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Monroe Alumni Association News • Winter 2015
Matches Made at Monroe
Some say finding the right college is a lot like finding the right
relationship. Can you imagine if you were able to find the RIGHT
relationship at the RIGHT college? How lucky! In honor of February,
the month of love, the Office of Alumni Relations would like to report on just some
of the matches made the old fashioned way right here on our very own campuses.
Bronx Admission Counselor,
Maggie Gonzalez ‘13, met her
boyfriend, Gilbert Rodriguez
‘12 on May 31st, 2011 in
Professor Young’s Psychology
class in King Hall’s room 205.
Maggie recalls the day and
moment well. She was sitting
two rows in front of Gilbert
and during a bathroom break,
she had her friend report to him that she thought he was
cute! Unbeknownst to Gilbert that Maggie even spent any
time thinking about him, he was immediately interested.
They obviously used the psychological principals taught to
navigate their relationship because 3.5 years later, they are
still going strong! They are the newly proud parents of a 3
month old baby girl. Whenever Maggie needs a pick me
up, she can walk by room 205 while at work and reminisce
about their first encounter.
We are ecstatic to report that a Monroe love connection
made it across the globe. Who would have thought when
International student, Sayaka Mitsui, decided to enroll
at our New Rochelle campus that she would one day
move back to Japan, not only with a 2010 BBA degree
in Hospitality Management but also with future husband,
2011 graduate, Juan Gonzalez. Sayaka and Juan met
during the flag ceremony practice before graduation! Every
flag holder was asked to turn around and say hello to
the person who was carrying the flag behind them. Juan,
carrying the flag for Puerto Rico and Sayaka, carrying
the one for Japan turned and it was as if, love at first
sight! They started dating a few months later and now
are married, employed and living in Japan! This is a true
Monroe love story!
Richard Torres, ’85 graduate, has a
wonderful story as to how he met his
wife, Daisy ‘85. Richard originally
met Daisy in the Bronx lounge, but
was nervous and awkward, even
to the point that his voice cracked,
when he said hi. Obviously, Daisy
did not give him another thought.
Richard on the other hand knew
this was the woman for him and
although unsuccessful, he tried for two semesters to find
her on campus! Finally, Richard saw her across Jerome
Avenue immediately following a huge snow storm and
just as he went to run across the street, a bus drove past
him, soaking him head to toe with dirty slush. He finally
got her full attention in the spring of 1984 at the end of
semester TGIF party at Eastwood Manor when he asked
her to dance and risked kissing her as well! Again time
passed, but Richard was lucky to run into her on campus
and the two headed to Edgar Allan Poe’s Cottage on the
Grand Concourse where they sat into the night talking and
realizing that they were true soul mates. They now share
the successes of their two grown daughters and recently
celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary in Paris and
Rome! Congratulations to a wonderful couple.
Our favorite St. Lucia-based couple, Keija and Neil Nichols,
met in January 2002 at the New Rochelle campus. Neil
was working as a student tutor. Keija, a recent transfer
from Trinidad, was very new on campus and felt most
comfortable hanging around the Learning Center. Neil
thought Keija resembled his personal friend which instigated
him to keep looking at her, plus he harbored an obvious
attraction. In their very first exchange Keija bluntly asked,
“Why do you keep staring at me?!” Unfortunately he now felt
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Matches Made at Monroe
(continued)
like a pseudo-stalker and the two had very little interaction
thereafter. Finally, Keija asked him for help with her mailbox
and although Neil did not have a clue, he made sure to get
it right! Poking fun, he asserts that Keija could have asked
anyone in the mailroom for help but she made sure to seek
his. Using tickets from Res Life, the two went on their first
date to the movies. Now, 12 years later and married for 8,
they have 3 beautiful boys and work at our St. Lucia campus.
Neil says that their time spent together on Monroe’s campus
definitely set the groundwork for their marriage today.
A great example of making
sure the Admissions and
Financial Aid Offices work
together is in Assistant
Director of Undergraduate
Admissions and National
Outreach, Oragan
Rungruangviechakul and
Financial Aid Counselor,
Piraphong Pettong’s
relationship! We are happy to report that Oragan and
Piraphong are the excited new parents of baby Lucas born
on January 9th! We know Lucas will grow up to have great
sales and financial sense. Congratulations to the happy trio.
Financial Aid Counselor, LaToya
Cruz ’04, started Monroe in January
2002 as an international student from
Jamaica. She traveled from Queens
every day and would have breakfast
in Main Hall. One day she forgot her
wallet but a nice man working in the
cafeteria, told her not to worry about
it. He admitted to seeing her every day and said she could
just pay tomorrow. LaToya came the next morning, paid for
her unpaid meal and went off to the Library to study. This
very sweet man came running after her with a rose. It was
going to be Valentine’s Day and he introduced himself and
asked if he could be her valentine. Roberto and LaToya
are now married for 8 years and parents of two children,
living in New Rochelle, with a short commute to campus
where they both work. Happy Valentine’s Day Cruzes!
We all know that now the dating world has been
irrevocably touched by technology. Hopefully these
stories will inspire you to turn back to the organic
steps of meeting in person, allowing time and place to
shape a budding relationship so you, too, one day can
think back to the nostalgic senses of meeting the love
of your life. Good luck!
The office of Alumni Relations and New Rochelle’s Business Graduate Department teamed up
to host our own Alumni version of the American reality competition television series, Shark Tank,
as part of the Homecoming festivities in October. Monroe’s Alumni Shark Tank featured aspiring
alumni entrepreneur-contestants making business presentations to a panel of “shark” panel
members. Richard Harris pitched his just recently opened juice bar, Island Blends, and validated
the need for a new juicer to eliminate long lines. Camille Forde pitched her high style customized
dress design business, Camille Couture, and discussed her marketing and labor processes with
the sharks. Vinette Perez from Kiddy Kitchen, explained her personalized approach to teaching
kids how to cook and discussed promotions and cost structure. The sharks attempted to find weaknesses and faults in the
entrepreneur’s plans, however, all alumni participants demonstrated very strong business models. In the end there could
only be 1 winner. The winner, Island Blends Juice Bar, now open on 875 East 241 Street in the Bronx received a monetary
prize to help the business grow successfully. All participants received prizes so everyone benefited from the exposure and
experience. If you are interested in participating in our next Shark Tank event, please contact [email protected].
upcoming events
4March 7th Defensive Driving Class
4March 14th Florida Alumni Reunion — Delray Beach
4Monroe College Toastmasters Club every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month in Milavec Hall – Room 112 / NR
LIFELONG LEARNING CLASSES
4Advanced Excel • Saturdays, Feb, 14th, 21st, 28th, Mar 7th • 9:00 am to 1:00 pm • Gaddy Hall Rm 402 / NR
4Certified Coding Exam Prep (CCA) • Tuesdays and Thursdays, Mar 3rd, 5th, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm • West Hall / BX
4Computerized Accounting(Quickbooks) • Saturdays, Feb 21st, 28th, Mar 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, April 4th, 11th
9:00 am to 12:00 pm • Ustin Hall / BX
4Sharp (Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention) • Saturdays, Mar 14th, 21st, 28th and Apr 2nd
9:00 am to 11:00 am 8 King Hall / Bronx Campus
4Personal Finance Series • Tuesdays, Feb 24th, Mar 3rd, 10th • 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm • King Hall / BX Bronx
To register for Alumni events go to our Events Calendar at www.monroecollege.edu.