2018 Annual Scholarship Benefit Raises Over $1 Million

2018 Annual Scholarship Benefit

Board Chair Mike Materasso welcomes guests

The 2018 Annual Scholarship Benefit raised over $1 million in support of need-based student scholarships!

On Thursday, April 19, 2018, trustees, faculty, alumni, parents, and friends of the College gathered at Jazz at Lincoln Center to support student scholarships as well as honor the Academic Access Program and its director, Diana Nash ’89.

For more than two decades, the Academic Access Program has fostered success in college and beyond for students with learning differences. The Program was established in 1996, and has grown to provide crucial assistance to students, including weekly meetings with Learning Specialists, personalized academic coaching, and a robust support network of faculty, staff, and family members—and has helped generations of MMC students flourish.

Diana Nash, Director of Academic Access, began working with MMC students in the 1980s while earning a BA in Psychology at MMC. She then went on to earn an MA and an Advanced Certificate in Counseling Psychology at NYU Steinhardt. In 1992, Diana officially joined the MMC staff as Director of Academic Advisement, and served as Director of Career Development and Internships before being appointed Director of Academic Access in 2009.

During the award presentation, Diana Nash spoke passionately about Academic Access students’ experiences in school throughout the years: “They had been told, ‘We will try to help you get through high school, but don’t even think about college.’ But they had courage to think about college, and they came to Marymount Manhattan—to the Academic Access Program—and worked hard. When they walk across the stage at graduation they have the biggest smile on their faces and my eyes fill with tears of joy and pride.”

Between presentations and awards, guests enjoyed performances by talented alumni Michael Balin ’16, Antoinette Henry ’10, Chris Pinnella ’07, and Jenna Ushkowitz ’07, and current students Olivia Mattsey ’18 and Matthew Mucha ’18.

Thank you to those who supported this important event and the educational dreams of the next generation of Marymount Manhattan College students!

Published: April 20, 2018

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The Power of Prison Education: MMC Marks Anniversary at Bedford Hills, Celebrates Program Alums

Though MMC has been the sole degree-granting institution for the college program at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills, New York, since 1997, this year holds special meaning for the relationship: September marks the 20th anniversary of when the program was officially deemed an extension campus of MMC. We’ll be celebrating and sharing the stories of Bedford Hills students and alums, like Monica Szlekovics ’09, all year long.