Manhattan College Alumni Magazine Winter 2015

M A N H AT TA N CO L L EG E WI N T E R 2 0 1 5

AN UNCOMMON COMMONS

M A N H AT TA N CO L L EG E WI N T E R 2 0 1 5 VO LUM E 4 0 • N UM B E R 2

2

ON CAMPUS The College is honored with National

EDITOR Kristen Cuppek STAFF WRITERS Julie Achilles Patrice Athanasidy Liz Connolly Bauman Sarah R. Schwartz CONTRIBUTORS Annie Chambliss Joe Clifford Joe Hutter Thomas McCarthy Pete McHugh Amy Surak

Science Foundation awards, one more Jasper engineer elected to prestigious academy, East Hill Hall gets a new name, and so much more.

20

Get to know athletic and academic star Kate Bowen ’14, plus news and recaps of the past spring and fall seasons.

30 NOT YOUR COMMON COMMONS The highly anticipated Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons officially opens to much fanfare at a dedication ceremony this fall, plus everything you

GRADUATE ASSISTANT Richard Bunyan PHOTOGRAPHERS Josh Cuppek Joe Schmelzer (cover) Chris Taggart DESIGN Charles Hess, chess design Mallory Guillemette

SPORTS

wanted to know about the new space.

38 COMMENCEMENT Manhattan celebrates recent grads at its Commencement ceremonies in May.

42

DEVELOPMENT Author James Patterson ’69 continues his generous scholarship program, and meet a student scholarship recipient.

Published by the office of Marketing and Communication Manhattan College Riverdale, NY 10471 Lydia Gray Executive Director, Marketing and Communication

44

ALUMNI Hall of Fame, new chapter spotlight, alumnotes, Jasper profiles and more reminiscing about a long-lost tradition.

56

OBITUARIES In memoriam, Arthur Urrutia, Keith

ON THE COVER Discovering new angles: admiring the recently opened Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons facade from Waldo Avenue.

Simon, Brother William Batt, Guillermo Romagosa, Brother Patrick Dowd, Shushila Gidwani-Buschi

60

PARTING SHOT

ON C AMPUS

One North American Family

A group of Jaspers spent a week volunteering at an educational center in Florida, and learning about the migrant experience as part of the College’s newest Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.) trip.

2 N winter 2015

AS PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY gathered to celebrate Memorial Day in late May, a group of Jaspers had the opportunity to see America through the eyes of an immigrant community based in Homestead, Fla., 45 minutes outside of Miami.

The group of five students, led by Conor Reidy, campus minister in the College’s Campus Ministry and Social Action (CMSA) department, and Meaghan Fenton ’15, a business analytics major, spent a week living simply and volunteering at El Centro Educativo (La Salle Educational Center), as part of Manhattan’s newest Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.) trip.

The Center, which is owned by the Homestead Housing Authority and run primarily by lay volunteers along with the Christian Brothers, serves 300 low-income families, most of whom emigrated from Michoacán, Mexico.

During their week of service, the Manhattan group was tasked with helping to clean and organize storage closets full of computer equipment and educational supplies, and work with children at an afterschool program.

“Quality education for all, regardless of financial circumstance, is very Lasallian,” Reidy says.

“That was probably the most rewarding aspect of our work,” Fenton adds. “We got to help the students with their homework, play with them — but one of the main reasons they wanted us there was to motivate them.”

She explained that the majority of students at the Center, ranging from 6 to 16 years old, are children of migrant farmers, and many don’t consider college to be a foreseeable option in their future.

Eager to strengthen relationships with the community, the Manhattan students enjoyed dinner with different families each night, exchanging stories and perspectives over home-cooked meals. The Jaspers practiced their Spanish while family members

practiced their English, sometimes meeting in the middle, but always finding a way to discuss important issues.

“I made a big connection with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) work I’ve done with our human trafficking, immigration and migration group for the past three years,” says Fenton, a CRS Campus Ambassador at Manhattan. “Actually hearing these stories solidified why it is so important for me to continue doing what I’m doing, and to share their stories; because not everyone will get a chance to sit down and have a dinner conversation with a man who’s crossed the border 20 times.”

Hearing personal stories was a highlight of the trip for Reidy as well, who realized during an outing to the beach, that many of the children didn’t know how to swim.

“It made me really stop and think about privilege and unpacking hidden elements of what it means to be privileged in this world and the small things that you never think about,” says Reidy, who, like many of his Manhattan group members, took swimming lessons as a kid. “Like why things are different and why class and gender and race make a difference in people’s lived experiences.”

Despite their differences, the people of Homestead sent the Jaspers back with heartfelt thank-you notes and a sentiment that resonated all the way to Riverdale — todos somos americanos, which means, “we’re all Americans” — one North American family.

The Major Author Reading Series (M.A.R.S.) kicked off the fall semester with acclaimed poet Jen McClanaghan.

Poetry and Plots Orbit M.A.R.S.

Photo: Daniel Molina ’18

M

ANHATTAN COLLEGE’S Major Author Reading Series (M.A.R.S.) brings some of the most renowned and talented novelists, poets and essayists to campus to share insights into their newest works. The series has consistently grown in popularity among the College’s community, and the fall edition was no exception.

Since its inception in the fall of 2010, an impressive cast of authors has graced Hayden Hall’s auditorium, and has spurred a remarkable amount of interest from students across all of the campus’ disciplines.

The series is co-sponsored by the College’s English department and the School of Arts, with the intention of engaging and exposing students to the best in contemporary literature in an interactive environment.

“Our authors this semester each brought a valuable perspective to writing contemporary literature: the poetic intersection of the personal and public, the value and beauty of experimental fiction, not to mention the joy of locating oneself within poetic traditions,” says Adam Koehler, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, who helps coordinate M.A.R.S. The series kicked off with acclaimed poet Jen McClanaghan, who recently released a new book of poems entitled River Legs, which has received high praise from her peers in the poetry world and won the George-

town Review prize. Two of her other poems, Born Again and My Lie, have been featured recently in The New Yorker.

After reading from her favorite poems, she fielded questions from the audience and discussed what motivates her to write.

McClanaghan revealed that she, “becomes fascinated by certain, sometimes minute, details in the news that lead me to write a poem.” An avid reader of The New York Times, she credits the newspaper with giving her a great deal of inspiration for her poetry. She also cites her time living in New York City, Florida, and the Louisiana Bayou as inspiration for the backdrop of her poems.

The series continued with short-story writer Ben Marcus, who read from his best-known work, Leaving the Sea. Marcus recited his short story “The Loyalty Protocol,” illustrating his unique writing style that combines a character-driven narrative with a sometimes nonsensical and comedic tone.

When asked how he considers his audience when writing, Marcus replied, “In the end, if it is not interesting or funny to me, I don’t know how else to judge it. So I try to write for myself first, and then hope others connect to it.” To stay engaged in his work, he disclosed that he tests his literary range and attacks his fears by varying his narrative.

Marcus’ writing has been widely

acclaimed by critics and writers alike. He’s the recipient of three Pushcart Prizes, a Whiting Writers Award, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Morton Dauwen Zabel Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His work has appeared in Harper’s, The New Yorker, Paris Review, The New York Times and Time.

The fall series concluded with Erica Dawson, an award-winning contemporary poet and author of Big-Eyed Afraid. This book won the 2006 Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize and was named the best debut of 2007 by Contemporary Poetry Review. She just released another book entitled The Small Blades Hurt.

The poems she shared expressed the realism of everyday life and how the various emotions we feel can coincide with unforeseen events to create moments that are unique and unrepeatable. After reciting her poetry, Dawson took some time to engage with the students and sign copies of her new book.

A Greener Campus

L

OOKING TO REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT and cut energy costs, Manhattan College launched a $2.3 million water and energy-saving project that is expected to save an estimated $652,000 per year in utility costs and reduce electricity use by nearly 2 million kilowatt-hours annually.

By also implementing energy and water conservation measures, the College expects to conserve an estimated 6.3 million gallons of water and avoid the equivalent annual emissions from 433 passenger vehicles, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data.

The project, in collaboration with H2O Applied Technologies, began last May and concluded at the end of the fall semester. The energy retrofit project affected most areas of campus. Lighting system upgrades took place in all administrative offices, athletic facilities

and residence halls. Water-saving measures, through the installation of low-flow toilets and shower heads, are expected to save the College more than 6 million gallons of water per year. H2O Applied Technologies is also upgrading heating systems on campus, by replacing or retrofitting 801 steam traps.

“Manhattan College is constantly working toward making our campus more sustainable,” says Andrew Ryan, P.E., vice president for facilities. “This is the first comprehensive energy project completed in Manhattan College’s 161-year history.”

To help fund this energy conservation project, the College will receive a rebate from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for about 10 percent of the costs associated with the work.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 3

ON C AMPUS

College Enhances STEM Education With Two NSF Awards

W

ITH ONLY 16 PERCENT of American high school students proficient in mathematics and interested in a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career, President Barack Obama, the Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) and the Department of Education have made it a priority to increase the number of trained teachers and students.

Manhattan College is also committed to expanding its STEM reach, and is doing so with support from two recent National Science Foundation (NSF) awards. The first award was granted in July and will allow Rostislav Konoplich, Ph.D., professor of physics, to further grow research on Higgs boson, the subatomic particle that accounts for the creation of mass, essentially allowing human life to exist. Konoplich is a member of ATLAS, one of the two international teams that collaborated to pinpoint the Higgs boson in 2012, and he will spearhead the research with undergraduate students at the College during the next three years.

In early July, the Schools of Education and Health and Engineering received a second NSF award to establish an Engineering Scholars Training and Retention (STAR) Center, which incorporates the creation of a minor in engineering education for students studying engineering, a certificate in engineering education for math and science education majors, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in engineering education for engineering and education graduate students.

In addition, the STAR Center will offer professional development opportunities for current STEM educators, and Manhattan College students will present workshops on STEM concepts to middle and high schools serving underrepresented groups. The Center will help fill a void for the current lack of engineering training in middle and high school teacher certification programs for individuals interested in becoming STEM teachers.

RESEARCH ON THE CREATION OF MASS Throughout the next three years, Konoplich will lead a research project to evaluate the properties of the Higgs boson and search for new physics at the point of discovery, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). After the discovery of Higgs boson was announced in Geneva, Forbes called it “the biggest scientific discovery of the 21st century.”

The LHC is a 17-mile subterranean tunnel in which high-energy protons or ions collide at the speed of light, and is the most powerful particle accelerator ever built. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is situated above the LHC and was founded in 1954 as one of Europe’s first joint ventures.

“This is a unique opportunity for Manhattan Col4 N winter 2015

lege to participate in the most famous experiment in particle physics.

Some equate it with landing on the moon,” Konoplich explains.

To help understand how the LHC functions, think of a circular subway tunnel carrying two runaway trains hurtling at breakneck speed that crash together to cause a sensationally messy explosion. The LHC’s proton beams, colliding several million times per second, move at nearly the speed of light, resulting in an underground fireworks show of exploding debris. Each puff of debris disintegrates into thin air in just a fraction of a second, but that is still enough time for the LHC’s gigantic sensors to detect and measure the tiny particles emanating from the combustions. One of those particles is the Higgs boson.

Currently, two physics students, Dylan Gray ’16 and Thomas Reid ’16, working alongside Konoplich, have conducted research on the impact of Higgs boson mass uncertainties, and contributed to studies of asymmetry decays. The group monitors LHC’s collisions remotely and analyzes various properties, such as the masses and spins of exploding particles, while searching for new physics with the ATLAS detector.

“The overall experience means a lot to me because it has given me a chance to see what is happening in the field of physics today,” Gray says.

Konoplich’s team will develop an undergraduate research journal and projects suitable for high school students. Plans are also in the works to introduce a few of the research projects at next year’s precollege summer program in the School of Science, which is run by Veronique Lankar, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of physics.

The group also will travel to Geneva next summer to visit CERN and conduct more research at the renowned facility. Konoplich travels to Geneva every summer, and left his native country of Russia in 2000 to work on the Higgs boson project with the New York University Experimental Particle Physics Group before joining Manhattan College as an adjunct professor in 2001. Recruited by ATLAS in 2006, Konoplich is one of 6,000 scientists from 60 countries across the globe that helped discover the Higgs particle.

LAUNCH OF STAR CENTER In January 2015, Sister Mary Ann Jacobs, Ed.D., assistant professor of education, and Zahra Shahbazi, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and both co-leaders of the NSF award, formally began the planning and implementation to open the STAR Center and produce skilled STEM educators.

“We really need to teach engineering courses in high schools, and the high schools lack skilled teachers,” Shahbazi says.

Sr. Mary Ann and Shahbazi will work with cur-

Photo, left: ATLAS Experiment © 2014 CERN

Rostislav Konoplich, Ph.D., professor of physics, can further research Higgs boson, the subatomic particle that accounts for the creation of mass, thanks to a National Science Foundation award received this past summer. (Left) The ATLAS is one of two general purpose detectors that monitors particles within the Large Hadron Collider, a 17-mile subterranean tunnel that enabled the discovery of Higgs boson, and was upgraded in 2014.

riculum committees both in engineering and education to finalize and approve course offerings for the minor in engineering education, certificate in engineering education for math and science education majors, and post-baccalaureate certificates for both graduate programs. All three programs will formally begin in fall 2015, and sophomores who declare a major in engineering or education are eligible to apply for the 15-credit minor and nine-credit certificate. Graduate students from the Schools of Education and Health and Engineering can also begin working toward the nine-credit certificate.

“One of the advantages for education students, with engineering being the application of math and science, is they can learn about engineering and make the classroom more exciting and engaging,” Shahbazi adds.

Engineering students, as Shahbazi points out, typically take exams and pass the course with little opportunity to work on presentation skills. By taking education courses, they will receive time to present, which will “ultimately help them with whatever career they choose.”

As part of the undergraduate minor and certificate program, 12 students will be selected each semester to serve as engineering ambassadors. The ambassadors will prepare presentations on STEM concepts with an emphasis on engineering and will visit schools including In-Tech Academy, Riverside High School and Preston High School. The opportunity will not only allow Manhattan College students to teach a lesson but also to discuss engineering education with the next generation of college students.

“As a member of the engineering ambassadors, I am working with a group to prepare an electrical engineering presentation using lemon batteries and robotics,” says Alexandra Lehnes ’16, who is majoring in mechanical engineering. “With the STAR Center, we are working to increase engineering awareness in high schools.”

The professional development training for 6th- through 12th-grade STEM teachers will consist of three 1-day workshops with engineering faculty members from Manhattan College and local colleges. Teach-

ers will receive certificates toward their training, which includes visits to engineering labs, a site visit to an engineering company, networking with student engineers, and the chance to share lesson plans.

“Our schools in the Bronx and Yonkers are going to greatly benefit from this opportunity. They will have the opportunity to work with Manhattan College professors and students in the Schools of Education and Health and Engineering. Together these groups will have a direct impact on students in local middle and high schools,” Sr. Mary Ann says.

In the past, states used the National Science Education Standards from the National Research Council (NRC) and Benchmarks for Science Literacy from the American Association for the Advancement of Science as a guide to develop state science standards.

As these materials became dated, the NRC constructed a framework for K-12 science education to “ensure scientific validity and accuracy.” A committee of 18 experts wrote the framework, which was first released for public comment in 2010 and 2011.

The next step was the development of state-run science standards, and in 2013, the Next Generation Science Standards, were produced and published on Nextgenscience.org with an emphasis placed on STEM education.

“Our science teachers are expected to address this curriculum with no background,” Sr. Mary Ann adds. “They have not been trained to do that.”

Once the STAR Center is further developed at Manhattan College, Sr. Mary Ann and Shahbazi plan to apply for the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grant to continue growing the Center. The NSF grant will run out in late 2016, and the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grant provides funding for colleges and universities to prepare K-12 STEM teachers.

“The opportunity for more students to be involved is advantageous in and of itself,” Sr. Mary Ann says.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 5

ON C AMPUS

Honoring Another Election to the National Academy of Engineering

M

ANHATTAN COLLEGE’S LONG LEGACY of producing highly regarded engineers continued this fall, when Ruben Carbonell ’69, Ph.D., became the 18th alumnus to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

The College’s School of Engineering celebrated his accomplishments with a plaque unveiling ceremony in the William J. Scala Academy Room in Leo Hall this past fall.

The Frank Hawkins Kenan Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, Carbonell reflected on his 40 years as an engineer in front of a capacity crowd in the storied Academy Room. Carbonell discussed his life as a Cuban immigrant, adjustment to living in New York City, and how he continues to grow and learn in the ever-changing field of engineering.

“Teachers and mentors affected my life in many ways,” Carbonell

said. “Role models were vital in my life and in my career. Professors, research partners and my family all helped me along the way — no one does it alone.”

At the end of the lecture, Carbonell fielded questions from several students, discussing how he became an engineer to what to look for in a graduate school. He and his wife, Augustina, then joined President Brennan O’Donnell for the ceremonial unveiling of a plaque with Carbonell’s image.

Born in Cuba in 1947, Carbonell and his parents moved to New York City in 1958. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1969 and a master’s and doctorate degree from Princeton University.

He spent 10 years in the department of chemical engineering at the University of California, Davis, before joining the chemical engineering faculty at NC State in 1984. The NAE specifically cited his work at NC State for “research and innovation in multiphase reactor design, high-pressure thin-film coating, and novel bioseparation processes.”

“Dr. Carbonell is one of 18 alumni who have reached the top of their professions,” O’Donnell said. “This is the College’s Cooperstown, our Canton, Ohio, our Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. These are our stars.”

Carbonell’s work was instrumental in identifying specific ligands for the removal of the prion protein that is responsible for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, better known as Mad Cow Disease, in humans. He led the development of a process for making a novel adsorptive filter to be used for the removal of prion protein from human blood during transfusions. One of these ligands is also being used to reduce the risk of prion transmission during intravenous injections of therapeutics, such as antibodies derived from pooled human plasma.

“I learned that having a solid foundation in fundamentals is necessary, as a student and as a professor,” said Carbonell, directing advice to the number of students in the audience. “We must always continue to learn and evolve, cultivate our passions and volunteer to do different things outside our comfort zone.”

How To Succeed in Business THE COLLEGE’S SCHOOL OF BUSINESS has once again been recognized by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) with maintenance of its prestigious AACSB business accreditation. The association was founded in 1916, and is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, 6 N winter 2015

master’s and doctorate degrees in business and accounting.

With 694 business schools in 45 countries and territories that have earned the accreditation, Manhattan College is among 85 business schools to extend it in 2014.

In order to maintain its AACSB accreditation, the School of Business must sustain a

high-quality teaching environment, innovative programming, and active engagement with alumni and employers in New York City.

The school also follows a rigorous plan per the AACSB’s standards, and has a continuous improvement peer review every five years to retain its original 2003 accreditation.

Students Earn Top Scores at the College Fed Challenge

F

OR THE FOURTH consecutive year, Hany Guirguis, Ph.D., professor of economics and finance, led and mentored a team of School of Business students who participated in the New York College Fed Challenge. This academic competition, sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, encourages students to learn about the U.S. economy, monetary policymaking and the role of the Federal Reserve System — crucial skills for future financial professionals.

“Today, you cannot survive in the financial market without a strong comprehension of nontraditional monetary policy and how it affects the price of different financial assets,” Guirguis says. “Right, now the Federal Reserve Bank is a big player in the financial market due to all the assets it’s purchased.”

Administered by a panel of professional economists, the competition is held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The competition consists of a lightning-fast presentation followed by a question-and-answer session wherein students answer questions related to finance, economics, banking and monetary policy. To prepare, students research and analyze current economic data,

review potential future economic risks, and develop a forecasting model for such risks.

Team members Joshua Clark ’15, William Gerard ’15, David Lothrop ’15, Riko Mochizuki ’16, Jessica Schutte ’15 and John Trieste ’16 advanced to the semifinals of this year’s competition — an achievement attained by only nine of the 36 colleges and universities that participated. During the finals, the team earned nearly perfect scores, and received the competition’s Honorable Mention Award.

For Clark, an economics major who served as team leader, the most challenging aspect of the competition was conducting the vast

amount of original research and data analysis — something that not every team did in preparation for the competition.

“Instead of pulling pre-existing data from the Internet, we broke into small groups to do our own analysis and make our own graphs,” Clark says, noting that he is grateful that Guirguis encouraged the team to go the extra mile. “Dr. Guirguis pushes his students to do things that they wouldn’t be able to do, or wouldn’t want to do otherwise.”

Guirguis recruits team members from his Advanced Macroeconomics, Econometrics and Financial Modeling courses, and mentors the team and provides insight into industry fundamentals. He believes the experience helps his top students become responsible leaders who understand how to effectively create and apply financial models.

“Our students compete against some of the best students in the nation, and the material covered in the competition goes far beyond the undergraduate syllabi,” he says.

“In terms of communication skills, preparation, confidence and exposure to specialists and professionals in the field, the experience is priceless.”

Expanding Areas of Inquiry MANHATTAN COLLEGE recently introduced several new programs and certificates in the School of Education and Health, the School of Engineering and the School of Arts, which give students the opportunity to advance their skills in a specialized field or area of study.

NEW PROGRAM: ADOLESCENT/SPECIAL EDUCATION The School of Education and Health recently began offering two advanced education programs aimed at developing special education teachers specifically for job placement in high schools. Students can pursue the dual-focused program in adolescent and special education or the generalist program focused on students with disabilities in grades 7-12. Future teachers of English, social studies, math or science will learn how to adapt their instruction to assist special needs children who have difficulty concentrating and taking notes.

NEW CERTIFICATES: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CONCENTRATIONS With a continued effort to advance science, technology, engineering and math in the classroom, the Mechanical Engineering program

recently launched six new graduate certificates in biomechanics, engineering management, energy systems, nuclear power, green building engineering and aerospace/propulsion. These certificates, open to graduate students and professionals, provide the opportunity to focus on one field and conduct research with an expert faculty member.

Graduates also can choose to apply many of their 12 credits toward a Master of Science in mechanical engineering.

NEW PROGRAM: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES With the increased awareness and focus on environmental issues around the world and within the U.S., the need for environmental science specialists is on the rise. In response, the School of Science launched two new degrees in environmental science: a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science. Both degrees in environmental science offer students the option to take courses from a variety of departments to create a personalized course of study. In addition, independent research is strongly encouraged as an essential part of the educational program.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 7

ON C AMPUS

Manhattan + Bloomberg = Competitive Edge

T

HIS SUMMER, the College put the finishing touch on its state-of-the-art finance lab by partnering with Bloomberg for Education, which grants students and faculty in the School of Business unlimited access to the Bloomberg Professional Service.

The global 24-hour financial news and information service includes real-time and historic price data, financial data, trading news, analyst coverage and other professional analytic tools — exactly the kind of information that business majors need to succeed in a challenging employment industry.

With access to the same information and technology relied on by professionals all across the world, students will benefit from a fully integrative curriculum that allows them to develop both analytical and decision-making skills using real events and real data.

Additionally, by gaining experience using Bloomberg technology, students have a competitive edge in a demanding employment industry.

“Needless to say, today’s job market is very competitive,” says Hany Guirguis, Ph.D., professor of economics and finance. “Employers aren’t going to spend three to five months training a new employee to use a Bloomberg terminal if a similar candidate already possesses this skill and can start working on day one. This is the type of competitive advantage that we are providing to our students.”

In fact, seniors hoping to prove their competency also have an opportunity to take the Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT) on campus each semester. The BAT is a standardized online exam that assesses

critical thinking across a variety of competencies. It enables test-takers to showcase their strengths to more than 25,000 investment and financial recruiters.

“The BAT helps students anonymously market themselves to employers using the Bloomberg Talent Search,” says Natalia Boliari, assistant professor of economics. “It’s a unique opportunity to be contacted for internship or employment positions in areas such as consultancy, accounting, insurance, investment banking, human resources, trading and analytics offered by companies from around the world.”

Bloomberg for Education is the final feature in the state-of-the-art finance lab, which is designed to mimic the professional instruments that graduates will see in the financial industry. The lab is outfitted with a full-sized real-time stock ticker, two large flat panel TVs with scrolling financial data, and HP 8200 series desktops with 22-inch dual monitors that are also equipped with Morningstar Direct.

Residence Hall Gains a Name and a Legacy ON SEPT. 18, Manhattan College changed the name of East Hill Hall, the College’s newest residence, to Lee Hall. The building is named in honor of Margaret Lee O’Malley, the mother of Thomas O’Malley ’63, former chairman of Manhattan’s board of trustees, and is the first building on campus named after a woman.

O’Malley, executive chairman of PBF Energy Company LLC, and his wife, Mary Alice, have maintained a commitment to supporting the College since his graduation in 1963. In return, Manhattan recognized his continuous dedication in 2002 by renaming the renovated library the Mary Alice and Tom O’Malley Library, and also awarded him a Doctor of Humane Letters at the 2012 Spring Commencement.

Margaret Lee was born to Irish immigrants in 1916, and grew up during the Depression. She married James O’Malley, and raised two sons while working as a practi8 N winter 2015

cal nurse. Lee insisted that her younger son, Thomas O’Malley, attend Manhattan College.

Although the residence hall is named Lee Hall, it is also a tribute to all the women who have made a difference at Manhattan College.

A plaque hangs in the first floor entrance of the residence hall in Margaret Lee’s memory.

“If my mom were here today,” O’Malley said, “her greatest pleasure would not be the naming of the building but rather that her daughters in-law, her granddaughters, her great-grand daughters, and indeed all the women who attended Manhattan College can advance as far as their talents take them — particularly here at Manhattan, where they can be recognized by this great College for what they accomplish.”

Former chair of Manhattan’s board of trustees Thomas O’Malley ’63 and his wife, Mary Alice, take a moment to gather in front of the portrait of his mother, Margaret Lee, for whom East Hill Hall is now named.

Mounting a New Summit

T

HE NEW MULTICULTURAL CENTER held its first-ever Diversity Summit, a daylong training session and discussion with student leaders from minority groups on campus, in November.

Twenty-eight students representing eight clubs and organizations, including the newly established LGBT group, gathered in the student commons to hear from a host of speakers.

Leslie Williams, former assistant dean of the College for Multicultural Affairs at Connecticut College, presented on the history of multicultural centers, why they’re important, and what they signify within a higher education community.

“The presentation made me realize how important multicultural events are on campus,” says Ivan Bohorquez ’16, an international studies and economics major who

founded the cultural club Fuerza Latina.

“New York City is a huge melting pot, and for any college to have a limited amount of events promoting diversity and interconnectedness seems counterintuitive.”

Because many of the attendees are leading newly formed clubs this semester, the day’s schedule also included a student leadership training segment. Sujey Batista, assistant director of the Center for Academic Success, discussed organizational and budgetary strategy.

After lunch, leadership training continued with a Myers-Briggs exercise led by Rachel Cirelli, director of Career Development, and Rani Roy, director of the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement. Through the exercise, students were able to identify their individual leadership styles and learn techniques on how best to work with others.

The day wrapped up with a discussion on diversity and identity, and a brainstorming session on how the Multicultural Center can better promote diversity throughout campus.

Bohorquez says he is looking forward to cohosting events with other clubs to expand the scope of their target audiences.

“Structurally, [Manhattan College] is becoming increasingly more diverse,” says Emmanuel Ago, assistant vice president for Student Life. “And keeping in line with our Lasallian commitment, we need a place for students, many of whom are first generation, to navigate the higher education landscape and build a community of peers.”

Looking ahead, Ago hopes to extend programming to families by inviting parents, especially those with first-generation college students, to participate in a special multicultural event during Family Weekend.

The Distinguished Delegation Demonstrates Diplomacy

J

UST WEEKS AFTER THE UNITED NATIONS’ general session in midtown Manhattan, the Manhattan College Model UN Team traveled to our nation’s capital to weigh in on some of the same topics at the National Model UN Conference (NMUN-DC) this past fall.

And they returned to Riverdale with some worldly recognitions — an honorable mention and three additional distinctions.

The College’s 14-person delegation joined more than 800 college students from all across the world to participate in discussion on international relations issues. Representing the United Kingdom (U.K.) at the conference, Manhattan’s team was responsible for learning about this year’s topics and researching the U.K.’s position on the issues debated, which included trade and development, health, refugees, economic and social equality, the global drug regime, and international security.

The College’s delegation ranked among the top 20 percent of participants, earning an honorable mention. Students also returned with two Outstanding Position Paper distinctions, which requires small teams to illustrate their knowledge of the agenda topics, affirm their position and recommend courses of action. Manhattan’s winning pairs included electrical engineering major Chris Hoey ’17 and international studies major Evelyn Infante ’15; and economics and international studies major Irene Entringer ’15 and international studies major Deonta Wortham ’15. In addition, Entringer and Wortham brought home an award for Outstanding Delegation in Committee,

an award that is voted on by their peers in committee. The award is only given to about 10 percent of the delegations in each committee throughout each session.

“The students did an excellent job at the conference,” says Model UN adviser Pamela Chasek, Ph.D., professor of government and director of the international studies program. “They stayed in character representing the United Kingdom and participated in the drafting of resolutions. Their speeches were on point. The conference gave them the opportunity to put their feet in the shoes of a British diplomat and represent their interests and positions to the best of their ability.”

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 9

ON C AMPUS

Backing Up Our Bragging Rights U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT For the eighth year in a row, Manhattan College placed in the top 20 of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges. In the 2015 edition, the College was named No. 18 among the Best Regional Universities in the North, edging out 193 schools in the annual report.

One ranking indicator in which Manhattan College achieved high marks is graduation rate performance. According to U.S. News: “If the school’s actual graduation rate for the 2007 entering class is higher than the rate U.S. News predicted for that same class, then the college is enhancing achievement or overperforming.” Manhattan College exceeded its predicted graduation rate for the entering classes of 2006 and 2007, graduating eight percent more students in both.

In addition, the College’s School of Engineering was recognized in the Best in Undergraduate Engineering category at No. 47. This ranking is based on surveys of engineering deans and senior faculty at undergraduate engineering programs accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). The School of Business also ranked in the Best Undergraduate Business category, which only ranks schools accredited by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).

PAYSCALE PayScale, Inc. recognized Manhattan College as one of the leading colleges and universities for post-graduate earnings in its 20142015 College Salary Report. The College was ranked No. 22 out of more than 1,000 colleges and universities, and No. 1 among Catholic institutions in the alumni salary category.

PayScale’s methodology changed this 10 N winter 2015

year with the addition of salary data for graduates who earned higher degrees (e.g. master’s, MBA, Ph.D.) after receiving their bachelor’s degrees. In the alumni salary outcome category, Manhattan College tied for No. 22 with the University of Pennsylvania.

Among Catholic colleges, Manhattan ranked No. 1, finishing ahead of Santa Clara University (25), Georgetown University (35) and the University of Notre Dame (37). The report showed that Manhattan graduates average an early starting salary of $57,000 and a midcareer salary of $115,900.

In addition, Manhattan College ranked No. 30 in the bachelor’s degree-only data with an average early career salary of $57,500 and mid-career salary of $110,800.

MONEY MAGAZINE Money magazine’s inaugural Best Colleges list, released in July, ranks Manhattan College No. 40 among 665 colleges and universities that offer value for educational investment.

This is the first time Money magazine has conducted the Best Colleges ranking, which evaluates educational quality, affordability and career outcomes to help families find the right school at the right price.

Manhattan College also placed sixth in the “25 Colleges That Add the Most Value” category, which factors in the percentage of students who complete college and the average alumni salary.

The new ranking examined more than 1,500 four-year colleges and universities nationwide, eliminating schools with a below-average graduation rate, and comprehensively ranked the remaining 665.

Money magazine teamed up with Mark Schneider, former commissioner of the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics and his company College Measures, which collects and analyzes data to drive improvements in higher education, to conduct the analysis. Payscale.com also provided the earnings data.

One of the most important findings to come out of the rankings, Schneider notes in Money magazine’s press release, is that students don’t have to pay a lot to get a high quality education that can compete in the job market. “The published price of a college doesn’t tell you very much about what you’ll actually pay or of students’ later life success,” he says. “There is zero correlation with most of our measures.”

THE DAILY BEAST The Daily Beast recently placed Manhattan among the top 25 institutions in the country for return on investment, citing the College for providing graduates an opportunity to earn a strong starting salary and mid-career average salary. The College was the only religiously affiliated school on a list dominated by Ivy League schools, public flagships, such as the University of California, Berkeley, and private research universities, including Duke, MIT, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“Students consistently rate gaining lucrative employment as the most essential factor in deciding where to go to college,” Brandy Zadrozny writes in The Daily Beast. “With that in mind, The Daily Beast wanted to find which schools offered students the best opportunity to make money in the future without shelling out too much upfront.”

According to The Daily Beast rankings, the average starting salary for Manhattan College graduates was $57,500 and the midcareer average salary was $110,800. The Daily Beast used a variation of the Payscale. com rankings, limiting its list to schools that graduate at least 75 percent of its students within six years.

Interdisciplinary Presentation Day Highlights Student Research

T

HE RAYMOND W. KELLY ’63 STUDENT COMMONS was a hub of new ideas this September, as Manhattan hosted the largest-ever student research event showcasing the summer discoveries of more than 30 undergraduate students.

The 2014 Research Scholars and Summer Fellows Presentation Day was the culmination of a number of Manhattan College’s research programs, endowments and scholarships, which awarded close to $100,000 in stipends to students and faculty across all five schools. These programs included the Jasper Summer Research Scholars program and the newly created Summer Fellows program, which was established thanks to the generosity of James Boyle ’61, chairman and president of Cardinal Resources, Inc. The morning of concurrent 30-minute presentations was followed with a lunch and a poster session, which gave the scholars an opportunity to answer more in-depth questions from faculty and fellow students.

A wide variety of research was represented from a statistical examination of the Jaspers basketball team in relation to conference rivals to a simulated study of an

aneurism in a zebra fish heart. While English major Kathryn Tkach ’15 used her grant to pursue personal voice in the form of poetry, economics major Gansley Joseph ’15 studied the comparison between conventional and Islamic investment vehicles.

“I want to go to law school after this, and I feel like this research will definitely help me in my law studies: reading large amounts, writing large papers, and trying to prove a point based on the facts given,” Joseph says.

Held in the fourth and fifth floor seminar rooms of the new Kelly Commons, the day had a polished atmosphere equal to any professional or academic conference. It was great preparation for many students, like exercise science major Shannon Garrity ’15, who went on to present at conferences around the country later in the fall.

Garrity studied the epidemic of falling in older adults and the possibility of training the brain to avoid injury by working with test subjects on campus alongside Lisa Toscano, Ed.D., associate professor of kinesiology.

They combined their research to present “Balance: Falls Assessment and Prevention” at the New York State Association for Health,

Physical Education, Recreation & Dance Conference in November. Her research with Toscano was a true collaboration.

“There’s a time when I’m the teacher, she’s the student, but when you get involved in research, and you really start thinking, all of the sudden, the student becomes the teacher,” Toscano says. “And it goes back and forth. I think that’s what this is all about.”

Summer Fellow Tina Nitis ’15, a marketing major, studied how fiscal decisions impact the benefits and burdens of future generations with supervision from Poonam Arora, Ph.D., assistant professor of management and marketing. She agrees that the collaboration was the best part of the project.

“I made some great connections with faculty,” Nitis says. “They’re looking out for you in terms of internships and jobs, and they know what you excel in and what you don’t excel in — they work with you constantly. It’s allowed me to understand more of what I want to do when I graduate.”

Student scholars discuss their projects at the College’s largest-ever research event, the 2014 Research Scholars and Summer Fellows Presentation Day, in September.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 11

ON C AMPUS

New Kakos Chair Provides Increased Opportunities in School of Science

J

OSEPH CAPITANI ’78, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and a member of Manhattan College’s faculty since 1984, has been awarded the College’s new chair in the School of Science, The Michael J. ’58 and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Chair in Science. Capitani is the first faculty member to hold the chair.

“I want to thank Michael and Aimee Kakos for the great opportunity that they have made possible for us,” says Constantine Theodosiou, Ph.D., dean of the School of Science.

“Professor Capitani is an outstanding teacher in the Chemistry department and a visible model of the scholar-teacher in the Manhattan community.”

In this position, Capitani and two Manhattan students will perform first principles quantum mechanical calculations on the structure and function of the prebiotic protoribosome. Through this research, they hope to study the early stages of cellular evolution. Their ultimate goal is to suggest ways to improve how protein synthesis occurs and repair any defects that may happen during the process.

Also thanks to the generosity of the Kakoses, Capitani and his students will get to do this important research in the new Kakos Center for Computational Science located in Hayden Hall. A transformative space that provides state-of-the-art equipment for student researchers, the Kakos Center gives students increased functionality as a group-learning area and boasts a liquid-cooled 64GB high speed GNU/Linux server complete with four Tesla graphics-processing units for incredible speed.

“The School of Science’s commitment to high-speed computing is truly a dream come true for me and a definite state-of-the-art

Using the state-of-the-art equipment in the new Kakos Center, chemistry professor Joseph Capitani, Ph.D., and his research students have produced the X-ray crystalline structure of vitamin D trapped in its binding protein (left), and the calculation of the more realistic solution phase structure, such as what’s found in our bodies (right).

resource for our students,” Capitani says.

Capitani graduated magna cum laude from Manhattan College with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and specializes in theoretical physical chemistry. He earned his doctorate degree in physical chemistry at the University of North Carolina.

Also a chemistry major at Manhattan College, Kakos, and his wife, have been generous supporters of the College for many years, having established scholarships for Manhattan’s study abroad programs and for graduates of Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, also his alma mater.

Historic Volumes Find a Home on Campus THE COLLEGE RECENTLY ACQUIRED LA VIE DE JEAN-BAPTISTE DE LA SALLE, Instituteur des Frères des Écoles chrétiennes (Rouen: Jean-Baptiste Machuel, 1733), or The Life of John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, by Canon Jean-Baptiste Blain, 1733.

This two-volume set is a unique gem in our Lasallian Research Collection, housed in the archives of O’Malley Library. It is the first published biography of the founder and considered by historians to be an authentic, albeit somewhat hagiographic, source. It was not translated into English until 1985. Jean-Baptiste Blain was a priest and friend of De La Salle, and served as the ecclesiastical superior to the Brothers. He had unfettered access to the primary, foundational materials, as well as personal insights from De La Salle himself.

12 N winter 2015

Convocation Honors Exemplary Students and Former Dean

I

understanding of the unique role F EDUCATION IS TRULY A of the leader: vision.

PROCESS of the experienced “It is the leader’s unique vision influencing the inexperiof the future of any organizaenced, then 128 inductees of tion that will make it successful,” Epsilon Sigma Pi learned the Vizza said. lessons garnered throughout Indeed, his vision throughout more than 40 years of experience the years has defined the success in the health-care and education of several organizations, includsectors during the Fall Honors ing St. Francis Hospital — now Convocation in October. The beSt. Francis-Mercy Corporation loved former dean of the School — where he transformed the of Business Robert Vizza, Ph.D., community hospital into a major was awarded an honorary Doctor regional cardiac center with a of Science and gave a keynote nationally recognized reputation featuring the lessons learned in cardiovascular care and surthroughout a full lifetime. gery. After serving as president “Your honor today indicates and CEO at St. Francis-Mercy Corthat you possess and have used your superior intellectual ability,” poration, Vizza joined The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Vizza said to the honorees gathCancer Research as president ered in the Chapel of De La Salle and CEO in 1998, a position he and His Brothers. still holds today. The Foundation Urging students to focus supports research to find a cure on the positive and seek the for pancreatic cancer, facilitates challenge of leadership, he also dialogue within the medical and advised them to develop an

scientific communities, educates the public about the disease, and to date, has provided more than $90 million to some 175 research projects at 50-plus medical and research centers worldwide.

Having served as dean of the School of Business from 1967-85, Vizza’s message also stressed the importance of recognizing Lasallian values, both personally and professionally.

“Always embrace your values,” he said. “With leadership goes hard work, determination, respect

for people, respect for human dignity, and most importantly, integrity, the Lasallian value emphasis on ethical conduct.”

Addressing a hushed yet stirred audience, Vizza said in closing, “Go forward and continue to use your God-given talents to make your personal impact.”

Former Dean of the School of Business Robert Vizza, Ph.D., gave the keynote speech at the Fall Honors Convocation in October, and advised the Epsilon Sigma Pi inductees to have a unique vision as they enter the workplace.

Manhattan Joins Other NYC Colleges To Form Town+Gown Group

N

EW YORK CITY IS A TRUE COLLEGE TOWN. Home to hundreds of thousands of college students, the city has a wide array of resources within the five boroughs and within each of its dozens of institutions. A streamlined sharing of ideas, resources and research spurred leaders to develop Town+Gown, a program created to allow the city’s colleges and universities to increase their research and development opportunities within New York City. The program also enables these institutions to have a two-way working relationship with the city’s agencies,

and allows agencies to access academic resources, while also giving the institutions a chance to bid on more research contracts.

Manhattan College is one of six charter member institutions of Town+Gown, along with the City University of New York, Fordham University, New York Institute of Technology, New York University and Pace University. The College’s Associate Provost Walter Matystik, J.D., is the first president of the advisory council.

“Our aim is to develop an open-source platform to facilitate multidisciplinary collaborations with different members of

Town+Gown,” Matystik says. “This gives us a strong umbrella organization where we can formalize the process, rather than have the city work individually with each institution.”

Under the umbrella of the New York City Department of Design and Construction, one of the goals of Town+Gown is to guide research to help resolve environmental issues found within campus buildings, old and new. Town+Gown academic and practitioner participants will discuss and craft defined project timelines and efficient use of city and academic resources, to name a few of the organization’s plans.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 13

ON C AMPUS

LASALLIANLOOK

Catholic Relief Services Recognizes the College

S

President Brennan O’Donnell; Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Ambassador Kelly Douglas ’15; Kevin Ahern, Ph.D., assistant professor of religious studies; Katie Kernich, relationship manager for the NE/Mid-Atlantic CRS office; and Lois Harr, director of Campus Ministry and Social Action, accept the College’s official recognition as a CRS Global Campus in November. At the reception after the presentation, those involved gathered to celebrate this proud accomplishment.

14 N winter 2015

HARING A SIMILAR MISSION for more than seven years, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community, formally recognized Manhattan College as a CRS Global Campus during a presentation in November.

As a CRS Global Campus, Manhattan College collaborates with CRS to advance the global social mission of the Catholic Church at the institutional, faculty and student levels. Through this partnership, the College maintains a shared commitment to CRS’ mission to assist the poor and respond to major emergencies, fight disease and nurture peaceful and just societies around the world.

“We are very proud to be a CRS Global Campus,” said President Brennan O’Donnell. “This is the recognition of a long record of collaboration, formal and informal, over many years, between the people and the programs of Manhattan College and the great work of CRS. It is very firmly grounded in our mutual acceptance of fundamental principles that are at the core of our Catholic and Lasallian heritage.”

Manhattan College first began its partnership with CRS seven years ago. Since then, under the guidance of Campus Ministry and Social Action (CMSA), Manhattan College has expanded its service opportunities, social awareness and educational offerings.

“Your impact is great, your voices are heard and your actions are serving as a model for other campuses around the country,” Katie Kernich, relationship manager for the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic CRS office, said to students gathered at the event.

The College is dedicated to expanding CRS’ mission within the campus community by offering various service opportunities during the year, educational courses, lectures and discussions, advocacy training and by carrying fair trade products.

“The CRS mission is in line with our own mission,” said Kelly Douglas ’15, a CRS ambassador. “Specifically, it is in line with our Lasallian values and commitment to the poor and social justice.”

Students, faculty and staff have had the opportunity to participate in and learn more about CRS’ work around the world while on service trips with the Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.). Organized by CMSA, L.O.V.E. offers service and social justice immersion experiences, and Manhattan has connected with local CRS representatives on L.O.V.E. trips in countries including Kenya, Rwanda and Haiti.

The College also supports a CRS Faculty Task Force, as part of which faculty and students can explore issues central to CRS’ mission through research and teaching in the areas of global health, agriculture, food security, sustainability and climate change, and clean water. In addition, Manhattan has trained more than 20 students to serve as CRS Campus Ambassadors, volunteers tasked with spreading social justice awareness and promoting advocacy across campus through events, petitions and educational campaigns.

In 2012, CRS also assisted Manhattan College in achieving Fair Trade College status, becoming the first college in New York City to receive that distinction.

COURSE SPOTLIGHT

Making a Grand Entrance Into Vatican City WHILE STATUES AND OTHER IMAGERY of Saint John Baptist de La Salle have always had homes within the network of the Christian Brothers’ schools, including Manhattan College, the likeness of the patron saint of teachers became a permanent resident of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City 110 years ago. Shortly after being canonized in 1900, De La Salle took his place among the superiors of various religious congregations featured along the nave of the basilica.

In October 1904, the statue of De La Salle was transported into Saint Peter’s Basilica on a great truck drawn by 18 oxen.

Cut from a block of marble and weighing 38 tons, the statue,

by Italian sculptor Cesare Aureli, depicts De La Salle (standing 16 feet) and two children (10 feet). It was mounted in a niche 65 feet above the floor in the nave and, more than a century later, still graces the basilica today.

College Writing (ENGL 110) WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ASK A FRESHMAN to write a firstperson narrative of a local high school student who recently immigrated to the U.S.? Students in ENGL 110 found out this fall during the first-ever collaborative narrative project with ELLIS Prep Academy, a Bronx-based public high school serving 16- to 21-yearold newly arrived immigrant English-language learners.

Course Description: College Writing (ENGL 110) is designed to assist students in developing habits of writing, reading and critical thinking needed for composing effectively within the academic community. The goal is to increase student understanding of the writing process and provide a set of rhetorical strategies to fulfill college-level assignments. This fall, associate professor Daniel Collins, Ph.D., added a twist to his first-year writing section in collaboration with ELLIS teachers Sam Saltz and Pamela Gordon. Drawing inspiration from Narrative4 project, a global organization that promotes empathy through the exchange of stories, he led an exercise in what famed writer and Narrative4 founder Colum McCann calls “radical empathy” between individuals from dissimilar backgrounds.

Ten Manhattan College freshmen were paired with 10 ELLIS Prep Academy seniors from all over the world, including the Dominican Republic, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea, Togo, Bangladesh and Vietnam. They were challenged to write a first-person narrative of their partner’s life story — in the voice of their partner. Students did more than polish their narrative writing skills; they gained insight into that person’s life in a very real way. After two combined classes — one at ELLIS Prep Academy and one at Manhattan College — each student pair presented their respective stories to the group. By exploring the important choices that writers must make to produce thought-provoking narratives, students discovered the powerful truths they can create on the page.

Photo: Generalate Archives

Text: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg Lectures: Monday, Wednesday, 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Professor: Daniel Collins, Ph.D., associate professor of English About the Professor: Collins specializes in composition theory, cultural studies, rhetoric, ethics and public health. Since he came to Manhattan College in 2000, he has taught a wide range of English courses, including Exposition and Argumentation, Advanced Composition and Senior Seminar (the Rhetoric of Truth and Lies). He received his B.A. from SUNY Buffalo, master’s from the University of North Carolina and doctorate in 1998 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2013, he graduated with a master’s in public health from Long Island University-Brooklyn.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 15

ON C AMPUS

LECTURE CIRCUIT

Annual Student Activities Lecture Series Shares Inspiring Stories

T

HE NEWLY OPENED RAYMOND W. KELLY ’63 STUDENT COMMONS was the scene of celebrity sightings at this fall’s third annual Student Activities Lecture Series. This series is a way to bring students and the campus community together to hear inspirational stories, and to challenge, inspire and motivate others, and this year was no exception, as Jaspers had the opportunity to hear personal stories from three captivating speakers.

The weekly lineup included Brian Cashman, senior vice president and general manager for the New York Yankees; Richard “Dic” Donohue Jr., Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) police officer who was wounded in pursuit of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects and his wife, Kim Donohue ’04; and Luis Ortiz, famous realtor and co-host of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York.

“Whatever you are doing in the present, do it to the best of your abilities,” Cashman said at the start of the first event, as he shared his story of working with the Yankees for 28 seasons. “I think for the most part anybody who winds up having success and making something happen going forward is because somebody else became a sponsor, somebody else had an impact in your life, somebody noticed what you are doing while you’re doing it.”

16 N winter 2015

Cashman’s career with the Yankees began with a summer internship while he was in college at The Catholic University of America and playing intercollegiate baseball. The internship was thanks in large part to a work colleague of his father, and it planted the seed for his future career. He highlighted the importance of always working hard alongside your team (in his case, the players and staff behind the scenes).

Similar to Cashman’s points on working hard and teamwork, Donohue described the tremendous support from his own team and community, which helped him to recover and heal.

After being shot by the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, if it were not for the actions of the police officers on scene and the medical staff at the Mount Auburn Hospital, Donohue would have most likely died.

He reflected on his recovery period and how friends, family, police brothers and total strangers assisted in this process from transporting family to downtown Boston to helping with household tasks. With this much-needed support, Donohue and his wife, Kim, could focus on his health and their baby.

Donohue also mentioned how the Boston Strong movement that took over the city and nation supported him and other victims.

“It is like waking up one day, and your life is just changed forever. You have to move forward, and you have to find courage and continue to be hopeful,” Kim Donohue said.

In addition, after sharing his personal journey, Donohue touched on the amount of selfless service from law enforcement, first responders, medical staff and civilians who put themselves in harm’s way after the bombings.

“The attacks brought to light what the job is all about to me and the other officers,” Donohue said. “It is about helping others and making sacrifices when we are needed the most.”

The weeklong lecture series ended with Ortiz’s personal story of moving from Puerto Rico to the U.S. and finding a career he was passionate about.

First attending New York’s Film Academy for film direction, Ortiz directed and produced short films and several music videos, including Amalia, which earned him the Best Director Award at the 2007 Puerto Rico Film Festival, and Dentro de Mi by Chino y Nacho featuring Grammy-winning artist Don Omar.

LECTURE CIRCUIT

Renowned Sociologist Discusses Globalization and Gentrification in a Changing City

W

HEN WALKING DOWN your favorite New York City streets, have you ever considered the history and evolution of the storefronts and restaurants that you frequent?

Manhattan College students and professors learned from a renowned sociologist and urban studies expert how many of these stores and businesses have changed throughout the years as the neighborhoods’ demographics have shifted.

In October, the College welcomed Sharon Zukin, Ph.D., professor of sociology at Brooklyn College and at the CUNY Graduate Center, to present her research in the field of urban studies entitled Local Shopping Streets: Globalization & Gentrification in a Changing City.

Zukin defined local shopping streets as the “marketplaces and public faces of the neighborhood.” They tend to be made up of small businesses that are unique to the specific part of the city in which they are located, and are created by storeowners, building-owners and shoppers. She explained that these shopping streets openly show the change in demographics that neighborhoods often experience throughout the decades.

A product of city living, Zukin has lived in urban areas all over the world, and as a researcher of urban, cultural and economic change, she collaborates with scholars in cities worldwide. For this presentation, she shared the research she had collected when studying Orchard Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Fulton Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.

In the 1980s, Zukin said, these neighborhoods might have been considered “ghettos.” Tenement housing and discount stores lined

Continued from previous page Shortly after graduating from the academy, Ortiz became a real estate agent. After concocting an elaborate plan to obtain a lease on an apartment in the Financial District, the real estate agent he used suggested Ortiz become a broker. He proudly stated that he is now one of New York City’s premier real estate agents with personal sales of more than $250 million.

Today, he appears on Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing, which follows his career as he brokers the buying and selling of luxury properties in New York City’s real estate market. He has

the crime-ridden streets that were home to a lower-class demographic, she explained. But in the 1990s, the crime rate decreased and new, more complex ethnic identities were formed along with the integration of more religion in the neighborhoods.

Continuing, Zukin defined “gentrification” as the buying and renovation of stores and houses in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals. She discussed how gentrification has changed Fulton Street, and referenced how there aren’t as many dilapidated apartment buildings anymore and how the stores have been modernized to appeal to the new, diverse demographic. Zukin revealed that the gentrification is not found as much on Fulton Street but, in fact, found on the side streets in the renovated stores and cafes and in the expensive brownstone-style homes. She then shifted to Orchard Street, and said her research revealed that “hipster culture” has influenced this local shopping street on the Lower East Side.

After juxtaposing images of the two neighborhoods, Zukin wrapped up the presentation by identifying the main changes that the two local shopping streets have experienced during the past 30 years. She explained how Orchard Street shifted from an identity based on religion to an identity based on cultural consumption, and Fulton Street shifted from a racialized identity to an identity defined by religion, ethnicity and social class.

Zukin concluded the lecture by fielding questions from the audience regarding her research and other urban studies topics.

helped celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Sandra Lee find their dream homes. Ortiz attributed his own success to hard work, of course, but he said it would not have been possible without him finding himself and being proud of who he was.

“Once you get to know who you really are, it is the most amazing feeling in the world,” Ortiz said at the end of the lecture. He told the young crowd “to pursue what will make you happy, because when you believe so much in yourself and what you are doing, success will always follow.”

(Opposite page, from far left) New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman; Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority police officer Richard “Dic” Donohue, who was wounded in pursuit of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, and wife Kim ’04; and co-host of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York Luis Ortiz inspired students at this year’s Student Activities Lecture Series.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 17

ON C AMPUS

LECTURE CIRCUIT

Cardinal Newman Lecture Considers Today’s Colleges AS MORE NEWS OUTLETS discuss the return on investment of a college education, and more specialty publications use this information to rank universities, there appears to be an increasing emphasis on value and what it means for students post-graduation. This topic, and others regarding today’s challenges in higher education, were part of the conversation at the fifth annual Cardinal Newman Lecture in early September with Andrew Delbanco, Ph.D. A published author and Julian Clarence Levi Professor in the Humanties at Columbia University, Delbanco has spent much of his career researching these same queries. As director of the American Studies department, he was the recipient of the 2006 Great Teacher Award from the Society of Columbia Graduates. In 2005, his book Melville: His World and Work was released, which won the Lionel Trilling Award and was also a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award in biography.

He began the discussion sharing two recent magazine covers with the audience including Newsweek with the headline, “Is College a Lousy Investment?” The second was a Boston magazine cover entitled “Is This the College Classroom of the Future?” featuring a college-age male in his pajamas at the kitchen table doing his coursework online.

“Some people question whether colleges are spending money the right way,” Delbanco said after a few minutes of letting the audience review the covers. “Are they allocating enough on the actual education that their students are receiving? As a life investment, does paying the high price for higher education lead to worthwhile returns?”

While covering both sides of this argument, Delbanco concluded that college serves as a valuable platform to empower young adults in developing their strengths and advancing their knowledge. In regard to the second image, he also mentioned that colleges may be moving toward a more virtual classroom in which students log in to classes online rather than attend classes on campus. Delbanco affirmed that though this is more cost-effective for colleges, there is a lack of human interaction that this type of education entails.

18 N winter 2015

Delbanco also provided a brief history of college in America. He discussed how the first college founded in the United States was Harvard College in 1636, and how its mission was to educate and train the young clergymen and ministers in New England. Moving on to the 19th century, the crowd seemed surprised to hear Delbanco’s claim that the proudest moment of Thomas Jefferson’s life was not being the president or signing the Declaration of Independence, but rather founding the University of Virginia. Jefferson believed that we could not have a functional democracy without an educated citizenry.

Regarding modern-day higher education, he talked about America’s massive “dis-investment” in colleges and universities. Public colleges and universities average only about six percent of their funding from the state, something that Delbanco views as a problem. He acknowledged the role that financial aid plays in making college more affordable, but believes there is still a long way to go before underprivileged teenagers have complete access to a college education.

In addition, Delbanco referenced that the overwhelming answer from students and parents when asked, “What is college for?” is “to prepare for the job market.” He agrees that it is true that young adults with a college degree tend to make more money than those without degrees, but brings up how this focus distracts students, parents and teachers from the true value of a college education.

“College should be a place of reflection, a place where students recognize their talents, and develop the ability to think and choose,” Delbanco concluded. “This is what college should be for.”

The Cardinal Newman Lecture was launched at Manhattan College in 2010 to celebrate Cardinal John Henry Newman’s beatification, which occurred on Sept. 19, 2010, in Birmingham, England, at a ceremony presided over by Pope Benedict XVI. The goal of the lecture series is to reaffirm the significance of the liberal arts as the core of undergraduate education.

LECTURE CIRCUIT

HGI Center Hosts Open Conversation on Current Issues in the Middle East

W

ITH SO MANY IMAGES and headlines about the ISIS occupation in Syria and Iraq, the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza, and the extermination of minorities and Christians in Syria and Pakistan frequently featured on television, social media and in print, many people can’t help but ask why this is happening and why these outbreaks of violence are happening now.

This fall, the College’s Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education (HGI) Center hosted a conversation with more than 100 religious leaders, scholars and individuals from New York City and the local community to address these questions and the current extremism, prejudice and violence occurring in the Middle East. Religious leaders and scholars from the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue at the Jewish Theological Seminary; Nusantara Foundation; Jamaica Muslim Center; Union Theological Seminary; Interfaith Center of New York; Center on Religion, Culture and Conflict at Drew University; Jewish Community Relations of New York; Congregation Tehillah; Jewish Community Council of New York; and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical

School joined the conversation.

“I lived in a culture that was a mixture of Jewish and Islamic people, and I was the minority,” said Brother Jack Curran ’80, FSC, Ph.D., the College’s vice president for mission, as he reflected on his time serving at Bethlehem University in the West Bank. “I had never been a minority in terms of my faith and tradition in my daily life, and it wasn’t just for a week, it was for 10 years. It was one of the most transformative life moments that I have had.”

Sarah Sayeed, Ph.D., director of community partnerships at the Interfaith Center of New York, also spoke during the introduction and pointed out that the U.S. has one of the largest populations of religions among industrialized nations.

“Yet it is, ironically, the place in which religion is not talked about very much in day-to-day conversation,” she explained. “It is hard to talk about religion in secular spaces, including classrooms and universities.”

Her opening remarks set the stage for several open forum roundtable discussions led by religious leaders and scholars. The various discussions touched on topics relating to religious identity, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia,

and extremism. The groups also explored the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

A Navy veteran sitting at the same table as Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D., director of the HGI Center, asked, “Why does the Taliban throw rocks at women? Why is it that ISIS is beheading? Why has Boko Haram kidnapped all of these girls? And why are there so many honor killings in Pakistan?”

“I said to him ‘I can’t really tell you why violence occurs, but what I can say to you is that these things happen in every community, every religion, at every moment,’” Afridi said. “It is a crisis that is not necessarily illogical or spiritual but a crisis of identity, and yes, we have extremism in Islam, but we are 1.5 billion people. A majority of us are not extremists and do not know what to do, and this is a big challenge for us.”

Another common concern was whether or not the media is informing or rather exploiting and exaggerating events. Students were invited to express their understanding of the extremist events taking place and the extent to which they’ve been affected by these events.

“It is horrible, and nobody needs to ever exaggerate it, but

people do this all the time,” said Jonathan Golden, Ph.D., assistant professor of anthropology and associate director for the Center on Religion, Culture and Conflict at Drew University. “We need to be responsible with our language and demand more of the media.”

Current students and alumni who chatted with Br. Jack also indicated the negative impact the media has on society, and how one needs to take a critical stance. The group used the example of social media as a positive way to break down barriers and help eliminate discrimination.”

“One way that we can fight extremism is to be on the lookout for people in our own situations where there is isolation, where people are feeling alone, not being engaged and not listening,” Br. Jack added.

“The biggest takeaway for me was in order to change others, we must first change ourselves and look at the flaws in our own communities,” said Mohamed Koita ’15, a master’s student in organizational leadership. “Before trying to change others, an individual or a group should improve on its own values, and only then can we look at others and try to understand one another.”

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 19

SPORTS

Valedictorian Breaks Records and Mends Communities

I

T’S FITTING THAT KATE BOWEN ’14, the Donald J. Carty Valedictory Medal recipient, had the honor of speaking on behalf of her classmates at Manhattan’s 2014 undergraduate Commencement ceremony because Bowen emanates the spirit of the College. During a senior year that was full of both awards and personal accolades, she says giving the valedictorian address was the most meaningful.

“I was honored to represent the class of 2014,” Bowen says. “My speech was a farewell to all my classmates, and I hope that it reflected what Manhattan College meant to all of us. Being here and being a Jasper was a truly special experience.”

Although she made history as the first physical education major ever to be named valedictorian, Bowen will be remembered most for her time on the softball field. As a two-time Manhattan College Female Student-Athlete of the Year, she will go down as one of the best players ever to don the Jaspers’ uniform.

“When I was recruiting her, I knew she was going to make a difference,” says head coach Tom Pardalis. “And she did from day one. Kate was remarkably consistent, and she got some big hits for us over the years. She was just as good in the pitching circle, too.”

Manhattan’s all-time leader in games played (190), games started (185) and at-bats (618), Bowen’s name appears throughout the Jaspers’ record book. Her 211 career hits are the second-most in program history, while her 39 doubles and 122 runs scored both rank third. She’s also tied for fifth all-time in home runs (18), and sixth in both batting average (.341) and runs batted in (104). Bowen led the team in hits and batting average every year during her career.

In addition to being an offensive threat, Bowen was the ace of the pitching staff throughout her career. She recorded 29 wins in a Manhattan uniform, six of which were shutouts, and with 64 starts, 82 appearances and 396 innings pitched, she ranks among the Jaspers’ all-time top 10 in each category.

Bowen was named both Second Team All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and First Team All-Northeast Region in 2012, and then earned First

20 N winter 2015

Team All-MAAC recognition as a junior. She was selected First Team All-MAAC again last season after leading the league in hits. Bowen also led the Jaspers in batting average, doubles, runs scored and wins, as Manhattan made its first appearance in the MAAC championship game in 15 years. But despite the mounting personal achievements, Bowen remained a team player.

“I never really thought about personal milestones,” Bowen says. “My top priority was always the team.

What I wanted more than anything was to compete for a MAAC championship, and I’m happy I got the opportunity to do that my senior year. What really made it special was that I got to compete with teammates who shared that same goal and loved playing the game as much as I did. My teammates mean everything to me. I’ll remember the lifelong friends I made before any wins and losses.”

“One of the most impressive things about Kate is that she was such a good teammate,” Pardalis says.

“She was a big part of our success, but it was never about her. She could go 0-for-4 and not care because we won the game. It was always more important to her that the team do well.”

As outstanding as Bowen’s softball résumé is, her list of academic honors is just as impressive. She was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team three times and was also a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athlete selection.

She was twice recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America with a place on the Academic All-District Team. In 2014, Bowen received a Third Team Academic All-America nod, becoming the first Manhattan softball player to achieve that distinction since 2000. Additionally, she earned the 2013-14 ECAC Scholar Athlete of the Year award.

A native of Newtown, Conn., Bowen was deeply affected by the shooting tragedy in her hometown, and she did her part to help Newtown recover. During the 2013 season, she organized a Sandy Hook Dedication Game where Sandy Hook students, three of whom threw out ceremonial first pitches, took the field with the Jaspers before Manhattan swept a

doubleheader from Saint Peter’s University. The team also sold T-shirts to raise money for the 26 Angels Foundation, a charity set up by a survivor to help the community.

It’s because of her community work and leadership that the two-time team captain was one of just 30 candidates for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award. CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, and the award — one of the most prestigious awards handed out by the NCAA — celebrates notable achievements in the areas of community, classroom, character and competition.

“As great a softball player as she is, Kate’s an even better person,” Pardalis says. “She certainly deserves all of the recognition she’s gotten. She’s been a remarkable representative of the College.”

Bowen was also selected as the MAAC’s nominee for another one of the NCAA’s most prestigious honors, the Woman of the Year Award, which is presented to a graduating female student-athlete for her achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.

“I’m humbled to be recognized by these organizations,” Bowen says. “Because it was never about that.

I think everyone needs to give back to their community. It’s important for everybody to reach out and help others in need. I always loved being able to be a part of something special, and I always had a great time doing it.”

The daughter of a physical education teacher, she hopes to become a teacher herself. But she isn’t ruling out other possibilities either. Bowen is currently pursuing a master’s degree in athletic administration at Springfield College in Massachusetts, where she’s a graduate assistant coach with the softball team.

“Right now, I don’t know where my career path will lead, whether it’s in teaching, coaching or athletic administration,” she says.

But Bowen duly adds, “I still see softball being a big part of my future.”

With an outstanding record in softball, Kate Bowen ’14 left a lasting legacy in the Jaspers’ athletics history book, but representing her class at Commencement was truly an honor for this award-winning valedictorian.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 21

SPORTS

SPORTSSHORTS JASPERS NAMED ARTHUR ASHE SPORTS SCHOLARS Five Manhattan College student-athletes were named 2014 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. The award was established to honor undergraduate students of color who best exemplify academic and athletic achievement. Student-athletes must compete in an intercollegiate sport, boast a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher, and be active in the community and on campus in order to be eligible. The five Jaspers selected included Melanie Tam (women’s swimming) and men’s track and field team members Jacob Adams, Jaylen Henderson, Savio Paul and Neil Pinnock.

O CANADA The women’s basketball team went on a four-game preseason tour of Canada from August 17-23. Manhattan posted a 3-1 record in the four games, knocking off the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and L’Universitie du Quebec a Montreal while suffering a loss against McGill University. The Jaspers also got a chance to do some sightseeing while visiting Montreal and Ottawa. It was the second time the Jaspers went on a preseason trip to these cities, and also traveled north of the border prior to the 2010-11 season.

COMPETING AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES Annie Alexander, a volunteer assistant coach with the Manhattan track and field team, represented her native Trinidad and Tobago at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23-August 3. Alexander finished 15th in the discus throw with a distance of 47.73 meters (156’7”). She also competed in the shot put.

BASEBALL MOVING TO DUTCHESS STADIUM The baseball team will play its 2015 home games at Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., a 4,500-seat facility that is also the home of the Minor League Hudson Valley Renegades. The stadium has an AstroTurf playing surface, allowing for year-round use and ensuring more protection from poor weather. In addition, the Jaspers will have their own clubhouse at the stadium. The team will continue to practice at Van Cortlandt Park.

KELLOGG, TOSCANO JOIN MAAC HONOR ROLL Junius Kellogg ’53 and Lisa Toscano ’79 were selected as Manhattan’s 2014-15 inductees into the MAAC Honor Roll at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. They will each be honored in a video presentation at “The MAAC Experience,” the conference’s permanent exhibit at the Hall of Fame, as well as the 2015 MAAC Tournament program.

22 N winter 2015

Kellogg was Manhattan’s first African-American basketball player.

In 1951, he refused $1,000 to shave points during games and alerted his coach, Ken Norton, setting off the largest college betting scandal in American history. The investigation ultimately involved 32 players from seven schools and 86 games from 1947-50. After graduating in 1953, Kellogg played for the Harlem Globetrotters before he suffered a cervical spinal cord injury and was paralyzed in a 1954 car accident.

Despite a grim prognosis, he underwent several years of therapy and regained the use of his hands and arms. Kellogg was inducted into the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and the National Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Fame in 1981.

Toscano was one of the true pioneers of women’s athletics at Manhattan. A co-founder and four-year captain of the women’s basketball program, she also helped found the softball team, and competed in volleyball and rowing. Toscano was an athletic trainer for the Jaspers from 1981-2003 and is currently an associate professor in the department of Physical Education and Human Performance. During her career, she has received the NATA (National Athletic Training Association) 25-year Service Award and Manhattan College’s Distinguished Service Award in the Physical Education department. She is also a member of the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame and serves on the Hall of Fame committee.

SENIOR CLASS AWARD Manhattan midfielder Aislinn McIlvenny ’14 was one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award in women’s soccer. One of the most prestigious awards presented by the NCAA, the Senior CLASS Award recognizes graduating Division I student-athletes who’ve made a positive impact as leaders in their communities through their participation in athletics. CLASS stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, and the award celebrates notable achievements in the areas of community, commitment, character and competition.

McIlvenny earned a place on the All-MAAC Second Team in both 2012 and 2013. An exercise science major, she was named to the Capital One Academic All-District First Team in 2013 and is a two-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection.

CELEBRATION FOR A COUNSELOR Brother David Trichtinger, FSC, who joined the College in the summer of 2011 and serves as counselor and adviser for student-athletes, was honored at a Jubilee Ceremony in Towson, Md., in July, commemorating his 40 years as a Brother of the Christian Schools.

Madison at the Marathon

FUNFACTS

30

1999

number of candidates nationwide for the Senior CLASS Award in women’s soccer, including Aislinn McIlvenny ’14

the last time the softball team reached the championship round of the MAAC Tournament prior to 2014

2

ON SUNDAY, NOV. 2, Manhattan College softball player Madison Bailey ’16 was one of the more than 50,000 finishers of the TCS New York City Marathon. She ran the 26.2 miles in 5:57:37 while raising money for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society.

Bailey chose to run for charity in honor of her mother, who has been in remission from lymphoma for three years, and she wore her mother’s name on her race jersey.

She began fundraising in June and collected $5,733.55 for the cause. In total, the 27 racers running for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society raised more than $1.4 million.

While this was the first time that she completed a full marathon, Bailey, a Phoenix native and psychology major, previously ran the San Diego Half Marathon in 2009, shortly after her mother was first diagnosed.

“When my mom was first diagnosed, I sat there wondering how I could do something productive,” she says. “That’s why I decided to race San Diego. When I saw they were doing it again in New York, it was an easy choice. I couldn’t imagine doing it for another cause.”

This might have been her first marathon, but it probably won’t be her last. Bailey has entered the lottery for the 2015 New York City Marathon.

38

number of players in the history of the volleyball program to be named MAAC Player of the Year (Luka Van Cauteren ’04 in 2002 and 2003, and Malia McGuinness ’15 in 2014)

number of new banners (representing baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country and track and field, men’s and women’s lacrosse, softball and volleyball) that were hung in Draddy Gymnasium during the summer

100

6

career wins for Mark Jones as head coach of the volleyball team, making him just the second coach in program history to reach that mark

seasons since the men’s basketball team played a game at Madison Square Garden prior to a matchup with Rutgers on Dec. 14

5:57:37

1

2,351

the time it took softball player Madison Bailey ’17 to finish the 2014 New York City Marathon. She ran for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and raised more than $5,700.

number of men’s basketball players in program history with 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 300 assists.

Emmy Andujar ’15 became the first to reach all three milestones at Saint Peter’s on Jan. 16. school-record number of digs by the volleyball team in 2014, the third-most in the nation. Allie Yamashiro ’17 ranked 12th nationally with a school-record 656 digs.

237

members of the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame, including this year’s eight-person induction class MAnHAttAn.eDU N 23

SPORTS

Baseball THE BASEBALL TEAM advanced to its 11th MAAC tournament in the last 12 years in 2014, playing two higher seeds down to the last inning before bowing out of the postseason.

The Jaspers went 7-2 in their final three conference series, including a season-ending series sweep of Saint Peter’s on the final weekend of the regular season to advance to the MAAC tournament. As was the case all season, Manhattan was led by its young pitching staff, which allowed just five runs in the three-game sweep.

The freshman pitching staff threw 67.8 percent of the team’s innings on the mound, as the team developed a young rotation that is poised to provide quality and depth for years to come. In the lineup, sophomore Christian Santisteban built on his outstanding rookie campaign by earning first team All-MAAC honors at designated hitter. He bat-

ted .314 with a team-best 17 doubles, while senior Brendan Slattery had the best season of his career with a .324 batting average and a team-best 25 RBIs. Freshman Jose Carrera was a sparkplug at the top of the Jaspers’ lineup, playing each one of Manhattan’s 50 games. He was a two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week and was named one of the team’s captains as a sophomore.

Junior Joe McClennan, a defensive standout at third base, was also one of the team’s many high achievers academically. McClennan gained Academic All-District honors this spring and became the first Jasper baseball player in 10 years to receive the award. He was one of eight Jaspers to also earn a spot on the MAAC All-Academic team.

Christian Santisteban ’16

Softball THE SOFTBALL TEAM MADE AN INCREDIBLE RUN to the MAAC championship game in 2014. Seeded sixth in the six-team MAAC tournament, the Jaspers dropped their opening game to Iona. Manhattan avoided elimination with a 4-2 win over Monmouth but would have to win three games the next day in order to have a shot at the championship.

The team won the first of those games in extra innings against Siena, setting up a showdown with top-seeded Marist. Behind a four-hit shutout by junior Amy Bright, the Jaspers knocked off the Red Foxes 1-0 to move Manhattan into the championship round for the first time since 1999. In the first game of the championship round, freshman Danielle Gabriel was brilliant, giving up just two hits and retiring the last 17 Iona batters she faced. Sophomore Elena Bowman provided all the offense Gabriel would need with a first-inning home run, as the Jaspers beat the Gaels 1-0 to set up a winner-take-all showdown.

However, the Jaspers’ run came to an end the following day, as Iona posted an 8-0 victory to win the MAAC championship. The MAAC tournament berth, their first in three years, capped a successful season in which Manhattan posted an outstanding 16-7 record at Gaelic Park, including a seven-game home winning streak from April 5-13.

Senior Kate Bowen, who was named Manhattan’s Female StudentAthlete of the Year for the second consecutive year, received further 24 N winter 2015

Amy Bright ’15

accolades when she was selected to the Capital One Academic AllAmerica Third Team. The first Manhattan player to earn Academic AllAmerica honors since 2000, Bowen was also the ECAC Scholar Athlete of the Year and the Manhattan College class of 2014 valedictorian. In addition, she was a top 30 candidate for the Senior CLASS Award, as well as the MAAC’s nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award (see feature on page 20 to read more about Bowen).

Women’s Lacrosse FINISHING WITH AN IMPROVED RECORD in the first year under head coach Elizabeth Weber, the women’s lacrosse team won its final two MAAC games of 2014.

On Senior Day, the Jaspers put together their best collective effort of the season in a 15-11 victory against Niagara, playing for a conference tournament berth. Five different Jaspers scored two or more goals in the win, which gave Manhattan significant momentum heading into its conference finale at Iona.

The Jaspers led 4-2 early against the Gaels and scored the final eight goals of the contest on their way to a 12-2 rout, capping the conference slate in style.

Junior goalkeeper Christina Fiorinelli and sophomore Megan Yarusso were named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Fiorinelli was also

named MAAC Defensive Player of the Week twice in the spring. The junior’s 163 saves in 2014 give her 456 over the first three years of her Manhattan career, placing her third on the school’s all-time saves list. Yarusso played in just 12 of the team’s 17 games and scored 18 goals and two assists to reach the 20-point mark.

Five players scored 20 points or more on the season, with junior Donna Jo DiNorcia serving as the lone Jasper to eclipse the 30-point plateau, with 24 goals and 8 assists for 32 points. Senior Kelsey Rehain placed second on the squad with 28 points, scoring 23 goals and assisting on five.

Ten Jaspers were honored on the MAAC AllAcademic Team.

Kelsey Rehain ’14

Men’s Lacrosse THE MEN’S LACROSSE TEAM enjoyed a successful season under secondyear head coach Steve Manitta. The Jaspers finished the 2014 campaign with a 5-10 overall record, including a 3-3 mark in conference play, which placed them in a five-way tie for second place.

The Jaspers earned victories in three of their final four games of the spring. It took a loss to top-ranked MAAC squad Siena on the final day of the season to keep Manhattan out of the conference tournament on goal differential. During the season, the Jaspers earned a number of hard fought one-goal wins, defeating Mount St. Mary, Marist and Detroit in thrilling fashion. They also defeated Lafayette in overtime.

Senior captain Sean McMahon collected a team-high 90 ground

balls and caused a team-high 24 turnovers. He earned a spot on the All-MAAC First Team for his achievements. He was also named MAAC Co-Long Stick Midfielder of the Year. Freshmen Alex Abiog and Matt Garvey were named to the All-MAAC Rookie squad.

Senior Ryan Payton scored a career-high seven goals over MAAC rival Marist to help the Jaspers escape Poughkeepsie with a 14-13 conference win, their first of the season. It marked the first time a Manhattan player had scored seven goals in a game since James Synowiez accomplished that feat in 2010.

Thirteen student-athletes were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team, led by sophomore Alex Gitlitz, who has a 4.0 cumulative grade point average.

Ryan Payton ’14

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 25

SPORTS

Outdoor Track and Field AFTER TAKING SECOND (MEN) AND THIRD (WOMEN) at the MAAC Indoor Championships, the track and field team repeated that showing at the MAAC Outdoor Championships.

Manhattan won three events at the MAAC Championships. Junior Lydia Wehrli set a championship record to defend her title in the women’s hammer throw, while freshman Ida Virdebrant captured the MAAC crown in the women’s high jump. In the men’s hammer throw, freshman Love Litzell added a conference championship to his list of accomplishments during the season.

At the 120th Penn Relays, Manhattan had a very impressive showing. Junior Bianca Marten won the Eastern women’s triple jump, becoming Manhattan’s first female Penn Relays champion since 2009.

The team of junior Abdias Myrtil, freshman Anthony Hall, junior Sheldon Derenoncourt and junior Greg Perrier finished ninth in the men’s sprint medley relay Championship of America, while Litzell took sixth in the men’s championship hammer throw and senior Mohamed Koita was eighth in the championship men’s high jump.

That success continued at the ECAC/IC4A Championships, where Litzell won the hammer throw to keep alive Manhattan’s streak of having at least one IC4A champion every year since 1969. Freshman Stefan Hoeller had a fourth-place showing in the decathlon, and Wehrli broke her own school record in the women’s hammer throw to take fifth place.

Greg Perrier ’15

Litzell and Wehrli were among six Jaspers that qualified for the NCAA East preliminary round competition in Jacksonville, Fla. Freshman Lina Bengtson (women’s shot put), Koita (men’s high jump), junior Phil Ragan (men’s javelin) and sophomore Blerim Pocesta (men’s hammer throw) joined them in Jacksonville.

The Jaspers once again found success in the classroom. A total of 11 men and 11 women were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. In addition, Koita and Hoeller were selected to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team.

Cross Country IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL FIRST SEASON under head coach Nick McDonough for the men’s and women’s cross country teams.

The Jaspers showed steady progress throughout the year, and there were several standout individual performances, as well.

Senior Milena Stoicev had an excellent final season in Riverdale, pacing the women’s team in every meet. She was ninth at the Metropolitan Championships on Oct. 10 and placed 10th at the MAAC Championships on Oct. 31, becoming the first Manhattan runner to earn a top-10 finish at the conference meet since 2008.

Her time of 21:55.64 for 6,000 meters was the second-fastest in program history. Stoicev followed up that performance

with a 106th-place showing at the NCAA Northeast Regional, and then she took fifth in the university division at the seasonending ECAC Championships a week later.

Leading the way for the

men’s team were junior Shane Beyer and senior Kevin O’Brien.

Beyer was Manhattan’s top finisher in five of seven meets, including the MAAC Championships. His best effort of the season came at the University at Albany Invitational on Oct. 18, when he placed sixth in the 8,000 meters in a time of 25:51.

O’Brien, meanwhile, was the first Jasper across the line at the Metropolitan Championships, finishing 12th overall, and the IC4A Championships, where he secured 30th place.

As a team, the Jasper men were fifth at the Metropolitan Championships and ninth at the MAAC Championships. Manhattan then finished the year by taking 10th as a team in the Milena Stoicev ’15

26 N winter 2015

university division at the IC4A Championships. The Manhattan women, meanwhile, placed eighth at both the Metropolitan and MAAC Championships before ending the season with a 13th-place showing at the ECAC Championships.

In addition, four men and two women earned places on the MAAC All-Academic Team.

From the men’s team, seniors Jacob Adams and Mikael Rojeras were recognized along with O’Brien and junior Nick Adamo.

Seniors Alexandra Cappello and Alyssa Windle achieved MAAC All-Academic distinction on the women’s side.

Women’s Tennis IN ITS FIRST SEASON under head coach Amanda McEntire, the women’s tennis team had a successful 2013-14 campaign. The Jaspers won six matches, including three against MAAC opponents, their most conference victories since 2007. The Jaspers got off to a 3-1 start during the fall, including conference wins over Rider and Monmouth. The match against Monmouth was an intense 4-3 decision that wasn’t decided until junior Caitlin Bricketto rallied to notch a match-clinching three-set victory at No. 3 singles.

Senior Brianna Turano and freshman Gabriella Leon were the most consistent Manhattan players throughout the year. Turano played at No. 1 singles in 17 of the Jaspers’ 18 matches and collected six victories.

Leon, meanwhile, had a team-leading nine wins primarily from the No. 2 position. That duo also teamed up at No. 1 doubles 16 times and posted an 8-8 record, including a 4-3 mark in conference play. At the conclusion of the season, junior Catherine Clark was recognized for her work in the classroom with a selection to the MAAC All-Academic Team. It marked the second consecutive year in which she received this honor.

Catherine Clark ’15

Golf THE MEN’S GOLF TEAM had one of its best seasons in school history, placing fourth at the MAAC Tournament.

This marked the team’s best finish since 2001. The team concluded the tournament just one stroke behind Monmouth and Fairfield, who tied for second place. Saint Peter’s won the MAAC Tournament, and sat three strokes ahead of the two secondplace schools after the three days of competition.

Seniors Chris Calabro and Jonathan Feuer enjoyed top-10 finishes at the MAAC Championships. Calabro’s three-day score of 229 (+13) placed him tied for third individually. His final round 73 (+1) tied him for the lowest round of any golfer on the final day. Feuer concluded the tournament with a 232 (+16), which placed

him in a tie for eighth. Sophomore James Edgeworth enjoyed his second consecutive strong showing at the final tournament of the year, posting a 236 (+20), putting him in a two-way tie for 13th.

Manhattan’s best finish of the year came in the fall, when the team placed second in the inaugural Jasper Shootout. In the spring, the Jaspers then finished third at the Monmouth University Quad Match, with Feuer and Calabro leading the team with a 76 (+5) and 77 (+6), respectively. They enjoyed two top-10 finishes and three top-five finishes during the 2013-14 season.

Six Jaspers also were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team, more than any other school in the conference.

Chris Calabro ’14

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 27

SPORTS

Men’s Soccer THE MEN’S SOCCER TEAM earned its most impressive victory of the season in its final road match of 2014. The Jaspers defeated Niagara 5-0 in snowy conditions in Western New York. Senior captain Tommy Amos had a game-high five-point effort, providing a brilliant goal from more than 30 yards out while assisting on three others. Seniors Eugene Heerschap and Jake Scavetta, junior captain Alex Shackley and sophomore Andrew Melitsanopoulos all netted goals in the contest.

Heerschap, Shackley and junior defender Abraham Bartoah also picked up assists in the game.

Shackley led the team in scoring with eight points on the year. The junior totaled three goals and two assists in 2014. Heerschap and senior Tommy Amos rounded out the top three in Manhattan, scoring with seven and six points, respectively.

Manhattan’s other marquee win came early on in the fall, when the squad defeated St. Francis Brooklyn 1-0 on Sep. 2. The match was scoreless after 90 minutes of play, and the Jaspers managed to come out on top when St. Francis scored an own goal in the waning stages of the second overtime period.

The season was marked by the arrival of many new faces, including Bartoah, freshmen center backs Joe Hulme and Luke Greaves, freshman winger Jose Mesa and speedy junior transfer Kristian Alexieff. All of the newcomers made significant contributions as they settled into the system of 2013 MAAC Coach of the Year Jorden Scott.

Amos and Bartoah were selected to the All-MAAC Second Team for their efforts in 2014. Nine Manhattan players were also highlighted on the MAAC All-Academic Team.

Alex Shackley ’15

Women’s Soccer DESPITE BEING PLAGUED BY INJURIES and ultimately missing out on the MAAC Tournament by just one point, Manhattan posted its best season since 2009 in winning eight matches, which tied for the fourthmost in program history.

The Jaspers were led by First Team All-MAAC selection senior Aislinn McIlvenny, who had a hand in 70 percent of the team’s offense (14/20 goals), including finishing second in the league with 10 goals. She also had a MAAC-best six game-winning tallies while ranking 14th nationally.

Also a standout off the field, McIlvenny was a Second Team Senior Class All-American, as well as a Capital One Academic All-America Third Team pick. She spearheaded the team’s involvement in the Kickin’ Back charity, which is dedicated to improving the lives of children in Namibia.

Manhattan began the season with a 2-0 blanking of Wagner en route to posting a 5-3 non-conference record, which included a thrilling 2-1 sudden-victory win at perennial power Yale.

The Jaspers then capped 2014 with wins in two of their final three matches against Quinnipiac and Saint Peter’s to build momentum for next season.

Joining McIlvenny with All-MAAC recognition were freshmen Nicole Aylmer and Emily Center, while nine student-athletes earned MAAC All-Academic accolades.

Despite losing the high-scoring prowess of McIlvenny, Manhattan returns 19 letter-winners, headlined by two-year starter rising senior Kristen Skonieczny. Skonieczny also joined McIlvenny on the Capital One Academic All-America All-District First Team.

Aislinn McIlvenny ’14

28 N winter 2015

Volleyball LED BY MAAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR junior Malia McGuinness, the volleyball team put together its second consecutive 20-win season and matched a school record with 13 MAAC victories. The Jaspers earned the No. 3 seed for the MAAC Championships in Orlando, Fla., and advanced to the semifinals, where they were eliminated by eventual champion Siena.

The Jaspers started the season 4-0 and won six of their first seven matches. Manhattan then began conference play with a victory at Quinnipiac before coming back from an 0-2 deficit to win at Fairfield for the first time in program history. Junior Teodora Peric was named MAAC Player of the Week for her efforts against the Stags. The Jaspers defeated Fairfield again on Nov. 9 at Draddy Gymnasium, completing their first-ever regular-season sweep of the Stags.

After dropping its first two home conference matches, Manhattan ended MAAC play with seven consecutive home wins. Overall, the Jaspers went an impressive 9-3 in Riverdale. Manhattan put together a six-match winning streak from Oct. 5-22, including its first victory at Iona since 2006. On Nov. 5, the Jaspers went into Poughkeepsie and handed MAAC regular season champion Marist, which had just one conference loss entering the match, its only home loss of the season.

That upset over the Red Foxes ignited a five-match winning streak that Manhattan carried into the MAAC Championships. The Jaspers drew Niagara in a quarterfinal matchup that was broadcast nationally on ESPN3. Manhattan held off the Purple Eagles in five sets to advance to the semifinals for the second straight year. The 3-2 triumph was head coach Mark Jones’ 100th win in six seasons with the Jaspers.

However, Manhattan saw its quest for a championship stopped the next day by Siena. The Jaspers, who beat Fairfield in five sets twice in the regular season, then drew the Stags again in the third-place match. Manhattan jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Fairfield rallied to win the match in five sets.

For her efforts in the tournament, junior Claire Van Dyk was named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team.

McGuinness became just the second player in program history to earn MAAC Player of the Year honors after posting 24 double-doubles and leading the conference in kills. She recorded her 1,000th kill and 1,000th dig during the season, and finished her career ranked fifth all-time in each category. Sophomore Allie Yamashiro, meanwhile, established a new single-season program mark with 656 digs. As a team, the Jaspers ranked third nationally in digs (2,351), as well as ending up sixth in the nation in digs per set (17.95).

A two-time MAAC Player of the Week, McGuinness was named ECAC Player of the Week on Oct. 15. Yamashiro earned three MAAC Libero of the Week selections, as well as an ECAC Libero of the Week nod on Sept. 4.

In addition, senior Anna Kitlar was named to the Capital One Academic AllDistrict First Team. Kitlar, McGuinness , Peric and Yamashiro were four of Manhattan’s seven selections to the MAAC All-Academic Team. They were joined on the squad by senior Sarah Haselhorst, junior Jade Gray and sophomore Mary Donnelly.

Malia McGuinness ’15

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 29

00 N winter 2015

NOT YOUR COMMON COMMONS ››

MANHATTAN.EDU N 31

Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons Opens its Doors

By Liz Connolly Bauman • Architecture photos by Joe Schmelzer

A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED AND uncharacteristically warm day in October, more than 500 people, including New York politicians, local Riverdale residents and members of the College community, gathered on campus to officially dedicate the new Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons. The building is named in honor of one of the College’s most renowned and respected alumni, Raymond Kelly ’63, former police commissioner of New York City.

“The Kelly Commons is our new front door for prospective students and visitors, as well as for the Riverdale community, welcoming our neighbors and facilitating greater interaction, formal and informal, between the College and community,” said Brennan O’Donnell, president of Manhattan College, at the opening. “Lectures and discussions, gallery talks, and book signings will showcase our accomplished faculty and provide opportunities for greater participation of the College in the intellectual and cultural richness of our immediate neighborhood and the city as a whole.”

In particular, O’Donnell expressed his gratitude for those who supported and invested in making the Kelly Commons a reality. He thanked a number of honored guests, including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State Senate CoLeader Jeffrey Klein and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, the College’s board of trustees, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), students, staff and members of the Kelly family.

O’Donnell also recognized Kelly’s dedication to service.

During his more than 40-year career with the NYPD, Kelly supervised a large reduction in crime in New York City, including a 40 percent decrease in violent crimes.

“The great service that Commissioner Kelly has performed, for city and country, makes him a shining example of the best of our tradition,” O’Donnell added. “And so it is indeed fitting that for generations to come, countless Manhattan College graduates will think of the Kelly Student Commons as a place where they discovered and learned to develop the talents and gifts that they, uniquely, have been given to share with the world.”

Both Cuomo and Klein also reiterated O’Donnell’s praise for Kelly’s service to the City of New York.

“We owe [Kelly] a tremendous debt of gratitude as citizens of this city and this state,” Cuomo said. “His life is a testament 32 N winter 2015

to the virtue of service taught by the Christian Brothers and a commitment to excellence. Manhattan College could not have chosen a better name than Raymond Kelly.”

Klein echoed this sentiment, “Manhattan College is a jewel of the Bronx, and it is a fitting tribute that the College recognizes its illustrious alumnus, former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly.”

And then, the much-awaited moment arrived. Thomas O’Malley ’63, former chairman of the College’s board of trustees, executive chairman of PBF Energy Company LLC and honorary co-chair of the campaign, introduced the distinguished guest, Kelly.

“It is a unique honor for Mary Alice and me to contribute to Manhattan College and to recognize the most successful graduate of the class of 1963,” O’Malley said. “He is the man who best exemplifies the Lasallian spirit, which is to serve.”

KELLY COMMONS AT A GLANCE Here’s a quick look at what’s inside the new student-centered building.

• Five floors, 70,000 square feet • Barnes and Noble campus bookstore • Dining marketplace • State-of-the-art wellness and fitness center with Precor cardio and strength machines • Dedicated student activities space for student government, clubs and organizations • Convertible 6,500-plus square-foot multipurpose meeting space with the flexibility to accommodate gatherings of various sizes • The first LEED gold certified building on the College’s campus • Green roof, regional materials and recycled content, and high-efficiency lighting design for sustainability • Home of the Center for Social Action and Service Learning and the Multicultural Center • Outdoor terrace

Event Photos: Chris Taggart and Ben Asen

On

The community gathered for the dedication of the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons on Oct. 15, and President Brennan O’Donnell, Raymond ’63 and Veronica Kelly, and Thomas ’63 and Mary Alice O’Malley cut the ribbon to celebrate the building’s official opening. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo discusses Kelly’s illustrious career, and later, Kelly thanks the community for its support.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 00

“You can perform miracles by touching the hearts of those entrusted to your care,” are the words of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, and the first words vistors read when they enter the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons.

O’Malley welcomed Kelly to the stage, and the Manhattan College alumnus and twice-serving NYPD commissioner helped the College officially open the new building named in his honor.

“It is truly an experience of a lifetime to be here for the official opening of the Raymond W. Kelly Student Commons. It’s difficult to describe the feeling of having a building on campus of this outstanding educational institution named after you, and what a truly beautiful structure it is,” Kelly said. “It is a resounding testament to the vitality of Manhattan College. It would not have been possible without the outstanding philanthropy of Tom O’Malley and his wife, Mary Alice.”

After Kelly’s speech, the Rev. George Hill, college chaplain, and Bishop John Jenik blessed the building, the ribbon was cut, and the College community celebrated the official opening of the student commons.

The Oct. 15 event concluded with a reception in the Great Room and the opportunity for guests to take a student-guided tour of the building.

A Look Inside the Kelly Commons

When students and faculty returned to campus at the start of the fall semester, they found the familiar construction site transformed into a gleaming new student commons. The new building not only connects the College’s north and south campuses but also offers increased space and programming, a state-of-the-art fitness center, new dining options and much more.

Earlier in August, staff from Student Activities, Campus Ministry and Social Action, the new Multicultural Center, and Wellness and Fitness Center, and Gourmet Dining officially moved into the new building. Some of these Centers didn’t have a dedicated or centralized space on campus, so the move was a welcome arrangement. The Kelly Commons offers muchneeded space for the various centers, which assist students, faculty and staff in their day-to-day activities, and will help with enhanced programming in the future.

When entering the building from the north entrance, which is on the second floor, visitors are greeted by the new Barnes and Noble bookstore. The bookstore offers traditional textbooks, an expanded selection of Jasper apparel, current and popular reads, including the works of faculty and alumni, supplies and other educational materials.

Through the spacious lounge and past the bookstore is the Center for Social Action and Service Learning.

The Center for Social Action and Service Learning is the

34 N winter 2015

headquarters for student volunteer and community service programs, including the Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.) program.

“We now have the much-needed space to hold meetings, presentations or just have conversations with students,” says Jenn Edwards Robinson, coordinator for Campus Ministry and Social Action. “Being at the center of the student commons helps us to become more visible and engrained in the everyday

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Just as the building’s namesake has devoted most of his career to service, the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons also is dedicated to and inspired by service. As you walk through the building, you’ll notice quotations on each floor reflecting the College’s Lasallian heritage. The quotations highlight five key themes of that heritage, with each of the five floors exhibiting one of those themes: faith in the presence of God, excellence in teaching and learning, the dignity of the human person, the value of an inclusive community, and commitment to social justice.

The texts are drawn from some of the most influential Lasallian leaders, including and especially the founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and Patron Saint of Teachers, Saint John Baptist de La Salle. The poignant words of De La Salle, Saint Miguel Febres Cordero, FSC, Brothers Charles Buttimer, FSC, and Luke Salm, FSC, are meant to inspire and enlighten our current community as we go about the work of building the Manhattan College of the future upon the firm foundations of its past.

For example, the first quote visitors see when they enter the lobby from the north entrance is from Saint John Baptist de La Salle: “You can perform miracles by touching the hearts of those entrusted to your care.”

Also in the lobby, near the entrance, is the donor wall, which names and thanks the generous donors who made the Kelly Commons possible. Around the corner is the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 wall of honor, which features an assortment of photos that convey the unique career and service history of the building’s namesake.

(Clockwise) Veronica, Raymond and son Greg Kelly stop to take in the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 wall of honor, an exhibit of his life in service. The commemorative rocks, a takeaway from the dedication ceremony, represent the Lasallian ideals taught and spoken by influential leaders of the Christian Brothers, also exemplified in the above quotes that are featured on the walls of the student commons.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 00

(Clockwise) A few Jaspers get in some morning cardio in the fitness center on the third floor, while a student studies in the second floor lounge, and a group gathers in the first floor lounge. Another student finds a spot to work on his computer near the bookstore, just past the main entrance.

life of a Manhattan College student. The central location helps our student leaders have a place to call their own; a place they can really deepen their commitment to service and justice and explore their faith as it relates to the work they are doing.”

The south entrance to the Kelly Commons is easily accessible from the outside pedestrian path (or by the elevator or stairs down one floor), which features the Commons Marketplace, a dining space with an authentic Arthur Avenue Deli, Italian trattoria, grill, Asian station, smoothie bar and graband-go items. There is also a fully licensed Starbucks Cafe, two lounges and a game room.

Continuing the ascent through the building, the third floor serves as home for the new Multicultural Center, which is the hub for diversity programs and services at the College.

“Students, administrators and faculty have been collaborating since our doors opened at the beginning of the semester,” says Sonny Ago, assistant vice president for Student Life.

“Student organizations have partnered with the Diversity Committee to create a more robust calendar of events. We hosted a student Diversity Summit on Nov. 15 as part of our outreach efforts to attract even more students to be part of our efforts to promote diversity on campus.” (See page 9 for more information about the summit.)

In addition to the center, the third floor houses the 5,200-square-foot Wellness and Fitness Center, which features Precor cardio and strength machines, free weights and a stretching space, locker rooms and a health assessment area.

On a typical day, the fitness center has more than 300 visitors during the daytime, and during the evenings, it’s packed.

“I love the gym, and I come here all the time because I’m on the dance team, and we have workouts for an hour twice a week,” says Alexa Iaquingo ’18, a management major. “It is really convenient, and I’m here at least four hours a week with coming on my own and workouts.

Located on the fourth floor, the Kelly Commons offers space for the College’s 60-plus student clubs and organizations with convertible meeting spaces and areas for Student Activities and Student Government. The faculty dining room is also located here.

“Student Activities has truly become a physical hub for students, which is great,” says director John Bennett. “Any given day, at any given time, our clubs are utilizing every space pos36 N winter 2015

sible in the Kelly Commons.”

John Tudisco ’15, student body president and a civil engineering major, also says, “The Commons has really provided students with the proper space to meet for clubs and events, and it has been very successful at bringing people from Leo and Overlook closer to main campus.”

In addition to the various spaces mentioned, the Kelly Commons houses the Great Room on the fifth floor, which is the College’s primary location for large-scale events, and has picturesque views of Gaelic Park and Van Cortlandt Park.

This fall, the Student Activities Lecture Series, actor Dominic Chianese’s performance, the Annual Latino-Fest, Admissions Saturday information sessions, the President’s Dinner and the Benefactor’s Reception were held in the Great Room, taking advantage of the new event space on campus.

“This building has been a great central place on campus for everyone to gather; it’s really connected it to main campus and it’s been a great addition,” adds Caitlin Kempinski ’15, a communication major.

LEADING IN LEED In January, the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification, the second highest level, by the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED is recognized around the world as the premier mark of achievement in the design, construction and operation of green buildings, and the Kelly Commons is the largest LEED gold certified nonresidential higher education building among 15 goldcertified LEED projects in the Bronx.

As the College’s first LEED building on campus, it boasts many green features, including: a green roof, regional materials and recycled content, enhanced commissioning, high-efficiency lighting design, occupancy-based lighting and HVAC, demand-based ventilation, variable speed refrigerant system, high-efficiency condensing boilers, installation of Elkay hydration stations, and low-flow bathroom fixtures.

MANHATTAN.EDU N 00

COMMENCEMENT

College Celebrates Commencement Ceremony

38 N winter 2015

S

ENIORS FROM THE SCHOOLS OF ARTS, SCIENCE, EDUCATION AND HEALTH, BUSINESS AND ENGINEERING gathered on campus one last time to celebrate their accomplishments at graduation on May 18.

Approximately 750 graduates in some 40 major fields of studies attended the 172nd Commencement ceremony alongside their families.

The College also honored keynote speaker Carolyn Y. Woo, Ph.D., president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

As the leader of CRS, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, Woo highlighted the College’s relationship with the organization.

“Manhattan College has participated in every aspect of CRS’ work, whether it is in developing future student leaders for this work or engaging faculty in curricula that addresses issues, and also becoming the very first fair trade campus in New York City to demonstrate solidarity for people around the world,” Woo said. “Manhattan College is truly a leader and a dedicated partner to help us to put Catholic social thought into action.”

Recipient of the Donald J. Carty Valedictory Medal, Katherine Bowen ’14 delivered the valedictorian speech to her fellow classmates.

(Opposite page) Keynote speaker Carolyn Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, is presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the 2014 Commencement ceremony. (This page, clockwise) Valedictorian Katherine Bowen ’14 reminds students of the importance of being happy in their future endeavors.

Excited graduates gather at the reception on the Quad after the ceremony to celebrate their achievements.

A few days earlier, Kathleen White ’14, a peace studies and history major, received one the College’s highest student honors, the Joseph J. Gunn Alumni Medal, at the Spring Honors Convocation.

The physical education major, softball captain and exemplary student-athlete welcomed her classmates and said: “Today we celebrate a milestone together. A milestone that once seemed so far off.”

“Your success, your accomplishments and your milestones will not mean nearly as much if you are not happy,” Bowen continued, addressing her peers. “Whether you are working in construction, teaching or writing the next greatest novel — do it with a smile. There is no time like the present. Keep those who make you laugh close to you.”

As Bowen finished, the graduates received their diplomas, and thundering applause filled Draddy Gymnasium.

President Brennan O’Donnell then concluded the ceremony with his closing remarks.

“At this time of year, as I reflect in my heart on what I most want to say to our graduates, I find that my thoughts keep turning toward the spirit of a benediction — toward a prayer for you as you move out from this place of intense work in the loving presence of this community,” O’Donnell said.

“And finally, I ask for you that wherever you go and whatever you do, that the love you’ve known here at Manhattan College will forever make this place your heart’s home,” he continued.

A few days before graduation, the College community celebrated the Spring Honors Convocation and recognized the outstanding achievements of several seniors. In addition to receiving the Physical Education Departmental Major of the Year award for 2013-2014 and being named a finalist for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award during her senior year, Bowen received the Donald J. Carty Valedictory Medal at the event.

Kathleen White, a peace studies and history major, received one of the College’s highest undergraduate student honors, the Joseph J. Gunn Alumni Medal. The award is given to a graduating senior who has made a significant contribution to the College during his or her undergraduate career, and White demonstrated a dedicated commitment to several mission-related causes throughout her time at Manhattan.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 39

COMMENCEMENT

Manhattan Honors Master’s and Bachelor’s Recipients at Spring Commencement

W

ITH THEIR FAMILIES BY THEIR SIDES, nearly 300 graduate and undergraduate students received their master’s and bachelor’s degrees and professional diplomas at the 2014 Spring Commencement on May 17.

The graduates received master’s degree recipients from the Schools of Business and Engineering; bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies; and master’s degrees and professional diplomas from the School of Education and Health.

Dominick M. Servedio, P.E., executive chairman of STV Group, Inc., joined the graduates as the keynote speaker and honorary degree recipient. Servedio’s nearly 40-year career

40 N winter 2015

with STV, a 100-year-old multidisciplinary architectural, engineering, planning and construction management company began in 1977.

“Now that you are at a crossroads and about to enter the work world, define yourself by bringing more than your intellect to the table — bring all your gifts,” Servedio said. “Bring your heart, your passion, your grit and your courage. It will drive everything you do, and ultimately lead you to success.”

His final advice to the graduates was: “Believe in yourself. I believe in you. I believe your generation will make a difference and do the right thing. Enjoy today, and begin your journey.”

(Opposite page) Dominick Servedio, P.E., executive chairman of STV Group, advises graduates to bring passion and courage to their future careers at the Spring Commencement ceremony. (Top) Proud graduates get ready to officially become alumni. (Right) Valedictorian Kelly Keane ’00, who graduated from the Mental Health Counseling program, inspired classmates with a story of her path to educational success.

After Servedio was presented with an honorary Doctor of Engineering, valedictorian Kelly Keane ’00, a 2014 graduate of the College’s Mental Health Counseling program, spoke to her fellow graduates.

Keane, who attended the College on a soccer scholarship and also played lacrosse, received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Manhattan College in 2000.

“I am not your typical valedictorian,” said the 36-year-old mother of two.

Keane went on to explain how when she was getting ready to graduate from the College, one of her professors asked her if she would consider graduate school and possibly become a school guidance counselor.

“At first, this seemed funny to me since I struggled so much with high school myself,” Keane said. “But then she

helped me to realize that that is exactly why I should be a guidance counselor.”

“None of us know what the future holds. I hope only the best for each and every one of you. The person you are right now is your true self. Don’t forget this. And don’t forget this feeling today,” she said.

President Brennan O’Donnell’s final remarks to the class of 2014 included warm wishes to the graduates and thanks to the professors, families and friends who supported them along the way.

He concluded the ceremony with a benediction.

“I ask for you, that our loving God will make you throughout your life someone who passes on to others the good that has been done for you, a voice that says to others, as others have said to you, ‘yes, you can’ and ‘I am here to help,’” he said.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 41

DEVELOPMENT

Patterson’s Latest Sequel Continues To Inspire and Support Jaspers • • • • • • •

B

EST-SELLING AUTHOR JAMES PATTERSON ’69 awarded $110,000 in academic scholarships to Manhattan College, marking the third consecutive year that a group of Manhattan students will receive James Patterson Scholarships. Ten juniors and 10 seniors from the Schools of Arts, Business, Education and Health, Engineering, and Science are recipients of the 2014-15 scholarships.

Patterson began the scholarship program to recognize and reward the academic achievement and leadership potential of Manhattan College students. The 20 recipients were awarded the scholarships based on merit, need and involvement in activities related to the College’s mission. Patterson generously funded two additional scholarships, increasing the total from 18 recipients during the 2013-14 academic year.

“This scholarship program at my alma mater recognizes hard-working students who combine academic excellence with the Lasallian values that the College embodies,” Patterson says. “With this recognition, my hope is that these students will continue to excel at Manhattan College and after they graduate.”

The scholarship recipients include:

JUNIORS • Adele Foster, English (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) • Celena Gonzalez, history (Bronx, N.Y.) • Kaitlin Hargaden, special education (Selden, N.Y.)

42 N winter 2015

Paige Hughes, urban studies (Ticonderoga, N.Y.) Kaitlin Lang, civil engineering (Breezy Point, N.Y.) Nicole Moore, communication (Bloomingdale, Ill.) Kelly Paulemon, marketing (Bronx, N.Y.) Marissa Piazza, chemical engineering (Fair Lawn, N.J.) Valerie Scarinci, chemical engineering (Staten Island, N.Y.) Nimra Shabbir, English and philosophy (Richmond Hill, N.Y.)

SENIORS • Francisco Alvarez, government and international studies (Thermal, Calif.)

• Emily Bellas, special education (Bellerose, N.Y.) • Alexandra Cerrati, exercise science (Stony Point, N.Y.) • Joseph Cusmano, communication (Rochelle Park, N.J.) • Claire Leaden, communication and French (Cutchogue, N.Y.) • Sean McIntyre, marketing (Frederick, Md.) • Tina Nitis, marketing (Yonkers, N.Y.) • Juanita Pacheco, management and computer information systems (Bronx, N.Y.) • Aldiana Perazic, biology (New York, N.Y.) • Donika Zherka, secondary education (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) The scholarship program will award $5,000 to each of the 20 recipients. All of the seniors are eligible to apply to receive one of four additional awards in the amount of $2,500 based on essay submissions. The seniors will submit essays describing their various accomplishments during junior year and their personal vision for plans after graduation.

“The Patterson Scholars are among our brightest rising stars,” President Brennan O’Donnell says. “Thanks to the continued generosity of James Patterson, we are able to recognize and support them as they strive for excellence inside and outside the classroom.”

Patterson holds the Guinness record for the most consecutive No. 1 novels on The New York Times Best Sellers List, and is most famous for his best-selling Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club and Michael Bennett series.

As an author, Patterson is passionate about encouraging people of all ages to read. He recently pledged $1 million to a number of independent bookstores across the country, allowing them to invest in improvements, provide employee bonuses and expand literacy outreach programs in their communities. In addition, the Patterson Family Foundation awards scholarships to students at 21 different colleges and universities around the country.

Student Scholarship Spotlight: Monica Horan

I

N TODAY’S ECONOMIC CLIMATE, success in business requires an ethical foundation in support of a strong liberal arts education. Industry leaders are already looking to the future by establishing new scholarship opportunities at Manhattan College.

Among the beneficiaries is Monica Horan ’15, one of six recipients of the new John Cullen ’62 Scholarship for Accounting Majors, who will earn her combined B.S. and M.B.A. in accounting in May. The scholarship supports students pursuing their licenses to become Certified Public Accountants (CPA).

As one of two family members currently in college — and another in law school — Horan says the financial support is greatly appreciated.

“Through his generosity, Mr. Cullen has played a major role in my education,” she says. “I can take the CPA exam, and I don’t have the burden of student loans. It is nice to know someone believes in my ability.”

While an undergraduate, Horan had internships in both the public and private sectors. She worked for CNC Apartment Management, a subsidiary of LNM, as an accounting intern. Her internship with KPMG and participation in KPMG’s Leadership Conference has led to the promise of a full-time position upon graduation, once she successfully becomes a CPA.

A resident student who came to Manhattan from Albertus Magnus High School in Bardonia, N.Y., Horan is a second-generation Jasper. Her mother, Eileen (Stevens) Horan ’81, played basketball at the College. As a result, Horan values the Lasallian tradition she has known her entire life.

She points to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program as one example of sharing Lasallian values.

“We dedicated Saturdays and weeknights during tax season to help low-income residents of New York City get the most out of their tax returns,” she says.

“This program brought together our professional and Lasallian educations, something Mr. Cullen placed great importance on.”

Horan also participated in Relay For Life while on campus. She wrote for The Quadrangle all four years as an undergradraduate, serving as business manager for two years. Horan was also a member of the Manhattan College Senate, Beta Alpha Psi (accounting honor society), Epsilon Sigma Pi, the Accounting Society and the Finance and Economics Society.

She says one of her goals is to bring her Lasallian values to the workplace.

“There is a need for CPAs with Lasallian values,” Horan says.

Celebrating Supporters at the President’s Dinner GUESTS ATTENDING THE ANNUAL PRESIDENT’S DINNER this year were treated to a first glimpse and tour of the newly opened Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons in September. The President’s Dinner honors donors who have given more than $5,000 to the College. Raymond Kelly ’63 with wife Veronica and Mark ’71 and Christine Codd gather for a photo and some conversation in the Kelly Commons’ Great Room.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 43

ALUMNI

New Jasper Stars Inducted Into Hall of Fame PATRICK CALLAHAN ’99 (BASEBALL) In 1997, Callahan became the first Manhattan baseball player ever to earn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Player of the Year honors after leading the league with a .381 batting average. He posted a .317 career batting average and was the Jaspers’ all-time leader in base hits (147) at the time of his graduation.

O

(First row) Nicholas Silva ’04, LaCole Fields ’00, Rosalee Mason ’04, Sheila Buckley; (back row) Athletic Hall of Fame Committee Chair Peter Sweeney ’64, Patrick Callahan ’99, Luis Flores ’04, Steve

NE COACH AND SEVEN FORMER MANHATTAN COLLEGE STUDENT-ATHLETES, including four in their first year of eligibility, were inducted into the College’s 36th Athletic Hall of Fame class on Nov. 8 in the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons. The event was sponsored by Manhattan College’s Alumni Society.

The 2014 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees include: Gerald Buckley ’64 (men’s track and field), Patrick Callahan ’99 (baseball), LaCole Fields ’00 (women’s track and field), Luis Flores ’04 (men’s basketball), Thomas Jacob Freeman ’04 (men’s track and field), Steve Lappas, coach (men’s basketball), Rosalee Mason ’04 (women’s basketball) and Nicholas Silva ’04 (men’s lacrosse).

Lappas, Thomas Jacob Freeman ’04, and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Noah LeFevre take a class photo at the 36th Athletic Hall of Fame in November.

44 N winter 2015

GERALD BUCKLEY ’64 (TRACK AND FIELD) Buckley (posthumous) was a valuable middle distance runner on head coach George Eastment’s teams, serving as co-captain his senior year. He helped the two-mile relay squad capture first place at both the Metropolitan Championships and Millrose Games in 1962, and he took third in the 880 yards at the 1963 Metropolitan Outdoor Championships.

LACOLE FIELDS ’00 (TRACK AND FIELD) Fields set four Manhattan records in the shot put and weight throw during her career, and still holds the indoor mark in the shot put (15.01 meters). She was named All-East 14 times and won a total of 13 individual MAAC championships. During the 2000 outdoor season, Fields captured the MAAC title and scored at the ECAC Championships in the shot put, discus and hammer throw.

LUIS FLORES ’04 (MEN’S BASKETBALL) Manhattan’s all-time leading men’s basketball scorer (2,046 points), Flores was named the MAAC Player of the Year and MAAC Tournament MVP in both 2002-03 and 2003-04. He led the Jaspers to back-toback NCAA Tournament appearances in 2003 and 2004, when Manhattan upset Florida in the round of 64. Flores is the most recent Jasper to be drafted into the NBA, when the Denver Nuggets chose him with the 23rd pick of the second round in 2004. He played two seasons in the NBA before a distinguished nineyear international basketball career.

THOMAS JACOB FREEMAN ’04 (TRACK AND FIELD) Freeman is the only eight-time All-American in the history of the track and field program. He won a pair of NCAA championships at Manhattan (2003 indoor weight throw, 2004 outdoor hammer throw). Freeman also captured four consecutive IC4A titles in the hammer throw and is the NCAA record holder in the event. He finished third in the hammer throw at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and represented the United States at the 2009 World Championships.

Regional Chapter Spotlight: Northern California STEVE LAPPAS, COACH (MEN’S BASKETBALL) Lappas coached the men’s basketball team for four seasons from 1988-89 to 1991-92. He led Manhattan back to prominence during his tenure, capped by a 25-9 campaign in 1991-92. That season, the Jaspers reached the MAAC championship game for the first time and made their first postseason appearance in nearly 20 years, reaching the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). He currently works at CBS Sports Network as a college basketball analyst.

ROSALEE MASON ’04 (WOMEN’S BASKETBALL) A three-time first team All-MAAC selection, Mason is the MAAC’s all-time leading rebounder (1,217). She also ranks second on Manhattan’s all-time scoring list (1,875). In 2002-03, Mason led the Jaspers to both the MAAC regular season and tournament championships and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Mason averaged 16.3 points and 10.6 rebounds during her career and grabbed more rebounds than any other player, male or female, in school history.

WITH MORE THAN 30 REGIONAL CHAPTERS across the country, alumni are connecting with each other and the College at various events and programs throughout the year. These chapters provide a platform to inform alumni, students, parents and friends about campus initiatives and future projects. Working to enhance the College’s image and geographic presence, regional alumni chapters also help to maintain the lifelong connection between Manhattan and its Jasper alumni community.

This issue’s spotlight is on the College’s northern California chapter, which has established itself as one of the most active groups for alumni in the country.

The northern California Jaspers kicked off 2014 with some after-work receptions around the Bay area, a VIP tour of the Academy of Sciences, and a performance of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly at the San Francisco Opera.

Then in October, they enjoyed a day in

Napa and Sonoma counties. Several stops were made throughout the day, including a tour and tasting at Benziger Family Winery and at Imagery Estate Winery, lunch at the Christian Brothers Retreat and Conference Center, and a tasting at The Hess Collection.

Constantine Theodosiou, Ph.D., dean of the School of Science, and Thomas Mauriello, vice president for advancement, accompanied the group.

The diverse series of events attracted a number of Manhattan alumni and has become the archetype for the College’s regional programs.

The Alumni office is always seeking representatives throughout the United States.

Volunteers help to facilitate and support connections among alumni by organizing and participating in a variety of events and activities. If you are interested in becoming active in your area, please email the Alumni office at alumni@manhattan.edu.

NICHOLAS SILVA ’04 (MEN’S LACROSSE) Silva was named MAAC Player of the Year in 2002, as he led the men’s lacrosse program to its first MAAC championship. He ranks second on Manhattan’s all-time assists chart (84) and has the two highest single-season assist totals in program history. Silva is also third on the all-time list with 155 career points. After graduating from Manhattan, Silva became the head coach at Fontbonne University in his native Missouri and helped to establish the first NCAA lacrosse presence in the state.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 45

ALUMNI

FROM THE COLLEGE’S ARCHIVES

Whatever Happened to … The Koran?

N

O, NOT THE ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS TEXT, but Manhattan College students’ own sacred book. The Koran was a small, usually green, handbook written, edited and published exclusively by the sophomore class, distributed to and used by the incoming freshmen.

“To a freshman entering Manhattan, the Koran serves as a dictionary, almanac, and guidebook par excellence,” stated the 1955 edition.

Its main purpose was to acquaint freshmen with the tradition and culture of Manhattan, as well as set the stage for the epic rivalry between the freshmen and sophomores that played out every fall semester. It contained an abridged history of the College, a directory of campus activities and services, songs and cheers, and an imposing list of rules that freshmen must obey. In fact, the first regulation was that the Koran must be carried around at all times. The petite book conveniently fit into the breast pocket of a jacket.

The first edition was published for the 1924-1925 academic year by the class of 1927. In the fall of 1923, when the class of 1927 entered the College, there was little printed matter available to describe the customs, traditions, extracurricular activities and rules, written and unwritten, that governed student conduct. By the end of their freshmen year, class president John B. Schaefer ’27, Edward F. Moran ’27 and John Loftus ’27 got together and decided to publish a booklet. The plan was met with plenty of enthusiasm by then President Brother C. Thomas Fitzsimmons, FSC, but with no financial support. To finance the venture, the group solicited advertisements from local businesses and from the student body, by creating a tie-in sale of the book with the freshmen beanies, another regulation.

The unusual title is a subject of much debate and confusion; namely, why would a Catholic school’s student “bible” carry a distinctive Islamic title? In fact, early descriptions of the Koran from its own editorial staff claimed that it was indeed “derived from the Mohammedan Bible (Koran, 1937-38).”

However, according to Moran, assistant editor and co-creator of the book: “The task of choosing a title for the booklet was given to Jake Schaefer [the editor] who was my roommate ... When he came up with the name, he facetiously remarked, ‘K for Kingsbridge and four letters of your name.’” Hence, the original title was a combination of “K” for the Kingsbridge telephone exchange, which covered the Manhattan College area, and Moran. The name was purely coincidental.

Throughout the years, the story was further confounded when editors of later editions claimed the book was named 46 N winter 2015

for “a Mr. Kelly and a Mr. Moran who wished their names perpetuated in the title.”

During the decades, changes were made in structure and substance, including an enlargement of the book and the addition of an apostrophe after the “K.” By the early 1970s, as the campus culture changed and the freshmen-sophomore rivalry waned, the K’oran became the responsibility of the administration and dean of students. No longer created by the students, it was last published for the 1986-87 academic year, and replaced by the official student handbook.

ALUMNOTES 1942

FRED LEONE, Ph.D., former professor at Georgetown University, is now 92 and lives with his daughter and son-in-law in Medford Lakes, N.J. He attended his 50th class reunion at Manhattan because he had a great college experience, noting it was a “very happy and friendly” environment.

1943

FRANCIS MASCOLA reports, “As I look back, I know Manhattan College has been good to me. I’m enjoying life in New York and winters in Florida.”

1950

MARIO SCOLARO reports that his wife, Carol, passed away on Jan. 18, 2014. Their 60th wedding anniversary would have been celebrated on Oct. 16, 2014.

1952

RALPH NOBIL, Esq., past president of the Westchester County Bar Association (WCBA), was featured in WCBA’s monthly magazine. A partner of Nobil, Magarian & DiSalvo LLP in Bronxville, who specializes in construction litigation and personal injury, he has tried more than 45 jury trials.

1954

FRANK FLOOD, NICHOLAS BARTILUCCI and LOUIS MIRANDO are celebrating more than 50 years of marriage to their respective wives Maureen, Joan and Betty. Flood says, “We believe that a total 177 years of marriage speaks well of the marriage course that we took at Manhattan that was taught by a 75-year-old Christian Brother.”

1957

RICHARD MASON, who served as forensic pathologist for Santa Cruz County, Calif., for 34 years, retired in May at the age of 78.

Profiled in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, he got his start performing an average of 500 autopsies a week in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive in 1968, where he developed his knowledge

of firearms and causes of death. His speed in identifying bullet parts has saved detectives precious time in matching a gun to a bullet in murder cases.

1959

FREDERICK SULLIVAN, founder and senior partner at Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn in Springfield, Mass., was featured in the 2014 Irish Legal 100 edition of the Irish Voice, and named the 2014 Employment Law-Management Lawyer of the Year.

1961

JAMES FLANIGAN, business and finance journalist for Los Angeles Times and The New York Times, was recognized with the Gerald Loeb award for lifetime achievement.

The annual award, given by UCLA Anderson School of Management, recognizes individuals whose career exemplifies the consistent and superior insight and professional skills necessary to further the understanding of business, financial and economic issues.

1962

RONALD TEDESCO was honored for his 50 years of service to Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y., where he served as physics teacher, headmaster and director of alumni affairs, as well as the annual fund. The school named a new physics lab for him, which opened in fall 2014 — the fifth lab in Stepinac that dons his name. Additionally, the Tarrytown Board of Trustees passed a resolution for its resident, naming May 8, 2014, Ron Tedesco Day.

1960

ED DONOVAN was profiled in Long Island Business News for his 50-plus years working for the New York State Department of PublicWorks. During his tenure, he’s contributed to a new six-lane highway connecting Manhattan and Long Island’s East End, the “most ambitious and critical construction effort of all time.” He currently serves as the lead engineer on a project on Route 347 in Port Jefferson.

1963

RAYMOND KELLY was awarded the Colin Cramphorn Memorial Prize in recognition for his achievements as the longest serving commissioner of the New York City Police Department in its history. The prize is named in memory of the former chief constable of the West Yorkshire Police who died of cancer in 2006.

1964

ANTHONY SARTOR was elected to serve as a director for Premier Alliance Group, Inc., a provider of cyber security, energy and controls, and business advisory solutions headquartered in New York City. Prior to this role, he served as chairman and CEO of Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, a consulting engineering firm based in New Jersey.

MICHAEL MCMORROW, who directed Manhattan College’s Sesquicentennial Capital Campaign, approached a Florida-based foundation successfully for a $1 million endowment grant that is designed to assist organizations serving those less fortunate persons in Ossining, N.Y. The Westchester Community Foundation will administer the grant.

AL VENDITTI and wife, Carole, are semiretired and enjoying healthy and active lifestyles.

They spend most of their time in ministry both locally and in China. In 2014, the couple spent three months in China, attended a family reunion in Tucson, toured Sedona, and Tennessee, participated in a church conference in Alabama, visited grandchildren in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and hosted many visitors at their home in the San Diego area. He says, “We gave our lives to Jesus in 1981, and the adventure ever since has been awesome.”

1966

ROBERT MCDONALD reports, “After spending the last seven years in southern Vermont babysitting for our two grandchildren, it’s our turn for fun and games as we’re moving down to Del Webb Hilton Head, S.C., for warmer weather and some rest and recuperation.”

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 47

ALUMNI

by installing plumbing systems with Habitat for Humanity in Orange County, Calif.

JASPER BOOKSHELF John Paluszek ’55 co-edited Public Relations Case Studies From Around the World, which covers an impressive scope of public relations practice from public diplomacy, corporate social responsibility and community relations to tourism and fundraising.

Written by established scholars and professionals who had access to some of the world’s most intriguing and influential cases of organizational communication, these studies will be of tremendous interest to all who teach, study and practice public relations around the world. Currently, Paluszek is senior counsel for global public relations firm, Ketchum.

John Loase ’69, Ph.D., published his 11th book, The Power of Uncertainty: A Case for the Liberal Arts (Sunbury Press, 2014), which demonstrates the positive effects of recognizing and appreciating uncertainty in all human endeavors. The book was influenced by his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in math and second master’s in counseling psychology — all from Manhattan. Loase holds the first and last doctorate awarded in mathematics (emphasis statistics) and psychology (emphasis psychometrics) ever awarded by Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Beth Montemurro ’94 published her second book, Deserving Desire: Women’s Stories of Sexual Evolution (Rutgers University Press, 2014), which looks at the evolution of women’s sexuality over time, with a specific focus on the development of sexual subjectivity — that is, sexual confidence, agency and a sense of entitlement to sexual desire.

She is an associate professor of sociology at Penn State University, Abington.

1967

WILLIAM FIFE, P.E., was honored with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Metropolitan Section Civil Engineer of the Year Award, commending his “character, professional integrity and years of outstanding service to the civil engineering profession.”

JOSEPH MCCOURT discussed his service as a combat veteran of the Vietnam War during a special Veterans Day panel for 10th-graders at Terrill Middle School in New Jersey.

1968

The Honorable JAMES RISPOLI, P.E., BCEE, F.SAME, USN (Ret.), was awarded the prestigious Academy of Fellows Golden Eagle Award for outstanding contributions to engineering at the Society of American Military Engineers 2014 Academy of Fellows Golden Eagle Awards Dinner in March.

JOHN DONOVAN, owner of Donovan Construction Services, LLC, ran unopposed for one 3-year term reelection as a councilman of River Vale, N.J. 48 N winter 2015

1970

MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM, founding partner and senior counsel with Iseman, Cunningham, Riester & Hyde, was recognized by rating service Super Lawyers, for his practice in personal injury law and environmental and business litigation. The selection process includes independent research, as well as peer nominations and evaluations.

1972

The Rev. JACK ARLOTTA was appointed the new administrator of the Church of St. Stephen in Warwick, N.Y. ANTHONY SCHIAVI, P.E., CSP, ARM, director of safety and environmental affairs at the Boston Globe, published an article, “Safety Audits as Leading Indicators,” which was featured in Professional Safety magazine.

The complete article is available as bonus content at www.asse.org/psextra.

KIERAN BERGIN, a retired chemical, environmental, safety and public policy engineer, is helping to build new energy efficient homes

1973

PAUL YAROSSI, president of HNTB Holdings Ltd., was awarded the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s (ARTBA) 2013 Award at the its 2014 Federal Issues Program luncheon in Washington, D.C., for his 40-plus years of work in the field.

JOE RIPP, CFO of Time Inc., was featured in The New York Times magazine article “The Matter of Time,” for navigating Time Inc.’s future in uncertain times.

1974

THOMAS MORAN, president, chairman and CEO of Mutual of America, accepted the Cardinal’s Appreciation Award at the American Cardinals Dinner held at the Waldorf Astoria in May 2014.

STEVE FANGMANN was named the 2014 president of the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA), a statewide nonprofit organization of leaders in water quality management. He is also the recipient of NYWEA’s John Centers Brigham Award for Outstanding Service.

PHIL PULASKI, former New York City Police Department chief of detectives, joined Cushman & Wakefield’s Risk Management Services division as managing director.

THOMAS BLACKBURNE is the new VP of Northeast Bank, business development officer for the Small Business Administration Lending Division and covers the Mid-Atlantic region. Prior to this role, Blackburne served as VP, business development officer, SBA Lending for TD Bank in New York.

1975

BOB JEFFREY, chairman and CEO of marketing and communications brand JWT Worldwide, was the quest speaker at the URI College of Business Administration’s 2014 Vangermeersch Lecture.

JOHN TULLY, who is a senior risk analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, cel-

ebrated the September 2014 wedding of his eldest son, Sean, to Shannon Blake.

THOMAS DRISCOLL ran unopposed for a one-year vacancy term on the Cazenovia, N.Y., Town Board. He is currently senior marketing manager for RockTenn, a leading North American producer of corrugated and consumer packaging and recycling solutions, which is headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla.

1976

MICHAEL FIDANZATO’S son Jeff DeLuca is now a freshman at Manhattan College.

JOSEPH LAURIA, P.E., is the new VP and area manager of Orange County, Calif., operation for MWH Global, a leading provider of strategic consulting, environmental engineering and construction services.

ANTHONY ALESSI, M.D., was guest speaker at the Concussion Conference 3.0, a one-day seminar on concussion management training for school nurses, school staff and other professionals who work with concussed students held at Quinnipiac University.

DOUGLAS BORGATTI, lead author and former operations director, was honored with the 2014 Past President’s Award at the New England Water Works Association conference. The award recognizes the authors of the most meritorious paper published in the Association’s journal in 2013. Borgotti co-authored “A Less Aggressive Method for Partial Cleaning of Tuberculated Water Mains to Improve Fire Flows in Springfield, MA,” an article that described a six-month, full-scale pilot study to cost-effectively clean water mains in Springfield, as well as restore fire pressure.

1977

WILLIAM BRYK lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, with his wife, Mimi, an educator and cultural critic, and their cats Minerva, Rosalind, Sebastian, Cordelia, Henry, Plantagenet and Boo. He practices guardianship and fiduciary law from his home office and, through the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Brooklyn Bar Association, serves as pro bono

counsel for poor debtors in bankruptcy court. He is a parishioner of the Church of Our Lady of Angels, and pursues his passions for politics, history, literature, railroads, and exercises between bouts of helping Mimi in their garden.

DONALD MAYS is director of product safety and quality for Deloitte & Touche, LLP.

American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. He was inducted at the Academy’s annual meeting during the National Recreation and Park Association Congress in Charlotte, N.C. VINCENT CASCIO is the United States administrative law judge for the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in White Plains, N.Y.

1978

1979

BRIAN MATHEWS is the new assistant vice president/lending administrator for Rondout Savings Bank in Kingston, N.Y. In his new role, he is responsible for managing, directing and developing the bank’s residential origination, servicing and collections departments.

WILLIAM MURPHY is the new city engineer for Boiling Spring Lakes, N.C. Prior to this appointment, Murphy served as vice president for Urban Engineers in Hartford, Conn.

CHARLES STARK is the new executive director of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, where he will oversee construction of the phase two extension of the Metro Silver Line from Reston, Va., through Washington Dulles International Airport to Ashburn, Va. He recently served as VP and project executive for the engineering firm Aecom.

The Rev. JOSEPH DUGGAN, Ph.D., was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 2006 and earned his doctorate in theology from the University of Manchester, England, in 2010.

He founded activist organization postcolonialworlds.com, and Borderless Press. He lives with his spouse, the Rev. Stefani Schatz, Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Diocese of California.

ELAINE KAUSCHINGER is an assistant professor at Duke University School of Nursing.

Prior to this appointment, she served as lead faculty for the family nurse practitioner program at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. She was recently named one of the top 25 Nurse Practitioner Professors in the U.S. by nursepractitionerschools.com.

GREG PETRY, executive director of the Waukegan Park District, was elected to the

BR. JAMES GAFFNEY, FSC, will retire as president of Lewis University in 2016, after 28 years in the role.

LOUIS LAMATINA was elected to be the next mayor of Emerson, N.J. This will be his second four-year mayoral term, having previously served from 2007-2010.

1980

JOHN MCAVOY, chairman, president and CEO of Con Edison Inc., was appointed to serve as a board member to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, a position for which he was nominated by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and approved by the New York State Senate. (To read more about McAvoy, see page 54.)

The Rev. BR. AMBROSE LOKE celebrated his 70th birthday with a gala dinner at the Bukit Kiara International Equestrian and Country Resort. Organized in his honor by La Salle Sentul Old Boys Association, the event coincided with his 50th anniversary of being professed as a Christian Brother in Malaysia.

He currently serves as director of St. Francis Institution, a position he has held since 1999.

RICHARD FUMOSO is the VP for commercial account development in support of Leidos Engineering’s environment and civil infrastructure operation. He is based in the new Houston office.

ARTHUR MCCRAY joined asset-based lending group Provident as VP, having previously worked at Sun National Bank.

1981

PETER CORDOVANO, Esq., and JOSEPH CARCIONE Jr., D.O., served as National Business MAnHAttAn.eDU N 49

ALUMNI

Institute’s featured lecturers at the New York State Workers Compensation seminar in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. JEANNE MARCONI received a 2014 Doctors of Distinction award, recognized as an outstanding physician for her achievements. She is a managing partner and pediatrician at the Center for Advanced Pediatrics in Norwalk, Conn.

ANTHONY ENEA, Esq., has been named to the Best Lawyers 2015 list for his work in trusts and estates. Additionally, his firm was honored with Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services’ 2014 Golden Harvest Corporate Award.

1982

MARY CROTTY is the COO of the Financial Accounting Foundation. In this new role, she manages the foundation’s business operations, including technology, finance, publications and other key business activities.

1983

MAUREEN ANNUZIATA is a new clerk at the Pelham, N.Y., Public Library. A familiar face in the Pelham community, she has worked for the past seven years at Provisions Bake Shop, and has volunteered at Accent on Antiques.

Earlier in her career, she worked at Price Waterhouse and Bankers Trust Company.

LISA GARCIA, chief risk officer and director of fiduciary services for Atlantic Trust, was among the guest speakers at OpRisk N.Y., a conference hosted at the India House. The annual event focuses on best practices in stress tests, the perspectives of large financial institutions and alternative investors, and the implementation of cyber security in operational risk strategy.

1985

EILEEN MULLANEY, a partner and U.S. global mobility consulting leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, published “Generational Preferences Create Challenges for Modern Mobility Strategies” in Benefits Quarterly. The article discusses the evolution of mobile employee populations, how different generations of employees have divergent mobility program expectations 50 N winter 2015

and preferences, and several factors driving the nature of employee mobility beyond its traditional form.

SERAFINO CELANO was selected as the assistant superintendent for personnel in the Garden City School District, N.Y. JOHN BANKS was appointed to serve as the president of The Real Estate Board of New York.

1987

WILLIAM LAMARTINA, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, was promoted to associate principal in the Newark, N.J., office of Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm.

MICHAEL DOCTEROFF was elected to two 3-year terms as a township council for West Caldwell, N.J.

1989

MICHAEL LAROCCA is the new chief underwriting officer for XL Group’s Insurance Operations in its North American property business. He joins XL Group from AIG, where he served as VP and Northeast zonal leader for large property accounts.

MARYANN MCCARRA-FITZPATRICK’S poetry was published in Episodic and Pierian literary journals and is awaiting publication in Healing Muse and Florida English. Several of her collages were exhibited at the Westchester Community College Gallery during Peekskill’s Open Studios weekend in June 2014.

WILLIAM MERKLIN, VP of the Water Supply Division at D&B Engineers and Architects, P.C., in Woodbury, N.Y., was featured in the Who’s Who section of Long Island Business News for his 23-plus years of experience in water supply engineering. His recent work with the Port Washington Water District resulted in a positive impact on the community.

DONALD HERBERT was promoted to director of rail markets at Contech Engineered Solutions LLC, a leading provider of site solution products and services for the civil engineering industry headquartered in West Chester, Ohio. He is responsible for managing and developing the sales and marketing strategy for the rail market by identifying and prioritizing project opportunities.

STEPHEN STONE joined Primus Technologies Corp., a leading electronics manufacturing services provider, as president. Prior to this role, he served as VP of Aleris International’s Global Commercial and Defense Plate business.

1992

HADY MENDEZ trained in the Franciscan Mission Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., after 20-plus years working in corporate America. In January 2014, she began her twoyear term serving the people of Bolivia and is currently working with women in prison.

CAROLYN (LATARGIA) BLAKE, president of the Mahwah Municipal Alliance (MMA), was named 2014 Bergen County Volunteer of the Year by Governor Chris Christie’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.

According to Mayor William Laforet, “her contributions have changed the lives of the youth in [the] community and are forever indebted to her. What few people realize is that Carolyn’s contributions go beyond the MMA and extend into many other charitable organizations. Carolyn is a shining star in our community.”

1993

FRANCIS MESSAR III was re-elected to the Maywood Council (N.J.), a position he filled in May 2014. Messar is an electrical engineer for GCF Incorporated, where he has worked for more than 18 years.

RICHARD CARELLA was promoted to an advisory partner role at KPMG LLP, a tax, audit and consulting services company in Montvale, N.J. BALBIR OBEROI reported that his son, Shyam, is employed since 2014 at the Dallas Museum of Art as director of technology and digital media.

1995

PAUL FITZPATRICK was named brand president of Jos A. Bank. “Paul has an impressive tenure in men’s merchandising, both in retail and wholesale,” said Men’s Wearhouse CEO Doug Ewert in a press release. “Through the years, he has built his reputation in the mens-

wear industry for creating dynamic teams and developing leaders.”

1996

THOMAS SCOLARO became a named partner at the firm now known as Leesfield Scolaro in Miami. Nationally recognized for results in a variety of complex liability and severe injury cases, Scolaro is known by his colleagues as “a tireless advocate for civil justice.”

MARK MULLER was named director of the McKnight Foundation’s Mississippi River program, which works through grants, collaborations and advocacy to restore the river’s water quality and resilience.

1997

PETER GLUS was named city executive of the Big Urban Client programs at ARCADIS, the leading natural and built asset design and

consultancy firm. He is based in New York City.

1999

ALIANN POMPEY, four-time Olympian and former NCAA champion, is St. John’s University’s new sprints coach for the Red Storm.

2000

KELLY KEANE joined the guidance office at Ramapo High School in New Jersey. She was

ALUMNUS BUILDS SHOPPING APP & REVOLUTIONIZES COMMERCE ON MOBILE IN RECENT YEARS, the popular photo-sharing application Instagram has become a way for many brands to showcase their products. But because pictures on Instagram aren’t clickable, finding a way to purchase the product can be challenging for mobile users. This is exactly what Billy Mauro ’12, a computer information systems major, encountered two years ago, which resulted in him building a tool called Shopsy.

“I used Instagram a lot, and Nike posted a picture of sneakers that I really wanted, and I could not find them anywhere on the Internet,” Mauro explains. “The lightbulb came on in my head, and I realized this was a problem that needed to be solved, so I started drawing wireframes with how this would function.”

Mauro’s interest in building applications and websites started at Manhattan and also prompted him to start a student-run entrepreneurship club.

“When I was in college, I was passionate about learning in class and picking the teacher’s brain,” Mauro says, noting that he was always busy working on projects outside of class.

In 2013, Mauro took his idea, along with his high school classmate Chris Quinn, to design and launch Shopsy. Shopsy is a mobile application and solution that allows brands to post products through their Instagram photos, which allows users to then view the brand’s photos with the option to purchase from its website or within the app. A few notable brands include Sephora, Tieks, Lilly Pulitzer, Jack Rogers, Lululemon, Alex & Chloe, BaubleBar, Sosie and Shoptiques.

In the midst of launching Shopsy, Mauro relocated from New York to San Francisco and connected with the co-founders of Two Tap, the universal shopping cart. Started in 2012, Two Tap streamlines the checkout process for customers when purchasing a product within mobile apps or websites. Once a customer uses the shopping cart, their information, such as shipping and billing,

is saved for future purchases. Shopsy was the first app to integrate Two Tap’s universal shopping cart, allowing users to purchase products directly within the app. Shopsy and Two Tap continue to be strategic partners.

After impressing the co-founders, Mauro went to work full-time for Two Tap in July 2014, and today leads the business development team and manages all the relationships between retailers, third-party mobile apps and publishers. He frequently highlights Shopsy as a proven example of an app that utilized the shopping cart, as well as a stepping-stone for his career.

He adds that Two Tap’s goal is to lead commerce for companies including Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Wanelo and Twitter.

“Everyday I’m learning something new and meeting new people that can help, and it is just amazing what you can do when you have a passion for something and take risks,” Mauro says.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 51 47

ALUMNI BIRTHS

1992

EVIE TSOLOMYTIS & Dean Kalousis, son, James Peter, 1/29/14

2000

ELIZABETH (DOWD) & Keith Basile, daughter, Virginia, 12/18/12 previously a counselor at Clarkstown North High School in New City, N.Y.

2001

ELIZABETH OMEGNA is vice principal at Eisenhower Middle School in Succasunna, N.J.

2003

SR. SHARON MCCARTHY recently left her position as principal of the Grasmere School in Staten Island to embark on yet another journey as vice provincial of the Sisters of St. Dorothy. She was featured in The Staten Island Sunday Advance, lauding her name as “synonymous with education within the community of Staten Island.”

2004

PATRICE HOLMES was honored with the Golden Apple award at the Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers (TSTT) 2014 recognition breakfast. The award is given to individuals who mentor and train scholars to become effective teachers and committed leaders, who strengthen their schools and communities.

2005

MEGAN MESSMANN and GRAHAM SHARKEY ’06 were “expecting their first born and potential future Jasper in November.”

2008

OSAMA ABDELFATAH is a supervising scheduler in the New York City office of Parsons Brinkerhoff where he oversees scheduling for construction of the 96th Street station of the Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan.

SR. COLLEEN THERESE SMITH was named principal of St. Rose of Lima School in Newtown, Conn.

CASSIE OLESZKIEWICZ joined the child study team at Watching Hills Regional High School in Warren, N.J. She also serves as coach of the junior varsity field hockey team.

52 N winter 2015

2010

DUSTIN ENGELKEN is the new district manager of Community Board 7 in the Bronx. He was appointed a member of the board in 2012, shortly after moving to Bedford Park with his wife Farah and daughter Ayala.

HEATHER (BONE) O’SHAUGHNESSY joined Macdonald & Wood Sotheby’s International Realty in Duxbury, Mass.

2011

ELIZABETH FREDERICK joined The Chazen Companies’ municipal engineering group at their headquarters in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The company is a provider of engineering, land surveying, environmental and safety consulting, planning and landscape architecture services. Prior to working for Chazen, Frederick worked for Malcom Pirnie, Inc. in White Plains, N.Y., where she was involved in the design of several municipal water and wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

2013

CHRIS TODD is a sales associate for the firm NAI James E. Hanson, a Hackensack-based commercial real estate firm.

HANNAH TURNBULL joined Norton Insurance Agency as a commercial lines assistant. Prior to this appointment, she served as an investigator for the U.S. Investigations Services.

2014

CHRISTIAN BRIGGS joined the Di Salvo Engineering Group, Structural Engineers, of Ridgefield, Conn.

ANDREA LAQUIDARA and ALYSSA VIGADA were among 71 recipients of the Excellence in Accounting Scholarships for the 2014-2015 school year, which were awarded by the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and its Foundation for Accounting Education.

2004

NANCY (WICKS) & WALTER MUGAN, son, Henry Walter, 9/4/14

2006

Michelle Sassler & MICHAEL WORDEN, daughter, Annabelle Michelle, 5/7/14

MARRIAGES

2000

KEVIN BOTTI ’03 & Lily Alt, 9/13/14

2001

PETER KOYS & Alyssa Nesci, 5/31/14

2007

MEGAN (ECKERT) & JOSEPH CARPENTIERI ’08, 8/30/14

2010

ANTHONY DEMARTINO & Meaghan Smith, 9/13/14 CAROLINE GALLAGHER & Kevin Finnegan, 10/4/14

ADVANCED DEGREES

1952

ROBERT MURRAY graduated from Drew University with a Doctor of Letters at the age of 89.

2005

LAUREN JOHNSON earned a master’s degree in theological studies from the Episcopal Divinity School in May 2014.

2009

TANYA KHAN graduated with a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School in May 2014 and is a law clerk at the National Labor Relations Board.

2010

ERIC TALLARITA earned an MBA from University of Massachusetts Amherst in May 2014.

Jasper Leads One of the Nation’s Largest Energy Companies

W

most recently, president and chief executive HAT DO WORKING IN A GROCERY officer of Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. STORE and engineering have in (owned by Con Edison), vice president of common? In the case of Bronx System and Transmission Operations, and native John McAvoy ’80, the skills he received general manager of Substation Operations. during college and working as a stock boy He also served as senior vice president of shaped his career and put him on the path Central Operations, and was responsible to becoming chairman and chief executive for the planning, design, operations and officer of one of the nation’s largest energy maintenance of the electric generation, companies, Consolidated Edison, Inc. transmission and substations systems, the “I was very proud to get that supermarket generation and distribution of the steam job. My starting role was to clean the meat system, and construction activities. room and the bathrooms. I was even more “Con Edison gives you the opportunity to proud six months later when I was promove around often. Every place I went, the moted to stock boy,” McAvoy says. “Every incredibly professional, knowledgeable and step of the way, you pick up some skills, but talented people of Con Edison taught me you also learn a respect for people who do the business,” he says. things that maybe you don’t fully get if you In late 2013, Con Edison announced the don’t walk in their shoes.” appointment of McAvoy to president and Thanks to his job at the grocery store, CEO of the company beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

McAvoy saved enough money during his McAvoy is not the only Manhattan alumsophomore year of college to buy a car and nus to serve as chairman and CEO of Con drive from his neighborhood of Parkchester, Edison — Eugene McGrath ’63, B.E., also held in the east Bronx, to Riverdale. Prior to that, this title from 1997-2007 and worked for the he took two buses to commute to school. company for 43 years.

After graduating from Manhattan in 1980 “I was certainly influenced by and greatly with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, benefitted from Gene’s leadership in the he began a 34-year career with Con Edison. company throughout my career on issues McAvoy interviewed with several big from operations, to serving our customcompanies during his senior year but purers, to leading and valuing our employees,” sued Con Edison for several reasons, includhe says. ing its location in New York, and his attracAs McAvoy reflects on his career with Con tion “to work with large pieces of equipment Edison, he points to the company’s role in and power plants,” as well as positive helping the City of New York during major feedback from a friend employed there. events, including 9/11 and recently with Shortly after beginning at Con Edison, he Superstorm Sandy. decided to pursue a career in operations.

“When there are problems in New York City, “There were a lot of different aspects of when most people are running away from the business that an engineering degree them, we, along with those other emergency gives you the opportunity to go into, such providers, are running toward them,” he adds. as design, construction or engineering. I chose to go into operations and that laid the “We are a big part of being the infrastructure that New York City counts on.” groundwork for my entire career,” he says.

McAvoy’s fervor to help others in New Throughout his career with Con Edison, York City is also a large part of his involveMcAvoy has held many positions, including,

ment with various organizations. He is on the board of directors of Consolidated Edison Inc., the American Gas Association, Edison Electric Institute, The Business Council of New York State, The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the Partnership for New York City, and The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.

He also serves on the board of trustees of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

While working as a stock boy in college, McAvoy also met his wife, Kathy, at the supermarket. A graduate of the College of Mount Saint Vincent, she majored in math and became a high school math teacher. Today, the couple has three grown daughters.

“The education that you get from Manhattan College is so foundational, for me it is a big part of anything I’ve been able to achieve,” he explains. “It prepared me to not only enter the workforce but also to be able to have a successful and enjoyable career.”

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 53

ALUMNI

Alumna Founds Nonprofit for Deployed Military

J

UST A FEW SHORT MONTHS after Emily (Gordon) Spencer ’03 married fellow Harvard Extension School graduate Scott Spencer, a U.S. Army reservist, she found herself alone in a new home and a new community in Norwood, Mass. Scott and his unit, the 532nd out of Brockton, had been deployed to Afghanistan for an 11-month tour.

To cope, she began writing him cards and sending him cookies.

“I thought since he was the commander of the unit that maybe he had access to more people who were in need of cards or support or packages,” she says.

“I put out a message on Facebook in late October 2012 and set a goal of 1,000 cards. I figured if it didn’t work out, I would just sit down and write 1,000 cards myself and not tell anyone.”

In six weeks, the 1,000-card goal turned into 17,000 cards from 22 states.

That was the beginning of Heartillery Group, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to show support, love and gratitude to American troops serving overseas by sending cards, letters and care packages. In 2014, its second year running, Heartillery collected an impressive 160,000 cards from 50 states and four countries.

“I couldn’t even imagine that I would be sitting here a year later with this sort of infrastructure

54 N winter 2015

for spreading love,” Spencer says.

“But it’s called Heartillery Group for a reason; once you send us a card, you become part of our global Heartillery to make sure that these, our service men and women, aren’t forgotten.”

This outreach was particularly important during the 2013 government shutdown that left many troops overseas feeling abandoned by their country.

“During the shutdown, it really shook the troops and their sense of self, their sense of country,” Spencer says. “As a military wife, to be able to bring 17,000 cards from private U.S. citizens — I just couldn’t be more grateful for that uplifting support from this country.”

When her husband is deployed, she serves as leader of Family Readiness Group for the 1173 Battalion, a civilian position within the Army that helps families with deployment issues — anything from financial concerns to checking if their spouse is safe. When her husband is home, Spencer heads up the Financial Planning Strategist team at the Bulfinch Group, specializing in small businesses and military families.

“We want to make sure that we can take care of them financially, so that when they do deploy, the sacrifices that they make get maximized through their financial education,” she says. “We really

feel like we can encompass the entire family whether they’re military or not.”

Spencer says her journey has been a process of turning lemons into lemonade.

“I could either feel sorry for myself or say I’m going to make it work,” she says. “And now I’m going to make it work for other families less fortunate than me to know that their kids are taken care of and to know that people are getting these handmade cards — it’s just a nice feeling.”

Heartillery Group, founded by Emily (Gordon) Spencer ’03 (right), collected 160,000 cards from 50 states and four countries in 2014 to send to American troops serving overseas.

Searching for Sustainable Solutions in a Sea of Change

K

ONSTANTINE ROUNTOS ’05 remembers the first time he was conducting underwater research vividly. On that particular dive, he was finding it difficult to keep his mouthpiece in place, and it wasn’t due to lack of experience — far from it. The certified rescue diver was so busy reveling in the sensation of merging a beloved hobby with a newfound profession that he couldn’t help but smile.

“I just kept thinking to myself, your work involves diving. You are scuba diving for your work,” he recalls. “It was an amazing experience.”

Several years later, Rountos, a marine scientist and conservationist, is a senior postdoctoral associate at the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, Stony Brook University on Long Island. He leads a team of researchers and volunteers to collect data on fish and harmful algae as part of his responsibilities working on the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program.

Since 2012, he has led annual benthic trawl surveys in Shinnecock Bay — a method of catching fish by dragging nets through the water behind the boat— to assess the fish and invertebrate species inhabiting the bay, and their relative abundance in respect to changes in water quality and habitat. The goal of the restoration program is to return the bay to its former health through science, outreach and partnerships.

Rountos earned his master’s and Ph.D. in marine and atmospheric science from SoMAS, S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook, with a focus on marine ecology, harmful algal blooms and coastal fisheries. His research has taken him all over the world, from the New York metropolitan region to the Eastern Mediterranean, Peru and Kenya.

In fact, while finishing his master’s degree, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship that led him back to his ancestral homeland, Greece, to conduct independent research on the effects of fish farming on seagrass ecosystems. While living there, he developed environmental education initiatives throughout the country for local fishermen and students to learn about the importance of these ecosystems.

It was an ecology class with Manhattan College biology professor, Michael Judge, Ph.D., that pointed Rountos to his true calling.

Before diving headfirst into graduate school, he had the added benefit of conducting toxicology research with marine organisms under Judge’s direction — an opportunity he took advantage of for three consecutive summers. It’s where he developed a clear vision for his future.

“I was always interested in nature, and how humans impact the environment, but it was in Dr. Judge’s lab that I gained the interest

in the field and took my first steps on this career path,” he says. “I realized I could do research for a career and help address important questions for humanity and our environment.”

It’s because of this positive experience that Rountos keeps teaching and mentoring as part of his profession. He has taught science courses and advised graduate and undergraduate students for the past four years at The New School University in lower Manhattan.

He is especially proud of advising two graduate student projects focused on campus sustainability. One particular project analyzed the composition of the university’s waste stream and placed third among all graduate student groups at the 2013 New York Pollution Prevention Institute Competition in Albany, N.Y. In addition to discovering his career path, Rountos also met his wife, Muriel (Kurtoglu) ’07 on Manhattan College’s campus. They wed on Dec. 31, 2010, and honeymooned in the Cayman Islands, where they enjoyed several diving excursions.

Having grown up working in his family-owned diner in Danbury, Conn., Rountos confesses that he thrives on the unpredictability of his workdays and the balance between outside and inside work environments. During the warmer months, he can be found on the water collecting samples from his boat or from the coast, and in the winters he spends most of his time in his office writing scientific publications, analyzing data, and completing reports for both internal and state use. Traveling to conferences to present his findings is also a major perk and has allowed him to visit several U.S. cities and even Reykjavík, Iceland.

“There’s a lot of creative thinking involved in environmental sciences and that’s what I would say I appreciate most about what I do,” Rountos says. “Solutions to environmental problems often require new ways of thinking.”

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 55

OBITUARIES

INMEMORIAM

Manhattan College records with sorrow the deaths of the following alumni: 1940

1953

1961

1973

John J. Roth, 11/7/14

Edward R. Brohel, 10/6/14 Carmine D. Lombardi, 10/22/14 William H. Stoddard, 5/17/14

James F. Feenan, 6/1/14 Peter McGloin, 8/30/14 Charles P. O’Regan, 9/28/14

Josephine S. Gorman, 12/16/14 Robert J. Renehan, 9/2/14 Carolyn K. Sapir, 11/24/14

1943

John Edward McElligott, 5/30/14 Richard J. Dunphy, 4/25/14

1947

1954

Eugene D. Lanigan, 8/24/14 Alexander J. McKillop Jr., 8/4/14

Norman R. Bardales, Esq., 7/30/14 George L. Kelley, 5/28/14 Jeremiah Haggerty, 5/18/14

Myles J. Ambrose, 6/3/14 Bernard A. Browne, 8/12/14 John E. Collazuol, 8/7/14 John Anthony Maurer, 9/5/14 John Patrick Shelley, 8/11/14

Aurelio “Ray” D’Avanzo, 8/29/14 Keith Simon, 10/8/14 Thomas F. Tuffy, 7/13/14 Paul J. Traina, 7/15/14

Vincent dePaul Lukas, 6/3/14

John “Dan” Buckley, 11/4/14 Charles W. McDowell, M.D., 6/4/14

1948

1949 1950

Br. Cormac Patrick Dowd, FSC, 8/8/14 Joseph Gabriel, 10/22/14 Lawrence J. Hicks, 9/17/14 Thomas J. Murtha, 11/8/13 James D. Waters, 12/13/14

1951

Louis P. Bonomini, 10/9/14 Thomas J. D’Arcy, 12/15/14 John A. Grill Sr., 12/5/14 Francis A. Hahn, 7/26/14 James W. O’Neil Jr., 10/1/14 John Schrillo, DDS, 9/29/14

1952

William R. Kennedy, 5/5/14 Angelo “Andy” Senno, 7/5/14 Frederick B. Sheeler, 9/26/14

56 N winter 2015

1955

1956

1957

Robert J. Lawlor, 11/17/14

1958

William J. Corcoran, 9/20/14 Edward Hartmann, 11/1/14 Alfred Kelly, 11/28/14

1959

James T. Gavigan, 6/30/14 Michael J. Keogh, Ph.D., 8/18/14 James M. McNamara, 8/7/14

1960

Charles F. Miles Jr., 7/4/14 Peter C. Myers, 11/5/14 Frank R. Power, 5/8/14

1962

John P. Burke, 7/29/14 Patrick L. Carpenter, 9/23/14

1964

Joseph A. Degnan, 8/13/14

1965

George Joseph Atkinson Jr., 7/12/14 Daniel Henry Corr, 12/9/14 Edward A. Pettit Jr., 10/17/14

1966

1974

Catherine O’Connell, O.P., 4/28/14

1975

James J. Gallagher, 8/12/14 Robert J. Hogan, 8/20/14 Kevin E. McQuillen, 9/7/14 Mary Ellen Wilcox, 6/9/14

1976

James Lynk, 10/17/14

Maurice R. O’Connell, 10/11/14 John O’Hara, 9/1/14 William T. Stolting, 7/5/14 Robert E. Van Etten Sr., 6/30/14

1977

1967

1994

Daniel L. Beldy III, 6/15/14

Rev. Br. Daniel A. Lauber, CFC, 7/20/14

1968

Thomas Twomey, 11/16/14

1969

Sr. Mary Dunleavy, C.S.J., 4/16/14 Robert B. McGorry ’79, 11/12/14

1970

William C. McQuillen, 8/27/14

1971

Harry J. Ekelund, P.E., 9/23/14

Mary Kathryn Travis, 8/16/14

1984

Steven K. Blauner, 8/11/14

1985

Joseph Heydenburg, 10/10/14

1995

Gene E. Kleinsmith, 5/26/14

Arthur (Artie) Urrutia his home,” says Br. Robert. “He was ARTHUR (ARTIE) URRUTIA, the resident barber at Manhattan College genuinely concerned for each and since 1962, died on Aug. 27. He was 82. every one of his customers. I hesiArtie’s barbershop was born in the lower level of Thomas Hall and tate to even use the word ‘customer’ more recently was located in Jasper Hall. Urrutia was known for his because each person was his friend.” chairside manner, treating his customers like family. In return, his “Artie gave all new meaning to customers felt the same way about him. His barbershop walls were the word humble, as he valued all peppered with Jasper memorabilia and items from customers. his relationships and loved to make Students, faculty and Brothers visited Urrutia, who began cutting connections with the wide variety of hair in his grandparents’ barbershop in their New Jersey home when people,” he continues. “His sense of he was 12 years old. He had set up a shop near the College when he humor was contagious, his gentlewas invited by the Brothers’ community to open a barbershop on ness was a gift, and his love for his campus, commencing a Jasper tradition. family was obvious to all.”

According to John Levendosky ’06, a special education teacher Alumni were known to come back for the North Colonie Central School District, Urrutia’s shop was an to campus just to get their haircut extension of Manhattan College itself, where the connections made — some for decades. Students considwere long and lasting. A regular with biweekly haircuts, Levendosky ered him a friend and a teacher, just said the old-fashioned barbershop with faded cutting-style photos as much as a barber. and pictures of Urrutia’s grandchildren in Ireland are some of his “Artie exemplified the Lasallian favorite Jasper memories. ideals of fostering a close community and nurturing students, impart“He was a small-town barber in the heart of the Bronx. With your ing his lessons from a barbershop rather than a classroom,” Levenhaircut, you got a story about Manhattan College history, anecdotes dosky says. “Artie’s is a part of the tradition of Manhattan College — about his life and his family — you always left with a smile. Artie also he was one of the many strands that construct the fabric of the Jasper listened and gave advice, he was never in a rush and was always willing to give the students and staff in his chair his full attention,” Leven- community. He is also a legacy in his own right and one whose impact is real and lasting.” dosky says. “His haircuts were a reflection of his personality, and the He is survived by his wife, Sheilah, who worked as a secretary in advice he gave was straight, clean and no fuss.”

Brother Robert Berger, FSC, associate professor of religious studies, the Physical Education department before her retirement; his daughters, Norah Fernandez (Thomas) and Noelle Walsh (Walter); and three echoed similar feelings. grandchildren. He is predeceased by his daughter Audrey Welby.

“Walking into Artie’s barbershop was like being welcomed into

Keith Simon KEITH SIMON ’55, retired assistant professor of physics and Manhattan College alumnus, died on Oct. 8. He was 81.

Simon dedicated his more than 40-year teaching career to Manhattan, beginning as an instructor the year after he graduated from the College with a bachelor’s degree in science. An active student at the College, he was a member of Epsilon Sigma Pi, Sigma Pi Sigma (physics honor society), the American Chemical Society, the Arts and Science Association, the Newton Math Society and the

Catholic Students’ Mission Crusade.

He earned a master’s degree in physics from New York University and was a National Science Foundation Faculty Fellow.

Simon was promoted to assistant professor in 1961, a position he held until his retirement in 1998. He was also a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers and American Institute of Physics.

“Although a member of the Physics department, he interacted extensively with people in various School of Arts departments and

was well-known and highly respected among them,” says Joseph Buschi, current professorial lecturer of physics and former assistant professor of physics at the College.

Buschi explains how Simon was also popular with students as an innovative teacher.

“His broad perspective was very useful in physics,” Buschi says. “He often supplemented the text with extensive notes of his own. I remember that we had many extensive discussions over a broad range of topics, and I miss that very much.”

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 57

OBITUARIES

Brother William Batt, FSC BROTHER WILLIAM BATT, FSC, PH.D., professor emeritus of computer information systems, former professor of chemistry, and director of admissions, died on April 28. He was 82.

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., he held several teaching positions before his long tenure at Manhattan College, including Lasalle Academy in Providence, R.I., De La Salle College in

Washington, D.C., and Georgetown University.

A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he was awarded the medal of the American Institute of Chemists for scholastic achievement in 1954, and received honorable mention for three consecutive years in the National Science Foundation pre-doctoral fellowship program.

Br. William began his career with the College in 1959 as an instructor of chemistry. He later served as assistant, associate and professor of chemistry, and also head of the department. In 1972, the College named him director of admissions, marking the first time the administrative position was given to a faculty member.

Brother David Van Hollebeke, FSC, retired financial aid director, explained how Br. William used his organizational and computer skills to recreate the College’s Admissions office. Manhattan changed from a tri-state area campus to one that recruited throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

“He made us more competitive and increased enrollment,” Br. David says. “We had our differences of opinion, but he was willing to listen. You didn’t have a boss, you were part of the organization.”

He joined the School of Business’ managerial sciences faculty in 1984, and concluded his career at the College as a part-time admissions counselor before retiring in 1999.

“Br. William had a disciplined approach to the tasks that he undertook and had a remarkable career of service to the College and to the Brothers," says Faraj Abdulahad, Ph.D., professor emeritus of economics. “His leadership, dedication and dynamism were an inspiration to all those who worked with him … He will be greatly missed.”

In 2002, he went to serve his alma mater, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, a private Lasallian high school in Buffalo, as president, until 2005. He returned to the Brothers Community at Manhattan in 2005, where he remained until his retirement to De La Salle Hall, Lincroft, N.J., in June 2010.

He received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1954, a master’s degree in physical chemistry in 1956 from The Catholic University of America, and a doctorate from Georgetown University in 1959.

He is survived by his sister, Mary Tornow, and his brother, John, both of Buffalo.

Guillermo Romagosa GUILLERMO P. ROMAGOSA, ED.D., assistant professor emeritus of religious studies, and one of the first permanent deacons in the New York Archdiocese, died on July 14. He was 81.

A member of the College faculty for more than 30 years, Romagosa also served as an adjunct professor of theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y. At Manhattan, he was especially known for his popular intersession course, Religious Faith and the Arts, which took students to churches and museums for lectures in situ. During his tenure at Manhattan, he also served on the College Senate.

According to John Barry Ryan, Ph.D., professor emeritus of religious studies, “By temperament, Dr. Romagosa was a modest man who did not promote himself. A great deal of what he accomplished in life was little known even to his colleagues.”

Ryan described Romagosa’s many archdiocesan accomplishments, including serving as a Spanish-speaking coordinator for the Permanent Diaconate Office of the Archdiocese of New York, chanting the Gospel for Pope John Paul II’s historic Mass at Yankee Stadium and assisting the National Episcopal Conference’s Subcommittee of Hispanic Ministry.

“As a testimony to his great work in the New York Archdiocese, he 58 N winter 2015

was honored with burial at St. Patrick’s Cathedral,” Ryan concludes.

“At his funeral Mass, the homilist, Monsignor Kenneth Smith, a valued friend to the New York Hispanic community, acknowledged that Romagosa had, without any doubt, left ‘a great legacy’ to the Archdiocese of New York.”

A native of Havana, Cuba, Romagosa fled to the United States in 1960 and was ordained by Terrence Cardinal Cooke in 1976. A graduate of Ruston Academy in Havana, he earned his master’s degree in theology and liturgy from the University of Notre Dame and his doctorate in religion and education from Columbia University.

He dedicated much of his time to working with religious texts in order to make them available in Spanish.

He edited lectionaries, rituals and the Benedicional Missal in Spanish.

Romagosa also served as editor of the People’s Missal for 15 years.

Brother Patrick Dowd ’50, FSC Ward, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering. “The Fischbach Room BROTHER PATRICK DOWD in Leo Hall houses a one-of-a-kind collection of vacuum tubes and ’50, FSC, who created the other electrical devices that Br. Patrick assembled over the years.” world-famous vacuum Br. Patrick contributed historically valuable documentation and tube collection at the Colvacuum tubes to other museums, as well. He was responsible for reslege and received an honcuing RCA’s production files and making them part of his extensive orary Doctor of Science collection when its Harrison, N.J., plant closed. Br. Patrick saved and from Manhattan in 1988, then donated many of the materials to the Antique Wireless Associadied on Aug. 8. He was 94.

An educator throughout tion (AWA) Museum, which is now known as the Dowd-RCA Archive — an extensive archive used regularly for research. Parts of the colhis career, he spent some lection are often loaned to other museums to show the changes of 30 years at Paramus Cathovacuum tubes throughout the years. lic High School in Paramus, Well-respected in the tube history community, Br. Patrick was the N.J., beginning there as a first recipient of the Tyne Award in 1980, in honor of his efforts to teacher in 1960. His other preserve and document the history of valve technology. He also holds educational assignments included teaching at St. Raymond’s School the AWA Houck Award for Preservation, and was a fellow of the Radio in Manhattan and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn; Club of America and received its Ralph Batcher Award. serving as principal and director at St. Jerome’s School in the Bronx A Christian Brother for 76 years, he entered the Novitiate in 1937. and Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, N.J.; and serving Br. Patrick earned his bachelor’s degree from The Catholic University as director of De La Salle Institute in Manhattan. of America and a master’s degree from Manhattan College. He retired He turned one of his scientific passions of collecting electrical vacuum tubes into one of the largest collections in the world. It is housed to the Christian Brothers Center in Riverdale in 1995, where he stayed until moving to De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, N.J. in the Fischbach Room in Leo Hall and has been written about in CQ, Br. Patrick is survived by his nieces, Kathleen Dowd-Ciric and Cecilia Popular Electronics, The OTB and other publications.

Dowd-Kozak; a nephew, Edward Dowd (Donna); and their families.

“Br. Dowd left us a legacy that is as visible as it is unique,” says Tim

Sushila Gidwani-Buschi SUSHILA GIDWANI-BUSCHI, PH.D., associate professor emeritus of economics and finance at the College, died on Sept. 14. She was 85.

One of the first female faculty members at the College and in the School of Business, Gidwani, known to those at Manhattan by her maiden name, started teaching on campus in 1965 as an associate professor of industrial management. Earlier, she began her teaching career at Wisconsin State University, having also served as a sales tax inspector for the government of Bombay, India.

During her decades of service at the College, she shared her expertise on the economics of Ghandi, peace, and feminism before she retired in 1994 as associate professor of economics and finance.

Outside of the classroom, Gidwani was known for her social responsibility, often cooking Indian cuisine for the College community to raise funds for causes in India.

“The one overriding contribution she made

to Manhattan College was constantly making sure that her humanistic principles were always reflected in her teaching and her research,” says Charles Geisst, Ph.D., professor of economics and finance. “Economics and finance were more than numbers, and she always emphasized the social and ethical side to them.”

A member of many professional organizations, Gidwani served as the founding treasurer of the National Federation of Indian-American Associations, and the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, and as treasurer of the South Asian Council for Social Services.

President of the Organization for Universal Communal Harmony, Gidwani was also cofounder of Asian-Indian Women in America and an active member of the National Indian American Association for Senior Citizens.

A native of Pakistan, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Bombay University, and her

MBA and doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota.

Gidwani is survived by her husband, Joseph Buschi, formerly assistant professor of physics at Manhattan College; and her daughter, Serena (Phillip Coyle); and granddaughter, Lila.

MAnHAttAn.eDU N 59

PHOTO BY DAN MCMAHON

PA R TING SHOT

60 N WINTER 2015

One of the most anticipated events of the year, Manhattan Madness, with some help from the packed 6th Borough cheering section, kicked off the basketball season with an energetic pep rally in November.

A LASALLIAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE SINCE 1853 Published by the office of Marketing & Communication Manhattan College 4513 Manhattan College Parkway Riverdale, NY 10471

Sometimes a quick glance upward can offer some of the most dramatic views, as in this one with the cross atop of the O’Malley Library cupola standing out among the scattered white clouds and blue sky.