St. Thomas Aquinas College
Office of Institutional Advancement
Official Press Releases recently published. for more details and
Complete releases, contact : Vin Crapanzano, (845) 398-4020, vcrapanz@stac.edu

SAVE THE DATE
Monday-Saturday, September - December: Drop in Admissions, 9am-4pm, and by appointment on Saturday. Contact Admissions at 845-398-4100 for an evening appointment.

Wednesday, September 24, 4:30pm: Alumni Gathering For Secondary School Educators, Romano Student Alumni Center. By invitation. Call Admissions at 845-398-4019 if you are an alumnus or alumna of the college and work in a secondary school. You can attend this program and learn more about your alma mater. Dinner with the president.

Thursday, September 25, 3:00pm: Celebrating Renovating, The Lougheed Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Call the Library to attend this special event. Free. 845-398-4221.

Friday, October 17, 7:00pm: The Annual Tribute Dinner at The Hilton Pearl River. Tickets are $300 and all proceeds benefit students via commemorative scholarships established by the honorees. This year, St. Thomas will honor Dr. Tony Bonaparte and his wife Sueli Bonaparte, with the Aquinas Medal. Dr. Bonaparte is a trustee of the College and currently vice chair of the board of directors. Mrs. Bonaparte is executive director of the Executive Director of the Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce, Inc., in New York. The College will bestow the Founders Award upon Dr. L. John Durney, Senior Vice President at the College. For tickets call 845-398-4020.

Sunday, October 19, 11:00am-3:00pm: Open House for High School students and their parents. Junior college students are welcome. This special event will provide an introduction to the campus with a tour and opportunity to meet current students and faculty. Call Admissions at 845-398-4100 for a reservationa and a brochure.

Tuesday, October 28, 12:30-2:00pm: Transfer Counselor and College Advisors Gathering, The President's Residence. By invitation. Call Admissions at 845-398-4100 if you work at a community college in the region and would like to find out more about St. thomas Aqunas College for your students seeking a four year degree.

Thursday, November 6, 7:00-9:00pm: Graduate Programs Open House. Find out about our MBA, MSEd, or MST program at this special event for the adult learner. Call Admissions at 845-398-4100 to reserve your place and receive a brochure.

Sunday, November 9, 11:00am-3:00pm: Open House for High School students and their parents. Junior college students are welcome. This special event will provide an introduction to the campus with a tour and opportunity to meet current students and faculty. Call Admissions at 845-398-4100 for a reservationa and a brochure.

Promotions & New Appointments 2003-2004:

DR. CASAZZA TO BOARD
Dr. John J. Casazza of New York (NY), a professor of chemistry at St. Thomas Aquinas College from 1977-2003, was appointed to its board of trustees, announced John Kerin, Chairman of the College’s Board. Dr. Casazza initiated the College’s Honors Program in 1987 and was director of the program until 2001. He was named Professor Emeritus in May. Dr. John Casazza is a native and life-long resident of New York City. He attended Our Lady of Pompeii School in Manhattan’s West Village and St. John’s Villa Academy on Staten Island, New York. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Scranton (PA) and he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He earned a Master of Science in Chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross (MA) and a Ph.D. from Fordham University (NY). He taught at Columbia University’s College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and then in 1977 was appointed Associate Professor of Chemistry at St. Thomas. He was granted tenure in 1982 and was promoted to Professor of Chemistry in 1983. Dr. Casazza served for fifteen years as Chairman of the President’s Ad Hoc Faculty Advisory Committee on Athletics and for eight years as the Faculty Athletic Representative to the national organization. For many years he was the familiar PA announcer at all home basketball contests for which he was dubbed “The Voice of the Spartans.” He was honored with the 1999-2000 Francis Army Armstrong Award in Recognition of Outstanding Service and Commitment to the STAC Athletic Department.
In 2003, Dr. Casazza was presented with the STAC Alumni Association’s 2003 Spartan Award and inducted into the St. Thomas Aquinas College Alumni Hall of Fame.

MR. CONDON TO BOARD
Thomas A. Condon, Esq., of Rockland County (NY), a partner with Montalbano, Condon & Frank, P.C., since 1976, has been appointed to the St. Thomas Aquinas College Board of Trustees, according to John Kerin, Chairman of the College’s Board. Mr. Condon served on the College’s President’s Council from 1984 until his appointment to the board. Mr. Condon has been involved in the Rockland County community since he joined his current firm in 1976 and became a resident. He was born in New Haven (CT) and received his undergraduate degree from Stonehill College (MA) in 1968. He earned his J.D. from Catholic University of America (D.C.) in 1972. He started with a Wall Street law firm after being admitted to practice law in New York State. He also became a Certified Public Accountant in 1972. Mr. Condon has been a long time supporter of Rockland organizations. In 1989 he was appointed to the board of the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation in Suffern (NY). He serves on the Rockland County Chapter of the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, is a long standing member of the Rotary Club of New City, and is a former Chairman of the Board and current director of the Rockland Business Association. In 2002 the Hudson Valley Council Boy Scouts of America named Mr. Condon the Distinguished Citizen of the Year.

MR. ANTHWAL PROMOTED
Sunny Anthwal, a network manager, was promoted to C.I.S. Manager at the College, announced Anne Donini, Vice President at the College.

DR. CHATURVEDI PROMOTED
Dr. Neerja Chaturvedi, an assistant professor at the college since 1999, was promoted to associate professor of History.

MR. DURHAM APPOINTED
Mr. Jeffrey Durham was appointed to the position of Visiting Professor of Religious Studies at the College. He began teaching to undergraduate students in all disciplines this fall, 2003.

MR. FLEURISMOND APPOINTED
Jude Fleurismond joined the college as Admissions Counselor. Mr. Fleurismond, of Chestnut Ridge (NY), most recently was with the New York Times as a Customer Care Agent in Rockleigh (NJ). He holds an Associate in Science degree from S.U.N.Y. Rockland Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Long Island University.

MR. HAJART APPOINTED
Aaron Hajart was appointed to the position of Athletic Trainer for the College's NCAA Division II Intercollegiate Athletic program. Mr. Hajart will provide services for over 200 student athletes competing in one of 16 sports. He joined the college in spring, 2003.

DR. HEATH PROMOTED
Dr. Richard Heath, director of the College's STAC Exchange Program for students with learning disabilities, was promoted to Professor of Psychology.

MS. LoRE APPOINTED
Linda LoRe was appointed to the position of Executive Office Assistant in the Office of the President at the College. She joins the president's staff after being employed in the office of Human Resources.

DR. McGOWAN PROMOTED
Dr. Helen McGowan, an associate professor at the college since 1981, was promoted to professor of accounting and business administration.

MS. LEVINE-MADORI: TENURE
Linda Levine Madori, an assistant professor of recreation and leisure at the college since 1997, was granted tenure.

MS. MAC KAY APPOINTED
Danielle Mac Kay joined the college as Admissions Counselor. Ms. Mac Kay, of Cliffside Park, NJ, holds a BA in Communications with a concentration in Organizational Communication and Public Relations from Rutgers University (NJ). She held several positions while at the University, including Customer Relations Manager and Art Gallery Manager.

MS. MAGUIRE APPOINTED
Ms. Colleen Maguire was appointed to Office Assistant in the STAC Exchange.

MS. MODICA PROMOTED
Melissa Modica, a graduate of the college who joined the admissions team as an Admissions Counselor, was promoted to Associate Director of Admissions. In 2002 she was promoted to Assistant Director of Admissions.

MR. QUINN APPOINTED
Stephen Quinn joined the college as Admissions Counselor. Mr. Quinn (Bogota, NJ) graduated from Providence College (RI) with a BA in Political Science in 2002. He interned in the Office of the Mayor of Providence as a senior and joined Community Finance (Hackensack, NJ) after graduation in 2002.

MS. RUIZ APPOINTED
Veronica Ruiz joined the college as Human Resources Assistant.

DR. SHAPIRO APPOINTED
Dr. Rebecca Shapiro was appointed the position of assistant professor of English at the College and began teaching undergraduate students in all disciplines this fall, 2003.

DR. SHAW: TENURE
Dr. Michael Shaw, an associate professor of education at the college since 1995, was granted tenure.

MR. YU PROMOTED
Siyong Yu, a network and systems administrator, was promoted to C.I.S. Manager at the College, announced Anne Donini, Vice President at the College.

NEWS & EVENTS: SUMMER, 2003
The Office of Institutional Advancement provides this listing. In most cases, each of the following stories is a summation of a press release distributed in the past weeks. For more information or full press releases contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 4020. Dr. John Durney or Vincent Crapanzano wrote these releases unless credit is given to another individual. Contact the Advancement Office for further information.

SAVE THE DATE
Monday-Thursday, June, July, August -- Drop in Registration, 9am-4pm. Contact Admissions at 845-398-4100 for a special appointment during these hours, early evening or Saturday.

Fridays, 9am-11am, June, July, August -- Drop in Registration. Contact Admissions at 845-398-4100 for a special appointment during these hours, early evening or Saturday.

Monday, June 16th -- The College's Annual Benefit Golf Tournament. See story. Contact Kevin
Duignan, 845-398-4017.

Tuesday, June 17th -- Transfer On The Spot. Apply to the College. Register for Fall Classes all in one day. 10am-1pm, 4-6pm. See story. Contact Admissions at 845-398-4100.

Tuesday & Wednesday, July 8 & 9 -- Overnight Orientation. Look for your Orientation 2003 invitation in the mail. Register for one of three Orientation dates. Contact Tom O'Boyle, 845-398-4084.

Tuesday & Wednesday, July 15 & 16 -- Overnight Orientation. Look for your Orientation 2003 invitation in the mail. Register for one of three Orientation dates. Contact Tom O'Boyle, 845-398-4084.

Tuesday, July 22 -- Single Day Orientation. Look for your Orientation 2003 invitation in the mail. Register for one of three Orientation dates. Contact Tom O'Boyle, 845-398-4084.

Tuesday, September 2nd -- Fall classes begin on campus. For late Registration, contact Admissions at 845-398-4100.

ADMISSIONS INFO

Transfer On The Spot
Individuals interested in enrolling in St. Thomas Aquinas College's fall session who have previous college credits, may obtain an evaluation of their transcripts, apply and register all in one visit, on Tuesday, June 17th from 10am-1pm, or 4-6pm in the College's Romano Student Alumni Center. this Transfer-on-the-Spot date is reserved for transfer students, but new students may drop in any day for a similar evaluation and college tour. for more information, contact Admissions at 845-398-4100.

Library Renovation
written by Mary Ann Lenk and Vin Crapanzano

The Lougheed Library, named for Sr. Alfred Lougheed, O.P., a Dominican Sister of Sparkill, who began the College's first Library in 1952, is undergoing a renovation this Summer, 2003. The library had been renovated in the 1960s, and was expanded during a building project in 1981. The Library’s refurbishment will bring a fresh new look to the facilities and will provide many more amenities. On the upper level, there will be a new periodicals reading area, new reference and circulation desks, improved lighting, and a dramatic new entrance. There will be an enclosed group study room and a space for library and information literacy instruction. Soft-seating areas will enhance both the upper and lower library levels. There will be new
carpeting throughout. The upper level will feature new and better-configured shelving. Upon entering the renovated facility, you will immediately notice some striking new architectural details, including a barrel-vault ceiling and a redesigned east window framing one of the soft-seating areas. The project will be completed this fall, 2003.

In the interim period, the library support staff is available to assist students and faculty with selected journals and reserve materials, on-line research, and interlibrary loans. They will also provide referrals to other libraries where special borrowing and reading arrangements have been made for STAC members. STAC library staff are located in Spellman Hall, Room 111B for the summer. Call 845-398-4223 for library service hours, 845-398-4219 for general library information, or 845-398-4221 to speak with the Library Director. On-line library databases are available 24/7 from the "Library" link on the STAC home page. Follow log on instructions for off campus use, or call the library staff at 845-398-4219 for assistance.

Aquinas Village Renovations
The Aquinas Village Residence Complex was originally constructed in 1982 as the primary residence facility on campus. In 1994, The McNelis Commons was constructed in two phases and in 1985 Phase II was completed. Aquinas Village is home to approximately 30% of the 500 resident students on campus.
This Residence Complex is being renovated this summer. Once complete, all students residing on campus will be offered an appropriate meal plan, since cooking areas will be removed from the Village residences.
"We planned to phase the kitchen areas out of the Village complex as we renovated the apartments over several years. As it turned out, we felt we needed to renovate these apartments this Summer in order to provide the best housing for our students," said Anne Donini, a College Vice President.
Many senior students who lived in Aquinas Village graduated this May and the juniors who continue to live in the Village complex should be happy about the renovation and new look of the townhouse style interior.
All housing on campus will now essentially be similar, with students sharing living space and eating their meals in McNelis Commons or the Romano Center's Spartan Grille.
Tours will be available in late Summer and students will move in to both McNelis Commons and Aquinas Village on labor day weekend.

ALUMNI EVENTS

APPOINTMENT: GROM TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
(Spring, 2003) -- St. Thomas Aquinas College has appointed Sarah D. Grom (Montclair, NJ) to Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving, announced Dr. L. John Durney, Senior Vice President. She joins the Institutional Advancement team at the 2,200-student liberal arts college. “Ms. Grom brings an interesting combination of corporate experience to the College’s Advancement team,” Dr. Durney said. “She’ll utilize her professional writing experience immediately and her promotions background will enable her to step right in and make an impact on special events for alumni and friends of the college.” In her new post, Ms. Grom, who holds a B.B.A. in Management from Pace University (NY), will coordinate a variety of alumni activities in concert with the College’s Executive Director of Development and Alumni Affairs, Kevin Duignan (STAC ’75). In addition, Ms. Grom will organize fund raising programs and events that support the College’s annual giving program involving its 9,500 alumni, a large percentage of whom live and/or work in the tri-state region. From 2001 until her appointment at the College, Ms. Grom held positions with Hearst Corporation’s CosmoGIRL! as a Senior Promotion Manager and Copywriter for the teen targeted magazine. In April 2000 she joined Conde Nast Publications as a Merchandising Associate for Self, and from 1998 until 2000 she worked for Gruner & Jahr USA Publishing’s Parents magazine as a Promotion Coordinator. She is a native of Stony Point and graduated from North Rockland High School in Thiells (NY).

GOLF TOURNAMENT
(Spring 2003) --- St. Thomas Aquinas College is planning its 31st Annual President's Council Golf Tournament for Monday, June 16th at the Rockland Country Club in Sparkill, NY. This event traditionally raises more than $75,000 for the College and typically brings in 200 golfers, dozens of sponsors, and great golf stories. In past years, the tournament has offered a $1,000,000 hole in one prize. The golfers closest to the pin on the course's four par 3 holes have earned the right to shoot for a $1,000,000 hole-in-one at a par 3 hole after the tournament has concluded, and in front of a gallery of envious players. In addition, each of the par 3 holes has offered automobile prizes such as BMW, Mercedes, Jeep, Cadillac, and a Ford Explorer as a hole in one prize. The sponsor, who reserves the option of obtaining hole-in-one insurance, usually donates these prize offerings. The day includes breakfast, lunch and a President's Buffet Reception, door prizes, tournament prizes for men and
women, and an excellent opportunity to network yourself and/or your business. For more information on the Golf Tournament, either to participate as a golfer or sponsor, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 845-398-4020.

ATHLETICS

ST. THOMAS' FITZPATRICK NAMED TO NCAA DII PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL
(Spring 2003) - Dr. Margaret M. Fitzpatrick, S.C., president of St. Thomas Aquinas College, was appointed to serve as a Region 1 representative on the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division II Presidents Council, announced Kay Schallenkamp, President of Emporia State University, and chair of the 14 member council which represents the 300 NCAA DII colleges and universities and more than 75,000 student athletes.

"I am very happy to be selected to represent our region. This appointment speaks volumes about the NCAA's respect for our institution. I am happy to represent our student athletes, but I am equally happy for the vote of confidence in our institution by the NCAA's Presidents Council," said Dr. Fitzpatrick.

75,000 student athletes compete at 300 colleges and universities in the NCAA Division II. Only 14 presidents are members of the Presidents Council and Dr. Fitzpatrick's appointment to this policy-setting board is unprecedented at the 51 year-old institution, since it just recently became an active member of the NCAA.

The NCAA D II has two governing groups: the policy-setting Presidents Council and the Management Council. The Presidents Council oversees the Management Council, which consists of 25 athletics administrators and faculty representatives. Below these two bodies is a committee structure that focuses on issues relating specifically to Division II. Legislation in Division II is considered and approved through a traditional one-school, one-vote process at an annual Convention. In this way, Division II institutions make their own rules, independent of the other two divisions.

St. Thomas Aquinas College was twice named the recipient of a USA Today/NCAA Foundation Division II Academic Achievement Award, one in 2001 and the second in 2002. Both awards were keyed to academic achievement by student athletes at the College.

The College earned one of the $25,000 Awards for having the highest student-athlete graduation rate above the student body graduation rate in the NCAA Division II, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which compiles information on its member institutions.

The College has demonstrated a commitment to excellence across the board and expanding its participation in intercollegiate athletics has been a factor in its growth. In 1997, prior to entry into the NCAA, St. Thomas fielded 9 sports and 125 student athletes. It now fields 14 sports, is an active member of the NCAA, and supports 200 student athletes. The teams compete in more than 300 contests annually and the athletic department is researching additional sports for expansion.

Currently, the Spartans and Lady Spartans compete in men's and women's basketball, men's baseball, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's golf (women compete individually), women's softball, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's track & field.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

SPEAKERS OFFER VARIETY
(Spring 2003) - Dr. Neerja Chaturvedi, an Assistant Professor of History at St. Thomas Aquinas College, can speak to the issue of East-West Global Relations and is one of 21 speakers available to the community as part of the College's Speakers Bureau, announced Dr. L. John Durney, Senior Vice President at the College and organizer of the Speakers Bureau. "We formalized what we have been doing for several years and that is offering a service to civic, school groups, PTAs, rotary clubs and other charitable organizations in the region who are seeking a speaker for a monthly meeting or annual event," Dr. Durney said. For more information on the STAC Speakers Bureau, contact Dr. Durney at 845-398-4020 or email him at ldurney@stac.edu.

FEATURE STORY
DONATIONS FROM THE HEART GET FACULTY A TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE
By Amanda Scarpone and Vin Crapanzano

(Spring 2003) – Sunny Anthwal, Baljit Patter, and Siyong Yu, three members of the College’s Information Technology Team, made an offer the College could not refuse. Together they custom built two state-of-the-art Pentium IV computers for the faculty resource room at the College.

“We wanted to give back to the school,” said Siyong Yu, a Network and Systems Administrator who initiated the idea of creating their own computer and donating it to the faculty.

“We knew that we could improve upon the computers currently used, based on our knowledge of the specific needs of the faculty that used them. We simply wanted to collectively give back to the institution and the people that have been so good to each of us,” said Patter, a Network Web Specialist.

The three men, Patter is single, Anthwal is married, and Yu is married with two children, donated the time and the funds to make the newest edition happen.

“They did this on their own time, with their own money, and I shouldn’t have been, since I know their character, but I was shocked and overwhelmed by their generosity,” said Anne Donini, the Vice President who oversees the IT team.

Adding intrigue to the story line is these three men hail from regions thousands of miles from Sparkill. Anthwal, a Network Manager, was born and raised in India. Patter was born and raised in England and Yu was born and raised in Korea.

Anthwal and Yu both attended the Chubb Institute (NJ). Patter studied at Langley College (England), and Rutgers University. Prior to joining the College’s IT team, Anthwal was an owner of a computer business, Yu ran a family clothing store in New York City’s garment district, and Patter worked in promotions for different Manhattan nightclubs.

“We owe a lot to STAC, we’ve learned a lot here,” Anthwal said. “It is very important to give back to the college community. This way both the faculty and students can benefit.”

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

MBA APPLICATIONS FOR NEXT SESSION
(Spring, 2003) -- St. Thomas Aquinas College is accepting applications for its Master of Business Administration Program, which begins a new session on February 28th and May 30th. Interested individuals may contact Karen Gray, Director of the MBA program at 398-4130, to obtain more information about the program, which offers a major in finance, management or marketing. This weekend program offers classes on Friday nights, Saturday mornings or Sunday mornings, which avoids workweek conflicts.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION DEGREE
(Spring 2003) - St. Thomas Aquinas College is accepting applications for its Master of Science in Education program. The program began in 1984 and has since graduate hundreds of teachers. In addition, the College offers post master's certificate programs in special education and literacy certification. This program is offered in the late afternoons and in mini summer sessions to enable teachers work around their existing schedules. For more information, contact the Admissions Office at
845-398-4100.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN TEACHING DEGREE
(Spring 2003) - St. Thomas Aquinas College is accepting applications for its new Master of Science in Teaching program. The program began in Fall 2002 with a group of 40 students. The new program is primarily for individuals who hold an undergraduate degree in a major other than teacher education, but would now like to pursue a career in teaching at the elementary or secondary level. "This is a wonderful program for people who want to get their career restarted and want to do that as a teacher. The demand for good teachers is high and has been consistently high over the last decade. This program can help anyone with a bachelor's degree obtain the credentials they need to apply for New York State certification," said Dr. Joan Beairsto, Director of the Graduate Teacher Education program at St. Thomas Aquinas College. For more information, contact the office of admissions at 845-398-4100.

SCHOLARSHIPS

COMMEMORATIVE SCHOLARSHIPS
(Spring 2003) --- St. Thomas Aquinas College has grown its endowment to include 60 commemorative scholarships that have been named in honor of many friends of the College. These Commemorative Scholarships are offered to new freshmen based on a combination of community service and financial need."
Some are keyed to a particular major, but most provide the student with flexibility in a major area. Individuals donate these funds to the College and the Scholarship is named at their request. The interest on these funds are offered every year in the form of student scholarships, and the principal remains in place to earn interest and help another student the following year. These scholarships range in amount from $1,500 to $3,500 per year and are renewable for the student as long as they meet academic progress guidelines. Students are still
eligible for other forms of aid. For more information on applying for a Commemorative Scholarship, contact the office of Admissions at 845-398-4100. For information on donating to a particular scholarship fund, or setting up one in a name of your choice, contact Dr. John Durney, Senior Vice President, 845-398-4020.

HONORS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS
(Spring 2003) --- St. Thomas Aquinas College has set aside a limited number of full tuition Honors Program Scholarships for incoming freshmen students with excellent academic performance levels in high school, including at least a 1200 on the SAT or a 27 on the ACT. There are other requirements as well, including a personal interview session with the program director, but the SAT/ACT scores are usually the most difficult requirement. Students who are accepted into this program receive a full tuition scholarship, currently worth more than $60,000 over four years. Honors Program students are offered the opportunity to attend Oxford University in England in the summer following their junior year. They enroll in one course and the Honors Program Scholarship includes tuition, room and board for the summer study. At St. Thomas, there are several Honors Program courses, but most courses include the general student population. The average SAT level for St. Thomas Aquinas College students today is 1000, a dramatic increase over the last 20 years. . For more information on applying for an Honors
Program Scholarship, contact the office of Admissions at 845-398-4100.

TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIPS
(SPRING 2003) --- St. Thomas Aquinas College has set aside a limited number of Transfer Scholarships for students interested in starting at the College in the Fall 2003 semester, announced John Edel, Dean of Enrollment Management at the College. Scholarships are typically reserved for students who have excellent academic credentials from the College or University they are currently attending. In many cases students are graduating from a two-year program, but in other cases,
students would like to return to Rockland County to continue and complete their undergraduate studies. Students can set an appointment with an Admissions Counselor at the College and obtain all the information they will need to make a decision, including a transcript evaluation. "This is a great opportunity for students at other colleges, particularly junior colleges, to go through an 'academic physical' so to speak and know exactly where they stand should they desire to transfer to St. Thomas
Aquinas College in the near future," Edel said. The Office of Admissions & Financial Aid is open Monday through Thursday, 9AM-7PM, Fridays, 9AM-4PM and, Saturdays by appointment.