SPRING 2019
Valerie Perez ’19
BETWEEN THE LINES Putting a name to an experience is a powerful thing. No one talked about “first-generation students” when my two best friends and I were considering college. Our families were long on love and moral support, but for practical matters like campus tours and application essays, we relied on each other and a few favorite teachers. Then suddenly we were on our own at separate schools. At Boston University, balancing newly rigorous academics with commuting and working part time, I struggled in a psychology course. Low grades shook my confidence and prompted the only move that made sense to 18-year-old me. No, I didn’t call my faculty adviser. I simply stopped going to class. As I’ve since learned, asking for help is a hurdle for many first-generation students. Valerie Perez ’19 (pictured on the cover) puts it this way: “I did not want to experience the feeling of letting myself or anyone else down.” She and a handful of others share their first-gen journeys in this issue. Our cover story puts a wide lens on the topic, as colleges and universities step up support for these students who pride themselves on self-sufficiency. The work has special meaning at Bentley, given a founder who was a first-generation student himself. We also bring you alumnae entrepreneurs Kerry O’Brien ’93, Vienne Cheung Brown, MBA ’09 and Esther (Rothstein) Tetreault ’99, MBA ’03; a management professor’s tips for negotiating your best salary; and a tribute-filled goodbye to diversity champion Earl Avery. Finally, a word of thanks to all who wrote, posted and called about stories in the winter issue. A filled-to-capacity Here Say column (page 2) is a beautiful thing.
Susan Simpson Editor
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Contents SPRING 2019 2 |
HERE SAY
3 |
ON CAMPUS COLUMNS
3 20
4 | From the President 8 | Five Things: Tips to negotiate your best salary 9 | Inside Job: Esther (Rothstein) Tetreault ’99, MBA ’03 of Trillium Brewing 31 | Family Matters: Bentley early and often
FEATURES 10 | Trailblazers of the First Degree 18 | Take Two: Adding a new chapter to family history 20 | Undercover Business: Kerry O’Brien ’93 and Vienne Cheung Brown, MBA ’09 24 |
31 COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE S. ANDERSON
CLASS NOTES
HERE SAY
MAGAZINE
Editor Susan Simpson Director Communications & Strategic Content John McElhenny Writers Michael Blanding Jaimie Fritz Mary K. Pratt Kristen Walsh Creative Director Greg Gonyea Senior Associate Director Creative Services Illustrations Claire S. Anderson Art Direction & Design Juliana Freire Multimedia Producer Kevin Maguire Associate Director Print & Production Judy Metz
Executive Director Advancement Communications Terry Cronin Associate Director Advancement Communications Caroline Cruise Associate Director Content Development Kristin Livingston Communications Specialist Molly McKinnon
I always enjoy reading the Bentley Magazine but the most recent issue [Winter 2018] was particularly noteworthy. In addition to a number of interesting articles, I found the refreshed graphics and layout particularly well done. Keep up the great work! Mark Ahern ’84 Yarmouth Port, Mass. GRANT BOOSTS THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH CARE [page 6] Great opportunity. The health care industry can always use new research toward progressive ideas and innovation. Arthur Bream, MBA Candidate WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP PROGRAM BUILDS SKILLS, CONFIDENCE [page 7] Proud to be part of this program as a Bentley alumna and Liberty Mutual employee. Spending quality time with my mentee, Ashley, has enriched my work experience and personal life. I probably learn more from her than she does from me, but that’s what it’s all about. Lucy Hoosian ’93, MBA ’10 Watertown, Mass. I am also a Bentley alumna and Liberty Mutual employee. Watching my mentee, Jasmine, progress in her development over the last year has been very rewarding. As an international
student, she has also taught me! The CWB is an amazing program and I’m honored to be part of it. Amy Sayed ’97 Ashland, Mass. DINING THROUGH THE DECADES [page 8] The banana-eating contest was sponsored by the student government Class of 1974 during the spring of 1971. The turnout was amazing and indeed it was covered by one of the television stations in Boston. I wish I remembered who the winner was! I was one of the officers of the class that year. Michael Fagin ’74, writing from West Hartford, Conn.
I was class president at the time. Students had a free period every Wednesday when no classes were held. The class cabinet sponsored the contest, for perhaps three years in a row, which proved to be very popular. The photograph you printed shows members of the senior class cabinet. Competitors also included many frat members. Edith (Chadwick) Blackney ’74, calling from Westborough, Mass.
SEEKING REFUGE [page 18] I spent the whole month of December with my family in South Sudan. Chep and his mom were so happy to see me and it was nice to be there when Chep turned three years old. My mom and wife say hi to you all and wish you happy new year. Attached are some pictures I took when I was with them. Manyang Kot Mangar ’10 New Haven, Conn. SPOTLIGHT: PAUL COCCOVILLO ’00 [page 40] Very cool story. One key accomplishment they missed was how Paul started the Pacific Northwest Alumni chapter. Carl Coken ’86 Sammamish, Wash.
Visit www.bentley.edu/alumni to find a chapter near you.
President Alison Davis-Blake Vice President University Advancement Maureen Flores Vice President Chief Marketing Officer Valerie Fox
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
Associate Vice President Strategic Communications Christopher Joyce 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. 72M3/19QD.MC.476.18
BEAUTY INSIDE & OUT Abby Young ’19 helped organize Dresses to Dreams, a Bentley program that provides prom wear for teens who might not otherwise have access. Their day on campus included a hair and makeup tutorial and a confidence-building workshop.
PHOTO BY JOY LEDUC
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FROM THE
PRESIDENT
The spring semester is speeding by. Every day I learn more about Bentley and its remarkable community of students, faculty, staff and alumni. Your pride and commitment are evident at every turn. These qualities helped us achieve an early success in our strategic planning initiative. Last fall, in workshops to share aspirations for the school’s future, participants discussed longstanding principles known as the Bentley Beliefs. These four pillars — learning, diversity, honesty and respect — resonated with everyone and inspired a deeper dive into the values that guide our university. Through an online survey and two open focus groups, students, faculty and staff offered feedback on those current values and identified possible additions. A group of colleagues from across campus then set to sharpening language in the original four principles and developing three others. The seven core values, shared with the trustees and the campus community, are caring, collaboration, diversity, honesty, impact, learning and respect. You can find full details at www.bentley.edu/corevalues.
Strategic Planning Moves Ahead Input from faculty, staff, students and alumni continues to inform the strategic planning initiative that launched in September 2018. Here are highlights, as planning continues through late May. Statement of core values. A working group updated the Bentley Beliefs, based on a survey of the campus community and two open forums. The institution has adopted seven core values (see From the President, above) that reflect Bentley’s mission. Undergraduate curriculum and student experience. A task force is identifying the knowledge and skills students should have by graduation — a prelude to developing a curriculum that achieves these Student Learning Outcomes. A second task force is studying extracurricular, cocurricular and residential life activities. The goal is to design a path that stretches from
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I am grateful to the faculty, staff and students who took on this important task. They set a high bar for collaboration and positive leadership that is a model for strategic planning as a whole. In recent months, I’ve been thrilled to see Bentley values in action. Scores of alumni around the country have turned out to meet with me and members of the university’s leadership team. They have spoken about pursuing lives and careers beyond what they had ever imagined. They have been eager to engage and help shape the school’s future, as many of you are. The aspiration we heard again and again: Secure Bentley’s rightful place in the changing landscape of higher education. As strategic planning moves toward completion in May 2019, you can track progress at www.bentley.edu/strategicplan. Please share your own ideas and feedback at strategicplanning@bentley.edu. I appreciate your trust, support and enthusiasm for ensuring the bright future that Bentley deserves.
students’ first contact with Admission through a lifetime of alumni interactions. VP for external relations. Campus community members and an executive search firm are in the last stages of filling this new post in the President’s Cabinet. The VP will strategize around corporate partnerships, overseeing a division that consolidates Career Services, Executive Education and the Center for Women and Business. Brainstorm with corporate recruiters and alumni. A workshop collected insights from recruiters and alumni about continuing to prepare our students for the ever-changing workplace. Another session gathered alumni feedback on key ideas in the strategic plan. LEARN MORE AND SHARE OPINIONS | www.bentley.edu/ strategicplan
« ON CAMPUS
Two Join Bentley Leadership Team The university has named Michael E. JohnsonCramer as dean of business and the McCallum Graduate School and Christopher J. Joyce as associate vice president for strategic communications and chief of staff to President Alison Davis-Blake. Johnson-Cramer is an expert in strategic management with extensive academic leadership experience. Most recently, at Bucknell University, he led the creation of the School of Management and, as interim dean, oversaw its transition to become the Freeman College of Management. Here, his focus will be academic innovation and raising Bentley’s national and international reputation. Johnson-Cramer holds an AB from Harvard University, MBA from the Université libre de Bruxelles and DBA from Boston University. His appointment took effect on March 1, 2019. Joyce is responsible for internal and external communications, public relations and social media initiatives at Bentley. Sitting with the President’s Cabinet, he has led the Division of Strategic Communications on an interim basis since its creation in June 2018; the role has included overseeing communications for university-wide efforts such as strategic planning and the inauguration of President DavisBlake. Previously, he served as chief of staff to former President Gloria Larson and held leadership roles in local, state and national political campaigns. Joyce graduated from Bates College with a BA in History.
SCIENCE + BUSINESS:
A Winning Formula in the Marketplace BY KRISTEN WALSH Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Phillip Sharp knows that even the best science can’t stand alone. Bringing life-changing products to market also requires a keen sense of business. Speaking at Bentley through the Innovator’s Business Series, he stressed the need for “individuals who have a strong vision and a deep understanding of business, and relationships and management, to make a company successful.” The lesson was hard won for Sharp, who cofounded biotech company Biogen in 1978. Collaboration between science and industry was not accepted practice — and the firm’s initial structure reflected the disconnect. “The biotech field had developed in the absence of engagement with private sector activity,” recounts Sharp, who holds the highest rank of Institute Professor at Massachusetts Some 200 Bentley Institute of Technology. “Scientists didn’t alumni have worked for trust the business side and the company companies founded by was highly focused on development of the Nobel Prize-winning science.” scientist Phillip Sharp. Things changed when Biogen hired a CEO with a strong business background who actively listened to company scientists. “When it came to making decisions, he had the confidence of the scientists,” says Sharp. “Business leaders in the high-tech industry have to understand something about the technology and science. They don’t have to be in the weeds, but they have to know what the weeds are.” Today, Biogen is a multinational, multibillion-dollar Fortune 100 company. Sharp went on to cofound Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, which develops products based on a breakthrough in understanding how genes work in cells. “Educating business leaders in the broad sector about the technology, and engaging scientists who are developing the technology in business objectives — that is how you translate these ideas into being useful.” LEARN MORE | www.bentley.edu/sharp
PHOTOS BY IMPRESSIONS PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO + GALLERY (TOP) AND KEVIN MAGUIRE; ILLUSTRATION BY SDECORET/SHUTTERSTOCK
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“We’re not as bold to experiment when grades are on the line,
Family Pride Marking the legacy of David LeClair ’11
THE FALCON
FILES
BY JAIMIE FRITZ, UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST
but in student organizations you have nothing to lose when you speak up and let your voice be heard.” David LeClair ’11 lived by his word. President of PRIDE (People Respecting Individuality and Diversity) and the Green Society. Chair of the Bentley Student Diversity Council. A trustee scholar and Honors Program student. He majored in Management and Liberal Studies, with a concentration in Earth, Environment and Global Sustainability. The Bentley community mourned in 2013, when David was killed in an accident during a bike tour to benefit the American Lung Association. But his acts of positive change live on. David’s family — pictured from center, mother Nina ’83, father Ron ’82 and sister Olivia ’14 — walk with Bentley in the annual Boston Pride Parade. The student organizations that he championed are thriving. And in 2017, family and friends established the David LeClair Memorial Fund to carry forth his values. The latest initiative was a three-day campus residency by Peterson Toscano (far left), whose comedy explores gender, sexuality, privilege, religion and environmental justice. “Climate change is such an important issue; the same with diversity and acceptance of others,” says Nina. “In hearing from Peterson, we hope Bentley students are inspired to bring about changes for the positive, whether big or small.” LEARN MORE AND WATCH A VIDEO | www.bentley.edu/toscano
CHANGES OF ADDRESS In Bentley’s first decade, rented rooms in Boston and Brookline were home for the very few students who did not commute to classes by rail. Their weekly $8 to $12 covered two hot meals per day and laundry services.
The first student residence that Bentley purchased, from Emerson College in 1960, was located at 373 Commonwealth Ave. Its 135 male residents came under the watchful eye of a live-in director and dietician.
By the 1930s, Harry Bentley felt compelled to write Rules for Conduct in Student Homes. He advocated for acting “in a manner consistent with the dignity of a professional student.” There were stern warnings against boisterousness and “wisecracking.”
Initial plans for the Waltham campus called for the Tree Dorms to circle the pond on Forest Street; the building site was moved in part so neighbors could continue to see and access the pond.
Rented dormitories in the Back Bay housed men only in 1959. Female students shared apartments or lived in dorms at a now-defunct junior college.
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Students of the early 1970s staged protests, including a sit-in, to remove prohibitions against male and female students gathering in each other’s dorm rooms. Orchard North and South were the first dorms built on south campus, and the reason for our pedestrian bridge across Beaver Street. Red Sox legend Jim Rice was on hand for the ribbon cutting at Bentley’s newest residence, Fenway Hall, in 2004.
PHOTO ABOVE BY DAMIAN STROHMEYER; AT LEFT COURTESY OF THE BENTLEY ARCHIVES
« ON CAMPUS
Honoring Earl Avery
For 33 years, the ‘voice to help all students be heard’ BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON
In 1986, Earl Avery came to Bentley as the new equal opportunity officer. He walked onto a campus where, as a friend had warned him, “no one looks like you.” But the advocate for youth and opportunity everywhere from urban schools to Native American reservations was undeterred. And Bentley is the better for it. Avery retired in December 2018 with many high-profile accomplishments to his credit: the annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. The university gospel choir. A campus chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants. The Summer Transition Education Program. His role had grown over the years, with appointments as ombudsperson, ethics officer and special assistant to three Bentley presidents. “Earl’s leadership in increasing diversity and inclusion is legendary, here on campus and throughout the higher education community,” says President Alison DavisBlake. “He has helped guide Bentley’s commitment to provide a community where students of all backgrounds can achieve their very best.” Much of his impact was behind the scenes: mentoring students, one-on-one. “I don’t know if Bentley ever tracked the number of students, staff, faculty and alumni who came through Earl’s office,” says trustee emeritus Daryl Poole ’68. He estimates that, considering the ripple PHOTOS BY JOY LEDUC
urges others effect, Avery (P)EARL OF WISDOM to participate touched the lives of “We can’t all go out and save the world. by contacting Betsy thousands. But we can save the pocket of the Whipple (bwhipple@ One was Katie bentley.edu). Lampley ’96, now community where we spend a great Receiving his executive director deal of our lives.” acceptance letter to of diversity and Bentley was “the second-happiest day inclusion at her alma mater. Back then she of my life, after graduation,” says Alan. was trying to find her footing some 1,700 “I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Dr. Avery miles away from home in the Virgin Islands. for making that happen.” “He pushed me to stretch and grow as Adds trustee-elect Lebone Moses ’02: a leader. He has continued to be a guiding “I am grateful for his passion, vision and force, the person I always turn to.” unwavering commitment to ensuring that Global Alumni Board director Keith Singletary ’96 recalls support that “began my students from all walks of life have the ability to feel and be at home at Bentley.” first day on campus and ended with a warm smile of pride on my graduation day. He has been the voice to help all students be heard.” In January, students, faculty, staff and alumni honored Avery, fittingly, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Tributes included creating the Dr. Earl L. Avery Scholarship, to ensure that talented students of color have access to Bentley for years to come. Initial donor, trustee The honoree with alumni of the 1990s. Robert Alan ’91, BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 7
FIVE THINGS »
Five Tips to
Negotiate Your Best Salary
WILLIAM STARNER Adjunct Lecturer, Management Negotiating the salary for a new job or promotion can rank as one of life’s biggest stressors. But it doesn’t have to be. For more than 25 years, William Starner has held executive positions in human resources, customer service, marketing and general management. He is a former program director for Bentley's Professional MBA Program and a visiting professor at the Rotterdam School of Management. He teaches negotiation to graduate and executive education students at Bentley, and offers this advice for your next discussion on pay.
MAKE PEACE WITH CONFLICT A negotiation is by definition conflict, which people tend to view negatively. But a constructive negotiation isn’t personal, me versus you. It’s about having a dialogue that is robust, open and honest. That means addressing tough issues head-on and being clear about what you want. Avoiding difficult issues by “kicking the can down the road” will only lead to future trouble.
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NAME A RANGE, NOT A NUMBER Giving a single figure sets up a win-lose situation. Suggest a range instead and you’ll have room for discussion. Gather objective market information by networking with people in the industry, getting your hands on salary survey data, and talking with recruiters in the field, so you can learn what the job is really worth. That way, you’ll know what is reasonable to ask for, and what is reasonable to accept.
ADVOCATE FOR YOUR VALUE Once you have a range, your job is to position yourself at its top. Do that by differentiating yourself — your particular capabilities, technology background or past projects. The goal is to demonstrate that you possess a unique and valuable skill set and should therefore be valued more highly.
GET CREATIVE Getting hung up on a single issue like salary can lead to a toxic negotiation. You have to understand what is really of value to the other person, and translate that into something of equal value for you. If the company is not able to meet your base salary, you could discuss myriad other options for compensation, for example, a bonus for signing on or completing projects on time, coverage of relocation expenses, flexibility to work from home, or the ability to attend classes or conferences.
LEVERAGE OTHER OFFERS Some people worry that mentioning another job offer will damage their relationship. But having other offers increases your perceived value and encourages the company to decide more quickly. You can say, “You are my number one choice, but I do have another offer for more. Let’s discuss ways we can close the gap.” Even if you don’t get the full value of the difference, your perceived value will increase, and you might get quicker promotions or better assignments in the future. PHOTO BY ALONSO NICHOLS
« INSIDE JOB
Entrepreneurial Spirits Esther (Rothstein) Tetreault ’99, MBA ’03 owns Trillium Brewing with her husband, JC. What began in 2013 as a small storefront in Boston has grown to three locations: a brewery and taproom in Canton, a restaurant and brewery in Fort Point, and a farm and brewery in North Stonington, Conn.
COMMUNITY ON TAP We like to entertain at home, and it’s always about having good drinks and good food, but also about the experiences you’re sharing with people. With Trillium, we envisioned creating places where people could share life’s moments. I love seeing people bring their kids and dogs to the taproom. FARM TO GLASS The quality of our beer is of the utmost importance to us, and the quality of ingredients is what drives that. We already work with amazing local vendors for our coffee, cacao and even malted grains. Having a farm will allow us to grow some of our own and focus on sustainability and efficiency. There’s also a certain romanticism and nostalgia that comes along with growing something you can make into an incredible beverage or food to share with people. PASSION PROJECT It took me some time to realize that I have an entrepreneurial spirit, and pretty strong beliefs about how a business can and should run. I’ve been fortunate to always work in an industry I was passionate about. It’s something that more people should do if they’re able. Business isn’t rigid; there are so many opportunities if you think about applying something that you’re good at to something that you love. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA
GETTING SOCIAL We don’t do any advertising or marketing, and we don’t distribute our beer, so we rely on social media to build our following. It’s a great way to connect with customers, to hear what they love and want to see, to answer questions. In 2018, we were listed as the fifth most “checked-in” brewery on Untappd. Based on production volume, we’re tiny in comparison to others on the list — some make hundreds of thousands of barrels of beer! It feels great to know that our fans are so passionate. SIP THE SEASONS We’re pretty well-known for brewing beer that a lot of people would call trends, but we stick with what feels right and authentic for us. We make beer that we think represents what New England farmhouse beers can be. Right now I’m loving our pilsner. It’s crisp and refreshing, and really flavorful — a perfect spring beer. As told to Caroline Cruise BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 9
FEATURES »
By Donna Talarico
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« FEATURES
PHOTOS BY BRIAN SMITH AND COURTESY OF THOSE FEATURED
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irst-generation students have a long history here. From Bentley’s earliest days in downtown Boston, enrollment grew as ambitious young adults detoured from their expected path. Instead of following their parents into manual labor, they saw an accounting diploma as a way into the white-collar world. A way up. That same drive is evident today. Bentley is home to hundreds of first-generation students — 17 percent self-identify as such and the actual figure is surely higher — and the university is championing their success in many ways. A task force of colleagues from across campus is leading the charge. “We need to challenge the idea that all students have had family members who know the ropes, who have lived in a residence hall and navigated a campus,” explains task force member J. Andrew Shepardson, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, “College can be a real struggle if you don’t know what to do next.” MOTIVATING FACTORS Shepardson has seen the focus on first-gen students rise and fall over his 25 years at Bentley. It is on the uptick, he says: “We recognize these are students we can serve better.” Recent research provides better data and more detailed anecdotal evidence about motivations, outcomes, hopes and fears among first-generation students. For instance, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that 69 percent of first-generation students attend college to help their family, whereas 43 percent of their peers count that as a motivator. Accordingly, a sense of responsibility is strong among first-gen students. “There’s this quality of resiliency and grit,” says Michael McCorvey, director of Bentley’s Multicultural Center and another member of the task force. “They have the added pressure of ‘being the one’ in the family who’s going to do this.”
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INVESTED AND ENGAGED Learning the challenges of first-gen students is important, but so is recognizing characteristics that serve as valuable assets. A report in 2018 by data analytics firm Campus Labs looked at six skills that impact student success: educational commitment, resiliency, social comfort, campus engagement, academic engagement and academic self-efficacy. As compared to peers, first-gen students scored higher in educational commitment, campus engagement and academic engagement. “I see first-gen students invested in a way that some other students are not,” confirms Shepardson. “They take on an added sense of responsibility for doing well.” THE SELF-SUFFICIENCY PARADOX Raising awareness of academic, financial, social and other issues common among the group can encourage staff and faculty members to rethink their communication with and expectations of first-generation students. Equally important: understanding why some might not ask for help — or even make their first-generation status known. “Students may wonder how they’ll be perceived,’” says Mario Silva-Rosa, director of undergraduate admission and a first-gen student himself. Many are highly self-sufficient, generally a positive trait for finding your place in college. But this same quality can prevent them from asking for help, lest they be seen as having failed. GETTING COLLEGE READY According to the Educational Advisory Board (EAB), 24 percent of students at four-year schools identify as first generation. Why does this group attend college at a lower rate than their peers? Their experience in high school offers some clues. A report by NCES in 2018 points to an achievement gap. For example, of high school students whose parents did not earn a degree, only 16 percent focused on an academic curriculum, compared with 37 percent of their peers. The same study showed that fewer firstgeneration students took Advanced Placement courses and upperlevel math classes in high school.
« FEATURES
I was not only the first in my family to go to college, but I was also the first generation in America. My mom and dad moved here from Canada. In high school, we could take either a college or business path; I chose business. About halfway through, I realized I didn’t want to stop learning about business, so I chose Bentley. At the time it was a little unusual for women to go to college for accounting. My hometown paper even did a story; the headline was “Local Co-ed Goes Into Man’s Field.” I didn’t feel like a pioneer, though. A lot was happening in the ’60s. Women were starting to go into things other than nursing and teaching. After college, John and I started working at the same company, a CPA firm that would become PwC. We got married that September and were the first husband and wife team there. Some traditional values from that generation had hung on, so after working for three years, I stayed home with our children. We had even planned ahead and chose our first house based on having one income. When the youngest started first grade, I started working part time. I still do. Our education had a big impact at home: All our children went to college. We have two accountants, two nurses and one lawyer.
My father drove an oil truck and my mother worked in a greenhouse. I wasn’t sure what to do after high
school, but ended up taking classes at a small business school. Then I went into the Army for three years. Some of my friends were heading to college when they got out, and encouraged me to do the same. I wasn’t averse to that idea, but I didn’t think I’d make it — let’s just say I was not a good student in high school. I really busted my tail that first year and made Dean’s List. That gave me confidence I could do this. Coming from a blue-collar background, as many Bentley students did, it was a change to dress up for class as if I were going to an office. I took my exams in a suit and tie. I ended up doing very well in college, and Dianne and I were both very involved students. Our experience definitely influenced our children. It was just assumed they’d go to college. For my whole career, I ran a small CPA practice of my own while also working full time in public accounting; with five kids, we always had a need for that extra dollar. I still work part time and will for a few more years. It’s good for the mind.
Our original first-generation student was Harry C. Bentley himself, according to research by Professor of History Clifford Putney. One day, upon seeing Harry’s nose buried in an accounting textbook, his landlord asked what he was doing. Upon hearing his career goal, the landlord observed, “Harry, you’ll make a great accountant one day.” The young man was stunned; it was the first time anyone had suggested he was going to amount to something. As Mr. Bentley would later write: “Those encouraging words changed the entire course of my life.”
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“School counselors don’t always have time for meaningful conversations because schools, in certain cases, may be too big,” says Silva-Rosa. “We try to open the lines of communication, to bridge that gap with personalized attention and contact.” He is referring to interactions during the recruiting process, such as when Bentley admissions counselors visit high schools, participate in college fairs or host events on campus. To build a diverse applicant pool, they travel to many types of schools and community outreach programs. “A diverse student body is beneficial for rich conversations in the classroom and beyond,” says Silva-Rosa, noting that first-generation students, like all Bentley applicants, cross ethnicities and income levels. Identifying them at the outset is a challenge, though. During the initial outreach to high school students, he explains, colleges typically don’t have data about parents’ educational status. (Student information is often shared with colleges from the PSAT, which does
not collect that parental data.) Even so, he says, “We can be intentional about reaching out to schools that are likely to be first generation.” CALMING CONCERNS Some students do share their first-generation status after an initial contact with Bentley. Admission counselors can then share information accordingly, for example, helping to ease concerns around choosing a major, being matched with a roommate and other general topics. Admission and financial aid are high on the list of concerns; for example, addressing the cost of college. It’s a common misconception that private universities are more costly than public universities to attend, based on actual price paid. Silva-Rosa says that higher education, in general, needs to do better at dispelling this notion. For example, explaining options for need-based aid is key. “We don’t want a student to shy away from an institution,” he says, “or self-select out of schools and then miss out on opportunities that might be right in front of them.”
My father worked for an oil company in Vermont, and I spent my summers working with him. I had always thought about a career in business. My uncle had a degree in electrical engineering and a long career at IBM. He became an early role model for me. I started college at the University of Vermont, but only stayed a semester. The classes were huge, about 300 to 400 people; also, I was 17 and probably not ready to bear down. Then I went to Champlain College, a two-year school in Burlington. One of my accounting professors, Champ Soncrant, suggested I consider his alma mater: “You know, Buz, you should take a look at Bentley.” One of my friends happened to attend Bentley, so I visited him a few times to get a feel for what it was like. The small class sizes were attractive to me, and the rest is history.
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To make college work, I had to get some money together. I applied for grants, had a campus job in the gym, and worked during the summers. I knew I had the ability and desire to succeed, but not necessarily the reassurance. Bentley gave me that confidence. I learned to manage time, manage money and be strategic. These are great assets for a graduate to take out into the world. I spent my career in the petroleum industry. First, 16 years at Koch Industries; then I worked for Chevron Corporation and moved to the West Coast. I was asked to relocate again, but thinking about it, I decided to take a chance. I thought, “If I could be successful for someone else, I could be successful on my own.” Now I’m a trader/broker in petroleum; it’s not particularly sexy, but it has allowed me to have a successful career. I’m the oldest of four siblings, so I was able to lead
« FEATURES
At Bentley, where about 70 percent of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid, options include endowed funds designated for first-generation students. Others, including the Hearst Scholarship, help students from underrepresented areas and circumstances; recipients like Sanjana Dhir ’07 (page 17) were often the first in their family to attend college. NAVIGATING CAMPUS LIFE According to data from higher education consulting firm EAB, about 25 percent of first-generation students leave college after their first year. The reasons go beyond academics to include affordability, family obligations, illness or injury, and the need to work full time. Then there is social pressure. Nearly all college students, at some point, worry about making friends and fitting in. But EAB found that first-generation students maybe more likely to doubt their sense of belonging, to question if they deserve to be in college. They also may feel left out if activities require funds beyond their budget.
by example. They all went to college — my mother was particularly proud of that — and they all have done very well in life. Sadly, my father died when I was 25 so he never got to see our professional success. I don’t think I could have imagined 40 years ago I’d have the successes I’ve had. It’s been part hard work, part luck and part timing. I wouldn’t want anything to change.
“These are difficult conversations to have,” Silva-Rosa says of instances where first-generation students may have more limits than their classmates. Over time, feelings of doubt and isolation may prompt a student to leave college. Addressing potential barriers early — say at New Student Orientation — is critical. In fall 2018, task force members staffed an information table for first-gen students. Those who signed up for more information were later invited to a dedicated social event. Shepardson’s team in Student Affairs makes special efforts to introduce first-gen students to cocurricular activities. “Some have local ties and commute to campus,” he says. “Family obligations can make it more challenging to be part of student organizations.” All students stand to benefit by getting involved with campus clubs and activities, adds McCorvey. “By virtue of being connected to a variety of people, you will have conversations you might not have had otherwise. You’ll interact with different kinds of people with different kinds of family backgrounds.” CAREER DEVELOPMENT: EARLY AND OFTEN Career readiness is important enough to first-generation students that EAB suggests colleges and universities front-load these efforts. Bentley already offers robust career services starting in a student’s first year. “We make sure all students are engaging with us. It’s about putting them on the path for long-term success, not about getting a first job,” says Alyssa Hammond, who directs Undergraduate Career Education and Outcomes.
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FEATURES »
Career Services doesn’t track students by first-generation status. But being the first in a family to attend college is something that may come up in a one-on-one coaching appointment. Staff members can then recommend resources or events that might be extra beneficial. In fact, professional development is among the more vital resources for first-generation students, who are so often motivated by helping their family and in school specifically to obtain a good job. “There’s that added pressure of ‘it’s on me to be a success,’” says Hammond. “They’re the pioneer in their family. They want to do well.” Programs offered to all Bentley students such as mock interviews may be especially helpful. Networking, too, is a powerful tool. An estimated 70 percent of jobs are found through personal connections and 80 percent of positions are not advertised. In these cases, Hammond suggests broadening the network of potential resources. For example, parents of a first-generation student may have friends who work in a field of interest to their student. Internships during college are a tried and true route to employment. Some 65 percent of students are recommended for full-time positions at their internship site. But this opportunity to be in the right place at the right time may not be an option for first-generation students. “Not everyone can do an unpaid internship or co-curricular experience,” says Shepardson, noting that doing so can mean giving up a paid job off campus. “First-generation students are working hard to be here, and we want them to get the most out of their experience.”
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Hammond agrees, calling first-gen students “some of our most motivated and hardest-working students. They know how important it is to be here. We want them to leave empowered, knowing they have a career toolkit.” PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE Paradoxically perhaps, task force members look forward to the day they disband. McCorvey anticipates seeing the full campus community committed to understanding what it means to be first generation and being “more mindful of the language we use and policies we create. It should be the culture of who we are.” Shepardson agrees and reflects back on Bentley’s founding principles of an accessible education. “First generation students are the epitome of who we are. We’re using education to transform lives, and our history is ever more important in our future.”
I grew up in Cambridge in a Haitian household, with my mother, an older sister and two younger sisters. We’re all five years apart. From eighth grade through high school graduation, I was part of Cambridge Housing Authority’s Workforce program, which taught low-income teens life and job skills. We had the opportunity to choose a technical path or academic route in
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I had just turned 11 when my parents migrated from India to Boston. They wanted to raise their children here. I was the oldest of three and a role model for my brothers. College was the path to success and my parents made sure that was clear. I attended an international Catholic school in India, so English was my first language. I didn’t have difficulty adjusting as far as having a language barrier, but my parents did. I knew being involved in high school was important to getting into a good college. So I played tennis, track, cross country and basketball. I joined the diversity and science clubs. On top of all that, I had two jobs: babysitting and working at a retail store. I was so determined to go to college, but cost was a barrier. Our family didn’t have a lot of money, so not working was not an option. When I was accepted to Bentley, it was one of the most joyous moments of my life. My parents were so proud and couldn’t hold back their tears. I had saved $17,000 and was able to pay for my first year on campus, didn’t have to ask my parents for any assistance. I lived at home for my sophomore year; my dad had left his job to care for my brother who had cancer. I was selected as a resident assistant my junior year, and because that helped
higher education. I had a good idea of what I wanted to do after high school — something business-related — but I couldn’t put a name to it. The Workforce program introduced me to specialized areas of business. I chose Bentley because I have a life goal set for myself: I want to build a business school that helps low-income children and families on financial literacy. It is often the case that people like me don’t have the tools they need for the goals they want to achieve. I want to change the world in that way. When one of my AP language arts classmates, Ahmed, found out where I was going to college, he said, “No way! I’m going to Bentley, too. Will you be my roommate?” We were both city kids and already around each other a lot. So we roomed together and became best friends. Even though I’m busy with campus activities, I prioritize my schoolwork. I also work off campus at a bank and at the Bentley Arena. I help my mom pay
cover room and board, I was able to move back on campus. Being an RA gave me tons of leadership experience. My entire four years I knew it was a privilege to be at Bentley. Sometimes I’d be exhausted from working three jobs. But if I ever thought of missing class, I remembered that education is why my dad brought us to the U.S. The guilt and pressure would kill me if I failed. I was offered a full-time position at KPMG after completing my internship there. My first job was in IT, even though I had never taken an IT class! I was able to adapt and excel because Bentley gave me a really strong foundation in collaboration, flexibility, prioritizing and listening to others. Now I’m considered an expert in what I do. My parents never had white-collar jobs here, so it was difficult for them to give me feedback in the transition from college to professional life. But what they could and did give me was the courage to push myself to achieve my goals.
bills, and I have to take care of my textbooks and living expenses. At first my mom questioned why I wasn’t home often. But she’s very proud of me and the fact that I'm a student worker. I know that being away from my siblings could have a negative impact, but it’s also a positive because I’m creating a path for them to follow. My 10-year-old sister started watching YouTube videos about college life, so she could have conversations with me about “college things” like classes and dorms. The most impactful aspect of my college experience is something sad. Ahmed passed away from cancer in August of 2018. For the first month, I didn’t want to talk to anyone. He had been with me since high school and through most of sophomore year, until he got sick. But I knew isolating myself isn’t what he would have wanted. So I pushed through. Losing him changed my perspective on life. In addition to suceeding for myself and my family, I will strive to be the person Ahmed would want me to become.
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TAKE TWO »
Changing the Course of (Family) History Interview by Kristen Walsh Photography by Joy LeDuc
Tell us about your decision to go to college. Valerie Perez: I was raised in New York and Boston and moved to the Dominican Republic at age 10. But it was always in the back of my mind to come back to the United States for college. My determination came from my mom, who instilled that I needed to go to college. She didn’t — and wanted me to have more opportunities. Carolina Figueroa: I grew up in Ecuador but finished high school in New York. Education was always important to my family, but no one had gone to college and completed a degree. I thank my lucky stars for my guidance counselor, Mr. Mendez; he encouraged me not only to think about college but also to go away for college. How did you work to make it happen? CF: In my culture, many women stay home until they get married. It was a challenge for my family to think about me in college, but they supported me. Mr. Mendez helped me through the application process. It was overwhelming, but he pushed me and encouraged me to focus on completing one step at a time. VP: I went to a small high school and didn’t have a guidance counselor, so I did a lot on my own. I made a list with all the tasks: taking standardized exams, completing the Common Application, getting my transcript
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translated into English. I was often in the principal’s office asking for a signature so I could meet my deadlines. What were your first months on campus like? VP: I had lived in the United States before, but college is a different atmosphere — meeting so many new people from different backgrounds — and that was hard. My biggest support groups were the Multicultural Center and STEP [Summer Transition in Education Program, which serves first-year college students with academic, socioeconomic or personal challenges]. I wasn’t officially involved in STEP, but I made friends with a lot of “Steppies” during orientation. The program director, Claudette Blot, was my light and a mentor. She helped me understand my financial aid package and apply for scholarships. When being away from my family and having a lot on my plate became overwhelming, I knew I could always go to Claudette for guidance. She became my second mother on campus. CF: I was fortunate to attend a program at MIT the summer before I started. A small number of students took some courses, not for credit, and were introduced to the services on campus. If I hadn’t done that and instead been dropped into MIT with 5,000 other first-year students, it would have been overwhelming. I agree that
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CF: A major challenge for me was, because I was used to doing well in school, I didn’t know how to deal with an academic setback. Normally, if I worked hard enough at something, I could overcome any obstacle. This was not the case in college and it took me a few months to come to that conclusion and look for help. I remember thinking, I have never needed to go to office hours or work with a tutor. Am I really cut out for this?
realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I then considered a PhD and worked in a research lab on campus; it was great, but I couldn’t picture myself doing it 20 years from now. I remember going to career services and saying, “I’m in trouble.” My family had bet all their chips on me and I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life! My adviser suggested consulting and I did a summer internship at Smith Barney — and really liked it. I asked myself what I could study to gain the right skills and took a computer class. The combination of biology and technology helped me land a job doing financial assistance for the Environmental Protection Agency.
VP: My sister, who graduated from Bentley in 2010, told me to reach out to people for help. But I did not want to experience the feeling of letting myself or anyone else down. At Bentley, I started to realize that people who had experienced similar situations and challenges could help me overcome them. Receiving help was not a sign of weakness but something that would allow me to grow and become a stronger leader.
VP: I knew that I wanted to major in Management so I could get a better understanding of what my role would be within an organization. I did a minor in Computer Information Systems because I love technology. Internships in internal audit and risk management broadened my skills and prepared me for a career in consulting. I’m always willing to learn more and see what path life takes me down.
How did you choose a major and career?
Do you consider yourself a role model?
finding communities and getting to know people who support each other make a big difference. With your strong sense of self-reliance, was it difficult to ask for help?
CF: As the first in my family to attend college, I felt pressure to reach the ultimate goal: to be a doctor. So I majored in biology. After volunteering at a hospital emergency room, I
CF: I was the first one in my extended family to get a master’s degree, and many of my cousins gained perspective on how that can help advance a career. My going to college set a new baseline and many of my close family
members have ended up finishing college. Now it’s just an expectation in my family that you’re going to go to college. VP: A lot of students from my high school reached out to me with questions about applying to college and I sent them the to-do list I created. That opened the door for their journey. My family is very proud of my accomplishments. They always told me that I could achieve anything if I put my mind to it. Now I am committed to showing that same kind of support for others to pursue their dreams.
Carolina Figueroa is the oldest daughter of Fernando and Rosa Avendan. She holds a BS in Biological Sciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MS in Management of Information Systems from George Washington University. Her sister, Marianella Grieco, graduated from Bentley in 1999. Valerie Perez ’19 is the youngest daughter of Jocelyn Read. She graduated in December, earning a BS in Business Management with a minor in Computer Information Systems. She is pursuing an MBA at Hult International Business School. Her sister, Fanelly (Perez) Marcial, graduated from Bentley in 2010.
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FEATURES »
BY MARY K. PRATT
20 | SPRING 2019
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The fashion industry is projected to grow 4 percent worldwide in 2019, according to research by McKinsey & Company. Some of the strongest performance will be in North America, particularly in premium and luxury segments of the market. Those factors bode well for U.S.-based entrepreneurs Kerry O’Brien ’93 and Vienne Cheung Brown, MBA ’09, whose apparel companies answer a fashion need from their own experience.
PHOTOS BY SIGRIDSTOCK/SHUTTERSTOCK AND IVANCREATIEV/SHUTTERSTOCK
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FEATURES »
This past season’s New York Fashion Week was another successful outing for Kerry O’Brien ’93, with models in some 30 runway shows wearing Commando. O’Brien understands the draw: Her collection of intimate apparel flatters the wearer and helps clothes drape more beautifully. As she puts it: “The designers know it works.” So do the scores of women — celebrities and soccer moms alike — who flock to the brand. In fact, O’Brien spotted her “mini cami slip,” in black, on a woman who wore it as a dress while dining in New York City. The crossover dovetails with her company’s ethos “to have the best fit and the best fabric with a wink toward fashion,” says O’Brien. “We want to come up with fashion basics that women want to wear every single day.” THE YOUNGEST VP O’Brien’s path to apparel company CEO wasn’t straightforward. She studied financial communications at Bentley and went to work in financial media relations. At Edelman Financial, she was named vice president at age 25, the youngest in company history. She went on to roles as senior vice president and director of financial media relations for Weber Shandwick. Then came Sept. 11, 2001, and some soul searching after the terrorist attacks of that day. Talking with her sisters and friends, she found inspiration for a career change.
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“It was an aha moment,” she says of discovering that all the women had favorite fashion designers, but no favorite underwear brand. O’Brien knew she wanted to create intimate apparel that was comfortable yet functioned well. She envisioned items that helped women feel confident about what they were wearing and improved the fit of their clothes. O’Brien worked with a patternmaker and European fabrics to develop underwear without any seams or edges, a long process of trial and error. While quick to acknowledge her lack of industry knowledge at the company’s launch in 2005, she also believes that provided an advantage. “We had this philosophy that just because something hasn’t been done, doesn’t mean it can’t be done,” says O’Brien, who is now a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. STREET SMART Bucking conventional wisdom, O’Brien based Commando in South Burlington, Vt., where she lives with her husband (who serves as company CFO) and their three children. She does nearly all of her manufacturing in the United States. The company employs cutting-edge technology while also fitting its garments on real women, versus the more typical approach of using computers to size patterns. Lately, Commando has taken its blend of comfort and style to the streets. The product line now features T-shirts, leggings, dresses and skirts in addition to intimates and hosiery. That is a business strategy rooted in the CEO’s personal philosophy. “I don’t believe in rules. Where is the rule that says you can’t wear a slip as a dress or you shouldn’t show a bra strap?” O’Brien says. “We design clothes that women love and feel comfortable in, so why wouldn’t they want to show it a little more?”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF COMMANDO AND NATA-LIA/SHUTTERSTOCK
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Vienne Cheung Brown, MBA ’09 landed prime retail real estate this past winter. Her company, VienneMilano, was featured in pop-up shops at two Macy’s locations: the flagship store in New York City and in the upscale Lenox Square Shopping Center in Atlanta. It’s a major step forward for the 8-year-old company whose specialty is luxury thigh-high stockings. For Cheung, who uses her maiden name professionally, the successes are more than a sales strategy. She aims to build a company that makes American women feel more elegant, playful and confident. “What you wear and how you present yourself is very important,” she says. “Thigh-highs and stockings have always given me a boost of confidence. Hopefully, our products give other women extra confidence, so they feel empowered in every situation.” NO REGRETS Empowerment and inspiration are themes in Cheung’s own story. The Hong Kong-born alumna grew up in Brookline, Mass., and graduated from UMass Boston with a degree in fine arts and psychology. Her first job, creative director at an Internet company, involved usability testing and website design. She joined Akamai Technologies in 2006, working in product operations while pursuing her MBA at Bentley. Despite liking her work, Cheung wondered if she was on the right career path. “I did not want to live the rest of my life as someone who
PHOTOS BY JOY LEDUC AND PRYZMATA/SHUTTERSTOCK
would look back thinking: I could have, should have — but didn’t.” Frequent trips to Europe and her fruitless search for thigh-high stockings in the United States suggested a business opportunity. She started planning VienneMilano in 2010, devising marketing and branding strategies as well as working on the products themselves. Cheung met with suppliers in Italy to find business partners who could deliver the quality she sought. As she explains: “I wanted to make sure everything was consistent with the brand.” In 2011, just before her 30th birthday, Cheung quit her job and launched the company; it is now headquartered in Quincy, Mass. CHANNELING INSPIRATION A self-described “all-hands” executive, she frequently visits Italy to meet with her suppliers, drawing on their expertise to select hosiery staples for VienneMilano’s permanent collection as well as to help craft special signature items “based on what I think is beautiful and will work well.” Cheung is particularly attentive to customer service. For instance, after hearing lackluster reviews of her line’s glittery stockings, she re-engineered them to add the extra sparkle that clients sought. Her customer-focused, hands-on approach continues as the company adds products, gains customers and builds sales — through online vendors including Blue Fly and The Grommet, boutiques such as the Macy’s pop-ups, and other channels. “My inspiration comes from businesspeople who have left a legacy, like Coco Chanel,” says Cheung. “I want to follow in their footsteps and be involved in every aspect of the company.”
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CLASS NOTES »
CLASS NOTES
Rossemary Calderon ’07 and Hyden Vales on their “magical” day in September 2018. 24 | SPRING 2019
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1962 Ron Baird, Brewster, Mass., operates two businesses — Tommy Dixon Collections, an artisan gallery, and the Cooks Nook, a kitchen shop — both located on Main Street in Chatham. The retiree reports: “I keep busy making Nantucket baskets sold in the gallery.”
1980 Wayne Watson, Randolph, Mass., writes to share his excitement on having published his first book, Gus the Goose. “It is a true story, set in rhyme with verse and pictures, about an orphaned Canada gosling that my family and I raised when the boys were young. I’ve had a few successful book signings and look forward to writing more in retirement years, shortly ahead.”
1989
30th Reunion May 31 to June 1, 2019 Antoinette (Leonardi) Follett, Fayetteville, N.Y., is now the national marketing and sales director at Pupil Transportation Safety Institute, located in East Syracuse.
1992 Steve Elliott, MST has a new job as senior tax manager in the Houston, Texas, office of Baker Tilly (formerly MRZ LLP). He also serves as an adjunct professor of MST programs at Houston Baptist University and Suffolk
University. The alumnus lives in the Houston area with his wife, Margaret Lea, and their three daughters, all in seventh grade. After 15 years of consulting with Synecticsworld, Joseph S. Giordano, Bradford, Mass., is now teaching business and marketing at Everett High School. Kudos to David McLaren, Holden, Mass. His firm, McLaren & Associates CPAs, was named Best Forensic Accountant in the 2019 Best of Business awards, sponsored by the Worcester Business Journal. Sean Quigley, Cumming, Ga., has joined Symbee, an Amazon Web Services Advanced Partner, as director of sales — East.
1995 Colleagues have elected state Sen. Guy Palumbo, Snohomish, Wash., to chair the Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee in the Washington State Senate. After Bentley, Cheryl-Ann Weekes pursued a master’s degree in counselor education and became a school counselor. “Eight years ago, I took a job as an international school counselor in the Dominican Republic and I have not looked back!” says the alumna, who now lives in Cairo, Egypt. “I recently started a blog about my experiences living, working and traveling abroad.” Visit journeysofabajanchocolatunycorn.com.
1996
2002
Mark Foley, MBA, Acton, Mass., has become executive director of Boston-based Jhamtse International, which supports the Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community in northeastern India (formerly Tibet). He writes: “Jhamtse Gatsal are Tibetan words that mean ‘garden of love and compassion.’ The Emmy Award-winning documentary (short) Tashi and The Monk masterfully captures the essence of this inspiring community.”
Ray Freedenberg married Ashley Kaether on August 18, 2018, in San Diego, Calif. A handful of alumni attended, including Mark Argust ’01, Kara (O’Neil) Faford, Brennan Higgins, Jamie Martin and Eric Street. The couple lives in San Diego.
Girard “Gerry” Healy, MST, Boston, Mass., has been named president of the Brattle Theater/Brattle Film Foundation in Cambridge’s Harvard Square. He is managing director at Accenture.
1998 Gerard Leeman, Wakefield, Mass., was promoted to global head of compliance for MilliporeSigma. Katy O’Connor-Neefus, Norwell, Mass., welcomed a son, Henry Alexander, to the world on July 25, 2018.
2003
Alysia Morrissey married Thomas Richardson on July 22, 2017, in Newport, R.I. Nearly 40 Falcons joined the couple on their special day. Kira (Abraham) Sullivan, MSA ’05 and husband Kris, Watertown, Mass., became the proud parents of Baylor Kristopher on August 1, 2018.
2005
Stacy (Bailey) Wilson and husband Luke, MST ’05, Hoboken, N.J., welcomed Riley Grace and Quinn Rose on April 2, 2018.
Leia Amarra, MSF ’06 and Matthew Balmforth were married July 14, 2018, at Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy, Mass. Most attendees were from the Class of 2005. Writes the bride: “It’s great to still have these friends even though we’re over a decade out of school!” The couple lives in Quincy.
2004
Dakai Pouncey married Vannessa Phillips on October 6, 2018.
Veronica (Giang) Lapointe and husband JP, Reading, Mass., welcomed Miles Zachary on October 22, 2018.
Stephanie (Murdough) Sanaga and husband Pramod, Jersey City, N.J., welcomed Ellora Rae on August 18, 2018. The alumna writes: “Ellora’s proud godmother is Jennifer (McDonough) Casey.”
Theresa (Ferlazzo) Marcello and husband Joseph Anthony II, Winter Garden, Fla., welcomed Anna Quinn on August 27, 2018. She joins big brother Joey.
15th Reunion May 4, 2019
2001 John P. Bonora, North Haven, Conn., was promoted in September 2018 to executive vice president and chief financial officer and treasurer of First County Bank in Stamford.
William Cooper ’48, Naples, N.Y., was honored on the field at a Buffalo Bills football game in November 2018, as part of the NFL’s annual Salute to Service. Cooper’s Bentley pride was displayed in his bio on the jumbotron.
In December, Jessica Kansas, Slingerlands, N.Y., joined Albany Medical Center as director of development for clinical engagement.
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CLASS NOTES »
2006 Liana Kipp, MSA ’07 and Ron Kindle, Lowell, Mass., welcomed son Julien on November 15, 2018. He joins big brother Taj. Matthew McDonald, Berwyn, Penn., was elected to partnership at Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP on January 1, 2019. He’s a member of the Labor and Employment Group in the firm’s Litigation Department.
SPOTLIGHT: TOM ANDRADE ’92 BY MARY K. PRATT
At any given time on any given workday, Tom Andrade ’92 is watching international precious metal markets and the global economy, using the information to set sales strategy at his family’s business. Everett’s Auto Parts has grown from modest roots in Brockton, Mass., to become a major supplier of platinum, radium and rhodium, as well as scrap metal, to overseas markets. In 2018, the company that Andrade’s grandfather established processed 37,000 cars, placing it in the top 5 percent of salvage yards in the United States. “If someone had said 25 years ago that I’d be sitting around a junk yard watching these markets and the world economy, I wouldn’t have believed it,” says the alumnus, who runs the company with his father and uncle. “But because of the volume we do, we play in that arena.” Andrade knew as a teenager that he wanted to be part of the family business. He studied finance at Bentley and worked as a financial systems manager before rejoining Everett’s Auto Parts in 1996. From the start, Andrade focused on management, infrastructure and equipment, technology, and inventory processes — areas he calls the “building blocks for growth.” For example, the company refined its business model and management practices as a hybrid yard with both self-service and full-service options. It developed strong inventory practices, which include sorting parts by vehicle make and model (a differentiator in the industry). It reinvested profits to minimize long-term debt. Other investments: staff training, state-of-the-art salvage equipment and robust IT infrastructure. Today, Everett’s Auto Parts employs 85 people and generates gross annual revenues between $22 and $25 million. “My goal is to leave the company in a better position than when I got here, so it continues for a fourth generation,” says Andrade, himself the father of three.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNUS
Communities for Haitian Entrepreneurs and Startups (CHES Inc.), founded by Rebecca Obounou, released the song “Chanjman” (“Change” in Haitian Creole) in 2018 to celebrate the organization’s 10th anniversary. CHES board members include Nathalie Gauthier ’99. Dan O’Regan, New York, N.Y., writes with two pieces of news. “First, I was promoted to managing director at BMO Capital Markets. And second, I will be tying the knot on August 17, 2019, in Toronto, Ontario.”
Kevin Nolan married Julie Jacobs on June 16, 2018, at the Harry Parker Boathouse in Brighton, Mass. Nearly 20 fellow Falcons attended, including the groom’s father, Michael K. Nolan ’79. The newlyweds reside in Boston’s North End. Paul F. Russo, MSA ’07, Andover, Mass., writes, “I recently took over as director of tax services at The 1911 Trust Company LLC, a family office in Beverly. I also received my Certified Financial Planning license.”
2007 Dan Berkeley and wife Kristina (Scheurer) ’08, Kissimmee, Fla., welcomed Luca Philip in August 2017. Rossemary Calderon married Hydn Vales on September 14, 2018, at Grand View in Mendon, Mass. She writes, “The celebration was magical and included many Bentley alumni!”
Continued on page 30
Sal Vaccaro ’76, Charlotte, N.C., reports that he, Eugene Costiglio ’73 and Earl Pelio ’74 recently reunited in his hometown to “remember the good times of college life.”
ÂŤ CLASS NOTES
Check your inbox UPCOMING EVENTS DIGEST Look for an email at the beginning of every month that lists all Bentley events for alumni, families and friends. Events near you will appear at the top, but if you’re traveling, join us at gatherings anywhere around the globe! Go online and update your address to be sure you receive the right information and learn more about Alumni Association regional chapters.
bentley.edu/alumni
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Future Falcons
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Madison Rose, daughter of Megan (Higgins) Byer ’10 and husband Jon Ellora Rae, daughter of Stephanie (Murdough) Sanaga ’05 and husband Pramod Theodore Andrew V, son of Lindsay (Sauvé) ’10, MSA ’11 and husband Ted ’10, MST ’12 Wiedemann Miles Zachary, son of Veronica (Giang) ’04 and husband JP ’04 Lapointe Evelyn Moriah, daughter of Paloma (Ferreira) ’10 and husband Thomas ’10, MBA ’11 Standley William, son of Lauren (Paglierani) ’11, MST ’13 and husband Nicholas ’11 Aquino Luca Philip, son of Kristina (Scheurer) ’08 and husband Dan ’07 Berkeley Julien, son of Liana Kipp ’06, MSA ’07 and husband Ron Kindle Emma Grace, daughter of Jim Buckley ’10, MBA ’11 and wife Katie MiaElizabeth, daughter of Gabriely Quiles ’15 Baylor Kristopher, son of Kira (Abraham) Sullivan ’04, MSA ’05 and husband Kris Anna Quinn, daughter of Theresa (Ferlazzo) ’03 and Joseph Anthony ’03 Marcello II Siena June, daughter of Dante Padovani ’14 and wife Alexandra Henry Alexander, son of Katy O’Connor-Neefus ’98 Riley Grace and Quinn Rose, twin daughters of Stacy (Bailey) ’03 and husband Luke ’03, MST ’05 Wilson
15.
June 1 to 2 |
May 4 Classes of 2004 and 1999 BOSTON
May 29 to 30 Class of 1969 and Blue and Gold Society BENTLEY UNIVERSITY
Celebrate with classmates, share your Bentley memories and see what’s new on campus!
May 31 to June 1 Classes of 1994, 1989, 1984, 1979 and 1974
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER AT
June 1 to 2 Classes of 2014 and 2009
bentley.edu/reunion
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BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 29
CLASS NOTES » 2007 continued Manuel Carneiro, MST ’08, Abilene, Texas, is now director of finance for the 2INgage program of the nonprofit Texas Family Initiative. He writes: “This
change comes as a result of recent legislative changes to improve Texas foster care.” Matthew Nolfo, Hudson, N.Y., has launched a website and blog called Travel Yaps.
He encourages fellow adventurers to “check out my blog as you join me on my journey around the world.” Visit travelyaps.com.
2008 Kristina Aufiero, MBA ’10 married Andrew Nodine on June 9, 2018, at the Glen Cove Mansion on Long Island, N.Y. More than 15 Falcons were part of their special day; the couple lives in Quincy. Kristina (Scheurer) Berkeley and husband Dan ’07, Kissimmee, Fla., welcomed Luca Philip in August 2017.
On October 18, 2018, players and coaches from the Bentley football championship teams of 1982 and 1983 met at the Chateau restaurant in Waltham. Frank Doherty ’85, Arlington, Mass., reports: “We not only celebrated and talked about the glory years, but were also able to watch several of the game films at the event. Special thanks to Matt Lynch ’17, who converted the original game film to digital format for our viewing.”
SPOTLIGHT: DILLON SYLVESTER ’18
Jenna Forstrom reports from her new hometown: Phnom Penh. “I just started a role as technical PR adviser for M'lup Russey in Cambodia.”
Kaine Nicholas, Los Angeles, Calif., has become an adjunct professor at the Studio School, an accredited branch campus of Hussian College. “Adding academia to my bag, I am excited to teach at a first-ofits-kind school that is looking to shape Hollywood’s next content creators, storytellers, playmakers and behind-thescenes professionals,” writes the alumnus, who will teach business and entrepreneurship. “With the entrepreneurial tools, experiences and results that have excelled for my clients, I will continue to do what Bentley has done for me — think big and take winning action.”
Lauren Gotimer, Monroe, Conn., has earned her MBA from New England College.
When he first arrived at Bentley, Dillon Sylvester ’18 wanted to join everything. He looked into plenty of groups but soon became hooked on the Student Alumni Leadership Council (SALC).
BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON
“SALC helped me realize that no matter what you’re doing on campus, it’s helped by donors,” he says. “The scholarships I got, the team I was on, the professors I admired were funded by people who didn’t even know me but wanted to pass on their success.” When his classmates paused at making a donation because they were paying for tuition, gas, groceries and other essentials, Sylvester understood. As he worked his way up the SALC executive ladder to become president in his senior year, he helped 30 | SPRING 2019
establish a communications strategy that spoke to those concerns. He asked friends to think about giving back as a habit. “Philanthropy makes you feel good,” he says. “When you get into the practice of it, no matter the amount, you don’t think twice. You just know that you want to support a cause and people who mean a lot to you.” That philosophy has made Sylvester one of the university’s youngest True Blue donors: someone who has given back to Bentley for at least the past five years.
He also returns to campus regularly to recruit for his employer, KPMG, where he’s an IT audit and assurance associate. Sylvester secured the job after a summer internship with the company. “Bentley offered so much to me — not just a job out of college, but a career I’m invested in,” he says. “The more time you spend here, the more you see the breadth of opportunities open to all students. Each experience gave me a different perspective on life and got me where I am today.” PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNUS
« FAMILY MATTERS
Geography of the Heart Charlie ’19 and Isabela ’22 Deichmann have known academic life a lot longer than most undergraduates. For that they can thank their father. BY MOLLY MCKINNON
PHOTO BY JULIO CHUY
“When I was a PhD student, I would strap Charlie into the BabyBjörn and teach class,” explains Associate Professor Joel Deichmann, who holds a doctorate from the University at Buffalo (SUNY) and joined the Bentley faculty in 1999, now in Global Studies. “He was always a hit with the students.” A regular visitor to Bentley since age 2, Charlie confirms that the campus is at the center of many childhood memories. “In our family, when you played hooky from school, you would come here to Bentley.”
“And you would color maps and learn geography!” adds Isabela. Today, she and Charlie have respective majors in Creative Industries and International Affairs; both expect their background in business to be valuable wherever life leads. They share intersecting friend groups: Isabela is part of the Arts Community for first-year students; Charlie, a student director for the Bentley Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Center; and both are members of the university’s theater organization, Alpha Psi Omega. The three have “an unspoken agreement to work as hard as we can not to embarrass each other,” says Charlie. “We trust him to be cool in class, and he trusts us to get good grades.” “Bentley is so much more than a job,” says Joel, noting the many friendships with fellow faculty and alumni that have developed for him, wife Karen, and their three children. “As part of the campus community, we work together and play together — our family is delighted to be part of the Bentley family.”
CLASS NOTES »
2009
10th Reunion June 1 to 2, 2019 Ryan Donovan, MSA ’10 married Amanda Collins on July 21, 2017, at Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington, Conn. Many fellow Falcons celebrated with the couple, including the bride’s father, James Collins ’05; her future sister-in-law, Kaitlyn Bliss ’11; and the groom’s brother, Michael Donovan ’11. They live in West Roxbury, Mass. Alexandra Hitchcock, MSA ’10 and Dennis Antonino tied the knot on June 23, 2018. Chris Lipsett, MSA ’10 and Jessica Donatelli ’10, MSA ’11 were married at Avenir in Walpole, Mass., on October 19, 2018. Attendees included more than 30 Falcons from the classes of 1976 to 2012. Ashley Perkins and Nickolas Wynja said “I do” in Greenport, N.Y., on June 2, 2018. Several Falcons were in attendance. The couple lives in New York City. Courtney Somerville, MSA ’10 and Andy Rahamin ’10 were married on July 7, 2018, at Willowbend Country Club on Cape Cod. Three dozen Bentley alumni from across the country joined the celebration. Julia (Rapacki) Wengrovitz, Wayland, Mass., was elected president of the Board of Directors for Boston nonprofit Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly.
32 | SPRING 2019
2010 Jim Buckley, MBA ’11 and wife Katie, Wilimington, Mass., welcomed Emma Grace into the world on April 1, 2018. Megan (Higgins) Byer and husband Jon, Allenstown, N.H., are the proud parents of Madison Rose, born on February 27, 2018. Jessica Donatelli, MSA ’11, and Chris Lipsett ’09, MSA were married at Avenir in Walpole, Mass., on October 19, 2018. Attendees included more than 30 Falcons from the classes of 1976 to 2012. Elizabeth Farley married Michael Harrington on June 23, 2018, at Alden Castle in Brookline, Mass. Many fellow Falcons were in attendance. Andrew Frates, Beverly, Mass., has a new role as brand marketing manager at ASICS America Corporation. “I’ll still be involved with Team FrateTrain and everything relating to my brother and family,” he writes. “Happy to start this new chapter in my career!” Christina Invernizzi, MSIT ’13 married Gregory Martini in York, Maine, on November 24, 2018. They were introduced during Senior Week in the Bahamas by mutual friend (and later bridesmaid) Cassandra (Abbey) Masi. The newlyweds are both secondgeneration Falcons. “Greg’s parents, Steve ’75 and Lisa ’81 Martini, as well as my father, Barry Invernizzi, all attended Bentley!” writes the bride. The newlyweds make their home in Charlestown, Mass.
Manyang Kot Mangar, Haven, Conn., reports: “I spent the entire month of December with my family in South Sudan. Chep and his mom were so happy to see me and it was nice to be there when Chep turned 3 years old.” Ashley McCann and Joe McKenna celebrated their nuptials surrounded by family, friends and fellow Falcons on October 13, 2018, at Camp Laurelwood in Madison, Conn. The couple lives in Medford, Mass. Kristine Mickelson, Belmont, Mass., is now project manager at digital marketing agency OHO Interactive. Andy Rahamin and Courtney Somerville ’09, MSA were married on July 7, 2018, at Willowbend Country Club on Cape Cod. Three dozen Bentley alumni from across the country joined the celebration. Frank Reiman, MBA ’11 and Marissa Scicchitano ’12 wed on August 18, 2018, on Long Island, N.Y. The couple lives in South Boston, Mass. Paloma (Ferreira) Standley and husband Thomas, MBA ’11 welcomed daughter Evelyn Moriah on November 1, 2018. She joins big sister Vivian. Lindsay (Sauvé) Wiedemann, MSA ’11 and husband Ted, MST ’12, Westwood, Mass., welcomed Theodore Andrew V on July 13, 2018. The couple writes: “We couldn’t be happier!”
Steve Richardson ’82, Medway, Mass., writes: “There are 12 gents from the Class of 1982 who gather annually for a golf weekend. We all met in September 1978 and the relationship continues!”
2011 Married since 2014, Lauren (Paglierani), MST ’13 and Nicholas Aquino Watertown, Mass., had their first child, William, on June 14, 2018. The couple writes, “William has been an absolute joy, and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. He’s incredibly sweet, and we just cannot get enough of him!” Kaitlyn Bliss and Michael Donovan, MST ’12 were married on November 25, 2017, in Harwich, Mass.
Mary-Catherine Citarelli and Cody Wright tied the knot at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford, N.H., on October 20, 2018. Toasting the couple were fellow Falcons from the classes of 1977, 2011 and 2014. Aimee Tetu married Jimmy Haight ’12 on August 18, 2018, in Falmouth, Maine. Many fellow Falcons joined them for their big day. The couple resides in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Continued on page 40
Victoria (Caldwell) Raftery ’12 reports that Kevin Raftery ’12 and Matt Smith ’12 hosted their seventh annual Yankee Swap this past December. Many Bentley alumni attended.
« SPOTLIGHT
A Tour of the Century (and then some)
At age 105, John Fagan ’34 may well be Bentley’s oldest living alumnus; he has seen 18 presidents — and even attended Calvin Coolidge’s funeral. Fagan credits pure luck for getting him this far, but wit, whiskey and walking a few miles a day might also have something to do with it. Join us for a stroll through his life and times. Just a Small-Town Boy John Fagan wasn’t my biological father, but he adopted me when I was 2, and from then on everything was good. I spent almost all my life in Northampton, Massachusetts. I remember the state hospital near our house had oxen — not horses — pulling the carts. When aviation was just getting going, I took flying lessons in a crop duster. My first year at Bentley, I moved into a big mansion on Longwood Avenue, and I should never have been in that bunch! One of these guys would go out on Saturday night in a white tie and a top hat. And here I am, a country kid in the big city. Class is In Session I never met Harry Bentley, but I remember he was there, and the vice president [Bertel G. Willard] was a hell of a good guy. One instructor from New Hampshire was real sharp. We’d come in after a big party and I’m sat in the front row. I remember him saying, “Class is in session,” with a disapproving look. I had a really good time!
PHOTOS BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON AND COURTESY OF THE BENTLEY ARCHIVES
That’s Entertainment I was going to say radio was the most impressive invention in my lifetime, but it was television — giving a picture of what was going on. My father took me to see Tom Mix westerns and Irish tenor John McCormack. I saw Babe Ruth play for the Yankees at Fenway Park, Sophie Tucker sing at Saratoga. Tremendous.
ONE OF TH E
CLAS
SROO
The Long Retirement The first time I had Scotch was on a sales call in Boston. It was Joe Kennedy’s brand. Now I’ve got to have my glass every day. My career was in gas pumps with Gilbarco and tires with Uniroyal, and I retired in 1975. There were offers to keep going, but the average lifespan back then was shorter. I said, if Pauline and I want to have any lifetime together, we better do it now. We had a good road. Three kids, a house in Maine. Here I am, 40 years later — my pension is still on the Michelin payroll. Some accountant in France must be wondering who this guy is.
Fagan lived with his fraternity, Theta Tau Alpha, at 232 Aspinwall Avenue (above center). “Every night we were served dinner by a guy in a white dinner jacket. Complete surprise to me!” Today, he lives with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Washington, D.C.
As told to Kristin Livingston
Send a note to classnotes@bentley.edu!
MS
Are you over age 100 or know an alumna/us who is?
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 33
CLASS NOTES »
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Ashleigh Casey ’12 and Andrew Morris ’12, MST '13 Dakai Pouncey ’05 and Vannessa Phillips Alyssa Mullinax ’14 and John Sheehan ’12, MSA ’13 Alexandra Hitchcock ’09, MSA ’10 and Dennis Antonino ’09 Jimmy Haight ’12 and Aimee Tetu ’11 Michael Donovan ’11, MST ’12 and Kaitlyn Bliss ’11 Chelsea Aranjo ’12 and Jonathan Avecillas Loryssa Millman ’13, MSA ’14 and Anthony Dello Stritto ’13, MST ’14 Joe McKenna ’10 and Ashley McCann ’10 Mark Adamiak ’14 and Lisa Giorgetti ’14 Ashley Perkins ’09 and Nickolas Wynja Ray Freedenberg ’02 and Ashley Kaether Chris Sartori ’12, MST ’15 and Maryellen Marini ’12 Kevin Nolan ’06 and Julie Jacobs Ryan Donovan ’09, MSA ’10 and Amanda Collins Taylor Gardner ’14 and Nicholas Romaine ’14 BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 35
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17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34.
Ben Peterson, MBA ’14 and Krysta Brown Torre Taylor ’12 and Christopher Dos Santos Christina Invernizzi ’10, MSIT ’13 and Gregory Martini ’10 Grace Seme ’12 and Matt Keeney ’12 Laura Yates ’13 and Dan Comeau ’13 Patrick Rielly ’13 and Rebecca Rakoczy ’13 Chris Lipsett ’09, MSA ’10, and Jessica Donatelli ’10, MSA ’11 Elizabeth Farley ’12 and Michael Harrington Andrew Picardi ’14 and Lauren Roberge ’15 Leia Amarra ’05, MSF ’06 and Matthew Balmforth Tyler Champagne ’13 and Rachael Litton ’13 Mary-Catherine Citarelli ’11 and Cody Wright Kristina Aufiero ’08, MBA ’10 and Andrew Nodine Chris Riedel ’13, MSA ’14 and Domenique Hogan ’13 Marissa Scicchitano ’12 and Frank Reiman ’10, MBA ’11 Alysia Morrissey ’04 and Thomas Richardson Caroline Sullivan ’13 and Peter Ambery ’13 Courtney Somerville ’09, MSA ’10 and Andy Rahamin ’10 BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 37
CLASS NOTES »
In Memoriam 1939
1951
Paul Tessier
Robert Barry Roger Brodeur Robert Labrie William O’Melia
1941 Martin Harris Roderick Macleod Sr. Ernest Taberski
SPOTLIGHT: NEHA SINGH ’15 BY KRISTEN WALSH
Neha Singh ’15 isn’t a baker by trade, but she knows a thing or two about cookies. Her work at the Girl Scouts of the USA aims to help young entrepreneurs get the signature treats into customers’ hands — and learn the art of good business. “The Girl Scout Cookie Program is an opportunity for girls to develop key skills like money management, goal setting and public speaking,” explains Singh, a strategy analyst at the 107-year-old organization. “The program helps them to become leaders in whichever fields they choose and to have a positive impact in their community.” With cookie sales helping to support activities at the local, regional and national levels, the program’s smooth operation is essential. Singh’s current focus is implementing a digital payment system at eight of the organization’s 112 councils. The potential boost in revenue would benefit Girl Scout programs across the U.S. “Digital payments will help girls learn the value of incorporating technology when running their cookie business,” says the alumna, a former EconomicsFinance major. “We want girls to have the skills to not only compete in today’s marketplace but also improve their communities and the world.” Singh’s own experience with community outreach includes serving as a Fulbright Scholar in France from October 2017 to April 2018. She taught at a public high school outside Paris as well as conducted research on how refugees use entrepreneurship as a route to integration. “I gained sensitivity and insight into the importance of building for inclusion. This has served me well in determining how to best introduce a non-cash cookie payment option that could be used by our girls in every community across the country. Today, understanding the role of technology in business is crucial, as it’s disrupting almost every industry.” 38 | SPRING 2019
1952
1942
Mary Maroney
Lester Schwartz
1953
1945
Costanzo Fustolo, P ’80 Robert Morash
Dawn (Lundstedt) Bailey Leo Buckley Jr.
1946 Irene LaRosa
1947 Charles Joseph Katomski
1954 Robert Crowley Mario Geminiani Eda (Currier) Stockson
1955
James Casella II Charles Chamberlain Robert Parker Barry Scott
Richard Dennehy William Emery, P ’88 William MacPherson, P ’79 Peter Pronko John Rosatone Charles Vernon Sr.
1949
1957
1948
Wallace Bickley Gerald Dahill Jr. William Dean Victor Elder Martin Livingston William Potter
1950 Gerald Bour Donald Davis Jack Duncan Ivanhoe Gleason Sr. Sister Michael Leo Mullaney Leonard “Lenny” Routenberg David Sherburne Albert Winograd
Richard Arcikowski James Ashley Jr. Patrick Daigle Leonard Gallant, P ’90 Gerard Gravel, MST ’83 Ronald Madison
1958 Alice Beaudry Marilyn Moulton
1959 George McPhee John F. Ricco
1960 Joseph Berard Lynn Byron Donald Gendron Raymond Simpson
« CLASS NOTES
1961
1970
1975
1986
Faculty and Staff
Audrey Bello William Grindlay Jr.
Robert Driscoll, Facilities Management
Robert Edins
Richard Bradbury Kenneth Roberts Leo Sullivan
Gary Reinstein Dean Wanamaker
1976
1987
1964
1971
Stephen Ryan
Arnold Knox Carl Silver
Richard Hedstrom Brian Tarr Paul Tetrault
Ronald Gately, University Police
1972
1977 David Luppi
1965
Lawrence Brown John Kowalski Maureen (Regan) Morse
1991
Robert Valway
1973
1968
Wilbert Hammel Jr. John Scribner
1979
Joseph Lannan
1963
Martin Carrier Philip DeConinck Kermit Kimball Jr., P ’91 William McEachern Paul Sargent
Frederick Donovan Jr. Robert Hersey Francis Kelly Jr., P ’96, Trustee Emeritus William Picariello
1969 Barry Pauldick
1974 John Nelson Diane Santos Garry Stewart Stephen Wentzell
1989 Thomas Belaire Cheryl (Czarnaty) Shirley
W. Michael Hoffman, P ’92, ’95, Philosophy Debbie O’Brien, Graduate Admission
1978
1992
Stanley Spangler, Global Studies
Mark Harris
Mary Morrill Daniel Regan
Anthony Stanton, Educational Services
Robert Brothwell Cathy (Spaulding) LeBlond
1993
1981
1996
James Bickford, P ’05, ’06 Patrick Spencer, P ’12, ’15
Francis Mahoney, MSCIS ’97 Denise (Dobbins) Tahmoush
1982 Marion Kakis-Youn
1985 Joseph Burke, MBA ’90
Robert Cook
2005 Lisa Rigano
Remembering W. Michael Hoffman, P ’92, ’95 | 1943-2018 Mike Hoffman was the right man, in the right place, at the right time. The Watergate crisis had undermined trust in public institutions when he joined Bentley’s Philosophy Department in 1974. Where better to teach future corporate and government leaders to act with integrity? He introduced the school’s first course in business ethics and, in 1976, established the country’s first center to advance what was an emerging field. The newly renamed W. Michael Hoffman
Center for Business Ethics has built an international reputation in its area of expertise. A prolific scholar with a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Professor Hoffman wrote, co-wrote or edited 15 books and more than 100 journal articles. He joined with other scholars to establish the Society for Business Ethics and Business Ethics Quarterly. As founding executive director of the Ethics Officer Association, the first organization for ethics professionals, he led efforts to bring ethical practice into the corporate world. Today, public and private companies of every kind have an ethics and compliance officer. Professor Hoffman gained legendary stature in the field he helped create. Here, he was a devoted teacher and scholar who met everyone with warmth, humor and kindness. He shared ties to Bentley with his wife, Bliss, and their daughters, Alison (Hoffman) Libuda ’92 and Elizabeth (Hoffman) O’Neil ’95.
BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 39
CLASS NOTES » Continued from page 32
2012
2013
Chelsea Aranjo married Jonathan Avecillas in September 2018. The couple resides in Warren, N.J.
Tyler Champagne and Rachael Litton, who met at Bentley, tied the knot in Madison, Conn., on September 21, 2018. The couple lives in Medford, Mass.
Ashleigh Casey and Andrew Morris, MST ’13 wed on June 2, 2018, in Cape Neddick, Maine. They report: “Our wedding was attended by Bentley alumni ranging in graduation years from 1975 to 2014!” Jimmy Haight married Aimee Tetu ’11 on August 18, 2018, in Falmouth, Maine. Many fellow Falcons joined them for their big day. The couple resides in Scottsdale, Ariz. Chris Sartori, MST ’15 and Maryellen Marini were married on May 19, 2018, at Holy Family Church in Duxbury, Mass., with the reception at Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston. The couple lives in Charlestown, Mass. Marissa Scicchitano and Frank Reiman ’10, MBA ’11 wed on August 18, 2018, on Long Island, N.Y. The couple lives in South Boston, Mass. Grace Seme married Matt Keeney on September 15, 2018, in front of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Eighteen Falcons were part of their special day. The couple lives in Fenway, Mass. John Sheehan, MSA ’13 married Alyssa Mullinax ’14 on September 15, 2018, at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Stonington, Conn. The couple met in 2011 while attending Bentley; they have been together and living in Waltham ever since. Torre Taylor married Christopher Dos Santos on November 11, 2018, in Key Largo, Fla. Eight fellow Falcons from the Class of 2012 attended; the couple lives in Miami.
40 | SPRING 2019
Andrew Goodman, MSA ’14, Avon, Conn., completed all three parts of the Certified Internal Auditor exam and earned the CIA certification in December 2018. Goodman is an audit project manager in the Internal Audit Department at Aetna, a CVS Health Company, in Hartford. Evan Honeyman, MBA ’14, Southington, Conn., was named director of business development at Corbin Advisors. Loryssa Millman, MSA ’14 and Anthony Dello Stritto, MST ’14 were married at Belle Mer, in Newport, R.I., on September 22, 2018; they live in Northborough, Mass. The bride writes: “My parents are Bentley alumni as well: Susan (Goldberg) ’86, P ’13, P ’14 and Scott ’85 Millman, P ’13, P ’14.” Chris Riedel, MSA ’14 and Domenique Hogan exchanged vows on July 14, 2018, in Tamworth, N.H. Patrick Rielly married Rebecca Rakoczy on December 1, 2018, at the Charles River Museum in Waltham, Mass. Many fellow Falcons were there to celebrate the big day. Ross Riskin, MST ’13, Bethany, Conn., writes that he has published “the preeminent guide on education planning for CPAs and financial advisers, titled The Adviser’s Guide to Education Planning for the AICPA.”
Caroline Sullivan writes, “Peter Ambery and I celebrated with 18 fellow alumni at our September 2018 wedding, including classmates, siblings, cousins and my uncle!” Laura Yates married Dan Comeau on August 25, 2018, in Chicago, Ill. The couple, who met during First Week in 2009, lives in Chicago.
2014 Mark Adamiak and Lisa Giorgetti exchanged vows on October 27, 2018, in Harwich Port, Mass. Many fellow Falcons were part of the occasion. Taylor Gardner and Nicholas Romaine tied the knot on December 8, 2018, at Belle Mer in Newport, R.I. The couple met at Bentley and welcomed more 40 Falcons to their special day. On the bride’s side: parents James ’87 and Susan (Maio) ’87 Gardner, grandfather Bill Gardner ’61 and uncle Steve Grabowski ’72; the groom’s father is Dan Romaine ’84. Alyssa Mullinax married John Sheehan ’12, MSA ’13 on September 15, 2018, at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Stonington, Conn. The alumna writes of meeting John during her sophomore year, “and we have been together (and living in Waltham) ever since! We wanted to share our big day, since it wouldn’t have been possible without our time at Bentley!” Former Bentley baseball player Dante Padovani, Lynnfield, Mass., and wife Alexandra welcomed daughter Siena June on June 12, 2018.
Amanda Wagner and David Koschei ’12 became engaged on December 7, 2018. The couple lives in Saugus, Mass.
Ben Peterson, MBA, Merrimack, N.H., married Krysta Brown in Steamboat Springs, Colo., on September 29, 2018. Andrew Picardi and Lauren Roberge ’15 were married on September 2, 2018, at La Bella Vista, Waterbury, Conn. Many alumni from the classes of 2014 and 2015 attended, along with the bride’s mother, Laurie (Burke) Roberge ’86, P ’15, ’19; father, Randal ’84, P ’15, ’19; and maternal grandfather, Thomas Burke ’60, P ’86.
2015 Gabriely Quiles, Lawrence, Mass., completed her master’s degree in 2017 and has been working as a fleet manager with Signify. “I have a beautiful little girl named MiaElizabeth, born on February 10, 2018,” she writes. “We share the same birth date!”
Lauren Roberge and Andrew Picardi ’14 were married on September 2, 2018, at La Bella Vista, Waterbury, Conn. Many alumni from the classes of 2014 and 2015 attended, along with the bride’s mother, Laurie (Burke) Roberge ’86, P ’15, ’19; father, Randal ’84, P ’15, ’19; and maternal grandfather, Thomas Burke ’60, P ’86.
2016 Jon Miksis, Wakefield, Mass., is “pursuing my lifelong passion of travel in a full-time capacity” as a travel blogger. He shares the news to “inspire students and alumni who would like to make a similar leap of faith.” His own background includes consulting and business advisory roles in public accounting firms. “The tools and experience in my Bentley education have been invaluable.” Visit myglobalviewpoint.com.
“We connected on our class’s Facebook page, because we both have golden retrievers named Scout and we’re both in the Honors Program. We were like, ‘Roommates!’ Over the summer, Kerri came to Boston and we did a Target run to decorate our room. We feel really lucky to have found each other.” — Erin Looney ’22, Massachusetts Kerri Tracey ’22, New York
HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR BEST FRIEND? The Bentley Fund supports students right now, in all parts of their Bentley lives. From lifelong friendships to inspirational mentorships. From transformational clubs, sports and internships to career-building classes. The Bentley experience is all-encompassing. Give them the Bentley life you had. Give back to the Bentley Fund. And help these young Falcons follow in your footsteps.
bentley.edu/give
175 Forest Street Waltham, MA 02452 USA
This photo, taken by Daniel Brownstein ’19, earned first place in a contest sponsored by the Cronin Office for International Education. The Finance major visited 11 countries while studying at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. He writes: “Pictures don’t do any justice to the beauty and magnitude of the Taj Mahal.”