Success by the Sea Scholarship Gala

The recent Success By The Sea Biennial Scholarship Gala was an evening of outstanding achievement.  This elegant event honored Sr. Gregory Naddy, RHSM, Yvonne Bogdanovich and Sandra Sanders for their many generous contributions to Marymount College and the community. 

More than 250 guests were delighted by the gourmet meal prepared by Bon Appétit and the energetic music and dancing led by the Wayne Foster Entertainment Group.  A reception, a student art show, a chic boutique and music by the Marymount College Jazz Ensemble greeted the guests upon arrival.  It was a warm, slightly breezy eve, which made the photos taken of each guest particularly lovely with the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the background.

Success By The Sea raised funds for student scholarships.  With more than 70 percent of Marymount students this year requiring tuition assistance, the annual need is more than $4.1 million.  Sophomore Christian Gomez shared her road-to-college experience with the Gala attendees and was applauded for her academic and co-curricular achievements at Marymount College.

This event, led by Tara Brophy and supported by a committee that had exciting ideas and endless enthusiasm, provided a five-star experience for its guests.  Committee members included Bon Appétit General Manager Donna Novotney; Assistant to the President Kimberly Ramsay; film and TV actress Stacie Randall Allocco, who emceed the event; parent liaison and volunteer Nadine Bobit; and Board Trustee Lia Reyes.  

Marymount College Breaks Record at Blood Drive!

Marymount has done it once again! Breaking all former records. Marymount students, faculty and staff member contributed to 58 pints of blood for the donation drive! Way to go!

Cardinal Mahony visits Marymount and Celebrates Mass of the Holy Spirit

On Wednesday, September 15, Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles presided over the Mass of the Holy Spirit.  Attending this special Mass held in the College's Chapel were students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.  The Mass of the Holy Spirit is part of a long tradition, dating from the founding of the first European universities in the Middle Ages, and is offered at the start of the academic year.

"This is a special year for Marymount College," said President Dr. Michael Brophy. The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges granted Marymount its Bachelor of Arts accreditation in February. This fall, the College offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business, Media Studies and Liberal Arts.


Marymount welcomed more than 750 students - 40 to the baccalaureate program - at the start of the school year.  These impressive enrollment numbers are within the Rancho Palos Verdes city-mandated cap of 793 students, and represent an increase of about 25 percent over last year’s enrollment.

"We experienced great enrollment growth, which is a very good sign for the College.  We attribute this growth to the new baccalaureate programs," said Dr. Brophy.


The College has hired faculty and staff members to accommodate the bachelor's programs and enrollment growth.  In addition to the Bachelor of Arts programs, new developments on campus include men’s and women’s soccer teams with membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and the addition of a study-abroad program with exciting worldwide locations, such as the Netherlands and China.

Marymount Professor’s New Book Explores Catholics and the Civil War

Marymount professor Kenneth Zanca, Ph.D., recently published his intriguing Civil War-era book, The Catholics and Mrs. Mary Surratt:  How They Responded to the Trial and Execution of the Lincoln Conspirator.

Professor Kenneth Zanca, Ph.D.

Dr. Zanca, who is a professor of philosophy and religious studies, explores the Catholic Church and its reaction to the Lincoln assassination.  In particular, he looks at Mary Surratt, the only woman convicted of taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln and the first woman executed by the United States federal government.

Dr. Zanca, whose book has been very well received, was invited to present his findings at the annual national conference of the Surratt Society.  Recently, he received a letter from Marshall Surratt, a direct descendent of Mary Surratt, who thanked him for his excellent work and confirmed that Mary’s involvement in Lincoln’s assassination remains both a mystery and a controversial topic.

Dr. Zanca says that he is currently working on the first volume of a multivolume work dealing with Catholics and the Civil War, a topic that he says has not received in-depth study in years.

Dr. Zanca says that he approached this topic with care.  “I worked hard to present the data and not pass judgment on Mrs. Surratt’s guilt or innocence – which to me will always be an unanswerable question unless new documents are found.”Since the execution took place in 1865, questions have remained about Surratt’s involvement in Lincoln’s assassination.