AC Summer 2014 Magazine by Assumption University

Assumption Assumption College Magazine • Volume 12, Number 3 • Summer 2014

Magazine

Shobow’S Journey Somalian refugee Shobow Saban ’15

PLUS

Q&A with The Boston Globe’s Mark Arsenault ’89

Commencement and Reunion recaps

Faculty retirements and promotions

from The PreSidenT

Assumption 2020 embraces the demands of contemporary society

igher education today is, in many ways, at a crossroads. From the Oval Office to the halls of Congress, from state legislatures to local municipalities, from the media to family discussions around the kitchen table, the topic is attracting much attention. Despite these disparate venues, however, common themes have emerged: its value, sustainability, affordability and accessibility. These concerns are especially acute for liberal arts institutions such as Assumption. Successfully confronting the current challenges in higher education—which also includes a shrinking pool of college-bound high school students—will demand the implementation of creative and bold solutions, without compromising the fundamental mission of the institution. This requires careful and deliberative planning that taps into the collective wisdom of the various constituencies that comprise a college community. Recognizing the challenges, as well as the opportunities before us, Assumption College embarked on a strategic planning process that began last summer and concluded with a new plan approved in May by the Board of Trustees, “Assumption 2020. Light the Way: Building on Foundations of Excellence.” Through a series of broad-based, inclusive focus groups, this strategic plan reflects the collective thinking of the community and will guide the College for the next six years.

The plan can be best characterized as one built on integration and innovation as we focus on four critical aspects of the life of the College: academic offerings, the student experience, enrollment and facilities. The College’s new strategic plan lays out a vision to strengthen and sustain a competitive advantage in this region of the country. Retaining a strong commitment to our mission as a Catholic and Assumptionist liberal arts institution, the plan can be best characterized as one built on integration and innovation as we focus on four critical aspects of the life of the College: academic offerings, the student experience, enrollment and facilities. In each of these areas, the plan challenges the College to re-imagine how it teaches and how students learn, in and out of the classroom, through their involvement in co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences. The driving force of the plan is to provide students with a coherent and distinctive educational experience that meets the demands of contemporary society.

Addressing the challenges facing higher education, the plan calls for creative thinking about the business model upon which the industry functions, the traditional two-semester academic calendar, how long it takes to complete a degree and dual-degree opportunities. At the same time, the plan seeks to strengthen what the College does well by building on the solid, classical liberal arts curriculum at the heart of its academic offerings, reinvesting in its strong business and professional programs, and enhancing the multi-dimensional aspect of the student experience. To ensure Assumption students are prepared to live meaningful lives, the plan encourages multi-disciplinary and inter-professional programs rooted in the liberal arts. While clearly reflecting the context in which higher education exists, as well as the contemporary needs of the society into which our students will launch their careers, the strategic plan also reflects the educational vision of our founders, the Augustinians of the Assumption. As Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon stated regarding the purpose of education, “We do not intend to make them men of the cloister, but men of the world…This house is open to young men destined to pursue every career the world has to offer.” Students of Assumption are called to be the light that others follow and emulate. We, as faculty and staff, are called to help spark their flame and ignite the light of passion, knowledge and service. Assumption 2020 embodies this purpose as it seeks excellence in all aspects of the student experience by developing an integrated and holistic education that flows from a long-standing and enduring tradition that informs and adapts to the ever-changing realities of our complex world.

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. President

Contents Summer 2014 We encourage your feedback. Please address your letters, class notes and story ideas to: Assumption College Magazine Assumption College 500 Salisbury Street Worcester, MA 01609-1296 e-mail: twatkins@assumption.edu ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Assumption College Magazine Assumption College ISSN 1089-3903 Summer 2014 Executive Director of Communications Michael K. Guilfoyle Editor Troy Watkins

Assumption College Magazine • Volume 12, Number 3 www.assumption.edu/magazine

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97th Commencement exercises new graduate and undergraduate programs enhance offerings Somalian refugee Shobow Saban ’15 leads through love Pulitzer-prize winning journalist mark arsenault ’89 matt erickson ’98 and his full plate in las vegas ann brady ’85 lights the way for Shape up, inc.

Contributing Writers Fr. Dennis Gallagher, A.A. ’69 Ken Johnson Stephen Kostrzewa Lorraine U. Martinelle Brooke Samaha ’14 Elizabeth Walker

departments

Art Direction/Design Centuria Inc., Boston, MA Printing The Lane Press, Burlington, VT Assumption College Magazine is published four times a year (winter, spring, summer, fall) by the office of Institutional Advancement, Assumption College, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609-1296. Telephone: 508-767-7175. Periodical Postage Paid at Worcester, Massachusetts, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Forwarding address and correction requested. Send address changes to: Office of Institutional Advancement, Assumption College, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609-1296. Printed in the U.S.A., Assumption College Magazine is distributed free of charge to alumni, friends, faculty, staff, administration and parents of undergraduate students.

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editor’s page Campus news hounds watch alumni news Class notes in memoriam

Be social with Assumption Facebook.com assumption College alumni relations

Alumni-to-alumni networking/ job posting site: ACConnect www.assumption.edu/connect

Linkedin.com assumption College alumni relations

Alumni-to-student networking/ job posting site (Hound Explorer): www.collegecentral.com/assumption

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Don’t be a stranger

’d like to share a couple of memorable experiences I had during the spring semester while working on this issue of Assumption Magazine. First was meeting with Matt Erickson ’98 in Las Vegas. Tagging along on my wife’s business trip, recently I accepted Matt’s offer to meet with him, and he rearranged his busy schedule to give me a tour of the $400 million construction project he was overseeing. Like many alumni, Matt’s professional pursuits have taken precedence in his life, while contact with his alma mater and college friends has dwindled. However, he realizes that what he learned at Assumption has certainly helped him as he climbed the ladder in the food service/ hospitality industry. This Labor Day weekend he will open his company’s largest venue, the SLS Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas strip, which you can read about in this issue. I’m sure it will be a sight to behold and experience in this incomparable city. My second story is about Brooke Samaha ’14, an English writing & mass communications major from Connecticut, who served as Assumption Magazine’s intern during her final semester at Assumption. She helped with research and writing for several of the articles you’ll read in this issue, and wrote up a vast majority of the class notes. Quite simply, Brooke accomplished everything asked of her and did so in record time. Thanks to her impressive lead, Assumption Magazine now aims to provide internship opportunities each semester, as both Brooke and the Magazine benefitted greatly. She is a gem and I was thrilled that Brooke landed an internship with Small Girls PR in Brooklyn, NY, from an alumni contact she made during her Magazine internship. My advice to Matt, Brooke and all alumni is: don’t be a stranger. Yes, it’s trite. Sure, it’s cliché. But no matter how busy life gets, Assumption will always hold a special place in your heart. Maybe you’ll realize it

soon after you leave campus, like Brooke, or years later, like Matt. The things you learned at Assumption, in the classroom and out, and the relationships you formed with your classmates, roommates, teammates and others will stand for the test of time. It’s a powerful display to witness this each year, especially during reunion weekend. So please, let us know what’s going on with you. It doesn’t need to be a wedding, birth or new job. Tell us about your volunteer work, your fascinating travels, your mini-reunion with AC buddies, your creation, your passion or something else that makes you unique. Share your story by emailing me at twatkins@assumption.edu. I look forward to hearing from you.

letter to the editor Class of ’74 pioneers I read Assumption Magazine regularly. A letter to the editor caught my eye today. The writer was a member of the Class of 1973, the first co-ed class. There was another “female” first in the Class of ’74. I was a member of that next class (1974) and along with two other women, Christine Burak and Kathleen O’Day, we went off to Jerusalem in 1976 under the auspices of the college to work as tour guides at an historic site at one of the Assumptionist residences. We got off the plane and were immediately greeted with “Oh my we didn’t know they’d send us girls! Clearly you can’t stay!” (Word of the College going co-ed had not reached that far.) Long story made shorter, we didn’t go home. We stayed. We lived

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in the residence with the priests, roamed the city of Jerusalem and toured the countryside. We learned the cure for the common cold was something called a “grog.” We learned how the monks made wine, and learned how to appreciate it as well. Just as importantly, we learned to say “Thank you” in Arabic, Hebrew and lots of other languages. Those days are long ago and we’ve all gone our separate ways. Christine is an attorney in Boston. Kathy is an attorney with the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC. I am a college professor in New Jersey. It was an adventure none of us will ever forget. Margaret E. Lavin Biner ’74

Campus news Academic excellence celebrated at Honors Convocation Prayson, Nicole Riel, Lea Rossi, Nicole Stantial and Courtney Woods and Class of 2016 members Kelly Conley, Megan Foley, Andrew Lampi and Kaitlyn Riley. Marie Theroux ’14 received the Donec Formetur Christus Presidential Award, recognizing an upperclassman who embodies the ideals of an Assumption education in his or her life. A Spanish major, Theroux, through a community service learning project, worked with undocumented, unaccompanied minors who had come to the United States and were living with foster families throughout Worcester. She was a member of the Campus Ministry core team, a head tutor at the Academic Support Center, volunteered at Lutheran Social Services and Habitat for Humanity and served as a leader on SEND trips to Pennsylvania and Ecuador. She is currently serving the Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers, a program which recruits recent college graduates to commit two years of service teaching at New England Catholic high schools.

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Assumption’s top academic achievers were recognized at the 30th annual honors convocation in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in April. Faculty members from the College’s 15 academic departments presented academic awards to the top student in each major and more than 50 departmental awards, prizes and scholarships were conferred upon the students for their outstanding scholarly performance. Ken Corriveau ’92, senior vice president and chief information officer for Omnicom Media Group Worldwide, served as guest speaker and addressed the value of a liberal arts education. Fifteen Augustine Scholars, the top merit scholarships awarded at the College, were also announced. Founded in 1996, the scholarships are awarded annually to students, nominated by faculty and administrators for their high academic achievement and demonstrated initiative and creativity in academic and cocurricular endeavors. This year’s Augustine Scholars are Class of 2015 members Caitlin Ackerman, Kaitlyn Bouthillette, Shaun Bradley, Abigail Heroth, Sandor “Alex” Karz, Meagan Kullberg, Cassie Lincoln, Shannon Martin, Elise

ken Corriveau ’92

2014 Augustine Scholars (l-r): kaitlyn riley ’16, andrew lampi ’16, megan foley ’16, Courtney woods ’15, nicole Stantial ’15, elise Prayson ’15, nicole riel ’15, Shannon martin ’15, Cassie lincoln ’15, meagan kullberg ’15, abigail heroth ’15, Shaun bradley ’15, lea rossi ’15, kaitlyn bouthillette ’15, Caitlin ackerman ’15 and kelly Conley ’16. not pictured: Sandor “alex” karz ’15.

Chorale tours Ireland The Assumption College Chorale, under the direction of Prof. Michelle Graveline HA’08, made a concert tour of Ireland May 19-26. The Chorale sang at Galway Cathedral, at the Church of St. Brigid on the Aran Island of Inis Mor, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh, and at St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral (pictured) in Dublin. Other activities included excursions to the cities of Galway and Dublin, a tour of the Connemara region, a visit to the Dun Aengus fort, tours of the ancient sites of Clonmacnoise and Glendalough, and a visit to Trinity College and the Book of Kells. Fr. Donat Lamothe, A.A. ’57 and Margaret Tartaglia of Campus Ministry accompanied the Chorale in its travels.

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97th Commencement exercises Frances X. Hogan delivers keynote address to 715 graduates By Lorraine U. Martinelle In her Commencement address May 17 to the 715 students graduating from the College, attorney and humanitarian Frances X. Hogan spoke of the need for them to become courageous leaders in their community and to always act “in the service of the truth.” “You are graduating into a society which desperately needs citizens committed not only to living lives of personal virtue, but also to living lives of public virtue that will impact and improve the common good of all,” Hogan advised the graduates. “You must be men and women of courage and commitment, and your ability to ‘be not afraid’ is critically important and can be life-altering.” Assumption College’s 97th Commencement ceremony was held on the campus’s H.L. Rocheleau Field, where 463 Bachelor of Arts degrees; 217 graduate studies degrees; and 35 Continuing and Career Education degrees were awarded. Thousands of students, their families and friends, trustees and other special guests were on hand to experience the inspirational messages delivered by keynote speaker Hogan, Assumption President Francesco Cesareo, and valedictorian Katie Leduc ’14 of Hudson, NH. “At some point during your journey of these past four years,” said Cesareo in his remarks, “within each of you a spark ignited a flame—a flame of duty, a flame of knowledge, and a flame of passion for your chosen field. Allow that flame to be the light that others follow, for others to emulate. Be the light in the darkness of the world.” Hogan, a partner with the firm Lyne, Woodworth & Evarts LLP since 1976, has, as part of her profession, engaged with the city of Boston to help improve its neighborhoods by making sure large construction projects (such as the W Hotel, Westin Hotel and Liberty Wharf complex) provide jobs for low-income earners. In addition, as an attorney who practices real estate law, she has negotiated contracts for affordable housing projects in Boston and Worcester. She is also a national leader in the pro-life movement. In her remarks, Hogan told the students to take their seats at the table of public discourse and be heard. “Do not just sit by and watch

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and let life pass you by,” she said. “Bring Assumption’s values to the marketplace of ideas and action; take an active role in the lives of your communities … Cultivate the—almost lost—art of listening to others with genuine interest and concern, and always speak with true respect for the other person. The tone you employ must reflect the content of the proud tradition of Assumption.” Also during the ceremony, honorary degrees were conferred upon Hogan as well as four other distinguished individuals: the Very Reverend Fr. Benoît Grière, A.A., superior general of the Augustinians of the Assumption; Janice “Jan” L. Fuller P’92, former member of the Assumption College Board of Trustees and retired vice president of finance at Refco Inc./IDG New England; her husband Mark W. Fuller P’92, vice president of Worcester-based Benefit Development Group and treasurer of the George F. & Sybil H. Fuller Foundation; and Paul Carpentier, M.D. ’82, president of In His Image Family Medicine clinic in Gardner, MA. In her valedictory address, Leduc, a psychology major, told her fellow graduates, “Our Assumption education has equipped us to assess the deeper meaning and the significance of our actions and experiences. It has challenged us to be better people, not just better students. “Many of us have accomplished things that benefit or serve others, while simultaneously enriching ourselves, such as working for a political campaign, going on a SEND trip, and volunteering through the Reach Out Center,” she continued. “When you consider all that you have done—all that we have done as a class—it is astounding.” In her introduction of Hogan, salutatorian Andrea Clapp ’14, a biotechnology and molecular biology major from Columbia, CT, said that Hogan “exemplifies what it means to be an active citizen and committed woman of faith by participating in projects that benefit her local community … Her promotion of reasoned debate provides a model for others to participate in the process of advocating for and establishing public policies that reflect their values.”

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michael agbortoko ’14 valedictorian katie leduc ’14

honorary degree recipients mark fuller, Jan fuller, Paul Carpentier, m.d. ’82; frances hogan and fr. benoît gri`ere, a.a.

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New academic programs Criminology and education added as majors; sport management as minor This spring, three new and important areas of study were added to the curriculum: criminology major, a dual-major education program and a sport management minor. Rooted in the liberal arts tradition, coursework in criminology takes a broad, comprehensive approach, encompassing the study of how laws are made (the sociology of law), why some people break those laws (theories of crime), and the societal reaction to law-breaking behavior by the criminal justice system (the field of penology). By requiring students to earn an additional degree in a specialized discipline the new dual-major education program prepares students to be outstanding teachers and stand-out applicants in today’s competitive job market and provides them with the depth and breadth of knowl-

edge that characterizes the liberal arts philosophy. A personalized focus and small class sizes help ensure that education majors receive ample guidance, support and hands-on classroom experience in a real-world environment. Their experiences and coursework culminate in a full semester of student teaching during their senior year. Qualified Assumption undergraduates may also enroll in a fifth year of study leading to a master’s degree in special education. Students minoring in sport management will learn how to deal with the field’s professional and ethical issues through a solid grounding in economics, business, marketing and management. An emphasis on experiential learning ensures that coursework is augmented with realworld experience through internships and other opportunities.

Graduate Studies adds two programs During the spring 2014 semester Graduate Studies launched a new program offering a professional certificate in health advocacy. In addition, this summer the early career track MBA added two new tracks to its traditional management option: an accounting emphasis, preparing students to become Certified Professional Accountants, and a sport business and leadership program, preparing students for a career in sport related organizations through an applied approach. “As employers seek more highly educated and skilled workers, our existing and new graduate programs are increasingly becoming more specialized and career-focused,” said Barbara Benoit, director of graduate and CCE enrollment management and services.

Health Advocacy Program The Health Advocacy Program imparts the knowledge, skills, competencies and habits of mind necessary for aspiring and healthcare professionals to pursue high-impact careers that advocate on behalf of patients and their families through a complex health care system. The program integrates key elements of management, social sciences, human services, education and health science, operating from frameworks that value, respect and empowers clients/patients and enhances healthcare organizations. Plans to expand this program have already been announced, as the Master of Arts in health advocacy will begin in September 2015, followed by the Certificate in Advanced Graduate Study in the same discipline a year later. Early Career Track MBA expansion Now in its third year, the early career track MBA provides students with hands-on working experience with mentors, businesses and

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organizations. Recently, new accounting and sports business options were added to the program in response to strong demand in these areas. An innovative new accounting program draws upon the strength of the College’s undergraduate program, and allows students to obtain the experience, training and knowledge to take and pass the CPA exam. This option builds upon the College’s current 6-in-5 program, enabling students to earn a BA and MBA in five years. A distinguishing feature of this program is a two-semester internship at leading public accounting firms. The sport business and leadership program emphasizes sportsrelated contexts in business and the unique dynamics of the sport environment. Students prepare for a career in sport-related fields through an experiential approach to curriculum, cases, and national graduate internship opportunities from within sports. Ongoing development and expansion of this program will be guided by the newly formed Assumption College National Advisory Board for Sport Business Education.

Assumptionists honor President Cesareo with Emmanuel d’Alzon Medal ou always exhibit the kind of energy found in Father d’Alzon…” This line, drawn from the citation read on the occasion of the conferral of the Emmanuel d’Alzon Medal on President Francesco Cesareo, brought to mind a recent story about our peripatetic president. At the end of this academic year, Francesco accompanied and guided a group of 24 SOPHIA collegians through the historical sites of Rome. These sophomore students and their advisors were concluding the inaugural year of a program aimed at encouraging thoughtfulness about one’s life choices. The story had a familiar ring to it, but this time with empirical verification. To understate the matter, the president is known to put pilgrims through their paces. This time around, a student had brought along a pedometer, which, at the end of a week of vigorous walking registered 100 miles. Fr. d’Alzon, the founder of the Assumptionists, famously exhorted each member of his community “to work like four men” (not my favorite, I must admit, among his admonitions). Francesco is not to be outdone in terms of energy. The d’Alzon medal, conferred upon the president in the context of an evening prayer service in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on June 4, is the highest award given by the Assumptionists in the Province of the United States and the Philippines, reserved for persons who have exemplified in their lives the vision and guiding principles of their founder. Last conferred during the College’s centenary celebration in 2004, the previous list of honorees have included Jacques Maritain, Bishop John J.

“Y

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BY FR. DENNIS GALLAGHER, A.A.’69, VICE PRESIDENT FoR MISSIoN

The mission Wright, Johannes Cardinal Willebrands, and two distinguished Religious of the Assumption, Mother Helene M. Bories and Sister Clare Teresa Tjader. The sweet spot of the citation came at the beginning: When you became the 16th president of Assumption College, you were quick to discover the “family spirit” of the Assumptionists. Your admiration for their founder, the venerable Emmanuel d’Alzon, grew as you became more familiar with his spirituality and philosophy of education. Your life and work have been marked by a desire to pursue and communicate the truth, a love of the Church, an eagerness to serve your brothers and sisters, and a genuine zeal of the reign of God. It might be called the good stewardship award. For Dr. Cesareo the presidency has been a service to the long tradition of Catholic higher learning, to the particular charism and international character of the Assumptionists, and to the well-being of our students in every respect. Like all great investments, it has not come without personal cost. We Assumptionists are glad to honor Francesco for being such a fine steward of the College entrusted to his leadership.

Hundreds participate in Colleen Ritzer ’11 Remembrance Walk Hundreds of friends, family members, former coworkers, classmates, Assumption alumni, administrators and staff participated in the Colleen Ritzer ’11 Remembrance Walk on campus April 27. The event honored Ritzer, a 2011 Assumption alumna and math teacher, who tragically lost her life in October 2013. Following a Mass at the College’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit, a tree in front of Kennedy Memorial Hall was dedicated in Ritzer’s memory, with a plaque bearing a motto by which she lived: “Find something good in every day.” Funds raised from the event will support an endowed scholarship established in her name by Assumption and members of the Class of 2011. The scholarship recognizes two of Ritzer’s passions—teaching and math—and will be annually awarded to an Assumption junior or senior math major planning to teach at the high school level after graduation.

President Cesareo (far left) with Colleen’s parents Peggy and Tom ritzer, family, friends and supporters.

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President’s contract renewed to 2020 The Board of Trustees announced in March that President Francesco Cesareo’s contract has been renewed through June 30, 2020. Chairman of the Board Frederick Bayon D.M.D. ’65 said, “We recognize President Cesareo’s unwavering commitment to the mission of Assumption College and his untiring focus on enhancing the quality and excellence of its academic programs. During these challenging times for higher education, President Cesareo has demonstrated steady and responsible leadership, always keeping the best interest of the students at the forefront. “Since his arrival at Assumption, President Cesareo has been a creative and innovative thinker, which has resulted in new academic programs such as Tagaste, SOPHIA and the new Rome campus, the latter becoming a reality in spring 2013 thanks to his ability to develop a vision and implement innovative growth,” Bayon said. Cesareo has also made allies with national universities, added majors and minors to the curriculum and helped Assumption position itself as a competitive college, especially with the new Assumption Assurance program, which is helping address the issue of college affordability for prospective students. “Despite an economic recession that impacted many, President Cesareo raised nearly $15 million for Assumption, which includes the full funding of the Tinsley Campus Ministry Center—a long-awaited addition and asset to the campus. “In addition, the institution’s new strategic plan, Assumption 2020, will provide the necessary direction to chart a path so the College may achieve greater levels of success,” Bayon said.

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President francesco Cesareo greets robert lewis Jr., president of The baSe

Partnership with inner-city athletics and academics program announced

he College has formed a partnership with The BASE, an organization that leverages the power and passion for sports to change the game for African-American and Latino urban youth by providing high quality baseball, education, training and support. Also joining as partners with The BASE and Assumption are Major League Baseball, Sony, and other institutions of higher learning. Assumption, believing this program has the ability to transform the lives of those whom it serves, has committed to two, full four-year scholarships for eligible The BASE participants to continue their academic and athletic pursuits as students at the College. “I am inspired and honored by the involvement of Assumption College as we work together to fulfill the shared vision of dramatically increasing college graduation rates for our student athletes and providing the tools, resources and support they need to build a winning game plan for life,” said Robert Lewis Jr., founder and president of The BASE. “The mission of The BASE reflects the values synonymous with Assumption,” said President Francesco Cesareo. “Such as empowering individuals to realize and achieve their full potential. Through athletics, doors are opened for students who may otherwise face insurmountable

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financial hurdles. In the classroom and on the field, student-athletes learn valuable life-skills such as hard work, perseverance and working as a team, critical to professional and personal fulfilment.” The BASE provides a range of training opportunities and a comprehensive academic and life skills program that focuses on students in grades 7-12, providing them with confidence, access and skills to prepare for college studies. The program includes: • Assessments, referrals and recommendations • MCAS and SAT prep, academic tutoring and support services • College fairs and visits • Life skills coaching, financial literacy and job readiness workshops • Nutrition seminars • Complimentary physical and dental examinations. “Education is more than reading and memorizing, in the same way that baseball is much more than throwing, catching or hitting a ball,” added President Cesareo. “In baseball, you are challenged to exceed your ability, to contribute in a positive way to the team as a whole. Assumption’s approach to education is to form the whole person, so that they may contribute to the good of society, as a whole and, as Jackie Robinson said, lead a life that impacts others.”

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Photographs taken at campus dress rehearsals

Theatre program dazzles with Les Misérables at Hanover Theatre The Assumption College Theatre program delighted audience members with its production of Les Misérables in April at Worcester’s Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean, portrayed by Matt Angelini ’13, an escaped prisoner seeking to be free of his sins after spending 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread for his starving niece/nephew. Valjean begins his life anew while caring for the orphaned Cosette against the backdrop of the French Revolution. Les Misérables, based on the French novel by Victor Hugo, is known worldwide for its portrayal of the power of the human spirit. The musical’s lyrics were

composed by Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer. The cast was comprised of more than 40 Assumption students and alumni, as well as local actors. Alumni cast and crew members included Michael Gondek ’94, playing the role of Police Inspector Javert, as well as Caitlin Lahey ’09, Rev. Norman Meiklejohn ’51, A.A.; Janice Rezuke ’92, Bob Vanasse ’72 and John Wild ’06. The Assumption Theatre program will perform another spring production at the Hanover Theatre in 2015.

Spring lecture highlights Zina Giannopoulou, professor at the University of California, gave two lectures in philosophy titled “The Self as Subject and Object of Knowledge in Plato” and “Knowledge in Plato’s Theaetetus and Alcibiades” in February. John C. Cavadini, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame and director of the Institute of Church Life, gave the annual Augustine lecture titled “What St. Augustine Really Thought About Sex,” in March, which examined the thoughts of one of the world’s most influential thinkers. In March, Dr. Janet Smith, the Father Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, delivered a lecture titled “Religious Liberty and the Culture of Life.” Her presentation highlighted religious freedom and its connection to the culture of life. Smith is the author of Humanae Vitae: A Generation Later and has been published in many academic journals.

John C. Cavadini

dr. Janet Smith

william antholis

In April, Assumption held its 12th annual Business Lecture on Ethics. William Antholis, managing director of The Brookings Institution and author of Fast Forward: Ethics and Politics in the Age of Global Warming and Inside Out India and China: Local Politics Go Global, discussed “Ethics and Politics in India and China: From Local Self-Government to Global Sustainability.”

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Faculty update

Fr. Donat Lamothe, A.A. ’57 retires after 51 years of service; seven faculty promoted, four earn tenure Fr. Donat Lamothe, A.A., Ph.D. AP’53, ’57

Elizabeth Colby Davie, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry

A professor of music and college archivist, Fr. Donat has retired from his full-time position. The longest serving employee of the College, he joined the faculty in 1963, some 51 years ago. Fr. Donat received the Presidential Award for excellence in contribution to the mission in 2012 and in the previous year, celebrated the golden jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood. He has been involved with Assumption since the age of 14 when he entered Assumption Prep School as a student in 1949. Fr. Donat graduated from Assumption Prep in 1953, Assumption College in 1957, and holds a M.A. from St. John’s University, a M.M. from Boston University, a Ph.L. from the University of Ottawa and a Ph.D. from the University of Strasbourg in Alsace, France. Referred to by President Francesco Cesareo as a “modern Renaissanceman,” in addition to teaching numerous music courses and some Latin American studies courses, he is a talented harpist, artist and will continue as the College’s archivist, a position he has held for 28 years. A worldly scholar and traveler, this summer Fr. Donat accompanied the Chorale on its trip to Ireland.

A member of the faculty since 2007, Prof. Colby Davie holds a B.A. from Macalester College (MN) and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she also taught prior to her arrival at Assumption. The recipient of two graduate research fellowships and a postdoctoral fellowship, Prof. Colby Davie received a $50,000 new investigator grant in 2008 from the American Chemical Society-managed Petroleum Research Fund. She has published and presented widely in her field, has served the College as an advisor and mentor, and is currently a visiting faculty member at UMass Medical School.

Promotions James Lang, Ph.D., professor of English The director of AC’s Center for Teaching Excellence, supplying faculty with resources to assist and promote their efforts, Prof. Jim Lang is a well-known scholar, author and writer. A former director of the College’s Honors Program, he joined the faculty in 2000. A monthly columnist covering teaching and learning for The Chronicle of Higher Education, he has published four books, including Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty, published by Harvard University Press in 2013. He earned a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, a M.A. from St. Louis University and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, where he served as assistant director of its Searle Center for Teaching Excellence prior to his appointment at Assumption.

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Anthony Traylor, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy Prof. Traylor was appointed to Assumption’s faculty in 1998, after previously teaching at Morehouse College and Emory University in Atlanta. He earned a B.A. from George Mason University, an M.A. from Villanova University and a Ph.D. from Emory. Prof. Traylor has taught courses such as “God and the Philosophers,” “Existential Thought” and “Metaphysics.” He has published several articles in scholarly journals and has made numerous presentations in his field.

Tenured and promoted to associate professor Maria Parmley, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology A social psychologist, Prof. Parmley has taught at Assumption since 2004 and joined the full-time faculty in 2008. She previously lectured at Wellesley College. A two-time Assumption faculty development grant recipient, Prof. Parmley has published and presented widely in her field and has served as a faculty advisor for several student presentations at the annual Assumption College Symposium. She earned a B.A. from UMass-Amherst and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Brandeis University.

Alison Cares, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology Prof. Cares joined the faculty in 2011 after teaching previously at UMass-Lowell and Central Connecticut State University. She holds an A.B. from Dartmouth College and earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. The recipient of an AC faculty development grant in 2012, she developed a new course titled Victimology, which has been taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the classroom and online. Prof. Cares has published articles in scholarly journals and made numerous presentations at professional conferences.

Board of Trustee appointments Fathers Vo Tran Gia Dinh, A.A. and Edward Shatov, A.A. join Board

Christian Gobel, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy A member of the faculty since 2008, Prof. Gobel holds a B.A. from Munich School of Philosophy, a M.Phil. from Cambridge University, and a Ph.L. and Ph.D. from the Pontifical University of Sant’Anselmo (Rome), where he also served as a visiting professor. In 2007, Prof. Gobel published a book on philosophy titled Antike und Gegenwart. Griechische Anmerkungen zu ethischen Fragen unserer Tage. Fluent in four languages, he has served the College as a mentor, an advisor, and a member of various committees to advance Assumption’s mission.

Carl Keyes, Ph.D., associate professor of history Prof. Keyes joined the faculty in 2008, and has taught a variety of history courses as well as “Popular Culture in Modern America: Topics in Mass Entertainment and Consumer Culture.” He has participated in the College’s Community Serving Learning program while he has published extensively and presented widely in his field. The recipient of five fellowships and a research grant for his work, Prof. Keyes is an active member of several professional organizations, including Worcester’s American Antiquarian Society. He earned a B.A. from the University of Michigan, a M.A. from The American University, and a M.A. and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University.

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fr. vo Tran gia dinh, a.a.

fr. edward Shatov, a.a.

The Board of Trustees appointed Fr. Vo Tran Gia Dinh, A.A. and Fr. Edward Shatov, A.A. as members in May. Fr. Dinh served the College in the Office of Campus Ministry, organizing the liturgical life of the College from 2011-12. In 2011, he was ordained to the priesthood by Rev. Robert McManus, bishop of Worcester at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Dinh became the first Asian Assumptionist priest in the United States. Born in Danang, Vietnam, Dinh befriended a local parish priest and became a seminarian of the diocese of Dalat in 1989. He studied overseas in the Philippines at East Asian Pastoral Institute, where he was introduced to the works of Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon and the Assumptionist order. After a reading a biography about Fr. d’Alzon, he embraced d’Alzon’s teachings and joined the Assumptionists. His calling eventually brought him to the Worcester community and Assumption College. Fr. Edward Shatov, A.A. is priest at Montmartre in Québec City, where he serves as director of pastoral programing at the Centre for Culture and Faith. He previously served as director of the Center for Family of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mother of God at Moscow. Born in a small town in the Vladimir Oblast, Russia, he obtained a M.A. from the Faculty of History of the Vladimir University. Interested in Catholicism, Fr. Shatov met an Assumptionist during a visit to St. Louis. He converted to Roman Catholicism and decided to become an Assumptionist. After a year of formation in Romania, he joined a novitiate in France and later earned a bachelor of theology from the Catholic Institute of Paris, and also studied at Heythrop College, University of London (UK). He made his final vows in 2000, and was ordained to the diaconate in 2002 by the Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, Monsignor James Joseph O’Brien. In 2003 he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz in the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Louis in Moscow.

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Summer 2014

CamPuS newS

Assessing Worcester’s economy Professor Thomas White creates Worcester Economic Index

PhoTo: erika Sidor

In February, Associate Professor of Economics Thomas White, Ph.D. released the first of his Worcester Economic Index (WEI) quarterly reports, based on research conducted over the past year. It indicated that economic growth in Worcester was expected to pick up during the first half of 2014, estimating its growth at about 1.5 percent. “Worcester residents and city officials are interested in how their local economy is performing,” said Thomas white, Ph.d. White. “When the national economy is strong, the Worcester economy tends to be strong as well, but that is not always the case. As such, the WEI is providing additional, important information on the city’s economic outlook.” Professor White’s projections are based on a model that uses the WEI and four national leading indicators to forecast changes in trend growth. The WEI, which White developed, measures the performance of the Worcester-area economy and is based on local employment and unemployment data. Three factors were used to estimate the WEI: non-farm payroll employment, household employment and the unemployment rate.

The four national indicators used were consumer expectations, changes in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the interest rate spread (the difference between the yield on a 10-year treasury bond and the federal funds rate), and the Leading Credit Index (a composite of several financial sector variables that are meant to capture credit market conditions). In addition, to complement the WEI’s forecast growth, four additional indicators were considered to further gauge the direction of Worcester’s economy: initial unemployment claims for the Worcester region (an increase signals a drop-off in economic activity); the amount of online help-wanted advertising in the Worcester area (an increase in ads should be a precursor to increased hiring and employment); the number of new business incorporations in the local area (an increase may lead to new hiring); and the number of issued building permits (foreshadowing future employment trends). “Economists measure how an economy is performing, and at the national level, measurements of Gross Domestic Product, unemployment, etc. are released on a regular basis and given a lot of attention, because they describe the state of the national economy,” said Professor White. “The Assumption College project analyzes Worcester’s local economy, measures its progress, and offers a forecast for the coming months.” The second quarterly report was released in May, which forecasted growth of the WEI over the second and third quarters of 2014 at 3.3 percent, to be followed by reports in August and November.

2014 Crown and Shield award recipients Seventeen members of the Class of 2014 received the College’s prestigious Crown and Shield Awards at an April ceremony. The award recognizes students who have distinguished themselves throughout their four years at Assumption in the areas of leadership and community service.

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This year’s recipients are (sitting, L-R): Mae L’Heureux, Katerina Reilly, Sonny Choun, Carly Finegan, President Francesco Cesareo, Sadiya Bruce, Nic Guerra, Marie Theroux and Megan Flanagan. (standing, L-R): Gianna Paolini, William Rein, Roger Clapp, Alexander Marshall, Jesse Hunt, Michael Carpentier, Colleen Putzel, Alyssa Lombardi and Katie Jankun.

assumption authors Beyond Faith and Reason

It’s In The Little Things

By Tim Holmes ’97 In Beyond Faith and Reason (Tate Publishing, 2013) the author brings his readers along the journey of self- analysis in a critique of identity. Traditional and contemporary philosophies alike are surveyed with provoking style to illuminate a novel introspection. The primary goal remains the constituents of human identity. Through an analysis of reason, affectivity, aesthetics and responsibility, this new view presents the human person as the indelible foundation of selfhood. The depths of existence and the self are equally plumbed and artistically rendered despite their transcendent ends.

By Gayle Cote Dragicevich ’82 (penname Gayle Suzanne) Self-published via CreateSpace in 2013, the author has created a different type of self-help book, which has garnered an Amazon.com rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. As one online reviewer summarized, “Little things is sweet, uplifting, humorous and powerful. The messages are clear and concise, teaching readers only how to focus on the little things in the quest for happiness and fulfillment. It isn’t just another self-help book. It’s a book about transformative thinking and a great read for anyone looking to add a little more joy to their lives.” Full of short anecdotal stories, they aim to teach the reader that the key to a happy life is in the little things.

A Tale of Two Tails: The Adventures of Ben and Bel By Elizabeth Jablonski Cygan G’76 The Adventures of Ben and Bel (Createspace, 2009) tells the lively tales of two finicky, devious, thoroughbred Siamese cats, who demand to be treated like the royal cats of Siam, who were treated like gods, with servants to tend them. Ben and Bel believe that they are descended from these royal cats, and therefore are entitled to be treated as such. Ben and Bel have methods to ensure that their every want, whim and need is taken care of in a courtly fashion, using blatant or subtle tactics. Have you ever been scolded by a cat, felt it a privilege to live with a cat, or ignored by a cat? It can be a very humbling experience.

Astream: American Writers on Fly Fishing By Bob DeMott ’65 (editor) This collection features stories from some of America’s finest and most respected writers about one of the world’s most solitary and satisfying sports: fly fishing. For the first time, the stories of 31 acclaimed writers come together in one collection. Fly fishers and non-fly fishers alike will recognize in these poignant tales the universal aspects of the appreciation of nature, the necessity of conservation, and the joy and knowledge that come from time spent on fresh and salt water. This is a delightful, handsome volume that captures the allure and spirit of fly fishing and those that love it.

Deux ans en Amérique Crossing Bridges By Judith Young Vance ’73 Crossing Bridges (2012) is the journey of Abigail Sinclair, a passionate young lawyer, as she navigates her life and searches for happiness. The novel follows the arch of Abby’s life from young adulthood into her late 30s. When Abby is introduced, she is overworked and single, struggling to find the right balance of career, love and family. In the second half of the novel, Abby is a divorced mother of two who retreats to a romantic seaside cottage to see if she can sort out the complex calculus of her life.

By Norman Gaudrault, M.D. AP’54, ’58 and Georges Idier The authors take you on a trip in Deux ans en Amérique (translated into English in 2013 by the Société des Ecrivains), a novel about a French family of four. Pierre Benoit, a scientist specializing in infectious diseases, is invited by the National Institutes of Health to spend two years in the United States. The family hesitantly accepts the invitation, establishes itself in Washington, D.C. and learns about the American way of life. The Benoits travel around the U.S. and beyond, embracing the New World in its diversity, its particularities, thinking patterns, culture, customs and myths.

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Shobow Saban ’15, a Somalian refugee who immigrated to the United States and settled in a community in Maine, has a fascinating story. It was the vehicle for a fictional work, Out of Nowhere, authored by Maria Padian and published last year. His true story of overcoming hardships to excel in a foreign land is, perhaps, more compelling than the book. Saban is a popular Assumption student, where he served as a resident assistant as a junior and has made many friends through his outgoing personality, infectious smile and zest for life and companionship.

Somalian refugee Shobow Saban ’15 leads through love B Y T ROY WATKINS

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As a young boy, Saban’s family fled his native land after his grandfather was shot and killed by a trespasser on his property during the early days of a civil war. The family fled to Kenya, where they lived in Dadaab, currently the world’s largest refugee camp. There, when Saban was six years old, his father became ill and died due to inadequate medical care.

PhoTo: dan vaillanCourT

Light a biology major, Shobowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to help people is leading him into the medical profession. Â

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“It doesn’t matter where you’re from. What matters is who you are, and where you’re going. People will love you for who you are, no matter what. You need to show people love, and they will love you back.” His widowed mother, Bilow Farah, struggled to raise and support her six sons. As the eldest child, Shobow was often asked to shoulder some of the responsibilities. “It was a terrible life, but my Mom did the best she could. I learned so much from her,” he said. “She taught me that if I put my trust in God, things will be better. It’s just a matter of time.” He credits his mom with “teaching him to respect and love others, and no matter where you are, to always be yourself.” In 2006, his family immigrated to the United States, settling in a dangerous Atlanta, GA, neighborhood plagued by drugs, guns and violence. His mother searched for a safer place to raise her family, and her prayers were answered when a friend called from Lewiston, ME. She recommended they move to that state, where there was a strong sense of community, good schools, and a growing Somali population. The Sabans moved to Maine in December 2006 and were introduced

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to their first New England winter—without boots or jackets. “When we got to Maine, I got out of the car and my whole body was shivering,” said Saban. “I thought I was sick. Someone told me that it was the winter weather, and I had no idea what they meant. The people had to explain it to me.” Because Saban learned English and basic math skills prior to arriving in the U.S., he was able to smoothly transition into middle school and attend classes with students his age. Despite the growing number of Somalis in Maine, however, there were challenges. The Saban family’s Muslim culture has different beliefs than those of most Americans. “We were constantly asked: ‘Why do women have to cover their face with a veil? How come you don’t eat pork? Why don’t you touch dogs?’” Saban said. These beliefs are explained and weaved into the narrative story of Out of Nowhere. Saban seems wise beyond his years, because of his worldly experience and solid upbringing, and through the support of those who have helped him during his acclimation to America. “While I was growing up, my Mom told me, ‘It doesn’t matter where you’re from. What matters is who you are, and where you’re going,” he recalls her saying. “‘People will love you for who you are, no matter what. You need to show people love, and they will love you back.’” Her words have proven prophetic. In eighth grade, Saban met Johnny McDonough, captain of the high school soccer team. McDonough noticed that Saban often came to school wearing a soccer jersey from an international team. Their discussions led to a friendship, culminating in McDonough convincing and helping Shobow to join the soccer team, where he became a star. “He is very open-minded and became one of my close friends,” said Saban of his friend. “He often came to my house and got to know my culture.” Off the field, Saban gained popularity because of his goal-scoring ability; each day after a game, his name and scores were mentioned during the high school’s morning announcements. “My teachers and guidance counselor were very supportive,” he

Shobow (far left) with brothers garene (19) and noor (12), mother bilow, and brothers Jumale (7), bengi (20) and aden (19).

said. “When I got accepted to Assumption, I told my guidance counselor, and he was jumping around like his son had just gotten into college.” Saban also shared his good news with the director of his high school’s technical programs. He remembers how excited the director was, and how he proudly pointed to the college degree on his office wall. It read: Robert Callahan, Assumption College, Class of 1992. “He was like a second mother to me,” said Saban, “but I did not know he went to Assumption until I told him I got accepted.” Saban realizes how fortunate he is, and he is appreciative of those who have helped him pursue a degree in biology at Assumption. He is especially grateful to Upward Bound, a U.S. Department of Education-funded program that helps high school students enter and

“Many people have helped me, and I want to do the same thing. Each day I ask myself, are the people around me comfortable? Are they safe? Educated? Do they feel good about themselves? Are they getting what I’m getting? That’s what is most important to me.”

succeed in college. “I wouldn’t be here today without the help of Mr. Callahan and the people at Upward Bound,” he said. When asked why he came to a Catholic college, he said: “I didn’t want to be narrow-minded and wanted to learn about it. Knowledge can take you anywhere. Assumption’s location is great. It’s not too far from Maine, and I wanted to see and learn new things and meet new people. “I fell in love with Assumption on my first visit,” Saban said. “I had a great first two years and made many wonderful friends, and decided to become a resident assistant during my junior year to help pay for my education, to meet more people, and to help new students adapt to the College.” Saban is also a dedicated volunteer, both in the Worcester area and in Lewiston. He volunteers at African Community Education, which supports African refugees in Worcester by helping students learn English and assimilate to American culture. He has also participated in interfaith dialog sessions on campus to learn and help himself and others become more accepting of those with different religious beliefs. In Lewiston, he volunteers with math tutoring and citizenship classes at a local community center. “I want to have a job, but I find that it’s more important to volunteer,” Saban explained. “I’m giving what God has given to me. What I am learning at Assumption, I have to give it back. Many people have helped me, and I want to do the same thing. Each day I ask myself, are the people around me comfortable? Are they safe? Educated? Do they feel good about themselves? Are they getting what I’m getting? That’s what is most important to me.” Saban’s desire to help others was deeply ingrained in him after his father’s death. “I’m leaning toward becoming a physician’s assistant or a similar position in the medical field,” he said. “I’d like to go to graduate school and maybe become a family practitioner.” His other goal is closer to home. “I want to take care of my Mom,” Saban said. “There is no way that you can pay back your mom, but I want to thank her for all the things that she’s done for me.”

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houndS waTCh

Spring sports roundup BASEBALL The baseball team finished the season at 19-20 under first-year head coach Mike Rocco. Senior right fielder and relief pitcher Ysander Figueroa was named Worcester Area Baseball Player of the Year and Northeast-10 First Team All-Conference after batting .286 and leading the Hounds with seven saves in 10 appearances. A NE-10 Second Team AllConference selection, he had 46 hits and a team-high 38 runs scored. Junior Greg O’Donnell led the team with a .318 average, earned All-Worcester First Team All-Star honors and a spot on the NE-10 All-Conference Third Team. Freshman first baseman Mike Coggeshall was an All-Worcester First Team All-Star and a member of the NE-10 AllRookie Team. He batted .277 with 41 hits. Sophomore pitcher Kevin O’Connor was named to the Worcester Area Baseball AllStar Second Team after he posted a 3-2 record with a 3.45 earned run average and a .262 batting average against. The highlight of his season was a complete-game, three-hit shutout of LIU Post in Florida, throwing just 93 pitches for the victory.

SoFTBALL

WoMEN’S LACRoSSE For the first time in program history, the women’s lacrosse team posted back-to-back nine-win seasons as the Hounds finished 9-7. Junior Amy McNeil led the team and ranked among the league leaders with 59 points on 42 goals and seven assists. Senior Lindsay Hagerman posted 46 points on 24 goals and a team-high 22 assists, and junior Camille Auger totaled 32 points. A number of newcomers had solid rookie seasons as freshmen Quincy Wilkins and Tori Russo combined for 42 points, led by 17 goals from Russo and 10 assists from Wilkins. In goal, freshman Jaclyn Chirco played nearly 900 minutes, making 117 saves with a team-high 32 ground balls.

Seniors Kathryn Beall and Mary Guinee ended their career ranked first and second in Assumption history in draw controls. The duo capped off their Assumption careers by earning spots in the IWLCA/DeBeer Division II North/South Senior All-Star Game, which features the top women’s lacrosse players from across the country.

MEN’S LACRoSSE The men’s lacrosse team finished with a 5-9 record under second-year head coach Keith Loftis. The Hounds, which battled four nationally-ranked opponents and played four one-goal games, were led in scoring by junior Garrett Smith with 47 points on 43 goals and four assists. Smith, who was an All-New England First Team All-Star, is now fourth on the Assumption list with 112 career points and is the all-time leading goal scorer with 102. Sophomore faceoff specialist Nick Guarino was also named to the All-New England First Team after winning 170 faceoffs on the season to go along with a teambest 67 ground balls. Senior Ian Mack was an All-New England Second Team honoree for the first time in his career after posting 30 points on 12 goals and 18 assists as he ended his career ranked among the all-time assist leaders in Assumption history. Junior Will Contento saw the majority of time in goal for the team, posting 95 saves and four wins.

PhoToS: gil TalboT

The softball team posted a 16-20 record, including a six-game winning streak in the final stretch to keep the team in the Northeast-10 Tournament hunt. Junior first baseman Ashley Impagliazzo earned NE-10

First Team All-Conference honors after posting a .373 batting average with 41 hits. Senior right fielder Nikki Boris was named to the All-Conference Second Team for the second time in her career, batting .360 with 13 extrabase hits, including a team-high five home runs. Junior third baseman Jess DiPilato led the team with a .395 average, en route to AllConference Third Team honors. She posted a team-high 47 hits and 24 runs scored to go along with 22 RBI. Senior pitcher Jenn Lattal posted six wins with a team-best 3.30 earned run average and freshman pitcher Courtney Oliva tallied a 7-4 record. The duo combined for 97 strikeouts, including a team-best 64 from Lattal.

ysander figueroa ’14 was named worcester area baseball Player of the year.

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ashley impagliazzo ’15

Follow the Hounds at assumptiongreyhounds.com

kathryn beall ’14

hannah riley ’17

Tony fierimonte ’15

MEN’S AND WoMEN’S TENNIS

ouTDooR TRACk AND FIELD

The men’s and women’s tennis teams were led by head coach Dan Munsey. The men’s team finished 9-8, earning a berth in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship for the first time since 2009. The women’s team narrowly missed out on a postseason berth as the Hounds finished with a 6-12 record. Three members of the men’s team earned All-Conference honors, including Third Team at No. 1 doubles by sophomore Viljami Rahnasto and freshman Chris Waung. The duo posted an 11-6 record. Freshman Marco Leung, a four-time NE-10 Conference Rookie of the Week, was named to the league’s All-Rookie Team after a 12-1 overall record in singles play that included an 8-1 mark in the NE-10. Leung was a perfect 9-0 at No. 3 singles and won his last 12 singles matches to close the season. On the women’s side, the team was led at No. 1 singles by freshman Hannah Riley, who was named a Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week. Posting six overall singles victories and a 5-5 record in NE-10 singles action, Riley also paired for a teamhigh four wins in doubles play. Senior Meg Hall led the team with an 8-8 record in singles play, as she played primarily in the No. 5 spot. In doubles, the duo of freshman Kristen Carbone and senior Paige Gilet led the team with an 8-5 mark at No. 2 doubles.

The men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams both placed 10th overall at the Northeast-10 Conference Championship, capping off their outdoor season. Leading the way for the women was freshman thrower Gwendelyn Sawyer, who captured the NE-10 title in the shot put with a throw of just over 40 feet to earn All-Conference honors. She went on to earn USTFCCCA All-Region honors at the New England Championship in the shot put, finishing second among Division II athletes and 13th overall. On the men’s side, junior Tony Fierimonte won his first Northeast-10 Conference title with a school-record win in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, beating challengers by more than 20 seconds. He went on to earn All-Region honors and was the second Division II finisher at the New England Championship. In addition to the individual performances, the team set a pair of relay records at the conference meet as well.

GoLF The golf team placed fifth out of 10 teams at the NE-10 Conference Championship and 18th at the New England Championship, where the Hounds placed third among the Division II teams at the event. In the NE-10 Championship, the Hounds were led by an 11th-place finish by junior Andrew Dame as he earned NE-10 Second Team All-

Conference honors by shooting a two-day total of 154. Earlier in the season at the Franklin Pierce Division II Invitational, Dame captured his first collegiate tournament as he won the event by one shot behind a second-round 70. He went on to earn NE-10 Conference Player of the Week honors for his play. In the final event of the spring season freshman Matt Wessenberg was victorious by a one-shot margin, shooting a 75 at the Joe Plante Collegiate Invitational. Wessenberg went on to earn NE-10 Player and Rookie of the Week honors for the first time in his career.

RoWING The women’s rowing team, led by second-year head coach Erick Thiemke, was regionallyranked in the NCAA regional poll throughout much of the season. At the New England Championship, the novice four boat led by coxswain Jaclyn Newman advanced to the grand final, while the varsity four boat defeated Franklin Pierce and narrowly fell to Merrimack. The team, which featured no seniors and was captained by junior Amanda Sanders, improved throughout the season and faced some of the top competition in Division II and in the East region. The Hounds traveled to Cocoa Beach, FL, to take on Florida Tech and also competed at the prestigious Head of the Charles and Head of the Schuylkill regattas, held in Boston and Philadelphia, respectively.

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Q&A with Mark Arsenault â&#x20AC;&#x2122;89, Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe reporter and mystery novelist

SERVING

the R EADER 20

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PhoToS: miChele mcdonald

Mark Arsenault ’89 is an award-winning reporter for The Boston Globe who has covered stories ranging from casino development to crime to politics. in april, he was one of a team of Globe staffers who received a Pulitzer Prize for the newspaper’s coverage of the 2013 boston marathon bombing. mark is also a mystery novelist whose books include Gravewriter, Loot the Moon, Speak Ill of the Living and the Shamus award-nominated Spiked. mark recently sat down with Assumption College Magazine to discuss his work and his assumption memories.

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Q: How did your Assumption education and experience prepare you for life and your career? A: I get a lot of mileage from telling people I graduated 8th in my class in college. Of course, I don’t always mention that we graduated alphabetically. Grade-wise, I ranked a lot farther south. I credit a couple critical encounters at Assumption that directly affected how my career unfolded. The first are my philosophy courses with Fred Bauer, Ph.D. He is such a fun guy and easily my favorite teacher. He challenged everything: No assumption was safe around him. And through his relentless needling, he encouraged us to think and speak with extreme precision. Dr. Bauer enjoyed shredding arguments that were soft or vague, and if you didn’t want to feel like he had sliced you to quivering bits, you had to learn how to fend off his prosecution with specific language, and with your feet firmly planted on a concrete idea. Much of journalism is cutting through what’s untrue or intentionally vague, to reach bare facts. That’s what we did all day in Dr. Bauer’s classes—or at least that is what I recall we did. As Dr. Bauer would say, “I can’t be certain I existed in the past; only that I exist right now.” Going into my senior year, I had not decided on a career. In my last semester, I took a writing course with Michael True, Ph.D. [emeritus professor of English] with the hint of an idea that I could be a writer. I learned from him how to use the English language economically. I left that class feeling like a writer. Q: What is your fondest Assumption memory? A: I recall crawling through the new library in the middle of the night when it was still a construction project with no walls. I can’t still get in trouble for that, right? This is a true story: I lived in Founders Hall for two years when it was still a dorm. In the fall of 1986, I was watching on TV when the Red Sox were in the middle of blowing Game 6 of the World Series against the Mets. After the passed ball tied the game, my friend and I left the dorm and went to the Chapel to pray for the third out. The lights were off and an organist was practicing alone in the dark, empty building. We knelt briefly, listening to the haunting notes of the organ. We were halfway back to the dorm when a tremendous “Noooo!” rang out across campus … the sound of a thousand breaking hearts. The door to the dorm flew open and angry young men stomped out into the night. I had missed seeing the Bill Buckner error on live TV. And for that I will be eternally grateful. Q: How did you pursue journalism after graduation? A: I was one of the lucky ones to have a job when I graduated. Somehow I had managed to get hired at a little weekly newspaper in Worcester. It was an undercapitalized start-up that had zero chance of success, but what did I know? My job paid poverty wages, but somebody had agreed to give me money to write. I got laid off later that summer, and then was hired by The Gardner News, my home-

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“i credit a couple critical encounters at assumption that directly affected how my career unfolded.” town paper. My parents had met there. My dad sold advertising; my mom worked in the office. I would not exist if not for that little paper. I later worked at newspapers in Marlborough and then Lowell, before spending 10 years at The Providence Journal. I left in a buyout in 2008, after a friend told me that Walter Cronkite once said that every man should quit a secure job at least once in his life. Later I tried to find the context for that quote, but I couldn’t. I don’t think Walter Cronkite ever said that. He might have said, “Nobody in his right mind would leave a secure job in the middle of the worst recession in 75 years.” Q: What sort of stories have you covered at The Boston Globe? What do you enjoy most about working there? A: After leaving The Providence Journal, I freelanced and worked on books for 18 months or so, and then got a job in the Washington, D.C., bureau of The Boston Globe. I covered Congress, mostly the U.S. Senate, and, from time-to-time, the White House. The next year, I transferred to the Globe’s Boston headquarters. My daily beat is the development of the state’s nascent casino industry. It’s a great beat, with interesting characters chasing after a big pile of money. I go off my beat sometimes for political stories around elections, and

for major news events such as the Boston Marathon bombing. The Globe is New England’s preeminent news source. These are the most talented colleagues I have ever had. I enjoy being part of this organization. Q. The casino question is a controversial subject right now. Will casinos help or hurt Massachusetts?

Q: How has journalism stayed the same? A: It still is about accuracy, fairness, storytelling and serving the reader, whether they read it on their phone or printed on a dead tree. Q: What recommendations do you have for an aspiring journalist or writer? A: If you like money, go to engineering school. Otherwise, writing is like hanging drywall or any other skill. When you first start, it takes a long time and doesn’t look so good. But like anything, you get better with practice. The writing process is not mystical. There is no “muse.” You are the muse. Writing is mind over buttocks. You have to put your buttocks in the chair and do it. Q: How do you balance the demands of your professional and personal life? A: Journalists work long and irregular hours. A story that breaks at 5 p.m. doesn’t care about your dinner plans at 6. Do what I did: Marry a journalist who understands this. Q: Have you received any awards for your writing? A: In April, The Boston Globe staff won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for our coverage of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. I am extremely honored to have worked on that coverage. Q: Why did you decide to become a mystery novelist? A: I started in the 1990s, after my editor at The Lowell Sun spiked my story on a community of heroin addicts who lived under a railroad bridge in downtown Lowell. The editor didn’t want me writing about addicts and refused to run the story. I suppose he thought it was bad for the city’s image. Of course, it is a mortal sin of journalism to hide the truth because it is bad PR. That’s politics, not journalism. At the time I was about two missed paychecks from homeless, so I couldn’t even quit in protest. Instead I started writing the story in fiction. That manuscript became my first novel, Spiked.

A. If casinos do open here, the answer to this question is probably going to be extremely personal for everyone. Like anything else, there will be winners and losers. If you’re supporting your family with a paycheck from, say, MGM Resorts, then you’re going to be pro-casino. (In fact, the lure of casino jobs has been the number-one factor whenever Massachusetts cities and towns have embraced the gambling industry. Struggling small cities that need blue-collar jobs have welcomed casino proposals; the more affluent suburbs that don’t really need the jobs have tended to bum-rush gambling executives right out of town.) On the other hand, if your spouse drains the retirement account to fund a destructive new blackjack habit, you’re likely to think the whole endeavor was a huge mistake. Q: How have the changes to journalism over the years affected how you do your job? A: The news cycle is continuous now. It is often not safe to hold a scoop for the next day’s paper. We break potentially competitive stories online now, practically all day long. I’m a competitive person, and I like fighting to get a story. If I can ruin a competitor’s day by breaking some news, that’s a good day for me.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration for your stories and the characters in your novels? A: I get them from life, really. I worked in Lowell and Providence and set novels in both places. I did one book with a major character in prison for murder. I wrote that book after spending two years interviewing a killer locked up in Rhode Island’s “Supermax” prison after committing four murders. At some level, though, sometimes as a novelist I’m just sitting there with a notebook scratching out ideas to make the story work. The best inspiration is a deadline. Q: Are you working on any new projects? A: I have a couple fiction projects in various stages of undone. I’ll be back. Q: What do you like to do in your spare time? A: My wife, Jennifer Levitz, and I like to hike and climb mountains. We visit National Parks, too, trying to tour a new park or two each year. We have done all the obvious ones in the U.S., and now we’re working on the more obscure ones. We did U.S. Virgin Islands National Park in March. Later this year we’ll explore some parks in Iceland.

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

A Full Plate

s a g e V in Hospitality executive Matt Erickson â&#x20AC;&#x2122;98 is managing the $500 million renovation of the famed Sahara into the new SLS Hotel & Casino

PhoTo: Jeff green

By Troy Watkins

matt erickson â&#x20AC;&#x2122;98, senior vice president, sbe entertainment, las vegas, nv

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

Not everything in Vegas is ruled by luck. Just ask Matt Erickson ’98. A senior vice president for sbe Entertainment Group, a major hospitality entity with 51 properties, 2,700 employees and more than $400 million in annual revenue, Erickson credits the well-rounded education he received as an English major and the leadership skills he developed as captain of the Greyhounds’ baseball team with laying the foundation for his career—and hard work and perseverance for making it flourish.

Growing up in nearby Holden, Erickson was enamored with Assumption’s reputation during his high school days. Its proximity to home, curriculum and beautiful campus, as well as the possibility of continuing his baseball playing career into college, lured him to Salisbury Street. On campus, he bonded with close friends, his two baseball coaches and the late Sports Information Director Steve Morris ’72. “They were all great mentors for me,” said Erickson. He was also grateful to share part of his Assumption experience with his brother, Brock, who played basketball for the Greyhounds while Matt was captain of the baseball team. Brock earned his Assumption degree in 2007.

“

oriented approach created a positive vibe, which ultimately trickled down to the guests,” he said. “The guests shared comments such as, ‘I don’t know what it is about this place, but it exudes such positive energy and because of that it makes my experience better, and I leave there being sort of pumped up, and it’s always fun.’” Erickson’s accomplishments in running restaurants and night clubs eventually led him to Los Angeles, where he met Sam Nazarian, CEO of sbe Entertainment Group. In 2009, he joined the company, which owns and manages properties from Los Angeles to Miami.. “I’ve been fortunate to work my way up through the ranks to senior vice president, reporting directly to the CEO,” Erickson said. On August 23, sbe will open SLS Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, a colossal building fully equipped with 1,600 hotel rooms, shopping outlets, restaurants, a casino and four night clubs. Erickson is in charge of the renovation—which, to put it mildly, is a huge responsibility. “Literally, overnight, this facility doubled the size of our company from a revenue standpoint and an employee standpoint,” he pointed out. The first fully financed resort to open in Vegas in almost five years,

I received a well-rounded education and experience at Assumption. All of my professors were engaging, took an interest in me personally, and provided a solid foundation for my career.

“I received a well-rounded education and experience at Assumption,” said Erickson. “All of my professors were engaging, took an interest in me personally, and provided a solid foundation for my career.” After graduation, Erickson moved to Boston to begin a career in investment banking but quickly realized the profession was not a good fit for him. Instead, he earned a bartending license and worked in an Italian restaurant for eight months. “I made cappuccinos and espressos on a day shift, and I loved it,” he recalls. “It was fun. I built relationships with regular guests.” This led to further opportunities, which Erickson doggedly pursued. “I pleaded my case and asked for a chance to manage,” he said. Impressed by his skill and drive, his employer gave him a shot. And, after making that transition, Erickson never looked back. “When you’re doing something you love that meshes with your skill set, you quickly progress,” he said. “I had a passion for people, enjoyed the fast-paced environment, dealing with guests’ issues, and building a team. I approached restaurants in a much different way than others had.” His experience as captain and leader of the Greyhounds baseball team formed the basis of his restaurant management method. “I took the servers, bartenders, prep cooks, line cooks and management and had full staff meetings and created a family- and team-oriented environment,” Erickson explained. “It was competitive, but in a friendly way. That approach was refreshing to many restaurateurs.” Success enabled Erickson to move to New York City, where he worked for China Grill and other restaurant companies. “The team-

”

SLS is located on the site of the old Sahara Casino, and is the northernmost property on the Las Vegas strip, with direct access to the city’s Monorail public transportation system. “We expect 3,000 visitors to visit SLS each day via the Monorail,” he said. Erickson is also managing a restaurant/nightclub called Double Barrel, which opened in March in front of the Monte Carlo resort, in addition to his work on the SLS hotel. Erickson believes his success stems from his passion for teambuilding and helping his employees move up in the company. “Being able to promote from within and grow my team is so fulfilling,” he said. “I’ve watched a woman that was a hostess six years ago become a general manager, and a guy that I mentored went from maître’ d to director of operations in six years. Helping people grow has been an amazing part of this journey.” Erickson also credited Nazarian, who earned his second consecutive Hotelier of the Year award in 2013, for his role in sbe’s rise. “Collaborating with a visionary like Sam Nazarian is out of this world,” he said. That collaboration has seemingly paid off. Last year, Open Table, the largest restaurant reservation provider in the country, published its top 100 hottest restaurants nationwide—and six of the top 10 were sbe-owned eateries. Further big plans are in the works as well, with expansions planned for New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, China and the Middle East. The company has also recently opened thriving Katsuya restaurants in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and Kuwait. For Erickson and sbe, 2013 will a difficult act to follow, but he doesn’t appear to be the type of person you’d want to bet against—not even in Las Vegas. Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

PhoToS: dan vaillanCourT

Chief Financial officer Ann Brady â&#x20AC;&#x2122;85Â embraces the challenge and satisfaction of building businesses.

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

Entrepreneurship from the

C A successful executive, investor and entrepreneur, Ann Brady â&#x20AC;&#x2122;85 knows that businesses donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t emerge fully formed into the world; they have to be grown. Careers are the same way.

-Suite B Y E LIzABETH WALKER

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Summer 2014

ow a high-profile chief financial officer who has found professional success, enduring passion and tremendous creativity, Brady appreciates how the values that resonated throughout her childhood—hard work, academic achievement and selfreliance—built the foundation for her rewarding career as an innovative executive, a creative entrepreneur and a strategic investor in health care, technology and emerging growth companies. Those three values are the personal touchstones that Brady’s parents instilled in each of their children. And, as a student at Assumption College, she found encouragement from her accounting professors to take the first steps into the world of finance. It was a career path she had never considered prior to her arrival on campus.

Great Expectations Brady, who began working at age 12, knew early on that her parents expected her—and her 11 siblings—to do well in school and to go to college. The Millbury native saved the money she earned babysitting and waiting tables as she worked her way through school, graduating 12th in her high school class. She knew that she would have to pay her own way through college. “I come from an incredibly hardworking family, so that—and the value of a dollar—was always instilled in me,” Brady said. “My father worked three jobs to take care of his family. My mother was a stay-athome mom until her youngest children started school. Then she went to work in the school library for 17 years. She was well-read and very vocal about education. She spent time with us, was interested in our school work, and helped us with it. “Growing up, my parents never said we couldn’t do things because we were women,” she added. “We were expected to do well in school and have a career. There was never any discussion about that.”

A change of plans A career in business, finance and entrepreneurship was not in Brady’s plan when she applied to Assumption. She was familiar with Assumption because her sister, Suzanne Brady ’82, G’83, had transferred here as a junior. Ann was initially attracted to Assumption’s foreign language curriculum, envisioning a career as a translator after graduation. She, however, discovered new academic and professional interests, and by her sophomore year she was a math major. Ann also added several accounting classes to her schedule, enjoying that field of study more so than advanced calculus. “All of my accounting professors were very good, strong teachers,” Brady said. “They really helped me understand accounting. It’s a different way of looking at the world. I think of accounting as a different language, which made it a good fit for me because I had an affinity for foreign languages. Professor [Bill] Sullivan, who taught tax classes, was a very colorful character. He helped to point my career in the right direction.”

Pay scale tips After graduating from Assumption in 1985 with a degree in accounting and finance Brady went to work for a public accounting firm in Westborough, MA. She was the only woman the firm hired as a junior accountant that year, and she soon learned that she was being paid less than her male peers.

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Summer 2014

“I worked there for a few years in public accounting, but I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted to do forever,” she said. “Also, I was struggling to pay my bills even though I was working full-time. I knew that I needed to continue my education and move forward in my career to make more money. I couldn’t do what I wanted to professionally without a ‘differentiator.’ I decided that an [Master of Business Administration (MBA)] would be the differentiator for me. It’s ironic that my first employer now manages my money for me and does my taxes. He and I are friends. It’s funny how things come about.” One of Brady’s accounting clients offered her a job as comptroller at his company, which also offered a tuition reimbursement benefit. She accepted the position. She also enrolled part-time in the MBA program at Clark University. Within two years, she reordered her schedule by taking a part-time job as a controller at a company in Worcester. The switch enabled her to go to school fulltime, while once again paying her own way. She earned an MBA from Clark in 1991. “For most of my career I’ve been a CFO for start-ups or emerging growth companies,” Brady said. “I’ve taken time out of full-time positions and started my own company. Through that entity, I’ve served, maybe half a dozen times, as an interim CFO for six months or a year, working with start-up companies to help get them off the ground. I work with them to put together the infrastructure they need and help pull together their pitch. “The CFO role has changed greatly over the years,” she added. “I consider myself to be an ‘operational CFO.’ That means I’m very involved in the start-up and day-to-day operation of the company.”

Serial executive and innovator Brady’s career has been built on moves that were both smart and bold. In the process, she has developed a reputation as an insightful, able leader and a strategic thinker; has brought numerous companies to public offerings; and raised more than $300 million in funding. She moved up the corporate ladder into increasingly influential executive positions in accounting and finance within healthcare, technology and other industries. In 2003, she founded her own consulting firm, New England Business Solutions Group, LLC (NEBSG), which offers

“growing up, my parents never said we couldn’t do things because we were women. we were expected to do well in school and have a career.” – ann brady ’85

“C-suite” (CEO, CFO and COO) expertise to early-stage companies. Today, Brady is the CFO at ShapeUp, Inc., a global provider of social networking and incentive-based employee wellness solutions used by more than 250 employers and health plans in more than 100 countries. The Providence, RI-based company has pioneered an innovative approach to behavior change that leverages the power of social networking, gaming, coaching and financial rewards to improve the health of employees and reduce healthcare costs. As CFO, she is responsible for ShapeUp’s financial performance and collaborates with the executive team on strategies to ensure the company’s continued stability and to accelerate its growth. Prior to joining ShapeUp in 2013, Brady was interim CFO at Apperian, Inc., a start-up in the mobile application management space; at Art Technology Group (ATG/Oracle), Health Payment Review, Inc. (HPR); and at uTest, a worldwide crowdsourcing company in software testing. As the inaugural CFO at ATG, she helped grow the global company from 100 to more than 1,500 employees and from $2 million to $250 million in revenue. By taking ATG public, she helped make it a successful international enterprise, raising more than $150 million. During her five years at HPR she built the company’s financial, operational and human resources infrastructure, and helped take it public, which resulted in a positive exit in a sale to McKesson/HBOC.

Gender gap Brady has seen the CFO role evolve and broaden over the years to encompass operations and strategic planning, as well as financial performance. Surprisingly, it is still common for her to be the only woman in the boardroom. She points to the results of a 2013 Catalyst census of Fortune 500 companies, which concludes that “…a massive gender gap still remains when it comes to those positions at the top...there has been little-to-no increase of female CEOs, CFOs and board members over the past three years.” Catalyst is a leading nonprofit organization with a research-based mission to expand opportunities for women and business. One way to increase the number of female CFOs, CEOs and COOs is to grow one’s own company, as Brady did. She learned valuable lessons when she launched New England Business Solutions Group

in 2003. Her clients have spanned a range of industries including software, services, biotechnology and environmental. Through NEBSG she has worked at Apperian and as interim CFO for FirstBest Systems, Inc. “It takes a long time and an incredible amount of persistence to start your own company,” Brady said. “You have to be willing to put yourself out there. Being a female CFO isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re in the limelight. If you don’t want to be judged or can’t stand the pressure, it’s not the job for you. What you want to do is what’s best for the company and for shareholder values. “Most people don’t view finance as creative, but I do,” she added. “It takes insight, strategy, creativity, persistence and experience to make the right decisions to put a company on a growth path. For me, it’s fun and challenging.”

Angels Calling Brady discovered a new avenue of rewarding challenges in 2009 when she received a call from Common Angels, an “angel fund” that invests in early-stage information technology start-ups in New England. Common Angels investors are current and former entrepreneurs and senior executives of technology companies who offer expertise, experience and connections to the carefully selected companies in which they invest. They also support the emerging company’s growth process. “They asked me to join the Common Angels board,” Brady said. “They also asked me to take on the CFO role at a specific company that had a business model similar to one of the companies that I had taken public. In addition, I would help to put together their financial infrastructure for a year. This was my introduction to the angel world in the Northeast. Once I started to get involved, I also joined Golden Seeds, which is for female CFOs.” Through those connections, Brady became more interested in start-ups. “I gained more insights and expertise in different models and different types of companies,” she said. “It expanded my networking, so I was able to pick up clients here and there for my consulting firm. Now, people come to me because they know I’ve been involved in the Angels world and have helped other companies secure needed funding.” In addition to being an Angels investor, Brady is an active member of a variety of networking groups. She is also an avid supporter of Dana Farber Cancer Research and engaged in volunteerism. So what’s next for her professionally? Brady says that she has become “almost addicted” to start-ups. “I love the energy that’s involved with entrepreneurs and their conviction in their models and their products,” she adds. “It’s really just a lot of fun to help them connect the dots—to help them build a viable healthy company. I enjoy what I do.”

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

alumni news Reunion Celebration 2014

andrew ’94 & Suzanne klinger viens ’94 and family

reunion class, from 1964 to 2009, were held that evening at various campus locations, while some reunioners took College-provided transportation to revisit a favorite Worcester watering hole. The Golden Greyhounds brunch took place Sunday morning, where alumni who graduated 50 years ago or more celebrated their golden achievement. Visit www.assumption.edu/alumniphotos to view photos from reunion and other recent alumni events.

PhoTo: niCola merCer ’14 PhoTo: laurie Palumbo ’96

eturning to campus for reunion weekend June 13–15 were nearly 500 alumni, family and friends. On Saturday, the Alumni Awards Ceremony (see article on p. 33) was followed by the College’s first food truck festival, where guests sampled treats from a variety of culinary vendors. Some alumni played yard games at the Multi-sport Stadium, while others took a dip in the pool before Mass. Class gatherings and celebrations for each

Class of ’69

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

PhoTo: Palumbo

Class of ’89

PhoTo: Palumbo

Class of ’94

Class of ’94 Class of 2004

Class of ’79

PhoTo: merCer

Class of 2009

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

alumni newS From the Alumni Association President Katie Hall CE’04

elcome to the Class of 2014! It was my pleasure to formally welcome you to the Alumni Association at Commencement. And, despite ominous weather reports, it turned out to be such a gorgeous day. Congratulations! Thank you to our alumni who introduced Assumption to many high school students. Thanks to you we will soon welcome a strong and diverse incoming Class of 2018. Reunion was a great weekend for our anniversary year alumni. The new Food Truck Festival was extremely popular and made for an ideal place to meet with or make friends – regardless of class year and with

or without your family. We’ll definitely plan to build upon this successful event. Many alumni joined us for another fun event at the Hyannis Yacht Club in July as well as at the Athletics Golf Outing at The Highfields in Grafton. The annual Fr. Bissonnette Invitational Golf Tournament, which supports athletics and the general scholarship fund has a new date this year – Monday, September 8, at the Worcester Country Club. Some new member services will be finalized shortly including a mortgage program that could save you up to $1,000 in closing costs; a financial management program; and auto and life insurance. Once finalized, they will be posted to the website. Please join us for Fall Homecoming on September 27 and our upcoming events like a Disney show in New York City; the Hartford Golf Club in CT; a downtown Boston reception; and the annual Breakfast with Santa program. Enjoy the rest of this beautiful summer.

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Four honored with Alumni Awards he married Jenny Clark ’05. Ed McDonald ’84, P’12, ’16 received the Jack L. Bresciani ’72 Outstanding Alumni Award for his continued enthusiastic service and devotion to the advancement of the Alumni Association; untiring, loyal, outstanding and unselfish efforts in fostering the ideals, spirit, traditions and growth of Assumption College; and for distinguished achievement. McDonald is president of the Boston regional alumni club and a class agent. He has served on several reunion committees and attends numerous alumni events. A 2004 inductee to Assumption’s Alumni-Athletics Hall of Fame, Ed and wife Karen (Checola) ’84 have four children—Erin, Casey, Eddie ’12 and James ’16. “It is a pleasure to serve my alma mater,” said McDonald. “The people I’ve made friends with here are friends for life.” Tom Manning ’69 was awarded with the Fr. Louis Dion, A.A. ’35 Outstanding Achievement Award, which is given to alumni who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their chosen field of interest. Candidates for this award have outstanding leadership skills, community service, business acumen, preeminence in teaching or research, and/or entrepreneurship. Manning is a current Assumption trustee, a President’s Council member and the founder of the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine. He also helped launch Consortium in Comparative Neuroimaging between University of Massachusetts Medical School and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Manning has served on numerous Assumption College committees and has been a recipient of several awards for his dedicated service. In his remarks, Tom gave special thanks to the Assumptionists. “They were a huge part of our formation and enhanced our community spirit,” he said. “They taught us the ability to debate and learn about our own sense of faith and responsibility. I am deeply appreciative to them.”

PhoTo: niCola merCer ’14

Three loyal alumni and one dedicated administrator received recognition awards from the Alumni Association during reunion weekend. Stephanie McCaffrey received the Honorary Alumna Award for her outstanding devotion and generosity to Assumption and the Alumni Association. McCaffrey has served as AC’s associate director of Campus Ministry for 13 years. Active in various campus ministry programs, McCaffrey organized two reunions for START I and II birthday retreats, which brought several alumni back to campus, and administers the Emmaus retreat each year for alumni of the START programs. During reunion weekend, McCaffrey also takes charge of Campus Ministry team reunions at her home, which helps her maintain relationships with alumni. “Stephanie lives out the College’s motto, Until Christ Be Formed in You, every day,” said Ashley Januszewski ’13, in her introduction. “And she continues to encourage students to develop Christ in their own lives.” McCaffrey gave special thanks to Amy Logue ’01 and Erin Jones Barata ’01, who, as students, teamed to create the START retreat program, which McCaffrey now administers. Geoff LaMarche ’04 received the Young Alumnus Award, given annually to an alumnus/a who graduated in the last 10 years; has demonstrated leadership, supported the Alumni Association and embodied the mission of Assumption College and/or has made outstanding contribution to his/her profession or community. In his introduction of Geoff, Ryan Murphy ’03 said, “His drive, involvement and passion to support the College, Church and community has not subsided after graduation.” LaMarche is an independent insurance adjuster and executive vice president at his family-owned insurance company, LaMarche Associates. He is a class agent, has been a President’s Council Associate member since he graduated and was on the 2009 Reunion Committee. In July 2013,

alumni award recipients (l-r) Stephanie mcCaffrey ha’14, ed mcdonald ’84, President Cesareo, geoff lamarche ’04 and Tom manning ’69

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

Class notes

The deadline for the fall issue is Sept.7.

aSSumPTion College

’51 Marcel Peloquin was inducted in May into the Mount St. Charles Academy Athletic Hall of Fame for his athletic accomplishments on the hockey and baseball teams. At Assumption, he was a threetime .400 hitter and had an RBI average of 1.44 per game, a record that still stands.

’60 Andy Gelinas serves as senior advisor for strategy distribution at Rollstone Bank and Trust’s wealth management division and as a special advisor for information technology at the Massachusetts Trial Court in Boston.

’61

members of the aC Class of 1954 and Prep Class of 1950 held a “mini-reunion” on campus in may. Celebrating their 60th reunion this year were (l-r): dave Picard aP’50, Paul Peloquin, andre Paradise, fr. eugene laPlante, norm valiquette, bob Chasse, bob dugas aP’50 and Paul Thomas.

Roger Dubuque and wife Joyce received the Mother Teresa Pro-Life Award from Bishop McManus at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Worcester in March.

’67 Rev. Richard Ryscavage, S.J., an immigration expert and Federal Task Force committee member, met with Pope Francis at the Vatican in May to express his concern about young migrants around the world shortly aer the immigration crisis in Texas came to light. Fr. Richard is director of the Center for Faith and Public Life and a professor of sociology and anthropology at Fairﬁeld University.

’68 Lionel Lamoureux is the owner of Lamoureux Ford in East Brookﬁeld, which was ranked ﬁrst among an elite group of Ford Dealerships to be recognized with a 2013 President’s Award by Ford Motor Company. Recognizing the dealership’s exceptional customer service and satisfaction, this

Assumption College Magazine

award is the 17th consecutive earned by Lamoureux Ford and 20th overall. Tom O’Connor retired in June aer 20 years as athletic director at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, and 40 years of involvement in NCAA Division I athletics. He will remain at the university in a fundraising role until his full retirement in January 2015.

’71 James Hanley was recently appointed dean and professor at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine in Portland, ME. Mike Tsotsis was appointed as a tri-chair of the United Way of Central Massachusetts 2014-15 campaign. Mike is president and CEO of Beneﬁt Development Group in Worcester and a member of the College’s board of trustees. Mike Wilbur and wife Patty celebrated the graduation of their daughter, Kathleen, from Assumption in May. She completed her degree in three years. Mike thanks his classmates for

Summer 2014

contributing to e Assumption Fund, which helps to provide scholarships to deserving Assumption students.

’73 Laurie D’Amico Tigan retired as executive director of Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester. Laurie and husband Mark reside in Winchester, NH. Patti Field Verderese received the Inspire by Example Award in May from the United Way of Central Massachusetts for her volunteer work at the Nativity School of Worcester.

’75

40th

Reunion

Keith Krauss shared that his son, Conor, was draed in the 20th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the MLB Dra and signed a contract. Conor is a right-handed relief pitcher with a 97 MPH fastball who had completed his junior year at

Submit your Class Notes online at www.assumption.edu/classnotes Seton Hall University. Paul Lynsky was appointed executive director of the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation.

’76 Ellen Costigan McSherry (pictured below with her daughters) as honored by the Executive Women of New Jersey at its “Salute to the Policy Makers” awards dinner in May. Ellen is chief operational oﬃcer of the New Jersey Society of Certiﬁed Public Accountants. Proceeds from the annual dinner fund scholarships for women enrolled in graduate programs in New Jersey’s institutions of higher learning.

’78 Stephen Flanagan is executive director/global FX ecommerce risk coordinator at J.P. Morgan in New York City.

’80

35th

Reunion

Richard Burke was honored by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce as 2014 Chamber Advocate of the Year in May. Richard is president of senior care services and government planning for Fallon Community Health Plan. Laura Vaught Lincoln was recently appointed as executive director of the Texas Conference of Churches and the U.S. coordinator of the International Lutheran Episcopal Society. Lincoln spoke in Liverpool, England about “New Models of Ecumenism” and “Ecumenism in North America.” Mary Ann Murphy has been named the new town treasurer/collector in Auburn.

’82 ’77 Rob Blanchflower, the son of Bob and Liz Cafaro Blanchflower, was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 7th round of the 2014 NFL Dra. Rob is the all-time leader in receiving yards for a tight end at UMass-Amherst, where he was a senior last fall. Phil Harris was appointed in April as vice president of sales and marketing at Protocol Networks. Donald Morrison is chief operating officer at BPN, a global, full-service media agency based in New York City. Christine Cannon Marcks has been elected to a two-year term as chair of the YMCA of the U.S.A. national board of directors. Chris is president of Prudential Retirement and a member of AC’s board of trustees. Gathering at an alumni reception sponsored by Chris Froelich ’77 in New Jersey in March were Chuck Franco ’75, Ellen Costigan McSherry ’76, Keith Kraus ’75, Patrick Hanly ’92, Tom Law ’08, Dave Benoit ’76, Bernie Demorville ’68, Mike Wisniewski ’69, Erin Ran ’06 and Bob Smith ’71.

Paul Carpentier, owner of In His Image Family Medicine in Gardner and a 2014 AC honorary degree recipient, had his research on the treatment of infertility presented by research partner Dr. Mark Rollo at the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine’s annual meeting in England in July. Margaret Hackett was appointed in March to join the Board of Directors for the Democratic Town Committee in Manchester, CT. She is a performance consultant with New Jersey-based Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

’83 Dean Hildreth joined the commercial banking group in the eastern Massachusetts market for People’s United Bank in Boston in March. Dean is a senior relationship manager. Sandra Merlini wrote and presented a poem, in French, entitled “Princesse Grace de Monaco” at the February meeting of the Longfellow Poetry Society in Sudbury.

mary beth benison ’83 Cocobeni Confections It was a long and circuitous route to get where Mary Beth Benison ’83 wanted to be, but in October 2011 she arrived, opening a pastry shop, CocoBeni Confections, in Northborough. CocoBeni sells custom cakes, gourmet cupcakes and cookies, as well as Emack and Bolio’s ice cream. The store offers a variety of flavored cupcakes, including chocolate coconut, Almond Joy, double chocolate and more, and the flavors are always changing. In 2013, CocoBeni was awarded with Taste of the Borough’s “Best Dessert.” After earning a BA in business from Assumption, Benison worked for the Central Mass Safety Council’s Alcohol Education program for three years, then spent 20 years with Aspect Software. A battle with a brain tumor and breast cancer created some daunting personal hurdles to clear, but surviving them heightened her drive to enjoy life more. She eventually sought an opportunity to follow her true passion and open a bakery. After taking a one-day pastry class ignited her desire, she embarked on an intensive course of study with master pastry chef Delphin Gomes, and eventually earned her pastry chef certification. Though the route to fulfilling her dream had many obstacles, Mary Beth is thrilled to be doing what she is passionate about. At Assumption’s Reunion Weekend in June, Mary Beth was among the vendors at the first “Food Tuck Festival,” sharing CocoBeni’s culinary creations to the delight of many alumni and guests. For more info, visit www.cocobeniconfections.com

Assumption College Magazine

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ClaSS noTeS

’84 Cedric Ellis was appointed senior vice president and chief human resources oﬃcer in March for CUNA Mutual Group in Madison, WI.

’85

30th

Reunion

Diane LeDoux McGuire and husband Frank G’74 were featured in the J.E.M.S. eatre’s June production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Anyone Can Whistle” in Boylston. Holly Polglase was named the 2014 Defense Lawyer of the Year by the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association for “best demonstrating the ideals of the legal profession.” She is lead counsel in the defense and trial of complex product liability, pharmaceutical, medical device, toxic tort, asbestos, general liability and commercial matters.

Kirsten’s cancer is in remission, while Tim is receiving treatment for leukemia at Boston’s DanaFarber Cancer Institute. Kathy Shaw was honored as Lay Person of the Year in August at the annual conference of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.

’96

’89

’98

Gathering at an alumni reception in Puerto Rico in March at the home of Lilliam Alonso Miller ’89, P’17 (far le) were (L-R): Carlos Grovas ’89, Aileen Blasini ’89, Eddie Sanchez ’88, Linda Burlingame Rosenlund ’82 and Augustin Auﬀant ’83 (Missing from photo: Ana Lillian Casas ’89 and Arnaldo Santacruz ’89)

Carl Cafaro earned a spot on the 2013 Top 40 Under 40 list by On Wall Street, which provides financial advisors with the best information and analysis in the industry. Carl is a financial advisor with his own Merrill Lynch practice in Newton. Amanda Leo married Keith Riley on 5/24/14. She is employed by the law offices of Harry Schochat in Woodbridge, CT. e Rileys reside in Naugatuck, CT. Agnieszka Majda Marshall was promoted in March to director of prevention services at the non-profit mental health agency Tykes & Teens Prevention Services in Stuart, FL. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified addictions professional and has been with Tykes & Teens for eight years. Jessica Carneiro Mazzaccaro was promoted in February to manager in real estate production for American Eagle Federal Credit Union. Shawn Paul was featured in an article by Worcester Telegram & Gazette columnist Dianne Williamson in April. He survived a liver transplant as an undergraduate and a bout with lymphoma last year. Successful chemotherapy treatments resulted in a cancer-free diagnosis and Shawn is taking courses to become an EMT.

’86 Ray Fagnant was honored in September by the Boston Red Sox for his 20 years of service as Northeast regional scouting director, tryout camp director and baseball clinician. He was enshrined in the Holyoke Catholic Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. Ron Shadbegian is a senior economist at the EPA’s National Center for Environmental Economics and an adjunct professor for Georgetown University’s Department of Economics and McCourt School of Public Policy. He is serving as the senior economist for energy and the environment at the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House.

’87

’91 Jeﬀ Hunt was named head football coach at Spaulding High School in Rochester, NH, prior to the 2013 season. Hunt is also senior pastor at the First United Methodist Church in Rochester.

’92

BIRTH: Alana Connolly Mitchell and husband Eric welcomed son William Alan on 5/9/13. He joins sister Julia (3).

Mary Rouleau Piorun was awarded a Ph.D. from Simmons College School of Library and Informational Science in January. omas Siminsky, S.J. was ordained a priest on 6/14/14 in Rochester, NY.

’88

’93

Tim O’Neill and wife Kirsten were featured in an article published in e Providence Journal in April. ey were both diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and this year ran the Boston Marathon together to write their own story of resilience.

John Carroll is the head boys’ basketball coach at Northﬁeld Mount Hermon in Gill. Alex Smith has authored and published a children’s book, e Nantucket Boat, illustrated by Kathryn Selbert. It is available at meegenius.com.

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

Eric Eyles has been working as an educational coordinator at Pivot Charter School in Riverview, FL, since January.

’99

15th

Reunion

Jeﬀrey Cotton is head of compliance at Americas, Aberdeen Asset Management in Philadelphia, PA. Aida Lembo, an aspiring actress, appeared in the May 8 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC. John Leonard married Sydonie Leonard on 10/19/13. John is an educational sales specialist with Mathworks in Natick. Classmates of cancer patient April Gentes Robert hosted a fundraising event on campus in April to help April and her family with medical expenses. BIRTH: Major Patrick Collins USMC and wife Brianne announce the birth of son Liam Dennis on 4/7/14. He joins brother Shaimus. e family resides in Tampa, FL.

Submit your Class Notes online at www.assumption.edu/classnotes

’01 Matthew Sisk was appointed honorary chairman for the Massachusetts Republican State Convention. Aer graduating from Assumption, Sisk was the director of board and commission appointments for Gov. Paul Cellucci and Gov. Jane Swi.

’02 BIRTHS: Nicole Leone Laviolette and husband Mark announce the birth of son Jack Francis on 11/14/13. He joins sister Lea. Stephanie Fleming Montessi and husband Michael welcomed son Tyler John on 5/23/13. Stephanie is the senior human resources business partner for Amazon’s MYHABIT online fashion business. e Montessi family resides in Greenwich, CT.

Several greyhounds gathered in december to help rich graham ’05 find a bone marrow match at a bone marrow drive on campus. front row: Catherine umina ’04, amanda foisy ’05, amy logue ’01. back row: frank woods ’05, mike Saegh ’05, Courtney deangelis Collier ’05, rich graham and Courtney margarum ’04.

’03 Evan Gallagher is as vice president and the director of life sciences and emerging technology companies at NAI Hunneman in Boston, where he has been employed since 2002.

’04 Kendra Rozett joined the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire’s board of directors as a junior board member in April. Kendra is the public safety IT/network administrator for the Wilmington Police Department. She resides in Manchester, NH.

’06 Kristina Hedden is vice president of marketing for BNE Real Estate Group in Livingston, NJ. BIRTHS: Alexis Derderian Freitas and husband Matthew welcomed daughter zoe Alice on 1/6/14. Kerry Sullivan Moore and husband Stephen announce the birth of daughter Amelia Isaline on 2/17/14. Christina Paskalis Rogan and husband Artie ’04 welcomed daughter Caroline Elizabeth on 4/22/14.

Alumni partner in Junior Achievement event Christina Paskalis Rogan ’06, Artie Rogan ’04, Krista Messina ’06 and Katie Nangle ’13 participated in a volunteer teaching event with Unum and Junior Achievement ( JA) at Venerini Academy in Worcester on April 15. The alumni spoke about how volunteerism helps to make the community a better place in which to live and informed students in grades 1–3 about the functions and importance of various jobs in the community. “The JA materials brought concepts to life and made learning fun for all the students,” said Christina Rogan, who has taught at Venerini for six years. JA uses age-appropriate curricula with students, beginning at the elementary school level, to teach students how they can impact the world as individuals, workers and consumers. JA programs continue through middle and high school grades, preparing students for future economic and workforce issues. Artie Rogan, Messina and Nangle are employed by Unum.

Assumption College Magazine

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giana battista ’10 interactive media producer

PhoTo: dan vaillanCourT

For someone who graduated from Assumption just four years ago Giana Battista ’10 has gained much experience and wisdom in her young career. She has already interned or worked for WPRI-TV in Providence, CNN in New York City, the Worcester Sharks, TD Garden, NESN and the Boston Red Sox. Battista earned a master’s degree in TV Production from Boston University and learned much about a variety of positions available in event production and media relations from her numerous experiences. “When I was a freshman at Assumption, I told myself that when I graduated, I didn't want to feel like, ‘Now what?’ Just because you get a diploma and you graduate from college, doesn’t mean that people should be banging on your door offering you a job. You should be banging on their door, getting your name out there, and working toward getting a job.” Currently, Battista is the assistant director/producer for the Athletics’ Interactive Media/Video Department at Boston College. She produces football, basketball and some hockey home games. Battista and co-workers create and display the graphics and videos during games. This September will mark three years at BC for Battista, but she aims to develop her future plans one step at a time. “I want to constantly be bettering myself and seizing the best opportunities that I see appropriate. I would love to one day get into TV, producing and directing. Hopefully one day soon, my name will be in the credits of some really cool show. That would be nice. We’ll see!”

5th

’10

Reunion

Shauna DiCecca was appointed in June as an oﬃce administrator at JM Coull, Inc., a construction ﬁrm based in Maynard. Lisa “Lise” Keeney is an account executive for Small Girls PR in Brookyln, NY. Michael Paglione earned a master’s of social work degree from Boston College in May. He is an in-home family therapist in the Hartford, CT, area. Lauren Seitz married Daniel Viveiros on 3/22/14 in Mendon, MA. Lauren works for Harvard Apparatus. e couple resides in Uxbridge.

’11 Nestor Rubiano is a branch manager at Santander Bank in New Haven, CT. Cerilenne Menendez Mendoza is the head of U.S. supplier sales to Latam for Linio - Rocket Internet GmbH in Mexico.

’12 Jonathon & Katie DiBuono Weaver ’08 announce the birth of McKayla Grace on 6/4/14. Jon received the Young Leader Award from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette at the Visions Community Awards program in March. Jon is a senior project manager at the Worcester Business Development Corp. e Weavers reside in Auburn.

’07 Heather Kessler is assistant director of new student orientation and support programs at Johnson & Wales University. In March 2014, Kessler received the Region IX Outstanding New Professional Award from the Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education.

’08 Amanda Krutiak married Michael Rosenburg on 9/28/13 in Adams. Alumni in attendance included maid of honor Allissa Tatro ’08 and bridesmaid Jessica Kingston ’08.

Assumption College Magazine

’09 Several members of the Class of 2009 have participated in the American Lung Association of the Northeast’s “Fight for Air Climb.” is February will mark the team’s 6th year climbing 82 ﬂights of stairs in one of Boston’s tallest buildings. e “Assumption Alumni ’09 & Co.” Team was established by a friend of Cassie Cliﬀord to support Cassie’s dad, who was battling lung cancer. Last year, the team raised more than $7,000 and it has earned awards for the biggest team and most spirited over the years. Allison DeVita received the 2014 Faculty Recognition for Academic/Clinical Excellence Award from the School of Nursing at MGH Institute of Health Professions, a graduate school founded by Massachusetts General Hospital, during the Boston health sciences graduate school’s commencement ceremonies in May, where she earned a BS in nursing. She was recognized for her exceptional work with elderly patients during her community health clinical rotation at Program for Inclusive Care for the Elderly of the North Shore.

Summer 2014

Stephanie Bouley had the research she conducted as part of her undergraduate honors thesis published in the May 2014 issue of Virology. She is a ﬁrst year graduate student at Dartmouth College, pursuing a Ph.D. in experimental and molecular medicine. Rick Giovino, a cancer survivor, hosted the “Don’t Ever Lay Up” Golf Tournament in June at Melrose’s Mount Hood Golf Course, where Rick works part-time in the pro shop. Last year, the charity golf tournament he cohosted had raised $21,000 for the Jimmy Fund at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he was treated.

’13 Mark Forster is the general manager at Olympic Fitness in North Attleboro. Erin Sliney pledged to perform 10 months of national service with the Federal Emergency Management Agency Corps.

News to share? e-mail alumni@assumption.edu. include photos with names and graduation years of alumni pictured.

Submit your Class Notes online at www.assumption.edu/classnotes

’14 Stephanie Balesano spent the summer as a 2014 Alvan T., Viola D. Fuller American Cancer Society junior research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She received an ACS grant to study breast cancer heterogeneity using cell lines and human samples. Kathryn Beall was appointed as head women’s lacrosse coach at Nichols College in June. Kathryn was a four-year standout for the Greyhounds, a two-year captain, an electee to the Northeast-10 Second Team in 2014 and a participant in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association/DeBeer Division II North/South Senior All-Star Game. Kathryn Buckley was hired as a disability beneﬁt specialist for Unum in Worcester. She has been a member of the United Way of Central Massachusetts’ Women’s Initiative for three years and has joined its marketing committee. In June, she was named the UWCM’s member of the month. Several studio art and/or graphic design majors had their work displayed in a June art exhibition at Worcester’s Sprinkler Factory. e artists included: Sara Bonnick, Lauren Brown, Sadiya Bruce, Jennifer Chapman, Alyssa Connell, Ben Gadwah, Jen King, Alyssa Lombardi, Kyle MacGovern, Lindsey MacLean, Karalyn McCann, Nicola Mercer, Danielle Oullette, Courtney Parece, William Phillips, Caitlin Reilly, Jessica Reimers and Ania Szemiot.

william Phillips ’14 and his work

WEBLINK indicates that a wedding photo is Note: available online at www.assumption.edu/alums/ Alumni/weddings.html

graduaTe STudieS John G’76 and eresa Boucher G’83 have published over 350 religious articles and, in February, published their most recent book,

Sharing the Faith that You Love: Four Simple Ways to be Part of the New Evangelization. Sharon Smith Viles G’83 sponsored a new exhibit at the Sprinkler Factory Gallery in May. Sheila Harrity G’92, the 2014 MetLife/National Association of Secondary School Principals’ High School Principal of the Year (see winter 2014 issue, p.38), earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Northeastern University in 2013. She also testified at a hearing before the Congressional Subcommittee on early childhood, elementary and secondary education, in 2013. In May 2014, she received honorary degrees from both Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Becker College. Finally, on June 11, President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at the graduation ceremony for the National Blue Ribbon-winning Worcester Technical High School, where she has served as principal since 2006. Annie Parkinson G’92 is the Suboxone coordinator for the Homeless Outreach and Advocacy Program. She was featured in a Worcester Telegram & Gazette article in April to discuss the harms of addiction and the road to recovery. Brian Sullivan G’93 serves as principal consultant for Stambaugh Ness Business Solutions. Vicky Fontaine G’00 was appointed in May as director of account management for Elevation Exhibits & Events, an award-winning exhibit design and event planning firm in Shrewsbury. Meeghan Karle Mousaw G’05 and her mother, Madreen Karle, have created Mrs. Karle’s Sight and Sound Reading Program. It is a unique, free website and blog that teaches children to read. Madreen is a retired first grade teacher. Meeghan earned a M.A. in special education from AC. Visit www.sightandsoundreading.com for more info. Gregory Myers G’05 was appointed superintendent of Millbury Public Schools in June. He had served as principal of Quaboag Regional Middle-High School for the past five years. Marco Charamella G’09 married Kelly Fitzpatrick on 6/29/13. He is in the corporate real estate department at Northeast Utilities. Margaret Prunier G’10 has established a private practice as counselor at Fertile Ground Mental Health Office in East Greenwich, RI. Kevin Paturzo ‘10 is an information technology associate for Manchester Capital Management in Manchester, VT Lauren Vulcano G’14 is a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Seventy-two BBs/shrapnel pieces struck her body when the first bomb exploded. One broke a bone in her ear,

which has required three surgeries and caused many sleepless nights. Despite stress fractures in both feet, Lauren ran with her mother in the 2014 Boston Marathon, and crossed the ﬁnish line hand-in-hand with her mom in 6:11. A Northborough resident, Lauren’s story was featured in a pair of newspaper articles, the Metrowest Daily News prior to the race and the Community Advocate aer completing the marathon. Lauren earned a M.A. in school counseling.

in memoriam Lawrence Vachon AP’48 died March 9, 2014 William Brunelle AP’53 died April 18, 2014 Adrien Berthiaume AP’54 died April 7, 2014 Msgr. Willis West ’59 died February 21, 2014 Larry Mullaly AP’65 Died June 12, 2014 Mary Faucher CE’63 died May 17, 2014 Sr. Marie Finneron CE’65 died April 30, 2014 Jean Larkin CE’68 died April, 24, 2014 Kevin Devine ’70 died May 3, 2014 Arthur Mulrain G’70 died April 14, 2014 Joan Burke G’74 died April 21, 2014 Gary Caoette ’75 died April 16, 2014 Alan Nordberg G’75 died April 27, 2014 Joseph P. Bobinski ’76 died May 8, 2014 Dr. James Spencer, Jr. ’77 died May 2, 2014 Gail Harlow G’86 died March 5, 2014 Mary Morin CE’94 died April 13, 2014 Shirley Ann Platts CE’94 died March 12, 2014 Kevin M. Jurgens ’09 died April 22, 2014

Assumption College Magazine

Summer 2014

THE GREYHOUND CLUB Your gift helps Assumption Athletics excel. Libby Gajewski ’17, an accounting major from Biddeford, ME, is a member of the women’s swimming and diving team which won the 2013–14 Northeast-10 Championship, snapping Southern Connecticut State University’s run of 11 consecutive titles. During the conference championship meet Libby set three Assumption records and was later named NE-10 Rookie of the Year. When Libby arrived at Assumption last fall she and her teammates started training immediately. “It was tough—swimming for two hours and working out for half an hour daily. I had never lifted weights before, but the TRX equipment and the free weights in the new varsity weight room were amazing. Those workouts helped a lot.” Libby found that life as a student-athlete can be challenging, especially managing her time, but she credits coach Stuart Cromarty with helping the team stay on track. “Stuart is a good coach and also a biology professor, so he knows that academics come first and he works to ensure that we have the proper balance between coursework and training.” Last season’s success, according to Libby, “was truly a result of teamwork,” she said. “I think next season will be another great one for our team. We are going to work hard to improve our performance and hope to win more championships.” Gifts to the Greyhound Club provide Assumption’s more than 500 student-athletes, like Libby, with the opportunity to compete and excel on the playing field, court, rink or in the pool. Your gift will help fund training, equipment and facilities for today’s Greyhounds.

P LEASE

CONSIDER MAKING A GIFT TO THE

G REYHOUND C LUB

TODAY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE

OR BY VISITING WWW. ASSUMPTION . EDU / DONATE

PhoTo: laurie Palumbo ’96

“TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO A COLLEGE THAT I BELIEVE IN SO DEEPLY IS HIGHLY REWARDING,” J A C K B A R N O S K Y ’64

Paying it forward This year, in honor of his 50th reunion, Jack Barnosky ’64 made a planned gift by naming Assumption in his will, which will benefit the College and its students in the future. “To give something back to a college that I believe in so deeply is highly rewarding,” he said. A founding partner at Farrell Fritz, P.C. in Uniondale, NY in 1976, Jack was listed in The Best Lawyers in America publication in 2012 and 2013, and specializes in the area of trust and estate litigation. Barnosky has served the College as a member of its Board of Trustees for 10 years, among many other committees. Assumption provided a similar experience in nature to the Jesuit education that Barnosky had received in high school. “We learned to think and tackle issues rather than memorizing facts,” he said. After graduating from Assumption as an English major, Jack opted for a career in law. “As it turns out, I was more cut out to be a lawyer,” he reasoned. “It’s been a very rewarding experience for me.” His motivation to give back to his alma mater stems from its mission and its core. “I truly believe in the liberal arts tradition,” he said. “The skill sets that young lawyers typically lack are those of writing and expression, and that is something that I learned and treasure from my Assumption education. I hope to help others pursue their college education at Assumption. It’s my turn to pay it forward.”

Contact Melanie Demarais at 508-767-7332 or visit assumption.edu/plannedgiving

Estate tax savings on charitable bequests For persons whose estates are large enough to be subject to both Federal and State estate tax, a bequest to a charity such as Assumption College can produce substantial estate tax savings: • Combined federal and state estate tax brackets in many states are about 50%. Accordingly, a $100,000 bequest in a person’s will to Assumption will cost the family only $50,000 because of the availability of a $100,000 charitable deduction. • The savings is even greater if instead of a bequest in a will, the provision for the College is made through an IRA or other qualified plan. Such plans are subject to both estate tax (at 50%) and income tax (at 40% at the top level). This can produce a combined effective rate on IRA proceeds (after taking into account some offsetting deductions) of over 80%. Thus, a gift of $100,000 from an IRA to the College would cost the family only $20,000. Your attorney or tax advisor can provide further details.

500 Salisbury Street Worcester, MA 01609-1296 www.assumption.edu

Light the way.

THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESENTS

Fall Homecoming September 26–28, 2014

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 6:00 p.m.

Alumni-Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Dinner, hagan hall register online at: www.assumptiongreyhounds.com inductees: • Charlie aleksiewicz ‘65 (baseball, basketball, contributions) • Jeff Scott ‘74 (basketball) • bryan moore ‘00 (basketball) • allison reyell murphy ‘05 (soccer) • Jenny mongeau lane ‘06 (lacrosse) reservations are required.

SATuRDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 Alumni games: Softball and basebsall men’s lacrosse football men’s Soccer Color in Motion 5k Fun Run, Campus Alumni Admissions Day, Testa Science Center atrium Alumni Pavilion Pre-game Tailgate, multi-sport Stadium Pavilion see below for costs and to rSvP Noon-3:00 p.m. Family Weekend Carnival 1:00 p.m. Football vs. LIu Post, multi-sport Stadium 7:00 p.m. Varsity Men’s Soccer Game, mSS bookstore is open 10am to 10pm! 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Noon

Homecoming Package Special Discounted game ticket, tailgate food (grinders, chili, chips and desserts),complimentary soda, beer and water until kick-off, and an Assumption souvenir! In advance until 9/19: $25 per person; $20 for graduates of the last decade (gold); $15 for children to age 12 At the door: $30 p/p, $25 gold; $20 children rSvP: cn.lazaros@assumption.edu or call 508-767-7205 to reserve your package!

SuNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

Mass, Chapel of the holy Spirit Women’s Lacrosse Game, multi-sport Stadium

fall alumni evenTS SePTember 4–5 • Notre Dame game reception SePTember 8 • Fr. Bissonnette Invitational Golf Tournament, Worcester Country Club SePTember 20 • Assumption Prep Reunion • Women’s Soccer alumni game

visit assumption.edu/alumni for event updates.

oCTober 9 • Connecticut reception, The Hartford Golf Club oCTober 25 • President’s Council Dinner, Mechanics Hall november 16 • New York City Disney reception & show, New Amsterdam Theatre

deCember 7 • Breakfast with Santa deCember • Boston Young Alumni event, location and date TBD Save The daTe: • 2015 Reunion Weekend – June 14-15