June 5th is World Environment Day, and for 2023, the theme is finding solutions to plastic pollution and limiting plastic consumption. In this blog post, Maria graduate and Communications Specialist Nick Viviano discusses how to tackle plastics by taking small steps to change daily actions.  Working to limit plastic consumption and pollution is an example of Maria College values in action, and consistent with the Sisters of Mercy mission to enhance sustainability.

The month of May is National Nurses Month, as May 6-12 is recognized as National Nurses Week! Maria College and its community prides itself on being compassionate with a strong commitment to service and hospitality. As these qualities are deeply rooted in the nursing profession and in line with Maria’s mission, we would like to highlight how pursuing a career in nursing here at Maria would prove to be a rewarding career. In her blog post, Jessica Napoli-McNally, DNP, FNP-BC, CNEcl, Associate Dean of Nursing, RN-BS Completion Programs, and Director of Clinical Experiences, details what got her into the healthcare profession, what motivates her to keep coming to work each day, and what advice she has to those who are thinking about pursuing a career in nursing.

As Earth Day approaches, we are reminded that one of the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy is care for the earth. In his blog post, Maria College Communications Specialist and 2019 graduate, Nick Viviano, shares his thoughts on what we as a society need to do to help sustain our planet while also expressing his passion for the environment as a whole. Click the link above to read the full blog. 

In our ongoing commitment to the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy, we at Maria College commit ourselves to the practice of nonviolence and the ongoing work of recognizing and responding to racial injustice. Our mission comes from the recognition of the sacred value of all people and the assurance that a better world is possible. In her blog post, Chief Mission Officer Dr. Tara Flanagan reflects on people taking action throughout history for social change including anti-racism. She discusses the work of Dr. June Jackson Christmas, one of the first African Americans to graduate from Vassar College and Sr. Mary Riordan, RSM, who served as a teacher through the Jim Crow era of legally sanctioned segregation in the U.S.