The Heart and Mind
Montefiore St. Luke’s critical connection with the Mount
In the City of Newburgh, the distance between earning a nursing degree and saving a life on the front lines is shorter than you might think.
Alumni & Friends
From 100th birthday celebrations to engagements, catch up with news and photos from the classes of 1967 - 2023.
The spirit of community and lifelong friendship was on full display as Mount Saint Mary College welcomed graduates back to campus for Alumni Reunion Weekend 2026.
Grace Sanchez is doubling down on her commitment to Newburgh’s next generation. The owner of local staple Hudson Naturals recently announced plans to expand the Lucy Delgadillo Memorial Scholarship at Mount Saint Mary College, by adding another scholarship award for a second student.
For many who grow up in the Hudson Valley, the history of the American Revolution is woven into the very landscape. But for Kieran J. O’Keefe ’14, the real fascination lay not in the decisions of famous generals, but in the chaotic, ground-level reality of the ordinary citizens who chose the losing side.
For Alana Manga ’93, the journey from a Biology major at Mount Saint Mary College to the administrative halls of a university in France wasn’t a straight line, and that’s exactly how she thinks it should be.
The Mount’s 48th Annual Golf and Tennis Invitational Tournament in June raised nearly $147,000 for scholarships – one of the most successful tournaments in the event’s history
While the traditional route to earning both a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) takes a steady five years, Kelsey Farrell looked at that timeline and decided she could do better, completing the entire track in just four years.
Successful alumni recently returned to the Mount to connect with current students during the Alumni Perspectives: Expectations vs Reality networking event.
Finding their Niche
How three alumni built unique careers in Social Sciences
Hear from Dr. Rafael Vazquez ‘02 about his journey from Mexico to MSMC to Senior Director of Non-Operating Room Anesthesiology (NORA) for the multispecialty division at the Massachusetts General Hospital, an attending anesthesiologist in the Department of Anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham, and an assistant professor of Anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School.
When the cameras roll on major films, TV shows, and broadcasts, there’s a good chance a Knight is behind the lens.
Following months of production and historical preservation, a powerful new documentary celebrating the centennial mission of the Maryknoll Sisters in the Philippines has officially premiered. Under the direction of Merle Becker, instructor of Digital Media Production, Mount Saint Mary College students served as interviewers and production crew for the New York-based segments of the film.
Lou Bach, Chair of the Board of Trustees, shares a clear message with our community: The Mount is moving forward with purpose, innovation, and impact.
Turning the Tassels
MSMC’s Class of 2026 Triumphs
Years of late-night study sessions and campus memories culminated with Mount Saint Mary College’s 63rd annual Commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, honoring nearly 400 graduates. They were surrounded by the family and friends who helped them cross the finish line.
The day she moved onto the Mount campus as a freshman in 2022, Dana Donnelly of Yulan, N.Y. said she was “looking forward to a quality education.” Four years later – as a newly minted alumna – that’s exactly what she got, she says.
Mount Saint Mary College graduate Stefanie Sommer of Monroe, N.Y., had her path to the classroom secured long before walking across the Commencement stage.
Mount nursing grad Kate Egan of Levittown, N.Y. says the “Mount Spark” wasn’t just a feeling she had during her first campus tour – it became the fuel for a four-year journey defined by leadership, academic excellence, and community service.
Nicole Kreischer, a 2026 Psychology graduate from Washingtonville, N.Y., spent her four years at the Mount weaving herself into the fabric of the campus community.
For 2026 Mount grad Elizabeth Linton of Walden, N.Y., a blank canvas is a source of inspiration.
From the dance floor to the quiet focus of the Writing Center, Emily Casale of Staten Island, N.Y. spent her four years at Mount Saint Mary College proving that leadership is a performance in excellence.
Sabrina Scire of Staten Island, N.Y., graduated from the Mount having left an indelible mark on both the campus athletic scene and its prestigious Nursing program.
For Brillyd Lopez-Vidal of Newburgh, N.Y., a 2026 graduate of the Mount, the path to her degree was about more than just textbooks and exams: It was a journey of crossing borders, breaking language barriers, and finding a second family in the heart of Newburgh
For William Ketelsen of Staten Island, N.Y., the journey from a shy freshman to a dynamic student-teacher was all about building the confidence to lead, on campus and in the classroom.
For Ryan Alvarado of South Bound Brook, N.J., Commencement represented more than just receiving a degree; it was the culmination of a rigorous, four-year strategy he began drafting the moment he stepped on campus.
Danny Mack of Ramsey, N.J., a Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing, graduated from the Mount with a résumé that reflects both academic excellence and athletic dedication.
Aleksandra Belugin of New Windsor, N.Y., a first-generation American and first-generation college student, graduated from the Mount with a degree in Biology and a commitment to champion environmental advocacy.
The School of Nursing celebrated its traditional pinning ceremony on Friday, May 15 as a prelude to the college’s annual Commencement weekend, honoring a cohort ready to transition from student nurses to graduate nurses. A week prior, the Nurse Practitioner program gathered to celebrate its advanced practice candidates at the Spring White Coat Ceremony.
At the very end of a long line of graduates at the 63rd Annual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 16 was Nursing major Julianna Zeidan of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
When Peter Vincent Kawai Pappalardo said he wanted to attend a college away from home, he wasn’t kidding. Leaving behind the warm shores of Kaneohe, Hawaii, Pappalardo traveled nearly 5,000 miles to the Hudson Valley in New York to attend Mount Saint Mary College.
With less than 24 hours left before the undergraduate Commencement – and about 90 minutes before the master’s ceremony – Mount Saint Mary College’s Class of 2026 celebrated their accomplishments with a class toast on Friday, May 15.
Sports Superstars
Mount inducts Class of 2026 into Athletic Hall of Fame
Celebrating nearly two decades of athletic excellence, Mount Saint Mary College welcomed five new members into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 25.
Following a stellar three-year run that culminated in a 2024–25 Skyline Conference Championship and a trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament, Head Coach Marion Dietz is trading the Mount for St. Bonaventure University. But Samantha Howe, the college’s Director of Athletics, found the perfect successor right on her own bench. Geary McLeod, formerly the assistant coach, has officially been elevated to head coach, becoming the fifth leader in the program’s history.
In college athletics, the most compelling drama often happens off the scoreboard. For Kyle Teixeira, who was recently promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Strategic Communications and Marketing at Mount Saint Mary College, capturing those human moments isn’t just a job description – it’s an award-winning craft.
Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Mike Lowell was recently named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Coach of the Year.
In a matter of weeks, the men’s basketball program underwent a massive change: In late March 2026, Ryan Kadlubowski announced his retirement from college athletics after 17 historic seasons at the helm of the program. And in May, Mike Duffy, a rising coaching talent, was named the sixth head coach in program history.
For Kaeden Fisher of Pine Bush, N.Y., his baseball journey at Mount Saint Mary College didn’t start when he transferred in at the beginning of the Spring 2026 semester – it began years earlier through a family legacy.
In just over a year, Women’s Flag Football at Mount Saint Mary College has become a groundbreaking fixture in the Knights’ club sports lineup.
News & Notes
Celebrating our student’s academic achievements throughout the Spring 2026 semester.
Take a look at the new academic offerings launched in 2026, including new degrees, minors, and partnerships.
Mount Saint Mary College’s Nursing and Business programs were recently recognized for academic success.
The Mount community took part in several talks and conferences throughout the Spring 2026 semester.
Looking Back
In the 1990s, the World Wide Web felt like a boundless frontier of optimism and community connection. It was against this backdrop that Mount Saint Mary College navigated the turn of the millennium, celebrating a watershed moment for its digital presence right at the cusp of the year 2000.
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A message from Lou Bach
Lou Bach, Chair of the Board of Trustees, shares a clear message with our community: The Mount is moving forward with purpose, innovation, and impact.