A recent hard hat tour of Guzman Hall by Mid Hudson Construction Management brought local leaders to the Mount.
Building connections
Desmond Center renovations and programs moving quickly
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s the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness launched its inaugural programs this spring, construction crews arrived on campus to begin the dramatic transformation of Guzman Hall into the center’s new home. Funded in part by grants from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation and New York State’s Higher Education Capital (HECap) program, the Desmond Center will provide accessible and equitable educational, health, and wellness services for community members and families in the local area, including the uninsured, while also creating learning opportunities for Mount students. Mid Hudson Construction Management is renovating the first two floors of Guzman Hall to help support the Desmond Center’s mission. The finished space will include a two-story glass atrium, exam rooms
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for patients, and offices for healthcare staff and students. The former Founders Chapel will become a multipurpose room with expansive windows, providing views of campus and the Hudson River. Stained glass from the chapel will be incorporated into the new design to preserve the character of the former structure. Once completed, the college expects the center to serve more than 4,000 residents per year. Although construction is expected to continue through December 2022, Desmond Center programming is already underway, spearheaded by Genesis Ramos, executive director of the center. “To date, the overall reception has been overwhelmingly positive,” Ramos stated. “For events held at MSMC, it was most attendees’ first time ever visiting campus! Our aim has been and continues to be
MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2022
Several notable alumni toured the construction site: Torrance Harvey MSEd ’03, mayor of Newburgh; Genesis Ramos, executive director of the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness; Inaudy Esposito, executive director of the Orange County Human Rights Commission; Ashley Collazo, program coordinator for the Desmond Center; Giselle Martinez ’20, Newburgh councilwoman; and Anthony Grice MSEd ’07, Newburgh councilman.
