Pioneer Award Winner Mary Pennisi

Macaulay Honors College is proud to announce the second winner of its Pioneer Alumni award: Mary Pennisi, a 2008 graduate of Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn College. Pennisi received this award among twenty candidates during Macaulay’s annual Alumni holiday party, presented to her by inaugural winner, Thomas Brigandi ’12 (College of Staten Island).

Head of Alumni Relations at Macaulay, Brianne Donnelly, said “Mary has been coming back to the college and helping our pre-law students every year since she graduated. Her passion and commitment to Macaulay and our students is inspiring. She is a leader among her peers. This award is very well deserved.”

A Brooklyn native, Mary Pennisi is an Associate at Shearman & Sterling LLP in the Litigation group in their New York office. She was named New York Super Lawyers by Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2015, 2016, and 2017. She serves on the Foreign and Comparative Law committee for the NY Bar Association. Pennisi graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fordham University School of Law.

In addition, Pennisi is the Chairwoman of the Advisory Board of the Glamour Gals Foundation, a non-profit that organizes teenagers throughout the country to visit senior homes, and provide companionship (and complimentary makeovers) to the elderly.  The makeovers serve as a bridge to facilitate multi-generational conversations.

Dean Mary C. Pearl said: “Our alumni are essential to the success of the college.  The whole Macaulay community is proud to recognize Mary’s dedication, and grateful that her efforts are inspiring other alumni to become involved.”

The Pioneer Alumni award was created to recognize a Macaulay Honors College graduate who is courageously taking a unique path to success.

Alumni Pioneer Award Recipients:

2022: Zuobin Tang ’05 
2021: Liat Krawczyk ’09
2019: Brian Kateman ’11 and Sasha Ahuja ’09
2018: Christine Curella ’08
2017: Mary Pennisi ’08
2016: Thomas Brigandi ’12