Remembering Professor Kathy Butsko

Kathy Butsko, a popular and well-loved adjunct faculty member in the School of Communication, died unexpectedly Monday morning. Butsko had worked at Marist College since 2009 in a variety of roles, including academic advisor, visiting professional lecturer and director of the Summer Pre-College Program for Sports Communication.

“Kathy was a respected colleague and was also a previous classmate of mine,” Communication professor Babette Fasolino said. “Kathy was always supportive and gladly offered to help her Marist classmates. She carried that same sense of empathy and supportiveness as a faculty member. She always took the time to say hello and ask her colleagues how they were doing.”

Butsko and Fasolino were not only coworkers at Marist, but they were also classmates of the 2009 graduating class in the master’s program for Communications and Organizational Leadership. 

“We had a lot in common when we started the program in 2007,” Fasolino said. “We were both in the middle of our professional careers and were a few years older than many of the other graduate students. Kathy and I were often grouped together due to our last names being located at the top of the alphabet and would often swap stories about the challenges of juggling a career, motherhood and school.”

Butsko was an alumna of Marist, completing both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in communication from the college. After attending Marist, Butsko worked in professional baseball for nearly 20 years, serving in many capacities for an organization that operates a number of Minor League Baseball (MiLB) franchises in the United States. 

She also served as a financial liaison to a number of Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliates, including the New York Mets, the Seattle Mariners, the Texas Rangers, the Florida Marlins and the Tampa Rays. Butsko was twice nominated for the Rawlings Executive Woman of the Year, alongside other female baseball executives from both MLB and MiLB.

In the 12 years that Butsko worked at Marist, she often taught public presentation classes and was an instructor of Power Presenting Workshops. She also taught a variety of Public Relations classes for the Communication Department such as “PR Fundamentals.” She was remembered by faculty and students for her caring and pleasant personality.

“Kathy was beloved by students, faculty and staff,” Jacqueline Reich Dean for the School of Communication said. “She was a wonderful, smiling and giving presence in the school; she will be missed. Our hearts go out to her loved ones.”

After working in the field, Butsko’s research interests and area of focus in academia focused on gender issues and diversity in communication. The Department Chair of the School of  Communication and the Arts Joanna D'Avanzo recalled the positive feedback she received from students on Butsko’s contributions in the classroom. 

“Kathy was always eager to teach at Marist; she loved it here,” D'Avanzo said. “She was a valued member of our faculty and a Red Fox through and through. She will always be a part of the Red Fox family.” 

Her visitation will be held on Monday, December 6 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the G. Miller & Son Funeral Home in Poughkeepsie, NY. A funeral service will be held on Monday, December 6 at 6:00 PM at the same location.

“We live in hectic times, and we need more people like Kathy Butsko who gave freely of her time and consideration to others,” Fasolino said.

Adjunct Professor Kathy Butsko. Courtesy of Marist College