Student Achievement
Kicking off a summer of research for future leaders
Photos by Lee Ferris
Right on the heels of the Spring semester, the Mount launched its annual Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), transforming summer break into an immersive opportunity for hands-on, scholarly analysis across all academic disciplines.
Before reviewing this summer’s SURE projects, the students and their faculty mentors enjoyed outdoor games with water balloons and pool noodles. They also fostered teamwork by building birdhouses together.
Coordinated by James Moran, associate Biology professor at the Mount, and Rebecca Berry, assistant professor of Psychology, SURE is an opportunity for students to work alongside Mount professors as they explore a research topic of interest to them. SURE students enjoy getting out of the classroom and experiencing scholarly work in their discipline, one-on-one with their professors.
In July, SURE students presented their research to the Mount campus. These presentations weren’t limited to the Natural Sciences, and also featured research projects in areas such as Education, Information Technology, the Humanities, and more.
This year’s projects included “Mathematical Strategies for Board Games and Card Games,” “Adolescents Understanding of Themselves and Morality,” “Income inequality: Causes and Consequences,” and “Analysis of Microplastics in the Environment.”
Making their mark: 30 students honored for academic achievement
Photos by Lee Ferris
Only a few days before Commencement, 30 students were celebrated for their academic achievements at the induction ceremony for Aquinas, Ralph, and Boyle Scholars.
Held in the Fluet Family Auditorium on campus, the ceremony recognized the Mount’s best and brightest.
The students enjoyed an opening prayer by Sr. Connie Koch ’71, OP, Program Specialist, Spiritual Director, Preacher, and Retreat Director at the Center at Mariandale, and a keynote speech by Sr. Patricia Magee ’88, OP, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Hope Leadership Team. Both Sr. Koch and Sr. Magee are members of the college’s Board of Trustees.
The honor cords were blessed by Fr. Gregoire Fluet, Vice President for Mission and Ministry, and given to the scholars, one by one, as family members cheered them on. The scholars are invited to wear their new honor cords when they graduate.
Aquinas, Ralph, and Boyle Scholar awards are presented to students who attain a high degree of proficiency in their studies and have demonstrated a sincere commitment to learning at the college. Candidates must be full-time students, and only 5 percent of each class may be nominated.
A Ralph Scholar is a sophomore who has attained a grade point average of 3.40 and has received the recommendation of at least two faculty members. The Ralph Scholar Award is named in honor of Sr. Mary Vincent Ralph, OP, co-founder of the college and its first academic dean.
An Aquinas Scholar is a junior or senior with a minimum grade point average of 3.60 who has received a recommendation from their major’s division. The award is named after St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of students and Catholic colleges and universities.
A Boyle Scholar is a senior in the Mount’s Degree Completion Program who has attained a minimum grade point average of 3.60, and has been recommended by their division and their academic advisor. The Boyle Scholar Award is named in honor of Sr. Agnes Boyle, OP. During her time at the Mount, Sr. Boyle initiated the Degree Completion Program. She was also one of the founders of what would become the Catholic and Dominican Institute, which hosted the induction ceremony.
Welcoming Delta Alpha Pi’s first inductees
Photos by Lee Ferris
Mount Saint Mary College proudly welcomed more than three dozen students into the first-ever class of the Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society, which celebrates the academic excellence of high-achieving college and university students with disabilities.
The Mount recently launched the Iota Chapter of Delta Alpha Pi. The society celebrates and supports academic achievement, leadership, and advocacy for post-secondary students with disabilities. Membership eligibility is open to students who are registered with the Mount’s Office of Disability Services and who have completed a minimum of 24 credits while maintaining a GPA of at least 3.1 for undergraduate students, or 18 credits and a GPA of at least 3.3 for graduate students.
The advisor for this society is Margaret Kemp, director of Disability Services and Title IX Coordinator at the Mount.
“I’m so proud of our newly inducted members of this honor society,” said Kemp. “We are so happy we are able to celebrate the hard work and success of our students. As this was the first induction ceremony for this society, we look forward to growing the society and spreading awareness of disabilities on our campus.”
Visualizing success: CMA Gallery unveils senior showcase
Photos by Lee Ferris
The Mount community stepped into a world of fresh perspectives and innovative design with the CMA Gallery’s May exhibition, the Visual Communication Graphic Design Senior Show.
The show was a one-of-a-kind exhibition highlighting the unique talents of graduating seniors Brooke Mulqueen, José Figueroa, Catherine Quinn, Liz Linton, and Julissa Valentin-Miller.
The vibrant collection represented the culmination of their academic journey, featuring their final projects in design, branding, digital media, and more.
The CMA gallery was created in 2019 as a professional artist space to exhibit media picked by Mount faculty from among the rising population of artists who live and work in Newburgh, Beacon, and throughout the Hudson Valley.
