Mount Saint Mary College Magazine - Winter 2011

Mount Saint Mary College

magazine Newburgh, New York

Winter 2011

STUDENT RESEARCH Exploring theories, finding results Media studies journal | Making a healthy difference | Exploring the Hudson Valley

MOU NT

EW

N

Even with some lingering snow, we’re already seeing signs of spring here at the Mount.

A new RN to BSN program has begun, serving nursing professionals seeking a baccalaureate degree.

Our business studies, both baccalaureate and the MBA program, will be developing, thanks to a leadership gift from Carl and Mary Meyer.

The College will create the Meyer Business Research Center this year.

The Center will be a key initiative in the accreditation process and enable the Mount to achieve many objectives.

Further strengthening our connection to the business community, Mount Saint Mary College has a president’s advisory council, chaired by Carl E. Meyer, who is chief executive officer of The Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC), a former executive for Central Hudson Gas & Electric, and a former trustee of our college. Inaugural members also include Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations, Inc.; Joseph A. Catania Jr., of Tarshis, Catania, Liberth, Mahon & Millgram, PLLC; Dr. William M. Cummings, retired director of research for Texaco Inc.; James Drohan, of Donoghue, Thomas, Auslander & Drohan, LLP; Wilbur Higgins, chair of St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital’s Board of Trustees; Mary Madden, CEO of Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union; Denise Van Buren, VP of Central Hudson Energy Group; Arthur Weintraub, past president of the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association; and Dr. James L. Gearity, chair of our

DO CE ME

IVER M U TAT

.

B U R G H, N

Y.

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

E LEG OL

A letter from the President

INT MARY C SA

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Volume 33, No. 1

business programs.

These connections will be a real asset for our students.

As part of our strategic plan, we’re developing enhancements in many areas of study: teacher education, nursing, health professions, human services, and more.

From science students and faculty in our Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center and in the community, and communication arts – media students and faculty engaging in real world projects, to alumni accomplishments which we celebrate, you’ll enjoy highlights in the Mount Saint Mary College magazine.

I invite you to read more about our people, programs, news and events at our website www.msmc.edu.

God bless.

Sincerely, Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM President

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

EDITOR Janet Gianopoulos

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Dean DiMarzo Kristen Miller

CONTRIBUTORS Sheila Fields Joan Gambeski Jane Hanley Michelle Iacuessa ’94 Justin Satkowski

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Meagan Walsh ‘12

PHOTOGRAPHY Spencer Ainsley Dean DiMarzo Sheila Fields Joan Gambeski Erroyl Rolle

COPYEDITING Sheila Fields Jane Hanley

CIRCULATION 8,000 ©2011

EMAIL magazine@msmc.edu

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

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

2

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

Contents

Undergraduate research

Page 14

The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience brings students and faculty mentors together to explore projects in a variety of fields. The program will return this year.

Above | Sandra Wamsley reviews her technology project with faculty mentor Maureen Markel. The Mount’s wireless campus allows convenient online access.

On the cover | From left to right, Mary McEwan, Justin Roman and Erica Echeverria.

2

10

18

Student Journal | Orange County Choppers internship Media studies | Focusing on craftsmanship News from the Mount | Improv theater, Mount Olympics and more Faculty and Staff | New faces and longtime employees Experts in the news | Mount personnel inspire public interests Catholic & Dominican Institute | Inaugural philosophy workshop Making a healthy difference | The Mount’s nursing studies Exploring the Hudson Valley | River locale propels honors program Support, prayer and praise | Campus Ministry reaches out Skyline Commissioners Cup | Knights in second place so far Knights in the Community | Off to a fast start Brothers clash at the Mount | Sibling matchups Friendships that last a lifetime | Alumni keep up tradition Alumni Notes | The latest news from Mount graduates 2010 Alumni Awards | Recipients honored at reception Friends of the Mount | Pictures from recent events Celebrating a legacy | Bernice and Walter Hornibrook honored

2 3 4 7 8 9 10 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25

www.msmc.edu

1

Daniel Courtney at Orange County Choppers

Student Journal

By Daniel Courtney ‘11

Communication Arts-Media Studies major Suffern, New York

E

ver since high school, when I took graphic design and film editing classes, I knew I wanted to work in production and design: editing for film, images and sound.

I chose Mount Saint Mary College because I was impressed with the equipment, the studio facilities and the small class size.

It’s like a family here. All my professors know me and the students are really friendly.

Several professors here have definitely impacted my education. Dakin Roy taught my first class on Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Dean Goldberg, assistant professor of communication arts, has been my advisor.

Without his guidance, I would never have been able to know what classes I needed to graduate on time with a minor in information technology. Nihal Mahawaduge was a great photography instructor. He taught me how to take

2

some very creative shots.

While my professors have prepared me well, using the software programs creatively during my internship helped me learn new skills in my field.

At Orange County Choppers, I was a graphic designer intern last semester.

I learned a new method for editing photos, research techniques for finding editing tutorials and how to work under deadline pressure. I also learned to start early and not leave anything to the last minute.

The Mount’s Career Center is invaluable. Kathleen O’Keefe, coordinator of co-ops and internships, scheduled interviews with potential employers and was always there to help me.

My internship has given me real world experience, and that has made me confident to pursue my career dreams. After graduation, I will be looking for a position as a media editor or graphic artist in New York City.

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

“

... I’m going to miss the Mount. It’s given me opportunities to better myself and prepare for what the future has to offer

”

– Daniel Courtney ‘11

While I’ve spent most of my time learning about my field and studying, I’ve also been an active swimmer since my freshman year. I was a Skyline Champion in the 200-meter breast stroke last year, and set a college record on the relay team.

I’m also an Eagle Scout and I volunteer in my community, helping the elderly with yard work and simple home repair projects.

I know it’s time to move on, but I’m going to miss the Mount. It’s given me opportunities to better myself and prepare for what the future has to offer.

In a heartbeat, I would recommend Mount Saint Mary College to a high school student.n

Left | Dean Goldberg and Daniel Courtney in the College’s studio.

Communication Arts-Media Studies

Program focuses on craftsmanship

“P

hotography is truth, and film is truth at 24 frames a second.”

– So said a character in filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard’s classic Le Petit Soldat, shot 50 years ago.

And now there’s digital video.

Mount Saint Mary College assistant professor Dean Goldberg notes a “seismic change” in the time-honored production process. In an article for Student Filmmakers magazine, he observed that “Too many communication programs are satisfied with podcast-quality video…somehow the art and craft of editing got lost in the mass of 0s and 1s.”

At the Mount, Goldberg leads some 40 students through a rigorous and expanding media studies production curriculum that is by no means “point and shoot.”

It’s all about the craft, says Goldberg, who has spent the bulk of his career as a working director and writer, and a teacher and mentor.

“I took a film course,” he explains, “and was inspired by a professor. My writing was very spontaneous. I was a Kerouac devotee. My professor was very pedantic; the first thing he talked about was electricity. And it sparked me. He said you have to learn the craft first. That intrigued me. Film is all about craft and storytelling. It is essential to me that my production students know cinema history.”

Goldberg examines narrative cinema through social, political and

historical lenses: from Edison’s first kinetoscope parlors in 1894 through the Hollywood blacklist of the 1950s.

He notes that film sprang from a scientific experiment. “Then, people began telling stories. Students enjoy the good stories. They all love Buster Keaton! And our students have an experience like their grandparents had, seeing black-and-white film on a projection screen. The film looked very different, different film stock, etc.”

The history course includes critical essays and exams. Another course on writing for mass media analyzes styles for screenplays, broadcast news and other formats, preparing students to work to deadline and become writers and producers. Production and editing courses are robust as well, along with the study of media problems and practices.

Mount Saint Mary College has a television studio, field equipment, and modern non-linear editing equipment: “the nicest educational editing suite in the Hudson Valley,” says Goldberg, an assessment echoed by other professionals. “In addition to a new instructor for editing, we have an audio course with a field professional who has taught for many years at Dutchess Community College, which has three audio studios and a sound stage.”

The two colleges have an articulation agreement to facilitate transferring for a four-year degree.

The Mount connects students with great internship opportunities at

Dean Goldberg works with students behind and in front of the camera. companies in the Hudson Valley and in nearby New York City.

Goldberg also launched Mount Media Creative Production Services, where students gain real experience finding a client, preparing a contract, and going out in crews with him.

Through it all, he keeps students focused on studying the craft.n www.msmc.edu

3

News

From left | Students Collin Smith, Megan Wickes, Shakira Morris and Okera Shepard work in the Mount’s Center on Aging and Policy.

Center helps boomers bloom Aging is about adapting, says Dr. Lawrence T. Force, co-director of the Center on Aging and Policy, which hosted “Alzheimer’s disease and technology: Where heart meets the 21st century” in December. Shakira Morris, majoring in human services, helped create a multi-media presentation for the roundtable. “As part of my coursework in Theories of Social Casework, taught by Dr. Force, I get to assess situations utilizing the Center’s resources and can offer solutions for the problems people face,” said Morris. This spring, the Center will host a forum on grandparents raising grandchildren.

Students compete in Mount Olympics Caitlin Maiocco (standing), a nursing major, “steers” Laura Hooghuis, a social sciences/history major, in a wheelbarrow race during the 2010 Mount Olympics. More than 600 students cheered on their classmates – tomorrow’s teachers, business leaders, and health care professionals – as they participated in tug of war, swim races, an obstacle course, and more.

Anne F. Bourne Memorial Fund will enhance partnerships with Newburgh teens Mount Saint Mary College will further enhance its mentoring opportunities with Newburgh high school students, thanks to a $4,000 grant from the Anne F. Bourne Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan. The award will support the creation of the “Supporting College Careers by Educating and Empowering Determined Students” (SUCCEEDS) Program and the Bourne-Newburgh Scholars Initiative, both of which are under the auspices of the College’s Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). The grant award was presented to Dante Cantu, HEOP director, by Fund advisors Wilbur Higgins and John Smith Sr.

4

“Young people can only begin to imagine alternative life paths if, and only if, they’re exposed to real possibilities. The support from the Anne F. Bourne Memorial Fund will serve as a critical resource in our ongoing efforts to raise educational awareness and opportunity in the City of Newburgh,” said Cantu.

The primary goals of the programs are to educate Newburgh high school students about the requirements and opportunities for earning college degrees through roundtable sessions at Newburgh Free Academy, one-onone mentoring, and field trips to the College’s campus. One MSMC student from Newburgh will be recognized as

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

John Smith Sr. (left) and Wilbur Higgins (right), advisors of the Anne F. Bourne Memorial Fund, with Dante Cantu, director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program. the Bourne-Newburgh Scholar and receive a $3,000 annual scholarship.

Students onstage

F

lavio Betrayed, an original Commedia dell’Arte (a form of theatre typified by masked characters and improvisation), was presented recently in Whittaker Hall.

Above, from left | Elise Williams; Tom Kellett; Liliana Peralta; Joyce Hausermann; Erica Echeverria; Brian Klose; Langley Phillips, (Bishop Dunn Memorial School); and Jaclyn Smithwick.

Dining hall dubbed ‘The View’ Kate Kuhfahl (left) was all smiles when chosen as winner in a “Name the Space” contest. She submitted the name The View for the main dining hall which features windows overlooking the Hudson River. Elaine O’Grady, executive director of operations, presented an iPad to the senior majoring in nursing.

James Phillips, assistant professor of theatre, directing.

Joyce Hausermann (left) and Jaclyn Smithwick performing.

A study in power

New trustees appointed

Three siblings assassinated in the Dominican Republic in 1960 made for moving interdisciplinary research arranged by Hispanic studies’ Victor Azuaje. Mount student Leandro Bautista (right), an information technology major, holds a picture of Minerva, Patria, and Maria Teresa Mirabal, as he speaks with fellow students David Cory and Daisy Ramirez (left) and professor of Spanish Karen Eberle-McCarthy.

The Mount Saint Mary College Board of Trustees appointed Chris J. Gawley, Esq., (above left) vice president, legal and compliance division of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and Joseph A. O’Loughlin, vice president for sales and marketing at Sherwood Outdoor (above right), to serve as trustees. www.msmc.edu

5

News Faculty and staff service celebrated

T

hirty-one longtime Mount Saint Mary College employees were honored during a luncheon in December. A special presentation was also made to professor emeritus James McEnery, who was the only layperson among the original faculty during the college’s first year in 1960. He has donated numerous historical items to the college. “What Jim McEnery has given to us is a legacy,” said Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president, “a treasured collection describing and depicting moments in the vibrant life of Mount Saint Mary College.”

The current Mount employees who were recognized: 35 years of service William Lahar, professor of chemistry; John T. Reilly, professor of history; and Thomas Sarro, professor of biology.

30 years Janet Zeman, Career Center executive director.

25 years Rae Fallon, professor of psychology; Vincent Kayes, professor of computer science; Olga Rodriguez, housekeeper; Arthur Emerson, IT network manager; Elise Shapiro, assistant director of assessment & developmental instruction; and Maureen Markel, professor of computer science.

20 years Theresa Brundage,

administrative secretary, education; Naomi Gutcheus, accounts payable coordinator; Carolyn Brauer, director of student teaching and field placements.

15 years Maureen Seymour, admissions office coordinator; Valerie McCloskey, director of annual giving; Theresa Davis, circulation manager; Carmen Del Gado, custodian; James Griesemer, associate professor of business; and Edwin Teall, professor of philosophy.

10 years Jennifer Laubach, L.I.F.E. (Learning is Forever Enriching) coordinator; Patricia Tompkins, administrative

External honors Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president of Mount Saint Mary College, has been named an Irish Education Top 100 honoree. The list, compiled by the Irish Voice newspaper, highlights top educators in America and the long standing Irish commitment to excellence in education.

The Orange County Family Justice Center Award was

6

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | WINTER 2011

Longtime employees Left to right | First row: Rae Fallon, Janet Zeman, William Lahar, Thomas Sarro. Second row: Maureen Markel, Elise Shapiro, Arthur Emerson, Vincent Kayes. Third row: Maureen Seymour, Valerie McCloskey, Theresa Brundage, Theresa Davis, and Carolyn Brauer. Fourth row: Reva Cowan, Dolores Berlinghoff, Jennifer Laubach, and David Rant. secretary, nursing; Robert Beasley, support services; Erica Torres, secretary, nursing; Joseph Nunnari, lab technician, natural sciences; Markell Baker, support services; Daniel Twomey, associate director of athletics; Dolores

Berlinghoff, professor of education; Reva Cowan, associate professor of education; David Rant, associate professor of business; Desmond Malcolm, custodian; and Mary Spear, library reserves coordinator.

given to Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh for a research and evaluation project conducted by professors Margaret Bussigel and Susan Vorsanger.

The Upsilon Tau Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. presented an Achievement Award to Dante Cantu, director of the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program at Mount Saint Mary College, for advancing educational opportunities for minority students.

New faculty members join the Mount BUSINESS

James Gearity James Gearity, professor of business, serves as the chair of the Division of Business and is the graduate business degree program coordinator at the Mount.

Previously, he was dean of the College of Business, Arts, Sciences and Education and dean of the graduate school at Friends University.

Gearity holds a Ph.D. in American studies from the University of Minnesota.

PSYCHOLOGY

Yasmine Konheim -Kalkstein Yasmine Konheim-Kalkstein, assistant professor of psychology, has a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her expertise is decision making.

Her favorite class last semester was Psychology of Personality.

“The material lends itself to a lot of creative class activities.”

The small class size at Mount Saint Mary College has helped KonheimKalkstein get to know her students better.

NATURAL SCIENCES

Education

Zachary Kudlak

Rebecca Norman

Zachary Kudlak, assistant professor of mathematics, holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Rhode Island.

He’s teaching a new course this spring: Combinatorics, as well as Calculus I and Probability and Statistics.

Graph theory, Ramsey theory, and difference equations are among his academic interests.

Kudlak appreciates that his Mount students are so engaged.

Rebecca Norman, assistant professor of education, has a Ph.D. in curriculum, teaching and educational policy from Michigan State University. Her expertise is literacy education, comprehension, informational text, and visual literacy.

She teaches Cognitive and Social Supports for Pupils with Disabilities and Literacy in the Content Area: Adolescent.

Norman finds that her students “participate actively, ask questions, and use what they are learning in their fieldwork.”

Education

Douglas Robinson Jr. Douglas Robinson Jr., assistant professor of biology, has a Ph.D. in biology from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

His expertise is ecology and environmental science.

This semester he is teaching Anatomy and Physiology II, and Vertebrate Biology.

MATHEMATICS

Irene Van Riper

“I also study the behavior of birds and love sharing my research experiences.”

He and his students are analyzing the behavior of American crows in the Newburgh area.

Irene Van Riper, assistant professor of education, has an Ed.D. in reading education from Widener University. Her expertise is literacy and special education.

She is teaching ED 5001, which is a graduate introduction to special education; and Psychology of the

Exceptional Learner.

Her special academic passion involves research in autism.

Van Riper finds the Mount “a wonderful place to be, and the campus is just beautiful.” www.msmc.edu

7

News The eagle has landed

Experts in the news Mount professors share public interests

M

Mount president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, was invited to bless a steppe eagle shot by an Afghan soldier and rescued by U.S. troops. Peeking from his crate near Stewart Airport in Newburgh, N.Y., Mitch the eagle seemed eager to stretch his wings, although his wound has rendered him flightless. Barbara Chepaitis, author of the book Feathers of Hope, drove Mitch to his new home at the Berkshire Bird Paradise sanctuary upstate.

Mitch the eagle recuperating.

Presentations reflect changing times Sr. Cecilia Murray, OP, recently presented two papers: “A New Itinerancy: The Dissolution of Traditional Motherhouses” delivered for a History of Women Religious Conference at the University of Scranton, and “Memory, Treasure and Blessing: The Story of the Hope Archives” at a Conference of Dominican Archivists and Historians at Dominican University in River Forest, Ill.

8

ount Saint Mary College is in the news, owing to the expertise of its professors, administrators and students.

The Center on Aging and Policy is a national networking resource. It’s also a local site where students gain career experience. Collin Smith of Bay Shore, Megan Wickes of Montgomery, Shakira Morris of the Bronx and Okera Shepard of Baldwin were featured in a story with Lawrence T. Force, director of the Center and professor of psychology.

U.S. News and World Report has included comments from Debra WallerFrederick, director of residence life, on getting along with your roommate.

From poetry readings to theater and concert reviews, James Finn Cotter, professor of English, has written articles too numerous to count. He authored his most recent book based on his contemplative experiences: A New Life: Learning the Way of Omega.

A global story landed locally when Fr. Kevin E. Mackin OFM, president, was invited to bless Mitch, the steppe eagle rescued by U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Mitch was flown to Stewart Airport in Newburgh enroute to a sanctuary.

Waking extra early to speak about an upcoming open house, interim director of enrollment management Michelle Taylor is often interviewed live on local radio stations.

Academic endeavors generate news Research on single gender classes garnered the attention of National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. Frances Spielhagen, associate professor of education and director of the Center for Adolescent Research and Development, served on a panel and was quoted about online courses for girls in the Washington Post.

Child behavior specialist Paul

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

Schwartz, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Adolescent Research and Development, writes a monthly column offering parenting suggestions.

During National Chemistry Week, Lynn Maelia, professor and chair of Natural Sciences, was pictured helping Girl Scouts conduct experiments, inspiring them to possibly pursue careers in science.

It’s the economy: inflation and food prices are addressed by Reza Hossain, assistant professor of economics.

And associate professor of psychology Rae Fallon’s forte, the psychology of stress, offers coping tips – helpful in times of financial challenges or of final exams.

Smart boards, Web 2.0 technology and other topics were taught by Reva Cowan and Ludmilla Smirnova, associate professors of education, during workshops for 200 elementary school teachers.

Downing Park in Newburgh is important to Karen Eberle-McCarthy, professor of Spanish and president of the Downing Park Planning Committee. She’s lectured on how the public space was created, and advanced its use by citizens.

The word is out beyond the Northeast: Mount Saint Mary College brings expertise to the classroom and the community.n

Above | New leader for the Institute Charles Zola is the director of the Catholic & Dominican Institute.

Left | Joining the Dominican Order (From left) James Cotter, Harry Steinway, Joan Miller, Fr. Alejandro Crosthwaite, OP, Irene Nunnari, Rae Fallon, and Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm.

Catholic and Dominican Institute raises intellectual tradition

C

harles Zola, associate professor of philosophy and director of the Mount Saint Mary College Catholic and Dominican Institute, may be one of the busiest people on campus.

Now that the Institute has a new office, new logo and administrative assistant Judith Manza in place, Zola has been crafting plans for two events and an inaugural philosophy workshop, in addition to teaching four fall classes.

What is the Catholic and Dominican Institute?

The Catholic and Dominican Institute was established in 2009. Its mission statement best defines its purpose: The Catholic and Dominican Institute promotes the college’s Dominican heritage; advances the Dominican charism of study and service; provides a forum for discussion of contemporary ethical issues; and enhances Catholic and Jewish dialogue.

Guided by the college’s vision and mission statement, the Institute welcomes persons of varied faiths and acknowledges different religious traditions as essential to the college’s intellectual and spiritual life.

The Institute plans to offer semi-

nars, promote dialogue and collaboration with academic programs to bring recognized scholars to campus, surface opportunities for community service and post-graduate service, and work closely with Campus Ministry on service projects and retreats.

Institute activities June 23-26, the Institute will host the inaugural philosophy workshop, titled Thomas Aquinas and Contemporary Philosophy. Fr. Charles Morerod, OP, rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, will be the keynote speaker.

This event is co-sponsored with the Thomistic Institute, Dominican House of Studies, Washington D.C. In October, Fr. Alejandro Crosthwaite, OP, vice-rector of the Angelicum in Rome, visited the Mount. Zola and Crosthwaite discussed developing a program for Mount students to participate in Ethics Leadership in Business and Politics at the Angelicum in Rome.

Faculty, administrator join the Order During his stay, Fr. Crosthwaite concelebrated a mass with Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm, director of Cam-

The Catholic and Dominican Institute Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY

The Thomistic Institute

Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D.C.

Thomas Aquinas & Contemporary Philosophy

INAUGURAL PHILOSOPHY WORKSHOP This workshop will bring together scholars and students interested in philosophy, especially the work of Thomas Aquinas. It will also consider the values and goals of philosophy in the Catholic tradition, and the engagement of these ideas within the context of the contemporary academy.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Charles Morerod, O.P. Rector of the Angelicum University, Rome and Secretary of the International Theological Commission

OTHER SPEAKERS James Brent, O.P.

The Catholic University of America

Lawrence Dewan, O.P.

Dominican University College, Ottawa, Canada

Dr. Alfred J. Freddoso Notre Dame University

Dr. Joshua Hochschild

Mount St. Mary University (MD)

Dr. Gyula Klima

Fordham University

Joseph Koterski, S.J. Fordham University

Dr. John O’Callaghan Notre Dame University

Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

Director of the Thomistic Institute

JUNE 23 - 26, 2011 MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE 330 POWELL AVENUE, NEWBURGH, NY 12550

INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS (845)569-3467 or www.msmc.edu/CDI

Learn more about the Institute and workshop at www.msmc.edu/cdi pus Ministry, and three faculty and an administrator joined the Order of Preachers (OP), the religious order that founded the College.

Joan Miller, professor of education; Irene Nunnari, professor emerita of English and communication arts; and Harry Steinway, vice president for student development, participated in the Rite of Perpetual Profession.

James Cotter, professor of English, was received as a novice in the Dominican family. They will follow the rule of the Dominican laity (the Third Order Dominicans). n www.msmc.edu

9

Competent graduates ready to serve

Nurse pinning ceremony for adult accelerated degree program.

Making a healthy

difference

W Alexander Peguero of Andover, N.J. and Andrea Bednarski of Patchogue, N.Y.

Megan Ryan (left) of Hopewell Junction, N.Y. with clinical instructor Linda Ruta.

10

ith registered nurses in demand across the nation, nursing students may be just what the doctor ordered.

Mount Saint Mary College students are working alongside doctors and nurses in emergency rooms, maternity wards, cardiac and intensive care units, schools and clinics.

“We work with 30 to 40 hospitals in the tri-state region,” said Debra Hrelic, chair of the nursing program. “During the third year of the program, students have a very heavy schedule in med-surgery units. It’s not uncommon for students to work a 12-hour shift.”

Clinical rotations, supervised by Mount faculty, have students working in groups where each is responsible for a different patient. Students log 92 on-site hours for every clinical course.

The nationally accredited nursing program at Mount Saint Mary College boasts a NCLEX-RN passage rate in the high 90s to 100. According to Hrelic, just about 100% of Mount Saint Mary College nursing

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

students get jobs within six months of graduating.

Currently, there are 420 nursing students, with up to 100 freshman nursing majors accepted each year.

“Nursing students need to work hard to get through the program,” noted Hrelic. “To be a nurse, and to possibly change someone’s life, students have to make personal sacrifices and be very devoted.”

Alumna Ramute Kemeza-Kazlauskas ’80 of Antioch, Ill., credited a professor with “giving me my life in nursing.”

“Sr. Leona DeBoer gave me the core knowledge and the Mount provided the religious education that gave me the direction for my life,” said Kemeza-Kazlauskas, an OR charge nurse and ENT (ear, nose and throat) team leader at Loyola University Health System.

When the Mount launched its nursing program almost 50 years ago, it was innovative in Catholic higher education in New York.

Longtime professor DeBoer has taught nursing since the year after

In training and on site

Chris Rhynehort and Katherine Lidestri tend to a patient at St. Luke’s Hospital in Newburgh, N.Y.

the program began, when 15 women enrolled in a two-year course of study.

“Starting the nursing program was a bold move. Degrees were uncommon in nursing,” explained DeBoer, who served as program chair for two decades. “At that time, most nurses graduated from hospital schools of nursing and received a certificate.”

Mount nursing became a baccalaureate degree program in 1967. Since 1994, the Mount has also conferred a master of science in nursing.

In addition to clinical experience, students train on patient simulators in the campus’ state-of-the-art Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center.

The “Sims” family “We’ve been using simulation learning experiences since 2004,” said Dr. Andrea Ackermann, associate professor of nursing and director of simulation and clinical learning.

The Mount’s “Sims” family of nine can duplicate human responses for assessment and care including vital signs, pulses, breathing, tears, medication administration and voices.

“The simulators provide examples of every kind of scenario, and help develop decision-making skills and critical thinking for real world life and death challenges faced by health care providers,” said Ackermann.

A high fidelity “Noelle” can mimic

From left | Matt Albright of Shelton, Ct.; Keffion Mensah of Newburgh, N.Y.; Salvatore J. Cusa of Highland, N.Y. and Kassie Kayul of Wayne, N.J. work with a patient simulator in the Mount’s state-of-the-art nursing lab.

Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh

Ramute Kemeza-Kazlauskas ’80 (left), an OR charge nurse at Loyola University Health System, said Sr. Leona DeBoer, OP, “gave me my life ...” birthing and related emergencies, and “NewB,” a newborn baby, can be assessed for neonatal complications, said Ackermann.

“This brings a new dimension to our learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate care of the obstetrical patient,” said Ackermann.

Seniors in the Mount’s nursing program are also active locally through Community Health Nursing courses coordinated by Dr. Priscilla Sagar.

They work with supervision in county departments of health, schools, nursing homes and hospices. Recently, 37 students, along with instructors Sagar, Jill Sussman, Maura Rose and Sharon Goodson, volunteered for four days during an influenza mass immunization program at West Point.

Community health students are part of the 40 percent of Mount undergraduates active in service as a requirement of course work. In 2009, the college was named to the national President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Working as a nurse and giving back to the community provides Lisa Chevola ’11 of Harriman, N.Y., a sense of purpose.

“I enjoy working person-to-person in an effort to make the patient better, healthier, more comfortable throughout their hospitalization or transition to home,” said Chevola, who served at the Orange County Department of Health.

Rigorous training by top-notch faculty—13 of the 14 full-time staff are doctoral prepared—yields students who are in high demand.

Recently, a Mount Saint Mary College alumna at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, N.Y. was named Hudson Valley Nurse of the Year.

“Some of my best nurses are graduates of Mount Saint Mary College,” said Joan Cusack-McGuirk, vice president and chief nursing officer at St. Luke’s. “The Mount’s multi-faceted and very qualified professors attract students who take their education seriously. The program is an excellent asset for St. Luke’s, providing very well-educated nurses.” n www.msmc.edu

11

These students complete our honors “program with an advanced awareness of their relation to a larger world. ” Dr. Jerome Wyant, honors program coordinator

Students from the honors program navigated Constitution Marsh in Cold Spring, across the Hudson from West Point.

River locale propels honors program

N

ew York’s Hudson River Valley is renowned for its natural beauty and historic and cultural assets.

Dr. Jerome Wyant takes full advantage with the Mount Saint Mary College honors program.

Currently, some 80 students participate in the program, from freshman through senior year.

“Honors students bring intellectual curiosity and also enthusiasm for learning more than a basic curriculum,” said Wyant, who coordinates the program. “They take advantage of experiential learning through field experiences, evenings of poetry and film, and more. They come to see connections between the arts, environment, ecology and social issues.

These students complete our honors program with an advanced awareness of their relation to a larger world that encompasses nature and community.”

Faculty members James Cotter (English), Rae Fallon (social sciences), Michael Fagge (religious studies), Lee Fothergill (mathematics), Margaret Larrousse (natural sciences), Stan Py-

12

Dr. Jerome Wyant (in cap) brings students to Washington’s Headquarters, the nation’s first historic site, in Newburgh, N.Y. “The area is spectacular,” says Wyant, “and it induces a sense of beauty and awe.” cior (history), Daniel Shea (literature) and Nicole Shea (German) collaborate in course planning and delivery.

Included in the program are an interdisciplinary, theme-based seminar series on “The Problem of Evil: Contextualizing the Holocaust,” and a Great Lives Film Series, which profiles

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

individuals who eschew mediocrity and model selflessness and compassion.

A linchpin to the region’s abundant natural resources is Wyant’s courses on the Hudson River Valley.

The book The Hudson: America’s River by Frances F. Dunwell intro-

Toy drive Honors program students explore the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, N.Y. duces context for serious discussion of critical issues related to the river. Students learn about the Dutch exploration of the Hudson, the early colonists and America’s first popular writers and artists.

Colorful autumn trips are made to Crawford House in Newburgh, and to West Point, Philipsburg Manor, the Clermont Estate, the homes of Hudson River School painters Thomas Cole (Cedar Grove) and Frederick Church (Olana), and—looking at the industrial era—to the Foundry Museum in Cold Spring. Wyant and students explore Constitution Marsh in canoes, and visit the Indian Point Nuclear Power Center, and naturalist John Burroughs’ house, Slabsides.

Wyant believes the honors program experiences bring home to students the relevance of history to their daily lives. “For example, Washington Irving is no longer just an author’s name, but a real multi-dimensional human being whom they might imagine meeting, walking around Tarrytown.” George Washington seems to come alive while visiting Washington’s Headquarters in Newburgh, where he guided the close of the Revolutionary War: “They’re pretty amazed. Students always respected Washington as the ‘father of our country,’ but after being in his home, many suddenly see him as a thoughtful, almost paternal individual.”n

Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm., college chaplain, stands with students (from left) Stephanie Weaver, an English major, (back row from left) business major Angie Francois, Tone’Ya Bryant, psychology; Joshua Williams, business; Sarah Perez, a graduate assistant studying education; Anthony Iraola, a graduate MBA student; and Kaley Francis, social sciences.

Campus ministry offers support, prayer & praise

T

his academic year, his first on campus, is a busy one for Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm.

The main goal, says the new chaplain at Mount Saint Mary College, is to “develop community.”

Fr. Francis has experience: at Catholic schools, most recently in Trinidad, where he helped to establish a new Carmelite community.

At the Mount, he is energetically sharing his presence and listening: in Sakac Hall, where he resides with students; in the classroom teaching religious studies; in the campus ministry office in Hudson Hall, where he works with graduate assistant Anthony Iraola; and of course in Founders Chapel, where he celebrates mass, hosts discussions, and attracts students, faculty and staff who want to join in.

Durward Entrekin, professor of music, leads heart-stirring music for liturgies.

In addition, a number of Mount students gather weekly for “Prayer and Praise” and discussion. “We invite various speakers, including faculty,” explains Fr. Francis.

“Organizations from the Newburgh area talk to students about get-

ting involved in the community through service at Sacred Heart Parish, Newburgh Ministries, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army. We also had a presentation by young people engaged in extended service in a year-long Capuchin Franciscan program.” A college retreat is also planned.

One of the most stressful times for students is final exams. Robert Jedlicka, a history major, suggested invoking a higher power with the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, a special devotional prayer. Jedlicka led the singing of the Chaplet and was joined by several Dominican Sisters of Hope.

Fr. Francis’s first Mount semester brought several prayer services.

“We had a 9/11 Peace Walk/Memorial Service with some 200 students participating,” he recalls. There was also a Day of the Dead Service, Thanksgiving Prayer, and a blessing of the Christmas tree and Nativity crèche.

Inter-college networking is also building Mount community. Campus ministry participants plan a Catholic college student discussion day this spring. n www.msmc.edu

13

Undergraduate research Mount students pursue projects in a variety of fields

M

Above | Rebecca Seepersad and Andre Santa research their project.

Top | From left, Brian Browne, professor of chemistry Lynn Maelia and Mary McEwan in the lab.

14

ount Saint Mary College recognized student researchers at the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) symposium last semester.

The symposium capped off the inaugural projects of SURE, a collegefunded program that brings students and faculty mentors together for summer research sessions and follow-up presentations.

Students who completed research projects presented their findings in the atrium of the Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center last fall. Students’ peers, families, the Mount community, and the college president, Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, attended.

Dr. David Sloan Wilson, distinguished professor of biology and anthropology at SUNY Binghamton, gave the keynote address, titled “Evolving the City: using Evolutionary Theory to Understand and Improve

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

the Human Condition.”

The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Nineteen Mount students were accepted in the SURE 2010 program, led

by James Moran, assistant professor of biology.

Students were chosen from a pool of applicants by a faculty committee.

Academic fields represented by the research topics were biology, chemistry, criminology, education, English, information technology, nursing, psychology, and sociology.

With college funding through the SURE program, students received stipends to work on research projects for one of two five-week sessions during the summer. Student researchers worked singly or in teams with professors, who provided guidance and oversight.

Five Mount students who participated in the SURE program also presented at the 240th American

1

4

7

2

5

8

3

6

9

Research in action

4. Janet Petroski, Rebecca Seepersad, Andre Santa 5. Iris Turkenkopf, David Sloan Wilson, and Lynn Maelia 6. Justin Roman

1. James Moran and Ariel Saulnier 2. Bernadette Damiano 3. Andre Santa

Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition in August in Boston, Mass.

A model for learning Michelle Watch, a sophomore from Westtown, N.Y. in the five-year biology/education program, presented the results of her research on groundwater tank models. These models illustrate how groundwater levels affect the water supply and how water absorption rates differ with soil types. Many model types are too expensive for school science departments to purchase.

Watch’s goal was to build a conceptual, economical model that would be more versatile enough for use in elementary, middle and high school classrooms. From her feasibility study, she created a model groundwater tank that was economical, sustainable,

Margaret Larrousse (left) and Michelle Watch with Watch’s project. scalable for all grades, and made from recycled materials. This model allows students to test groundwater levels with measureable results.

“Giving students the right tools to model and test the effects of natural elements help bring the critical importance of our water quality home,”

7. Alana DeTone (left) and Sandra Wamsley 8. Christopher DiRusso and Suparna Bhalla 9. Karen McCaffrey said Watch. “Many think that water is an inexhaustible source, and that what we put in our ground doesn’t affect the water we drink. This model demonstrates to students that preserving the quality and source of our water is a top priority, and must be factored into decisions that can impact many different industries.”

Watch’s faculty mentor was Margaret Larousse, associate professor of biology at the Mount.

Moran is looking forward to this year’s SURE program, for which students can apply in the spring semester.

“This opportunity for independent study and research is invaluable to our students, many of whom are going on to teach or to complete graduate studies,” said Moran.

For more information on SURE, visit www.msmc.edu/sure n www.msmc.edu

15

The tennis team, above, and volleyball team, right.

Skyline Commissioner’s Cup race

Mount in second place following fall season

C

losing a successful fall season, Mount Saint Mary College trailed only St. Joseph’s College in the race for the Skyline Conference Commissioner’s Cup. The Commissioner’s Cup is an annual competition to find the most successful institution across all sports in the conference.

Mount Saint Mary was buoyed by a first-place finish by the women’s tennis team. The Knights finished 12-2 overall on the courts, and posted an unbeaten Skyline mark of 7-0.

In the conference tournament, they defeated St. Joseph’s in the semifinals before knocking off Bard in the championship match. Claiming their second straight Skyline crown, the Knights head to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second time in as many years. Sophomore Gabriela Murphy-Goldberg was named the Skyline Conference Player of the Year and sophomore Emily Gregory was named to the Skyline first team.

Senior Lindsay Searle and sopho-

16

more Jen Gregory were named to the second team.

The women’s volleyball team turned in a stellar season, posting an overall record of 21-11 and an unbeaten mark of 10-0 in the Skyline to claim the regular season title. They were outplayed in the championship match

by Polytechnic Institute of New York University, and came in second place.

Despite missing out on the NCAA Tournament, the team was selected to compete in the ECAC Upstate/Metro Region Tournament for the first time in program history. Freshman Kaylene Pennings was named the Skyline Rookie of the Year and sophomore Lauren Halverson was selected to the all-conference first team.

The women’s soccer team did their part to aid the Knights’ cause in the Commissioner’s Cup. After a fifth place finish (12-10 overall, 6-4 Skyline), the Mount rumbled to the Skyline championship game with upset victories over Old Westbury in the quarterfinals and St. Joseph’s in

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

the semifinals. Seeking their first-ever Skyline soccer title, the Knights fell to Farmingdale by a score of 1-0 in the championship tilt. Senior Megan Cotta and freshman Tara McDermott earned spots on the Skyline first team, while sophomore Lindsey Oro and freshmen Allie Kleine and Brigit Burgio claimed spots on the second team.

The women’s cross country team turned in their best-ever finish at the Skyline Conference championships, finishing second to St. Joseph’s College. Freshman Nicole Zazzero wound up second, with a spot on the all-conference team. Junior Cassandra Gucciardo and freshman Tori Wresilo earned all-conference recognition with 9th place and 11th place finishes, respectively.

Rounding out the fall sports, the men’s cross country team finished a program-best fifth at the Skyline Conference championships. Freshman Matthew Darling was named to the all-conference second team for men’s soccer.n

Student Athletes Knights in the Community

Baseball City of Newburgh – Halloween Jubilee Ebenezer Baptist Church – Thanksgiving dinner

Men’s tennis team members painted a map at Walden Elementary School.

Off to a fast start Students reach out to help through Knights in the Community

T

he Mount Saint Mary College athletic department’s community service initiative, Knights in the Community, kicked off its second year with several projects during the fall semester. The men’s tennis team painted a map of the United States on the playground at Walden Elementary School in Walden, N.Y. The men’s and women’s cross country teams stained playground equipment at Chadwick Lake Park in Newburgh, N.Y. Seven members of the men’s tennis team lent a hand at Walden Elementary School with a giant stencil and five colors of paint. The team traced a map of the United States and then painted the states in alternating colors. The finished project stretched almost 40 feet across the playground.

The project was arranged through Sharon Satkowski,who is a teacher at Walden Elementary and the mother of men’s tennis head coach Justin Satkowski. Walden Elementary School principal Veronica Casillo was instrumental in acquiring the supplies to complete the map.

“We had a lot of fun with the project,” said Coach Satkowski. “The guys enjoyed the opportunity to help out the school and make a difference for the students and teachers.”

Men’s Basketball St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen – food drive, food service Meadow Hill Middle School – reading program Boy Scouts Pack and Troop 105 – basketball/swimming clinic Women’s Basketball New Windsor Elementary School – Christmas party Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Town of Newburgh Recreation Department – Turkey Trot, playground painting Lions Club of Marlboro and Milton – holiday decorations Men’s Lacrosse Jacob T. Walden House in Walden, N.Y. – cleanup and maintenance

Junior Mary McEwan rolls on a fresh coat of paint at the Chadwick Lake Park playground.

Also on Friday afternoon, the men’s and women’s cross country teams were hard at work in Chadwick Lake Park. Seventeen members of the teams pitched in to stain a large piece of wooden playground equipment.

Rob Petrillo, commissioner of the Town of Newburgh Recreation Department, provided the paint, brushes, and rollers for the afternoon.

“Our team uses Chadwick Lake Park as a home course, so it was nice to lend a hand toward improving the park,” said cross country head coach Fred Callo.

More community service projects are planned for the future. The men’s basketball team will host a food drive, and the men’s and women’s swimming teams will welcome a Boy Scout troop to campus for swimming lessons. n

Women’s Lacrosse Habitat for Humanity in Newburgh Men’s Soccer Tree planting at Downing Park, Newburgh Women’s Soccer Nora Cronin Presentation Academy, Newburgh– mentoring Men’s Tennis Town of Newburgh Recreation Department – park cleanup Walden Elementary School – playground map painting Women’s Tennis Elant Nursing Home in Newburgh – “A Day at the Spa” Softball Town of Newburgh SPCA Dog Shelter Men’s and Women’s Swimming Boy Scouts Pack and Troop 105 – basketball/swimming clinic Women’s Volleyball Tree planting at Downing Park, Newburgh www.msmc.edu

17

Student Athletes

Brothers clash at the Mount

I

f only all college soccer games could be like the one played on September 23, 2010, as Mount Saint Mary College and Russell Sage College played to a scoreless draw in a Skyline Conference match.

Nervous tension filled the air before the game as a pair of brothers and Newburgh natives prepared to go head-to-head. Mount sophomore Brian Southworth (sociology) and Sage freshman Evan Southworth, competing against one another for the first time in their collegiate careers, set the stage for a game that did not disappoint the large crowd of spectators.

The intensity was high from the opening whistle. The best chance for the Knights came in the 25th minute, as senior Francesco Marando fought through a cluster of Sage defenders and fired a shot that went just wide of the frame.

Evan (left) and Brian Southworth

18

It was Sage, however, who took control of the game in the second half. In the 51st minute, Evan Southworth played a nice diagonal ball to freshman Chris Giustina who forced Mount freshman goalkeeper Matthew Darling to make an excellent save.

Scoreless through the rest of regulation and most of the first overtime period, Mount Saint Mary had an opportunity for the game-winner as sophomore Kevin Ryan moved forward to take a shot in the 99th minute. His attempt was blocked away by a Sage defender for a corner kick, but the Knights couldn’t take advantage with the set piece.

In the opening minute of the second overtime, Sage gained control and Giustina rifled a shot that was destined for the back of the net. Senior defender Chris Boydston stood firm on the goal line, though, and saved the attempt with his head.

Darling would need one more spectacular save to preserve the scoreless draw for the Knights, and it came in the 103rd minute. After a clean pass through the box, Evan Southworth chipped the ball on net and Darling made a wonderful diving save to his left.

Following the game, it was a relieved set of Southworth parents on the sidelines.

“I thought both guys did an outstanding job and I’m very proud of both of them,” said father Brian Southworth. “I liked that they went head-to-head and didn’t back down from one another.”

Mom Melissa Southworth was more reserved in her comments. After all, she was wearing red to indicate her rooting neutrality.

“We were hoping for a zero-zero tie, and we got our wish,” said Mrs. Southworth. “Both boys played extremely well.”n

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | winter 2011

Jennifer

Emily Other Sibling athletes competing at the Mount Sophomore twins Emily and Jennifer Gregory, women’s tennis (shown above) Senior Laura Galante, women’s tennis – sister Jennifer plays tennis at Siena College Junior Erin McKeon, women’s soccer – sister Kelly plays basketball at Muhlenberg College Junior Annie Llewellyn, women’s tennis – twin brothers John and Mike play lacrosse at Manhattan College Freshman Anthony Rizzi, men’s soccer – sister AnnMarie plays soccer at Binghamton University Freshman Chris Pisciotta, men’s basketball – sister Victoria plays softball at Concordia College Freshman Jacquelyn Mancini, women’s soccer – brother Nick plays baseball at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Freshman Statler Willand, men’s tennis – a triplet, sister Sharyce plays tennis at SUNY New Paltz Junior Dan McCrea, baseball – brother Brendan plays baseball at College of the Holy Cross

From left | Carol Parker Shufelt, Pat Cavanagh, Kathy Hirschy Mayer, Pat McCarthy Grella, Kathy O’Keefe Stanley, and Kathy Murphy Spangler.

LadIEs Weekend |Class of 1974

By Patricia Cavanagh

Friendships

that last a lifetime

I

am thinking of writing a book that will be titled The First Weekend in November. It’s the story of eight women who graduated from Mount Saint Mary College in 1974. They get together every year for the joy of each other’s company and to celebrate their friendships. It’s a story of the passages of life and of compassion and support. It is not a story of fiction. It is the real life of Kathy, Kathy, Kathy, Kathy, Pat, Pat, Carol and Jill.

The story begins 22 years ago. The women were 14 years out of college and attending the wedding celebration of one of their dorm mates. The responsibilities of life and of being a spouse, mother, homeowner and/or career builder were starting to pile up and it was obvious that they needed a break.

What could be more rejuvenating than spending time with friends who

knew you when, who lived with you in college and helped you grow up and get out on your own? The women decided to plan a Ladies Weekend.

After much discussion and comparing of calendars, they chose the first weekend in November, right after kids’ soccer season and before the holiday rush, and made a pact to meet on that weekend each year.

Fast forward to the year 2010. They

Save the Date!

Alumni and Family Weekend September 30 – October 2, 2011

have maintained their agreement to meet up annually, if possible. Naturally, life interfered at times, making the lowest attendance only two, but the highest attendance reached ten. All of them (one a grandmother now) are amazed at the power of these getaway weekends. They’ve seen each other through the joys and sorrows of life: births, marriages, divorces, illnesses, deaths, and tragedies. Some have lost jobs, some have lost homes, some have lost siblings. Most of them have lost a parent or two. They’ve had their share of losing but have loved, laughed and cried through it all.

These women are filled with gratitude for these lifelong friendships that were born at Mount Saint Mary College. They hope that other Mount women may see the benefits from such a wonderful, nourishing tradition, and perhaps start a Ladies Weekend of their own. n www.msmc.edu

19

Alumni Notes 1971

Gerri (Walotsky) Cass has a new granddaughter. Brooke Ariel Zimmerman was born on April 9, 2010 in Mission Viejo, Calif., joining sister Megan, 2 1/2 years old.

1974

Ava Gould with new sibling Caleb Jason Gould.

Ava and Caleb are the children of Joy (Orzechowski) Gould ’94 and her husband Jason.

Births 1992 | Nancy (Stevens) Tracy announces the birth of daughter, Erin Colleen, on July 27, 2010. Erin joins sisters Rheann (age 11) and Jordyn (age 5) at home.

1994 | Joy (Orzechowski) Gould and her husband Jason announce the birth of their second child, Caleb Jason Gould born on April 26, 2010. Caleb joins his big sister Ava at home in Allston, Mass.

1996 | Doranne (Alvarez) Koval and her husband Kevin Koval ’95 announce the birth of their first child, Kylie Jane Koval, born on June 9, 2010 weighing 8 lbs. 10 oz.

1997 | Shannon (Troy) Ervin and husband James announce the birth of their second daughter, Rhiannon Isabelle Ervin, born March 30, 2010 in Boeblingen, Germany. She joins proud big sister Ryleigh Grace. They live in Ehningen, Germany near Patch Barracks where James is currently stationed with the U.S. Army.

2000 | Dan McDonald and Amy McDonald (Ackerman) ‘99 welcomed their third child, Aidan Michael on August 23, 2009. Michael Ray ‘00 and his wife Nora are the Godparents. Aidan joins brothers Danny and Brendan at home. Dan is an assistant principal for the Valley Central School District. Amy just finished her 10th year as a 6th grade teacher for the Pine Bush School District.

2004 | Lawrence Combs and his wife Katie welcomed a beautiful baby girl on August 27, 2010. Molly Katherine Combs made her debut at 9:14 p.m. that evening, weighing in at 6 lbs. 14 oz. and measuring 19.5 inches.

The new family is doing well and living in St. James, N.Y.

20

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | WINTER 2011

Patricia Cavanagh recently retired from the Sachem, Long Island School District after 36 years of teaching elementary education and six years as a math coach.

1975

Ginny Baresch is working and living in Kigali, Rwanda with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, helping people recover from the 1994 genocide. The CDC is working on HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, health system strengthening and much more. Ginny enjoys meeting and working with others who are dedicated to helping the people of Rwanda, who have touched a place in her heart.

Maria (Fossella) Dyseven inherited her aunt’s home in the west end of the city of Newburgh, and moved in last year.

1979

Isabella Clemente is the department head of Pediatrics and Educational and Developmental Intervention Services at the Naval Health Clinic, Marine Base Quantico in Virginia, where they have lived for the past six years.

Her daughter, Emily Maria, 15, is a freshman at Pope John Paul the Great High School.

1982

Dr. Michael J. Fraser completed his 4th season with the Texas State Softball Team as their sports psychology consultant. He also works as a consultant with the College of Saint Rose track and field team in Albany, N.Y. Mary Teresa (Richardson) Evans is currently working as a nurse practitioner in pediatric pulmonary at Albany Medical Center.

1983

Laurie (Lawrence) Iuzzini received an education specialist degree (Ed.S) in curriculum and instruction in July 2010 from Lincoln Memorial University. She teaches gifted education, grades K-5, at Woodland Elementary in Stockbridge, Ga. and lives in McDonough, Ga. with husband Dennis Iuzzini ’86, and their two sons, Michael and Andrew.

Beth (Seranne) Brittman is a licensed clinical social worker at the Northport VA Medical Center in New York, working with ill and injured combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. She has presented “Reintegration: The Road Home from War” at Veterans Administration conferences across the nation.

Carriann Grexa-Allen started a doctoral program in leadership in September 2010. She works at Westchester County Medical Center where she began her nursing career shortly after graduating Mount Saint Mary College.

Mount Alumni in May with a bachelor of science degree. She doublemajored in psychobiology and history.

1996

Nancy (Paone-Mirque) Branath is a sixth grade teacher at Circleville Middle School.

She is studying at Northcentral University for a doctorate of education in curriculum and teaching.

Doug (Frank) Fiumara ’06 and Kelley Gallagher ‘05 were married on October 25, 2008 in Brooklyn, N.Y. They live in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

Weddings 1983 | Claudia (Sawicki) Brooks married Andy Brooks on July 10, 2010.

They live in Rye, N.Y. with their sons Andy, Charlie and Peter.

2003 | Melissa Moriarty married John Chaput on May 7, 2009 at Saint Patrick Church in Chatham, N.J. A reception followed at Grand Summit Hotel, Summit, N.J.

1984

Anne (Maitner) Williams has been working as the postpartum depression nurse educator for the Regional Perinatal Consortium of Monmouth & Ocean Counties in Lakewood, N.J. for four years. She recently relocated to Huntsville, Ala. where she intends to continue educating healthcare professionals and consumers about postpartum depression.

2004 | Andrea Palumbo married Jeffrey Boroczky Jr. July 23, 2010 at Waterview in Monroe, Conn. Jacqueline (D’Amico) Cavanagh ‘05 was the matron of honor.

Adreena (Cuenin) Neugebauer ‘04, and Audra Woodruff ‘04 were bridesmaids. Andrea and Jeff live in Greenwich, Conn.

2007 | Meghan Longo and David Earley were married on June 19, 2009. They live in North Carolina.

1993

Stacey (Demirjean) Finn works as an RN in labor and delivery. Her husband Tyler is retired and they reside in Wesley Chapel, Fla. with their children, Brody Edward, Taryn, Karlye and Loryn.

1994

Dave Weintraub was recently appointed to the board of directors at Inspire, a nonprofit agency in Goshen, N.Y., that provides outpatient,

2001

Thomas Clegg was recently promoted to Survivor Outreach Services Support coordinator for the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y.

2002

Above | Malorie Niece ’07 and Michael Griffis (United States Coast Guard Academy ‘08) were married on October 24, 2009 at the United States Coast Guard Academy in the Cadet Memorial Chapel. A reception followed at the Officer’s Club.

educational and support services for people with disabilities and challenges.

Dave is currently the director of physician professional practice at Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, N.Y. He also serves on the board of directors for the YMCA of Middletown.

1995

Patricia Kobes’ daughter, Fallon, graduated from the University of New England

Ursula Tort graduated with a master’s degree in business administration from Monmouth University in December 2009. Ursula is a product manager for Wedgwood and Royal Doulton brands.

2004

Shawn Cheatham graduated with his master of science degree from DeVry University and is working on a doctorate in information technology through Capella University.

2006

Jacqueline Robinson’s second book, The Mountain Climbers, was released. Her first book was called Life’s Lessons for the Young at Heart.

2008

Stephanie R. Poynter, Army National Guard Spc., has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.n www.msmc.edu

21

Mount Alumni In Memoriam Sr. Joanne Blihar, OP ’70, of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, passed away on November 22, 2010.

Irene Bunch, mother of Carla (Bunch) Davie ‘80, passed away on February 3, 2010.

Joseph Cerbone ’10 passed away on April 26, 2010.

Raymond Cole, father of Katie Cole ’88, passed away on September 15, 2010.

Frank De Boer, Sr., father of Shirley Adams ’10, passed away in September 2010.

Susan DeRobertis ’78 passed away on April 1, 2010 in Newburgh.

Pearl Dulman, mother of Dr. Merrily Miller, professor of education at MSMC, 1988-2004, and grandmother of Logan S. Miller ‘01, passed away on March 24, 2010.

Edward Demirjean, father of Stacey (Demirjean) Finn ‘93, passed away on October 16, 2009.

Liam Forde, father of Mary Forde ‘98, passed away on July 24, 2010.

Susan Folster, mother of Michelle Folster ‘92, passed away on October 28, 2010.

Patricia Jones, mother of Deborah (Savoca) Jones ’89, passed away on August 10, 2010.

Darryl Mason ‘06, son of Rev. and Mrs. David Mason and twin brother of Douglas Mason ‘06, passed away on April 13, 2010.

Nancy (Maher) Maxwell ’73 passed away on May 20, 2004.

John O’Brien, C.P., brother of Ellen (O’Brien) O’Connor ’73 and brother-in-law of Joe O’Connor ‘73, passed away suddenly on October 15, 2010.

Margaret O’Connor, mother of Joe O’Connor ‘73 and mother-in-law of Ellen O’Connor ’73, passed away in December 2009.

Patricia (Hogan) Sacus ’66, spouse of Blaise Sacus, passed away on August 8, 2009.

22

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | WINTER 2011

Help support the Annual Fund with a Mount credit card Mount Saint Mary College has partnered with Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union (HVFCU) to offer a Visa Platinum credit card exclusively for Mount graduates. Alumni who live, work, worship, or attend school in Dutchess, College president Fr. Ulster, Orange or Putnam Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, counties in New York—or and Mary Madden, who are related to a current president and CEO HVFCU member—are eliof the Hudson Valley gible to apply for the card.

Federal Credit Union, By carrying your Mount with the design for the Visa from HVFCU, you new Mount Saint Mary not only show your school College credit card. pride as you use it, but you’re also enriching the Annual Fund. A donation is made to the Fund with each card issued. The Mount’s Annual Fund ensures that financial resources are available for the college’s greatest needs, including scholarships, programs, technology and athletics.

Every donation counts and each Mount Saint Mary College branded HVFCU Visa Platinum credit card opened will help the success of the Fund.

Show your school pride while also getting all the great benefits of an HVFCU Visa, including the option of a low rate card or one that offers reward points or cash back.

For more information on how to get your Mount Visa Platinum credit card from HVFCU, visit hvfcu.org/msmc, stop by one of HVFCU’s many convenient branches or call 845-463-3011.

New scoreboard is gift of Pepsi Cola of the Hudson Valley Thanks to the partnership of Pepsi Cola of the Hudson Valley and its president and CEO Tim Tenney, the Mount’s new athletic complex sports a high-tech scoreboard.

It features video and messaging display, and is used for Skyline Conference soccer and lacrosse competition as well as for intramural activities.

2010 Alumni Awards recipients

T

he Mount Saint Mary College Alumni Association presented the Distinguished Alumni Award and the President’s Award for Outstanding Service to the College during Alumni and Family Weekend, October 1-3.

The Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Dr. Judith A. McLaughlin ’66 and MaryKay (Hollenbeck) Messenger ’88. McLaughlin began her career in education at the Washingtonville School District in N.Y., and also taught in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y. She later returned to Washingtonville, where she taught second through sixth grades until 1980, when she became the principal at Taft Elementary School in the Washingtonville Central School District until her retirement in 1999.

Among the many accomplishments in her distinguished career, McLaughlin developed the focus and implementation of the teaching/learning process for all curricular areas and educational programs.

According to McLaughlin, “The education and experiences that I received at the Mount was the footprint to a career that became my life. It gave me the solid foundation that prepared me for the baptism-by-fire in an elementary classroom. I truly believe that my education with the Dominican Sisters from kindergarten to senior year at Mount Saint Mary College taught me to want to learn, how to learn and gave me the desire to help others learn.”

Since retiring, she spends her time volunteering for local organization, such as Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh. She also serves on the Board of the Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Auxiliary.

Messenger is a Newburgh native and well-know soloist throughout the Hudson Valley region, performing classical, Broadway, jazz and popular music. She is the premier vocalist for the West Point Band and first sang with the band in 1980, at the age of 12.

She continued throughout the years

From left | Lynne Ejercito ‘77, Mysia Haight Hoogsteden ‘84, president of the Mount’s Alumni Association; Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president of the college; MaryKay Messenger ‘88, and Judith McLaughlin ‘66. as a guest vocalist for a variety of concerts until she joined the Army in 1996.

She performed as a soloist both here and abroad. Messenger has performed with the famous Irish tenor Frank Patterson, and was the first American military vocalist to perform with the Military Band of the Peoples Liberation Army in Beijing, China.

More recently, Messenger has performed “God Bless America” for Game 1 of the 2009 World Series. She sang the national anthem at the George Steinbrenner & Bob Sheppard Tribute and the recent July 4th Yankee game in honor of Wounded Warriors. She also performed for President Barack Obama at the 2010 Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Messenger has been recently promoted to Army Master Sergeant. She also performs as a volunteer for area schools, nursing homes, churches, sports and veterans’ organizations, and community events.

According to Messenger, “the Mount gave me the confidence and knowledge to go out into the world and make the most out of my talents.”

The President’s Award for Outstanding Service to the College was presented

to Marilyn “Lynne” Ejercito ’77. Ejercito has given of her time and talent to Mount Saint Mary College in many ways. She’s been on the Alumni Board of Directors since 1992 and has served as both vice president and president. She represented the Alumni Association at many College functions and served as the alumni representative on the College’s presidential search committee.

Ejercito has made numerous presentations to the Mount’s nursing students on public health, healthcare, and home care issues. She also arranges the schedules for the Mount’s nursing students for their community health rotation at the Orange County Health Department, where she has been employed since 1978 and has served as the director of patient services since 2008.

When asked how her degree from the Mount made a difference in her life, Ejercito replied, “From the moment I started at the Mount, one of my strongest memories is the feeling of being at home. The College community was very close knit. I believe all the instructors made each student feel that he or she was important and had great potential. The positive influence has carried on in me all these years.”n www.msmc.edu

23

Friends of the Mount Reception on the Hudson College Trustee Susan Najork and President Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, hosted a reception on the shores of the Hudson for friends and supporters of the College.

4

1

5 2

3

Listed left to right in photos 1. Kurt , Eric, Evelynn and Susan Najork. 2. Nancy and Abel Garraghan, chairman of the Mount Board of Trustees.

3. Dottie Catania and MSMC alumna Joy Bento. 4. Former Mount Trustee Fred McCurdy, Cornelia Gallagher, former Mount Trustee Ed Gallagher, and Betsy McCurdy. 5. Ronald Bayer, Mount community education director Joan McAdam, Alyssa Buzzonetti ’11, Mount continuing education director Lisa Gallina, Carol Bayer, and president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM.

1

2 Friends gather in historic setting

Arlene and Gregory Chiaramonte, MD joined President Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM in hosting a reception for College friends and supporters in the Chiaramontes’ penthouse loft, in the historic Schmidt Piano Hammer Factory in Poughkeepsie.

3

24

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | WINTER winter 2011

4

Listed from left to right in photos 1. Attorney Elizabeth Wolf, Mount Golf Committee member Stewart Petrovits, Elizabeth Mylod Wolf, and former Mount Trustee Joe McGowan. 2. Gregory Chiaramonte (center) welcomes Bernie Kistner and CarlaLisa RovereKistner. The Kistners established the Moira Rovere Bayer ’81 Scholarship Fund in memory of CarlaLisa’s sister, who received her nursing degree from the Mount. 3. Hosts Arlene and Gregory Chiaramonte. 4. Elizabeth (Lisa) Sawicki, Marilyn (Lynne) Ejercito ‘77, and Mary Ejercito.

Philanthropy

Celebrating the legacy of Bernice and Walter Hornibrook

Bequest of more than $1 million supports library and scholarships

F

riends of the late Bernice and Walter Hornibrook gathered together with faculty, staff and students at Mount Saint Mary College to celebrate the lives, generosity, and legacy of these two extraordinary people.

Mrs. Hornibrook, known as Bunny, made a bequest of more than $1 million to the College to fund two endowments: the Bernice J. and Dr. Walter J. Hornibrook Memorial Library Fund and the Bernice J. and Dr. Walter J. Hornibrook Memorial Scholarship. The first will provide yearly unrestricted support for the College’s Curtin Memorial Library, while the latter will fund up to four scholarships annually for young women. The scholarship recipients, recognized during the tribute, are Ciomara Dominguez, a junior studying human services from Middletown, N.Y.; Catherine Lipsky, a sophomore studying English and special education from Floral Park, N.Y.; Michelle Mendez, a psychology student from Newburgh, N.Y.; and Jamie Unbehagen, a senior studying accounting from Pine Bush, N.Y. Mrs. Hornibrook was a voracious reader and intellect who worked for many years at IBM in Dutchess County. After Mr. Hornibrook died in 1991, Mrs. Hornibrook focused on broadening her knowledge by attending

lectures and events sponsored by the Mount’s Community Education department. An active volunteer, Bunny served as a committee member for the Learning Is Forever Enriching (LIFE) Program for many years. She also devoted her time to the Newburgh Day Nursery and the Community Garden Club of Marlborough-on-Hudson.

Known for being forthright, detailoriented, and determined, Mrs. Hornibrook made certain, through careful financial planning with her attorney and college officials, that her estate would be put to good use. By creating endowed funds at the College, she ensured that students for generations to come would benefit from the resources that she and her husband had built over time. Mrs. Hornibrook hoped that her bequest would inspire others to include the Mount in their estate plans — a hope that was realized when long-time friends of the Hornibrooks, Ruth C. and John Smith Sr. of Cornwall-on-Hudson, were recognized at the tribute for also naming Mount Saint Mary College as a beneficiary of a planned gift.n

Walter and Bernice Hornibrook.

Learn how you can support the Mount Visit www.msmc.edu/giving or contact the College Advancement Office at 845-569-3215.

Top left | Joining in the tribute were (left to right) Judith Albertson, MSMC Trustee Susan Najork, and Suzanne Dawes.

Center | (Left to right) Michelle Mendez ’11, Jamie Unbehagen ’11, Geraldine Dankowski, Catherine Lipsky ’13, Diane Arbeit, and president Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM. Right | Janet Nelson Nickerson ’80, performed classical selections. www.msmc.edu

25

Mount Saint Mary College 330 Powell Avenue Newburgh, NY 12550

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEWBURGH NY PERMIT NO. 229

Save the Date

Alumni and Family Weekend September 30 – October 2, 2011

S

ave the date and pass the word! This year, Alumni and Family Weekend will be September 30–October 2. Alumni and Family Weekend is for ALL alumni and students, and will recognize the anniversary classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006.

Start making plans to come back and visit with friends and favorite faculty members you may not have seen since graduation. The fall is a magnificent time to visit the Hudson Valley and discover how Mount Saint Mary College has grown since you were last here.

Please visit the Mount’s website at www.msmc.edu for the latest information.

2011

Anniversary Year Reunion Gift Challenge

Attention Anniversary Classes: 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 Show your Mount pride! Participate in the 2011 Anniversary Year Reunion Gift Challenge.

For more information or to make your gift, visit www.msmc.edu/alumni.