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ACP News
ACP mourns the loss of two '97 alums,
including popular faculty member Mario M. Zeolla
ALBANY,
N.Y. (June 3, 2007) - The ACP community is mourning the tragic deaths
of two members of the Class of 1997, including popular faculty member Mario
M. Zeolla, Pharm.D., BCPS.
Dr. Zeolla, 33, and his longtime friend Noah A. Sorensen, 32, were killed on the morning of Saturday, June 2 when the vehicle in which they were passengers Mario M. Zeolla Noah A. Sorensen
swerved to avoid a
deer and rolled over on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Four other passengers, all former ACP students, sustained minor injuries in the accident.
"Words cannot adequately express the grief we feel at this time," said ACP President James J. Gozzo, Ph.D., "The entire Albany College of Pharmacy community is devastated by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Dr. Zeolla and Noah Sorensen."
Dr. Zeolla's family has established a fund to support the future education expenses for his two young children. Anyone wishing to contribute to this fund can send a check to:
Zeolla Family Fund
c/o First Niagara Bank
120 State St.
Albany, NY 12207
Dr. Zeolla and his five former classmates were returning from Boston on Saturday morning when the accident occurred. They had attended the Red Sox-Yankees game on Friday night, part of their Reunion Weekend activities, and planned to be on campus Saturday night for the annual Reunion Weekend dinner-dance.
Also riding in the vehicle were 1997 ACP graduates Larry A. Frederick Jr., Brenden P. O'Hara and Jason A. Southworth, as well as former ACP student Joseph Harrigan. All six had been members of the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity during their time at ACP. Dr. Zeolla and Sorensen were particularly close, said another friend and former classmate, Brian Possinger.
"They were always together," Possinger said Sunday. "You never thought of one without the other."
Along with his classmates, Possinger was in Albany for Reunion Weekend. He was with his friends Thursday night at Frederick 's home and they played golf as a group Friday morning before the six left for Boston . They had planned to meet up on campus that night.
"It just totally floored me when I heard it," Possinger said.
Sorensen, who worked in pharmacy benefits management, played soccer for two years at ACP and was an avid golfer. He is the son of 1968 ACP alumnus Gary A. Sorensen.
"He just had a joy for life, enjoyed what he was doing," Possinger said. "He was a great guy. He never had a harsh word for anybody, was always there to help you out when you needed it."
Dr. Zeolla earned his B.S. in Pharmacy from ACP in 1997 and his Doctor of Pharmacy in 1999. An exceptional student, he also was a standout soccer player and was inducted into the Albert M. White Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
An associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, Dr. Zeolla was active in a variety of campus activities as a faculty member, including his role as co-advisor for the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), which was recognized at the annual meeting in March as the most improved APhA-ASP chapter in the nation. The chapter also was recognized for its outstanding outreach efforts through Operation Immunization and Operation Diabetes.
Dr. Zeolla also was co-chair of the Steering Committee for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education re-accreditation process. His research interests focused on the community pharmacy practice setting, and he was a patient care pharmacist for Brooks/Eckerd Pharmacy in Loudonville.
"He was one of the brightest stars on our faculty," Dr. Gozzo said. "He was always willing to help with whatever was asked of him. He was well-liked by the students, his peers and the entire campus community."
Dr. Zeolla's wife, Christine, is a 1999 ACP graduate. His brother Michael was a member of the Class of 2001.
A campus memorial for Dr. Zeolla will be held at the start of the fall semester.