Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Fall 2011

magazineMount Saint Mary College

Health professions | Technology in the classroom | The latest faculty books

Fall 2011

Students assist in

migration study

2 Mount Saint Mary College Magazine | FALL 2011

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

This autumn at the Mount, we wel-comed some 455 freshmen and over 150 entering transfer students.

Most hail from the Northeast, where we’re becoming known for our nationally accredited status and specialized programs. We also have a sprinkling of freshmen from the Midwest and West. Our alumni reside in all 50 states and half a dozen coun-tries.

Of a total enrollment exceeding 2,700 men and women, we have a growing residential population.

It is “the dream” of many prospec-tive students to attend Mount Saint Mary College.

This year, we provided institutional scholarships to nearly 300 freshmen. I am also grateful that some Mount alumni and friends have established endowed scholarships.

As with any endeavor in higher education, the study of college cam-puses should occur regularly; even by those of us who have lived on campus for decades.

First and foremost, teaching and learning are the central functions at Mount Saint Mary College. Our purpose is to be a place where people share goals and work together to ac-complish them. We offer preparation for many of the career fields students want to pursue. We have also been developing quality co-curricular pro-gramming.

We celebrate the legacy of the Mount, and affirm changes such as “going greener” with a new pedestrian spine in the center of campus, and energy saving projects.

We help some of our best and brightest students grapple with off-campus work schedules, sports, spiritual and service activities that call

them to become well-rounded masters of time management.

It’s all part of our strategic plan, “Advancing a Legacy of Excellence, Leadership and Service.”

Yet, even as we work to serve more students, the executive vice presi-dent of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Susan Johnston, writes:

“The current debates about the federal budget and the growing deficit include the future of federal financial aid for college students…the Pell Grant, the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Perkins Loan, and Federal Work-Study programs…The answers will not be easy.”

I ask that you follow the budget debates and become advocates for our students. The stakes are truly high.

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

God bless.

Sincerely,

Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFMPresident

A letter from the President

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine

Volume 33, No. 3

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

PHOTOGRAPHYSpencer ainsleyDean DiMarzolee FerrisSheila KimballJoan gambeski COPYEDITINGSheila Kimball Jane Hanley CirCulation 8,000 ©2011 [email protected]

MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGEnewburgh, ny 12550845-561-0800 ADMISSIONS888-yeS-MSMC (888-937-6762)

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Contents

Mount students helped survey glass eel population

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Student journal | Pre-med preparation 2 Health professions | Looking to the future 3news from the Mount | New courses, conferences and more 4 new faculty | The Mount welcomes people from around the globe 6technology in the classroom | It’s not just for geeks anymore 7town supervisor | Mount alumnus manages emergencies 12Publishing professors | Books penned by Mount faculty 14athletics | Golf tournament a success 16Summer camps | More than 200 happy campers 17alumni profile | Christopher McCracken ’02 18alumni notes| The latest news from Mount graduates 19Saratoga meetup | Alumni went off to the races 23Planning is key | Protecting assets and helping others 24top-ranked advisor | Mary M. Deatherage ’74 shares her knowledge 25invitational golf tournament | Fundraising and fun 26

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Eel count

On the cover Professor Suparna Bhalla’s team of Mount freshmen counted eels for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program.

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Putting it all together

My guidance counselor in Washingtonville, N.Y., recommended the medical

profession. I chose Mount Saint Mary Col-

lege because it’s close to home. I knew the nursing program was good, and I figured the sciences should be good. I saw the labs, simulators, and I knew the Mount was getting a new president, Fr. Kevin Mackin. I saw positive change.

My grades got higher and higher, and I decided to pursue medicine. The fact that I have very bad seasonal aller-gies, and a few other health problems, played a role; my doctors handled my problems very well. They were good people and good role models.

Our pre-med advisor at Mount Saint Mary College is Dr. Suparna Bhalla. You take the required courses—organic chemistry, etc.—and then they try to help when you take your MCAT.

I like how science, math, biology, chemistry and physics all come together. I think that’s the best part. In micro-biology, you learn about bacteria and work with it, like streptococcus: you see it and know that’s what is in “strep throat.” With Dr. Moran, we’ve worked

with e coli. And one of the first things you learn is proper lab procedures, like sterilizing needles and washing down surfaces.

Leadership is also encouraged in the pre-med program. I tutor with the Chemistry Honor Society. I’ve defi-nitely built confidence, and a seminar course helped with public speaking.

Another big emphasis is time management. I played soccer for three years, in addition to classes, study, labs, and work: putting it all together.

I have some fields of medicine in mind. I shadowed a podiatrist one day and I’ll go back to see some foot sur-gery. Dermatology is another scenario where a doctor helped me out. I liked that feeling, and I’d like to pay that back. I’m also interested in radiology.

There’s not much down time, but I make family time. My twin sister, Ste-fanie, is also a Mount student, studying math.

In addition, I work as a toll collector on the thruway. At the toll booth, some people get panicked when they get lost. You just try to help. Also, you hear a lot of different accents. You learn to listen. It all helps.

By Michael Del Rosso ‘12 Major: Chemistry | Minor: Biology and MathematicsHonors Program, Pre-MedSTUDENT JOURNAL

“I like how science, math, biology, chemistry and physics all come together.”

Francesco Criscuolo was always good in science. “To me, that was the only thing worth study-

ing,” he observed. “There are new dis-coveries every day.” He decided to aim for medicine. “I started shadowing my family’s doctor. I said to myself, I want to know what he knows.”

Now a Mount Saint Mary College senior with a double major in biology and chemistry, Criscuolo has appreci-ated the campus, the small classes, and the honors program, “giving me a chance to do more of what I like to do, in the lab as long as I want.”

Medical schools recognize the importance of a strong foundation in the natural sciences. “The pre-med/pre-professional curriculum at the Mount follows course requirements recommended by the American Asso-ciation of Medical Colleges,” explained Suparna Bhalla, who chairs natural sciences at the Mount.

It is also expected that Mount nurs-ing and pre-professional students will be altruistic and make ethical deci-sions.

There are many advantages to being a pre-medical or nursing student at the Mount, including supportive study groups, serving as peer tutors, leading community activities, and engaging in research. “The Mount’s Summer Un-dergraduate Research Experience is an excellent opportunity to do research with a faculty mentor, and to present your findings,” said coordinator James Moran.

Mount students have interned at sites including the Wadsworth Center

state health laboratory at Albany; the Albert Einstein College of Medicine; and SUNY College of Optometry.

The Mount offers collaboration with other institutions in physical therapy (leading to a doctorate in physical therapy from New York Med-ical College), and podiatry (leading

to a doctorate in podiatric medicine from New York College of Podiatric Medicine).

Mount Saint Mary College gradu-ates serve as nurses, medical doctors, veterinarians, podiatrists, optome-trists, dentists, radiologists, anesthesi-ologists, physical therapists, and more.

Criscuolo’s advice to new students: “The teachers will help with anything. And the honors program gives you a lot more experience in the lab. Use it to its fullest. Think of what extra you can do.”

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THE HEALTH pROfESSiONS

“The professor told us to watch the egg and the sperm. I sat there for 45 minutes just looking. Science is my field.”

Francesco CriscuoloBiology/Chemistry major

nursing students gain superior training in the field and in the college’s Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and technology Center. left to right above: amy Schaefer, Patchogue, n.y.; Fred Harries, Kingston, n.y.; Christy Calderon, Maspeth, n.y.; and Jessica orozco, Maybrook, n.y.

From the lab to the real world

33% of Mount Saint Mary College freshmen pursue health professions. The most popular majors are nursing and

biology (physical therapy focus, pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, or general).


News from the Mount

Building purchase brings room to grow

The Dominican Sisters of Hope sold their 13.1 acres on Powell Avenue to Mount Saint Mary College. The Sisters spent 128 years at the Mount and built their former convent, with its distinctive Chapel of the Holy Rosary, in 1927-28. “Our mission of education began here in Newburgh when four Sisters of Saint Domi-nic traveled from New York City in 1883 to establish Mount Saint Mary Academy,” recalls Sr. Lorelle Elcock, OP, prioress of the community, in Ossining. “Mount Saint Mary College

was later founded by the Sisters as a natural extension of its mission. In 1973, the Sisters formally separated the college from the congregation and subdivided the campus.”

Preliminary master plans, while keeping the beloved chapel, include residential space for the growing col-lege population, dining, and a state-of-the-art library/learning commons. Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, college president, said this is “a unique op-portunity that will help us fulfill our strategic plan, design a better living-learning environment, and add some parking and green space.”

Launched2-Design Fundamentals,

taught by Michael Garland, blends traditional art technique and digital software to teach stu-dents principles of two-dimen-sional design for the digital age.

Mount Saint Mary College ar-ranged a joint degree program with Fordham University in social work. Students complet-ing this program receive a B.A. degree in human services from the Mount and an M.S.W. from Fordham.

The Center for Student Suc-cess is designed to increase stu-dent achievement, drawing from practices that have demonstrated success and building on the re-sources of academic advising and developmental instruction.

Thermodynamics and Newton’s laws of motion and light will be illustrated through food and cooking in a new course taught by Margaret Larrousse, assistant professor of mathemat-ics, science and technology.

College appoints administratorsArt Criss has

been named vice president for enroll-ment management.

Mary Hinton is the new vice presi-dent for planning and assessment.

Alice Walters is associate dean for academic affairs.

Other new administrators include Courtney McDermott, graduate recruiter; Caitlin Houlihan, assistant director of student activities; Kristy O’Brien, aca-demic coach in the Center for Student Success; Dina Sedore ‘98, nurse practi-tioner; Stephen Sosler ‘99, men’s baseball coach; and technology staff Wisdom Atsunyo, Robert Monte, Michael Rojas and Johnna Touma.

Art Criss Alice WaltersMary Hinton

Christmas Vespers are held in the chapel of the Dominican Center.

Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, welcomes students.

From left | ashley Wittens, Dylan Dorrian and rebecca Kenol use science to make foolproof holiday gravy.

www.msmc.edu 5

World class conferences• Scholars from several countries converged recently for a workshop on

“Thomas Aquinas and Contemporary Philosophy.” Charles Zola, Ph.D., director of the Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute, noted, “This workshop fostered collegiality among world class scholars committed to the Catholic and Dominican intellectual tradition, and also clearly demonstrat-ed the commitment to quality of so many of our campus family.”

• A lecture held October 5, sponsored by the Institute and the Mount’s Division of Natural Sciences, focused on contemporary cosmology and evolutionary biology and how they are used to deny the doctrine of creation. The invited speaker was William E. Carroll, Ph.D., the Thomas Aquinas Fellow in Theology and Science at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford, England.

• Summer Undergraduate Research Experience students presented their findings September 21. Guest speaker George L. Wimberly, Ph.D., director of social justice and professional development at the American Educational Research Association (AERA), was invited to culminate the symposium with a talk promoting sound scientific research.

• For more information about conferences, see www.msmc.edu

Artists on the Campus show drew 57 exhibitors

Sara Baloga, a Mount Saint Mary College history/education student, won a first-place ribbon in the 36th annual Artists on the Campus Show, Hudson River Valley Scenes category, for “Winter on the Hudson.” Baloga’s parents exhibited the piece, as Sara was studying abroad in Florence, Italy at the time. The busy sophomore from Binghamton, N.Y., said she enjoyed learning about the Medici family and art history.

In memoriamOn August 16, 2011, Virginia Davidson, Ph.D., professor of English, was

killed in an automobile accident at her home. Tears and remembrances flowed, despite a reminder at a memorial that Ginny was all about joy.

Ginny began teaching courses in writing and literature at Mount Saint Mary College in 1986, became a full-time faculty member in 1991, and rose to the rank of full professor. A beloved teacher, valued colleague, and friend to many, she was committed to helping Mount students become better writers and better people. She derived great pleasure in seeing students progress from basic writers to suc-cessful communicators.

Ginny Davidson contributed to the college in many ways during her long and distinguished career. The Mount has lost a dedicated, caring teacher who loved life and always saw the good in people.

With the support of her family, Mount Saint Mary College is establishing the Virginia Davidson Memorial Scholarship. For more information, visit the college website at www.msmc.edu/advancement

Sara Baloga

the “thomas aquinas and Contemporary Philosophy” workshop.

New faculty hail from around the globe

Arts and Letters Eric Langstedt, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of communications. He has taught at the University of Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut State University. His research interests include the relationship between personality traits and media consumption, and advertising and public relations strategy.

BusinessYing Xiao, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of finance/economics. Her research and teaching interests include empirical corporate finance, busi-ness statistics, and corporate governance. She has taught at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Oklahoma.

Mathematics and Information Technology Bojan Lazarevic, Ph.D., assistant professor of information technology, taught at the University of Nebraska and the University of Belgrade-Serbia. He is the lead researcher for Web 2.0 Instruction: Teacher’s Competencies for the 21st Century Classroom, being conducted at universities in the U.S., Austria, Jordan, Serbia, Turkey and the Republic of Georgia.

Natural Sciences Jodie Wasacz, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of chemistry. She has taught at Manhattan College and the University of Northern Colorado. Among her presentations are structural characterization of phenyl-cored thiophene dendrimers for organic photovoltaics, and organic chemistry preconcep-tions.

NursingMarilyn Lashlee ’01 and Nancy Spear Owen hold master’s degrees from Lehman College and Pace University, respectively. Lashlee, who earned a D.N.P. degree at Northeastern University, worked as a clinical nurse specialist in oncology at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and as an adjunct instructor at the Mount.

Social SciencesThuy Linh Nguyen, Ph.D. is an assistant profes-sor of history. Her teaching experience includes the University of South Florida, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Foreign Stud-ies in Vietnam. Her fields of interest are modern Southeast Asia, East Asian transnationalism and comparative European empires.

Langstedt

Xiao

Lazarevic

Wasacz

Lashlee

Spear Owen

Nguyen6 Mount Saint Mary College Magazine

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No matter the major, the com-mon denominator for today’s college student is across-the-

curriculum use of technology. Tech advances such as smart class-

rooms, clickers, tablets, patient simu-lators, ecology simulation software, and digital editing equipment are some of the strategic investments that Mount Saint Mary College has made to ensure that students are preparing for their careers with cutting-edge technology.

More than 50 Mount classrooms have projection, multi-media, multiple computer connections and software to enhance the learning environment.

The first college in New York to of-fer campus-wide wireless, the Mount is continually upgrading to meet today’s tech needs, said Dakin Roy, instructional media coordinator. The college’s technology infrastructure includes a dynamic fiber optic-based campus-wide data, telephone, and

wireless network.Peter Witkowsky, associate profes-

sor of English and director of fresh-man writing, noted he and many colleagues no longer collect piles of student papers to grade. Last year, he collected all papers electronically. Students, who’ve grown up with com-puters, are on board with the system.

“The practical benefit,” said Wit-kowsky, “is I’m chasing after papers far less. They all arrive electronically.”

The college has renewed its sub-scription to Turnitin, a plagiarism detector used by teachers and stu-dents for academic integrity. Related tasks include an online function for professors to add comments to their students’ papers, choose from a list of common errors and explanations, and use templates for qualitative and quantitative rubrics that can be customized and attached to papers. Other useful features include gram-mar check and PeerMark, which

Technology across the curriculumHigh tech isn’t just for ‘geeks’ anymore

Students can access the college’s resources through computer labs across campus, including this one in Curtin Memorial library. they can also use their own computers on the wireless network.

Clickers in the classroom are used for surveys, instant feedback on class materials, and for testing review.


facilitates the distribution of papers among students anonymously.

Witkowsky said 35 Mount instruc-tors used Turnitin last academic year, with 5,166 reports generated. “I expect the numbers will be even higher this year,” he confirmed.

Specialized software

Labs in the Kaplan Family Math-ematics, Science and Technology Center are equipped with LanSchool, allowing professors to monitor stu-dent work in real time, viewing what each student is doing, said Roy.

Science classrooms have smart boards, laptops, digital microscopes, and spectrometers which allow Mount students—like career scientists—to detect and record data about gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet waves, in-frared waves, microwaves and radio waves.

Ecology simulation software helps students learn by designing and con-ducting their own virtual experiments and analyzing data, said Margaret Larrousse, assistant professor of math-ematics, science and technology.

Nursing students augment their external clinical experiences with training on computerized patient simulators in a state-of-the-art lab, said Andrea Ackermann, chair of the nursing program.

The “Sims family” of nine can be

programmed to duplicate human con-ditions and responses for assessment and care, including voices, vital signs, pulses, even tears.

Around 33 percent of Mount freshmen are aiming for healthcare

professions.Adults can earn nursing or business

degrees through hybrid online pro-grams, blending the best of classroom instruction with convenient online learning.

About 22 percent of Mount fresh-men plan to pursue certification as teachers. For future mathematics teachers, a TI-smart view with smart board projects a large graphing calcu-lator that interacts just like a hand-held graphing calculator would, said Lee Fothergill, associate professor of mathematics.

The graphing calculator, required on New York State assessments at the adolescence education level, provides a career skill for use in actual class-rooms.

Business management software is a linchpin. Mount accounting profes-sor Louis Fortunato, a certified public accountant, gives students a workout regarding tax preparation.

Thanks to a gift from Carl and Mary Meyer, Mount Saint Mary College has created the new Meyer Business Research Center, which will achieve a number of objectives, including developing computing and database resources needed for stu-dents and faculty to conduct quantita-tive and empirical research.

The social sciences also benefit from technology at the Mount. Click-

the Mount’s video studio and editing suite features state-of the-art, non-linear editing equipment.

nursing students hone skills in the simulator laboratories.

ers in class help professors check dis-creetly if students are understanding the lecture, or collect student opinion, determining which topics of interest to explore, said Amanda Maynard, as-sociate professor of psychology.

Maynard noted SPSS Statistics soft-ware lets students complete quantita-tive research, an experience that can make them highly marketable.

In the psychology lab, students receive hands-on experience that a psychologist uses in practice. For example, inverted perception goggles measure or alter sensory processes. Computers provide for the collection and analysis of data and for laboratory performance tasks such as simulated driving conditions.

Technology even finds a place in philosophy and religious studies. Mi-chael Fagge, assistant professor of re-ligious studies, connects with numer-ous materials that bring a subject to life. “What really made an impact was whirling dervishes,” he said. “There’s only so much you can say to describe it, but a video of Sufi mystics shows the meditative dance.” He’s also used audio to study preaching styles.

Fagge is excited that Google Earth shows churches around the world. “For example, in Ivory Coast, Africa, a cathedral that’s Italian design, Polish run, 10 feet taller than the Vatican, but in a really remote location.”

Frame-based, student-directed learning is utilized by Ed Teall, profes-

sor of philosophy. Switching the usual order, Teall’s students do homework in class, and view lectures online outside of classroom time. The drag and drop feature of the online lecture allows im-mediate feedback on whether students are grasping concepts.

Communication/media production boasts the new Knight Radio station featuring high tech equipment in the control room, studio and server room. The Mount’s rigorous and expanding media studies production program also features a video studio/editing suite with the latest non-linear editing equipment.

And Curtin Memorial Library, the center of research and information services at Mount Saint Mary College, provides information resources and research tools in an environment with more than 60 computer workstations. Numerous electronic databases, such as Lexis-Nexis, Science Direct and the World Factbook, are available for Mount Saint Mary College student research as the college library moves into the 21st century.

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Students conduct research and collect data in the Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and technology Center labs.

Mount receives grant from TD Bank Charitable Foundation The number of special education teachers is expected to increase by 17 per-cent from 2008 to 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, Mount Saint Mary College will better meet this need by further developing its special education programs, part of the college’s nationally accredited teacher education curriculum. The grant provides for assistive technology equipment for use with special educa-tion students in public schools. Studies show that assistive technology in the classroom benefits students by enhancing learning and building life skills.

From left | reva Cowan, education chair; Fr. Kevin Mackin, oFM, president; thomas S. Curcio, vice president, commercial lending, tD Bank; Dee Berlinghoff, education professor.

Science classrooms have smart boards, laptops, digital microscopes, and spectrometers


From left | Paul overton of Pine Bush, n.y., Melissa Molyneux of Bayonne, n.J., and Kaeley Miller of newburgh, n.y.

Science students get their feet wet

Mount Saint Mary College students benefit from a wealth of natural op-portunities for study and service in the mid-Hudson Valley region.

Students and faculty were recently the first to scientifically assess juvenile eel migrations on the Quassaick Creek.

The toothpick size, nearly transparent glass eels are born in the Sar-gasso Sea north of Puerto Rico, and every spring arrive in tidal estuaries like the Hudson River near the college. They live in freshwater streams and lakes for up to 20 years before returning to the sea to spawn and die.

Professor Suparna Bhalla’s team of Mount freshmen counted more than 200 young glass eels as part of their fieldwork service for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Hudson River Estuary Program. The students checked a cone-shaped “fyke net” de-signed to catch the slim eels, counted and released the eels, and also recorded environmental data on temperature and tides.

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Clockwise from left | Measuring creek width; collecting eels; Pro-fessor Bhalla with students; mea-suring temperature; Chris Bowser, science education specialist from the Department of environmental Conservation; checking samples.


When Irene hit, with the Neversink River flooding roads and power out, Deerpark N.Y. town supervisor Brabenec became chief of the Emer-gency Operations Center. “Under a state of emergency, the supervisor has total control and emergency powers over the town,” he explained. “I was responsible for critical decisions to operate the emergency management effort during and after the storm.”

Constituents normally seek him out daily for a variety of issues, even if it’s not part of his job. “I love to help,” he

said. Often coming in early or staying late—and he admits he’s slept in his office when necessary—he oversees a town of 8,500 at the rural intersection of New York, New Jersey and Penn-sylvania.

Brabenec, at 32 the youngest town supervisor in Orange County, de-scribes his post as “heart and soul the best job ever.”

Accomplishing things at an early age seems to be part of his style. He was given special permission at age 14 to join the Young Republicans of

Orange County, a group for 18 to 40 year olds.

“I walked in wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase,” said Bra-benec, who quickly rose in the ranks, eventually holding a national office in the organization.

While at Minisink Valley High School, Brabenec met gym teacher Ed Diana, who was running for re-election to the county legislature. They started a Young Republican group at the school. Brabenec later served as Diana’s staff assistant.

Deerpark town Supervisor Karl Brabenec ’01 describes his post as “the best job ever.”

At the eye of the stormWhile he once thought of being a weatherman—a

memory that surfaced recently during Hurricane Irene—Karl Brabenec ’01 decided he could make

the biggest contribution by entering the political arena.

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A 15-week internship at Orange County Department of Emergency Services, Division of Emergency Management, served as an inspira-tion for Matthew Bucco ‘12 to begin serving as a volunteer during incidents or emergency events.

Bucco, a senior in business management, noted that his in-ternship was anything but typical; he had the opportunity to interact with emergency professionals at all levels, including emergency man-agers, planners, dispatchers, police, fire, and medical personnel. These events led him to offer his services to the county when needed during emergencies.

“Matthew picked up projects and just ran with them,” said Or-ange County Radiological Officer Casey Karsten. “He was a great help to us.”

Hurricane Irene had Bucco busy monitoring various weather stations and reports. He attended briefings and helped formulate Incident Action Plans which in-cluded communication procedures and organizational charts.

Bucco checked each work-station at the center, verifying that computers, phone lines and radios worked. He also conducted research from past storms to see which municipalities suffered flooding and coordinated with geographic information systems to obtain missing maps of those areas.

Bucco, who chose Mount Saint Mary College for its “excellent business program and small class size,” said that his internship gave him a good overview of emergency management protocols.

From left | orange County radiological officer Casey Karsten and Mount student Matthew Bucco at the county’s emergency Services Center in goshen, n.y.

Orange County internship inspires Mount student

Brabenec chose Mount Saint Mary College because he loves Orange County and could easily commute. Plus, Stefan Neuhaus ‘96 highly rec-ommended the Mount. Both majored in history/political science.

“The political science program at the Mount provided top notch math, science, social science and his-tory classes that helped me gain the knowledge necessary to properly run a municipality,” noted Brabenec.

John Reilly served as his academic advisor, and Brabenec described Stan-ley Pycior as “one of the best.”

His Mount career provided Bra-benec with opportunities both on and off campus.

Attending classes by day, he served as headquarters manager for the City of Newburgh Republican Committee at night. He spearheaded a successful campaign to get the City of Newburgh to repair pot holes. Brabenec used on-the-job experience with the city for his internship, and organized a concert featuring top entertainer Kenny Rog-ers as a fundraiser to maintain city parks.

During senior year, Brabenec worked as executive director of the Downing Park Planning Committee, where he interfaced with Mount ac-counting professor Louis Fortunato.

Brabenec subsequently earned a master of public administration de-gree from John Jay College at its West Point extension.

He now serves as Deerpark’s chief fiscal and chief executive officer, main-taining a complete, accurate account-ing of all money spent and received, and submitting reports to the state comptroller. He presides over town board meetings, having one vote as part of the five-member legislative body.

One of his chief concerns is saving taxpayers’ money. He has cut costs and reduced the budget by switching insurance carriers. He has also been busy with repaving roadways and serving as police commissioner.

He passes his expertise on to students at SUNY Orange County Community College, where he teaches part time.

“I like to share from my experi-ences,” noted Brabenec.

“Matthew picked up projects and just ran with them”


New faculty books

Frances Spielhagen, associate professor of education, offers compelling evidence that algebra

for all students “can be done” in her latest book The Algebra Solution to Mathematics Reform: Completing the Equation (June 2011, Teachers College Press, Columbia University).

Spielhagen, a career educator with 30 years of experience as a middle school and high school teacher, noted that algebra is a civil right and that her book signals an alarm that “we dumb down math from the start. We don’t have to. Children are naturally

curious. They can get it.” Her new book came to fruition

at the Mount, where she joined the faculty in 2002 after earning a Ph.D. from Fordham University. Spielhagen studied access to advanced mathemat-ics instruction during a postdoctoral research fellowship from the American Educational Research Association at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

The Algebra Solution to Mathemat-ics Reform: Completing the Equation is based on nine years of research that began in 2000 with underserved populations. It led to studies in the Chesterfield Public Schools in Chester-field, Va., a district of more than 58,000 students.

Spielhagen’s book chronicles the success of a large school district that changed the way mathematics was delivered. It changed policy from the ground up.

The Algebra Solution proves that no child needs to be left behind, although math curriculum change is a multi-year process. The topic also translates over-

seas; in August, Spielhagen traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, to present the findings in her current book.

In addition to conference presenta-tions, journal publications, and her current book, Spielhagen was the principal author and editor of the book Debating Single-Sex Education: Separate and Equal? (December 2007, Rowman & Littlefield, 144 pp.)

She is also co-founder and co-direc-tor of the Mount Saint Mary College Center for Adolescent Research and Development.

Frances Spielhagen

Visit: http://store.tcpress.com to order The Algebra Solution to Mathematics Reform: Completing the Equation (June 2011, Teachers College Press, Columbia University, 102 pp.)

How to order

The AlgebrA SoluTion To MATheMATicS reforM: completing the equation

www.msmc.edu 15

Professor of nursing Priscilla Sagar’s new book is the first to examine the application of transcultural

nursing (TCN) theory in nursing educa-tion, practice and administration.

Transcultural Nursing Theory and Models: Application in Nursing Educa-tion, Practice and Administration, (September 2011, Springer Publish-ing Company) is a comprehensive text for master’s and bachelor’s level nursing students.

Sagar’s book features case stud-

ies, care plans, initial role-playing exer-cises, and implications of TCN concepts.

Nursing theory and models used by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Faculty Toolkit in integrat-ing TCN in nursing curricula—such as Leininger, Purnell, Campinha-Bacote, Giger and Davidhizar, and Spector—are included.

As the United States becomes increas-ingly diverse, “clients need culturally congruent care that fits their values and life ways,” said Sagar, who has been teach-ing at the Mount since 1998.

She previously taught at Mount Ver-non (N.Y.) Hospital’s Dorothea Hopfer School of Nursing, where she earlier worked as a registered nurse.

As coordinator of the Community Health Nursing program at Mount Saint Mary College, Sagar puts TCN into prac-tice. Community health students comprise an active part of the more than 50 percent of Mount students involved in service. Working individually with supervision in departments of health, schools, nursing homes and hospices, they interact with cross-cultural populations.

Sagar also teaches Human Diversity/

Transcultural Nursing and is developing another transcultural healthcare course as an elective for students in nursing, pre-med and other disciplines.

Transcultural nursing is not new, said Sager, noting that Dr. Madeleine Leininger, whose work inspired her book, has spent almost 60 years spearheading the development of the current body of knowledge and practice.

Sagar presented her research at the in-ternational Transcultural Nursing Society’s conference in Nevada in October, on “Ap-plying Transcultural Nursing Theory and

Models in Nursing Education, Practice, and Administration: A Call to All Nurses.”

Hot off the presses and into the hands of teachers, nurses, students and policy-makers are two new books from Mount Saint Mary College education and nursing faculty.

Priscilla Sagar

Visit: www.springerpub.comto order Transcultural Nursing Theory and Models: Application in Nursing Education, Practice and Administration, (September 2011, Springer Publishing Company, 192 pp.)

How to order

{TrAnSculTurAl nurSing Theory And ModelS: Application in nursing education, Practice and Administration

Sports events


Nearly 120 golfers competed in the third annual Mount Saint Mary College Athletic Depart-

ment Golf Tournament on Friday, August 12, at the Casperkill Golf Club in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Excellent weather conditions pre-vailed as the tournament kicked off at 9:00 a.m. Lunch was served at the turn and a steak dinner followed the tournament, along with a raffle and an auction.

Director of Athletics John Wright partnered with Rick Zolzer, Voice of

the Hudson Valley Renegades and owner of Zolz Entertainment, to host the awards ceremony. Members of the men’s and women’s basketball 1,000-point club were recognized as the honored guests of the tournament. Only ten men and eleven women have reached the 1,000-point plateau in their time as basketball players at Mount Saint Mary College.

All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the athletic department and the 17 intercollegiate teams at the Mount.

Athletic Department Golf Tournament a success

1. From left to right, Chris Harrison, Tom Fuller, Craig Newton, Ken Lane, and Brendan Twomey were honored as members of the basketball 1,000-point club.

2. Harry Steinway (at right), vice president for student affairs, teamed up with Mike Lehmann, the newest gradu-ate assistant for athletics.

3. Fred Callo, the head coach for men’s and women’s cross country and track and field, rolls in a putt.

1 2

3

www.msmc.edu 17

The Mount Saint Mary College athletic department wrapped up another successful year of summer camps. The Knights kicked off the summer with week-long soccer and volleyball camps, followed by two weeks of basketball camp, and finished with a week-long swim camp. The women’s lacrosse team also hosted a one-day clinic.

Campers were trained by the college coaching staffs and current student-athletes. More than 200 children attended the camp ses-sions.

Summer Camp wrap-up

Thirty-six campers attended the swim camp with head coaches Gene and Mary Damm.

Men’s basketball head coach Ryan Kadlubowski presents a jersey during the camp’s awards ceremony.

The Mount Saint Mary College athletic department is pleased to an-nounce the launch of a Knights Athlet-ics YouTube channel, as well as the re-launch of our Athletics Facebook page. Be sure to follow both sites for news about your favorite Mount teams.

Access the YouTube channel through a link at the right-hand side of the ath-letics website, msmcknights.com

Our aspiring show, titled Mount Minutes, will feature player and coach interviews, game highlights and up-dates throughout the season.

Also be sure to like our page on Facebook. You can also access the page through the link at the right-hand side of the website.

The Knights hit YouTube


Mount Alumni

Christopher McCracken partici-pated in a co-op his senior year at Mount Saint Mary College

with Atech Center, a sister company of Advance Testing Company, Inc. Atech tests construction materials to ensure they meet project specifications. Mc-Cracken was interested in a technolo-gy-related co-op. Atech was looking for help in developing training programs.

Upon graduation, McCracken was offered a full-time position, working on the development of training programs. He also got involved with Advance Testing’s marketing and information technology departments.

“My education at the Mount was an invaluable tool because of the variety of courses I took,” said McCracken. “Skills such as writing, communication, critical thinking and technological ability were part of my undergraduate curriculum. They helped me to succeed in a variety of different positions within the company.”

When asked who had the greatest influence on him as a student at the Mount, McCracken couldn’t “pinpoint a single person as my greatest influence at the Mount, because the Mount com-munity as a whole allowed me to grow. I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful professors that helped me to expand my horizons. Also, having the chance to gain so many new lifelong friendships with students from all types of backgrounds was an unexpected and welcome outcome.”

McCracken credits his father as be-ing one of his key role models. “One of the most important mentors in my life and my career has been my father. Throughout my childhood, my adoles-cence, and into adulthood, my father

always pushed me to keep trying to do better in everything. He taught me the value of doing good work and exceed-ing expectations by working harder and smarter than your competition.”

“James Smith, Jr., the president and owner of Advance Testing, has been a mentor to me as I’ve grown profession-ally,” added McCracken. “I’ve had the opportunity to learn about running a business successfully while taking care of your employees and the surrounding community at the same time.”

Today, McCracken serves as Ad-vance Testing’s director of business de-velopment. “I manage the department responsible for researching, tracking and following construction projects from their planning stage,” he said. “Our role is to determine whom the project participants are and to commu-nicate our interest in the project and our firm’s qualifications.”

One of the major projects Advance Testing is working on is the 9/11 Me-morial in New York City.

“One of our assignments over the past several years has been the testing and inspection of many of the World Trade Center properties, including One World Trade Center (previously known as the Freedom Tower), the 9/11 Memorial, and several surrounding structures. We have been fortunate to

have several of our employees provide services such as project administra-tion, document control, inspection and testing of materials, and a variety of laboratory services.”

Did working on the project change his perspective on the future? Mc-Cracken replied, “The reconstruction of the World Trade Center has given Americans, and New Yorkers in partic-ular, a sense of hope that we can come back even from the worst of days.”

“Advance Testing is a growing com-pany, and over the next several years, I see myself working with the company to expand our presence across the East Coast,” said McCracken, adding that he enjoys his job very much.

“As we’ve grown,” he continued, “it’s been a pleasure to meet new employees and pass on some of the knowledge I’ve gained with the company.”

McCracken’s advice to current Mount students: “get to know your professors, the faculty and your peers equally. The more people that you develop friendships and relationships with, the wider your professional network will be upon graduation. Take advantage of the co-ops as they are, at minimum, a way to gain valuable pro-fessional experience before graduation, and in some cases, the beginning of a successful career with a company.”

aluMni ProFileChristopher McCracken ’02

Education at the Mount an invaluable tool

www.msmc.edu 19

1977 | Cheryl Iadarola married Paul M. Mynahan on December 26, 2010 with family in attendance. As they celebrated, a blizzard raged outside!

1988 | Sabrina Capecci mar-ried Michael Rosen on May 22, 2011. Donna (Wehrberger) Laudicina ’88 was a brides-maid and guests included Lisa (Turk) Kappes ’88 and Cheryl (Hughes) Jaeb ’89.

Kathleen Niezelski married Richard Clark in 2007.

1997 | Angela Brust and Tunde Balogun were married on May 22, 2011 in Latham,

N.Y. The nondenominational ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Nigel Pearce of Grace Congregational Church of Harlem, N.Y. and featured tra-ditional Yoruba blessings. The couple resides in Green Island, N.Y. Angela is the educational coordinator for a YouthBuild program in Troy, N.Y.

2002 | Ursula Tort married Kevin Callahan on June 4, 2011 at Saint Mark’s Church in Sea Girt, N.J. A reception fol-

lowed at the Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune, N..J. In attendance were Mount alumnae Annie (Ruvolo) Warchol ’02, Mary Benson ’03, Jennifer David ’02, Jacqueline (Nipitella) Abrew ’02 and Kimberly (Callen) Kedzielawa ’02. The couple lives in Red Bank, N.J.

2004 | Audra Woodruff married Courtney Smith in Mayersville, Ky., on Septem-ber 10, 2011. Fr. Mark Connell officiated. Audra and her hus-band met in Los Angeles and they both work in television production in New York for the Food Network. Audra is a producer and Courtney is an editor for the new Rachel Ray

vs. Guy Fieri Celebrity Cook-Off, due in January.

2005 | LeAnne Renaud married John Labeck Jr. in Bermuda on April 11, 2011.

2006 | Patricia Huggler married Frank Hitchcock III on July 7, 2007. They have a set of twins, Laina and Wyatt, born on October 28, 2008. Patricia and Frank recently welcomed their third child, Aubrie Faith, on June 21, 2011.

Jennifer Velez married Jef-frey Rudloff on November 12, 2011 in Marietta, Ga. The happy couple resides in Atlanta, Ga.

Alumni Notes1965

Joan Macey is retired from a fulfilling career in market-ing and sales. She credits her education at Mount Saint Mary College for her success. Joan looks forward to receiving news about her alma mater.

1966Kathy (Gardella) Garth reports “With a bittersweet feeling, I retired from teaching in 2007. I often thought of how much I owe the Mount for helping to make my dream to teach come true. My husband Lance and I have just celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary, have two wonderful sons and two fantas-tic daughters-in-law who have given us to date four grandchil-dren. They live in Dartmouth, so we are fortunate to see them grow up happy and healthy.

What a gift! I am fortunate to still have my mom who will turn 97 in December, and is quite healthy for her age. Regards to all in the Class of ‘66.”

Patricia Murray’s husband, Alan Lacy, has retired from teaching German at Marquette University. They have put their house on the market and plan to move near Charleston, S.C.

1967Bobbi (Lancaster) Allen – “By now you have probably heard that Janet Kelly Kerrs ’67 passed away in July of cancer. She died three weeks after the diagnosis with dignity, faith, her sense of humor, and with her loving family by her side. Janet and I have been friends and confidants for almost 60 years. We shared special occasions,

families, the Mount experience, and our daily lives. She was an amazing friend, mother, and woman of faith—a true joy to have gone through life with. Janet loved her time at the Mount—from her classmates and faculty, to her first room-mate, Bunny Smith Stewart. May you all have happy memo-ries of Janet; I sure do.”

1969Geralyn (Long) Peterkin and her husband Roger continue to go to Italy each year as they love the people, the atmo-sphere, and the food! Geralyn is active in the Woods Hole Theatre and she is currently acting in the cast of Blithe Spirit. She also continues to teach an adult class once a year in Shakespeare. “This year the class voted to do an unusual

play, Troilus and Cressida! “

1974Agnes Poillucci has retired after 33 years of teaching mid-dle-school students at Bishop Dunn and Rombout School in Beacon. All Agnes can say is “retirement is awesome!”

Mary Ann (Kadera) Klicka was awarded the Pennsylvania Association of Developmental Educators (PADE) Professional Development Scholarship of $1,500 in April. Mary Ann, who is nationally certified as a devel-opmental education specialist, used this scholarship to attend the Advanced Kellogg Institute at Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C.

1975Virginia “Ginny” Baresch has

Marriages Capecci - Rosen


Mount Alumni

been living in Kigali, Rwanda since May 2010 as the deputy director for the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion program. “We have approximately 40 staff, most from Rwanda and other African countries. The major focus of our work is HIV/AIDS. We work inside the U.S. Embassy and I am enjoying learning about and working with foreign ser-vice professionals. I have been lucky to have visited Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa since I have been here. One of my favorite things to do is to go on safari to watch the wildlife. I am super excited that my two daughters - Eliza-

beth and her husband Trey, and Alexandra are coming to visit soon. I was sad to miss my 35-year reunion last year with my classmates and hope to be in the U.S. for the 40th.”

1976Anna (Gadler) Pratt earned a certificate in virtual worlds from the University of Washington, Class of 2011.

1977Patrice Fogarty would like to know where her classmates from CC14 are and would like to get together in Newburgh. Nancy, Cheryl, Linda, Terri, Lori, Rosie, Karen, Nancy, Debbie,

Maggie, Brenda, Hartnet and Jean-where are you?

Lou Pietrogallo recently retired from the Wallkill Central School District after 25 years of service. He served three years as an assistant principal at Wallkill High School, three years at John G. Borden Middle School, and most recently as principal of Plattekill Elementa-ry School for the past 19 years. He has returned to Mount Saint Mary College as an adjunct professor and looks forward to teaching at the college that prepared him for his career.

1978Lorelei (Linger) Pitt is happy to announce that her daugh-ter, Meghan Kelley, married Michael Lofstedt on August 18 in New York City. Lorelei’s daughter, Stephanie Pugh, is a recent graduate of Mercyhurst College in Erie, Penn., and is employed by the Department of the Treasury in Virginia. Lore-lei’s daughter Lindsey Pugh, is studying to be a classical ballet dancer.

1980Hilary (Hallas) Mitchell com-pleted her M.B.A. at Quinnipiac University in July 2011. She is the director of employee health

Births1992 | Buffy (Riordan) Horan and her husband happily announce the birth of their son Michael Dennis Horan on September 28, 2007, and daughter Sophia Ophelia Horan on Decem-ber 14, 2009.

1996 | Sean Hollywood and his wife, Nicole, welcomed their first child, Annabelle Ruth, on July 9, 2011. She weighed 8 lbs. 4 oz. and was 20 inches long.

Katherine (Ballas) Warner and her husband, Jonathan, welcomed a baby girl on May 6, 2011: Natalie Ann Warner. Natalie joins big brother Cole Patrick. Kath-erine is currently working at L’Oreal USA.

Andre P. Loubier and his wife, Susanne, welcomed their third child, Daniel Mi-chael, who was born on April 19, 2011. Daniel joins big sisters Christa (4) and Kara (2).

1997| Shannon (Troy) Ervin and her husband James are proud to an-nounce the arrival of their third daughter Rhema Carys. She was born on August 15, 2011, in Boeblin-gen, Germany weighing in at 9 lbs. 13 oz. and was 20 ½ inches long. She joins big sisters Ryleigh (4) and Rhiannon (16 ½ months). The Ervin family is stationed at Patch Barrack, Germany.

Thomas Fuller and his wife Carla celebrate the birth of their son Elijah Thomas Fuller born on July 2, 2011. Elijah weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 21 ¼ inches long.

Cristy (Martin) Meyer, husband Joseph and

daughters – Toni (7) and Kate (5) welcomed twin brothers Jack Stephen and Joseph Anthony on Novem-ber 14, 2010.

1998 | Caroline Camaya-Kruszewski and her hus-band Peter Kruszewski ’97 welcomed a baby girl on July 5, 2011. Amanda Caro-line was born at 2:29 a.m. weighing 8 lbs. and 2 oz. and measuring 20 ¼ inches. She joins big brother Devin Piotr (2). Caroline teaches kindergarten in Natick, Mass. and Peter works as a technical engineer at EMC in Hopkinton, Mass.

2003 | Christine (Buck-man) Carrolla and husband Peter, welcomed daughter Sarah Elise Carrol-la on May 20, 2011. Sarah joins big sister, Kate (3).

2004 | Adreena (Cuenin) Neugebauer and her husband Robert welcome

a baby boy, Macklin James, born on March 23, 2011 weighing 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 20 inches.

2005 | Maynard Schmidt and Amanda (Gilleo) Schmidt welcomed a baby boy, Cooper James, on December 29, 2010. He joins big brother Nicholas (5). The family lives in New Windsor.

2006 | Christina (Papale) Ramiza and her husband Evan Papale welcomed daughter Margaret Ann on July 14, 2011. She weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 20 inch-es long. Big sisters Victoria and Sophia are thrilled!

2007 | Meghan (Longo) Earley and her husband David welcomed their first child, Lilly Anastasia, in September 2010.

Hollywood family

absences at Pitney Bowes Inc. Hilary and her husband Paul live in Wilton, Ct. Their son Alex, is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan.

Doris Hettinger-Mackey reports that the Mackey family is preparing for the 2011-2012 school year. Charles and Julia are now in the 11th grade, looking at various careers and colleges. The Mackey family wishes all a season of good wishes and good health.

Sharon (Di Genio) Wulftange is working in the Ambulatory Surgery Center at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Ct.

1981Deborah Pariser has been married to Dr. Barry Pariser for over 51 years. They have three wonderful children and six even more wonderful grand-children. Their oldest grand-child is engaged to be married. Deborah worked as an allergy technician for over 10 years and has since retired. Deborah has been very involved in the Jew-ish Family Services of Orange County, where she is currently vice president.

Roberta (Ross) Gozza’s daugh-ter Courtney was married on April 30, 2011, to Michael Amodie in Richmond, Va.

1983Kerry (Lovelock) Bazany recently obtained an ABA-approved paralegal certificate and was hired at a family law practice near Chicago. After teaching for over 20 years and suffering two consecutive lay-offs, Kerry decided to enter the legal profession and is certainly happy that she did! Kerry is also a contributing writer to a

local law review. Kerry’s oldest is now a senior in college, and life is beginning all over for her!

Melody Eldred, professor and chair of the department of mathematics at SUNY Cobleskill, presiding officer of the faculty for two years, will be on sabbatical from January to August of 2012. Melody will be researching the relationship between the high school math courses students take and their success in a college elementary statistics course. She will also be taking courses in enroll-ment management at Capella University. Melody’s daughter, Vanessa Jamin Eldred, married Nathan Robert Banks on July 9, 2011. Vanessa is a Ph.D. candidate studying marriage and family counseling with a specialization in pre- and para-natal clinical psychology.

Donna (Withrow) Lisewski graduated from the University of Hartford with a master’s in nursing in May 2011.

1985Michael Caligiuri completed his second master’s degree in education, specializing in school library science. Michael is working as a school librarian in a K-8 public school.

Lynette (Scianna) Debellis is now the curriculum chairper-son for the department of nursing at Westchester Com-munity College. Lynette is very happy to share the news that her daughter Julianna attends the Mount as a member of the Class of 2015.

1989Peggy Ann Caraballo-McCarthy earned her M.P.H. from Lehman College and the

John S. Burzenski, father of Kathleen (Burzenski) Sendewicz ’74, passed away on March 24, 2011.

Andrew Callahan, father of Patricia (Callahan) Brier ‘72, passed away on March 26, 2011.

Marian Cooper Hannan H ’95, honorary doctor of humane letters recipient from Mount Saint Mary Col-lege, passed away on July 26, 2011.

Richard Cupertino, father of Barbara (Cupertino) Baxter ’70, passed away on February 21, 2011.

Dr. Virginia Davidson, beloved wife of Jim Davidson, mother of Michael and Meg, and pro-fessor of English at Mount Saint Mary College, passed away on August 16, 2011.

Janet (Kelly) Kerr ’67, spouse of Bill Kerr, friend of Bobbi (Lancaster) Allen ’67 and godmother to Dan Allen ’94, passed away on July 17, 2011.

Joshua Knieser ‘96 passed away on July 13, 2011.

Clementine (Deloise) McIntosh ’73, passed away on April 11, 2011.

Robert Niezelski, father of Kathleen (Niezelski) Clark ’88, passed away on July 15, 2011

Agnes Perry, mother of Mary Perry ‘78, passed away on December 25, 2010.

Gregory J. Polvere, father of Joseph G. Polvere ‘01, passed away on June 28, 2011.

Amolia “Mollie” Puleo, mother of Marie (Puleo) Lown ’78, passed away on July 21, 2011.

Harry Raynor, husband of Cathy Gohring-Raynor ’83, passed away on May 28, 2011.

Linda Seibert ’73 passed away on May 1, 2011.

Christopher Zoeller, brother of Melissa “Missy” (Zoeller) Stender ’99 and Bravin Zoeller, her nephew, passed away on May 29, 2011.

www.msmc.edu 21

In Memoriam

CUNY School of Public Health in June and is working as a project associate at Montefiore CMO Network Care Management.

1991Julie (Philips) Kaiser is the proud mother of four children, Jacqueline (15), Kenny (13), Timmy (10) and Henry (6). Julie

works part-time at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Health Center in Syra-cuse, N.Y. Julie and her husband Ken ’93 have gone on several mission trips to Ghana, West Af-rica with their church, and they are planning additional trips.

1992Kate Blain has been appointed


Mount Alumnieditor of the Evangelist, the dioc-esan newspaper in Albany, N.Y.

Diane (Anderson) Boyle is living in northern New Jersey and has been married 11 years to her hus-band Kevin, a Jersey boy. They have two children, Shane (9) and Eileen (4). Diane is a high school guidance counselor and enjoys being a working mom. Diane is looking forward to the Class of 1992’s reunion in the fall of 2012!

Ira Hancock is an educational therapist with private clients and an educational consultant for Aspen Country Day School in Aspen, Colo. Ira is always willing to speak with classmates or develop new acquaintances. Feel free to email him at [email protected]. “Remember to reach for the moon because even if you miss you will be among the stars!”

1993Stacey (Demirjean) Finn is living in Wesley Chapel, Fla. with her husband Tyler and daughters Taryn, Karlye and Loryn and son, Brody. Stacey is working as an RN in labor and delivery. She stays busy work-ing full time, and the rest of her time is consumed with softball and soccer with her girls and hopefully soon with baseball and football with their son.

Tricia (Pelletier) Belfonti and her husband Arnie have opened Castle Dreams Travel,

an agency specializing in Disney Travel. There is no fee for their services. Visit www.CastleDreamsTravel.com.

1996Margaret “Meg” Dillon is teach-ing sixth, seventh and eighth grade students English and social studies in Everglades City, Fla. Meg’s daughter Casey and son Jay are both in college. Her husband Tom has been enjoying the slower pace of Naples these past 14 years and working part-time at St. William’s Church after his career at IBM. Wishing the master’s in education Class of ’96 health, faith and happiness.

Christen (Lombardo) Baum-bach, after 11 years of teaching high school special education at OFA in Owego, N.Y., now teaches at the collegiate level as an instructor at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) in Dryden, N.Y. She was inspired to move on, in part, after going through the National Board Certification process and is look-ing ahead to having a positive impact on the lives of college students.

1998Franz Constancio will be celebrating his 3rd anniversary with New York Life Insurance Company. Franz actively volunteers with many business organizations such as Business Networking International. Franz was the 2010-2011 president

for the local Newburgh chapter. Please contact Franz at [email protected]. Franz and his college sweetheart Nicole (Hacker) Constancio ’00 will be celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary this Octo-ber. They also have a wonderful son, Markus, who turned four in July.

Jamie Weingartner was married on December 29, 2007, and lives in Wethersfield, Ct. with his wife Kate and son Jake (2), born on April 14, 2009. Jamie works for OptumInsight, formerly Ingenix, as a software business analyst.

1999Amy (Ackerman) McDonald graduated in May from SUNY New Paltz with a certificate of advanced study in school admin-istration.

2000Amy Peluso was named the principal of Scotchtown Avenue School (K-2) in the Goshen Central School District in Goshen, N.Y. Amy previously served as the assistant principal at Minisink Valley Intermediate School.

Melissa (Valcarcel) Serrano and her husband Jamie have been happily married for six years and have a two beautiful little boys Jamie (2) and Jayden (1). Melissa is a producer at News 12 The Bronx, where she works on daily newscasts and produces special segments.

2001Jessica (Betancourt) Lorenzo is happy to announce that she has three wonderful children, two sons, Danny Jr. (8) and Jaydan (6), and a daughter, Isabella (3). Jessica has a wonderful husband, Danny, and is currently working in the health insurance field.

2003Brett Arteta achieved his profes-sional engineering license in New York State in January 2008. Brett was promoted to director of meter services at Central Hudson Gas & Electric in June 2011.

Wendy (Collett) Civitello and her husband Jerod celebrated their second wedding anniver-sary on July 11. They bought their first home in 2009 and so far their family consists of two dogs, Isabell and Bluto, and their parrot Lucy.

Mark Kelly is an associate marketing manager at Wyndham Exchange and Rentals, Wynd-ham World Wide. Mark married Cynthia (Anselmo) Kelly ’04 in June, 2010.

Gina Scarimbolo has been teaching for Bartow County School system in Georgia for the past six years. Gina is teaching kindergarten, but has also taught first and second grade. She received her master’s degree from Kennesaw State University last year.

Nicholas Shannon was pro-moted to manager of special events at the Saint Francis Health Care Foundation in December of 2010. He just “celebrated” his 10th anniver-sary at St. Francis Hospital.

2004Jonathan Levine obtained a master’s in business administra-tion in 2010 . He is employed by a government contractor in Albany, N.Y.

2005Larry Vollmer manages the In-ternet division of a magazine and web publisher, Wainscot Media, after spending several years as

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

www.msmc.edu 23

Inaugural alumni gathering at

Saratoga Race Course

Alumni and friends gathered on opening day at Saratoga Race Course for a fun-filled day at the races, July 23. During brunch at the Inn at Saratoga, Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, Mount president,

spoke about the future of the college. Former jockey, Richard Migliore, shared about the sport of horse racing

a senior web developer at The Journal News. Larry also provides freelance web development ser-vices for small businesses across the country.

2006Yvonne (Law) Bartolo is happily married to her best friend and love of her life, Adam. They have an amazing son, Lucas, and a silly dog named Doug. The couple resides in Gilbert, Ariz. Yvonne is working at Athlos Traditional Academy – A Legacy Traditional School. This will be Yvonne’s first year in this district.

Heather Lodini was named assistant director of social media for the Hartford Financial Ser-vices Group.

2008Christina Buechel was recently hired at Integrated Enterprise So-lutions in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. as a systems engineer. Christina is responsible for level one help desk support, which includes assisting users on site and re-motely. Christina has been able to use the knowledge that she gained at the Mount and apply it to real-life scenarios in the world of business.

Katelyn Biggane Moore welcomed her husband, Matthew, home in June after his year-long deployment to Afghanistan. Katelyn recently accepted a position as a high school Spanish teacher in Fort Hood, Texas.

Anthony Curti has successfully completed his law school studies and received his juris doctor de-gree from Pace University School of Law in White Plains, N.Y.

2010Kristin Jordhamo has complet-ed the Yale New Haven Hospital residency program for new grad-uate nurses. She concentrated in the medical intensive care unit. She is working on a master’s of science in nursing/family nurse practitioner program at the Mount. She works as an intensive care nurse in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

2011Dana Conroy is currently work-ing at Davis Vision in Latham, N.Y. as a customer service represen-

tative. Dana will begin her gradu-ate studies at the University of Albany for library and informa-tion technology in the fall.

Honorary Degree RecipientJames Taylor H’11, CEO of Taylor Biomass Energy, became the first member of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce to become certified as sustain-able under guidelines of the chamber, SUNY Orange and Greenopia, a company that publishes lists of eco-friendly retailers.

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


Friends of the Mount

edie Haughney

(left), CiMa® of

Morgan Stanley

Smith Barney, holds

the 1976 olympic

swimming gold

and bronze medals

won by genworth

Financial national

spokesperson

Wendy Boglioli

at a reception in

aquinas Hall.

For protecting assets and helping others

Planning is key

These questions were

among those addressed

at a June seminar

Multi-Generational Estate

Planning: What You Need To

Know, co-hosted by Mount Saint

Mary College and the Commu-

nity Foundation of Orange and

Sullivan.Guest speaker Edie Haughney,

CIMA®, of Morgan Stanley

Smith Barney, joined attorney

Mark Stern, Community Foun-

dation of Orange and Sullivan

executive director Karen Van-

Houten Minogue, and Genworth

Financial national spokesperson

and 1976 Olympic medalist

Wendy Boglioli, all of whom

agree that proper planning is es-

sential to optimizing goals.

“We all need to take the time

to figure out what vehicles would

be best to protect assets, mini-

mize taxes, and provide a com-

prehensive care plan for ourselves

and loved ones,” said Haughney.

“There are many investment op-

tions to consider, depending on

the need to provide for oneself,

loved ones, and favorite organiza-

tions,” she added.

Olympic swimming cham-

pion Wendy Boglioli, whose

experiences with her own par-

ents led her to a career focused

on educating people about the

considerations for long-term

care insurance and financial

planning, encourages people to

get conversations started with

loved ones. The focus should be

about planning for a long life,

and meeting personal and finan-

cial goals to support their basic

needs and lifestyle.

For more information about

estate planning, contact Mount

Saint Mary College’s Joan

Gambeski, director of major gifts,

at [email protected] or

845-569-3218.

How do I protect my assets and

lifestyle? Do I need long-term care

insurance? Would it be better to create

a trust or a will to benefit my family and charities?

www.msmc.edu 25

Mary Moran Deatherage, named #10 in Barron’s 2010 “Top Ranked Women

Advisors in America” poll and the #8 wealth advisor in New Jersey that same year, uses her personal experi-ences from Mount Saint Mary College in her everyday business dealings.

“One of the greatest influences in my life was Dr. Margaret Dames, pro-fessor of French, who worked with me to develop a plan to reach my goals,” said Deatherage. “She encouraged me to push beyond what I thought was possible – even if that meant perform-ing Godspell in French!”

Deatherage’s original plan was to become an educator.

“Women did not have as many choices then as now, so many opted to be either teachers or nurses,” she said. “After spending some years in the classroom, I thought that perhaps there was another career I would enjoy and subsequently went on to earn my CPA. While I enjoyed solving business problems, I missed the many degrees of interaction with people that is inherent in teaching. Helping people reach their personal and finan-cial goals has been a simultaneously challenging yet thoroughly satisfying career for me,” said Deatherage.

She leads a team responsible for more than $1.4 billion in assets, spe-cializing in overall strategic, financial, and estate planning, asset allocation, manager selection and liaison, and tax strategies.

Helping students experience new dimensions in their fields

This summer, Deatherage hired Nure Useinoski ’12 as an intern for her Little Falls, N.J. office. Useinoski is enrolled in the Mount’s 5-year master

of business administration program and will earn his graduate degree in May, 2013.

“Mary is a passionate, caring, and a devoted leader,” Useinoski said. “My internship provided insightful value to my academic progress, which I will hold onto forever.”

A firm believer in the value of in-ternships and in having tangible goals for students, Deatherage helps interns to develop the skills needed to succeed in a competitive business environment.

“I was delighted to have the op-portunity to offer a position to a Mount student. An accounting major, Nure has been a terrific asset to my team here at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney by assisting with evaluating portfolios and triaging files, among other projects,” said Deatherage. “Plus, his can-do attitude and excellent work ethic is commendable and reflects on him personally and the preparation he received at the Mount.”

“The low faculty-to-student ratio was important to me during my years

there, as I knew I was appreciated as a unique person,” Deatherage contin-ued. “I am pleased to know that this personal attention and the opportunity to expand one’s horizons continue to be a hallmark of a Mount education.”

Deatherage’s classmates celebrated the 1974 commencement ceremonies without her, as she was at West Point that day getting married to her high school sweetheart William Deather-age, a United States Military Academy graduate.

“I have always appreciated the importance and value of cultivating relationships in all aspects of life. My experiences at the Mount were formative, and I will always be grateful,” Deatherage said.

One of Barron’s top-ranked financial professionals advises students

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

Mary M. Deatherage ’74, managing director and family wealth director of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, enjoys role as mentor

Mary Deatherage, left and nure useinoski ’12

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Mount Saint Mary College 330 Powell AvenueNewburgh, NY 12550

A record amount of more than $100,000 was raised during the 33rd Annual Mount Saint Mary

College Invitational Golf Tournament on Monday, June 6. The funds will help to keep the cost of a Mount education affordable to young people of all back-grounds.

Some 160 golfers took to the links for the event at the Powelton Club in Newburgh, NY.

Honoree James Smith, Jr., former Mount Saint Mary College trustee, is founder and CEO of Advanced Test-

ing Company in Campbell Hall, N.Y. His firm provides both field inspection and laboratory analysis of construction materials for commercial, private and public organizations.

David S. MacFarland, president and CEO of Riverside Bank, was also honored for his 33 years of service on the Mount Saint Mary College golf committee.

The Mount Saint Mary College Invi-tational Golf and Tennis Tournament will be held on Monday, June 4, 2012.

For information, call 845-569-3215.

Mount Saint Mary College Invitational Golf Tournament

ABOVE: Scenes from the 33rd Annual Mount Saint Mary College Invitational Golf Tournament.

Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Fall 2011

Documents

Transcript of Mount Saint Mary College Magazine Fall 2011