March 20 and 21 were very busy days here on campus! First, on March 20 was Siena Giving Day. Over $350,000 of total gifts was received on Siena Giving Day for the Annual Fund and restricted projects at the College. Between Siena Giving Day in March and Giving Tuesday in November we received gifts from over 1,750 unique donors, smashing our goal of 1,500! A very successful day and we want to thank you all for your support of the Annual Fund this year.
March 21 had two amazing events. In the afternoon Siena College hosted Trustee Jan Traynor MacDonnell '83 and her husband Russ for the blessing and dedication of The MacDonnell Career and Internship Center (TMCIC). Their transformative donation has enabled TMCIC to adopt advanced technology platforms, significantly benefiting Siena students and alumni in their searches for careers and internships, mentorship opportunities, and interview preparation.
With this new state-of-the-art technology, TMCIC is dedicated to empowering students and alumni in three key areas: securing career and internship positions, engaging in mentorship, and enhancing interview techniques. President Seifert highlighted Siena’s leading position in job placement, attributing this success to the targeted training and networking facilitated by the TMCIC team. He commended Jan and Russ MacDonnell for their essential support in upholding Siena's standard of excellence in career preparation, in alignment with Siena’s core values.
Alicia Pepe, Assistant Vice President for Experiential Learning and Career Development, stressed the Center's continuous commitment to supporting Siena students and alumni. Offering a comprehensive support network ensures that Siena graduates are well-equipped for their careers, underscoring a lifelong commitment to their success. Pepe also noted that TMCIC has matched its previous year’s alumni assistance figures, thanks in part to the effective promotion of the SaintsNetwork, an exclusive platform designed for robust networking within the community.
Later that evening Siena hosted the first annual Green, Gold & Gratitude Dinner. This event replaced the previous Scholarship Dinner that had been held over 30 years. More than 200 friends, faculty, staff and students attended the event. Included in the festivities was a video tribute explaining how the Siena community defines gratitude.