College of Mount Saint Vincent

We're pleased to share that the Board of Trustees of the College of Mount Saint Vincent has appointed Dr. Susan R. Burns as the Mount’s sixth president, effective January 1, 2021. Dr. Burns, who is currently Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty at Clarke University in Iowa, will succeed President Charles L. Flynn, Jr., who will retire at the end of the year. I am humbled and honored to be selected as the next president of the College of Mount Saint Vincent... and I am delighted to join a community committed to providing transformational student-centered learning opportunities in and beyond the classroom, said Dr. Burns in accepting the appointment. The College’s deep commitment to Vincentian service, social justice, and authentic inclusivity align with my personal and professional commitment to the common good and Catholic intellectual tradition." Congratulations, Dr. Burns! We can't wait for you to join the Mount community.

The age of COVID-19 won’t stop Red Monkey Theater Group (RMTG) from bringing their audience safe, socially-distanced acting events and workshops! Go behind the scenes with RMTG for an acting class this Saturday in Cahill Theater. The best part? It’s free for Mount students and staff! But only TWO spots remainlearn more and register today!

Calling our #CMSV Alumnae/i from near and far! We would love for you to wine down with us on November 5th at our Virtual Wine Tasting! You'll have the opportunity to learn about and taste a unique flight of eight different wines. Today is the last day to reserve your kit! Don't miss out!

Practice must go on! Last week, News 12 The Bronx stopped by campus to check in with our Women's Soccer and Volleyball teams, who are still hard at work on the field and on the court.

This Alum Feature Friday is a bit different. Today we fondly remember Matthew DiStefano ‘00, who courageously fought a year-long battle with kidney cancer and passed away this past January. Last night, the Class of 2000 gathered on Zoom for their virtual 20 year Reunion Celebration & honored the amazing, heroic, and lasting legacy of Matt, who is better know as Dezy. Dezy was incredibly involved in the #CMSV community during his time here as a two-sport athlete. A champion o...n both the basketball and volleyball courts, Dezy was inducted into the CMSV Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 for his record-setting performance and commitment to the Mount’s mission throughout his career and personal life. After graduation, he went on to become an all-around educator both on and off the court. Dezy not only served as a Sachem High School teacher, but dedicated years of service as an award-winning volleyball coach. Soon after his induction, Dezy was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer, which is when he began the Dezy Strong Foundation to help and inspire others going through cancer treatment. He was well known for his incredible positivity even through the hardest of times and his we get to mantra. He taught his students, athletes, family, friends, and strangers to switch their outlook on life to a we get to perspective, helping them find gratitude in each and every day. The #CMSV community will continue to live out the legacy he left behind and be #DezyStrong!

Award-winning novelist Darin Strauss visited the Mount on September 23 as one of our first public on-campus visitors since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Strauss hosted a reading of his latest book #TheQueenOfTuesday as well as a Q&A session with students as part of Professor Rob Jacklosky's contemporary writers in the 21st century course, an experience the entire class appreciated. He was super down-to-earth (and) very easy to talk to, sophomore student Rachel Peguero-Jorge said. Of course, he’s an author and he gets his respect, but he really treated us like he was just one of us.

We are back with another #AlumFeatureFriday with Amy Fox '15. Positive self-esteem and a commitment to human dignity are qualities that Amy believes are indispensable to the human experiencesomething that was nurtured in her during her time as an undergraduate student at Mount Saint Vincent. Amy was involved in almost every area of academic and student life during her time on campus, dedicating time to grow and develop her skills as a scholar, leader, and friend both within... and beyond the classroom. The most influential program she participated in while at the Mount was the Seton Service and Leadership Program (SSLP), where she served at various ministries both in NYC and across the country and spent time in weekly reflective gatherings. And it was through the SSLP that Amy found her passion for social work. In 2015, Amy graduated as valedictorian from the Mount and immediately continued her education at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Amy has already had a robust career in the field and now serves as a school social worker for the New York City Department of Education at an elementary school in Jamaica, Queens! Amy said, "I wouldn’t be where I am without Mount Saint Vincent and the support I received during my four years there. After all, they say all dreams are welcome at the Mountand I found mine. Amy is #MountMade and we couldn't be more excited to see where her journey takes her. Read more about Amy’s story below!

Preparations are in full swing for our 2020 Virtual Reunion Celebrations! Calling all classes in the 0s and 5s: We are incredibly excited to celebrate your class via Zoom this year (and again in person next year for your Reunion +1)! To make your Virtual Reunion Celebration even more festive, make sure to reserve your very own Reunion Celebration Kit, full of Mount goodies to help you toast your class from the comfort of your own home! ... To learn more, reserve a kit, or register for your Virtual Reunion Celebration, click the link below! Cheers for the White and the Gold! https://mountsaintvincent.edu/alumna//reunion-homecoming/

Today we remember those who lost their lives and honor the heroes who saved many on September 11, 2001. We will never forget.

Although we cannot gather in person for our annual Reunion and Homecoming Weekend this October, we are incredibly excited to celebrate the classes ending in 0 and 5 virtually this year (and again in person next year for their Reunion +1)! Each class will gather for a Virtual Reunion Celebration via Zoom throughout the month of October. To make their Virtual Reunion Celebration even more festive, all members of Reunion classes can reserve their very own Reunion Celebration Ki...t, full of Mount goodies to help them toast their class from the comfort of their own home! To learn more, reserve a kit, or register for a Virtual Reunion Celebration, click the link below! Cheers for the White and the Gold!

We are pleased to announce that the College of Mount Saint Vincent has partnered with DePaul University to offer the DePaul MBA at CMSV. As one of the top ten business schools in the United States, DePaul University's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business is a pioneer in business education. It is among the five percent of business schools, worldwide, to be accredited by the AACSB, and is one of the top 50 graduate schools in U.S. News and World Report's 2020 Best Graduate Sc...hools Survey. This partnership honors the Vincentian tradition and values that the College and DePaul University share, and it offers tremendous opportunities for our current and future students, said President Charles L. Flynn, Jr. My thanks and the thanks of the Board of Trustees to all who have helped make it possible and to all who will help make it successful.

We've done it again! Mount Saint Vincent has been awarded a $1.6 million TRIO grant from the U.S. Department of Education! The grant will provide funding annually over five years to support the College's efforts to promote educational, professional, and cultural enrichment to its TRIO students. "Being a TRIO scholar has had a positive impact on me as a student," said Mario Introna '22, one of the Mount's TRIO scholars. "TRIO gave me the opportunity to be a peer leader and mentorboth of these opportunities have helped me develop better leadership skills and hone my communication skills."

Congrats to Professor Pamela Kerrigan who won the Sigma Xi Evan Ferguson Award for Service! Dr. Kerrigan received the award for her commitment to Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society and because of her passion for science education and student development.

Until last week, Mount Saint Vincent thought that the Scholarship Tribute Dinner could be held on September 21 with social distancingdespite the global pandemic. But the latest guidance from the City and State preclude doing so. The prohibition on dining and groups larger than 50 also precludes plans for Reunion and Homecoming Weekend in October. "This turn of events is not what we had hoped, of course, but health and safety are paramount," said Madeleine Melkonian, Senior Vice President for Admission and External Relations, in a memo to the College community. "Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we wade through these unprecedented times. Together we will find new ways to maintain our connections with each other."

Trendsetterthat’s just one word to describe Mount alumna Ciara Rosa ’15. During her days on campus, Ciara was never afraid to express her unique sense of style. She could often be seen walking up Marillac hill sporting trendy jackets, parading through Founders Hall in chunky block heels, and advocating for her fellow classmates at Student Government Association (SGA) meetings in colorful blazers. Her passion for design served as an outlet for Ciara to express her creativity ...and it gave her the confidence she needed to rise to the top of her class. Her pioneering ideas and enterprising attitude are what launched her career in the competitive (and stylish!) New York City marketing sphere. The Mount community is a place for opportunity and growth. Everyone at Mount Saint Vincentfrom the professors to the administrators to your peerswants to see you succeed. And they give you the tools to do so, Ciara said.