As I stepped into the role of president at Mount Saint Mary College in 2018, the Class of 2022 was stepping into a new role themselves: Mount students. For each of us, it was a life-changing moment full of anticipation of what was to come, and filled with excitement and promise. The years that followed brought unexpected challenges and tested our ability to adapt and succeed, and yet the Class of 2022 did that and more.

As 500 graduates were honored at this year’s Annual Commencement, I was humbled by their resilience and full of admiration for their accomplishments. I am grateful for the time we spent together and look forward to hearing about what they do next.

This issue of Mount Saint Mary College Magazine touches on many of the enduring qualities that are hallmarks of the Mount community. Service has been a central component of a Mount education since the college was founded by the Dominican Sisters more than six decades ago. With the founding sisters as our inspiration, we’re making rapid progress with our latest service initiative, the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness. Desmond Center programming is already touching the lives of Newburgh residents, and with the center’s home in Guzman Hall on target for completion at the end of this year, it will be exciting to see it really take off in the coming months and years.

I’m also pleased to announce that the college recently appointed Criminology professor Jenifer Lee-Gonyea to the role of Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and Chief Diversity Officer. One of the biggest focus points of the college’s 2020 – 2025 strategic plan is DEI, and Jenifer will elevate our ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse community on campus. 

You’ll find these and many other stories of interest here, including the latest alumni happenings, service news updates, and even the story of how my wife, Heather, leapt out of a plane to celebrate the great generosity of our friends and alumni. (And I hope you enjoy that story, since Heather has informed me that she will not be going skydiving again anytime soon.) 

We are all looking forward to the Fall 2022 semester and can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2026 to campus. 

Dr. Jason N. Adsit

President of Mount Saint Mary College 

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