ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT EDUCATION
After graduating from MCC in 1977, I MARIA PALACIOS GERACI ‘77 attended BCC and then went on to graduate from the University of South Florida in 1980 with a degree in Criminal Justice. Originally, but she saw it and my plan was to pursue law school, but while doing some winked at me like she local volunteer work I became interested in nursing, understood. so I switched gears and got my BSN from Florida State I still remember that University. story. It was titled PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND “Sixteen” by Maureen I worked for 32 years as a nurse, 30 of them in Labor Daly. I think Mrs. S and I were kindred spirits. and Delivery and I loved it. But for the past 12 years, FAVORITE MCC MEMORY I’ve also worked as a fiction writer, publishing both There are so many, I’m not sure where to start. traditionally through New York and as an Indie author. Maybe it was the day one of our classmates decided I write romance under my real name, Maria Geraci, and to “streak” through the hallways (streaking was a fad cozy mysteries as Maggie March. in the 70s!). Unfortunately, I didn’t get to actually MCC’S INFLUENCE see it with my own eyes, but as you can imagine, it I was so fortunate to attend schools with excellent caused quite a sensation! teachers, both at Ascension and at MCC. I will always remember Sister Mary Joan’s American One favorite memory involved the Stingers. In my History class. She made the American Revolution more senior year we went to a state dancing competition exciting than any TV show! But my favorite teacher down in Fort Lauderdale. We stayed at a hotel was Mrs. Stephenson. She taught English, and while I and there was a haunted house nearby. Sister Rita was always an (the MCC librarian and one of our chaperones) avid reader thought it would be fun to go as a group. A few of growing up, us girls got chased by a couple of “ghouls” and we her American ran out of the house screaming. One of the girls Lit class in my (Cecelia DuPont) lost her sandal while running junior year was and we were too scared to go back and get it. Sister a game changer. Rita looked at us as if we were wussies and marched I can remember right back in there to demand they return Cecelia’s while reading sandal. I think the “ghouls” were more afraid of a short story in Sister Rita than she was of them. She was one bigher class I got bad-in-charge nun, that’s for sure! very moved, ADVICE TO CURRENT HUSTLERS and tears welled Enjoy every minute of your high school experience. in my eyes. I Be nice to everyone and keep in touch after high tried to hide it school. Life goes by too fast. because I didn’t want anyone thinking I was weird (lol),
MELBOURNE CENTRAL CATHOLIC | 18
