America's Largest Catholic Newspaper
Mount St. Mary Students Attend Preaching Program
Two juniors from Mount St. Mary College, Newburgh, were chosen to join more than 30 students from Catholic colleges and universities across the country in learning how to use the Dominican charism of preaching in their lives. Preaching in Action was the focus of a weeklong conference at Dominican University in River Forest, Ill., that encouraged students to share what they discovered about the power of preaching.
Tiana Pagan, a human services/sociology major from Brooklyn, and Jonathan Torres, a sociology major from the Bronx, learned about Dominican spirituality and joined other participants in turning preaching into action at nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area. Since their return, they have continued their service by volunteering at local charities. A grant from the Dominican Sisters of Hope in Ossining made the experience possible.
Manhattan College Opens Center For Environmental Education
As part of its effort to support environmental studies and research with special regard for urban areas, Manhattan College in the Riverdale section of the Bronx is inaugurating a Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES). The center will help faculty members collaborate and disseminate their research on the environment and encourage additional programs for undergraduates to pursue as majors or minors.
The college is committed to shrinking the campus’s carbon footprint and making the campus more sustainable. CURES plans to partner with other local and college initiatives such as the Green Club that has already created a rooftop garden on top of a campus parking garage.
Chief Operating Officer Named at St. John’s
In October, the Board of Trustees of St. John’s University selected Martha Hirst to fill the joint position of executive vice president and chief operating officer. Previously senior vice president for operations and treasurer, she will continue in the latter post.
Before joining the university staff last year, Ms. Hirst spent 32 years in New York City government, including eight years as commissioner of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. A graduate of New York University, she has a master’s degree in urban planning from the Wagner School of Public Service.
