Paolo and Debbie Crismani P’16 Parents Supporting the Springfield College Fund


By Claire Burns


San Francisco Restaurateurs Provide Game-side Technology to Women’s Volleyball Team


marIo’s bohemIan cIgar store café doesn’t sell cigars, but fans say that it makes the best meatball sandwiches in San Francisco. It’s also a great place to read a book and observe Washington Square Park and Sts. Peter & Paul Church. “It’s our family business,


founded by my father-in-law, Mario Crismani, 43 years ago, and our recipes were created by my mother-in-law,” says Debbie Crismani, mother of Daniella Crismani ’16. “We’re known for our hot baked focaccia sandwiches, and we make a great cup of cappuccino,” she beams. Food critics also have extolled the bubbling baked pasta, perfectly thin pizzas and handmade biscotti. The Crismanis have never advertised, but Mario’s has been written-up in Food and Wine and other major food publications, and national food critic Mario Batali featured it in his segment on North Beach of San Francisco. “We make fresh marinara sauce from our family recipe every day,” Debbie adds. Family is the central theme in the Crismani


household, which also includes dad Paolo and 17-year-old Dario. “We have dinner together every night and all talk around the table. We’re extremely sports-oriented outdoor people. We ski, hike, and cycle,” says Debbie. Recently, they traveled to Belize to become certified in open water diving. “We dove 85 ft. and saw sharks, mantas, and an amazing array of undersea life,” she adds. For 19-year-old Daniella, volleyball is the


sport of choice, and the family traveled nationally during her high school years to watch her play. At a tournament in Baltimore, Md., they noticed Springfield College Head Women’s Volleyball Coach


TRIANGLE 1 Vol . 84, No. 3


love playing for Coach long!” Daniella is in her second


season as an outside hitter on the team, which quickly become like a family to her, as Springfield College quickly became a second home. “She’s very happy and has made good friends. She’s getting to know a different culture in the East, and is really enjoying it,” Debbie says. Academically, Daniella is a business major and criminal justice minor, and likes the small class size. The Springfield College


Paolo, Dario, Daniella, and Debbie Crismani


Moira long observing Daniella, much to their delight. Springfield was on Daniella’s list of preferred colleges. She applied to 16 colleges and was accepted at 15 of them.


“It has always been part of our family culture to give back to the institutions that have


educated our children. We were delighted to help when we learned that the women’s


volleyball team needed new computers to compile game statistics on the sidelines.”


Debbie describes a spontaneous detour


to Springfield during a family outing in New York City as “an absolute turning point.” After they toured the campus and spent time with the women’s volleyball team and Coach long, Daniella dressed for dinner in a Springfield College sweatshirt and announced, “I‘ve had an epiphany. I would


family feeling has also enveloped Debbie and Paolo. Recently they attended a wine


tasting in San Francisco presented by the Office of Alumni Relations. “Everyone was so welcoming. It’s rare to go into a place and immediately feel embraced as part of the extended family. Springfield is an intimate college where people connected to it know each other,” Debbie observes. It seemed natural to Debbie and Paolo to


involve Springfield College in one of their own traditions. “It has always been part of our family culture to give back to the institu- tions that have educated our children. We were delighted to help when we learned that the women’s volleyball team needed new computers to compile game statistics on the sidelines. We watch Daniella’s games over the College’s live streaming, so it was a good fit,” Debbie says. Daniella returns home to San Francisco for


holidays and college breaks, and Debbie has traveled several times to Springfield over the past year. Next time, we wonder if Mario’s would pack us some take-out.1


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