Join Mount Saint Mary College for its 14th Annual Leadership Gala Reception, celebrating the Dominican Sisters of Hope, on Friday, December 1.

The Dominican Sisters, the religious order that founded Mount Saint Mary College, will be honored with the Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence.

The gala will take place at 5 p.m. in the Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center on campus, 330 Powell Avenue, Newburgh, N.Y. Seating is limited. To purchase tickets, visit www.msmc.edu/gala.

The Dominican Sisters of Hope have committed their lives to living and preaching the Gospel message of Hope.

Founded in 1995 from communities in Newburgh, Fall River, MA, and Ossining, NY, they are now based in the The Center at Mariandale, with sisters living in nine states and Puerto Rico.

The Dominican Sisters of Hope express their core values by living interdependently with all of creation, committing to actions for justice and fostering the Dominican charism. In the tradition of Saint Dominic, they focus their lives on prayer, study, ministry and community. While traditionally teachers and nurses, the sisters are everything from gymnasts to beekeepers to poets, and more.

In 2018, the Dominican Sisters preserved 34 acres of the Mariandale property, conserving a nearly one-mile stretch of shoreline along the Hudson River. The retreat center and the land make Mariandale a source of healing for body, mind and spirit, as well as a place of refuge for all of creation.

In 1883, four Dominican Sisters established Mount Saint Mary Academy in Newburgh. In 1959, Mount Saint Mary College became a four-year institution. Sr. Ann Sakac, OP, served as the president from 1976-2008, and Sr. Agnes Boyle, OP, served as the VP of Academic Advancement for 30 years. Other sisters served as faculty, and many earned their degrees from the Mount. The sisters continue to minister to students, as the college continues to bring life to the sisters’ legacy and mission. The Dominican Sisters of Hope are proud to honor the heritage of the founding of Mount Saint Mary College.

The Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence recognizes individuals or organizations whose professional accomplishments, service to the community and leadership reflect the same commitment to quality, concern for neighbors and shared prosperity that have exemplified the career and character of local restaurateur Joseph A. Bonura.

In honor of the Dominican Sisters, all donations and net proceeds support the Dominican Sisters of Hope Empowerment Scholarship. Established by the sisters, this scholarship is awarded to academically strong female students with financial need. Mount scholarships provide an affordable, values-based education to those who otherwise may not have had a chance to achieve their dreams of a college education.