Manhattan College Alumni Magazine Fall 2013

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Colleagues at the Core

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ON CAMPUS Education students compare cultures in Turkey, a new internship for urban

EDITOR Kristen Cuppek

agriculture, charity starts in the Bronx for a few Jaspers, and so much more.

STAFF WRITERS Julie Achilles Patrice Athanasidy Liz Connolly Bauman Nicole Bullard Grace Gilmore Sarah R. Schwartz CONTRIBUTORS Annie Chambliss Joe Clifford Christian Heimall Tom McCarthy Amy Surak INTERNS Michael Schutsky PHOTOGRAPHERS Ben Asen Doug Chayka (illustrations) Josh Cuppek Catalina Kulczar-Marin Erin Patrice O’Brien (cover) Chris Taggart

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Celebrating 40 years of coeducation in athletics, plus news and recaps of the spring season.

24 BUILDING COMMUNITY Take a peek behind the scenes of campus operations to learn more about those whose tireless service keeps the College going strong.

32 MAKING DISCOVERIES A handful of innovative students get a glimpse of the scholarly life through a new research program this summer.

38 COMMENCEMENT The College celebrates recent grads at its Commencement ceremonies in May.

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DEVELOPMENT An insider’s guide to the Kelly Student

DESIGN Charles Hess, chess design Mallory Guillemette Published by the office of Marketing and Communication Manhattan College Riverdale, NY 10471

SPORTS

Commons, a preview of the De La Salle Dinner and student scholarships.

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ALUMNI Reunion Weekend, alumnotes, Jasper profiles and a recurring column exploring long-lost traditions.

Lydia Gray Executive Director, Marketing and Communication ON THE COVER Michael Peyko ’15 prepares for Mass in the sacristy of the Chapel of the Holy Infancy in Memorial Hall.

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OBITS In memoriam, John Ansbro, Poyin Auyeung, Brother Peter Clifford, Martin Schmidt Jr. and Muriel Siebert

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PARTING SHOT

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Getting a Glimpse into Turkish Culture

A Kappa Delta Pi students from the School of Education and Health take in some Turkish delights on a trip to Istanbul.

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ll eyes around the world have been on Turkey in recent months due to public protests and the ensuing backlash from the government and police force.

Despite the social and political unrest in the area, 12 Kappa Delta Pi students and three faculty members chose to follow through with their plans to visit a variety of Lasallian schools in Istanbul, from May 22 to June 5. The Manhattan College group had a chance to experience firsthand one of the most significant time periods in Turkish history.

The two-week trip, sponsored by Manhattan’s chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the education honor society, took form when the group began looking for a destination that resonated with the College’s mission.

“We decided that in addition to connecting with the broader world, it would be a real opportunity for our students to connect with our Lasallian heritage,” explains Karen Nicholson, Ph.D., associate professor of education.

In response to the students’ interest in Lasallian schools

abroad, Kappa Delta Pi connected with Brother Henri Helou, FSC, who currently works with St. Joseph’s High School in Istanbul. Br. Henri coordinated a pen-pal program between the students at Manhattan College and St. Joseph’s, so that both sides of the partnership were more comfortable meeting one another once the Manhattan group arrived.

In addition to St. Joseph’s, the students also visited other educational facilities in the area, including Sarimese Primary School, Fatih University and Kocaeli University, where they gained insight into the Turkish educational system and applied what they learned about the culture to their own teaching styles.

In true Jasper fashion, the students volunteered at a special education school one afternoon and were so moved by the experience, they decided to return three more times before departing from Istanbul.

“Going to Istanbul was one of my first real experiences abroad, so I didn’t really know what to expect,” says Michele Palazzo ’13, ’14 (M.S.), a dual childhood/special education major. “While being able to witness the Turkish people fighting for their freedoms right now was an experience that is hard to put into words. I will say that I was amazed at the beauty of the city and the people.”

Aside from the educational visits, the students explored the beautiful city of Istanbul and visited sites including Sultanahmet, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. However, they were advised to stay close to the school facilities because of their proximity to the protests.

“After seeing families with young children and young adults similar to myself taking part in a peaceful protest for their country, I realized that these people were strong and creating an example for everyone about how to stand up for not only what you want, but what you deserve,” says Vanessa Verde ’13, a special education major. “I was proud to experience the uniting of another country as it happened right in front me and couldn’t wait to come home and tell my family and friends what the protests were really about.”

Both the students and professors felt welcomed by the hospitality of the Turkish people who they met.

“The students got to meet some incredible people — different in some ways but similar to themselves in so many respects,” says Brother Raymond Meagher, FSC, assistant professor of education. “Listening to and talking with the Turkish people face-to-face gave our students a very different view of the issues and conflicts happening in those parts of the world.

Acclaimed Authors Join in Celebrating Coeducation

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anhattan has the unique advantage of being a small, close-knit college with big-city opportunities. The Major Authors Reading Series (M.A.R.S.), indicative of that advantage, brings high-profile authors from New York City’s prestigious literary circles to intimate readings on campus.

In its fourth consecutive year, the series is designed to engage and expose students to the best in contemporary literature in an interactive environment. Co-sponsored by the College’s English department and the School of Arts, in cooperation this fall with the Women and Gender Studies program to celebrate 40 years of coeducation at Manhattan College, all of the authors were accomplished and renowned women.

The highly anticipated lecture series began with acclaimed novelist and short story writer Mary Gaitskill. Gaitskill is the author of Veronica, a novel nominated for the 2005 National Book Award, National Critic’s Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Award. Gaitskill also wrote Two Girls and Fat and Thin, along

with story collections entitled Bad Behavior, Because They Wanted To and Don’t Cry. Gaitskill read to a full house from her collection of short stories. In response to the yearlong focus on coeducation at the College, she chose an excerpt that dealt with gender issues and female roles in society.

The series continued with memoirist, novelist, poet and editor Jill Bialosky who read from her best-known work, History of a Suicide: My Sister’s Unfinished Life.

“Bialosky very generously answered questions about her writing process and her work as an editor,” says Adam Koehler, Ph.D., assistant professor of English. “Students asked about writing about grief, how you can distance yourself from the work in order to write about it, and the liberation a writer can feel in writing about loss. One student was so moved that she hugged [Bialosky] after the reading.”

Recognized for her various publications, Bialosky is a recipient of the Elliott Coleman Award in Poetry. Her poems and essays have also appeared in The New Yorker, O, The Oprah Magazine and American Poetry Review.

Poet and critic Alicia Ostriker visits campus in November as part of the College’s Major Authors Reading Series.

The series concluded in November with a reading from poet and critic Alicia Ostriker.

Ostriker has published 14 volumes of poetry, including The Imaginary Lover, which was the winner of the William Carlos Williams Award.

Her next book, The Old Woman, the Tulip, and the Dog, will be released in the winter of 2014.

Ostriker is known for her intelligence and passionate appraisal of women’s place in literature and for analyzing themes of family, social justice and personal growth.

Since its conception, the program has brought many notable writers to campus, including Pulitzer Prize-winners Junot Díaz, Jennifer Egan and Claudia Emerson, and Marie Howe, Poet Laureate of New York state.

Charting the College’s Course Manhattan College marked a big milestone in its history this year — the sesquicentennial of its charter.

In 1860, Brother Patrick Murphy, FSC, was appointed director of the Academy of the

Holy Infancy of Jesus (the precursor to Manhattan College), and was determined to obtain a college charter.

At least in part to mute the anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant attitudes that had escalated in

New York City during the 1840s and 1850s and, thereby, ease the charter’s approval by the New York State legislature, Br. Patrick renamed the Academy of the Holy Infancy to Manhattan Academy, which paid homage to the island on which it was located.

To also help improve the chances of getting a charter, the petitioners all used their family surnames (i.e. the Brothers dropped their religious names). They also agreed that if the school was to become a college it needed to be named a college.

In February 1863, with a college curriculum firmly in place, Br. Patrick and the Brother Supervisor of Schools applied

to the state of New York for a charter. According to the historical records, when the charter application was submitted to the state legislature, one single member of the Senate objected and launched into an invective against Catholicism.

On April 2, 1863, a provisional charter to operate as Manhattan College and to award degrees was granted by the Regents of the University of the State of New York to the board of trustees composed of 18 members (10 laymen and eight Brothers).

Br. Patrick was named the first president of Manhattan College, and the charter was made absolute on Feb. 12, 1891.

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Commemorating Vatican II Marking 50 years since the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) promulgated Sacrosanctum Concilium, “The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,” Manhattan College celebrated the anniversary of the document in a four-day series of events that reflected on the transformation and renewal of liturgy in the Roman Catholic Church.

“Vatican II was a global event that not only changed the landscape for Catholic Christians but also transformed the way people from all faiths engage each other and the world,” says Michele Saracino, Ph.D., professor of religious studies and chair of the department.

“The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy” was the first major document to come as a result of Vatican II, which was held in four sessions between 1962 and 1965. Pope John XXIII convened the Council to update church practices, and the event helped to lay the foundation for the modern Catholic Church with the creation of 16 documents.

The College’s commemorations began on Oct. 20, when the community gathered for a Eucharistic celebration in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers.

It highlighted the 1963 liturgical constitution calling for a “full and active participation of the faithful.” The Rev. Jack Rathschmidt, OMF, Cap., was the guest homilist and spoke of the reformation of the Eucharistic celebration’s call for the church to serve the world, and to help those left on the margins of society’s affluence.

Members of the College’s Music Ministry offered their choral

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talents, which complemented the hymns and liturgical chants.

The next day featured a lecture by Massimo Faggioli, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology at St. Thomas University and author of Vatican II: The Battle for Meaning and True Reform: Liturgy and Ecclesiology in Sacrosanctum Concilium. His lecture, Pope Francis and the Council: Vatican II or III, focused on Vatican II’s liturgical reform and the more recently disputed legacy of the Council.

With the first half of the 20th century containing so many historic

legial governance; and third, an opening up in the Catholic Church to the topic of sexuality and the role of women, which Vatican II said little to nothing about.

John Barry Ryan, Ph.D., professor emeritus of religious studies, who participated in the Council, and Vatican II historian and educator Rita Ferrone shared their own perspectives on the event at a faculty teach-in, titled The Past and Future of Vatican II, on the third day. They spoke about the Council’s history and how it accomplished the most extensive

Massimo Faggioli, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology at St. Thomas University, discusses liturgical reform at the College’s celebration of Vatican II this fall.

forces and catastrophes, Faggioli stressed that, as a result, the Catholic Church had to change.

He ended his lecture by explaining that the real post-Vatican II period began with Pope Francis’ election. He also pointed out three areas in which the church needs continuing reform: first, trajectories in ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, and globalization of Catholicism, which have all been interrupted in the past two papacies; second, a reform of col-

liturgical reform in the Church’s recent past. Two students, Vincent Jennosa ’14 and Diana Luzuriaga ’15, from the Schools of Engineering and Science, respectively, who took a course on Vatican II in the spring of 2013, gave presentations on the future of Vatican II and their visions of what the Church should look like in the next 50 years.

The series concluded on Wednesday, with an interfaith prayer service highlighting the

reform of worship and its impact, which has resulted in new opportunities for cultural diversity and the active involvement of the faithful in the church’s innermost act of worship. The afternoon event was led by Lois Harr, director of Campus Ministry and Social Action and adjunct instructor of religious studies, Rabbi Judith Lewis, D.D., M.H.L., of the Riverdale Temple, and Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D., director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center and assistant professor of religious studies. This service integrated Hebrew, English and Arabic prayers, as well as allocutions from each faith, encouraging peace and the building of a world together where a shared belief in God the Creator is embraced, as God would want.

“I am delighted that the Manhattan College community came together to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, a vital constitution promulgated by the Second Vatican Council,” says Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Ph.D., associate professor of religious studies.

“Taken together, these events commemorated the letter and the spirit of the Council, which is so central to our Lasallian mission and our mission as an institution of higher learning that values the intersection of faith and reason in the multicultural, multiethnic and interreligious context of New York City.”

The Vatican II event series was sponsored by Manhattan College’s School of Arts, department of Religious Studies and Catholic Studies program.

Growing Urban Agriculture From the Garage Up

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ot all summer interns get to behold the fruits of their labor, but this year, three lucky Jaspers did. They are the first students to participate in the new Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES) Urban Agriculture Internship. Part education and part service, this unique internship gives students the chance to learn how to farm in an urban setting — growing organic produce on the College’s rooftop garden, on the Broadway parking garage.

Sponsored by the Student Life department, the internship was designed in collaboration with Groundwork Hudson Valley, an environmental restoration and community development nonprofit located in Yonkers, N.Y. It includes educational sessions throughout the summer in urban farming techniques and hydroponics. In return, all yields are donated to Groundwork’s Get Fresh Yonkers Farm Co-Op initiative, which helps deliver fresh, nutritious produce to the community at an affordable price.

“Urban agriculture is one of the new frontiers of urban resilience and sustainability, and our rooftop garden is giving our garden interns valuable skills and knowledge as they experiment with different ways of growing produce in this setting,” says Jeffrey Myers, Ph.D., director of CURES, internship adviser, and associate professor of English. “Our partnership with Groundwork Hudson Valley allows the interns to follow the process through to marketing and vending, gives them insight into issues surrounding food justice, and affords them a chance to give back, in this case literally, to the community.”

Manhattan’s partnership with Groundwork aligns with the College’s Lasallian values of education and service, as well as the renewed commitment to research, teaching and com-

munity outreach in urban resilience and sustainability.

The groundbreaking interns — communication major Arielle Simmons ’14, civil engineering major Casey Barrett ’15, and management and international business major Gabe Quiroz ’14 — are members of the Green Club, a student organization dedicated to sustainability at the College, in the community and around the world. Each one is earning academic credit in addition to a stipend.

“I would really like to see the project expand,” Quiroz says. “I’d like to come back in 10 years to see students still working on it and find the space completely transformed.”

As part of the experience, the interns also had the opportunity to connect with local consumers and improve their market skills by selling their produce at Groundwork’s Get Fresh Farmers Market in Yonkers’ Van der Donck Park on Saturdays, August through October.

Gabe Quiroz ’14, Casey Barrett ’15 and Arielle Simmons ’14 break ground on a new urban agriculture internship offered through the Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES).

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Building the Bronx

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harity begins at home; for Jaspers, it’s the Bronx. With Save Your City (SYC), a Jasper-founded charitable clothing brand and educational exchange, Manhattan students and alumni are working together to provide educational resources to disadvantaged schools.

The charitable clothing line is built on an unforgettable emblem: a visual symphony of urbanism and urgency. It’s the brainchild of Perry Rizopoulos ’12, who says the company is rooted in real-world experiences and inspired

by Manhattan College’s Lasallian mission.

To date, SYC has donated thousands of dollars worth of educational materials — from books and athletic equipment, to computers and other electronics — to Bronxbased schools P.S. 294 and P.S. 91 and organizations such as Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) — where it all began.

James Breen ’12, Rebecca Cook ’13, Dan Russo ’07, Perry Rizopoulos ’12 and Georgia Ioannou ’14 prove that it doesn’t always take a village to help schools.

business model, made popular by TOMS, a company that donates a pair of shoes to a developing nation for each pair purchased in a developed one. However, Rizopoulos formulated a more direct strategy, a way for locals to give locally. Proceeds go straight to the purchase of educational resources.

The idea was simple, but the execution, it turned out, required a community. Excited to A Seed of Service begin, Rizopoulos singlehandedly designed In 2011, then sophomore Rizopoulos was logging hours at KHCC’s after-school program and purchased T-shirts to begin raising money. He quickly realized that he could be as part of a class, Service and Catholicism, taught by Lois Harr, director of Campus Minis- more effective with a team.

“I tried doing it by myself,” Rizopoulos says. try and Social Action and adjunct instructor “In retrospect, that wasn’t the smartest busiof religious studies. He assumed many roles ness move, but I knew I wanted to do it — I — tutor, supervisor and all-around mentor — and built connections with individuals during just needed some support.”

Feeling determined, he donated his materithe course of a semester. With each hour, he als to charity before heading to San Francisco found himself more invested in the future of with Manhattan College’s Lasallian Outreach the children, the community.

Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.). He joined nine “I decided to gear Save Your City’s efforts fellow Jaspers who spent winter break 2012 100 percent into getting resources into volunteering at a soup kitchen and a wellness schools,” Rizopoulos says. “Volunteering at center for the homeless, and tutoring children Kingsbridge Heights Community Center is in the Tenderloin neighborhood. actually what planted the seed.”

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ence that he met and bonded with Joseph Murtagh ’14 and James Breen ’12, who helped revive the company. Rizopoulos says it was easy to share his vision for Save Your City with likeminded individuals.

“I had designed the logo and thought of the name, and had started doing some visual stuff for it,” he says. “When we met, we clicked as friends, and I brought it up to them, and together we realized that we should pursue it together.”

Growing a Community Their initial first drop off in September 2013 was a few books, one computer and a dozen T-shirts. But their presence in the community is growing. SYC merchandise has a following among current Manhattan students and word is also getting out to the alumni community.

The College’s alumni network, particularly a group of Bronx-based educators, has opened many doors to the community.

“Honestly, the whole thing feels completely serendipitous,” Rizopoulos says of a recent donation of more than 2,000 library books.

“We received a huge donation this summer from a closing school in Westchester County.

Our connection was James Kelly ’15 and Jean Marie Beckerly ’15, two education majors

An Ethical Re-Entry who worked at the school during the summer.

They both supported our brand and knew that we would take those books and allocate them to the schools that needed them.”

In turn, SYC reached out to friends and fellow Jaspers Daniel Russo ’07, principal of P.S. 294, and Vanessa Jacyszyn ’10, first grade special education teacher at P.S. 91, to coordinate their first major drop offs. And at each stop, they’ve been met with smiles and thankfulness from both students and teachers.

“There’s salvation in education,” Murtagh says. “One of the questions we asked during L.O.V.E. San Francisco was ‘why can’t everyone have a supported, well-funded education?’ Many kids not only have very little in the classroom, they’re also not getting support from their families and have little incentive to come to school — the education system isn’t invested in them. I feel that if we provide a stronger structure and a safe place where students believe they can learn and better themselves, they’ll be more likely to reach a state of equality.”

By refocusing SYC’s efforts, they’ve accomplished a lot — especially considering that they’re all currently full-time students.

Murtagh is finishing up his bachelor’s degree in advertising with minors in psychology and English. Breen, who holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemical engineering, is currently a first-year law student at Fordham University Law School. And Rizopoulos, who was the class of 2013 valedictorian, attends Columbia University’s Teachers College.

They are currently fundraising toward their next drop off in the Bronx, where they have a solid presence. They have plans to expand to all five boroughs in the near future.

“Our philosophy is neighbors helping neighbors, and that to me is a very Lasallian thing — that’s what we do at Manhattan College,” Rizopoulos says. “This would never have happened if I hadn’t been encouraged to get out into the community and help those who live just next door.”

Visit www.saveyourcity.com to learn more.

This fall, the Manhattan College Center for Ethics made a firm re-launch into the community in an effort to foster ethical practices and the value of education.

“Some folks think that ethics is a discipline in which the questions and answers have all been pretty well set in stone,” says Mitchell Aboulafia, Ph.D., co-director of the Center and chair of the philosophy department. “But the fact is that new technologies, for example, in medicine and computers, as well as our ever more complex and interdependent world, are raising new ethical challenges.”

Having developed an even stronger direction and structure that allows them to operate more effectively, the Center functions under two directors and 28 fellows, as well as the academic deans, who are all ex officio fellows. Those involved span every school at the College, and bring unique and well-rounded perspectives to contemporary issues. Codirectors Aboulafia and Michael Judiesch, Ph.D., associate professor of management, have unyielding expectations for the Center. “[My hopes are] that we will serve Manhattan College and the surrounding community with exciting, informative and stimulating events in a variety of areas related to ethics, including questions of social justice,” Aboulafia says.

The Center plans to continue its presence in the academic community through various speakers, conferences, public forums and events that encourage discussion about pressing issues for those both on campus and in the surrounding community.

Author Gabrielle Coleman came to campus to speak about her book, Coding Freedom: The Aesthetics and Ethics of Hacking, for the Center’s inaugural event on Sept. 19. As a cultural anthropologist, Coleman researches, writes and teaches material on computer hackers and digital activism.

Following the Center’s first event, guest speaker Ladar Levison, owner and operator of Lavabit, an email service provider, was invited to talk about his opposition to the U.S. government when it requested information on all of the company’s users. Having cooperated in the past, Levison opted to shut down his company in August, rather than turn over all of his customers’ emails to the federal government, a case that could possibly find itself in the Supreme Court.

The Center also aims to provide students with internship opportunities related to professional ethics. The future strategy is to become directly involved with the incoming freshmen by organizing sessions on academic integrity at orientation next August.

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LASALLIANLOOK

Campus Ambassadors on a Mission To Spread Social Justice

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mid the wash of Jasper green on Manhattan College’s campus are 23 students sporting a new color: CRS blue. Dressed in their signature blue polos, these students are part of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Campus Ambassadors program, now in its second year at the College.

In 2012, CRS, the official international humanitarian organization of the Catholic Church, trained 223 student ambassadors from 42 colleges and universities to spread awareness about the global issues of food security, human trafficking, immigration and migration, water and sanitation, and fair trade.

The ambassadors program took root at the College after students on a Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.) trip to Rwanda met for dinner with President Brennan O’Donnell, who also happened to be in Africa.

“When the stars aligned and Dr. O’Donnell was asked to go to Rwanda with CRS and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), it all really clicked and that’s when the effort took off,” says Lois Harr, director of Campus Ministry and Social Action. “It’s truly helped make Manhattan a global campus.”

After training with CRS, 11 Manhattan students began planning and executing events for the spring 2012 semester, including the annual Hunger Banquet, a dramatization of the world’s unequal food distribution.

This year, the group of ambassadors has more than doubled in size.

As one of their central campaigns this fall, the ambassadors helped to organize Tackle The College’s Catholic Relief Services Campus Ambassadors, with Lois Harr, director of Campus Ministry and Social Action, after a full day of training at Serviam Gardens.

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Trafficking, a full-day conference on human trafficking issues and prevention measures surrounding large-scale sporting events, such as the Superbowl.

In conjunction with the Just Peace club, the ambassadors have also introduced a weekly pizza and a movie event to educate the campus community on human rights topics focused in areas like North Korea, the Congo and more recently Syria.

“If CRS headquarters reaches out to us saying ‘this is an issue we feel [is important],’ we drop everything and work together as a group,” says Kelly Douglas ’15, a CRS ambassador and business management major. “And that was Syria.”

In response to the conflict, the ambassadors planned an impromptu Solidarity with Syria week on campus, which included a Syrian-American speaker, a prayer vigil for refugees, signs on the Quad with facts about the crisis, a film screening, a collection at Mass and an ongoing text-to-give campaign.

Douglas, one of the charter ambassadors at Manhattan, says she’s pleased with the progress the group has made — both by gaining recognition on campus and by connecting a diverse group of people.

“Although [CRS] is a Catholic organization, we’ve used our Lasallian heritage as our common ground,” she says. “Since we don’t all practice Catholicism, we’ve started our meetings with quotes from St. John Baptist de La Salle, Mother Teresa, even Dr. Seuss.

And we’ve used our reflections as creatively as possible so that people can take it as they wish, so they can pray to whichever God they choose to pray to.”

The future is bright for the CRS ambassadors. Douglas says a CRS-focused L.O.V.E. trip could take shape as the program expands.

Until then, you’ll find the ambassadors hard at work on campus, manning tables in Dante’s Den, hosting film screenings in Cornerstone, and spreading social justice everywhere in between. Just look for the blue polos.

Rocking the Rankings Top 20 of America’s Best Colleges U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges once again placed Manhattan College in the top 20 in the category of Best Regional Universities in the North, a distinction the College has held for the past seven years. Manhattan ranked No. 17 out of 193 schools in the annual report.

The College’s continued presence on the annual list is based on its strong performance across a broad range of factors, such as student-faculty ratio, financial strength, selectivity of admissions and graduation rates.

The School of Engineering also was recognized in the Best in Undergraduate Engineering category at No. 45. This ranking is based on surveys of engineering deans and senior faculty at undergraduate engineering programs accredited

by ABET (formerly known as Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology).

Top 25 for Alumni Earnings Manhattan also earned recognition as one of the leading colleges and universities for post-graduate earnings according to PayScale.com. Rising more than 20 spots, Manhattan College was ranked as No. 24 out of more than 1,000 institutions, versus last year’s ranking of No. 46, in the 2013-2014 PayScale College Salary Report.

The PayScale report lists Manhattan alumni with a median starting salary of $55,200 and a median mid-career salary of $110,000. The College tied for the No. 24 spot with the University of Notre Dame and Santa Clara University. These three schools are the top-rated Catholic schools on the list and, along with The College of the Holy Cross (36) and Georgetown University (41), the only Catholic colleges in the top 50.

Payscale reviewed the median salary of 1,016 schools and 130 majors, which is equal to 75 percent of all enrolled bachelor’s degree students in the U.S. Top One Percent for ROI In a new ranking released by AffordableCollegesOnline. org (ACO), Manhattan College was listed among the top one percent of private institutions across the country that offer a million dollar return on investment (ROI) to graduates. The College was cited as No. 20 in the Million Dollar ROI ranking.

ACO also published its AC Online: Highest Return on Investment Colleges in New York list, and the College was ranked No. 4 on the list of 84 top colleges for ROI in the state.

The tuition rates, fees and alumni salaries for more than 7,000 U.S. colleges and universities were examined to determine a million dollar ROI. ACO analyzed data from the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System, National Center for Education Statistics, Carnegie Foundation and PayScale.com.

COURSE Spotlight

Forensic Psychology (PSYC 257) Whether it’s the intriguing class name or the captivating course content, Forensic Psychology proves to be an undoubtedly fascinating class. In PSYC 257, students acquire the knowledge to identify areas of disagreement between psychology and the legal system and contrast legal thinking and methods to that of psychological ones.

Course Description: Forensic Psychology, appealing to students for more than 20 years, delves into the interaction between psychology and the legal system. Examining topics such as eyewitness testimony, risk assessment/profiling, polygraph testing, interrogations and false confessions, the insanity defense and a number of other related subjects, the course deals with how the legal system uses, or in some case misuses, psychological science.

Through a series of debates on controversial topics, students are able to critically consider and discuss various issues such as the effectiveness of sex offender registries, legalization of prostitution and concerns with the death penalty.

Text: Forensic and Legal Psychology by Costanzo & Krauss Lectures: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Professor: Arno Kolz, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology About the Professor: Teaching at Manhattan since 1993, Kolz has taught a variety of courses in the field of psychology, including Organizational Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Consumer Psychology, Organizational Development and Human Relations.

He received his B.A. from Gordon College, followed by his M.A. and doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Akron. Being that his big “life decision” in college was whether to go to law school or become a psychologist, forensic psychology was the ideal choice, blending both of Kolz’s devoted interests.

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The Distinguished Delegation Manhattan College’s Model UN team competed in the National Model UN Conference in Washington, D.C. (NMUN-DC) in October and won awards for Distinguished Delegation and Outstanding Position Paper.

At the conference, the team represented the United States and Cuba. Students worked together on a committee for each delegation and were responsible for learning about topics and researching their assigned country’s position on the issues debated.

“During the conference, students represent their country and determine the order of the agenda,” says Pamela Chasek, Ph.D., professor of government and director of the international studies program. “Then they alternate between giving speeches in formal sessions and negotiating draft resolutions in informal caucusing.”

More than 650 college students from all over the world attended the NMUN-DC conference and participated in discussions and issues regarding international relations.

Manhattan College’s delegation representing the United States won a Distinguished Delegation award, which was based on the students’ ability to remain in character, participate in the committee, and

Just the Facts The College’s department of Physical Education and Human Performance was recently renamed the department of Kinesiology (the study of human movement).

President Brennan O’Donnell was elected to the executive committee of the Board of Trustees of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU). He has served as a trustee of CICU since 2011.

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properly use the rules of procedure. “[Our delegation] focused on the ambitious and complex issues of sustainable energy,” says Arielle Simmons ’14, a communication major.

In addition, Manhattan College students Alex Guido ’14, an international studies and economics major, and Linda Latifaj ’14, a peace studies major, won the Outstanding Position Paper award for their paper about national and international security and women’s rights. The students on the Delegation of Cuba also won an honorable mention.

“Winning the award was a great moment for me and my partner Linda Latifaj, as well as a bit of relief since we both worked very hard on the paper,” Guido says.

At the College, the Model UN team is both a cocurricular activity and a course. During the fall, as a cocurricular activity, the team participates in the NMUN-DC Conference. In the spring, as part of a Government course, students participate in the National Model UN Conference in New York City.

The College’s Model UN team takes home awards for Distinguished Delegation and Outstanding Position Paper at the national conference in Washington, D.C., this fall.

Case Study Offers Extracurricular Insight

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y protecting its policyholders through careful risk evaluation and prudent investment strategies, New York Life continually proves to be “the company you keep.” And by utilizing a case study researched by two School of Business professors, students learned firsthand how the largest mutual insurance company in the United States used “quality tilt” investment strategies and independent thinking to emerge from the most recent financial crisis relatively unscathed.

Mary Michel, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting, and Janet Rovenpor, Ph.D., professor and chair of the management and marketing department, recently wrote the case, “New York

Life: Adjusting the Investment Portfolio to Market Conditions,” which was published in the Case Research Journal, a prestigious and leading academic journal for business and related cases in North America. As a result, this case has become a resource for not only Jaspers but also students at colleges around the country.

As part of an extra credit opportunity for finance students taking the Investments (FIN 308) course, authors Rovenpor and Michel offered a New York Life case exercise this fall, held in the College’s finance lab. The exercise was also offered last fall.

“We’re trying to tell students, ‘how do you think outside the box? How do you look at a situation and not just assume what

happened in the past is going to happen?,’” Michel explains.

The students compared New York Life with competitors MetLife and Prudential, in terms of investment strategies, management decisions, financial statements, and the conflicts of having shareholders versus policyholders. They learned that New York Life stresses the importance of its customers and promises to be a responsible company that makes prudent investments for long-term success, ensuring they are able to meet their obligations to policyholders now and in the future, and withstand financial crisis. While most companies were investing in risky securities, hoping for big returns, New York Life saw the bigger picture, pulled

out of such investments, and concentrated on placing new cash flows into fixed income products.

From the students’ perspective, the case exercise offered an invaluable, real-world educational experience.

“Working as an intern for New York Life allowed me to experience the culture of the company and how exactly they might carry out their core values of financial strength, integrity and humanity,” says Antonietta Lodato ’14. “I was interested in taking a look at the case on investment decisions before and during the financial crisis because it helps me understand exactly how they put forth these core values through the numbers they reported on their financial statements.”

New Weekend Welcomes Freshmen to Campus The class of 2017 began its college career with Manhattan’s first Opening Weekend, a three-day program in late August designed to build community and teach the incoming students how to be successful and adjust both academically and socially to college life.

It was an opportunity for freshmen to be on campus to learn and bond as a class prior to the return of all the other classes.

“I think, overall, it was an opportunity that students had on campus, prior to the entire community getting back on campus, to really bond with one another as a first-year class,” says Sonny Ago, Ed.D., assistant vice president for student life.

The first day of Opening Weekend focused on academics. Students broke up into groups by their schools to participate in schoolspecific activities and presentations. It was also a chance for current students to give an insider’s point of view to the incoming class.

In addition, the New Student Convocation was wielded into the program, during which students learned about the services that the College offers. A Circle Line boat tour of Manhattan capped off the day.

The closing event was centered on this year’s common text, Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario. Students gathered to discuss the book and listen to each other’s ideas and opinions, which allowed them to create a community around a common academic and intellectual endeavor. They would later have the opportunity to meet Nazario at a campus reading in October (see page 15).

“A simple goal of the program was to introduce new students to an important work over the summer and to have them engage in a discussion of the book during the first weekend they are on campus,” says Richard Satterlee, Ph.D., vice president for student life.

According to the class of 2017, Opening

Incoming freshmen had the chance to meet each other and learn about MC at a new weekend tailored to them.

Weekend was a success. As a program related to overcoming the challenges faced in the first year at college, it served as a developmental model for students to adjust to campus life, while allowing a lot more opportunities for them to bond with each other.

“I got a good idea about what to expect at Manhattan College while making fun and intellectually sound friends,” says K-Cee Choy-Ellis ’17, who hails from Hawaii.

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Honoring Academic Achievement an academic highlight of the fall semester, the annual Fall Honors Convocation celebrates new members of Epsilon Sigma Pi, the oldest collegewide honor society on campus. This October, 115 highachieving seniors were inducted into Manhattan’s storied tradition of academic excellence.

Students representing Manhattan College’s five undergraduate schools received certificates and keys as tokens of achievement for holding GPAs of 3.5 or higher throughout their college careers and engaging in cultural and intellectual activities on campus.

Mary Ann O’Donnell, Ph.D., professor emerita of English, gave the keynote address and reminded students of their responsibility as part of Manhattan’s unbroken tradition.

“You have experienced firsthand the value of studying together in the Manhattan tradition of small classes and close faculty-student collaboration, with a curriculum rich in the liberal arts and sciences, in a Catholic college community that values each individual and his or her talents,” she said.

O’Donnell started her career at the College in 1971 and later became the acting dean of the School of Arts in 1993 and then dean in 1994, before retiring in 2009. An influential member of the faculty, she was a fitting choice to give the address this year, as the College celebrates 40 years of coeducation. Throughout her career in higher education,

O’Donnell witnessed many trends, some of which Manhattan wisely chose to embrace, such as becoming a coed institution in 1971.

“You have been entrusted with a broad liberal education,” O’Donnell said in closing. “Much has been asked of you already.

Much more will be asked of you. Your induction today into Epsilon Sigma Pi is evidence that you are prepared to answer that demand.”

Samantha Ortiz ’14, an English and French double major, was one of 115 seniors inducted into Epsilon Sigma Pi this fall.

Engineer Elected to the Academy The College celebrated one of its prominent engineers and added another plaque to its William J. Scala Academy room this fall. The cause for celebration was the 2013 election of William A. Thornton ’60, Ph.D., P.E., corporate consultant and vice president for Cives Engineering Corporation, to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

The College honored Thornton’s accomplishment, one of the highest professional distinctions an engineer can receive, with a plaque unveiling ceremony in October. He joins the 16 other distinguished engineering and science alumni elected to the NAE, including his brother, Charles H. Thornton ’61, Ph.D., P.E., chairman of Charles H. Thornton & Company, LLC, whose plaques line the 12 N fall 2013

Academy room’s walls.

An expert on the design of steel connections, Thornton has traveled throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada and Mexico to lecture on this subject. He is also the author or co-author of more than 70 technical papers.

Throughout his 50-year career as an engineer, he has spent more than 30 years working for Cives Engineering Corporation as chief engineer, president and currently as vice president and corporate consultant. As president, Thornton managed all of

the structural design performed

by Cives Engineering and was a consultant to the six divisions of Cives Steel Company in matters relating to welding, quality assurance, connection design and fabrication practices.

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) recognized his career in 2003 with the AISC Lifetime Achievement Award and, in 1996, with the T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award. He also received the 2004 Craftsmanship Award of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York.

President Brennan O’Donnell and William Thornton ’60 celebrate Thornton’s election to the National Academy of Engineering with a plaque unveiling.

lecture circuit

A Revolutionary Take on Today’s Debt Crisis

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ow did a debt crisis spark the French Revolution, and what does it have to do with the current economic crisis in America?

Historian and professor Lynn Hunt, Ph.D., answered that question and more in her presentation, When a Debt Crisis Turns Revolutionary: The French Revolution of 1789, at Manhattan College’s 13th annual Costello Lecture in September.

Hunt is an author and professor emerita at UCLA, whose work ranges from the origins of human rights, French Revolution, historical method, epistemology, time in history, the origins of religious toleration, as well as the history of pornography. Her most recent publication is the book jointly edited with Suzanne Desan and William Nelson titled The French Revolution in Global Perspective. She is currently working on a book titled Writing History in the Global Era, an essay on neuroscience and history, and a study on French revolutionary prints and visual culture. Her textbooks are widely used and her writings have been translated into 11 different languages.

A debt crisis is what started the French Revolution, Hunt revealed. She shared original accounting charts and documents from the French Revolution, which she found in the British Library on a recent trip to London, to shed some light on the real finances of France at the time. Pairing forensic accounting and anthropology, Hunt explained that corrupt leadership, irresponsible spending, poor borrowing practices and overly funded military forces caused France’s debt crisis to become revolutionary.

As with many other great countries, she continued, France let itself become increasingly dependent on an international capital market to bankroll its debt and, in many cases, its daily operations.

“To give you an idea of why exactly this was a problem, which is exactly our problem, is the gap between fixed revenues and fixed expenses,” she said,

paralleling the French Revolution with today’s debt crisis.

When compared to other European countries at the time, France seemed to continue to spend more to service its debt and the ever-growing interest on this debt, which in the early 1780s took up 42 percent of its national budget.

“In the 1780s, France had to pay more and more to maintain its overseas empire, and it borrowed more and more from international creditors to do so,” Hunt said. Desperate to increase funds from domestic and foreign sources alike, the French government encouraged a speculative boom in the mid-1780s. Its collapse undermined the credibility and consequently the credit of the monarchy, which was the ultimate catalyst for the revolution, according to Hunt.

The Costello Lecture was established in 2001 in memory of former Manhattan College history professor Brother Casimir Gabriel Costello and his passion for history, especially the French Revolution and Renaissance. This lecture series is sponsored by one of Costello’s grateful and generous students, Roger Goebel ’57, professor of law at Fordham University and director of the Center on European Law. Throughout the years, the College has attracted many leading historians with a variety of presentations.

For the first time at this event, a faculty member from the School of Arts was presented with the inaugural Brother Casimir Gabriel Costello Award for Excellence in Teaching for exemplifying the exceptional teaching that is part of both the characterization and central mission of Manhattan College. This year, the honor went to Ashley Cross, Ph.D., professor and chair of the English department.

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lecture circuit

Deconstructing the Digital Moment defines it as “an electronic communications So what is the Internet, really? Many network that connects computer networks remember its beginnings, from dial-up tones and organizational computer facilities to receiving the latest AOL discs in the mail. around the world,” or as Vaidhyanathan simBut the story of the Internet is a complex and ply describes it, “the network of networks.” multifaceted one, which leaves room to quesDuring the Internet’s early stages, from tion if it really exists as we know it.

1993 to 1995, people had hoped that the newMedia scholar and cultural historian Siva found global connectivity it promised would Vaidhyanathan, Ph.D., presented There is No Such Thing as the Internet: Mythologizing and eventually lead to a better world.

It was suddenly possible to talk to people Misunderstanding the Digital Moment this across the world at virtually no cost, and this fall at the fourth annual Cardinal Newman created a lot of optimism and excitement Lecture. The author and professor of media about what the Internet could do for busistudies and law at the University of Virginia nesses, government and people. has been praised as “one of academe’s best“The Internet was supposed to be a space known scholars of intellectual property and ... where people could converse openly, honits role in contemporary culture,” by The estly without censorship, without fear. It was Chronicle of Higher Education. He has been going to be the sort of town square that we featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Magazine, The Nation, MSNBC.com, all dreamed of,” Vaidhyanathan described.

This series of predictions has over-deterand The Chronicle of Higher Education, as mined how we have come to understand the well as on NPR and The Daily Show with Jon modern-day technologies and the issues they Stewart, for his contributions to media and create in our lives, he explained. The Internet cultural issues. today is not like the virtual place it was preSo what is the Internet? Merriam-Webster

dicted to be. Vaidhyanathan discussed how the notion of a global network of networks is not real because most of the world does not have the possibility of the connectivity to which we in the United States have access. The Internet is not a place, despite the metaphors used to describe it, such as “going online,” he says. It is not the public square envisioned in the early 1990s but, rather, a company-driven network of networks.

As technology continues to advance, and people become more connected all the time, the Internet will become more commercialized, explained Vaidhyanathan.

Today, computers, cell phones and even cars constantly connect people to the Web. Companies, which monitor and record the flow of data containing the things we see, do and like on the Internet to guide our experiences, mediate the Internet. We have embedded ourselves through our mobile devices and computers into this flow of data and are constantly connected. Vaidhyanathan predicts that this “ubiquity of connectivity” will lead to a battle between these companies, such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft, on which will be the operating system of not just your phone or your computer but also the operating system of your life.

Manhattan College’s Cardinal Newman Lecture was launched in 2010 to celebrate Cardinal John Henry Newman’s beatification, which occurred on Sept. 19, 2010, in Birmingham, England, at a ceremony presided over

by Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Newman believed that the range of teaching in universities is universal, encompasses all branches of knowledge, and is inconsistent with any restrictions. The goal of the lecture series is to reaffirm the importance of the liberal arts core in undergraduate education.

lecture circuit

A Literary Journey for Freshmen

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onia Nazario, author of this year’s freshmen common text Enrique’s Journey, came to campus in October to speak about her own journey writing this awardwinning book. The common text, newly implemented this fall, was the summer reading assigned to all incoming freshmen and used throughout the semester in their English courses. It was also discussed during Opening Weekend as part of the academic portion of freshman orientation.

Nazario has been writing about social issues for more than 20 years and collecting numerous awards, including the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing, the George Polk Award for International Reporting, and the Grand Prize of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, as well as being The Wall Street Journal’s youngest hired writer to date.

She has most recently worked as a projects reporter for the Los Angeles Times, and writes about social issues, such as hunger among schoolchildren, immigration and children of addiction.

No stranger to the hardship of immigration, her mother left Poland to escape persecution

during World War II, and her father is of Syrian descent. She was born in Wisconsin, after her parents fled from Argentina to escape militaristic government and the suppression of academic freedom. After her father’s death, Nazario’s family returned to Argentina and was trapped throughout the duration of the Argentine Dirty War, when she was inspired to become a journalist for social issues, in hopes of providing a voice for those who could not speak up for themselves.

Her family came back to the United States, where Nazario continued her education, and ultimately obtained her B.A. in history from Williams College in 1982 and M.A. in Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1988. She then landed a job at The Wall Street Journal.

She was inspired by her housekeeper, Carmen, who had left behind four children in Guatemala to work in the U.S. to be able to feed and house them, and the many other single Latin American mothers. Nazario began to research the children of immigrants and learned

that many of them, as young as 7, were journeying alone to America in hopes of finding their mothers, or to flee abuse and cartel violence. The United States is experiencing the largest inflow of immigrants ever: by 2020, 30 percent of children in K-12 education will be children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, she explained. Nazario embarked on her own journey to Latin America to see the stories firsthand of the mothers and children of immigration, where she met Enrique.

Enrique’s mother had left him to work in the U.S. when he was 5 years old. Eleven years later, he went to find her with only her phone number on a scrap of paper to his name, like most children who make this trip. He traveled 1,600 miles on the tops of freight trains, among hundreds of other men, women and children trying to make it to America, and finally, after eight attempts, made it to the U.S. through the Rio Grande on an inner tube. Most children do not make it through Mexico, and end up returning to their home countries feeling defeated. Many of these children lose their limbs

from falling off the train tops, and many lose their lives, Nazario explained.

She met Enrique in Northern Mexico and mimicked his 1,600mile trip from his hometown of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, back to the U.S.-Mexico border twice.

She says she made this journey and wrote this story to humanize these immigrants, to encourage people to be grateful for what they have, and to help those who are not as fortunate.

This Christian mindset is much like the Lasallian beliefs at Manhattan College, which is partly why this book was chosen as the common text for this year’s freshman English class.

“We chose Sonia Nazario’s work Enrique’s Journey because the topic of immigration was such a hot topic for the nation during the summer of 2013,” explains Richard Satterlee, Ph.D., vice president for student life. “By reading and discussing the book, and having the opportunity to hear Ms. Nazario speak on campus, students were able to consider all sides of this complex issue.”

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Above the Rim A

s the College celebrates its 40th anniversary of coeducation this year, the campus community has been revisiting the accomplishments of its alumnae, as well as its female students, faculty and staff, and how their contributions have made Manhattan College the thriving institution of higher education that it is today. This is especially evident in the Athletics department, where women’s sports had to be established and then shaped, within a framework that wasn’t really built to accommodate their needs. In tribute to those early pioneers, here’s a look back at the achievements of the College’s first female athletes.

Sheila Tighe ’84

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Replaying The History 1973 was a pivotal year in the history of gender equality and for coeducation at Manhattan College, which joined many other schools in opening its doors to women during the 1970s.

A year earlier, Congress had passed the Education Amendments Act, and one important section of that law was Title IX, which protects all people from discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Becoming effective in the mid-1970s, the regulations were far-reaching and covered many aspects of higher education, including admissions, housing, financial aid, athletics, as well as activities and employment.

While influential in all those areas, Title IX had a tremendous impact on women’s athletic programs at colleges and universities, which were forced to commit resources to the needs and interests of female athletes and to expand their athletic opportunities. When Manhattan implemented coeducation, there were no athletics programs or facilities for women, and Title IX spurred the College to expand sports options for them.

In 1975, the Athletics Committee drafted a Statement on Provision for Women’s Athletics at Manhattan College, which generally stipulated that the College needed a fair and adequate program for women. Specifically, the statement provided that they needed the opportunity to utilize the gym, to join intramural sports, and to organize clubs that might eventually evolve into varsity teams. College administrators admitted that while the recommendations would involve some efforts and some added expenses, they were challenges and expenses every coed school must face.

Until Draddy Gymnasium was completed in 1978, the College largely relied on the nearby College of Mount St. Vincent for women’s facilities. In the interim, female athletes expressed concern over unequal facilities, including the

Five Outstanding Moments in

Manhattan Women’s Sports History inconvenient location and inadequacy of gym locker rooms.

Eleanor Ostrau, Ph.D., then associate professor of government and politics, former department chair, and one of the first female faculty members at Manhattan College, wrote the unpublished History of the Women’s Sports Program at Manhattan, 1972-1994, and noted that it was a difficult beginning for female athletes at the College. Sharing of facilities, budgets and other resources presented challenges to the College’s Athletics department and Athletics Committee, which worked with the Athletics department to varying degrees of harmony during the 1970s and 1980s.

Early female athletes, primarily through their own initiatives, abilities and efforts, are credited with creating numerous teams. the Front-runner of Women’s Athletics It took two years after women were admitted to the College for the women’s sports program to begin. In 1975, women’s basketball started as a club sport, as the result of the persistent efforts of these early athletes. One such tireless athlete was a freshman named Kathleen McCarrick-Weiden ’79, who arrived at Manhattan in 1975 to study business administration and also to play basketball, a sport she played competitively in high school in the Bronx. She sought out Fred Marro ’77, Student Government head of intramural sports, who encouraged her to start a club. She then went about gathering some high school friends from the Bronx, as well as some of her former competitors, including Lisa Toscano ’79, whom she remembered from one of her high school’s opposing teams. They recruited a student coach in Jerry Fahey and club moderator in John Sich, professor of physical education.

“Our love of the game of basketball pushed us to create a team, so we could continue to play. At the time we had no idea of the opportunity we created for many women to follow,” says Toscano, the first captain of the Lady Jasper varsity team and current associate professor of kinesiology at the College. “We didn’t just create a team; we created a competitive culture for future women athletes to play at Manhattan. The bonds created during this time were extraordinary and have lasted a lifetime.”

These athletes made their own schedules and transportation arrangements and sought Student Government funding for equipment and uniforms. Practices could only occur in the evening after the men had finished their workouts. Lacking locker facilities, the women were consigned to using an equipment closet to change into their uniforms and had to trek to the fourth floor of Manhattan Hall (now Miguel) to shower

Women’s Basketball wins its first MAAC championship After a three-year climb to varsity status, the women’s basketball team had some initial successes in the early stages of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play.

In 1983, the Jaspers carried an 18-9 record into the MAAC Championship game with Saint Peter’s, the conference’s top program throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Saint Peter’s came away with a 59-50 victory, but the Jaspers returned to the 1987 MAAC Championship game under head coach Kathy Solano, the program’s all-time winningest coach with 138 career victories. In the first MAAC title game that did not include Saint Peter’s, Manhattan soundly defeated Holy Cross 79-64 to earn the first of four trips the team has made to the NCAA Tournament.

Aliann Pompey ’99 Sprints to Glory One of Manhattan’s all-time greats, Aliann Pompey ’99 became the first woman at Manhattan to win an NCAA National Championship when she won the 400-meter at the 2000 NCAA Indoor Championships in a time of 52.27 seconds. Later that year, Pompey represented her native Guyana at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She not only competed in the 2000 Games but also ran the 400-meter race in Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008 and the most recent Summer Olympics last year in London. In addition, Pompey also coached Manhattan’s sprinters during the 2000s.

Volleyball Nets Consecutive MAAC Championships For most of the 1990s, Manhattan struggled to break into the top half of the conference standings in volleyball. That changed in 1999, when the team went 7-2 in the conference and posted an 18-11 overall record. It was the first of five straight trips to the MAAC postseason tournament MANHATTAN.EDU N 17

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under head coach Peter Volkert. After falling short of the title three times, Manhattan broke through in 2002 behind MAAC Player of the Year Luka Van Cauteren ’04. That season, the Jaspers lost their opener and then won an eye-popping 22 straight games. After Fairfield snapped the win streak, Manhattan won eight more matches, culminating in a 3-0 sweep of Saint Peter’s to clinch the first MAAC title in program history. A year later, Van Cauteren won MAAC Player of the Year again, and they went 8-1 in the league, swept Fairfield and Saint Peter’s, and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Lacrosse Wins Backto-Back Titles During the 2004 season, seven of the Jaspers’ eight regular season victories came by a margin of one or two goals. Entering the MAAC Tournament, the Jaspers expected their contest with Marist to be a tight battle, after the Red Foxes edged them 10-9 in overtime two weeks before. However, they jumped out to a 9-4 halftime lead on their way to a 17-11 win. Two days later, they pulled out to a similarly big lead over Le Moyne at halftime, riding that advantage to a 15-6 win and their second MAAC title in four years. In 2005, the Jaspers defeated Marist again in the first game of the MAAC Tournament, a game that took three overtime periods until Molly Pheterson ’06 found the back of the net and sent the Jaspers to the MAAC finals. Manhattan then routed Siena 12-4 to celebrate a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

Softball Wins Conference Championship The 1999 softball team conquered all odds on its way to the program’s only MAAC Championship. Finishing the regular season with an 8-8 record, the Jaspers clinched the fourth and final seed in the MAAC postseason tournament on the final day of the conference’s regular season. In the tournament, Manhattan dropped the first game in the double-elimination round-robin. That loss forced the Jaspers to win its next game or go home. They edged Saint Peter’s 3-1 to advance to play top-seeded Canisius. The team defeated Canisius 3-2 in game one to set up a decisive final game against the Golden Griffs that the Jaspers won 2-1 to advance to their first NCAA Tournament.

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and use the washroom in the former Brothers’ community.

Despite cramped facilities and some attrition on the roster, the Manhattan College women’s basketball team gained early success. In January 1976, the Jaspers defeated the College of Mount St. Vincent and, a year later, earned a .500 record. During the 1977-78 season, as the only non-scholarship team in the Hudson Valley League, the women’s basketball team won the league championship. At the end of the season, former Athletic Director Ken Norton promoted the team to varsity status for the 1978-79 campaign, and the Lady Jaspers were officially born.

Michelle Blatt, the first woman appointed to the coaching staff at the College, and the Athletics department then assumed scheduling responsibilities and provided equipment.

The new gym, Draddy Gymnasium, became fully operational that same year, which further eased the situation.

It was only a few years later that another influential Lady J, Sheila Tighe ’84, a member of the team from 1981-84, helped to put Manhattan women’s basketball on the map. She brought recognition to the team and, really, recognition to women’s sports, as a whole, at the College. Tighe is Manhattan’s alltime leader in points with 2,412 and all-time leader in career steals with 310. She played her last three seasons in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), and is the all-time leader in league history with 22.0 points per game and ranks 10th in total points with 1,871. Tighe is one of only four players in conference history to earn MAAC Player of the Year Honors in back-to-back seasons (1982-83 and 1983-84), and was a threetime All-MAAC First Team member. She earned All-American Honors as a senior.

Women’s Athletics Expands With basketball paving the way, volleyball gained varsity status in 1980, and then softball in 1981. Women’s cross country and track and field joined a strong, established men’s program as a varsity sport in 1983, and women’s tennis and swimming quickly followed. Women’s soccer became a varsity sport in 1991, and the College’s newest women’s sport, lacrosse, began as a varsity sport in 1997, when the Jaspers posted a 4-2 conference record.

With regular visits to the MAAC tournaments and other championships, the women’s teams are a thriving and seriously competitive part of the athletics program at Manhattan. They are so seamlessly tied into the College’s sports culture now that they are no longer referred to as the Lady Jaspers — a moniker used to distinguish them from their male counterparts for decades — and, in recent years, have simply become the Jaspers. Manhattan College looks forward to its female athletes making more sports history during the next 40 years.

sportsshorts Student-Athletes of the Year Men’s basketball player Rhamel Brown ’14 and softball player Kate Bowen ’14 were honored as Manhattan’s 2012-13 male and female Student-Athletes of the Year during the College’s annual Block M Dinner in May 2013.

Brown was the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a Second Team All-MAAC and Second Team All-Metropolitan selection, after breaking his own school record with 93 blocked shots. He also broke the program’s career record for blocks and ranked 10th nationally with 3.0 blocks per game.

Bowen was a First Team All-MAAC choice after leading the Jaspers in batting average (.367), hits (61), doubles (12) and runs scored (34).

She was also second on the team with four home runs and 32 RBIs. In addition, Bowen paced the pitching staff with nine wins and a 3.81 ERA, and was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Team.

All-Americans Manhattan’s Mohamed Koita ’13 and Tom Bechert ’13 achieved AllAmerican status for their performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June. Koita was named Second Team All-American after placing 16th in the men’s high jump. Bechert earned All-American honorable mention after qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the decathlon. Bechert, unfortunately, had to withdraw from the competition with an injury after five of the 10 events.

Jaspers on the International Stage A pair of 2013 graduates represented the Manhattan track and field program on the international stage during the summer. Decathlete Tom Bechert represented his native Germany at the Thorpe Cup, an annual decathlon/heptathlon dual meet against the United States.

He finished 13th in the competition and recorded 7,075 points, as the Germans captured the team title for the fourth consecutive year.

Brian McGovern, meanwhile, competed for Ireland at the European Team Championships. He placed fourth in the pole vault, clearing 5.15 meters (16 feet, 10¾ inches).

A Week in Paradise The men’s basketball team got an early start to its 2013-14 season with a trip to the Bahamas in August. The NCAA allows programs to take an international trip once every four years, and the Jaspers took advantage of the opportunity to work newcomers into the lineup in competitive games. During the weeklong trip, Manhattan posted wins over a pair of local club teams — PJ’s Stingers and the New Providence All-Stars.

giving back to the bronx Manhattan College’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee recently organized a food drive to benefit the Bronx’s Mercy Center, a community center for women and their families located in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. The group spearheaded a campuswide effort that took place the week before Thanksgiving. All 19 of Manhattan’s teams participated, and ultimately, the committee donated more than 1,000 items of canned food to the Mercy Center.

New Faces in the Athletics Department Elizabeth Weber was named head coach of the women’s lacrosse program. Previously head coach at Holy Family University, she led the Tigers to a 27-9 record and consecutive conference championships during her two seasons at the helm. Weber, who was a four-year letter-winner at Loyola University, also has previous coaching experience at Villanova and La Salle universities.

Amanda McEntire has taken over as the Jaspers’ head women’s tennis coach. She played tennis at the University of Texas, graduating in 2002, and has organized several tournaments for the United States Tennis Association (USTA). McEntire is also the assistant athletic director for facility operations.

Head men’s soccer coach Jorden Scott completed his staff with the addition of Gary Adair and Dean O’Leary as assistant coaches. He also named Chris Weeks director of soccer operations. Adair came to Manhattan after two years as an assistant at Bloomfield College, while O’Leary was most recently head coach at The King’s College in New York. Weeks was head coach at John Jay College from 2009-12.

After serving as men’s basketball director of operations for the past two seasons, Mathiew Wilson was promoted to assistant coach during the summer. In addition, Mike Bramucci joined the staff as director of basketball operations, while Roberto Colonette, who completed his eligibility during the 2012-13 season, remained with the program as strength and conditioning coach.

In addition, Rory Redmond joined the Athletics department as an academic adviser in July 2013. She replaced Alyssa Shale, who was promoted to assistant athletic director for compliance. Redmond oversees the continuing eligibility and academic performance of the student-athletes. She came to Manhattan after serving in a similar role at Stony Brook University. Redmond was a four-year starter in women’s lacrosse at the University at Albany, SUNY and received a master’s degree from Hofstra University in December 2012.

Pete McHugh has been named assistant athletic director for athletic communications. He was previously the communications manager at New York Health & Racquet Club after working in Columbia University’s sports information department for four years. McHugh began his sports information career with the Jaspers during the 200405 academic year.

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sports

Men’s Lacrosse In the first year under new head coach Steve Manitta, the men’s lacrosse team played with a new sense of energy and excitement. Despite a 4-11 overall mark, the Jaspers played in seven games decided by three goals or less.

Following losses at Rutgers and Army to begin the season, the Jaspers opened their home season with a convincing 11-7 win over Lafayette on Feb. 23. Junior Ryan Payton scored three times in the win as Manhattan scored nine unanswered goals to take a 10-5 lead. Another tough road trip finally ended on March 20 when the Jaspers returned home for two straight games, their longest home stand of the year.

They would provide plenty of excitement that day and overcome a 10-8 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Mercer. Senior Tyler Jarvis scored two of his game-high four goals in that comeback, including the one that put his team ahead for good.

They would notch another come-from-behind win on April 1 when they traveled to Staten Island to take on Wagner. Trailing 8-3 in the second quarter, Manhattan rallied to score the next six goals en route to a 12-11 victory. Payton would provide the game-winning goal with less than three minutes remaining in regulation on an assist from transfer Patrick Hodapp.

While the season may not have progressed the way the team had hoped, it certainly ended on a high note. In their final game of the year, the Jaspers defeated MAAC regular season champion Marist, 14-

12 at Gaelic Park. Senior Paul Moreau tied for the game-high with four goals for the victory. Manhattan jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, before holding back a Red Foxes rally in the fourth, as junior goalkeeper Rich Akapnitis made 13 saves in the game.

Sean McMahon ’14 Akapnitis ended the year with 67 saves in net, which gave him 316 for his career, as he moved into fourth place all-time. The offense was led by Jarvis’ teamhigh 22 goals and 28 points. He was joined on the double-digit goal list

by Hodapp, Payton and junior Marcel Godino. Meanwhile, junior Sean McMahon was tops on the squad with 62 ground balls and named to the Tewaarton Award Watch List. Also, six players were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. Moreau and seniors Evan Potter and Jon Crean were joined on the team by junior William Gerard and sophomores Michale Chilvers and Michael Wiatrak.

Women’s Lacrosse

Carly Eskenazi ’14

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In 2013, the women’s lacrosse team saw a balanced offensive attack as seven different players recorded double-digit goals, led by junior captain Carly Eskenazi’s team high 22. She also tied with sophomore Donna Jo DiNorcia for the team lead in points with 25.

After struggling through the first three games of the season, the Jaspers earned their first win of the year at home in a 10-6 victory over LIU-Brooklyn.

Freshman Stefanie Ranagan had a career-high five goals in the win, pacing all scorers. Three different rookies combined to score eight goals for the Jaspers, including tallies from freshmen Claire Roediger and Megan Yarusso. Manhattan’s lone win streak of the season came in March, as the team posted victories at Howard and at home against Delaware State.

On March 17, the Jaspers defeated Howard 17-8 on the road as nine different players scored. DiNorcia led all players with four goals, while five others scored twice. They would then follow that performance up with one of the best in program history. Against Delaware State, the Jaspers put up 19 goals on the Hornets. A total of 17 different players scored in the

contest, including the first-ever goals in the careers of senior defenders Maria Aloe and Amy Branchini.

Meanwhile, sophomore goalkeeper Christina Fiorinelli allowed only two goals, tying a program record.

Despite a rough stretch to being in conference play, Manhattan snapped a five-game losing streak at home with a strong victory over MAAC rival Siena on April 13. Eskenazi, Yarusso and junior Maria Toscano each had two goals in the win over the Saints, as they jumped out to a 6-2 halftime lead. Although they finished with a 4-13 overall record, 1-5 in conference, the Jaspers placed two freshmen on the MAAC All-Rookie team as both Yarusso and Ranagan were voted to the squad by the leagues’ coaches.

Nine players were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team as Branchini, DiNorcia, Toscano and Eskenazi were joined by juniors Clare Kerrisk, Lauren Pribetich, Kelsey Rehain, and sophomores Caitlin Hynes and Alex Rousseau. Fiorinelli also continued to make records. Her 150 saves this season gives her 293 for her career, which moved her into third all-time. She also led the nation in ground balls per game for the second straight year, averaging 3.53 per contest.

Lili Johnson ’13

Tennis The 2012-13 women’s tennis season got off to a promising start. The Jaspers began the year with an impressive 6-1 win over MAAC rival Rider, then notched a 5-2 victory at Monmouth the following day. However, injuries eventually took their toll, and Manhattan struggled down the stretch. The Jaspers finished the campaign with a 3-14 record, including a 1-6 mark in MAAC play.

After going 2-1 during the fall, the Jaspers began their spring season with a close 5-2 loss to Colgate on Feb. 1. Following losses to very good teams from Navy and Wagner, Manhattan earned a 5-2 triumph over Wagner on Feb. 24.

Despite a loss to Niagara on March 2, Manhattan’s MAAC Tournament fate was still in its own hands entering a stretch of five straight conference matches to end the season. The Jaspers suffered a setback against Loyola before heading to Jersey City for a

crucial showdown with Saint Peter’s on April 5. The Peacocks captured the doubles point thanks to a 9-8 win at No. 1 doubles, which propelled them to a 5-2 triumph. Manhattan was then eliminated from postseason contention with a 5-2 loss at Siena in which three singles matches went three sets, including one that was decided in a third-set tiebreak.

Senior Lili Johnson was penciled into the No. 1 spot in the singles lineup in each of Manhattan’s 17 dual matches, and she posted a team-high five victories. Johnson also played No. 1 doubles alongside junior Brianna Turano in every match. The duo recorded five wins in doubles action. Turano added five singles triumphs while splitting her time between the No. 2 and 3 positions.

Senior Stephanie Tsao was another constant in the lineup, appearing in every match, while sophomores Catherine Clark and Alyssa Rosello notched four singles wins apiece.

Clark and Rosello were also doubles partners for most of the year and registered four victories in the No. 3 position.

Following the season, Johnson and Clark were both recognized for their success in the classroom with selections to the MAAC AllAcademic Team.

Outdoor Track and Field The Jaspers again proved to be one of the top teams in the Northeast during the 2013 outdoor track and field season, which saw a number of exceptional individual performances and new records.

Senior Brian McGovern established a new mark in the pole vault, clearing 5.36 meters at the season’s first meet, the ASU Invitational.

Sophomore Lydia Wehrli set a new school record in the hammer throw, then broke her own mark with a toss of 57.35 meters a week later.

The Jaspers went 1-2 in the decathlon at Princeton’s Larry Ellis Invitational, with senior Tom Bechert winning the competition, and senior Felix Siljeback-Larsen taking second. It was the first time in program history that two decathletes scored more than 6,800 points in the same meet.

Bechert established a new personalbest in the pole vault, leaping 5.15 meters to qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary Round.

At the 119th Penn Relays, senior Mohamed Koita won the Eastern section of the men’s high jump. His leap of 2.20 meters broke a 33-year-old school record and the meet record.

Tom Bechert ’13

That effort was, at the time, the 12th-best in the NCAA and 31st-best in the world in 2013, and qualified him for the World University Games.

The men entered the MAAC Outdoor Championships as the defending champions, but were unable to repeat, as they finished second behind Rider. The women claimed third place in the team standings.

McGovern (men’s pole vault) and Wehrli (women’s hammer throw) established new meet records at the MAAC Outdoor Championships, while the Jaspers also claimed conference titles in the men’s hammer throw (sophomore Killian Barry), men’s javelin (sophomore Phil Ragan), women’s shot put (freshman Alina Koenigs), men’s shot put (freshman Ian McGinnis), women’s pole vault (senior Melissa Yap), men’s 800-meters (sophomore Greg Perrier) and men’s 4x400-meter relay. Koenigs was named Most Outstanding Performer for Field Events on the women’s side after winning the shot put, placing second in the javelin, and finishing eighth in the long jump. In addition, Manhattan placed 13 men and 12 women on the MAAC All-Academic Team.

At the IC4A Outdoor Championships, Bechert set a school record in the decathlon with 7,767 points, which also broke the IC4A best. Wehrli bettered her own school mark in the hammer throw at the ECAC Outdoor Champs, then made the finals at the NCAA East Preliminary Round.

Bechert and Koita qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Koita finished 16th in the high jump to earn Second Team All-America honors; Bechert was named honorable mention All-America.

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sports

Softball Despite missing out on the MAAC Tournament for the secondstraight year, the softball team’s 2013 campaign would have to be judged a success. With a mix of seasoned veterans and talented newcomers, the Jaspers mounted a 21-win season that featured several thrilling triumphs.

The excitement started early, as freshman Elena Bowman had six RBIs in a 12-2 win over Hartford in the home opener. Manhattan also notched extra-inning home victories against local rivals St. John’s and Columbia, while senior Kelsi Redding struck out 14 in a 1-0, 10-inning win over Green Bay during the Rebel Spring Games.

The Jaspers began conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Saint Elena Bowman ’16 Peter’s at Gaelic Park on April 6. Manhattan then swept twinbills against Iona and Rider to move into first place with a 6-0 MAAC record, the best start in program history. The Jaspers also split a doubleheader at Canisius, marking just the third time they’ve ever defeated the Griffs in Buffalo. However, they lost twice at Niagara the following day, dropping to 7-5 in the MAAC entering the final weekend of conference play.

After earning a split with Marist, the Jaspers needed at least one win against Siena to avoid elimination. The Saints took the first game and had a 4-0 lead in the second before Manhattan mounted an incredible comeback to win, 5-4, in eight innings and keep its postseason hopes alive. The Jaspers ended up just short of the MAAC Tournament. Although their 9-7 conference record was the same as Niagara’s, the Purple Eagles were awarded the playoff spot by virtue of their head-to-head sweep.

Offensively, Manhattan was led by the trio of Bowman, senior Amanda Babcock and junior Kate Bowen. Bowman crushed 12 home runs, the second-highest single-season total in program history, while also leading the Jaspers with 36 RBIs. She was named MAAC Rookie of the Week three times and took home MAAC Player of the Week honors on March 12.

Babcock started every game at shortstop for the second consecutive season and finished the campaign with a .326 average, four home runs, 26 RBIs and 29 runs scored. Bowen, meanwhile, paced the Jaspers with a .367 average and collected 61 hits. She also scored 34 runs, knocked 12 doubles, belted six home runs and contributed 33 RBIs. In addition, Bowen was the ace of the pitching staff. She led with nine wins and a 3.81 ERA while making a team-high 19 starts in the circle.

The Jaspers were well-represented on the All-MAAC teams. Bowen and Bowman were both named First Team All-MAAC, while Babcock earned a Second Team All-MAAC selection. Bowman received further recognition when she was selected to the ECAC All-Star Team.

In addition, nine Manhattan players earned places on the MAAC All-Academic Team, including Babcock and Bowen, who were also named to the Capital One Academic All-District I Team.

Golf For the second consecutive year, the men’s golf program saw steady growth. The Jaspers posted seven top-10 finishes throughout the course of the season, including four top-five finishes and one tournament title.

A successful fall portion of the schedule saw Manhattan take eighth place at the Blue Devil Fall Invitational, while senior Matthew Creamer finished fifth individually.

Just three weeks later, junior Paul Toohey captured the individual title at the Nyack College Fall Tournament and led the Jaspers to the team crown. It was one of two topfive finishes for Toohey this season.

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Following another eighth place finish at the Barnabas Health Intercollegiate to round out the fall, Manhattan opened its spring slate finishing fourth at the La Salle Invitational on March 24. Junior Chris Calabro paced all Jasper participants with a 14th place individual finish. The next week, Manhattan took on Wagner in a dual meet, defeating the Seahawks 308 to 313. In the final weekend of April, five golfers traveled to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., to take part in the MAAC Championships.

Freshman James Edgeworth made his conference debut with a 10th place finish, earning him All-MAAC

honors. Toohey also had a strong showing with an 11th place spot.

His second round score of 69 was the second lowest MAAC score in program history. As a team, Manhattan finished in fifth place, its best since the 2002 season.

Five different golfers had top-10 performances throughout the year, including two each for Creamer and Toohey. In the classroom, three Jaspers were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team as Creamer, sophomore Michael Schutsky and junior Jonathan Feuer all earned conference honors.

Paul Toohey ’14

Baseball

Nick Camastro ’13

The baseball team had another strong season in 2013 and reached the 20-win mark for the 16th straight year. Secondyear head coach Jim Duffy led a squad that battled through multiple injuries to remain in contention for much of the season before ultimately seeing its streak of 10 straight MAAC Tournament appearances snapped.

Their first win of the season came in signature fashion on March 2, as the Jaspers defeated the 23rd-ranked team in the country, Florida Gulf Coast, by a 6-5 margin. Junior reliever Jacob Marchus got the win, tossing three scoreless innings in the win over the Eagles. They also picked up non-conference wins over Seton Hall, UMass and Youngstown State before opening league play with a three-game sweep over Iona.

Manhattan opened its home season on April 3 at Van Cortlandt Park with a 5-4 win over cross-Bronx rival Fordham before taking two of three from MAAC foe Marist the following weekend. After being swept at Canisius the weekend of April 20, the Jaspers rebounded to win five of their last nine contests, including a 17-14 slugfest over NYIT at Provident Bank Park in Pomona, N.Y. In that contest, senior Nick Camastro moved into the top 10 in program history for career hits. The First Team All-MAAC honoree ended his career in fifth place with 220 hits. Fellow senior Ramon Ortega also made his way into the Jasper record books. The catcher finished his career with 213 hits, the 10th-most all-time at Manhattan. At the conclusion of the season, Ortega was named to the All-MAAC First Team for the second time.

Against Lafayette, senior John Soldinger pitched a complete game to earn the win while junior Andrew Gorecki hit a clutch two-RBI single with two outs in the seventh for a 3-2 advantage. Later that afternoon, Marchus, now in a starting role, tossed his second straight seven-inning complete game.

He shut out the Leopards, allowing just five hits while striking out seven. Manhattan was led at the plate by Ortega, who hit a team-best .311 with 36 runs batted in and five home runs.

Freshman Christian Santisteban and senior Kyle Murphy also belted five home runs apiece to tie Ortega for the team lead.

On the mound, Soldinger led the staff with five wins. He also recorded a team-high 54 strikeouts in 92.1 innings pitched.

The Jaspers also received four weekly accolades from the MAAC. On March 25, both Ortega and junior Scott McClennan were honored by the league. Ortega was named Player of the Week, while McClennan earned the first of his two MAAC Pitcher of the Week awards. The second came on April 8, as he tossed a complete game shutout over Marist. The following week, Santisteban was named MAAC Rookie of the Week after going 6-for-13 at the plate with five RBIs over four games.

In addition, seven Jaspers were selected to the MAAC AllAcademic Team.

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T H E B U I L D I N G B L O C K S O F

COMMUNITY A community like Manhattan College is composed of many integral parts.

In this behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of our campus, we celebrate a few of the many people who make us tick.

By Kristen Cuppek • Photos by Erin Patrice O’Brien

M

ANHATTAN COLLEGE DEPENDS ON COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS TO ENSURE IT IS A THRIVING

institution of higher education and a welcoming community for those who study, work and visit here. Many know the professors, recognize some of the administrators, and deal with the various managers of the departments. While everyone’s job is important, there are some people who work more behind the scenes, who aren’t in front of the classroom or sitting at the head of the conference table but, rather, are raking the leaves, answering the phones or delivering the mail. And without these employees, the College couldn’t function as well as it does. There are so many members of the Manhattan team who fit into this category — and too many to recognize in one story. So the following is a sample of those who serve the College in innumerable ways and a tribute to their important roles within the Manhattan community.

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JUAN LARA, SUPERVISOR, PUBLIC SAFETY

While those on campus may not always see Juan Lara, unless they need assistance — or admonishment — rest assured he’s working hard to keep the College safe. Lara supervises all the security guards and the schedule during his shift, and makes decisions when things happen on campus.

He typically starts his workday at 6:30 a.m., and proceeds with the scheduling for his tour. After issuing the guards their equipment, including radios and keys, he checks each post to make sure everything is all right and all guards are doing what they are supposed to do. It all depends on the day, as sometimes he has a schedule of tasks to complete for the different departments, such as for a special event. Other days simply require that he ensures that visitors come to the main booth and the guards provide enough parking spaces. But, of course, a big part of his job entails responding to calls or situations on campus.

“And when situations happen, I have to make sure they don’t escalate, and I have to control them, not make them worse, to diffuse them, and to make it better for everybody,” he says. “That’s one of my concerns. I never want anything to get out of hand.”

Almost all calls for assistance go through Public Safety, from

Jaspers with car issues to students who need medical attention, and often Lara is responsible for getting that car started or taking that student to the hospital. He gets calls from staff about facilities emergencies, from parents concerned about their children, and even from lost students who don’t know how to get back to campus. It can be challenging, but he takes it all in stride.

Lara began as a guard, spending many of his hours working in the College’s parking lots, and has been a supervisor for about 10 years.

Back then, he had one post. Now he has 13. During his tour, everything on campus is open, including the lots, residence halls and offices, so he has to ensure that everything is running efficiently.

But 13 posts aren’t all that daunting for him, as someone who loves to work the big events at Manhattan, such as Commencement. Lara enjoys the bustling atmosphere and busy schedule, which he knows sounds crazy. He also likes being on call after hours and putting in overtime — he’s willing to pitch in and address anything that arises.

From paperwork to patrolling the perimeter, Lara does it all and loves it all.

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FLOYD MOTT, FIREMAN, PHYSICAL PLANT

For more than 18 years, Floyd Mott has been keeping the College’s buildings comfy and cozy for those living and working at Manhattan.

The first one on site, Mott arrives by 5:30 a.m. and checks the various boilers around campus to ensure, at the most basic level, that the Manhattan community has heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. But the job entails more than that. Mott also does daily inspections of the various mechanical spaces, checks the temperatures and pressures of the equipment, and performs general maintenance of the building systems. After a typical first stop at Thomas Hall, where Mott consults his computer that tells him which boilers are on and off, or which room doesn’t have heat, he goes about trouble-shooting any issues, moving from building to building.

Not to be confused with those trained in firefighting, the fireman title, in building maintenance, originated in the days when boilers were mostly coal-fired, and the fireman stoked the fire, keeping the flame going. While facilities technology has advanced, electronic safety controls, computer automation and energy efficiency measures have made this position even more complex throughout the years. Although

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he’s not fighting any fires, Mott does escort various municipal officials, including FDNY, around campus during inspections.

Besides, he isn’t spending all of his time down in the boiler rooms.

While Mott and the other two firemen on staff respond to emergencies concerning the equipment, as the only ones from their department typically here on weekends, they also handle any crises that may arise on campus in general. Consequently, he responds to emergency calls from Public Safety and Residence Life for a multitude of issues, including helping locked-out students get back into their dorm rooms. Mott sometimes has to do a little bit of handyman work, too. A former building super, he’s got the skill set to do a little bit of everything. Preventing a possible fire hazard, this fireman even cleans the lint from the dryers’ exhaust fans in the attics of both Horan and East Hill Halls.

Whatever the situation is, Mott doesn’t mind. He likes to keep busy and help out his co-workers when he can. “I care about them, I’m willing to help them, and I’ll go out of my way,” he says.

A familiar face coming in and out of the buildings on campus, Mott fans the metaphorical flame and keeps the College’s systems running.

AMY HANDFIELD, ACCESS SERVICES LIBRARIAN

Being an access services librarian involves wearing many different hats, an expression Amy Handfield uses quite a bit to describe her position at the College, which isn’t as straightforward as supposed.

As one might expect, Handfield has her librarian duties, such as teaching information literacy courses, working at the reference desk and maintaining the library’s catalog database. She’s in charge of the circulating collection, too, which includes all the books getting checked in and out, as well as the media collection and course reserves.

But Handfield also oversees the maintenance of the facility, so to speak. For a building that is often open 24/7, it needs to be kept running for the students and faculty. While wearing her facilities hat, she oversees the scheduling and maintenance of all the rooms — study, events, teleconference and media rooms — in the library that can be reserved or rented. Handfield is also the person that patrons will call when a bird is spotted flying around the fourth floor or, say, when a mystery student builds an architectural structure out of the chairs during finals week.

In addition, Handfield has a scholarly hat for when she teaches technology workshops in the library. The workshops, called Tech Talks, are

part of a new pilot started last year, which she helped to initiate, and offer library-centric technology instruction at lunchtime. She also teaches students how to use a particular database, or suggests resources for a research project, for the many courses at the College that have a library component in their syllabi.

While she has quite a collection of hats, the one thing that connects them all is the people part of her job. Whether it’s helping someone on staff with a circulation task or seeking out the perfect resources for a student’s bibliography, she likes the personal interaction.

“I enjoy dealing with my staff and dealing with the people that I come across in going about my day, but also I absolutely love being in front of a classroom,” she says.

Although she’s been part of the Manhattan community for a little more than a year, she’s been working in libraries since her college days.

Handfield caught the book bug during her work-study years, moving from the libraries of Skidmore to Barnard, and earning a master’s in library science along the way. She’s also a visual artist with an M.F.A. who dabbles in bookmaking — perhaps another hat for the shelf.

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ERICA REUBEL, SECRETARY, SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

For Erica Reubel, working in a busy dean’s office is kind of like working in a triage unit for students: it’s a matter of finding out what the issue is and treating it. Often the problems relate to registration, but sometimes they revolve around transfer credits and what courses are permitted for freshmen or other classes. As with any good practitioner, she believes it comes down to one-on-one time with the students, and caring for them as they come in.

Reubel has been working for the dean of engineering for 10 years now.

She started out as part time and became full time about three years ago.

While registration is a big part of her responsibilities, she also deals with evaluations, letters, transcripts, AP credits, as well as secretarial tasks.

During the past couple of years, she and her colleagues have seen their duties broaden and become even more student-focused.

“We have an open door policy, so the students are constantly in and out all day, and if they have anything they have to ask, they can ask us,” she says. “The students are the priority here, and it’s helpful to them, and they feel some type of comfort level that everyone in the office can assist them and answer their questions.”

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As part of this broadening, Reubel has taken on a significant advising role in the office, which definitely helps with attending to the line of students that forms on a daily basis. This past semester, the dean even asked her to approve freshmen registration with the academic adviser, which she’s done in the past, but this time, it was for the whole freshman class. Working side by side with the adviser on such an undertaking was a new and gratifying experience.

Like a well-orchestrated emergency room, each member of the dean’s team has a finely tuned role. Working with the transfer students has become Reubel’s niche, and she’s taken on an expanded role in assisting with the evaluation of their credentials. She assesses the transcripts, conducts the initial evaluation and prepares the files, working with the academic adviser and helping to speed up the admissions process.

With students coming in and out all of the time, it may seem difficult to get to know them all, but Reubel tries to make a difference in their day, and keeps an eye out for those whom she thinks could use a little more attention. “It’s just a personal connection with the students, and we think that’s important here,” she says.

ROLAND JARVIS, FOOD SERVICE WORKER, GOURMET DINING

Roland Jarvis goes out of his way to take care of the students that dine in Locke’s Loft — it’s actually his favorite part of his job — and helps them in any way he can. From the response of the students that yell out his last name in affection, it’s apparent Jarvis is a favorite among the students, too.

Jarvis considers his title more akin to something with the word utility in it, as he can work anywhere in the dining room. He knows about all the aspects of working in food service and is comfortable shifting between those different roles. Sometimes he’s on the register, other times behind the grill, and every now and then at the expo station.

“I am capable of doing everything,” he says. “That’s one of my favorite parts of the job. I can multitask, and that’s cool, because I get a chance to experience different jobs.”

When Jarvis arrives at work, he makes the ice cream for the ice cream machine first, then fries some burgers, and later relieves someone from the register for lunch. After that, he returns back to the grill.

He’ll typically join the Tex-Mex station in the evening, and that’s pretty much a regular day for the multitasker.

He learned many of these skills while attending a trade school for food preparation, but he’s also a quick learner and picked up other onthe-job-training as he went along.

Jarvis first came to the College through a temp agency. He was supposed to be here for a four-day shift — that was seven years ago.

In addition to the fact that he never left, he also prides himself on his nearly perfect attendance record, as he never takes days off unless really sick or hurt, because he looks forward to coming in to work everyday.

A declared Jasper for life, he’s especially supportive of the athletic teams and can be seen regularly attending the various teams’ games, from volleyball and softball to both the men’s and women’s basketball games. Sometimes he’s even the inspiration for some of the cheering.

Regardless of who’s doing the cheering, he lets the students and other patrons of Locke’s know that he’s looking out for them and he cares.

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KELLY DAGGETT ’04, DIRECTOR OF GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABS

With more than 30 sections of lab classes, including those for General Chemistry I and II, and Topics in Science I and II, being taught in two laboratories — in just the fall semester — managing the labs for the Chemistry department can be similar to throwing a big dinner party.

And as the only hostess for this party, it’s not surprising that Kelly Daggett ’04 has a nonstop and carefully orchestrated day.

Just like prepping for a dinner, she needs to know how many people are coming, how much solution she has, and then time it perfectly so that nobody is waiting and everything is prepared in advance.

Daggett gets all the chemicals ready — and they don’t come pre-made — and makes sure that everything is in the labs for the instructors to use.

She teaches five sections of lab, too, and cleans up the labs and equipment at the end of the day, overseeing proper waste disposal. The former Manhattan biochemistry major also is working on standardizing both the General Chemistry I and II lab manuals, so that every class will be taught in exactly the same way and, thus, the grades will be similar.

Her duties differ each day depending on which labs are scheduled, but her job is always a juggling act. Typically, she starts by adding up

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how much solution she needs for the labs, ensuring that everything is made up for the entire day, so that all classes are using the same chemical. She gets all the materials into the labs, often going back and forth between the two labs and, frequently, in between lab periods. In the middle of all this, Daggett also prepares for the next day, and if she’s teaching that day, too, it just adds another item into the juggling act. She teaches 15 hours a week and handles the grading, usually on weekends.

Originally hired as an adjunct in summer of 2012, she quickly moved into her current position. After earning a Ph.D. in chemistry, she was hoping to gain more teaching experience, which has been a great learning experience for her, as well.

“The students are really fun to work with, and I think I’ve learned a lot more about chemistry teaching it than I ever did in my Ph.D. program,” she says. “I like, too, the whole behind-the-scenes work that goes into writing an exam, and we’re also trying to make new experiments up for our second semester course and trying to revamp that whole class, so that’s been kind of exciting.”

MICHAEL PEYKO ’15, COORDINATING SACRISTAN, CAMPUS MINISTRY

As coordinating sacristan, Michael Peyko ’15 devotes many hours to setting up for Mass, yet he’s not even a full-time or paid employee. For the junior, it’s all about serving and contributing to Campus Ministry wherever he can. You could probably say it’s in his blood. Involved with campus ministry at his high school, and an active participant in his local parish alongside his family, Peyko even thought of joining the priesthood when he was younger. But the communication and psychology major ultimately realized it wasn’t his calling.

Peyko has been a sacristan for three years, and now heads up the student contingent. He signed up immediately when Campus Ministry asked for volunteers during the first week of Mass his freshman year. It didn’t take long for the Rev. George Hill, College chaplain, to notice his dedicated participation and ask Peyko to be a sacristan.

He learned about the role from the upperclassmen at the time, who showed him the ropes. With previous experience and an eagerness to take on responsibility, it was only natural that he became coordinator this year.

His first and foremost responsibility is to help Fr. Hill whenever needed. A normal week consists of taking on one of the daily Masses or

communion services offered throughout the week (his day is Tuesday) in the Chapel of the Holy Infancy in Memorial Hall, which could mean assisting Fr. Hill with the Mass or even doing a communion service by himself. In the latter case, Peyko sets up the altar, prepares the bread (which already has been consecrated) and conducts the service.

The Sunday Mass is a bit more involved. It requires much more coordination on his part, from getting out the books and changing the altar cloths to talking to the Eucharistic ministers, as well as serving Fr. Hill on the altar.

It can be time consuming, especially as there are special events in addition to the daily and Sunday Masses, such as Open House or weddings and baptisms, which occur on weekends and in the summer.

Peyko also manages a work-study job in the Center for Career Development on top of his course load. But he doesn’t seem fazed by his ample responsibilities; rather, he finds solace in performing them.

“Being a sacristan certainly gives me opportunities to witness somethings that help reassure my faith,” he says. “Usually these reassurances that take place are small and very personal to me.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 31

Making Discoveries A group of Jasper scholars embark on a summer of exploration and examination.

By Sarah R. Schwartz Illustrations by Doug Chayka • Photos by Josh Cuppek

W

HEN THE SPRING SEMESTER concluded in May,

10 undergraduate students shifted into scholastic overdrive in pursuit of knowledge, as part of Manhattan College’s new Jasper Summer Research Scholars (JSRS) program. Through diligence and systematic inquiry, and under the guidance of their faculty mentors, they made discoveries both in their respective fields and in themselves.

The pilot program presented five full and five supplemental awards in the amounts of $2,800 and $1,700, respectively, to the promising scholars selected this year. Along with free on-campus housing, these awards provide recipients with the academic and financial support to design and implement an extended research, scholarly or creative project with the goal of sharing their findings with others and the greater community.

Supported by Manhattan College, the program was developed and managed by Rani Roy, Ph.D., director of the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement. The scholars were selected by a committee of faculty from the Schools of Arts, Business, Education and Health, Engineering and Science based on their intellectual pursuits, interests, cocurricular achievements and promise for future contributions to knowledge and research.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to support valuable and wide-ranging research being done by our students and faculty 32 N fall 2013

over the summer,” says William Clyde, Ph.D., executive vice president and provost at Manhattan College. “This new program will grow our community of summer researchers, further contributing to an overall culture of experiential learning.”

Participating in extended scholarly research or innovative projects enhances the learning experience beyond the classroom, and wrestling with unanswered questions stretches students’ minds and interests. With the encouragement and support of faculty mentors, the experience often leads to a better understanding and appreciation of their fields of inquiry and studies in general. As a result, confidence is gained and potential career goals are clarified. The collaborations have an added perk of looking great on graduate school applications, or résumés, which can help give students an edge over their competitors.

Student-faculty research occurs frequently on an informal basis at Manhattan College, but for students who take on a crowded course load or a part-time job, it isn’t always possible.

The JSRS program is one of several funded initiatives, including the Branigan Scholars, Dean’s School of Science Scholars and Mahoney Scholars, that ensure that high-achieving students have the opportunity for advanced research before they graduate.

After its successful launch this past year, the JSRS program will expand and offer 15 full stipends next summer.

ON JOINING THE SAGES

Kathryn Wojtkiewicz ’14, a double major in philosophy and English, set out to help combat economic disparity and inequality in the U.S. by investigating A Moral Economy: The Effect of Economic Inequality on Individual Autonomy and its Source with Eoin O’Connell, Ph.D., assistant professor of philosophy. She began by questioning financial gain as the sole criteria by which American culture judges a company’s worth.

Wojtkiewicz’s research is built upon one initial thesis: “Severe economic inequality restricts the autonomy of those who live at the bottom. If there is a systemic source of such inequality, it should be eliminated in order to increase the population’s ability to exercise its independence.”

Her work is a continuation of a previous paper she submitted to the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics essay contest — one she felt was unfinished. The JSRS program presented itself as the perfect opportunity to craft a polished finished product — a writing sample she could proudly present as a potential doctoral student.

In order to join a centuries-long dialogue, she had to brush up on the tomes of the great ethical and economic philosophers of Western thought — from Immanuel Kant and Karl Marx to Robert Nozick and Milton Fried-

man. The long hours in the library paid off when she went back to writing, as she was able to use these ideas to fortify her argument.

This is her first attempt at a project of this type, and thanks to her faculty mentor, it’s proven to be a great experience.

“He has been able to provide meaningful support in everything from the actual research, to the organizing and expanding of my ideas, to the minutest details of editing,” Wojtkiewicz says.

Clarity in writing requires meticulous revision, which often means editing out hundreds or thousands of words, entire paragraphs or sections. Wojtkiewicz cited this process as the most challenging aspect of her project.

“It can be difficult to see those deleted portions and not think of them as a waste of time,” she says. “But despite these feelings, I know how important it is to forge on. Every little change really is progress, really is another step closer to a polished finished product.”

In the future, Wojtkiewicz hopes to pursue a doctorate with the goal of becoming a professor of philosophy.

“In many ways, this project is my version of an internship in academia,” she says. “If I do become a professor, writing academic papers of this nature will be one of the central aspects of my job.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 33

FORECASTING EMERGING MARKETS

Rokas Kirlys ’14, an international student majoring in finance and computer information systems, examined Return Predictability and Risk Structure of Baltic Equity Markets with Kudret Topyan, Ph.D., professor of economics and finance.

Inspired by the wide use of financial models utilized to forecast market behavior in developed and large emerging markets, Kirlys spent the summer evaluating whether similar forecasting tools can be applied to frontier economies such as the Baltic capital cities of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius.

“It’s a pretty hot topic in finance these days,” Kirlys says. “Financial modeling has been applied to developed and emerging markets, but it’s never really been done on frontier markets. It made sense to try something new.”

The project came in two parts. His first challenge was to test whether the modeling method would work on the region, and the second was to see how predictable the markets were in using these methods.

Using Morningstar Investment Research Center, a professional financial database, was a learning experience in and of itself. Each figure required significant customization before Kirlys could begin any calculation.

“There are a lot of side skills that you

DEVELOPING A SYSTEM FOR JOINT RECOVERY

Michael Michalczyk ’14, a mechanical engineering major, explored Mechanical Design, Simulation and Analysis of an Elbow Assistive Device with Zahra Shahbazi, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering. Together, they set out to design and simulate a brace that allows for a range of free movement while providing supplemental motorized movement to relieve joint stress.

For Michalczyk, who ultimately hopes to become a fabrication engineer for semiconductors and small-scale items, summer research was a chance to go beyond the classroom modules and challenge his skills in a more open-ended project. It was also an opportunity to collaborate.

“Being able to work with an established professor was a chance that I did not want to miss,” he says. “Together, we figured out what would make our project unique compared to other studies out there. There was a lot of back and forth, shared input and responsibility. It was very enjoyable.”

Most of Michalczyk’s work was done using Multibody Dynamics (MBD) software, MCS Adams, to simulate a physical brace and its impact on a healing elbow joint. By creating the elbow and brace and manipulating the variables, he discovered which torques were appropriate for optimal use. Navigating this system didn’t prove too cumbersome, thanks to 34 N fall 2013

develop along the way,” he explains, noting his increased efficiency in computer programs, data collection and problem-solving in general.

A champion thrower on the College’s track and field team, Kirlys aspires to become an investment banker and eventually apply his research to his home country of Lithuania.

He also plans to submit his research to the New York State Economics Association (NYSEA) 2014 Undergraduate Research Paper Contest and hopes to present at NYSEA’s 67th annual meeting.

Even though the summer program ended, Kirlys explains, both he and Topyan continue to move forward using cross-sectional regression modeling.

When asked about reaching a final conclusion, Kirlys says, “We’ve noticed some very recent studies coming out that may change our hypothesis and scope of the second portion of our project.”

But he kind of likes those unexpected intricacies.

“That’s the really interesting thing about research,” he adds. “As soon as you feel that you have a handle on the data, and are confident about your conclusions, you can find something that could potentially change everything.”

the expert guidance of Shahbazi. Rather, Michalczyk explains, the biggest problem was maintaining realistic goals.

“The issue presents itself when I’m in the middle of modeling, and I suddenly think of something and have an ‘Oh! What if I add this?’ moment,” Michalczyk says. “It’s not bad to have these ideas, but they tend to sidetrack me and make me sweat the small details before I even have a general design to build off of.”

To offset this, Michalczyk learned to set small-scale, realistic goals before indulging in tangential ideas. He admits, at times, it didn’t feel as though he was making much progress. But, by staying focused and putting in just a little more work each day, he was able to achieve more than he had ever imagined.

“I definitely feel that I have become a bit more aware of what is required to get this kind of research done. For future projects, I know that the best approach is a systematic one, with well-defined goals. It may sound boring, but I have found it to be the most effective method.”

Michalczyk will submit his research to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, as well as to the International Design Engineering Conference, hoping to present his findings to a larger, more specialized audience.

FROM UNDECIDED TO STEADFAST

As exercise science major Maria Toscano ’14 prepares to apply to the top post-baccalaureate physical therapy programs in the country, she is hoping her one-on-one research with Lisa Toscano, Ed.D., associate professor of kinesiology, will give her a leg up.

The JSRS program was a unique opportunity for Toscano to expand upon her pre-physical therapy concentration while gaining valuable exposure to the research process with a trusted mentor. The topic, To Land or Not To Land: What Health Professionals Can Do To Help Prevent Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears, is one that hits close to home for the student-athlete.

As a high school senior at Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes, N.J., Toscano sustained an ACL injury shortly after being recruited to play for Manhattan College’s lacrosse team. Recovery was slow, requiring more than nine months on the bench and regular physical therapy sessions. But, she says, it was a blessing in disguise.

“In a way, I feel like it was meant to be,” Toscano says, explaining that this introduction to physical therapy was what inspired her to pursue the field and change her major from undeclared to exercise science.

In the classroom, Toscano’s passion for the field of physical therapy and preventative care was evident, as she consistently asked questions beyond the core syllabus. She immediately found a mentor in Dr. Toscano while taking Kinesiology. (Although they share a lot — a field of interest, a laboratory, a last name — they are not related.) Since then, they’ve discussed collaborating on research, but it didn’t become a possibility until Manhattan launched the JSRS program this year.

“Working alongside Dr. Toscano is an absolute privilege,” Toscano says. “Her extensive knowledge on the topic of the ACL

and its associated injury is very impressive, and I am so excited to learn even more from her.”

Toscano hopes her research will provide future health professionals, teachers and coaches with the latest information on ACL prevention programs. Getting acquainted with what’s already been published is half the battle.

She laid the groundwork for a prevention program of her own by sifting through hundreds of published articles, studies and papers. To augment her findings, she also is interviewing several licensed physical therapists from the region about their clinical experiences and ACL injury prevention.

In addition, following Dr. Toscano’s suggestion, she gained handson experience through a practicum at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Five days a week, from late May to mid-July, she shadowed the supervisor of the physical therapy unit, observing techniques and cataloging prognoses and treatment plans.

“The practicum has been amazing,” Toscano says. “I never expected to learn so much in so little time.”

Both Toscanos continued the project in the fall semester to assemble a portfolio on safe joint positions, jumping techniques, as well as strengthening and stretching programs that can possibly reduce the risk of injury for the College’s athletes.

“I am very grateful that I have been given the opportunity to take part in this summer research project,” Toscano says. “I think that this experience will be so beneficial to me especially as I prepare for graduate school, where I must conduct research on a regular basis. It’s been the perfect gateway into my senior year and also into my future.”

PROGRAMMING PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS A successful graduate school application takes more than a 4.0 GPA and proof of leadership skills — it also requires relevant experience.

That’s one of the reasons why Rani Roy, Ph.D., director of the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement, developed the Jasper Summer Research Scholars (JSRS) program.

After joining the Manhattan College community in 2012, she was charged with overseeing students’ successful applications to competitive research doctorate programs. In response, Roy initiated the JSRS program, which includes much more than time in the laboratory. From writing a research proposal to working one-on-one with expert faculty, each program requirement is designed for student achievement.

For many graduate school applicants, half of the battle is translating their academic experiences into broader terms for potential admissions officers and employers. It requires meticulous introspection — a skill that, for many, doesn’t come easily.

To address this knowledge gap, Roy utilized the on-campus aspect of JSRS, calling scholars together as a cohort to converse about their respective challenges in a guided forum. By reflecting on and tying research

experiences to their academic and cocurricular lives, students learn how to tackle future interviews, presentations, as well as the academic conference style presentations they’re required to make at the end of the summer to the campus community.

“Public dissemination of research is at the core of any doctorate program,” Roy says. “The ability to articulate their knowledge base and present their ideas to an audience of their peers are skills that we want them to build before they leave Manhattan, no matter what they do.”

The program also provides training in electronic portfolios, or E-portfolios, a widely accepted means for evaluating student learning. Students learn how to organize, archive and display pieces of work on a digital platform to catalog internal improvement and external accountability.

In the future, Roy hopes to develop the cohort model, expanding the program to include “pre-departure training,” which will incorporate research ethics, networking events and other skill-building exercises.

“With the JSRS, as well as other College fellowships that are supported at minimum with housing, the hope is, in future years, to get a supportive, scholarly community that stays on campus during the summer,” Roy says.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 35

FROM RIVERSIDE TO RIVERDALE

There’s no better place to be in the summer than at the water’s edge — especially if you’re biology major Angelica Romero ’15, who researched Range Expansion of the Non-native Asian Shore Crab in the Hudson River with Michael Judge, Ph.D., professor of biology.

Expanding upon prior research, Romero is further investigating the invasive Asian shore crab, which has extended its local range into many of New York City’s low-saline rivers. It’s a phenomenon that has gone undocumented until now.

Romero explains that though they are better than many species, crustaceans still possess limited osmoregulatory ability — in other words, the ability to maintain and survive in different environments.

They are especially sensitive to changes in salinity when they are larvae, the stage at which they move great distances across different water masses.

“Previous research says that [this species] shouldn’t even exist in locations with a salinity level lower than a reading of five because they can’t survive,” Romero says. “So it’s really weird that they’re on our shores where the salinity levels can be as low as two.”

To investigate, Romero and Judge formulated a proposal, which included individual sample dissections to measure the body mass index via fat content. But Romero soon found that in an experiment, not everything goes according to plan.

“It was impossible to see the different portions of the crab without more specialized tools — tools we don’t have in our lab,” Romero says. “We had to figure out another way to test the crabs’ survivorship.”

With Judge’s assistance, Romero employed her problem-solving skills and decided on a different approach: she’s collecting pregnant specimens from several sampling sites and submerging recently laid egg samples at several different salinities to test their survival rates.

“It has been really great working with Dr. Judge,” she says. “He was a great help, is 36 N fall 2013

open to suggestions, and is good about having to change plans for the research when something is not quite working out or showing results.

Overall, it has been a great experience.”

Romero, who hails from Gresham, Ore., started most days by taking field samples from multiple locations, including Riverdale, the George Washington Bridge, the 125th Street Boat Basin and Governors Island.

Taking accurate readings required her to arrive at locations approximately one hour before low tide — which varies from site to site, and day to day — where she recorded all of the necessary information, such as time of arrival, temperature of the air and water. After setting out the plots, Romero began searching for this crab species within the plot’s parameters, making sure to record the sex and size of each found.

Afternoons were usually logged in the lab, where she recorded and analyzed data.

For assistance in this meticulous and time-consuming process, Romero called upon the help of the Harbor School, a local high school that entered into a formal articulation agreement with the College in December 2012. She collaborated with Mauricio Gonzalez, director of the Marine Biology Research Program and his student Rachel Anderson, a junior who volunteered to assist with data collection. Anderson won’t be the only Harbor School student to benefit from the collaboration, as their data will be included in upcoming coursework under Gonzalez’s direction.

In the future, Romero hopes to present her findings to the Undergraduate Eastern College Science Conference, as well as the New England Estuarine Research Society. She is excited about the opportunity to synthesize data and contribute to the field.

“This project is allowing me to track changes in this species over time, rather than just reading about it from a textbook,” Romero says. “I’m also learning how to set up my own experiments and to prioritize to meet my deadlines. It’s great preparation for medical school.”

FROM THE PROFESSOR’S PERSPECTIVE One of the most gratifying experiences for an educator is witnessing a student’s desire for knowledge ignite. Often at this juncture, the opportunities available within the four walls of a classroom aren’t always enough.

That’s why Manhattan College launched the Jasper Summer Research Scholars (JSRS) program in the spring 2013 semester. The program offers select students a stipend to pursue student-faculty research during the summer following their sophomore or junior years.

It’s an opportunity to go beyond the limitations of a syllabus and apply the skill set they’ve developed without the obligations and distractions that come with a full course load, cocurricular activities and athletic seasons.

There’s more to scholarly research than a gateway to tenure. In fastpaced fields such as kinesiology, professionals can readily apply methodology in the gym or examination room.

Before Lisa Toscano, Ed.D., associate professor of kinesiology, began her doctorate at St. Mary’s University in 1999, she taught high school physical education, health and exercise science at Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, N.Y., while serving as an athletic trainer at the College. As John “Doc” Johnson’s assistant and eventually associate head trainer, she had to stay up-to-date with the latest rehab programs, surgeries and training regiments.

“Things change,” Toscano says. “You have to stay on top of it. You have new injuries, new surgeries and new ways to rehab it. Exercise science transitioned from a lot of heavy-duty weights to recommending more functional exercises. Big changes happen, and I teach my students that, whether you’re a professor or working in the field, you have to stay current.”

For students such as Maria Toscano ’14, who are looking to pursue a graduate program in physical therapy, learning how to translate findings and communicate with industry experts is nearly as important as the research itself.

“She was timid during our first presentation to the campus community,” Toscano explains, noting that since then, they have already presented at two conferences: The New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (NYS AHPERD) Annual Election Day Conference in White Plains, N.Y., and the annual American Colleges Sports Medicine New York chapter, where Maria won first prize and $100.

With each additional presentation, Toscano watched Maria take on

an increasingly active role and professional demeanor, gaining confidence along the way.

“She is bringing new things to the table all the time,” Toscano explains. “It really opens up students’ minds and, once that happens, there is no going back.”

In addition, they wrote a scholarly article, “Minimizing Risk in Female Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears” for Soccer Journal. They chose this particular publication because a high number of soccer players sustain this injury. While it is in the process of being reviewed, Maria is already busy mapping out their next collaborative project.

“I think JSRS fosters that kind of intensity,” Toscano says. “She’s got the bug now. When Maria gets out into the physical therapy field, I think she’ll be the person to make breakthroughs. When something doesn’t seem right to her, she’ll be the one to say, ‘Let’s not do the status quo, take our check and go home. Let’s see what we can do to really help.’”

For students like Rokas Kirlys ’14, the experience served as a way to acquire a highly specialized skill set with a venerated expert. But often, the role of teacher and student gets blurred.

Kudret Topyan, Ph.D., professor of finance, had taught Kirlys in class, and he was not sure of how productive their collaboration would be until they began working together. Although Kirlys’ quiet and methodical approach could be easily overlooked in a classroom, it was exactly those qualities that made him brilliant when it came to working one-onone. Topyan was impressed by Kirlys’ capacity to solve problems and work independently in preparation for their scheduled meetings.

“I got excited,” Topyan says of their collaboration. He quickly reevaluated their goals and time frame, extending their project beyond the formalized program. They are currently working on a high-quality paper that they will submit to several academic journals during the spring 2014 semester.

To better evaluate whether financial modeling tools for developed markets could be applied to frontier economies, Kirlys singlehandedly developed Microsoft Excel scripts to directly pull data from Morningstar Investment Research Center, a professional financial database. It made each calculation more precise and efficient.

“No more than 10 people are working on the subject in the U.S. From that point of view, it’s exciting,” Topyan says. “Now, Rokas is teaching me. I’m looking forward to working with more students in the future, and I owe this to Rokas because I was very lucky to work with him — he’s really an amazing guy.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 37

commencement

College Celebrates Successful Commencement

O

n May 19, approximately 680 graduates filed through the rows among the thousands of faculty, friends and family members gathered in Draddy Gymnasium to celebrate what was considered a success for all.

As seniors from the Schools of Arts, Science, Education and Health, Business and Engineering proudly participated in the 171st Commencement exercises, Charles H. Thornton ’61, Ph.D., P.E., chairman of Charles H. Thornton & Company, LLC, joined in their successes as honorary degree recipient and keynote speaker.

Valedictorian Perry Rizopolous ’13, a philosophy major, shared his thoughts on this day when addressing the 2013 graduating class. “We made it,” were a few of the first words out of his mouth.

“I quickly realized that this was far more expansive than myself and closest friends who are graduating,” Rizopolous continued. “It goes well beyond the entirety of the graduating class. It includes everyone that has ever had an impact on anyone in this gym. Through the success of all those graduating today, so, too, do those who have influenced us to succeed.”

38 N FALL 2013

Valedictorian Perry Rizopolous ’13 discusses how to be a proponent for change at Commencement. A few days earlier, Christopher Bednarz ’13 is awarded the Joseph J. Gunn Alumni Medal at the Spring Honors Convocation.

Proud alumnus and prominent engineer Charles Thornton ’61, Ph.D., P.E., shares advice with new graduates after receiving an honorary Doctor of Engineering at the College’s ceremony.

As they walked across the stage, holding the four years’ worth of effort on a single sheet of paper, this day marked a change for the College’s newest alumni.

“As I see it, the truly pressing question today is not how we are different, but how we will make a difference,” Rizopolous said. “We have changed, now how can we be change?”

Thornton received an honorary Doctor of Engineering and proudly delivered the Commencement address, during which he shared with the graduates his own experiences and some advice on becoming successful.

“We made it, you made it, 52 years ago, I made it,” Thornton said. “I thought I made it, but that was just the beginning. You got here somehow because of yourself, because of the faculty, and because of your parents.”

In President Brennan O’Donnell’s closing remarks, he addressed the graduating seniors with words of thanks, congratulations and farewell.

“What you do with your talents and your education is obviously of enormous importance,” O’Donnell said. “The vision that animates Lasallian education is one in which each of us has vitally important work to do. It is a vision in which the project of a human life is to find that work and do it well. In conventional religious language, this is, of course, called vocation; the idea that each of us is called to contribute in our own distinctive way.”

At the Spring Honors Convocation only days before Commencement, 115 excited seniors were recognized for their academic achievements. Rizopolous was honored with the Donald J. Carty Valedictory Medal and the Medal for Excellence in the Liberal Arts. Capping off the night, Joseph Dillon ’62, president of the Alumni Society, awarded Christopher Bednarz ’13, a chemical engineering major, with the Joseph J. Gunn Alumni Medal.

As I see it, the truly pressing question today is not how we are different, but how we will make a difference. ­—Perry Rizopolous

MANHATTAN.EDU N 39

commencement

The Ties That Bind

Spring Commencement weaves nearly 200 threads into the fabric of the College

N

early 200 graduates reached the end of their threads of academic history at Manhattan College, as they prepared to receive their master’s and bachelor’s degrees at the 2013 Spring Commencement on May 18. They now find themselves forever woven into the fabric of the institution, the founders and the Jasper community.

Master’s candidates from the Schools of Business, Education and Health, and Engineering, as well as bachelor’s recipients from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), and those earning professional diplomas from the School of Education and Health, eagerly anticipated their degrees.

Joining the Commencement celebration, honorary degree recipient and keynote speaker, Bernard Pierorazio, superintendent of Yonkers Public Schools, shared remarks

40 N FALL 2013

with the graduating class that spoke to their unending connection to the College.

“This now becomes part of your history — the history of this storied institution that has continuously turned out magnificent graduates, leaders in industry, education, business and government who have provided significant contributions to the world,” he said. “This is the invisible thread that binds you to Manhattan College and to the storied past of its founders.”

Pierorazio, who was awarded an honorary Doctor of Pedagogy at the ceremony, also emphasized to the graduates the importance of remembering their history.

“As you venture out into the world and start, change, continue, or jump-start your career, remember your history, remember your connections, and remember the invisible

William Merriman, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education and Health, hoods Bernard Pierorazio, superintendent of Yonkers Public Schools, as he is awarded an honorary Doctor of Pedagogy (left). Valedictorian Jennifer Player ’12, ’13 (MBA) looks forward to new beginnings for her fellow classmates (right).

thread that binds all of us together forever,” Pierorazio said.

“If you do, your heart will lead you to do the very best and, in turn, will make our community, our city, our nation, even our world a much better place for our children.”

Following in the footsteps of her older brother, Gregory Player ’12, who earned his master’s in civil engineering and was valedictorian in 2012, Jennifer Player, a 2013 graduate of the MBA program and a 2012 bachelor’s in business administration recipient, delivered the valedictorian speech. She especially made note of the doors of opportunity that have opened along the way and those that will continue to open after this day.

“As we embark on our new and next endeavors in life, I ask that you remember and follow the Lasallian values, that you keep your head held high, and that you enter that door

into your new beginning,” Player said. “And, in the words of Henry Ford: ‘When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.’”

President Brennan O’Donnell’s closing remarks to the graduating class and their families were ones of admiration for the graduates and pride for the College that educates people who make a difference.

“Congratulations to all of our graduates,” O’Donnell said.

“For 160 years, the College has prided itself on educating people who make a difference in the world — people with the intelligence, imagination and know-how to do hard work well; people with the desire, dedication, compassion and strength of character to use their God-given talents for the benefit of their fellow human beings. People, that is, like you.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 41

development

Alumnus and Construction Management Leader To Receive De La Salle Medal

M

ilo Riverso ’81, Ph.D., P.E., chief executive officer and president of STV Group, Inc., one of the nation’s largest planning, design and construction management firms, will be the 2014 recipient of the De La Salle medal at the College’s annual dinner on Jan. 23 at The Waldorf Astoria.

The De La Salle Medal Dinner honors executives and corporations who exemplify the principles of excellence, corporate leadership and service to society. Former honorees include: Sy Sternberg, chairman and chief executive officer, New York Life Insurance Company; Rudolph Giuliani ’65, former mayor of the City of New York; Eugene McGrath ’63, former chairman and chief executive officer, Con Edison; and Bill Klesse, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Valero Energy Corporation.

Riverso has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of program management, construction and design management. He first joined STV in April 2005 as senior vice president of STV Construc-

tion Inc., and was soon named that division’s chief operating officer.

He became an executive vice president one year later. Under his leadership, STV’s construction management practice doubled in size and expanded its range of services, which, in turn, resulted in larger and more complex projects being awarded to the firm. Riverso was named president of STV in February 2009 and a member of the board in 2011. In September 2011, he was named chief executive officer of the employee-owned firm, which is ranked 40th in Engineering NewsRecord’s Top 500 Design Firm survey.

Earlier in his career, he also was the president and chief executive officer of the New York City School Construction Authority. In that position, he supervised the agency’s staff of 900 employees who were responsible for the planning, design and construction of capital improvements and new construction of New York City’s 1,199 public schools.

Riverso earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Manhattan, and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Purdue University. A registered professional engineer in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, he is the chairmanelect of the Construction Management Association of America, and is also an active member of numerous professional organizations.

Proceeds from the dinner provide discretionary resources for the College and are applied to a wide variety of needs.

Scholarship Recipients Connect with Donors

I

n April, the College recognized generous donors at the annual Presidential Reception Celebrating Scholarship Donors and Student Recipients.

The event, now in its second year, brought together more than 140 students and donors and provided an opportunity for student recipients to meet the person behind the scholarship, the one who has supported them in working toward a college degree.

“This is one of my favorite events of the year because it allows students to say thank you directly to the generous people who are helping them realize their dreams,” says President Brennan O’Donnell. “It’s a night that combines pride in our

42 N fall 2013

students with gratitude and admiration for our donors. The donors, who contribute out of a sense of hope for the future, see that hope fulfilled in the accomplishment and promise of the students.”

The reception featured student speaker Shannon Maiolica ’13, recipient of the John Cullen ’62 Scholarship for Accounting Majors. A member of Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honor society, she began working at PriceWaterhouseCoopers right after graduation.

“I would like to take this time to thank all of you, and especially my benefactor Mr. John Cullen,” said Maiolica, a Long Island native. “Your generosity and care has given many students, like me,

the opportunity to experience possibilities that may have been inconceivable without your help.”

From the donor perspective, George Skau ’59, regional chair of the Northern New Jersey alumni chapter, who established a scholarship with his wife in 2008, says: “Besides being successful, it is an opportunity for

the people that are sponsoring a scholarship to see the students in person. It made the whole idea of giving a scholarship much more meaningful.”

Shannon Maiolica ’13, recipient of the John Cullen ’62 Scholarship for Accounting Majors, thanks her benefactor.

Alumni Fund Scholarships Every year, the rising cost of a college education and the monetary undertaking ahead of students is the subject of much focus in the news. Fortunately, Manhattan College is often on the positive side of these headlines because of its generous scholarships

Zachary Decina ’17, Evelyn and Jim O’Rourke Scholarship Zachary Decina ’17 is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Thomas Decina ’13, as he begins his studies at Manhattan College.

A graduate of St. Francis Preparatory in Queens, Decina was awarded the Evelyn and Jim O’Rourke Scholarship. Jim O’Rourke ’39, M.D., founded the scholarship in 2005 to provide assistance to full-time students in need, specifically those enrolled in a science degree program in preparation for acceptance into medical school.

“Every bit of money awarded to me is important,” he says. “I’m very grateful to be a recipient of the O’Rourke Scholarship, and it is an honor to have been chosen for it.”

Decina is studying radiation therapy technology and Italian, and looks forward to internship opportunities in the coming years.

Right now, he is enjoying living on campus and being a member of the Gaming Club.

and its great rankings by organizations that rate return on investment. It also helps that alumni and friends of the College realize that helping students is a worthy cause and make investments in education with scholarships.

Lauren LaBelle ’15, DiMartino Family Scholarship Lauren LaBelle ’15, a graduate of Arlington High School in LaGrangeville, N.Y., is the recipient of the DiMartino Family Scholarship based on academic performance. Founded in 1995

by Joseph S. DiMartino ’65, the scholarship provides tuition assistance to financially disadvantaged students.

The oldest of four children, LaBelle is majoring in public relations with a marketing minor. An active member of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) on campus, she works at the Manhattan College bookstore and is also an intern at MTV in the press department.

“I absolutely love my internship, and I am learning so much about the career I plan on pursuing once I graduate,” she says.

Reflecting on the scholarship, LaBelle, who resides on campus, is relieved to have some assistance in paying for her education.

“Having this scholarship has given me much more ease in knowing that it will be that much less money to pay off after I graduate. I am so grateful that a family has taken the time to donate to my education and success,” she says. “My education means the world to me, so I’m overjoyed that they were willing to help.”

Julia Galdiz ’17, School of Education and Health Scholarship Julia Galdiz ’17 came to Manhattan from Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., by combining grant-in-aid, a need-based award for full-time undergraduate students, and the School of Education and Health Scholarship.

Majoring in allied health, Galdiz is the first in her family to attend college in the United States. She works in the office of Campus Ministry and Social Action, and is active with Lasallian Collegians and Just Peace. She also plans to apply to be a Catholic Relief Services Campus Ambassador.

“I think that it’s important to spread awareness about the injustices that are going on in the world and in our local community,” she says. “The Catholic community here has also made a huge impact on my experience so far, and I can’t wait to get more involved throughout the next four years.”

In addition to making the most of her time on campus, Galdiz, a resident, says that the scholarship has encouraged her to take her studies even more seriously. When asked about the donors, she says she would thank them endlessly.

“Coming to Manhattan College has been one of the greatest privileges of my life,” she says.

“Not only has the immediate community of Manhattan College had an impact on me but also being in New York City, with an endless amount of opportunities and activities to do, has truly been a blessing.”

MANHATTAN.EDU N 43

development

A Peek Inside the Kelly Commons

S

ince the fall 2012 groundbreaking, the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons has developed from a subterranean site into a towering presence.

With the exterior panels in place, the building was fully enclosed in December to continue construction through the cold winter months. Now that progress continues out of view, members of the community are left to imagine the various interior features.

With expected turnover in July 2014, and plans of opening to the public in September 2014, the final floor plans give insight into how the space will be used.

“The building will be a place that fosters what I like to call ‘spontaneous outbreaks of intellectual activity,’” says President Brennan O’Donnell. “It will be a place of great energy and interaction, a place where chance conversations lead to great ideas and where projects started in the classroom get developed over a cup of coffee.”

Marketplace and College Store Entering from the south vestibule on the first floor, community members will find a variety of delicious and healthy food options in the Marketplace — from a simple sandwich to international style cuisine — to enjoy in the sprawling dining space. The fully stocked Starbucks café will be the place to go for those looking for a quick coffee or snack.

The new site of the Manhattan College Campus Store was designed with Jasper pride in mind. The space, which is located on the second floor, lines Waldo Avenue and includes plenty of glass window storefront for ultimate visibility. The store will also carry items of interest to non-Jaspers, as well, such as trade books, supplies and other educational materials.

Student Lounge and Game Room Commons lounges will be the campus location to see and be seen. The area spans two stories connected by a spacious staircase, and features several 55-inch screen TVs and ample seating, from single chairs to couches.

The game room, a haven for students looking to unwind from a heavy course load, will move from the depths of Thomas Hall into 44 N fall 2013

A rendering of the second floor in the new Kelly Student Commons.

the north end of the commons’ first floor. A large screen television will accommodate multiplayer gaming.

The commons committee received a list of game requests from student organizations, including foosball, pingpong tables and skee ball machines, and is currently in the process of review and acquisition.

Wellness and Fitness Center The 6,800 square-foot Wellness and Fitness Center will be located on the third floor. The center will feature state-of-the-art aerobics equipment, weight machines, free weight space, all with audiovisual capabilities. The area also will include appropriate shower and locker facilities for men and women.

Another perk of the new fitness center is that team drills and varsity practices won’t disrupt personal workouts anymore, as the space is designated just for recreational use.

Merging well-being and instruction, the Wellness and Fitness Center will also include an assessment room where Kinesiology faculty and students hope to administer personalized fitness plans, upon request.

Multicultural Center The Multicultural Center, a new space located in the heart of the commons on the third floor, will be dedicated to providing

leadership opportunities and peer support to underrepresented groups and those interested in diversity issues.

“We want to create a center that encourages dialogue exploring diversity through programming like conferences and lunchtime lectures,” says Sonny Ago, assistant vice president for student life. “It will be a programming hub for events that celebrate and recognize different cultural identities, Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month and more.”

Social Action Suite The Social Action suite, located on the second floor, will become home to the Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.) program and a new haven for Campus Ministry and Social Action.

“We hope that the Social Action suite will become the hub for all things ‘social justice’ related, including service learning projects, discussions, planning and implementing advocacy work, and coming together as a community with shared interest and passion for justice,” says Jenn Edwards Robinson, coordinator for social action.

The suite includes a separate lounge for students to gather for meetings, film screenings or discussions of advocacy and justice, or simply to hang out during their free time.

Along Came a Scholarship, the Sequel

Business Center and Faculty Dining Room The Business Center, lined with computers with printer access, will offer added convenience to students who need quick access to office facilities. Located on the fourth floor, the space easily lends itself to group projects, as the headquarters for Student Government and other clubs are next door.

As student ideas emerge and questions arise, assistance will be close at hand. Next to the Student Government, clubs and organizations area is a faculty dining area, kitchen and meeting rooms, situated for plenty of student-faculty interaction and collaboration.

This area also includes a faculty conference room for private meetings, group interviews and working lunches.

Great Room and Conference Area The upper levels include six conference rooms of various sizes that are able to accommodate smaller groups, up to eight individuals, to larger groups, up to two dozen people.

Many of these conference rooms can be easily reconfigured into lecture-style spaces to accommodate 50-plus, and may be reserved for a variety of events, including faculty meetings and alumni functions.

The top and fifth floor includes the multipurpose Great Room: a venue for future special events. In its full-capacity configuration, it can comfortably seat up to 350 guests for dinner — 715 for theater-style seating — and easily adjust to smaller rooms for simultaneous functions. It has full audiovisual capabilities and several big screens. The space will be available for members of the community to rent for formal and private events.

“The Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons will change the overall feel of the campus, linking the north and south campuses,” says Andrew Ryan, P.E., vice president for facilities. “The new state-of-the-art fitness center, food venues, lounges and meeting spaces dedicated to student activities will enhance both student life and learning beyond the classroom.”

To donate and to learn more, visit manhattan.edu/studentcommons.

B

est-selling author James Patterson ’69 continues to make a difference in the lives of many Manhattan College students.

This year, he awarded $100,000 in academic scholarships to eight juniors and 10 seniors from the Schools of Arts, Business, Education and Health, Engineering and Science. It’s the second year in a row for these James Patterson Scholarships.

“I established the scholarship program at my alma mater to recognize hardworking students who give back to the Manhattan College community and their communities in New York City and elsewhere,” Patterson says. “With this recognition, my hope is these outstanding students will go on to do great things after graduation.”

The scholarship recipients include:

Juniors • Francisco Alvarez, government • Emily Bellas, elementary education/ special education • Alexandra Cerrati, physical education • Joseph Cusmano, communication • Claire Leaden, communication and French • Tina Nitis, marketing • Aldiana Perazic, biology • Donika Zherka, secondary education Seniors • Meena Balady, computer science • Giuliana Addesso, secondary education • Morgan Maclearie, special education/ elementary education • Claire Miksad, elementary education/ special education • Maria Sanzari, elementary education/ special education • Eric Scattaretico, special education/ elementary education • Justin Vento, chemical engineering • Colleen Walsh, secondary education • Kathleen White, history and peace studies • Kathryn Wojtkiewicz, philosophy and English

The scholarship program will award $5,000 to each of the 18 recipients, and all of the seniors are eligible to apply to receive one of four additional awards in the amount of $2,500 based on essay submissions, which describe their various contributions during their junior year and personal vision for plans after graduation.

“We are very grateful for Mr. Patterson’s continuing generosity and commitment to his alma mater,” says President Brennan O’Donnell. “His gifts are inspiring and rewarding some very bright young men and women who will make a difference both in their chosen professions and in their communities.”

Patterson also funds the James Patterson Minority Scholarship at Manhattan College, which was started in 2006 and has supported the education of 25 students. In addition, the Patterson Family Foundation awards scholarships to students at 20 different colleges and universities around the country.

He holds the Guinness record for the most consecutive No. 1 novels on The New York Times Best Sellers List, and is most famous for his best-selling Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club and Michael Bennett series.

Patterson is also passionate about encouraging people of all ages to read. He launched ReadKiddoRead.com as a tool to help adults find books for kids. He also makes regular donations of thousands of books to troops overseas.

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alumni

Jaspers Reconnect at Reunion Weekend

M

ore than 450 alumni reaffirmed College connections and returned to alma mater during the 144th Reunion Weekend held May 31-June 2.

Classes celebrating their 15th through 45th anniversaries attended a dinner reception, while recent graduates gathered for dancing, drinks and karaoke in Smith Auditorium on Friday night. The class of 1988, meanwhile, enjoyed a special silver anniversary dinner in Dante’s Den and marked its 25th anniversary by presenting a $75,000 gift to the College.

To celebrate their golden year, members of the class of 1963 and prior years set sail on New York Harbor for an anniversary cruise complete with dinner, drinks and dancing.

Reconvening for Saturday morning brunch, they made Manhattan College history when class chair Gerard Caccappolo presented a class gift of $1 million — the largest 50th anniversary reunion donation to date.

During the course of the weekend, President Brennan O’Donnell also recognized members of the 25th and 50th anniversary classes with the Brother C. Thomas Jubilarian medals. The commemorative awards are named for Brother Cantiduius Thomas, former president, who supervised the College’s move from 131st Street in Manhattan to its

Hundreds of Jaspers from various classes gathered on campus during Reunion Weekend, May 31-June 2, to reconnect with the College and each other.

present location in Riverdale.

“Stepping back on campus with friends after going in different directions for 20 years felt like I never left,” says Curt Zegler ’93, who was part of a group returning for its 20th anniversary. “What is special about being a Manhattan College alum is being part of a special club, the Jasper Club. Catching up with classmates while enjoying events, good food and drink, along with reaching out to the other anniversary classes, made the weekend fun and reminded me what it means to be a Jasper — pride.”

And that Jasper Club was in full force during Reunion Weekend, as hundreds of alumni participated in Saturday’s schedule, which included seminars, a barbecue lunch on Memorial Courtyard, a wine tasting, as well as a performing arts showcase featuring the College’s most talented students and alumni.

The day continued with the anniversary Mass followed by a celebration on the tented Quadrangle that continued late into the evening hours with dessert and dancing. Visiting Jaspers who stayed in East Hill Hall shared a Sunday brunch before saying their goodbyes.

The next Reunion Weekend will be held June 6-8, 2014. Visit manhattan.edu/reunion to learn more about how you can be a part of it.

Jasper Open Celebrates 25 Years Alumni and friends of the College have been hitting the links to raise their golf clubs and some funds for Manhattan students for 25 years. This year, the silver anniversary of the Jasper Open was held on Monday, May 6 at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, N.Y. One hundred-plus golfers and guests participated in the event, which raised more than $125,000. Next year’s outing will take place on Monday, May 5, 2014 at Sleepy Hollow.

46 N fall 2013

FROM THE COLLEGE’S ARCHIVES

Whatever Happened to …

Jasper Football?

I

t’s that time of year again, when we break open the bag of chips, fire up the flat screen and settle in for a vigorous game of armchair quarterback. It’s football season.

And while we celebrate or lament our favorite professional and collegiate teams, we remember a time in the recent past when our energies were spent on Jasper gridiron glory.

Jasper football dates back to the late 19th century and the early days of the College, when it was located at 131st Street and Broadway, and home games, versus powerhouses such as Rutgers and Seton Hall, were played on Jasper Oval. While baseball was the strongest feature of the athletics program, football managed to achieve a varsity team by the 1890s. Despite the volunteer coaching assistance of a local physician, the game proved to be too hazardous, with heavy mass plays and brutal tackles regularly ending in broken bones and worse. With the close of the 1904 season, football was discontinued because of its inherent roughness.

In the fall of 1924, a year after the College relocated to Riverdale, varsity football resumed and, throughout the 1920s-1930s, expanded. In its heyday, football schedules and game attendance increased, as big-time coaches played competitive teams in equally big-time venues, such as Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium.

In 1932, the College acquired coach John “Chick” Meehan, a tough showman, who regularly helped to draw overflow crowds of 70,000 to see his teams play. In six years under Meehan, the Manhattan teams and attendance rose rapidly to a point where Manhattan gained a measure of national distinction and ranked among the important football-playing colleges of the East. In January 1933, Manhattan

The Jaspers get down and dirty on storied Ebbets Field in 1937.

College competed in Miami’s inaugural Festival of the Palms, later renamed the Orange Bowl. Despite a 7-0 loss to the University of Miami, the Jasper team was still celebrated as a nationally established gridiron power. Bigtime football, however, necessitated a significant financial commitment, and there were several setbacks as expenses mounted and season records proved disappointing. The program never generated enough revenue to offset equipment expenditures and gate guarantees, especially as losing seasons continued. In 1943, World War II effectively halted football along with all athletic programs at the College.

After the war, almost immediately, a vociferous student body and strident alumni clamored for a return to bigtime football, but it was not meant to be. The expense of such an endeavor coupled with difficulties in scouting and securing players posed serious roadblocks. Throughout the 1950-1960s, the back-to-football chorus among alumni and students remained boisterous.

In 1965, after a 23-year absence, football did return to Manhattan, thanks to the motivated spirit of the student body, which raised the necessary funds to furnish and administer a club team. The Jasper football club played its first game on Saturday, Oct. 16, 1965, homecoming day, in Gaelic Park, to an enthusiastic audience of about 600 alumni and students. The club made its debut with a 20-14 win over NYU. Throughout the 1960s-1980s, led by dedicated coaches Larry Kelly, Bob Baker and Bob Annuziata, respectively, the team experienced the highs and lows of many grueling seasons often on a shoestring budget and without the benefit of a home field. After years of playing for homecoming crowds or facing Division III squads while regularly teetering on the brink of financial demise, the football program eventually folded at the end of the 1987 season.

Although Manhattan is no longer represented on the gridiron, football remains a valuable legacy of the Jasper athletic program.

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ALUMNOTES 1949

Raymond Radzivila held the flaming torch of the 2013 Empire State Senior Games on June 6, in Cortland, N.Y. The next day, he competed in six swimming events in the 90-95 age group.

1950

Anthony Barrella and his wife, Louise, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Aug. 29. They continue to live in the same house they moved to in 1948, where they raised their three children. The couple has six grandchildren.

1952

1956

Robert Thomann, professor emeritus of environmental engineering, writes: “Married to Joan for 56 years with seven children and 18 grandchildren. I am the permanent Deacon at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Ridgewood, N.J., and finished a doctor of ministry degree from Fordham University in 2011, which followed an earlier master’s degree in systematic theology from Seton Hall University.” He published A Hemorrhaging Church, Evangelization and the Neocatechumenal Way, an analysis of the past 60 years of the U.S. Catholic Church. It is available on Amazon.com.

1961

William Schoen, O.R., reports, “My wife Eve and I are married 63 years and are living in South Jersey. I retired in 1994 after 42 years of structural engineering, thanks to Manhattan, Brother Leo — God bless him — and all other Lasallians.”

Joseph Bolze reports, “Our first granddaughter was married. I am still maintaining my national rank in masters swimming.

[My wife] Sandie and I celebrated our 45th anniversary.”

1954

1962

Frank Finnerty was recognized for 50 years of service at the Nassau County Bar Association’s 114th annual dinner dance. He continues to work on guardian ad litem cases for the New York Surrogate’s Court and as a referee for disciplinary and reinstatement cases for the First Judicial Department.

Edward Nowatzki recently celebrated the publication of his autobiography I Can Hold My Own (Trafford Publishing Co.). Set in the 1940s, the book recounts his experiences growing up in the Bronx as a first-generation American. For more information, visit Icanholdmyown.com.

1955

1963

John Paluszek was recently honored by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management. He retired from the board, effective July 1. Paluszek is also the founder, executive producer and host of Business in Society, a corporate social responsibility program for television and collegiate curriculum. He recently launched a new academic engagement program with 10 colleges and universities and is producing a fifth edition to his program, titled “Water is Life–The CEO Water Mandate.”

48 N fall 2013

Nicholas Losito retired from Farmingdale State College in May 2013, where he has been a member of the math department for 45 years. As a full professor, he chaired the department from 1986 to 1992.

Carmelo Santoro, Ph.D., was recently appointed to the board of directors at Semtech Corp., a supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors. He is a business consultant with Santoro Technology Associates, which provides management, planning and operations services for the computer hardware and software, semiconductor, disk drive, networking, technology services, biotechnol-

ogy and financial services industries.

Raymond Kelly was the keynote speaker at the Business Council of Westchester’s Annual Fall Dinner in Rye Brook on Oct. 23.

1964

Terry Crowe celebrated the marriage of his son, Terrence James, to Adrienn Kneser in Milwaukee this summer. The newlyweds are living and working in wine country — Paso Robles, Calif.

John Arceri fulfilled a childhood goal of completing a rigorous three-year Juris Doctorate, at the age of 71. He was among 163 students to graduate from the Ave Maria School of Law on May 11. He took the Florida State Bar Exam in July.

1965

John Rooney reports that he is on the committee vying for a postage stamp commemorating the quadricentennial of the landing of the pilgrims in Plymouth, Mass.

1966

Richard Musto, M.D., recently joined Advanced Urology Centers of New York to lead a new location in Port Jefferson, N.Y. Previously with Urological Associates of Long Island, he is affiliated with Mather Memorial Hospital, Saint Charles, Peconic Bay Medical Center and Brookhaven Memorial Medical Center.

1967

Peter Sposito was introduced as American Savings Foundation Endowed Chair in Banking and Finance at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) New Britain School of Business, just days before he retired as CEO of Bankers’ Bank Northeast. In his new post, he provides academic and outreach activities designed to expand and enrich the education and preparation of CCSU’s business students.

1968

George Butler Sr., retired from the position of chief counsel, employment law, within

Jasper BookshelF The newest book by Peter Quinn ’69, Dry Bones (Overlook Hardcover, 2013), is the final part of three installments that began with the Hour of the Cat and The Man Who Never Returned historical mysteries that trace the life of a detective from the fall of the Third Reich up through the Cuban Revolution. Quinn joined Time, Inc. as the chief speechwriter in 1985 and retired as corporate editorial director for Time Warner at the end of 2007. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Manhattan College in 2002.

William Curatolo ’70, recently published a pharma suspense novel Campanilismo (Bayberry Institute LLC, 2013). The novel probes how extreme competition in the biotech discovery and Internet drug sales world brings out the best and the worst in altruistic and ambitious people. A biophysicist by training, he served on the staff of M.I.T. for six years, followed by 27 years in the R&D division of a major pharmaceutical company. He is the author of numerous scientific publications and holds 22 U.S. patents.

Lou Saulino ’70, a widower, father of two sons and sports enthusiast, published Dopey Bastid (Xlibris, 2013). It is the sequel to “8”: Center Field in New York, 1951 – 1957, a historical fiction account of Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider, as told by three 13-year-old friends in 1957. Twenty years later, the three friends are now at it again. One of the three has become a noted sportswriter who calls upon his two amigos to help as the recollections of dumb decisions made by players, managers, owners and sportswriters are brought to light.

After 40 years as a civil engineer, Saulino resigned to focus on his writing career.

James Maloney recently joined Statewide Abstract Co. in White Plains, N.Y., after serving as vice president of Chicago Title Insurance for 22 years. He is known to his colleagues as, “a team player and a significant producer.”

1971

Michael Pravetz received the highest honors, graduating from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, with a degree in occupational medicine. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan, he earned a master’s in sociology from University of Delaware, a Ph.D. in sociology from University of Cape Town, MBBCh from Witwatersrand University, an M.D. from the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and an LLB from the University of South Africa. He is currently registering for a doctorate in canon law and practicing occupational medicine in Johannesburg.

1972

the Postal Service Law department after 41 years of federal service. “In that position, I was responsible for the broad spectrum of employment law with the exception of the collective bargaining agreements and class action litigation.” He is currently residing in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Marta, and their five children.

David McTamaney was the grand marshal of the City of Newburgh, N.Y., Memorial Day Parade. He is an officer in chapter 537 of Vietnam Veterans of America, which he helped to found 25 years ago. He is also the president of the Orange County Veterans Memorial in Newburgh.

Matt Reynolds has retired for a second (and final) time. Since 2002, he has been an independent consultant supporting the management of tests and trials for Navy shipbuilding programs. Prior to that, he had been a Navy civilian engineer for 33 years

and became a recognized and well-published authority in Navy testing. He and his wife, Brenda, have two children and live in Alexandria, Va. James Connolly is preparing to retire in February. He has eight children, 20 grandchildren, and plans to spend time with his family, that is, when he’s not playing golf.

1969

John Loase, Ph.D., completed his 11th book, The Power of Uncertainty on sabbatical from Concordia College. It is now being sent to publishers. His eighth book, The Sigfluence Generation earned a silver medal in the recent Benjamin Franklin book contest and is free at sigfluence.com.

1970

The Rev. Joseph Levesque, CM, was named interim president of St. John’s University.

Gary Beach released his first book The U.S. Technology Skills Gap (John Wiley and Sons) in July 2013. The book is a culmination of six years of research and offers a rationale of why American school children perform poorly in domestic and international math and science assessment tests. It is currently available on Amazon.com.

Joseph Lynch Jr., corporate risk manager for Con Edison, recently celebrated his 32nd year with the company. He has also actively served on the board of directors of Breezy Point Cooperative, a private community of nearly 3,000 families in NYC’s Rockaway peninsula, for more than 14 years. Recently elected as the community’s chairman for the fifth consecutive year, Lynch continues to lead the recovery from Hurricane Sandy.

1973

Joseph Ripp, trustee, was named chief executive officer of Time, Inc., a newly separated company from Time Warner. Formerly, he was the chief executive officer of OneScource

MANHATTAN.EDU N 49

alumni

Information Services, Inc. He remains on the board of directors at OneSource and continues to be a significant investor in the company.

1974

Timothy Hulbert was elected president of the Virginia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executive Board of Directors. Prior to his current office, he served for 12 years as president of the Rensselaer County, N.Y., Regional Chamber of Commerce and Rensselaer Gateway Development Corporation.

Steven Fangmann, P.E., BCEE, executive vice president at D&B Engineers and Architects, P.C. in Woodbury, N.Y., was recently featured in the Long Island Business News Who’s Who section. With more than 37 years of experience in the areas of civil and environmental engineering, he specializes in wastewater facilities planning, investigations and detailed design of municipal waste-water treatment plants and sewer systems, water management planning, water and wastewater regulations and project management.

Thomas Moran, chairman, president and CEO of Mutual of America, was named among Irish Central’s 2013 Business 100, which honors the best and the brightest Irish-American and Irish-born leaders representing some of the most innovative and influential companies and corporations in the world.

1975

James McNaly was promoted to SPIE Fellow for his significant service to the greater science community. SPIE is the International Society for Optics and Photonics.

1976

Janet Kleinman has made a series of personal appearances, including being interviewed on Look At Me Casting’s Real Talk with Lee in connection with her book Flirting with Disaster.

Robert Rupinick, D.C., writes: “Having reached the rank of commander in the United States Power Squadron, I have been awarded life membership status, having served for 28 years. I have taught religious

50 N fall 2013

education in our parish of Christ the King in Commack, N.Y., for 28 years, as well.” He also earned certification in nutrition, which helps his chiropractic patients.

Walter Wettje was elected supervisor of Orangetown Republican Committee. He originally accepted the nomination from fellow Jasper and Orangetown councilman Denis Troy ’70 in April 2013.

1977

The Rev. Michael Fragoso was ordained at the Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi in Metuchen, N.J., on May 25.

Herbert Litts III was elected councilman of Ulster County, N.Y., District Nine, and will serve a two-year term.

1978

Anthony Fernicola joined Salesforce. com, as president of global enterprise sales.

He’s excited to help customers “deliver innovation, growth and success.”

James Rotondo, was named assistant public works director of New Milford, Conn.

Brian Matthews, loan specialist for Ulster Savings Bank, recently graduated from American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania.

Kevin McHugh, COO of the Atlantic Club in Manasquan, N.J., joined the American Council on Exercise Industry Advisory Panel to help steer the nonprofit organization in its efforts to end the obesity epidemic.

Kevin Leyden is the senior VP for business development and strategic partnerships at Albany Medical Center. Prior to this appointment, he worked as an executive at IBM.

1979

Richard Poccia received the Junior Achievement USA’s most prestigious national award for volunteerism, the Gold Leadership Award. He is one of 10 honorees selected from more than 187,000 U.S. volunteers to receive the award. Last year, under his leadership, PricewaterhouseCoopers recruited, trained and mobilized more than 250

PwC volunteers from the New York area who taught more than 100 classes, serving more than 2,500 NYC and Long Island students.

1980

John Corsello broke the American record for the bench press with a 253.5-pound lift during the USA Powerlifting Masters National Powerlifting Championship in May. He moved on to the 2013 International Powerlifting Federation Masters World Powerlifting Championship.

Luann Farrell, a senior consultant in Nexant’s Global Chemicals and Polymers consulting practice, co-authored “High-pressure polyethylene: Reemergence as a specialty chemical or not?” in the April 2013 edition of Hydrocarbon Processing. The paper examines the age of linear-low-density polyethylene and the resulting halt in high-pressure PE plants.

Eileen Murray was profiled as co-president and co-COO of Bridgewater Associates in the August edition of The Hedge Fund Journal.

1981

Peter Mariano Cordovano, Esq., has been appointed chairman of the Republican party in New Paltz, N.Y. He also recently attained a 20-year benchmark as sole practitioner and proprietor of Peter M. Cordovano, P.C., in Highland, N.Y., and 27 years overall in the private practice of law.

James Cardillo was promoted to vice president of STV Inc., in Douglassville, Pa. A resident of Bethlehem, he has more than 30 years of experience in structural design, including forensic engineering and the analysis and design of repairs to distressed structures.

Jean Donahue is the interim principal of the Bronx High School of Science. Donahue previously served as assistant principal of the school’s biology and physical science departments.

Christopher Gusty was elected to the Newtown Borough Council, Pa., in November 2013. He will serve a four-year term.

Michael Trembley, campus president of South University, High Point, N.C., is oversee-

ing the addition of 11 academic programs including the university’s first doctoral program. The for-profit institution has campuses in nine different states.

1982

Councilman Harry Weber was voted to a three-year term on the Ramsey Borough Council in the municipal primaries in June. He serves as managing director of trading services and telecommunications for the New York Stock Exchange and has served as chairman of the utilities, buildings and grounds committee for two years.

Real estate attorney Antonette “Toni” Guido recently joined Douglas Elliman of Westchester as an associate broker.

Eileen Heim, licensed associate real estate broker, was profiled in the Sunday Gazette (Schenectady, N.Y.) Realtor Profile section in September 2013. She specializes in buyer’s agent, seller’s agent, first-time home buyers, as well as single and multifamilies in all counties of the capital region and says, “the most gratifying aspect of what I do is helping people … make sound decisions on one of the largest investments they’ll make in their lives.”

1983

David Carforo was twice elected to the Eastchester School Board in Westchester County, N.Y., serving as president for the 2012-13 school year. He enjoys working with several fellow alumni in Eastchester, including Ronald Hatta ’03, director of curriculum and instruction.

1984

Joanne Roth is the new CFO for Lundrylux, which distributes Electrolux professional and Wascomat commercial laundry products in North America through an extensive distributor network. Prior to this appointment, she served as vice president of finance/controller at Darien, Conn.-based Parfums de Coeur Ltd., a $100 million consumer fragrance product manufacturer.

Charles Corogenes has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing at

Chartwise Medical Systems. He will be responsible for leading the sales team and implementing the company’s overall sales strategy. Previously, Charles has held positions with Toshiba America Medical Systems and Agfa Healthcare.

1985

Kevin Tomlinson resigned from his position as Long Island Railroad (LIRR) chief engineer after 31 years with the company. He is looking forward to spending more time with his family and eventually hopes to find a new job in the engineering field.

Br. Thomas Zoppo was named the new principal of Bishop Fenwick High School in Salem, Mass.

Ellen Anderson, general manager and CFO of People’s Light & Theater Company in Malverne, Pa., has been with the organization since 2005. She was given leadership of the theater’s wholly-owned, for-profit subsidiary, The Farmhouse Bistro and Catering facility, in 2011.

Steven Arce, consulting engineer, is running unopposed for a trustee spot on the board of education in Rutherford, N.J.

1986

John Schanz, executive vice president of Comcast’s National Engineering and Technical Operations group, was the 2013 recipient of the Vanguard Award. He was recently profiled in Multichannel News magazine.

George Reichert joined Genworth Financial, Inc., as chief information officer. Prior to this appointment, he served as CIO at Nortel Networks in Research Triangle Park, N.C. John Nolan was awarded the Long Island Gaels Gaelic Athletic Club 2012 Person of the Year in January 2013. The following month, he was awarded the 2012 Technology Transfer Award from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the electric utility industry’s premier collaborative research organization, for his contributions involving electric power generation, power utilization and the environment.

John Butler joined the Global Data Point

board of directors in September 2013. A renal industry veteran, he was CEO of Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals from 2011-2013, and named president and CEO of Akebia in August 2013. As a new member of the board, he will be helping to guide the company in delivering an important drug for the treatment of hyperkalemia.

1987

Reverend Canon William Stokes of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach, Fla., was elected the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey. In an election that included 550 delegates from the 150 congregations in that diocese, Stokes was elected by a majority in each of the lay and clergy orders on the fifth ballot.

1988

Susanne Rogan was promoted to assistant vice president, commercial lending, at the Adirondack Trust Co. She joined the organization in 2006.

Camille (Schmitt) Frosztega, a resident of Princeton, N.J., has been working in sales for the last 20 years. She has a 7-year-old son, Connor, and has been married for 10 years to husband, Ed. She is a senior marketing consultant at NJ101.5FM, Trenton, N.J., and her hobbies include Spartan Races, competitive rowing, discussing politics and religion, and volunteering. She is also Den Leader of Cub Scout Troop 100 in Franklin Park, N.J. Charles Hall was named senior technical manager in the New York City office of Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global infrastructure strategic consulting, engineering and program/ construction management organization.

1989

MaryAnn McCarra-Fitzpatrick’s poetry was published in The Mom Egg and the Chronogram and her work was included in the international travelling art exhibition “Circus Terminal Worldwide.” She collaborated with choreographer Andrea Elam’s new project “What Moves You?,” which is funded by a grant from Target’s Foundation for the Arts. The

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alumni

1992

culminating project, which ran from October to November, benefitted Fred’s Pantry, a local pantry in Peekskill, N.Y. Patrick Hickey, Ph.D., was named president and chief executive officer of Merichem Co., Houston, Tex. He began his career at Merichem as manager of research and technical services and later served as director of research and vice president of research development and technology. In 2009, he became president of Merichem Chemicals and Refinery Services, LLC and executive vice president of Merichem Co. He was promoted to president of Merichem Co. in 2010 and to the board of directors in 2012.

Michael Squarzini, P.E., LEED AP, was promoted to managing principal of the Thornton Tomasetti international engineering firm.

Squarzini has been with the firm since 1993 and serves as the East U.S. region leader in the New York City office. He also oversees the growth of the firm’s São Paulo office.

Brian Gatens was selected as the new superintendent of schools by the Emerson Board of Education in Westwod, N.J. Prior to this appointment, he served as superintendent of the Norwood Public Schools and was a principal in Harrington Park from 2007 to 2011.

1990

1993

Anthony Ramella was named vice president of cash management services at Provident Bank. He is responsible for identifying customized cash management products for commercial clients to help them grow their business, including tools to monitor daily cash flow, collection of receivables, options for payments, investment solutions and more.

Peter Clifford joined Fifth Third Bank as vice president and business banking relationship manager in July 2013. He was previously employed at GE Capital’s franchise finance business and has worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years.

John Ponzo was named an IBM fellow, an elite group of inventors whose efforts benefit from IBM’s more than $6 billion annual investment in research and development, as well as other initiatives. According to the press release, “[He] has shaped the future of IBM’s business in mobile computing, by leading the development of key software technology.”

1991

Mark Miller, CEO of Terresolve Technologies, published an article, “VGP Links Environmental Stewardship to Long-Term Industry Growth” in the March 2013 edition of Sea Technology magazine. The article examines the impact of the Draft 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) and Small VGP on both small and large vessels.

52 N fall 2013

Patrick Hogan was named vice president of electric operations asset management for Pacific Gas and Electric. Previously, Hogan served as vice president of engineering and design for electric transmission and distribution for British Columbia Hydro.

And the Emmy Goes To …

Quickly making their marks in the world of communication, two recent Manhattan College grads have been recognized with Emmy awards for their achievements in broadcasting and production.

Dan Mannarino ’08, a communication major with a concentration in broadcasting, adds to the nearly 250 Emmy awards that

1994

Steven Birkeland joined the New York City Department of Education in October 2006 following completion of a master’s degree from Long Island University. He spent five years as a school counselor at P.S. 31 in the Bronx before being promoted to education administrator, instructional specialist, with the committee on preschool special education in Manhattan. He is currently the special education evaluation, placement and program officer with the New York City Department of Education’s committee on special education in Manhattan.

1996

Christopher Carpenito, CFO and executive vice president of Hess Constructions and Engineering Services, was named chairman on the Montgomery County chamber of commerce. In this role, Carpenito hopes to add resources for small businesses and help young jobseekers gain essential professional experience. In July 2013, he was named Construction/Real Estate CFO of the Year 2013, featured in the Washington Business Journal.

1997

Christopher Rizzo, a litigation counsel at Carter Ledyard & Milburn, was featured as a 2013 Rising Star in the June edition of New York Law Journal. Rizzo, who focuses on environmental litigation, provides pro bono representation to New Yorkers for Parks and Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and is on the board of directors for both organizations.

Dave Hermantin, senior project manager for P.W. Grosser Consulting, was featured among the Long Island Business News Green/ Environmental Consulting Ones to Watch. He was involved in the design and construction of a Town of Oyster Bay compressed natural gas fueling station in Syosset, N.Y., which was awarded Project of the Year for 2012 in the New York State Society of Professional Engineers’ Nassau County Chapter.

1999

Patrick Costello, a general litigation attorney for Quarles & Brady, was named to the Super Lawyers 2013 Florida Rising Stars list.

Dan Mannarino ’08 (left) and Robert Colaianni ’12 (right) were recognized with Emmy awards this year.

PIX 11 has accumulated throughout the years.

Recognized for his environmental investigation and broadcast into a toxic spill in LeRoy, N.Y., reporter Mannarino received an award at the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ 56th annual New York Emmy awards.

For the same dedicated environmental

investigation, Mannarino was also honored with a New York State Broadcasters award for the Best Hard News Story.

“Winning an Emmy award was an amazing achievement. This was a story that deserved to be covered and investigated for the sake of the folks living in Le Roy, N.Y.,” Mannarino says. “My time at Manhattan College pro-

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

George Fontas was recognized as a 40 Under 40 Rising Star by City and State newspaper, the premier New York government and politics trade publication.

2000

Kazimierz Borawski, vice president of finance at United Bank, recently graduated from the New England School of Financial Students at Babson College.

2001

David Sexton was named Distinguished Teacher of 2013 by the Harvard Club of Long Island. He has served as a physics, chemistry and science research teacher at Sewanhaka High School for the last 11 years.

Peter Koys, D.M.D., and Alyssa Nesci of Long Island announced their engagement in May. They are planning an August 2014 wedding.

2002

2003

Alan Hartman was promoted from instructor to assistant professor at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., where he teaches Italian and Spanish. He also serves as the director of the modern languages program.

Toyelle Wilson is the new assistant coach of women’s basketball at Baylor. Prior to her appointment, she led the Prairie View A&M Panthers to three straight SWAC Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearances. She was among 30 coaches across the nation that participated in the Center of Coaching Excellence by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

vided me the tools and resources necessary to get me started in the world of journalism. I truly believe if I had gone to any other institution, I would not be where I am today.”

PIX 11, Tribune Broadcasting’s New York CW affiliate, was awarded nine Emmys at the 56th annual award presentation in April.

Working as a production assistant and an assistant editor at Nickelodeon since his graduation as a communication major concentrating in broadcasting, Robert Colaianni ’12 and his production team were also recognized for their ingenuity and received an Emmy for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media–User Experience and Visual Design.

Colaianni and the production team developed the Nick App to offer a variety of interactive content and the full Nickelodeon on-air lineup anywhere at anytime, providing users with a unique app and a more interactive experience than merely video viewing.

“The Emmy that our team won at Nickelodeon is far from an individual accolade, for it took every creative mind on our team’s hard work and dedication,” Colaianni says. “I was fortunate enough to get the foundation I needed at Manhattan College to join the media world and make an immediate impact, and for that I will always be grateful.”

2004

Sarah Killian and Charles McLean exchanged vows Sept. 6 in St. Francis De Sales R.C. Church, Queens. She is a physical therapist with the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, and he is pursuing a master’s degree in physical education from Adelphi University.

2005

Ashley Rooney Hedtke recently opened Celtic Aer Gift Shop in Westchester County, N.Y. Lauren Burke and Owen Keady were married on April 20. More than 20 Jaspers were in attendance.

2006

Jennifer Diestra is interning at the Permanent Mission of El Salvador to the United Nations. She writes, “It looks like I will be helping one of the ambassadors on the General Assembly 3rd committee. I will get

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alumni

Travel the World with Jaspers

L

ove to travel? Want to hang with fellow Jaspers while taking in some culture? Then check out the Manhattan College Alumni Travel Program.

The program is dedicated to providing travelers with enriching cultural and educational experiences while strengthening their connection with one another and to Manhattan College. With upcoming trips ranging from the more exotic to the traditional, the College will be visiting locales from the glaciers of Alaska to the grandeur of the Mediterranean.

In order to offer a wide selection of destinations and to maintain reasonably priced options, the Alumni Relations office has partnered with AHI Travel and Go Next, two well-respected industry leaders specializing in higher education. Each tour provides a balanced mix of traveling, sightseeing and cultural experiences, while affording travelers enough time to explore on their own or simply relax.

“My wife and I met so many people and made lots of friends, close friends, while traveling with Manhattan,” says Bob Fink ’57, a frequent traveler and leader of past trips for the College. “Not only are the programs interesting ways to see the world, but they’re a great way to make lasting friendships.”

While the Manhattan connection is an important element of each trip, the programs are open to everyone in the College community, including alumni, family and friends who want to take part in these exciting and educational travel opportunities.

“We encourage travel enthusiasts in our alumni ranks to help us choose future destinations and trips,” says Tom McCarthy, director of alumni relations. “Whether on land or at sea, we’d like participants to have ownership of the trips and work with us to choose the best itineraries.”

The Alumni Relations office welcomes new ideas and suggestions. To learn more about the travel programs, visit manhattan.edu/alumni.

54 N fall 2013

academic credit for doing the internship. I am very excited about the experience!”

Kristin Gallagher is engaged to Michael A. Selimo, founder and partner of Expert Property Services. The bride-to-be is currently an account group supervisor at McCann Echo Torre Lazur.

2007

Nicole Legrottaglie is an associate at Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP (CDF), a leading California labor, employment and business immigration law firm. Legrottaglie represents clients in a broad range of employment claims, including discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, ADA/ FMLA compliance, wage and hour, contract disputes and unfair business practices.

Annamaria Eder completed a master’s degree in July from Trinity Washington University, after successfully defending her thesis “The Counterterrorism Strategies of MI5 and the Central Intelligence Agency: Case Studies of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and Al Qaeda.” She resides in Greater Washington, D.C., and is embarking on the job hunt.

2008

Ryan McParland has joined Ridgeway & Conger as general counsel. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public policy and administration at Northwestern University.

Ryan Faello has been hired as a teacher of Mandarin Chinese and social studies at Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, N.J. Ryan spent a total of three years in Nanjing, China, as a teacher and journalist and one year at the United Nations in NYC as a research officer.

Suzanne Tiffany wed Thomas Salogub in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers in July 2013. She is currently working as a special education teacher in the NYC Department of Education, and he works as an analyst for the Clinton Group. They reside in Manhattan. They write: “The Mass was officiated by Dr. James Williams, S.M., and

attended by many Manhattan graduates spanning many decades, with future Jaspers partaking as an altar boy, lectors, ring bearers and flower girls. The bridal party was filled with Jaspers, as well.”

Lauren Canton and Daniel Vaz-Pocas ’09, who met in 2007 while attending the School of Engineering, recently announced their engagement and forthcoming marriage. Their wedding will take place on May 15, 2015.

Thomas Conway married Rory Slattery at St. Frances de Chantal R. C. Church, the Bronx, on July 13. Thomas is a general sales specialist with Phoenix Beverages in Manhattan.

2009

Joseph Tweed was named the fourth president of DePaul Catholic High School in Clifton, N.J., effective July 1, 2013, after an extensive search. He says, “I truly feel humble and blessed by the chance to build on the foundation that Father [Michael] Donovan has established through his passion and leadership.”

2010

James Roaden, Leann Kalpakis, John LaPolla, Thomas Matarazzo and Stephen Discenza of Capital Moustache, an experimental rock band they formed as students at Manhattan College, vied for the Manhattan title in the fourth annual Battle of the Boroughs.

Eric Brody and Ben Hart ’11, former Manhattan College roommates, recently founded Qinetic, a fitness and wellness network, which aims to become an online platform to showcase overall healthy lifestyle.

Alexander Dufek and Meaghan Varieur ’11 were married on June 14 in Pearl River, N.Y. Manhattan professor Deidre O’Leary performed the ceremony.

Michael Catalano married Tina Marie Torricelli on March 23 in Rosebank, Staten Island, followed by a reception in Seasons, Washington Township, N.J. The couple spent their honeymoon in Negril, Jamaica.

Jennifer Bardong and Michael Borger ’11 were engaged in Northern Neck, Va. They

BIRTHS

1991

To Maggie Nerz and Jose Iribarne, son, Pedro Fransisco Iribarne, 5/9/13

2004

To Ana & Steven DuBois, daughter, Mary Presley, 3/25/13 are planning a fall 2014 wedding.

Erica McCannon and Thomas Delehanty were engaged in April. They are planning a September 2014 wedding.

Anthony DeMartino, a consultant with Deloitte in Manhattan, announced his engagement to Meaghan Marie Smith on June 11. The couple is planning a September 2014 wedding.

Joseph Battipaglia and Ashley McDonald were married on Aug. 10 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Albany, N.Y. The couple, who honeymooned in Hawaii, reside in Riverdale, N.Y.

2011

Jessica Scarfuto is completing a master’s in science and technology journalism at Texas A&M University. During the summer, she interned with the Texas Sea Grant College Program in College Station, Texas, as a science writer for its magazine, Texas Shores.

She says: “I wrote two articles and proofread many others about research and development funded by Texas Sea Grant on coastal issues such wetlands restoration and natural disaster preparation. It was great to be able to write about coastal research, and I intend to continue working there on a much more limited basis throughout the school year.”

Kristin Spiros created Breakaway Soccer Camp at John Jay High School in Lewisboro, N.Y., where she enjoyed a record-breaking career. “I have had a life fulfilled by soccer in so many ways. It taught me how to work hard, be confident, win and lose,” says Spiros. “If this camp can cause even one girl to fall in love with the game the way I did, then I’ve done my job.”

Anthony Dinelli and David Bernat ’12, taking advantage of the BYOB atmosphere of New Jersey’s Morristown-area restaurants, launched Cambridge Wines. The co-owners offer unique and artisanal wine, craft beers and liquor with tableside delivery service.

They named their business after the street they lived on while attending the College.

Kathleen (Sullivan) Britton was married Aug. 11, 2012 at the United States Merchant

Marine Academy to husband Scott. They bought their first home in Monmouth Co., N.J. It is her third year teaching at a private high school in Newark, N.J. (science, health, first aid, track coach), and she is studying educational leadership toward a master’s degree.

2012

Robert Henry completed Marine Officer Candidates School and has accepted his commission as a United States Marine officer. Second Lt. Henry reported to The Basic School, Quantico, Va., in May to continue his Marine officer training.

Harpist Mary Kate Boylan has added a tranquil atmosphere to the Corner Café in Riverdale. She performed live on the newly renovated outdoor terrace twice a week throughout the summer.

Elizabeth O’Connell is attending law school at Emory University.

Brenda Garcia was accepted into the Peace Corps. In January, she will depart for Morocco to begin language training.

Air Force Airman First Class Thomas Daly graduated from basic military training with distinction at Join Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

2013

Chelsea Krajcik was awarded a full scholarship to study sociolinguistics at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Alexa Lampasona, who worked aboard a Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center tour boat, fearlessly jumped into the water after coming across a distressed clammer on Flanders Bay. Her story was featured in the West Hampton Patch.

Molly Pekarik married Luke Fry in August and has moved to the United Kingdom.

Kathryn “Kat” Merry is a new Lasallian Volunteer working as a coordinator in De La Salle North Catholic High School in North Portland, Ore. “Moving from east to west has been a shock, but I can tell that the communities I have joined in Portland and at De La Salle are a rare find,” she says.

2007

To Tiffany (Bentley) Flynn & Michael Flynn ’10, son, Eamon Michael Flynn, 12/12/12

2009

To Jenna (Thoele) & Ryan McAuliffe, twins, Erin Joann and Andrew Ryan, 4/10/13 MARRIAGES

1978

Frank Daly & Nancy Gordon, 6/23/13

2004

Sarah Killian & Charles McLean, 9/6/13

2005

Elizabeth Treganowan & Chris Watson, 4/13/13 Lauren Burke & Owen Keady, 4/20/13

2008

Thomas Conway & Rory Slattery, 7/13/13 Suzanne Tiffany & Thomas Salogub, 7/13/13

2010

Joseph Battipaglia & Ashley McDonald, 8/10/13 Michael Catalano & Tina Marie Torricelli, 3/23/13 Alexander Dufek & Meaghan Varieur ’11, 6/14/13 ADVANCED DEGREES

2007

Vincent Depalo graduated from the University of New Hampshire School of Law on May 18.

Annamaria Eder completed a master’s degree in July from Trinity Washington University.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 55

alumni

A Journey of Faith, from POW to M.D.

V Paul Loong ’58 returns to campus with his daughter, Theresa, for a special Veterans Day event.

56 N fall 2013

isiting Manhattan College’s campus for the first time since 1971, Paul Loong ’58, M.D., pulled a colorful bowtie from his pocket.

“Before I forget, I better put on my tie or Brother will not let me into class,” Loong winked, as his daughter Theresa laughed, straightening it for him.

Even at 90 years old, Loong’s keen sense of humor shines through. It’s been an important part of the promise he made to himself a lifetime ago when he was a prisoner of war (POW) in a Japanese internment camp during World War II — that every day would be a holiday if he survived.

Not only did Loong survive, but he made sure his memories did, too — preserved in a diary he hid from his family for decades.

When Theresa discovered the diary, she quietly began asking her father about his past. What unfolded from these conversations was a poignant documentary titled with the same strong promise — Every Day is a Holiday.

Born in the former British colony of Malaya in 1923, Loong was drafted into the British Air Force after the attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent bombings in Southeast Asia. He served as an aircraftsman with the 153rd maintenance unit outside of Kuala Lumpur and in Singapore. On March 8, 1942, his unit was stopped before boarding a ship to Australia. At just 19 years old, Loong became prisoner No. 102.

Sick and starving, the prisoners arrived at the Mitsushima camp in Japan and were put to work, suffering daily beatings as they built a massive hydroelectric dam.

For three years, Loong worked alongside prisoners from Britain, the Netherlands, Canada and America. He listened to their stories and dreamt of creating a new life for himself in the United States if the day ever came.

The dream became a possibility on Aug. 15, 1945 when the Allies ended the war, freeing Loong’s camp and sending the men off to the joyous tune of California, Here I Come.

Loong took a job aboard a U.S. ship and traveled the world, fulfilling a lifelong dream to become a merchant seaman. At the time, only 105 Chinese immigrants were granted American citizenship each year, and he hoped that an accumulated five years of service aboard the ship would make him eligible.

Instead, he was denied re-entry into the country after his time at sea. Left with few other options, Loong headed back into battle when the Korean War began, considering it his way of contributing to the global fight against communism.

“I promised myself that I’d never be a prisoner of war again,” Loong says. “I wouldn’t let it happen.”

True to his word, he returned unharmed and was advised by the National Catholic Welfare Conference to seek help from a congressman in order to receive citizenship.

On Jan. 9, 1956, nine years after he arrived in America, Loong was finally naturalized.

“That was a great day for me,” he says. “That was one of the happiest days of my life.”

Loong’s tumultuous journey from POW to American citizen had been laced together with one consistency — his unyielding faith — that he credits largely to the Christian Brothers who educated him as a child in Malaya.

His journey of faith would come full circle in 1954 when he decided to study at Manhattan College on the GI Bill.

“I spent four of the best years of my life at the College. What a holy place,” Loong says. “I owe the Brothers a debt of gratitude for putting me on a straight and narrow path.”

A fellow alumnus convinced Loong to continue his education and study medicine at the University of Bologna in Italy.

Although he never had any intention of becoming a doctor, he found that the profession fulfilled him in an important way. “[What I enjoyed most was] to be able to work with veterans of World War II — to help them, to talk about old times and joke with them, and to repay my gratitude to them,” says Loong, who spent much of his career at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in East Orange, N.J. Loong married in 1970 and raised Theresa and her older brother in suburban Clark, N.J. “When you survive something so terrible, you have to work through your demons somehow. It wasn’t easy for my dad to tell this story,” Theresa told a crowd at the College who gathered to screen Every Day is a Holiday on Veterans Day this fall.

“But while we still can, we’d like to share these stories.”

A lifetime since his story began, Loong has been many things to many people — POW, seaman, veteran, American, doctor, husband, father. And if the bowtie is any indication, Jasper has its place in the story, too.

A Steward of Hope

S

erving others is something Laura Cassell ’79 does on a daily basis as the head of Catholic Charities of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and it’s something she credits to the values she learned at Manhattan College.

The 25-year veteran of Catholic Charities has served as executive director and CEO since 1999. She is not only the first woman to hold this position within the Diocese of Rockville Centre but also the first laywoman to serve in this capacity in any of the eight dioceses throughout New York state.

Although each day brings something different to her schedule, from going to a board meeting or a senior’s 100th birthday party, her responsibilities overseeing the service and administrative operations for this health and human service agency always remain.

Another key part of her role is to instill Catholic Charities’ mission and vision into everything that her team does.

“Part of my role is cultivating relationships with the folks who are going to help us be good stewards of our funds, and people who are going to help us determine what kinds of ministries are important, what may be needed tomorrow, which may be different from what you’re doing today,” she explains.

Catholic Charities was founded in 1957 to help provide basic needs to the poor, troubled, weak and oppressed.

In 2012, the organization served more than 60,000 people throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties in a variety of ways, including programs for chemical dependence, mental health, developmental disability residences, and immigration, senior and veteran services.

Working alongside 133 parishes, Catholic Charities is reaching people throughout Long Island. It helped more than 1,500 families in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and is still assisting 800 of them. Cassell remembers one woman, in particular, that they assisted last year.

“It seemed like everything that could go wrong did for this woman, with her father-in-law passing away, her business closing and needing to lay-off people, and her home was damaged,” Cassell says. “With the assistance of their local parish and Catholic Charities, this woman and her family were able to rebuild their home.”

Stories like this inspire her every day. Cassell has met many people since beginning at Catholic Charities in 1988.

Prior to her current role as executive director and CEO, she served as director of finance and chief operating officer.

She was also appointed to the Bishop’s Cabinet as secretary for social services in 2001.

Before joining Catholic Charities, Cassell worked for Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in New York City and became a licensed CPA after graduating from Manhattan College with a B.S. in accounting. She was an internal auditor and assistant controller, too, at Southside Hospital, a 500-bed facility located in Bay Shore, N.Y. Her passion for serving others is also evident in her involvement with numerous committees and boards, including the Diocesan Lay Pension Committee and the Cleary School for the Deaf.

In addition, she is a member of the board of trustees at Molloy College,

from which she received an honorary degree in 2004. Cassell is still very much connected to her alma mater, Manhattan College, and serves as a member of the School of Business’ board of advisors, as well as its mission and strategic planning committee.

This connection and her professional success is, as Cassell describes, all thanks to a chance encounter with Brother David Von Hollebeke, FSC, a former associate director of admissions at the College, who visited Cassell’s high school. As a result of their conversation, she began to seriously consider the idea of going to college. She says it was a turning point in her life.

Her first introduction to the College may have been unforeseen, but what she achieved at Manhattan and in the ensuing years was anything but, as Cassell, whom The Long Island Business News recognized in 2003 as one of the year’s 50 most influential women, has taken a path that seems providential.

“It was wonderful to be in an institution that was so grounded in our faith and to be able to get the education to embark upon a financial career that has led me to this place,” she adds. “It’s not anything I would have ever planned for or mapped out, but it’s the combination of the hand of God and the faith element of Manhattan College.”

Laura Cassell ’79 faithfully serves her Long Island community as executive director of Catholic Charities of Rockville Centre.

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alumni

That’s a Wrap

M

ariangela Petrone ’02, ’05 (M.S.) knows that life doesn’t come in a neat little box. As a human resources (HR) professional and a national gift-wrapper, she takes it all in stride.

Bronx born and bred, Petrone is the youngest of five siblings, all first-generation Italian-Americans. Growing up on Arthur Avenue, she learned the value of hard work and the importance of customer service at an early age, first working at a local bakery and later at La Galleria, a Bronx-based gift shop her sister owned. It was there she honed her gift-wrapping skills.

Professional wrapping requires more than paper, paste and precision, it takes creativity. In 2010, after gaining local notoriety for wrapping odd-shaped gifts, Petrone decided to put her skills to the test at the 14th annual national gift-wrapping competition in Manhattan. Her multicolored decorative approach to wrapping an all-terrain vehicle earned her the title of Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper, as well as a $10,000 prize.

Since then, she’s tried to keep a low profile, with little luck.

Last year, her talents garnered the attention of talk show mogul Oprah. Discovered by a third-party media firm for her bow-making talents, Petrone’s original work was featured An acclaimed gift-wrapper, Mariangela Petrone ’02, ’05 (M.S.), who specializes in human resources at Montefiore Medical Center, shares some of her favorite creations.

58 N fall 2013

on the anticipated December 2012 “Favorite Things” cover of O, The Oprah Magazine. In the same month, her growing web presence led to an opportunity at a Juicy Couture California Dreaming collection press event in Manhattan. She created the décor, as well as a three-minute intro to bow-making, that appeared on a prominent fashion blog.

But Petrone hasn’t quit her day job just yet. In fact, her position as a human resources business partner for Montefiore Medical Center, a hospital nationally recognized for clinical excellence, requires many of the same skills. In her role, it’s up to her to help smooth the jagged edges and loose ends that inevitably arise in the workplace and beyond.

With nearly 22,000 associates, Montefiore is the largest employer in the Bronx and growing. It operates in the business partner model, which means that the HR department participates in strategic planning to help the business meet present and future goals. So in addition to maintaining all the core functions of human resources — benefits, labor relations, recruitment, compensation and training — she contributes to the overall value.

Petrone admits that she covertly wraps and creates displays at work because, though she enjoys adding an extra flair to office functions, she’d much rather be known for her HR expertise among her colleagues.

She works closely with her business client, Montefiore’s vice president for facilities and

real estate, to ensure both HR’s and facilities’ business strategies align with Montefiore’s strategic goals. It’s a particularly exciting time, as the hospital moves forward with the construction of a fourth campus. She is involved in workforce planning and training needs for the 11-story, 280,000-square-foot center that is scheduled to open in 2014.

After earning a B.A. in religious studies and peace studies with a minor in education in 2002, Petrone decided to continue her education at Manhattan by pursuing a master’s in counseling psychology. With experience as a resident and a grad assistant, she had the the opportunity to be an assistant director for Residence Life at just 22 years old.

Although her time at the College proved to be invaluable, she decided it was time to transition into the business world and chose a career in HR. Her first position was as an HR specialist at Montefiore. For five years, Petrone subsequently worked as an HR generalist for an international specialty glass manufacturer, SCHOTT North America, Inc. But, ultimately, she wanted to return to Montefiore and made the move in February 2012.

Although professional wrapping may seem like a random hobby for an HR professional, she argues that they are connected.

“When it comes to gift-giving, it doesn’t matter how much you spend,” Petrone says.

“After you’ve taken the time and thought of the idea, you have to take out the wrapping paper, place the bow, and get into it.

[Similarly] in HR, it’s all about the presentation. When you interview, when you give a presentation, when you write — anything.”

Her innate problem-solving skills come out when describing her biggest wrapping tip: When there’s no shape, make a shape.

“Sometimes you’re presented with something that’s not a box, and you have to wrap it,” she says. “This is where people get stuck.

Just make something out of it. Make sense out of it.”

It’s this out-of-the-box methodology that makes Petrone the successful businesswoman she is today.

Electrical Engineer Expands Renewable Energy

P

eruvian-born Jiddu Tapia ’03 never imagined that his career after college would involve improving the environment and decreasing greenhouse gases.

Ten years after graduating from Manhattan College, Tapia is doing just that as the CEO of Salka LLC in San Diego, a renewable energy company that develops, constructs and arranges financing for wind farms and solar power plants. And how exactly does a wind farm reduce greenhouse gases?

By using the power of the wind to turn a generator, the wind’s kinetic energy is converted into electricity. Upon placing multiple wind turbines in the same location, a large amount of electricity is generated; thus, creating renewable energy and offsetting the use of oil, coal and gas.

Tapia established Salka earlier this year in partnership with Wofi Capital, a global investment firm, to expand renewable energy in the U.S. He left Gamesa Technology Corp., a global wind energy leader, where he served as chief development officer for North American wind development. He oversaw the development, construction and sale of five wind farms totaling 518 megawatts of installed wind generation.

Throughout his career, he has led teams that have built 11 utility scale renew-

able energy facilities totaling more than 1,000 megawatts of installed capacity and producing enough electricity to power more than 350,000 homes across the United States and Canada.

In fact, the biggest project his team delivered, at 200 megawatts, was completed in 2012 in Livingston and Woodford Counties, Ill., one of the the largest wind farms built in the U.S. The project was part of a portfolio of projects that were developed, constructed and financed by Gamesa, and upon completion were sold to Algonquin Power, a Canadian-based utility.

“With his company Salka, it is not enough to build the next run-of-the mill solar or wind project,” says Arturo Henriquez ’02, Tapia’s best friend, fellow electrical engineering classmate, and a system operator at Con Edison. “It is about delivering the next level of innovation and integration in how they get built and utilized on a daily basis.”

Shortly after graduating with an electrical engineering degree in 2003 and interning for Con Edison, Tapia received a call from a couple of alumni who had recently created a company called Jasper Energy LLC. Robert Paladino ’72 and Vito Elefante ’72 started the company after working for York Research Corp., a major player in the energy industry in the mid-1980s. Tapia went

to work alongside a handful of fellow Jaspers and built his career in renewable energy.

“Jasper Energy was one of the pioneers in the renewable energy sector in the U.S., developing wind farms way before it was very popular,” Tapia explains. “Coming in on the ground floor at a small startup like Jasper Energy is the best way to learn the business. I am very grateful for the opportunity I received.”

After gaining experience in the industry at Jasper Energy, Tapia went on to work for Acciona Energy, which at the time was the world’s largest wind developer. In 2005, he moved to Toronto to serve as director of Canadian Operations.

A few years later, Tapia then moved to San Diego and started a position with Eurus Energy America Corp., as vice president of development for North America.

He points out the Combine Hills II wind farms project as one of the major achievements during his time at Eurus. The 63-megawatt project in Oregon was constructed in 2008 and was financed in the middle of the financial crisis.

Looking back on his career, Tapia credits much of his professional success since college to his parents.

“I was born in Peru, so my parents made a tremendous amount of sacrifices to give my brothers and me the opportunities we had,” he adds,

noting that both of his brothers, Nityanan Tapia ’06 and Cesar Tapia Jr. ’08 are Manhattan grads with degrees in electrical engineering.

Tapia started college at Marquette University in Milwaukee on a soccer scholarship. Realizing Marquette was not the right fit for him, he moved back home to Mount Vernon, N.Y., and transferred to Manhattan.

“Manhattan College felt more like home, the smaller class sizes and the one-onone attention from the faculty made the College a place where I was able to take hold of my academics,” Tapia says.

He completed his bachelor’s degree while also playing Division I soccer for the Jaspers.

As Tapia reflects on the past 10 years, he says, “I think the things that Manhattan really gave me were all the tools to succeed, and the ability to problem-solve as an engineer.”

Jiddu Tapia ’03 is helping the world reduce its carbon footprint one wind farm at a time.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 59

obits

INMEMORIAM

Manhattan College records with sorrow the deaths of the following alumni: 1937 Matthew T. Carey, 6/28/13

1940

Lt. Col. Vincent P. Schiavoni, 3/13/13

1941

Daniel E. Scanlon, 6/16/13 William F. Schwitter, 6/1/13

1942

Gerard DeRosa, M.D., 7/30/13 John Paul McManus, 8/15/13

1945

Edward L. Bernholz, 6/2/13 John Frederick Ohlandt, 6/20/13

1948

John Robert DeLuca, 9/19/13 William F.J. Fantone Jr., 3/2/13 William J. Halsch, 10/22/13

1949

Kenneth W. Carroll, 3/29/13 John F.K. Cassidy, 6/23/13 William Cosulich, 7/21/13 John Cudone, 5/13/13 James B. Hendricks, 10/12/13 Francis O’Malley, 7/1/13 Cyril A. Ryding, 9/12/13 William Van Herwarde, 4/23/13

1950

Royal Blaine, 7/4/13 Richard J. Bouchard, 5/18/13 Jean Pierre Faraci, 9/3/13 John Madden, 4/27/13

1951

John A. Brady Jr., 6/19/13 Donald J. Carney, 4/3/13 Norman Joseph Clark, 7/7/13

60 N fall 2013

Br. Peter Clifford, FSC, 7/23/13 Edward F. Delaney, 8/30/13 Dennis Louis Farkas, 5/30/13 Edward J. Flynn, 8/28/13 John J. Formanek Jr., 9/22/13 Robert F. Gavin, 5/9/13 Br. Peter Mannion, FSC, 4/20/13 Dominic R. Mascagna, 7/12/13 Thomas O’Connor, 7/2/13 John A. Rehanek, 10/16/13 Martin H. Schmidt Jr., 7/29/13

1952

Michael J. Coleman, 7/20/13 James P. Hastings, 9/10/13 J. Walter Keady Jr., 7/2/13 William J. McCarthy Jr., 7/5/13 Timothy Patrick Murphy, 4/27/13

1953

Daniel A. Dispenza, 6/8/13 Joseph John Hanak, 6/4/13 Jeremiah Purtell, 7/20/13 Richard Reid Jr., 10/18/13 Thomas W. Southall, 4/13/13

1954

Francis V. Dono, DO, 7/14/13 Ralph R. Sepulveda, 10/23/13

1955

James F. Brennan, 8/23/13 John Joseph Davidson, 6/16/13 Leroy G. Martin, 10/20/13 Frederick O’Callaghan, 4/5/13

1956

Charles F. Maloney Jr., 9/10/13 John R. Sachs, M.D., 7/17/13

1957

1968

Robert Edward Bryden, 7/20/13 Kenneth John Frost, 8/5/13 Michael C. Horan, 6/14/13 William P. Malone, 4/12/13

Francis W. Benner, 5/4/13

1969

Vincent Edward Barbarisi, M.D., 10/23/13 William J. Hannafin, 4/30/13

1958

1971

Joseph E. Hanlon, Esq., 5/21/13 James A. Young, 6/10/13

James Elliot Chaplin, 9/10/13 Sr. Theresa Lardner, 5/20/13 Sr. Bridget O’Sullivan, 8/10/13

1959

1972

Joseph T. Cohane, 7/20/13 Conrad Fioretti, 6/10/13 Walter Joseph Loehr, M.D., 7/19/13 Thomas J. Murray, Ph.D., 9/17/13

Robert T. Gregory, 4/16/13

1960

Richard E. Agnew, 7/14/13 Timothy M. Dufficy Jr., 9/19/13 Owen F. McKeon, 10/12/13 John Edward Nikolai, 5/25/13 Timothy J. O’Brien, 5/23/13

1961

Frank A. Schmalzl, 4/7/13

1962

Robert J. Corrigan, 6/26/13 Joseph P. Genovese, 8/16/12 Irwin Wolosky, 5/20/13

1963

J. Thomas "Jack" Callan, 4/23/13 Kathleen Patricia Hertl, 4/24/13

1965

Joseph Frisina, 6/22/13 Hugh J. O’Connor, 5/16/13 John A. Rocks, 9/15/13

1973

Sr. Marion Rita Kennelly, O.P., 9/5/13 Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan, 6/7/13

1976

Karen Maria Fegan, 7/20/13

1977

William Francis Dawe, 9/15/13

1978

Donald Samuel Tracy Jr., 5/26/13

1983

Peter Cabraja, 3/29/13

1985

James J. Flood, 8/9/13

1986

Br. Augustine Loes, FSC, 5/1/13

1987

Elizabeth Briscoe, 3/31/13

1991

John J. Farrell, 7/10/13

2000

Matthew J. Christopher, 7/21/13

Brother Peter Clifford ’51, FSC

B

rother Peter Clifford ’51, FSC, a member of Manhattan College’s board of trustees and a leader in education, died on July 23, at De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, N.J. He was 88.

Br. Peter served on Manhattan's board from 1984-1988. Fellow trustee Robert La Blanc ’56, with whom he served, recalled Br. Peter as especially student-focused.

“I remember his dedication to adopt any course of action that would enhance the education of the College’s students,” he says.

The president of St. Mary’s College in Leavenworth, Kan., from 1989-1994, Br. Peter also served as president of St. Mary’s College in Winona, Minn. He held a number of administrative positions throughout his career, including assistant dean at St. John’s University in Queens; director of finance (LI-NE District) at the Christian Brothers Center in Narragansett, R.I.; and vice president of the Metanoia Group in Winona, Minn. Br. Peter was also involved in education on the national level and served as the executive secretary for secondary schools at the National Catholic Educational Association from 1971-1974, and the assistant on the higher education level at the U.S. Catholic Conference from 19871989, both in Washington, D.C.

He began his teaching career at Good Shepherd School in Manhattan in 1947. Br. Peter also served as principal and sub-director at Immaculate Conception School in Manhattan, and principal and director at St. Cecilia’s School in Brooklyn, before becoming academic dean at De La Salle College in Manila in the Philippines in 1957. Upon returning to the States, he taught at St. Augustine School and served as assistant principal at Bishop Loughlin High School, both in Brooklyn. He also taught at St. Mary’s High School in Waltham, Mass., and served as acting principal and director at Bishop Bradley High School in Manchester, N.H. Br. Peter continued working until illness stopped him this past year. He was assistant to the president at the Ocean Tides School in Narragansett, R.I., a Lasallian residential and educational facility for young men in need of diversionary counseling or residential treatment.

Graduating from Manhattan College with a B.A. in education, he also earned a master’s degree from Fordham University and several degrees from Harvard University, including his doctorate. Br. Peter held a number of leadership and professional membership positions at various organizations throughout his career, including the Advisory Council of

the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the American Association of University Administrators, and the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce in Winona, Minn.

A native of Manhattan, he was born Patrick F. Clifford. In 1939, he entered the junior novitiate at Barrytown and the novitiate in 1943. He received the religious habit and took the name Brother Peter Chrysostom in 1943 and pronounced his perpetual vows in 1950.

Corrections: The spring 2013 issue misspelled the last name of Francis M. Bohan ’59, M.D. The fall 2012 edition mistakenly listed Edward J. Byrnes ’51 as deceased. We apologize for the errors.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 61

obits

Martin Schmidt Jr. ’51 Martin H. Schmidt Jr. ’51, a former member and chair of the board of trustees at Manhattan College, as well as a generous supporter and honorary degree recipient, and business leader, died on July 29. He was 85.

Schmidt held several management positions at International Projector Corp., Schering-Plough and Arthur Andersen before joining Squibb Corporation, where he climbed the corporate ranks. He began as director of

physical distribution and inventory control in 1965, and held several titles before becoming president of Squibb Pacific and Italy.

While at Squibb, he served simultaneously as president and chief executive officer of Charles of the Ritz and Life Savers; group vice president of Squibb Corporation; senior consultant to the office of the chairman; president of ConvaTec division; and chancellor of Squibb College. In 1977, he was elected to the board of directors of Squibb Corporation and served until 1984. He retired from Squibb in 1989 and devoted his time to serving numerous organizations, including the College.

“Martin Schmidt was the consummate professional and the right person to lead Manhattan College’s board of trustees during the challenging task of repositioning the College from an overwhelmingly commuter-based one to a largely residential one,” says Brother Thomas Scanlan, president emeritus. “Marty was especially concerned with preserving and enhancing Manhattan’s Lasallian Catholic identity.”

Schmidt served on the board at Manhattan for 15 years beginning in 1979, five of

those years as chair. While chair, he was instrumental in strengthening the College’s financial base with a doubling of endowment, and enhancing its public visibility with a number of construction projects on campus, including the building of Horan Hall. The College honored him with an honorary degree in 1993 at its Fall Honors Convocation.

“Marty was a mentor to me during the early years of my presidency,” Br. Thomas recalls.

“He had a wonderful wry sense of humor, was most likeable and always respectful of everyone he dealt with. He was a good friend who was totally dedicated to alma mater.”

A Bronx native, Schmidt earned a Bachelor of Arts from Manhattan in 1951 and also studied at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Columbia Graduate School of Industrial Engineering and New York University Graduate School of Business.

He is predeceased by his wife, Barbara. He is survived by his children, Stephen, Gregory, Barbara and Terence; sister, Ann Marie Donegan; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Poyin Auyeung Poyin Auyeung, Ph.D., an assistant professor of art history at Manhattan College since 2009, died on May 7.

Auyeung was instrumental in creating the art history major at the College, which will recognize its first graduates in 2014. She was the first full-time art historian hired by the Fine Arts department, now called Visual and Performing Arts. Among her activities outside the classroom, Auyueng co-curated the Fine Arts Film Series.

“Dr. Auyeung was extremely creative in her teaching, experimenting frequently with the everyday connections that students have with art,” says Mark Pottinger, Ph.D., chair of the department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Auyeung also taught at Roger Williams University; Pratt Institute; New York University; School of Visual Arts; and City College of New York (CUNY). She received a number of awards and grants throughout her career, including the prestigious Helena Rubenstein Fellowship, Whitney Museum of American Art in 1995-96.

She began her career as a publication manager for the Assembly of British Columbia Arts Councils in Vancouver, British Columbia, and 62 N fall 2013

spent more than a decade in the arts. During that time, Auyeung worked with William A. Ewing, a historian and curator of photography, and served as guest curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art in Champion, Conn. She also worked as guest researcher at the Shedhalle Art Space in Zurich, and visual arts coordinator/curator at the Vancouver Cultural Alliance.

With a bachelor’s degree in media studies from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Auyeung holds master’s degrees from the University of British Columbia and Brooklyn College in urban planning and art history, respectively. She earned her doctorate from City College in art and architectural history. She was a member of the College Art Association; China Institute, New York; Asia Society, New York; and the Center for Place, Culture, and Politics (Graduate Center, CUNY).

The Dr. Poyin Auyeung Memorial Scholarship Fund for Travel and Research in Art History has been established at Manhattan College in her honor. It is dedicated to assist art history majors and minors in research, study abroad and conference travel.

Muriel Siebert Muriel “Mickie” Siebert, a woman of many firsts in the business world, including becoming the first female member of the New York Stock Exchange, and a former member of Manhattan College’s board of trustees, died on Aug. 24. She was 84.

At the College, Siebert served as a trustee from 1975 to 1990 and chaired the finance committee. She was chair of the De La Salle Dinner in 1986 and a guest speaker at the Horan Lecture Series in 2008. The recipient of numerous honors and awards throughout her career, she received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the College at its Fall Honors Convocation in 1994.

Faraj Abdulahad, Ph.D., professor emeritus of economics and former dean of the School of Business, recalls meeting Siebert when he was named dean in 1986.

“I was very impressed with her fine human attributes and strong

and dynamic leadership,” he says. “She was a trailblazer in her field.”

Siebert came to New York from her native Cleveland in 1954. She worked for a number of business firms, including Bache & Company, before her historic move to a seat on the New York Stock Exchange in 1967. Founder and president of Muriel Siebert & Co. Inc., she was one of the first women to create a discount brokerage when the law allowed in 1975.

In 1977, Gov. Hugh Carey appointed Siebert the first woman superintendent of banking for the state of New York, a position she held for five years.

While president of the New York Women’s Agenda, a coalition of women professionals and community activists who support the diversity and interests of New York women through collaboration, advocacy and education, Siebert created a personal finance program to teach high school students about financial literacy. The program has been implemented in more than 100 schools within New York City and has expanded nationally.

She served with numerous organizations, including: the Council on Foreign Relations, International Women’s Forum, Deloitte & Touche’s Council for the Advancement and Retention of Women, and New York Women’s Forum (founder and president). She is also a former appointee to the New York State Commission on Judicial Nomination and National Women’s Business Council.

John Ansbro John J. Ansbro, Ph.D., professor emeritus of philosophy at Manhattan College and renowned author on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., died on April 3. He was 80.

A member of the faculty from 1959 to 1996, Ansbro held numerous positions of leadership on campus, including serving as chair of the department and heading up the Manhattan College Council on World Hunger.

John Barry Ryan, Ph.D., professor emeritus of religious studies, recalls Ansbro’s days as part of the fourth floor faculty.

“John could have a serious demeanor that was easy to provoke into a playful smile,” Ryan says. “He would stop by my office to ask me about some contemporary liturgical issue. Puzzled at first, I soon learned that I was playing with Socratic indirection. Discovered, John would laugh and move on. As a philosopher with theological expertise and deep religious faith, he was uniquely qualified to create his great work on Martin Luther King Jr., which showed admirably his

analytical skills and careful scholarship.”

Ansbro was an expert on King. He penned several books and numerous op-ed and historic pieces throughout his career. Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Making of a Mind was published by Orbis Books in 1984 and referenced by scholars around the country.

He also wrote The Credos of Eight Black Leaders: Converting Obstacles Into Opportunities (2004) and Martin Luther King, Jr.: Nonviolent Strategies and Tactics for Social Change (1982 and 2000).

A graduate of St. Joseph’s Seminary, but not ordained, Ansbro taught philosophy to seminarians at Cathedral College for more than three decades. He also served as an adjunct at Fordham University, where he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees.

He was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Association of University Professors, the American Catholic Philosophical Association, the American Philosophical Associa-

tion, the Foundation of Thanatology, the Hegel Society of America, the Metaphysical Society of America, and the Society of Ancient Greek Philosophy.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 63

The soft glow of candles lights the Chapel of De La Salle during the College’s annual Festival of Lessons and Carols.

64 N FALL 2013

PHOTO BY CHRIS TAGGART

PA R TING SHOT

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

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID MECHANICSBURG, PA PERMIT NO. 63

Expanding upon its branding initiative, the College installed a fence covering and light pole banners last fall, raising Manhattan’s visibility along Manhattan College Parkway.