Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Summer 2012

The 49th Annual Commencement Ceremonies

magazinemount Saint mary College

Stellar Seniors | Summer Sports Roundup | Meyer Business Center

Newburgh, New York Summer 2012

2 MouNt SaiNt MarY College MagaziNe | SUMMER 2012

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

As we enjoy the last rays of summer, I look across the river at the still green hills, and around the campus, and feel the satisfaction of a busy season of planning.

Upon receipt of plans for the Dominican Center, the Board of Trustees approved a renovation budget. We will begin this fall to transform the property into a state- of-the-art library, residence hall and dining facility. It will hearken back to Mount Saint Mary Acad-emy, but equipped for our 21st century college students, present and future.

I know that many of our new graduates are engaged in planning of their own. Many have stayed in touch during the summer, with Commencement 2012 and class-mates and professors still in their hearts, and the opportunities and challenges of the “real world” up-permost in their minds.

Summer has been a time of ex-ploring new pathways, and gather-ing with alumni and friends. You’ll find a number of them in this magazine. And we look forward to Alumni and Family Weekend this fall.

Also, we recently prepared and submitted a Periodic Review Report to the Middle States Com-mission on Higher Education. The report is a regular part of the process of assessment and reac-creditation. Thanks to the efforts of our planning and academic affairs offices, and many others, I am pleased that our report was well-received by the external reviewers, who commended the thorough

analysis which they state “efficiently addresses all 15 recommendations” subsequent to the 2007 visit, and “provides detailed descriptions of the institutional initiatives that have been developed, implement-ed, and assessed” which align well with our strategic plan. Our atten-tion, growth, and future design are “stable and promising” according to the reviewers.

You’ll be learning more about important projects as we continue implementing the college’s first five-year Strategic Plan.

You can also read more about our people, programs, news and events at our website, www.msmc.edu

God bless.

Sincerely,

Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFMPresident

A letter from the President

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Volume 34, No. 2

the office ofCommunity relationsprepares this magazine foralumni, students, parentsand friends of the College. EDITORJanet gianopoulos ART DIRECTORDean DiMarzo CONTRIBUTORSSheila KimballMatt Frey ’05Joan gambeskiMichelle iacuessa ’94Justin Satkowski

GRAPHIC DESIGNERSten Miller

PHOTOGRAPHYlee FerrisDean DiMarzoSheila KimballJoan gambeski COPYEDITINGJane HanleyMayde PokornyMatt Frey ’05 CirCulatioN 8,000 ©2012 [email protected]

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGENewburgh, NY 12550845-561-0800 ADMISSIONS888-YeS-MSMC (888-937-6762)

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Contents

2012 graduates share their plans for the future

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News from the Mount | New courses, promotions and more 2 graduation 2012 | The Mount celebrates its 49th Commencement 4Stellar seniors | Stars from the class of 2012 share their plans 6 Hall of Fame | Call for nominees for the Mount’s new Hall of Fame 14Knights give back | Mount athletes participate in community projects 14Sports roundup | Records, awards, and sports highlights 16alumnae co-authors | “Nurses in War: Voices from Iraq and Afghanistan” 18Scholarships | Chamber awards scholarships to Mount students 18alumni Notes | The latest news from Mount graduates 19alumni Profile | Jonathan Mars ’04 22affron lecture | Barbara Taylor Bradford speaks at the Mount 23Dominican Center tour | See photos from the pre-construction tours 24Mount unveils new logo | Dominican Center inspires new look 24Friends of the Mount | A gift from Carl Meyer creates business center 25

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Stellar Seniors

On the cover Students make their way to the commencement ceremonies.Photo by lee Ferris/Mount Saint Mary College

Launching this fallA new interdisciplinary major, tech-

nology and digital media, will provide skills necessary for careers in web content, corporate communications, healthcare, engineering and higher education. The major is offered jointly through arts and letters and mathemat-ics and information technology.

Joining our selection of pre-profes-sional programs is the new pre-physi-cian assistant program. Like the pre-medical, pre-dental, and pre-veterinary tracks, the pre-PA program is intended for students who plan to apply to a graduate program, in the interest of obtaining a physician assistant license.

A new course on special topics in information technology - web 2.0 for teachers, taught by Bojan K. Lazarevic, assistant professor of information tech-nology, provides an overview of emerg-ing web-based educational technologies and a supporting theoretical framework.

John Hofbauer, philosophy and re-ligious studies, will teach a new course on philosophy of science/nature which examines science as a “way of knowing,” and relates philosophy and its study of universal, cosmological questions to “nature” issues studied by the discipline of science.

The Mount’s new special topics: introduction to sports management

course provides an overview of all fac-ets of the sports management industry and examines ethical challenges facing sports management professionals.Faculty promotions

Andrea Ackermann, to professor of nursing; Reva Cowan, professor of education; Patricia Ruff, assistant professor of education; Jill Sussman, assistant professor of nursing; Moira Tolan, professor of business.

Promoted with continuous tenure are: Evelyn Barese, associate professor of education; J. David Gallagher, associate professor of education; Carl Hoegler, pro-fessor of biology; Teresa Hurley, associate professor of nursing; Susan Vorsanger, associate professor of human services.

Emeritis: Mattson Atsunyo, profes-sor emeritus of business; Sr. Jean Ro-saire Bedotto, OP, professor emerita of English.

New administratorAndrew Weiss, the

new chair of business, received his Ph.D. in organization behavior from Northwestern University. He comes to

the Mount from Heidelberg Univer-sity in Ohio, and he has spent most of his career building business programs, leading redesign and implementation

of programs at Monmouth College and at Purdue North Central. He also established an MBA program at Purdue North Central, and organized and led the initial stages for accredita-tion for business programs at Purdue North Central.

News from the MountGood neighborsHabitat Builders Blitz

Volunteers from Mount Saint Mary College gave their time and efforts to the Habitat for Humanity Builders Blitz in Newburgh, where two homes were rebuilt in a week for families in need. More than 50 percent of Mount students volunteer through service clubs or in the field as part of course-work. The Mount’s Habitat chapter has been building for more than 10 years.

Aging United serviceMembers of the college Aging United

student organization, sponsored by the Center on Aging and Policy, hosted a Hawaiian luau-style Spring Fling for the elderly residents of the Johnes Home in

above | Fr. Kevin e. Mackin, oFM, speaks with Habitat volunteers at the building site in Newburgh.


Newburgh. The intergenerational fun included bingo and island-style snacks. Aging United’s outreach is one of several aging-related events throughout the year.

Colleen Kirk, as-sistant professor of busi-ness, previously taught at Mercy College and was a national accounts man-ager for Borland Interna-

tional. She’s teaching marketing at the Mount. Her areas of interest include: differences between “digital native” and “digital immigrant” consumers; student response to interactivity in digital textbooks; and research meth-odology. Her doctoral dissertation was “Consuming Concepts: The Hedonic and Utilitarian Effects of Perceived Interactivity in a Digital Information Products Context.”

New professor

Nursing faculty receiving doctor-ates include: Jeanne Roth, “The Lived Experience of Caring for a Partner with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease” and Jill Sussman, “Nursing Students’ Perceptions of the Mental Health Clinical Experience.”

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Students race against numbers

The Knight Race, organized by the math club, had 40 students from different majors crisscrossing the campus to solve puzzles and math-ematical problems. Determining the winning strategy in a game of 21 Flags were (from left) Nicole Havrilla (fac-ing away), an honors mathematics/education major; Brian Klose, public relations; Ryan O’Grady, business management; Mary Bocskocsky, English/education; and Karen Borst, honors mathematics/education. The math club is advised by Lee Fothergill, associate professor.

Duck calls college home

After commencement emptied the nest in college residence halls, a mother duck feathered one at College Courts.

The mottled mallard incubated nearly a dozen eggs on a concealed nest. Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm., Mount chaplain, blessed the duck and her soon-to-hatch offspring, and then Facilities staff escorted the mallard mom and newborns to the Newburgh waterfront.

Puppy play date

Taking a break from studying, Mount students Darren Kondas, a biology/physical therapy major; Kristen Mitchell, biology; Jacqueline Reeves, information technology; and Stephanie Meissner, media studies/production, spend a few moments in the library with Luna, a Doberman. Research has proven that petting or talking to an animal can lower blood pressure and heart rate, and reduce mental distress.

TrusteesCharles P. Frank of

Walden, N.Y., a business development executive with more than 30 years experience in informa-tion technology, and Jonathan Gatsik ‘99, an attorney, were elected to the Board of Trustees at Mount Saint Mary College. A former Village of Walden mayor, Frank handles financial services solution development for IBM Global

Alliances, and is respon-sible for industry solu-tions and for establish-ing relationships with executives worldwide.

Gatsik, a business graduate of the Mount, is assistant general counsel with Production Resource Group, LLC, in Armonk, N.Y.

Dr. Albert J. Gruner was elected chairman of the board, and Ita Rahilly is vice chair.

Gruner, a former dentist, retired as a chartered financial consultant with The Valley Group, Inc. in Kingston, N.Y. He graduated from St. Anselm College and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, and serves as chairman of the board of Ulster Savings Bank.

Rahilly has more than 25 years of public accounting experience and is a partner with Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni, & Weddell. Rahilly con-centrates on the tax arena where she works with closely-held businesses and their shareholders.

Student joins the churchStacy Buckley of Wassaic, N.Y., a biol-

ogy major at the Mount, took the con-firmation name Maria. She is pictured next to her sponsor Raul Noa. From left are Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm., Mount Saint Mary College chaplain and director of campus ministry; Bishop Dominick Lagonegro; and Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, Mount president. Buckley’s home parish is St. Mary’s Church in Newburgh.

Creatures great and small


Well done! Give yourself a hug

Blue skies smiled upon thousands of family members and friends as they arrived for the ceremony. Wowed by the sparkling campus

views, they streamed into a huge tent.

the Baccalaureate Mass was celebrated by His eminence Peter Cardinal turkson, with Fr. Kevin Mackin, oFM, presi-dent, and Fr. Francis amodio, o.Carm., chaplain and director of campus ministry. Paul rich-mond ’12 and Meghan Capurso ’15 were altar servers.

49th Commencement a ‘joyful affair’ for students and families

Members of the Class of 2012 give themselves a hug during commencement ceremonies at Mount Saint Mary College.

At the same time, live video of the 2012 Mount Saint Mary College Com-mencement ceremony began streaming on the Internet.

Professor James Cotter, master of ceremonies, bore the mace and kept the pace for the long procession and ceremony.

Before launching into the future after years of diligent study, the outstanding women and men of the Mount Saint Mary College Class of 2012 were invited by Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, president:

“Each of you put your right hand on your left shoulder, and your left hand on your right shoulder…” – smiles spread across the students’ faces — “and give yourself a huge hug for reaching this milestone!”

The commencement hug is a warm tradition Fr. Kevin instituted at the

Mount a few years ago.This year, 654 bachelor’s and mas-

ter’s degree candidates were recog-nized. After inviting all to applaud the faculty and trustees, Fr. Kevin noted in his welcoming remarks that the gradu-ates enter an alumni family of “people making a difference for the better.”

He also introduced an accomplished trio of guest honorees, as a tribute to our students’ work in many fields.

Elizabeth Ailes, publisher of The Putnam County News & Recorder and The Putnam County Courier, referred to Rudyard Kipling’s famous poem “If ” about the characteristics of maturity, and added that “Whatever you want, ‘if ’ you want it badly enough, you’ve got a good chance of getting it.”

Obtaining goals depends on several things, noted Ailes, such as having “passion and being willing to follow

Commencement 2012

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your heart while using your head.” She discovered her passion at age 12, was “addicted to news” and was a “pint-sized, do-it-yourself search engine.” After graduating from Southern Con-necticut State University, she “hap-pily worked the overnight shift as a production assistant (at a television station), and within a few months, was promoted to the overnight assignment desk,” she said.

Ailes encouraged the graduates to be “willing to outwork others. If you are tireless and demand excellence of your-self and your colleagues, you will suc-ceed.” Be ready to improvise, she said, and expect and embrace changes. Learn how to be flexible, encourage and help others, and each morning “say a prayer that today is another opportunity; today there is some worthwhile occasion that you will rise to,” said Ailes.

The 20-year veteran of NBC News, CNBC, and America’s Talking, the forerunner of MSNBC, is married to Roger Ailes, CEO of the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.

Also receiving honorary degrees were His Eminence Peter Cardinal Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and Joseph A. Reilly, CEO of the Empire Broadcasting Corporation.

Cardinal Turkson, appointed presi-dent of the Pontifical Council by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, shared with the graduates his objectives and mandate to “promote justice and peace in the world, in the light of the Gospel and

of the social teaching of the Church” and “foster relations with international Catholic organizations and with other bodies, be they Catholic or not, that are sincerely committed to the promotion of the values of justice and peace in the world.”

Speaking about the education the graduates received at Mount Saint Mary College, Cardinal Turkson said it was a “rich blend of scholarship and spirituality.”

Among his many activities, Cardinal Turkson serves on the board of direc-tors of Medicus Christi: founded to bring professional and compassionate medical care into poor countries.

Born in Nsuta Wassaw, Ghana, he was ordained a priest for the Arch-diocese of Cape Coast in 1975, did doctoral studies at the Pontifical Bibli-cal Institute, Rome, and taught at St. Teresa’s Minor Seminary and St. Peter’s Major Seminary. In 1992, he was ap-pointed Archbishop of Cape Coast, and he was created and proclaimed Cardi-nal by Pope John Paul II in 2003.

Reilly, a native New Yorker, retired as president and CEO of the New York State Broadcasters Association in 2011.

He urged graduates to “follow your heart, follow your passion, take risks,

take time to pick a mate, don’t forget your parents and remember to keep God in your life.”

Reilly was the first full-time execu-tive director of the Broadcasters Asso-ciation in 1980, and became president in 1986. He represented the interests of more than 750 radio and television stations, including the major New York City based networks, and advocated for the broadcasting profession before state and federal legislative bodies.

Among Reilly’s many achievements was his leadership to open New York State courts to electronic media such as cameras and microphones.

After the three honorary degrees, it was time for hundreds of bachelor’s and master’s degree recipients to walk across the platform, each receiving a diploma case and a handshake from Fr. Kevin. Among the many Mount gradu-ates were the children of four faculty members, each of whom presented a diploma to her son or daughter.

Though the ceremony under the huge tent was well documented, as they emerged afterward, family members eagerly posed their graduates with the Mount’s Hudson River views as a background.

The Mount congratulates the class of 2012.

Order the DVDThe Mount’s 49th Annual Commencement ceremony is available on DVD through the Campus Store.

Elizabeth Ailes, Peter Cardinal Turkson, and Joseph Reilly speak during commencement exercises at Mount Saint Mary College, May 19, 2012.

Stellar Seniors

6 MouNt SaiNt MarY College MagaziNe | SuMMer 2012

Arts grads launch careersCommunication arts gradu-

ates from Mount Saint Mary College are launching ca-

reers ranging from library science to marketing and communications for biotechnology research companies.

English major Meagan O’Gallagher credits her internship at the Mount’s Curtin Memorial Library on campus with helping her to decide to pursue library science in graduate school.

Jerilynn Sweet ‘12, media studies, works fulltime in direct sales and mar-keting for Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies. She’s a corporate trainer for Lakeside Consultants in Mahopac, N.Y., currently aiding the customer relations side of Verizon FiOS.

Sweet said working at Lakeside Consultants is “something I truly love.” On the job, she uses skills acquired at her internship and in classes at Mount Saint Mary College, including public speaking, writing, and other skills. Her internship at Cinderella4aday wedding and event planning in Kingston, N.Y., prompted her to “come outside my comfort zone and not be afraid to jump into a project I know nothing about.”

An internship at North Jersey Brain and Spine Center helped Samantha Sinatra ‘12 build a professional portfo-lio and gave her the experience to land a fulltime job. Sinatra was involved in public relations and marketing tasks at the neurosurgical practice. “My intern-ship in the healthcare industry helped me know immediately that this was the right niche for me,” she said.

Sinatra will now work for Quintiles in Parsippany, N.J., a clinical research

Meghan Darcy

and consulting organization servicing the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields. In her new role as project executive, she will promote and market newly approved pharmaceutical drugs, and organize clinical trials for doctors, along with creating effective patient brochures.

Meghan Darcy ’12 interned at CBS in Manhattan for the television show “48 Hours Mystery.” Her main task was to research murder cases and pitch potential stories to producers. Darcy also assisted CBS producers and editors with the airing of the Royal Wedding and national reports on the killing of Osama Bin Laden. “I was able to live my dream during my internship expe-riences,” noted Darcy, “and am excited to see what the future holds.”

Alumnus Matt Sautner ’90 recently returned to the Mount to encourage

Darcy and other public relations and media studies seniors in professor James Beard’s class. Sautner shared about his career climb and current position as vice president of prime time sales at CBS. He and his CBS team generate $2 billion in national ad revenue annually.

Other alumni working in their fields include Kathleen Grace Kellerman ’11, at Ralph Lauren; Gianna Cesa ’11, Beh-rman Communications; Anthony Curti ’08, assistant district attorney, Orange County; Enny Pichardo ’06, internation-al correspondent, Nuestra Tele Noticias 24; Nicholas Shannon ’03, manager of special events, Saint Francis Hospital and Health Center; Corinn McBride ’00, director of recruitment, Lehigh Univer-sity/College of Business and Economics/Graduate Programs; Lisa Morris ’94, director of marketing, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union; and Terri Walters ’86, CEO, Moonfish Productions, Ltd.

Mount students are well prepared. With academics plus internships, “You learn along the way,” said Sweet.

Jerilynn Sweet

Samantha

Sinatra

A degree in business from Mount Saint Mary College takes grads along the road of success.

All the way to the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla.

Nicole Corbett of New Windsor, N.Y. majored in business management and administration. At the end of the summer, she began working fulltime for Disney Retail.

Lodging and hospitality is the path that Corbett is pursuing, so working at Disney is a great career boost, she said.

After graduating this May, she aided the Hudson Valley Renegades Pitch for Kids Fund this summer as an event planner and social media intern.

She noted that Mount faculty such as Matson Attsunyo, James Griesemer, and Shelley Love, “all genuinely cared about my well-being and getting a great education. They’ve taught me everything about the business world, and it will be sad to say goodbye.”

Senior Brittany Shantwell’s intern-ship at Freedom Ford in Beacon, N.Y., has evolved into a fulltime position after graduation.

Shantwell, an accounting major, lauds professors Louis Fortunato and Tracey Niemotko for being “very knowledgeable and very helpful.”

With the ultimate goal of working in the banking industry, Shantwell “handles all types of accounting tasks and cash receipts” at Freedom Ford.

The business program at Mount Saint Mary College incorporates technology, international vision, and modern orga-nizational science to prepare students for careers in a global economy.

With a liberal arts core to develop critical thinking, students learn ac-counting, management, finance, economics, and marketing.

Mount students also get real world experience through community service, for example participating in the IRS VITA program assisting low income individuals with tax forms.

Accounting students teamed up with PathStone Community Improve-ment of Newburgh to provide the service. Seniors who volunteered their time this spring were Joe Canary, Leonora Liz, and Noelle Shalian.

They completed online training plus on-site training with an IRS rep-resentative. The accounting program at the Mount offers a sequence of specialized instruction in accounting theory, cost management, budgeting, auditing, taxation, accounting systems and accounting as a management tool.

The Mount’s many successful alumni with business degrees include Tyler Tum-minia ’09, MBA, senior vice president of marketing and operations for Goldklang Group, a sports entertainment ownership consulting firm in Fishkill, N.Y., and Sam Firempong ’02, vice president of ICG Global Expense, Citigroup.

Corbett summarized Mount Saint Mary College’s business program and the college’s Career Center, “I owe everything to the Mount because they have prepared me well for my career.”

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Nicole Corbett (right) and a friend at Disney World in orlando, Fla.

Corbett at Dutchess Stadium where she interned for the Hudson Valley renegades.

Joe Canary, accounting major at Mount Saint Mary College, assisted local residents with income tax forms.

Grads get down to business


While a senior at Mount Saint Mary College, Juan Luis ’11 was busy making plans to

launch his own business. Together with his brothers Kenneth ’12 and Marco, he opened Complex City on Williams Street in Newburgh, N.Y.

The business is thriving. From netbooks to desktop computers, Com-plex City writes and installs the latest software, cleans up virus infections and repairs computers for both individuals and businesses.

“Setting up a network at the Bulls Head Inn,” said Juan, “was something I never pictured us doing.” The system they installed controls iPads and print-ers to print receipts, manage expenses and output food orders.

Kenneth, who also majored in in-formation technology, joined Complex City full-time following graduation. He said the strong faculty and small classes at the Mount, along with state-of-the-art equipment in computer labs, helped prepare him for the business world. During senior year, he completed an internship at Sono-Tek Corporation, a world leader for thin coating in elec-tronics manufacturing. He now uses

what he’s learned at Complex City.Kenneth credits retiring Mount

professor Vincent Kayes, information technology, with being a valuable men-tor. “He’s a great teacher and adviser, but most of all, a great friend.”

Bulls Head Inn owner Kris Edwards also influenced Kenneth’s career. “I washed dishes for him at Randone’s (a pizzeria and restaurant which Edwards also owns) and he would always call me with any IT related problems, and then he asked us to install his new system,” said Kenneth.

Juan noted that the business is grow-ing because it’s diversified and cus-tomer oriented. “We like to take on the tasks people bring us,” he noted.

Mount Saint Mary College helped the Luis brothers succeed by offering classes that taught them to understand concepts about computers and net-working to the fullest.

“Professors at the Mount really know their students,” said Juan, adding that, “They made it seem like what I was doing was important, and they were always available to help.”

Proud professors Vincent Kayes and Neil Christensen shared the

news. “They were certainly above aver-age students,” wrote Christensen, who added about their hard working family, “very inspiring.”

Students majoring in mathematics or information technology often go on to careers in networking, web technol-ogies, or as financial analysts, actuaries, bank managers, statisticians, research-ers, programmers or teachers.

Mount senior Brittany Botta, honors mathematics/education, was recently selected by the American Educational Research Association to participate in the association’s prestigious workshop. Her primary interest is “motivation among adolescent girls to pursue ca-reers in mathematics and engineering.”

Mount graduate Leandro Bautista ’11, who studied information tech-nology, now works at Google as a technician servicing and maintaining hardware inventory. He said that his internship at Sono-Tek “gave me a taste of what the real world was like and showed me different areas of IT, help-ing me get a feel for what I wanted to do with my degree and preparing me for the real world after graduation.”

IT and math students make their mark

left | luis brothers in front of their store, Complex City. From left: Marco, Kenneth and Juan.

Below | Brittany Botta, honors mathematics/education

Stellar Seniors

The highly competitive, nation-ally accredited nursing program at Mount Saint Mary College

produces top notch new nurses capable of providing quality patient care. Mount graduates consistently outperform the state average on the NCLEX-RN exam.

“The Mount’s nursing program was very rigorous and thorough, with a special emphasis on building up and strengthening our critical thinking skills,” said new graduate Brittany Marrone.

This May, Marrone began her career as a cardiac telemetry nurse on a pro-gressive care unit at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, N.Y. Cardiac telemetry involves the transmission of a patient’s cardiac signals (electric or pressure derived) to a receiving location where they are monitored.

Amanda Duffy has also been hired. She works as a nurse at Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital in Binghamton, N.Y.

“The Mount prepared me not only academically, but on a psychological and social level as well, to venture into the world of nursing,” noted Duffy.

The best feature of the Mount’s nurs-ing program is the “amazing profes-sors,” said Duffy.

“It’s their knowledge of ‘why’ that sets

Mount nursing students apart from oth-ers,” said clinical instructor Mary Lyman, who supervised senior nursing students at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Pough-keepsie, N.Y., this spring.

This “intensive understanding of how and why the human body works as it does” helps prepare “well-rounded nurses with better assessment skills,” Lyman added.

Clinical experiences in hospitals and the computerized patient simulators in state of the art labs on campus were cited as vital aspects of the nursing program at the Mount.

“The real-life simulations in lab helped me refine my skills,” said Alex Peguero-Medrano. During clinical, he was “able to put those skills into perspective and come to the realization of what nursing is truly all about,” he added.

Peguero-Medrano, named the 2011 Student of the Year by the New York State

Cooperative & Experiential Education Association, has chosen to begin his nursing career at Northern Westchester Hospital.

Another highlight was a humanitar-ian mission to the Dominican Republic, with nearly two dozen fellow nursing students and faculty members Murphy and Corcoran.

“As a native of Dominican Republic,” said Peguero-Medrano who emigrated to the U.S. in 1995, “I felt blessed to take care of the poorest in my country. This was the first time I traveled to my country since I came to the U.S. It was an amazing experience, a mission trip to provide care and learn from people of another culture.”

Sean Murphy also served in the Dominican Republic.

“It was an incredibly humbling expe-rience. These people lack basic health care services which we take for grant-ed,” said Murphy, who is employed at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Mount Saint Mary College 2012 nursing graduates (from left) Brittany Marrone, alex Peguero-Medrano, amanda Duffy and Sean Murphy.

Nurse PinningAs Mount Saint Mary College geared up for commencement weekend,

its traditional pinning ceremony honored 62 nursing graduates. Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, president, gave an invocation and blessed the pins, to be presented by chosen family members and friends. “A Nurse’s Prayer,” which speaks of dedicating one’s life to helping others, was also recited.

Nursing gradsfill community need

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Philosophy and religious studies courses can provide values and principles to live by, and can

also help one hear his life’s calling.Mount graduate Paul Richmond ‘12

noted that philosophy and religious studies at the Mount “helped me tre-mendously in my vocation to become a priest.”

Richmond was involved with campus ministry, directed by Fr. Francis Amo-dio, O.Carm., which also strengthened his choice of vocation. “Through com-munity, prayer, retreats and service,” said Richmond, “I gained discernment.”

Campus ministry events and working with the poor at Newburgh Ministries provided rich opportunities that con-firmed the call on Richmond’s life.

He served as the sacristan, respon-sible for gathering and preparing all the materials necessary for mass.

“As head altar server for campus min-istry, I served mass, trained altar servers, and helped the chaplain with his duties in the chapel and office,” said Richmond.

Religious studies curriculum provides

a multi-faceted, worldwide introduction to the religious patterns of humanity. Courses in philosophy cover insights and theories of major Western and Eastern philosophers, helping students master the basic skills of philosophical thought and an “examined life.”

Richmond said professor Ed Teall’s classes “taught me to always ask the question ‘why’ until you find an answer, and to never let anything get in your way from reaching a goal and having success in your life.”

A course on the New Testament helped Richmond understand “the truth of my faith and define different aspects of my life with regard to my religious vocation.”

The Dominican heritage also “shaped my vocation through its vari-ous teachings and always seeking out the truth in life,” noted Richmond.

Mount Saint Mary College is Do-minican in heritage, with a Franciscan friar, Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, as presi-dent, and a Carmelite friar as chaplain and campus ministry director.

Richmond said he found himself “in the middle of a crossroads of these three religious orders. I began asking questions about each, and their unique spirituality.”

Richmond is joining the formation program of the Order of Carmelites, Province of St. Elias in Middletown, N.Y. “The formation process – which includes pre-novitiate study, novitiate life as a brother in community, simple vows of poverty, chastity and obedi-ence; solemn vows which are perma-nent to death, the sacrament of holy orders for ordination as a deacon, and then ordination to the priesthood—takes about eight years of study and pastoral work,” said Richmond.

When Richmond arrived on the Mount campus, he “immediately fell in love” with the spectacular views of the Hudson River.

His favorite memory of the Mount is “hanging out with friends I love in the campus ministry office, where we shared many laughs, and some tears.”

“Although we came as strangers,” he added, “we’re leaving as a family.”

Pointing the way to the

priesthood

Paul richmond (in white), a media studies/production major, assists Fr. Kevin e. Mackin, oFM, president of Mount Saint Mary College, dur-ing the annual blessing of pets.

Stellar Seniors

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A degree in natural sciences from Mount Saint Mary Col-lege can lead to a high-tech

lab or drive one to the dogs.From working as a chemist to at-

tending veterinary school, the Mount’s rigorous natural sciences programs prepare grads for success in their cho-sen career fields.

“The science faculty at the Mount is very strong,” said Andre Santa ‘12, who started a new job just two days after graduation as a chemist/quality process engineer for Eastern Alloys, Inc. in Maybrook, N.Y.

Santa will be busy testing the quality of products, he said, adding that his job offer came as a result of attending the Mount Saint Mary College employ-ment fair in March.

“I gave my résumé to the HR person (from Eastern Alloys), they later found me walking around the fair, and I had a preliminary interview on the spot,” said Santa.

The Mount offers a variety of science courses, from astronomy and earth sci-ence to organic chemistry and animal physiology, for bachelor’s degrees in biology or chemistry.

Santa worked at the college and pri-vately as a chemstry tutor. He named Mount professors William Lahar, Lynn Maelia and Janet Petroski as key to his success.

“They were always willing to work with me whenever I needed help,” noted Santa.

Course requirements also prepare students for graduate study, medical, veterinary or dental school, and careers in industry and education. Mount natural science alumni include Dr. Amy (Dziezynski) Karls ’95, veteri-narian, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., and Nelson Rita ’99, associate clinical trial manager, Mannkind Corporation.

Gigianna Santiago ’12, an honors biology grad, will study veterinary medicine this fall. She noted that professor Suparna Bhalla, chair of the natural sciences division, served as her advisor and was very helpful regarding the vet school application process.

Santiago says she is well prepared for the challenges ahead due to the robust science curriculum and hands-on work in the Mount’s state-of-the-art labs.

“The strongest aspect of my educa-tion at the Mount,” said Santiago, “was the emphasis on taking the lecture ma-terial and not only placing it in a real world situation to help you with what you were learning, but also in the ap-plication of research.”

Santiago presented her research at the Eastern Colleges Science Confer-ence this spring. Her topic was “Modi-fication of a Plant Microbial Fuel Cell Using Activated Carbon Granules to Improve Electron Transfer.”

Growing up with three dogs and a cat, Santiago knew early on that she wanted to be a veterinarian.

“It’s always been my dream to help animals,” she said, “and to work with zoo animals to make them more en-gaged.”

Santiago credits family and friends, the Mount’s natural sciences division and the Career Center for her under-graduate success. From the beginning of her time at the Mount, they’ve been “encouraging me to keep going on the path that is my passion.”

Science grads reach for the stars

Santiago

Santa


Wearing a World War II flight suit, Mount Saint Mary College history major James

Lellis leads tours for school children. At the National Purple Heart Hall

of Honor in New Windsor, N.Y., where he is employed, he teaches them about different wars.

The Hall of Honor commemorates the extraordinary sacrifices of Amer-ica’s servicemen and servicewomen who were killed or wounded in com-bat through collecting and preserving stories of Purple Heart recipients.

Lellis, a social sciences/education major, will put this experience to good use someday when teaching in his own classroom.

“I guide tours with mainly kids in school, ranging from third graders to high school students,” he said.

Lellis said he “loved the student teaching during senior year at the Mount because it was the true ‘litmus test’ of whether or not I wanted to teach. Getting first-hand experience in a class-room reinforced my love for teaching.”

Although his role at the Hall of Hon-or involves historical research, Lellis said he prefers “the psychology of history.”

“I love to learn about what set the stage for conflicts, how wars were fought, what psychology was involved, and what alternate realities could have happened if one pivotal event did or did not occur,” Lellis noted.

He thoroughly enjoyed a class on the Cold War taught by Thuy Linh Nguyen. Lellis also cites history professors Stanley Pycior and Glenn Reynolds as top instructors.

“(Pycior)’s the kind of teacher who I take part of my teaching style from,” said Lellis. “When you can make students comfortable with you; that’s half the battle of letting their

Social sciences students step forward

“My dream is to have my own business and open a traveling beauty salon for the elderly,”

— zakiya abdus-Salaam

“Getting first-hand ex-perience in a classroom reinforced my love for teaching.”

— James lellis

potential shine.” Mount faculty Susan Vorsanger,

Charles Giardina, Lawrence Force and Sr. Peggy Murphy, OP were Zakiya Abdus-Salaam’s guides.

The human services student worked closely with Dr. Force in the Center on Aging and Policy. Abdus-Salaam was also president of the Aging United student or-ganization, which hosted outreach events for the elderly in the community.

The Mount gave Abdus-Salaam ample opportunity to “seize leadership roles,” she said.

Her internship at Hospice of Or-ange and Sullivan Counties, Inc., gave her first-hand experience.

“Working alongside the director in the Newburgh office,” said Abdus-Sa-laam, “I learned the meaning of life and how to help the families of those who were losing the battle to a fatal disease.”

“My dream is to have my own busi-ness and open a traveling beauty salon for the elderly,” said Abdus-Salaam, adding that she’s “always felt called to work with seniors.”

The social sciences at Mount Saint Mary College include majors in his-tory/political science, psychology, human services and sociology.

Alumni include Tiffany Reis Rus-sell, assistant corporation counsel for City of Newburgh, N.Y.; Lisa Neer ’97, school psychologist, Highland Public Schools; Andrew O’Grady ’88, director of case management, Mental Health Association in Dutchess County; and Kara (Boivin) Miller ’06, senior client manager at Dutchess County Commu-nity Action.

Abdus-Salaam says her Mount edu-cation gave her a sense of confidence.

“I’m prepared to take on all of life’s opportunities. I am equipped with knowledge and a positive attitude that will get me far in life.”

Stellar Seniors

www.msmc.edu 13

Students graduate to the

classroomAfter logging more than 100

hours of fieldwork plus months of student teaching, graduates

of the Mount’s education program are ready to take on their own classrooms.

Meghan Stackpole ‘12 noted that the Mount taught her skills which “help me feel comfortable and confident teaching in a classroom.”

Upon graduation, Stackpole became employed in the Pine Bush Central School District in Orange County, N.Y.

“I work in a self-contained special education class with third, fourth and fifth graders,” said Stackpole.

She chose the Mount because of the “great reputation of its education program.”

While student teaching at Pakanasink Elementary School in Circleville, N.Y., Stackpole “learned behavior and time management, two vitally important skills for a teacher to possess in order to have a successful learning environment in her own classroom,” she said.

Fieldwork—embedded in course-work—starts in the sophomore year.

“We start earlier than many other col-leges getting our students in actual class-rooms while providing a very supportive environment for our teacher candidates,” said Reva Cowan, chair of the program.

Karen McCaffrey, a mathematics/education major, will pursue graduate studies in education at the Mount.

“I’ve learned so much at the Mount, both academically and professionally,” said McCaffrey, adding that she “flour-ished” during her four years here, while “falling in love with teaching.”

James Tompkins, a history/education major, will continue his education for a master’s degree.

Student teaching at Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, N.Y., prompted Tompkins to “become interested in the

educational policies that affect classroom teachers,” he said.

“My long term goal,” noted Tompkins, “is to obtain a doctorate degree.”

The Mount’s education program earns high marks in preparing well-qualified teachers and administrators, with an ag-gregate pass rate of 98 percent on the re-quired New York State content specialty tests for licensure. The state requires at least an 80 percent pass rate.

Debra Calvino ‘81, who graduated from the Mount with a mathematics degree and teaches at Valley Central High School in Orange County, was named New York State 2010 Teacher of the Year.

Danielle Greco ‘98, who majored in English/education, was selected as one of five na-tional finalists in a Top Teacher Search by the morning televi-sion show “Live! with Kelly.”

The special education teacher at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Bethpage, N.Y., noted: “Mount Saint Mary College was instrumen-tal in making me the teacher I am today. The Mount gave me the foundation of my teaching career academically and in-spired me to be a teacher who really cares and takes interest in her students.”

“The Mount gave me the foundation of my teaching ca-reer academically and inspired me to be a teacher who really cares and takes interest in her students.” — Danielle greco

Meghan Stackpole a social sciences major,

became employed at Pine Bush Central School District

in orange County, N.Y. upon graduation.


Sports events

The Mount Saint Mary College ath-letic department is pleased to announce the establishment of a Hall of Fame to recognize those who have brought honor and distinction to the College through their contributions to athlet-ics. The department is now accepting nominations for the inaugural class.

Nominations for the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012 will be accepted until October 15, 2012. The first class will be announced in October and recognized with a reception at a home basketball double-header in February.

Nominees for the Hall of Fame must be former student-athletes, coaches, staff members, or administrators. Former student-athletes become eligible for induction five years after the completion of their undergraduate career at Mount Saint Mary College. All other candidates are eligible at any time during or after their service at the Mount.

The selection committee may consider any factors it deems relevant, including but not limited to athletic ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, distinguished service, and outstanding contributions.

To nominate, fill out the nomination form and attach any pertinent informa-tion that will aid in the review process. Return the documents to the Mount’s athletic department.

Mount Saint Mary College

Hall of FameWomen’s soccer team

Knights in the Community

Knights help clean up Newburgh

Members of the men’s basketball team (back row, left to right: Kevin Mc-Donald, Kevin Milella, Carlos Valdez, and coach Ryan Kadlubowski) partici-pated in the Newburgh Community Cleanup sponsored by Safe Harbors of the Hudson on Saturday, May 12. The Knights cleaned up trash from several blocks in the City of Newburgh.

A fresh coat of paint spruces up a local school’s playground

Freshman and tennis player Nate Dimmie touches up a painted United States map on the playground at Walden Elementary School. In addi-tion to repainting the map, the Knights painted four-square courts and bases for the playground’s baseball field.

Mount president takes the mound

Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, president of Mount Saint Mary College, threw the first pitch at a Hudson Valley Renegades baseball game in July. The New York-Penn League team is based at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y., across the river from the college.

www.msmc.edu 15

Mount Saint Mary College Athletics Hall of Fame Nomination Form

In order to recognize those who have brought honor and distinction to Mount Saint Mary College through their contributions to athletics, the Mount Saint Mary College Athletic Department is accepting nominations for the Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2012. Forms must be received by October 15, 2012 for the current induction year. The Hall of Fame Committee will review all nominations and inductees will be notified verbally and in writing. Further information is available at www.msmcknights.com.

(Please provide as much information as possible.) Nominee’s Name: _______________________________________________________

Maiden Name: ________________________ Class Year: ____________________

Mount Sport(s): _______________________________________________________

Years (ex. 1996-‐99): _______________________________________________________

Nominee’s Address: _______________________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________________

State: __________________________ Zip Code: ___________________

Nominee’s Phone: _______________________________________________________

Nominee’s Email: _______________________________________________________

Noteworthy Athletic and Professional Accomplishments/Honors:

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

NOMINATION DEADLINE: October 15, 2012

Please attach any additional information (copies of articles, archival materials, etc.) to support your nomination. Your Name: _________________________________ Return nomination to: Address: _________________________________ Mount Saint Mary College Athletics City, State, Zip: _________________________________ 330 Powell Avenue Daytime Phone: _________________________________ Newburgh, NY 12550 Email: _________________________________ Attn: Hall of Fame Committee

Sports events


MSMC Knights Summer Roundup

Record: 21-18 overall, 10-6 Skyline

Highlights: An up and down season closed on a high note as the Knights swept Purchase College on the final day of the regular season to clinch the fourth seed in the Skyline Conference Tournament. Mount Saint Mary College held on for a 13-10 win over fifth-seeded Mount Saint Vincent in the opening round of the playoffs to advance to the double elimina-tion stage of the tournament. Consecutive losses to top-seeded Farmingdale and third-seeded St. Joseph’s sent the Knights packing, but not before earning a bid to the ECAC Metro Region Tournament. The Mount dropped a 6-2 decision to Stockton in the ECAC opening round.

Awards: Freshman Alex Velardi (pictured) was named the Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year and the D3baseball.com New York Region Rookie of the Year. He also earned a spot on the all-region first team, while sophomore Vinnie Carminati was named to the all-region third team. Velardi, Carminati and junior Michael Morelli were all Skyline first team honorees, while senior Dan McCrea and junior Thomas McNoble each claimed Skyline second team honors.


Highlights: After a tough 1-7 start, the Knights went 13-11 the rest of the way to finish with an overall mark of 14-18. Unfortunately, the season came to an abrupt halt with a loss to Old Westbury in the final game of the regu-lar season. The Panthers claimed the final playoff spot with an 8-2 victory over the Mount, leaving the Knights on the outside of the playoff picture for the first time since 2006.

Awards: Sophomore Chelsea Hepburn (pictured) was named to the Skyline Conference first team, while junior Caitlin Maynes nabbed a spot on the conference’s second team.


Highlights: Mount Saint Mary College closed the regular season with back-to-back wins over Yeshiva and St. Joseph’s to post a conference record of 4-2 and claim the third seed in the year-end conference tourna-ment. In a 5-4 victory over St. Joseph’s, sophomore Stat Willand provided the clinching point with a dramatic three-set win at second singles. Matched up with second-seeded and eventual champion Farmingdale in the opening round of the conference tournament, the Knights put up a good fight before yielding a 5-1 decision to the Rams.

Awards: Sophomore Greg Jacob (pictured) earned second team recog-nition in the year-end Skyline Confer-ence awards.

BaseBall Men’s tennissoftBall

Greg Jacob/ Photo by Justin SatkowskiChelsea Hepburn/Photo by Lee FerrisAlex Velardi/Photo by Anna Raugalis

www.msmc.edu 17

MSMC Knights Summer Roundup


Highlights: With an overall record of 7-9, the Knights set a new school record for wins in a season and were the sixth most-improved team in the country. The Mount recorded its first-ever conference victory with a 14-13 decision over Mount Saint Vincent on April 11. The team was selected by the Skyline coaches as the recipient of the Team Sportsmanship award. Junior Nick Findlay finished the season as an individual statistical champion, leading all of NCAA Division III in assists per game.

Awards: Junior Nick Findlay (pictured) was named to the Skyline Conference second team to become the first all-conference selection in program history.


Highlights: Following a 0-4 start, Mount Saint Mary College went 7-5 the rest of the way to finish at 7-9 overall, the best season in the program’s young history. The Knights closed the season with three consecutive Skyline Confer-ence wins to post a league mark of 4-4, also the best in program history. Junior Kaileen Spadaro set a new school record with 51 goals, while freshman Ela Igdeler broke the assist record with 14 on the year. Freshman goalie Lauren Beltrami set new records for saves, save percentage and wins.

Awards: Freshman Ela Igdeler (pic-tured) earned a place on the Skyline Conference first team, while junior Kaileen Spadaro and freshman Nicole Cacioppo took home second team honors.

Record: No record

Highlights: Completing just the second full season of track and field at Mount Saint Mary College, the Knights competed in 10 meets between the indoor and outdoor track seasons. The Mount also hosted its first-ever track meet, a tri-meet with Sage and Dutchess Community College on March 24. The teams combined to set 59 new school records, 25 on the men’s side and 34 on the women’s side.

Awards: Sophomore Scott Colello (pictured) led the way with eight new individual records for the men’s team, while sophomore Ope Ifafore set seven new marks for the women’s team.

Men’s lacrosse WoMen’s lacrosse track and field

Nick Findlay/Photo by Justin Davis Ela Igdeler/Photo by Lee Ferris Scott Colello/Photo by Nihal Mahawaduge


Mount Alumni

Mount alumnae and twin sisters, Mary Ellen (Scannell) Doherty ’72, PhD, RN, CNM

and Elizabeth Scannell-Desch ’72, PhD, RN, OCNS, presented the findings from their research at the VA Medical Center in Castle Point, N.Y., as part of an in-ternational tour. Their book, “Nurses in War: Voices from Iraq and Afghanistan” (Springer Publishing Company) is the culmination of three studies focusing on the experiences of deployed military nurses. It depicts the nurses’ personal accounts of saving lives and caring for patients while in harm’s way. Among the topics covered are the chaos of war, women’s health, parental separation, caring for the enemy, professional and personal growth, and homecoming.

Doherty, who spent most of her career as a certified nurse-midwife, is an associate professor of nursing at Western Connecticut State University. She was the founder and president of Concord Nurse-Midwifery Associates in Massachusetts and serves as a peer reviewer and contributing author for the “Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health” and the “Journal of Perinatal Education.” In 2012, Doherty was recognized with the Norton Mezvin-sky Award for Excellence in Research by the Connecticut State Universities System/Connecticut Board of Regents, the first time the award was given to a nursing professor and researcher.

Scannell-Desch, RN, PhD, a highly decorated retired Air Force officer, rose to the rank of Colonel and served as Command Nurse Executive at USAF headquarters at the Pentagon where she directed nursing policy and prac-tice for the entire Air Force Reserve. She is a former professor and chair of the division of nursing at Mount Saint Mary College and currently serves as Coordinator of Graduate and Under-

graduate Studies for Adelphi University School of Nursing at the Hudson Valley Center in Poughkeepsie. Scannell-Desch was recently selected for the prestigious 2012 Sustained Professional Achievement Award by the Foundation of New York State Nurses, which will be presented in New York City this fall.

Mount alumnae co-author book

The Chamber Foundation, Inc. of the Dutchess County Regional Cham-ber of Commerce in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. awarded five scholarships to Mount Saint Mary College students at its annual scholarship breakfast. Pictured from left to right are Amanda Harden and Caitlyn Siebold, recipients of the Athena Scholarship, and Daniel Beers and Rebecca Sylvestre, recipients

of the Eileen Hickey Nursing Scholar-ship. Daniel Hickey, widower of Eileen Hickey, congratulates Mr. Beers and Ms. Sylvestre. William Bier-sack, not pictured, received the Richard W. Mitchell Memorial Scholarship.

Mary ellen Doherty ’72 (left) and elizabeth Scannell-Desch ’72 (right) following a recent presentation and book signing.

Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce awards scholarships to Mount students

www.msmc.edu 19

Alumni Notes1966

Mary Ellen (Dolan) Can-giano retired as a guidance counselor with the Bayonne Board of Education. Mary Ellen is grandmother to Agos-tino Petrillo, son of Maura Cangiano Petrillo ’01.

1972 Eileen (Mullane) Garger was named vice president of strategic client relationships for BlessingWhite, a global HR leadership consultancy. Ei-leen and her husband, Steve, split their time between their homes in Pleasantville, N.Y. and Moody Point, Maine.

Mary Ellen (Scannell) Doherty and Elizabeth Scannell-Desch are the authors of the newly released book, “Nurses in War: Voices from Iraq and Afghanistan.” The book explores the experi-ences of U.S. military nurse deployments in those two war zones from 2003-2011. See full article on opposite page.

Mary Ellen Doherty has been named the Western Connecticut State University recipient of the 2012 Board of Regents/Connecticut State University Norton Mezvin-sky Research Award for her research: “bringing to the forefront the experience of understudied populations,“ the award notation noted. Dr. Doherty has been a member of the WCSU faculty since 2008 and has conducted research in the areas of childbearing and women’s

health. She is an active mem-ber of the American College of Nurse-Midwives serving in the Division of Research and is a peer reviewer for the “Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health” and the “Journal of Perinatal Educa-tion.” Dr. Doherty is also an expert witness for the legal system on maternal-newborn cases.

1973 Cathe (Mannix) Casey and husband, Jack, announce the birth of their first grandchild, John Fitzgerald Casey, who was born on November 12, 2011.

Joseph O’Connor is volun-teering at The Ronald Mac-Donald House of Long Island, which has been an awesome experience. As a member of the speaker’s bureau, he col-lects donations, gives tours of the house and presentations to groups and clubs who want to know about Ronald McDonald House. Joseph was recently featured on News 12 Long Island. Scott Passeser, the host of Jobline, inter-viewed him concerning “The Body Language of the Job Interview.”

1976 Theresa (Funk) Brown and husband, Louis, announce the arrival of their first grandchild, Caleb Oliver, born on Novem-ber 24, 2011. Caleb is the son of their daughter, Elisabeth, and son-in-law, Brent.

1985 Joycalyn Jordan was inducted into the Alpha Epsilon Delta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at SUNY Sullivan in November 2011, where she is majoring in pastry arts/hospitality manage-ment. Her goal is to own and operate a bed-and-breakfast. Meanwhile, she remains em-ployed as a supervisor at the Sullivan County Department of Family Services.

1995Lisa Russell was married to Alfio Toscano in January 2012 at St. John the Evangelist Church, Beacon, N.Y. Lisa is an accounts payable manager for York Capital Management in New York City. The couple resides in Fishkill, N.Y.

2003Jennifer Fullwood married Michael Garrett on February 25, 2012 at the Chart House in Weehawken, N.J. The happy couple resides in West Orange, N.J.

Morgan Hartley married Joseph Gehm on October 21, 2011 in Syracuse, N.Y. Tara (Donnelly) Cutrone ’03 was a bridesmaid. Mounties in attendance were Caroline (Ferrero)Feeney ’04, Kristin (Re-gina) Cash ’04, Deborah (Polansky) Spyliopolous ’02, and Daniela Savone ’02. Looking forward to a reunion soon!

2012Matthew Morrison married Coleen McDonald ’09 on July 1, 2012. The couple resides in Cornwall, N.Y.

MarriagesFullwood-Garrett

Stay connected!“Like” us on Facebook at www.msmc.edu/facebook


Mount Alumni1987

Kristina (Leinweber) Burger graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a Doc-torate in Nursing Practice in May 2011. Kristina lives in St. Petersburg, Florida and works at All Children’s Hospital.

1988 Barbara (Mason) Worobey has been working as a free-lance writer for The Educa-tion Center, contributing regularly to their “Teacher’s Helper” and “Mailbox” maga-zines (both at kindergarten editions) for about three years. She has also been a contributor to a few of their “Mailbox Books,” including “Read Aloud Round-Up,” which was released this sum-mer. Barbara has been teach-ing kindergarten in Deposit, N.Y. for 12 years and has been teaching for a total of 24 years. She lives in Hancock, N.Y. with her two sons, Sam, 16, and Zack, 14.

Andrew O’Grady was promoted to the executive director of the Mental Health America of Dutchess County.

1992 Patricia Farrell was awarded the Patient Care Service Leadership Award by North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System in recognition of her exceptional contribu-tion to the achievement of North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center strategic goals, improvement of patient care and to the advancement of profes-sional nursing practice. Patty began a new position in June

2012 as the associate execu-tive/chief nursing officer at Southside Hospital. Patty is an avid runner and recently completed the Long Island ½ marathon and Brooklyn ½ marathon, inspiring to partici-pate in the New York City full marathon in November.

1997 Ismael Gerena is beginning a course of study to achieve a master’s in Psychology/Sys-tems Counseling in February 2012.

1998

Danielle Greco is a special education teacher at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Bethpage, N.Y. Danielle was nominated and selected to be one of the five finalists for the Top Teacher Award on the “Live! with Kelly” show.

Jeremy and Lisa ‘01 Greene, are proud to announce that their daughter, Mary Elizabeth Greene, recently graduated from medical school. She

received her medical degree from St. George’s Univer-sity, Grenada in 2012 and will begin a 2-year residency at Maimoides Hospital in Brook-lyn, N.Y.

1999 Deysi (Hernandez) Sulaj graduated from Northwestern University, Chicago, I.L. with a master’s of science degree in medical informatics on June 15, 2012. She is cur-rently working in the Disease Management department at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, N.Y., as a senior application analyst.

Births1994

Carol (O’Keefe) Brown and her husband, Mike, announce the birth of their son Kyle Kevin Brown, born on December 13, 2011. Kyle weighed in at 6 lbs. and 2 oz. and was 19 inches long. Kyle joins his big brother Michael at home in Mat-amoras, Pa.

1998Alison (Heckler) Carlo and husband, Christopher, an-nounce the birth of twins on June 20, 2011. Kailyn was 6 lbs. and 18 in. Connor was 6 lbs. 6 oz. and 20 in. They join their older brother Alex, 4. Alison continues working at William Paterson University as a math professor.

2002Tanya (White) Pagano and husband William Pagano welcomed a baby boy on December 19, 2011. William Anthony Pagano was born at 4:54 p.m. weighing 7 lbs. 3 oz. He was 21 in. long.

2005Jessica (Murphy) Keane and her husband announce the birth of their first child, a baby boy. Michael John Keane was born on January 14, 2012.

Kyle Kevin Brown

www.msmc.edu 21

2001

Brian Granata has been selected to be the new direc-tor of athletics and recreation at Arcadia University located in Glenside, Pa. Brian was also recently elected to the National Association of Divi-sion III Athletics Administra-tors executive committee by his peers.

2002Eric Hungarter currently de-ployed to Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Af-ghanistan with 1st Marine Headquarters Group. His first deployment, Eric is serving as the Anti-terrorism Officer and Platoon Commander for Task Force Belleau Wood. Eric will be returning to San Diego, Calif. after a yearlong deploy-ment in March 2013. Once back in San Diego, Eric will transfer to Marine Wing Support Squadron 473 as the Military Police Platoon Com-mander at MCAS Miramar. He has been in the Marine Corps for two years and was recently promoted to 1st Lieutenant. Eric would like to hear from his old friends from ‘01-’03 while he is deployed!

2003Stephanie Edic ’03 MSE ’07 and Jackie Stoddard MSE ‘12, friends and former teach-ers, are the proud owners of Blossoming Minds Preschool in Fishkill, N.Y., which will open in September 2012. Stephanie received a BA in Psychology in 2003 and an MSE in 2007 from Mount Saint Mary College. Jackie received a BA in Early Child-hood Education, with a minor in Psychology, from the State University of N.Y., Plattsburgh and an MSE in 2012 from Mount Saint Mary College.

Jason Janusziewicz was recently appointed Associ-ate Director of Facilities and Operations at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, O.H.

2008Maura (Donnelly) DiNardo graduated from John Jay Col-lege of Criminal Justice, Fall 2011, with a Master in Arts of Forensic Psychology with Psy Chi honors.

Mercedes Ambury, mother of Patricia (Ambury) Trible ‘69, passed away on February 6, 2012.

Paul Baldovin, Sr., father of Mary Ann (Baldovin) Von Egypt ‘88 G ’93 and Rosemarie (Baldovin) Sullivan ’90 G ’95, passed away on December 10, 2011.

Stephen M. Bonnell,spouse of Linda Mechionne ’86, passed away on October 29, 2011.

Margaret Brady, mother of Eileen (Brady) Tarasco ’92, passed away on March 9, 2012.

Joan Cook, mother of Eileen Cook ’83, passed away on May 22, 2010.

Robert Philip Hosey, Jr., brother of Regina (Hosey) Adducci ‘78, passed away on November 15, 2011.

Thomas J. Kirwan ’70 passed away on November 29, 2011.

Kim (Neuner) Lynn ’92 passed away on August 19, 2012.

Amolia (Mollie) Puleo, mother of Katherine M. Kipp ’69, passed away on July 21, 2011.

Dorothy Schiaffo, mother of Karen Schiaffo ‘85, passed away on June 18, 2012.

Richard R. Taylor ’77 passed away on January 29, 2012.

Mary Tonelli, mother of Linda (Tonelli) Davin ’79, passed away on May 24, 2012.

In Memoriam

Share your news!Alumni Notes are a wonderful way of letting your classmates know about your personal and professional achievements.

Just visit the website at www.msmc.edu/notes

Catching upleft to right | Mary lillig Koenig, elaine Veyna Ban-natayne, and Maria ott guttierrez enjoying a two day “Fandango” in December on elaine and Bob Bannatyne’s 115 rancho in Fillmore.


Three months ago, Jonathan Mars started a new chapter in his life. After five years as a

partner development manager for AP Images, he has accepted a position at AppNexus. Jonathan is a member of their newly formed Demand Trading Services Team.

“All told I interviewed for more than 10 hours (two blocks of four hours with four different people each time), completed a homework assign-ment and did a lot of white boarding. It was pretty grueling.

“I firmly believe Mount Saint Mary College helped me in winning over their senior vice president, a key deci-sion maker in my hiring. I was on my fourth hour and he said something along the lines of,‘We’ve hired on DNA before, but I need something more. Is there anything you can tell me that shows how exceptional you are?’

“At this point I was completely spent, but dug in and spoke about some of my accomplishments at the Mount. I think those experiences put me over the top.”

Jonathan went on to explain that, “AppNexus is a real-time advertising platform, so it’s very much a technology company. I serve as an Implementation Consultant for our demand trading clients (ad networks). Once a new client signs a deal, I train them on our product, help them maximize spending for their campaigns and troubleshoot issues.”

Online advertising is very different from his last position at AP, and he is learning a lot, he said.

“The industry is changing every day, which means what worked six months ago won’t necessarily work now. Thus, my skills will have to keep evolving, and I will keep growing. The industry is like “Mad Men” for the 21st century. Instead of suits and scotch though, we wear jeans

and shoot Nerf guns.” In the future, Jonathan would like

to use his love of making deals and de-veloping relationships coupled with the technical skills he is developing now, and move into a business development role at AppNexus or another company. “I would also like to become a career and executive coach and hope to obtain my certifica-tion in five years,” said Jonathan.

Jonathan enjoyed his time at Mount Saint Mary College and was a very active student. He was the president of the Student Government Association, and played on both the basketball and tennis teams as well as serving as a resident life assistant.

His most memorable moment at the Mount was, “Watching a band called O.A.R. perform in Aquinas Hall Theatre my senior year during Spring Weekend. The whole thing came to-gether very nicely because of the hard work of some amazing people, and it was a great experience to be a part of. I heard there is still an annual concert, so it’s nice to know we helped start a new tradition that will hopefully carry on forever. Now if the Mount can just land the Dave Matthews Band….”

Jonathan is currently a member of the MSMC Alumni Association and serves as the president of the New

York Metro Chapter.When asked who his greatest influ-

ence at the Mount was, Jonathan replied, “Janet Zeman, director of the Career Center. I was constantly in her office working on my résumé during college, and she helped me land numerous in-ternships in my hometown and New-burgh throughout my four years.”

“I visited the Mount a few months ago and showed her my résumé. Most would say it’s pretty solid, but within two minutes she had at least five or six recommendations. Eight years later and she’s still helping me out!”

“My advice to current Mount Saint Mary College students is to get as in-volved as you can. Some of the critical skills I learned in college didn’t come from the classroom. They came from participating in student government, working for residence life, and playing basketball at the Mount. The skills you learn from your extracurricular activities and internships will give you confidence and stay with you for the rest of your life,” said Jonathan.

Jonathan’s final piece of advice for students is to not forget to send a handwritten thank you note to every-one you meet in interviews within 24 hours. “It’s old school, but will help you stand out!”

Exceptional alumnus thrives in ever-changing tech world

aluMNuS ProFileJonathan Mars ’04

Mount Alumni

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Alumni Gathering in Arlington, Virginia

Trustees, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Mount Saint Mary College gathered on

April 18, 2012 for the Samuel D. Affron Lecture Series featuring bestselling author, Barbara Taylor Bradford, OBE who spoke on her life, career and latest novel, “Letter from a Stranger.”

Mrs. Taylor Bradford, with wit and wisdom, spoke about her life and her journey to becoming a writer. According to Mrs. Bradford, “The most frequent question I get is where do you get your ideas from and I really don’t know. Sometimes it is a character that gives me an idea for a novel. When I was on vaca-tion in Berlin, I was walking down the street with my husband Bob and an image of a woman popped in my head. She was a blond hair, blue-eyed woman with diamond earrings in a dress from the 1930s in a ballroom with chandeliers and her name was Ursula. I stopped sudden-

ly and asked Bob if he had anyone in his family named Ursula and he said, “no, why?” I told him about the woman and thought he might have mentioned her. Ursula’s image stayed with me. A year and a half later, I came up with a story called “Women in his Life” and as I was writing the outline, I thought of Ursula as a character in that book.”

After the lecture, Mrs. Taylor Bradford graciously stayed to speak with and sign books for our guests.

Alumni exclusive offer:

Show your MSMC pride

The Mount has an exclusive part-nership with Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union (HVFCU) to offer a special Visa® Platinum credit card just for Mount alumni. The card of-fers all the great benefits of a regular Visa Platinum with two important distinctions. The card design features a stunning photograph of the iconic Whittaker Hall steeple along with the college’s logo. In addition, with every card issued, a donation is made to the Mount’s Annual Fund.

Carrying HVFCU’s Mount Saint Mary College Alumni Visa card gives you the opportunity to show your school pride and support the Annual Fund, all while enjoying the great benefits that come standard with an HVFCU Visa Platinum. You can even get cash or point rewards with your HVFCU Visa Platinum.

Apply today for your HVFCU MSMC Alumni Visa Platinum card. If you live, work, worship, volunteer or attend school in Orange, Ulster, Dutchess or Putnam County, you’re eligible for membership. Apply online at hvfcu.org, at any branch or by call-ing 845-463-3011.

Mount alumni help students navigate their careers

The Third Annual Meet a Men-tor Dinner was held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 and was a great success. Juniors and seniors gathered for dinner with Mount alumni to hear about their professional experiences and how they got started. Advice, business cards and good cheer flowed throughout the night.

The Meet a Mentor Dinner will be an annual event. If you are interested in participating in the dinner, please contact Michelle Iacuessa ’94, Director of Alumni Affairs and Advancement, at [email protected] or at 845-569-3217.

Eric ’93 and Amy Stallmer opened the doors to their Arlington, Va. home and welcomed a group of Mount alumni living in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area for brunch on April 29, 2012. It was a wonderful opportunity to gather to-gether, meet and catch up with fellow alumni and learn about the plans for the college’s future.

Alumni pose in the Stallmer’s home in Arlington, Va.

Barbara Taylor Bradford speaks at the Mount

Bradford poses with the Affron family, Fr. Mackin, and trustees


We are pleased to an-nounce an important update to Mount Saint Mary College's graphic identity: a new logo featuring the tower of the Dominican Center, set inside a shield.

This new logo replaces the

Whittaker Hall steeple as the college's identifying mark.

The addition of the Dominican Center to our campus offers tremendous growth potential, and a way to honor and continue the Sisters’ tradition of academic

excellence. The new logo reflects that spirit.

With its prestigious history and commanding presence overlooking the campus, the Dominican Center is also a very recognizable and fitting representation of the college.

The Dominican Center inspires new logo

Friends of the MountCelebrating the past and planning for the future

More than 500 members of the Mount’s family toured the Dominican Center, known for decades as the Motherhouse, during the past year. Former students of Mount Saint Mary Academy/High School and the Casa San Jose joined College

alumni, students and alumni of Bishop Dunn Memorial School, parents of current Mount students, couples married in the Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary, and friends from the great-er Hudson Valley region in celebrating the Mount’s history and learning about the transfor-mation underway to create a new library, learning commons, dining area, and residence hall.

“People with a passion,” said Carl Meyer, former chair-man of the Mount Saint

Mary College Board of Trustees who now serves as chairman of the President’s Advisory Council. “That’s what inspires me to get involved and help different organizations. I see the dedication of the faculty, staff and students of the Mount in the work they do every day.”

For nearly 15 years, Mr. Meyer has helped to shape the academic offerings and campus facilities at the Mount.

Most recently, he worked with the Mount’s administration and faculty to launch a center for research, the Meyer Business Research Center, bearing his family’s name.

“For a number of years, the busi-ness faculty had a desire to create a resource where they could mentor stu-dents, one-to-one, in analyzing mega amounts of data and use this knowl-edge to advance learning. With the dedicated resources of the center, they are now achieving these goals and will be sharing the results produced and theories developed with others in their fields,” said Andrew Weiss, chair of the Business Division. Located in Aquinas Hall, the center includes workstations, high tech display boards and a dedi-cated server.

“Students need to develop critical thinking skills and be able to apply what they are learning to a variety of industries. My late wife, Mary, and I were happy to support this new initia-tive and provide needed resouces for Mount students,” said Mr. Meyer.

“Mary began her affiliation with the

Dominican Sisters long before I did, as she attended Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie where she was taught English by Sr. Ann Sakac,” said Mr. Meyer. “Many years later, as a Mount board member from 1998-2008, I had the privilege of working with Sr. Ann. During this time, the board focused on major physical plant improvements including major technology upgrades, the renovation of the College Courts, the purchase of the Jewish Community Cen-ter of Newburgh that became Hudson Hall, the construction of Sakac Hall, and the addition of the Kaplan Family Math-ematics, Science and Technology Center. It was a period of tremendous growth, providing needed resources and facilities for students.”

Mr. Meyer retired as president

and CEO of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. He currently serves as chairman of Vassar Brothers Medical Center board and treasurer of the Win-nakee Land Trust board. Mr. Meyer is a co-founder, president and CEO of The Solar Energy Consortium and co-founder and president of the Center for Global Advanced Manufacturing, which is collaborating with Mount Saint Mary College, the Council of Industry, the Hudson Valley Technol-ogy Development Center, and the State University of New York Institute of Technology to help local manufactur-ers grow and prosper. “By working together, we can address key issues for the business community and bolster local economies,” said Mr. Meyer. “The Mount faculty and students are playing ever-expanding roles in these efforts, which will benefit the Mid-Hudson region and beyond.”

Alumna visits with mentorsSusan Webster Nee ’89 and her hus-

band John visited the campus recently for the first time in nearly two decades. A highlight of their visit was touring the new state-of-the-art science labs and reuniting with Janet Zeman, execu-tive director of the Career Center and former director of the medical technol-

ogy Program, and Iris Turkenkopf, vice president for Academic Affairs and professor of biology. Now retired from a career in the biopharmaceutical field, Susan continues to nurture her interest in science and medicine by volunteering at a hospital in Media, Pa.From left | Janet zeman, John, Susan Webster Nee ’89, iris turkenkopf

Meyer gift creates business research centerCarl Meyer, left, and Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president of

Mount Saint Mary College

www.msmc.edu 25

Carl and Mary Meyer

mount Saint mary College 330 Powell AvenueNewburgh, NY 12550

34th Annual Golf and Inaugural Tennis Tournament

On June 4, 2012, Mount Saint Mary College hosted the 34th Annual Invitational Golf Tournament and Inaugural Tennis Tournament at the Powelton Club in Newburgh. This year’s honorees were Thomas D. Weddell and Philip J. DeAngelo. Playing the fairways were 125 golfers and, for the first time ever, more than 40 tennis players took to the

courts! A great time was had by all. The College raised $94,450, which will help to provide an affordable values-based educa-tion to our deserving students, many of whom are among the first in their families to attend college.

above | lou Bach ’82, Chair of golf and tennis Committees; thomas Weddell, Philip Deangelo, golf and tennis Honorees; Fr. Kevin Mackin, oFM

above | Joseph Kirchhoff of Kirchhoff-Consigli Construction Management

above | Hank Spangler, Bob Mayer, Kathy Mayer ’74, Kathy Murphy Spangler ’74, Kathy Send-ewicz ’74, Stan Sendewicz and Dan Spangler

Documents

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Summer 2012