St. Francis Friary in New York Welcomes Kevin Mullen and Siena Community

HNP Communications Around the Province

NEW YORK — Jerome Massimino, OFM, a trustee of Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y.,  hosted a gathering here last week to enable  Siena alumni, parents and friends to meet Kevin Mullen, OFM, new college president.

Approximately 50 attended the event that took place Oct. 18 from 7- 9 p.m. at the friary on West 31st Street of which Jerome is guardian.

Among them were Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, and Provincial Vicar Dominic Monti, OFM, who are both members of Siena’s board of trustees, as well as Walter Kicinski, a former trustee, and Michelle Schoulder, class of 1999, a trustee and president of the New York Metro Club. Also there was Kevin Tortorelli, OFM, a former Siena faculty member.

“A good cross section of alumni  attended the reception, representing graduating classes from 1962 up to very recent years,” said Michael Harlan, OFM, who worked at Siena from 1996 to 2005 as campus minister and director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy.
Kevin spoke about the mission and trdition of Siena College as a Catholic, Franciscan institution, and “where he sees the college heading in the next few years,” according to Nate Maloney, Siena’s director of alumni relations.
Two days later, dozens of Siena students, alumni, friends and families turned out Oct. 20 to volunteer with New York Cares Day in Manhattan.

The group showed their Franciscan tradition by showing up at PS 188I School in downtown Manhattan to help paint walls and murals, plant flowers and work on other projects. The school serves mostly low-income students.