Proud to be born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Sister Peggy Scarano, OP, was awarded a Doctor of Public Service, honoris causa, by St. Thomas Aquinas College (STAC) Orangeburg, New York, on Wednesday, April 4, 2023. Sister Peggy received this award as part of the 2023 Honors Convocation held at the college for her outstanding and long-time service in the community and region. Dr. Staci Shultz, Associate Professor of English and Director of Writing, presented the honorary degree to Sister Peggy while President Ken Daly placed the doctoral hood on her. Many of Sister Peggy’s Sparkill Dominican community, as well as family and friends, were present to witness this significant honor.
A graduate of Our Lady of Solace Grade School and St. Helena High School, Sister Peggy earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from St. Thomas Aquinas College, class of 1970, a Master of Science in Special Education from Manhattan College, and a New York State certificate in Educational Administration from Fordham University. Already inducted into STAC's Hall of Fame, class of 2006, she received the Founders Award in 2016 and a Mission and Ministry Scholarship was created and named in her honor in 2022.
For those who have worked with Sister Peggy, she is considered a "Powerhouse in Motion." Sister's contributions to STAC include serving on the Board of Trustees as an active member of the Steering Committee that led the process that resulted in the writing of STAC's Mission/Vision statement, as well as a member of the search committee that resulted in the hiring of STAC's president, Ken Daly.
For twelve years, Sister Peggy has invested her time, talents, and treasure to enrich the lives of STAC students. Along with faculty and staff, she introduced the students to not-for-profit agencies in Rockland County, helping to host programs that brought students and staff together with the surrounding community to promote the common good. Sister Peggy has helped to challenge and energize each student she meets to realize and create his or her own growth to success by making a difference in the world. She embodies STAC's Mission.
A Dominican Sister since 1964, Sister Peggy feels blessed to be a Consecrated Religious. "Women Making a Difference," a motto of the Dominican Sisters that is carved in marble at the entrance to the Motherhouse, located on the grounds next to the college, reveals her commitment. Her vocation as a teacher and administrator, matched by her gift for fundraising has led her to work presently for a national non-profit organization, Support Our Aging Religious (SOAR!) located in Silver Spring, Maryland. SOAR! helps to raise awareness and to garner financial support for congregations of Sisters, Brothers, and Priests in need throughout the country as they care for their retired members.
As a Board member of STAC, Sister Peggy Scarano, a Powerhouse in Motion, encourages the efforts to cultivate STAC’s Mission in every department so that students will continue to make a profound, positive difference in the world for generations to come. She is truly a "Woman Making a Difference." In her words, Sister Peggy feels blessed to be a Dominican Sister of Sparkill, a proud STAC alumna, and humbled to receive an honorary Doctorate of Public Service.
You may view a video of the 2023 STAC Honors Convocation here.