2016 Summer Lucent

LUCENT The Alumni Magazine of American International College

Summer 2016 | Volume 8 | Issue 3

A NEW ICE AGE AIC’s Division I Head Men’s Ice Hockey Coach Eric Lang ’98 and ’08 MS and Team Captain Austin Orszulak ’17

LUCENT EDITORIAL BOARD Heather Cahill Bob Cole Heather Gawron Candy Lash (left to right) Mayor of Springfield Domenic J. Sarno, Hon ’16; American International College President Vince Maniaci; Board of Trustee member K. Kevin Saremi, MBA ’83, Hon ‘16.

Greetings!

As a father, it was always a bittersweet experience when my children left home for college. But as a college president, my two favorite times of year are when our new students join the AIC family and, of course, when students graduate with their AIC degrees.

So, as you can imagine, when American International College held its 131st Commencement on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at Springfield’s MassMutual Center, there was no better way to end the academic year than by celebrating AIC’s more than 1,000 graduates! Talk about higher dedication.

Academics are the foundation on which American International College is built.

Recently, AIC was fortunate to announce the addition of Raj Parikh, PhD, as the College’s new executive vice president for academic affairs. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Parikh to AIC. AIC continuously strives to serve our students, and as part of our commitment to academic excellence the institution has embarked on a renovation project of the first floor of AIC’s James Shea Sr. Library. The remodeled space, slated to open when fall classes begin, will now be home to a state-of-the-art learning commons.

This repurposing of one of the College’s most frequently used buildings will include significant technology upgrades, new seating and study configurations for individualized learning styles, study rooms and a food kiosk with booths and café style seating.

American International College is an educational anchor in Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as for all of New England. The AIC legacy is one that continues to change the lives of our students. It is they, in turn, who will change the future as the leaders of tomorrow.

I wish you all a happy, safe, and relaxing summer.

Sincerely,

Vince Maniaci President

EDITOR Bob Cole CONTRIBUTORS Jacob Brewer Ellen Dooley John Driscoll John Hanna Candy Lash Mary Ellen Lowney Hoang “Leon” Nguyen ON THE COVER Photograph of AIC’s Division I Head Men’s Ice Hockey Coach Eric Lang ’98 and ’08 MS and Team Captain Austin Orszulak ’17 taken by Ben Barnhart at the Olympia Ice Center, West Springfield, MA.

What have you been up to?

Join AIC’s Alumni Facebook and LinkedIn pages and follow us on Twitter. Feel free to email us at alumni@aic.edu or call us at 413.205.3520.

Please send any comments or suggestions about this publication to editor@aic.edu. We’d love to hear from you!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Summer 2016 | Volume 8 | Issue 3

Features 4

Backstage

10

Commencement 2016

20

Local Media Look to AIC Faculty for Expert Commentary

24 28 30 38

Frank Borrelli Leads AIC’s Theater Arts Program

Dynamic Duo

Jeffrey and Peter Jean-Paul ’16

Fostering Success

Ben Gonzalez ’16

Go Yellow Jackets!

A New Ice Age

Eric Lang ’98 and ’08 MS Named AIC’s New Head Men’s Ice Hockey Coach

44

Floats Like a Butterfly, Stings Like a Yellow Jacket

48

Staying Strong in Mind & Body

52

Sonya “The Scholar” Lamonakis, MEd ’01

Ila K. Shebar ’81

Full Circle

Lani Lowrie Kretschmar ’77 gets Back to her Educational Roots at AIC

Departments 2 Campus Update 58 Class Notes Check up on your fellow alumni

63 In Memoriam

CAMPUS UPDATE

AIC Welcomes Dr. Raj Parikh

New Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Joins the AIC Family Raj Parikh, PhD, has joined AIC as the executive vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Parikh was previously a professor of accounting and finance and dean of the Walker College of Business and Management at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. With more than 30 years of academic experience and five years as a financial executive, Dr. Parikh has led or been actively involved in strategic planning, budgeting, accreditation, and academic prioritization.

Dr. Parikh has co-authored World Accounting, a three-volume treatise on international accounting which is updated semi-annually. He has presented his research in accounting, finance,

and organizational leadership at several regional and national conferences in addition to being an invited guest speaker.

A graduate of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Dr. Parikh completed graduate work in chemical engineering. He received a PhD in accounting and finance at the State University of New York at Buffalo. In addition, he is a certified managerial accountant (CMA), a certified financial manager (CFM), and a chartered financial analyst (CFA).

For obtaining the highest score in the nation on the CMA examination, Dr. Parikh was awarded the Robert Bayer Gold Medal. n

AIC Offers Post-Professional

Occupational Therapy Doctorate

New Online Program is Designed to Create Educators and Leaders as OT Marks its 100th Anniversary A new Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program is set to launch in the School of Health Sciences. The online program, approved by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, will begin with the fall semester. It is uniquely designed to create faculty and leaders for the future who incorporate their occupational therapy knowledge with experience from clinical practice, research, education, and advocacy while integrating the core philosophy of the profession.

The program focuses on four curriculum threads that align with key

2 | Higher Dedication

areas in the occupational therapy profession: clinical practice, research, education, and advocac y, including coursework in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Occupational Therapy Leadership. These courses form the foundation for the curriculum threads and include active learning, a cohort model, critical reflection, and assignments that can apply to students’ own areas of occupational therapy workplace practice.

According to Dean of the School of Health Sciences Cesarina Thompson, PhD, RN, ANEF, “Employment for occupational therapists is projected to

grow by 29% through 2022, a much faster growth than the average for all other occupations. With the growing demand for rehabilitation and disabilities services, there is a need to prepare more occupational therapists who will be equipped to practice in an evolving and complex health care system and advocate for the profession. As 2017 marks the 100th year of the existence of occupational therapy, this program helps fulfill the centennial vision for the practice.”

More information is available online at www.aic.edu or by calling Dean Thompson at 413.205.3056. n

TAKE CENTER STAGE AT AIC The theater arts program and the bachelor of arts in theater at AIC is dedicated to training the theater artists and professionals of tomorrow.

Courses of study include: Acting | Singing | Movement | Vocal Production | Set Design and Construction Costume Design and Construction | Make Up Design | Lighting Design Stage Management | Theater History | Dramaturgy | Criticism For more information about enrolling at AIC, please call Frank Borrelli, AIC’s director of theater arts at 413.654.1486 or email theater@aic.edu.

theater@

American International College | 3

CAMPUS UPDATE

Backstage Frank Borrelli Leads AIC’s Theater Arts Program Written by Candy Lash

CAMPUS UPDATE While Hair, the first musical at AIC, received nightly standing ovations and accolades from theatergoers, it was like every other production in Frank Borrelli’s capable hands in that it involved months of blood, sweat and tears, dedication, and rehearsals into the wee hours of the morning to bring the production to life on the AIC Griswold Theater’s stage.

What makes someone passionate about what he does? For Frank, his earliest recollection of an interest in theater came at the tender age of 7 when he was cast as a monkey in a school production of Dr. Doolittle. But the real bug bit him at 11 when he and his classmates attended a production of Euripides’ Trojan Women at the Connecticut Repertory Theater. “We were in the third or fourth row. My classmates didn’t care, but when I saw Hecuba crawling out of the stage, that was it!” Frank wanted to be an actor and a singer from that moment.

While attending Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts in North Adams as a theater and arts management major, Frank worked professional summer stock at Trumpet in the Land in New Philadelphia, Ohio.

Upon graduating, he immediately began his master of fine arts studies in performance and society, acting, and directing at Rhode Island College with the idea he would completely immerse himself in acting upon completion of his degree.

“That’s when my life shifted. I just wanted to teach.” Frank was inspired by one of his own teachers in his decision to switch direction. “I saw what my mentor got out of [teaching]. As Buddha said, ‘You change one life, you change the world.’ She [his mentor] changed a lot of lives. Here at AIC, I get to do that. I get to help a lot of kids through theater.”

He recalled a public comment made by President Vince Maniaci in which he said, “Frank changes these kids’ lives.” “I got choked up,” Frank said, adding, “They call me Dad. Some call me Mom.” And for a few of Frank’s students, he represents both mother and father. This Mother’s Day, he received a text from one of his students who is making a go of life completely on his own. The message read, “I know you’re not my mother, but you’re the closest thing I have.”

After the Hair finale, the cast had something up their tie-dyed sleeves.

While Frank was barking orders to get things wrapped up, the students would hear none of it. Growing increasingly frustrated by their inattention to his drill sergeant directives, it wasn’t until the curtain opened on a video dedicated to him that he understood what was really going on. The video Why I Love Frank Borrelli included each student sharing a very personal reason how Frank has changed his or her life.

“That’s why I teach,” Frank said through tears.

“I’ve devoted my life to AIC for the past four years. It’s working because the program keeps growing. Only one piece is missing; that’s my own professional development. Now I want to get back into acting.” This summer, Frank plans on recharging by making his way to Cape Cod to perform a one-person autobiographical play.

“It’s about a gay kid growing up in an Italian-American family and all that goes with that.”

Frank plans to take his solo act on the road. Quite possibly right back to home base at AIC. By the way, Frank Borrelli is a singer too—all types of music—standard, show tunes, and jazz, which will be woven into his solo performance. He learned about singing from his grandfather who worked for MCA Records for years. No mic needed, Frank says, “You have to know what you’re good at. And I can SING! It’s what I tell my students: ‘You have to be confident when you know you’re good at something because others are good at it too.’ I’m not confident about a lot of things, but I know I can sing.”

Frank can also teach. Just ask his students. n

CAMPUS UPDATE

Dawning of the Age of AIC Musicals

CAMPUS UPDATE In late April, the theater arts department, under the direction of Frank Borrelli, produced Hair, The Musical—the first musical for director Borrelli.

Hair depicts the birth of a cultural movement in the 1960s, telling the story of the tribe, a group of politically active, long-haired hippies living the flower child, freespirit lifestyle in New York City. The play deals with issues of race, gender, free love, peace, protest, vulnerability, and finding oneself.

The original production broke new ground in musical theater as a rock musical. According to Borrelli, “This is a play about a richly diverse group of people. In addition to our talented and diverse group of theater arts students who performed, we had several AIC alumni who returned to join the cast. We wanted to reach out to the community in casting the musical. The production featured live music under the direction of Michael Rheault. This was new and very exciting for us.”

It was an exciting experience for the appreciative audience too. Nearly 1,000 people attended the three night run, ending each performance with a standing ovation! n

American International College | 7

ALUMNI OFFICEUPDATE UPDATE CAMPUS

Rhianna Eaton Awarded New AIC Scholarship for LGBT Students

By Mary Ellen Lowney

Chief Information Officer Mimi Royston (left) with Rhianna Eaton, the first Monica Harlow Royston LGBT Scholarship recipient.

The new Monica Harlow Royston LGBT Scholarship will give $1,000 per year to an achieving student who embodies the spirit of the woman for whom it is named.

Harlow Royston is the late wife of Mimi Royston, AIC’s chief information officer. Mimi’s funding the scholarship is a way to remember Harlow Royston, who died in an accident in November 2013.

The couple has a son, Morgan, who is now 11.

“We have such great diversity in terms of our students and their economic backgrounds, and that was Monica,” Royston said. “I know this is something that would have made her so happy.”

She added, “I wanted the scholarship to go to an AIC student because many of our students are very similar to Monica. She was a first-generation college student and it was extremely difficult for her and her family to afford her education. At her alma mater,

it was very difficult being a lesbian and starting a GLBTQ support group.”

Monica overcame financial hardships to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy, and later a master’s in education. After graduation, she worked for many youth organizations and taught at the high school level.

She had a passion for effecting change, and was committed to supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender teens and their transi(continues on page 9)

8 | Higher Dedication

CAMPUS UPDATE (continued from page 8) tions to healthy adulthoods. Her focus was often on the underserved and disenfranchised.

She loved animals and lived life fully. Monica was an active theater lover who was known as a “natural ham,” Royston said. “She was a friendly person who loved people,” Royston recalled, noting that her late wife often acted out parts to bring much laughter and happiness to the family.

The selection criteria for this award are students who are preferably

gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and/or active in supporting other members of the community. Students should also have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a passion for the study of humanities—English, philosophy, history, theology, theater or American studies.

Selection of the first scholarship recipient was made by a committee of faculty and administrators. The committee strove to select a student who has similar traits and passions as Monica Harlow Royston. They found

that person in Rhianna Eaton. Eaton, whose hometown is East Hartford, CT, is entering her senior year studying physical therapy and was elated to have been selected. “I am so honored to have received this scholarship. I admire Monica Harlow Royston for her devotion to the LGBT community, as well as her passion for the arts.

I hope to inspire others as she has inspired me.” n

TalentED!

K-12 Students Showcase Their Talent for Arts Education Taking 1st place honors were: GRADES K-5 Kala Sabadosa Montessori School of Northampton, Northampton, MA Violin Solo “Elves Dance” GRADES 6-8 Morgan Moriarty Agawam Jr. High School, Agawam, MA Singing “House of the Rising Sun” When AIC launched its inaugural talent competition in support of arts education in grades K-12, the organizers had no idea how great the response would be. Eighteen acts with a total of 40 students from all over the Pioneer Valley and northern Connecticut eagerly signed on to be a part of the event.

A cash prize of $250 was awarded to the winning act in each grade grouping with the winners’ schools receiving a $750 prize.

Sponsors for TalentED partnered with AIC and included C&W Services, Futures Education, G4S Security Services, Future Health, and Tom Kopyto Music. WMAS–94.7FM on-air personality Lopez emceed to perfection!

The event was an inspiring, funfilled evening underscoring AIC’s commitment to raising awareness of the essential role our schools play in shaping the future of our youth and the importance of arts education in schools.

GRADE 9-12 Janelle Cavanaugh Aaron Cochran Hannah Dube Nick Lamon Justin Vedovelli East Longmeadow High School, East Longmeadow, MA Band “All About Dat Trash”

American International College | 9

10 | Higher Dedication

Commencement

2016

Sunday, May 15 | MassMutual Center | Springfield, MA American International College celebrated its 131st Commencement on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at Springfield’s MassMutual Center.

After an inspired rendition of the National Anthem by Shameka Brice, who was awarded her bachelor of science in psychology, and the invocation

by Father John McDonagh, STL, JCL, MBA, American International College President Vince Maniaci welcomed the nearly 1,000 graduates and their families and friends to the festivities.

American International College alumnus and Board of Trustee member K. Kevin Saremi, MBA ’83, received an honorary doctor of commercial sci-

ence degree in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the College. Saremi is co-founder and partner of the real estate firm Saremi, LLP, and founder of Future Health. Native son and Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno delivered the Commencement address and was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree for his commitment to economic development, quality of life, education, and public safety.

Mayor Sarno attended AIC where he majored in political science and has long been a friend of the College.

T h e 2 016 v a l e d ic t o r i a n w a s Heather Marie Brouillard, who earned her bachelor of arts in communication

with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Christopher Porter was awarded his bachelor of science in business administration in management and marketing, and was honored as the class salutatorian graduating with a 3.98 GPA. Student speaker Mikhail Buchanan earned his bachelor of science in psychology and praised the scarcity of walls and fences on the AIC campus, a sign that the school and its students are an integral part of the community.

Commencement was a day to ref lect with pride on hard-earned achievements and to look forward to new adventures and a promising future. n

(left to right) Nestor Chevere, Mei-Lin Yeh-Lane, Ellen Furman, Carolyn Szafranski

(left to right) Phyllis Clapis, Susan Mercik-Davis, Gail Stern, Karen Rousseau

(left to right) John DeFrancesco, John Rogers, John Dayton, Esta Sobey (retired), Barbara Dautrich (retired)

(left to right) Kate Barlow, Michele Favolise, Said Nafai, Sunita Grigely

(Facing page) President Vince Maniaci with Andrea Boczon, Occupational Science (BS)

American International College | 11

(Left) Eddie Ritch ’16 Sports & Recreation Management (BSBA) (right) Chazani Douglas ’16 Nursing (BSN)

Mikhail Buchanan Student Speaker Psychology (BS)

14 | Higher Dedication

Jared Hulsey Liberal Studies (BA)

Rebecca Rousseau Health Sciences Pre Physical Therapy (BS)

Emmanuel McClain Criminal Justice (BS)

Zackary Joubert English (BA)

Chrystal Holland Communication (BA)

American International College | 15

Tayla Allen Criminal Justice (BS)

American International College | 17

WE’LL CARE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR DEGREE WHILE YOU CARE FOR YOUR PATIENTS. • ACCELERATED RN TO BSN • MSN PROGRAMS IN EDUCATION, ADMINISTRATION AND FNP • CCNE ACCREDITED • HYBRID AND ONLINE For more information, please visit our website www.aic.edu/nursing or call 413-205-3561 Summer 2016 | 18

Photo Op Meet Leon Nguyen ’16, a talented photojournalist who’s been on the beat on AIC’s campus for two years.

A transfer student from Springfield Technical Community College, Leon has become the “go-to” guy for photography on campus.

If there’s an event, Leon’s got it covered. While often called upon in his official work-study role, Leon’s love of the craft—and good-natured disposition—inspires him to be available at the drop of a hat to help anyone, anytime.

When asked to say a few words about Leon, Communication Department Chair Mary Ellen Lowney responded, “Watch him when he’s shooting something. He’s 100 percent there, and he usually needs only a single shot to get it perfect.”

Leon plans to take his skills—and camera—on the road, heading to Vietnam where he has family. And wherever his camera takes him in the future, we’ll look forward to seeing the world through Leon’s lens. n

THE YELLOW JAC

EXTRA! EXT

BREAKIN

LOCAL MEDIA LOOKS TO AIC FACU

CKET CHRONICLE

TRA! EXTRA!

NG NEWS

ULTY FOR EXPERT COMMENTARY

When the media reaches out to AIC for an expert opinion, we’ve got it covered. We’re fortunate to have great minds on campus who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise with the extended community…while helping AIC shine in the process. the stock market and the prices that we pay for key commodities such as oil and gas, food, healthcare, and education. I like to think that my comments as an economist can help the viewers of programming in this area to think more critically and with more understanding about these critical issues.”

Associate Professor of International Business Gary Lefort, MBA Professor of Economics John Rogers, PhD Got a question about the economy? John Rogers has the answer.

Whether the topic is the roller coaster stock market, social security benefits, potential increases to the minimum wage, or Black Friday/Cyber Monday trends in retailing, Professor Rogers has a gift for boiling down the complex to understandable terms while delivering a one-take soundbite that impresses even seasoned reporters.

“Our overheated political debates do a poor job of analyzing and understanding economic issues. What I would call ‘economic literacy’ is in short supply on a range of topics that impact the future of our lives, our families, and our country, including international trade and investment, wages and benefits, unemployment,

22 | Higher Dedication

An expert on international business and a career military man who served his country for 22 years with the Army, including time at the Pentagon with the Department of Defense, Professor and Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Lefort has a wealth of experience and knowledge. He provides in-

sight into the global marketing place, most recently discussing Brexit, and often does double duty by discussing issues of terrorism at home and abroad as an invited guest to the studios of the local affiliates, sharing his insight live and on-air during breaking news events. Professor Lefort is willing to meet the media wherever, whenever they call. Last fall, he cut short a Friday dinner date to meet a reporter for an interview in the restaurant’s parking lot!

“I enjoy reaching out to people about world events and hopefully giving them a better understanding of what is happening in the world and how these events can impact their lives. I also see AIC as a valuable academic, business, and professional resource to the Greater Springfield area and so we should reach out to the local communities whenever possible.”

Associate Professor of Biology Charles Boyd, PhD Charles Boyd knows a thing or two about genetics and cell and molecular biology. He was called upon this spring to share his insight relative to the potential benefit of genetic modification of mosquitoes in dealing with the Zika virus. The previously camera-shy Dr. Boyd provided an eloquent interview and his expertise extended well beyond the local market. The interview was picked up by stations in Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Chair of the Criminal Justice Department and Chief of Campus Police David Kuzmeski, JD Associate Professor of Political Science Julie Walsh, PhD

an educator and I take pleasure in contributing to the dialogue on various criminal justice topics. Frank and open dialogue is the cornerstone to building a progressive and equitable criminal justice system.”

“While going to the University of California for my doctorate, it was impressed upon me that, like it or not, I was very likely to be an expert in my field within my community. I should be willing to step into the role of public educator if called upon. I took this to mean that I should help clarify complicated issues so that the public (including my students) will have the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.

“I know AIC has an important place in the community, and like all places of higher learning, we will benefit by putting ourselves forward to help the community around us.

I like the thought that AIC can help make issues of the day clearer to the general public. It was one reason I got into education in the first place.

And helping AIC’s public standing is a responsibility I feel I have as a faculty member here.”

David Kuzmeski wears a lot of hats. As a former police officer, practicing attorney, department chair and chief of campus police, he’s a busy guy. While Professor Kuzmeski fields questions about trends in criminal justice, Chief Kuzmeski is always available to discuss policies and procedures that keep our students protected and comfortable.

“The primary reason I speak to the media is to be transparent for the benefit of the College community and our neighbors. Being transparent promotes trust and corrects misconceptions. I wish to emphasize that the safety of the campus and the immediate neighborhood is of the highest priority, as one can only excel in a safe environment. As to topics of general criminal justice interest, I am

Who’s in? Who’s out? Who’s hot?

Who’s not? In this wildly exciting and vastly unpredictable political season, Professor Walsh is ready to respond to a full range of questions from the Iowa caucuses to the Massachusetts primary to the November election.

“When faculty members are able to demonstrate their expertise in media interviews, the College’s reputation is enhanced. I am grateful to have the opportunity to make a contribution to that effort.” n

American International College | 23

Dynamic Duo

AIC’s own super heroes Peter Jean-Paul ’16 (left) and Jeffrey Jean-Paul ’16 (right) graduate cum laude.

Written by Candy Lash

American International Summer College 2016 | 25

AIC’s aspiring filmmakers and newly-minted alums, twin brothers PETER AND JEFFREY JEAN-PAUL ’16, weren’t candidates to go to college, let alone graduate, according to an administrator from their high school.

But Jeffrey (who likes playing front man despite Peter being the elder twin by five minutes) and Peter didn’t let this opinion get in the way of their goals.

“We took it and used it as motivation to try harder. I guess it worked out for the best.”

A proud moment, twins Jeffrey (left) and Peter (right) Jean-Paul accepted their diplomas and graduated cum laude on May 15, 2016.

26 | Higher Dedication

Growing up in Waltham, MA, Jeffrey and Peter attended the local high school. They played football but struggled academically. “We had learning challenges and worked 10 times harder [than other students],” recalls Jeffrey. “We didn’t find a home there.

We thought we were rejects, losers. By junior year, I learned not to care about others.” Peter attested to a chip on his shoulder. “It started to sit in my head that I might not be able to get into college at all,” Jeffrey said.

The brothers weren’t willing to accept that pessimistic scenario. Their drive, their insistence that they would beat the odds clearly set them apart.

Those qualities were undoubtedly part of what opened doors for them at AIC, where the whole student is taken into consideration for admittance.

Jeffrey frequently speaks for the duo saying, “The purpose of education is to apply what you learn and create something. We want to inspire others to know they matter. Never put yourself down. What matters is what’s inside.”

During their years at AIC, Jeffrey and Peter met their learning challenges head on, together, by dedicating themselves to giving it their all to find success in their studies and build a foundation for their future. The twins spent hours each week working with tutors at AIC’s Supportive Learning Services (SLS) to strengthen their study skills.

Supportive Learning Services has been an integral part of the AIC campus for nearly 40 years. The program recognizes that everyone learns differently. Students are served with customized approaches and plans specific to their learning styles. Students’ individual strengths are valued above all things, including the belief they can achieve their dreams if given the right tools. Marianne Merritt, assistant di-

rector for SLS, said, “Jeffrey and Peter came to SLS every day before and after classes. Determined to stay on top of their studies, they worked diligently to complete assignments, study for exams and be as prepared for class as possible. In fact, even on Friday afternoons they’d stay until 4:30 p.m. when we were closing for the weekend.”

Through all their uphill struggles the twins continued to be each other’s coach. “If one is slacking, the other can be like, ‘Come on, we have to do this,’” Peter said.

“The purpose of education is to apply what you learn and create something.

We want to inspire others to know they matter. Never put yourself down.

What matters is what’s inside.”

The college dreams of the JeanPaul brothers have become a reality, which is a credit to their perseverance, the dedicated staff in SLS, and the inspiration of New Media Professor Marty Langford, who recognized talent and drive in Jeffrey and Peter, fostered their creativity and mentored them along the way. “The brothers shine,” Professor Langford says. “They are those kind of rare students that every professor wants.”

The Jean-Paul twins found their inspiration at AIC. If turnabout is fair

play, they were recently invited back to their middle school to inspire other students. They talked to seventh graders about the importance of college.

In hindsight and by proving their high school administrator wrong, Jeffrey said, “I’ll always look back at that memory and tell myself, ‘I’m not going to be the product of her comment.’”

Over the last four years, they’ve more than proven that. Not only did they graduate from college, they did so cum laude.

When Jeffrey and Peter reached that important milestone at Commencement, they walked together with hard-fought, well-earned pride.

The brothers are now set to work and live their dream in the production field together.

Sharing a major, a dorm, even books, the brothers did all they could to succeed. “I feel like that partnership and teamwork can help us together and also, using that as a platform, can make a difference in the world,” Jeffrey said.

Stay tuned for a Jean-Paul brothers’ production in the future. For now, the twins have their sights set on The Big Apple. Maybe their dreams will take them to the West Coast. And watch the red carpet for two AIC alums who know the power of perseverance. It’s likely only one will give the acceptance speech. Guess who? n

American International College | 27

Fostering Success Ben Gonzalez ’16 Look ahead and give back. That’s AIC nursing student Ben Gonzalez’s approach to learning and to life.

Born and raised in Springfield, at just 14 years old Ben found himself in an unenviable position. His mother struggled with substance abuse and his father was too elderly to care for him. The future looked bleak until the Center for Human Development (CHD) stepped in, an organization that provides a host of critical social and mental health services for people in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.

In need of a place to go, Ben went to the home of Lucy Amankwah and her daughter, Thelma, who live in Springfield. “They didn’t know me other than through the foster care agency,” says Ben, “but they welcomed me into their home.”

Ben remained with the Amankwahs through his 18th birthday. That’s when he decided it was time to get his own place. But he didn’t go far. In fact, Ben moved just a few steps away, into the other side of the Amankwahs’ duplex, to remain close to his foster family and continue his education. His hard work paid off—Ben graduated this May with a bachelor of science in nursing.

A s if the demands of nursing school weren’t enough, Ben worked full time nights at Baystate Medical Center as a patient care and monitor tech so that he could go to school full time days. Yet he still found time to reach out to people in need. This past holiday season, Ben spearheaded the Student Nurse Association’s drive to collect toys, clothing, and personal items for other children in foster care, hoping to guarantee that even older

28 | Higher Dedication

children, who often go unnoticed, had one special gift waiting under the tree.

“I don’t think I’d be here today without the help of strangers,” Ben reflected. “Having CHD as an organization care for me, I will always remember. I’m moving on a good path but not on my own. If I didn’t have people to guide me…,” he trails off.

“Don’t be afraid to pursue your own goals, but look around—to your left and to your right—to see who you can help bring up.”

As for the role AIC played in his journey to adulthood, Ben is quick to say that the College gave him “a chance to excel and grow.” “I had struggles while here, but faculty and tutoring opportunities supported me academically.” In addition, he was inspired by the diversity of age and experience of fellow students in the nursing program. “Many are working full time and have families at home.

They’re coming to AIC to improve their lives. When I saw other students who were able to do it, it motivated me and kept me going. I don’t have a husband, two kids, and a dog. If they could do it, I could do it!”

On a personal note, Ben’s relationship with his foster mom remains close and she continues to provide foster care to children in need of a place to call home. His relationship with Thelma, whom Ben calls his sister and credits with helping raise him, has changed in a positive way. “We’re now more on equal terms.” Thelma is pursuing an advanced degree at AIC. This past April Ben was honored with the MaryAnne’s Kids Spirit award at the 14th annual CHD fundraising benefit. Proceeds of the gala benefited the MaryAnne’s Kids Fund—established to provide extraordinary opportunities for children in foster care that would otherwise be unavailable to them. The fund provides foster children with the means to pursue special interests in music, dance, art, sports, summer camps, and extra-curricular education with a goal of those experiences offering a positive influence that will remain with the children throughout their lives.

While Ben entered the workforce immediately as a med-surge acute care nurse upon graduation, within a year he says he’ll apply to graduate school to pursue his MSN. “My ultimate goal is to be a nurse manager.”

Looking back at where he’s been and ahead to where he’s going, Ben offers advice born from personal experience, “Don’t be afraid to pursue your own goals, but look around—to your left and to your right—to see who you can help bring up.”

Who knows? That person standing to your side could be the next Nurse Gonzalez; a young man or woman in need of a helping hand on the sometimes bumpy road to success. n

American International College | 29

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

Coach Leo Mayo repeats as USTFCCCA Coach of the Year American International College Track and Field Head Coach Leo Mayo repeated as the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association ( UST FCCC A) E a st Reg ion Me n’s Outdoor Coach of the Year for the 2016 season.

Mayo helped lead t he Yellow Jackets to a complete sweep of the Northeast-10 Championships during the 2015-16 season, culminating with the program’s first outdoor conference crown at the beginning of May. AIC registered 200 points en route to the title.

30 | Higher Dedication

Mayo previously led his teams to repeat victories in indoor and cross country earlier in the year and finally found a way to outlast perennial powers Southern Connecticut State in outdoors to round out the trifecta.

T h i s ma rk s Mayo’s second USTFCCCA honor this season after bei ng na med Men’s E a st Reg ion Indoor Coach of the Year following the winter season. Mayo earned that same honor last season as well as earning the East Region Coach of the Year for Cross Country during the 2014 season. In total, Mayo has garnered

seven USTFCCCA East Region Coach of the Year accolades among the three different seasons. “ T he awards are a sy mbol of the hard work and commitment of not just me but my athletes, and s p ec i f ic a l ly my coac h i ng st a f f,” mentioned Mayo. “Many people look at cross country and track & field as an individual sport, but our success and achievements were truly a team effort and I am proud of the athletes and how they represent American International College.” n

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

“The awards are a symbol of the hard work and commitment of not just me but my athletes, and specifically my coaching staff.”

Photo courtesy RJB Sports American International College | 31

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

AIC Women’s Basketball has Banner Year Team Advances to Second Round of the NCAAs

32 | Higher Dedication

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

Led by a group of seniors, the A me r ic a n I nte r n at ion a l C ol lege women’s basketball team recorded a historic season in 2015-16. The Yellow Jackets had no idea what to expect when they took to the court for the first time in October at the College of Saint Rose in Albany. They came away with their first win against the Saint Rose Golden Knights since 2013, 67-52.

Little did AIC know the win was the first of 15 straight to open the season, leading to the best start in the program’s impressive history. During the 15-0 run, the Jackets downed nationally ranked No. 15 Queens College (NY) on the road and soared to as high as 20th in the WBCA/USA Today’s Coaches’ Poll.

Despite the dominating start, it took Head Coach Kristen Hutchison until the 11th win of the season at home against the University of New Haven to truly believe how special the season could be.

“All the seniors bought in and I think they knew it was their last chance and they really stepped up and accepted their roles, whatever their roles may be, and they excelled at it,” said Hutchison. “[Brianna Bishop] was our leader, she excelled at that.

[Ebony Easter] excelled coming off the bench. Whatever they were asked to do they did and they did it well.”

Wit h a ber t h in t heir second straight NE-10 Championship game secured, AIC hit the road to Bentley University to play an old rival. The Yellow Jackets fell to the Falcons in the lone regular season clash 72-65,

and faired similarly in the title, falling to Bentley late in a heart-breaking 67-60 loss.

Bishop and fellow senior Kamika Mason landed on the Northeast-10 Championship All-Tournament team.

Bishop led the Yellow Jackets all sea-

“All the seniors bought in and I think they knew it was their last chance and they really stepped up and accepted their roles whatever their roles may be and they excelled at it.”

AIC made the most of its second chance and did so in dramatic fashion.

The Yellow Jackets trailed seventh seed Bloomfield College for nearly the entire game until Bishop hit an elbow jumper with 1.7 seconds remaining to give her team its first lead and send them to the regional semifinals.

In the semis and up against a feisty New York Institute of Technology squad, the Yellow Jackets came up just short of repeating the magic of the day before and the spectacular run came to a close.

The 2015-16 women’s basketball team ended with a record of 26-6, tied for the second most wins in program history. The berth in the NCAA Championship was the first since 2009.

“It was a great experience for the younger players. We would have liked to have won one more game in the NCAAs, and it’s disappointing we lost in the conference championship finals, but we were regular season champs. I just think it’s a building block for our program, that’s where we want to be every year,” said Hutchison. n

son in scoring and was awarded the school’s highest athletic honor, the President’s Cup. Mason received the Lt. Alvin J. Carocari Award.

Despite the loss, the ladies received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Championship as the second seed in the East Region.

American International College | 33

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

Men’s Basketball Head Coach Andy Burkholder (far left) with members of the 2015-2016 AIC Men’s Basketball team and Assistant Coach Chris Oroszko (far right).

Men’s Basketball Team Inspires Students at Springfield Public Day Elementary School Members of AIC’s men’s basketball team paid a visit to Springfield Public Day Elementary School in late March to meet with boys in grades 3-5. The trip was part of the alternative elementary school’s targeted intervention initiative, designed to introduce the boys to positive male role models in the community.

“This is a possibility to see reallife examples of success stories of men who have gone on to college and pursued their dreams,” said Linda Toussaint, adjustment counselor for Springfield Public Day Elementary School. “As ninety percent of the boys here want to become some kind of professional athlete, it’s an opportunity [for them] to witness what’s possible and what it takes to do so.”

“With most of the community outreach that we do, I think our players benefit as much as or more than the people in the community,” said AIC Men’s Basketball Head Coach Andy

34 | Higher Dedication

Burkholder. “I know it’s exciting [for school-aged children] to see guys our size – 6'2" to 6'6", maybe 6'7"—and talk about how big they are. I thought everyone had a good time. Our guys had smiles on their faces and so did the kids.”

The visit from the basketball team was part of Fun Friday, a Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) initiative at the school that encourages the students to do their best, follow directions and use strategies effectively.

The Boys Club, as they call themselves, comprises about 20 students who meet bi-weekly to cover topics including health, hygiene, relationships, emotions and self-esteem building.

College and career readiness are also priority topics. According to Springfield Public Day Elementary School Assistant Principal Lisa Pereira, “We are looking for the boys to have conversations about what they are going to do when they are older; their future

goals.” She explains that staying in school and going on to college is an important part of the staff’s message, which is why a partnership with a local college such as AIC was so attractive. “They can think, ‘maybe I can do this.’”

That’s precisely what Coach Burkholder wants. “Hopefully, the kids saw guys from all over the country that were successful enough academically to go on and play a sport in college and pursue their degrees.”

The visit with Springfield Public Day Elementary School was only one of several community partnerships that the AIC men’s basketball team has been involved in, including mentoring programs with Commerce High School and Big Brothers Big Sisters, a Travis Best Foundation clinic, and a v isit to Pec k Middle Sc hool in Holyoke. n

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

Men’s Distance Medley Relay Team Wins NCAA National Championship

Photo courtesy RJB Sports

T he A me r ic a n I nte r n at ion a l College men’s distance medley relay team became the second national championship at the College and first since 2012 as they took first place at the 2016 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championship at the Robert W. Plaster Center at Pittsburg State University.

The team of sophomores Chandler Cotton Jr. (Landover, MD), Kemani Hume (Bloomfield, CT), freshmen Leakey Kipkosgei (Kapsabet, Kenya), and Chad Miller (Spanish Tow n, Jamaica) raced away to a time of 9:48.02 to claim the national title.

Dominic Smith ’12 previously won the national title for Head Coach Leo Mayo during his senior year in the 400 meter run.

“As the coach, I set up the relay with the expectations to win,” commented Coach Mayo. “From prior experience I knew how the race was going to come together.”

The distance medley relay is a special event featuring four legs of varying lengths. Mayo kicked off the event with Hume taking the 1,200-meter leg, followed by a quick sprint of 400 meters from Cotton Jr. Miller then took the baton and ran 800 meters, while Kipkosgei sealed the victory with a monstrous mile, pulling away from the field in the final lap for a comfortable win on the grandest of stages.

“The race was extremely exciting and the team was elated to bring home another national title,” concluded Mayo. n

American International College | 35

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

Elite Athlete

Brianna Bishop ‘16 Excels in the Classroom and on the Court American International College senior Brianna Bishop (Suffield, CT) boasted one of the best seasons for the

Brianna Bishop

Yellow Jackets’ women’s basketball team in years while leading her squad back to the NCAA Championship for the first time in seven years.

Bishop left her mark on AIC as one of the finest shooters in program history. The guard registered 218 career three-pointers, ranking third all-time, and did so with efficiency, hitting 36.9 percent of her shots from beyond the arc. She became the 21st 1,000-point scorer and leaves ranked 13th all-time with 1,170 points.

“She led by example with a tremendous work ethic, being the first one on the court and the last one to leave,” said Head Coach Kristen Hutchison.

A quiet leader, Bishop received numerous accolades for her final season

efforts, including WBCA All-America honorable mention, Northeast-10 first team honors and a CoSIDA Academic All-District nod. A force both on the court and in the classroom, Bishop played her final season while in the physical therapy doctoral program and achieved a 3.92 grade point average. She was voted the Northeast-10 Sport Excellence Award winner, an honor given to the best student-athlete across the league. “ W hen you look up st udentathlete in the dictionary, you’ll find a picture of Brianna. Her teammates really respected her and looked up to her because she worked so hard,” said Coach Hutchison. n

Bo Knows the National Football Foundation Two years after retirement, Robert “Bo” Reardon is back at AIC as head equipment manager. He began his career in the early 2000s as assistant football coach and his ties to the College run deep.

Reardon is also entering his seventh year as president of the Western Mass. Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame.

Founded in 1947, the mission of the NFF is to promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal, and the drive for academic excellence in America’s young people.

The Western Mass. Chapter, established in 1962 with AIC Board of Trustees member Ronald J. Abdow as a charter member, honors three

36 | Higher Dedication

scholar athletes annually with awards given at the high school, prep school, and collegiate levels.

“It’s a labor of love,” said Reardon.

“You get to see the ‘cream of the crop’ of scholar athletes when you receive these résumés from prospective students. When reviewing the résumés, it becomes truly rewarding to see what these athletes have accomplished outside of just football.”

The Chapter’s top honor, the Butova Award, named after AIC Hall of Famer Henry Butova ’47, is presented to an individual who not only played football but, more importantly, distinguished himself as an outstanding community member later in life. AIC alum Congressman Richard Neal ’72 was a recent recipient.

Though not an AIC alum himself, Reardon is highly regarded on campus

Robert “Bo” Reardon and is passionate about the College.

With more than 25 years of coaching experience, Reardon enjoys watching recent successes of AIC football and giving back to younger generations through the NFF. n

GO YELLOW JACKETS!

REGISTRATION & LUNCH

11 a.m.

SHOTGUN START

AIC ATHLETICS 2 ND ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT August 1, 2016 The Orchards Golf Club South Hadley, MA

1 p.m.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

4 Person Scramble LONG DRIVE COMPETITION CLOSEST TO THE PIN ON ALL PAR-3s 50/50 RAFFLE

After play, hors d’oeuvres will be served with a cash bar available.

The tournament will help support the fundraising efforts of AIC’s 26 varsity sports.

Net proceeds from the event will be used to enhance AIC’s athletics facilities and create the best environment for AIC student-athletes.

birdeasepro.com/aicathletics American International College | 37

A NEW

ICE Written by John Hanna

Men’s Ice Hockey Team Captain Austin Orszulak ’17 (left) and Coach Eric Lang ’98 and ’08 MS (right) 38 | Higher Dedication

AGE American International College | 39

A NEW ICE AGE AIC’s Division I Head Men’s Ice Hockey Coach Eric Lang ’98 and ’08 MS

40 | Higher Dedication

When Eric Lang took to the podium on April 19, 2016 to be introduced as the ninth head coach of the men’s ice hockey program at American International College, it was the culmination of a career that had come full circle. Lang, a four-year letter winner and two-year captain with the Yellow Jackets from 1994-98, returned to AIC once to begin his coaching career as a graduate assistant from 2006-08. This second homecoming, though, was even more significant. It is, of course, an opportunity to give back to a program and a college that helped shape him into the person he is today. But for Lang, it’s also about more than what’s going to happen on the ice—it’s about building a program that will provide his players with the same experiences he received during his student-athlete days at AIC. “Coac h i ng prov ides you t hat unique opportunity to impact lives, teach, and lead,” said Lang. “It allows me to help my players remain in that competitive balance that will help them throughout their lives. That AIC hockey jersey is sacred to me. I feel an obligation to our alumni to provide them with a product that’s going to make them proud. I want our players to have that same feeling.”

This is the way Lang sees AIC, and the way he plans to sell AIC to his recruits. It’s a passion that can only be born from personal experience, and it’s the first building block in creating a team—a family—that Lang sees as the future of AIC men’s hockey.

The Long Journey Back Home Lang’s story begins back in his blue - col la r neighborhood i n t he Bronx, N.Y. As the youngest child of Roger and Patricia Lang, he grew up in a community where everyone looked after and supported one another, values that he’s carried with him throughout both his playing days and

coaching career. He began ice skating at age 5 and playing hockey competitively at 14, always with the support of his father and grandfather, who would drive him to every practice and would never miss a game.

That game wasn’t always hockey.

In fact, growing up just a few miles from Yankee Stadium, Lang was an avid baseball player and was the start-

“COACHING PROVIDES YOU THAT UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT LIVES, TEACH, AND LEAD. IT ALLOWS ME TO HELP MY PLAYERS REMAIN IN THAT COMPETITIVE BALANCE.” ing shortstop on his high school team at Mount Saint Michael Academy.

But hockey always remained his true passion, and would be the sport that led him to American International College.

Yet, when you speak to Lang about his time at AIC, hockey is only a part of what made the school such a special place for him. He remembers choosing AIC for its hands-on education, smaller class size, and a learning environment that allowed him to ask questions

and get extra help. He thinks back on the professors he had, such as Bruce Johnson and Gregory Schmutte, and appreciates both their approachability and how they were always able to get the most out of their students. He also recalls conversations with longtime men’s hockey head coach Gary Wright about the importance of teamwork and the intricacies of leadership.

That last point hits close to home for Lang, who acknowledges the challenges of taking over for the coach who recruited him, hired him as an assistant, and whom he counts as one of his biggest mentors. Yet it’s not a situation that Lang shies away from when speaking of the past and future of AIC hockey.

“For me moving forward, part of the responsibility is making sure I make [Coach Wright] proud. This is a guy who, over 32 years, gave every ounce of himself to this institution.”

It’s that same level of commitment that Lang wants to bring to his own head coaching tenure. “I believe the investment in where you went to school and played is on a completely different level. The one thing that I will tell you—you can’t find another person in the world that wants to be the coach at AIC more than I do.”

Perhaps the most significant memory Lang has from his undergraduate days, however, actually occurred far from AIC’s campus—on a spring break trip to South Beach, Florida during his senior year. That was where he met his wife, Christine. As fate would have it, the two lived in the same neighborhood in the Bronx—less than a mile from one another—and they’ve been together ever since, including stops at Purchase, New York and West Point, New York.

At the former, Lang was both women’s and men’s head hockey coach at Manhattanville College from 200812; at the latter, he was an assistant (continues on page 43)

American International College | 41

42 | Higher Dedication

(continued from page 41) at Army (a team in the same conference as AIC) for the past four seasons, where he advanced from volunteer assistant during the 2012-13 campaign to lead assistant since 2013.

It’s a lot of experience and sacrifice over a 10-year stretch, a point that Lang emphasized as Christine and the couple’s three children—Addison (6), E.J. (4), and Reese (2)—watched his formal introduction at the Henry A. Butova Gymnasium.

“Being the wife of a hockey coach is not a great deal. We spend 50-75 nights a year in a hotel. My family gives up every Friday and Saturday from October to March. On Sunday, when it’s supposed to be family day, we’re just thinking of how we can make this team better on Monday. My wife has done it so unselfishly.”

These same sentiments—family, support, teamwork—are ones that Lang echoes when speaking about the program he’s preparing to build: “It’s about working together. Together, our staff and players will embrace the overall mission of AIC. We’ll recognize the responsibility we share to represent our institution, program, and community, on and off the ice, with class, enthusiasm, and excellence.”

A New Era Begins Though Lang has only been at his position for a few months, it’s been a dynamic time for both his family and for AIC hockey. The newest member of the Lang household, his son Drew, was welcomed into the world just a few short weeks after Lang became head coach. And as his family has expanded, so has his team. Lang’s current recruiting class, which presently stands at 11, includes players from the prominent United States Hockey League (USHL) and the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The class also includes three recruits from

Sweden and two more from the Czech Republic—a fact that embodies the values of a school that was founded as a multi-cultural institution.

““IT’S ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER. TOGETHER, OUR STAFF AND PLAYERS WILL EMBRACE THE OVERALL MISSION OF AIC. WE’LL RECOGNIZE THE RESPONSIBILITY WE SHARE TO REPRESENT OUR INSTITUTION, PROGRAM, AND COMMUNITY, ON AND OFF THE ICE, WITH CLASS, ENTHUSIASM, AND EXCELLENCE.” He hasn’t always had such opportunities. While at Army, Lang worked with a limited recruiting pool due to the fact that he could only recruit American players with high GPA’s who were willing to be sent overseas, if necessary. Despite this, he helped create a string of contending teams and learned from working within Army’s restrictions.

“One thing my time at West Point taught me was to know the entire

player pool, all of these players we have seen multiple times,” said Lang.

“I feel confident that the players we’ve brought in here over the last month can be cornerstone pieces to building a winning program. At the end of the day, we have a lot of work to do and we are not in a position to turn down a good player that can help our program, as long as they fit our criteria.”

What is that criteria? For Lang, it involves identifying players with the right mix of high character, hard skill level, and extreme competitiveness, qualities that will be the bedrock of the culture he plans to create.

“The blueprint for us entails raising our expectation level and also our belief system. We will also have an unbelievable focus on our team culture.

When your team culture is great, you have high buy-in; when you have high buy-in, you win more hockey games.

We believe if our culture is great, it will attract high-level, elite talent.

Ultimately, we want AIC to become a destination point for student-athletes wanting a great hands-on education and to play a top level of Division I ice hockey.”

With the hard work of off-season recruiting almost done, it’s time for Lang to begin turning that blueprint into his first AIC head coaching campaign. His first test won’t be an easy one, as AIC opens their 2016-17 season against 2014 National Champion Union College on Friday, October 14, but Lang insists that his team will never back down from a challenge.

“First and foremost, we have to create a winning environment. We have to raise the bar, we have to raise expectations, we have to plan on doing everything a little better than we’ve done before. I’m excited to get this thing going.”

Let the Ice Age commence! n

American International College | 43

FLOATS LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STINGS LIKE A YELLOW JACKET Written by Ellen Dooley

SONYA “THE SCHOLAR” LAMONAKIS, MEd ‘01, knows how to win. She’s a

world champion in women’s heavyweight boxing, ranked number two in the

United States and number three in the world. As an amateur, she won two Golden

Gloves in New England before moving to New York where she punched her way to the top, becoming the first woman to win four consecutive titles in the NYC Daily News Golden Gloves, the most prestigious arena for women’s boxing in the U.S.

(continues on page 46)

Photo by Marlon Gonzales

American International Summer College 2016 | 45

(continued from page 44) But Lamonakis succeeded first by learning how to conquer fear, failure and defeat.

Lamonakis was born in Greece and adopted as an infant by Stephen and Sharon Lamonakis of Turners Falls, MA. While the couple was in Greece collecting their daughter, they learned another baby was available, so they adopted him, too, and the Lamonakis family was born. Sonya and her brother John grew up together in their parents’ seafood eatery, The Athens Restaurant, and Lamonakis refers to her life with her beloved mother, father and brother as “a gift from God.” A three-sport athlete in high school, Lamonakis continued to play softball while she earned a BS in communication disorders from Springfield College, but sports were never more than an enjoyable extracurricular in which she excelled. When Lamonakis began working as a speech and language therapist, it was then that she “fell in love with children and children with disabilities,” a calling that led her to graduate school at AIC. “I worked as a speech therapist from 1997 to 2000 in Springfield, MA. Teachers were always complaining about my pulling the kids out of their classes, so I decided I was going to get my master’s and get my own classroom.”

Lamonakis jokes that she chose AIC because “I knew they had a Greek president then, so I thought I was going to be safe there,” but she’s serious about how the College’s graduate program in education served her. “I had a great experience. Dr. Ann Courtney, for example, was a wonderful professor. And I got a job teaching fourth grade right out of grad school.”

By 2002, Lamonakis was working as a consultant and developmental specialist for The May Institute, Inc. in West Springfield, MA, then as a speech and language therapist at the

Children’s Therapy Center in Holyoke, MA. Her career was advancing according to plan, but privately Lamonakis was developing an entirely different set of skills, training for a second, parallel vocation that would change her life and, ultimately, the lives of her future students.

A couple of years prior, Lamonakis had been the victim of a violent crime. One night at an ATM, two men had attacked her, held a knife to her throat, and robbed her. “I cried for a few days,” she said. “But then a friend said I should learn how to box, so I did. I had already been working out at Gold’s Gym, so I started training at the local boxing gym. Three months later, I took my first amateur fight against a girl from Connecticut.”

“THAT’S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT TEACHING. TEACHERS HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO REMEMBER THEM. I FEEL I HAVE A GIFT FROM GOD TO RELATE TO THESE CHILDREN.

T hat “g irl f rom Connect icut ” turned out to be Devonne Canady, a three-time world champion amateur with 24 fights under her belt. “She beat the heck out of me,” said Lamonakis, “but she didn’t knock me down once.”

Lamonakis lost her next two fights (one of those also to Canady), but in her fourth match, squaring off against her formidable opponent yet again, “The Scholar” emerged victorious. “I beat the heck out of her,” she said.

After her “rocky” start, Lamonakis began regularly winning tournaments in a sport where the violence is carefully structured and controlled. Outside of the ring, however, it seemed as though violence was spiraling out of control. When her home was broken into and her best friend murdered in the course of the robbery, Lamonakis was grief-stricken and traumatized anew. She knew it was time to leave.

“My trainer had been telling me for a while that I had to go to New York, and after that happened I had to get out of there. I took my master’s and my teaching experience, loaded up a U-Haul, drove to Brooklyn, and got my first apartment in Bayside Queens.”

Lamonakis began teaching eighth grade at MS 302 in Brooklyn, moving on to teach and serve as dean of behavior at MS 246 and 241, as well as a K-8 technology facilitator. For the past several years, she has been teaching social studies to seventh- and eighthgraders at MS 126, a role that holds special meaning for her. “I had a great social studies teacher when I was in eighth grade, a woman who had also taught my mother. She was very strict but also very elegant, and I really admired her.

“That’s what I love about teaching.

Teachers have thousands of people who remember them. I feel I have a gift from God to relate to these children. There is not one child I don’t get (continues on page 47)

46 | Higher Dedication

(continued from page 46) along with. When they come back to visit when they’re in their twenties, I’m the one they remember.”

It ’s not sur prising Lamonak is’ students remember her. “My students are very impressed with my second career. I can run, I can do pushups. I don’t have any discipline problems in my classroom. The homework I assign gets done.”

W hen Lamonakis is not in the classroom or prepping lesson plans, she is busy as president of NYC Boxing Metro, a member club of USA Boxing Metropolitan Association, the sanctioning body for amateur boxing. She belongs to the World Boxing Council’s WBC ( World Boxing Cares) World Champions Against Bullying, and is passionately involved in Give A Kid A Dream out of Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, a program for underprivileged youngsters aged 12-18. “We train them how to box, but we also provide tutor-

ing, help them set and achieve goals, and we monitor their progress,” said Lamonakis. “We want them to become champions in and out of the ring.”

Lamonakis is active with Fight for Your Future, a collaborative initiative launched by the City University of New York (CUNY), USA Boxing Metro, and Daily News Charities, Inc. “We select young athletes and get them enrolled in college so they’ll have career options outside of the ring. With an education, you have choices. Without education, you have none. These kids are the future.”

When asked if she often recommends boxing to youngsters, Lamonakis is blunt. “I recommend education.

I recommend boxing as a hobby when you’re done with your education.”

Though she has 40 amateur and 14 professional fights to her credit, International Boxing Organization (IBO) and NY State heavyweight titles, and

was recently inducted into the New York Golden Gloves Hall of Fame along with the likes of Gerry Cooney and Riddick Bowe, the classroom is where “The Scholar” intends to stay. “Boxing is a sport of intelligence and discipline.

It changed my life. It’s taught me to control my anger and made me a better, more patient person. But my passion is teaching.”

And Lamonakis is all about leading with her heart. “My first fight? My opponent had 24 fights, but I knew I had heart. I was going to do the best I could and see what happened. She was two of my first three losses. But then I fought her and won. That’s when I realized, I can do this. I didn’t lose, I learned.” n

“WE WANT THEM TO BECOME CHAMPIONS IN AND OUT OF THE RING.”

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

American International College | 47

STAYING STRONG IN

MIND &

B O DY Written by Ellen Dooley

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner ILA K. HAFFER SHEBAR ’81 has come a long way from her high school days as a candy striper.

After a career spanning more than two decades, starting at Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain, MA on a post-op surgical floor, then as a pediatric-OB/GYN outpatient nurse at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Dorchester, MA, through years as a school nurse for the City of Springfield and the Longmeadow school system, Shebar now works with Pioneer Valley Urology in Springfield, MA specializing in women’s pelvic health and continence. (continues on page 50)

American International Summer College 2016 | 49

(continued from page 48) Among the many hats she has worn, Shebar has taught at Youville Hospital School of Practical Nursing in Cambridge, MA worked as an office manager for Liberty Rehabilitation in Springfield, and has been director and instructor in the aerobics department of the JCC in Longmeadow for more than a quarter century. She still teaches a 6 a.m. class there every Tuesday and Thursday and is in her office by 8.

With her BSN from AIC, Shebar went on to earn an MS in communication and information management from Bay Path College in 2006, an MSN in 2009 from the University of Massachusetts, and is the author, since 2010, of “Ask Ila,” a column on women’s health for the Health and Science section of The Republican and on MassLive.com.

“I was good in the sciences,” said Shebar in the matter-of-fact, almost off hand way of someone unaccustomed to talking about herself. “I always thought I wanted to be a nurse.

In those days, I wasn’t encouraged to go to medical school, so that never crossed my mind.”

“Those days” are long gone and Shebar is thriving in her role as a women’s health specialist. “I’m very happy as a nurse practitioner. I have autonomy. I make decisions on my own with a physician to back me up. It’s financially rewarding. I have no regrets.”

Shebar began her journey at AIC as a member of the first nursing class to graduate the College’s BSN program. “I didn’t actually choose AIC,” Shebar admits. “I wanted to go to Boston College, but they wouldn’t give me housing and I didn’t want to be a commuter. So I went to the University of Florida, but it was a disaster being away from home.”

When a guidance counselor told Shebar about a new nursing program at AIC, she reached out to the college, never imagining it would be more than a temporary measure. “I came to AIC knowing nothing about it. In fact, my plan was to transfer to Boston College, but I fell in love with the small school environment. I became an RA my junior and senior years at Magna Hall, and I wound up being very active on campus. AIC turned out to be a great fit.”

Shebar joined a sorority, the Order of Diana, and started the Student Nurses Association, serving as president for its first fledgling years. “Nursing was so new on campus and this was a way of supporting one another.

It was also important to us to keep some of the traditional ceremonies.

For example, we really wanted a capping ceremony, so we worked hard to get that approved and organized.”

Shebar also remembers some standout instructors. “Professor Longo for biology was my favorite. I loved her classes. She really stimulated me intellectually. She was a wonderful teacher and I learned so much from her. Rachel Chandler Tierney ran the nursing program. She was a role model, an inspiration, and a mentor. I stayed in contact with her on and off for years.”

Shebar, who was elected vice president of her senior class and named to Who’s Who in American Colleges, was also voted Homecoming Queen, but the title came without the traditional crown. “I was a class officer and we were making all the preparations for homecoming,” she said. “I was too embarrassed to buy my own crown, so I never got one.”

Missed coronations aside, Shebar has fond memories of her undergrad years. “I loved AIC. The small campus felt like family. It was a good place to be. It was a very good place to be.”

After graduation, Shebar began her nursing career and discovered that she really liked women’s health. “I went to an open house about becoming a nurse practitioner, so that was in my mind early on.”

Shebar met and married a med school resident, and the plan was that once her husband finished his training and got settled, it would be her turn.

The couple had three boys and life went along according to plan, until it didn’t: Shebar was widowed when her sons Colin, Bryan, and Alex were 11, 12, and 14, turning life as they had known it inside out.

“I just got up every day and did what had to be done,” said Shebar.

“What’s the alternative? I couldn’t climb into bed and stay there.”

Not only didn’t she climb back into bed, literally or metaphorically, exercising at dawn kept her sane, a vital component while raising three teenage boys, one of whom is a Type I diabetic. “Exercise is huge for me. It’s my mental health. I worked out every morning.”

Shebar also started running. “The JCC where I teach aerobics has a Father’s Day 10k, so I decided I was going to run it.” One race led to another and eventually to a friend suggesting Shebar join a group that runs 200 miles in 24 hours. Shebar has run four Reach the Beach relays in New Hampshire and the Green Mountain Relay in Vermont.

“I did the 200-milers five times, but my goal was to run a marathon by the time I was 50.”

Shebar finally realized that goal, running the marathon sponsored by More magazine at age 48. “It was an all-female event and such a supportive environment. The training was actually harder than the race. I trained through the winter and had to do a 20-mile run in the snow and bitter (continues on page 51)

50 | Higher Dedication

Early wake up call. Ila Shebar (foreground) puts her 6 a.m. aerobics class through their paces at the Jewish Community Center in Springfield. (continued from page 50) cold. The marathon itself was a wonderful experience.”

Shebar’s ultimate professional goal, to become a women’s health nurse practitioner, was still simmering in the background, but the closest programs were at Yale or Boston College, requiring long, impractical commutes. However, as Shebar tells it, “It seemed like Providence stepped in.

In the fall of my youngest son’s senior year in high school, I saw an ad in the newspaper about UMass receiving a grant to start a women’s health nurse practitioner program. I looked into it, applied and got accepted. I started the following June and went for two years around the calendar. And my class was the first and last cohort of that program.”

Coincidentally, her youngest son went to UMass for his undergrad degree and then to AIC for his graduate degree in education. “We did exactly the opposite of the other,” said Shebar.

Today, Shebar’s sons are 26, 28 and 30. Her eldest, Alex, is community director of Yelp, London; her middle son, Bryan, is between positions, and her youngest, Colin, teaches middle school history in Franklin, MA. Shebar doesn’t run competitively any more but, for the past two years, she and Colin have competed in the Rugged Maniac, a 5k with 28 obstacles. It’s an impressive feat at any age, but not surprising that Shebar accepted the challenge, considering she knows a thing or two about obstacles and how to summon the grit and stamina to overcome them.

“The course is set up on a motocross track, so it’s quite hilly. You’re running through fire, dodging things that are hanging, climbing a wall, going under barbed wire—it’s all about the obstacles. We did it for the fun of it.

We got a little cut up and banged up.

Nothing major.”

But for Ila Shebar, runner of marathons and overcomer of obstacles, nothing is quite as rewarding as the daily healing work of her mind, hands and heart. “I always want people to walk out of my office feeling that all of their needs were met in a respectful manner,” she said. “I love when I can help people feel better. Seeing patients come to me in tears, and the next time they come in, they’re smiling? That makes it all worthwhile.” n

American International College | 51

Full Circle Lani Lowrie Kretschmar ’77 Gets Back to her Educational Roots at AIC Written by Ellen Dooley

If there was one word to describe the way Margaret “Lani” Kretschmar approaches her work—indeed, all of life—the Japanese term shibui comes to mind: “The person of shibusa modesty exalts excellence via a thoroughness of taking time to learn, watch, read, understand, develop, think, and merges into understatement and silence concerning oneself.”

As Executive Assistant to AIC President Vince Maniaci and Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Kretschmar plays a vital role in ensuring that the needs of the College are met at the highest level. According to Maniaci, Kretschmar’s intelligence, integrity, and pursuit of perfection have redefined and reinvigorated the office. “Lani set out immediately to transform the office policies and protocols and took complete responsibility from day one.

She is a perfectionist and will expect nothing less than perfection out of our office. Perfection is her goal—on a bad day she’ll tolerate excellence.” (continues on page 54)

52 | Higher Dedication

American International College | 53

(continued from page 52) If that makes Kretschmar sound rigid or intimidating, nothing could be further from the truth. W hen asked what stands out most about her given the scope of her skills and the wealth of her knowledge, Maniaci replied, “Her sense of humor. That is a must for this office.”

“I love the work I do,” said Kretschmar. “I love supporting the president, interacting with the board, feeling as though I’m contributing to the functioning of the institution, and getting to know people across campus.

All different types of people are doing all different types of jobs here, but we serve the same mission—to get the students where they need to be. I want AIC to be considered the standard by which other four-year colleges are measured.”

It’s not surprising that Kretschmar, who has decades of ex per ience providing administrative support to the highest levels of corporate leadership, is dedicated to her work at the College. For most of her life, AIC has been a “family affair.” Her father, the late Professor Robert Lowrie, taught anthropology and sociology at AIC from 1964 to 1996. “I’d been on the campus since I was 9 years old,” said Kretschmar. “The physical campus was part of my life, and it was a very close-knit community.” In 1977, she graduated with a bachelor’s in sociology (and, yes, she took some of her father’s classes), and her two younger sisters and her mother are also AIC alumni.

After graduation, Kretschmar, who had married the year before, began working for Dexter Corporation in Windsor Locks, CT, and working on her MBA at Western New England College. By 1986, Kretschmar had her graduate degree and in 1988 gave birth to twins: her son Andrew, who is 15 minutes older than his sister,

54 | Higher Dedication

Christine. (Today, Andrew lives in South Carolina where he and his wife Allison both work at the University of SC in Columbia, and he is completing h i s ma ste r ’s i n l ibr a r y sc ie nce.

Christine works in development at MIT and lives in Boston with husband Brett Freiburger.)

Kretschmar started her career at Dexter as a secretary but, after only six months, was invited to become corporate administrative assistant to the Chairman of the Board/CEO, a position she held for more than 20 years, work she loved with colleagues who had become like family. When a corporate takeover attempt directly and dramatically ended the existence of t he cor porate of f ice in which Kretschmar had spent more than two decades, the change, she admits, was devastating. “Dexter was a fabulous company,” she said. “I was ver y lucky to have worked for a seventhgeneration CEO in such a familial environment.”

Thanks to connections Kretschmar had made over t he yea rs i n t he Hartford community administrating Dexter’s philanthropic foundation, she soon was hired by the University of Hartford to manage a $175-million fund-raising campaign from 2001 to 2005. She t hen moved to t he University of Massachusetts Medical

School, serving as executive assistant to the vice chancellor for development for more than seven years.

A s muc h a s she enjoyed her time at UMass, however, when the position she now holds opened at AIC, Kretschmar didn’t hesitate to apply. In her typically self-effacing, understated way, when asked about that decision, she said simply, “It worked out. Lucky for me.”

President Maniaci—who often refers to his extraordinary assistant as “Radar,” the M*A*S*H character with an uncanny sixth sense—put it t h i s way: “L a n i showed f rom the get-go that she was a consummate professional. She is constantly looking out for me, whether it is a simple reminder or a potential challenge downstream, she is always thinking a head. She br i ngs me solut ion s for every challenge she identifies.

Oh, and then there is that sense of humor.”

Outside of her role as executive assistant, where her day “begins and ends based on what needs to be accomplished,” Kretschmar is an avid reader. “I belonged to a book group for years, and I used to keep a journal of all the books I was reading.

I love historical fiction—that’s how I learned most of my history.”

Kretschmar at her graduation ceremony in 1977

(continues on page 55)

The Lowrie sisters: Deborah ’79, Bonnie ’84 and Lani in the Edgewood Gardens.

Taken by Morgan R. Davis ’65. (continued from page 54) She is also an art lover, drawn more to landscapes and water scenes than portraiture, but if there’s a worldclass exhibit within driving distance, she won’t miss an opportunity to attend. “Over the summer I went to the Clark Art Institute when Whistler’s Mother was on display, and there was also a Van Gogh exhibit. Right here in Springfield there is a series of museums known as the Quadrangle, and my favorite feature is the rotating exhibits. I can always go back and see something different.”

Kretschmar is a skilled seamstress, as well, who spent years making her own clothes and special occasion outfits for her children. “I still sew and knit,” she said. “I go through spur ts. I’ve been ma k ing lots of table linens, knit scarves and hats-whatever I come up with. I find my handwork relaxing and I enjoy seeing the finished product. It’s a task that is finite. It has an end point.”

Part of the satisfaction Kretschmar f i nds i n c reat ive pu r su it s-w it hparameters might stem from how they contrast with the sometimes open-ended, often rapidly-changing nature of her work at AIC. “There are

a multitude of things that have to be considered at a four-year institution, from regulations to accreditation to enrollment to making sure the right people are in the right places, and that’s challenging. In the blink of an eye, things can change. If FAFSA forms are suddenly due in October instead of February, in an instant you’re redirected. You have to be able to switch gears quickly.”

K r et s c h m a r h a s no pr oble m switching gears or, if the situation dema nds, phone s y stem s. W hen i t b e c a m e c l e a r t h e C o l l e g e ’s telecommunications system was no longer serving the public, Kretschmar brought it to the attention of the president’s cabinet, addressed the system’s user-unfriendliness, initiated an upgrade, and took it all in stride, def lecting any attempt to inf late her accomplishment. “Everyone is multitasking and taking on as much as they can to make the campus run as effectively and efficiently as possible,” she said. “Customer service has to be a priority for us. If our constituents can’t communicate with AIC, we can’t respond to their needs.

Upgrading our answering system is

A special thank you to Sixteen Acres Garden Center for welcoming AIC to photograph their lush greenhouses and beautiful gardens.

just one more way of making things bet ter for our st udents, alumni, parents, and staff.”

K ret sc h ma r ’s com mit ment to AIC is unswer ving, driven by her trademark passion for perfection. “ I w a nt to b e r e me m b e r e d f or maintaining standards that are high, establishing best practices in my craft, and fostering in others a sense of pride in both oral and written communication in order to effectively and accurately transfer knowledge and experience for the benefit of all, but most particularly for those served

by AIC. “My path began at AIC and has taken several turns since I graduated in 1977,” said Kretschmar. “After all these years of being an executive assistant, I am still learning about myself and evolving. I think I always knew my path would bring me back to campus. Every member of my family was on the AIC path at one time or another and mine continues. I hope the things I leave along the way will be picked up by other students, alumni, faculty and staff and taken on their path, to be shared and left for others.” n

American International College | 55

ALUMNI OFFICE UPDATE Announcing

The continued success of AIC comes from highly dedicated alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends, who support the College year after year. LEAD Society celebrates donors with three or more consecutive years of giving based on our fiscal calendar (July 1–June 30). Those who give regularly, no matter how large or how small, provide vital funds that create a foundation for the future!

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To learn more about the LEAD Society and how you can be a member, please visit:

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Consistent support is what leads current generations into the future. For example, take our Lifetime LEADers who have been giving back for more than 30 years. Today, their combined generosity over the years totals more than $1.5 million!

56 | Higher Dedication

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ALUMNI OFFICE UPDATE

DEAR ALUMNI, During your time at AIC, no matter when that was, you no doubt experienced the College’s close-knit community. We hope that through Lucent you are able to maintain ties to that community, whether it be through reading stories about classmates turned long-standing friends, enjoying a story about the AIC Yellow Jackets, or being inspired to return to campus to recharge your love for AIC and everything it stands for.

Today, our alumni network is more than 20,000 strong and thriving across the country. It spans class decades and crosses degree programs. We continue to refine our alumni events, tailoring them to different affinity groups within our broad alumni base. Our office has been focused on how we can best promote this network to bring our alumni closer together, and to allow alumni to leverage their connections for personal, educational, or professional reasons. We are proud of our alumni and proud of this publication and all that it holds, but more than anything, we want Lucent to serve you. As you read through this issue, you’ll find information about events, campus life, Class Notes, and stories about people who may have shared a classroom with you.

With that said, we want to hear from you! The best way is to reach out directly to alumni@aic.edu, visit www.aic.edu/alumni and share your news, or to come to an event. We are always interested in hearing from you, whether to say “hi” or to share an idea for improving our connections. Enjoy this issue and your summer— and don’t forget that HOMECOMING 2016 is October 15!

Sincerely, THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

American International College | 57

CLASS NOTES

Drop us a line...

We love staying in touch with the AIC family, so let us know what’s new with you. Did you start a new job? Get married?

Is your family growing? Did you recently reconnect with AIC friends? Tell us all about it! Whatever your news is, we’d love to share it with your fellow AIC alumni.

Send updates and pictures to alumni@aic.edu, or give us a quick call at 413.205.3520.

58 | Higher Lucent Dedication

CLASS NOTES

1930s HARRY AIZENSTAT ’36 celebrated his 100th birthday in April.

Professor David Neigher (English) and PAUL MONTEFUSCO ’76 joined the festivities.

The CLASS OF 1937 SCHOLARSHIP was awarded to Ashley Felix. Ashley is a junior public health major from Norwood, MA. The CLASS OF 1938 SCHOLARSHIP was awarded to Jennifer Fannon ’18 of Bristol, CT. Jennifer is studying to be a physical therapist.

She is a member of the women’s track team.

The CLASS OF 1939 SCHOLARSHIP was given to Brianna Harris.

Brianna is a junior pursuing a nursing degree.

She is from Ludlow, MA.

1940s

The CLASS OF 1940 SCHOLARSHIP was awarded to Christina Dubinevici ’17. Christina is studying biology and is from Agawam, MA. The CLASS OF 1949 SCHOLARSHIP was given to Eliza MacLeod of Madison, CT. Eliza is a junior pursuing an occupational therapy degree. She is also a member of the women’s lacrosse team.

1950s

TED SHORE ’55 was given the Matthew J. Ryan Award for contributions to high school hockey.

This past October ED WILLEY ’58 went on a spree at the plate—10 hits in 12 trips over four games—as the Western Massachusetts Relics, a slo-pitch softball organization for players 60 and up, played in the 75 Division of the Cape Cod Classic, an annual event in Harwich. The Relics went 1–3 in the tournament, which drew 1,300 players in five age groups.

ARTHUR LAMIRANDE ’59 is into his 9th season as organist of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Elizabeth, NJ, where he plays for Mass in English and in Spanish. The parish of St. John’s dates from 1706, and was granted a Royal Charter

by King George III in 1765. The current edifice was erected in 1860. The city of Elizabeth was the capital of New Jersey during the colonial period, and is named in honor of Queen Elizabeth I After 52 years PAUL WELCH ’59, a partner at Welch & Vallera Family Dentistry in West Springfield, MA has decided to retire. He is the last of eight family members to practice as a dentist. His partner, Dr. Joann Vallera, will continue the practice with two associates.

Paul Welch ’59

1960s

The CLASS OF 1964 SCHOLARSHIP was awarded to Sarah Dudley of Agawam, MA. Sarah is a junior pursuing a nursing degree.

The BONNIE SHARP ’67 SCHOLARSHIP was awarded to Aidan Farrell ’16. Aidan is a criminal justice major and a member of the baseball team.Brandeis University men’s soccer coach MICHAEL COVEN ’68 became the sixth coach in Division III history and 11 NCAA coach overall with 500 career wins when the Brandeis Judges defeated their top rival, Babson College, in dramatic fashion, 1-0 in double overtime.

1970s

The CLASS OF 1971 SCHOLARSHIP was given to Courtney Partridge ’18 of Ware, MA. Courtney is a nursing major.

The CLASS OF 1972 SCHOLARSHIP was awarded to Rhianna Eaton of East Hartford, CT. Now a senior, Rhianna is studying to be a physical therapist.

RAYMOND FLAKOFF ’72 was inducted into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame during its 28th annual induction ceremony. Falkoff has been a coach, scout, and leader for many basketball and baseball players in New Haven, East Haven, and Branford, CT.

JOSEPH CZERBINSKI ’69 was awarded the Alumni Varsity Club’s William Conniff Award for service to AIC. American International College | 59

CLASS NOTES FRAN HEALY ’73 was part of the WM Hall’s third graduating class.

Healy’s prolific radio and TV work has netted him four Emmy Awards. He broke into the majors as part of the Kansas City Royals’ first season in 1969 and played until 1978. As a broadcaster, Healy’s interviewees have included former President Richard Nixon, with whom he talked baseball.

Healy played for American International College before his pro career.

Angela Liebel ’73 JAMES ROSATI ’72 recently celebrated his 30 year anniversary with Lorillard/RJ Reynolds on January 6th 2016. Jim was one of 60 members of the Lorillard Company that were handpicked and brought over to RJ Reynolds based on exceptional performance and work ethic. His 30 years of industry knowledge and excitement for his work are key to the CT Divisions past and future success.

FAITH MESSER FUERST ’74, ’11 CAGS, produced Second Chance First Choice, a video portrait of Dr. Laura Singer Magdoff and the remarkable Kittay House community where she lives and continues her work as a psychotherapist.

The trailer can be seen at www.secondchancefirst choicemovie.com/story

60 | Higher Dedication

PeoplesBank announced the appointment of ANGELA LIEBEL ’73 as Mortgage Consultant.

Angela brings a combined 32 years of real estate sales and residential lending experience to her new position, including nine years with PeoplesBank.

DONALD K. MAYLAND ’75 MEd of Lakeville, CT has been named to the board of directors of The Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut, which provides philanthropic support to 20 towns in Litchfield County.

Mayland designed and developed the economics department curriculum at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where he was a teacher of advanced placement macro and micro economics for more than four decades.

Mayland is the president and chief operating officer of Marine Study Program,

Inc. In this role, he works as a subcontractor to lake management firms for the installation of water quality control systems, an expert consultant on lake-management issues and a retailer of marine and diving equipment.

He is also a certified open water scuba instructor.

SISTER PAULA KELLEHER ’75 retired in February and was presented with the Retired Religious award.

1980s DANIELLE BREAULT FUSCO ’88 joined Community VNA, a nonprofit home health care provider. Danielle has over 25 years of experience in healthcare.

Her experience includes home care, assisted living, and skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities

in both the profit and nonprofit sectors.

ERIC EMET ’89 was recently appointed as director of retention, recreation and athletics at Goodwin College in East Hartford, Conn. He previously served as the director of operations for financial aid, and director of community engagement at the College.

STEVEN GRANDE ’83 was recently welcomed to the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) board of trustees. Grande is president of Meridian Industrial Group, LLC in Holyoke and Springfield.

Cushman & Wakefield, a global leader in commercial real estate services, announced that COLETTE TEMMINK ’88 has joined the firm

Danielle (Breault) Fusco ’88

CLASS NOTES as executive managing director of Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) for the Global Occupier Services in the Americas.

1990s STEVEN VALDEZ ’92 was recently named regional vice president sales at Buddy Fruits Inc. His responsibilities include sales across all channels of food industry, including military.

TODD DOLIN ’94 is entering his 7th year of service with the Miami Dade Corrections Department in the Special Operations Division. His division is responsible for the safe custody and control of inmates while they are sick, injured, or recently arrested in the surrounding hospitals, to which the division is assigned.

JENNIFER CARPENTER REID ’95 is moving back to Western MA with her husband after living in central New Jersey for almost 11 years.

Jennifer is currently a volunteer at their local church and at a hospice close to home in NJ.

2000s LAURA WALSH ’01 was recently named 40 Under Forty in Business West Magazine. She is a project manager at the Springfield Department of Parks, Buildings, and

Recreation Management.

JUSTIN COTTON ’05 has started a new business called Pick Up Games that is empowering kids through sports, entertainment and education. You can visit the platform at www. kidspickupgames.com LUCY SOTO-ABBE ’05 MS is a member of the Massachusetts Parole Board. Appointed in 2011. She holds a master’s degree in forensic psychology from American International College. She earlier earned an associate’s degree in paralegal studies and a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Bay Path College.

ROSS GIOMBETTI ’08 MBA was recently named 40 Under Forty in Business West Magazine.

He is the president of Giombetti Associates.

ASHLEY CLARK ’09 was recently named 40 Under Forty in Business West Magazine. She is the cash management officer at Berkshire Bank.

ProEx announced that COLLEEN CALVANESE ’09 was invited as guest speaker at the American Physical Therapy Association Annual Conference of MA (AMPTMA) held this past November at the Norwood Sheraton Four Points. Calvanese is the clinic manager of the Springfield location. She delivered the presentation

“Beyond Manipulation: Mobilization and Manual Therapy Techniques for the Thoracic Spine and Rib Cage” along with colleagues Parul Patel and Martin Langaas.

Cumberland High School field hockey coach JACKIE LAPOINTE ’09 and her team came together to nail down the first state championship in program history, courtesy of a 3-0 triumph over secondseeded South Kingstown in the R.I. Division II Tournament title at Roger Williams University. They also celebrated a historical campaign, one in which the Clippers not only remained perfect with a 19-0-0 mark, but had outscored their opponents by a count of 69-2.

KYLE LEWIS ’09 triple majored in political science, sociology, and communications at AIC. After graduation he moved to Germany to pursue a master’s degree in international relations: global governance and social theory in Bremen.

The program was a joint program between two universities: Bremen Universität and Jacobs University. While in Bremen Kyle was a player and coach for the Bremen Dockers baseball club.

During his first year as the coach the team won the 3rd league and moved up to the 2nd bundesliga (German for national league). After completing his master’s, he stayed in Bremen for

another year, working in the international marketing department of the largest German dairy co-operative (DMK: Deutsches Milchkontor).

This past summer, after getting married, Kyle and his wife moved to Zürich, Switzerland.

2010s

DARREN JAMES ’10 was appointed financial representative by Northwestern Mutual in Springfield, MA. Darren was previously the food service director for Aramark. James is American-born and Caribbean-raised (St. Maarten), which is where he developed a passion for helping people. He believes this perspective is inherent to being raised on an island where hospitality is the mainstay of the economy.

JUSTIN ROBERTS ’11 former development officer at American International College has begun a new career with MassLive Media. Justin will be taking on the role of digital media strategist, with responsibility for providing digital marketing solutions for businesses within the city of Springfield.

KEVIN BURKE ’12, a former math teacher, was named permanent principal at Easthampton High School.

Easthampton High School

American International College | 61

CLASS NOTES Joe Zabilski Award in 2014, given to New England’s Top Division II or III player.

James Leydon ’12 MPA achieved a coveted “Level 1” accountability rating from the state for its success in narrowing student achievement gaps while Burke was assistant principal.

JAMES LEYDON ’12 MPA was hired as the director of public and media information for District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni. Leydon said “I am honored and excited to join Hampden District Attorney Gulluni’s staff. I know that being part of a team that works to protect and serve the people who live and work in Hampden County will be a rewarding experience.”

KEVIN ARDUINO ’15 has turned his sights to professional football, signing with Torina Giaguari of the Italian Football League (IFL).

He threw for 60 career touchdowns and rushed

62 | Higher Dedication

for 41 more, including an impressive 21 scoring scampers in 2013, the year he helped lead AIC to the Northeast-10 Championship crown and won the league’s Most Valuable Player Award.

Arduino was an AllConference member in 3 of 4 seasons and was awarded the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston

The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced in late November that JASON POPEK ’15 of the Huntsville Havoc is the Easton Player of the Week for November 23-29. Popek scored six goals, including one game-winner, added an assist and was +4 as Huntsville won two of three games that week, moving the Havoc into a tie for third place in the SPHL standings.

The AIC WRESTLING PROGRAM celebrated its 25th anniversary on April 23 on campus.

Attending the celebration were: Raphael Calixto ’99; Denis Callahan ’99; David Cruz ’02; Eric Farley ’99, MPT ’01; Jeff Haddad ’11, MSOT ’13; Este Lara ’12; Ben McCrillis ’00; Mike Mitchell ’00, MBA ’03; Jay Pagan ’11; Joe Pistone ’00 (interim wrestling coach); and Jean Surin ’04.

Celebrating along with current and past team members was former coach Anibal Nieves. n

CHRISTINE ELAINE UGOLINI ’15 of Wilbraham and Brian Joseph Misterka of Amherst were married at Saint Brigid’s Parish in Amherst, MA.

AIC Wrestling program celebrates its 25th anniversary.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT — Marcella A. MacDonald ’85, DPM MY LATEST AQUA-ADVENTURE/CHALLENGE Ka’iwi Channel

HAWAIIAN CHANNEL Molokai’ to O’ahu

SUCCESS April 9-10, 2016 | 17 hours, 27 minutes, 20 seconds (but who’s counting seconds) Tandem/partner swim with Elizabeth A. Fry

On dry land, I care for my patients in my Manchester, CT podiatric medical practice (1992-present) and I coach swimming, teaching the fundamentals to young, novice six- to eightyear old swimmers on the Laurel East Hartford YMCA Swim Team. I train for my open-water swims in the early morning, before patient hours and on the weekends at the CT State Park/ Shore. I enjoy speaking to schools and interested groups about my open-water swimming adventures

in the English Channel, Manhattan, Jersey Channel Island, UK, and other destinations.

Ka’iwi Channel is one of the most unpredictable swims I’ve ever done. The shortest distance between the two Hawaiian Islands is 26 miles, but because of the open water of the Pacific Ocean creating such intense surf, the beaches are mostly unsheltered on both sides; the starting and finishing points are not predictable until the

day of the swim. (Safe entry and exit is a key component.) Our swim started at Kapuhi Beach, Molokai’ (9 p.m.) and we finished at Sandy Beach O’ahu, approximately a 34-mile course. This explains why there is such a variety of crossing times, and really time matters naught, the goal is to get across.

My true description of the swim?

“FUN, HORRIBLE, BEAUTIFUL, SCARY, LONG—so glad it’s over!“ n

IN MEMORIAM

1940s

Edmund C. Jackson ’43 Muriel G. Orlen Speiser ’44 Marguerite Elizabeth Finnell Guinan ’45 Paul H. Rigali ’46 Donald Neill ’49

1950s

Edward A. Pascarella ’50 Walter P. Pire ’50 George A. Ray ’50 Robert D. Garber ’51

Romeo M. Talbot ’51 Thomas M. O’Donnell ’52 Edward J. Sarrasin ’55 Gerald Alexander Alifano, Esq. ’57 Maureen Sullivan Ryan ’58

1960s

Mario DiFranco ’60 Richard D. Keitlen ’60 Basilios P. Rozanitis ’60 Michael Francis Gianetti Egan ’61

Leroy F. Gruber USAF (Ret.) ’62

Cameron Blaikie ’71

Robert B. Rogers ’63

Eileen Lepper Stukus ’74

Everett B. Horn III ’74

Ronald E. Flodman ’66 Muriel J. Greenberg Orenstein ’66

1980s

Teddy A. Knoy ’89

Bernice Cohen ’68 Elaine Kass ’68

1990s

Gary M. Socha ’69

1970s

Rosemary T. Yacovone Gagliarducci ’92

Glenn A. Dumont ’70

Douglas L. Macmillan ’93

Esme B. O’Donnell Magowan ’70 American International College | 63

LEARN MORE TO EARN MORE AT AIC AIC Graduate Programs “Pursuing an advanced degree makes sense.

Advanced degrees open the door to additional opportunities and allow one to advance up the ladder faster and more easily. It’s an investment in your future with a promising return.”

– Kerr y Barnes, MBA Dean of Graduate Admissions

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms what common sense already tells you relative to education, wages, and unemployment rates: the more education you have, the better your odds of being employed, and the more money you’ll make.

For more information about our graduate programs, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 413.205.3700 or by email at graduate.admissions@aic.edu.

64 | Higher Dedication

Accounting and Taxation (MS) Business (MBA) Clinical Psychology (MA) Counseling Psychology (MA) Early Childhood (MEd, CAGS) Educational Leadership & Supervision (EdD) Educational Psychology (MA, EdD) Elementary Education (MEd, CAGS) Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN) Forensic Psychology (MS) General Psychology (MA) Individual & Institutional Development (EdD) International Education (MEd, CAGS) Middle School Education (MEd, CAGS) Moderate Disabilities (MEd, CAGS) Nursing Administration (MSN) Nursing Education (MSN) Occupational Therapy (MSOT, OTD) Physical Therapy (DPT) Professional Counseling & Supervision (EdD) Psychology (EdD) Reading Specialist (MEd, CAGS) Resort and Casino Management (MBA) School Adjustment Counseling (CAGS) School Guidance Counseling (CAGS) School Leadership (MEd, CAGS) Secondary Education (MEd, CAGS) Teaching and Learning (EdD)

6 1 0 2 G N I M O C E M O H e r 14 O c to b

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AIC rs and e. a e y n re u n i o a ll gam . s to n e g t h e f o o t b n e l i m r m at i o in ng r i o t f u a n d i r b e e or e le on i l l b e c i n t h e e n d z m i n g fo r m w 1 9 o 9 mec nd 1 nion 1 9 6 6 a e e k L i fe re u a i c . e d u/h o m o r f t V isi g a Gr lasses T h e c ill b e h os tin w

THE PUCK DROPS HERE HOMECOMING WEEKEND 2016 AIC Men’s Ice Hockey Season Opener

The AIC Yellow Jackets take on Union College

Friday, October 14 MassMutual Center | 7:05 p.m.

Let the ice age commence!

American International College | 3

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE 1000 State Street Springfield, Massachusetts 01109 www.aic.edu

Back It Down

Crew Reunion September 10, 2016 Cheer on AIC alumni at the Rockrimmon Regatta during the day and join Crew alumni on campus at AIC for a reunion dinner that night. For more info please contact Alumni Office at alumni@aic.edu or 413.205.3520.

4 | Higher Dedication