Mount Saint Mary College Magazine - Winter 2022-23

Eye on the arts

From drawing to theatre, design, and video, the arts thrive at the Mount

Also in this issue

Center for Cybersecurity opens with speaker series

Professor’s journey to study food-literature connection

Athletics Hall of Fame 2022 and Skyline champs honored

Freshman grit triumphs

Mount Olympics returned in full force for Fall 2022 with the freshman class pulling together for a win.

Powderpuff Football

Bonfire

Mount Olympics

To the Mount Saint Mary College Community,

As we ease into 2023, I cannot help but reflect on all of the normalcy that returned to the Mount in 2022. In May we enjoyed our first full-participation Commencement ceremony since 2019. In August, dozens of students moved onto campus early for an academic jump-start in Nursing, Natural Sciences, or Humanities through our growing Summer Bridge Program. And this fall, Spirit Week returned with a full slate of familiar traditions – and a few new ones –thanks to our brilliant student leaders and the fine folks in Student Affairs.

In the year ahead, I see many reasons to be optimistic for our students as they prepare for lives of leadership and service. Through internships, clinicals, and volunteer work, they are gaining invaluable skills, creating connections, and making a difference right here in our region. We continue to add academic programs – like Healthcare Management, Graphic Design, Cybersecurity, and Philosophy – to expand their options and opportunities. And faculty continue to offer our students amazing opportunities like the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) that bring new skills and understanding.

In 2023, I also see great potential in the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness. With free events, wellness classes, and educational opportunities, the center’s commitment to underserved individuals and families has blossomed quickly. With its move into the newly revitalized Guzman Hall this spring, I’m confident that we’re at the precipice of a new era of community involvement at the Mount.

Helping the Desmond Center to reach its goals is a new grant for $325,000 from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. We are incredibly grateful for the foundation’s support of our vision of service learning with the third grant in as many years.

In this issue, you’ll learn about these subjects and much more. I hope you enjoy!

Dr. Jason N. Adsit President of Mount Saint Mary College

Letter from the President

President Adsit – along with his wife Heather and their children –had a great time catching up with Mount families at the college’s Family Weekend in October.

Bolstering digital defense

Center for Cybersecurity emerges from new major

The Mount is helping to keep our students and our local community one step ahead of the hackers with the Center for Cybersecurity.

Launched in late September – just in time for Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October – the center has already shared a wealth of cyber defense resources. The initiative is maintained by the college’s Division of Mathematics & Information Technology.

“Cybersecurity is everyone’s business,” noted Sagar Raina, associate professor of IT. “As an institute of higher education in the Hudson Valley, the Mount has a critical role to play in educating people about cybersecurity.”

To that end, the Center for Cybersecurity is committed to bringing expert speakers to campus. One such speaker was Frank Casabianca from the National Security Agency (NSA), a visiting professor from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

As a former NSA director put it, “Our job

is to make codes and break codes,” Casabianca noted.

After a discussion of cryptanalysis and its purposes in the Cybersecurity field, students and community members marveled at the authentic WWII Enigma machine Casabianca had brought. The Enigma machine was used extensively during World War II by the German military. Messages encoded with the machine were considered so well protected, it was used to send top secret information.

“The Enigma [has] rotors inside that will change every time you press a key, and it actually changes the cipher alphabet you get every time,” Casabianca explained. The machine is, essentially, a “very complicated way of picking a new alphabet.”

Other speakers in the burgeoning program have included Mount alumnus Brendan DuRoss ’17, a Cloud Security Analyst at Tanium; Alex Valentin, Chief Information Officer at the Mount; and SecurEd Inc.

Frank Casabianca from the National Security Agency showed the Enigma machine at the Center for Cybersecurity.

employees Paige Zellapa, director of Operations, and Emily Vogel, software architect.

The Center for Cybersecurity joined the ranks of the Mount’s other centers and institutes of excellence, including the Catholic and Dominican Institute; the Center for Adolescent Research and Development (CARD); the Center on Aging and Disability Policy (CADP); the Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning (CELL); and the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness.

To learn more about the Center for Cybersecurity and to access its resources, visit cyber.msmc.edu

Offered as both an IT concentration and major, the Mount’s Cybersecurity program provides theoretical and hands-on skills to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in software, operating systems, networks, and more. A major or concentration in Cybersecurity at the Mount can lead to careers in technology, security software, defense, government, teaching, e-commerce, banking, finance, business, and more. In addition, the college is offering a Cybersecurity Certificate program with three track options: Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking, and Digital Forensics.

At left: The Center for Cybersecurity hosted a live demonstration on “How to Fly a Drone Safely” with Mount student Kelsey Cueto of Hopewell Junction, and the Drone Cadets.

new Philosophy major

Philosophy chronicles the history of human thought and our pursuit of wisdom. It is the discipline that invites us to ponder the meaning of life, discuss questions of ultimate significance, and expand our knowledge of the universe. Recently, the Mount announced the addition of a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy to the college’s list of majors. Until now only offered as a minor, through the analytical and critical thinking skills developed, as well as its emphasis on the study of ethics and morality, this program promises to provide students with a broader understanding of the world around them and their own place within it.

At the Mount, Philosophy majors will address the areas of metaphysics (study of reality), epistemology (study of knowledge), ethics, and logic, through a sequence of foundational courses, and will continue to investigate these topics in advanced courses in one of several defined tracks. Through these varying tracks, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the many ways philosophy connects with a variety of academic disciplines and interests, including how the major supplements the college’s focus on community engagement and service. Along with the insights gained from examining these issues, Philosophy students’ studies will aid in the development of communication, interdisciplinary, and problemsolving skills necessary for a student’s education and preparation beyond the classroom.

“Cybersecurity is everyone’s business ... The Mount has a critical role to play in educating people about cybersecurity.”

Sagar Raina, associate professor of Information Technology

Mount introduces

Alumni share stories of success

The “Alumni Knight Panel: Where Are They Now?” event was hosted by the Mount’s Student Business Association (SBA) and featured five recent Mount alums: Eddie Arnold ’21, a business development representative at Verity, a financial technology company; and former Mount Student Government Association president; Nicole Dreisbach ’20, a staff accountant for Fox Corporation in New York City; Dominic Mandile ’21, a police officer in the Village of Washingtonville, N.Y.; Mark Olsen ’20, MBA ’21, program manager at Cross Valley Health & Medicine; and Kristen Renta ’20, MBA ’21, account executive with the New York Yankees.

The alums shared their unique paths, from searching for a job during their time as a Mount student to transitioning from college life, and where they are now in their professional careers. For example, Mandile started at the police academy before he graduated from the Mount. Time management was key to his success, he explained.

“I had to adjust to [a packed schedule] really soon and it was really hard in the beginning,” Mandile explained. “Once I graduated, it became easier.”

The panel was moderated by Elizabeth Petrellese, chief communications officer of the SBA and a Sports Management major.

Center earns $50K grant for project

The Center on Aging and Disability Policy (CADP) was recently awarded a grant for $50,000 from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) for phase two of their COVID-19 response project: Teaching MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction to Individuals with Intellectual/ Developmental Disability (I/DD): A Train-the-Trainer Course.

CADP’s COVID-19 response project began in 2020, and expanded their Proactive Caring Program to tackle the additional stress placed on caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the aid of the DDPC grant, CADP used the Train the Trainer curriculum for the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) model, developed in the first phase of this ProActive Caring grant project, with the goal of developing a statewide curriculum and teaching agency staff, school personnel, and other caregivers how to train I/DD individuals in MBSR.

SoN receives $1.6m Nursing Workforce Diversity grant

The School of Nursing (SON) was recently awarded a $1.6 million, three-year Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) Grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The NWD program focuses on the recruitment, support, retention, and graduation of nursing students from underrepresented groups. It increases nursing education opportunities and assists students from disadvantaged backgrounds to become baccalaureate-prepared nurses by providing academic and financial support.

The grant was one of nine HRSA

NWD grants awarded nationwide.

“We’re thrilled to implement a NWD program,” said Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of the college. “Our receipt of this competitive funding

further acknowledges and sustains the Mount’s commitment to diversity in an inclusive and equitable environment.”

The grant will assist 150 nursing

The Nursing Workforce Diversity grant assists undergraduate nursing students from underrepresented groups.

Back to nature: pop-up petting zoo

Students enjoyed the company of some fuzzy friends with a popup petting zoo at the start of the Fall 2022 semester. They had a great time interacting with the small menagerie, which included goats, rabbits, snakes, chickens, and even a baby kangaroo. The event was spearheaded by Two by Two Animal Haven Inc. and sponsored by the Mount Activities Programming Board (MAP).

students during the three years of the grant award, from 2022 to 2025. It will also allow the Mount to expand support to nursing students to ensure their successful completion of their education.

“The School of Nursing is proud to be recognized as one of nine NWD grant awardees,” said Linda Kelly, project director and assistant professor of Nursing at the college. “Part of the expectations for student NWD grant recipients is to engage in programming with other NWD students, attend tutoring for academic support as needed, and receive peer or professional mentoring. Another expectation is

for service.”

Nursing students in the program gave back to their community recently with handwritten letters to encourage and empower women and girls.

“The Pen and Pizza Write Night” event benefited the Letter Project, a female-led organization with the mission to send letters to women and girls who need extra love, support, and encouragement. The letters are delivered throughout the U.S. and England.

“It was a very heartwarming experience and students felt happy to empower others who are struggling,” Kelly explained.

Mount honored

A top college in the North

The Mount was recognized as a top school in the 2022-2023 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings.

On U.S. News and World Report’s comprehensive lists of top-tier regional universities, the Mount was ranked one of the best colleges in the category of Regional Universities North. They also ranked the Mount as one of its 2022-2023 Best Colleges in Social Mobility and Best Undergraduate Nursing programs.

Return on Investment

The Mount ranks in the top 10 percent nationally among 4,500 colleges and universities for return-oninvestment at 30 years and beyond, according to a recent report by Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce 2022.

This is based on the net present value (NPV), or how much a sum of money in the future is valued today. This metric includes costs, future earnings, and the length of time it would take to invest and earn a specific amount of money over a fixed horizon.

Nursing education Excellence

The Nursing Schools Almanac 2022 rankings of the best U.S. nursing schools recently named the Mount one of the top Nursing schools in three categories:

n The 100 Best Nursing Schools in the Mid-Atlantic: 77th

n The 90 Best Nursing Schools in New York: 27th

n The 75 Best Nursing Schools in the New York City Metro Area: 21st

Board chair earns fundraising award

Michael Horodyski, president and CEO of Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan, and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Mount Saint Mary College, was honored for his outstanding service to the community by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) of the Greater Hudson Valley in November.

As part of the 16th annual National Philanthropy Day ceremony, hosted at the Powelton Club in Newburgh, the AFP of the Greater Hudson Valley named Horodyski “Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer.” The AFP gives this award to an individual who exemplifies dedication to the nonprofit sector and the professional fundraising in the Greater Hudson Valley. Horodyski was honored for his 25-plus years of service to the local community.

Horodyski was nominated by Nikki Khurana-Baugh, vice president for Advancement at the Mount.

“As Board Chair, Mike is always willing to go above and beyond in giving of his time, talent, and treasure,” said Khurana-Baugh. “Under Mike’s leadership, the college established several new fundraising initiatives to directly benefit our students during these financially difficult times. A few examples include the Student Emergency Needs Fund, the Donor Scholarship Fund, and the Internship Fund.”

Showcasing Dominican heritage

In early October, the Mount’s Founders Week celebrated the legacy of St. Dominic de Guzman and the Dominican Sisters, whose vision guided the creation of the college.

The Catholic and Dominican Institute (CDI) has sponsored the Founders Week celebration at the college every year for more than a decade.

A highlight of the celebration was a talk by Shannen Williams, University of Dayton professor and African American historian, revealing how generations of Black nuns fought against racism and sexism.

“When you ask Black Catholics why they stay, despite the fact that

Mount joins CUMU

so much of what they have faced in the church was discriminatory, they say ‘We’re not leaving this church.’ What it means to be Catholic is to be universal, and we made the church Catholic,” she explained.

Later in the week, Jon Damru, access and outreach services librarian, presented “The Saint John’s Bible: Word of God and Work of Art.” The Saint John’s Bible is the first hand-written Bible in centuries. The Mount owns a copy of the Heritage Edition of this masterwork, one of only 299 fullsize fine art reproduction copies in the world. Attendees enjoyed access to the seven-volume set during the event.

The Mount recently joined the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU). CUMU is the longest-running and largest organization committed to serving and connecting urban and metropolitan universities and their partners. The coalition is dedicated to the creation and dissemination of knowledge on the issues that face urban and metropolitan campuses and the communities they serve.

Khurana-Baugh and Horodyski

Charles Zola, CDI director, assistant to the President for Mission Integration, and associate professor of Philosophy at Mount Saint Mary College, celebrates Founders Week with members of the Dominican Scholars of Hope and the college’s mascot, Mack the Knight.

Sharing summer research findings

From the natural sciences to criminology, nearly two dozen Mount students presented their original projects at the Mount’s recent Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Symposium.

Coordinated by James Moran, associate Biology professor, SURE is an opportunity for students to work alongside Mount professors as they explore a research topic of their choosing.

Jasmine Queen-O’Connell presented “The Effects of Diet on the Growth and Development of Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) Tadpoles” with faculty mentor Doug Robinson, associate professor of Biology. She fed some tadpoles different plants and noted their changes every three days. She discovered that those fed romaine lettuce and clover had larger growth and mass than those fed maple and oak leaves.

Other projects include “Academic Language & Adolescents: in Their Own Words” by Addison

Biology major Jasmine QueenO’Connell shares her SURE project with Christopher Norment, emeritus professor of Environmental Science and Ecology at the State University of New York- Brockport.

Parker and Emily Irish with faculty mentor Alexis McBride, assistant professor of Education; “Incarceration Through Statistics in New York State” by Thomas Sullivan with faculty mentor Christina Alvey, assistant professor of Mathematics and Chair of the Division of Math & IT; and “Worldwide CoLaboration” by Allison Espana, Stephanie Montano, and Dennis Rodriguez with their faculty mentor Micah Modell, assistant professor of Information Technology.

The future of community at the Desmond Center

Dozens of local residents attended the inaugural Community Listening Session of the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness.

Genesis Ramos, executive director of the Desmond Center, said the session helped to determine how the center can better serve the Newburgh community.

The center aims to be an informed and responsive community fixture, providing basic health and wellness services that fill the gaps and meet the needs of community residents. As the initiative continues to grow, the administrators of the Desmond Center want to hear from their neighbors in the local community.

“We have laid out the foundational work for the center and its mission through our collaborative efforts with community partners, programming, and the launch of our needs assessment to determine the gaps we can fill,” said Ramos. “We are committed to creating a wellness footprint that is responsive and welcoming to all community members.”

One of the center’s goals is to partner with existing organizations in Newburgh and beyond to help amplify the volume of, and access to, health and wellness services available to the community, she added.

Alice Adesanya worked with biology professors Suparna Bhalla and Evan Merkhofer on research last summer as part of the SURE program.

Bishop Dunn students find fun in science

The children of Bishop Dunn Memorial School were excited to learn how fun science can be at the Mount.

The students of Jodie Fahey, associate professor of Chemistry, mentored children from kindergarten through fourth grade in small projects that examined the pH of

Annual BDMS Cupcake 5K raises $17K

Bishop Dunn Memorial School (BDMS) held their annual Cupcake 5K Run/Walk on the Mount campus this fall.

Students of BDMS, parents, and members of the community joined together and raised more than $17,000.

The first half was the Mini Cupcake Race for children ages 10 and under consisting of a quarter mile run around the baseball field. The second was the adult run comprising two laps around the entire campus finishing back behind the elementary school. Upon completion, runners

various household liquids, asked children to form their own hypotheses, and more.

The college maintains a close relationship with Bishop Dunn Memorial School. Mount Education students do fieldwork at the school, under the guidance of seasoned Bishop Dunn faculty.

and walkers enjoyed tons of cupcakes, snacks, and music from local radio station K104.7.

“Once again, we had fabulous weather for our annual event,” said Nancy Benfer, Bishop Dunn Memorial School principal. “We received generous support from the Mount… Fr. Greg Fluet [Mount chaplain] led

us in prayer, security spread throughout campus to keep us safe, and Kappa Delta Pi members cheered participants on and distributed water.”

The registration fee for the approximately 200 participants will be used to provide student scholarships and improvements to school facilities.

About 200 people participated in the BDMS Cupcake 5K fundraiser.

See more photos at msmc.edu/msmcfamily

Parents and siblings

get a taste of the Mount

Mount students and their families had a great time at the college’s Family Weekend. They mingled with classmates and professors, played games, ate traditional fall foods, and took in some live dance performances by the college’s Dance Team at an on-campus carnival. Families also cheered on their sons and daughters in a Family Feud-style game, enjoyed a Paint ‘n’ Sip event with wine and cider, and attended a concert by renowned guitarist Francesc de Paula Soler, who traveled to the college from Barcelona.

Simulation builds understanding of poverty for students

Mount Saint Mary College students experienced the struggles faced by families in need during the annual Poverty Simulation Experience last semester.

The simulation was created by the Missouri Community Action Network and was facilitated on the Mount campus by Sonya Abbye Taylor, associate professor of Education and chair of the Division of Education; Zoe Mathews and Nicole Porcelli from the Newburgh Teacher Center; and Education student Lindsay Byer.

Participants were either placed into family units where they played the role of a disadvantaged individual, aged anywhere from infancy to adulthood; or they provided services and assistance from organizations like Social Services, childcare facilities, schools, and employers, amongst others.

Each task consisted of a 15-minute timeframe which represented a whole week for a struggling family. Students were immersed in the frustrations in the everyday life of those in need as they set out to obtain necessities for their families.

“An event like this is important for us in the Education field because it offers a glimpse into the lives of children and teens who desperately need our kindness, our empathy, and our respect,” said Byer.

Students took part in a poverty simulation in November.

Knights in the Community

Service has long gone hand-inhand with the Mount experience. From work on local homes to mentoring children, the Fall 2022 semester once again saw our Knights in the community.

Building a better future

Members of the Mount community donned hard hats, work gloves, and safety goggles to aid in builds for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh.

In August, a team of faculty and staff did demolition work that included pulling up floorboards, disassembling a deck, and clearing the overgrown backyard of a local Habitat home. In October, students, faculty, and staff removed debris from the backyard at a second location to prepare for the building of a retention wall.

“There’s nothing like a mission in action,” said George Abaunza, vice president for Academic Affairs. “It was incredibly fulfilling to work on this alongside colleagues in service to our community, especially when you know that the impact of the

work being done will directly benefit a family that will someday soon occupy that home and have a chance for a fresh start.”

A day of service

In the week before classes began, dozens of incoming Mount Saint Mary College freshmen got an early start on service.

More than 40 students from the college’s Summer Bridge Program –which helps new students transition smoothly from high school to college – lent their skills to three local

organizations.

At the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, the students got local children excited about academics during Saturday morning enrichment programs. At a Habitat build site, the incoming Mount freshmen pulled up their sleeves, put on their work gloves, and reinvigorated the backyard of a home on North Miller Street. Meanwhile, another group helped to pack and organize hundreds of donations at the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley in Cornwallon-Hudson.

Mount Saint Mary College teacher candidate Julianne Olinger works with a student in the Knight Lights program.

Left: A dozen incoming freshmen helped at a build for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh. Right: Faculty and students assembled Blessing Bags.

Knight Lights help young readers

The Knight Lights Reading Buddies program brought literacy to life for children at the Newburgh Free Library throughout the Fall 2022 semester.

Knight Lights provided reading practice and help for young students who are developing their fluency, comprehension, and love of reading. Each child was paired with a Mount teacher candidate to choose books, read, and have conversations about the literature.

The Mount students came from classes taught by longtime Education professors Janine Bixler and Rebecca Norman.

“Children benefit from working with additional reading models and becoming more acquainted with their public library,” Bixler noted.

Norman echoed Bixler’s sentiments: “As a parent, I love Knight Lights because it gives my children a chance to engage in reading with people who are not their parents or teachers,” she explained.

Blessing bags brighten Newburgh

Several of the Mount’s departments collaborated to help those in need throughout local Hudson Valley counties through a “Blessing Bag” donation campaign.

As part of the celebration of the college’s Founders Week – which honors the legacy of the Dominican Sisters who created the college –Campus Ministry collaborated with the Mount’s Honors Program, the Dominican Scholars of Hope (DSH), and the Alpha Chi honor society to create dozens of Blessing Bags.

With generous donations from the Mount community, around 45 bags were assembled, consisting of essential personal care items and toiletries catered to either men, women, or both. The event has become an annual tradition at the college.

Students learn about service with the sisters

Through the First Year Experience (FYE) program, about a dozen Mount students took part in a community service project at the Mariandale Center’s community garden in Ossining

The students were overseen by Mike Daven, professor of Mathematics, Charles Zola, assistant to the President for Mission Integration, director of the Catholic and Dominican Institute, and associate professor of Philosophy, and Mark Lewin, adjunct instructor of History.

The Mariandale Center is a retreat for spiritual, personal, and communal growth that is sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Hope. The center’s garden supplies fresh produce to local Hudson Valley food banks and pantries.

During their visit, the Mount students cleared out dead plant debris in the garden to prepare it for winter, while also learning about organic gardening and the types of plant species grown on the land.

“The garden is a small, but important, means of addressing economic inequalities in the local community,” said Zola. “The students found time to reflect and contemplate the beauty of the community garden and grounds of Mariandale.”

The Mount group also went on a reflection tour with Sr. Bette Jaster, OP, Environmental Program Specialist. She focused on how human actions and care affect the environment, and how the sisters are working to preserve life and biodiversity on the grounds.

Through the FYE program, students participate in communitybased learning events related to diversity, inclusion, and equality. The program is rooted in the four Dominican Pillars of study, spirituality, service, and community, and is directed by Gina Evers of the Mount’s Writing Center.

About a dozen students in the FYE program helped maintain the community garden at the Mariandale Center in Ossining.

Medieval exploration

Professor journeys abroad to examine connections between literature and food

This past year was a whirlwind of academics abroad for Rob Wakeman, assistant professor of English at the Mount.

With the aid of a faculty development grant – awarded by the college’s Faculty Development Committee – Wakeman traveled to Ireland in March to attend the Renaissance Society of America (RSA) conference in Dublin. Then, in July, he packed his bags once again and headed to the New Chaucer Society conference in Durham, England.

Wakeman’s research has long focused on the literary history of food, with his current work delving into the representation of food, animals, and agriculture in the work of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. The overseas conferences gave him the opportunity to present his own research and learn from other experts in the field.

Starting with the last-minute cancellation of his study abroad course to London, which had been set for March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has instilled an increasing sense of wanderlust in the professor.

“After two years of lockdown, I was eager to get abroad,” Wakeman explained. “I attended a lot of Zoom conferences during the pandemic, and many of them were great. But there’s nothing like learning face-to-face.”

Celebrating European scholarship

At Dublin’s RSA conference – the world’s largest for historians and literary scholars who study Europe between 1300 and 1700 – Wakeman worked with colleagues at York Univer-

sity and Lausanne University in Switzerland to present on the history of taste. Specifically, Wakeman discussed new research on the dinner party scenes in Francis Beaumont’s The Woman Hater, a comedic social satire piece written in 1607.

Outside of the conference, he experienced the museums, libraries, cathedrals, distilleries, and breweries that have stood for hundreds of years, enriching his understanding of the past. Also while in Dublin, Wakeman took a short trip to the sixth-century monastic city of Glendalough in Wicklow Mountain National Park, where he followed medieval pilgrimage trails and “explored the stunning landscapes that inspired so much Irish literature,” he said.

After an unforgettable experience in Ireland, summer brought Wakeman to the New Chaucer Society conference, a biannual meeting that focuses on late medieval England. It was here

Photos by Rob Wakeman

Rob Wakeman

that he presented a paper on medieval veterinary medicine as represented in plays from the time period.

Mik Burch and Louise Goodman, both 2022 graduates of the Mount, assisted Wakeman with the initial stages of research through the Mount’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), which pairs students with mentor professors. Over the summer of 2021, Burch, Goodman, and Wakeman immersed themselves in the topic.

Burch and Goodman “did a ton of research on the history of veterinary medicine which was pivotal,” he explained. “I learned so much from working with them and my only regret is that they couldn’t come to present the work with me.”

Via the New Chaucer Society, Wakeman also visited Rievaulx, a medieval Benedictine abbey nestled in a remote valley in Yorkshire, and the ruins of Helmsley Castle, which had been destroyed during the English Civil War.

“Understanding monastic culture and the immensity of castles are key to understanding medieval and early modern literature, so now I have even more contexts – and lots of pictures – to share with students when I lecture on these subjects,” he said.

Summoning the rain

But it was in London, Wakeman’s favorite city in the world, that he had perhaps the most memorable experience of the trip.

One evening he went to see a performance of King Lear with Kathryn Hunter, of Harry

Potter and Andor fame, in the lead role. It was performed at the open-air venue Shakespeare’s Globe, a modern recreation of what the Globe Theatre looked like in the Renaissance. At the time, England was in the midst of a brutal heat wave. The evening of the performance was on the hottest recorded day in history with temperatures of more than 100 degrees.

“Right in the middle of the play, there’s a scene in which Lear, full tilt in a fit of madness, charges out into the wastelands and calls up a storm with blowing winds, driving rain, and cracking thunder,” Wakeman explained. “And wouldn’t you know it, right as Hunter spoke these lines, the skies opened up and the rain came down to cool us all off. I’ve seen King Lear a dozen times, but I’ve never seen an actor conjure up a real storm from the stage.”

The scene was indicative of the ephemeral nature of live performance, he said: “It was pure wonder and a beautiful reminder that every time you step into the theater, you will experience something that only the people lucky enough to be there right then, right there will get to experience.”

Hands-on research

On top of presenting at the conferences, Wakeman also engaged in hands-on studies with one-of-a-kind relics. With much of his research based on hand-written manuscripts that haven’t been digitized, Wakeman must often travel to libraries, view local records, and examine archives in person. Unsurprisingly, England and Ireland provided a wealth of content for

Professor Wakeman’s travels took him to Dublin, Ireland (left) and to Ilkley in England (right).

Wakeman to investigate.

While in Dublin, the professor studied at Marsh’s Library, one of the best-preserved 17th century libraries in the world. Situated right next to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, this library dates back to when Ireland was an English colony.

In England, Wakeman went to the British Library and the Wellcome Library to investigate 17th-century family recipe books.

“Just as anyone with a family recipe book knows, these 17th-century books were treasures that were passed down from generation to generation and are now kept in these libraries,” he explained. “Recipe books offer incredible insights into how people lived in the Renaissance, what families ate, what they aspired to eat, and how recipes preserve family traditions

and record new culinary innovations.”

Armed with new and exciting knowledge, Wakeman quickly began passing it on to his students at the Mount. New strategies and approaches to Chaucer and medieval biblical drama, for example, were soon incorporated into his syllabi. Additionally, in his upcoming English Capstone Seminar, he will be integrating Beaumont’s The Woman Hater and other plays he examined at the conferences.

As for the ill-fated study abroad experience in England – one of the first casualties of the COVID-19 lockdown – Wakeman is already planning its successor: “I’m looking forward to reviving plans to teach it in future years,” he explained. “I really hope that networking with scholars at British universities, museums, and libraries will pay off for Mount students.”

The library of Trinity College Dublin in Ireland.

Christopher Neyen, associate professor of Art and Graphic Design and director of the Communication, Art, and Digital Media (CADM) program, helped introduce a new Visual Communication–Graphic Design major at the Mount.

TheArts endure & evolve

With the windows open on the warm days –and students’ fresh paintings drying in the breeze –Sr. Sylvia Bielen, OP taught shading methods, watercolor techniques, and more to generations of Mount students.

An art professor at the college for more than three decades (and a devoted Dominican Sister of Hope for many more), Sr. Bielen was known around campus for her infectious enthusiasm for creativity.

“Art belongs to the total environment, beautifying and welcoming, from the parking lot to one’s home,” Sr. Bielen told the Mount’s magazine Happenings during a 1990 interview. “Our society is becoming more aware of the need for art.”

Unsurprisingly, her classes tended to fill up quickly. For many students, securing a seat in one of them felt a little like winning the lottery.

“Sr. Sylvia was incredibly talented and I was lucky to have the chance to take one of her art classes,” said Kara Miller ’06, who currently works as the program director at Rehabilitation Support Services. “She shared her passion with us.”

Sr. Sylvia Bielen, OP teaching an art class in the early 2000s.

Left: Sr. Yvonne Milroy, professor of Art, reviewing ceramics work with a student in 1976.

Right: Sr. Sylvia Bielen included calligraphy among her many artistic pursuits. Photo courtesy of Dominican Sisters of Hope Archive.

“I have vivid memories of my art class with Sr. Sylvia because she was so full of joy as she taught it,” she said. “You could really tell that she loved art and she loved sharing it with her students.”

Sr. Bielen spread that love of art outside of the classroom as well: She gave lectures and workshops in spirituality and art at The Center at Mariandale in Ossining, N.Y., the Wisdom House in Litchfield, Conn., the Linwood Spirituality Center in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and more.

When she passed away in late October of 2022, Sr. Bielen was 97 years old. During her long life, she made innumerable contributions to the college’s legacy of art, which spans more than 60 years.

A history of artistic excellence

From sculpting and painting to film and theater, the Mount has promoted the arts and fostered creativity in our students and the local community since the college became a four-year institution in 1959. One of the earliest examples of this is the story of the Singing Sisters and their rise to mainstream popularity.

When the Dominican Sisters first commissioned the construction of Aquinas Hall in 1961, they formed the Singing Sisters music group from their ranks to help earn donations for the project. It just so happened that a brother of Sr. Rose Anita Cannon, OP knew popular conductor Mitch Miller, who

agreed to work with the sisters. The result was a 15-song album called The Singing Sisters Present Joy! With tunes ranging from Mozart’s “Alleluia” to “Seventy-six Trombones” from The Music Man, more than 60 sisters lent their voices to the record, gave public performances, and even appeared on the Sing Along with Mitch television show. The venture earned nearly $200,000 for Aquinas Hall, which remains the Mount’s main academic building to this day.

The singing didn’t stop there: Christmas Vespers, a Mass of songs and carols, began welcoming the holiday season at the college in 1974. After a few years in hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mount was overjoyed to bring back the tradition in December of 2022.

Currently, the college offers music courses like Literature of Music Theatre, the Music of the ’60s, Opera in New York, and more, taught primarily by Yale School of Music graduate Durward Entrekin, professor of Music at the Mount.

The performing arts at the college also date back to our earliest days. In May of 1963, right after Aquinas Hall opened its doors, the Aquinas Hall Theatre hosted the U.S. premiere of Dialogues of the Carmelites, directed by Salvatore Baccaloni of the Metropolitan Opera.

Michelle Iacuessa ’94, director of Alumni Engagement at the Mount, echoed Miller’s sentiments.

Durward Entrekin, professor of Music, led the Mount choir through many memorable performances at Christmas Vespers.

The Aquinas Times, the Mount’s student newspaper, reported: “In the course of the afternoon, Mr. Baccaloni proved to us that his is much more than a great name and a magnificent voice…He is, above all, a man who knows his business – theater – inside and out.”

On the very stage where Carmelites opened –and legendary comedian Bob Hope would wow an audience of more than 800 about a decade later – Mount students, employees, and alumni have performed countless plays. From musicals like Anything Goes and Hello Dolly! to dramas like The Glass Menagerie and Our Town, many of these productions were helmed by James Beard, professor emeritus of Communication Arts.

“I was fortunate that my work at the Mount allowed me opportunities to build trust and friendship with many students outside the classroom,” Beard explained, citing his time directing student theatre productions as some of the most memorable experiences of his career. Hosting a production took great dedication, he noted, with long hours on nights and weekends becoming the norm.

But it was always worthwhile, he added: “It was a great joy to watch inexperienced student performers and production staff grow in confidence and ability.”

Now playing at the Mount

Theatre lives on at the Mount. A few years before Beard retired from teaching in 2016, he passed the torch to James Phillips, associate professor of Theatre. With Phillips as direc-

tor, the college has produced nearly 30 plays, including the drama The Wolves, the original commedia dell’arte The Madness of Isabella, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and an original play based on the lives of the Dominican Sisters, Hope Stories.

The most recent Mount performance was Tuna Christmas, a comedic cross between The Andy Griffith Show and Twin Peaks. With subplots ranging from the pedestrian, like a pair of divorcees comparing their exes, to the mysterious, like a phantom vandalizing holiday

The Mount’s production of Our Town from fall of 1988.

The Miseducation of Isabella from fall of 2019

yard displays, the play delves into the lives of the residents of Tuna, Texas during the most wonderful time of the year.

The cast of five, including four students and one faculty member, took on multiple roles each, performing more than 20 characters in total. The production was “uniquely what they have created,” Phillips explained. “That’s what’s magical about theater – each show is something that has never, and will never, exist again.”

In addition to overseeing the theatre group at the college, Phillips also teaches courses like Introduction to Theatre and Dramatic Literature.

Meanwhile, the college’s Communication, Art, and Digital Media (CADM) program has thrived since its inception in 2019. Currently directed by Christopher Neyen, associate professor of Art and Graphic Design, CADM programs encompass the study of digital media production, graphic design, and journalism/ sports journalism. CADM also offers minors in each of these disciplines, as well as in art and film studies. Housed in the Mount’s Division of Arts and Letters, CADM programs prepare students for both traditional and emerging professions.

Students don’t have to wait until they graduate to put their CADM skills to practical use. Knight Radio, for example, is managed by students under the supervision of CADM faculty like Regina Pappalardo, associate professor of Journalism. Knight Radio is the Mount’s own radio station, located in Hudson Hall. It plays music as well as student-created talk radio pro-

gramming. To listen to Knight Radio, visit msmc.edu/KnightRadio

CADM students also make their own dynamic videos, learn digital photography, and more. As a way to showcase such student art, the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center hosts a gallery in a well-traveled area on the first floor. The featured exhibits are often composed of pieces students have created in Mount courses. The inaugural exhibit in October of 2021 featured student art from two beginning art classes: 2D Design and Painting. Both classes are part of the CADM suite of programs at the college.

Design

The CMA Art Gallery, right, and Knight Radio studio, below.

Graphic

student Nyla Pichardo with some of

her work.

“That’s what’s magical about theater –each show is something that has never, and will never, exist again.”

James Phillips associate professor of Theatre

“The possibilities to create art on TikTok are endless and it’s only just getting started.”

Brianna Bosco

’18

At left, students in a scene from a CADM program production.

With an eye on bringing attention to local artists, Neyen also coordinates the Mount’s CMA Gallery. The gallery exhibits professional art and media picked by Mount faculty from among the rising population of artists who live and work in Newburgh, Beacon, and throughout the Hudson Valley. It has featured photography, video, sculptures, paintings, and more since its inception in 2018. The gallery is open to the public.

The future of creativity

With the pervasiveness of cellphones comes new opportunities for artistic expression. One such medium is TikTok, a short-video creating and sharing platform that hit the scene in late 2016 and changed the landscape of social media. TikTok users showcase their creative skills to film and edit video that other users can view and share with their friends and family. Using sound effects, filters, music clips, and more, users can enhance their works. In short, the platform makes video creation simple and has become especially popular with members of Gen Z.

“One of the newest and most prevalent forms of modern art is TikTok,” explained Brianna Bosco ’18, assistant director of Digital Communications at the Mount. “TikTok has also opened the door to millions of creators looking for their big break. Artists can showcase their art pieces, singers post videos of themselves singing, and others show off their talents that wouldn’t have been recognized without this platform. TikTok isn’t just manipulating modern art, it’s leading modern art.”

In the summer of 2022, under Bosco’s leadership, the Mount started to incorporate more

student-driven content into its TikTok channel. The move resulted in tremendous growth on the college’s channel: Within six months, the number of followers had doubled. Bosco noted that this is due, in part, to the medium being so popular with students.

“It’s nearly impossible to find a collegeaged or high school student that hasn’t used or heard of TikTok,” Bosco said. “Working with students to create student-driven content has proven successful in both reaching Gen Z and expanding the Mount’s reach on TikTok.”

She added, “The possibilities to create art on TikTok are endless and it’s only just getting started.”

Our eyes are on the arts

While Mount students, staff, and faculty celebrate new ways to create art, classics will never go out of style.

The college continues to offer traditional art courses for undergraduate students, including Ceramics, Basic Drawing Techniques, and Sculpture, as well as art history courses in topics such as photography, modern art, and more. In addition, the Mount’s Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness regularly hosts artistic events for the local community, such as Sip ‘n’ Paint. As the Desmond Center expands its offerings, community members can expect to enjoy even more artistic programming.

From the traditional to new forms of art at the college, Sr. Bielen, we think, would approve: “Art is all around us if we have the eyes to see,” she said.

Social video platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube offer new avenues for creativity.

Helping to make a greener Newburgh

First-year students aid conservancy’s tree planting initiative

For first-year students in the Natural Sciences, the Fall 2022 semester consisted of more than just learning in the classroom. As part of the college’s First Year Experience (FYE) program, which fosters success as they transition into Mount Saint Mary College’s community of learners, students took their education to the streets of Newburgh by assisting the Greater Newburgh Parks Conservancy’s (GNPC) tree planting initiative through a tree identification project.

Over the summer, Marichen Montiel Hertling, a Business major at the Mount from Newburgh, N.Y., contacted Lynn Maelia, professor of Chemistry, and Suparna Bhalla, associate professor of Biology, who would be collaborating on first-year coursework through the FYE program. Hertling, who served as an

Environmental Justice Fellow in Newburgh, discussed the GNPC’S tree planting efforts and how the college could get involved with this initiative.

Through the FYE program, students were assigned to various learning communities, where they would share two courses with the same group of students and take part in Community Based Learning (CBL) events that were incorporated into their coursework.

Students in Maelia and Bhalla’s learning community took part in two CBL events to complete the identification project. The first invited Kathy Lawrence, a member of the GNPC board of directors, to talk to them about the tree planting initiative; environmental justice and the advantages of urban trees; the siting, location, and planting of urban trees; and the

Mount Saint Mary College science students researched trees in the City of Newburgh in October, checking the distance between them, location, size, and type. Elizabeth Harper, associate professor of Biology and director of Exercise Science worked with the students (bottom right photo).

environmental justice fellowship in Newburgh.

“We wanted to use trees as our FYE theme to get students to think about trees in ways they never did before: the advantages, the biodiversity, the importance for the ecosystem, and the environmental justice associated with trees,” explained Maelia.

The professors followed up with an additional CBL event: a tree identification project that would provide data for the GNPC’s tree planting initiative. The project spanned both Biological and Chemical Principles courses and was incorporated into their laboratory sessions.

In Chemical Principles, students went to several sites along Powell Avenue where the Parks Conservancy was planning to plant some trees. They collected soil samples, and brought them back to the lab for testing, a process they had previously learned in class.

Meanwhile, in Biological Principles, students went to the streets around the college to assess the tree “situation.” They looked at existing trees: identifying the tree species, measuring the circumference, estimating the height, and measuring the proximity to various objects. Through this information, they assessed whether the existing trees were appropriately placed.

Biology students also assessed locations on street lawns where new trees could be planted, measuring the spaces and proximity to existing corners, signs, and utilities. They went on to make recommendations for what trees should be planted, taking the size of the tree and the desire for biodiversity into consideration.

Students in both courses have entered the data into a spreadsheet, which will be shared with the GNPC to assist in their efforts to plant 4,000 trees in the next two years.

Getting a strong head start

Internships and mentorship drive student succes

Preparing for the work world with a robust classroom experience is just one side of the coin for Mount students. Professionals from the Hudson Valley and beyond take our students under their wing through internships and other mentor programs, giving them a leg up after graduation.

Career goal guidance with KPMG mentoring

The Mount is now in its second year of the KPMG University Mentoring Program for students, which offers students individual mentorship.

KPMG is one of the Big Four professional accounting organizations, providing audit, tax, and advisory services. However, the program provides specific career advice to students in a number of majors, as well as general support and guidance for periods as short as one year or as long as the entirety of the student’s college career.

“College students with mentors are more likely to know about and take advantage of career enhancing steps like internships, professional associations, networking opportunities and more,” said Robin Rosenberg, a Mount Career Counselor. “Mentor-

ship has been shown to be a highimpact practice, and it’s particularly helpful for first generation college students and those from historically underrepresented groups.”

The Career Center provides powerful, proven, and practical tools to help shape students’ post-graduate portfolio. More than just a program for those currently enrolled in classes, the Career Center provides students and alumni with life-long tools for success and advancement.

In addition to internships and networking, the KPMG program teaches workplace culture, how to obtain professional skills development, strengthening emotional intelligence and communication skills, and improving leadership skills within a professional environment.

Working alongside a Fortune 500 company supplies the mentee with more advanced career services, and can grant the Newburgh community incentive to be a part of local

internships.

“The regional office has graciously opened its doors to a small number of area colleges, including the Mount,” said Rosenberg. “We are incredibly honored that they chose us as one of the colleges they are partnering with in this area.”

Making Disney magic

Kaitlyn Corrigan, an Information Technology major on the Elementary Education track, has some advice for students who dream big: Don’t just wish upon a star, take a risk and become one.

Last summer Corrigan participated in the Disney College Program, where she was a tour guide at the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction in Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

Among other duties, her main job was to drive a truck through Kilimanjaro Safaris, leading parkgoers on 20-minute tours that meander through about 40 different species

Kaitlyn Corrigan at Walt Disney World

of African animals. With up to three dozen passengers aboard each tour, she gave the lowdown on the giraffes, hippos, lions, and baby rhinos they encountered along the way.

“I learned how to be comfortable in a fast-paced environment while focusing on multiple aspects at once, to ensure a successful and entertaining operation,” Corrigan explained. “I also learned how to be able to comfortably speak to very large groups of people.”

In addition to working around the park, the program offers longterm courses on a variety of subjects to help participants grow personally and academically. Corrigan selected classes on leadership and networking.

While Corrigan’s leadership classes taught her how to harness her dedication and skill, her time as a Disney tour guide allowed her to educate thousands of Disney guests “about things I am passionate about, creating happiness for them,” she said. Those are traits she plans to carry into her career as an elementary school teacher.

Scoring a touchdown with the Jets

While Corrigan was adventuring through Disney’s safari, another Mount student and life-long lover of sports, Maggie-Ann Zecca, landed an internship with the New York Jets.

From studying Sports Management and playing on the Mount’s Women’s Soccer Team, Zecca displayed a vested interest in learning more about sports teams and their organizations. Although she wasn’t sure if she would be accepted due to a large number of applicants, she maintained optimism and eventually received the news she had been hoping for.

Working as a part of their Event Staff Team, Zecca’s roles and responsibilities ranged from setting up hosted events to preparing for VIP

Day by fitting player’s jerseys. She would also complete time-sensitive tasks, such as setting up organized team activities or helping young fans locate their parents in the stadium.

Throughout the internship, Zecca practiced and exercised a number of transferable skills such as communications, networking, taking calculated risks, and learning how to organize and execute an event in a professional environment.

“This internship has directed me to see different positions and opportunities,” said Zecca. “I am grateful for being part of the Mount, which prepared me mentally, physically and spiritually.”

Protecting against online criminals

After Corrigan’s and Zecca’s exciting experiences, it was Cybersecurity major Jameson Suraci’s turn to begin an internship at the United States Military Academy West Point.

Through his analyst position, Suraci focused on using software programs such as Microsoft Sentinel and Azure to complete log analytics, as well as identifying malicious software on West Point’s networks in an effort to track failed attacks.

In October of 2021, the Mount’s Career Center hosted mock interviews with Ryan Bellows, a current

employee at West Point. Bellows also graduated from the Mount in 2020, after completing an internship in Cybersecurity at West Point. Suraci attended a mock interview with Bellows, which served as a springboard for obtaining the internship.

Suraci also worked closely with Rosenberg and the Career Center to build a strong résumé for the mock interviews. The center, which had forged an excellent relationship with the institution over the years, made a referral to West Point on Suraci’s behalf. Suraci also received an immeasurable amount of knowledge and support from his professor, advisor, and mentor, Sagar Raina, associate professor of Information Technology, who introduced him to the major during his application process two years ago.

He found great success in the internship, while facing new challenges such as learning a completely new coding language called Kusto Query Language (KQL).

“I’ve learned to be patient and stay focused on the end goal and why I got the internship in the first place,” said Suraci. “It is just a surreal experience being surrounded by all the men and women who serve and protect our country… you will not see anything like it, as a civilian, anywhere else.”

Maggie-Ann Zecca

Jameson Suraci

MSMC Knights

Knights honored for Skyline victory

In December, members of the 2021-2022 Women’s Basketball team were proud to receive their championship rings for winning the Skyline Conference Championship Final in early 2022.

During that game, the Knights took down the United States Merchant Marine Academy team for the victory, posting a final score of 61-53. This earned the Knights the 13th conference crown in program history and earned them a spot in the 2022

NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament.

When they bested the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays with a score of 57-54 in the first round, the Knights earned the seventh NCAA win in program history. Their journey was finally halted in game two by the Christopher Newport University team, the Captains.

For her efforts, coach Colleen Ames was named the 2022 Skyline Conference Coach of the Year. Meanwhile, Morina Bojka ’22 was named

2022 Skyline Conference Player of the Year and her teammate, Toriana Tabasco ’22, earned the title of 2022 Skyline Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

5K earns $15,000 for the

Cheryl Walker scholarship

The 2022 Cheryl WalkorRun 5K, held in memory of alumna and former faculty member Cheryl Walker, raised more than $15,000 for an ongoing Nursing scholarship in her name.

Nearly 200 attendees took part in the autumn 5K, with separate events for both children and adults.

The Cheryl L. Walker Nursing Scholarship is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the college’s Nursing baccalaureate RN program. The most recent recipient was Aracely Morocho-Calle, a junior from Spring Valley, N.Y. All proceeds from the 5K supported the scholarship.

Walker was a registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist, and an educator at the Mount. Throughout her nearly 40-year career, Walker held positions at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Orange Regional Medical Center. She passed away on January 13, 2016, at the age of 58, after a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Above: Margaret Treacy, director of Annual Giving at the college, and Cheryl’s children: Lindsay Walker, Kristen Antoni, and Matt Walker.

Head-to-head fundraiser aids athletic teams

It was Knight vs. Knight in friendly competition during the Knight Nation Challenge, a biannual fundraiser for the Athletics department. Including new squads like eSports and Women’s Golf, 16 of the Mount’s teams competed to see how many donors they could get to help them raise money over a five-day period in November.

In those few hours, friends of the college donated more than $12,000 for the Knights. Softball took the crown for most funds raised, with Baseball not far behind. Women’s Basketball, Women’s Lacrosse, and Women’s Soccer also had strong showings.

Donations are still being accepted. To aid the Mount sports team of your choice, visit msmc.edu/KnightNation

The MSMC Softball team, pictured above, won the 2022 Knight Nation Challenge.

Scoreboard dedication honors donors

It all started from a note written on the back of a napkin by Fr. Gregoire Fluet, Campus Ministry director and college chaplain: “We need a scoreboard for baseball/softball now!”

Blossoming into a reality, Mount Saint Mary College held a dedication ceremony for the campus’s new baseball and softball field scoreboard during the college’s annual Alumni Reunion Weekend.

The unveiling, taking place between alumni baseball and softball games, gathered the Mount community to honor and thank the donors for their commitment, support, and leadership in making the scoreboard a fully donor-funded project. The college highlighted the Huvane and Hayes families, whose sons, Tom Huvane Jr. ’19 and Ryan Hayes ’18, played for the Mount’s baseball team.

“A Catholic education is more than just the education in the classroom; it’s also your body and your soul,” stated Tom Huvane Sr. “This is where we take care of the body – it’s in athletics. We learn about competition, we learn about teamwork, we learn how to lose with humility, we learn how to win with confidence, and these are all life lessons that we can learn right here on this field. We’re really proud to support this; this is going to be a huge effort going forward.”

Allowing visitors to the Mount’s baseball/softball complex to see a dis-

play of the score and inning for each game on campus, the scoreboard also offers a reminder of the impact that athletics has made on Mount Saint Mary College.

“[This scoreboard] is very much a part of the academic program that we have at the Mount because academics is a lot more than just learning something in a classroom,” explained Fr. Fluet. “It involves values. It involves learning generosity. It involves all the gifts that really come from sport, and that’s why the athletes here really are in a leadership position.”

Mount names new head coaches

Added Drew Brown, Athletic director at the college, “This is what it takes to make things happen every day. This project is just the beginning of what I hope will be a lot more. Thank you for buying into our vision that will provide the best experience possible for Mount student-athletes.”

In addition to the Huvane and Hayes families, the college thanked Beer World for their in-kind donation as well as GRP and Associates and, specifically, Jay Paige ’12 for his time, equipment, and for helping with operations for the dedication event.

Hailey Anthony was promoted to head athletic trainer after serving as assistant.

Andy Crane was named head coach of the recentlyformed Women’s Golf team.

Ian Farley was named head coach of the Men’s Lacrosse team.

Student-athletes trained under several new head coaches last season at Mount Saint Mary College.

The Mount celebrated the dedication of the new scoreboard on the baseball/ softball fields. The Huvane and Hayes families helped make the plan a reality.

2022 MSMC Athletic Hall of Fame

Rachel (Sleeter) Darling ’14, MSEd

’15 – Women’s Cross Country

Darling was the first member of the Women’s Cross Country program to enter the college’s Hall of Fame. A four-year standout for the Knights on the trails, Darling earned All-Skyline Conference honors three times in her career, including First Team citations in both 2012 and 2013. Darling also finished seventh at the Championship Meet in 2011, and as a senior, she finished a career-best fourth.

Nick Findlay ’14 – Men’s Lacrosse

Findlay was the first Men’s Lacrosse student-athlete to enter the Hall of Fame. He was on the Mount’s first ever Men’s Lacrosse roster in 2010 and finished his career playing in 48 games and posting 175 points. During the 2012 season, he set a program record for assists in a season. He finished the season as the national leader in assists per game.

Jen Gries ’16 – Women’s Volleyball

Gries goes into the Hall of Fame as the Mount’s all-time leader in digs, lifting more than 1,500 over the course of her career. She earned All-Skyline Conference accolades three times and was named First Team All-Skyline Conference. Gries finished her career at the Mount playing in 341 sets and averaged 4.52 digs per set to go along with 133 service aces and 105 assists.

Owen Heath ’17 – Men’s Golf

Heath, the first Men’s Golf student-athlete to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, was a three-time All-Skyline Conference selection, earning the program’s first ever AllLeague nod with a Second Team selection in 2013. Heath went on to be named Second Team again in 2015 and in 2016 was one of two players to earn First Team recognition, the initial First Team picks in program history.

Jen Mocanu ’12 –Women’s Basketball

Mocanu left her mark on the program by appearing in nearly 60 games and leading the Knights to a pair of Skyline Conference Championships and two victories in the

NCAA Tournament. As a senior, she set the program’s all-time record for free-throws on her way to being named the Skyline Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-Met Writers, and First Team All-Atlantic Region by D3Hoops.com.

Rob Thompson ’14 – Men’s Soccer Thompson is the third player from the Men’s Soccer program in as many years to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A First Team All-Skyline Conference selection as a senior following the 2013 season, Thompson led a defensive unit that allowed just 12 goals to conference opponents and helped lead the Knights to their first ever Skyline Conference Championship and berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Chris Mance, who had been serving as interim head Swimming coach, was named head coach.

Trevor Purcell ’03 was named head Baseball coach.

Brian Venard was named head coach of the college’s new eSports program.

Six outstanding athletes inducted into the Hall of Fame

Honoring service in style

Gala honors local legends

Friends of the Mount were proud to celebrate two outstanding pillars of the local community at the college’s 13th Annual Gala Reception.

Mount alumnus Lou Bach ’82, president of Spectrum Pension and Compensation, Inc., and Ron Flaherty, president & CEO of TEG Federal Credit Union, were honored with the Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence.

The Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence recognizes individuals or organizations whose professional accomplishments, service to the community, and leadership reflect the same commitment to quality, concern for neighbors, and shared prosperity that have exemplified the career and character of local restaurateur Joseph A. Bonura.

The Gala raised more than $133,000 in gifts, sponsorships, and ticket sales, which will be used to support the Annual Gala Endowed Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is awarded to academically strong students with financial need, with preference given to students pursuing a degree in Business.

Two new endowed scholarship funds were revealed: The TEG Federal Credit Union Endowed Scholarship Fund, which will support student teachers at the Mount,

and The Frederick D. Paige Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund (“There’s a Paige in Every Chapter”), which will support outstanding students hailing from Newburgh.

Peter Olympia, a former Mount trustee, also announced an endowed scholarship in the name of Joseph F. Maloney III, a longtime friend and supporter of the college who passed away in October. The scholarship, created by Olympia and Maloney’s wife, former Mount trustee Susan Maloney, will be given annually to an outstanding senior from the Mount’s School of Business.

To donate to any of these scholarships, please contact Nikki Khurana-Baugh at 845-569-3216 or Nikki.Khurana-Baugh@msmc.edu.

Lou Bach and Ron Flaherty

Jason Adsit, Joe Bonura, and Heather Adsit

Gala Honoree Ron Flaherty, Nikki Khaurana-Baugh, VP for College Advancement, and Gala Honoree Lou Bach ‘82

Michael Horodyski, Gary Jennings, and Beth Jennings

Valerie and Darren Bryant

Karen and Ron Flaherty with daughter, Erin

Jason Adsit, Jessica Kerrigan, Krista Milburn, Dylan Carreras, Mackenzie Zupko, Kaitlyn Corrigan, and Elaine O’Grady

Peter Olympia

Sr. Lucy Povilonis OP; Fr. Greg Fluet; Sr. Joann Boneski, OP; and Sr. Connie Kelly, OP

Jason Adsit and Nick Citera

Bill Fioravanti and the Hon. Torrance Harvey

Lou Bach, Ita Rahilly, and Louis Fish

Alumni Notes

Art and Lidia ’72 (Isopo) Pasquariello, Hal and Pat (Collins) Crispell, Regina Derico ’72, John and Bonnie ’72 (Bandos) Templer, Ross Barber with Amor Bango ’72, Carol (Munday) Gardia ’72, and Roland and Sue ’72 (Licnikas) Groleau at Lake George, N.Y.

1967

Maureen Chicoine, RSCJ, worked on a six-year research project for her religious congregation, the Society of the Sacred Heart. She collaborated with other researchers to write and edit material published on its website about the history of the society’s slaveholding. Maureen continues her research, tracing the descendants of the enslaved persons held in Missouri and Louisiana. To view the project, visit www.rscj.org/ enslavement.

1971

Mari Olga (Alonso) Kelly, and her dormmates from the Class of 1971, had a mini 50th reunion in New York City. They went to see Hamilton and Mari Olga stated, “What a gift to spend time with these lovely ladies, with whom I shared my formative years.”

1972

Pat (Collins) Crispell and her classmates, Lidia (Isopo) Pasquariello, Regina Derico, Bonnie (Bandos) Templer, Amor Bango, Carol (Munday) Guardia, and Sue (Licnikas) Groleau gathered in Lake George in the fall of 2022.

1973

Gerardine (Johnson) Carpenter and friends/ classmates: Regina Seelig-Sikorski, Carol Sorge-Neumann, Angela Siliato-Bryant, Anne Marie Begnal-Cullinan, Laura Colamonico-Fanzili, Mary Alice Davitt-Rossi, Debra Gawrys-Ranellone, and Gerry Johnson-Carpenter all celebrated their 70th birthdays together.

Gerardine and her friends have been a part of each other’s lives for 53 years through thick and thin.

They are looking forward to celebrating their 50th reunion. They hope that their classmates will join them!

Mike Dolan worked at Stewart Airport for 37 years and retired as a Supervisor of Maintenance in 2007.

Lourdes Alonso retired after 25 years with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). The last seven years she worked with teachers in Europe while based in Italy. As an educator, Lourdes knew she positively affected the lives of many young people personally and in their attitudes about math. Lourdes states, “At the end of my career, that is a good feeling. Thankfully, through Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with many old friends.”

1974

Sharon (Reap) Longobardi retired nine years ago from teaching. Seven of her eight children and their spouses are educators! “Joe and I also have nine grandchildren to keep us on our toes,” she said. “Number 10 arrived in December. We are so blessed!”

Steve (‘74) and Deb (‘76) Otlowski spent Summer 2022 traveling in Europe (Hamburg, Amsterdam, Paris, Bayeux), and Canada (Calgary, Banff, Jasper). They ended with their annual vacation in North Truro on Cape Cod. They enjoyed a lot of sightseeing and excellent dining.

1975

Susanne (Devine) Campbell, RN, MS ’75 was one of two recipients of an award by the National

Marianne (Gauch) Lamborne ’71, Mari Olga (Alonso) Kelley ’71, Vinnie (Bongiorno) Randazzo ’71, and Dianne (Pesce) Paolo ’71, enjoying Hamilton on Broadway.

Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Susanne received the award for her significant contributions toward practice transformation and for being a “goal-oriented team player, coach, and advocate.” The award was announced at the November NCQA Health Innovations Summit in Washington DC.

1977

Richard Reed was a professor of Nursing for 35 years, retiring in 2011.

Richard and his wife, a nurse practitioner, live in Denver, Colo. They are both also clinical psychologists. Richard believes he was the first male graduate of the Mount’s Nursing program. Since retiring, Richard has written six novels and he and his wife have traveled the world, though COVID has

slowed them down. According to Richard, his professional accomplishments all started with his education at the Mount.

1979

Mary Beth (Iwanicki) Elgin said, “What a challenge these past couple years have been for all health care professionals!” In the beginning of 2022, Mary Beth decided it was time to retire as Supervisor of Care Coordination at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. She enjoyed planning her son Matthew’s wedding in 2022. Now onto her daughter Elizabeth’s wedding in the summer of 2023. “So much to look forward to. Wishing all a great 2023!”

1985

Karen (Fay) Bobinski retired from Nursing in November of 2021 after 36 great years as a critical care nurse.

Grad gives back to the Mount and Newburgh

From birth to the age of five, Jason Paige ‘12 lived in his grandmother’s house, directly across the street from the Mount.

After receiving his degree in Business from the Mount, Paige went on to found Get Right Results, a wellness and fitness company based in Newburgh. Working closely with local leaders, Paige and his team identify issues of priority for Newburgh. They regularly donate their time, professional services, and equipment to create major community events in which everyone is encouraged to support local businesses while raising awareness and money for worthy causes.

Throughout his journey, he has faced considerable hurdles and overcome daunting medical challenges, including an accident that left him in a coma for months.

“One of my biggest accomplishments in my career would be building the company from the ground up and helping others to fight and achieve their personal goals,” he explained.

In addition to the community, Paige continues to support his alma mater. He served as a keynote speaker for the college’s first Start-Up Weekend, is a member of the Mount’s Advancement Committee, and was the 2022 recipient of the MSMC Distinguished Alumni Award.

Paige credits his passion for community service to the Mount, particularly the example of the Dominican Sisters. He noted, “Ever since [I was] a child, the Mount has given me hope and the will to overcome obstacles that I face on a daily basis.”

Gerardine (Johnson) Carpenter ‘73 and classmates: Regina Seelig-Sikorski, Carol Sorge-Neumann, Angela Siliato-Bryant, Anne Marie Begnal-Cullinan, Laura Colamonico-Fanzili, Mary Alice Davitt-Rossi, Debra Gawrys-Ranellone, and Gerry Johnson-Carpenter all celebrated their 70th birthdays.

Alumni Weekend

Old friends and familiar faces

Hundreds of successful grads, spanning decades of Mount history, journeyed back to their alma mater for the college’s annual Alumni Weekend. They caught up with old friends, visited with beloved professors, and saw what’s new at the college that launched their careers. During the festivities, Danielle Greco ’98 was presented with the James V. McEnery Alumni Service Award for her continued service to her alma mater. Jay Paige ’12 was honored with the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award and Anthony Curti ’08 received the Distinguished Young Alumni Award.

Alumni Notes

1989

Ellen (Benson) Powers is a retired Major from the U.S. Army. Ellen served both on active duty and reserves. Ellen is currently the associate director of the Perioperative Services at Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, N.Y. 1992

Elizabeth Dumas recently completed her American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) certification through Waubonsee College and is now a certified medical assistant working at Northwestern Medical Center based out of Chicago, Ill. Elizabeth primarily works in the Immediate Care

division. She also serves on the Medical Assistant Graduate Council at Waubonsee College.

2001

Joseph Polvere is finishing his 22nd year of teaching, currently as a 6th grade Social Studies teacher in Demarest, N.J. He works as an adjunct professor for Mercy College, Bergen Community College, Seton Hall University, Montclair University, and Brookdale Community College in various semesters.

2002

Michael Lombardi is the owner and president of Northeast Wrestling, Inc., a professional wrestling production company. Michael promotes events throughout the US as well as locally, such

as at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Dutchess Stadium, and other establishments in the area. He is also a manager and booking agent for a number of wrestling stars. He was recently interviewed by World Wrestling Entertainment and A&E Network for a number of documentaries.

2007

Christopher Dillon, MBA ’07 was appointed as the new assistant superintendent for business for the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District.

2010

Jessica Szydlowski Pitman DNP, CRNA is the assistant program director of the nurse anesthesia program at Duke University School of Nursing. She maintains a clinical practice as a certified

registered nurse anesthetist at Duke University Hospital. Dr. Pitman is proud to be a MSMC alumna, and uses her passion for nursing and education to foster future nurse anesthetists.

2012

Jennifer Dobies and her family moved into their first house in Rotterdam, N.Y.

See more photos at www.msmc.edu/Alumni22

2017

Caitlin Bonanno states, “After teaching at Bishop Dunn Memorial School as the lead social studies teacher for five years, I had a new opportunity to join Immaculate Heart Academy for the 2022-2023 school year. IHA is a college preparatory high school for young women in New Jersey. I have the opportunity to teach 9th grade World History and AP European History. I am also a co-moderator for the mock trial club.”

John Chiaia concluded his time at Mount Saint Mary College in the Summer of 2022. John worked in the Residence Life department

where he began as an RA as an undergraduate student and finished as the Assistant Director post-graduation. He is now a New York City high school counselor where he guides students with social/ emotional and college/ career developments. John graduated with his Masters in School Counseling in December 2022.

2018

Caitlyn Shult is currently a social worker at a not-forprofit after graduating in 2018 from the 3-2 program that MSMC offers, which allowed her to get her MSW from Fordham University. Caitlin has received her advanced CASAC and now specializes in substance abuse treatment. Caitlyn works with the severely mentally ill population.

2019

Anthony Rizzo began working in May 2022 at GlobeTax, a financial services company based in New York City, that deals with international withholding tax. Prior to working for GlobeTax, Anthony worked as a NYS contact tracer, helping people during the pandemic.

Michelle Carnovale and Johanna (Forster) Caufaglione ’18 were both students in the division of Natural Sciences. It wasn’t until their white coat ceremony at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine that they met each other and realized they had both attended MSMC. They are currently in their second year of medical school. Although they met at Touro, it was their MSMC roots that brought them together!

Matthew Higgins has been a full-time business development consultant at HAI Group since June, 2020. Matthew’s role is to prospect and qualify new-insurance business. He holds an Individual Producer License, which allows him to negotiate and sell property, casualty, travel, and credit insurance. Matthew also holds Public Housing Management (PHM) designation. “In 2022, my territory has produced nearly $5.4 million in new-business premiums,” he said.

Megan Mangelli said graduating in 2020 “was not anything like I thought it would be, going into the nursing world during a pandemic.” Megan currently works at an outpatient surgery center. She says her work-life balance is amazing and she loves it. According to Megan, “To any Nursing student who is looking at paths that are just a bit more nontraditional right after graduation, go for it do not let anyone tell you different.”

Sierra Caban received an email at the beginning of 2022, out of the blue, from a Montessori school in Montgomery, N.Y. offering her a position in the 4-6th classroom. Sierra states, “Although I’ve only done observations in a Montessori classroom, I figured why not take the opportunity! I’m still navigating my way through my first year as a teacher but I’m so grateful to have taken the jump.”

Colleen Giordano has continued her education at Mount Saint Mary College to get her MBA with a concentration in healthcare. She will be graduating in May of 2023. While working towards her master’s degree, Colleen has been working for Bethpage Medical Center as a Physician Liaison.

2021

2022

Volino

Fedor

Christiano

Vasquez Duda wedding

Marriages

Sabrina Vasquez ’99 married Erick Duda on July 11, 2021 at The Thayer Hotel at West Point. Erik is from Hopewell Junction, N.Y. The couple currently lives in Newburgh where Sabrina is an elementary school teacher in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. Erik manages a Planet Fitness Club in Peekskill, N.Y.

Births

Jessica (Frankl) Fedor ’03 welcomed her daughter, Eliana Marie, on April 3, 2021. Eliana joins Jessica, her husband, Todd, and big brother Everett, 7. Jessica was recently promoted to Senior Human Resource Business Partner at Onondaga Employee Leasing Services (OELS) and works remotely, which allowed her family to relocate to Charleston, S.C. They are enjoying the warmer weather, beaches, and southern charm in their new historical city.

Jane (Farino) Christiano ’13 and her husband, Michael, welcomed their third daughter, Hailey Rose, on November 7, 2022.

Jennifer (Gambuti) Volino ’18 gave birth in February of 2022 to her child, Natalie. Later in the year, Jennifer passed the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) licensing exam to receive her NYS license to practice as a mental health counselor. She is now opening her own private practice to help make a positive difference in our society’s mental health.

Memoriam

Alan F. Lacy, husband of Patricia A. Murray ’66, passed away on January 14, 2022.

Joseph F. Maloney III, longtime friend of the college and husband of former Board of Trustee member Susan K. Maloney, passed away October 30, 2022.

Making a difference in the lives of patients

For Joanne Miller ‘83 DNP, RN, NEA-BC, nursing wasn’t a career path she chose. On the contrary, nursing chose her. Growing up in a loving, multi-generational home, Miller’s family was faced with a variety of health challenges, and as a young girl, became very involved in the healing that took place in her home. As a 14-year old, she was even a “candy striper” and has worked in the acute care environment ever since.

Now, Miller is the Chief Nurse Executive and the Chief Nursing Officer for Baystate Medical Center, an integrated health care delivery system serving a population of nearly one million people in western Massachusetts.

With 40 years of nursing experience, including 21 years as a Chief Nurse Executive, Miller is passionate about eliminating preventable harm, improving the patient’s experience, and creating a healthy work environment for all of the bedside caregivers.

“My days are never typical. The current challenges in healthcare require the ability to lead with courage, confidence, and calm,” she explained. “I am more committed than ever to heal healthcare and take great care of our dedicated nurses.”

In her position, Miller is most proud of advancing the art and science of nursing and being a visible, transformational leader during these unprecedented

times. With her dyad partner, Dr. Doug Salvador, MD, MPH, they are leading the implementation of the Daily Management System.

This four-tiered huddle system helps promote standard workflow to optimize systems to improve safety, quality, and employee engagement. Miller’s role is to support, coach, and mentor all members of the team to speak up. This allows her to implement structure and process around the company’s core values, developing strategies and tactics for taking care of their clinicians.

She added, “My greatest accomplishments in my career have been the ability to make a difference in the lives of our patients, their loved ones, and my colleagues. Each day, our clinicians inspire me through their work ethic, compassion, and their deep commitment to always do the right thing. I have the privilege of helping to create a new generation of nurses.”

During her time at Mount Saint Mary College, Miller was involved with nearly every activity that the college had to offer. Even after her graduation, she continues to support alumni affairs and encourages future nursing students to attend the Mount.

“I loved my years at Mount Saint Mary,” she stated. “I feel that was one of the best decisions that I made in my life. I was blessed to have found my life-long friends and a career that is worthy of writing a book about.”

Grad helps build the next generation of alumni leaders

For Nicholas Shannon ’03, the four years he spent at Mount Saint Mary College were some of the best experiences of his life. The Mount was the perfect-sized college, allowing him to grow, be involved, and receive the one-on-one development needed to prepare him for life after college.

But for Shannon, he was most fortunate to be able to participate in the college’s internship program, where he was able to gain professional experience that afforded him the start of his career. Through the program, he completed an internship in the development office of the then Saint Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and was offered a position with the company upon graduation.

After spending nearly ten years at the hospital where he built the roots of his professional career, Shannon went on to become the Executive Director of The Chamber Foundation, Inc., the nonprofit partner of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce that oversaw leadership programming for youth and adults, work readiness programs, as well as a scholarship program for local high school youth.

To Shannon, his greatest accomplishments throughout his career have been the work he did with the chamber.

“I, along with the chamber leadership team, took the Foundation to new heights, adding leadership programming, growing support, and building the next generation of leaders in the Hudson Valley,” he explained. I met many wonderful

individuals through my Chamber career who helped me grow as a leader and individual.”

Now, Shannon has returned to his roots at the former Saint Francis Hospital, now known as Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital, as the Regional Gift Officer for the Northern Region of Westchester Medical Center. While fairly new to the position, his days consist of helping to move the hospital foundations forward by meeting with donors and community members, growing and enhancing the Foundation board, and attending community events on behalf of the hospital and foundations.

Shannon not only returned to the roots of his career, but also those of his education. Currently, Shannon is a part of the Mount’s Alumni Association, acting in an advisory capacity on alumni relations and events. He is proud to have remained closely connected with the Mount community and looks forward to helping the college continue to grow and prosper for many years to come.

“The Mount instills a sense of community, giving back, and being there for each other; all attributes that resonate within me – and qualities my parents instilled in me,” he stated. “I lost both of my parents in a short time frame of one another in 2020 – I look back and am so very blessed that they provided me the opportunity to go to college and pushed me to choose Mount Saint Mary; for them, I am forever grateful. They experienced the Mount through my eyes in everything I did.”

Save the Date

Complimentary Estate Planning with the experts

Tuesday, March 28 at 11:00 a.m., 11 Balmville Road (former Johnes Holden Home)

Thursday, March 30, 5:00 p.m. at Mount Saint Mary College

Join Michael Passante, Director of Financial Planning at Focused Wealth Management, and Elizabeth Stradar, Partner at Northrop & Stradar, PC, for a helpful and informative session on estate planning. Whether you’re starting the process or looking for a few tips to refine your existing plans, you won’t want to miss these opportunities to hear from local, highly-respected experts.

For questions, contact Steve Sosler at 845-569-3218.

Save the Date

Golf & Tennis

Annual Invitational Tournament

Monday, June 5, 2023 The Powelton Club, Newburgh, NY

Song and stage with the opera man

Those who were there – as well as those familiar with the Mount’s past – fondly recall how the Aquinas Hall Theatre hosted the U.S. premiere of Dialogues of the Carmelites, directed by legendary basso Salvatore Baccaloni of the Metropolitan Opera, in May of 1963.

Not many, however, remember the wonderful thing that happened next.

It was late July of 1963, about two months after Carmelites premiered at the college. Baccaloni had performed in the Mount’s inaugural Summer Concert just a few days earlier when he returned to conduct an opera workshop at the college.

Sponsored by the Mount’s Cultural Center, the course included voice training, music theory, staging, fundamentals of makeup, basic acting techniques in opera, operetta and drama, and more. During the class, Sr. Ann Leo, OP, played accompaniment on the piano.

Being mentored by the great Baccaloni, star of stage and screen, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the small group of men and women who attended the workshop.

Having made his mark internationally and at the Mount, Baccaloni would pass away about six years later on New Year’s Eve of 1969. He was nearly 70 years old.

For those who met him at the Mount, the memory of the benevolent basso lives on.