Maria College celebrates 65 years with Monarch butterfly mascot reveal
College awards two one-year ‘Kindness Scholarships’
Albany, NY – On Tuesday, April 25, Maria College held its 65th Anniversary Celebration – 65 years to the day of its founding in 1958 – where it revealed its first-ever mascot, the monarch butterfly. The monarch butterfly mascot was selected by the Maria community through a survey administered in Fall 2022 to over 500 students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The monarch life cycle – from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to adult butterfly – represents the transformation and renewal Maria students experience during their time at the College. Additionally, just as the monarch butterfly exhibits resilience and determination during its long-distance migration, Maria College students persevere through challenges to achieve their goals.
Maria College hopes the mascot will strengthen the sense of community of current students and the more than 11,000-strong alumni network. The College plans to have the monarch participate in campus-wide events as well as local community events. Additionally, the College will launch an initiative whereby the community can weigh in on their choice for the mascot’s name.
During the event, the College also awarded two “Kindness Scholarships” to incoming students covering their first year of tuition for the 2023-24 academic year; Riley Cronin entering the Nursing, AAS (RN) program, and Casandra Denaut entering the Occupational Therapy Assistant, AAS program. Awardees were selected based on demonstrating they have overcome obstacles in their life and have a desire to give back in service to the community.
“Today we gather as a community to celebrate 65 years as a college offering degrees in nursing, occupational therapy, healthcare management, psychology, and the liberal arts, with certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and our first graduate degree a master’s in occupational therapy, with more master’s degrees in other disciplines,” said President Lynn Ortale. “What better way to represent both the transformation of our College, as well as the transformative impact a Maria College education has on our students, and reflecting our new brand tagline ‘Transforming Careers,’ than a butterfly who develops through metamorphosis, which literally means ‘transformation.’”
The 65th Anniversary Celebration was the first in a series of events leading up to the inauguration of Lynn Ortale, Ph.D. as Maria College’s sixth president. Her installation will take place on Saturday, March 6, at the Parish of Mater Christi in Albany, followed by a reception at the College, and a gala later in the evening to celebrate with the community.
Other inaugural events include an Inaugural Lecture on April 27 with Eric Ledet, Ph.D., of the Center for Disability Services, and an Interfaith Prayer Service on May 5. To learn more about the College’s inaugural events, visit http://mariacollege.edu/inauguration-2023.
Maria College thanks lead sponsors Paula and Paul Colarusso, Adnet Technologies, St. Peter’s Health Partners, Tilt36T, and Andy Kaufman and Karen Ranallo.
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About Maria College: Founded in 1958, Maria College is one of 17 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The private, co-educational, Catholic college in Albany serves approximately 800 students in a variety of bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, a master’s degree, and certificate programs including liberal arts, healthcare management, nursing, psychology, and occupational therapy. mariacollege.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Vicki DiLorenzo
Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Maria College
518-861-2573
vdilorenzo@mariacollege.edu