adm_2011_FacesofSuccess by Hofstra University

the

of faces success profiles of Hofstra University alumni

Donna Mendes 2

Hofstra University

senior vascular surgeon at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt (SLR) Hospital Center, Donna Mendes holds the distinction of being the first African-American, female vascular surgeon certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Being a pioneer was not something she recognized immediately. “I was busy just doing

my best in my work, so it didn’t hit me right away. I came to realize I was different because there were not many female vascular surgeons in general. I would go to large conferences and conventions, and the vast majority of the people there were white men.” Donna has been at St. Luke’s since completing her vascular fellowship at Englewood Hospital in 1984. She has been chief of vascular services at SLR and at North General Hospital, one of SLR’s affiliated hospitals. Currently, she is site director of vascular surgery at St. Luke’s, and assistant clinical professor of surgery at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. B.A., BIOLOGY, 1973

While at Hofstra, Donna aced her science classes for her declared major in speech

pathology, and soon switched over to premed. B.A., BIOLOGY, 1973 “My adviser Beatrice Nivens was very encouraging, and she is still a friend to this day,” she noted. Today, Donna tries to mentor other young women interested in her field. “Clearly there are still challenges in the health care profession for minorities,” she explained. “Some of the same people that I went through school and training with received a lot more mentoring and guidance along the way than I did. In many ways I’m considered a role model, so it’s up to me to be a mentor to other women – both white and minority – interested in vascular surgery.”

the faces of success 3

Randy Frankel

Hofstra University

andy Frankel’s favorite memories of Hofstra include the cheering crowd at the Providence Civic Center during the first round of the NCAA college basketball championship to a somewhat smaller crowd at a party in one of the high-rise residence halls that included “a very special girl who I ended

up marrying.” Randy was also a member of Hofstra’s 1976 men’s basketball team, which played in Providence in the first round of the NCAA tournament against the University of Connecticut. Today, Randy, who is retired from Wall Street, is co-owner of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team and co-owner of Windham Mountain Ski Resort and Hotel in the Catskills. Randy also recalled taking accounting and business courses at Hofstra with Dr. Ralph Polimeni. “He was a great educator and a very nice person,” Randy said. “I also really enjoyed the library at Hofstra, as it provided me with a place to study in groups downstairs, or I could take the elevator up to a quiet floor and just hit the books.” He graduated from Hofstra University in 1979 with a B.B.A. in accounting, and went on to become a CPA with the firm of Peat Marwick in New Jersey. From there, he headed to Wall Street where he worked with the accounting firm Oppenheim, Appel & Dixon. In 1986, Randy joined Spear, Leeds & Kellogg as the firm’s tax director. He was appointed managing director in 1996, with responsibility for the clearing B.B.A., ACCOUNTING, 1979

business,operations,technology,orderexecutionandthefuturesbusiness. In 1999 he was appointed to the firm’s executive committee. Shortly

thereafter in 2000, Spear, Leeds & Kellogg was acquired by Goldman Sachs, where he became a managing director. Randy experienced the tragedy of September 11, 2001, firsthand when he was caught in the rubble of the World Trade Center. Soon after, he made the decision to retire from Wall Street and spend time with his family. But retirement didn’t last long. In 2004 he and his Wall Street partners acquired the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, now known as the Tampa Bay Rays. The following year he became a co-owner of Windham Mountain Ski Resort and Hotel in Windham, New York. In his spare time, Randy has been involved with several real estate projects and has opened restaurants in New Jersey and New York. He and his wife also established the Randy and Barbara Frankel Foundation, which supports education for students at Newark Academy and scholar-athletes at Parsippany High School, from which he graduated. Randy was inducted to the Parsippany High School Hall of Fame in 2005. He and his wife are also involved with Homeless Solutions of Morristown, New Jersey, and Camp Happy Times, which was founded by Randy’s father. the faces of success 5

Michael Delaney 6

Hofstra University

n 2003 Michael Delaney was named the chief project engineer on the Boeing 737 Next Generation airplane program. The “workhorse” of 130 airlines, this aircraft was redesigned from 1994 to 1997. Boeing delivered its 2,000th 737 Next Generation plane to airlines in

2006, he noted. As chief project engineer, Michael said, “I was the executive responsible for the safety of the design, implementing the product strategy, partnering engineering with marketing and sales, and overseeing the technical integration of the airplane, including structural, aerodynamics and systems.” Michael has taken those areas of responsibility one step further, having been named vice president and chief project engineer. Even as a youngster, Michael added, “I’ve always loved airplanes and wanted to design them.” He chose Hofstra’s engineering program in part because “I wanted to work at Grumman on Long Island, and a lot of Hofstra faculty were involved with Grumman. My first job after graduation was at Grumman as an aerodynamics engineer – until the end of 1988, when I joined McDonnell Douglas.” Michael moved into commercial aircraft flight B.E., AEROSPACE ENGINEERING, 1985

testing at McDonnell Douglas, which ultimately became Boeing. One of his favorite aspects about Hofstra, he

said, is its “small class sizes and easy access to the facilities and faculty.” An important lesson he learned as a first-year student, he recalled, came from a professor who said, “You can be the most brilliant engineer, but if you can’t articulate your ideas, it means nothing.” Another professor prepared him for his current career, Michael added, by pointing out that he “wasn’t teaching us how to do something, but rather how to solve problems — a concept we could apply to changing circumstances.” His best advice for someone planning to enter his field is: “You’ll spend a lot of time in the work environment, so you should do something you really love. Go for what you really want to do, and enjoy your career – and life.” the faces of success 7

Catherine Hunter 8

Hofstra University

or as long as I can remember, being in television is what I wanted to do,” Catherine Hunter said. “When I began searching for a college, Hofstra just seemed to have it all. The facilities were fabulous, and I knew that as a first-year student I could be working

with the equipment in the studios. At other places, you had to wait until your junior year. I thought that was absurd.” As a junior, Catherine was among students taking turns producing and directing FYI, a then-new weekly magazine show, and as a senior, she directed a live music show, Live From Studio A. She was especially enthused about being so close to New York City, “one of the meccas for the television world, and I could take a train and be there in 25 minutes.” That close proximity enabled her, in senior year, to intern two days a week at Maury Povich’s syndicated show. Catherine, director in the Studio Directing Department at ESPN, noted, “I have two Emmys for SportsCenter, and a third one for ESPN’s College Game Day – Football, I’m proud

B.A., VIDEO/TELEVISION PRODUCTION, 2000

to say.” She tries to return periodically to Hofstra “to speak to a class about working in television and to observe some of my old classes.” Professors like Randy Hillebrand and Peter Gershon “helped mold me into what I am today,” she pointed out.

the faces of success 9

Gloria Jackson-McLean

Hofstra University

hortly after graduating from Hofstra’s School of Education and Allied Human Services (now known as School of Education, Health and Human Services), Gloria Jackson-McLean became a public educator at Winthrop-University Hospital’s Long Island Regional Poison

and Drug Information Center. In this capacity, she developed comprehensive education programs on poison prevention, and then presented these programs to communities in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, via lectures, workshops and seminars. She also collaborated with other educators in New York state and the American Association of Poison Control Centers to create a systematic and statewide approach to public education. “I have always wanted to be a public health educator,” Gloria said. “My goal after graduation was to obtain a position as a health educator with an organization that focuses on health education, health promotion and disease prevention.Thanks to Hofstra’s School of Education, Health and Human Services, my goal was achieved and the framework is set for me to advance higher on this career path.” In October 2006 Gloria relocated to Georgia. She is currently serving as development specialist/ health educator at the Georgia Poison Center. In addition to “the sense of belonging” that she felt, Gloria fondly recalls the professors B.S., COMMUNITY HEALTH, 2005

at Hofstra’s School of Education, Health and Human Services. “They were always willing to listen, advise and assist, especially in the

Department of Health Professions and Kinesiology.” When asked what advice she would give those considering future careers in health-related fields, Gloria suggested “pursuing a B.S. in community health at Hofstra’s School of Education, Health and Human Services. This degree provides a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences and can lead to a variety of career options in health – including health education, public health, epidemiology, health administration, nursing, social work, health counseling, and medicine.”

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