Salem Statement, spring 2014

Transcription

Salem Statement, spring 2014
Salem
The
TheMagazine
Magazineof
ofSalem
SalemState
StateUniversity
University | | Spring
Spring2014
2014
STATEMENT
Dear Editor Glynn and Staff:
pr esi dent ’s message
On Saturday, April 12, we officially kicked off the
public phase of a $25-million fundraiser, “10,000
Reasons—The Campaign for Salem State University.”
It’s the institution’s largest-ever fundraising effort
and first-ever comprehensive campaign. In name
and in spirit, it celebrates the individual voices of our
students, faculty, alumni, and friends as well as the
community we build together.
This issue of the Statement tells just some of the
stories behind the campaign. You will learn from
campaign co-chairs Kim Gassett-Schiller ’83 and
Henry Bertolon ’74 about their own motivations for
leading this effort. For that, they have my deepest
thanks. You will read about some of the earliest gifts
made to the campaign and the impact they are having
on our campus and community, funding health and
wellness, scholarships, internships, renovations,
and much more. You will also see the tremendous
support given to the campaign by our faculty and
staff, who have turned out in record numbers to
participate. I am proud to have these women and men
as the foundation of our university.
The 10,000 Reasons campaign is one outgrowth
of a longer-term strategy that will keep Salem State
improving and evolving as we move ahead. The Board
of Trustees and I agree that our current position is one
of strength. At the same time, we see what educators
across the nation are seeing: a growing gap between
public funding and student need that is greater
than it has ever been. Today this institution remains
committed to minimizing the financial burden that this
trend is putting on students. It will take the continued
support of all alumni, our entire community and many
generous friends if we are to remain successful.
Moving forward, we will be measured by how
we hold true to our mission of accessibility and
excellence. We don’t point out often enough what
a rare combination that is. It is what enables us
to continue to welcome, in 2014, the same kind of
students that Salem Normal School welcomed in
1854—the Charlotte Fortens who marched out into the
world to help the disenfranchised, the young men and
women whose greatest passions lie in improving their
own communities, the budding entrepreneurs who
will reinvent all of our lives for the better. With our
support, I am confident they will continue to pay their
educations forward. I invite your participation.
Patricia Maguire Meservey
President
I thoroughly enjoyed the fall
issue of Salem Statement,
mostly because of the thenand-now theme. This should
be a regular segment of the
Statement with contributions
coming from the “then”
students as they are “now.”
In particular, in the class notes,
why not ask the individual for
an article describing his or
her journey to their current
position as a roadmap or as a
critique. Thoughts from these
individuals would increase the
wealth of the university from
the point of view of education,
information and advertising.
The success or failure leads
to progress through the
educational process.
Also, enclosed is a small token
of my appreciation of your
fine work promoting Salem
State University as a training
school, a college for career
development and a university
for encompassing life’s
challenges through excellence
in public higher education.
Sincerely,
Joannah M. Brunelli ’60,
Franklin, Massachusetts
Dear Ms. Brunelli,
We’ve decided to take your
advice. Beginning with this
issue, every edition of Salem
Statement will include a “thenand-now” feature, maybe even
two or three.
To the alumni reading this,
how about it? Do you have any
photos or memories you’d like
to share? Can you provide us
with a few sentences on where
you are now? Send them along
and we will publish them.
The mailing address is: Class
Notes/Alumni Affairs, Salem
State University, 352 Lafayette
Street, Salem, MA. 01915.
If you have questions,
call alumni affairs at
978.542.7552 or visit us on
Facebook at facebook.com/
salemstateuniversity or Twitter
at twitter.com/SalemState.
Sincerely,
James K. Glynn ’77, Editor
editor
James K. Glynn ’77
design and production
Simeen Brown
assistant editors
Taylor Mugford
Margo W.R. Steiner ’11G
copy editors
Patrice (Bonin) Buchanan ’75
Amanda Voodre
Anna Wistran Wolfe
photography
Simeen Brown
Sean Lynch
Comcast Sports Net
Jon Holloway Photography
Sprelinginteractive.com
Margo W.R. Steiner ’11G
writing
Cheryl Alkon
Karen Murray Cady
Stefanie Howlett
Mukala Kabongo ’15
Brion O’Connor
Jayne O’Leary
Taylor Mugford
Christopher Reardon ’11G
Anne-Marie Seltzer
Margo W.R. Steiner ’11G
editorial advisory board
Carmen Amado ’04
Donna Beaulieu
Rob Brown
Karen Murray Cady
Linda Coleman
Mary Dunn ’78
Linda Jones
Rod Kessler
Taylor Mugford
Francesca Pomerantz
Anthony Pira ’13G
Mandy Ray
Margo Steiner ’11G
Tom Torello
t: 978.542.7519
e: [email protected]
w: salemstate.edu/statement
Salem State University,
Salem, Massachusetts
publishes Salem Statement
twice a year
Copyright c 2014,
Salem State University
All publication rights
reserved. Send address
changes to Alumni Affairs
a: 352 Lafayette Street,
Salem, MA 01970
e: [email protected]
t: 978.542.7552
TAB LE O F C O N TE N T S
NEWS
2
Around Campus
Essay writers, scientific advances, an
6
old diner, research in Greenland, and
a tribute to a retiring English professor
6Athletics
The Viking then and now, Carter hits
1,000 point plateau, Frozen Fenway
34
12
10 Voices of Our Faculty
Science, the arts and a new core curriculum
FEATURES
12 A first-of-its-kind campaign
10,000 students, 10,000 reasons
42
ALUMNI
36 Class Notes
Catching up with old friends
38 Alumni in the Workforce
36
’01 grad is Bruins insider
46 Alumni and faculty obituaries
Remembering their inspiration
48 Alumni Association Board
of Directors
The 2013-14 members
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
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arou nd
News
Campus
Daphnee Georges of the Center for
Academic Excellence sings with the
university gospel choir at this
year’s MLK convocation.
Essay Writers
Take Center Stage
Kaylee Kjersgard, a fifth grader from
Robert L. Ford Elementary School in
Lynn, was among four young essay
writers who spoke at the university’s
annual Martin Luther King Jr.
Convocation in January.
The university annually challenges
students from area elementary, middle
and high schools to participate in an
essay contest focusing on the great civil
rights leader’s message and how it affects
us today. In addition to Kjersgard,
this year’s winners were Shammala
Bellegarde, an eighth grader from South
Middle School in Brockton, and Jose
Padilla, a senior at Revere High School.
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Essay writers Kaylee Kjersgard, lef t, and Chantae Turner ’15, at the ceremony.
They, too, read their essays before the
large crowd.
Chantae Turner, president of the
Salem State University Multicultural
Student Association, also addressed
the gathering and spoke of the dangers
of today’s “subtle” prejudice. Turner
explained that because of its underlying
nature, prejudice is more dangerous now
than when Dr. King was alive.
The convocation, which concluded
Salem State’s weeklong celebration of
King’s life, also featured guest speaker
Kenneth Elmore, dean of students at
Boston University, and a rendition of
“We Shall Overcome” by the Salem
State University Gospel Choir, led by
Rev. Laura Biddle. n
News
Darwin Festival Brings
Scientific Advances to Campus
There are 200 million people
infected with malaria each year. During
a presentation of Salem State University’s
35th annual Darwin Festival, Pamela
Weathers, a plant biologist at Worcester
Polytechnic Institute (WPI) said there
is today a simple and effective way to
treat the disease. Speaking in front of a
full house at Salem State’s Veterans Hall,
Weathers described her travels to Africa
to research annua, a potent medical
plant that has been a driving force in
finding a cure for the disease.
This encouraging news is just one
of the many scientific breakthroughs
announced at Salem State’s annual
event. Festival organizer Juditha
Burchsted, who for 20 years has been
a professor in the university’s biology
department, said that during the
weeklong festival there were two lectures
each day presented by college professors
from all around New England, along
with several video presentations.
Burchsted said that it took
a collection of individuals and
departments at the school to plan
the event. Not only were biology
and geography involved, but also
sociology and psychology.
By Mukala Kabongo ’15
The festival, which is free and open
to the public, takes on everything from
urban planning to climate change.
Burchsted says, “This festival teaches
us the evolution of cooperation.”
Susan Case, a biology professor at
the university, has been attending the
festival for 35 years. She was a presenter
one year and has seen many changes.
“Presentation technology is much
smoother now than it was when the
festival first began,” she said.
It’s all about progress. n
Open For Business
By Mukala Kabongo ’15
With a menu that is affordable for
students and residents of the Salem
community, the historic Salem Diner
re-opened in January under university
management. Operated by Chartwells,
which has the university’s food
service contract, the renovated diner
is averaging about 300 customers per
day, according to manager Luis Faria.
“It’s been a great success,” he said. “The
customers have been steady.”
Students can eat using their meal
plans. and seniors Casey Grant and
Hannah Loubris, both commuters, have
been regular customers since they were
sophomores. They say that their favorite
dish is the breakfast omelette.
Faria pointed out that the menu
would be expanded once a kitchen
renovation is complete. n
Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll ’89, right, got behind the counter
to serve breakfast to trustee chair Pamela Scott, Rep. John
Keenan and Sen. Joan Lovely during the grand re-opening.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
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arou nd
News
Campus
Jen Palermo overlooking Rekavikurvatn Lake in the
outskirts of Westfjords, Iceland, while conducting
field research on climate.
Research Leads to Teaching Assistantship
Due largely to her research as an
undergraduate student, Jen Palermo ’13
was awarded a competitive full-time
teaching assistantship at California State
University, where she is enrolled as a
master’s degree candidate in geology.
The award covers all of Palermo’s
academic expenses while paying her
salary as a teacher in introductory
geology labs. She credits her studies at
Salem State for the opportunity. “Among
the requirements for the geological
sciences is to complete a research project
and to write an undergraduate thesis,”
she explained. “When I was applying to
graduate school, having a background
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in research was a huge advantage. Many
undergraduates are not required to write
a thesis, but the requirement at Salem
State gives students applying to graduate
school a leg up.”
Palermo also gained field experience
during a month-long research expedition
to Iceland funded by the National
Science Foundation (NSF). “When I
first became a geology major, professor
Brad Hubeny found out about the NSF
grant for research in Iceland,” she added.
“Knowing that Iceland would mean a
chance to travel and see the country, I
was immediately interested.”
Upon her return from Iceland,
Palermo developed her research skills
in the externally funded stable isotope
lab and said the university’s plans to
upgrade the science labs is good news.
“I’m excited to hear that the Meier Hall
labs are being expanded,” she continued.
“Research at Salem State kick-started
my curiosity, which has been my driving
force to continue to learn. I was lucky
enough to spend a month in Iceland, a
geologic wonder, where I learned field
research techniques. I tell my students
at California State that I aim to be a
professional student. I want to spend
my life learning.” n
News
THEN & NOW
Retiring
Professor Kessler
Receives Tribute at
Faculty Reading
By MUKALA KABONGO ’15
After 31 years of teaching English
at the university, Professor Rod Kessler
has made the decision to retire. At the
annual faculty reading in March—his
final one—he read his short story
“Newfoundland” to the audience.
Following the reading, many of Kessler’s
colleagues shared their thoughts on
working with the popular professor
through the years.
Kessler began working at Salem
State in 1983. In addition to his
teaching duties at both the graduate
and undergraduate level, he served as
coordinator of the honors program,
editor of Sextant, assistant director of
the Center for Creative and Performing
Arts, and editor of Soundings East. For
three years, he co-directed the Eastern
Writers’ Conference, eventually
becoming its director.
“I have many fond memories of
teaching, too many to single out,”
he said during an interview after the
faculty reading. “I always get a thrill
at the annual undergraduate and
graduate readings when my students
and former students read. I have also
had the pleasure of congratulating
former students on their first—and
even second—books. Nothing
pleases me more than seeing
their success.”
What he will miss most about
teaching is the ongoing learning that
accompanies it—and the guaranteed
receptive audience. About retiring,
Kessler says, “I’m afraid that once I
stop teaching I’ll have no one to
listen to me anymore.”
We expect just the opposite. n
Mukala Kabongo is a junior
communications major interning
in the university’s marketing and
communications office.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
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News
The Salem State Viking is an imposing figure for visiting teams entering the
O’Keefe Complex via the Gassett Fitness and Recreation Center.
Home of the Vikings!
THEN & NOW
The Viking, circa 1972
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In 1000 AD Norse explorer Leif Eriksson may—or may not—have beaten
Columbus to North America. We can verify, however, that on November 1, 2013, a
most impressive Viking landed in Salem and has since taken up residence in front of
Salem State’s new Gassett Fitness and Recreation Center.
Created by Essex metal artist Chris Williams, the half-ton figure stands atop two
large rocks and has become a fan favorite for visitors to athletic matches between
Salem State’s Vikings and rival teams from around New England.
Williams’ whimsical works are primarily of animals, and include a life-size,
1,800-pound rhinoceros on the front lawn of a New Hampshire client; a giant
climbing tree frog adorning the outside of New England BioLabs Inc.’s offices
in Ipswich; and an entire seascape at Boston’s Logan International Airport. The
majority of the former iron worker’s commissions are held in private collections
around the world.
For the Vikings of Salem State, however, the new fellow down at the O’Keefe
Complex is at home right where he is. Come by and visit him some time!
News
Why the Vikings?
Excerpt from “Rob’s Ramblins” by
Robert Griffin, The Log, April 21, 1961
“Because there appears to be some
bewilderment and confusion regarding
the official nickname of the college
athletic teams, we’d like to poll the
student body for ideas and suggestions
for a really representative nickname
for our athletic teams. Let’s have
everything from your coolest to your
most conservative ideas. The person or
persons who come up with the winning
suggestions will receive recognition for
their contributions. We would appreciate
any idea, so just clip out the coupon
below and deposit it in one of the new
Log suggestion boxes to be found in
Cubicle29-C on the second floor.”
Excerpt from “Rob’s Ramblins’” by
Robert Griffin, The Log, June 6, 1961
“Finally, in lieu of any response to
our request for suggestions for a title
for the teams representing Salem on
the fields of sport, Ed Cunha, Tom
Bradley and I have selected as an
appropriate nom de sports the Vikings.
Do I hear whispers that this is a breach
of tradition? Must we be witches, or
clippers or even pumpkins in season?
Not so, because the legend of Leif
Ericson’s voyage to Massachusetts, and
very probably to Salem harbor, dates
back somewhat before the witch-clipper
ship era. It even sounds a bit more
wholesome than honoring slave traders
and witch hunters. The name Vikings,
it seemed to us, conjures up a picture
of hardy adventurers determined in the
face of obstacles, consummately heroic
in combat and most important, willing
to pull the oars together when the wind
blew the wrong way.
For those of you who feel you must
express yourself on the subject, allow me
to introduce you to the editorial pages
where your opinion will, I’m sure, be
dealt with accurately and fully.
The rest of us will grab our Valkyries
and head for Valhalla.” n
Carter is Eighth Lady Viking
to Surpass 1,000 Points
By CHRISTOPHER REARDON ’11G
When junior guard Rachael Carter converted the second of
two free throw attempts with 5:27 left in the first half of a home
game against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, two things
happened: the Vikings took a 22-21 lead, and Carter became
the eighth player in Salem State women’s basketball history to
score 1,000 points.
While she acknowledged the significance of her achievement,
she remained focused on the score and the outcome. “It was a
milestone in my career,” she said, “but it is just a statistic. Now
the focus is on the team and moving forward.”
Carter and the Lady Vikings did stay focused on the game,
which ended as a 71-61 victory before a big crowd that packed
Twohig Gymnasium.
A nursing major from Merrimack, New Hampshire, Carter is
the team leader in points, field goals and rebounds. She was
named to the Massachusetts Collegiate Athletic Conference
second team in her freshman year and to the MASCAC allacademic team last year. Despite the accolades, she maintains,
“I just want to become a better player and help the team move
forward in the MASCAC.”
Coach Michelle Cunningham praised her leading scorer as a
great playmaker. “Rachael is a dynamic player who finds many
ways to score. She also distributes the ball very well to her
teammates.” n
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
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News
Frozen Fenway
UMass Boston edges Vikings in A WINTER Classic
The temperature had barely climbed into double digits by the time the men’s hockey team
faced off against UMass Boston for a late afternoon encounter in early January. The frigid air,
however, did nothing to discourage the Viking faithful who traveled to the Frozen Fenway
Classic to watch their team skate in the annual collegiate hockey showcase. A back-and-forth
battle went UMass Boston’s way in the end as the Beacons scored an empty net goal late
in the third period to ice the Vikings, 4-2. Memories of a great game in a great venue will
remain frozen in time for the Salem State contingent that included fans, a cappella singers,
color guard, cheerleaders, the mascot, family members of the players, students, faculty, and
administrators.
The Vikings went on to capture the 2014 Massachusetts Collegiate Athletic Conference
title and received an invitation to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. n
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S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
News
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
9
News
VO I C ES O F OUR FACULT Y
New Core Curriculum
in Fall Semester
Adding Arts to STEM
Curriculum Benefits Students
Like their counterparts in other
areas of academia, professors in the
STEM disciplines (science, technology,
engineering, and math) work tirelessly
to improve the courses they teach.
Their goals are many: to address the
exponential growth of knowledge in
their respective fields; to connect with
our ever-changing student population; to
prepare students for STEM careers and
graduate programs; and to find better
ways to connect with students who
often struggle with these disciplines.
Sometimes, however, certain learning
objectives seem unattainable despite
their best efforts. In these cases, a fresh
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approach may be warranted.
One possible approach is arts
integration. When the arts are added
to the STEM curriculum, STEM
becomes STEAM.
Why the arts? A small but growing
body of research suggests that the use
of the performing arts, literary arts,
visual arts, and design in STEM
teaching can lead to improvements in
a wide range of student outcomes.
Here are a few examples:
Georgia Tech: When artists and
engineers were brought together to solve
problems, students’ metacognition—
a characteristic that is identified with
expert learners—improved.
Brown University: Through a
STEAM course that employed Virtual
Reality, STEM students learned aspects
of art that were directly relevant to
STEM disciplines. Art and design
students became STEM research
assistants, and career directions
were changed and refined.
Kings College London: The quality
of students’ illustrations of neurons
improved from the novice level to the
expert level after using movement to
act out neural development.
DePaw University: Students created
sculptures that showed the folding of
proteins. They collaborated, solved
By LISA J. DeLISSIO
problems, were inspired to do additional
research, raised important questions
about their scientific discoveries,
and developed metaphors to address
conceptual challenges related to physical
and temporal scaling.
Fields of study that involve an
authentic combination of art/design and
science are varied and include the theater
of scientific presentations, the graphical
representation of data, scientific
illustration, fashion design, architecture,
and the study of the evolution of
rhythmic and musical abilities.
Many STEM professors and students
have an arts background and are excited
to use it in their work and studies.
STEAM can be introduced as a single
project, an entire STEM course, or a
course offered through a STEM and
an art department as a collaborative
effort. Recent STEAM projects at
Salem State include the use of haiku
to teach Newtonian physics, sculpture
to teach microbiology, bacteria as an
artistic medium, dance to teach plant
physiology, and training in illustration
by an art professor to improve
observation skills in science labs. n
Lisa Delissio is a professor of
biology at the university. More on
this subject is available on her blog,
stemtosteamihe.wordpress.com.
News
to be Implemented
To provide students with a rigorous liberal arts foundation tied to the 21st-century world,
a revamped general education curriculum becomes effective next semester. The new
core curriculum includes competencies in written communication, oral communication,
personal growth and responsibility, creative expression and appreciation, world cultures,
the human past, contemporary society, scientific reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.
“The new core allows students greater choice in how they meet these essential learning
outcomes,” explained Kristin Esterberg, provost and academic vice president. “It is
designed to be more flexible and accommodating to both our transfer and first-time, firstyear students. It also enables faculty members to design a broader array of courses to
help students achieve the essential learning outcomes.”
Why Poetry? Why Now? Since poet Richard Blanco read
his beautiful and inspiring poem,
“One Today,” during President Barack
Obama’s second inauguration, poetry
has entered the public dialogue again. It
has even inspired an anti-poetry article
in the Washington Post.
But as we find ourselves in April, and
in National Poetry Month, the question
of poetry’s relevance is again front and
center. Why poetry? Why now?
Founded by the Academy of
American Poets in 1996, National
Poetry Month has become a cultural
effort to raise awareness of poetry and
poetry events everywhere. April, the
so-called “cruelest month,” became the
chosen month christened by T.S. Eliot’s
poem, “The Wasteland.”
In truth, there is much to cheer about
in April because there is no shortage
of opportunities to experience poetry.
It is everywhere. Poetry is where we
go when nowhere else will do. Why
do we need a National Poetry Month?
Poets will tell you that every month is
National Poetry Month. Every moment
of every day expresses such jubilance
and celebration. But for most people, to
experience poetry—meaning to read it,
write it, share it, or speak it—is a way of
connecting to the world. Social media
can only bring us so close. Poetry says, “I
get it. I understand you.”
We connect to poetry because we
recognize something in ourselves in
the poems—something unanswered,
some longing. Poets give voices to those
emotions and situations. Poems celebrate
the extraordinary in the ordinary: from
birth to death and the moments in
between. They push against the borders
of what is accepted in pleasant company
and reach into silence, past the border of
what is acceptable or recognized, toward
that which is difficult to name. We go
to poetry when we can’t find the right
words. Is poetry dead? No.
There will always be those who feel
poetry is dead or, even worse, dying.
But poetry is thriving. There has never
been a better time to take a poetry class,
attend a reading or festival such as the
Massachusetts Poetry Festival or publish
verse in print and online. And National
Poetry Month is the perfect time to find
By JANUARY GILL O’NEIL
poetry in your community, where it
has always been, recording our histories
through emotion and words. n
January Gill O’Neil is a poet and
assistant professor at Salem State
University, and executive director of
the Massachusetts Poetry Festival,
which takes place in Salem, May 2-4
this year. For more information visit
masspoetry.org.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
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10,000 students
10,000 reasons to give
‘A STORY OF REAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO LEARN,
EXCEL AND SUCCEED’
When President Meservey asked us to lead
what would become the 10,000 Reasons campaign,
neither of us hesitated.
We each had walked these halls as students, put our degrees to good use, and
then, over time, felt the pull of the place that had done so much for us. Today we are
humbled by the opportunity to give back in this way.
There’s a lot in that name, 10,000 Reasons. As the campaign unfolds we
hope you’ll make time to explore it. For now, please understand it as the simplest
explanation behind this effort: we must better prepare every one of our students for
the challenges and opportunities they face. We should know. We were two of them.
Any one Salem State student could make a compelling case for your support.
On the whole, they overcome more obstacles than most on their way to a bachelor’s
degree. Many are first-generation college students, Pell grant recipients, veterans,
or working parents. Some carry two and even three jobs. Together we embrace this
diversity and its challenges, and we achieve more because of it.
We all know we can’t support our students without supporting our faculty. They
are compassionate and ever present, and we count them with admiration among
the 10,000. Rare is the alum who doesn’t have a story to share about a faculty
member who changed their world in some profound way. Administrators and other
employees, too, are just as often cited as champions of that same spirit.
More than anything else, 10,000 Reasons is a story of real people who have
dedicated themselves to learn, excel and succeed. It sounds a little funny to say it,
but you just don’t get that spirit at every university. We think it’s where Salem State
shines brightest. So although this campaign is partly a quest to become a world-class
institution, let’s begin by announcing to the best of the world that we are already
meeting its standard, and in so many ways.
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F E AT UR E S
campaign steering committee
Henry Bertolon ’74
Campaign Co-Chair
Robert Lutts
Co-Chair, Boards Subcommittee
Kim Gassett-Schiller ’83
Campaign Co-Chair
Pamela Carrington Scott
Co-Chair, Boards Subcommittee
Nate Bryant ’87, ’93G
Co-Chair, Campus Community
Campaign Subcommittee
Brian Cranney ’01H
Chair, Corporations & Foundations
Subcommittee
Amy Everitt
Co-Chair, Campus Community
Campaign Subcommittee
Karen Morrissey ’71, ’93H
Chair, Leadership & Major Gifts
Subcommittee
Joanne Ricciardiello ’68
Chair, Alumni & Parents
Subcommittee
Gina Deschamps ’92G
Steering Committee Member
Bernard Gordon ’85H
Steering Committee Member
Our campaign goals and early successes reflect this truth, and we hope you
enjoy reading about some of them in this magazine. They amount to much
more than a facelift. 10,000 Reasons is a reconstruction both of what it means
for Salem State to be successful and of the route we’ll take to get there. Of
course, the heart at the center will remain unchanged: this is a campaign grown
out of the positive reinforcement that already brings our community one daily
triumph after another.
For embodying that spirit as well as anybody, and for working so hard for
so long, we gratefully acknowledge our friends and colleagues on the campaign
steering committee. Their contributions have been truly invaluable, and they
continue to wear the mantle of university ambassador with distinction and good
cheer. Their generosity is rivaled only by the members of the board of trustees
and the Salem State Foundation board of directors, every single one of whom
has made a gift to this campaign. It is this kind of buy-in that has positioned us
for success from the start.
We must thank President Meservey, too, for her thoughtful, progressive and
vibrant leadership in this campaign and throughout her tenure at the helm of
our university. From her we have accepted this role with equal parts pride and
gratefulness. And while we remain excited about the work we see around us, she
is the first to point out that this is but the seed of greater things to come.
We share her confidence in that sentiment, and we hope you will, too.
progress
Yours truly,
Commitment to Academic Programs
$5.5M
Commitment to Annual Support $8.5M
TOTAL
$25M
Kim Gassett-Schiller ’83 and Henry Bertolon ’74
Co-chairs, 10,000 Reasons Campaign n
as of april 12, 2014
$25M
$18.75M
$12.5M
$6.25M
$0
$15.1 million raised
Commitment to the Student Experience $4M
.
Commitment to Financial Assistance $4M
Commitment to Faculty $3M
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
13
The launch
campaign announced to support
each salem state student
#ssuReasons
what’s yours?
Join us on the web:
salemstate.edu / reasons
14
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
Top: Campaign co-chairs Kim
Gassett-Schiller ’83 and Henry
Bertolon ’74 address the crowd at the
height of the evening.
Above: Performer and composer
Javier Marquez ‘08, of Salem, kicks
off a night of entertainment featuring
students from Salem State’s past,
present and future.
University and foundation trustee
Jacob Segal and wife Marilyn (lef t)
with Joyce and Bill Cummings ‘13H
F E AT UR E S
7
6
5
1
2
1,2: Jack Welch Scholar Michael
Crawford ’16 and nursing student
Ruth Mburu ’16G deliver two of the
evening’s eight spotlight speeches.
3: Jobita Rodriguez-Rios ’14, student
government association president, on
her way to earning a standing ovation
3
4: President Meservey and
husband Rick, lef t, with Janet ’68
and Kenneth Himmel ’85H
5: Class of 1983 friends and Salem
State Foundation colleagues: Tim
Shea, board member; Kim GassettSchiller, campaign co-chair; Cynthia
McGurren, executive director and
vice president of institutional
advancement; Jim Muse, president
4
6: The Salem State Dance Ensemble
takes the spotlight during dinner.
7: Congressman John F.
Tierney ’73, ’09H with U.S. armed
services veterans Philip Lippens ’13,
’15G and Tiffany Lever ’15
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
15
Equal Opportunity Askers
“Our
understanding
going into it was
that 50-percent
participation
would be a huge
success. And
here we were
aiming for 100.”
—Nate Bryant,
Assistant Dean, Center
for Academic Excellence
16
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
When Nate Bryant ’87, assistant dean of the
Center for Academic Excellence, and Amy Everitt,
professor of sports and movement science, talk
about the role they shared in chairing the Campus
Community Campaign, each tale of rollicking
good fun turns naturally on a moment of
profound humility. They credit that dynamic to the
monumental task that was their charge: to recruit
every single one of Salem State’s 1,535 employees as
a donor to the campaign.
“As fundraisers, we were awfully green,” recounted Bryant, an administrator
known to many as the best dressed man on campus, who looked very much at home
at a tiny table pushed to one corner of the cinderblock room that serves as Everitt’s
O’Keefe Center office. “Our understanding going into it was that 50-percent
participation would be a huge success. And here we were aiming for 100.”
With little to lose, the co-chairs chose to kick things off with a flash mob in
the middle of President Meservey’s 2011 holiday party. The novelty proved an
able motivator. When the beat dropped in Veterans Hall, dance instructor Megan
McLyman led Bryant, Everitt, the president, and dozens of faculty and staff in a
dance to the Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get it Started.” News of the incident spread
quickly and momentum for the effort started to build.
“There’s a genuine sense of helping here that’s just amazing,” said Everitt.
“The connection to the job is hardly the paycheck. The connection is the students.
And you don’t have to search very far to find serious need. Our donors, our coworkers, relate: everyone who gave to the campaign knew someone who would
directly benefit.”
F E AT UR E S
University employees were looking for 100 percent donor participation when they set a goal of raising $1,153,500.
This isn’t to say that the money
would raise itself. To help guide the
effort, Bryant and Everitt formed a
committee of 36 employees representing
nearly every department and discipline
on campus. Nearly all of them said yes
to the job on the spot, and together with
institutional advancement staff, they
spent countless hours gathered around
the table. But it was the co-chairs who
often found themselves face to face with
fellow employees, asking them to give.
Over the course of the next year,
every employee in every department
received a personal solicitation from
Bryant and Everitt. Their persistence
was such that a familiar warning cry
soon rose in the air from the Sullivan
Building to the Alumni House and
everywhere in between: “Hide your
money! Here come Nate and Amy!” A
video surfaced lampooning the duo as
western outlaws. Another cast them as
big game hunters, complete with safari
jackets and pith helmets. Bryant and
Everitt embraced the fun, they agree,
because it unified the campus that
much more.
“Unity was critical,” said Bryant.
“We included everybody—and I mean
everybody. No matter your title, no
matter your seniority, no matter your
salary, there’s something happening on
this campus for you to feel passionate
about supporting. That’s what we said
to them. We didn’t need a script.”
“And we were clear,” Everitt said,
“it’s not about how much, it’s about
how many. This was about being part
of a community.” She leaned back in
her chair next to her partner, and the
levity in the room again gave way to
wistfulness. Then together they recalled
standing-room-only gatherings of men
and women, many of whom had already
worked a long day but still agreed to
hear a little more about the campaign.
“Some opened their wallets on the
spot, and others turned and walked
straight out the door,” said Everitt.
“They bolted out of there, they found
the nearest ATM, and they came back
with whatever amount they felt they
could spare. Whether it was $20 or
$200, they wanted to give. The impact
in the moment was overwhelming.”
“There were more than a few
touching moments,” said Bryant.
It’s true that a few incentives didn’t
hurt. Any single department achieving
the 100 percent participation mark
received a freshly baked cake, personally
delivered by the campaign co-chairs
themselves. And every donor would be
thanked with an invitation to a party
at the campaign finish line. Some 400
people showed up on a Saturday night in
October to enjoy food, drinks, dancing,
and battle stories, as well as a famous
appearance by President Meservey in her
blue jeans. Bryant, now 25 years into
his Salem State career, calls it the finest
campus gathering he can remember.
When all was said and done, 75
percent of the university’s staff had
contributed more than $1.5 million
dollars through the campaign.
Individual gifts ranged from $5 to
a high of $50,000 and the money
supported scholarships, specific
academic programs, the annual fund,
and just about everything in between.
Many pledged to make a donation every
month for the next five years.
“All because we asked,” explained
Everitt. “I was humbled from the
outset by the president’s confidence
in us to lead this effort. And then to
have all of these people understand the
need, to recognize it and commit like
that? It’s the most powerful thing I’ve
experienced on this campus.”
“I agree,” said Bryant. “In the end
it came down to a lot of good people,
with good hearts, who believe in these
students and want to see them succeed.
They see the perseverance. They see
what’s possible. And they feel strongly
about what a Salem State University
education delivers.”
“Now other schools are calling us
to ask what our secret is,” said Everitt.
“How did we get to 75 percent? But
there isn’t one. We just have 10,000
reasons to care a whole lot.” n
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
17
Inspired artist
leaves $1.8 Million
for future scholars
Alice M. McCarthy had an intense love for
By ANNE-MARIE R. SELTZER
the arts. After a 50-year career as a nurse,
retirement gave her the opportunity to
Alice McCarthy as a child,
above would eventually develop
an intense love of art that
manifested itself in the form
of pastel, watercolor and oil
paintings, displayed above right
and throughout our story.
Above photo courtesy of Alice’s
niece, Laurie Bertram
enroll in her first painting class at the age
of 71 at Salem State. It was here that she
witnessed firsthand the determination
and hard work of her fellow students. She
also came to understand their financial
struggles, so she hatched a plan to do
something about it.
18
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
continued on page 20
F E AT UR E S
What’s your reason?
salemstate.edu/reasons
REASON
4206
Lisa Johnson
faculty, social work
“Many of our students have a lot of demands on their time, and yet they show
up. They’re enthusiastic and they want to learn. And they’re very appreciative
of the learning experience that they get at Salem State. I’m always impressed by
how much they’re able to sacrifice in order to be here, in order to pursue their
education, in order to better their lives and the lives of their families.”
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
19
The artist, right, with her brother Harold in both photos.
courtesy Laurie Bertram
Local Resident Leaves $1.8 Million—continued from page 18
In short order, the lifelong Salem resident had established the Harold T. and
Alice M. McCarthy Memorial Scholarship, named partly in honor of her brother
Harold, an English professor at UMass Amherst for 30 years. When Alice passed
away at 93 in 2011, her estate included a bequest to the Salem State University
Foundation, endowing a $1.8-million scholarship.
Her gift will aid talented art students who demonstrate financial need. The first
recipient will enter Salem State in fall 2015.
“The scholarship will cover their tuition, room and board, fees, and books—
the total package,” said Mary Melilli, professor of art and acting chair of art +
design. Recipients may explore a number of art concentrations—from painting
and printmaking to photography and graphic design, among others—all of which
are offered within the department. “If the student maintains a certain grade-point
average, the award will cover all four years.”
Melilli described her department as “strong in the traditional art forms. Our
faculty members are practicing artists, multi-skilled and multi-talented. Students
spend long hours in foundations classes, longer than at many other universities.
They get exposure to art history, past and present, and develop computer skills
very early on.”
Melilli is excited about the impact the scholarship will have on the department.
“When word gets out, our department will become more renowned for its
excellent programming,” she said. “We’ll be able to recruit a greater diversity of
students and attract applicants who are top of their class.”
continued on page 24
20
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
F E AT UR E S
Portrait of an Actress: Tracee Chimo ’01
By ANNE-MARIE R. SELTZER
my late admission. When I got there, I didn’t know what I
was going to do,” said Chimo. “I was on crutches because
I had reconstructive knee surgery. I lived in Peabody Hall
and could barely get around.”
An elective drama course with Professor David Allen
George in her freshman year set her on a new path. “It
was so much fun. When I auditioned for the BFA acting
program, I had such a thick Boston accent that the
professors said, ‘We think you might be talented, but
we can’t tell.’ I received intensive voice training with the
dialect master right away and learned American standard
(English).” Soon she was gracing the stage in Salem State
productions of Le Bête and Eccentricities of a Nightingale.
Ask Tracee Chimo ’01 to list some memorable moments in
her acting career and she’ll undoubtedly include the roles
of Daphna Feygenbaum in the New York stage play Bad
Jews and Neri Feldman in the television series Orange Is
the New Black.
Also noteworthy was winning the Clarence Derwent
Award from Actors Equity as “Most Promising Actress
in New York,” and the Obie and Drama Desk awards
for originating the role of Lauren in Circle Mirror
Transformation at Playwrights Horizons Theatre in New
York. Of course, there was also the Rising Star Award
from the Salem State Alumni Association in 2013, and
gracing the cover of the first edition of New York Theatre
Magazine this past October.
“I am so proud to be an alumna; getting the Rising Star
Award was a beautiful thing. I felt so honored. I learned
a lot at Salem State, especially that this acting thing is
extremely difficult,” said Chimo, who earned a bachelor of
fine arts (BFA) degree with a performance concentration.
“The faculty did not sugar coat anything. I came away
with a very strong work ethic, more so than students from
some other schools. Success tastes better when you’ve
had to work for it.”
Chimo had planned to study dance at Emerson College,
but during a performance just two months before
graduating from Saugus High School she severed her
left ACL, partially tore her MCL and suffered a bone
contusion, thus ending her dream of becoming
a choreographer.
“Salem State was the only college that was able to accept
Chimo has been working in New York since August 2001.
When choosing parts, she looks for those that portray
strong women. “They are more interesting,” she says.
“Forget Juliet. I prefer Lady Macbeth. I like to explore
the human psyche and play new and very different
characters, people we haven’t seen before.”
One such character was Daphna in Bad Jews, which
ran at the Roundabout Underground in 2012 and then at
Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theatre in Manhattan in 2013.
“Daphna was my first big leading role in New York,”
said Chimo. “It’s a challenging role. She’s very angry,
aggressive and lonely.”
The part completely changed Chimo’s life, bringing her
professional relationships and friendships with people
she’s admired for years. Acting opportunities followed
—a guest appearance on The Good Wife this season and
an HBO pilot with Nathan Lane called The Money. This
summer she’ll make a film in Canada.
Her current project is a role on ABC’s new series, The
Black Box. “I play Dr. Mackenzie Teller, a neuroscientist
with Asperger’s Syndrome,” said Chimo. “The role came
about because a station writer saw Bad Jews.”
The play also brought her the small but meaty role of
Neri Feldman in the Netflix series Orange Is the New
Black, which is based on Piper Kerman’s experiences in a
women’s prison. Feldman is “a big hippie, a super organic
gal who makes her own clothes and hunts her own food.
She’s very tough.”
Chimo’s primary goal is to one day “conquer the absolute
best roles out there for women.” n
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
21
New Center for Arts Will
Spotlight Top Programs
Rave Reviews for
Dance Performers
Choreographed by Jade Cipolla ’14 of
Revere, dance students performed
Never Fully Dressed at the American
College Dance Festival held earlier
this year at Boston University.
Festival judges described it as
“a well-crafted journey that kept
unfolding with an interesting sound
score and wonderful imagery.”
The Mainstage Theatre (built in the 1950s) is being transformed into the
Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts. Construction for the
$18.6 million renovation project, made possible in part by a leadership gift
from Bernard and Sophia Gordon and the Gordon Foundation, is expected to
start this summer and take 18 to 20 months, according to the Massachusetts
Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, which is overseeing
the project.
The new design allows for a full-sized stage with a hydraulic lift as well as
raised seating for the audience, a balcony and an orchestra pit. Seating in the
theatre will be reduced from 700 to a more intimate space accommodating
about 500. Other features include a glass-walled lobby, a box office, shop
rooms, a rehearsal space and offices. A newly landscaped courtyard will
be created to provide a place for students to gather.
The only state university in Massachusetts with certification from the
National Association of Schools of Theatre, Salem State has about 250
students pursuing a bachelor of arts or bachelor of fine arts in theatre.
The Gordon Center will be a premiere teaching space for students in the
performing arts and a place where audiences who come to campus will
experience the transformative power of the arts. n
22
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
Adjunct professor Maria LaRossa
’05 presented her work Us, which
captured the attention of the judges
with its “energy, strong human
gestures, powerful cannons, and
unexpected ending.” Performances
by LaRossa’s ensemble, which
featured Alycia Carangelo ’14, Jade
Cipolla ’13, Amanda Cosgrove ’14,
Stephanie Espinal ’14, Brenna Kenney
’14, Lindsey McGovern ’14, and
Heather Crow, earned praise from
the judges as “well done” and “a
thoughtful performance with
solid connections.”
According to Associate Professor
Meghan McLyman, “The dance
concentration curriculum focuses on
choreography and performance and
provides students with opportunities
to create and perform. Students are
expected to achieve competency in
technical proficiency, critical thinking
skills and personal artistic voice.” n
F E AT UR E S
REASON
883
Andrew Visconti ‘15
nursing
“I’m studying for my BSN
with the goal of working
in pediatrics as a nurse
practitioner or physician’s
assistant. Graduating with
honors is important to me
and my future, and Salem
State is helping me get there
in an affordable way. Now
I can see a clear path to
graduate school as well, and
that’s really exciting.”
REASON
6What’s
9 2 7your reason?
salemstate.edu/reasons
Nahomie St. Louis ’13
psychology
“Salem State University has
helped me grow in all aspects
of life, intellectually and
spiritually. To be honest, I’m
not sure what I would be
without this institution. I am
beyond satisfied
with my decision to come here.”
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
23
Local Resident Leaves $1.8 Million—continued from page 20
An honors graduate of Wellesley College, Melilli knows the value of a scholarship.
She won two competitive scholarships that allowed her to study abroad. “It gave
me confidence,” she said. “It also told me that other people believed in me. This
scholarship will let our students follow their passions, or possibly attend
graduate school.”
According to Cynthia McGurren, vice president of institutional advancement,
“It will definitely assist us in recruiting talented students who major in art and will
highlight our outstanding faculty.”
“I think it will also instill pride in our university community and our art + design
alumni. Financially, it’s a big boost,” she continued. “The university receives less
than 40 percent of its funding from the Commonwealth, so we depend on private
donations to support our mission, which is focused on student success.”
Art + design senior Stephanie DeFreest said that the financial benefits of a
scholarship provide students with time to focus on their academics. DeFreest, who
receives tuition reimbursement through the veterans’ affairs office, has a 3.9 grade
point average. “That would never happen if I had to work and worry about
finances,” she said.
McCarthy also left many of her own paintings to the university, one of which
will be displayed around the art + design department with information about her
life. “It’s very important to let our students know about their benefactors, added
McGurren. “If someone receives a full scholarship, it’s important they know how
it came to be.” n
24
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
F E AT UR E S
WINNERS, AWARDS
AND HOMETOWNS
The four students and one faculty
member going on to the Kennedy
Center national competition
James Wechsler ’15 of Newbury
(Irene Ryan acting award)
Adelaide Majeski ’14 of Salem
(Stage management award)
Front row: From lef t,
Lia Parisi ’15,
James Wechsler ’15,
Michelle Faria ’14,
Ryan Boettcher ’14.
Top row: Ryan Goodwin ’15,
Maritza Bostic ’14,
Lisa Joyce ’15,
Professor Peter Sampieri,
Corey Whittemore ’15
Ryan Boettcher ’14 of Ashland
(Directing award)
Lia Parisi ’15 of Gloucester
(Dramaturgy award)
Professor Peter Sampieri of Peabody
(David Mark Cohen Award for
playwriting, and a grant for
excellence in playwriting
for Kafka in Tel Aviv)
The following students also
won awards:
Ryan Goodwin ’15 of Mansfield
(Allied crafts award for his puppet
design for Kafka in Tel Aviv)
Corey Whittemore ’15 of Belmont
(Honorable mention in lighting design
for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)
Maritza Bostic ’14 of Salem
(VASTA Award for best voice;
she will be attending a workshop
in New York City as a result)
Lisa Joyce ’14
(First alternate for the
Irene Ryan acting award)
Merit awards
Ryan Goodwin ’15
(Outstanding prop design
for Kafka in Tel Aviv)
Emily Grove of Framingham
(Strong student direction for
Mr. Marmalade)
Lia Parisi of Gloucester
(Outstanding translation
for Kafka in Tel Aviv)
The company of Man & Superman
(Outstanding strength of focus
and creativity above the norm)
The company of Hot L Baltimore
(Outstanding ensemble)
SWEEPING UP
Theatre Fields a Winner in Each Category at Kennedy
Center Regionals; Five Move on to Finals in DC
Salem State theatre majors and faculty enjoyed their greatest success to
date at this year’s Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival’s
region one competition.
In a year of numerous firsts for the nationally-renowned theatre program, the
university produced a record four student winners and one faculty awardee, all
of whom will go on to the national competition, besting the university’s previous
record of two. In addition to being the seventh consecutive year in which Salem
State students have been selected to go on to the finals, the department fielded
a winner in every single category at the regionals, another first.
The annual competition was held from January 28 to February 1 in Hyannis and
involved theatre students from across New England and upstate New York.
Four of the five Salem State students and the faculty winner went on to
the national competition at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, this
month (April). A fifth student went to the United States Institute for Theatre
Technology (USITT) conference in Texas to present his work on the
national stage.
The university earned the additional honor of having its production of Kafka
in Tel Aviv selected as one of only five productions (out of 43 entries) to be
performed at the regional festival. All of the above combined to make Salem
State the most honored school at the festival, and one of the most honored
theatre schools in the nation.
According to William Cunningham, chair of theatre and speech communication,
“People at the festival wanted to know what our secret is at Salem State. I
believe it is the hard work and dedication of our faculty and students.” He also
noted that many Salem State theatre students took advantage of networking
opportunities and left the regional competition armed with potential job leads. n
Editor’s Note:
The national competition results from the Kennedy Center were not available
at press time. Check our website for the latest from Washington.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
25
VOICES OF OUR ALUMNI
paying it forward
At 24 and the mother of a young child, Midge
DeSimone ’76 returned to college to complete
a degree she had put on hold. With reasonable
tuition, on-campus daycare and supportive
professors, she says, “Salem State made the
experience not just possible, but rewarding.”
After graduation, though, she didn’t think much about it. “It’s a public
institution,” she thought. “Don’t our taxes take care of everything?”
But over time she came to a very different understanding.
Mary (Midge) ’76 and Tom
DeSimone of Swampscott
“Often you
forget the
positive impact
a university
has on the
community
outside its
campus...”
—Mary DeSimone ’76
When did the importance of giving back become clear to you?
“A few years ago, a friend invited my husband Tom and me to the annual
wine auction. One of my favorite professors, Richard Elia, acted as auctioneer.
Surprised by his sharp memory of me from many years ago, I began to realize
how much I owed Salem State. I remembered how much I had admired my
professors there, and I remembered how single-minded I had been in the pursuit
of my undergraduate degree, which was the springboard for my post-graduate
education and several different career paths. Tom was feeling the same way. We
agreed that we wanted to help give others the opportunity to experience that
sense of achievement, so we called the university and asked what we could do.”
How did you decide where to direct your gift?
“Tom plays basketball at Salem State on Sunday mornings, so part of our
donation went to the refurbishment of the gym floor on South Campus. Often
you forget the positive impact a university has on the community outside its
campus, but clearly Tom had been a longtime beneficiary of that. We made a
second donation to support and enhance the work of the English department.
The professors there had been very kind to me as a slightly older returning
student. Our third donation supports scholarships. Knowing that the barrier to
a college education is often a financial one, it’s been a great feeling to know that
our gift will make it easier for students in need to get their degrees.”
Why should your fellow alumni support Salem State?
“As alumni, it is our responsibility to support our institution of higher learning.
We all have benefitted from our Salem State education, either through the
careers that our education opened up to us or in the ways it taught us to meet
and understand the world. It doesn’t matter how much you donate, it only
matters that you do donate.” n
26
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
F E AT UR E S
REASON
1012
Winston Bennett ’13
communications/public relations
What’s your reason?
salemstate.edu/reasons
“I came to Salem State to learn how to
help people because my hometown has
suffered from a lot of crime. With my
degree I hope
27to be able to give back,
maybe open a community center for
local kids and seniors. My professors
here taught me how communications
and PR are global skills that I can
apply to anything.”
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
27
The Gassett Fitness
Center partners with
numerous community
businesses and
organizations
throughout the year.
Examples are:
•
City of Salem Veterans
Services
•
Bay State Physical Therapy –
Free injury screenings for the
campus community
•
Salem Chiropractic –
Presented on “Truth to
Wellness Care” and “The 5
Essentials to Optimal Health”
•
Massachusetts Sports
and Social Club
•
Green Tea Yoga
Opposite page: Biology major
Ashley Shotwell ’15, top, and
sport and movement science
major Alyssia Johnson ’14,
bottom, take advantage
of new equipment and
operating hours at
the Gassett Center.
28
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
alumna’s donation keeps
exercise wheels in motion
Students reaching health goals
at gassett fitness center BY CHERYL ALKON
Alyssia Johnson ’14 is enjoying a healthier lifestyle.
“I go [to work out] three or four times a week compared to once or twice a week
previously,” points out the sport and movement science major from Medford who
lives on campus in Atlantic Hall.
Johnson is spending more time at the gym these days, and there’s a reason for it.
The Harold E. and Marilyn J. Gassett Fitness and Recreation Center, dedicated
in November of last year, is a glass-enclosed addition to the O’Keefe Complex with
49,000 square feet dedicated totally to the wellness of the campus community.
With a growing list of programs and members, there is something for everyone to
choose from. Johnson is taking yoga, Zumba and Piloxing (a class that incorporates
Pilates and boxing). Other offerings include intramural and club sports, noon-time
basketball for faculty and staff and “late night at the gym” on select Friday nights
throughout the semester.
The facility is also creating job opportunities for students. “Currently there are
51 student employees,” reports Kelly Janos, the center’s associate director of athletics
and recreation. “We have fitness attendants, membership specialists, group exercise
instructors, facility supervisors, intramural officials, lifeguards, and office assistants.”
These positions provide students with hands-on experience, Janos pointed out,
adding that members benefit as well because “the students are there to help them.”
Many of the programs are for beginners, including a Couch to 5K training
program for those looking to get active but not sure where to start. Led by Tony
Veilleux ’15, a sport and movement science student, the program encourages
participants to increase their running speed and distance, but to do so at their
own comfort rate.
continued on page 30
F E AT UR E S
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
29
Educational
Opportunities
Offered
30
•
Healthy Body Image
Group partnership
with counseling and
health services
•
Meditation Group
partnership with
counseling and
health services
•
Olympic Lifting
Seminar partnership
with sport and
movement science
department
•
Workshops for student
groups, organizations
and academic classes
as requested in the
areas of health, fitness
and wellness.
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
F E AT UR E S
Freshman communications major Nasrine Hachem, lef t, and junior communications major Mukala Kabongo, center, get
in a workout between classes.
The program culminates with
participation in the 18th annual North
Shore Fitness 5K Road Race & Fun
Walk. Sponsored by the university, it’s
one of the many ways that the Gassett
Center partners with the community.
Funding for Couch to 5K
comes from the Wellness U Gassett
endowment, the result of a very
successful partnership between Kim
Gassett-Schiller ’83 and Philip Schiller,
university planning, and philanthropic
aspirations.
“This endowment helped us get
Wellness U up and running,” said
Amy Everitt, a professor of sport
and movement science who has
been active with the launch of the
program. “We’re really excited with
our first employee-based initiative, an
eight-week ‘biggest loser’ program,”
she said. “Without the endowment,
this program doesn’t happen.”
Everitt said the function of
Wellness U is to give the entire
campus community access to all of
the university’s wellness programs.
“The ultimate goal is student success,”
she said, “and the wellbeing of our
employees is an important component
of that.”
While the endowment also
provides for equipment upgrades and
a long-term investment in staff, the
current equipment is getting rave
reviews. Ashley Shotwell ’15, a biology
major who commutes from Essex,
said, “It’s encouraging to go to a nice
facility, knowing it has all these modern
benefits. The cardio bikes are really
cool—they have TVs on them and
you can race against others in a virtual
environment.”
Shotwell goes to the gym four times
a week. “I like that they offer classes
almost every day,” she said. “I love how
much cardio Zumba has. It’s fun. It
makes you want to work out.” n
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
31
‘Raising the Bar’
Educator’s Estate Gift Will Keep
Alive a ‘Nothing is Impossible’
Approach to Teaching By KAREN MURRAY CADY
With a 25-year tenure as principal at the Robert
L. Ford School in Lynn and a perfect attendance
record in her 54 years as an educator, Claire Crane
’60,’09H had planned to retire in the summer of 2013.
Instead, her best-laid plans were put on hold:
today she continues to lead and energize this
remarkable elementary school, which educates
almost 550 K-5 students each year.
Claire Crane ’60, ’09H
32
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
“It’s all about the kids,” explains Crane, with a passion for her students that
is contagious and clearly shared by all who walk the brightly painted halls of the
school. “I thought I had a good plan for transitioning towards retirement, but I
guess it’s not quite time to leave the best job in the world.”
One plan that she has put solidly in place is a generous estate gift to Salem
State University, meant to ensure that future student teachers will have the solid
preparation needed to perpetuate excellence within the Lynn public schools. “The
education I received at Salem State gave me my life, the life that I love—and I
want to give back.”
“Raising the bar for education” has become Claire Crane’s mantra, and it fuels
her laser focus on continuous improvement through community schooling. Living
by her parents’ creed that “nothing is impossible,” her commitment to expanding
educational opportunities for all students has paid significant dividends. The Ford
School has been transformed over the years into one of the city’s highest performing
elementary schools, boasting stronger attendance, enhanced test scores and increased
parental involvement.
With her estate gift, Crane envisions a similar path for the university, one that
will lead to Salem State becoming one of the state’s highest performing universities.
Her gift will challenge the School of Education to keep the bar set high. Envisioning
that the university will become a model for teaching the use of community schooling
in education, she sees Salem State as becoming “the top university” in this arena. Her
gift, she says, is “the energy” that will help to make it happen.
Although her legacy to Salem State and its School of Education will be the driver,
Claire Crane—with her lifelong vision for education—will forever remain the spark. n
F E AT UR E S
REASON
232
Amy Ouellette ’14
communications
“After being a stay-at-home mom
for 10 years, I’m looking to
find a job that I am passionate
about. I hope to work in
either community relations or
for a non-profit with a focus
on writing, event-planning
and fundraising. As a Salem
resident and parent of schoolaged children, community is
important to me. Even though I
am a small part of it, I feel that
everyone can make a difference.
Big ideas can spring from
smaller contributions.”
What’s your reason?
salemstate.edu/reasons
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
33
Bringing Career Paths
into Focus
Bertolon ’74, Korzeniewski ’79
Help Fund Career Readiness
By CHERYL ALKON
Internships—whether at a high school
down the street or in a country far beyond
our own borders—can help students learn
about new fields, new employers and even
potential coworkers.
Top: Ashley Bean ’13
Above: Kelly McGowan ’16
Facing page: Using proceeds
from her internship, Ashley
Bean ’13, back row, right,
joined a Salem State
interdisciplinary studies
contingent in Ganta, Liberia,
teaching children from
the Ganta United
Methodist School
about technology.
34
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
For Ashley Bean ’13, Salem State’s internship program has helped her learn more
about herself. Bean, a psychology major from Plymouth, spent last summer interning
at Children’s Friend and Family Services, a nonprofit counseling organization in
Salem. Under the supervision of the agency’s youth mentoring director, she helped
match volunteer mentors with local children ages five to 18, and oversaw activities
such as bowling, going to the movies and park outings. “It was a really good way for
at-risk young people to have someone to look up to for guidance,” Bean said. “That
internship helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my graduate studies and
how to move forward on my career path.”
Through the university’s career services, Bean applied to the State University
Internship Incentive Program and earned a $4,000 stipend for her learning
experience. In turn, she used $3,200 of those earnings to travel to West Africa in
March with 10 Salem State students and four professors to teach Liberians about
technology.
“I want to be exposed to different cultures and experiences and see how they
operate,” said Bean, now pursuing a master’s degree in mental health and school
adjustment counseling. Internships—and participating in projects like the Liberia
trip— she acknowledges, is “a way to get your foot in the door, make connections
and get firsthand experience that you don’t get from books.”
According to Lauren Hubacheck, director of career services, “The university at
present is working toward an across-campus signature internship program that will
F E AT UR E S
accomplish just that. The variety of experiential type internships we’re developing
will contribute to the very important holistic development of our students,
and allow them to apply what they’re learning in the classroom to real-world
situations in business and industry.”
With financial support from Henry ’74 and Donna Bertolon, and Bob ’79
and Danis Korzeniewski, internship opportunities are increasing at the university.
In recent years, approximately 55 percent of Salem State graduates reported
participation in some form of structured learning opportunity outside of the
classroom. These included internships, student teaching and field experience in
clinical and high-technology settings.
“It has in large part been the donations of alumni such as the Bertolons and
the Korzeniewskis,” said Hubacheck, “that have enabled us to make progress in
the evolution of internships at the university. Matched by funds from the state,
their gifts have enabled so many more opportunities for our students.”
Kelly McGowan ’16, a theatre arts major in the honors program with a minor
in secondary education, returned to her high school last summer as an intern.
There, she assisted the choreographer in a production of Thoroughly Modern
Millie, and helped student actors master dialects for The Crucible.
McGowan earned $1,700 that summer working closely with professional
staff at Norwood High School. She said the experience was invaluable. n
“I want to be
exposed to
different
cultures and
experiences
and see how
they operate,”
—Ashley Bean ’13
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
35
class
C lass notes
Notes
TURN YOURSELF IN !
Have you star ted a business,
begun a ne w caree r , received
a promotion, become engaged
or mar r ied? Let us k now
w hat’s ne w so we can keep
your fellow alumni infor med.
The email address is :
alumni @salemstate .edu.
Photos are welcome !
Alumni are listed by the
year in w hich the y received
thei r un de rgr aduate degree .
Gr aduate degree recipients
are noted w ith the year
the y received thei r maste r ’s
degree followed by a “G.”
Hono r ary degree recipients
are designated w ith an “H”
follow ing thei r name .
’67
’77
At the tender age of 68, Rich L amasne y
has e-published his first book-length work,
a comic memoir about growing up on the
North Shore, attending Salem State and
becoming a teacher. Anyone interested can
find it on amazon.com. Cheers!
’70
of Saugus was
named the 2013 Saugus Man of the Year at
the 34th annual Founder’s Day ceremony
at Town Hall on September 7. This award
recognizes his three decades of behind-thescenes efforts to preserve history. In the
position of chairman of the Saugus Historical
Commission, Carlson played a vital role in
the restoration of the Saugus Public Library.
Stephen Carlson
’73
M ichael Go r malle y of Orlando,
Florida spent some time in Vietnam last
fall. Near the end of his visit he had the
opportunity to speak at an educational
conference at Saigon University, cosponsored by the U.S. Consulate.
’75
of Methuen
is retiring from his post as headmaster at
Lawrence High School. Michael has worked
at Lawrence High since 1993, and taught and
coached at Central Catholic High School
before then.
M ichael Qualte r ’9 6 G
36
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
Elizabeth Garniss of Tewksbury
is now a teacher in the support services
department at Shawsheen Valley
Technical High School. Elizabeth
has more than 30 years of teaching
experience.
’83
M ary Sanfor d
of Pelham, New
Hampshire received
the President’s Award
at Catholic Medical
Center in Manchester, New Hampshire.
She serves on numerous committees for
the New Hampshire Board of Nursing
and is the charter chair of its allied
health committee. Mary is an integral
part of the New Hampshire nursing
community and has paved the way for
many improvements in patient care
throughout her career.
’79
of Shrewsbury was
recently promoted to professor of
nursing and medicine at University of
Massachusetts Medical School. Carol
is an adult nurse practitioner with more
than 20 years of experience caring for
adults with HIV infection.
Carol Bova
of Beverly has
been hired as senior vice president of
commercial lending at the Institution
for Savings. Karl has 30 years of
commercial lending and business
development experience and is a member
of numerous boards and committees
around the North Shore area, including
Citizens for Adequate Housing and the
Beverly Kiwanis Club.
Karl Wilson
’81
Stephen Keating of Winchester
was recently named head of large
corporate market sales for ING U.S.
Retirement Solutions.
Richar d St. Pie r re ’8 3G of
Peabody was just named the president
of the Peabody Historical Society. A longtime resident of Peabody, Richard plans
to consolidate the work of previous
president Bill Power and focus on
current projects to restore historic
sites and artifacts in town.
’89
Pamela Angelak is
’05G of Peabody was
recently named the
new superintendent
of the Swampscott
public school system. Pamela has worked
as a teacher and administrator in the
Swampscott public school system since
1990. During her time there she has
chaired many initiatives geared toward
helping students in need, building
better home/school connections and
modernizing the technology in the
school system.
of Lake Forest,
Illinois, has been named vice president of
quality and regulatory affairs at Sysmex
America. Sysmex is a global leader in
medical diagnostic testing equipment and
information systems technology.
Pete r Shearstone
ALUMNI
Please join the Salem State University
School of Education and the Alumni
Association’s Friends of Education in
congratulating the 2013 inductees to the
Northeast Regional Educators Hall of Fame:
Joseph Picano ‘96G, director of fine arts,
Lynn Public Schools
Dr. Edna Mauriello ’44 Lifetime Achievement Award
Mary Ann Grassia ’92, first grade classroom teacher,
Witchcraft Heights Elementary School
Salem State Alumni Award
Upcoming
Events
Veterans Stole Ceremony
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Veterans Hall
5 pm
Alumni Weekend
June 6-8, 2014
North Shore Pride Parade
Seith Bedard, director, Peabody Learning Academy
Northeast Region Educator Award
June 21, 2014
Downtown Salem
11 am
Ariana Koustas, science teacher,
Billerica Memorial High School
Rising Star Award
The Hall of Fame was created to honor and recognize exemplary
leaders, past and present, in the field of education for their
dedication, contributions and service to their profession. If you
are interested in nominating someone for this year’s hall of fame,
visit salemstate.edu/alumni. .
Honoring Stanley Cahill
for 28 years of
outstanding service
Friday, June 27, 2014
Gassett Fitness Center Gymnasium
5-7 pm
Athletes Weekend 2014
September 26-29, 2014
Greater washington dc
alumni group
Do you live in the Washington DC area?
If you are interested in getting involved
with our greater DC alumni group, please
call 978.542.7530 or visit salemstate.
edu/alumni/groups to learn more about
the programs and events offered in your
area. Also, be sure to like the group on
facebook at facebook.com/ssudcalumni.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
37
al u mni
’01 Grad is
Bruins Insider for
Comcast SportsNet
By BRION O’CONNOR
Above: Joe Haggerty
’01 loves his job as
Bruins Insider for
Comcast SportsNet.
38
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
At Home in
the Spotlight
One of sportscaster Joe Haggerty’s most appealing attributes is his “everyman”
quality. When asked about his celebrity as Comcast SportsNet’s Bruin’s Insider,
Haggerty chuckled and said in typical self-deprecating fashion, “Yeah, just like Ron
Burgundy, people know me.”
But the fact remains that Haggerty is a big deal. In a hockey-mad region, he’s the
chief Boston Bruins reporter for one of the two major sports-specific cable channels
in the nation’s seventh largest media market.
“I’m perfectly happy at Comcast,” he said. “They just merged with NBC, so there
are some pretty good opportunities with both of them. Obviously, with hockey, it’s a
natural fit there. Unlike ESPN, which doesn’t give hockey the time of day, I’m with
the exact right people who love hockey and can shine a bright light on the sport.
“So unless some NHL team comes along and thinks I’d make a good executive,
which isn’t going to happen in a zillion years, I’m in the right place,” he continued.
ALUMNI
Though Comcast isn’t the Bruins’
network (The New England Sports
Network carries the team, along with
the Red Sox), Haggerty still covers about
70 percent of the road games, including
every playoff tilt. That translates to 60and 70-hour work weeks, he estimated.
Add that the 39-year-old reporter and
his wife, Alyssa, welcomed their first
child, son Finn, last August, life has
become pretty hectic. “It’s a deal with
the devil when you love what you do,
and it’s such a good job,” he said. “You
don’t mind doing some of it, but it’s
definitely a ton of work.”
Haggerty didn’t get to this point by
chance. He’s paid his dues. He attended
Stoneham High School, where he
played baseball and football and was
sports editor for the school paper. After
graduating in 1992, Haggerty briefly
attended college in Boston, but left after
a semester when money got tight.
“I worked for a couple of years and
then went to Salem State in 1996. I got
my diploma in 2001,” he said. “So it was
a bit non-traditional, as far as a college
education goes, but I found it was
pretty in line with what the Salem State
experience was for a lot of students.”
An English major with a minor in
communications, he thrived both in
and out of the classroom. “I remember
taking TV news writing, and thinking
at the time I would never have anything
to do with this,” he said. “But I was
glad I paid attention, because I did end
up needing it. I write my own scripts.
Whatever is on the teleprompter, I’m in
charge of it. You need to find out what’s
good news writing for TV, and Salem
State definitely helped me learn some
of that.”
Likewise, editing The Log provided
Haggerty valuable experience, not just
about the teamwork required to produce
a newspaper, but also by instilling the
larger ideals of what it meant to be a
journalist. “At the end of the day, the
one thing you always knew about The
Log was that everybody loved to write,
loved to take pictures and was really
invested in what they were doing.
“It was a really cool experience to
be a part of that because it was one of
the first times you did something that’s
not for high school or college credit,”
Haggerty said. “This was people, of their
own volition, who found The Log and
had a burning desire to be a journalist
or be involved in journalism. Beyond
learning QuarkXpress and the editing,
being around people like that was a
really energizing environment.”
Though he never played hockey
competitively, Haggerty said he was
always surrounded by the game. His
uncle, Mike Geragosian, runs AllAmerican Goalie Camps (where you can
often find Salem State coach Bill O’Neill
working as an instructor). Family gettogethers automatically meant street
hockey games. “I got exposed to it too
late to actually play and be any good,” he
said. “And I’ve always loved the people
around hockey. When you add it all
together, it was a pretty natural fit.”
One thing Haggerty did get from his
folks was a knack for performing. His
father, Bob “Stump” Haggerty, is an
actor and a member of the Screen Actors’
Guild. “I did plays in high school,” said
Haggerty. “I had some training, or at
least had some comfort with performing
and being in front of a camera. It’s in the
blood to some degree.”
Aside from a one-year hiatus where
he hiked a portion of the Appalachian
Trail, after Salem State Haggerty
became a journalist of all trades,
covering regular news and moonlighting
as a sportswriter for a variety of outlets.
“I started off doing the Bruins because I
wanted to cover another pro sports team
when the Red Sox weren’t playing,” he
said. “Once the Red Sox season was over,
I’d go right into the Bruins. But as time
went on, I gravitated toward the hockey
side of it.”
“It speaks to me more than the stuffy,
stand-offish world of baseball,” he added
“I like that hockey players are respectful
and team-oriented, but they also want
to have fun. They always have a smile
on their face. So for me it was always a
pretty natural calling.”
Haggerty credits Ed Berliner of the
old CN8 network and Boston Herald
columnist Michael Felger (who was
working at 890 ESPN in 2008) for
helping him make the transition to
electronic media. “A few people got to
know me and liked my personality, so
they put me on with Felger a few times
and we really hit it off,” he said. “I have
to give Mike Felger all the credit in the
world. He really gave me a shot and
helped people notice me; he helped me
figure out who I was on the air and what
my personality was.”
“The best advice I ever got was,
‘Always have a smile on your face, and
always have a lot of energy.’ If you don’t,
you either look scared or you look angry,
and both are turn-offs.”
Haggerty loves what he’s doing, and
it shows. n
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
39
class notes
’90
’95
Robe r t Dean
of Saugus has been
appointed chief
operating officer at
Associated Homecare,
a family-owned and operated health
care company based in Massachusetts.
Robert currently serves as a board
member for the Home Care Aides
Council and the Home Care Alliance.
’93
Grego ry O’Donnell
of Somerset was
recently appointed
to the position of
senior vice president/
relationship manager of Santander
Bank’s commercial lending team. He
has years of experience in other banks
and is a part of numerous boards
and committees in southeastern
Massachusetts.
’9 3G
’94
Ge r ald B i ron of Drury has been
appointed to the position of assistant
vice president of credit administration at
Adams Community Bank in Adams.
was recently
promoted to the rank of lieutenant in
the Vermont State Police, where he will
oversee the traffic operation unit and the
crash reconstruction team. He started
with the state police in 2000. He and his
wife Rosy live in Essex, Vermont, with
their two children, Samantha and Jack.
Gar ry M. Scott
of
Gloucester was hired by Cape Ann
Savings Bank as its new vice president
and treasurer. Marianne has over 20
years of banking experience, most
recently as vice president and controller
of Northern Bank & Trust Company.
M ar ianne Smith ’9 4 G
Davi d DeRuosi ’9 5G of Saugus has
extended his contract as superintendent
of Malden public schools two more years.
David is currently in his third year as
superintendent, and the recent contract
extension will extend his service from four
years to six years.
of Reading was
promoted to managing director at
Carpenter & MacNeille, a quality
home construction company focused
on architectural and interior design,
construction, cabinetry, and property
maintenance. In his new role, Michael will
focus on making new partnerships and
supporting the firm’s future growth.
M ichael Gr ay
these awards to community members
who exemplify Martin Luther King
Jr.’s philosophy of commitment to
social justice and leadership in social,
racial and religious tolerance. Carole
served many years in the Danvers
Police Department before retiring
as a lieutenant in May. She was, and
continues to be, an advocate for
victims of domestic violence, sexual
assault and other sensitive crimes.
C h r istophe r Kibe r d of
Rochester, New Hampshire has been
promoted to the rank of sergeant in
the Portsmouth Police Department.
Christopher started with the
department in 2002, and has
served many roles there since.
’00
’96
Rachel
Te r ry Hudson -
of Salem
was recently promoted
to chief nursing officer
(CNO) at Tufts Medical
Center. Terry had been serving as the
interim CNO for the past six months;
before that she served as the vice president
of patient care services.
( Ulw ic k)
J in ks ’9 6 G
Kevin Tk achuk
of Medford, a 17-year
veteran court officer, has
been appointed chief
court officer for the
Lowell court system. Kevin is one of the
youngest court officers in the state and has
worked his way up, getting his foot in the
door working front door security. Kevin
graduated with a bachelor of
science degree with a concentration
in criminal justice.
’98
of Danvers was
named a drum major for justice by the
Danvers Committee on Diversity. Each
year, the committee presents several of
Carole Ge r mano
married
John Cain on
October 25,
2013!
Cain
of
Beverly has been
elected city counselor
at-large for a second
term. Jason served as
Salem mayor Kimberley Driscoll’s chief
of staff for seven years, and recently
took the position of executive director
of the Salem YMCA.
Jason Silva
’03
of Morrisville, Vermont,
created the Let’s Get Outdoors
program for local kids in Stowe and
Waterbury, Vt. The program aims to
foster in kids a sense of adventure and
an appreciation of nature, and get
them away from computer screens.
Let’s Get Outdoors holds summer and
winter programs for activities such
as skateboarding, snowshoeing, cross
country skiing, and mountain biking.
Tad Davis
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
41
al u mni
events
A
C
D
B
A: NPR’s Here & Now co-host Robin Young, right,
interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and
author Tony Kushner on stage November 13, 2013,
during a presentation of the Salem State
University Series.
E
B: Kushner fields a question from the audience.
C: Future alumni braving the cold
at Frozen Fenway, January 2014.
D: With a great view of the Frozen Fenway rink
are Rob Buckley ’83, front, and, from the lef t,
John Sullivan ’87, Ron Lescinskas ’90
and Dave Fenton ’87.
E: Presenter Edna Mauriello ‘44, third from lef t, and
President Meservey, fourth from lef t, with 2013
Northeast Regional Educator Hall of Fame recipients
Ariana Koustas, Mary Ann Grassia ‘92, Seith Bedard,
and Joseph Picano ‘96G on November 7, 2013
F: Alumni and friends at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade
in Naples, Florida, on March 15, 2014.
42
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
.
F
ALUMNI
Business Card Wall Challenge
Attention Business School Graduates
Help the Bertolon School of Business (BSB) alumni network in building a business card wall
to be located in the business school. This wall will serve as a resource for students, faculty
and alumni to connect and build professional relationships.
Our goal is 300 business cards by June 30.
All alumni who participate are eligible to enter a raffle for a commemorative brick to be
placed in Alumni Plaza. The winner will be selected on June 30.
Established in February, 2013, the purpose of the BSB alumni network is to promote the
professional, educational, economic, and social interests of Salem State University by
creating a mutually beneficial relationship between the BSB, the Salem State alumni
association and its growing community of business alumni.
Mail your business cards to Salem State University, Alumni Affairs, 352 Lafayette Street,
Salem, MA 01970.
Save the date! Athletes Weekend
September 26–29, 2014
Alumni from all sports programs
are welcome back to campus to
reconnect with classmates and
meet our current teams.
This year’s gathering promises something for everyone:
• Hall of Fame Inductions at the Hawthorne Hotel
• Athletes Golf Tournament at Kernwood Country Club
• BBQ at Alumni Field with men’s soccer vs. MCLA
Additional events are now in the works. Please mark
your calendar and keep an eye out for more
information coming soon.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
43
C lass notes
Jullisa (Alfonzo )
welcomed her
first child, Noah Joseph
Declet, into the world on
November 11, 2013.
Declet
’04
of Lynn was
awarded a Massachusetts Outstanding
Educator Award in January. Richard
teaches first and second grade at the
Carlton Innovation Elementary School in
Salem. In addition to being an elementary
school teacher, he remains highly involved
in the Salem State community as an
adjunct professor, elementary seminar
leader and assistant coordinator of Salem
State’s summer program for English
language learners.
Richar d Giso ’0 4 G
Joanne He rnan dez
of Walpole married Erik
Mellen of Hingham. The
couple married in Old
San Juan, Puerto Rico in
May. Joanne is currently a clinical leader in
pediatrics at Mass Eye and Ear, and
Erik is a senior research analyst at
Northeast Utilities.
’05
of Chelsea was
recently sworn in as president of the
Chelsea City Council. Matthew grew
up in Chelsea and has witnessed some
of the city’s toughest times, experiences
that he plans to use in his new role.
M atthe w Fr an k
’06
N ancy Hathaway of Peabody has
worked for East Boston Savings Bank
since 2011 and was recently promoted to
branch officer at their Danvers branch.
Nancy has fourteen years of banking
experience around the North Shore and
is an active member of the Wicked
Running Club in Salem.
44
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
’07
of Lynn began writing
short stories after a life-changing head-on
collision. His latest book, The Eden of Your
Eyes: a Kiss to Awake discusses humanity.
Fernandez is excited to work with Tate
Publishing and Enterprise, LLC to make
the book available to the public.
Jay Fe rnan dez
of Somerville is now
working as an account manager at Insight
Performance, a human resources and
employee benefits consulting agency,
in its Salem office.
Me redith L ang
’08
of Harvard was hired
as a sixth-grade social studies teacher and
soccer coach at Littleton Middle School
at the beginning of the school year. Ryan
previously worked as a park ranger, where
he discovered his love for teaching.
Ryan Walsh ’12G
Elizabeth is currently a clinical research
coordinator at the MGH Cancer Center
and will soon begin studies at the MGH
Institute of Healthcare Professionals.
Kellie Tan dilyan of Danvers was
hired as a Latin teacher at Clark School
in Danvers. The school offers education
from kindergarten to high school and
focuses on individualized curriculum
and fostering student success. Kellie is
currently working on her master’s
degree in elementary education at
Antioch University.
’10
was promoted to
coordinator of residential education at
Bryant University in January 2014.
K yle Meadows
’11
C h r istine Lin dbe rg of Middleton
joined the team at Salisbury Town Hall,
where she serves as chief aide to the town
manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree in
political science.
Robe r t Whynott of Gloucester is
running for an Essex District statehouse
seat to represent Gloucester, Rockport
and Essex. Robert is a long-time resident
of Gloucester, and has been involved in
politics throughout his life.
’09
of Danvers was recently
sworn in as a patrol officer for the Danvers
Police Department.
Robe r t Bux ton of Hudson, New
Hampshire, was recently named Hudson fire
chief. Robert began his career in Hudson
in 1992 as a firefighter, and moved to the
Nashua Fire Department in 1997. He
returned to Hudson in 2007 as deputy
fire chief.
is currently attending
Boston University for her master’s degree in
criminal justice and was just accepted into
Boston University’s national criminal
justice honors society, Alpha Phi Sigma,
Nu Mu chapter.
Gr azia C r ivello
of Reading was
awarded the Thomas P. and Edwina H.
Devlin Medical Scholarship. The fund was
started in 1960. A number of scholarships
are given out each year to students preparing
for careers in the health care industry.
Elizabeth Sales
Justin Jones
of Danvers co-created
“Left & Right”—a comedy about
conjoined twins trying to find love on
Valentine’s Day. Jay and his co-creator,
Nathaniel Punches, created the play in
2011, and it debuted in Salem. It has
since been performed in over 15 venues
throughout New England and, most
recently, in New York City.
Jay Pension
John De An gelo of Malden has been
promoted to varsity baseball head coach
at Matignon High School in Somerville.
Most recently, John was an assistant coach
at Framingham State University. He also
works as a teacher in the Waltham public
school system. John played baseball for
Salem State, and was a member of the
MASCAC baseball all-athletic team
during his collegiate career.
ALUMNI
’12
of Brockton began a
career as an adult family care manager
at Nonotuck Resource Associates in
Kingston. Nonotuck offers personalized
services and adult family care to people
with intellectual and physical disabilities.
Alex has years of experience in human
services and was internally promoted
from direct care to a case manager.
Ale x Gomes
Robe r t Varne y of Topsfield was
appointed to full-time police officer
with the Topsfield Police Department.
Robert grew up in Topsfield and has
already been with the police department
there for more than two years through
internships and part-time work.
’13
was accepted into
the University of California-San Diego
PhD program. Since moving to San
Diego in June, he has been awarded
the Competitive Edge Fellowship,
a departmental research fellowship,
and a teaching assistantship from the
University of California. He is doing
marine natural products research at
the interdisciplinary Center for Marine
Biotechnology and Biomedicine at
Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
Isaiah Gomez
Connor Litchman of Mansfield
set out to hike the Appalachian Trail
in February. Connor plans to hike the
2,200-mile trail from Maine to Georgia
in five months, returning in time to start
graduate school in the fall. He intends
to keep a diary of the trip that will be
published in The Sun Chronicle’s living
well section.
of South Hadley is now
working as a process control coordinator
at Traditional Breads, Inc. in Lynn.
Steve worked at Traditional Breads as a
summer intern before his senior year at
Salem State and was hired full-time upon
his graduation. Steve recently purchased
a home in Lynn, officially becoming a
North Shore resident!
Steve Fio re
Documenting Your Planned
Gift Can Help the University
Reach Its Goals
There are various ways to support Salem State through your
estate planning. We are prepared to assist you in achieving
your philanthropic and financial goals with a planned gift, no
matter how you choose to make it. Become a member of our
growing Crosby Society by notifying us of your intent to
provide for Salem State through a deferred or planned gift.
Three donors, three ways to give:
Michael Gormalley ’73
– named Salem State as
the beneficiary of his
insurance policy
Joanne Mendes ’79
– provided for Salem State
in her will
George (’68) and
Marilyn Maguire
– gave a gift of
life insurance
For more information visit
salemstate.edu/plannedgiving
or contact Michael Randall,
director of major and planned giving,
at [email protected] or 978.542.2345.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
45
al u mni
obitua r ies
Faculty and Staff
Stephen J. Clarke
October 26, 2013
Friend, Retired Faculty
Who Taught 27 Years at
Salem State (1970-1997)
Stephen James Clarke, PhD, 83, of Salem, died on Saturday, October
26, in Marblehead. A 25-year resident of Swampscott, he was born
in Cambridge and raised in Waterown. He earned a bachelor’s degree
in Greek and Latin from Boston College and a doctorate degree in
education from Harvard University. Stephen began his teaching
career in West Newbury and moved on to teach in the Maynard
public schools, at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester and
at Regis College in Weston. In 1970, he joined the faculty of Salem
State where he taught for 27 years, retiring with Emeritus status in
1997. A member of the education faculty, he was the coordinator
for accreditation from the National Council for the Accreditation
of Teacher Education. After his retirement, he taught graduate
practicums and directed studies during 2002-2005. Steve’s passions
were travel, the arts and fine dining. He spent a year teaching for the
U.S. Air Force in Japan in the late 1950s. Steve also enjoyed painting,
attending the theatre and listening to an eclectic music collection,
which included everything from opera to Gregorian chants to Irish
folksongs. He helped many students gain acceptance into college and
was always ready to lend his help or just a sympathetic ear.
James Bertram Schooley
December 2, 2013
Friend, Retired Faculty Who
Taught at Salem State for 21
years (1966 to 1987)
At the age of 96, James B. Schooley died peacefully at his home in
Amherst. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he pursued his undergraduate
degree at the University of Michigan and joined the army during
World War II, serving as a lieutenant in New Caledonia, the Fiji
Islands and the Philippines. He then launched a career teaching
botany at the college level and earned his doctorate with research on
the genetics of American wildflowers. He joined the faculty of Salem
State in 1966, retiring with Emeritus status in 1987. Retirement
included the reconstruction of an 18th century post and beam farm
house in Jefferson, Maine, and authorship of several books. He will
be remembered for his charm and his integrity.
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S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
Janice A. (Moody) Lacey
December 4, 2013
Friend, Retired Employee
Janice (Moody) Lacey, 81, passed away
peacefully at her home in Gloucester. Born in
1932, she graduated from St. Ann High School
in 1950. Janice worked for the New England
Telephone Co. as an operator and also as
the wire chief’s secretary. In 1981, she began
working at the Salem State College library,
retiring in 1998. She was a longtime member
of the Edward Peterson Post 98 Rockport
American Legion Auxiliary, where she served
as secretary and treasurer.
Helen Constant
January 9, 2014
Friend, Retired Faculty Who Taught at
Salem State for 19
years (1974-1993)
Helen Constant of Arlington died at her home
on January 9. Born in Somerville in 1929,
she graduated from Somerville High School
where she was the valedictorian in 1947. She
went on to receive a bachelor of arts degree
from Radcliffe College, a master’s of science
degree in education from Boston University
and a doctorate of education from Columbia
University. Helen returned to Somerville to
teach in the public school system and moved
on to Salem State College in 1974, where she
taught English literature and became chair
of the graduate program in reading. She also
helped establish the Massachusetts Childrens
Book Award program in 1975, promoting
literacy among children. Helen traveled
extensively throughout the world, including
Greece, Portugal, Aruba, Thailand, Osaka,
Egypt, Hong Kong, and China. She retired
as a professor emerita in 1993.
ALUMNI
Ingrida A. Raudzens
February 19, 2014
Friend, Retired Faculty
Who Taught for 37 Years
at Salem State (1971-2008)
Ingrida A. Raudzens, a former art professor at Salem State, died on February 19 after suffering a sudden stroke. She
was 68 years old. Professor Raudzens was born in Germany and became a citizen of the United States in 1957. She
joined Salem State in 1971 and brought an enthusiasm to the classroom that inspired students for 27 years. During
her tenure she helped the art + design department maintain its national accreditation status, coordinated the art
history concentration and chaired the department for nine consecutive years. The research papers and pastiche
projects her students created were presented annually at the Salem State University Research Symposium. Known
for her warmth, passion and generous spirit, she was well-loved by students and colleagues alike and will be greatly
missed. Professor Raudzens retired with emerita status in in 2008 and is survived by her husband Mark Raudzens,
who retired from Salem State as professor emeritus in 2002, and their daughter Adrianna Raudzens Bailey.
Alumni
Margaret T. “Berkeley” O’Leary ’34
Louis C. Fittante ’54
Kathy L. (Rohrer) Brown ’72
Lillian C. (Chiplovitz) Wacks ’36
Albert D. Flight ’56
Mary J. (Cervoni) Myslinski ’72
Ruby M. (Wilkins) Wiggett ’37
Ernest D. Glynn ’56
Theodore A. Guvelis ’73
James J. Sampson ’38
Leonard S. Freedman ’57
Mark E. George ’74
Barbara E. (Hood) Fontaine ’39
Barbara E. (Stacey) Trowt ’57, ’65G
Candace E. (Burns) MacLaughlin ’74
Irene J. (Malik) Wisnoski ’40
James C. Burns ’58, ’64G
James M. Monks ’74
Marian T. (Tarbox) Chase ’41
Paul F. Barrett ’60
Maryanne C. Glynn ’75
Margaret F. (McCarthy) Doherty ’41
Edmund G. Josephs ’61
David M. Hayford ’75
Joseph Seigal ’41
James P. McDermott ’62G
Patrick J. Henry ’75
Eva L. (Shepherd) Turner ’41
Ann E. (Arsenault) Ducharme ’63
Phyllis A. (Destino) Rao ’75
Mary F. (Brown) Brady ’42
Diane E. Hamm ’64
Roland E. Teague ’75
Marion M. Carey ’42
Maryellen (Reilly) Pisani ’64, ‘77G
Anne M. Serino ’76, ’85G
Gordon B McKeeman ’42
Richard P. Thompson ’64
Ella F. (White) Lombara ’76G
Morris H. Seigal ’42
Wayne R. Vose ’64
Thomas E. Goodridge ’78
Jean M. (Callahan) Hesenius ’44
Nathalie (Ogan) Sullaway ’64G
Carol J. (Tardy) Thomsen ’78
Stella O. (Dawyskiba) Dardinski ’45
Marilyn C. (Cataldo) Campbell ’65
S. Steve Salvo ’79, ’83G
Jane P. (Shea) Simmons ’45
Charles E. Curtin ’68
Nadine L. O’Connell ’82
Frances R. (Finnerty) Sylvia ’45
Janet H. (Hosker) Monroe ’68
Ronald C. Arsenault ’83
Anne M. (Guard) Callahan ’47
Joanne P. (Tommasino) Allen ’68G
James J. Guay ’86
John R. Folsom ’47
Susan L. (Beane) Fintonis ’69
Raymond J. Barnes ’88
Mary A. (Brown) Kowal ’48
Elaine A. (Manoogian) Espindle ’70, ’77G
Jeffrey J. Regan ’90
Rita A. (Trabucco) Schlegel ’48
John P. Guilfoil ’70
Gretchen C. (Court) Gauthier ’92
Winifred T. (Hernon) Tikkanen ’50
Karen I. (O’Hara) Sinnott ’70
Barbara J. (Hayes) Cowen ’94G
Arline M. (Berrigan) Folta ’52
Anthony M. Zaccaria ’70
Richard M. Mariano ’96
Janet B. (McFarlane) McLean ’52
Arthur V. Gelardi ’71G
Keith A. MacDonald ’10
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
47
al u mni
2013-2014
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
president
Erik J. Champy ’89, ’94G
vice president
Pamela (Sartorelli) Doherty ’92
secretary
Stephanie Magdis ’06G
historian
Marilyn Flaherty ’54
trustee
Alyce Davis ’75
members at large
Linda A. Brown ’02, ’04G
Robert W. Callahan ’72
Eileen M. Connolly ’59, ’77G
Jacqueline Coogan ’70
Thomas “TJ” Culinane Jr. ’86
Rose DeLuca ’73, ’03G
Richard F. Durgan ’69
Robert D. Ellison ’92
Dorothy (Mauriello) Foley ’48
Judith Josephs ’63, ’65G
Sheila P. Kearney ’54, ’67G
Josephine E. Kennedy ’72, ’76G
Patricia Libby ’71
Andrea Liftman ’75
Frank A. Lillo ’64, ’69G
Fatbardha Male ’08G
Jane E. Moroney ’60, ’62G
Dexter McKenzie ’95
Jo-Anne Murphy ’77G
celebrates a new generation of students, and the successes
Sean O’Brien ’12
and growth of our alma mater.”
Melissa Ogden ’00
Gary M. Roach ’80
Frederick A. Sannella ’64
Deirdre A. Santorelli ’83
Debra Lee Surface ’05
Alfred J. Viselli ’59, ’64G
Joseph Wamness ’00G
Now there are more ways than ever to make a gift that
Mikki Lynne Wilson ’09
means the most to you. Visit salemstate.edu/reasons to
regional members
donate online or learn more. Then be sure to share your
Joanne Mendes ’79
Carol Vara ’85, ’91G
Joanne Ricciardiello ’68
Co-chair, Alumni and Parent
Campaign Subcommittee
“I am so proud of the educational foundation I gained at
Salem State. Please join me in making an annual gift that
For so many reasons, your annual gift matters.
#SSUReasons for supporting Salem State!
student member
48
S a l e m S tat e m e n t i s p r i n g 2 0 14
Alex Booker ’14
A l u mni
T r avel
Program
Visit salemstate.edu/travel.php
to see the full itinerary for these
fabulous vacation destinations!
MADRID, ZARAGOZA & BARCELONA
October 3-11, 2014
9 days/7 nights
Madrid, Toledo, Zaragoza, Montserrat,
Tarragona, and Barcelona.
s p r i n g 2 0 14 i S a l e m S tat e m e n t
49
352 Lafayette Street
Salem, Massachusetts 01970-5353
Educating you for life salemstate.edu