Nyack News

Columbia Asia Yeshwanthpur Hospital Welcomes Nyack Nursing Students

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:42:14 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

The Nyack College 2012-2013 academic year has ended, but learning has not.

Dr. Elizabeth Simon, dean of Nyack’s Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing has taken several nursing students (pictured above) to visit Columbia Asia Yeshwanthpur Hospital in India, a comprehensive care facility known for its multiple specialties. Students are Cristiana Bittner, Stefania Pena, Binta Peterson, Vy Nguyen, Pria Fajadro, Bethany Allison, Kelly Perish, and Roxanne Caesar. Dr. Simon is also joined by Dr. David Turk, Nyack’s provost and dean of academic affairs and his wife, Dr. Vara Neverow.

To learn more about Nyack's School of Nursing, visit here.

An Historic Nyack/ATS Commencement

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:27:01 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

To see more than a thousand words on the 2013 Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary commencement ceremony, click here.

Pictured above, Rev. Dr. Thai Phuoc Truong, president of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam, assisted by a translator, addressed the largest graduating class in Nyack history on Saturday May 11 at the Westchester County Center. During the ceremony Dr. Truong received an honorary Doctor of Divinity.

Two other honorary degrees were awarded to Dr. Micheal Flaherty and Dr. Graham Power. For more on these three extraordinary men, click here.

Nyack, "A Great College Work For" Celebrates 2012-2013 With Faculty and Staff

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:19:00 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

Nyack College recenlty held its annual end of the year luncheon for full-time faculty and staff. The large number of employees with decades of service is evidence of why Nyack has been named twice by The Chronicle of Higher Education (2011, 2012) a “Great College to Work For.”

Dr. Glenn Koponen, dean of the School of Music has been a Nyack employee for 45 years. Dr. David Turk, provost and vice president of academic affairs has worn several hats at Nyack for the past 35 years. Nyack’s IT director, Mr. Kevin Buel and School of Music professor Dr. Tammy Lum have been employees for 25 years.

Service awards were also presented to Dr. Jonathan Gates, Dr. Leonard Kageler, Prof. Linda Poston, and Ms. Cindy Reeder, each employed at Nyack for 20 years. Other special awards included Enrollment Services Associate of the Year: Julie Hodsdon; Online Educator of the Year: Lisa Steiner; Nyack.edu Web Engagement Award: Sarah Samson; SFS Associate of the Year: Matthew Moroney; Coach of the Year: Raquel Shaffer, Student Development Professional of the Year: Amisadai Martinez; and Faculty Award for Support of Information Literacy and Critical Thinking: Michael Huster.

Promotions for Dr. Gordon Boronow, Dr. James Chin, Dr. Sue Hartl, and Dr. Elizabeth Simon were announced. Dr. Amy Davis and Dr. Sue Hartl were awarded tenure.

The Fifth Annual Commitment to Mission Award was also presented to one faculty member and one staff member. The award celebrates individual accomplishments, alignment with the five institutional core values, and development and achievement in specific areas of strategic importance to Nyack College.

This year awardees were Professor James Muckell (faculty, above right) and Mr. Earl Miller (staff, above left) for being bridge-builders with organizations off campus as well as the surrounding community.

Prof. Muckell was a point person on campus who worked through his home church with Samaritan’s Purse in post Hurricane Sandy outreach in the Tri-state area organizing groups of volunteers. Mr. Miller, has over several years been a campus liaison with church, government, and community organizations.

Pictures from the luncheon can be found here.

2013 President's Hall of Distinction Honorees Inducted

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:50:31 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

Dr. Michael G. Scales, president of Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary, hosted a pre-commencement brunch on Saturday, May 11 at the Tarrytown House Estate & Conference Center in Westchester County.

During the gathering, three honorees were inducted into the Nyack College President’s Hall of Distinction: Dr. Micheal Flaherty, president and co-founder of Walden Media; Dr. Graham Power, founder and chairman of the Power Group of Companies in South Africa; and Rev. Dr. Thai Phuong, president of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam.

A video clip, featuring Nyack alumnus, Dr. Thomas Stebbins ('56), provided by The Christian and Missionary Alliance was screened and Dr. Stebbins was also on hand as a guest speaker.

Two of Nyack’s best and brightest students, valedictorian C. Johannah Ziegler-Ritter and Honors Program student Stuart Guild shared brief remarks about their Nyack College experiences. Special music was performed by Luis Diaz (NC '15) , Janet Miller (NC 09), and Professor Marie Kenote, known as Flutes of Praise, and by Jose Heredia (NC '09) and Jhasoa Agosto ('09), accompanied by Dr. Sue Talley.

Click here to see photos from the event.

Rockland County Nurse Recognition Day at Nyack

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:14:16 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NYACK COLLEGE HOSTS 31st ANNUAL
ROCKLAND COUNTY NURSE RECOGNITION DAY

NYACK, NY--Nyack College will host the 2013 Rockland County Nurse Recognition Day on Wednesday, May 15 from noon until 3:00 pm in Bowman Gym on the Rockland campus in Nyack, NY. This year’s theme is “Nursing: Advancing the Profession through Education.” Nurse Recognition Day is a part of the National Nurse Recognition Week, which is held every year to raise public awareness of the value and significance of nursing. Nurse Recognition Week is celebrated May 6-12 nationwide, helps educate communities about the vital role that the nation's 2.9 million nurses play. From bedside nursing in hospitals and long-term care facilities to the halls of research institutions, state legislatures, and Congress, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is meeting the expanding health care needs of American society.

The Rockland County Nurse Recognition Committee will present awards for "Excellence in Practice" at the Recognition Day program.

###

The Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing at Nyack College, where Dr. Elizabeth Simon is the dean, offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. All Nyack College majors are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and its curriculum is registered with the New York State Education Department.

Nyack Nursing Students Are Pinned!

Thu, 09 May 2013 07:49:13 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

A 5:00 p.m. dedication and pinning ceremony was held today at Nyack College Rockland in Pardington Hall for Nyack’s Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing followed by a reception for students, their families, faculty, administrators, and trustees in President's Hall at Shuman Hall.

The 21 men and women who will participate in the pinning and lamp lighting ceremony include Tahira Abdullah, Lincy Abraham, Mercy Asamoah, Pooja Chandiramani, Yves-Rose Corbett, Valerie Edmund-Jackson, Kassondra Ford, Nathalie Gonzalez, Vincent Jacopino, David Muckell, Angelica Perez, Adriana Pirez, Carline Prepetit, Marvin Salvatore, Amanda Skinner, Chinwe Uchendu, Christy Varghese, Lincy Varghese, Mary Varughese, Jennifer Vega, and Sharon Wilson.

The Drs. Ardel and Terest Vietti Award for Academic Excellence in Nursing was awarded to Amanda Skinner, the student with the highest grade point average.

The Ronald and Marilyn Eastman Award for an Outstanding Nursing Student was presented to Valerie Edmund-Jackson, a student who represents the ideals of compassionate care, dedication to nursing, and Christian servant-leadership.

Click here to see photos of the dedication and pinning ceremony.

RELEASE: NYACK COLLEGE/ATS COMMENCEMENT 2013

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:35:54 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2013

NYACK COLLEGE/ATS CELEBRATES ITS 130TH COMMENCEMENT
Honorary Degree Recipients Are Leaders in Film, Business, and Ministry

NYACK, NY— On Saturday, May 11 at 2:00 p.m., Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary will hold commencement exercises for nearly 700 graduates at the Westchester County Center located at 198 Central Avenue in White Plains, NY.

Three honorary degrees will be awarded and the recipients will also be inducted into the President’s Hall of Distinction, a Nyack College tradition that recognizes men and women of exceptional accomplishment, who embody Nyack’s core values of being academically excellent, globally engaged, intentionally diverse, personally transforming, and socially relevant. The Hall of Distinction induction ceremony takes place at the Tarrytown House Estate also in Westchester County prior to graduation.

The Doctor of Letters will be presented to Graham Power, founder and chairman of one of South Africa’s leading companies in the field of civil engineering construction, the Power Group of Companies. He is also the visionary leader behind the Global Day of Prayer. The Doctor of Letters will also be given to Micheal Flaherty, president and co-founder of Walden Media, producer of films such as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; Charlotte’s Web; and Bridge to Terabithia. The third recipient, Rev. Thai Phuoc Truong, president of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECV), will receive the Doctor of Divinity. In June 2011, the EVC celebrated 100 years of ministry, beginning with the first Christian and Missionary Alliance outreach to Vietnam. In 1911, three Alliance international workers, led by Robert A. Jaffray, an alumnus of the Missionary Training Institute, precursor of Nyack College, went to Vietnam to establish the first evangelical church.

This year’s commencement will also include the first graduating class of Nyack’s Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing, who will receive the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The School of Music will celebrate the Rockland campus program’s 75th anniversary.

In the week leading up to commencement day, hooding ceremonies for graduate level divisions, baccalaureate services for undergraduates, and the first pinning and dedication ceremony for graduating nurses will be held at various locations for the Rockland and Manhattan campus graduates.

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RELEASE: Manhattan Campus of Nyack College Will Relocate to Battery Park

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:05:56 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nyack College’s Manhattan Campus Relocates to Battery Park
A Major Expansion for New York’s Christian College

Mayor Bloomberg Cites “Tremendous Contributions” of
Nyack Graduates to NYC

New York, NY – Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary, one of the most diverse Christian colleges in the nation announced it will move from its current Lower Manhattan location on Broadway to Battery Park, more than doubling its space to accommodate a growing student population.

The college has signed a lease with options that extend to 2042, at 2 Washington Street in Lower Manhattan’s Battery Park and will take occupancy by the fall 2013 semester. A partial move of some graduate programs has already taken place and the full transition will continue through next summer.

"Nyack's roots as a leader in Christian higher education were planted in New York City more than 130 years ago. Moving to the financial hub of this gateway city to the world will help us reach our goal of becoming a world class institution of higher education,” said Dr. Michael Scales, president of Nyack College. “We are committed to providing our growing student population with the best learning environment possible, which includes access to career opportunities in the heart of New York City.”

At 2 Washington Street, the college will occupy 166,385 square feet in a modern structure on the Manhattan skyline, neighboring Wall Street, Trinity Church, New York Harbor and the 9/11 Memorial.

“New York City has more higher education students than Boston has people, and our strong network of colleges is one of the City’s greatest assets,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “Nyack College’s expansion plans affirm the attractiveness of New York City’s higher education institutions and the revitalization and diversification of Lower Manhattan. For more than a century, Nyack graduates have made tremendous contributions to our City, and we look forward to that continuing in their new home for years to come."

Nyack’s current campus in Manhattan serves 1,400 undergraduate and graduate students with 34 classrooms and teaching labs. The new location will expand capacity to 60 classrooms and labs.

“Nyack is a culturally and ethnically diverse institution. Our students come from 66 countries around the globe,” added President Scales. “Our goal is to educate the whole student—academically, spiritually, and emotionally—and prepare them for a broad spectrum of careers that will have a positive impact on the world.”

Nyack’s 125-acre residential campus is located in Nyack, NY overlooking the Hudson River and the Tappan Zee Bridge. However, it has a storied history in Manhattan. Nyack was founded in New York City in 1882 with just a few dozen students. It has occupied several Manhattan locations.

The most popular areas of study in the current 50+ program catalog include business, psychology, counseling, education, biblical studies, music, and social work. Some of the newest degree programs include biology, nursing, and criminal justice. One third of Nyack students are enrolled in its prestigious masters and doctoral programs.

Nyack College has twice (2011 and 2012) made the prestigious list of The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges To Work For” based on a survey of its faculty and staff, which also represents a unique diversity.

Senior Vice President Gerry Miovski and Senior Vice President Christopher Mansfield, the real estate team from CBRE Group, Inc., worked with Nyack College over several years to identify this new location. Andrea Gendel, of Pryor Cashman’s Real Estate Group, represented the College for this transaction. Architects Lori Kupfer and Vincent Martineau have already completed a state of the art educational design for the facility.

ABOUT NYACK
Nyack College was founded in 1882 by Dr. Albert Benjamin Simpson and today serves more than 3,400 students in its undergraduate and graduate degree programs. In addition to its residential campus in Nyack, NY and a campus in New York City, a branch of its seminary is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Nyack College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.

CCNE Visits Nyack Rockland Nursing School

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:02:34 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

Nyack College's very first graduating class of its Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing at Shuman Hall in Rockland County while awaiting news from a Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education Evaluation Team (CCNE) visiting the campus today.

Dr. David F. Turk, Nyack College Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs shared the results of the their visit.

"The Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education Evaluation Team gave their exit interview to the college administration and nursing faculty and staff today (April 17). Their report to the Nyack community noted that the College is in compliance with all four of the standards for nursing program accreditation and each of the key elements of each of these standards."

Dr. Turk continued, "This was truly an affirmation of the strength of Nyack's new Bachelor of Science Nursing program. Much gratitude is owed to Dean Simon and all the School of Nursing faculty, staff, and students for their dedicated work to build this exceptional program and present it so well to the Evaluation Team. The Evaluation Team will submit their report to the Commission which will vote on accreditation early this summer."

The CCNE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency, which contributes to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing.

Congratulations to all involved in this exciting new chapter of the Nyack story!

Nyack College Chorale Concert at Lincoln Center

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:19:27 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

You had to be there!”

Those words were eblasted campuswide by Nyack College School of Music’s dean, Dr. Glenn Koponen, to describe the April 5 “Concert Celebrating God’s Faithfulness” at Lincoln Center. The long awaited event, also a celebration of the School of Music’s 75th anniversary, showcased the extraordinary talent of the more than 100 member Nyack College Chorale and musicians.

“The memory of the evening will be with us for a long, long time,” Dean Koponen continued. Certainly the dean will not soon forget the Chorale's surprise perofrmance of his arrangement of Aaron Copland's "Zion's Walls."

President Scales added his praise for the music faculty and students. “The program and performances were extraordinary! You established a culture of excellence and love. Just what we hoped and prayed for.”

Enjoy a gallery of the evening's unforgettable moments below.

Indeed, you had to be there!

Winners of Student Research Conference Poster Session

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:16:06 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

“Facing the Future Together,” was the theme of the Second Annual Nyack College Student Research Conference sponsored by the Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement (CSGE), the Nyack College Honors Program, and the Nyack College Department of Biology and Chemistry. The daylong event was held on the Rockland County campus in Bowman Gymnasium last month.

Some 100 students will participate in a poster session. Their research topics include, Effects of Air Pollution on Cardiovascular Health, Impacting Student's Cognitive Performance, Exploring the Correlations Between Blood Type, Diet and Nutrition, AIDS, Obesity, Biological and Ethical Implications of Down's Syndrome, The Need to Fit in: A Study on Conformity, Gender and Movie Preferences, Phage Therapy and Moral Evolution: The Roles of Age and Gender on Morality.

First prize winners of the poster session were Nyack Honors Program students Katie O'Sullivan, Tina Battistella, Rachel Kunker, and Rebekah Williams (pictured above l-r).

Loprinzi Family Donates Baldwin Piano

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:43:24 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

Joseph and Betty Loprinzi (seated in photo above), recently donated a beautiful Baldwin piano to Nyack College. The piano is currently housed at Shuman Hall on the Rockland County campus.

To celebrate this generous gift, Dr. Tammy Lum, professor at the Nyack College Rockland School of Music, organized an afternoon recital in President’s Hall (Shuman Hall). Nyack College faculty and student musicians were featured performers.

Dr. Nina Balmaceda, a Featured Plenary Speaker in Brazil and Peru

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:06:04 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

Dr. Vilma "Nina" Balmaceda, Nyack College associate professor of political science and director of the Center for Christian Scholarship and Global Engagement, was a plenary speaker and panelist at a recent National Christian Lawyers Congress in Brazil. Her presentations focused on the function of law, public policy, and culture in the challenges of human rights, the defense of life, and the development of more peaceful and just societies in Latin America.

Dr. Balmaceda also was a plenary speaker at the Forum on Rights of Children with Disabilities organized by the National Program for Family Wellbeing (INABIF), which took place at the Peruvian Congress in February. The responders to her presentation were Peruvian Congressman Jhon Reynaga, president of the Congressional Committee on Inclusion of People with Disabilities; Ms. Nancy Tolentino, INABIF executive director; Mr. Wilfredo Guzmán, president of the Peruvian  Council for the Rights of People with Disabilities; and Mr. Alfredo Alfaro, director of the Development of Vulnerable Populations Office of the Peruvian Government.

Health Care Ethics Conference at Nyack Rockland

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:14:42 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

The Nyack College Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing and the Nyack Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement will co-host Nyack's first ever Health Care Ethics Conference on Thursday, March 14 on the Rockland County campus, 1 South Boulevard in Nyack in Bowman Gymnasium, beginning at 2:00 p.m. with poster presentations by Nyack nursing students. Monetary prizes of $500, $300, and $100 will be awarded to the top three presentations.

A plenary session begins at 3:30 p.m. featuring Dr. Farr Curlin, co-director of the program on Medicine & Religion, and Associate Faculty of the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago. His keynote address is entitled, "The Heart of Medical Ethics: Profession, Conscience, and Vocation."

Dr. Curlin is a hospice and palliative care physician, researcher, and medical ethicist. His research areas are physician's moral and professional formation, the ends of medicine and the moral dimensions of medical practice, clinical decision-making, and the doctor-patient relationship, as well as with moral formation in medical education. He lectures widely about religion, conscience, and the moral and spiritual dimensions of the practice of medicine.

For information on the nursing conference, please contact the School of Nursing at 845.675.4681.

National Recognition for Nyack's Early Childhood Ed Programs

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:41:32 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

School of Education Dean JoAnn Looney announced that accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has been extended through 2018. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) awarded national recognition to Nyack’s Early Childhood programs.

Dr. Looney credits Nyack’s Early Childhood Education program Chair Dr. Sherry Jarrett, and Director of Assessment Prof. Kristen Luba with a job well done.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), founded in 1926, is the world's largest advocacy group working on behalf of young children. The mission of the NAEYC has three main goals:

•   Improving professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education.
•   Supporting early childhood programs by working to achieve a high-quality system of early childhood education.
•   Building a high-performing, inclusive organization of groups and individuals who are committed to promoting excellence in early childhood education for all young children.

The campus community celebrates with the School of Education on this latest accomplishment.

SGA Gives A Hand Up for Nyack NYC Students

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:20:10 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

In the true spirit of family created on the Nyack College Manhattan campus, a new initiative, “Innovation Month” was launched by the NYC Student Government Association (SGA) at the beginning of the spring semester. The first outreach was “Commuter Fund Week.

The Commuter Fund was created to provide metro cards to eligible students to help with their commuting expenses to campus. Students interested in the Commuter Fund should contact Rolando Rosales for an application at Rolandor08@live.com.

Other specials featured were “Clubs Week,” a showcase of clubs and organization held in the Student Lounge. Upcoming weeks will highlight “Majors Week,” and “Career Week.”

SGA is exploring new and exciting ways to serve students.

USIP Funds Nyack Scholars Symposium

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:39:34 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

The Nyack College Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement (CSGE) will present its 2013 Scholars Symposium, Wednesday, February 20 at the Nyack College Manhattan campus and on Thursday, February 21 at the Nyack Rockland campus. Nearly 30 faculty will present papers they have published or presented at conferences. In addition, several students will present research papers.

The Center received $2,000 in funding support from the Public Education for Peacebuilding Support initiative of the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) headquartered in Washington, D.C., which has offices in Baghdad, Iraq, and Kabul, Afghanistan. USIP is the independent, nonpartisan conflict management center created by Congress to prevent and mitigate international conflict .

“USIP is pleased to support the efforts of Nyack’s Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement and its contribution to the national conversation around international conflict--and methods for resolving those conflicts nonviolently,” commented Jim Marshall, USIP president.

The plenary session for the NYC campus will be held at 361 Broadway in Manhattan and for the Rockland campus in Bowman Gymnasium in Nyack, NY. Plenary speakers will be Lisa Dougan, director of civil engagement and representative for Invisible Children, in Washington, D.C.; and Benjamin Raber, executive director for NetWork and a Nyack College alumnus.

For more information, click here to view a pdf of the Symposium brochure, which includes details on the speakers, locations, and times of breakout sessions.

THE 2013 Nyack College Phonathon

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:48:46 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

It’s that time of year again on Nyack’s Rockland campus….the 2013 Nyack College Phonathon began on Monday, February 18 and will run through Saturday, March 2, Monday-Thursday evenings between 5:30 and 10:00 p.m. and Saturday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.!

Phonathon is one of our biggest annual fundraising events. This year the goal is to raise $100,000 to support the extraordinary young men and women studying on our campuses.

Students are calling Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary alumni between 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. to bring them up to date on the latest developments at the college and seminary and share how to get involved with their alma mater…even long distance.

If you’re an alum and haven’t made it back to campus in a while, this is a great opportunity to learn about the many changes and additions in programs and facilities and plans for the future. Best of all, you’ll have the chance to encourage students who are in the very spot you were last year or decades ago.

Help us make this a record fundraising event!

FEB 4-6: Deeper Life Series Features Rev. Rich Villodas

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:50:49 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

Rev. Rich Villodas, associate lead pastor at New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, NY, will be the featured speaker for the spring 2013 semester Deeper Life Series, Monday, February 4 through Wednesday, February 6 on the Rockland campus of Nyack College. He will explore the theme, “Witnessing to the Power of God: Teachings Through the Book of Acts.”

The schedule of five services sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Formation is as follows:

Monday, February 4 at 10:10 a.m. in Bowman Gym

Monday, February 4 at 8:00 p.m. in Pardington Hall

Tuesday, February 5 at 8:00 p.m. in Pardington Hall

Wednesday, February 6 at 10:10 in Bowman Gym

Wednesday, February 6 at 8:00 p.m. in Pardington Hall

Rev. Villodas, an alumnus of Nyack College (2003) and Alliance Theological Seminary (2009), preaches, casts vision, and oversees the staff at New Life Fellowship, where more than 75 nations are represented. In September 2013, he will succeed Pastor Pete Scazzero and become the new lead pastor at New Life.

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Rev. Villodas and his wife Rosie are the parents of a three-year-old daughter, Karis.

RELEASE: Social Justice Day Features Keynote Sean Pica and Honors Rockland County Leaders

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:41:57 GMT

Posted by Deborah.Walker

Nyack, NY—Nyack College will host its annual Social Justice Day Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2013 at The Nyack Seaport, 21 Burd Street in Nyack. This year Nyack’s Social Justice Awards will be presented to three local leaders: Rockland County District Attorney, Thomas Zugibe; SUNY Rockland Board of Trustees Chair, Dr. Arlene W. Clinkscale, and Spring Valley NAACP President, Willie Trotman.

Zugibe leads a staff of 30 prosecutors and is credited with establishing the Special Victims Unit and a countywide expansion of the High School Intervention and Diversion Program.

Clinkscale was re-elected three times to head the SUNY RCC Board has made historic strides in education over the course of her career. She was the first African American educator in the Pearl River school district; the first African American principal in Rockland County; and the first African American female superintendent in the State of New York. Trotman is a member of Rockland County's Human Rights Commission; a co-founder of Kid's Corner Day Care Center; and is a member of several boards and organizations. A Vietnam veteran, Mr. Trotman is the recipient of many honors including the Buffalo Soldiers Award, named after the soldiers of the 10th Black Cavalry Regiment.

Mr. Sean Pica, (pictured above) executive director of the Hudson Link and featured in the award-winning documentary, “Zero Percent,” will be the keynote speaker. For more information about Hudson Link, click here. The 2001 alumnus of Nyack College, has overall strategic and operational responsibility for staff, programs, development, expansion and execution of Hudson Link's mission. Prior to joining Hudson Link, Mr. Pica was the Director of Club Access, a psychosocial clubhouse for adults with mental health disabilities, and a tenant advocate for the James Weldon Housing Projects in East Harlem.

The Social Justice Day Luncheon is a Nyack College tradition that exemplifies the institutional core value of social relevance. This platform gathers bridge-builders in Rockland County who join the campus community in a celebration that serves as a prelude to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday celebrated this year on Monday, January 21.

For more information, contact Earl Miller, executive director of community relations at Nyack College at Earl.Miller@nyack.edu or by phone at 845.675.4791. For reservations, contact Nancy Gates at 845.675.7237.

About Nyack: Nyack College was founded in 1882 by Dr. Albert Benjamin Simpson and currently serves more than 3,400 students in its undergraduate and graduate degree programs. In addition to its residential campus in Nyack, NY and a commuter campus in New York City, an extension site is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Nyack is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.