Mercy College Alumnus Anthony Mullen Named 2009 National Teacher of the Year & Honored by President Obama at the White House

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y.--(Business Wire)--
Anthony Mullen, a 2002 graduate of Mercy College, was named 2009 National
Teacher of the Year and honored by President Obama at a White House Ceremony on
April 28, 2009. Mr. Mullen currently teaches special education at the ARCH
School, an alternative education branch of Greenwich High School (Greenwich,
CT). He learned to be an educator at Mercy College, where he earned M.S. degrees
in both Elementary Education and Special Education.

"The road to this honor began with my teaching degree at Mercy College," says
Anthony Mullen, a member of the Mercy College School of Education Advisory
Council. "The College provided me with the opportunity to develop my passion to
be an educator, my professionalism, and also my perseverance-which is the key to
teaching students with behavioral and emotional disabilities."

The 49-year-old teacher has taken an unusual path to this high honor. Born in
the Bronx, he served as a New York City Police Officer for 20 years. Working
with troubled teenagers, he realized that many were destined for prison unless
they received the benefits of a quality education and positive role models.
Determined to provide troubled young people with the crucial help they need, he
enrolled in Mercy College to study education. He earned his two master`s degrees
in education there in 2002.

"A hallmark of Mercy College is the distinctive quality of its School of
Education and successful outcomes for graduates," says Dr. Kimberly Cline,
president of Mercy College. "We are very proud that our alumnus, Tony Mullen,
has been recognized with this honor of the highest magnitude on a national
stage. He exemplifies our goal to provide each of our students with the
capabilities needed to excel in their chosen fields."

Dr. Andrew Peiser, Interim Dean of Mercy College`s School of Education, says,
"Receiving this award from President Obama is the ultimate recognition that a
teacher can achieve-and it validates the efforts of all the dedicated teachers
who make an impact on their students on a daily basis. We are thrilled to have
provided the foundation for him to achieve his dreams of helping students
succeed. Anthony is an inspiring role model, not only to his students but to
everyone in the field of education."

Upon completing his degrees, Anthony sought the most challenging teaching
positions, working with students with severe behavioral and emotional problems.
After a year at the Northern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational
Services in Yorktown Heights, he went to the ARCH School in Greenwich
Connecticut, where he has taught for the past seven years. He resides with his
wife, Susan, and their three children in New York.

The National Teacher of the Year Program, a project of the Council of Chief
State School Officers (CCSSO), is one of the oldest and most prestigious
national honors program that focuses public attention on excellence in teaching.
ING, a global financial services leader, is in its fifth consecutive year as
title sponsor of the program. Anthony Mullen is the 59th National Teacher of the
Year, and will serve as a national and international spokesperson for education.

About Mercy College:

Mercy College (www.mercy.edu) is a New York metropolitan area college of over
9,000 students studying at five campus locations including: Dobbs Ferry (main
campus), Bronx, Manhattan, White Plains, and Yorktown Heights. With over 90
undergraduate and graduate programs, taught by Fulbright scholars, published
authors and national experts in their fields, Mercy College offers a quality
liberal arts and professional education within its five schools: Business,
Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Social and Behavioral
Sciences.

Press:
Thirty Ink Media
Jon Lieb/Anita Bell, 914-741-2770
OR
Mercy College:
Christine Baker, 914-674-7596
Director of Public Relations

Copyright Business Wire 2009