March 31, 2025

Friends,

This month, I am sending out my Monthly Newsletter one day early — on March 31, my birthday! — and dedicating this March Madness issue to the “other Ken Daly.” My son Kenny led his Port Washington High School Basketball team to their first County Championship since 1947 … then the Long Island Championship … before making it all the way to the New York State Finals. Congrats to Kenny and his teammates — who I have been coaching since Kindergarten — for achieving their dreams!

There was also March Madness here at STAC: our Men’s Basketball team under Coach Matt Capell made it to the NCAA Division II tournament for the 10th year in a row and knocked off the undefeated #1 ranked team in the country, Daemen, to make it all the way to the “Sweet 16”! We were also delighted to announce that Margaret Alaimo has been promoted to Athletic Director and is already building upon our strong athletic program. Many of our other teams had great success throughout the month and traveled down south for Spring Break games and tournaments, while continuing to excel in the classroom under the tutelage of newly promoted Senior Woman Administrator Rayven Johnson. We celebrated our many 4.0 GPA student-athletes last week and continue to score 10% higher than our Division II peers in the NCAA Academic Success Rate (ASR).

We are also delighted to honor Margaret (Rost) DeStaso '88 and Marjorie (Sahlstrom) Jaxel '96 in our inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class next week and welcome back our Championship 1985-86 Men’s Basketball team, as well as former STAC Men’s Basketball Coach Tobin Anderson —who led us to 6 ECC tournament titles and achieved an incredible .771 winning percentage — while inviting former NBA player Chris Herren to share his life journey with our students. 

Please read below to learn more about the many exciting March events at STAC — “Spartans Take a Beat,” Accepted Students Day, Women’s Leadership Network with Sara Haines (!), Business Alumni Networking, and a night out at “Cheers” in Boston (yes, that Cheers!). So, keep your seatbelts fastened as March Madness comes to an end and we prepare for the April final stretch of another wonderful academic year here at STAC.  

Regards,

I am signing now as:

PS Speaking of March 31 birthdays, I recently met a 10-year old future Spartan, who was also born on my birthday. So, I tried to surprise him and show him the birth date on my driver’s license, thinking that he would notice our same March 31 birthdays. Instead, he yelled out loud, “Wow, you were born all the way back in 1966”! From the mouths of birthday boys …

Margaret Alaimo, Director of Athletics, joined STAC with over 36 years of experience in athletic administration, inclusive of Director of Athletics roles at peer institutions. She quickly became a driving force in advancing our College's programs and is building on our tradition of excellence, ensuring that our student-athletes continue to excel both on the field and in the classroom.

Rayven Johnson has been promoted to Associate Director of Athletics & Senior Woman Administrator.

We welcome John Alesi, Associate Director of Athletics to the College.

The Department of Athletics is excited to announce the hiring of Joshua Maurer to serve as the first-ever Women's Flag Football Head Coach. Women's Flag Football, set to be launched at STAC in Fall 2025, is one of the fastest-growing sports, and will be featured in the 2028 Olympics.

We are extremely proud of our Men’s Basketball team, who made it to the NCAA Division II tournament for the 10th year in a row and knocked off the undefeated #1 ranked team in the country, Daemen, and made it to the “Sweet 16”! 

The Spartans' campaign comes to a close with a 25-10 overall record and a 13-3 ECC mark. The College community came together to give a warm and enthusiastic welcome to the team as they returned home from their tournament game to celebrate their journey, the effort, and teamwork shown on the court! 

The Department of Athletics recognized 36 of its student-athletes for their superior achievements in the classroom, as each Spartan earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the Fall 2024 semester. Congratulations, Spartans!

We are so grateful to Sara Haines, co-host of The View, and moderator Kelly Wallace, Chief Media/Brand Officer at TrailRunner International, for an unforgettable conversation on campus during Women's History Month.

From navigating the media landscape to sharing real talk on success and setbacks, their discussion was insightful, inspiring, and empowering. We thank them both for being part of our Women’s Leadership Network series and sparking such meaningful dialogue with our Spartan community, including our Women’s Basketball team (pictured above). Special thank you to Linda LoRe, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement for launching the Women's Leadership Network and organizing this event.

Spartans Keep A Beat Day — our campus-wide wellness day each semester — was a huge success! On March 24, our students were able to unplug, recharge, and focus on self-care and mental health awareness in the Romano Student Alumni Center. From therapy dogs and adorable bunnies … to massage chairs, comfort food, and inspirational messages … our Spartans were able to enjoy a peaceful afternoon together.

American Foundation of Suicide Prevention Walk: April 5 at 3:00 PM

The College will host its third annual Campus Walk to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Special thank you to Dr. Staci Shultz and Kim Burns for their tireless efforts in spearheading this event for our community. Pictured above, Victoria Farley '23, Regional Admissions Counselor, was President of the Mental Health Club as a student, and is involved in the Walk each year.

The 5th Annual Alumni Connection Reception hosted by the College's School of Business was held on March 20, and provided a fantastic opportunity to reconnect, network, and celebrate the achievements of our vibrant Spartan community.

Alumni, current undergraduate students, faculty members, and employees were in attendance, and meaningful connections were made! A special thank you Dr. Meghan Mihal and the School of Business faculty, as well as the alumni who came back to campus and shared their experiences to make the evening a success.

On March 27, President Ken Daly, the Office of Institutional Advancement, and Trustee Virginia Ripp '73 and Joe Ripp, hosted STAC alumni and friends at the iconic Cheers bar in Boston, MA. Trustee Natasha Deschene and many of President Daly's former National Grid colleagues were in attendance. Spartans reunited and reminisced and learned about the current happenings at the College from President Daly, and recent alum Meghan Ruane '23, MPA '24. What a wonderful evening!

St. Thomas Aquinas College will celebrate its vibrant community of scholars, leaders, and dedicated faculty at its 2025 Honors Convocation on Tuesday, April 8. More than 200 students will be recognized for their outstanding academic achievements, including recipients of the prestigious Distinguished Dean’s List.

Dr. Barbara Mistick, President of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), will be our keynote speaker and also be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service in recognition of her contributions to the higher education landscape. 

We will also honor Dr. Meenakshi Gajria and Dean Michael Murphy at the Convocation and congratulate them on their upcoming retirement.

We held a very successful Accepted Students Day on March 22 with over 300 students and families in attendance!

We look forward to hosting our next Accepted Students Day on April 12! Our future Spartans and their families will experience the College firsthand, connect with faculty, meet current students, and get an inside look at what makes STAC so truly special.

Join us on Thursday, April 3 at 6:00 PM for our Hall of Fame Dinner, where we will honor Sr. Meg Sweeney, O.P. ’85, ’13 MBA, Lt. Col. Joe Winter ’00, Ryan O'Gorman '04, Mr. Ryan O’ Gorman ’04, and Mr. Tobin Anderson, who is this year's Spartan Award Honoree!

We are also introducing our Inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame Class, and will be honoring the Men’s 1985-86 Basketball Team, Margaret (Rost) DeStaso ’88, and Marjorie (Sahlstrom) Jaxel ’96. The Barbara Wallenstein ’90 Community Service Award will also be presented to Daniel Reda. We look forward to honoring all of these incredible individuals at the beginning of April!

Earth Day Celebration: April 12 from 12:00-6:00 PM

Celebrate Earth Day 2025 with us! The local community, conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts, and eco-warriors of all ages are welcome. At St. Thomas Aquinas College, we commit sincerely to sustainability, the environment, and respecting our planet. There will be music, food, beverages, vendors, and family fun!

Check out St. Thomas Aquinas College's feature stories! We are delighted and proud to introduce you to the following individuals:

Lorraine Derwin

Associate Director, Admissions for Recruitment

Grace Ntango '26

Communication Arts Major, Marketing Minor, and Member of the Women's Bowling Team

Patric Sancy '11

Department of Veterans Affairs