NEWBURGH – A crowd gathered at Mount Saint Mary College on Thursday afternoon for the The Desmond Center for Community Engagement & Wellness ribbon cutting.
The Desmond Center began offering programming in March of 2022 despite not having a physical location, but that has all changed now that renovations to Guzman Hall, the center’s permanent home, have been completed.
Genesis Ramos, Executive Director for the Desmond Center, came on board with the organization at its inception. Ramos, who also represents portions of the City of Newburgh in the Orange County Legislature, said the purpose of the center is to provide health, wellness, educational, and professional services for underserved individuals and families in the area. Ramos knows the community well; she has lived her entire life in Newburgh.
The center offers educational workshops, wellness programming, health screenings, immunizations, professional development events, and more for the local community. It offers these services by harnessing the talent of students and staff at the Mount. Students studying at the college are provided the opportunity to work hands-on with community members with nursing students, for example, delivering wellness services to the community.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. George Abaunza spoke about the Mount’s goal to build stronger connections with the community. He emphasized the goal of providing a service-oriented education to students and connecting that service with the needs of the community.
Mayor Torrance Harvey along with members of the city council were on hand at the event. “It means a lot for the city. Being a Mount Saint Mary College graduate, my wife, my twin brother, we are alum of this great institution,” said Harvey. “For so many years, we wanted that connectivity between the college, which is wonderful and great, to the residents and the city. The Desmond Wellness Center for Community Engagement is exactly what that is all about.”
“It’s great because it shows the commitment of Mount Saint Mary College to the city of Newburgh and the greater community. It shows they are not just a great institution of learning, but that they care about the community they sit in. I am very optimistic,” said Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson, who represents the City of Newburgh in the State Assembly.
For more information on the center, or to see the schedule of events, visit www.msmc.edu/wellness.
