SPRING 2018
Being Gloria
BETWEEN THE LINES Writing this issue’s cover story, Kristin Livingston and I enjoyed a temporary superpower. We were able to unlock calendars and unleash reflections of busy alumni, trustees, faculty and students with a single word: Gloria. Their glowing stories, observations and testimonials could have filled an entire magazine. But that kind of star treatment would never fly with our honoree, as we learned early, at her inauguration. It was not a single burst of academic pageantry but part of a greater whole, the coda in a three-day celebration of civic engagement and social responsibility. Her pledge on that March afternoon: “To further Bentley’s connections to the worlds I know — the worlds of business, education, government, law, nonprofits and society more broadly, and to draw on my own experiences to represent these worlds here.” She embraced the work and, as many readers can attest, countless members of the Bentley community. (A hug that stands out for me came at a reception for 15-year employees. For Kristin: a blown kiss in lieu of a hug, which was Gloria’s only concession to feeling less-than-healthy during the Q&A with Mary Ponziani ’18, page 16.) The outgoing president shares these pages with alumni, faculty and other experts on “the workplace of the future,” a Bentley senior who has turned the selfie on its head, and collected wisdom from alumni who serve on boards. We close with a first look at the university’s multipurpose arena, which opened in February to cheering crowds (see back cover); our next issue will go deeper on this impressive new venue for ice hockey and so much more. One final thanks to everyone who provided insights and anecdotes for The Connector in Chief (page 10). With your help, we present a leader who is focused on the future but ever in the moment — an enviable superpower itself.
Susan Simpson Editor
Contents SPRING 2018 2 | HERE SAY 3 | ON CAMPUS
COLUMNS 4 | Take Two: Beauty standards take it on the chin 27 | Inside Job: Cleaning up with Adam Goss ’04 31 | Family Matters: Twins and Falcons forever
FEATURES 10 | The Connector in Chief 18 | Working in the Key of Change: Bentley experts on the workplace of the future 22 | Getting On Board: Tips from board-member alumni 24 | C LASS NOTES
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HERE SAY
MAGAZINE Editor Susan Simpson Director of Communications John McElhenny Writers Deblina Chakraborty Jaimie Fritz Jen Miller Mary Ponziani ’18 Mary K. Pratt Kristen Walsh Creative Director Greg Gonyea Senior Associate Director Creative Services Claire S. Anderson Art Direction & Design Juliana Freire Sara Jane Kaminski
GOOD FOR BUSINESS, BUSINESS FOR GOOD [cover story, page 11]
TAKE TWO: A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE [page 8]
Did you know our CEO got his start at FBMS over 20 years ago by developing a voice mailbox system for our Quincy shelter guests? Check out this anecdote in the winter edition of Bentley University’s magazine. John Yazwinski is a proud Bentley alumnus. Father Bill’s and Mainspring, Quincy, Mass.
So honored to see Reading Owls International’s work featured along with the AH-MAZING Easton ’07 in the most recent publication of Bentley University Alumni. Thank you, Falcons! Elaine Dickson, MBA ’98, Cumberland, R.I.
I’m consistently pleased with my alma mater. Bentley regularly professes responsibility and justness as tantamount to profit and growth! Justin Chase, MBA ’09, Amesbury, Mass.
Thank you, Bentley University, for the feature on Andrew and the family! Andrew is very proud to be an alumnus. Bentley alumni have been strongly represented throughout our journey! Team FrateTrain, Beverly, Mass.
HEAD AND HEART [page 21]
Project Managers Skadi Gidionsen Kristine Mickelson
SPOTLIGHT: ALAN CHAULET ’13 [page 34] Me as well, Alan. Class of 1988 and have had a severe hearing loss since birth. Would love to chat about how we can help each other. Nicholas K. Iadevaio Jr. ’88, Mineola, N.Y. Alan Chaulet, I am a Bentley graduate and would love to chat with you. Dan Dunn ’95, Buzzards Bay, Mass. We were in the same class, great guy! Steve Spittler ’13, Norwich, N.Y. Awesome article Alan Chaulet!! Stephanie DiBona ’12, MSFP ’13, Hudson, Mass.
Photography Rebecca Bishop Joy Uyeno Associate Director Print & Production Judy Metz
Thanks for sharing my story Bentley University Alumni. Ashley McNiff ’11, Arlington, Mass.
We welcome your feedback. Send your compliments and critiques on the stories inside — or suggest one for the future. MAGAZINE@BENTLEY.EDU || @BENTLEYU || @BENTLEYALUMNI || 781.891.2076 175 FOREST STREET, WALTHAM, MA 02452
Executive Director Advancement Communications Terry Cronin
CONTRIBUTORS
Associate Director Advancement Communications Caroline Cruise Associate Director Content Development Kristin Livingston Communications Specialist Molly McKinnon
President Gloria Cordes Larson Vice President for University Advancement Maureen Flores Chief Marketing Officer Valerie Fox
JOEL BENJAMIN
JAIMIE FRITZ
JOY UYENO
BOSTON, MASS.
SOMERVILLE, MASS.
MAYNARD, MASS.
The veteran portrait photographer operates a busy studio in Boston’s Fort Point, where, it turns out, he once lived half a block from Gloria Larson. “We both lived through the Big Dig, which was a bonding experience that we discovered at the photo shoot.” You can find his work in publications such as Design New England and The Boston Globe Magazine as well as at joelbenjamin.com.
The past is always close at hand for the university’s archivist. One of her favorite finds: a rare photograph of Harry Bentley’s first wife, Jennie Belle, who helped him establish the school. Over her 10 years in the field, Jaimie has learned to pull history from myriad sources. “I’ve worked with ship manifests, architectural plans, medical implements, and even human teeth.”
Growing up in Hawaii, Joy got used to a steady parade of visitors dropping into her life — each with an interesting story to tell. Today, she tells the stories of students, faculty and staff through the @bentley_you Instagram account — each a miniature window on the university. The associate director of social and multimedia also works on Bentley’s new career podcast, “Counter Offer.”
Bentley Magazine is published by Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts, and distributed without charge to alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends of the university. Bentley University is one of the nation’s leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader — one with the deep technical skills, broad global perspective, and high ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world. 71M3/18QG.MC.476.17
ON CAMPUS PEOPLE >> PROGRAMS >> EVENTS >> IDEAS
The Bentley YOU project invites students to share their experiences and perspectives on the world, while celebrating diversity and individuality. Follow @bentley_you on Instagram.
TAKE TWO >>
Your #Selfie Bentley’s Clarissa Sawyer and Michelle Liu ’18 explore how humor — via Liu’s “chinning” selfies that have gone viral around the world — is challenging beauty standards on social media. INTERVIEW BY KRISTEN WALSH
What inspired @chinventures on Instagram? MICHELLE LIU: Chinning was actually born out of my insecurities from middle school. I was a little self-conscious about how I looked because of the pressures of society and my peers. Selfies were really popular at the time, so I embraced my quirky side with “chinning.” My friends thought it was really funny, so I just continued it all the way through college. I created the Instagram account while studying abroad in Vienna, Austria, during junior year, to combine my love of chinning and traveling. How does humor help us deal with insecurity? CLARISSA SAWYER: Humor is so important for relationships and self-esteem. Research shows that it relieves stress, elevates mood and makes you more resilient. And it’s a really powerful tool for managing conflict and reducing tension. Stanford psychologists demonstrated that when you show people complicated pictures that might have something negative in them — car accidents, death, dental exams — asking them to create a joke before responding with their emotional reaction helps them reinterpret a situation or image that ordinarily might be perceived as negative. This explains the phenomenon of “gallows humor,” a way to reframe something negative. 4 | SPRING 2018
How did chinning take on a life of its own? ML: Mic published an article in October 2017 and I received a few hundred followers during the next few days. Then I got emails or direct messages on Instagram from sources such as BuzzFeed, INSIDER, Travel + Leisure, Self and Huffington Post. I also Skyped into the Morning Show in Australia, spoke on BBC Radio 5 live and traveled to New York for The Dr. Oz Show. In these two weeks I gained the majority of my 60,000 to 62,000 followers. About 80 percent are women. What accounts for the response? CS: Humans notice anomalies. “Chinfies” defy what we typically see in a selfie, which is an attempt to portray ourselves in a more selfenhancing way. ML: I was shocked that it resonated with people. I didn’t realize there was this whole psychological component. What does psychology say about the impact of social media on behavior and self-esteem? CS: Feeling self-conscious is common for many young people, in particular girls. They’re socialized to compare themselves to other people to develop their identity. When they’re communicating their identity through social media images or text, and they get a lot of comments about their body, it can be harmful to self-esteem. By being comfortable enough to make fun of herself, Michelle is showing self-confidence and the positive side of social media by helping someone on the other side of the planet realize, “Oh my gosh, I’m OK the way I am.” ML: A lot of people comment about how funny my photos are. But I also get messages telling me how @chinventures is inspiring and that it helped someone become less self-conscious about their chin or their looks. I never imagined that I would have that kind of impact. Does chinning connect to any topics you explore in the classroom? ML: In a marketing course, I did a contemporary issues project on influencer marketing to explore how influencers on social media affect consumers and general Instagram users, and whether influencers are more effective than traditional forms of advertising. It really got me thinking about the way that @chinventures is challenging and influencing beauty standards. CS: I encourage students to connect the concepts I’m teaching to their own experiences. In my social psychology class, the very first assignment is related to self-concept. I ask students to come up with five unique characteristics of themselves for three different social situations: social media, a first date and a job interview. Students are surprised to discover how much each situation influences the characteristics they choose. Is there a message you hope people get from @chinventures? ML: Be free to do what you want without feeling judged or pressured to look or act a certain way. Try not to think too much about society’s standards. Instead, be yourself and love yourself. Do what you enjoy. Smile. Have fun. LEARN MORE | bentley.edu/taketwo
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Clarissa Sawyer, EdD
In the mid-1970s, a Time magazine article on the human potential movement inspired Clarissa Sawyer to explore the field of psychology. (She was a high school senior.) Today, she holds a doctorate in education, serves as an assistant professor of natural and applied sciences at Bentley, and teaches courses on gender psychology and social psychology.
Michelle Liu ’18
Michelle Liu ’18 launched her @chinventures Instagram account in September 2016 with a goal of taking selfies less seriously by making “as many chins as possible!” When she isn’t posting for her international following, the Marketing major is polishing her leadership skills: Liu is an intern at PerkinElmer and served as a service–learning program manager and orientation leader at Bentley. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE LIU AND REBECCA BISHOP; ILLUSTRATION (OPPOSITE PAGE) BY DENIS GORELKIN/SHUTTERSTOCK
Watch Michelle’s how-to video on chinning
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 5
ON CAMPUS >>
Rewarding Talent BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON
Boston University. Boston College. Babson College. Time and again, these schools are at the top of Bentley’s list of enrollment competitors. What are the keys to attracting high-caliber applicants to become Falcons? The Deysher Academic Excellence Endowed Fund is one generously funded answer. Created through a $1 million endowed gift from trustee Cynthia Deysher, MSF ’87 and husband Bryon, MSF ’85, the merit-based scholarship has been awarded to seven first-year students, all participants in the Honors Program, for the next four years; the scholarship will be awarded to a new cohort each year. Last April, Mark Stanic ’21 was undecided between Bentley and the University of Tampa. Both had offered financial aid — but the Deysher scholarship fully closed the gap and sealed his decision. “It might seem odd that I would want to hug the Deyshers,” he says of the couple. “But when you receive monetary aid from anyone for any event, it is hard to say something that truly shows how much you care.” Knowing alumni are behind the support makes it even more meaningful, says Donna Kendall, associate vice president for enrollment management.
“Someone has gone out of their way to care about students’ futures and their potential. They’re so thankful.” For students who need financial assistance, the fund elevates Bentley in the competitive landscape. For those with enough financial backing to shop around, the Academic Excellence Fund offers an extra reason to come to Waltham. While bringing in extraordinary talent was a prime motivation for the gift, it also spoke to personal experience. Cynthia Deysher worked two part-time jobs and received loans and grants to make her way through college. “Scholarships meant that I could stay at school, that I could graduate,” she says. “It was an affirmation that what I was trying to do as a student was important.” The couple has been giving that same vote of confidence to master’s degree candidates for the past six years through the Cynthia and Bryon Deysher Graduate Fellowship; they’re happy to now be able to do the same for Honors Program students. In both cases, recipients are “hardworking and extremely grateful — students who will only elevate the Bentley community,” says the alumna. “We’re very proud.”
What do greenhouse gas emissions, horse racing and the Internet of Things have in common? All are topics that students have explored through the Honors Program and other avenues for undergraduate research. Their work gained visibility with the 2016 launch of a campus-based journal. Published in fall and spring by the Honors Program, Fusio features papers written by Bentley undergraduates, sometimes with a faculty co-author. Read the latest issue at bentley.edu/fusio. For a more personal look at the Honors Program, check out the student-run Columnas newsletter at bentley.edu/ columnas.
6 | SPRING 2018
PHOTO BY BRIAN SMITH
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President-Elect Meets Campus Community Alison Davis-Blake, PhD, a recognized national leader in business education, has been appointed the eighth president of Bentley University. She was on campus in early February for an introduction to faculty, students and staff. Most recently, as dean at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, Davis-Blake oversaw curricular and co-curricular innovations that improved the student experience, increased applications by 32 percent, drew substantial media attention and served as a model for other business schools. Addressing the standing-room-only crowd, Davis-Blake called Bentley “a university on the rise. A Bentley education is exactly what the country is asking of higher education today, and I couldn’t be more excited to join the university and continue that momentum.” Trustee vice chair Robert P. Badavas ’74, who led the Presidential Search Committee, spoke of the times ahead. “Given the pace of change in business and higher education, the next 10 years will be as important to Bentley as our first 100. We considered an impressive group of people and Dr. Davis-Blake was the head-and-shoulders standout candidate. She is the right leader at the right time for Bentley.” Davis-Blake earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Brigham Young University and a doctorate at Stanford University. Her term as Bentley president begins on July 1, 2018. LEARN MORE | bentley.edu/president-elect
Introducing: Bentley's Great Benefactors Last spring, Bentley honored a special group of supporters as Great Benefactors. The designation, established during the centennial, recognizes alumni, parents and friends who have made gift commitments
totaling $1 million or more to the university. The group’s 35 inaugural members and their families exemplify the spirit of the school’s earliest leaders. Having traveled far and wide during the centennial year,
PHOTOS BY BRAD ZIEGLER, BRIAN SMITH, TASLIM SIDI AND REBECCA BISHOP
President Gloria Larson praised members of the Bentley community as truly exceptional. “That is especially true of the Great Benefactors,” she says. “Their longstanding loyalty and generosity have helped make
Bentley the top-tier business school we are today. And they will be an inspiration to those who follow and look to shape Bentley’s next hundred years.” Visit bentley.edu/great-benefactors to meet these generous Falcons.
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 7
ON CAMPUS >>
Always ‘All In for Bentley’ Manfredi to step down as trustee chair BY TERRY CRONIN
Characteristically, Steve Manfredi ’73, P ’10 credits everyone but himself for the transformational changes that mark his tenure as chair of Bentley University’s Board of Trustees.
“Gloria was the leader; my job was to advise and support the institution’s strategic plan,” explains Manfredi, who steps down from the role on June 30. “My partnership with her has been
8 | SPRING 2018
a success because we trust and listen to each other.” SHARED VISION Together, they advanced Bentley’s unique fusion model that combines
business and liberal arts education. The university’s rankings in several categories soared, selectivity increased, student life opportunities multiplied and flourished, and the Prepared brand was introduced — which Manfredi believes helped solidify Bentley’s place among business schools around the world. He and President Larson also envisioned a multipurpose facility that would further unite the campus and be much more than a state-of-the-art home for Bentley’s Division I hockey team. In February, before thousands, they officiated at opening ceremonies for the Bentley Arena, which will host alumni events, concerts and shows, and serve as a hands-on lab for academic course work. INSPIRED CONNECTION While sharing Falcon status with his wife, Chris ’73, P ’10, and daughter, Laura Barclay ’10, Manfredi wasn’t always able to stay engaged with Bentley. After graduation, he spent years in senior management positions in the high-tech industry and, in the latter portion of his career, served as president of a leading national toy retailer. Then came a call from former board chair Terry Carleton ’77, P ’09, ’11 and fellow alumnus Jack Pini ’75. Would Manfredi help launch
the Bentley Executive Club, a group of Boston-area alumni and parent business leaders? “The timing was right for me personally and professionally,” says Manfredi, who was named a Bentley trustee soon thereafter. He credits Carleton for inspiring his deep involvement, which includes joining his wife to generously support a variety of initiatives, most notably, the Gloria Cordes Larson Center for Women and Business. TEAM FOR THE TIMES Though stepping down as chair, Manfredi will remain a board member. His successor is vice chair Robert Badavas ’74. “I had two great partnerships: five years with Terry and six with Bob, says Manfredi. “This is a great board.” As he prepares to turn over the reins, Manfredi is gratified by the pending transition. “You need different kinds of leaders for different periods in an institution’s life. I feel terrific about this transition and what we are handing over to the next administration. There is a lot to do, but Bob and our next president, Dr. Alison Davis-Blake, will be a great team.” Besides, he adds: “I’m not really going anywhere. I am all in for Bentley — always will be.”
PHOTO BY BRIAN SMITH
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COLLEGE Basketball
Coaching
CAREER
WINS Falcon pride ran high in January as Barbara Stevens notched 1,000 wins in her coaching career. Only six other college basketball coaches have reached that pinnacle. “Achieving this milestone is just wonderful, but mostly I feel so fortunate to be part of Bentley and doing something that I love so much,” says Stevens, whose 32 years with the team includes winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 2014. “My focus is always on the team and moving forward — we are on to the next game.” Other highlights of the season: Bentley captured the Northeast-10 Championship and named the Dana Center basketball court in Stevens’s honor.
THE FALCON
FILES
BY JAIMIE FRITZ, UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST
Welcome to our column highlighting people, events and traditions across Bentley’s 100 years and counting. To suggest a topic, email magazine@bentley.edu.
A TRADITION BLOOMS Field Day seems to have fallen from the Begun in spring 1918, Field Day offered record between 1968 and 1975. Its spirit students a fresh-air respite from crowded re-emerged in 1976, when the student-run downtown Boston. Sports and games like Campus Activities Board debuted a weekend three-legged races were typical of the annual of food and outdoor recreation. A live event. Guests included Harry Bentley and concert, initially held on the library steps, other administrators, who would play or joined the lineup in 1977. Through the serve as umpires for class baseball tourna1980s and 1990s, an expanded “Spring ments. One popular venue was Norumbega Week” featured film screenings, pie-eating Park in Newton; its Totem Pole Ballroom contests and even hot air balloon rides. The was a go-to for dinner and dancing. tradition returned to a weekend format in the early 2000s, then settled into the single, jam-packed Spring Day. While we don’t know for sure if Mr. Bentley himself created this tradition, he certainly was a booster. “There is a time for work and a time for play,” wrote the lifelong baseball fan and practiced tumbler. “We know when, and how much, to use both.”
PHOTOS BY SPORTSPIX AND COURTESY OF BENTLEY ARCHIVES
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 9
FEATURES >>
The Connector
10 | SPRING 2018
<< FEATURES
in Chief Eleven years ago, Boston business leader James Rooney had some advice for the newly installed president of Bentley College: “Make opportunities for students and faculty to get to know you and be inspired by what you bring to the table. “Be accessible,” he told his friend and former colleague. “Be Gloria.” Not to worry. Gloria Cordes Larson has been every ounce herself in leading Bentley through some of the institution’s most historic milestones. Her unflagging energy, unquenchable enthusiasm and unabashed pride in the school have drawn people into the university’s orbit and inspired connection on every front.
BY SUSAN SIMPSON AND KRISTIN LIVINGSTON Portrait photography by Joel Benjamin
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 11
FEATURES >>
B
y any measure, March 28, 2008, was an inflection point for Bentley. As Rob Alan ’91 puts it: “That was the start of the ‘Gloria Effect.’” On inauguration day, the Falcon community welcomed its first female president. A leader whose warm personality and accessibility would go on to shape the school’s culture. A president who would give thousands of hugs over a decade of commencement ceremonies. A woman who would lead with trust and care, strategy and sincerity — and, always, on a first-name basis. “You don’t call her president or Ms. Larson,” says Alan, a Bentley trustee. “You call her Gloria and she insists on that.” Martha Perry ’10 was a first-year student when Gloria arrived. “You’d see her walking her dogs around campus, coming right up to students and introducing herself. She opened her door and really took the time to get to know everyone, to understand what mattered to them and how she could help.” The mission to connect with students is uniquely Gloria, says Karen Kaplan, chairman and CEO of advertising agency Hill Holliday and a commencement speaker in 2016. “Not many college presidents take the time to know, respect and champion millennials like she does. When it seemed everyone was down on this generation, it was Gloria who challenged that and said millennials will be the ones to solve global business problems, harness the powers of technology, and be change agents in the world. What she has done during her time at Bentley is preparing them to do just that.” ALL TOGETHER NOW At most universities, geologist David Szymanski and economist Aaron Jackson might never have crossed paths. Here, the two professors share allegiance to the cause that Gloria embraced from day one: Prepare students for life and work by integrating the study of business with the arts and sciences. This model of academic fusion found a natural advocate in a president with expertise ranging across law, business and public policy. Szymanski, who directs the Valente Center for Arts and Sciences, describes one of the center’s signature programs. The Valente Undergraduate Fellows Seminar engages faculty and students with varied interests and expertise to consider a complex topic, such as justice or morality, through the lens of enduring themes in classic 12 | SPRING 2018
literary works. The group’s final meeting takes place over lunch at the President’s House. “Gloria learns about the students’ passions and shares hers,” says Szymanski. “It’s leadership by modeling values.” Today, Bentley is one of the few schools to offer a major in Liberal Studies that students can pair with a business major. Some 800 students a year pursue the option, which is among many paths here to join “hard” skills in analysis and strategy with “soft” skills in collaboration and communication. That winning formula is on full display among students who take on the College Fed Challenge. Jackson serves as a guiding hand to Bentley teams preparing for the annual competition, where students present a monetary policy recommendation before Federal Reserve economist judges. Bentley’s Fed Challenge teams routinely reach the final rounds of regional competition in Boston; their trips to Washington, D.C., include a first-in-the-nation finish in 2010. Whatever the outcome, teams can count on support from a certain No. 1 fan. “Gloria’s enthusiasm is second to none,” says Jackson, noting she has rearranged commitments to attend the regional contests. “She gets to know team members personally. She has a vested interest in their success during the competition, but more important, as they move beyond Bentley.” MODEL OF ENGAGEMENT The president’s calendar is reliably packed with everything from athletic games to academic lectures to Student Government breakfasts to community service projects.
“Gloria is extremely supportive of students and their initiatives, and that is what I love most about her,” says Joe Chiarelli ’18. “You can find her at all times of the day around campus.” Just ask J. Andrew Shepardson, who joins Gloria at the annual Student Activities fair, which introduces new students to Bentley’s 80-plus student organizations. “Gloria walks around and talks to everyone, thanking them for
<< FEATURES
Gloria with (clockwise from top left) Life is Good co-founders John (l.) and Bert Jacobs at Commencement 2013; student royalty at Homecoming 2016; a Fox25 commentator during the station’s live broadcast from campus in October 2013; reunion class gift presenters; colleague, friend and former governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick.
what they do and how they contribute to Bentley,” says the vice president for student affairs and dean of students, who is often pressed into service to photograph students with their president. To the many who ask for advice, she is quick with words of support and offers of email introductions to business connections. “She encourages new students to think about all the different things to get involved with at Bentley.” It is not an idle suggestion. Gloria is fully invested in what the academic world calls “place-based education.” That is, the belief that every activity and experience during college years contributes to students’ development and, ultimately, to their success after college. In 2014, Bentley joined a handful of schools participating in a landmark study by analytics and consulting company Gallup. “Gloria said, yes, we can all think that being involved in an organization is good for students, but this is a new era: We need proof points,” Shepardson says of the Gallup survey, which measured workplace engagement and well-being among 3,600 Bentley alumni. The findings: Activities outside the classroom had a strong correlation with graduates’ success in work and life. The study underscored the strength of the student life experience at Bentley, as alumni scored higher than the national average on workplace engagement and across all categories of well-being. TAKING THE NATIONAL STAGE In 2013, Gloria championed another data-driven initiative that looked well beyond campus to ask, “Is the next generation prepared for the workforce?” The Bentley-commissioned Millennial Preparedness Survey drew responses from 3,150 employers, corporate recruiters, students,
parents and other stakeholders. The research, which uncovered a gap between students’ skills and employers’ needs, prompted wide discussion of how to address the mismatch. Follow-up surveys and analyses have kept the conversation going and fueled the creation of Gloria’s book, PreparedU: How Innovative Colleges Drive Student Success. “When Gloria and I spoke on the air five years ago, I had no idea that first conversation would be the beginning of something much bigger,” says Carol Massar of Bloomberg Radio. “Gloria and Bentley began a national dialogue about preparing college students for the workforce, a conversation that resonated deeply with the public. Why? Because Gloria gets it. Her background as a lawyer and a businessperson has helped translate real-world issues into academia in new and exciting ways that have strengthened the higher ed–business connection and raised Bentley’s national profile.” The school’s reputation has flourished under Gloria. Witness the increased number of applications, stronger international presence in more countries, and prominent recognition by national media and rankings organizations. For example, Bloomberg BusinessWeek named Bentley one of the 10 Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the United States, while the Princeton Review placed the university second in the country for career services. Massar has interviewed thousands of people in her broadcasting career. “Some are very memorable and instantly make an impact. That was the case with Gloria Larson — who is smart, eloquent and so relatable — we instantly respected each another and became close friends,” she says. “I feel lucky to have been part of her journey as Bentley’s president.” BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 13
FEATURES >>
WORKING THE CAREER-FOCUSED ROOM For Bentley’s Susan Brennan, the “Gloria Effect” is a mix of strategic vision, influence through communication, and mentorship. “She has elevated the importance of career preparedness from a campus priority to a national movement,” says the associate vice president for university career services. “It all starts with being passionate about students and putting their success at the center of everything we do.” As always, the work is up close and personal. “Gloria spends hours walking to each table and talking to employers about their business strategy and hiring needs,” Brennan says of spring and fall Career Fairs. “Her experience in law, business and civic engagement powers a deep understanding of each organization at the highest level — and her ability to connect the dots is extraordinary. She speaks the language of a CEO while personally connecting with every student and recent graduate about their lives and work.” THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE Gloria had barely unpacked at Bentley when she signed the Presidents’ Climate Commitment. She and fellow academic leaders pledged to reduce the carbon footprint of their respective schools and otherwise promote sustainability on campus.
“She runs our organization with a people, planet, profit mindset,” says Amanda King, director of sustainability and special adviser to the president. In 2009, King and colleagues set to finalizing the university’s Climate Action Plan, working toward greenhouse gas emission targets, and developing a raft of programs and practices around sustainability. By 2015, Bentley had cut its carbon footprint by half. In 2018, the university set a new bar for sustainable progress. The Bentley Arena, which opened in February, was designed according to the highest possible green-building standards. For example, its roof has 1,400 solar panels, which will cover 40 percent of the building’s electricity needs.
King credits forward-thinking leadership for keeping Bentley ahead of the curve on sustainability. “Gloria has always said that our ability to teach — and model — the triple bottom line prepares graduates for careers in new economy jobs, in a changing workforce and world.” AGENTS OF CHANGE This from-the-top commitment to social responsibility spurs work at the Bentley Service–Learning and Civic Engagement Center (BSLCE). About 1,000 students per year use their business skills to help nonprofits advance their mission in local communities. “Gloria encourages our students to use their lives powerfully as social change-makers,” says BSLCE Director Jonathan White. “Having her as a strong ally has allowed us the space to innovate; the confidence to move toward new visions; and the ability to take risks in making our programs stronger, more valuable and with a higher impact.” Just two examples: Gloria’s connection to the Yawkey Foundations yielded a $500,000 gift to the BSLCE. Over the next five years, more than 100 Bentley students will receive a stipend for internships in the nonprofit sector; the grant will also help build programming. White also notes Gloria’s aid in opening a community center — complete with playground — at Waltham’s Prospect Hill housing development. “She supported us the whole way,” White says of the facility, where BSLCE students run tutoring, mentoring, girls’ empowerment, career readiness and other programs on a daily basis. OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL For seasoned women professionals and new “Gloria graduates” alike, female leadership has plenty of models thanks to what is now the Gloria Cordes Larson Center for Women and Business (CWB). “Gloria envisioned a world where women are represented at every level of the corporate ladder,” says Deborah Pine, who directs the seven-year-old center. “As a female president, she was determined to move quickly in tackling gender inequality in the workplace.” Gloria found an immediate ally in Christine Manfredi ’73, P ’10. “For professionals like Gloria and me,” she says, “with our past experiences, we saw the opportunity to help companies develop roadmaps to create more diverse environments at the most senior levels.” The president’s long-standing ties in the corporate community have been essential across the university and for the CWB in particular. Companies that have helped fund the center’s work include founding partner PwC and Liberty Mutual Insurance, whose $1 million grant established the Women’s Leadership Program in 2017. Corporate partners also bring real-world perspective to the CWB’s student programs, providing insight on diversity issues and best practices.
Celebrating victory with the 2014 NCAA Division II national champion women’s basketball team, after a 35-0 season; standing up for diversity and inclusion through the Dear World project. 14 | SPRING 2018
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“Robust programs for current students take us to a new level,” Pine says of the center’s role in preparing a new generation of corporate leaders. A student’s journey from classroom to boardroom can include everything from lessons in unconscious bias and building confidence to mentorship and engaging men as allies. “Gloria is committed to diversity and inclusion, and she models those values for students, and all of us, in leading Bentley.” The observation rings true for Katie Lampley ’96, the university’s director of diversity and inclusion. She notes Gloria’s signature on the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, a public pledge by more than 350 business leaders to cultivate workplaces where all ideas are welcomed and employees feel comfortable discussing differences. The president lends her voice at annual gatherings such as the Rainbow Breakfast, sponsored by the LGBTQ community, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon. Her support extends to new initiatives like Bentley Brave, which fosters learning and dialogue in the campus community. “When Bentley Brave was still just an idea, Gloria was talking about it at orientation, encouraging first-year students to have open conversations about race, gender, sexual orientation, religion,” says Lampley. “Diversity and inclusion are a core part of her values, informed by her own life experiences.” This model of inclusive, values-driven leadership is gaining ground. A recent report by The Commonwealth Institute places Bentley among the top 10 women-led businesses in Massachusetts. That comes as no surprise to Creative Industries major Rachel Salina ’19. “Gloria has made me feel confident that as a woman I can and will succeed in the business world.” A PASSION RESONATES Cynthia Deysher, MSF ’87 was among the first alumni to meet Gloria, in 2006, as a prospect for Bentley’s top job. “As soon as we went to lunch, I knew she was the one,” says Deysher, a trustee who co-chaired the Presidential Search Committee. “She was a nontraditional candidate, but a leader in Boston with a passion for
Bentley’s mission — and she was as excited about coming to Bentley as we were about having her join us.” The excitement has only spread. The Bentley Alumni Association has ramped up its own role in engaging graduates, including through a reinvigorated Global Alumni Board. Members are diverse in gender, age, ethnicity and geography. “Gloria has ensured that the board is fully supported by the university,” says Vicki Semanie ’86. “That lets us meet our alumni where they are, and create the best connections and programming for them.” Trustee chair Steve Manfredi ’73, P ’10 has “a renewed optimism about alumni and philanthropic commitment.” He points to gifts like those of Liberty Mutual and the Yawkey Foundations, as well as to increased membership across Bentley’s giving societies such as the President’s Club. Finally, there is the new designation of Great Benefactors: individuals and families who have given $1 million or more to the university in their lifetime [see page 7]. The support traces a direct line to “Gloria’s personality, her commitment to the institution, her leadership, her enthusiasm and her determination to put Bentley in a more prominent position,” says Manfredi. “These resonate with alumni. They feel like part of a movement and they want to participate.” Thousands did participate in marking the school’s centennial during 2016-2017. Alumni, parents and friends gathered at events around the country and abroad — many meeting the president at smaller gatherings — and a record 2,000-plus visited campus. As chair of the centennial celebration, George Fantini ’64 says he got a good look under the Bentley hood, so to speak. “I’ve always had enormous pride, but I really began to appreciate the extraordinary institution Bentley had become and the love students feel for the school. I give Gloria a great deal of credit for that.” ONWARD The rhythms and rituals of college life always unfurl at breakneck speed between the start of classes in January and commencement in May. This spring, every occasion is bittersweet in being the last for Gloria. Among her many commitments: the Undergraduate Fellows Seminar. “The seminar topic is Exploring Human Morality,” says Valente Center Director Szymanski. “We’re reading one of Gloria’s favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird, Watch a and she’s scheduled to particivideo tribute pate in at least three classes.” to Gloria In other words, business as usual.
Joining Trustee Professor of Economics and Marketing Patricia Flynn, who studies the composition and responsibilities of corporate boards, among other topics; ringing the Nasdaq closing bell to mark our centennial year, before meeting Falcons in Times Square. BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 15
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Presidential Exchange Student Government Association President Mary Ponziani ’18 sits down with Gloria.
You’re one of my biggest role models — who are yours? When I read To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch was so inspiring. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. In the early ’80s, I had adult role models like Pat Bailey of the Federal Trade Commission. As her attorney adviser, I went to work thinking that anything was possible. Your support for women and gender equality is so inspiring. Where does that motivation come from? My mother got on a train at age 16, on her own, and went to college in Denver. She later told me that although she had absolutely loved her life as a wife and mother, had she been born a generation later, she would have had a career as well. I’ve drawn on that idea as a source of inspiration, feeling like I’m living the career that my mom might have chosen for herself. In law school, my class was only 20 percent women. It was an inspiring moment where we believed that we were going to change the workplace — for ourselves and for generations to come.
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Were there career challenges that shaped who you are today? The biggest challenge was Boston’s almost-billion-dollar convention center. I said we would be the first major government-sponsored project in all of New England to finish on time and on budget. We hadn’t even hired the architect! My skill set has been to take risks and, fortunately, this one paid off. But I learned a big lesson: Don’t over-promise.
community like this, what an incredible opportunity. When I was offered the position, I said yes immediately and never looked back.
How did you come to be a college president? My law firm used to send me to recruit students as summer associates; that’s when I fell in love with millennials. When someone mentioned that Bentley College might be interested in a nontraditional candidate, I thought, that would be me! I knew a lot about higher education public policy, but I certainly didn’t understand the world of academia on the ground level. It started a very long conversation and I fell in love with Bentley along the way. I thought, if I could be part of a
Are there skills you’ve gained? I’ve gained greater patience. In academia, your ideas are everything — and the execution takes time.
What is it about Bentley that attracted you? It’s a magical place that has the best set of real-world connections I’ve ever seen. It’s that combination of highly innovative classroom academics matched with real-world experiences and opportunities that leads to the success story.
You always say you learn so much from us, the students. I do. Hearing how you’ve gotten more in return from the experience than you put into it … that inspires me more than I can say. And it’s incredible to see how you make a difference right out of the gate.
What are your proudest Bentley moments? I’ve had many! Watching the Bentley women’s basketball team go from the Final Four to ultimately winning that first national championship for their coach was incredible. Launching the Center for Women and Business. My proudest achievement is our ever-deepening fusion of business and arts and sciences. It is a singular characteristic of this school that continues to put us in good standing with employers everywhere. What do you do for fun? The magic in my life is Allen Larson and those dogs. Everything I have done in my career is because my husband is my biggest cheerleader. And you cannot have a stressful day with a Labrador retriever at your feet — and I have three! What’s next? There’s no way I could replace 11 years at Bentley, so I certainly have no plans to be a president. Commencement is going to be bittersweet. I feel like I’m graduating with this class. I can’t wait to hug you all.
From top, sharing insights with Mary Ponziani ’18; meeting students where they live on Move-in Day; welcoming a student at the campus kickoff of the centennial celebration; taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge with Rachel Graham ’11, MSHFID ’17.
PHOTOS BY REBECCA BISHOP AND CHRIS CONTI
From the Heart for the students. It was all about the students, When I met Gloria as it should be. I will during admitted forever be grateful for students day, I told her, “Run for president of this her leadership and inspiration. country!” She is one of Doris Bourgeois Kelly the most dynamic, ’85, MST ’92, P ’14, ’16 accomplished women today. Hard shoes to fill! Her genuine enthusiasm Mimi Paull-Binette, is contagious. She leads P ’18 an amazing community that expands so much Gloria Larson is one farther than the of the greatest female beautiful campus. She leaders! My son just is an inspirational role graduated from Bentley model for all of the — I am so happy he was Bentley students there under her incrediand alumni. ble leadership and that Kelly Manning he got a big hug from Draicchio her upon receiving his FACEBOOK
diploma! Andrea Guiliani Procaccino, P ’17 An incredible leader with tremendous compassion
PHOTO BY BRIAN SMITH
Thank you, President Larson, for making my experience at Bentley unforgettable! Catherine Grullon ’16
Thank you for everything. You’ve been the best role model for my four years. Looking forward to seeing what’s next! Stephanie Hall ’17 @Steph_hall17
So proud to have been at Bentley during the @GLarsBentleyU years. What an incredible role model and personable leader. Thank you, Gloria! Grace Karon ’12 @gracekaron
Thank you @GLarsBentleyU for putting @bentleyu on a global stage — a true honor for @bentleyalumni. Deborah (Maxwell) Millin ’92 @DebMillin
Thank you for all you did and continue to do for @bentleyu, @GLarsBentleyU. Onwards and upwards! #paratus Samuel Lerner ’17 @_slerner
Thank you for everything, Madam President @GLarsBentleyU. The falcon nest won’t be the same without you! Paige Johnson ’15 @Paige_Johnson17
Gloria has been a consistent cornerstone in some of my greatest moments and memories at Bentley. I am grateful to say, with confidence, that I became a better student, leader and global citizen because
of Gloria, and her ability to touch the hearts of people such as me. Jake Mekin ’17 Gloria’s approachability is a characteristic that is difficult to find in many people, let alone a leader such as her. I will miss this most. During Greek Week, she came to several of the events, including a partnership with Love Your Melon to write birthday cards to children with cancer. Christopher Stabile ’18 What hasn’t Gloria done for Bentley? She’s created more diversity, inclusion and female empowerment on campus than ever before. The Bentley community is beyond grateful to have her. Rachel Salina ’19
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Working in the key of change
Bentley experts on the workplace of the future
When business leadership expert Rick Miller ’80 imagines employees of the future, he sees an orchestra. That is, musicians with very specific talents: playing multiple instruments, harmonizing in a diverse group, and being able to work with sheet music and improvisation at the same time. The key, he says, is depth and breadth of skill sets, ability to connect into teams and adaptability to constant change. Experts of every kind are making predictions about workplace trends in the next decade. Navigating issues related to technology, gender and age comes down to how well people can prepare for change, adapt to change and be the change that is needed. Miller’s company, Being Chief LLC, helps senior executives develop their potential to lead. His three decades at Fortune 10 and 30 companies, nonprofits and startups have offered a front row seat to the forces of change. These days, that seat is typically not around a board table. An afternoon meeting might involve Miller’s avatar in a cloud campus, interacting with top managers and board members, half of them women, from around the country. “That would have been unthinkable 20 years ago,” he says. “Today, diversity of all types matters; leveraging technology matters. Companies who get that are already outperforming those who do not.” Miller’s musical analogy about tomorrow’s workforce resonates with Bentley management professor Tony Buono, who chaired the university’s 2017 faculty research colloquium on the future of work. “In the past, if you had significant expertise and depth in a particular area, that was sufficient,” he says. “Today, industry is also looking for a broad understanding of the cross-functional realities of an organization.”
PHOTO BY PEOPLEIMAGES/ISTOCK; ILLUSTRATION BY GRANDEDUC/ISTOCK AND LUBUSHKA/ISTOCK
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A ROBOT CHORUS? The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked debate on whether humans will be replaced by robots on the job. Research by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company suggests it is misleading to focus on how AI will impact specific jobs. “Very few occupations will be automated in their entirety in the near or medium term,” according to the report, Four Fundamentals of Workplace Automation. “Rather, certain activities are more likely to be automated, requiring entire business processes to be transformed, and jobs performed by people to be redefined.” Susan Brennan, associate vice president for university career services at Bentley, sees promise in leveraging human traits to work alongside robots. “Computers will never have the heart, courage and brain for future-based thinking.” Brennan’s must-have skills: empathy, critical thinking, humility, judgment and collaboration. [See sidebar at far right.] Otherwise, she says frankly: “You will not survive the artificial intelligence revolution. Those competencies are what will allow humans to take technology to a higher level through decision-making and risk-taking.” PLAYING IN PARITY Melanie Foley, MBA ’02 remembers starting work at Liberty Mutual in 1996. The Internet and World Wide Web were growing but not omnipresent. Cellphones were expensive and anything but mobile. According to
the U.S. Census Bureau, only 19 percent of women in the U.S. had four or more years of college. Foley is still at Liberty Mutual, but points to changes such as “the speed and ease of global communication and an increasing number of women not just in the workforce, but who hold leadership positions.” Over much of her career at Liberty, Foley took on sales and marketing roles of increasing responsibility within its U.S. personal insurance business. Her current work, as executive vice president and chief talent and enterprise services officer for Liberty Mutual’s 55,000-plus employees worldwide, focuses on talent, procurement, communications, real estate, and workplace services and strategies. One constant: her support for gender equality in the workplace. Liberty itself has strong female representation overall (55% of all employees), on the board (30%) and across management (50% front-line managers; 35% midlevel; 30% executive/C-suite). But that isn’t typically the case. According to a study by McKinsey and LeanIn.org (Women in the Workplace 2016), while women account for almost half of entry-level professionals in corporate America, they fill only 19 percent of C-suite posts and 5.8 percent of CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies. “That’s a lot of talent not being fully utilized at many companies,” Foley says. “By revisiting and revising their approach to recruiting, hiring, development and promotion, companies
can affect the changes needed to bring more women into senior executive positions.” Leadership development early in a woman’s career is a key factor in later success, according to Deborah Pine, executive director of the Gloria Cordes Larson Center for Women and Business (CWB) at Bentley. Research by McKinsey finds that, among young professionals in the initial step up to management, men are promoted at a 30 percent higher rate than women. “Women are not only significantly underrepresented in the C-suite, they are also primarily in staff roles and not senior vice president line roles,” says Pine, noting that, in 2015, men accounted for 90 percent of CEOs promoted from line roles. Training and development must cross genders and generations. Ernst & Young LLP, for example, is “constantly training and retraining employees,” according to Ellen Glazerman, executive director of the EY Foundation. The organization aims to develop three mindsets it considers essential for the modern workplace. First, she says, is the embrace of analytics to manage data that “everyone is going to confront regardless of their job and location”; next is the adoption of innovation to “fail forward and fail quickly, then get up and keep going — but not without a risk assessment to ensure that your failure is never big and brings you closer to a better answer”; and finally is a global approach to “work with people from different backgrounds and abilities in a way that will find the best answers.”
Women account for almost half of entry-level professionals in corporate America, but they fill only 19 percent of C-suite posts and 5.8 percent of CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies.
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ILLUSTRATION BY LUBUSHKA/ISTOCK
GIVING DIVERSITY A VOICE As workplaces become more diverse — by age, gender, race, ethnicity, lifestyle and more — Buono says that people will have to get comfortable with change. “It’s going to be very different, for example, as people in their 20s work with people in their 70s. There will be different expectations, learning styles and work styles.” Reverse mentoring, through which younger people help older colleagues work with the technology that is changing organizational practices, will require some senior managers to put ego aside. Conversely, millennials and Gen Z will need to develop confidence to make suggestions — which may include taking advice from more seasoned coworkers. “There will be much more decentralization and egalitarian relationships in organizations,” says Buono. “The ability to manage interpersonal relationships, understand our own feelings and exhibit self-control is going to be crucial.” Foley sees many organizations starting to fully embrace diversity, which includes not only demographic factors but also backgrounds and experience. “A different perspective is a fresh perspective, which can often generate innovation for a team, particularly if current members have overlapping skill sets and perspectives,” she says. “Embrace diversity, and you’ll usually end up with a high-performance ceiling for a team.” CREATING HARMONY Managing diverse teams poses special challenges for leaders, according to Miller. “There is an art to bringing talented people together, helping them feel good about what they do, giving them input into what happens, recognizing them and retaining them.” Succeeding in the innovation economy also requires some soul searching. “As people learn more about industries and their skill sets, they will also need to focus more on learning about themselves,” he says. “Power comes when you develop and listen to your own voice, not the voice of a spouse or a well-intentioned friend or advertising. In a very left-brain dominant culture, the ability to better understand ourselves can really unlock a power that will accelerate great things.”
LEARN MORE | The university’s annual research colloquium for 2017 — “The Future of Work” — showcased insights by 30 Bentley experts. Download presentations and watch videos of the sessions at bentley.edu/brc. ILLUSTRATION BY RAZUM/SHUTTERSTOCK
Robot-Proof Your Job for the Future Automation is on the rise at organizations of all kinds. What’s a human to do? Take advantage of these traits that no robot can replicate, says Bentley’s Susan Brennan. Empathy Designing a product or service starts with empathy. You cannot simply go from generating an idea to implementing it. The capacity to put yourself in someone else’s shoes gives you a powerful advantage in creating solutions that meet customers’ needs. Critical thinking Tech tools excel at collecting, analyzing and distributing data. But knowing how to apply that data in ways that meet your company’s goals is essential to achieve success. Critical thinking powers our skills in advanced reasoning and problem-solving. Ultimately, it is your vision that drives what you do; data supports it.
Humility Practice humility and admit that you do not have all the knowledge about a topic. Automation can add value to the work you do, so be humble and consider it your colleague. Humility also goes a long way in connecting with your non-robot coworkers.
Judgment Every process requires some level of judgment, particularly around ethical issues. Take the self-driving car. What happens when the car has to “choose” whether to swerve and avoid a pedestrian (injuring the person in the car) or continue on and risk hitting the walker (keeping the car occupant safe)? Human programmers have the ability to weigh out these kinds of ethical decisions.
Collaboration Relationship building and collaboration are essential to career growth. Being open to working with someone who has a different skill set or deeper technical knowledge, for example, could help you streamline processes at your company. That makes you a more valuable employee. BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 21
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“ I was asked to make myself available after having served on a committee and was noticed for taking the opportunity seriously.” Bernard Fellner ’68
“ My financial background has proved helpful: A number of my board memberships came about from providing financial strategy consulting, resulting in an invitation to sit on the board.” Ed Pendergast ’65, MST ’77
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What does it take to serve on a corporate or nonprofit board? How do you get there, and what does it mean to succeed? YOU WEIGHED IN WITH YOUR TIPS AND EXPERIENCE.
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“ Network, respect and proof of value-add.” Taylor Grant ’12
“ How to get on a board? Volunteer with organizations of interest. Attend events and network. Show your passion and dedication. Ask how you can help.” Melissa (Osterling) Spratt ’09
“ I was always active in youth sports in
“ I was involved in my daughters’ elementary Watertown. Eventually I met the executive school Parent Teacher Association, and on the Finance Board of our local high school. How did director of the Watertown Boys and Girls I get there? Referrals and active participation Club and was asked to join the board in as a volunteer.” 2001. Having grown up in town and been a member of the club, it only made sense Rafael Schuck ’84 to give back to today’s youth.” “ My local coffee Mark shop, The Monkey Tardiff, & The Elephant MBA ’99 “ My advice is: Do not search to be on a board (a nonprofit), sent for a title. Instead, spend time with organizations out a call for new that you truly care about. With time, you will meet board members on “ As it turns out, the right person — and meeting the right person Instagram. Because getting involved is how you get on a board.” the organization in professional had a great need Joey Carregal ’09, organizations is truly for finance and MBA ’10 the best way to get accounting support, to know people they accepted my more closely and application.” build your network.” Ashley “ I have been a trustee of the Brooklyn Botanic Wertman ’11 Tom Garden — one of the most significant urban Palange ’05 gardens in the world for beauty, tranquility and children’s educational programs — since 2007. I was nominated by an outgoing trustee and “ If you have been friend, who thought I would be a great fit since involved and have a I represented the neighborhood and was a valuable perspective, frequent visitor.” board invitations will Don follow. Benefits include Reed ’89 strengthening existing relationships and gaining insights from other leaders that can “ I’ve worked my way up by showing interest be reapplied in life or and involvement. I’m the youngest person on in business. ” the board, which brings fresh perspective.” Tracy Taback ’02
Mark Semanie ’85
Look for more insights and advice at bentley.edu/boards
PHOTO BY PESHKOVA/ISTOCK
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CLASS NOTES >>
CLASS NOTES
SWOOPING IN TO CELEBRATE … Kelly Kaufman ’11 and John Malone ’11 hosted an impressive number of fellow Falcons at their fall 2017 wedding in Newport, R.I.
See a slideshow of wedding photos
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PHOTO BY BLUEFLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
<< CLASS NOTES
1965 Louis D’Arpino, Marshfield, Mass., reports, “My wife Susan and I just celebrated 50 years of marriage!”
1970 Roy L. Reifsnyder, Pottstown, Pa., a retired corporate controller, was re-elected in November 2017 for a second term as the tax collector in his hometown. Richard Swanson, Dedham, Mass., is retiring in June after a career of more than 45 years that started at Price Waterhouse in Boston. “I remember the old days of attending class in the Back Bay,” he writes. “The Bentley degree I received in accounting opened doors for me in employment, pay and lots of travel for business and pleasure.”
1980 John O’Rourke, Monroe, Conn., has joined OneStream Software as vice president of product marketing.
1982 Joseph LaGambina, Plymouth, Mass., is the new business development manager at Sunrise Systems Electronics in Pembroke.
The holidays brought together John Bodin ’83, Lynne (DiFazio) Brooks ’83, Steve Brooks ’84, Mike Ciaccio ’85, Jackie (Lane) Coyne ’84, Jim Coyne, MBA ’92 and Maureen (Leavitt) Mullins ’83 for their 34th annual Bentley Friends Yankee Swap.
Roger Webster, MSCIS, Millersville, Penn., reports: “After graduating from Bentley as a charter member of the MSCIS program, I received MS and PhD degrees from Temple University. Using my Bentley College and Temple University educations, I co-founded Verefi Technologies Inc., a small high-tech startup in Hershey, which sold surgical simulators worldwide from 2003 to 2010. Now, after 35 years as a professor of computer science at Millersville University, I am retiring!”
1984 Brenda M. Tillman, Atlanta, Ga., has written her first children’s book, Happy! Happy! Happy! “It’s a multicultural, inclusive, inspirational children’s picture book with the message that happiness is a choice you make,” she writes, adding “no marriage, no children, yet life is worth celebrating every day!” She wishes the Bentley community “all the best life has to offer.”
1986 In September 2017, RSM named Boston Partner Stephen Ingram national industry leader for the firm's
Technology and Life Sciences practice. He and his wife, Suzanne, have three children and live in Andover, Mass.
1987 Bethany Bartlett, Hull, Mass., was listed in the 2017 Massachusetts Super Lawyers directory and will appear in this year’s Super Lawyers women’s edition as well. She’s an attorney for Sherin and Lodgen LLP. VERC Enterprises promoted Jim Fitzgerald, MSCIS, Hanover, Mass., to serve as company president. Michael Sullivan, P ’19, Hopkinton, Mass., is now the chief executive officer of Acquia.
1988
30th Reunion June 1 to 3, 2018 Ricardo Perez, St. Maarten, Dutch West Indies, reports that he was appointed general manager of the Coral Beach Club. Cheryl Tully Stoll, MBA, Framingham, Mass., was elected one of two city councilors-at-large in Framingham’s new city form of government. Tully Stoll topped the ticket in a competitive and historic race. She was sworn in on January 1, 2018.
1990 Paul Mastrocola, Hanover, Mass., has completed the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education program to become a certified civil mediator. The alumnus is a partner at Burns & Levinson and co-chair of the firm’s Business Litigation and Dispute Resolution group.
1992 Dave McLaren, Holden, Mass., reports being the first person on the East Coast to earn the Certified Governmental Forensic Accountant designation and the first in Massachusetts designated as a Registered Forensic Investigator. The American Board of Forensic Accounting oversees both credentials.
1993
25th Reunion June 1 to 3, 2018 Jim Wagner, MSA, Lockwood, Calif., reports that after Bentley he transitioned from a career in public accounting to a senior management position with the Department of the Treasury in San Jose. He writes: “I enjoy living on my ranch, maintaining several rescue animals, including dogs, cats, parakeets, rabbits and donkeys, with my wife, Suzanne, and 7-year-old son, Brian.” He encourages classmates to drop him a line when they are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
1994 Ken Bettenhauser, Sudbury, Mass., is cofounder of HR Knowledge, a 16-year-old HR, payroll and benefits company based in Mansfield. He writes: “It was acquired by The Hilb Group, a top 25 broker, in November, allowing HR Knowledge to continue its strong growth throughout the United States.” Bettenhauser will continue to lead HR
Knowledge as managing partner, reporting directly to the CEO of The Hilb Group. Matt Boucher, Fulshear, Texas, has been promoted to president and chief executive officer for Clock Spring Company. Steve Gagnon, Redding, Conn., was promoted to assurance partner at Reynolds + Rowella. Georgianna MelendezBrown, Peabody, Mass., will serve as vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Andre S. Painchaud, MBA ’95, was appointed general manager, Internal Audit and Credit Examination Division and Credit Examination Office in Singapore, for the Bank of Tokyo–Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.
1998
20th Reunion June 1 to 3, 2018 Lisa Tosi Sasso, MBA, Reading, Mass., has published Motivation Now! Sasso says that she wrote the book “to provide messages that fulfill an important aspect of the coaching process — being a cheerleader to those you coach.”
1999 Frederick Brewer, Damariscotta, Maine, was appointed to the board that administers the state’s Length of Service Awards Program. He writes: “I’m working with six other trustees to set up this retirement program for all volunteer firefighters to improve recruitment and retention of firefighters.” The Boston Globe named United Home Experts, co-founded in 1998 by John Dudley Jr., Ashland, Mass., as one of the Top Places to Work in Massachusetts for 2017.
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2001 Maureen Rystrom, Lynn, Mass., was promoted to vice president of marketing for J. Calnan & Associates Inc.
2002 Christie (Jean-Baptiste) Lindor, Milton, Mass., has published The MECE Muse: 100+ Selected Practices, Unwritten Rules, and Habits of Great Consultants, and hosts a podcast on the same topic. She writes: “This book is very personal for me on several fronts. I share defining moments in my 15-plus-year consulting career, but I am also one of the first African-American women to write a book on corporate business consulting.”
Alexis (Lind) Robbins, Santa Clarita, Calif., reports: “I recently joined TCDI as vice president, Marketing. TCDI is celebrating their 30th year empowering clients through innovation and technology.”
2007
2003
Brett Sullivan married Lindsay Muise on September 23, 2017, at the Old South Church in Boston, Mass. Falcons from 2006, 2007 and 2013 were in attendance.
15th Reunion June 1 to 3, 2018 Erik Potts, Stratham, N.H., was named a Five Star Wealth Manager for the sixth consecutive year; he will appear in the Forbes annual Investment Guide.
2004 Jacquelyn (Mascetti), MBA ’07 and Jared Katz, Little Neck, N.Y., welcomed Giulia Rose on October 28, 2017.
Darren Stineman, MSF ’08, Cambridge, Mass., was named chief finance officer at EBI Consulting. This is his third promotion since joining EBI in 2016.
Chrismaldi Vasquez, MBA ’18, Chelsea, Mass., wed Vetto Casado on June 16, 2017, in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic. Many Falcons were on hand for the special day, including Elizabeth Bonilla, MSA ’08; Rossemary Calderon; Albanelly (Diaz) O’Grady, MSA ’08; Tatiana Peralta; Ana Belliard ’18, Aurora Castillo ’08; and Maria Guerrero ’09, MSA ’10.
Justin Park ’05, Denver, Colo., appeared on The Elevator Pitch with Marcus Lemonis to showcase his company, The Real Dill. “I competed against two other entrepreneurs to see who had the best pitch — with $10,000 on the line — and I won!”
Elise (Noël) Yagoda and husband Daniel, Brookline, Mass., welcomed a son, Benjamin Theodore, on July 8, 2017.
2008
10th Reunion June 1 to 3, 2018 Ashley Brooks de Pujols, MSA ’10 and her husband, Gerardo, welcomed their
Continued on page 30
SPOTLIGHT: SHAIKH ABDULLAH BIN RASHID AL KHALIFA ’01, MBA ’03 BY MOLLY MCKINNON
The alumnus was appointed Bahrain’s ambassador to the United States in July 2017. He credits Bentley for teaching him to collaborate with peers and for providing the foundation to work in government and beyond. Al Khalifa began his career in the Bahraini Royal Court, advancing to lead Educational, Medical and Social Affairs. He went on to work for the General Organization for Youth and Sports, and served on the Bahrain Olympic Committee. In 2016, Al Khalifa was among 76 people honored for significant contributions toward advancing sports in Bahrain. “Volunteering can change your entire trajectory,” he says. “I started volunteering with sports organizations, and that helped me progress my career.” One stop along that progression was serving as governor for seven years of the Southern Governorate, an appointment that Al Khalifa describes as “one of the highest honors I received by His Majesty. It gave me an opportunity to put into practice skills that I acquired at Bentley when dealing with community issues.” Accomplishments during this time as governor include launching a partnership 26 | SPRING 2018
with D.A.R.E. to develop an anti-violence and addiction program for local elementary and secondary schools. This grew into a national program sponsored by the National Anti-Drug Committee, on which Al Khalifa served until stepping into the post of ambassador. In September 2017, the double Falcon visited the U.S. — and Bentley — for the first time as ambassador. He shared memorable experiences, including how welcomed he felt on campus immediately following what he describes as the heinous 9/11 attacks. “Bentley was a supportive environment for me as a foreign student during that challenging time, and I decided to remain on campus and live in the dorms with my peers, although it was outside my comfort zone. Working under pressure will no doubt get to you, but don’t let that scare you out of challenging yourself to do more and be better in everything that you do.” PHOTO BY BRIAN SMITH
<< INSIDE JOB
Designing a Spotless Experience Adam Goss ’04 wants in on your household chores. As a principal user experience designer at iRobot, he studies and helps translate consumer needs into robot vacuums, mops and pool cleaners. That brings him into homes for the work he loves: seeing how people interact with products. Goss is married to Elizabeth (Beaton) ’04; they live in Lincoln, Mass., with son Redmond, daughter Pearl and five Roombas. GETTING TO KNOW YOU I care about everything the user experiences, from initial expectations to how they use the products to what they tell others. All of this influences how we design the physical and digital interactions with the robots. GLOBAL HOMEWORK We go into people’s homes to see how our products integrate into their lives and react to their environments. Doing research in China has been the most eye-opening experience for me. I observed a lot of interesting consumer technology, a high commitment to cleaning and complex societal influences on cleaning. There is so much to learn about each region’s home types, furnishing style, pride in ownership, technology usage and environmental conditions. ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS It’s important to ask open questions that can lead in different directions. For example, to find out when someone likes to use a cleaning robot, I’ll ask, “Would you rather come home to a clean house or wake up to a clean house?” The answer gives us a better picture of how the robots can accommodate their needs. It opens up the conversation.
TRANSLATING THE EXPERIENCE I often create visual representations of what the user is thinking and doing at various points in their experience with the robots, in order to collaborate with others who weren’t there. These might be diagrams of the user’s decision-making flow or floor plans representing the way they want their home cleaned. I’ll also show the experience happening by providing video; we take a lot of videos. JUST LIKE FAMILY There’s a strong preference for seeing robots as a member of the family rather than as an appliance. Sometimes people refer to “the robot,” but much more frequently I hear pet names like Fido and Sparky or names of classic TV robots and butlers. CLEAN ENTERTAINMENT I have five Roombas and three Braavas. I like to experience all the different models we have, and I take a lot of prototypes home. My fleet has functionfocused names like Diningroomba and Livingroomba, making it easy to know which one I’m controlling when away from home. My son is 2 years old; he presses the button and likes to watch them go. As told to Mary K. Pratt
PHOTO BY REBECCA BISHOP
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 27
1.
4.
3.
6. 28 | SPRING 2018
2.
5.
7.
<< CLASS NOTES
8.
7.
14. 1. Melanie Lilly ’15 and Brandon Buster 2. Michael Cohen ’08 and Kerey Jawin 3. Jameson Blangiardo ’10 and Melissa Murphy 4. Lindsey Arthur ’11 and James Dunn ’11 5. Theresa Dagumboy ’08 and Ryan Marshall
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
15.
16.
6. Lauren Hatchouel ’12, MSA ’13 and Mason Wetherald ’12, MSF ’13 7. Michał Piotrów ’14 and Joanna Kawiorska 8. Christa Grippo ’11 and Rick Patsos ’11 9. Chrismaldi Vasquez ’07, MBA ’18 and Vetto Casado 10. Rebecca Woods ’11, MBA ’12 and Tim Sousa ’11, MBA ’13
1. Brett Sullivan ’07 and Lindsay Muise 1 12. Michelle Sullivan ’12 and Alex Miliano ’12 13. Classmates and friends with Sean Goodwin ’13 who married Carrie Kenniston 14. Rachel Bienvenue ’15 and Matthew Graef ’15 15. Jamie Parda ’09, MBA ’16 and Stephen Cannavo 16. Laura Sarkisian ’13 and Matthew Michel ’13, MSA ’14 BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 29
CLASS NOTES >> 2008 continued second child, Gerardo Octavio, on October 10, 2017. He joins big sister Aliah at the family’s home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Michael Cohen married Kerey Jawin at The WoodWinds in Branford, Conn., on September 30, 2017. Theresa Dagumboy and Ryan Marshall were married by the sea at the Beauport Hotel in Gloucester, Mass., on October 1, 2017. They are living in Boston. Katie (Casey), MSA ’09 and Sal Falzone III, MSA ’09, Newton Lower Falls, Mass., are proud parents of son Salvatore Peter IV, born on October 30, 2017.
2009 Allison (Lynch), Ackerman, MBA ’10, Boston, Mass., is working as a Realtor with William Raveis Real Estate.
SPOTLIGHT: RUSULENNI CASTRO ’13 BY DEBLINA CHAKRABORTY
Rusulenni Castro talks about money because so many other people don’t. Parents and schools, she says, often miss the boat on offering education and guidance in financial literacy, which leaves young people adrift to figure out these vital life skills on their own. That’s where Generation Wealthy comes in. The three-year-old nonprofit, which Castro co-founded with four friends, creates free educational resources — primarily online videos — to help teens and young adults take control of their financial future. The venture has personal roots. “Growing up, my mom didn’t know anything about money, and therefore she couldn’t drop down that knowledge to me,” says the alumna, who is from Jamaica Plain, Mass., and lives in California. The first in her family to attend college, Castro struggled to manage schoolwork, finances and financial aid on her own. She recalls how, enrolling at Bentley, she didn’t truly understand what a loan was. Now, the former Corporate Finance and Accounting major serves as secretary and board member for Generation Wealthy, while taking an active role in creating videos, writing scripts and appearing on camera as a contributor. All of this is in addition to her day job: revenue accountant for Netflix. In October, Castro’s efforts with Generation Wealthy landed her on the prestigious El Mundo Boston 30 Under 30 list. “I’m just humbled … nothing has changed for me,” Castro says of the honor. “I still keep doing the work that I’m doing because I’m passionate about it. It’s just nice to be recognized.” 30 | SPRING 2018
PHOTO BY SELENA DAVANT
While continuing to run his family’s 335-year-old farm, Justin Chase, MBA,
Amesbury, Mass., reports a new role: manager of the Farmer Training Program at Tufts University’s New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. He writes: “We work locally, regionally and nationally to create new farmers and to add resiliency and sustainability to local food systems. My collaboration studies with Professor Jeff Shuman and entrepreneurship studies with Fred Tuffile are coming in quite handy, even years later.” Nicole (Ciccarelli), MST ’10 and David Henn ’10, MBA ’11, Southbury, Conn., welcomed sons Matthew and Michael on June 14, 2017. Rebecca (Ciccarelli) and Tony Panetti, Manchester, Conn., said hello to Landry Dylan on December 5, 2017. Sara (Kovacic) and John Rossley, West Hartford, Conn., welcomed their first child, Patrick, on November 28, 2017. Jamie Parda, MBA ’16 and Stephen Cannavo exchanged vows on June 24, 2017, at Kitz Farm in Strafford, N.H.
Continued on page 36
Switzerland offered a dramatic backdrop for a Falcon marriage proposal. Joseph Gannon ’12 put the question to Helen Longvall ’12 during a trip there in September 2017. They met as first-year students and began dating soon after graduation, Longvall writes from Burlington, Mass. “Joe is an accountant at Johnson O’Hare and I’m at 89 Degrees, which specializes in customer engagement and loyalty programs.”
<< FAMILY MATTERS
(Not So) Twin Experiences Chris ’18 and Meagan ’18 Ehl may be twins, but they didn’t expect to go to Bentley — or any other school — together. Never mind that their mother, Janet Ehl, has worked in Career Services since 2008. Or that their grandfather, Charles C. Ehl, was an associate dean in the 1970s (and part of the team that brought in the school’s first computer, a Honeywell 200). But here they are, fellow Falcons soon to graduate, recounting the
stayed neutral on their attending Bentley, as Chris applied Early
experience to a writer on Skype from their home in Reading, Mass.
Decision and Meagan waited until the last second to commit. She
Their heads are bent together and a string of Christmas lights blinks
has welcomed their regular visits to her office, whether it involves
in the background; an elbow is thrown on occasion to punctuate a
ferrying in something they forgot at home or listening to them argue
good-natured jibe.
about whose turn it is to gas up the car they share. Their friends stop
“We have different groups of friends that are somewhat
by, too.
connected,” says Chris, who is older by 18 minutes. “I went into
“I know more kids in the Class of 2018 than I have in any other
college knowing we have a pretty distinctive last name.”
class — and they’re great,” Janet says. “I’ve had a really unique
Though that name tied them together, classes, internships and
experience as a parent.”
extracurricular activities sent them on separate paths.
Chris has accepted a sales role at CyberArk in Boston, while
Chris joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and the golf team; he’s had
Meagan’s aim to work in public policy could mean a return to D.C.
internships with TripAdvisor, CyberArk and demandDrive. Meagan
Their divergent paths won’t be new. Neither will their support of
has been a peer adviser for the Study Abroad office. She spent one
each other as they step into the post-college world. They’re siblings
semester in Madrid, Spain, and another in Washington, D.C., as an
— and now Falcons — forever.
intern with the Federal Trade Commission. Mom Janet, director of recruiting and employer relations, PHOTO BY JOY UYENO
Jen Miller spoke to the family for Bentley Magazine BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 31
CLASS NOTES >>
In Memoriam
Joel B. Wilder ’58 1934 – 2017
1939
1956
1980
Charles Dorr
Herbert Collins Robert Leombruno
Paul Cappello Peter DiBona Paul Ouellette
1941 Russell Shuman Jr.
1942 Richard Miranda
1947 William Manning
1957 Rev. Richard Baker Edward Barnicle John DeCoste Leon Golay Paul Premo
1958
Paula (Fitzpatrick) Fallon, P ’79
Robert Daley Joel Wilder, Trustee Emeritus
1949
1962
Paul “P.T.” Burr Carroll (Pete) Gouger Robert Rando William Wilkins
1965
1948
Bayne Peckham
1981 Roger DiPesa Jr. Thomas Hennigan Robert Preston
1982 Michael Colangelo William Flaherty
1984 Marilyn (DeLong) Hubbard Thomas Lawless
Thomas Hartnett Sister Mary Meckel
1985
Gordon Hargreaves, P ’76 William Powell
1966
1986
Joseph Barrett
Niklas Herlin
1952
1970
1988
Edmund Hagerty
James Glynn
1971
1989
1950
Paul Goguen Harold Jenkins
Ronald DeLeonardis
1953
Kevin McEvoy
Paul Donovan
Robert Frigo Ronald Reagan
1972
1991
1954
Maureen (Maniates) Corbett, MST ’77, Trustee Emerita
Peter Chow, MBA Eric Dahl, MBA ’95
James Browne Gary Clark
1975
1994
Harry Sklar
Ralph Paul
1976
1998
1955 Donald Flanders John Foley Leonard Glazier Robert Kilcoyne Alfred Moody Maurice Roy Richard Sirois Louis (Dan) Valente
Bruce Garland Edward Simches, MST ’86
Matthew Mello, MST
1977
Elizabeth Briggs, MSA ‘09
Neil Rosa
1978 Michael “Izzy” Isabel
32 | SPRING 2018
2008
2013 Jillian Slatas
Joel Wilder ’58 joined the Board of Trustees in 1990, but immense Bentley pride was always in his makeup. “It’s fair to say that he was a part of every significant fundraising effort for Bentley over the past 40 years,” says President Gloria Larson. Wilder’s leadership helped create the Gregory H. Adamian Professorship in Law, the Gregory H. Adamian Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Wilder Teaching Professorships. In 2001, Bentley awarded the trustee emeritus an honorary doctorate in commercial science and named the Wilder Pavilion in his honor. Originally from Weston, Mass., the alumnus retired to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., with his wife, Christina, after founding The Wilder Companies and building a career in retail and mixed-use development. Colleagues, friends and family remember someone generous and positive with a head for math — a man committed to making the world a better place. As Ted O’Neill ’56 observes: “Whether it was a business relationship, friendship or somebody in need, the constant was care.” Wilder was honored by Bentley in 2011. Watch the video at bentley.edu/wilder.
<< CLASS NOTES
Future Falcons
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1. Benjamin, child of Elise (Noël) Yagoda ’07 and husband Daniel 2. Penelope, child of Rikki Lee (Larson) ’12 and Ross Sabasteanski ’12 3. Jameson, child of Meghan (Bernier) ’09 and Ian ’09 Walch 4. Michael, child of Michael Fischer ’10 and wife Tiffany 5. Matthew and Michael, children of Nicole (Ciccarelli) ’09, MST ’10 and David ’10, MBA ’11 Henn 6. Gerardo, child of Ashley Brooks de Pujols ’08, MSA ’10 and husband Gerardo 7. Salvatore, child of Katie (Casey) ’08, MSA ’09 and Sal ’08, MSA ’09 Falzone 8. Patrick, child of Sara (Kovacic) ’09 and John ’09 Rossley 9. Giulia, child of Jacquelyn (Mascetti) ’04, MBA ’07 and Jared ’04 Katz 10. Landry, child of Rebecca (Ciccarelli) ’09 and Tony ’09 Panetti 11. Mira, child of Gabrielle (Mason) Jacques ’12 and husband Gregory
8.
9.
10.
11.
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 33
CLASS NOTES >>
Gatherings New Year. New Connections. There was warmth to spare in January as the Alumni Association hosted annual gatherings in 10 regions across the country. Students at home for the winter break joined alumni, parents, faculty and staff to welcome the new year, network, catch up and share Bentley stories. This year we celebrated at an array of unique venues, including the roof deck at Mozambique Steakhouse in Laguna Beach, Calif.; at Wells Fargo in San Francisco, Calif., with CFO John Shrewsberry; and at The Real Dill in Denver, Colo., co-founded by Justin Park â&#x20AC;&#x2122;05. Thank you to all who attended! To find your chapter and events in your area, visit bentley.edu/findmyregion.
34 | SPRING 2018
<< CLASS NOTES
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 35
CLASS NOTES >>
Continued from page 30
SPOTLIGHT: STANLEY RAMEAU ’12
Meghan (Bernier) and Ian Walch, Mansfield, Mass., welcomed son Jameson Charles on July 17, 2017.
BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON
It can take years for a door to open, but you can’t stop knocking. That belief has long guided Stanley Rameau ’12, from his first internship literally knocking on doors to sell office supplies to his most recent venture: marketing a collection shown at London Fashion Week. It was a Bentley professor, Michael Montalbano, MBA ’12, who inspired Rameau to detour from the traditional route of joining a Fortune 500 company right out of college. “He said, ‘You can go to your dream company, but you’re young,’ recalls the former Marketing major. ‘If it’s in you, now is the time to take a risk and start something of your own.’” The timing was perfect. Rameau’s sister-in-law, designer Joelle Jean-Fontaine, was starting a fashion line, I Am Kréyol, with help from her mother. As the new COO, Rameau knocked on every door he came upon. “I took meetings with everyone and anyone I could get ahold of,” he says. “No meeting was bad. If I didn’t get the result I wanted, at least I learned something from the connection.” Skill and persistence paid off. I Am Kréyol earned Best Fashion Designer honors from The Improper Bostonian (2016) and Boston magazine (2017). Teen Vogue followed suit with a “Haitian Designers You Need to Know About” accolade and, in September 2017, the brand hit London runways. As of early 2018, the line is in talks to be sold in fashion boutiques in London (Wolf & Badger) and New York (Flying Solo). The design inspiration comes from Haiti; the mother-daughter team was born there and Rameau is first-generation Haitian-American. Despite its relative youth, I Am Kréyol raised more than $10,000 in relief funds for Haiti after the 2010 earthquake; though still a student, Rameau used his Bentley knowledge to aid the effort. “Being on this entrepreneurship journey is really humbling,” he says. “Sharing our story to help others has been the most rewarding part.”
2010 Jameson Blangiardo and Melissa Murphy, Plymouth, Mass., were married on June 10, 2017, at Chatham Bars Inn. Michael Fischer and wife Tiffany, Norwood, Mass., said hello to Michael Alexander Jr. on October 12, 2017. He joins big sister Ansley. David, MBA ’11 and Nicole (Ciccarelli) Henn ’09, MST, Southbury, Conn., welcomed sons Matthew and Michael on June 14, 2017.
2011 Lindsey Arthur and James Dunn exchanged vows on September 16, 2017, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. They celebrated with about 20 fellow Falcons from the classes of 2011 and 2012. Christa Grippo and Rick Patsos tied the knot on July 1, 2017, in New York. They celebrated with many fellow Falcons. Kelly Kaufman and John Malone were married on September 9, 2017, at Rosecliff mansion in Newport, R.I. Rebecca Woods, MBA ’12 and Tim Sousa, MBA ’13 tied the knot on November 11, 2017, at Wychmere Beach Club in Harwich Port, Mass. Many Bentley friends were part of their special day.
2012 Lauren Hatchouel, MSA ’13 and Mason Wetherald, MSF ’13 said “I do” in Newport, R.I., on September 24, 2017, surrounded by Falcons from the classes of 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. The couple lives in Boston.
36 | SPRING 2018
PHOTO BY CAROLINE CRUISE
Gabrielle (Mason) Jacques and husband Gregory, Lindenhurst, N.Y., welcomed Mira Simone on August 15, 2017. Rikki Lee (Larson) and Ross Sabasteanski, Brookline, Mass., welcomed daughter Penelope Elizabeth on October 30, 2017. Michelle Sullivan and Alex Miliano said “I do” on June 17, 2017, at the Royal Sonesta Boston. Many Bentley classmates toasted the pair.
2013
5th Reunion June 1 to 3, 2018 Sean Goodwin and Carrie Kenniston were married on July 22, 2017. Laura Sarkisian and Matthew Michel, MSA ’14, were wed on June 10, 2017, in Portland, Conn. Jennifer Scott and Ethan Oates, MSA ’14 write: “We met our freshman year at Bentley and got engaged in August of this year! The wedding will be October 12, 2018, in Topsfield, Mass.”
2014 Michał Piotrów married Joanna Kawiorska on July 22, 2017, in Baranów Sandomierski, Poland. The couple is living in Rzeszów.
2015 Rachel Bienvenue and Matthew Graef wed on June 10, 2017, at Saint Stanislaus Basilica in Chicopee, Mass. Melanie Lilly married Brandon Buster on October 28, 2017, on Catalina Island in California.
“It’s the difference between being the team captain and struggling to make time for practice.” Catie Noons ’18 is the youngest of five, the captain of Bentley’s softball team who hit a home run in one of her first games, and the “eternally grateful” beneficiary of the Jack ’71 and Jan Guarnieri Endowed Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Fund for the past two years. What has the support meant to Catie? The Marketing major says that the Guarnieris have not only validated her hard work, they’ve also unburdened her from years of debt and clocking in at a part-time job in lieu of studies and practice. “After graduation, I’m heading into a career in athletic administration, where I hope to help student-athletes realize their full potential — just like the Guarnieris helped me,” she says. “They’re amazing.”
PHOTOS BY BRIAN SMITH
175 Forest Street Waltham, MA 02452 USA
THE PUCK DROPS HERE. Bentleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multipurpose arena hosted its first faceoff in February, as thousands of students, alumni, faculty and others cheered on our Division I Falcons and opened a new chapter in the student experience. Look for a full report on the new facility in the next Bentley Magazine. PHOTO BY REBECCA BISHOP