Winners of the 2019 Spirit of the Founders Award Announced

The 2019 Spirit of the Founders Award was presented to Bruno Garcia and Samantha Colon.

The Dominican College 2019 Spirit of the Founders Award was presented to senior Samantha Colon and junior Bruno Garcia during a ceremony at the Granito Center on Thursday, September 26, 2019.  The event was one of the highlights of the week- long celebration of Founders Week.

The Spirit of The Founder’s Award recognizes the contributions of student leaders who hold the promise of carrying the Dominican spirit into the future.  “It means that all the work we are doing in college has a purpose, not only for us, but also for the community that we live in,” said Garcia, who added that he was honored to receive the award.  Garcia is a member of the soccer team, a Resident Assistant, a student ambassador, a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and the junior class representative on the Student Government Association (SGA).  He has also been on the Dean’s List every semester.

Colon said she was pleased that her hard work was noticed and encouraged others to get involved.  “The more you get involved, the more people you know and the bigger impact you can make on the campus community and what we do outside of here,” she said.  Colon participated in the Alternative Spring Break, is a tutor at the Academic Success Center (ASC), speaks at open houses, is secretary of DC Strength, and volunteers at St. Dominic’s School.  She has also been on the Dean’s list for the last three years.

The winners of the Spirit of the Founders Award are selected by a vote of Dominican College administrators, faculty, staff, and students.  The runners-up for the award were Denzel Edwards, Isabelle Ossee, Jaylen Cruz and Savannah Donaldson.

September 26, 2019

Student Accepted into Selective Princeton University Program

Junior Stephanie Moncayo has been accepted into Princeton University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Scholars Program.

Junior Stefanie Moncayo has been accepted into Princeton University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Scholars Program.  The highly competitive and selective program provides talented potential graduate students with a preview of the opportunities at Princeton University during four days in October.  Moncayo said she will be staying with a graduate host to experience life on the Princeton campus.

“I will also be presenting research that I’m working on at Dominican College,” said Moncayo. “The graduate students will present their work as well, and I will have the opportunity to meet professors in the program. “

Moncayo has a double major in biology and math with a minor in chemistry.  She said she is thankful that Dominican College professors in the science and math departments prepared her to be accepted into such a prestigious program.

September 4, 2019

Student Receives Statewide Award for Social Work

Senior Nelcy Garcia received the New York State Social Work Education Association (NYSSWEA) Student of the Year Award .

Senior Nelcy Garcia received the Undergraduate Student of the Year Award from the New York State Social Work Education Association (NYSSWEA) in October 2018.  The award is given in recognition of a student’s passion for social justice and dedication to academic achievement, college and departmental leadership, and service to diverse populations.

Nelcy said there are a number of factors that have contributed to her passion for social justice.  “Being an immigrant, having strong family role models, and my personal experiences of injustice, have all led to my acquiring a sense of responsibility and understanding that positive community involvement is my moral obligation,” she said.

Nelcy was recognized for her organization of a peaceful protest to highlight discriminatory hiring practices against people with disabilities.  She is also a member of the Rockland Immigration Coalition and interns at the office of New York State Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee, translating for constituents and working on projects related to children and families.

October 9, 2018

Chargers Win CACC Golf Championship

In September, the Chargers won their third CACC Golf Championship in program history.

The Dominican College men’s golf team won the 2018 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Golf Championship held September 29-30, 2018 at the Deerfield Golf Course in Newark, DE. The Chargers compiled team scores of 298 both days to finish the tournament with a final score of 596 (+36) to win their third CACC Tournament in program history, after winning back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002.

For alumnus Keith Prokop ’14, who coaches the team, winning the championship was a dream come true. “It meant everything. My goal for our college program here was to complete three things: win a CACC, win a Regional Championship, and attend a National Championship. This was the last thing on the list that this team needed to accomplish,” he said.

Coach Prokop attributes the victory to the players’ hard work and dedication, as well as to the great competition among his players. For the spring season, Coach Prokop hopes the players will improve both mentally and physically so that they have a chance to win the NCAA East/Atlantic Super Regionals and another chance to compete in the NCAA Division II National Championship.

 

 

October 3, 2018

College Celebrates Founders Week

Father Brian Walker, O.P., sang a gospel hymn during his keynote presentation for Founders Week.

Dominican Friar and Itinerant Preacher Father Brian Walker, O.P., kicked off the celebration of Founders Week 2018 on September 24 with his keynote presentation, which addressed racism.  Fr. Walker talked about the life of St. Martin de Porres, who was of mixed race and is the patron saint of racial harmony.  Although he faced many injustices, St. Martin dedicated his life to helping others.  St. Martin had unique healing powers and founded a residence in Lima for orphans and abandoned children.

“When we have our doubts about whether or not we are being treated right,” said Fr. Walker, “let us take a lesson from him and ask the question, ‘Are we treating others right?’”

Fr. Walker surprised the audience by belting out a beautiful gospel hymn during the speech.  “If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain,” he sang.

Founders Week celebrates the spirit of the Dominican Order.  Other highlights of the week–long celebration include:

  • Walking in the Footsteps of Dominic — Students Jeantil Beltre and Sierra Sheridan spoke about their mission trip to Fanjeaux, France.
  • Living the Legacy – Wendy St. Felix, DNP, ’17 and 2018 Badami Award recipient talked to students about the effect a Dominican College education had on her life.
  • Spirit of the Founders Recognition Luncheon – Sr. Barbara McEneany and her sister Sr. Carmel McEneany, who passed away in February,  received the Spirit of the Founders award.
  • Preaching in Action – Dominican College volunteers prepared 10,000 meals to be distributed through local food banks and charities.

Founders Week concluded on Saturday, September 29 with the 68th Annual Dominican Sisters Festival, which featured games, food, and pony rides.

September 25, 2018

OT Students’ Invention Moves Ahead in Statewide Competition

Recent graduate Amanda Fortuna is shown here building a prototype of a battery-powered reacher. The invention was selected as a semi-finalist in a statewide competition.

An invention of Dominican College Occupational Therapy (OT) students has been chosen as one of 25 projects to move ahead in a New York State Department of Health (DOH) competition.   The DOH Aging Innovation Challenge encourages New York students to develop innovations to assist aging New Yorkers and their caregivers in completing activities of daily living.

Recent OT graduate Amanda Fortuna took the lead in submitting the idea for a battery-powered reacher, which was conceived with some of her classmates during an Advanced Practice OT course.  “Typically in field work or clinical scenarios that we’ve been in, we’ve seen that people are given reachers, but they don’t have the grip strength to maintain a grasp to pick up an item,” she said.

In order to become a semi-finalist, Fortuna had to submit a written proposal. For the next phase of the competition, Fortuna and former classmate Samantha Kromer are developing a prototype.  They must submit a video demonstrating the use of the battery-powered reacher for bathing, dressing, and meal preparation by November 1.  Five finalists will be awarded $5,000 and the developers of the top innovation will be awarded $25,000.

September 6, 2018

College Welcomes Class of 2022

Our Welcome Team of upperclassmen helped new students move into Hertel Hall on Freshman Move-In Day

The Class of 2022 has arrived on the Dominican College campus.  The new students moved into Hertel Hall and Rosary Hall during Freshman Move-In Day on Thursday, August 23.  They then attended a two-day orientation with many activities, including sessions on leadership and academic success, a game show, and a barbecue.

Melissa Grau, Director of Community Engagement and Leadership Development, said the Freshman Orientation is all about connections. “It’s about connecting with new people. It’s about connecting with this campus and it’s about connecting with themselves so that they are really able to find their place and succeed here academically, socially, and in every way,” she said.

There are 294 registered students in the Class of 2022.  The most popular major among freshmen is nursing, followed by biology, teacher education, management, and criminal justice.

 

August 27, 2018

College Offers New Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Degree

Dominican College will begin offering a new undergraduate degree this fall – a Bachelor of Science in the Health Sciences.  The College recently received approval to begin offering the new degree from the New York State Education Department.   This degree furthers Dominican College’s long tradition of providing top-notch educational programs, particularly in the fields of healthcare.

Students who study Health Sciences can pursue degrees in a number of Allied Health professions, such as Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy (OT), Athletic Training, Speech-Language Pathology, or Physician Assistant.

Director of the Allied Health Division Pamela Story, OTD, OTR/L, said there are three tracks offered within the new Health Sciences Program.  “We have two tracks specifically designated as pre-professional tracks – one for OT and one for PT,” said Story.  “There is a third general track that has a lot of flexibility in it and a lot of space for electives.” The students in the third track can use the electives to take pre-requisites for graduate studies in other fields such as speech-language pathology or athletic training.

Dominican College offers a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.  Most students in those advanced programs earned their undergraduate degrees at other institutions.  Students earning the new B.S. in Health Sciences degree at Dominican College may now decide to apply for the OT and PT graduate programs at Dominican College as well.

For more information about the new Health Sciences Program, please contact our office of Admissions at admissions@duny.edu or 1-866-4DC-INFO.

July 13, 2018

Students Investigate Mock Crime Scene

Students collected evidence at a mock crime scene outside of the Granito Center on February 21, 2018 as part of a Criminal Investigations Class.

Students taking a Criminal Investigations course were busy on February 20, 2018 investigating a mock crime scene outside the Granito Center. The mock crime scene included a car with two gunshot victims and a missing driver.   Adjunct Professor William Barbara, who also serves as Chief of Patrol of the Rockland Sheriff’s Department, said the students were all acting as investigators.

“The students will photograph the scene, sketch the scene, gather the evidence, collect the evidence, lift the fingerprints and do the interviews of all the witnesses,” he said.

Chief Barbera said that he teaches the students interview and interrogation techniques as part of his course.  After processing the crime scene, the students interview a suspect and try to get a confession.

For more information about Dominican College’s Criminal Justice Program, please click here:  https://dc.edu/academic-divisions/division-social-sciences/568-2/

February 21, 2018

First Student to Graduate With New Theater Minor

The first student with a Theater minor will graduate the end of January.  Jamilya Williams said she has always loved the theater and has been backstage working on costumes at Dominican College’s Spring Musicals since she was a freshman.

“I thought the Theater minor would be a good idea because I plan to be an elementary school teacher and I’d like to do plays with the kids,” she said.

Jamilya will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Theater  minor.  She plans to attend graduate school before working as a teacher.

For more information on our Theater minor, visit https://dc.edu/academic-divisions/division-of-arts-and-science/theater-minor/

 

 

December 20, 2017

History Club Steps Back in Time for Debate

Shown above is the winning Loyalist team preparing before the debate at the ’76 House in Tappan.

Students in the Dominican College History Club  stepped back in time to debate whether the colonies should seek independence from Britain at the ‘76 House in Tappan on November 16, 2017. Christopher Libertini, Assistant Professor of History, said the Loyalists won the debate over the Patriots.

“This was an idea generated from the curator of the Orangetown Historical Museum and Archives as they look for ways to deepen a collaboration between the museum and the History Club,” he said.

The collaboration has allowed students to creatively learn about history in the area and has opened up opportunities for internships at the Orangetown Historical Museum and Archives. Professor Libertini said it will also be helpful as Dominican College prepares to host the 2018 Phi Alpha Theta New York-New Jersey Regional Conference in April.  Phi Alpha Theta is the National Honor Society for History.

 

 

December 1, 2017

Scholarship Recognition Dinner Honors Students and Donors

Junior Nursing student Amanda Carby delivered the Student Address at the Scholarship Recognition Dinner.

At the Annual Scholarship Recognition Dinner on November 9, 2017, attendees dined on a Thanksgiving feast after the scholarship recipients received certificates of recognition. During the evening, the College gives thanks for the accomplishments of the students, for the guidance of parents and faculty, and for the generosity of donors.

Junior Nursing student Amanda Carby, delivered the student address. “We have all been told plenty of times that education and knowledge are the keys to success, but to obtain that success we need to have dreams, goals and aspirations,” she said.

Amanda received the Riversville Foundation Scholarship – one of five new scholarships. At the first Scholarship Recognition Dinner in 1995, just six scholarships were awarded to 14 recipients. This year, 45 scholarships were awarded to 98 students.

November 10, 2017