2006-10-06
Manhattanville's 2006 Reunion & Family Weekend
Photo Galleries (Please click on title to view photos)
September 29, 2006
Alumni Art Reception, Dinner and Panel Discussions
September 30, 2006:
Parade of Classes, State of the College, Groundbreaking
Reunion Class Lunch
Family BBQ and Alumni Baseball Game
Class of 1956 - 50th Reunion Photo
Class of 1981 - 25th Reunion Photo
Tour of the Environmental Park
Parents' Cocktail Party
Cocktails, Dinner, Quintessentials
Fireworks and Dancing with the Music of Double Down
Manhattanville College held its 161st Reunion this past weekend and all indications are it was a tremendous success. Alumni and parents from around the country returned to campus for the Reunion and Family weekend 2006 and participated in a wide range of activities including receptions, concerts, team sporting events, campus tours, a groundbreaking for a new building and even a spectacular fireworks display. Classes from 1938 to 2001 celebrated reunions with the Class of 1956 bringing almost forty alumnae to celebrate their fiftieth reunion.
On Saturday, September 30, Manhattanville College President Richard A. Berman delivered the “State of the College” address. Berman began by thanking Virginia Fettig and Alice Scanlan, chairs of the class of ‘56, and Randy Curato, Chair of the Class of 1981. He also thanked Anne Bouchenoire, class of ’71, for her tireless work on behalf of the Manhattanville alumni community and congratulated Chris Lewis,’97 incoming President of the Alumni Board.
In his remarks, President Berman outlined what has been accomplished at Manhattanville and what his vision for the future of the college is as well. “It is a vision rooted in the concept of the liberal arts college as an agent of change; as a repository of academic excellence that seeks and achieves full and active engagement with the world.” he stated.
Major accomplishments by the college, staff and students include:
• A record 3,436 freshmen applied from 41 states and 72 countries this year. A freshman class of 510 students from 31 states and 32 countries entered the college in August.
• Undergraduate enrollment of over 1,600 is the highest it has been in recent history and the graduate student population of 1,100 is growing steadily.
• Undergraduate students participated in over 23,000 hours of community service last year.
• The College is consistently recognized among America's top colleges in the national guidebooks. Manhattanville was ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s top tier and Princeton Review says that it has one of the most “diverse student population(s).”
• Manhattanville’s finances are the strongest they have been in over two decades; and the College has invested more than $15 million into its facilities, and increased its endowment six-fold.
President Berman also described the factors that make Manhattanville unique. He affirmed, “We are doing something that is very different. We are educating ethically and socially responsible leaders of the global community. Leaders with a commitment and a responsibility to give back and make the world a better place. As I said, we call this compassionate-intelligence.”
President Berman went on to describe two major developments that have taken place on the campus recently: the dedication of new Environmental Park and the groundbreaking (which took place after his speech) for the new Center for the Creative Arts, a three story, state of the art facility which will provide space for the Music, Art, Communications, Dance & Theater departments as well as a new fitness center.
“Today we will ceremoniously break ground at this site, making it visible to you, our Alumni, parents, friends, and students, that we are committed to continuing the legacy by ‘Honoring the Promise, and Delivering the Dream,” said President Berman.
Appealing to the gathered alumni and parents to support the college in these exciting future plans, President Berman called on all of those gathered to make a pledge to the college’s ongoing capital campaign. He closed his remarks saying,
Together we dream.
Together we believe in Manhattanville College.
Together we believe in the Manhattanville education.
Together we believe that we can make a difference.
AND TOGETHER WE WILL “HONOR THE PROMISE AND DELIVER THE DREAM”
Alumni Board President Christopher Lewis then introduced the two Alumni Award recipients. The 2006 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Michaele Chamblee Christian, ’70 and the 2006 Alumni Service Award was presented to Diane McMahon, ’93. Dr. Michaele Chamblee Christian, is Associate Director of the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program and the winner of numerous honors and awards for her work. Thanking the college for the award, Dr. Christian said that she was encouraged to succeed at Manhattanville, and that she developed leadership and academic skills and confidence in her undergraduate years that have served her throughout her career.
Diane McMahon is Vice President of Stonebridge International, a leading global business advisory firm that helps its clients navigate the most promising and challenging markets, including Brazil, China, Russia and India. After receiving her award McMahon, a leader in the Washington, DC Alumni Club said,” I love to give back to the college. It gave me so many things over the years.”
After the speeches, President Berman and members of the Board of Trustees, all wearing Manhattanville hardhats, took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new building. He then planted a tree behind Founders Hall with the members of the class of 1956.
Alumni, parents, students and friends all seemed to be greatly enjoying the festivities. A class luncheon and family barbeque followed the speech and alumni could be seen touring the campus and remarking on the changes to their alma mater. Kathryn and Christopher Olson, (both ’81) heads of the Manhattanville New Jersey Alumni Club brought their three children, ages 15, 12 and 8 to see the college where they had met. They were surprised and excited about the new building plans.
Alice Scanlan, ’56 said she found the visit to Manhattanville “very exciting and very encouraging.” She loved both the continuity and change since both, she felt, were consistent with the college’s mission statement.
Overall more than 400 parents, alumni and guests participated in the weekend’s festivities.
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MEDIA COVERAGE:
Read about Manhattanville's Groundbreaking in The Harrison Report!