The following article appeared in the From The Hill Magazine Winter 2025 Issue. Follow these links to make a gift, update your information, or submit a class note.
A Life in the Arts & A Passion for Giving Back
By Mary Young ’91, Vice President for Advancement
At Albertus, the arts have a long history of helping students figure out where they belong, cultivate and foster community, think creatively, and plan fulfilling careers in exciting, dynamic fields. The College is home to a proud lineage of graduates, faculty, and staff, who have made significant contributions to the arts, in America and around the world. Cynthia (Carrafa) Petrello ’77 is one of those Albertus graduates that fully embraced the arts from an early age and turned it into a successful career and lifelong passion for giving back.
Cynthia grew up in Waterbury in a working, middle-class family who were active in the local theater community. With her parents’ encouragement, Cynthia began studying at The Helen Short Studio of Dance at the age of six and, under Ms. Helen’s mentorship, she started teaching there from the age of 14 through 18.
While Cynthia had visions of attending a college solely for dance, it was a counselor at Sacred Heart High School who guided her to Albertus.
“Albertus opened up facets of myself that I never knew existed or that I could accomplish in learning,” Cynthia said. “That was the huge advantage and gift of attending Albertus; plus, I had the bonus of great friendships and relationships that developed there. It was all incredibly positive.”
Cynthia majored in political science and participated in theatrical performances under the tutelage of Maxine Schlingman ’78 D.H.L., drama director at the time. Cynthia has fond memories of rehearsing in the then theatre (today the Barn/Carriage House on campus) and dressing up in the drama department’s collection of vintage costumes with her roommate, Maureen Lindberg Donnarumma ’76, and stealing the show as “dancing scene changers” in
The Madwoman of Chaillot. Another Albertus faculty member that left an impression on Cynthia and her classmates was Dr. Ron Konetchy, professor of music and humanities. “With his love of art history, media in various forms, and intuition, he had a talent for bringing out the best in every student and pushed us to higher levels of creativity,” Cynthia remembered.
During her junior year, Cynthia was introduced — at an Albertus mixer — to the love of her life and future husband Tony, who was studying mathematics at Yale College. Before graduating Albertus, Cynthia spent a semester studying Italian and art history at the Università per Stranieri in Perugia, Italy. She and Tony married and moved to New York City, where Cynthia went on to enjoy success as a professional dancer, actor, and print model.
As a dancer, she performed in New York stage productions, including My One and Only. As an actor, she has appeared in episodes of All My Children, Guiding Light, and Loving. She has also lent her talents to original and off-Broadway shows, including the lead in Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee. As a model, Cynthia had interesting jobs for Redbook,
First and the cover of Newsweek. Cynthia’s credits also extend to producing. She produced and appeared in the off-Broadway production of John Pielmeier’s Impassioned Embraces. Cynthia was also an executive producer and had a leading role in the movie thriller, Deceit.
Life and work eventually brought Cynthia and Tony from New York to Houston, TX, which became their adopted home. Then in 1997, their true life’s purpose came into view when their daughter, Carena, was born at just 24 weeks. Cynthia said, “Carena was born with her own set of plans and taught us patience, humbleness, and humility. She showed us it is about serving each other and taking care of one another.”
Cynthia and Tony became deeply involved in the community, establishing the Petrello Family Foundation to help improve education, the performing arts, and medical resources in the Houston area and beyond. Tony and Cynthia conceived of, and were instrumental in, the founding of the Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, the nation’s first research institute dedicated to treating and solving the debilitating neurological disorders of children. Ever since, Cynthia has devoted herself to charitable organizations, raising funds for vital causes, and fighting for the ideals she believes in.
Today, the arts are still near and dear to Cynthia’s heart. She has served for more than twenty years on the boards of the Houston Grand Opera, the Alley Theater and The Museum of Fine Arts Houston. “When you think of all the great civilizations throughout history, one trait that stands out is the special role the arts play,” Cynthia said. “The arts have the power to heal and enlighten by exploring the human condition through art, song, music, and stories. This opens our collective eyes, unites our humanity, and makes us all better for it.”
