Bentley Magazine Fall 2019 by Bentley University

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FALL 2019

L i k e , S h a r e . s h o p.

explore .

C o n n e c t.

HOW THE Y LE AR n, L I VE AND LE AD

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C o l l a b o r at e . C o m m u n i c at e . C r e at e .

Consume.

ON THE COVER Clockwise from top left: Tara Kelley ’23, Isaiah Collins ’22 and Avery Provin ’21; back cover: Jasmine Nguyen ’21

Contents FALL 2019

2 | HERE

3 | ON

SAY

CAMPUS

FEATURES 9 | Meet Gen Z: Making its mark on campus and beyond 15 | Fitness Gets Personal 19 | The Little Pie that Could 24 | C LASS

NOTES

Magazine Editor Susan Simpson Interim Senior Director Strategic Communications John McElhenny Writers Michael Blanding Molly Mastantuono Jen Miller Mary K. Pratt Kristen Walsh Kevin Wong Creative Director Greg Gonyea Senior Associate Director Creative Services Claire S. Anderson Art Direction & Design Matthew Dimond Trish Leavitt Multimedia Producer Kevin Maguire Associate Director Print and Production Judy Metz Executive Director Advancement Communications Terry Cronin Senior Associate Director Advancement Communications Caroline Cruise Associate Director Content Development Kristin Livingston Communications Specialist Molly McKinnon

HERE SAY I always read the Bentley Magazine. It’s my school magazine. My father, Francis R. N. Flannery, attended Bentley in the early 1930s … but had to leave school because of the Depression. He had a wife and two children to support on $22 per week. He said he couldn’t afford the car fare (10 cents). He had various jobs, all of which let him go when summer arrived. So, in September 1946, he returned to Bentley … and graduated in June 1947. He was 41 and got employed by Patterson, Teele and Dennis CPAs in Boston. After my graduation from B.C. High in 1949, I did one year at Boston College and, the following year, attended St. Patrick’s College in Ottawa, Ontario. During my school year, I had a hockey accident and came home for recuperation in 1950. In less than a year, I received my draft notice. Rather than be drafted, I joined the Army. I was released from active duty on March 17, 1955. … Got a job for about five months at Mass. State Auto School as a driving instructor. They were located on Boylston Street not far from Bentley. I chose to attend Bentley during the day, which was a two-year course. I drove to school from my folks’ home in Somerville in my 1952 Studebaker Champion. … I graduated in June 1957 and

started in public accounting (Stebbins & Stebbins). Later I went to MIT and wound up as assistant office manager at General Baking Co. (Bond Bread) located in Hayes Square, Charlestown, Mass. At the time I was attending Suffolk University nights for a BSBA. It so happened that my father had continued his education after Bentley. Result: We both received our BSBA from Suffolk in June

1961 on Father’s Day. … My dad continued studying at Suffolk; I started in February 1962. Once again we graduated together, in June 1964, with an MSBA. My father died in March 1995 at age 89. I’m retired with my wife, Elizabeth. We have been married 61 years and living for the past 53 in South Hadley, Mass. Sincerely, Ovide Flannery ’57

Kyle O’Brien ’16 shares this photo of Tuck, a 10-month-old golden doodle with great taste in reading material.

President Alison Davis-Blake Vice President University Advancement Maureen Flores Interim Vice President Marketing and Communications Christopher Joyce

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

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. 72M10/19QD.COM.514.19

CLEAN SWEEP The Greek Activities Council — joined by 65 fraternity and sorority members — hosted a local property cleanup with the Waltham Housing Authority. Highlights, says GAC President Vincent Sarnelli ’21, were “amazing conversations with residents and playing with children who call the neighborhood home.” PHOTO BY ABBY COLBURN

ON CAMPUS >>

FROM THE

PRESIDENT

Fall on a college campus always feels to me like a time for new beginnings. The cooling of the air and changing of the leaves go hand in hand with the feeling of a fresh start. I’ve been lucky to experience that rejuvenation

as a student, faculty member, department chair, dean and president. It’s an exciting time for our university, there’s no question about that. As we build a new strategic plan that will guide us into our second century, there is a definite buzz on campus about how we will continue to evolve and take our next big step. That notion of innovating and looking ahead is not a new one for Bentley — just ask any of our 65,000 proud Falcon alumni. We’ve always been forward-thinking. Harry Bentley first opened our doors over 100 years ago to address a need for leaders in the accounting field. As the years went by, we could have taken the safe route and continued to focus on educating accountants at 921 Boylston Street in Boston. But we took a risk in the 1960s by moving to Waltham to provide larger facilities for our growing student population. Our academic horizons expanded, too. When the world needed well-rounded students who could lead with purpose, we answered the call by integrating our business

Two Join Bentley Board Meet Steven Millner ’83 and Lebone Moses ’02 Steve, you’ve had a successful career in the private equity industry. What keeps you passionate about the work? I started to work in the private equity [PE] industry in the 1990s, when the PE asset class was starting to become recognized as an institutional asset class. Starting on the ground floor, I had the opportunity to work with some of the most highly regarded PE investors. To this day, I am inspired by the energy, passion and intellectual rigor they bring to the job every day. Over time I’ve gotten to know many of my clients personally, and it strikes me that no matter how successful they become, they’re still going 24/7 — not only focused on their business, but also active in their communities and as philanthropic leaders. They are innovative and great problem-solvers; it has been a privilege to be by their side. For me, they help to create the passion. What drives you to give back to Bentley and stay involved? I am fortunate to have received a great education at Bentley, which has been foundational throughout my career. I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside very successful business leaders who pay it forward — and that really informs me. At Bentley, I received a set of 4 | FALL 2019

focus with the arts and sciences to emphasize ethical leadership. Today, we’re staying true to that spirit of continuing to reinvent the way we provide a modern business education for a new generation of learners. As you’ll read in this issue, Generation Z approaches the world differently, even from the millennials who preceded them. We’re making sure that the Bentley education of 2019 and beyond provides them with the tools to succeed in a competitive world that looks different from 10, 20 or 50 years ago. By continuing to adapt, we’re both creating a strong foundation for Bentley’s future and honoring our past as a university unafraid of the challenges of tomorrow. So while it feels like an exciting new beginning on campus, it also feels true to what Bentley has always been — a place that opens doors for our students and prepares them to change the world. I’m excited, as I know you’ll be after reading this issue, for what comes next.

tools that have been integral to my success. Now, it’s time for me to pay it forward. Lebone, what do you bring from your career experience into this new role for Bentley? My career experiences, both corporate and entrepreneurial, have given me a global perspective on business, and the impact of leadership, social responsibility and inclusiveness on the sustainability of businesses. The board plays an important role in shaping the future of the university. As a trustee, I hope to leverage my experiences and expertise to help ensure the sustainability of Bentley University, the advancement of its programs and the success of our students. What are some ways you hope to impact the student experience? During my first year at Bentley, I had the pleasure of meeting board member Tanya Hairston-Whitner ’95 and was inspired by her passion for students. I have a passion for empowering people and organizations to create positive change in society. As an African-American woman and first-generation American, I understand firsthand the systemic barriers and biases that create disparities in our society and the limitations those disparities place on our progression. I aim to do my part as a trustee, and empower others to do their part, to help close the gaps, promote equity and ensure inclusiveness. PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE

<< ON CAMPUS

The board room on the third floor of Rauch Administration Center has been named for former trustee David Weener ’72 and his wife, Elayne. The honor recognizes Mr. Weener’s board service and the couple’s longtime philanthropic support of the university. “For years to come, important decisions to guide the future of Bentley University will be made in the Weener Board Room,” says President Alison Davis-Blake. “I can’t think of a more appropriate way to honor the legacy that David leaves behind.” The alumnus began helping to guide and govern Bentley as a trustee in 1996. He served on numerous

committees and as vice chair, working to ensure that the university was financially stable and ethically run. During that time, he and his wife established an endowed scholarship in their name and became Great Benefactors — a designation for those whose support of Bentley totals $1 million or more. “For so long, David and Elayne’s contributions have made certain that others would have the

opportunity to receive a Bentley education,” adds Davis-Blake. “Their generosity has opened doors for so many deserving students.”

Springboarding Futures BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON “A scholar, a leader and a gentleman.” Like any proud mother, Sylvia Schadee kept a scrapbook of her son’s achievements — and Robert Schadee ’66 had many. The phrase above is from “A Profile in Integrity,” featured in a 1960s issue of the Bentley Journal student newspaper; it speaks volumes of Bob, says his wife, Muriel, MST ’99. President of Kappa Pi Alpha. Resident Adviser. Chairman of the Student Aid Fund. Even as a student maintaining a high GPA, Schadee dedicated countless hours to helping others. He continued this legacy of kindness, intelligence and leadership throughout his career, from his first CPA job to his final role as vice president of finance for Sanel Auto Parts in Concord, N.H. That legacy now lives on at Bentley, too — no longer hidden in a faded newspaper clip. To honor her husband, who passed away in March 2018, Muriel has given

PHOTOS (TOP) BY KEVIN MAGUIRE AND COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA

$1 million to the university to support both expendable and endowed scholarships, including the Robert J. ’66 and Muriel D., MST ’99 Schadee Endowed Scholarship Fund. “Bob always wanted to give back,” she says. “He had a hard time being able to pay for his tuition, but the education he got was a springboard for his successful career.” With this gift, the Schadees join Bentley’s Great Benefactors, those who have given a total of $1 million or more to the university. Says President Alison Davis-Blake, “Generosity of this magnitude is vital to Bentley, because it’s supporting talented, deserving students right now and well into the future.” Future Schadee Scholars can look forward to an exceptional foundation for their careers, while following in the footsteps of a special fellow Falcon. As the Bentley Journal

finishes: “If the old adage is true that a person is judged by his friends, an individual fortunate enough to call himself a friend of Robert J. Schadee is truly a better person.”

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 5

ON CAMPUS >>

National Science Foundation Awards $1.4 Million BY MOLLY MASTANTUONO Ask Dave Szymanski to describe sustainability, and he’ll tell you it’s a “super wicked problem” facing our global economy. But the associate professor of geology isn’t just using geographically appropriate slang. In the realm of applied science and public policy, “wicked” describes an issue so complex, there is no simple solution — or even a single way of defining the problem. Szymanski, together with Dean of Arts and Sciences Rick Oches and Associate Dean of Business Otgo Erhemjants, is undaunted by the challenge. In fact, the three think that Bentley has found an ideal framework to study and teach sustainability: a new curriculum that combines STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) with business education.

Granting Opportunity Alumni secure $100,000 for youth programs BY KRISTEN WALSH Research shows that afterschool programs inspire youth not only to learn and do better in school, but also to reach their full potential in life. The study, by Afterschool Alliance, goes on to note that for every child enrolled in such a program, there are two others waiting to enter. Brian Shea ’14 (far right) does what he can to help open doors. Most recently, he and Gregg Grenier ’12 (left) secured a grant from the Cummings Foundation that will support Bentley’s longtime partnership with two public housing communities in Waltham. Every year, through the Bentley ServiceLearning and Civic Engagement Center (BSLCE), about 100 students work with children at Chesterbrook Gardens and Dana Court. They provide mentoring, academic 6 | FALL 2019

The National Science Foundation seems to agree. It has awarded Bentley a five-year, $1.4 million grant to develop, implement and evaluate curricula for college students that combine STEM and business, with an eye toward unraveling the wicked web of sustainability wrought by poverty, hunger, gender inequality, climate change, energy use and other complex global issues. As lead principal investigator, Szymanski will coordinate the efforts of 30 faculty members from Bentley; Wittenberg University, in Springfield, Ohio; and Northern Illinois University. At each institution, faculty from various departments will collaborate on a two-course curriculum that shows students how sustainability issues are interwoven. The first course will be one that all students take, for example, reviewing statistics from the U.S.

Department of Agriculture on corn ethanol use; the second will focus on a specific field of study. For example, environmental chemistry students might produce corn ethanol in lab experiments, while economics students do a cost-benefit analysis of growing corn for food vs. fuel. As Szymanski sees it, Bentley is uniquely positioned to equip a 21st-century workforce to untangle the wicked web of sustainability issues created by the competing demands of people, profit and the planet. “At Bentley, we educate business leaders who are at the front of the pack in terms of their ability to recognize and address complex global problems. The combination of business and STEM is central both to our students and a sustainable future.”

support and enrichment in structured afterschool and evening programs. “They are role models who equip students to succeed — inside and outside the classroom,” explains Shea, senior associate director at the BSLCE and a board member of the Chesterbrook Community Foundation. “We want children and teens to fully understand the steps they need to take to realize a future they want.”

serving as president of the Chesterbrook Community Foundation for 2018-2019. The former Marketing major is development and communications manager at Boston-based COMPASS (Community Providers of Adolescent Services). Shea sees the grant’s potential to “significantly close an opportunity gap” given the positive impact of afterschool programs. “The students bring a lot of energy, whether in the way they approach their homework or a basketball game,” he says. “These are incredibly vibrant communities that invest in themselves.”

Foundation of Support The Cummings Foundation $100k for 100 grant program benefits nonprofits based in and primarily serving Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk counties. The funds will help cover programming at Chesterbrook Gardens and Dana Court when Bentley students are not on campus. Shea and Grenier co-wrote the grant proposal on behalf of the Chesterbrook Community Foundation. The two have worked with local youth since their student days, collaborating on BSLCE projects such as developing an anti-bullying campaign and starting the Chesterbrook mentoring programs. “The grant is a tremendous success that reflects the dedication of everyone involved with Chesterbrook,” says Grenier, whose own eight-year commitment included

PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE

<< INSIDE JOB

Making Change Mandeep Walia, MSAIS ’02 started his career in finance and technology traditionally enough, working for blue-chip firms including PricewaterhouseCoopers and State Street Bank. Over the years, he developed a taste for shaking up the status quo through alternative digital ventures such as PayPal and LendUp. In his latest role — chief compliance officer and head of enterprise risk management — Walia is helping to launch Facebook’s Calibra, an online wallet powered by the Libra blockchain. Early Adopter. I believed in cryptocurrencies and the underlying blockchain technology in their early years, as a powerful way to help improve the financial lives of people worldwide. There is a large section of the world’s population that is locked out of the existing financial system, and they need a way to manage their finances. I was beyond excited about the Calibra vision, which is extremely bold and can do so much good for so many people. It was a no-brainer. Integrity Champion. Calibra is building a mobile wallet powered by the Libra blockchain. I’m responsible for making sure that we comply with laws and regulations and protect the integrity of our business. For example, this includes stopping bad actors and other criminals from conducting illegal activity using our platform. Crossing Disciplines. When I studied at Bentley, it was one of the few universities that offered a crucial blend of finance/ accounting and technology programs. It gave me an excellent grounding in how technology processes can impact business risk and vice versa. This cross-functional learning has had a lasting influence on how I think and operate. Open and Safe. Blockchain is an advanced distributed database technology that can safely process and store transaction records on a peer-to-peer network. This makes it possible to create financial services that

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNUS

don’t rely on intermediaries, such as banks, so they’re available to more people at a lower cost. A cryptocurrency is a digital currency created through blockchain technology. It offers distributed governance, which ensures that no single entity controls the network; and security through cryptography, which protects the integrity of funds. Backed by Hard Currency. Many of the characteristics that have made other cryptocurrencies successful — such as decentralization and the ability to conduct transactions without an intermediary — will be critical to the success of the Libra blockchain. However, Libra is designed to complement the existing ecosystem by offering low price-volatility, as Libra will be fully backed by existing currencies and financial assets. Shaping the Future. There are so many things I love about this project — getting to work closely with top-notch innovators, being front and center in influencing an emerging regulatory framework, working hands-on to manage risk through cuttingedge technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and privacy-enhancing technologies. But I’d say the best part is having a real shot at building a better way for people to send and receive money, greatly improving their financial lives. As told to Michael Blanding

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 7

FIVE THINGS >>

Reasons Great People Leave Good Jobs Bad bosses do exist — and Christie Lindor ’02 has seen a few during 18-plus years as a management consultant across some 20 industries and sectors. She has also learned that a terrible manager is not the leading culprit when talented people pack up their office. “Most turnover is the direct result of a broader system, the organizational culture,” she says, describing culture as an ecosystemic mashup of values, beliefs, underlying assumptions, symbols, rituals, attitudes and behaviors shared by employees and driven by leadership. “Bad bosses are one piece of a greater cultural pie.”

Unclear vision and purpose Working for an organization that does not have a clear or even realistic vision of the future is like being on a bus without a destination. Where many leaders go wrong: creating a vision and mission statement but not making it real. To encourage buy-in and shape consistency in culture, leaders must keep their mission and vision front and center in all decision-making and actions. Asking employees for feedback on ways to bring a vision to life (or clarify it further) can go a long way when it comes to adoption.

CHRISTIE LINDOR ’02 Management Consultant

The alumna shares markers of a toxic workplace to urge a turnaround.

Compromised values and beliefs Employees can now take to social media and hold a company accountable — internally and in the marketplace — for living the values and beliefs it preaches. In one positive move, an association of leading CEOs known as the Business Roundtable has redefined the purpose of a corporation, looking past short-term profits to consider customers, employees, suppliers and the broader community. With this recent shift, companies can scale their purpose and actions in a way that supports their value system. Stagnant structures and processes Phrases like “That’s how we’ve always done it around here” or “What if we change and fail?” signal a change-resistant organization. To survive and keep employees happy, companies must maintain a constant and agile flow of movement. This means incorporating a “fail fast, fail often” culture that embraces innovation, working to make internal processes lean and efficient, and improving technology to minimize unnecessary rework and frustration.

8 | FALL 2019

Uncertainty in the face of massive change About 65% of children entering primary school will hold jobs that do not exist today, according to the World Economic Forum. Yet most organizations focus on near-term goals rather than preparing their technology, teams and infrastructure for this immense evolution of work. Such uncertainty may push employees to other companies that lean into the disruption and demonstrate agility. Tackle massive changes head on and keep employees not only informed but engaged throughout the journey. Most important, leaders and employees should work together to articulate meaning and purpose in their work. Humans are wired to want to belong to something bigger than themselves. Lack of connection and appreciation Having a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment has become a strategic imperative: It can mean the difference between winning and losing in the marketplace. One client organization developed a shared definition of diversity and inclusion, and worked on understanding how unconscious bias affects colleagues day to day. They then spent a year educating employees on what inclusion and diversity means as well as on ways to overcome bias on their immediate teams. It is equally important to create “micro-habits” of appreciation and recognition. Another company focused on improving how employees give and receive feedback on their performance, and moved to recognize employees in a manner that is important to them.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA; ILLUSTRATION BY MJ GRAPHICS/SHUTTERSTOCK

They are digital natives who don’t know life without the Internet. A group with a passion for authenticity and a keen eye for what falls short.

Having grown up during the 2008 recession,

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<< FEATURES

they know the impact of a bad economy.

They see the need for constant skill

development — but don’t want to

accumulate a lot of debt along the way.

Social media have sparked their political

activism. To solve a problem, they welcome

face-to-face conversation. And they just

may save the world.

By Kristen Walsh Photography by Kevin Maguire

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 9

he push to understand Generation Z — individuals born between 1995 and 2010 — is underway in many quarters. Not least of all at the colleges and universities charged with preparing them for a largely unknowable future. We caught up with Bentley faculty, staff and alumni who are embracing the challenge. Associate Professor David Szymanski, for one. He chairs a task force, focused on reforming the core curriculum, which is working with faculty and staff to create new learning opportunities that provide the knowledge and skills students need. Developing a transformative learning experience for undergraduates is part of the university’s strategic plan, whose architects include faculty, staff, students and alumni. “The new core curriculum will be more flexible, more integrated and more experiential,” explains Szymanski, a geologist who has led student field work in Iceland and on Cape Cod. “A major goal is to better align the curriculum with the entire college journey, including extracurricular activities and internships, to establish students as lifelong learners.” The changes, he adds, will prompt faculty to shift their thinking “even beyond today’s students, so the curriculum is adaptable to future generations.” Judgment Calls One change is the sheer volume of information. “Gen Z has Google in their back pocket,” says Andy Aylesworth, associate professor and Marketing Department chair. “They have limitless information at their fingertips; they can search experts and read business cases all the time. That means our job, as educators, is not to fill them with technical knowledge, but to teach them how to judge what’s important and how to make connections so they can be creative and collaborative.” Judy K. (Jacques) Beckman ’81, an accounting professor and director of the MS in Accounting program at the University of Rhode Island, agrees. “My students still need to learn basic accounting skills. But since technology is such a big part of what they need to know, they must learn to think analytically about that data and how they can use it.” Competency-based skills such as critical thinking stand the best chance of translating across disciplines and staying relevant for students well beyond college or their first job, according to Szymanski. He explains Bentley’s “backward design” model for adapting the curriculum. “We start with high-level goals that answer the question, What kind

LEARN MORE | Read about the strategic plan at bentley.edu/ strategic-plan

10 | FALL 2019

<< FEATURES

of students do we want to graduate? The answer doesn’t come in the form of job titles like accountant or chief marketing officer. Instead, think creator, problem-solver and innovator.” Engaging Delivery Aside from what to teach Gen Z, there is the matter of how. Faculty face an audience that has an eight-second attention span and a smartphone always in hand. Beckman is among many teachers who have chosen to leverage technology rather than work against the tide. “A lot of large accounting firms are making cases available to students, so I will integrate that into a lecture by adding a few extra steps to my lesson plan,” she explains. “Or, I’ll propose a question, about financial data or an accounting case for example, that students can research on their phone or laptop, then follow up with a discussion that requires class participation.” Suzanne Dove, founding executive director of the university’s Badavas Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, agrees. She recommends that faculty mix things up throughout the class period to help expand students’ thinking. Students learn more deeply when they practice finding credible information and applying it toward a real-world issue. “Ask how a particular assignment or activity connects to their interests,” she advises. “What are their own questions? Research shows that people are more likely to stay engaged when they’re curious about something.” Dove also points to the generation’s keen desire for experiential learning. “Faculty are now asked to create classroom and field experiences where students can connect with real-world problems, collect real-time data and even co-create knowledge with each other or their professors.” Regarding such collaboration, research by McKinsey finds a strong preference for face-to-face dialogue among Gen Z. Beckman reports that students whom she advises arrive at her door with more than academics on their mind; they also share personal stories, successes and challenges. “One hallmark of Gen Z is more openness than past generations, particularly when it comes to solving a problem,” she says. “I enjoy being able to interact with students that way.” Beckman’s words ring true for Derek Zuckerman, MBA ’98. As class dean and director of advising at Union College, he serves as a “one-stop resource” for students from sophomore year through graduation. “Creating individual connections allows me to make sure students know they are valued and appreciated,” Zuckerman says. “I ask about everything from their hometown to life before college to their passions. It really helps inform where they want to be, going forward.” Students expect similar transparency from him. “It used to be that

We grew up with access to advanced technology that acts as a resource and enables us to communicate, learn, sell and start our own ventures.” Emily Larson ’20

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FEATURES >>

education professionals stayed away from social media in order to keep personal and professional lives separate. But Gen Z has been sharing their lives online and expects us to do likewise.” Zuckerman started a public Instagram account to post about personal experiences or photos taken with students around campus. “It helps me create a connection with students in their world,” he explains. “In several instances, I’ve seen students doing things — study abroad, athletics and campus events, for example — that gave us a chance for a shared conversation.” Truth and Authenticity Research by McKinsey identifies truth and authenticity as key values of Gen Z. Accordingly, they express themselves to a greater degree than their predecessors, the millennials. The window into their life, including battles with anxiety and depression, poses a challenge for higher education. “Colleges are looking for ways to intervene as early as possible and make sure they have appropriate services such as counseling centers and mentoring relationships,” says Zuckerman. “It’s so important.” Peter Forkner, director of Bentley’s Counseling Center, calls for institutions “to do more work on counteracting the perception that everyone around us never struggles and is always perfect — a message rein-

We’re able to collaborate, create diverse communities and produce outcomes unimaginable 20 or even 10 years ago. Shakeeb Habash ’21

12 | FALL 2019

forced by social media. If you are lonely, you see pictures of everyone with friends. If you are feeling bad about academics, you hear about people getting into the colleges you wanted. “In these moments it can feel like, ‘I am the only person who experiences struggles. How could anyone possibly understand me?’ This causes people to retreat from their support systems.” To help counteract this narrative, the Counseling Center runs group sessions that promote authenticity and vulnerability as the key to healthy relationships. “We consistently get feedback about how great it is to sit in a room with other students who, on the surface, appear to have everything figured out. Learning otherwise can be quite a relief.” Georgianna Meléndez ’94, assistant chancellor of diversity, equity and inclusion at University of Massachusetts Boston, sees students supporting each other in “healthy, good ways.” “Gen Z is very open to interaction and integration across groups, but a lot of work remains,” she explains. Studies by Pew Research Center show that nearly half of “post-millennials” are racial or ethnic minorities, which makes Gen Z the most diverse ever. “Students may be open to a different race, but not open to political differences,” continues Meléndez. “It’s our job as college administrators to get them to have conversations across belief systems. Preparing graduates for a global workforce is not a matter of getting everyone on the same side. It’s a matter of helping them figure out how to find broader similarities and work together.” Advocacy and Action According to McKinsey, Gen Z’s support for causes related to identity makes them more interested than previous generations in all forms of social justice. This includes human rights; matters related to race and ethnicity; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues; and feminism. And thanks to the Internet, they have platforms such as GoFundMe and Change.org to quickly rally widespread support and funding. Sixteen-yearold climate activist Greta Thunberg is a case in point: On September 23, 2019, a video of Thunberg speaking at the United Nations — passionately challenging world leaders — went viral. “In a matter of seconds, students today can connect with people all around the world to become empowered to take on a cause they believe

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Innovation Central The Badavas Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning is a catalyst for out-of-the-box thinking on higher education. It builds on Bentley’s longstanding strength in delivering a high-quality business education integrated with the arts and sciences, while keeping the university focused on the future. In particular: exploring the academic experiences and approaches that best prepare Gen Z — and its successors — to thrive in life and career. The center’s founding donors are Robert P. Badavas ’74 and his wife, Kally. Their support came as he retired from the Board of Trustees, having served most recently as board chair. “As a 14-year trustee and proud alumnus, Bob knows firsthand the value of a Bentley education,” says President Alison Davis-Blake. “His time studying at the university helped him succeed and lead in top executive roles for four decades. This new center bearing the Badavas name will

in,” says Zuckerman. “Gen Z is an activist group and they aren’t afraid to bring social justice issues that are happening in the campus community to the table,” adds Meléndez. “Institutions need to listen to what they’re saying about these issues, before they become problematic.” Job Security Gen Z takes its sense of social responsibility into the workplace. “Finding a meaningful career was important to past generations, but it took a while for people to realize what was important to them,” says Bentley’s Josh Brand, whose new role as vice president for external relations includes overseeing career services. “Gen Z comes out of the gate focused on finding a job where they can make an impact. They’re ready to fix the world.” He cites research showing the average college graduate will have at least a dozen jobs and five careers in their lifetime. “Though Gen Z is still early in their college career, we’re finding they want to explore different career options versus coming in with one job title in mind.” Many career services operations are continually broadening the

PHOTO (TOP) BY BRIAN SMITH

ensure that future generations of students leave with that same opportunity.” The couple was inducted in 2017, with 36 other alumni and friends, to the Great Benefactors. The group recognizes donors whose lifetime giving to Bentley is $1 million or more. Suzanne Dove, PhD, joined the Badavas Center in May as executive director. “Our mission is to advance academic excellence at Bentley and the value we provide students, while helping our institution evolve in response to rapidly changing conditions. We’re grateful to Bob and Kally, who understand the need for business education to stay innovative and adaptable.”

universe of employers who recruit on campus. “Our students may want to try internships in different industries and locations, for example. We want to provide opportunities to do that, and also the tools to build their skills and confidence to be successful.” Forbes reports that Gen Z is 55% more likely than millennials to want to start a business. Their entrepreneurial mindset, according to data analytics firm Vision Critical, springs in part from peer-to-peer websites and apps that make it easier to monetize skills and knowledge, along with the rise of social media to create and promote content. Mark Longo ’89 sees the trend at California Institute of Technology, where he serves as director of strategic initiatives. “Caltech has its fair share of alumni entrepreneurs,” he says. “There’s a very active Entrepreneurship Club, run by students, that meets regularly with alumni to

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All around the world, Gen Z’s are fighting for things such as equal rights, fairer treatment of animals, and saving the environment.”

learn how they got their businesses off the ground. Students recognize alumni as valuable career resources.” Gen Z is also a “pragmatic generation” that is “motivated by security” in the workplace, according to the Forbes report. And Brand agrees. “Gen Z is a product of the Great Recession; whether their families or the people around them were impacted, it had a very profound effect. Part of the reason they want to be more adaptable in their career is because they know something like that could happen again.” The same pragmatism colors their perspective on college debt. “Price and affordability of education is important for Gen Z,” says Mike Lynch ’09, senior director of communication and content strategy for the Division of Undergraduate Student Affairs at Regis College. He points to the school’s new program that enables undergraduates to earn a bachelor’s degree in three years. “In addition to potentially saving thousands of dollars in tuition, graduates get into the workforce sooner. Gen Z is going to expect these kinds of opportunities moving forward.” The times present an opportunity for colleges and universities, observes Dove of Bentley’s Badavas Center. “As educators, we may need to step away from having to be experts with all the answers and instead become comfortable teaching students how to formulate their own burning questions. Let’s give them the space to generate these questions and equip them with the tools to go out and find the answers.”

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Are you tuned in to Gen Z? Share your observations at magazine@bentley.edu

14 | FALL 2019

<< FEATURES

Making it Personal Personal fitness is big business. The U.S. health club industry serves more than 71.5 million consumers, and about one in five Americans belong to at least one health club or studio, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. Customers made more than 6 billion visits to those clubs and gyms in 2018. Bentley alumni are part of this still-growing trend. Meet three who have made the field their own.

By Jen Miller

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FOUNDER, SWEAT FIXX

I went from being someone who wanted to get through the team lift session as fast as possible to someone who wanted to educate and listen.

16 | FALL 2019

The hustle that Elise Caira ’11, MBA ’12 brought to Falcon basketball only intensified after graduation. “I’d wake up at 4:30 a.m. and take any certification and teach anything I could — yoga, spin, boot camp,” she says. Then it was off to her full-time job as an auditor at KPMG. “It’s crazy but I made it work.” Caira called fitness her “side hobby” as she rose to senior auditor at the firm (and, coincidentally, was part of the KPMG team that worked on the Planet Fitness IPO). The idea of opening her own studio was always in the back of her mind. In 2016, upon learning about rentable space near home, she quit her job, signed the lease and, four weeks later, opened Sweat Fixx in Wakefield, Mass. This was January 2017. The boutique fitness studio now has five locations in the Boston area and a staff of 45. “I love creating and being able to grow studios and give other people who love fitness the chance to leave their corporate job. I liked accounting but sitting at a desk wasn’t for me.” She credits the success in part to unique workouts. For example, Sweat Fixx uses water rowers for cardio workouts; they are low impact and scalable to each person’s fitness level. Then there’s what she learned at Bentley — in classes and on the basketball court. “The competitiveness in that group with those coaches and with those trainers,” says Caira, a fiveyear member of the women’s basketball team. “It was an experience like no other.”

That was especially true when she tore her ACL. Her teammates lifted her up to power through the rehab and get back in the game. And the forced timeout changed Caira’s view of what fitness means — not just competing but strengthening the body. As she puts it: “I went from being someone who wanted to get through the team lift session as fast as possible to someone who wanted to educate and listen.” Now, her job is different every day. She’s usually up at 4:15 a.m. to teach a 5:30 a.m. class. She’ll typically do some personal training with a client, and her own workout, too. Then it’s down to business. “What’s done at Sweat Fixx is not in studio. It’s sitting in a coffee shop, and meeting people and getting on the phone,” she says of wanting each studio to be part of its local community. Giving back to the community is part of her business philosophy. “Every month we host ‘Karma Fixx’ classes that are free and donation-based,” she says. “All the money goes to causes or foundations that mean something to that studio’s community.” So far, they have raised upward of $15,000 for 20 different causes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA

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Ed Mazzuchelli ’97, MBA ’98 learned a lot being a personal trainer for the PGA. He worked with a range of athletes, from World Golf Hall of Fame member Vijay Sing to junior and masters PGA tour players. He knew that not every athlete was the same, which also meant that no two training styles would be the same. So when he was ready to start his own fitness and lifestyle company, he made that a core tenant. “There’s no one formula that fits everybody,” he says. Mazzuchelli played football at Bentley and earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA here. He got his personal trainer certification while working in sales, then jumped to the PGA, where he worked for five years. In 2006, he opened what was then called Evolution Fitness. The now-rebranded company — Train4Life — includes a 10,000-square-foot gym, personal training and a customizable program. The latter educates people on workout styles and nutrition programs that match their fitness goals.

Mazzuchelli says that he wears a lot of different hats, and even though surrounded by a good team, tries to keep an overall view of every part of the business. He still does personal training, but focuses on those who are recovering from injuries or need other specialized work. He learned the nuts and bolts of starting a company in Bentley business courses, but also draws on his Sociology minor. “A lot of those courses were understanding personal relations,” he says. He has learned to be empathetic but also forceful in working with clients to help them reach their goals. “Trust that most people will appreciate your being respectful of how difficult their journey might be, but sympathy can derail a client.”

I wear a lot of different hats, and even though surrounded by a good team, I try to keep an overall view of every part of the business.

OWNER AND CO-FOUNDER, TRAIN4LIFE

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNUS

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PRODUCT MANAGER, TB12

Everything has to be innovative, cutting edge, top of the line. It’s a cool position to be in.

18 | FALL 2019

No, Kelsie Tidman ’13 doesn’t play football. No, she isn’t part of the New England Patriots organization. But when she talks about working with a certain legendary quarterback, that’s the honest-toGOAT truth. Tidman is a product manager for TB12, the health, wellness and fitness company that Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero started in 2013. “We focus on developing our own products that support performance, recovery, nutrition and hydration,” says Tidman, noting there are partnership opportunities for others who can hit a high bar. “Everything has to be innovative, cutting edge, top of the line. It’s a cool position to be in.” The road to cool started after graduation from Bentley, where Tidman majored in Marketing and Liberal Studies (Health and Industry), with a minor in Law. Her first job was with what is now Compass Health Brands. She worked in the health care industry retail space, with products such as electrotherapy pain management devices. Unlike many fellow millennials, who bounced from job to job, she stayed there, for nearly six years. “I was able to dive deeply with my craft,” she says.

“I moved up in the company and was thrown into some pretty big projects at a very early point in my career.” Her move, when it came, was a big one. TB12 has three areas of focus: branded apparel and gear, nutrition and functional equipment. Tidman works primarily in the last category, which includes looped resistance bands, handle bands, medicine balls, and pliability rollers and spheres used for workout recovery, performance and injury prevention. She does market research on a constant basis. “I need to know what’s new in the industry, see what competitors are doing, and stay up-to-date on consumer trends and interests,” she explains. Tidman also serves as the point of contact for the company’s vendors and partners, and manages the development of a product from start to launch. She has met Brady multiple times, and he’s not your everyday kind of leader. “It’s always invigorating to have your boss give the company a pump-up speech. But when your boss is Tom Brady, it’s truly next-level motivational.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA

The Little Pie that Could By Kristin Livingston right lights, big cameras and an expectant host on a silent soundstage, all waiting for our baker. She’s been hand-picked to pitch her product, crafted and cultivated for years to get to this moment: a seven-minute spot on QVC that could put Mamie’s Pies into 110 million homes. But halfway into the dry run, her mouth runs dry, too. Her neck goes red. Her talent for easy conversation bolts. “Can we start again?” “Keep going,” the producer says. She slogs on to the next step: a frame-by-frame review. She can barely look at herself in Technicolor miniature, but dutifully takes notes until she’s ready for round two. She takes the stage. She passes. Time to go live.

Second Act As a girl in New Hampshire, Kara (Wetzler) Romanik ’85 loved shadowing her mom, Mamie, in the kitchen. And whenever Mamie made her pies — the stuff of family-party legend — Romanik was at her side, brushing butter and sprinkling cinnamon and sugar onto leftover scraps of the paper-thin crust, and baking them until golden and crispy. On non-pie days, neighbors could look forward to seeing little Kara on their doorstep with a wagon of her father’s fruit and vegetables for sale. A pint-sized entrepreneur about town — one who would grow up, major in Economics and Finance at Bentley, and start a career at Merrill Lynch. But without a creative outlet at work, she says, “I always felt like a square peg in a round hole.”

PHOTOS BY FOTODUETS/SHUTTERSTOCK

When her husband changed jobs and the family moved to San Francisco, Romanik quit finance to raise the kids (Kiki, Cameron and Griffin) full time, even after the two divorced. She dedicated herself to every PTA meeting, soccer practice and bake sale on the docket. As her children grew, she wondered: What will I do for my second act?

All-Natural Ingredients Mamie’s didn’t launch with a fully baked business plan and cache of investors. It sprang from a scenario familiar to most families: a case of teen panic. Specifically: Kiki’s despair that her high school couldn’t afford a DJ for the winter formal. “When Kiki said ‘we need money’ and it was around the holidays,” she says, “I thought, ‘I’ll just bake Mamie’s pies.’” She made 120. The fundraiser was a hit; the formal a success. Romanik began envisioning her grandmother’s recipe on supermarket shelves; she saw families who forgot their Thanksgiving pie heading to the store to “grab a Mamie’s.” Eight months later, Kiki got her driver’s license. Now that Romanik had help with school drop-offs and practice pick-ups, she trusted her gut — “it’s never failed me” — and jumped in with both feet. She scraped together money to rent a commercial kitchen for eight hours a week, where friends would help her make pies well into the night. She researched permits, designed packaging and started a store from the back of her SUV. Weekends were a lineup of tasting demos. Romanik set up a table at home and tutored her kids on the layout and pitch: “preservative-free,” “freezer-to-oven,” “just eight ingredients!” She texted them from whichever store she was manning to make sure they were set to sell at the next store over. When the pies ran out, Romanik raced to the kitchen to get more.

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Then, a customer posed the question that would be Mamie’s crucial inflection point. “She said to me, ‘When my family was in town for the holiday, we bought your pies and they were absolutely delicious, but now everyone is gone,’” remembers Romanik. “Can you make something smaller?”

Betting on the Little Guy Romanik had been so focused on scaling her seasonal business up, she never considered the key to success might be scaling down. She Googled “pie shapes” and came across fruit-shaped molds — blueberry, apple, pumpkin — that showcased the flavors of her pies and were about five inches across. “They were on sale, so I bought them all and every single one I could find on eBay and Amazon.” Mamie’s was now pocket-sized. Romanik invested thousands on a small table at the national Fancy Food Show, where she caught the attention of Oprah, QVC and Safeway supermarkets. They all wanted in on the one-of-a-kind hand pie that was flash-frozen and perfect right out of the oven or air fryer — a staple in QVCcustomer households. But Mamie’s wasn’t available online, and even if 1,000 Oprah readers found her in a store, Romanik didn’t have the capacity to fill their orders. “At that point, I could only make a few hundred pies at a time,” Romanik says. “I went with my gut again.” She sold her house, moved her kids to an apartment and cleaned out her retirement accounts. She quit making pies for retail and spent the next year hunting for a large-scale co-packer, setting up an e-commerce platform, and partnering with fulfillment centers in California, North Carolina and Tennessee. She found a co-packer in Maine and was able to

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2017

Bakes first pie with Mamie

Bakes 120 pies for Kiki’s school dance fundraiser

Sells first pie out of her black Kia SUV

Mamie’s goes mini: hello, pocket pie!

Mamie’s is available online

20 | FALL 2019

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA

<< FEATURES

source New England fruit farms to keep the heart of her four-ingredient fillings intact. The payoff: Oprah named Mamie’s Pies to her “O List” of favorite things in July 2017. QVC called. To date, Romanik has appeared on the channel 26 times (“I was terrified until about the 24th appearance and I’ve never watched myself”). Safeway started stocking Mamie’s in West Coast stores as did Big Y in the East. Romanik has met with grocers from coast to coast to get Mamie’s into their freezers, too. She’s also in talks with airlines, cruise lines and ballparks to bring her little pie to the big leagues.

All In The rise of Mamie’s Pies may seem meteoric, but for Romanik, the pace has been slow and steady. “You have to remember, Mamie’s is technically still a startup,” says the alumna, whose leadership team is a COO and Kiki, who as creative lead manages marketing and social media. Investors are an intimate group of family and friends, including her best friend from Bentley. The company’s global potential will never outshine Romanik’s gratitude and the knowledge that she’s already living the dream touched off by Kiki’s high school dance. That is: A year or so into the business, after a long day of tasting demos, the Romaniks bundled into the car to head home. Thanksgiving was close. Kiki said, “I can’t wait to finally eat one of our pies!” when Romanik realized . . . she hadn’t set any aside. She turned the car around and sped to a store. Kiki tore off her apron, took some cash and ran in. “She grabbed a Mamie’s,” Romanik says with a laugh, “and I have the receipt to this day.”

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2020

Mamie’s is named one of Oprah’s “favorite things”

First spot on QVC sells 20,000 pocket pies in seven minutes

Mamie’s sells 40,000 pocket pies in 10 minutes on QVC — making the total more than a million sold to date

Mamie’s will be available in more than 4,000 grocery stores nationwide

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 21

A Push for Policymakers Does Congress care more about one kind of drug addict than another? Research by Associate Professor Rob DeLeo and Alex Duarte ’19 suggests that legislators have missed the mark when it comes to policymaking for prescription opioids compared with illegal drugs like heroin and fentanyl. INTERVIEWED BY KRISTEN WALSH

About the Research Team The research agenda of Rob DeLeo, associate professor of global studies and associate director of the Honors Program, focuses on the relationship between hazards and risks and Congressional attention. He previously worked at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. 22 | FALL 2019

Former Public Policy major Alex Duarte ’19 is pursuing research on substance use disorder at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, one of the top doctoral programs of its kind in the country.

PHOTO BY JOY LEDUC

<< TAKE TWO

What are the main questions your research sought to answer? Alex Duarte: Our goal was to look at the relationship between policymakers’ attention to the opioid crisis and the specific indicators attributed to it, including overdose rates and lobbying data from pharmaceutical companies. Rob DeLeo: Using overdose rates for heroin,

fentanyl and prescription opioids, we wanted to explore the extent to which policymakers paid more or less attention to certain opioid overdose deaths. For example, are they more likely to pay attention to an overdose from heroin versus oxycontin? What are some of your findings? RD: The literature on agenda-setting suggests indicators should correlate with issue attention. We found that was true in regard to fentanyl and heroin overdose rates: As the number of overdoses went up, policymakers paid greater attention. With prescription opioid overdoses, however, what we found was quite striking. As the number of overdoses went up, policymakers paid less attention. There seemed to be a shrinking Congressional agenda, with limited conversations on the issue. AD: Though I can now appreciate the

significance of the findings as a more experienced researcher, at the time I was far less surprised. Growing up I spent a lot of time in my cousins’ neighborhood, a low socioeconomic community where illegal drugs were prominent. Seeing the effects drugs can have on a person-to-person, citywide and nationwide basis is what started my interest in substance abuse disorder, particularly with regard to why certain underprivileged communities were more heavily impacted.

Rob, why were you interested in collaborating with Alex on this topic? RD: My research focuses on the relationship between hazards and Congressional attention, so the theoretical framework we apply in our paper is one I’ve worked in for over a decade. However, I hadn’t actually applied that framework to substance abuse disorder, despite having worked at the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services during graduate school. When Alex took my public policy course, he continually tied discussions back to substance use disorder. That really peaked my interest in opioid cases. What are implications of your findings? RD: On a broader level, our findings contribute to understanding the ways in which powerful companies, such as those in the pharmaceutical industry, are able to shape the Congressional agenda — not just in creating policy change, but also in preventing it. AD: Some of that can be attributed to

the very system of Congress and its interactions with private entities. It is easy to blame pharmaceutical companies, but they are just taking advantage of the system they are in. RD: As we talk about lawsuits surrounding

the opioid epidemic, there is something to be said for having statistics and data that seem to indicate that Congress, at the very least, was asleep at the wheel. How do your perspectives complement each other as researchers? RD: I enjoy working with motivated and excited students; it’s what fuels my passion for teaching. Alex very quickly demonstrated a unique ability to tie theory to empirical application, and I made a decision early on that I was going to work with him as if he were a colleague.

On a personal level, why do you work so well together? AD: Rob was one of the first teachers to get me. I never liked school and considered going into the military after high school, but my mother wanted me to go to college. When I took Rob’s course sophomore year, he extended his hand first and took a chance on me by offering a directed study. The fact that he had so much confidence in me — even when I may not have seen my own potential — helped me get to where I am today. RD: To be honest, I saw a lot of myself in

Alex. I struggled in high school and didn’t think I would go to college. But it was in college that I discovered academic research. That resonated with me because it wasn’t based on memorization or excelling on a standardized test. It was melding strict, systematic research with creativity. Those professors empowered me to express myself creatively, which helped me realize that I love this work. Alex, did you ever imagine you would pursue a doctoral degree? AD: Honestly, no. Having never enjoyed school much in the past, I never dreamed of studying for a PhD. Conducting research with Rob gave me the chance to help make the world a better place and inform people. I’m considering a dissertation on stigma and the role it plays in substance use disorder and health outcomes for people who use drugs. My long-term goal is to become a professor, so I can have the opportunity to see the potential in a student who may not see it themselves. I want to help bring out the best in them so they can better their communities and the world, just as Rob did with me.

AD: It was never, “I am the student and

you are the teacher.” I had a lot of autonomy. Rob would give me material and tell me to provide a summary of what I thought was important. I still remember going to his office and sketching the ideas. That was empowering. BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 23

CLASS NOTES

Kaitlyn Lavertu â&#x20AC;&#x2122;18 and Chris Landry 24 | FALL 2019

<< CLASS NOTES

1954 Donald Lapierre writes from Graniteville, S.C., “I am still breathing at 90 and counting — pun intended.”

1965 Louie Caputo, P ’86, ’01, West Newbury, Mass., reports: “My youngest son, Eric, was diagnosed with MS in 2004. It was then we started a golf tournament to raise funds for the Greater New England chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I have chaired that committee for the past 10 years, and in 2018, surpassed the million-dollar mark in raising funds to help support research funded by the MS Society. It is an event supported by my wife, Gloria; my sons, Michael, Eric and Louis; and two of my granddaughters, Sheila and Jessica. This event has provided me with great satisfaction in contributing to a cause that touches my family in a major way. It is a lesson I try to pass on to my 13 grandchildren by showing them, by example, that they should support those less fortunate and in need of assistance. I have also served as a trustee of the organization’s Greater New England chapter.”

1975 On May 1, 2019, Ralph DePanfilis, Norwalk, Conn., was appointed chairman of the board for Fairfield County Bank Corp.

1979 Craig Owings was promoted from business manager, Tel Aviv, Israel, to director, Program Business Services, with Michael Baker Global Services, which is based in Birmingham, Ala.

1980

40th Reunion Stella Citrano, East Falmouth, Mass., was elected to the Board of Directors for the Bridgewater State University Alumni Association.

1981 Rex Parkinson retired in June 2018 and moved to Sunset, S.C., on Lake Keowee.

1982 Fred Kline, Brookline, N.H., founder and CEO of Kline and Company CPA, PC, reports that the accounting services firm is marking its 25th year. Since 1994, he writes, the business has “grown from a company of one — the founder — to become one of the leading federal contracts accounting firms in the Northeast and throughout the United States. We also have been voted the No. 1 accounting firm in Nashua for 12 consecutive years. I am very proud of what we have accomplished — and especially proud because my 1-year-old grandson’s birthday is the same day as our company’s founding. I wonder if he’ll join the firm before our 50th anniversary.”

1985 Kerry (Wiles) Hoffman P ’13, Naples, Fla., co-founded Gold Flag Media LLC in April, with Pete Singer, a longtime colleague. The company publishes Semiconductor Digest, a B-to-B publication focused on the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The venture includes a website, magazine, daily newsletter and six topical newsletters in addition to videos, blogs, technology papers, webcasts and events.

1987

1993

Jim Sano, MBA reports having lived in Medfield, Mass., for 32 years with his wife, Joanne; they have two daughters. He taught high school before starting a 30-year corporate career, working at Data General, EMC and now Dell-EMC. He’s been dabbling in writing and released his first novel, The Father’s Son, in August. It’s an intriguing story set in Boston that weaves in the power of friendship, family, faith and redemption.

Josh Rutstein, Derry, N.H., reports, “In July, I celebrated with friends, family and the local Chamber of Commerce as we opened our new site of The Mission Zone, in Derry.” The indoor entertainment business is the opposite of an “escape room”; players follow clues and solve problems to break into a series of rooms, using a unique smartphone app system.

1989 Suzanne (Adams) Boyd and Alexandra Lanza, Daniel Island, S.C., celebrated their 30th reunion in Boyd’s hometown of Seattle, Wash.

1990

30th Reunion Christine (Dugas) Leiby, Guilford, Conn., reports that her son, Ryan, is a first-year student at Bentley this fall. William Kearns ’88 reports that William Zoll, Newton Highlands, Mass., has opened a restaurant, La Cucina Italian Eatery, at Assembly Row in Somerville.

1991 Valerie Manoukian, Cordoba, Argentina, reports that 14 alumni from around the globe gathered in Bali during summer 2019 for the wedding of Alisyahrazad Hanafiah.

1992 Colleen Wittrup, Norwalk, Conn., welcomed daughter Paisley on June 30, 2017. “My wish came true!” she says, and encourages fellow Falcons to stay in touch: colleen2201@yahoo.com.

David Schiegoleit, Laguna Niguel, Calif., has joined Bank of the West Wealth Management as a senior portfolio strategist. He will manage investment portfolios for the Key Client Group, as well as help lead the bank’s investment strategy.

1995 Donna Pironti, MSA, Bryn Mawr, Pa., was elected to a three-year term by the Committee on Professional Ethics of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

1997 Joe Cerami, Windham, N.H., a former varsity football player at Bentley, celebrated his 10-year anniversary as president and co-owner of AprioMed. The company researches, develops, manufactures and distributes interventional radiology medical devices worldwide.

1999 Jessica Nguyen, Framingham, Mass., was promoted to director at Newburg & Company LLP in Waltham, focused mainly in the Management Advisory Service Department.

2000

20th Reunion Catherine Vinal, Lowell, Mass., was promoted to global controller at AIRINC (Associates for International Research Inc.).

2001 Travis Jacobs, Quincy, Mass., writes: “Since my last class note, my wife and I have had two kids, Dakota, 6 years old, and Harley, almost 1. My business law and commercial litigation firm, The Jacobs Law LLC, is doing great and I really love what I do. I enjoy summers by the ocean with friends and family, and tinkering with old mechanical stuff. Nicholas Schupbach ’03, MSGFA ’04 still gives me woodworking tips every once in a while, too. I would love to hear from fellow entrepreneurial alumni; if you’re in downtown Boston, email or call me at work to grab coffee.” Reach him at tjacobs@thejacobslaw.com. Aaron Parks married Ericka Graff on May 18, 2019, at the La Quinta Resort in La Quinta, Calif. Fellow Falcons in attendance included Mark Decourcy ’00, Derek Dubois, Ryan Meade and Brian Richardson ’00.

2003 Jason D’Entremont, Norwell, Mass., has been honored by Northwestern Mutual for his commitment and drive to help families and businesses plan for and achieve financial security. The recognition includes membership in the company’s elite Forum Group for 2019. This is his third year receiving the honor.

Continued on page 28

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 25

CLASS NOTES >>

Your Bentley

EXPERTISE ON DECK Tim Moses ’04, Rob Sacchetti, MSFP ’15, Marshall-Ben Tisdale ’99 and Jacqueline Wilson ’01, all financial advisers with Edward Jones Investments, enjoyed the company’s annual summer regional meeting at The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vt.

HELLO, SUNSHINE In August, Emily Hamlin ’14, West Roxbury, Mass., and Sydney Southern ’14, Peabody, Mass., volunteered for a fifth year together at Camp Sunshine in Casco, Maine. It serves children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, providing respite, recreation and support while promoting hope and joy.

LOVE IN BLOOM Julie Kahn ’17 said “yes” to Scott Ross ’15 on August 17, 2019, in Colorado.

26 | FALL 2019

<< CLASS NOTES

Pics! DAY AT THE RACES In August, Andrea Delloiacono ’17 and fellow Falcon friends met for the weekend at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “We’ve been doing this for three-plus years now,” Delloiacono reports. “It’s a tradition we look forward to every year!” Back row, from left: Matt Buckley ’17, Kenyon Hunt ’16, Jason Small ’16, Ashley Fleming ’17, Drew Nick ’16, Chrissy Hoffman ’16 and Sean Kennedy ‘17. Front, from left: Delloiacono, Ashley Caporoso ’17, Rachel Murphy ’17, Amanda Greenberg ’17, Paige Schneider ’17, Katie Rama ’16 and Isabella Isotti ’16.

BRIGHT FUTURE Dayna Block ’13, MBA ’15 and Justin Connolly ’13, MBA ’14 got engaged on August 10, 2019. “Justin tricked me into having to go to Bentley to drop off a document for work,” the alumna writes from their home in Brookline, Mass. “Instead he proposed where it all started. We will be getting married November 2020 in Vermont.”

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 27

CLASS NOTES >> 2003, continued Chetan Singh Hayer, MSIT, Nairobi, Kenya reports: “In April, I visited the campus for the first time in over 15 years, with my family, and it was quite an amazing time. My 8-year-old son, Manvir, loved the campus and my wife enjoyed its tranquility.” The alumnus runs a real estate development business based in Nairobi called Hayer One. The firm participated in the International Property Awards, hosted in London this year, where two of their projects won four awards as entries from Kenya; one was nominated for the African region, to be held in December 2019. “Of course there have been many influencing factors

in shaping my company,” he says, “and Bentley is certainly one of them.”

2005

15th Reunion Raghav Lal, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, founded Safari International Preschool and Splash & Play Ghana, an international preschool and kids’ water park in Accra, Ghana. Kyle York, Bedford, N.H., launched York IE (Investment Enterprise), a hybrid strategic advisory, investment and operational growth firm, whose focus is scaling innovative, creative and

SPOTLIGHT: PAUL DONAHE ’69 BY MOLLY MCKINNON

Paul Donahe ’69 spent nearly his entire senior year fighting the draft board. He had been ordered to report for duty on December 13, 1968. “I went up to my local board and said, ‘I am not opposed to going, but I just spent three and a half years working my

28 | FALL 2019

impactful companies. “We invest capital, expertise and passion; build products; and create content to support ambitious entrepreneurs and angel investors on their quest to scale startups and disrupt markets,” says York, who serves as CEO and managing partner.

2006

Stephen Costa and wife Quentara (Johnson) ’07, MSFP ’08, North Andover, Mass., welcomed Xander John on March 1, 2019. Dan O’Regan wed Leigh Evenson on August 17, 2019, at Canada’s Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Fellow Falcons

joining the celebration were Shaina Andelman ’05, Asa Kitfield, Rory McCarthy, Brett Newcomb, Michael Palermo, Richard Palizzolo ’05 and Jon Rivera. Nikole (Shaw) Trost ’06, Bow, N.H., was named to the state’s “40 Under Forty” class of 2019. The program, now in its 18th year, honors residents for professional and volunteer accomplishments in the state. Trost is operations director at Rise Private Wealth Management in Bedford.

2007

David Castine, MSA ’09 and wife Raquela, Baltimore, Md., welcomed son Logan Richard on May 24, 2019.

way through college. I’m walking down that aisle with my classmates.’” And he did. Donahe grew up in North Cambridge, the fifth of six children and the first to attend college. He enrolled at Bentley after taking a course at another school on Boylston Street. “I finally understood how interesting business could be,” remembers Donahe. “I was made for this; this was my career.” His parents let him live at home for free, but said, the rest is up to you. Throughout his time at Bentley, Donahe worked six nights a week for a total of 33 hours. Summers, he worked full time to cover tuition. The hard work, the college degree and the Bentley name all came into play when Donahe reported for duty after graduating. He was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, then transferred to the 101st Airborne. While processing in at the latter, he overheard, “Look in the 201 file for college graduates.” Donahe was quick to say, “I went to school in Boston; I went to Bentley College.” The major knew Bentley’s reputation and assigned Donahe to the finance department. The first week he typed checks; the second, processed papers.

Quentara (Johnson) Costa, MSFP ’08 and husband Stephen ’06, North Andover, Mass., welcomed Xander John on March 1, 2019. Priya (Maharajh) Tawczynski and husband Peter, Hopkinton, Mass., are proud parents of a third son, Dylan Peter, born on July 10, 2019. He joins brothers Bradley and Nicholas.

2008

Andrew Innocent, MST ’09 and Rachelle Elizabeth Alfred were married on June 30, 2019, in Everett, Mass. Rohan Mehta, Marlborough, Mass., a financial adviser with Ameriprise Financial,

By the fourth, he was in charge of division disbursement for the 101st Airborne — overseeing payments and disbursements for 23,000 soldiers. Donahe would eventually put a question to the major: Sir, how do you know Bentley? “He said, ‘I went to Northeastern,’” Donahe recounts with a chuckle. “It is the greatest thing the Bentley name did for me. I didn’t have to go back to the field,” he says, reflecting tearfully on his comrades who did not make it home. “Bentley saved my life.”

Do you have a story about military service to share? bentley.edu/class-notes

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ALUMNUS

<< CLASS NOTES

was named to the Forbes magazine list of Best-inState Next-Generation Wealth Advisors. The list recognizes millennials who demonstrate high levels of ethics, professionalism and success in the business. He shares, “I couldn’t have done it without the education and experience I had at Bentley.” Nicole Pignatello and Jonathan Richards, MBA ’09 wed on May 11, 2019, at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, Fla. More than 25 fellow Falcons from the classes of 2007 and 2008 joined them on their special day.

2009 Maria Guerrero, MSA ’10, Hyde Park, Mass., and Juan Garcia, welcomed baby Jadiel Leonidas Garcia on March 19, 2019. Shika (Laboriel) Holland and husband Christian ’10, Northborough, Mass., welcomed their first son, Quincy Michael, on June 9, 2019. Eric Morin, MBA ’15 married Alyssa Benesty ’12, MST ’13, on October 6, 2018, at the Ritz Carlton in Boston, with many fellow Falcons in attendance.

2010

FOLD 10th Reunion Katie Brodrick and Matt Fragomeni ’13 said “I do” on July 27, 2019, at Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Mass. Fellow Falcons from the classes of 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2023 helped celebrate their special day. The couple lives in Boston.

Meagan (Hockridge) Curry, MSA ’11 and husband Patrick, Canton, Mass., welcomed Abigail Rae on April 6, 2019. Christian Holland ’10 and wife Shika (Laboriel) ’09, Northborough, Mass., welcomed their first son, Quincy Michael, on June 9, 2019. Kristine Mickelson married Michael Manning on June 1, 2019, in Topsfield, Mass. Many fellow Falcons attended. The bridal party included Ashley (Insel) Ruggeri, Alicia Forte, MSA ’11, Alyssa Sliney, Carolyn Connolly, Kimberly (Angelovich) Currier, MSMA ’11 and Susan (Harrahy) Allen ’09. The couple lives in Belmont.

2012 FOLD

Alyssa Benesty, MST ’13 married Eric Morin ’09, MBA ’15 on October 6, 2018, at the Ritz Carlton in Boston, with many fellow Falcons in attendance. Ritika Betala, Fort Mumbai, India, started a job with Vogue India as marketing manager in August 2019. Spencer Smitherman married Holly Hayes on April 27, 2019, at Viansa Winery in Sonoma, Calif.

2013 FOLD

George Achillias, MBA, Aighion, Greece, welcomed daughter Alix on October 20, 2018. Ian Daigle and Robyn Dion ’14 exchanged vows on June 8, 2019, at the Hellenic Center in Ipswich, Mass. Many Bentley alumni shared in their special day.

Matt Fragomeni and Katie Brodrick ’10 said “I do” on July 27, 2019, at Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Mass. Fellow Falcons from the classes of 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2023 helped celebrate their special day. The couple lives in Boston.

2015

2017

Katherine Southern, MSHFID married Michael LaCourse on October 20, 2018, in Francestown, N.H.

Chris Letourneau and Jillian Bouchard were married on June 22, 2019, in Burlington, Vt. Fellow Falcons spanning many graduation years toasted the newlyweds.

Denise Volovitz married Dan Pinchasi ’14 on November 24, 2018, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Jason Benedict, MSF ’18 married Mackenzie Montgomery on May 5, 2019, in Bedford, N.H. The alumnus is an officer in the Marine Corps; they live in Quantico, Va.

Jessica Ngo and Chris Casasnovas were married on July 26, 2019, in Groveland, Mass. Claudette Blot, P ’12, STEP director and program coordinator at Bentley, officiated. The couple was surrounded by fellow Falcons, including Sidney Diaz-McCree ’11, Eros Agramonte, Laura Cordero, Felix Garcia, Iselande Jacques, Angel King, Carolina Ozuna and Gloria Reyes ’14.

2014 FOLD

Robyn Dion and Ian Daigle ’13 exchanged vows on June 8, 2019, at the Hellenic Center in Ipswich, Mass. Many Bentley alumni shared in their special day. Gerard Fischetti, Chelsea, Mass., graduated with a JD from Boston University School of Law in May and began working as a corporate associate at the law firm WilmerHale in Boston.

FOLD 5th Reunion

2016 FOLD

Caroline Fitzgerald, MSA ’17 and Austin Caito wed on July 3, 2019, at the Bedford Village Inn in Bedford, N.H. Catherine Gianino and Ryan Gilpin, MSIT ’18 married on October 20, 2018, at the Boston Harbor Hotel. More than 35 alumni attended, including parents of the bride Gary ’78 and Elizabeth (Wells) ’81 Gianino. Randall Parker married Fiona Smith ’18 on April 13, 2019, in Lancaster, Pa. More than a dozen Falcons helped celebrate their special day. The couple lives in the Boston area.

FOLD

Kris Carafelli, MSHFID, Centennial, Colo., volunteered at Plant Stock 2019, a celebration of plant-based life that includes food and presentations by luminaries in research, innovation and inspiration. She writes: “It was a highlight of my year. As a volunteer, I checked participants into the event; assisted with food demonstration preparation, including the prep for Jane and Ann Esselstyn’s live cooking show; and worked the plant-strong merch table — kale yeah!”

2018 FOLD

Kaitlyn Lavertu ’18 and Chris Landry tied the knot in Rochester, N.H., on June 22, 2019. Fiona Smith married Randall Parker ’16 on April 13, 2019, in Lancaster, Pa. More than a dozen Falcons helped celebrate their special day. The couple lives in the Boston area.

FOLD = Falcons of the Last Decade

Chris Jo, San Francisco, Calif., reports having launched a watch company in late 2017 called Codek Watches. Dan Pinchasi married Denise Volovitz ’15 on November 24, 2018, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Send us your notes and photos! bentley.edu/class-notes

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 29

CLASS NOTES >>

SPOTLIGHT: TUULIA HAVERI ’93 BY MARY K. PRATT

Tuulia Haveri built her career in high-tech global sales; now she’s using her experience to help technology companies grow into international brands. Haveri is CEO for Tolt Traders Inc., which she co-founded in December 2016 to help small and mid-size companies sell in foreign markets. The work spans business development, marketing, sales and customer support. Many of Tolt’s clients occupy the mobile tech space, with an average company headcount of 20. Based in Finland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Canada and the United States, they are looking to expand in the European market as well as to those in North and Latin America. One client in Finland, for example, wanted to grow from its robust presence in Nordic and Central European markets to the Americas. Haveri and her team learned first about its product and current customer base, then identified potential sales channels. “The most lucrative ones were in the United States,” reports the alumna, a native of Finland who speaks seven languages. They focused the client on two sales channels with the greatest sales opportunities, using a classic marketing and sales approach for one and crafting a digital sales channel for the other. Although the global economy and tech innovation move rapidly these days, Haveri says patience is important in her line of work. It typically takes a couple of years to establish a foreign company and its products into the new market. Still, she and her Tolt colleagues need to be agile in responding to changing markets, to help clients — as well as their own company — grow. Haveri held previous positions at Nokia and Microsoft, including, for the latter, director of technical sales for North America. She credits Bentley with providing a strong base on which to build her varied career. “The international community that existed at Bentley,” she says, “made me comfortable doing business anywhere in the world.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA 30 | FALL 2019

CONTACT CONFERENCE SERVICES to explore how Bentley can be part of your special day. 781-891-2273 bentley.edu/offices/conference-center

<< FAMILY MATTERS

From left: John and Ashley (Worrell) ’14 Kilcoyne; Geoff Worrell, P ’14 and Kona; Ken Wright and Bentley; C. White ’01 and daughter Camryn; Lindsay (Worrell) White and son Ashton.

BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON

Whenever Geoff Worrell, P ’14 talks about his wife, Cindy, P ’14, the conversation always circles back to this: She spent her whole life giving back. Right out of college, Cindy taught GED and life-skills classes. She went on to help people buy homes as a mortgage broker, while raising three children and sharing her knowledge and time at schools, church, industry trade groups and more. The sharing often involved stories. In Cindy’s favorite, a man walks among thousands of starfish stranded on a hot beach, tossing each one back into the ocean. A boy asks why he bothers, knowing he’ll never make a difference for all the creatures. Throwing another into the sea, the man replies, “It made a difference for that one.” Cindy would often send that story, with a starfish, to people she met. The Worrells lost Cindy to cancer in 2016. And Geoff and the family — children Lindsay, Ashley ’14 and Geoff, MBA ’14, and daughter-in-law C. White ’01 — were determined to honor her memory by sending one more starfish into the world.

TOP PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE; ABOVE COURTESY OF THE FAMILY

When Cindy was fighting cancer, she lit up whenever a therapy dog was on her hospital floor, and longed to be home with her golden retriever, Kona. So, earlier this year, the family reached out to NEADS World Class Service Dogs to sponsor an 8-week-old puppy in Cindy’s honor. Says Geoff: “We named him Bentley because the university has meant so much to us.” Today, the yellow Lab joins his owner, Mansfield Police Detective Ken Wright, on visits to the town’s public schools. At Wright’s gentle command — “visit” — Bentley places a soft, fluffy head in the child’s waiting lap. Bonding with the pup helps youngsters de-stress and stay calm, raising spirits schoolwide. In June, the Worrells were on campus to meet Bentley for the first time. He sat calmly by Wright as the family came down the library steps — Kona, too. Hugging, petting, sniffing and smiles ensued. “Everyone was so incredibly excited, as they saw a piece of Mom in Bentley’s eyes,” says Geoff. “Cindy is beaming in heaven now.” Watch a video of the family’s visit with Bentley | bentley.edu/cindy BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 31

Weddings

4. 32 | FALL 2019

<< CLASS NOTES

8. 11.

10.

1. Nicole Pignatello ’08 and Jonathan Richards ’08, MBA ’09 2. Jason Benedict ’17, MSF 18 and Mackenzie Montgomery 3. Robyn Dion ’14 and Ian Daigle ’13 4. Spencer Smitherman ’12 and Holly Hayes 5. Caroline Fitzgerald ’16, MSA ’17 and Austin Caito ’16 6. Randall Parker ’16 and Fiona Smith ’18 7. Andrew Innocent ’08, MST ’09 and Rachelle Elizabeth Alfred 8. Katie Brodrick ’10 and Matt Fragomeni ’13 9. Jessica Ngo ’13 and Chris Casasnovas ’13 10. Kristine Mickelson ’10 and Michael Manning 11. Catherine Gianino ’16 and Ryan Gilpin ’16, MSIT ’18

11.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 33

CLASS NOTES >>

12.

11.

13.

14.

15.

11. Aaron Parks ’01 and Ericka Graff 12. Denise Volovitz ’15 and Dan Pinchasi ’14 13. Alisyahrazad Hanafiah ’91 14. Jillian Bouchard ’13 and Chris Letourneau ’13 15. Katherine Southern, MSHFID ’15 and Michael LaCourse 16. Dan O’Regan ’06 and Leigh Evenson 17. Alyssa Benesty ’12, MST ’13 and Eric Morin ’09, MBA ’15

17. 34 | FALL 2019

16.

<< CLASS NOTES

In Memoriam 1942

1955

1965

1979

Alfred Murabito

Charles Caruso

John Meehan

James S. Sheehan, MST

1943

J. George Driscoll

1967

1980

Joseph Dugas

Joseph Hurley, MST

1968

1982

Robert Arena, MSA ’76, P ’93

Danny Henry

Sr. Miriam Cripps

1987

Vincent Johnson

1947 Henry Lusardi Harold Neun

1949 Melvin Davidson Gerald Feldstein Kenneth Hamilton

Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.

1956 Eugene Grant John McEvoy

1957

Michael Farrell Sr., P ’87

Richard Codair

1969

Edward Gibbons Gerard Gravel, MST ’83

William Fennell John Garvey

Thomas P. Heneghan Sr.

1958

Catherine Griffis

James Lindsay

Richard Barrett

1950

David Leavitt

1970

Francis Bateman Rene J. Salvas

John Perry James White

Fred Trafton

1959

1951

Robert Leet

Joseph DiSciullo Richard Haggett

Samuel Rand Roger Whear Jr.

Wallace MacDonald

1960

John “Jack” Russell

George Larkin

1952

1961

Chesley Chapman

Eugene Ewing

Romeo “Joe” Isabel

1963

1953

Kevin Martin, P ’86, ’92

James L. Williams

James Rolandini

Robert Neil

1989 Cathy Finucane

1991 Stacy Long

John “Jay” Pikiell

1993

Glenn Simonson

Jonathan Podell

1971

1994

Richard Garland

Andrew Gates, MSF

Guido Janco Jr.

1999

1972

Rob Fishman, MBA

Joan Larsen

Jennifer Perrone-Cormio

1973

2004

Dale Cornwell

Meghan (Faria) Martin

1975

Faculty and Staff

Brian Lemée, MST ’88 Lawrence Martin

1977 John A. Connolly

1954

1964

Barbara (Mitzcavitch) Brooks

Alexander Engelmann

1978

John Cormier

Christos Metrakas

James Condon, MSA

Raymond J. Marshman Sr.

Joseph Toomey Jr.

Steven Parker

Warren Briggs Founding Chair, Computer Information Systems Department David Clarkson Adjunct Lecturer, Accountancy Department Dorothy Gibbons Administrator, School of Continuing and Professional Studies

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 35

CLASS NOTES >>

7. 36 | FALL 2019

1. Jadiel Leonidas Garcia, son of Maria Guerrero ’09, MSA ’10 and husband Juan Garcia 2. Paisley, daughter of Colleen Wittrup ’92 3. Abigail Rae, daughter of Meagan (Hockridge) Curry ’10, MSA ’11 and husband Patrick 4. Logan Richard, son of David Castine ’07, MSA ’09 and wife Raquela 5. Quincy Michael, son of Shika (Laboriel) Holland ’09 and husband Christian ’10 6. Dylan Peter, son of Priya (Maharajh) Tawczynski ’07 and husband Peter 7. Alix, daughter of George Achillias, MBA ’13 8. Zander John, son of Quentara (Johnson) Costa ’07, MSFP ’08 and husband Stephen ’06

During my spring break abroad, TJX brought our class to two Italian manufacturers to learn about the craftsmanship behind the “Made in Italy” moniker; we stopped at a world-renowned concept store; and we shopped and heard from local artisans who have dedicated their lives and careers to Italian fashion. The trip fueled ideas for my brand, Urban Inspired, and helped me see how Italian culture and my own Haitian-American culture share the values of integrity, food and hospitality. I was able to have this experience solely because I received the International Citizens Group Scholarship — and I am now applying for scholarships to study in Singapore for a semester. I am so grateful to have the world as my classroom. — Reginald Fils ’21

Students like Reginald need — and rely on — your help to gain access to every teacher, class, internship, club, sport and opportunity they can. Give back to them today at bentley.edu/give. PHOTO BY ASHLEY MCCABE

175 Forest Street Waltham, MA 02452 USA

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