2011 Honorary Degree Recipients

The Board of Trustees of Albertus Magnus College has voted unanimously to confer the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters upon the following distinguished individuals at the College’s 88th Commencement Exercises, Sunday, May 15:

Sister Charles Marie Brantl, O.P., ’51 was an economics major at Albertus, and then earned her master’s degree and doctorate in economics from Fordham University. In 1976, she accepted an invitation to return to her alma mater to build and staff a new department of business and economics. She later served as vice president for academic affairs for 11 years and is now director of assessment and institutional research. This passionate advocate for lifelong learning was an early supporter of information technology as a tool for the improvement of student learning, helping to bring the College fully into the Information Age.

Sister Mary Faith Dargan, O.P., ’53 earned the master’s degree in Latin from Boston College, and later joined the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs; she received her doctorate in classics from The Ohio State University. In 1970 she returned to her alma mater as chairman of the classics department. Four years later she became academic dean—a position she held for a decade. She is now professor of classics in the foreign language department. A highly-respected classics scholar, Sister Mary Faith has been an active and committed member of her religious congregation and a stalwart supporter of her alma mater.

Natalia Icaza Holland, ’40 is a member of the 13th class to graduate from the College, where she was a history and political science major. Described in her class book as a “dynamic statesman and globe-trotter,” she applied to law school at a time when few women did, and received an L.L.B. degree in 1943 from New York University Law School. A dedicated volunteer, she was honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution for 70 years of continuous service. She has been extraordinarily loyal to her alma mater, unwavering in her philanthropy and love for the College.

Marcus R. McCraven, native of Des Moines, Iowa, has been involved in the life of New Haven for more than four decades. A graduate of Howard University, he spent many years in California as a nuclear scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory and the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. In 1970 he began a long and distinguished career with the United Illuminating Company, retiring as vice president of UI’s environmental engineering program. He is a champion of the underserved in the Greater New Haven community, believing with great passion in the importance of education for students of color.