BUFFALO, NEW YORK – March 16, 2026 – , a private, Catholic college providing a pathway for students to build careers of achievement and lives of purpose, will host its Spring Soirée on Thursday, April 23 at from 6 – 8 p.m. at The Buffalo Club, 388 Delaware Ave. This annual fundraiser, which includes a cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment, and a raffle, celebrates all who empower the spirit of Trocaire, including honoring three deserving individuals and organizations.  

This year’s award recipients include: 

• Ģ����ý President’s Award – Goodwill of WNY This award is presented to a person, group, organization, or corporation whose partnership with Trocaire advances the college’s mission, vision, and Mercy values, and supports current and Trocaire students and alumni. Goodwill has been a vital partner, providing essential services and career pathway support that align with a shared commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering individuals to achieve meaningful employment.  

• Distinguished Alumni Award – Michele A. Ladouceur ‘01 This award recognizes a graduate who embodies Trocaire’s tradition of excellence and serves as an inspiring example to fellow alumni and current students. Ladouceur is chief operating officer at Heathwood Assisting Living & Memory Care and a former Trocaire board of trustee and alumni board member. Her professional accomplishments and steadfast commitment to Trocaire reflect the values the college seeks to cultivate in every graduate and underscores her deep and sustained dedication to the college’s mission. 

• Outstanding Student Award – Nicholas R. Osman ‘26 This award is presented to a current student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and commitment to Ģ����ý. Osman is expected to graduate this year with a degree in radiologic technology. Throughout his time at Trocaire, Osman as served as rad tech club president where he spearheaded a highly successful bake sale to support Radiating Hope and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. He also played a leading role in organizing the May pinning ceremony, providing outstanding support for Student Life and his graduating class.  

Proceeds from the Spring Soirée support tuition assistance for Trocaire students. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit trocaire.edu/alumni-and-friends/events/.  

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About Ģ����ý 
Founded in 1958 in Buffalo, NY by the Sisters of Mercy, Ģ����ý is a private, career-oriented Catholic college that empowers students with the resources and supportive environment needed to achieve their academic goals. The core mission is to allow each person to be a valuable contributor to the workforce needs of the community. Trocaire offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificates and workforce development programs in healthcare, veterinary sciences, business, and technology. Trocaire ranks in the top one-quarter of colleges and universities for return on investment by Georgetown University and is designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications with a Higher Access, Higher Earnings classification. Visit  for more information and follow Trocaire on,  and . 

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Fundraiser honors community leaders and funds student tuition

Ģ����ý’s announced today that it will host the Spring Soirée on April 24 at 6 p.m. at The Buffalo Club. This annual fundraiser, which includes a cocktail reception, live entertainment and an auction, celebrates all who empower the spirit of Trocaire, including honoring three deserving individuals and organizations. The public is invited to attend. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit .

This year’s award recipients include:

Ģ����ý President’s Award

Gerard Place: This award is presented to a person, group, organization, or corporation whose partnership with Trocaire furthers the college’s mission, vision, and Mercy values, and supports Trocaire students and alumni. Celebrating 25 years of service, Gerard Place continues to change the lives of people living in poor and underserved parts of the City of Buffalo with programs ranging from housing to education and workforce training. Trocaire partners with Gerard Place to offer certification programs that are essential to helping people break out of poverty and procure careers in healthcare. 

Distinguished Alumni Award

Bonnie Kane Lockwood ‘75: This award recognizes a graduate who serves as a positive role model to fellow alumni and current students. Lockwood is celebrating her golden anniversary of receiving her associate’s degree in radiologic technology from Trocaire, from which she was the first New York State licensed x-ray technologist in Buffalo General Hospital’s angiology department. Lockwood pursued a career in public service, holding multiple Legislative and City of Buffalo roles including as director of special projects for Congressman Brian Higgins and now serves as the director of Governor Hochul’s Western New York office.

Outstanding Student Award

Emma Westerling ‘23 ‘24 ‘25: Currently employed with General Physician Women’s Health, Westerling is expected to graduate this year with a degree in healthcare management. She is also a 2023 graduate of Trocaire’s radiologic technology program and a 2024 graduate of the college’s diagnostic medical sonography program. Throughout her time at Trocaire, Westerling has been an engaged student who has repeatedly made Dean’s list. She participates in honor societies and department initiatives while pursuing her multiple degree paths.

Proceeds from the Spring Soirée support tuition assistance for Trocaire students. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit .

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Ģ����ý’s annual fundraising event will honor former Congressman Brian Higgins with the President’s Award. The Trocaire is Thursday, April 25 at 6 p.m. in the Grand Aeries Ballroom of 500 Pearl. This annual gathering of Trocaire supporters includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, plated dinner, awards presentation, and entertainment. The public is invited to attend. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit . This year’s award recipients include:

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Mr. Beauford is a business executive with over 20 years of strategic leadership experience in private industry and community board service.  In August 2020, he was appointed as President and CEO of the Buffalo Urban League, to lead the historical civil rights, social justice, and community empowerment organization.

Thomas most recently served as vice president at M&T Bank in the Risk Management and Regulatory Affairs division.  Prior to this, Thomas joined HSBC Bank USA, N.A. in 2000, as part of its acquisition of Republic National Bank of New York, managing their Eastern Region Operations Center in New York City.  In 2001, he was selected for HSBC’s International Secondee Programme, headquartered in London, UK.  During his international assignment, he helped lead explosive growth serving as the Deputy Centre Manager of HSBC’s Global Service Centre, in Bengaluru, India.   As a result of his business development success, Thomas was chosen to lead a turn-around of the Bank’s U.S., Australia, and New Zealand Operations from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Thomas also completed research in Moscow and Astrakhan, Russia when selected as an Earthwatch© Institute Environmental Fellow.

In 2006, Thomas relocated to Buffalo, NY with HSBC as Director of Strategic Planning, overseeing Project Management and Business Banking Contact Center, then later, operations centers locally and in Guangzhou, China.  While at HSBC, he was a member of the CEO’s Diversity Council and a founding member and chair of the African Heritage Diversity Committee.  Thomas completed HSBC’s Six Sigma Black Belt training in Vancouver, BC.  He is also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and is trained in Commercial Lending and Regulatory Compliance. In 2013, he joined Citi in their Treasury and Trade Solutions Division, as Senior Vice President, Head of Global Billing and Receivables directing the consolidation of global billing platforms for the Corporate Cash Management and Institutional Client Group portfolio.

Currently, Thomas is a board member of the Univera Regional Advisory Board, Visit Buffalo Niagara, Northland Workforce Training Center, Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, Kaleida Health.  Thomas’ past community and board service include Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, Buffalo Urban Development Corporation; International Institute of Buffalo; Community Health Center of Buffalo, Minority Bar Foundation of WNY, and the National Black MBA Association of WNY— where he is the immediate Past President and Urban Bankers Coalition-New York City.

Thomas is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, holding an Executive M.B.A., and an M.S. in Operations and Supply Chain Management.  He received a B.S. in Business Management from Saint Peter’s University and an A.A.S. in Accounting from Kingsborough Community College. Thomas was also awarded a scholarship to study at Harvard Business School’s Executive Education–Governing for Nonprofit Excellence program.

 An avid jazz enthusiast, he was born in Harlem, N.Y. and raised in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. Thomas currently resides in the Buffalo, NY area with wife Stacy and is the proud father of two sons, Thomas III, Vaughn, and a daughter, Jewel.  The family are members of Friendship Baptist Church in Buffalo.

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is pleased to announce that the distinguished speaker for its May 2022 commencement will be Natalie Barnhard, PTA, LMT ’04.

Having suffered a devasting spinal cord injury in 2004 where Barnhard had to leave Western New York to receive the specialized care she needed, propelled her to start Motion Project Foundation Inc. in 2008. Today, Barnhard serves as founder and president of Motion Project Foundation, which has funded more than $300,000 in quality-of-life grants for others living with spinal cord injuries.

In 2021, Barnhard opened The Natalie Barnhard Center for Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Recovery in Cheektowaga. This neurological recovery center provides the necessary rehabilitation with specialized adaptative equipment and services for people with spinal cord injuries.

She also started the WNY Chapter of United Spinal Association to bring much needed programs and resources to the community.  Barnhard was the recipient of the Finn Bullers Advocate of the Year Award in 2021 from the United Spinal Association.

Barnhard earned her Associates in Applied Science Degree (AAS) in Trocaire’s massage therapy program in 2004 and was the recipient of the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015. She also received her AAS degree in the physical therapy assistant program from Villa Maria College in 2002.

Trocaire will host its 67^th Commencement on May 17, 2022 at 7 p.m.

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Slichta previously served as vice president at the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, where she developed and implemented several major initiatives to improve the lives of children in poverty and vulnerable older adults. She also facilitated many key partnerships and other projects that furthered the Foundation’s mission.

Prior to joining the Health Foundation, Slichta was the executive director of HealthforAll of WNY, Inc. where she led an effort to provide insurance subsidies for the working uninsured and their employers. She also served as project manager for the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Department of Family Medicine and as communications manager and organ services coordinator at Upstate New York Transplant Services, Inc. 

As a registered nurse, Slichta has also held positions in critical care and medical surgical nursing. She received an associate degree in applied science/nursing from Ģ����ý, a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Canisius College and a master’s degree in health services administration from D’Youville College.

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Ģ����ý will host its 65th Commencement exercises in the form of a virtual celebration on Sunday, May 16 at 1 p.m., on YouTube Premiere. This celebration will honor more than 280 spring and summer graduates  for their achievement in earning their degrees and certificates.

Graduates for this celebration are invited to participate in Celebrating Our Graduates activities, such as sharing how they are celebrating, sending in images of themselves in their caps and gowns, and decorating their caps.

Over the past few weeks, our graduates received their graduation boxes in the mail, containing their caps and gowns, diploma covers, alumni swag bag and pin, and other items based on their involvement and achievements over their time at Trocaire.

While this semester’s festivities are virtual to ensure the safety of all graduates and individuals involved in the celebration, we look forward to seeing the creative ways our graduates and their loved ones celebrate!

The link for the virtual graduation celebration will premiere at 1 p.m. EDT via YouTube Premiere link, which is located on the Celebrating Our Graduates page.

Best wishes and congratulations to our graduates!

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After the pandemic postponed Ģ����ý’s gala last year, the annual fundraising event is going virtual on Thursday, April 29 at 7 p.m. Spring Soirée is open to the entire community, and proceeds from the event directly support student tuition assistance.

In addition to featuring an online silent auction of valuable packages of giveaways from local businesses, restaurants and services, Spring Soirée celebrates the individuals and organizations that empower the spirit of Trocaire. This year’s award recipients include:

• The Distinguished Alumni Award is being given to Karen Chiantella Camacho ’96, MBA, BSN, RN-BC, CPHIMS. Following a five-year career as a bedside nurse, Karen pivoted to roles in consulting and nursing informatics. She currently works at PointClickCare as their product escalations manager, where she ensures all clinical software issues are prioritized and addressed appropriately. She is a longtime member of the Trocaire Alumni Council and is the current Council chair.

• The Ģ����ý President’s Award goes to KeyBank in partnership with the First Niagara Foundation. The organizations donated a gift of $100,000 to Trocaire in December 2019, which will be used as an endowed scholarship, providing generations of Trocaire students with the financial support they need to continue their educations uninterrupted.

• Finally, Medical Assisting graduate Amanda Gillespie will receive the Outstanding Student Award. Amanda is a United States Army veteran and served a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2012. While enrolled at Trocaire, Amanda maintained a 4.0 GPA while also balancing a job as a medical receptionist. She graduated in May 2020 and was immediately offered a job working in a surgery center as the lead for its COVID-19 specimen collection program.

For more details on Trocaire’s Spring Soirée, including how to purchase tickets, make a donation or secure a sponsorship, please visit: .

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Commencement is a milestone in every student’s life, but 2020 posed a new challenge for those who graduated amidst a global pandemic.

In addition to navigating remote learning, many of our Trocaire students also worked on the frontlines and supported their families throughout this stressful period. In the words of our distinguished graduation speaker, Dr. Karen Schneider, RSM, MD, “you cannot have all the pomp in these circumstances.” Despite that, our campus family worked to ensure a one-of-a-kind, completely virtual celebration for our 2020 graduates.

The honored both the 203 December graduates and the 216 May graduates. It premiered live on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. Our graduates participated in the celebration as they streamed the video or participated in a live Zoom watch party. More than 1,000 people—graduates, loved ones and Ģ����ý faculty, staff and administrators—tuned in to watch and cheered on the graduates. A  was made available to all.

Graduates who participated in the celebration received a graduation box containing the students’ caps and gowns as well as a diploma frame, alumni swag bag and recognition cords if they were part of Phi Theta Kappa or Alum from Day One, or a military veteran. Programs like Nursing and Surgical technology also sent out their pins to students along with other celebratory items.

The Virtual Program

The virtual celebration mirrored a traditional Trocaire graduation and began with the playing of Pomp & Circumstance and Surgical Technology faculty member Jaclyn Bianci bringing in the mace. Spring graduate and current BSN student Jasmaine West sang the National Anthem, while fall graduate Tiffany Eagle shared the Invocation.

Trocaire President Bassam M. Deeb, Ph.D, presided over the virtual celebration, and Board Chair Thomas Waring shared a greeting on behalf of the Board of Trustees and emphasized the impact our Trocaire graduates have in the community. Sister Marian Mullen, RSM ’67 shared a greeting on behalf of the Sisters of Mercy, noting the importance of a Mercy education and how our students should strive to be good today and better tomorrow.

Spring graduate Lisa Messina was selected as the graduation student speaker based on her compelling journey at Trocaire, where she navigated academic success and worked toward her ultimate goal of becoming a medical surgical nurse. We were joined by Dr. Karen Schneider, RSM, MD, a physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a Sister of Mercy, who shared an inspirational message with our students as they closed this chapter and go on to serve a variety of populations.

Dr. Deeb presented our graduates, a portion of the program where students were recognized based on their academic programs, merit achievements and affiliations at Trocaire. Graduates who tuned in were able to move their tassels from the left side of their caps to the right, signifying a close to their time at Trocaire. To conclude the celebration, fall graduate Kathleen Krawczyk led us in prayer with the Benediction.

Other Ways of Celebrating

Our graduates were able to participate in a “How Are You Celebrating” contest, where 43 graduates shared how they plan to celebrate their graduation for a chance to win a meal service for their family or friends. Five students were selected by the graduation committee to win based on their stories. Ashley Ryann Beutel, Destiny Goff, Sandra Andujar, Michael Patterson, and Kristi Swiderski won the contest and each received a $100 GrubHub credit.

In addition, we continued our tradition of the “Bling Your Cap” contest: Staci Hatch, Esteli Araujo and Madison Dressler had the most votes on their caps, based on votes submitted from their peers. We also gathered congratulatory greetings from our  and , and our featured December graduates who shared thank you messages to those who supported them on their Trocaire journey.

We are so proud of our Ģ����ý graduates and the journeys they took to earn their degrees. Congratulations again to all of our 2020 graduates. We look forward to celebrating our Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 graduates in May!

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