Subject: Media Invitation: Honoring Two Extraordinary Women at Our 61st Commencement Ceremony
We are excited to invite you to a momentous occasion as we celebrate the 61st Commencement Ceremony of Felician University, honoring two exceptional female leaders with honorary degrees for their outstanding contributions to education, leadership, and global service.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, May 22nd
Time: Exercises begin at 9:30 a.m.
Location: The Rink at American Dream
Among the honorees is Sarita E. Brown, a nationally recognized advocate for educational equity and co-founder of Excelencia in Education. In addition to receiving an honorary degree, Ms. Brown will deliver this year’s keynote Commencement address.
We are also honored to welcome Sister Danat Marie Brysch, CSSF, who will travel from Rome to join us and receive her honorary degree in recognition of her lifelong commitment to servant leadership and humanitarian work.
We welcome the press to attend the ceremony and offer interview opportunities wit
- Sarita E. Brown, President and Co-Founder, Excelencia in Education
- Sister Danat Marie Brysch, CSSF
- Dr. Mildred Mihlon, President of Felician University
Interviews can be arranged before or after the ceremony. We’ve included bios below for both honorees.
Warm regards,
Tricia Perrotti
Director of Marketing & Communications, Felician University
PerrottiT@felician.edu
551-226-0488
Sr. Danat Marie, originally from Cestohowa, Texas, is a Felician Sister of Our Lady of Hope Province and is currently serving as minister general of the Felician Congregation. She entered the Felicians as a novice in 1970 in Ponca City, Oklahoma, becoming part of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Province.
She earned an Associate Degree in Nursing from Felician College in Lodi, New Jersey, in 1975; a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas, in 1982; and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of New Mexico in 1995.
Her practice from 1975-2003 included direct care and educational and supervisory positions in medical-surgical, geriatric, maternity/neonatal, and hospice nursing in hospitals in Iowa, Texas, and New Mexico. Sr. Danat was an instructor of student nurses for the University of New Mexico from 1995-1997, served as provincial coordinator and supervisor of healthcare from 1988-2012, and was a member of the Healthcare Ministry Council of Felician Infirmaries from 1989-2007.
From 1995 to 2009 she was a member of the leadership team of Assumption of the BVM Province, serving successively as provincial secretary, provincial vicar and provincial minister.
From 2007-2009 she was part of the planning committee for the merging of the North American provinces. She was elected to the first leadership team of the newly-formed Our Lady of Hope Province serving as provincial vicar until being elected to the congregational leadership team as vicar general and moving to Rome, Italy, in 2012. In 2018 she was elected minister general and is now serving a second term.
Sr. Danat has held membership in the Leadership Conference of Women Religious from 2001-2009 and the Union of International Superiors General from 2018 to the present.
President, Excelencia in Education
A leader and advocate for increasing opportunity and student success in higher education for over 30 years, Sarita Brown began her career at the University of Texas at Austin, where she built a national model for increasing the number of students of color in graduate education and in the academy. Once in Washington, DC, Sarita served in leadership roles at higher education associations and at American University, and launched the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute. She was tapped to serve as Executive Director of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans under President Bill Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley. Sarita later applied her talents and experience to the not-for-profit sector and in 2004, co-founded Excelencia in Education.
Many have recognized her positive impact and service to increasing educational opportunities for Latino students. This includes the Harold G. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education for “innovative thinking, strong leadership, and accomplishment by example”, the American Association of Community Colleges Harry S. Truman Award, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education Award and the Women of Distinction award from the American Association of University Women. She was also recognized with the Medal for Distinguished Service by Teacher’s College and has received honorary degrees from Carlos Albizu University, California State University Channel Islands, Fairleigh Dickinson University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Saint Joseph.
As Excelencia’s President, Sarita is responsible for the vision and governance of the organization and works with the Board of Directors and the CEO to communicate with stakeholders, forward-thinking partners, funders, and investors the importance of Excelencia’s mission and tactical plan. She brings her skills and energy to expanding Excelencia’s Presidents for Latino Student Success, the national network of college and university leaders committed to making their institutions learning environments where Latino, and all, students thrive.
