Law/Finance Networks Event – REGISTER NOW
- When: Thursday, June 18th, 2015 | 6:00pm
- Where: Venable LLP at Rockefeller Center (1270 6th Ave, 24th FL)
- Admission: Free
- REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED
Archbishop Molloy High School is gearing up for the return of its professional networking event series with an event serving both our Law and Finance Networks. All alumni working in or studying law and finance are invited to attend the event at Venable LLP in Manhattan on June 18th. Admission to this event as well as all food and refreshments are free courtesy of Venable LLP. The evening will feature a guest speaker, hors d’oeuvres and other refreshments, and networking opportunities with other Stanners. Our speaker is Michael Manley, a Venable partner with an impressive business resume as well as experience as an in-house lawyer and outside counsel. We will also hold a business card raffle, with one lucky winner taking home some great Molloy gear. This is a great chance to make connections with other alumni in the Stanner family. If you have any questions please contact Craig Katinas ’93 at ckatinas@molloyhs.org..Thank you to our friends at Venable LLP for hosting our spring event.
Molloy Announces Brother Patrick Hogan Fund
Thanks to the generosity of Mr. & Mrs. Stephen and Linda Matteini, Archbishop Molloy High School is excited to announce the establishment of the Brother Patrick Hogan Fund. Br. Pat has been a teacher, coach, and counselor at Molloy for over 50 years. In addition, his work at and dedication to Esopus has led to the founding of several camps for disadvantaged and disabled persons. He has inspired generations of students, athletes and families, leaving an indelible positive influence on thousands of lives.
Steve Matteini, Class of 1971, ran track for four years at Molloy, but he was not coached by Br. Pat directly. “It was easy to get drawn to Br. Pat. He’s so approachable and easy to talk to. He basically became my guidance counselor and helped me deal with the things all teenagers deal with,” said Steve. After graduating from Molloy, Steve remained friends with Br. Pat. “I continued to ask him questions, seek his opinion, and let him know how much I appreciated him being there for me. You could say I picked his brain my entire life. He was always amenable. To have someone like that in your life is a very special thing, and I think that is the kind of influence he had on many, many people.”
The goals of the Brother Patrick Hogan Fund are:
- Grant a four-year scholarship of $2,000 per year to one student in the incoming Freshman class. As the fund grows, it is our hope to see increased amounts awarded to deserving students. Qualifications for the scholarship include financial need, strong academic standing, and involvement in extracurricular activities.
- Award a $1,000 grant will be awarded annually to a junior/senior or alumnus/na who has previously participated in service programs to remain connected and involved with future opportunities with the Saint Marcellin Champagnat Service Society.
Mr. & Mrs. Matteini have also announced a special gift match challenge in support of the Brother Patrick Hogan Fund. Gifts made to the fund through August 31st will be matched dollar for dollar by Mr. & Mrs. Matteini, meaning your gift of $1 becomes $2. Your gift of $25 becomes $50. Your gift of $250 becomes $500. The Matteini family will match up to $100,000! It is a wonderful gesture by the Matteini family and a great opportunity to allow this fund to immediately impact a student as early as the 2015-16 school year.
Unbelievable! Class of 2015 Secures over $89 Million in College Scholarships
On Saturday, June 6th, Archbishop Molloy High School celebrated its 123rd commencement ceremony. The Class of 2015 proudly filled Colden Auditorium in front of family and friend
s, each graduate already feeling nostalgic about their four memorable years at Molloy. This class has accomplished truly remarkable things together, but perhaps none are more memorable than the over $89 million in college scholarships they were awarded. “Our students are enjoying the benefits of a more strategic focus on college prep,” said President Richard Karsten ’81. “We’ve increased personal outreach at the admissions and administrative level, we’ve met directly with school leadership, we’ve established strong alumni connections, and we’ve brought our kids to campuses all over the northeast. We’ve also brought college representatives and early admission days here to Molloy. These initiatives have given our students more opportunities to succeed, and the proof is in the remarkable $89 million in scholarships awarded this year.”
“Molloy has a way of giving special attention to those students who need it,” said Justin Esposito ’15, this year’s Salutatorian. “Mr. Klimas summed it up best for me at Freshman Camp. ‘Molloy takes care of the kids who need it most.’ This emphasis on caring allowed my brother, and students like him, to overcome challenges they faced during high school. For me, Molloy offered the promise of a new start…but I began high school shy and quiet. Later, I became involved with Esopus, and by leading groups there I became more confident. My experiences – our experiences – allowed us to open up.” Justin later stated the importance of being uncomfortable sometimes. “It’s how we develop and grow. This [being uncomfortable] is probably the most significant phase in a cycle that has been present in every major advancement in our lives. At each stage we leave familiar surroundings…but though the future may be scary, we can rest assured that we will be able to handle it because of the strong base Molloy has given each of us.”
Valedictorian Ewa Gerlak ’15 also addressed the crowd during the commencement ceremony. “Looking back, we can’t give all the credit to textbooks. Who we have become results from our teachers, family, friends, and our own conscious choices. Our teachers are a rare kind. They taught us with such fervor and dedication – as if they think we are the answer to the world’s problems. They have always supported us, and never criticized us for far-fetched ideas and opinions.” She continued, “As we start the next phase of our lives, we must remember to maintain perspective. We shouldn’t worry about the small things. If we stress over meaningless things, our lives will not be centered around what truly matters: doing what we love…We are future doctors, engineers, authors, teachers, counselors, athletes, and politicians. We have the ability and knowledge to accomplish our goals and not stop in the face of failure. My only wish for all of us is to do what we love.”
Salutatorian Remarks | Valedictorian Remarks| Senior Issue of The Stanner
This year’s graduates are attending 103 different schools. These include St. John’s, Syracuse, Boston College, Fordham, Adelphi, Molloy College, Barnard, Notre Dame, Marist College, University of Portland, Northeastern, Penn State, St. Anselm, Loyola, Vassar, Villanova, Pace, Hunter, Baruch, Queens College, and many other outstanding schools. (Information courtesy of College Guidance Dept.)
A tradition since 2003, our newest alumni were invited back to the school as a group one more time on Monday, June 8th, as the Class of 2015 returned for their Graduation Breakfast. Our graduates received gifts, signed yearbooks, and said their goodbyes. Br. Pat Hogan addressed our graduates (remarks found in this week’s Reflection), while President Karsten invited them to stay in touch with Molloy and the Stanner Alumni Center, keeping the school up to date on all of their many successes. Remember, Class of 2015, you will always be a part of the Stanner family and always be welcome at Molloy.
View photo gallery from Molloy’s 123rd Commencement Ceremony
View photo gallery from the Class of 2015’s Graduation Breakfast
Around the School
“The Stanner” Impresses Once Again at Press Awards
Molloy’s student newspaper, The Stanner, has been a big winner at The Tablet High School Press Awards for several years running. The 2015 staff proved to be no exception, as The Stanner brought home more hardware at this year’s awards ceremony. Molloy beat out impressive newspapers from five other schools in the Brooklyn/Queens Diocese to win the General Excellence category. Several staffers also won individual awards in recognition of their writing and reporting skills as well as top photos and layouts. It was a proud day for graduating senior and Editor-in-Chief John Fenner ’15 (pictured), who has worked hard on all aspects of The Stanner for several years. It was also a proud day for Mr. Charley McKenna, moderator of The Stanner for well over a decade, who will step down as moderator at the end of June. Thank you to Mr. McKenna, and congratulations to this year’s staff on your exceptional work.
Browse this year’s award winning Stanner archives here, or view the winners list below:
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General Excellence – The Stanner (1st Place)
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Best Front Page – The Stanner (2nd Place)
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Best News Story – Sargam Mehra (1st Place) – Philip Barsamian and Sophia Savvides (3rd Place)
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Best Feature Story – John Fenner (1st Place) – Philip Barsamian, Sophia Savvides and Tori Pateroulakis (2nd Place)
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Best Op-Ed Column – Kristen Allen (1st Place)
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Best Sports Story – Jeffrey Twumasi (2nd Place)
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Best Photograph – Shoma Nath (1st Place)
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Best Multi-Photo Display – Shoma Nath (2nd Place) – Kayla Rivera and Sebastien Augustin (3rd Place)
Varsity Softball Highlights
Our friend at NET-TV and The Tablet newspaper, Jim Mancari, produced some highlights and interviews showcasing Molloy’s City and State Champion Varsity softball team. The piece features comments from Coach Maureen Rosenbaum as well as several players. Watch the video below:
Other Upcoming Events
Chicago Alumni Gathering featuring White Sox Game 
- When: Tuesday, August 25th, 2015
- Where: U.S. Cellular Field | Chicago, IL
- Gates Open: 5:40pm
- Admission: $50 for Adults, Kids (under 12) are Free
- REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED
On behalf of President Karsten’81, you are invited to the Stanner Alumni Center’s inaugural Chicago Alumni Chapter event this summer! It will be a fun-packed night at U.S. Cellular Field as the Chicago White Sox take on the Boston Red Sox. This event has been made possible thanks to the generosity of the White Sox and Stanner alum Bob Grim ’75. All alumni and their families are invited to participate with priority given to those living in and around Chicago. Your ticket will grant admission to a private suite and will include food (hot dogs, sandwiches, salad, wings, etc.) and beverages (wine, beer, and soft drinks). This is a great value and an excellent opportunity to connect with other Stanners. Register Online or RSVP to Alumni Development Officer Matt Rizzotti ’04 via the links above.
Several Stanners recently had the opportunity to spend some time with St. John’s legend Chris Mullin at a university event. Pictured with Mullin are Kevin Dehler ’82, Mike McGuire ’81, Jim Galowski ’81, and Jim Shannon ’83. It’s great to see our alumni coming together under the banner of SJU. Of note was one conversation in which our Stanners mentioned a “what if” scenario where Chris Mullin had attended Molloy instead of Xaverian back in the day. “Imagine a back court of Kenny Smith and Chris Mullin!”
Stephen Schaefer ’76 has announced his second Cape Cod inspired song composition called “It’s Old Cape Cod!” Steve would like to share the song with the Stanner community. “It celebrates the nature and beauty of Cape Cod,” he said. CLICK HERE to hear the song on Youtube. In 2009, Stephen debuted his first Cape song “We’re Going to the Cape” online. The new track features award-winning singer/songwriter Jesse Terry and photography by Betty Wiley. Stephen played bass guitar during his Molloy years and, believe or not, he was in a band based formed in Glendale with current Molloy teacher Mr. Jim Sheehan ’75. Mr. Sheehan, of course, played keyboard.
Andrey Espinoz
a ’89 shared the following: “I attribute much of my success to my experiences at Molloy. My memories are nothing but fond and endearing. I became a man during those years and have many faculty and friends to thank. I also grew through the sports programs and retreats at Esopus as well. Forever and always I will be proud to be a Stanner.”
Anthony Brunetti ’01 and wife Mariella recently welcomed their second baby girl, Juliana Samantha Brunetti, into the world. Juliana was 7 pounds, 5 ounces and 19 inches at birth. She pictured with big sister Alyssa. Congratulations to the Brunetti family!
On February 8th, 2014 Molloy lost a dear member of the Stanner family. Christian Doran ‘03 passed away tragically due to health complications. Known to his friend as “Tian”, he was a founding member of People for the Pavillion. A non-profit advocacy organization, the mission of PFTP is to develop a vibrant community around the New York State Pavillion located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and to raise awareness about the structure. Tian fought tirelessly to get this project up and running. On June 7th, 2015 both Mike Montali ‘03 and Jonathan Bonilla ‘03, classmates Tian’s, took the stage with their band Hollis Brown as part of the Summerstage 50th World’s Fair Anniversary event. “It is great to be playing at the place that meant so much to him,” said Mike. “It seems to be a circle of life kind of thing.” Mike, the band’s lead singer, and Jon, the lead guitarist, will lead Hollis Brown into a tour with the Counting Crows later this year. Learn more about: People for the Pavilion | Hollis Brown
We are saddened to share the passing of Winifred (Winnie) Gaughran, wife of Ed Gaughran ’52 and mother of Dan Gaughran. Winnie passed away on April 30th, 2015. She and husband Ed had been married for 60 wonderful years. Please keep the Gaughran family in your prayers.