A Message from the President
I
t’s now summertime and we’re reminiscing about all of the events that took place this past Spring. I wanted to highlight
a few. First is Commencement, which was on May 12 and was one of my favorite days of the year. We had about 520
students who participated and it was my first, so it was just great to see the pride on their faces and the pride on the faces
of all of the families and friends in attendance. I’m already looking forward to the next one and thinking about how we can
make it even better.
We also have a new program in Occupational Therapy in which undergraduate students in Occupational Science can
seamlessly go into the master’s program in Occupational Therapy. What’s even more exciting about the program is the new
space that we renovated. The first floor of Siena Hall was transformed into a brand new, state-of-the-art Occupational
Therapy space with classrooms, equipment, and labs. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, you should stop by Siena Hall!
We are also getting ready to say goodbye to one of our longest serving administrators here at Gwynedd Mercy University,
Andrea Hollingsworth, PhD, who has served as the Dean of the Frances M. Maguire School of Nursing and Health
Professions for the past 17 years. During Dean Hollingsworth’s tenure, she spearheaded new programs that brought in new
students, and of course, worked really hard to strengthen the reputation of the Frances M. Maguire School of Nursing and
Health Professions. We have bestowed upon her the title of Dean Emerita and are pleased to have a continuing association
with Dean Hollingsworth, who will always be associated with Gwynedd Mercy University. We wish her all the best as she
embarks on the next phase of her life.
Finally, one of the biggest highlights of the Spring semester for me was the Inauguration, which took place on Friday, April
13. It kicked off with a week-long celebration with many great events that highlighted the great work of our students, faculty,
and staff. Inauguration Day started off with a beautiful Ecumenical Service, presided over by Father John Collins, where
my son did a reading and my daughter sang the Lord’s Prayer. Leading up to the Installation Ceremony, we had a wonderful
procession that I don’t think I will ever forget. We walked through all of the Gwynedd Mercy University athletes in uniform
who were clapping and cheering on the delegates, faculty, and myself as we processed to the ceremony.
As I said during the ceremony, you know an inauguration is not about the president, but rather the institution and its students
and how we look forward to the future of the University. So, that is what we’re doing – we’re looking forward to the future
and all of the potential that the University has as we embark on the new strategic planning process.
I wish you all a beautiful, relaxing, renewing summer and look forward to seeing you all in the Fall!
Deanne H. D’Emilio, JD
President
*This is an edited transcription of President D’Emilio’s video message.*