Mount Saint Mary College Magazine – Summer 2019

Mount Saint Mary College

MAGAZINE NEWBURGH, NEW YORK

SUMMER 2019

Spirit of the Mount Shining through the decades: Celebrating 60 years

Whittaker Hall at sunrise Photo by Lee Ferris

“Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

St. Catherine of Siena

16 Sullivan, Davidson, O’Keefe, and Force: Pillars of the Mount

INSIDE 4 News 42 Sports 48 Alumni notes 52 Fundraising fun 56 Academy profile

14 Twins at the Mount

26 Class of 2019

36 Championing literacy

40 Helping nonprofits

43 NCAA tournament

46 Alumnus leads county

52 Fun with faculty

54 Golf & Tennis event

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MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Letter from the President To the Mount Saint Mary College Community,

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arlier this spring, I outlined a new vision for the Mount: We are going to become the most community-engaged and service-oriented college in the country.

What does this mean – and what does it look like?

Most institutions have an office, center, or program dedicated to service-learning or community engagement. At the Mount, we are going to restructure the DNA of the entire institution to achieve this purpose.

In other words, we are going to make a total institutional commitment to designing and delivering curricular and co-curricular programs that positively impact the local community.

This isn’t just about service and volunteerism; it’s about using and applying the intellectual curiosity and creativity of faculty, students, and staff to address concrete social problems – and devoting all our energies to making a sustained impact on the lives of our fellow citizens.

Our goal will be to implement a broad range of highimpact practices related to service-learning to address recruitment, retention, student engagement, learning outcomes, and graduation rates – and most importantly, help improve the lives of our fellow Newburgh residents.

This new, comprehensive vision for the Mount honors the earliest origins of the college itself – and builds upon the mission of service, outreach, and community engagement that the Dominican Sisters established when they first founded the order in Newburgh.

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Moreover, this vision is directly aligned with the long and distinguished history of Catholic social teaching and the Dominican Charism, reflecting the best of what Catholic higher education has to offer students and families in the 21st century.

All indications are that the next generation of students – dubbed “Gen Z” – has a significant desire to engage in volunteerism. In fact, according to a recent research report, Gen Z “… represents a shifting relationship to service and volunteering, with more young people focused on solving a problem than serving a need. They don’t see serving their communities as an event outside of their other life experiences. They plan to work in careers that positively impact the world.

With their interest in invention and social entrepreneurship as a way to contribute to addressing social issues, serving the community and going to work are likely going to be one in the same.”

With our new focus on service and community engagement, we will have a clear, meaningful message for potential students, parents, donors, and institutional partners. Moreover, this will also help the Mount showcase – and build upon – its long tradition of success in the “helping professions” of Nursing, Psychology, and Education, while challenging other programs on campus to demonstrate how work in their area can contribute to the larger social good.

We are proud of the Mount’s excellent record of community service, and excited to see what we can accomplish together in the future.

Dr. Jason N. Adsit, President

EDITOR / DESIGN DIRECTOR Dean DiMarzo MBA ’13

SENIOR WRITERS Matt Frey ’05 MSEd ’10 Emily Ricci ’15 COPYEDITORS Lauren Giacalone Tabatha Mays ’14

DESIGNER Sten Miller Perkins PHOTOGRAPHER Lee Ferris CONTRIBUTORS Michael Doughty Lynn Frank Michelle Iacuessa ’94 www.msmc.edu

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News&Notes Happenings at the Mount

BMX champ talks sports, redemption

Former BMX champion Tony Hoffman discussed his athletic triumphs, his personal struggles with addiction, and the road to redemption. Today, Hoffman has dedicated his life to bringing awareness to prescription pill and heroin abuse.

Visiting the UN

Through a Career Center initiative, nearly a dozen Mount students toured the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. During the visit, the scholars learned how the UN addresses issues such as global security, human rights, and sustainable development.

The goats with the most

The Mount recently welcomed some new kids to campus for a session of goat yoga. Students began lining up an hour and a half before the event for a chance to practice their yoga poses with a trio of friendly goats for company.

Book drive aids Armory

Alumni donated selected books to young readers of the Newburgh Armory Unity Center. The Mount regularly volunteers in education programs at the Armory. Above: Michelle Iacuessa, Director of Alumni Affairs

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The bald and the beautiful

Three brave students lost their locks at the college’s third annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation head shaving. From left: Loraine Oswald, Amanda Daigle, and Christina Pinho. The event raised more than $800 to fight childhood cancer.

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Knights in the Community

The Mount’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams recently hosted Special Olympics athletes for a program of coaching, drills, and games on the Mount’s court.

The inner workings of Wall Street

Two dozen Mount students got an inside look at the business of investing at the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan. The trip is offered periodically by the Career Center and the Student Business Association.

Dominican Scholars celebrate service

The Dominican Scholars of Hope celebrated wrapping up another year of service with an award ceremony. Under the leadership of Professor Charles Zola, the scholars have donated hundreds of dollars to local charities.

Take Back the Night

Students raised awareness of violence and honored those who have been impacted by it with a Take Back the Night march and candlelight vigil, which drew about 100 participants. A few days later, the Mount community hosted a Take Back the Day 5K color run around campus.

Party on

Honoring our veterans

Operation Students Supporting Military (OSSM) thanked veterans for their service upon their return from the Hudson Valley Honor Flight program. The veterans arrived at Stewart Airport to the sound of cheering crowds.

Play ball!

For nearly 20 Sports Management students, an educational trip to Citi Field was a home run. The group toured the facility, and met with the head of groundskeeping. Students learned about maintaining the grass, the composition of the infield dirt, and the in-ground system that moves water away from the field.

Gray skies didn’t dampen the spirit of the Mount community as students celebrated Spring Weekend, an annual, on-campus festival held near the end of the academic year. Students enjoyed a block party with food, games, dancing, student performances, and more. www.msmc.edu

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News&Notes Exciting new academic programs

Starting this fall, the Mount will offer two new majors that were formerly Media Studies concentrations: Journalism and Digital Media Production.

Journalism focuses on writing for print, digital, and broadcast media. Digital Media Production cultivates production skills, including video and audio; writing for broadcast; and strategies for internet distribution. Both majors are part of the Communication, Art, and Digital Media program. Housed in the Division of Arts and Letters, the program prepares students for traditional and emerging professions. It is overseen by Professor Dean Goldberg.

In the fall of 2020, the new Cybersecurity major will be offered by the Division of Mathematics and Information Technology. The major offers theoretical and hands-on skills to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in software, operating systems, networks, and more.

Cybersecurity will continue to be offered as a concentration as well.

The college also added a new Legal Studies minor, designed to assist students in developing the communicative, analytical, and methodological skills important to the legal profession. Under the guidance of Professor Michael Fox, the minor provides guidance for employment in the public or private sector, or admittance to law or graduate school. The minor consists of courses in Criminology, Sociology, and Political Science.

Diane von Arx demonstrates calligraphy at Kaplan Family Library.

Master calligrapher reveals artistic process behind Saint John’s Bible

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er renowned skill has taken calligrapher and graphic artist Diane von Arx on a lifelong artistic journey, but it was her work on the majestic Saint John’s Bible, the first hand-lettered and handilluminated Bible created in more than 500 years, that has become the defining moment of her career.

In her presentation, “Making a Masterpiece: The Saint John’s Bible Through an Artist’s Lens,” von Arx explored the role of the artist in the creation of this one-of-a-kind tome, and discussed how an international group of artists, scribes, and theologians achieved such a massive and complex undertaking.

As a member of the artistic team for the Saint John’s Bible, von Arx and many others used medieval inks, materials, and methods to create the masterpiece over a period of 15 years. Commissioned by the Benedictine monks of St. John’s Abbey, it was made using quill pens and special inks comprised of condensed candle smoke and egg yolk.

She worked under the direction of Donald Jackson, world famous calligrapher. “What Donald would always say is ‘you might do this or you might do that, but in the end, it’s yours.’ That was humbling, but very frightening,” she explained.

The talk was made possible by the Mount’s Samuel D. Affron Memorial Lecture Series and the Affron family.

For Education students, the Mount recently unveiled an advanced certificate in Gifted Education. This four-course, 12-credit, graduate-level program provides certified teachers and administrators with expertise in serving the needs of gifted and talented kindergarteners to 12th graders. Mount students will earn this certification in one year through a hybrid (part in person, part online) program. This certification is coordinated by Professor Vicki Caruana.

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MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Demystifying financial aid

The Mount’s recent “Affording College: Where Do You Start?” workshop demystified financial aid and tax preparation questions for more than a dozen local families. A variety of professionals, including Mount students, faculty, and staff, consulted with families oneon-one about their college planning process. They discussed FAFSA and college financial aid/award packages, shared general college affordability tips, and more.

A concert of hope

Mount Saint Mary College, in partnership with the Jewish Family Service of Orange County and SageArts, honored local holocaust survivors through film, artwork, and song on Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day. “Holocaust Survivors: A Concert of Resilience and Hope” featured songs written with local Holocaust survivors that express their life experience. Eight survivors were recognized: Khaia Bondar, Friede Gorewitz, Héléne Kaplan, Khaim Lisnyansky, Rita Schwartz, Tibor Spitz, Amos Sunshine, and Tommy Wald.

Four faculty, staff retire

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his academic year, the Mount bids a fond farewell to four outstanding professionals with more than a century of service to the college community between them.

Margaret Bussigel, professor of Sociology, enjoyed helping students to apply sociological perspectives to their understanding of the world around them. One of her most notable projects, which was funded by the Department of Social Services, evaluated a new approach to providing services for victims of domestic violence. Bussigel also helped to launch the Center for Community Engagement, which provides service learning resources for faculty members.

Dr. James DiLorenzo, consulting physician, has been aiding students at the Health and Wellness Center since 1980. A Newburgh native, Dr. DiLorenzo joined the St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital Medical Group in 2011, where he still serves patients. Part of the Mount community for almost 40 years, he feels privileged to have watched the college grow in many ways.

Sr. Margaret “Peggy” Murphy, OP, professor of Religious Stud-

New Mount retirees, left to right: Sr. Margaret “Peggy” Murphy, OP, professor of Religious Studies; Dr. James DiLorenzo, consulting physician; Margaret Bussigel, professor of Sociology; and Stanley Pycior, professor of History

ies, has served the Mount community since 1999 and has been a Dominican Sister since 1962. She has been a national conference speaker on child development and mental health issues, and is a New York State Certified Substance Abuse Counselor.

She was the illustrious leader of the Mount’s Heritage Tour and has taught hundreds of students about Dominican spirituality, world religions, and more.

Stanley Pycior, a professor of History at the Mount, has been enriching the college community since 1992. In addition to teaching, Pycior served as Chair of the Division of Social Sciences and mentored countless students. One of his greatest joys is keeping his knowledge of history fresh and vibrant, including a sabbatical where he spent weeks poring over the League of Nations archives in Geneva, Switzerland. www.msmc.edu

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News&Notes

Scholars thank benefactors

Student scholarship was the main course at the recent Scholarship Benefactors Brunch, which allowed the college community to thank the many generous donors who provide endowed scholarships for Mount students. At the event, friends of the college enjoyed meeting with their beneficiaries.

Presenting research on campus

James Phillips, associate professor of Theatre, and alumna Rebecca Gordils ’16 kicked off this semester’s Investigating Research on Campus (iROC) series by discussing their ongoing video interview project documenting the history of the Dominican Sisters of Hope.

Other iROC talks in the Spring 2019 semester were “Histories of the Men Who Graduated from the Alexian Brothers Hospital School of Nursing” by Susan LaRocco, Dean of the School of Nursing; “Birth Plans Gone Awry: Reactions, Reassurances, and Regrets” by Yasmine Konheim-Kalkstein, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs; “Cybersecurity Curriculum at Your Finger Tips: A Usability Study of CLARK Digital Repository” by Sagar Raina, assistant professor of Information Technology; “Direct-to-Consumer DNA Tests: Hype or Hope?” by Evan Merkhofer, assistant professor of Biology; an examination of the Gerard Manley Hopkins poem “The Windhover” by James Finn Cotter, professor of English; and “The Sacrifice of Elizabeth Eckford: Danielle Allen and María Zambrano on Democratic Citizenship” by Victor Azuaje, associate professor of Hispanic Studies.

The annual iROC student research symposium once again closed out the popular series for the semester.

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Kaplan Library celebrates fifth anniversary

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he Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center marked its fifth anniversary in the Spring 2019 semester with a celebration Mass, a showing of the college’s recently-obtained Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition, and birthday cake for all.

After the special Mass celebrated

by Fr. Gregoire Fluet, chaplain and director of Campus Ministry, the Mount community gathered to learn about the library’s history from Mount President Dr. Jason Adsit and Library Director Barbara Petruzzelli.

Dr. Adsit then cut the first piece of birthday cake.

Students, faculty, and staff also enjoyed a viewing of the majestic Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition, which the Mount recently acquired.

Longtime English professor James Finn Cotter discussed the intricacies of the Saint John’s Bible and others like it in his talk “The Book within the Book in Medieval Illumination.”

Five years ago in January, the

Mount community gathered to form a human chain, and passed 25 selected books to the college’s state-of-theart library. The chain spanned from Aquinas Hall – home of the former Curtin Memorial Library – up the hill to the Dominican Center, site of the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center. Cotter started the books off at the old library.

The chain mirrored a similar event in Mount history, when students and faculty helped move the library contents from the Villa Madonna to Aquinas Hall in 1963.

In just a few years, the Kaplan Family Library has become a staple of the college. On top of cutting-edge digital information and a wealth of printed materials, the library serves as a venue for many of the college’s free, public talks, including the Investigating Research on Campus (iROC) series, as well as talks sponsored by the college’s prestigious Catholic and Dominican Institute.

13th Annual Library Week

offices across campus. Another highlight was a talk by Madelyn Folino, director of the Florida Public Library in Florida, N.Y., titled “Defending a Dangerous Book.” Folino, a 1973 graduate of the Mount, revealed how she came to protect a children’s storybook, King & King, against efforts to have it banned from the Florida Public Library system.

The 13th Annual Library Week at Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center took an in-depth look at banned books in public schools and libraries, and the reasons why they were challenged. Events kicked off with The Amazing Banned Book Race, where students searched for selected banned books in academic

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Fitzsimmons snags Forty Under 40 award

Heather Fitzsimmons, a career counselor with the Career Center, earned a Forty Under 40 Mover and Shaker Award from the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

In her role as a Mount career counselor, Fitzsimmons is a driven educator and advocate for students. She helps Mount scholars to network with local and regional business leaders, obtain internships, and prepare for the job market. In addition, she passionately engages in community events to help cultivate new opportunities for students at the college. “I want to help others find their passion and achieve their goals,” she said.

Workplace wellness award The Mount recently received Orange County’s Health and Wellness Gold Medal for Excellence from the Orange County Chamber of Commerce.

The college received the award for its ongoing efforts to increase wellness on campus for students, faculty, and staff.

Facilitating these efforts is the Employee Wellness Committee, comprised of representatives from the Mount’s offices of Health Services, Human Resources, Athletics, Campus Ministry, Counseling Services, the Mount’s food service provider Parkhurst Dining, faculty members, and more.

Annual health fair

The 26th annual Beth Roeper Health and Wellness Fair at the Mount featured free health screenings, interactive exhibits, door prizes, and raffles.

About 40 vendors attended, including healthcare organizations, medical insurance companies, and more. It was sponsored by the Health Services

Megan Rossi ’13, Study Abroad coordinator at the Mount, shares her experiences in the Peace Corps.

‘Travel To’ series celebrates worldly scholars

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egan Rossi ’13, Study Abroad coordinator at the Mount, always dreamed of visiting Africa – and soon after graduating, the Peace Corps gave her the chance.

The Mount community celebrates scholarship on a global scale with the “Travel To” series, which kicked off the Spring 2019 semester with a discussion of Rossi’s three-year volunteer mission to Malawi.

Malawi, located near Zambia and Zimbabwe, is about the size of Pennsylvania, but is home to nearly 20 million people.

Rossi taught classes on public health topics, such as making sure children were receiving proper nutrition. She also discussed the prevention of AIDS and malaria, as both are somewhat common in Malawi. During her time with the Peace Corps, Rossi helped to distribute more than 9 million bed nets

to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria.

Next, Susan LaRocco, Dean of the School of Nursing, discussed her Fulbright Scholar experience in the country of Jordan. Her time abroad was spent teaching at the University of Jordan in Amman, and researching where male Jordanian nurses stand in their profession and culture.

Chalondra Garrett ’19 rounded out the series with a presentation on her trip to Japan. Garrett studied in Japan for about a month last summer.

After a grueling 26-hour flight, she settled into her apartment-like hotel room and was immersed in Japanese culture. She studied at Seisen University in Higashigotanda, Shinigawa City, Tokyo, an all-women’s private Catholic college.

The series is sponsored by the college’s Career Center and coordinated

by Rossi.

Wellness Center on campus and David Melby with the Rose & Kiernan Inc. insurance agency.

Life, love, and soccer

A young soccer team faced adversity on the field and in their personal lives in the Mount’s presentation of The Wolves

by Sarah DeLappe. Director James Phillips, associate professor of Theatre, said, “It’s as naturalistic of a play as I’ve probably ever done…The girls are all in this space in their junior year of high school wondering what comes next.

‘Do I get a college scholarship to play soccer? Is this the last time I’ll get to play the sport I love?’ They love each other, and they hate each other at times – they’re a team.” www.msmc.edu

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Mount students mentor the next generation of nurses

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rom hands-on lab activities to one-on-one training sessions, Mount Nursing majors mentored nearly 50 high school students from Newburgh Free Academy, to enhance their academic performance and prepare them for careers in healthcare.

Peer Achievement through Leadership and Scholarship (PALS), sponsored by the Mount’s School of Nursing, is a five-week program aimed at inspiring academic success in the students enrolled in NFA North campus’ Nurse Aid Training program.

“It’s important to give back to the community,” noted Nicholas Terzulli ’19, one of the Mount Nursing mentors and president of the college’s Nursing Student Union until his graduation in May. “When I was a high school student, I remember the stress of [transitioning to] college. I wish I had someone to look up to. I want to be that person for them.”

Two new fellows Anne-Marie Uebbing, an associate Nursing professor, was named a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. Uebbing will be inducted at the Academy’s 172nd Annual Discourse & Awards and Annual Meeting of the Fellows in November 2019. Priscilla L. Sagar, Mount professor emerita of Nursing, was Uebbing’s sponsor.

Thuy Linh Nguyen, associate professor of History, was awarded the Frederick Burkhardt Residential Fellowship for Recently Tenured Scholars by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

During the fellowship year of 20192020, Nguyen will be a visiting scholar at Yale University’s Center on Southeast Asian studies.

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Mount Nursing students mentored about 50 Newburgh Free Academy students who are interested in the healthcare field. Here, Mount Nursing student Shannon Christiano highlights the Mount’s nursing lab.

Through workshops, nursingrelated tutoring, visits to the Mount’s state-of-the-art nursing laboratories, and more, Mount mentors are fostering excellence in the next generation of students interested in careers in healthcare. By providing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to be successful at the college level, the PALS program puts these NFA students on the fast-track to success.

The Mount mentors also make

Teach the Change invigorates educators The annual Teach the Change conference inspired 150 current and future teachers. Keynote speaker Alhassan Susso, the 2019 New York State Teacher of the Year, said that only a “transformational teacher” can “make you do the things you don’t want to do, so that you can become the outstanding man or woman you’ve always known you can be.” Susso encouraged everyone to become transformational educators in their own classrooms.

The conference also featured Debra Calvino ’81, the 2010 New York State Teacher of the Year and an OrangeUlster BOCES Instructional Support Specialist; Dana McDonough ’91 MSEd ’00, the 2016 New York State Teacher of the Year and a literary specialist at

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

classroom visits to the NFA North campus to offer their mentees support in coursework, study, and other skills necessary for a successful transition from high school to college.

According to program coordinators Linda Kelly, assistant professor of Nursing at the Mount, and Linda Romano, Health Sciences Educator at NFA North, PALS highlights three pillars of Dominican life: study, service, and community.

Horizons on Hudson; Vanessa Hurst ’07 MSEd ’10, an English and special education teacher at Ossining High School; Angelo LaRossa Jr. ’09, a Global II teacher at Newburgh Free Academy Main Campus; and Janaina BarhamMiddleton MSEd ’13, a special education teacher at Newburgh Free Academy’s Main Campus.

Literacy conference draws hundreds From nurturing a love of reading in preschoolers to examining the Civil Rights movement through children’s literature, the Mount’s 26th Annual Conference on Literacy offered more than a dozen workshops related to literacy and unique classroom applications.

Spearheaded by the college’s Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning

The panelists were Anthony Scardillo, assistant professor of Marketing; Paola Martinez, HEOP academic counselor; Linda Kelly, assistant professor of Nursing; Veronica McMillan, assistant professor of Healthcare Management; and Clarisa Rosario-DeGrote, student staff coordinator at the college’s library. The discussion allowed the audience, many of whom are first generation college students themselves, to ask the panelists questions about their experiences, such as pressures related to being the first to graduate in one’s family.

FROM LEFT: Sr. Constance Kelly ’84 MSEd ’95, OP; Sr. Patricia E. Magee ’81 MSEd ’88, OP; Sr. Catherine (Cass) McDonnell ’69, OP; Sr. Margaret Anderson ’67, OP, and Sr. Elizabeth Menard, OP

Dominican Sisters elect new leadership

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he Dominican Sisters of Hope recently announced the election of their new leadership team, which includes several Mount Saint Mary College alumnae.

The Dominican Sisters founded Mount Saint Mary College in 1959, using as a guideline the four pillars of Dominican life: study, spirituality, service, and community.

In 1995, three branches of Dominican Sisters – Newburgh, N.Y., Ossining, N.Y., and Fall River, Mass. – consolidated into the Dominican Sisters of Hope, bringing together three cultures and histories into one.

Sr. Catherine (Cass) McDonnell ’69, OP, vice chancellor for Urban Ministry and Planning for the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., was elected Prioress.

Mount trustees Sr. Patricia E. Magee ’81 MSEd ’88, OP, a special

(CELL), the theme was “Literacy for Hope and Change.” The conference concluded with a keynote speech by author Jacqueline Woodson, formerly the Young People’s Poet Laureate.

Recently, the Library of Congress, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader appointed Woodson as their 2018-2019 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

“When we read, it changes us,” she

education coordinator at MidHudson Regional Early Education Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Sr. Constance Kelly ’84 MSEd ’95, OP, a member of the Sisters’ previous leadership team, were elected councilors.

Also elected councilors were Sr. Margaret Anderson ’67, OP, former Mount Board vice chair and member of the previous leadership team, and Sr. Elizabeth Menard, OP, formerly regional director of Christian Formation for the Ogdensburg Diocese.

The new leadership team began their roles on June 22. They will serve a five-year term.

The Dominican Sisters of Hope noted that they are grateful to the present and newly-elected leadership teams for their willingness to serve. The community looks forward to continuing to joyfully preach the transforming power of Hope to the world.

said. “It’s important for young people to have both mirrors and windows – mirrors where they see reflections of themselves in the book, and windows where they see other ways of being.”

First generation college students panel

A panel of faculty and staff, all of whom were first generation college students, recently shared their experiences at the “Hear My Story” talk on campus.

FROM LEFT: Andres Carpio, former HEOP academic counselor; Giselle Martinez; Stephanie Ortiz; Ashely Mejia; and Kelvin Herrera-Hassan, HEOP director.

Learning to be leaders

Three students from the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) represented the Mount at the National Student Leadership Diversity Convention in San Francisco: Giselle Martinez, Ashely Mejia, and Stephanie Ortiz.

They were joined by Kelvin HerreraHassan, HEOP director; and Andres Carpio, former HEOP academic counselor. The convention is the largest national gathering of student leaders and advisors that focuses on diversity and inclusion in American colleges.

CADP reduces caregiver stress

The Center on Aging and Disability Policy (CADP) recently presented the Train-the-Trainer Conference, which focused on stress reduction for family caregivers. The conference was an extension of CADP’s ProActive Caring program for caregivers of infants, children, adolescents, and adults with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. ProActive Caring aims to teach effective coping mechanisms for short- and long-term stressful situations. The training was funded by the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. www.msmc.edu

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Academics LEFT TO RIGHT: Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, OP, a member of Mount Saint Mary College’s Board of Trustees; Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of Mount Saint Mary College; Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, director of the Thomistic Institute in Washington, D.C.; and Charles Zola, assistant to the president for Mission Integration, associate professor of Philosophy, and director of the Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute

Scholars study Thomistic philosophy at annual workshop ‘AQUINAS ON HUMAN ACTION AND VIRTUE’ MARKS NINTH YEAR FOR FLAGSHIP SERIES

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bout 100 scholars from around the world explored the wisdom of 13th century Dominican friar St. Thomas Aquinas at Mount Saint Mary College’s ninth annual Philosophy Workshop.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Aquinas on Human Action and Virtue.” Presentations shed light on St. Thomas Aquinas’s views on distinguishing between moral and amoral acts, examining what makes an act voluntary, and discussing factors that undermine moral responsibility.

The scholars were welcomed to the conference by Dr. Jason N. Adsit, Mount president; Charles Zola, assistant to the president for Mission Integration, associate professor of Philosophy, and director of the Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute; and Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, director of the Thomistic Institute in Washington, D.C. The conference was organized by Zola and Fr. Legge.

“It’s wonderful for us to see a large and growing interest in Aquinas’s

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philosophy in contemporary academia, but there’s relatively few opportunities to get deep exposure to his philosophy,” Fr. Legge explained. And so, the yearly Mount conference has created a gathering point for the global Aquinas community, he said: “It’s a little bit like a family reunion every year.”

Since its inception nine years ago, the philosophy workshop has become “the preeminent event of its kind, drawing scholars from around the globe,” Zola explained. “It inspires great debate, advances research, and fosters community among those individuals studying these topics. We are honored to play host to this academic event at Mount Saint Mary College.”

Dr. Adsit was pleased to see the annual workshop continuing to thrive at the Mount year after year.

“This conference matters,” he said to the scholars. “It matters for the students who come here, for the wonderful intellectuals who come to deliver their talks, and it’s amazing for Mount Saint Mary College to be able to host this event. This

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

college will continue to welcome you long into the future.”

This year’s presenters were Fr. James Brent, OP of the Dominican House of Studies; Fr. Stephen Brock of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross; Edward Feser of Pasadena City College; Alfred Freddoso of the University of Notre Dame; Steven Long of Ave Maria University; John O’Callaghan of the University of Notre Dame; and Fr. Michael Sherwin, OP of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

The workshop was sponsored by the Catholic and Dominican Institute (CDI), The Thomistic Institute of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., and The Notre Dame Center for Ethics & Culture in Indiana.

CDI promotes the Mount’s heritage of St. Dominic, advances the Dominican charism of study and service, provides a forum for discussion of contemporary ethical issues, and enhances Catholic and Jewish dialogue.

Spotlight: Mount Authors Victor Azuaje, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies Book: Bajo la sombra de Azazel: sacrificio, alegoría, y conflicto social en Ramos Sucre. Published in: FBLibros: Caracas, 2018

Article: “Sequences of Phrase and Feeling in ‘The Windhover’” Published in: Religion and the Arts, v.22, 2018, p.488-500

Janine Bixler, Professor of Education; and Rebecca Norman, Associate Professor of Education Article: “Engaging learners in multimodal meaning making to inspire writing” Published in: Michigan Reading Journal v.50, n.3, 2018, p.30-37

Book: Primer for an evolving eWorld, Kendall Hunt Publishing, 2019

Christine Berté, Associate Professor of Nursing, Director of Graduate Nursing Programs Article: “Educating Advanced Practice Nursing Students Toward Ethical Behaviors” Published in: Journal of Christian Nursing, v.35, n.2, April-June 2018, p.81 Beth Boyd, Assistant Professor of Nursing (with J. Lipscomb and C. Okechukwu) Encyclopedia article: “Workplace violence” Published in: Encyclopedia of Nursing Research, 2018, J.J.Fitzpatrick ( Ed.), New York, NY: Spring (pp.794-797) James Finn Cotter, Professor of English Book review: “The Collected Works of Gerard Manley Hopkins: Volume V: Sermons and Spiritual Writings, edited by Jude V. Nixon and Noel Barber, S.J.” Published in: The Hopkins Quarterly v.45, n3-4, Summer-Fall 2018, p.147-152 Book review: “Gerard Manley Hopkins and the Poetry of Religious Experience” Published in: The Hopkins Quarterly v.45, n1-2, Winter-Spring 2018, p.87-90 Article: “‘Felix Randal the farrier’: Visiting the Sick” Published in: Victorian Poetry, v. 56, n.2. Summer 2018

Michael Fox, Assistant Professor of Business Law, Pre-Law Advisor

David Gallagher, Associate Professor of Education, Chair of the Division of Education (with R. Kent) Book: Court Notes: Volleyball Journal, Writing Athletes, 2018 Dean Goldberg, Professor of Digital Media and Film Studies and Director of the Communication, Art, and Digital Media Program Book review: “Witch Hunting in America Lives on: Show Trial: Hollywood, HUAC and the Birth of the Blacklist by Thomas Doherty” Published in: Film International, v. 16, n.4 April 2019 Obituary: Nicholas Roeg, 1928-2018 Published in: Filmint.com, December 10, 2018 Carl Hoegler, Professor of Biology (with Charlene Blando-Hoegler) Article: “Modified lead hematoxylintartrazine yellow stain highlights changes in aortic wall after balloon angioplasty” Published in: Journal of Histotechnology, v.41, Issue 4, 2018, p.140-148 Yasmine Kalkstein, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Article: “How Women Evaluate Birth Challenges: Analysis of Web-Based Birth Stories” Published in: JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 2018, v1, n2, 2\e12206 Article: “Ownership of the birth experience: a guest commentary by Yasmine Konheim-Kalkstein” Published in: The Science of Ownership. org, March 8, 2019

Christopher Neyen, Assistant Professor of Art and Graphic Design Article: “Unseen: Contemporary Urban Research in the European City” Published in: EuropeNow, issue 17, May 2018 Thuy Linh Nguyen, Associate Professor of History Article: “Overpopulation, Racial Degeneracy and Birth Control in French Colonial Vietnam” Published in: Journal of Colonialism and Colonial History, v.19, n.3, Winter 2018 (30 pages) Tracey Niemotko, Professor of Accounting; and Moira Tolan, Professor of Business Conference proceedings: “Rewiring business students toward ethical behavior” Presented at: Northeast Business and Economics Association (NBEA) Conference, 2018 Book: Accounting Basics: A Survival Guide for Students (3rd ed.), KendallHunt, 2018 Priscilla Sagar, Professor Emerita of Nursing Book chapter: “Culture Care Theory: A Trailblazing Theory” Published in: Leininger’s Transcultural Nursing: Concepts, Theories, and Practice (4th ed.), M.M. McFarland & H. Wehbe-Alamah, eds. New York: McGraw Hill, 2018.

Article: “Current State of Transcultural Nursing Theories, Models, and Approaches” Published in: Annual Review of Nursing Research, R.M. Zoucha, ed. Spring, 2019 Anthony Scardillo, Assistant Professor of Marketing Article: “‘Are We Having Fun Yet?’ What Factors Influence Managers to Have Fun at Work” Published in: Journal of Entrepreneurship & Organization Management v.7, Issue 1, March 2018, p1-8 www.msmc.edu

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MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Family Ties You’re not seeing double! More than half a dozen sets of twins and triplets studied at Mount Saint Mary College in the 20182019 school year.

Triplets Salvatore, Anthony, and Nicholas Rizzo and twins Chrysta and Alyssa Kotash graduated from the Mount in May. The Kotash twins, in addition to rooming together for all four years, are heading into the work world together as well: They both landed jobs as registered nurses at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Jillian and Jenny Picarillo, Sophia and Stephanie Cilento, Anthony and Salvatore Rizzo (not pictured: Nicholas Rizzo), Jessica, Haley, and Ashley Romaniello, Stefanie and Eleni Drautz, Alyssa and Chrysta Kotash, and Christopher and Patrick Shea

www.msmc.edu

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SULLIVAN

DAVIDSON

O’KEEFE

FORCE

PILLARS OF THE

MOUNT 1959-201

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A

s the Mount Saint Mary College community celebrates our 60th Anniversary, we reflect on our Dominican heritage and the four pillars of Dominican life on which the college was founded – study, spirituality, service, and community.

Our future is bright, with Dr. Adsit’s vision of service and study to guide us to success. And our legacy of spirituality and community engagement serves as a reminder of the great things the Mount community can do.

1959-201

9 www.msmc.edu

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SPIRITUALITY 18

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Sr. Pat Sullivan, OP PROFESSOR EMERITA OF MATHEMATICS

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r. Patricia (Pat) Sullivan, OP ’64 was not only a member of the Mount’s first graduating class – she also taught at the college for 41 years. After graduation, she went on to earn a master’s degree from Ohio State and a doctorate from Columbia University. She taught for nine years in high schools before returning to the Mount as a Mathematics professor. During that time, Sr. Pat chaired the Division of Mathematics and Information Technology twice and served as Faculty in Residence, interim Director of Residence, and part of Campus Ministry. As a professor emerita, she often returns to campus to catch up with alumni or attend lectures. In the community, Sr. Pat served on the Board of the Newburgh Ministry for 13 years and is active in the Newburgh Ministry and Caring for the Homeless and Hungry of Peekskill.

How did you decide to become a Dominican?

When I was growing up, I didn’t want to be a sister. I tried to keep an open mind though and realized this was my calling. There was a big book back then with all of the different religious orders listed in it. None emphasized study as much as the Dominicans did. I was a student at heart, so that was what intrigued me.

What stands out about being a student at the Mount in the 1960s?

Our sisters were so well educated.

Sr. Mary Francis McDonald, OP (second Mount president) was an absolutely marvelous teacher. I had never taken Latin before, and by that winter, I was asking for a copy of Augustine’s Confessions in Latin!

What would surprise today’s students about the Mount’s earlier days?

For one thing, when I was a student, the whole college was in the Villa!

When I returned to teach, the dorms still had only one phone for the whole dorm, a pay phone. There’d be a line waiting to use it. The other sisters and I who lived in residence were on call, and when students got locked out of their rooms, even if it was 2 or 3 a.m.,

we had the key. The students were so good – they’d grab the key, run to their room, and run back so they wouldn’t keep us up. When I think about it, you had to be young in that role, to have all that energy and then get up and teach the next day!

What was it like to return to the Mount as a Mathematics professor?

I knew I wanted to be a math teacher since I was in the 4th grade.

Sr. Mary Genevieve, who taught me mathematics at MSMC, encouraged me to come to the college. I lived in the College Courts with six other sisters who were also on the college faculty. It was an enriching experience.

I loved teaching, and I loved mentoring young faculty and seeing them grow as teachers and young mathematicians. A lot of the people who are still here, I hired.

You’ve been at the Mount since the very beginning. How would you summarize the 50 plus years?

It is hard to summarize 50 plus years. There have been a lot of changes, but the fundamental values and vision on which the college was founded by the Dominican Sisters have not changed.

The Mount’s first graduates Sr. Pat Sullivan (center, in habit) at her graduation from the Mount in 1964.

College archives Sr. Pat was a member of the Mount’s first graduating class.

Learn more about the beginnings of Mount Saint Mary College and the history of the Dominican Sisters in Newburgh on our Archives site at msmc.edu/archives

www.msmc.edu

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STUDY 20

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Virginia Davidson FORMER PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH

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he late Virginia Davidson spent 25 years sharing her passion for literature with the Mount Saint Mary College community. She began her teaching career at the Mount as an adjunct in 1986, and in 1991, she became a full-time faculty member. A beloved teacher and valued colleague, Davidson was committed to helping Mount students become better writers and better people.

Early in her time at the college, Davidson was appointed coordinator of developmental instruction, helping to establish standards for, and to staff, basic English courses. She derived great pleasure from seeing students develop into skilled writers. In addition, Davidson served as secretary to the faculty from 1991 to 1998; was a member of the Composition Board; chaired the Admissions Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and the Promotion and Tenure Committee; taught in the study abroad program in Oxford, England; and more.

Davidson passed away unexpectedly in August 2011, leaving behind her husband James, her daughter Margaret, and her son Michael. The Virginia Davidson Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in English was established in her honor soon after.

Dr. Virginia Davidson truly personified the Mount’s image as a close, caring community. As a college community we are grateful for all the gifts Ginny shared with us: her total lack of pretense, her infectious laughter, her sheer joy in life, her concern for social justice, and, above all, her determination to make this college the best it can be for our students.

James Beard, professor emeritus of Communication Arts

Ginny Davidson knew how to teach by having her students write, read, and discuss their own work with her and with one another. She did this happily and effectively so the students encouraged themselves by discovering the improvement in their own thinking and expression. I admired her then and miss her very much now.

James Cotter, professor of English

Enthusiastic instruction and thoughtful conversation were always hallmarks of Dr. Davidson’s classroom. I’ve built a career directly on the

At the heart of the class Professor Davidson’s impact on her students has lasted for decades.

foundation that she and the rest of my Mount professors provided, and I owe much of my success to Dr. Davidson.

Matt Frey ’05 MSEd ’10

Dr. Davidson was one of my favorite professors. Her classes were always so engaging and thought-provoking.

She challenged us to look at things from different perspectives and to be inquisitive. Every semester I would always try to sign up for at least one of her classes. She was a wonderful teacher and I adored her. She helped to shape who I am today.

Michelle Iacuessa ’94

Ginny, the loveliest of friends – thoughtful, funny, energetic, extraordinarily generous – always went beyond herself to help others, the sick, the elderly, the poor. If you were her student, you learned well. If you were her friend, birthdays, holidays, shopping trips, and lunches out were made extra special by her very presence. How we miss her!

Davidson Scholarship Many members of the Mount community have honored Davidson’s legacy by forming a scholarship fund, which provides the Virginia Davidson Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in English scholarship to an English major each year.

If you would like to contribute to the fund, go to msmc.edu/DavidsonFund

Irene Nunnari, professor emerita of Arts and Letters

www.msmc.edu

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COMMUNITY 22

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Kathleen O’Keefe DIRECTOR OF THE CAREER CENTER

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athleen O’Keefe has been helping Mount students prepare for their futures for almost 15 years, counseling and mentoring them as they search for internships and jobs. From their freshman year to graduation, and even after they have become alumni, she has tirelessly helped students discover their passion and find employment in their field. O’Keefe also regularly engages with the larger community to provide hands-on experience for Mount students. This has led her to become an active volunteer throughout Orange County. O’Keefe is an alumna of Leadership Orange and volunteers regularly with the United Way and the American Heart Association, among others.

What was Mount career preparation like in the past?

The Career Center was born from the Cooperative Education initiative.

Cooperative Education was funded through a federal grant and run by Janet Zeman, who retired in 2017.

Only a few of the academic programs (Communications and Business) participated in this program back in 1989, but today, students in all academic majors have opportunities for experiential learning.

How has the local community helped Mount students throughout their education and into their job search?

The local community is our most valuable resource in providing Mount students with work experiences as interns and volunteers. And the community also provides us with committed employees who come to campus and participate in mock interviews and networking events, run workshops, and sit on panels and committees. We can’t do this on our own and truly value the relationships we’ve built in our community.

Conversely, how have you seen Mount students impact the community?

Nine years ago, I brought the Tax Aide Program to the Mount. Through the program, volunteers are trained by

the IRS to help prepare taxes for the elderly and those in need. More than 100 students have participated in the program thus far! The students look forward to this each year, and there are always alumni who come back to participate. Our students also intern throughout the community with nonprofits, working with a variety of organizations. This is valuable to both the community and the students: Employers often tell us that they look for employees who give back to their communities.

What is your favorite part of helping students find jobs, internships, and professional development?

Working with college students is still exciting 14 years later – anything is possible, and watching them grow through experiences is truly rewarding. I also love the challenge of creating an internship for a unique need. And then there’s graduation!

Hearing of our students’ successes and knowing how hard they worked to achieve them, that’s really amazing stuff. I keep in touch with many of the students I’ve worked with over the years and am always excited to bring them back to campus as alumni for a workshop or program or to refer current students to them for jobs and internships. I really have the best job on campus!

The Mount runs in the family O’Keefe’s husband, Michael, also serves the Mount as the Executive Director of Operations and Risk Management. All three of their children are Mount graduates.

From left, Michael, Kathleen, Clare ’17, Kieran ’14, and Colin ’15.

Knight Network

Interested in being part of the career preparation process for Mount students? Join the Knight Network!

Post job and internships, search for new work opportunities, update us on your professional achievements, and more. msmc.edu/KnightNetwork

www.msmc.edu

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SERVICE 24

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Lawrence Force PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY

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awrence Force has been serving the Mount for 28 years, though his service to the community stretches back much further. Force has worked in the field of aging and disabilities for more than three decades as an administrator, clinician, and educator. He has authored and collaborated on books, articles, reports, and chapters that address aging policy, lifelong disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, end-of-life care, and more. Along with Jeffrey Kahana, associate professor of History, Force is co-director of the Center on Aging and Disability Policy (CADP) at the Mount. Under CADP, Force and Kahana recently secured a $600,000 grant to launch the ProActive Caring program for families of individuals with disabilities.

The initiative has already provided training to hundreds of caregivers and continues to grow. Force and Kahana are working towards the program model being copied nationwide. Force is also the cohost of the Age Loudly! podcast, available on iTunes.

How has the Mount changed since you started in 1991?

There was more of a presence of the founding community. When I came here, Sr. Ann [Sakac, OP] was president and Sr. Agnes [Boyle, OP] was vice president of Academic Affairs. They were quite a team! And the students were wonderful, as they are today, with creativity, energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of appreciation for what we do as faculty.

How has the Mount improved?

We have kept pace, and in some places, even led when it comes to the integration of technology. I tell my students that there’s two things you need to bring to this field: your heart and an awareness of technology. I want my students to turn on their technological resources. I want them to be able to blend it into the helping arena and the theoretical constructs that are underlining it.

What was one of your greatest accomplishments as a gerontologist?

Developing the presence of aging in the arena of Human Services and

Psychology. We are the only college I know of in New York State that has developed such a presence of undergraduate work in the area of aging.

You often serve the community, especially caregivers and the elderly, through programming like ProActive Caring. How do your students give back?

We have a lot of students who are helping people on a local level.

In addition to Education,Business, and Nursing, in the field of Psychology and Human Services, we are deeply embedded in this community as a helping and caring organization. Take Aging United [student club] for example. I think we do a good job of teaching our students how to do good.

What do you hope your students take away from your classes?

One of the things I bring to my classes is a real appreciation of the power of connections. It’s all about connections! Also remember that it’s important to take care of yourself.

How can you care for someone else if you don’t care for yourself?

An enduring mentor Professor Force in 2001, ten years after he started at the Mount

ProActive Caring Professor Force was integral in helping gain a grant to launch the ProActive Caring Program for families of individuals with disabilities.

Learn more about the ProActive Caring Program at msmc.edu/ProActiveCaring

www.msmc.edu

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Mount president Dr. Jason N. Adsit congratulates Honors student Katie Hertlein, a Human Services major.

students like you, “For unbelievable the world awaits ...

And you’re going to do great things.

Congratulations, Class of 2019.

”

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Dr. Jason N Adsit, president of Mount Saint Mary College MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

2019 takes flight Class of

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beautiful Hudson Valley day was the backdrop for Mount Saint Mary College’s 56th annual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 18.

Of the 600 graduates, the college awarded 120 master’s degrees and 480 bachelor’s degrees. Nearly 200 students earned degrees in Nursing and related fields, and another 138 earned degrees in Business.

As a bagpipe skirl filled the air, the long procession of graduates headed from Aquinas Hall to the ceremony on the Dominican Center Field, which was packed with their families and friends.

James Finn Cotter, the college’s longest serving professor, was once again Master of Ceremonies, his 40th time at the helm.

The graduating students hailed from 11 states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. One graduate, Debbie Francisco, was from Trujillo Alto in Puerto Rico.

The ceremony was presided over by Charles Frank, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Mount Saint Mary College. The invocation was

given by Fr. Gregoire Fluet, college chaplain and director of Campus Ministry.

Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of the college, congratulated the faculty, parents, and the seniors on a job well done.

“For unbelievable students like you, the world awaits,” said Dr. Adsit.

“I am so proud of you. I am so happy for you. And you’re going to do great things. Congratulations, Class of 2019.”

The Class of 2019 was the first to graduate under Dr. Adsit, who began his tenure at the college in June 2018.

It was also the first class to rally together under Dr. Adsit’s vision for the college’s future: a comprehensive, institution-wide commitment to service-learning and community engagement.

are graduating “intoYoua very complex, challenging, and dynamic world, and your education here has equipped you with the creative and critical thinking skills to help you navigate, lead, and succeed. But the learning process never stops...

”

Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, Superintendent of The U.S. Military Academy at West Point

www.msmc.edu

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CLASS OF 2019

Master’s degrees were awarded to 120 students in the Mount’s Nursing, Business, and Education programs.

The graduating students then heard from honorary degree recipient and Commencement speaker Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, Superintendent of The United States Military Academy at West Point. Lt. Gen. Williams was selected for this role by consensus of the Mount’s graduating seniors for his service to his country and his hardworking attitude.

Lt. Gen. Williams assumed duties as the 60th Superintendent of the United States Military Academy in July 2018, and is responsible for educating, training, and inspiring leaders of character who are prepared for service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.

A native of Alexandra, Va., he graduated from West Point in 1983.

Lt. Gen. Williams has commanded at all levels in a variety of Army, joint, and multinational assignments, including the Army’s Warrior Transition Command, U.S. Army Africa, and most recently, NATO Allied Land Command in Turkey.

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In addition to these assignments, Lt. Gen. Williams was also deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. While commanding USARAF in 2014, he was involved with Operation United Assistance, fighting against the Ebola outbreak in Liberia.

Lt. Gen. Williams told the graduates that even though they have learned much over their time as college students, education is a lifelong pursuit.

“You are graduating into a very complex, challenging, and dynamic world, and your education here has equipped you with the creative and critical thinking skills to help you navigate, lead, and succeed,” he said. “But the learning process never stops, and you’ll discover that the best learning experiences come simply from being around other people, and from your own experiences as you navigate – and sometimes stumble around – through this thing called life.”

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Many of the graduates had jobs lined up, many were searching for employment in their fields, and some did not know what came next. Lt. Gen. Williams reminded the Class of 2019 that all of them have great worth and potential.

“From the poet Walt Whitman, I learned that everyone has something to contribute,” he explained. “In this play called life, everyone has a part.”

Finally, he encouraged the students to take what they have learned and use it to make the world a better place, and then congratulated them on their achievements.

“I wish you good fortune and success in all your future endeavors,” he said.

Mikayla Zaccaria, senior class president, encouraged her fellow graduates to continuously strive to improve themselves.

“Wherever life takes us, let’s hope that our paths are destined to cross again,” she said. “To my classmates who have supported me since day one,

Bachelor’s degrees were awarded to 480 students. Above right, Sr. Peggy Murphy, OP, retired professor of Religious Studies.

Left, professor Lawrence Force congratulates a student. Right, graduating triplets Anthony, Salvatore, and Nicholas Rizzo are all continuing their education in the Mount’s MBA program. www.msmc.edu

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CLASS OF 2019

Left: Mikayla Zaccaria, senior class president, spoke to the Class of 2019. Right: When mom and dad both get their MSEd degrees, it’s cause for celebration. From left, Andrew, one-year-old Liam, three-year-old Sienna, and Casey Zunich.

it is my pleasure to have been your president for the last three years. As one chapter of life closes, another one is just beginning.”

Zaccaria added that the same tenacity that got the graduates through college will serve them well as they move on to the next chapters of their lives.

“The Class of 2019 is destined for great things,” she said. “Use that drive and passion that you have used over the last few years to help you with your future endeavors.”

Zaccaria, a History major and an Education student on the Childhood track, graduated magna cum laude

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with a Bachelor of Arts.

Sr. Maureen Sullivan, OP, a member of the Mount Saint Mary College Board of Trustees, gave the benediction.

“Today, dear graduates…any and all who have had the privilege of touching your lives in some way send you forward from this place praying that you will always seek to be a source of hope for those you meet; that St. Dominic’s zeal for Truth will be a guiding principle in your lives; [and] that you will go forth today with a profound desire to heal and unify our world that is so deeply in need,” she said.

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

At the ceremony, the Student Government Association (SGA) Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Vicki Caruana, associate professor of Education. The Mount Saint Mary College Faculty Award was presented to Barbara Whitney Petruzzelli, director of the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center.

The ceremony ended with a sung benediction by Sr. Peggy Murphy, OP, professor of Religious Studies at the Mount. Sr. Murphy, who retired this year, has been serving the Mount community since 1999.

Kayla O’Connor, president of the Mount’s Student Government Association (SGA), presented the Inaugural SGA Excellence in Teaching Award to Vicki Caruana.

Barbara Whitney Petruzzelli, director of the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center, received the College Faculty Award at Commencement.

Caruana and Petruzzelli receive awards at Commencement

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wo outstanding faculty were honored during the 2019 Commencement: Vicki Caruana, associate professor of Education, and Barbara Whitney Petruzzelli, director of the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center.

Caruana received the Student Government Association (SGA) Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes a full-time professor that students believe goes above and beyond in his or her commitment to student success.

The ceremony marked the first time the award had been given.

The entire senior class participated in selecting its recipient.

At the Mount, Caruana prepares teacher candidates in dual certification in the special education program (elementary and secondary) at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Caruana has authored more than 30 books for both teachers and parents, including the best-selling Apples & Chalkdust: Inspirational Stories and Encouragement for Teachers and The Joy

of Letting Go: Releasing Your Teen into the Real Life in the Big World.

Petruzzelli was selected for the Mount Saint Mary College Faculty Award in honor of her dedication, integrity, and service to the college.

Sarah Uzelac, a professor of Psychology, division chair of Social Sciences, and chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee, presented the award on behalf of the faculty.

Petruzzelli has done much for the Mount in her 13 years of service, said Uzelac. She has increased the visibility and reputation of the library with programming such as the annual Library Week celebration of literature and the frequent Wagging Tails for Stress Relief events, where trained therapy dogs visit the Mount campus during midterms and finals.

“Beyond the insight, intelligence, hard work, and notable attention to detail…the faculty of Mount Saint Mary College believe she is an excellent example of the dedication, integrity, and service that we value here at the Mount,” noted Uzelac.

Dr. Cotter leads his 40th Commencement James Finn Cotter, the Mount’s longest-serving professor, marked his 40th time leading the procession of graduates at the recent Commencement Ceremony.

Cotter was once again Master of Ceremonies, just as he was for the Mount’s first Commencement in 1964, when the college graduated its first class of 32 students.

During the 56 years that the Mount has celebrated Commencement, only two people have led the procession: Cotter and professor emeritus James McEnery, who passed away in December of 2015.

McEnery was the only lay person and the only male instructor during the college’s first academic year in 1960, and served as Master of Ceremonies from 1971 through 1987.

The hefty ceremonial mace was first introduced in 1992. Representing the torch of truth, the mace incorporates the college motto, Doce Me Veritatem, and integrates the cross within its flame. The mace also displays the college seal and the Dominican Sisters’ seal.

In addition to having enhanced the education of thousands of Mount students, Cotter is a celebrated translator of Dante’s Commedia, a Fulbright-Hays lecturer, and a recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. He is the author of Beginnings: the First Twenty-Five Years of Mount Saint Mary College; A New Life: Learning the Way of Omega; and the Mount’s alma mater, which is sung at Commencement. www.msmc.edu

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CLASS OF 2019

One of the Mount’s largest classes of nurses ever was honored at the latest nurse pinning ceremony.

From students to caregivers: The Mount’s newest nurses

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ess than 24 hours before Commencement, the Mount honored 134 graduates of its prestigious Nursing program at a pinning ceremony.

It was one of the largest Nursing classes the Mount has ever pinned, said Christine Berté, assistant professor of Nursing, director of the graduate Nursing program, and chairperson of the college’s School of Nursing.

Fr. Gregoire Fluet, chaplain and director of Campus Ministry at the Mount, blessed the pins, which were presented to the graduates by chosen family members and friends.

The Mount nursing pin displays the college seal and motto, Doce mMe Veritatem, which translates as “teach me the truth.”

Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of the college, commended the students.

“This is a very special day,” he said.

“It’s your entrance into the absolutely

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noble profession of nursing. Congratulations to all of you.”

The ceremony’s keynote speaker was Andrea Ackermann, a former professor of Nursing. Ackermann taught at the Mount for nearly two decades and retired at the conclusion of the Fall 2018 semester. The beloved professor noted that the Class of 2019 has done hundreds of hours of community health education and service at organizations such as the Newburgh Armory Unity Center and the Newburgh Ministry.

“This is a remarkable group of nurses with great promise for the future,” she said. “I know you will continue to learn and develop your nursing way of thinking, your nursing point of view, and most importantly, your nursing way of caring.”

Nicholas Terzulli, who received the AMA NY Future Nurse Leader Award at the pinning, offered his reflections

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

on the group’s journey from novices to graduates. He credited their professors with molding them into the knowledgeable and confident professionals they are today.

“We must never forget the foundation that the Mount has given us,” he said. “My fellow classmates…you have the ability to change lives.”

Tam Uyen Lam, who earned the Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Award at the pinning, applauded her professors for their tireless dedication. “I am forever grateful for…the faculty and staff of Mount Saint Mary College, for giving us a foundation through your voices,” she said.

Susan LaRocco, dean of the School of Nursing, recognized several students for excellence in their studies and dedication to the field. In addition to Lam and Terzulli, award recipients were Victoria Mannone, who was given the General Excellence in

Nursing Award; Callaghan Brennan, who received the School of Nursing Clinical Excellence Award; Nicole Laghezza, who got the School of Nursing Leadership Award; and Lily Chimenti, who earned both the Spirit of Nursing Award and the Perseverance Award.

The Daisy Award, for a hardworking nursing faculty member, was given Christine Berté. She was nominated by her fellow Nursing faculty members and selected by the Diseases Attacking the Immune System Foundation (DAISY) committee as the recipient. Berté was nominated because of her guidance and phenomenal listening skills. This is the first year the Mount has presented this award to a faculty member.

To close out the ceremony, the proud graduates recited “A Nurse’s Prayer,” which speaks of dedicating one’s life to helping others.

Retired professor Andrea Ackermann addressed the graduating nurses.

Lily Chimenti earned the Spirit of Nursing and the Perseverance awards.

Graduates recited the Nurses Prayer, as countless classes have before them.

New nurse practitioners honored at ceremony

The previous week, more than 30 students of the Mount’s nurse practitioner program were recognized at a white coat ceremony, which reflected the transition from novice nurse to the professional nurse practitioner role.

According to Berté, Mount nurse practitioner graduates began their journey as registered nurses in a variety of settings and can now enter primary care practices, including family health and internal medicine. They may also practice in acute care settings, such as hospital positions and urgent care/fast track health access points.

Michael Olivette, vice president of Academic Affairs, congratulated the white coat recipients. “Never forget that the most important thing you can do is follow your passion,” he said.

Michele Caccavano, adjunct Nursing professor, told the graduates that their dedication has served them well.

“You have persisted, and that’s why you’re here today,” she said.

Graduating student Amy Bryson offered her reflections on the college’s rigorous graduate program. She thanked the Mount Nursing faculty for their aid in helping her and her

The Mount’s newest nurse practitioners were honored at a white coat ceremony in the Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary in the Dominican Center.

classmates to become the professionals they are now.

Three students were recognized for excellence: Hsiao-Fa Williams and Zena Jamal received the 2019 Sigma Award, and Jennifer Lacina was presented with the Sr. Leona DeBoer Graduate Nursing Award.

Fr. Fluet closed out the ceremony with the Blessing of the Hands.

Photo Galleries Find photos from Commencement, nurse pinning, the white coat ceremony, and more online at msmc.edu/flickr

www.msmc.edu

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CLASS OF 2019

The next step: New Mount grads make the most of their degrees Commencement marked the end of an academic journey at the Mount for 600 graduates – and the beginning of a new adventure into grad school or the start of a career. Here’s what’s next for several stellar Mount alumni from the Class of 2019.

Actuarial Science grad ready for risk analysis

A Back to where it all began: Grad takes teaching position at alma mater

S

ince first coming to the Mount, Christina Mistretta focused on serving her community. So it’s only fitting that she follow that passion through her new job as a biology teacher and assistant campus minister at her alma mater, Saint Joseph Hill Academy on Staten Island. Mistretta was offered the job weeks before graduating.

“This was the dream I came into college with,” Mistretta explained. “The teaching experience will be fantastic.”

Mistretta was motivated to serve her community through her faith. She founded the college’s chapter of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in 2016, and under her leadership as president, Mount CRS Student Ambassadors volunteer their time and effort at St. Mary’s Church food and clothing drive in Newburgh. CRS Student Ambassadors also volunteer regularly at the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, and they deliver donations to the Newburgh Ministry charitable organization twice a month.

Just days before Commencement, Mistretta was recognized for her outstanding service to the community with the Father Michael J. Gilleece Memorial Award. She was also named an Aquinas Scholar, an honor that requires a minimum grade point average of at least 3.60.

There were many people on campus who helped her to become successful, Mistretta explained: “I cannot thank the Mount enough for all of the opportunities it has given me to excel and develop into the person I am.”

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MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

s Francisco Mojica III begins a career in analyzing risks, there’s one thing he knows isn’t being left up to chance: his future.

Just a week before graduation, Mojica accepted a full-time position as a risk analyst with Mid-Hudson CoOperative Insurance. He didn’t even have to worry about first day jitters: He’d been interning with the organization for the past year.

Mojica was able to obtain an internship with the organization in May 2018. Not wanting to lose his services, the company extended an offer for him to stay after graduation.

“The most exciting part of accepting the full-time position is being able to be more involved with the company’s operations,” he noted. “This will allow me to apply more of what I have learned in class and through my exams to make a difference in real world scenarios.”

In addition to landing a job, Mojica has also already passed two in a series of professional exams necessary to become an actuary, thanks to the mentorship of the college’s Division of Mathematics and Information Technology and the School of Business.

Notably, Mojica was the first Mount student to graduate with a concentration in Actuarial Science, which uses math, statistics, and financial theory to study uncertain future events, especially those that are insurable.

Getting started in marketing

M

Lending a healing hand at Mayo Clinic

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ictoria Mannone was delighted to join the staff of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. as a registered nurse this July.

She received the job offer months before graduation.

“I feel extremely grateful and excited about my new position at the Mayo Clinic,” noted Mannone. “Moving to another state, away from my family and friends, is definitely a scary thing. But Mayo Clinic is a place where I can see myself truly happy, working where I will be supported and pushed to be the best nurse I can be.”

Ranked #1 in the nation by US News and World Report, the Mayo Clinic is committed to clinical practice, education, research, and providing expert care to all patients.

Mannone sharpened her skills through the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society.

She also had plenty of experiential learning through a variety of clinical work placements.

“The Mount has prepared me well to work for the Mayo Clinic,” she said.

“My Nursing classes have taught me so much, [including] how to assess, develop, diagnose, evaluate, and much more for patients in various settings. My clinical rotations have given me lots of hands-on experience with patients.”

The Mount’s Nursing professors have been an inspiration for the enthusiastic graduate. She notes that the program’s “greatest strength” is its dedicated and personable faculty: “The Mount Nursing instructors do everything they can to help us succeed and become excellent nurses.”

Mannone added, “I feel so blessed. The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it. I am so very grateful and happy that all my hard work these past four years has paid off and that my dream has come true.”

ount grad Tyler Mannix began at HAI Group in Cheshire, Conn. as a digital marketing coordinator less than two weeks after graduating.

Around March, Mannix interviewed with HAI Group, a housing insurance company. It was the first interview of his preemptive job search.

Just a few days later, he was offered the position.

His responsibilities include managing the company’s social media accounts, monitoring changes to the company’s website, and lending his skills to their digital marketing campaigns.

He credits the Mount’s Career Center with helping him to forge his path into the work world through a variety of internships. “Kathleen O’Keefe [Career Center director] helped me every step of the way,” Mannix said. “The Career Center really prepares you for the interview. Going into the interview at HAI, I was super confident.”

Mannix made the most of his time at the Mount: He was president of the Student Business Association, has been on the Mount’s Dean’s List multiple times, and received a Senior Class Award for Outstanding Leadership.

Mannix says that R. Scott Russell, assistant professor of Sports Management at the college, was one of the many professors who helped him to become the success he is today.

“He’s been my guiding force,” Mannix explained. “Every opportunity I had to take his classes, I would. He’s so knowledgeable.” www.msmc.edu

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MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Championing

literacy Newburgh Armory Unity Center programs prepare students – and student teachers – for success

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t’s just after 8 a.m. Dozens of classrooms buzz with children proudly reading their own stories aloud to classmates and parents. Educators are imparting the joys of the written word to youths of all ages, and teachers in training from area colleges are working one-on-one with them to unlock their full academic potential. In the gym, children are practicing their free-throws and layups, and downstairs, young scholars are learning computer programming.

It sounds like a dream school, but it’s happening every Saturday morning and weekday afternoons at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center in the City of Newburgh, N.Y. The Newburgh Armory has been changing young lives since 2010.

From accessible literacy courses to helping children explore career paths, the Armory hosts a variety of educational programs intended to help end poverty and eliminate the need for educational remediation. More than 500 students a week and their parents receive instruction on a variety of topics.

In the Armory’s signature Saturday Morning Enrichment Program,

children from kindergarten to sixth grade participate in reading, writing, math, natural science, and computer science programs with the goal of developing their scholastic ability, as well as their life skills and emotional intelligence. In addition, the K Thru Career initiative, an elaborate effort to introduce young students to a number of career opportunities, focuses on three career-path programs: nursing and healthcare, coding and computer science, and criminal justice.

“We’re not only preparing them for future employment, we’re preparing them for life,” notes Armory founder and board chair William Kaplan, an entrepreneur and philanthropist from Newburgh, N.Y. It might seem improbable that students enjoy spending their Saturday mornings in a classroom. But thanks to volunteers from the local community, like Mount Education professor Janine Bixler, local kids are doing just that.

As part of the college’s Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning (CELL), Mount student volunteers help children to explore books that reflect various cultural backgrounds

We’re not only “preparing them for future employment, we’re preparing them for life.

”

William Kaplan Newburgh Armory Unity Center founder and MSMC Honorary Degree Recipient

Facing page: Education professors Janine Bixler and Rebecca Norman at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center. www.msmc.edu

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of the kids might “notSome understand the theme of a book, or the message of the story. The Mount students help to break it down in a way they can understand.

”

Sandy Bastien Newburgh Armory volunteer

and interests of the Newburgh community, explained Bixler, director of CELL. Children actively share their own ideas and stories as well.

“The goal is to create lifelong readers, instead of those who only read because they have to for school,” said Bixler.

In one of Bixler’s classes at the Armory, children spend the summer writing and illustrating their own stories under the tutelage of Mount teacher candidates before presenting excerpts to their friends and families. Each semester, about 75 Mount teacher candidates, graduate and undergraduate, help instill a love of reading in local youth as part of their community fieldwork requirement.

The sessions afford children oneon-one tutoring and increase their literacy skills in a fun and engaging way.

“By improving their literacy, we’re giving these young students life skills, not just school skills,” Bixler explained.

Other Mount professors like Rebecca R. Norman, associate professor of Education, and Nancy Benfer ’04, adjunct Mount professor and principal of Bishop Dunn Memorial School, have teamed up with Bixler on these courses. In addition to Bixler, Norman, and Benfer, CELL is made possible by Mount professors Jane Gangi, David Gallagher, and many more college volunteers.

In the classroom of Sandy Bastien of New Windsor, N.Y., who teaches the “Dare to Be a Wild Reader” program on Saturday mornings, children from the ages of 4 to about 12 strive to become more engaged in literature.

Like in Bixler’s classes, they team up with community volunteers, including

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Sandy Bastien (top center), a volunteer educator at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, and her husband say the Armory has helped to enrich their entire family, from personal educational opportunities to building Sandy’s skills as a teacher.

Education students from Mount Saint Mary College, and select a book that resonates with them from the Armory’s extensive library of children’s and young adult literature. As a team, the children and their mentors discover new words, stories, and worlds together.

“Once you inspire a child to read, you will never have to force them,” Bastien explained. “But we’ve got to get kids to read because it’s an inspiration, not because it’s a requirement.”

Bastien’s approach to this is simple and effective.

“Pick up the book and have a goal, have an aim,” Bastien said. “No matter

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

what book it is, let’s find out what the characters are like. How do you relate to it? We start creating those habits early, and we start telling the kids, ‘There’s something in there for you.’”

The volunteers provide Bastien’s students with one-on-one attention to supplement Bastien’s lessons. It’s a great way to make sure all students are getting the most out of the program, she said.

“The Mount students have been a very important component to ‘Wild Readers,’” Bastien explained. “They sit with the kids and help them fill in their journals. Some of the kids might not understand the theme of a

Newburgh Armory Unity Center For more information about the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, visit www.newburgharmory.org, email info@newburgharmory.org, or call 845-245-4035.

Education professor Janine Bixler, center, works with a graduate student, who in turn is working with young students at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center as part of the Literacy Education Advocacy Program (LEAP) in July 2019.

Mount graduate students working through LEAP at the Armory.

book, or the message of the story. The Mount students help to break it down in a way they can understand.”

Elizabeth Cambronero, an aspiring teacher, is one of the Mount student volunteers who lends her skills to “Wild Readers.” Her time at the Armory is built into one of her Mount courses, Literacy Teaching and Learning for Diverse Childhood Learners.

Working with the children at the Armory has taught her new and exciting literacy techniques that she hopes to

integrate into her own classroom.

“The Armory has been a great experience for me,” she said, adding that it’s “a great way to get involved in the community and make a difference in young learners’ lives.”

Cambronero says her one-on-one interactions with the young students of the Armory have really had a positive impact on them.

“The best part is seeing how involved the students are,” she revealed.

“It’s great seeing the students get excited to share their work with the class.”

Like the other Armory programs, Bastien’s class provides structure and important skills for everyone involved, Cambronero explained. Bastien truly enhances the young readers’ lives, she said.

“I really enjoyed watching Sandy Bastien teach the class,” said Cambronero. “Seeing how she encourages the students to set goals is something that I believe all teachers should do.”

It was setting goals for success that brought Bastien and her family to the Newburgh Armory Unity Center in the first place. In 2018, Bastien’s husband, an immigrant from Haiti, was laid off from his job. While looking for work, he decided to better himself by increasing his mastery of the English language. Soon, he was enrolled

in classes at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center.

While there, he saw great educational opportunities not only for himself, but for his wife and their five children.

And so, one Saturday morning, the family came to visit the Armory.

Kaplan was at the Armory that day – as he is every Saturday – and gave the Bastien family a tour. He told them how volunteer instructors are the lifeblood of the Armory’s programs. It wasn’t long after that Bastien felt moved to volunteer her time and effort to the cause.

If it weren’t for the vision and dedication of Kaplan, none of this would have been possible, Bastien said.

“Mr. Kaplan...always says that he wants to eliminate poverty and he believes in being self-sufficient,” she explained. “He wants each child to build the confidence to allow them to be whatever they choose to be.”

Kaplan sees the Newburgh Armory Unity Center as a model for other communities throughout the country.

He and his team have created a blueprint for the creation of similar service centers in other communities, and will share it with anyone who is interested.

“If you want an opportunity to grow and become something – you and your children – this man is ready to give,” said Bastien. www.msmc.edu

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Medici program brings business students and nonprofits together

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reating videos for a local orchestra and volunteering at a food bank might not be the first things one associates with Business and Accounting majors, but for the eight Mount Saint Mary College students in this year’s Walden Savings Bank Medici Scholars program, serving the community was their curriculum.

Medici Scholars work with two nonprofits throughout the academic year, attending board meetings, helping with events, and learning what it takes to run a nonprofit. At the conclusion, students reveal what they learned and how they hope to apply it to their careers to Walden Savings Bank’s leadership and board of directors.

This year, the Mount students lent their skills to the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra (GNSO) and the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.

Through a collaboration with the college’s Mount Media group, the Medici Scholars organized and coordinated the production of a promotional video for the GNSO, featuring an interview with Russell Ger, the organization’s music director. Mount Media is overseen by Dean Goldberg, professor of Digital Media and Film Studies and director of the Communication, Art, and Digital Media program at the college.

Ger “is a very impressive individual, and we thought it would be effective if we could produce a piece on him to create awareness,” explained Santino Milanese, one of this year’s Medici Scholars. The goal was “to create interest in their mission and provide maximum value to the organization.”

The collaboration with Mount Media was a match made in heaven, said Milanese. But like any relationship in the business world, it was a connection the Medici Scholars had to cultivate. In fact, the scholars had to pitch the idea to not only Goldberg, but also to GNSO President John Bliss and the administration of the Medici Scholars Program.

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A still from the newly-produced video of GNSO conductor Russell Ger

“We learn in the School of Business at the Mount that one of the most important aspects of being a successful business professional is being an effective resource allocator,” Milanese said. “I really got to exercise my ability to sell an idea and bring it to fruition.”

The video has already been screened at various GNSO events and can be viewed at the orchestra’s website, www.newburghsymphony.org For the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, the scholars created protocols that can reduce food waste at Food Bank events. The system, which is simple to implement and understand, gives guests the option to skip any course of a meal they are not interested in. With just the flip of a card – one side red, the other green – servers know who is interested in what dishes.

Not only does this save food, but it also streamlines the ordering process for individuals with dietary restrictions.

“If you’re gluten free for example, you could skip the bread,” said Milanese. “We can now save that, bring it back to the Food Bank, and feed the people who need it.”

According to Milanese, the system has saved the Food Bank 100 pounds of food within a few months of its implementation.

In addition to Milanese, this academic year’s Medici cohort included fellow students Crystal Mullings, Emily Lang, Kristie MacBride,

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Suzan Al Nesheiwat, Maite Gritsko, Mohmmed Athar Khan, and Cailey Walls.

The students were enrolled in the Medici program in September 2018 and celebrated its completion at the end of April 2019. They are the fourth group to benefit from the prestigious program since its inception in 2015.

“If there’s one thing that we all learned, especially me, it’s that it takes a team to do earth-shattering things in the business world, and that your network is equal to your net worth,” explained Milanese. “Good connections…are most important in both getting things done and progressing in one’s field.”

He added, “This program gave us plenty of real-world, practical experience. We all feel more confident working as a team.”

An endowed gift from Walden Savings Bank allows the Mount to meet the financial needs of the program, including transportation and meeting costs as well as expenses incurred from program-related events on campus.

“We are thankful for the support from Walden Savings Bank,” said Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of the Mount. “This program helps the college fulfill its continued tradition of providing academic excellence while educating students to become effective leaders and embrace their civic responsibility.”

much value to networking, maintaining relationships, “There’s sotaking educated risks, and always focusing on what’s important to you and your career. ”

Corri Nicoletti ’10 MSEd ’15

Keynote speaker Corri Nicoletti ’10 MSEd ’15 advised students to keep a positive attitude and remain committed to their success.

Alumni mentor the next generation

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bout a dozen successful Mount Saint Mary College graduates jumped at the chance to head back to their alma mater and mentor the forward-thinking students of today.

The Tenth Annual Meet a Mentor Dinner, organized by the Office of Alumni Affairs, provided Mount scholars with valuable insight into the work world while breaking bread with a variety of alumni.

The alumni discussed how they got started on their career path, their current and past job responsibilities, and a plethora of professional tips, noted Michelle Iacuessa ’94, director of Alumni Affairs at the Mount.

Keynote speaker Corri Nicoletti ’10 MSEd ’15, a technical support analyst for Lumen Learning, encouraged students to keep an open mind when searching the job market. There’s more ways to use a degree than one might think, she noted.

“There’s a lot of jobs out there – remember to be flexible on your career path,” said Nicoletti.

“I’m not doing what I thought I’d be doing, but I love it just the same.”

Nicoletti attributed much of her professional success to keeping in contact with supervisors from previous internships and not “burning bridges” with former employers.

Ashley Woodin ’15 (right), a school psychologist at Kaplan Career Academy, chats with students.

“There’s so much value to networking, maintaining relationships, taking educated risks, and always focusing on what’s important to you and your career,” she said. “I wish I had started building those relationships sooner.”

Claudia Larsen, a Journalism major, said the dinner provided an excellent chance to connect with professionals in many fields.

“Journalism is all about making connections,” she said, “and searching for jobs can be the same way, so I jumped at the chance to come to this dinner. Students, no matter what major, should network early.” www.msmc.edu

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Kayla Cleare was tabbed the Skyline Conference Player of the Year.

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MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Athletics

Women’s Basketball returns to NCAA Tournament

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fter an impeccable season, Women’s Basketball suffered a heartbreaking loss in the Skyline Conference Championship Final.

But it was not the end of the road for the Knights.

Soon after the championship game, the team learned they’d been selected to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a Pool C (At-Large) berth. It was the first time the team would advance to the Tournament since 2012.

Women’s Basketball completed the season with a 23-6 overall record and a perfect 18-0 mark in Skyline Conference play, including both 7- and 14-game streaks. They earned the top seed for the second straight season, but it all seemed to end on a sour note with a 44-39 decision to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the Skyline Conference Championship Final.

The Pool C selection following the championship was met with excitement and anticipation by the Mount community. In the first round, the team played Westfield State in Gettysburg, Pa. The Mount trailed the Owls for the first three periods, but a three-pointer by Lauren Desrats with less than eight minutes left in the game put the Mount in front 69-67.

After the Owls knotted the score at 80-80 in the final 90 seconds, Desrats buried her fifth three-pointer of the game for the win.

In the Second Round, the Knights were defeated in a 79-52 loss to Christopher Newport. Kayla Cleare finished off her career with a strong 15 point, 11 rebound double-double, while Katie Smith chipped in with 12 points for the Mount.

Cleare, who set the career rebounding record and became the program’s first 1,000 point, 1,000 rebound player on record, was tabbed the Skyline Con-

ference Player of the Year, D3Hoops.com First Team All-Atlantic Region, and First Team All-Met Writers. Smith was recognized with a Second Team All-Skyline Conference pick.

Desrats’ first season with the Knights was certainly one to remember. “It felt really awesome to be able to help my team get to the NCAA tournament and actually win our first game,” she said.

“It’s an experience I will never forget.”

Smith noted that the team’s support system was integral to their success.

“The most valuable part of the whole experience for me was being able to work with an amazing group of people,” she noted. “[We] have always made it a priority to support one another...and that, along with all the hard work we put in this season, is what I believe took us to the second round of the NCAA tournament.”

2019 Athletic Department Awards The Mount’s Athletic Department honored this year’s top athletes.

From left to right: Kyra McNamee (Women’s Swimming) – Women’s Senior of the Year, Kayla Cleare (Women’s Basketball) – Women’s Athlete of the Year, Noah Ginty (Men’s Track and Field) – Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Julia DeSantis (Women’s Soccer) – Women’s Rookie of the Year, Diamond Umunna (Women’s XC, Track and Field) – Women’s Knight of the Year, Bobby Caronia (Men’s Soccer) – Men’s Senior of the Year, Matthew Wyant (Men’s Soccer) – Men’s Rookie of the Year, Connor Bacci (Men’s Basketball, Men’s Tennis) – Men’s Knight of the Year, Dabein Walker (Men’s Track and Field) – Men’s Athlete of the Year, Bridget Bennett (Softball) – Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

www.msmc.edu

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Athletics

Sports Ro Men’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball finished the season 14-12 overall and 11-9 in Skyline Conference action. The Mount earned the sixth seed in the 2019 Skyline Conference Championship and held a 10-2 record in home contests, including a 70-63 win over Yeshiva. Kendall Francis was named Second Team All-Skyline Conference after leading the Mount in scoring and finishing the year third in the conference in scoring average. He was tabbed Skyline Conference Player of the Week and Met Writers Co-Player of the Week.

Men’s Swimming

Men’s Swimming finished fourth at the Skyline Conference Championship and 13th at the Metropolitan Conference Championship. The Knights won the first-ever Skyline Conference Sprint Meet in September and finished 3-4 in dual meet action. Robert Kohlus set the 100-yard butterfly school record at the Metropolitan Conference Championship and broke the 1,650-yard freestyle at the Diamond City Invitational. He was also named Skyline Conference Men’s Swimmer of the Week.

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Women’s Swimming

Women’s Swimming was 7-1 in dual meets this season and finished 2-1 in conference meets. The Knights finished second at the Skyline Conference Championship and ninth at the Metropolitan Conference Championship. Katie Barber set both the 100 and 200-yard butterfly records at the Metropolitan meet. Kyra McNamee was selected as the Skyline Conference Women’s Swimmer of the Week.

Softball

Softball reached the Skyline Conference Championship Final for the fourth straight season before falling.

The Knights finished 16-22-1 overall after playing a tough non-conference schedule and were 12-4 in Skyline Conference regular season play, earning the third seed in the 2019 Skyline Conference Championship. Shortstop Emily Lang and pitcher Bridget Bennett were both tabbed first team All-Skyline Conference honorees.

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Men’s Lacrosse

Men’s Lacrosse finished just one game out of the Skyline Conference Championship after finishing 2-4 in Skyline contests. The Knights won back-toback contests against the College of Mount Saint Vincent and Purchase after defeating Manhattanville 10-9 in double overtime. The Knights had a first team All-Skyline Conference selection in Matthew Martino while Danny Marshall was selected as a Second Team All-League honoree.

Women’s Lacrosse

Women’s Lacrosse picked up an important victory against Purchase this semester as Courtney Condron scored a career-high six goals in the win.

Condron and Hope Blanc were tabbed to Second Team All-Skyline Conference, and freshman Anne Dolan was named Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week. This season they also welcomed a new teammate, Maui. She was introduced to the team through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, a charitable organization that fights childhood cancer.

oundup Baseball

Baseball finished the season with a 13-17 overall record and 7-11 against Skyline Conference opponents. The Knights went 3-1 in the Snowbird Baseball Classic. Shortstop/pitcher John Santana was named a Second Team All-Skyline Conference honoree.

Santana put together a strong season, including a batting average of .367 as well as doubles with six. He was second on the team in hits with 29 and RBI with 13. He held an on-base percentage of .425 and also led the team in slugging at .468.

Men’s Tennis

Men’s Tennis finished 9-4 overall and 3-4 against Skyline Conference foes, missing the championship by one match. Chris McGorty was tabbed First Team All-Skyline, while Jaden Tiriolo was named Second Team AllLeague for the second straight season.

McGorty posted his career record 79th and 80th combined triumphs in the season finale. Tiriolo finished the season 12-1 at the third singles position as a sophomore and 6-1 mark against

Skyline Conference rivals. He finished the year with 22 combined wins after joining McGorty for a 10-3 mark at the top doubles position.

Men’s Track and Field

Men’s Track and Field set four new records at the ECAC Indoor Championship, including distance medley, 4x200 relay, and 500-meter dash; third place at the Skyline Outdoor Conference Championship; and 11th place at the ECAC Outdoor Championship. Several teammates took home titles or records: Dabein Walker with the individual long jump title, Peter Zecchin with the indoor record in the shot put at the Utica Invitational, Kenneth Barrett with 1,500 and 5,000 meter records to win both events and cinch 2019 Outdoor Track Rookie of the Year honors, John Novak with the 400-meter record, and Jahnique Dessaline with the 100-meter dash record. The team had three First Team All-Skyline Conference picks including Barrett, Walker, and Zecchin.

The Mount also picked up two Second Team All-Skyline Conference honorees in Novak as well as the 4x100 relay

which included Nick Murphy, Novak, Patrick Dempsey, and Dessaline. Head Coach Fred Callo, also Head Coach of the Women’s Track Team, was named the 2019 Skyline Conference Coach of the Year.

Women’s Track and Field

Women’s Track and Field won the MSMC Invitational in the first outdoor meet of the season with Alexandra Salamone winning the discus throw.

The Mount also finished third at the Skyline Conference Championship and then eighth at the ECAC Championship. Samantha Papadopoulos set the school record in the 400-meter hurdles at the ECAC meet while Salamone earned the 2019 Skyline Conference Field Athlete of the Year award. The Mount picked up five All-League selections as Salamone, Papadopoulos, and Zoe Jabs each earned First Team All-Skyline honors. Papadopoulos and Valerie Lupi also picked up Second Team honors.

www.msmc.edu

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Alumni Profile Steven Neuhaus ’96

Serving at home and abroad ORANGE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, MOUNT GRADUATE SERVED TOUR IN US NAVY

I

t’s hard enough to lead a county. It’s a whole other challenge doing so from thousands of miles away.

That’s exactly what Steven Neuhaus ’96, Orange County Executive and Mount graduate, undertook this year as part of the U.S. Navy Reserves stationed in the Middle East.

A Lieutenant Commander assigned to Special Operations, Neuhaus received word in late 2018 that he would be deployed for six months, which concluded in June 2019.

He didn’t hesitate to do his duty to his country. “I, along with many other Orange County residents, have an obligation to fulfill my commitment as a member of the armed services,” he explained.

Neuhaus credits his leadership team in the Orange County Government with the ability to take on this challenge. While he was stationed in the Middle East, he was able to keep in contact with the county and continue some of his duties remotely.

He’s balanced civic and military duties in the past, having been deployed briefly last year. He is also pursuing military leadership training through the U.S. Naval War College on top of his responsibilities as County Executive.

Neuhaus has also excelled at both roles: As County Executive, he’s worked to balance the County’s budget, develop new economic opportunities, and promote public health and safety.

He has been just as successful in the military, even being awarded the New York State Military Commendation Medal for his service and leadership during operations following Hurricane Sandy in 2013.

After graduating from the Mount in 1996 with a degree in History and Political Science, Neuhaus received a Master of Public Administration in Government Administration from Marist College. He served as the town supervisor of the Town of Chester, N.Y. from 2008-2013 and was then elected County Executive of Orange County

Neuhaus speaks at an event at Mount Saint Mary College.

“

Mount Saint Mary College definitely changed my life in a positive direction.

”

— Steven Neuhaus ’96

in 2014, the youngest executive to ever serve the County.

It was an internship with the State Assembly during college, coordinated by the Mount’s Career Center, that paved the way to his career in government and politics. “It opened doors and provided the experience that led me to become Chester Town Supervisor, and later, Orange County Executive,” he noted.

“Mount Saint Mary College definitely changed my life in a positive direction,” Neuhaus added. He feels particularly indebted to the faculty who mentored him and emphasized his

strengths and the Career Center staff who offered opportunities for him to get his foot in the door in government.

“They gave me the confidence to make me the leader I am as not only County Executive, but also as a lieutenant commander in the military today. I am very proud of what the Mount gave me.”

Now the executive of his alma mater’s county, he is equally pleased with the impact the college has on the local community, especially in the quality of its graduates who are entering the workforce in Orange County and beyond.

“I know for a fact that Mount graduates are making a big impact in the Orange County community with employers, both public and private,” he said.

Even more heartening is Mount students’ dedication to service, something Neuhaus espouses himself. “I’m really glad as County Executive and a Mount grad to see that happen. I’m very proud to see the people that are coming out of there today.” www.msmc.edu

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ALUMNI

SPOTLIGHT Rachel Darling ’14 MSEd’15 Rachel Darling ’14 MSEd ’15 was a standout Cross Country and Track runner for the Knights, earning All-Skyline Conference recognition three times. When she graduated, she hung up her running shoes as a Knight for what she thought was the last time.

Four years later, she’s back at her alma mater, this time as an assistant coach for the Track and Field team.

She’s been in the students’ shoes: Darling was active on campus as a student athlete, History major pursuing Education certification, and volunteer for various campus and community organizations.

“I’m able to relate to the runners because I have been where they are. I remember what it was like to balance a social, academic, and athletic career,” she noted.

When she’s not with the Knights, Darling can be found coaching in a different capacity – as a special education teacher at Hagan Elementary School in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She married fellow Knight Matthew Darling ’14, who was on the Men’s Soccer team and is also a teacher: He works at Temple Hill Academy in Newburgh.

Darling hopes to pay it forward to the student athletes she coaches today: “I love watching them grow both personally and athletically. I hope I can impact the runners in the same way the coaching staff impacted me during my athletic career.”

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Alumni Notes [1]

[3]

1964

MaryAnn (Kennedy) Fitzpatrick has six grandchildren. The two oldest grandchildren work full-time jobs, the next two boys recently graduated from college – one left last month for the Special Forces, Green Berets, and the other one left at the end of June for the Special Forces, Rangers. The fifth one will be a high school senior in September, and the last one will be a high school freshman.

“So very proud of my family!”

1972

Nancy (Cuomo) Bailey graduated 47 years ago with a BS in Nursing. This year Nancy will return to Newburgh, N.Y. as a Hollywood producer! According to Nancy, “It has been quite a journey. I was successfully able to take my New York Times bestseller More Than Rivals to the next level. As I write this, funds are being raised to bring the true story to the silver screen. We will be shooting the film in Newburgh.”

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

[2]

Dr. Elizabeth ScannellDesch and Dr. Mary Ellen Doherty presented their latest research study, “Post Traumatic Growth Experiences in U.S. Military Nurses Who Served in Iraq and Afghanistan,” at the Eastern Nursing Research Society Conference in Providence, R.I. in April 2019 and at the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Research Congress in Calgary, Canada in July 2019.

1973

Lourdes Alonso would love to reconnect with friends from the Class of 1973! In 2017, Lourdes retired after 25 years as an educator with DoDEA. The last seven of the 25 years were spent overseas based in Vicenza, Italy, where she was an instructional system specialist for Secondary Math for the Mediterranean region.

Lourdes remarried in 2017 and is currently living on the southwest coast of Florida.

She is enjoying retirement and her four grandchildren!

[1] Joseph and Ellen (O’Brien) O’Connor were aboard the USS Intrepid on June 8, 2019

for the Battle of the Bands!

They jumped, jived, and danced their way through the night. According to Joe, it was a memorable occasion for him because the ship he was on in the Navy operated with The Intrepid off the coast of Vietnam.

1974

Steve Otlowski has retired after 47 years in banking and finance. He will be spending his time writing, painting, travelling with Deborah '76, fishing, and making music. Steve is still living in Newburgh and celebrated the wedding of his daughter Erica (Hamilton College, ‘05) in May 2019.

1975

Maureen (Finnegan) Kussard has decided to retire after 44 wonderful years in nursing. Her vocation started as an Army nurse, and over the years, she has experienced many fascinating fields within nursing.

She is concluding her career as a school nurse/teacher at Orange-Ulster BOCES. According to Maureen, “Life has been good. I would not change a thing.”

Alumni Notes 1981

Victoria (Lattimore) Kolb married her high school sweetheart George after graduating from the Mount, and they are still enjoying life together. They have two sons: George, who has blessed them with a grandson, Carson, born September 2018; and Brian, who has blessed them with a granddaughter, Olive, born March 2018. Victoria has been employed at Vassar Brothers Medical Center for 28 years as coordinator of the Pediatric Specialty Center. She is loving life.

1982

Caryn (Stafford) Sobel and husband Rob hope to relocate soon to the D.C. area to be near their daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Conrad Mason, who are NASA Goddard employees.

Caryn is still a technical and freelance writer, and Rob is coordinator of a community paramedic program.

They are looking forward to grandchildren, Maryland crab dinners, and everything closing down as soon as it starts to snow.

1986

Yonette Shepherd became a foster care worker following graduation in 1986.

According to Yonette, “It was rewarding but two years later, I became a NYC Probation Officer.” She continues to work in that capacity and finds it to be rewarding as well. Yonette works closely with the courts and with individuals who have lost their way. “When I graduated, I

never thought I would be dealing with the criminal population. You never know what life has in store.”

1989

Rhonda L. (Keenan) Altonen accepted the position of director of the Sheldon L. Sirota Memorial Library at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and College of Pharmacy in Harlem, N.Y. in July of 2018.

1991

Carrie-Ann (Hartmann) Greiner recently celebrated her 50th birthday. Diane Heady Paolilli '90 was there to celebrate with her at a surprise party given by her husband. Carrie continues teaching special education in Warwick Valley Schools. Her son is in his second year at SUNY Maritime in the Bronx, and her daughter is graduating high school this June.

1994

Mary Lena (Kunkel) Mesquita currently teaches religious education at Most Precious Blood Parish and homeschools her daughter.

She loves participating in daily Mass and Adoration whenever possible.

1998

Karen (Solowsky) Gapper has been teaching in Brooklyn for 21 years.

Karen is married and has one son, Jack. Karen and her family live on Long Island.

1999

Michelle Bond transitioned from foodie to full-time food entrepreneur in 2016, founding Bottoms Up

Bagels (BUB), a pop up bagel business in Baltimore, Md. Missing the quick, quality options of the northeast, BUB began making and selling hand-rolled bagels and house-cured lox at local farmers markets. In September, Bond began the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, to help the company expand. [2] *This note incorrectly ran in the last issue with another alumna’s name. Our apologies for the error.

2000

Joseph Polvere is entering his 19th year of teaching. He is a 6th grade Social Studies teacher in Demarest, N.J. He is pursuing his third master’s degree in History through the University of Nebraska.

He continues to work as an adjunct professor of History and Education, which he has done for more than 12 years. [3]

2002

Daniela Savone is the new executive chef for The Joint restaurant in Columbia, S.C.

2004

Kerin Reilly ran and successfully completed the NYC Marathon on November 4, 2018. She said it was an amazing experience. She ran on behalf of a non-profit foundation, the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation. She has served on their Board of Directors since 2014. Currently, Kerin is the director of Admissions for The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, an acting school in Manhattan that is about to celebrate 135 years.

ALUMNI

SPOTLIGHT Joseph Polvere ’00 MSEd’01 Commencement didn’t mark the end of the educational journey for Joseph Polvere ’00 MSEd ’01 – it was just the beginning.

The History major received his undergraduate degree while pursuing certification in Elementary Education, Special Education, and a Social Studies extension in grades 5-8. A year later, he graduated from the Mount again, this time with a Master of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in Reading.

Polvere hasn’t left the classroom ever since.

Currently, Polvere is a 6th grade social studies teacher at Demarest Middle School in Demarest, N.J. He also serves his district as an instructional coach.

Outside of his middle school classroom, he is an adjunct professor of Education at New Jersey City University and Mercy College, and History at Bergen Community College, something he has enjoyed for the past 14 years.

Polvere also wasn’t done being a student. He earned a second master’s degree in Educational Leadership and anticipates completing a third master’s degree, this time in History, in 2020.

So what makes him love education so much?

“Being among the students and helping them to love history, while learning valuable life lessons, is the best part,” he explained. “Having students come back years later to say 'thank you' is amazing.” www.msmc.edu

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ALUMNI

SPOTLIGHT

Alumni Notes

Karina Cabrera Bell ’01 Karina Cabrera Bell ’01 spent more than a decade working in government affairs, including for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and in the Presidential Personnel Office under President Obama.

Then, in 2016, she found herself abruptly moving to California with her family, forcing her to start over.

Bell used this move as an opportunity for exploration. She is passionate about advocating for women’s equality in the workplace and decided to use that passion for two unique endeavors: she founded a talent strategy firm, OpenAccess, and a podcast for working mothers of color, Reach Mama Network.

Her goal with both is to encourage and advocate for women, particularly women of color, to attain leadership roles in organizations. Through OpenAccess, Bell and her team work with companies to hire women in executive roles.

As a podcast host, she seeks to inspire these women by highlighting executives who are balancing work and life as a mother.

Leaving her government work behind was certainly challenging, but it’s afforded Bell the opportunity to continue to affect change in an area she’s passionate about.

“This decision to start my own business was the boldest thing I’ve ever done,” she said.

“And you know what? It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

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[4]

[8] [6]

[5]

2006

Shirley Roberts-Brereton's advice to her fellow alumni is to live your best but don’t forget those less fortunate.

Never focus on what you’ve done wrong that’s the past, and that too shall pass, but brighten the future each day as many have.

Patricia (Ferguson) Hopkins, along with her children Wyatt (4), Abby (3), and Lewis (2), have participated in various memorial events in honor of her late husband, Gunnery Sergeant Mark Hopkins. Mark was killed in a military plane crash on July 10, 2017 in a field in Mississippi. Currently, Patricia is assisting with the Yanky 72 golf tournament on August 2 at the Mansion Ridge Golf Course in Monroe, NY. [4] Don Minichino helped launch First Friday Poughkeepsie in 2017. First Friday Poughkeepsie is a monthly food, art, and music festival.

Don was selected as one of the Dutchess County

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

[7] Chamber of Commerce’s Forty Under 40 Award winners, and in 2018, he graduated from Leadership Dutchess and was elected co-chair of Hudson Valley Young Professionals.

Don was also a co-captain of the Vikings, 2018 Dutchess Dragon Boat Champions. [5]

2007

Tina Dierna is still close friends with the women who she laughed and cried with throughout her four years at MSMC. “We are family, four of us have children and the other is my best friend, the aunt of my daughter,” said Tina. Tina went on to receive a master’s degree at Adelphi University and became a certified school social worker.

She recently became an Internship & Career Center coordinator and transitional coordinator at a local school.

[6]

2013

Lauren (Rosenberger) Pullen and her husband, Andrew Pullen ’13, have many amazing memories of

[9] the Mount. Lauren and Andrew met in 2009, married on campus in 2016, and recently welcomed their child, Wyatt.

According to Lauren, “Whether we are visiting to watch a lacrosse game or just passing through on our way to the waterfront, it still brings back the best memories.” [7]

2014

Kenny Fusco graduated from Ball State University with his master’s in Applied Behavoir Analysis with a concentration in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

He plans to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam in November.

2016

Kathleen Conroy received a Master of Science in Education in School Counseling from LIU Hudson in May 2019.

Michael Corcoran recently completed Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Va. and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

Patrick Reilly is a second year law student at St. John’s University – School of Law. In January 2019, the Law Department sent Patrick to represent them in an International Baseball Salary Arbitration Competition at Tulane School of Law in New Orleans. He won the Best Overall Written Advocacy Award for the entire competition, beating out more than 50 law schools.

2018

Caitlyn Shult was part of the 3-2 program with the Mount and Fordham University, and she graduated from Fordham on May 19 with a master’s in Social Work. “I was able to get my bachelor’s and master’s all in four years thanks to the Mount and the amazing program,” said Caitlyn.

[8]

Births

2019

Alyssa Ricco is happy to report that she accepted a position at Geller & Company in midtown Manhattan in March. Alyssa works as a Service Desk Dispatcher in the IT office of the financial advisory firm. She is learning so much, and she cannot wait to see what the future holds! [9]

Marriage

[10]

2008

[11]

[12]

[13]

2014

Melinda Burke '10 & '12 and Joseph Canary '12 & '13 were married on December 15, 2018 in the Mount Saint Mary College Chapel nearly 11 years after they first met in the Aquinas Dining Hall.

The wedding party included nine other MSMC alumni.

[13]

James Joseph (Joe) Allen, husband of Bobbi (Lancaster) Allen ’67 and father of Daniel Allen ’94 passed away on May 15, 2019.

Trustee member (1982-1991), passed away on April 9, 2019.

George Cooper, father of Abigail (Cooper) Sweeney ’99 and father-in-law to Donald Sweeney ’99, passed away on September 20, 2018.

Lorraine Isler G ’92 passed away on December 20, 2018.

Paula A. Merricks-Lewis '85 MBA '10 passed away on Saturday, March 16, 2019 after fighting a battle with breast cancer. A scholarship fund has been created to benefit the Children of Jamaica Outreach program. For more information, please visit https://plumfund.com/ memorial-fund/in-honor-ofpaula-merricks

Anthony Curti and Amber Curti ‘09 welcomed their second child, Catherine Lee, 8lbs 14oz, 21”, on February 28, 2019.

[10] Katelyn Biggane Moore and her husband, Matthew, welcomed their first child, Scarlett, in January 2019 at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. [11]

Kerry (Hogan) Kondas and husband Darren Kondas welcomed their daughter Brooke Lynn Kondas on November 10, 2018. Kerry is working as an ER Nurse at Huntington Hospital, and Darren is working for the FDNY as an EMT. Kaitlyn Hogan '16 (left) is Brooke's godmother.

[12]

In Memoriam

G. Thomas Delahunty, father of Patricia (Delahunty) Bookless ’78 and Eileen (Delahunty) Frolo ’81 and former Mount Board of

Mary Ann (Campanella) DePeters ’64 passed away on December 11, 2018.

Joe Kastrup, husband of Kathleen Mullane Kastrup ’69, passed away on March 30, 2019.

Mary Hollenbeck, mother of MaryKay (Hollenbeck) Messenger ’88, passed away on April 1, 2019.

ALUMNI

SPOTLIGHT Barbara Stevens ’75 Take it from Barbara Stevens: Working in a hospital isn’t the only career path open to Nursing majors.

The 1975 Mount graduate spent seven years as a critical care nurse before realizing her true passion – pharmaceutical sales.

“I did bedside nursing for seven years after graduating, all in critical care, and had classic burn out,” she explained. “I wanted to continue to use my love of science, so I decided to go into pharmaceutical sales.”

She became a district sales manager for Merck, a pharmaceutical company, and marketed a migraine medication to neurologists. Her Nursing training came in handy in this position – Stevens’ healthcare background allowed her to be trusted by the health care providers to whom she was selling the medication. This trait was equally valued by Merck, as she could have highly-clinical discussions about the use of their product based on her experiences.

After 23 years as a sales manager, Stevens moved into business development for Ashfield Healthcare in the United Kingdom and most recently Diligent Health Solutions in Pennsylvania. She now has the opportunity to help further shape the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries by partnering with health care providers and life sciences companies to provide better opportunities for patients.

It was her Mount clinical opportunities that opened her eyes to the diversity of opportunities within nursing.

“Nursing is a great major and should not be limited to only a clinical position,” she said. “It has many applications and is a trusted and valued profession.” www.msmc.edu

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Fundraising Fun One lucky MSMC alum will win a trip to Las Vegas Mount Saint Mary College’s Advancement Team is excited to announce that, because of a generous donor, one lucky alum will win a four-night vacation with two roundtrip airfare tickets to Las Vegas.

Alumni may enter by buying a $5 raffle ticket to support the MSMC Annual

Fund. These unrestricted funds are critical to the advancement of Mount Saint Mary College by providing help on campus where it is needed the most.

For more information and to enter online, visit www.msmc.edu/lasvegas

Mount alumni gathering brews up comradery

F

un and friendship were on tap at Mount Saint Mary College’s Knight’s Brew alumni gathering at the Newburgh Brewing Company.

Current and former professors took the helm behind the bar, serving up local beers with a side of nostalgia to about 100 alumni over the course of a delightful Sunday afternoon.

The guest bartenders were Lee Fothergill, professor of Mathematics and chair of the Division of Mathematics and Information Technology; Irene Nunnari, professor emerita of Arts and Letters; Nunnari’s husband Joe Nunnari, a former lab technician with the Division of Natural Sciences; Tom Sarro, professor of Biology; and Paul Schwartz, professor of Psychology.

In between enjoying cold brews and amazing Hudson Valley views, the alumni also had a chance to win Mount hats and clothing, sports memorabilia, and more.

Tips were donated to the Mount’s Annual Fund. The event was sponsored by the Office of College Advancement.

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MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

ABOVE, Lee Fothergill, professor of Mathematics and chair of the Division of Mathematics and Information Technology at the Mount (right) teaches longtime Psychology professor Paul Schwartz (left) how to pour a beer at the Knight Brew event.

LEFT, Irene Nunnari, professor emerita of Arts and Letters (right) with Mount Saint Mary College mascot Mack the Knight (left)

Knight Nation challenge raises thousands for athletics APRIL 9-10, 2019 • 2 DAYS – 21 TEAMS – 1 CAUSE

T

hey’re used to battling rival schools, but the Knight Nation Challenge pitted 21 Mount athletic teams against each other to raise the most money over a two-day period, with all the funds going towards practice gear, training trips, and the general Athletic and Annual funds.

Together, the teams raised a total of $16,715.10 with 584 donors generously giving to the cause.

When the dust cleared, Women's Volleyball was the last team standing with 153 donors. In addition, the team with the largest donation amount was Men's Lacrosse with $4,435.

“Great job to all of the coaches, teams, and athletes who worked tirelessly on this fundraiser,” said Margaret Treacy ’13, director of Annual Giving.

The event was spearheaded by the Office of College Advancement.

Mount community comes together for HV Gives About 80 faculty and staff came together to help the Mount compete with 160 other local nonprofits during the annual Hudson Valley Gives event. Hudson Valley Gives, hosted by the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan, challenges local nonprofits to raise as much money as possible for their organization in a single 24-hour period. This year, the Mount community took to social media to help raise awareness of the campaign, and garnered more than $1,000 in donations from more than 30 donors. The Mount’s efforts were spearheaded by the Office of College Advancement and Margaret Treacy ’13, director of Annual Giving. www.msmc.edu

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The Mount honored two friends of the college at the annual Golf and Tennis Tournament on June 3.

From left: honorees John J. Lease, Jr. and Michael J. Gilfeather, along with Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of the Mount.

Mount’s annual golf and tennis invitational Event honors Michael Gilfeather and Jack Lease, Jr.

T

he Mount’s 41st Annual Invitational Golf and 8th Annual Invitational Tennis Tournament honored friends of the college Michael Gilfeather (golf) and Jack Lease, Jr. (tennis) on Monday, June 3.

About 225 friends of the college enjoyed the event, which grossed $128,000 for the college. The funds raised through the tournament assist the college in its efforts to keep the cost of a Mount education within the reach of deserving students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college.

Michael J. Gilfeather, Orange Bank & Trust Company President and CEO, joined the Bank in March 2014. He also serves in the same positions with the bank’s holding company, Orange County Bancorp, Inc. (OCBI) and is a director of Hudson Valley Investment Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OCBI. The bank, founded in 1892, has 13 branches throughout the Hudson Valley.

Prior to joining Orange Bank & Trust

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Company, Gilfeather was the Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President of Hudson Valley Bank.

There, he was part of the team responsible for Hudson Valley Bank’s growth and transformation into a $2.6 billion and 28 branch banking operation. Before that, Gilfeather was with The Bank of New York for 20 years, where he was the Senior Manager for all retail banking in the Borough of Manhattan.

Gilfeather was born in Red Hook, N.Y., and now resides in Middletown, N.Y. He is a board member of the New York Bankers Association, Orange County Partnership, Orange Regional Medical Center Foundation, Orange County Chamber of Commerce, and United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region.

John J. Lease, Jr., a licensed real estate broker, has been appraising, selling, leasing, and managing real estate since 1958.

He was an owner and partner of John J. Lease Realtors, Inc., a family business started in 1938 by his father, for two

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

decades. The business is currently owed

by John Lease III. Lease has appraised real estate for clients such as the City of Newburgh; Exxon Mobil Corporation; IBM Corporation in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; PepsiCo; and more.

In addition, he is a long-time member of Newburgh YMCA, was elected to the New York State National Baseball Congress All-State Team in 1955, and played American Legion and Newburgh baseball for nearly a decade.

Lease was born in Newburgh, N.Y. and graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1951. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Rider College in Trenton, N.J. in 1955, majoring in Real Estate and Insurance. That same year, Lease was married to Frances K. Favino, who passed away in 2015. He has three children: Jeffrey Michael Lease, Karen Lease Driscoll, and John Lease III.

Sean Barton ’13, G15; Shane Garzione; and Jason Barton

Online extras: See photos and coverage from the event at msmc.edu/golf

Jack Lease, Jr. and his son Jeffrey Lease Dr. Jason Adsit and MSMC Board Vice Chairman Anthony Liotti

Michael Gilfeather and MSMC Board Chairman Charles Frank MaryKay Messenger ‘88

www.msmc.edu

55

Mount Saint Mary Academy

Helene Virginia May Barre MSMA ’63

H

elene Virginia May Barre clearly remembers the day when she opened the acceptance envelope from Mount Saint Mary Academy (MSMA). “Even back then I realized it was a privilege to attend the Academy,” she said.

Her Academy memories bring her great joy. She recalls one day in her History/Social Studies class when Sr. Robert Marie was displeased with the length of the students’ skirts and surprised them with a little test. “She suggested we kneel down on the floor and checked to see if our skirt hems touched the floor. If not, she released the too-short skirt hems with a pair of scissors!”

Barre also fondly remembers her Latin teacher, Sr. Mary Virginia, not because she loved Latin, but because of the sister’s signature remark. She admits that she and a few others in her class never quite took to Latin. So when a student didn’t know the correct answer to a question, Sr. Mary Virginia would pick up a pencil and say “You know as much about Latin as this here pencil!”

Miss Rose’s “Charm School” covered everything from proper table setting and posture to social graces and dining etiquette, which reminded Barre of the values her mother impressed upon her.

She credits Miss Rose with her ability to take on certain tasks with ease and confidence.

Winters were filled with ice skating parties at Newburgh’s Downing Park organized by the Academy and the New York Military Academy. The men would be skating in uniform and socialize with the Academy students over hot chocolate. This is where Barre met her first beau.

Barre graduated from MSMA in 1963, excited for the future. Her yearbook quote was “College: A new frontier.” A new frontier indeed: Unfortunately, Barre’s parents died within six months of each other during her senior year of college at SUNY Oneonta. Despite this devastating loss, she obtained

56

a degree in Education and Psychology.

Later on in life, she also earned certification from the New York School of Interior Design.

All this education lead her to her passion for real estate. Barre has worked for Sotheby’s International Realty in Greenwich, Conn. for more than 25 years and is one of their top producers. She recently partnered with another top producer at Sotheby’s, Francine Ehrlich, to form Barre Ehrlich Group Sotheby’s Greenwich.

Two quotes have formed her attitude on life: “If you cannot do it with a smile, don’t do it” from her mother and “How can you stoop so low as to lift so little?” from an MSMA sister. She loves these so much, she is currently writing a book of quotes and the stories behind them.

When she’s not selling real estate or writing, Barre enjoys life at her home in West Palm Beach with her husband, Per Barre. She is extremely proud of her three children – Ashley, Caroline, and Per – and the people that they have become. Her wish for her four (soon to be five) grandchildren is to not do anything begrudgingly, to serve people with a smile, and to trust in God.

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Above, class picture from the MSMA 1963 yearbook

Below, Barre's MSMA yearbook photo

Looking Back

W

hittaker Hall, originally the carriage house for the Van Duzer estate, was converted into a music school by the Dominican Sisters when they acquired the property in 1915. At one time, there were 17 pianos in the building. The inscription above the main entryway still reads “Domus Angelorum,” Latin for “House of the Angels,” named such by the sisters after hearing the glorious sounds of music that would come from the lessons.

www.msmc.edu

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Mount Saint Mary College 330 Powell Avenue Newburgh, NY 12550

Save the Date SEPTEMBER

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Inauguration of Dr. Jason N. Adsit Family Weekend begins

OCTOBER

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Alumni Weekend begins

DECEMBER

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10th Annual Gala celebration Christmas Vespers