By Kristina Dillon
Mercy College will be hosting its Founder’s Day on Oct. 17 on the Dobbs Ferry campus, featuring the Founder’s Day Medal presentation and the third annual Athletic Hall of Fame.
Open to all students, parents, alumni and staff, Founder’s Day will also feature the Alumni Baseball Game, a BBQ Luncheon and Festival, Class Reunions and after party.
Earning the Founder’s Day Medal will be Donald Kendall, co-founder of PepsiCo. Kendall has received an honorary degree from Mercy College as a supporter of higher education.
“We are very excited to be honoring him this Founder’s Day,” said Kara McGann, Director of Alumni Relations and Current Events.
Kendall and Herman Lay of Frito Lay, Inc. merged their two firms in 1965. Kendall joined Pepsi Cola Company as a sales representative and rose through the sales ranks, becoming a marketing vice president in 1956. Kendall headed up Pepsi’s international operation in 1957 and became president in 1963. Kendall gained the top spot of chairman and CEO in 1971 and he retired in 1986. He was awarded the Order of Friendship in 2004 for bringing Pepsi to Russia.
The reception for Kendall is taking place at 5 p.m. in the Hudson River Café.
The Alumni Baseball Game begins at 11:30 a.m., as the current Mercy baseball team will play alumni. From noon to 4 p.m., the BBQ and Mercy Festival will be held in a tent next to the baseball field. The popular radio station 92.3 NOW will be broadcasting at Mercy as sumo wrestling suits, bouncy boxing, carnival game, and free give-a-ways are all part of the Festival and free for all students.
For entrance to the BBQ, students can use their meal card or pay a $10 charge.
“This event is going to be a great way to network with alumni, build school spirit, meet new people and have some fun! We have lots of fun prizes, games and entertainment so don’t miss it,” said McGann.
The third annual Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner will honoring the men’s basketball program’s second all-time leading scorer Brian Donohue ’78; the first woman to receive an athletic scholarship to Mercy College, former women’s basketball player Mary Brechbiel Agnetti ’78; a former baseball player with a nationally ranked batting average, Bob Crescenzo ’82; and the Mercy College women’s basketball program’s record-holder for the most games played, Noreen Annunziata Apicella ’86.
Mercy College will also present the Dr. Ann Grow Friend of Athletics Award to Dr. Darryl Bullock, and Kevin Gibson and Katelyn Klobus will receive the Neil Judge Scholar Athlete Awards, presented to the male and female graduating student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade point average from the last two academic years.
“These are some of the all-time greats in Mercy College athletics history, and we are honored to have them as part of the Mercy College family,” Athletic Director Pat Kennedy said in a press release. “They have built a great tradition and legacy of pride for the program that we look to carry on and build on for years to come.”
The Athletic Hall of Fame dinner will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and will cost $100 per person.
Class Reunions will take place in eh Alumni Tent for a $40 buffet including wine and beer. The event will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Taking place afterwards until 10:30 in the alumni tent is the complimentary after party.
If you are interested in attending any of the Founders’ Day events, you can register online at www.mercy.edu/founderday2009 , email [email protected] or call (914) 674- 7759.