Family and Friends of Susan Mae Magill '74
The scholarship was started to honor the life and memory of Susan Mae Magill, a 1974 graduate of the Dental Hygiene program.
Susan started her career as an Orthodontist Assistant and then moved on to family dentistry. After working with several dentists, she decided to become a freelance hygienist. Susan demonstrated effective leadership skills by reading articles, taking continuing education courses and sharing new information with her co-workers.
Susan enjoyed dressing up during the Halloween season and entertaining children during her work so she decided to become a professional clown. As “Sugar Plum” she visited many nursing homes with her little dogs Jessica and Colonel bringing joy and entertainment to all. She also entertained at many baby showers, birthday parties, various church events as well as at the Saratoga Race Course.
Susan was an active volunteer at Proctor’s Theatre and she was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where she sang with the choir as well as other musical groups such as Thursday Musical Club, Octavo Singers of Schenectady and was a member of Mahler’s Choral Group at SPAC.
Impact
Susan’s compassion for those around her was evident in the career paths that she chose. A professional clown, a dental hygienist and a caring individual, Susan gave of herself to everyone around her. Her skill set as a clown helped her reach those patients who were anxious about dental treatment and also helped to put smiles on the faces that were around her.
Her dedication to the field of dental hygiene and her commitment to community service is a solid example of the values Hudson Valley Community College teaches its students. We are honored that Susan Mae Magill set such a high standard for our faculty and students to follow.