Athletic Training Professor Honored Posthumously by State Organization
Shown left to right: Ray Flores, President of NYSATA, Jenna’s husband Leland Hach, and Jim Crawley.
Beloved Athletic Training Professor Jenna Tacinelli-Hach was honored posthumously by the New York State Athletic Trainers’ Association (NYSATA) on January 8, 2022. Hach’s husband, Leland, accepted the Kent Scriber Recognition Award on her behalf. The award honored Jenna’s contributions to the athletic training profession. Leland said the recognition meant a great deal to her family.
“To know the appreciation that her students and peers have for her is humbling,” he said. “Those of you who know Jenna well know that she would have probably not been overly excited about receiving the recognition. She may have even recommended others more deserving. She definitely would have accepted the award by speaking at 10,000 words a minute. For someone who loved being in front of a class, she shied away from the spotlight in general. I don’t think the impact that she has had on the world in general, or the ATA world specifically, can ever be truly quantified.”
The award was presented at the NYSATA meeting at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Jenna passed away on August 26, 2021, after a lengthy and courageous battle with brain cancer. She was the Coordinator of Clinical Education for the former Athletic Training Education Program at the College for nine years.
January 19, 2022
Men’s Basketball Team Ranked #1 in East Region Media Poll
The 2021-2022 Men’s Basketball Team.
The Dominican College men’s basketball team has been ranked #1 in the Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIOA) East Region Media Poll, announced on January 17, 2022.
At the time of the poll, the Chargers had a 10-2 record. The Chargers have held the top spot in the East Region Media Poll since the Week 3 poll. Dominican College has defeated three of the teams in the top ten with victories over #2 St. Thomas Aquinas College, #6 University of New Haven, and #9 Adelphi University.
January 18, 2022
Athletic Training Alumni Inducted into Alumni Hall of Achievement
Christine Friel, Frank Alexander, and Yen Pam were inducted into the Alumni Hall of Achievement.
In a tribute to the former Athletic Training Program at Dominican College, three athletic training alumni were inducted into the Alumni Hall of Achievement on November 14, 2021. The new inductees are: Christine Friel ’10, for Excellence; Frank Alexander ’10, for Leadership; and Yen Pham ’17, for Service. The former head of the Athletic Training Program Jim Crawley, presided over the ceremony. Crawley is now an Assistant Professor in the Health Sciences program.
Christine Friel ’10, for Excellence
Christine Friel is the Assistant Director of Sports Medicine at the College of Mt. St. Vincent. Prior to that, she worked at Long Island University in Brooklyn as an Assistant Professor and Associate Head Athletic Trainer. Friel helped oversee athletic training coverage for 26 athletic teams.
“The best advice that I have received was to pay it forward. Having the opportunity to teach students and mentor graduate assistants that have crossed my path has been my favorite experience so far,” she said.
At Dominican College, Friel was a gifted student, a member of the Athletic Training Honor Society, and took part in clinical work at the United States Academy at West Point. After graduation, she earned a Master of Science in Advanced Athletic Training and Sports Science from LIU and earned the Dean’s Award for Clinic Excellence in Athletic Training.
During the award ceremony, Friel credited her parents with teaching her to “work hard, always show up, and get the job done with the best effort possible.”
Frank Alexander ’10, for Leadership
Frank Alexander remembers being a young boy meeting former Yankees pitcher David Cone. When he told Cone he wanted to be a Yankee when he grew up, Cone suggested he have a back-up plan as well.
“So my fall-back plan was to be a New York Yankee and then figure out how I could stay around baseball. Athletic Training really held the key to that door for me,” said Alexander. Now he feels fortunate to do what he does every day. .
Alexander is the athletic trainer and physician extender for Dr. Christopher Ahmad of Columbia University Medical Center’s Orthopedic Department. He works with Dr. Ahmad in his roles as team physician for the New York Yankees, New York Boulders, and the New York Football Club.
Alexander said earning a bachelor’s degree at Dominican College was an important stepping stone in his career. He also earned a master’s degree in kinesiology from A.T. Still University in Mesa, AZ.
Alexander co-authored a book several years ago with Dr. Ahmad called “Understanding Tommy John Surgery and How to Avoid It.” The book is geared toward children in fifth grade and older.
Yen Pham ’17, for Service
Yen Pham was recently promoted to Head Athletic Trainer for the Westchester Knicks of the G League. The G League is the National Basketball Association’s official minor league basketball organization.
At Dominican College, Pham was a talented and dedicated student who was focused on her studies and learning new skills. Pham served as president of the Iota Tau Alpha Athletic Training Education Honor Society and graduated cum laude. Upon graduation, Pham was hired by the Westchester Knicks to serve as Assistant Athletic Trainer after having done clinical work with the organization.
Like the other speakers, Pham recognized the heartbreaking absence of Jenna Tacinelli-Hach at the ceremony. Hach passed away after a lengthy battle with brain cancer in August 2021. “I got the Service Award, when it really it really should be the Jenna Award,“ said Pham. “She gave everything she had to the program. I wouldn’t be here without her and Jim.”
Pham has continued to give her time and talents to Dominican College, and has mentored more than ten students since graduating.
A photo of the three inductees will hang in the lobby of the Prusmack Center along with other members of the Alumni Hall of Achievement.
November 30, 2021
Penn State Researcher Discusses Crisis Informatics at Dominican College
AnnMarie DelliPizzi-Citardi, Blair Hoplight, Andrea Tapia, and Chris Libertini prior to Tapia’s presentation about crisis informatics.
Students heard a fascinating description of how social media is changing emergency response from Penn State University researcher Andrea Tapia, Ph.D., on November 8, 2021. Tapia is an Associate Dean for Research at Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology. She is also a Fulbright scholar, has worked with the United Nations and NASA, and is the sister of Dominican College Psychology Professor Blair Hoplight, Ph.D.
Tapia described how as a scholar of crisis informatics she and her team are working to build a system to help emergency responders gather information from social media. “We are not trying to get rid of the 9-1-1 operators,” she explained. “We are trying to make sure that they have the best information possible at any moment.”
Using a number of real-life examples, Tapia illustrated how bystanders to an emergency sometimes post videos or photos to social media instead of calling 9-1-1. The system she is working on will gather that information for emergency responders. Two hurdles she must overcome – identifying which social media posts come from bystanders and determining which ones are trustworthy. Her advice to those who want to help in an emergency is to call 9-1-1 first and then turn on your geo-locator and use hashtags so your social media posts about the emergency can more easily be tracked.
Tapia’s presentation in the Fury Lecture Hall was part of the Sr. Michelle Nugent Lecture Series and was presented by the Dominican College Division of Social Sciences.
November 12, 2021
Charger Athletes Get Advice at Annual Basketball Tip-Off Dinner
The 2021-2022 Men’s Basketball Team with Guest Speaker Justin Kobay.
As the 2021-2022 basketball season kicked off, Charger athletes got words of advice on “Winning in Life On And Off The Court.” At the annual Tip-Off Dinner, Guest Speaker Justin Kobay, CPA, Partner/Business Manager of LL Business Management, shared how he built a fulfilling and successful career as a business manager to music industry artists, producers, and executives.
After speaking with the players on the men’s and women’s basketball teams, Kobay had high praise for the athletes. “I think it’s amazing. I think they are all very motivated, very focused, and hopefully I gave them some insight on the big picture,” he said.
The 2021-2022 Women’s Basketball Team with Guest Speaker Justin Kobay.
Among Kobay’s advice: it is never too late to do what you want, figure out your strengths, always be yourself, and learn how to network. LL Business Management is based in Lake Success, NY and has an office in Los Angeles. Clients include Grammy-winning artist Lil Nas X, producer Timbaland, and musician Boots Riley.
The Tip-Off Dinner was held on November 4, 2021, at the Pearl River Elks Club. In addition to Kobay, the athletes heard from Master of Ceremony and College Trustee Michael McLaughlin ’89, Men’s Basketball Coach Joseph Clinton, and Women’s Basketball Coach Bill Diener.
November 5, 2021
College Awarded $6.4 Million in Federal Grants
Dominican College has received two federal grants totaling $6.4 million from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). These grants were secured to establish the STEM Opportunities for Hispanic and Low-Income Students (SOHLIS) Project and a Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development Program (PHIT Workforce Program) that both aim to increase the diversity of students entering these fields.
“As a Hispanic-serving institution, Dominican College is in a unique position to educate a diverse student body in high-demand fields and help contribute to a more diverse workforce,” said Dominican College President Sr. Mary Eileen O’Brien, O.P, Ph.D. “These federal grants will enable us to establish comprehensive STEM and public health informatics technology programs, which will both go a long way in increasing educational and career opportunities for our students.”
Dominican College was awarded a $4.5 million, five-year grant from ED to develop the SOHLIS Project. This project will establish student services and curricular programs to increase Dominican College’s STEM program enrollment, retention, degree completion, and career entry. As part of this grant, Dominican College will partner with Rockland, Westchester, and Bergen Community Colleges to strengthen articulation agreements.
In addition, ONC awarded Dominican College a $1.9 million grant to develop and establish a PHIT Workforce Program which will include paid internships and career placement for students. The funds will be used to develop a proposal, to be submitted to the New York State Education Department for consideration and approval, for a PHIT concentration within the Health Sciences and/or Information Technology majors. The PHIT Workforce Program is funded through the American Rescue Plan and aims to increase the number and diversity of students entering the field of public health informatics technology to improve public health reporting and address systematic health inequities.
October 5, 2021
New Inductees Welcomed into the Athletic Hall of Fame for 2021
Derek Funsch, John Clarke, Margaret Porter Hamilton, Tom Maloney, Dana Rotio, and Ryan Clancy.
Five talented athletes and an enthusiastic basketball manager were inducted into the Dominican College Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony on September 24, 2021, in the Granito Center. The new inductees included: John Clarke ’75, men’s basketball; Dana Rotio ’08; women’s basketball; Ryan Clancy ’08, men’s soccer; Margaret Porter Hamilton ’12, women’s soccer; Tom Maloney ’10, baseball; and Derek Funsch for service.
John Clarke ’75, Men’s Basketball
Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Joseph Clinton marveled at Clarke’s statistics and said he asked Clarke’s former teammates to tell him what made Clarke so good. Among the answers, said Clinton, were, “Tenacious, he had a fire that burned inside that he was going to make sure his team won, very skilled player, had every shot in the book…he did amazing things in the clutch, if his team needed him, it was done.”
Clarke ranks fourth all time in men’s basketball history in points with 1,700 career points. In 77 games, he had 331 total free throws, 609 career field goals, and averaged 23 points per game.
Clarke was a transfer student and said his biggest accomplishment at Dominican College was meeting his wife Dora who was a student here as well.
Dana Rotio ’08, Women’s Basketball
John Burke, Vice President for Student Development, described Rotio as one of the all-time greatest basketball players at Dominican College because she had the ability and instincts to leap, steal, make things happen, and change the game on a dime. “And most importantly, every year that Dana was here the program got better,” he said.
Rotio sits eighth all-time in the Sue Heller 1,000 point club with 1,265 career points. A four-year member of the Lady Chargers she earned both All-CACC and All-Met honors, along with being named the 2007 ECAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. In her 120 game career she hit 400 career goals, 103 career three-point field goals and 355 career free throws.
At the ceremony, Rotio said she learned so many lessons and values playing at Dominican College that have helped her be successful both on and off the court. “Discipline, leadership, hard work, determination, and resiliency, are some of the other values that were instilled in me during my time as a Lady Charger,” she said. “I learned that giving up was never an option. We were physically tough, but we also learned the importance of mental toughness.”
Ryan Clancy ’08, Men’s Soccer
Clancy’s father, Jim, presented his son at the induction ceremony and described him as a natural athlete who began playing soccer in the backyard from the age of three. He recalled that his son played soccer, basketball, and baseball in high school – but particularly excelled at soccer.
At Dominican College, Clancy was a four year starter on the men’s soccer team. He ranks second all-time in program history in assists and is fifth in total points and goals scored. Along with his place in the Charger record book, Clancy was a three-time All-CACC honoree, a three-time CACC All-Tournament pick and a three-time All-Region selection. He also earned two CACC tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards.
In accepting the honor, Clancy referred to the title of entrepreneur Grant Cardone’s book “Be Obsessed or Be Average.” He then followed up with this advice, “Whatever you do, be obsessed and if you are not obsessed with it, find something you are obsessed with. I was obsessed with soccer and it will forever be a big part of my life.”
Margaret Porter Hamilton ’12, Women’s Soccer
Former Women’s Soccer Coach Phil Fluhr said Hamilton was a fantastic player who was fast, tough, and had both good instincts and soccer intelligence. “She was so aggressive that in a sense she didn’t show any fear all,” he said. “She just played hard. She was aggressive. She dived in a lot. She challenged and I don’t think anybody could withstand her shoulder charge.”
Hamilton was a two-year team captain and two-time CACC All-Tournament honoree. She ranks fifth all-time in Lady Chargers history in goals and eighth all-time in career points. Hamilton earned two All-CACC selections and one All-Region accolades.
In her remarks, Hamilton said, “Everything with Dominican has been special to me. There’s been a lot of ups and downs and my team has brought me a lot of joy.”
Tom Maloney ’10, Baseball
Maloney ranks sixth in the Charger 200 hit club with 207 career hits. Baseball Head Coach Rick Giannetti said the number of hits puts him in an elite club of only 11 players in the history of the program. “And he was by far our best player on a team that was #1 from day one to the last day of the season,” said Giannetti.
Maloney was both an all-CACC and All-Region honoree, along with receiving a CACC All-Tournament selection and was on the ECAC Division II All-Star First Team. Maloney is ninth all-time in Charger history in runs batted in.
Maloney thanked Coach Giannetti and said they shared a passion for winning. “I never met somebody who hated losing as much as I did until we met,” said Maloney.
Derek Funsch, Service
For the past 11 years, Funsch has worked as the men’s basketball team manager. Funsch thanked the incredible coaches and players for taking him along for an amazing ride. “Thank you Coach Clinton for taking me under your wing. You have been a mentor, a friend, and you have filled my days here at Dominican College with joy and humor.”
Clinton said Funsch was a great friend, the players love him, and he gets everyone “fired up” during practices and games. “The theme with Derek is the energy, the enthusiasm, the commitment, the loyalty, the responsibility,” said Clinton. “He is the heart and soul of our team.”
September 27, 2021
Social Work Professor Wins NYS Champion of Education Award
NYS Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick presented Lucinda Acquaye-Doyle with the Champion of Education Award during a ceremony on the grounds of the Spring Valley High School on September 26, 2021.
Lucinda Acquaye-Doyle, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Director of the Social Work Program, received a Champion of Education Award from New York State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick. She was presented with the award on September 26, 2021, during a ceremony on the grounds of the Spring Valley High School.
Acquaye-Doyle said she was beyond humbled and honored to be among the recipients, “With all of the complexities around the world and the challenges that continuously face our vulnerable and marginalized communities, I do what I do because I feel like in some way, shape, or form, I am preparing the next generation of social work professionals – particularly those that are going to work within your schools, organizations, and agencies – that in some way I am giving back,” she said. “This is my way of helping make the world a better place.”
Acquaye-Doyle also thanked her students for helping her love what she does every day. The purpose of the Champion of Education Award is to recognize and celebrate outstanding educators throughout the 38th Senate District who have made a difference in our community. Acquaye-Doyle was one of eight recipients of the award.
September 27, 2021
Founders Week Keynote Presentation Focuses on St. Rose of Lima
Sr. Kathleen McManus, O.P., delivered the keynote presentation during the 2021 Founders Week celebration.
Dominican College students learned about 17th century mystic and prophet St. Rose of Lima during the first event of Founders Week on Monday, September 20, 2021. In her keynote presentation, Sr. Kathleen McManus, O.P., described how St. Rose – known as the little saint of Lima – served the poor and sick and was concerned about the plight of indigenous miners and their families.
Sr. McManus described a mystic as someone who pays attention and told the students that attention is the natural prayer of the soul. “Who or what is a prophet? Someone who speaks truth and asks for justice in response to what gets their attention,” she said. “As you go forth from here contemplate this: What gets your attention and what are you going to do about it? Can you be a daring mystic and prophet of our time?”
Sr. McManus is a Dominican Sister of Blauvelt, NY, and former associate professor of systematic theology at the University of Portland. She has written extensively on Christology, theological anthropology and the theology of suffering. Founders Week is the annual celebration of Dominican College’s heritage and the Dominican Sisters who established it.
September 20, 2021
College Honors Two Business Leaders at 48th Annual Grand Reception
Sam Fratto, Business Manager of IBEW Local 363 (left) and Larry Weiss, President & CEO of Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office will be honored at Dominican College’s 48th Annual Grand Reception
Dominican College will honor two local business leaders — Sam Fratto, Business Manager of IBEW Local 363, and Larry Weiss, President & CEO of Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office as Persons of the Year — at the 48th Annual Grand Reception. The gala will be held on Sunday, October 17, 2021, at 12:30 p.m.at the Old Tappan Manor in Old Tappan, NJ.
“We are so pleased to announce that this year we have two outstanding honorees who were chosen for their professional leadership, community involvement, and philanthropic works,” said College President Sr. Mary Eileen O’Brien, O.P., Ph.D.
Sam Fratto was appointed Business Manager of Local 363 by the Executive Board in 2011. He has since been elected by the membership three times, twice without opposition. His appointment as Business Manager of Local 363 came 33 years after he first joined the electrical trade as an apprentice with IBEW Local 631, one of three local unions that later merged into a bigger and stronger IBEW Local 363 that covers the entire Hudson Valley.
Under Fratto’s leadership, Local 363 has supported many community organizations, including the Boy Scouts, United Way, United Hospice, Child Care Resources of Rockland, Helen Hayes Hospital, and Jawonio. He has been recognized nationally by the IBEW for his work within his local union and the Hudson Valley. In addition, he has been honored by the Rockland Business Association, Good Samaritan Hospital, and the Hudson Valley Labor Federation.
In 1982, Larry Weiss rescued Atlantic Photocopy from bankruptcy and what was a staff of five is now more than 400 strong. Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office is an Office Technology and IT Solutions company providing services to small and mid-sized businesses in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, as well as the Greater Philadelphia area and the Delaware Valley.
Weiss has fostered a spirit of philanthropy at the company and donated his time to many organizations. He is a board member of the National Kidney Foundation and St. Christopher’s Inc. He sits on the Advisory Board of Bridges of Rockland County and is an enthusiastic supporter of the Jillian Fund, Englewood Hospital, the Fresh Air Fund, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation, the New Jewish Home, and United Hospice of Rockland County, in addition to other organizations.
Proceeds from the Grand Reception will go toward student scholarships, academic programs, and campus improvements. Tickets can be purchased online at. https://www.duny.edu/events/grandreception2021/ . For additional information, please contact Mary Lichtman at 845-848-7406 or mary.lichtman@duny.edu
September 17, 2021
Dominican College Ranked #21 on Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report ranked Dominican College a Top Performer on Social Mobility on its 2022 Best Colleges list. Dominican College was ranked #21 out of Regional Universities North for social mobility. Top performers in this category are more successful than other colleges at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded Pell Grants.
President Sr. Mary Eileen O’Brien, O.P., Ph.D., said, “Dominican College has always welcomed students of diverse economic backgrounds, while promoting educational excellence, leadership, and service among our entire college community. We are delighted to once again be recognized for successfully supporting and encouraging students to succeed.”
This is the second time that Dominican College was ranked in the top 25 for social mobility on the Best Colleges list.
September 15, 2021
Visiting Scholar Works With Summer Research Students in Biology Lab
Biology student Anna Acosta, Professor Li-jun Ma, Ph.D. from University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and student Madison Newman (left to right) working in a laboratory in the Forkel Hall.
World-renowned computational biologist Li-jun Ma, Ph.D. visited Dominican College this summer to work with three biology students on research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). This follows the year-long sabbatical of Dominican College Biology Professor Bernadette Connors, Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst with Dr. Ma.
During the sabbatical, Connors worked with Ma and her team to learn how to analyze genomic data with different sequencing technologies. The summer research students are developing a manuscript with Connor’s data to hopefully be published in a scientific, peer-reviewed journal. Ma said the Dominican College students have integrity, intelligence, and are fully committed to the research, “They are so engaging, I would rate them as some of the best students I have ever had. “
The sabbatical and undergraduate research work was funded by a two-year $166,000 NSF grant (award #1950018). In addition to furthering Connor’s research of microbial communities in the Hudson River Valley freshwater streams, the grant funded new equipment for Dominican College laboratories and provided stipends for the research students.
The biology students taking part in the summer research are Madison Newman ‘22, Anna Acosta ’22, and Darlenys Sanchez ’22.
Dominican College has received two federal grants totaling $6.4 million from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). These grants were secured to establish the STEM Opportunities for Hispanic and Low-Income Students (SOHLIS) Project and a Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development Program (PHIT Workforce Program) that both aim to increase the diversity of students entering these fields.
