JEAN TALBOT

Marist College
Poughkeepsie, NY
Transcribed by Melissa Fletcher
For the Marist College Archives and Special Collections









































Transcript – Jean Talbot

Interviewee:
Jean Talbot
Interviewer:
Gus Nolan
Interview Date:
19 June 2008
Location:
Marist Archives and Special Collections Reading Room
Subject Headings:

Talbot, Jean
Marist College- History
Marist College (Poughkeepsie, NY)
Marist College Staff
Summary:
Jean Talbot reflects on her childhood in the Bronx, her schooling, and what led her to work in the president’s office here
at Marist College.
































Gus Nolen:
Well good morning Jean, let me just record where we are, today is June 19
th
and we're in the Marist College James
Cannavino library. And were having an interview with Jean Talbot, who is at the present time is working with President Murry in the
president’s office. Good morning Jean.
00:31
Jean Talbot:
Good morning Gus nice to be here with you.
00:33
GN:
Thank you. As you know we're making a recording here for our archives. I think you are the fifty first or fifty second
person to be included in this rather extensive and I would say significant list starting with people like brother Paul Ambrose and Tony
Campion and we will get Dr. Murray eventually bet he’s not here long enough. So as I showed you in my original outline I have kind
of put this into three categories. Life before marriage, work at Marist, and then what do you think about the future of Marist in the
years to come. Let’s start at the beginning. Where were you born and you know, what state and town. No dates here required.
01:23
JT:
I was born in the Bronx, New York. The youngest of five children and I went to St. Frances De Chantal and St. Catherine’s
Academy and I went on to two years of college work at pre-Counsel College in White Plains. I did not get a degree. What I plan to do
now that I'm going to retire is to come to Marist and hopefully to complete my degree. So while at St. Catherine’s let me see I was a
member of sodality. I was a member of the band, we marched in the St. Patrick day parade every year.
02:00
GN:
What did you do in the band?
02:02
JT:
I was a drummer. I played the drums.
02:03
GN:
Oh. Alright, you’re a drummer. Did you sing in the choir-
02:10
JT:
I did. I sang in the choir in grammar school and in high school.
02:16
GN:
Did you participate in a school plays or any-
02:20
JT:
No, I was not, I was a big sports fan so I would go to all the sports events. I didn't, I was not an athlete myself but...
02:31
GN:
Living in the Bronx you went to the Yankee Stadium? Or you went to-
02:33
JT:
Oh yes, Yankee stadium. I went to the polo grounds before while there was a polo grounds. In fact, I was just telling
someone here recently that I was there when a pope, I'm almost certain it was that it was a pope, that came to the polo grounds but
then I believe it was Father Lamort told me it was some kind of special rosary jubilee or something so it's probably wasn’t a pope.
02:59
GN:
Right but there was a living rosary I went there-
03:02
JT:
I remember being there as a young child probably like seven, six or seven years old.
03:09
GN:
I was a little older but I was not one of the Hail Mary’s or anything I was up in the stands with the other fifty thousand
people.
03:14
JT:
I was in the stand as well so yeah my family were big, actually they were big giants fans more so then the Yankees. But my
husband is a big Yankee fan so I have been brought over to that.
03:28
GN:
You've seen the light. That's good.
03:30
JT:
Yes I’ve seen the light never really been a Mets fan the only good memories I have of shay stadium is when I saw the
Beatles in concert there in 1965 and 1966. And I wear that as a badge of honor.
03:45
GN:
And rightly so, the Beatles.
03:50
JT:
So let's see what else.
03:51
GN:
Well let me put it this to you this way then, through your school years, and you had these various occupations of a sports
interest, did you have any work opportunities? Did you do any work-
04:05
JT:
I worked in-
04:07
GN:
A bakery or anything.
04:08
JT:
No, I am sort of spoiled brat. Being the youngest of five in the family. There was a big gap there’s twenty years between me
and my oldest brother, then seventeen between me and my sister. Fifteen years the next brother exactly to the day we born on the same


birthday fifteen years apart. And then eight years between me and my brother Jim who's a priest in the archdiocese. I was the
youngest. I didn't work during the school year. And I baby sat for my nieces and nephews which were a great number of them.
04:44
GN:
Small unlimited income but you managed with that.
04:47
JT:
Yes. Right. Then the summer after I graduated high school, I worked as a day camp counselor at St. Peter’s and Paul day
camp in Mount Vernon where I met my future husband, who I did not like. He was a junior at Manhattan college at the time and I was
about to enter the Counsel College, where I was a history major.
05:12
GN:
And then in your two years at good counsel you just are a good student you’re not involved in any-
05:22
JT:
No I was a terrible student. I was terrible student and it all came back to me very clearly a few weeks ago when I received
my transcript in the mail and I realize why it took me twenty five years to step back into the thought of being a student. I was not a
very good student however after the two years I did end up on a good note and I was on the dean’s list as I left Good Counsel. I was
too busy having fun.
05:52
GN:
How do you go from after Good Counsel than, do you marry right away or is there a work period, did you ever have a job?
06:00 JT: Yes I did, I have had jobs. I left good counsel in May of 1967.
06:07
GN:
At your initiative you were not asked to leave.
06:09
JT:
No no, my initiative I was on good academic standing at that point. But I was also engaged to be married and we were
getting married the following February of 1970. So, actually it was May of ‘69 and I left good counsel and I went to work for pepsi co
which was.
06:26
GN:
White Plains?
06:28
JT:
White Plains. They were in an interim location between their headquarters on 59
th
Street Park Avenue, New York City and
there being built headquarters in Purchase, New York. So they had a couple of floors in an office building on North Broadway in
White Plains and I did data processing in that office and I liked that job, it was a good job. I didn't keep it after I got married because
White Plains … we were living in the Bronx and White Plains to the Bronx unless you have a car, it’s not an easy commute, so I left
that job. But luckily I was able to get a job at Manhattan College soon after I married where my husband had graduated from college
the previous year and I worked in the alumni relations office at Manhattan College for two years until my daughter was born.
07:18
GN:
That's rather unique that you were able to get into the alumni office. I guess the connection would have been through your
husband.
07:27
JT:
Well. He learned of the opening though someone else in his parish he was very active in his parish of St Gabriel’s.
07:37
GN:
Where's your brother assigned.
07:39
JT:
My brother is currently assigned to St. Colman’s in Kingston in east Kingston.
07:45
GN:
Moving on a little bit here. When did you hear of Marist and what was the genesis of your coming to work here?
07:54
JT:
Actually a friend of my husband’s went to Marist and graduated in 1972 I believe oh no 1970. He lived Riverdale he grew
up with my Husband in Riverdale in the Bronx and that’s how I first heard of Marist, however that's not true let me back track.
Brother John Nash's mother and my mother were very good friends in the Bronx in the area I came from and so I did hear of Marist
long before I heard of it through my husband’s friend. In fact, my mother used to come up and visit him in I believe in Esopus and
there was another friend of my mother whose son was a Marist brother, Dorothy Denelly and I can’t remember her sons name but I
know he was a Marist brother. And so my mother was very active in St. Frances De Chantal where I grew and so she just knew a lot of
people.
08:51
GN:
It sounded like your husband is kind of the employment finder for you he gets you places to apply.
08:59
JT:
No I didn't apply, actually ironically enough when we first moved up here from the Bronx which was in 1979 I wasn't
working, I had three children at the time, I was a stay at home mom and having lived in an apartment, even though I grew up in a


house, having lived in apartment for the previous 9 years since I was married because my husband had always lived in apartment back
around the corner from his parents we hadn't budgeted for taxes. We totally like missed that we had to mortgage our first home ever,
in a mortgage. And we totally forgot we needed to pay taxes in September. So I went back to work part time at the mall and at the
mall-
09:42
GN:
Which mall now is this?
09:43
JT:
The South Hills Mall I worked at Hollands department store and in that mall was a Marist student that I worked with in my
department in the men’s department named Kelly Donnelly who was also from Throggs Neck where I was from, so there was a lot of
different connections there, and I said to her at the end of the Christmas rush, you know my first year there, I said do ever hear of jobs
at Marist I said, I’ve got to get out of this, this is killing me standing on my feet all day long with three kids at home all day long
before I would get to work in the evening so she says well I will let you know if I hear anything. And then she did, she told me about a
part time job in the learning center at Marist and that's how I heard about the job, and the way I got the job is also very interesting. I
came and interviewed for Eleanor Conklin who was the director of the learning center at the times it was for a part time job. Am I
getting a head of myself here did you want to ask something.
10:38
GN:
No. I'm gunna comment later.
10:41
JT:
Well, Eleanor interviewed me and in that interview also was Barbara Carpenter and Maryann Toscano and coincidentally
Maryann Tiscanow had gone to St. Catherine’s academy in the Bronx where I had gone to school. So she was four years ahead of me
in School. So we never knew each other as students. But of course we had an instant connection because we were both from the Bronx
and I believe that was probably why I got the job because MaryAnn probably felt kinship to me.
11:14
GN:
What I was going to comment on is that you found working in the store too difficult and you wanted an easier job so you
applied to Marist. That’s sound like a strange way to put it, but you took, you said a lot there I am glad you’re having this interview
with me because I had an entirely different perception. I just thought you waltzes in here from some big the executive position at
I.B.M. that Jack Kelley interviewed you and he said OK I'll take you on.
11:46
JT:
No, I didn't even meet Jack Kelley until I was here in 3-’87, four years.
11:54
GN:
So let's go back a little you start in the learning center in-
11:56
JT:
I started here in February of 1983. It was a part time job and summers off. So I had summer off and I came back in
September.
12:06
GN:
Where was the Learning Center physically-
12:08
JT:
The learning center was physically located in the old library in the lower level. And I distinctly remember, there was
parking right outside the door and actually it was a sliding glass door that viewed the parking lot where gray stone and the library
were, and there was like a circular lot there-
12:31
GN:
And the president’s office was just across the lot
12:32
JT:
Yes the president’s office was right, as your looking out the window the president's office was to the right And I distinctly
remember Mr. Gartland coming to see president Murray one time and almost driving through the window and almost hitting me. But
luckily the stanchion that was there stopped his Cadillac from coming through the sliding glass doors so I survived that. So I worked
there for two years, and then my children were in school and I saw enough an opportunity in the athletic department for a full time job.
My daughter at that time I guess was approaching lord’s age and I figured it was a good time to get a full time job so I would be able
to take advantage of the tuition benefit when the time came. So, actually I’m sorry Coleen was already in lords at that time. She
graduated lords in ’90 and this was ’80-.
13:26
GN:
So the move is from the Learning Center then to athletics and what did you do, were you a secretary.
13:33
JT:
I was secretary to the basketball coach and the sports information director. So I was lucky in the sense that the basketball


coach took the team to the N.C.A.A. Torment in 1980.
13:46
GN:
With Rick Smith’s with my student who went out so well.
13:50
JT:
Yes he did well so Matt Furjanic was the basketball coach at the time. So I worked for him from December of 1985 through
the following year the whole basketball season then and the next year and then he was fired. But I managed to go to the N.C.A.A.
Tournament with those teams those two years. So we saw the N.C.A.A.'s in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at LSU where the women's team
just played this past season which I also got to cause I was on vacation, my husband and I, and so we followed the team, we went there
and the following year the men played in Tucson. In ’86 ’87 season and they played.
14:45
GN:
The first year they played Georgia Tech and nearly beat them.
14:47
JT:
They played Georgia Tech at LSU and I specifically remember the tiger outside of LSU as their mascot and it’s still there
although now it has a whole habitat whereas then in 1986 it had a cage. And the following year they played in Tucson and they played
the University of Pittsburg and so we were luckily enough to go to that also and that was when Dave Gary was the head coach. So I
was really only Matt Furjanic’s secretary for a few short months from December till March, and then Dave came in April and I
worked for Dave until I left in October of ’87 to go to the school of management.
15:28
GN:
One of my big lies is that most of my students, well the average student makes over a hundred thousand dollars because of
Rick Smith. All the boats go up because of his salary, because the other half is- the other half of my students are unemployed. They
aren't peak students so you can do a lot with statistics if you want. Tell me something that nobody really knows, what kind of work
experience is it to work for an athletic coach. Do you spend your time writing letters? Are you a receptionist? Are you a secretary? Are
you an executive assistant?
16:08
JT:
You’re basically a secretary. And actually Matt Furjanic was pretty much on the road a lot, recruiting. So I didn't really
work too much with him, I worked more for the sports information director and at that time it was really before computers became so
prevalent. So we typed up all the statistics for all the games. During the games, I would sit at the table, the Press table and he would
dictate the flow of the game to me sort of a play by play. So I would type the play by play of the game as we went along. Now it’s all
computerized and they have a whole staff of students and people. In fact, my husband is the official scorer and he keeps track of the
score in the actual official N.C.A.A. book and he's been doing that since I actually left that office.
16:59
GN:
As the secretary to the coach, do you take care of the details of his travel. [Yes]You have to make the bookings, the airlines
and hotels and all of that.
17:07
JT:
Yep I did and I also had to reconcile his expense reports all that when he came back from traveling, sent out a lot of
recruiting letters to students you know high school players.
17:18
GN:
Did you work alone or is there an assistant that you had in that job.
17:22
JT:
There was the head coach and assistant coaches and they all gave me things.
17:25
GN:
No
s
ecretarily.
17:26
JT:
No I was alone.
17:27
GN:
You had to carry the boat by yourself.
17:30
JT:
And then. Now I know the secretary works for both the men’s and the women’s, at the time I only works for the men’s. I
didn't work for the women coach they were pretty much on their own.
17:42
GN:
And they were not as big a show in town in those days either. Right.
17:47
JT:
But Bob Mores was the sports information and I really learned a lot from him. He was a journalism major from Dukane and
He was excellent she taught me a lot about grammar I mean coming from Catholic school I had a good basis in grammar and spelling
and all that. I was always a good speller, in fact I went to the Bronx’s championships [Spelling Bee]. Selling is my strong suit
probably not as much as it used to be with spell check.


18:13
GN:
How do you move along then continuing from the athletic department.
18:17
JT:
Last fall, I saw an opening for a higher level job in a school. Well at that time it was the division of management study’s so
it was going to be higher level of pay.
18:29
GN:
Ok, back off a little, later in the program here or earlier I asked you about the levels, like there’s a receptionist, there is a
secretary, executive assistant and so on. What does Marist have class one, class two, class three?
18:43
JT:
Well actually, at this point, I am considered an exempt secretary, which is basically an administrative position were not in
the union we don't pay union dues we basically get the same benefits as the administrative staff as far as.
19:01
GN:
From the athletic situation on or when you moved over to.
19:05
JT:
No I didn't become exempt until I moved into the president’s office, up until that time I was a C.W.A. Member which is
another interesting story, because Marist became a union shop if you will, I think in 1984 and with a lot of grief on campus and it was
not a popular move. And even secretaries were not happy about it, I mean we really didn't want to go that route, but I think because we
hadn't had a contract or a raise in a couple years, I think they felt that this was their only option to, you know, to get some what they
want to move that way. We had to picket, we did some informational picketing on route nine and I will never forget, I am out there
picketing with my little sign and my sister and brother in-law were visiting from Florida and they drove by with my mother in the
backseat. And they saw me, and their first scene of me at Marist was on a picket line and my father was not a union lover so he would
have been very distressed to see me on a union line. He didn't like unions at all, he thought they were ruining the country.
20:26
GN:
All right now an opening develops in… the school of management.
20:29
JT:
School of management well at that time it was the division management studies it was before Marist went to the school
format.
20:35
GN:
Ok and when you applied to there where did you think you be working, maybe clarify for me the different roles. Where
does Jack Kelly fit in and Ted Printing and the various.
20:49
JT:
Ok, Jack Kelly was the chair of the division management studies at the time so he was the boss and then Ted Prenting was
the NBA director and so I worked closely with both of them And I was also the faculty secretary so faculty would also give me tests
to-
21:06
GN:
For the business department? [Yes, yes] that would team monumental.
21:09
JT:
It was a big job. But we also had an evening Secretary so whatever I couldn't finish during the day, the evening secretary
would come in at night and she would help and do a lot of the work for the evening faculty.
21:23
GN:
Tell me about how you interviewed for that, who was it Jack Kelly.
21:30
JT:
Jack and Ted both interviewed me.
21:33
GN:
But you knew the ropes here because you had been on campus for a good number of years.
21:36
JT:
I knew of them but I didn’t know them personally at the time so. So that was basically meeting them pretty fresh. And I
believe it was Doc Goldman that told Jack that I was a good worker, he knew me from McCann even though I didn’t work for him at
McCann he I think gave me a good recommendation. And I hadn’t put him down as a reference so I probably had Barbara Carpenter
as a reference and I don’t know who else at the time.
22:04
GN:
Yeah.

Howie Golman is a good scout. I appreciate his work and what he's done here. OK So we've gone through life
before Marist then the beginning of Marist, and now the school of management. How would you distinguish your role now in the
school of management? What's the role of the secretary there.
22:28
JT:
When I took it. When I was there.
22:31
GN:
Who did you replace.
22:32
JT:
I replaced Sid Wardoff I believe who had moved to physical plant at the time.


22:39
GN:
She worked for Jack.
22:40
JT:
She worked Jack for many years.
22:42
GN:
Were you in the Donnelly building.
22:43
JT:
I was in Donnelly yes we were still we were still in Donnelly that was October of ’87 when I went in that office. And we
moved into Dyson in September over summer just before September of ’90 when the building opened the Dyson Center opened we
were one of the first tenants in there.
23:02
GN:
Well the physical locale of the business office in Donnelly was not attractive.
23:08
JT:
No it wasn't but it was convenient registrar’s offices right across the way. So it was very content for that and copy center
down the hall.
23:17
GN:
And the role then of a secretary for Jack was to do.
23:23
JT:
I distinctly remember him telling me that his expectation was that I was going to be a fount of information. He never had
any complaints so I guess I was I don't.
23:36
GN:
What you mean by that you had to tell.
23:38
JT:
He want me to be able to answer everybody's questions that had any questions at all about the school of management handle
student question student’s complaints you know direct them to him he was open to see all students at any time. But I was to keep his
calendar which was a new thing I hadn't really ever kept anybody calendar before I could schedule appointments for him. OK. You
know he taught economics at the time and I would type up his test and that was the only economics education ever got was typing up
his test And I would type up teds human resources you know human resources. Personal Management test and quizzes.
24:21
GN:
At this time. When Ted's on campus is he also responsible for off campus. Consultation. Does something do with business
with Albany all that kind of.
24:32
JT:
Yeah he was doing his negotiating.
24:36
GN:
Contracts and union
24:37
JT:
I didn't have anything to do with it. The one thing that I did do for ted He was a local president of the IRRA which I
believe. Stands for industrial Relations Research Association. It was a professional organization. People Dutchess ulster and Orange
county probably And he would held Meetings on campus. So I would send out newsletters for him I did that work for him newsletters
and invitations to venues dinner meetings that they would have.
25:12
GN:
OK now while you're working then in this office. Do you have other responsibilities? Do interns come in work for you
assistant secretary.
25:22
JT:
Yeah we had student workers that worked and some of them graded exams for like they weren't business major that was
pretty much a rule Jack did not want any student workers that were business majors working in the office so there be no conflict. And
but I do remember student workers grading and quizzes and that sort of thing and we had grad assistants also for the NBA faculty to
help them out ted in particular.
25:55
GN:
Ok were you there for the growth of the department in terms of those levels I mean the graduate program only came in
Well were you there for the beginning of that.
26:05
JT:
No, I wasn't there first the beginning of it but my upstanding is it started fairly early on like 1971 the NBA started.
26:14
GN:
I wouldn't think so no the night school started there and the spechall office of that But it's only.
26:23
JT:
Have you interviewed Ted yet.
26:25
GN:
Yes I have and I don't recall even asking that question. But I will go by Dan Kurtzer who was the first to get a master’s
program. And that would be ‘78 yeah.
26:36
JT:
Ok well I didn't know him.


26:39
GN:
You didn't know Dan kerk.
26:41
JT:
No I didn't move to this area until 1979 so I didn't start working at Marist till ’83.
26:47
GN:
OK we’re going to need it for him so I didn't know in the eye.
26:50
GN:
He was very sick slashy OK.
26:52
JT:
I did know. George colgra Because Grage calgra while he was a faculty member at economics had also been taped to
supervise the learning center. And so I leaving the learning center about the time he was coming in to supervise them. That area and.
So when I got to management two years after that he was full time faculty member management in ceconment and I stared in October
and he passed way in December.
27:27
GN:
Did you know Jack Griffen.
27:29
JT:
Oh John Griffin absolutely he was terrific loved him.
27:32
GN:
Just those two fellows we last in that very short time. Talking about the changes that have developed you in a position now
being here twenty five years and you see some dramatic changes I suppose over time. What would you say are the more significant in
your mind view looking back. But maybe the start piecemill. How about the students did you have much difficulty. Or would you say
there’s changes in the students’ attitudes. Their way that they behaved or.
28:14
JT:
Well you have under when I first came here I believe that the drinking age at the time was eighteen years old. It eventually
got bumped up to twenty one so I have a very vivid recollection of my first year here in river day was pretty much a wild and crazy
scene and I thought of pretty amusing myself and. You know obviously it was unsanctioned at the time so as I learned about what
happens at river day you know wake in the middle of the night and start prancing around drinking walking around campus and ripping
up trees that’s kind of amusing to me I know you know now Looking back it wasn't so funny.
28:55
GN:
That has certainly washed out.
28:56
JT:
That has changed that has become a sanctioned events its totally controlled and which is a good thing cause people were
getting hurt its a much better situation today.
29:08
GN:
Well that's a dramatic start I didn't we were going to start there.
29:11
JT:
That was my first, one of my first memories. Obviously the technology takeovers we stated with typewriters and the only
typing experience I had which is kind of interesting to be a secretary actually. I was secretary but when I was a Manhattan college my
title was clerk typist. And the only typing I ever had was a course in high school business course I was not a business student in high
school I was on the academic the language track take French for four years I took Latin for two years so it was more in that we had
three different general Curriculum, language curriculum, science curriculum and business curriculum at St. Catherine’s I went to
language.
30:07
GN:
I understand that St. Hellen made the girls take typing to so at lest they could get a job.
30:10
JT:
Oh St. Hellen was the big business so yeah in equines.
30:16
GN:
Well talking about the changes but you come in here as a. You had a computer background didn't you have ranking what
did you tell you did at Pepsi co.
30:30
JT:
Oh Pepsi co yes I did have a data processing background but we use to I use to have to.
30:34
GN:
Were they cards.
30:36
JT:
Cards, punch cards then we use to reconcile with the various plant I guess receipts at the end of a week. We had the long
island city plant we had the Newburg plant I forget were the others were but I think we had three or four so that was interesting. It was
good when it worked out because I was never a math student so the fact that I was actually doing some kind of math.
31:01
GN:
Did you fight that move or were you gunho to get onto the computer and to learn to take the programs and do those things.
31:10
JT:
No I welcome it. I saw where it was going to make you know things a lot easier especially for someone like myself who


wasn't the best typist it was Certainly helpful so then you know you wonder how did we ever get along without them.
31:27
GN:
Now. Did you take were there courses on campus courses for you
31:31
JT:
Yes the had training courses for us here I actually started using a computer down in McCann when I was in the basketball
office and in fact when we went to the NCAA Tournament we took a portable computer with us to update the stats and it was out a
enormous and weighed a ton was you know a waste of time to drag that around the country we did do it. So I started with computers
down there just before I came up to the school of management. And then I think that they were already in place there and of we use
the program Q & A which was a precursor to word perfect before Microsoft office and Microsoft word, so I managed to skip learning
word perfect somehow ever I manage to skip it learning word perfect somehow or other never had to do that had to do that which was
good cause I don't like it. And so I went from Q & A to word. But the other you know remarkable transition of Marist is just the actual
physical plant itself. I do recall my children came into little people’s day camp when they were young and you know we use to pick
them up at the parking lot behind the library which is now the green which is beautiful so that’s a big change.
32:50
GN:
And even that whole section down there the high rise the midrise and the campus center.
32:59
JT:
That all got build while I was here.
33:00
GN:
While you were here ok and how about the library. Did you-
33:05
JT:
The library was the old library.
33:09
GN:
So you saw them try to take it down it took them an extra month or two to take it down because we built it seriously we
built it-
33:16
JT:
Yes, I know you brothers built it with a lot of blood sweat and tears I do remember Adrian prorow as the librarian. But I
didn't have much dealing with him but I just remember seeing him in a library. Cause I had to go through the Library around the
circulation desk to work in the learning center.
33:31
GN:
If you worked in his premises you were subject to his laws. No eating or drinking in the library, no talking. He is in the
story. At one time he sent both, Tom Casey and Bob Lewis, out because they were talking he thought they were students.
33:55
JT:
And I believe his wife Betty got her NBA just before I got to the NBA office.
34:04
GN:
She's a local girl from Poughkeepsie who grew up here and in fact grew up on Hudson River state hospital. Her A father
was the director of the operations there at the physical plant and then they lived actually on the big house when you go in on the right.
Was her home for a number of years. Just accidentally more I am a font of information to Not very useful but.
34:28
JT:
I know manusha that what I say. I know a lot of manution it’s not good for much initiatives it’s not good for much in 1970
we moved in to Dyson I was there until I came to.
34:41
GN:
Not 1970.
34:42
JT:
Sorry I meant 1990 Dyson was completed we moved in to Dyson.
34:47
GN:
And he was there from 1990.
34:49
JT:
‘90 until 2000 and then I came to the president’s office wait a minute that’s not right.
34:56
GN:
That doesn’t seem right, two four maybe how long have you been in the president’s office.
35:01
JT:
Eight years yeah I started in the president’s office in February of 2000. So I guess I was only oh I know. I was 12 years
secretary in the school management but two we were in Donnelly before we move to Dyson so I was in there for ten years.
35:19
GN:
Let's stay and the roll Secretary for Kelly and that operation. How did you find the students, did you get any grief from
students about where about where was Dr. Kelly how come I can't see him you know the kind nonsenses.
35:37
JT:
He basically would see everybody but he had a very strict policy about overrides and he would not sign overrides if the
class was full and there were openings in any other sections so he was very strict about that I use. Try to get him to. At least give
overrides to the students. I knew personally. But he was pretty much a stickler about that ever ones you get one by and I laughed when


I went into the president's office he never let me sign any Jack never let me sign Purchase Orders or anything like that whatever. I
would prepare them but he would always sign them so when I moved in to the President's office in 2000 I could pretty much could
sign any a purchase order or any check or press that was given to me to do. So That was a big difference moving from there I often
would say god Jack would just die if he knew if I was sing these big purchase orders he wouldn't be able to he wouldn't understand at
all.
36:34
GN:
Did you sign the purger for the new windows going into the.
36:36
JT:
Oh no I haven’t seen that one yet that adjusting but well thing oh I done even want to think about they’re going to cost.
36:42
GN:
That's another factor. Now we’ve kind of moved you into the present how did I will develop.
36:51
JT:
That all develop the school of management was moving to get ASB accreditations which they did get prior to Jack stepping
down as the dean. No, they got it after he stepped down he went for a year I think back to faculty And then he retired and then Gorden
badimic was brought in to replace Jack and he was a lovely man I got along fine with him I think I was very helpful to him
acclimating him to Marist college.
37:22
GN:
He was here only two years or so.
37:24
JT:
Yes, two years he was here. And one of his hires was assistant dean tenite also retired at this time And Greg Kelly was
brought in as assistant dean but after and also to move ACSB accreditation along. Which he was successful in doing butt he decided
that he did not like to be a paper pusher which the M.B.A. Program required a lot of paper pushing he didn't like that so. He went back
to faculty or starting as faculty. Because he had been macinging faculty member at suny Albany Anyway came here as assistant dean
and went back to faculty so Gordon hired a gentle man and that’s a contord for him named Semac chosi as the assistant dean and also
the ASCB person and he and I didn't get along at all he was from the Middle East he had a very…
38:25
GN:
Women are on a different scale.
38:26
JT:
He didn't have a very good working relationship with women and I didn't like him and so when the position opened up in
the president’s office I applied.
38:38
GN:
Did that open up because of Vicky leaving or not Vicky but.
38:42
JT:
That opened up because the woman I replaced her name was Pat Hill she was here for a very short time she replaced Kathy
Mcqeue. And Kathy Mcque replaced Vicky something in the executive vice president’s office when he retired, so that started.
39:02
GN:
And how do you find working in the president’s office.
39:05
JT:
I love working in the president’s office its very interesting.
39:08
GN:
It’s a place where you like to go to work.
39:10
JT:
Yeah it’s something new every day a lot of it is all you know routine and the same, but I loved being there very grateful for
the opportunity to be there and work for Denis.
39:24
GN:
Did you interviewed for that did Denis interview you as a person or is it part of the system.
39:30
JT:
Um, actually Eileen interviewed me and I guess after she decided that I was the one she wanted then I did meet with Denis
but it wasn't so much an interview as you know welcome aboard. I think he already made up his mind whatever she wanted would be
good for him.
39:52
GN:
Are the lines defined as to who does what in the president's office.
39:55
JT:
Yes. They’re very well defined Eileen is his administrative assistant and at the time I came she was the administrative aid
that was her title and then it got changed down the line a few years. Susan Brown was his executive assistant and then there is also a
part-time receptionist in our office upstairs so downstairs was Susan and Dona morion who has worked for Denise for more years, as
many years as she’s been here, twenty seven I believe and you should get her next to give her recollections of Marist. So Eileen at that
time when I first started, took all of Denis’ dictation and she's also the secretary to the board of trustees so she would go to the board


meetings and take all the minutes of the board meetings and basically ran the office, and I would do all the finical things well she, she
drafted a lot of letters for Denis at the time and I would proof read everything that she did, this job requires a tremendousness amount
of proofreading because the theory is that nothing can leave the president’s office that isn't perfect, and you know I'm sure in some
point in time were all human that all man that’s the goal for everything that leaves our office to be perfect. So I proofread everything
she types for Denis and before he would sign it, before he work even see anything to be signed I would Proof Read it and the other
part time person in the office as well. So four years ago Susan Brown left the office and went on to another position off campus and
Dennis decided Suzan left in January and Elizabeth her successor whose title is Special Assistant to the president, it’s a little bit
different, there was five months gap from January until May when Elizabeth started. The procedure changed. Dennis would bring me
in to take dictations as well as Eileen and Donamaria just to get everything flowing so that he didn't get backed upped. So from that
time on so I would say about four years ago I sort, my role changed a little bit. And I think Dennis can become comfortable with me
and knew that I was intelligent enough to take dictations.
42:23
GN:
Didn't you take dictation, you can take dictation right?
42:26
JT:
I take. I it's not short hand but its I did take a short hand class, prior to taking the position because I knew it was a
requirement of the office. But I basically do better with my own scribble and so nobody coming in could probably read what I write
but it’s not short hand.
00:00
GN:
You've created your own symbols.
00:00
JT:
Yeah so He's always seemingly been very pleased with ever thing So it worked out fine I do all the purchase orders all the
checks request all the routine correspondents I have five pages I just sent to human resources this we thing that I do.
00:00
GN:
Is there communication with Denis as he is out of town.
00:00
JT:
Oh yeah he calls in all the time when he is out of town now and he's called and I’ve talked to him cause Eileen also on
vacation So that's another thing when Eileen would not be in the office which was rare she tries to be there when ever Denis is there
and she tries to take her vacation when he’s not there so there’s no fall but she's not there I can step into her role.
00:00
GN:
I think a number of people take vacations when Denis dues his vacation.
00:00
JT:
Yes I know and for some people that's a mistake because there not real on vacation on they come back and their not real on
vacation they come back and they haven't had a break you know because.
00:00
GN:
Ok let’s talk about the future.
00:00
JT:
Quickly I want to get to that press conference.
00:00
GN:
Ok. Let's talk about the future then. What do you think are the key things that has led Marist to be ware it is now. What's
the driving force Dennis is at the top of the thing?
00:00
JT:
He’s got the big picture he sees the big picture he has known all along what he wanted to happen here.
00:00
GN:
How does it happen? Mean is there a spirit here that you found like you must have staded because you have been pleased
with it.
00:00
JT:
I have been pleased with it my daughter is a graduate of Marist and my other two children took class hear they went to other
colleges but they took classes here the atmosphere here has always been very friendly people willing to help each other and you know
it’s been a very good atmosphere faculty student I have friends that I've made. You know from when I started I have student that I
keep I touch that graduated back in the eighty's and the ninety's so There's at least there probably half a dozen students that I have
regular contact with that have graduated from here.
00:00
GN:
So you keep in contact so you find it a friendly place. I meant to ask you about the with dealing with the faculty. Well it's a
big deal with personnel. Who are the major people who have influence you and for what reason.
00:00
JT:
Well. Let’s see in the learning center Barbara carpenter and MaryAnn stecand were wonderful to work with very supportive


very in courage very appreciative of what I brought to the office. In athletics bob wrotes was the sports information director I worked
closely with him and I felt he was a very good teacher. Me even though he was way younger than I am And he left the college and he's
a teacher himself now down in Georgia.
00:00
GN:
But Howie Goldman was never your superior.
00:00
JT:
He wasn't because he at the time he was a faculty member and the soccer coach and I just didn't have anything to do with
soccer. Or the academic area really. In McCann at the time and then obviously in the school of management Jake and Ted Jake Kelly,
Ted pernting.
00:00
GN:
Did you know Brother carnilues.
00:00
JT:
Brother curniluse of course was wonderful and resistance to the computer so I would you know try to help him a little bit on
the computer sometimes and he resisted it all together. So but yes we' were grate pal. And I always enjoyed seeing even after he left
here and his sisters series. Caroline writer was a very big part of the school of management.
00:00
GN:
Is she retire now.
00:00
JT:
Noshes still there. Teaching. You know a lot of the old timers are still there bob Grossman permanopra checobos. There all
still there a lot of new people came in g malan just retired a two years ago. He’s another one you should get if you haven't cause hes
got his Ph. D. At the age of 80 I think. So he's a story. He’s a full story at Marist.
00:00
GN:
Is he the chess Man.
00:00
JT:
No that's Craig's fisher crages a retired IBM’er who's a retired IBM'er who’s a faculty member still teaching in the
computer science.
00:00
GN:
Because disen played his chess or something like that.
00:00
JT:
I don't know it could be gumbely was an executive at I.B.M. And retired and came here to teach full time afterwards.
00:00
GN:
So those are the people that you.
00:00
JT:
Yeah I hope I am not leaving anybody out there probably people I have left out but those are the people that stand out in my
mind as you know. Easy to work with. And very as and whatever left there I think I said every one of them. Educated me in some way
or another. You know, I enjoying my interactions with them I never felt they were standoffish or thought they were better than
anybody else here and I enjoyed the atmosphere I enjoyed working here.
00:00
GN:
Let's take a different view here. What are some of the things or at least one or two things that you would like to see
changed. That is not like for the people that have replaced you Is there where there. The hour’s maybe I don't know you talk to the
question as you will.
00:00
JT:
Well to be perfectly honest I benefited from flexibility this past year. My daughter the Marist graduated college graduated
in ’94 ninety four she’s a schoolteacher in Connecticut and she had a child he’s two years old so two years ago she had a baby and she
went back to work. Teaching part time this year she’s a math teachers in conduit middle school. And she needed somebody one day a
week to watch him She had college students two days week she had her mother in law one day a week she needed one more person so
I asked if I could work a thirty hour weeks instead of a thirty seven and half hour week and I asked promotion Denis and I you know
they agreed to let me do that. So I kept my full benefits working thirty hours but I only worked four days a week. So I had Fridays off
for the last year. Whiles she's been back at school now she about to have another baby so I will. Be available now since I am retiring
to help her with that then I am actually going to babysit my grandson in New Jersey my son for two days So that's not answering you
question. That's a positive thing so that I mean that was a great.
00:00
GN:
But I would interject a point. This is one of the things that the union people have lost.
00:00
JT:
Yeah I couldn't have done this if I was still in the union because I was exempted I was able to do.
00:00
GN:
Yes because you're exempt. You can write new rules for because you card. But what other. These things. Difficulties that


you might have experience.
00:00
JT:
I don’t know Gus I never really had too many difficulties I have this sort of champed life.
00:00
GN:
Yeah. I can see that.
00:00
JT:
No complaints from me you know I've been very lucky I considered myself very blessed to have been able to be here for
twenty five years because I didn't expect it to be expected to be a short term. Thing I never expected make a creare out of it.
00:00
GN:
Were you ever tempted to go on to I.B.M. Or any of the big instructions no headhunter came go around looking for you.
00:00
JT:
I well actually I have to say. We did have a faculty member of the School of Management who Dan Cooper who was very
entrepreneurial and he started his own company. In conjunction with Pearson Education prenteshall publisher and when he started his
own company. He actually employed my youngest daughter. Province college graduates for the summer getting his place set and she
she was helpful and then when I was unhappy in the schools megamnent with en soga he had invited me to come and work for him
there as an office manager and I considered doing it. But my TIAC. Crafts balance was going up and I was reluctant to let that Lied
dorment so I decided I would stick it out and say. For financial for financial surety were his was more or less gambol.
00:00
GN:
Will I don't if its temper but it certainly would be a gamble as you would say.
00:00
JT:
Yeah it was a gamble so I stuck with the safe road.
00:00
GN:
So you’re not going to give me anything.
00:00
JT:
I can’t give you any negative haven’t had any except for semac somge I have had no negative experiences really.
00:00
GN:
OK. Well. Then on another positives say you know. What year. Best accomplishment. What would you say? Looking
back. You feel that you have made a contribution. And your own heart you say I am glad I did that was it getting the advancement in
helping Jack. Proceed along to get the upgrade in the acraidation.
00:00
JT:
I have had a lot of good experiences a lot of good. I feel accomplishment. I mean the learning center ovesly was my first
introduction of Marist you know wonderful people. Encouraged me and they did such fine work. There you know working with
students that needed help. Extra help so they employ students that went on to become teachers because of the experience they had
tutoring other students there. So I mean you know felt a sense of accomplishment that you were helping students in that job.
00:00
GN:
Wasn't tiscones husband also part of that the up riseing.
00:00
JT:
Yes viny was the aistent academic vice president at the time. And then he eventually left that and went back to faculty and
then became the dean of Actually he went to be the dean of the school of liberal arts which I guess was the divisions of humanitys at
the time then he was that he must have been a dean the same time you were communications I am still in touch with them also I mean
I email Marianne they have a new granddaughter.
00:00
GN:
they’re in Florida we see.
00:00
JT:
the acasonly when you go down to the events in February the alumni and retired events down. In the athletic department
that was a very exciting time to be there. You know with Rick Smith era. The NCAA tournament that was trifice and you know my
husband you know has been a basketball coach and loved played basketball himself.
00:00
GN:
Where he. He was a coach in a high school he.
00:00
JT:
No he coach cyo at his neighborhood parish but then when my daughter went to lords and she played at lords and she was
an she was an all-state player at lords she played for bran gorge at lords After she left lords.
00:00
GN:
This is the teacher now in Connecticut.
00:00
JT:
She's a teacher in Connecticut. After she graduates from lords she came to Marist her first year she didn't play basketball l
but her second year she lived on campus and played basketball here first year she live at home. And then she sick and she had to leave
the basketball team so she only played the one year and she was walk on so she didn't get much playing time. But my husband then
went the coast with brain Georges at lords he was like assistance to him and they coach together in the summers in the AAU league in


this area I haven't mentioned my son at all I should mention him also a schoolteacher.
00:00
GN:
Where.
00:00
JT:
He went to reaches high school in Manhattan and he teaches there now he' teaches there now he’s the chair of the English
department at St. Regis high school.
00:00
GN:
Wow a geuwett trained and guwet to be.
00:00
JT:
Then he went to Georgetown. And did well down there. So he did teach one year shamont high school when in long island
when he graduated Georgetown and then the following year an opening. Came up at regues so he’s been there ever since which has
been since nineteen seventy eight he’s there ten years.
00:00
GN:
Where do you live now?
00:00
JT:
I' live in Wappinger’s Falls for twenty nine years.
00:00
GN:
You been here the whole time.
00:00
JT:
Twenty nine years.
00:00
GN:
And your husband is invalid in.
00:00
JT:
And my husband is a sales manager for General Mills and he's worked for general mills for thirty nine years.
00:00
GN:
Is he going to retire like you.
00:00
JT:
He's going to retire March 31
st
of 2012.
00:00
GN:
Wow that’s a little off in the distances.
00:00
JT:
Four more years a little less. He is considered a heritage employee of General Mills and he will lose some kind of benefit if
he doesn't if he leves Before that is fine but if he leaves after that he loses some benefit I'm not quite sure what it is So he's you know.
And he would love to stay on because he love what he's doing he trains sale repes and he loves it.
00:00
GN:
Dues he travel much.
00:00
JT:
He travils sporadically like one week he can be home the whole week and the following week his territories New England.
So he goes up to work with the people in the field. So he could be gone one day a week, next week about two days a week then home
then gone again so he travels a lot but not for anything like extended length of time.
00:00
GN:
And you know plays for retirement is to go back to school why would you want to go to school now you know it all.
00:00
JT:
No I don’t know it all I always wanted to get a degree. I felt bad that I didn't get a degree. Felt like I learned a lot since I'm
here. And you know. Like I said everybody I've met his educated me. One sense or another so I fell very a lot of gradated. But it was
always something I wanted to do so I am going to start slowly and.
00:00
GN:
What will you major in.
00:00
JT:
Well I don't know see I have a real problem with math Barbara Carpenter calls it math anxiety but it's more than that it's
math dred.
00:00
GN:
So go to the literature. Take the blue and
00:00
JT:
Well. I'd like to take Bob Lewis But I have already signed up to take losea crealas Issues in political science Mondays and
Thursdays in the fall two thousand eight semester and then on Tuesdays and Wednesdays I'm going to be babysitting my grandson's
Maxwell finingan talbot in new jersey I will go do Tuesday morning stay over and come back Wednesday. When my son gets home
from school on Wednesday afternoon late afternoon they live in new Jersey he teaches in NYC by the time he gets home it will be
evenings probly actually interesting when enough. She's a vice president for an advertising no public relations firm in New York City
CONAN wolf.
00:00
GN:
They were small when I was doing public relation.
00:00
JT:
Ok there internationally now so there a huge firm and her president who I think is being moved around now they’re going



to have some changes. Is a Marist grade Michael oh bryn graduated 1986 or ‘87 or ‘88.
00:00
GN:
We will be a touch with him soon.
00:00
JT:
So that’s another connection. Very. Interesting connections.
00:00
GN:
Ok we’re getting down to the last minute and a half is there something we didn't mention that you just been dyeing to Tell
me a.
00:00 JT:
Well here's something not that I’ve been dyeing to tell you but another intrstion Marist connections. My daughter graduate
in May of nineteen ninety four our comention speaker was Tim ruser who just pasted way last week. When my youngest daughter
Kate graduates from Providence in May of 1999 her conmentment specher was Tim ruserr and her eas great both times.
00:00
GN:
Well for Marist to stay on the course that it’s on it just has to keep doing what it's doing.
00:00
JT:
I think so thing so I think Denis has really lad his heart and soul in to this place and I think his legacy will be obviously all
the new buildings and growth in Marist and. The Quality of the program that’s a good point He's got quite a legacy. He'll be leaving
when he retires and I inmajind that will be in the next few years any one coming in after him will have big shoes to fill.
00:00
GN:
The standers of Marist have gone up so much that I don’t think that I would be able to get in and evidence of that both
Linus Foy and myself wrote letters for One of our colleagues whose granddaughter was applying and they said well we appreciate
your efforts. But in point of fact she really couldn't do what's being done here. You know. She can go to college and will take her in a
second year if she does well in the first so I think we've really got ted there well its be a joy to talk to you.