Rose O'Driscoll, Lyn DeSilets, Marcia Costello honored at retirement event

May 9 was an afternoon of tears, smiles and raucous laughter during the retirement celebration held for three faculty, hosted by the College of Nursing. Rose O'Driscoll, Assistant Dean for Administration; Dr. Lyn DeSilets, Assistant Dean for Continuing Education; and Dr. Marcia Costello, Assistant Professor were lauded for their combined 112 years of service to the University.

With family, colleagues and friends from campus in attendance, Drs. DeSilets and Costello were pinned as honorary members of the nursing alumni body by Nursing Alumni Association board members Mary Ellen Lorenz, interim president, and Ann Barrow McKenzie. Rose O'Driscoll, already an alumna, was recognized with a new student service award in her name, which was awarded for the first time at the May 14 Convocation. Watch the event video here. The ending presentation of pictures set to music is available here.   

Remarks from Rose O'Driscoll:

What a wonderful and emotional evening!!  Thank you, Louise,  and thank you all for coming!!  I am truly blessed……..also, overwhelmed, humbled and grateful!!  I have loved being at Villanova and thank the Dean and University for affording me all of the various opportunities that I have experienced here from teaching talented, bright students, providing challenges to help me grow, travelling with students for clinical experiences and to professional endeavors and working with a very select community of students, faculty, administrators and staff!  Villanova is unique and has no peer university!!  Once a wildcat, always a wildcat!!

I, too, am humbled and honored to receive the Rose Woytowich O’Driscoll Award for Service to the College and Its Students and look forward to presenting it to students at Nursing Convocations in the future.  I am NOT retiring, I am just getting started in the next phase of my life!  I will see you!!  Thanks.

Remarks from Lyn DeSilets:

In the fall of 1978, as a student teacher from the University of Pennsylvania, I could not have imagined such a long and wonderful association with Villanova and the College of Nursing.  I am grateful for the colleagues and staff I’ve worked with, for the friendships I’ve made, for all the lifelong learning possibilities, and for the opportunities to make a contribution to continuing education as well as to professional development, locally, in Pennsylvania, in the US and even as an international consultant...

Thirty-seven years seems to have flow by.... 

Thinking about retiring I am reminded of all the programs, national and international conferences, and activities that we have provided... Well over 41,000 nurses, dieticians and social workers have earned continuing education credits through our CE program.  “It has taken a village”.  

I do hope to stay connected to the College of Nursing in ways that will complement the program as well as my life as a retiree. Louise already has me on her list.  Thank you to my family, friends and colleagues……..it has be an incredible ride. 

Remarks from Marcia Costello:

"It has been a privilege to be a part of the Villanova and College of Nursing community for the past 32 years. The support of the nursing colleagues, professional staff and our students continually provided intellectual stimulation, collaborative experiences and exciting challenges.  There are also many memories of wonderful laughter and celebrations that I will treasure forever. Although I do not hold a formal degree from the University I will forever be proud to a Villanovan. Thank you all for making this journey such a very special one."