36 minute read
Mount Family Through the Seasons
Many alumni describe the Mount as one big family. Here, generations of Mount families share their memories, experiences, insights and how a Catholic education shaped the values that have guided their lives and their families.
The Wesley Family
Gonzales, Jennifer & Antonio
Jennifer (Nimon) Wesley, C'92
Jennifer upon graduation
Is your story a Mount love story?
Our story is most definitely a Mount love story. I met my husband when I was a freshman living in Sheridan 3rd floor and he was the boys first floor resident assistant. I remember meeting him in a group of my friends in the doorway to enter the floor, and I couldn’t even speak. I just thought “Wow! This is a man!” He was so mature and he was only two years older than me. At this point, the story falls prey to wild interpretation.
This is how my husband tells it: He was doing his RA rounds and was walking with another RA on the sidewalk up from Sheridan to Pangborn's front door. I was alone and walked up to him, leaned in, BIT him on the cheek and then bear hugged him and walked away. There is no evidence to substantiate this story.
We dated through his senior year. I sang with the Mount singers at his graduation. He met my family and I met his. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the Army. I even flew alone to visit him in Georgia where he was in training. Then, he was stationed in Panama and had to leave. Before he left, we went out for a nice dinner and he asked me to take a promise ring. I said that he didn’t have to do that just because he was leaving the country; we were fine! So he left and we tried long distance, but it did not work for him. We split up.
At this point, I will simply say that we both 100% believe in the expression “Timing is everything.” Twenty-two years later, Gonzales contacted me on Facebook with a friend request. We filled one another in about our lives. He was raising his son alone in Baltimore, Maryland, and I was living and teaching in New Jersey. We dated for a few years long distance. We separated for a few months out of frustration, but ended up right where we were always meant to be: together. He moved himself and his son to New Jersey. I became a mom. We got engaged and married in the church I had gone to my whole life and my father, who is a deacon, was there on the altar. When it came time to help Antonio with colleges, we tried not to be too pushy. It worked out perfectly.
What is one of your fondest memories about your time at the Mount?
There are so many great memories. As I look back at the crazy pictures, I am reminded of how much fun college really was. As a high school teacher, my students often ask me if college was really great. I never hesitate to tell them how amazing an experience it was. Ah, to go back now! It was a time of learning everything from every experience, inside the classroom and out. Some enduring memories include when I used to DJ at the radio station (my shift was midnight to 2 a.m.) and at the Rat (Rathskellar) on Friday nights. I also worked in the Mac computer lab behind Pangborn and I knew nothing about computers.
What, if any, impact did the cultural or political environment have on your life?
I found my passion for issues that I was willing to support: equal rights, equal opportunity, environmental impact. I joined the Organization for Student Cultural Awareness. It was such a great group, and I was able to step out of my very small sheltered life and meet so many awesome people.
What accomplishment, related or unrelated to your time at the Mount, makes you most proud?
I studied education at the Mount. But I struggled. One professor told me my junior year that I would not make a good teacher. That was the single worst experience at the Mount. I figured she knew best and I left the department and graduated with a degree in English and a minor in theology. After graduation, I realized that she was wrong and got my master's in urban education when I left the Mount. I have been teaching in urban education for 26 years and I love it. I am good at it, and I help the younger teachers. My Mount educational background started me on this journey—no matter what one professor said. I definitely learned to listen to my own heart and follow my own motivation. No one knows you better than you.
What was it like being involved in other clubs and organizations?
I was part of Mount St. Mary’s College Singers for my freshman and sophomore years. I was terrified at the idea of performing, but learned so much with the experience. I gained confidence and found my voice!
The Singers travelled to California to tour and sing one year. My second year we went to Rome, Italy, and sang in the Vatican for Pope St. John Paul II, and I got to shake his hand and receive a blessing…from the pope who is now a saint! Here’s the best part: professional photographers follow the pope as he shakes hands and blesses people and then they bring the pics to your hotel for you to buy. I have four pictures of the pope blessing me. In the pictures I am holding a framed photo of my boyfriend at the time in uniform; it was Gonzales. The pope blessed him too! I am not going to elaborate on how I then hyperventilated and had to lie on the floor, in a dress, and breathe into a plastic bag. Best Mount experience ever!
Jennifer (and Gonzales) being blessed by Pope St. John Paul II in Italy
Gonzales "Gonz" Wesley Jr., C'90
The Mount is a place of transformation. Growing up in Baltimore City as a young teenager was incredibly challenging. I was fortunate to have the support of my loving parents, sister and extended family. My mother and father knew the importance of a good education and sacrificed for me to have a Catholic education at iconic Baltimore Catholic institutions like Madonna Middle School (Wilkins Ave.) and Mt. St. Joseph High School (a huge producer of Mount men), even though they were not Catholic themselves.
My father suffered a long illness and passed away when I was 16. I had to leave Catholic school and go back to a public school in Baltimore. My first cousin, Nelson Tony Butler, colluded with my mother to get me out of the city to live in Westminster, Maryland. Westminster High School had a program called an 8th semester waiver; it allowed me to graduate high school a semester early if I worked or went to college. Tony Butler drove me to the Mount and showed me the campus, and simply said “I think you should go here, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work to get you here.” Tony was a captain in the Army National Guard and took me into his recruiter’s office and I signed up to go into the Army at 16 years and nine months (emancipated) so I could get the GI Bill.
I applied to the Mount and was accepted for the spring semester of ’86, pending graduation from high school in January. I doubled up on my English and took an extra elective, along with a full semester load. I graduated ahead of my class in January which allowed me to take three new core classes at the Mount; I fell in love with the atmosphere of learning, friendship, camaraderie and the sheer beauty of the Mount.
I never walked across the stage to graduate from high school as my full journey to the Mount was not over yet; I had one more thing to accomplish.
I went off to basic training at age 17 to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, to train as a combat engineer. My Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery scores were high, and I was recruited to go to West Point Prep and continue at the United States Military Academy West Point or go through Officer Candidate School.
Gonzales upon graduation
My love for the Mount was so strong, and my struggle to get there so hard, it gave me the strength to make critical, personal sacrifices, powering through the grueling training. I chose to continue at the Mount and pursue an ROTC Scholarship, while still in the National Guard. (I am a Cold War era soldier as much as I am a Gulf War era veteran.) Four days after I left my advanced individual training, I was on campus, at the Mount, as a member of the Class of ’90! My transformation was just the beginning.
At the Mount, I met my wife Jennifer (Nimon) Wesley, C’92, a woman who loves me, prays for me, and had me blessed by Pope St. John Paul II in 1989. Our souls were bound from that point on, even though the distance and mission focus created by the Army separated us, we found each other 22 years later and have been together for 10 years on February 14, 2020. Thanks, Facebook!
As a lead usher (5:30 Mass) at the Baltimore Basilica [The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary], I was honored to usher for Pope St. John Paul II on his 1995 visit to Baltimore. I learned to serve God. My official conversion to Catholicism occurred at the Mount under the guidance of Monsignor Robert R. Kline, and a seminarian, now ordained named Rev. Dave Ming, brother to one of my best friends and classmates, Dan Ming. Dave guided me through my Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults classes one-on-one and Msgr. Kline baptized and confirmed me at St. Anthony’s, behind the Mount.
What was going on in the world at that time?
Kipkoech “Kip” and Charles Cheruiyot, my roommates, and Peter Rono, went off to run in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, with Peter bringing home the Gold to the Mount.
What, if any, impact did the culture or political environment have on your life?
Operation Just Cause unfolded in December ’89 as I was aggressively fighting for an active duty slot through the ROTC. I was posted in Panama in December of 1990, just in time for a coup attempt by Colonel Herrera, one of Noriega’s men.
In what ways do you think the Mount has changed and stayed the same since you attended?
The atmosphere at the Mount is one of acceptance, inclusion, and diversity—the same as I remember when I attended, even though I believe there were only 12 or 16 black and brown students when I started at the Mount.
What values do you think the Mount should be teaching current students?
Dr. Trainor has breathed life back into the school since taking office in 2017. He visited alumni all over the country to keep us informed and reassure us that the institution was in good hands, which has proven to be true. He is the reason I “encouraged” Antonio to visit the Mount, and “lead a life of significance in service to God and others.”
What lessons or experiences do you hope your son is able to have during his time here?
I want Antonio to develop and grow as a man, not only in book knowledge but in his knowledge and understanding of himself and God. We want Antonio to come to the Mount where he can continue to practice his faith and fellowship comfortably with other people of faith.
Gonzales Antonio Wesley III, C'23
My dad and step-mom brought me here when I was 13 and showed me around and said this is where they met. My dad was an RA and my step-mom had a crush on him. He was walking around and at the bottom of Pangborn stairs my step-mom ran up to him and gave him a big hug and ran away. That started it all. I had no idea this is where I’d end up. I was dead set on going to Rider University because they have a five-year master’s program and their campus looks a lot like this. But when I came here, it just clicked—like everything was right. My parents never pressured me; they supported me in the choices I made.
The connections you make here are for a lifetime. My dad still has lots of Mountie friends. We could be anywhere and when you see another Mountie, you just have this bond. I’ve experienced this being a jumper on the track and field team. We’re nothing but family and there for each other 100% of the time, on and off the track. Coach Jay Phillips was the first coach I talked to and he’s accepting and he’s consistently awesome day in and day out while being supportive and valuing our needs as student-athletes. Especially being a student-athlete, it’s important to make time to practice my faith and I can do that here. I often go to the grotto and sit at the benches overlooking campus to write and contemplate.
The Courtney Family
James P. Courtney Jr., C'60
Judge James P. Courtney Jr. (Ret.), C’60
James with his grandparents James and Elizabeth Courtney
Your first inquiry of what makes the Mount a special place, reinforces in me the observation that if you have never been a part of that experience, no explanation could adequately describe it, and if you have been a part of it, no explanation is necessary.
In the spring of 1956, I found myself driving down to Maryland with several of my fellow high school classmates, who were also basketball players, along with my parish priest, all in a quest to obtain a basketball scholarship for at least one of them. Not that I was in any way a candidate for such an honor, but a day off from school encouraged me to accept the invitation. There was really no need for me to make the trip. After all, I had already sent in my acceptance letter to Notre Dame after a long thought-out debate with myself to either accept the scholarship I was offered from Colgate or the acceptance from such institutions as MIT, Cal Tech and Stevens Institute of Technology. I had relented to my initial instinct and decided I would stay with the Catholic institution.
It was not until we were halfway down to Maryland when Father uttered the words Mount St. Mary’s College. I immediately interrupted him and told him I thought we were going to the University of Maryland. That produced a quick history of what Father identified as the oldest independent Catholic college in America. Interesting, and still, a day off from school.
Living in a city in North Jersey, within the eyesight of the towering buildings of New York City, a journey into the countryside may be interesting and still, a day off from school. I sat back in my seat and took in the view.
The narrowing winding roadway rose and fell as it guided us to a canopy of old graceful trees which then concealed our view of the Blue Ridge Mountains that framed the background of this imposing setting. A sense of calmness seemed to engulf us as we entered the tree laden cavern.
Suddenly, our car slowed and turned to the left. The trees seemed to part as to allow us to gaze upon the surrounding area. We turned to the right and the bright midday sun shown brilliantly upon an immense open field of green that gradually rose up, surrounding large granite buildings that undoubtedly were part of Mount St. Mary’s College.
Maybe because of its sudden appearance, or the scene itself, a sense of awe came upon me as I took my first look at this old venerable college. It was awesome. It was powerful. It was downright beautiful. The massive college buildings, constructed of colorful tan, white and gold like country brick sat comfortable among the brilliant green trees that graced the majestic mountain that ascended over and behind the college campus.
As we stepped out of the car and made our way around campus I was struck with the friendliness of each and every person we passed, whether it was a student, teacher or caretaker, who offered a hello and a welcome. It was then that I knew I had found my new home, and I would have to inform Notre Dame I would not be finding my way to Indiana.
This would also begin a love affair that would last forever.
The first four years seemed to rush by as lifetime friendships were created and fond memories were indelibly placed in my mind. As the momentous May graduation celebration of 1960 came upon us, we all realized that there was, of course, a reason to celebrate all we had accomplished. Yet part of us did not really want it all to end, and we regretted leaving it all behind.
On the day of our graduation, I remember seeing in the Mountain Echo, a cartoon drawing that showed a recent graduate leaving the Mount with remaining students, teachers and staff waving goodbye. The caption underneath said “You never leave the Mount. You are just always on a midterm break.”
How true that was. I was drawn automatically to be involved in the National Alumni Association, becoming instrumental in establishing the Jersey Shore Alumni Chapters and ultimately serving as National Alumni Association president for two terms as well as serving on the Mount’s Board of Trustees. During my term I was instrumental in reactivating old alumni chapters and also being instrumental in establishing new chapters in Florida, California, North Carolina, Ohio and Puerto Rico. I also totally immersed myself in helping the Mount make the move to NCAA Division I Athletics and eventually found myself sitting in the Pyramid Arena at the University of Memphis watching the Mount play the University of Kentucky in our first round of the NCAA National Championship.
However, nothing could be more satisfying than watching three of my own children make that same journey down to Emmitsburg, Maryland, and becoming a part of the Mount family. It provided me with the opportunity on so many occasions to return from that…midterm break and revel in my Mountain Home.
James Courtney IV with his grandparents James and Elizabeth
If I were to seek any further satisfaction, it all occurred on the day that my grandson, James P. Courtney IV joined with his family, in this important legacy that confirms and strengthens the idea that the Mount family will never cease to exist.
Tonight, I will say a prayer for all those families who have taken part in such a similar legacy and also for that good priest who unintentionally hijacked me into a life that I would never change, for even a minute.
James Courtney III, C'88
James Courtney III, C'88
The Mount is often called a special place. What do you think makes it so special?
It’s a combination of a lot of things…the beautiful campus and surroundings, the small close knit Mount community, the variety of characters, and the sense of belonging to an extended family.
What values do you think the Mount should be teaching current students?
Love, kindness, empathy, compassion—all the things that our world is in desperate need of today and the foundations of the Catholic faith that the Mount was founded on.
When you were looking at colleges, what stood out to you about the Mount? Do you think you made the right decision?
I never looked at any other colleges (or at least not seriously). Family trips down to the Mount were very common for my family because of my father. I knew from a very young age it’s where I wanted to be.
When you think about James finishing graduate school, what lessons or experiences do you hope he’s able to have during his time here?
I think he’s already had them: the pride I feel never had anything to do with him attending my alma mater, it was watching him find his way and becoming the exceptional young man he is today. I’m just stoked it was at the Mount.
What accomplishment, related or unrelated to your time at the Mount, makes you most proud?
My family. Meeting my wife was the best thing that ever happened to me. Having three beautiful children and sharing life with them, too, is the icing on the cake.
Please share a story, advice, or anecdote you think current Mount students would enjoy.
Learn as much as you can. Not only about the academics you’re studying, but about yourself, others, life in general and the world around you. Also, try your best to live in the moment. Life is made up of so many moments that only exist in the present; you don’t want to miss any of them. Finally, don’t let the bad experiences consume you. The ones that seem to be devastating at the time will be the ones you’ll laugh about when you share them with others later on in life.
Tell me about your experience playing a sport or being involved in other clubs or organizations at the Mount.
I was part of the Surf Club. It’s odd to have a surf club at a school in the mountains, but it was nice to be around some salty characters with like-minded interests. Even after graduation I’d still find myself traveling to surf with some of the Mount Surf Club crew.
Please share how your faith has helped guide you and your family.
It gave me a career. I’ve taught in the religious studies department at my high school alma mater, Donovan Catholic, for 30 years and counting. It’s helped me to see that love is the answer to discovering the real joy we find in life and it’s up to us to constantly evolve in our understanding of its meaning, significance and potential.
James Courtney IV, C'20, MBA'22
What is one of your earliest memories of the Mount?
I have a few early memories of visiting the Mount as a kid with my family for various reunions. I was too young at the time to really understand what we were there for, but what I do remember is standing in between the apartments, staring up at their top floors, marveling at not only how tall they were, but the noise coming from them, filled with Mounties celebrating their reunions. The buildings seemed ancient and gigantic to me, like castles from a storybook. I didn’t know at the time that I’d eventually learn, work and play in most of these buildings.
What’s one story you remember your father or grandfather telling you?
It’s funny hearing stories from both my grandfather and my father because of how different their experiences were. My grandfather told stories of an all-male campus, nuns doing their laundry, quiet hours after 10 p.m. Judging by my father’s stories, the Mount was a very different school in the ‘80s. My favorite stories from his time at the Mount involved how they always managed to have fun, despite the school and Emmitsburg’s small size. Trips around the mountain sparked interest in the beautiful nature surrounding the school—also usually involving more than a few Milwaukee’s Bests. Living on campus was like living with a few hundred of your best friends, celebrating getting though the week every Friday and Saturday. I believe those community and camaraderie aspects of the Mount still exist today. The overall feel of the Mount seems to be a happy medium between the time periods of my father and grandfather— not as proper as the ‘60s, not as wild as the ‘80s.
James Courtney IV, C'20, MBA'22, at graduation
What does being a legacy student mean to you?
First, it means my connection to the Mount did not start during my freshman year—it’s been a part of my life pretty much since birth. I get to share this connection with two of my role models, my father and my grandfather. The Mount is something we’ve all experienced, and we can enjoy this connection together. I can also enjoy this with my Aunt Lisa, C’87, and Uncle Michael, C’92. I can also feel a sense of pride with being a legacy. Seeing my family members’ names around campus on plaques, bricks or benches makes me proud to not only be a Mountie, but a Courtney.
The Stevenson Family
DJ, Haley, Doreen, Lizzie and Don Stevenson
Don Stevenson, C'85
Do you remember/can you recount your first tour or visit to campus?
It was a beautiful sunny day as we drove up to the Mount. I was excited to meet the coach, see the school, but even more amazed at how beautiful the school looked with all the old stone buildings, the mountain and Mary on the mountain as well. I came from an all-boys Catholic private school in New Jersey (1,200 boys) and just seeing the great co-ed campus was exciting as well. All the other schools I got recruited to just didn’t have the curb appeal the Mount had.
When you were looking at colleges, what stood out to you about the Mount? Do you think you made the right decision?
What stood out the most about the Mount was the beauty of the campus and just the feeling of when I walked on that I belonged there. I visited a number of schools around the same size as the Mount (2K-6K students) as well as a few universities (15K-30K) and I never had the same feeling as I did when I walked on the Mount’s campus. In my freshman year, after lacrosse season, I was thinking about transferring to a bigger lacrosse program, but when I talked with my parents and Randy Kilgore, my coach, and looked at the great friends that I had made, it became evident that the Mount was my home. From that point on, I never looked back.
Don and roommates in 1985 after a home game out on Echo Field (back row, left to right) Ted Walsh, Lenny Day, Jack Lynch (front row, left to right) Don Stevenson, Tim Nolan
What is one of your fondest/enduring memories about your time at the Mount?
I had a ton of great memories at the Mount and to limit it to one would not do it justice. However there were a few. My freshman year was comprised of 30 boys with the same personalities living on the same hall (B-Deck) that enabled a ton of fun. Also, it was the beginning of my lacrosse career at the Mount where myself and the other freshman players were welcomed with open arms by the seniors, juniors and sophomores of the team. It was an instant family where we were included in all the after game and practice events.
On St. Patrick’s Day, the Mount lacrosse team hosted Notre Dame on Echo Field. It was a warm, sunny day and it was the first time the school allowed beer kegs at sporting events. The entire school turned out to cheer us on where we put a real thumping on the Notre Dame lacrosse team.
The year our lacrosse team headed to Bermuda for a spring tournament was memorable and I’m not sure the island would ever be the same or if it was the best decision for our season. We opened the trip up to a number of other students and fun was had by all.
In what ways do you think the Mount has changed and stayed the same since you attended?
The Mount has changed in many ways based on the way the world has changed. They have embraced greater diversity and increased the level of sports and competition. With those changes comes ways in which you need to keep the school spirit at a heightened level and find ways for the kids to engage with each other and support all the sports teams. The Mount does a great job of developing students to be ethical leaders in the workforce and make a difference. What has stayed the same is the extended family atmosphere and the comfort of being on campus.
When you think about DJ and Lizzie graduating, what lessons or experiences do you hope they’re able to have during their time here?
I hope for three things: they have a fun time at the school, maybe not to the level that my friends and I had, but can truly look back and talk about memories many years later; they make lifelong friends like I have done; they learn the value of being ethical in their decision making.
For me, many of the lessons I learned didn’t become evident until I was thrust into the challenges of life. Lacrosse and the coaches at the Mount delivered many of those life lessons. It’s not all about you. It’s about the team and the ability to work toward a common goal to deliver success. In life you practice relentlessly, not to get it right, but to stop getting it wrong. And there’s nothing more important in life than your friends and family. Our coach made it clear on a number of occasions the priorities for us on the team and in general: God, school, family, friends and lacrosse.
Please share how your faith has helped guide you and your family. It has been the guiding light of how I raise my family and what I expect from them in life. My wife and I encourage them to help those less fortunate and to give back to important causes.
DJ Stevenson, C'22
Did you always know you would come to the Mount?
No I didn’t. For multiple years my sisters and I would always reject coming here. Every vacation when we’d travel to Virginia to see our aunt and uncle, my dad would always stop here. I remember one time, in early 2010, we went into Terrace and walked around campus. When the time got closer I went on a couple college visits but coming here was the best—because I knew it and its secrets.
What’s your earliest Mount memory?
One of my earliest memories was hearing about how my dad selected the school. It was between Hobart and Mount St. Mary’s. He said he went to Hobart and it looked gloomy and said ‘I don’t like it here.’ Then he came to the Mount. I always find it funny. One of my best friends and closest family friends goes to Hobart so every year when we play them he always gets text messages from my dad saying “Go Mount.”
As a rugby player, what’s your favorite spot on campus?
The practice pitch or Echo Field. Right now we’re practicing and then in the spring we’ll be competing.
What’s it like being at school with your sister?
When we have breaks, my parents still come down for the weekend and watch games, and we all go out to dinner. It is nice to have my sister here…mostly.
DJ and Lizzie on Echo Field
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Stevenson, C’24
What’s your favorite thing about the Mount now that you’re able to experience it for yourself and not through the experiences of others?
My dad always said it’s a family here. Sometimes when he says stuff, I brush it off, but when my roommate and I first got here and we hung out with each other, we’d walk around campus and it is like a family where others have your best interest in mind. With small class sizes, teachers reach out to you and they’re looking to find the best in each of us.
What’s your earliest Mount memory?
Oh, golly. My earliest Mount memory would be when I came here for an awards ceremony for my dad.
Editor’s note: D.J. Stevenson, C’85, was inducted into the Mount Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992. He finished his career with 133 points on 96 goals and 37 assists and had 26 goals and 13 assists as a senior for the Mountaineers. He was the first Mountaineer to participate in the USILA North-South All-Star game and posted career highs of 33 goals and 42 points his junior season. He was named USILA All-American in 1984 and 1985.
Have you met other legacy students?
I’ve met a bunch. I live in McCaffrey Hall and it feels like the whole hall is legacies. Madison Otterbein, C’24, and I now understand what our dads are always talking about. They knew each other, and we heard the same stories. But they tell us we can’t do the same things they did because we’d get kicked out.
What did you learn from your dad about lacrosse?
He would love to hear this, but probably everything. Since the third grade my dad has always said: ‘Practice how you play. If you can’t put 100% effort into practice, you can’t put 100% effort into the game.’ While men’s and women’s lacrosse is so different, it’s still a mental game. Obviously you’re going to make mistakes, but it’s what you do after you make that mistake that is important. Are you going to go rush to fix that mistake or are you going to put your head down? Your coaches and teammates are there to help you, but ultimately you have to tell yourself you can do it and push yourself to succeed.
The Otterbein Family
(Left to right) Ed Caruso, C'86, Gertrude Caruso (dog), Elke Wharton, C'87, Madison Otterbein, C'24, Bill Otterbein, C'86, James Ottenritter, C'86, and Mark Wharton
Bill Otterbein, C'86
I fell in love with the Mount on my first visit in the spring of 1982. My mother and I drove down from New Jersey for a tour. The campus was beautiful. Students were out everywhere enjoying the sunny day. Our student guide was wonderful. My mom and I were also struck by how everyone said hello and made you feel welcome. They didn’t even know us. I made the decision on the spot that this is where I was going to spend my college days. I never doubted it was the right decision. I did not know at the time what a huge impact the Mount community would have on my life.
When I was at the Mount, Ronald Reagan was president. Reagan brought an era of optimism. The Cold War was still happening, but we did not know it. New wave music, Madonna and Michael Jackson ruled the airwaves on a new thing called MTV. I started out in Sheridan as a freshman, then A-Deck, 1st Dub and C20 as a senior. The only place to find air conditioning was in the academic building or in the apartments (A, B and C Tower). Senior privilege was living in the apartments and maybe a lucky couple of juniors with the right connection.
We watched our Mount basketball team under Coach Phelan make it to the Final Four. Freshman year, Mother Nature dropped three feet of snow on Emmitsburg. I was so sure classes would be cancelled. I was so wrong. I did not do so well on that sociology test. Our intramural team was called Quiet Riot. The same team of guys played together for four years. If you were lucky to be at the Mount in the ‘80s, you will probably remember: covered bridge, Christmas dance, Greaseband/ Embers, Batman, women’s picnic, high rock, baked and fried, Gentleman Jim’s, “Hey Buddy,” the Tudor Room, weekends in the Rat and rugby club “across 15” on Saturday. There was no ARCC. Parent’s Weekend was the best time.
It has been almost 34 years since I left the Mount campus. Through the years, our Mount friendships have thrived. I am so blessed to have these fine gentlemen and ladies in my life. A group of us have a text message stream and exchange messages daily. We never hesitate to pick up the phone to check on each other. We have been to each other’s weddings, celebrated the births of our kids and supported each other in rough times. Our spouses have become an extension of the Mount family. We never miss a chance to get together for a night or weekend. Our families have vacationed together in the Outer Banks. There is always a crew of us at Mount reunions. We love the beach whether it is Dewey Beach, Delaware, or Spring Lake, New Jersey. Road trips are frequent. Some of us play golf and some just show up after for dinner and cocktails. The laughs are many. We love to tell our stories. We never seem to tire of them. I am so blessed to have this family of loyal friends after all these years. Always grateful.
My parents, Bill and Ruthann, loved the Mount as much as I do. My mom and dad strongly believed in Catholic education. My four siblings and I are all products of 16 years of Catholic schools. My sister, Mary Pat, C’89, is a Mountie. My brother Don, sisters Lynne and Coleen, graduated from Villanova. Don spent a couple of spring breaks at the Mount. Don married a Mountie, Teresa (Horstman) Otterbein, C’89. My wife Kathy and I followed my parent’s faith in Catholic education. All four of our children Tyler, Griffin, Liam and Madison have attended Catholic schools through high school. Kathy and I are so proud of who they are becoming as young adults.
Madison, C’24, is a freshman at the Mount. Kathy and I encouraged her to look at other colleges to make an informed decision. After one college visit at another university, Madison just turned to her mom and said ‘I want to go to the Mount.’ To say I was a little excited is an understatement. I am still trying to play it cool. In fact, all her Mount aunts and uncles are just as excited. Madison may be the only one who can still sit through the Mount stories we love to tell.
You cannot compare 1986 to 2020. My wish for Madison is to have her own memorable Mount experience. Not my experience. Her experience. I want her to be open to opportunities, because you just do not know when you are making a memory.
We live in a world that is polarized and at odds. The world demands big changes, but I believe it starts with small steps. “Be the change you want to see in the world.” We all do not have to agree but we need to be respectful of each other. Be accountable for your actions. Offer a kind word of encouragement. A simple please and thank you goes a long way. Hold a door. Check on a neighbor. Be a mentor to someone.
The Mount challenges us all to live substantially. The Catholic education the Mount provides is life changing. When you leave Mary’s Mountain, you become an ambassador for the Mount. Your education is a gift to be shared with others. When you get where you are going, do not forget to turn around and offer a hand up to those behind you. Every smile, every kind word, every door held open may just be the encouragement that person needs in that moment.
Madison Otterbein, C’24
My favorite thing about the Mount is the people. Everyone here is so generous and kind. I have never felt so welcomed in a place before. I also like how beautiful our campus is. I walk around campus just amazed and lucky to be here, especially with everything going on in the world with COVID-19.
My earliest memory of the Mount was my dad bringing me here for his reunion. We stayed in the cottages, ate at the Ott House, and met so many alumni telling their stories about their time at the Mount. It was so much fun and amazing to see how no matter how much time had passed, they all had an equal love and appreciation for this place.
The thing that makes the Mount special is 100% the people. Without the people, my dad wouldn't have the friends and the memories he has carried with him all throughout life. He has known these people for close to 35 years and every time he sees the friends he made here, it is as if they were right back at the Mount. Without the people, I don't think I would be here having the time of my life.
My dad has certainly told me a lot of stories about his glory days, so it is hard to pick my favorite; they are all great. I especially liked hearing about my dad's experiences being an RA and all the stuff he had to deal with concerning the freshmen.
To me, being a legacy is being lucky enough to understand what my dad saw here. I never fully understood why he was so obsessed with college, the Mount to be exact, until I was here and really experiencing it. Being a legacy is adding to the love my dad has for the Mount; it is being a part of something that is so beautiful and adds to a tradition.
Faith has always been important to me. I went to a Catholic high school, so faith has been and always will be part of my life. And I get to continue that here. Faith has guided me through high school, through college applications and to the Mount. Everything happens for a reason and faith has shown me that I am at the Mount for a reason.
Madison and her dad
