Commencement 2022

Class of 2022

Coming through the storm

Things weren’t easy for the Class of 2022. From navigating online courses to living and learning six feet away from their classmates, these students faced challenges they couldn’t possibly have anticipated when they started their college journey in 2018. Through it all, they persevered.

Their well-earned reward, on Saturday, May 21, was the first traditional Commencement ceremony the Mount has been able to host since 2019.

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

“To use an old adage, the Devil whispered in your ear and said, ‘You’re not going to make it through the storm,’” he said to his inaugural class. “And you rose up and you yelled back with balled fists, ‘I am the storm!’”

The graduating students then heard from honorary degree recipient and Commencement speaker Karina Cabrera Bell ’01, a Fortune 500 executive and former official in the Obama White House.

Cabrera Bell currently serves as Senior Manager within the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality (ID&E) Practice at Accenture, a multinational professional services company that specializes in information technology services and consulting. In this role, she advises Fortune 500 clients in ID&E, talent strategies, cultural transformation, and responsible business practices.

Before moving to the private sector, Cabrera Bell served in many levels of government in her 15-year career in public service. At the Obama White House, she was director of Congressional Affairs,

“This generation of Knights has gone through something that no other classes have before.”

Karina Cabrera Bell ’01 Commencement speaker

Commencement 2022

Baccalaureate Mass at the Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary. Heading to the ceremony.

By the numbers

Total degrees awarded:

More than 500

Master’s degrees awarded:

More than 120

Bachelor’s degrees awarded:

More than 380

Grads hailed from 11 states:

California, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. One grad lives in Nigeria.

Student leaders Julia Lavin, Joshua Laskowski, and Cullen Roper.

Above, Natural Sciences professors Moran, Merkhofer, and Robinson.

Below, bagpipers led the procession to the Commencement ceremony. “We live in a hard time with lots of problems. I know there is a temptation to tune it out. But I ask you to do the opposite, to engage, to rise up and leave the world better than you found it.”

Karina Cabrera Bell ’01

forging partnerships with Congress and national advocacy groups to recruit top talent.

Cabrera Bell praised the graduates for their ability to overcome unforeseen obstacles while remaining upbeat and focused on their studies: “This generation of Knights has gone through something that no other classes have before,” she said. “Yet, through it all, you have shown incredible resilience and strength.”

Reflecting on her own time at the college, Cabrera Bell said, “The Mount changed so much for me. It’s where I started an entirely new path for my life. It’s where Professor Irene Nunnari told me I had a voice…It’s where I learned that if I wanted to change things, I had to be vulnerable and put myself in the arena.”

Finally, she encouraged the students to take what they have learned at the Mount and use it to make the world a better place.

“We live in a hard time with lots of problems,” Cabrera Bell said. “I know there is a temptation to tune it out. But I ask you to do the opposite, to engage, to rise up and leave the world better than you found it. Be the spark in your circle, in your job, and in your community. If you see someone getting bullied or mistreated, be the spark that stands up for them. If you see a cause that needs a voice, be the spark that speaks up for it.”

Julia Lavin, Senior Class president,

Commencement 2022

congratulated the Class of 2022 for not only enduring the hardships of COVID-19, but for also thriving throughout the pandemic.

“Even though we have not had the most conventional college experience, thanks to our wonderful professors and administrators who care so deeply about their students, there is not a doubt in my mind that we are prepared to handle anything that gets thrown at us along the way,” she said. “We are all leaving more resilient and capable people than when we arrived here.”

In his speech to his fellow graduates, Cullen Roper, vice president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, reminded students of the need for unity.

“We are all living proof that alone we can accomplish many things, but with the help of others, we can accomplish anything,” he said. “To be a college graduate is one success of its own, but to become a welcoming and caring human being will propel us into the next chapter of our lives. I am proud to be here in front of you all today and proud to be a Mount Saint Mary College graduate.”

Two awards were given to Mount professors during the ceremony. Joshua Laskowski, president of the Mount’s Student Government Association (SGA), presented the SGA’s Excellence in Teaching Award to Jennifer Bready, professor of Mathematics. The award recognizes a full-time professor that the students believe goes above and beyond in their role as a professor and in their commitment to student success.

Anne Ferrari, associate professor of Psychology and Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee, presented the Mount Saint Mary College Faculty Award to Fr. Gregoire Fluet, college chaplain and director of Campus Ministry. Ferrari praised Fr. Fluet’s dedication, integrity, and service to the college, as well as his unwavering support for everyone in the Mount community – especially students.

At left, Fr. Gregoire Fluet, seen in the Commencement procession here, was the recipient of the College Faculty Award in recognition of his service to the Mount community.

May 2022 graduates at the nurse pinning ceremony.

‘Advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves’

The day before Commencement, the Mount honored nearly 80 graduates of its prestigious Nursing program at a pinning ceremony.

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

“The journey to become a registered, professional nurse is not an easy one,” said Vidia Saleem, instructor of Nursing, as she welcomed the Class of 2022 and their families. “These students have just reached a milestone. They are now ready to make the transition from student nurse to graduate nurse.”

Christine Berté, dean of the School of Nursing, urged the graduates to “take your knowledge, your compassion, and your enthusiasm, and make this profession better.”

Thomas “TJ” Coyne, president of the Student Nursing Association, offered his reflections on the group’s journey to becoming nurses.

“I’d like to express how proud I am of my fellow classmates, for persevering through all the challenges we have faced over the last four years,” he said. “Our great professors have gifted us the tools we need to be successful nurses. Now it’s up to us to build a better world.”

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Linda Kelly, assistant professor of Nursing, discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the Class of 2022. The nursing class soon adopted the motto “Stay positive, but test negative,” she explained.

Kelly left the new graduates with some important words of wisdom: “As you enter the profession of nursing, find your voice and take yourself off mute. Advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Allison Krom was pinned by her son, Caiden.

New nurse practitioners honored at ceremony

The previous week, nearly 30 students from the Nurse Practitioner program were honored at a White Coat Ceremony.

Thomas Coyne

Fr. Fluet blessed hands at the White Coat Ceremony.

The ceremony reflected the transition of the nurses to the professional nurse practitioner role. Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who provide high quality healthcare services. They can diagnose, treat, and prescribe across a wide range of health problems.

Fr. Fluet closed out the ceremony with the Blessing of the Hands. As nurse practitioners, he noted, the graduates’ hands are their most important healing tool.

Commencement 2022

For three sisters, the journey was better together

Four years ago, the Romaniello triplets of Waterbury, Conn. lugged food, clothing, and their computers into their shared room in Sakac Hall on a summer Sunday.

On a warm spring day this May, Ashley, Haley, and Jessica headed across the college’s Commencement stage, decked out in honor cords. Their parents, Glorie and Todd, cheered as their daughters were recognized for their hard work.

The young women each went to a different high school. When it came time for college, Jessica came to the Mount to study English on the Adolescence Education track. Ashley and Haley selected the Mount for its prestigious Nursing program.

“I always loved the idea of going away to college with my sisters, and once it became a reality, I was so excited,” Haley explained. “I could not have imagined going through four years of college without them.”

Ashley, who was the valedictorian of Wilby High School, had received a full scholarship to another college. She turned it down in favor of the Mount’s small class sizes and tightknit, family atmosphere. It’s a decision that paid off.

“I am in a field I love,” she said. “Yes, the schooling, exams, homework, and clinicals were tough, and at some points, I never thought this day would come. But I persevered and here we are. I can confidently say that the Mount has prepared me for my future as a registered nurse. I couldn’t be more grateful.”

After four years together at the Mount, the time has come for the sisters to follow their own separate paths. Ashley will be working at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as a Nurse Resident in the Intensive Care Unit. Haley landed a job at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut

Ashley, Haley, and Jessica Romaniello at this year’s Commencement, above, and at left with their mother Glorie on Move In Day four years ago.

as a Registered Nurse in the Medical Surgical Unit. And Jessica will be attending Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching for Secondary English Education.

Looking back at her growth over the last four years, Jessica has some advice for new college students: “Do everything and anything possible, even if you’re unsure. Join the clubs! Take a class you normally wouldn’t think to take to fill a requirement! I’ve made friends that I will have for the rest of my life through theatre and going out of my comfort zone. College is the time to have fun and try new things!”

Last, but not least

At the very end of the long line of graduates going in procession to the Commencement ceremony was Nursing major Hope Yaworowski.

Had it not been for another student who was accidentally separated from his fellow Math majors during the ceremony and placed at the end, Yaworowski would also have been the final grad to receive her diploma.

But her place in line didn’t dampen her enthusiasm. She thanked her family for their aid through her years as a Mount student.

“Thank you to my parents and family for always supporting me,” she said. “You taught me that hard work always pays off and pushed me to achieve my goals.”

Earning honors half a world away

As hundreds of Mount grads crossed the Commencement stage, one was recognized for her achievements as she watched from nearly 7,000 miles away.

Sr. Maria Judith Okwudiri Okoroafor, of the Order of Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary in Nigeria, graduated via livestream after completing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology online. It was a journey she began nearly 14 years ago.

After coming to the United States in 2008 for religious experience, Sr. Judith used the opportunity to attend classes at the Mount from Fall 2009 to Spring 2012.

“It was not planned for me to graduate from MSMC,” she explained. “So, I came back to Nigeria and I never thought of coming back to complete the degree.”

It wasn’t until 2020 that the General Superior of her religious order, Sr. Gertrude L. Ihenach, and her council asked Sr. Judith to go back to the USA and finish her degree. However, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic halted the process. After speaking with the Registrar’s Office, Sr. Judith was allowed to complete her course work online.

“It was like a battle to complete this degree online in Nigeria,” she said. “There was no electricity and unstable internet networks. I got low grades in some of my first online semester exams due to a poor network system and my lack of online school skills.”

In her day-to-day life, Sr. Judith always made time for her studies. She would spend her days attending community prayers, morning Mass, cooking, taking care of laundry, and cleaning. But, she added, “This final semester was so challenging that I did my prayers privately. My Zoom classes overlapped with my community prayers and morning Mass was not every day. I couldn’t wake up on time because of midnight classes and studies.”

Throughout it all, Sr. Judith’s faith helped her to accept whatever difficulties she faced. She persevered, increasing her study times and improving her grades. “I thank God Almighty who has given me the strength, knowledge, and wisdom to complete this degree with Honors in Psychology,” she said.

Senior Cruise

In the week leading up to Commencement, Mount seniors enjoyed a sunset cruise on the Hudson River aboard the Pride of the Hudson.

Degree marks the start of a new chapter

The first graduate of Mount Saint Mary College’s partnership with Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, Douglas A. Matthews, was proud to receive his diploma.

Matthews was recently released from incarceration and was overjoyed to be able to attend the ceremony in person. Hudson Link “allowed me to achieve something while I was inside,” he explained. “This was one opportunity that I knew I could use to improve myself and help me to become something different, something better…It allowed me to develop myself and hopefully pass that on.”

The Mount began its partnership with Hudson Link in January of 2020, giving several incarcerated men at Shawangunk Correctional Facility the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Hudson Link provides college education, life skills, and reentry support to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals to help them make a positive impact on their lives, their families, and their communities. It also aims to lower rates of recidivism, incarceration, and poverty.

According to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, 41 percent of people return to prison within three years of release. As of 2020, the recidivism rate for those who have gone through the Hudson Link program was less than 3 percent in two decades.

Commencement 2022

Psychology major pursues a future in physical therapy

For Anthony Acosta, his future started with an internship. Acosta, a Psychology major with a focus in Physical Therapy, recently accepted a job as a rehab tech at Bardonia Physical Therapy, an outpatient clinic in Monroe, N.Y.

At the end of his recent internship with Bardonia Physical Therapy, Acosta was offered a permanent position with the company, and was given the opportunity to work while completing his studies as a full-time student.

“I enjoy meeting and building relationships with all of the patients that I work with, and I enjoy being able to teach them and inspire them to keep getting better,” Acosta explained.

“My favorite is when a patient comes in and tells me that what we do is working for them and that they are feeling better.”

In addition to his strong work ethic and ambitious personality, Acosta credits his time at the Mount for helping to mold him into the success he is today.

One experience that stood out to him was being a member of the Mount’s track and field team, where he became familiar with many of the different stretches and exercises that he would later be asked to teach his patients.

He is also grateful to the Mount professors who have guided him throughout his academic career. For example, Acosta thanked Paul Schwartz, professor of Psychology, “for teaching [me] so much and pushing me to strive for more, and also introducing me to the field of Psychology and how important it is to everyday life and my career itself.”

He added, “I know in my heart that I will always carry the blessing of the Knights.”

Double major earns full scholarship to Albany Law

Louise Goodman, a double major in English and Psychology, was recently awarded a full scholarship to Albany Law School.

But there was a catch: the stellar student had to decide between Albany Law and Penn State University, which had also offered her a full scholarship.

“My favorite thing about the Mount is the small community feel,” Goodman said. “I like knowing my professors and the other students, and that’s what I think Albany can provide me with. That’s why I chose to go there.”

Goodman has demonstrated excellence at every step of her college career. In 2020, she won the college’s Fifth Annual Writing Contest. A year later, she was named an Aquinas Scholar, which requires a minimum grade point average of 3.60. While taking part in the college’s annual Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), she enjoyed hands-on research into medieval recipes with Rob Wakeman, assistant professor of English.

And now, she has her sights set on becoming an attorney. “I work hard and I enjoy working hard,” she said. “Higher education is something that brings out the best in me.”

Goodman is one of seven children, and like her siblings before her, she is a first-generation college student. Her brother, George, graduated from the Mount’s Nursing program in 2016. Her sister, Lily, was a Biology major on the Pre-Physician’s Assistant track who graduated summa cum laude in 2018.

“If you let it be, academia can be very lonely if you only focus on the score aspect of it,” Goodman explained. “I tried that; it’s not a good place to be. I love being surrounded by people and the compassion of the teachers – that makes all the difference to me.”

First-gen grad taking his degree to the next level

Mateo Antonio Lopez recently finished his undergraduate studies in Biology, and now he’s off to graduate school in the University of Tennessee’s Health Science Center in Memphis.

It’s a new adventure for the lifelong New Yorker. But like his parents before him, who emigrated to the United States from Mexico, Antonio Lopez is ready for the challenge. As a first-generation college student, this is far from the first time he has needed to step outside his comfort zone. For example, anytime he needed to get online to continue the Mount enrollment process, he’d need to walk two miles to the local library. And that was just a prelude to his busy college years.

The days started early for Antonio Lopez, who hopped on the 6:40 a.m. train to Beacon and then took a bus to the Mount. The process took between 45 minutes to an hour each way. That was in addition to working about 70 hours a week. As a result, the gifted student mastered the art of time management.

“I served customers and thought out my projects at the same time,” he explained. “I really had to use my time very wisely.”

The Mount opened up a new world of learning for Antonio Lopez, who participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURE), the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, and more.

“When I came to the Mount, I became fascinated about how much you could learn about Biology,” he explained. “And the more you learn, the more you don’t know, is what you realize.”

Looking back, his advice to new college students speaks to what made his time at the Mount successful.

“Seek discomfort and try new things,” he said. “If you have the passion, you can always make some time. There’s always time to learn new things.”

STELLAR SENIORS

Ready to lead the class and make a difference

For Asha Mendez, the most rewarding challenge of her academic career was student teaching.

Before graduating with a master’s degree in May, Mendez completed two placements: one at Poughkeepsie’s Noxon Road Elementary School and another at Fishkill’s Glenham Elementary School. Both times, she worked with a mix of general and special education students.

These classroom experiences have been “invaluable” to her growth as a teacher: “I walked away from both placements with tools and strategies that I know will be helpful to me in my career as an educator,” she said.

In addition to her student teaching experiences, Mendez credits the Mount’s Education program with helping her to be so successful in her field.

“I found myself using a lot of what I learned in my methods courses in my student teaching,” she explained. “The research and theory learned in these courses have really laid a strong foundation for me as an educator.”

She also thanked Jennifer Wutz and her mother, Priya Mendez, from the college’s Office of Student Teaching, “for taking care of all the student teachers each and every semester. I appreciate their support and encouragement at such an important time in our careers.”

The future is looking bright for Mendez, who lined up a long-term subbing position in the Wappingers Central School District for a teacher on maternity leave.

“It’s been my dream to be a teacher since I was 5 years old and I am excited to finally have that dream realized,” she explained. “My biggest goal is to make a difference in the lives of as many students as possible.”

Commencement 2022

Bio grad snags job at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Days before Commencement, Biology major and Chemistry minor Jayda Cavanaugh received a Student Research Scholarship Award from the Mount.

It’s no surprise that Cavanaugh was honored for her academic skill and dedication. She’s a highly motivated student and the first person in her family to earn a college degree.

One of her latest accomplishments might just be her greatest: Cavanaugh earned a job as a research technician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Center for Cancer Genomics in Boston, Mass. It’s a career that hits close to home for Cavanaugh, whose mother is currently battling breast cancer.

“I really love what Dana-Farber stands for,” Cavanaugh explained. “They’re doing cutting edge research.”

It was through the Mount’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), where students work closely with professors on applied research, that Cavanaugh discovered her love of scientific research.

“The opportunities I had through SURE, through independent study, and through the insight of my professors allowed me to get a lot of research experience, to really understand that this was the field I wanted to go into now and for the rest of my life,” Cavanaugh said. “My heart is really in research.”

The Mount’s rigorous Natural Sciences program helped her to prepare for her upcoming career with Dana-Farber, Cavanaugh said: “You go to the Mount and you leave a scientist,” she explained.

MBA project aims to advance youth safety

Sajani Ramphal, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate with a concentration in Healthcare Administration, constantly seeks new ways to challenge herself.

She says the experience she gained at the Mount has already strengthened her performance in her career as a physical therapist, a position she has held for 15 years.

“I worked through COVID and struggled with the imbalance of our healthcare system. I have a true passion for healthcare and wanted to be a part of the strategic solution,” she explained. “This led me to enter the MBA program, so I could not only carry on with my clinical experience, but also gain a better understanding of the leadership role.”

She added, “I hope and wish to make a difference in our healthcare system one day. I want to be an advocate for my patients and our everyday healthcare providers.”

Ramphal spearheaded a large project as part of her MBA practicum experience. As the Safety Director for the Monroe Woodbury Football and Cheer League, she aimed to provide concussion and CPR/AED protocols for local football teams. Working with the Orange County Youth Football League (OCYFL), she will be creating a proposal for an OCYFL Universal Safety Protocol this summer.

“This is what the MBA program is about,” Ramphal stated. “Challenging yourself beyond what was imaginable. Allowing you to take charge, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, and strategize to make changes to develop new goals.”

Her time at the Mount was well spent, Ramphal noted. “The lessons I learned from my professors and peers have been invaluable,” she said. “Teamwork, creativity, and professionalism are skill sets that I will carry on throughout my career.”

The Mount’s first Cybersecurity grad

Devin Kelley has certainly made his mark on the Mount: He was the first student to graduate from the college with a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity.

Kelley was enjoying what he was learning as a Criminology major, saying it made him both a better writer and a more inquisitive student. But when the Mount began offering Cybersecurity as a major in the fall of 2020, the opportunity was too good for Kelley to pass up.

Two years later, Cybersecurity has become a passion for him: “It’s an awesome field and it’s only going to get bigger,” he said.

Although he’ll miss being a Mount student, Kelley is thankful for the professors who helped him along the way, such as Sagar Raina, assistant professor of Information Technology, and Denise McCarroll, instructor of Information Technology.

Kelley will also miss being a student-athlete. The time management skills he gained while juggling scholastics and Lacrosse have proven to be invaluable.

“Especially in-season, you don’t have as much time to yourself,” noted Kelley. “Your schedule is very rigid. That’s what helped me to not be distracted, knowing I had to get my work done or I’d be up until 3 o’clock in the morning. It definitely made me a better student.”

Kelley has some advice for students who are considering a major or concentration in Cybersecurity: If you want something that’s fulfilling and in demand, Cybersecurity is a great fit.

“Stick with it,” he said. “If there’s something you don’t know, look it up or ask your professors – they’re really, really good. Their office doors are always open and they’re always willing to help you.”

STELLAR SENIORS

Grad sets his sights on MSG and an MBA

Cullen Roper, a General Business Administration grad, strives to take opportunities to advance his education and career.

For example, Roper, originally from Stratford, Conn., moved to Newburgh recently to be closer to the Mount. He also graduated a year early and is planning to continue his education through the college’s MBA program.

Now, Roper is taking on a three-month internship for Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG) in New York City, as a Sales Operations and Analytics Student Associate. In this role, he supports upper management and sales staff, tracks and updates reports, and participates in sales and service training. He also has access to other professional development opportunities – including the possibility of a full-time job in the future.

Roper credits the Mount with preparing him for the Business field and inspiring him to apply for the MSG internship. During his freshman year at the college, he learned about the internship while on a field trip with other Business majors, where they took the All Access Business Tour of Madison Square Garden. Keeping the position in mind throughout the rest of his college career, he applied and was accepted for the summer.

Roper is one of six siblings and his father passed away about a decade ago. He paid for college and supported himself these past three years by working in a restaurant. While he is the fifth person in his family to graduate from college, he will be the first to earn a master’s degree.