MMC Brings Alums Together Again at its 2025 Reunion Weekend

Alums  Davis Gilmartin ’20, Sydney Egan ’20, and  Karen Koeningsberg ’09 join Interim President Peter Naccarato at the Alumni Reunion opening reception.

The occasion also represented some important firsts for the community post-pandemic. It was the first time the Class of 1970 was able to celebrate their 50th anniversary—which they marked in 2020—in person. And it was the first time the Class of 2020, which had a virtual commencement ceremony because of Covid, returned to campus for a milestone anniversary.

For some, like Jean Ann Powers ’85, a Brooklyn native who has lived in Dallas for the past 30 years, it was also their first time attending an MMC reunion. Powers said she came not only to celebrate her class’s 40th anniversary but with the planned merger between MMC and Northeastern University in mind.

“That really brought to the fore that this place I consider very special is going to be changing, and that I wanted to be engaged at this moment and also be part of the Marymount Manhattan Center,” she said.

Growing up in a lower to middle-class part of Brooklyn, Powers said MMC had been her first introduction to a world beyond her neighborhood, which had “a largely homogenous way of thinking and seeing the world.” “Marymount blew that wide open for me—through both the classes and the people I met and became friends with,” she said.

Although she didn’t see any of her old friends at Alumni Reunion, she did make several new ones. After bonding with fellow alums at her table and accepting an invitation to attend an Alumni Book Club meeting held that weekend, she was reminded that a shared love for the College transcends class year.

“It really expanded my idea of alumni interactions,” she said. “I realized that people don’t have to be from my class for us to connect. I loved talking to alumni from different years and hearing what Marymount meant to them.”

During the weekend, alums attended a welcome reception on the Lowerre Family Terrace; a Student Choreography Concert in the Great Hall; the mainstage play A Thousand Years, written by Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Kenny Finkle and directed by Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts David Mold; an alumni mass; and an alumni lunch. They also had opportunities to tour the College and see new campus additions, such as the Judith Mara Carson Center for Visual Arts.

As another first, this year’s reunion also featured an Alumni Book Fair, where nine authors shared their work. The event was such a hit that Neil Gouveia, director of Alumni and Family Engagement, plans to hold another fair in the fall.

All told, Gouveia said that he hoped alums had left the weekend feeling stronger in their bond with each other and with a renewed sense of the College’s place in their hearts. “I want our alumni community to see that MMC, regardless of the merger, will always be home,” he said.

Celebrating excellence

At an awards ceremony breakfast held during Reunion Weekend, the College recognized six outstanding alums who exemplify MMC’s spirit and values. Congratulations to our honorees, whose leadership and service inspire our entire community!

Hope Knight ’85
Recipient: Geraldine A. Ferraro Award, presented in recognition of outstanding achievement in law or public service

Among New Yorkers, few names are more closely associated with business growth and job creation than Knight’s. She has served as the president, CEO, and commissioner of Empire State Development—New York’s economic development arm—since 2022. Nominated for the post by Governor Kathy Hochul, Knight is the first African American to lead the agency.

Blake Balsamo ’15
Recipient: Dr. Marvelle Colby Alumni Award, presented in recognition of outstanding achievement in business

With over a decade in commercial banking, Balsamo applies his expertise at a tech firm that builds scalable solutions for the financial services sector. He’s also committed to mentorship, supporting incarcerated individuals through Texas’s Prison Entrepreneurship Program and guiding college students pursuing finance careers.

Tanya Guzmán ’00
Recipient: Raymunde McKay Award, presented in recognition of distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the community

Even with a demanding career in media management, Guzmán has organized and participated in hundreds of social responsibility events to support causes like education, health, and international relief. Through her advocacy for vulnerable populations, she’s helped change lives!

PJ Adzima ’15
Recipient: Sr. Judith Savard Award, presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to the creative arts

Adzima stars as Elder McKinley in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon and produces two vaudeville shows through his production company Stage Time. (If you saw him host MMC’s Legacy Gala, you know he can work a crowd!) He appears next in the upcoming film The Kiss of the Spider Woman starring Jennifer Lopez.

Maureen Grant ’60
Recipient: Dean Peter H. Baker Award, presented in recognition of a lifelong commitment to education

Grant has dedicated her career to higher education. From 1999 to 2008, she served at MMC in various capacities: senior vice president, acting president, and interim vice president for Institutional Advancement. She was elected to MMC’s board in December 2017 and serves on the Governance and Educational Planning committees.

Cathleen McLoughlin ’60
Recipient: Père Gailhac Award, presented in recognition of continuous and outstanding service to MMC

McLoughlin spent 17 years teaching literature and visual arts as an adjunct professor at MMC. She has helmed the MMC Alumni and Friends Book Club for over 15 years and has led several MMC alumni tours of the Morgan Library & Museum, joyfully sharing her knowledge of the exhibits.

For photos of the awards ceremony and other Alumni Reunion Weekend events, view the gallery below!

Published: May 20, 2025