Mercy College will recognize three honorees for their achievements and contributions to the community at the College’s 41st Annual Trustees’ Scholarship Gala on Thursday, May 5.
Mercy will honor Dorothy M. Cali Balancio ’68, Ph.D., an educator, author and conflict mediation expert, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The CNR Legacy Award will be awarded to Rosa J. Napoleone CNR SAS ’75, a former information technology (IT) professional who co-chairs Mercy’s CNR Legacy Council, and Deandre Davis ’22, a student in the Mercy Scholars Program who will be awarded the Student Achievement Award.
Dorothy Balancio has maintained a steady and loyal relationship with Mercy College since her student days. During her 50-year career, she has taught multiple levels and education specialties in addition to her decades as a Mercy College sociology professor. Balancio has gained international recognition as a conflict resolution expert, presenting at conferences across the U.S. and in England. She is the author of, “Managing Conflict: An Introspective Journey to Negotiation Skills,” and serves on the board of directors of the New York State Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Balancio is executive director of the Louis Balancio Scholarship Fund, a not-for-profit focused on teaching the art of dispute resolution, which she founded and named in honor of her murdered 21-year-old son. She helped develop an interdisciplinary program, “Managing Conflict,” which recently achieved status as a 15-credit New York State certificate program. Balancio has edited, “The Italian American Review,” and served as director of the Verrazzano Institute at Mercy College.
Rosa Napoleone has been a dedicated supporter and advocate for alumni of The College of New Rochelle since graduating in 1975. She was recruited by New York Life Insurance where for 38 years she performed an integral role in shaping the organization’s IT program, rising to vice president. Her dedication to CNR alumni has evolved over the years and includes her service as director of the alumni board and president of the alumni association. When her alma mater announced it was facing closure, she devoted three years as a campus volunteer to help facilitate the transition to partnership with Mercy College. Napoleone continues to champion CNR alumni, currently serving as co-chair of the CNR Legacy Council. Since her retirement from New York Life in 2013, she and her husband have dedicated many volunteer hours to community institutions, including their local church, Lions Club and Boy Scout organizations. As an IT consultant and advisor to companies and company leaders, she has sustained to her post-retirement influence on issues facing today’s modern workplace.
Deandre Davis, from Brooklyn, New York, is a psychology major at Mercy College. As a Mav Care Ambassador, he assisted the Student Affairs Health & Wellness team, helping to facilitate the check-in process for COVID-19 testing. Davis has assisted with student recruitment by running campus tours and building excitement among campus visitors and prospective students. He is an enthusiastic student worker who has contributed energy and ideas to Mercy’s PACT and admissions offices, participating in a variety of supportive roles at many campus events. Davis is a proud to be part of the Mercy Scholars Program.
In addition to recognizing the honorees, Mercy College will be celebrating the Mercy Scholars Program at the gala. The Mercy Scholars Program was established in 2016 by Mercy College Board of Trustees Robert Niehaus and James McCormick, along with their wives Kate Niehaus and Marsha McCormick, to help close the financial gap for high-achieving students with strong financial need. The scholarship program provides qualified high school students with full tuition, books and fees not covered by other aid and scholarships and is part of the College’s long-term plan to help more students graduate college in four years and enter the workforce with limited to no debt. To date, more than 40 individuals have graduated from the program.
Past honorees of the Mercy College Trustees’ Scholarship Gala include: Hoda Kotb, the Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of NBC News’ Today show; Duncan Niederauer, former CEO of the New York Stock Exchange; Alex R. Ferrari ’82, former EVP of Viacom Media Networks; Kimberly Davis, senior executive vice president of the National Hockey League; Sister Theresa Kane, a global social justice luminary and advocate for women’s rights in the Catholic Church; and Dr. Gregory H. Williams, MBA ’14, law professor, former president of two major colleges and author of the autobiography, “Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black.”
All proceeds support the Trustees’ Dinner Scholarship Fund and the Mercy Scholars Fund at Mercy College. For complete details and to register, please visit www.mercy.edu/2022gala. Following Mercy College policy, this event requires that proof of COVID-19 vaccination be presented upon entry. For additional questions, please contact Alexis Rothenberg, director of alumni relations and special events, at arothenberg@mercy.edu or 914-674-7607.