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Alumni Notes
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Wayne Keller Michael Fraser Luci (Levesque) Porter
1972
Drs. Mary Ellen (Scannell)
Doherty and Elizabeth Scannell-Desch presented research studies on posttraumatic growth at Eastern Nursing Research Society’s Scientific Sessions in Providence, R.I., and at the American College of NurseMidwives Annual Meeting in Chicago, Ill. They will also present this research at Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing’s Research Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1973
Mike Dolan is enjoying his retirement.
1975
Barbara Stevens has reached the end of her working days. She is enjoying retirement and all the freedom it brings. She is trying to make plans to see all the friends she has not seen in a long time. “Time passes so quickly and I want to make the most of every day,” she said. “I miss my friends and my days at MSMC. I am hoping to make the next reunion and wish everyone good health.”
1978
Regina (Hosey) Adducci
has proudly retired after 44 years of service at Danbury Hospital. More than 30 of those years were in nursing administration. Regina’s staff threw a party in honor of her and two staff nurses who retired from the same unit. She is missing her staff but looks forward to traveling, gardening, home remodeling, and volunteer work.
Mary (Sullivan) Bruno
made the difficult decision to retire in 2020 due to the changes that COVID had on teaching and education, especially special education. She has been busy with a kitchen remodel and expects to be even busier in 2023 with two weddings: Her daughter’s in April and her son’s in September. Mary is looking forward to the next chapter in her life.
1982
Michael Fraser continues his practice as a sports psychology consultant. This spring he contracted with the South Georgia State College Softball Program. He continues to lecture and consult with various programs, athletes, actors, and musicians throughout the United States to help them achieve peak performance.
Michele (LaPorta) Free-
man retired after 35 years of teaching high school science at Schalmont High School in Rotterdam, N.Y. Her daughter, Danielle Freeman Hafner ’12, gave birth to a son on September 18, 2021, bringing Michele her first grandchild.
Karen Capellini Petrosino
has been working as an RN at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson, N.Y. for 34 years — the last 24 years as a wound care nurse. Karen and her husband Glen have eight grandchildren and are celebrating 40 years of marriage this August.
1983
Laurie Iuzzini Lawrence is in her 17th year of teaching gifted education (K-5) and in her 30th year teaching overall. As much as Laurie loves it, her husband Dennis, ’86, cannot wait to relocate to their land in Bokeelia, Fla., where they will build their final house and live the retirement life. Their son, Andrew, recently married his wonderful wife, Rachel, and the couple have given Laurie
and Daniel furry grandbabies: Lucy, a pit-lab mix, and Byron, the elusive kitty.
1987
Luci (Levesque) Porter
has been working at the Waterbury Hospital since 1989. Luci currently works in the cardiac cauterization lab. Waterbury Hospital recently introduced a nonsurgical aortic valve replacement program, known as TAVR, and Luci is proud to say that she was one of the pioneers of that program at the hospital.
1990
Jacqueline Gallo earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in August 2021. Jacqueline says “hello!” to all of her fellow classmates and hopes that all are doing well.
1997
June (Kelley) Pierce states, “When I applied for my first job, I knew I had made the right choice in graduate school. Mount Saint Mary was the best! I taught school for more than seven years, tutored, taught educational summer camps for several years, and then decided to write Children’s Skill Books. I have now written eight [skill books] and five novels, all published. Thank you Mount Saint Mary College!”
1999
Wayne Keller, in 2019, completed the MS Organizational Leadership program from Nyack College and earned his doctorate of Ministry – Christian Leadership and Spiritual Formation in 2022, from the Alliance Theological Seminary. Wayne is also excited to announce his daughter, Brianna, graduated from the Mount with her nursing degree in 2022!
2000
Joseph Polvere is entering his 22nd year of teaching in Demarest, N.J. In addition, he continues to work as an adjunct faculty member at several colleges.
2001
Jeffery Finton will be starting as the director of Pupil Personnel Services in the Minisink Valley Central School District.
2003
Lori Kasprzak made a career change. After nearly six years in the mortgage/finance industry, Lori decided to move into the healthcare field. She is now working with Novant Health at a family practice doing registration and clerical work. She is very excited for the change.
2004
Nicky (Barsa) Germano is happily married with two sons; ages 6 and 3. She is an executive legal assistant at an Elder Care Law Firm.
2006
Nicole (Knapp) Ey MSEd
’06, elementary school Principal of Ellenville, N.Y., was selected as the 2022 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York and the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Grads celebrate 15th anniversary of local practice
When Christian Plaza ’14 MSN ’18 MBA ’18 FNP-C co-founded Cross Valley Health & Medicine P.C. in 2007, he and his husband, founder Dr. Paul I. Saladino, M.D., established the mission of providing care for diverse Hudson Valley communities.
On their 15th anniversary, Plaza announced that the practice would be expanding its medical services beyond Orange County to deliver primary care and medical services in-person through telemedicine to New York State residents.
The Orange County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting at their practice’s central location in Newburgh to commemorate this milestone, inviting members from Mount Saint Mary College, St. Luke’s Cornwall, Walden Savings Bank, the City of Newburgh, and Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union.
Over the years, the practice has also hosted an internship program that allows students to experience firsthand the daily operations of an independent multi-specialty telemedicine practice. The program, supervised by Mark Olsen ’20 MBA ’21, Program Manager, accepted three Mount students this year.
Plaza, Dr. Saladino, and Olsen are thankful for the support received from patients and community members over the years, and are looking forward to continuing engagement with Hudson Valley residents and forging new relationships.
In 2018, Plaza was the only Mount student to earn two master’s degrees simultaneously, in between working full time at Cross Valley.
Tara Simmons
Tara Simmons is grateful to Mount Saint Mary College for preparing her for her mission to spread awareness and to educate everyone on our fundamental human rights. This summer, Tara will be making a 2,717 mile cross country run/bike trek from Death Valley, Calif. back to her hometown, Beacon, N.Y., all in the name of equality for all humans. Tara would love to work with other alumni to raise awareness about everyone’s human rights.
Gregg Weatherby has published a new book of poems, Before We Forget. You can purchase the book at Finishing Line Press.
2008
Colleen Zyla ’08 FNP ‘20
received her FNP from the Mount and has created a podcast called 4NPs Podcast with Oneida (Itero) Wands
’08 FNP ’18, Christina (Lee) Mary Bocskocsky
Thomas Asfar Colleen Zyla and co-hosts
Jennifer Hasbun Stephanie (Babcock) Sanders
McArdle ’08 FNP ‘19, and
Alicia Sheppard ’08 FNP
‘21, all who met as undergrads at the Mount. They went on to complete their MSN as well. Their podcast is for NPs, nursing students, nurses, and anyone interested in the medical arts. Listen at 4NPsPodcast.com.
2015
Mary Bocskocsky recently received the honor of the Boca Raton Rotary Teacher of the Year. Mary states, “I credit all of my success as an educator to Mount Saint Mary College. The staff, the curriculum, and the fieldwork were pivotal pieces to my growth as a teacher. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to begin my journey in education at the Mount. Thank you MSMC!”
2016
Stephanie (Babcock) Sanders
is a two-time graduate of Mount Saint Mary College! In 2016 Stephanie earned her BSN. Since 2016, Stephanie has been bedside nursing on a cardiac telemetry unit. In 2018, Stephanie came back for her MSN degree in Family Nurse Practitioner. Since graduating in May of 2022, Stephanie has continued bedside nursing while preparing to take her FNP boards. She is confident she will pass the boards and find her dream job in the outpatient setting.
2018
Jennifer (Gambuti) Volino
passed the NCMHCE licensing exam for mental health counseling. She will be opening a private practice for psychotherapy.
2020
Jennifer Hasbun is currently working at CPL, an architectural, engineering, and planning firm, as the Internal Communications Specialist for their marketing team. Jennifer works with leadership, business partners, and internal teams to write and edit content that establishes organizational messages and keeps the team members apprised of big-picture developments.
2021
Thomas Asfar cannot wait to return as an alum and encourage more bright minds to flourish on this beautiful campus. Thank you, MSMC!
Samantha Gangemi is currently an RN at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. She is a circulator in the main operating room.
Marriages
Nicole Havrilla ’14 MBA ’17 and Stephan Sookdeo ’17 got married on November 19, 2021 at the Mount Saint Mary College Dominican Center’s Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary. The wedding party included Rachel McGinty ’14 MBA ’17, Karen Borst ’14, Sarah Favata ’14, Nicole (Aruilio) Giardina ’15 MBA ’16, Joe Certa ’17, Jesse Matuza ’17, Kevin Edger ’18, and Steve Juergensen ’17. Nicole and Stephen met while giving tours eight years ago. They loved their time at MSMC and formed many lifelong friendships.
Births
Stacey (Mikulak) Wilson ‘05
welcomed a baby girl on February 4, 2022.
Jennifer (Gambuti) Volino ’18
welcomed her daughter, Natalie Anne, into the world on February 20, 2022.
Jennifer (Gambuti) Volino
SAVE THE DATE!
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND September 23-25
MSMC.EDU/ALUMNIWEEKEND
In Memoriam
Sr. Nora M. Foley OP ’65 passed away on April 9, 2022.
Sr. Maria M. Fontan RCD ’67 passed away on April 2, 2022.
Sr. Arlene Oswald OP ’67 passed away on January 4, 2020.
Gail (Hosking) Culver ’75 passed away on March 19, 2020.
Anne (Tompkins) Jarnagan ’75 passed away on November 25, 2021.
Albert Sutherland, husband of Nancy (Rust) Sutherland ’75, passed away on April 1, 2022.
Lesle (Schleinitz) Cercone ’79 passed away on May 14, 2022. Lesle is survived by her loving husband of 42 years, Louis Cercone ’77. She had three daughters, Stephanie, Kimberly, Angela, and seven grandchildren.
Richard D. Davie, Sr., husband of Carla (Bunch) Davie ’80, passed away on June 13, 2022.
Erica Pingert Durfee ’87 passed away on January 6, 2021.
Philip A. Legare, Jr., father of Patrick Legare ’92, passed away on February 13, 2022.
Robert W. Mayer, husband of Kathleen H. Mayer ’74 and father of Christine (Mayer) Hatzigeorgiou ’05, passed away on January 10, 2022.
Patricia Vannoni, mother of Jeffery Vannoni ’94, passed away on December 23, 2021.
Vincent T. Baker, father of Christine Baker ’95, passed away on February 9, 2022.
Virginia Rigillo, mother of Tara (Rigillo) Koehler ’02 and mother-in-law to Michael Koehler ’02, passed away on March 13, 2022.
Carol K. Armstrong, mother of Michelle Armstrong Mullooly ’05, passed away on July 4, 2022.
David M. Johnson, longtime instructor of Sociology at the Mount, passed away on March 19, 2022.
SHANNON ZAWISKI ’06
Assisting those with disabilities
Sixteen years ago, Shannon Zawiski ’06 began working at Independent Living, Inc. (ILI) in Newburgh, N.Y., a role she started just two days after graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Psychology.
After several promotions and opportunities to grow, Zawiski (formerly Morris) is the Chief Operating Officer for ILI and Independent Home Care (IHC), community-based organizations that provide support and services to individuals with disabilities and their families.
“When I first started, I figured I would stay here for a few years until I got more experience,” said Zawiski. “After a few months, I planned on staying until retirement. I have had the good fortune to be able to grow with the organization over the years.”
She added, “One thing that struck me during my first couple of weeks was something that our CEO, Doug Hovey, said — ‘Only 15 percent of individuals who have a disability were born with that disability. The remaining 85 percent acquired their disability.’ This really made me realize that anyone, at any time, could need our services.”
Before becoming an administrator, she worked with service recipients directly, assisting these individuals by identifying and executing plans to help them live as independently as possible.
“I worked with a young lady who did not have a very peaceful or safe living situation with her family,” Zawiski explained. “By working together and with other service providers, we were able to secure a new living situation. The situation was very complex and took time, but, in the end, it was worth it to see how much happier and healthier she is today.”
Since assuming her current role in 2017, Zawiski has been overseeing the company’s 35-plus programs and services across seven counties and helping to create new ones. Most notably, she has been implementing electronic health records across both organizations, oftentimes entering previously handwritten documentation into these systems. Although a long and difficult process, it has allowed the organizations to be more efficient with documentation, reporting, billing, and monitoring.
Zawiski credits the Mount’s Career Center with preparing her for her various roles at ILI and IHC. As a student, she was connected to a pair of internships, which she found invaluable. These internships helped solidify that she wanted to work in human services.
Recently, Zawiski returned to her alma mater for the Women’s Leadership Forum, where she and other inspiring Mount alumnae who are making their mark in business, shared their experience with the next generation of students.
“In my career, I have been fortunate enough to have several women in the field who mentored me. I am always happy to have the opportunity to share that wisdom with others,” she said. “I was also eager to participate because women should be supporting other women to grow within their selected fields as much as possible.”
When Alberto Gilman graduated with his Communications degree in 2019, he had no idea that his career would bring him back to Newburgh. Now, Gilman is a fulltime reporter for the Mid-Hudson Times, covering numerous community and municipal events and functions for the local publication.
Following the completion of his master’s degree in Journalism from Emerson College in Boston, Mass. in 2020, Gilman began working in retail while applying to several reporter positions. A year later, he was contacted by the Mid-Hudson Times to write several freelance stories before officially becoming a staff reporter a few months later. In his current position, he has written more than 200 news articles.
“Working as a journalist, here in the City of Newburgh, I sometimes say to myself, ‘I’m a steward of the story, and a student of the city,’” Gilman explained. “I believe that learning never stops and my hope is that my articles create communal interest, lead to discussions, and continue to highlight the communities I work in.”
Gilman credits much of his success to his alma mater, and in particular, to Regina Pappalardo, associate professor of Journalism.
“It was in her class that she tested my creativity, tested my writing, and gave me the necessary reporting tools to seek out noteworthy stories,” explained Gilman. “All of these experiences from the Mount have helped me develop and grow into the hardworking professional I am today.”
ALBERTO GILMAN ’19
Reporting the news
In his own words
Much has been said of James Finn Cotter, an English scholar and professor, in the last six decades. With his passing earlier this year, we look back on what the Mount legend said in his own words.
Mount Saint Mary College Archive
On his early days at MSMC
“In the early days, we were really involved in setting up committee work with Dr. Whittaker,” the professor whom Whittaker Hall is named after, said Cotter. “We were hard at work establishing ourselves as a college that was fully committed to our mission of education.”
Of the Newburgh, N.Y. home where he lived for more than 50 years: “I had planned on just renting it,” Cotter explained.
On faith
“Faith has been a great part of my experience here” at the Mount, Cotter once said. “After my father’s death, I started to reexamine my own priorities and religion – that was in 1973 – I started to go to mass here every morning.”
On teaching
“I enjoy teaching very much,” noted Cotter in 2014. “I like the students, and I have a lot who have signed up over the years who are not English majors. They are there because they want to write, and I am here because I want to teach.”
His feelings hadn’t changed upon his retirement in 2020: “Walking into a classroom had been as natural as eating, drinking, and breathing,” Cotter said. “The task is there before us, we are the readers and responders. Without us, there would be no Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Donne, Keats, Hopkins, Dickinson, Frost, or Salinger. We keep them alive by being their audience, supporters, friends, and lovers. Each day is a new day, and each class has new faces and voices that will share their learning.”
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up in L koo the sky...
It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
No, it’s Heather Adsit, wife of president Dr. Jason Adsit, skydiving in honor of the Mount’s annual Go Blue fundraiser hitting $80,000 in donations. Go Blue lets you support what you love about the Mount.
