Alumni Spotlights

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, my plan was to pursue law school, but while doing some local volunteer work I became interested in nursing, so I switched gears and got my BSN from Florida State University.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

I worked for 32 years as a nurse, 30 of them in Labor and Delivery and I loved it. But for the past 12 years, I’ve also worked as a fiction writer, publishing both traditionally through New York and as an Indie author. I write romance under my real name, Maria Geraci, and cozy mysteries as Maggie March.

MCC’S INFLUENCE

I was so fortunate to attend schools with excellent teachers, both at Ascension and at MCC. I will always remember Sister Mary Joan’s American History class. She made the American Revolution more exciting than any TV show! But my favorite teacher was Mrs. Stephenson. She taught English, and while I was always an avid reader growing up, her American Lit class in my junior year was a game changer. I can remember while reading a short story in her class I got very moved, and tears welled in my eyes. I tried to hide it because I didn’t want anyone thinking I was weird (lol), but she saw it and winked at me like she understood. I still remember that story. It was titled “Sixteen” by Maureen Daly. I think Mrs. S andI were kindred spirits.

FAVORITE MCC MEMORY

There are so many, I’m not sure where to start. Maybe it was the day one of our classmates decided to “streak” through the hallways (streaking was a fad in the 70s!). Unfortunately, I didn’t get to actually see it with my own eyes, but as you can imagine, it caused quite a sensation! One favorite memory involved the Stingers. In my senior year we went to a state dancing competition down in Fort Lauderdale. We stayed at a hotel and there was a haunted house nearby. Sister Rita (the MCC librarian and one of our chaperones) thought it would be fun to go as a group. A few of us girls got chased by a couple of “ghouls” and we ran out of the house screaming. One of the girls (Cecelia DuPont) lost her sandal while running and we were too scared to go back and get it. Sister Rita looked at us as if we were wussies and marched right back in there to demand they return Cecelia’s sandal. I think the “ghouls” were more afraid of Sister Rita than she was of them. She was one bigbad-in-charge nun, that’s for sure!

ADVICE TO CURRENT HUSTLERS

Enjoy every minute of your high school experience. Be nice to everyone and keep in touch after high school. Life goes by too fast.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

EDUCATION

I attended Ascension Catholic School from Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade and then went on to become a Hustler. After graduating from MCC, I attended Florida State University and received my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in December 2005. I will graduate with my Master’s in Educational Leadership from The American College of Education in June 2022.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Upon graduating in December from FSU, I received a call two weeks later that would pave my future. On the other end of the phone was a familiar Irish accent that had been a part of my entire childhood. It was Sister Joseph, the principal at Ascension, asking me if I had graduated yet. I quickly shared with her that I had just graduated two weeks ago. She then invited me in for an interview and offered me a second grade teaching position. Without hesitation, I said yes. I have never looked back. Over the past 16 years; I have taught second, third, fourth, and am currently teaching fifth grade. In addition to teaching, I also serve as the Athletic Director.

MCC’S INFLUENCE

MCC had a significant influence on my life well beyond the four years that I spent there. In addition to the strong focus on academics, I was taught the value of service. Throughout my college years, teaching career, marriage, and motherhood the act of serving others has been my guiding force. Our lives are filled with opportunities to serve others and all too often people turn the other way. My time at MCC taught me to seek out opportunities to serve and help others. Through serving others, my heart feels complete. Over the years, I have made every effort to instill this mindset into my own students. Through service, we are truly answering God’s call and building the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. I attribute my dedication and commitment to serving others to my time spent at both Ascension and Melbourne Central Catholic.

DONNA POTOMSKI ‘01 FAVORITE MCC MEMORY

I loved my time at MCC. I often look back on my high school years and smile. MCC had a special warmth to it. The principal, teachers, staff, and students all knew each other by name. We truly were a Hustler family and it felt like home. I cannot narrow it down to one favorite memory. In fact, reminiscing about the memories created at MCC brings me back to some of my favorite days.

ADVICE TO CURRENT HUSTLERS

I am going to keep this short and simple; work hard, choose love, and say your prayers. Hard work will help you achieve your dreams. You were made to do hard things. Keep after it, even when others give up. This will set you apart from the rest. My favorite two words are “Choose Love” (you can ask my students). In all things you do, choose love. In doing so, you will be making the right choice, even if it is not the easy or popular one. Lastly, say your prayers. Lean on prayer in the tough times and say a prayer of gratitude in the good times. Prayer is the most powerful tool you have. Use it often.

AN ENDURING FRIENDSHIP C

ROBERT MCDANIELS ‘89 AND PATRICK KOSTER ‘89

have enjoyed a close friendship of nearly forty years. They met for the first time in the fall of 1982 as they began seventh grade at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Palm Bay. Robert was a welcoming and friendly connection for Patrick who was a new student, and they soon discovered a common background (both of their fathers served in the military) and shared interests in music, sports cars, and computers. Moving forward into the early years of high school, many weekends and summer days were spent riding their bikes the five miles back and forth between each other’s houses and joining family activities and trips.

While at MCC, Robert and Patrick were diligent students, participated in several clubs, and played football and soccer. With the newly found freedom achieved with driver's licenses and used cars they started working – Patrick at McDonald's and Robert at Pizza Hut. Coincidentally, Robert would meet his future wife Tracy who was a McDonald's junior manager at the time. When they were not working or attending school, Robert and Patrick would take every opportunity to pursue their newly discovered passion for surfing and would drive up and down the Brevard coast from Patrick Air Force Base to Sebastian Inlet to find the best breaking waves.

In the spring of 1989, Robert and Patrick graduated MCC and headed off to separate colleges following similar paths. Robert stayed local attending Florida Tech with an Army ROTC scholarship graduating in 1993 with an Electrical Engineering degree. Patrick would travel to New York to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point graduating in 1993 with a System Engineering degree. Upon graduation, both received military officer commissions – Robert in the Florida Army National Guard and Patrick in the United States Army – where they would serve for many years in various leadership positions. Patrick’s time in the military as an Armor and Military Intelligence officer had him stationed in Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, Arizona, and South Korea. Robert as an Air Defense Artillery officer spent most of his time in Florida with occasional training deployments to Texas, and following the tragic events of 9/11, he commanded the security forces protecting the Miami International Airport for several months.

Robert married Tracy, nee Tarbell, in 1993 remaining in Palm Bay to start a family with the birth of their daughters, Samantha and Sydney. At the end of 1998, Patrick decided to return to civilian life and help with his family’s new Adobe software training business in Melbourne. Patrick’s parents hired Robert in 1999 to help market their company as well as teach classes – longtime friends were back together again gaining valuable experience working with many commercial and government clients who would send employees from across the globe for training. They also attended technology tradeshows/networking conferences which led to Robert being hired by Adobe as a solutions engineer in 2000. Robert found success at Adobe in various roles, but with increased responsibility, this required a move with his family to the Atlanta area where they currently live.

With Robert at Adobe, Patrick continued to support his family’s company expanding training operations into several other states as well as starting his own technology consulting business. In 2004, Patrick married Jay, nee Atencia (with Robert serving as best man), and their son Jacob was born in 2005 (Sophomore, MCC class of 2024). In 2006, Robert was promoted to manager for a newly formed Adobe team supporting Education customers, and he quickly sought out and hired Patrick. They have found professional success working together at Adobe and then as they moved into new roles over the past 15 years. Even though Robert and Patrick live over eight hundred miles apart they have maintained their close relationship spending time together during numerous Adobe events, MCC reunions, and personal trips/family vacations over the years. In November 2021, Patrick met Robert, Tracy, and some of their friends at a Genesis concert in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a memorable way to celebrate the first concert Robert and Patrick saw together (1987 Genesis Invisible Touch concert in Orlando) as well as the many blessings and wonderful shared memories that have come from their enduring friendship.

HOME SWEET HOME

ALUMNI RETURN TO COACH Coaches who were once MCC students are now coming back to make our current students the best athletes they can be.

PAUL JAIME ’17

Cross Country and Track & Field

MCC was a great four years for me. I made lifelong friends and lasting memories. I played four sports and loved it. After graduating, I went across the street to Florida Tech for college and in my last year there I ended up back here coaching. It’s been a blast and I love all the athletes. I look forward to my future with MCC.

RICH PRUZINSKY ’96

Football

Looking back, the four years at MCC flew by, although my teenage self may have disagreed. I was lucky to not only have been a Stinger my senior year but also a cheerleader my sophomore and junior years. I had the best of both worlds! After MCC, I attended Brevard Community College (BCC) for a few years. When the money ran out, I joined the Navy and traveled the world during my short enlistment. I met my husband during training school and our son is presently serving in the Navy as well. I finished my associate degree at BCC and recently earned my bachelor’s degree from Eastern Florida State College. I currently work full time from home for a dental software company where I manage and support dental offices across the country. Upon returning to MCC, some of the halls have changed, while others bring me back to those great years. I have friends I met there who have supported and grown with me through these many years. As a previous scholarship student, not only am I happy to be back but also to be giving back.

I was a student-athlete from 1992-1996, an all-state and all-space coast football player, a state finalist in shot put and more importantly, a leader in the hallways and an honor roll student throughout my time at MCC. Upon graduation, I attended Wingate University and earned a Bachelor of Arts from the

University of Florida in 2001. I was a scholarship recipient as I played football at both schools. I came back to MCC as an educator in 2012 where

I taught and coached football and softball until 2016 (playoff teams and an Elite 8 appearance). I have also worked at Bayside High School (defensive coordinator and educator) and most recently, at Rockledge High School as an educator and football and softball coach (playoff teams and a Final Four appearance). This past February, I returned to MCC as a teacher and head football coach. I am truly blessed, extremely humbled, and excited to be back home at The Hive. I love this place, the people, the community, and the true Hustler pride! The football program will always have a team-first culture and will be a Christ-centered environment that will allow us to swarm life together as Hustler bees!

I was captain of the inaugural MCC women’s lacrosse team. I am working to build youth lacrosse in the diocese while encouraging positive health and fitness relationships for children and young adults. Being at MCC again has been the greatest experience for myself, my husband, and my four children who will be attending MCC in the future. I am thrilled to be on the turf again coaching these amazing Lady Hustlers and can’t wait to meet all the players next spring.

MICHELLE BOURLIER JOHNSON ’08

Girls Lacrosse

TAMMY JO COLOMBE JONES ’88

Stingers