Although the Class of 1970 and 1971 Reunion Committees opted to postpone their 50th reunions, Marist hosted a successful outdoor and COVID-safe Homecoming and Reunion on Oct. 23.

Although the Class of 1970 and 1971 Reunion Committees opted to postpone their 50th reunions, Marist hosted a successful outdoor and COVID-safe Homecoming and Reunion on Oct. 23. The day included Marist Singers and Band alumni performing with current student Singers and Band members, the Theatre Hall of Fame induction, the Morehead State vs. Marist football game, and four tents celebrating affinity groups on campus: the Student Government Association, the Study Abroad Program, the Marist Music Program, and the Fashion Department. The day ended with a reunion celebration for all classes under a large tent on the Marist Green.Photos by Al Nowak/On Location StudiosAlumni Join Marist Band and Singers at Homecoming 2021    Homecoming and Reunion Picnic 2021                       Marist vs. Morehead State Homecoming and Reunion 2021        Theatre Hall of Fame 2021         .carousel { color: #170724; --carousel-button-bg: #fff; --carousel-button-shadow: 0 2px 1px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 20%), 0 1px 1px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 14%), 0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 12%); --carousel-button-svg-width: 20px; --carousel-button-svg-height: 20px; --carousel-button-svg-stroke-width: 2.5; } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) { const myCarousel = new Carousel(document.querySelector("#moyo_.carousel"), {}); }); document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) { const myCarousel = new Carousel(document.querySelector("#dybk_.carousel"), {}); }); document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) { const myCarousel = new Carousel(document.querySelector("#vdas_.carousel"), {}); }); document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) { const myCarousel = new Carousel(document.querySelector("#iekw_.carousel"), {}); });

28 Oct 2021

Julie Cullinane Kinney ’90 and author Jeff Kinney take Marist alumni inside his best-selling series Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

More than 250 alumni and friends along with their families got an exclusive look inside the evolution of the best-selling book series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” thanks to the generosity of Marist alumna Julie Cullinane Kinney ’90 and her husband, Jeff, the creator of the series. In a virtual presentation Oct. 15, Julie and Jeff shared the origins of the 16-book cartoon series featuring hapless middle-schooler Greg Heffley that has become an international sensation. The ticket price to the Marist-only event included a signed copy of Jeff’s newest book, Big Shot, published in October. All proceeds from the event, organized by the Marist Alumni Relations Office, benefited the Marist Alumni Legacy Scholarship Fund, raising more than $10,000. Special thanks go to Julie and Jeff for making the event possible. Julie interviewed Jeff about the evolution of the series Diary of a Wimpy Kid in a virtual program from their bookstore, An Unlikely Story, in Plainville, MA.Since the first Wimpy Kid book made its debut in 2007, more than 250 million copies have been published in 79 editions in 65 languages. The Wimpy Kid series has been a constant on the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly best-seller lists and has remained on the New York Times children’s series best-seller list for more than 657 weeks. The series has won a number of regional and national awards including two Children’s Choice Book Awards and six Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards for Favorite Book. Jeff Kinney was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people and is also the creator of Poptropica, named one of Time’s 50 Best Websites. The Disney+ movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid premiered in early December.Jeff and Julie took part in the Zoom program from their bookstore, An Unlikely Story, in Plainville, MA. Julie, a communications major in college and a former reporter and editor for a Massachusetts newspaper, interviewed Jeff for the Marist audience. She noted it was the first time she had interviewed him live for a virtual event. Then Jeff took live questions and gave a tour of his studio on the top floor of the bookstore, where his awards are on view.Jeff, a graduate of the University of Maryland, had been developing the book for a year when he and Julie began dating in 1999. He kept a journal jammed with notes and sketches that captured not only memories from his youth but also some of the couple’s early dating experiences. He continued writing and drawing for the next seven years as they dated, married, and had two sons, and as he worked full time as a software programmer. “It proves that you can do two things at once,” he noted, “that you can have your day job and pay your rent and you can also chase a rock-star dream in your spare time.” His dream was to be a newspaper cartoonist like Charles Schulz, the creator of Charlie Brown and "Peanuts.” For three years Jeff tried to make it happen. But “nobody liked my stuff,” he said. Then he decided to try something different. He bought a ticket to Comic Con, a comic convention in New York City, planning to show his sample packet around to editors there. But the convention had oversold its tickets and sent everyone away. While on a bus tour of New York City just for kicks, Jeff noticed that Billy Joel was playing a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden. He called Julie saying he wanted to stay overnight to go to the concert. A huge Billy Joel fan herself, she encouraged him to go for it. “Billy Joel was our thing at Marist in the ’80s,” she said.He managed to get a ticket and went to the show. The next day, he was able to get into the Comic Con. An editor who saw his work said it was exactly what he was looking for. “So it was thanks to Billy Joel that I got to be a published author,” Jeff said.Throughout the presentation the Zoom chat room bubbled over with questions for Jeff. What inspired him to write the Wimpy Kid series?“My own childhood,” he said. “I was reading Harry Potter at the time. I was like, “Man, this is really good writing, it’s a good story.” But I did think Harry was very, very different than I was as a kid. I did think there might be an appetite for a character who was not so perfect and not so heroic as Harry.”He said his newest Wimpy Kid book, Big Shot, shows what it’s like to be in athletics but not be a star athlete. “I think it’s important that a kid can see himself.”Earlier, he had elaborated on the appeal of his wimpy protagonist.“Greg is a messy character. When kids read kids’ books, the character is usually aspirational. They’re heroic. Like think of Harry Potter, characters like that. They’re the hero that we want to be. And Greg isn’t, really. You know, books can be mirrors and windows, right? Windows, you see into another world. That’s Harry Potter. Mirrors are books where you see yourself. That’s Wimpy Kid. And I think a lot of kids are messy.”Another young fan asked where Greg’s memorable nickname “Ploopy” came from.“Ploopy was a nickname that my older sister came up with for me,” Jeff explained. “And for some reason, it just got me. It made me so mad, like it would make my ears turn red.”He got over it, though. “We’ve made our peace. And I’m making money off of her calling me ‘Ploopy.’ So I think I won that situation.” 

26 Oct 2021

Healthcare executive Dirk McMahon ’82, entrepreneur and author Kristin Noto ’91, and technology executive Donna Dillenberger have joined the Marist College Board of Trustees.

In 2021 the Marist College Board of Trustees welcomed three new members. Dirk McMahon ’82, president and chief operating officer of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and Donna Dillenberger, IBM Fellow at the company’s Research Center in Yorktown Heights and CTO of systems research for Hybrid Cloud, were elected to the board at its February meeting, while Kristin Noto ’91, an entrepreneur and author with extensive experience serving not-for-profit organizations, was elected at the November annual meeting. McMahon, who graduated from Marist with a BS in finance, has held senior leadership positions across both UnitedHealth Group business platforms — UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Most recently, he served as chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest health insurer. Prior to that, he was president and chief operating officer of Optum, a global health services company, and head of airport operations worldwide for Northwest Airlines. In addition to earning his undergraduate degree from Marist, McMahon received an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He and his family reside in Minnesota.Kristin Noto '91Noto received a BA in psychology from Marist, and her father is also an alumnus of the College. She is the author of Live E.P.I.C.: Invest in Yourself. Cultivate Character, and Embrace the 7 Moral Virtues that Lead to a Happier Life, as well as an inventor with several registered patents on houseware products. Noto also serves on the West Coast Advisory Board for the Child Mind Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of children, families, and communities affected by mental illness and learning disabilities. She is a former executive board member of the USA Lacrosse Foundation. Noto and her family live in Northern California. Donna DillenbergerDillenberger has had a distinguished career at IBM and currently serves as IBM Fellow at the company’s Research Center in Yorktown Heights and CTO of systems research for Hybrid Cloud. Her focus is on machine learning, counterfeit detection, cloud security and availability, and enterprise systems. In the past, Dillenberger has worked on machine learning models for the financial, insurance, retail, and healthcare industries and has designed new features for systems scalability and availability. She is the author of numerous research publications and holds multiple patents, becoming a Master Inventor at IBM. In recognition of her work, IBM’s CEO appointed her an IBM Fellow, the highest technical honor at the company. IBM Fellows are given broad latitude to identify and pursue projects. In the history of IBM, only 317 people have received such a distinction.Dillenberger received her BS in mathematics from New York University and an MS in computer science from Columbia University. She was an adjunct professor at Columbia’s Graduate School of Engineering and was a lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Stanford University. 

30 Nov 2021

The Marist Institute for Public Opinion has brought Marist College distinction around the world. And the institute’s renown is a combination of reputation and education.

The Marist Institute for Public Opinion at Marist College prides itself on opening doors for students. From the classroom to the collection of data on national issues, it’s the student workers who power the Marist Poll.Founded in 1978, the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, commonly referred to as the Marist College Poll or MIPO, was the first college-based research center to include undergraduates in conducting survey research. Today thousands of Marist students have participated in polling, workshops, courses and seminars, field trips, and internships. “Over the more than 40 years since the Marist Poll first started measuring public opinion, we have changed our technology many times as the Poll gained recognition for its accuracy and newsworthiness,” said Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, the Poll’s founder and director. But the formula has always stayed the same. If the idea is something I would have liked to pursue as an undergraduate, then we find a way to make it happen at Marist.”Dr. Lee M. MiringoffAlong the way MIPO has become one of the top polling institutes in the country. Its polls are cited by news media worldwide and it received top grades from website FiveThirtyEight, which specializes in opinion poll analysis. The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll was one of five polls used by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates to determine eligibility for the 2020 general election presidential and vice presidential debates. To be chosen, a poll had to meet three requirements: reliable frequency of polling and sample size employed, methodological rigor, and the survey’s longevity and reputation. The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll was the only college-based survey to be included in the group of qualifying polls. The other four were the ABC/Washington Post Poll, CNN Poll, Fox News Poll, and the NBC/Wall Street Journal.“It’s really exciting,” said Amelia Morel ’21, a MIPO worker and alumna now working at NY1 News in New York City. “It’s cool to see that people are recognizing our work.”MIPO’s students are its backbone. The undergraduate workforce’s main contributions are interviews that provide the Poll’s results, but it contributes much more. Just about every aspect of the Marist Poll — from its polling to its media platforms to its data analysis — involves students.Engaging students in the Marist Poll has been a key objective since its inception. The idea for a polling institute at Marist was born out of a classroom activity that Miringoff designed when he was teaching in the fall of 1978. He guided 100 students in conducting an exit poll in Dutchess County, where Marist is located, tallying the responses by hand. “I think what makes the Marist Poll unique from any other poll, even polls that are at other colleges and universities, is the Marist Poll has always been an educational vehicle for the students at Marist College,” said Dr. Barbara Carvalho ’79, the director of the Marist Poll. Barbara Carvalho '79Every student starts as an interviewer who makes phone calls and collects the responses. They read carefully worded questions and click the answer that the respondent gives on a computer screen. Interviewers can be promoted to the managerial position of coach or head coach, who assists interviewers and works with administrators as well. The work is done in teams: one head coach, one or two coaches, and 10 to 12 interviewers. There are other positions beyond the polling side of the MIPO operation that upperclassmen can fill including field assistant, media assistant, podcast production assistant, and many more. Students from various disciplines see the Marist Poll as a workplace that’s appropriate for their field of study. The job appealed to Morel and Victoria Howard ’21 — both political science majors, and the former graduated with a double-major in poli sci and journalism — because it offered a chance to work in areas relevant to their studies. Michelle Maloney ’22, who is studying cyber security, simply saw MIPO as an interesting part-time job opportunity. Hannah Kirk ’20 who now manages the survey center started working with the Marist Poll two weeks into freshman year at Marist because the job is an easy one to secure. “It’s pretty much a guaranteed job as long as you go through all the training processes and you take it seriously,” she said.“I definitely love the job because of how many people I get to talk to, which started out as mostly me interviewing people,” Howard said. “I liked talking to constituents. But then, growing from there, being a coach, you get to interact with other students and help them complete their calls.”Working with the Marist Poll offers plenty of exciting opportunities, such as election-related events and field trips. In their most recent trip, students traveled to the New Hampshire primaries in February of 2020. “We got to see one of the debates in New Hampshire, we went to several rallies for presidential candidates, we got to be in the audience for Meet the Press with Chuck Todd. That was really cool,” Morel said. “It was like being a reporter and following the New Hampshire primary. That was such a unique experience.”Just a month after the trip, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an overhaul of MIPO’s operation. Until the pandemic, rows of students would make calls in MIPO’s survey center, located on the third floor of the Hancock Center, gathering answers from respondents nationwide. In mid-March, when the pandemic led New York State to order the closure of most of its organizations, including all colleges and universities, MIPO implemented a polling system that allowed Marist students to conduct telephone polling from their homes. More than 200 students participated in virtual polling during the 2020 spring semester. In several regards, it actually made the job easier. “It’s hard to find anything positive to say about a pandemic but what it did was it broke down the walls, figuratively, in Hancock where we had a fixed number of workstations,” Miringoff said. The new software allows them to deploy double the number of interviewers, which allows them to run polls more frequently. Carvalho said that students didn’t have any trouble switching to an online workplace. It was one thing that actually kept everyone all connected.During the fall 2020 semester, the Marist Poll continued to use a remote polling setup in addition to its on-premises operations. Similarly, the Poll continued to record Poll Hub, its weekly podcast, coordinating with students remotely.Students participated in polls done in collaboration with the Marist Poll’s longstanding national polling partners NPR and the PBS NewsHour, monitoring public opinion on a range of issues. The Poll teamed up with its battleground-state polling partner, NBC News, to conduct eight polls on the presidential contest in the most competitive electoral states: Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.The pandemic also created the right environment to create an internship program, College 2 Career. “The C2C program developed during the height of the pandemic,” said Mary Griffith, director of media initiatives and polling news. “We recognized a need for Marist students who may be missing out on the opportunity to experience an internship because of the situation and the circumstances in which we were all living.” C2C has two tracks: the news/marketing side, which combines social media content creation, public relations, and marketing, and the data/project-managing side, which involves statistical analysis and polling. In spring 2021, the Marist Poll welcomed 12 C2C student interns from a variety of majors.With so many avenues for learning, MIPO clearly is dedicated to the student experience first. The latest expansion of the Marist Poll is a pre-college program that launched this summer. Students enrolling at Marist can take a three-week course called “Data Science for Polling and Political Communication” that features lessons about the purpose/impact of polling, the actual experience of conducting a poll, and creating social media content. In the course of fulfilling its academic mission to educate, MIPO has raised awareness of Marist College enormously. According to the media monitoring service Meltwater, the Marist Poll generated an ad equivalency of more than $743 million in 2020.But at MIPO, name recognition and stature are not the main sources of motivation. Six of the nine Marist Poll administrators attended the College, and their goal is to offer an educational experience for their fellow Red Foxes. Howard says that recruiters have noticed the Marist Poll on her résumé and asked about her experience with it. “I think being a poli sci major from Marist and working four years at the Marist Poll shows that it wasn’t just a major,” she said.Kirk said MIPO offers students valuable communication skills. The unique nature of the job — talking with strangers over the phone seeking information and opinions from them — can be a trial by fire at first but still helps students learn.“I think it helps students know how to properly phrase questions and how to speak professionally,” she said. “That’s something that I’ve noticed — a lot of students don’t necessarily have those skills, which is totally understandable if you’ve never had an internship or a job before. But being able to be the first step for a lot of students in the professional atmosphere…is a great resource that the Marist Poll offers.”Revamped and Ready: The Marist Poll’s Client ServicesThe Marist Institute for Public Opinion may be best-known for its public opinion polling, but there’s another, equally as important dimension to the Institute — its Client Services division.The Marist Poll has conducted proprietary research for several of the world’s most influential businesses and organizations for decades. Building on that longstanding history, the Marist Poll recently enhanced its client services offerings in the wake of a global pandemic. From a new high-tech remote survey center to expanded products and services (including Marist Poll Open Surveys which provide cost-sharing benefits to clients), virtual focus groups, online surveys, and consulting services, the Marist Poll is well-equipped to fulfill the needs of clients in need of high-quality, scientific-based research that will provide the crucial insights needed to make key business and organizational decisions.  The revitalized client services arm of the Poll was a silver lining as the survey research industry and the world, at large, grappled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through hard work and innovative thinking, the Marist Poll team addressed those challenges head on and crafted new opportunities. “The coronavirus pandemic led us to reevaluate the way we operate and the types of products and services we offer to our clients,” said Mike Conte, director of data analysis at the Poll. “In adapting to the increasingly virtual work environment, we focused on developing our product and service offerings to ensure that we remain a strong presence in the research field and continue to grow and evolve as a premier research organization for years to come.” The Marist Poll’s Client Services division has collaborated with leaders in the world of business, including IBM, Marriott, Yum! Brands, and the Children’s Health Fund.  p { overflow-wrap: normal; }

Moss and Terrence Echols ’21 Also Selected for Unique Mentorship Program

Kaylin Moss ’21 has received the 2021 Generation Google Scholarship, a Google-sponsored program. She is one of 42 college students nationwide to win the award. Moss is majoring in computer science with a concentration in software development.The Generation Google Scholarship was established to help aspiring students pursuing computer science degrees excel in technology and become leaders in the field, according to buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com. Selected students receive $10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or $5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) for the 2021–2022 school year. The scholarship is awarded based on the strength of each candidate's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, demonstrated leadership, and academic performance.Moss was also one of two Marist students selected for the inaugural Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program. Moss and Terrence Echols ’21 each received a $1,500 scholarship from Resorts World Casino.Following a competitive application process, Echols and Moss were selected to enroll in the mentorship program sponsored by Resorts World Casino.They were two of 10 college students who earned the opportunity to participate in the intensive six-week virtual mentorship program to hear from prominent authors and speakers from all over the nation.The lecture series is based on Marc Morial’s book The Gumbo Coalition: 10 Leadership Lessons That Help You Inspire, Unite, and Achieve. Students in the program read chapters of the book and participated in virtual discussions with other leaders on the topics and lessons contained in the chapters.“Throughout history, effective leadership has guided us through the most challenging times,” said Michelle Stoddart, vice president of community development at Resorts World New York. “Now more than ever, a new generation of students must be equipped to lead boldly in the face of the medical, political, and environmental challenges we face as a country. By teaming up with the renowned civic leader and former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial, Resorts World is proud to present the Gumbo Coalition University, a virtual platform that will shape the leaders of tomorrow.”Morial, who was mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002, is president and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization. Both Marist students learned about the Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program from Desmond Murray, associate director for the employer experience in the Marist College Center for Career Services. Their applications included an essay discussing their professional experience and career-related goals. Candidates who advanced to the next round were invited to meet virtually with the program’s speakers and talk about what leadership meant to them.Echols majored in communications with a concentration in public relations/advertising and has already begun graduate work in Marist’s five-year dual degree program in integrated marketing communication. He was a student-athlete on the men’s basketball team and a senior researcher in Marist’s chapter of the American Advertising Federation. As an AAF member, he wrote copy and helped prepare presentations with his group for the National Student Advertising Competition. “Collaborating with everyone using online platforms like Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Meet has really helped me get comfortable having meaningful conversations in a virtual environment,” Echols said.He mentioned how joining the Marist Radio Club as a freshman inspired him to create his own podcast, which has helped him articulate his thoughts and ideas on a variety of topics. This summer he is interning with Galaxy Media, a multidimensional media company that services clients in Syracuse, NY. He has thought about owning his own advertising agency one day but definitely aspires to a leadership role in marketing or public relations. He said participating in the Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program aligned with these goals.“I’m learning how I can be someone who others look to for guidance, and that’s inspiring.”Moss participated in the Marist/IBM Joint Study program for one year and completed a virtual internship with IBM in the summer of 2020. “The joint study exposed me to a lot of public speaking roles and presentations,” she said. “So I felt like I had a lot to draw on from that experience when applying for the (Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship) program.”In October 2020 Moss founded a chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at Marist. The honor society’s main goal is to create an inclusive community for Black students and other students who are interested in pursuing opportunities in technology, engineering, and other sciences. In addition, Moss was recently named the winner of the health technology company Zillion’s Women in STEM Scholarship. She was chosen for her commitment to learning, perseverance, and advocacy for women in science. Moss sees computer science as an industry where she can hone her artistic talents.“In my career, I want to focus on things like software development, web design, user interfaces, and anything else that creates new digital experiences.” 

The College offers students the opportunity to study all around the globe or spend freshman year in Florence or Dublin.

Marist College was recently ranked second in semester-length study abroad and academic-year study abroad programs for master’s level colleges and universities in the latest Open Doors report, a U.S. Department of State-sponsored report, for the 2019–2020 academic year. Rooted in the ideals of the Marist Brothers, a global education has always been at the heart of Marist’s culture and curriculum. The College offers students the opportunity to study all around the globe as well as at Marist’s Florence campus in Italy. First-year students have unique year-long opportunities to study through the Freshman Florence Experience and the Freshman Dublin Experience. Living, studying, and exploring in the heart of the Renaissance, students in the Freshman Florence Experience spend their entire first year in Florence, Italy. Or Marist freshmen can spend their first year exploring the cultural history of Dublin, Ireland.Semester, Faculty-Led Short-Term, and Summer Programs With a global education being a foundation at Marist, the College offers 75+ study abroad programs, enabling students to stay on track in their studies while expanding their cultural experience. A range of semester-long, academic year, and short-term study abroad opportunities allow students to customize an experience to best fit their interests. With no academic restrictions, every major — including sciences and technology — offers the opportunity to gain a cultural perspective.Dr. John Peters, dean of international programs, finds that students who have the opportunity to study abroad are exposed to new experiences that allow them to grow as students and professionals. “International and intercultural engagement is a signature aspect of the Marist experience, and an important part of this is our abroad program. Through study abroad, our students not only experience new horizons but also reexamine the familiar through a new lens,” said Peters. “Learning to successfully negotiate and thrive in unfamiliar cultures and environments helps students to develop many of the skills we seek to foster as educators, including flexibility, problem-solving, and global competency.”Marist was also highlighted in other rankings in the Open Doors report. The College was ranked second in the number of students participating in study abroad, up from ninth in 2019. Additionally, with 46 percent of students participating in study abroad opportunities, Marist ranked seventh for undergraduate students participating in study abroad. Organized and distributed by the Institute of International Education, Open Doors is a comprehensive resource that examines data on U.S. students studying abroad for credit at their home institutions. The report is released annually. 

06 Jan 2022

On Saturday, May 22, the sidewalk along the Marist riverfront popped with a blue, orange, purple, and yellow covering, each color taking up a roughly 20-foot strip of the carpet that stretched from the Marist Boathouse to the very end of the walkway.

On Saturday, May 22, the sidewalk along the Marist riverfront popped with a blue, orange, purple, and yellow covering, each color taking up a roughly 20-foot strip of the carpet that stretched from the Marist Boathouse to the very end of the walkway. The light posts were decorated with streamers matching the corresponding color on the ground. Folding chairs were set up six feet apart alongside the grass, facing the river. Marist students lined up inside the boathouse, flaunting the creations by their classmates, ready to walk the runway for the 35th annual Silver Needle Runway Show. “Open your eyes past the distorted lenses you have built,” a voice implored through the speakers placed behind the audience before the models began their strut. “Liberate your mind to the world beyond your perspective. Now, what will you see?”The producers of the SNR show had been asking themselves that question for roughly a year. Bringing the show back to an in-person spectacle took exhaustive planning. After SNR 34 had to transition to a completely online venture because of the pandemic, this year’s edition of the Marist Fashion Program’s annual show looked, unlike any show before it. It was outside. There was a virtual show in addition to the in-person one. It was an entirely student-produced show, save for the efforts of Faculty Director Juan-Manuel Olivera-Silvera. Several factors changed in the show’s production that made it happen. The most impactful change was the omittance of outside help. Due to a crunched budget and social distancing guidelines to follow, there was no outside production company or experienced professional model corps at the SNR team’s disposal, unlike in years past. The production team had to make do with the resources they had. Olivera-Silvera — who is a senior professional lecturer of fashion and the Fashion Program’s internship coordinator in addition to being the SNR faculty director — wants SNR to be a “laboratory of innovation” for his students. They had to make the laboratory look different this year, but still, the experimentation produced results that the team was proud of.The student production team for this 35th edition of SNR was formed shortly after the virtual 2020 show. They started meeting on Zoom to get to know each other before working more with the show during the school year. Creative Director Ariana Pittelli ’21 took the reins on the “aesthetic visual” — the color palette and story that created the theme they wanted to express. Production Directors Kennedi Hudnut ’21 and Elizabeth Knight ’21 organized three sub-teams: model, wardrobe, and logistics. All in all, more than 30 students came together to tackle the production aspect of the show.The 18 designers, all of whom were seniors, created their outfits with the theme SNR35: illusion in mind. “Our whole goal is to give a deeper message about how your perspective is similar and we all see the world differently, but we need to recognize that and try to undo some of the walls we’ve built,” Pittelli said. Since working around the coronavirus pandemic was the theme of last year’s show, they wanted to do something different while still providing a meaningful, relevant message. “We thought a lot about the societal issues going on, like Black Lives Matter, and all the prejudice in our world,” Pittelli said. “We wanted the show to be a chance to recognize that and give people the message of, ‘We need to undo this illusion.’ ” Designer Jenna Mitarotonda took inspiration from traditional Scottish clothing by incorporating plaid designs and shades of red and light brown into all her designs. Her collection featured skirt-like shapes with baggy sleeves and black boots. She started designing the collection in the fall. Sketching the idea is the first part, followed by draping — taking pieces of fabrics and applying them on a dress form — and then making the actual garments, some of which were scrapped or redone. “I would say this whole design process is trial and error because you learn from your mistakes, or sometimes mistakes are actually really successful,” Mitarotonda said.The trial-and-error nature of collection designing is the same across the board, but the actual steps are not. Designer Natalie Ford is not a fan of draping. Instead, she focused on pattern making, which she took a class in and developed a knack for. She found inspiration in grocery stores, an idea she had had since freshman year. Her collection featured two ensembles with bright colors reminiscent of candy and one dress depicting waffles, accessorized by a round handbag with a waffle design and golden-brown color. Chloe Goldstein’s collection took inspiration from Morocco, which she visited for a few days while studying abroad in Italy in the fall of 2019. She utilized her line of handmade macrame bags in her pieces. Her collection focused on sustainability. She omitted the use of non-natural fibers and toxic dyes and sourced everything from small vendors. It took more time, research, and connecting with small businesses to make her collection, but for her, it was well worth the effort to make it more eco-friendly. The models for the show were all students. Hailey Keenan, a sophomore majoring in fashion merchandising, was selected as a model for Jenna Mitarotonda’s collection. Her only experience modeling had been for a capping project last year. She sent an audition video and auditioned in person before being selected to model Mitarotonda’s collection. Keenan and two other models met with Mitarotonda a week before the show for fitting. Production Director Kennedi Hudnut said that the team working out the logistics themselves and having only fellow students at their disposal involved a big learning curve. They didn’t realize the entirety of the picture that went into logistics, which included obtaining fire inspections and permits. “Stuff like that, we never thought we’d have to do being in the fashion show production class,” she said prior to the show. “But I think it’s going to make us grow stronger as a class and it’s really a great thing to know that it’s all student-run, from top to bottom.” The SNR project served as a capping class for Fashion students but was open to students of any major within the School of Communication and the Arts. The expansion drew students with a wide array of skills. And the production crew needed to reach even further within the Marist community to make the show go. Pittelli said they tapped several departments to set up certain aspects of the show — Athletics for tents, IT for Wi-Fi hotspots, the Marist Media Center for live-streaming capabilities. She added that the sense of feeling rewarded is not due just to their hard work, but because they’re setting up the group of younger students to take the reins and continue to thrive. Along with the in-person show, the SNR team created virtual content. They streamed the show live on Vimeo, using multiple camera angles and shots A 12-minute YouTube video shows the models’ walks around the Colonel Oliver Hazard Payne estate, a mansion owned by Marist 20 minutes north of the main campus on the west side of the river. They also created a documentary and a 17-minute film titled What you’ll see. The story follows Eliza, a young woman, going through the motions of her life without trying to find much more.“The virtual show has a greater reach than you could ever have with an in-person show, so that’s really important,” Pittelli said. “We’re always thinking about the future of the class, the future of the Fashion Program, the future of the industry, and [we] try to instill that into our teams and give them the experience they need moving forward in the industry. So it only made sense to do this.”Olivera-Silvera said the pandemic forced the fashion industry into some introspection. He said that due to the high costs and the copious amounts and forms of waste— trash, electricity, energy— that fashion shows produce, the current system wasn’t sustainable. “The pandemic has brought to light the fact that the industry needed to change, and the virtual platforms have been an amazing vehicle to bring that change,” he said. “Going forward, I think the virtual show will always be something that Marist Fashion does,” Production Director Elizabeth Knight said.The SNR show has been a staple of Marist Fashion for decades. But now they’re looking to become more than that. Leaning heavier into digital content is just one of the ways they’re doing so. SNR started a newsletter called “Through the Needle”, a four-part publication that took readers behind the scenes of the show. They also launched “More Than Fashion: The SNR Podcast,” a five-episode series that discusses different aspects of fashion with a guest. SNR launched their own social media accounts rather than use those of the Fashion Program. “It’s all about creating buzz for us,” Pittelli said. “We’re trying to make SNR not just a school fashion show, but a brand.”The College already has a strong reputation as a school for the study of fashion. This past May, Forbes named Marist one of the “Best Colleges That Are Shaping the Future of Fashion.” Forbes lists only 10 programs worldwide, only four of which are in the United States.The efforts to further expand as a brand went down to the wire during the week of the show. Olivera-Silvera consulted three different weather apps to ensure the team would be ready for anything. They prepped for bad weather by placing umbrellas behind every seat, stashing some for the models, and putting a rain date in place. Luckily, it wasn’t needed, as the weather was cooperative enough for the show to go on.Everyone came together the night before the event for a dress rehearsal around 5:00. A tent on the side of the boathouse, out of the sight of visitors, served as their headquarters. Olivera-Silvera gave instructions about walking paths for the models and pitched in to help where it was needed as everyone prepared for a test run. Models changed into their outfits on the second floor of the boathouse, which was restricted to everyone but the models themselves and a few SNR staffers. The first floor had water bottles, snacks, wipes, cotton swabs, lint rollers, hair straighteners, cotton balls, and more. SNR staffers strung a banner across the opening of the boathouse to mark the start and end of the runway. Members of the SNR creative team manned the upstairs balcony, working with the video and sound side of the operation after the models were ready. The models started their walk in the tent and through the first floor of the boathouse. They began their first practice run around 6:30. Olivera-Silvera watched from the side, offering tips to models as they walked. A few practice runs later, the only thing left to do was put on the show the next day. Or actually, to put it on five times: to accommodate the large audience SNR always draws, they organized five shows debuting every half hour, beginning at noon and ending with their last show at 6:00.On the day of the event, the SNR team’s check-in station featured two big tents with other elements of the show and the Fashion Program to explore — merchandise tables for SNR and Mporium, a student-run boutique, a funhouse mirror painted with SNR colors, a table promoting the new student-run magazine Measure, and a separate tent showing a short film on a projector.  John Bartlett, the director of the Fashion Program, spoke to the SNR production students before the show. “What you all have accomplished this year is Herculean.”He also addressed the audience at the start of the event. “Design students, you have simply moved me with your talent, your creativity, and your natural gifts — and also, your ability to lift each other up. You are all going to go very far in this industry and in life.”To see a video of SNR35, go to www.marist.edu/snr35. For related media, go to https://linktr.ee/silverneedlerunway 

10 Jun 2021

Marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, this class is unique in every way.

The Mindset List, aka the “always/never” list, is a compilation of key points about incoming college students. Created at Beloit College in 1998 to reflect the world view of entering first year students—and to help faculty understand incoming classes—the list started with the members of the class of 2002, born in 1980. In 2019, the list moved to Marist, becoming the Marist Mindset List. The list is widely considered a cultural touchstone.Read more

07 Sep 2021

Seven Student Winners Announced

Seven Marist fashion students were recently announced as winners of the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF), a nonprofit organization that awards more than $1 million each year in scholarships to some of the most talented fashion students in the country, helping these students succeed in all sectors of the industry.With seven student winners, Marist was ranked among the top three overall for scholarship recipients, reinforcing the College’s excellence in fashion education. Marist is proud to have 25 projects submitted, with six design winners and one merchandising winner among the 439 submissions from 55 institutions nationally. Students must create a 14- to 20-page submission including an executive summary, research, target market information, omnichannel launch plan, six-month financial plan, inspiration boards, various fashion boards, and sketches. “I am thrilled to see seven of our Marist Fashion students excel in such a competitive landscape,” said John Bartlett, director of the Fashion Program. “Two of our winners received the Virgil Abloh ‘Post-Modern’ Scholarships, a new partnership created by the late Mr. Abloh to celebrate the work of Black students." The students who received the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarships are individuals who excel academically and show promise in the industry; these students, along with all winners, receive $7,500 and individual mentoring. “The mission of the Virgil Abloh ‘Post-Modern’ Scholarship Fund is to foster equity and inclusion within the fashion industry by providing scholarships to students of academic promise of Black, African-American, or African descent,” according to the FSF webpage.Recently named by Forbes magazine as one of the Best Colleges That are Shaping the Future of Fashion, Marist Fashion has a storied history in graduating students who have won FSF awards. This is a result of the dedicated faculty who act as mentors throughout the timeline of their projects. “This reiterates Marist Fashion being ranked one of the top 10 fashion schools by Forbes magazine and standing out amongst our competitors,” said Rebecca Brown, professional lecturer of fashion merchandising. The 2021 winners include: •    Madi Breeman ’23 – Merchandising•    Mark Bissell ’22 – Design/Product Development•    Shannon Wines ’23 – Design/Product Development•    Ashley Catalano – ’22 Design/Product Development•    Camille McHenry ’22 – Design/Product Development – Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” •    Taliyah Coles ’22 – Design/Product Development – Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern”•    Madeline McCarthy ’22 – Design/Product DevelopmentFSF Scholarship winners receive numerous networking opportunities including career fairs, mentorship, masterclasses, and more. “I am very proud of our students and our faculty mentors who support them. I believe these honors speak to the value of a fashion program within a liberal arts institution,” said Jacqueline Reich, dean of the School of Communication and the Arts. 

10 Jan 2022

The College’s bachelor’s degree program in professional studies, master’s degree in business, and MBA program were named “Best Online Programs” by U.S. News.

Three of Marist College’s online offerings were ranked in U.S. News’s “Best Online Programs” lists for 2021.The programs included are the bachelor’s degree program in professional studies; master’s degree in business (non-MBA); and master’s in business administration (MBA).An early adopter of online programming, Marist has long been a leader in distance learning. This wealth of experience benefited the College greatly when all courses pivoted to fully remote during the spring 2020 semester due to COVID-19. In fall 2020, the College had a successful in-person reopening with courses ready to switch to online if needed.“We appreciate the continued recognition from U.S. News for our online programs. The College is fully committed to innovation and the online format benefits a variety of students—including working adults—by delivering flexible, rigorous, and efficient programs that lead to career-enhancing degrees. The lifetime value of a college degree has been well-documented; it is imperative to offer higher education opportunities that are widely accessible,” said Sean P. Kaylor, vice president for enrollment, marketing, and communication.For the 2021 ”Best Online Programs” ranking, U.S. News assessed a record 1,641 online programs. The list measures overall academic quality; complete rankings are available at usnews.com.Marist prides itself on flexibility in its offerings to reach students of all backgrounds and life situations. Recognized program highlights include:Marist’s Online BA/BS Majors in Professional Studies and Management StudiesThe professional studies major is an integrative, accelerated bachelor's degree completion pathway that can be customized to draw upon previous college, service, and professional experience while learning new career-related skills. Multiple degree concentration options and accelerated eight-week courses, in both online and hybrid formats, allow adult students to tailor this option to meet their interests and career goals and finish on a schedule that suits their needs. For more information on Marist’s online BA/BS in professional studies, visit the School of Professional Programs website.The management studies major is designed for the adult learner who is motivated to advance their career. A compact yet comprehensive general management curriculum forms the heart of this accelerated bachelor’s degree completion program. It is designed to combine the insights of the Marist faculty with guidance from practicing professionals.Marist’s Online Business Graduate ProgramsMarist offers a 100 percent online master’s degree in public administration. The MPA program features distinct areas of concentration including ethical leadership, healthcare administration, public management, analytics, and nonprofit management. The MPA program is accredited by NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration), the recognized global accreditor for graduate programs in public policy, public affairs, public administration, and public and nonprofit management. In 2018, Marist launched a master’s in professional accountancy program.For more information about these offerings, visit the School of Management’s MPA and MS in professional accountancy siteMarist’s Online MBAMarist launched New York State's first AACSB-accredited 100 percent-online MBA program in 1998, one of the first such programs in the nation. AACSB is the premier business school accrediting body. Also known as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, it accredits fewer than five percent of business programs worldwide. The program was recently recognized by The Princeton Review as a Top 50 Online MBA Program.For more information on the Marist MBA program, visit the MBA program website.

Dr. Jacqueline Reich has been appointed dean of the School of Communication and the Arts, effective Monday, July 12. Reich has a robust background in higher education and brings a wealth of knowledge to Marist.

Dr. Jacqueline Reich has been named dean of the School of Communication and the Arts.Reich came to Marist from Fordham University, where she was professor of communication and media studies and recently finished a seven-year term as chair. She was also a member of the doctoral faculty at the University of Florence’s History of Art and Performance PhD program. As department chair, she oversaw the creation of four undergraduate majors and five new minors, an interdisciplinary program in new media and digital design, and a new master’s program in public media. Under her leadership, enrollments grew 40 percent in undergraduate and 50 percent in graduate programs. In addition, she supervised more than 60 full-time and part-time faculty.  Prior to Fordham, Reich spent 18 years as an assistant and then associate professor of cinema and cultural studies at Stony Brook University. There she was responsible for the revision of three undergraduate majors and two minors, participated in the merger of two departments into one, and supervised a staff of nine in her role as faculty director of the Undergraduate College of Arts, Culture, and Humanities. During her career she has served on a number of university-wide committees. Reich is the author of two books and co-author of another, including The Maciste Films of Italian Silent Cinema (Indiana University Press, 2015), which won Best Book on Film and Media from the American Association of Italian Studies and was a finalist for the Best Book on Film for the Theatre Library Association. Other honors and awards include a visiting professorship at the University of Florence and a Howard Fellowship from the George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard Foundation at Brown University. She has an MA and PhD from the University of California at Berkeley and a BA from Dartmouth College. She divides her time between Yonkers and Garrison, NY, with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. 

Marist is once again recognized as a Top and Most Innovative institution in the Regional Universities–North category.

Marist was once again recognized as a Top 10 Regional University – North by U.S. News and World Report. In addition, the College was also named one of the Most Innovative Schools in the region (#2 overall) and highly ranked for its focus on undergraduate teaching (#7 overall). These last two rankings are based upon surveys of college presidents, provosts, and admissions deans who were asked to nominate schools making substantial innovative improvements in the higher education industry.“Over the last decade Marist has been very intentional in how we have built our academic programs, which combine very distinctive educational opportunities and high-impact global experiences with an intimate liberal arts approach that provides highly personalized attention from faculty,” said Thom Wermuth, vice president for academic affairs. “These are the very reasons why our students are very satisfied with their experience at Marist and are highly successful after graduation.” A few of these areas are highlighted below:Study abroad: Study abroad is one of many experiential learning opportunities that add value to the Marist experience for students. Ranked #3 in the United States for study abroad by Open Doors Report, Marist creates pathways for its students to grow by utilizing the world as a classroom. Marist offers two very unique full-year study abroad programs for first-year students in Florence, Italy, and Dublin, Ireland. Marist’s Florence branch campus was founded to be the international face of the College’s commitment to global education and serves as the hub for our study abroad program. Over 50 percent of all Marist students study abroad during their undergraduate experience.Real-world experience: Marist has created numerous Centers of Excellence at its main campus in New York that provide unique opportunities and combine in-classroom learning with real-world professional experiences. These centers include the Hudson River Valley Institute, the Marist Poll, the Marist/IBM Joint Study, the Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership, and the Center for Sports Communication, among others. In addition, Marist has established significant partnerships with industry leaders including but not limited to the FDR Presidential Library & Museum, ESPN, and American Red Cross, to name a few. The College leverages these relationships to enhance the educational experience for our students. Approximately 85 percent of Marist students participate in at least one credit-bearing internship during their undergraduate experience. Accelerated degree programs: Marist currently offers six dual degrees which provide students with unique and affordable options to work toward their bachelor's and master's degrees simultaneously. Through these programs, students streamline their academic journey and are equipped with the knowledge and skills to enter the workforce. Dual degree programs offered at Marist include:•    Accounting (BS)/Professional Accountancy (MS)•    Communication (BA)/Integrated Marketing Communication (MA)•    Computer Science (BS/MS)•    Information Systems (BS/MS)•    Teaching (BA/MA)•    Psychology (BA)/Educational Psychology (MA)Marist’s first-rate educational experience is validated by its students. Ninety-five percent of students are satisfied with their college experience, highlighted by a strong first-year retention rate of 88 percent. Marist’s graduation rate is among the highest in the country at 85 percent, and following graduation, its five-year rolling average indicates that 97 percent of students are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months. 

21 Sep 2021

Fourteen earn degrees from Marist’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, the College’s first doctorates.

Three years ago, 14 young adults began their studies toward Marist College’s Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, the College’s first doctoral program. In December 2020, they completed their journey. This past spring, prior to returning to campus for their commencement in May, several of the graduates looked back fondly on how Marist’s DPT program has launched their young careers. Established in the Allied Health Building across Route 9 from Marist’s main campus, the program is designed to prepare students for the National Physical Therapy Examination and for successful careers as doctors of physical therapy. Inaugural DPT graduates credit Claudia Fenderson, PT, EdD, the program’s director, for selling them on the brand-new program. “I had a lot of faith in Dr. Fenderson’s reputation because she had been a program director at a different college for a number of years,” said graduate Katherine Whitman.A hugely impactful part of the program was its faculty, always available to help students with anything and offer experience from varied backgrounds. Students stay with the same cohort throughout the program, and all of their courses are taught by the program faculty, who get to know the students extremely well. In addition to traditional lectures, students and faculty engage in hands-on experiences in multiple lab courses. Additionally, students have a faculty advisor who assists them during their three-year tenure.  “The close interaction between faculty and students allows for support of the students academically, professionally, and emotionally,” said Fenderson. Having such a small cohort allowed the students more access to professors, and they took advantage of it. The faculty also brought in professionals from the area to speak with students and sometimes provide guidance in the lab. The program uses a variety of labs to provide students experience with the same equipment they will use in the field. It also incorporates volunteer work into its 115-credit curriculum. The mix of lab and volunteer service work provided a well-rounded pathway to becoming a physical therapist. Yara Adely was a big fan of the service-hours requirement because “it really put you in the community, advocating for all your future clientele in a sense…It just makes you feel like you’re making a difference.” The program provided several ways to accrue those hours. Adely mentioned fundraising walks for Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease and filling backpacks with school supplies for kids in the area. Madison Ward was one of four students to be selected for a medical mission trip to Ecuador in February of 2020. The week-long trip placed the students in hospitals to provide physical therapy services, mostly to children. The method of establishing professional clinical rotations was beneficial, too. Students are required to have four full-time clinical rotations, each of which features working in the field in a different way. At Marist, Whitman explained, students integrated their clinical work with their classroom instruction, whereas other programs have all clinical work at the end of their programs. Students were also able to choose their clinical sites themselves. The only requirement was that they had to work in at least one hospital setting and one outpatient setting. “Some schools choose your rotations for you and I’m so glad Marist lets you participate in the process,” Whitman said. Spending so much time as a cohort allowed students to form close relationships. Going through the same stressful classes and studying together created a unique and tight bond. They still keep in touch with one another and will all attend a wedding for one of their DPT classmates this summer. “I think that’s what helped us get through, too. We had the support of each other,” Ward said. The students weren’t shy about offering their input, Fenderson said, which was valuable in shaping the program. “The first cohort understood that their feedback was valued and necessary as it was used to inform the decision-making process about many areas of the program including the curriculum, teaching methodology, and the need for additional resources. When they engaged in full-time clinical experiences, the students provided information regarding their perceptions of strengths of the program and areas needing improvement. This input all factored into the success of the program.”In 2020 the program was granted accreditation for five years by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Five-year accreditation is the maximum period granted to a new DPT program.Some of the highlights of the past three years, said Fenderson, was observing the students “as they advanced to becoming such amazing, caring professionals, seeing their dedication to service of the local and global communities, watching their passion for helping patients evolve and flourish, and of course, developing close connections with these remarkable graduates.” Having 100 percent of the students pass the National Physical Therapy Exam was also a high point, she added.Although the cohort had almost completed the program when the coronavirus hit, the pandemic did have some implications for their studies. Clinical rotations were thrown off-kilter and students had to finish most of their classes online, which is extremely difficult for a profession and course of study that’s so hands-on. “The clinical experience is an invaluable part of the curriculum. The purpose of clinicals are not only for students to demonstrate the skills they have learned, but to continue their education in ways we can not simulate in the classroom. Students return after each rotation more confident in their skills and better able to absorb the new material they are taught. As a clinician and an educator, this is very exciting to observe,” shared Julie Fineman, PT, EdD, the program’s Director of Clinical Education.  The pandemic also affected the job market. Ward said that jobs she was eyeing in the Hudson Valley began offering only part-time or per-diem work or reduced work time and/or salaries. Still, opportunities were out there. Whitman is a physical therapist at Moriarty Physical Therapy in nearby Lagrangeville, NY. Adely works in the outpatient department of Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains, NY, where she worked per diem as a DPT student. Ward is a physical therapist at Professional Physical Therapy on Long Island, NY, and works part-time for Healthie as a marketing associate.Fenderson is proud of the inaugural class. “Witnessing their graduation marks the end of their three-year journey,” she said. “It is a milestone for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program but also one for Marist, as this is its first doctoral offering. For the DPT Program, this is the culmination of a six-year journey the spans the demonstration of the need for the program, building support from the community, gaining state approval, recruiting faculty, staff, and students, and finally gaining full national accreditation. This moment is the result of the unwavering dedication and commitment of the faculty and so many at the College. “We were fortunate to have accepted and graduated an extremely talented cohort of students who are making important contributions to our profession and enriching the lives of their patients.”Being the first group of students to take on the program, as well as the first to earn doctoral degrees from Marist, is something the graduates hang their hats on, especially because everyone in the original cohort made it all the way through. “It really makes my heart happy,” Adely said, “knowing that we were able to shape the program to what it is today.” 

The College celebrates its past and charts a course for its future as Kevin Weinman is installed as Marist’s fifth president.

The inauguration of President Kevin Weinman as Marist College’s fifth president last September was a day of excitement and pride, as the Marist community and representatives across higher education came together to celebrate an institution rich in history and well-positioned to thrive in the years ahead.Thousands of individuals gathered on the Campus Green on Sept. 23 on a picturesque autumn day, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, local community leaders, and friends of the College. Delegates from 51 other colleges and universities across the country also made the trip to Poughkeepsie, including representatives from Amherst, Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of New Hampshire, Notre Dame, and Columbia. Many of the delegates had not visited Marist before and expressed how struck they were by the College’s beautiful campus, state-of-the-art facilities, and deep sense of community.Kevin Weinman onstage during the ceremony, prior to removing the robes associated with his earned degree and donning the Marist College presidential gown.A focal point of President Weinman’s remarks highlighted one of Marist’s most distinctive qualities: the blend of a liberal arts education and preprofessional training that is at the heart of a Marist education and is key to solving society’s most pressing problems. “As you know, there is much debate about the continuing value of the liberal arts compared to a form of education that focuses on professional training. I don’t understand this. In fact, I see no debate here at all,” he said. “The debate between the relative merits of a liberal arts education versus professional education presumes that we must choose one or the other. We don’t. Not only can they co-exist, they are mutually reinforcing. This is especially true at Marist College. Here, we aspire to and, not or.”This unique combination is what has prepared generations of Marist graduates for success and is a big part of what attracted Weinman to the College, in addition to its very student-centric culture. “You are why I am here,” he said, addressing the students directly. “You inspire me each and every day. It will be my never-ending mission to help you get the most out of your Marist experience.”Marist Student Government Association President Gabriel Borbon ’23 spoke on behalf of the student body, praising Weinman’s strong commitment to engaging with students from the moment he joined Marist as president on Oct. 4, 2021.“Dr. Weinman’s first meeting on his very first day was with the student government. That fact alone should tell you a lot about how much he values the students at Marist,” Borbon said. “In one short year, he has shown that he is dedicated to helping students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives. I think the Marist community can rest assured that the future of Marist College is bright and that there are even better days to come.”Dr. Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, president emerita at Amherst College, who was president of Amherst while Weinman served as Amherst’s chief financial and administrative officer, delivered the keynote address.“Kevin’s forms of expertise are so wide-ranging, certainly in finance, in computation and data-driven analysis, but he combines those with an appreciation of the imaginative arts, and the rigorous reading and analytic methods of the humanities. That is what students, and the rest of the world, need. All of that," Martin said. "In addition to his other qualities, you will find Kevin’s steadiness and his positive outlook make him an ideal person to lead. Kevin is truly a connector of fields, professions, opportunities, and people. What we see here today is evidence of that.”A ceremony that celebrated the College’s history, academic mission, and rich traditions was balanced with fun, lighthearted moments and even a bit of humor. In a video, Word on the River student host Joe Tuosto ’23 challenged Weinman to taste-test a popular student sandwich mashup from the North End café: putting a chicken sandwich on top of a grilled cheese. Weinman’s verdict after his first bite: “That is everything I’d imagine it would be.” In her keynote, Martin told a few tales on her former colleague. On the subject of Marist’s campus in Florence, Italy, she said, “I noted with interest that your new president hadn’t been here a year before he decided he needed to visit that [campus].”During the ceremony, Weinman’s son, Alex, recalled the day his father introduced him to the game of golf. “While he tried to teach me lessons about stance, grip, and follow-through, the most important lesson I learned for being on the golf course with him is this: stand far behind my dad when he’s swinging a golf club. No one is safe when Kevin Weinman takes a swing.”Weinman’s daughter, Brooke, and his wife, Beth, also played key roles in the ceremony. Brooke performed River Flows in You by Yiruma on the piano, and Beth shared reflections about her husband.“I have known Kevin for over 28 years now. Throughout this time, he has always worked hard and dedicated himself to making the lives of those around him better, but I have never seen him so excited about an opportunity to make a difference as he is here at Marist,” Beth Weinman said. “Marist, you are getting someone who does not do anything halfway, who tries to be everywhere all the time, and who cares deeply for everyone he’s around.”In acknowledging President Emeritus Dennis Murray, President Weinman noted it is Murray’s “vision and leadership for nearly 40 years that transformed Marist into the remarkable college it is today.” As a result, the institution is well positioned for continued growth and success.  “Even as we celebrate the Marist here today, I am already looking ahead to our centennial in 2029,” said Weinman. “My dream includes both an epic celebration of the conclusion of a remarkable first century and a launchpad for an even more amazing second century.”He identified two key areas that will drive Marist forward into its next 100 years: innovate, and innovate relentlessly, and make Marist’s form of education available and accessible to any student who has the talent and drive to succeed here. He invited not only current students, faculty, and staff to help advance this ambitious vision, but also alumni who have been core to getting Marist to where it is today.Weinman touted past achievements of the Marist community that have made innovation part of the school’s DNA, such as its 34-year partnership with IBM, world-renowned Fashion Program, thriving branch campus in Florence, Italy, and nationally recognized online programs. “As we are innovating and improving, we are also opening our campus to an ever more diverse and talented group of students,” he added. “We must continue to focus on making a Marist education accessible to every student who can succeed here. Every student must feel a sense of belonging … I won’t rest until we achieve this important goal.”These bold priorities, coupled with a new strategic plan, which is expected to be completed in May 2023, will give alumni, students, faculty, staff, and parents countless opportunities and different ways to engage to help shape and contribute to the Marist of the future.Weinman concluded his address by noting that the Hudson River represents Marist’s values, community, and aspirations. “It supports incredible biodiversity and contributes to the vibrancy of life in the region. In this way the river mirrors the human diversity and richness of Marist College. I tell Marist students all the time … their lives are going to be complicated. Like this stunning river, the crosscurrents they face will be relentless and unpredictable. Their Marist education equips them to succeed no matter what comes their way.” The inauguration ceremony was the culmination of two days of activities that showcased the best of the Marist community. It included an open house at the Steel Plant Studios featuring the work of faculty, students, and alumni from the Art Department and Fashion Program; installations of student and alumni research and creative activity; an academic symposium showcasing Marist faculty and “snap talks” where select faculty presented research. After the inauguration, all were welcome at a reception on the Champagnat Green.To see inauguration events, including video of the full ceremony and the entire slate of campus activities, visit https://www.marist.edu/inauguration. 

28 Mar 2023

Marist’s School of Management welcomes Dr. Will Lamb as dean.

Following a national search, Marist College appointed Dr. Will Lamb as dean of the School of Management. Lamb brings a wide variety of experience to Marist, most recently serving as dean of graduate and adult learner recruitment at EAB Global, where he helped colleges and universities improve the strength of their academic programs and grow their enrollments. He previously served as dean of the LaPenta School of Business at Iona College, the Murata Dean of the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College, and associate dean for graduate programs at Ohio University. “Dr. Lamb comes to Marist and to the School of Management at an exciting and pivotal time,” said Dr. Kevin Weinman, Marist president. “With growing undergraduate enrollment in the school, several renowned graduate programs, and a transformational renovation and expansion of the home of School of Management, the Dyson Center, now underway, the School is poised for an incredible future. I was immensely impressed with Will’s vision, strategic thinking, and excellence as an operational leader, and I have great confidence that Will can take the School to new heights.” “My experience at EAB has provided a unique opportunity to learn about the market for higher education, and to work with people at nearly every type of school and in all regions of the country,” said Lamb. “This position at Marist College offers an opportunity to work in a student-centered, liberal arts environment at a moment in the College’s development that presents significant opportunities for the School’s future growth and direction.” Lamb has extensive experience working as both faculty and dean at several institutions with highly regarded business schools. During his leadership of Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, he oversaw the faculty’s revision of the business curriculum and made significant enhancements to the MBA, MS in public accounting, and MS in finance programs. He also oversaw the development of Iona’s online MBA program. At Babson, he was responsible for the oversight and administration of the College’s four MBA programs, MS in accounting, and MS in management—programs that served more than 1,000 graduate students annually. While there, he led the development of two new programs: the MS in finance and the MS in business analytics.  While at Ohio, Lamb moved through the ranks from assistant professor to director of the MBA program, chair of management systems, and associate dean for graduate programs. Prior to Ohio University, he served as assistant professor of management at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. “The School of Management at Marist is renowned for its graduate and undergraduate programs,” said Lamb. “With this tremendous foundation already in place and the coming expansion and transformation of the Dyson Center, our students will have world-class resources at their fingertips to grow and succeed in their future endeavors.” He has a PhD from Virginia Tech and a BA and an MEd from the University of Virginia. 

17 Oct 2022

A Trailblazer on the Court and in Fashion

Former student-athlete Sydney Coffey ’16 is not just a talented basketball player; she is a visionary entrepreneur who has carved out a unique space for herself in the world of fashion. As the founder of Morlé - meaning “more legs” - a clothing brand tailored exclusively for tall women, Coffey has seamlessly blended her passion for sports with her love for fashion, creating a unique brand that resonates with both female athletes and fashion enthusiasts.  “I turned my dreams into reality,” said Coffey. “With Morlé I want to revolutionize the fashion industry by advocating for tall women. Together we can reshape beauty standards and provide an unmatched experience of style and empowerment."  Growing up in Hopkins, Minnesota, Coffey was immersed in basketball from an early age. Her father, Richard Coffey, played in the NBA (National Basketball Association), setting the stage for Sydney’s athletic career. She excelled on the court, leading her high school team to three state championships, and earning a scholarship to play DI basketball at Marist College.   While at Marist, Coffey succeeded as a dedicated fashion merchandising major, balancing the demands of being a student-athlete while pursuing her love for fashion. She studied communications with a focus on fashion design, laying the groundwork for her future as an entrepreneur.   After college, Coffey took her athletic talents overseas to play professionally, where she continued to scout the intersection of sports and fashion, noticing a specific target market – tall women like her – that was not being explored. It was during these overseas adventures in 2020 that Morlé was officially born.   “I was traveling the world hearing the same stories over and over again from women my height and taller, stories about how difficult it is to find clothing we can feel good about,” said Coffey. “Now, Morlé creates a space for women to embrace their height and find a sense of community, too.”   Coffey and the brand have quickly gained traction, thanks to its innovative designs. Coffey’s visions further materialized this spring when Morlé debuted at the Women’s Final Four Tip-Off Fashion Show in Cleveland, Ohio. Dedicated to tall women and athletes, the event provided Coffey with a unique networking opportunity where she was surrounded by female athletes and spoke directly with the customers she hopes to serve.   “Having my first fashion show at the Final Four was incredibly meaningful,” she said. “I met so many women who didn’t know this type of fashion existed before that day. Now, they know Morlé is one of the brands that can provide them with the clothing they’re looking for.”   According to Marist Women’s Basketball Coach Erin Doughty ’06 ’08M, Coffey is redefining what it means to be a business owner in the world of fashion. “Her journey from student-athlete to successful entrepreneur is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief in her potential,” said Doughty. “She saw a need in the fashion industry and decided to create a brand that focused on stylish clothing for tall women like herself. I am not surprised at all by the quick growth of her company, and I know it will continue to thrive under her leadership.”       

Honoring Legacies in the New Dyson Center

As the reimagined Dyson Center opened its doors for the start of classes in late August 2024, the Marist community was granted access to the building’s potential to inspire generations of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. A dynamic hub of innovation and learning, Dyson’s impressive design sets the tone for a bright future ahead.  But beyond the impressive architecture and state-of-the-art learning spaces, Dyson also tells the story of the enduring power of philanthropy at Marist.  Made possible in part by the generosity of many donors, including the Dyson Foundation under the leadership of Chairman Robert R. Dyson and President and CEO Andrea L. Reynolds, the new facility showcases numerous named spaces – from a premier lecture hall, faculty offices, classrooms, to a new mock courtroom and teaching methods lab.  These spaces, named by committed donors, inspire current students while evoking the legacies of community members who have left their mark on Marist, and whose new space ensures their legacy endures.      EDWARD TAYLOR COOMBS CLASSROOM  Gift from the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation  With sweeping views of the Hudson River, the Edward Taylor Coombs Classroom on Dyson’s fourth floor commemorates Eddie Coombs, a Marist lacrosse player whose life was tragically cut short in 2011. This space, a gift from the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation, celebrates Eddie’s legacy not just as an athlete but as a devoted student and community leader. Founded by Eddie’s family, the foundation continues his legacy by supporting scholarships and youth programs that empower young student-athletes to reach their potential both on and off the field.  Known for his kindness, work ethic, and sportsmanship, Eddie made a lasting impression on his teammates and coaches, inspiring the Marist community to honor his memory. Each year, Marist presents the No. 34 jersey—a number Eddie wore—to a senior lacrosse player who exemplifies Eddie’s spirit and dedication, keeping his influence alive among new generations of athletes.  “The classroom is absolutely breathtaking. said Forrestine Coombs, Edward’s mother  It maintains his academic legacy on campus, not just as an athlete, but as a student-athlete.”  The Coombs family has supported Marist for more than a decade, with this classroom serving as a physical reminder of Eddie’s enduring impact on campus. Through their foundation, Eddie’s legacy lives on in this new space, inspiring Marist students to embrace the values he embodied.      O’SHEA LECTURE HALL  Gift from Life Trustee John P. O’Shea and Family  The O’Shea Lecture Hall represents the O’Shea family’s deep-rooted connection to Marist and their lasting commitment to advancing the academic experience.  The O’Sheas have been dedicated supporters of Marist for decades, contributing not only financially but also through their active engagement in various initiatives. This lecture hall is a tribute to their legacy of generosity and educational advocacy, serving as a dynamic space where students gather to learn, collaborate, and engage in critical discourse.  The contributions of John O’Shea and his late wife Nancy reflect their vision of Marist as a community of excellence and opportunity. From supporting student programs to participating in campus developments, the O’Shea family has played a crucial role in helping shape Marist’s mission and growth.  “This lecture hall embodies the O’Shea family’s dedication to fostering an environment where students can thrive, learn, and create lasting connections,” said Chris DelGiorno ’88, Vice President for Advancement at Marist.     WILLIAM “BILL” AUSTIN COLLABORATIVE ROOM  Gift from Wayne Jr. ’80 and Marisa Schmidt  Named in honor of beloved Marist rowing coach Bill Austin, the William Austin Collaborative Room reflects Coach Austin’s legacy of teamwork, mentorship, and dedication. Known for guiding the Marist rowing team to numerous victories, Coach Austin left an indelible mark on the Marist community, influencing generations of athletes with his passion for the sport and his commitment to character development.  The Schmidt family’s decision to name a space after Coach Austin is a tribute to his profound impact on Marist athletes. The room stands as a collaborative space where students can work together, fostering the sense of unity and mutual support that Coach Austin championed throughout his career.  The Schmidt’s meaningful pledge also included the naming of a classroom in honor of Wayne’s father, Wayne F. Schmidt Sr.      JEROME AND TINA PICKETT MOCK COURTROOM Gift from Jerome ’98/’22M and Tina Pickett Aspace designed for immersive legal studies, the Jerome and Tina Pickett Mock Courtroom brings a new professional setting to the Marist campus, preparing students for careers in law and criminal justice. Alumnus Jerome Pickett has a distinguished career in security and law enforcement, bringing a wealth of real-world experience that enhances this academic space. The courtroom serves as a training ground for students, equipping them with hands-on experience in trial procedures, critical thinking, and advocacy. Through their gift, the Picketts aim to inspire future leaders and provide Marist students with a platform to hone their skills in a realistic environment, underscoring the values of justice, ethics, and service to others "Having a space where students can actively engage in courtroom simulations brings their education to life and prepares them for the demands of their future careers," said Pickett.      FULL LIST OF DYSON’S NAMED SPACES Dean’s Suite in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, a gift from the Class of 1968 in honor of their 55th Reunion Edward Taylor Coombs Classroom, a gift from the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation Evelyn M. Davies Teaching Methods Lab, a gift from the Evelyn M. Davies Charitable Trust, Mark V. Dennis, Marist Trustee School of Management Faculty Office, in memory of Thomas G. Crotty ’81, a gift from the Crotty Family School of Management Faculty Office, a gift from Timothy ’69 and Mary Ann Keneally School of Management Faculty Office, a gift from Alyssa ’89 and Charles Moeder Jerome and Tina Pickett Mock Courtroom, a gift from Jerome ’98/’22M and Tina Pickett O’Shea Lecture Hall, a gift from Life Trustee John P. O’Shea and Family Pamela J. Harper, PhD Classroom, a gift from her colleagues, students, friends, and family Pike Rooftop Terrace, a gift from Pike Construction Services Investment Center, a gift from the Jeannette F. Schlobach Charitable Trust, Mark V. Dennis, CPA, Trustee School of Management Advisory Board Café, a gift from an anonymous donor Ulrich Room, a gift from the Dr. Edwin A. Ulrich Charitable Trust Wayne F. Schmidt Sr. Classroom, a gift from Wayne Jr. ’80 and Marisa Schmidt William “Bill” Austin Collaborative Room, a gift from Wayne Jr. ’80 and Marisa Schmidt Interested in learning more about named spaces on the Marist campus? Contact Vice President of Advancement, Chris DelGiorno ’88 at chris.degiorno@marist.edu