_{Students from the Mount’s Dominican Scholars of Hope, as well as Campus Ministry, presented “Dominican Values Revealed in News of the World” as part of the college’s Library Week.}

From the history of the Civil War as told by an avid reenactor to a traditional Tex Mex meal, Mount Saint Mary College celebrated its 12th annual Library Week by immersing the campus in the historical fiction novel, News of the World.

The events were part of the Knight Reading program, the Mount’s campus-wide shared reading experience. Members of the Mount community, including students, staff, and faculty, are all encouraged to read the same book, News of the World, during the 2017-2018 year. 

This year’s Library Week celebrations, spearheaded by the Mount’s Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center, brought the novel to life across campus through a variety of programs.

Josh Mordin, a Civil War enthusiast and reenactor, kicked off Library Week detailing the causes and repercussions of the Civil War. Mordin discussed the pre-war period through the major battles and campaigns, post-war politics, and the challenges of Reconstruction. He also revealed the history of the West Texas frontier – the setting for News of the World – as well as its history after the Mexican War, the influx of immigrants, and conflict between German immigrants and Native Americans. The presentation included a display of Civil War weapons, a Union uniform, and more, 

_{During the Mount’s Library Week, Josh Mordin, a Civil War enthusiast and reenactor, discussed the causes and effects of the Civil War on Texas and beyond.} 

Another highlight of the Mount’s Library Week was “Dominican Values Revealed in News of the World,” a presentation by 20 students from the college’s Dominican Scholars of Hope and Campus Ministry.

The students described how they saw the four pillars of the Dominican Order – prayer, study, service, and community – unfold in News of the World. They gave a short lecture on the topic, as well as performing a skit and hosting an interactive game to test participants’ knowledge.

The student presenters were Derek O’Hanlon of Goshen, N.Y.; Christopher Blackwell of Yonkers, N.Y.; Michelle Carnovale of Massapequa, N.Y.; Sarah Confeiteiro of Yonkers, N.Y.; Emma Granholm of Island Park, N.Y.; Raiya Isaac of Hawthorne, N.J.; Jessica Kovach of Flushing, N.Y.; Victoria Kuhr of Holbrook, N.Y.; Courtney Manniello of Bronx, N.Y.; Meredith Murphy of Mahwah, N.J.; Hallie Benson of Miller Place, N.Y.; Amanda DiFazio of West Babylon, N.Y.; Nicole Dreisbach of Dumont, N.J.; Rebecca Goldberg of Massapequa, N.Y.; Leila Saleh of Ansonia, Conn.; Margaret Seely of Berwick, Penn.; Katelynn Whitfield of Garden City, N.Y.; Alyssa Picard of Torrington, Conn.; Christina Mistretta of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Molly Jensen of Bayport, N.Y.  

Other Library Week events included a movement workshop by Elizabeth Harper, assistant professor of Biology; a lecture detailing Native American culture; and crafts.

_{Mount Saint Mary College's Elizabeth Harper, assistant professor of Biology, presented “Follow Your Own Journey: A Movement Workshop” to help celebrate the Mount’s Library Week.}

Professors often look forward to sabbaticals as a reprieve from the cyclical nature of college semesters, replacing rigid class schedules and the whirlwind of academia with quiet immersion in research and training. 

Yasmine Kalkstein’s sabbatical has been a bit different. 

Kalkstein, an associate professor of Psychology at Mount Saint Mary College, received a Fulbright Senior Scholar grant from the US State Department in 2017. The grant sponsors her ongoing research into women’s medical decision-making regarding childbirth, including delivery methods and breastfeeding options. It’s a topic she’s been exploring for years, often alongside her Mount students through the college’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. 

But instead of hitting the books at home, the scholarship would lead Kalkstein to Israel, nearly 6,000 miles away from the Mount.

The plans for this big step were set in motion several years ago. In 2013, the professor met Tayla Miron-Shatz, director of the Center for Medical Decision Making at Ono Academic College in Israel, during a summer stay in the country. This meeting led to collaboration on several projects, including the pair co-authoring a paper with one of Kalkstein’s students. 

At their first meeting, Kalkstein expressed a desire to complete her sabbatical year in Israel to work more closely with Miron-Shatz. So when she was given the opportunity for the Fulbright scholarship, she knew her dream was about to come true.

However, Kalkstein was faced with a choice – she could go to Israel for just a few months for the Fulbright, or commit to staying in Israel for an entire year, allowing her children the opportunity to spend a school year in Israel.

In the fall of 2017, Kalkstein and her husband rented out their home, packed up their two young children, and moved to Rehovot, Israel for a year.

“This has been unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” the psychology professor explained. “As a Jewish person, I’m in my homeland with my people, so there’s a meaningful emotional and historical connection, unlike a connection I can feel with any other country.”

Taking on the role of student again has given Kalkstein new insight and enhanced tools as an educator.

“I understand culture shock in a way no one else can without having gone through it,” she explained. “I understand how much encouraging words mean. That empathy is what I know in the coming year I need to bring to my own personal teaching.”

Yasmine Kalkstein and her family are spending a year in Israel for Kalkstein's Fulbright research during her sabbatical from the Mount.

The experience has not been without its challenges and adaptations. Navigating the divide between being a tourist and a citizen, coupled with the challenges of raising a family in a foreign country, has presented plenty of cultural learning opportunities, Kalkstein noted. 

Kalkstein notes small challenges like tracking parking through an app versus a parking meter to bigger differences like getting used to a one-day weekend (in Israel, the weekend is from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning). Additionally, the school days are shorter than in America, but children attend school six days per week. Other cultural differences include favoring Whatsapp over email and general social culture: In Israel, Kalkstein said, “people don’t hesitate to give their opinion, but also invite you into their life.”

Even though she has visited the country before, living there has been completely different, she noted. Unlike being on vacation, grocery shopping, buying car insurance, and translating school information are everyday realities, activities that proved challenging at first due to language and cultural differences.

“I’m experiencing what it means to be an immigrant,” she said. “What it means to try to put your kids into a school system in a foreign language with different cultural norms, what it feels like to want to do everything you can to fit in and yet struggling to always figure out the nuances, getting laughed at for using the wrong preposition or my American ‘R’…this is what living in another country is like. But I love it, because I love being an explorer.”

And, “I finally can text in Hebrew,” she added.

For students who are thinking about studying abroad, Kalkstein offered some simple advice: Don’t let a single opportunity slip through your fingers.

“Someone wants to invite you to their house? ‘Yes!’ Someone wants you to try this eggplant dish? ‘Yes!’ Everything is a learning opportunity. Even when I have to sit and work on a research paper, I might as well do it in a coffee shop where the ambient sounds of Hebrew and Israeli music give me an experience,” she said.

With several months to go in Israel, Kalkstein is committed to living in the moment, but knows that her trip will certainly affect her when she returns to America and the Mount.

“Most Israelis are impressed with how much we've seen and accomplished in our time so far,” she said. “I tell them, ‘I only have a year!’”

She hopes to present this lifestyle challenge to her students when she returns to the Mount in Fall 2018. “I wonder if some of this attitude could be brought back to America. How would I live differently if I knew I only had a year in New York? I’m hoping that this experience will inspire me to continue seizing the moment even after I return home.

Yasmine Kalkstein, associate professor of Psychology, (center) is currently in Israel conducting research with fellow Fulbright scholars. 

_{Elizabeth Harper, assistant professor of Biology at Mount Saint Mary College, discussed yoga for those with limited mobility on Thursday, February 15.}

Elizabeth Harper, assistant professor of Biology, discussed her original research into yoga’s effects on individuals with limited mobility in her presentation “Moving to Zero” on Thursday, February 15 at Mount Saint Mary College. 

Harper has been immersed in the topic of limited mobility for the last two decades.

“My goal is to get people to a place where they can enjoy movement again, even if it’s just through breathing,” Harper explained. 

In the limited mobility yoga program that Harper created for people with multiple sclerosis, participants had several significant improvements, according to both her data and reports from the individuals involved. 

“I limited the movement to the diaphragm, chest, and vocal cords by asking my study volunteers to…participate in a breathing and meditation workshop,” she explained. “I found increased diaphragm strength, improved mood, and confidence.”

She also gave an in-depth report of her recent study on the value of pool yoga for a local resident senior population. Harper’s data showed significantly-increased balance for the study’s participants, she said. 

The talk, part of the Mount’s Investigating Research on Campus (iROC) series. 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,” explained series coordinators Evan Merkhofer, assistant professor of biology, and Jennifer Park, assistant librarian for access and outreach services. 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.
 

_{Retired Magistrate Judge Mark D. Fox, U.S. District court, Southern District of N.Y., discussed his 20-year judicial career with Mount Pre-Law students on February 15 at the college.} 

Mount Saint Mary College Pre-Law students enjoyed insights into the legal system from retired Magistrate Judge Mark D. Fox, U.S. District court, Southern District of N.Y., on Thursday, February 15.

Fox drew from 20 years of experience (1988 – 2008) in the position to discuss the New York State court system and the nuts and bolts of a judicial career.  

“Judges decide disputes and legal issues, and they decide them in accordance with the system of justice and the rule of law,” Fox explained. Television programs, he said, often don’t capture the dignity and adherence to law found in real court proceedings.

Fox is the father of Michael L. Fox, assistant professor of Business Law and Pre-Law advisor at the Mount. On March 8 at 6:30 p.m., the professor will moderate a panel discussion, “The Business & Law of Sports and Entertainment in the Hudson Valley,” at the college. The event is free and open to the public. 

The panel will discuss the business and law associated with the growing world of sports and entertainment in the Hudson Valley. The panelists are Rob Affuso, president of the Soulsystem Orchestras and former drummer for the band Skid Row (1987 – 1998); Russell Ger, conductor for the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra; Brandon Steiner, founder and CEO of Steiner Sports; R. Scott Russell, assistant professor of Sports Management at Mount Saint Mary College; and Gary M. Schuester, Esq., partner at Jacobowitz & Gubits, LLP. 

_{Retired Magistrate Judge Mark D. Fox, U.S. District court, Southern District of N.Y. (right) with his son, Michael L. Fox, assistant professor of Business Law and Pre-Law advisor at the Mount.}

The following students were recently honored by Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. for making the Fall 2017 Dean’s List.

Nearly 450 Mount students earned a place on the list this semester.

The Dean’s List distinction is awarded each semester to students who have carried at least 12 graded credits with a minimum semester GPA of 3.5.

Fall 2017 Dean’s List:

_{Mount Saint Mary College’s Center for Career and Experiential Education recently hosted a Careers in the Sciences panel presentation, featuring professionals who work in various areas of the field. Presenters from left to right: Bradley LaMere, assistant director of Graduate Admission and Recruitment at Clarkson University; Megan Hoffman, garden educator at Hudson Valley Seed; Moderator Ellen Bourhis-Nolan, associate director of the Center for Career and Experiential Education; Kathy Chou, science officer and NYSTEM Research Scientists for the Wadsworth Center; and William Wolfgang, senior staff member of the Bacteriology Laboratory at the Wadsworth Center. Julie Pizziketti, director of Biological Science at the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center, joined the conversation via Skype}.

Obtaining a college degree will help prepare students for a career that will utilize their knowledge and skills and lead to enjoyable, meaningful work.

For science students at Mount Saint Mary College, that quest got a boost on Tuesday, February 20 thanks to some advice from five professionals in the field. 

The college’s Center for Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) recently hosted Careers in the Sciences, a panel presentation by local professionals on the number of jobs available in the field. 

They encouraged students to think outside the box in how to apply their scientific skills in the real world.

The presenters included Kathy Chou, science officer and NYSTEM Research Scientist for the Wadsworth Center; Megan Hoffman, garden educator with Hudson Valley Seed; Bradley LaMere, assistant director of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment at Clarkson University; Julie Pizziketti, director of Biological Science at the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center, who advised the students via Skype; and William Wolfgang, a senior staff member of the Bacteriology Laboratory at the Wadsworth Center.

The Mount’s CCEE has hosted similar presentations in the past for students interested in other subjects, including English and sports, and offers career development, networking events, and internship connections for Mount students throughout their educational career.

_{Aideen Ginty, senior Nursing student at Mount Saint Mary College, participates in a mock interview with Timothy Scannell, MBA ’17 CFO of Mobile Life Support Services, Inc., during the Center for Career and Experiential Education's Mock Interview Week.} 

Mount Saint Mary College students recently had the opportunity prepare for the work world with Mock Interview Week on campus. 

The annual program, sponsored by the Center for Career and Experiential Education, pairs students with local business leaders in their field to practice their interviewing skills. This year, 20 employers and 55 students participated in the program, including a number of freshmen.

The best part of the program, says Heather Fitzsimmons, career counselor in the Mount’s Center for Career and Experiential Education, is allowing the students to practice their skills without the pressure of a job on the line. 

“We hold this program each year to help students practice their interview skills and get immediate feedback from a professional in their field,” she explained.

The experience gave Aideen Ginty of Yonkers, N.Y. the confidence to tackle job interviews head-on. 

“It was a really great experience,” said the senior Nursing major. “I received a lot of constructive advice about what to improve and keep the same that will definitely help me in future interviews.”

Her interviewer, Timothy Scannell, vice president and chief financial officer of Mobile Life Support Services, Inc., was impressed with the caliber of the Mount students he interviewed.

“I found the students to be very intelligent, well-spoken and well prepared,” he said. “They each exhibited poise and self-confidence, and conducted themselves professionally throughout the interview.”

Scannell, who was a 2017 graduate of the Mount’s MBA program, was equally impressed with the annual program. 

“The Mock Interview program is an excellent way for the students of Mount Saint Mary College to hone their interview skills and enhance their understanding of what employers look for during the interview process,” he said. “It helps the students build confidence in themselves, and gain an understanding of the hiring process.”

_{Marc Michael Epstein, a professor of Religion and Visual Culture at Vassar College, discussed the importance of Jewish art on February 21 at Mount Saint Mary College.}

Marc Michael Epstein, a professor of Religion and Visual Culture at Vassar College, kicked off this semester’s Catholic and Dominican Institute speaker series with “Is a Manuscript A Mirror? What Can Religious Studies Learn from Art?” on Wednesday, February 21 at Mount Saint Mary College. 

Oft repeated is the idea that Christians were engaged with art as a religious practice while Jews were prohibited from involvement with the arts by the Second Commandment, Epstein explained. But were they really? 

“Jews made art throughout their history,” noted Epstein. “Jewish art is good to think on in the larger spectrum of religious studies because it is so little considered.”

Not only can one view such images academically, noting what people wore, what they ate, and what their houses looked like, but one can also use such art to see “what was in their hearts and minds,” said Epstein.

Regarding Jewish religious texts like the Haggadah, “It’s easy to regard the illustrations of these books as straightforward depictions of the narrative of the Exodus” and beyond, he said. “It is true these illustrations appear to be at first glance simple illustrations of the text they accompany, mirrors of sacred history…but they have a life of their own as separate yet interdependent texts, texts that are really fraught with issues of identity, and self-image, and politics.”

Epstein’s first talk at the Mount in October 2017 was “The Saint John’s Bible: Jews, Christians, and Why Art Matters.” Donald Jackson is the creator of the magnificent Saint John’s Bible – the only handwritten and illuminated Bible produced in more than 500 years. Epstein revealed that throughout the masterwork, Jackson adopts, adapts, and repurposes themes and images from the Hebrew Bible and, in some cases, Jewish visual culture. 

_{Derek Sanderson, assistant librarian for Instruction Services and coordinator of Saint John’s Bible activities; David Kennett, interim president of Mount Saint Mary College; and Marc Michael Epstein, a professor of Religion and Visual Culture at Vassar College view a volume of the Mount’s Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition before Epstein’s talk on February 21.}

Epstein was Vassar’s first director of Jewish Studies. He is a graduate of Oberlin College, received his PhD at Yale University, and did much of his graduate research at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He has written on various topics in visual and material culture produced by, for, and about Jews. His 2011 book, The Medieval Haggadah: Art, Narrative, and Religious Imagination, was selected by the London Times Literary Supplement as one of the best books of the year. Another of his books, Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Manuscript Illumination, was the winner of the National Jewish Book Award in 2015.

The event was sponsored by the Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute (CDI). CDI promotes the Mount’s heritage of St. Dominic, advances the Dominican charism of study and service, provides a forum for discussion of contemporary ethical issues, and enhances Catholic and Jewish dialogue. The Institute welcomes persons of varied faiths and acknowledges different religious traditions as essential to the college’s intellectual and spiritual life. 

_{Mount students have their “passports” evaluated at the college’s recent Immigration Simulation.}

Almost 50 students at Mount Saint Mary College immersed themselves in the United States’ immigration process on Monday, February 26 through a hands-on “Immigration Simulation.” 

At the event, hosted by the college’s chapter of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Student Ambassadors, students assumed the identity of an immigrant based on “passports” they received on arrival, indicating various demographic characteristics about the immigrant they were portraying.

CRS Student Ambassadors played the role of immigration officials and staffed stations representing the journey immigrants take to become U.S. citizens. At each stop, the participants were asked about the education level, marital status, medical history, or employment history of their alter ego. Their answers would determine what station they visited next, or if they were sent to the back of the long line at the initial station to be reevaluated. Students often had to go back and forth between several of the same offices in order to have issues resolved.

Once they became validated citizens, the students met in small groups with Sr. Virginia Wilkinson, PBVM, who asked them to examine the criteria for citizenship as well as how the process impacted them emotionally. 

Christina Mistretta of Brooklyn, N.Y., president of the CRS Student Ambassadors on campus, said the event showed participants how difficult the immigration process can be for some. The experience, she hoped, would help the students to gain a broader understanding of not only the official citizenship process, but also how to look at it from a humanistic point of view. 

In addition to this project, the CRS Student Ambassadors make a difference in the local community throughout the semester by volunteering at St. Mary’s Church in Newburgh and organizing campus Midnight Runs to donate food and clothing to the needy in New York City. 
 

Mount Saint Mary College will celebrate a new on-campus gallery with an inaugural photo exhibition by two Arts and Letters professors on Friday, March 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Dean Goldberg, associate professor of Communication Arts and Film Studies, and Christopher Neyen, assistant professor of Art and Graphic Design, invite the public to the opening of The CMA Gallery at Mount Saint Mary College, in Aquinas Hall. The campus is located at 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh. The event is free. Wine and cheese will be served.

Goldberg will present his photo essay, I Am India! Travels in Agra, Jaipur, and Delhi. Goldberg joined the Mount in 2008 and established Mount Media, a creative agency formed with Mount students. He recently directed Newburgh Rising: A Photographers for Hope Journey, a documentary that follows nine photographers from around the globe as they descend on Newburgh. In addition to his work at the Mount, Goldberg serves as president of the Newburgh Ministry Board of Directors. He has an extensive background in film and production. 

_{RIGHT: Dean Goldberg, associate professor of Communication Arts and Film Studies. Photo by Danangelowe A.J. Spencer ‘17.} 

Neyen will display his work with industrial architecture, Evidential Industrial Mannerisms. A multidisciplinary artist and designer, Neyen’s art has been exhibited in New York, San Francisco, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. As an award-winning visual communicator, he has served as art director and design director for numerous national publications. In addition, he co-founded Perfect Pitch Creative, a strategic marketing and advertising agency. 

The mission of the new CMA Gallery at Mount Saint Mary College is to exhibit professional art and media picked by Mount faculty from among the rising population of artists who live and work in Newburgh, Beacon, and Orange County. The gallery space will feature new focused lighting to highlight the artwork on the first floor of the college’s main academic building.

The next exhibition will be announced at a future date. 

_{LEFT: Christopher Neyen, assistant professor of Art and Graphic Design. Self-portrait.}  

_{The Mount’s Black History Month Celebration featured a panel of African American community leaders sharing their experiences with the college students. From left to right: Torrance Harvey ’03, Newburgh councilman and teacher at Newburgh Free Academy; Jessica Miles ‘11, coordinator at Cornerstone Family Healthcare; Kareem Donaldson ’09, guidance counselor for the City of Newburgh School District; and Aleschia Johnson ’11, assistant director of Student Affairs for International Students and Public Affairs at Columbia University.}

Mount Saint Mary College students closed out Black History Month with a panel discussion featuring African American community leaders on February 28.

Hosted by the college’s Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and the Mount’s Black Student Union, the annual Black History Month Celebration featured Mount alumni and several former HEOP students. 

The panelists were Torrance Harvey ’03, Newburgh councilman and teacher at Newburgh Free Academy; Kareem Donaldson ’09, guidance counselor for the City of Newburgh School District; Jessica Miles ‘11, coordinator at Cornerstone Family Healthcare; and Aleschia Johnson ’11, assistant director of Student Affairs for International Students and Public Affairs at Columbia University. 

Questions and answer topics, presented by Mount students Maria Rivera of the Bronx, N.Y. and Kiana Comrie of Newburgh, N.Y., included what to do to positively impact the community, how to respond to racism, and the experiences that shaped the panelists’ career paths.

Bigotry is an issue that crops up in many aspects of life, said Johnson, but there are constructive ways to combat it. The higher education administrator explained that she seeks to foster friendships and understanding instead of enemies.

Harvey, founder of the 100 Men for Newburgh African American mentorship program, agreed. 

“Stereotypes breed fear,” he explained, which he hopes to combat by offering positive programming via 100 Men for Newburgh.

Donaldson was inspired to enter the education field to give students an African American role model, which he didn’t always have in his classes growing up.

“It is so necessary to work within communities where students don’t have a voice or advocate,” he noted. 

Johnson added that she wants to use her knowledge to help others, whether it be guiding high school students through the financial aid process or providing networking opportunities for her students.

“My biggest give back is on a personal level,” she explained. “You don’t have to do large scale things to make a big impact.”

The panelists concluded with their advice for the students as they continued on with their college careers.

Harvey’s advice was simple but poignant – “Fight for it,” he said, telling the students to not waste a single moment of their college education. He encouraged students to make the most of the connections that the Mount has provided them, and noted that he and Donaldson met when Donaldson was a student at the Mount. The two formed a mentoring bond that continues today. 
 
“Don’t allow your zip code to influence your trajectory,” said Donaldson, encouraging the students to have “relentless determination to succeed.” Miles agreed, telling students to advocate for themselves and not be afraid to ask questions.

Johnson echoed their thoughts. “Don’t approach opportunities with an attitude of defeat,” she said. “Carry yourselves with pride, be confident in your abilities, and be bold in your stance.”

Mount Saint Mary College’s free public talk and film screening featuring Jeffrey Lyons, a five-time New York Emmy Award winner, has been rescheduled to Friday, March 9 due to forecast inclement weather. 

Lyons will discuss his life, career, and memories of revered actor Orson Welles on Friday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the college. The talk, free and open to the public, will take place in Aquinas Hall Theatre on the Mount campus, 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh, N.Y. The doors open at 6 p.m. 

The event will include a special 75th anniversary screening of the 1943 film Jane Eyre, in which Welles plays the leading man opposite Joan Fontaine. 

Lyons, who received a Mount Saint Mary College Honorary Degree in 2002, has reviewed more than 15,000 movies and 900 Broadway and off-Broadway plays; interviewed nearly 500 actors; written or co-authored seven books; and co-hosted three national movie review shows on PBS, MSNBC, and NBC.

After graduating from Syracuse Law School with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1969, Lyons conducted his first professional interview for NBC radio’s iconic Monitor program with Debbie Reynolds. 

Lyons began his journalism career working for the Newhouse Newspapers. He was seen nationally on The Independent Network News via Tribune Broadcasting, and in 1982, Lyons was chosen over 300 aspirants to co-host Sneak Previews, the famous PBS movie review program which he co-hosted for 12 seasons (1982-92 and 1994-96).

In 1996, Lyons joined WNBC as their film and theater critic. He also reviewed movies with his son Ben Lyons on MSNBC’s At the Movies in 2003. He continues his career reviewing movies on WCBS radio in New York and through national syndication on Lyons Den radio, and occasionally on TV. 

His most recent and highly-acclaimed book is What a Time It Was! Leonard Lyons and the Golden Age of New York Nightlife, a sequel to Stories My Father Told Me, Notes from the Lyons Den. Both are collections of anecdotes from his father’s iconic Broadway column, along with his own interviews. 

This lecture is made possible by Mount Saint Mary College’s Samuel D. Affron Memorial Lecture Series and the Affron family. 

Jerome S. Affron, a former Mount trustee, established the Samuel D. Affron Memorial Lecture Series in honor of his father in 1982. A native of Kingston, Samuel D. Affron served on the Board of Education in Beacon for many years. 
 

_{Mount students network with professionals in the fields of marketing, communications, and technology at the recent Real World Connections event.} 

Dozens of graduating Mount Saint Mary College seniors had the opportunity to connect with leaders in their industry at a recent Real World Connections event.

The networking event, which was coordinated by the college’s Center for Career and Experiential Education, featured professionals in the fields of marketing, communications, and technology. The program, which is held several times during the year with focuses on different industries, offers networking and opportunities for personal connection that larger job fairs often can’t provide. 

Mount students benefited from the expertise and advice of:

• Joe Gargiulo, senior vice president of Coyne Public Relations
• Jeremy Smith ’06, director of Engineering at Travelers and owner of 5kywire, a mass media messaging company
• Barry Lewis, executive editor of the Times Herald-Record newspaper
• Anthony Church, vice president of Client Operations at Interact Marketing
• Kevin Gould ’94, systems software test engineer for IBM
• Kurt Praschak, vice president of Public Relations for Success Communications Group
• Steve Shultis, chief technical officer for New York Public Radio
• Kaitlin Gisolfi, business coordinator for D’Archangelo & Co.

Lewis encouraged students to tout real life opportunities to help highlight past work experience. 

“I have never hired anyone because of their GPA,” he explained. “Everyone here will have graduated. I want to see what makes your résumé stand out.”

Shultis, who has hosted tours of the New York Public Radio station for Mount Information Technology and Communications students in the past, was impressed with the opportunities the program offered to students.

“I have a list from our HR department of 20 job openings right here in my pocket,” he said. “A program like this exposes students to a number of very real opportunities, all in one night.”

Gisolfi never saw herself working as an in-house marketing professional, but has loved the experience, especially being able to wear all of the many hats of a marketer as a one-person operation. 

“You don’t have to do marketing in an agency,” she explained to the students. “You can do in-house [marketing] in a field you never would have thought of.”

For the students, being able to make one-on-one connections and receive personal advice gave them more confidence for their final semester at the Mount. 

“Attending Real World Connections helped me prepare for life after graduation because everyone I talked to gave me useful advice,” said Nathan Herring, a senior Media Studies major with a concentration in Journalism from Pleasant Valley, N.Y. “They all recommended networking with as many people as possible because you never know what connections they might have.”

_{A t’ai chi class is held on the lawn of the Mount Saint Mary College Desmond Campus for Adult Enrichment. The campus offers a variety of courses for lifelong learners.}

From yoga and t’ai chi to art appreciation and social media savvy, Mount Saint Mary College’s Desmond Campus for Adult Enrichment offers hundreds of courses each year for the adult learner.

The Desmond Campus hosts non-credit classes in the day, evening, and in Saturday sessions. The campus is located at 6 Albany Post Rd., Newburgh, N.Y.

Explore Gaelic, spoken in regions of Ireland, and its sister language Scottish Gaelic, spoken in parts of Scotland and Nova Scotia, Canada, on Thursday, March 15 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The history and culture of Ireland and Scotland are rooted in the Gaelic, and the national identity of both countries today is inextricably linked with it. Gaelic is poised to make a great leap forward in terms of attracting new learners and potentially restoring it as the national language of Ireland and Scotland. The course will be taught by Robert McDonald, a Gaelic language instructor for the Irish Cultural Center of the Hudson Valley. The cost of the course is $15.

Keep up with marketing in the digital world with “Social Media Marketing Made Simple: A Crash Course in Design, Digital Marketing and Content Optimizations” at the Desmond Campus on Tuesday, March 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. or Saturday, May 12 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Learn to implement, manage, and monitor successful digital marketing strategies to attract and retain customers and clients, increase revenues, and enhance online traffic and reputation management. This course benefits varying levels of skill and experience and will empower participants to maximize the impact of marketing on social media. Social platforms, privacy policies, and applications are constantly changing – this course provides the core concepts necessary to make content interesting, relevant, and engaging. This $99 class is taught by Andrew Ciccone, president and CEO of Hudson Valley Public Relations. His firm specializes in content marketing and has successfully developed integrated marketing strategies, creating highly engaging content, including user generated content, blog posts, content series, and videos.

Art aficionados can enjoy oil and acrylic painting classes taught by local artist Jodi Yeaple-King beginning April 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and running for six weeks. A second six-week class begins May 23. The cost for each six-week session is $120. Please see the Arts and Nature section for a further list of art classes as well as art history lectures offered.

Additionally, all are invited to “Art from the Heart & Kidney,” a free mixed media exhibit at Desmond featuring the works of Yeaple-King. The artist’s reception is on Sunday, March 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. and will include paintings, flower arrangements, and jewelry. The show runs through April 18.  

Other upcoming courses include chair yoga, hatha yoga, and gentle yoga, with options in March, April, and May; t’ai chi classes in March and May; and selections from the Desmond Speaker Series, ranging from “Native American Peoples of the Hudson River” on March 19 at 6:30 p.m. to “Fake News: Sorting Truth from Fiction” on April 16 at 10 a.m. 

Explore a world of opportunities at the Mount’s Desmond Campus. To download a catalog of the latest Desmond Campus events, visit www.msmc.edu/desmond 

For more information or to register for classes, call 845-565-2076 or email desmondcampus@msmc.edu 
 

_{Several members of Mount Saint Mary College and Bishop Dunn Memorial School came together to celebrate the grand reopening of the school library. Top row from left to right: Sonya Abbye-Taylor, assistant professor of Education at the Mount; Barbara Petruzzelli, director of the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center at the Mount; Sr. Lucy Povilonis, OP, religious coordinator at BDMS; Nancy Benfer, principal of BDMS; Jennifer Park, assistant librarian for Access and Outreach Services at the Mount; Donna DelCante, library/art teacher at BDMS; and Emily Perez, a sophomore Nursing major at the Mount from Chester, N.Y. who was one of the many work study students to assist in the cataloging process. Bottom row: Middle school students from BDMS.}

Through a collaboration with Mount Saint Mary College’s Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center, Bishop Dunn Memorial School (BDMS), located on the Mount campus, recently unveiled its revamped library.

The collaboration sprung from a chance conversation last spring between Sr. Lucy Povilonis, OP, religious coordinator for BDMS, and Barbara Petruzzelli, director of the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center at the college. Povilonis explained that the school could use some help in cataloging and reorganizing library books, and Petruzzelli offered to lend BDMS some of the college’s work study students for the project.

The project included a modernization of the space, thanks to the leadership of Jen Park, assistant librarian for Access and Outreach Services at the Mount, and several Mount students. Under Park’s direction, the Mount students assisted in barcoding each book in the library to update the electronic check out system, as well as organizing the shelves according to categories. Musical equipment that had been stored in a research area was moved elsewhere to provide a more welcoming atmosphere, and the library was also given a fresh coat of paint.

At the reopening, Nancy Benfer ’04, principal of BDMS, explained that the renovation would not have been possible without a strong collaboration between the school and several Mount departments, including Facilities, Division of Education, Finance, and the library.

“It took all of us together to get this accomplished,” said Benfer. “We are blessed to be on this campus.”

The collaboration also allowed some of the BDMS middle school students to work with the college students after school. The young students learned a lasting model of community service from the college students.

“When students have spaces like this, they learn to respect it,” said Benfer of the newly-revitalized library.

The new library was painted the same color as the college’s auditorium, and the tables and chairs were from the college’s Curtin Memorial Library, which was retired in 2014 when the new library in the Dominican Center was unveiled.

Benfer looks forward to future collaborations between the school and the college.

_{Therapy dogs from Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause visit Mount Saint Mary College during midterms so students can take a break.}

With midterms lurking and major projects due, trained therapy dogs provided a break for Mount Saint Mary College students, faculty, and staff last week at the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center.

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 midterms 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 animals came to the Mount via Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause. The popular event has become a tradition at Mount Saint Mary College.

“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.

_{Br. Jordan Zajac, OP presented “Macbeth and the Conspiracy for Life” on Tuesday, March 6 at Mount Saint Mary College.}

Like all of Shakespeare’s tragedies, death is a major theme of Macbeth. But for all the play’s attention to bloodshed, what poses the greatest threat to Macbeth’s grip of kingly power is the threat of life, noted Br. Jordan Zajac, OP at his March 6 talk at Mount Saint Mary College.

“Macbeth and the Conspiracy for Life,” was the latest in the college’s Catholic and Dominican Institute speaker series.

“The fundamental human desire for life proves stubborn and indomitable,” said Br. Zajac, and director Justin Kurzel’s 2015 film adaptation of Macbeth makes this point very clear. 

After showing clips from the movie, Br. Zajac analyzed the film through the lens of Aristotle’s theory of tragedy and his philosophical anthropology. “[There’s] a conspiracy at work in this telling of Macbeth: the conspiracy for life,” he concluded.

Prior to the talk, Br. Zajac broke bread with the Dominican Scholars of Hope, a living and learning community for highly motivated Mount freshmen and sophomores. Rooted in the values of the Judeo-Christian and Dominican heritage of the Mount, the group is inspired by the four pillars of Dominican life: study, spirituality, community, and service.

Br. Zajac entered the Order of Preachers in 2013. He attended Providence College, where he majored in English and minored in Political Science, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Virginia. He earned a PhD at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, specializing in early modern English drama. He is currently studying Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., in preparation for the priesthood. 

The Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute promotes the Mount’s heritage of St. Dominic, advances the Dominican charism of study and service, provides a forum for discussion of contemporary ethical issues, and enhances Catholic and Jewish dialogue. The Institute welcomes persons of varied faiths and acknowledges different religious traditions as essential to the college’s intellectual and spiritual life.

_{Before his talk on March 6, Br. Jordan Zajac, OP enjoyed eating dinner with Mount Saint Mary College’s Dominican Scholars of Hope (DSH). Top row, behind Br. Zajac, are Charles Zola, chair of the Division of Philosophy and Religious Studies, associate professor of Philosophy, director of the Mount’s Catholic and Dominican Institute, and DSH advisor; and Jeanne Conboy, administrative assistant of the Catholic and Dominican Institute.}

Film critic Jeffrey Lyons discussed the life and career of Orson Welles on Friday, March 9 at Mount Saint Mary College.

Renowned film critic Jeffrey Lyons has reviewed more than 15,000 movies during his decades-long career, but it was two of his favorites – Jane Eyre (1943) and The Graduate (1967) – that brought him to Mount Saint Mary College on March 9. 

Lyons, a Mount Honorary Degree recipient (2002), discussed his life, career, and memories of revered actor Orson Welles during a free public talk Friday night. The event included a special 75th anniversary screening of Jane Eyre, in which Welles plays the leading man opposite Joan Fontaine. 

“I hope nights like this will keep Orson’s memory alive,” said Lyons. “Orson was my father’s best friend.” 

With the single exception of Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles “had the most influence on my life among my parents’ friends,” Lyons revealed. “If he had never been a movie star, or a radio star, or a Broadway star, never written a word of script, he would have been a genius in whatever field he pursued. Except for sports, he was the world’s greatest authority on anything and everything.”

Welles’ first film, which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in, was 1941’s Citizen Kane. Widely regarded as the greatest film of all time, Lyons said such early success might have been too much for any other actor. “It’s hard to have your greatest achievement be your first achievement,” he explained. 

But not Welles, Lyons noted, who went on to contribute to more than 50 films, including Othello (1952), The Trial (1962), and Touch of Evil (1958). His final role was voicing the central villain in Transformers: The Movie (1986).

The talk and film screening was made possible by Mount Saint Mary College’s Samuel D. Affron Memorial Lecture Series and the Affron family. Jerome S. Affron, a former Mount trustee, established the Samuel D. Affron Memorial Lecture Series in honor of his father in 1982. A native of Kingston, Samuel D. Affron served on the Board of Education in Beacon for many years. 

Earlier in the day on March 9, Lyons offered some insight to Mount film students in professor Dean Goldberg’s Cinema of the ‘60s course. Lyons introduced the seminal film The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman.

_{During his recent visit to Mount Saint Mary College, film critic Jeffrey Lyons met with communication arts students to discuss film history highlights.}

“I’ve seen 30,000 movies, and The Graduate is my favorite film,” said Lyons. “When it came out, Mike Nichols, the director, lived upstairs on the floor above us. I slipped a note under his door – I was 22 years old – and I said this is my favorite film. It still is.”

The critic also revealed to Goldberg’s class a few more of favorite films, among them The Man Who Never Was (1956), The Horse Soldiers (1959), The Longest Day (1962), Gladiator (2000), and Jim Thorpe – All-American (1951), which Lyons said is “probably the best all-around sports movie ever made.”

Of Jaws (1975), another of his favorite films, Lyons quipped, “I told director Stephen Spielberg I’ve never been in the ocean since Jaws. The fish go where they go, I go to a pool.” 

In addition to his career as a film critic, Lyons, a five-time New York Emmy Award winner, has reviewed more than 900 Broadway and off-Broadway plays; interviewed nearly 500 actors; written or co-authored seven books; and co-hosted three national movie review shows on PBS, MSNBC, and NBC.

Lyons began his journalism career working for the Newhouse Newspapers. He was seen nationally on The Independent Network News via Tribune Broadcasting, and in 1982, Lyons was chosen over 300 aspirants to co-host Sneak Previews, the famous PBS movie review program which he co-hosted for 12 seasons (1982-92 and 1994-96).

In 1996, Lyons joined WNBC as their film and theater critic. He also reviewed movies with his son Ben Lyons on MSNBC’s At the Movies in 2003. He continues his career reviewing movies on WCBS radio in New York and through national syndication on Lyons Den radio, and occasionally on TV. 

His most recent and highly-acclaimed book is What a Time It Was! Leonard Lyons and the Golden Age of New York Nightlife, a sequel to Stories My Father Told Me, Notes from the Lyons Den. Both are collections of anecdotes from his father’s iconic Broadway column, along with his own interviews. 

_{The Mount’s Aquinas Hall was packed during the recent “Business and Law of Sports and Entertainment in the Hudson Valley” panel held at the college.}

Students at Mount Saint Mary College learned from the expertise of local industry leaders in the sectors of sports and entertainment during a recent panel presentation at the college.

“The Business and Law of Sports and Entertainment in the Hudson Valley” featured Rob Affuso, president of the Soulsystem Orchestras and former drummer for the band Skid Row; Russell Ger, conductor for the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra; Brandon Steiner, founder and CEO of Steiner Sports; R. Scott Russell, assistant professor of Sports Management at Mount Saint Mary College; and Gary M. Schuster, Esq., partner at Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP. The panel was moderated by Michael L. Fox, assistant professor of Business Law and Pre-Law advisor at the Mount, and sponsored by the college’s School of Business and Pre-Law Society.

Originally from Australia, Ger noted that he has always been impressed with how dedicated the community is to the betterment and enrichment of Newburgh. He believes that opportunities for entertainment businesses in the Hudson Valley abound as a result. 

“The population here has the desire and the need” for quality performances, he said. The greatest compliment he ever received on the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra was that the orchestra provided the quality of New York City right in people’s backyard, he added.

Affuso, who was born and raised in Newburgh, agreed. “There’s so many more opportunities now,” he said of the entertainment industry in the Hudson Valley. As a result, however, “You have to be aggressive and know why you’re talented and why you want to do this.”

The former drummer noted that he was able to use his experience in the performing arts to gain the business acumen needed to run his current company, a point that Steiner echoed. Steiner emphasized that gaining business experience with another company is integral to starting one’s own. Even if working for that company is not the end goal, he explained, students would be able to learn how business is conducted and apply that to their own ideas. 

_{Presenters at the Mount’s recent “Business and Law of Sports and Entertainment in the Hudson Valley.” From left to right: Michael L. Fox, assistant professor of Business Law and Pre-Law advisor at Mount Saint Mary College; R. Scott Russell, assistant professor of Sports Management at Mount Saint Mary College; Russell Ger, conductor for the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra; Gary M. Schuster, Esq., partner at Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP; Rob Affuso, president of the Soulsystem Orchestras and former drummer for the band Skid Row; and Brandon Steiner, founder and CEO of Steiner Sports.}

Drawing on his personal experience beginning in computer science, Russell demonstrated to the audience that many seemingly unrelated skills can be applied to one’s chosen profession. “Sports management doesn’t exclude anybody – you can do accounting for sports, marketing for sports…find a way to use your academic skills to apply to your passion and turn it into a lifelong goal,” he said.

The professor is impressed with the accomplishments of students in the Mount’s Sports Management programs, a concentration within the School of Business that was introduced at the college about two years ago. “I can’t wait for the next 5 to 10 years to see the great successes coming out of this program,” Russell told the audience.

From the law perspective, Schuster shared that finding a specialist is key in opening and maintaining a successful business, especially in the sports and entertainment fields. On the entertainment side, one has to consider copyrights, equipment purchases, and investment structures, while insurance, licensing, and environmental concerns are top priorities in sports-related businesses.

The lawyer encouraged students to think outside the box when it comes to looking for careers in sports and entertainment. “For example, [the Hudson Valley] has the hardware of entertainment,” he explained, referencing set building, lighting equipment, and more that is produced in the area, which would also provide ways for those skilled in non-related fields like technology and engineering to be a part of these industries.

For Steiner, the biggest takeaway from his experiences in starting Steiner Sports is simple, he said:“It isn’t about selling, it’s about solving.” That philosophy fuels his company’s focus on being customer-centric. 

For the aspiring entrepreneurs in the audience, Steiner encouraged them not to wait until graduation to get started and to begin building their personal brand now.

“No matter where you are, make it happen,” he said. “The grass isn’t greener on the other side; the grass is greener where you water it.” 

_{Keynote speaker Sean Creighton ’92, CEO and founder of Boulevard One Marketing Consultation in New Rochelle, N.Y., advised Mount students to keep a positive attitude and remain committed to their success.}

Nearly 20 successful Mount Saint Mary College graduates headed back to their alma mater recently to mentor a new generation of pre-professionals.

The Ninth Annual Meet a Mentor Dinner, organized by the Office of Alumni Affairs, provided the college’s forward-thinking students valuable insight into the work world while breaking bread with a variety of Mount alumni. 

Keynote speaker Sean Creighton ’92, CEO and founder of Boulevard One Marketing Consultation in New Rochelle, N.Y., encouraged students to take advantage of internship and experiential learning opportunities.

“Connect that which you love to do with what you want to do in your life,” he said. “Mount Saint Mary College was the absolute best place for me to be, because it allowed me to make connections between what I liked and was interested in, and what my opportunities were at this college.”

Some of Creighton’s favorite mentors from the Mount include Arts and Letters professors Emeritus James Beard, Sr. Catherine Walsh, OP, and Irene Nunneri. 

Andrew D. O’Grady ’88, CEO of Mental Health American for Dutchess County, told students that a little kindness can go a long way.

“My advice is to never burn a bridge,” he said. “Be kind to everybody, because you never know who might be your boss or who might help you get a foot in the door at a job. You want to make a good impression wherever you go and whatever you do.” 

_{Kiamesha Dolson-Ostrander ’15 (center), family intervention specialist at the Abbott House child care agency, mentors a group of Mount Saint Mary College students.}

Victoria Goldbach ’16, who studied nursing at the Mount, is now a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. She pointed out that for aspiring nurses, there’s more to worry about than just finishing college, such as passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). At the dinner, she gave advice to help students overcome such challenges.

“The field of nursing is so different from that senior year in several ways,” she explained. “It’s a big step to go into the post-grad world. I’m hoping to help current students prep for that.”

Senior Madison Herley, a Media Studies-Production major, said the dinner helped her to “find connections in different industries.” She added that even if a mentor isn’t in her field of study, the ins and outs of their path to success can be useful to any jobseeker. 

Other Mount alumni bringing their advice to the table were Debra Calvino ’81, director of Curriculum, Instruction and Testing at Valley Central High School, who was named New York State Teacher of the Year in 2010; Elaine-Marie Cannella ’85, senior consultant for health and benefits with Willis Towers Watson insurance company; Leanne L. Larson ’85, northeast patient access manager for rheumatology at Horizon Pharma; Nick Shannon ’03, executive director of the Chamber Foundation of the Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce; Sean Glander ’06, an accountant at Big V Properties LLC; Crystal Johnson ’06, an account manager with Walden Savings Bank; Anthony J. Curti ’08, assistant district attorney at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office; Sean Barton ’13, a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual; and Kiamesha Dolson-Ostrander ’15, family intervention specialist at the Abbott House child care agency.