Siena News — Fall 2022

ON THE COVER:

The Bells of Remembrance, gifted to Siena by the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Name Province, were designed by Br. David Schlatter ’72, O.F.M., to ring in honor of Fr. Mychal Judge, O.F.M., a chaplain for the New York City Fire Department who died in the line of duty during the September 11 attacks. Before arriving at Siena, the Bells had already logged thousands of chimes...and miles. They’ve been rung for annual memorial commemorations in Manhattan, Shanksville, Arlington, and Boston. They now have a permanent home on the Siena campus, thanks to the senior gift of the Class of ’20 supporting their installation.

The Bells of Remembrance Project “gives expression to feelings people sometimes cannot verbalize,” according to Br. David. Though his initial desire was to create a memorial for one friar, the Bells evolved into a simple yet fitting way to reverently honor others.

IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE A SAINT!

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Thomas J. Baldwin, Jr. ’81, Chair

Thomas L. Amell ’89

Ronald E. Bjorklund ’85

J. David Brown

Thomas J. Burke, Jr. Lisa J. Moser ’97

Susan L. Dake H ’21

Virginia L. Darrow ’83

John P. Finneran, Jr. ’81

Fr. James Gerard Gannon, O.F.M.

Christopher P. Gibson ’86, Ph.D.

Paul L. Gioia

Jason A. Gottlieb ’92

John R. Held ’80, Esq. Steven L. Lamy ’73, Ph.D.

SIENA NEWS – FALL 2022

Walter J. M. Liss, O.F.M.

Fr. Erick Lõpez, O.F.M.

Jan Marie MacDonnell ‘83

Joanne E. Maloy ’80

Tehresa M. Massena ’14

Mallory B. Massry ’07

Burgandy-Leigh McCurty ’10

William P. McGoldrick ’68

Fr. Kevin J. Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D. Patricia Nashelsky ’89, Esq.

John J. Nigro H ’13

Nipa Nobel

Daniel J. Rutnik ’80

Lewis A. Steverson ’87, Esq.

Br. Basil J. Valente ’84, O.F.M.

Published by: Siena College 15 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211-1462 communications@siena.edu

• Publisher: Jason Rich ’98

• Editor: Julia Hess Zielinski ’15

• Contributing Editors: Alumni Relations, Taylor Ball, Brad Bodmer ’82, Mike Demos, Joe Frumusa ’12, Dr. Chris Gibson ’86, Beth Hazelton ’16, Kaitlyn MacLeod ’09, Clare McCrudden ’21, Joe Mixie, Brandon Murphy ’17, Colin O’Reilly ’12, Kelly O’Donnell, Jason Rich ’98, Mike Utzig ’07, Mary Kate Weaver ‘16, Lisa Witkowski and Cherisse Young ’96

• Art Director and Design: Sergio Sericolo, M.F.A.

• Assistant Director of Development Marketing and Alumni Engagement Design: Taylor Ball

• Photography: Andy Murphy ’17, Siena Athletics, Siena College Alumni, Joe Frumusa ’12, Emily Furlong ’21 Sergio Sericolo.

• Video Production: Dave Etzler

FROM THE PRESIDENT

With the 2022-23 academic year at Siena College now underway, I’d like to recognize that we have much to be thankful for and much to anticipate. We started this year from a position of strength, as a college clearly on the rise. We are #1 in New York state for job placement for the past three years running; once again a national top 20 “Best Catholic College” and a US News & World Report “Best College”; and among the country’s “50 Most Beautiful College Campuses.”

We have just launched both a new, bold 2022-27 strategic plan; we have a strong financial posture and outlook; new facilities (the Welcome Center at Patricia Gioia Hall, and the Bob Guido ’68 Athletic Academic Center); and power ensured by new back-up generators. We will break ground on Nobel Hall, our state-of-the art science facility, in the spring, and build new tennis courts next summer. We have plans to renovate existing facilities in the coming years – especially our residential halls.

For our entire campus community, and all Siena Saints, we are reminded of all the challenges facing our country in a national political environment increasingly polarized and vitriolic. Toward that end, let’s remember who we are: a proud Catholic, Franciscan liberal arts college committed to academic and intellectual freedom and the development of the mind, body, and spirit. This mission will forever inform Siena as we prepare new generations of servant leaders to make our communities, our country and the world more just, peaceful and humane.

I will retire next summer knowing that Siena is poised to continue its march to reaching its full potential as a nationally renowned college. I look forward to all the challenges and opportunities before us.

P. Gibson ’86, Ph.D., President

Christopher

SIENA IN THE NEWS

A $496,541 funding request for new nursing education equipment at Siena has been submitted to the U.S. Congressional appropriations bill by New York’s House and

DANIEL BOGAN, PH.D., assistant professor of environmental studies and sciences, was profiled by the (Schenectady) Daily Gazette for his research leading to a three-year, $184,511 grant from the Northern State Research Cooperative.

Bogan is the principal investigator in a fully-funded study of the characteristics and impacts of human sprawl on the “wildland-urban interface.” He plans to select more than 20 Siena students to work with him on the study that will cover upstate New York, as well as Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

“One of the types of conflicts that I want to shed some light on is the complex nature of where our ecosystems are currently and how predator and prey interactions are out of sync from what they historically were, which ends up leaving some of these populations completely unchecked or nearly unchecked.”

Senate delegation. On June 6, U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20) visited the College’s Baldwin Nursing suite to meet with staff and students about the expanding program and its missioncentered goal to educate more nurses for underserved areas in the Capital Region. Local NPR affiliate WAMC and Spectrum News covered the visit.

If approved by the House and Senate this fall, the funding will pay for new equipment to be installed in the soon-to-be expanded science complex.

“If approved, this funding will give us the ability to outfit and expand the College’s nursing department, which ultimately will lead to an increase in the number of nursing students we can admit,” said program creator LISA LALLY, D.N.S., director of nursing and associate professor. “Having the capacity and tools necessary to educate compassionate, skilled bachelor’s prepared nurses is critical as we face the ongoing nursing and nurse educator shortage.”

Many companies are encountering challenges as they try to field a full staff of workers during The Great Resignation. What if local employers tried reaching out to young people early on to get them thinking about future job possibilities?

Siena College hosted nearly 2,000 middle school students at a June career fair on campus to widen their perception of college and career opportunities.

Students from two dozen school districts around the Capital Region took part in Career Jam Explore, sampling different futures with 50 different companies. The event offered a diverse range of local career options for the young students who were able to engage in fun, hands-on activities directly with business and trade professionals—from heavy construction vehicles, to semiconductors, police response vehicles to utility trucks, plus drones, biochemistry, and manufacturing displays. CBS6 stopped by to interview students, Siena faculty and area employers.

THE SAINTS CAME MARCHING IN

The families of more than 900 new students arrived on campus Thursday, September 1 to move in their Saints for the start of the new academic year. Greeted by a welcome team consisting of Orientation leaders, Ambassador tour guides, campus clubs and organizations, as well as Siena staff, faculty and administrators, our newest students learned what it’s like to live like a Saint.

NEW TRADITIONS

This year, Siena’s Mission Office hosted a new tradition for our incoming Saints. On the first night of Orientation, the group of new students gathered on the Nigro Family Plaza to reflect on what their time as Saints will look like, visualizing themselves overcoming any obstacle they see standing in their way as they begin their journey. They then began a procession throughout campus, lined with Siena community members cheering them on, and concluded with a walk through the arches of the Bells of Remembrance and a blessing and welcome from the Siena friars. This walk through the arches signified these Saints formally entering into the Siena community. In four years time, they will walk back through the arches of the Bells of Remembrance as they join thousands of Siena alumni, ready to make a difference in the world.

To welcome the Class of 2026, the Alumni Engagement office gathered messages from alumni all over the country. Messages were then posted on dorm room doors and in commuter lounges as words of encouragement for our incoming Saints.

Siena legacy families joined Alumni Engagement staff at the end of move-in day for the annual legacy photos. Legacy students are new Siena students who have parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts or uncles who graduated from the College. Families gathered and shared stories of their time at Siena, why they love and support the College, and how excited they are that a family member is continuing the Siena Legacy.

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CLASSROOM

Siena is committed to continuing to expand our program offerings to provide students more academic opportunities and to better prepare them for evolving career options in their chosen professional fields.

INTRODUCING: CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDIES

New this summer, Siena has introduced a criminal justice studies major and minor. The program features three tracks: Human Rights; Policy, Practice & Administration; and Forensics.

Criminal justice studies, a frequently searched-for major by prospective students, will examine the intersections of justice, law, economics, policy, technology, and social change, according to Christiane Farnan ’93, Ph.D., dean of the School of Liberal Arts.

Anne Rody-Wright, J.D., teaching professor of First-Year Seminar, will serve as the program’s director.

Several current faculty members from various disciplines will teach courses in the program, and the College plans to hire two additional full-time faculty.

“Graduates of this program will have strong research and analytical abilities as well as in-depth criminal justice theoretical knowledge from multidisciplinary and intersectional perspectives,” said Farnan.

Founded upon the College’s Franciscan and liberal arts heritage, the program offers Saints a criminal justice degree uniquely focused on restorative and transformational justice principles.

A NEW PROGRAM THAT’S ONE OF A KIND

Siena is now home to the only undergraduateonly psychology program in the country to offer a concentration in school psychology. The New York State Education Department approved the College for an 18-credit concentration.

Kristin Miller, Ph.D., professor of psychology, said in the rare instances when a school psychology concentration is offered at the undergrad level, it is usually within the context of a college’s 3+3 or graduate feeder program.

Students with this concentration at Siena will be well prepared to apply for graduate study in school psychology, child clinical psychology, school counseling, school social work, or a related field to further prepare for their careers.

COMPUTER SCIENCE GETS AN UPGRADE

Siena has recently updated its computer science major to feature eight specific concentrations.

The change received approval from the New York State Education Department in June. Each student working toward a bachelor of science degree in computer science will select a track of study.

The new concentrations include: - Foundations of Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence - Computer Science Education - Cybersecurity - Game Development - Information Systems - Software Engineering

For more information on each of the concentrations, visit siena.edu/programs.

YOU’RE HIRED

CHRISTOPHER KNIGHTS ‘22 was born a Yankees fan. In fact, he’s wanted to work for the club ever since he realized he would never make it as a starting pitcher for the Bronx Bombers. However, since graduating in May, he hasn’t had a chance to catch many Yankees games. Instead, he’s been glued to the Atlanta Braves.

At the end of May, Knights worked his first shift as a media management associate for the MLB Network. He’s typically assigned one game a night, chooses the best plays, and uploads the highlights to the MLB app. He also links the highlights to the team webpages and writes the copy that complements the action (among other tasks). The only regret: he hasn’t been assigned a single Yankees game yet.

Last winter, the sports communications major took a sports field production course. The professor brought a director from MLB Network, Lucas Altman, into a lecture via Zoom.

“I knew that might be my only shot if I wanted a job at MLB Network right out of college. I emailed Lucas after class and introduced myself. We stayed in contact, and a few months later,

he offered me a tour of the network studios.”

Knights took the tour, sent along his resume and asked if Altman would share it with the right people.

“A couple days later, I had an interview. Soon after that, I accepted a job at the place I always wanted to work.”

Heading into the interview, NANEA PERKINS ‘22 admits to not knowing the first thing about wine (the first thing to know is that wine is typically divided among reds and whites, and again – Perkins didn’t know it).

“I just kept saying, ‘I know the science – even if I don’t yet know my reds from my whites.’ I think they liked that. They’re looking forward to teaching me, and I’m looking forward to learning.”

She learned from a professor that breweries required chemists and she figured wineries must need chemists as well. She didn’t know much about wine, but a vineyard seemed like it would make a nice office.

Perkins looks at a glass of wine and sees science. She describes the libation not by its notes, but by sugars and acids and chemical compounds. Scientists are required to balance the compounds to make great wine. And that’s where Perkins comes in.

She accepted a lab technician position with Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington State’s oldest winery. Specifically, Perkins will be working at Patz & Hall, one of their wineries in Sonoma, California.

To support the Siena Career and Internship Center to help Saints find their dream careers, please contact development@siena.edu or 518-783-2432.

After All, the World Needs More Saints!

ASK US ANYTHING

One of the tactics included in Leading the Way: Our Strategic Plan 2022-2027 under the Experience pillar is to: Create an Experience Team to triage College transactional and business inquiries, customer service requests, and general outreach. The goal is to provide easy, pleasant and efficient communications.

From this idea came the new Siena Experience Team.

This team is a small group of employees working to create a centralized clearinghouse for incoming and outbound communication for the College. The team manages the ask@siena.edu inbox and dedicated phone number (518-782-8ASK) as a one-stop-shop for Siena community members to have their questions answered.

In June, the team soft-launched this project with incoming students in an effort to build

excitement for Siena while establishing a sense of belonging through campus relationships. This fall, it was rolled out to the entire Siena community. For more information about the Siena Experience Team, visit siena.edu/ask.

LONNSTROM HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM EXCELLENCE AWARD

Ndeye Tall ‘22, a history major/education minor from the Bronx, is the recipient of the annual Lonnstrom Higher Education Opportunity Program Excellence Award. The honor was established by Douglas Lonnstrom ’66, Ph.D., a recently retired Siena professor of quantitative business analysis, and his wife, Cris, to support HEOP students in pursuing their careers and goals after graduation. The $5,000 award may be put toward transportation, moving, living, tuition, and book expenses.

Tall has been accepted into the rigorous Teach for America program, and headed to Washington, D.C. in June to work as a special education teacher at the high school level.

During her time at Siena, Tall served as an HEOP peer mentor, a pre-first year summer program counselor, and HEOP advisory board member. She said teaching in

underserved communities is very important to her.

Lonnstrom recently retired from the College after 47 years as a professor of the School of Business. Within that time he also served as dean of the Business School, head of the Quantitative Business Department, and co-founded the Siena College Research Institute. Thank you to the Lonnstroms for everything you have done for the Siena community!

SUMMER WITH THE SCHOLARS

Founded in 2012, with a gift from the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Name Province, Siena’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA) sponsors more than 200 credit-bearing projects of all academic disciplines each year. Every CURCA-approved independent study is a partnership between professor and student, promising high-impact, hands-on learning. Their research results often have practical implications with global consequences, and students will often report their findings around the country and around the world.

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean our Saints stop working. Through CURCA’s Summer Scholars program, dozens of students return to campus and hit the ground running.

FACULTY: James Angstadt, Ph.D., professor of biology

STUDENTS: Colleen Malone ’24 and Andrew Nguyen ’24

PROJECT: Determining Ion Channel Distribution in an Invertebrate Central Nervous System

FACULTY: Ruth Kassel, Ph.D., associate director of academic integration

STUDENT: Thomas Maguire ’23 (left)

PROJECT: Community Wealth Building

FACULTY: Scott Greenhalgh, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics

STUDENT: Anna Morelli ’23

PROJECT: Mathematical modeling in the unnatural sciences

FACULTY: Daniel White, Ph.D., director of health professions/health studies and Donnean Thrall, N.D., assistant professor of nursing

STUDENTS: Carina Gigliotti ’23, Sydney Smith ’23, Jack McKenna ’23, Erin Spence ’22

PROJECT: Medicinal Plants and Community Well-Being Project

FACULTY: Krysta Dennis, Ph.D., producer of creative arts and Scott Nelson Foster, M.F.A., department chair and associate professor of creative arts

STUDENTS: Hannah Alsaadi ‘25, Fortune Iheanetu ‘25, and Isabella McClave ‘24

PROJECT: Living Museum Project

FACULTY: Anna McLoon, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology

STUDENTS: Safiya Alvi ’25 and Veezen Denise Mondelo ’25

PROJECT: Motility and pigment production in laboratory-adapted bacterial strains

FACULTY: Patrick Maxwell, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology

STUDENTS: Klaudia Poplawski ’22, Angelina Sun ’25 and Steven Lazar ’24

PROJECT: The impact of intracellular pH on retrotransposons

FACULTY: Rebecca Heller, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology

STUDENT: Tori Reinhard ’23

PROJECT: Feasibility Study and Budget Proposal for an on-site child study center/lab school

FACULTY: Rebecca Adikes, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology

STUDENTS: Mishal Razi ’24, Maria Fitian ’24 and Sana Shezad ’24

PROJECT: Regulation of Cell Migration in C. elegans

SAINTS AROUND THE WORLD

Siena Abroad, through the Center for International Programs, provides students in all majors the opportunity to study abroad in 55 countries around the world. Through semester, yearlong, short-term, and post-graduate opportunities, students pursue international internships, do original research, engage in meaningful service learning, and form lasting bonds and friendships - all while gaining a greater understanding of themselves and the world, and developing a professional edge for their future.

ALLIE THORSCHMIDT ‘23 and SETH COLUCCIO ‘23 are close enough friends to share just about anything with each other. Somehow, though, their international ambitions never came up in conversation.

When Allie attended a Siena Abroad information session last year, she was surprised to see Seth in attendance. Similarly, Seth had no idea his good friend Allie was thinking about a May-mester. Seth was there to learn more about the four-week program in Denmark. As for Allie, Copenhagen all the way. They had both independently decided to spend the first month of the summer in Denmark.

They both took a different class – but in their free time, they hung out together and with international students living in the same building. They found fun and beauty in unexpected places.

“We took a weekend trip to Sweden that was a 10 out of 10, but I most enjoyed going to museums and learning about and getting a taste of the history,” said Seth. “It really surprised me that museums stood out to me. Some

might consider it an unconventional highlight, but it was cool getting to learn about the cities and their history.”

Allie’s favorite attraction wasn’t a museum, but like so much of Europe, it was historic. The Rundetaarn, or Round Tower, was built in the mid-17th century to be an observatory. Two centuries later, it outlived its use for stargazing, but still offers breathtaking views of the city.

Both Allie and Seth found different things to love about the experience, but the real bonus was experiencing it all together.

“I wanted to gain more

independence from going abroad,” said Allie. “My first time out of the country by myself, I definitely grew a lot, even though I was only there for less than a month. Living on my own and having to figure out the transportation, it was definitely a culture shock. But it allowed for so much self-growth.”

PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND

Four Siena friars – Fr. Mark Reamer ’83, Fr. Dan Dwyer ’74, Br. George Camacho and Br. Edgardo Zea – spent eight days in late June on a pilgrimage to Israel. They made the trip with 12 brother friars from throughout the newly merged American province, touring the Biblical cities of Nazareth, Jericho, Capernaum, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, as well as bodies of water that figure prominently in the New Testament: the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, and the River Jordan.

Among the highlights of their pilgrimage: renewing their baptismal commitments at the River Jordan, where St. John the Baptist anointed Jesus two millennia ago; praying at the Western (Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem; visiting the Church of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor; and praying at the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem, constructed in the vicinity where Jesus is believed to have been born.

The pilgrimage featured daily Mass as well as visits to sites of historical and religious significance. Through their order, the friars were able to access certain sites before or after the regular hours other tourists must follow. Br. George explained that they were able to spend an hour in nighttime prayer at the grotto located underground at the Church of the Nativity.

One of the most special realizations of their pilgrimage was that Jesus was indeed a real person

who walked the Earth among fellow people. The friars experienced firsthand the places where Christ prayed, ministered and preached.

“This was where it all started,” said Br. George. “Seeing Israel made his teachings and his life experience so much more vivid. Appreciating the human side of his life was very moving.”

The group also noted that they were at a fascinating crossroads of culture, where Arab, Jewish, Palestinian and Christian traditions were all vibrantly on display. While the connections among the cultures are not always peaceful, the mission to achieve that peace through respect and dialogue is one the Franciscans embrace. The Siena friars prayed for that peace, and for the patience and understanding to build bridges among cultures and nations.

“It was a very hopeful atmosphere,” said Br. George, who directs Siena’s Damietta Cross-Cultural Center. “Being in Israel just helped bring everything home.”

Fr. Mark, vice president for mission and guardian of the Siena friary, noted that the New York-based Holy Name Province recently voted to formally unify with the five other provinces within the larger Order of Friars Minor in October 2023. One of the goals of the pilgrimage was to allow friars from across the country to connect with each other.

“I found it to be a worthwhile experience meeting new brothers, sharing our hopes and dreams, as well as fears and apprehensions about this new endeavor — all while walking in the footsteps of Jesus and his first disciples,” he said.

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E V E RYSTUDENT HASASTORYEV E R TNEDUTSY YROTSASAH

HAILEY MEMERY ‘25 is a teenager competing in a wild water sport dominated almost exclusively by men. That would be a good story. But it keeps getting better with every championship...

The annual world championship in watercross is billed as the “fastest show on H2O.” Watercross is, quite simply, snowmobile racing on water. Drivers compete on ovals courses or sprints, and power their 800 pounds sleds across the water at speeds touching 90 miles per hour.

At the 2019 world championships, 15 year-old Hailey was the only girl in her class, and the only teenager in the competition. And in the drag racing event, she was the only person carrying the checkered flag around the lake in a victory lap.

Hailey was born in July, and she attended her first watercross event in August of that year. Her dad, Mike, competed at a high level, and watching him race snowmobiles in Lowville, New York (less than an hour from their home in Taberg, outside of Rome), was a routine family

outing. Plenty of kids tagged along with the adults and generally entertained themselves on the shores, mostly oblivious to the action in the water. Not Hailey. She was hooked.

“My dad and I are best friends. I loved watching him and I would get so excited when he raced. There’s a pit area where they get the sleds ready. I would always go to the trailer and pretend that I was helping him.”

Now it’s Mike in the pit area helping Hailey. She started racing as a prodigy at 11, and quickly progressed from amatuer to semi-pro, then pro class in drag racing.

Mike was there when Hailey won her first world title and he’ll be there next year when Hailey goes back to Wisconsin. Because of the pandemic, they haven’t made the trip since 2019, but Hailey’s earned points each year, and her drag sled is still undefeated.

When she graduates, the psychology major would like to pursue clinical psychology and work with adolescents. But for now, Hailey plans to keep having fun on the water and chasing championships.

MEAGHAN FURRY ‘25 had never climbed a mountain before. She decided to give climbing a try on the tallest mountain in the world.

The Mount Everest summit is 29,031 feet above sea level. More than 300 people have died climbing the mountain and only experienced climbers, braving unbearable conditions, have ever stood on the Earth’s ceiling. But, you don’t need to make a push for the summit to plant your flag on Everest.

Meaghan’s mom booked a trip to Mt. Everest and saved a spot for Meaghan’s sister as a graduation gift. The mountain re-opened last May, but Meaghan’s sister wasn’t able to go. That’s how Meaghan ended up on the harrowing flight into the most dangerous airport in the world, the Tenzing-Hillary Airport (named for the first two men to summit Everest).

The five members of the Furry family weren’t aiming for the summit, but endeavored to climb to Everest Base Camp. They started more than 9,000 feet above sea level and faced an eight-day climb to reach Base Camp at 17,500 feet. Because of the terrain, the altitude, and the overall physical toll, one in four climbers doesn’t reach Base Camp.

“You’re climbing for days, and at times, your view of Everest is entirely obstructed. It’s freezing cold and it’s snowing. Sometimes you’ve got to hike up and then retreat so your body can acclimate to the thin air. But it was such a beautiful experience. To say that I climbed Everest, that’s an accomplishment I’ll have for the rest of my life.”

On their eighth day, they made a push for Base Camp and arrived in the snow. They celebrated, took pictures, and then remembered they had a two-hour hike back down to their resting point for the night. From Base Camp, it’s another 12,000 feet up to the summit (and into the death zone), but that was never the goal. Few people stand on Mount Everest. Just getting to the mountain was the thrill of a lifetime. So what’s next?

“My mom has already signed me up for Kilimanjaro. I’d like to make it to the summit. It’s four days straight up and two days down. Now I’ve got the confidence to do it.”

JACK BLONIARZ ‘23 admits his baseball career didn’t pan out the way he’d hoped. Injuries in high school derailed any chance of playing on scholarship in college, but he ultimately joined Siena’s club team and always hoped he would find a way to stay involved in the game. Somehow. This spring, the business major, with concentrations in strategic communications and sports marketing, scored a sports marketing internship with the Albany FireWolves, a professional lacrosse team. He enjoyed the work and was looking to leverage the opportunity elsewhere, but to no avail.

“I’ve always had a passion for sports. I was happy to get my foot in the door with the FireWolves. After my spring internship, I spent months looking on LinkedIn for similar opportunities. I couldn’t find anything. Finally, on a whim, I googled ‘Mets Internship.’ I never thought I would actually hear back.”

Jack was one of 700 college students who applied to be marketing interns with the New York Mets this summer. His experience selling tickets for the FireWolves was a plus, and his many years working with kids at a summer camp turned out to be a bonus. Only six applicants landed the internship (0.86%). Jack was one of them.

“I’ve been throwing a baseball around since I was three years old. Baseball has always been a passion. And now I’m in the presence of big leaguers, and it’s my job. It’s surreal. I was walking through the players tunnel last Sunday to get to the storage closet, and I walked by all-star Francisco Lindor getting a haircut.”

ATHLETICS 

SAINTS SET NEW ACADEMIC BENCHMARK

Siena Athletics’ mission to “Build Better Saints” produced a new academic standard for the 2021-22 school year. A Siena benchmark 234 student athletes earned recognition on the MAAC Honor Roll, capping a record-setting year of academic achievements across the board.

Siena Athletics set new department records during the 2021-22 school year in MAAC Academic Honor Roll selections, the percentage of student athletes named to the Academic Honor Roll, overall student athlete

cumulative grade-point average, and the total number of Saints who achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA during either or both semesters. Additionally, Siena stood out among its peers, leading all MAAC institutions in both the total number of programs that achieved perfect multi-year NCAA academic progress rates, and the number of teams posting 100% graduation success rates.

“Success is contagious and winning is a habit. That’s true in both sports and academics,” said said Siena College President Chris Gibson ‘86, Ph.D. “Recordsmashing academic success this year reflects our legacy commitment to achievement in the classroom.

Coaches, staff, and students prioritize academic wins, and that attitude permeates throughout the department and down to each class. I couldn’t possibly be prouder of the culture we’ve worked incredibly hard to establish.”

Athletics also set a new department record for the fifth consecutive school year with its 234 MAAC Academic Honor Roll selections, which marked an increase of 11 student athletes from the 2020-21 school year. A record 65% of Siena’s 360 student athletes earned the recognition for meeting the criteria of maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or better.

“The unprecedented level of academic success achieved by

our student athletes over this past year underscores their commitment to earn a Siena College degree and be leaders in their community,” noted Siena College Vice President and Director of Athletics John D’Argenio. “All of the credit goes to our student athletes, with a sincere thank you to both our S.A.IN.T.S. advisors who help guide our Saints, and to our coaches who recruit and develop both athletically and academically talented individuals.”

Siena College’s 360 student athletes collectively maintained a stellar record-high 3.37 cumulative GPA through the conclusion of the 2021-22 school year, which is three points better than last year’s previous standard, and 10 points higher than Siena’s non-student athlete GPA. A record total 55 different Saints accrued a perfect 4.0 GPA during either the fall 2021 or spring 2022 semester, including 19 who achieved an unblemished mark both terms.

SIENA STANDOUTS NAMED NOMINEES FOR NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

A pair of graduating Siena Athletics standouts were chosen to represent the department as nominees for the prestigious 2021-22 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Siena Water Polo’s Georgia Vargas ‘22 and Lacrosse’s Nicole McNeely ‘21 were each put into consideration for the award following storied careers in the Green and Gold. Vargas was chosen as one of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s (MAAC) two nominees, becoming the ninth Saint to be selected by the conference since 2006.

They joined 577 nominees from across all levels of NCAA athletics, including 248 from the Division I level and six other nominees within the MAAC. Rooted in Title IX, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award was established in 1991 to recognize graduating female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service, and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

“I’m incredibly honored to be a nominee for this year’s NCAA Woman of the Year award,” Vargas said. “To be acknowledged alongside countless inspiring athletes across the country is such an awesome feeling. It is nothing short of a blessing!”

A four-year member and senior year captain of the water polo team, Vargas earned Second Team All-

MAAC honors and led the team in points in 2022. A native of Whittier, California, she appeared in 79 career matches while earning her degree in psychology. A three-time ACWPC Academic All-American with “superior” distinction, she was a three-time Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholar in 2020-2022, and was named a “Sport Winner” in water polo for 2022.

Vargas served as the Vice President of Siena’s Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), and was invited to attend the MAAC SAAC Council in October 2021.

“It is an incredible honor and privilege to be nominated for this award,” McNeely said. “I am so happy to be able to represent Siena in such a positive way.”

A five-year member of the la-

crosse team and a two-year captain, McNeely left the program as one of its all-time greats, helping the Saints reach back-to-back MAAC Championship games in 2019 and 2021 and clinch a share of the MAAC Regular Season Title for the first time in 17 years. The Wallingford, Pennsylvania native graduated as the program’s all-time leader in goals (147), assists (80), and points (227), and was named the 2022 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year. McNeely graduated with a degree in psychology in 2021 and earned a Data and Analytics Certificate in 2022. She participated in numerous community service activities with her team both on and off campus, and also served as a volunteer firefighter for the Garden City Fire Company in Pennsylvania.

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND

During Reunion Weekend, Siena celebrated 10 unique alumni who continue to go above and beyond in their careers and communities by showing the world what it truly means to be a Saint. Each Distinguished Alumni Award recipient was honored at a gathering of more than 150 alumni and friends with remarks, stories, and videos.

Frank Joseph Pugliano ’66

Frank Pugliano graduated with a B.A. in English. For many years, Frank coordinated bus trips for Saints fans to attend road games for Siena men’s basketball. He has served on the College’s Athletics Advisory Council since its inception, is currently a member of the Council’s executive committee, and has represented the Council as a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee.

Jason A. Gottlieb ’92

Jason Gottlieb graduated in 1992 with a B.S. in finance and later earned an M.B.A. from Fordham University. Jason has served Siena College as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2016. He is currently a managing director and the president of Artisan Partners, a global investment management firm founded in 1994.

Sheila M. Lemke ’82, M.D.

Sheila Lemke graduated in 1982 with a B.S. in biology and in 1986 went on to earn her Doctor of Medicine from Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. For over 25 years, Sheila has maintained a large clinical practice while also teaching medical students, residents, and fellows.

Andrea M. Stewart-Litchfield ’97

Andrea Stewart-Litchfield graduated in 1997 with a B.A. in English before becoming the president, director of operations, and an owner of Impact Athletic Center in Halfmoon, New York. Andrea hopes to soon implement an outreach program called AIM (An Impact Made). Through AIM, new community-based initiatives will be developed; including, sports scholarships and a medical assistance program.

Christopher A. Litchfield ’97

Chris Litchfield is the president and owner of Siena Fence Company, which he started in 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia and has run in Clifton Park for nearly 20 years. In 2013 Chris received the Albany Business Review’s 40 under 40 Award and in 2017 Siena Fence was named one of the Capital District’s Best Places to Work. Chris is also an owner of Impact Athletic Center with his wife, Andrea.

The Professor Joseph A. Buff Award for Career Achievement is given to alumni with outstanding accomplishments or achievements in their careers.

The Reverend Benjamin Kuhn, O.F.M. Award is given to alumni who have made contributions to improve the Siena Community.

Photo taken at Frank’s 50th reunion.

J. Kevin McCarthy ’87, Esq.

Kevin McCarthy graduated in 1987 with a B.A. in history and went on to earn his juris doctor from Albany Law School. While he greatly enjoyed his Siena Experience, the best part was meeting his wife, Kristen (Sexton) ’87. He is a senior executive vice president and general counsel of BNY Mellon, leading the company’s global legal department.

The Professor Egon Plager Award is given to a Siena alumnus or alumna for accomplishments in advancing the welfare of other human beings.

Frank Kimler graduated in 1997 with a B.A. in accounting and went on to earn his master of taxation from Georgia State University in 2004. Frank serves as treasurer on the Board of Directors of the National Honor Flight Network, which is the national organization responsible for 130 individual non-profit local Honor Flight “hubs” across the country.

Lisa Moser graduated in 1997 with a B.A. in Sociology and currently serves on the College’s Board of Trustees. She is the owner and chief administrative officer of Prime Group Holdings. For the past 17 years, she has overseen the finance and human resources departments for the organization as well as the company’s philanthropic events and activities benefiting local nonprofits such as the Franklin Community Center, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, Things of My Very Own, and ASPCA.

The Franciscan Spirit Award is given to young alumni who demonstrate commitment to service to both Siena and their own community while excelling in their chosen careers.

Thomas J. Burke III ’12

Tom Burke graduated in 2012 with a B.A. in political science. Tom is a Dunkin Donuts franchisee and the chief operating officer of The Burke Companies. His family’s company proudly employees more than 350 local community members and is continuously growing. In 2021, Tom received the Albany Business Review 40 Under 40 Award and is currently a member of the Siena College Board of Advisors.

Matthew J. Grimes ’12

Matt Grimes graduated in 2012 with a B.A. in Spanish and earned his master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Matt currently serves as the head of diversity, equity, & inclusion for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball and is a member of the Siena College Board of Advisors.

We congratulate all of this year’s Distinguished Alumni honorees for their contributions to their communities and for keeping the Saint spirit alive!

To learn more about each of this year’s award recipients, scan the QR code below.

Francis P. Kimler ‘97

Lisa J. Copeland Moser ’97

THE JOHN R. HELD ’80 AND MARY RYAN HELD ’83 SCHOLARSHIP

John ’80, Esq. and Mary (Ryan) ’83 Held know all about the Siena Experience.

“The Siena Experience is best described as providing students the education, skills and values needed to both make a living and make a life.” And they should know – John and Mary met at Siena and created a beautiful life with their daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Mike, with his wife, Abby.

Both John and Mary are active members of the Siena community. In addition to John’s role as a current trustee, both can be found attending (and on occasion, hosting) Siena events in both the Capital Region and their home in Sarasota, Florida. “We enjoy simply spending time with members of the Siena community,” they recently shared. But the better one gets to know John and Mary, the better one understands how very deep their Siena and Franciscan connections run.

“Franciscan education served us in post-college years; I still reflect back on what we learned in Logic about irrelevant and deceptive arguments when listening to advertising or political debate. A liberal arts education provides you the ability to form your own conclusions. On an everyday level, the basics of treating every person as having a voice and worth come from the Franciscan tradition.”

To assure this voice and self-worth is felt by as many as possible, in 2012 John and Mary created The John R. Held ‘80 and Mary Ryan Held ‘83 Scholarship. According to John, “Many people’s efforts helped us with aid when we went here. It’s a chance to, ‘pay it forward’, which is a notion with deep roots at Siena.”

In addition to the support John and Mary lend to many Siena events, programs, and activities, one of their favorite Friar moments includes time spent together on pilgrimage to Franciscan Italy. This opportunity allowed them to follow the steps of St. Francis and immerse themselves completely in the Francsican tradition.

”Be grateful for what life has given you and share it with others who are a lot like you once were. It’s the Franciscan thing to do.”

NEW SCHOLARSHIPS

The Marvin Family Scholarship

The Patrolman Carmelo A. Cattano Scholarship

The David O’Brien Scholarship

The Robert and Lisa (Copeland) ‘97 Moser and Family Scholarship

The Robert McEnroe Sr. ‘55 Memorial Scholarship

The Beth McMurtry Conway ‘98 Scholarship

The Dan ‘99 and Lindsay Corbett Scholarship

The George ‘79 and Kathleen (West) ‘80 Babeu Scholarship

The Kevin Clarke ‘91 Memorial Scholarship

The Kindlon Family Scholarship

The Brian M. Farrell Sr. ‘68 Memorial Scholarship

The Robert E. Netter ‘64 Scholarship

The Rachelle M. Fragnito-Dufault ‘93 and

Anthony J. Dufault ‘93 Scholarship

The Chester ‘48 and Evelyn Pachucki Scholarship

John Held Mary E. Ryan

John and Mary with their happy scholarship recipient.

THE FRANCIS HOHMAN MEMORIAL FUND

In 2021, Board of Advisory member Katie Hohman ’09 created the Francis Hohman Memorial Fund, a special fund dedicated to the Siena swimming and diving team.

Katie knew she wanted to create something significant and important to her and her family. She met her husband, Bernie McCall ’09, at Siena and swam for the Siena swimming and diving team. Encouraged by her father, who swam competitively and even competed in the Senior Olympics for swimming, he had Katie in the pool at one-month-old, where he taught her to safely enjoy time in the water – whether the ocean or a pool.

Sadly, in 2019 Katie lost her dad – her biggest fan when it came to her swimming career and time at Siena.

“My father was so proud of me for going to Siena and I felt naming the memorial fund for the women’s swim team after him is something he is watching from afar and beaming with pride. And I am glad I chose something that will continue his legacy,” said Hohman. “This endowment will run in perpetuity and allow the swim team opportunities that may not have been possible. Swimming was such a large part of my life for so many years, and I believe these women are beyond talented and should always have a fund to allow them opportunities – whether that is a new competition suit, a training trip, or a swim team event.”

Katie established the Francis Hohman Memorial Fund as an opportunity for fellow alumni to support the Siena women’s swim team and sends a special thank you to all who have joined her in this endeavor.

To make a gift to the Francis Hohman Memorial Fund or to create your own endowment for a program special to you, please contact development@siena.edu or call 518-783-2432.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO SIENA

SIENA WINE & DINE

During the pandemic when Siena was prohibited from hosting Festa Vino, the Capital Region’s premiere wine and food festival, an innovative fundraiser was created to support the College while still providing a fun food and wine experience. This became so popular it has remained for alumni and friends!

The Siena College Wine and Dine bundle provides participants the opportunity to purchase $100 packages containing dining establishment gift cards and a certificate for wine from All Star Wine and Spirits. A wonderful value, the Wine and Dine package is ideal for personal use, gifts, awards, and can be used at the recipient’s convenience at:

We greatly appreciate and toast our generous sponsors! If you would like to join these organizations in sponsoring the Siena College Wine and Dine, please contact Beth Hazelton (bhazelton@siena.edu or 518-783-2432) or visit siena.edu/give/wineanddine. Opportunities are still available!

To secure your Siena College Wine and Dine package, please visit siena.edu/give/wineanddine TODAY. The Siena College Wine and Dine will close on November 1, 2022 and packages are limited.

We look forward to the return of Festa Vino in 2023 but until then, a toast to you and all our Saints!

Proceeds from the Siena College Wine and Dine will support programs, endowments, or needs of the College as identified by the Vice President for Development and External Affairs.

The Siena College Wine and Dine is proudly sponsored by:

Tom Jenkins Excavating, LLC

A HOME RUN

It’s a perfect summer day. You’ve just taken your seat at your favorite ballpark when you notice something you’ve likely never seen before: a friar on the mound throwing out the first pitch. However, this is something thousands of people experienced in recent months as two baseball-loving Franciscan friars went on a nationwide tour of all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums.

Siena’s Associate Campus Minister Fr. Tito Serrano, O.F.M. and Fr. Casey Cole, O.F.M., otherwise known as the Bleacher Brothers, documented their 17,000 mile, 11-week journey on social media. The idea started back in 2013 when Fr. Casey was thinking about ways to spread the Franciscan message. “St. Francis didn’t necessarily go to churches, he went to the city streets to preach where people were, and he preached a language they could understand,” he says.

So Fr. Casey came up with the idea of doing just that, traveling to where many people gather during the summer months — baseball stadiums. Needing a partner, he turned to his brother, friend, and fellow hardball lover, Fr. Tito. “I’m not great at keeping in touch,” Fr. Tito jokes. “We went our separate ways after novation but when we got back together we created a podcast as a way to keep in touch. The majority of the planning has really been done by Fr. Casey.”

SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS

They wore their habits to every game, which of course, sparked some conversations among fans at the ballparks. In many of the cities they visited, they spoke at churches and schools, spreading the word and the mission of St. Francis.

But this summer trip wasn’t just a Franciscan pilgrimage for these friars. “It’s really a pilgrimage to the holy sites of the baseball world,” Fr. Casey says. “We’ve been to Cooperstown to see the Baseball Hall of Fame; when we were in Kansas City we saw the Negro League Baseball Museum; we saw the place where they filmed ‘A League of Their Own’ and ‘Field of Dreams;’ and we also saw one of the fields where women played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.” Fr. Tito adds, “What’s been really cool and surprising is the number of World Series rings we’ve been able to hold.”

The Bleacher Brothers concluded their journey on July 30 in Denver after celebrating eight Masses and over 25 talks across the country. To learn more about their journey, visit breakinginthehabit.org or follow @caseyofm and @thewhiskeypriest_ofm on Instagram.

SAINTS DON’T SIT ON

Saints Don’t Sit on the Sidelines is a weekly social media series that highlights members of our Siena community who are dedicated to making a difference. Follow along every week @sienaannualfund on Instagram and Facebook!

MICHAEL MARUSIC ’88

Mike says it wasn’t just a specific experience from his days at Siena that prepared him for a life of service; it was more of a feeling. “When you see the Franciscan tradition every day, you see various groups supporting local causes or just how everyone treated each other well, you wonder why it can’t be that simple all the time,” he says. Mike works with About U Outreach, a non-profit organization based in Queens, New York that aims to empower student athletes through five core values: Community, Leadership, Development, Discipline, and Accountability. His work with the program helps enable young students who don’t have access to additional resources get the same help that some other communities may take for granted.

DARRIN TULLEY ’92

Darrin says Siena felt like home from day one. He met friends for life and his experiences and memories continue to light him up as he relives them at Reunions and in text groups. Darrin started Ignite Happy to help both individuals and businesses feel the power of possibilities. He’s also the author of a new book, “Live Your Possible: Ignite Your Happy, Authentic Self and Live a Fulfilling Life Rooted in Joy, Inclusion, Love and Possibilities!”. Darrin also coaches youth sports, which he says taught him to be a better leader more than any other training. His family raises brood dogs from the Guiding Eyes for the Blind, where they have puppies that are placed back into the community for various causes. He also helps out with Gifts of Love, which brings furniture to people in need.

MEMBERS OF THE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

The Siena Saints men’s basketball team spent the summer giving back to the community. Recently, they spent time at Bring On The Spectrum(BOTS), an autism sensory gym that sponsors activities for children and adults within the Capital Region autism community. Four members of the team visited BOTS to take part in the Lego Club, building legos along with children with autism. This is just the latest of several organizations our men’s basketball team has partnered with in the local community and is likely the beginning of a community service partnership between BOTS and Siena Athletics. Members of the women’s basketball team are looking to spend time there this month along with other teams during the 2022-23 school year.

ON THE SIDELINES

MICHELLE (FARINA) MURPHY ’05

Michelle grew up in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts but she loved the Capital District so much, she stayed here after graduation. Michelle is the mom behind Capital District Moms, which is a resource for parents. She started the website several years ago and it has grown to a network of more than 15,000 followers on social media. Recently, she started the Capital District Moms-Formula Hunt Facebook group in response to the nationwide formula shortage. She says, “It has been amazing watching so many parents come together and support each other in a time of need. It truly has been the most rewarding thing yet of creating this platform for parents in the Capital District!” Michelle says it was the Franciscan education she received at Siena that taught her the importance of getting involved and giving back to the community. “Going to Siena isn’t about just four years. It is about becoming a Saint for life. I have met many Siena alumni over the last 17 years since I graduated,” she adds.

TAYLOR FADROWSKI ’17

Taylor always had an interest in medicine. She has many family members in the field and attributes a special experience as a nurse tech at Albany Medical Center as a turning point in her life. “I absolutely fell in love with how special the nursing role is, and the potential it has to make a lasting impact on so many,” she says. “Being in this position, you can support people through the best and worst parts of the human experience (sometimes in the same day!). It’s humbling, terrifying, rewarding and beautiful, all at the same time, and I love that it is such meaningful work.” Siena set Taylor up for a rewarding career in so many ways. While she was prepared academically for a master’s in nursing, it was the values of a Siena education that also set her up for success. “I was taught how to think critically, how to use resources, and how to problem solve, which have been crucial in my academic success,” she says.

Do you know a Saint who doesn’t sit on the sidelines? Email us at annualfund@siena.edu to nominate someone!

Joseph Hourigan ‘01 talks about how the Siena experience taught him to give back to his community. Plus, the unique connections he has with college football and the Fiesta Bowl Parade in Arizona.

Maura (Titterington) Manny ‘07 talks about her fondest memories at Siena and her current role as director of community outreach and communications at Saratoga Springs City School District.

DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! SAINTS ON THE AIRWAVES

The Saints and Alumni Show continues to bring alumni from all over the country to the airwaves of WVCR 88.3 FM. The show can be heard Fridays at 4:30pm both on your FM dial and the iHeart Radio app.

If you happen to miss out on the show, don’t worry, we have you covered! The Saints and Alumni Show can also be found wherever you get your podcasts!

Just search for us, subscribe, and you’ll see new episodes debut immediately after they air on the radio. Plus, you can listen to past episodes of the show!

Katie Carew ‘12 talks about how her time at Siena helped shape a unique and exciting career, ultimately leading to her current position with the New York Giants.

You can still watch the video version of each episode on the Siena Alumni Engagement YouTube page.

Be sure to follow @sienaalumni on Instagram to learn more about upcoming episodes. If you or someone you know would like to be considered as a guest for an upcoming show, contact us at alumni@siena.edu.

Allie Hands ‘17, Christina Papadopoulos ‘17, and Tubo Akangbou ‘17 reminisce about their years on campus, highlight Reunion Weekend, and why they were looking forward to coming back to Siena. Jennifer Holland ’22 and Michael Wager ’22 talk about their Siena experience and the Class of 2022 Senior Gift.

Reunion Weekend is officially Alumni Weekend! Starting June 2023, we’re welcoming ALL alumni classes back to Loudon Road while celebrating Reunion classes ending in 3’s and 8’s. Reminisce with your friends and classmates at events like Franks with Friars, the All Alumni Party Under the Tent, and the Family Picnic, just to name a few.

Head back to campus to see why Siena has been named one of Condé Nast Traveler’s 50 Most Beautiful Campuses!

Visit siena.edu/alumniweekend to learn more and become an Alumni Ambassador!

BACK ON TRACK

SIENA’S SUMMER MENTORING PROGRAM RETURNS

Nearly 60 years ago, Jim Snyder arrived on the Siena campus. Feeling there was a need to keep Albany-area children engaged during the summer, he started a program that would match them with Siena students. It was then the Siena Mentoring Program was born. The Program would then expand to the fall and spring semesters, matching thousands of “littles” to Siena “bigs” over the years.

The Siena community lost Jim in 2014, but the program continued to grow and evolve. Fr. Sean O’Brien, O.F.M. led the program until the pandemic put a halt to nearly everything on campus. Now in the post-COVID world, the program is led by Assistant Director of Mission Engagement Will Figueroa.

For the first time since 2019, the summer program welcomed 21 children, ages 6-13, back to our Siena community and the

anticipation couldn’t have been higher. For the littles, some were itching to return to some kind of normalcy. For the bigs, they had the chance to make a difference.

“It was phenomenal to see everyone come together. For some of the littles, their families are suffering financially,” Will says. “It’s a real blessing to give them a place to be for 4 to 6 weeks every summer that offers them a loving and nurturing environment free of cost.”

The four bigs recruited for the summer were brand new to the program. Jadhan Pierre ’23, Fortune Iheanetu ’25, Joshua Pinchinat ’24, and Gabriel Dellivigne ’24 were able to get past the early jitters and have a summer to remember. “As they got their feet wet, I was able to step back and let them run the show,” Will says. “I had a structure set up for them and they

were able to slide right in.”

The Mentoring Program for the 2022-2023 academic year starts back up in October. With the exception of a few weeks off campus in the spring, this is the first time since early 2020 where littles are coming back and fully engaging with Siena bigs during the school year. Will has been hard at work this summer recruiting students for the fall. The idea is to recruit as many bigs as possible and match them in one-to-one relationships with littles. Those matches are made possible through a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, who will help recruit families as part of the program.

Will credits endowments such as “The Class of ‘68 High School Mentoring Program Endowment” and “The Dennis L. Winger ‘69 and Barbara L. Waldman Endowed Fund” as the life force behind the current iteration of the program. To no surprise, many of the donors funding those endowments are Siena alumni who served as bigs under Jim Snyder many years ago. It’s because of this funding the program continues to give life-changing opportunities to both littles from Albany and their Siena bigs. But the program cannot expand without an increase in support.

Whether you’re a former big — or little — or you’d like to help the program grow, please contact the Siena Development Office at (518) 783-2432 or email us at development@siena. edu to support the Mentoring Program. The world has more Saints today thanks to people like Jim Snyder, Will Figueroa, and YOU!

SAINTS BEHIND THE SCENES

This summer, the Siena Annual Fund kicked off a brand-new video series showcasing some of the people who represent the heart of Siena. “Saints Behind the Scenes” introduces us to various members of the community, along with a few interesting facts about who they are and what they do.

John Bond

Meet John Bond, the associate director of Admissions. He and the rest of the Admissions team are excited to be moving into their new home in Patricia Gioia Hall as they welcome 900+ students to the Class of 2026.

Lindsay Green

Meet Lindsay Green, the director of Accessibility. She is excited her office now has a group of student leaders who will help integrate our students into life at Siena.

Greg (Hammer) Dashnaw

Meet Greg Dashnaw, the head athletic trainer. This year is Greg’s 40th year at Siena. When he first came to campus the football team nicknamed him “Hammer.” He never thought it would stick; but to this day, he only answers to Hammer.

Yasmin Fisher ’10

Meet Yasmin Fisher, the director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) at Siena. Yasmin is a HEOP graduate herself and is grateful to lead a program that means so much to her.

Miguel Alvarado ’05

Miguel Alvarado is the assistant director of Financial Aid. He has been writing music for nearly 20 years and works with current students in the writing process.

Angie Turman Corchado ’15

Angie

To learn more, head to @sienaannualfund on Instagram. New videos are posted every Monday!

Turman Corchado is the assistant director of International Student Services. She helps serve more than 150 international students at Siena from 45 different countries.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: BOB MACK ’91

Bob Mack’s story is a VERY Siena story. He grew up in Schenectady, New York with two siblings, Mary ’90 and John ’95, in addition to a number of cousins and family friends. Although Bob’s father Paul and uncle Peter both attended Siena rival Manhattan College, his parents were Siena basketball season ticket holders for many years. In honor of their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, Mary, Bob, and John created the Paul and Martha Mack Family Scholarship to provide financial assistance to Siena students from Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School in Schenectady, a Catholic high school the entire Mack family graduated from.

Bob has traveled the world since graduating as an accounting major from Siena College in 1991. His first job was in public accounting with the Albany, New York office of KPMG. After earning his CPA, he left KPMG in 1993 and joined Ingersoll Rand, a company that would loom large in his career. After a few years at Ingersoll Rand, Bob moved from the internal audit world to the operating side of the house and held various roles in sales, marketing, strategy, and business development. Along the way, he had the opportunity to earn his MBA at Duke University, and briefly left the company to pursue a dot-com start up opportunity.

Upon returning to Ingersoll Rand in late 2000, he moved up the corporate ladder into roles of increasing responsibility, culminating with a move to corporate headquarters in 2010 to lead the M&A function. In that role, Bob led the spin-off of the company’s security business, participated in activism defense, and completed numerous large and small acquisitions. Bob is well-traveled, having spent significant time in China, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia, Western Europe, Russia, and Latin and South America. Bob moved with Ingersoll Rand to the Lake Norman, North Carolina area in 2001 and continues to maintain his primary residence there with his wife of 10 years, Jillian Trask-Mack.

In 2016, Bob left Ingersoll Rand and moved to Polaris, Inc. as the SVP for corporate development and strategy and president, adjacent markets. In 2018, after acquiring several well-known boat brands, Bob added the marine segment to his management responsibilities. He became Polaris, Inc’s interim CFO in January 2021 and was named CFO and EVP, finance and corporate development in May 2021 and continues in that role. Bob joined the board of West Marine in 2018 as its audit committee chair, and remained in that role until the company was sold in 2021.

Bob has served on the Siena Board of Advisors and attended, as well as hosted, many Siena Alumni events and basketball games. In 2021, he was given the Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement. Bob continues to travel extensively and gets together with his friends and roommates from Siena whenever he can.

SIENA COLLEGE HOMECOMING 2022 NOVEMBER

11-13

Get ready for our second annual Homecoming Weekend! We are excited that it will include the return of the Albany Cup for our men and women’s basketball teams. Cheer on our Saints as they take on UAlbany as you connect with Siena friends throughout the weekend!

Check out the schedule of events below and take advantage of our $75 Bernie Bundle.

Thursday, November 10 at 5:30 PM 12th Annual Veterans Recognition Dinner Siena College, Maloney Great Room

Friday, November 11 at 7 PM Homecoming Weekend Welcome Party, featuring Grand Central Station Frog Alley Brewery ($50 value)

Saturday, November 12 at 5 PM Men’s Basketball Pre-Game Meet-Up City Beer Hall ($15 value)

Saturday, November 12 at 7:30 PM Siena Men’s Basketball vs. UAlbany MVP Arena ($15 value)

Sunday, November 13 at 11 AM Homecoming Mass & Reception Siena College

Sunday, November 13 at 1 PM Siena Women’s Basketball vs. UAlbany UHY Center ($10 value)

Register TODAY at siena.edu/homecoming to secure your Homecoming reservations. We look forward to seeing you!

Register and learn more at siena.edu/homecoming!

ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

These past few months we connected with the Siena Alumni Community near and far! Check out some of the awesome events we celebrated and visit siena.edu/alumni/events for all upcoming events.

Monthly Meet-Up | Craft and Draft

Collar City Candle, owned and operated by Josh and Jamie (Cohen) ’08 Wallbank joined us on campus in May for a crafty candle making event.

Siena Night at Fenway Park

Our Boston alumni gathered at Fenway Park in June where the Red Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers.

Monthly Meet-Up | Fort Orange Brewing

Our friends at Fort Orange Brewing hosted Capital Region alumni at the brewery this past June.

Siena Night at “the Joe”

President Gibson ’86 threw the first pitch at the ValleyCats Siena Alumni Game in July!

Yoga on the Lawn GYST Yoga, owned and operated by Kaitlyn MacLeod ’09, hosted a yoga class at Siena on one of the hottest days in July!

Siena in the Hamptons

Our Long Island friends had so much fun in July at our Siena in the Hamptons event.

Saints, Set, Spike | Pick-Up Volleyball with Siena

Our friends at Impact Athletic Center in Clifton Park, NY hosted a volleyball night on the sand courts! A friendly competition between Saints was had, followed by pizza and drinks!

Summer Sweat

Saints from all over the country competed in our Summer Sweat Series, starting with a 30-minute bike, followed by a 5k run/walk, and finishing with a 30-minute swim!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Check out the upcoming Alumni and Friends events with Siena College! We hope to see you there. Stay up to date at siena.edu/alumni/events where events are added weekly!

October

Alumni Rugby Weekend

October 7 - 9, 2022

The weekend is packed with events including an alumni golf tournament, happy hour socials, and the alumni game.

Taste of Germany with the Siena Beverage Institute (SBI)

October 13, 2022

Enjoy craft beer and drinks while learning about SBI and how they work with Siena students.

November

Pre-Game Meet-Up | Siena Men’s Basketball at Holy Cross

November 7, 2022

Annual Veterans Recognition Dinner

November 10, 2022

Join us to celebrate and honor our alumni ROTC and veterans.

Homecoming Weekend

November 11 - 13, 2022

Alumni socials, happy hours, a pep-rally and the Albany Cup men’s & women’s basketball games. Head back to Loudonville for a fun weekend filled with activities for all.

Pre-Game Meet-Up | Siena Men’s Basketball at Harvard

November 20, 2022

ESPN Events Invitational

November 24 - 27, 2022

The Siena Men’s Basketball team is headed to Orlando, FL this Thanksgiving!

December

New York City Christmas Party

December 1, 2022

Connect with alumni and friends this holiday season at the Holy Name Province.

Boston Christmas Party

December 8, 2022

Connect with alumni and friends this holiday season at the St. Anthony’s Shrine.