Mount Saint Mary College will honor Christina Bart Bilsky ’85, a Mount trustee, and Steven M. Neuhaus ’96, Orange County Executive.
Join Mount Saint Mary College for its annual Leadership Gala Reception, celebrating two pillars of the local community, on Friday, December 6.
Mount alumnus Steven M. Neuhaus ’96, Orange County Executive, and alumna Christina Bart Bilsky ’85, a Mount trustee, will be honored with the Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence. The award recognizes individuals or organizations whose professional accomplishments, service to the community, and leadership reflect the same commitment to quality, concern for neighbors, and shared prosperity that have exemplified the career and character of local entrepreneur, Joseph A. Bonura.
The event will hold a special place in the Mount’s history: Not only does it recognize two remarkable alumni, but it also marks both the 15th anniversary of the Leadership Gala and the 65th anniversary of the College.
The Gala will take place at 6 p.m. in the Kaplan Family Mathematics, Science and Technology Center on campus, 330 Powell Avenue, Newburgh, N.Y. Seating is limited, so be sure to get your tickets soon. To purchase tickets or to sponsor the event, visit www.msmc.edu/gala.
Proceeds from the event will directly support the Mount’s Donor Scholarship Fund. This fund is used as a safety net to assist students who have exhausted all financial aid options and find themselves on the brink of having to discontinue their education. The average award is approximately $2,500.
Mount Saint Mary College is the only four-year college in Orange County, with 520 of its current degree-seeking students hailing from the County. These students represent more than one third of the College’s student body. Mount grads are dedicated, active contributors to the economic vitality and growth of Orange County and the greater Hudson Valley.
Neuhaus was born and raised in Orange County and received his BA in Political Science from the Mount in 1996. As County Executive, Neuhaus has focused on revitalizing Orange County’s economic development, enhancing public health and safety, improving infrastructure, lowering the tax rate, and stabilizing the County’s budget. He has earned two warfare designations: Seabee Combat Warfare (SCW) Officer and Navy Expeditionary Supply Corps Officer (NESCO). Neuhaus has deployed to Iraq, Korea, Africa, and Japan, and served on active duty in Europe from mid-March through mid-May (2022) with the U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet in response to the crisis in Ukraine and is currently a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves.
Bilsky was born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y. Her dedication to nursing was influenced by her mother’s untimely death from breast cancer. Motivated by her loss, she received her BSN from the Mount in 1985. She then embarked on a 30-year career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). She held several positions, ultimately working as a Clinical Nurse IV in ambulatory care with Dr. Leslie Blumgart, who pioneered segmental hepatic tumor resection. Bilsky wrote critically important educational material for this new field of medicine.
The Mount is pleased to honor and celebrate these two exemplary graduates.