DREAM BIG

PAWKET VET WINS THE CAPITAL CUP

Meghan Brewer ’22 and her Pawket Vet app lets pet owners check in virtually with a vet to see if an in-office visit is needed, or if the necessary treatment can be obtained over the counter, or with time and TLC. She won the Capital District regional semifinals of the New York Business Plan Competition at the University at Albany. Brewer, who received a $1,500 check for her Capital Cup victory, was previously a Siena Spark Tank winner in fall 2020. Her family’s pets were the inspiration for her invention. “I’m really passionate about animals and wanted to create a product that reflects that passion,” she said. “Pawket Vet is a service that lets people do a quick check-in from home so they can get a simple answer from a real vet about their pet’s care, without necessarily having to go into the office for an appointment.” The 2022 NYBPC features regional competitions in 10 different zones throughout New York state. There are six different product tracks at regionals, and the winners of those six tracks at the Capital District event compete for the Capital Cup.

Brewer with Antonio Civitella ’91, president and CEO of Transfinder and Mike Hickey ’83, executive director of Siena’s Stack Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

HOTSPOTTING FOR THE SUPER-UTILIZERS

Hotspotting is a health care method aimed at reducing costs while improving patient health and experience. It works by identifying “super-utilizers” (those with frequent hospital visits or admissions), and provides hands-on, individualized interventions for patients with complex social and health care needs. To examine how hotspotting works and strengthen the understanding of how interdisciplinary care is important to patient outcomes, Siena developed its first ever complex care team this academic year, comprised of six students: two each from nursing, health studies and social work. The idea was introduced to Siena by Jenna Thate, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing and department chair. Zoey Hall ’22 and Liz Wolaver ‘22 represented nursing; Nicole Potenza ’23 and Jacob Schoff ’23 represented social work; and Brady Olsen ’22 and Amy Peguillan ’22 represented health studies. Elisa Martin, Ph.D., associate professor of social work and department chair, and Daniel White, Ph.D., director of health professions/health studies, helped Thate co-direct the team and noted that the high-impact experience was done on top of the students’ regular for-credit studies. “These are students who are very invested in their own learning,” said Martin. “Siena’s team is also one of the few in the country made up entirely of undergrads; most of the other teams have mostly graduate students.”

HABITAT FOR ANNALYN

Five vans full of Siena students traveled to the Carolinas to participate in a week of homebuilding for Habitat for Humanity during the College’s spring break. Annalyn Footman works two jobs to support her growing family that includes a seven-year-old daughter and a baby boy. She’s long dreamt of a yard and a safe place for her daughter to play. A group of Siena students were there when the dream became reality. At a home dedication ceremony on March 25, Habitat for Humanity Georgetown County, South Carolina turned the keys to its 113th home over to Annalyn. The Saints helped to build and transport some of the walls to Annalyn’s new home from the construction shop to the build site, and in the days preceding the dedication, they worked at other Habitat sites around Georgetown, including the organization’s first-ever energy efficient cottage for retirees. The students laid sod around the house, planted trees, painted, and put up fences, among other tasks. “This was my first-ever Habitat trip, and it was such a memorable experience! The people I went on this trip with made the experience what it was, and I’m grateful to them all! I hope to go on another in the future if I can!” said Angeline Jacob ‘24. Concerned it’s all work and no play for the Saints? Don’t be. The students were on spring break after all! When they weren’t planting, painting, or pruning, they found plenty to do — entertaining themselves with laser tag and a trampoline park.

EVE R Y STUDENT HAS A STORY EVE R Y STUDENT HAS A STORY -

AMAL FAHEEM ’23 developed a sixth sense as a child after she was betrayed by one of her original five. She was born perfectly healthy — it wasn’t until she was a year-anda-half old that her parents discovered something wasn’t quite perfect. Amal was born 90 percent deaf. She can make out sounds, faintly, but it’s as if the volume on life is turned so far down it’s nearly set to mute. Amal learned American Sign Language (ASL) as a co-primary language, with English. Amal’s parents worried that if their daughter was too dependent on ASL, she might fall behind or miss out on opportunities. So, Amal worked with a speech therapist to help her speak and read lips – which she can do with superpower-like accuracy. Amal’s parents taught her to be independent and she’s eager to push the limits. She’s planning to travel to South Korea this summer. Why South Korea? She discovered as a teenager that South Korean dramas (both on TV

JOSEPH ISKANDER ‘23 used to hate running because he wasn’t any good at it. He wasn’t just slow, he was the slowest kid in his school. But when a doctor told him he’d never run again, running was all he wanted to do. Joseph was missing ligaments in both legs from birth and not all of the leg bones were aligned properly. He just didn’t know it. All he knew as a kid was that he was unusually slow, and then around 11 years old, the pain started. Doctors were finally able to diagnose the problem, but no doctor in Egypt, where Joseph lived, wanted to do the corrective surgery. Nearly a dozen doctors told him he and online) more consistently offered closed captioning compared to American entertainment. After that, an internship, and then graduation, and then most likely a master’s degree. And then? Absolutely anything she wants, without limits. “I chose Siena because of the size of the classrooms and the relationships I knew I’d form with professors,” said Faheem. “Those relationships are important to my success, and I really do love my professors…I’m also so grateful to Ifrah Mohammed and Sierra Galusha. They’re both amazing friends who helped me tremendously when I’ve needed it.”

was too old for the surgery, and there was too great a risk of complications. Fortunately, a doctor in England stepped in and agreed to the surgery, and when Joseph was 12, he underwent a day-long operation on his left leg. A year later, the same surgery was performed on his right leg. The surgeries were a success, but afterwards, the doctor told Joseph he would never run again. Two more surgeries were required once he moved to the U.S., and soon walking turned into jogging, which turned into running, which turned into a spot on his high school’s cross country team.

RACHEL BRYK ’22 changed her major three times, dropped out of college, took up landscaping, then found her calling and her way home to Siena. Rachel had dropped out of Siena midway through her junior year and took a paycheck working with her brother’s landscaping business. She wasn’t fulfilled in the job, but that wasn’t new. She had been chasing fulfillment for years with no luck. Rachel was four years old when her mom, Lisa Bryk, assistant director of operations, joined Siena. Rachel felt destined to be a Saint, in fact, it’s the only college she applied to out of high school. She enrolled in 2011, but slowly realized she wasn’t in the right headspace for college. She thought a new major might do the trick; when that didn’t work, she tried another. Her situation didn’t improve. “December of my senior year of high school, my grandmother, who I was very close with, passed away. It took awhile for the grief to hit. When it did, I was at Siena, and I developed a mental block. I tried to motivate myself, but I couldn’t, and then I’d get down on myself, and the cycle perpetuated. Eventually I gave up, tried one semester at Hudson Valley Community College, and when that didn’t take, I took my leave from education.” That was in 2014, and it led to her brief employment in landscaping. A family friend working for St. Peter’s connected Rachel with an opportunity as a secretary to a nurse practitioner. It was a job, not a first step toward a career, or at least that’s what she had assumed. Rachel always had the desire to help others; she just wasn’t sure how or where to apply herself. Now she knew. Rachel started taking prerequisite courses for nursing school at night. Eventually, she returned to HVCC, got her degree, and started the career she was meant for. Rachel is now an ER nurse at Memorial Hospital. While she was back at HVCC, Siena launched its RN The surgeon fixed his legs, but the physical therapists helped build his strength and open his eyes to his potential. That’s why Joseph wants to become a physical therapist, a career path that wouldn’t have been possible back home. “I love Siena. I always recommend it to others, especially international students. I didn’t speak English very well when my family moved here. The English as a new language program has helped my speaking and writing so much, and the professors have been great,“ he said.

to BS program. Rachel started working on her Siena degree, to BS program. Rachel started working on her Siena degree, again, class by class, while working full-time as a nurse, during COVID. She wasn’t just in the right headspace this time, she was fiercely motivated to fulfill an “emotional accomplishment, a dream.” On May 15, 11 years after her Siena story began, she walked across the commencement stage. “I’m so grateful for everything Siena has given me. I’ve met so many wonderful people throughout my journey here. I’ve just always wanted to close this chapter the right way,” said Rachel.

THE INS AND OUTS OF INTERNSHIPS

Internships are not only great for resumes, but also the best way to try out career paths, network with professionals in the field and gain contacts, develop skills, and get a glimpse at what professional life after Siena is really like. Each semester, our Saints form connections in companies of all shapes and sizes, ranging from Albany, to NYC, to London, no matter their major. Last summer, Ifrah Mohammed ‘22 (right) worked as an editorial intern for Marketing Choices, a company that primarily handles marketing in the adoption agency space. Near the end of her internship, the company developed a brand new position for a social media intern. Ifrah had little experience, but she pushed aside the fear, and scored the internship. “I had no experience with marketing, but the Career and Internship Center took me in, and I’ve learned so much. Just by listening to Alicia Pepe and the staff, I’ve learned that the journey to a career starts as a freshman. Everything you do from volunteering to clubs can be leveraged on a resume. I’m really grateful for my time at the Career and Internship Center plus my experiences with Marketing Choices.”

Simon Santos’ ‘23 team researches companies that may be interested in partnering with RenderTribe. RenderTribe works one-on-one with companies to focus their digital marketing strategies and business solutions. Simon really enjoys his team, and his boss. In fact, he just spoke to the CEO recently. “Peter Dean ’92 and I talked this morning. He asked me all about the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser, Mr. Siena (far left, Simon pictured in Mr. Siena 2022). It’s that sort of personal connection, and the Siena connection, that I think is really important.” Simon’s team leader is also a Siena graduate, Regina Linder ‘22. “If I can get five minutes with a student to share information about our internship program and career services, it usually results in a student’s formal visit to the Career and Internship Center,” said Alicia Pepe, assistant vice president for experiential learning and career development. “In this case, Simon wandered into my office for a pair of scissors to mend a fraying sweater, but what he left with was information. He took my advice to heart. He prepared, did his research and began applying. It resulted in an internship with one of our great employer partners!”

CLASS OF ’22, BUT FAR FROM 22

Elham Malik ‘22 and her first grade friends from many years ago all graduated this year, just not together. Her former classmates earned their high school diplomas; Elham may just be the youngest Siena graduate in College history. Freshman year, Elham was much younger than her new college friends. It wasn’t necessarily a secret, but she was nervous to share her age. So, for a long time, she didn’t. When Elham finally fessed up to being 14 years old, no one believed her. Elham skipped the 2nd and 7th grades, received her high school diploma in 3 years, and completed college in 3 years. She graduated several weeks shy of her 18th birthday. According to the College registrar, Elham is officially the youngest Siena graduate since 1999. The records don’t go back any further, so it’s very possible, in fact probable, that Elham is now the youngest Siena alumnus in school history. “I’m so grateful I made it this far. I don’t think I could have done it at any institution other than Siena. I’ve had mentors, including friars, who have given me the space to grow. That’s very special to me.” Her accomplishments at Siena are numerous, and while she’s excited to graduate, she’s not ready to leave altogether. Next year, Elham will serve one year as a Siena College AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow, continuing her interfaith work in the local community. After a gap year of service, it’s off to dental school, where she will no doubt be the youngest graduate in the history of whichever program she chooses. “I’ve always believed I could perform at the same level as other college students, but there are periods of time where I feel like I’m running to catch up. Sometimes I feel like I’m at a sprint, while others are walking. That’s why I’m so proud of this accomplishment. I’m glad that I get to be a part of the alumni network so young, and that gives me so much more time to do all that I want to do.”

SEE WHAT OUR SAINTS DO:

SIENA’S CENTER FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY

This issue of Siena News spotlights four female faculty members serving as mentors and role models in their collaboration with four female students on their academic work through CURCA.

“LIVING MUSEUM AT CHERRY HILL” STUDENT: MEGAN STUART ’22 FACULTY: KRYSTA DENNIS, PH.D., PRODUCER OF CREATIVE ARTS

In 1827, a man named John Whipple was shot and killed at the historic Cherry Hill home in Albany. Jesse Strang was found guilty of the murder and his execution was the last public hanging in Albany. A Halloween tour of the murder site sells out each October, but Megan has made it accessible to a much larger audience. She helped to rewrite the Murder at Cherry Hill script for virtual reality, then costumed and directed the production. “We worked with Historic Cherry Hill to set up their normal house tour, then ghost tour, into a VR format. Most of my time was spent rewriting the ghost tour script, then casting, directing, and costuming the actors for it. It was a fun opportunity and it solidified my decision to pursue a master’s in education after Siena.”

“SOCIAL SURVEY AND WASTEWATER PLAN” STUDENT: SYDNEY LEVISON ’23 FACULTY: KATE MEIERDIERCKS, PH.D., DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SCIENCES

How has the pandemic changed life for nursing students at Siena? You don’t know until you ask. Sydney designed her own social survey that will help the College better understand the experiences of Siena’s nursing students over the past year. The results will be compared to the results of a similar survey of students working in Siena’s wastewater program. “A main goal of the project is to compare these results to a similar survey, designed by Dr. Meierdiercks, which will be administered to the students who helped out with the wastewater program at Siena. This is my first research experience, and it has helped me realize that research is something I want to continue to do in the future and in my career.”

“ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE COUNTER COMMUNITIES” STUDENT: DEIRDRE MCBREEN ’22 FACULTY: KIM PREIKSAITIS, PH.D., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MARKETING

Gossip is a cherished consumer practice that offers individuals social purpose. Consumers who engage in gossiping about beloved brands may not always mesh with the ethos of the brand community, especially when critical viewpoints are raised. Dr. Preiksaitis has been tracking gossip within online consumer communities. Deirdre focused on the online forum “Tattle.Life” and the gossip around the parasocial relationship between viewers and personalities in the YouTube Channel, “The Chateau Diaries.” “This research project has allowed me to explore the impact of online word of mouth and gossip on brand communities and communal relationships. This summer has allowed me to fully understand the tools to effectively analyze the complex relationships among individuals, and it has grown my interest in marketing research. It has solidified my confidence in a future career focusing on research. I am so grateful for the opportunity that Siena has given me to explore my academic interests outside the classroom.”

“REBELLION AND REVOLUTION” STUDENT: JOANNA CASE ’22 FACULTY: JANET SHIDELER, PH.D., PROFESSOR OF MODERN LANGUAGE

The American Revolutionary War was the American patriots’ battle for independence, but they had foreign assistance. France and Spain supported the Patriots, and some French-Canadians took up arms against the British. But why? Joanna researched primary sources including an examination of muster rolls from the Revolution, to see what the records revealed. She raised important questions about individuals including their motivations to fight, their treatment by leaders, and their fate in their adopted homeland. “I researched French-Canadian involvement in the American Revolution and how they supported the Patriot cause in various ways. This project gave me valuable experience using primary sources which helped me get an internship as a researcher for the Saratoga County History Center. I have no doubt that this experience has made my goal of eventually working in a museum more attainable, and I hope that I will be able to continue research in this area in graduate school.”

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ATHLETICS

SIENA OPENS BOB GUIDO ’68 ATHLETIC ACADEMIC CENTER

Siena officially opened the Bob Guido ‘68 Athletic Academic Center with a dedication and ribbon cutting on May 2. The 2,200 square-foot state-of-the-art facility provides an enhanced environment where Siena’s more than 350 student athletes can achieve their full academic potential. “Charlotte and I are blessed, and we are honored to support this center, which provides our student athletes with a first-class facility to assist them with their academic excellence,” said Guido who, along with his wife Charlotte, provided the lead gift for the project. Guido is a former member of the Siena Board of Trustees, and retired vice-chair of Ernst & Young, LLP. He played both baseball and football as an undergraduate at Siena. “While achieving success as a member of a team is important, achieving academic excellence and a Siena degree is invaluable in life.” The Bob Guido ‘68 Athletic Academic Center will play a major role in Siena Athletics’ mission to “Build Better Saints.” A critical component in developing the entire student athlete will be realized with the creation of this new facility, where the athletic department’s S.A.IN.T.S. program – which stands for Supporting Athletes IN Their Success – can become more collaborative and engaging. “Bob Guido has always championed creating opportunities for people, because people did that for him,” said Siena College Vice President and Director of Athletics John D’Argenio. “Our student athletes are fortunate that he and his wife know that while a college athletic career can be rewarding, demanding, and help student athletes organize themselves, the most important outcome for them at Siena is to earn a degree, because it will stay with them for a lifetime.” Features of the Bob Guido ‘68 Athletic Academic Center include the nearly 1,000 square-foot Russ and Maureen Ferris Room, which provides an open study space to accommodate a place for all student athletes to study. The Ferris Room was officially dedicated on April 30 in honor of the former men’s lacrosse head coach and 1996 Siena Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, along with his wife, Maureen. “We’re so grateful to Mr. Guido and his family and everything that they’ve been doing for us as student athletes,” said Student Athlete Advisory Council President, Delia McDade Clay ’23. Additional highlights include three rooms dedicated to serving group project planning, individual tutoring, and small group sessions to create a vibrant and engaging environment for Siena’s student athletes. The new space also features individual offices for S.A.IN.T.S. advisors to hold one-on-one sessions, while a separate entrance way was erected to allow for extended hours of operation for student athletes.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE ADDS REGULAR SEASON TITLE, RECORDS TO RECENT SUCCESS

Siena Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Abigail Rehfuss carried a legacy of success to Siena when she took over the program five years ago. Several family members, including basketball star John Rehfuss ’42, previously attended Siena. As the leader of a once-struggling program, for the past five seasons she has now cemented her own legacy in the Green and Gold, and has established a consistent winning culture. Coming off of back-to-back appearances in the Championship Game, women’s lacrosse continued to sit at the top of the MAAC, posting a 10-8 overall mark and a 6-2 conference record to earn a share of its second-ever MAAC regular season title, last in 2005. The Saints earned the right to host the championship semifinals and finals for the first time, ultimately wrapping the season with their third consecutive MAAC semifinal appearance. “Our performance this season and in recent years is a testament to how hard our players and leaders work on and off the field, and how determined they are to achieve greatness,” Rehfuss said. “To rebound from early-season struggles and play host to the MAAC Championship is a great accomplishment that our entire team should be proud of.” 2022 Second Team All-MAAC selection Nicole McNeely set the program’s single-game record for goals with nine in a 21-20 Siena home win over Iona on March 26. Named the 2022 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-MAAC selection, she also set the single-season record for points and surpassed the career record for goals, as well as the single-season marks for goals and assists. “Our offense in general is a seven-threat offense no matter

who is on the field,” McNeely said, prior to the Saints’ MAAC Semifinal match. “Whatever we’re trying to do on the field, our underclassmen and upperclassmen alike can step up, and that has shown for us this season.” McNeely’s standout play was complemented by senior midfielder Mary Soures ’22, whose 61 goals set a single-season program record and tied for the most during the MAAC regular season. That performance landed her a pair of national weekly awards. “I think [being Co-Regular Season Champions and hosting the MAAC Tournament] means the world to us, but we know what was expected of us and we know we deserve this from every effort we’ve given on the field,” Soures told The Daily Gazette of Schenectady. The upperclassmen’s record-breaking ways were joined by freshman Grace Dobrzynski ’25, who had 41 assists to set the single-season record in that category. Together, the three allowed the Green and Gold to pepper the NCAA’s national rankings – Soures concluded the regular season ranked third nationally in goals per-game and fourth in shots per-game, while Dobrzynski ranked seventh in assists – first among freshmen – and McNeely finished tenth. With a regular season title and three straight double-digit win seasons under their belts, Siena women’s lacrosse continues to March On to new heights as a perennial MAAC power.

After turning heads in Loudonville during her first collegiate season, Siena women’s basketball’s Valencia Fontenelle-Posson ‘25 was selected to represent the Saints and her country on a national stage. The rising sophomore was chosen to play for the United States Deaf National Team at the 2022 Deaflympics held in

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL’S FONTENELLE-POSSON REPRESENTS SIENA ON INTERNATIONAL STAGE

Caxias do Sul, Brazil from May 1-15. Fontenelle-Posson and her team not only competed on behalf of the red, white, and blue, but brought home a gold medal. The team went a perfect 3-0 in group play, defeating Lithuania, Kenya, and Turkey. The U.S. then defeated host Brazil in the quarterfinals and

Greece in the semifinals before taking down Italy, 9177, to win the gold. “The Deaflympics in Brazil was such a great experience,” said Fontenelle-Posson. “The deaf community in Brazil was strong and very welcoming. The team worked really hard to plan and execute everything that our coach wanted us to do so that we could win! Playing against people from different countries was super cool. At first I thought playing without my hearing aids was really scary, but when I came to the realization that everyone on the court couldn’t hear and we were all in the same boat, the game was actually easier to play and focus on. Winning the gold was one of the best experiences in my life so far.” The Altamont, New York native had a few standout performances for Team USA, which included a 19-point, five rebound game in their opening win against Lithuania. The rising sophomore finished 7-for-13 from the floor, including a 4-for-9 clip from three-point range. Team USA was one of 72 nations represented at the international event, with a total of 2,349 athletes competing. Fontenelle-Posson developed hearing loss, known as hard of hearing, at a young age. After surgeries, she began to use a cochlear hearing device – mostly in her right ear – to only take in some information at a time, but not all. “Being deaf and playing basketball was challenging when I was first learning, but I was fortunate enough to have coaches and teammates along the way to help me along, so I’m grateful for them and all the help that I’ve gotten,” Fontenelle-Posson remembers. “It’s always an honor to play for your country, and this once-in-a-lifetime experience will benefit Valencia in multiple ways,” Siena Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Jabir said. “It’s a great opportunity to be able to travel around the world to do something that you love. We’re proud and excited for her and know that she’s made both Siena and the United States proud.” Fontenelle-Posson appeared in 27 games for the Saints in a successful freshman campaign, making seven starts and averaging 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per-game. She emerged as one of the team’s top young stars, and helped the Saints win their most conference games in four years and clinch a firstround bye in the 2022 MAAC Tournament.