Around Campus
Spring Semester 2023
Marist Shelter Meal
Serving our country and community: Marist English Professor Tommy Zurhellen debuted a new community service project called Marist Shelter Meal. Zurhellen worked with Hudson River Housing (HRH) to provide food at the Dutchess County homeless shelter. A team of over 40 Marist faculty and staff members prepared their favorite homemade meals for those in need.
Continuous growth: Over 150 people were served at the March 30 Marist Shelter Meal Event, and Zurhellen and the Marist community plan to hold another event on April 30. Zurhellen hopes to provide one Marist Shelter Meal each month with a new theme. March’s theme was Italian food while April will focus on Mexican cuisine.
One step at a time: In 2019, Zurhellen walked 2,866 miles across the U.S. to raise awareness for homelessness and suicide among veterans. After being the commander of the local VFW Post in Poughkeepsie and starting a nonprofit organization called VetZero, Zurhellen continues advocating for issues like homelessness and supporting our veterans.
Calling all faculty & staff: If you want to participate in future Marist Shelter Meals contact Tommy Zurhellen.
Mid-Hudson Regional Business Plan Competition
Getting down to business: This year marked the 11th annual Mid-Hudson Regional Business Plan Competition (MHRBPC) hosted by Marist’s School of Computer Science and Mathematics. The competition allowed over 140 students from Marist, Bard, Vassar, Iona, West Point, SUNY Ulster, and SUNY New Paltz, to pitch their business plans to industry experts from the community, gain valuable feedback, and compete for cash prizes and the chance to advance to the New York Business Plan Competition finals.
Winner! Winner! The top winning teams were awarded $500 with the support of Marist College and community sponsors. Historically, many past winners have gone on to create businesses from the ideas they pitched, such as Dana Jones ‘20 who is now the CEO of Accessadoor LLC.
Why it matters: The MHRBPC encourages students to think like entrepreneurs, transform their ideas into new business ventures, and network with community mentor judges. Lead organizer of MHRBPC Cynthia Worrad, Assistant Dean of the School of Computer Science and Mathematics stated, “The connections and relationships from the MHRBPC have proven very beneficial to students planning to continue their entrepreneurial journey and launch their business ventures.”
Internship Showcase
Peer-to-peer learning: The Center for Career Services hosted the College’s first Internship Showcase where students could learn and network with their experienced peers who have completed internships or are currently interning.
Leading by example: The showcase presented students from all majors and schools of study, discussing their internship experiences and how they impacted them personally and professionally. With representation from 14 different companies like Louis Vuitton, NBCUniversal, Amazon, and Microsoft, students were able to learn about how to land an internship and what it is like to work for such well-known companies.
Making connections: Students were able to network with their peers, get the inside scoop about interning in specific industries, and hear about what qualities companies are looking for from a student's perspective. Students also had the option to spruce up their LinkedIn profile by having a professional headshot taken.
Out in the Marist World
Speaking OUT: The LGBTQ+ subcommittee of the Diversity Council at Marist invited the Marist community to a panel featuring queer and transgender students, faculty, and staff to speak out about their experiences at Marist. The panel was moderated by Marist College Fashion Program Director John Bartlett, who asked the panel speakers about what it was like to come out to the Marist world and beyond.
An open discussion: The goal of this event was to discuss how Marist is supporting the LGBTQ+ community. The panel talked about topics like initial concerns about being accepted and increasing supportive improvements from the College, such as gender-inclusive housing.
Raising awareness: The panel also discussed the importance of allyship and necessary support outside of the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it’s making an effort to discuss and recognize pronouns, taking the time to listen, or getting involved in inclusion efforts, allies play a significant role in making Marist a more accepting and safe space for everyone.
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