The Torch Spring 2008 - St. Thomas Aquinas College

torchTHEIN THIS ISSUEFundraising NewsMBA NewsEducation NewsCampus NewsFaculty Staff KudosAlumni NewsUpcoming EventsSpartan NewsVolume 33. No. 2 Spring 2008

WelcomePRESIDENT’S REPORTSPRING 2008STAC ADDS IACBE ACCREDITATION FOR BUSINESS PROGRAMSDear Friends:As we leap forward into theNew Year we are happy toshare exciting news aboutthe College with you! TheInternational Assembly forCollegiate BusinessEducation (IACBE) recentlyaccredited our MBA program,as well as our undergraduateBusiness Administration programs.The IACBE accreditation adds prestige toour programs and builds upon our alreadystrong reputation. Our dynamic weekendMBA program's quarterly schedule allowsconvenience for professionals seekingtheir graduate degrees while working fulltime.The next quarter begins in March.We hope you consider getting a jump starton your MBA.Our masters programs in Education offerindividuals a variety of opportunities toadvance their careers. Our M.S.Ed. programsin Literacy and Special Educationallow current teachers to seek advanceddegrees in their field and the EducationalLeadership program helps them moveinto the administrative realm. The M.S.T.program assists candidates who do nothave a bachelor's degree and now want topursue a rewarding career in teaching.As we develop our campus master planwe continually seek out ways to grow onand off campus. A main priority of oursalways remains, to provide quality programsand a welcoming community forour students, alumni, faculty, staff, andfriends.We hope you find every reason to returnto us as you seek to advance your career.Please use the enclosed envelope to sendin your comments along with the coupon.We always enjoy hearing about youraccomplishments and sharing them withyour fellow alumni!Best Wishes,Dr. Margaret M. Fitzpatrick, S.C.St. Thomas Aquinas Collegerecently received specializedaccreditation for its Bachelor ofScience and its Master of BusinessAdministration degree programs inbusiness through the InternationalAssembly for Collegiate BusinessEducation (KS). The IACBE is a leadingprofessional accreditation assembly forbusiness programs in student-centeredcolleges and universities throughout theworld. The IACBE exists to promote,develop, and recognize excellence inbusiness education."This IACBE accreditation underscoresthe strengths of our business programsand our business faculty, since it representsan external assessment bycolleagues and peers from otherinstitutions," said Dr. John Durney,Provost and Vice President forAcademic Affairs."And such accreditation also lends ameasure of public visibility and credibilityto our programs -- prospective businessmajors should have confidence thatthey will receive a quality, personalizededucational experience if they chooseto attend St. Thomas, and the IACBEhas echoed that confidence!"St. Thomas offers several businessmajors at the undergraduate levelincluding business administration,accounting, finance, and marketing, aswell as minors in business administration,international business, managementinformation systems, economics,and human resource management.The MBA program provides studentswith the option of choosing amongFinance, Marketing, Management or aself designed concentration.“We are particularly proud that theIACBE commissioners endorsed therecommendations of the site visit teamregarding the highly-developed concernthat our administration, faculty, andstaff have for our students and theirsuccess. The accreditation providesexternal assurance of quality, ensuresthat the characteristics of excellenceare evident in our business programs,and that the business curriculum andco-curricular experiences provide studentswith the knowledge and skillsneeded to function effectively in today'sbusiness,” said Mr. Michael Murphy,Chair of the Business AdministrationDivision.The College is fully accredited by theMiddle States Association of Collegesand Schools, the Board of Regents ofthe State of New York, and theNational Council for Accreditation ofTeacher Education Programs. TheInternational Assembly of CollegiateBusiness Education follows along witha long list of accreditations fromexternal associations.2

Fundraising NewsSPRING 2008From left to right: Michael Dolan, Jacques Tortoroli, Zorica Tortoroli,and Dr. Margaret Fitzpatrick, S.C.Sr. Adele Myers, O.P. and Dr. Carl Rattner.STAC BESTOWS AWARDS AT TRIBUTE DINNERIn October, over 300 friends, family andcolleagues gathered at the Hilton PearlRiver for St. Thomas Aquinas College'sAnnual Tribute Dinner. At the event, the2007 Aquinas Medal was bestowed onJacques and Zorica Tortoroli and the2007 Founders Award on Dr. Carl Rattner.Proceeds of the dinner and silent art auctionbenefited students via the Jacquesand Zorica Tortoroli CommemorativeScholarship. The College has establishedmore than 90 commemorative scholarshipsto benefit students. For more informationon the College's scholarship programcontact the Advancement Office at845.398.4020.2008 GOLF TOURNEY IS JUNE 2St. Thomas willhost its 36th annualGolf Tournament onMonday, June 2,2008 at the RocklandCountry Club inSparkill, NY with anearly morning andearly afternoonshotgun start.200 golfers takepart in this event each year to aid thecollege in raising funds for many of itsprograms.Over the last several years the college hasalso included a silent auction during thedaylong event, which is open to all STACalumni to bid on items even if you do notgolf in the outing. The auction typicallyincludes autographed sports memorabilia,tickets to sporting events or the theatre,fine jewelry, artwork, and more.Alumni and friends of the college donatemany of the silent auction items - andreceive a tax receipt! Do you own seasontickets to a sporting event and know youcan't make one of the games? Have youreceived a gift certificate or gift that youknow you will never use? Do you own asummer vacation home that still has aweek or two open? Or, can you donate aproduct or service? Your donations to theCollege's Silent Auction will help us raisefunds for student scholarships, and willhelp you receive a tax deduction!We greatly appreciate donations of thiskind to enhance our auction offerings andincrease our fund-raising efforts. Allproceeds of the Golf Tournament & SilentAuction go towards student scholarships.This College fund raiser has become oneof the premier golf outings in the region.There are hole in one prizes that includevehicles (cars, trucks, and even motorcycles)on each of the par 3 holes. There is aputting contest for $100,000 and a holein one prize of $1 million. Information onthe golf tournament will be mailed out thismonth.If you have a donation for the SilentAuction or would like more informationabout this event please call the AlumniOffice at 845-398-4284 or e-mailalumni@stac.edu.3

MBA NewsSPRING 2008MBA PROGRAM HELPS PROFESSIONAL PURSUE HER PASSIONWhile working as a full-time accountant,Daria Castagna realized that her truepassion was finance. Daria knew shewould need to find a graduate programthat fit her busy schedule in order tofurther her background in the field offinance. St. Thomas's convenient scheduleof classes provided her just that. Also, theexperienced group of professors andbroad range of class offerings finalizedher decision to pursue her MBA degreeat St. Thomas.Daria received her Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Finance and InternationalBusiness from American University inWashington D.C. While completing herMBA at St. Thomas, Daria was given theopportunity to work in jobs that were inher field of study. She worked as anAssociate Portfolio Manager at AllianceBernstein in White Plains, NY. She alsowas chosen to work at UBS as anOnboarding Associate. These professionalopportunities, combined with her educationalexperience at St. Thomas, gaveDaria an overall awareness of the typesof jobs in the finance industry that shewould have the chance to pursue uponher graduation from the MBA program.“A very important factor in my selectionwas that the student is exposed to multiplesources of knowledge from the academicstaff, students, and textbooks. Each classis an unforgettable experience due to theteaching style and the open informationsharing environment, making STAC'sMBA curriculum and approach an exceptionalprogram,” said Daria.St. Thomas' MBA classes are offered primarilyon Friday evenings, and Saturdayand Sunday mornings, with an occasionalweeknight and online class. Each classmeets for nine sessions. The programprovides students with the option ofchoosing among Finance, Marketing,Management, or a self designed concentration.Students with prior undergraduateor graduate work can have up to 24credits waived. Full-time students cancomplete the remaining 33 credits inone year, but the majority of students,like Daria, are working professionalswho pursue an MBA part-time.“I give credit to STAC for giving me theconfidence to pursue challenging jobassignments and additional formal trainingand credentials, as well as the ability forme to understand the technical and businessaspects of finance and their real lifeapplication. In sum, the STAC MBADaria Castagnaprogram gave me the tools I needed toobtain and perform the job assignmentsthat will lead to a job and a career that Itruly love.”Daria graduated from the program WithDistinction, maintaining a GPA of 3.95,and was inducted into Delta Mu Delta,the International Honor Society inBusiness Administration. Daria recentlyaccepted a position that she might evendescribe as a 'dream job' as a Hedge FundOperations Administrator at CharterAtlantic Corporation, a subsidiary of BNPParibas. She is one of two individualsresponsible for the development andimplementation of proprietary hedge fundoperation systems for the company.-- Kristen WanamakerST. THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE ANNOUNCES AN MBA INFO SESSIONWITH MBA DIRECTOR, ALAN COLSEY.Saturday, March 1 at 10AM(Snow date March 8)Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions for Your Reservation Today:845-398-4107 or admissions@stac.edu4

Education NewsSPRING 2008TEACHING GOLF LEADS TO MASTERS PROGRAMAs Laura Woolgar prepared to finish herundergraduate degree in May 2007, sheknew she wanted to find the best teachereducation program to prepare her for herfuture career. Her search led her to theMaster of Science in Teaching programat St. Thomas Aquinas College. Aftermeeting with Sr. Joan Beairsto, O.P.,Director of the M.S.T. program, andspeaking with M.S.T. graduates, she feltthat the St. Thomas program was theperfect fit for her. Although she knew itwould be challenge, she was ready for it.St. Thomas' M.S.T. program is forstudents who hold an undergraduatedegree in a major other than teachereducation, but would now like to pursuea career in teaching at the elementary orsecondary level. Laura is concentratingin childhood and special education.As an undergraduate student at SienaCollege, Laura was a member of theirDivision I Golf Team. She served asteam captain for the 2006-2007 season.Laura holds the title as the single roundrecord holder for Siena College, with ascore of 70. She won three D-1 GolfTournaments, was the IndividualConference Golf Champion in 2004, andwas also chosen as an All-AmericanScholar in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Asan All-American Scholar, Laura main-Laura Woolgartained an overall 3.69 GPA and competedin over 50% of the College's regularlyscheduled competitions.Laura's experience as a golfer enhancedher desire to become an elementaryschool teacher. “Ever since I was a littlegirl I knew that I wanted to become ateacher. As I was growing up I workedwith young children, and once I becomesomewhat of an expert in golf, I beganteaching children. Teaching children golfmade me realize that I wanted to teachchildren in school,” she said.Laura feels that her experience in theprogram thus far is teaching her how tobecome a well-rounded and knowledgeableeducator.“We have to complete 150 hours ofobservations and it has given me a newperspective on what it means to becomea teacher. By watching other experiencedteachers instruct their students Iam learning how to handle classroomsituations, how to prepare best for lessons,as well as various methods ofteaching instruction.”St. Thomas also offers a Master ofScience in Education program designedfor students who completed their undergraduatework in education. Students canchoose to specialize in Literacy, SpecialEducation or Educational Leadership.As Laura continues the program and hergraduate assistantship, she will substituteteach in the Pearl River, NY, schooldistrict. After she graduates from theprogram, she hopes to find a teachingposition in Rockland County, possibly inPearl River, where she completed herown K-12 education.~ Kristen WanamakerGRADUATE INFO SESSION AT ST. THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGESaturday, March 1 at 10AM (snow date March 8)Chart your graduate course atSt. Thomas Aquinas College.The Master of Science in Education:The advanced teacher education programsin Literacy, Special Education orEducational Leadership, assists teachersin continuing their professional development.The newest M.S.Ed. Program inEducational Leadership leads to SBLcertification. We prepare teachers forleadership opportunities at the schoolbuilding level as assistant principals,principals or curriculum specialists. This30-credit program can be completed in 14months of continuous part time study. Theprogram leads to eligibility for NYS SchoolBuilding Leader certification.The Master of Science in Teaching:Our program is designed for candidateswho have a bachelor’s degree in an areaother than Education and now wish to pursuea career in teaching.The graduate education program alsooffers post graduate certificates in Literacyand Special Education.St. Thomas Aquinas College is a fast growingcollege in Rockland County, New York.The College offers over 60 different undergraduatemajors, minors, specializations,and dual degree programs.For more information about theprograms and reservations call:845-398-41005

Campus NewsSPRING 2008CHEMISTRY AND TENNIS GO HAND-IN-HANDCaroline GizziCaroline Gizzi is one of those people whocan balance their social lives with academicsand athletics. As a junior at St.Thomas Aquinas College, she has figuredout how to use her time wisely whilebeing a part of an honor society, maintaininga high grade point average, andplaying on the tennis team.Caroline chose St. Thomas because shewanted a college where she would receivepersonalized attention and make the mostof her educational experience. Caroline isa Natural Science major with a concentrationin Chemistry. Upon graduatingfrom St. Thomas in 2009, she plans toenroll in the College's Master of Sciencein Teaching program with the ultimategoal of teaching high school Chemistry.St. Thomas' Master of Science inTeaching program is designed for students,like Caroline, who have theirundergraduate degree in an area otherthan education, but would now like toattain a certification for teaching.She was also attracted to St. Thomasbecause of the NCAA DII tennis team.She began playing tennis when she wasten years old and fell in love with thesport from that point on. “You can playtennis all your life. It truly is a life sport,”Caroline said.St. Thomas is home to 16 NCAA DIImen's and women's sports, a variety ofclub sports including equestrian, cheerleading,bowling, and ice hockey, andover 40 student activities and clubs oncampus.Caroline is a scholar athlete who has herown collection of impressive awards forher excellence in academics and on thecourt. She has been named STAC's MostValuable Player for the past two seasons.She is a member of St. Thomas' 2006-2007 All-Academic Team maintaining a3.96 overall GPA. In 2006, she won theNCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year award.Both the New York Collegiate AthleticConference (NYCAC) and the EasternCoast Conference (ECC) have named herto their All Academic Teams. At the2007 Fall Sports Banquet, the College'sAthletic Department gave Caroline aLeadership Award.Caroline's focus and determination hasserved her well in her college career. Shehas taken advantage of opportunities bothin and out of the classroom. She is amember of the Leadership Honor Societyand is captain of the tennis team.When asked how she handles her manyresponsibilities while keeping a level headshe said, “You just have to know how touse your time wisely. In order to accomplishall the things that you want to inlife, you have to be very organized andput your priorities first.”-- Whitney Schlott, Class of 2008LAETARE PLAYERS WOW AUDIENCE WITH “RUMORS”St. Thomas Aquinas College's LaetarePlayers performed Neil Simon's playRumors to three sold out crowds in theSullivan Theater in the fall semester andare looking forward to performing MobyDick: The Musical in April. The actorsand audience members alike enjoyedthemselves throughout the entire performance.The Rumors storyline involves marriedcouples arriving at their friend's home tocelebrate an anniversary. What unfoldsonce the guests arrive is a series of liesand cover-ups fueled by rumors concerningthe host and hostess of the party, whoare absent. The characters, all played bytalented students, brought the play to life.Dr. Evan Matthews, Director of Musicand Theatre, serves as Director for thedrama club's productions. This year hewanted to give a student the chance totake the reigns and direct the play, includingchoosing a script. With Dr. Matthews'guidance, Dimitry Tchertkoff, a St. Thomassenior, was given that opportunity andsuccessfully directed this fall's production.“It was a great experience for him and hedid a magnificent job.” Dr. Matthews saidwhen describing Dimitry and his role asDirector, “I hope to have more studentsdirecting in the future.”“The Rumors script initially brought meback to my infantile days when I laughedwith such fervor,” Dimitry said whenexplaining how and why he chosethis play.“We need students, like those involvedwith Rumors, who are committed todoing the best theatre possible,”explained Dr. Matthews. “We areextremely proud of this production andthankful to all those who continue to supportour theatrical endeavors.”Moby Dick: The Musical will be performedon April 10, 11, 12, Thursday, Friday,and Saturday at 8 p.m. On Sunday, April13, there will be a matinee performanceat 3 p.m. Tickets are on sale now andgroup, student and senior discount ticketprices are available. For more informationabout the performing arts program at theCollege, contact the Music and TheatreOffice at 845-398-4144 or e-mailematthews@stac.edu.-- Whitney Schlott, Class of 20086

Campus NewsSPRING 2008LITERACY EXTRAVAGANZA GETS CORPORATE SUPPORT!St. Thomas Aquinas College hostedThe 12th Annual RocklandLiteracy Extravaganza in the fallsemester under the direction of Dr.Michael Shaw, Professor of Educationand in collaboration with the RocklandTeacher's Center Institute. This event wasa wonderful success and featured nationalrenowned key note speakers. Dr. NellDuke, courtesy of Scholastic, Inc., LoriOczkus, courtesy of Pacific Learning,David Harris, courtesy of Boyds MillsPress and Scholastic, Inc., and JohnFarrell, courtesy of the Rockland ReadingCouncil, were all well received.The Extravaganza is a professional developmentconference featuring over 30different workshops that focuses ondeveloping exemplary literacy instructionalmethods for educators, future educators,librarians, and others interested in learningabout standards-based best practices.Over 250 teachers and students attendedthe program.This year's Extravaganza received majorcorporate underwriting. HSBC BankUSA, N.A., donated $6,000 as part ofits HSBC in the Community initiativewhich seeks to support educationalprograms nationwide. Douglas Smith,Senior Vice President Retail BankingMid Hudson Valley Region stated, "Asthe world's local bank, HSBC very muchbelieves in supporting the communities inwhich we live, work and do businesswhich is why we are so proud to partnerwith St. Thomas Aquinas College in presentingThe Rockland LiteracyExtravaganza and The Rockland CountyStory Telling Festival. A fundamentalingredient to regional growth is an educatedworkforce.”In addition to leading their financial support,Douglas Smith and Sara Tucker, VP& Senior Business Relationship Manager,came with four other colleagues to volunteerduring the day long event.UPDATE: CHARITABLE PROVISION OF THE PENSION PROTECTION ACT OF 2006In the previous issue of the Torch, readerswere encouraged to find out moreabout the Charitable Provision of thePension Protection Act of 2006 and howthey could use this opportunity to supportSt. Thomas. The original act was scheduledto expire this past December 2007.For those who are not familiar with thisprovision, the Act law allows anyone 70and a half years and older to make acharitable gift directly from their IRAaccount of up to $100,000 withouthaving to report the distribution astaxable income. This was particularlyimportant because of the 5% a minimumdrawdown required annually.Recently, the Senate was considering anextension of this act. To learn the currentstatus of this proposal you can call thedevelopment office or contact your financialor tax advisor. The law aside, thereare other straight forward ways to use anIRA account to support St. ThomasAquinas College.Designate St. Thomas Aquinas as abeneficiary of the planYou can add St. Thomas Aquinas Collegeas beneficiary to all or a stated percentageof your pension accounts, 401K or403 B. This is done by simply requestinga Change of Beneficiary form from youremployer or financial institution. By doingso, this portion of your estate will be shelteredfrom both estate and income taxliability. In addition, the estate will receivea charitable deduction for the full value ofthe amount designed to St. Thomas.Using your IRA for charitable gifts toSt. Thomas in your life timeIf you are over 59 and a half you canwithdraw funds from your IRA accountand gift these funds to St. Thomas withoutbeing subject to an early withdrawalpenalty. The transfer is treated as a withdrawaland considered income, thus mak-ing you subject to income tax, but whenthe funds are gifted to the College; thesedonation is considered an income taxcharitable deduction, thus greatly minimizingyour overall tax burden.Before considering any IRA fundedoptions, be sure to consult your tax orfinancial advisor.For more information on other PlannedGiving options contact Kevin Duignan,VP of Institutional Advancement at845-398-4017 or Germaine Arginteanu,Director of Development at845-398-4045.This article is for informational purposesonly. It is important that you alwaysconsult your own personal legal andfinancial advisors before making anydecisions on charitable giving.7

Faculty/Staff KudosDr. Augusto Casas, Assistant Professorof Computer Science, presented a papertitled "Online Notes-Taking-SharingSystem" at the 2007 Microsoft eScienceWorkshop, which took place at theUniversity of North Carolina Chapel Hillin October 2007.SPRING 2008Sandra Mardenfeld, Visiting AssistantProfessor of Communications Arts, publishedan article about boardwalks in thesummer edition of Car & Travel magazineand will have several articles publishedin the winter edition of Bride andGroom.Kevin P. Duignan, Vice President forInstitutional Advancement, was recentlyappointed to the Board of Directors atAlbertus Magnus High School (Bardonia,NY).Karen Edelmann, Professor of Art, wasinvited by Shelburne Farms (Burlington,VT) to participate in its 20th Annual ArtExhibition in September 2007.Lois Jungman, Director of Foundationand Community Relations, conducted aworkshop on “Creating a SuccessfulEvent” at the Arts Council of Rockland inSeptember as part of the College'sSpeakers Bureau program. She wasappointed Treasurer of the Association ofDevelopment Officers.Carol Lagstein, Director of Art Therapy,was part of a group show of paintings atRenaissance Fine Art Gallery in Blauveltin December 2007. She also taughtStudio Supervision at the graduate ArtTherapy Program of the School of VisualArts in NYC in the Fall 2007 and will forthe Spring 2008 semester.Dr. Linda Levine-Madori, Professor ofRecreation and Leisure Studies, presenteda lecture entitled “How to Lead a HealthyBrain Life” at the JCC-Y of Rockland inOctober as part of the College's SpeakersBureau program.Danielle Mac Kay, Associate Directorfor Enrollment Marketing and CampusCommunications is being promoted toDirector of Admissions. Mac Kay holdsa Master of Arts in StrategicCommunications from the College ofArts and Sciences at Seton HallUniversity. She earned her B.A. atRutgers University. Mac Kay teachesSTAC 101 and serves as a housingprofessional.Sandra MardenfeldGerald McCarthyCharles PryorDanielle Mac KayGerald McCarthy, Professor of English,gave two readings of his poetry one atThe New York School of Visual Artssymposium “The Art of War” and thesecond at The Cornelia Street Café inNovember. His new poems appear inItalian Americana, The Broome Review,The White Pelican Review, and theanthology Post Traumatic Press.Charles Pryor, Director of StudentActivities and the Student Center, wasnamed as one of the Journal News andRockland Economic DevelopmentCorporation's (REDC) Forty Under Fortyhonorees and was recognized at a banquetin October 2007.Dr. Michael Shaw, Professor ofEducation, had a professional articlepublished in The Journal of Languageand Literacy Education entitled,"Preparing Reading Specialists to beLiteracy Coaches: Principles, Practices,Possibilities." He also made two presentationsat the College ReadingAssociation Annual Conference.NEW FACULTY AND STAFFWe are pleased to welcome the followingindividuals to the college community:Kathleen DeRosa, Records ClerkJoanne Favata '81, Assistant Director,Annual Giving & Alumni AffairsJoseph Marra, Security OfficerStanley Ploszaj, Systems, Catalogingand Technical LibrarianTHEtorchSPRING 20088

Alumni NewsSPRING 2008WOMEN'S LACROSSE RECEIVES HONORSt. Thomas' Women's Lacrosse wasnamed an Intercollegiate Women'sLacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA)Merit Squad for the 2007 season. TheLady Spartans led all Division II schoolswith a 3.34 team GPA. St. Thomas wasone of three East Coast Conferenceteams named.Individually, six members of the teamwere named to the IWLCA AcademicHonor Roll in 2007:Taryn Brechbeil, '07; Kim Delorenzo, '08Katelyn McDonagh, '08; RebeccaStewart, '07; Theresa Wilkes, '07; and,Nicole Zippilli, '07.St. Thomas Aquinas College, along withC. W. Post (Long Island, NY), led thenation with six players named to theAcademic Honor Roll.Three other Lady Spartan Teams maintainimpressive average GPA's. Thewomen's basketball and tennis teams havean average GPA of 3.3 and the softballteam's average is 3.23.Jan Cheripko is an award-winningchildren and young-adult author whosebooks are published by Boyd Mills press.In addition to writing, Cheripko alsoteaches at The Family Foundation Schoolin Hancock, N.Y. The residential schoolis for troubled adolescents. Cheripkohimself, a self-entitled “troubled teen”turned his life around with the help of aninspirational teacher.Cheripko's involvement with teenagers atrisk, his own high school football days,and his love of literature combine tomake his first novel, “Imitate the Tiger,”a work that breaks the usual stereotypesof sports plots and characterization. Hespeaks to students, educators, and parentsthroughout the country about writing,literature, heroes, and at-risk students."I tell my students," Jan says, "what amentor once told me: 'Writing is anexperiment in telling the truth.' Thatsimple statement is the basis of myJan Cheripko, ‘74philosophy of writing and teaching writing."Jan has a bachelor of arts degreefrom St. Thomas Aquinas College. Hewas editor of the Sullivan County Democratand a contributing writer to the TimesHerald-RecordCheripko has been a featured speaker atthe International Reading Association andthe National Council of Teachers ofEnglish annual conferences and atnumerous state and regional conferences.SAVE THE DATES…2008 ALUMNI WEEKENDSLATED FOR MAY 2THROUGH MAY 4Get ready for some localaction on Friday night and avariety of cultural and sportingactivities to choose fromin the New York area onSaturday and Sunday. Lookfor details in your mailboxesin March.Mark your calendars forwhat promises to be a funfilledAlumni Weekend!9

Alumni NewsSPRING 2008'66Herlinda Crimmins - wedded in SacredHeart Chapel in Sparkill 40 years ago, isnow a mother of 7 and a grandmother of8 children residing in Bel Air, Marylandremembers renting books for 50 cents!‘70Elizabeth Strong Murray is enjoyingretirement after 17 years of teaching.She and her husband, James, get greatpleasure from their 7 grandchildren.Sr. Peggy Sarano received the RobertMorneau Award for Distinguished Servicefrom the National Catholic DevelopmentConference in September 2007.‘76Susan Scallonexich retired from theHealth Care Industry and now breeds andraises Kentucky Mountain horses inGoshen, NY.‘78Br. Michael Harlan, O.F.M., representedSt. Thomas Aquinas College at theInauguration of Father Kevin J. Mullen,O.F.M., PH.D., as the Tenth President ofSiena College in Loudonville, NY, inOctober 2007. Br. Michael worked inthe Office of Student Affairs at SienaCollege from 1996-2005, serving as acampus minister, member of theresidence life staff and as Director ofthe Franciscan Center for Service andAdvocacy.Lynn Donovan Krakaur accepted aposition at Nyack Hospital as SeniorAccountant in the Finance Department.Lynn holds an MBA from Long IslandUniversity and has been an Alumni BoardMember for over 10 years. Lynn's husband,Andy ('79), is with The Salvation10Brother Michael Harlan, O.F.M.Mark RomanoArmy Headquarters in West Nyack, NY.They have 2 daughters, Lauren and Erin.Lauren is currently enrolled as a STACstudent with The Academy of Financethrough North Rockland High School.Lynn's father, Thomas Donovan also aSTAC graduate,'83!‘79Mark Romano accepted the position ofRegional Vice President of affiliate salesfor the Outdoor Channel. He will belaunching new media brands to consumerand trade audiences.Jim Leiner is writing a monthly local historycolumn for news magazine TheNyack Villager. The column“Remember the days?” is also availableon-line at www.nyackvillage.comMary Cleplensky-Jenkins recently gotback in touch with STAC community -welcome back Mary.‘80Deborah Ann Jensen, Ph.D., is atenured Associate Professor at CUNY'sHunter College, NY, and is a coordinatorfor Literacy Space an after-school programfor grades 1 - 3.‘82Paul Borghese recently appeared ontelevision in the ESPN mini-series “TheBronx is Burning”. He also recentlycompleted playing a supporting role inthe feature file “Delilah Rose” which wasmostly shot in Piermont and Grandview,NY. Paul's reality television show, “Dinnerwith the FoodFellas”, was recently pickedup by TLC. The last movie he directed,“Searching for Bobby D”, is now in videostores.Paul Borghese‘83Debra Charette Ierardi - recentlyaccepted a position as ResidentialProgram Coordinator for The Center forDiscovery in Sullivan County, NY.‘84James Linekin won the New York Statelottery contest that awarded his son tothrow out the game ball at a New YorkMets game in September 2007. Jimowns and operates Arrowood SpringWater Co. & Rockland's Kettle PopcornCo. Jim is living with his son Jerrime inPearl River, NY.James Linekin, son Jerrime, and formerNY Mets catcher Paul LoducoTHEtorchSPRING 2008

Alumni News‘85In MemoriamPatricia Ann Berrigan Martins passedaway in November 2007 after a courageousbattle with colon cancer. Patrica'sfinal wishes were to “please get earlydetection to this treatable disease”.‘87Dan Windheim published his secondbook entitled, “Its not all Black & White”sharing stories, poems, and antidotesabout life after a traumatic brain injury.‘88Rich Vosler recently started his ownpractice as a certified Life Coach. Hiswebsite is www.richvosler.com.‘89William D. Wacht currently enjoys hisposition as a Senior Analyst andCorporate Project Manager at FedExCorporation in El Segundo, California.‘91Carol Veach Lopez, along with husbandJoe and daughter Samantha, have beenblessed with Twins; Joseph Thomas andAmy Caroline.‘95Vanessa Alcasid Dinoso was married inApril 2007. Vanessa is an elementaryschool teacher is expecting her first childin February 2008.James Finnegan married MaureenFlynn. The two are proud parents oftheir first child, Ryan.Deborah Ann Negri Mazur and husband,Mike, welcomed their second son,Anthony, in December 2006. Anthonyjoined big brother, Michael.'97Kevin Cook and Kathy (Back), '99,announce the birth of their daughter,Reagan Madden, who was born on April2007.Adam Schiff recently joined Saks FifthAvenue as Manager of TreasuryOperations, prior to Saks, Adam waswith Jet Blue Airways for four years.‘98Alberto Vazquez was recently appointedAssociate Superintendent of Schools forthe Diocese of Brooklyn.Genevieve Juranich is a reading specialistfor Clarkstown Central School Districtand has been a multiple year honoree ofWho's Who Among America's Teachers.‘98 & ‘02Cathy Costello Healey and husband,Tom, welcomed their second child, KyleJoseph in February 2007, he joins bigbrother Jeffrey.'99Amalie Almendras is currently employedas a Senior Support Representative inmutual funds at Morgan Stanley in JerseyCity, NJ.Susan Dell'Arciprete Monaco and husband,Anthony, were blessed with twins,Elizabeth Louise and Peter Anthony.‘00Danielle Telesca Cimaglia was marriedin April 2007. Danielle is a special educationteacher at Mamaroneck HighSchool in Mamaroneck, NY.Tom Carney was engaged to RoxanaIbbara of New Windsor, NY. An August2008 wedding is planned. Both Tomand Roxana work for United Water inWest Nyack.‘03 & 07Daria Jacobellis, D.O., received herMasters at the New York College ofOsteopathic Medicine and will move onto her residency in Anesthesiology at St.Joseph's Regional Medical Center inPaterson, NJ.‘04Edward Costa received his Masters fromThe New York College of PodiatricMedicine and will complete his residencyat Our Lady of Mercy in Bronx, NY.SPRING 2008Lauren Cully graduated from St. John'sUniversity with a Masters degree inLibrary and Information Science and hasbeen working as a children's librarian inthe Nanuet Public Library in Nanuet, NY.Nicole Kirkwood is currently pursuingher Masters degree in clinical social workat Columbia University along with a lawminor from Columbia Law School.Daniel Welsh graduated from BowlingGreen State University with a Mastersdegree in Biology. He will be starting hisPh.D. at Urbana - Champaign. He hassubmitted his thesis for publication in ascientific journal.‘05Jonathan Colavita received his Mastersdegree from New York University'sSteinhardt School of Education and ispursuing a doctorate at Princeton, NJ.He is currently teaching 7th grade languageart and honors. He is set to bemarried in June 2008.Caren Fisher, an Honors Program graduate,successfully defended her mastersthesis in an oral exam at Penn StateUniversity in September 2007. Carennow has a Master of Science degree witha specialization in meteorology. She iscurrently working full time for the weather/meteorology department at Penn Stateand is interested in taking broadcastingcourses to lead to a public weathercareer.Michael Yannazzone, Captain forSparkill Fire Department, coordinated theextensive fire training drill that took placeon the St. Thomas Aquinas College campusin 2007. Michael also works closelywith the College's Residence Life Officethroughout the year to ensure the safetyof the students and community.‘06Reggie Malz was appointed HeadTeacher at Westchester School forSpecial Children. Reggie also runs anon-profit organization for AAU youthbasketball in NJ, called the North JerseyBlast.11

Alumni NewsSPRING 2008MEYERER MAKES A DIFFERENCEDiane Meyererspecial needs. I believe that they can andshould learn and I am happy to be a partof that.”Diane is dedicated to assisting the childrenin more than just the classroom environment.She takes them on field trips,preparing them to function comfortably inall situations. Parents of her studentsnote that Diane's dedication is obvious asshe cares for the children as if they wereher own.Diane is most proud of a program shelaunched for improving social skills thatmeets every morning before school.Through her teaching experiences, sheidentified the importance of special educationstudents to interact and integratewith children their own age. During theprogram sessions groups of children playinside and outdoors and interact with oneanother in a non-structured environmentwhich assists in their social skills development.-- Joanne FavataFor more than fifteen years, DianeMeyerer, a Special Education teacher atFranklin Avenue School in Pearl River,NY, has been enriching the lives of manyvery special students. Diane completedher Master of Science in Education at St.Thomas Aquinas College in 1990.A recipient of numerous awards from thePearl River Special Education PTA(SEPTA), Diane's most recent awardscame in August 2007 when she was recognizedas one of “Rockland's Top TenEducator's” and received a “Teacher ofThe Year” Award from the RocklandCounty Association for the LearningDisabled (RCALD) Award.Regarding her career path, Diane stated,“I knew I wanted to help people withDiane Meyerer at the Franklin Avenue SchoolLIBERTY MUTUAL PARTNERS WITH STACThe STAC Alumni Association continuesits partnership with Liberty Mutual tooffer the insurance discount program“Group Savings Plus.” This programoffers a 10% discount* to alumni whopurchase their auto insurance fromLiberty Mutual and a 5% discount onhome insurance.Since the inception of this program, participationhas grown tremendously andnow supports the College's Annual Fund.St. Thomas alumni who have takenadvantage of this benefit have had a100% renewal rate for their insurancecontracts with the company. LibertyMutual has become a true “partner” withSTAC and the Alumni Association, sponsoringevents including the GolfTournament and two Defensive Drivercourses at the College per year.For more information, contact theCollege's Alumni Office at 845-398-4284or alumni@stac.edu or log on tohttp://www.stac.edu/alumni/alumnimember.htmto view the other Alumni &Friends Privileges and Benefits.*This offer cannot be combined withany other discount.THEtorchSPRING 200812

Upcoming EventsSPRING 2008FEBRUARY24-March 30New AMAG Exhibition“Then and Now” by RocklandArtists27 Alumni & Student SpeedNetworking EventRSAC 6:00-8:30pmMARCH1 Graduate Information Session(snow date March 8)10:00amAdmissions 845-398-410721 Cinema Italiano-“Il Posto”Sullivan Theatre-7:30pm845-398-413425 “Life After STAC” NetworkingDinner for students & alumniOff Campus6:00-8:30pmAPRIL6-May 4New AMAG Exhibition“Recent Works” by Carl Rattner9 Cinema Italiano-“Nuovomondo-The Golden Door”Riverspace Arts (Nyack, NY)8:00pm845-398-413410-13 Moby Dick: The MusicalSullivan Theatre 8:00pm(3:00pm on Sunday)845-398-414411 Alumni in HR Mock InterviewPanelMulti Purpose Room 1:00-4:00pmAPRIL (cont.)12 Defensive DrivingCostello Hall 1038:00am-3:30pm17 Italian Music ConcertSullivan Theatre 8:00pm845-398-414422 Honors ConvocationAquinas Hall Gymnasium 7:00pm24 Jazz Standards-Spring ConcertSullivan Theatre 7:30pm845-398-414425 2nd Annual Bowl for Justin Benefit9:00pm-1:00am25 Cinema Italiano-“Accattone”Sullivan Theatre-7:30pm845-398-413427 Undergrad Open House11am-3pmAdmissions 845-398-4100MAY2-4 Alumni WeekendActivities TBALook for mail including moreinformation in March!3 Baccalaureate MassMass-Sacred Heart ChapelReception-RSACTime: TBA9 51st Commencement Ceremony2:00pmJUNE2 36th Annual Golf /TourneyRockland Country ClubAdvancement 845-398-4020torchTHETHE MAGAZINE OFSt. Thomas Aquinas Collegeis published by theOffice of Institutional Advancement(845) 398-4020Vol. 33, No. 2, Spring 2008Dr. Margaret M. Fitzpatrick, S.C.PresidentBrother David Carroll, F.S.C., ChairmanBoard of TrusteesEditorial StaffDanielle N. Mac KayJoanne Favata - AlumniLois Jungman-KudosContributing WritersVin CrapanzanoKevin P. DuignanMichael McManusWhitney Schlott, '08Kristen WanamakerOn The Cover: Stephen Hancock, ‘08, at Springfest on campus.If you would like more information, please contact the Office ofInstitutional Advancement at 845-398-4020.Some photos in this issue courtesy of:Terence Lynch - Studio ElevenPeter Howard - PhotographerJohn Angelillo - PhotographerBob Vergara - APS PhotographyDesign: Universal Marketing, LLC13

Spartan NewsSPRING 2008STAC ATHLETES GARNER CONFERENCE HONORSA number of St. Thomas AquinasCollege Athletes have received postseason and weekly recognition from theEast Coast Conference, NCAA DII,during the 2007-2008 school year.There are more games on the schedule for the winter and spring seasons. Formore information on results and schedules, log on to: www.stacathletics.com.Senior John Lumsden was named tothe ECC All Conference 3rd Team formen's soccer. Lumsden from Dublin,Ireland, was a defensive mainstay forCoach Graham Brown's team the past 4years.Junior Stacy Samora was named to theECC All Conference 3rd Team forwomen's soccer. Samora from Suffern,NY, returned this season after a seasonending knee surgery during the 2006season. She led Coach Al Moroni's teamin a number of offensive categories.Senior Jennifer Edlund was namedECC Player of the Week in women's tennis.While playing 3rd singles and 2nddoubles, the Stony Point, NY, native wonboth her singles matches and both herdoubles matches during Coach VincentCeci's team wins over Post University andGeorgian Court University over the weekof October 1.Senior guard Takiyah Ingram fromPoughkeepsie, NY, was named ECCPlayer of the Week for the week ofDecember 3. Ingram averaged 27 points,6.5 assists and 2.3 steals in 2 wins overQueens College and New York Instituteof Technology. She notched a careerhigh 32 points against Queens and addeda double-double 22 points and 10 assistsversus NYIT.Erika Ostrove, a senior guard fromCresskill, NJ, was the 2nd Lady Spartanto be named ECC Player of the Week inwomen's basketball this season. Ostroveaveraged 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals,and 3assists in two games during the firstweek of 2008. She tossed in a seasonhigh 23 points in the Lady Spartans winat the University of Bridgeport.14Players listed (l to r) top: Erika Ostrove; Jenn Edlund; middle: Takiha Ingrim;Stacy Samora; bottom: John Lumsden

Your NewsSPRING 2008WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU!Below is an opportunity to share your news with us and also sign up to receive information from us. Please fill outthe coupon below, check off the programs that interest you, let us know how you are doing, and what you would liketo see in the next edition of The Torch. Use the envelope in this edition of The Torch to mail this coupon back tous, or fax it to The Torch at (845) 359-8136.Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________________Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________City:_________________________________________________State:___________________________Zip:______________E-mail Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________Home Phone: ( ) _________________________________Work Phone: ( ) __________________________________Class Year or Affiliation to the College:_____________________________________________________________________Please check the programs you would like more information on:■ Undergraduate Admissions ■ Graduate Business ■ Graduate Education■ Alumni in AdmissionsDo you know someone who may be interested in one of STAC’s Programs? Refer them to us.Prospect Name:________________________________________________________________________________________Address:______________________________________________________________________________________________City:_________________________________________________State:___________________________Zip:_____________Home Phone:_______________________________ E-mail:___________________________________________________Something New? Have you accepted a new position, been promoted, started a new venture, married or added anew member to the family? We’d like to know. Please take a moment to share your good news with us.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Have an idea for The Torch? We’d like to hear your suggestions. Please call us at (845) 398-4020 or e-mail yourideas to alumni@stac.edu15

Save The Date!36th Annual President's Council Benefit Golf TournamentMonday, June 2, 2008AtRockland Country Club7:30am~Morning Shotgun12:30pm Afternoon Shotgun~Get your Raffle Tickets Now!$25 each/Limited amount to be soldPossible Winning Pot: $6,250~For more information call:Kevin P. Duignan,Vice President for Institutional Advancement(845) 398-4017 or kduignan@stac.edu125 Route 340, Sparkill, New York 10976-1050Address Service RequestedNon-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDMonsey, NYPermit #7602torchTHE