Marist Connections

Amanda Benton '11 chats with Isaiah Lamb '19 about playing basketball at Marist and professionally, as well as starting his own fitness business. Isaiah graduated from Marist in 2019 with a degree in business administration. He has been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice. He was a four-year starter as a forward on the Marist Men's basketball team. After graduating Isaiah went on to play professional basketball in Yerevan, Armenia, while completing a certification in personal training. When COVID hit, Isaiah returned home to run Lo-Lamb Company, an online fitness-based company that sells activewear and home exercise equipment that he had started in 2018 while attending Marist.

Amanda Benton '11 chats with Brian Corrigan '18 and J.D. Recor '17 about Lacrosse at Marist, coaching, and playing together post-College for the NY Lizards. Brian played goalie for the men's lacrosse team and was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year twice. After graduating, he played for the New York Lizards Lacrosse Team from 2018 – 2020. He now works in NYC as an Underwriter for Chubb Insurance. J.D. played attack for the men's lacrosse team and was named to all MAAC team four times. He holds the record for all-time career assists. After graduating, J.D. played professionally for the Charlotte Hounds and the New York Lizards. He also coached Marist Lacrosse from 2018 – 2019

Amanda Benton '11 chats with Amanda Amorosa '17 and Water Polo Coach Chris Vidale about water polo at Marist and playing professionally. Amanda made the junior national Canadian team in 2014 and participated in the Junior World Championship in Triste, Italy. She played at Marist College from 2013 through 2017. After college. Amanda went to Lille, France to play professionally for two years. While there, she partook in the European world championship tournament and won the French championship both years. In 2019 she returned to Canada to prepare for the 2020 Olympics. Now she is playing professionally in Greece for the club of Rethymno. Chris has been the head coach of the Marist water polo team since 2016. Prior to Marist, he coached at Greenwich HS where he led the team to the CT state championship, the New York Athletic Club, where he coached 10 current or former Olympians, and at Iona College. He played water polo for Iona before joining the Trinidad and Tobago National Team and helping them earn Bronze at the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2009.

Brian Haughey, associate professor of finance and director of the Investment Center, Mary Vange '19, and Skylar Harrison '22 discuss the investment center, Greystone Equity Fund, networking, internships, and other finance classes, clubs, and opportunities at Marist.

Amy Woods '97 sits down with Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, Barbara L. Carvalho, the director of the Marist College Poll, Kathryn Rivera '20, and Ashley Marcinek '22 to discuss the Marist Poll. Kathryn Rivera graduated with a degree in political science and a minor in mathematics. They are currently a senior associate of research at Global Strategy Group. At Marist, Kathryn worked as an interviewer, translator, and coder for MIPO and completed their honors thesis “Analysis of Convergent Democratic Political Strategies: 2020 Presidential Election” with Lee Miringoff Ashley Marcinek is a senior majoring in political science with minors in global studies and interactive media; she has also just earned a paralegal certificate from Marist. Ashley started out as a College2Career newsfeed intern, then was hired as a newsfeed member, and is now a Producer for the Marist Poll.

Amanda Benton '11 sits down with Brother Frank, FMS '73, Reitta Steffen '23, and Dulcie Beauregard '22 to talk about Campus Ministry. The trio chat about Hunger Month, the Giving Tree, community service, and the importance of creating small groups for connection. Rietta Steffen is a junior majoring in English with a minor in psychology. She serves on the advisory board for campus ministry, leads Catholic Connections, and is a peer mentor. Dulcie Beauregard is a senior in the honors program with a major in history with a minor in cinema studies and American studies. She serves on the advisory board for campus ministry and leads a Women's Spirit Group. She has also partaken in Christ Life, Gospel Choir, and Weekly Community Service. D Brother Frank is the Director of Campus Ministry where he oversees all on campus gospel groups, the chapel choir, ARISE – the non-denominational student group, the giving tree project, and residence hall outreach. He graduated from Marist in 1973 with a degree in history.

Amanda Benton '11 sits down with Tenzin Tsundu, the current president of the Student Government Association – also known as SGA, and Roda Mohamed, last year's president and now a graduate of the Class of 2021 to talk about life on campus and the role SGA plays. They talk about successes and concerns from the last two years including the impact of COVID, student mental health, equity and inclusion initiatives, and their work with the Board of Trustees. Tenzin Tsundu is an international student from Nepal pursuing a degree in philosophy and business administration with a concentration in finance. Roda Mohamed graduated from Marist in 2021 with a bachelor's of science in economics and finance and is an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs.

Amanda Benton '11 sits down with John Bartlett, the Director of Marist Fashion and two senior students - Zoe Diktas and Rachel Richards - about their time at Marist, the importance of internships, and their work with mPorium and the Silver Needle Runway. Zoe Diktas' 22 is a senior fashion design student with a double minor in business management and fashion merchandising. She currently has an internship with the intimates team at Victoria's Secret Pink and has previously interned for RBX Active, The Dots, AnitheLabel, and UNIQLO. Zoe will also have a collection showcased in the Spring 2022 Silver Needle Runway. Rachael Richards is a senior fashion merchandising student with a concentration in business and promotion, and a minor in Business Administration. She's currently a remote E-commerce intern with Modatrova, and has held previous internships with Luxury Optical Holdings and Caravan Stylist Studios. Rachael also recently accepted the position of buying director for Mporium.

Amy Woods '97 sits down with Jim Parady, head football coach, Scott Rumsey '91/'06M, defensive coordinator, Jake Dembow ‘09/'15M, offensive coordinator, and Mike Arrington, current starting linebacker to talk about the Marist Football program. The Red Foxes had a 5-5 overall record and went 5-3 in the Pioneer League this fall. In this episode they share season highlights, the lingering affects of COVID, balancing responsibilities as a student-athlete, and the importance of comradery.

The statistics are bleak: Almost 50% of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years in the classroom. Through eight in-depth case studies, Why Half of Teachers Leave the Classroom: Understanding Recruitment and Retention in Today's Schools clarifies the factors influencing teachers career paths, depicts the toll that teacher attrition takes on the teachers themselves, and argues for placing teacher voices at the center of their own career development. Dr. Carol Rinke is an associate professor of education, the assistant dean for the school of social and behavioral sciences, and interim associate dean for teacher education at Marist. She teaches courses in STEM methods, partnering with local schools and community organizations to develop authentic learning experiences, and maintains an active research agenda. Carol is also a founding member of the Creating an Inclusive Community dialogues on addressing race and racism in the college classroom.

  Jim DeFelice co-authored Whatever it Took: An American Paratrooper's Extraordinary Memoir of Escape, Survival, and Heroism in the Last Days of WWII with Henry Langrehr who survived D-Day and World War II. Now 97, Henry remembers parachuting into France, surviving heavy anti-aircraft fire, being captured by Nazis, living in a death camp for two weeks before rescue, and returning home. Jim helps Henry put his story on paper. Jim graduated from Marist in 1977 with a degree in English. He has now authored or co-authored over 50 books, including multiple New York Times Bestsellers such as American Sniper, Omar Bradley: General at War, West Like Lightning, American Wife, and Code Name: Johnny Walker. He's also the founder of Redacted Studios, develops scripts for video games, and serves as a consulting producer.    

Faith + Purpose = Legacy: 7 Steps to Strengthen Communities Through Entrepreneurship encourages parents, particularly fathers to strive to be the best they can be at leading their family or business venture, while showing strength, integrity and leadership skills, in order to strengthen our communities. The wealth gap, particularly the racial wealth gap, is growing and has important, negative implications for working people and families. How does the average American family tackle this problem? In his book, Jason shares everything he learned about commitment, service and accountability. It's a compelling book with a plethora of tips, tools and strategies for living a life of purposefulness. Jason is an entrepreneur, sales & marketing consulting, author and business trainer focused on assisting individuals with launching, growing and building a successful business. He graduated from Marist in 1983 with a degree in business marketing. He has six children and eleven grandchildren.    

The Fermented Man: A Year on the Front Lines of a Food Revolution follows Derek as he spends a year living off nothing but fermented foods while chronicling their history, cultural significance, and evolution. He goes beyond yogurt and sauerkraut to show us how fermentation occurs in a wide range of foods we might never have expected. From foraging for living bacteria in the modern American grocery store, to sampling mucous-y green Century Eggs in Chinatown, to an epic winter quest to Iceland for rotten shark meat, Derek investigates a realm of forgotten foods that is endlessly complex and surprisingly flavorful. Derek Dellinger is a writer, photographer, and brewery consultant. He’s been working at Plan Bee Farm Brewery in Poughkeepsie since 2018, and in his spare time is a blogger and an avid hiker. He graduated from Marist in 2007 with a Bachelor’s in English and is the author of America’s Best Day Hikes, 50 Hikes in the Catskills, 50 Hikes in the Upper Hudson Valley and The Fermented Man.

Chronicling businesses who sue clients for leaving negative reviews, activists using Yelp as a form of protest, students relying on Rate My Professor to select classes, and companies who have paid to have negative reviews scrubbed from the internet, Alison Novak '07 illustrates the complicated yet important role of third-party review sites and the impact they have on the global economy. The New Review Economy: Third-Party Review Sites, Reputation, and Neo-Liberal Public Relations in the Digital Age examines third-party review sites in order to understand how users and organizations use global reviews in the 21st Century. Alison Novak is an associate professor at Rowan University in the Edelman College of Communication and Creative Arts. She graduated from Marist in 2010 with a Bachelors in Communication and holds a Ph.D. in Communication, Culture and Media from Drexel University She specializes in public engagement with media, public policy, and politics. Alison is the author of Media, Millennials, and Politics, Network Neutrality and Digital Dialogic Communication, and The New Review Economy. Her work is featured in Wired Magazine, BBC Radio, and NBC News.

A Sound History: Lawrence Gellert, Black Musical Protest, and White Denial traces the rise and fall of Lawrence Gellert, a little-known left-wing independent music collector as it explores changing perceptions of African American musical resistance in the twentieth century. At a time of institutionalized suppression, he worked to introduce white audiences to a tradition of black musical protest that had been denied and overlooked by prior white collectors. Steve's book digs into Gellert’s life, his work collecting songs in the Jim Crow South, and the controversy surrounding both. Steven Garabedian is an associate professor of history and intern coordinator of history / public history / American studies for Marist. He holds a PhD in American Studies from the University of Minnesota and is a historian of the twentieth century of the United States with a specialization in race, music, and radicalism.

Pari Forood MPA'19 is the author of the true-life novel, The Gates of Light. While working as Press Secretary for Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr., Pari discovers her seventeen-year-old Iranian cousin has been drafted during the Iran/Iraq war. He must flee from Iran or face an almost certain death.Joining a cast of international characters that include Pakistani black-market passport dealers, members of Francois Mitterrand's inner political sanctum, influential committee members on Capitol Hill and INS agents here in the United States, Pari uses her ties in Washington to help extricate her young cousin whom she has not seen in 14 years. Pari Forood received her bachelor’s from Vassar in 1980 and her MPA in non-profit management from Marist in 2015. She started her professional career working in the US House of Representatives for Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr. of NY and has worked on multiple NY State Legislature and Congressional campaigns. Pari is currently the Executive Director of the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation, a position she’s held since its inception in 2004. In this role, She handles all administrative aspects of the foundation including fundraising, public relations and media, and review and research of grant applications. She is also a voice over talent for radio and television commercials and industry films and serves on various non-profit boards of directors in Connecticut and New York.

  Dana Jones '20 is the founder of Accessadoor, an organization dedicated to making handicap accessible doors accessible by all. The kit enables establishments to turn ordinary handicap accessible doors into a system that can be operated by a smartphone app. She chats with Amy Woods '97 about her experiences in becoming an entrepreneur and founder before graduating college - funding, creating a team, dealing with rejection, and the benefits of just going with the flow. Dana is a Hudson Valley native with and graduated from Marist in 2020 with a bachelors in Business Administration with a Concentration in Entrepreneurship. She transferred to Marist in 2018 after finishing her associate’s degree at Dutchess Community College.  

In 2016, Kyle Mikesh '16 and Cameron Schuh '15 set out on a 61-day 3,400 mile bike ride from Plymouth, Massachusetts to Ventura, California to raise money for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. They dedicated their journey to the memory of Michael Hamill, a longtime friend of both, who passed away after a long battle with the illness. Their trip raised $3,000 towards ALS research. Kyle graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s in business administration and was a member of the crew team. He currently works as a Category Leadership Associate for Daymon in Austin, Texas. Cameron graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s in English language and writing and was a member of both MCCTA and the crew team. He currently is a Retina Mobility Testing Associate for Ora Clinical in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 2011, Brooke hosted the first ever P.S. I Love You Day for suicide prevention and mental health awareness at her high school. The day takes place in honor of Brooke’s father, Joseph, who committed suicide when she was 14 years old, and the effort began as a way to promote kindness in small but meaningful ways. Her event, which takes place on the second Friday in February has since been picked up by more than 200 schools across the country. She joins Amanda Benton '11, assistant director of alumni relations to talk about starting P.S. I Love You, the success it's seen over the years, and the importance of focusing on mental health, especially amidst a global pandemic. Brooke graduated from Marist in 2018 with a bachelors in communication and a minor in political science where she was a polling assistant and head coach for the Marist Poll. Professionally, Brooke is an associate producer at Yahoo Finance.

April Wennerstrom '93 is the Director of Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit striving to End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. It is the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization. Helen Stahlin Corvelyn '00 is currently the STEM Coordinator at Hopewell Elementary School in New Jersey and Director of Gardens and Vertical Farming K-5. Helen has also participated in two Earth Expeditions (one in Mexico and one in Borneo) as part of her Masters in Teaching Conservation Biology. The two join Amy Woods '97 in a conversation about the importance of environmental conservation and the work they've done both here and abroad.

Paul Rinn '68 was commissioned in the United States Navy in October 1968 and over the next 30 years operated in every ocean in the world. Upon retiring from the Navy, he joined the International Consulting firm of Whitney Bradley and Brown. Currently, Paul is President of Rinn Speaks, where he has spoken to national and international audiences at universities and businesses in the public and private sectors. Spencer Hogan '20 just graduated with a double major in business administration and economics. While at Marist he was in the Honors Program, served as Student Body Vice President and President of the Business Club, worked with the Hudson River Valley Institute, and was a Resident Assistant in McCormick Hall on campus. Last spring, he served as a White House Intern in the Office of American Innovation. The two come together to discuss leadership.

Paul Rinn '68 is an accomplished naval leader and successful businessman who has always remained connected to and supportive of Marist College. He was commissioned in the United States Navy in October 1968 and over the next 30 years operated in every ocean in the world. In 1998, Paul Rinn retired from the United States Navy and joined the International Consulting firm of Whitney Bradley and Brown. Currently, Paul is President of Rinn Speaks, where he has spoken to national and international audiences at universities and businesses in the public and private sectors. He traveled up from Virginia to share stories from his varied career.

Jimmy Fedigan '87 is a Stage Hand and Production Electrician at Local One IATSE. In this role, he oversees all lights, video and special effects during a show from the traditional spotlight to special lighting effects to house lights. He has worked on over 100 Broadway shows in his career.Jim Joseph '91 is a Broadway Theatre Manager and nonprofit arts leader. Since graduating, he has worked in many different areas of the performing arts, on and off Broadway, including development, education, marketing, box office, and most notably “front of house” and theatre operations. The two Marist graduates talk about their days in MCCTA, playing football, the changing world of theatre, and how they got their start in the industry.

  Our three guests discuss their roles at MIPO, their recent trip to the New Hampshire primaries, and the opportunities the program is able to provide students.Lee Miringoff is the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion and an Assistant Professor of Political Science. He is a frequent commentator on politics and elections and is often quoted in print and digital media. Lee has appeared regularly on television and radio as an expert on public opinion, politics, and polling.   Barbara L. Carvalho is the director of the Marist College Poll. She has written numerous articles on elections, politics, and public policy issues and frequently comments on current events for print and electronic media. Megan Landgraf is a senior majoring in political science and minoring in environmental science, and is a Newsfeed Media and Data Assistant at the Marist Poll. She is also involved with the National Society of Leadership and Success and Pi Sigma Alpha, the political honor society.  

Santos Lopez '16 joins us for a podcast recorded and produced from the Orange County Choppers Headquarters in Newburgh, NY. Santos is currently the VP of Marketing for the Orange County Choppers, as well as the founder of Santos M. Lopez Marketing and PR where he does freelance work in a number of industries. After high school, Santos spent 6 years in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman Second Class. Prior to accepting this current position in 2018, Santos held a number of positions in Marketing, including work at the National Collegiate Paintball Association, Toys for Tots, Sitour USA, and Stadri Emblems. He graduated from Marist with a B.S. in Global Professional Programs, and he remains involved with the Marist Veterans Association and the Marist Asian Alliance. He joined us to talk about his varied career path, best memories from the set of Orange County Choppers, and the importance of always reaching out and helping your fellow alumni.  

Roberto Hull and Brooke Anthony from the class of 2010 and Julianne Homola from the class of 2011 join us for a special conversation about owning a business in the Hudson Valley. Roberto is the owner of Darkside Records in Poughkeepsie, NY. Darkside is the Hudson Valley’s largest independent record store, specializing in new and used vinyl LPs, CDs, movies, pop culture knick-knacks, and more. Roberto graduated from Marist College in 2010 with a bachelors of science degree in criminal justice and is also a photographer with more than ten years of experience. Julianne is the owner of J&J's Gourmet, a cafe and catering business that prides itself on producing high quality food prepared with a focus on art and plating. Julianne graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration and marketing in 2011 and upon graduation had the pleasure of working for the Marist branch campus in Florence for several years. Over the past year she has been developing her second business – a brand management and operational efficiency training program offered to small businesses. Brooke is the Owner of Chloe+Lois, a Hudson Valley jewelry brand that promotes positivity and uplifts women to feel beautiful, empowered, and limitless. The company sells both online and at more than 25 retailers. Brooke founded Chloe+Lois in August 2018 while working as a Merchandising Manager, but this past summer was able to turn her business into a full-time career. Brooke graduated from Marist is 2010 with a bachelor’s in communication.

In April 2019, Tommy Zurhellen set out on 2,860-mile cross-country trek from Portland, Oregon, to Poughkeepsie, NY, to raise awareness of the issues of veteran suicide and homelessness and to raise funds for organizations assisting local veterans. After four and a half months of walking, he returned to campus on August 23. He joined Amy Woods '97 to speak about his trek, the organizations he's supporting, and how life has changed as a result of his adventure. Tommy is an associate Professor of English at Marist, author of the award-winning Messiah Trilogy of novels, and co-host of the popular writing podcast, FICTION SCHOOL. A United States Navy Veteran, Tommy served as a nuclear electrician from 1991 to 1997 in the Persian Gulf.  

This episode features the head coaches of men’s and women’s basketball, John Dunne and Brian Giorgis. John Dunne was hired by the Red Foxes last year. In his first season, Dunne led the Red Foxes to their highest win total in five years. Brian Giorgis is entering his 18th season as head coach. He is the Red Foxes’ all-time leader in wins.Guest host: Geoff Brault '08, the play-by-play broadcaster for Marist Football and Basketball.

In recent years, Marist has had tremendous success with the Fulbright program, with 26 students and recent alumni receiving the fellowship in the last 15 years. Genesis Abreu '15 and Kerianne Baylor '14 speak about their experiences leading up to, during, and after Fulbright in this episode of Marist Connections. Kerianne graduated with a dual degree in Spanish and Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. She went on to teach English in South America, spending time teaching in Barranquilla, Colombia before receiving a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Maceió, Brazil. Genesis Abreu is a queer woman of color with Mayan indigenous roots and Salvadoran and Dominican ancestry. In 2015 - 2016, Genesis completed a Fulbright Research Grant to Cusco, Peru. This episode was recorded remotely; you may hear a difference in sound quality.

In this episode we learn about the Honors program and the Senior Thesis Projects. Our episode opens with a conversation with Dr. James Snyder, associate professor of philosophy and director of the Honors Program, and Dr. Mary Stone, assistant professor of psychology and assistant director of the Honors Program.Our next guests are all current Marist students who have completed or who are currently working on their Honors Thesis project. We have Tadd Bindas ’19, a Computer Science and Math major from New Jersey, Emma Stark ‘20, an Education Major from New York, and Lauren Vecchio ’19 a Marketing major with a minor in fashion merchandising and psychology, also from New York.  

Ian O'Connor '86, a sports columnist for ESPN, is joined by Jane McManus, Marist's new director of the Center for Sports Communication, to talk about his most recent book, Belichick, and his distinguished career as a journalist and writer. Ian graduated from Marist with a degree in Communication and wrote for the New York Daily News, USA Today, The Journal News, The Record and Foxsports.com before accepting his position at ESPN.

A graduate of the Class of 1986, Alvin is a senior producer at CBS News. He produces stories with special correspondent James Brown across all network shows and platforms. In this episode he is interviewed by Amy Woods '97, executive director of Alumni Relations, and junior sports communication major Will Bjarner.

Judy Annunziata ’96, the owner of four Edible Arrangements and Deanna Bellacicco Breault ’92, the founder and owner of Bella's Home Baked Goods answer questions about entrepreneurship, leadership, and chasing dreams.

Kirstyn Watson, a senior criminal justice major, interviews Jerome Pickett, the Executive Vice President & Chief Security Officer for the NBA

An Interview with Jerome Pickett, Executive Vice President & Chief Security Officer for the NBA