Honor Maria College Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 4784 BY: Senator BRESLIN COMMEMORATING the 60th Anniversary of Maria College on April 25, 2018 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and commend those institutions of true purpose and high achievement whose exemplary programs and accomplishments clearly demonstrate an enduring pursuit of excellence in higher education for the youth of this noble Empire State; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Maria College, in Albany, New York, to be feted with a myriad of occasions and celebrations planned throughout the year, beginning with an opening event on Wednesday, April 25, 2018; and WHEREAS, For six decades, Maria College has been committed to providing outstanding and holistic student support services, financial sustainability and the purposive use of evidence to drive institutional renewal and student success; the College seeks to foster graduates who recognize and respect the dignity of every human person and who will transform their knowledge and skill into caring and compassionate service to others; and WHEREAS, Maria College is one of 17 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Conference for Mercy Higher Education; the Conference traces its heritage to 1831, when Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland; and WHEREAS, Catherine McAuley truly believed education was a key to one's ultimate success, and she used her inheritance to purchase a building in downtown Dublin where women and children could find both refuge and education; her ideas and dedication to the cause attracted other local women and soon evolved into the Sisters of Mercy; and WHEREAS, The Sisters of Mercy quickly grew, and became international in scope; in 1863, four Sisters of Mercy took a boat up the Hudson River and settled in Albany, New York; true to their mission of caring and service to others, the order founded St. Peter's Hospital, the McAuley Residence, Circles of Mercy, and Maria College; and WHEREAS, Maria College was established in 1958 by the Sisters of Mercy to provide higher education for its community of sisters; under the visionary leadership of its first president, Sister Mary Borromeo, the College's focus on solely educating sisters changed, and the college received permission to open its doors to the public in 1965; and WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, the college opened a preschool which served Albany families for more than 40 years; now closed, the campus school building has been renamed Mercy Hall, and was dedicated in 2017 to the Frank E. O'Brien Jr. Student Support Center which strives to make Maria College's students feel welcome, supported, and enabled to meet their goals; support services include tutoring, pastoral care, and career guidance; and WHEREAS, In 1975, Maria College purchased a cloistered convent campus that abutted the administration building grounds; this beautiful campus area, now known as Marian Hall, is home to nursing, health sciences, faculty offices, a student lounge and a great hall which is frequently used for campus events; and WHEREAS, Currently, 800 students attend classes at Maria College, which boasts a charming and intimate campus that embraces an academic atmosphere both timeless and contemporary; and WHEREAS, In addition, Maria College now offers four and two year degrees and a certificate program providing new opportunities with flexible scheduling and highly affordable education for residents of the Capital Region; and WHEREAS, Today, under the visionary guidance of President Thomas J. Gamble, Ph.D., Maria College stands proud and prominent, always looking to the future and the needs of those it serves; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Maria College, noting the propriety of its goals, the constancy of its commitment and the significance of its accomplishments in preparing the youth of today and leaders of tomorrow; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Thomas J. Gamble, Ph.D., President, Maria College.