Wake up. Lift. Class. Practice. Homework. Sleep. Repeat.

That’s a pretty tight schedule, huh? There are over 500 student-athletes on campus. If you are considering walking-on, or are being recruited for a D-1 team, here’s  5 tools specifically tailored to Marist College to help you balance life as a student, and life as an athlete!

1. Take advantage of our tutoring services if you’re having trouble in class (free to athletes, and open to non-athletes too!!).
2. You have the McCann Center for Student Enhancement and your assigned athletic advisor help you schedule your classes, find the right teachers, and the right fit around your practice time.
3. If your coach mandates study hall, GO TO IT. It’s six hours a week, so some advice? Get it out of the way early in the week.
4. Get sleep. A lot of times team lifts are in the mornings before 8:00 classes, so sleep can fall to the wayside. Get your work done at study hall or during the day, so you have time to relax and sleep at night.
5. Lastly, not so sure the D-1 lifestyle is right for you, but want some fun sports to play anyway? Check out our intramural and club sports webpage!

Questions? Visit our athletics website at http://www.goredfoxes.com/

Alexandra McCahill 15’

Happy Finals Week!

Photo courtesy of splatter.com.

Now is the time to buckle down and get crackin’ on all those projects we could have gotten done earlier had we not been extremely busy watching American Horror Story. If you’re like me, you sometimes have trouble transitioning into what I call the “Finals Zone.”  Here are a few tips to help you get focused, into the “Zone”, and ready to tackle those finals!

1. Spotify is your friend.

Or Pandora. Or 8tracks. Or really any music website. Listening to music makes studying just a bit more bearable, and it can help keep your focus more on work and less on everything else around you. Personally I’m a fan of music without words, like movie scores (Harry Potter is a great one) or classical covers. If you don’t know what you like, search the sites for a playlist with the tag ‘study’, and click around until you find one you like. My suggestion? Find one that’s a few hours long. You’ll focus better if you’re not constantly searching for a new playlist.

2. Wear comfortable clothes.

And I don’t mean a nicely worn in pair of jeans. I mean sweats. Tshirts. Leggings. Whatever works best for you. You’ll study longer and harder if you’re comfortable and not worrying about how tight those jeans are.

3. Snackage and caffeine…

If you know you’re settling in for a long study session, bring snacks! Hunger is super distracting, and will pull away your focus from your work. Visit the Cabaret or the cafe in the library for snacks and caffeine to keep you going all day.

4. Drink water!

As great as coffee is, our body likes water a lot more. So make sure to bring a water bottle to that 4 hour study session. It will keep you hydrated and awake, and you won’t crash in 3 hours like you would if you drank coffee or sugary drinks.

5. Prepare early.

If you haven’t started preparing for that final you have next Wednesday, start right now! Studying in small steps rather than cramming the night before is more effective, and you’ll go in feeling ready. Make a chart planning out your study time for the next week, and leave room for sleep!

Photo courtesy of abovethelaw.com

6. Put your phone away.

It may hurt. It may feel like you’re missing a limb. But I promise, it’s worth it. Put your phone in your backpack on silent, or just leave it at home. No phone = less

distractions. Trust me, it works.

7. Figure out your study method.

Everyone studies differently. Figure out the way that best works for you. For example, some people use the reward method. If they are writing a paper, they’ll reward themselves with a cookie (or a gummy worm, piece of chocolate…you get it) after every page they write. It gives them an incentive to keep working. If you’re like me, you may work best by memorizing 5 flashcards, then 6, then 7, etc and just keep adding on. Everybody has a way they study best. Find what works for you!

8. Take a break.

If you’ve been blankly staring at your computer for half an hour, it may be time for a break. Walk around, go get a drink, just get up and get moving. It’ll get your blood flowing and help you get reenergized and refocused.

9. Eat a good breakfast before your final.

This. Is. Everything. Being hungry is distracting (see number 3) and no fun at all. Eat a big healthy breakfast so that you’ll be awake and ready to take that test.

10. Thank your professors

After your finals, send your professors a note thanking them for everything they’ve done for you this semester. They’ll really appreciate it, and who knows, they could end up giving you a job reference in the future.

So grab your snacks, your water, and your sweats, and just remember…IT’S ALMOST OVER!

Photo courtesy of andyou.com.

Welcome to the Red Fox Roundup!

This is a new Foxtales series designed to recap some of the biggest moments from the Red Fox Division I Athletic Department.

Men’s Basketball

Marist men’s basketball team has rebounded recently, despite a tough start to the 2014-15 season. The Red Foxes only won one of their first nineteen games this year. Plagued by injuries, it was difficult for Marist to string wins together with the team’s lineup constantly changing.

Red-shirt sophomore Khallid Hart has led Marist this season. He scored 30 points against Siena on 2/12/2015. Photo courtesy of Marist Athletic Department.

However, the team bounced back in January. The 2014-15 team became the first team in Marist men’s basketball’s 18-year history to sweep the team’s annual Western New York trip. The Red Foxes won four games straight, pulling their record up to 5-18 overall, and 4-9 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) games.

Currently, the team sits in 10^th place in the MAAC with five games remaining in the regular season. All five remaining games are in-conference games, which provide Marist the opportunity to possibly move up in the MAAC rankings by winning a few games.

Marist men’s basketball has been led this season by senior Chavaughn Lewis and 2013-14’s MAAC Rookie of the Year Khallid Hart. Lewis leads the team with 450 points this season. Hart scored 30 points on Thursday night in Marist’s 66-64 loss to Siena College.

The MAAC Championship tournament begins on March 5^th, 2015 and will be held in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.

Women’s Basketball

Marist’s women’s basketball team is having another successful season in the MAAC. Head Coach Brian Giorgis is in his 13^th season coaching the Red Foxes, having won 10 MAAC Championship titles, 11 MAAC regular season titles, and 10 trips to the NCAA tournament.

Junior Sydney Coffey has had another great season as a Red Fox. She has started in 23 of 24 games and has 281 points on the season. Photo courtesy of Marist Athletic Department.

The Red Foxes are 16-8 overall with five games left in the regular season. The team is in second place in the MAAC standings with a 12-3 league record. Quinnipiac remains Marist’s toughest competitor, sitting in first place and holding on to an undefeated 14-0 record in the league.

A few of Marist’s biggest contributors on the court this season have been junior Madeline Blais, red-shirt senior Tory Jarosz, and junior Sydney Coffey. Blais is the top scorer for the Red Foxes, putting up 366 total points in 24 games played. Jarosz, standing 6’3”, has been a huge presence on the court for the Red Foxes throughout the seasons and put up a game-high 25 points against Quinnipiac this past Thursday. Coffey is battling an ankle injury but is planning on being fully healthy for the Red Foxes’ 2015 MAAC playoff appearance.

Marist “Pinked the House” and honored breast cancer survivors during halftime this past Saturday. Photo courtesy of Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation

The Red Foxes hosted their seventh annual Pink Game this past Saturday, February 14^th, raising money and awareness for breast cancer. Despite the team’s 70-65 loss to MAAC opponent Niagara, the team “Pinked the House” in McCann Arena. Nearly 2500 fans showed their Marist pride on Saturday, supporting both their Red Foxes on the court and the great cause for the evening. The game featured pink basketball uniforms, pink cheerleader pom poms and ribbons, and plenty of pink throughout the crowd! Thank you to everyone who came out on Saturday to support Marist and the fight for a cure for breast cancer!

Until the 1850s, Japan was a land shrouded in mystery. When it opened its ports to Western trade, it soon became an inspiration for European artists and writers who were looking for a breath of fresh air in Western art and literature. A wave of Japonisme, or the love of all things Japanese, swept up artistic and fashionable Westerners. Artists like van Gogh (who declared that all his work was “founded on Japanese art”) amassed collections of Japanese art. Operas like “Madame Butterfly” and musicals like “The Mikado” became the rage on European and American stages. At the same time in a period of less than fifty years, Japan underwent an extraordinarily rapid industrial and political modernization. By the early twentieth century, Western styles and techniques had been assimilated into the work of most Japanese writers and artists. Since the 1950s, influences in art, fashion, and technology have been moving back and forth fluidly, playing an essential role in defining contemporary global culture.

This eleven day, short-term study abroad program during spring break gives students the opportunity to examine first-hand Japan’s impact on Western culture, from its glorious past to its current ultra-modern culture. Students study the profound impact Western culture has had on Japan and how this mix of cultures has influenced the world we live in today.

The trip began last this week in Kyoto, center of the Japanese empire for a thousand years, followed by an excursion to Nara, Japan’s most ancient capital, home to wandering sacred deer and the oldest and largest wooden structures in the world. After a day-trip to Hiroshima to contemplate the terrible consequence of two cultures clashing, students stayed overnight in a traditional Japanese inn on the sacred Shinto island of Miyajima, a peaceful paradise. The journey finishes in Tokyo, a city that combines reverence for traditions with a passion for life inspired by technology. The goal of the program is to expose students to the culture and history of Japan, from imperial court life and sushi to anime and Studio Ghibli; from ancient and feudal Japan to the emergence of Japan as a technological juggernaut of Asia.

If studying in Japan or with other unique international programs interests you, visit Marist International Programs for more information.

The Marist Brand clothing and accessory line has become a popular part of the Fashionology business and has taken Marist’s only student run enterprise to new heights. Now, the Brand Rep Program will be able to take the brand’s success and promote it throughout the entire Marist Community.

A Brand Rep Program is a group of students who are chosen to market a brand and increase awareness to the student population using social media, word of mouth, and blogging. Companies such as Victoria’s Secret, Lily Pulitzer, and Vineyard Vines have created and implemented their own successful campus rep programs. The Brand Rep Program for the Marist Brand will be a similar model in order to reach students across campus.

The Brand Rep Program allows Marist students to become involved as leaders and gain industry-related experience that they can implement into their future careers. The program includes fifteen Brand Reps, both male and female, from a variety of majors and grades. Launching the Brand Rep Program will help aid in building upon the Marist legacy by promoting the Marist Brand in creative ways and creating new opportunities for students on campus.

#BRANDREPMC

Written by Croix Laconsay, Marist College ’16

Dear Class of 2019,

Congratulations on your decision to take the next step in your education! This is an exciting time in today’s era to be a college student; so you should be looking forward to all the experiences you’ll be having and all of the people that you will meet along the way.

I know it was a big decision to attend college, especially if you are considering a college far away from home. As a student from Hawaii going to school in New York, I wanted to personally commend you for your courage. You may face some challenges, but ultimately, you will eventually realize the precious rewards that come with stepping out of your comfort zone. I know that on graduation day, you will look back at how much you have grown and thank yourself.

Wherever you are, and wherever you are off to, I want to congratulate you again as we celebrate National Signing Day. Remember, making the decision to take this step is a huge achievement in and of itself. So relax, you have made it, and as Dr. Seuss once said,

“You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So… get on your way!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

#ReachHigher

The #ReachHigher initiative is the First Lady‘s effort to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. Learn More ->

Dear Class of 2019,

Congratulations on taking the first step in your higher education career and deciding to attend college!

Being a first-generation college student, it was always in the “master-plan” for me to go to college. My parents have told me, ever since I can remember, “education is key.” My parents have been my guiding force this entire journey, and continue to inspire me to do better each day and achieve more each semester. I know that it is a huge decision for you to come to college, but I want to assure you that you are making the right decision! Now more than ever it is imperative for students to obtain advanced degrees in order to get jobs.

The First Lady wants to make May 1^st National College Signing Day, but in order for that to happen we are going to need your help. We want you to explode over social media: tweet, instagram, post, share, pin and like anything and everything you can about you going to college! This is a great accomplishment and we want you to be able to share it! Inspire other students with your social media by showing them that attending college is the right choice, and that it is now more attainable than ever. Go ahead and join the buzz by using #ReachHigher.

The one piece of advice that I want to offer to you during this new adventure is to take a deep breath. This transition may be stressful for you and your family, but taking a deep breath every once in a while will help you relax and enjoy your decision to continue your education. And that’s just it; it’s your decision. Of course your family should play a major role in your decision making process, but in the end it is you that will be spending the next four years at college.

Inspire others to make the decision to come to college! This is your time to make a difference in the lives of others by sharing your story and exciting them to attend college!

I’ll be on the lookout for the #ReachHigher posts!

Best wishes,

Tyler Lonergan

Marist College ‘18

With my siblings during Family Weekend.

#ReachHigher

The #ReachHigher initiative is the First Lady‘s effort to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. Learn more –>

Some 25 years after graduating, Michael Buckley ’90, still appreciates the great teachers he encountered at Marist.

“I remember (Professor of Political Science) Dr. (Lou) Zuccarello’s 8 a.m. political science class,” Buckley, now the vice president of global business communications at Facebook recalled during a recent visit to campus, “and you better come prepared to that three times a week and be ready to go, and it was just deeply challenging and thought provoking.” 

“I think I was really blessed and very lucky with so many of the professors I had,” Buckley said. He spoke during a conversation with Associate Professor of Communication Dr. Keith Strudler in the newly renovated production studios of the Lowell Thomas Communications Center.

While on campus, Buckley spoke with students from the schools of Communication & the Arts, Business, and Computer Science & Mathematics about his time at Marist, his work at Facebook, and the strong connections between the two. Later, he spoke to local business and civic leaders about the importance of big data and data analytics to Facebook and the broader business community during a presentation at the Raymond A. Rich Leadership Institute.

To see more of Dr. Keith Strudler’s conversation with Michael Buckley ’90, click here.

In his role at Facebook, Buckley oversees consumer, corporate, internal, international, monetization, and policy communications for the world’s largest social networking company. Prior to joining the tech giant, he held senior positions at Brunswick Group and Hill and Knowlton. He is also the co-founder of a natural foods company. A political science major, Marist Poll surveyor, and debate team member during his college days, Buckley talked about how his Marist experience prepared him for career and life success.

“Marist encouraged a really broad-based education and taught you as much about critical thinking skills as much as any particular discipline or any particular class,” Buckley said. Also key was the practical experience he gained working for the Marist Poll.

“What a great education into the political process, into the survey research process and social sciences,” Buckley said of his time working for Marist Institute of Public Opinion Director Lee Miringoff and poll Director Barbara Carvalho.

“I can very specifically draw a straight line between my exact experience at Marist and my job at Facebook,” Buckley said.

Beyond career success, Buckley considered the value of his time at Marist to a rich intellectual life. “There was a collaborative spirit here…grounded in ethics that probably has a lot to do with the Marist Brothers tradition that I think permeated the environment,” Buckley said, “and there was a definitive sense of right and wrong here and a willingness to challenge and discuss difficult subjects along ethical lines that I reflect on pretty frequently. I think back often to my time here.”

Marist College is preparing to implement a new curriculum for students interested in the field of game design. The new major and minor program will be a collaboration between the Computer Science Department and the Media Arts Department, both of which currently offer their own concentrations that will continue to be available alongside this new major, which is expected to be offered in Fall 2015.

The project started with market research data from Eduventure, which suggested there are opportunities in the area of games and emerging media. From there it took more than two years of development and interdisciplinary consultation to formalize what the Computer Science Department and the Media Arts Department had already been doing informally for 10 years, said associate professor of computer science Ron Coleman.

Assistant professor of media arts Karen Schrier has high hopes for the new curriculum, “The main reason we created this degree is to better serve students that are interested in learning about games. The students are really excited about the new major, but they are still able to just concentrate in games in either Computer Science or Media Studies and Production if they wish.”

Courses in the new major will include a foundation in game design and development, including intro to games, business of games, introduction to programming and digital toolbox. Students will focus on one of two tracks, either Game Technical Development and Programming; or Game Design, Writing and Culture. The development side focuses on computational thinking, algorithms, data structures, physics and mathematical simulations, as Ron Coleman explained. The design side focuses on the game play and elements of the game, the writing and narrative elements, game production, and the historical, cultural, ethical and social aspects of gaming.

The new concentration is very different from current offerings in the Computer Science or Media Design majors. Students will be required to take courses across the breadth of both the technical and non-technical aspects of game design. Also, students will have to work with other students who might not be from their particular area of focus, which is a model of the “real world” of game production.

The hope is that this major will mimic the collaborative practices in the field today, giving students the opportunity to work together to create games and other media, but also specialize in developing specific skills, such as programming, design, or production. According to Coleman, “This new, interdisciplinary degree will help students be more attractive to employers since in the industry everyone has to work with others and in teams to be successful. Getting that practice and furthermore having a portfolio to demonstrate it is invaluable.”

Schrier said many students are very excited for this new major program, and are glad to be able to be a part of a more comprehensive and collaborative degree that will give them a real sense of how they will work in the real world. “They have been asking for this for years! They are super excited about it, and even though some are graduating and will miss being able to major in it, they are telling their high school friends who are considering Marist.”

Read the full “Fox Logic”  School of Computer Science & Mathematics magazine.

Marist is again one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. Marist is featured in “The Best 380 Colleges 2016,” the thirteenth-consecutive year it has been recognized in the respected annual college guide.

Only about 15% of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and only four colleges outside the United States are profiled in the book, which is The Princeton Review’s flagship college guide. It includes detailed profiles of the colleges with rating scores for all schools in eight categories based on The Princeton Review’s surveys of 136,000 students attending the colleges.

Under the “Students Say…” section of Marist’s entry, the guide quotes students saying things like, “Marist is the complete package—academics and extracurricular keep me busy and having fun,” and “Marist just feels like home the moment you pull on to campus.”

Elsewhere, students praise faculty who “really care about students,” and the “spectacular,” “sprawling green campus” “on the beautiful Hudson River.” Speaking of their kind and courteous classmates, one student says, “Marist is where the nice people go.”

The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges academically or from 1 to 380 in any category. The 80-question student survey asks students to rate their schools on several topics and report on their campus experiences.

Topics range from assessments of their professors as teachers to opinions about their school’s library, career services, and student body’s political leanings.

Hi! My name is Nenagh Goerg and in preparation for the big Marist collaboration with New York Fashion Week and designer Son Jung Wan, I will be taking over the Marist social media accounts to give you insight into a day in the life of a Marist fashion student. I’ll also be posting a blog about my overall experience at Marist later today, keep an eye out for it!

I am currently a senior fashion merchandising major with a double concentration in fashion promotion and business administration. I’m from Bergen County, an area in northern New Jersey. Growing up in a metropolitan area with close proximity to NYC, I’ve always had a love for all the excitement surrounding the fashion industry. At Marist College, I’ve had countless opportunities to get involved with everything from NYFW to internships at prestigious fashion corporations, which have ultimately led to my recent acceptance of a post-graduate job offer.

During my fall semester of junior year, I studied fashion in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University! It was a life changing experience that has given me a much greater global perspective and it ignited my newfound passion for learning about different cultures, customs and traditions.

This year, I am super excited to be the Director of Communications for the Marist Fashion Program and involved with all of our social media and PR, as well as the production of the Silver Needle Runway. It is an amazing leadership opportunity and I look forward to all that is in store for my final year at Marist College!

For more details follow

@Marist

@MaristFashion

#Marist

#MaristFashion

Photo courtesy of Marist Public Affairs

Gathering in the back of Marist’s largest freshman dorm, Champagnat Hall, current students made up of Ambassadors, members of Campus Ministry, and the entire Football team received their schedules for the day. Behind Leo Hall, student athletes from the Crew, Track, and Swimming teams prepared their assembly line up the building’s seven flights of stairs. The Dining Hall staff began prep and set up for the barbecue on the campus green, while other campus offices also prepared to welcome the Class of 2019. The students would not arrive for another couple of hours, but at 6:30am on the day of Freshman Move-In, Marist’s campus was already bustling and preparing for the newest Red Foxes.

As the students arrived in the morning, I was standing at the registration table in front of a freshman residence hall, staring in awe at the pure excitement on the faces of these incoming freshmen students, remembering myself three years earlier with the nervous tremble in my voice and fearing the uncertainty of a new place. How is it, I wondered to myself, that these freshmen seemed so excited and so calm? And then I thought, well, that, must mean we’re doing something right.

Halfway through the move-in, I visited the basement of our largest freshman residence hall, where the halls were lined with trunks, storage bins and miniature refrigerators, while groups of volunteers yelled out floor numbers to send up the elevator; a chaotic, but exciting scene. Catherine, a senior and a member of the Marist Ambassadors, has volunteered for freshman move-in every year since her sophomore year. “When I moved in my freshman year, I didn’t really know how my stuff got from the car to my dorm room—I thought it must have been magic or something. However, when I volunteered my sophomore year, I realized it wasn’t magic. It was a team of Marist students actually moving the freshmen in — and in so many ways, that is so much better,” she said, between moving boxes into a narrow elevator. Her partner for elevator duty, junior Ambassador Greg, who echoed her statements, “This day is just a great way to make even more friends at Marist. You’re meeting new people, getting to know them, all while helping move in the incoming class. That’s just awesome.”

Perhaps my favorite part of the day was speaking to so many excited families. The Larkins, a family of five from Long Island, was moving their daughter Kathleen into what would become her home away from home. Mrs. Larkin fought back tears as Kathleen’s brothers clung to her side. “He tried to hide under her bed so we would just leave him here,” she said of Kathleen’s youngest brother. “There is an incredible number of students that help out,” Mr. Larkin noted. “That really just speaks volumes. It’s just a sea of red Marist volunteer shirts – everywhere you look.” We talked about creative writing, the impressive list of Welcome Week events, and how easy move-in day was… and then they headed for a final Bed, Bath & Beyond trip.

Another family, moving their son in, laughed at the thought of having to carry their son’s things up eight flights of stairs. “When we moved my son in decades ago at a school in Maryland, they didn’t have elevators, and my husband and I had to climb the thirteen flights to his room so many times we lost count. I’ve moved in a lot of kids, and this was by the far the easiest one.”

It was not the accolades from all the thankful new families who had moved in that day that motivated  Marist volunteers; instead, for each of them it was because they too had once been the newest members and had appreciated the care and help experienced during move-in. With a 10 hour day under their belts, the volunteers could rest well that night, knowing they did good work for their fellow Red Foxes and had made all the difference in someone’s first day.

The Larkin Family on Move-In Day. Daughter Kathleen moved into Champagnat, and if her brothers had a choice, they’d never leave her side.

“I loved being a part of this day,” Catherine said. “Moving in is stressful enough – you’re already worrying about making friends and whether you’re going to do well in your classes. It is so comforting to know you already have people supporting you and ‘physically’ lifting the stress off your shoulders and out of your hands.”

This in and of itself is what makes Freshman Move-In Day the act of magic that it is: a student body coming together to help the incoming class’ transition go a bit more smoothly. Maybe it wasn’t so-called magic that moved your stuff from the parking lot to the door of your dorm room, but it was the work of a wonderful little thing we like to call the Red Fox Family. Behind it all, there were countless numbers of supplies and resources that went into Move-In Day, but the most important, was the caring touch of the volunteers that dedicated their day to the Class of 2019.

I finished my work at Move-In Day feeling as proud as ever to call myself a Red Fox.

Welcome to our Red Fox Family, Class of 2019!

Only a few of our Marist volunteers, still smiling after a long day, but a day well spent.

Did you know that almost 50% of Marist graduates study abroad? Marist is one of the top schools in the United States for study abroad programs, and students take advantage of it! Marist International Programs offers year long programs, short term programs, and semester programs that span across countries and continents. Travel across Europe, Asia, Africa or South America. Visit historical landmarks. Learn a new language. Intern abroad. Immerse yourself in a foreign culture. Get lost in an undiscovered city. Explore the world!

The students last year went to beaches in the South Pacific, visited the Ranger Memorial in Normandy, wandered the wind farms of Amsterdam, toured ruins of the Colosseum in Rome, rode the Eye in London, climbed the Eiffel Tower in Paris,  and rode elephants in China. Where will you go? 

“Study abroad because we’re living in a global market place and all students need to understand how the world works.” – Dr. Joanne Gavin, Assistant Dean of the School of Management & Business Attachment Program Director

“I want to study abroad because I want to travel!” – Stephani Schell, Sophomore Fashion Merchandising Major

“I studied abroad in Madrid and it was the highlight of my career so go study abroad, go see the world, just do it!” – Rachel Slovak, Senior Spanish Major

For more information, visit https://www.marist.edu/international/

and follow Marist International Programs on social media!

Media luminaries, network chiefs join Marist alumni and friends to benefit the College’s Center for Sports Communication at NYC gala.

Katie Couric, Jane Pauley, and Kelly Ripa were just some of the high-wattage media personalities who turned out to help celebrate their friend Bryant Gumbel as President Dennis Murray presented the legendary newsman and sports broadcaster with the inaugural Lifetime Excellence in Sports Communication Award on behalf of the Marist College Center for Sports Communication at a special ceremony at the New York Athletic Club last Thursday, Oct. 15.

Yahoo News Global Anchor and former TODAY co-host Katie Couric, CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker, and LIVE with Kelly and Michael co-host Kelly Ripa celebrate Bryant Gumbel at the inaugural Marist College Lifetime Excellence in Sports Communication Award ceremony in New York City.

“I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of this inaugural award than Bryant,” said President Murray. “Throughout his career, he has brought a hard news sensibility to sports journalism. Beyond the scores and standings, Bryant recognizes that the truly important stories and, indeed, the most compelling ones, have more to do with sport as a powerful force for both good and ill in our society. His career exemplifies the kind of in-depth work and high ethical standards that mark the work of the Marist Center for Sports Communication and to which our students aspire.”

Katie Couric hugging friend Bryant Gumbel after he receives his award.

 Click here to see more event photos on Flickr.com

Keith Strudler, director of the Center for Sports Communication, welcomed the crowd of some 350 media personalities, network chiefs and other executives, Marist trustees, alumni, parents, who helped honor Gumbel while raising important funds to endow the center and provide support for its diverse activities and student scholarships. MSNBC President Phil Griffin served as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies.

Jane Pauley of CBS News, former TODAY co-host; Real Sports Correspondent Jon Frankel, in period attire; and former TODAY Executive Producer Steve Friedman speak (and in Frankel’s case, rap) at the event

The award was established to recognize individuals who have exemplified excellence over time in the broadly defined field of sports communication, acknowledging the social value and importance of sport and those that cover, analyze, narrate, and otherwise bring us our national pastimes.

President Dennis and Mrs. Marilyn Murray with Kelly Ripa on the red carpet

“Tonight was special for so many reasons, but most notably because it allowed so many people to thank Bryant for his legacy of excellence in broadcast journalism and sports media,” said Strudler, “The Marist College Center for Sports Communication is proud to be a part of this great night, and it inspires us to train students to follow in Bryant’s footsteps.”

Several Marist College student-interns pose with Bryant Gumbel (center; bottom row) and Dr. Keith Strudler (top left) after the ceremony.

Gumbel has long been recognized for his groundbreaking and industry-defining work. For the past 20 years, he has hosted HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” a show that has earned 28 Emmy’s, a 2006 DuPont-Columbia University award for broadcast journalism, and a 2012 Peabody Award. Through Gumbel’s stewardship, the program has expertly examined the vast intersection of sport and the world around it, highlighting the joys, complexities, accomplishments, and injustices in and around the sports landscape. Gumbel has interviewed the most influential names in the sports world, from Muhamad Ali to Jack Nicklaus, and his work has both spurred change and encouraged humanity in the global industry of sport.

At the Oct. 15 event, Gumbel’s former” TODAY” show colleagues, including Couric, Pauley, CNN President Jeff Zucker, and former “TODAY” Executive Producer Steve Friedman, joined current ones like “LIVE with Kelly and Michael” co-host Kelly Ripa and “Real Sports” Correspondent Jon Frankel to offer testimonials, with Frankel donning a Colonial-era coat and tri-corner hat for a rap tribute to Bryant inspired by the hit Broadway musical, “Hamilton.”

Center for Sports Communication Director Keith Strudler with Marist alumnus and CBS News
Specials Producer Alvin Patrick on the red carpet

The event’s success was thanks in large part to those foundations, businesses, and organizations which supported the Center for Sports Communication directly or through event sponsorship, including The Dyson Foundation, which provided a generous grant to the center’s endowment; Platinum Sponsors HBO Sports, NBC News, CNN, Agua Enerviva, William Gottlieb Real Estate, Pike Construction, Coyne PR, and Daniel O’Connell’s Sons; and Corporate Sponsors Michael and Genine McCormick, Bond, Schoeneck & King, The James J. McCann Charitable Trust, Ruttura & Sons Construction, Grant Thornton, J.W. Hulme Co., Anaconda Sports/LIDS Team Sports, JTR Transportation, Hickey-Finn & Co., Inc., Apple Montessori Schools, 1-800-Flowers.com, Supreme Security Systems, and Milrose Consultants, Inc.

Original post courtesy of Marist Public Affairs

$1 million gift will provide scholarships for exceptional students with financial need

New Peter P. O’Keefe, PhD. Endowed Scholarship honors distinguished history professor 

Marist College is pleased to announce the establishment of the Peter P. O’Keefe, PhD. Endowed Scholarship, which is made possible through a generous $1 million gift from William J. O’Reilly ’71, the noted Fox News host and bestselling author, who is one of the College’s most accomplished alumni.

The Peter P. O’Keefe, PhD. Endowed Scholarship will provide full financial support to one student annually, beginning with an incoming member of the class of 2020. O’Keefe Scholars will be students who have demonstrated special promise in academic and leadership roles, who would not otherwise be financially able to attend Marist. Examples of potential recipients include class valedictorians, salutatorians, National Merit finalists, student body presidents, school newspaper editors, Eagle Scouts, Gold Award recipients, athletic team captains, and other young leaders.

“Dr. O’Keefe was an exceptional teacher, scholar, and mentor,” said O’Reilly, who studied under O’Keefe during his distinguished 34-year teaching career. “I am pleased to be able to establish a scholarship in his honor so that others can benefit as I did from a great Marist education.”

In addition to the fund’s financial support, O’Reilly will personally meet with the O’Keefe Scholars to provide advice and guidance as they navigate their college years and prepare for successful careers and lives.

“We are very grateful to Bill, a longtime supporter of the College, for this most generous gift,” said Marist President Dennis J. Murray. “With all of his professional accomplishments, it’s great for Bill to remember students who have Marist as their top college choice, but are unable to attend without financial support.”

“I am truly touched by this wonderful tribute from one of the most talented, entrepreneurial, and engaged students I had the privilege of teaching at Marist,” said Professor Emeritus and Heritage Professor Dr. Peter O’Keefe. “It is a wonderful example of giving back that Bill is setting with this new scholarship, which will allow more talented students to discover and nurture their interests and passions at Marist, as he did.”

A member of the Marist College Class of 1971, O’Reilly majored in history, studying under O’Keefe. He was a columnist for the student newspaper, The Circle, and played on the College’s first championship football team. Of his time on the Marist football team, which he made as a freshman, O’Reilly has written that “the ordeal turned out to be a defining moment of my life because it taught me that the most challenging and worthwhile things can only be accomplished with great sacrifice and discipline.”

At Marist, O’Reilly developed a passion for history, which drove his interest in journalism. Today, he hosts The Factor, which has been the most-watched cable news program for the past 15 years. He is the author of the bestselling ‘Killing’ series of historical nonfiction books, with subjects ranging from Lincoln to Jesus to, most recently, Ronald Reagan. O’Reilly has accomplished the rare feat of having his books in the No. 1 and 2 spots simultaneously on the New York Times best-seller list for hardcover nonfiction. TheTimes has called him “arguably the most popular history author in America.” Many of his books have been made into equally successful TV movies.

After graduating from Marist, O’Reilly taught high school history before going into broadcasting. He went on to earn a Master’s in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University and a second Master’s – in Public Administration – from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. His career has included stints at CBS News, ABC News, and Inside Edition, which he hosted, before he moved to his current home at Fox News.

Throughout his career, O’Reilly has maintained strong ties to Marist. In 2001, the College awarded him an honorary degree, and he regularly returns to campus to attend football games and give locker room pep talks to the players. Previously, he established the Winifred & William O’Reilly Scholarship at Marist, which honors his parents and provides support to students with financial need and a demonstrated commitment to community service.

My name is Michael Hablenko, and as some of you may know, I was a senior at Marist last year and a Resident Assistant in Leo, one of our freshman residence halls. One part of the responsibility of being a Resident Assistant is to host events and build a sense of community for the students on your floor. Last December, I brought an idea to my floor of 26 male freshman to make a Christmas music video. It was exciting to see everyone so enthusiastic about getting involved and it turned out to be a great success. We filmed on the Wednesday before finals week, a well needed break from studying and class projects.  Our lip sync cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” received very positive reception from the Marist community and almost instantly received over 100,000 views.

As an update, The students involved are all current sophomores at Marist and have remained a great group of young gentlemen. I have since graduated as a part of the Class of 2015 and was offered a job at Marist! I am currently an Admission Counselor in the Office of Undergraduate Admission and it has been a thrill to work with prospective students and their families, helping to achieve their goals and dreams of higher education. My experience at Marist was truly the best four years of my life as a student. I am lucky and feel honored to be able to continue my time there as an employee. On behalf of the Admission Office, I would like to congratulate all those accepted into the Marist Class of 2020, and want to wish everyone in the Marist family a happy holiday season!

A new group of Marist students earned professional certifications in this fall’s Advanced Post-Production class. The newly-certified students are Rachel Karach, Lindsey Mulcahy, James Maxson, Marissa Bellantoni, and Alec Rizzo.

The students now hold certificates in Avid Media Composer, an industry-recognized professional credential.

Marist became an official Avid Learning Partner in 2009. Since then more than two dozen students have become Avid certified.

To become certified, students must take two rigorous courses, each with its own comprehensive examination. Courses are taught by Prof. Jeff Bass, Senior Professional Lecturer in Marist’s Media Arts Department, and an Avid Certified Instructor with 20 years’ experience using Media Composer.

Avid Technology makes world’s most popular film and video editing systems. Most feature films and network television programs are edited with Avid systems.

Marist’s Lowell Thomas Communication Center has three Avid labs with more than 30 systems available for student work. They are used for production classes offered by the Media Arts and Communication departments.

Courses are taught by Prof. Jeff Bass, Senior Professional Lecturer in Marist’s Media Arts Department, and an Avid Certified Instructor with 20 years’ experience using Media Composer.

Prof. Bass will also be teaching Marist’s Pre-College program in Digital Movie Making this summer. Pre-College offers rising juniors and seniors in high school the opportunity spend two weeks living on campus and earn three college credits.

“I wanted a school that fit me, not a school that I had to try to fit into. A school on the East Coast that would prepare me for my professional future, but also help me with personal goals. Making lasting friendships, having tons of school spirit, and living on a beautiful campus was just as important to me as internship opportunities, class sizes, and job placement. My checklist was endless: campus ministry, choir, Fashion program, accredited Business program, program specific study abroad opportunities, safety, social events, proximity to NYC, internship placement, alumni involvement, career success, and “that feeling” of knowing that the school was right.”

Colleen is a senior from Chicago, Illinois double majoring in Business Marketing and Fashion Merchandising. During her time at Marist, she has been involved in various academic and extra-curricular activities.

Freshman year was a year of new friends and many exciting opportunities. When choosing a college, Colleen knew that she wanted a community presence, so she immediately joined Campus Ministry and soon became the cantor in Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel on campus each Sunday through her junior year. Through Campus Ministry, Colleen has worked with various organizations at Marist and in the local community. She also was able to serve as a liaison between the Admission Office and the prospective students and families, after being accepted into the Marist Ambassadors Program. The program allowed her to become a Tour Guide for the Admission Office as well as help students during individual Shadow Day experiences. Over time Colleen continued to find new ways to contribute to the Ambassador Program as an Executive Board member and also by becoming a Student Assistant for one of the Admission counselors.

With a love for adventure and travel, Colleen studied abroad in Paris the fall of her junior year. She participated in a special program curated specifically for Marist Fashion students. Together with ten other Marist students who quickly became some of her closest friends, she spent the semester studying under creative trend forecasters, affluent visual merchandisers, market focused product developers and passionate costume historians. Her study abroad experience allowed to her to travel to San Sebastian and Barcelona in Spain, Brussels, London, Dublin, Morocco, and Normandy, Biarritz, and Provins in France; and attend a VIP event at design house, Viktor & Rolf, during Paris’s Fashion’s Night Out.

Colleen returned to campus and is now a senior preparing herself for a career on the business side of fashion. She is currently interning at Modern Luxury Magazine in Manhattan while simultaneously completing two capping courses, managing a full class load, and working as the college’s Social Media Intern which evolved out of her role an Admission Office Student Assistant. By directly working under Brian Apfel, Director of Social Media and Online Initiatives, Colleen has grown her professional experiences and now works cross-departmentally to develop strategies to cover Marist events using various media platforms. In September, she even went to New York Fashion where she covered social media for Marist.  Colleen loves to create experiences for people and hopes to do that through marketing and event management in the future.

 Instagram: @C.Kollar

Colleen’s Top 5 To-Do’s at Marist

1. Watch the sunset at the Riverfront
2. Roll down the hill in front of the Library
3. Attend the Giving Tree Mass in December
4. Spend an afternoon reading a book on the Hancock Patio
5. Make cookies as a freshman in your dorm kitchen—it’s a great way to make friends!

Colleen shares about her favorite spot on campus…

If I’m not at work or in class, you can find me in the Hancock Center. There, I am in either one of two places: the café, or the windows room. The Hancock café has a certain calmness to it that I absolutely adore. And Suzanne, the café barista is the sweetest and bubbliest person on campus. She knows almost everyone by name and remembers your “usual,” as if you are the only customer she ever has. She is someone who will make your day without even trying, and I am so thankful that she is part of the Marist community. I always make sure to stop by after the weekend to check in on how hers was and ask how her daughters are doing. Suzanne is just absolute epitome of what Marist is all about. I see her because I’m always in the windows room. The windows room is all glass and overlooks the lantern and the entryway below. I just feel like I can see the whole campus walk by but at the same time, it is a very quiet room that I can get a lot of work done in. (When I go to the Library, I tend to be more social than productive! So I had to find a new location.) The windows room is my own little Marist secret. It’s usually locked and I have to reserve it, but it is my favorite place to go and study or just relax quietly with my cookie and latté served with warmth and a smile from Suzanne.

New Opportunities for Marist Pre-Med Students

School of Science Forges Relationship with the University of Nicosia

Story courtesy of Admissions News

Pre-med students at Marist College have recently received a bit of an edge when applying to medical schools. Representatives from the University of Nicosia in Cyprus visited Marist on December 3rd, to agree on certain ties between the two institutions.

A portrayal of the School of Science and Allied Health Building at Marist College, which opened for the Spring 2016 semester. Photo courtesy of Marist.edu.

The University of Nicosia actually contacted us about abroad opportunities,” explains Marist’s Assistant Dean of Science, Neil Fitzgerald, “and we asked if they were willing to come up with an agreement with us.” This agreement says that Marist students will automatically get interviews for Nicosia’s medical school program, as long as they meet certain requirements.

They require a recommendation from the Marist College Health Professions Committee, a minimum GPA, and a minimum MCAT score. The MCAT is a standardized exam admissions test that all students must take before applying to medical school. With these achievements, Marist students have a guaranteed interview with a fully accredited international university. 

Of course, “once they get an interview it is up to them to impress the committee so they can get in,” explains Professor Fitzgerald. However, in such a competitive environment, this initial interview can be very helpful.

“Getting into medical school is half the job,” Fitzgerald says. He explains that some students look for medical schools abroad, because schools in the United States are growing increasingly difficult to gain admission to – even for students with strong transcripts and test scores.

Medical schools abroad take a different approach, which gives opportunities to a lot more students. “Offshore, they will accept more students knowing that a certain percentage will fail,” says Professor Fitzgerald. This, and the fact that most U.S. students would rather not spend four years abroad, makes it easier to gain admission into medical schools abroad.

Abroad students receive equally strong training as they would at a medical school in the United States. Once students go to medical school and complete their residency at an accredited abroad university, they can then work as a doctor in the United States. 

The medical school at the University of Nicosia is brand new, with state of the art facilities and equipment. They also have a collaboration with St. George’s medical school in London, which is well established as the United Kingdom’s second oldest medical school. 

An aerial view of the University of Nicosia at Cyprus. Photo courtesy of http://www.unic.ac.cy.

The University of Nicosia has a particularly exceptional program for American students. “They have a lot of international students as undergraduates” explains Fitzgerald, “so they have a current program based on the U.S. system.” 

This program allows undergraduate students to study abroad and take classes that will count towards their pre-med degree. In fact, the University encourages undergraduate students to study there for a semester before medical school. They offer to pay for the flight, with the hopes that the student will come back as a graduate student. 

“A student could go abroad, see what it’s like, and get to be known by the people over there,” says Professor Fitzgerald, continuing, “I think any contact with professionals is going to be an advantage.” As an added bonus, Cyprus makes for a great vacation spot. “It’s supposed to be the sunniest country in Europe,” says Professor Fitzgerald, “it has nice beaches and it’s just a pleasant place to be.”

This agreement with the University of Nicosia is only one of many advantages for Marist’s pre-med and pre-health students. The School of Science has similar agreements with Tufts Dental School, Sage and the New York Chiropractic College.

From the time they enter the School of Science as freshmen, pre-med students can rely on it’s top notch advising system. “We have an advisor for the health professions make sure they take the right classes, that all the help is available it to them and that they take advantage of every opportunity,” lists Fitzgerald.

As they plan their futures, pre-med students also get help from the Health Committee, which is made up of faculty across campus. The group is there to give advice, look at personal statements, and offer mock interviews. Most importantly, they write committee recommendation letters that get sent out with medical school applications.

Since Marist is such a small school, the Health Committee can offer a great deal of personal attention. They have the ability to spend dedicated time with each individual student and ensure their success. 

This probably contributes to Marist’s success rate when sending students to medical school. About 70 percent of Marist students that apply are successful, which is well above the national average of 43 percent. In the end, the specialized attention and connection to other institutions leads to more successful medical careers.

Written by Sarah Gabrielli ‘18

Want to learn more about the campus and classes at Marist College? Visit our News page.

Marist College provides its students with many excellent opportunities, but perhaps the most popular is the school’s extensive study abroad options. Within the past few years it has become a veritable coin toss for Marist students, as roughly 50 percent of them study abroad at some point during their college career. Marist ranks 13th in the country in terms of undergraduate participation in study abroad programs and 18th in the total number of students studying abroad, with approximately 550.

This means chances are high that you’ll consider going abroad at some point during your four years, so you should know what you’re in for. Last year, I studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland and, just two months into my journey, I experienced more emotional whiplash than Gary Busey on his morning commute.

Here are the five stages of emotions you’ll likely experience if you choose to go abroad.

1) Excitement:

This first emotional stage should really be sorted into the pre-abroad phase, as it generally occurs in the days leading up to your semester abroad. There will of course be a hesitancy lingering beneath your excitement, the typical fear that accompanies every new experience, but hopefully your head and your heart will be teeming with possibilities. You’ll have idealisms of what the experience will be like; you may even have a list of things you want to do or accomplish abroad—I recommend making a bucket-list before going. This is natural and it’s a good sign.

2) Confusion:
As soon as you step off the plane and onto foreign soil you’ll be confronted with information and papers and bits of advice and the unfamiliarity of life in a new city. By the end of my first day in Ireland I had been awake for 35 hours straight, I’d traveled 3,000 miles, and I learned that there is little difference between delirium and insanity. The best advice I can give on this front is no matter how many times you’ve been warned of the chaos of the first day and no matter how prepared you feel for it, there will come a point when you’re ready to catch the next flight back to the states. Just fight through it and be ready to go with the flow.

3) Homesickness:

We all know what homesickness looks like, and we’ve all experienced it before. This is likely the stage of studying abroad you’ve heard the most about and, for many, the fear of it is enough to prevent them from going abroad. The worst part about these first three stages—excitement, confusion, and homesickness—is that they all happen within about 48 hours. But that’s all it is: just 48 hours. Merely two days into my semester abroad and all of the worries, all of the homesickness, faded and disappeared across the endless Irish countryside. However, everyone will go through this differently. For some, it may take longer than two days and for some it may never come at all. No matter what, don’t let the fear of homesickness prevent you from going abroad.

4) Acceptance:

At some point it will just click. Your transition will be natural—as swift and imperceptible as dusk falling into darkness. One day you’ll wake up and tread quickly through the city streets on your way to class; you’ll mentally mark restaurants, coffee shops, and park benches as “yours;” you’ll even condemn tourists in your head. The most important part of this phase, at least for me, is staying grounded. Even though I already feel fully acquainted with Dublin, I am continuously reminding myself to see everything in same remarkable and mysterious light I did my first day here.

There’s a reason the majority of people who go abroad say it’s life-changing: because, for most people, it is. This stage requires no advice, and luckily it’s the longest lasting of the five. You will find happiness and fulfillment in your own ways, often without consciously searching for it. I find it in the hum that permeates along the cobbled Dublin streets, in the thrill of losing myself in unknown places, and in writing my days down in journal entries and hoping the ink never dries.

5) Happiness:

There’s a reason the majority of people who go abroad say it’s life-changing: because, for most people, it is. This stage requires no advice, and luckily it’s the longest lasting of the five. You will find happiness and fulfillment in your own ways, often without consciously searching for it. I find it in the hum that permeates along the cobbled Dublin streets, in the thrill of losing myself in unknown places, and in writing my days down in journal entries and hoping the ink never dries.

If you’d like to learn more about Marist’s study abroad programs, check out the Globetrotter magazine!