Two professors who established pivotal programs at Marist almost 50 years ago now are giving back to Marist in another way. 

Two professors who established pivotal programs at Marist almost 50 years ago now are giving back to Marist in another way. Drs. Eugene and Eileen Best laid the foundations for key initiatives that impact Marist students today. A scholarship they recently established at Marist offered the opportunity to reflect on what they accomplished at the College.Eugene Best and Eileen Lambden, both Ohio natives, met in high school and married in 1971. That year brought another milestone. At a conference in Ohio the previous year, Gene had met Sr. Florence Michels, who chaired the Religious Studies Department at Marist. When Sr. Florence learned of Gene’s master’s in anthropology and doctorate in sacred theology, she invited him to join the College’s Religious Studies program, an interdisciplinary program.The couple’s first impression of Marist was not exactly positive. “The day Gene went to interview at Marist was in February,” Eileen remembered, “and it was one of the coldest days on record. The winds came in off that Hudson River and shivers went right through my bones. I said to myself, what are we getting ourselves into? It turned out that New York was warmer than Ohio.”Gene accepted the job offer, and he and Eileen moved to Poughkeepsie in 1971. At Marist, he wore two hats: associate professor and affirmative action officer. In the latter role, one of the things he is most proud of, he said, was adding more women to the faculty. He is also proud of the interdisciplinary courses he introduced. As associate professor and chairman of Religious Studies, Gene taught 30 different courses over his 20 years on the faculty.“The most important course and most frequent I taught was World Views and Values,” he says. “It was for me the most exciting course because it required students to challenge their own perceptions.” The course is still taught at Marist today.Eileen accepted a position at Marist teaching English. She had earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Notre Dame and, following post-graduate work at Case Western Reserve and Stanford, earned a PhD in English at the University of Colorado.In addition to teaching English, she supervised student teachers and established what is today the Office of Accommodations and Accessibility. Looking back, she says she was very impressed with the freedom the Marist administration gave her to make facilities more accessible to students with disabilities. “Adjustments had to be made to the physical plant,” she said. “Bathrooms had to be rearranged. They were not big enough for people to get into with wheelchairs. There was all sorts of restructuring that had to go on.” She added that the College was very happy to do it.After two years of juggling part-time positions, Eileen left Marist to join the administration at Dutchess Community College (DCC). There she established a program to assist students who had disabilities and developed credit-free courses and continuing-education programs.While engaged in their academic endeavors, the couple also served the community beyond Marist. Both Eileen and Gene were active in the Dutchess County Democratic party. Gene also served as board member and president of the Dutchess County Interfaith Council and produced a weekly radio program for the Council for 30 years.Eileen served on the board of directors of both the Dutchess County Mental Health Association and Family Services of Dutchess County.Gene and Eileen were always searching for ways to broaden horizons for their students. When Gene went to Asia on sabbatical for six months in 1988, Eileen accompanied him. They visited the Philippines, Thailand, India, Nepal, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. While abroad, they saw poverty and suffering firsthand, said Gene. “I was able to bring insight from those experiences back into the courses that I taught at Marist.”After 13 years at DCC, Eileen retired from higher education. She went on to become director of the Dutchess County Office of the Aging, where she administered programs and supervised 65 employees. Both Gene and Eileen retired in 1992.They spent the next 25 years seeing the world. “We traveled and we traveled and we traveled,” said Eileen. Destinations included Alaska, Nova Scotia, Italy, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, and the Caribbean.“We had wonderful, wonderful learning experiences,” she recalled. “Our America is only a small part of our interdependent global world.”In 2008, they moved back to Ohio to be near family. Their home in Hudson, OH, is filled with art and artifacts from their travels. But they’re not ones to sit still. They continue to teach and volunteer, and both enjoy gardening.They established the Dr. Eugene C. Best and Dr. Eileen Lambden Best Scholarship to assist full-time, first-year students who have demonstrated financial need. Their scholarship reflects their interests from their Marist days: preference is given to students majoring in a program offered through the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies or another discipline within the liberal arts. Preference may also be given to students participating in programs offered by the Office of Accommodations and Accessibility. Prior to establishing their scholarship, Gene and Eileen joined the Marist Legacy Society as founding members in appreciation for the invaluable role the College played in their professional and personal lives. 

30 Jul 2021

Phyllis Bassin established the Zachary Alexander Bassin Memorial Scholarship in honor of her beloved son, a Marist student who loved his family, his friends, and all things sports and who lived life on his terms despite severe medical challenges. 

Phyllis Bassin established the Zachary Alexander Bassin Memorial Scholarship in honor of her beloved son, a Marist student who loved his family, his friends, and all things sports and who lived life on his terms despite severe medical challenges. Zachary, who was born with cystic fibrosis, battled medical obstacles his entire life. He passed away in 2017 at age 21. The scholarship continues Zack’s legacy in a meaningful way by helping Marist students achieve their dreams and pursue their interests in the field of sports communication, which was his passion.From an early age Zack loved sports and was a natural athlete. When he grew too short of breath to play his favorite sports, he became an avid fan, memorizing stats for virtually every sport. Eventually he developed a love for golf, a sport he could play regardless of diminished lung function.“The friends he made at Marist freshman year saw him as Zack, not a kid toting an oxygen tank,” wrote Phyllis in her eulogy for her son. “That meant so much to him.”Dan Ketterer met Zack in middle school, and the two attended high school and Marist together. “He was an extremely loyal and caring friend,” said Dan, a 2017 alumnus. “He was always there to talk and listen to people when they had problems, despite how insignificant they were, compared to what he was facing.”Zack had a very forward-looking perspective about his future career and personal goals, Dan said. “He never complained about the cards he was dealt and attacked each challenge with confidence that he would come out on top, and he always did.”“I know I will be battling my health constantly for the rest of my life,” Zack wrote in his blog. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t find joy in the things I do.”Zack was determined to pursue a career in sports communication. At Marist, he fulfilled his dream of an internship in sports communication at Madison Square Garden. There he received accolades from colleagues and MSG management alike.His positive attitude and his courage inspired many who met him. In 2017 Zack was featured in a series called “For the Record” in the Marist Circle, the student news outlet, which highlighted students with compelling stories.Zack received a double-lung transplant in 2015, later developing post-transplant lymphoma. He passed away following chronic rejection of the transplant. More than 100 of his classmates from Marist and North Salem High School attended funeral services for him. In her eulogy, Phyllis asked Zack’s many friends to keep his memory alive by sharing their stories. She cherishes the Facebook posts from his friends and emails from MSG staff that showed her the enormous impact he had on others’ lives.  “The last thing I can do for him as his mother is to pay tribute to his courageous fight to live and ask you to be inspired by his ability to battle every adversity that came his way. Despite his short lifetime, Zachary made his mark and touched the life of so many people with his story.”Phyllis Bassin (center) met Connor Kurpat ’22 (left), the inaugural recipient of the Zachary Alexander Bassin Memorial Scholarship, in August 2021 at Marist’s James J. McCann Recreation Center, joined by Director of Athletics Tim Murray. Kurpat, from Lakewood, NJ, is majoring in sports communication. He is involved in Campus Ministry, is on the Dean’s List, and is an intern to Director of Sports Communication Jane McManus, a reporter for student-run sports publication Marist Centerfield, and a producer for Marist College Television. Friends of Zack Bassin Raise Funds and Awareness with Golf Outing“Zack always loved golf, and even when he had to carry supplemental oxygen, he'd still go out and play as much as he could,” said longtime friend and fellow Red Fox Dan Ketterer ’17. “He was great at it too — better than me and most of our friends — and we didn't have to swing with a big oxygen tank on our backs!” “Emily's Entourage was the perfect organization to work with because their research is entirely focused on Zack's mutation of cystic fibrosis, which is often overlooked by many of the broader CF organizations,” Dan added. “I know Zack would be proud to see so many friends coming together in his memory, and to know that he's directly making an impact on people who are in his shoes.”A group of Zack’s friends has donated almost $30,000 to Emily's Entourage thus far. The tournament raised $9,300 this year and $10,000 each of the prior two years.Shown left to right, kneeling, are Stephen Blyth ’17, Marc Howes ’17, Omar Mendez ’20, Torin Reilly ’17, and Devin Buonano ’18; Back, left to right are Drew DeCarolis ’19, Michael Traina ’19, Jack Ryan ’19, and Class of ’17’s Nick Veglia, Dan Ketterer, Adam Guest, Tana Roslan, Matt Edwards, Nicole Bateman, and Ryan Smith.Zachary Bassin’s music can be found by searching on SoundCloud for artist Zack Bassin. 

29 Aug 2021

Marist is grateful to alumni and foundations for their generous support

The Marist College community was delighted to welcome upperclassmen, transfers, and first-year students for the 2021–22 academic year. The campus is bustling once again as classes and activities are in full gear. From academics to athletics, the Marist College experience is made possible only because of the generosity of dedicated alumni, parents, trustees, and friends. We are pleased to share news of recent gifts to the College.Scholarships remain Marist’s most urgent fundraising priority, and alumni continue to step forward to help deserving students realize their dreams of a Marist education.Trustee Don Duet ’88 and his wife, Madoka, have expanded their exceptional support of scholarships for top technology students through the Duet Family Technology Scholarship program. The Duets’ recent pledge includes the creation of renewable term scholarships for an incoming freshman in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as the establishment of an endowed technology scholarship that will exist in perpetuity. Their support has significantly enhanced the College’s ability to attract, enroll, and retain some of the most sought-after future leaders in computer science and information systems and technology in the nation.Marist Trustee Rob Shanahan ’83 and his wife, Heather, recently made a generous gift to establish the Shanahan Family Endowed Scholarship. Beginning in the fall of 2022, this scholarship will be awarded to a freshman enrolled in the School of Management with strong leadership potential and demonstrated financial need. A business major during his years at Marist, Rob played on the Marist hockey team and went on to an accomplished career as a technology executive and entrepreneur, serving most recently as president and CEO of Lightower Fiber Networks.Joshua ’99 and Carolyn Matheus ’02 recently made a generous pledge to launch a new endowed scholarship, the second endowed scholarship that they have established at Marist.Dedicated alumni couple Joshua ’99 and Carolyn Matheus ’02 recently made a generous pledge to establish a new endowed scholarship that further supports the College’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The Joshua & Carolyn Matheus Diversity Scholarship will be awarded to entering freshmen pursuing undergraduate degrees in STEM majors offered in the School of Computer Science and Mathematics and the School of Science. Preference for this renewable scholarship will be given to historically underrepresented students and first-generation college students. Josh and Carolyn have also made a special gift to activate the scholarship while the endowment is building, which has enabled an initial award to be granted to a deserving freshman who entered this fall. This is the second endowed scholarship that Josh, a managing director in the Technology Division at Goldman Sachs, and Carolyn, associate professor of information systems and director of Marist’s Honors Program, have established at Marist. The Joshua & Carolyn Matheus '99/'02 Endowed Scholarship was created in 2017 and supports women in STEM majors.Longtime Marist supporters Frank ’70 and Maureen Liantonio, founding members of the Marist Legacy Society, recently made a generous pledge to expand the Liantonio Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship. Originally established in 2015, the scholarship provides assistance to academically talented students majoring in business with demonstrated financial need. A member of the Class of 1970 50th Reunion Planning Committee, Frank also made a generous gift to support the Class of 1970 Scholarship. The Class of 1970 successfully established a new endowed scholarship in honor of its 50th Reunion, which will be held in the fall of 2022. Led by 50th Reunion Gift Co-Chairs Bill Leber and Ed Zujkowski, the Class of 1970 Scholarship surpassed the endowment threshold with more than $66,000 raised and welcomed its first scholarship recipient this year. In addition to Bill and Ed, the 50th Reunion Planning Committee members include Bill Dourdis, Larry Kazemier, Bro. John Klein, FMS, Frank Liantonio, Jim McGlumphy, Anthony Miserandino, Bro. Sean Sammon, FMS, Doug Stuart, Ed Walzer, Bob Krenn, Jack McGowan, and Vince Begley. The late Martin Gyves actively participated as a Committee member as well. The Committee’s ongoing engagement and outreach to classmates are contributing significantly to building enthusiasm for the Class of ’70’s landmark celebration.In celebration of its graduation from Marist 50 years ago, the Class of 1971 launched a scholarship drive to create an endowed fund to assist students with significant financial need. Co-Chaired by classmates Phil Glennon, Dr. Anne Berinato Matheus, Mike McNeely, Dr. Terry Mooney, and Dr. Steve Wysowski, the effort far surpassed its goal of raising $50,000 with over $102,000 committed to date. In addition to the co-chairs, Gift Committee members include Louis Emery, Tom Ferrara, Ed Fogarty, Joe Gebbia, Don Hinchey, Jack McDonnell, Terence Nash, Bill Rooney, and Bill Spenla. Their excellent work was complemented by the terrific outreach efforts of members of the 50th Reunion Planning Committee which, in addition to the co-chairs and Gift Committee members, include Jim Aridas, Bob Bergin, Paul Browne, Dean Gestal, Russ Jones, Brendan Mooney, John Murphy, Tony Parga, Patricia Picco, Joe Rubino, Jim Steinmeyer, Bill Thonack, Mark Tynan, and Bob Yurch. The first Class of 1971 Scholarship will be awarded in the fall of 2022 during the Class of 1971’s 50-Year Reunion.  The Louis Greenspan Charitable Trust has made another significant commitment to the College to further build the endowment of the Louis Greenspan Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship has made a significant impact over the years, providing invaluable financial assistance to 39 deserving Marist students since it was first awarded in 2004. The longstanding support and advocacy of Greenspan Trustees Dan Curtin and Gary Koch has advanced a number of priority capital projects as well as this meaningful scholarship initiative over the years.Christopher Bricker ’91 and his wife, Jennifer, recently established a new endowed scholarship in memory of Jennifer’s father, Michael C. Holland.Christopher Bricker ’91 and his wife, Jennifer, recently established a new endowed scholarship in memory of Jennifer’s father, Michael C. Holland. Created to honor his extraordinary commitment to serving the public, the scholarship will be awarded to a first-year student who has shown a strong devotion to community service. Chris, who serves as head of Alliance Bernstein Arya Partners and a member of the board’s Operating Committee, cites his Marist experience as a key factor in his career success. As head of AB Arya Partners, he is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction, and overall results of the group. Chris and Jennifer are very excited that their daughter, Amanda, is a member of the Class of 2025.Dedicated Marist couple Elizabeth (“Beth”) Marshdoyle ’75 and James (“Jay”) A. Doyle ’75 are generously supporting the establishment of a new endowed scholarship in loving memory of their infant daughter.Dedicated Marist couple Elizabeth (“Beth”) Marshdoyle ’75 and James (“Jay”) A. Doyle ’75 are generously supporting the establishment of a new endowed scholarship in loving memory of their infant daughter. The Emily Marie Doyle Scholarship will be awarded to a first-year student majoring in science with demonstrated financial need. Preference will be given to environmental science majors, though consideration may also be given to students majoring in biology or chemistry. Beth, an executive at Apple, Inc., majored in environmental science at Marist and went on to earn a master’s degree from The Ohio State University and an EdD from Northeastern University. As one of 14 children, Beth greatly appreciated the scholarships she received at Marist. Jay, a political science major who also earned a master’s degree from The Ohio State University, is a senior project director at AECOM. A cross-country and track student-athlete at Marist, Jay values the important role that the Marist community has played in his life.The Lavelle Fund for the Blind has again made a meaningful gift to support scholarships for blind or visually impaired students at Marist in memory of beloved Trustee Bro. Jim Kearney, FMS ’53. Brother Jim served on the Lavelle Fund Board since its inception in 1999 and chaired the board’s Scholarship Committee. Marist is honored to offer these scholarships in memory of Brother Jim, who in the great tradition of the Marist Brothers dedicated his life to teaching and service.Marist also recognizes the continued generosity of the James J. McCann Charitable Trust. The trust recently provided a grant extending its invaluable support of scholarships for deserving traditional-age Marist students who live in Dutchess County and graduate from county high schools. This is the 53rd year the trust has supported this special program that has benefited innumerable local students who have gone on to complete their degrees at Marist.The James J. McCann Charitable Trust has also made possible landmark athletic facilities that continue to serve Marist and the entire Hudson River Valley community well. Over the years, support from the trust and its trustees — the late John “Jack” Gartland, Jr.; his late son, Mike Gartland; Mike’s son, Patrick Gartland; the late Richard Corbally; and Richard’s son, John Corbally — truly has been transformational.The premier annual fundraising event to benefit School of Management scholarships for seniors was the School of Management Advisory Board Golf Outing. This year’s outing at the Saint Andrew’s Golf Club in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, honored one of the School’s most successful graduates: Marist Trustee and co-founder of Priceline.com Tim Brier ’69. Pictured with Tim, far right, are classmates Dan Mahoney, Bill Rowley, and Tim Keneally.The School of Management (SoM) Advisory Board, led by Chair Tim Keneally ’69, again raised meaningful support to provide scholarships for graduating seniors who demonstrate both academic excellence and financial need. For the third consecutive year, the board will award six one-time scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each to deserving SoM students to help reduce the burden of their student loans. In addition, the board’s fundraising efforts this year include garnering support for an endowed scholarship that will help ensure that much-needed assistance continues to be available for SoM students for generations to come.The premier annual fundraising event to benefit this important scholarship initiative was the SoM Advisory Board Golf Outing. This year’s outing, held Sept. 27, 2021, at the Saint Andrew’s Golf Club in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, honored one of the School’s most successful graduates: Marist Trustee and co-founder of Priceline.com Tim Brier ’69. The outing significantly surpassed its fundraising goal, securing more than $65,000 toward term and endowed scholarships. Special thanks go to dedicated Golf Committee members Michael Babic ’04, Tim Keneally ’69, Greg Garville ’74, Kevin Hogan ’02, Tom Murray ’02, Maureen Solero, and Kim Viggiano ’02 for their outstanding work leading this successful and impactful effort.

26 Oct 2021

Two incoming Marist students have been selected to receive the newly established Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) Scholarship at Marist College.

Two incoming Marist students have been selected to receive the newly established Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) Scholarship at Marist College. The scholarship is awarded to students from GLI’s vast national network of affiliated schools who demonstrate exceptional achievement in the study of history.This unique and impactful collaboration between Marist College and GLI was cultivated and primarily funded by a family with longstanding commitments to both institutions. Trustee Genine McCormick ’88 and her husband, Michael ’88, made a very generous pledge to help establish this scholarship initiative in collaboration with GLI. About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American HistoryFounded in 1994 by noted philanthropists Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, GLI is widely recognized as one of the leading institutions in America dedicated to the promotion of knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources. The institute has an archive of more than 75,000 historical documents and provides educators, students, and the public with direct access to these unique primary resources. GLI also has an impressive network of more than 29,000 affiliated high schools around the country, and their programming reaches nearly five million students each year. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations.The McCormick Family Foundation – Gilder Lehrman Institute Scholarship Program will be the cornerstone of an exciting partnership developing between Marist and GLI. The McCormicks’ support, combined with that of other donors, will provide meaningful term scholarships for 12 deserving students recognized as top high school history students by GLI’s recently launched National Academy of American History and Civics (NAAHC); NAAHC represents GLI’s highest-achieving, most accomplished students. Eight scholarships will be reserved for students with significant financial need, and the remaining four scholarships will be awarded exclusively based on academic merit. While recognized for their achievement in the study of history, scholarship recipients will not be required to major in history at Marist. The McCormicks’ gift also includes a generous allocation to establish a special society to more formally connect scholarship recipients through meetings, programming in conjunction with GLI and Marist, and an annual dinner. The society will add another important dimension to this distinctive program. Michael and Genine have had an immeasurable impact at Marist through their exceptional philanthropy and thoughtful leadership over many years. This signature program is yet another example of their dedication to students and unwavering commitment to advancing the College’s mission. Impressive Inaugural RecipientsThe inaugural recipients hail from New York and have impressive academic and extracurricular achievements:•    Elisabet Guerrero Hernandez, from Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics, NY, completed a research project with the Museum of Natural History and served as an intern at Fordham University’s History Makers program. Guerrero Hernandez is secretary of the Women’s Alliance Club and a member of her high school’s bowling varsity team. She is very interested in a career in adolescence education and aspires to be a history teacher.•    Harumi Kameda, from Hyde Leadership Charter School, NY, is second in her class and is looking to find her niche at Marist. Kameda is the co-captain of her high school debate team, member of the National Honor Society, involved in Environmental Club, and plays saxophone in the pep band. She hopes to study pre-law and has an interest in history and environmental science.Through this partnership, Marist GLI scholars will make trips to the GLI office in New York City to access GLI’s extensive archives and participate in special programming and internship opportunities. For students with financial need, the scholarship will grow during their time at Marist, providing for increases in award amounts to eliminate the impact of annual tuition increases as well as matching funds for the money they earn through part-time employment.GLI students also will have the opportunity to participate in Marist’s highly ranked Summer Pre-College Program, which is also available to all students at GLI partner schools around the country. In addition, GLI students can take advantage of other special events and activities both on and off campus and avail themselves of the rich historic resources of the Hudson River Valley.A Strategic PartnershipThe collaboration with GLI is a complement to Marist’s deep work in the field of history. The College’s Hudson River Valley Institute studies and interprets regional history, hosts lectures every semester, and publishes a peer-reviewed journal, the Hudson River Valley Review. Numerous students intern with HRVI each year, learning valuable research skills.The College’s partnership with the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum makes it one of only six colleges and universities nationwide affiliated with a presidential library. Marist also hosts the Library’s digital archives.Among the first to join the McCormicks in generously supporting the scholarship initiative are Kimberly ’02 and Frank ’00 Viggiano, Jill ’02 and Mark ’00 Viggiano, Lisa and Scott Sweeney ’04, and Marist Trustee Pat Lavelle ’73. Eight scholarships remain to be sponsored in the program.Realizing the vision for this exciting new initiative will require the support of other generous Marist donors, and alumni, parents, and friends are invited to consider sponsoring and naming individual term scholarships offered within this innovative pilot. To learn more about this special opportunity, please contact Chris DelGiorno, vice president for college advancement, at chris.delgiorno@marist.edu or by phone at (845) 575-3412. 

02 Aug 2021