Friday, February 15, 2013

College of Saint Elizabeth Women’s College Hosts Open House, February 23, 2013

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On Saturday, February 23, 2013, the Women’s College of College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE), 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J., will host an Open House for prospective undergraduate students and their families from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Open House begins with information sessions hosted by College organizations and staff, where prospective students and their families will learn about the CSE experience. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with current CSE students and alumnae, meet faculty and coaches, and obtain admission and financial aid information. The morning will conclude with a tour of the campus to visit classrooms, residence halls, and other facilities. For more information about the CSE Open House, please call 1-800-210-7900 or visit www.cse.edu.
The College of Saint Elizabeth is an independent, four-year liberal arts college for women, located on 200 acres within Morris County, New Jersey. It is the oldest and only women’s college in New Jersey and the first Catholic college in the United States to award degrees to women. In addition, CSE offers undergraduate programs for non-traditionally aged adults, both men and women, as well as a comprehensive graduate program. The College offers a diverse array of academic majors, minors, and several certification programs.
Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 1,700 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and two doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu

Monday, January 28, 2013

Persona Art Exhibition Opens at the College of Saint Elizabeth

Persona, an art exhibition examining the externalization of the psychological “self” in painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, photography, and video art, opens January 31, 2013, with an artists’ reception from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in the Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery in Annunciation Center at the College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibition is curated by Virginia Fabbri Butera, Ph.D., director of the Maloney Art Gallery, who says, “The exhibition reveals that artists using both figurative as well as abstract images are able to convey various aspects of human psychology through the formal elements of color, line, shading, pattern, composition as well as the addition of other visual elements and symbols to create the vast range of human feeling and personality.” The exhibition, which includes objects by 32 artists from New Jersey, California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Tennessee, will be on view through April 14, 2013. An artists’ panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Butera, immediately follows the reception from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. place in Dolan Performance Hall, also in Annunciation Center. The panel features artists Ellen Denuto, Doug Depice, Elise Dodeles, Valerie Huhn, Arlene Gale Milgram, and Raúl Villarreal who will discuss how they express in their art the range of human personality through their own self-portraits, images of others, or in more abstract ways. The Gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, from 2 to 6 p.m., and by appointment (contact Dr. Butera at artgallery@cse.edu or 973-290-4314 to schedule a visit). Visit the Gallery website, www.Maloneyartgallery.org, for upcoming special events as well as college vacation days and weather closings. Artists Participating in the Persona Art Exhibition Are Listed Below Sally Alexandres, Saint Cloud, Fla. Jayna Aronovitch, Providence, R.I. Kiyomi Baird, Far Hills, N.J. Marianne Barcellona, New York Rob Barth, Lafayette, N.J. Aileen Bassis, Jersey City, N.J. Amy Becker, Madison, N.J. Bette Blank, Madison, N.J. Elizabeth Catanese, Wynnewood, Pa. Olushola A. Cole, Baltimore Ellen Denuto, Denville, N.J. Doug DePice, Secaucus, N.J. Elise Dodeles, Lambertville, N.J. Gordon Fearey, Irvington, N.Y. Carlos Frias, Bloomfield, N.J. Norma Greenwood, New York Tom Holmes, Greeley, Pa. Valerie Huhn, New York Neal Korn, Union, N.J. Greg Leshé, South Orange, N.J. Claire McConaughy, Brooklyn, N.Y. Arlene Gale Milgram, Trenton, N.J. Charlie Perkalis, Whippany, N.J. Larry Ross, Madison, N.J. Kiyoko Sakai, Ridgewood, N.J. Azin Seraj, Oakland, Calif. Barbara Simcoe, Omaha, Neb. K Lenore Siner, Jamaica Plain, Mass. Marsha Solomon, Baldwin Harbor, N.Y. Daryl Thetford, Chattanooga, Tenn. Adejoke Tugbiyele, Baltimore Raúl Villarreal, Verona, N.J. Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J., the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and two doctoral degree programs; an Ed.D.in educational leadership and a Psy.D. in counseling psychology. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

College of Saint Elizabeth’s New Biology Facilities Spring to Life!

A dramatic renovation demonstrates CSE’s continued commitment to science education. The sounds of hammers and other construction equipment heard throughout the summer and autumn at the College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE), 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J., will soon fall silent when the renovation of the biology facilities is completed. Now the College is busy getting ready for the opening new facilities to take place at a dedication ceremony on January 28, 2013. Grateful Alumna Gives Back The renovation was made possible by the largest single individual donation in the history of the College. “This project is funded 100 percent through donor support, without which we would not be able to move forward,” said Sister Francis Raftery, CSE president. “We are extremely grateful to this alumna, who was a biology major here, for making this renovation possible. The College is blessed with loyal, alumnae/i who remain dedicated to their alma mater, and this gift is another example of their commitment.” Current biology majors are eagerly waiting for the new facilities. “I am very excited for the new labs and am glad to use them before leaving the College,” says biology major Sophonie Pepe, ’13. “I believe the new labs will enhance the learning process and allow new and more efficient ways of teaching the material.” This project is designed by the RBA Group, Parsippany, N.J., and constructed by The Leegis Group, Union, N.J., who were the architects and general contractors respectively for the redesign of the College’s chemistry laboratories. Explains Jim Gerrish, CSE director of special projects, finance and administration, “We want to continue the updated and modern look and feel of Henderson Hall where the science laboratories are located. Both RBA and Leegis know the building, and they did a great job for us with the renovations of the chemistry facilities.” Supporting the CSE Mission In addition to encouraging young women to pursue careers in science with state-of-the-art facilities, CSE, which is the first and now only remaining women’s college in New Jersey, will be promoting its mission to these young scientists. Says Dr. Lillian Fugler-Domenico, “The biology department focuses on the CSE mission to foster social responsibility in our students. We educate them to go back into the community to make an impact on society. We want them to become young scientists and have a major role in this world.” Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N. J., the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Pulitzer Winning Author Jon Meacham Speaks at College of Saint Elizabeth September 12, 2012


Award-winning author and former editor of Newsweek Jon Meacham will deliver his speech, Healing a Nation Post Election 2012, in the Annunciation Center’s Dolan Performance Hall at the College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE), 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J., on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. Meacham is a familiar face on Need to Know, the weekly primetime news and public affairs program, where he was co-anchor from 2010 to 2011 and where he continues to provide commentary and special reports, and publish his In Perspective essays. Tickets are priced at $25 and students with valid school identification, $10. Tickets can be obtained by calling the events telephone number 973-290-4378 or by emailing events@cse.edu. For more information, visit www.cse.edu/jonmeacham/.

Meacham, who will address the CSE community earlier in the day as part of the Academic Convocation, will focus his remarks on the upcoming election, asking how we can balance the common good with individual needs. He will discuss how we as a world community can promote healing in the aftermath of what will more than likely be a divisive election, regardless of the outcome at the ballot box.

Meacham joins a list of illustrious speakers who have visited CSE in recent years. Best-selling author of Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom; newscaster Soledad O’Brien, author of Dead Man Walking, Sister Helen Prejean, and the daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rev. Mpho Tutu, all brought their messages of the importance of social responsibility that is central to the mission of CSE.

In addition to his work at Newsweek, Meacham is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Meacham has served as co-anchor of PBS' Need To Know, a weekly primetime news and public affairs program from 2010 to 2011. Recently stepping back from this role, he'll continue to conduct in-depth interviews, provide commentary, publish his “In Perspective” essays, and anchor occasional special reports for Need to Know, as well as other PBS programs.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, .N J., the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Monday, April 16, 2012

College of Saint Elizabeth Holocaust Program Spotlights the Rescue of Children through Kindertransport Hosted by the CSE Holocaust Education Resource




Morristown, N.J. – March XX, 2012 -- Kurt Goldberger was almost 14 and living in Vienna when his parents put him on a train known as the Kindertransport or children’s transport, to England. Between December 1938 and May 1940, 10,000 mostly Jewish children from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland were saved by being sent to England. Most never saw their parents again. Goldberger was one of the luckier kinder, the German word for child. He was reunited with his parents after the war, one of only 10 percent who were so fortunate. The family moved to the United States in 1944.

On May 1 and 2, 2012, Goldberger, the president of the Kindertransport Association (KTA), and his wife, Margaret, head of the Speakers Bureau of the KTA who was also rescued by the Kindertransport, will come to the College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J. In Dolan Performance Hall, Annunciation Center on campus, they will tell their story to students in grades 6 to 12 as part of a special program sponsored by the CSE Holocaust Education Resource Center program, “Choosing to Act: Role of the Kindertransports.” The Holocaust Education Program is co-sponsored by the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education.

Program Features Films, Testimony, and Q & A

The program will begin with 2012 video, Why We Remember the Holocaust. The film is based on the 2012 National Days of Remembrance theme “Choosing to Act.” Students and teachers will hear the testimonies of the Goldbergers describing their experiences on the Kindertransports. They will also see the international, Emmy Award winning film Nicholas Winton: The Power of Good. The film is based on the story of Nicholas Winton who personally saved the lives of 669 children during the Holocaust. The film focuses on how one person can make a difference. The program will conclude with a Q&A session.

Program is Free, but Registration is Required

Teachers and students are invited to attend the program free of charge, but pre- registration is required. Registration will be accepted on a space available, first come basis. Teachers have the choice of three program times: 8:45 a.m. to noon or at 12:30 to 3:45 on May 1, and 8:45 a,m.. to noon on May 2. To register, teachers should send an email to holocaustcenter@cse.edu with requested date and time, name of teacher(s), Subject(s)/Grade(s), school (including address, district, and county), number of students, email address, and phone number. First, second, and third choices must be identified in your email.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N. J., the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Best-selling Author Dr. Mark Liponis Speaks at the College of Saint Elizabeth About How to Live a Longer, Healthy Life April 9, 2012

MORRISTOWN, N.J., March 13, 2012 – Best-selling author and television personality Dr. Mark Liponis will speak in the College of Saint Elizabeth Dolan Performance Hall, on April 9, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Liponis, who is the medical director of Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, will be speaking about ultralongevity, and he will explore ways to live a long life without illness, disability, or loss of function. Following his lecture, there will be book sales and signing. He is the author of UltraLongevity: the Seven-Step Program for a Younger, Healthier You, and UltraPrevention: The Six-Week Plan That Will Make You Healthy for Life. Tickets are $10 for the public and $2 for students with a valid student identification. Dr. Liponis’s appearance is in conjunction with the CSE Wellness Week, April 9, 2012, through April 14, 2012. For tickets, call 973-290-4378 or email events@cse.edu. Payment may be made by cash, or by check. Credit cards are not accepted.

Dr. Liponis is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and is board certified in internal medicine. After surviving a bout of kidney cancer, he developed a special interest in nutrition, preventive and integrative medicine. At Canyon Ranch, he has set up programs in optimal living, weight loss, smoking cessation, and stress management.

Canyon Ranch has been empowering people to live healthier, longer, more joyful lives through fitness, nutrition, stress-management and integrative wellness for more than 30 years.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J., the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Friday, March 9, 2012

College of Saint Elizabeth Invites the Public to Healthy Heart Presentation and Health & Wellness Fair, March 14, 2012


The College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J., will present a free, open-to-the-public, healthy heart seminar led by Dr. Nieca Goldberg, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch NYU Langone Center for Women’s Health. The event, which also features heart healthy desserts, takes places in the Saint Joseph’s Hall conference room on the campus on Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. Dr. Goldberg’s appearance has been made possible through a grant from the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in collaboration with the Independent College Fund of New Jersey.

Dr. Goldberg is the author of Dr. Nieca Goldberg’s Complete Guide To Women’s Health and The Women’s Healthy Heart Program—Lifesaving Strategies for Preventing and Healing Heart Disease.There will be a book sales and signings for the public from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and also from 1 to 1:30 p.m., in Saint Joseph’s Hall.

As a cardiologist, Dr. Goldberg is a recognized pioneer in women’s heart health. She is the clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine and is the co-medical director of the 92nd Street YMCA Cardiac Rehabilitation Center. Dr. Goldberg is also the national spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red” campaign where she has volunteered for more than 15 years.

CSE Hosts Annual Health & Wellness Fair
The annual CSE Health & Wellness Fair, also free and open-to-the-public, takes place from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. also in Saint Joseph Hall. The Fair features vendors and exhibition related to health issues. For example, Morristown Memorial Hospital will screen for cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure. The hospital will also provide HIV counseling and testing, alternative medicine and breast health information, among information on other health related matters. The Mind, Body, Wellness Center, Summit, N.J., will present information on yoga, acupuncture, acrupressure, and additional exhibits will be on display.

Women In Science Day Attracts Hundreds of High School Students
Also on March 14, 2012, Dr. Goldberg will give the keynote address for Women In Science Day in the Annunciation Center on campus. Approximately 250 students from area high schools take part in this annual event that highlights various academic fields in science that young students can explore and potentially pursue.

In addition to Dr. Goldberg’s speech at Women in Science Day, an expert panel composed of CSE alumnae and current students will discuss their fields of science and their careers with a question and answer session to follow. The panel’s participants are CSE biology program alumni Amber Dessaigne, DVM, ’03, and Erica Salerno, Ph.D, ’04. Dessaigne is a veterinarian, and Salerno is a research scientist. The CSE foods and nutrition program is represented by Emily Pomykala, ’11, who will receive her master’s degree from CSE in 2012. Michelle Luc, ’99, ’04, a research and development chemist at Loreal USA, will speak about career opportunities in chemistry. The following student speakers will also address the audience: Samantha Sclacter ’12, and Manpreet Sidhu, ’12, biology majors; Michelle Madail, ’12, chemistry major, Kirsten Kurtz, ’13, chemistry and foods and nutrition double major; and Gloria Williamson, ‘13, foods and nutrition major. Demonstrations and experiments will also take place in nearby Henderson Hall that include, Second Hand Smoke and Your Pets’ Lungs and Do You Know What is Lurking in Make up.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J., the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate, and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

College of Saint Elizabeth Examines the Influence of Science on Art in Abstract Universe January 23 to April 15, 2012


The College of Saint Elizabeth will open its spring semester with The Abstract Universe:Microcosm/Macrocosm, a multi-disciplinary program, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, that will examine the relationship between art and science.

From January to April 2012, CSE presents an art exhibition and related events that begins with an opening reception at the Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery, in Annunciation Center on campus, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J., Monday, January 23, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The exhibition reveals how astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics, and other scientific fields inspired contemporary artists when they created their abstract paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints, mixed media pieces, musical works, digital films, and animation sequences. In addition, the exhibition presents works from the scientific community that are, in turn, inspired by art and artistic techniques. The exhibition closes April 15.

At 7:15p.m., immediately following the January 23 opening, a film presentation and a panel discussion takes place in Dolan Performance Hall, also in Annunciation Center. The presentation and discussion highlights award-winning Toronto filmmaker Kevin Sullivan and his new documentary, Out of the Shadows, which reveals how a Rembrandt painting was uncovered and authenticated through the use of advanced scientific technology. After the film, Virginia Fabbri Butera, Ph.D., Director of the Maloney Art Gallery, interviews Mr. Sullivan and three other artists in the exhibition, about their fascination with, and merging of, science and their art forms. These events are free and open to the public.

Then, on Thursday, April 12, 2012, CSE hosts a program, When Art and Science Collaborate for high school students that includes mini-presentations and workshops and focuses on the different aspects of the intersection between art and science. The presenters are selected from the fields of science, art, dance, music and theater.

Abstract Universe, January 11, 2012,

“The College thanks the NEA for continuing to recognize and support CSE’s commitment to arts education,” says Dr. Butera. “Since the Annunciation Center opened with the Maloney Art Gallery and Dolan Performance Hall, we have been able to create innovative, multi-disciplinary programs that explore intellectual ideas and artistic experiences in ways that sometimes larger museums and galleries are unable to do. The CSE art exhibitions and cultural programs are often based on the curricula and events on campus that reinforce the important role that the arts play in daily life and also reflect the College’s emphasis on liberal arts education.”

Abstract Universe Artists Are Listed Below

LaThoriel Badenhausen, New York, N.Y.
Kiyomi Baird, Far Hills, N.J.
Emily Barnett, Carle Place, N.Y.
Tom Vogt, Columbia, S.C.
Anna Beaver, Wyomissing, Pa.
Gianluca Bianchino, Little Falls, N.J.
Paul Dacey, Jackson Heights, N.Y.
Richard L. Dana, Bethesda, Md.
Michele Fraichard, Long Beach, Calif.
Lorrie Fredette, West Camp, N.Y.
Carlos Frias, Bloomfield, N.J.
Michael Gale, Oreland, Pa.
Eleanor Gates-Stuart, (Canberra, Australia)
Adel and Mary Gorgy, Baldwin Harbor, N.Y.
Valerie Huhn, New York, N.Y.
Kay Kenny, South Orange, N.J.
Theodore Largman, Morristown, N.J.
Deanna C. Lee, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Michelle Levante, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nancy J. Ori, Berkeley Heights, N.J.
Paula Overbay, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Carol Prusa, Boca Raton, Fla.
Larry Ross, Madison, N.J.
Kiyoko Sakai, Ridgewood, N.J.
Assunta Sera, New York, N.Y.
Linda Stillman, New York, N.Y.

Abstract Universe, January XX, 2011,
Will Suarez, Jersey City, N.J.
Toni Thomas, Newark, N.J.
Lisa G. Westheimer, West Orange, N.J.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Leading Holocaust Educator Sister Gemma Del Duca Speaks at the College of Saint Elizabeth, November 16, 2011


Internationally known Holocaust educator Sister Gemma Del Duca, S.C., leads an interfaith dialogue entitled, Teaching Catholics about the Holocaust, Wednesday, November 16, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., in Dolan Performance Hall, College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the CSE Holocaust Education Resource Center.

Well Respected Leader in Holocaust Education Addresses College Audience

Sr. Gemma is the founder and co-director of Seton Hill University’s National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education, Greensburg, Pa., and she is also the former chair of the history department at the university.

Sr. Gemma lives in Israel since 1975, and has led seminars at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem for more than 20 years as an educator at the international School of Holocaust Education. Her association with Yad Vashem began in 1987 when she approached the administrators with her idea to host seminars for Catholic educators in response to Pope John Paul II's call to recognize the significance of the Holocaust. The seminars are intended for groups of Catholic educators and clergy, primarily from the United States. According to Yad Vashem’s records, hundreds of educators have taken part in the seminars. Her presence as lecturer and coordinator of the program is one of its most important components, according to Ephraim Kaye, who works with international educators at Yad Vashem.

"(Sr.) Gemma is the person who opened the door here to bringing Catholic educators to Yad Vashem," said Kaye, "They have been a real dedicated and determined group of people who take back what they have learned here. We have (Sr.) Gemma to thank for that. It is really not to be taken for granted."

In 2007, Yad Vashem honored Sr. Gemma with the Award for Excellence in Holocaust Education. She is the first non-Jewish and non-Israeli recipient.
Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Monday, October 3, 2011

College of Saint Elizabeth Alumna Diane Da Silva, ’11, Nominated as NCAA Woman of the Year



College of Saint Elizabeth alumna Diane Da Silva, ’11, is one of 30 women selected as the top honorees for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. Each NCAA membership division chose 10 honorees who were nominated by conference and independent members and represent multiple sports. Three finalists will be chosen from each division to form the nine finalists for the Woman of the Year award. Da Silva was selected as the College of Saint Elizabeth and North Eastern Athletic Conference nominee. The national winner will be chosen by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics and will be announced in an October 16, 2011, ceremony in Indianapolis.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2011 spring season, graduated no later than the end of the summer 2011 term, and achieved a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5. The award honors female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academic achievement, athletics excellence, community service, and leadership.

Da Silva has done all that and more. Committed to service and a strong student leader, Da Silva spent a lot of her time at CSE volunteering. As a leader, Da Silva was the president of the Student Government Association and the president of the Class of 2011. She was an active member in the College’s Leadership Program and an academic peer leader. Da Silva was a community assistant for the Residence Life division for two years where she was responsible for resident safety, emergency response and programming.

In 2011, Da Silva was named the Morris County Woman of the Year for her service to the community. On campus, Da Silva remained busy. In 2011, she ran a “Drench a Dean” fundraiser for the Be the Change, Save a Life Foundation in Africa. In 2009 and 2010, Da Silva volunteered at the New Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter to collect and to distribute hygiene products for women and children. In 2010, she spent more than 16 hours in the Community Soup Kitchen to cook, clean and organize.

Da Silva was a member of the Association for Independent Colleges and Universities of New Jersey to help lobby and testify for Equal Opportunity Funding and Tuition Aid Grant funding within the state. In addition, Da Silva was a planning committee member of the American Conference on Diversity of New Jersey to help promote diversity within the work place and higher education.

Academically, Da Silva received one of the highest honors bestowed upon a graduating senior, the CSE Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney Award for General Excellence given to a student in high academic standing and who has demonstrated campus and civic leadership. Da Silva was a member of three honor societies and is listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. She graduated with a 3.73 cumulative GPA and was a Dean’s List student.

Da Silva’s determination did not stop in the classroom and in fact carried over to a successful athletic career.

A tri-sport athlete, Da Silva was a four-year starter on the CSE Screaming Eagles' soccer and basketball teams. When the College of Saint Elizabeth added lacrosse for the 09-10 season Da Silva started on defense. She was the soccer team and basketball team captain for the 2010-2011 season. Da Silva was named the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NJAIAW) Woman of the Year for 2011 for her dedication to athletics and success in the classroom.

Ranked 12th in Division III for assists per game and second in the conference with 5.82 during this past basketball season, Da Silva also ranks in the top-10 in the North Eastern Athletic Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.20) and minutes-played (37 per game). In 2009-10, she was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Hilton Thanksgiving Tournament, and the season before, she received the Coach’s Award for basketball. She also received the Dorothy Donnelly Dedication Award for her commitment to athletics.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Journey Begins: CSE New Students Move In; Unpack Belongings and Dreams



“Chart your course,” “map your route,” “embark on your journey,” “see new horizons,” - these and more are the phrases that the College of Saint Elizabeth “Explorientation” were made of...On Wednesday, August 24, 2011, a new adventure - College - began for approximately 200 first-year and transfer CSE students. The College is located at 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J.

Armed with an orientation schedule literally presented as a map outlining a three-day excursion, students began a journey filled with moving in, creating time capsules representing their dreams and goals to be opened 100 days before graduation; “New Beginnings Family Blessing;” a Spirit of New Jersey Boat Cruise; a Community Service Project session, and workshops – all designed to get the incoming students to know each other and the College.

CSE President Sr. Francis Raftery notes, “Orientation is informational, enjoyable, and naturally helps students get to know each other, create memories, and have a profound influence on each other as we move forward.”

On Wednesday, students from nearly all the counties in the state, from out of state, and even from other countries including Russia, China, Burma, Tanzania, and more, pulled up to CSE dorms and unpacked not only their belongings, but their dreams. CSE Orientation Staff and Student Leaders were on hand to support and guide students.

Amid the hectic and nervous anticipation, students seemed happy to explore new surroundings, friends, and possibilities. Samantha Weirback, of West Deptford, N.J., ’15, Special and Elementary Education major, and her roommate, Jenae Goodson, of South Plainfield, N.J., ’15, Elementary Education/Early Childhood major, got to know each other. Weirback says she will always be an Eagle, since CSE and her high school both have an eagle as its mascot. While Goodson noted, “I love it at CSE. Everyone is SO welcoming.”

Near the end of the first day, the Family Blessing, in Holy Family Chapel on campus, featured a symbolic lighting of three candles, one representing remembering the past, lit by Jane Bourhill, CSE Assistant Dean of the Women’s College; another giving thanks for the present, lit by Diana Mora, ’12, of Elizabeth, N.J., Communication, Global Studies major; and the third, looking forward to the future, lit by Julie Rodriguez, ’15, Criminal Justice major, from Hoboken, N.J.

During the blessing, Carol Pisani, CSE Special Assistant to the President for Mission, spoke to the new students and their families about dreams about to come true (the future) and dreams that have already become a reality (the CSE College journey). According to Pisani, the journey encompasses vulnerability, trepidation; but also deep anticipation and hope for new life ahead.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

http://thealternativepress.com/articles/the-college-of-st-elizabeth-kicks-off-first-year-o--2
http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011308240024

College of Saint Elizabeth Appoints Deborah M. McCreery Vice President of Institutional Advancement


Sister Francis Raftery, president of the College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J., announced today that Deborah M. McCreery, Esq., has been named vice president for Institutional Advancement, effective August 29, 2011. As the vice president for Institutional Advancement, Ms. McCreery will be a member of the President’s Cabinet and the chief advisor to the president on matters of development, communications, and external relations.

Before joining the College of Saint Elizabeth, Ms. McCreery held many leadership positions at Widener University School of Law, which has campuses in Harrisburg, Pa., and Wilmington, Del. She has been in educational administration since 1983 and joined Widener in 1991. At Widener, she has served as assistant dean of financial aid, associate dean for business and administration, and assistant dean for Development and Alumni Relations. She was most recently the assistant vice president for Law School Development and Alumni Relations and served as an adjunct faculty member for the Law School.

Ms. McCreery received a Bachelor of Arts from Temple University in 1983 and a Juris Doctor, also from Temple, in 1991. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania.

Ms. McCreery has been active in a number of professional and civic organizations, including the Colonial School District Action Planning committee, the Paralegal Board of Advisors, the American Association of Law Schools, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the American Council on Education – National Identification Program for the Advancement of Women in Higher Education Administration, and an executive board member of the Delaware-District of Columbia-Maryland Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Leading Salsa Expert Jose Obando Performs at the College of Saint Elizabeth, Tuesday, September 20, 2011


The sounds of salsa will fill Dolan Performance Hall, Annunciation Center, at the College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, when Jose Obando and his band of musicians take to the stage, Tuesday, September 20, 2011. As the nation’s only musicologist dedicated to salsa, Obando will begin the program at 7 p.m. with a brief lecture about the more than 350-year evolution of this uniquely New World music. He will follow with a musical performance. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for senior citizens, 65 years old or older; and $5 for students with valid student identification. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-290-4378 or emailing events@cse.edu.

Obando’s lecture includes geography, history, anthropology, ethnomusicology, religions, African studies, music, and dance history. Immediately following, , he will give a musical performance accompanied by five musicians that includes dance. The instruments that will be used in the performance are the clave (two wooden sticks used to keep the African rhythms), maracas, and the Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Dominican guiro. The salsa, cha-cha-cha, and bolero dances will be demonstrated, and the meringue will be taught. Dancing is strongly encouraged for those so inclined!

Origins of Salsa Explained


Through its music, salsa tells the story of the New World. Its origins are in west and central Africa, where singing, dancing, and drumming were means of communicating with the deities. The music was brought to the Caribbean by African slaves, where it combined with new elements from the native population called Taino as well as with Catholic and Spanish traditions. The music continued to evolve as the people from the Caribbean emigrated north. These musicians began to collaborate with their African-American colleagues. The result is a distinctively American music that the College of Saint Elizabeth is proud to present.

The program is presented by the CSE music and art departments, CSE multi-cultural studies program,CSE Office of International and Multicultural Affairs, and the College’s Lectures and Concerts series.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Monday, August 8, 2011

College of Saint Elizabeth Hosts Poetry Reading Related to Water, Water, Anywhere Art Exhibition


The floor-to-ceiling windows in the upper lobby of the Annunciation Center formed the perfect backdrop for the first CSE poetry salon, July 14, 2011, organized by Lynne McEniry, CSE academic affairs division coordinator. As the summer sun set over the hills beyond, nine poets read their water-themed works to a crowd of approximately 65 people.

The event was part of a cultural program coinciding with the College’s current art exhibition, Water, Water, Anywhere, which opened June 23 and closes September 10. The exhibition, curated by Dr. Virginia Butera, chair of the CSE art and music departments, looks at H2O in all its states through a variety of paintings, sculptures, photographs, conceptual pieces, and mixed media art works. It is located in the CSE Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery, also in the Annunciation Center. The gallery is open Tuesday-Sunday, 4:30 to 8 p.m. and is closed Mondays and major holidays. For more information, contact CSE at 973-290-4315; www.maloneyartgallery.org.

In her welcoming remarks, Dr. Butera affirmed the College’s continuing commitment to the arts. Throughout the year, the College brings to the campus artists, musicians, dance troupes, poets, and writers for events often open to the public.

The connection between art and poetry was further illustrated through the works of one artist and two poets. Art faculty member Raul Villarreal, of Verona, N.J., was inspired in part to create his oil on canvas, Memories of a Voyage Never Taken, by a poem entitled it was written by McEniry, who recently was awarded Honorary Mention in the 2011 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Consequently, Villarreal’s painting inspired the poem The Pilar written by New York poet Yesenia Montilla, one of the co-founders of Poets for Ayiti, (Haiti), a collective of poets from diverse backgrounds committed to the power of poetry to transform and to educate. (See below for more details about Three Artists, One Inspiration.)

McEniry is one of three participating poets from the CSE community: Dr. Laura Winters teaches literature, writing and film at CSE; and Tyefah Byers-Smith, ’12, a CSE justice studies student, has been writing poetry for 10 years. The other five poets came with well established backgrounds. Alexis De Veaux, Buffalo, New York, is an internationally known poet and the author of a biography of the poet Audre Lorde. She is on the faculty of the University of Buffalo. Kathy Engel, Sagaponack, New York, is the founder of the international women’s human rights group, MADRE, and co-founder of Riptide Communications. She is the author of Ruth’s Skirts and co-editor of We Begin Here: Poems for Palestine and Lebanon. She is on the faculty of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

The works of Union, N.J., poet Roberto Garcia have appeared in the Istanbul Literary Review, Poets & Artists Magazine, and Fictionaut.com. Monica Hand, a New York City resident, is a book artist as well as a poet. Her work has appeared in numerous literary publications and her manuscript me and Nina received a 2010 Kinereth Gensler Award from Alice James Books. She is also a co-founder of Poets for Ayiti.
Heidi Sheridan, Toms River, N.J., is a published poet whose work has appeared in several literary publications. She teaches creative writing at Ocean County College in New Jersey. Marta Lucia Vargas, a resident of South Orange, N.J., is a poet, essayist and writing teacher.

The story of three artists, one inspiration

Poems can come from out-of-the-way places, which was the origin of one of McEniry’s works. As a cruise passenger, she witnessed 10 Cuban men being taken onboard during an effort to flee their country and who would be returned to their homeland once the ship docked in Miami. It inspired her to write it was, excerpted below:
it was

nothing

they said the grinding engines
the trembling chandeliers

it was nothing to disturb
Lobster Extravaganza
On the first night of this funship voyage

it was
A ten-foot wooden rowboat
Oar-less and bearing a hole

it was
ten men skin burnt
close to being swallowed by the sea


That poem provided some of the inspiration for Villarreal, the son of a Cuban immigrant, while he painted, Memories of a Voyage Never Taken. The artist is also the author of Hemingway’s Cuban Son, a memoir of his father’s relationship with the writer. In turn, Montilla wrote The Pilar, For Raul, excerpted here:

I know of a man whose father knew
Hemingway and I know that this man
Painted a boat, a row boat, simple
Like the strong back of man or the curve
Of his pipe, simple like Hemingway’s boat.


The story is an example of the power of the arts to touch lives and to inspire and to encourage creative expression. As the sun set in the surrounding hills, the audience sat intently listening to the words spoken from the podium in the Upper Lobby of Annunciation Center. They sat so silent and motionless, as if not wanting to miss a word, further testament to the power of the arts.



College of Saint Elizabeth Hosts An Evening with Mitch Albom Wednesday, September 14, 2011


The College of Saint Elizabeth will host An Evening with Mitch Albom when the best-selling author returns to the stage of the Dolan Performance Hall, on campus in the Annunciation Center, Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. His presentation Have a Little Faith is also the title of his latest best-selling book. The College is located at 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J. Tickets are priced at $25 each for the general public; $15 for students with valid identification and for senior citizens, 65 years old and older. For ticket information, call 973-290-4378 or email events@cse.edu.

Have a Little Faith documents Albom’s eight-year journey of how community and faith pull people together and how the potential is in all of us for a giving, meaningful life. His first claim to fame is as the author of the bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, which was made into a television movie starring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria. That movie won three Emmys, two Golden Globes, and one Screen Actors’ Guild Award.

Albom followed with two more best-sellers The Five People You Meet in Heaven and For One More Day. His books have sold more than 28 million copies worldwide and have been published in 42 languages.

In addition to being the author of several, thought-provoking books, Albom is a highly respected sports writer. He is the lead sports columnist for the Detroit Free Press, where he writes a second column that appears in the “Comment” section on Sunday, dealing with American life and values. That column was eventually syndicated across the country. Albom was named best sports columnist in the nation a record 13 times by the Associated Press Sports Editors and won best feature writing honors from that same organization a record seven times. No other writer has received the award more than once. He has won more than 200 other writing honors from organizations including the National Headliner Awards, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, and the National
Sportscasters and Sportswriting Association, and National Association of Black Journalists. In June 2010, Albom was awarded the Associated Press Sports Editors’ Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement, presented at the annual APSE convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A true Renaissance man, Albom is also a screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster, and musician. He wrote the television screenplays for both For One More Day and The Five People You Meet in Heaven and has authored numerous pieces for the theater, including the off-Broadway version of Tuesdays With Morrie (co-written with Jeffrey Hatcher) that has seen more than 100 productions across the United States and Canada.

On The Mitch Albom Show, his daily radio talk show on WJR, he has interviewed such luminaries as Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett, Tom Cruise, Cameron Crowe, Stephen King, Jon Voight, and Betty White. He also appears regularly on two ESPN shows: The Sports Reporters and Sports Center. He is a member of the Rock Bottom Remainders, a rock band composed of well-known writers such as Dave Barry, Stephen King, Amy Tan, and Scott Turow.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.





Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey Hosts Benefit Performance For the College of Saint Elizabeth Friday, July 15, 2011



The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and the College of Saint Elizabeth celebrate their 10-year collaboration with a benefit performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the College’s outdoor Greek Theatre, Friday, July 15, 2011, 8:15 p.m. All proceeds from the event will benefit CSE student scholarships. Tickets can be purchased by calling 973-290-4449. Prices are $33 for adults; $17 for teen agers; $10 for children under 12; and free for children five years old and younger. The play opens June 22 and closes July 31, 2011. The College is located at 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J.


CSE Outdoor Greek Theatre Provides a Unique Venue for Performances


Created in 1932, the CSE Greek Theatre was a labor of love. Constructed by College employees using stones gathered from the campus under the supervision of Sister Marie Victoire Corr of the Latin Department, it is modeled after the Theater of Dionysius in Athens. Throughout the following decades, the theatre has become a favorite destination on campus and the site of many plays and concerts.
Play is One of the Bard’s Most Popular Works

Boy loves girl … girl loves boy … boy doesn’t love girl … It is an old story, but when Shakespeare doses his characters with a love potion, and adds the antics of fairies, the story becomes magical. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, filled with hilarious situations that will delight audiences of all ages. It is the perfect play to see under a summer moon.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

College of Saint Elizabeth Hosts Poetry Reading Related to Water, Water, Anywhere Art Exhibition, July 14, 2011


Several poets will travel to the College of Saint Elizabeth July 14, 2011, to read their water-themed works as part of cultural program coinciding with the College’s current art exhibition, Water, Water, Anywhere. The reading of water poems will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Upper Lobby of Annunciation Center, on the CSE campus, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J.

The exhibition, which opened June 23 and closes September 10, looks at H2O in all its states through a variety of paintings, sculptures, photographs, conceptual pieces, and mixed media art works. It is located in the CSE Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery, also in the Annunciation Center.

These events are free to the public. The gallery is open Tuesday-Sunday, 4:30 to 8 p.m. and is closed Mondays and major holidays. For more information, contact CSE at 973-290-4315; www.maloneyartgallery.org.

Artists from Several States Participate in Exhibition

The Water, Water, Anywhere art exhibition presents works from the following artists:

Rob Barth, Lafayette, N.J.
Shimmer Column, Aluminum ball chain, machined ceiling panel
One In Eight People Lacks Access To Clean Water, Glass pitcher, 8 oz. drinking glass, sand, pedestal, table cloth
Leak, Plexiglas
Bette Blank, Madison, N.J.
The Diver, Oil on canvas
Jean Burdick, Yardley, Pa.
Spanning, Acrylic on panel
Elaine Chong, Summit, N.J.
Description not available
Doug Depice, Secaucus, N.J.
The Water Front, Acrylic paint on paper
Train Car in the Rain, Acrylic paint on paper
Freight Yard, Acrylic paint on paper
Todd L. W. Doney, Gillette, N.J.
Trees, September 12, 2010, 6:41 PM, Oil on canvas
Trees, February 2, 4:55 PM, Oil on linen
Donna Faranda, Ossining, N.Y.
Northern Exposure, Digital ink-jet print
George Garbeck, Township of Washington, N.J.
Contrasts, Photograph
Adel Gorgy, Baldwin Harbor, N.Y.
January 31, 2001 7:25 am, (from the Portfolio "I and the Sun"), Archival Pigment Ink Print
Sister Anne Haarer, Morristown, N. J.
Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Charcoal, ink and gold leaf on paper
Barnegat Bay, Oil on Canvas
Valerie Huhn, New York, N.Y.
110223-2BK-f_K_2, C-print
Untitled, Running time: 2:05 minutes
Terral Jordan, Cockeysville, Md.
Doubtful Sound, photograph
Salk Institute, photograph
Stewart Island, New Zealand, photograph
Ranchos de Taos, photograph
Taj and Bike, photograph
Marietta Patricia Leis, Albuquerque, N.M.
Molten Reflections, 1-6, Oil on wood
Marla Lombard, Long Beach, Calif.
Untitled 7, Acrylic and ink on clay panel
Untitled (water, sepia), Acrylic and ink on clay panel
Maria Lupo, Roseland, N. J.
Book of Life, Topsoil and mixed media
So Yoon Lym, North Haledon, N. J.
Great Falls of Paterson, Acrylic on paper
Claire Marcus, Bethlehem, Pa.
East River, Digital photograph
Russ McIntosh, Vienna, Va.
Woman Reclining, Digital photo manipulation
Arlene Gale Milgram, Trenton, N. J.
Mist (from the “Energy Map” Series), Graphite, alcohol, acrylic on canvas
Storm (from the “Energy Map” Series), Graphite, alcohol, acrylic on canvas
River Rocks (from the “Energy Map” Series), Graphite, alcohol, acrylic on canvas
Stream Side (from the “Energy Map” Series), Graphite, alcohol, acrylic on canvas
Bascha Mon, Long Valley, N.J.
From the Ruins, Encaustic and collage on paper
Searching for Paradise (Lost?), Watercolor, graphite, collage and encaustic on paper
Maelstrom # 2, Encaustic and collage on paper
Disintegrating (Double Portrait), Encaustic on paper
Loss: Roadkil, Mixed Media Installation: wooden artist’s easel, acrylic on wall board
Found objects, paper, encaustic, plastic child’s chair, wood, metal
car parts, mirror, foam, lace telephone wire, feather, deer antler,
and plaster
Irmari Nacht, Englewood, N.J.
83Atlas1960, Recycled book, wetted, painted, distressed
Cade Pemberton, New York, N.Y.
Oil on Water, Acrylic on paper
Wave, Gouache on black paper
Frank Pietrucha, Basking Ridge, N.J.
The Frigate and the Wave, Watercolor
Ben Pinder, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Atlantean/Pirate War, Ink, inkwash, watercolor on paper, wooden and gold frames, Variable Dimensions
Lahary Pittman, Callicoon, N.Y.
Icefall, Gelatin silver print
The Undercast III, Gelatin Silver print
Lauren Rosenthal, Lambertville, N.J.
Middle Delaware - Musconetcong River Watershed, Hand-cut watercolor paper
Raúl Villarreal, Verona, N.J.
Memories of a Voyage Never Taken, Oil on canvas
Sue Zwick, Summit, N.J.
Dwelling, Chettinad, India, Archival Inkjet Print
Public Laundry, Mumbai, India, Archival Inkjet Print
Family Laundry, Chettinad, India, Archival Inkjet Print

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

College of Saint Elizabeth Celebrates 109th Commencement Honors Dr. Stephen J. Sweeny and Sister Maureen Shaughnessy, S.C. May 14, 2011

Overcast skies could not dampen the spirits of the 438 new graduates of the College of Saint Elizabeth. The Class of 2011, along with their families and friends, filled the tent, pitched on the grounds of the College of Saint Elizabeth for its 109th Commencement, May 14, 2011. The College, which is located at 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J., graduated 235 undergraduates from its Women’s College and Adult Undergraduate programs and 203 graduate students, including 14 who received doctorates in Educational Leadership.

The Commencement ceremony concluded a series of events including the baccalaureate mass, which took place the night before and incorporated the hooding of undergraduates and graduate students. A separate hooding ceremony took place May 10 for the doctoral graduates. The hood signifies rank and academic area of expertise. For more information about the Commencement, including to learn more about related events and to view the photo album, click www.cse.edu/commencement.

At the Commencement, CSE president Sister Francis Raftery, in her welcoming remarks, quoted poet Mary Oliver, “ ‘What will you do with your one, wild, and precious life?’ ”
She then continued to tell the graduates, “No one does it alone. I didn’t do it alone, and you didn’t either. Take a moment to say thank you to the faculty, to the administrators, and to your parents. Sometimes we don’t take the time to thank the people who love us the most.”

Looking out over the audience, she concluded, “Let the march of miracles begin.”

This Year, CSE Conferred Two Honorary Doctoral Degrees

Stephen J. Sweeny, Ph.D., president of The College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, N.Y., received the Doctor of Humane Letters Degree, Honoris Causa, for his extraordinary vision and leadership in Higher Education nationally and internationally. Dr. Sweeny also delivered the commencement address.

The Doctor of Humane Letters Degree, Honoris Causa, was bestowed upon Sister Maureen Shaughnessy, S.C., the general superior of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, in recognition of her extraordinary dedication and vision as educator and servant leader to the call of the Gospel.

Dr. Sweeny holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish literature from The Catholic University of America, Master of Arts degrees in theology and counseling psychology from Manhattan College, a Ph.D. in higher education from New York University, and is president of The College of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Prior to being inaugurated as the 12th president of The College of New Rochelle in 1997, Dr. Sweeny served for 16 years as senior vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Sweeny served three terms on the Board of Trustees of the College of Saint Elizabeth, and was chair to both of its Academic Affairs Committee and Student Services Committee.

Sister Maureen Shaughnessy, S.C., a 1965 graduate of College of Saint Elizabeth with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin and a Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies from LaSalle University, is the present General Superior of the Sisters of Charity.

Prior to this, she served for 15 years on the diocesan staff in Paterson, as Director of Adult Religious Education, Director of the Office of Evangelization-Catechesis, and Secretary of Evangelization-Education. She also served for eight years as General Secretary and General Councilor for the Sisters of Charity before moving to Washington, D.C. in 1996, where she was Assistant Secretary for Catechesis and Leadership Formation at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Sr. Maureen currently chairs the Board of Trustees of the College of Saint Elizabeth.

Diane Da Silva received the Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney Award for General Excellence. It is given each year to a student in high academic standing who has demonstrated campus and civic leadership.

Da Silva, who received a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies, served as president of the Student Government Association.

Dr. Sweeny Urges Graduates to “Sit at the Table of the World”

Dr. Sweeny began his Commencement Address, saying, “Today you are welcomed, class of 2011, into the long procession of scholars who have pursued truth and passed it on to others.”

He then continued, saying, “In this sacred space – the years of our CSE education – and in this hallowed territory – we came face-to-face with a set of non-negotiable values, which it is hoped are contagious. We are expected to pass them along. The very mission statement and enumeration of core values of the College of Saint Elizabeth make them unmistakable. These values flow from the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings – all created in God’s image: the value of community and a caring personal environment; of scholarship and critical inquiry to move the world forward, of just and ethical relationships; of promotion of women to insure equality in all of the world’s affairs; leadership as service a with social responsibility; a teaching and learning environment, which draws on the gifts and talents of all. Put before us has been the imperatives of solidarity with the poor, service to the community, special responsibility to those who have no voice. The CSE education urges us to sit at the table of the world with spirits that promote justice, understanding, dialogue and respect.”

Student Speakers Address Their Classmates

Elizabeth Stanley, who received her master’s in counseling psychology, represented the graduate and adult students in her speech, Rejoice and Dream. She told them, “The College of Saint Elizabeth has taught me that no dream is too big or out of reach because with hard work, drive and determination, all of our dreams are attainable. The College has helped make my dreams a reality. The college has never strayed from its mission and core values, which include the advancement of women, a social responsibility to help the less fortunate, and quality teaching. Graduates, please allow the College of Saint Elizabeth’s mission and core values to be a template by which you live the rest of your lives.”

In her speech entitled The Load We Carry, Women’s College speaker, Samantha Saint-Germain, quoted a Haitian proverb, “An empty sack can’t stand up.”

She explained, “Essentially, what this Haitian proverb and the College’s mission are telling us, the future leaders of tomorrow, is that everyone has a sack to carry; and no matter how heavy, its contents are what make the load worthwhile to bear. Our CSE education has equipped us with the necessary building blocks to create a solid foundation for our futures – and a full sack to leave here with today.

“Today, together, our sacks are filled, tied with a tight knot and ready to be placed on our backs, once again, to continue the journey toward fulfilling our dreams. Just as CSE is a place, building on the power of dreams, we – the graduating class of 2011 – now have the building blocks to make those dreams come true. Our class will always be known as the ‘Dragonflies;’ ready to take on a new challenge, inspire our challengers, and be the light that guides a host of empowered women all over the world.”

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The innovative, avant garde choreography of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company comes to the stage of the Dolan Performance Hall in Annunciation Center at the College of Saint Elizabeth with the appearance of two of its lead dancers, Rashaun Mitchell and Silas Riener. The performance takes place Saturday, April 16 at 7 p.m., and is free and open to the public. Annunciation Center is a barrier-free facility and fully ADA compliant. Individuals needing special accommodations should call 973-290-4378 or email, events@cse.edu. CSE is located at 2 Convent Road, Morristown, N.J. Entitled The Phrase in Motion, the performance is part of a four-pronged project highlighting art, music, dance and poetry under the umbrella term The Phrase in Art, produced and presented by the CSE Culture and Humanities Area and CSE Presents. The art exhibition, Visual Phrasing, is currently on display in the Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery, Annunciation Center, through April 17. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Art Works. The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.