PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2015–16 Inside MMC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 New Name Lifelong Legacy Main Building Renamed to Honor the Carson Family P. 1 6 NEWS FEATURE ALUMNI PROFILES NEW YORK MINUTE CITYEDGE JILL BRIGHT ’83 4 Around Campus 18 College-to-Career 22 New Trustee columns 3 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 4 NEW YORK MINUTE Around Campus 12 FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS 14 IN THE NEWS features 16 NEW NAME, LIFELONG LEGACY Main Building Renamed to Honor the Carson Family 18 CITYEDGE Marymount Manhattan College Announces New College-To-Career Initiative 20 UNITED NATIONS PROGRAM Prepares MMC Students to Take on the World departments 22 ALUMNI PROFILES 26 CLASS NOTES 30 IN MEMORIAM 31 A LOOK BACK IN TIME 32 LAST LOOK On Thursday, September 1, Marymount Manhattan College officially welcomed the Class of 2020 and new transfer students at the New Student Convocation, a festive event attended by hundreds of students, faculty, staff, and trustees. The event, which included the ceremonial Presentation of the Pins, was the highlight of a week of orientation activities for new students and symbolically launched the new academic year. inside this issue Full-time enrollment at the College is at an all-time high, at 1,842. The Class of FISCAL YEAR 2016 2020, numbering 535 students, ties the Class of 2008 as the largest in MMC PRESIDENT’S REPORT history. Go, Griffins! Winter 2017 | 1 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT WINTER 2017 EDITORIAL BOARD Stephanie Policastro, Editor-in-Chief In 1948, the college whose name would become Marymount Manhattan moved st Cassie Tees, Senior Editor into the old Junior League building at 221 East 71 Street. Since that momentous Daniel Moise, Copy Editor move nearly 70 years ago, the building has been the intellectual home to Olivia Des Chenes thousands of ambitious, talented students and hundreds of dedicated faculty and Kathleen LeBesco, Ph.D. staff. But it never had a real name—until now. Corey J. Liberman, Ph.D. Marilyn Wilkie On October 27, 2016, in a joyous dedication ceremony, the building that has CONTRIBUTORS served as the core of MMC’s vibrant campus community was named Carson Hall, Ryan Atwell ’16 in recognition of Judith M. Carson ’03, H’13 and Russell L. Carson. The Carsons’ Susan J. Behrens, Ph.D. leadership and generosity over the last decade have ensured that every student Mary Brown, Ph.D. who walks through the doorway on 71st Street is walking into a bright future. Kevin Connell Kevin Croke It is no coincidence that Carson Hall and its two neighbors on MMC’s main campus—Nugent Hall and the Katherine Dunford ’16 Faculty Center—are located in one of the world’s greatest cities. Our visionary founders understood that a Jessica Fillare ’18 small liberal arts college in the beating heart of New York provides opportunities for higher learning and career Briana Fitzpatrick development available nowhere else. Iman Habib ’16 Andreas Hernandez, Ph.D. Alessandra Leri, Ph.D. To realize the potential of the founders’ vision, MMC recently launched CityEdge, a signature college-to- Jordan E. Mason ’19 career initiative that takes full advantage of all that our great city has to offer, from internships and city-based Peter Naccarato, Ph.D. courses, to personal and career exploration through a new online workshop called CareerLab. Kyle Nachreiner Deirdre Quinn ’17 In this issue, we celebrate the naming of Carson Hall, the launch of CityEdge, and the many ways that MMC’s For every two dollars you give, longtime Carly Schneider ’12 campus is as small as a close-knit family and as big as the Big Apple itself. We also cheer on the Class of 2020, Amanda Sherwin ’19 whose members were inducted into the MMC community this past fall at the New Student Convocation, which Marymount Manhattan College supporters DESIGNER culminated in a special “pinning ceremony” and the singing of our one-of-a-kind Alma Mater, Hail Marymount Judith ’03, H’13 and Russell Carson will give one dollar. Rose Creative Group Manhattan! And for the first time, we enclose in this magazine the President’s Report, which recognizes many of the individuals who make an MMC education possible. PHOTOGRAPHERS Joshua Cuppek As I round the corner of my “sophomore year,” I feel fortunate to be the president of the nation’s premier Phase 3 of the Carson Match: Melanie Einzig destination for students seeking a contemporary, small-college experience that blends a versatile liberal arts Joe Vericker Inspiring Student Success education with professional preparation and social engagement in the rich mosaic of a city that knows no OFFICERS OF THE COLLEGE bounds. Kerry Walk, Ph.D. The Fund for Marymount Manhattan College supports every President Kerry Walk, Ph.D. aspect of the student experience. This includes scholarships, Paul Ciraulo President campus improvements, technology updates, new academic programs, Executive Vice President for Administration the appointment of distinguished faculty chairs, and other and Finance areas of greatest need. Simply put, your gift sustains our students, the heart of Marymount Manhattan. Carol L. Jackson, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs Kathleen LeBesco, Ph.D. MAKING A GIFT IS EASY Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty Marilyn Wilkie Vice President for Institutional Advancement Please send comments to: Editor, MMC Magazine Marymount Manhattan College Call Visit Mail Office of Institutional Advancement 212.517.0460 mmm.edu/donatenow a check using the 221 East 71st Street to donate by phone to donate online enclosed envelope New York, NY 10021 [email protected] MMC Magazine is published bi-annually for alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends of Marymount Manhattan College by Visit www.mmm.edu/giving for additional ways to the Office of Institutional Advancement. make your impact, including planned giving options. Dressed in official Marymount Manhattan College jerseys and eye black, team blue and team white faced off (and took a break from the action Printed by J.S. McCarthy Printers, for a group photo) at the annual Flag Football Game—part of MMC’s 2016 Homecoming Weekend. Can you spot President Walk in the crowd? Every gift counts! 15 Darin Drive, Augusta, Maine. 2 | Marymount Manhattan College Winter 2017 | 3 NEW YORK MINUTE SPEAKER Apple Fest, MMC’s Annual SERIES 71st Street Block Party Rudin Lecture On Thursday, September 22, development and activities. On October 26, Simi Linton, Ph.D., this year’s MMC took over 71st Street “We’re grateful to everyone who distinguished Rudin Scholar, presented to a theatre for Apple Fest, the annual worked together to make this filled with Marymount Manhattan students, faculty, fall celebration attended by event such a success, and also staff, and community members. A screening of her hundreds of students, faculty, glad to include more partners documentary, Invitation to Dance, occurred prior. and staff. from the community to provide Afterwards, Linton provided insights into her life as a giveaways and services to our disabled woman and her work as an artist, educator, This year’s Apple Fest featured students.” and activist. more than 30 MMC clubs and organizations, as well Marie Pace, MMC’s auxiliary After the film, Dr. Linton delivered the 2016 Rudin Dr. Linton speaking to students prior to her lecture. as a caricature artist, tarot services manager, agrees. “Apple Lecture, “Disability Arts & Artistry: Exploring New card reader, and henna artist. Fest is the perfect opportunity Cultural Territory.” Held in the Theresa Lang Theatre, Students also enjoyed testing to be introduced to all the clubs the lecture explored the longstanding absence of in the arts. Linton holds an undergraduate degree their skills with carnival games, and organizations at Marymount disability representation within art and art institutions, from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from New York playing electronic basketball, Manhattan,” she says, “and we as well as recent progress to reshape disability in the University, and was recently appointed by Mayor Bill relaxing with adult coloring, and had a great turnout of eager cultural imagination and improve recognition of the de Blasio to New York City’s Cultural Affairs Advisory showing their school spirit with students ready to get involved. cultural authority of disabled people. Commission. MMC-themed tattoos—don’t Plus, having your own block worry, they’re temporary! party in New York City is a pretty Simi Linton is an author, filmmaker, and arts The Rudin Foundation, Inc. established the Jack and cool experience.” consultant. Her writings include Claiming Disability: Lewis Rudin Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program “Every year, Apple Fest just gets Knowledge and Identity, My Body Politic, and the at Marymount Manhattan College in 2000. During their bigger and better,” says Olivia essay “Cultural Territories of Disability” in Disability. lifetimes, Jack and Lewis Rudin were known for their Des Chenes, director of student Dance. Artistry., published by Dance/NYC. She is the extraordinary contributions to enhance the quality subject of the documentary filmInvitation to Dance, of living and working in New York City, and for their which she and Christian von Tippelskirch directed and generous support of education, health, the arts, and produced. Linton’s consultancy practice, Disability/ other civic, religious, and cultural causes. CAMPUS Arts, works to shape the presentation of disability UPDATE MMC Gets a Fresh Look In keeping with the fresh, forward-looking character of Marymount Manhattan College, the Office of Institutional Advancement recently spearheaded an update to the MMC brand. Early in 2016, a team of MMC Alumna Appointed faculty, staff, and administrators—in partnership with the branding firm Ologie—embarked upon a process of discovery, strategy, and design. to President’s Advisory Council The goal was to evolve the Marymount Manhattan brand through new Marymount Manhattan College welcomes From 1990 to 1998, Dr.