Cyan Scott of Buena Park, Calif. graduated this past May. Her hometown is about 2,700 miles away from the Mount.
From Orange County, California to Orange County, New York
For Cyan Scott of Buena Park, Calif., a Psychology major, choosing a small college on the opposite end of the United States was a gamble that paid off.
Scott graduated with the Class of 2021 as the only California native. The dedicated student has already been accepted into the graduate program at John Jay College in New York.
"Honestly, it [four years of college] went by so fast," Scott explained. "But I'm excited for what's next."
What attracted Scott to a college nearly 3,000 miles away, a staggering 41-hour drive, from her hometown? It was the close-knit campus that is one of the Mount's flagship attributes.
"Everybody here knows everybody," she said. "The support here is incredible."
In addition to her scholastic achievement, Scott was also a student athlete: she was the goalkeeper on the Women's soccer team.
Guided by faith
Most students hope to get a job or be accepted into graduate school before graduation. Nick Tucker did both.
Tucker, who majored in Psychology with minors in Criminology and English, recently began a position in student life at a local college. He is also currently a graduate student at Pace University – Pleasantville Campus in the Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program.
Tucker made the most of his college experience by joining the Honors Program, being an orientation leader, serving as a resident assistant, and more. His intelligence and tenacity were rewarded: Tucker was named a Mount Ralph Scholar, putting him in the top five percent of his class.
The Dominican Scholars of Hope (DSH), a living and learning community for highly motivated students, had a major impact on Tucker. DSH is rooted in the values of the Judeo-Christian and Dominican heritage of the college and is overseen by Charles Zola, director of the Catholic and Dominican Institute, assistant to the President in Mission Integration, and associate professor of Philosophy.
Becoming a Dominican Scholar of Hope was an easy choice for Tucker, who is dedicated to his Christian faith.
"The Mount helped me to remain connected with my faith through retreats, weekly Mass services, and acts of community service," he said.
Sharing a passion for healing
Alyssa DiMare spent her time at the Mount inspiring others while sparking her own success. She was a member of the women's lacrosse team, an orientation leader turned admissions ambassador, and a mentor to fellow Nursing students.
DiMare is one of many students who has met the COVID-19 pandemic with resilience and adaptability.
"We have all had to completely change our learning habits," she noted. However, the School of Nursing "did a great job of supplementing hands-on activities with case studies...as the semesters have gone on, I realized how much my critical thinking has expanded because of them."
The culmination of these experiences and skills has made DiMare a mentor to fellow Nursing students – one in particular being her brother, Christopher DiMare, a sophomore in the Nursing program.
"I really try to be a mentor to him and his friends about certain classes and just share some strategies with them on how to succeed in each class," she said.
Alyssa and Chris DiMare are far from the first siblings to study in the Nursing program together. May 2021 grad Aleena Alexander passed the torch to her brother Anvin Alexander, and twin sisters Elizabeth Scannell-Desch and Mary Ellen Doherty graduated together in 1972.
Science majors find formula for success
Jessica Musacchio and Nasayah Israel walked across the Commencement stage and into jobs in the science field.
Musacchio, a Pre-Med Biology major, jumped right into her career at Columbia University. She's a research technician studying Essential Tremor, a nervous system disorder that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking.
By participating in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), Musacchio was able to work closely with faculty in the Natural Sciences Division. SURE sparked her journey as a researcher: In SURE, "I was able to gain skills that enabled me to land this new job," she explained.
Israel, another Pre-Med grad, began a position as a medical scribe for a family/internal medicine practice shortly after graduating.
"The Mount's Natural Sciences Division has enhanced my ability to critically think and analyze data as a scientist," she said. "I am grateful for the research opportunities this program has to offer as well."
As she reflects on her college experience, Israel noted she shares the Mount's core belief that service matters.
"The Science Division is very involved in community service," she said. "I was able to volunteer with some of my professors and assist students at Nora Cronin Academy," in addition to serving at the Boys and Girls Club of Newburgh and at the Hudson Valley Food Bank.
Nichole Cervone (Center) made the journey through college with her cousins Olivia Pelliccia (left) and Renee Hydo (right).
A classroom of her own
There was no time to rest for Nicole Cervone, who started a job in the Washingtonville School District on Monday, May 17 – less than a week before she graduated.
Cervone, a Math major with a certification in Childhood Education and Special Education, served as a special education leave replacement in a self-contained third- and fourth-grade classroom through the end of the school year.
Working in the Washingtonville district was a sort of homecoming for Cervone, who had recently completed her student teaching in the district.
"My favorite part about my job is teaching and learning from my amazing students," explained Cervone. "I love children because they always keep things interesting and fun."
Cervone said her training at the Mount has aided her in overcoming many of the challenges associated with the pandemic.
"Even before COVID-19, the Mount's Education Division worked very hard to ensure that teacher candidates are exposed to many different kinds of technology," she said. "Many of the things I learned about during my years at the Mount have come in handy with distance learning."
Cervone's college career was a busy one: She was a lacrosse player and joined Chi Alpha Sigma, the athletic honor society. She earned the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Mount before graduating, was named a top Math student by the division, and received the sacrament of Confirmation as a Catholic by Fr. Gregoire Fluet, chaplain and director of Campus Ministry, in 2019.
Taking the next step
Thanks to her strong work ethic and Nursing knowledge, Saraí Bellamy's next career steps were decided before she even walked across the 2021 Commencement stage.
Bellamy earned year-long Nursing residency with VA Hudson Valley Health Care System before graduation, which she began in August of 2021. She is rotating between several VA facilities in multiple nursing specialties and is responsible for an evidence-based project at the end of the year, based on a nursing practice she believes she can improve.
"I'm looking forward to working with the geriatric population," said Bellamy. "I believe I can make a difference in their care."
She credits the Mount with helping her to succeed: "The Mount provided me with professional nursing skills that I can develop more in the specialties I will be working with," she explained. "The resources available on campus helped me prepare my résumé and cover letter."
Grad heads to NYU publishing program
Kimberly Kelly is living proof that hard work pays off: She was recently accepted into New York University's Master's in Publishing program.
"When I found out, it was quite literally a dream come true," said Kelly. "I've always wanted to live and work in the city."
Kelly, who was an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing, will begin classes at NYU in the fall. Her goal is to have a career at a publishing house in New York City as an editor.
Kelly has always loved the written word. Thus, a career in publishing was a logical – and fulfilling – next step.
The Mount gave Kelly plenty of opportunities to sharpen her writing skills. For example, she wrote a short film called Put Together, which she helped to film through the college's Knight Productions. She has also written many articles for the college's online newspaper, Mount Messenger.
Her classes and professors played the largest role in Kelly's academic development. Specifically, she thanked Rob Wakeman, assistant professor of English, and Marie-Therese Sulit, associate professor of English and director of the Honors Program, for helping to make her successful.
Business seniors launch careers
Alexander Howard (left) and Kyle Robbins (right), Business majors who graduated this May, didn't have to wait long to launch their careers: both have already accepted jobs in their field.
Howard, a Management and Administration major, recently accepted a job as a paralegal for Drake Loeb PLLC. He began his new position just two days after Commencement.
Howard thanked the Career Center for helping him to land the job, and Michael L. Fox, assistant professor of Business Law, Pre-Law advisor, and MBA coordinator, who inspired Howard to switch to the Business major in his sophomore year.
Robbins will be working in sales at Otis Elevator Company. He's excited about the opportunity, which will see him moving to Charlotte, N.C. Getting the position has given him a "huge sense of relief and accomplishment, especially during the pandemic because many places aren't hiring like they once were," he said. "But I worked extremely hard to be in the position I am currently in and am excited about the near future."
Robbins thanked Anthony Scardillo, assistant professor of Marketing, for "pushing me to always better myself and work harder, which shaped me into the person I am today. I knew if I ever had difficulty or a problem, he would be there to help any time of the day, and I'm forever grateful for everything he's done."
Inspiring with sign language
Good teachers work hard to get their students through the school year. Great teachers adapt to the unexpected and spark a lifelong love of learning.
Kerry DeFelice is going to be a great teacher.
DeFelice was an English major on the Childhood and Special Education track. She noted that student teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic was "a little difficult." But while COVID-19 has created educational hardships, it has also provided an opportunity for some very unique on-the-job training.
Some of DeFelice's students were attending classes virtually, while others were in person. It was a challenge to make sure each set of students was getting the same amount of attention, she explained. But regardless of modality, keeping up with her students' social and emotional needs is always a priority: "I always want to make sure my students are OK," she explained.
Thankfully, DeFelice's Mount education had prepared her well for the trials of COVID-19.
"Student teaching in a pandemic is something everyone had to adjust to," she said. "But my professors at the Mount always said [teachers] have to be flexible. If you walk in with a plan, but you're able to change it and tweak it, that's the key to becoming a successful teacher."
Student teaching isn't the only way that DeFelice is putting her education skills to use. The Mount's Student Council of Exceptional Children (SCEC) has been offering virtual American Sign Language workshops for students. DeFelice, an SCEC member, headed up these classes.
Senior accepted to nationally-ranked master's program
Laynie Callo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and will soon be joining California University of Pennsylvania in their Exercise Science and Health Promotion Master's Program. She will have a dual concentration in Sports Psychology and Performance Enhancement/Injury Prevention.
Callo understands from experience the impact mental health can have on an athlete: in high school, she ran up to 25 miles a week until a spinal condition called spondylolisthesis – when one vertebra slips out of place onto the bone below it – left her unable to compete.
Due to Callo's condition, she began to experience episodes of numb legs and back pain so severe that she sometimes could not walk, having to use crutches or a wheelchair.
Her time in physical therapy helped to heal not only her physical but also her mental strength: "The toll that particular experience had on my mental capacity for my sports performance as a whole would have been detrimental if it wasn't for me having such an amazing support system," she said. Callo's goal is to be that support person for others.
Being a woman entering a male-dominated field does not scare Callo in the slightest. She explained that the Mount taught her to never limit herself: "You will never know how much you can handle until you push your limits of success," she said.