7 Things Tigers Are Talking About
News from Holy Family University
By April White
1. The Newest University Tradition
“Hands tell the story of what we do and who we are,” President Anne Prisco told the students, faculty, and staff who gathered at Holy Family’s recently opened Newtown West campus this spring. The community came together to start a new annual University tradition: the Blessing of the Hands, a cherished ceremony in the healthcare profession. “For nursing students and faculty, your hands will comfort patients, offer reassurance in moments of fear, and bring healing through knowledge, skill, and compassion,” President Prisco said. The inaugural Blessing of the Hands also recognized the contributions of the hands of the facilities team, which “made this campus ready for learning, for teaching, and for community.”
2. Alpha House’s Golden Anniversary
Look up at the ceiling in Alpha House and you’ll see its legacy—countless colorful handprints left behind by young graduates, some of whom have since sent their own children to the early childhood education center. This academic year marks 50 years for the school. It has been in its current location on Grant Avenue for 41 years, and for the last 24, Mary Becker M’11 has been a fixture for students and their parents, first as a teacher and later as director and principal. This year also marks her retirement from the school. “Her leadership was defined by her ability to see the unique spark in every child,” says Jennifer DeCicco, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences and interim dean of the School of Education.
3. New Leadership in Business and Nursing
Two new leaders have stepped to the fore with complementary visions for the future of the University: Tobin Porterfield, the new dean of the School of Business & Technology, and Jinsy Mathew, the new dean of the School of Nursing & Health Sciences. Porterfield, who comes to Holy Family with industry experience and a record of academic leadership at Kean University, is already hard at work further integrating business leaders into the school, both in the classroom and through an advisory council. “We want students to be engaging with industry throughout their time here so that they’re ready for their internships and to go out into their career market,” Porterfield says. Mathew, a medical surgical nurse and nurse educator who has spent 11 years helping to shape the nursing school in vital academic and administrative roles, is pursuing a similar synergy between education and experience. “I am energized to cultivate an ecosystem that brings collaborative and interdisciplinary research together with clinical expertise to meet the needs of our students and our community,” Mathew says.
4. A Year of Big Wins
It wasn’t just women’s basketball. The 2025–26 academic year was a win for almost all of Holy Family’s sports teams. The University’s student–athletes made the playoffs in 15 of the 18 sports with post-season competitions. On the sidelines, three Holy Family coaches—Noah Morris of men’s lacrosse, Collin Sibilia of women’s volleyball, and Bernadette Laukaitis ’00 of women’s basketball—were named Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference coaches of the year, and Holy Family’s student– athletes found success in the classroom, too. For the fifth year in a row, the University received the Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence.
5. This Magazine
The magazine you are reading is named Votis for an important reason. Like the University motto from which it borrows its title, this new publication is a promise to the community. When it was selected by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in 1954, the motto teneor votis—translated from the original Latin as “I am bound by my responsibilities”—was a response to the historical moment, explains Sister Brendan O’Brien, CSFN, ’75, who spent almost two decades as the University’s archivist. In the post-World War II United States, women’s colleges, especially those established by women’s religious communities, devoted themselves to service beyond self, modeling education oriented toward service, learning as a preparation for leadership, and a commitment to the common good. The dedication to community enshrined in Holy Family’s motto is “timeless and has reflected our University’s ability to continue its mission through the many changes and challenges,” Sister Brendan says. Votis will tell those stories.
6. Holy Family’s Future Podcasting Influencers
The next hit podcast just might get its start in a vibrant blue recording studio on the ground floor of Holy Family Hall. The new facility, outfitted with everything a student needs to record audio or video programs, was developed in conjunction with English professor Robert Ficociello’s new course, Podcast & Vlogging. Over the course of the semester, students developed, recorded, branded, and debuted their own podcasts on topics ranging from commentary on internet culture to movie reviews to philosophical discussion. “Very rarely do I get smiles from my students for assignments,” says Ficociello, “but this was a lot of fun for them.”
7. Two Notable Retirements
This fall, for the first time this century, Pamela Flynn (at right) and Claire Ann Sullivan will not be full-time faculty at the University. After a collective 63 years teaching Holy Family students, Flynn, a professor of art and the fine arts coordinator, and Sullivan, a professor of education, are both retiring. They will both continue to contribute to the community as professors emeriti. At the Celebration of Academic Excellence this spring, the professors were honored for their lasting impact. Flynn, who grew the art degree program, was celebrated for her legacy of artistic excellence and academic mentorship. Sullivan, who shaped the special education programs, was feted for her dedication to her students and her scholarship and advocacy for people with disabilities.