Around the Mount

Mount St. Mary’s to Add Women’s Flag Football as Varsity Sport in 2025-26

Mount St. Mary’s is making history as the first Division I school in the Northeastern United States to sponsor the emerging sport of women’s flag football. The sport will become the 26th varsity team for the Mountaineers, with play beginning in the 2025-26 academic year. Read more about women's flag football.

Men's and Women's Basketball Seasons Begin

The Mount's men's basketball team opened play earlier this month and has picked up wins over Notre Dame of Maryland, Bucknell and Saint Francis. With a record of 3-2, they'll open MAAC play on December 6 at Marist. The women's team will look to pick up their first win of the year on November 26 at George Mason. They'll open their MAAC play on December 19, at home, also against Marist. See the full men's schedule and women's schedule.

Paul Palmieri Lectures on AI and the Future of Work

In a thought-provoking lecture, Paul Palmieri, co-founder of GRIT Capital Partners and 1992 alumnus of Mount St. Mary’s University, articulated the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) across various industries. His insights highlighted not only the imminent changes expected within the next five years, but also the essential interplay between AI and human skills in the evolving workplace. Read more about Palmieri's lecture.

Bowling Finishes in Third on Final Day of Lady Eagles Invitational

Mount St. Mary's bowling completed their appearances at the Lady Eagles Invitational on Sunday with a final day record of 3-1 and an overall record of 8-1. They finished in third place among a field of 16 schools. Across 47 games played, the Mountaineers finished with 9,397 total pins, more than any other school at the invitational. They also finished with an average of 199.9 pins per game, another tournament-leading statistic.

Blue Peak Center Offers Children With Autism Compassionate, Research-Driven Care

Mount St. Mary’s University celebrated the grand opening of the Blue Peak Center for Applied Behavior Analysis with an open house on November 8. The Center will provide support and care for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities using evidence-based therapy to help children develop the skills needed to thrive in society. Learn more about Blue Peak.

Mount St. Mary's Hosts Regional Cybersecurity Conference

Mount St. Mary’s University had the chance to show off both the new wing of the Coad Science Building and its stellar Cyber Defense Club when the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges (CCSC) held its Eastern Regional Conference on campus in October. The annual CCSC Eastern Regional Conference began 40 years ago as an opportunity for college and K-12 educators to meet and share ideas and hopes for computer education in their respective classrooms. Read more about the conference.

Mount St. Mary's Offers Affordable Study Abroad Program in Dublin

For the next three years, Mount St. Mary’s University will offer affordable semester-abroad trips to Dublin in the fall and spring semesters as well as a week-long summer study abroad experience. Under a partnership between the university and the Handmaids for the Sacred Heart of Jesus (HSHJ) congregation, the Mount will lease Clonmore House at the HSHJ property outside Dublin as a base for three years of study abroad trips in Ireland. The program was made possible by a generous gift from Raphael Della Ratta, C’92, a member of the Mount’s Board of Trustees and a long-time supporter of the liberal arts at the university. Read more about the study abroad program.

Mount Experiences Help Alum in Reporting on Hurricane Helene

As Hurricane Helene wrought havoc over huge swathes of the mountain Southeast in late September, one Mount St. Mary’s University graduate discovered the unseen benefits of challenging experiences he faced as an undergraduate while he reported on the storm to his new community. This January, Collin Riviello, C’20, who was born in Nanjing, China, and raised in Derwood, Maryland, relocated to Greenville, South Carolina, and began work as a reporter for WSPA, a news station based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and serving western North and South Carolina. Read more about Collin.

First Cohort of Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Candidates Complete Program

The fruits of a grant received by Mount St. Mary’s University’s Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) in the fall of 2023 were borne in September when DCS’s Workforce Scholars Program graduated its first cohort of seven certified peer recovery specialist (CPRS) candidates. The second cohort begins classes in early November.

The Mount Welcomes University Chaplain Fr. Justin Gough

Earlier this semester, Fr. Justin Gough came to Emmitsburg as the new university chaplain. He recently sat down for an interview where he talked about how he arrived at the Mount, what his goals are as chaplain and how he plans to support students. Learn more about Fr. Justin.

Seminary Family Weekend

From October 18 to 20, the seminary hosted its Family Weekend. It was wonderful to welcome 58 family members from across the country, representing 19 dioceses. For some families, it was their first time visiting their son at the seminary. The festivities for the weekend included a welcome reception, formation presentations, Solemn Vespers, the rector’s reception and dinner, and Mass in IC Chapel. We were very grateful to have our seminary families with us for a beautiful weekend on Mary’s Mountain. View photos from the weekend.

All Souls Day Mass and Procession

The seminary celebrated All Souls Day on November 2 with a Mass and procession at the National Shrine Grotto. Priests and seminarians processed through the cemetery, blessing the faithful departed. View All Souls Day photos on Facebook and a video on Instagram. ‘May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, Amen.’

Advent Day of Retreat at the National Shrine Grotto

The National Shrine Grotto invites you to attend an Advent Day of Retreat on Saturday, December 7, led by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word. Rev. Leonard Mary and Rev. Patrick Mary, graduates of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, will be the retreat masters. Learn more and register for the Advent Day of Retreat.

A Season of Thanks: Shaping the Future with Your Generosity

As we enter this season of gratitude, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to all who generously share their time, talents and resources with the Mount. Your contributions to the Mount Annual Fund are invaluable to our community, empowering us to uphold our Catholic mission while furthering the work of our students and faculty.

Your support provides the flexibility needed to fund scholarships that open doors for deserving students, enhance classroom experiences and create transformative opportunities for study abroad, internships and immersion programs. Furthermore, your generosity strengthens our athletic programs, enabling student-athletes to excel both on the field and in their academic pursuits.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment. Together, we are shaping a brighter future rooted in faith, service and the education of tomorrow's ethical leaders.

In Memoriam

We remember the legacy of our fellow alumni who have passed on, and we keep them in our prayers as we strive to live our own lives in the spirit they have left behind. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace, Amen.

If you learn of an alum's passing, please email the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@msmary.edu with information. We remember alumni who have passed or who we've learned of their passing since the last edition of Around the Mount. Alumni are listed by class year in ascending order to most recent and alphabetically by last name.

• Mr. Louis V. RisCassi, C'57 - 10/23/2024
• Mr. Michael J. Nagle, C'62 - 10/24/2024
• Mr. Robert P. Duffy, C'68 - 10/27/2024
• His Excellency Ambassador Njuguna M. Mahugu, C'70 - 10/13/2024
• Mr. John E. McCormick, C'73 - 11/3/2024
• Mrs. Pricilla M. Gagnon Morin, C'79 - 10/20/2024