The Mount Saint Mary College School of Nursing in Newburgh documented the trials and triumphs of students, faculty, staff and alumni over the course of the pandemic and sealed them in a time capsule Tuesday, May 11, to be opened by the college dean of nursing in 25 years.
The time capsule contains current photos, publications and letters to the future leaders and students of the Mount. It also has other historical Mount items, such as a Mount-branded cloth mask.
The time capsule was sealed with a padlock until the capsule”™s reopening in 2046. Until that time, it will remain on display on the college campus.
The Mount time capsule was made possible by a three-person team: Susan LaRocco, dean of the School of Nursing; Kathleen Pecoraro, instructor of nursing; and Erica Torres, administrative assistant for the School of Nursing.
“A time capsule is belief in our future,” said LaRocco. “We believe the Mount will be here, the School of Nursing will be here, our profession will be right here on our campus and we will have a whole new batch of nurses. Think about it: the students who will be here in 25 years haven”™t even been born yet.”
After officially sealing the time capsule, LaRocco and Pecoraro announced the winner of the Mount”™s annual DAISY Foundation Nurse Faculty Award: Lynette DeBellis, instructor of nursing, for her dedication to the Mount and the community. A 1985 graduate of Mount Saint Mary College, she has been a registered nurse for 35 years.
