the 2011 Manhattanville Magazine

Manhattanville
ThE MagazinE Of ManhaTTanVillE COllEgE | SPring 2011
Making an Impact
DR. SURAJIT NUNDY ’93
MakES a POSiTiVE iMPaCT
in inDia
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MANHATTANVILLE
The Magazine of Manhattanville College
Spring 2011 • Issue No. 1
Molly Easo Smith, Ph.D.
President
Manhattanville College
José R. González
Vice President
Office of Institutional Advancement
J.J. Pryor
Managing Director
Media, Public Relations, and Communications
Teresa Weber
Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Jennifer Griffin ’07, Alumni Relations Officer
Dan Preniszni, Director of Marketing and Publications
Michael Seminara, ’05, MS ’09,
Director of Community Relations
PRODUCTION
Tun Aung, Design Manager
Aimee Wanner ’11, Photography Intern
Johanna Gréa ’12, Marketing and Publications Intern
CONSULTANTS
Giles Communications LLC
COVER PHOTO
Courtesy Photo
Manhattanville College is committed to equality of educational
opportunity, and is an equal opportunity employer. The College
does not discriminate against current or prospective students
and employees on the basis of race, color, sex, national and
ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, or any other legally
protected characteristic. This College policy is implemented in
educational and admissions policies, scholarship and loan
programs, athletic and other school-administered programs,
and in employee-related programs.
Manhattanville Magazine is published annually by
Manhattanville College, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY
10577.
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Manhattanville
The Magazine of Manhattanville College | spring 2011
Making An Impact
Manhattanville
Manhattanville College begins to make her
impact on us from the very first time we catch
a glimpse of Reid Castle. Each of us in the
Manhattanville community is touched by the
College and attempts to carry on her core
values and traditions. Some of us, like the
students, faculty, alumni, staff, and friends of
the College portrayed in this issue, exemplify
them.
ThE MagazinE Of ManhaTTanVillE COllEgE | SPring 2011
Making an Impact
DR. SURAJIT NUNDY ’93
MakES a POSiTiVE iMPaCT
in inDia
210139.COV_V2.indd
1
3/15/11
2:52:56 PM
The cover photograph is of Dr. Surajit Nundy ’93,
treating one of his patients and “passing forward”
values learned at Manhattanville. Dr. Nundy makes a
positive impact by serving the underserved in India.
Letter from the President
MoLLy EASo SMiTh, Ph.D.
Dear Alumni, Friends, Faculty, Staff, Parents, and Students,
The Manhattanville Magazine this year is dedicated to a topic of foundational importance
to the mission of the College: “Making an Impact through Service.” Since its founding
in 1841, Manhattanville has encouraged students and members of the College
community to make the world a better place through social action, civic engagement and
community service.
Our tradition of service, which all of you are familiar with, is founded on our firm belief
in the liberalizing power of the liberal arts. This belief embodies a wide-ranging interest
in the condition of humanity and shaping the present in meaningful ways to affect the
future.
The following pages contain stories of caring and courage by our alumni in the face of
debilitating tragedy:
•
Dr. Surajit Nundy ’93 volunteers for a mobile medical clinic serving impoverished
people in New Delhi, India;
•
Elaine Stillwell ’60 dealt with her grief at losing her two eldest children in a car
accident by dedicating her life to comforting others who experienced similar loss;
•
United States Army Chief Warrant Officer and alumnus David Esannason ’97
honored my inauguration – and his alma mater – by presenting the College with a
flag that accompanied his military mission in Afghanistan.
Also featured is the Duchesne Center for Religion and Social Justice, which is at the heart
of service learning and leads our community on service projects.
It should come as no surprise to you, therefore, that Manhattanville College has
developed strong relationships over the years with local communities and organizations
which share our mission of service. We partner or work with over 40 organizations,
including the American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, the White Plains Youth
Bureau, and local Humane Societies.
For members of the Manhattanville community, “giving back to our communities”
serves as a guiding principle and foundational commitment, a natural part of our
identity as educated citizens of the world. This year’s Manhattanville Magazine gives you
a glimpse of our community’s commitment to service. The lived effect of this
commitment is of course far greater than that conveyed by these words or images, but I
hope these profiles and narratives will inspire each of you.
Sincerely,
Molly Easo Smith, President
Contents
2 President’s Letter
4 Manhattanville College: Making An Impact
10
5 Values in Action: The Duchesne Center
5 55 City of Hope: New Orleans
66 Student Reflection: An Ethiopian Journey
77 Science and Service Learning: On the Island of Barbuda
88 A Lifetime of Giving: Beatrice Wilkinson Welters ’74
10 Potential, Fulfilled: Dr. Surajit Nundy ’93
10
12 Dealing in Hope: Elaine Stillwell ’60
12
13 Symbol of Honor: David Esannason ’97
13
15 Mr. “Fix It” Makes A Positive Impact
15
16 Manhattanville College Commencement 2010
16
16 Manhattanville College’s Class of 2014
17 A Tradition Upheld: Manhattanville College’s Convocation
18 Graduate Programs – School of Education/Ethics Center
20 A Time for Renewal: Manhattanville Draws Up Plans
to Renovate Campus
21 Meet Gail M. Simmons, Manhattanville’s New Provost and
8
Vice President for Academic Affairs
22 Meet Doug Geiger, VP
ViceofPresident
Student Affairs
of Student Affairs
23 Meet the New Managing Director of Media,
Public Relations and Communications: J.J. Pryor
24 Meet Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving:
Teresa Weber
26 Athletics Recap
28 Living History: Greg
Professor
Swedberg
Greg Swedberg
26
34
29 Faculty Notes
31 Alumni News
32 Alumni Association President’s Letter
32 32 Manhattanville College Alumni Association Board
32
33 A Call to Action
33
34 Reunion 2010
34
36 Alumni Events
36
40 Class Notes
40
44 Congratulations & Condolences 2010/2011
44
46 In Memoriam
46
47 Board of Trustees
47
47 President’s Advisory Council
47
48 Reunion 2011 Save the Date
48
3
MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE:
Making An Impact
Beyond providing a high-quality education and introducing students to world-class
scholarship, Manhattanville College takes its mission and rich tradition of service
equally seriously. The school’s mission is “to educate students to be ethical and socially
responsible leaders in a global community.” Valiant in both name and action, Manhattanville
students contribute more than 33,000 hours of service annually, while gaining invaluable
perspective as well as critical experience in management, teaching and advocacy.
Theory and practice converge when the
College engages the world at local and
global levels. Manhattanville College is
home to several active clubs and programs
that address wide-ranging advocacy and
social issues. These include Achieving
Conservation Together (ACT), an
environmental group that promotes
awareness and respect for the
environment; End Racism and Sexism
Everywhere (E.R.A.S.E.); and Seeds of
Peace, which brings together youth from
conflict areas around the world to teach
them skills for peaceful co-existence.
In addition, the departments of Sociology
and Political Science work closely with the
Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action,
located in the Gallery of Founder’s Hall.
• making an impact
The Center helps college-educated
activists acquire the practical skills and
knowledge necessary for work in the field
of social change. Connie Hogarth, who
recently retired after 23 years as Executive
Director of the Westchester People’s
Action Coalition, is recognized as a
leading activist in various struggles for
peace and justice.
4
The Center runs a well-regarded lecture
series and a mentoring program, supports
student research and publishes a studentedited journal devoted to social change. It
additionally supports students in locating
internships and employment, along with
conducting workshops in organizing,
fundraising, media relations, public
speaking and the use of technology.
Another focal point for social action, the
Duchesne Center (examined on page 5 in
more detail), coordinates a wealth of
student activities and service trips and is a
great resource for information about
instituting effective social action programs.
In addition to providing quality teaching
and learning – ensuring the intellectual
development of each student –
Manhattanville College emphasizes the
ethical and social growth of its student
body within a community of engaged
scholars and teachers. Another major tenet
of a Manhattanville education is to provide
a diverse campus community whose
members know, care about and support
each other and actively engage the
community beyond the campus walls.
In the following section, we highlight
facets of the Manhattanville Community
– alumni, students and faculty – who are
making a profound and positive impact on
the school, their communities and the
world.
Making An Impact
Members of the New Orleans service-learning
trip pose with a local family whom they
helped move into a new trailer home.
Values in Action:
The Duchesne Center
Five core areas define the Duchesne Center’s identity, purpose and mission, including:
Community Service, Global Citizenship, Leadership and Academics, Social Justice and
Religion and Spirituality. Each program is designed to engage students in improving the
world, personally, locally and globally. Student work at the center includes an
educational component, including formal reflection journals, academic papers and
presentations, publications, research, or the implementation of a new service-learning
program to address the needs of a particular community.
Manhattanville College emphasizes our students’ development as well-rounded
City of Hope: New Orleans
In late December, Craig Donnelly, the
Duchesne Center’s Community Service
Coordinator, and co-chaperone Tenisha
Swift led five Manhattanville students on a
service-learning trip to New Orleans
sponsored by City of Hope, the volunteer
branch of the Adullam church that connected them with different volunteer
organizations.
Donnelly has led several service-learning
trips to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. “There is still much work to be
done, which is why these volunteer trips are
so important,” he said.
The volunteers handed out toys to Children’s
Hope, a program that supports children who
are living with HIV, and assisted the Feed the
Children program, which distributes boxes
of food to the needy. They also helped
renovate a Veterans’ center and helped
move a struggling young family into a trailer.
According to Student Volunteer Geoffrey
Rugarabamu, “the experience was beyond
exhilarating.”
• making an impact
Reflecting the premium that Manhattanville College
places on service, volunteerism and social action, the
College founded the Duchesne Center for Religion &
Social Justice in 1997. Charged with organizing
resources and focusing on the core values of the
School’s mission “to educate students to be ethical and
socially responsible leaders in a global community,” the
Duchesne Center is the central hub of the College’s
dedication to pursue social justice through action,
including helping to break down racial barriers and
engage the Campus in serving others through civic
engagement.
5
individuals who embrace personal and
social responsibility as they serve people in
need. Many of the Center’s programs have
been created and implemented by
Manhattanville student volunteers and
scholars or students who have initiated
contact with agencies for service. The
Duchesne Center seeks to create a climate
at Manhattanville College that fosters:
• A sensitivity to and an appreciation for
the differences among us
Monique Hardy plays with children at an Addis Ababa orphanage on a recent Duchesne Center
service trip to Ethiopia.
Student Reflection:
An Ethiopian Journey
• A deeper sensitivity to, appreciation for,
and interest in the components and
challenges inherent to today’s leaders
On January 1, 2011, five other students
and I kicked off the New Year in a unique
way. Through Manhattanville College’s
Duchesne Center, we set off to the
historical lands of Ethiopia and had the
opportunity to work with Kingdom Vision
International Orphanage and build a
connection with their children, whose ages
ranged from eight months to 16 years.
Each morning we journeyed by foot
through the warm weather and rocky
roads of the capital, Addis Ababa, to the
orphanage to carry out the various
workshops that we had prepared. The
children and adults alike welcomed what
we had to offer with open arms. They got
creative with beads and other arts and
crafts, participated fully in our English
lessons conducted through songs and
games and danced the day away during
our dance segments.
• A deeper understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the spiritual
and religious dimensions of life.
Candice Marie and Monique Hardy prepare a meal
for the residents of the Kingdom Vision International
Orphanage.
• making an impact
Despite the language barrier, we developed a strong connection in a short period
of time due largely to the enthusiasm of
the children and staff as they greatly
embraced our mere presence.
6
Attending this service-learning trip,
providing assistance and interacting with
the children and adults of the organization
was a remarkable experience that has
contributed to my personal growth and
self-betterment as a citizen of the world.
—Monique Hardy
• A heightened awareness and
understanding of social justice issues
and their responsibility for taking a
leadership role in local as well as global
community issues
Candice Marie serves food to the orphanage’s
young residents.
Named after the inspirational French
pioneer, Rose Philippine Duchesne, RSCJ,
the Center honors her legacy of service.
During the French Revolution, Duchesne
cared for the sick and poor, helped fugitive
priests, visited prisons, and taught children.
After the war, she entered the Religious of
the Sacred Heart community and answered
the call for nuns to assist the emerging
immigrant Church by the bishop of New
Orleans, LA in 1818.
Rose Duchesne was sent to St. Charles,
MO, where she immediately opened a
school; then, at Florissant, she built a
convent, an orphanage, a parish school, and
a school for Native Americans, a boarding
academy and a novitiate for her order. She
died on November 18, 1852, at the age of 83
and was canonized in 1988.
“The Duchesne Center creates the
possibility for the mutual exchange and
encounter with humanity in a direct and
personal way, realized through our five
core areas,” said Father Wil Tyrell, the
Center’s Interim Director. “It’s where our
book smarts – academics – and the
giftedness of who we are as human beings
come together for the service of others. It’s
the embodiment of our heritage as an
institution today, while constructing a more
humane future for all. It’s transformative.”
Making An Impact
Science and Service Learning
On the
Island of Barbuda
While studying Barbuda’s unique
terrestrial and marine ecosystems, the
students also got a chance to make a
difference in the lives of school children
on the island through a community service
project to renovate, decorate, and stock the
science classroom at Holy Trinity
Elementary School. The classroom had
been unused for the past decade, but some
with
some paint,
paint,
lumber,
lumber,
donated
donated
scientific
scientific
equipment from both Manhattanville
College and Brooklyn College (funded by
the National Science Foundation), help
from Sif Jóhannesdóttir of Iceland’s Kids
Archaeology Project, and some
imagination led
to the transformation
imagination
led to theof
transformation
the room into of
a
useable
the
roomspace
into for
a useable
the students.
space for
The
the
students even
students.
The painted
studentsthe
even
door
painted
to thethe
room
with atoquote
door
the room
fromwith
Charles
a quote
Darwin
from–
“From soDarwin
Charles
simple a–beginning,
“From so simple
endlessaforms
most beautiful….”
beginning,
endless forms
This most
quotebeautiful….”
seemed
appropriate
This
quote seemed
for bothappropriate
the science for
thatboth
would
the
science
be taught
that would
there as
be well
taught
as the
there as
classroom
well
as thetransformation
classroom transformation
itself. The itself.
elementary
The
elementary
school
school
teachers
teachers
started
started
using
the room
using
the the
room
daytheafter
daythe
after
grand
the grand
opening,
somethingsomething
opening,
they had not
theybeen
had able
not been
to doable
for
tendo
to
years.
for ten years.
In addition to helping the elementary
school, Dr.
Todd
Todd
and and
McFarlane
Dr. McFarlane
took several
took
studentsstudents
several
from McChesney
from McChesney
High School
High
into theinto
School
fieldthe
to field
learntohow
learn
to how
swimto swim
transects to count fish and assess
biodiversity in meter quadrats in both
lagoon and coastal areas of the island.
Melissa, Dana and Jason also helped the
high school physics students build a fuel
cell car to demonstrate the utility of
hydrogen as fuel. Todd and McFarlane
have aspirations to continue service
projects on the island, and perhaps work
with the Duchesne Center and Fr. Wil
Tyrrell to develop service-learning trips to
Barbuda for other Manhattanville
students.
On January 13th, the team experienced the thrill of
witnessing a green turtle nest hatching on a popular
local beach. Only the last hatchlings in the nest were
seen, but it was likely that the nest contained at least
100 young turtles.
• making an impact
During a field trip on the island of Barbuda,
Manhattanville professors, students, and an alumna
helped make a positive difference by renovating a
science classroom that had not been used for ten years.
Manhattanville senior Melissa Croce was
happy to help. “To be able to renovate a
science classroom for them that will enrich
their learning experience and hopefully
give them a better chance at educational
equality was rewarding and something I
will never forget.”
Photo: Jason McConnell ’14
For three weeks over winter break in
January 2011, three undergraduate
students and one Mville
Manhattanville
alumna helped
alumna
helped influence
influence
change change
in very in
different
very different
ways on
aways
small,
on undeveloped
a small, undeveloped
Caribbean
Caribbean
island in
island
the
Lesser
in the
Antilles.
Lesser The
Antilles.
students
The –students
Dana
– Dana
Iroff
’12,Iroff
Melissa
’12, Melissa
LaCroceLaCroce
’11, and ’11,
Jason
and
Jason McConnell
McConnell
’14, and
’14,’08and
alumna
’08 alumna
Maxine
Maxine Montello
Montello
were participating
were participating
in the field
in the
field course
course
“Marine
“Marine
and Tropical
and Tropical
Biology
Biology
of
of Barbuda”
Barbuda”
taught
taught
by by
Dr.Dr.
Nancy
Nancy
Todd
Todd
and
and Wendy
Dr.
Dr. Wendy
McFarlane
McFarlane
of Manhattanville’s
of
Manhattanville’s
Department
of Biology.
Department of Biology.
7
With her husband and sons in attendance, Beatrice Wilkinson Welters addresses the audience at her swearing in ceremony at the State Department.
A Lifetime of Giving:
Beatrice Wilkinson Welters ’74
• making an impact
Ambassador Beatrice Wilkinson Welters personifies Manhattanville’s rich
tradition of giving back to society, though her family instilled the
importance of serving others long before she ever came to Purchase, NY.
8
“I started with a strong foundation, having been raised in a very religious
home and having worked at a camp and boarding home for underserved
youth as a teenager,” said Welters, who has served as the United States
Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago since her appointment by President
Obama in 2009. “My views about service, volunteerism and giving back
were well formed before I came to Manhattanville and these views were
the impetus for me wanting to study sociology and psychology,” as well as
pursue volunteer work while attending the College.
Making An Impact
“We were the first in our families to go to college
and we learned from an early age the importance of education,
sacrifice, working hard and finding our passion in life.”
During her time at Manhattanville, she met her husband,
Anthony Welters ’74, along with several lifelong friends, who
have become an “extended family” to her. She and her husband
have two sons, Bryant and Andrew.
Welters has spent 30 years involved with civic organizations, with
a particular focus on youth, which aims at expanding educational,
career and cultural opportunities for people around the world.
She and her husband now head two foundations that provide
summer camp opportunities to an average of 100 participants
each year. One charitable organization, the AnBryce Foundation,
gives scholarships to underprivileged students at the New York
University School of Law, along with eight undergraduates at the
university.
“One of our scholars has clerked for the Supreme Court and
nearly one third of our 2011 graduating class have already
received clerkship offers,” she notes. “Of our first-year law
students this year, 90% have already received summer associate
positions with major law firms. The much newer undergrad
program boasts many up-and-coming professionals. Today, the
youth we have mentored through our programs are making their
mark on their communities, their country and the world.”
In addition, Welters and her husband oversee the Saturday
Institute in Washington, D.C., a five-hour, intensive academic
and social experience for participants 6 to 18 years of age. Among
their achievements, Institute students swept the top awards at a
recent DC Reads Spelling Bee. The couple also runs the Student
Adventures in Leadership (SAIL) program, which develops
community service projects from concept to implementation, and
is currently focused on combating homelessness and hunger.
Ambassador Welters is shown here being sworn in by Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton at the U.S. Department of State.
In 2012, when her posting to Trinidad and Tobago ends, Welters
will resume her duties with her foundations. “My experience in the
Caribbean has made me aware of the importance of strengthening
public-private partnerships when faced with finding solutions to
the many challenges that exist within civil society today,” said
Welters. “I believe, now and in the future, this will be the only way
to make a positive impact – everyone must be involved.”
• making an impact
Welters and her husband are staunchly committed to helping the
next generation for a multitude of reasons, but there’s also a more
personal motivation, Welters reveals. “On the surface, of course,
is a recognition that the future belongs to our youth and we must
do what we can to assure their success, but there is also a more
personal side,” she said. “Both Anthony and I come from meager
beginnings. We were the first in our families to go to college and
we learned from an early age the importance of education,
sacrifice, working hard and finding our passion in life. This
understanding helped shape me and will inform my future
actions.”
9
Potential, Fulfilled
Dr. Surajit Nundy ’93
“ .... I have spent a lot of time in higher education classrooms,
but Manhattanville will always be special for me.”
• making an impact
For most young adults, the college
undergraduate experience is, by nature, a
transformative one. For Surajit Nundy
’93, his time at Manhattanville represented
the opportunity for complete reinvention.
When he applied in 1989, the College
represented his last great hope.
“Manhattanville was the only college in
the world that accepted me,” noted
Nundy. While naturally talented, Nundy,
like many teenagers, was unfocused
during his adolescent years.
“Manhattanville, kindly, took a chance on
accepting me and I am grateful for it.”
10
Unique in recognizing his untapped
potential, Manhattanville took a leap of
faith that has paid dividends in many
unexpected ways. “Once I got to
Manhattanville, I made a decision that I
would try to keep an A average,” said
Nundy. This goal was to live up to his
potential, as well as the expectations of his
family, including his father, Samiran, a
surgeon, and his mother, Mita, who
worked for a special education NGO.
With such intellectual and service-minded
role models, Nundy resolved to use his
tenure at Manhattanville to start anew.
And at Manhattanville, he blossomed.
Beyond the flourishing of a keen intellect,
it also facilitated a call to service that has
benefited impoverished people both in the
United States and in India.
“Manhattanville was just the right place
for me to be at that somewhat undirected
time of my life,” said Nundy. “Since the
College was close-knit, I was able to live
on campus but close to Margaret and Bert,
my U.S. foster parents. I was able to
participate in varsity sports as well as
major in Sociology, Computer Science and
Pre-Medical Studies,” he said. “It was
exciting because it’s not a rote system like
in India.” “My parents were both involved in social
work as I grew up and I did some work in
high school and I was involved in
community service as an undergraduate. Father Roger Vaughn, a priest at
Manhattanville in my time, was a good
friend of mine and he took some others
and me for a week during Spring Break of
my Junior Year to work and live in the
Emmaus House, a homeless shelter in
Harlem in New York City. This
experience of working with the
Manhattanville students at the shelter
“gave me a glimpse of the poverty that
exists in the U.S., what I had thought of as
a rich country” and he was even featured
in a New York Times article.
Nundy also benefited from
Manhattanville’s location. “When I
decided to go to medical school, I was able
to work as a nurse’s aide’s assistant at the
Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White
Plains during the summer between junior
and senior year as well as take chemistry
classes at Manhattanville. Professors like
Van Hartmann, George Psihountas, John
Murray, Father Roger Vaughn, Coach
John Cassidy and my piano instructor
Making An Impact
Dr. Surajit Nundy is one of seven doctors who treat New Delhi’s poorest residents through the Ila Trust.
year, Nundy says he is continually
impressed with their ability to serve some
of the most underserved in India. “I
always had the desire to do something
about the deprivation here,” he notes.
Following two decades spent in the United
States, Nundy returned to India and
became active with the Ila Trust, a medical
aid organization founded in 1994 by Reeta
Devi, a woman who began working with
Mother Teresa at the age of sixteen.
Currently the Ila Trust has seven doctors,
two pharmacists, an office manager and
two full-time volunteers. Nundy offers his
services free of charge in one of the Trust’s
mobile clinics.
Nundy now lives in New Delhi with his
wife, Mandakini Dubey, his three-year-old
daughter, Noor, and one-year-old son,
Nishq. An avid Manchester United
football fan, Nundy also plays piano, as
well as bass guitar in a country and
western band.
“Having always wanted to move back to
India and do something about the vast
inequities here, I felt that the Ila Trust
would be a good place where I could
help.” Working with the Trust for the past
Another endeavor close to Nundy’s heart
is Raxa, a new web-based project to drive
information about public health to all
segments of Indian society. And once
again, the roots of this work can be traced
back to Manhattanville, where he majored
in computer science. The project will seek
to “achieve equitable information and
financing for the underserved.”
With a post-secondary education spanning
20 years, Nundy has earned advanced
degrees in internal medicine, neuroscience
and public health. “Manhattanville let me
do a variety of different things – a training
which continues to enhance my life to this
day. Since graduating, I have spent a lot of
time in higher education classrooms, but
Manhattanville will always be special for
me. I feel blessed to have been given the
opportunity to go there.”
• making an impact
Gene Sabo, were extremely generous in
teaching me about the world. Frequenting
New York City’s world of concerts, art
movies and restaurants enabled me to, in
some ways, discover myself.”
11
“People ask me how I can do
this for so long without getting
burnt out,” she said. “But
you’re giving people their lives
back. I can’t tell you how
many love notes I have received. They never forget
what you’ve done for them.”
H
eartbreaking circumstances have
compelled Elaine Edden
Stillwell ’60 to navigate and lead
others through unthinkable darkness and
pain and onward to discover hope.
Stillwell survived a mother’s worst
nightmare when she lost her two oldest
children, Peggy, 20, and Denis, 21, in a
1986 car crash. Determined to use her own
Compassionate Friends of Rockville
Centre, a self-help group for parents who
have lost a child. According to its mission
statement, Compassionate Friends is a
non-sectarian group that offers a safe place
for bereaved parents “to heal and to grow,
to beam again; a place to be accepted and
understood, to cry, to laugh and to talk
openly about your child.”
Reunion Co-Chairs Elaine Edden Stillwell ’60 and
Ceci Sullivan Murray ’60.
the University of Notre Dame and earned
a Master’s degree in Counseling at Hofstra
University. “All of my training in these
different areas helped make my
bereavement work even better,” noted
Stillwell.
Dealing In Hope:
ELAINE STILLWELL ’60
tragic circumstances to benefit others,
Stillwell has channeled her grief in a
positive direction and has made it her life’s
work to teach other bereaved parents how
to cope with loss, even as she learned to
survive herself.
• making an impact
“When my children died, I wanted to
figure out how to survive,” Stillwell said,
remembering that she read every book she
could on the subject. “I never planned any
of this.”
12
A charter member of Bereaved Parents of
the USA, Stillwell is also the recipient of
the DeWitt Clinton Masonic Award for
community service. In 2010, Manhattanville
College bestowed upon Stillwell its
Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of her achievements and service to the
community.
Her counseling work centers on helping
parents to cope with their loss and lead
meaningful lives despite their suffering.
She is a founder and chapter leader of the
Stillwell also served as a bereavement
coordinator for the Diocese of Rockville
Centre. “When I was recruited, I just
couldn’t say no,” she recalled. “There was
nothing out there for people who were
hurting.” As part of her work, Stillwell
trained counselors in 134 parishes, which
she says helped raise awareness about
bereavement. “It used to be swept under
the rug,” she said. “Now that it’s talked
about more openly, you get to know
people in completely different ways.”
Stillwell writes a regular column for Grief
Digest magazine and presents bereavement
workshops on a range of topics. She has
authored several books, including The
Death of a Child: Reflections for Grieving
Parents, and A Forever Angel, a craft book
for grieving children. She is also the
co-author of Sweet Memories, which helps
children cope with the death of a loved
one or pet.
Following her time at Manhattanville, she
received a Master of Arts in Literature at
While Stillwell faced a great deal of pain
as a result of her losses, she has also
experienced tremendous joy immersing
herself in the process of helping bereaved
parents to heal. She credits her education
at Manhattanville with giving her the
academic acumen to continue her
advanced studies and also providing her
with a solid spiritual foundation on which
she has drawn strength. “I am not super
religious, but I feel that those who are not
spiritual have a much harder time in the
grieving process,” she added.
In addition to honoring the memory of her
children through her counseling work,
Stillwell helped establish the Peggy and
Denis O’Connor Scholarship at the
University of Dayton, where both of them
attended college. Her work has even
inspired her surviving daughter, Annie,
42, to embark on a career in social work.
Making An Impact
SYMBOL
OF HONOR
David Esannason ’97
While serving in Afghanistan
in 2009, United States Army
Chief Warrant Officer David
Esannason ’97 received news
about the upcoming Inauguration of Manhattanville
President Molly Easo Smith.
While he could not attend, his
fond memories of his time at
Manhattanville compelled him
to do something special for his
alma mater and its new
president. “I figured, if I can’t
be there, why not send
something to mark this
momentous occasion?”
recalled Esannason.
On November 8, 2010, one day
before departing for a threeyear assignment in Germany,
Esannason returned to
Manhattanville to deliver an
American flag that was aboard
the U.S. Army Warrior-Alpha
115 aircraft during a mission in
Afghanistan. The flag was
proudly flown in President
Smith’s honor during the
Presidential Inauguration
Week in April 2010.
Esannason also presented
President Smith with an
Operation Enduring Freedom
Coin during his visit.
“It is with deep and sincere
gratitude that I accepted these
powerful symbols of honor and
service from our distinguished
alumnus,” said President
Smith. “David proudly
displays the civic responsibility
that we instill in our students
as we prepare them for their
place and purpose in the
world. I was honored and
humbled by David’s
presentation and his thoughts
of me during my
inauguration.”
David Esannason presented Molly
Easo Smith with an American flag and
Operation Enduring Freedom Coin to
honor her inauguration.
A psychology major,
Esannason began considering a
life of service in the army
during his senior year at
Manhattanville in 1997 and
enlisted in the army the
following year. Beyond the
strong liberal arts foundation
• making an impact
Flags serve many purposes.
They can symbolize a people,
represent national pride and
convey a shared history. Colors
and flags affirm group identity.
They build pride and morale,
and represent a group’s honor.
In battle, flags served as a
rallying point when a
formation was broken; troops
gathered around the flag to
regroup, attack or retreat.
13
he received at Manhattanville,
“I realized that I also needed to
grow and challenge myself in
ways that were beyond
academics.”
”I did a lot of growing up
at Manhattanville.”
— David Esannason ’97
Currently stationed in
Germany, Esannason’s
distinguished service record
includes assignments
throughout the Middle East,
Europe and the United States.
From 2009 to 2010, he served
in Afghanistan in the Task
Force ODIN, 21st Cavalry
Brigade out of Fort Hood, TX
in support of Operation
Enduring Freedom. He also
served in military intelligence
for Operation Iraqi Freedom
from 2003 to 2004 with Delta
Company, 311th Military
Intelligence Battalion, 101st
Airborne Division (Air
Assault) at Fort Campbell, KY.
“I did a lot of growing up at
Manhattanville,” he recalls of
his time at the College. “It was
my first time away from home,
but I was also close enough to
home to visit my family.”
The Bronx native makes a
point to visit Manhattanville
whenever he comes to New
York. According to Esannason,
“Manhattanville has changed,
but walking through the
Castle and in the halls of
Brownson brings back a lot of
memories.”
• making an impact
A Bronx native, Esannason’s distinguished service record includes assignments
throughout the Middle East, Europe and the U.S.
14
Making An Impact
Mr. Fix It
Makes A Positive Impact
An average day for Hannon and his staff
can start as early as 7:00 a.m. and may not
end until 8:00 p.m. According to Hannon,
the challenging workload is offset by the
strong rapport he shares with his staff. “I
really trust and respect my guys,” he says.
“They feel like family; they’ve never let me
down. They make it a pleasure to get up
and go to work each morning.”
On call 24/7, year round, Hannon and his
assistant John Pagli have valiantly fought
through inclement weather and a variety
of logistical challenges to perform their
duties. Enjoying the “constant interaction
with students,” Hannon explains,
“whether it’s a dorm room, classroom or a
special event, there’s always some
requirement for maintenance to help
support students’ needs. We treat the
students as if they are our best customers,
because in reality they are.”
Hannon honed this strong work ethic and
Danny Hannon (left), Director of Maintenance Services, in a rare moment of relaxation.
service-oriented mindset throughout the
course of his diverse career prior to
Manhattanville, which included stints as a
contractor, restaurateur and entrepreneur.
A member of the Manhattanville
community for more than two decades,
Dan and his wife, Tisha, have raised their
three sons, Kyle, 26, Dan, 24, and Todd, 22,
at the College.
With its abundance of in-house talent, and
with the direction of Vice President of
Operations, Greg Palmer, Maintenance
Services has enabled the College to save
thousands of dollars on construction and
renovation projects. Integral to the recent
renovations of the Biology and Chemistry
labs in Brownson, the department was also
closely involved in the campus housing
renewal project.
For Hannon, however, it’s all in a day’s
work, “My job fits my personality. I am not
a sedentary individual. I’d struggle sitting
at a desk all day, so I feel fortunate to do
what I do.”
• making an impact
Whether it’s a leaky faucet in Dammann
Hall, a biology lab that needs renovating,
or a new light installation for the soccer
field, Manhattanville College’s Daniel
Hannon and his talented team are
continually on call to serve the
construction, repair and maintenance
needs of Manhattanville’s picturesque
campus. Hannon, who is the College’s
Director of Maintenance Services, has been
“keeping his thumb on the pulse of the
campus” since 1990 to optimize campus
facilities for faculty, staff and students
alike. Planning and executing a wide
variety of maintenance projects, Hannon’s
department has evolved into a small
construction company, boasting a staff of
accomplished electricians, carpenters,
painters and handymen.
15
Commencement 2010
On May 22, 2010, amid brilliant blue skies, Manhattanville College held its 169th
Undergraduate Commencement. The ceremony, celebrating the achievements of 375
graduates, was presided over by the school’s president, Dr. Molly Easo Smith, the
Manhattanville Board of Trustees and selected faculty.
Lynn Luckow
Lynn Luckow, the president and CEO of
the Craigslist Foundation, delivered a
powerful commencement address
focusing on the importance of community within a civil society. Luckow urged
the graduates to engage local communities because “it is the cornerstone to any
democratic society and will likely be the
saving grace of democracies.”
Manhattanville
College’s Class of 2014
After Manhattanville bid farewell to its
graduating seniors, the College
warmly welcomed a diverse, talented
new freshman class poised to make
an impact on the College, the
community and the world.
• commencement
This past year, the admissions office
received 4,547 applications and
enrolled 477 students. Incoming
students were exceptionally focused
on community service and
volunteerism in high school, thus
promising exciting contributions to
Manhattanville. This extraordinary
class of students originated from 22
states and 16 countries.
16
Along with service and volunteerism,
diversity within the United States
continues to be an ongoing focus at
the College and great progress
continues to be made with the new
class. This year, only 53 percent of
the incoming freshmen were from
New York. International diversity also
continues to flourish with this class,
as Manhattanville welcomed
students from countries including
Argentina, Canada, the Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Italy,
Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
President Smith greeted the graduates, saying, “as a Manhattanville graduate class of
2010, you make the college the wonderful place that it is and preserve the legacy that
you have inherited… may you carry the story of Manhattanville in your hearts and
through your actions make others proud to know you because you are a
Manhattanville graduate.”
During its 2010 Commencement ceremony, Manhattanville College recognized a
distinguished group of honored speakers and graduates for their achievements and
unique contributions to the College and the community.
DeVon Barnett received the President’s Prize for outstanding contribution to the
Manhattanville community and embodiment of the College’s core values. The Grace
Cowardin Dammann Award, given to a student who demonstrates outstanding
scholarship, integrity and a dedication to social justice, was presented to Ndangariro
Susan Mpunga. Amanda Jordan, a Political Science major, received the College’s
Eleanor O’Byrne Prize for academic achievement.
Manhattanville College proudly bestowed Doctor of Humane Letters degrees on
three recipients who have lived their lives according to the College’s principles.
Former Manhattanville College Interim Provost, Academic Dean and Vice President
for Academic Affairs, Dr. Edgar B. Schick has spent his career serving academic
institutions. Distinguished public servant Kathleen Grimm, Class of 1967, has served
as Deputy Chancellor for Finance and Administration at the New York City
Department of Education. Lynn Luckow is the chief executive of Craigslist
Foundation. Mr. Luckow focuses on discovering successful means for addressing the
pervasive social and cultural challenges our world faces.
The Manhattanville College Graduate Commencement ceremony was held on May
20, 2010. Three hundred sixty four students ranging in age from 22 to 84 received
degrees.
Manhattanville College is honored to announce the keynote speakers
and honorary degree recipients for our 2011 Commencement ceremonies:
Graduate Commencement, Thursday, May, 19th, 2011, 7:00 p.m., on the campus Quad
Dr. Anthony Davidson, Manhattanville’s new Dean of Graduate & Professional Studies.
After fifteen years of teaching and developing curricula at major universities in the New York
area, Dr. Davidson became Professor and Director of Graduate Programs at New York
University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. He was subsequently asked to
become the founding Dean of the Division in Business. He has spent the past 25 years leading
organizations and managing key initiatives across a wide range of industries.
Baccalaureate and Honors Convocation, Friday, May 20th, 4:00 p.m., O’Byrne Chapel
Dr. Paul O’Prey, Vice-Chancellor of Roehampton University (London, UK)
Professor O’Prey took up his post as Vice-Chancellor in 2004. He was formerly Director of
Academic Affairs at the University of Bristol, and played a major role in the development and
implementation of academic strategy at Bristol, in both research and education. Dr. O’Prey is a
signatory of the Memorandum of Understanding of the Duchesne Alliance.
Undergraduate Commencement, Saturday, May 21st, 2011, 11:00 a.m., on the campus Quad
Ambassador Beatrice Wilkinson Welters, ’74
Ambassador Welters has served as the United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago
since her appointment in 2009. Before her appointment as ambassador, she spent nearly thirty
years involved in civic organizations aimed at expanding educational, career, and cultural
opportunities for people around the world, with a focus on assisting underprivileged youth.
In August 2010, Manhattanville continued its recently revived tradition of marking the beginning of the new
academic year with a Convocation ceremony that serves as the official welcome to all new students into the
campus community. The Convocation serves as the counter-piece to the Baccalaureate and Commencement
Ceremonies, which conclude the academic course of study. A TRADITION UPHELD:
Manhattanville College’s
Convocation
The ceremony opened with an
introduction by Gail M.
Simmons, Ph.D., provost and
vice president for Academic
Affairs and professor of
Biology, followed by an
invocation by Rabbi Bruce M.
Freyer, MAHL (Master of Arts
in Hebrew Letters), a chaplain
at the College.
The class of 2014 then received
a warm greeting from
President Smith. “Welcome to
Manhattanville College,” said
President Smith. “Welcome to
a journey, which I hope will be
a genuine transformation for
each of you, one in which you
will begin to build both your
literal and your intellectual
Portfolio, day by day, week by
week, month by month, and
year by year, thus creating a
record of self-discovery and
deep knowledge that urges
responsibility to yourself and
to the world around you.”
The Convocation continued
with remarks from George
Schreer, Ph.D., associate
professor of Psychology and
Chair of the Faculty, Amanda
Ruderman ’11, president,
Student Government
Association, William Perkins,
Ph.D., associate professor of
Economics, Finance and
Management and Chair, Board
on Academic Standards.
Provost Simmons gave the
charge to the entering class,
officially welcoming them as
students of Manhattanville
College, which was followed by
the singing of “On the Heights,”
the College’s alma mater.
The Manhattanville College mace leads the procession.
• manhattanville convocation
At the start of the ceremony,
new students filled the O’Byrne
Chapel, while Dr. Francis
Brancaleone, associate professor
of Music and Chair of the
Manhattanville Music
Department, played “The
March for Joyous Occasions” by
C. Alexander Peloquin.
17
Manhattanville College Graduate and Community outreach Programs
• fostering a continuum of achievement
Fostering a Continuum of Achievement
18
Education is a lifelong process and to that end, Manhattanville College offers
several innovative academic programs to help graduate students enhance their lives
and advance their professional careers. The College’s Master of Arts in Writing
program (MAW) provides a nurturing atmosphere that supports a vital and
supporting literary community. Top faculty, attracted to the relevance and top quality
of our programs, along with our convenient location in the New York City
metropolitan area, also teach at the school’s Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. The
school offers several M.S. degrees in its graduate business programs, including
leadership and strategic management, integrated marketing communications,
international management, organizational management and human resource
development, sport business management, finance and a Graduate Certificate in
Nonprofit Leadership.
Manhattanville’s vaunted School of Education excels at providing a strong
preparation for a rewarding and effective teaching career and now offers an Ed.D.
program to help students become exemplary educators. The program is designed to
help students develop their innate skills through professional preparation and
lifelong professional development.
First cohort, faculty, and administrators at the reception for the doctoral program
in educational leadership.
Center for Ethics at Manhattanville College
School of Education
Ever since Manhattanville established its graduate management
degree programs in 1992, the goal has been to educate students to
be ethical and socially responsible leaders in a global community.
Besides including ethical considerations in each course offering, a
separate course on ethics and social responsibility is included in
the curriculum of every degree program offered at the College.
It is perhaps fitting that Manhattanville’s first doctoral program is
offered by the School of Education because the school’s history is
based on training new generations of leaders inside and outside
the classroom. Based on the school’s successful Changing Suburbs
Institute® Program, the Ed.D in Educational Leadership is
designed to prepare mid-level educational leaders to work in
changing suburbs and small cities. This extends the Changing
Suburbs Institute, the College’s signature community outreach
focus, which works with schools to help them better serve their
increasingly diverse student bodies, particularly the Hispanic
population.
The mission of the Center for Ethics at Manhattanville College is
to advance the knowledge and practice of business ethics and to
promote the economic value of ethical decision-making in
for-profit and nonprofit organizations.
As the area’s authoritative resource on business ethics for faculty,
students and alumni of the school, as well as for the business
community and the media, the Center provides comprehensive
information on current ethical issues and successful practices that
drive organizational performance, hosts forums for peer-to-peer
interaction in the business community, provides seminars for
board members and executives and houses a library of books,
periodicals, articles and other resources to enhance executive
effectiveness.
The Center is sponsored by the School of Graduate and
Professional Studies. An Advisory Board comprised of
Manhattanville faculty and business executives from prominent
for-profit and nonprofit organizations in the area assists the
Executive Director of the Center in conducting its affairs. In
addition to maintaining close ties with the Sport Business
Institute/Center for Ethics in Sports at Manhattanville, the
Center has strong affiliations with national professional groups,
including the Ethics and Compliance Officers Association (the
largest association of human resource executives) and the
National Investor Relations Institute.
The program is based on the “professional practice” model of
doctoral work, with students completing a three-year program of
study that tightly integrates coursework, field experiences, and
applied research. The program focuses on five themes: leading
learning organizations, becoming a sophisticated practitionerscholar, developing self and others, participating in professional
and policy-making communities, and facilitating responsive
education programs. The program offers the option to do a
three-article dissertation or a traditional five-chapter dissertation.
Partnering with Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES, located
in Yorktown Heights, courses are offered at both the
Manhattanville and BOCES campuses. Following the cohort
model, the innovative new program accepted 16 students for the
Fall 2010 semester.
“With our ever-expanding partnership work with schools to help
do the best for all children, this ‘professional practice’ doctoral
program positions the School of Education to be in the forefront
of preparing educational leaders to be responsive to the needs of
our regional schools,” said Shelley B. Wepner, dean of
Manhattanville’s School of Education.
• fostering a continuum of achievement
In 2007, the College created the Center for Ethics, which marks a
further step in the school’s commitment to promote values-based
leadership and organizational integrity.
19
Time for
Renewal:
A
Manhattanville Draws Up Plans to Renovate Campus
“I believe that
students are viewing
the renovations as
another example of
Manhattanville’s
investment in their
well-being and success.”
• a time for renewal
— Ross Novak
Director of Residence Life
20
Exciting changes are afoot on campus.
Beginning in summer 2011, Manhattanville
will launch the renovation process for its
aging residence halls and academic
buildings. Announced by the Manhattanville
Board of Trustees in early 2011, the $4.5
million project will be supervised by a task
force team consisting of faculty,
administration and student volunteers.
The renovation plans came to fruition
after President Smith polled various
Manhattanville constituents on their
recommendations for improvements to the
College. The consensus of the
recommendations was to focus the
renovation work on the College’s
residence halls and academic facilities.
The renovations will be undertaken in
two phases. For stage one, $2.75 million
has been appropriated, while the
remaining $1.75 million for stage two will
be allocated at a future date.
According to Ross Novak, director of
Residence Life, this exciting project will
“bring together students, faculty, staff and
administration to work on a common
goal,” he says, adding that “the ‘buzz’
from the announcement has brought a
fresh sense of enthusiasm to the
Manhattanville community.”
Novak, who will co-chair the renovation
committee with Registrar Tom Murasso,
will lead the extensive on-and-off-campus
conversations and help identify interested
students to be a part of the renovation
committee.
The renovations will update the residence
areas by adjusting and remodeling
bathrooms, windows and floors. The goal
of the improvements, according to Novak,
is to make the residence halls a more
pleasant place for the students to live
without compromising the campus’
traditional look. The renovation of the
academic facilities will focus on upgrading
offices, installing new ceilings and lights,
remodeling the bathrooms, and extensive
flooring work throughout the classrooms,
offices and public building areas.
“I believe that students are viewing the
renovations as another example of
Manhattanville’s investment in their
well-being and success,” says Novak.
“They seem genuinely excited about the
possibilities.”
Meet Gail M. simmons
MANHATTANVILLE’S NEW PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT
FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Then you made the jump to
administration?
Yes, I served as Associate Dean of Science
at City College from 1997 to 2001. I was
then Founding Dean of the School of
Science at The City College of New Jersey
from 2001 to 2005. After that, I became
Dean of Science and Technology at the
College of Staten Island, also part of
CUNY, from 2005 to 2010.
how did your experience as a
professor shape your philosophy
towards being an administrator?
I have done extensive work in curriculum
development for undergraduates in
science and teacher education programs,
along with the development of science
courses that emphasize civic engagement.
I have also written and spoken on issues
confronting women in scientific careers, a
subject that is of keen interest to me. My
work as a faculty member convinced me
that within every student there is the
potential to achieve; science is not just for
a chosen few but for everyone.
what are some of your goals at
Manhattanville?
Some things that I have done in the past
will serve me well here. I have built
disciplinary and interdisciplinary
programs at the undergraduate and
graduate levels, providing leadership and
support for outcomes assessment
initiatives and accreditation processes.
I have also worked to strengthen general
education curricula and expand and
improve facilities. I have long sought new
funding sources to support the academic
enterprise and derive a great deal of
satisfaction from working to empower
faculty, staff and students to realize their
full potential and move the institution
forward.
how does it feel to come to
Manhattanville?
It was a great honor to have been selected
to serve Manhattanville College. I look
forward to working with President Smith,
the faculty, students, staff and the
community in shaping the College’s future
and strengthening its proud traditions of
service and global education. I have
developed great admiration for the
women who founded the College and
achieved such distinction for
Manhattanville; it is humbling to follow in
their footsteps.
what are some of your interests
outside of work?
In my free time I enjoy cooking,
particularly when I have a group to feed. I
love to listen to and make music – I’ve
been a chorister my whole life, and also
play a bit of folk guitar. I also enjoy taking
long walks and I am currently learning to
read Hebrew.
Manhattanville’s new Provost
and Vice President for
Academic Affairs, Gail M.
Simmons, has exchanged a
research laboratory for an
office in reid hall.
Although Simmons has a
wealth of administrative
experience on her resume,
she distinguished herself in
academia as a scientist,
earning a B.S. in Biology (with
a minor in Classics) at the
university of Pittsburgh and
getting her Ph.D. in Genetics
from the university of
California at Davis.
Q/A
/A
• Q/a gail SimmonS
Tell us about your lab work.
I first worked at the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences, and then
joined the biology faculty at The City
College of New York, part of the City
University of New York (CUNY). My
research program focused on the
molecular evolution of transposable
genetic elements, known colloquially as
jumping genes, in the fruit fly Drosophila
melanogaster.
21
Q/A
/A
Meet Doug Geiger
MANHATTANVILLE’S VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
what brought you to
Manhattanville?
My dream was always to be with a small
college in a large metro area and to work
with a new president with a fresh
viewpoint, as well as new vice presidents.
Everything unfolded from there. From
my first conversation with Molly Easo
Smith, I saw that she had a great passion
for students. I then visited the campus
unannounced to see what this place was
really like. That sealed the deal.
Manhattanville is a great community with
great possibilities.
• Q/a DoUg geigeR
As Manhattanville’s newly
appointed Vice President of
Student Affairs, Doug Geiger
seeks to enrich the
educational experience for
Manhattanville students and
move the College’s student
affairs in a passionate new
direction. with a career
spanning more than two
decades, Geiger seeks to
fulfill Manhattanville’s
potential as a vibrant social
center.
22
was it tough leaving the Midwest
behind?
I left my whole family behind in
Wisconsin, including my identical twin
brother who also works in education.
Moving East was a major life decision, but
all signs pointed to New York. I am a
person of faith and felt that however God
wanted this to play out – I was ready.
what makes Manhattanville
different from the other institutions
you considered?
Being at Manhattanville has been
incredibly exciting. I like the history here;
I like that the people here have a passion
for the institution. People here feel that it’s
a special place. I also love the proximity to
New York City and all that it offers. I
spend most of my weekends exploring
Manhattan and Brooklyn. There’s no
other city like it.
Talk about your educational
background.
I have a B.A. in French and Mass
Communications from the University of
LaCrosse Wisconsin and an M.A. in
University Administration from Michigan
State University. In early 2010, I earned a
Ph.D. in Higher Education from Loyola
University in Chicago.
Tell us about your career prior to
your appointment at Manhattanville.
Before joining Manhattanville, I was an
education management consultant at
DePaul University in Chicago. Prior to
that, I was Dean of Students and Senior
Student Affairs Officer at the Illinois
Institute of Technology in Chicago. There,
I oversaw such areas as Housing and
Residence Life, Student Life, Athletics
and Recreation, the Student Health
Center, Student Counseling, Multicultural
Student Services, Operations and
Administration. Before my promotion to
that position, I also served as Director of
Residence Life and Campus Judicial
Officer at the Institute.
how are you settling into your
new role?
My first order of business was to embark
on a listening tour, talking with people
throughout the organization, as well as
students. I want to get a sense of the areas
of strength and frustration. I feel like it’s
important to be inclusive in helping to
build a vision of what campus life will be.
what are your objectives for
Manhattanville?
I really want to address the issue of social
vibrancy on campus. I’d like for students
to connect through social activities. My
second objective is the creation of a
campus “living room” where students can
gather and socialize. This is typically the
College’s student center. Ours is beautiful,
but we don’t currently use it in this
context. Ultimately, the goal is to create a
seamless transition between curricular and
extracurricular activities on campus.
what’s been your most surprising
experience so far?
In February, I was invited to attend a
Valiant hockey game vs. Elmira College at
the Playland ice rink. Instead, I was
honored to drop the puck at the start of
the game and meet the players afterwards.
I was also presented with a hockey stick,
which was signed by all the students. It
was an amazing surprise.
Meet J.J. pryor
MANHATTANVILLE’S NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR, MEDIA,
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Discuss the importance of
communications in a college
environment.
Higher education institutions are
increasingly facing challenges in the
marketplace. Beyond simply surviving and
thriving during the economic downturn,
institutions must combat ever-rising costs
to provide quality education, even as we
seek to remain globally competitive. As a
result, many colleges and universities are
adapting for-profit marketing approaches
to engage their constituents, attract
prospective students and secure funding.
Communications in higher education has
become critical both in terms of reaching
and engaging both internal audiences and
external constituents.
what’s been your most interesting
or unexpected experience at
Manhattanville so far?
Manhattanville College is truly a warm,
nurturing and global community. As a
newcomer, I have found it to be a place
where everyone is welcoming and willing
to accept you into the “family.” The
“community spirit of Manhattanville” is
much more than I expected. It’s been a
positive and refreshing change from the
complex world we live in.
Please give a brief background of
your career prior to joining
Manhattanville.
I’ve had a well-rounded career in the field
of marketing communications. I’ve
worked for a number of corporations
(Johnson & Johnson, DuPont and MCI
Communications Inc.), agencies in New
York (Manning, Selvage & Lee and
Rumrill-Hoyt), nonprofit (The National
Trust for Historic Preservation), and most
recently, higher education (Howard
University and now Manhattanville
College). When I landed a position in
higher education, I truly found my
passion.
what do you like most about being
at Manhattanville?
The College’s commitment to civic
engagement, social justice and community
service. At Manhattanville, people “walk
the talk.” From the students to the faculty
and staff, it’s a place where people live the
mission of the College. I find it very
inspiring.
what are some of your upcoming
plans?
Developing and implementing a strategic
marketing communications plan to help
tell the world that Manhattanville College
is a global community of learners,
educators and staff dedicated to providing
a nurturing environment for intellectual
growth centered around its commitment
to ethical and social responsibility.
how do you spend your free time?
I’m a power walker who recently finished
my first 26.2 mile marathon. It was a
great feeling of accomplishment. I also
enjoy reading fiction, watching
independent films, and the company of
good friends.
Q/A
/A
• Q/a J.J. pRyoR
what’s your communications
philosophy and how does it impact
your day-to-day activities?
I believe that teamwork is the best
approach to marketing communications.
Exchanging ideas and reinforcing each
other’s strengths to achieve goals and
objectives is crucial. I’m a “people person.”
One of my greatest joys is working with
others and building teams to focus on
outcomes.
For Manhattanville’s new
Managing Director of Media,
Public relations and
Communications, J.J. Pryor,
it’s all about using teamwork
to achieve goals, confront
challenges and, most
important, keep the lines of
communications open. with a
well-rounded career in the
field of marketing
communications, Pryor joined
Manhattanville in 2010.
Manhattanville Magazine
recently asked Pryor to
discuss her communications
philosophy, the importance of
open, responsive
communications channels in
an academic environment and
her plans for leveraging her
new position to benefit the
Manhattanville Community.
23
Meet teresa weber
MANHATTANVILLE’S NEW DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
AND ANNUAL GIVING
Can you give us a brief overview
of your role as Director of Alumni
relations and Annual Giving?
The Office of Alumni Relations and
Annual Giving is responsible for
connecting and reconnecting alumni with
Manhattanville College. We focus on
bringing our alumni to Manhattanville–
and Manhattanville to our alumni–
through engaging social events, interesting
cultural opportunities and impactful
volunteer roles.
• Q/a teReSa weBeR
Like the countless alumni with
whom she interacts each
semester, Teresa weber had a
tough time staying away from
Manhattanville. After serving
as Director of Annual Giving
from 2007 to 2009, weber left
to pursue a role in fundraising
for the Ethical Culture
Fieldston School. upon
returning to Manhattanville
last year, weber was named
the head of a newly combined
department that encompasses
Alumni relations and Annual
Giving. weber recently sat
down with Manhattanville
Magazine to discuss the ways
she and her department keep
Manhattanville graduates
meaningfully connected to
their alma mater.
24
what kind of personal approach
do you bring to your position?
I work with a team of four very talented
women who drive most of what happens
in our office. So, my personal approach to
this position is really to be a door opener, a
roadblock remover and an advice giver.
The truth is that I spend a goodly amount
of time in meetings. While most people
feel that meetings are generally unproductive, the time I spend out of my office
actually makes it easier for our team to
achieve our goals.
what’s been your most interesting
or unexpected experience at
Manhattanville?
That any time I’ve ever walked through a
door behind a student, they’ve held the
door for me. We have the most polite
student body I’ve ever encountered.
what kind of experience have you
had in your career prior to joining
Manhattanville?
I have worked in fundraising for
nonprofit educational institutions since
graduating from Georgetown University
in 2002. I have focused primarily on
building strong annual giving campaigns,
as well as cultivating volunteer leadership
and major gift prospects.
Q/A
/A
what do you like most about being
at Manhattanville?
I love the strong sense of community
present here. It’s a theme you hear again
and again when people talk about
Manhattanville – and it’s true. Colleagues
from both the staff and faculty, along with
students, are eager to collaborate on
projects, share ideas and resources, and
generally support the work of our office. I
come to work each day feeling like we’re
all working toward a common goal, which
is, of course, quite nice.
what are your upcoming plans for
your department?
During the spring semester alone, we have
vastly expanded our roster of alumni
events. All alumni should please check the
website at www.mville.edu/alumni for an
alumni event near you! In addition, we are
expanding our partnerships with College
offices so that we can better serve and
connect with our alumni. For example, we
are partnering with the Center for Career
Development to bring alumni a series of
events just for them on topics like
networking in the social media age and
how to get your resume noticed in an
oversaturated market. We’re also
partnering with Admissions to develop
opportunities for alumni to engage with
prospective and admitted students. On the
Annual Giving side, we’re continuing to
grow the Senior Class Gift and to expand
our network of Fund for Manhattanville
volunteers.
what do you do in your spare
time?
I love travelling, seeing quirky
independent movies, and going to hear my
husband play jazz. I also try to read the
occasional book!
Liberty Mutual is a proud partner of
Manhattanville College.
For additional information about Liberty Mutual and our car
and home insurance, please contact us at 1-800-524-9400 or visit us
at libertymutual.com/mvillealumni.
Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA. In Texas only, coverage provided and underwritten
by Liberty County Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 2100 Walnut Hill Lane, Irving, TX. © 2009 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
25
Manhattanville
Athletics
The 2010 –11 season has been a very successful one for the
Manhattanville Athletic Department.
In the classroom, the department’s 283 student-athletes boasted
a cumulative GPA of 3.187 for the Fall semester, including nearly
40 percent with a 3.0 GPA or higher, while 31 student-athletes
were named to the Middle Atlantic Conference Fall Academic
Honor Roll in December. Athletes continue to perform countless
hours of community service in the area, including nearly 250
student-athletes volunteering at the Making Strides walk on
campus in October, the Burke Rehabilitation Games, and the
second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night held during the
winter season.
On the playing field, Athletics continues to represent the school
with pride, respect and success. Here is a sampling of how the
Valiant teams finished their spring season last year, how they
have fared so far in the fall and winter sports, and what can be
expected for the remainder of the year:
• athletics
➤➤ Women’s Soccer After the best season in program
26
history last year, the women’s soccer team finished
a Cinderella season in 2010, winning its second
Freedom Conference Tournament championship
and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Four
Valiants received All-Conference honors, as seniors
Holly Nonis and Ali Bromson were named to the
first team while sophomores Sonia Occhionero and
Morgan Rebollal earned spots on the second team. In
addition, Nonis became the first two-time NSCAA
All-Region selection in program history with her
third-team honor. Nonis became just the fourth player
in school history to record 100 career points.
➤➤ Men’s Soccer Coming off a Freedom Conference
regular-season title, the men’s soccer team continued
its recent string of successes in 2010, reaching the
10-win plateau for the third straight year. Juniors
Keston George and Emil Sjoberg excelled for the
Valiants, as both players earned their third straight
first-team All-Conference honors and also were
named to the NSCAA All-Region third team for
the second year in a row. In addition, senior Kenneil
Haye and freshman Bryan Merlos earned AllConference recognition for the Valiants.
➤➤ Field Hockey Despite a roster featuring just four
upperclassmen, the field hockey team continued to
climb back to the top of the Freedom Conference in
2010 by posting nine wins, the most by the program
since 2005. Sophomore Kayla Meenan had a
breakout season for the Valiants offensively, ranking
second on the school’s single-season points list with
33 points, while senior Jen Ascencio finished her
career in the top-five in points (third), assists (fourth)
and goals (fifth) all-time at the school.
➤➤ Women’s Volleyball First-year head coach Dan
Cruz made great strides with the women’s volleyball
team in 2010, posting a 10-21 record. The 10 wins
are the most by the program in nine years, and this
came despite playing with the minimum six players
all season long. As a result of the small roster, all six
Valiants recorded 100 kills on the year for the first
time in program history, while freshman Jocelyn
Branca posted the second-highest single-season dig
total (401) in Valiant annals.
➤➤ Men’s and Women’s Cross Country The Valiant
cross country teams had another promising season
in 2010, as the young team continues to build up its
reputation in the region. Manhattanville hosted the
program’s first home invitational in 26 years, with
both the men’s and women’s teams taking first place
at the Valiant Invitational on September 18, and kept
going into the year-end Middle Atlantic Conference
Championships, in which both the women and men
placed for the first time.
➤➤ Men’s Golf The men’s golf team had the best semester
of play in program history
in the fall, finishing in
the top-four in all six
tournaments and taking
first place at the 16-team
Hamilton Fall Invitational.
The Valiants recorded three
of the four lowest singleround scores ever, led by the
program-record 295 at the
Trinity Invitational on September 12, and as a result
received votes in the last three Golf World/NIKE
Golf Div. III National Polls. The Valiants are poised
to achieve the first national ranking in school history
in the upcoming spring semester.
excellent start to 2010 – 11, going 12-0-1 against
non-conference opposition to reach as high as
fourth in the USCHO Div. III National Poll. The
Valiants celebrated New Year’s with impressive
wins over nationally ranked Adrian and Norwich
to take home the Northfield Savings Bank Holiday
Tournament title.
On January 13th,
the team picked
up the 200th
win in program
history with a
2-1 victory over
Curry, making
head coach Keith
Levinthal the 41st
coach in Division III history to reach the 200-win
plateau and the ninth-fastest all-time to do so.
➤➤ Women’s Hockey Not to be outdone, the women’s
hockey team has also spent much of the winter
season with a national ranking, as the Valiants
cracked the USCHO top-10 in seven of the first 11
polls of the season. The Valiants got the year off to
a great start thanks to a big 2-1 win over #8 Elmira
and a tough 2-1 triumph over ECAC East rival Holy
Cross in November. The squad also put together
another very successful Autism Awareness Night on
December 4, the team’s second straight year with the
event.
➤➤ Men’s Basketball It also was a great first semester
for the men’s basketball team: the Valiants started
the season 10-1 – the best start in program history
– and achieved the first national ranking in recent
program history with a 25th-place spot in the
D3Hoops.com National Poll. The semester was
capped by a 66-54 win over Purchase at Madison
Square Garden, where over 1,200 Valiant fans came
out to support the team to victory! And early in the
second semester, junior Trevoy Pointer became the
23rd player in school history to reach the 1,000-point
plateau and just the eighth to do so in only three
seasons.
➤➤ Women’s Basketball Continuing the trend of
winter successes, the women’s basketball team
had a promising and eventful start to the 2010-11
campaign. The team won a pair of competitive
tournaments at Salem State and Catholic as well as
knocked off #18/23 Bowdoin for their first win of the
year on November 19, while senior Simona Gordon
became the 10th player in program history to reach
1,000 points for her career on January 13 in a win
over FDU-Florham.
➤➤ Men’s and Women’s Track The Valiant track teams
have started strong during the indoor season, as
juniors Morrison Boateng and Sarah Gustavsson are
leading their respective squads with school-record
performances. Boateng smashed the 400m record
in each of his first two meets of the year, including
a personal-best 52.03 at the Great Dane Classic on
January 21, while Gustavsson took over 11 seconds
off the mile mark by finishing in 5:59.13 at Wesleyan
on January 15.
➤➤ Baseball In 2010, the baseball team finally broke
through in its third appearance in the Freedom
Conference Tournament championship, taking
down FDU-Florham to capture the program’s
second conference title and subsequent NCAA
Tournament berth. Despite losing some pivotal
parts from the title team, the Valiants will still have
a potent offensive lineup again in 2011, led by junior
D3Baseball.com All-American Danny Fiorito and
classmate Chris Nardozzi, both of whom were AllConference first-team honorees a year ago.
➤➤ Softball The softball team reached the Freedom
Conference Tournament for the first time in three
seasons with the conference last year, and will
look to continue that success toward a conference
championship in 2011. The team will once again rely
on senior pitcher Samantha Howe in the circle.
➤➤ Men’s Lacrosse Newly appointed head coach Tim
Weir takes the reins of the Valiant men’s lacrosse
program this year after serving as an assistant for
the previous five seasons, and will look to bring
the squad its first Middle Atlantic Conference
Tournament berth in 2011. Senior Mike Strauss
and junior Joe Daly will be the team’s primary
offensive weapons up front.
➤➤ Women’s Lacrosse After a tough 2010 campaign,
the women’s lacrosse team returns with
optimism – and five of the team’s top
scorers from a year ago – in the hopes
of returning to the Middle Atlantic
Conference Tournament after a one-year absence.
Sophomore Melissa Goncalves led the team in
scoring as a freshman and will look for an encore
season, while seniors Jen Ascencio and Emelda
Ogweta will look to continue their move up the
school’s all-time scoring list in their final seasons.
➤➤ Men’s Tennis After winning three titles at
the Middle Atlantic Conference Individual
Championships in the fall, the men’s tennis team
looks for another successful spring season in 2011.
Reigning Freedom Conference Player of the Year
Michael Capozzi had two of Manhattanville’s MAC
wins in October and has won 21 of his last 22 singles
matches dating back to last season, and will look
to lead the Valiants to the Freedom Conference
Championship match for the third straight year.
➤➤ Women’s Tennis The women’s tennis team went
1-2 during the fall semester and also performed well
at the MAC Individual Championships, as three
Valiant entries reached the quarterfinals and senior
Kaitlin Triano became the program’s first entry into
the semifinal round of any flight. Triano, who was
named to the All-Conference second team a year
ago, will lead a young Valiant squad into a tough
Freedom Conference schedule starting in March.
• athletics
➤➤ Men’s Hockey The men’s hockey team had an
27
Faculty Profile
Manhattanville College’s distinguished faculty offers students a depth and breadth of knowledge complemented
by real-world experience. This feature takes an in-depth look at how one of our professors is impacting the
Manhattanville community.
Living History: Greg Swedberg
University’s history department, and
history professors were a steady clientele.
“They were serious coffee addicts!” reveals
Swedberg. One in particular, Jeffrey Bortz,
who was a Mexican Labor historian, talked
him into taking some graduate classes. “I
decided to go back to school while I owned
my business,” Swedberg recalled.
• faculty profile
A unique combination of entrepreneurship,
intellectual curiosity and wanderlust –
along with a generous serving of caffeine –
marks Greg Swedberg’s path to
Manhattanville College. Infused with a
deep passion and admiration for Latino and
Mexican culture, Swedberg – the Assistant
Professor of Latin American History at the
College – is also defined by a respect for his
students that leads him to challenge them.
28
A native of Charlotte, NC, Swedberg
traveled extensively in his youth, as his
father worked for the Red Cross, before
finally settling in South Carolina. He
attended the College of Charleston and
graduated in 1988 with a B.A. in Political
Science. He worked in restaurant
management before he opened
beansTalk – a coffeehouse in Boone,
NC – with the help of his closest friend in
1992. As part of a hip local art scene, the
coffeehouse hosted weekly poetry readings,
musical performances, and even the
occasional drag show.
Coincidentally, the business was located
across the street from Appalachian State
In 1999, Swedberg sold his business to live
in Mexico for a summer with a group of
undergraduates and Professor Bortz, who
was directing his M.A. thesis. Following
the advice of his mentor, specifically that
“he had to visit and actually like the culture
that he was studying,” was integral to
Swedberg’s ultimate career decision. “If I
was going to be a Mexican historian, I
needed to be sure I had a sincere passion for
the culture, which developed quickly after
arriving,” he remembered. “Going to
Mexico is what sold me.”
In 2001, Swedberg was admitted to the
Rutgers doctoral program in Latin
American history. His research explored
how legal and cultural changes in Orizaba,
Mexico affected gender and class
relationships following Mexico’s Revolution
in the early 1900s.
Shortly after completing his Doctoral work
in 2007, Swedberg joined Manhattanville
College. “When I was in the job market, I
was focused on finding a small liberal arts
college, where I could have more personal
contact with the students,” said Swedberg.
“I wanted students to be more than just a
number.”
Since then, Manhattanville and its students
have fulfilled – and exceeded – his
expectations. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised
at how bright, accomplished and supertalented my students have been,” remarked
Swedberg. He noted proudly that two of
his students, Isamarie Fernandez and Alina
Fisher, have distinguished themselves as
winners of Manhattanville’s Freshman
Essay Award.
Swedberg is also proud of his work with
Touchstone, the College’s paper. “As advisor
for Touchstone, I’ve had the opportunity to
work with students who really are
passionate about Manhattanville. The
editor, Olivia Ecker, and her staff, have
profoundly transformed the quality of the
publication. It’s been a pleasure to see these
students succeed.”
Moving away from what he calls the “sage
on the stage” passive type lecture, Swedberg
has evolved in recent years to embrace a
more interactive and challenging lecture
format, where reading and discussion are
de rigeur. “It’s more difficult,” he noted.
“But I like to pull students into the lecture.”
Swedberg plans on combining his more
active teaching style and his affection for
Mexico into an upcoming student service
trip to the indigenous village of Chiapas,
Mexico. Citing the region’s extreme poverty
and its broad history of social unrest, he
feels that bringing a group of 8 – 10 students
for a period of 10 – 14 days would benefit
local residents, but just as important, help
educate students and raise consciousness
regarding the region.
Swedberg balances his academic work by
reading, working out, watching movies and
traveling, as well as spending as much time
as possible with his 10-year-old son, Devon,
and his wife, Tamara.
“I was taken with how friendly everyone
was here, as well as the level of cooperation
among faculty,” said Swedberg, of
Manhattanville. “Overall, I am very pleased
with the academic direction of the College.
My department has been very supportive.
I’m happy to be at Manhattanville.”
Manhattanville
Faculty Notes
Carolee Berg (Sociology & Anthropology)
was invited to participate in a symposium
on Contemplative Pedagogies across the
Curriculum at Amherst College in early
March 2011.
Sr. Haifa Bint-Kadi (Muslim Chaplain,
Duchesne Center) has had her sculpture,
Tapestry of Diversity, installed at SUNY
Oneonta, in the main quad between the
Netzer Administration Building and
Schumacher Hall. Her artwork serves as
the focal point for SUNY Oneonta’s
Tapestry of Diversity Award, an honor
that beginning this year will be given
annually to recognize a person or group
within the SUNY Oneonta community
whose leadership, service or support of
diversity and inclusion is exceptional.
Robin Cautin (Psychology) was elected
Fellow of the Eastern Psychological
Association (EPA). She also had her
manuscript entitled, “Invoking History to
Teach about the Scientist-Practitioner
Gap” accepted for publication in History of
Psychology. In October 2010, Rhonda Clements
(Education) presented (with W. Crain, C.
Horwitz, R. Pica, D. Marshall) Mind Over
Matter: How Structured and Free Play
Scaffold Development, Experience, and
Learning at the Gesell Institute of Human
Development Early Childhood Leadership
Conference at Yale University.
Mel Comberiati (Music) was an invited
respondent to a paper by Nicholas
Johnson, “Carolus Luython’s Missa super
Basim: Caesar Vive and Hermetic
Astrology in Early Seventeenth-Century
Prague,” at the national joint meeting of
the American Musicological Society and
the Society for Music Theory in
Indianapolis, in November 2010. Mel has
been asked to revise and expand the article
“Carolus Luython” for the updated edition
of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and
Musicians, part of the Oxford Online
database.
Christine Dehne (Communication
Studies / Studio Art) – had her video,
“Everyone Told Me the World Would
Look Different,” selected for the Crown
Heights Film Festival in Brooklyn.
JoAnne Ferrara (Education) published
(with E. Santiago), “Vignette: Working
Together to Create a Shared Vision for a
PDS” in S. B. Wepner and D. Hopkins
(Eds), Collaborative Leadership in Action:
Partnering for Success in Schools (pp.
148-149). New York: Teachers College
Press.
Diane Gómez (Education) presented
“Responding to Uniqueness through
Differentiated Assessment” in October
2010 at the annual professional conference
of the New York City Association of
Foreign Language Teachers/United
Federation of Teachers-New York State
Association of Foreign Language Teachers
(NYCAFLT/UFT-NYSAFLT). In
November 2010 (with M.J. Lujn), she
presented, “The Effects of Differentiated
Writing Prompts for Speakers of Spanish”
at the American Council on the Teaching
of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Annual
Convention World Languages Expo in
Boston, MA.
Van Hartmann (English) was the featured
poet in June at The Wednesday Night
Poetry series in Newtown, CT. In August
2010, he participated with several other
poets in Silvermine Art Center’s
“Language in Art Poetry Reading,”
presenting “Tilting at the Light,” which
he wrote in response to works of visual art
by Sheila Hale, Karin Hillmer, and Roger
Mudre. His chapbook, Between What Is
and What Is Not (The Last Automat Press)
was recently published.
Mary Ann Joyce-Walter (Music) was
chosen as a recipient of the 2010 – 2011
ASCAPLUS Award – Concert Music
Division; this award is made by the
American Society of Composers, Authors
and Publishers.
Courtney Kelly (Education) presented
(with Kristin Rainville) the paper,
“Understanding Situated Literacy through
Site-based Learning” in November at The
National Council of Teachers of English
Annual Convention, Orlando, FL, and
also presented it this month at the
National Reading Conference/Literacy
Research Associations Annual Meeting,
Fort Worth, TX.
Jerry Kerlin (Music) had his recent
monograph, The Transmission of Song
Among the New York Irish: Teaching,
Learning, and Irish Sensibility
(Saarbrücken, Germany: Verlag Doktor
Müller, 2008), reviewed by Dan Milner in
the new issue of New York Irish History:
The Journal of the New York Irish History
Roundtable, Volume 23, 2010.
Diane Lang (Education) published
“Diversity, Democracy, and
Documentation: A Self-Study Path to
Sharing Social Realities and Challenges in
a Field-based Social Studies Curriculum
Methods Course” in A. Crowe (ed.)
Advancing Social Studies Education through
• faculty notes
In October 2010, Vance Austin
(Education) received the New York State
Council for Exceptional Children Award
for Excellence in Service for his dedicated
service to the field of special education.
The award was presented at the banquet
luncheon at the NYS Council for
Exceptional Children Annual Conference
in Saratoga Springs, NY. Ellis Barowsky
(Education) also presented at the
conference.
29
MAnhATTAnViLLE
Faculty Notes
Self-Study Methodology: The Power,
Promise, and Use of Self-Study in Social
Studies Education, pp. 71– 86. New York:
Springer.
appointed to the board of the lecture series
(Una Montagna di Libri) to be held in
Cortina d’Ampezzo – one of the most
significant resorts in the world.
In October 2010, Mikki Malow
(Education) published “The Benefit of
High Quality Teacher-Child
Relationships” in the bimonthly online
publication Strategies for Successful
Learning, 4(1). She also presented
“Teaching Social and Emotional Skills
Through Books” at the 19th Annual
World Congress on Learning Disabilities
in Fairfield, NJ.
Matthew Pauley (Legal Studies) recently
completed a draft of his forthcoming book
Athens, Rome, and England: A Historical
Survey of the Development of the Ancient
Athenian, Roman, and English Constitutions
and the Relevance of this Story to the
American Experience. His book review of
Clement Fatovic’s Outside the Law:
Emergency and Executive Power will be
published in the fall issue of Political
Science Quarterly. He will participate in
two roundtables on “War, Law, and the
Presidency” and “Bagehot and Obama:
Classical English Constitutional Thought
and Its Impact on Twenty-First Century
Presidential Crises and Policies” at the
annual meeting of the Northeast Political
Science Association in Boston in
November.
Siobhan Nash-Marshall (Philosophy) was
invited to present three lectures in May
2010: she delivered “Evil, Genocide, and
the Armenians” at the University of
Erlangen, Germany and at the University
of Bamberg, Germany and lectured in
Capo d’Orlando, Sicily, Italy to students of
three lycees on “Evil and Genocide.” In
August, she lectured at Una Montagna di
Libri, Cortina d’Ampezzo on “The United
States and Democracy.” She was also
• facUlty noteS
Adjuncts
30
Joanna Herman (Writing / MAW) – has
published the following works of prose:
The Anarchist Bastard: Growing Up Italian
in America, SUNY Albany Press, March
2011 and “U Bizza di Creanza: A Piece of
Politeness,” in Alimentum, Fall 2010. In
addition, she has published her poetry:
“Flowing Up,” in Word(s), Spring 2010.
She organized and chaired the 43rd AIHA
Conference, Advocacy and Activism:
Italian Heritage and Cultural Change,
which took place at the Calandra Institute,
Nov 11–13. She also presented “Building
an Italian Writer: or How to Build a
Ciacchierona Professionista” on the panel
titled: The Construction of Identity
through Writing. She anticipates
publication of “Marriage Poem # 2” and
“Seen in a Marriage” in Word(s) in Spring
2011 and the publication of “Stitching Our
Voices Together,” Embroidered Lines and
Cut Threads: Women’s Domestic Needlework
in the Italian Diaspora, edited by Edvige
Giunta and Joseph Sciorra, University of
Mississippi Press.
Caryn Huss (Education) was nominated
by the Principal of the New York City
Dept. of Education’s District 79 LongTerm High School Suspension Center in
the Bronx to deliver a professional
presentation to the entire community of
support personnel for the district. The
presentation, titled “The Flow Chart
Method: A Programmatic Model to
Address the Needs of Special Education
Students in Alternative Programs.”
Paul Levitz (English) is anticipating
publication, by Taschen, of his book, DC
Comics: 75 Years of The Art of Modern
Mythmaking. He spoke at various events in
October 2010: at New York Comic-Con
on Will Eisner’s New York: Life in the Big
City, and at Columbia University on
“Jewish Influences and Themes in
Kristin Rainville (Education) presented
(with Courtney Kelly) the paper,
“Understanding Situated Literacy through
Site-based Learning,” at The National
Council of Teachers of English Annual
Convention, Orlando, FL and also
presented it at the National Reading
Conference / Literacy Research
Associations Annual Meeting, Fort Worth,
TX. She presented (with S. Jones)
“Flowing With Resistance: Suffering,
Humility, and Compassion in Literacy
Coaching” at the December 2010 National
Reading Conference/Literacy Research
Associations Annual Meeting.
Shelley Wepner (with D. Hopkins,
editors) saw publication of Collaborative
Leadership in Action: Partnering for Success
in Schools. New York: Teachers College
Press.
American Comics” with Chris Claremont
(writer of X-MEN). At Ohio State
University’s triennial Festival of Comic
Art, he made a presentation on 75 Years of
DC Comics, and at Lucca, Italy’s annual
Festival of Comics and Games, he
participated in a roundtable discussion of
his upcoming book on DC Comics.
Mitchell Visoky (Education) had a solo
show, “Altered Monotypes,” at the
Mamaroneck Artists’ Guild in September.
He also had a mixed media monotype,
“Coming Home,” selected for the fall issue
of Manhattanville’s Inkwell Literary
Journal cover. He took first place in mixed
media at the New Rochelle Open Juried
Art Exhibition.
Celestine Woo (English) had a poem
accepted for publication in the Westchester
Review. She has been invited to participate
in a poetry/art collaboration project at
Upstream Gallery in Dobbs Ferry, NY.
Manhattanville
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•
•
•
•
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alumni association president’s letter
alumni board list
Thank you/call to action
reunion 2010
alumni events
class Notes
congratulations and condolences
in Memoriams
board of Trustees
reunion 2011 save the Date
• alUmni newS
Alumni News
31
Manhattanville College Alumni Association
Manhattanville
College Alumni
Association Board
Dear Alumni,
Warren Mason ’98, President
As you read this issue of Manhattanville Magazine, I hope that you are energized by the
exciting events taking place in the life of our College as well as in the lives of our fellow
alumni throughout the world. This is the start of an exciting new era at Manhattanville
College and we find ourselves at a moment of great promise and opportunity for both
our College and our Manhattanville Alumni Association.
Carol A. Scafati ’63, Vice President
Our Alumni Association has been working hard to enhance our connection with you
and to deliver expanded regional club programs, exciting college-sponsored events and
innovative programs for our growing membership. We are deeply involved with
reunions and special events, including our prestigious annual Manhattanville Alumni
Awards. Above all, we are dedicated to serving as your voice, keeping you active and
informed and providing fantastic opportunities for you to re-engage with the
Manhattanville alumni community.
Elizabeth Bozzuto ’85
As you read Manhattanville Magazine I hope that you feel inspired to strengthen and
build your connections with our fellow alumni. These are special relationships that
enrich our lives and keep our spirit and heritage alive. I invite you to visit the alumni
website at www.mville.edu/alumni to learn more about how you can connect and stay
involved with our active alumni community.
Paul Cummins ’94
I hope to see you at one of our engaging Manhattanville Alumni Association events in
the near future. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me at
[email protected].
Kathryn Mattiace ’04
Jacqueline Matuza ’03, Secretary
Enrique Benitez ’96
Anne Ruessmann Bouchenoire ’71
Beverlie Brooks MA ’98
Elizabeth Ronenberg Brown ’58
Anne Byrne, RSCJ ’60
James Connolly ’83
Sheila M. Fane ’67
Cheryl Hill ’73
Inna S. Kupriyanova ’07
Sheila McCauley ’59
Martha Dadd Nelson ’60
Warm regards,
Monique E. Prinos MS ’02
Maribeth Proshan ’64
Katherine Santone ’59
• alumni news
Warren Mason
President, Alumni Association Board
32
Katy Tucci MS ’05
Thanks to Our Alumni
A Call to Action
The Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving is always in need of more alumni
volunteers. If you are interested in any of the following opportunities or if you want
more information on volunteering with the College, please contact Teresa Weber at
[email protected].
➤➤ Fund for Manhattanville Class Chair or Class Agent
➤➤ Manhattanville Young Alumni Society
➤➤ Reunion Committee
➤➤ Admissions Volunteers
➤➤ Event Volunteers
Nominations for the Manhattanville Alumni Association Board can be sent to
Warren Mason ’98 at [email protected].
Patricia McCann ’60, won the outstanding Alumni
Service Award at Reunion 2010.
Alumni volunteers contribute countless
hours of time and talent to supporting the
mission of Manhattanville College each
year. In particular, those alumni who serve
on the Manhattanville College Alumni
Association Board work tirelessly to
broaden our reach to alumni, to grow
regional clubs, and to advocate for
programs and services in which our
alumni are interested. These volunteers
work hand in hand with the Office of
Alumni Relations and Annual Giving,
and for their dedication and support we
are most grateful.
Please join the Office in thanking the
following alumni who completed their
service during the past year:
Karen Olson, RSCJ ’58
Suzanne Dale Wilcox ’59
Patricia McCann ’60
Marie Dineen ’71
Arthur Wenzel ’76 MAT ’03
Ryan Beaudry ’08, co-chair of the Manhattanville Young Alumni
Society, celebrates the Class of 2011.
Joseph Narus ’86
Annie Inigo-Metcalfe ’03
• alumni news
Margaret Goett MAT ’06
33
Alumni Reunion 2010
Reunion weekend was held September 24 – 26, 2010 for all class
years ending in 5 and 0. Reaching special milestones were the
class of 1960, celebrating their 50th Reunion, and the class of
1985, celebrating their 25th Reunion. The weekend was filled
with many traditional events like the parade of classes and
President Molly Easo Smith’s State of the College address, yet
also introduced new elements including a “Throwback Pub
Party” on Saturday night for all young alumni (classes of
1995 – 2010) and the 25th Reunion class. The weekend was a
success, with longtime friendships renewed and new friendships
formed.
President Smith welcomes Tina Sloan McPherson ’65
before her book performance.
Elizabeth Gonzalez ’06 and
Michelle Aquino ’06.
• alumni news
The Class of 1965 makes their way to the chapel during the parade of classes.
34
Sr. Ruth Dowd ’40 says a
prayer during the Sunday
Memorial Mass.
The Class of 1960 gathers for a group photo after remembering their classmates during the memorial tree planting on Sunday.
Nicole Dara Kossowsky ’00, Dan Wynne ’00, Pete
Rotolo ’00, Kate Rotolo, and Bridget Buckley ’00.
The Class of 1985 pauses during the Throwback Alumni Pub Party during reunion weekend.
President Smith during reunion weekend with 50th
Reunion Class Co-Chairs Elaine Edden Stillwell ’60
and Ceci Sullivan Murray ’60.
The Class of 1970 poses with their banner outside the Castle.
Alumnae gathered on the roof of Reid Castle for a beautiful view and a quick photo.
• alumni news
The Class of 1960 generously donated this presidential photo gallery
outside President Smith’s office as
part of their Reunion Gift.
35
Alumni Events
Jackie Matuza ’03 and Jeremy Wilson ’03 ascend
the throne at the Times Square Discovery
Center’s King Tut exhibit in November.
Men’s Basketball team — with coaches and President Smith — is all smiles after defeating the Purchase
Panthers at Madison Square Garden on December 19, 2010.
➤➤ August 2010: As the end of summer
approached, over 40 alumni gathered
at Ron Black’s in White Plains for our
summer alumni happy hour.
Alumni Society for alumni from the
classes of 1980 onward. Check out the
photos on page 35.
➤➤ November 2010: The Manhattanville
NYC Alumni Club organized a
spectacular outing to the Discovery
Times Square exhibit: King Tut and
the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. The
tour of the exhibit was followed by a
cocktail reception at Mont Blanc
Craig ’82 and Linda ’82 Curcio, Mary Harrington
Reide ’83, and Paul Strotman at a reception
following a tour of the King Tut exhibit.
restaurant, sponsored by the Office of
Alumni Relations & Annual Giving.
The event was a complete sell-out with
thirty alumni in attendance.
John Mara ’07, associate producer of
Lombardi on Broadway, partnered
with the Office of Alumni Relations &
Annual Giving to bring our alumni a
one-of-a-kind theater experience. On
• alumni news
Class of 2010 celebrates the end of summer at
Manhattanville alumni happy hour in White Plains.
36
➤➤ September 2010: Campus was abuzz
the last weekend in September as we
celebrated Reunion for classes ending
in “5” and “0.” Nearly 300 alumni were
in attendance throughout the weekend,
and the Alumni Association awarded
Elaine Edden Stillwell ’60 the
Distinguished Alumni Award, Patricia
McCann ’60 the Outstanding Alumni
Service Award and Melissa Mangini
’06 the Recent Graduate Service
Award. New this year was a
Throwback Alumni Pub Party
co-hosted by the Manhattanville Young
Associate Producer of Lombardi, John Mara ’07, with alumna Nina Duchaine ’74 and her husband,
Rory Radding at our private pre-show reception.
November 20th, alumni gathered for a
private cocktail reception in the lobby
of the Circle in the Square Theater
(decorated with memorabilia from the
NFL Hall of Fame) before seeing the
bio-play of Coach Vince Lombardi.
After the show, our alumni were
treated to an exclusive talk-back with
the cast of the show including lead
actors Dan Lauria (of the Wonder
Years) and Judith Light (of Who’s the
Boss).
➤➤ December 2010: Manhattanville alumni
and their families came together for a
holiday tradition: George Balanchine’s
The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center.
Manhattanville artist-in-residence and
award-winning choreographer Peter
Pucci joined alumni at a pre-show
reception with Nicole Bauso ’12 and
Regina Carli ’11 to share highlights
from Manhattanville’s Dance and
Theater department.
Coming Up
➤➤ April 2, 2011: 5th Annual Wine Dinner – Our elaborate wine dinner will mark
the 5th anniversary of this unique culinary event that combines gourmet
cuisine, exceptional wines, fine cigars, live jazz, and the breathtaking beauty of
Reid Castle. This year we will be joined by special guest, Bill Daly ’80, Chicago
Tribune food critic and former “Uncorked” columnist. The event runs from
7pm –11pm in the Castle.
➤➤ April 7, 2011: Please join us for the Mary T. Clark Chair in Christian Philosophy
Lecture (Reid Castle), “Thomas Aquinas and the Triumph of ‘Womanly
Courage,’ ” presented by Mary Catherine Sommers, Professor and Chair of
Philosophy and Director of the Center for Thomistic Studies at the University
of St. Thomas.
➤➤ April 14, 2011: Calling all alumni from the classes of 1995 – 2010! Join us for our
next Manhattanville Young Alumni Society open meeting.
➤➤ April 16, 2011: Join Lawson Bowling and fellow alumni for this annual
springtime tradition – BBQ and History – what could be better?
➤➤ April 20, 2011: Come celebrate National Poetry Month with Executive Director
of the Poetry Society of America (and former poetry editor of The New Yorker),
Alice Quinn ’70 (Library).
➤➤ April 25, 2011: Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens with President Molly
Easo Smith (Washington, DC) – Alumni will have exclusive access to the
Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens – over 25 acres of incredible art and
exquisite gardens – during the late afternoon. They will be joined by President
Smith for an outdoor cocktail reception and brief talk on the future of
Manhattanville.
➤➤ April 26, 2011: Honoring Women Entrepreneurs – Alumni are invited to a
cocktail reception at the showroom of fashion designer Josie Natori ’68 for an
evening of advice and networking with Manhattanville alumnae who have
started their own businesses. Industries such as retail, finance, law, and the arts
(among others) will be represented.
➤➤ January 29, 2011: 2nd Annual
Basketball Day – Alumni from both
the women’s and men’s basketball
teams returned to campus for friendly
competition and brunch. Pat Scanlon
’03, men’s basketball coach, retired
Roger Dunphy ’79’s #3 jersey. Roger
and his family flew in from Tokyo for
the special day. Lauren Thomer,
women’s basketball coach, honored all
➤➤ April 30, 2011: Save the date for our annual Quad Jam and Manhattanville
Young Alumni Society Beer Garden. Introduced for the first time last year, the
Beer Garden was a huge success. Stay tuned for more information on bands and
sign-up details.
➤➤ May 13 –15, 2011: Celebrate Reunion with class years ending in “1” and “6.”
During Reunion Weekend, alumni will experience a full schedule of events
with faculty lectures and workshops, the President’s State of the College
Address, community service, Mass of Remembrance, access to the gym and
pool, and an elegant Saturday evening dinner.
• alumni news
Roger Dunphy ’79, Coach Pat Scanlon ’03, and
former coach Tim Cohane (1975-1979) at our 2nd
Annual Alumni Basketball Day.
37
Alumni Events
1,000-point scorers with a special
banner including Brenda Kearns Mayo
’82, Laura Dieckhoff Woods ’83,
Karen Vercelli Meaney ’86, and Olivia
Nastasi ’09, who were all present for
the raising of the banner.
Alumni and their families gather for the
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at
Manhattanville in October 2010.
• alumni news
Alumni Association Board Member Betty
Rosenberg Brown ’58 with Sr. Mary Clark.
38
➤➤ February 15, 2011: An Evolution of
Social Justice – In celebration of Black
History month, Manhattanville’s Black
Student Union hosted a panel
discussion entitled “An Evolution of
Social Justice,” featuring alumnae
Cheryl Hill ’73, Roxanna Mimms
Tassie ’72, Elizabeth McCormack ’44,
former Manhattanville College
President, and Sr. Ann Conroy ’47,
former Dean of Students, from the
historic 1969 Brownson Takeover,
along with special guests Barbara
Wiggins and Rev. Richard Dixon
discussing the Civil Rights Movement. ➤➤ March 5, 2011: The Manhattanville
College Alumni Association Clubs
Committee presented a day of service.
With three locations, St. Michael’s
Episcopal Church in NYC, The
Salvation Army in White Plains, and
St. Francis House in Boston, numerous
alumni came together to help those in
need within their own communities.
Sr. Clark leads friends in song at her 97th birthday party at Reid Castle.
➤➤ March 10, 2011: DC area alumni were
treated to a special tour of the
exhibition, “Close to Home:
Photographers and Their Families,” at
the Smithsonian American Art
Museum, led by a Manhattanville
alumna and photo historian from the
class of 1987, followed by a lively
reception at Poste Moderne Brasserie.
➤➤ March 13, 2011: Philadelphia area
alumni gathered downtown to meet
and chat with new Vice President of
Student Affairs, Doug Geiger (see
profile on page 22).
➤➤ March 24, 2011: Boston area alumni
welcomed President Molly Easo Smith
at a cocktail reception hosted by Sr.
Barbara Rogers ’74, headmistress of the
Newton Country Day School and
Manhattanville Trustee, in Newton, MA.
➤➤ March 26, 2011: Alumni came out for
the 6th anniversary of the Gregg Reidy
3-on-3 tournament in honor of Gregg
Reidy ’98. All proceeds from the event
went to the Gregg Reidy Memorial
Award and the Men’s Basketball team.
39
Alumni News & Events
Class Notes
1940s
Sister Anne Ebersold ’49 retired as administrator of Mater Dei Nursing Home on June
30, 2010 after 40 years of service. Her
retirement also marked the end of the
ministry of the Marianites of Holy Cross at
Mater Dei. The congregation served at
Mater Dei since 1967.
Ann Marie McDonald Maclellan ’49 and
husband Peter have welcomed two
great-granddaughters since last September, Mia Smith and Louisa Orum.
1950s
Nancy Carr Hardart ’50, an Associate
Broker at Coldwell Banker in Larchmont,
has been in real estate for 30 years. She,
along with Rosie Dobbin, Joan Markey,
Shirley Cummings and the Class of 1950
are busy planning their 60th reunion.
Several classmates recently had lunch with
class president Ann O’Neil, RSCJ, who will
return to Jakarta, Indonesia, where she
teaches.
Anne Sturges ’54 has enjoyed 56 years of
religious life in the Society of the Sacred
Heart. She has served at Serenity Hospice
Services in New Orleans for the last 10
years.
Elisabeth Flynn-Chapman ’55 has been a
photographer at Studio 42 Plant Zero since
2004. She recently spent time at the Cité
Internationale des Artes in Paris and is
preparing a show of 50-60 images for an
opening in September. Elisabeth attended
Jean Glunz’s 50th wedding anniversary in
Chicago with classmates Rosie Dowd and
Ellen R. Tobin.
• Alumni News & Events • Class Notes
Sister Margherita (Mafee) Capelli ’59
celebrated 60 years since her vows as a
Religious of the Sacred Heart.
40
Katherine Santone ’59 gives tours at the
Met Museum and works as a proofreader
and copy editor for an ad agency. She is
serving a three-year term with the College’s
Alumni Board. She regularly attends
lunches in New York City with other
Manhattanville alumni, including Sheila
McCauley and Alice Buckley Caldwell.
1960s
Kathleen Balet Hill ’62 published her
second novel, Who Occupies This House
(Northwestern University Press), which is
loosely based on the house where she
grew up in Pelham, NY and concerns
the lives of four generations of an IrishAmerican family. She teaches in the MFA
Program at Sarah Lawrence College and
lives in New York City.
Wendy Werner McManus ’62 works at
Coldwell Banker as a Realtor. She lives in
Larchmont, NY near four of her grandchildren and many of her close friends. She
joins her thoughts and prayers with all who
are praying for Belle Bellinger and all their
classmates who may be in need of prayers.
Rita Murphey Cleary ’63 is a self-employed writer. Her daughter, Sharon, lives
with her husband, Michael Luthi, in Zurich,
Switzerland and recently gave birth to a
son. She published two short stories last
year in anthologies entitled The Law of the
Gun from Kensington and Roundup from La
Frontera.
Mary Bricker- Jenkins ’63 recently retired
from Temple University and has been a
practicing social worker. She attended this
year’s United States Social Forum in
Detroit, where she co-chaired the USSF
Poverty Working Group and helped
establish the Assembly to End Poverty, a
national network of anti-poverty groups and
the US-Canada Alliance of Inhabitants,
which promotes housing issues. She
attended the World Social Forum in Dakar
in February 2011.
Susan Strump Townley ’63 has worked at
Viva Bookstore since 1994. Via the Internet,
she recently re-connected with fellow
alumnae Mary Olmsted Beneducci, who
lives in Rome, and Bonnie Dowling, who
lives in Portland, ME.
Diane Mulcahy Coffey ’64 has been an
investment banker at Peter J. Solomon Co.
since 1996. Along with Cathy Sattenstein
Callender ’64, she hosted a well-attended
luncheon for Molly Easo Smith last June
with several classmates and fellow
alumnae, including Maureen Scannell
Bateman, Sila Calderon, Kathy Tedesco
Cesare, Theo Ciaccio, Brenda Kavanagh
Cooney, Mimi Cotter, Kathleen Grimm,
Valerie Shields Moore, Jane Burke
O’Connell, Encarnita Valdes Quinlan, Ellen
Schlafly Shafer and Sandy Sununu.
Katherine Dowling Schlaerth ’64 is a
physician. She is writing a book about
grandparents with three or more grandchildren and welcomes contributions and
insights from alumni.
Rosemary Plater-Zyberk Clark ’65
recently retired from teaching French at the
high school level and will return to teaching
French at Northeast Lakeview College in
San Antonio, TX.
Tina Sloan-McPherson ’65 is an actress
and writer. She played the role of Lillian
Raines for 26 years on Guiding Light until
the show ended in 2009. After publishing a
book, Changing Shoes (Penguin), she will
be performing a one-woman show around
the country, also called Changing Shoes.
Gladys Domenech Whitehouse ’65 is the
Coordinator of Family Life at St. Francis of
Assisi Parish. She just completed the
Shalem Institute program for Spiritual
Guidance and is enrolled in the Leading
Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats.
Elizabeth Schneider Kitamura ’66 is a
Teacher and Intercultural Coordinator in
Osaka, Japan, where she plans and
coordinates intercultural activities for
international understanding in schools and
businesses. Elizabeth also introduces and
promotes language programs at schools
and universities. English teaching and
intercultural activities keep her busy.
Mary Gallwey Wishard ’66 is the Director
of Communications at The Prem Rawat
Foundation. She lives in Thousand Oaks,
CA. She communicates regularly with
colleagues on four continents. She has
three grandchildren.
Karen Akers ’67 is an American Broadway
and theater actress who appeared in
movies and television shows. She debuted
on Broadway in the play Nine, winning a
Theater World Award for her performance.
Carolyn Feleppa Balducci ’67 is a writer,
producer and consultant. She is the author
of novels, biographies, plays and screenplays. Her productions, staged readings
and publications of works for the theatre
include translations of Aristophanes’
Lysistrata, along with contemporary Italian
plays. She taught creative writing at the
University of Michigan for many years.
Jeanne Berardino Berdik ’67 works with
the national leadership of the ARCS
Foundation, Inc. (Achievement Rewards for
College Scientists), an organization devoted
to advancing science in America. She and
her husband spend about half the year on
Cape Cod and have four grandchildren.
Arlyne E. Russo ’67 has been a speechlanguage pathologist since 1982. Her son,
Charlie, is entering his senior year at Emory
University in Atlanta. She and her husband
have five grandchildren and are avid
golfers.
Joanne Rodstrom Yendle ’68 was recently
promoted to Director of Library Services at
the Art Institute of Austin, TX.
Martha Beattie Graham ’69 is now retired.
She had a great time at her 40th reunion
last fall reconnecting with many classmates
and enjoyed seeing the campus, which is
now in the capable hands of Molly Easo
Smith.
Marya Doonan ’73 is a realtor at DowningFrye Realty in Florida, specializing in
Pelican Bay. She attended graduate school
at Columbia University and worked as vice
president of sales and marketing for Dick
Clark Corporate Productions and CBS
Cable.
Barbara Murphy ’73 volunteers with the
Critical Issue Committee of the Girl Scouts
of Nassau County, speaking on Relational
Aggression Among Youth, and has
published articles for the New York State
Society for Clinical Social Work and the
National Association of Social Workers.
Daisy Ortiz ’73 has retired from her career
as a school administrator and recently
completed a course of study to become a
Paralegal.
Mary Dalsin Mills ’69 is a Board Member
and works for the Sonoma Ashram and
Nine Gates Mystery School in Loomis, CA.
Kathleen O’Brien ’74 lived in four different
countries during 2009, the year her first
grandchild was born, and finally settled in
Hong Kong.
1970s
Diane Shepard Siniscalchi ’74 taught
pre-school at Our Lady Queen of Peace
School in Hewitt, NJ until the school
closed. Thank you, Tony Piccolo! My love
for great literature continues.
Judy Mannix ’70 is a Sister at the Good
Shepherd Center, St. Croix, US Virgin
Islands. The center runs an after-school
program for disadvantaged kids and
teaches English as a Second Language to
an immigrant community from the Dominican Republic. This year, her niece, Kelly
Friedlander, transferred to Manhattanville to
join the Class of 2012.
Juanin Reid ’70 is a Principal at Hispanic
Communications Consultants, which caters
to the fast-growing Hispanic population in
the U.S. and counts several Fortune 500
companies as clients. Her daughter, Celin,
and her new husband, Tyler Constantine,
live almost across the street from Manhattanville.
Mary Ann Callahan ’73 is the managing
director of global relations and development at DTCC and has cultivated the
company’s strategic business relationships
and alliances for over 20 years. Last year,
Global Custodian magazine named her to
its 20th anniversary hall of fame as a
financial industry “legend.”
Fay M. Curtin ’73 is a painter. Her works
have been shown at numerous locations in
New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut. She has worked as an Assistant
Instructor of Art at Manhattanville and has
exhibited in the College’s gallery.
Beatrice Wilkinson-Welters ’74 was
appointed United States Ambassador to
Trinidad and Tobago in 2010. She is the
founder and chairman of the AnBryce
Foundation and the Vincent Wilkinson
Foundation. More than ten years ago,
Wilkinson-Welters also created the Camp
Dogwood Summer Academy located in
Wolftown, VA, which provides accommodation to more than 90 young campers every
summer.
Karen Benvin ’75 is a real estate broker
who recently became a Certified International Property Specialist in 2010, qualifying
her to handle complex international real
estate transactions. As a founder of
Homarus, Inc., a specialty food company,
she has been a business leader in
Westchester for over 30 years.
Anya Farion ’75 is an Accounting Supervisor at the New York Foundation for Senior
Citizens Guardian Services. Her son,
Andrew Keeley, plays clarinet in the NYC
All-City High School Concert Band.
Frances Pelzman Liscio ’75 is a Botanical
Photographer with www.punksandroses.
com. Her work has been featured in
Traditional Home, Martha Stewart Living,
Real Simple and Lucky, along with several
other magazines, blogs, galleries and
private collections. She recently designed
the cover Graywolf Press, for a book of
short stories called Mattaponi Queen by
author Belle Boggs. Frances is an active
member of the Garden Club of Montclair
and is also the President of the board of the
Essex County Presby Memorial Iris
Gardens, the largest non-commercial iris
garden in the country.
Kathleen Mellon Ron ’75 is Director of the
Planning and Funding Council, along with
the Director of Branding and Community
Development for Jewish Federation and
Family Services, Orange County (California). She is active as a part-time cantor,
serves as a choir section leader for several
Catholic churches in Orange County and is
a member of the University Synagogue
Choir. She is studying Web design at
Saddleback College.
Lori-Anne Walsh Mattessino ’76 is an
Educational Consultant at Scholastic, Inc.
Patricia McLaughlin ’76 is Vice President
of Interactive Media and Communications
at Guardian Life Insurance Company. She
previously served as director of Global
Branding at American International Group,
Inc. She earned a bachelor’s degree in
English literature at Manhattanville College
and a master’s degree in Business at
Fordham University.
Randal Simonetti MAT ’76 is President
and CEO of the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society. He is also the founder and CEO of
Ignition Consulting, Ltd., a management,
marketing and public relations consulting
firm. He has held executive management
positions at AT&T, Citicorp and Frontier
Corporation and has published over a
dozen articles on leadership, reputation
management, global marketing, mergers
and acquisitions and consultative selling.
Marguerite Doyle Seabourn ’77 is
Assistant Chief Counsel at CalPERS, the
California Public Employees Retirement
System, where she recently received an
Apex Award, the highest honor bestowed
by the organization, which recognizes
exceptional interpersonal skills, technical
acumen and exceptional customer service.
Gretchel Hathaway ’79 published a poem
in Making Connections: Interdisciplinary
Approaches to Cultural Diversity.
• Alumni News & Events • Class Notes
Katherine Collins Hunt ’67 is now a retired
lawyer.
41
Alumni News & Events
Class Notes
Jeanne-Marie Jansen Lowell ’79 is a
singer working with renowned composer
Lee Hoiby and the Delaware Valley Opera
Company, performing the role of Lisavetta
in his opera, A Month in the Country.
1980s
Marcia Ferdon Crampton ’80 is an
attorney at Public Defender.
Marie-Therese Poland Miller ’80 and ’96
is an author. Her book, Managing Responsibilities, (Chelsea House) is part of the
company’s Character Education Series for
teenagers. Please visit www.marie-theresemiller.com to discover more about her
writing.
Randy Curato ’81 worked as a litigation
and trial lawyer in private practice for more
than 20 years. He currently serves as Loss
Prevention Counsel at ALAS, Inc., the
largest insurer of large law firms, where he
educates lawyers on how to avoid malpractice claims and comply with their ethical
responsibilities.
Sharon Dietz DuBois ’82 is the Grants
Administrator for the City of Gloucester, MA.
One of her grant projects, The Paint
Factory, featured in the movie The Perfect
Storm, is being converted into an educational facility. She founded – and now runs
-- a 40-person, all-volunteer, no-kill cat
rescue organization.
• Alumni News & Events • Class Notes
Leslie Schinto Gueguen ’82 is a writer.
Her short fiction appears on Pindeldyboz.
com and in Whatever Literary Journal. She
is currently working on completing a
collection of short stories and a novel.
Founder of Just Words writer’s workshops
and literary events in Greenwich, CT, she
and her husband recently adopted a
daughter from China.
42
Virgillia H. Heidel ’82 recently retired after
selling a medically related business she
owned. She resides in Connecticut.
Thomas Brunelli ’83 recently joined the
Strategy and Organization Practice at Booz
Allen Hamilton in Herndon, VA.
Leonard Marino ’83 is a Doctor of
Chiropractic in Staten Island, NY, where he
specializes in the conservative care of
difficult spinal cases using manipulation
under anesthesia and spinal decompression. He lives in Middletown, NJ with his
wife and infant daughter, Siena.
Mary Beth Henderson ’84 is a Hiring and
Skills Manager at IBM. She recently
received certification as a Strength and
Conditioning Specialist from the National
Strength and Conditioning Association. She
is also president of the Orange County
(N.Y.) Bicycle Club.
Pamela Hughes Yannoni ’84 gave birth to
a son, Luke Nicholas Yannoni, in 2009. His
godparents are Joan Dauphinais Naddeo
’83 and her husband, Rex Naddeo.
Margaret Dana Conway ’85 is an Associate Professor at Norwalk Community
College. She is proud that her son, Sean, is
attending Manhattanville College as a
member of the class of 2014.
Melanie Johnson Oldeman ’87 is a
founding board member of The TriROK
Foundation, whose mission is to defeat
childhood obesity by helping parents
become active, healthy role models
participating in the sports that make up a
triathlon – swimming, bicycling and
running.
Jaime Giannetta Zaimes ’87 is a selfemployed attorney and has two children.
George Candreva ’88 plays various
keyboard instruments and owns and
operates C-Note Music School in Cortlandt
Manor, NY.
Ricardo Segreda ’88, continues to work as
a publicist for Julie Belafonte, whose
documentary, Flags, Feathers, and Lies,
won the Festival Jury Award at the Langston Hughes African-American Film Festival
in Seattle. He recently completed his first
feature film, Stone Print: Italian Architecture
and Ecuadorian Identity, and currently has
three other films in production.
Alicia Savage ’89 is Executive Director of
the South Shore Charter Public School in
Norwell, MA.
Tracey Spencer Walsh ’89 helps families
with children with autism and recently
published an article in Autism Spectrum
News.
1990s
Suzette Plank Bergonzini ’92 is a photographer at Suzette Plank Photographing
Life.
Patricia Houf Wheelhouse ’91 is Director
of Music and Fine Arts in the ChurchvilleChili Central School District in upstate New
York. She earned a Ph.D. in Music Education at the Eastman School of Music in
Rochester, NY and an MFA in Music
Composition from Purchase College. She is
founder and past-president of the
Westchester County Arts Leadership
Association and is the president-elect of the
New York State Council of Administrators of
Music Education.
Louise “Lou” Clark ’93 is Artistic Director
of Solarity, a professional multi-ability
theater company in New Mexico. She has
held a variety of local and national artsrelated positions. She earned an MFA in
Dramatic Writing at the University of New
Mexico and won national playwriting and
regional directing awards from the Kennedy
Center.
Patrick Clark ’93 is a Financial Advisor in
the Institutional Services Group at CoreStates
Capital Advisors, providing investment
management and advisory services to
non-profits, endowments, foundations,
trusts and pension funds. He and his wife
adopted their first child, Oliver, in 2010.
David Heroux ’93 is Associate Professor of
Chemistry at the University of Maine at
Farmington.
Patrick Walsh ’93 published his second
book, An Encyclopedia of Space History, in
2010.
Christopher McMeen ’94 is Vice President
of Sales at Scharff Weisberg Lighting,
based in the New York area, which provides
equipment for theater and special events
worldwide, including Rachael Ray, MTV,
VH1, Tyler Perry, Big Apple Circus, Blue
Man and Sting.
Sarah Lieschke Bodge ’95 teaches third
grade in Glastonbury, CT and lives in East
Haddam, CT. She still keeps in touch with
alumnae Stephanie Gonzalez, Maura
(Gilson) Cocozza, Elena (Keller) Arone,
Buffy (Alvord) Bonis, Lori (Wolf) Fox, Jackie
(Rosado) Rodriguez, Keiko Shimizu-Johnson, and Ruth (Lopez) Fitzgerald.
Laura Ann Copela ’97 is Senior Administrator for the Chairman of the Department of
Pharmacology at Yale University and
resides in Cheshire, CT. She married
Federico Maturo in 2010.
Shavon Norris ’98 is presenting a new
work in the 2011 Philadelphia Live Arts
Festival Show 8 (eight choreographers/
eight new works).
2000s
Jean-Marc Berne ’00 performed his
original song, “Los Pétalos De La Rosa,” in
2010 on HITN TV, as part of a Telethon to
raise funds for the Haiti relief efforts.
Danielle DeLeo ’00 is a Special Education
teacher at Mamaroneck High School.
Johanna Mustacchi ’00 is a media literacy
teacher at Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle
School in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. Her
article, “R U Safe,” concerning cyber safety,
originally published in Educational Leadership Magazine in 2009, has been reprinted
in an eBook entitled Keeping the Whole
Child Healthy and Safe and in Educational
Psychology Annual Editions (McGraw-Hill).
Catherine Hines ’01 recently earned a
Master’s degree in Social Work at the
University of Denver. She lives in Durango,
CO and is a Case Worker for Child
Protection Services of La Plata County.
Carrie Saldo ’01 hosts “Connecting Point,”
a nightly television news magazine that airs
on WGBY in western New England.
Marie Rama ’02 works with Yonkers (N.Y.)
Partners in Education, where she developed a volunteer program for the high
school College Centers, served on the Gala
Committee and established a speakers’
bureau.
Stephanie Carley Fiorino ’03 is an art
teacher in New York City and got married at
Manhattanville College in 2009.
Kathleen Wachter Schwerdt ’03 and her
husband are expecting their second child
in March 2011.
Chris Seifert ’03 is a professional hockey
player who participated in an All-Star Game
at the Danbury Ice Arena, the culmination
of the two-day tryout camp held by the
Danbury Whalers.
Carole Spearin McCauley ’04 lives in
Hanover, NH and has taught fiction writing
in Dartmouth’s Adult Education program.
She is completing her thirteenth book, the
novel, How She Saved Her Life, which she
began during M.A. work at Manhattanville.
Debra Davis Galliard ’04 is a science
teacher in the Rye (N.Y.) City School
District.
Jillian Kostora da Silva ’04 lives in Brazil,
works remotely for Media Monitors in White
Plains, NY and got married in 2010.
Delia Ann Stubbs ’04 is an attorney at the
United States Department of Justice
specializing in the area of drug addiction.
She lives in Baltimore City, MD and plans to
marry her fiancé in 2011 in Taormina, Italy,
a town that she visited while studying
abroad as a Manhattanville student.
Kathryn Pojer ’07 works in the medical
office support staff at Children’s and
Women’s Physicians of Westchester. She is
pursuing her MPH degree at New York
Medical School and attributes her success
in the program to her Manhattanville
education.
Paul Quinones ’07 is a Quality Assurance
Lead Analyst at XS Games.
Christopher Smalley ’07 teaches theater
classes at the Enchanted Garden Studios.
He is also an adjunct professor at
Manhattanville.
Elizabeth King ’08 works in Hedge Fund
Services at Stelliam Investment Management.
James King ’08 is a freelance writer. He
wrote his first novel in 1977 and wrote most
of his current while earning his Master’s
Degree in Writing at Manhattanville College.
Keri DeBlasio Cilento ’05 is a teacher.
Johnicka Harris Turner ’05 is a special
education teacher who is working on a
graduate degree in education administration.
Alexis DePersia-Norelli ’06, Stephanie
Quinn ’06 and Sabrina Doolittle ’07 will
attend the Sweet Adelines International
Convention and Competition, a choral
event, to be held in Seattle.
James Trapasso ’06 is a programming
coordinator at Ossining Public Library.
Cindy Crean ’07 is a Managing Partner at
True North Team Building, a capability
development organization, which recently
partnered with Doral Arrowwood Resort
and Conference Center, conveniently
located around the corner from Manhattanville College.
Marisa Capellan ’09 is a Kindergarten
teacher at Woodland School in San
Francisco.
Kate MacLauchlan ’09 is an actor at The
Actor’s Project in New York City and has
performed in several productions, including
Just Pretend, Carousel and Candide.
Emily Albertson ’10 is a marketing
coordinator at MTV Networks-LOGO.
(Melissa) Michelle Bonee ’10 is the
administrative assistant for Bonee & Walsh,
an insurance financial planning agency.
Stephen Giampietro ’10 works at Clever
Device, which makes mass transit and
communication technologies for the MTA in
New York and the Chicago Transit Authority.
Ilene Kramer ’10 is an ELA teacher.
Sabrina Doolittle ’07 works for the Dance
and Theater departments at Manhattanville
College and at White Plains High School.
She is engaged to be married.
Haley Neidich ’07 is a clinician on the
faculty at the Yale School of Medicine Child
Study Center. She earned a degree at
Columbia University School of Social Work
in 2010.
Francesco Notaristefano ’07 is a special
education teacher in the South Bronx and
earned a Master’s Degree at Mercy College
in 2010. He is the JV soccer coach at New
Rochelle High School and a club coach for
Youth Soccer of New Rochelle. He also
runs Francesco Goalie Clinics.
Liya Ahmed Mohammed ’10 has been
accepted into the NYU College of Dentistry.
Erica Weisber ’10 is an Assistant Athletic
Director at Sarah Lawrence College.
• Alumni News & Events • Class Notes
Dana Cognetta Fritchie ’97 is a full-time
teacher. She and her husband recently
bought Broad Street Fitness, a 24-hour
gym in Philadelphia, where she helps out
during the summer months.
43
Alumni News & Events
Class Notes
Congratulations
Condolences
Congratulations on the marriages of:
Condolences are offered to the families
of:
Rosemary Smith ’71 & Massila Diouf
Edward Cisneros ’90 & Stockton Hall ’91
Laura Ann Copela ’97 & Federico Maturo
Danielle Lacroix Hume ’06 & Zeke Hume
’08
James Trapasso ’06 & Marie Surovich
Trapasso
Jenna Barr ’08 & Keith Haxton
Congratulations on the engagements of:
Mariana Ferreira ’05 & John Previti ’05
Devon Prigitano ’06 & Sean Hickey
Alexandra Andronaco ’07 & Brad Olson ’05
Sabrina Doolittle ’07 & Peter Schober
Francesco Domenico Notaristefano ’07 &
Lisa Marie Panettiere
Jason Zubatkin ’08 & Addie Rose Levinsky
Danielle DeSimone ’09 & Frank Furbacher,
Jr. ’09
Congratulations on the births of:
• Alumni News & Events • Class Notes
Luke Nicholas, son of Pamela Hughes
Yannoni ’84 & Stephan Yannoni
Arianna Amalia, daughter of Stefania
Rondinelli Angelucci ’97 & Enrico
Angelucci
Liliana Katherine, daughter of Silvana
Osorio-Larkin ’04 and James Larkin
Lily Charlotte, daughter of Amanda Jenkins
Gale ’05 & Adam Gale ’04
44
Evelyn Hastrup Rousselot ’29
Virginia Rooks Kean ’34
Ruth Slattery ’34
Anita Figueredo, MD ’36
Mercedes Bosetti Franco ’38, mother of
Laetitia Franco Munro ’67 and sister of
Dorothy Bosetti Cuono ’39
Kathleen Matthews O’Connell Irvine ’39,
mother of Kathleen Wyman ’62, sister of
Mary Matthews Dwyer ’37 (RIP) and
Marguerite Matthews Schneider ’52
Elizabeth Russell ’40
Janet McCarty MacKay ’41, mother of Anne
Tuohy ’71 and Jane Tuohy ’69, sister of
Virginia McCarty Haire ’43 (RIP)
Paula Johnston Simmons ’42, mother of
Lorraine Simmons Tuohy ’67, Carol
Simmons Rathbone ’69, & Paula
Simmons Butler ’72. Sister of Alice
Johnston Carroll ’45
Eileen O’Gorman, RSCJ ’43
Margaret Howell Ramage ’43, mother of
Kathryn Ramage Hutcheson ’71
Grace O’Neil Regan ’44, mother of Mary
Regan ’81, cousin of Mary McGinness
Schubert ’57 and Anne O’Neil, RSCJ ’50
Mary Carlin Leahey ’45, mother of Frances
Leahey ’77 and Mary Leahey Nangle ’70,
sister of Anne Carlin Mulroy ’50
Mary Alice Sheridan-Simmons ’45, sister of
Margaret Hydes ’46 (RIP), Frances
Sheridan ’49 (RIP), & Jeanne Sheridan
’52
Frances Brancati Grassi ’46
Dr. Margaret Therese Hayes ’46, sister of
Mary Ann Smyth, MD ’58
Elizabeth Baxter McCarthy ’46, sister of
Catherine Baxter, RSCJ ’50 (RIP), aunt of
Juliana Sciolla ’70 & Andrea Sciolla ’76
Eleanor “Peggy” Couzens Roney ’47, sister
of Mary Couzens ’50, aunt of Mary Ann
Tindall ’70, and sister-in-law of Mary Ann
Roney Tindall ’45, Rosemary Roney,
RSCJ ’47, Joan Ulrich Couzens ’48 (RIP),
and Virginia Roney Thibodeau ’49 (RIP)
Helen Audet ’48
Virginia Durkin ’48
Veronica Crowley Lauerman ’49
Anne Heide Quigley ’49, sister of Muriel
Heide ’37 (RIP), Dorothy Heide Hynes
’40 (RIP), Constance Heide Sullivan ’42,
and Ruth Heide Kane ’46, cousin of
Carlota Heide Clare ’29 (RIP), Alice
Ridder Dailey ’63, Barbara Heide Loftus
’51 (RIP), Mary Dwyer Ridder ’65 (RIP),
Rosemary Ridder ’70, and Virginia Quinn
Ridder ’40 (RIP)
Catherine Baxter, RSCJ ’50, sister of
Elizabeth McCarthy ’45 (RIP), aunt of
Juliana Sciolla ’70 & Andrea Sciolla ’76
Mary Ellen Kelly Casey ’51
Marie Coudert Curry ’51, sister-in-law of
Cheryl Fisher Coudert ’66
Patricia Hope Forbes ’52
Barbara McDonnell Hennessy ’53, sister of
Charlotte McDonnell Harris ’43 (RIP) &
Margaret McDonnell Murphy ’55, cousin
of Marie Murray Harris ’40 (RIP), Anne
Murray O’Neil ’46 (RIP), Jane Murray
Sheridan ’48 (RIP), Margot Murray
O’Mara ’58, Thomas Harris ’75, and Mary
Jane MacGuire ’87
Caroline Fritzsche Smiles ’55
Barbara Basso Clune ’56
Rita Morgan Boyle ’57, cousin of Sally
Chapman LeBlond ’45, Charlotte Murphy
Lovekin ’65, & Maureen Murphy Aba ’67
Anne Pritchard McGarry ’57
Sally Evans Hodges ’57
Noelle Onorato Torre ’57
Catherine Collins, RSCJ ’58
Carol LaBonte Frame ’58
Margaret Howe ’58, sister of Madeline
Howe, RSCJ ’48
Margaret “Margie” Murphy Kelly ’58
Anita Cloutier Heller ’59
Anne Higgins ’60
Mary Jane Scanlon ’60
Molly Murphy Crowley ’61
Candida Cagney Forstmann ’61
Jane Misrahi Quinson ’61
Rosemary Bellinger Fagan ’62, cousin of
Renee Isely-Tobin ’69
Barbarann Panish Linsenmeyer ’62
Diane Ringawa Magagna ’63
Barbara Bowe, RSCJ ’67
Sigourney Woods Cheek ’67, cousin of
Amelia LeClair ’72; daughter of Daniel
Cheek, former Classics Professor at
Manhattanville
Linda Chiota Alex ’68
Marianne McGrath Carlson ’68
Carol Quindlen O’Neil ’69
Barbara Schruth Root ’69, daughter-in-law
of Daphne Shouras Root ’44
Jeanette Michael ’72
Christine Stiassni-Gerli MAT ’72
Pamela Guarino ’74
Norma de Rosa Bellis ’75
Bettyjane Ruwe Halsey MAT ’75
Fay Levine Roth ’75
Maureen O’Shea Moxhay ’76
Barbara Grott Hyman ’80
Cheryl Arvilla White ’83
Condolences are offered on the deaths
of the husbands of:
Condolences are offered on the deaths
of the fathers of:
Alice Golden Maloy ’44
Grace O’Neil Regan ’44 (RIP)
Elizabeth Largay St. John ’46
Carole Neri Lembo ’57
Sylvia Quarles Simmons ’57
Michele Andreini Stapley ’57
Mary Pat Shea Gaffney ’58
Jean Foley Rizzo ’58
Virginia Burns Cenedella ’59
Elizabeth Pritchard Ueland ’59
Mary Anne Dutt Justice ’60
Denise Illig Robison ’61
Christine Unkovic Valentine ’62
Kathey Hickey Parcels ’71
Hela Eber Buchthal ’73
Kathleen Monaghan Gleason ’75
Christa MacDonald Blake ’86
Jeffrey Bingham Mead MAT ’90
Condolences are offered on the deaths
of the mothers of:
Martha O’Donnell Williams ’73
Margaret Hines ’76
Beth Hines ’81
Condolences are offered on the death
of the sister of:
Mary Kay Tracy Farley ’57
Condolences are offered on the death
of the daughters of:
Mary O’Boyle Connor ’39
Catherine Phillips O’Donnell ’58
Angela Castellano Ettenger ’69
Condolences are offered on the death
of the son of:
Iris Mordecai Raiford ’72
Faculty/Staff:
• Alumni News & Events • Class Notes
Jean Baldassare, Director of Disability
Services
John Hahnfeldt, former diving coach
William Stopper, Interim Program Director/
Faculty Member, School of Graduate
Studies
Gerard Thormann, Professor Emeritus of
History
45
Alumni news
News & events
Events
Class Notes
In Memoriam
• Alumni news
News & events
Events • ClAss
Class notes
Notes
Sister eileen
sister
Eileen O’Gorman, RsCJ,
RSCJ, taught
English at Manhattanville College from
1946 to 1981. A 1943 Graduate of
Manhattanville, Sister O’Gorman
received her MA
M.A.and
andPhD
Ph.D.
in English
in English
from Fordham University. Sister
O’Gorman had a special interest in Irish
Literature and completed her
dissertation on Seventh Century
Anglo-Irish relations.
relations. She
She served in the
Manhattanville Public Relations
Department beginning in 1957 and later
assumed supervisory positions in the teacher education
department. Throughout the 1970s, she was a frequent presenter
at the “Mornings at Manhattanville” lecture series. In 1978, she was
a founding member of the Barat House along with Sisters Ruth
Dowd, Cora Brandy and Adele Fisk. The Barat House became a
center of intellectual and cultural exchange where lectures,
discussions and retreats stimulated the mind. In 1983, Sister
O’Gorman assisted in the creation of Manhattanville’s Summer
Writers’ Week, a thriving program that continues today. In 1991,
she was instrumental in the foundation and accreditation of the
Masters of Arts in Writing at Manhattanville College. On November
20, 2003, the Dowd-O’Gorman Writing Center at Manhattanville
was named in Sister O’Gorman’s honor. On May 15, 2004,
Manhattanville College awarded Sister O’Gorman an honorary
degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, which recognized her
achievements and service to the community. Throughout her time
at Manhattanville College, Sister O’Gorman mentored and
counseled countless students on their lives and careers.
46
Molly Crowley received her BA
molly
B.A.inin
History from Manhattanville College and
remained a strong supporter of the
College after graduating. She served on
the Manhattanville Board of Trustees for
11 years and was a major benefactor to
the College, where she was named
“Outstanding Alumni of the Year” in
2001. She founded the real estate
company Cronin and Caplan, which
grew to be the largest residential real
estate company in Oregon. An active
philanthropist in many ways, she was a significant contributor to
the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, a
longtime board member of the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institute in Massachusetts and a board member of the Fine Arts
Museum in San Francisco. Ms. Crowley was active in the San
Francisco Opera and the California Patrons of the Arts in the
Vatican Museums.
Jeanette michael
Michael earned her BA
B.A.inin
Political Science from Manhattanville. A
1975
graduate
of of
George
Washington
A 1975
graduate
George
Washington
University’s Law School, she was
founder and first president of the
University’s Black Law Alumni Association. Ms. Michael was a member of
George Washington University’s Board
of Trustees and received the University’s
Spirit of Life Award at a gala fundraiser
for cancer research in April 2010. Early
in her career, Ms. Michael worked with
several Washington D.C. governmental commissions and agencies
before becoming the D.C. Lottery’s general counsel. She left the
Lottery to become deputy director of the Washington D.C. Department of Human Services and later was a supervisory lawyer in the
Office of the Corporation Counsel. Jeanette returned to the D.C.
Lottery and was quickly named its Executive Director, remaining
there until her retirement. Ms. Michael received praise for her
public service and was a member of the executive committees of
the Multi-State Lottery Association and the North American
Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. She was also
president of the Washington D.C. chapter of the National Forum for
Black Public Administrators. Ms. Michael additionally was a
member of the Manhattanville Alumni Association and Chair of its
Development Committee.
william Stopper
stopper joined Manhattanville
William
College in 1994 as an adjunct professor
where he taught courses in strategic
planning, organizational change, and
leadership in a global environment and
also served as Academic Advisor. He
BA degree
earned his B.A.
degreefrom
fromSt.
St.Mary’s
Mary’s
College of California and his MBA from
the University of Connecticut. Mr.
Stopper was the interim director and
professor of the Manhattanville Graduate and Professional Studies program.
During his last months at Manhattanville, he also served as the
Assistant Dean. Mr. Stopper began his career with the U.S. Army in
Washington, D.C. and later joined International Business Machines
(IBM), retiring as director of human resources after 35 years of
service. He was a member of the Society for Human Resource
Management, and was a founding member of the Human Resource Planning Society. A partner in the Walker Group of La Jolla
California for several years, Mr. Stopper also maintained a human
resource consultancy.
Manhattanville College Board of Trustees
Robert Hall (Chair)
Retired CEO
Information & Publishing Group
The Thomson Corporation
Mark C. Davis (Vice Chair)
CEO
Lank Acquisition Corporation
Molly Easo Smith
President
Manhattanville College
D.H. (Don) Callahan ’78
Chief Administrative Officer
Citigroup, Inc.
Martin C. Clague
Former CEO, Covansys Corporation
Director, Altair Engineering
Ann Conroy, RSCJ ’47, MA ’67
Administrator
Convent of the Sacred Heart (Greenwich)
Robert C. Cullen
CEO
Veritext Corp.
Marcia Dewitt ’69
President & Chief Executive Officer
GuilfordPare
William C. Fallon
President & COO
MBIA
Sally M. Furay, RSCJ
Consultant to Higher Education
Ofelia Garcia ’69
Professor of Art
William Paterson University
Mary Gawlicki ’72
President & Chief Executive Officer
Corporate Translations
President’s Advisory
Council
Nancy Roberts King ’66
President
Willis & Nancy King Foundation
Mary Cooper ’69
Human Resources Consultant
P. Nicholas Kourides
Deputy General Counsel
American International Group
Roger Demareski
Assistant Vice President for Facilities
Princeton University
Elizabeth J. McCormack ’44
Advisor
Rockefeller Family & Associates
Cathy French ’68
President
Catherine French Group
Kathleen T. McGahren
President & CEO
Pelham Associates, Inc.
Ted Gawlicki
Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Corporate Translations
Warren R. Mason ’98
Senior Project Manager
Columbia University
Nancy Greer ’92
Maura Morey ’62
Vice President
RWM Management Co., Inc.
Barbara J. Rogers, RSCJ ’74
Headmistress
Newton Country Day School
of the Sacred Heart
Sally J. Rogers ’72
Senior Vice President
Communications & Development
The United Hospital Fund
Susan A. Ross ’72
Professor, Theology Department
Loyola University Chicago
Wiley Harrison
President and Founder
Business of Your Business
Dwight Hilson MAW ’09
Author
Marion Jordan ’70
Vice President
Verizon Communications, Inc. (Retired)
Cheryl Mele MS ’96
Ph.D. candidate
Teachers College, Columbia University
Margaret Morton ’75
Senior Vice President
Fidelity Foundation
Patricia O’Grady ’61
President
POG Information Systems
Tod Pike
President
Canon Business Solutions, Inc.
Alice Quinn ’70
Executive Director
The Poetry Society of America
Helaine Smith ’88
Principal
Helaine Smith DMD Dental Practice
47
MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE
REUNION 2011
SAVE THE DATE
May 13–15, 2011
Let friendships blossom this Spring
at Reunion 2011!
Celebrating the classes of: 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971,
1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006
Congratulations to the Class of 1961 on their 50th
Reunion Celebration and to the Class of 1986 on their
25th Reunion celebration.
Please contact Jennifer Griffin ’07 for more information at
914-323-5117 or [email protected]
To nominate a classmate for a Manhattanville Alumni Award
or for more information, visit our website:
www.mville.edu/alumniandfriends/alumniresources
48
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Manhattanville Office of Institutional Advancement
2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY 10577
www.manhattanville.edu
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