A former Siena president bestowed the Holy Names Province (HNP) Francis Medal on Jack Sise ’75 at an August Mass held in the campus landmark Sise helped create.
Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D., who is now provincial minister of the HNP, celebrated the August 4 Mass honoring Sise, who practiced law in the Capital Region before joining the Siena development office.
The Francis Medal was established in 1998 to honor those who display an uncommon contribution to the advancement of the ideals and values of St. Francis.
Sise spearheaded the creation of the grotto, located on Turchi Road behind the Fr. Benjamin Kuhn, OFM, House. Dedicated in the fall of 2014, the grotto is a place of prayer and devotion that has been well received by the Siena community.
“Jack clearly has the values and ideals of Francis,” said Mullen. “Jack has great devotion to Mary.”
The Grotto includes a statue of Mary from the original campus Grotto that was dedicated in 1947 in remembrance of veterans and those who had fallen in World War II, including 36 Siena alumni.
Sise joined Siena’s development staff in July 2001 as director of gift planning and retired this summer. He worked with alumni and friends of Siena who wanted to support the mission of the college by endowing a scholarship, academic initiative or athletic program or other effort in perpetuity.
Sise is one of 10 children — six of his brothers are Siena graduates.
“Siena is in our DNA,” he said, adding that his wife, Mary, is a member of the class of 1974, the first Siena class with female graduates.
“Jack Sise is a bridge builder,” said David Smith, ’79, Siena’s vice president for development and external affairs. “During his time at Siena, he facilitated greater interaction and stewardship across all our constituent groups: alumni, faculty, administrators and friends of the college. He has cultivated many positive relationships to help make Siena a better, stronger place, and to help us fulfill the Franciscan mission that is the basis for all we do here.”
