Mount Saint Mary College nursing students recently offered a flu immunization clinic at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

The nursing students administered nearly 5,000 flu shots to cadets during the weeklong program, which was supervised by Mount nursing instructor Antonia Brewer and Maj. Brian Johnston of West Point’s Department of Preventative Medicine.

In addition, Maj. Johnston was recently inducted as a community leader into the Mount's Mu Epsilon Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Maj. Johnston has served as the Officer in Charge of the Critical Care Section as Chief of the Forward Surgical Teams in Afghanistan and in Iraq. He has been the recipient of many commendations and medals that have included the NATO Medal for his service in Afghanistan, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and two medals for his services in Iraq.

Including Maj. Johnston, the 64 inductees were comprised of eight community leaders, 25 graduate students, and 37 undergraduate students.

Mount Saint Mary College will present a joyful afternoon of music by the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra and festive readings from local community leaders on Sunday, December 11 with the Celebration of the Season Holiday Concert.

The concert will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. in Aquinas Hall Theatre on the Mount campus, 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh, N.Y. The doors will open at 12:30 p.m. Admission is free but space is limited. Please RSVP to Janice Stankus, Office of College Advancement, at 845-569-3286.

Featured presenters of Christmas and Hanukkah poems include Barry Lewis, the executive editor of the Times Herald-Record, reading “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” by Francis Pharcellus Church; Dr. David Kennett, president of Mount Saint Mary College, reading “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; and more.

Following the performance, there will be light refreshments in the Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center Atrium, right outside the theatre, in Aquinas Hall.

In addition, the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots will be collecting new, unwrapped toys at the concert that will be distributed as gifts to needy children in our community.

_{Mount students sing in front of the college’s Christmas tree on December 5.} 

Mount Saint Mary College students, staff, and faculty got into the holiday spirit at the fifth annual Christmas Tree Lighting on December 5.

Participants sang classic Christmas carols, drank hot chocolate, and were wowed by the elegant tree.

“It was nice to have the Mount community come together and the students enjoy some Christmas spirit,” said Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm., campus chaplain and director of Campus Ministry.

The event was co-sponsored by Student Activities and Campus Ministry.

_{Jake, a yellow lab, helps students de-stress at the Mount’s Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center.}

When you feel stressed, “who ya’ gonna call?” For the Mount Saint Mary College community, the answer is a team of stressbusting pups.

The end of the semester can be a demanding time for the Mount community, but trained therapy dogs provided a break for students, faculty and staff on December 7 at the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center.

The animals, dressed in festive costumes, came to the Mount via Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause.

Research has indicated that watching, petting, or talking to an animal can lower blood pressure and heart rate. Interacting with animals can also reduce mental distress, and lower anxiety levels – for example, during final exam times for college students.

“The dogs are comforting for the students during this stressful time of year,” explained Orin Strauchler, assistant dean of Student Support Services and director of counseling. “This event makes the students feel a little less tense and tired.”

The popular event has become a tradition at Mount Saint Mary College during finals week.

“Wagging Tails Stress Relief” was co-sponsored by the Mount Saint Mary College Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center and the college’s counseling center.

_{Mount students presented more than 30 research projects and the recent iROC symposium.}

Mount Saint Mary College students showcased a semester of research at the Investigating Research on Campus (iROC) symposium on December 1.

Students in many majors presented more than 30 course-related, honors, or independent research projects in poster form to the campus community.

“We really want to show the students the accessibility of research on campus,” explained series coordinator Evan Merkhofer, assistant professor of biology. “Research is a way for students to see a different side of their field.”

The goal of iROC is to “provide a forum for Mount faculty, staff, and students to showcase their research endeavors with both Mount Saint Mary College and the local community in a manner easily understood by attendees,” said Merkhofer. Presentations include research proposals, initial data collection, and completed research projects.

Mount Saint Mary College is ranked a Top-Tier University by U.S. News & World Report, and offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs for careers in healthcare, business, education, social services, communications, media, and the liberal arts.

View the complete photo gallery below, or click here to view the photos on Flickr.

_{Left to right: Dr. David Kennett, president of Mount Saint Mary College; Michael J. Horodyski, president and CEO of Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan Association; Joseph Lepore, president of LCS Companies of New York, Inc.; and Charles Frank, chair of the Mount Saint Mary College Board of Directors.} 

Mount Saint Mary College honored Joseph Lepore, president of LCS Companies of New York, Inc., and Michael J. Horodyski, president and CEO of Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan Association, at the Seventh Annual Gala Reception on Friday, December 2.

More than 260 guests attended the event, held at the Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center. Honorees received the Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence, which recognizes individuals whose professional accomplishments and approach to management reflect the same commitment to quality, concern for neighbors, and shared prosperity that have exemplified the career and character of restaurateur Joseph A. Bonura. The local businessman owns Anthony’s Pier 9 in New Windsor, the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, and more.

_{Joseph A. Bonura, businessman and restaurateur}

According to Mount Saint Mary College president Dr. David Kennett, funds raised will enable the college to provide an affordable, values-based education to thousands of deserving students, many of whom are among the first in their families to attend college.

“I feel very humble to be honored tonight,” honoree Lepore said. “I look around this room and see all of you here tonight, and I know I’m blessed.”

When he was 15 years old, Lepore and his family immigrated to the United States from Italy, settling in Flushing, Queens. Now he owns LCS Companies, which employs more than 200 people.

“Some people say the American Dream no longer exists. I disagree,” said Lepore. “I am the American Dream. My family came here to this country for a better life…If you work hard, if you have the drive and the passion, and take any challenge in whatever you do, you’ll be rewarded.”

Lepore shares the American Dream with his employees, having assisted several of them in purchasing homes in the City of Poughkeepsie. The Poughkeepsie Journal recently named Lepore “Business Person of the Year.”

He is a member of the Anderson Center for Autism Board of Directors. He and his company have sponsored functions for Northern Dutchess Hospital, the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, The American Heart Association, and the Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, among others.

Honoree Horodyski of Highland, N.Y. has spent the last 19 years working in community banks within the greater Hudson Valley area. He joined Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan as an Executive Vice President in July 2009 and has been the President and CEO since January 2011.

Horodyski thanked his family and his employer for molding him into the person he is today.

“This is quite a humbling experience for me,” Horodyski explained. “I can’t thank you enough. It’s been a great ride at Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan…this is an award that truly I share with everyone there.”

He added, “Mount Saint Mary College is a beacon of hope in Newburgh. It’s a spoke in the wheel that will continue to move Newburgh forward.”

Horodyski currently serves or has served on the Board of Directors and/or committees for a number of professional and community organizations such as St. Augustine’s PTA, the Town of Lloyd Town Board, the Town of Lloyd Revolving Loan Fund, First Monetary Mutual, Emerald Corporate Center, Walkway Over the Hudson, and the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency.

View the complete photo gallery below, or click here to view the photos on Flickr.

_{Rabbi Philip Weintraub of Congregation Agudas Israel in Newburgh, N.Y. and Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm., Mount campus chaplain and director of Campus Ministry, bless the college’s newly acquired volumes of the Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition on Monday, December 5, as Mount president Dr. David Kennett and Mount board chair Charles Frank look on.}

The Mount Saint Mary College community marked the closing of the 800th Dominican Jubilee Year by blessing the college’s newly acquired volumes of the Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition on Monday, December 5.

The two volumes were blessed by Rabbi Philip Weintraub of Congregation Agudas Israel in Newburgh, N.Y. and Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm., campus chaplain and director of Campus Ministry.

“I pray that these texts here will inspire us all to do beautiful and righteous acts,” said Rabbi Weintraub. “We know that when we stand together, as Christians, as Jews, and as Muslims, we ensure its blessing.”

In 2016, the Dominican Order throughout the world celebrated their 800th Jubilee Year of the Order of Preachers. St. Dominic established the first community of the Order of Preachers in the 13th century.

“The Dominican Jubilee, the Year of Mercy, has ended. And yet, within these pages of the Saint John’s Bible, we find God’s mercy overflowing,” noted Sr. Lucy Povilonis, OP.

Mount Saint Mary College recently acquired the full seven-volume Heritage Edition set of the Saint John’s Bible, the first handwritten and illuminated Bible produced in more than 500 years.

The Heritage Edition, a fine art reproduction that captures the original Saint John’s Bible down to the smallest details, is a limited edition of 299 copies. Mount Saint Mary College now owns two volumes – Psalms and Letters & Revelation – of copy number 133. Weighing more than 15 pounds each, the volumes stand approximately 18” tall and more than 4 feet wide when opened.

Subsequent volumes will be received over the course of the next two years. They will be displayed in the Mount’s Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center, under the care of library director Barbara Petruzzelli and her staff.

“These are not meant to be locked away or to put under a glass case,” said Charles Zola, chair of the Division of Philosophy and Religious Studies, associate professor of philosophy, and director of the Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute. “As the living word of God, these volumes are something we want to integrate into the curriculum and share with the community.”

Ilona McGuiness, vice president of Academic Affairs at the Mount, added, “This is a beautiful piece of art to complement our beautiful college and rich academics.”

On display during the blessing was the Dominican Heritage Quilt, which celebrates the rich history and charisms of the Dominican Order. The quilt, constructed earlier this year by the Mount community, was inspired by the art of the Saint John’s Bible.

The Dominican Sisters founded Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. in 1959, using as a guideline the four pillars of Dominican life: study, prayer, service, and community.

“We are proud of the deep spiritual and intellectual roots from which Mount Saint Mary College has sprung and is continually nourished,” said Zola. “We all are indebted to the great sacrifices and example of [the sisters] who founded the college.”

The Mount community thanks those involved in the Saint John’s purchase, including Zola, Petruzzelli, and Daniel Shea, English professor and chair of the college’s Division of Arts and Letters.

_{Admiring the Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition after the blessing are Charles Zola, chair of the Division of Philosophy and Religious Studies, associate professor of philosophy, and director of the Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute; Rabbi Philip Weintraub of Congregation Agudas Israel in Newburgh, N.Y.; and Barbara Petruzzelli, director of the Mount’s Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center.}

_{Members of two Mount Saint Mary College student clubs – Aging United and Big Brothers Big Sisters – recently joined forces to sing carols for the residents of Montgomery Nursing Home}

With some old fashioned caroling, Mount Saint Mary College’s Big Brother Big Sisters (BBBS) and Aging United student clubs recently brought holiday cheer to the residents of Montgomery Nursing Home.

About 30 Mount students spanning both clubs and 15 BBBS “littles” sang a variety of classic carols at the home, located in Montgomery, N.Y.

The Mount’s BBBS club provides mentoring for children from the City of Newburgh. By serving as role models, members experience the power of friendship that stems from the connection they make. Members of the chapter meet with their littles about six times per semester to encourage and empower the at-risk children.

Aging United explores opportunities in service, programming, and research in the field of aging. Students host several events throughout the semester. Aging United is sponsored by the Mount’s Center on Aging and Policy (CAP). Established in 2006, CAP is dedicated to excellence in research and scholarship in the field of gerontology.

_{Proud elementary and middle school students read their self-published and illustrated books to their families on December 7 at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center. The young students were tutored by Mount Saint Mary College teacher candidates. The sessions, which served as a practicum course for the Mount students, was overseen by professors Janine Bixler and Rebecca Norman.}

Nearly two dozen local children shared self-written stories about the national parks of the U.S. at a Mount Saint Mary College literacy program on December 7.

Under the tutelage of 23 Mount teacher candidates, the children – from kindergarteners to sixth graders – spent the semester writing and illustrating their books at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center before presenting excerpts to their friends and families. There was a 1:1 student-teacher ratio, allowing for in-depth, personalized learning opportunities for each child.

For the children, the sessions afforded them one-on-one tutoring and increased their literacy skills in a fun and engaging way. For the Mount teacher candidates, the graduate level course was a hands-on experience in real-world teaching.

The Mount course was taught by Janine Bixler, professor and chair of the Mount’s Division of Education, and Rebecca Norman, associate professor of education.

Over the course of the program, the Mount teacher candidates utilized the Picturing Writing technique. According to Bixler and Norman, by painting a picture of their subject first, students can more easily express themselves through writing.

The Picturing Writing sessions at the Armory are part of the Mount’s Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning (CELL). Established in 2012, CELL provides tutoring and out-of-school literacy activities for children pre-school to grade 12 with a focus on reading, conversation, and activities. It explores multicultural books, offers family literacy programs, and more. Each semester about 60 Mount teacher candidates, graduate and undergraduate, help instill a love of reading in local youth as part of their community fieldwork requirement.

In addition to Bixler and Norman, CELL is made possible by Mount professors Jane Gangi, David Gallagher, Matthew Hollibush, and many more college volunteers.

Mount literacy programs are held in the Newburgh Armory on Saturday mornings, weekday mornings in the summertime, and weekday afternoons during the fall and spring semesters. Other events, such as Family Literacy Night, are held throughout the year.

“By improving their literacy, we’re giving these young students life skills, not just school skills,” said Bixler.

_{Playing for the GNSO were Alison Chance, Laura Greco, and Sydney Jessup on violin; Ryan Hall on viola; Greg Phillips and Janet Muscat on cello; and Rick McCurdy on string bass.}

About 200 members of the local community enjoyed an afternoon of music by the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra and festive readings from local community leaders on Sunday, December 11 at Mount Saint Mary College’s Celebration of the Season Holiday Concert.

• Dr. David Kennett, president of Mount Saint Mary College, presented “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
• Barry Lewis, the executive editor of the Times Herald-Record, read “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” by Francis P. Church.
• Marie Pierre Mfuamba Mukendi ’19, a freshman student at the Mount, read “Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem” by Maya Angelou. (at right)
• Gerald Jacobowitz, senior partner of the firm Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, presented “The Feast of Lights” by Emma Lazarus.

The concert featured holiday favorites such as “Carol of the Bells,” “Chanukah Happening,” “White Christmas,” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Sr. Peggy Murphy, OP, religious studies professor, closed out concert by leading the audience in “Deck the Halls.”

_{Barry Lewis, the executive editor of the Times Herald-Record, read “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” by Francis P. Church.}

_{Dedicated Mount students, faculty, and staff collected more than 600 holiday gifts this season. All of them were donated to Newburgh families.}

Mount Saint Mary College is making the holidays a little brighter for families in need: Through the annual “Giving Tree” event, the community donated more than 600 gifts to the children of Newburgh.

Tags hang like ornaments on the Giving Tree, and written on the back of each is a gift request from an underprivileged child. Mount community members donate the requested items, creating happy holiday memories.

“Your continued support made the giving tree a success,” said Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm, campus chaplain and director of the Mount’s Campus Ministry. “May God bless all of you during this Christmas season and may God bless all of those individuals who are in need of support.”

Through Giving Tree events, the Mount has donated more than 3,600 gifts to local families in the last five years.

The program was sponsored by Campus Ministry.

Two Mount Saint Mary College professors and two staff members have been named Irish Education Top 100 honorees for 2016.

James Moran, associate professor of biology and chair of the Division of Natural Sciences, and Susan Schulmerich, associate professor of nursing and co-chair of the Mount’s School of Nursing, were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Mount, to their students, and to their respective fields.

Joining them are Michael and Kathleen O’Keefe, husband and wife. Michael is the executive director of operations and risk management at the college and Kathleen is associate director of the Mount’s Career Center.

Compiled by the Irish Voice newspaper, Irish Education 100 highlights top educators in America and the long standing Irish commitment to excellence in education.

James Moran

James Moran began his career at the Mount in 2008. He currently teaches courses in microbiology, genetics, and immunology, and his research interests include cancer immunotherapy and other cancer therapies utilizing phytochemical agents. He also studies host-microbe interactions in a mouse model of human Crohn’s disease.

Moran graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a BS in biochemistry in 1995. He earned a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Rochester in 2002. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the SPIRE Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which included a one-year appointment as visiting professor of biology at UNC-Pembroke.

Moran oversees the Mount’s long-running Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, which pairs students with professors to research a variety of subjects.

Susan Schulmerich

Susan Schulmerich spent many years in critical care, emergency services, and the operating room as a staff nurse and first and middle management in community and teaching hospitals.

She has experience in senior level management as executive director of Montefiore Medical Center Home Health Agency in the Bronx, and vice president of Elant in Goshen, N.Y.

Schulmerich has taught formally or in continuing education for the better part of four decades.

She earned a diploma in nursing from Mount Vernon Hospital School of Nursing, a bachelor’s degree from St. Thomas Aquinas, an MBA and MS from Long Island University, and a doctorate in health education from A.T. Still University. Her Irish lineage dates back to the early 1800s, with Hortons, Dolans, and other Irish surnames.

Kathleen O’Keefe

Kathleen O’Keefe provides individualized internship coordination for Mount students in the fields of communications, English, business, and accounting.

She assists in student professional development; creates, plans, markets, and executes campus wide workshops; and develops and creates informational brochures for employers and students.

O’Keefe was promoted to associate director in 2012 and currently supervises several staff members. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Siena College, and an MA from Manhattan College.

She traces her Irish roots to counties Mayo and Cork through her maternal and paternal grandmothers. She and her family regularly visit Ireland, and she has been involved with the Village of Montgomery St. Patrick’s Day parade since its inauguration there years ago.

She and her husband have three children, all of whom are or will be Mount alumni.

Michael O’Keefe 

During his Mount career, Michael O’Keefe oversaw operating budgets in excess of $6 million. He chaired and co-chaired commencement ceremonies hosting more than 4,000 guests for four years, and co-chaired the presidential inauguration committee in 2015. He also researched, developed, and created the campus plan for START-UP NY, an economic development stimulus program, one of the first approved campus plans by a private college in New York.

Previously, O’Keefe was a member of the NYC Police Department, where he rose to the rank of deputy inspector.

O’Keefe earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Siena College, and a master’s in public administration from Marist College.

His paternal grandparents were from Co. Cork. His maternal grandparents hailed from counties Cavan and Antrim. O’Keefe is also a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

_{Priscilla Sagar, Mount Saint Mary College nursing professor (center), displays her Madeleine Leininger Transcultural Nursing Award. Left to right, Rick Zoucha, chair of the Leininger award committee, Sagar, and Beth Lincoln, president elect of the Transcultural Nursing Society. Sagar received the honor at the annual Gala Dinner for the TCNS in Cincinnati, Ohio earlier this year.}

Two Mount Saint Mary College professors were recently recognized for outstanding contributions to their field of study.

Priscilla Sagar, nursing professor, was given the Madeleine Leininger Transcultural Nursing Award by the Transcultural Nursing Society (TCNS).

The award, given in honor of Leininger, mother and founder of transcultural nursing, recognizes exceptional and creative leadership in transcultural nursing. Established in 1983, it honors the recipient’s work and dedication to transcultural nursing and continued commitment to the mission and goals of the TCNS.

Sagar holds a doctor of education degree from Teacher’s College. In addition to being an RN, she is a Transcultural Scholar for the TCNS, Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, and member of the Nursing Hall of Fame at Columbia University. She has written several books on transcultural nursing, with contributions from other Mount nursing professors.

Dolores “Dee” Berlinghoff, professor of education at the Mount, recently received the Small Special Education Programs Caucus Nasim Dil Award for Outstanding Service to Teacher Education. She was honored at the CEC/TED Council for Exceptional Children /Teacher Education Division Conference in Lexington, Ky. in November.

_{(Right) Dolores “Dee” Berlinghoff, professor of education at the Mount, and Frank Dykes, Chair of the Nasim Dil Award Selection Committee.} 

The annual award is given to an individual who has demonstrated exemplary service to the development and advancement of quality teacher education in special education.

Berlinghoff is a member of the New York Council for Exceptional Children and Teacher Education Division of CEC. She earned a master’s degree from Lehigh University and a doctorate in philosophy from Pennsylvania State University. She began her career at the Mount more than 16 years ago.

_{Ruobing Xia, co-founder of Life Science Quest, leads the discussion at the “Innovation and Technology Convergence in Healthcare and Life Science Industry” event, hosted by Mount Saint Mary College.} 

Mount Saint Mary College recently hosted the “Innovation and Technology Convergence in Healthcare and Life Science Industry” roundtable discussion, featuring several leaders in the field.

The event focused on trends and innovations and how they are poised to influence the healthcare and life science industries. Topics included technology, business planning /budgeting, rapidly developing artificial intelligence and the changing landscape of medical specialists; and improving professional development.

Featured speakers were:

• Stephan Klaschka, strategic innovation consultant with more than 25 years of international work experience from start-ups to global corporations across bio pharmaceutical, healthcare, and other industries.
• Alexander Natanzon, technological innovator and multiple "GE Innovator of the Year" winner. Natanzon holds 17 patents in Medical Imaging and Space Technology and 38 years of experience in technology development. He is the founder of two successful startups in medical imaging and robotic surgery.
• Dmitry Pavlov, IT solution architect, GE Healthcare Imaging.
• Steven Yu, president of Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association, Connecticut and principal scientist in New Biological Entities group at Boehringer Ingelheim.
• Ruobing Xia, co-founder of Life Science Quest. Her primary foci are global strategy, business development, and marketing technology.

The event was presented by Life Science Quest, LLC and Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association, Connecticut (SAPA-CT).

_{Mount Saint Mary College psychology professor Lawrence Force, a gerontologist and director of the college’s Center on Aging and Policy (center), discusses the changing needs of the elderly in today’s healthcare system.} 

Stephen Cheskiewicz, Mount Saint Mary College assistant professor of information technology, presented his original research on internet security at the Ninth Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation in Seville, Spain in November.

“User Perceptions of Information Security: A Multinational Prospective” is a collaborative effort between Chrskiewicz and Miquel Colobran from the Universtat Autonoma de Barcelona and examines both American and Spanish student perceptions of Internet security. The comprehensive mixed-methods study identifies what students in these countries consider the biggest perceived threats online.

People living in the United States spend more time using the internet, said Cheskiewicz, noting that Americans average six hours a day, while Spanish students were only online for two. In addition, when asked what the biggest online threats are, the Spanish respondents were concerned mostly with social issues: many noted that they feared cyberbullying and online predators. Americans, however, were far more concerned with monetary damages, such as identity and credit card theft.

The research is also slated to be shared at the International Academic Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii in January 2017, and a book titled “Com Preparar un Informe Percale” (“Making an Expert Report of a Computer Crime”) is currently in production in Spain, featuring highlights from the study.

The professors presented their first study, “Not so Private Practice: Student Perceptions of Information Security,” in February 2015 at the Eleventh International Conference on Technology, Knowledge, and Society at University of California, Berkeley. They unveiled “User Perceptions of Information Security” at the Educause Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Ind. in October 2015 and continue to improve upon it.

Cheskiewicz also chaired the Ethical Issues in Education section of the conference.

“This was a wonderful international conference,” said Cheskiewicz. “I enjoyed representing the Mount.”

Cheskiewicz has worked in the field of higher education for more than 20 years in both senior administrative and faculty positions. He holds a master’s degree in instructional technology, and a PhD in education in educational technology from Wilkes University. He is a contributor to numerous Pearson Education Business and Technology textbooks and is a published author in an academic peer-reviewed journal. His scholarship focuses on a better understanding of student retention and persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academic programs.

_{Lawrence Force, Mount Saint Mary College psychology professor} 

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but Christmas can also be a difficult time for aging family members, said Mount Saint Mary College psychology professor Lawrence Force.

Force, a gerontologist, is director of the college’s Center on Aging and Policy. He has worked in the field of aging and disabilities for more than three decades as an administrator, clinician, and educator. He has authored and collaborated on books, articles, and technical reports that address topics of aging policy, Alzheimer's disease, family caregiving, and end-of-life care.

“Holidays are a time of tradition, family and reflection, and there’s a lot of value and strength in that,” said Force. Reminiscing about Christmases past “can have a positive outcome, but it can also churn up some negative feelings.”

The paradigm holds true for people of all backgrounds, but Force points out that the older one gets, the greater the chance for the loss of a spouse or other loved one during the course of the year, which can influence the holidays. Families could also experience other changes in dynamics, including marriage or divorce.

Thinking about unpleasant or stressful life changes can cast a dark shadow over what was once an enjoyable holiday.

Force suggests that there might be another reason for feeling down during the holidays – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), in which an individual who otherwise has normal mental health experiences symptoms of depression based on the time of year. One possibility is that SAD is related to a lack of the biochemical serotonin, which is thought to be a contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness.

Because sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin in one’s body, winter’s shorter days might be partly to blame for changes in mood.

According to Force, a therapy lamp – which emulates natural light – might help push away the holiday blues. Daytime walks might also help seniors (and other family members) to feel better.

Force also suggests drinking more water and getting more exercise.

_{Veronica Malloy of Millbrook, N.Y. (standing), president of Mount Saint Mary College’s chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, teaches a literacy course at Newburgh Ministry.} 

A Mount Saint Mary College literacy program for underprivileged children, hosted by the Newburgh Ministry charitable organization, was awarded a $15,000 technology grant from Warwick Savings Foundation earlier this month.

The funding will be used to purchase tablets, laptops, software programs, and other digital equipment for educating the young students and their parents in the newly developed “Literacy for the Community” segment of the program.

Teacher candidates will also use the new equipment to develop skills for 21st century teaching. This purchase will aid the college in its mission to produce skilled, well-rounded, compassionate educators who will go on to serve schools in Orange County, the Mid-Hudson region, and beyond.

The afterschool initiative is a collaborative venture between the Mount’s Sigma Tau chapter of Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) – the International Honor Society in Education – and Newburgh Ministry, which has been serving disadvantaged members of the community for more than three decades. The Ministry is headed by director Colin Jarvis.

The Mount’s KDP, which currently has 250 members, has earned national recognition, having received the “Achieving Chapter Excellence” award three consecutive times.

Developed by Mount teacher candidates over the summer interim, the literacy program is run by nearly a dozen Mount volunteers who have been working with children at the Ministry every Thursday since the program’s inception. So far, it has been enjoyed by dozens of at-risk elementary through middle school students.

The broad goals of the program are to improve children’s life perspectives, develop their literacy skills, increase their confidence in their abilities, and help them to believe that a college education is possible for them.

KDP chapter president Veronica Malloy of Millbrook, N.Y. and vice president Emily Meehan of Warwick, N.Y. spearheaded the initiative. Mount education professors Sonya Abbye Taylor and Ludmila Smirnova, co-counselors of the KDP chapter, assisted the teacher candidates in designing the program.

Young participants and their families are scheduled to present projects created during the weekly program at the college’s annual literacy conference in April 2017. They will also get a tour of the Mount in an effort promote interest in higher education and a brighter future.

Taylor says that the program is beneficial for not only the young students, but also for the Mount teacher candidates.

“This will help our students to be more effective communicators,” she said. “And this is something where they generate the curriculum and dictate exactly how they teach it, just like they will one day in their own classrooms.”

Two Mount Saint Mary College students delved into “Democracy and Democratization: Challenges and Opportunities” at the annual Student Conference on U.S. Affairs (SCUSA), hosted at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

History-political science majors Brigitte Leyva of Hyde Park, N.Y. and Nirmala Singh of Middletown, N.Y. joined about 200 other students at the four-day conference, which challenged participants to immerse themselves in many aspects of U.S. democracy and policy with other college students and professionals from around the country. SCUSA is the largest conference of its kind in the world and is held at West Point every fall.

When they weren’t discussing democracy, delegates visited U.S. Army cadets in their barracks and got an inside look at life in the U.S. Military Academy.

_{RIGHT: Nirmala Singh of Middletown, N.Y. (left) and Brigitte Leyva of Hyde Park, N.Y. recently attended the annual Student Conference on U.S. Affairs, hosted at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.}

_{The Mount recently celebrated 25 years of service from Lawrence Force, professor of psychology (center); and 20 years of service from, left to right: Kelly Yough, Dean of Student Affairs; Brian Moore, Purchasing Manager; Matthew Dembinsky, Athletic Recruiting Coordinator; and Ellen Walsh, Athletics Administrative Assistant.}

More than 60 longtime Mount Saint Mary College personnel were honored at a service awards event on Friday, December 16.

The following employees were recognized:

5 YEARS – 2011

Sonya Abbye-Taylor, Division of Education; Wisdom Atsunyo, Information Technology; Jodie Fahey, Division of Natural Sciences; Lee Ferris, Marketing & Communications; Kayla Gori, Office of Online Learning; Jeanette Grossman, Division of Education; Alfonso Herrera, Security; Greg (Scott) Holbert, Facilities; Eric Langstedt, Division of Arts & Letters; Marilyn Lashlee, School of Nursing; Bojan Lazarevic, Division of Math & IT; Kevin Longacre, Athletics; Mary Jane Holbert, Facilities; Thuy Nguyen, Division of Social Sciences; Nancy Owen, School of Nursing; Kristen Miller Perkins, Marketing & Communications; Mayde Pokorny, Marketing & Communications; Derek Sanderson, Library; Eric Seideman, Athletics; Grace Sosler, Registrar; Johnna Touma, Information Technology; Alex Valentin, Information Technology; Susan Voge, Library; Ying Xiao, School of Business; Ian Zavardino, Information Technology.

10 YEARS – 2006

Shirley Adams, Academic Affairs; Evelyn Barese, Division of Education; Janine Bixler, Division of Education; Frederick Callo, Athletics; J. David Gallagher, Division of Education; Thomas Garnett, Security; Akm Rezaul Hossain, School of Business; Grant Konno, Bishop Dunn Memorial School; Kathryn Loughran, Library; Deborah Meissner, Division of Social Sciences; John Nicoletti, Information Technology; Janet Petroski, Division of Natural Sciences; Barbara Petruzzelli, Library; Robin Rosenberg, Career Center; Della Sherman, Community Education; Joseph Simms, Security; Anthony Spano, Information Technology; Nancy Trenz, Graduate and Adult Degree Completion; Carl Truffi, Security; Robert VanHouten, Security; Susan Vorsanger, Division of Social Sciences; and Arthur Williams, Facilities.

15 YEARS – 2001

Barbara Connolly, President’s Office; Linda Connors, Financial Aid; John Greeney, Information Technology; Sonya Latham, Security; Vivian Milczarski, Library; Dianne Murphy, School of Nursing; Marilyn Riccio, Admissions; Ludmila Smirnova, Division of Education; Janice Stankus, Alumni Affairs; and Michelle Tabor, Admissions.

20 YEARS – 1996

Matthew Dembinsky, Admissions; Brian Moore, Purchasing; Ellen Walsh, Athletics; and Kelly Yough, Student Affairs.

25 YEARS – 1991

Lawrence Force, Division of Social Sciences.

_{Mount Saint Mary College pinned nearly 40 nurses on Friday, December 16.} 

Mount Saint Mary College held a pinning ceremony for nearly 40 graduates of the college’s nursing program on Friday, December 16.

Fr. Francis Amodio, O.Carm., director of Campus Ministry and campus chaplain, blessed the pins, which were presented to the graduates by chosen family members and friends. Dr. David Kennett, president of the Mount, congratulated the graduates on a job well done.

The Mount Saint Mary College nursing pin displays the college seal and the motto, “doce me veritatem,” which translates as “teach me the truth.”

Mount nursing professors Dianne Murphy and Susan Schulmerich, co-chairs of the School of Nursing, and Teresa Hurley, offered the graduates words of encouragement and advice for their upcoming nursing careers.

Audrey Graham-O’Gilvie, associate chief nurse at VA Hudson Valley Health Care System and Mount adjunct professor, gave the keynote speech. She encouraged the graduates to “lead the change in healthcare systems.”

“I give you my congratulations,” she said. “I really am so proud of your all. You don’t look like students anymore, but true nurses.”

She added, “This is a lot of responsibility. Respect and compassion must be remembered.”

Sebastian Morales of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – recipient of the School of Nursing Leadership Award and the Sigma Research Award – gave his reflections. He credited the group’s professors with molding them into the confident nurses they are today.

“I wanted to thank our loved ones…because without their love and support, we would not have made it,” he said. “We all worked our tail off to be here.”

_{Newly-minted Mount Saint Mary College nurse Sebastian Morales of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., recipient of the School of Nursing Leadership Award and the Sigma Research Award, gave his reflections at the nurse pinning on December 16}.

Other award recipients were Tina Stephens of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who was given the General Excellence in Nursing Award; Zachary Ruckh of Newburgh, N.Y., who received the School of Nursing Clinical Excellence award; Laura Longbard of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who earned the Spirit of Nursing and the Sigma Tau Leadership awards; Sitora Scherer of Cold Spring, N.Y., who got the Perseverance Award, and Jillian Martarano of Newburgh, N.Y., who was given the Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Award.

The students were full of praise for their families. Marisa Fasone of Lake Katrine, N.Y., who was pinned by her mother, Lisa, and her father, Ken, said she couldn’t have graduated without the support of her parents.

“I dedicate this pin to my parents, my family, and my boyfriend, James,” she said. “Thank you for supporting me during this long and difficult journey.”

Nursing grad Ronald Lawyer of Garnerville, N.Y, born in Ghana, lived in the small village of Eremon with no electricity and no running water. His father passed away when Lawyer was a young child.

Retired plumber Benjamin Kotzker met Lawyer while on a Christian service trip to Africa. Impressed with the young man’s intelligence, Kotzker invited Lawyer to live with him and his wife, Barbara.

Lawyer agreed to complete nursing school, a promise he was proud to make good on this December.

“I wish to dedicate my pin to my family here at home and abroad, to my friends, the School of Nursing faculty, and staff members alike,” he said. “To all my well-wishers, thank you for your relentless prayers and support.”

Lawyer said he was driven to a career in health professions by his spiritual desire to serve others.

“There’s a joy in seeing someone come to you very sick and you give them your attention, give them the cure,” he said. “Helping somebody feel better brings so much joy and peace.”

To close out the ceremony, the newly-minted nurses recited “A Nurse’s Prayer,” which speaks of dedicating one’s life to helping others.

Additional Mount graduates who received their nursing pin are: Sarah Bauer of Newburgh, N.Y; Amber Cardona of Newburgh, N.Y.; Megan Cunningham of Central Valley, N.Y.; Michael Darin of Chester, N.Y.; Carolina Eraso of Middletown, N.Y.; Guerda Monestime-Estimable of Newburgh, N.Y.; Kristopher Garcia of Newburgh, N.Y.; Catherine Gaynor of Clintondale, N.Y.; Parneet Grewal of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Lisa King of Florida, N.Y.; Suzeline Lamothe of New Paltz, N.Y.; Jennifer Laubach of Milton, N.Y.; Buffy-Nicole Mata of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Jackie Matthews of Montgomery, N.Y.; Stephanie Mensler of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Angel Murphy of Ulster Park, N.Y.; Gladys Ofori of Wappingers Falls, N.Y.; Michael Patterson of Walkill, N.Y.; Melissa Perleoni of Farmington, Conn.; Olivia Persaud of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Cathy Richmond of Highland Mills, N.Y.; Janine Rose of Newburgh, N.Y.; Martha Silvera-Simms of New Windsor, N.Y.; Samantha Swetz of Poughquag, N.Y.; Meagan Thid of Beacon, N.Y.; Stephanie Tooker of Pleasant Valley, N.Y.; Olivia Turock of Peekskill, N.Y.; Tiffany Tyler of Pine Bush, N.Y.; Yamaris C. Vaillant of Washingtonville, N.Y.; Marie Zamilus of Peekskill, N.Y.; and Zai Xu Zhu of the Bronx, N.Y.

_{Zai Xu Zhu of the Bronx, N.Y. was pinned by his aunt, who flew in from China for the Mount nurse pinning on December 16.}