Saint Peter’s College kicked off the new academic year with a Faculty Convocation. The annual event celebrated the Bene Merenti of several dedicated members of the Saint Peter’s community. Traditionally, faculty members are honored by a citation in honor of their accomplishments and contributions to the community on their twentieth anniversary of being with the College. The 2011 Bene Merenti recipients, featured in the front row of the photograph, are Michael Doody, M.B.A., Barbara Melchione, M.A., Lisa O’Neill, Ph.D., and Fatima Shaik, M.A.
Michael Doody, an alumnus of Saint Peter’s College and associate director for the Center for Advancement in Language and Learning (CALL), “has given back to Saint Peter’s a warm and compassionate commitment to students for the past twenty years, helping them utilize computer technology in a wide variety of disciplines…” noted colleague Thomas Mansheim.
Barbara Melchione, as director of CALL, “nurtured her passion for working with and assisting students.” For Barbara, teaching writing and educational skills is a “challenging, yet rewarding experience,” shared Anna Cicirelli, academic dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Peter Cvek, associate professor of philosophy, described the contributions of Lisa O’Neill to the College, in particular her leadership in the Honors program and establishing the Honors House, and noted that she was “the first woman to complete a dissertation in advanced logic.”
Kathleen Monahan, professor of English, congratulated Fatima Shaik on “working tirelessly to establish the communications program and oversee its evolution from a minor to a major, and ultimately into a separate department.”
For forty years of service, the honorees were Robert Koch, M.B.A., John Munro, M.A., and Anne Rosario, B.A. New faculty members welcomed include: Patricia Ahearn, Jill Callahan, Kevin Callahan, Deirdre Conlon, Poulomi Dasgupta, Michael DeGruccio, Nickolas Kintos, Margaret Macali, Brian Royster, Louis Ruvolo, and Sharyn Smith-Tondel.
The Convocation also included announcements of promotions, tenure awards, fellowships and research awards.