History
Helping us help the community
Desmond Center earns fourth Cabrini Foundation grant
Photo by Lee Ferris
Guzman Hall
It was an accomplishment that will go down in Mount history: Just before the end of the Fall 2023 semester, the college received a grant for $325,000 from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, to be used for the growth of the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness.
Now for the historical part: This is the fourth such grant the Cabrini Foundation has generously given to the Desmond Center over the course of about three years.
“We are delighted to announce that the Desmond Center has been awarded funding for the fourth consecutive year from the Cabrini Foundation,” said Ashley Collazo, acting director of the Desmond Center. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to them for their continued belief in our vision and the vital work we do. Together, we will continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve. We look forward with great anticipation to the year ahead.”
The Desmond Center provides wellness and educational services for underserved individuals and families. The center offers accessible and equitable educational, health, and wellness services for community members and families in the local area. All services are free of cost and open to the community.
The center began operating out of its new home in Guzman Hall in mid-2023. The revitalized space on campus includes new offices and community rooms, perfect for the center’s public events.
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that either provide direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org/
Sakac Hall turns 20
Photos by Lee Ferris
The Mount community celebrated the 20th anniversary of Sakac Hall, the college’s freshman residence hall, in October.
Students, faculty, and staff gathered outside of the building and enjoyed cupcakes, free t-shirts, and camaraderie.
Sakac Hall – named after the college’s fourth president, Sr. Ann Sakac, OP ’70 – opened on campus in 2003. The aesthetically pleasing building offers students excellent on-campus accommodations and breathtaking views of the Hudson River.
“May all the students who inhabit this building, past and present, feel the love of God,” said Fr. Gregoire Fluet, Interim President. “We are grateful and thankful for the gift of this incredible building. We are also grateful and thankful for the gift of Sr. Ann Sakac.”
Sr. Sakac took the helm at the Mount in 1976, but she had been part of the college community since 1969 as a professor of English and assistant dean of students. Under her 32-year leadership at the college, Sr. Sakac oversaw much of the college's expansion into a pillar of the community.
Though she retired as president of the college in 2008, Sr. Sakac remains an important member of the Mount community to this day.
Mount celebrates Dominican heritage with annual Founders Week
Photo by Lee Ferris
Author Anthony Russell Farina gave three presentations during Founders Week.
The Mount celebrated the legacy of St. Dominic de Guzman and the college’s founding Dominican Sisters with Founders Week in October.
The college’s annual Founders Week honors the legacy of St. Dominic de Guzman and the Dominican Sisters whose vision guided the creation of the college. This year’s celebration marked the 140th anniversary of the sisters arriving in Newburgh. The college’s Catholic and Dominican Institute (CDI) has sponsored the Founders Week celebration at the college every year for more than a decade.
To highlight the impact and significance of the college’s Dominican heritage, Charles Zola, CDI director, assistant to the President for Mission Integration, and associate professor of Philosophy, put together an array of presentations, activities, and events for the college community to enjoy.
This included a trio of talks by Anthony Russell Farina, a novelist and associate professor of Humanities at Siena Heights University.
Farina’s first talk, “Dominican and Buddhist Contemplative Practices: Writing in Action,” focused on his own experiences with Dominican and Buddhist contemplative practices and how he uses active contemplation to create thoughtful and purposeful writing.
“Contemplation is practice,” he said. “You have to make the time. Everything is always better when we take more time.”
Later that week, Farina also gave a luncheon talk for Mount faculty and staff called “What’s the Story?” Then he wrapped up Founders Week with “The Storytelling Journey,” which discussed his novel “Welcome to Mansfield,” the first book in his series The Austen Chronicles. These books are a modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s novels told through the perspective of young adults on a college campus.
Other Founders Week events included a dinner for the Dominican Sisters in the James Finn Cotter Villa Library, a campus dessert reception, and the popular Dominican Heritage Tour around the campus, once again hosted by Sr. Margaret “Peggy” Murphy, OP, a Dominican Sister, retired Mount Religious Studies professor, and current adjunct at the college.
