In Memoriam
Remembering two Mount pillars
The Mount Saint Mary College family said goodbye to two of its most resolute architects: Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, the college’s fifth president, and Sr. Patricia “Pat” Sullivan, OP, a Mount trustee and long-time professor, have passed away.
SAVE THE DATE
Alumni Weekend
It’s official: We’re hosting a very special Alumni Weekend June 5-6, 2026!
Maloney Investment Lab debuts at Mount
Alumni & Friends
From births to retirements, catch up with news and photos from the classes of 1970 - 2022.
When the Mount’s annual class reunion weekend was moved from Fall of 2025 to Spring of 2026, Cynthia S. White McVey and her friends from the Class of 1975 decided to host their own reunion – right here on campus!
The Mount’s Annual Gala Reception in October celebrated two outstanding pillars of the community: Alan Seidman, a local leader in construction, and James P. Smith, Jr., founder of Advance Testing Company, Inc.
Dozens of scholarship students got the chance to say “thank you” in person at the Mount’s annual Scholarship Appreciation Brunch in November.
Digital Media Production students enjoyed valuable, real-world experience this month by filming oral history interviews with four elderly Maryknoll Sisters at the congregation’s Center House in Ossining, N.Y.
When Fr. Greg experienced a medical emergency around 11 o'clock in the evening, the first person he thought to contact was not a doctor, but an alumna of the college, Summer Lown '24.
Academics & More
The Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness concluded its programming in December after a successful grant-funded run.
It was supposed to be a routine day of fieldwork for Doug Robinson and his ecology students early in the Fall 2025 semester: a quick paddle down the Wallkill River to assess water quality and habitat health. But as anyone who has spent time in the field knows, nature often has its own schedule.
In 1975, the world was listening to disco, watching Jaws in theaters, and welcoming a young biology professor named Thomas Sarro to Mount Saint Mary College. Five decades later, Sarro is still shaping minds and defining what it means to be a Knight.
The Mount isn’t just teaching the future of digital media. We’ve built a studio to match it. The college recently completed a massive, professional-grade overhaul of its TV studio in Aquinas Hall, turning the facility into a high-tech command center for the Digital Media Production program.
When the Dominican Sisters founded the Mount 65 years ago, their mission was clear: educate the teachers who would shape the next generation. This fall, the college reaffirmed that commitment by inking a transformative partnership with the non-profit organization Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers (TSTT).
As the fall semester drew to a close and the December chill settled over the Hudson Valley, the Mount Saint Mary College campus glowed with holiday spirit. In a span of just four days, two beloved traditions brought students, faculty, alumni, and neighbors together.
Mount Saint Mary College welcomed about 75 distinguished community leaders, alumni, faculty, and friends to the Aquinas Hall Atrium early in the Fall 2025 semester, for “Climbing Higher: Meet the Leaders of the Mount.”
It was a celebration of both science and service on December 12, as more than 50 students from the Nurse Practitioner program gathered in the Dominican Center Chapel for the Winter 2025 White Coat Ceremony.
Spotlight on Nursing
The Mount’s mascot, Mack the Knight, might have some competition from another friendly Mac on campus who is just as beloved. Mac is a five-year-old golden retriever and the service and therapy dog for Nancy Checchi, Professor of Practice in Nursing and the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program Coordinator at the college.
Like many other aspects of life, AI is rapidly being integrated into the healthcare sector, presenting both powerful new capabilities and potential pitfalls for future clinicians. Anne-Marie Uebbing, associate professor of Nursing at the Mount and a certified Family Nurse Practitioner, sees AI as a pathway for advancing patient care, provided that clinicians are taught to use it critically.
The song says to “teach your children well.” But less remembered is the song’s second verse: “teach your parents well.” Fifty-five years after that recording was released, Mount Saint Mary College student Mistinquette Williams and her daughter, alumna Gwen Johnson ’25, have become the embodiment of that powerful dynamic.
Getting a jump on their futures, dozens of local high school students attended the Mount’s Summer Institute for Nursing Exploration, a free series of workshops that provided an immersive, hands-on dive into the profession.
The Mount’s Go Blue for Athletics campaign recently earned more than $45,000 for the college’s teams by rallying alumni, families, and fans to support the student-athletes.
A familiar face is taking the lead at the Kaplan Center: After more than a decade of dedication to the Knights, Samantha Howe has been appointed as the college’s new Director of Athletics.
Mount Saint Mary College’s Director of Sports Information, Kyle Teixeira, has been selected as one of only 30 athletic communicators in the country to participate in the NCAA Division III Athletic Communicators Emerging Elite Program.
The Men’s Soccer program collected more than 100 food items and other necessities on Saturday, October 4 to donate to Fareground, a Hudson Valley non-profit that helps those in need.
News Briefs
From spooky treats to holiday feasts, the Mount community spent the Fall 2025 semester serving its neighbors in record numbers.
Take a look at the new academic offerings launched in 2025, including new degrees, minors, and partnerships.
Championships, celebrations, and campus connections — revisit the moments that defined the student experience during the Fall 2025 semester.
From raising over $18k at the annual Cupcake Run to planting mums in the Sensory Garden, here’s a look at what Bishop Dunn Memorial School has been up to.
Celebrating our student’s academic achievements throughout the Fall 2025 semester.
Mount Saint Mary College was recently recognized by U.S News and World Report, Money, and EduMed.
The Mount hosted several conferences and talks on campus during the Fall 2025 semester.
Looking Back
A sweet slice of history
The year 2011 marked a watershed moment for Mount Saint Mary College. With the acquisition of the Dominican Center under the leadership of Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, the college united its past with its future, transforming the historic Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Hope into a state-of-the-art hub for learning and living.
The dedication of the building – now home to the Kaplan Family Library and Learning Center and housing for upperclassmen on the top floors – was a celebration of growth, community partnership, and the enduring legacy of the Mount’s founders. To mark the occasion, college leadership and local benefactors gathered to cut a cake modeled after the iconic 1927 landmark, officially opening a new chapter for the campus.
The guest list was a who’s who of Mount champions past and present. In this photo alone are Sr. Ann Sakac, OP, fourth president of the Mount; philanthropist William Kaplan; Fr. Mackin, fifth president; James P. Smith, Jr., president of Advance Testing; and Albert Gruner, former chair of the Mount Board of Trustees.
Don’t miss out on future issues
Subscribe and we’ll notify you each time Mount Saint Mary College Magazine publishes
A nice ring to it: Women’s Basketball team honored for 2025 Skyline Championship title
In a pre-game ceremony that brought the crowd to its feet, the Knights officially closed the book on their historic 2024-25 Skyline Championship season.