Two student speakers gave heartfelt tributes to faculty and staff who were receiving awards for 10 or more years of service at CHC’s annual Retirement and Service Awards Celebration on April 15.
“You helped create a community of acceptance and love,” began Cristina Diaz ’15. “Our mission lives in you.”
Nicholas Kowalski ’16 added a thank you for “an incomparable undergraduate experience.”
President Carol Jean Vale, SSJ, Ph.D. and Dr. Wolfgang Natter, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, then presented certificates and gifts to 20 awardees for, as Sister Carol said, “remaining steadfast in service to the College through every season. Thank you for 370 accumulated years.”
After the presentations, Dominic Cotugno, Ed.D.. associate professor of education, was honored on his retirement. Faculty members Debra Chiaradonna, Ph.D., chair, division of teacher education and leadership, and Teri Rouse, Ed.D., assistant professor of education, performed a rousing skit titled “The Wizard of CHC,” based on the story of the Wizard of Oz.
The skit portrayed Chiaradonna as a new professor at the College, trying to find her way in a new school using the help of the Wizard of CHC. Following the skit, Cotugno gave a speech where he joked about how he was just “six months shy” of getting the award for 20 years of service at the College.
Following the closing blessing, guests were treated to refreshments in the Rotunda.
Faculty and staff honored that afternoon were:
10 years
Aida Beaupied, Ph.D., professor of Spanish
Suzanne del Gizzo, Ph.D., associate professor of English
Ursula Lavin, coordinator of rental facilities
Lisa McKernan Ph.D., assistant professor of biology
Mary Theresa Shevland, SSJ, director of planned giving
Edward Strauman, Ph.D., associate professor of music
Kathleen Szpila, SSJ, Ph.D., assistant professor of art
15 years
Margaret Mitchell, print collection librarian
Kathleen Spigelmyer, director of communications
Eileen Webb, director of Psy.D. admissions and assistant to the chair of the Psy.D. program
20 years
Catherine Nerney, SSJ, Ph.D., associate professor of religious studies
Lisa Olivieri, SSJ, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science and technology
Judith Sullivan, associate professor of mathematics
Margaret Thompson, SSJ, associate professor of art
25 years
Barbara Lonnquist, Ph.D., professor of English
30 years
Sara Kitchen, J.D., professor of criminal justice
35 years
Carol Consorto, interlibrary loan librarian
40 years
Patricia O’Donnell, SSJ, Ph.D., director of institutional research
45 years
Margaret Mary Murphy, SSJ, associate professor of classics
- Brenda Lange
This story originally appeared in the May 2015 issue of Connections.