Mount Saint Mary College Magazine, Summer 2013

Mount Saint Mary College

magazine Newburgh, New York

Summer 2013

627 earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees

DO CE ME

Dear alumni, students, parents and friends of Mount Saint Mary College,

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Our newest alumni – 627 women and men in the Class of 2013 – have graduated, and have begun new chapters in their lives. We will look forward to hearing of their progress.

We know you will enjoy reading about some of their journeys to date. Their Mount education speaks to the leadership they have experienced, the quality of care that goes into our programs, and the constant improvement of their preparation.

A college campus is blessed with the passages of life. Hundreds of new people join our Mount community each year.

We greeted nearly 450 of our incoming freshmen at Orientation in July. This fall, when they and our transfer students and adult students arrive for classes, they will find a new Welcome Booth at our main entrance.

We also enter the service of quality online education this August, with our strong new RN to BS online program.

As we enter the fifth year of our current Strategic Plan, “A Call to Excellence: The Campaign for the Dominican Center” is on target and its goal is within reach. The transformation of the property should be complete during the coming academic year and there is great anticipation.

Our many strategic steps include significant outreach for international students. This January, we will have 125 Brazilians on campus for a three-week program.

Day to day, we continue to make important strides. The Mount has earned new specialized accreditation from the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.

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A letter from the President

INT MARY C SA

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Volume 35, No. 2

Mary Hinton, Ph.D. was instrumental in this. Her expertise has also strengthened strategies to improve retention. With overwhelming campus support of my appointment of Dr. Hinton as Vice President for Academic Affairs, it is expected she will bring instruction to new levels.

Mount Saint Mary College’s Centers for Excellence – the Center on Aging and Policy, the Center for Adolescent Research and Development, and the Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning – hold conferences and involve students in projects on and off campus. The Catholic and Dominican Institute has also cosponsored lectures and the Thomas Aquinas Philosophy Workshop on campus.

Read more about our people, programs, news and events in this magazine and at our website, www.msmc.edu God bless,

Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM President

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

The Office of Community Relations prepares this magazine for alumni, students, parents and friends of the College.

EDITOR Janet Gianopoulos

ART DIRECTOR Dean DiMarzo

CONTRIBUTORS Matt Frey ’05 MSE ’10 Joan Gambeski Michelle Iacuessa ’94 Justin Satkowski PRODUCTION DESIGNER Sten Miller PHOTOGRAPHY Lee Ferris Matt Frey ’05 MSE ’10 Joan Gambeski Anna Raugalis Justin Davis

COPYEDITING Jane Hanley Mayde Pokorny

CIRCULATION 7,800 ©2013

WEBSITE magazine.msmc.edu EMAIL magazine@msmc.edu

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE Newburgh, NY 12550 845-561-0800

ADMISSIONS 888-YES-MSMC (888-937-6762)

Contents

50th Commencement celebrations

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On the cover — Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, commencement speakers and graduates gather in the Kaplan Family MST atrium.

Photo by Lee Ferris/Mount Saint Mary College

Mount gains accreditation | Business programs recognized by IACBE

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Authors honored | Mount faculty recently publish scholarly studies

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News from the Mount | Research, Relay for Life, and more

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Newburgh Armory | Students and faculty serve in literacy, tax programs

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Career Center | Internships and employment events help give an edge 8 50th Commencement Ceremonies | Celebrating our grads

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Looking ahead | New alumni reflect and prepare for leadership

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Fond farewell | Retiring faculty and staff honored

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Hall of Fame | Inaugural athletics induction

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Sports roundup | A look at the spring 2013 season

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Alumni Profiles | Peter & Kristi Larson ’00; Maureen Kilpatrick Neppl ’71 34 Alumni Notes | The latest from Mount graduates

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Golf and Tennis Tournament | Photos from the event

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A Call to Excellence | Dominican Center Campaign gains ground

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40 MSMC Magazine online! www.msmc.edu/magazine Find more stories, photos and archived issues online.

www.msmc.edu

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News from the Mount Professors James Beard and Sr. Catherine Walsh, OP, speak with their former students. From left: Checo, Estevez, Guzman and Pichardo.

Alumni utilize Hispanic studies in work

Mount gains IACBE accreditation Mount Saint Mary College has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, located at 11374 Strang Lane Road in Lexena, Kansas, USA. The business programs in the following degrees are accredited by the IACBE: • Master of business administration • Bachelor of science in accounting/ master of business administration (5-year) • Bachelor of science in accounting • Bachelor of science in business management with concentrations in finance, marketing The accreditation comes at the end of a year-long process of self-study, in which Mount Saint Mary College examined and documented every aspect of its academic business programs; performed a comprehensive, independent peer review; and demonstrated accreditation principles including outcomes assessment, strategic planning, curriculum, faculty, scholarly and professional activities, resources, internal and external relationships, and educational innovation.

At the Mount, technology, international vision, and modern organizational science combine to prepare stu-

From left: Accounting grad Antoinette Mirdita; Andrew Weiss, chair of the Mount’s business division; MBA grad Paul Ortiz; and Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president.

dents for careers in a global economy.

With a liberal arts core, business students develop critical thinking and communication skills.

The education involves more than just class time, noted Andrew Weiss, chair of the Mount’s business division.

It also includes experiential learning.

The Mount keeps programs relevant to the needs of the business community, as well as the students, through the Business Advisory Council and with organizations such as The Solar Energy Consortium. This has made it possible to bring executives and businesspeople to teach specialized courses on contemporary issues. One such course, on the business of renewable energy, will be taught this fall by Carl Meyer, former CEO of Central Hudson Gas & Electric, and Vincent Cozzolino, vice president of Falatech.

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Four successful alumni returned to Mount Saint Mary College recently to talk with current students about applying Hispanic studies in the workplace. Andy Checo ’00, marketing director at MundoFOX network; Enny Pichardo ’06, a correspondent with NTN24 News and Noticias MundoFOX; Leandra Estevez ’10, senior advertising sales planner with LATV in New York City; and Rocio Guzman ’09, account coordinator with RL Public Relations in New York City, shared their professional experiences, and discussed the advantages their Mount education gave them.

Samantha Wilson ’13, a screener at Innate Chiropractic, examines Allison Turnbach for neck tension.

Erik Brower, chiropractor, discusses spinal health with Patricia Harbin.

20th annual health fair Sponsored by the Mount Saint Mary College Heath Services Wellness Center, and Rose & Kiernan Inc. insurance agency, the Mount’s 20th annual Health and Wellness Fair featured free health screenings and interactive exhibits. More than 50 vendors were in attendance.

Authors honored

Recently published books, articles and essays James Cotter, professor of English, “Me, Myself and I: Personal Pronouns in the Poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins,” appearing in The Hopkins Quarterly, 38(3-4), 2011.

Lawrence Force, professor of psychology, “The Middle Years and Beyond: Transitions and Families of Adults with Down Syndrome” in the Journal on Developmental Disabilities, 18(2), 2012.

Jane Gangi, assistant professor of education, “Genocide in Contemporary Children’s and Young Adult Literature,” Routledge, 2013.

Dean Goldberg, assistant professor of communication arts, “The filmmak-

er as inventor; Who’s driving the Bus?,” 7(3), 2012; and “Visual Grammar and Syntax of Film,” 7(5), 2012, Student Filmmakers Magazine.

Colleen Kirk, assistant professor of marketing, “The Effect of Nonconscious Goals on Investor Choice,” in the Journal of Behavioral Finance & Economics, 2(2), 2012.

Eric Langstedt, assistant professor of communications, “The Rise of Cornell Rowing 1871-1920: A History of the Early Championships of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association,” St. Magnus Press, 2012.

Douglas Robinson, assistant profes-

Local politicians visit the Mount

Left: Senator William Larkin discussed for Mount students topics ranging from honoring veterans to the job market.

The Mount Saint Mary College Political Awareness Club recently invited Senator William Larkin, Assemblyman Frank Skartados and former City of Newburgh mayor Nicholas Valentine to campus to discuss their views on politics and what it is like working as a public servant.

Above, from left: Assemblyman Frank Skartados, Senator William Larkin, former City of Newburgh mayor Nicholas Valentine, and Political Awareness Club president Brianna Ronca, a human services major

From left: Dean Goldberg, Lawrence Force, James Cotter, Eric Langstedt, Colleen Kirk, Douglas Robinson, and Jane Gangi. Inset: Jodie Wasacz sor of biology, monthly “Valley Birder” column in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Jodie Wasacz, assistant professor of chemistry, “Predictability of Organic Chemistry Students’ Final Course Grades Using Four-Week Averages,” appearing in Advances in Teaching Organic Chemistry, American Chemical Society, 2012.

Denise Garofalo, systems and catalog services librarian, “Empires of the Future: Libraries, Technology, and the Academic Environment” in the book “Robots in Academic Libraries.”

Students brush up their speech techniques Popular professor emerita Irene Nunnari presented a public speaking leadership workshop this spring.

Mount students learned some of Nunnari’s top tips for an engaging public talk, including when to use hand gestures, how to read an audience and what to avoid. www.msmc.edu

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News from the Mount

Jenifer Lee-Gonyea:

“Restoring Justice: The Inclusion of Restorative Justice in Crime-Related Undergraduate Programs.”

Thuy Linh Nguyen:

“Between Modernity and Imperialism: Colonial Hospitals in the French Empire.”

iROC presentations inspire

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aculty and students have enlightened the Mount through Investigating Research on Campus (iROC). “The goal of the iROC seminar series is to provide a forum for Mount faculty, staff and students to present research proposals, preliminary data and completed projects,” explained Douglas Robinson, assistant professor of biology and coordinator of the program. “The presentations feature representatives from all divisions.”

Amanda Maynard, associate professor of psychology, and Vivian Milczarski of Curtin Memorial Library, kicked off the 2012-13 iROC series with “Perils & Pitfalls of Academic Research.”

Charles Zola, assistant professor of philosophy and director of the Catholic and Dominican Institute, presented “The Values & Disvalues of Old Age: Implications for Elder Care Ethics.”

Colleen Kirk, assistant professor of marketing, delved into “Touching the Intangible: Interactivity and Psychological Ownership in Consumer Value Co-Creation.” Kirk and coauthor Scott Swain proposed that when consumers interact with a digital product, feelings of

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The goal of the iROC seminar series is to provide a forum for Mount faculty, staff and students to present research proposals, preliminary data and completed projects.

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Douglas Robinson, assistant professor of biology and coordinator of the program interactivity and ownership will increase the price consumers are willing to pay.

Stephanie Pietros, assistant professor of English, took a step back in time with the poetry of colonial writer Anne Bradstreet in “Anne Bradstreet’s ‘Ill-Formed Offspring’ and the Birthing of Poetry in Colonial New England.” Bradstreet is part of a tradition of poets who metaphorically compare their poems to children. Bradstreet’s poetry considering actual children adds another dimension.

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

Zachary Kudlak, assistant professor of mathematics, discussed the mathematics of graph theory in “An Introduction to Ramsey Theory: Using Math to Track Who Knows Who and Who Likes What.”

Thanks to social networking sites like Facebook, tracking who knows who, and who likes what is a booming area in analysis built on the math of graph theory.

Jenifer Lee-Gonyea, associate professor of criminology, presented “Restoring Justice: The Inclusion of Restorative Justice in Crime-Related Undergraduate Programs.” Restorative justice presents an alternative way of resolving conflicts that gives victims, offenders, and the community a voice in the ultimate resolution. Gonyea researched where courses are offered, what type of information is included, and what benefit they might have.

Anne-Marie Uebbing, assistant professor of nursing, spoke about “The Relationship Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Attention Deficit Disorder and Sleep Problems in the Pediatric Population.” The parents of children with ADHD report reduced sleep efficiency, as well as sleep fragmentation. Measure-

Nicholas Sheehan, a biology/ physical therapy major, presents his iROC research. ments indicate these children sleep longer but experience poorer quality sleep. Uebbing focused on primarily treatable conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, periodic limb movements disorder, and tonsillo-adenoiditis.

Four Mount accounting students took the iROC stage with “Research on Social Security Taxation in the U.S.” Stephen Blomquist, Andrew Tomascak, Thomas Gambino, and Jeremias Ramos, students of Mount instructor Tracey Niemotko, competed in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants National Accounting Competition last fall.

Daniel Shea, associate professor of English, investigated the literature of old with “The Pirate Queen: Uppity Irish Women in Elizabethan England.”

Shea discussed Grace O’Malley, the 16th century Irish “Pirate Queen.” A highlight of the talk was the historical meeting of Grace and Elizabeth, Queen of England, another woman who knew something of living in a man’s world.

Thuy Linh Nguyen, assistant professor of history, studied “Between Modernity and Imperialism: Colonial Hospitals in the French Empire.” She examined the establishment of maternity hospitals, their role in alleviating childbirth mortality and introducing a Western model.

The 2012-13 iROC season made a lasting impression with its final event, a celebration of student research.

More than 100 Mount students from a diverse array of disciplines presented their research in poster form.

Cancer survivor Megan Morris of Carmel, N.Y. (center), a nursing major, completes a lap with her mother (left) and sister, Shannon Morris ’06.

Mount Relay for Life raises more than $37,000

Mount Saint Mary College’s Relay for Life recently earned $37,522 for the American Cancer Society, thanks to the efforts of students, faculty, staff and volunteers from the community. Members of more than 30 teams took turns walking laps for 12 hours – from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. – to honor those who have, or were lost to cancer, and to raise money for a

cure. Mount president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, congratulated participants for their good work. “Let’s give a huge shout out to the Relay for Life committee,” he said. Event co-chairs Angela Oliveri, Nicole Havrilla, and Allison Cowan, along with 25 committee members, were aided by Sandra Cefaloni-Henderson and Caitlin Houlihan of Student Activities.

Way of the Cross

The solemn ceremony observed

by Roman Catholics approaching Easter recalls the crucifixion of Jesus Christ through 14 steps, or stations. These stations are commonly affixed to the walls of a church, as either carvings or small illustrations. With the Mount faithful in the pews, servers Megan Capurso, Adam Earle and Emily DiBiase honored the Way of the Cross. Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm, Mount Saint Mary College campus chaplain, spoke a prayer at each station.

“These reflections are based on the Four Gospels of the New Testament, the Passion Narratives,” explained Fr. Amodio. “This devotion is associated with St. Francis of Assisi.”

“The Way of the Cross is always a moving experience,” said Alexander LaPoint, assistant director of campus ministry. “To walk with Jesus on his journey to Crucifixion

Servers Megan Capurso, Adam Earle and Emily DiBiase pray at the third Station of the Cross. helps to remind us what the Lenten season is about and what we have to look forward to in Easter.”

The idea comes from the Holy Land, as pilgrims walk and pray the steps Jesus took on his way to Calvary, outside the wall of Jerusalem. Those who cannot go in pilgrimage to Jerusalem can pray in their church, Fr. Amodio said. “This devotion can also be prayed at home or anywhere else.” www.msmc.edu

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MSMC at the Newburgh Armory

Book clubs boost kids’ love of learning

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t might seem improbable that students enjoy spending Saturday mornings in a classroom, but thanks to education professors like Janine Bixler and 22 dedicated student volunteers, local kids are doing just that.

Mount “book clubs” are offered at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center as part of the college’s Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning (CELL).

College volunteers help children explore books that reflect various cultural backgrounds and interests of the community, explained Bixler. Children actively share their own ideas and stories as well.

“We’ve had some great discussions with the books,” said Bixler, who is devoted to sharing the joy of learning and enhancing the natural gifts of her students. “The goal is to create lifelong readers, instead of those who only read because they have to for school.”

College president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, serves on the board of directors of the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, where the aim is education and recreation.

Recently, three Mount master’s candidates – Zachary D’Alfonso, Philip Stewart and Brian Morgan – further spread the love of literacy to youngsters through music and art.

After discussing how music resembles poetry, and using the blues as an example, Stewart strapped on an acoustic guitar and invited students to write poems and draw pictures of a time

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Top left: Professor Janine Bixler helps a student write a poem. Above: Nicole Zazzero (seated) reads to local children while Rachel Sleeter prepares for the book discussion to follow. when they felt blue. Each boy and girl read his or her poems with Stewart’s musical accompaniment, while peers clapped and sang along.

“Never stop reading and never stop writing,” Stewart told them.

Bixler pointed out that while volunteers hone their teaching skills by participating in the book clubs, this and other activities provide urban youth meaningful contact with college

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

Philip Stewart strums the blues as a young student recites the poem she wrote. Looking on is Janine Bixler. students and faculty.

D’Alfonso agreed. “Our music idea worked really well,” he said. “Now we can refine it and put it into our classrooms. [CELL book clubs] give us a great opportunity to work with kids.”

The college students said that the

Mount had prepared them well.

“I speak very highly of the faculty of the Mount’s education program,” said Stewart. “Dr. Bixler is an excellent influence. She leads by example and models good teaching and professionalism.”

Morgan noted professor Dolores Berlinghoff, with expertise in behavior management, as a major influence.

D’Alfonso added that Patricia Ruff aided him greatly in his evolution as a student.

Mount undergraduates interested in service learning have co-taught the Saturday book clubs. The club for Conversations to Inspire Reading Children’s Literature with Engagement (CIRCLE) lent several books, and club members have facilitated some of the discussions.

Prior to presenting, the college students prepare their sessions with faculty.

Other Mount education faculty who have participated in CELL are Reva Cowan, David Gallagher, Jane Gangi, and Matt Hollibush. English professor Peter Witkowski recently lent his skills.

Bixler is working on a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience project with assistant professor Rebecca Norman and three undergraduate students involving literacy and the Armory book clubs.

Community outreach is only one component of the Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning. The program also focuses on research and professional development. The recent 20th Annual Mount Saint Mary College Conference on Literacy, featuring author Joseph Bruchac as the keynote speaker, is a prime example.

Another goal, led by Gangi, is to recommend multicultural literature via annotated bibliographies for elementary and intermediate school Common Core State Standards.

Bixler’s work on the CELL program and her excellent teaching skills were recently recognized with the MidHudson School Study Council’s Educational Leadership Award. The award cites superior educational leadership and accomplishments in educational environments, an advanced sense of creativity in meeting the needs of students, and growth of professional communities.

Mount accounting students aid the community during tax season Accounting majors from Mount Saint Mary College recently lent their tax preparation skills to middle- and low-income families in Newburgh.

They passed a competency test before they served the community at the Newburgh Armory.

Trevor Pungello ’13, said that participating would help differentiate Mount students. He added that his previous experience helped him to land a job earlier this year with an accounting firm in Monroe, N.Y. Students agreed that business professor Tracey Niemotko was a driving force behind their academic success.

This is the third year that Mount students have participated in IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), according to Kathleen O’Keefe of the Mount’s Career Center.

Stephen Lawrence (right) and Jeremias Ramos aid Newburgh resident Karen Hingst in preparing her taxes.

They also participated in a second Super Saturday in Middletown, N.Y., as well as aiding with taxes throughout the season at various sites.

Crossing the language barrier Karen Eberle-McCarthy, professor of Hispanic studies, has been teaching free classes in English as a second language at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center for about a year and a half. This academic year, four Mount students aided: Alejandra Gomez, a Hispanic studies major on the elementary and special education tracks; Maria Moorman, a Hispanic studies graduating senior; William Biersack, a mathematics major; and Nicole Lee, a nursing student.

“It’s really amazing,” McCarthy said.

“It keeps growing and growing and getting better all the time.” The volunteers apply their classroom learning in real-world situations – one of the experiential benefits of a Mount education. “There are jobs in teaching English as a second language, so if the students have some experience, this gives them an open door,” McCarthy said.

Gomez knows firsthand the difficulty a language barrier can present. Having immigrated to the United States from Chile, she began kindergarten speaking only Spanish. Now, she wants to give

Karen Eberle-McCarthy teaches English as a second language at the Newburgh Armory. back to the community by helping others become fluent English speakers.

One of the people the caring student is aiding is her father, a Newburgh resident. “It hits home,” said Gomez. “I know how hard it is for people to learn a second language, so this whole program is very important to me.” Gomez is studying abroad in Segovia, Spain with McCarthy this summer before beginning her student teaching experience in the fall. She plans to graduate in December 2013. www.msmc.edu

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Dana Jameson and Chryssa Castillo, both information technology majors, compare notes at the Employment Fair.

Early birds get the firm Mount students make their mark in the work world

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tart early.

That’s the internship advice of Janet Zeman, executive director of the Mount Saint Mary College Career Center.

“Internships are known across the business world as a way to advance your career, so everyone does internships these days,” she explained. “There are so many applicants for a limited number of positions. If students don’t have an early plan, they miss opportunities for which they’re quite capable.”

The Career Center reaches out to Mount students beginning in their sophomore year, said Zeman. She cited the success of Bryan De La Rosa ’08, a biology major, who began his search early. Through working in several settings – including the New York Uni-

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Left: Margaret Treacy with James Skoufis, a member of the New York State Assembly, at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast.

Right: Mount students Artiana versity Medical Center and the SUNY State College of Optometry in New York City – De La Rosa discovered his career passions. Thanks to the experience, De La Rosa is now employed by the New York City Police Department using his biology expertise for forensic work.

Margaret Treacy ’13, a communications-production major, enjoyed an

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

Hadzibrahimi (center) and Anthony Fragomeni (right), speak with Larry Wolinsky, a managing partner at Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP in Walden, N.Y. internship with the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. She edited promotional videos for the chamber.

Many were screened at events that the chamber hosted, such as the recent TechXpo. Another of her videos was shown on a giant screen at the Castle Fun Center in Chester, N.Y. “My internship experience will help

me in the future with skills to network, maintain a website, and promote business,” said Treacy. “Part of what I learned is targeting the audience in the most effective way.”

Artiana Hadzibrahimi, an interdisciplinary major, and Anthony Fragomeni, a history-political science major, both interned at Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP. They assisted in legal research and shadowed attorneys in the office and at court proceedings.

“This internship has helped in all sorts of ways,” Fragomeni explained. “It’s taught me the business side of being a lawyer.”

Fragomeni graduated with a bachelor’s degree and will return to the Mount to begin his master’s in business administration this fall. He’s aiming to open a small business and go to law school.

“The Career Center has been really helpful,” said Fragomeni. “I advise students to go to the Career Center as quickly as possible.”

Hadzibrahimi, a pre-law junior, agreed.

“Michael L. Fox [at Jacobowitz and Gubits] did a lot for me. He taught me all about litigation and communication.”

According to Fox, Hadzibrahimi was a great asset. “We were very happy to have Artiana, and all of our past Mount Saint Mary College interns, work with us in our practice,” he said. “We have found them all to be eager to learn, and quick to participate in assignments. The experience is certainly a mutually beneficial one from our perspective.”

Portals to professions Each spring, Mount Saint Mary College students and alumni come equipped with résumés and dressed for success, as employers offer positions during the

Larry Taylor, an accounting major, speaks with Sean Glander ’06, of Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP. Employment Fair at the college.

More than 50 employers were present this April. The event was sponsored by Mediacom Communications Corporation and Docuware Corporation, and conducted by the Mount’s Career Center.

Successful Mount alumni were in no short supply at the fair. Sean Glander ’06, a CPA with Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP, was pleased to visit his alma mater.

“It’s wonderful to come back to the Mount and help the students,” he said.

“And it’s great that my employer gave me this opportunity. Vanacore is an excellent, community-oriented employer.”

Ashley Hargraves ’12, a public relations major, presented her résumé at the Employment Fair a year ago. This year, she attended as a sales representa-

tive of W.B. Mason Co., Inc., an office supply company. “It’s a great job,” she said. “My education at the Mount helped me do this. The communications program here is fabulous and it really prepared me.”

Anne Marie Cullinan ’73, with Waterbury Public Schools in Waterbury, Conn., connected with many Mount education majors. The district has some 30 schools. “I don’t think I’d be where I am today, as chief academic officer of a public school system, if I didn’t have the education I received at Mount Saint Mary College,” she said.

The Career Center helps students enhance their résumés, holds mock interview sessions, and provides a continual resource for professional opportunities.

Students dress for success Students of accounting professor Louis P. Fortunato could have walked from the classroom into the workplace.

Managerial accounting students arrived to their finals wearing pressed shirts, shined shoes, and sharp suits. Fortunato gave each student a five-second job interview – a custom-tailored question – and Ellen Bourhis Nolan of the Mount’s

Career Center critiqued their outfits.

“This was an excellent opportunity for them, and my students have risen to the occasion,” Fortunato said.

Students of Louis P. Fortunato, dressed for success.

www.msmc.edu

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50th Commencement Ceremonies

627 degrees

of preparation

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his year’s 50th annual commencement ceremony at Mount Saint Mary College ushered in a new era for 627 bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates.

The big tent buzzed with anticipation as thousands of parents, relatives and friends gathered to witness the academic achievement.

Students could hardly contain their excitement as they waited to begin the procession and enter their future.

At last, the skirl of bagpipes filled the air, and longtime professor James Finn Cotter once again bore the ceremonial mace, leading the long procession into the tent.

Once all were seated, Mount president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, continued his tradition of inviting the graduating class to “give yourself a hug” for a job well done.

He encouraged them to continue using their skills of mind and habits of heart. “When called to choose in our work between excellence and quality, and what is slipshod or just

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Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

enough, choose excellence and quality,” said Fr. Mackin.

“Go the extra mile to make something just right because it is the better and worthy thing to do.”

He added, “Congratulations, Godspeed and God bless you Class of 2013, the Mount’s newest alumni.”

The college conferred honorary doctorate degrees upon three accomplished speakers: William Kaplan, successful entrepreneur and philanthropist; James Patterson, best-selling author; and Sandra Gerry, chair of the Sullivan Renaissance.

A staunch supporter of the Mount, Mr. Kaplan surveyed

“Each of you can make a difference ... You are in the perfect place to give back.”

— Sandra Gerry, Honorary Degree Recipient

“You guys made it.

All right! ... Strive for balance in your life.”

— James Patterson, Honorary Degree Recipient

the graduates with a smile, before exclaiming, “This is awesome!”

He emphasized that Mount graduates have made a huge difference in Newburgh, the city he loves.

“On behalf of this community, we thank you,” he said.

“You’ve been absolutely amazing.”

The entrepreneur has provided employment for thousands at the Regal Bag Corporation, which he started in Newburgh shortly after World War II, and then at A.C. Moore Arts and Crafts, which grew from a single store to 130 outlets. He also generously collaborated to build numerous other organizations, serving on the Board of Trustees of St. Luke’s Hospital, Norstar Bank of the Hudson Valley, the Hudson-Delaware Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Jewish Federation of Orange County, Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, and Mount Saint Mary College.

Long a catalyst for grassroots projects, Mr. Kaplan serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, a collaboration of people from organizations and businesses – and many Mount volunteers – with the aims of education and recreation.

Kaplan thanked Hispanic studies teacher Karen EberleMcCarthy for her and student volunteers’ English as a second language classes at the Armory. He cited the tireless service of Maria Moorman, a Hispanic studies major and member of the graduating class, as an example.

He also recognized education professors Janine Bixler and David Gallagher, and all the other Mount faculty and students who have lent their time and skills at the Armory.

Kaplan has supported the Mount through scholarships and projects including the Hudson Hall renovation; Elaine and William Kaplan Recreation Center; the Mathematics, Science and Technology Center; and the Dominican Center.

Kaplan continues to show faith in the City of Newburgh, investing in projects which enrich the lives of residents. He has also championed the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.

“The Mount has touched the lives of over 30,000 people in the Newburgh area.”

— William Kaplan, Honorary Degree Recipient

Newburgh native and worldwide literary phenomenon James Patterson returned to his hometown to congratulate the newest Mount graduates.

“You guys made it. All right!” he said enthusiastically, prompting a cheer from the seniors.

The author pointed out that he was born in Newburgh’s St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, just a few blocks south of the college.

“It’s really, really, really great to be back home,” said Patterson. “I can honestly say that this is where I started out as a writer. The best-selling writer in the world comes from Newburgh.”

Patterson described life as a juggling act, wherein work is a rubber ball that will bounce back if dropped. But family, friendship, spirituality, and health are made of glass – and will scuff and shatter if they hit the ground.

The message was simple: “Strive for more balance in your life,” he advised.

Patterson holds The New York Times record and a Guinness World Record for the most hardcover fiction bestselling titles – 89 total. The prolific writer’s latest four books, all being published this year, are “12th of Never,” “Second Honeymoon,” “Mistress,” and “Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill.” His “Maximum Ride” series debuted on The New York Times bestsellers list at #1 and the series has so far spent more than 100 weeks on the list. He also created the detective series featuring Alex Cross.

In total, Patterson’s books have sold an estimated 275 million copies worldwide.

In addition to being an author, Patterson is an advocate, with the James Patterson Pageturner Awards, and also James Patterson’s College Book Bucks.

Sandra Gerry, creator of the Sullivan Renaissance, encouraged graduates to give back to their communities.

Mrs. Gerry believes that residents can use flowers and gardens to enhance the appearance of Sullivan County, while www.msmc.edu

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50th Commencement Ceremonies

Top: Graduates give themselves a hug. Left to right: Joseph “Fred” Canady, Stephanie Brockway, and Nancy Benfer.

Top: Fr. Kevin, Sandra Gerry, James Patterson, William Kaplan and Dr. Albert Gruner

Above: Hundreds of new grads enjoyed their day.

Above: Nadirah Muhammad, a communications-journalism major, says farewell to faculty.

also cultivating community pride and spirit. Now completing its 13th year, Sullivan Renaissance has grown into a yearround community development program involving thousands of volunteers from all 15 towns in the county.

“Each of you can make a difference,” she said. “No matter how small the contribution, the collective impact for good can be enormous. As you sit here today ready to receive your diplomas, you are in the perfect place to give back, to pay it forward, to volunteer of yourself. I challenge you to make a difference by sharing some of your great talents and resources, and to lead by example.”

In addition to beautification and environmental efforts, as an educator and having been involved in the teaching profession, the success of scholarship programs is one of Gerry’s special concerns. She is also director of allocations for the Beaverkill Foundation, established by the Gerrys to assist charitable causes in Sullivan County.

Gerry also serves on the board of the Gerry Foundation, Inc., the family foundation established in part to benefit the economy by developing the world-class performing arts center, Bethel Woods, at the site of the original Woodstock Festival.

As the time came to receive diplomas, delight washed over the graduates and their families. With a handshake and a beaming smile from Fr. Mackin, the candidates crossed the stage in front of the faculty and transitioned from students to alumni.

They have reason for optimism. A survey revealed that six months after graduating, 84 percent of responding 2012 Mount grads were employed. An impressive 77 percent of nursing grads responded that they were making $50,000 and up per year. Three quarters of responding grads planned to earn a master’s degree, and many continue in the Mount’s master’s programs.

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Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

McEnery

Alma Mater Cotter

Cotter led 1st and 50th commencements James Finn Cotter, a professor at Mount Saint Mary College since 1963, led the procession of graduates at the 50th commencement ceremony on May 18, just as he did for the college’s first graduation and many in between.

Cotter first led the procession and was master of ceremonies from 1964, when the Mount graduated its first class of 32 students, through 1970.

During the 50 years that Mount Saint Mary College has celebrated commencement, only two people have led the procession: Cotter and professor emeritus Jim McEnery of Cornwall, N.Y. 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.

Above the mighty Hudson the stately Highlands rise; There Mount Saint Mary College our Alma Mater lies Facing the morning sun now we in the time of our youth; Welcome the light of knowledge And search for the height of truth Teach us and make us wise that our life be well begun; Kindle our minds and hearts that our work be nobly done Guide us to paths of service that we may share what you give; Help us to love Him better in Whose perfect love we live.

James Finn Cotter and Louis Ward Fletcher, 1964

www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Education

A class of their own M ary McEwan is one of more than 60 dedicated pre-service teachers who graduated from Mount Saint Mary College with a master’s degree this year.

She and Rebecca Anne Seepersad also had the distinction of being the first two students ever to graduate from the Mount’s 3:2 education program, earning a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in only five years.

It was a tough road, but the 4.0 GPA McEwan took it all in stride.

“My students ask me all the time: ‘Ms. McEwan, how can you be so enthusiastic about science?’” she said.

“Why do you love science so much?”

Her response: “How could you not?”

McEwan began as a biology major and pondered if she wanted to go into research, but time spent tutoring both college and elementary students allayed her career question.

“I just love when they get the answer and they understand it,” she said. “That really reaffirmed that I wanted to be a teacher.”

The biology/adolescent education grad, with a minor in chemistry, completed student teaching experiences at two Wappingers Falls, N.Y. districts: Van Wyck Junior High School and John Jay High School.

McEwan achieved much in her five years at the Mount. She is both an Aquinas Scholar and a Ralph Scholar, and a member of Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society, Alpha Chi Honor Society, Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemistry Honor Society, and Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education.

She also sharpened her leadership skills as a resident assistant, a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, and captain of the cross country team from 2009 to 2012. As a member of the Mount’s chapter of the American Chemical Society, McEwan helped host Family Chemistry Nights for local elementary school students. The experience was instrumental in developing her skills as an educator, she said. And

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Mary McEwan, a biology/adolescent education graduate (right), and biology professor, Suparna Bhalla so were her instructors.

“I’m very close with a lot of my biology professors, like Lynn Maelia, Tom Sarro and Suparna Bhalla,” explained McEwan. “I feel like I have a few little families here.” She can’t count the number of times her professors went the extra mile for her and her classmates.

“That’s what I want out of a college,” McEwan said. “All of those professors are what I want to be like as a teacher.

Loving their jobs, loving coming to work, and doing all that they can to help students succeed – that’s what I want to do.”

Another new grad, Nicholas Nastasi, a history major specializing in childhood and special education, greatly valued his student teaching experience at Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., with cooperating teacher Lisa Frey.

“The first day, I went home and my feet were killing me,” he admitted. “But it was a good feeling. It’s great being with the same kids day after day.”

A transfer student from Dutchess Community College, Nastasi said that choosing the Mount was “the best decision of my life.” During his time at the college, he discovered his passion for teaching.

“When I was in elementary school,

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

I never had a male teacher,” he explained. “I thought it would be pretty cool to be a male elementary school teacher.” After consulting with his sister, Lindsey Nastasi ’06, a teacher in the Middletown City School District, he decided to become an educator.

Plenty of Mount professors helped him on his way. Nastasi said that Theresa Lewis, Janine Bixler and Joan Miller were all instrumental in his academic evolution. “They all had a profound impact on me,” he said.

Bixler and Lewis, he noted, showed him new and varied education strategies. Miller taught him how to teach in a clear, step-by-step manner that would enable children of all skill levels to understand and absorb his lessons.

At the Croton-Harmon School District, Nastasi is a volunteer varsity assistant for boys’ basketball, and a modified track coach for middle school students. The experience gives him a chance to interact with students in a way not possible in a classroom setting, giving him new insight into improving his educating technique.

“I love it,” he said. “I’m teaching my students things that they’ll use for the rest of their lives – and that’s bigger than any paycheck.”

Philosophy and Religious Studies

Faith helps to shape

Mount grads F rom volunteer work to graduation, God helped every step of the way.

Maria Greco, a psychology major with a minor in philosophy, and Diamond Taitt, a communicationsjournalism major, strive to exemplify their Catholic ideals and values.

“You have to ask God for the strength to lift you up out of your comfort zone,” explained Taitt. “He’s testing you, and you can’t take the test if you’re not present.”

Campus ministry became an important component of the students’ lives.

Taitt would often serve as a lector, and Greco lifted her voice in music ministry.

“When I first came to the Mount, with my parents and friends three hours away, I felt that God was one of the biggest things I could rely on,” said Greco. “When I’m singing and in church, all my problems go away. My faith was definitely strengthened when I came to college.”

Fr. Francis Amodio, O. Carm, campus chaplain, “keeps the spirit soaring,” said Taitt. “His homilies have motivated me,” she explained, “to make

connections with life and the word of God. That’s really what helps. It’s the driving force that can get you through a very challenging week.”

As a Mount student, Taitt took religious studies. “It’s something that’s always been a part of me, growing from kindergarten to college with service,” she said. “The Dominican tradition and faith helped guide me in learning about other people and myself through volunteering.”

Taitt has worked at Camp Ramapo in Rhinebeck, N.Y. as a supervisor for students with disabilities for the past two summers. She also volunteered at Newburgh Ministry at the shelter, with administrative duties and as a mentor to local children.

For Greco, the shelter is a familiar place of hospitality and hope. She spent several days a month volunteering during the early morning shift.

“I loved working with people,” Greco explained. “I’m interested in changing people’s lives. Here, I could see the change.” Some secured employment or completed diplomas, often with tutoring from Greco. “I

Left: Maria Greco, a familiar face at mass and campus ministry. She served as a cantor at the 2013 Baccalaureate Mass at Founders Chapel.

Above: Diamond Taitt served as a lector at the Baccalaureate Mass. took so much for granted before I came here,” she said. “Volunteering here really reinforced in me that there is a God.” The Mount recognized both students for their devotion: Greco with the Senior Class Award for Service and Involvement in the Community, and Taitt with the Senior Class Award for Outstanding Leadership within the College Community.

Both served as resident assistants.

Greco began as a sophomore. “Every day was something new,” she said. “It was demanding but rewarding. It taught me how to use time management and organization, and it built my self-confidence.”

Her philosophy minor fortified her.

Classes with instructor Justin Chiarot helped her “push boundaries and ask questions about my faith,” she said. “It intrigued me and made me want to learn more.”

Likewise, Mount professors have been invaluable in helping Taitt. “If you work for it, if you take notes and you’re active, you’ll get what you’re striving for,” Taitt said. www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Arts & Letters

Professor emerita Karen Eberle-McCarthy (left) walks with Maria Moorman (far right). They are among Mount faculty and students teaching free classes in English as a second language. Marching with them is Elsa Escobar, a Newburgh Armory student.

The future is now for arts grads A

mid the whirr of vintage printing presses, Alyssa Watkins forged the foundation for a publishing career.

Watkins, a May 2013 Mount graduate, was an intern at Thornwillow Press Ltd. in Newburgh, where she learned the ropes of the trade from Luke Pontifell, president of the company.

“It’s really cool for me, as an English student, to see all these presses from the 15th century that are still working,” she said.

Watkins worked in the bindery, inserted photographs into books, catalogued a staggering number of tomes, revamped the company website, and more. John Cotter, son of longtime Mount English professor James Finn Cotter, has worked at Thornwillow

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Press for years.

Watkins obtained the internship through the Mount’s Career Center.

On campus, she was active as chair of the Student Honors Council, an Aquinas and Ralph Scholar, a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society and Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society (where she was president), a member of the Byte Knights computer club, and president of Anime Club in her senior year. She also tutored at the Writing Center and the Center for Student Success. To top off her accomplishments, Watkins was presented with The Jane R. McEnery Memorial Award and The Virginia Joyce Davidson Scholarship for English.

Her gratitude is as expansive as her résumé. When asked if there was

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

a professor who contributed to her academics the most, she replied simply, “The entire English department.”

A copyediting course confirmed for Watkins that she was going down the right path, she said. Instructor Jane Hanley agrees. “Alyssa was an extraordinarily intelligent student in a class of stand-outs,” she said. “Her ability to listen intently and retain information has been one of her best assets as a student.”

Watkins has applied for editorial assistant positions in New York City, with the ultimate goal of becoming an editor. nnn For Brian Klose and Jennifer Garton, an inseparable friendship blossomed into a harmonious professional

Mount president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, with Brian Klose and Jennifer Garton, coordinators of the Hudson Valley Leadership Gala. partnering.

The two public relations majors organized a stylish club for the studentled Hudson Valley Leadership Gala.

In between dances, the crowd of more than 100 students from area colleges took the ideals of the Mount’s Culture of Life Campaign to heart.

Launched last fall at the Mount, the Culture of Life Campaign is aimed at promoting moral integrity, offering deeper understanding of positive culture and reflecting the mantra “Love Yourself, Be Yourself, Be the Example.”

The gala introduced Culture of Life to other colleges and invited them to begin their own campaign.

Transforming from a shy freshman, Klose was elected Student Government Association president and sophomore class president, and was an orientation leader, an admissions ambassador, and a member of the Different Stages acting club. He was recently awarded The Thomas J. Conlon Memorial Award for leadership in Student Government.

Garton became Student Government Association vice president, an orientation leader, an admissions intern, and an inductee to Psi Chi, the international psychology honors society. Garton also received The Virginia Bourne Walsh Award for Excellence in Communication Arts and The Mount

Alyssa Watkins gets an overview of the printing process from Luke Pontifell, president of Thornwillow Press in Newburgh, N.Y.

“[Studies in Spain] really brought me to the next level. I applied all the information I learned in my coursework and I’m more confident because of that experience.”

— Maria Consuelo Moorman, Hispanic studies major Saint Mary College Award for representing the spirit of the Mount.

None of it would have been possible without their hardworking professors.

Klose and Garton cited Sr. Catherine Walsh, OP, James Cotter, and James Beard as “excellent teachers.” Sandra Cefaloni-Henderson ’07, director of student activities, is also a wonderful mentor. Said Klose, “She’s the best role model that I’ve had.”

Klose has begun working as an admissions counselor at the Mount – a natural progression. Garton, too, would like to do admissions or public relations work. nnn At the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, Hispanic studies major Maria Consuelo Moorman communicated for months with local residents in Spanish

and English, discussing the challenges and rewards of immigrating to the United States.

Karen Eberle-McCarthy, Mount Hispanic studies professor, volunteered in tandem with her student.

“She’s my mentor,” Moorman said, of McCarthy. “It’s such a pleasure to be in her classes. She has the biggest heart, and I feel so honored and privileged to even know her.”

In 2010, Moorman studied abroad in Spain, a sort of homecoming as she had lived there for nearly a decade.

“The trip really brought me to the next level,” she said. “I applied all the information I learned in my coursework and I’m more confident because of that experience.”

Moorman is on track to become a childhood educator, specializing in students with disabilities. She completed her student teaching experience at Bishop Dunn Memorial School in Newburgh. She is a teacher assistant at Tutor Time in East Northport, N.Y., and plans to get her master’s degree in education.

“There is no better way to know if you’re meant to be a teacher than to be in a classroom,” she said. “It’s such a reward — whether it’s my adults in the ESL class, or my first or fourth graders — to see students really understand the material and take it to heart.” www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Business Antoinette Mirdita, a May graduate of Mount Saint Mary College, was offered a position with Deloitte, LLP in New York City.

Andrew Tomascak, a recent Mount business graduate, with accounting professor Tracey Niemotko

Open for business “J

ust as blood flows through our body, cash flows through the veins of a business.

Knowing the composition of the cash – where it’s coming from – you can check to see if the business is healthy, just as when a person receives a physical exam.”

So says Paul Ortiz, who graduated from Mount Saint Mary College this year with a master’s degree in accounting. He completed his bachelor’s degree at the Mount as well.

Ortiz, who has “a passion for numbers,” is a member of the Delta Mu Delta International Business Honor Society, and was bookkeeper for the Mount’s Finance Club.

And the “three pillars of life” – his Christian faith, his education, and his family – have molded Ortiz into the man he is today. His faith is evident in everything he does, from his willingness to tutor fellow students to his drive to succeed professionally and personally.

Originally from Puerto Rico, Ortiz moved to the United States at the age

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of four and learned English as a second language. His family was always there to support him and his brother, Gerald, who graduated from the Mount with a master’s in education the same day as Ortiz.

The Mount has aided Ortiz in more than just preparing for his career. “To be in an environment full of beautiful people helped me open up,” he said. “At the Mount, I was encouraged to take risks and grow as a person.”

An internship with professor Louis P. Fortunato’s accounting practice “was a great experience for me,” Ortiz said.

In addition to bookkeeping individual and corporate sales returns, “I learned how to work with clientele. I learned the importance of managing numbers, and making sure that all the documents are orderly and accessible.”

He added, “If I could define what Louis Fortunato taught me in one word, it would be confidence. He encouraged critical thinking.”

The future looks bright for Ortiz,

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whose aim is to teach accounting at a college level.

“When I help out my peers and others, when they understand, that makes me happy,” he said. “Knowing that I can absorb information and relay it to others – that’s the key to teaching. And it makes me realize I’m making a difference in their lives.”

Andrew Tomascak, another accounting graduate, endeavors to make a difference as well.

Tomascak helped to form the Mount Knights team. In the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) annual accounting competition, the team finished in the top 20 nationwide.

More than 100 colleges and universities participated in the contest.

The team researched taxation, Social Security and federal deficit. They produced a video explaining their solutions, featured on the AICPA website.

“It was a great experience for me,” said Tomascak, who completed the Mount’s rigorous honors program. “We

Mount reveals ups and downs of family-run businesses

Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president of Mount Saint Mary College, examines a decades-old Bible with master’s graduate Paul Ortiz.

all sharpened our business skills in ways we couldn’t have normally. I know I’ll be able to bring this experience into my career.”

Tomasack noted that accounting professor Tracey Niemotko is “an incredible teacher” who was instrumental in his evolution as a student.

He also admires the drive of fellow grad Antoinette Mirdita, who landed an audit internship with Deloitte, LLP in New York City, with the possibility of being hired fulltime after eight weeks.

Her June 2013 start date was the fruit of much time, effort and skill.

Deloitte, one of the “big four” international audit firms, has a highly competitive interview process, which Mirdita started as a sophomore. Over the course of two years, she interviewed in three different states, attended a weeklong leadership conference in Texas, and participated in another lengthy round of interviews before being offered the trial internship.

Thanks to a powerful pair of realworld experiences, and her Mount education, Mirdita said she’s prepared to take on the Deloitte challenge. She interned at Capitol Markets LLC, where she handled debt service schedules and other tasks.

She also had an externship with KPMG International Cooperative, another “big four” company. The dedi-

cated student was offered an internship this summer at KPMG as well.

Mirdita has nearly completed a master’s degree in accounting at the Mount, and will finish over the next year via daylong Saturday classes.

It’s been a tough road so far, but Mirdita says she knew she would succeed from the first time she visited the Mount. “Immediately, I knew I wanted to come here,” she explained. “I loved the dorms and the view, and the professors were really personable.”

Like the students who showed her around the campus, Mirdita became an admissions ambassador, as well as an orientation leader. She was also on the Mount’s Culture of Life Campaign Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and the Diversity Committee, and was in Who’s Who Among College Students.

Before graduation, Mirdita was presented with The Father Michael J. Gilleece Memorial Award for exemplifying integrity on campus.

Mirdita said it wouldn’t have been possible without her professors, including Fortunato and Niemotko.

Niemotko “encouraged me with both Deloitte and KPMG,” said Mirdita. “She taught me how to be a woman in the accounting industry. She’s a brilliant teacher, and a lot of who I am is because of her.”

A forum on “Family Run Businesses – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” featured panelists Chip, Peggy and Sawyer Kent, owners, Locust Grove Fruit Farm in Milton, N.Y.; Eric Najork, COO of the Collection Bureau of the Hudson Valley; and Peter Berman MBA ’10, CEO, The Ruby Group of construction companies in Goshen, N.Y. Family-run businesses present owners with a unique set of challenges, as well as advantages.

Mount professor Moira Tolan notes recent research by the Greater Washington D.C. Family Business Alliance reveals that family control can be efficient, since families may be able to positively affect the resource inventory and usage of their firms, apply a long-term perspective allowing for unique strategic positioning, have fewer human resource problems, and drive entrepreneurial activity.

60%

of the U.S. workforce is employed by family businesses

According to the Conway Center for Family Business, 35 percent of U.S. Fortune 500 companies are family controlled and represent the full spectrum of American businesses, from small businesses to major corporations. Their output represents 50 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. The mean age of family control in a family’s core company is 60.2 years, with the 2.8th family generation being in control.

Family run businesses are responsible for employing 60 percent of the U.S. workforce and for 78 percent of all new job creation. www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Human Services Sabrina Valdez, a human services major, cited Keino Isaac, of the Mount’s Center for Student Success, as a major asset on her journey to graduation.

Ready to

change the world

I

t was a challenging journey for Sabrina Valdez, a human services major from New York City, but that just made graduation even more fulfilling.

Valdez moved to the United States from Puerto Rico when she was about four years old, and began a new life in East Harlem. She learned English as a second language, and set her heart on college from an early age. Sure enough, Valdez became one of the first in her family to get a college degree.

Over her four years at the Mount, Valdez transformed from a shy freshman to an outgoing, well-spoken

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graduate. As a resident assistant, she enhanced her communication skills – an invaluable asset for her field.

“Leadership roles on campus have really helped me mature and be prepared for the workforce,” she said.

Her skill and dedication earned Valdez both The Sister Margaret Michael Maroney Award (presented to the student who personifies the spirit of the Higher Education Opportunity Program), and the Senior Class Award for Service and Involvement in the Community.

Valdez used her leadership skills to aid local students with their academ-

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ics at Youth Advocate Programs, Inc., and since 2011, she has been a mentor program coordinator at the Center for Hope after school program. Both are located in the heart of the City of Newburgh.

At the Center for Hope, Valdez works with David Jolly, Orange County’s commissioner of social services and an adjunct professor at the Mount. On Fridays, Valdez and other qualified, committed college students mentor Newburgh’s youth. The volunteers tutor their students and present workshops to help them navigate social issues, such as peer pressure and violence.

But Valdez has found another way to serve her young clients – one that could change their lives forever.

“I bring awareness to the fact that you might not have all the money in the world, but there are scholarships and programs out there that will help you go to college,” she said. “When I was young, I had someone doing that same thing for me, and it helped me become the woman I am now.”

Through the Mount’s Career Center, Valdez interned at Safe Homes of Orange County, where she was responsible for intake coordination, database entry, and using her Spanish language skills to translate court proceedings for clients. She was also an intern at AIDS Service Center of New York City, where she facilitated support groups for women diagnosed with AIDS, and coordinated community outreach to encourage people to get tested for the disease.

The experience helped her “grow professionally and personally,” she said.

Valdez revealed that there’s a long list of Mount faculty and staff who have molded her academic progress.

She said that Susan Vorsanger, human services, and David Jolly are “excellent and inspiring educators.”

“They saw my passion for mentoring and supported me to become bigger and better,” she said.

Jolly noted, “Sabrina is great. She’s an excellent student and will go far.”

Valdez cited a counseling class taught by psychology professor Paul Schwartz as a pivotal moment in her Mount career.

“That class really helped me see that mentoring is what I want to do,” she explained. “It reassured me that I love doing this, I love helping people.”

Additionally, the Mount’s Center for Student Success became “a haven” for the human services major.

“They help you set up goals for yourself,” she explained. “They have big expectations for you. They help you with your GPA and being involved on campus, and help you achieve bigger and better things.”

Valdez plans to be a clinical social

Mount Saint Mary College senior class president Garrett Weeden (middle) with former Newburgh, N.Y. Mayor Nicholas Valentine; senior class vice president Jennifer Garton; and Susan Valentine. worker with a focus on children and adolescents. Her dream is to create a youth program that educates students all over the world. Her next step toward achieving that goal is heading to Columbia University School of Social Work this fall to earn her master’s degree.

While Valdez honed her skills as a social worker, senior class president Garrett Weeden, a history major and political science minor from Schenectady, N.Y., was preparing for a career in politics.

He started on his career path early. In his sophomore year he was class treasurer, and in his junior year, Weeden began his role as class president.

“My work in student government has been really beneficial to me moving forward in life,” he said.

The Mount’s Career Center helped Weeden augment his experiential learning as an intern for both Newburgh Major Judith Kennedy and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, located in Albany.

While working for Gillibrand, “I met with constituents and dealt with politics at a federal level,” he said. With Kennedy showing him the local level, “I got all ends of the political spectrum

here at the Mount, so now I have a very balanced education.”

Mount alumni who have built successful careers in politics include Steve Neuhaus ’96, supervisor of the Town of Chester, N.Y., and Karl Brabenec ’01, supervisor of the Town of Deerpark, N.Y. In history, political science, psychology, or sociology, Mount students receive a strong foundation in research techniques and analysis using statistical software to complete quantitative research: a highly marketable skill.

Weeden said he couldn’t have grown his academic and leadership skills – and received the Award for Outstanding Service to the Class of 2013 – without a rigorous Mount education.

“My professors were very good in teaching me analytical writing and how to write an essay. Those skills translate into real-world practicality,” he said.

The Mount grad’s dream job is working in state legislation or in the governor’s office, or for the state department. He’s already applied to jobs in the New York State Senate and Assembly.

“I’m looking forward to starting my career, and I have the Mount to thank for that,” he said. www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Math and IT

Sandra Wamsley (right) explains her honors project: research into a smartphone application designed to enhance the Mount Saint Mary College experience to Rebecca Norman, education professor.

Math and IT skills give Mount grads the edge

O

n a warm spring afternoon just a few days before Mount Saint Mary College’s 2013 commencement, teams of students in colorcoordinated athletic garb awaited the go-ahead from senior Matthew Fowler.

He waved his hand and the teams were off.

Fowler, Math Club president, had just kicked off the Mount’s Knight Race. The competition would test not only physical prowess, but also mathematical skill.

For Fowler, math isn’t just a career path, but a passion.

“Math does some really cool things,” he explained. “Type in your address on Google Earth and you can see your house. That’s not too far from what you’d see in a linear algebra class. The applications that I learned at the undergraduate level just amaze me.”

Since the basics of mathematics were established centuries ago, “you’re never going to be one of the famous mathematicians we all know about,” he said. “The idea is to advance the subject little by little and increase your own knowledge.

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You can take it as far as you want and that’s great.”

Fowler loves to take math problems as far as he can. During a recent research project, Fowler spent more than 300 hours during an eight-week period on a single problem, “and I’m not even close to being done with it.”

The Aquinas Scholar (in the top five percent of his class) completed math research at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and is a member of the Kappa Mu Epsilon Math Honor Society and the Alpha Chi Honor Society for general excellence.

A love of numbers runs in the family.

His mother, Kathleen Fowler (née Fay) teaches math at Wallkill High School.

She was also an adjunct professor at Mount Saint Mary College.

Fowler will always look fondly on his time at the Mount. His experience as Math Club president instilled public speaking and leadership skills, and math professors like Lee Fothergill and Zachary Kudlak challenged him with new and exciting mathematical principles.

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“They went out of their way to give me material that helped me grow,” said Fowler.

Kudlak said that Fowler was a pleasure to have in class.

“Matt has got tremendous skill,” Kudlak said, “and he’s an excellent thinker.”

Fowler is headed for the doctorate program at Clarkson University.

Jessica Krawec shares Fowler’s passion for math. Fittingly, both students were awarded The Sister Marie Genevieve Love Award for Excellence in Mathematics.

Krawec worked with Kudlak on the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), examining complex rational difference equations. In January, they presented their findings in San Diego, Calif. at the Joint Mathematics Meeting – one of the largest mathematical conferences in the world.

“SURE was an amazing experience for me. It gave me a lot of confidence as well as insight into how research is done in mathematics,” declared Krawec.

“I’m really grateful to Dr. Kudlak and all

the others involved for giving me the chance to be a part of it.”

The feeling is mutual, according to Kudlak. “Jessica is a really great student,” he explained. “I’m glad I had a chance to work with her.”

Krawec is both a Ralph Scholar and Aquinas Scholar, has been on the dean’s list for four years, and is a member of the Kappa Mu Epsilon Math Honor Society and Alpha Chi Honor Society. The future holds more education for her, as she was accepted into the mathematics graduate program at the University of Maine.

Information technology-education major Sandra Wamsley found herself drawn to computers at a young age, and through her Mount education, the recent grad turned her passion into the foundation for a career.

Strong faculty and small classes, along with state-of-the-art equipment, helps prepare Mount students for careers in educational technologies, networking, web technologies and more.

“Coming to the Mount was a really good experience for me,” she said.

“Through my time here I was able to assume more leadership positions and grow as a person.”

Wamsley interned in the IT department at Laerdal Medical Corporation, where she trained employees in computer usage and created “how to” documents on topics like the Windows operating system.

Though the internship ended last year, the corporation continues to offer Wamsley freelance work.

She also manned the Mount IT help desk, aiding students with their software, hardware and internet predicaments.

A graduate of the college’s rigorous honors program, Wamsley was active on campus as president of the Byte Knights computer club, vice president of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, and web master of the Student Honors Council. She was also a Ralph and Aquinas Scholar, as well as a member of the Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society.

Matthew Fowler, a recent graduate of Mount Saint Mary College, ponders a math problem.

Ken Santos, working at his information technology internship at Mount Saint Mary College.

For her dedication and skill, she was recently presented with The Robert Andreen Award for Excellence in Information Technology, by the division of mathematics and information technology.

Plenty of professors aided Wamsley in becoming the technology specialist she is today. Perhaps her biggest influence was professor Maureen Markel, whom Wamsley describes as an “excellent mentor.”

“Maureen Markel has been really helpful,” said Wamsley. “I learned a lot from her classes and I use that knowledge every day.”

Wamsley hopes to become a programmer or a web designer, possibly in a school setting.

Ken Santos, an information technology major with a web concentration, is another recent Mount graduate ready to

make his mark on the World Wide Web. Santos served as an intern at San Miguel Academy in Newburgh, N.Y., where he upgraded software and configured network settings. Also, like Wamsley, Santos interned at the Mount’s IT department.

The leadership skills he learned as a resident assistant are already helping him in the work world, Santos explained. “Interacting with different people with different attitudes and backgrounds as an RA is a lot like working in the real world,” he said.

Santos, the first member of his family to graduate from college, is aiming for a master’s degree in his field.

Students graduating with mathematics and information technology degrees work as financial analysts, actuaries, bank managers, statisticians, researchers, programmers, teachers and more. www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Natural Sciences

Grads prepared for careers in medicine, research

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t was a Saturday afternoon in springtime, and the chemistry lab was bustling.

The Mount’s American Chemical Society was supervising Girl Scout Troop 46 of New Windsor, N.Y., as the girls earned science badges. Mount students helped the scouts create “slime” from common ingredients, mix colorful liquids, and create safe, educational chemical reactions – and the young girls were all smiles.

“Science is really important. It opens a lot of career paths,” said Alana DeTone, who graduated from the Mount in May. DeTone majored in chemistry, and is a Ralph Scholar and Aquinas Scholar.

DeTone led the Girl Scouts in several activities. She also took the reins for the popular Family Chemistry Nights, featuring hands-on scientific learning experiences for all ages.

“When you see that they get it, they understand – that’s the best moment,” she explained.

DeTone completed three years of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at the Mount: two with Lynn Maelia, and one with William Lahar, both chemistry professors.

Her research included the structural effects of metalating porphyrins (organic compounds that are imperative in carrying oxygen through the blood), which could be the key to making synthetic human blood, and studying nicotine levels in various forms of tobacco.

The 4.0 GPA student made the most of her Mount experience. She was president and treasurer of the American Chemical Society Club, vice president of the Anime Club, a green belt in the Mount’s Goju Karate Club, and a member of Mount Alliance for Green Initiatives on Campus (MAGIC). She is also part of the Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemistry Honor Society and Alpha

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Biology and chemistry major Christopher DiRusso graduated from the Mount in May. He is on the path to becoming a doctor.

Recent Mount graduate Brittany Lynn Farron is heading to veterinary school.

Chi, a general excellence honor society.

Her dedication to science and community did not go unnoticed. At graduation time, DeTone was presented The Vincent J. Gohring Award for Ex-

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

cellence in Chemistry, The Sister Mary Jean McGivern Award for Academic Achievement in Science, and the Senior Class Award for Service and Involvement in her Community.

Once a shy freshman, DeTone says her Mount education increased her communication skills and her desire to succeed. She describes the college community as “a tight-knit family.”

“It was a very rough path, and it was worth it,” she said, of the Mount’s rigorous science program. “I definitely had all the support I needed.”

Much of that support came from her instructors. “I wish I could be more like Dr. Maelia,” DeTone professed. “She has taught me so much and been there for me. I don’t think there are words to express my gratitude – she’s an amazing teacher.”

Biology and chemistry major Christopher DiRusso, another new Mount graduate, agreed.

“Dr. Maelia and Dr. [Suparna] Bhalla have been with me since I was a freshman,” he said. Maelia “puts very complicated things in very simple terms,” and Bhalla, he said, “always has a unique way of approaching biology.”

He added, “Every science class I take blows me away. They were all very entertaining and informative.”

Like DeTone, DiRusso participated in the SURE program. Along with Bhalla and Maelia, he examined molecules in herbs such as licorice root to see how they may be used to treat cancer.

“I love the brain and nerves, and how different chemicals can affect them positively,” he explained. “My research gave me a chance to increase that knowledge.”

The Ralph Scholar and Aquinas Scholar is a member of the Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemistry Honor Society, the Beta Beta Beta National Biology Honor Society, the Kappa Mu Epsilon Honor Society for Mathematics, the Alpha Chi Honor Society, MAGIC, and the Mount’s Anime Club. He was also active as vice president of the American Chemical Society.

With his skills and his love of science, it’s no surprise that DiRusso is applying to medical schools, including the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y., and Stony Brook University on Long Island.

Mount chemistry majors Alana DeTone (left) and Amy Goldstein (right) teach Girl Scouts how water dissolves environmentally friendly packing peanuts.

Though he had always considered becoming a doctor, it was his volunteer work at Orange Regional Medical Center’s emergency department that helped DiRusso make up his mind.

“Patient contact was very warming to me,” he said. “It helped me move forward, and it helped me push on past the challenging times in my life.”

Brittany Lynn Farron is also on her way to becoming a doctor, though she plans to work with animals. Farron, a double major in biology and chemistry on the pre-veterinary track, was recently accepted into Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, in the Caribbean.

Through the Mount’s Career Center, Farron practiced her craft at Advanced Veterinary Care in Newburgh, N.Y., and at the Peaceful Acres horse rescue in Pattersonville, N.Y. “I used to be afraid of horses,” said Farron. But after caring for the animals at her internship, “I love them.”

Farron has also been a volunteer at the Latham Animal Hospital in Latham, N.Y., near her home in New York’s capital region, since she was 16 years old.

“I honestly feel like I was born to be a veterinarian,” she said. “I’ve never

changed my mind. There’s a lot of stress, but there’s so much more to it.

There’s happiness; there’s helping pets and their owners. There’s nothing I’d rather do.”

A graduate of the Mount’s robust honors program, Farron was secretary of MAGIC, and is a member of three honor societies: Beta Beta Beta, Gama Sigma Epsilon and Alpha Chi. Helping her earn accolades were a host of Mount instructors.

“We’re going into the real world, which isn’t going to be easy,” Farron explained. “Professors like Doug Robinson and [James] Moran have really prepared us for the next step in our lives.”

Back in the chemistry lab, Amy Goldstein, a biology and chemistry double major May graduate, was showing a Girl Scout how packing peanuts dissolve in water.

The scenario was familiar to Goldstein, who participated in many of the Mount’s Family Chemistry Nights.

Though she’s used to seeing the wonder of learning on young faces, it’s always gratifying, she said.

“I love seeing them learn like this,” explained the scholar. “I love passing on what I learned here at the Mount.” www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Nursing

Cassandra Pinter, a recent magna cum laude nursing graduate, is commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, U.S. Army.

Barbara Milmore recently earned a master’s degree. She begins her new role as simulation educator this July.

Nursing grads ready for service

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assandra Pinter was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant a week before she received her nursing pin with fellow Mount students, and soon she’ll begin her career as a nurse for the United States Army.

She is already used to a fast-paced environment.

Pinter interned in Germany at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest military hospital outside the United States. Her intensive care responsibilities included administering medication and caring for American soldiers who had been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, and then transported to the hospital within hours.

They were often suffering from major trauma caused by improvised explosives.

“It was the most important experience I’ve had as a nurse, ever,” she said.

“Working at Landstuhl, I knew nursing is what I was meant to do.”

Closer to home, Pinter works as a technician at Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel, N.Y. There, she takes vital signs and helps patients with everyday living.

The Mount grad does not yet know

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where she will be stationed as an Army nurse. She expressed interest in Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., but Pinter is flexible and will thrive wherever her service takes her.

“You learn best on the go,” Pinter said. “The more you remain open to opportunities and new experiences, the better off you are.”

Mount nursing alums bring excellence to their profession throughout the United States and abroad.

Pinter, a member of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps since her second semester, made the most of her years at the Mount by becoming an Aquinas Scholar; making the Dean’s list every semester; joining the Nursing Student Union and Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society; and tutoring other nursing students.

Professor Debra Hrelic has been “a big inspiration” for the Army strong graduate, as well as a “great, charismatic nurse and teacher.” Jill Sussman, she added, is also a major influence.

“Mount Saint Mary College has something very unique in the nursing program,” Pinter explained. “It’s a lot

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

Kerrin Rowe presents a summary of her community nursing project.

like a family here, and the professors are willing to take the time to shape you into a really good nurse. Our professors push us to be better not only as nurses, but as people.”

Mount faculty members are pleased with their students.

“This senior class is going to do us very proud,” said Andrea Ackermann, chair of the nursing division. “They wouldn’t be where they are right now in our senior class if they hadn’t really done well.”

According to Ackermann, more than 50 students were inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society this year.

Nursing major Salvatore J. Cusa is another of the many Mount grads poised to make a bright future. Cusa received the Mount’s Excellence in Clinical Nursing Award.

Yet another stellar graduate is Zachary A. Zoutis – an Aquinas Scholar and a member of Sigma Theta Tau and the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society.

Zoutis was introduced to the Mount at an early age. His mother, Helen, graduated from the college in 1995 with a master’s in educational technology, and she now teaches at Vails Gate Elementary.

Thomas Sarro, Mount professor of biology, has been a family friend for years, but Zoutis only recently experi-

The Mount’s newest nursing graduates

enced Sarro’s thorough teaching techniques. “He’s a phenomenal professor,” said Zoutis. Instructors like Sussman, Diane Murphy and Ann Corcoran prepared Zoutis well for his challenges in the nursing profession. “This is one of the hardest programs you could ever go through, and there’s a great support system,” he said. “I feel incredibly confident going into the field of nursing.”

Zoutis completed an externship at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital and did clinical work at Orange Regional Medical Center, Danbury Hospital and Westchester Medical Center. He has also worked at St. Luke’s as a nursing assistant since 2010.

His experiential learning through the Mount helped Zoutis discover what kind of nursing work he wants to focus on in the future. “I love critical care,” he said. “I love the fast-paced action and all the new people I meet.” He added, “That’s what nursing is all about: Going to work every day and giving them your best at that moment.”

Like Zoutis, Barbara Milmore, nursing lab coordinator at the Mount, gives her

all on the job, teaching physical assessment and other important skills. This May, Milmore earned a master’s of science in nursing–family nurse practitioner degree, and will soon begin her new role at the Mount as simulation educator, working with juniors and seniors.

“It’s more hands-on with the students,” she said. “I’m very excited.”

Milmore said that all of her instructors were “wonderful” and that earning her degree at the Mount was “a great learning experience.” She owes much of her success to nursing professor Karen Baldwin, who first encouraged her to work towards a degree.

Mount nurses educate local community Nurses don’t only take care of sick patients – they also prevent illnesses before they start, explained Mount senior Kerrin Rowe.

Rowe taught young students at Nora Cronin Presentation Academy in Newburgh, N.Y. how to read and interpret food labels. She is one of many to participate in community nursing,

a requirement for undergraduate students in the Mount’s rigorous nursing program.

Rowe says that childhood obesity has become a major health issue. She cites national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention findings that obesity has tripled over the past 30 years, with more than one third of children and adolescents classified as obese in 2010.

A major contributing factor is unhealthy food. “If the students are able to read and understand food labels, they’ll be able to make healthier choices,” said Rowe. For example, Rowe told the students that they should consume fewer than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day. She also encouraged them to eat fiber and drink several glasses of water daily. A quick test at the end of the presentation indicated that the students took the lesson to heart.

“Ultimately, our goal as nurses is to keep people healthy,” Rowe said. “By focusing on prevention techniques in the community, we can help people lead healthier lives.” www.msmc.edu

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Looking ahead: Nursing

Mount nursing grad Zachary Zoutis walks at the recent nurse pinning ceremony.

Pinning ceremony for 76 nursing graduates Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president, gave an invocation and blessed the nursing pins, which were presented to the graduates by chosen family members and friends.

Mount professors Jeanne Roth and Andrea Ackerman offered the graduates words of encouragement and advice for their upcoming careers.

The class of 2013 is “ready to make the transition from student nurse to graduate nurse,” said Roth.

“As you receive your nursing pin today, let it serve as a constant reminder not only of the excellent education you have received at Mount Saint Mary College, but of the desire, dedication, and the commitment you have made to serve the healthcare needs of others.”

In total this academic year, the college graduated more than 100 nurses. The nationally accredited nursing program at Mount Saint Mary College boasts a high NCLEXRN passage rate that consistently outperforms the state average.

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Students, faculty and other humanitarians with citizens of the shantytowns

Humanitarian pros at home and abroad

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ith all of the medical supplies and other necessities, one might think a small army was on the move. But in fact, it was more than two dozen Mount Saint Mary College senior nursing students on a humanitarian mission, and their plan was to give all the supplies away.

With faculty members Dianne Murphy, Ann Corcoran and Jeanne Roth, they headed to impoverished areas in the Dominican Republic known as bateyes, communities of workers located near sugarcane plants, to assess residents’ health and provide medical and nursing care to individuals and families.

The students brought more than 600 “health packs” of soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste and adhesive bandages. Mount faculty, students and staff, families, and members of the greater Newburgh, N.Y. community donated the supplies, including about 30,000 vitamin pills, all of which had to stay in original packaging until they arrived.

Then, the vitamins were divided into packs of 30 and distributed.

Rounding out the supplies were overthe-counter pain relievers, medication to fight parasites, first aid provisions and antacids.

The clinics were held in local churches, which offer shelter, food and education.

Mount students also taught community leaders basic techniques such as how to clean and bandage small wounds.

In total, the students aided about 2,000 people during their weeklong stay.

The recent journey, a collaboration

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

with the Foundation for Peace, marks the Mount’s second group trip to the region of San Pedro de Macoris.

Daniel Beers said the trip gave him and his classmates “a chance to see how people live in a different culture.” He feels that, thanks to the experience, “We’ll be able to better treat our patients.”

Alexis Malloy said the trip was “a life-changing experience.”

Amanda Westhelle agreed. “There’s a lot of diseases related to the contaminated water,” she said. “In the U.S., we take it for granted that we can drink tap water.”

“It’s really an eye-opening experience to see poverty in its purest form,” said Kassandra Kayal.

The trip reminded the students of how fortunate they are, said Karesia Jones. “It helped me to appreciate what I have,” she said, “and to complain less.”

In addition to Mount faculty and Beers, Malloy, Westhelle, Kayal and Jones, the sojourner servants were Nora Ames, Lorin Andalora, Kelly Candelet, Lisa Choe, Salvatore Cusa, Catherine Davidson, Megan Hall, Kelleigh King, Kerliyn McNamara, Jennie Rouleau, Kerrin Rowe, Laura Santiago, Taj-Monet Anthony, Elise Carbonette, Eileen Carey, Alexis Kissel, Alexis Malloy, Kristina Olang, Jenna Padavano, Caitlyn Perillo, Shannon Plouffe, Alexa Sullivan and Courtney Troy.

When asked if they would go on another humanitarian trip, all 27 seniors said yes. “If we go back, since we have experience, we can do it better,” said Malloy. “That would be wonderful.”

Iris Turkenkopf (right) celebrated the establishment of a biology honor society chapter in her early years at the Mount. Second from left is Sr. Agnes Boyle, OP, former VP for academic affairs. In center is Sr. Mary Jean McGivern, OP, chair of biology

From left: Fr. Kevin thanked Mary Spear, Joseph Nunnari, Karen Baldwin, Beth Roeper, Iris Turkenkopf, Theresa Lewis, Reva Cowan, Harry Steinway, and Karen Eberle-McCarthy.

A fond farewell for retiring faculty and staff

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his year, Mount Saint Mary College thanked nine retirees with 180 years of service between them.

Iris Turkenkopf served for 39 years as professor of biology and chair of natural science, and was appointed vice president for academic affairs in 2004.

She was a strong promoter of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience program, served as a coordinator of a National Science Foundation Award, and was elected a 2008-09 SENCER Leadership Fellow.

Harry Steinway served nearly 30 years. As dean and vice president for student affairs, he has been responsible for the wellbeing of resident and commuter students. A great believer in the complete life of the college and the importance of extracurricular activities, “Dean Steinway” made himself visible and available to Mount students.

Sr. Ann Sakac, OP, described them as consummate winners. “Both of them have had a great opportunity to influence the culture and the academic life of students on campus, and indeed, they have,” she explained. “Perhaps

the writer in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiasticus had them in mind when he wrote: ‘They have given us an inheritance.’ ” Turkenkopf and Steinway each received the Presidential Award for Distinguished Administration.

Karen Eberle-McCarthy, professor of Spanish, completed 37 years. Early on, she received a Fulbright grant to study in Argentina, and returned to publish significant articles and present papers. She developed Hispanic studies, has volunteered teaching English at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, received the Mount Saint Mary College Faculty Award, and was granted professor emerita status.

Beth Roeper served as director of Health Services since 1993. With her leadership, the Mount became Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certified, allowing in-office lab testing and offering flu and other vaccinations. The Mount’s annual health fair, started by Roeper, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, and will be named in her honor.

Reva Cowan, chair of education,

served at the Mount for 13 years. She enjoyed time with the college’s teacher candidates, investigated the role of faculty-supervised, course-imbedded fieldwork in development of good literacy instruction, and researched how teacher candidates become more reflective about their practices.

Thirteen years ago, Joseph Nunnari joined the Mount faculty. He remains grateful to Iris Turkenkopf and Sr. Ann Sakac, OP for selecting him as science lab assistant. He and professor emeriti Irene Nunnari were married at the Mount.

Mary Spear retired after nearly 13 years of service in Curtin Memorial Library. As evening supervisor, she has been the face of the library for faculty and students there after hours.

Karen Baldwin, over her eight years at the Mount, served as graduate coordinator and associate nursing professor, with special interest in prenatal education.

Theresa Lewis, professor of education, served as graduate coordinator of teacher education for eight years. www.msmc.edu

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Sports events

Mount celebrates first Hall of Fame induction at Kaplan

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ount Saint Mary College inducted the inaugural class to its Athletics Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Kaplan Recreation Center on April 13.

The inaugural class includes Lorraine Brady, Michael Hoyt, William Kaplan, Michael Pagana, Trevor Purcell, Oneisha Staples, Gina Trapini Danon, Brendan Twomey and Kelly Vail.

Kaplan was the first to be inducted, and Mount vice president Harry Steinway regaled the crowd with stories about the construction of the Elaine and William Kaplan Recreation Center in 1992 and Kaplan’s determination that a swimming pool be included in the plans.

Women’s tennis coach Brady made a special note of thanking the athletic trainers at the Mount for keeping her teams “glued together” over the years. Hoyt, a basketball player from the class of 2007, followed with stories about his grandparents and dedicated the award to them, the “true Hall of Famers” in his book.

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Above, from left: Brendan Twomey, Oneisha Staples, Fr. Kevin Mackin, William Kaplan, Kelly Vail, Sr. Ann Sakac, OP, John Wright, Michael Pagana, Harry Steinway, Trevor Purcell, Lorraine Brady, Gina Trapini and Michael Hoyt Pagana, a member of the class of 1996, provided the highlight of the night with his speech. When Pagana graduated from Newburgh Free Academy, he chose the Mount largely because of a generous scholarship offer from Kaplan. And when Pagana decided to stay for a fifth season to complete a second major and finish up his baseball career, the Kaplan scholarship

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

remained in place. Pagana joked that he should have called Mr. Kaplan years later when he returned to complete his master’s degree.

Purcell, class of 2003, followed Pagana and thanked Steinway for being the “best Mount fan in the room.”

Staples, a basketball player from the class of 2005, thanked her brother for pushing her to such great heights.

Annual MSMC athletics awards Senior volleyball player Lauren Halverson took home the award for Female Athlete of the Year. Halverson led the Knights to a program-best 23 wins and the team’s first-ever Skyline Conference Championship. The Mount also advanced to the NCAA Division III National Tournament for the first time. For her efforts during the season, Halverson was named the Skyline Player of the Year, the first such honor for the women’s volleyball program. The senior set a school record for assists in a season and also finished her career as the all-time career leader in assists.

On the men’s side, senior soccer player Matt Pagano and junior three-sport athlete Scott Colello shared honors as the Male Athlete of the Year. A first team selection in the Skyline, Pagano sparked the Knights to an overall record of 11-9-1 and an appearance in the Skyline championship game. He totaled four goals and four assists on the year and scored the game-winning goal against Sage in the Skyline semifinals. Colello performed well in cross country, swimming, and track and field. The top finisher for the men’s cross country team at the Skyline Championships this fall, Colello went on to help the swim team to a pair of relay records at the season-ending Metropolitan Conference Championships.

During the track season, Colello set seven new individual records and was a part of three new relay records. He also became the first Mount athlete to qualify for the ECAC Championships with his time in the 400-meter hurdles.

Trapini, a tennis player of the class of 2008, credited Brady for much of her success. She also thanked her family, but not before facetiously suggesting that her father might still not understand how to keep score for tennis.

Twomey, a basketball player from the class of 2004, thanked a pair of great teammates, as well as his father,

From left: John Wright, Lauren Halverson, Mary Ann Raftery, Mike Balokoz, Alex Tolman, Shanice Robe, Joe Henain, Matt Pagano, Scott Colello, and Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM Freshman soccer player Shanice Robe was named the Female Rookie of the Year, while freshman soccer player Alex Tolman and freshman tennis player Mike Balokoz shared the honor on the men’s side. Robe was named the Skyline Player of the Year after a record-setting season that witnessed her lead all of NCAA Division III with 35 goals. Tolman was named to the Skyline first team, following a campaign in which he finished second on the Knights in goals, assists and points.

Balokoz nabbed a spot on the Skyline second team, posting records of 12-7 in singles and 11-8 in doubles, while helping his team to a record of 14-6 and an appearance in the Skyline championship match.

The final awards of the evening were presented to the Knights of the Year,

for countless hours of rebounding.

Finally, Vail, a soccer player from the class of 2000, thanked her parents for consistently making the six-hour car trip from Buffalo to support her efforts while she was at the Mount.

Vail forgave her parents for not making the 27-hour drive from where they now live in Florida.

honoring loyalty, sportsmanship and spirit as contributions to the development of athletics at Mount Saint Mary College.

Senior volleyball player Mary Ann Raftery and junior basketball player Joe Henain were selected as the award recipients from a pool of talented nominees. Raftery was named to the Skyline first team while leading the Knights to a Skyline championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. She also helped to coordinate a fundraising alumni basketball game, the profits of which will establish a scholarship in memory of a fallen FDNY firefighter.

Henain earned second team honors in the Skyline for his efforts on the court, and was also named to the inaugural Allstate NABC Good Works Team, a national award honoring volunteerism and civic involvement.

Mount president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, and president emeriti Sr. Ann Sakac, OP, teamed up to close the ceremony by removing the covering from the newly engraved Hall of Fame plaque in the Kaplan Recreation Center lobby. “The inaugural class.

These are the best,” concluded Steinway as the plaque was revealed. www.msmc.edu

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Sports Roundup Baseball Record: 16-7 overall, 7-9 Skyline Highlights: Following a 0-3 start, the Knights rebounded with three wins in the MSMC Tournament to bounce back to even. The team would hover around the .500 mark all season and closed the year with three consecutive wins, finishing the regular season at 16-16. A sweep of NYU-Poly on the final day of the regular season sent the Knights to the postseason as the sixth seed in the Skyline Tournament. The Mount fell to third-seeded Purchase College in the opening round of the tournament to finish the year at 16-17.

Awards: Junior outfielder Vinnie Carminati (pictured) was named to the Skyline Conference first team. He was also honored by D3baseball.com with a spot on the New York Region third team.

Softball

Record: 18-16 overall, 7-7 Skyline Highlights: The Knights kicked off the season with a 3-5 record during a March trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. After falling to as low as 3-7 upon their return, the Knights won 10 of their next 12 games to put their season back on track. In a close race for the Skyline playoffs, the Mount entered the final weekend of the season needing to win three of the four games to qualify for the postseason. Unfortunately, the Knights split with both St. Joseph’s College and the Sage Colleges, leaving the team on the outside of the playoff picture for the second year in a row.

Awards: Senior pitcher Caitlin Maynes (pictured) was selected to the Skyline Conference second team for the fourth time in her career. Maynes graduates with career records for wins (47), innings pitched (530), and strikeouts (353). Sophomore catcher Stephanie Karcher also claimed a spot on the Skyline second team.

Men’s Tennis Record: 14-6 overall, 5-1 Skyline, Skyline Tournament runner-up Highlights: The Knights rattled off seven straight victories from the beginning of March through the beginning of April to improve to 9-3 overall.

Boosted by a 6-3 win over NYU-Poly and a 5-4 win over Purchase College, the Mount finished second in the Skyline with a record of 5-1 and qualified as the second seed in the conference tournament. In the semifinals, the Knights swept the doubles competition and went on to a 5-1 victory over Purchase, advancing to the championship match for the second time in three years. The Knights fell to top-seeded Farmingdale State College in the title match by a final score of 5-1. The team’s 14 wins matched a program record.

Awards: Junior Greg Jacob (pictured) was tagged as an all-conference performer for the third straight season, as he earned first team Skyline honors. Junior Stat Willand and freshman Mike Balokoz each nabbed spots on the Skyline second team.

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Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

Women’s Lacrosse Record: 10-8 overall, 6-4 Skyline Highlights: Under first year head coach Julia Steese, the Mount roared out of the gates with wins in five of its first six contests, including impressive nonconference victories over Hartwick College and Marywood University. The Knights continued to play well as competition began in the Skyline Conference and posted a record of 6-4 to qualify as the fifth seed in the year-end conference tournament. The Mount dropped its quarterfinal game to fourthseeded Kean University. The team’s overall record of 10-8 and conference record of 6-4 were both program bests.

Awards: Freshman Claire Duffy was selected to the Skyline Conference first team as a defender. Senior Kaileen Spadaro (pictured) and freshman Nicole Scicutella each earned spots on the Skyline second team, Spadaro as an attacker and Scicutella as a defender.

Men’s Lacrosse Record: 7-8 overall, 2-4 Skyline Highlights: The 2013 campaign saw continued improvement for the men’s lacrosse team. The Knights alternated wins and losses over the final month of the season and finished with a record of 7-8, the best winning percentage in program history. The Mount also notched a pair of Skyline Conference wins, defeating the College of Mount Saint Vincent for the second straight season while also earning a victory over Maritime College for the first time ever.

Awards: Senior Andrew Pullen finished ninth in NCAA Division III in goals per game (3.31), while fellow senior Nick Findlay (pictured) finished eighth nationally in assists per game (2.86).

Track and Field Record: No team win-loss record Highlights: In the team’s third full season of track and field at the Mount, the Knights competed in 12 meets during the indoor and outdoor season. An increasingly versatile group of athletes, the track and field teams set 19 new records on the men’s side and 27 new records on the women’s side, including newly established records in the men’s hammer and the women’s pole vault.

Awards: Junior Scott Colello (pictured) became the first athlete in school history to qualify for the season-ending ECAC Championships. He qualified with a time of 55.8 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles.

www.msmc.edu

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Mount Alumni Thankful alumni reach out to support today’s Mount students ALUMNI PROFILE

Peter James Larson ’00 and Kristi Lynn Reeve Larson ’00

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illennium graduates Peter Larson and Kristi Lynn Reeve Larson are making a gift to “A Call to Excellence: The Campaign for the Dominican Center” to help provide new resources for today’s Mount students.

“Both Peter and I are grateful for the education we received at the Mount,” said Kristi, a former resident advisor for freshmen. “We want to take our turn in giving back as other alumni did for us.”

The college’s small size and breadth of student activities attracted them. “I enjoyed writing and learned so much from great professors like James Beard and the late Virginia Davidson,” she said. “I benefitted from internships at the Hudson Valley Technology Development Center and a local newspaper, as well as working on the Mount’s student newspaper. These experiences were invaluable.”

Peter participated in student government, and gained practical insight into the corporate arena by working at the campus store and through his internships at Enterprise and Toyota Financial. These experiences enabled him to secure a job upon graduation with Manchester Honda in Connecticut, where he is a sales manager.

“The classes we took as business and communication arts majors gave us many opportunities to be effective communicators through the multiple group projects and presentations assigned,” Kristi explained. “We also learned how to balance life’s demands – something which we especially appreciate now as the working parents of

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“Both Peter and I are grateful for the education we received at the Mount,” said Kristi, a former resident advisor for freshmen. “We want to take our turn in giving back as other alumni did for us.”

— Kristi Lynn Reeve Larson ’00 two young children.”

Kristi, who is director of annual giving at the Watkinson School in Hartford, serves on the Mount Saint Mary College Alumni Association Board of Directors, and keeps in touch with Mount friends and classmates through Facebook and email.

“The ties among our Mount alumni run deep,” she said. “It is like an extended family. We all do our best to

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

support each other during times of need, and rally during unexpected disasters such as ‘Superstorm Sandy.’ ” She added, “The addition of the Dominican Center makes the campus whole. The new library will be a central gathering place where everyone will want to meet, to study, and to enjoy programs. Peter and I are pleased to participate in this significant project for the Mount.”

Maureen Kilpatrick Neppl ’71 and her husband Thomas, in the Atrium of the Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center.

Maureen Kilpatrick Neppl ’71: At the Mount from the beginning ALUMNA PROFILE Maureen Kilpatrick Neppl ’71

“N

ever did I imagine when I started kindergarten at Bishop Dunn Memorial School (BDMS) that I would be spending all of my academic years at the Mount,” said Maureen Kilpatrick Neppl ’71. “After graduating from eighth grade 50 years ago, I continued on with the Dominican Sisters at Mount Saint Mary Academy. There, Newburgh-area educator, the late William McDonough, made a presentation about choosing teaching as a career and I was hooked.

The Mount offered the programs I needed and enabled me to stay close to home so that I could help take care of my parents while attending college.”

In 1963, the Mount opened its first major academic building, Aquinas Hall.

“I can remember the students from

Bishop Dunn cheering on the college coeds as they entered Aquinas Hall for the first time,” Neppl said. “To have witnessed the growth of the college over the years and to have made so many friends at the Mount has been a great joy. I recall Sr. Agnes Boyle (formerly Sr. Mary Charles), Sr. Ann Sakac, the late Fr. Michael Gilleece and others as special mentors.”

Neppl, who taught for 19 years at West Street School and another 19 years at Fostertown Elementary School, appreciates the education she received.

“I know that the tradition of excellence continues, as I have worked with many student teachers from the Mount.

These young men and women are well prepared and committed to making a difference in the lives of their students,” she said.

“During my senior year, the college launched its first fundraising drive, requesting pledges from graduating seniors asking for a three-year pledge

of three dollars a month. As class treasurer, I was asked to coordinate this effort,” Neppl said, adding, “I always knew it was important to give back so others could have opportunities, too.”

Neppl’s husband, Thomas, is also a career educator and a deacon for Sacred Heart Church in Newburgh. The Neppls work with the college’s Campus Ministry program and its student participants who are involved in outreach efforts to the poor.

“Tom and I are happy to help provide new and improved resources for Mount students,” Neppl said. “We are making a gift to the campaign in honor of family members who are Dominicans, Sr. Marie Stella Kilpatrick and the late Sr. Robert Marie Kilpatrick. We are delighted that the Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary will be enjoyed by future Mount students and their families, and look forward to our continued involvement with the college in the years ahead.” www.msmc.edu

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Mount Alumni Alumni Notes 1966

Kathy (Gardella) Garth retired after 37 years of teaching. She and husband Lance celebrated their 46th anniversary in July. They have five grandchildren.

Sr. Maureen Chicoine, RSCJ, is enjoying a sabbatical after 17 years with the Diocese of San Bernardino, Ca. Her last assignment was to merge three inner city parishes and form a new large parish: Our Lady of Hope.

1967

Bobbie (Lancaster) Allen says members of the class of ’67 are gathering October 20–21, 2013 at West Point. If you have not received information, email bobbixokids@nycap. rr.com Ann Marie Boyle is a lector for St. Timothy Parish, and a member of the St. Vincent DePaul society. She lives in Florida and looks forward to visits from granddaughter Ariana.

Jann (Petersen) Guyre’s oldest daughter, Jennifer, walked at VCU for her PhD.

1968

Sr. Philomena McCartney, OP went to Washington, D.C. on behalf of the Visitation Academy to accept the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award, presented by the United States Department of Education to 50 private schools and 219 public schools.

36

Eric Conklin and Joanna Geraci ’06

Marriages 1982

Rosemary Delaney married Bill Hunt in September 2011.

2003

Donna Cowan Williams was married in December 2012.

Births 1978

Josie (Cannova) Citta and her husband, Sal, are the grandparents of William Giovanni Citta.

1991

Jerry Mangona and Melissa Kavanaugh welcomed

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

2008

Stephen Black and Patricia Wolinski were married on May 15, 2011.

Michael Emsworth married Brianne Bennett on March 16, 2013.

daughter Lily Marie in September 2012. She joins older sisters Alexandria and Juliann.

2003

Theresa (Cahee) Cavelius became a grandmother.

Maxwell Joseph Patalino was

Eric Conklin and Joanna Geraci ’06 (pictured above) were married on November 11, 2012. Their bridal party included Lucia DiSpirito ’06, Jill Maline ’05, Jimmy Lau ’08, and Scott Tabone ’08.

born November 12, 2011 and Riley Joe Cavelius was born on February 24, 2012.

Mike Stegmeier and Bridget (Marrer) Stegmeier welcomed daughter Keira Grace on January 28, 2013. She joins brother Connor at home.

1971

AIS Reading at Minisink Valley Elementary School.

ter, Mary Teresa.

1972

Kim (Fremgen) Salinovich retired in June 2011 after seven years as a GED instructor for HVOIC and 25 years as a Spanish teacher in the Poughkeepsie City School District.

Lynette (Scianna) DeBellis was appointed chairperson of the nursing department at Westchester Community College.

Jean (Turner) Ritchie recently traded Hawaii for South Carolina, near Charleston.

Nancy (Bailey) Cuomo and her family live in Nashville, Tenn.

Nancy is involved with two major projects – a movie, and a book about the film. Her son, Stephen, graduated from Vanderbilt University. Oldest son Michael will start St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M. Husband Allan now has five physicians in his practice.

1973

Anne Marie (Begnal) Cullinan was named chief academic officer of the Waterbury Public Schools. She welcomes her grandson, Bradan Grasso, who joins his older cousins, Sara and Jack Cullinan.

1974

Mary (Moran) Deatherage is a managing director of wealth management at Morgan Stanley.

Her two boys launched careers in accounting and finance. She and her husband, Bill, recently celebrated their 39th anniversary.

1978

Josie (Cannova) Citta was named principal of Trinity Catholic Academy, Southbridge, Mass. and has been teaching at TCA for 18 years.

Cathy (Lazzaro) Krug has been married to husband Dave for 30 years and they have two sons.

Cathy has worked as a school nurse at SJ Preston Elementary in Harrison, N.Y. for 15 years.

Marie (Puleo) Lown retired from the Minisink Valley Central School District after 31 years. For the past 15 years, she has taught

1979

Maureen Ryan retired from her position of principal at OrangeUlster BOCES after 34 years of service. Future plans include consulting with local school districts and Autism NI in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

1980

Christine (Macy) Feroli graduated from the Mount’s adult nurse practitioner program in 2004 and recently retired from VA Hudson Valley Health Care System after 33 years.

Sharon (Di Genio) Wulftange’s daughter, Katelyn, graduated from UCONN and is working for Swiss RE in Windsor, Conn. as an underwriter.

1982

Rosemary Delaney is currently a manager in oncology clinical trials at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. She is a Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and endometrial cancer survivor.

1984

1985

Susan (Hausermann) Kleinke’s daughter, Joyce Hausermann ’13, received the Stephen M. McCarthy Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts and a bachelor’s in English from the Mount.

Karen Schiaffo has been a nurse for the last seven years at JFK Middle School in Northampton, Mass.

1986

Christina Cerini-Flynn has been teaching third grade special education at Pine Tree Elementary for 24 years. Husband Kevin works for the Town of Ramapo.

Son Kristofer graduated Lehigh University. Daughter Kelsey attends MSMC. Daughter Kiley attends Pearl River High School.

1987

Lawrence Dauer was promoted to associate attending physicist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and was elected to the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Committee on Protection in Medicine.

1989

Rosangela (LaRosa) Lutz and husband Steven have been married for almost 17 years. Their daughter, Sara Marie Antoinette, attends New Paltz High School.

Suzanne Soltysik graduated with an MS in nursing education in May 2013 from St Joseph’s College in Patchogue, N.Y.

Colleen (Keating) Stevens and husband Larry celebrated their 25th anniversary in October 2012 by traveling to Italy.

Then, they spent two months in Uganda adopting their daugh-

Laura (Crothers) Ansel is living in Danbury, Conn. and working for Riefberg, Smart, Donohue & NeJame, PC as a title analyst in their relocation division.

1991

In Memoriam Elvira Van Aken, mother of Shirley (Van Aken) Bluemle ’78, passed away on March 6, 2013.

Charles “Chuck” E. Bell, spouse of Carmella (Cuomo) Bell ’78, passed away on January 25, 2013.

Jean Bullock, mother of Deidre Bullock ’92, passed away on March 26, 2012.

Raymond W. Clark, Sr., father of Raymond W. Clark, Jr. ’94, passed away on March 4, 2013.

Barbara Dietrich, mother of Brandy (Dietrich) Johns ’94, passed away on March 16, 2013.

Elizabeth Higgins, mother of Catherine (Higgins) McElligott ’91, passed away on April 29, 2013.

Vincent Loughlin ’79 passed away on May 3, 2013.

Charles “Chas’ McDonald, brother of Eileen (McDonald) Sassmann ’66 and Beth (McDonald) Bishop ’75, passed away on February 27, 2013.

Nicholas Bibby, Jr. (29), son of Marie (Carfarone) Trembath ’77, passed away on December 31, 2012.

Lucy Wolff, mother of Anne (Wolff) Rich ’71, passed away on January 8, 2013. www.msmc.edu

37

Mount Alumni Sherri (Ihburg) Cortland’s third book, “Spiritual Toolbox,” is being released in July 2013.

Sherri lives in Orlando, Fla. with husband Ted Dylewski.

1994

Eileen (Vandermark) Fritz is turning 50 this year. Her love of running resonates with daughter Rachael, and they compete in 5Ks together.

Alumni gathering at

their sixth anniversary. They have one daughter.

Alumni gathered on June 1, 2013 for a tour and tasting at the Duck Walk Vineyard North in Southold, N.Y. The group enjoyed catching up and sharing ideas about future Mount alumni gatherings on Long Island.

Steven Stenavage was married in November 2008. He works for ISI as a leader of regulatory products as a service system.

Duck Walk Vineyard

1995

Renee (Gonyea) Fox graduated from Elmira College in June 2013 with a master’s degree.

Cheryl (Dickson) Gross is employed as the school business manager and district treasurer for the Eldred Central School District.

1998

Mary Forde graduated in May 2012 from St. Joseph’s College with an MS in organizational management and an EMBA.

2008

Samantha Alvino was promoted to vocational services coordinator for the Freeport Vocational Training Center on Long Island.

Kim (Priebe) Krodel will begin practicing nursing again when her three kids are in school this fall. Her first romance novel came out in June 2013 under her pen name.

Stephen Black works in technical support and his wife Patricia (Wolinsky) Black is a special education teacher. The couple resides on Long Island.

2001

Jeffrey Finton and Carmen (Zarauz) Finton ’05 celebrated their seventh anniversary in June 2013. They have two children. Jeffrey completed his certificate of advanced study in district/building administration at SUNY New Paltz in 2011, and is a special education principal at the Chester-Liberty Elementary Program.

2002

Zohra (Broussard) Ludmerer and husband John are veterinarians, and opened Orchard Grove Animal Hospital in Warwick, N.Y. Zohra works at St. Luke’s Cornwall hospital in various roles. In January 2012, she returned to the Mount to start her master’s degree.

2006

Catherine (Schultz) Weber and husband Robert have been married since June 2007. Catherine began teaching as an adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College in the fall 2009.

From left: Steve and Jean Marie ’82 Fortunato; Theresa Shalley-Russo ’85; Joe Valenti, VP for college advancement; Patricia Cavanagh ’74; and Michele (Gallo) Cook ’73.

2003

John Hutton completed his sixth year of teaching kindergarten and pre-school after having received his masters of education degree from MSMC in 2003. John lives in Tampa, Fla.

2004

Donna Cowan Williams works at Bronx Lebanon Hospital

38 Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

and is currently pursuing her master’s degree.

Joe DiDomenico served as dean of students at Language Arts at I.S. 61 in Corona, Queens and is credited with bringing boys baseball to the middle school level. He recently became the principal of the Huntington Learning Center in Massapequa Park. In July, Joe and wife Christina will celebrate

Michael Emsworth is an education coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, N.Y. Clarissa Goins was promoted to the position of compliance officer and assistant treasurer for Riverside Bank in February 2012.

2009

Robert Curtis is teaching physics and engineering at Delaware Valley High School in Milford, Pa.

2011

Michael Conklin is teaching fifth grade Social Studies and English Language Arts at Golden Hill Elementary School.

Friends of the Mount 1

4

2

3

35th Annual Invitational Golf and 2nd Annual Invitational Tennis Tournaments

5

6

1.

Tom Martinelli with Jack and Susan Pretak

2.

Tennis co-chair Gayle Jane Tallardy, tennis honoree Dr. Bo Paunovic, golf honoree Bob Armistead, tournament chair and Mount trustee David Melby, and Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president of the Mount

3.

Kathy Barton ’10 and Gayle Jane Tallardy, tennis co-chair, collecting

7

donations of golf clubs for The First Tee, a junior golf program which aims to impact the lives of young people through the game of golf

4. Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, presi-

dent of Mount Saint Mary College, with 1st place ladies golf tournament winner Debra Zambito ’98, Marlene Stang, golf committee member Joy Bento ’68, and David Melby, Mount trustee and tournament chair

5.

Mike Quinn and Mary Kay Messenger ’88

6.

Golf co-chair Jimmy Smith and tennis honoree Dr. Bo Paunovic

7.

Tennis honoree Dr. Bo Paunovic and golf honoree Bob Armistead

www.msmc.edu

39

Friends of the Mount

A Call to Excellence The Campaign for the Dominican Center gains ground

D

estined to be the most successful campaign since the founding of Mount Saint Mary College, “A Call to Excellence: The Campaign for the Dominican Center” now tallies more than $8.6 million toward a goal of $10 million.

“This project has been wholeheartedly embraced by our Mount community, with leadership gifts and grants provided by the trustees, the Dominican Sisters, alumni and business leaders,” said Joe Valenti, vice president for college advancement. “We look for-

40

ward to the increased participation of our alumni, parents, and friends in the coming year as we bring this historic project to fruition.”

Transformation approaching completion “We are on track to finish the new library and residence hall by December,” said Maryann Pilon, director of facilities at the college. “We have been privileged to work with such an iconic building that means so much to so many. We have preserved selected

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | SUMMER 2013

archways, doors, leaded glass built-ins and many other architectural features.”

The original stained glass pieces from door panels and transoms are being integrated into the new plans.

“The color palette is being drawn from these,” said Pilon. “While furniture and other design elements will be more contemporary to meet the needs of our students, the blending of Gothic and modern styles is quite pleasing.”

The Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary, which will serve as the college’s main gathering space for worship and

Construction continues inside the Dominican Center.

Rendering of the new north porch

Many original details are being preserved and incorporated into the renovation. The new library and residence hall are on track to be completed by December 2013.

special celebrations, will be refreshed with new gold leaf accents, painting, and cleaning of stained glass windows.

Exterior lighting will be added so the illustrations can be appreciated in the evening.

“Most of the core infrastructure work, including the addition of elevator shafts, removal of walls and reinforcing of floors is completed. We will be enhancing the north side of the building with a new façade,” said Pilon.

With new on-grade access points, the Dominican Center will be much easier to enter and navigate. Students, faculty and staff will enjoy the new dining hall, featuring a wrap-around outdoor patio with Hudson River views.

A parking lot accommodating 100

“We have been privileged to work with such an iconic building that means so much to so many.”

Maryann Pilon, director of facilities

vehicles will parallel Powell Avenue.

“We are thrilled about the enhanced resources the new library will provide for our students,” said Barbara Petruzzelli, library director. “Our students will benefit from a much wider variety of workspace seating and group meeting

options. The integration of the curriculum library into the main library will provide increased hours of access and research support for students in our education program.” A new 50-seat classroom and adjoining area will create a much-needed event space that can accommodate up to 100 patrons.

“The facilities will allow us to further expand our programming,” said Petruzzelli. “In total, seating capacity for the library will increase by about 30 percent, to more than 400.

We will be providing our students with the finest research, study and collaborative spaces complemented by the spectacular views of the Hudson River Valley for reflection and inspiration.” www.msmc.edu

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Mount Saint Mary College 330 Powell Avenue Newburgh, NY 12550

Alumni & Family Weekend 2013

September 27–29, 2013

Learn more at www.msmc.edu/alumni