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.