Rosemont Magazine Fall 2020

Fall

This Issue: Meet Rosemont's Leadership Team

2020

Dear Alumni & Friends, As I write my first official letter for Rosemont Magazine, I can’t help but recognize how grateful I am for the many ways you have welcomed me to the Rosemont College Community. Already, I have met over 500 alumni through various Zoom events, and I’ve connected with many others through email replies to my monthly Presidential Ponderings emails and weekly Campus Connections emails.

I certainly never expected that, six months into my Presidency, our interactions would be limited to screen time and email, but given all that COVID-19 has brought into our lives these last nine months, I feel fortunate to have Zoom, email, and social media as tools to connect with you.

I have learned a lot about the Rosemont alumni community over the last six months. I’m impressed by how committed alumni are to the College, and how prominent a role Rosemont plays in the lives of so many. I am also heartened by the way in which the College’s mission and values continue to influence the choices that our alumni make, even long after graduation. It is clear to me that Rosemont alumni value the heritage and tradition of this great College.

I want each of you to know that I came to Rosemont – moving my family across the country mid-pandemic – because I believe in the College’s mission and I see tremendous possibility and promise at Rosemont. I am excited everyday to be in this role. And despite the challenges that COVID-19 has brought to our campus this past semester, I am confident that Rosemont College has a very successful future awaiting it.

In this issue of Rosemont Magazine, on page five, you’ll meet the members of the leadership team who will help me create success at Rosemont. There is no doubt that the College’s bright future will be made possible through the work of this new leadership team, as well as our dedicated trustees, talented faculty, and loyal administrators and staff. But equally important is your support of your alma mater.

As you get to know me as President, you will learn that I am a leader who will always be plain spoken; I won’t sugarcoat, and I won’t ignore realities. If you’ve read this far into my letter, you are someone who cares deeply about Rosemont College.

I ask you – in the spirit of Cornelia Connelly’s mandate of “Actions, not words.” – to transform your affection for Rosemont College into action. Recruit a student for one of our Graduate or Professional Studies programs. Tell a high school student to visit Rosemont. Offer an internship to one of our Undergraduate College students. Give a donation twice the size than you’ve given before. If you’ve never made a gift, make one today.

I am convinced that, together, we can create a bright future for Rosemont College, one that honors the College’s mission and ensures that in 2121 Rosemont will celebrate its Bicentennial Year. I am committed to it. Are you?

Peace to you,

Jayson Boyers, EdD President

Rosemont Alumni welcome President Boyers over Zoom

2020 InFALLthis issue...

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020-2021 CHAIR OF THE BOARD Maria A. Feeley, Esq. ’93

SECRETARY Rosemont Magazine | volume 17 | numAnn Donovan Marshall ’66 TREASURER Sean FitzPatrick OFFICERS OF THE COLLEGE 2020-2021 PRESIDENT Jayson Boyers, EdD PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS Mika Nash, EdD

3 | President During A Pandemic 5 | Rosemont Welcomes New Senior Staff To Leadership Team

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COLLEGE RELATIONS Christyn J. Moran ’94

11 | Nursing During A Pandemic

VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Marty Mehringer

13 | Rosemont Welcomes New Trustees

CHIEF OF STAFF AND VICE PRESIDENT OF DIVERSITY AND BELONGING Yoli Alovor, PhD

16 | Campus Ministry

VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION Margaret Doyle, SHCJ ROSEMONT MAGAZINE STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathleen Troy Smyser CO-EDITOR Kathleen DuBoff DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION Susan M. DiGironimo ’18 WRITERS Kathleen DuBoff Joe Darrah ’11 Christyn J. Moran ’94

17 | Brandon Jones ’19: From Kensington To Rosemont 20 | R osemontsters Reunite Through Real Estate 23 | Class Notes 25 | R osemont In Its Fall Splendor

CONTRIBUTORS Joanne Demetriou Helen Sciubba PHOTOGRAPHY Susan DiGironimo ’18 Jaci Downs Bryan Karl Lathrop PRINTING Published Electronically © 2020 Rosemont College Rosemont Magazine is published by the Office of College Relations for alumni, parents, and friends of the College.

Articles contained in Rosemont Magazine and the opinions expressed within them do not necessarily represent the official policies of Rosemont College. Letters to the editor or other communications regarding the contents of the magazine, including address changes, may be sent to: Rosemont College, Office of College Relations, 1400 Montgomery Avenue, Rosemont, PA 19010-1699 or emailed to: alum@rosemont.edu.

Fall

e:

This Issu

Meet t's Rosemon ip Leadersh Team

2020

On the Cover: Yes! We ARE Social Distancing!

The cover photo for this issue of Rosemont Magazine only looks like we are gathering together. We shot each person on the Leadership Team separately and combined them together in Photoshop.

President During a Pandemic What’s it like to start a new job as a college president during a pandemic? President Boyers reflects on his first six months in office, reopening the College, and plans for the future.

President Boyers does not shy away from talking about what excites him about Rosemont.

“What brought me here was the College’s mission,” he said. “I can see that the community really, truly cares for each other here. For me, this is all about creating an environment for our students to receive an exceptional education and build a foundation to live a meaningful life.”

Boyers took office on June 1 and hit the ground running. He announced Rosemont’s reopening plan – Rosemont 2020 – on June 3.

“Debuting Rosemont 2020 on my third day as the College’s new President is not something I ever imagined doing,” he said.

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The plan outlines how academic and administrative operations will proceed, and how testing protocols, quarantine capabilities, and enhanced campus cleaning procedures will be implemented following the coronavirus pandemic.

As part of Rosemont 2020, President Boyers announced that Rosemont would divide the Fall semester for its Undergraduate College into two seven-week terms - a plan known as Two Terms, One Focus, including the ability to offer in-person instruction.

“Two Terms, One Focus offers a unique opportunity for our students because they are able to concentrate on fewer courses at a time during two seven-week terms rather than one larger term. In addition, since faculty are teaching fewer courses at a time, they can continue to give the personal attention for which Rosemont is known to our students, regardless of whether we are on campus or online,” he said.

The divided semester was Rosemont’s response to a problem that all colleges in the country were facing: how to

ensure students receive a full semester of content, given the very real possibility of the pandemic disrupting any plans put in place. No solution is perfect, and Two Terms, One Focus has had some valuable benefits for students.

“There have been some hurdles to overcome and continue to work through, with respect to students’ preparedness to do accelerated work, faculty reframing of courses to meet that framework, and the overall logistics of individual student needs,” Boyers said. “That said, we made the best decision for where we are in this moment, in terms of the unknowns of the pandemic, and we continue to place students at the center of the decisions we are making about how we are evolving our approach, moving forward.”

Courses for the School of Graduate and Professional Studies have been offered fully online.

In addition, President Boyers established a partnership with Main Line Health to provide the Rosemont Community with healthcare guidance and medical expertise as part of the campus reopening process.

While managing plans to reopen the College, he also had to move halfway across the country. After leaving Cleary University in Michigan in May, he worked remotely from his home in Sarasota, Florida, and moved to the Philadelphia area in early July. He had to quarantine upon arriving in Pennsylvania due to Governor Wolf’s request for anyone arriving from a list of states with increased outbreaks, including Florida, to quarantine for 14 days.

“I didn’t move halfway across the country during a pandemic if I didn’t think Rosemont held great promises and possibilities for the future. It felt so good to finally get here.”

After moving to a new home in Wayne with his wife, Mandy, and their dogs, Boyers is now settling into his commute and routine at Rosemont.

“I have to be honest, I may never wrap my head around all the Gulph Roads in Lower Merion,” he said.

His days are busy. There are safety and COVID-19-related matters to attend to. On an average day, his schedule fills up quickly – meetings with faculty and students, conversations with donors via Zoom, conference calls with local business leaders, and more. He says he has met nearly 500 alumni of all decades via Zoom since June.

“I wish I could meet more people in person,” he said. “I’m looking forward to when it is safe to do so again. At the same time, it has been remarkable to take advantage of this technology to connect with alums and donors all over the country.”

The pandemic has not stopped him from building a sense of community, though. He has started a weekly email called Campus Connections that is sent to students, faculty, staff, family members, and alumni on Mondays; a blog called Presidential Ponderings to explore the issues of our time; and a podcast he cohosts with the Director of Alumni Relations to discuss education and academia, religion and faith, healthcare, and social issues.

To mark his 100 days in office, he hosted a series of conversations with students, faculty, staff, and alumni via Zoom called “100 Days – A Look Back and Our Way Forward.”

After brief discussions about Rosemont’s reopening plans during the session, he turned his attention to the future.

“We have to talk about COVID-19,” he said. “But I also want to look forward beyond the pandemic to where Rosemont is going.”

To help chart this path for the future, he is busy developing his leadership team.

In September, he announced the appointments of three new vice presidents: Yoli Alovor, PhD; Mika Nash, EdD; and Marty Mehringer. Dr. Alovor took office on October 1 as the College’s first Chief of Staff and Vice President of Diversity and Belonging.

He said that the decision to create the new position was informed by the conversations he had with students, faculty, staff, and alumni during his first 100 days in office, and was determined by his own analysis of what changes will drive success at the College.

“The College’s Board of Trustees elected me as President with the full knowledge and understanding I would build on the efforts of the College’s past Presidents and leadership, but that my work would include changing the ways in which Rosemont operates as an organization, investing in its talent and infrastructure, and enhancing its culture. The Board acknowledged in hiring me that enrollment growth and financial stability depend on these changes.”

Dr. Nash, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student

Affairs, and Mr. Mehringer, Vice President of Finance and Administration, also took office on October 1.

“I acknowledge that my decision to bring Mr. Mehringer and Dr. Nash to Rosemont without search processes may be viewed by some as unconventional, and that some of you may question my making this change in senior leadership so soon after my own appointment on June 1. In their selection of me as President, the Board of Trustees chose a leader with a fervent commitment to this institution’s values, and the willingness to take the action required to ensure that its mission will live on. The two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, quite the opposite is true. There is no doubt in my mind that there is promise and possibility at Rosemont College. But, to realize it, we need to be bold.”

In addition, President Boyers has named two new members to the Board of Trustees: Ian Mortimer and Megan Sullivan ’93.

He has also made campus facilities and enhancements a priority during his first few months.

“Curb appeal is important to me,” he said. “We all know Rosemont is a special place, but I also want to make our campus more inviting to our students, their guests, and prospective students and families.”

He secured a pro bono arrangement with MKC Architects of Ohio to conduct a campus Master Plan.

In between Zoom appointments, his favorite part of the day is when he can wander.

“I love to walk this beautiful campus,” he said. “I want to keep a pulse on what’s going on and be able to talk with our students, faculty, and staff – all masked up and safely from a distance, of course.

I look forward to all that is to come.”

What is Two Terms, One Focus?

In Two Terms, One Focus, the semester is divided into two seven-week terms. All courses are “hybrid,” which means they have an online component, including classes taught on campus.

This has allowed faculty to combine in-classroom instruction with the state-of-the-art online platform, Canvas, and ensure the best educational experience possible. Contact hour requirements are fulfilled through online delivery and assignments. The spring semester for the Undergraduate College will continue the Two Terms, One Focus format. However, in response to feedback from students and faculty members, select courses will be taught in a 14-week format for the spring semester.

“Faculty have been remarkable in stepping up to the plate and preparing themselves to serve our students,” said Mika Nash, EdD, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.

Courses in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies will continue to be delivered online for the spring semester.

Fall 2021 will return to a 14-week semester for undergraduate college students.

Campus Enhancements During President Boyers’ First Six Months ● Newly paved roads throughout campus ● Relocation of the Wellness Center from the Chapel to newly renovated space in Alumnae Hall

Every Monday, read President Boyers’ Campus Connections to keep up to date with Rosemont.

● New furniture in classrooms and residence halls ● Updated mechanical equipment in the Science Building ● Painting throughout campus buildings ● Installation of a temporary tent on Connelly Green to create an outdoor gathering place for our community

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 4

Rosemont Welcomes New Senior Staff to Leadership Team President Jayson Boyers announced the appointments of three new senior administrators, Yoli Alovor, PhD, Mika Nash, EdD, and Marty Mehringer, in September.

Earlier in the summer, Sr. Margaret Doyle assumed the role of Vice President for Mission upon Sr. Jeanne Marie Hatch’s retirement.

But not all senior staff members are new to Rosemont. Christyn Moran ’94, Vice President for College Relations, will soon celebrate her 20th year at Rosemont. Let’s get to know more about each member of the leadership team and what brought them to Rosemont.

Senior Staff: Jayson Boyers, EdD President Joined June 1 Yoli Alovor, PhD Chief of Staff and Vice President of Diversity and Belonging Joined October 1 Sr. Margaret Doyle, SHCJ Vice President for Mission Joined July 1 Marty Mehringer Vice President for Finance and Administration Joined October 1 Christyn Moran ’94 Vice President for College Relations Joined September 2001 Mika Nash, EdD Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Joined October 1

Yoli Alovor, PhD Chief of Staff and Vice President of Diversity and Belonging Dr. Alovor joins Rosemont in a new role for the College after serving as a Project Manager for Centene Corporation, a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise that has operated government-sponsored healthcare programs for more than 30 years. Prior to her role at Centene, Dr. Alovor led a large-scale multi-team research project in coordination with the Dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Business and the Washington University Brain Sciences Research team that studied behavioral concepts such as social belonging theory, proximal learning, concept-building, and multiple intelligence.

5 | RO S EM O N T C O L L EG E

Since 2013, she has served as a professor at the University of Missouri at Saint Louis teaching graduate level teacher education and social justice courses dealing with diversity and inclusion.

President Boyers pointed to the important role that Dr. Alovor will play in enhancing College-wide systems and the synergy between the College’s Board of Trustees and the campus community in her capacity as Chief of Staff. He said that the critical focus on diversity and inclusion that Dr. Alovor will bring to the College’s hiring practices to better mirror its student body in her capacity as Vice President for Diversity and Belonging.

Dr. Alovor earned her PhD in Educational Research in May of 2016 from the University of Missouri at Saint Louis.

Why Rosemont? What excites you most about the College?

First, I would like to say that I am honored to be a part of Rosemont’s mission and commitment to fostering an environment of academic excellence and community.

Rosemont’s tagline says it all - the POWER of small. Our mission speaks volumes about the College community’s belief in ensuring that we exemplify a culture of belonging through development, cognitive diversity, and advancement for social justice; all of which are key to a healthy sense of community. This excites me!

Rosemont’s fundamental principles are grounded in acceptance and committed to excellence. This background is an asset in today's diverse world and critical when attempting to help our students deal with systematic social problems. I was excited to learn about the diverse student body.

This diversity leads to a greater sense of mindfulness and develops empathetic thinkers. A more diverse and inclusive campus can help drive innovation and tackle challenges through the incorporation of a variety of perspectives.

Rosemont also exemplifies a commitment to teamwork. A collaborative environment is one to be celebrated. I relish in the opportunity to engage with our faculty, staff, and students.

You’ll be the College’s first Chief of Staff and its first Diversity Officer.

What are your thoughts about that?

I was raised to believe that education is fundamental to create equity in society.

During my early conversations with President Boyers, I was inspired by his position on the significance of investment in education. While there are always inherent challenges with being the first in any organization, I embrace the opportunity to serve as a leader at Rosemont. Moreover, I believe that despite our current societal challenges, Rosemont is in a unique position to generate valuable insights about its culture, attention to staff and student retention, and improvements to overcome barriers to success.

Relationship building will be key in my role. I look forward to working with other campus leaders to make very intentional, effective, and efficient decisions. As Vice President of Diversity and Belonging, I look forward to working across campus and with our larger communities to support the vision of President Boyers’ initiatives. My focus will be to create an environment that conveys a sense of belonging that includes everyone on campus. While there is an emergence of diversity offices in higher education, I am committed to making Rosemont’s diversity office more than symbolic.

person education. This will need to include a shift in how diversity is defined and perceived on campus. I hope to develop campus events and create systems that ensure that our faculty and staff have access to resources that support the importance of inclusive diversity.

Essential to creating an inclusive environment involves changing the way our community members think and act.

Achieving a sustainable diversity program requires a great deal of collaboration. I plan to help create a climate that views diversity and belonging as critical, everyday responsibilities for everyone.

Within three years, I would like to be able to say that Rosemont is committed to diversity and belonging. I want to help enhance existing campus policies to include diverse interview panels, establish employee resource programs, and include diversity and inclusion performance measures in every employee’s annual performance plan. In three years, I want Rosemont to attract, engage, and retain a highly talented, diverse workforce because we have an inclusive environment.

What book are you currently reading?

I am reading Waking Up White and Finding Myself in The Story of Race by Debby Irving. This book was recommended to me by one of my neighbors the second week I arrived in Philly.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and being outdoors in all seasons.I look forward to going to the gym when it is open.

What is your favorite hobby?

Some of my favorites are traveling, going to live theater, arts, live music, being an “unofficial” ethnographer, reading, and thrifting when it’s safe again.

What excites you about moving to the Philly region?

I am excited about learning and growing with my Rosemont community, exploring all the history and culture, joining the rowing community, and gaining an “East Coast” dialect to wow my midwestern friends.

Mika Nash, EdD Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Rosemont’s new Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs is an experienced and innovative academic leader. Mika Nash, EdD most recently served as Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at American International College. In that role, she was responsible for the operation, maintenance, and growth of the academic affairs side of a 3,000-student minority serving institution offering Associate, Baccalaureate, Master’s, and Doctoral level degrees, with almost 60% Pell eligible, first generation students, and a deep commitment to social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A year from now, what do you want to say you’ve accomplished at Rosemont?

What about three years from now?

At the end of my first year, I want to be able to say that I created measurable results, not just symbolic gestures. I plan to implement effective diversity trainings and programs. My goal is to implement thought-leadership that embraces whole

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 6

Prior to her role at American International College, Dr. Nash served Champlain College as Dean of Continuing Professional Studies at Champlain College for nearly six years and Associate Dean of the same division for five years. From 2001 to 2007, she held various roles of increasing responsibility at the New England Culinary Institute culminating in the position of Dean of the School of Hospitality and Restaurant Management. Her early career included roles as the Researcher and Lead Writer in the President’s Office and Research Assistant for the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate, both at the University of Vermont.

Dr. Nash earned her Doctor of Education degree in Higher Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, as well as both her Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Vermont.

Dr. Nash also holds a Post Baccalaureate 7-12 English certification.

Why Rosemont? What excites you most about the College?

I’ve spent my professional life focused on creating access for, and serving, under-represented populations through ensuring that each student feels visible and that they matter throughout their academic journey. In Rosemont, I see an institution that seeks to live its mission through recognition of the inherent dignity of all members of the College community - which is critical if students are going to feel seen.

I am also struck by the wisdom of Rosemont’s third value, which is the acknowledgement that promoting compassionate justice takes both persistence and courage. Seeing each student’s individual humanity does not result in easy answers, but it is essential if we are going to meet students where they are and support them in getting where they want to go.

At the heart of what I see as I learn more about Rosemont is a campus rooted in a deep-seated love of learning, a curiosity about the other, about the big ideas, but about the smaller ones, too, and a desire to bring one’s best self to the learning community, thus elevating the academic experience in ways that can change the world. I like that this is happening in such an intimate space - residing in the POWER of small. I’m excited about the possibilities that can be created when students are not lost or confused with their ID numbers.

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A year from now, what do you want to say you’ve accomplished at Rosemont?

What about three years from now?

What are some of my hopes and dreams for the near future of this wonderful institution? A year from now, I’d like to be an integral part of this vibrant campus, continuing to work toward Rosemont’s stated goals. I expect to see myriad co-curricular living and learning opportunities to engage in themes that elevate each student’s individual college experience, while offering space for each faculty and staff member to feel revitalized spiritually and intellectually. I’d like to see a more robust focus on revenue generation to subsidize and support the traditional, residential campus. These revenue streams would ground themselves in corporate partnerships, a broader online, low residency, and hybrid degree, certificate, and non-credit portfolio, and new initiatives to support debt reduction, adult degree

completion, as well as increased retention, persistence, and graduation. There is so much potential at Rosemont, and it is clear there is tremendous heart for the work, for the students, for this lovely campus. I want to serve this community in feeling we are meeting that potential in all ways.

What book are you currently reading?

On Being, by Carl Rogers.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

With my family.

What is your favorite hobby?

I enjoy connecting with people through meaningful dialogue.

What excites you about moving to the Philly region?

So much to do, across such a wide variety of options - culture, arts, great food, outdoor activities . . . this area has it all.

Marty Mehringer Vice President for Finance and Administration The College’s new Vice President for Finance and Administration, Marty Mehringer, joins Rosemont College after four years as the Director of Financial Aid and Compliance for Salem University and Schiller International University. Prior to that position, Mr. Mehringer served for 11 years at Harrison College, first as the Associate Director of Student Financial Services, then the Director of Student Financial Services, and later as the Vice President of Student Financial Services.

Mr. Mehringer intends to help lead enrollment growth and increase retention at Rosemont by enhancing its physical plant, improving its campus services, and bolstering its financial standing. As a result, Mr. Mehringer confidently predicts 10% growth in the College’s graduation rate in the next three years.

Mr. Mehringer earned his MBA from Indiana Institute of Technology, his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Northwood University in Michigan, and his Associate’s Degree in Business Management from Indiana Business College.

Why Rosemont? What excites you most about the College?

I look forward to being able to serve at Rosemont in the role of Vice President of Finance and Administration as it will allow me to grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. I have dedicated my entire career to higher education. I believe in being able to assist others to not only achieve their educational goals, but to live meaningful lives. I truly believe that education is the foundation to be able to make that happen. I also believe in the POWER of small. Too often at large universities students are simply treated as a number instead of as a unique, individual student. Rosemont does not allow that to happen. Rosemont cares about each and every student and is invested in the suc-

Sr. Doyle has served as a member of the Leadership Team of the American Province of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. She has served on the Boards of Trustees of several of the Society’s schools and other ministries, including Casa Cornelia Law Center, San Diego, California; Providence Center, Philadelphia; and the Africa Faith and Justice Network, Washington, DC. She was a founding Board Member of two collaborative ministries of the Society: Cristo Rey New York High School and Henriette De Lille Middle School, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Sr. Doyle also chaired the Board of South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project, a collaborative ministry with seven other congregations of women religious.

Sr. Doyle holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Education in Administration from Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois. She did graduate coursework in Theology at the Regina Mundi Institute, Rome, Italy and the Franciscan School of Theology, Berkeley, California and recently participated in the Ignatian Immersion Program in Manresa, Spain.

cess of the student body. I look forward to being able to contribute to that and the overall mission of Rosemont.

A year from now, what do you want to say you’ve accomplished at Rosemont?

What about three years from now?

A year from now, I would like to say that I have helped allow additional students to experience the exceptional education and value that Rosemont has to offer. That would be a significant accomplishment for me both personally and professionally. Three years from now, I would like to have helped lead enrollment growth and increase retention by enhancing our physical plant, improving our campus services, and bolstering our financial standing.

As a result, I believe we can increase our graduation rate by 10% in three years.

What book are you currently reading?

Ambush by James Patterson for pleasure and Building a Magnetic Culture by Kevin Sheridan for personal/professional development.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

Outside enjoying the beautiful weather with my family.

What is your favorite hobby?

I enjoy playing golf.

What excites you about moving to the Philly region?

Since I am technically only living in Philadelphia part-time, the beautiful area of the country along with the rich history of the city.

Margaret (Peg) Doyle, SHCJ Vice President for Mission Margaret Doyle, SHCJ assumed the role of Vice President for Mission on July 1, following the retirement of Jeanne Marie Hatch, SHCJ. Sr. Doyle has a long history of teaching and administrative roles in many Holy Child and other schools, including an 11-year ministry as the Principal of the Connelly School of the Holy Child in Potomac, Maryland. In addition, Sr. Doyle was a member of the College’s Board of Trustees, a position from which she stepped down on June 30.

Why Rosemont? What excites you about Rosemont?

Rosemont College has been part of my life since I visited on a college tour weekend during my senior year of high school.

Many of my undergraduate courses were taught by Rosemont faculty, and I lived on campus during summer school at Villanova. The College is a treasured ministry of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus.

For many years Rosemont hosted renewal programs and retreats following Vatican ROSE MONT M AGA Z I N E | 8

II, and many of our Society celebrations were held in the chapel and dining hall. I was serving on the Board of Trustees when former President Hirsh asked me to consider following in the steps of Sr. Jeanne Marie Hatch. So, I was glad to accept.

What excites me? The unexpected opportunity I have to join in creating Rosemont’s unique environment. It is one in which each person is appreciated for the unique creation he or she is and where each one is looked upon with reverence. I remember reading the U.S. Bishops’ Letter on Education almost fifty years ago in which they quoted these words of Chardin, “The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.”

That is what Rosemont aspires to do, and I am very glad to be part of this vital mission in this unprecedented time.

A year from now, what do you want to say you’ve accomplished at Rosemont?

What about three years from now?

There are three of us working in the Office for Mission and Ministry, and we talk often about our hopes for Campus Ministry. Through a variety of programs, we support the efforts of everyone on campus in living the College’s mission.

We also want these programs to help each one be even more aware of themselves as a unique image of God. By the end of this year, we hope everyone on campus will know what is going how to find these happenings and the members of our team.

During the next three years we want to make progress in having more student leadership, more student initiatives and more adults involved in planning activities for faculty, staff, and alumni. We want to expand our music ministry, and we want to develop a richer connection between Campus Ministry and the sites such as St. Francis Inn where we work currently and with the Holy Child ministries and schools. We also want these programs to help each one be even more aware of themselves as a unique image of God. By the end of this year, we hope everyone on campus will know what is going on and how to find these happenings and the members of our team.

During the next three years we want to make progress in having more student leadership, more student initiatives and more adults involved in planning activities for faculty, staff, and alumni. We want to

Christyn J. Moran ’94 Vice President for College Relations

As Vice President for College Relations, Ms. Moran oversees the College’s fundraising efforts, alumni relations, special events, non-credit programs, and communications with all constituents. In her nearly 20 years of working for Rosemont as a member of Senior Staff, Ms. Moran has played a key role in the College’s decision to become coeducational in the Undergraduate College, the growth of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, the development of the College’s tagline, the POWER of small, the expansion of alumni programming, and the raising of over $60 million for the College.

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Christyn Moran ’94 has served as the College’s Vice President for College Relations since 2002. Hired by the late President Ann Amore in 2001 as a Special Assistant to the President following two terms as President of the Alumni Association, Ms. Moran left a successful career in healthcare marketing to serve her alma mater, and she’s never looked back. As an alumna and the daughter of an alumna (her mother is Dorothy Kubiak Moran ’65), Ms. Moran has a great appreciation for the traditions of Rosemont and the College’s mission and Holy Child heritage.

expand our music ministry, and we want to develop a richer connection between Campus Ministry and the sites such as St. Francis Inn where we work currently and with the Holy Child ministries and schools.

What book are you currently reading?

Native by Kaitlin Curtice, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, and, for escape, Michael Connelly’s The Late Show.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

Reading a historical novel, singing on Zoom with the choir of Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish, walking my neighbor’s dog, and connecting by Zoom with friends and family and Boards of Trustees of several Holy Child ministries.

What is your favorite hobby?

Walking and listening to music.

What excites you about moving to the Philly region?

Its rich history. I enjoy taking the train and walking around the historic area. I live close enough to the city to be able to help out at Providence Center, a Holy Child ministry in North Philadelphia.

As Vice President for College Relations, Christyn oversees the College’s fundraising efforts, alumni relations, special events, non-credit programs, and communications with all constituents. In her nearly 20 years of working for Rosemont as a member of Senior Staff, Christyn has played a key role in the College’s decision to become co-educational in the Undergraduate College, the growth of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, the development of the College’s tagline, the POWER of small, the expansion of alumni programming, and the raising of over $60 million for the College.

Why Rosemont? What excites you most about the College?

It is such a gift to be able to see Cornelia Connelly’s emphasis on the uniqueness of the individual lived out at Rosemont in 2020. For me, this is how Rosemont’s past connects to its present and will connect to its future. I love that the experience of becoming my best self at Rosemont in the early 1990s, and that my mom had before me in the early 1960s, is exactly what is happening today for our students. That is very exciting – and important – to me.

A year from now, what do you want to say you’ve accomplished at Rosemont?

What about three years from now?

A year from now, the Fall of 2021, we will have just launched the College’s year-long Centennial Celebration. I want that year-long initiative to inspire hope for the College’s next 100 years, and to fill everyone who is touched by Rosemont with tremendous pride for this wonderful institution.

Three years from now, I would love to say that I, and those with whom I work in College Relations, have increased the participation in the life of the College by our graduates of the Undergraduate College from the 1980s and 1990s. As is the case at many colleges across the country, those alumnae don’t take part in Rosemont’s programs and events or donate to the College as faithfully and regularly as the alumnae who came before them. There is a documented generational difference in the way they view their relationship with their

alma mater. As one of them myself, I know that our alumnae from the 1980s and 1990s have great affinity for Rosemont. I want to work to turn that love for the College into active engagement with Rosemont.

League of Philadelphia, and having Friday night wine and cheese at home (never actually dinner!) with my husband Michael Muscarella – it’s our long-standing tradition.

What book are you currently reading?

I always read more than one book at a time. What I pick up on any given day depends on my mood. Thank goodness for my Kindle. Right now, it is The Nickle Boys

by Colon Whitehead (with my Rosemont Alumni Book Club), A Small Treatise on the Great Virtues: The Uses of Philosophy in Everday Life by Andre Comte-Sponville (a recommendation from a dear friend), The Beneficiary by Janny Scott (because it is about the Main Line), and Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner (just because).

What is your favorite hobby?

I don’t know that I think of it as a hobby, but I love to cook for other people, host events and holidays, and entertain at my home. COVID-19 has really put a damper on that!

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

Spending time with my family, practicing yoga, walking in my neighborhood, serving on two Committees for the Union

What excites you about the Philadelphia area/region?

I was born and raised in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, so Philadelphia has always been a part of my life.

The years that I lived in Center City in my 30s were among my happiest. I loved – and still love – how it is a sophisticated city that has the warmth of a small town. .

Rosemont Votes Rosemont’s new Global & Civic Engagement Committee (GCEC) held several events during Civic Engagement Week from October 12-16.

Civic Engagement Week at Rosemont kicked off with a voter registration drive.

More than 45 students from across campus including members of the Student Government Association, men’s and women’s basketball teams, and softball team helped register students to vote and talked to them about creating a voting plan.

The committee also hosted a virtual Lunch and Learn session on October 16.

“We had a great turnout for the Lunch & Learn, with President Boyers joining in as well,” said Burns. “We talked about some of the topics that would have been addressed during the debate, racial injustices affecting our nation and how they affect our students.”

The Global & Civic Engagement Committee(GCEC), formerly known as the Civility Week Committee, works to instill,

educate, and inspire the students, faculty, and staff to create positive change in the Rosemont and surrounding communities.

The GCEC also supports diversity & inclusion and community spirit on campus.

The primary focus of the GCEC is to facilitate the Annual Global & Civic Engagement week in October and provide supplemental programming, workshops and resources throughout the academic year.

According to committee member Holly Polanki ’21, “It’s really important for young people to get involved and be knowledgeable; to effect the changes that will impact them in the future. By voting, they are impacting their own fate.”

Lovest Diomande ’21, another committee member, added, “Vote for those who couldn’t. Voting is so important because so many do not have a voice.”

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 10

By Katie DuBoff and Joe Darrah ’11

Faith Aquino ’00 and Katie Dailey ’01 have experienced the highs and lows during the COVID-19 crisis.

As ironic as it may seem for a registered nurse who works in a cardiothoracic ICU, Faith Aquino ’00 does not consider herself to be an alarmist.

Still, when she came into contact with the first coronavirus (COVID-19) patient to be admitted to Lankenau Hospital, Wynnewood, PA, this past spring, she was worried that it could be the start of what would become an overwhelmed healthcare system in the neighborhood and the surrounding area. The township of Lower Merion had already become known as an early “hotspot” for the virus, and as reports about a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) sprouted across the country, Aquino was becoming increasingly concerned about all of the unknowns that COVID-19 presents to patients and providers alike.

“The most important thing that we like to focus on is to be a calming presence for our patients,” said Aquino, who has been on staff at Lankenau since 2007. “We all wondered if we would have the proper PPEs and enough of them, ventilators, and other machines. And we wondered if we would need to prioritize who gets what.” Thankfully, nearly six months later, Aquino can say that her hospital has not experienced an overwhelming amount of virus spread or an underwhelming availability of PPE —mainly because of preparedness on the part of the hospital, its administration, and its staff.

“I knew we were going to see COVID-positive patients, but the hospital had already devised a plan to have enough PPE that was rationed and under lock and key to be distributed to all units when they needed it. We have always had the equipment — the masks, the gloves, the face shields — available to protect ourselves and our patients. So it has always felt like things were pretty well controlled during the pandemic.”

In nearby Philadelphia, at the University of Pennsylvania’s Common Center For Advanced Medicine, Katie Dailey ’01, a registered nurse in the operating room, is pleased to relate a similar scenario.

11 | ROS EM O N T C O L L E GE

Katie Dailey ’01

Faith Aquino ’00

Although the threat of the virus brings with it an anxiety that doesn’t totally fade, she has settled into working in an environment that prepared for a mass influx of patients while putting protocols into place that would help to avoid that reality from actually playing out. As part of those procedures, Dailey and her peers from the OR found themselves assisting staff members in higher trafficked departments at the height of the pandemic when elective surgeries were being postponed and resources were needed in other hospital areas. Today, Dailey and Aquino see themselves as more seasoned nurses with added perspectives that they can bring to patients and colleagues. They both recently shared their experiences with Rosemont Magazine and expressed their thoughts about where COVID-19 and healthcare in general may go from here.

Those Initial COVID Days

That first COVID patient admitted onto Aquino’s unit was experiencing the “typical” virus complications — fever, cough, difficulty breathing — and was not seeing progress despite being on a ventilator at another hospital, and would require a bit of a radical procedure in an attempt to regain her health. In the cardio ICU, patients can be offered extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that is similar to a heart-lung bypass device that is used during openheart surgery that pumps and oxygenates blood outside the body while allowing the heart and lungs to rest. As the healthcare community has continued to learn how to attempt treating COVID patients, ECMO has emerged as a viable option,

especially as evidence continues to show that the virus compromises, among other body organs, the heart.

“Our unit has the only ECMO-certified nurses throughout the Main Line Health System, so we had beds designated, and we received all of our other hospitals’ transfer patients,” Aquino said. “These patients’ lungs are unable to oxygenate or ventilate properly, so the machine does it for them.”

Though the procedure has proven successful, having COVID patients in close proximity, in particular, to a cardio-compromised population is a great risk. And so patients would be isolated as best as possible, which represents one of the toughest aspects of the pandemic, said Aquino and Dailey.

“These patients can’t have any friends or family in the hospital with them, even when they’re awake,” said Dailey. “And that’s very foreign. So these patients really need you to show them that you care because they don’t have their loved ones around them. The most important thing that we’ve been able to do for these patients is to be nurturing to show that we care about them.”

Dailey, who is now back to being predominately staffed in the outpatient Common Center’s OR, spent several months being asked to lend her services in a variety of ways to help keep spaces available and sanitized for COVID patients. From checking temperatures of those entering the hospital to organizing donations that flowed in from the community, Dailey and others often did not know what each day onsite would be like.

Like Aquino, she said she never felt a sense of panic, primarily because her

background exposes her to the risk of contracting diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C that also require stringent infection control practices. Receiving education on best practices and seeing her nurse peers rally around one another also provides a comforting sense of confidence during this time, Dailey said. “When everything started to unfold, we were instructed to receive as much online training as possible to learn about what we could do in the ICU,” she said. The goal was to train us all to know the basics of the ICU so that we could be helpful. Fortunately, our ICUs never reached maximum capacity and our ICU nurses were never understaffed.”

Taking Next Steps

As numbers trended downward and various restrictions have been eased, including the opportunity to have elective surgeries, Dailey returned to her regular nursing role in the OR. However, the general cautious nature continues.

“We are as careful as we can be under the circumstances,” Dailey said. “So far, our efforts are working. Our hospital requires a COVID test for every incoming patient to protect us, but there is no guarantee that a patient is COVID-negative.

While the prospect of a vaccine provides hope for the end to the pandemic and a relief of tension, there is not expected to be a quick turnaround. “As we reopen businesses, schools, and restaurants this fall – which I think can be done, albeit slowly – we must continue to take precautions to keep our infection rates at a minimum,” Aquino said. “One thing we know for certain is that the effects of this virus on the body can be devastating and irreversible. We have seen new symptoms emerge over the last few months, and we have to assume anyone has it, given the possibility of asymptomatic carriers. It is better to err on the safe side until we get testing down and collect more data.”

Both Aquino and Dailey agree that face coverings and social distancing are the new normal for the foreseeable future.

“Everyone should get used to wearing masks, keeping social distance, and remembering to wash hands frequently,” Dailey said. “We cannot let our guard down even when positivity rates are low.”

Aquino and Dailey shared their stories with Rosemont Magazine in the late summer, before positivity rates began to

1921 - 2021 Centennial Planning Kicks Off Planning for Rosemont’s 100th year is underway! The first full meeting of the Centennial Committee was held via Zoom on September 29 for members to brainstorm how to celebrate this milestone year.

The Centennial Committee is comprised of nearly 60 members of the College community. The group is led by chairpersons Pat Ciarrocchi ’74, former Rosemont Trustee and Cresset Award recipient and Dianne Rotwitt ’98, Rosemont benefactor and former employee of the College. The committee includes alumni from 1952 to 2018, Rosemont’s former Presidents, members of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus, former Trustees, current Trustees, faculty/academic program directors, staff, students, and friends of the College.

Three subcommittees have been formed for each of the main components of the Centennial Celebration: Social/Celebration, Education, Service/Spiritual. The subcommittees will continue to meet regularly this fall to begin planning for the Centennial.

The remaining full Committee meetings will take place on Jan 27, 2021 & April 22, 2021 to finalize plans from each subcommittee and work toward the Centennial Year to be held September 2021 – June 2022.

Incorporated in 1921, the College received its charter in 1922. The same year, the College’s first Mission Statement was introduced. Through the decades, the College has grown from an undergraduate school for women to a coed institution. Adult, graduate, and online programs as well as athletics and numerous student clubs have been added. Read more about Rosemont’s history here

Penny Toss Pandemic Style With all the changes that 2020 has brought, one thing will always remain: Rosemont Traditions.

One of Rosemont’s oldest and cherished traditions is the Penny Toss. The tradition is meant to bestow good luck upon the students during their examinations. Traditionally, during fall semester finals week, following a special Advent Mass, the College president and the SGA president toss pennies towards carol-singing students on the porch of the Main Building. This recalls the Sisters’ Christmastime tradition at the first Holy Child school in England in the mid 1800s.

This year, with final exams held virtually because of the pandemic, students will not be on campus. To maintain the Penny Toss tradition, Rosemont will include a 2020 penny in Christmas greetings sent to the students of the Undergraduate College.

curve back upward.

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 12

Rosemont Welcomes New Trustees

Megan Murphy Sullivan ʼ93 Megan Murphy Sullivan ’93 is a student-focused educator who has spent her career devoted to school counseling and academic development. She currently serves as the Assistant Principal of Academic Affairs at Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford, PA. Prior to Pope John Paul II High School, she served for more than five years at Valley Forge Military Academy, most recently as the Dean of Academics.

“Rosemont College played a significant role into shaping me both personally and professionally,” said Sullivan. “I am deeply committed to the ideals of Catholic education and am thrilled to be able to serve Rosemont as a member of the Board of Trustees. I look forward to engaging in the community through the lens of a secondary level Catholic educator to help nurture and guide Rosemont’s success into the future in a meaningful way.”

Mrs. Sullivan also held the position of Academic Counselor at the Connelly Foundation to recipients of Josephine C. Connelly Achievement awards at select schools within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as well as Director of Guidance for St. Pius X High School.

An active and engaged Rosemont alumna, she was involved in planning the 2003 and 2018 reunions.

Mrs. Sullivan received her MS in counseling and human relations, with a concentration in secondary school counseling from Villanova University and her BA in psychology and a minor in business from Rosemont.

13 | RO S EM O N T C O L L EGE

Ian Mortimer Ian Mortimer brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education to Rosemont’s Board of Trustees. As Vice President for Enrollment Management at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), he is responsible for all undergraduate and graduate enrollments, net tuition revenue, and quality metrics.

“Although I work at a much larger national university, being connected and assisting Rosemont will keep me connected to my roots of small private college work,” said Mortimer. “I view Rosemont as a house with great bones and I look forward to supporting President Boyers and the Board in getting Rosemont to a great next phase.”

Prior to RIT, he served as Vice President for Enrollment and Student Experience at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY from 2013-2017 and as Vice President for Enrollment Management at Champlain College in Burlington, VT from 2011-2013. At both Nazareth and Champlain, his teams increased enrollment and lowered the acceptance rate to improve student selectivity and class quality at those institutions.

A seasoned communicator, he has spent

much of his career as a strategic advisor to senior leaders in higher education on matters of recruitment, enrollment, financial aid, operations, and marketing.

Mr. Mortimer has also had experience inside the classroom as an adjunct faculty member at Nazareth, St. Bonaventure University, and RIT. He has served on a number of advisory boards and committees including as a member of the Admissions and Enrollment Services Group for The College Board and chair of the Enrollment Management Committee of The Harley School in Rochester, NY. In addition, he has spoken at conferences and symposiums around the globe on a myriad of topics — from using digital communications effectively for recruitment to leveraging big data for improvements in educational outcomes, and more.

Mr. Mortimer is currently pursuing his DBA from Drexel University, LeBow College of Business with an expected completion in February 2022. He earned his MBA from RIT’s Saunders College of Business.

He also holds an MSEd in Counseling Psychology and bachelor’s degree in English from St. Bonaventure University.

Baseball and Women's Track for the 2021-2022 Academic Year In an effort to meet the current interests of our student population, Rosemont College Athletics announces the following changes to our NCAA Division III sport sponsorship.

Women's Track and Men's Baseball will be added for the 2021-22 academic year. The search for head coaches will begin immediately.

“These sports will be terrific additions to the athletic department at Rosemont. Both sports will enable us to provide additional competition opportunities for our current and future students,” said Joe Pavlow, Director of Athletics at Rosemont College, upon making the announcement.

“In addition to recruiting coaching staff, we are actively working to find off campus facilities that will enable our teams to prepare and compete in the CSAC and the Mid-Atlantic Region, as we do not have a baseball field or track on campus. We expect these teams to hit the ground running next year and to successfully perform in the classroom and on the field,” said Pavlow.

Along with these additions, the Women's Lacrosse team will suspend operations for the 2020-21 academic year due to a lack of student-athlete interest. Further analysis into the viability of Women's Lacrosse will be completed in the spring of 2021.

We invite you to join with the entire Rosemont College community for a livestream of the Mass 5:00 pm on Thursday, December 24, 2020 via www.rosemont.edu/christmas Reverend Richard Mallory, SJ will preside.

Due to the limitations of social distancing in the Chapel, we are unable to invite the community to attend in person for our traditional Christmas Eve Mass.

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 14

Rosemont Partners with Main Line Health President Jayson Boyers announced a new partnership with Main Line Health in a letter to the Rosemont community on July 21. The agreement provided the Rosemont community with essential healthcare guidance and medical expertise as the Taskforce for Reopening finalized the plan to reopen the College, and has continued to support campus health and safety protocols throughout the fall semester.

“I am confident that the medical guidance provided through our partnership with Main Line Health has ensured that Rosemont has implemented the most up-to-date procedures and protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus this fall,” said President Boyers.

The partnership with Main Line Health includes the following: • Community Education.

• Review of Rosemont 2020, including policies and procedures for cleaning, food service delivery, social distancing in classrooms and shared spaces, and self-isolation/quarantine capabilities.

• On-campus COVID-19 testing for students, faculty, and staff.

• On-campus assistance in the event of an outbreak of COVID-19.

• Contact tracing assistance.

Founded in 1985, Main Line Health

is a not-for-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. At its core are four of the region’s most respected acute care hospitals—Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital, and Riddle Hospital—as well as one of the nation’s premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital. A team of more than 10,000 employees and 2,000 physicians care for patients throughout Main Line Health’s network.

Three of Main Line Health’s acute care hospitals — Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, and Riddle Hospital — have consistently been recognized

by U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Hospital” rankings as among the top 15 in the Philadelphia region. In addition to the regional ranking, Lankenau Medical Center was listed in 2019 as among the 10 best hospitals in the state of Pennsylvania.

In addition, the American Nurses Credential Center (ANCC) has awarded Main Line Health System Magnet® designation, the nation's highest award for recognizing excellence in nursing care, which has been awarded to only seven percent of hospitals and 22 health systems in the nation.

Wellness Center Update Over the summer, the lower level of Alumnae Hall was renovated and converted into the new wellness space. The new Wellness Center opened in September.

Helen “Hennie” Cline, RN MS retired from her position of Director of the Wellness Center on October 30.

“I know I speak for everyone at Rosemont in thanking Hennie for all of her efforts in keeping our students healthy, especially her work during these last few months of the pandemic, and in wishing her well in her retirement,” said President Boyers.

Rosemont is expanding its partnership with Main Line Health to include staffing of the Wellness Center. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am to 1 pm a nurse from Main Line Health will be on-site. On Tuesday and Thursday, a nurse will be on-site from 8 am to 4 pm. After hours needs will be directed to a Main Line Health facility.

“I am excited to have Main Line Health’s services offered in our Wellness Center, and look forward to the medical support and expertise that they will bring to our campus community,” said President Boyers.

The POWER of small Podcast brings the Rosemont College community closer to those individuals who impact the College every day and discusses important topics that alumni, students, faculty, and friends of the College will find intriguing. Hosted by President Jayson Boyers and Director of Alumni Relations Joe Darrah, conversation topics include education and academia, religion and faith, healthcare, and social issues. New episodes can be expected every two weeks during the academic year.

Episodes include: The Value of Listening & Engagement with Mika Nash Choosing Colleges, Careers & Candy with Christyn Moran ’94 The Write Stuff with Erin Entrada Kelly ’16 Of Presidents Present & Future with Linda Romanowski ’75, and Karen Santillo Fiorillo ’84 Today’s Virtually Busy Students with Madden Levin ’22 Diversity, Inclusion, & Social Discussion with Yoli Alovor, PhD Mental Health During The COVID Pandemic with Patrick Rowley, EdD The Intersection of Academics and Athletics with Christine Hagedorn, MBA DM

Listen, Download, and Subscribe at Rosemont.edu/podcast iHeart Radio | Amazon Music | Spotify | Spreaker

15 | RO S EM O N T C O L L EGE

Sr. Jeanne Marie Hatch Retires After 16 Years After 16 years at Rosemont, Sr. Jeanne Marie Hatch, Vice President for Mission, retired at the end of June. More than 100 members of the Rosemont community, including former Campus Ministry colleagues, students, faculty, alumni, and many Sisters (some Zooming in from Africa), joined together to share their favorite “Sr. Jeanne Story,” words of appreciation, and best wishes for her retirement.

“It was a joy to minister with a dedicated administration, staff, and faculty to meet the needs of the age at Rosemont,” said Sr. Jeanne Hatch. “Together we brought forth the powerful mission of the College for all to experience through actions as well as words. These relationships with the College Community, as well as those with our students, are treasures I will take with me.”

Ministering During a Pandemic

Virtual Social Justice Forum On June 4, members of the Rosemont community gathered virtually for a forum on social justice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and nationwide protests.

Organized by Campus Ministry, more than 80 Rosemont students, faculty, staff, and alumni joined the Zoom session.

“I think the Zoom call was one of the first steps to truly understand the impact of race and racism on a larger scale at Rosemont,” said Abigail Brooks, ’22.

Gina Ingiosi, Director of Campus Ministry, and Tim Poole, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, shared welcoming comments and reflections, followed by small group discussions in Zoom breakout rooms to discuss how individuals are processing the events and what our community can do to combat racism.

“I honestly have never been prouder to be a part of Rosemont’s community,” said Gabe Rizzo ‘21. “I was not only impressed with the number of people on the call, but I was also impressed with the thought and effort that was put into all the participants’ comments and responses.”

The forum — scheduled for one hour — stretched into two hours as participants took the floor to speak.

“The two-hour forum addressing the killing of George Floyd and the issue of systemic racism gave voice to the

voiceless,” said Brittney Nix-Crawford, Assistant Professor of Communications and Discipline Chair of Communications.

“As a black woman in America, the forum gave me a safe space to exhaust my personal feelings without judgment. It became an open door to lay down the grief, pain, and frustration on our community floor. Students, faculty, and alumni were heard, accepted, comforted as we confronted the issue of racism in America.”

During a time when members of the campus community are apart due to the pandemic, the forum provided a supportive environment to bring Rosemont’s many audiences together.

“It's been my personal experience that my students have as much (if not more) to teach me as I have to teach them,” said Roseann Corey, Assistant Professor of UC Writing.

“I cannot express how much I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of conversations like this, and to be able to develop a crucial connection with all of my students and colleagues.”

Rosemont and Campus Ministry will continue to keep the dialogue open and lay out next steps.

“I think it is important that we do not just stop at conversations, but we have actions that back it up as well,” said Brooks.

Like so many organizations at Rosemont and beyond, Campus Ministry leadership has adapted how it reaches students.

“Our priority is that we want our students to know we are always here for them and we are still a community, even though we have adapted how we can interact during the pandemic,” said Gina Ingiosi, Director of Campus Ministry. “We also still have prayer via Zoom every morning at 11 am using the Virtual Office link, Rosegrow (the student and faculty sustainability club) every Tuesday, and Scripture and Song on the Sundays between Mass.”

Sr. Peg Doyle, Gina Ingiosi, and Tim Poole, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, have organized dozens of events since the start of the semester, including celebrating Heritage Week with Mass, a mission panel and retreat in October. As Halloween approached, they coordinated card making and treat bag collecting and filling for the Providence Center, a ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus offering educational programming in the Fairhill section of Philadelphia.

While many prayer groups and Bible studies have moved to a virtual format on Zoom, other gatherings such as Mass have had dual components of socially distant in-person interactions with a live stream on Facebook. Read More

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 16

Brandon Jones ’19: From Kensington to Rosemont

By Katie DuBoff

Rosemont was cited as a Top Performing College for Social Mobility by US News and World Report in September. Ranked #15, Rosemont is the only college in the Philadelphia region in the Top 25 for Top Performers on Social Mobility - Regional Universities North.

According to the report, "Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for other characteristics. But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants." We are proud to share the stories of students who have experienced advancements in social mobility by attending Rosemont.

17 | RO S EM O N T C O L L EGE

Brandon Jones ’19 remembers his first visit to Rosemont as if it were yesterday.

“I remember being so exhausted because I worked really late the night before and didn’t get much sleep,” he said. “But I was also really excited to get a tour and see the campus for the first time. I remember how the campus drew me in right away.

Seeing Main Building on top of the hill for the first time still sticks with me.”

Just the experience of traveling to Rosemont was new to Jones, who grew up in Kensington.

“I remember getting on the train and making sure I was going to the right place,” he said. “I kept checking the folder I had on my lap to be sure I had everything I needed for the visit and meeting with admissions. Even though I didn’t grow up that far away, it felt so different than anything I’ve experienced growing up in Philly and not traveling much. Kensington is a rough neighborhood. Coming to Rosemont was like a different world.”

The prospect of college was also an evolution for Jones. After he graduated from high school, he began working in the fast-food industry and took classes at the Community College of Philadelphia.

He didn’t see himself as college material.

“I was someone who didn’t consider college at one point, and after almost two years of working dead end jobs, I still didn’t know what I wanted from life,” he said. “At the time, I just stopped attending CCP because it wasn’t the right fit. Some classes were too large, and school felt like another part of my day, since I was working full time and trying to fit in time for school.”

The year was 2016, and just one year prior, Rosemont had announced a bold 43% annual tuition reduction from $32,600 to $18,500.

“My mother told me she heard about Rosemont on the news when the tuition reduction was announced,” he said. “My parents worked hard to support me my whole childhood and encouraged me to pursue Rosemont. I researched Rosemont some more and set up an appointment to tour the campus within a few weeks.”

Rosemont proved to be the right fit that Brandon needed. Because Rosemont offers admission decisions on the spot, Brandon was able to submit his application when he arrived for his tour.

“Finding out I was accepted that day was amazing,” he said. “I didn’t really see

myself going to a school like Rosemont because I wasn’t always the best student in high school. I didn’t get accepted to any colleges out of high school, but Rosemont took a chance on me and saw that I had potential. Getting that confirmation that I was accepted is certainly a top moment for me.”

At first he wasn’t sure what he wanted to major in, but remembered he had enjoyed an economics class in high school and decided to give business a shot.

“In the Fall of 2016, I enrolled in my first Accounting class, and that’s when I realized that Accounting was the right major for me.”

Before long, Brandon was immersed in Rosemont’s community from athletics to student government and more. He was a Resident Assistant for three years, ran cross country for three years, serving as captain his last year. In addition, he was elected to the Student Government Association, starting out as a class treasurer before moving up to the VP of Finance Role. He was also a member of Delta Epsilon Sigma and Kistler Honors Society and worked in the Office of Student Life as a student worker. After he graduated, he volunteered to assist with Rosemont’s Reunion in 2019.

“Being involved in so much made me a great multitasker and has given me the organizational skills needed to be successful in my current role.”

Academically, he had to overcome a few challenges. Brandon had to get used to the pace of being a full-time student and juggling a heavy course load. For the most part, he earned good grades but then failed his intermediate accounting final.

“Failing the final was pivotal for me because I was getting ready to relocate to another city for a summer internship with an accounting firm,” he said. “The really low grade had me questioning whether accounting was right for me, considering the success I had leading up to that final, and subsequently failing it. I ended up doing really well at my internship that summer, came back to Rosemont, and earned a 3.9 GPA that fall. It was not easy, but I did not give up on myself,” he said.

After having hands-on experience during his internship, it became clearer that Accounting was the right path for Brandon. His grades were so strong that he was soon a tutor for Accounting and other business courses at the Student Academic Success Center.

“Everything in my life changed once I came to Rosemont,” he said. “The Rosemont community helped me figure out what I want to do with my life.”

By his senior year, he found himself in the enviable position of having multiple job offers before he graduated Cum Laude from Rosemont in 2019. Brandon ultimately accepted a role as a member of the assurance staff at EY in Philadelphia, a company considered one of the Big Four accounting firms and one of the largest professional services networks in the world.

“It has been a blessing to work with so many intelligent and like-minded people,” he said. “EY is a great place. I get the opportunity to work with large corporations that I may otherwise not get to work with and exposure to different industries, so I never feel like I’m in a routine for too long.”

His days at EY are busy as he examines and verifies client financial information, ensures clients are in compliance with accounting standards, and communicates the results of their audits to clients, providing suggestions and/or solutions to any identified issues.

“My job constantly challenges me to bring my best self every day and approach it with a learning mindset,” he said.

“Coming from Rosemont and being a lifelong learner, I find my job very rewarding.”

Brandon is also currently pursuing his CPA, and he still finds time to go for runs and keep in touch with his family and friends.

“I’m really into sports, so I’m always watching football on Sundays or basketball games when they’re on,” he said.

Brandon hopes to inspire other students from backgrounds similar to his own who may not consider college as a reality.

“I tell people they should not be afraid to take a chance on themselves,” he said.

“I took a chance, and I decided to invest in myself by enrolling in a four-year college. For me, it’s paid off big time. I’m able to go places I never thought I’d visit, meet amazing people, help my family, and work at a company I can be proud of. This all came to be after four years of betting everything on myself and having a great support system at Rosemont. The most powerful lesson I learned here is, when a community invests in your success, you have the responsibility to give it your all.”

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Rosemont College Students Participate in America250 Pennsylvania Direct Effect Innovation Challenge

Eve Romanowski and her mother Linda with Professor Emeritus, Paul Mojzes the day of Eve's graduation from Rosemont.

A Story of Legacy: Linda ’75 & Eve ’15 Romanowski

By Joe Darrah ’11

Staring in awe at Rathalla for the first time as she made her way up the “silent path” off of Wendover Road in the fall of 1970, Linda Romanowski ’75 had no way of knowing that the landmark mansion of this “small Catholic college” that she chose to attend would one day become, essentially, commonplace and familiar in her life. But as she strolls by what today we all know as Main Building so regularly week to week in 2020, Romanowski, again an enrolled student in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS), hardly bats an eye.

That’s not to say that she’s grown bored or unimpressed by the historic architecture or its aura — no, she’s just become too intimately connected to its appeal and become so ingrained within the community that it’s perched over to feel as lost for words as she did that day — her first as a “day hop.”

Such is the reality for someone who’s now

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the matriarch of what has evolved into a true Rosemont College family.

When Linda graduates in 2021, she’ll do so not only as a Rosemonster turned Raven, but as the acting president of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, the wife of a current faculty member (husband Ken teaches business in SGPS), and, perhaps most significantly of all, as a Rosemont mom.

It’s now nearly 10 years since her daughter, Eve Romanowski ’15, decided to follow in her footsteps (sort of), but when Eve hands Linda her degree as part of this coming spring’s commencement, they’ll bring to full circle one of the more intriguing legacy stories that any Rosemont alumna could fathom to tell.  To listen to the legacy story for Linda and Eve Romanowski, click here.

Alex Arriola ’23 and Emily Jeanne Frohner ’22 have advanced to the final round of the America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge (the DEIC). Rosemont is one of just 13 colleges participating in the challenge across the state.

The America250PA Commission, in partnership with the Direct Effect Innovation Team and the United States Postal Service (USPS), has launched the 2020 America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge, featuring a theme of “BUY PA,” or buying into Pennsylvania businesses.

Arriola, a Marketing student, met with a panel of judges via Zoom on October 6 for the “Campus Challenge” to pitch his and Frohner’s campaign ideas. Their team was selected to move on to the Regional Rounds and compete against other Pennsylvania colleges.

The Regional Round was held via Zoom on October 23. Arriola and Frohner will present their campaign to the judges during the Final Round on November 18.

“My favorite experience was talking to the judges and getting their suggestions on how to improve the presentation,” said Arriola. “With their help, I feel ready for the next round and moving onto the final.”

“This is an excellent opportunity for our Business and Communications students to work with a live client, and with the state of Pennsylvania, on developing ideas for an integrated marketing campaign,” said Dr. Christine Hagedorn, Assistant Professor and Discipline Coordinator, Business Department. “Our students are being guided by Professor Brittney Nix-Crawford and myself to use a design thinking approach to develop an innovative idea for how to engage Pennsylvania businesses as we prepare to celebrate America's 250th birthday in 2026.”

The goals of the Challenge are to promote Pennsylvania’s economy by developing integrated marketing campaigns that: • Promote Pennsylvania businesses present and future • Promote growth opportunities for new and existing Pennsylvania businesses • Encourage Pennsylvanians to support local businesses • Connect student marketers and innovators with Pennsylvania businesses

By Joe Darrah ’11

Susan Mellet Blumenthal, Tish Mack Grosek, and Marilyn Hurley Whiteman, alumnae from the 1980s, have reconnected as real estate agents and are helping people to find new homes in an unprecedented marketplace.

As office space orientations go, it started out as a typical first day on the job for Marilyn Hurley Whiteman ’80.

She received the standard introduction during that morning sales meeting at the Devon, PA, office of Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Realtors, followed by the obligatory company-wide email sent to all employees that encouraged colleagues to visit her desk to say “hello.” A few casual meet-and-greets ensued, but just as she began to feel like she was settling in to an otherwise ordinary day one employee in particular was planning a “hello” that would be like none other.

When she went into work that day, the last thing that Susan Mellet Blumenthal ’81 was expecting was an impromptu

Rosemont College reunion. But here she was reading an email about the branch’s new office administrator — a dear friend from her college days who she hadn’t seen since the early 1990s. It was 2013, and Susan couldn’t believe what she was reading. “I open up the email and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Marilyn,’” remembers Blumenthal, who had been working in the Devon office for about three years at the time. She knew that the morning’s sales meeting would not do justice to the personal reaction that she would get by greeting Marilyn unannounced at her desk. And just like that, all the Rosemont memories came rushing back.

Fast forward five years later, and Tish Mack Grosek ’84 was actually about to experience a similarly serendipitous surprise as a new agent at the company.

It was now 2018, and Grosek had recently earned her real estate license after many years of being interested in becoming an agent, an inkling that stemmed from a previous involvement in the construction business. A sociology major and communications minor during her undergrad years at Rosemont, Grosek had moved to New York City after graduation when a sales job presented itself and offered the opportunity to earn more money than

her non-paying internship in Philadelphia did at the time.

“I had a great run and really learned how to sell and market products,” said Grosek, who eventually moved to New Jersey, started a family, and ultimately relocated to Puerto Rico in 1997 to help her husband launch a construction company.

“And that’s where I got the bite for real estate,” she said. “I was around it a lot because we were rebuilding luxury homes, developments, and high-rises – and it was all very interesting to me.”

Although it would take nearly 20 years to come to fruition, the individual personal experiences and career paths that all three of these Rosemont College alumnae would take have resulted in a bond that none of them could have expected upon leaving the “silent paths” they once walked. Their individual and collective circumstances have at the same time produced a reunion that somehow  To read more, click here.

ROSE MONT M AGA Z I N E | 20

Colloquium Series 2020

Tuesday, December 1 7:30 p.m.

BIOETHICS AND COVID-19

The forfor Ethical Leadership and Social TheInstitute Institute Ethical Leadership and Social Responsibility hosts a monthly colloquium series Responsibility hosts a monthly colloquium which explores pressing issues in ethics and series which explores pressing issues in leadership. The colloquia, led by experts in their ethics and leadership. The colloquia, led by respective fields, serves as a platform for dialogue experts in their fields, as a and discussion onrespective topics ranging fromserves systemic platform for dialogue and discussion on topics racism, digital privacy, pandemic ethics and other COVID-19-related problems, to fake news,privacy, sports ranging from systemic racism, digital ethics, and civility political discourse. pandemic ethicsinand other Covid-19-related

problems, to fake news, sports ethics, and civility in political discourse.

Tuesday, October 6 6:00 p.m.

Arthur L. Caplan, PhD New York University

Registration

The series takes place via Zoom and is free and open to the public.

The Zoom link will be emailed to participants in advance of each date.

Past topics included: Privacy and Accountability w ith Anita L. Allen, University of Pennsylvania on October 6 Media Ethics and Fake News w ith Joyce Evans, FOX 29 News Philadelphia (ret.) and Shawnette Wilson, FOX 29 News Philadelphia on November 10

PRIVACY AND Congratulations ACCOUNTABILITY to the Class of 2020!

Anita L. Allen, the Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rosemont was unable and Professor of Philosophy at the University to hold a traditional Commencement ceremony this year. of Pennsylvania.

On Saturday, May 16, the College held virtual tributes to the 2020 degree recipients via Zoom and streamed on Facebook Live. Graduates even received a surprise cap and tassel delivered to their homes to wear for the virtual celebrations!

Members of the Class of 2020 also connected during a virtual Homecoming on Thursday, 5. place via Zoom The November series takes The College is making plans and for in-person outdoor Comis free and open to the public. mencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 15 – one for the The Zoom link will be emailed to 2020 & 2021 graduates of the Undergraduate and participants inCollege advance of each date. one for 2020 & 2021 graduates of the School of Graduate & Professional Studies. We hope you will join us!

Specific plans and information about guests attending will be announced on April 15 to reflect the most current guidance from the CDC and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If large crowds are prohibitive, the College is committed to hosting small in-person outdoor recognition events by academic division or program during the week of May 9.

A call for student speakers representing the Classes of 6:002020 p.m. and 2021 will be made this spring. Speech submissions will be due in March 2021.

Registration

cs:

0,

AND FAKE NEWS 6:00 p.m.

D COVID-19 k University

21 | RO S EM O N T C O L L E GE

Meet The Officers of Rosemont’s Alumni Board of Directors

Linda Romanowski ’75 President

Karen Santillo Fiorillo ’84,’02 President-Elect

Margaret O’Neal McManus ’78 Vice President

Jennifer South ’16, ’17 Secretary

 Click Here to read the bios of our new Alumni Board of Directors

Rosemont College Alumni Events Update & Calendar

Have You “Got A Minute” To Chat With Rosemont?

As part of our ongoing social media campaigns for alumni, the Office of Alumni Relations is asking alumni to spend a minute of their time over Zoom to help us get to know you all a little better.  Our first interview with Tracy Kauffman Wood ’15 can be listened to here.

The transition from in-person to virtual events for Rosemont College alumni has been an exciting and educational experience for the offices of Alumni Relations and College Relations.

To date, the College has hosted more than 30 online events and webinars, including class-specific gatherings and happy hours, trivia nights, book and movie clubs, a wine tasting, and meet-and-greets with Rosemont’s administration.

December will be a virtually busy month for alumni as well! Here’s what’s currently being planned as of Rosemont Magazine press time:

December 2020 Alumni Virtual Events Calendar • Book Club & Movie Club (Ongoing): Want to join a club? Email Joe Darrah ’11, Director of Alumni Relations, at joe.darrah@rosemont.edu • Advent Reflection (Sunday, Dec. 6 @ 2 p.m. ET) Register here.

• Christmas Cheer Trivia Night (Monday, Dec. 14 @ 7 p.m. ET) Register here and wear an ugly sweater if you’d like!

• Alumni Reading of A Christmas Carol (Wednesday, Dec. 16 @ 7 p.m. ET; Invite for MFA Alumni forthcoming).

• Christmas Cooking Demonstration & Happy Hour (Thursday, Dec. 17 @ 7 p.m. ET) Register here.

If you’ve Got A Minute to spend with us, please email Joe Darrah ’11, Director of Alumni Relations, at joe.darrah@rosemont.edu

Have any suggestions for a future event for your class or alumni in general?

Send an email to Joe Darrah ’11, Director of Alumni Relations, at joe.darrah@rosemont.edu

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 22

A Rosemont

2020 has been a year unlike any other for the students of the Undergraduate College.

Courses are being delivered in a hybrid model, classroom chairs are spaced six feet apart, gatherings take place on Zoom, and everyone wears a mask on campus.

Yet, our students are engaged. They are discovering and developing their passions.

They are making lifelong connections and finding their best friends. They are achieving their dreams. They are finding the POWER in community, to quote Kenny Wiggins ’21.

Your gift to the Experience Fund makes it all possible.

Please make a gift today to support the students of the Undergraduate College.

“I’ve always loved history.

My professor saw that and encouraged me to make it my major, along with education. It is POWERFUL to have a community that helps you find your passion.”

Kenny Wiggins ’21 History and Secondary Education Major

In memoriam Alumni…

Jane Kelly Dunne Abbate '46 Elizabeth "Betty" Cain Banstetter ’66 Mary Helen Hennegan Barbour ’42 Kathryn Barrett ’75 Jeanne Spillane Bradfield ’46 Elizabeth Moore Brady ’43 Edwina "Eddie" Brennan ’77 Marie Therese Burke, MD ’48 Sister Kathryn Cabrey (Sister Peter Mary) ’43 Nancy Dalton Cancelmo ’46 Victoria Long Chilton ’59 Lauren M. Coll ’98 Sheri Oden Dylewski ’70 Joan Masterson Harnett ’43 Catherine Ann Holland Crowther ’51 Amelia C. D’Angeli ’52 Andrea S. Engle ’63 Jacqueline J. Flood ’62 Donna Callaghan Garay ’47 Lynda O'Donnell Haggerty ’82 Dorothy Sullivan Halas ’46 Geraldine Cremens Hanlon ’42 Linda Susan Rayel Harris ’73 Rosemary Reilly Heidt ’49 Gladys Schindler Hersker ’44 Ann Hanahoe Hines, MD ’65 Maria Lavalla Iannetta ’48 Constance "Connie" Keefe ’67 Dorothy "Dottie" Kelleher ’48 Regina Scheffer Keffer ’57 Katherine "Kay" Kernicky ’46 Lucile Monsted King ’55

Margaret "Peggy" Carr Kohlmeir ’83 Katherine "Kay" McNamara Lafferty ’56 Dorothy Gallagher Lowery ’62 Mary Louise Masterson ’56 Mary C. Noonan ’64 Helen Casey O’Rourke ’49 Janet Hauber Pelstring ’55 Florence "Pete" Peters ’49 Regina McCourt Raskob ’42 Elizabeth Ann Charles Savage ’55 Clare Heffernan Shlora ’47 Maureen Ann Sullivan ’91 Estelle A. Travis ’49 Kathryn Charles Weaver ’66

Husband of…

Mary Elizabeth (Betsy) Cochran ’63 Joan Cole ’68 Maureen McKeegan Cullen ’65 Jeanne McNamara Eckrich ’56 Joan McCauley Eigo ’59 Catherine Teunis Hancock ’51 Rory “Rosemary” Morgan Joyce ’66 Elizabeth (Betty) Bender Kelley ’53 Maria Bonomo Liapis ’66 Marianne McBrearty ’59 Mary Ann Dalton Mulfino ’70 Romaine Brust Sullivan ’60

Mother of…

Ariane Beyer Raffetto ’91

Father of…

Mary Jane Keyser ’71

Daughter of…

Susan Duckett '65 Joan Calhoun Kienlen '50 Marie deProphetis McHugh '58

Brother of …

Mary Jane Keyser ’71 Dorothy Kubiak Moran ’65

Sister of …

Kay O'Brien '54 Joan Kelly Benziger ’57 Uncle of …

Christyn Moran '94 Former Members of Faculty & Staff …

Martha Wilson

Friends of Rosemont…

Margaret "Peggy" Baumert Patricia McKenna Dadi Roland M. Wright

This list includes all notifications made to the Office of Alumni Relations as of November 5, 2020.

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 24

Class Notes

Alumna Running Campaign To Raise School Supplies Nikita Maharjan ’20 has been running a campaign to help provide school supplies to underprivileged kids in Nepal for more than three years. The campaign is designed to provide enough supplies for a full year to different schools in Nepal.

Last year, she was successful in sending supplies as well as sweaters to students.

This year’s goals include providing at least one computer and internet in addition to traditional school supplies. Nikita says that what started as a one-time project has turned into a longer commitment after seeing the impact of the help she provides. As part of the campaign, she plans to continue her Philadelphia Nepalese Cultural Nights as fundraising opportunities after the pandemic. She can be found on LinkedIn for more information.

MFA Alumnus Teaching Literature Roman Colombo ’10 SGPS, currently teaches writing and graphic novel literature at various Philadelphia colleges. His first novel, Trading Saints for Sinners, was published in 2014. He's currently working on his next novel and hoping to find an agent in the near future.

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Right To Life Advocate Retiring After 50-Year Career Margie Montgomery ’53, co-founder and executive director of the Kentucky Right to Life Association, is retiring after 50 years with the organization that lobbies against abortion.

The state association, which Montgomery helped found in the early 1970s, announced her retirement in October.

Montgomery has served as executive director of The Kentucky Right to Life Association since 1974. According to a recent article published by USA Today, Montgomery also has served as chairwoman of the association's political action committee and has become a familiar presence in Frankfort, lobbying for bills before the Kentucky General Assembly aimed at restricting or eliminating access to abortion.

Rosemont Alumnus Earns Master’s From UNC Derrick Cline ’17 has earned his master’s degree in clinical mental health from the University of North Carolina.

While at Rosemont, he studied sociology.

He is working for the state of Delaware as a rehab counselor, a position he’s held since March.

Lisa K. Farrell ’10 Assists Philly’s First-Time Homebuyers This past summer, Lisa K. Farrell ’10, worked to help first-time homebuyers achieve mortgage loans in the city through her boutique mortgage brokerage company Lisa Home Mortgage in Philadelphia in conjunction with the Philly First Home Program. As part of the program, the city offered grants to provide first-time homebuyers down payment and closing cost assistance in the amount of 6% of the home's purchase price, capped at $10,000.

Art Collection Inventory Catalogued By Alumna Mary Manfredi ’18 has completed a catalog of Rosemont College’s Chapel of Immaculate Conception artwork as part of a project she worked on as a graduate student intern at Villanova University last spring.

After beginning the project with an initial list of 29 pieces, she finished with more than 150 catalogued paintings, prints, and sculptures. The collection can be viewed online by clicking here.

Art Alumna Creates Coloring Pages For Seniors Monica Loncola ’80, an artist who lives in California, has spent time during the pandemic designing coloring pages for seniors. She sells the pages through Etsy, but offers pages to senior living communities and skilled nursing centers for free. Monica says she was inspired to begin the project when thinking about her elderly father, who lives in a senior community where visitation can be restricted based on COVID cases. She received local news coverage that is available online.

Click Here to View An art major while at Rosemont, she plans to share some work on campus during her next class reunion.

Send your information for Class Notes to alum@rosemont.edu

Alumna’s Published Book Raises Awareness For Rare Disorder Barbara Lally ’13 has published a book, The Trichster Diaries, which chronicles her experiences with trichotillomania, a rare and incurable body-focused repetitive disorder that she developed at age 10. Available through Amazon, Barbara’s book takes readers on her journey toward self-acceptance. The story begins through the eyes of a scared, insecure little girl and finishes through the eyes of Barbara now, a grown woman who has worked hard to accept herself and a disorder that she cannot change.

Through all of the ups and the downs, the triumphs and failures, one powerful message shines through: “Self-acceptance is attainable.”

Girl Scouts Honor Alumna For 65 years of Service Beulah Jones Sutherland ’55 recently received a commemorative pin honoring her 65 years with the Girl Scouts of America, both as a scout and as a troop leader in Washington, DC, where she currently resides.

Physician Alumna Appointed To BOD of Bio-Pharma Company Margaret R. Dalesandro, PhD, ’68 has been appointed to the board of directors at Emerald Bioscience Inc., a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of proprietary first-in-class molecules with strong clinical and commercial differentiation. Dr. Dalesandro brings more than 25 years of drug development experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostics companies. She previously served as business director of Corning Integrative Pharmacology. Prior to that, she served as vice president of business development and portfolio management at ImClone Systems Inc., where she was credited with helping to plan the development of ramucirumab, a medication for age-related macular degeneration. Dr. Dalesandro has also previously served as an executive director at GlaxoSmithKline, managing cardiovascular, urology, and oncology drug product commercialization, and as a senior consultant at Cambridge Pharma Consultancy. Earlier in her career, she served as the director of immunobiology and diagnostic research at Centocor and assistant director of immunobiology. She holds a PhD and MA in biochemistry from Bryn Mawr College and an AB in biology and chemistry from Rosemont, where she graduated summa cum laude. She is also currently the president of Brecon Pharma Consulting, a full-service pharmaceutical and biotech consultancy focused on identifying and obtaining critical information early in product development.

Dr. Dalesandro will be honored by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus with the “Faith in Action” Award in spring of 2021.

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37 | RO S EM O N T C O L L EGE

The Fall Splendor of Rosemont While this semester has certainly been a most unusual one on campus, one thing remained constant – the majestic splendor of Rosemont.

It has enchanted and inspired each of us through the challenges of the pandemic, and served as a reminder that, if we seek it, beauty is always there.

Rosemont College has so much to be thankful for – including you! Sending you and your family a harvest of blessings this Thanksgiving.

ROSE MONT MAGA Z I N E | 28

Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Bensalem, PA Permit No. 118 1400 Montgomery Avenue Rosemont, PA 19010-1699 Return Service Requested

Trust in and reverence for the dignity of each person. Diversity with a commitment to building an intercultural community. Persistence and courage in promoting justice with compassion. Care for the Earth as our common home.