STAFF

Fr. Gerry Waterman, OFM Conv.

Catholic Chaplain

Phone: (315) 443-2649     Email: fwaterma@syr.edu 

Fr. Gerald (Gerry) Waterman, OFM Conv. is a Conventual Franciscan Friar of the East Coast Province of Our Lady of the Angels, headquartered in Ellicott City, MD. Fr. Gerry hails from Bridgeport, CT, and in 1973 entered the Novitiate. He professed Solemn Vows in 1981 in Chicopee, MA and in 1985 was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, NY. Throughout his 3+ decades in ministry, he has served all over the Province (in seven states, to be exact) in parishes, formation, wine-making, education, and the promotion of its foreign missions. His past two assignments have been in college campus ministry. From 2005 – 2016, Fr. Gerry ministered among the students of Elon University in central North Carolina, and since 2016, he happily serves the students, faculty and staff of Syracuse University, the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and SUNY Upstate Medical University. 

Fr. Gerry enjoys being outside in nature, especially by the sea. He is an avid walker, swimmer, watercolor artist and a tennis aficionado. A foodie, he loves to cook and share food and wine. Fr. Gerry’s goal while living in Central New York is to swim across all eleven Finger Lakes. He has done a few already!

Danielle drop

Campus Minister

Phone: (315) 443-2651     Email: dadrop@syr.edu 

Danielle Drop joined the SU Catholic Center in July, 2022 after she worked for two years as a Campus Minister & Religion Teacher for a junior/senior high school in the Diocese of Ogdensburg. She holds a Master’s of Arts in Theology & Ministry from Boston College and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Public Relations from Hofstra University, the school whose campus ministry helped bring her back to her Catholic faith in 2014. Those formative undergraduate years encouraged her to pursue ministry full-time, and, after she graduated Hofstra in 2018, she served for two years as a Cap Corps Volunteer with the Capuchin Franciscans in Garrison, NY. Her time as a Cap Corps greatly influenced her present approach to ministry, especially in regard to retreat preparation, personal witness, and, of course, Franciscan charisms.

In her free time, Danielle likes to explore the many running trails and thrift stores that Syracuse has to offer. She believes dogs are God’s greatest gift to the world, credits her radical conversion to the intercession of her spritual bestie, St. Augustine, and (almost) always can be found with a coffee in her hand. 

 

maria lee

Office Manager

Phone: (315) 443-2634     Email: mlee117@syr.edu

Maria Lee joined the ‘Cuse Catholic staff in March, 2023, but she’s a native of this Orange city! Maria holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Elementary Education from SUNY Oswego and taught for a few years before landing a career as an Administrative Assistant. Her longest held position was just around the corner at Le Moyne College, where she worked for ten years. 

Maria and her husband Rick have six children and many grandchildren with whom they love to spend their time. When not at the Catholic Center or with her family, Maria enjoys reading, gardening, and needlework. 

Jose ‘Peppie’ Calvar

Music Director

Phone: (315) 443-2191     Email: jcalvar@syr.edu

José “Peppie” Calvar, D.M.A. is associate professor and assistant director of choral activities at the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University where he directs the Hendricks Chapel Choir and serves as artistic director of Holidays at Hendricks. He is also chair of the Setnor School’s Department of Applied Music and Performance. 

Calvar also directs the University Tenor-Bass Ensemble called Setnor Sonority, and teaches conducting, graduate and upper-class choral literature and choral arranging. Prior to his appointment at Syracuse University, Calvar taught high school and middle school chorus and AP Music Theory at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC from 2004-2013. Currently, he also serves as Director of Music at the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Ann in Manlius NY.

Calvar was an International Choral Exchange Program (ICEP) fellow through ACDA interfacing with Guatemala in 2018. He has since also enjoyed residencies at the University of Guanajuato in Mexico, and at the National University of Costa Rica, and he frequently travels across North and Central America providing clinics, masterclasses, and adjudications. He recently traveled to Africa to serve as a clinician at the International Conference for Organ and Choir in Accra, Ghana.

Calvar is also an accomplished composer. His Mass of Reconciliation for mixed chorus, soloists and jazz orchestra is available on cdbaby.com and has been performed at Temple University, Coastal Carolina University, and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. Many of his compositions are published by Colla Voce publications, and he serves as a reader for the AP exam in Music Theory. Calvar holds degrees from East Carolina University, Georgia State University, and the University of South Carolina.