With service at the core of the Mount’s identity, the college quickly proved that it would take more than a pandemic to stop students, faculty, and staff from aiding local communities.
Among donations to other facilities in the area, the Mount’s School of Nursing sent about 5,000 disposable gloves to Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall in Newburgh, N.Y.; 1,500 to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, N.Y.; and about 500 to Four Winds Hospital in Cross River, N.Y. All of the equipment came from the college’s supplies.
The donations were coordinated by Susan LaRocco, dean of the Mount’s School of Nursing.
“We are grateful for all that the nurses and others working in hospitals are doing to care for our community,” said LaRocco.
The college’s Health Services office also donated PPE supplies, this time to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, which had been converted into a 1,200-bed hospital in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Doreen Bischof, FNP, ’17, director of Health Services, the donations included two large cases of surgical masks and two other large boxes that included N95 masks, disposable gloves, face shields, and impermeable gowns.
“These were items that we already had on hand for daily use,” Bischof explained. “It’s important that these items get to those who need them most. We were more than happy to help.”
When the college community ran out of PPE to donate, students, faculty, and staff simply decided to make more. Elaine Suderio-Tirone, an assistant professor of Nursing at the Mount, recruited her family to help sew more than 3,000 masks. Likewise, the Mount’s School of Business used 3D printers to create hundreds of mask extenders for local healthcare workers (see sidebars).
Many other members of the college community pitched in to the mask-making efforts, including Anne-Marie Uebbing, associate professor of Nursing; Karidis Tubo, clinical placement coordinator; Fr. Gregoire Fluet, director of Campus Ministry and campus chaplain; and students.
This protection equipment was donated to healthcare workers and other individuals in need throughout the nation.
Closer to home, some Mount students were experiencing hardships brought on by the pandemic. Fortunately, the college’s Student Emergency Fund, which provides financial support during unforeseen crisis situations, was there to help. But as the pandemic intensified, the fund couldn’t continue without more capital.
Enter Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of the Mount. If the college community could increase the Emergency Fund to $24,000 in 24 hours, Dr. Adsit promised to shave his hair into a mohawk hairdo.
The Mount banded together, raising the money to close the gap in a single day. True to his word, Dr. Adsit’s wife, Heather, gave him his new punk rock-inspired hairdo as hundreds watched live on Instagram.
The money raised from the Mohawk Hairdo Challenge was quickly put to use helping students in need.
“Your generosity will allow me to buy some essential grocery items and pay various utility bills,” said one recipient. “This truly is a blessing that I will forever remember. [It] has inspired me to ensure that when I too have the opportunity, I will pay it forward.”