As we prepare for the New York City campus move to Battery Park, there are many opportunities for everyone--administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Nyack--to be a part of our "Miracle in Manhattan." 

How can you participate? We've created an alumni competition called the "Chair Challenge."

Our new classrooms need 1,850 chairs. Each chair with a collapsible desktop has mobile casters, a patented "flex back," and comfortable seat cushion. The cost of each chair is $350. The "Challenge" is to see which alumni year will lead the pack in giving towards outfitting our classrooms with this key piece of furniture.

A generous friend of the college has offered to match alumni giving dollar for dollar up to $100,000. This is an important display of philanthropy that shows how highly regarded Nyack is.

You can choose to make a one-time gift of $350 designated for the chair or you can opt to make contributions towards your $350 gift on a monthly basis. Click here for the Alumni Chair Challenge Pledge Form, where you can indicate how you'd like to make your gift of a chair and mail in at your convenience.

For more information about this vital giving opportunity or to learn about others, visit www.nyack.edu/giving or call Jeff Cory, Vice President for Advancement or Michael D. Scales, Director of Development at 866.721.7946.

Nyack's Men's soccer team did it again! Their 1-0 victory in overtime against Post University makes them the 2011 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) champions for the second time in the past three years that they have competed in the conference championship. Head Coach Keith David said, "I am absolutely thrilled to win this game and the CACC title. We faced an outstanding Post University team that definitely did not deserve to lose. It's extremely great to win this because so many people did not give us much of a shot."

The Warriors were selected for their first national tournament appearance since Nyack became an NCAA Division II member in 2004.

Goalkeeper Adrian Ibanez, who hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina celebrated his 21^st shutout victory as a Nyack Warrior, which ranks him first all-time in CACC history. Sophomore Felix Horn was named CACC Tournament MVP, after his post season tally of two goals and two assists. All-Tournament honors went to Marco Likos, Gavin Penny, Mikey Robinson, and Adrian Ibanez.

The campus community salutes Coach Keith Davie, his staff, and their outstanding roster of players!

Thanks to our generous sponsors, faithful supporters, and a whole lot of golf at a world-class getaway, the 2011 Nyack College Golf Classic was a tremendous success! The passing rain shower did not stop the more than 72 golfers who supported and participated in this fundraising event from having an enjoyable and memorable day at Crystal Springs Golf Resort in Hamburg, NJ. Non-golfers enjoyed a lavish spa experience at Crystal Springs' Reflections Spa. The overall winners of the tournament and proud recipients of the 2011 Castel Cup were Judy Carton, USI Affinity Collegiate Insurance Resources; Jonathan Kasman, Capital Risk Management Services; Christopher Mansfield, CB Richard Ellis (who also took home the award for "longest drive"); and Joe Lee, NC student-athlete. 

Barry Dorfman of Liberty Mutual was this year's recipient of the Orville H. Mann, Jr. Community Business Leader Award for his outstanding service and partnership with Nyack College as a member of the business community.

Nyack College is grateful to the following sponsors:

Tournament Sponsors

Metropolitan District of the C&MA

M&T Bank

The Nyack College & ATS Board of Trustees

Gold Sponsors

Alliance Development Fund

Capitol Risk Management Services, Ltd.

CB Richard Ellis

Liberty Mutual

New England District of the C&MA

PRW

Rockland County YMCA

Silver Sponsors

Mustard Seed Financial Services

CLG Insurance

Rino Paving & Construction, Inc.

Bronze Sponsors

AETNA

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rockland County

Comfort Inn & Suites, Nanuet

I.B.E.W. Local Union No. 363

Tri-State Carpet Connections, Inc.

Wickes/arborists Tree & Lawn Care

Tee Sponsors

American Graphic Services

BKD CPAs and Advisors

USI Affinity Collegiate Insurance Resources

Wico TV

All proceeds from the event will benefit student-athletes competing in Nyack College NCAA Division II sports programs and youth who are alumni of mentoring programs offered by our two co-hosts--Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rockland County and The First Tee of Metropolitan New York.

Nyack College hosted Infusion, the second annual women's seminar, on October 1 at the beautiful Rockland County campus in Nyack, NY. This power-packed day appealed to all women: married, single, young, old, career women, homemakers, and students. The schedule of events was designed to encourage, uplift, and energize women through an encounter with God, self, and others. Featured speakers and panelists were extraordinary women leaders at Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary, including: Mrs. Wanda Walborn, Mrs. Jackie Quinn, Dr. Amy Davis, Ms. Evena Lavalasse, Ms. Catherine Cha, Mrs. Tracy Walker, Mrs. Wanda Velez, Dr. Anita Underwood, Dr. Marcia Lucas, and Ms. Percelene McLain.

Here is what some of this year's attendees had to say about Infusion:

"Refreshing conference! The variety of speakers and stories were amazing!"

"My first time attending this event...I truly believe I had an appointment with God today. He spoke to me through the worship songs!"

"The moment I walked in I felt God's presence...God was present in every detail!"

Nyack College's Rockland County campus celebrated Homecoming and Family Weekend October 14-16. The campus was filled with alumni who once called the Hillside "home." Celebrating the harvest with alumni were faculty, staff, friends, and family who all shared in the event-filled weekend that began on Friday morning with Founder's Day Chapel followed by a NYC Adventure where guests enjoyed lunch in Times Square at John's Pizzeria, a tour of the NYC campus, and a visit to Battery Park, new home of the NYC campus! Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Ronald E. Eastman welcomed alumni and friends at the Chairman's Alumni Welcome Dinner on Friday evening. The following alumni were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame: Kyle Perry '03, Taylor Hargrove '03, Kristen Spanjer '01, and Rebecca Sharkey '01, at the Alumni Athlete and Hall of Fame Banquet. Alumni and friends gathered on Saturday morning for the President's Brunch where Rev. Milton A. Pierce was awarded the 2011 Alumnus of the Year Award for Outstanding and Dedicated Service to the Kingdom, and Rev. Charles O. Galbreath received the 2011 Young Alumnus Award. Saturday events also included various alumni athletic games, Under the Tent Marketplace, Lil' Warriors Kidz Zone, Missions a La Mode, the Annual Alumni Homecoming Concert in memory of Dr. Paul Liljestrand, and many more fun-filled events! The classes of 1961 and 1986 celebrated their golden and silver anniversaries at the All Alumni Reunion Dinner on Saturday evening. To view the Homecoming photo gallery, visit www.nyack.edu/ homecoming.

With runners preferring temperatures in the 50's and walkers looking for the 70's, twenty-six Nyack College and ATS faculty and staff warriors split the difference with a beautiful, sunny, mid-sixty degree morning. This year's Running Warrior 3K Walk and 5K Road Race experienced a 37% increase in overall participation which included Nyack's first Board of Trustees runner, Dwight Safer. Walkers with strollers represented the fastest growing category with an armada of children sprinting for the finish line. Men's Cross Country team captain, Stuart Guild, broke the course record with an astonishing 16:48 with former men's captains Aaron Baldwin (17:48) and Andrew Brackmann (18:14) close on his heels. Former team member Sarah Beach set the bar for the women (21:28) with former women's captain Sharon Fetters (22:28) close behind. The Office of Advancement and the Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams would like to say a special thank you to the Human Resources Department for sponsoring the registration fee for all full-time faculty, staff, and their dependents, and to all others who helped make this team effort a success.

All proceeds will help support Nyack's Cross Country Teams as they raise funds to go to Christian Nationals.

The Nyack College Institute for Public Service & Policy Development Honors Senator Mark O. Hatfield

The Nyack College Institute for Public Service & Policy Development (IPS) hosted its first annual reception on October 19 to salute the memory of Senator Mark O. Hatfield, who lived out his faith in Jesus Christ in his daily life. Sen. Hatfield was former governor of Oregon who later served for 30 years as a U.S. Senator for Oregon. As stated by President Bill Clinton, "Senator Hatfield loved his enemies and thus he has no enemies." Nyack College DC Dean Rich Gathro opened the evening by sharing a personal testimony about his relationship with the senator, followed by a feature presentation by Tom Getman, CEO of the Getman Group, who also served as Sen. Hatfield's legislative director and was executive director of International Relations for World Vision until March 2009. Mr. Getman introduced the film, Little Town of Bethlehem, an inspiring documentary of three peace makers in the Middle East who strive together to end the cycle of violence.

First Annual Alumni & Friends Reception for Nyack Alumni Association DC!

The first annual chapter event for the Nyack Alumni Association DC (NAADC) brought together more than 70 alumni and friends for an evening of fun, refreshments, and sharing on October 27 at Busboys and Poets, a local community restaurant. The NAADC hosted this reception as a way of keeping alumni connected with the goal of becoming more involved in the community. Door prize winners announced every 20-30 minutes throughout the evening brought home prizes such as Nyack College tote bags and messenger bags, T-shirts, tickets to see Jersey Boys on Broadway, and $500-$1000 scholarships that could be used for graduate studies or gifted to potential students. The evening also provided an opportunity to bring together New York campus alumni together with Washington, DC campus alumni.

The NAADC, chaired by Meredith Duncan (MSOL '10), currently has six dedicated members. If you are interested in joining the NAADC, please contact Meredith Duncan at [email protected].

Click here to join the Nyack DC Alumni Facebook page!

Click here to join the Nyack College DC Campus Facebook page!

M&T Bank established an endowed scholarship, M&T Bank Minority Scholarship, at Nyack College in 2006. They continue to make annual contributions toward the principal of the scholarship earmarked for qualified students. Annual earnings from the endowed scholarship fund have provided scholarships to students ranging from $800 to $1,200.

Bank officers recently visited the college to present a replica of their 2011 donation to the fund in the amount of $6,000. Pictured is (l-r) Mrs. Jennifer Kooney, vice president, M&T Bank Commercial Banking; Mrs. Dona Schepens, Nyack College assistant treasurer; Dr. Michael G. Scales, Nyack College president; and Mrs. Paula Mandell, senior vice president and president, Tarrytown Division.

Nyack's 2011-12 scholarship recipient is Kelly Mobley, a second year childhood education major, who is from Spanish Harlem and plans to teach in a low-income community after graduation. She currently mentors children from her neighborhood to help them pursue their goals.

Nyack School of Education Dean Dr. JoAnn Looney announced that the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) completed its on-site visit at Nyack College and will be recommended by the on-site team for extension of accreditation for the next seven years. The official decision will come from NCATE's Unit Accreditation Board in spring 2012.

The site visit team determined that the college meets all six standards, which include candidate knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions; assessment system and unit evaluation; field experiences and clinical practice; diversity; faculty qualifications, performance, and development; and unit governance and resources.

Dr. Looney shared that "preparation for the visit started in the spring of 2008, building on the assessment framework developed by Dr. Ben Schepens, former Nyack School of Education dean and current assistant provost and director of institutional assessment. Since then, faculty, staff, and Assessment/NCATE Coordinator, Kristen Luba, have diligently worked revising curricula, developing or revising new key and common assessments, and forging P-12 partnerships."

Dr. Michael G. Scales responded to the news with similar enthusiasm. "This recent accomplishment by our School of Education team and administrators is another important milestone for our campus community to celebrate and a reminder of what a privilege it is to serve with such extraordinary men and women."

The Nyack College/ATS campus community mourned the loss of a dear friend and Alliance Theological Seminary colleague, Rev. Donald L. Bubna, who passed away on September 24, 2011 at his home in Salem, OR. At Alliance Theological Seminary, he was a part of the pioneering faculty who worked with Dr. Linwood Barney and Dr. Jack Shepherd. He was also the director of internship and an adjunct professor at ATS. A graduate of John Brown University, Dr. Bubna was awarded two honorary doctorates.

For more than five decades, he and his wife Dee served in pastoral ministry and leadership in the Alliance family, most recently with Salem Alliance Church, where he was the senior pastor for more than two decades. He was also a pastor-at-large for The Christian and Missionary Alliance and on the Board of Directors of Peacemaker Ministries of Billings, MT.

A scholarship fund is being established at Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY for children of Alliance pastors and missionaries who are preparing for vocational ministry. For more information on the scholarship support, please contact the Office of Advancement at 1.866.721.7946.

The Nyack College community also mourns the recent loss of Priscilla (Retallack) Wilson, who went to be with the Lord on November 10, 2011 at the age of 70. Priscilla was a 1964 alumna of Nyack College. Her husband, Ron Wilson, is a 1963 alumnus of Nyack College and served on the Nyack College Board of Trustees from 1988 to 2000. Priscilla was an educator most of her life, and taught in both public and private schools in Orlando. The past twelve years she ministered and taught at the Edgewood Children's Ranch in Orlando.

In addition to her husband, Ron, she is also survived by four children: Brent, Holly and her husband Steve (who both graduated from Nyack in 1989), Christine, and Ian; four grandchildren: Zach, Lauren, Tori, and Sophi; brothers, Bruce and Don Retallack; and sister, Sara Clark. She was predeceased by her older sister, Ruth Rambo, who passed away earlier this year on May 19, 2011. 

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 3:00 PM at First Alliance Church, 3800 Lake Underhill Drive, Orlando, FL.