2017 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL REPORT 2017 1 563 students in the class of 2017 What’s Inside 04 A Letter From the President 06 Transforming Lives With a Legacy 08 The Dominican College Difference: Leadership, Excellence and Service. 103 students completed 1 2 State-of-the-Art Fitness Center Opens internships in 14 The Year in Review 18 2017 Commencement 2016 – 2017 20 Events 24 Athletic Highlights 26 Board of Trustees 28 Report on Giving 38 Milestones 42 Noteworthy Faculty Activities 46 Financials 47 Chief Administrators $ > 800K was given by thousands of donors to the College’s annual fund 20 members of Rotaract, the College’s largest student organization 2 DOMINICAN COLLEGE 98% of Dominican College students receive financial aid $ > 222M the College’s economic impact on Rockland County Achievement Every Day Great achievements happen every day at Dominican College. § Success through challenging academics. § The discovery of professional passions. § Nurturing of lifelong friendships. § Growth through service to others. Hundreds of supporters, including alumni, students, friends, faculty, administration, and staff, are helping to advance the Dominican College mission of promoting educational excellence, leadership, and service in an environment characterized by respect for the individual and concern for the community and its needs. ANNUAL REPORT 2017 3 A Letter From The President Dear Friends, It is my pleasure to present in the world—through their to you the 2016-17 Annual commitment to leadership, Report and share with you excellence, and service. the highlights of the past year at Dominican College. When On the following pages, we work together, supporting you will read about some each other’s aspirations, of the more noteworthy much has been and can be accomplishments at the accomplished for the good College over the past year. of all. It is our common hope We are so very proud of the that Dominican College will advances in our academic continue to be a place where programs, the improvements our students, faculty, staff, and on our campus, and the administrators can grow in personal achievements of healthy, holistic ways. Nothing our students and faculty. is more important than this This past May, the first culture of growth, commitment Doctor of Nursing Practice to improvement, and deep students were among the concern for one another. 563 graduates. Our healthcare I’ve heard it said that when programs, including the St. Dominic Guzmán, the nursing program, have always 13th century founder of the been a source of tremendous Dominican Order, saw people, pride for the College. Now he saw potential. Here at we have the first nurses and Dominican College, we see physical therapists earning the incredible potential of terminal degrees. our students. Sixty-five years ago, the College opened its doors for the first time. Today, we have nearly 14,000 alumni making an impact 4 DOMINICAN COLLEGE The expansion and renovation Education (MSCHE) visited of the Hennessy Center—with the campus as part of the a state-of-the-art fitness room, re-accreditation process. In an additional gymnasium, an the draft report they noted: athletic training lab, and a new “Students express a deep sense recruitment conference room— of being cared for by a faculty were completed in time for the genuinely concerned about their start of the new school year. well-being and development The entire college community as well as their intellectual and and local residents will benefit professional development, and from the new facilities. Certainly, by staff and administrators— our athletes now have the including Trustees—whose work opportunity to be in better extends that caring educational St. Dominic Guzmán Men’s Golf Team condition than ever before. We atmosphere into all areas of have also begun fundraising to the College.” convert the grass soccer field behind Forkel Hall to a turf field As we look forward to the surrounded by a running track. year ahead, which will be filled This planned improvement with both opportunities and is possible as a result of the challenges, we appreciate purchase of 17 acres from the you keeping the College in Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt your prayers and among your in November 2016. priorities. It was a stellar year for our The College is thankful for athletic program, with our men’s the enthusiasm of the students, golf team becoming the first the dedication of the staff, the team in College history to win vision of the Board, and the the NCAA Division II Regional magnanimity of our supporters. Championship and to advance I continue to believe, and say often, that the quality Dr. Lynne Weissman with to the National Championship. Men’s Baseball Team two of her DNP students In addition, the men’s baseball and generosity of the people team won their 17th CACC involved in the College are our Tournament and advanced to greatest assets. the regionals. Best wishes for a fruitful and At Dominican College, we focus blessed 2017-18. on the important work of making Gratefully, a positive difference in the lives of students during a critical juncture in their lives, with a deep exposure to the Dominican Sr. Mary Eileen O’Brien, pillars of study, community, O.P., Ph.D. service, and spirituality. This was noticed when the Visiting Team representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Hennessy Expansion Three of Our Supporters ANNUAL REPORT 2017 5 Transforming Lives With a Legacy James E. Hennessy and a shock,” he said. “It was just tremendous.” Thinking back on all the changes that have taken place Although Hennessy served as at Dominican College over Chair of the Board for 17 years, the 36 years since he was he is very humble about his role first appointed to the Board of in the College’s growth. “It’s not Trustees, James E. Hennessy about me. It is about the whole sums it up in one word. “Amazing. team,” he said. He stressed that It really is amazing,” he said. the Board of Trustees had high attendance at meetings and When Hennessy first began the trustees all had a great serving on the Board in 1981, commitment to the College. there were 660 full-time “It’s a very positive kind of undergraduate students, all feeling. After every meeting, I the buildings were rented, and go away feeling good,“ he said. there were no residence halls Then he smiled and added, on campus. Since then, there “Sometimes with less hair.” has been tremendous growth in enrollment and the addition of It’s that gentle good humor, his master’s and doctorate programs. deep-seated integrity, and a Furthermore, the College keen business sense that have acquired land and constructed endeared him to many. The James E. Hennessy a new science building, a sports former Executive Vice President center, a dining/multi-purpose of NYNEX and Director of New A long-time proponent of the center, and three residence halls. York Telephone has a bachelor’s Total Quality Management degree in engineering and a business model, which focuses In June, Hennessy stepped master’s degree in business on the customer, Hennessy is down from the Board of Trustees, administration. especially proud that Dominican at 83 years old, but he will College is such a welcoming always be tied to the College In addition to serving on the college with an emphasis on the because of his dedication to Board at Dominican College, students. Hennessy points out the ideals of the College and Hennessy is a co-founder of the that if you count his honorary the Hennessy Center that Palisades Institute which assists degree bestowed upon him in bears his name. He fondly businesses, government, and 1997, Doctor of Laws, his family remembers attending the not-for-profit groups in applying has three generations of groundbreaking of the sports the principles of leadership, Dominican College graduates. and fitness center in 1994 with quality, and ethics by offering One of his sons and a grandson his wife Barbara. “The Board had seminars and workshops. He has are Dominican College some kind of secret meeting and also been an adjunct professor graduates. surprised us that day with the at the College, teaching a name. So that was nice— management course. In recognition of his numerous contributions to the College, Hennessy was appointed Trustee Emeritus in October 2017. 6 DOMINICAN COLLEGE Sr. Catherine and women’s lacrosse and Howard, O.P., Ph.D. soccer teams to use the field. The project will also include Sr. Catherine Howard, O.P., the construction of a running Ph.D. has always been a loyal track surrounding the field for friend to Dominican College the cross-country and track and in many capacities—serving field teams. Future phases of as a trustee, an adjunct the project call for the addition instructor of Social Work, and of lights to the field, and the a Commencement speaker. construction of a fieldhouse Perhaps her greatest with locker rooms and contribution to the College, restrooms. however, was her involvement in selling a 17-acre parcel of Sr. Catherine said the Sisters land to the College during her are delighted that the sale will tenure as President of the allow for the revitalization of the Congregation of the Sisters of property. “Many of the Sisters St. Dominic of Blauvelt. The of St. Dominic are graduates of land, which the College had Dominican College from years previously leased from the past so it’s deep within our Sisters, includes the Rosary Hall spirit to really help the College,” parking lot, Forkel Hall, and the she said. Sr. Catherine also soccer field. stressed that the proceeds from the sale benefited the Sisters’ “During my term, I think we mission as well.