers I can call mentors,” she said. “As an institution that follows the examples set forth by our patron of teachers, St. John Baptist de La Salle, Manhattan College has continued his mission to educate and prepare its students for their professional lives. Manhattan has maintained that commitment.

Today, in fact, we represent that commitment.”

After being presented with their diplomas and congratulated by Brother President Thomas Scanlan, the proud graduates – true students – and their loved ones celebrated the event with a reception in Smith Auditorium.

Honoring

the Best and Brightest Manhattan College’s best and brightest received the recognition they deserved on Thursday, May 19 when outstanding members of the class of 2005 were honored at the annual Spring Honors Convocation, held in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers. More than 180 students were recognized for their membership in 34 honor societies and for obtaining almost 50 medals and prizes for academic excellence.

After an invocation from Brother Robert Berger, vice president for student life, and greetings from Dr. Weldon Jackson, executive vice president and provost, Dr. Graham Walker, professor of mechanical engineering, addressed the assembled faculty, students and guests.

Walker urged the inductees to continue to share their gifts in their communities and in attempts to improve society at large: “As our outstanding students, you are ideally placed to participate in such efforts, and I look forward to hearing your voices in the years to come.”

Following the address, the faculty moderators of the 32 national and international honor societies and both academic honors societies acknowledged their student members. This year’s convocation also marked the first year that Manhattan College has recognized members of Beta Alpha Psi, the international honor society for accounting, finance and computer information systems. Membership in Beta Alpha Psi is restricted to business programs accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the premier accrediting agency for business programs worldwide. Manhattan received accreditation from the AACSB in 2004.

Brother President Thomas Scanlan congratulates Scott Becker ’05, winner of The Brother Cornelius Justin Brennan Medal for Business, at the 2005 Spring Honors Convocation.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 47 medals and prizes awarded for academic and general distinction.

Medals were awarded to high-achieving seniors from all five schools who embodied the qualities of scholarship and service. Following their recognition, and after heartfelt congratulations from Jackson, the students and their guests enjoyed a reception celebrating their accomplishments held in Smith Auditorium. manhattan.edu

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Donated by his friends in the energy industry, “Passing the Torch” commemorates the life and spirit of Joseph Kearney ’67.

Passing the Torch Manhattan College was pleased to receive a beautiful crystal commemorative created in honor of the late Joseph Kearney ’67 and donated by his friends in the energy industry.

Kearney’s colleague Ernie Hauser, who facilitated the gift, sums up the feelings of many: “I had the pleasure to know and work with Joe. I think of him constantly.

He will always be an inspiration to me.”

Depicting two hands transferring a baton between them, this piece captures in gleaming Waterford crystal the moment of a relay when one runner stops and another starts. For those who knew Kearney, “Passing the Torch” has more than a symbolic meaning. As captain of

A Familiar Face in a

Currently a partner at Public Strategies Washington, Inc., where he provides strategic communications counsel to an impressive roster of corporate and nonprofit clients, and the chairman of Grassroots Enterprise, Inc., an issueadvocacy software provider, McCurry is a veteran communications strategist and spokesperson with nearly three decades of experience in Washington, D.C. He served in the White House as press secretary to President Bill Clinton (19951998), as spokesman for the Department of State (1993-1995), and director of communications for the Democratic National Committee (1988-1990).

McCurry also has held leadership roles in several national campaigns: senior advisor for Senator John Kerry (2004), national press secretary for the vice presidential campaign of Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen (1988), and spokesman and political strategist in the presidential campaigns manhattan.edu

He was one of four brothers, all of whom attended Manhattan College: John ’65, James ’69 and Kevin ’74.

Most of them followed literally in the footsteps of their father, John ’32, by running track for their alma mater.

Kearney proved to be one of the greatest athletes in the College’s history. He held nine track records; beat the worldrecord holder in the qualifying heat of the half-mile at the 1967 Indoor Track Championships; and was a three-time NCAA All-American. In December 2002, the indoor track of Draddy Gymnasium was dedicated to Kearney.

This unique sculpture is on display in the Alumni Room of the O’Malley Library.

Media Storm

Many people watched as he ascended to the podium seemingly every day to address the nation. His voice was often identifiable before glimpsing the familiar face, as the White House press corps continuously confronted the beleaguered aide.

Showing the same humor and poise that he displayed during the Clinton Administration, former White House Press Secretary Michael McCurry addressed the Manhattan College community at the spring Horan Lecture.

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three track teams at Manhattan, he was a relay anchor known for extraordinary performances under pressure. In the business world, friends also remember Kearney as a consummate team leader, swift and brilliant. He founded a billiondollar power company after working in the White House under Presidents Ford and Carter. Kearney received a B.S. in mechanical engineering at Manhattan College and went on to earn a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering at MIT.

of Senator John Glenn (1984), Governor Bruce Babbitt (1988) and Senator Bob Kerrey (1992).

Before McCurry moved to his usual spot behind the lectern, Brother Thomas Scanlan introduced Greg Duncan, vice president, product marketing, at Pfizer, Inc., which sponsored the evening’s speaker. Duncan talked about how Manhattan College and Pfizer have had a productive relationship together, with the College serving as a fertile ground for executives at Pfizer.

In his lecture, Spinners and Snarks: Troubled Times in the Press-Politician Relationship and What To Do About It, McCurry said that the system is broken.

The relationship between the press and politicians is disintegrating, and both sides have a hand in its downfall.

On the politician side, he traces the problems back to the end of the Cold War, when politics became much more bitter, and partisanship was on the rise.

In addition, political scandals, technology and the views and beliefs of the baby boomer generation all played roles.

But the press is a co-conspirator in this breakdown, he said. With newspapers in decline, the ongoing national soap opera of news stories and the fragmentation of the audience, the press keeps the scandals going. In describing how politics is covered, which he characterizes as

Horan lecturer Michael McCurry with Brother Thomas Scanlan and Greg Duncan, vice president, product marketing, at Pfizer, Inc.

a shouting match, he noted that SmackDown!, Hardball and roller derby were all the same thing.

Yet, the system can be fixed, he said.

McCurry cited 9/11 as an example of how the press and political leadership came together. “It was a level of excellence, a brief shining moment, and it gave the impression that we could rise above partisanship,” he said.

Not just citing what is wrong with the press-politician relationship, McCurry offered a prescription for how the relationship could change. First, journalists need a new ethic, such as civic journalism, and politicians need a new ethic of political discourse. We, as a society, need a new ethic of public service, and there should be a new ethic of public information. And, finally, he said, “The business of communicating has to come down to a human transaction of conversation.”

The lecture was followed with an enthusiastic question-and-answer session.

Winning Hand

Kelly Peterson ’05 hit the jackpot with her independent study on poker.

Now an assistant account executive at public relations firm M Booth & Associates, Peterson had no idea that her undergraduate research project on television poker among teenagers could launch her into the media circle.

But it did.

Her study, “Impact of Poker on Television Among Adolescents,” has received a lot of media attention.

Since completing it, Peterson has been interviewed by The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, Bloomberg News, The Record, WMBC-Channel 63 and UPN-Channel 9. Her research hit at the right time: Poker on television is suddenly a hot topic. The market for TV poker is expanding. Some current hit shows include E!’s Hollywood Hold ’Em and Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Peterson’s research, however, touched a relatively untapped niche: poker among adolescents.

Peterson, who majored in communications, says her research on poker began as the topic for her senior thesis but evolved into a greater independent study during her last semester at the College.

After her first trip to Atlantic City on her 21st birthday, Peterson began playing poker with friends. Most of the time, she would come out a winner, which she admits, made playing poker more fun and also addictive. Peterson’s friends or other players would mention how their younger siblings also were playing poker in high school. Some even said how common it was to play a game of poker with friends on a Friday night or at school during lunch break or study halls.

“This spiked my initial interest in the effects that poker may have on high school students,” Peterson says. “After I surveyed the high school students and found that more than half were playing, it became evident that playing poker is going to be a common contributor to problems among teens. Poker is commonly mistaken as a simple card game that a group of people play to have a good time, but what people do not realize is that it is also extremely addictive.”

With Independent Study

Her study states: “The glitz and glamour involved with winning large amounts of money as shown on ESPN’s World Series of Poker and Travel Channel’s World Poker Tour has played a key role in the drastic increase of gambling among young adults between the ages of 14 to 18.”

Peterson, who polled 466 students from five high schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio, found that 55.1 percent of those surveyed play poker.

Of this percentage, 82.4 percent of the participants watch poker on television.

Independent studies are a complement to the curriculum at the College.

Students who have the opportunity to do an independent study gain access to hands-on research, create a closer working relationship with faculty and have a chance to devote themselves to one topic within their major. Working independently gives students an opportunity to think creatively and to really experience what in-depth research entails.

Dr. Frances Broderick, associate professor of communications and department chair at the College and the College of Mount Saint Vincent, served as Peterson’s advisor. Broderick says the poker study was exactly what an independent study should be, which is research that goes beyond what can be conducted in a classroom and in an area where the student has knowledge and experience. More importantly, she says that doing this study allowed Peterson to gain the confidence she needed to face the world beyond college.

“She realized she could handle media people,” Broderick says. “She learned to be calm on television and create research that was very high quality.

This independent study helped her gain confidence, get a job and use all the skills she learned in her four years as a communications major at Manhattan.”

While students may not always duplicate the amount of attention Peterson received on her poker study, they still walk away with a unique learning experience and some exposure.

Other interesting studies this past semester included one on the Black

Panther Party from the school of arts and a study that centered on carbon dioxide from the school of engineering.

Julianna Grogan-Brown ’05 and W. Dominick Mach ’07 presented their study, “The Black Panther Party,” during Peace Studies Week this past spring.

Grogan-Brown and Mach tackled the often misunderstood Black Panther Party. They discussed how the group made real attempts at creating concrete social change and how its successes and shortcomings provide many important lessons to future social movements.

Also, they examined the organization’s lasting effects on society by researching the historical context in which it was formed, the foundations of the group and its eventual demise.

on campus

Alum Turns in

Peter Lindner ’05, who is now an engineering graduate student at the College, already has had his study, “Carbon Dioxide: The New Pollutant,” used as a lab tutorial and also has presented his research at several conferences.

In his study, Lindner states that, until recently, many greenhouse gases have been overlooked as pollutants and that carbon dioxide has become the number one cause of the greenhouse effect.

Crucial to his research, Lindner built a flow-through system to remove carbon dioxide from an artificial atmosphere and study the most effective adsorbent to minimize its pollution.

Dr. Nada Assaf-Anid, department chair of chemical engineering, has advised many students on their independent studies, including Lindner. As many professors at the College do, she enjoys conducting research with her students.

Unlike at other bigger universities, when research is done here, it benefits the student, not the faculty member, she says.

To Assaf-Anid, the benefits of doing an independent study are endless.

“It fosters creativity, independent thinking, thinking outside the box and being able to look at one problem in depth,” she says. “[Students] learn how to express themselves, learn how to talk about their ideas … and it gives them the opportunity to attend conferences, so they learn how to present their work to unfamiliar audiences.” continued on page 10

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New Clark Fellow Erin Coriston ’06

Jump-Starts Her Dream Career The three-year fellowship awarded by The Clark Foundation was created to identify, nurture and support students with great potential for leadership in careers in community-based nonprofit organizations in New York City.

Erin Coriston ’06 on a service-learning trip to Honduras.

For senior Erin Coriston ’06, receiving the Clark Foundation Fellowship gives her a leg up in a field she’s had her eyes on since high school.

After first reading the best-selling memoir A Child Called “It”: One Child’s Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer, Coriston has been focused on devoting a career to children of abuse. In his memoir, Pelzer describes in graphic detail his abusive childhood and how he was overlooked many times by the “system.”

“I became interested in being a social worker for children, so that kids do not get lost in the system as he did,” Coriston says. And, although Coriston entered Manhattan College as a business major, she switched to sociology her first year, knowing it was a move she couldn’t avoid.

Granted the prestigious Clark Fellowship Award this past spring, Coriston is moving closer to her goal of being a mainstay in the field of social work. She joins several Jaspers who have been finalists or recipients in recent years, including recent alumnus Michael Brady ’05, who is currently in his second year as a Clark Fellow.

The College encourages students to apply for awards of this type and helps them find the scholarship or fellowship that matches their interests.

Executive Vice President and Provost Weldon Jackson established the College’s fellowship committee to assist students each year with the oftentimes extensive application process. Coriston, a double major in sociology and Spanish, worked closely on the application process with Dr. Margaret Groarke, professor of government and head of the peace studies program at the College.

She credits her sociology professor Dr. William Buse, who is also the director of urban affairs, for giving her the push she needed to apply for the fellowship.

In the first year of her fellowship, Coriston will attend a leadership retreat and participate in a number of workshops that address practical issues related to graduate education and nonprofit employment. During her second and third years as a fellow, she will be required to attend graduate school at a New York City institution in a program related to the nonprofit sector. Coriston plans to apply to graduate schools in the fall and to pursue her master’s degree in social work.

While she’s attending graduate school, she also will be required to work at least 20 hours per week at an established nonprofit organization.

As a Clark Fellow, Coriston will receive a grant of up to $30,000, which will be awarded during the second and third years of her fellowship. The grant is distributed as a salary stipend of $10,000 per year for two years, plus up to $10,000 in scholarship toward her master’s degree.

Far from being a rookie in the volunteer world, Coriston has been heavily involved in various community-based programs on- and off-campus. She is active in the campus ministry and social action department and a member of the Lasallian Collegians. She has helped build homes and tutor children in Honduras for three straight years as part of a service-learning trip, and volunteers at the Concourse House, a Bronx-based transitional women’s shelter. She continues to devote her extra time as a student to the causes she believes in and aspires to create a career out of helping abused children live a better life.

Coriston hopes to become a caseworker and eventually move up to supervisor, and “see where life takes me from there,” she says. “Whatever it will be though, it will include helping victims of abuse get the life they deserve, and I’m so thankful that this fellowship will help get me on my way to doing just that.”

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Winning Hand

For Peterson, unfamiliar audiences wanted just that from her – all of the information she uncovered in her poker study. She hit the timing just right. She even found herself participating in a press conference last spring and sharing her expertise on the subject alongside Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Fort Lee, N.J.). Voss is going after cable networks that air poker on their stations. Peterson’s study also has been used in an educational video, Big Win, which is now being shown at different high schools that want to educate their students about the dangers of gambling.

For Peterson, the big win has definitely been this independent study experience.

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The Manhattan College school of engineering has a lot to be proud of: a nationally recognized program, faculty members who are leaders in their fields and outstanding, professionally accomplished alumni. All of these aspects of Jasper engineering were in evidence on July 17 when engineering alumni and friends gathered at a special symposium held in the William J. Scala Academy Room in the Leo Engineering building. The symposium celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Institute in Water Pollution Control, as well as the induction of Dominic M. Di Toro ’63 into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Di Toro is the 15th Jasper to be elected to the prestigious institution.

More than 100 engineers and alums gathered on Friday afternoon to hear presentations from distinguished alumni Di Toro; former professor and Institute founder Wesley Eckenfelder ’46; the Abel Wolman Professor of Environmental

Reason To Celebrate

late ’60s, when he began at Manhattan College. He was introduced by symposium organizer Kevin J. Farley, associate professor of environmental engineering.

Farley shared some of his memories of Di Toro as a colleague — and as a particularly challenging professor.

Di Toro has been the Edward C. Davis Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware since 2003. Prior to that, he had been a faculty member at Manhattan College since 1969, including holding the position of the first Donald J. O’Connor Professor of Environmental Engineering, a post he held from 1999 to 2003. Di Toro is also a senior consultant at HydroQual, Inc., a privately owned environmental engineering and consulting firm specializing in mathematical modeling of the transport of pollutants and their effect on natural water systems. He received his bachelor’s degree from

“For a college of our size to now have 15 of our alumni and alumnae as members of the Academy is very impressive and speaks volumes to the quality of the educational programs we offer here at the College,” he said.

Engineering at Johns Hopkins University Charles O’Melia ’55; and professor emeritus of environmental engineering Robert Thomann ’56, as well as to witness the unveiling of Di Toro’s plaque.

The Institute in Water Pollution Control, established in 1955 by Eckenfelder and former professor Donald O’Connor ’44, is the longest continuously running environmental engineering professional course in the United States. The weeklong program is designed to introduce personnel in the fields of water treatment facilities and water modeling to the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and engineering approaches to water quality modeling and treatment. In its 50 years, more than 2,500 people from all across the United States and the world have attended classes at the Institute.

Di Toro, the evening’s honoree, has been involved in the Institute since the

“No person can do this alone – I hope all my colleagues at Manhattan College and HydroQual take pride in this accomplishment as well,” he said.

Di Toro’s plaque joins 14 others in the William J. Scala Academy Room, dedicated in 2000 to the memory of William J. Scala, with the purpose of honoring Jaspers who have been elected to membership in the NAE. For Richard Heist, dean of the school of engineering, the marked prominence of Manhattan College alums in the NAE is a point of pride.

“For a college of our size to now have 15 of our alumni and alumnae as members of the Academy is very impressive and speaks volumes to the quality of the educational programs we offer here at the College,” he said.

on campus

School of Engineering Has Another

The NAE, founded in 1964, provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. It has more than 2,000 peer-elected members and foreign associates who represent some of the world’s most accomplished engineers.

Manhattan in 1963, and a master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1965 and a Ph.D. in civil and geological engineering in 1967, both from Princeton University.

Long known at Manhattan for his mathematical modeling ability, Di Toro was cited by the NAE for “leadership in the development and application of mathematical models for establishing water-quality criteria and making management decisions.”

Following his address on “Developments in Water and Sediment Quality Criteria,” O’Melia, a member of the NAE since 1989, read his citation and biography.

Di Toro’s plaque was then unveiled by his longtime colleague Thomann, himself an NAE member since 1999.

Addressing the crowd, Di Toro said that he believed that in his field, collaborations were the true secret to success.

Dominic M. Di Toro ’63, the 15th Manhattan College alumnus to be inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, and his wife, Marilyn, pose with the plaque honoring his induction.

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College Links Arms With Community Groups to

Clean Up the Environment Community activists and environmentalists gathered at Manhattan College in March to garner support for clean-up projects along the deteriorated Harlem River waterfront, an area in desperate need of improvement.

At the Fourth Annual Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ) Water Conference hosted by the College, the main topic of discussion was the Harlem River Brownfields Development and proposals for clean-up grants to help revitalize the Harlem River waterfront north of 149th Street. Many in attendance wanted nothing more than to create a waterfront that people of the Bronx can enjoy instead of a garbage-ridden wasteland that’s more than just an eyesore – it’s a health risk for the community.

More than 70 attendees were updated on current restoration projects and informed of recent proposals, such as Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión’s Yankee Village plan and state funding to clean up the brownfields along the Harlem River. Representatives from several environmental and nonprofit organizations, including Friends of Brook Park, New York City Economic Development Corp., Roberto Clemente State Park and Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy, provided updates on their efforts to clean up the area. In all, the message delivered at the conference was that while progress has been made, there is still more work ahead.

Justin Bloom of BCEQ discussed the organization’s attempts to obtain state funding to clean up the brownfields along the river through the Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) state grants. BCEQ has requested seed funding to create a map of the brownfields along the Harlem River and to partner with the community to determine how they want the funds used.

Since his overview at the March conference, the Harlem River project has received funding for $98,890. Dr. Walter Matystik, assistant provost, will represent the College on a five-member project committee, along with representatives from BCEQ, the Bronx borough president’s office, Bronx Community Board 5 and New York City Soil & Water Conservation District. Project objectives so far are to accomplish community redevelopment and revitalization, including new housing and recreation opportunities, and to improve transportation facilities and infrastructure.

At the conference, Carrión laid out his proposal to give the Yankees a new stadium and renovate the surrounding area. In his overview, he discussed the imbalance in the relationship between the Bronx as a community and the Yankees.

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Carrión’s proposal calls for a new stadium, creating more usable parkland, building a signature sports industry high school, developing a more efficient transportation infrastructure and creating a sports complex and retail market, so that fans who visit the stadium, enjoy their stay in the Bronx.

If the Yankees want a new stadium, “then we want to produce a platform of opportunity to attract tourists, to clean up the environment, to attract retailers … and to ensure that at the end of the day, the scales are balanced,” he said.

Although each speaker mentioned different projects and proposals, they each shared the same goals: to clean up the Harlem River waterfront and further develop and revitalize the Bronx.

In his conference welcome address, Dr. Richard Heist, dean of the school of engineering, stressed the College’s commitment to service in the community and said that hosting the conference is one way of supporting that goal. He also highlighted the College’s environmental engineering program and how those students are involved in community outreach and emphasized the importance of educating engineers to be sensitive to important community issues.

The College is a partner of BCEQ, which, for nearly 30 years, has committed to promoting clean air and water and fighting against habitat destruction. Some of its victories include the creation of a greenway that runs through the Bronx and enables people to jog, bike or walk from Westchester to Manhattan, and the dismissal of a plan to form six landfills at Pelham Bay Park. The group is currently working on projects to preserve Bronx historical land areas, return biodiversity to the borough and restore greenways.

During the break, a representative from the Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy talks with an attendee.

High school admissions counselors and college admissions professionals from all over New York state got a taste of the Jasper experience when the College hosted the 27th annual New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC) conference, the largest industry event in the state. More than 750 participants convened on campus from June 1-3 for workshops, presentations and lectures, as well as socializing and networking.

This year’s conference, the theme of which was “Education and Our Future: Joining Efforts to Light the Way,” included a speech by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión and a panel discussion about the state of higher education in New York. The more than 50 workshops covered topics such as the college application process, international and multicultural college advising, and high school graduation trends. In addition to the conference, Manhattan hosted NYSACAC’s eighth annual Coming Together Conference, a two-day mini conference preceding the NYSACAC conference for counselors who work with underserved students.

The theme of the Coming Together Conference was “Bridging the Gap by Letting Every Student’s Light Shine.”

According to Brother President Thomas Scanlan, the conference, which seeks to inform and educate counseling professionals, fits in well with Manhattan College’s Lasallian mission. During his

NYSACAC Conference Convenes at Manhattan welcome speech, Br. Thomas reminded the attendees that advisors and counselors help their students fulfill their “full human potential,” just as St. John Baptist de La Salle strove to do.

“At Manhattan, we see teaching – and counseling – as not simply a job, a career or a profession, but as a ministry,” Br. Thomas said.

Carrión also highlighted the importance of those who work with students and called them the “keepers of a special promise that we have made to the American people.”

“The single most important responsibility we have as Americans is to educate every generation,” Carrión said. “Thank you for all the work that you do; it is the most important work that we do.”

Educating every generation was a major theme of Thursday’s panel discussion, “The State of Higher Education in New York.” CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities President Abraham Lackman and acting SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan discussed higher education in New York state and in the country. According to the panelists, the major challenges higher education is facing is in maintaining the United States’ position as a top educator of math and science students, as well as preparing students in elementary and high school for higher education.

“We as educators need a clarion call to action to deal with students at an early age – to engage them, excite them, graduate them,” Goldstein said.

The panel, one of the conference’s final events, ended the three-day tour on a high note, and according to Richard Alvarez, NYSACAC president–elect and university director of admission at the City University of New York, the Jasper influence played a big part in its success.

“The conference was spectacular, and the way Manhattan College showcased its campus was phenomenal,” he said.

“Everything done by the College made everyone feel so at home – it really showed the campus in a great, positive light.”

on campus

Lighting the Way:

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión and Brother President Thomas Scanlan welcomed participants to the 27th annual New York State Association for College Admission Counseling conference, held on campus in June.

BETA Gears Up for Sophomore Year BETA has survived its freshman year in fine form.

The Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy (BETA), a theme-based high school the College’s school of engineering has partnered with, completed its first academic year and, so far, has had a successful run.

“The first year of any project is always accompanied with challenges, but, overall, we did very well,” says Dr. Richard Heist, dean of the school of engineering.

“Everything seems to be unfolding nicely … I’m very pleased and proud.”

Word has gotten around, too, about the success of BETA. At recruiting fairs sponsored by the Department of Education (DOEd), BETA received quite a bit of interest. For the upcoming school year, the nascent high school received 1,700 applications for only 100 seats.

“People are saying good things about BETA,” says Richard Schneider, academic advisor for the school of engineering and who has a close working relationship with the BETA faculty and students.

“They’re finding out about us through word of mouth.”

The school of engineering helped create BETA as part of the New York City DOEd’s Children First new schools initiative, which was designed by the city to create 200 effective small schools during the next few years. The new schools would provide traditionally underserved communities with access to rich, rigorous curricula, including college-readiness programs and smaller classroom sizes, with a goal of fostering stronger teacher-student relationships.

One of the few with an engineering theme, BETA was part of a group of 91 new schools that opened their doors last fall. continued on page 14

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BETA Gears Up for Sophomore Year

While most theme-based high schools have a selective admissions process, BETA has taken a different approach. The school does not require an entrance exam. Students are not selected based solely on their academic scores but on their motivation and desire to attend BETA. “We’re taking students of all backgrounds and helping them achieve their goal to go to college,” Heist says. “This fits well with Manhattan College’s mission. It’s a hand-in-glove fit with our Lasallian tradition and service to the community.”

Heist reiterates his goal to have BETA as a feeder school, which would eventually supply a steady stream of qualified students reflecting the diversity of the Bronx to the College’s engineering programs.

BETA has, in fact, already moved closer to that goal. As planned, the high school is moving its location from Roosevelt High School on Fordham Road to John F. Kennedy High School on 230th Street, within walking distance to the College’s engineering building.

one of its newest teachers. Michael Mitchell, who earned his mechanical engineering degree from the College in 2004 and recently completed his master’s degree at Columbia University, will join BETA as a New York City Teaching Fellow in the fall.

“I am absolutely thrilled that Michael Mitchell will be joining the BETA faculty in the fall,” Heist says. “Mike will bring a strong engineering background and a deep commitment to the vision of BETA to the team and to the students.”

Upon hearing about BETA, Mitchell began to figure out ways to help BETA students. At first, he had ideas of becoming a tutor. Through a teacher at BETA, he learned about the fellowship program, applied and was able to arrange working as a full-time faculty member at the high school. Since BETA is still fairly new, Mitchell hopes to have the opportunity to make significant contributions to its curriculum.

Schneider says he’s looking forward to an even closer relationship between BETA and Manhattan College. Eventually, BETA students will study in Manhattan’s engineering labs or possibly work on research projects with engineering faculty. And the plan is to have engineering students as tutors and mentors to BETA students.

The intent, he says, is to get the BETA students comfortable with the campus and comfortable with Manhattan College.

Not only will the College benefit from this venture, but also the engineering workforce in New York City will benefit as well.

In fact, Heist points out that BETA can serve as a model for other colleges in urban settings to increase the numbers of women and underrepresented minorities in the nation’s declining engineering workforce.

“This decline is a serious national problem,” Heist says.

“We have got to get more people in the engineering workforce.

BETA is one way we can help accomplish this.”

BETA students meet Sen. Hillary Clinton on a field trip to Washington, D.C.

In addition to general high school courses, such as English and history, BETA students each year focus on an engineeringor technology-related subject. For freshmen, the theme was bridges and structure. Sophomores will focus on environmental engineering issues involving water and air quality.

“Over the past year or so, I’ve become much more passionate about teaching,” Mitchell says. “It will be exciting to become part of something new by joining BETA at the ground floor and working to create something amazing.”

In their first year, BETA students took a number of field trips to put their textbook knowledge to work. A boat cruise around Manhattan served as a vehicle to study the many different bridges in the New York City area. The students also traveled to Washington, D.C., where they had an opportunity to meet Sen. Hillary Clinton. And on a “physics day” field trip to Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson, N.J., they studied the underlying physics of the amusement rides and the engineering behind their construction. They capped off the school year with a “Tech Olympics” in May held in the Fischbach Room of Leo, where students participated in various competitions having to do with structural engineering.

So it’s not quite your typical high school, which is what motivated the teachers who conceived BETA and also attracted

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Mitchell is one of seven new teachers who will join the school’s faculty in the fall.

BETA is solidly on track with its mission and plans. Still, Heist and Schneider continue to assess the first-year outcomes and revisit their goals as the school evolves. The BETA team plans to build further on the engineering and technology curriculum while continuously working to form closer ties between the high school, the College and the professional engineering community in New York City. And while the first year has been a good one, there is always room for improvement.

For now, the BETA team is savoring what has been a successful first year and facing its sophomore debut.

It was Justin Carlucci’s ’05 second straight year of rallying supporters to raise funds for cancer research. This time, Carlucci and others doubled their efforts to make the College’s second annual Relay For Life in April bigger and better than its 2004 on-campus debut.

At this year’s Relay For Life – the American Cancer Society’s signature fund-raiser – the number of participants doubled from 300 to 600, corporate sponsorship of the event jumped 600 percent and the amount of money raised increased dramatically from $18,000 to $50,000. The proceeds from the fund-raiser will be used to benefit the Bronx community.

At this success rate, the annual event will likely become a staple on the College’s campus, which is exactly what the organizers hope.

The Relay For Life “brings people together for the common good and builds bonds within a community while doing something good for all,” says Carlucci, who graduated in May with honors and a bachelor’s degree in government and urban affairs. “I hope that participants

College Helps the

Raise Funds for Cancer will gain a greater community spirit and camaraderie with their peers as they realize what a positive difference they are making for all, in their own community and beyond.”

“What you’re doing here is so meaningful,” he said during the opening ceremony held in Draddy Gym. “You’re having a real impact on many people’s lives … for that, I thank you.”

American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is a community-based program designed to be a festive event that celebrates survivorship. In 2004, Manhattan College was the first Bronx-based college or university to host the event on its campus.

Several survivors also shared their personal stories battling the disease during the opening ceremony. One breast cancer survivor, Angela Donovan, encouraged everyone at the relay to take care of themselves early on.

The downpour of rain on the night of April 2 did not deter people from participating in this year’s relay. The students who helped organize the event, with guidance from the campus ministry and social action department, set their goal at $30,000 and surpassed it before the opening ceremony on Saturday night.

“Take a jump start on your health,” Donovan says. “We have one life to live, so live it to the fullest.”

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (DRiverdale) stopped by to wish the participants well and extend his support for the cause. He talked about how in Albany, causes and issues, such as cancer and other fights, are often discussed, but it’s the actual events, such as Relay For Life, that really matter.

Teams of people took turns walking or running laps in Draddy Gym while participants throughout the night enjoyed live music, free massages, pingpong or dodge ball tournaments and other programming. Every team tried to keep at least one member on the track at all times. A number of prizes were offered, including a car raffle. Pathmark, Red Bull, Wal-Mart, Newmark Real Estate and Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate sponsored the event.

on campus

An Overnight Fight To

Gulf Weather the Storm

As Americans prepared to commemorate the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the nation witnessed yet another disaster as Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc in the Gulf states. On 9/11, many members of the Manhattan College community became involved in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center.

Now, Manhattan College is working with students from colleges and universities in the region that are interested in enrolling on a temporary or permanent basis. Manhattan also has reached out to its contacts at Lasallian Catholic high schools in the New Orleans area and informed them that the College is prepared to make late emergency admissions provisions for their former students attending institutions in the devastated region.

The admissions office is working with professional organizations such as the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the National Catholic College Admission Association to identify displaced students from the metropolitan New York City area who are interested in continuing their studies at Manhattan.

“As you know, a tremendous amount of uncertainty remains as to when classes will resume at these institutions,” William Bisset Jr., vice president for enrollment management, wrote to Manhattan faculty members and staff to inform them of its contingency plans. “The admissions staff plans to do its very best to accommodate those interested in enrolling at Manhattan.

In some cases, it may be necessary to waive certain institutional policies and procedures to assist these students.”

In addition, the Manhattan College community joined in expressing heartfelt sorrow and prayers for those who have suffered terrible losses in the Gulf states.

In response to the disaster, campus ministry and social action students held a prayer service on the Quad for hurricane victims. A special College account, Hurricane Katrina Relief, has been set up for contributions, and a Manhattan College training session was arranged for student volunteers at the American Red Cross. In addition, Manhattan joined with Riverdale Ethical Culture Society in collecting school supplies for evacuees in Mobile, Ala. A commemorative New Orleans Big Easy afternoon was held on the Quad, and longer-term projects are being planned, including a service trip to Louisiana during intersession or spring break.

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Service-Learning Camp Not all summer camps are fun and games. For the students who volunteered at a Texas camp for chronically ill children, the experience was so much more than that. It was a life lesson they would never forget.

During the spring semester, 15 students volunteered at Camp Reynal in Fort Worth, Texas, as part of an annual service-learning trip sponsored by the College’s campus ministry and social action department.

Camp Reynal is a weeklong camp for children with chronic kidney disease.

It aims to give kids a typical camping experience that includes horseback riding, arts and crafts, swimming and other activities.

longer. Even now I wish I could be back at camp … Everyone is there for that one cause; to make sure the kids have the best time.”

Kinah Ventura-Rosas, coordinator of campus ministry, reiterates the value of student service-learning trips. With the Camp Reynal trip, in particular, some premed or education students have the opportunity to step outside of the textbook and get the “human experience.” And, in general, students often return to campus with a greater appreciation for life, for their health and for some of the daily comforts they might take for granted.

“They learn that their problems aren’t as big as they originally seemed,” Ventura-Rosas says. “Being with the kids [at the camp] is a real eye opening experience for them.”

Most students who attend servicelearning trips often echo that message.

They return with a renewed sense of appreciation for what they have and gain a deeper understanding of the less fortunate, their struggles with poverty and the obstacles they face.

Pretty in pink: Manhattan students camp out in style with the girls of Camp Reynal.

While in Texas, students worked as one-on-one counselors, helped feed and bathe some of the sick children and, especially, assisted the kids who are on dialysis treatment several times a day.

Student volunteers helped run different workshops and programs and interacted with the kids around-the-clock, sharing meals and sleeping in the same cabins.

Fawad Nisar ’04, now a graduate student at the College, says that forming a strong bond with the kids is inevitable, even in such a short amount of time.

“The kids tend to grow on you, even though it is only a weeklong camp,” says Nisar, who volunteered at Camp Reynal for the second straight year.

“It has the effect of lasting for much

Campus ministry offers service-learning trips each academic year. In addition to the trip to Camp Reynal, students volunteered this past spring in Chamelecon, a small village in Honduras, and in Southern Appalachia in West Virginia.

Engineers Needed In June, Dr. Graham Walker, professor of mechanical engineering, led a team of students in Honduras, including his son, Martin ’05, who graduated this past May with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Walker has been working on a way to link more engineering students to service-learning trips to help provide these impoverished areas with an engineer’s knowledge and resources.

In Chamelecon, Walker and the student volunteers built homes from the ground up for the people in the community. Most people live in very small, makeshift homes consisting of random pieces of wood and tin roofs. Each year, student volunteers who travel to Honduras help the people

The boys of Camp Reynal strike a pose with their “big brothers.”

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build homes using cinder blocks with the proper foundations and reinforcements.

Walker designed and built shelves for the area’s first library, which is still under construction. He also installed a solar cell system, which will take solar energy and produce about 15 volts of electricity. It is not a lot of power but can easily run a refrigerator or computer, he says.

Walker says the need for engineers in the area is underlined by the fact that the solar cell system had been sitting in its box for two years because no one there knew how to assemble it. There were so many moments that stick with him from the Honduras trip. Apart from witnessing the degree of poverty and lack of education there, working alongside his son was one of them. Not all parents find themselves working in the same field as their kids, he says, and for this, he feels fortunate to be able to share that unique experience with Martin.

Each year the College sees an increase in the number of applicants for servicelearning trips. For trips scheduled in the 2004-2005 academic year, campus ministry received nearly 40 applications for the Honduras trip alone.

“Students continue to talk to other students about their positive experiences,” says Ventura-Rosas, who has also volunteered in Chamelecon in the past.

“There are people who are the worst off in the world, and they experience this firsthand. It’s an inspiration for them.”

Lasallian education is in a period of transition, but a new era of cooperation between Brothers and laypeople will allow the Lasallian educational mission to continue to flourish, according to Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, F.S.C., the 26th superior general of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Br. Álvaro met with students and faculty at Manhattan College during a visit to campus on April 18, 2005, when he discussed the current state of the Lasallian educational mission, as well as its future.

“I think we are living in a very important moment, a transition moment. But it’s an exciting moment,” he said.

Br. Álvaro visited Manhattan as part of his tour of Lasallian schools in the United States. He was accompanied by Vicar General Brother William Mann, F.S.C., and joined by Brother Frank Byrne, F.S.C., provincial of the New York District and college trustee. Their visit was a rare pleasure for the campus because, according to Brother Robert Berger, F.S.C., vice president for student life, the superior general comes to the United States only once every few years, and to have him not only visit campus but also stay at the Brothers’ residence, was a unique honor.

During his visit, the superior general met with a group of Manhattan faculty for a discussion of the future of Lasallian education. One of the chief concerns addressed by the faculty was the central question of how to maintain a clearly Catholic, Lasallian identity for Manhattan as the College becomes more and more diverse in its student body and as the number of Christian Brothers continues to decline.

Lasallian Education “In the last year, the Brothers have decided that the Lasallian charisma is not just for the Brothers, but for others – a gift of the Spirit to not just a small group but to all who want to participate,” Br. Álvaro said.

After meeting with the faculty, Br. Álvaro also had the chance for an informal discussion group with some current Jaspers. The students spoke about what they are involved with on campus, their plans for the future and what the Lasallian mission means to them. The students, who represented all four classes and all five schools, shared stories of their experiences on servicelearning trips, on retreats and in service missions on campus.

Noting that the same words – family, caring, community – recurred again and again when both students and faculty talked about Manhattan College, Br. William said that the connection and solidarity on campus was heartening. He also complimented the students on their obvious commitment to social justice.

“I’m really excited and encouraged and deeply grateful for not only the many things you do, but the variety of things you do,” Br. William said.

This visit was Br. Álvaro’s second to the Manhattan campus. In 2002, he was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Pedagogy degree at the Fall Honors Convocation, where he was recognized for his lifelong service to the Christian Brothers.

Br. Álvaro was born in San José, Costa Rica in 1942. After attending the Lasallian school in the capital city of San José, he continued his studies at the novitiate at Bordighera in southwest Italy and then later at the University of Salamanca in southwest Spain. He served in Mexico before spending 25 years in Guatemala and Nicaragua in the 1970s and 1980s, during the tumultuous years when the undeclared war between “Death Squad” terrorists and the populace made it one of the world’s most dangerous places. Br. Álvaro was the auxiliary visitor and visitor of the district of Central America before being named to the general council of the Christian Brothers in Rome as the vicar general in 1993 and as superior general in 2000.

on campus

Predicting the Future of

Dr. John Wilcox, vice president for mission, who helped organize Br. Álvaro’s visit, said he was inspired by Br. Álvaro’s sense of “hope and confidence in the future,” and noted that the superior general was “very committed to including laypeople in the Lasallian educational movement.”

As he visits the bearers of the Lasallian legacy, Br. Álvaro seems to be looking forward. “We can’t repeat the past,” he said. “We must build the future.”

Br. Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, the 26th superior general of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, meets with students Michael Brady ’05, Tom McCarthy ’06, Erin Coriston ’06 and Christina Hickey ’05.

According to Br. Álvaro, the question is one that has been on the minds of the Christian Brothers organization. In their view, he said, partnership of the Brothers with the laity is an extension of the Brothers’ vocation. The way to preserve the special character of Manhattan College, and of all Lasallian schools, he said, was in a closer association of Brothers and laypeople who support the Lasallian educational mission.

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Remembering His Holiness Pope John Paul II, spiritual leader to more than one billion Catholics around the world for 26 years, was beloved by Catholics and non-Catholics alike as a champion of human rights and freedoms.

His death on April 2, 2005, was mourned by the thousands filling Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican, as well as by millions across the globe. Manhattan College joined this worldwide community in memorializing his life with several events on campus in early April.

A Mass for the Repose of the Soul of His Holiness Pope John Paul II was celebrated by Father James Cerbone in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers and offered the Manhattan College community an opportunity for prayer and reflection on the life and legacy of the pope.

The remembrance was continued on Thursday, April 7 at 3:30 p.m. with a

Pope John Paul II

prayer service held on the Quad. The student-organized and student-led service, which featured readings, prayer and music, was the brainchild of Michael Brady ’05. Brady, who graduated in May from the school of arts with a degree in English, urban affairs and government, thought there should be an “outreach to the students” in the wake of the pope’s death. The service, attended by more than 70 students, faculty and staff members, focused on Pope John Paul II’s impact on the lives of young people and students.

Speaking at the service, Paul Avvento ’07, a junior in the school of education, called the pope “passionate and unwavering.” According to Avvento, a participant in World Youth Day 2002, the tremendous affection the pope had for the youth, and that they had for him, was one of John Paul II’s legacies.

The Rev. William Quinlan ’85, a canon lawyer for the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., was in Rome during the pope’s funeral services. Throughout the trip, he sent detailed e-mails about what he witnessed and experienced to his mother. The following entries are taken from those e-mails.

Brady said the turnout at the prayer service, conceived of as a way to give “closure” to the life of the pope, was inspiring.

“I have a newfound respect for the spirituality of the College,” he said.

Approximately 40 students gathered before dawn for the final campus event, the broadcast of the pope’s funeral, which was shown at 4 a.m. in Plato’s Cave.

According to John Mark ’00, director of residence life, the student desire for a community event, and the informed and lively conversation despite the early hour, was a testament to the pope’s importance to Manhattan students.

Avvento agrees. As he said in his remarks at the prayer service, “Pope John Paul II lived a remarkable life. His life brought meaning, courage, strength and compassion to millions of lives.”

and shuffle little by little toward the opening that will bring me toward the bier on which Pope John Paul lies in scarlet chasuble, his bishop’s crook under his left arm and a rosary entwined in his fingers.

Tuesday, April 5 Rome is dark, and the revelers of the night before seem to have finally settled in for the night. I walk through dimly lit streets and, despite one or two wrong turns, find myself at the Tiber and can see the illuminated dome of Saint Peter’s in the distance. As I get closer, I encounter more and more people, either on their way to the same place or returning therefrom.

The sky had still been inky dark when I’d arrived, but now the dawn was breaking, streaking the eastern horizon with pink and pale blue, merging to purple and navy at the edges. The doors had opened at 5 a.m., and the line had begun to move. I say the rosary 18

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The Rev.William Quinlan ’85

The line into St. Peter’s Basilica to view the pope _________ I got home at about 8 a.m. and met a few of the resident priests of the Casa over breakfast. A few of them had also been to St. Peter’s, and we talked about how the experience had affected us. I told them how I was surprised at the intensity of the emotion I felt as I stood and prayed over the body of the late Holy Father. I didn’t mention it to them, but as I was standing in Saint Peter’s looking at that saintly man in his deep red chasuble lying in state, I had concentrated on his hands and thought of the time when the Holy Father had held my hand in his as he used my strength to help him climb the stairs up to the chapel at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore…To have seen the man who was so vibrant and winning, so joyful and playful, with those strong hands folded lifeless, was moving in a way I didn’t feel able to explain that morning.

Thursday, April 7 We went upstairs to the sacristy. Fr. Igor and I vested in alb and red stole. Soon enough we were asked to line up for the procession.

About 200 priests and three bishops began processing out of the sacristy. As I walked out of the sacristy, I was amazed to see where I was. Directly in front of me was the bronze Baldachino designed as a canopy over the high altar of Saint Peter’s. I could see the altar and, before it, the bier on which lay the Holy Father.

We turned left at the altar to go behind the main altar to the chapel of the Chair of St. Peter. We processed in, reverenced the altar and filed into the choir stalls on either side of the altar.

Soon enough we heard the voices of the choir singing beautifully, and the Mass was underway. As we sang, the coffin containing the mortal remains of the Holy Father was carried out by white-gloved “sediari” and placed on a rug before the altar. (Before Pope John XXIII did away with it, the sediari carried the pope in his throne on their shoulders —now he has the popemobile). I had never seen a coffin placed on the ground before, but another priest told me it is the practice in Italy. It seemed like a humble and beautiful gesture. Next, the book of the Gospels was placed atop the coffin.

When you are ordained in the Catholic Church, you are handed the book of the Gospels and told and told to believe, teach and proclaim the truth contained therein. The coffin looked so simple and stark — plain, unadorned wood — before the soaring splendor of the basilica. A breeze began riffling the pages of the book as the cardinals processed toward the altar, their red chasubles billowing around them.

The cardinals processed out of the basilica two by two, reverenced the altar and took their places across the front of the basilica.

The readings were proclaimed in Spanish, English and Italian, and then Cardinal Ratzinger preached of the loving and wholehearted service to the church and the world that had made Pope John Paul’s leadership so remarkable.The cardinal also had to pause and wait several times as the crowd erupted in cheers and clapping and chants of “Giovanni Paolo” and “Santo Subito!” (“Saint Immediately,” calling for the church to acknowledge the Holy Father as a saint without delay).

After that, Cardinal Ratzinger said the final prayer, and the sediari came back and solemnly lifted the coffin to their shoulders and proceeded to carry it back into the basilica to our Holy Father’s final resting place in the ground beneath St. Peter’s in company with his predecessors on the Chair of Peter. Just before the sediari entered the basilica, they paused and tilted the coffin toward us, so we could say our final farewell. People were clapping, crying and calling out “John Paul.” One young priest a few rows in front of me was waving his hand in a gesture of farewell and sadness that reminded me of a little kid saying goodbye. I dare say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

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_________

If you would like a full transcript of the Rev. William Quinlan’s e-mails from Rome, please call the college relations office at (718) 862-7231.

Friday, April 8 The next morning I woke up at 5:19 a.m. — a minute before the alarm (I seemed to have developed a knack for that in Rome). It was still dark as about 40 of us set out through the streets of Rome.

As we quickly went through the cobblestone streets, I wondered what the various people we encountered, cabbies mostly, thought as they saw this procession of priests in cassocks. In no time at all, we had made it to the Vatican. We showed our “tickets” to the Swiss guards, and they waved us through.

St. Peter’s Square at sunrise

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First String: Manhattan College’s New Orchestra In the spring sunshine of May, the strains of Verdi’s Four Seasons drifted across the Quad as a lawn full of spectators listened appreciatively.

Although nothing could have looked more natural than the 12 string and woodwind performers on stage, this Mother’s Day concert was a first: the inaugural performance of the newly formed Manhattan College orchestra, the first orchestra on campus since 1973.

The orchestra had its beginning only three months before, when an unobtrusive and unremarkable e-mail was sent out on a cold and drizzly February morning.

“To: the Manhattan College Community.

Re: Orchestra,” it read, “Plans are underway to start an orchestra here at Manhattan College.”

After an initial session for evaluation of skill level, responding students and faculty members met every Monday night from 7 to 9 p.m. Because the majority of new orchestra members were playing string instruments, the musical selections were tailored to fit a string orchestra, with a focus on classical and baroque pieces.

According to both William Mulligan, director of performing arts, and Dr. Mark Pottinger, director of the fine arts department, students long have been interested in more opportunities to play music, which accounts for what Mulligan calls the “incredibly fast” development of the orchestra.

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“There was such a drive to have another [performance] outlet that it just blossomed,” Mulligan says.

The revived orchestra is just one part of the flowering of the study of music at Manhattan. Beginning in the fall 2004 semester, students were offered the opportunity to minor in music, and currently, almost 30 Jaspers have added a music minor to their studies. The new orchestra will be a key part of that minor: students will have the chance to take the class for credit applicable to a music minor or as an elective; audit orchestra so that it appears on their transcripts; or join the orchestra as a club, no academic strings attached.

Giving students more performance opportunities can only enhance their studies because hands-on experience is a “necessity,” according to Mulligan.

“For a long time, performing arts was extracurricular and fine arts was academic,” he says. “We want to bring them together. They’re two sides of the same coin.”

After the departure of founding conductor and adjunct professor Harold Levin, the performing arts department has chosen Teresa Cheung, assistant conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra, to lead the orchestra as it expands.

Cheung previously was the resident conductor of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra in Evansville, Ind., a $2 million regional orchestra, as well as the conductor of the Evansville Youth Orchestra and Evansville Philharmonic Chorus.

“I am very excited to have [Cheung] join the performing arts staff here at Manhattan because she will be building a program for the College based on a solid foundation of musicianship,” Mulligan says.

As the new music director, Cheung is looking forward not only to working with the orchestra but also to drawing on her choral experience to foster collaborations between the orchestra and the Manhattan College Singers.

“It’s not so much about just building an orchestra – it’s building a music program here at the College,” she says.

Thanks to summer recruiting and to the many people who expressed interest but couldn’t arrange their schedules on such short notice this past year, the orchestra is growing.

“We already have three times as many people as last year,” Cheung says. “That’s very exciting.”

With growth firmly in mind, the young group has three performances slated for the 2005-2006 academic year: a fall concert to be held on Sunday, November 20 in the Chapel; a spring concert; and another concert on the Quad held near the end of the spring semester.

As the school year unfolds, both the performing arts and the fine arts departments are eager to watch the orchestra grow and develop. Pottinger is optimistic.

“It’s only going up from here,” he says.

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Model U.N. Team on Winning Spree

Representing the Republic of Greece, the College’s Model United Nations team won an Honorable Mention Award at the National Model U.N. Conference in New York City.

For the second consecutive year, the College’s Model United Nations team is a winner.

Manhattan’s delegation of 19 students, which represented the Republic of Greece, won an Honorable Mention Award for its efforts at the National Model U.N. Conference held this past March in New York City. The annual conference is the world’s largest university-level U.N. simulation. More than 3,300 students from more than 200 colleges and universities worldwide participated in this year’s competition.

The College also was recognized at the conference when two students were selected as rapporteurs for their committees. Marissa Gross ’05, who majored in international studies and Spanish, was chosen to be the rapporteur of the General Assembly Sixth (Legal) Committee, and Blair Lampe ’05, who studied international studies and received the next-in-merit honor for the valedictory medal, was selected to be rapporteur of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Both students helped direct the work of their respective committees and were chosen from many applicants at the conference.

For students on the Model U.N. team, the opportunity to compete at this level gives them a hands-on approach to the dealings of government, politics and foreign relations. For most, it is a positive experience that resonates beyond simply signing up for a college activity: It’s a learning experience that they can take with them after graduation day.

The Year Ahead

“The Model U.N. program provides an outlet for us to use the holistic education that the College fosters,” says Michael Brady ’05, who majored in English, government and urban studies. “Manhattan breeds leaders of tomorrow, and this program is another testament to the outstanding work the College does in all program areas, especially for the liberal arts.”

Invitational Model United Nations Competition

Led by Dr. Pamela Chasek, assistant professor of government and director of the international studies program, the Model U.N. team represented Greece in 10 different committees. Under the leadership of head delegate Marissa Gross, the team negotiated resolutions on such diverse topics as preventing HIV/AIDS, U.N. reform, legal aspects of war and occupation, poverty eradication, narrowing the digital divide and environmental issues.

National Model United Nations Conference

November 17-20 Washington, D.C. Students will represent China and Brazil and discuss topics including Security Council reform, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regulating conventional arms and alternative approaches for improving human rights.

April 11-15 New York City The Manhattan team will be representing Morocco and discussing topics such as nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, trade and development, crime prevention in developing states, monitoring natural disasters and intellectual property protection.

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Students in Free Enterprise Team Create

Award-Winning Business Outreach Plan Manhattan College’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team was named second runner-up in the 2005 SIFE Regional Competition held this past April in Hartford, Conn. The nine-person team presented a report for its yearlong community outreach projects to a panel of business leaders at the competition. Teams were judged on three criteria: the creativity, innovation and effectiveness of their presentations.

Manhattan College’s Students in Free Enterprise team was named second runner-up in the 2005 SIFE Regional Competition.

College Appoints First Robert DeRosa has been appointed the director of risk management at Manhattan College. It is a job that requires managing many and varied projects, and it’s one that is a good fit for DeRosa, a 26-year veteran of the New York City Department of Corrections.

According to DeRosa, there are many logistical similarities between his former work and his new position assuring the security of Manhattan College.

The director of risk management will coordinate between all Manhattan offices to further improve the College’s security. As director, DeRosa is in charge of evaluating safety and security needs of the College, implementing preventative measures to reduce insurance risks, coordinating in-service training with the office of security and various college offices, analyzing risk/threat statistics and making recommendations for improvement. The main job, as he sees

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During the academic year, the College’s SIFE team organized “Biz Week” at Manhattan College, a weeklong series of business and financial events cosponsored by the team and the school of business.

Biz Week is designed to increase the overall awareness and importance of various aspects of business, as well as to raise awareness and on-campus participation in SIFE for all major fields of study. Programs planned for Biz Week – held on campus from April 14 through April 18 – included a savings and

retirement seminar, a workshop on launching a business and a discussion on understanding corporate mergers.

In addition to Biz Week, the Manhattan SIFE team assisted a Bronx-based manufacturing company with boosting its annual revenue by revamping the company’s Web site and by helping to generate new ideas that directly affect the company’s bottom line.

SIFE is an international, nonprofit organization that encourages students to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to real-life situations and to use their knowledge to better their communities through educational outreach projects. The organization is active on more than 1,800 college campuses in more than 40 countries. SIFE teams focus on projects that teach market economics, entrepreneurship, personal finance success skills and business ethics.

Director of Risk Management it, is simple: “to ensure that our assets are being protected – our students, faculty and visitors, as well as our campus.”

According to Brother Robert Berger, vice president for student life, DeRosa’s experience made him an ideal candidate for the job. Citing his background in law enforcement, as well as his organizational and people skills, Br. Robert says, “He’s jumped into the job 100 percent, and he has a keen eye for the things that could lead to mishaps.”

DeRosa was most recently the program director of therapeutic residential and outpatient drug treatment services at Phoenix House, a nonprofit substance abuse services organization with programs in nine states. He has consulted all over the world, including Malaysia, Puerto Rico and South Korea, but he’s looking forward to staying in one place for a while and watching the progress he’s making unfold.

“I get a great deal of satisfaction in making changes that improve the overall efficiency and productivity of an organization, and I’m looking forward to doing that here,” he says.

Robert DeRosa is the first person to hold the newly created position of director of risk management at Manhattan College.

Books

The school of arts has its own library of published works, and it’s rapidly growing.

The third annual book party held in March showcased books written by six faculty members in the school of arts, including Dr. Mary Ann O’Donnell, dean of the school. The annual party celebrates faculty who have published books during the academic year. To date, 55 books have been published during the past three years from the school of arts alone, and more are on the way.

Completing 55 books while teaching is no easy feat and would not have been accomplished without the support and encouragement from the College.

Dr. Joseph Lennon, assistant professor of English, whose book Irish Orientalism: A Literary and Intellectual History recently won the Donald Murphy Prize for Distinguished First Book, began writing the book nine years ago as part of his dissertation. He received a grant from the provost that allowed him to travel to India to complete the research for the book, and he also was approved a reduced course load.

“The dean and the provost are very supportive of this work by the faculty,” he says. “It’s great to have that.”

From the streets of South Africa to early Judaism, the school of arts’ flourishing library is quite an eclectic one.

Ten Days in Johannesburg: A Negotiation of Hope

By Dr. Pamela Chasek, professor of government and director of the international studies program Ten Days in Johannesburg was a collaborative effort with coauthor Richard Sherman written for the U.N. Development Programme and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Africa. The World Summit on Sustainable Development was a significant milestone for the U.N. and South Africa. Ten Days acknowledges the historical importance of the discussions by documenting the events leading up to it and examining the outcome.

Qui parle pour la nation?: Les élections et les elus de la Champagne medidionale, 1765-1830 (Who Speaks for the Nation?: Elections and Elites in Southern Champagne)

By Dr. Jeff Horn, assistant professor of history and associate director of the Holocaust Resource Center This book explores the growth of the modern democratic process from a regional perspective. It examines an entire French département – the Aube, in southern Champagne – with a population of approximately 220,000. Horn analyzes the social, political and economic backgrounds of the 14,000 officials elected to office during a 65-year period in this area.

Irish Orientalism: A Literary and Intellectual History

By Dr. Joseph Lennon, assistant professor of English Relying on cultural and postcolonial theory, the book examines Irish impressions of Asia and West Asia, understood together as the West Orient in the West.

Lennon’s book unveils discourse of Irish Orientalism within Ireland’s complex colonial heritage.

Aphra Behn: An Annotated Bibliography of Primary and Secondary Sources

By Dr. Mary Ann O’Donnell, professor of English and dean of the school of arts O’Donnell’s book is one of the most thorough bibliographies on the work of Aphra Behn, who is considered the first professional woman playwright and novelist in English literature.

Moyers on America: A Journalist and His Time Edited by Dr. Julie Pycior, professor of history

Momentos Cumbres de las Literaturas Hispanicas: Introduccion al analisis literario (Peak Moments in Hispanic Literature: Introduction to Literary Analysis)

By Dr. Rodney Rodriguez, professor and chair of modern foreign languages Momentos Cumbres provides a method of teaching literary analysis that gives students the ability to understand the analytical steps of Hispanic literature.

On Being Human: A Conversation with Lonergan and Levinas

By Dr. Michele Saracino, assistant professor of religious studies Today, difference confronts humanity like no other point in history. With the proliferation of multinational corporations, transcontinental travel and technology, we face those different from us on a daily basis. Sadly, this encounter is not always met positively. Saracino’s book explores theological and theoretical resources for helping one navigate this world of diversity with an ethical and open posture.

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The Art of

Resurrection of the Body in Early Judaism and Christianity

By Dr. Claudia Setzer, associate professor of religious studies This book attempts to answer the question: Why was belief in resurrection of the body so significant in many early Jewish and Christian groups that they declared others in or out of the community based on their belief in it? Using social science and rhetorical methods, Setzer suggests that it functioned as shorthand for a larger set of values and was a useful tool in the construction of early communities.

In this compilation of essays, awardwining journalist Bill Moyers, who left PBS in 2004, reflects on one of his favorite topics: democracy and what is going wrong in America.

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Faculty and Staff

Accomplishments

Dr. John Ansbro, professor emeritus of philosophy, has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Congress of Arts, Sciences and Communications for his contributions to the philosophy of nonviolence.

Marjorie Apel, director of the center for career development, was appointed executive vice president/president elect for the Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA). CEIA is an international organization of practitioners, faculty and employers who are dedicated to work-integrated learning. She also has been re-elected for a third term to the Village Board of Trustees of Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. Drs. Richard Carbonaro and John Mahony, professors of civil and environmental engineering, recently accompanied 20 undergraduate students to the New York Water Environment Associations’ annual meeting held in New York City. The meeting is the largest gathering of environmental professionals in the state.

Environmental engineering graduate research assistant Casey O’Mara presented the paper “Cobalt and Nickel Interactions with Iron Sulfide in Sediments,” for which she won third place in the student competition. The paper was co-authored by environmental engineering undergraduates Christine Esposito and Lyndsay Grieco, along with faculty advisors Carbonaro and Mahony.

Bernadette Dunne, adjunct in the graduate program in school leadership, was recently elected school board president for the City of Yonkers. She also was appointed to her third five-year term as a school board member.

Lois Harr, director of campus ministry and social action, has participated in a panel at the Catholic Social Teaching Symposium held at Marymount College of Fordham University. She presented on her work in campus ministry and social action and in the religious studies department, as well as her work in the northwest Bronx community.

Dr. Richard H. Heist, dean of the school of engineering, recently published a paper in the Journal of Chemical Physics titled “Experimental Studies of the Vapor Phase Nucleation of Refractory Compounds. VI. The Condensation of Sodium” with co-authors Daniel M. Martinez, Frank T. Ferguson and Joseph A. Nuth III from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Dr. Barry Kendler, professor of biology at the Mount, has published the article “Supplemental Conditionally-Essential Nutrients in Cardiovascular Disease Therapy” in The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (2005).

Dr. Christoph Lienert, professor of physical education, presented “Physical Educators’ Concerns About Integrating Children with Disabilities: A Cross-Cultural View” at the April annual convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. The presentation was part of the Research Consortium Symposium titled “Assessment of Attitudes Toward Individuals with Disabilities.” Lienert also delivered the lecture Physical

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Education for Students With and Without Disabilities – A Critical Perspective from the U.S.A. at the University of Pedagogy in Ludwigsburg, Germany in June. His presentation was part of a series of lectures titled Individuals With and Without Disabilities Together in Physical Education and Sport: Developments, Challenges, Perspectives. He and Dr. Joseph Capitani of the chemistry department completed the 109th Boston Marathon on April 18.

Lienert’s time was 3:03:11 and Capitani’s was 3:43:19.

Dr. Mohammad H. Naraghi, professor of mechanical engineering, participated in several sessions at the Propulsion Conference organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) held in July. He chaired a technical session on liquid rocket engine propulsion system modeling and presented the paper “Modeling of Radiation Heat Transfer in Liquid Rocket Engines.” During the weeklong conference, he also instructed a short course on thermal modeling of liquid rocket engines.

Dr. Judith Plaskow, professor of religious studies, delivered a speech to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, a publication she co-founded. In her remarks, she credited the College’s generosity and support in helping the journal sustain itself for so many years. Located at the College in its first four years, the journal’s home is now Harvard Divinity School. The anniversary festivities took place in June in Cambridge, Mass.

Dr. Robert Sharp, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, has had several achievements as the O’Connor Endowed Faculty Fellow of Environmental Engineering. He is currently conducting a study with Dr. John Mahony, professor of civil and environmental engineering, to control wastewater chlorine residual concentrations that are discharged to local waters – part of a citywide initiative. Sharp also presented the paper “Vulnerability Assessment for Water Utilities: Monitoring and Detection of Chemical and Biological Agents” at the New Jersey American Water Works Association’s annual meeting in March.

He has co-authored the article “Interaction of Klebsiella oxytoca and Burkholderia cepacia in Dual-Species Batch Cultures and Biofilms as a Function of Growth Rate and Substrate Loading,” which appeared in the Journal of Microbial Ecology. This paper was co-authored by engineering alumnus John Komlos ’94 (B.S.), ’96 (M.S.), who is currently conducting environmental engineering research at Princeton University.

E. Joseph Lee, a former vice president of student life at Manhattan College, was recently appointed vice president for the Independent College Fund of New York (ICFNY), a nonprofit organization founded in 1952 for the purpose of advancing and strengthening independent colleges and universities in New York through scholarships and grants. Lee was vice president of student life at Manhattan College, a member school of the ICFNY, from 1990 to 2001.

Discusses the Working Poor

“Poverty means standing on the edge of an affluent society and looking in without being able to fully participate,” Shipler said.

After spending years with different families and individuals and documenting their lives and living conditions, Shipler found that poverty is not something that easily can be defined.

David K. Shipler

Pulitzer Prize-winning author David K. Shipler delivered a lecture this past April that examined poverty and the research behind his latest book, The Working Poor: Invisible in America. The event was held in Smith Auditorium during Founder’s Week, the College’s annual celebration in honor of St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Shipler’s lecture was sponsored by the College’s office of mission, the peace studies department, the school of business and student government.

Dr. John Wilcox, vice president for mission, who introduced Shipler at the event, said his discussion on the working poor echoes the College’s Lasallian heritage and its mission to teach children of the working poor with special attention to educating first-generation students.

“It is appropriate today to welcome David Shipler, who will be addressing a population close to De La Salle’s heart,” Wilcox said.

Shipler’s talk centered around stories from The Working Poor, stories about the lives of American families struggling against insurmountable odds to escape poverty. “Nobody who works hard should be poor in America,” writes Shipler, but the lecture discussed how even those who work, earning minimum wage for the most part, continue to find themselves stuck below the poverty line for a myriad of reasons.

“In America, if you have a job, you’re not poor,” he said. “If you work hard, you will prosper … Well, that’s an American myth.”

He made a reference to the fact that the federal government “very simply defines” it by income, but in reality, Shipler noted that poverty is more than just income. “It’s also debt because debt is the past carried into the present and burdens the future,” he said.

There is a chain reaction of poverty within families, Shipler says. He points to a story in the book about a single mom who made $8 per hour at her job. Her son suffered from asthma. The medical insurance paid for his doctor visits, but during a very bad case, the son was rushed to the emergency room. The insurance did not cover the ambulance cost, and the mother couldn’t afford it.

The unpaid bill appeared on her credit report. When she tried to buy a motor home, she was denied a loan because of her poor credit. When her car died, which she very much needed to go to work, she was denied another loan because of the credit check. She ended up purchasing a car from a low-end dealership that approved her but at a higher interest rate, which in turn, made it difficult for her to get ahead in her finances and overcome poverty.

Shipler interviewed a job placement office that helped residents in a housing project find work. They said, for the most part, the obstacle people faced in getting work was fear – fear of applying for a job, fear of the interview process, fear of having a background check, fear of actually landing the job because most of them didn’t have the self-confidence that they can do the job.

“They are so afraid of failure,” Shipler added. “So many pieces have to align for it to work out for someone” who is trying to get out of poverty.

Shipler was awarded the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for his book Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land, which explores the mutual perceptions and relationships between the two groups in Israel and the West Bank. He worked as a correspondent for The New York Times in New York, Saigon, Moscow and Jerusalem and eventually served as the paper’s chief diplomatic correspondent in Washington, D.C. A former officer in the U.S. Navy, Shipler also has written for The New Yorker, the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. He executive produced, wrote and narrated a two-hour PBS documentary based on Arab and Jew, which won a 1990 duPont-Columbia Award for broadcast journalism.

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Pulitzer Prize Winner

A guest scholar at the Brookings Institution and a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he was one of three authors invited

by President Clinton to participate in the first town meeting on race. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Shipler has taught at Dartmouth, Princeton University and American University, and has received honorary degrees from Middlebury College and Glassboro State College.

“Poverty is complicated,” Shipler said. “It’s very hard to find its causes.”

Some causes, he mentioned, were that some of the working poor suffer from unwise behavior; some suffer from dysfunctional families; and some from depression or from fear. Fear, he said, was one of their biggest obstacles.

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Salem Witch Trials

Debunked

best book by a woman historian.

Norton has received a number of major fellowships, including the Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellowship and the Starr Foundation Fellowship.

Presented by the College’s Robert J. Christen Program in Early American History and Culture, seasoned historian Dr. Mary Beth Norton delivered a lecture, Myth and Reality of Salem Witchcraft, at Manhattan College in April.

Standing Up

The descendent of a woman who was convicted of being a witch, Norton drew much of her discussion from her latest book, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692, in which she reexamines the infamous Salem witch trials.

Norton explained that the story that most people believe, upon closer study, has errors. For example, the standard narrative focuses exclusively on Salem Village. Although the witch trials initially started here, only a small number of people came from Salem Village (Danvers). A plurality came from Andover, and there were 22 different towns involved. She noted that it would be more accurate to call the crisis the Essex County witch trials.

She found holes in other parts of the standard narrative, including those about the accusers, the accused and the timing of the trials. Norton placed the Salem trials into a much broader historical context, which takes into consideration the multiracial character of early America and the impact of an overwhelming climate of fear.

Norton, who is the Mary Donlon Alger professor of American history at Cornell University, has written several books, including Founding Mothers & Fathers: Gendered Power and the Forming of American Society, which was a 1997 Pulitzer Prize finalist. She also is the author of The British-Americans: The Loyalist Exiles in England; Liberty’s Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women; and A People and a Nation.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2003 Ambassador Book Award in American studies, the 1970 Allan Nevins Prize for best-written dissertation in American history and the 1981 Berkshire Conference Prize for

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The Christen Program is named in honor of former faculty member Robert J. Christen, who served for many years on the Board of Education of the City of New York.

for Nonviolence

Ben Sherman, a conscientious objector who served as a medic in the Vietnam War, shared his views in April on the Vietnam War and the possibility of another military draft with students and faculty in Smith Auditorium. Sherman’s talk was sponsored by the College’s peace studies department, which invites several speakers to campus each spring to discuss social issues and politics.

Sherman is the author of Medic! The Story of a Conscientious Objector in the Vietnam War (Random House, 2004), an insightful journey about his years of service in the war as a medic and as a staunch opponent of violence.

During his lecture, Sherman discussed the possibility of another military draft.

He said that he would not be surprised if the draft were reinstated, but, if one were approved, it would not be the same draft many witnessed during the Vietnam War. Since then, he said, several changes to the draft already have been made, including the deletion of student deferment as a way to disqualify, as well as seeking refuge in Canada. Canada already has made it extremely difficult for those seeking refuge to cross its borders. He also mentioned that women would likely be included this time, and it would be more difficult for people to declare conscientious objection, unless they do so now.

Sherman, who still is very much against violence and war, welcomes a military draft. “I hope there is a draft,” he said.

“Only because I believe that the American people will not put up with it … there are just enough of us baby boomers around that remember what happened in the last draft.”

A writer, lecturer and educator, Sherman was a junior in college when he was drafted. At that time, there were already 16,000 men his age who were dead, he said. The first thing he did was apply for conscientious objection but was denied by his local draft board. He was sent to

army training, and when he refused to pick up a gun or engage in the bulk of the military training, the U.S. Army sent him to Texas for medic training.

“You had to learn three things to be a medic,” Sherman said. “One: restore breathing; two: stop bleeding; and three: make them mobile.” During the Vietnam War, it was important to get the injured men prepared for transport by helicopter to a nearby hospital.

Sherman vividly remembers his first days in Vietnam. He was sent to the morgue tent to literally clean up the casualties and “prep” them for transport back to the States. New medics were usually sent to the morgue in hopes to “desensitize” them. It didn’t work out that way for Sherman.

He tried not to humanize the experience, but he could not help it. At times, he even found himself writing notes to the men’s families and including them in the body bags. “On my first day in the morgue tent, I put 21 people in bags,” he remembered. Thirty-eight years later, Sherman traced the names and the hometowns of those first 21 men that he had to prepare for the States. “I just had to know about them,” he said.

As a Vietnam veteran and a believer in peace over violence, Sherman reiterated his stance on war. He said that some people believe that wars are a result of fighting over land or property, or fighting over religious beliefs or political conflicts. “But to me, war was about bodies in bags,” he said.

When asked by an audience member whether he was chastised or criticized about not wanting to serve or defend a country that has done so much for him, Sherman simply responded: “I think you should serve your country, but I choose to serve it in a different way … not by shooting or killing people. I don’t believe violence begets anything but violence.”

Personality and Politics: U.S.-Soviet Negotiations in the ’70s

When he speaks to audiences about his experience, Vavilov said that most people are primarily interested in Nixon’s personal life. But what Vavilov discussed during his lecture was how each leader handled himself during these encounters and what the Soviet people were or were not concerned about when it came to the leader of the free world.

“The Nixon you saw in the U.S. was quite different when he came to the U.S.S.R.,” Vavilov said. “Nixon felt very secure in the U.S.S.R. … The Watergate issue was a non-issue.”

The Watergate controversy was the subject least discussed during the meetings. He said Brezhnev could not relate to the American people’s obsession with Watergate. Instead, Brezhnev was more concerned about Nixon’s dealings

in Vietnam and his support of Chile at the time. Even the Soviet press rarely inquired about Watergate.

Guest lecturer Dr. Andrey Vavilov with Dr. Pamela Chasek, assistant professor of government, and Tatiana Avdeeva, a diplomat at the Russian Mission to the United Nations.

Overall, the experience sitting in on those high-profile meetings taught Vavilov that foreign policy had as much to do with personalities as it had to do with understanding politics.

Dr. Pamela Chasek, assistant professor of government and director of the College’s international studies program, hoped that he would convey this exact point to her students.

“I hope that students would see that history involves personalities and that Nixon, Kissinger and Brezhnev were not just names in a history book but real people with their own idiosyncrasies,” Chasek says. “Making foreign policy is as much a personal endeavor as it as a national one.”

At the end of the lecture, an audience member asked Vavilov what his advice would be to current leaders.

He responded, “It’s very dangerous to be a lone superpower … a healthy situation is a balanced situation.”

And when asked to comment on U.S.Russia relations today, Vavilov said that it is simply not the same, and that it’s not driven by personalities as it had

been in the past. He mentioned that the Russian people at the moment have lost faith in their government and that President Vladimir Putin does not have a strong country behind him.

Vavilov is currently a senior researcher at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow.

He also serves as a consultant to the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

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During Soviet and United States foreign relations in the 1970s – a critical period in politics – Dr. Andrey M. Vavilov served as the official interpreter and note-taker for Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev and was present at negotiation meetings with United States President Richard Nixon. When Vavilov spoke at the College this past April, he took the audience on a journey through SovietU.S. negotiations, a chaotic but exciting time for both superpowers.

After entering the Russian Foreign Service, Vavilov served in diplomatic posts in Delhi, London, Geneva and Nairobi.

His major interests continue to be U.N. affairs and multilateral negotiations on arms control, security and the environment.

For several years, he served as head of external relations for the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development. He has received numerous government decorations, including the Meritorious Service Award from the Russian president.

Vavilov, who graduated from the Moscow Institute of International Relations and holds a doctorate in history, writes on arms control and sustainable development issues and has contributed to several books on these topics.

Protecting Human Rights Workers: An Unarmed Bodyguard in Mexico In March, the Manhattan College community welcomed Mona Bricke to campus to share her experiences as a nonviolent protector of human rights activists in Mexico. Bricke, a German citizen who is salaried by the German government, spoke about her work as an unarmed bodyguard with faculty and students.

Bricke is a volunteer with Peace Brigades International (PBI), an international nongovernment organization that provides unarmed, nonviolent accompaniment to human rights workers who are at risk for reprisals from political groups, corrupt police officials and drug traffickers who oppose their work. The organization,

which only begins a project where it has been invited by local groups, currently operates in Columbia, Indonesia and Mexico, as well as a joint project with other organizations in Chiapas, Mexico and a restarted project in Guatemala.

Past project sites include Haiti, the Balkans and North America.

The presence of PBI volunteers, Bricke believes, lessens the chances of the local human rights workers from coming to harm – not only because the workers aren’t alone but also because as representatives of an international organization, PBI volunteers are proof that any violence won’t go unnoticed in the rest of the world.

According to Dr. Margaret Groarke, director of the peace studies program, which sponsored the lecture, Bricke’s talk gave a “colorful example of what a very small group of people can to do protect human rights and to protect peace.”

The work of PBI volunteers, Groarke says, “allows other people to stand up for their human rights.”

Those interested in supporting the work of PBI, Bricke said, can volunteer here in the United States or can be financial supports of the largely volunteer operation. Volunteers must be 25 years old or older and must know, or be willing and able to learn, the language of their assigned country. manhattan.edu

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Reconsidering the Politics of Global Economy Rescue: The Holocaust Resource Center’s

Peace and Justice in a

To work for a more equitable and peaceful world, we need to move beyond an economy that just respects contracts and toward market relationships that look to take care of the community, according to Dr. Joanna Swanger, resident director of the border studies department at Earlham University in Richmond, Ind. Swanger addressed faculty and students on campus this past April. Her lecture, Free Trade and Forced Migration: Looking for Exits on a Dead-End Road, was sponsored by the peace studies department.

“I don’t think sustainable peace is possible until we end poverty,” Swanger said.

Illegal immigration into the United States has been exacerbated by trade relations between the two countries and by a world economy that is global, rather than regional or national in scope, according to Swanger. Instead of looking exclusively at the “pull” factors – the reasons immigrants are attracted to life in United States, she suggested that we should also look at the “push” factors – the things that make life in their home villages and towns untenable.

Land reform in Mexico, for example, has led to many former farmers moving to the industrial cities in the northern part of the country to take factory jobs.

Swanger said that her research shows that the average worker in the factories in Juarez, Mexico (an industrial city across the border from El Paso, Texas) earns between $30 and $50 a week in take-home pay. With a cost of living comparable to El Paso’s, workers have to work four or more hours to earn enough money to buy one kilogram of beans or a gallon of milk. A child’s school uniform can cost anywhere from 57 to 86 hours’ worth of wages.

In this era of global economy and free trade, she said, justice requires that businesses and governments must move beyond the “minimal morality” of simply respecting property rights and honoring contracts – the current standard for fair treatment.

“When accumulation of profit is the motor that drives society and that motor falters, society falters,” Swanger said.

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Spring Visiting Scholar The Manhattan College Holocaust Resource Center hosted Dr. Henry L. Feingold, author and lecturer, as its spring visiting scholar in March.

Feingold presented The Politics of Rescue Reconsidered: The Roosevelt Administration and the Resettlement of European Jewry to a crowd of more than 300 students, faculty and community members in Smith Auditorium. The visiting scholar program hosts a fall and a spring scholar each year. Feingold is the 17th speaker in the Center’s history.

After a welcome from Dr. Jeff Horn, associate professor of history and associate director of the Manhattan College Holocaust Resource Center, and performances by the Manhattan College Singers, Dr. Frederick Schweitzer, professor emeritus of history and director of the Resource Center, introduced Feingold. Also participating in the event were Rabbi Stephen Franklin, rabbi emeritus of Riverdale Temple, and the Rev. Robert C. Lamborn, rector at Christ Church Episcopal in Riverdale. As part of the visiting scholar program, Feingold also met with faculty and students for a seminar and was the honored guest at a dinner hosted by Brother President Thomas Scanlan for faculty and students.

Feingold is professor emeritus in American Jewish history and Holocaust studies at Baruch College, part of the City University of New York. He has authored or edited a number of books, including Bearing Witness: How America and Its Jews Responded to the Holocaust (Syracuse University Press, 1995) and Lest Memory Cease: Finding Meaning in the American Jewish Past (Syracuse University Press, 1996). In his lecture, Feingold examined other avenues the American government under President Franklin D. Roosevelt might have taken to rescue the Jewish populations being exterminated in Europe.

Feingold, Horn said, “brought a great deal of new information about efforts to rescue Jews to light, but made sure that it was put into the context of the Roosevelt administration’s general lack of action.”

The Holocaust Resource Center, founded in 1996, is dedicated to promoting Catholic-Jewish dialogue and educating people about the Holocaust and its significance for the present. To that end, the visiting scholars program was inaugurated in the spring of 1997 with a lecture by author and activist Dr. Franklin Littell, the father of Holocaust studies in the United States.

In the inaugural program, Littell spoke about the importance of Y’om Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) in his lecture, Why We Remember.

On May 5, 2005, Manhattan College marked Y’om Hashoah with a viewing of Sister Rose’s Passion, an Academy Award-nominated documentary about Sister Rose Thering, an American nun of the Dominican order and an activist who played a leading role in Vatican II, where the Church officially declared that the Jewish people were not to blame for Jesus’ death. The documentary was followed by discussion and prayer with several Holocaust survivors.

The Holocaust Resource Center’s next visiting scholar program will be held on November 1, 2005, in Smith Auditorium.

The speaker will be Dr. Claudia Koonz, professor of history and women’s studies at Duke University, who will discuss the experience of women during the Holocaust. The event also will feature a short commemorative of one of the Center’s founders, Brother Peter Drake, who passed away on May 4, 2005. For more information, please contact Dr. Jeff Horn at jeff.horn@manhattan.edu.

As a mother, a healer and a giver of knowledge, feminine aspects of the divine presence have long been venerated by the indigenous people of North America, according to Nadema Agard, a museum educator and artist.

“The images we have as indigenous women are very empowering images,” she said.

In celebration of Women’s History Month in March at Manhattan College, Agard delivered Goddesses of the Americas: The Feminine Divine in Native American Spirituality, a multimedia lecture for faculty and students that explored different manifestations of the divine female in indigenous cultures and the way the arts are used to celebrate and commune with this female aspect.

Agard is a curator, artist, museum professional and a consultant in

Tuskegee Hero Marks

Women’s History Month

repatriation. Born and raised in New York City, she received a bachelor’s degree in art education from Columbia University and a master’s degree, also in art education, from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Since 2002, she has consulted with and lectured at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Graduate Center at City University of New York.

According to Agard, who is Cherokee, Lakota and Powhatan, female sacred figures were venerated in the Americas well before Columbus. The figure of Tonantzin, the Aztec mother-goddess, recurs across indigenous cultures and languages across the continent, where she is called by different names but retains the same presence and the same prestige.

In fact, Agard said, “the iconography translates exactly in each culture.”

One of these cultures, she says, is in modern Catholicism, where the veneration that Tonantzin once commanded is now accorded to the Virgin Mary, in particular, the beloved Virgin of Guadalupe, whose iconography is almost identical to that of Tonantzin. Using slides, songs and video, Agard gave examples of adoration for the Virgin and for the mother-goddess as they appear in art, both historical and present day. The many facets of the feminine divine that are celebrated and worshipped, she said, mirror the ways that women have contributed and continue to contribute to native culture. Humans understand the divine by using their own experiences as a guide – the aspects of the feminine divine, Agard said, are “projections of who we are as women.”

on campus

Manhattan College Celebrates

Black History Month

Manhattan College proudly celebrated Black History Month with students, staff and guests in attendance in February.

The College’s Advisory Committee on Diversity, along with other programs, sponsored this year’s anticipated event. Smith Auditorium was filled with the delectable aroma of classic soul food and an eager audience awaiting the introduction of the keynote speaker.

At the age of 83, Dr. Roscoe Brown Jr., a decorated and distinguished member of the Tuskegee Airmen, united a diverse group of listeners by detailing his varied, impressive and honorable life.

The former airman narrated stories and imparted insights from his life as a young boy growing up in Washington, D.C. He described the trials and tribulations of attending a segregated high school in the 1930s and his fulfilling and enriching experience at Springfield College. After graduation from Springfield in 1943, Brown joined the Air Force, where he served his country as one of the revered and highly respected Tuskegee Airmen, the first black flying unit in the United States.

Brown exuded pride as he relayed his experiences as one of the Tuskegee Airmen. He presented a compelling recount of WWII with his words, images and a film that outlined and detailed the brave and heroic fliers. The Tuskegee Airmen are recognized as the No. 1 airmen of WWII, having never lost a bomber and having flown more than 1,500 successful missions. Brown served as squadron commander and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his unwavering and exemplary duty.

Returning after the war in 1946, Brown attended New York University, where he earned a master’s in 1949 and a Ph.D. in 1951. While working on his doctorate in 1950, he became the director of the Institute of Afro-American Affairs and a professor of education at New York University, where he remained for the next 27 years. In 1977, Brown was named president of Bronx Community College, a part of the City University of New York (CUNY), and continued there until 1993. Today, he serves as director of the Center for Urban Education Policy at the Graduate School and University Center of CUNY. During his presentation, Brown explained that Tuskegee Airmen lived life – and fought battles – according to the “three P’s: preparation, perseverance and pride.” Pride must reverberate in oneself, one’s ethnicity, one’s country and one’s family, he said.

Brown emphasized that he has continued to incorporate the “three P’s” into every aspect of his life, and he is better for it.

Although Brown has accomplished a great deal and touched so many lives, it is abundantly clear that his time as one of the decorated and distinguished members of the Tuskegee Airmen is unparalleled. He embraces his past and inspires others while generously sharing his life practices of discipline, struggle, leadership and strength, which, he said, is the core of the Tuskegee Airmen. The event was not purely a celebration of black history; it was a recognition of American History in tandem with an authentic American hero.

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The Natural When Matt Rizzotti ’08 entered Manhattan College last fall, expectations were high, as he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 46th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. The 6-foot-6-inch left-handed first baseman not only reached those expectations, but he also provided the Jaspers with one of the best seasons in the history of the program, breaking numerous school records and garnering national awards.

Rizzotti’s rookie campaign rewrote the Manhattan single-season record books, as he produced new program bests in batting average (.416), hits (72), RBIs (57) and doubles (21). His offensive prowess was mirrored by his ability in the field — he committed just two errors in 420 chances for a .995 fielding percentage. Rizzotti tallied two hit streaks of 11 or more games, 23 multi-hit games, 15 multi-run games and 14 multi-RBIs games. At season’s end, his name was prominently featured on the NCAA lists, as Rizzotti was ranked seventh in doubles per game, 12th in batting average, 20th in walks per game, 22nd in RBIs per game, 26th in slugging percentage and 55th in runs per game.

Matt Rizzotti ’08

His achievements did not go unnoticed by the baseball world. Rizzotti was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year, as well as the MAAC Player of the Year, a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American, the NCBWA District II Player of the Year, to the ABCA Rawlings All-Northeast First Team, to the ECAC All-Star Team, to the All-MAAC First Team, and to the Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-America team.

Rizzotti continued to impress during summer league play, as he was named to the NECBL All-Star Team while playing for the Vermont Mountaineers. He finished among the league leaders in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and doubles while helping lead the Mountaineers to the Championship Series.

Ta-Kum-Ta, the Jorge Posada Foundation for Craniosyntosis, Marist Brother Camps, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House.

In fact, Rizzotti made headlines during his summer campaign. After starting his summer season with Vermont in a mini-slump, the slugging left-handed hitter motivated himself by pledging money to a charity for each hit he tallied the rest of the season. The charities that have benefited from Rizzotti’s production have included: the Diabetes Research Institute, the National Breast Cancer Campaign, the G8 Campaign, Camp

After only one year playing at the collegiate level, Rizzotti not only has proven that he can play with the best talent around, but he also has proven that he carries around a big heart to go along with his big bat and smooth glove.

All these factors bode well for the future of Jasper baseball, as Manhattan fans look forward to watching this talented young man produce both on and off the diamond for several more years.

The Lady Jaspers Are Making the Grade Both on and off the Court Scoring an impressive team grade point average in the 2004-2005 school year, the Lady Jaspers ranked 14th on the Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NCAA Division I by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The team achieved a group GPA of 3.376 and earned a top MAAC placing.

Nine teammates earned a GPA above 3.0 while seven were named to the Dean’s List. Lady Jaspers Michelle Bernal-Silva ’07, Serra Sanger ’05 and Kristen Tracey ’07 were named to the MAAC All-Academic List.

“This was one of our team goals, and our players worked hard to achieve it,” says Myndi Hill, head coach of the College’s women’s basketball team. “This is a direct reflection of the

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The 2004-2005 Lady Jaspers

quality of our student-athletes. It also shows the tremendous support they receive from our campus community.”

The awards by the WBCA recognize teams throughout the nation that earn the highest GPA for the 2004-2005 season based upon nominations submitted by member coaches.

This marks the first time the team has earned the honor during Hill’s tenure at the College.

Gonzalez Takes on the World

“There are so many great coaches in the country and so many guys want to be involved,” says Gonzalez, whose first USA Basketball experience was as a court coach for the 2002 USA Junior National Team Trials. “I was really caught off guard and taken by surprise when I heard from USA Basketball. I was really honored. I thought, ‘Wow. What a great accomplishment.’

Anytime you can do what you love to do, which is coaching, and then couple that with being involved with the best coaches and best players representing your country, that’s an incredible, prestigious honor.”

Gonzalez and the rest of the USA Basketball World University Games coaching staff held trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., in July before finalizing the 12-man roster in early August. The final roster consisted of many names well-known to college basketball fans, including Syracuse’s Gerry McNamara, Boston College’s Craig Smith, Duke’s Shelden Williams and Villanova’s Randy Foye.

The team got off to a fast start in the preliminary round and bested Iran by a score of 94-47 on August 12. The team continued preliminary round play with wins over Slovakia (85-70) and Germany (72-62), which advanced them to the second preliminary round with a perfect 3-0 record.

Team USA faced off against China and the Czech Republic in its next two games, again coming through with lopsided victories and taking home wins with scores of 117-61 and 87-51, respectively. The two wins improved the team’s record to 5-0 and qualified the team for the medal rounds.

In the quarterfinal game against Australia, Team USA raced out to a 31-15 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back on the way to an 88-68 win and a spot in the medal semifinals.

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Manhattan College head men’s basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez received a prestigious honor on May 16, 2005, when he was named an assistant coach for the 2005 USA Basketball World University Games Team. Gonzalez and Virginia Commonwealth’s Jeff Capel served as assistants to Villanova’s Jay Wright during the August 11-21 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey. The selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.

With Virginia Commonwealth’s head coach Jeff Capel and Villanova’s head coach Jay Wright, Manhattan College’s head men’s basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez served as an assistant coach for the 2005 USA Basketball World University Games Team.

Team USA met up with Russia in the semifinals and saw themselves on the wrong side of a 21-16 score at the end of the first quarter of play. However, the team responded and outscored the Russian team 104-59 during the last three quarters to advance to the gold medal game by virtue of a 120-80 win.

Ukraine awaited Team USA in the gold medal game, and, as was the case throughout the tournament, Team USA showcased its talent on the way to an 85-70 win. Six players scored in double figures in the win, led by Williams, who tallied a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Williams led a balanced scoring offensive attack, averaging 14.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Four players averaged in double figures, as the team posted a nearly 30-point scoring margin.

The gold medal was the first for the United States since 1999.

The USA had won the bronze in 2001 and did not send a team to the 2003 Games in Daegu, South Korea. The double golds scored by the USA men’s and women’s basketball teams are the first since 1997.

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Coach Helped Make Manhattan a

Track and Field Mecca After 20 years with the program, 33 MAAC Championship titles as head coach, and five NCAA Champions, head track and field coach Dan Mecca is showing no signs of slowing down and neither are his runners.

Mecca’s 20-year stint in Riverdale is one of the longest by any active employee in Manhattan’s athletic department. The fifth head coach in Jasper track and field’s storied 78-year history, he is behind only Manhattan Athletic Hall of Fame coach Fred Dwyer for the longest stretch as a track and field coach at Manhattan.

His career has been a dream come true.

“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else in my life,” Mecca says.

“Coaching is more of what I am than what I do. I am living the American dream of doing exactly what I want to do in my life and getting paid for it.”

Mecca’s dream began as a 19-year-old living in North Jersey.

After transferring from the University of Oklahoma to Montclair State University during his undergraduate years, he was required to sit out a year due to NCAA regulations. During that year, Mecca began training on his own at St. Mary’s High School in Rutherford, N.J., just miles away from where he would eventually build his legacy. After watching the athletes at St. Mary’s train, Mecca decided to approach St. Mary’s head coach Ted Kosko about helping out with the program. At 19 years old, he was a volunteer assistant coach and would soon reach even greater heights.

During Mecca’s first few years assisting at St. Mary’s, several of the athletes he coached broke school records. This success, combined with perfect timing, would eventually help him to a promotion. The same year in which Mecca graduated from Montclair State, Kosko left St. Mary’s to take another job. Kosko’s successor would be none other than Mecca, who took over the reigns as the head coach for track and field, as well as cross country programs.

After a two-year stint as head coach at William Paterson College in Wayne, N.J., he arrived in Riverdale in September of 1986 as an assistant to the legendary Dwyer.

After working as the men’s field coach for seven years, Mecca took over as the head men and women’s coach when the athletic department combined the men’s and women’s programs in 1993.

During his tenure with the program, Manhattan has continued to be somewhat of a track and field “mecca” in the Eastern United States, as it continues to attract top-notch recruits to the program.

Twenty-two of those top-notch recruits achieved All-American status. Mecca also has seen six Olympians come through Riverdale, and he has coached five NCAA National Champions.

Accolades aside, having a relationship with the athletes makes the job even more rewarding for Mecca.

“Being a part of their lives and success is special,” he says.

“A lot of these athletes become part of your family.”

There have been many unforgettable races, wins and athletes during his career. The first national title by a female in school history came under Mecca’s watch, as Aliann Pompey won the

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Dan Mecca, head track and field coach

400-meter dash at the 2000 Indoor National Championships with a time of 52.27 seconds.

Also at the forefront of Mecca’s memorable moments are the two IC4A Men’s Indoor Team Championships that Manhattan captured in 1992 and 2004. Winning two team titles at the Eastern United States’ most prestigious event in the sport has been a truly humbling experience for him.

Mecca’s athletes are continuing to perform on an elite level, as evidenced by the men’s hammer-throwers at this past spring’s IC4A Championships. At the meet, Manhattan captured the top four spots in the hammer throw, marking the first time any single school finished 1-2-3-4 in the event in IC4A history. The performance was only the second time in the history of the IC4A Championships that any one school owned the top four spots in any event.

“The thing I am most proud of is that in addition to having a great tradition of track and field, we have also had a great tradition of academic success with our program,” Mecca says.

“Our kids go on to graduate and become very successful in their professional fields.”

His accomplishments and special moments in the sport extend beyond Manhattan. In 1990, he had the privilege of being part of the coaching staff for the United States National Team that competed at that year’s World Track and Field Championships.

Mecca points to this moment as one of his greatest experiences outside of Manhattan.

“Being a part of the U.S. team and walking into the stadium during the opening ceremonies in Bulgaria was quite an experience and honor,” he says. “I felt a great sense of pride in my country and sport.”

Making the moment even more special was the fact that his father and both brothers served the country in the U.S. Navy.

“This experience gave me a feeling that I was serving my country in a way, too,” Mecca says. “It also gave my family a great sense of pride.”

He also coached the Irish National Team at the 1993 World University Games.

Although Mecca and the Manhattan program have experienced an unprecedented amount of success, the coach still believes there is much more to accomplish.

“To continue the tradition at Manhattan is foremost,” Mecca says, when asked about his aspirations for future seasons. “What Pete Waters, George Eastment, Jim McHugh and Fred Dwyer did was incredible. Living up to that tradition will take a lifetime.”

It’s been a lifetime in which Mecca has spent doing what he truly loves, and he even gets paid for it.

Spring Sports

Roundup

The baseball team posted a 27-21 overall record, 15-8 in MAAC play, and qualified for the MAAC Championships for the third consecutive year. The team was led offensively by Matt Rizzotti ’08, who broke four Manhattan single-season records; batting .416, with 72 hits, 57 RBIs and 21 doubles, numbers that led the Jaspers, as well as the MAAC conference. He also ranked among the national leaders in batting average (12th), doubles per game (seventh), walks per game (20th), RBIs per game (22nd), runs per game (55th), and slugging percentage (26th), and was named both the MAAC Player and Rookie of the Year. Senior Gary Diaz broke the school record for hits in a career and tallied 215 hits during his four years in Riverdale. On the mound, Chris Cody ’06 posted a 7-4 record, a 2.70 ERA and 89 strikeouts, all team highs. Steve Bronder ’05 hurled Manhattan’s first no-hitter in more than 18 years on Sunday, April 24; facing the minimum over seven innings for the 1-0 win over Rider University. Diaz, Cody, John Fitzpatrick ’06, Nick Derba ’07 and Eric Nieto ’08 each received First Team All-MAAC honors.

Women’s Lacrosse The women’s lacrosse team repeated as MAAC Tournament Champions and defeated Siena 12-4 in the MAAC Championships game. The team shared the MAAC regular season title, posting a 6-1 MAAC record and a 9-8 overall record, including a stretch of nine wins in 12 games to close out the season. The Lady Jaspers advanced to the NCAA Play-In Game for the second straight year and fell to Mt. St. Mary’s. Vicki Carman ’05 led the team with 52 points, scoring 36 goals with a team-leading 16 assists. Molly Pheterson ’07 tallied 42 points, with a team-high 37 goals. Ashley Devins ’07 played every minute of every Lady Jasper game between the pipes, earning MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on April 18. Pheterson was named First Team All-MAAC, while Vicki and Jenny Carman ’07 each received Second Team All-MAAC recognition.

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Baseball

Men’s Lacrosse The men’s lacrosse team posted a 7-7 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the MAAC and finished in a tie for second in MAAC regular season standings. After beginning the season with a 1-4 mark in nonconference action, the Jaspers reeled off six straight wins to begin the MAAC season and ultimately clinched a berth in the MAAC playoffs for the second straight year – the first time that has been done in the history of the program. This year’s senior class has now made it to the MAAC Championships three times in its four years, also a first in the program’s history. Head coach Tim McIntee was named MAAC Co-Coach of the Year, and Brett Warmington ’05 was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, Warmington, Justin Otto ’05 (team-leading 46 points and 334 goals), Eugene Tanner ’05 (team-leading 21 assists) and Gerard McCloskey ’05 received First Team All-MAAC honors, and Chris Oppito ’07 and Justin Henry ’08 were named Second Team All-MAAC.

Molly Pheterson ’07

Women’s Tennis The women’s tennis team finished the season with a record of 1-12 and closed out the season with a 4-2 victory over St. Francis (N.Y.). Jennifer Fowler ’07 finished with a 6-1 record at No. 1 singles and won six straight matches to end the year. Meanwhile, Men Nguyen ’08, Alison Bowlin ’05, Kathryn Weir ’06 and Jessica Garcia ’07 all picked up their first collegiate victories during the season, as the team included six newcomers with only two returning players.

Men’s Tennis The men’s tennis team captured its second straight MAAC Championship and defeated Marist 4-0 to claim the title. Sophomore Zoltan Bus was named the Most Outstanding Player at the Championships for the second straight year for the Jaspers, who now have won 20 matches in a row against MAAC opponents and only allowed two points to MAAC rivals this season. The team sported a 16-4 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive year, falling to seventh-seeded and eventual national champion UCLA in the opening round. continued page 34

Diego Alvarado ’08

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Continued from pg. 33 –

Spring Sports Roundup Softball The softball team posted one of its best seasons in recent history, posting a 22-25 overall record with a 9-7 MAAC slate. The team utilized the long ball like no other team in program history, sending 33 balls over the fence and easily eclipsing the single-season record of 19 set in 1993. Kiera Fox ’07 broke the 12-year school home run record, clouting 17 homers on the season, as well as setting the school record with a .829 slugging percentage. She finished the season ranked third in the nation in homers per game and seventh in slugging percentage. In fact, nine different players have tallied at least one home run, which is also a program record. Jen McCracken ’05 had a career year, posting a .311 batting average with a career-high six homers and 22 RBIs. She became the 13th member of the 100-hit club and completed her career ninth on the all-time list with 129 hits. Jill Medea ’06 again led the team in the circle, compiling 14 wins with a 2.24 ERA, eight shutouts, one save and 174 strikeouts. She also has moved into the top spot on the all-time strikeouts list, having fanned 403 batters so far during her career.

McCracken was named First Team All-MAAC, as well as to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District I Second Team, while Liz Strein ’07 was named the New York Lottery MAAC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Jen McCracken ’05

Golf The golf team completed the 2004-05 season with a 5-6 dual match record and marked the fifth straight year that the Jaspers have compiled four or more dual match victories. The team competed in six spring matches and placed in a tie for 21st at the Lafayette Spring Classic and 11th at the Bethany Beach Invitational before splitting two dual matches, falling to Saint Peter’s and defeating Yeshiva. The Jaspers then competed in the Peacock Invitational before finishing in eighth place at the MAAC Championships with a three-day score of 1003. At the MAAC Championships, they were paced by Tim Hand ’05, who finished in a tie for 25th, including a final round score of 76, the team’s low round for the Championship.

Outdoor Track and Field The men’s outdoor track and field team won its second consecutive Metropolitan Championship led by five competitors who captured individual titles: Jamie Aponte ’08 in the pole vault, Nick Newman ’07 in the long jump, Dexter Jules ’09 in the triple jump, Anders Constantin ’07 in the hammer throw and Milan Jotanovic ’09 in the shot put. Jotanovic also broke a school record in the shot put.

Manhattan qualified seven male athletes for the NCAA Regional Championships: Tyler Raymond ’06, Todd Raymond ’08, Constantin, Jotanovic, Jules, Paul Peulich ’08, Michael Freeman ’06 and Zoran Loncar ’07. The foursome of Constantin, Peulich, Freeman and Loncar made history at the IC4A Championships and took the top four spots with each student-athlete eclipsing the 200-foot barrier, the first time in IC4A and NCAA history that four competitors from one school threw more than 200 feet in the same competition.

In addition, Jotanovic, Freeman and Loncar qualified for the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.

The women’s outdoor track and field team has captured first-place finishes in several events during the spring season. Jenna Daly ’06 captured first place at the Dick Shea Open in the pole vault, while Tiina Magi ’05 was victorious in the triple jump at the Sam Howell Invitational. At the Metropolitan Championship, the team finished in fourth place out of 13 squads, paced by Daly’s second consecutive Metropolitan Championship in the pole vault, while Jasmine Rogers ’08 finished second in the 100m hurdles and Marina Liander ’06 took home second place in the hammer throw. Yet the team rebounded with another MAAC Championship. Three Lady Jaspers qualified for the NCAA East Regional Championships, hosted by Manhattan College at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.

Milan Jotanovic ’09

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Charitable Gift Annuity

The Kevin J. Frawley ’90

Giving a

Memorial Scholarship

Bernard Kerns ’47 came to Manhattan College in the fall of 1939 as a resident student and fondly remembers the camaraderie of his classmates and fellow members of the football team. At the end of his junior year, he was drafted into the Army and spent four cold years serving in Alaska.

When he returned to Manhattan to complete his studies, he recalled the strict 7:30 p.m. campus curfew and quickly opted to live with an uncle in New York City, where the “lights out” rule was somewhat more generous.

Upon graduation (with the chill of Alaska clearly etched in his memory), he relocated to the warmth of Danville, Va., and began a career in education.

While there, he met and married Mary, also a teacher, and they soon set down roots in Baltimore.

For most of his life, Bernard was a teacher in the Baltimore public schools. He taught history and physical education in Baltimore Polytechnic High School and, during the years, served as a coach for the basketball, baseball, football and golf teams. Bernard was dedicated to his students and to the system until his retirement in 1984.

“All in all, it was a very fulfilling career,” he says.

Bernard always wanted to help young people, especially those who might be going into education as a career and might not be able to afford college. He remembered his own experience at Manhattan College and wanted to give something back to his alma mater.

Many are familiar with the saying, “The only thing we take with us when we die is what we gave away while here on earth.” It’s a proverbial sentiment, but one that speaks volumes about the generosity of Kevin Frawley ’90, whom friends and relatives gathered to remember at a dinner dance on January 29, 2005, Kevin’s birthday. All who knew Kevin were enriched by his friendship and good spirit.

Kevin was a classic Jasper. Born and raised in the Bronx, he attended Mount Saint Michael Academy and then became a day student at Manhattan College, where he was affectionately known as “Frawlguy.” A graduate of the school of business, his quick mind and engaging personality took him rapidly to downtown NYC, where he worked for Euro Brokers, Inc. as a bond trader. His wonderful sense of humor and warm personality soon made him an office favorite. Tragically, Kevin died on 9/11 at his workplace in the south tower of the World Trade Center.

advancement

Bernard Kerns ’47

continued page 36

As part of his estate plan, Bernard decided to fund a charitable gift annuity. In doing this, he says, “I not only benefit from an annuity income for the rest of my life, but also I have the satisfaction of knowing Manhattan College and future generations of Jaspers will have my support.”

Kevin J. Frawley ’90

For many alumni, establishing a charitable gift annuity is a wonderful way to help guarantee the future of Manhattan College while ensuring that their own needs will be met. Some of the benefits they enjoy include: an immediate income tax charitable deduction, fixed payments for life, no asset management concerns, shelter from the volatility of the stock market, and reduced capital gains tax payable over a period of years.

Gifts That Transcend a Lifetime…

When you make a bequest to Manhattan College, you enter into a covenant with your alma mater to benefit future generations of Jaspers.

Your legacy can ensure the College’s traditional mission to offer a Lasallian Catholic education.

When you include Manhattan College in your estate plans with a bequest of a life-income gift, such as an annuity or trust, you will be included in the College’s Covenant Society. The Covenant Society is a group of people who have made a commitment to the future.

Will you encourage intellectual growth and foster spiritual and ethical development in tomorrow’s students?

For more information about leaving a bequest or other planned giving opportunities, please call the office of planned giving at (718) 862-7976.

Yes, I would like information about: Bequests

Establishing a scholarship

Charitable gift annuities

Other

Charitable remainder trusts Name ______________________________________________________ Year _______________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________ City, State, Zip ______________________________________________ Phone ______________________________________________________ E-mail _____________________________________________________

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The Kevin J. Frawley ’90 Memorial Scholarship

Continued from pg. 35 –

When the smoke cleared from 9/11, family and friends were determined to create something positive out of their tragic loss. A scholarship to help deserving graduates of local Catholic high schools attend Manhattan College was born from their efforts.

Kevin’s wife, Tierney, says, “I think Kevin would be happy to have his name associated with a place he loved, helping others reach their full potential.”

The Friends of Kevin J. Frawley are actively celebrating Kevin’s life while raising funds for his memorial scholarship.

Their events have included a summer kick-off party, the NYC Marathon featuring Tierney Frawley as the “fund-runner” (finishing in a very respectable time of 4:06:00), a Mass and dinner dance held on Kevin’s birthday at Manhattan College, a family picnic and a golf outing. These events will be held annually and all are welcome to join. For information about any of the events or to make a donation to the scholarship, please call Mary Ellen Malone, director of planned giving, at (718) 862-7976.

Online Community

Growing The first six months of the Alumni Online Community have been a resounding success. There are more than 3,500 alumni registered and active, ranging from graduates from the class of 1939 through 2005.

There also have been more than 1,000 searches, and 500 contacts have been made. As positive as these statistics are, we are looking to double the totals during the next six months.

The online community’s success is based on the number of alumni that are registered and complete their personal profiles with up-to-date information. The more registered users, the more contacts that can be made with fellow alumni.

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Message from the President of the

Alumni Society I am pleased to assume the presidency of the Manhattan College Alumni Society.

Along with executive committee members Vice President George Skau ’59, Corresponding Secretary Maria Khury ’77 and Recording Secretary Tricia Flaherty ’98, I am eager to enrich and support the College’s programs of alumni services and activities. Our special thanks to outgoing president Peter Sweeney ’64 for his commitment and leadership these past two years.

I am pleased to report that in June, our 2005 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees were selected. Congratulations to Michael Burkoski ’59 (baseball/basketball); Kye Courtney ’61, posthumously, (track); Jennifer Drum ’95 (softball); Arthur Evans ’61, posthumously, (track); John Gorman ’49 (track); John Moran ’50 (track); Cari-Lynn Piotrowski ’92 (basketball); and Lawrence St. Clair ’61 (track).

The induction ceremony will be on Saturday, December 3 in Smith Auditorium. Teammates, classmates, family and friends of the inductees are welcome and encouraged to attend this wonderful evening. More details about the induction ceremony can be found in the current issue of the MCkit and on the alumni Web page (http://www.manhattan.edu/alumni_friends).

We had a successful summer: numerous golf outings and the Day at the Races in Saratoga and Monmouth. Finally, September ended with the annual Men’s Retreat held at the Passionist Spiritual Center of Riverdale from September 23–25. This year’s theme, “Choices,” provided a great opportunity to review the choices made in life thus far and to enhance the choices we now have to create a personal peace and joy in future years. It proved to be a rewarding experience for all the attendees.

Jim Smith ’60, NAC President

Our fall lineup of activities began with a reception at Smith & Wollensky Philadelphia on Oct.13, the Career Fair on Oct. 19 and the alumni brunch at Open House on Oct. 30. November’s lineup includes the New York City Club fall 2005 networking reception at Mutual of America on Nov. 3 and the Long Island Club reception at Nassau Country Club on Nov. 16. We are very interested in having alumni events in other areas and need local regional club leaders to chair them. If anyone is interested in being an alumni club regional event leader, please e-mail me at NACalumni@manhattan.edu or Joe Dillon, director of alumni relations, at joe.dillon@manhattan.edu. Our goal is to expand our national alumni base outside of New York. Club leaders automatically will be included in the proceedings of the National Alumni Council (NAC). To see more details about alumni events and regional clubs, go to the alumni Web page.

Your NAC also is initiating other programs and activities. We are seeking volunteers for steering committees for a Black Alumni Club and for our Young Alumni Club. These committees will explore options for activities that will be of particular interest to these alumni constituencies. Anyone interested should e-mail Joe Dillon or me.

I am open to new ideas and suggestions for programs and events. I can assure you that your NAC is dedicated to building on what is already an active alumni program. Enjoy the coming holidays!

Athletic Hall of Fame

Eight standout athletes from the baseball diamond, the softball field, the basketball court and the track (including three members of the legendary 1961 relay team) will be honored on Sunday, December 3, when they are recognized at the 27th annual Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

The celebration for inductees Michael Burkoski ’59, Kye Courtney ’61 (posthumously), Jennifer Drum ’95, Arthur Evans ’61 (posthumously), John B. Gorman ’49, John C. Moran ’50, Cari-Lynn Piotrowski ’92 and Lawrence St. Clair ’61 will include cocktails and dinner. Tickets are $75. For the convenience of attendees, Mass (Sunday liturgy) will be celebrated in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers at 4 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, call Grace Feeney, alumni relations officer, at (718) 862-7432.

Michael Burkoski ’59 is one of only two Jaspers to ever play in the NCAA Tournaments for both baseball and basketball, beating West Virginia in basketball in 1958. Known for his athleticism in offense and defense, Burkoski put up impressive numbers in both sports. His baseball stats include one flawless year of fielding and a career batting average of .340. On the basketball court, he regularly out-rebounded taller opponents and scored at key moments. After college, he remained active in athletics as a teacher at his alma mater, Newburgh Free Academy, where he earned Coach of the Year honors several times as a basketball coach.

Kye Courtney ’61, who passed away in 2000, was part of the storied 1961 Jasper relay team that set two world records in the two-mile relay — clocking in at 7 minutes, 32.8 seconds at the 1961 Indoor Millrose Games on an 11-lap track in February and then setting a record of 7.33 at the Cleveland Knights of Columbus meet on a 12-lap track later that winter. A high school All-American, Courtney was the first Jasper in more than 40 years to win the 600-yard dash at the Knights of Columbus meet. He also ran the 400-yard hurdles in the 1964 Olympic trials. After several years as a Marine captain, Courtney was a coach for 31 years at Hawthorne High School in Los Angeles, where he coached seven state champion track teams – six boys’ teams and one girls’ team.

Jennifer Drum ’95 was the softball MAAC Player of the Year in 1995 and remains the only Jasper to receive the Player of the Year honor. Her stats point to her power with the bat: she led the team in hitting all four years; she is the only softball player to bat over .400 all four years (with a high of .448); she led the team in home runs and triples three times; and she was on three All-MAAC and three MAAC All-Tournament teams. Drum was a leader and served as captain of the team for two years.

She was named the Manhattan College MVP in 1992 and 1995 and made the GTE All-American Team in 1995 and the COSIPA District I Academic All-American Team in 1993. As a senior, she was on the national rankings list as second for triples and 11th for slugging percentage.

Arthur (Artie) Evans ’61, who passed away in 2003, was part of the world-record-breaking 1961 two-mile relay team, where he ran the anchor leg at the Millrose Games in 1 minute, 51.7 seconds. Despite being edged out at the tape in the 800-meter dash in the 1960 Olympic trials, Evans’ victories included running a 48.3-second leg in the championship-winning one-mile relay at the 1959 Millrose Games and setting a Manhattan College record in the sprint medley relay at the 1960 Quantico Meet, among numerous other wins in the Millrose Games, the National AAU, the NYAC Meet and the Met IC. A diverse runner, Evans chalked up victories in everything from cross country three- and five-mile courses to the 440- and 600-yard sprints to the one- and two-mile relays.

John B. Gorman ’49 started his college racing career with victories in the Metropolitan Collegiate Championship mile relay and Knights of Columbus varsity mile relay. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946, Gorman returned to Manhattan College running as fast as ever, with first place finishes in the 1946 Penn Relays distance medley relay, the 1947 AAU Championships spring medley relay and one-mile relay, the Boston AA one-mile relay and the 1949 Millrose Games one-mile relay. Gorman was the first Jasper to win a spring relay at the Penn Relays, placing first in the 880-yard dash in 1948. He also was active on campus and served as treasurer of the senior class and a member of many clubs.

alumni events

Eight To Be Inducted into the

John (Jack) Moran ’50 won 50 medals as a Jasper in track, cross country and relays. As the leadoff runner on the relay team, Moran was always in first place when he passed the baton, a contribution that helped the two-mile relay team win every major championship in 1948 and 1949. He was instrumental in breaking a Manhattan College record for the two-mile relay at Madison Square Garden in 1949 and was an integral member of legendary coach George Eastment’s first cross country championship team. Moran continued his winning ways well after graduation and placed first in the 55-and-over category in the 1981 NYC Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 57 minutes.

Cari-Lynn Piotrowski ’92 was known for her versatility on the court and ranked eighth on both the career points and the rebound lists for Manhattan College in the 93 games in which she started. Co-captain her senior year, Piotrowski scored 1,187 points, pulled down 688 rebounds and had 219 assists in her career. A member of the Lady Jasper NCAA Team, she was named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team in 1990 and 1991 and also was named to the 1980s All-Decade Girls’ Basketball Team by the Allentown, Pa., Morning Call.

Lawrence St. Clair ’61 is the third member of the 1961 two-mile relay team to be inducted this year. He remains the only Jasper to win a major individual cross country championship (MET IC) and win on both one- and two-mile relay teams. As a freshman, St. Clair was the lead runner on Manhattan’s undefeated freshman cross country team. Recognized by the Spiked Shoe Club as “Indoor Athlete of the Year” for the 1959-1960 school year, St. Clair won the 880-yard run at the Outdoor Met IC Championships that year with a time of 1 minute, 51.7 seconds, which broke the record previously held by Hall of Famer Tom Murphy ’58. manhattan.edu

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Planning for the Future and Connecting With the Present: The New York City Club Spring 2005 Networking Reception The New York City Alumni Club held its semiannual networking reception this April at the UBS Financial Building in midtown Manhattan. The program featured a presentation by Sharon T. Sager, senior vice president at UBS Financial Services, with assistance from Loring Swasey, vice president of investments, and Jim Sweeny, vice president, MFS investment management, both from UBS. Sager spoke about the necessity of planning for and managing one’s retirement.

“Longer life spans, rising retirement expenses and the decline of pension plans require a new approach,” she said.

Sager advocates replacing the idea of one-step retirement planning with a comprehensive “retirement management” strategy.

“Retirement management means monitoring and adjusting your asset profile throughout your life,” she said.

“The first step to financial security in retirement starts with establishing goals and analyzing yearly income needs.”

Christopher Sharkey ’98, chairman of the NYC Alumni Club Committee, says: “We were very pleased to have Sharon give us an overview of such a timely and relevant topic. She did a great job highlighting the different options available under the retirement planning umbrella.”

A number of Manhattan student leaders attended the April reception. The event offered current Jaspers a chance to broaden their networking skills, as well as to learn the value of planning for the future.

According to Sharkey, the timeliness of the topic appealed to Manhattan alums at all stages of life.

“The range of alumni represented was refreshing and confirmed that the uncertainty surrounding social security has pushed retirement planning into the forefront of people’s minds,” Sharkey says.

New York City Alumni Club Committee Chairman Christopher Sharkey ’98 with the evening’s presenters, Loring Swasey, Sharon T. Sager and Jim Sweeny, at the April networking reception.

Clare Walsh ’06, current president of the Manhattan student body, says she appreciated the opportunity to meet alumni.

“The night was very beneficial to me as a current student,” she says. “Ms. Sager’s presentation made me begin thinking about my long-term future. I also had the opportunity to meet alumni who are in various fields of business. The Manhattan College community has such a strong network of alumni that I am looking forward to becoming a bigger part of it after graduation.”

Jasper Open 2005 The 17th annual Jasper Open was held on May 2 at the beautiful Westchester Hills Golf Club and Ridgeway Country Club in White Plains, N.Y. This year, more than 180 golfers attended, and, for the second consecutive year, more than $65,000 was raised, which will be used to support operating costs, including financial aid to students.

The winning team at the Westchester Hills Golf Club was composed of Joe Long ’76, Jimmy King, Jimmy Phelan and Frank McCartney.

At the Ridgeway Country Club, Warren Gordan, Kevin Clarke ’95, Stefan Eapan and Nick Cholenka ’96 won the trophy.

Fore! Jaspers and friends headed up to White Plains in May to battle it out on the greens for one of the biggest golfing events of the year – the Jasper Open.

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Right Track

THE HEAT

As many as 80 alumni and friends were on the right track on Friday, August 19 as they gathered at the 31st annual Running of the Manhattan College Purse at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. Neck and neck races coupled with shoulder-to-shoulder classmates made for a fun and rewarding day. Favorite Sweep may have made a bettor’s wallet a little fatter – followed by Midnight Express and Fourthirteen – in the seventh race, named the Manhattan College Alumni Society Race. But collectively, Jaspers were all the richer for sharing in the anticipated and enjoyable event!

IS ON!

The thick balmy air, the sultry, searing temperature and the methodically waving hand-fans can only mean one thing on a July afternoon in Saratoga, N.Y. — heated races! A sold-out crowd of more than 120 Jaspers and their guests enthusiastically attended the annual Day at the Races while frolicking, fraternizing and analyzing under the Paddock Tent. After a decidedly delightful day, alumni and friends were invited to a reception, hosted by Bill Chandler ’70, at the Inn at Saratoga. Jaspers, races, food and fun are a sure bet for exhilarating enjoyment!

alumni events

On the

Rider Jose Lezcano joins Jaspers Mary Ellen Kopf, Jim Malone ’83, Joe Dillon ’62, director of alumni relations, Jim Smith ’60, president of the Alumni Society, and George Skau ’59, chairman of the hall of fame committee, at Monmouth Park Racetrack.

It’s All Greek to the

Jaspers

In May, a group of Jaspers took their inspiration from the gods and goddesses and traveled to Athens, Greece for an eight-day journey. They visited the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Academy, the University, the National Library and the Pan-Athenian Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympic games. During their stay in Greece, the group also explored Poros, Mycenae, Aegina, Epidauros and Hydra. The trip to Poros included stops at the Monastery of Poros and the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. One evening, after a traditional Greek dinner, the Jaspers enjoyed Greek music, dancing and entertainment.

Unlike Odysseus, the traveling Jaspers managed to find their way back home and have started thinking about two new trips.

On April 29, 2006, there will be a cruise along the waterways and canals of Holland and Belgium. The shore excursions include Amsterdam,

Keukenhof, Deventer, The Hague, Delft, Scheveningen, Bruges, Antwerp, and the hydro-engineering majesty of the Delta Project on the Zeeland coast.

On August 9, 2006, Jaspers will have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II during a journey to Krakow, Poland. Visit the Wawel Cathedral, where Pope John Paul II said his first Mass and was consecrated as auxiliary bishop of Krakow by Pope Pious XII. See Jagiellonian University, where the Pope attended classes as a student. There will be an optional trip to the Pope’s hometown of Wadowice, where his childhood residence is now a museum, and will include a visit to the Notre Dame Basilica, where the Pope was baptized. The itinerary also includes a day trip to Warsaw, a journey to the Tatra Mountains, and an optional trip to Auschwitz, the former Nazi concentration camp, or a leisurely journey through picturesque Ojcow National Park.

The traveling Jaspers in Greece

For more information, please contact Bob Fink ’57 at (770) 431-7070 or rfink@ridgeviewinstitute.com.

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Alumnotes ’36

John P. Gildea writes that he turned 91 in December and that he and his wife, Mary, are celebrating 64 years of happily married life. They both enjoy good health and, John adds, he is still driving. They have six great-grandchildren and a seventh due any day. He sees Ken Kelly ’54 regularly.

’42 Tom Fitzpatrick writes that his granddaughter Christine Caughey will be attending Manhattan this fall — the third Caughey grandchild to attend the College.

Tom writes, “I am so happy that the Jasper tradition is continuing.” Other Jaspers in the family include Christine’s father, John Caughey ’71, and Tom’s stepbrothers Thomas Rooney ’28 and Lawrence Rooney ’34. ’43 Francis X. Mascola is retired as a management-labor relations consultant and labor contract negotiator arbitrator, among other positions.

He has homes in New York and Florida.

’50

Francis E. Cummings retired from the aerospace business in 1984. He plays golf and writes, he is “still trying to shoot my age.” His wife is deceased.

’51

John P. Sherlock is retired from teaching after 51 years…James J. Wilson writes that he is still active in music. His musical history dates back from his days at Manhattan, when he was the drum major for the College in the 1948 St. Patrick’s Day Parade and spent four years in the orchestra, the Jasper pep rally band and the Jasper Dixieland Band. His career also included being the orchestra leader for the Nocturnes Orchestra and The Sound Dimension and 23 years with the Georgian Court University Wind Ensemble and GCU Jazz Band.

’53 At the time of their writing, Stephen J. Berte and his wife, Joan, were expecting their 21st grandchild.

Stephen reports that the “score to date” is 16 boys and four girls.

The Jasper tradition is alive and well in the Johnson-McEneney families! Pictured at the 50th anniversary class brunch at spring Reunion this June is three generations of Jaspers. From left: Edward J. McEneney ’60, Charles A. Johnson ’80, Lauren Johnson ’05, Theresa McEneney Johnson ’81, and Mike McEneney ’53. (Other alums in the family include Mike’s mother’s brother, the late Thomas P. Manning ’31, D.D.S., and Mike’s son, Michael F. McEneney ’80, Esq.)

’54

Madeline and Ken Kelly are the proud grandparents of Thomas Christopher Kelly, born September 30, 2004, to their son Thomas ’87 and his wife, Stephanie.

’55 M. Allen Lindsay writes, “So far, five of my eight grandchildren have followed my interest in acting and theater, participating in workshops and appearing in professional productions, including The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol.”…George C. Schmidt is retired from global defense company Northrop Grumman Corp. and is enjoying his time with his wife of 46 years, his seven children and his 11 grandchildren. ’56 Donald Devey received the 2005 Civic Award from The Sisqua Council of the Knights of Columbus at its annual spring dance on May 14, 2005…Joe Horch, who retired in 1999, is “sailing through retirement in a 41-foot sailboat.” Joe is the father of five and grandfather of 16. He teaches computer literacy at St. Patrick’s School and Church in Hunt Station, N.Y., one day a week to adults…Robert E. La Blanc, a Manhattan College trustee, has been named to the board of directors of Flarion Technologies, Inc., a mobile-phone technology company based in Bedminster, N.J. ’57 Robert A. Brooks and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 9, 2005, by renewing their marriage vows at St. Julie Billiart Church in Dartmouth, Mass. The service was followed by a dinner-dance at Hawthorne Country Club in Dartmouth…Frank Fahy was elected as the mayor of Juno Beach, Fla., by the town council. Juno Beach is a small coastal town of almost 4,000 permanent residents located north of Palm Beach, Fla.…Tom Flynn recently completed a 143-page booklet, St. Patrick’s Day and the Irish Community in Yonkers, 1857-2003. The booklet is being sold for $10 to raise money for the Sharing Community, an organization that feeds and houses the needy in southwest Yonkers, N.Y. The booklet can be obtained by sending a $10 check to The Sharing Community, P.O. Box 657, Yonkers, N.Y. 10702…Thomas J. Hickey retired as vice president and general counsel of environmental engineering consulting firm Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. in 2004. He is currently serving as a New Jersey court-appointed mediator and arbitrator and is enjoying travel with his wife, Patrizia, including many trips to Italy, France, Mexico, Greece and Spain…

Judge Richard B. Liebowitz has been nominated by Gov. George E. Pataki as a justice of the Supreme Court in the Ninth Judicial District…John F. Walker is a lector, cantor, minister of care, bereavement minister, choir member, drum major of a Scottish bagpipe band, part-time engineering consultant and an adult Scouter. Also, he adds, he is retired. ’58 Herman Agoyo was recently chosen by the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Ariz., to be the second recipient of the Spirit of the Heard Award, which will be presented in November. Agoyo, who grew up on New Mexico’s San Juan Pueblo, was chosen for the award for his dedication to his pueblo’s economic and social growth and for his role in preserving its traditions…Philip L. Brach, P.E., Ph.D., retired in August 2004. He was named professor

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emeritus at the University of the District of Columbia and is the president-elect of the D.C. Society of Professional Engineers…Edward T. Leavy writes, “Kay and I are retired. Come visit us in West Palm Beach, Fla.!”…Charles J. Spiegel Jr. has relocated law offices from the Bronx to Yonkers, N.Y.

’59 John M. Gibson Jr., who has been retired for nine years, is enjoying having “no house and no yard.”

He writes that he is “traveling the country in our motor home.”…John J. McDonnell Jr. has been named to the board of directors of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc., a provider of on-demand software in the automotive industry…John Pieretti writes that his wife passed away on November 22, 2002. John, who has a master’s degree in science from Adelphi University, is retired from technology company Lockheed Martin. John’s son lives in Jacksonville, Fla., and his daughter lives in Ashburn, Va. He reports that he has two lovely grandsons.

’60 Tom Baker retired from the Chappaqua school district as a teacher and coach in 2004. Tom’s teams won 60 championships. He and his wife, Pat, have four grandchildren and reside in East Falmouth on Cape Cod and Delray Beach, Fla. ’61 Arthur Gualtieri, M.D., J.D., has been named deputy commissioner of the healthcare access and improvement division of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Arthur was previously the medical director at Mount Sinai Hospital in Queens, N.Y.…Charles H. Thornton, P.E., Ph.D., was honored by The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesman of the City of New York with The General Society of Craftsmanship Award at their 219th anniversary celebration. Charles is co-chairman of the international engineering and design firm Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc. ’62 Dan Corry retired from the New York City Department of Education. He is the father of four and the granddad of Tim, Corry and Andrew. He writes, “Classmates and team members call at (516) 502-6732.” …Dr. William H. Donovan writes, “Jo Ann and I now have seven grandchildren. This year, I received the highest awards given by the American Spinal Injury Association and the International Spinal Cord Society.”…After a 27-year career as a biophysicist and administrator at Pfizer’s research and manufacturing headquarters in Groton, Conn., Dr. James E. McKie retired to pursue a second career as a sculptor. His wife, Barbara, a former computer consultant, is now a textile artist. Their son, Darrin, is a film editor in Los Angeles.

Jim and Barb have adjoining studios on their property in Lyme, Conn., and their work can be seen on their Web site: www.mckieart.com. ’63 Kenneth G. Mann, Ph.D., was elected to the board of directors of the National Hemophilia Foundation, where he is the chair of the research working group…Daniel C. McCabe has a private otolarnigology

Dr. Kevin E. Conboy was selected as the grand marshal of the 2005 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Greenwich, Conn. Kevin, a cardiologist, is an attending physician at Greenwich Hospital, as well as the medical director of the hospital’s cardiac conditioning program.

He was selected as the marshal in recognition of his exceptional service to his patients, especially those with financial hardships

’65 After retiring as a counterintelligence officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigations at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M., John P. Butler is now living in Roanoke, Va….John C. Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., was appointed administrative director of the ambulatory behavioral health services at Lutheran Health Care in Brooklyn, N.Y….After 30 years as an attorney with the New York State Education Department, Kenneth J. Pawson retired in April 2004…Joseph F. Governali, professor of health at SUNY-Cortland, received the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service during the undergraduate commencement services held on May 14, 2005. ’66 Thomas J. Dugan became director of special education of Newark public schools in Newark, N.J….Joseph Gray is now the city manager of Portland, Maine…Patrick J. Mullany is running for the Indian Wells City Council in Indian Wells, Calif….Dr. Stephen Cardos was awarded the Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Service Award in Brighton, Colo., in May 2005.

Stephen, a pediatrician, was cited for the award for his work in founding Almost Home, a shelter that helps the homeless and others in need of help, as well as his service in Brighton’s Habitat for Humanity program. ’67

Arthur J. Koerber Jr. and his wife celebrated 35 years of marriage and have become grandparents for the first time to Phillip David, born April 24, 2004…Jim Sedlak, the vice president of American Life League and a founder of Stop Planned Parenthood International (STOPP), was a guest speaker at “The Secret World Inside Planned Parenthood and How to Stop It in the NYC Area,” an anti-abortion seminar sponsored by the Fordham University Respect Life Club, Pregnancy Services Network of New York and Expectant Mother Care, at Fordham University in the Bronx, N.Y., on March 19…Kevin G. McKeon wrote recently to express his appreciation for his time at Manhattan. He wrote, “I do want you to know the education I received at Manhattan was the single most formative experience of my life.”…Ed Orgon writes, “My wife, Jeanne (married 38 years), and I were blessed with our second grandchild and second granddaughter, Charlotte Lorraine, by our daughter Tara.”

’68 Michael E. Curcio was recently named as a finalist for Big Brother of the Year (2005) by Big Brothers of Massachusetts Bay, the largest Big Brothers chapter in the country. Michael was recognized for his nine-year mentoring relationship with a local youth. He is vice president of strategic and business development for SSG Precision Optronics, an aerospace company specializing in the development of telescopes and other optical systems, and is also a member of the Big Brothers’ board of directors and a state-certified baseball umpire working with youth at the local, district and national levels…After 25 years with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, during which time he prepared the auditing section of the CPA exam, Edward R. Gehl has retired to the Daytona Beach area of Florida.…Thomas Heffernan, the Kenneth Curry Professor of English at the University of Tennessee, is editing and annotating The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, one of the first autobiographies written by a woman in Western culture…Ralph Lella, a former Manhattan College basketball player, was named New Jersey’s Director of Athletics of the Year for 2004-2005 by the directors of the Athletic Association of New Jersey.

Ralph is currently the director of athletics, health and physical education at Ridgefield Park Junior-Senior High School in Ridgefield Park, N.J.…After a 36-year career, Joe Palya has retired as a social studies teacher and department chairman at Charles F. Groton High School in Yonkers, N.Y. He remains a consultant to the New York State Education Department, having served on more than 30 global studies/global history regents assessment committees…James Rispoli has been sworn in as assistant secretary of energy for environmental management for the U.S. Department of Energy. James’ appointment was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on July 29, 2005. ’69 John L. Besignano has retired from the New York City Department of Transportation as an assistant chief of private ferry operations and is currently employed

by ADT/TXCO as the small business representative for Staten Island. He writes: “I just had the pleasure of escorting my daughter, Catherine, down the aisle of the United States Naval Academy Chapel. She is a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and is now married to 1st Lt. William DeReal. She is scheduled for duty in Iraq as of August 2005. My son, John Jr., is a 2003 graduate of the University of South Carolina and is a specialist stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. He is scheduled for duty in Iraq in December 2005. My son-in-law only returned from Iraq the week of the wedding and will return to Iraq in September 2005. I ask my fellow Jaspers to keep our soldiers in [their] thoughts and prayers.”… James Collins, the Virginia M. Ullman Professor of Natural History and the Environment at Arizona State University (ASU) and the faculty leader of ecology, evolution and environmental sciences at the ASU school

of life sciences, has been named the head of biological sciences of the National Science Foundation…Daniel Eignor, a principal research scientist at Educational Testing Service, a private educational testing and research company, has been named vice president of the National Council on Measurement in Education, a professional organization for individuals involved in assessment, evaluation, testing and other aspects of educational measurement. Daniel will serve as NCME’s vice president for one year and will serve as the council’s president in 2006-2007…Integrium, a contract research organization, has appointed Michael Gleeson chief executive officer of the company…William Hannon retired as the chief controller and chief accounting officer at Citigroup Inc., the world’s largest financial services company. He was previously the chief financial officer for Travelers Property Casualty Corp., which merged with Citicorp in 1998 to form Citigroup. William is now a senior advisor to Citigroup…Joseph M. Tucci, the president and CEO of information storage and management company EMC Corporation, was presented with a 2005 New Englander of the Year award by the New England Council Board of Directors. Joseph was cited because he “represents the type of innovative leadership that has had a significant impact on the New England economy.”

alumnotes

’64

Between the five Wuertz brothers there are seven Manhattan College degrees – not a bad average!

Pictured at the Manhattan vs. Iona game in January 2005: Frank Wuertz, bachelor’s (’68) and master’s (’69) degrees in chemical engineering; Donald Wuertz ’70 (accounting); Brother President Thomas Scanlan; Steve Wuertz ’71 (business); Ray Wuertz, bachelor’s (’76) and master’s (’77) in chemical engineering; and Michael Wuertz ’78 (accounting). Ray writes, “We have great memories of Manhattan.”

’70 Anthony J. Pieragostini, Esq., writes that he and his wife, Cathy, are expecting their first grandchildren, from son Adam and Kristie in May 2005 and from son Justin and Francesca in November 2005. ’71 Philip A. Amicone, P.E., the mayor of Yonkers, N.Y., received the William A. Welch Award for engineers in government at the 2005 American Society of Civil Engineers, Lower Hudson Branch awards dinner held at the Nyack Seaport in Nyack, N.Y., on May 12, 2005…Dr. Christopher I. Byrnes was awarded the W.T. and Idalia Reid Prize in Mathematics by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics in July 2005. Christopher was cited for his fundamental contributions in the areas of pole-placement by output feedback, output regulation for nonlinear systems and spectral estimation and robust control. He is the dean of the school of engineering and applied science at Washington University at St. Louis, as well as the Skinner Professor in the department of electrical and systems engineering…David F. Curran is the producer of Learn Handgun and Rifle Reloading in Under 41 Minutes, the No. 1 best-selling video on reloading on Amazon.com…Katherine E. O’Neill is chair of the history committee for the 125th anniversary of the Church of the Resurrection in Rye, N.Y…. Michael F. Pisarik is now a manager of the environmental division of Giles Energy Associates, Inc., a national engineering firm…Steve Rehm has joined the financial institutions group of RBS Greenwich Capital, an institutional fixed income investment banking firm. Steve was previously at JPMorgan Securities.

e-mail your news to alumnotes@manhattan.edu

practice in Annapolis, Md. At the time of his writing, Daniel was expecting his first grandchild in November of 2004…Michael Passarella, the son of Ann and Michael Passarella, was married to Elizabeth Schatz in May 2005. Michael Sr. is a member of the Manhattan College board of trustees…Richard L. Tomasetti, chairman of international engineering and design firm Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc., was chosen for honorary membership in the American Institute of Architects (AIA), one of the highest honors the AIA bestows on non-architects.

’72 Longtime community activist Ed Price, a former member of the Independent party, ran as a Democrat for the City Council in District 5 in New York City…Ken Wiegand has been elected senior vice president by the board of directors of Booz Allen Hamilton, a global strategy and technology consulting firm. Ken joined Booz Allen in continued on page 44

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Albany Jaspers: Manhattan Alums In November of 2004, when José M. Serrano ’95 successfully ran against Republican incumbent Olga A. Mendez for a seat in the New York State Senate, he became the third Manhattan alum to be currently serving in Albany. And with

Name:

only 62 senators total, that’s not a bad average. Serrano joins select company: Deputy Majority Whip Sen. Serphin R. Maltese ’58 and Sen. John J. Marchi ’42, the longest-serving legislator, at any level, in the United States. The three men

John J. Marchi

Graduated Manhattan: 1942 Represents: 24th District (parts of Richmond County, Staten Island) Born: Staten Island A member of the Senate since: 1957 Affiliation: Republican

John J. Marchi ’42

Committee assignments 2005: Cities, environmental conservation, finance, housing, construction and community development, investigations and government operations, judiciary, rules Legislative priorities: Public safety, transportation, economic improvement and education. According to Marchi, “The challenges facing our public school system are daunting, but we must continue to see that our school

Name:

Serphin R. Maltese

Graduated Manhattan: 1958 Represents: 15th District (parts of Queens County) Born: Corona, Queens A member of the Senate since: 1988 Affiliation: Republican, conservative, independent

Serphin R. Maltese ’58

Committee assignments 2005: Civil service and pensions, cities (chairman), codes, finance, higher education, judiciary, rules Legislative priority: Veterans affairs (Maltese is an infantry veteran of the Korean War) and crime (he is a former Queens assistant district attorney and deputy chief of the homicide bureau) Proudest accomplishment while Senator: Helping veterans, especially WWII vets, get medals they were awarded for their service but never received because, Maltese says, they were “in a hurry to get out and get home.”

Maltese has held ceremonies for more than 500 veterans. “I’m proud we recognize the tremendous sacrifice they made on behalf of our country,” he says.

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represent three generations of Jaspers, and while the campus and the experience at the College was different for each man, all three credit the education they received at Manhattan for helping them get to where they are today. children have the most resources – both financial and tutorial – we as a city and a state can muster.”

Career high points: As the longest serving legislator anywhere in America, and with a career in the New York State Senate that stretches back to 1957, Marchi has an impressive list of accomplishments to his name. But chief among them are leadership roles in the development of the modern City and State Universities of New York; leading the fight to shut down the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, the world’s largest garbage dump; and helping write the legislation in 1974 and 1975 that saved New York City from financial collapse.

His advice to politically minded Jaspers: “Develop an area of expertise that would benefit the public and apply it in a relevant agency or elective office.”

His advice to politically minded Jaspers: “Get involved in whatever political party you adhere to – by volunteering, you can get involved in something that makes a difference, and that is also personally rewarding.” Maltese says he still enjoys the process after 40 years!

Fondest Manhattan memory: Maltese, who entered Manhattan immediately after leaving the service in 1954, was in a car accident in December of 1957. He was incapacitated for a year and a half, even attending his graduation service on crutches. Being stuck in a bed for such an extended period of time would have made finishing an education difficult for anyone, let alone for a busy married student with a job.

However, Maltese remembers, the Brothers came to his bedside to give him his lessons and exams. The personal service was much appreciated. Maltese says, “I was unbelievably impressed with Manhattan College.”

Jasper connection: Maltese first met his future senatorial colleague Marchi in 1965 and was the citywide coordinator for Marchi’s mayoral bid in 1969.

in the New York State Senate José M. Serrano

Graduated Manhattan: 1995 Represents: 28th District (parts of Bronx and New York Counties) Born: South Bronx A member of the Senate since: 2004, when he defeated Mendez by a margin of almost five to one.

Affiliation: Democrat – “As far to the left as they come!”

Committee assignments 2005: Aging, education, environmental conservation, higher education, local government, recreation and sports development, tourism Legislative priority: Higher education. According to Serrano, “The government has a responsibility to help students who want to go to college

Manhattan College

Favorite campus memories: Serrano was active in the Minority Student Union and ran cross country. Compared to some of the other runners, he says fondly, he felt “very inadequate.”

However, he adds, “I definitely enjoyed the camaraderie with the other students.”

What he loved at Manhattan: At Manhattan, Serrano says, “you’re able to develop a global perspective.” The diversity on campus – “diversity in all ways,” he says – deepened his college experience.

Why he thinks other Jaspers should get involved in politics: “Besides teaching, there are few professions so rewarding … and there’s a lot of work to be done!”

Latino Alumni Club

In April of 2002, future senator José Serrano ’95 was still a comparative neophyte in the world of elected officials, as he only had been sworn in as a New York City council member three months before. As a newcomer, perhaps it isn’t surprising that when Maria Khury ’77, chair of the Manhattan College Latino Alumni Club (MCLAC), called to tell him that the club wanted to honor him with its inaugural Leadership Award, his reaction wasn’t precisely as politician-like as it might have been.

“I said, ‘Are you sure?’” Serrano says, laughing, as he remembered his reaction to the phone call. “It was my first award as an elected official. I was very happy to instruct my staff to hang it in the conference room, to cover the bare walls.”

The Leadership Award was created in 2002 to recognize outstanding alumni and to encourage current students to become outstanding alumni. Recognizing Latino alumni for their contributions to the community is an integral part of the MCLAC mission, according to Khury, which is to “foster and nurture Latino students within the Manhattan community, as well as graduates.” The club, founded in 2000 by Khury, Eliezer Diaz ’79, Philip Colon ’62 and Milagros Soriano ’00, strives to help build and strengthen the Jasper

Latino community through educational, professional and social activities.

MCLAC is also dedicated to nurturing the younger members of the community and reaches out to current and prospective Manhattan students to let them know that successful Latino students have a long history at the College and to make sure they know they are part of that group.

“We want to be very hands-on; we want them to feel very much a part of the Manhattan College community,” Khury says.

Of course, it’s also good to just get together and enjoy the company.

“It’s how we build strength and a good foundation,” Serrano says.

For more information about the club or any of its activities, call Joe Dillon, director of alumni relations, at (718) 862-7977 or e-mail joe.dillon@manhattan.edu.

Information about MCLAC events can be found on the Web at www.manhattan.edu/ alumni_friends/events/frame2.html.

To further its mission, MCLAC held a spring social and planning meeting this past May. Attendees talked, laughed and made plans for future events, including a Spanish theater evening in January and other events throughout the year.

The club and all of its events, Khury adds, are open to all Manhattan alums.

“You don’t have to be Latino to be a member,” Khury says.

Like Khury, Serrano agrees that the opportunity MCLAC offers Latino Jaspers to come together and share their accomplishments is essential. Latino alums, he says, “do very well at Manhattan College, and they go on to have very successful careers.”

e-mail your news to alumnotes@manhattan.edu

José M. Serrano ’95

and who can’t afford it. Today, a college degree is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.”

alumnotes

Name:

Manhattan College Latino Alumni Club members Raquel Batista ’99, Sen. José M. Serrano ’95 and Maria Khury ’77 enjoy themselves at the MCLAC planning meeting.

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Continued from pg. 43 –

Alumnotes

1983, after 11 years of active duty with the Air Force.

He was elected vice president in 1993. Ken and his wife, Alma, their daughter, Alysha, and their son, Gregory, reside in Vienna, Va.

’73 Kevin Campbell, Ph.D., has been named head of the department of physiology and biophysics at the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. He had served as the interim head of the department since 2002. Kevin, an internationally recognized researcher in muscular dystrophy, holds joint appointments to the university’s departments of neurology and internal medicine…Rev. Frank A. Naccaroto was surprised by his fellow brothers of the Beta Sigma fraternity with a celebration in Carteret, N.J., in honor of the 25th anniversary of his ordination…John F. O’Brien, Esq., has been named to the council of the American Bar Association’s section of legal education and admissions to the bar. John is the dean of the New England School of Law in Boston…Edward A. Sausville, M.D., Ph.D., retired in 2004 from the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health. He is now a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and associate director of the Greenebaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland at Baltimore…Annie V. Wilkins (M.A. ’73) reports that her granddaughter, Kimberly Smith, is a senior at the University of Maryland and plans to attend medical school to become a pediatrician. ’74

Stephen J. Imbarrato was ordained into the Roman Catholic priesthood this May at St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe, N.M. Before his ordination, Stephen was a retail manager for 15 years, a restaurant entrepreneur for 10 years and an adjunct college professor for 10 years. In April 2004, he was ordained a deacon and ministered in Puerto Rico and New London, Conn.

He graduated (as the valedictorian!) from Holy Apostles Seminary on May 6, 2005, with a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology/Bioethics…Laroi M. Lawton is the president-elect of the Library Association of the City University of New York and an assistant professor at Bronx Community College in the Bronx, N.Y….Marybeth McCall, M.D., a board-certified internist, was named chief medical officer at Rome Memorial Hospital in Rome, N.Y., in June 2005…Angelo Moliterno has been named the grand knight of the Knights of Columbus Council 5611 in Spring Lake, N.J…Phil T. Pulaski (M.E. ’76), Esq., is the commanding officer of the New York Police Department’s Counter Terrorism Bureau.

He commands the more than 135 NYPD detectives and supervisors assigned to the FBI/NYPD joint terrorism task force and is responsible for police department programs involving critical infrastructure protection, intelligence analysis and counter-terrorism force deployment.

’75 Bob Jeffrey, chief executive of global ad agency JWT, was inducted into the 2005 Independent Sector Alumni Hall of Distinction. The Hall of Distinction was created in 2000 by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU) to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the state of New York through their careers and public service.

CICU represents the chief executives of New York’s independent (private, nonprofit) colleges and universities. ’76 Salvatore J. Maglietta has been named president and CEO of U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance, 44

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Inc., one of the largest bank-affiliated equipment finance companies in the United States. He was previously affiliated with Parthenon Capital in Boston and is the former chief executive officer of Citibank’s Citicapital Equipment Finance.

’77 John A. Gorman has been named to the newly created post of chief development officer for mercyFirst, a child welfare agency in Syosset, N.Y., founded in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. John was previously the director of philanthropy for Catholic Medical Mission Board. In his new position, he will oversee all projects related to planned giving, major gifts, marketing, special events and public relations. He will also head mercyFirst’s volunteer and mentoring program…Maria M. Khury, president of Khury Tours, Travel and Insurance in Riverdale, N.Y., is proud to announce that her daughter, Mayrin Antón, was named national queen by the Montford Point Marine Association at its 40th annual convention in Chicago. Mayrin is the first and youngest Latina to be named national queen. She was elected for raising the most funds on a national level for the organization, which uses the money to fund scholarships for the children and grandchildren of veterans…James Kosch, a partner in the Newark office of international law firm Reed Smith LLP, has been named chair-elect of the Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee of the tort trial and insurance practice section of the American Bar Association. James was previously the vice chair of the 34,000-person section. ’78 Tom Pedulla, a sportswriter for USA Today, is the author of Against the Odds: Riding For My Life.

The book, written with legendary jockey Jerry Bailey and published by Putnam in April 2005, details Bailey’s struggle with alcoholism and the unprecedented success he achieved after getting sober. While at the College, Tom was the associate editor of The Quadrangle and a sports editor at The Riverdale Press. Currently, his main beat for USA Today is the National Football League and horse racing. He lives in Tarrytown, N.Y.

Inc.’s tristate division. Corporate Express is one of the world’s largest business-to-business suppliers of essential office and computer products and services. Peter will assume overall management responsibility for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut…Nicholas F. Nanna was promoted to colonel in the United States Marine Corps.

’81 John T. Gorman was a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for seats on the Board of Supervisors of Washington Township, N.J.…Milo E. Riverso, P.E., Ph.D., was named senior vice president of STV Construction, Inc., where he will be responsible for management, business development and operations.

Milo was previously president and chief executive officer of the New York City School Construction Authority…Joe Ryan, assistant track coach at Manhattan College, traveled to Helsinki, Finland in August for the World Track and Field Championships as the track coach of the Guyanese national track team. This is the third time that Joe has been selected to coach Guyana’s national team…In the last Alumnotes, it was reported that Alan Zale had returned to photojournalism, shooting for his local paper, The Journal-News in Westchester County. Since December 2004, Alan has returned to freelancing for The New York Times, where he had shot pictures until 1996. He reports that he is happy to be taking pictures again! ’82 Frank Fonzo, who retired as a CPA in June 2005, celebrated his retirement at a party with more than 800 people on the guest list! The party was held at the Heritage Pines Country Club in Spring Hill, Fla….Vincent G. Girardi reports that he is living in sunny California with his wife, Denise, and their two children, Lisa and Carolyn. He is working for technology company Intel in flash memory…Robert C. Kehoe was appointed treasurer of investment firm W.P. Carey and Co. LLC. Robert has been with W.P. Carey since 1987, where he was previously a senior accountant.

’79 Patrick J. Connolly was promoted to first vice president in the office of general counsel at New York Life Insurance Company, the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States. In his new position, Patrick will be responsible for employment and benefit matters.

Prior to joining New York Life, he was an assistant district attorney in the Queens County, N.Y., district attorney’s office…Cesare (Chase) DeRose Sr. was the chairman of the 2005 American Society of Civil Engineers, Lower Hudson Valley Branch awards dinner, held at the Nyack Seaport in Nyack, N.Y., on May 12, 2005. The dinner honored fellow Jasper Philip A. Amicone ’71, the mayor of Yonkers, N.Y.

’83 Dr. Ronald N. Occhiogrosso writes, “My wife, Frances, and I have been happily married for 22 years [in] June. Our newest addition arrived this past December 20, 2004: David John was born at Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park, N.Y., where we’ve been residing for the past five years. We now have six children. Our eldest, Nicholas, will be attending Christendom College in the fall, and our only daughter, Veronica, will be entering Notre Dame Academy, located in Middleburg, Va., where I will be teaching science.”…Janet (Rossi) Zolli writes that she is a faculty member in the division of general internal medicine at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., where her time is split among teaching residents in internal medicine, private practice and quality management.

She is married to Philip and the mother of Nicole, 11; Christopher, 8; and Joanna, 5.

’80 Anne D’Amico has been appointed chief physician assistant of cardiac surgery at the Regional Heart and Vascular Center at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn. Previously, she was senior physician assistant at the Montefiore Medical Center, the university hospital and academic medical center for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City…Richard J. Duggan has been named assistant vice president for Selective Insurance Group, Inc. in Branchville, N.J….Peter J. Guala has been named president of Corporate Express,

’84 William J. Earls writes that his son, William J. Earls, is a member of the Manhattan College class of 2009…James G. Gatto recently joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, a top national law firm, as a partner in the intellectual property group. He focuses on patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret issues for software and other technology companies… Michael McGovern has been appointed to fill a position on the Westport Board of Education in Westport, Conn….Dr. Patrick Michel has

Caribbean Dream

“I’ve always wanted to travel to Central/South America and use my engineering skills to help people … so this volunteer experience has started out well for me,” he says in an e-mail from Panama.

Matthew, who studied mechanical engineering and peace studies at the College, is a graduate student at Michigan Tech Master’s International Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The program combines graduate studies with a volunteer opportunity in the U.S. Peace Corps, where working engineers volunteer their time and skills to enhance technology and improve living conditions in poor, underdeveloped countries. Fellow Jasper classmates Josephine Kaiser ’03 and Brock Emerson ’03 also are enrolled in Michigan Tech’s program and are both currently volunteering in the Peace Corps.

Josephine is assisting in Panama, too, while Brock is lending his engineering skills in rural North Africa.

Since the summer of 2004, Matthew has lived in Panama aiming to fulfill three main goals: to help the community organize and have access to potable water; to help the community gain

been named to the position of assistant superintendent of the Monticello Central School District in Monticello, N.Y., effective July 18, 2005. He was previously the associate superintendent for secondary education at the Clarkstown Central School District in Rockland County, N.Y….The photographs of Vincent J. Rodriguez were exhibited at the Bank Street Coffee House in New Milford, Conn., in March 2005. Vincent, who works with a digital camera, focuses on aspects of “street life,” capturing spontaneous and unstaged moments in everyday life.

His work has been exhibited by the Mamaroneck Artists Guild of Mamaroneck, N.Y., of which he is a member, and throughout New York.

’85 Fino M. Celano has been named assistant to the superintendent by the Garden City, N.J., Board of Education. ’86 Allison (Cupaiuolo) Linger lives in Colorado with her husband, Tim, and daughter, Morgan, 3. At the

access to proper sanitation facilities; and to promote community education on basic hygiene and health.

More than halfway through his Peace Corps service, which ends in September 2006, Matthew has completed a number of his goals. Most of his work has been centered on improving small local water systems in the community where he resides and in the surrounding area.

This past July, he helped submit materials proposals to complete several improvement projects, including a new storage tank and a new aqueduct for an entire small neighborhood.

Matthew also has spent time in Panama giving small talks on various health-related topics, such as mosquito and malaria control, how to conserve water and the importance of washing hands. He hopes to continue these educational talks through the remainder of his stay in Panama and says he has learned enough Ngabere, the indigenous language of the Ngobe people, to still “get half the laughs.”

Though the experience as a whole has been rewarding, Matthew admits that there have been some difficult times.

“This service has also been very tough in various ways, ranging from boredom to loneliness to absolute frustration at the lack of motivation on the part of some community members to … sometimes deeply missing the comfort and logic of home stateside,” he says.

time of her writing, Allison and Tim were expecting their second child.

’87 Professor Theresa Hughes will be joining the faculty at St. John’s University School of Law in New York as a director of the new Child Advocacy Clinic. She also maintains a Forest Hills, Queens-based private practice with the law office of Fanning and Hughes. ’88 Patrice (Liquori) Athanasidy’s column on family topics, “By the Way,” runs every other week in The North County News of Yorktown Heights, N.Y. …Anthony Catalano (M.S. ’93), P.E., D.E.E., has joined consulting and operations firm Woodard and Curran as a vice president. Previously, Anthony was an associate and project manager with environmental engineering firm Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.…Grant Morgan (M.B.A. ’88) was named executive director of the Hackettstown Business Improvement District in Hackettstown, N.J….

Brian Smith is leaving the University of South Florida

Polly wants a cracker! In a photo taken by Matthew Babcock ’03, kids in the Panama village where he is based show off baby parrots they find nearby.

He also has had a tough time adjusting to the misconceptions some local people have about Americans and the United States. At times, that conversation, Matthew says, gets frustrating.

“Some of the tough stuff, while hard and sad, does at least make for a good lesson of the real world and the real people in it,” he adds. “I’m glad I have the opportunity to both learn about these people and try to help them out … I have definitely gotten the development experience that I wanted to get even if the experience is not always fun.”

Matthew, who is completing a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Michigan Tech, hopes to eventually work in engineering or environmental policy in the United States. At the end of his two-year service in the Peace Corps, he will return to Michigan Tech to defend the work he has completed in Panama and present his own ideas on engineering development work. Until then, he is looking forward to another interesting year on the northern Caribbean coast – and what serves as home base for now.

to become the executive director of Rush University Medical Group, a medical practice of almost 1,000 physicians in Chicago.

’89 Dawn Marie (Knirsch) Blasl was appointed superintendent of schools of the Menands Union Free School District in New York. She writes, “We relocated from Westchester so that my husband, Mike, could purchase French, Gifford, Pretier and Blasl Funeral Home in Chatham, N.Y. Our son, Michael Jr., is planning on attending Manhattan College in 2006 – he is presently a junior at Chatham High School.”…Carol S. Marino and her husband, Michael Zelenz, are the proud parents of their second child, David Paul Zelenz, who joins their daughter, Marina A. Zelenz…William D. Merklin, P.E., has been named a senior associate at Dvirka and Bartilucci Consulting Engineers…Peter Plate is married with four sons. He is a vice president of sales and marketing.

alumnotes

For the past year, Matthew Babcock ’03 has been developing water systems in a coastal indigenous village in Panama.

Though far from the comforts of his homeland, Matthew seems to be adjusting just fine to his new life as a volunteer engineer overseas.

e-mail your news to alumnotes@manhattan.edu

A Different Kind of

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Traversing the Globe and Discovering the Truth: Captain Aaron Feldman ’97 and Real-Life JAG According to Aaron Feldman ’97, there’s only one thing on everyone’s mind when they find out he is a former captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, better known as the JAG Corps, the army’s legal organization.

“Everybody wants to know if it’s like the TV show JAG,” he says with a laugh, referring to the adventure-drama show about noble (and extremely good-looking) lawyers in the Navy JAG Corps who, as per the official CBS description, “traverse the globe together with a single mission: to search for and discover the truth.”

Not that life with the nation’s oldest law firm was by any means dull. And to be fair, Feldman did traverse the globe, and he did seek out the truth. But, he says, “It’s nothing like the TV show.”

Feldman, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the school of education, left the Army in April after three years’ service abroad, including a year in combat in Iraq. The son of a Marine Corps veteran and part of an extended family with many members of the armed forces, Feldman grew up with the idea of a career in the service in the back of his mind. He also had a lifelong attraction to legal things. After graduating from Manhattan, he combined the two interests by enlisting in the U.S. Army Reserve as a paralegal specialist and enrolling in Fordham University School of Law in the fall of 1998.

While at Fordham, Feldman served in the Reserve one weekend a month, with two weeks of training in the summer. After graduating in May 2001 (and, of course, passing the New York Bar Examination), he was commissioned in the JAG Corps as an attorney. After that, Feldman says, things moved quickly.

“The second day I was a trial prosecutor, I got sent down to do a guilty plea,” he remembers.

In military courts, unlike their civilian counterparts, defendants who plead guilty are given a providency hearing, where the judge determines whether or not the defendant meets the legal standard for a guilty plea. In Feldman’s case, his very first defendant did not,

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and he was on the spot when the judge turned to him and asked if he was ready to proceed with the trial.

“I never have the desire to go camping again,” he says.

“We still got the conviction,” Feldman says.

While deployed, Feldman and his fellow officers prosecuted soldiers accused of crimes and investigated incidents requiring legal paperwork, such as accidental discharge of a weapon and the loss of military equipment. They also handled the research and notifications for brigade soldiers killed or wounded in action, and accompanied the brigade commander as he met with local groups and advised him on military law.

The JAG Corps’ sink-or-swim method, he points out, is in a lot of ways an advantage.

“Wherever the commander went, he brought an attorney,” Feldman says.

In the Army, he says: “You get to go to trial and do ‘lawyer stuff’ a lot earlier than in a law firm. You get work and experience earlier in your career – I hate waiting.”

Because the legal team accompanied the brigade, during his year in Iraq, Feldman did a lot of moving around, the most dangerous part of being stationed in a combat zone.

“I barely knew the guy’s name!”

Feldman says, still incredulous.

He and his associate asked for a recess and scrambled to put together their case and witnesses. Despite the short notice, it ended well – as least as far as the prosecution was concerned.

After spending a year as a prosecutor in the United States, Feldman was sent to the Army base in Wiesbaden, Germany, as a legal assistant in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, 1st Armored Division. Feldman, who had done training in Stuttgart, Germany, while in the Reserve, had requested the assignment. One of his goals in joining the Army, he says, had been to “open up and see the world.”

“In that aspect, the military is pretty fantastic,” he says.

In his first year in Germany, Feldman’s work focused on personal and family law matters, such as drafting powers of attorney and creating wills and trusts for the 7,000 soldiers on the base, many of whom were about to be deployed.

On March 4, 2003, Feldman was deployed to Iraq, as part of a Brigade Operation Law team (BOLT) assigned to the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade.

With the brigade, he and his fellow team members – a more senior attorney, a sergeant and a paralegal – traveled around Iraq, including stops in Baghdad, Abu Ghraib and Balad. The first eight months, Feldman says, were spent living in tents. They did have air-conditioning, which, at least in the winter months, kept the soldiers reasonably cool.

However, the experience isn’t one he’s keen to repeat.

“At first we traveled by convoys, but then they started shooting at the convoys.

So we started traveling by helicopters, but then they started shooting those, too,” Feldman says. “So then we tried to travel as little as possible.”

For his service in Iraq, Feldman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. In his citation, he is praised for “exceptionally meritorious service while serving as the Brigade Staff Judge Advocate.” The citation continues: “Captain Feldman’s commitment to duty and personal perseverance were great assets to the corps’ mission to liberate Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His duty performance is in keeping with the highest standards of selfless service and reflects great credit upon himself, victory corps and the United States Army.”

Feldman left Iraq on February 22, 2004, returning to Wiesbaden for the final year of his commitment to the JAG Corps. He was back in the same place, but this time he wasn’t working on family law; he was prosecuting court martials.

“The first year [in Germany] the soldiers liked me,” he says. “The second, they were afraid of me.”

After a second year in Germany, Feldman was honorably discharged from the Army on April 21, 2005.

Alumnotes

Aaron Feldman '97 (third from left) poses with fellow JAG officers at "Dining In," a formal banquet celebrating the completion of the Officer Basic Course at the Judge Advocate General's School in Charlottesville, Va., in April 2001. The Officer Basic Course gives new JAG attorneys an orientation to the military, as well as training in military law.

“The military was good to me, but I was ready to go,” he says. He was tired.

“I had been working 17-, 18-hour days, 80 hours a week for close to eight years,” he says.

’91 Susan Arditi has been named senior vice president of the J. Brown Agency, a promotions marketing company in Stamford, Conn.…Maser Consulting P.A. announced that Andrew B. Fetherston, P.E., C.P.E.S.C., will manage the engineering consulting firm’s Newburgh, N.Y., office, where he will oversee all engineering projects…James Quadrini, P.E., D.E.E., has been named managing partner at Quantitative Environmental Analysis, LLC, an environmental engineering consulting firm with offices in New York and Texas. James, who received both his bachelor’s and master’s (’93) degrees in environmental engineering from Manhattan College, has been with QEA since 1998…Brian Veith (M.S. ’91) has been promoted to vice president at Dvirka and Bartilucci Consulting Engineers, where he will serve as vice president in the environmental remediation and multimedia compliance division.

Since leaving the military, Feldman is starting a new challenge. In January, he hopes to start at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and pursue a joint M.B.A./M.S. degree in hotel administration.

Feldman isn’t sure what direction he wants to go in, but he knows he wants to combine the legal skills he developed in the JAG Corps with an understanding of the business world in order to run his own business. And Las Vegas seems like as good a place as any to start.

’92 Richard Gaupman is engaged to Christine Bowser. They plan to marry in May 2006. Richard is a residency program engineer at the New York State Department of Transportation…Myriam V. Gonzalez is living in Santiago, Chile, and has been working for the past six years at the Santiago branch of Wachovia Securities in international investments. She writes, “I am happily married to my wonderful husband, Juan Carlos. We are fortunate with our beautiful daughter, Vanessa, who someday soon I hope to show where her mom went to college.” She sends her best regards to Ms. Marilyn Carter-Stevens, to whom Myriam says she owes much gratitude for the guidance and direction that helped prepare her for her professional career.

“They say the house always wins,” he says. “Well, if the house always wins, then I’d rather work for the house.”

’93 Garrett M. Byrnes has been named senior associate at Dvirka and Bartilucci Consulting Engineers…James J. Fabrizio, assistant professor of biology at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, was awarded a $200,000 grant by the National Institutes of Health to study male fertility. James and several top undergraduate students will spend two years studying sperm development in fruit flies, which may help facilitate future breakthroughs in the field of male fertility…Thomas Grech (M.B.A. ’93) has joined Virtual Document Solutions as senior vice president of sales and new business development. He writes that he would like to hear from other M.B.A. ’93 alumni…Maria Lamicella-DiCarlo is an assistant professor at St. Joseph’s College in New York. She and her husband, Anthony, have three children: Maria Alexa, Daniella Fina and Ariana Rae…Robert E. Steinberg (a.k.a. Bob Stei) is now an on-air personality for radio station WZZO in Allentown, Pa.

But before he goes back to school, he’s planning on taking a few more trips – locally, this time. After a trip to Key West this summer, he drove out to Las Vegas to look for an apartment, and took a trip to California to see the coast.

After all, as Feldman says, he has spent time in Korea, Panama, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic. But, he admits with a laugh, “I haven’t seen much of the U.S.” But once a soldier, always a solider.

Feldman will be on call for the Army Reserve for the next five years and then on a lower priority call for the rest of his life. But even out of uniform, he’s very proud of his time in the JAG Corps.

“I helped make life and death decisions,” he says. In the JAG Corps, he adds, “You feel like you’re contributing to society – at least, you’re trying your best.”

’94 Tracey Alderton is in her sixth year as a third grade teacher in Hillsdale, N.J. She recently bought a townhouse in Mahwah, N.J., and writes that she is “still trying to keep in touch with everyone!”…Anna (Garcia) ’96 and Craig Masker live in Rockaway Township, N.J., with their daughter, Gabriella, 2. Craig is a manager of contracts and pricing with worldwide pharmaceutical company Schering-Plough. Anna is a customer finance manager with Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. Craig is a CPA and Anna received an M.B.A. from New York University…Danielle Yearick, who was inducted into

the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004 for her achievements as a softball player, will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame of Archmere Academy of Claymont, Del.

’95 After four years as an assistant district attorney in Kings County, N.Y., Sean Burns is now in his third year as a trial associate at the law firm of Carroll, McNulty and Kull…The horticultural photographs of John Beirne were shown at the Montville Township Public Library of Montville Township, N.J. John, a former assistant garden editor at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, is the director of NewBridge ENRICH, a horticultural therapy program at NewBridge Services, a behavioral health provider in Pompton Plains, N.J.…Robert P. Cerrato was appointed marketing counsel and sales representative at Statewide Abstract, a title insurance company in White Plains, N.Y.

alumnotes

’90 Jerry Dynes is a neurologist in Baton Rouge, La., where he’s having a great time with his wife and three children: Morgan, 6; Griffin, 4; and Justin, 1.

’96 Patrick J. Kempton has been named a new Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured originator for the Chicago office of Prudential Huntoon Paige, one of the nation’s largest originators of FHA-insured multifamily loans secured through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development…Jayson Kiang was married to Angela Lambiase of Holtsville, N.Y., on July 8, 2005, at St. Edmund’s Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. Alumni in attendance at the reception included Steve Misevic ’91, John Neves ’94 and James Scullin ’94. Angela and Jayson bought a home and now reside in Rocky Point, N.Y. Jayson is the mathematics department chairperson at Longwood High School in Middle Island, N.Y. ’97 Victor Ramsey (M.S. ’97) is an adjunct professor at CUNY–York College in Queens, N.Y., and director of fitness and physical education for the New York School City Department of Education Region 9…Tara Muscatella Rybacki (M.A. ’02) married Brian Rybacki ’94 at the Manhattan College Chapel. They “happily live in the Bronx and wish all their classmates well!”...Franklin Santos was married on April 5, 2003, to Kim Murray at her mother’s house in Ossining, N.Y. Joseph Redican ’95 was the best man. Franklin and Kim’s first son, Justin Ulises Santos, was born on October 10, 2004. Franklin still works for Tully Construction Company as a project superintendent. ’98 Kerry Goldman was married to Eric Dietz of Larchmont, N.Y., on October 30, 2004. Bridesmaids included Emily Anastasio and Jill Credidio ’97…

Liz Velasquez (M.A. ’02) became engaged to Joseph Giampapa in May 2005 while on a trip to Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. They have set a date of October 21, 2006, for their wedding. ’99 Michael Chudyk was recently interviewed in Ferguson’s Careers in Focus: Geriatric Care (2nd Ed.), a publication geared to high school guidance counselors and students interested in pursuing careers in geriatric fields, including senior care pharmacy, the subject of Michael’s interview. Michael holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from St. John’s University and is a certified geriatric pharmacist…Jessica Pichardo writes that she has been with Credit Suisse First Boston sine July 2002.

She worked in the London office for the majority of 2004 and is now an assistant vice president. She is attending NYU’s Stern School of Business part time for an M.B.A. degree and expects to graduate in December 2006.

e-mail your news to alumnotes@manhattan.edu

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Investigative Journalist Nabs Investigative journalist Walt Kane ’84 is making headlines of his own after recently nabbing his third consecutive local Emmy Award for outstanding news reporting.

Kane, an anchor and investigative reporter for News 12 New Jersey, won a New York Emmy Award for “Tin Can Charities,” a report that looked into donation cans found at stores across the New York tristate area. Led by Kane, the investigative team at News 12 New Jersey found big money unaccounted for and that one of the leading fund-raisers in New Jersey had ties to organized crime. The report also unveiled that an alleged animal welfare group – one of the largest charities involved – had been collecting money for years but had not donated a single dime toward animal care.

The winning team! Walt Kane ’84 celebrates the Emmys with producer Bill Schlosser (l) and photographer Anthony Cocco (r).

News 12 New Jersey received 13 New York Emmy Award nominations, which were announced in February. Kane and his team accepted the award for “Tin Can Charities” at the 48th Annual New York Emmy Awards ceremony held April 3 at The Waldorf=Astoria. In 2004, Kane’s team snagged a local Emmy for “The Truth About Clothing Donations.”

Similar to the report on charities, this

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Third Straight Emmy Award

story exposed how some companies in New Jersey were cashing in on donated clothing. He took home an Emmy in 2003 for another investigative report on an alleged cover-up by police and prosecutors.

than spending time in the science labs.

It turned out to be a smart move on his part – having enjoyed much success in the competitive field — and he has never regretted his choice.

The New York Emmy Awards recognize outstanding achievements in television, originally broadcast or cablecast in New York or Northern New Jersey.

“I was very pleased with the education I received at Manhattan,” says Kane, who also did sports commentary for the College radio station. “Although I didn’t actually decide to pursue a journalism career until my sophomore year, the proximity to the city made it possible to jump-start my career by working professionally in the biggest media market in the country while I was attending school.”

Since joining News 12 New Jersey in 1996, Kane and his investigative team have been on fire, identifying stories that stick with viewers and revealing a meaningful, in-depth look at wrongdoings in their own backyards. It has been a successful ride so far for Kane, who studied communications at the College and attended most of his courses at nearby College of Mount Saint Vincent.

He started reporting for Gannett Newspapers in Westchester and Rockland counties during his junior and senior years at Manhattan. After graduating in 1984, he submitted tapes to television stations across the country and landed a job at KLBY-TV in Colby, Kan., which he notes is “one of the smallest cities in America to have a television station.” After a year in small town U.S.A., Kane spent the following four years at KSWO-TV in Lawton, Okla. He then moved on to a station in Oklahoma City, and in 1992, he left the state and joined WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids, Mich. As a reporter in Michigan, he had the opportunity to cover U.S. military operations in Somalia.

His East Coast roots called him back a year later. In December of 1993, the Brooklyn native joined News 12 Long Island as the consumer reporter. He later took on the anchor/reporter job at sister station News 12 New Jersey, where he’s breaking news today.

Not bad for the former biology major.

Kane switched majors his sophomore year at Manhattan after realizing he enjoyed writing for the Quadrangle more

In the last three years alone, Kane and his investigative news team have won more than 50 awards for outstanding journalism. Also this year, the National Headliners Club and the Unity Awards honored the team for an investigation that found wheelchair lifts on some New Jersey Transit bus lines failed to work more than half the time. Confronted with the evidence, NJ Transit offered a public apology and corrected the problem.

Another memorable investigation under Kane’s lead included a series of 17 reports and two prime-time specials about security and other issues at Oyster Creek nuclear plant. The reports led to increased security measures and new laws allowing nuclear plant guards to carry more powerful weapons.

News 12 New Jersey is operated by News 12 Networks, which runs 24-hour news in several areas, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Connecticut, Hudson Valley, Long Island and Westchester. In 2005, News 12 Networks won 10 local Emmy Awards for its broadcasts. At News 12 New Jersey, Kane anchors elections and special events. He also hosts Roundtable, a weekly public affairs show, and has anchored and managed the evening news.

Web

The Web site of Dr. Joseph Webb ’78 is among those millions. Webb, an in-demand market research analyst and private consultant to the print industry, started his own blog this year. On www.drjoesblog.com, which posted its first entry in February 2005, Webb discusses printing, publishing and new media trends.

But Webb is no stranger to the world of online publishing. He runs www.drjoewebb.com, a resource for executives working in or with print, publishing and media businesses, and since 2003, he has written a column for www.whattheythink.com, a Web site about the graphic arts for the print industry. Webb has been involved in the world of printing for more than 27 years and has been advising companies in the print industry since 1987. In 1995, he founded TrendWatch marketing information service, which provides information for the graphics, visual effects and broadcast/cable markets.

In December 2004, he was awarded the Neil Richards Visionary Leadership Award by the Graphic Arts Marketing Information Service. The award recognizes leaders in the graphic arts industry who have promoted innovative thinking, willingly shared their knowledge and contributed to the development of industry colleagues as a mentor or role model.

Webb received his M.B.A. in management information systems from Iona in 1981, and his Ph.D. in graphic communications management and technology from New York University in 1987. He and his wife, Annie (Nikl) ’79, live in Harrisville, R.I., where they work together on their consulting business.

He talked to The Manhattan about his work, the future of blogs and why he’ll always remember Brother Thomas Scanlan.

Dr. Joseph Webb ’78

Q: How did you get started as a blogger?

A: I had read a lot about blogs last year, and because most of my work deals with the publishing and printing industries, I thought it would be a good idea to try it out myself. It’s incredibly easy, and I find myself using the blog for grabbing ideas about industry or economic events and just getting them down. It’s like notes that one would leave under magnets if there was such a thing as an “industry refrigerator.” I view the blog as a companion to my Web site for ideas that are still maturing.

Q: With blogs getting so much press and media attention, do you think that the form has peaked?

A: Blogging as a medium is still very young. Last year, I joked to an industry writer that eventually everyone would have a blog, and that philosopher Descartes should have said, “blogito ergo sum” – “I blog, therefore I am.”

Q: In your opinion, will the Internet continue to exert pressure on traditional media and print businesses?

A: The Internet, as far as consumer and business markets use, is very young.

It’s 10 years old, so that’s the equivalent of fourth grade. When you look at it that way, its best, most vibrant and most interesting years aren’t even close to happening yet.

Q: You earned a reputation as a bearer of bad tidings for the printing business in 1997, when you forecast that the growth of the Internet would negatively impact commercial print shipping after the year 2000. What led you to that conclusion?

A: I saw how we were using the Internet in our own business, where people were freely downloading product information, press releases and data and buying reports in digital formats like Adobe Acrobat. I also realized that our phones had stopped ringing. No one was calling to ask for information, but they were downloading or viewing constantly.

I could see that a lot of promotional and informational printing would be a goner.

Q: The facts seemed to bear out your prognosis. Is the Internet going to replace printing?

A: We’re running at $15 billion a year less than we were in 2000. That’s a decline of more that 10 percent, the bulk of which occurred before 9/11. No one in the printing industry believed it would happen, and I had hoped a decline would not have been the case because I love the printing industry and its people.

But it’s still a huge industry that holds many niche entrepreneurial opportunities.

Q: Did any of your professors at Manhattan inspire or influence you in your later career?

A: Among my faculty influences were Dr. Francis Ullrich, who taught economics, and Dr. Emily Mung-Chio Chao Sun. Although I was not an economics major, I write a lot about economics in my consulting and commentary, so I think of them often. Dr. John Beishline, known to his students as “The General,” taught business policy and got me to think on my feet. Professor Sam Rabino, now teaching at Northeastern University, increased my interest in marketing, and Dr. Frederick Greene helped me understand management in a way that I found to be quite helpful in practical situations. My wife and I both remember our religion classes with Father Anthony Rubsys and think of him every time we open a Bible.

The best business and academic advice for my later career came from Dr. Robert Vizza and Dr. Emil Letendre.

Dr. Vizza and I had a private conversation about business and graduate work, and I repeat the things he told me in that lone hour to many others. His advice always was well-considered and to the point.

Dr. Letendre created an interest in management information systems that I took to my future studies after Manhattan.

Q: Sounds like your time at Manhattan made quite an impression on you!

A: The influence of your professors stays with you in ways that are hard to imagine while you are there at the time.

Brother Scanlan gave me my only “B” in senior year, but it appears that he has prospered despite that lapse in judgment!

manhattan.edu

alumnotes

In 2004, Merriam-Webster picked “blog” as the word of the year, an official recognition of the phenomenon that personal Web logs (or as Webster’s defines them, “Web sites that contain an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer,”) have become. A report from blog tracking organization Technorati estimates that there were more than 14.2 million blogs in August 2005 – and that a new blog is created every second.

e-mail your news to alumnotes@manhattan.edu

Webb on the

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Working Together To Eradicate River Blindness For the more than 400,000 residents of the Kilosa district in Tanzania, a country of 37 million people in Eastern Africa, a bug bite can be more than just an annoyance. In this riverside area 170 miles west of the capital city of Dar es Salaam, a bug bite can mean the beginning of skin rashes, lesions, intense itching, depigmentation of the skin and significant visual impairment and blindness – all symptoms of onchocerciasis, more commonly known as river blindness.

The disease, which the World Health Organization (WHO) characterizes as causing “chronic suffering and severe disability,” is a parasitic infection spread through the bite of the blackflies that breed in fast-flowing river water. River blindness affects 18 million people worldwide, the vast majority of whom live in tropical Africa. According to the WHO, it constitutes “a serious obstacle to socioeconomic development” on the continent.

Ray Panczyk ’55 knows the devastation that river blindness can wreak on a body and on a community. In 2000, he helped design Rotary International’s River Blindness Project in Tanzania, first profiled in The Manhattan in spring 2002. The project provides medication for the disease and educational supplies

to villagers in the Kilosa district. However, his initial exposure to river blindness occurred much earlier. Panczyk lived and worked in Africa for more than 20 years with UNICEF, the Peace Corps and various private companies. All three of his children with his wife, Betsy, were born in Africa: one in Ethiopia, one in Ghana and one in Kenya. All told, he estimates that he has lived in 32 of the 54 African nations, where he has worked on projects involving mother-child health, water and sanitation, and community building, among others. It was in Africa, in fact, that he first became involved with Rotary, the international humanitarian service organization.

“In 1970, I was asked to join by a business colleague while living and working in Madagascar,” Panczyk remembers.

Drawn by Rotary’s good works and the prospect of being able to make good use of his skills and experience, he became a member.

The four-year River Blindness Project is valued at $9 million, which represents the contributions of Rotary International clubs in Maryland and in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian Ministry of Health and international relief organization Interchurch Medical Assistance, a principal partner in the project. It also includes the cornerstone of the program: a $7 million supply of Mectizan donated by pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co., Inc. Mectizan is the trademarked name of ivermectin, a once-a-year medication that relieves itching and halts the progression of blindness. Since 1987, Merck has committed to donate as much Mectizan as is required to end river blindness as a public health concern around the world.

In 2004, the River Blindness Project treated 291,015 people in the Kilosa district – 68 percent of the endemic population. The project also has trained 130 primary school teachers and 16 community leaders in river blindness treatment and prevention, and has delivered to local hospitals medical supplies donated by Interchurch that are valued at $150,000.

Although its primary mission is to help prevent and control river blindness, the project also attempts to deal with the other insect-borne scourge affecting the region: malaria. Malaria, which affects 300 million people each year and kills one million, is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection that is especially fatal in children.

To help control the spread of malaria, the River Blindness Project has distributed 6,000 insecticide-treated bed nets to more than 1,000 families.

“Worldwide, the best and most effective way to treat malaria is these insecticidetreated nets,” Panczyk says, echoing statements made by the WHO and other international health organizations.

In addition, the project has supplied funds and medical supplies to help combat Burkitt’s Lymphoma, a rapidly progressing childhood cancer characterized by facial tumors that has been linked to insect vectors and is endemic in regions also affected by malaria.

The Rotary club in Maryland sends a volunteer to Kilosa every 10 months to report on progress and to make sure everything is on track. It’s a great opportunity for travel, but, he allows, requires many shots, vaccines and other intimidating travel preparations.

“That cuts down on the list of people who want to go,” he says wryly.

Panczyk himself hasn’t been back to Tanzania since his initial visit five years ago, but, he says, he is sure he’ll be back to see firsthand everything the Rotarians in both countries have accomplished.

In fact, it’s this partnership between the Rotary clubs in the United States and Tanzania, and between the many other organizations that work together to provide these services, of which Panczyk is most proud.

“No one could do this project alone – it really represents a partnership,” he says.

Volunteers from Rotary International distribute medicine to residents of the Kilosa district in Tanzania and screen for symptoms of river blindness, a parasitic infection endemic to the district.

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Mayor Thomas Whalen ’55 present at the ceremonies, including Whalen’s widow, Denis, and the couple’s five children.

His good friend and author William Kennedy spoke glowingly of his accomplishments.

“He transformed Albany, this very old city that had resisted change to the point that it was crumbling in its arrested development,” Kennedy said, as reported in the Times Union.

“Almost overnight he achieved the impossible: the dismantling of the longest-running political apparatus in American history, thereby, giving the city its first chance in a century to present itself to public scrutiny with pride and intelligence.”

Whalen became mayor of Albany, N.Y., In fact, author Daniel E. Button tells the in 1983 and, during the next 10 years, story of how Whalen rescued the city in his transformed the city’s infrastructure and book, Take City Hall! Mayor Tom Whalen its government. Tragically, he was killed in and the Transformation of New York’s a car accident in 2002. But his city did Capital to an All-American City. not forget him. A bronze statue honoring Denis Whalen hoped that this statue Whalen was unveiled this past May at the would inspire people to get interested in Photo credit: Cindy Schultz, from the Times Union (Albany) city’s Tricentennial Park, a site chosen by Albany’s history and, in a recent spot on his family and city officials because the park Capital News 9, recalled that her husband “loved history, was one of his many achievements during his time in office. read history and the Irish history of this city especially.”

The statue, designed by sculptor Hy Rosen, depicts Whalen sitting on a park bench with his dog, Finn McCool, by his side.

Whalen is one of many alumni whose careers are dedicated to public service. He never forgot his Manhattan beginnings and The city’s newspaper, the Times Union, described the dedication was a loyal supporter ever since. The College is proud to count as a way to “welcome back an old friend who changed the way him among its alumni.

Albany city government works.” More than 300 guests were

Hugh Quigley ’71 Named 2005 New York Small Business

Person of the Year It takes a special kind of company to survive an almost 50 percent reduction in its income and not lay off a single employee, but DynaBil Industries, a Coxsackie, N.Y., manufacturer of sheet metal for the aerospace industry, is a special company – and it’s headed by president Hugh Quigley ’71. It’s no surprise that Quigley and his partner, Michael Grosso, the owners of DynaBil, were named New York State’s 2005 Small Business Persons of the Year.

DynaBil was nominated to represent New York State at the Small Business Administration Expo held in Washington, D.C., in April 2005. The company was cited for excelling in all the criteria for the award, which include “staying power, growth in employees, improved financial condition, innovativeness of products, response to adversity and contributions to the economy.”

The company has grown from humble beginnings. Started in a garage with three people, today it operates with more than 130 employees.

After years of strong growth, DynaBil weathered the economic downturn that occurred after September 11th (revenues fell from $25 million in 1998 to $17.6 million in 2001 and

$13.2 million in 2003) by restructuring its business plan – and not by cutting its staff. Quoted in an article in The Daily Mail of Catskill, N.Y., Quigley said, “We’ve never laid anybody off here in Coxsackie … We sacrificed short-term profits and gains in favor of our employees, community and long-term prosperity.”

DynaBil is well-known for its commitment to its employees.

The company offers 60 hours of training a year and classes in basic math, reading and computer skills, as well as operator training and sheet metal skills. They are also active in the community and sponsor community events, Little League and girls’ softball teams, and technology programs at the CoxsackieAthens Middle School.

This dedication to their employees and their community was cited in the congratulatory letter Quigley and Grosso received from the Small Business Administration. It reads: “Your hard work, innovative ideas and dedication to your community have made you a success in your business … You and your co-winners of the 2005 State Small Business Award can be proud of the role you are playing in our nation’s robust economic growth.”

manhattan.edu

alumnotes

He was always bigger than life, even as a student at Manhattan College. As Thomas M. Whalen III ’55 excelled academically, his involvement in the life of the College foretold a brilliant career ahead. He enrolled in the school of business in 1952 and for the next four years was immersed in numerous extracurricular activities. Whalen distinguished himself as a member of the Pen & Sword Society and Alpha Sigma Beta, and his long list of interests extended to the St. Thomas More Law Society, the Irish Culture and Economics and Finance Societies, and to the Athletic and Business Men’s Associations, among others. After graduation, he attended law school and became an attorney in the Albany region that was his home.

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A Fitting Tribute to

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Continued from pg. 47 –

Alumnotes

Kevin ’01 and Laura (Rienti) Bisceglia celebrated their one-year anniversary on August 14, 2005. Their wedding, held in 2004, was a Jasper affair: alums in the wedding included Laura’s father, Joseph ’69; bridesmaids Christine Carbonaro and Pam McLeod; and ushers (and former roommates of the groom) Kevin Caccamise ’02, Brian Berry ’01 and Peter Navas. Laura and Kevin live in Baltimore, where Laura is assistant principal of Seton Keough High School and Kevin is in his third year of a doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University…Lisa Farynrk has been promoted to assistant vice president in the consumer division of Coyne Public Relations in Parsippany, N.J. Lisa has been with Coyne PR since 2000. She handles a variety of accounts, including Kraft Foods and Campbell Soup Company…Christopher Frenz recently published his second computer programming book, Pro Perl Parsing. More information can be found at www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=432…Jenny (Manzueta) Martin married Clint B. Martin in the Dominican Republic on November 6, 2004. Jenny is the customer relations coordinator at Consumer Reports and Clint is an assistant vice president at Citigroup…Erica

L. Ross is working as a sales engineer for Baltimore Aircoil company, a worldwide manufacturer and marketer of heat transfer and ice thermal storage products.

Advanced Degrees

Marriages

1980

1986

Margaret T. Burns & Gregory C. Ritch, 8/17/03

1991

Christopher McShane & Mishelle Cisneros, 5/29/04

’00

1982

1991

1997

2000

2003

Nicholas F. Nanna received an M.S. in strategic studies from the National War College National Defense University in June 2005.

Michael S. Pascazi received a J.D. from Albany Law School in May 2005.

Steven Leidenfrost received an M.B.A. in finance and information systems from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University in May 2005.

Ana Gonzalez received an M.B.A. with distinction with a specialty in finance from Long Island University – Westchester Graduate Campus in Purchase, N.Y., in May 2005.

James A. Anzaldi received an M.B.A. in finance from Hofstra University in August 2004.

In June 2005, he received a professional engineer license from the state of New York.

’01 Teresa Andrade is engaged to Timothy Shadi ’00. The wedding is set for October 29, 2005, and will include Kelly Andrade ’03 as maid of honor, Chris Andrade ’05, Sean Peterson and Paul Dombrowski as groomsmen and many other fellow alums as guests. ’02 Noah Coughlin has taken the position of mortgage specialist for Guardhill Financial Corp. in New York, N.Y….Jessica Folden and Peter Constantine ’99 were married on April 15, 2005. Bridesmaids and guests included Aileen Devitt, Sarah Morley and Jennifer Wyatt ’01… Angel Lara Valdez Sr. was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in September. He writes, “I will be helping with providing security, interact[ing] with local Iraqi citizens, setting up a communications center for reconnaissance missions and, overall, [helping] to introduce democracy in the Middle East.”

Nicola Parente & Kristine Reilly, 8/05 1993

Ann Rimey & Patrick Basil, 9/23/05

1996

Patrick Kempton & Rebecca Haines, 7/23/05

Christine M. Hall graduated from Fordham University in July 2004 with a Master of Science in Teaching in adolescent chemistry.

’04 Rosalee Mason was a top scorer for Great Britain’s women’s basketball team in the World University Games held in August…Marisa Primiano and Johnathan Van Orden are engaged to be married on August 18, 2006, in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers.

Births 1986

Margaret T. Burns & Gregory C. Ritch son Timothy W.J. Ritch, 4/8/03

1987

Stephanie & Thomas Kelly son Thomas Christopher, 9/30/04

1988

Leanne & Joe Christel son Jake Adam and daughter Kayla Michell, 6/14/05

1991

Mary Susan Arditi daughter Gabrielle Mya Adams, 12/8/03 Robert & Sarah Ronan Boraczek son Luke, 1/05

Jayson Kiang & Angela Lambiase, 7/8/05 1997

Ana Gonzalez & Sergio Ribeiro, 6/19/05

Patricia & Thomas Burns son Luke Rattigan, 1/21/05 1992

Tara Muscatella & Brian Rybacki ’94, 7/17/04

1998

Dmitri Konon & Alyssa Cobb, 5/22/05

1993

2000

2001

Allison Reale & Dennis Convery, 5/13/05

1995

James Anzaldi & Jennifer Braun, 5/20/05

Daniela (DiDonato) & Michael Nizza daughter Mikayla Grace, 2/17/05

1996

Kathryn McNally & Joseph Flesche, 5/15/04

Rosemary Coppola-Baldwin & Christopher Baldwin son Christopher Matthew, 8/04

Laura Rienti & Kevin Bisceglia ’01, 8/14/04

Maureen (Nelan) & Tom Yurcisin ’97 daughter Colleen Elizabeth, 5/8/05

Laura Robinson & Ugo Barca Jr., 7/31/04

1997

2002

Jessica Folden & Peter Constantine ’99, 4/15/05

2003

Shaun Gahagan & Lauryn McKinney, 7/9/05

manhattan.edu

John & Tara (McCormick) Reuter daughter Jillian Grace, 10/8/04 Kim & Franklin Santos son Justin Ulises, 10/10/04

Candice Werner & Michael Grella, 7/1/05 1998

Maria (Magnoli) & James Morrissey ’97 daughter Taylor Marie, 7/5/05 Michelle (Komorowski) & Gregory Shaw son Gregory J. Shaw III, 6/20/04

2002

52

Christa (Cecere) & Joseph Basel ’92 son Robert Paul, 6/03 Maria Lamicella-DiCarlo & Anthony DiCarlo daughter Ariana Rae, 1/06/05

Genevieve Savino & John Echavarria, 11/5/04 1999

Eileen & Brian Clune son Timothy Patrick, 3/4/05 Susanna (Krempasky) & Stephen Jalkut son Mark James, 5/14/05

Franklin Santos & Kim Murray, 4/5/03

Kelly Andrade received a master’s degree in human rights studies with a concentration in women’s issues from Columbia University in February 2005.

Shaun Gahagan received an M.S. in chemical engineering from the University of California, San Diego in December 2004.

’03 Mellisa Cain writes that she is “really enjoying” teaching English in Prague. She has taken a job for the next school year with the first private school opened after the revolution, where the headmaster is Vlaclav Klaus, the son of the Czech Republic’s right-wing president.

Mellisa is “looking forward to an interesting year!” She writes, “If you know of anyone who can’t figure out what to do after graduation, I’d suggest doing what I’m doing.”… After graduating from Fordham University with a Master of Science in Teaching, Christine M. Hall is currently a high school chemistry teacher at the Academy of Mount Saint Ursula in Mount Vernon, N.Y.

Jessica ’03 & Angel Lara Valdez Sr. son Angel E. Valdez Jr., 2/28/2005

1931

John L. Burke, 9/15/03

1933

James Duffy, 5/8/05

1935

Eugene C. Cassidy, 6/20/05

1936

Paul C. Adorno, 6/25/03 Edward C. Carlson, 1/31/05 Arthur T. Gaffney, 3/11/05 Edward M. Hanasik, 8/7/05

1937

John F.V. “Jack” Duffy, 7/10/05

1938

Francis J. Berst Sr., 8/15/04

1939

John J. “Jack” Casey, 1/27/05 Peter W. Palica, 5/7/05

1940

Thomas J. Arkinson, 5/8/05 Felix J. Burns, 9/10/97 Daniel Eichele, 10/20/03

1941

Joseph J. Cadigan, 3/7/05 Edward J. Ferguson, 9/25/04 Donald V. Keyes, 5/12/05 Robert G. McKeon, 7/23/05 Rev. John E. Murray, 6/21/05

1942

Henry Brazell King, 4/26/05 John D. McAuley, 3/3/02

1943

James R. Clarkin, M.D., 4/25/05 Vincent C. Masiello, 4/28/05

1944

Alfred N. Daily, 7/21/05

1945

James K. Lynch, 5/30/05

1946

Andrew Shekitka, 11/25/04

1947

Joseph E. Burns, 12/13/03 James S. Matthews, 3/6/05 Camillus O’Connell, 5/10/05

1948

Daniel J. Flynn, Esq., 4/05 John A. Petrie, 4/20/05 John White, 6/2/05

1949

William J. Cunningham, 6/6/05 William A. Feeney, 12/1/04

1950

Peter J. Arculeo, 7/7/03 Gilbert A. Bonforte, 11/21/04 James D. Cronin, 8/6/05 Charles M. Grillo, 7/2/05 Richard J. Mahoney, 6/5/05 George A. Muligano, 5/4/05 James J. Ross, 3/7/05

1951

Richard Cerchiara, M.D., 5/6/05 Walter P. Dolan, 7/11/05 Martin J. Enright, 6/3/05 John M. Rogers, 6/28/05

1952

John E. McAnany, 11/15/04 Anton Miorin, 9/27/04

1954

Edward Canapary, 7/13/05

1955

Caroline A. Carroll, 12/22/04 Edward J. Reilly, 10/12/04 Thomas F. White, 3/11/05

1956

Ronald V. Hamill, 3/26/05

1957

Michael J. Philbin, 4/2/05

1958

Joseph H. Binsack, 5/30/05 F. Gerard McGrath, 4/29/05 Frank S. Rossetti, 5/1/05

1960

William J. Hanigan, 6/14/05 Edward D. Houlihan, 5/2/04 William J. Pettit, 7/17/05

1961

Michael J. Harrington, 3/12/01

1964

William Burke, Esq., 6/9/05

1965

Robert J. Greenwood, 4/5/04

1967

Patrick J. Roan, 6/11/05

1968

Andrew A. Correa, 3/22/05

1973

Richard P. Awn, 4/18/05 Michael Purcell, 6/05

1989

George Blaslov, 7/16/05

1992

John W. Lynch III, 3/4/05

Dr. Walter G. Emge, former provost of the College and professor of philosophy, died on April 25, 2005, after a fire broke out in his Riverdale, N.Y., home.

He was 68.

“We’re shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Walter Emge,” Brother President Thomas Scanlan said at the time. “Walter’s passing is a great loss to our entire College community.”

Emge joined the College in 1985, when he was appointed provost, and served in this position until 1996, when he returned to teaching in the philosophy department. This past spring, he had been teaching a course in ethics.

At a memorial Mass for Emge held in May, Br. Thomas spoke about his commitment to the College and its future.

Under Emge’s leadership, the College was named to the Oberlin Group, reached top rankings in U.S. News & World Report and received membership to the Pew Science and Math Consortium and the NYU Faculty Resource Network. He also was instrumental in establishing the College’s first endowed chair, the CV Starr Foundation Endowment and the Howard Hughes grant.

“As provost, he took great pride in the College’s recognition,” Br. Thomas said.

“Above all, he had a job like no other – he had the privilege of inspiring young men and women.”

Dr. Mary Ann O’Donnell, dean of the school of arts, underlined Emge’s commitment to improving the College community as a whole and his dedication as provost to ensure equity for women on campus.

“His work on the campus climate for women committee in the late 1980s helped make Manhattan a better community not just for women but for all,” she said.

Raised in a solid, religious environment as one of 11 children, Emge entered the seminary immediately after elementary school. After leaving the religious life, he began to build a strong career in academics.

His life as an educator began in 1963 when he first taught philosophy at Yale.

He then built an impressive career in higher education. From 1972 to 1976, he served as an administrative officer at Duke University, where he held the positions of assistant to the provost,

assistant dean of Trinity Arts and Sciences, and chief advisor for the health professions.

In 1972 and 1973, Emge was assigned to serve as a fellow of the academic administration internship program for the American Council on Education, and during that time, he prepared a faculty affirmative action plan for Duke.

alumnotes

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

Dr. Walter G. Emge, dedicated professor and former provost

Before joining Manhattan, Emge was vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Morehead State University in Kentucky, where he also taught philosophy. Prior to Morehead, he served as vice president and dean of the college at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. Emge also taught at Boston University, where he was director of undergraduate students for the department of philosophy; chair of the special committee on the quality of undergraduate education; and chair of the course approval committee for the humanities department.

A Danforth Graduate Fellow, Emge earned his doctorate at Yale University, a master’s degree at the University of Toronto and a bachelor’s degree at Bellarmine College in Louisville, Ky. At the memorial Mass, his brother, Dave Emge, referred to him as his mentor and counselor. Whenever a major family decision needed to be made, it was filtered through his brother’s wisdom.

Dave called him “our gray eminence, our brains behind the power.”

Dave also mentioned Emge’s love for the College and for his work.

e-mail your news to alumnotes@manhattan.edu

In Memoriam

“He loved teaching. He always spoke about the students and his colleagues with deep respect and affection,” Dave said. “He loved all parts of his association with the institution. I have to believe that it is a better place for having known him.”

His wake and funeral were held in his hometown of Evansville, Ind. manhattan.edu

53

Dr. Elvira Mary Carota, Dr. Elvira Mary Carota, psychiatrist and philanthropist, died on February 15, 2005. She was 91.

Carota was born in New York, N.Y., to Domenico and Immaculata (Piscitelli) Carota. She worked as a teacher and a nurse before enrolling in medical school.

In 1948, she graduated from Long Island College with an M.D., one of only two women in the graduating class. She later became a psychiatrist and a fellow in child psychiatry. For 10 years, she was chief psychiatrist at the Catholic Charities Guidance Center in New York and was affiliated with Lincoln Hall, a treatment center for boys in Westchester County.

Carota also maintained a private practice.

A resident of Scarsdale, N.Y., since 1959, Carota supported many charitable causes, including Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx, N.Y., where her brothers had attended, and the Archdiocese of New York. She also was a founder of a home for aged women in Ofena, Italy, her father’s birthplace.

In 2000, she received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO), which

psychiatrist and benefactor is awarded annually to distinguished living American citizens. According to NECO, the award honors individuals who have lived lives “dedicated to the American way of hard work, self-improvement and community service” and who share their “personal and professional gifts with the local, national or international community.”

In her Medal of Honor citation, Carota was praised as: “the only woman or man who holds the five licenses for every category in psychiatry. Her contributions to colleges, hospitals and Italian causes are selfless and innumerable.”

Michael McMorrow, executive director of the Sesquicentennial Capital Campaign, remembers Carota as an accomplished and motivated woman.

class of 1938. In 2000, they founded the Domenick Joseph Carota, M.D. Scholarship in memory of their brother Domenick, a member of the class of 1932. Both scholarships provide tuition assistance to graduates of Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx, N.Y., to attend Manhattan College. In 2003, Carota followed the scholarships with a $2.5 million gift to the Sesquicentennial Capital Campaign.

According to McMorrow, she felt that at Manhattan College, she was contributing to a worthwhile cause and supporting an institution that was close to her family.

“She was successful in a very difficult time,” McMorrow says. “She was a fiercely independent woman who lived life to the fullest.”

As she wrote when establishing the Dante Thomas Carota Memorial Scholarship, “Keeping in touch with my brothers’ alma mater gives me a sense of belonging to a family that was once a significant part of their lives.”

Carota and her sister, Anne Carota, founded two scholarships at Manhattan College in honor of their family. In 1998, they founded the Dante Thomas Carota Memorial Scholarship in memory of their brother Dante, a member of the

Carota is survived by her sister, Ida Cavoli of Lakewood, Ohio. She was predeceased by her brothers, Domenick and Dante, and her sisters, Bambina Whalen and Anne Carota.

Brother Leo Chorman, F.S.C., former trustee Brother Leo Chorman, F.S.C., former member of the board of trustees and longtime director of the Brothers’ community, died July 17, 2005, in Lincroft, N.J. He was 83.

Br. Leo was born Raymond Chorman in Yorkville, N.Y., on August 4, 1922.

In 1937, he entered St. Joseph’s Junior Novitiate in Barrytown, N.Y., where he received the religious habit in 1940. After graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in classics from The Catholic University of America in 1945, he taught at La Salle Institute in Troy, N.Y., Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., the Junior Novitiate in Barrytown and the De La Salle Institute in New York City.

In 1958, Br. Leo was named principal and director of St. Joseph’s, a position he held until 1963. From 1963 to 1972,

54

manhattan.edu

he was the principal of the La Salle Institute. Br. Leo was elected to the Manhattan board of trustees in 1973 and served for 13 years.

From 1977 to 1990, he was the director of the religious community of the Brothers at Manhattan, which consisted of 60 Brothers. Brother Joseph Miggins, a friend, remembered Br. Leo’s dedication to the community. “I recall how pleased and proud Leo felt that he maintained fidelity to conducting the personal interview with each Brother,” Br. Joseph wrote.

In 1983, Br. Leo was asked by the provincial to be a part-time director of pre-retirement and retirement. While director, he was instrumental in raising consciousness in the community about planning for retirement; continuing work he had begun in 1973 and 1974, when

he had visited Brothers’ communities in the district explaining the benefits of enrolling the Brothers in Social Security.

His efforts were rewarded in 1975, when the Christian Brothers were enrolled.

Br. Leo also was involved for many years with the Middle States Association of Colleges, the college accrediting agency. He served as an evaluator for the association from 1958 to 1986 and was chairman of evaluating teams nine times.

The wake and funeral for Br. Leo were held in De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, N.J.

Brother Peter W. Drake, F.S.C.,

At the Center, Br. Peter worked with partners Dr. Frederick Schweitzer, director of the Center, and Dr. Jeff Horn, associate director and professor of history. Schweitzer said that, through the years, Br. Peter maintained a solid commitment and dedication to the Center’s mission and purpose.

“Peter insisted eloquently that [the Jewish Holocaust] is a human matter, of universal concern, and that its lesson – if learned by the young, by our students

In the fall of 1982, Br. Peter, then assistant dean of engineering and assistant professor of electrical engineering, was appointed acting dean of the College’s school of engineering. As assistant dean of engineering, Br. Peter was closely involved in the administration and development of the College’s programs in civil, chemical, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering. Under his leadership, upper-level engineering courses became more readily available to residents of Westchester County and the mid-Hudson region. (The College at the time offered two courses at Westchester Community College.)

In 1989, he left Manhattan to accept a position at Christian Brothers College in Memphis, Tenn., as academic vice president. He returned to Manhattan College in 1992.

Prior to Manhattan College, Br. Peter taught at the University of Detroit, the College of New Rochelle and De La Salle College in Washington, D.C. While teaching

electrical engineering courses at the University of Detroit, Br. Peter also held the post of campus minister in an ecumenical ministry team. In addition to his advanced degrees, Br. Peter, who was born in New Rochelle, N.Y., earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Manhattan in 1962. He was invested with the religious habit of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1968.

A published author, Br. Peter’s articles have appeared in numerous professional journals. He held memberships in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Eta Kappa Nu, the national honor society of electrical engineers.

He was a past recipient of the New York Archdiocesan Graduate Fellowship and the Board of Trustees’ Scholarship of The Catholic University.

The wake and funeral for Br. Peter were held at the Christian Brothers Center in Riverdale, N.Y., where he resided.

Brother Cormac James Lilly, F.S.C., registrar’s assistant Brother Cormac James Lilly, F.S.C., registrar’s assistant at Manhattan College, died on April 17, 2005, at De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, N.J. He was 61.

Br. Cormac was born James Joseph Lilly on February 15, 1944, in New York, N.Y., to the late John and Anna (McGuire) Lilly.

He received the habit of the Christian Brothers on September 1, 1961, in Narragansett, R.I., and made his final profession of faith on January 2, 1968, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He received a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1966. He later pursued studies in computer programming at both Scarsdale Technical Institute and Long Island University.

After his graduation from The Catholic University, Br. Cormac taught sixth grade at St. Cecilia School in Brooklyn.

From 1969 to 1981, he taught at St. Bernard’s High School in Uncasville, Conn. He spent the following 13 years on the faculty of La Salle Military Academy in Oakdale, N.Y. In 1994, Brother Cormac joined the auxiliary office at the St. La Salle Auxiliary in Narragansett. In 2002, he began at the registrar’s office at Manhattan College, where he worked until 2005.

Br. Cormac was remembered by his colleagues as an avid photographer who touched the lives of the many Manhattan students whom he photographed and got to know as a friendly face behind the camera at their sports events, both home and away.

His sister, Mary P. Lilly of Bayside, N.Y., said that working with students and being involved in their activities – especially their sporting activities – gave him great joy.

alumnotes

Br. Peter, who most recently served as adjunct assistant professor of math and computer science and associate director of the College’s Holocaust Resource Center, joined Manhattan in 1976 as the director of campus ministry. He served in this role until 1980. During this time, he also was coordinator of minority programs in engineering. Br. Peter earned his doctorate and master’s degree in electrical engineering, as well as a second master’s in religious studies, from The Catholic University of America. Since his arrival to the College, he held several positions as a faculty member and administrator and was instrumental in establishing the Holocaust Resource Center.

– would prevent them from tolerating bigotry and prejudice that was directed at anyone,” Schweitzer says. “I loved Peter and will always treasure his memory, finding embodied in him so much that is wonderful in Manhattan and in the Brothers, those who would gladly learn and gladly teach.”

e-mail your news to alumnotes@manhattan.edu

Brother Peter W. Drake, F.S.C., former assistant dean of the school of engineering at Manhattan College, died on May 4, 2005. He was 65.

former assistant dean of the school of engineering

“He loved the sports, and he loved the kids,” she says.

Br. Cormac is survived by his brother, Thomas M. Lilly of Brockton, Mass.; his sisters, Mary P. Lilly and Margaret A. Cihak of Alexandria, Md.; and a nephew, Michael G. Lilly. manhattan.edu

55

Manhattan College

is pleased to announce the launch of its new Web site!

Please visit us at

www.manhattan.edu to explore the many resources that are available to you.

Published by the Office of College Relations Manhattan College 4513 Manhattan College Parkway Riverdale, NY 10471 Volume Thirty-One, Number Two Fall 2005

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