News&Notes
Professor Jenifer Lee-Gonyea presented “Using Restorative Justice to Address Serious Harms” at an iROC talk on campus in 2019.
Abaunza named as new VPAA George Abaunza, a dedicated professor and administrator, was recently named Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). “I look forward to building together with colleagues at the Mount a shared vision for the college’s future,” he said. Abaunza is responsible for the administration of all academics, including the School of Business and School of Nursing, as well as the college’s six divisions. He comes to the Mount from Felician University in Lodi, N.J. Over the course of two decades, Abaunza served in many roles at the University, most recently as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. In addition, he was full professor of Philosophy, and previously associate dean of Humanities, as well as associate dean for Assessment and Development, in the School of Arts and Sciences, and served as interim dean for the School of Education. Abaunza earned a PhD in Philosophy from Florida State University in 2005. His areas of specialization include Philosophy of Education, Social, and Political Philosophy.
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Lee-Gonyea named Rockefeller Institute fellow Jenifer Lee-Gonyea, associate professor of Criminology, was recently selected as a Rockefeller Institute Fellow for 2020-2021. The mission of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government is to improve communities, local and state governments, and federal systems by finding solutions to the nation’s most pressing issues. The fellowship gives Lee-Gonyea the opportunity to explore important issues related to Criminology and to reach out to state policy makers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from West Virginia University, a master’s in Criminal Justice from Marshall University, and a PhD in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Brightening up a pediatrics unit The new pediatric unit in MidHudson Regional Hospital (MHRH) just got a little friendlier thanks to Assistant Nursing Professor Elaine Suderio-Tirone and her family. Suderio-Tirone, her daughter Viviane, and her brother Elizar (an RN) teamed up recently to paint murals in the MHRH pediatric unit. Since the hospital is based in the beautiful Hudson Valley, they used a fun and familiar theme: farming. It only took them three days to complete the majority of the artwork. After all, they already had some experience in mural painting: Suderio-Tirone and her then three-year-old daughter painted similar murals in the pediatrics unit of Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Viviane is now a high school senior looking to study art.
MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | FALL 2020
