Mount Saint Mary College recently announced the creation of four new scholarships, each honoring one of the most hardworking and influential individuals the college community has ever known.
The Sister Leona DeBoer Endowed Scholarship for Nursing: This scholarship was established by an anonymous donor to support incoming students with financial need and the desire to serve our community through nursing.
Mount Nursing students have Sr. Leona DeBoer, OP to thank for their incredible experience in the Nursing program: Sr. DeBoer helped to found the Nursing major here at the college. Foundations, vision, and inspiration are the pillars of Sr. Leona DeBoer’s legacy and indelible gifts to her students.
Even after her retirement, she continues to remain closely connected to the Mount community. She often returns to campus for the Alumni Nursing Symposium and the annual Nurse Pinning Ceremony. The Sr. Leona DeBoer Graduate Nursing Award, given to an outstanding Nursing student each semester, is named in her honor. Donations to the scholarship can be made here: www.msmc.edu/sisterleona
The Father Greg Fluet Endowed Scholarship: This scholarship supports Mount students in financial need who have demonstrated notable academic aptitude. Fr. Gregoire Fluet, Interim President of the Mount, has made innumerable contributions to Mount campus community and beyond. He has supported the college community on all levels: counseling, connecting, and cheering students on.
Fr. Fluet’s deep passion for the Mount, genuine devotion to the wellbeing of the students, and utmost respect for the college’s Dominican traditions and values has sparked much success in only a short time. Under Fr. Fluet’s leadership, the college received a $1 million gift from the Dominican Sisters of Hope to endow and name the college’s Campus Ministry; secured a $1.6 million grant for its Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) to be used over the course of the next five years; and continued the tradition of donating gifts to the local community during the holidays, with a total of more than 1,000 toys. Donations to the scholarship can be made here: www.msmc.edu/fathergreg
The Sister Ann Sakac Memorial Endowed Scholarship: This scholarship supports incoming students who have financial need and the academic aptitude to succeed at the Mount. It was established by a gift from Penny Ducker, Class of 1973. Sr. Sakac passed away in early 2024.
Sr. Sakac took the helm at the Mount in 1976, but she had been part of the college community since 1969 as a professor of English and assistant dean of students. Under her 32-year leadership at the college, Sr. Sakac oversaw much of the college's expansion from a fledging institution to a pillar of the community.
Some of the highlights of her tenure at the Mount include the development of the college's first master's degree program; the opening of the Kaplan Recreation Center and Hudson Hall; new dormitories in Sakac Hall and renovations to Guzman Hall; and the renovation and development of the Mathematics, Science and Technology Center in Aquinas Hall. Donations to the scholarship can be made here: www.msmc.edu/newscholarships
The Sister Pat Sullivan Endowed Scholarship: This scholarship supports the education of future teachers with exception ability. For 60 years, Sr. Pat Sullivan, OP, professor emerita of Mathematics, has guided and educated thousands of students in achieving their academic and personal goals. When she joined the Mount faculty in 1973, she quickly became one of the college’s most distinguished professors and mentors.
Mount students are drawn to her warmth and energy, as well as her wonderful sense of humor. As a Dominican Sister, she has dedicated her life in the service of others, especially those less fortunate. She is a staunch advocate for supporting opportunities for first generation students who might not otherwise have access to higher education.
In addition to her work at the Mount, Sr. Sullivan is an outstanding leader in the religious community, taking on important roles in the sustainability of the order. Donations to the scholarship can be made here: www.msmc.edu/Sisterpat