Spring 2020 Dear Alumni and Friends, As I write this letter for Rosemont Magazine, my last to you as President, I must admit to very bittersweet emotions. It has been such a great honor to serve as President of my alma mater, something I never had thought of, or anticipated, but something that has expanded my career, and greatly enhanced my life. This last year has been incredible: full of reflections on how the College and I have evolved over the past fourteen years, everything going lightning speed, and trying to help smooth the transition to Dr. Boyers, all while managing the coronavirus pandemic on campus at first, and now off campus, as well. Despite our having to cancel all March through June events — which of course were to be my “last” events as President — I have never felt more engaged, and challenged to lead than I have for the past several weeks as we were mandated to close within the space of one day by the Governor of Pennsylvania. If at some time earlier in my presidency, I had been asked if we could in an emergency switch all in person classes to be delivered online, I might have said that I’d doubt it. But when we realized that we had to do exactly that, as we knew we had to prepare for an epidemic, I did not hesitate at all. Not only does the College now have state-of-the-art technologies, and a master Instructional Technologist to run online classes, but we have an incredible “can do” faculty and staff, who would do anything to help out the College and the students. And as of March 18, we did it. I want to thank all of you, who have been so loyal and so supportive of the College, over so many years. I must say that I have continued to thank alumni who have supported the College, but I want to note that so many of you over all these years have also supported me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Sincerely yours,
President Sharon Latchaw Hirsh, PhD ’70
Rosemont's President-elect Jayson Boyers and Rosemont's 13th President Sharon Hirsh, get to know each other over a Ravens Men's Volleyball game in the new Community Center.
InDEPARTMENTS this issue...
OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2018-2019 CHAIR OF THE BOARD Maria A. Feeley, Esq. ’93
VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD Rosemont Magazine | volume 17 | numKathleen Trainor ’70 SECRETARY Ann D. Marshall ’66 TREASURER Sean FitzPatrick
3 | Meet Rosemont's 14th President
OFFICERS OF THE COLLEGE 2018-2019
6 | Rosemont Prepares for Its 100 Birthday
PRESIDENT Sharon Latchaw Hirsh, PhD ’70 PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS Lisa Dolling, PhD VICE PRESIDENT FOR COLLEGE RELATIONS Christyn J. Moran ’94 VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Randy L. Eldridge, DBA, CPA, MBA VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION Jeanne Marie Hatch, SHCJ ROSEMONT MAGAZINE STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathleen Troy Smyser DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION Susan M. DiGironimo ’18 WRITERS Kathleen DuBoff Joe Darrah ’11 Christyn J. Moran ’94 CONTRIBUTORS Marlo Allen ’20 Joanne Demetriou Helen Sciubba Ricardo Vargas ’20
7 | Rosemont Responds to Pandemic 9 | Exploring The Legacy of Slavery 11 | Rosemont Empowers 15 | The Community Center is Now Open 17 | R osemont Ravens Soar 19 | Campus Ministry 20 | Class Representatives 21 | Class Notes 26 | These are Extraordinary Times
PHOTOGRAPHY Susan DiGironimo ’18 Jaci Downs Bryan Karl Lathrop PRINTING Garrison Printing Company © 2020 Rosemont College Rosemont Magazine is published by the Office of College Relations for alumni, parents, and friends of the College. Third-class postage is paid in Bensalem, PA 19020. 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.
On the Cover: Meet Jayson Boyers, EdD. Rosemont's 14th President assumes office on June 1st.
Meet Rosemont's 14th President
Jayson Boyers, EdD
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In January, the Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Jayson Boyers, EdD as the College’s 14th President. Currently the President of Cleary University in Howell, Michigan, Dr. Boyers will assume office on June 1st, following the May 31st retirement of President Sharon Latchaw Hirsh, PhD ’70. Before serving as President of Cleary University, Dr. Boyers was the Vice President and Managing Director of Continuing Professional Studies (National Online Division) for Champlain College in Vermont. In 2017, he earned a Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership at Creighton University. He has a Master of Leadership Development degree in Organizational Leadership from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from the University of Indianapolis. President-elect Dr. Jayson Boyers visited Rosemont in February and held two Open Forums in the Community Center for students, faculty, staff to get to know him and for him to learn more about Rosemont.
A Conversation With Rosemont's New President What drew you to Rosemont College? As long as I can recall, I’ve been painting a picture in my head of the kind of institution I would like to serve as President. When my wife saw Rosemont College’s posting, she brought it to my attention because it fit that picture: an accredited small Catholic College that links vocation with meaning. Many elements in the College’s mission attracted me. I love the term “fostering joy.” Working in higher education is a really joyful way to express meaning. I was also pleased to see care for the earth, a special concern of mine and my wife, Mandy. How do you respond when someone questions the value of a liberal arts education? We need to always be asking, “have we taught students how to build a life?” Jobs change, industries change, but students need to learn how to think, how to be problem solvers, and how to make meaning in their lives. The human condition (or life, in general) is filled with patterns, and students need to learn those patterns. Sure, a student can aspire to work in finance and do debits and credits all day, but it’s important that they also learn history, science, and art, for example, and how all of those subjects fit together and create better communities through their very expression. And, most importantly, students need to learn to think critically. What is your approach to serving adult students? What we consider the non-traditional student is an increasing demographic. I was one of them. I earned all three of my degrees as an adult student. We need to make education work for our adult students by providing what they need
on campus and online. Learning should be lifelong. I like Cornelia Connelly's mission to “meet the wants of the age.” We need to embrace opportunities for our non-traditional students. How does your experience as a first-generation college student inform your work as a college president? I consider myself an accidental college president. I was a first-generation college student, as was my wife. In my experience, which is common to many first-generation students, my family felt somewhat dismayed by my desire to attend college and they were not equipped to support me financially or emotionally. My first attempt at college was not a success and I, like many of Rosemont’s students, finished my bachelor’s degree as an adult learner. I am sensitive to the fact that our students face many types of challenges. So much falls on the faculty and support services. I believe what happens in the classroom sets the trajectory of the college. For example, when I joined the Cleary University community, I saw students with increased needs that impacted their ability to succeed, but limited support services. I invested in an Instructional Design team to assist faculty in developing course content that engages and meets student needs. What is the best way to attract new students? I want to make the classroom engaging first and foremost. I believe we are most successful when we express who we are and then we will attract students who want to be part of our community and who we can best serve. We have to look at getting students who will benefit from the Rosemont
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can’t confuse a short-term challenge with a long-term destiny. Challenges exist: outside forces, demographics, the economy. Part of the solution is “Partner or Perish.” Small colleges must become part of the community. We need friends and must deepen relationships. In order to succeed, small colleges must be distinct about who they are, not chasing the shiny objects or every population. Small colleges must define who they serve best.
experience, keeping them, and focusing on student success. How do you view your role as college president? We are in relationship with those we serve. What I like most about my role as President is the idea that it is my job to create an environment where people can live out their meaning. The next generation looks for vocation and meaning; not just getting a job, but building a life. Rosemont has the potential to offer this to our students. I am a believer in data, yet I manage by walking around campus. I wander. And I will wander around campus to avoid being isolated in a bubble as Rosemont’s President. I want people to be with people. I want to connect people to the “why” of Rosemont. I care about what’s best for the organization. I want to give people the tools to be successful. I believe in being transparent. I like to go walk around campus when I’m thinking through decisions that need to be made. I like to be thoughtful in my decisions. You might hear me say “ponder” quite a bit. If I’m asked a question and need time to address it, I may use
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“The Great Pause” and respond with, “I need to ponder it.” I’m known to take my laptop to work in shared spaces where I can interact with members of the community. I’m an open book. The best thing I can do is get people to know me and be authentically me. My priority is to make sure this community thrives. I want to work together. I want to work with people who are passionate about what they do at Rosemont. During my first six months, I want to have a conversation with the Rosemont community about where we want to go and how to get there. In year three, I want us to look back and say, ‘we made it’ and take a deep breath. How can Rosemont rise to the challenges faced by all small colleges? It is true that all small colleges have their challenges, but I’m intrigued by what I see at Rosemont. I’ve met many people who have worked here for many years. There must be something special at the core of Rosemont to make that so. I believe that there is a place for small colleges, and we need to avoid magnifying short-term issues and challenges. We
What accomplishment from your time as President of Cleary University makes you proudest? I’m a relationship guy. I’m proud of the relationships we created that are of value and how we serve the other. I’m proud of the relationships we built with the business community near Cleary University, creating opportunities to engage with others. We used to be the college people drove past but now people stop in and engage with us. Rosemont, like Cleary, is a unique organization. I do not want to assume that what Cleary needs is what Rosemont needs. What might work at one place might not work elsewhere. What do you do to relax? I’m an avid reader. I often read three books at a time in a rotation of biography, nonfiction, and fiction. I also like pop science and learning about new innovations. My favorite author is Jon Hassler. His novels are about small towns, and I feel like I see myself in many of his characters. I’ve read his book North of Hope over 10 times. I also enjoy reading essays and following my favorite columnists on Twitter. I like traveling and going on spiritual retreats. I did a silent retreat for a week in Lake Tahoe that was very powerful. My wife and I have two rescue dogs, and we like to go on walks together to debrief at the end of the day. Do you think you’ll become an Eagles fan? Sorry, no. I’m a Cleveland Browns fan and that will never change. I grew up watching the Browns, and I am a loyal guy, so that won’t change! As I tell my wife, “You can’t help who you fall in love with!”
Rosemont Prepares for 100th Birthday! Planning is underway for the Rosemont community to celebrate its centennial year in 2021-2022. The Centennial Committee will be comprised of nearly 60 alumni and friends of the College. The group – 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 – will be divided into subcommittees to begin planning how Rosemont will celebrate this milestone year. 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, and friends of the College. “My journey with Rosemont began when I entered the College’s REAP program in 1993 as an adult student, continued when I worked with international students at the College in the Offices of Student Life and Admissions from 1998 to 2005, extended to include my family’s support of the Rotwitt Theater at the College, and now has brought me to helping to plan what I know will be a memorable Centennial year,” said Dianne Rotwitt. “It is a privilege for me to be working with so many dedicated alumni and friends of the College to celebrate Rosemont’s 100th birthday.” 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. “I am a storyteller at heart, and the story of Rosemont’s Centennial is one worth telling – and celebrating,” said
Pat Ciarrocchi ’74 and Dianne Rotwitt ’98 Co-Chairs of the Centennial Committee Pat Ciarrocchi. “It is a story of 100 years of dedicated faculty and staff, fearless leadership, amazing students, accomplished alumni, and above all, the College’s unwavering commitment to its mission. I’ve stayed connected to Rosemont since my graduation in 1974. I’ve served as a Trustee and was a Cresset Award recipient, but nothing has excited me more than helping to launch Rosemont into its next century through the celebration of the Centennial.” Four subcommittees will be formed for each of the major components of the Centennial Celebration: Education/Academic, Spiritual, Service, and Social/Celebration. Educational/Academic SubCommittee responsible for initiatives that showcase Rosemont’s history, as well as planning one or two academic forums that are accessible to all of Rosemont’s constituents,
regardless of where they live. Spiritual SubCommittee responsible for planning the opening liturgy of the Centennial Year (on campus), as well as spiritual programs that are accessible to all of Rosemont’s constituents, regardless of where they live. Service SubCommittee responsible for developing a service aspect that can be carried out in the regions across the country where Rosemont’s constituents live. Social/CelebrationSub Committee responsible for planning two major events – one to open the Centennial Year and one to close the Centennial Year. Dr. Boyers will appoint faculty, staff members, and current students to the Committee in August.
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Rosemont Responds to Pandemic Rosemont College began taking precautions in late January to keep all those connected to the Rosemont Community safe and healthy. Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Wolf issued a mandate on March 12 for Montgomery County that all schools, including all colleges and universities, as well as other businesses and services, must close for 14 days to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. These closures expanded to surrounding counties as the next few days progressed and eventually transitioned to a stay-at-home order for much of the state. Prior to the Governor’s announcements, the College’s 17-member Emergency Management Team began meeting regularly in late January to prepare for the coronavirus and its potential impact to the College. The College used the Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines, “Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) to Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),” in addition to guidelines from the US Department of Education in making its preparations. The Team continued to meet daily via Zoom while working from home.
Coursework Transitioned Online; Office Staff Working Remotely To safeguard our community and to comply with Governor Wolf’s mandate, President Hirsh and the Emergency Management Team announced that all classes for the Undergraduate College and the School of Graduate and Professional Studies would be taught online through March 30. This allowed students to stay updated on their coursework and progress toward their degrees. Online classes began on Wednesday, March 18. Students were required to leave campus, unless they had a need for housing or other significant difficulties. Non-essential staff were instructed to begin working remotely. As the days progressed and as the spread of coronavirus increased in the Philadelphia region, President Hirsh announced on March 25 that classes for the Undergraduate College and School of Professional and Graduate Studies would be delivered solely online for the rest of the semester. In
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addition, all office staff were told to continue working remotely until otherwise directed.
Events Cancelled President Hirsh also announced that Rosemont’s 97th Commencement Ceremony scheduled for May 16 was cancelled. Diplomas of all eligible 2020 graduates (without academic or financial holds) will be mailed to homes by June 1. All 2020 graduates will be invited to participate in the College’s Commencement Exercises on May 15, 2021. Qualified 2020 graduates will have the opportunity to be considered to serve as Student Commencement Speakers for the 2021 Exercises, and all 2020 graduates will be invited to process in academic attire in the Ceremony and receive the congratulations of the President, as well as be acknowledged for all academic awards earned by their 2020 graduation. The College plans to celebrate the 2020 graduates in a special way on May 16, 2020 through the website and social media accounts. “To the students who are taking online courses for the first time and who are balancing their courses with family and other obligations, I thank you,” said President Hirsh. “You’ve shown tremendous resolve and determination. I am especially grateful to those Undergraduate College students in their last semester of their senior year. I can only imagine how heartbreaking it must be to miss out on weeks of what is such a special time of your lives, yet you’ve done it with grace, knowing that your actions are helping to safeguard others, and that makes us all proud.” Additionally, the College’s 2020 Alumni Reunion Weekend scheduled for June 5 to 7 will also be cancelled. Alumni of classes ending in 0s and 5s will hold their Alumni Reunion Weekend on June 4 to 6, 2021, along with the classes of the 1s and 6s. More information will be forthcoming from the Office of Alumni Relations. All College events and athletics were cancelled through early June. Organizations who rent from Rosemont for their events and activities will not be using campus during this time.
President-Elect Boyers to Assume Office Early On March 31, Maria Feeley, Esq., Chair of the Board of Trustees of Rosemont College, announced that the Board of Trustees voted to approve June 1st as the start date of the presidency of Dr. Jayson Boyers, instead of July 1st as scheduled. Given the developments of the last few weeks and the changes at the College as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Board accepted Dr. Boyers’ offer to assume office a month ahead of schedule to help to ensure the continuity of operations at Rosemont. Dr. Boyers began meeting regularly with members of the Board of Trustees and the College’s senior management team, including President Hirsh, as early as March 2020. Updates about the College’s response to the coronavirus can be found at: rosemont.edu/covid-19.
The College’s 97th Commencement Ceremony scheduled for May 16, 2020 has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Diplomas of all eligible 2020 graduates (without academic or financial holds) will be mailed to homes by June 1, 2020. All 2020 graduates will be invited to participate in the College’s Commencement Exercises on May 15, 2021. Qualified 2020 graduates will have the opportunity to be considered to serve as Student Commencement Speakers for the 2021 Exercises, and all 2020 graduates will be invited to process in academic attire in the Ceremony and receive the congratulations of the President, as well as be acknowledged for all academic awards earned by their 2020 graduation. The College plans to celebrate the 2020 graduates in a special way on May 16, 2020 through the College’s website and social media accounts. The College wishes to thank Sr. Veronica Openibo, Society Leader of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, who was to travel to Rosemont from her home in Rome, Italy to deliver the address at Rosemont’s 97th Commencement. Sr. Openibo is an educator, religious leader, and public speaker.
Best-selling Madeline Miller Comes to Rosemont By Marlo Allen ’20 Communications intern Marlo Allen ’20 interviewed Madeline Miller following her talk at Rosemont on February 18. Rosemont College was honored with special guest Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe and The Song Of Achilles, on February 18th. The event was sponsored by the John and Mary Norcini Lecture Fund. Students, faculty, writers, and readers from across the Main Line-Philadelphia community arrived at Rotwitt Theater for Miller’s event where she discussed the power behind her writing journey, complex female characters, and the classical narratives of Greek mythology. Along with reading a selection from her novel Circe and answering audience questions after her presentation, Madeline Miller also spoke one-on-one with students, posed for pictures and signed copies of her novels for guests. I was fortunate to be able to interview Miller after the event. Marlo: While reading your books Circe and The Song of Achilles, I feel that the socially conscious element added to it. I was just wondering how has writing inspired your social consciousness? Madeline: I think that the one thing that I always used to ask myself was: what are the stories? Who’s being silenced? And I think it’s really important to listen to the voices that I always look for in writing and I’m passionate about. Marlo: How do you set the boundaries between creativity and accuracy with your stories?
Madeline: Well I definitely do not consider myself to write historical fiction. I think my genre is more like mythological realism or literary adaptation fiction. If I were writing about an actual person, I would feel much more constrained by their life. But when you’re dealing with myth there’s so many different versions of the story. You know there is no definitive Achilles. There's no definite Circe and there are various versions and different genres of the stories through the centuries. I think that I really wanted to work closely with source material just because that’s my particular passion. I felt also free to move the stuff out or change things as I wanted. Marlo: What is the main message for writing stories? Madeline: I think when I started writing The Song of Achilles, I felt very intimidated by the weight of history. How dare I write back to this right now? How dare I put my own stamp and ask myself how I can possibly change this. First of all, I think that adaptation is a long, long, long tradition in storytelling. Originally, it was told as a tradition to children, so it was naturally changing. I think that allowed me to realize I’m not doing anything new, and why not me? I think that writers tend to get stuck on what I dare to do. Yes! And I would say why not? Marlo: What is an important factor for you in the creative process of creating characters that are complex, especially with female characters and mythological figures? Madeline: I always want my characters to be fully three-dimensional, and there’s a lot of talk about strong female characters. I love strong women, but for me my focus is more on complex women. It’s not on the strength, which, I think, can be sometimes too one-dimensional. Let’s treat this woman like a full person. Marlo: Why did you come to Rosemont? Madeline: Professor Katherine Baker got in touch with me and I had heard about the MFA program here, that it was a wonderful place that was really fun, with all the people who are really passionate about what they were doing. So when she reached out to me, I was excited to get to come and meet the community.
Katerina Grynyshin ’16, DO
Alumni Match at Top Residency Programs Rosemont graduates have learned where they will spend their residencies and have “matched” at the following institutions: Avinash Gabbeta ’14, MD University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey matched at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia for Pediatrics residency Katerina Grynyshin ’16, DO Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine matched at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pinnacle Lititz, PA for Anesthesia residency Heemali Kamdar ’16 , DO Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine matched at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center for Pediatrics residency Brittney Shupp ’16 , DO Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine matched at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, PA for Internal Medicine residency Krista Vadaketh ’16 , MD Drexel University College of Medicine matched at New York Presbyterian-Cornell Medical Center for Internal Medicine residency Winnie Wolfe ’12, MD Currently at the University of Virginia completing her General Psychiatry Residency and will be beginning her fellowship this summer at Jefferson University Hospital in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. "I taught and advised all these students as they were in the Biology, Pre-Health Track at Rosemont," said Dr. Aikaterini Skokotas. "I am honored to have been a part of their education at Rosemont, and I am proud to see them mature into gifted physicians while they continue their journey as medical professionals."
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College Commission Examines Cornelia Connelly’s Ties to Slavery In the spring of 2018, students in Professor Michelle Moravec’s digital humanities course were researching Cornelia Connelly’s life, particularly aspects that were not as well-known as her later accomplishments such as founding the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. The students focused on Cornelia’s early life and came to understand that her husband had owned, and they both had been served by, enslaved people, a fact acknowledged by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus several decades ago. At the same time, colleges and universities nationwide were examining their own histories to identify and acknowledge their connections to slavery. Much of this research was spurred by a book published in 2013 by historian Craig Steven Wilder called Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities. A significant number of schools had presidents who were slave owners or were dependent on funds from slave owners, buildings on their campuses that were built by slaves, and more. In 2018, President Hirsh established a Commission for Rosemont to research its ties to slavery. When Rosemont first announced its Commission, similar studies had been, or were being conducted by Georgetown, Rutgers, Columbia, Dartmouth, and nearby Bryn Mawr College. Also, in 2018, Harvard hosted a major conference on Slavery and Universities. Since then, many other schools – including neighboring Villanova University – have launched studies of their institution’s connections to slavery. “I’ve tried to follow all of the many, many colleges and universities that are going through this process,” said President Hirsh. “To my knowledge, Rosemont is the smallest institution to undertake this process to date. I think we should be very proud of this work and this experience.” Members of the commission – led by Sr. Jeanne Hatch, SHCJ, vice president for Mission at Rosemont and Troy Chiddick, dean of students – examined documents from the SHCJ archives at Rosemont and Oxford, England. Rosemont was founded after the institution of slavery had been abolished, but as
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Erin Brown, a descendant of two enslaved people owned by the Connelly family, visited Rosemont's Campus. Professor Moravec’s class and the Commission had learned, the founder of the SHCJ and her family had connections to slavery, as did many who lived in the American South in the 1830s. Joyce Norcini ’77 that Pierce ConnelThis class learned ly, Cornelia’s husband, once owned enslaved people. In 1831, Cornelia married Pierce Connelly, an Episcopalian priest, and they moved to Natchez, Mississippi. When their first child, Mercer, was born in 1832, Dr. William Mercer, a close friend, gave the family two of his slaves: Phoebe Grayson and her daughter, Sarah Goff (also known as Sally). Connelly also owned Phoebe’s grandchildren: George, Mary, and James Henry and two additional people outside of this family unit, Jenny and Abraham. These people labored for Pierce and Cornelia, who eventually sold or transferred ownership of them. In 1838, after their conversion to Catholicism, the Connelly’s moved to Grand Coteau, Louisiana, and lived among Catholic slave owners. In 1842, before returning to Europe to pursue the priesthood, Pierce sold Sally and her children to the Jesuit community at St. Charles College. Phoebe, by then in her
later years, was given to the Jesuits. At the end of January, Erin Brown, the great-great-great-great granddaughter of Phoebe Grayson and the great-great-great granddaughter of Sally Gough, visited Rosemont to meet and personally thank the members of the Commission for their work. Brown also met with Sr. Carroll Juliano, Society Leader of the SHCJ American Province. The SHCJ had been in communication with descendants long before the College and Brown’s visit. “I want to thank Rosemont for caring enough about the issue to establish a Commission on the Legacy of Slavery,” said Brown. “The reality is that Phoebe and Sally were gifted to the Connelly family before they converted to Catholicism and were kept until sold after Pierce decided to become a priest in 1842. As such, while they were Catholic slave owners, it fortunately does not have bearing on Cornelia after she decided to answer God’s call to become a nun and doesn’t reflect on the SHCJ or the College. Also, when they did sell them, which was done on her husband’s behalf, she at least sold them to the Jesuits so the Gough family could stay together. That is a silver lining on the very dark cloud known as slavery.”
In addition to the Connelly family, the Commission also researched the College, the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “In light of the mission of the College ‘to meet the wants of the age,’ President Hirsh charged the Commission to research the College’s connections to Slavery,” said Sr. Jeanne. “Although the study revealed no direct connection to slavery, the College has benefited from a national economy supported by a system of enslaved persons. It is the hope of the commission that the nine recommendations will inspire and enable the wider College community to work toward a more equitable Society eradicating injustice and racism. It was my privilege to work with dedicated individuals who pursued the charge with a compassionate desire for greater equity in our world.” The commission has produced a final report entitled "Rosemont College: An Account of Connections with Enslaved People" that was submitted to the College Archives. The Commission has made the following recommendations: 1. I ntegrate Rosemont’s connection with enslaved peoples and institutional racism into the official history of the College presented to administrators, employees, faculty and staff, students, alumni, and trustees. 2. Review and further develop a curriculum that reflects current developments in studies in racism and social justice. 3. Create opportunities for members of our community to share how we are impacted by the lasting connections of enslaved peoples in order to learn from our different stories, perspectives, and experiences, and to build an inclusive campus culture. 4. That Rosemont College plan a Service of Reconciliation that incorporates rituals from our Catholic tradition, as well as those of other faith traditions, and that includes descendants of Phoebe Grayson and Sarah Goff, as well as early Black members of our alumni, faculty, and staff. 5. T hat a permanent marker of this history be constructed on campus in
consultation with the Mission and Ministry Action Committee (MMAC) as well as with descendants of Phoebe Grayson and Sarah Goff and early Black members of our alumni, faculty, and staff. 6. That the Institute for Ethical Leadership and Social Responsibility focus its annual Symposium on the Effects of Racism and integrate this topic into a four-year cycle, beginning in 2021. 7. That Rosemont dedicate resources to capture oral histories to offer a more complete history of Black members of the College community. 8. That Rosemont College join with others in Catholic Higher Education addressing structural and institutional racism in both the Church and society. 9. That this report and supporting documents regarding Rosemont’s connection to enslaved peoples be placed in the College Archives as part of its institutional memory.
The recommendations were turned over to the MMAC. The members of that standing committee have already met and accepted the transfer of all recommendations to their agenda. At the January Open Campus Meeting, President Hirsh explained to the Rosemont community that the original report will be filed in the Archives, but a second copy will serve as a “living document,” open to further information, documentation, or editing as time goes on. “Cornelia Connelly’s legacy illustrates how the church’s history in America is complicated, but that is why the work the Commission does is worthy of sustained effort, so I hope that it continues,” said Brown.
Members of the College's Commission on the Legacy of Slavery gathered for dinner with Erin Brown during her visit to campus in January 2020.
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Inspiring the Next Generation Rosemont alumni are known for their outstanding contributions in the fields of education, communications, science, law, and more. From writing books to building businesses and inspiring social change, they are on the front lines to empower the next generation. We are proud to introduce you to a few of them!
Rachel Dougherty MA Philadelphia-based children’s book author and illustrator, Rachel Dougherty published Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge in 2019. The book tells the true story of Emily Roebling, whose hard work and determination helped to complete the Brooklyn Bridge when her husband, the chief engineer, fell ill and could not complete the project. With a focus on illustrated nonfiction, Rachel engages young readers in biography, history, science, and engineering.
“On some level, all children's authors write for the kids who we once were. I hope readers of Secret Engineer learn a few different things. I hope readers of Secret Engineer learn a few different things. First, I hope they learn the basics of how bridges work. I think there's something magical about finding such an extraordinary story in something you see all the time, like a bridge. And I also hope that in learning Emily's story they recognize that even in the 1870s, and surely before, there were women contributing to STEM initiatives.”
“I have known that I wanted to work in politics and be a community organizer since I was a little girl. In my time at Rosemont, I really forged myself as an activist, both at Villanova, where I took classes, and on campus. Supportive professors helped open doors for me, and it was great to be able to learn about social change in my classes in a deep way. I still carry many of those lessons with me in my work now on immigration reform, economic justice and women's rights. I am so thankful to have been "incubated" in an environment that encouraged me to be myself, without apologies, rooted in values that still guide me today.”
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Jessica Morales Rocketto ’08 As a digitally savvy political activist and community organizer, Jessica is the political director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), executive director of Care in Action, chair of the Families Belong Together coalition, and co-founder of political action group Supermajority. In 2019, she was named by Hillary Clinton for TIME Magazine’s Time 100 Next, a new list that features 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more.
Erin Entrada Kelly ’16 A graduate of Rosemont's MFA program and adjunct professor at Rosemont, Erin Entrada Kelly is a New York Times bestselling author who was awarded the Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe in 2018. Erin drafted the bestselling young adult book in her Rosemont graduate class, Constructing the Novel. In 2019, Netflix announced it will produce a live action family movie based on Hello, Universe. She is also the author of Lalani of the Distant Sea, You Go First, The Land of the Forgotten Girls, and Blackbird Fly. Her next book, We Dream of Space, will be released on May 5, 2020.
“I want young people to feel empowered in their own skin, no matter what that looks like. There is strength in being who you are, not allowing yourself to be defined by others, and embracing all the things that make you unique. I want young people -- especially the quiet, overlooked, lonely kids out there -to know that I see them. My hope is that readers feel less alone.”
“Beautiful Blessings was initiated based on conversations I had with both women and girls. The inspiration to create the doll collection was to remind girls and women we ARE Beautiful Blessings. Sometimes women and girls compare body types, skin tones, and hair textures. There is no comparison when you understand that “your difference” is the unique beauty destined just for YOU! We are not meant to be other people... We each have our own journey and path.”
Raveen James ’08 Raveen came to Rosemont as an adult student and now works in the pharmaceutical industry in the Boston area. In 2016, she founded Beautiful Blessings, a fashion doll company that builds confidence in girls of all body and skin types. Each doll includes a motivational message to empower children and women to love themselves and their bodies.
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Undergraduate Student to Attend World Biomedical Conference
Chase Leonard ’21
Mary Grace Murray ’20 was accepted to participate in the 9th Summer School of the World Hellenic Biomedical Association in Medical & Biosciences Research & Management, which was to be held from May 15 - 22 in Neo Itilo of Mani Lakonias, Greece. Due to the coronavirus, students accepted to the 2020 program will be allowed to attend next year. Murray ranked in the top 20 of undergraduate student applicants and will be granted a scholarship to attend the event. Dillan Leonard ’20 “When I came to Rosemont, I had very little exposure to science outside of doctors and nurses,” said Mary Grace. “I spent my sophomore year on Dr. Skokotas’s research team and fell in love with laboratory research. Kelly Whelan, an alumna of the class of 2003, came to Rosemont for a career seminar. The research she was conducting was fascinating and she seemed like someone who would be a great mentor. I joined Dr. Whelan’s lab at Temple University the fall before my junior year and was able to further expand on what I had learned in the classroom and the lab with Dr. Skokotas.” The World Hellenic Biomedical Association is a network of 3,000 clinicians and biomedical scientists from 40 countries.
Faculty Research, Publications, and Accomplishments Catherine Coleman-Dickson, MBA Director for Business, Leadership, and Healthcare Administration Degree Programs and Global Studies Completed a Yale University Certificate through Coursera in “The Science of Well-Being” . Christine A. Hagedorn, DM Assistant Professor, UC Business Served during summer 2019 as an advisory board member for the Harrisburg University esports baccalaureate degree program. Served as an advisor board member for the AMERICA250PA planning commission to prepare for America’s 250th birthday. Francis X. Klose Assistant Professor, Theology & Religious Studies Presented “Hearing the Cry of the Poor: Promoting Social Action Through Music in the Liturgy” at the Catholic Social
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Tradition Conference at the University of Notre Dame. March, 2019 Liturgical composition, “The Earth is Full of the Goodness of the Lord” published through Simply Liturgical Music was presented at a showcase at the Annual Convention for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians in Raleigh, North Carolina. July, 2019 Presented, “Set Apart: Sainthood, the Catholic Imagination, and the Hall of Fame” at the Second Global Congress on Christianity and Sport, held at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. October, 2019 Michelle Moravec, PhD Associate Professor, American History/ Women & Gender Studies Presented a paper “The Material Conditions of Historical Surprise” at the Organization of American Historians held in Philadelphia on April 6, 2019. Participated as a panelist on the opening “state of the field panel” at Workshop
on Quantitative Analysis and the Digital Turn in Historical Studies organized by the Fields Institute in Toronto and funded by the NSF in February. Along with Rosemont College students, completed fifteen biographies of black suffragists active in New York that are being published by Women and Social Movements as part of their Online Biographical Dictionary of the Woman Suffrage Movement in the United States. Served as a grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Humanities. Donna Talarico Adjunct Faculty, Marketing and Publishing Edited two anthologies of creative Nonfiction. Air: A Radio Anthology (March 2019) Dine: An Anthology (Dec. 2019) Blair Thornburgh Adjunct Faculty, Graduate Publishing In October, The Wall Street Journal noted her October 2019 children's picture book Skulls!
Research Project Focuses on Ethics in Sports
Rosemont College Receives It's On Us PA Grant Rosemont has been awarded a $24,957 grant as part of Governor Tom Wolf’s commitment to combat sexual assault on Pennsylvania college and university campuses through the Department of Education’s It’s On Us PA grant program. Rosemont was one of 36 Pennsylvania colleges and universities to receive the award. The focus of the grant funding will be for awareness and prevention training and programs with a special emphasis on reporting. “We are thrilled to be a part of Governor Wolf’s initiative for ending sexual violence,” said Jane Federowicz, Rosemont’s Assistant Vice President of Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator. “With the grant funds, our primary goal is to continue to enhance the training around awareness, prevention and reporting to combat sexual assault. I look forward to working on these initiatives with all members of the Rosemont College community.” Colleges and universities will use the grants to create programs ranging from campus-wide training for students, faculty, and staff to institutional campaigns to raise awareness of the reporting process and the resources available to survivors of sexual violence. “We received an outpouring of positive feedback after receiving this award in the past, and we were anxious to again apply for another It’s On Us grant.,” said Matthew Baker, Rosemont’s Director of Public Safety and Deputy Title IX Coordinator. “We had so many new ideas at the conclusion of last year and many of them presented us with the opportunity to involve our students. Being awarded this grant a second time
will allow Rosemont to continue to safeguard our campus. I am very greateful!” With the grant, Rosemont will hold additional trainings for students, faculty, and staff with attention on reporting methods. In addition, supporting resource tools and materials will be produced to remind the campus community how to report an incident and reinforce the training sessions such as: Sexual violence resource guide – a printed guide for all students, faculty, and staff distributed at orientation and posted online with support services, policies, reporting options, and more. Mobile app – a safety app with immediate anonymous reporting at your fingertips, access to emergency contact information and public safety officers, and more. Public service announcement – a 30-second video to reinforce the trainings and remind the College community about reporting options and tips to stay safe from sexual assault on campus. It's On Us PA is a statewide campaign that invites everyone to play a role in ending sexual assault. Since 2016, the Wolf Administration has awarded 113 It’s On Us PA grants totaling nearly $3 million to more than 60 postsecondary institutions across the state - including public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities. The institutions use grant funds to implement strategies on their campuses to address goals of Governor Wolf’s It’s On Us PA campaign.
Supported by the 2018-2019 Margaret M. Healy Fund for Faculty Research in Ethics and Leadership Award, Rosemont’s Business Department conducted a research project on Ethical Decision Making in the Sports Business World. The project was designed to collect data while affording students an experiential learning opportunity. This project started as an exploration into Ethical Decision Making in the Sports Business World, looking into the ethical decision-making training and preparation provided to sport managers. “Because we at Rosemont are fortunate to have our Institute for Ethical Leadership and Social Responsibility, we have had an interest to infuse our new Sports Management bachelor’s degree program with intense learning about applied ethics and use of ethical decision models when facing complex sport business decisions,” said Dr. Christine Hagerdorn, Assistant Professor, Business. Two Research Assistants, Kiersten Millman, Senior Marketing and Management double major, and Will Boehmer, Sophomore Communications Major and Political Science Minor, assisted Dr. Hagedorn and gathered the data that the research program collected. They talked with practitioners who represented a wide array of sport business interests from Racetrack CEOs and Professional Team Marketing Managers to Community Youth Recreational Program Directors, and many other roles. Upon aggregating and distilling the responses, the team found answers to most of their original research questions. According to Dr. Hagedorn, “We were inspired to study this after considering the technological and globalized business environment within which future sports managers will serve juxtaposed with what seems to be a growing number of contemporary news stories involving questionable decisions or actions by sport managers. This information will guide us to more intentionally infuse Ethical Leadership and Social Responsibly content into our current Sports Management degree program courses.”
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The new Community Center bustled with activity earlier this semester as students learned in the new classrooms, ate in the expanded dining hall, shopped in the bookstore, exercised in the fitness center, and more!
Looking for a meeting space?
Hosting a party? Organizing a conference? The Community Center is the perfect venue for a small gathering, a meeting of 30, a formal dinner for 200, and everything in between. For more information on rental rates, space details, catering options, and technological capabilities, visit rosemont.edu/ about/events/facilities-rental or contact Ali Curth, College Event and Theater Coordinator, at 610-527-0200 x3102 or mail to: alexandra.curth@rosemont.edu.
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Combined Law, Teaching, and Art
Singing and Volunteering
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Rosemont Ravens Soar The Rosemont Ravens have been reaching for new heights this spring sports season and we are proud of the accomplishments of our players. Men’s Volleyball’s Firsts Coach Russell Loue has built Rosemont’s inaugural Men’s Volleyball Team by developing the talents of a strong roster of athletes including both upperclassmen and underclassmen. “What a wonderful opportunity and responsibility it is to be part of the first Men’s team at Rosemont,” said Loue. Games are played in the Sister Mary George Community Room of the new Sharon Latchaw Hirsh Community Center, pictured on this page.
The Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC), including Rosemont College Athletics, has suspended all athletic activity, including games and championships, for the remainder of the 2020 spring semester, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to protect the health and well-being of its student-athletes, coaches, officials and campuses.
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Men’s Basketball #3 Seed in CSAC Playoffs Rosemont’s Men’s basketball Ravens (10-15 overall, 7-7 in conference play) returned to the CSAC playoffs by earning a #3 seed playoff berth, during an exciting senior day game, defeating Bryn Athyn College. 80-62. The Ravens traveled to the playoffs in Langhorne, PA, where they were eliminated by #2 seed Cairn University on Wednesday, February 26th. Basketball player Corey McGarry, Junior, from Langhorne, PA was selected to the CSAC Honor Roll after scoring 17 points in the win over Bryn Athyn.
Women’s Softball Player Earns 100th Career Hit
Kaileigh Whalen, senior softballer from Magnolia, NJ, topped 100 career hits early in the season when the women's softball team traveled to Clermont, Florida to compete in a doubleheader, taking on and defeating both Houghton College and Berea College.
Women’s Basketball Player named CSAC Player of the Week
Women’s Basketball Senior Ke’alohilani Naone-Carter, from Magnolia, New Jersey, was named CSAC Played of the Week after averaging 34.0 points per game in the last two games of the season. The team wrapped up its 2020 season on February 23. 7-18 overall, 5-13 in conference play.
For more information: rosemont-ravens.com
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2020 Alumni Spiritual Retreat:
Rosemonsters of the 70s, 80s, & 90s Reunite at Kelly’s Turns out, you really can go home again … or at least back to Kelly’s! Alumnae of the classes of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, along with their spouses and friends, packed the second floor of Kelly’s Tap Room on Saturday, February 22 for the second annual Kelly’s Throwback Party sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations. All alumnae in attendance were treated to drinks, and alumnae and guests enjoyed a sampling of Kelly’s menu, courtesy of the Office of Alumni Relations. Groups of classmates enjoyed each other’s company, recalled the many good times spent in Kelly’s in years past, and made new memories. The Office of Alumni Relations even treated alumnae to a walk down memory lane by displaying yearbook photos at the event.
A limited-edition T-shirt, created for the Kelly’s Thowback Party, featured the “Once a Rosemonster, Always a Rosemonster” logo. It was given as a gift from the College to any alumna who made a donation of $25 or more to the Rosemont College Experience Fund during the event. Plans are already in the works for the third annual Kelly’s Thowback Party in February of 2021. If you are an alumna of the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s and did not receive an email invitation this year, it means the Office of Alumni Relations does not have a current email address for you. Please email alum@rosemont.edu with your current email address. You won’t want to miss the fun!
GOD’S DREAM FOR US The second annual Alumni Retreat, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, was held on Saturday, March 7 at New Sharon, the property in Rosemont owned by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Led by Joanne Sullivan, SHCJ and Jeanne Marie Hatch, SHCJ, the daylong Alumni Retreat was attended by 20 alumni spanning the decades. The theme, “God’s Dream For Us,” gave participants the opportunity to reflect and discern how God calls each of us to become the people we were meant to be, or as Cornelia Connelly said, “Be yourself, but make that self all that God wants you to be.” Sisters Joanne and Jeanne Marie led group discussions during the Retreat, leaving plenty of time for quiet reflection and prayer, as well as for exploring the grounds of New Sharon and for breakfast and lunch, provided by the Office of Alumni Relations. A third annual Alumni Retreat will be planned for the Spring of 2021. The Retreat will be free and open to all alumni of the College. Stay tuned for more information; space will be limited.
Campus Ministry Spend Spring Break in Service to Others Students and advisors from Rosemont’s Campus Ministry spent their spring break in service to others. The group traveled to Salisbury, Maryland, to assist the Christian Shelter, Salisbury Urban Missions, Kids’ Kafe, and Chesapeake Housing Mission, using their labor to help with construction projects including building a shelf at the Christian Shelter and building a handicap ramp for accessibility. Pictured are: Tim Poole, Marissa Ryan, Emily Ward, Gabe Rizzo, and Kenny Wiggins
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Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.
The Office of College Relations and the Office of Alumni Relations are pleased to share that 127 alumni of the College have volunteered to serve as the Colleges’ Class Representatives – in other words, they have a heart for Rosemont! “As Representatives, they help the College stay connected with their classmates. They each do it in different ways – some forward the emails from the Office of Alumni Relations to their class, some post for us on social media, some help us plan Reunion, some host events in their area, some help us raise funds to support the College, some keep us posted with Class Notes, and some just are there if we need them. Whatever they do, we are grateful for them, and for the heart that they have for their alma mater.” -Elizabeth Andrew If your class is listed to the right without a Class Representative, and you have a heart for Rosemont and are interested in serving as a Representative, please contact: Joe Darrah, Director of Alumni Relations 610-527-0200 x2805 or alum@rosemont.edu.
School of Graduate and Professional Studies Alumni:
Do you have a heart for Rosemont?
The Offices of Alumni Relations and College Relations are seeking graduates of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) to volunteer to serve as Representatives for all of the College’s Graduate and Professional Studies Programs. Did you complete the MFA Program, or perhaps the Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Program, or maybe the Graduate Education Program? Or even a program that the College no longer offers? No matter which program you completed as an adult student, if you are interested in volunteering, we are interested in talking with you! We know that you can help us connect with the other graduates of your SGPS program and help the network of SGPS alumni grow and flourish. Email the Office of Alumni Relations at alum@rosemont.edu to learn more!
Class Representatives Class of 1947 Maria McDevitt Thielens ’47 Class of 1948 Margaretta Richardi ’48 Class of 1950 Joan Hammel Goetz ’50 Jane Roach, SHCJ ’50 Class of 1952 Nancy Glackin Haughey ’52 Adele Scott Paroni ’52 Class of 1953 Maureen O'Grady Clancy '53 Delories Richardi ’53
Class of 1967 Jean Daniel Flewelling ’67 Sheila Williams Walsh ’67 Class of 1968 Veronica M. Ahern ’68 Nancy Newhouse ’68 Deidre Lamplugh Schipani ’68 Class of 1969 Carol McCarthy Bryan ’69 Marian Caroselli ’69 Eileen Hanlon Lynn ’69 Margaret T. Monaco ’69 Mitzi Needham ’69 Patricia Inserillo Sabella-Stander ’69
Class of 1954 Gail Teevan Boatman ’54 Margaret Cassady Burns ’54 Margaret Carroll Mullen Carney ’54 Mary Kay Niles Cooper ’54 Catherine Cooney O'Brien ’54
Class of 1970 Mary Seminara Lane ’70 Michele Day Massaglia ’70 Maryanne Magnotta Schiller ’70 Mary Anne Schofield ’70 Mary Boucher Touhy ’70 Barbara Rotella Virelli ’70
Class of 1955 Maureen Hourigan Hauck ’55 Lillian Duffy Matt '55
Class of 1973 Regina Yoa-Reese ’73
Class of 1956 Mary Ann Casey Bentz ’56 Sydney Sharon Brown ’56 Class of 1957 Elaine Beers Becker ’57 Claire Cullen Earley ’57 Class of 1958 Jude Desmond O'Shea '58 Class of 1959 Elizabeth Richardson Rollins '59 Julia Armstrong Noble ’59 Sandy Cousins Robinette ’59 Class of 1960 Joan Heiser Gruber '60 Nancy Dougherty Lavin '60 Nancy O'Connell Pugh '60 Frances Kelly Smith '60 Class of 1961 Louise Dagit ’61 Rosemary Dougherty Ewing ’61 Class of 1962 Eleanor Dougherty Currie ’62 Mary Kathryn Kosco Farrell ’62 Marilyn A. Moller '62 Class of 1963 Jean Plante McNelis ’63 Emily Connelly Riley ’63 Class of 1964 Gerry-Jo Kreuder Cranmer ’64 Mary Ann Martin Dougherty ’64 Margaret McGovern Isselmann ’64 Carolyn Kenny ’64 Margaret Heron Lonzetta ’64, ’00 Marianna Pulaski Sullivan ’64 Anne Sweeney ’64 Marie Peale Wolff ’64 Class of 1965 Elisa LaPenna Sheronas ’65, ’15 Class of 1966 Patricia Niles Dohrenwend ’66 Margaret Donegan Donato ’66 Rosemary Morgan Joyce ’66 Joyce Cervelli Rehorst ’66 Jane Matricciani Shaab ’66
Class of 1974 Anne Durney Gannon ’74 Class of 1975 Linda Marrone Romanowski ’75 Class of 1976 Deborah Flynn ’76 Madonna Hazzouri Sutter ’76 Class of 1977 Kathleen Brennan Christian ’77 Linda Colonna Hohn ’77 Nancy Nolan Rosenbluth ’77 Class of 1978 Margaret O'Neal McManus ’78 Sue Wickersham Sproat ’78 Melanie White ’78 Class of 1979 Theresa M. Gallo Rosner ’79 Kathleen Reilly Wroblewski ’79 Class of 1980 Elizabeth Murray Baxley ’80 Margaret McDermott ’80 Regina Atkinson Scott ’80 Marilyn Hurley Whiteman ’80
Class of 1989 Ann Cardarelli Farmiga ’89 Eileen Potts Gorman ’89 Jennifer Johnson McGowan '89 Class of 1990 Judith Barone Cottrell '90 Tara L. George ’90 Class of 1991 Ann Manning Allen ’91 Class of 1992 Erin P. Hennicke ’92 Victoria F. Nastri ’92 Class of 1993 Beth A. Hagovsky ’93 Class of 1994 Emily Pennington Boucher ’94 Lauren Pugliese Dohrenwend ’94 Deborah Dorn Knapp ’94 Class of 1995 Bridgette Dubzak Como ’95, ’06 Elizabeth Nolan McCluskey ’95 Class of 1996 Whitney Springstead Thain ’96 Class of 1997 Anne Cobourn ’97 Class of 1998 Madeline M. Brown-Bitto ’98 Class of 2000 Courtney Martin Powers ’00 Class of 2001 Taryn Edmonds Kennedy ’01 Class of 2003 Jamie Jenson Pomerhn ’03 Class of 2004 Rasheda Gary-Allen ’04 Ida L. Grandy ’04 Class of 2005 Amanda Lee Gilbert ’05 Angela Shanita Richardson ’05 Class of 2006 Casey Elizabeth Lafferty ’06 Erin Rebecca McCarthy Adams ’06 Tauheedah Ziyad-Berry ’06
Class of 1983 Maura Ann Ross ’83
Class of 2007 Vanessa J. Bellmon ’07
Class of 1984 Patricia Golitz Bethke ’84 Claire Grainger ’84 Julie Meaney Oatway ’84
Class of 2008 Kaitlin Rogers Lesky ’08
Class of 1985 Margaret Suraci DeVita ’85 Anita Mellone Febbo ’85 Dennise Dutkin Fleck ’85 Class of 1986 Solita Hanna ’86 Class of 1987 Ann Kelly McGeary ’87 Class of 1988 Deegan Brady Fardon ’88 Colleen Yewaisis Mahr ’88
Class of 2009 Natasha Marie Goodman Liggins ’09 Shawn Michael Proctor ’09 Class of 2010 Lindley Rittweger ’10 Class of 2011 Shakira Dawnn Hansley ’11 Class of 2012 Anna M. Martini ’12 Class of 2015 Alexis Armstrong ’15 Class of 2018 Joan G. Wilder ’18
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Class Notes Barbara Mary Bibby ’69 starred in the production of Talking With, a play by Jane Martin that took the stage in April 2019 at the Spotlight Theatre in Swarthmore, PA.
In honor of their 60th Reunion, alumnae from the Class of 1956 donated $20,000 to the Experience Fund. The College has officially designated two rooms in Good Counsel (201 and 203) to be named in honor of the entire class. Tonia “Sissie” DiMarino Tecce ’59 made her New York Cabaret debut at the popular Metropolitan and received rave reviews from New York critics in her one-woman show, A COCKEYED OPTIMIST Why We Believe, The Songs of Richard Rodgers. Most recently, she returned to New York and performed the same show at the popular Don’t Tell Mama. In addition, she has made CDs, What A Wonderful World and Smile. Her website is www.toniatecce.com.
Patricia “Patsie” Smith McCandless ’69 recently launched her new website: SavingTheMagicOfChildhood.com, which includes her weekly blog Light Lessons With Patsie. The educator, artist, musician, and author also saw her novel Becoming Jesse ~ Celebrating the Everyday Magic of Childhood published in September 2018. This past spring, she assisted the Rosemont College Archives and the Office of Alumni Relations in recording an Oral History on the T-Tones. Cynthia “Cyndy” Welde Sanders ’69 wrote, produced, and directed a short play called Busride this year.
Margaret Reavey Dalesandro ’68 has been named to the Board of Directors for OncoSec Medical Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Pennington, NJ, focused on developing immunotherapies that have new technologies to treat cancer.
Sharon Latchaw Hirsh ’70 has announced that she will retire from her position as President of Rosemont College in May. She also recently assisted the College Archives and the Office of Alumni Relations in recording an Oral History on the T-Tones.
Rosemary Andries Horstmann ’68 is enjoying her three granddaughters and has been retired since 2014.
Martha H. Cushwa Short, ’75 received the annual Margaret Way Hoffner Award from Pennsylvanians for Human Life, a nonprofit organization based in Chester County, PA. Short, who recently retired as Executive Director of the organization, was honored at a banquet attended by approximately 400 people.
Nancy A. Newhouse ’68 continues to teach 7th graders the techniques of interviewing adults in her Nantucket, MA, community. The final stories are shown at a local theater and on YouTube as We Are Nantucket. Nancy also helped to put together a documentary on the Thrift Shop at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, which celebrated more than 90 years of service and fundraising this past summer.
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Nancy Hommel Dreiss ’78 started a new job in September at the City of Winter Haven (FL) Building and Permitting Department.
Kathryn Lee Jones Murphy ’85 fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams when she competed in the Boston Marathon last April. She and her family proudly took turns promoting her alma mater with a Rosemont College banner along the nearly 30-mile route. An avid and active athlete since her college days, she keeps in shape by biking, swimming, and running. On a part-time basis, she trains athletes and teaches yoga and fitness classes. She is currently employed at the pharmaceutical company Merck in North Wales, PA. Marian Going Grill ’90 was named Principal at Lafayette Elementary School, Lancaster, PA, in July.
Mary Catherine Donaldson Clark ’93 joined Polk State College last March as the Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Accreditation, and Research.
Ashley Montecchio Vero ’13 and Ryan Hartzell Vero ’13 welcomed their newborn daughter Octavia into the world at 1:05 p.m. on Nov. 15. Octavia is the couple’s second child. Alexis Kropp-Kwon ’06 welcomed her newborn son Oh Anderson into the world with her husband Young-Nam at 10:50 a.m. on Dec. 12. Anderson is the couple's second son and the nephew of Madeline Kropp '09 and Caroline “Carlie” Kropp '13. Girls Night at the Shore ’94 From left to right:Top Row: Gina Broomall Madron, Tricia Manning Stefanelli, & Christyn Moran. Bottom Row: Tracy Donahue McGonigle, Amy Clark Marotta, Jacy Collini Hillman, & Marybeth Posen Fowler. Elizabeth McCluskey ’95 was part of a group from the Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School that brought 11th-grade students onto campus for a tour this past spring. As a member of the Student Programs & Events Committee on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, she is looking forward to similar initiatives to help raise awareness of the College. Onorina Rose DeGrassa Michalsky ’98 was featured in a Mother’s Day profile this past spring in an article written by her daughter Peg DeGrassa, who serves as Editor of Town Talk, News & Press of Delaware County. Marlyn Kissner ’05 oversees the Northern Region of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and serves as the Executive Director of the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corporation. She also serves as the Executive Director for the Pocono Chamber. Also a volunteer for the Carbon County Special Olympics and Franklin Township Fire Company, she serves as a board member of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau and the Lehigh Carbon Community College Career Development Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Palmerton Women’s Concourse Club.
Mallory Lynn Sowcik Miller ’07 joined the staff at Mount Nittany Physician Group Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery, State College, PA, this summer. Angela Kaiser ’07 published her first full-length collection of poetry, Organblooms (FutureCycle Press), on Amazon in January. Her second book of poetry, Words for the Dead, is expected to publish in January 2021. Sarah Rose Etter ’10 had her first novel, The Book of X, published in July. Her work has appeared or will appear in numerous publications, including The Cut, Electric Literature, and VICE. She also co-founded the TireFire Reading Series and is a contributing editor at The Fanzine. Lauren Sugalski Mosback, MA, LPC, NCC SGPS ’10 a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Behavior Specialist who owns a private practice in Paoli, PA, who specializes in helping children, teens, and their families navigate issues related to anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief/ loss, trauma, social skill difficulties, and low self-esteem, published her first children’s book – My Sister’s Super Skills (Mascot Books)—in January. Barbara Becker Burke ’12 retired to Evergreen Colorado on New Year’s Day 2019.
Her big brother Theo was born in October 2017. Jennifer South ’16,’17 and Michael Manning ’16 have announced their engagement and will be married at The Merion in Cinnaminson, NJ, on March 12, 2021. Zachary Perkins SGPS ’15 has joined the law firm Blank Rome LLC, Philadelphia, PA, as an associate in the organization’s Real Estate Group. Zach concentrates his practice in commercial real estate transactions. Lauren Profitt ’15 has successfully completed her PhD at Temple University. Jordan Purnell ’16, ’17 recently started a new position as Client Experience Quality Administrator at Vanguard. Rosalinda "Rosie" DiGironimo ’17 recently started a position at University of the Sciences as their Academic Specialist for the Misher College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office. She is also pursuing her MBA in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business at the University of the Sciences. Kathleen McCarthy ’18 has been named press assistant for the US House of Representatives Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Rasool Sharif Smith ’18 has created an app called School Notes, which helps parents of school-age children to have access to the notes that their kids who are truant from school should have received in class, in an effort to help lower the rates of truancy. He also owns a digital marketing company, Expand 365 University.
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After 55 Years, Butch Brown Retires Rosemont Alumnae in Leadership Roles for Philadelphia Flower Show Former Rosemont Trustee Helen Meeks Horstmann ‘67 and Current Rosemont Trustee Ann Donovan Marshall ’66 have been hard at work with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, both serving as members of the Society’s Board of Directors. Ann and her husband Charlie Marshall were Co-Chairs of the 2020 Flower Show Preview Party. Helen was the 2020 Chair of the Philadelphia Flower Show. The show, themed Riviera Holiday, was overflowing with fresh flowers and amazing trees typical of the Mediterranean including olive trees. The trees will have further futures in area Philadelphia displays at the Philadelphia Zoo and Longwood Gardens and other horticultural sites. Look for these Rosemont grads again next year as they continue prominent roles in the annual Philadelphia Flower Show; Helen will once again serve as Chair of the Show. Proceeds from the Preview Party and the Flower Show benefit the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s ongoing efforts towards Gardening for the Greater Good in the Philadelphia region, something both Helen and Ann view as very much in line with Rosemont College’s mission and values.
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If you’ve ever walked through Rosemont, you probably saw a familiar sight: Butch Brown during one of his many rounds across campus. For more than five decades, Butch had been a well-known presence in our community, overseeing many responsibilities to ensure campus operations were running safely and smoothly. After working for more than half of the College’s history, Butch retired at the end of January after 55 years of service at Rosemont. On Thursday, January 30, members of the Rosemont community and Butch’s family gathered in Main Building to celebrate his many contributions to the College. In attendance were two former presidents, Dorothy Brown and Peg Healy, and dozens of faculty and staff members. “55 years serving one institution is something to celebrate,” said President Sharon L. Hirsh during her introductory remarks. “But today’s gathering is more than that. Today, we are celebrating a man who has helped to shape and create the Rosemont College that we all know today.” Several friends, colleagues, and family members then shared their own stories about Butch’s influence on their lives. Dorothy Brown called Butch “unflappable” when describing the heavy workload he had balanced over the years. Christyn Moran ‘94, Vice President for College Relations, recalled meeting Butch when she was a Rosemont student and how should could always depend on him. “He is always there,” she said.
In memoriam Alumni…
Dante Matthew Austin ’19 Margaret M. Joy Barrett ’60 Nancy Maxwell Bastan ’84 Lynn Johnson Billington ’84 Frances M. Blake ’45 Elaine Moskine Bregman ’69 Elizabeth “Betty Lou” Kenny Cannon ’53 Marcia Murray Castle ’53 Dorothy Storey Charbonnet ’60 Jean Long Coleman ’48 Nancy Costello ’69 Sharon Heinz Cutri ’69 Virginia Wright D'Antonio ’59 Maureen Burnes Delany ’63 Patricia A. Doherty ’71 Victoria Donohoe ’50 Rosemary Anne Hanahoe Dosch ’51 Helen Gibbons Etzl ’42 Geraldine Heck ’51 Mary Monahan Fanelli ’46 Joan Moore Farrell ’56 Loretta Moore Favret ’48 Julie Ditchy Fitzpatrick ’56 Mary F. Foley ’49 Mary Madigan Frasier ’70 Christina Marie Marconi Gaudio ’04 Geraldine Heck ’51 Kathleen Moran Heermans ’46 Regina P. McBride Huber ’40 Jane Nash Ix ’55 Star C.J. Johns ’49 Mary Elizabeth Kearns ’65 Dolores Grote Kelty ’43 Mary McCaffrey Keyser ’46 Bessie Guss Lamperez ’81 Doreen Mortola LeMoult ’65 Kelly Marie Silfies Leon ’97 Angela Keefe Lynch ’70 Alice Marie Gleeson McGovern ’54 Joan Gallagher McKeon ’52 Mercedes Dauer McSorley ’51
Evelyn Russo Mills ’47 Mary Eileen McCarthy Moriarty ’51 Candice “Candy” Jones Morse ’93 Marie Stephens Naulty ’43 Anne Colonnello Nolen ’75 Christina Coyle O'Connell-Duggan ’56 Ruth Erbacher O’Keefe ’43 Mary Anna Connor Scanlon ’52 Monica K. Heneks Scarpa ’69 Helen F. Sharkey ’49 Priscilla Navarro Sims ’54 Andrea Winterer St. James ’62 Patricia Anne Kaiser Stockinger ’64 Joanne Izzo Tierney ’75 Margaret Hillery Villere ’60 Juliana Wright Young ’55
Husband of…
Son of…
Nancy Glackin Haughey ’52 Joanne R. Hunsicker ’03 Barbara Morris Shertz ’52 Maryanne Magnotta Schiller ’70
Granddaughter of… Claire Ticho Kuffner ’70
Grandmother of… Rosie DiGironimo ’17
Grandfather of…
Kimberly Federowicz ’13
Brother of …
Beatrice Majka ’00
Mary Jane Campion Altmiller ’59 Andrea Cafiero Balliette ’59 Marie A. Corbet-Peterson ’65 Eleanor Dougherty Currie ’62 Patricia Alice Hickey Greer ’60 Mary Burlington Hauck ’59 Margaret “Peggy” Ryan Natiello ’52 Betsy Shaner Tomlinson ’61
Sister of … Eileen Linton Conroy ’70 ’59 Mary “Helen” Sullivan Manning ’65
Mother of…
Sr. Jane Dawley, SHCJ Nora T. Healy
Susan DiGironimo ’18 Patricia Ciarrocchi Fineman ’74 Rosanne G. Frost ’74 Jacqueline Anne “Jacy” Collini Hillman ’94 Ann Marie Bielli Sestak ’74
Father of…
Nancy Hommel Dreiss ’78 Doreen Mortola LeMoult ’65 Jane Federowicz ’15 Eileen A. Pomento-Feyrer ’94
Niece of …
Florence Johnston Collier ’54
Former Members of Faculty & Staff …
Former Trustee…
Sr. Pauline Mary McShain ’57
Friends of Rosemont… Modene F. Duffy Daniel E. Ford Doris Kierszenblat Goodman Barbara Betlach Tuller
The list above includes all notifications made to the Office of Alumni Relations as of March 3, 2020.
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Farewell to President Hirsh To thank President Sharon Hirsh for her 14 years of dedicated service to Rosemont College, alumni and friends of Rosemont from around the country have generously hosted gatherings in her honor, so that alumni might come together to thank President Hirsh and to celebrate her retirement.
The College is grateful to the alumni and friends listed below. September 16, 2019 Greenwich, Connecticut Hosted by Jeanette Clonan ’70
October 29, 2019 Arlington, Virginia Hosted by Katharine Sieminski Powell ’91
September 17, 2019 Stonington, Connecticut Hosted by Sandee Sharr ’69
February 5, 2020 Naples, Florida Hosted by Rosemont Trustee George Doehner
October 20, 2019 New York, New York Hosted by Mary Pellicane Susnjara ’60
February 7, 2020 Vero Beach, Florida Hosted by Betsy Richardson Rollins ’59
Thank you, also, to all the hosts and hostesses whose events were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Join Us for Founders’ Week
Grab your favorite beverage and enjoy Happy Hour with the Office of Alumni Relations!
5:00 to 6:00 pm Monday, April 20th: Classes of the 1950s & 1960s Tuesday, April 21st: Classes of 1970s Wednesday, April 22nd: Classes of the 1980s Thursday, April 23rd: C lasses of the 1990s & all SGPS Grads Friday, April 24th: C lasses of the 2000s, 2010s, & all SGPS Grads Missing your Rosemont friends? Wanting to reconnect with campus? Looking for a fun ‘Night Out’ while you ‘Stay at Home’? 25 | RO S EM O N T C O L L E GE
Interested in joining us?
Email alum@rosemont.edu A link to the secure Zoom meeting will be sent to you by the Office of Alumni Relations.
These are extraordinary times. Our country and our world are in the midst of coping with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The same is true for Rosemont College. The majority of our students are now off-campus, completing their coursework online. Our faculty and staff are working remotely. Our events and gatherings have been postponed or cancelled. All in an effort to safeguard the well-being and health of our community.
So, why do we still need your donation to the Experience Fund? Your gift will help to fund remote access for our students. It will allow us to offer our employees the tools they need to work remotely and meet our students’ needs. It will help us off-set the losses the College will see from cancelled campus events. But, most of all, it will help our students. Even though this semester won’t be the one they expected it to be, we want their Rosemont experience to still be a high-quality one. We want all of our students – traditional age and adult learners – to still experience the POWER of small, even if they can’t be on campus. We want to support them, educate them, and help them take on the challenges of life once this pandemic is behind all of us. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated.
Please help us do that by making your gift to the Experience Fund today. We need your support now, more than ever before.
Make your annual gift today to support the POWER of small.
Rosemont.edu/give Make your tax-deductible gift by June 30th.
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Rooted in Catholicism, Rosemont Cellege welcomes all faiths and is guided by the educational principles of Cornelia Connelly and the Society of the Holy Child Jesus to meet the needs of the time.
