NAA President's Letter

DEAR MOUNT ALUMNI,

It has been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life to serve as your National Alumni Association (NAA) president. I cannot believe the time has come to write my final letter to you; these four years have flown by so quickly. My appreciation of the Mount has grown even stronger. I’ve met so many wonderful people who have become part of my Mount family. Mounties are a special breed and I’m fortunate to call myself one!

When I took the oath to become your NAA president, one of my primary goals was to increase the presence of our alumni association. Four years later, I am pleased with the reach the NAA has with fellow alumni. For example, we just had the most successful One Mount One Day in our history and more voters turned out this past election than in the previous four. The NAA chartered additional alumni chapters and increased the number of chapter events throughout the regions (prior to COVID-19). When COVID-19 hit, we offered alumni webinars and have seen an increase in our attendees to our NAA meetings.

I am thrilled to announce our new leadership, which you can learn more about on the following page. I am confident that they will continue my legacy by growing the engagement of our fellow alumni with the association and the Mount. I am happy that Susan Janowiak, C'81, will succeed me as president of the NAA. Sue brings 25 years of NAA experience and was executive vice president of the NAA for the past four years. Sue’s passion for the Mount will continue to engage our alumni.

Though we were unable to see each other in person for the past two reunions due to the pandemic, I look forward to seeing many of you at the combined reunion weekend 2020 and 2021 in October. Registration opens in early July. Please make sure to let the Mount know you are coming! Also, don’t forget to book your rooms at one of the local area hotels. This will be my 35th reunion, and I already have my room booked!

I couldn’t close my final letter without again addressing the success of this year’s One Mount One Day! Alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, administration and students raised more than $333,000 for the university.

Thank you to all who participated and made this year’s giving day such a record-breaking success. Thank you again for welcoming me as your NAA president four short years ago and supporting me throughout my two terms. This is not goodbye. I love the Mount too much, so you can count on seeing me at various alumni and university events. Go Mount!

Sincerely,

Ed Caruso, C'86

National Alumni Association President

Meet your New NAA Council

President: Susan Janowiak, C’81

Susan Janowiak, C'81

I am proud and humbled to be writing to you for the first time as president of the Mount’s National Alumni Association. I came to the Mount in 1977 as a studentathlete and was lucky enough to have successful basketball and track careers, for which I was inducted into the hall of fame. However, I graduated with much more than an athletic career; I acquired a world-class education that led me to a successful 36-year career of service with the Environmental Protection Agency, lifelong friendships and a strong commitment to the Mount.

I originally ran for a position on the National Alumni Association to give back to the Mount. Alumni associations are critical to the schools they support. I have represented the Mount in its past and present and want to play a stronger role in its future. Now that I have been retired for nearly four years, I have more time to dedicate to bringing the Mount community together.

Life goes in many different directions, but as alumni we share a passion for the Mount. As president, I want to support and enhance the connections that alumni developed with their peers and with the university itself. I look forward to hearing ideas and needs from the many Mount alumni throughout the country and abroad. I’d like to increase alumni involvement and opportunities for alumni to meet one another, network, share memories and promote the Mount to a new generation of graduates.

We are a diverse and vibrant community. I am proud of who we are—and I am excited for the future. I invite you to join me as we continue to strengthen relationships and build the Mount family.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT: FRANK MCSHALLEY, C’85

Frank McShalley, C'85

VICE PRESIDENT: CHARLOTTE BARRY, C’15, MBA’20

Charlotte Barry, C'15, MBA'20

SEMINARY VICE PRESIDENT: REV. DOUG KENNEY, C’95, S’99

Rev. Doug Kenny, C'95, S'99

COUNCIL MEMBERS:

* Term ends 2023 ** Term ends 2025

TIM BUCK, C’87**

JACK CAUSA, C’76**

MICHAEL CONNOLLY, C’75**

LYNN MILLER DEAN, C’88**

JASON EPPS, C’05*

CHRISSY GAUL, C’96*

MARIE GRANEY, C’08**

DICK HART, C’65*

ROBERT A. HERB, C’78*

KATHERINE MARSHALL, C’77**

JOANNE WEED MCSHALLEY, C’83*

LARRY ORENDORFF, C’65*

REV. COLLIN POSTON, S’03**

ROB WEED, C’93*

Want to get involved?

Visit msmary.edu/naa to learn more about the association and find your regional chapter.