Assumption University Magazine | Winter 2022

ASSUMPTION

Community Collaboration

The Assumption-NECC partnership highlights a mutual commitment to community and service.

BLESSING OF THE HANDS

Froelich School of Nursing students participated in the first annual Blessing of the Hands ceremony to honor the commencement of their clinical education.

see story on page 10.

IN THIS ISSUE

6 A Community Partnership Blooms

With a mutual commitment to service and education, the exciting new Assumption-NECC partnership offers students opportunities for internships, research, and jobs.

20

D’Amour Ribbon Cutting

The D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dedication celebrates the essence of a Catholic liberal education.

24 A Mission to Inspire

Assumption’s inspirational new mission statement reflects the institution’s evolution into a University – and a little poetry, too.

31 Field Hockey Makes History

The Greyhounds complete a record-breaking season as program continues to roll.

DEPARTMENTS

2 FROM THE PRESIDENT

10 CAMPUS NEWS

36 CLASS NOTES

44 LAST WORDS ON THE COVER Amanda Albanesi ’20, NECC teacher and graduate student in Assumption’s ABA program, and one of her students. See story on page 6.

A Mission Steeped in Timeless History

DURING FOUNDERS WEEK IN SEPTEMBER, THE UNIVERSITY’S NEW MISSION STATEMENT WAS INTRODUCED TO THE Assumption community. While we have a new mission statement, we do not have a new mission. Our mission, shaped by the vision of the Venerable Father Emmanuel d’Alzon, has been handed down to us, as it was to our predecessors, and as it will be to our successors. It is a mission that, in the words of St. Augustine, is ever ancient and ever new. It is ancient in that it reflects the essence and uniqueness of Catholic liberal education that goes back to the origins of Catholic universities, and it is new in that its value and relevance guide and direct all of our academic programs from the traditional arts and sciences offerings to a wide variety of professional programs that gain their distinctive quality from their grounding in Catholic liberal education.

Our mission is a precious gift that has been entrusted to us at this moment in the life of Assumption University. We are stewards of this mission, which means it is not up for debate or multiple interpretations. We are called to embrace and preserve the mission, not as a relic of the past, but as a living, animating force that is the lifeblood of the institution. Faithfulness to this tradition of Catholic liberal education is essential since it’s what makes Assumption distinctive. This is our reason for our being, our raison d’être. Consequently, we have the responsibility to nurture it, protect it, and ensure that it is always properly understood as we prepare students to live meaningful and purposeful lives.

For 118 years, Assumption has honored this mission, adapting to and adopting new academic programs that reflect the societal needs of the time. As such, they retain value and relevance, especially now when parents and prospective students are weighing whether a liberal arts education, and any higher education, is worth the cost. While education should provide a person with intellectual skills and solid professional training, Catholic liberal education should be genuinely liberating, providing the student with an opportunity to reflect on the “big questions,” to seek the truth in every area. St. Augustine believed that learning begins with exploration and appreciation and should culminate in discovery and the joy of understanding. This occurs when every discipline liberates the minds and hearts of our students, allowing them to become what God intends them to be, achieving the fullness of their humanitas. As such, our education should be useful, inasmuch as it helps students understand how to live and to flourish, but not simply utilitarian.

In this context, an Assumption education is truly different. As an institution committed to Catholic liberal education, we ask fundamental questions about why humans thirst for knowledge and how that knowledge informs our love for God and our neighbor. We need minds open to God, to mystery, to wonder, to comprehend the full significance of reality, and to recover a deep love of learning. As the mission statement puts it: “We awaken in students a sense of wonder, discovery, and purpose.”

We awaken that sense of wonder today, as we have done in the past, by adapting to our current situation. This fall, the University announced the naming of the Richard J. and Sophia Catrambone Health Sciences Center and the naming of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and celebrated the first class of students in the Froelich School of Nursing who began their clinical learning with the Blessing of the Hands ceremony. In addition, the University continues to build upon the valuable community partnerships and collaborations that provide students relevant experience such as our partnership with The New England Center for Children.

Indeed, Assumption is ever-changing, while our mission to deliver an education that “transforms the minds and hearts of students” remains steady, grounded in the enduring value of Catholic liberal education.

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. PRESIDENT

Our mission is a precious gift that has been entrusted to us at this moment in the life of Assumption University.

THIS IS US

Assumption University’s faculty are a dynamic community of teacher-scholars who are dedicated to their students’ success. Professors work to instill a lifelong passion for learning in their students through engaged lessons in the classroom, as well as by sharing their expertise with the world through publications and other scholarly work, such as important research in which students are frequently invited to assist and participate. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic over the last two academic years, Assumption faculty continued to mentor their students in the classroom as well as publish academic work. Below is a snapshot of faculty scholarship at Assumption for the 2019–20 and 2020–21 academic years.

156 Total publications by faculty members, many co-authored by students:

118 Articles

38 Books (including chapters)

60 Faculty authors across 16 departments

100% Faculty who teach their own classes

27,472 Student/faculty ratio

Number of faculty publications downloaded through Digital Commons

13:1 Full-time undergraduate professors

135

88% Percentage of undergraduate faculty holding highest degree in their field

Magazine Team

WINTER 2022 / VOL. 20 NO. 1

ISSN 1089-1296

Executive Director of Communications

Michael K. Guilfoyle

Consulting Editor Kimberly E. Ruscitti Art Direction/Design Keating Associates Worcester, MA

Contributing Writers

Fr. Richard E. Lamoureux, A.A. ’64; Holly Robinson; Kimberly Ruscitti

Photography Robert Carlin Photography; Kindra Clineff; Kate W. Freeborn; Matthew Levins G’19; Jim Payette Photography

Printing The Lane Press, Burlington, VT

We encourage your feedback. Please address your letters, class notes, and story ideas to:

to alumni, friends of the institution, faculty, staff, administration, and parents of undergraduate students. Its purpose is to share stories and conversations that help alumni and friends stay meaningfully connected to the University.

Assumption University faculty-authored books

For web-exclusive content and links to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, visit assumption.edu.

FR. RICHARD E. LAMOUREUX, A.A.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION

A Career in Community Service

ALLISON

“Mission driven is working for organizations that have a purpose you can stand behind and believe in,” explained James. “At Girls Inc. of Worcester, we inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Every decision I make, I do with that mission in mind.”

James’s commitment to service was nurtured during her time at Assumption, where her education and psychology classes inspired her to pursue a career working with youth in a nonprofit setting. “I knew through these classes that working in a classroom setting was not something I was going to do, but my passion for supporting youth in a positive way was a direction I wanted to go in my career,” she said.

Girls Inc. serves 1,000 girls each year, 66 percent of whom are from low- to moderate-income households and more than 70 percent of whom are girls of color. According to James, the organization provides programming for girls to keep them healthy, both physically and mentally, and to make them strong; exposes them to STEM programs and utilizes the organization’s new technology center to support their academic success; and encourages them to be bold with programs that inspire independence, violence prevention, and economic empowerment.

“I learn more from the girls I work with at Girls Inc. than they do from me,” said James. “They inspire me to be stronger, smarter, and bolder every day.”

The organization’s enduring mission and providing these services for girls among the city’s most vulnerable

populations during the pandemic allowed James’s liberal arts education to shine. Not only did she keep Girls Inc. on track with its strategic plan and conclude its capital renovations during the hard months of the pandemic, but, more importantly, she kept it fully operational, providing a safe space for girls to learn. For her extraordinary efforts, James was recognized by the Worcester Business Journal in its “40 Under Forty” list this past fall.

“The greatest challenge during the pandemic was planning for the unknown,” said James, who was the COVID-19 manager for the organization, a responsibility she took very seriously, leading with the safety of the girls and staff as the highest priority. “The greatest success was adapting our programs to support the current needs of the girls and families. We reduced our costs and offered a full-day learning hub when the schools were closed. This not only gave the girls a place to learn but allowed parents to work.”

James credits her education and experiences while at Assumption for preparing her for success. “With the liberal arts education, I learned to problem solve effectively, think broadly, and do all of this with a desire to give back to the community,” she said, adding that her time studying abroad in Ireland “fostered more independence and a new view of the world.”

James not only gives to the youth at Girls Inc., but collaborates with other nonprofits in the city, particularly with the Worcester Together group, which was formed during the pandemic, and as a member of the 2021 Leadership Worcester Class.

“I could not see myself in a career outside of the nonprofit realm,” she affirmed. “I incorporate the Assumption mission in my career choices and in my personal volunteer and philanthropic choices. It is important to me that I work for organizations that are doing good work and supporting youth and families in a variety of ways.”

JAMES ’05, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT GIRLS INC. OF WORCESTER, HAS DEDICATED HER CAREER TO SERVING AND LEADING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. THE FIRST ITEM LISTED ON HER LINKEDIN PROFILE IS “MISSION DRIVEN.”

“I learn more from the girls I work with at Girls Inc. than they do from me. They inspire me to be stronger, smarter, and bolder every day.”

ALLISON JAMES ’05

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

BY KIMBERLY E. RUSCITTI

HOW ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY AND THE NEW ENGLAND CENTER FOR CHILDREN ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GREATER GOOD

When Jared Bouzan, M.Ed. ’97 started his position as chief development officer at The New England Center for Children (NECC) six years ago, he quickly realized that he had joined dozens of other Assumption University alumni at the organization. It didn’t take him long to recognize why.

“NECC serves and assists children with autism and other developmental disorders in reaching their full potential and living fulfilling lives,” said Bouzan. “The mission of NECC resonates with Assumption alumni. The University fosters the idea of servicing and supporting those in need, and many Assumption alumni take that to heart, even after they leave campus.”

There are nearly 40 Assumption alumni working at NECC, located in nearby Southborough, in a range of departments that include development and human resources, but the majority are involved in the teaching and direct care of students. Each year, a number of Assumption students complete undergraduate internships or a practicum for their master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at NECC, many of whom stay even after their required hours are complete.

“Being an intern at NECC was one of the best things I could have ever done,” said Amanda Albanesi ’20, a level 2 teacher at NECC and ABA graduate student at Assumption. “I knew I did not want to leave once my internship was over.”

PARTNERS

Two years into her undergraduate studies at Assumption, Albanesi realized she no longer wanted to be a teacher, but someone who worked in a school with children with disabilities whom she could help become more successful. However, she was unsure what path would take her there –until her internship at NECC. “During my internship I learned a lot about ABA and what a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) does,” she said. “Watching my students grow with different skills and abilities just in those few months of being an intern was so amazing. I knew that I wanted to continue to contribute to that growth, and it solidified the career path I wanted to follow.”

After her internship in the fall semester of her senior year, Albanesi began working for NECC part time. After earning her bachelor’s degree in human services and rehabilitation studies, with minors in education and Spanish, Albanesi was hired full time and enrolled in Assumption’s ABA graduate program, where she is now in her second year.

ABA is the science of learning and behavior used to solve socially significant problems and is the only evidence-based intervention available for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Assumption launched its ABA program in 2016 in response to the increasing need for BCBAs and, last June, announced an ABA Fellowship sponsored by NECC that allows students the opportunity to pursue a Master of Arts in Applied

TOP LEFT: New England Center for Children Chief Development Officer Jared Bouzan, M.Ed. ’97. TOP RIGHT: Amir, an NECC student.

BOTTOM LEFT: Karen Lionello-DeNolf, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, associate professor of psychology and director of Assumption’s ABA program.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Amanda Albanesi ’20, NECC teacher and graduate student in Assumption’s ABA program.

"Assumption alumni make incredible decisions to serve others. We were taught that it’s about more than just yourself, that others need your help, which is why so many students and graduates come to NECC. It’s pretty special to have this connection.”

JARED BOUZAN, M.ED. ’97

Behavior Analysis degree at Assumption while working with research professionals at NECC. The pandemic has only exacerbated the historic shortage of BCBAs and behavior technicians trained to support people with autism, something this fellowship hopes to address.

“There is currently a tremendous need for BCBAs,” said Karen Lionello-DeNolf, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, associate professor of psychology and director of Assumption’s ABA program. “Agencies and schools that serve the autism population are having difficulty being able to serve all clients who could benefit from their services. This partnership with NECC will benefit the community by training students in applied behavior analysis and enabling them to meet the certification requirements, which will ultimately help meet this need.”

According to Prof. Lionello-DeNolf, there are three aspects of the AU-NECC partnership, and students in all three tracks will have the opportunity for continued, full-time employment at NECC after finishing their degree. “This fosters a sense of community and belongingness between the two organizations,” she said. “It also highlights the parallels between the respective missions.”

As part of the Assumption-NECC partnership, those returning to Assumption to receive an advanced degree in ABA are eligible for tuition discounts as well as paid, full-time, supervised practicum placements at NECC. The fellowship invites new students entering Assumption’s ABA graduate

program who are not already employed at NECC to apply for a competitive research fellowship program that is being sponsored by NECC. In addition to 50 percent tuition remission and receiving a paid, supervised practicum placement, research fellows complete an applied research project as part of their degree.

“This is an exciting aspect of the partnership because it emphasizes the strong research-to-practice focus that NECC is known for,” Prof. Lionello-DeNolf said. “These students will have the opportunity to work with both Assumption faculty and NECC clinicians on the research project, and they will have the opportunity to showcase their work at regional and national behavior analysis conferences.”

Though this fellowship marks the first official partnership between Assumption and NECC, the schools have enjoyed a decades-long relationship. Susan Sabelli, clinical coordinator for the University’s Department of Human Services & Rehabilitation Studies (HSRS), has been placing students at NECC for more than 20 years.

“The students know that NECC is the best place for children with autism to be and really want to be part of the teams there,” Sabelli said. “Students don’t feel like interns after a while. They really feel like members of the team, and they are treated that way. They really feel like they are part of something special.”

Sabelli explained that NECC staff are extremely supportive of Assumption interns and include them in staff meetings as well

Prof. Lionello-DeNolf teaches an undergraduate course in the new Catrambone Health Sciences Center.

“NECC’s focus on service and education parallels that of Assumption’s mission to form graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good.”

KAREN

LIONELLO-DENOLF, PH.D., BCBA-D, LABA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY & DIRECTOR OF ASSUMPTION’S ABA PROGRAM

as “things they would never have considered possible before, such as data collection for research purposes. They get to see the inner workings of the organization and observe how the other specialists work together,” she said, adding that for students who don’t know what they are looking for, NECC is a great place because they’ll see occupational therapists, speech therapists, other special educators, and ABA in action, helping them make a choice.

“Most of our undergraduate students have not had exposure to ABA in a real-world setting, and NECC is an excellent introduction on how to apply what they have been learning about in the classroom,” shared Prof. Lionello-DeNolf.

She added that NECC makes the perfect partner for Assumption not only because of its commitment to helping children with autism lead rewarding lives within their communities by focusing on all aspects of the person, but also for its commitment to educating staff, parents and families, and the wider community.

“NECC’s focus on service and education parallels that of Assumption’s mission to form graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good,” she said. “The focus of Assumption’s ABA program is to teach students how to use the science of behavior to positively impact the lives of the clients with whom they work. NECC sets the bar on how to do that.”

Lindsay Braith G’19, the first from the ABA graduate program to intern at NECC, described her experience as “nothing short of invaluable.” Now a clinical coordinator/BCBA at HMEA Children’s Services, Braith said her time studying at Assumption and working at NECC prepared her for her successful career.

“Assumption and NECC are such a natural fit due to their commitment to their surrounding communities,” she said. “Assumption places a focus on producing graduates who will provide beneficial services to their surrounding communities. Likewise, NECC plays an integral role in providing necessary services for the central Massachusetts autism community. Both entities place focus on the greater good. Assumption provides hands-on learning experiences for their graduates, while NECC provides an opportunity to utilize their knowledge and practice within the community.”

Bouzan is proud of fellow alumni like Braith and Albanesi. “There is a large group of alumni who have come through here to help children with autism, and even after they leave NECC, they continue to make a difference in the lives of those who need it,” he said. “Assumption alumni make incredible decisions to serve others. We were taught that it’s about more than just yourself, that others need your help, which is why so many students and graduates come to NECC. It’s pretty special to have this connection.”

IMPACTFUL ALUMNI

Diana DeStefano ’15, a human services and rehabilitation studies major, works as a lead teacher in one of NECC’s partner schools, Groton High School. After working as an intern in 2014, DeStefano was hired as a level 2 teacher and served as an education coordinator for a residential program. DeStefano’s NECC internship provided her the opportunity to “gain experience with a unique combination of human services and education. During my internship I expanded my knowledge of ASD, education of students with disabilities, interacting with families, and some case management,” she shared.

Zachary Schulman ’18, a human services and rehabilitation studies major, completed his 400-hour internship in the fall of his senior year. He was hired as a level 2 teacher that spring and began working for NECC in June 2018. “I loved my time as an intern and I wanted to come back,” said Schulman on why he decided to work at NECC.

Meghan Murphy ’21 completed her undergraduate internship at NECC and was hired as a level 2 teacher upon graduating. “I had no idea what I was looking for in education. I don’t think I would have ended up at NECC if it wasn’t for this internship,” she said, explaining that COVID-19 limited her opportunities. “They told me so many other Assumption interns have come through these doors, and I tried it out and loved it so much that I came back.”

Diana DeStefano ’15

Zachary Schulman ’18

Meghan Murphy ’21

Blessing of the Hands Bridges Education and Practice

Marking the beginning of a new tradition on campus, this past fall students enrolled in Assumption’s Froelich School of Nursing participated in the first annual Blessing of the Hands ceremony to honor the commencement of their clinical education. Thirty members of the Class of 2023 anointed their hands with oil to signify the importance of the human touch in their nursing careers.

“This morning’s blessing of hands is an important moment in your formation as nurses as we send you out to begin your clinical rotations, learning how to apply your knowledge and skills in caring for patients,” said Assumption University President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “This ceremony also reflects the distinctive nature of the education you are receiving in the Froelich School of Nursing as we educate you intellectually, morally, and spiritually in the art and science of nursing as a compassionate healing ministry. That compassion is often conveyed through human touch, which is such a crucial part of healthcare. Blessing the hands with oil is a way to acknowledge that importance, while also

honoring the spiritual aspects found in physical care.”

Caitlin Stover, Ph.D., RN, dean of the Froelich School of Nursing, shared that the ceremony signified the building of the bridge that connects students’ Catholic liberal education to their professional nursing practice. “Nursing truly is an art and a science, and to be a nurse practicing compassionate, patientcentered care, one cannot exist without the other,” she said.

She explained that in their careers, the simple task of touch will be conducted countless times and plays a vital role in assessment, the first step in the nursing process. “That is the science, the diagnostic touch, the empirical touch. The touch that we will then accurately document in the electronic health record or verbally report to the healthcare team,” said Dean Stover.

She shared that the less quantifiable, but all the more deliberate, pathic touch “is the entry point into a human-centered, caring relationship. This pathic quality

may well constitute the core meaning of the healing act of nursing care,” Dean Stover said, adding that pathic touch shows patients they are being treated as unique human beings. “When we reach our hands out to provide care, to do our work as part of the care of others, we are saying to others, ‘You are important to us, and you are cared for by the efforts of many who value you and your needs.’ This is what we mean when we say that you are being prepared in accordance with the principles of Catholic Healthcare Ethics – respect for human dignity which guides us to exhibit mutual respect, trust, and honesty, and nurture a truly interpersonal professional-patient relationship.”

This respect for human dignity and the nature of nursing as a healing ministry, according to President Cesareo, shaped the philosophy of the University’s nursing program as students are educated in compassionate, patient-centered care.

“As you begin to care for patients, remember that you are not simply treating an illness, but rather you are caring for a person who happens to have an illness,” he said.

“Holding your hands in front of you, observe their appearance and think of all that you do and will do with your hands each day,” added Dean Stover. “You have chosen to bless others with your hands in the work you do.”

Three Faculty Join Froelich School of Nursing

Mark Adelung, Ph.D., RN

Professor of Practice in Nursing; B.S. in public health from Stockton University; A.A.S. in nursing from Ocean County College; M.S.N. in clinical management with a transcultural focus from Kean University; Ph.D. in nursing educational leadership from Kean University.

Prof. Adelung has extensive experience as a nurse in clinical and academic settings, including most recently as a charge/ staff nurse in COVID-19 field hospitals for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Lompoc, CA, and the New Jersey Department of Health in Secaucus, NJ. He has taught several courses at both Ocean County College and Stockton University, where he also served on many committees and as the accelerated BSN coordinator.

Allison Mamishian, M.S.N., RN, CNE, CNEcl Professor of Practice in Nursing; B.S. in nursing from Worcester State University; M.S. in nursing education from Worcester State University.

Prof. Mamishian is a nurse educator with nearly 10 years of clinical experience and more than five years of didactic and clinical educational experience. She has taught at MetroWest Medical Center and St. Vincent Hospital as well as institutions like Anna Maria College, Becker College, Quinsigamond Community College, and Worcester State University. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, National League for Nursing, and American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Sharon Milne, Ph.D., MA, RN-BC Professor of Practice in Nursing; B.A. in psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell; M.A. in criminal justice, Anna Maria College; A.S. in nursing, Lawrence Memorial/ Regis College School of Nursing; M.S. in nursing, Salem State College; D.Phil. in nursing, Endicott College.

Prof. Milne is a registered nurse with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; a board-certified psychiatric/mental health nurse; certified CPR instructor; and a CPI (crisis prevention intervention) specialist in nonviolent crisis intervention. She previously worked as an RN at the Lahey Clinic in orthopedics and neurosurgery, and at McLean Hospital in the bipolar/ schizophrenic unit and ECT clinic; she serves as an adjunct professor at Endicott College and Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions.

President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., and Christopher Froelich ’77 joined nursing students and faculty for the Blessing of the Hands ceremony (ABOVE) Nursing student Bradley Appo ’23 has his hands anointed with oil as part of the ceremony.

Mark Adelung, Ph.D.

Allison Mamishian

Sharon Milne, Ph.D.

Assumption Nationally Recognized for Academic Excellence

This fall, Assumption was recognized as a top institution in the Northeast and in the nation for its commitment to academic excellence and student success.

The University advanced nine spots in the North region from the previous year in the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Colleges rankings. Assumption was also named a Best Value School and a top performer on social mobility, the organization’s recognition for an institution’s ability and commitment to serve low-income students.

The Princeton Review also acknowledged Assumption in its 2022 annual college guide, The Best 387 Colleges. Assumption’s attention to the core values of a liberal arts education, robust student life, and dedicated professors, coaches, and administrators make for a well-rounded and enjoyable college experience, according to the organization’s profile on the University.

“Assumption University is proud to be recognized for our high-quality Catholic liberal education that engages in enduring ideas and as one of the top institutions in the Northeast,” said President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “Assumption imparts upon our students an education that engages enduring questions and ideas that form students for a life well lived in the pursuit of truth, while also forming service-minded graduates who lead with empathy. In the post-pandemic workforce, the skills acquired through an Assumption education will be needed more than ever; individuals who are well versed in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, among other attributes.”

In the post-pandemic workforce, the skills acquired through an Assumption education will be needed more than ever; individuals who are well versed in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, among other attributes.

PRESIDENT

FRANCESCO C. CESAREO, PH.D.

Prof. McGrath Receives Award for Teaching Excellence

Molly Brigid McGrath, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, director of the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence, and longtime director of the University’s Honors Program, received the 2021 Michael O’Shea Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching at Assumption’s annual convocation in September. Prof. McGrath was honored for her pedagogical excellence and, more importantly, her commitment to her students and the University. Former students and colleagues lauded Prof. McGrath for her engaging lectures, academic rigor, and a teaching method referred to as a “mutual journey” between her and her students. (FILE PHOTO)

University Awards Grants to Deepen Faculty Understanding

The d’Alzon Chair sponsors up to two study grants per summer in the amount of $3,000 for members of the Assumption faculty who commit to exploring – or deepening their knowledge of – the educational mission and Assumptionist heritage of the University. Grant recipients pursue, through personal study or research, self-chosen topics that are inspired by the Venerable Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon, A.A., and his vision of education.

Theology Professor Thomas Elbourn, Ph.D., and History Professor Barry Knowlton, Ph.D., were recipients of 2021 d’Alzon Summer Study Grants. Prof. Elbourn researched d’Alzon’s vision of education as a response to the “odd paradox of how democracy gives birth to individualism, and how that individualism, when fully grown, threatens to smother democracy.” Prof. Knowlton drafted a translation-cum-commentary of articles published by Fr. d’Alzon.

“Both projects demonstrate significant degrees of originality,” said Prof. Christian Göbel, Ph.D., the d’Alzon Chair. “Prof. Knowlton’s work will address a lacuna in the existing d’Alzon scholarship – those articles Fr. d’Alzon published in the French journal La liberté pour tous haven’t really been given much consideration yet. And Prof. Elbourn emphasizes an important

aspect of the lasting importance of d’Alzon’s vision of education – more precisely, the difficult relationship between democracy and individualism. Amid the current problematic political climate, we are witnessing examples of that ambivalent relationship now in our country.”

Eligible topics for the grants include the history and mission of the University (including, for instance, recent developments, new academic programs, and student life initiatives as they relate to Assumption’s mission); the life and spirituality of Fr. d’Alzon; his vision of education; his political thought; the history and work of the Assumptionists, including Bayard Press, in New England and worldwide; and more.

Applications are reviewed by Prof. Göbel in consultation with the vice president for mission and Father Dennis Gallagher, A.A., Provincial Superior of the Assumptionists.

Thomas Elbourn, Ph.D.

Barry Knowlton, Ph.D.

In recognition of their commitment to the value of a strong Catholic liberal education that emphasizes humanity and patient-centered care as the focus of its curriculum, Richard J. Catrambone, D.M.D., M.D. ’81 and his wife, Sophia, have made a generous lead multimilliondollar gift in the naming of the University’s new health sciences building. Generous and steadfast supporters of Assumption, the Catrambones dedicate the Richard J. and Sophia Catrambone Health Sciences Center to the students who will grace Assumption with their desire to become competent and compassionate healthcare providers.

“Sophia and I are honored to support Assumption and the innovative learning taking place in the state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center that provides a high-quality learning environment and a place for students to gather, collaborate,

Assumption Announces Naming of Richard J. and Sophia Catrambone Health Sciences Center

and exchange ideas,” said Dr. Catrambone. “In this building, students will learn, like I did, the very important academic and didactic information that they will need as they contemplate and pursue their individual callings. More importantly, through Assumption’s liberal arts education, each student will develop as a person, colleague, neighbor, and citizen. One of the greatest assets of Assumption is that students not only receive an exemplary education, but they are provided the tools needed to develop as critical thinkers.”

Dr. Catrambone credits Assumption for providing him with a comprehensive pre-medical and liberal arts education from which he was able to excel in dental and medical school and build a successful oral and maxillofacial surgery practice. He and his wife come from modest means. Dr. Catrambone was the

first in his family to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Sophia emigrated with her family from Vietnam in 1980, and they were the beneficiaries of critical support from the Roman Catholic society Opus Dei when they arrived in the United States. Through hard work and the support of their families, the Catrambones succeeded and are now financially supporting those organizations and institutions that helped them thrive. “Sophia and I feel that we have received a tremendous amount from others, and we are just doing our part to help Assumption, an institution that has given us so much,” said Dr. Catrambone.

“We are grateful to Dr. Catrambone and Sophia for their generous gift and their commitment to the future of Assumption University and its students,” said President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “Since graduating from Assumption,

Richard J. and Sophia Catrambone

Dr. Catrambone has built a successful dental practice, and his and Sophia’s story serves as an inspiration for Assumption students as they prepare for and pursue lives of meaning. The Catrambone family’s legacy will be a constant reminder for students as they enter the Health Sciences Center where they will integrate a strong liberal arts education with the knowledge and skills in the health sciences that will form them into caregivers who will treat the whole person with empathy and compassion and value the dignity of every human being.”

Dr. Catrambone, a member of the University’s Board of Trustees, is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Until his retirement, he was an assistant clinical professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where he taught for 28 years. He is also the chairman of the Department of Oral Health at the Steward Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, where he has maintained a private practice since 1993. After graduating with honors from Assumption and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Catrambone completed a four-year residency in oral and maxillofacial

surgery at Tufts. He then completed a one-year fellowship in anesthesiology at Boston City Hospital. Furthering his studies in medicine, Dr. Catrambone graduated with honors from Boston University School of Medicine, after which he completed a PGY-2 year of general surgery training at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.

The Catrambones have two children, Christopher, an estate planning attorney, and Karina, who will be joining her father’s practice after completing a residency program in oral and maxillofacial surgery in Brooklyn, NY.

Dr. Catrambone served as president of the alumni associations of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the Boston University School of Medicine, where he currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board.

In November 2020, Assumption completed construction of the 41,000-square-foot Richard J. and Sophia Catrambone Health Sciences Center, a three-story building with a number of state-of-the-art teaching facilities equipped with the latest training tools to benefit those in the Froelich School of Nursing, School of Health Professions, and several other departments and majors. The nursing floor features a large nursing skills lab with seven full-sized hospital beds for teaching patient care, as well as four simulation labs with high-fidelity “manikins” that simulate actual patient conditions and can be controlled remotely by a simulation lab technician. Four state-ofthe-art classrooms were designed for active learning in a realistic clinical environment, and a number of spacious study areas, conference rooms, and lounges located throughout the building encourage collaboration among students.

In this building, students will learn, like I did, the very important academic and didactic information that they will need as they contemplate and pursue their individual callings.

RICHARD J. CATRAMBONE, D.M.D., M.D. ’81

Assumption Honors First President with Rededication of the Fr. Gayraud Living Learning Center

What began in a small triple-decker house on Fales Street in Worcester has since evolved into one of the city’s premier higher education institutions. While Assumption, now a University, has continued to refound itself over its 118-year history, it has never wavered from the foundation laid by the institution’s founding fathers, including its first president, Fr. Isidore Gayraud, A.A., Ph.D.

On September 16, Assumption honored the life and work of Fr. Gayraud with the rededication of the Fr. Gayraud Living Learning Center. Fr. Gayraud embodied the spirit of the liberal arts, not only in his teaching but in practice, and left a lasting impact on Assumption’s formation, laying the foundation for the institution to become what it is today.

In 1902, Fr. Gayraud became one of the first Assumptionists to emigrate from Europe to establish a new school on American soil, seeking to provide an education for the French-speaking population of New England. First assigned to the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe in New York City, just two years later he was part of a team assigned to establish a secondary school in Worcester. With humble beginnings and a handful of students living and learning in a triple-decker in the Greendale section of Worcester, that new school would eventually evolve into Assumption University.

in an Interest Circle where a faculty member meets regularly with students to discuss a themed topic of interest. The building embodies the idea that learning at Assumption takes place both inside and outside of the classroom.

“We often share with students when they arrive here that they are embarking upon a journey of lifelong learning. Fr. Gayraud lived that ideal,” said Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., president of Assumption University. “He traveled the world – France, Italy, the United States, and Latin America – searching for knowledge and in pursuit of a mission. He taught, built churches, founded schools, and served as a missionary. Not only did he have an insatiable appetite for learning; he also allowed his life and his work to be shaped by what he learned.”

“One could argue that the first living/ learning center at Assumption was that triple-decker on Fales Street,” added President Cesareo. “The Living Learning Center embodies the life’s work of Fr. Gayraud. It is a place where living and learning converge.”

Assumption’s Living Learning Center is a unique, apartment-style residence hall to which students must apply to live. Approximately 143 primarily second-year students apply as groups to live in this building and participate

Throughout his career, Fr. Gayraud held many titles: philosophy professor, teacher of Latin, school founder and administrator, parish priest, and even church builder. His zeal for lifelong learning and his capacity to integrate his love for philosophy, theology, history, language, and literature in his teaching – subjects that are also the basis of a Catholic liberal education – had a meaningful impact on all he encountered. It is only fitting that Assumption’s Living Learning Center, a building that represents the original commitment of Assumption to integrate academic and student life, would bear his name.

“Fr. Gayraud was a man known for his intellectual and administrative abilities, as well as for his rigor and personal integrity,” said Fr. Richard Lamoureux, A.A., Ph.D. ’64, vice president for

Members of the Assumption administration celebrated the renaming of the Living Learning Center after its first president, Fr. Isidore Gayraud, A.A., Ph.D. (LEFT)

Dedicating this building to Fr. Gayraud signals our admiration and gratitude for the role he played at the birth of the institution and our commitment to the visionary spirit that characterized his work at that critical moment in the institution’s history.

FR. RICHARD LAMOUREUX, A.A., PH.D. ’64, VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION

mission. “During this pivotal time in Assumption’s history, as we embark on refounding ourselves as a University, it is important to remember and honor our founding inspiration and the courage and foresight of Assumption’s first leaders. Dedicating this building to Fr. Gayraud signals our admiration and gratitude for the role he played at the birth of the institution and our commitment to the visionary spirit that characterized his work at that critical moment in the institution’s history.”

In 1911, Fr. Gayraud left Worcester to begin a long and meaningful career in Latin America. Though only president for a short time, Fr. Gayraud’s influence has guided Assumption’s progress as a Catholic liberal arts institution from a preparatory school, a College, and now a University that educates the whole person and prepares its graduates to make an impact on the world in which they live.

Assumption Announces Newest Trustees

Assumption University announced that Edda Colon-Irizarry ’88, vice president of Human Resources Operations and head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Amgen, and Emmanuel Larbi ’14, CEO and co-founder of Accra Girls Inc. and ākra LLC, were recently elected to its Board of Trustees. The University expressed its appreciation to board members Carolyn M. Clancy ’82, Robert E. Gray, Jr. ’65, and Alison C. Kenary who completed their terms of service in May.

As members of the Board, Trustees contribute to the overall governance of the institution, including the fiduciary responsibility of upholding and advancing the mission of the University.

“The University’s Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Edda and Emmanuel to this esteemed group of individuals who are passionate about Assumption and willingly lend their expertise in support of the mission,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Francis J. Bedard, Esq., CPA ’81. “Edda and Emmanuel have rich backgrounds and unique skills in the human resources and the restaurant industries, and we look forward to the insight they will share and contributions they will make to the Board, an eclectic group of individuals who collectively use their immeasurable experience and expertise to provide guidance to the University. We also thank Carolyn Clancy, Robert Gray, and Alison Kenary for their unparalleled service over the last several years. Their contributions to the University during their time on the Board positively impacted thousands of students, faculty, and staff.”

EDDA

COLON-IRIZARRY ’88

Colon-Irizarry is vice president of Human Resources Operations and head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging for Amgen, a position she has held since 2015, in which she is responsible for organizational and leadership development, compliance with global employment laws, employee relations and employee communication, benefits, compensation,

recruitment, and retention for more than 5,000 staff globally. Prior to this role, Colon-Irizarry served as executive director of human resources for Amgen (2006–15) in Puerto Rico where she led the HR function of a six-plant biotech manufacturing site with over 2,000 full-time staff and 1,000 contract staff.

She and her husband, Wilberto Rivera Perez ’86, reside in Agoura Hills, CA. They have two children, Cristian and Jaime. They also serve on the Advisory Council for the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

EMMANUEL LARBI ’14

Larbi is the CEO and co-founder of two restaurants, Accra Girls Inc. and ākra LLC, where he oversees the two businesses’ daily operations, finances, and strategic direction with growth aspirations to franchise and scale. One of his businesses, Akra Eatery & Juice Bar, is featured at Polar Park in Worcester.

Before starting his two businesses, Larbi traveled the country for two years conducting ophthalmology research and served as a cancer researcher at Tufts Medical Center. After leaving the medical field to focus on an entrepreneurial path, he shifted his focus to a business career and recently enrolled in the business analytics program at Harvard University.

Larbi engages with and supports the community in various ways. During the pandemic, he began an initiative through his restaurants to feed the frontline workers in both the Worcester and Boston communities. He also works within the community to create entrepreneurial opportunities for youth and people of color to foster change. In addition, Larbi is on the founding committee for EforAll Greater Worcester, an initiative that supports entrepreneurs in underserved communities. He enjoys speaking to students about entrepreneurship in hopes of igniting change, inspiring youth, and creating an impact in his community.

EXPLORING THE BUSINESS OF ITALIAN TOURISM IN ITALY

Host to several United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites, Assumption faculty at the University’s Rome Campus have developed a new course that takes full advantage of the city and nation as a classroom without walls. During the fall semester, students in the Business of Italian Tourism course learned the greater importance of these landmarks and how they are critical to the country’s economy.

“The objective of this course was to have students not only gain understanding of a worldwide industry, but to do so while examining key aspects of Italian tourism, such as economic, developmental, socio-cultural, employment, environmental, private-public collaborations, and marketing,” said Professor Cary LeBlanc, Ph.D., assistant professor of management and marketing and director of the Rome Campus program.

According to Prof. LeBlanc, Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world and contains the most World Heritage Sites with 58, many of which are in Rome, providing an opportune

backdrop for a class on tourism. Teaching this course in Rome, explained Prof. LeBlanc, provided students the opportunity to not just see historical landmarks but experience and examine why such structures and artifacts are appealing to tourists.

“We observed how, where, and when tourists are connected to the tourism industry in big and small ways by visiting the sites where tourism is most active. … The beauty of studying abroad is that students got to go back to sites such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona as many times as they wanted, only they went back with different perspectives. Students were asked to step back from the allure of the site and think about it as a business, one that is very important to Rome, specifically.”

Alexa Pesce ’23 shared that this course transformed her perspective on tourism, allowing her to fully immerse herself in the culture. “This course encouraged me to take that deep dive into local culture and go beyond the surface level,” she said. “I no longer desire to visit a tourist attraction and walk

away with just a picture. I want to know the story behind the site and what role it played in Roman culture.”

Pesce added that the course opened her eyes to what it means to go “behind the scenes” of a culture, such as their class trip to Janas Farms, an agriturismo outside of Orvieto, an hour north of Rome. “After hearing [the farmers’] stories and tasting their products, I have a whole new appreciation for their industry,” she said. “My newfound interest in food and land quality would never have come about if I didn’t get introduced to this aspect of Italian culture. Having this firsthand cultural exchange has reminded me how enriching and rewarding the tourism industry can be. Had I never gotten exposed to this way of life, I wouldn’t have as deep a connection with the culture as I do now.”

The trip intersected with the Environmental Cultures of Europe course taught by Professor Maryanne Leone, Ph.D., which explored the importance of caring for the environment to the slow food movement. “Environmental issues are very important to tourism, as hosting tens of millions of tourists each year in

Italy creates significant environmental challenges,” explained Prof. LeBlanc.

He hoped that this class helped students develop a greater appreciation of the importance of tourism to Italy; however, he hopes they also learned to be cognizant of the significant challenges to Italy’s culture. “All these tourists do leave a trace, physically for sure, but maybe even more important culturally,” he explained. “This understanding can translate into the students becoming much more informed travelers who can appreciate so much more of those experiences.”

“This course – and studying abroad in general – has forever changed how I travel,” said Pesce. “I don’t want to be someone who sees a location as disposable. I want to be a traveler who learns about and appreciates a location thoroughly. Being able to travel leads to appreciation and a deeper sense of the world than any other form of education.”

Having this firsthand cultural exchange has reminded me how enriching and rewarding the tourism industry can be. Had I never gotten exposed to this way of life, I wouldn’t have as deep a connection with the culture as I do now.

ALEXA PESCE ’23

Environmental issues are very important to tourism, as hosting tens of millions of tourists each year in Italy creates significant environmental challenges.

PROFESSOR CARY LEBLANC, PH.D., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING AND DIRECTOR OF THE ROME CAMPUS PROGRAM

left to right

Students visited Janas Farms, an agriturismo business outside of Orvieto, known for its use of sustainable farming methods.

Professor Daria Borghese, Ph.D., talks to the group about the architecture of the Duomo in Florence.

Assumption University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences named for Donald and Michele D’Amour

Assumption University marked another significant moment in its 118-year history with the ribbon cutting for the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on November 20. In recognition of their steadfast support of the University and their dedication to providing a Catholic liberal education, Assumption named the school after Donald AP’60, AU’64, HD’10 and Michele HD’10 D’Amour. Members of the D’Amour family, faculty, staff, students, and other benefactors joined the D’Amours at the event that celebrated not only the naming, but the essence of a liberal arts education.

“Today’s dedication of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences represents the culmination of decades of engagement that both Don and Michele have had with Assumption and the support that they have demonstrated as trustees and benefactors,” said Assumption President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., in a ceremony that took place outside of Founders Hall where faculty in the school have their offices.

“What stands out about Don and Michele is the motivation behind their support – their commitment to a quality

Donald and Michele DʼAmour (CENTER), along with University administration, mark the official naming of the DʼAmour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Catholic education. … [They] truly appreciate the value of the liberal arts in the formation of young women and men in today’s world.”

President Cesareo shared that while education should provide an individual with intellectual skills and solid professional training, Assumption’s Catholic liberal education provides students with an opportunity to reflect on the “big questions” and seek the truth in every area, while forming their minds, hearts, and souls. Assumption’s D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides students with a strong foundation in Catholic liberal education because, regardless of major, all students take core courses within the College as part of a cross-disciplinary approach.

“This is the mission of the University, but it is the particular mission of this College, which lays the foundation for all of the academic programs offered our students across all of our schools,” he added. “This is why it is most fitting that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences bears your name, which is synonymous with Catholic liberal education here at Assumption.”

Paula Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., professor of psychology and dean of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, remembers hearing about the D’Amours’ gift and “feeling such a sense of relief wash over me with this tangible assurance that, yes, the Catholic liberal education we offer our students is still perceived as relevant,” she said. “Your generous gift is already allowing us to deepen teaching and learning in the liberal arts and sciences by infusing high-impact practices across the curriculum and across the four-year experience of our students.”

Dean Fitzpatrick shared that during summer 2021, the University launched the Summer Scholars Research Program, which paired students with a faculty mentor and empowered them to apply what they have learned in the classroom through research projects. The College has also begun enhancing its interdisciplinary first-year program through more intentional courses, requiring cocurricular activities to extend learning outside the classroom, and providing mentor training for first-year program student facilitators.

mission. “I have been taught the value of listening to others. To engage others,” she said. “While we may not always agree, Assumption has taught me not to simply adapt to a popular opinion but to form my own, then challenge it.”

President Cesareo added that the D’Amours embody and live out the values at the heart of Catholic liberal education in all aspects of their lives. The D'Amour family is known for founding Big Y supermarkets (Donald is the retired chairman of the board and CEO while Michele previously served as the company’s educational partnership administrator). They have also been recognized for their philanthropic support of many charitable organizations and their passionate dedication to supporting, developing, and providing educational programming.

Matthew Naughton ’23, a cybersecurity major, shared that the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has had and continues to have a positive impact on his life. “I entered the University undeclared, searching for a field of study that piqued my interest,” he explained. “Thanks to [the College], I was able to find my field of study and fall in love with it. Moreover, it has allowed me to personally develop a solid career path for my future.”

Carly Sevigny ’22, an English, mass communication and media major, has also benefited from the liberal arts

In her remarks, Michele noted that the D’Amours have had a long relationship with Assumption. “It’s been a welcoming community, and they’ve never forgotten who they were or what their mission was,” she said. “With all today's pressures to be competitive and to add programs such as nursing and cybersecurity, there’s a huge temptation to forget who we are. Francesco and his leadership – and Paula and this College in particular – have really focused on who they are. They ensure that each and every student who walks through these doors still learns and gains the wisdom to understand that the ultimate thing they need to be concerned with is finding the truth, the light, and the way.”

Thanks to [the College], I was able to find my field of study and fall in love with it. Moreover, it has allowed me to personally develop a solid career path for my future.

MATTHEW NAUGHTON ’23, CYBERSECURITY MAJOR

Prof. Emerita Michelle Graveline Recognized for Contributions to Worcester’s Arts

& Culture Scene

On November 7, the Salisbury Singers paid tribute to Professor Emerita Michelle Graveline, DMA, HA’08, notably her 22-year tenure as the group’s artistic director and her contributions to the city of Worcester.

The concert, “A Celebration of Classical Favorites – A Farewell Concert with Dr. Michelle Graveline,” took place at Mechanics Hall. Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty presented Prof. Graveline with a key to the city to recognize her contributions to enhancing the city’s arts and culture community.

Prof. Graveline was named professor emerita at Assumption after retiring in spring 2019. She spent 35 years serving as a professor of music and founded the Assumption University Chorale upon her arrival in 1984. She retired from the Salisbury Singers at the end of the 2019–20 season and currently holds the position of artistic director emerita with the organization. Prof. Graveline was succeeded by Bradford T. Dumont as music director of the Salisbury Singers; he also serves as director of choral activities at Assumption.

Salisbury Singers, currently in its 48th season, is a chorus of selected volunteers “dedicated to the enhancement of cultural life in Worcester and Central Massachusetts as well as to the musical growth of its individual members,” according to the organization.

The place to say

Host

www.AssumptionEventPlanning.com

“I do” and more.

Located on 185 picturesque acres just minutes from downtown Worcester, Assumption University offers a number of comfortable facilities for your wedding, social event, conference, meeting, or summer camp. A beautifully landscaped piazza and fountain are located adjacent to state-of-the-art building featuring a 400-seat ballroom, separate performance hall, and a number of classrooms and conference rooms all equipped with advanced technology.

John Frederick Bell, Ph.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

Education

Ph.D., Harvard University

M.A., Harvard University

B.A., The College of William and Mary

Classes Taught at Assumption

The African American Dream

The Civil War and Reconstruction in the U.S. Fighting Slavery, Then and Now

Historical Methods

History of the United States Since 1877

History of the United States to 1877

What inspired you to become a history professor?

Well, I can’t sing or dance. Seriously, though, being a history professor combines all the things I like most: teaching, mentoring, researching, and writing. I’m passionate about learning from the past, from other scholars, and from my students.

What is your favorite course to teach and why?

I just piloted a course about American slavery and its legacies. The class examined the 250+ years of human bondage in North America as well as what one scholar calls the “afterlife” of slavery – the ways the institution continues to haunt American life in the form of racism and inequality.

What is the significance of the license plate in your photo?

I love the look I get when I tell people I’m originally from Delaware. They have no idea what to say. It’s as if I told them I collect stamps.

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?

I’ve never seen Gone with the Wind. As someone who studies the Civil War era, I really should watch it. But maybe for that same reason, I just can’t.

Who is your historical doppelganger?

Vincent Van Gogh! People say I look just like him, could be our shared red hair. Our personalities are quite different, but I love his work. His painting, Wheat Field with Cypresses, is my Zoom background.

Where would you be and what would you be doing if you weren’t teaching?

In college, I considered applying to be a “Hotdogger” and drive the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. That has less appeal now. I worked at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC, between college and graduate school. It was an amazing experience. But I love what I do now, so it’s hard to imagine doing anything else.

Can you tell us more about the work you did at the Archives?

The office where I worked oversees how federal agencies create and preserve classified national security information. My work mostly involved coordinating the declassification of formerly secret records from the Cold War.

What’s your latest research?

I’m about to publish a book about the first African Americans to attend predominantly white colleges, beginning in the 1830s. The book is called Degrees of Equality because I emphasize the difference between Black students getting an equal chance at education and their being respected as equals on campus. Unfortunately, my research shows that gap only widened as time went on.

What is one thing you hope students take away from your classes?

The way things are is not the way they always have been, and the way things have been is not the way they have to be.

How do you keep history interesting for your students?

Most people think history is about memorizing names, events, and dates. But that’s not really what historians do. We interpret the past to try and understand why things happened and draw meaning from them. When you teach it like that, I find students are a lot more receptive.

A Mission Statement Renewed

STRATEGIZING

Fr. Richard Lamoureux, A.A., Ph.D. ’64, vice president for mission, collaborated with Professor Bernard Dobski, Ph.D., and other members of the Mission Statement Revision Committee on updating Assumption’s mission statement.

opposite page Student Government Association President Maria LeDoux ’22 enlisted Fr. Richard’s help in explaining the mission revision process to her fellow student government representatives.

Student Government Association (SGA) President Maria LeDoux ’22 knows many college students may bypass an institution's mission statement in search of the programs it offers. As a student leader, however, she felt compelled to examine Assumption’s.

“Mission statements are important,” she said. “They help shape what we learn, how we live, and what we’ll take from our education.”

LeDoux, a communications and theology major, did a deep dive into Assumption’s new mission statement by asking Father Richard Lamoureux, A.A., Ph.D. ’64, vice president for mission, to speak with SGA representatives about the process of its development. Fr. Richard walked them through the steps but withheld one tiny secret: when asked to take on this task, he was nervous.

That set the process in motion. The reason Fr. Richard felt some trepidation? “As soon as you touch the mission statement, you’re touching the heart of the University. It’s a very delicate process,” he shared.

Fr. Richard knew the best way forward would require teamwork, so President Cesareo, with Fr. Richard, assembled a respected group of administrators, faculty, and staff members to form a Mission Statement Revision Committee. One of those members, Professor of Political Science Bernard J. Dobski, Ph.D., noted that, however humble, Fr. Richard “was the committee’s inspirational leader. Everyone worked hard, but he deserves the lion’s share of credit.”

The process of revising the mission statement and having it approved by the Board of Trustees in May took more than six months. As the committee examined the old mission statement line by line, they jettisoned unsuitable or clunky language and crafted more accurate and inspirational sentences that reflected the essence of Assumption’s educational mission. Finally, they opened an online forum and encouraged input from others in the University community.

Poetry in Mission

“The impetus for reworking the old mission statement was pretty simple,” he explained. “We had a new strategic plan, and we were going from Assumption College to Assumption University, so we had to at least change the name. President Cesareo saw this as an opportunity to examine the language in the mission statement to see if there were any other changes we should make.”

The president’s goal was to better articulate the purpose of Catholic liberal education at Assumption.

The committee wanted the mission statement to clearly state the principles most important to Assumption. The bottom line: “We’re not merely teaching students to make a living,” said Prof. Dobski. “We’re teaching them to make a life. We want our graduates to have the moral and intellectual resources to draw on in a crisis, and souls supple enough to remain open to the wonders of the world.”

As Fr. Richard reminded the SGA, a mission statement isn’t something to be drafted and forgotten. Rather, it should be kept on your desk and, ideally, on the desk of every working group in the community “to provide direction.”

“In the midst of the pandemic, we finalized a new strategic plan, Assumption became a University, and we adopted a new mission statement. These were important moments to think about who we are and how we can remain faithful to ourselves in the midst of the challenges we face.”

President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D.

He is particularly fond of the second line in the revision, “We awaken in students a sense of wonder, discovery, and purpose, forming graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good,” for both its content and its poetry.

“We looked at a lot of mission statements from other institutions, and most are far from poetic,” he said. “They’re downright boring.”

The next step was to introduce the new mission statement to the Assumption community. This started with Founders Week, where the theme “It’s All About Soul!” was inspired by the new mission statement. Fr. Richard met with new faculty members to discuss the revision; he also printed 1,000 cards with the mission statement that were distributed on campus and will continue to be used to make the new statement known.

Living the Mission, Now and Tomorrow

To alumni, being able to live Assumption’s mission is essential, believes Suzanne Besnia, J.D. ’79, an attorney with Riezman Berger, a legal firm in St. Louis, MO. A member of Assumption’s Board of Trustees, Besnia believes the liberal arts education she received at Assumption opened her eyes to the world. Today she lives Assumption’s mission by serving causes in her own community, like mentoring in the St. Louis Public School District.

“It’s a lifelong journey to acquire the selfknowledge you need to believe in your own capacity to solve a problem and move the needle,” she said. “Studying liberal arts at Assumption played a big part in my ability to embrace challenges and understand myself and the world, so that I could figure out where I belonged and how I could make an impact.”

The revised mission statement hits the right notes, Besnia said. “Assumption has always offered students a clear set of ethics. It’s absolutely gorgeous to see the new buildings on campus and the march forward in Assumption’s evolution into a University, but the institution’s character is still very much the same.”

That’s the whole point of the new mission statement, said President Cesareo: to reflect the University’s essence as Assumption continues to grow and thrive. “While we have a new mission statement, we do not have a new mission,” he said. “Our mission –who we are, what we do, how we teach, what we teach, the way we teach – is a precious gift that has been entrusted to us at this moment in the life of Assumption University. We are stewards of this mission.”

For Tim Cody ’20, a clinical counseling psychology graduate student and a graduate assistant in Campus Ministry, the phrase in the new mission statement that stands out for him is this: “Our curricular and cocurricular programs provide students with an education that shapes their souls.”

“That line gives the sense that our souls are incomplete and we’re always molding them into what we’re called to be,” said Cody, who

spent his undergraduate years at Assumption actively involved in Campus Ministry. He also served as a volunteer missionary with the Assumptionists in Paris, working with Tibetan refugees on a barge on the Seine River. Reflecting on that experience leads him to appreciate the language in the mission statement describing Assumption as a “diverse community that welcomes different points of view.”

“Even though the Tibetans were Buddhist and I’m Catholic, we could coexist and work together,” he said. “Assumption is a Catholic institution, but the mission statement makes it clear that we welcome students of all backgrounds.” Life is a journey, he added, “and the mission statement helps me realize that I’m continually being shaped by my experiences. That won’t stop when I leave here.”

LeDoux agreed wholeheartedly. “Assumption teaches students how to seek the truth and how to question things. I might not know where my path will take me after graduation, but wherever I go, Assumption has given me the education I need to continue looking for the truth and trying to live a good life.”

Assumption University New Mission Statement

Assumption University is a comprehensive, Catholic liberal arts institution sponsored by the Augustinians of the Assumption. We awaken in students a sense of wonder, discovery, and purpose, forming graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. Our curricular and cocurricular programs provide students with an education that shapes their souls, forms them intellectually, and prepares them for meaningful careers. We are a diverse community that welcomes different points of view and embraces all who share our mission. Enlivened by the Catholic affirmation of the harmony of faith and reason and by the pursuit of the truth in the company of friends, an Assumption education transforms the minds and hearts of students.

Tim Cody ’20 said his involvement in Campus Ministry helped him understand Assumption’s mission firsthand as an undergraduate.

Ken Kopecky, Ph.D. ’65

In early February 2020, Ken Kopecky, Ph.D. ’65, informed the University that he had decided to set some funds aside in his estate for the future benefit of Assumption students. A few months later, during the low point of the pandemic, Kopecky called the University Advancement Office and said, “Why wait? We need to help the students who are here now, as well as those who will arrive at Assumption in the future.”

At Kopecky’s request, the University established the Economics Student Development Fund to provide resources for students majoring in economics, finance, and international business.

Kopecky, an economics major who earned his doctorate in economics before beginning his career

at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, DC, was greatly inspired by his mentor, Professor Emeritus George Doyle, Ph.D., and deeply appreciated the close relationships he developed with many other professors and fellow students. Kopecky, who became an economics and finance professor himself, hopes the Economics Student Development Fund will inspire and advance undergraduate opportunities for current and future students.

For more information on how you can support Assumption with a legacy gift, contact Melanie Demarais at 508.767.7332 or visit assumption.edu/plannedgiving.

Assumption Introduces CLASS of 2021

IN NOVEMBER, THE UNIVERSITY’S DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS HONORED A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IMPACTED THE ATHLETICS PROGRAM DURING THEIR TIME AT THE INSTITUTION. THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS WERE INDUCTED INTO THE CLASS OF 2021 ASSUMPTION ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME.

1 / GERRY BABINEAU ’69

Babineau, a decorated Track & Field athlete, played a vital role in the program’s elevation from the club level to NCAA varsity status. In addition to his leadership skills, Babineau holds a number of athletic records, including for the 100-yard dash that he set at the New England Small College Championships.

2 / JOHN CARROLL ’93

Throughout his career on the Men’s Basketball team, Carroll set school records in career threepointers and most three-pointers in a season. With his leadership on the court, the Greyhounds finished first in the Northeast-10 Conference three seasons in a row, captured one NE10 Championship title, and made two NCAA regional appearances.

3 / CHARDE FLOYD ’08

Floyd was a standout forward on the Assumption Women’s Basketball team for four seasons, collecting accolades such as NE10 Conference Rookie of the Year and named to the All-Rookie Team following her first season with the Greyhounds. Floyd became the fourth Greyhound in program history to reach both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career during her senior season, when she was named the NE10 Defensive Player of the Year. Floyd is the 12th leading scorer in program history (1,212 career points) and holds multiple top-10 records, including third in career free throws (378) and fourth in career rebounds (1,056).

4 / CHRIS GROGAN ’06

Over his four seasons as a starter on the Football team, Grogan earned much recognition including NE10 All-Conference Team, First Team All-New England, ECAC Honorable Mention, and All-Worcester Team. Grogan ranks fourth in career defensive tackles in the Assumption Football record book with 357.

5 / JIM MULLEN ’78

After graduation, Mullen served the Department of Athletics in a number of roles, retiring as the Assumption assistant director of athletics for operations in May 2016 after 19 years of service to the institution. He graduated with a degree in history and a minor in education and served as a four-year team manager for the Men’s Basketball, Football, and Baseball programs.

6 / JULIE PHIPPS ’00

Though she spent just two seasons at Assumption, Phipps holds the Assumption Softball records in career batting average (.513) and career slugging percentage (.788) and was a member of two of the most successful softball teams in program history, winning two NE10 Conference Championships and an ECAC Championship. Phipps was named an NCAA DII Second Team All-American, was an NE10 All-Star twice, and was the NCAA DII National Batting Champion in 1999.

7

/ STEVE SANTUCCI ’93

Santucci, a standout on the Baseball team, was named the NE10 Player of the Year as a senior and to the All-New England Team all three seasons with the Greyhounds. He is ranked second in career batting average (.432), career slugging percentage (.711), and runs in a season (57), and holds the record for stolen bases (31). In 1993, Santucci was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 19th round.

8

/ MIKE WISNIEWSKI ’69

Wisniewski holds the record for the highest winning percentage (78.9) with a 15-4 career record on the mound for the Baseball team. He earned three of the 12 total 1-0 victories in Assumption program history and was the first Baseball student-athlete to win the MVP Award as a junior and senior.

9 / 1970–71 MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

The 1970–71 Men’s Basketball team is one of the winningest teams in program history, winning the NCAA Regional Championship that year. This was the first Assumption team to win the New England NCAA Regionals and the first to make an NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance. Seven members of the squad are individual Hall of Fame members including: Bob Austin (HOF Class of 1997), Michael Boylan (HOF Class of 1979), Neal Burgess (HOF Class of 1997), Serge DeBari (HOF Class of 1978), Jacob Jones (HOF Class of 1977), Jeff Scott (HOF Class of 2014), and Dan Small (HOF Class of 1981). Other members of the team include Tom Arsenault ’74, Bob Bourque ’73, Tom Mack ’71, Brian O’Brien ’71, Mike Parichuk ’72, Bill Pederson ’72, Tim Shea ’72, Jim Small ’72, Cliff Smith ’73, and coaches Joe O’Brien, Charles Aleksiewicz, Bob Boule, and Bob Hunter.

Greyhounds Ice Hockey Team Thriving in New, Modern Training & Competition Facility

THIS SEASON, THE ASSUMPTION MEN’S ICE HOCKEY TEAM HAS A NEW HOME, THE FIDELITY BANK WORCESTER ICE CENTER, A PREMIER FACILITY LOCATED IN THE HEART OF WORCESTER’S CANAL DISTRICT, FOR THE 2021–22 SEASON AND BEYOND.

“Being able to call the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center our new home rink enhances our student-athletes’ experience with two state-of-the-art sheets of ice and our own locker room,” said Michael Looney ’12, head coach of the Assumption Men’s Ice Hockey program. “Additionally, the Ice Center’s location right in the heart of the city is an excellent venue for alumni gatherings and a strategic location to meaningfully engage with the Worcester community.”

The Greyhounds share the facility with a number of the city’s elite hockey teams, including the Worcester Railers Hockey Club. While Looney said he is appreciative of their years and the memories made at the Buffone Arena, he’s excited “to see alumni come back and reflect on the growth of the Assumption Hockey program,” he said. “The Ice Hockey program has an over-100-year history as a sponsored sport at Assumption, and the reaction to our move to the Worcester Ice Center from former teammates, players, parents, and friends of the program has been extremely positive. We look forward to pushing on to raise a championship banner at the Worcester Ice Center.”

As part of the agreement, the University has access to year-round locker rooms as well as home ice for practices and games. All Assumption students will benefit from the partnership; Campus Recreation may host events, such as open skates and broomball, a recreational ice game played with brooms, and the Ice Skating Club will also make use of the space.

“Assumption University is pleased to partner with the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center, an excellent facility which will provide our Men’s Ice Hockey program with a modern and attractive venue to train and compete,” said Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., president of Assumption University. “Through a continued renaissance of downtown Worcester, a burgeoning sports destination is in development that will welcome countless visitors to the city. Assumption is proud to contribute to the city’s revitalization by providing additional opportunities for our student-athletes and Assumption fans to watch our Men’s Hockey program compete against other colleges and universities in the Northeast-10.”

The Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center is a 100,000-square-foot twin-sheet ice facility that houses youth, high school, junior, and collegiate players in addition to a strength & conditioning center, physical therapy center, sports pro-shop, full-service tap room, concessions, and ancillary tenants.

Field Hockey Completes Historic Season

Greyhounds Win First NE10 Championship After Undefeated Regular Season

This fall, the Assumption Field Hockey team had its best season in program history, winning its first-ever Northeast-10 Championship and earning the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championship. Perhaps even more impressive, the Greyhounds finished the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record, just the fifth time in the last 20 years a field hockey team has gone undefeated during regular season conference action. And although the Hounds’ historic season ended with a loss in the NCAA Division II national semifinals against West Chester University, it was certainly a season for the record books.

“This year was remarkable for so many reasons. We broke a lot of records and made a lot of memories that we all will cherish,” said Ann Lahey, who completed her 11th season as head coach of Assumption’s Field Hockey team. “I have had talented groups in the past, but this team was able to capitalize on the opportunities presented, and I was always amazed with their ability to win. … We didn’t crush the competition; we won difficult games in the last minutes of play and in overtime. I trusted that the team would pull through, and they believed in themselves.”

The Greyhounds were crowned the NE10 Conference Regular Season Champions and ranked first in goals allowed (8) and second in goals scored (52). The team also collected several NE10 records: Lahey was named Field Hockey Coach of the Year,

Kylie Gargiulo ’22 was named Goalkeeper of the Year, and Jenna Graf ’22 was named Defensive Player of the Year.

“I am so proud of Coach Lahey and the entire Field Hockey team,” said Christine Lowthert, Ed.D., director of Assumption Athletics. “Throughout my time at Assumption, I have watched this team grow and develop – both on and off the field. Each year, the team continues to improve and dominate its opponents. In 2019, we got a taste of the NCAAs but this year – this historic year – we had a commanding presence in the Final Four. The hard work of the coaches and student-athletes propelled this team, and I am looking forward to future seasons.”

In the last decade, the Assumption Field Hockey program has gone from a winless season (0-18 in 2010) to one game away from a national championship. Coach Lahey arrived at Assumption in 2011 following its winless 2010 season. Though the team went 1-14 in her inaugural season, she led the Greyhounds to a seven-win turnaround in 2012 as they went 8-10. The turnaround was the second biggest in NCAA Division II history, and Coach Lahey was named NE10 Coach of the Year by her peers. That season, the team also held the record for most fan attendance in the nation for Division II Field Hockey.

Two years later, in 2014, the 12-7 Hounds advanced to the NE10 Conference Tournament for the first time in over a decade. Ranked No. 9 in the final

“These players were nothing but impressive all season. In addition to an undefeated record, these studentathletes were winners both on and off the field, displaying leadership skills in the classroom as well as in the locker room.”

National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA)

Division II National Poll, the team earned the No. 5 seed in the league tournament and was regionally ranked for much of the season. The Greyhounds have made the NE10 tournament every season since. Each season, the Field Hockey team continues to improve. In their last full season in 2019 (the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic), the team went 16-5 and were undefeated at home (9-0). The team earned a spot in the NCAA DII National Tournament, where they lost in the first round.

“I know that every member of the program since 2011 played an important role in building what we were able to accomplish this year,” said Lahey.

Lahey said the team was successful this season because of the efforts and focus of the players despite the limitations caused by COVID in the last two years; the support of the families, alumnae, and her coaching staff, Rylie Hammond and John Griffin; as well as the fifth-year graduate students “who decided to come back and finish what they started. I know without their leadership this season would not have been the same,” she said.

FIELD HOCKEY COACH ANN LAHEY

 Football finished the 2021 regular season with a 5-5 record overall and a 5-3 mark in conference play. They earned their first victory of the season at home over Pace University on September 18 and went on to win their next two games including an overtime road game against Franklin Pierce University and a shutout against Southern Connecticut State University. Isaiah Huff ’23 earned NE10 Special Teams Player of the Week twice this season and tied Deonte Harris (now playing for the NFL’s New Orleans Saints) for the second longest kick return in program history (99 yards). The team defeated Saint Anselm College 44-35 on Homecoming/Senior Day, with quarterback Jacob Cady ’23 subsequently winning Offensive Player of the Week. Captain Khaleed Exum-Strong ’22, a running back, was named the 2021 NE10 Most Valuable Player and earned a spot on the All Conference First Team after a stellar season; he played all 10 games, rushing for a total of 1,228 yards, and scoring nine touchdowns.

Tighe Beck ’22, Tobias Liska ’22, and Huff were all named to the NE10 All Conference First Team Offense, while Matthew Ringstaff ’22 earned a spot on the All Conference Second Team Offense.

HOUNDS WATCH

FALL 2021 Sports Highlights

 Men’s Cross Country had the best finish in program history at the Northeast-10 Conference Championships this fall, earning fifth place out of 14 teams. Claudio Rocha ’23 was the top runner for Assumption, taking home ninth place overall with a time of 26:08. Rocha earned NE10 secondteam honors following the meet, and his performance at the NCAA Regionals in November – in which he finished sixth and the Greyhounds placed eighth overall – earned him a spot to compete at the NCAA DII Nationals in Tampa. Rocha finished 112th out of more than 260 runners at Nationals on November 20 with a time of 32:42.

 The Women’s Cross Country team placed fifth out of 14 teams at the NE10 Conference Championships on October 24. Peri Snow ’23 was the top finisher for the Greyhounds, placing 16th overall with a time of 23:49 and earning NE10 Third Team All-Conference honors. The Greyhounds placed seventh out of 18 teams at the NCAA DII East Region Championships in early November, and Snow was named All-Region after claiming 22nd place overall.

Women’s Soccer team finished the season 7-4-8 and 5-3-5 in conference play. The Greyhounds had 10 overtime games, including both games of the NE10 Championships. The team defeated Franklin Pierce on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals before falling to Southern Connecticut in penalty kicks in the NE10 semifinal game. Goalkeeper Julia Walsh ’25 was named the NE10 Conference Rookie of the Week twice this season, NE10 Goalkeeper of the Week once, and won a place on the NE10 All-Rookie Team. She posted seven shutouts in her first year and ranked third in saves, fourth in save percentage, and second in shutouts in the NE10. Captain Dianna Bruggeman ’22 and defender Addison Davis ’23 were each named to the NE10 All Conference First Team.

Katherine Laboissonniere ‘25

Isaiah Huff ‘23

Claudio Rocha ‘23

Madison Czarnecki ‘23

Men’s Golf Wins NE10 Conference Championship Title

The Men’s Golf team took home the NE10 Conference Championship title, their second in three years and second in program history. Assumption dominated the course, winning by 15 strokes. The Greyhounds had three student-athletes finish in the top five, and all five golfers finished in the top 10, including Sean Magarian ’24 who finished second overall for Assumption. Jack Moy ’25 earned NE10 Rookie of the Week honors after placing second overall at the Le Moyne Fall Invitational in week four of the 2021 season.

 The Assumption Volleyball team concluded their season, falling to American International College in the quarterfinals of the NE10 Championship tournament. Barbara Illig ’25 registered 375 digs, 45 assists, and 17 service aces, was named the NE10 Conference Libero of the Week twice during the 2021 season, and earned NE10 All-Conference Third Team and All Rookie Team honors. Alexis Distasio ’25 joined Illig on the Rookie Team after leading the team with 204 kills, 181 digs, 19 total blocks (six solo, 13 assists), 16 service aces, and seven assists.

 The Women’s Tennis team finished the season 4-7 overall and 3-7 in conference play. Assumption’s duo of graduate student Julia Chappell and Cara McCormack ’23 were named to the NE10 All-Conference Third Team for No. 1 Doubles and finished the 2021 season with a 9-2 record.

 The Women’s Golf team put forth a solid season, finishing second at each of their four tournaments this fall: the Stonehill Invitational and Le Moyne, Franklin Pierce University, and Saint Rose fall invitationals. The team finished in third place at the 2021 NE10 Conference Championship tournament, with Samantha Leary ’22 finishing ninth overall; she was Assumption’s top finisher.

 The Men’s Soccer team concluded their 2021 season at home with a double overtime draw versus Saint Anselm, both of whom were hoping a win would punch their ticket to the playoffs. Another highlight of the season was a Senior Day victory at home against NE10 rival Bentley University. Kevin Hernandez ’22 was the team’s top scorer, netting 10 goals this season, including a hat trick against Southern Connecticut State University on October 19. Hernandez, who ranked third in the NE10 in goals, points, and shots, was named to the Conference’s 2021 All-Conference First Team.

Carly Romano ‘22

Caitlin Sze ‘23

Kevin Hernandez ‘22

ALUMNI NEWS

Hello, Greyhound family!

My fellow Alumni Ambassador leads – Bob ’86 and Chris (Ayers) ’86 Martin (Admissions), Artie Rogan ’04 (Alumni Networks), Kevin Peterssen ’08 (Flagship Events), and Christina Graziano ’10 (Career Services) – and I would like to wish you all a successful start to 2022.

2021 saw this group persist through virtual programming that included special presentations from both President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., and Vice President for Student Success Conway Campbell, Ed.D. These events were both well attended and provided our group an “insider’s view” of how today’s Hounds are embracing their time on Salisbury Street. We also continued to assist current and future Greyhounds through our engagement with the Career Development & Internship Center (CDIC) and the Admissions office.

It is hard for me to believe that we started this new endeavor of the Assumption Alumni Ambassador program just two short years ago. Despite all the difficulties of these past two years, we remain proud and excited as ever to lead this fantastic group of actively engaged alumni. Now, as we move into the second half of our third year, we hope that you will continue to be a part of this group as we evolve. Please keep checking your email and monitoring the social media channels for future programming and group announcements.

I wish everyone a wonderful first half of 2022, and I hope to see you at another Assumption event very soon! Remember, we’re always welcoming new Alumni Ambassadors. If interested, please email alumni@assumption.edu to sign up.

Thomas E. Wales, Ph.D. ’98

For more information on the Assumption Alumni Ambassadors contact:

Amy Logue Gontarz ’01, G’08

Director of Alumni Relations

alogue@assumption.edu

508.767.7011

PLAY BALL!

The Assumption Alumni Ambassador group was invited to attend a Worcester Red Sox game this summer, the team’s inaugural season at Polar Park in Worcester. Assumption, one of the 21 founding partners of the Worcester Red Sox, the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, enjoys a unique partnership with the team, one that provides students with internships and other experiential learning opportunities.

ALUMNI CELEBRATE REUNIONS

Members of the Class of 1961

ALUMNI AWARDS

The annual Alumni Awards are presented by the Office of Alumni Relations and bestowed upon individuals at the University’s June Reunion, which, for this year and last, was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These extraordinary alumni and community members were honored in the spring of 2021 for their loyalty, commitment, and achievements. To watch the videos and learn more about these impressive award winners, visit assumption.edu/alumni.

Members of several classes were on the Assumption campus to celebrate their reunions on September 25 and October 9. The Classes of 1970 and 1971 were inducted as Golden Greyhounds in honor of their 50th Reunions, while the Class of 1966 celebrated its 55th Reunion and the Class of 1961 celebrated its 60th Reunion.

Members of the Class of 1966

Members of the Class of 1970

Members of the Class of 1971

The Fr. Louis Dion, A.A. ’35 Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to David Kennedy ’75 (2020) and Bill Sutherland ’76, P’07 (2021).

The Jack L. Bresciani ’72 Outstanding Alumni Award was given to Bob Knittle ’85 (2020) and Bob and Chris (Ayers) Martin ’86, P’16 (2021).

The Young Alumni Award was awarded to Christina Graziano, Esq.’10 (2020) and Caroline Rufo, Ph.D. ’11 (2021).

The Honorary Alumni Award was bestowed upon Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kerry Phayre (2020) and inaugural Vice President of the Division for Student Success Conway Campbell, Sr., Ed.D. (2021).

CLASS NOTES

1969

Ronald P. Coderre was inducted into the Putnam High School Wall of Honor for his outstanding leadership to his community in the areas of politics, business, health services, youth activities, sports journalism, education, and Veterans affairs. His affiliations have led Ron to receive local, state, and national awards, bringing honor to his community.

1971

William Humbert has been elected vicechair of the Park City, UT, Library Board.

1972

50TH REUNION

Former Superior Court Judge Edward Neafsey was appointed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to the Advisory Board of the Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson. Edward is an adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School–Newark and has spent over 33 years in public service at the county, state, and federal levels.

1978

Peggy (Sheehan) Flood was awarded Mitchell College’s 2020-21 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award in recognition of distinguished dedication and service to the students of Mitchell College.

1980

Francis X. Doyle was recently named by Travelers Insurance as an Agent of the Year for his outstanding work with AAA Northeast.

Mike Robinson recently retired from AT&T after 39 years of service. During his tenure, Mike held various sales and marketing positions at the company, most recently serving as director of business development for AT&T Intellectual Property. In retirement, he and his wife Elizabeth (Varga) ’81 will retire to Cape Cod.

1982

40TH REUNION

Pauline (Smith) Echols of Charlotte, NC, joined Shopkick as a senior account director.

1983

Sandra A. Merlini is the resident poetess of the Marlborough Senior Center. She is a member of the Marlborough Artists Group and the Longfellow Poetry Society.

1984

Nancy (LeMay) Ignagni, a resident of Rock Hill, SC, is the general and technical laboratory supervisor at the Center for Rheumatology and Arthritis Care. She has served in the U.S. Army Reserves and has

a master’s degree in advanced investigation forensic science from the University of New Haven.

1987

35TH REUNION

Patrick W. Ryan was appointed to the New Hampshire Circuit Court bench in March 2021 and began his tenure as a sitting judge in June. After spending six years as an attorney at a private practice, he has served in the court administration of the State of New Hampshire Judicial Branch for the last 24 years.

1988

Colleen (Johnson) Ogilvie was appointed registrar of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), a position she held in an interim capacity for several months prior. Colleen has served in various capacities at the RMV over the course of a 30-year career, beginning as a customer service representative and most recently as deputy registrar for operations, where she oversaw many of the RMV’s back-office identity and vehicle credentialing and technology functions.

1989

Deborah Ann (Palmer) McRonald has joined Danimer Scientific, Inc., a leading next-generation bioplastics company focused on the development and production of biodegradable materials, as chief corporate development officer.

1990

Tom McAuliffe II, president of My FM Media, won an unprecedented 10th Radio Station of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association at their annual Soundbites Awards Ceremony, which was held virtually in fall 2020.

Robert Silveri published his book, Even If You Don’t Like Poetry: The First Fifty, in July 2021. His collection of poems is “based on the philosophy that poetry should be brief, clear, and beautiful in its simplicity,” and his short poems are designed to be accessible for those individuals who don’t typically enjoy poetry.

1992

30TH REUNION

John Giordano, DMD, has been deployed with the Massachusetts Army National Guard (ARNG) since March 2020 to assist in the State of Massachusetts’s COVID-19 response. He currently serves as the state dental officer, but during the last year has held positions such as public affairs officer, liaison to the U.S. Army medical teams and OIC of National Guard medical teams at Tewksbury State Hospital, director and developer of a contact-tracing team for the Massachusetts ARNG, and director of the safety and standards team overseeing safety compliance for over 10 vaccination sites. During this time, he also completed his Intermediate Level Education, the secondhighest level of education in the Army.

1993

Diane (Coombs) Spinale is the co-founder of Wowel USA. Wowel is the only towel made in America and is manufactured in Massachusetts.

Robin Frkal, who has been working as the associate professor of human resource management at Nichols College for the last three years, has been promoted to associate dean for the college’s Graduate School of Business and Professional Studies.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Szivos G’83 Recognized by Lt. Governor with Bravery Award

On June 7, 2021, Annette Szivos G’83 was enjoying a day with her grandchildren at Dunn State Park in Gardner when she heard cries of distress coming from a nearby pond. Szivos jumped in and saved a drowning man.

“I just couldn’t watch someone drown,” said Szivos, who realized those on the beach were either unable or not willing to help the man. “I was raised Catholic and to do the right thing, and the right thing is you don’t look away when there is someone in distress. I knew I had to go in.”

Szivos kept the man’s head above water until another passerby jumped in and helped her bring him to shore. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery to treat several brain bleeds. Thanks to Szivos’s bravery, that man, Andrew LePage, a Vietnam combat Veteran, is alive.

“Annette is an example of what it means to be a hero,” said Massachusetts Lt. Governor Karyn Polito in presenting Szivos with the annual Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Bravery. The award is named for Madeline “Amy” Sweeney, a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, who alerted the flight’s ground services crew of the hijackers before the plane hit the first World Trade Center tower, and is presented to a deserving citizen every September 11. “Her selflessness is a great reminder of the bravery displayed by ordinary citizens as we remember those who did the same on September 11.”

“It was amazing and makes me cry every time I think about it,” Szivos said of receiving the award, adding that just being recognized was enough for her. “It’s an incredible honor.”

This fall, the city of Gardner proclaimed June 7 “Annette Marie Szivos Day.” Szivos, who was born and raised in the 236-year-old Worcester County city, is just the fourth person to have a day proclaimed for them. Szivos, who worked as a program manager for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services for 32 years, keeps in touch with LePage, who is recovering well.

“I am thankful every day I did what I did,” she said.

1994

Tracey Kenney Borrelli was hired as the new assistant principal at Central Middle School in Quincy.

Robert Balderson joined MutualOne Bank in Framingham as vice president of residential lending. With nearly two decades of experience in the industry, he is responsible for promoting the bank’s lending services to the local community through loan originations and educational seminars.

1998

Brock Erickson, a former shooting guard for the Assumption Men’s Basketball team, is the head men’s basketball coach at Nichols College.

1999

Joseph Lombardi, a member of the Sturbridge Police Department since 2001, was recently promoted to lieutenant.

birth: Jeff Logee welcomed his second child, Allan George Logee, on June 8, 2021. Allan joins his older brother, Otto. The Logees reside in Bar Harbor, ME.

Annette Szivos G’83 and Andrew LePage

“I AM THANKFUL EVERY DAY I DID WHAT I DID.”

ANNETTE SZIVOS G’83

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Ryan Murphy ’03: Raising Awareness Through Running

Most who live in Massachusetts and nearly all involved in the running community are familiar with Dick Hoyt, the Holland native who pushed his wheelchair-bound son, Rick, in more than 1,000 road races, including dozens of Boston Marathons. Ryan Murphy ’03 and his son, Jack, know the Hoyts well: they are members of Team Hoyt.

2002

20TH REUNION

David Harvey of Tacoma, WA, recently stepped down as the head coach of the men’s rowing team at Pacific Lutheran University, a position he held for five years, to start a not-for-profit youth rowing program called Tacoma Rowing. Tacoma Rowing increases access to the sport for inner-city youth through swimming lessons, STEM activities, and other support.

Brad MacDougall has joined CGI, a global IT and business consulting company, as a director of consulting services, in which he is responsible for partnering with state and local governments, agencies, and institutions of higher education to deliver mission-critical IT solutions and programs. Prior to joining CGI, Brad served in various leadership roles at Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the state’s largest and most influential business association.

“It is more of a running group where I have met other special needs families with similar challenges who enjoy running with their child,” said Ryan.

Ryan, an avid runner who ran his first marathon as a senior at Assumption, started running with Jack, now 9, when he was an infant, like he has with his three other children – Owen (12), Declan (10), and Quinn (6) – over the last 13 years. “The time was a

2004

Jerrell Engermann joined the board of directors of Boston Uncornered, an initiative of College Bound Dorchester that leverages education to end gang violence and systemic generational urban poverty. Jerrell has built a career in financial services and currently serves as a senior relationship manager at Empower Retirement.

2005

birth: Katherine (Burke) Davey welcomed Patrick Robert Davey in December 2020. He joins older siblings Thomas, Clare, Mary, and John.

Allison James, chief operating officer and COVID-19 manager of Girls Inc. of Worcester, was named to the Worcester Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” list for 2021. SEE STORY ON PAGE 4.

Katherine Marie (Mulford) Phillips was named the new head varsity field hockey coach at Leominster High School. Katherine,

win/win,” he said. “They enjoyed the ride and stopping at places around town, and I got exercise.”

But Jack never tired of running with his dad. When he outgrew his stroller, Ryan’s wife, Ali (Reyell) Murphy ’05, reached out to the Hoyt Foundation, who loaned Jack a specialized chair that would allow him to continue running with his dad. After that, Ryan and Jack became proud members of Team Hoyt.

“I have run 10 or so races with Team Hoyt, ranging from 5Ks to half marathons, all with my son Jack,” said Ryan, adding that he has also run many local races on his own that allow strollers. And although Jack is too young to run in the Boston Marathon, which doesn’t allow participants under the age of 18, Ryan hasn’t ruled it out. “Not sure what the future will hold, or if Jack will be into running himself as he gets older,” he shared.

Running with Team Hoyt allows Ryan to spread awareness of the organization’s mission to support “America’s disabled young people through inclusion in all facets of daily life.”

“The value of giving back was cultivated in me at Assumption and has been part of my career ever since,” he said. “I have felt that I can really make a difference within the community. I’m grateful for my wife Ali who is supportive of the time commitment that work and running take.”

who currently teaches fifth grade at Frances Drake Elementary School, has taught in the Leominster district for 15 years.

Jennifer Quinn, a senior producer at WPRI 12 in Providence, RI, was awarded a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for the documentary The War on Alzheimer’s, for which she served as producer.

2006

Amy Kalogeropoulos was promoted to director of the National Philoptochos Office of the National Philoptochos Executive Board of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc. She served as the development and information officer since 2018.

Jon Weaver ’06, G’17, a member of the Assumption University Board of Trustees, was named to the Worcester Business Journal’s “Power 50” Class of 2021, which recognizes the most influential business professionals in central Massachusetts.

“THE VALUE OF GIVING BACK WAS CULTIVATED IN ME AT ASSUMPTION AND HAS BEEN A PART OF MY CAREER EVER SINCE.”

RYAN MURPHY ’03

2007

15TH REUNION

Frank Galligan was recently appointed principal of Warwick Neck Elementary School in Warwick, RI.

birth: Christopher (Morris) Krueger welcomed his daughter, Andrea Vaile Krueger, on February 18, 2021.

2010

Chelsea Gilson starred in a Lifetime TV movie, Mommy’s Deadly Con Artist, in May 2021. She has appeared in a number of roles in movies and shows for CBS, Netflix, Lifetime, and the Hallmark Channel. She also runs the travel blog Traveling Fig, and teaches yoga retreats around the world.

Chris O’Day was elected to the national board of directors for the Association of Accounting Marketers. He welcomed his son, Dean, on April 17, 2021.

Colin Webb has joined the board of directors for Healthy Communities of the Capital Area, a coalition of individuals who work to improve the health and quality of life in Kennebec County, ME. Colin is an overdose prevention specialist in harm reduction at MaineGeneral Health’s Prevention and Healthy Living Center.

2011

Christine Roach married Brad Vongphrachanh in August 2021 in Seattle, WA. Alumni in attendance included Carleigh Baldwin, Julia Brough, Stephanie Burns, Michael and Christine Cram, Laura Halloran, Patrick Jergel, Kiley Krafve, Dave Paradise (who served as officiant), Jessica Pulido, and Dennis and Courtney Sojka

2013

Kristen Manchester began a position as a graphic production artist for Life is Good, an American apparel and accessories company, in May 2021.

2014

Mike Uva won his first Emmy Award in June 2021 for his work as a sports anchor at WACH FOX in South Carolina. He is a four-time nominated sportscaster by the Southeast Chapter Emmy Awards. This fall, Mike accepted a new position as director of digital content at GamecockCentral.com, a site dedicated to sports and recruiting coverage of the University of South Carolina’s football program, the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Devyn Oliver graduated with a Ph.D. in basic and biomedical sciences from the University of Massachusetts Medical School neuroscience program last spring. Her thesis work focused on understanding how neurons develop and maintain synaptic connections. Devyn, who recently began working as a scientist with the neurology team at Berg LLC in Framingham, married Brian Jolicoeur on May 29, 2021, in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

2015

Tyla Wade began a new position as a digital marketing supervisor at UniWorld Group, Inc., the longest-standing, fullservice, multicultural marketing and advertising agency in the U.S.

2016

Rachel (Montgomery) Berten married her husband, John, on July 17, 2021, at the Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield, NH. Alumni in attendance included Sarah Ardolino ’20, Grace Clark ’19, Lorin Colucci, Eric Cyr, Ryan Delmastro ’17, Breanna Dolciotto ’15, Ann Donahue ’15, Alyssa Giambanco G’18, Katie Jorgensen ’15, Kaylee Miodonka ’15, Kathy Montgomery ’18,

left: Mike Uva ’14 with the Emmy Award he won as sports anchor at WACH FOX in South Carolina. above: Colette Gushue Rowland ’80, Ann Bracken McCaffrey ’80, Beth Beaudry Stilphen ’80, and Sarah Thomas Tracy ’80 celebrated the 45th anniversary of their friendship over Labor Day weekend in September at Colette’s home on Block Island, RI. The alumnae met during their First-Year Orientation in 1976.

Katie Montgomery ’18, Nicole Papazian G’18, Katelyn Parente, Kristen Piek ’15, Katarina Perez, Lily Sheehan ’20, Alaina Short, Lyla Stressel ’17, Jean-Pierre Tetreault ’18, Allie Zinni, and Provost Emerita Louise Carroll Keeley, Ph.D.

Michael David Hoye was ordained to the transitional diaconate by His Excellency, the Most Rev. Robert McManus, Bishop of Worcester, on August 7, 2021, at St. Mary Parish in Uxbridge, where he was serving as a seminarian. After graduating from Assumption, Michael attended the Theological College at The Catholic University of America, then the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology and where he will return to begin a two-year program for his licentiate in sacred theology.

Rev. Lucas LaRoche was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Worcester on June 19, 2021, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Worcester by Bishop McManus. Also present were Assumption President

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D.;

fellow alumni

Marian (Murphy) Eno ’15, Julia Gilberto ’15, Michael Hoye, Corinne Murphy ’17, and Zack Sullivan ’17; and many other friends and relatives.

2017

5TH REUNION

Kathleen Hurley completed her Juris Doctor degree from Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Dean School of Law in May 2020 and was admitted to practice law in New York in March 2021. She is currently working as an assistant district attorney in Nassau County, NY.

Jacqueline Raftery completed her Master of Science in Child Life and Family Centered Care from Boston University in May 2020. In January 2021, she began working as a certified child life specialist at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Boston, where she supports children recovering from burn injuries who are living with craniofacial anomalies.

CLASS NOTES SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

2018

Meghan Cushing ’18, G’19 is a math teacher at Gorham High School in Gorham, ME. She received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education in mathematics and an M.Ed. in special education, both from Assumption.

2019

Karissa M. Foley graduated from Bay Path University with a Master of Occupational Therapy in May 2021. She recently passed her national boards and holds licensure in Massachusetts and Connecticut as an OTR/L.

Assumption Magazine publishes Class Notes in each issue. Submissions can be made at alumni@assumption.edu or by mailing us your information. An icon may be placed by a wedding announcement, indicating a photo is posted online. The Magazineʼs editorial staff makes every effort to accurately print announcements, but cannot always verify the accuracy of information submitted for publication.

Geoff LaMarche ’04 celebrated his 40th birthday with fellow alumni at the Great Horse Golf Course in Hampden (L–R: Justin Depasse ’04, Dave Thomas ’04, Alex Madrigal ’04, Geoff LaMarche ’04, Kyle Yermalovich ’04, and Matt Hill ’04).

GRADUATE STUDIES G’74

Stephen M. Brewer, a retired Massachusetts state senator, served as the keynote speaker for Mount Wachusett Community College’s virtual commencement ceremonies in May 2021. Stephen retired in 2014 after 26 years in the legislature.

Michael Reidy published a three-volume novel on July 4, 2021. The Trumbull Chronicles is the story of a Massachusetts political family spanning the period of 1963 to the present.

G’77

Nelly Chinn published a book, Memories from Morocco and Beyond, in May 2021. In this collection of her memories, which spans from the 1930s through 2001, Nelly shares her experiences from her idyllic childhood in Casablanca, her later life in England, and other travel adventures.

G’97

Stephanie (Forgione) Carbonneau was selected as the 2020 Foreign Language Association of Maine’s Teacher of the Year and was a 2021 North East Conference Teacher of Foreign Languages Teacher of the Year finalist.

G’12

Ashley Luongo was promoted to assistant director of clinical operations at Elevate Counseling Services, a private group practice of behavioral health care professionals serving the needs of clients from locations in South Easton, Middleborough, and Bellingham.

Paul Lincoln, sales audit supervisor for TJX Companies and owner of Lincoln Crafted, and Kat Stevens, LMHC, CEO of Recovery Centers of America (RCA) at Westminster, were named to the Worcester Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” list for 2021.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CE’04

Robert “Bob” Remillard of Rutland is Workers Credit Union’s new vice president of consumer and mortgage originations, where he ensures high quality and high member satisfaction for consumer, auto, and home loans.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Boston Globe: Anne Harris ’12 Is “One to Watch”

Since graduating from Assumption with a degree in studio art, Anne Harris ’12 has made a name for herself in the art world. This spring, upon the completion of her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts University, she was named by the Boston Globe as one of the five art school grads to watch for in 2021.

“Being included in the five art school grads to watch article meant everything to me,” said Harris. “It proved my hard work ethic, perseverance, and belief in my work to be true.”

Harris said she’s been “disciplined and focused on developing my artistic practice since an undergrad at Assumption” and spent seven years – between graduating from Assumption and earning her MFA – painting, both inside the studio and outside in the Massachusetts landscape. Harris, who describes herself as an interdisciplinary artist who works in painting, performance, video, and installation, bases most of her work in nature, in particular by capturing the natural beauty of Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in Massachusetts.

When the pandemic began, Harris began installing her work in a forest outside her home in Worcester. “Soon there were bobcats, coyotes, and a porcupine interacting with these paintings,” she explained.

While Harris continues to learn from her surroundings, she credits Assumption’s Department of Art & Music for helping her get where she is today. “I had a strong, supportive faculty who saw and believed in my potential,” she said, adding that they taught her how to paint, incorporate emotion into her work, and become a better photographer in the woods, among other skills. “They wanted to help me succeed.”

Harris said it was Professor Lynn Simmons, MFA, who inspired her to apply to grad school and gave her “the chance to start a studio practice in Worcester after graduating [from Assumption], where I grew as an artist in my own way.” She explained that then-professor Barbara Beall-Fofana, Ph.D., purchased her first painting and “continues to be my patron and an important and special part of my life today.”

This year, Harris will be a postgraduate teaching fellow at SMFA at Tufts, where she will teach Intro to Oil Painting and Intro to Video Art. She also plans to apply to different residencies, galleries, and museums, especially ones with an outdoor focus.

“Making art is something I must do; there is no choice,” she said. “To earn this terminal degree in my field and to be recognized for my achievements always felt like a dream, and now I can say it is a reality.”

“I HAD A STRONG, SUPPORTIVE FACULTY WHO SAW AND BELIEVED IN MY POTENTIAL.”

ANNE HARRIS ’12

IN MEMORIAM

Senator Mike R. Gravel AP’49, HD’69 1930–2021

Mike Gravel, 91, a former U.S. senator from Alaska perhaps best known for reading the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record in 1971 as a one-man filibuster to protest the Vietnam War, passed away on June 26, 2021.

Born in Springfield to French Canadian immigrants from Quebec, Gravel attended a French-speaking Catholic grade school before enrolling at Assumption Prep and subsequently spending his first year of college at Assumption.

In 1951, Gravel enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served in Germany and France until 1954. Upon his return to the U.S.,

Gravel completed his bachelor’s degree in economics at Columbia University before moving to Alaska with aspirations of a career in public service.

After several years working in Alaska state government, Gravel was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1968, where he would represent his adopted state until 1981. During his time in the Senate, Gravel helped expand Alaska’s educational system and brought awareness to the state’s Native community. His committee assignments included finance, interior, environment, and public works, and he chaired a number of subcommittees related to environmental issues. He received an honorary degree from Assumption in 1969 and served as an honorary member of the Assumption Board of Trustees.

After a sabbatical from electoral politics for nearly a decade, Gravel moved to California where he established two nonprofit corporations dedicated to promoting democracy. In 2006, at the age of 76, Gravel filed his candidacy for the 2008 presidential election, and later for the 2020 presidential election.

EXPLORE OUR PREMIER GRADUATE PROGRAMS

When you pursue a graduate degree at Assumption University, you are investing in your future. Graduates are highly sought-after professionals known for their rigorous academic preparation, adherence to high ethical standards, strong work ethic, and compassion.

School of Graduate Studies

• Applied Behavior Analysis

• Clinical Counseling Psychology

• Rehabilitation Counseling

• Resiliency in the Helping Professions

• School Counseling

• Special Education

• Special Education: Autism Spectrum Disorders C.A.G.S. (with Endorsement)

• Special Ops: Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF)

• Transition Specialist C.A.G.S. (with Endorsement)

Resiliency in the Helping Professions

Grenon School of Business

• Business Administration (MBA), including Accelerated & CPA Track

• Healthcare Management MBA, including Accelerated Track

Learn emotional regulation, realistic optimism, self-compassion, mindfulness, empathy, and self-efficacy in the Resiliency in the Helping Professions C.G.S. and C.A.G.S. program. This program has broad professional applicability and is targeted to increase professional effectiveness for those in the helping professions. Learn more at assumption.edu/resiliency.

CONNECT WITH US! For information about our graduate programs, please email graduate@assumption.edu or call 508.767.7387. Visit us online at assumption.edu/graduate.

IN MEMORIAM

Lt. Anthony J. Krow 1973–2021

Anthony “Tony” J. Krow, 48, of Worcester, passed away on October 13, 2021, after a courageous two-year battle with cancer. Lt. Krow served as a member of the Assumption Police Department for 22 years. A U.S. Army Veteran, Lt. Krow was actively involved in Veteran initiatives on campus, including fundraising for the Wounded Warrior Project and the Home Base No Shave Campaign every November. Despite his diagnosis in 2019, Lt. Krow remained committed to his job, the Assumption community, and most especially, the safety of the students. He deeply cared for the Assumption community and his fellow officers, often serving as a mentor for members of the Campus Police and many students, who found in him a role model to emulate. He is survived by his wife, Beth, and his children, Dominic and Bella.

† Sister Ann Theresa Sciannella G’70

May 8, 2021

† Judith “Judy” Clark Aarmen G’73

May 13, 2021

† John R. Bresnahan ’69

May 17, 2021

† Melissa A. Szydlo ’96

May 18, 2021

† Janette A. Emond CE’72

May 19, 2021

† Richard H. “Dick” Ayres CE’86, P’02, P’10 May 21, 2021

† Father Andre M. Gariepy AP’49, AU’53

May 25, 2021

† Karen Lynn (Adams) Hollant ’90

May 27, 2021

† Jordan J. Derderian, Jr. G’77

May 28, 2021

† Stephen W. Richardson G’86

May 30, 2021

† Michael W. Oliveira ’16, G’18

June 4, 2021

† Lianne Fleury-Casey ’82, P’15

June 5, 2021

† Mary (McConnon) Barakat CE’92

† Michael J. O’Donnell ’80

July 19, 2021

† Angelo L. Schmidt ’83

July 26, 2021

† Myra Alexander G’98

July 30, 2021

† Paul V. Bonneau AP’67, AU’71

August 13, 2021

† Colonel William John McGrath, USMC (Ret) G’72

August 19, 2021

† Laurie Ann (Oberg) Hilton ’99

August 29, 2021

† Edward P. LaVigne ’73, G’76

September 4, 2021

† Paul Joseph Daley ’80

September 7, 2021

† Normand J. Babineau AP’46, AU’50 September 12, 2021

† Dorothea (Murphy) Hohl G’68

September 14, 2021

† Andre M. Bouchard ’67

September 15, 2021

† Phyllis A. Taxiera CE’85

September 22, 2021

† Cheryl Richardson Eder ’81

September 24, 2019

† Paul Charpentier AP’67

July 18, 2020

† Richard “Dick” B. Burchell ’66

December 17, 2020

† Kathleen Young Carelli ’81, P’82, ’86, ’92

March 20, 2021

† Peter N. Rotando ’70

March 21, 2021

† Kathleen Marie Chapman G’82

March 26, 2021

† Robert E. Hokanson ’75

April 4, 2021

† Kathleen B. Armstrong G’80

April 12, 2021

† Gerald D. Ciarcia G’77

April 23, 2021

† Joseph A. Cournoyer AP’46, AU’53

April 23, 2021

† Kathryn Lovette (MacDonald) Hitchings G’85

April 27, 2021

† Pamela “Pam” Ann Hurley G’94

April 30, 2021

† Barbara J. Simonds G’72

May 1, 2021

June 7, 2021

† James Seton Dalton ’86

June 14, 2021

† Sandra Lea Dow G’81

June 15, 2021

† Lester Sadowsky HA’06

June 15, 2021

† Mary Ann Bedick, adjunct professor

June 17, 2021

† Dennis L. Lindblom G’81

June 21, 2021

† Maurice D. Pearson CE’90

June 26, 2021

† Betty T. (Turner) Castiglioni G’98

June 29, 2021

† George C. Proulx G’75

June 29, 2021

† Jeremiah Edmund Dorsey, Jr. ’66

July 11, 2021

† Renate Shrivastava ’88

July 11, 2021

† Paul F. Granger AP’66

July 14, 2021

† John Dring ’58

July 15, 2021

† Richard James Harrington, Jr. ’77, G’88, P’11

September 24, 2021

† Rev. Roger L. Bisson AP’46

September 27, 2021

† Mary Tonna Cocaine G’80

October 6, 2021

† Sheila M. (O’Neill) Curran G’75, P’06

October 8, 2021

† Jacqueline M. (Belisle) Oliver CE’70

October 11, 2021

† Rev. Joseph M. Nally ’67

October 14, 2021

† Sean Michael Morrissey CE’07

October 21, 2021

† Matthew Charles Sidebottom ‘11

October 22, 2021

† Sister Marita Soucy G’69

November 11, 2021

† Sr. Mary T. Quinn G’78 November 11, 2021

Person-Centered: Catholic Liberal Education at Assumption

BY MOLLY BRIGID M c GRATH, PH.D. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY; DIRECTOR OF THE HONORS PROGRAM; DIRECTOR OF THE D’AMOUR CENTER FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE

THE GLOBAL NETWORK OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS, INCLUDING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, CONSTITUTES THE LARGEST nongovernmental educational system in the history of the world. Have you ever wondered: what’s with Catholics and education?

When Catholic immigrants started settling in the United States, everywhere they went they founded parishes, of course. They also founded schools and hospitals, and these served not only their own communities, but all, regardless of faith or no faith. Thus, thousands of Catholic churches, schools, and hospitals were seeded across the American landscape, dedicated to care of the human person in full — soul, indeed, but also body and mind.

American Catholic colleges were largely founded for working-class, ethnic immigrant communities, serving students interested in gaining a foothold in the country’s civic and economic sphere. For example, Assumption was founded to serve French immigrants in the Worcester area. The students were mostly interested in being successful citizens, church members, and professionals. There is a lot going on here, with professional, civic, and religious goals all stewing together. What draws these various aims into a coherent whole? What makes the American Catholic educational tradition we are part of not only distinctive but also rich and worth continuing?

The various professional, civic, and confessional aims are important aspects of our mission, but they are not placed at the center. Indeed, remarkably, not even the religious hopes for students are at the center of the Catholic educational tradition. (After all, Catholics planted liberal arts colleges, not Bible colleges, across the country.) Rather, what’s characteristic of Catholic higher education is its orientation toward liberal education.

The catch phrase of Catholic education is that we educate “the whole person.” If not to become an empty cliché, this must mean that what animates Catholic education essentially is the insight that the human being is a person in the first place: an individual-butrelational intellectual being. That is, each person is a transcendent and communal being, a being capable of and fulfilled in transcending self by seeking the true and the good in friendship with others. This personhood is what is most important about each of us, regardless of all the details that distinguish or divide us.

The upshot is that, in this tradition, the educator must view each student as a person having a destiny and vocation to see and seek the truth and to serve the good in community.

Now it is important to note that this destiny/vocation is not easily or automatically achieved, and that we all fail at it to some extent. This fact of our universally shared inadequacy should inspire us to work harder to learn with and from each other.

The various professional, confessional, and civic aims of Assumption make sense only as parts of this context. Outside of this personalist context, political, religious, and career goals would threaten to become distorted: partisan, intolerant, short-term, and superficial. This is why Catholic education must be liberal. It puts each student’s inner orientation to and liberation through truth at the center.

One need not be a believer in order to get on board with the core values of Catholic liberal education, but sometimes some work is needed for people to see this, especially for people without deep prior experience with the tradition. Thus, some might hear talk of “mission” and think “religious stuff.” Instead, our mission is personcentered education, because that’s what is demanded by the “religious stuff,” i.e., the Catholic view of the human being.

What does this mean concretely for teaching and learning at Assumption? My fellow teachers and I need to understand ourselves as involved in a common task. While each of us, and each discipline and class, contributes in different ways, we are motivated by a shared professional commitment to help students fulfill their duty and destiny as human persons. And if we do our jobs right, students should experience Assumption as a place of friendship where that destiny is recognized, honored, and served.

…we are motivated by a shared professional commitment to help students fulfill their duty and destiny as human persons. And if we do our jobs right, students should experience Assumption as a place of friendship where that destiny is recognized, honored, and served.

500 Salisbury Street Worcester, MA 01609-1296

REUNION

WE CAN’T WAIT FOR ALUMNI TO RETURN TO CAMPUS!

Classes ending in 2s and 7s have special milestones to celebrate, and we’ve extended an invitation to our friends in classes ending in 0s, 5s, 1s, and 6s who missed out on an on-campus reunion over the past two years. ALL alumni are welcome to attend! Activities on Saturday, June 11, include campus tours, Alumni Awards, and HoundFest, featuring family-friendly activities, food trucks, and live entertainment. Visit assumption.edu/reunion for more information.

JUNE 11 & 12 2022