CCRI Green & White Winter 2016

Introducing CCRI President Meghan Hughes.

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A Knight of Stars SOCIETY of the KNIGHTS and SQUIRE AWARDS

SAVE the DATE

WINE tasting and NETWORKING event Presented by the CCRI Alumni Association and Chris Gasbarro’s Fine Wines & Spirits

Saturday, May 14

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6 p.m.

Guests will have the opportunity to connect and mingle with fellow CCRI alumni while enjoying samplings of wine and food. We are excited to announce that food will be provided by the renowned Kenneth Watt, executive chef, Watt’s Cookin’. The event also will include a raffle.

Event proceeds will be used to support Alumni Association programs and student scholarships.

$45 per person Non-alumni guests are welcome.

All guests must be over 21. No one under 21 will be admitted.

Chris Gasbarro’s Fine Wines & Spirits Route 6 98 Highland Ave. Seekonk, Massachusetts 02771 Visit the Alumni Association website often for updates and online registration at www.ccri.edu/alumni.

LEADING OFF

A message from the President

contents Vol. 16, Number 1 • Winter 2016

1 Leading off 2 Notebook 6 A Knight of Stars 12 Dr. Meghan Hughes 14 Why I give: Sharen Gleckman ’80

As I begin my presidency at the Community College of Rhode Island, I want to take this opportunity to tell you how honored I am to be leading this institution in its sixth decade. CCRI’s mission speaks deeply to me, and I am inspired daily by our students, by their tenacity, ambition, and investment in their education and in their future.

My goal for CCRI is a simple one. For years, when people have described this college, they’ve described it as the largest community college in New England. By 2020, I want people describing the college as the best community college in New England. I truly believe we have the ability to get there.

Since graduating its first class, CCRI has awarded more than 66,000 associate degrees and certificates. That adds up to a significant alumni base, and my team and I will need you to stand with us as we move forward. Our students and our recent alums will need you to mentor and support them as they make their way toward our graduation stage and on to further education and quality jobs.

Our college has passionate and committed staff and faculty who work tirelessly on our students’ behalf. Together we will make CCRI the outstanding institution it must become. I look forward to working with you, and I thank you for your commitment.

15 Class notes, calendar and in memoriam 16

Flashback

Dr. Meghan Hughes President

A message from the President of the Alumni Association

Green & White staff Marisa Albini Director of Alumni Affairs Editor in Chief Managing Editor: Erin Olson Layout: Brendalee Peckham-Bell Photographer: Dave Fischbach Contributors: Richard Coren Robin McDuff ’98 Jenn Salcido

On behalf of the Alumni Association, I would like to welcome President Meghan Hughes to the college. The association will work closely with Dr. Hughes and use our collective strength to support the college, its students and alumni.

On April 1, the association will hold “A Knight of Stars,” Society of the Knights and Squire Awards induction ceremony. Congratulations to the 15 graduates who will receive awards. You can read about the honorees in this edition. Chances are, you will see some familiar faces and may relate to their stories and sentiments about the college. I invite you to join us for this special celebration and support your fellow alumni.

I urge you to stay connected to CCRI. There are many opportunities for involvement, such as participating in events and donating of your time and resources. Upcoming association events include a wine tasting and networking event on May 14 and the Alumni Golf Tourna-

ment on June 15. Details for both events can be found in this issue. Visit the Alumni Association website often to keep up-to-date on what is happening at www.ccri.edu/alumni.

In closing, I want to hear from each and every one of you. Please share your opinions about what the association is doing well, where we can improve and what else you would like to see us doing. Send feedback and comments to alumni@ccri.edu. I am eager to hear your opinions and look forward to seeing you at our events.

Joseph T. Fleming ’74 President, CCRI Alumni Association

NOTEBOOK

Campus initiative provides gender equity resources The CCRI Gender Equity Initiative, a group formed last spring to promote empowerment, inclusion and awareness for topics such as domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual orientation, gender expression, transgender issues and more, is looking to end the 2015–2016 academic year on a strong note.

The group will continue into the spring semester with a full calendar, after awareness-raising events surrounding the Domestic Violence Awareness Month Week of Action and World AIDS Day last fall.

Program coordinator Nancy Forsstrom said that the group started the semester off on the right foot as it provided resources and presentations during the New Student Orientation.

“It was really interactive, and people seemed to get engaged,” said Forsstrom of the program, which included safety and sexual harassment presentations designed specifically for the CCRI community.

Objectives for the spring include partnering with Day One, the Rhode Island rape crisis center, by giving CCRI students, faculty and staff the opportunity to participate in the Day One 5K run/walk on Sunday, April 17. The initiative will bring in Justin Utley, an LGBTQ singer/songwriter, for an evening at a coffeehouse on April 28.

Because CCRI is a decentralized college, with four campuses across the state, Forsstrom said the initiative is much more of a resource hub than it is a physical space; she emphasized the fact that resources are available to help students no matter where issues might occur. The mission is broad and, therefore, the group is always looking for volunteers to step up and serve as resources and mentors – particularly the alumni community.

“If anyone wants to be a resource for someone – if they know speakers or are speakers and wanted to offer any kind of help for someone who [for example] has experienced sexual assault or harassment or is going through a coming out process – please let us know.”

Nancy Forsstrom, program coordinator of the Gender Equity Initiative and Vice President for Business Affairs David Patten light luminaria during the “Let the Light Out” event for Domestic Violence Awareness.

Interested alumni are encouraged to email genderequity@ccri.edu for more information and to become involved.

PAINTING

CCRI

RED

CCRI campuses feature Domestic Violence Awareness Clothesline Project installations, with items of clothing representing people who have died as a result of an act of domestic violence in Rhode Island between 2003 and 2012, in October.

The Gender Equity Initiative created “Painting CCRI red,” a sticker to encourage the college community to stand in solidarity with those affected in any way by AIDS, in December.

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CCRI receives Champlin Foundations funding for high-fidelity simulation center Major changes are ahead for the Nursing and Allied Health programs thanks to The Champlin Foundations, which awarded the Community College of Rhode Island a $324,180 grant to fund a high-fidelity Multidisciplinary Clinical Simulation Center at the college’s Flanagan Campus.

High-fidelity patient simulation is the use of computerized mannequins that replicate reallife scenarios. The college has one high-fidelity male mannequin, SimMan3G, and will purchase a second. The Champlin Foundations grant award also will be used to purchase two SimJunior pediatric mannequins that simulate a wide range of conditions; two SimMom obstetrical mannequins, which are advanced full-body birthing simulators; one SimNewB neonatal/infant mannequin, which has newborn traits and provides lifelike clinical feedback; and ventilator systems.

In the center, faculty members will design scenarios using the high-fidelity simulation equipment along with role players, providing students with a controlled environment in which to develop their skills and rehearse treatment of complex situations.

Clinical simulations at CCRI have been limited to low- to medium-fidelity scenarios in the Nursing Department’s associate degree and practical nurse programs.

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and the National League of Nursing, among others, have embraced or mandated the use of clinical simulation as a component of entry-level curricula.

“Health care education is increasingly focused on achieving competency in clinical skills and diagnostic reasoning, emphasizing approaches that enhance patient safety and the quality of care,” said Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Rosemary Costigan.

“Clinical simulation provides a bridge between classroom learning and real-life clinical experience, enabling students to practice vital procedures and refine their bedside manner in a safe environment.”

CCRI’s long-term goal is to achieve Multidisciplinary Clinical Simulation Center accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, which requires a two-year track record of excellence as a condition of application for review and accreditation.

CCRI high-fidelity Multidisciplinary Clinical Simulation Center renderings provided by Brewster Thornton Group Architects.

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— Reunion —

Come back to campus, Class of 1966

To commemorate the Class of 1966’s golden anniversary, the Alumni Association will hold a 50th reunion luncheon at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 20, in Room 1040 at the Knight Campus in Warwick. Connect with classmates, catch up with old friends and celebrate before the 2016 commencement exercises.

For more information, please contact malbini@ccri.edu or 401-333-7101. Additional information will be available in the months ahead. Please stay tuned for more details.

We look forward to welcoming back the Class of 1966!

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NOTEBOOK

CCRI celebrates cultural diversity at Changing Lives celebration The Community College of Rhode Island Foundation raised more than $34,000 to connect students with their dreams during its signature fundraising event, Changing Lives, “A cultural celebration through food and entertainment” on Dec. 3, 2015, at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet in Cranston.

The college’s student body represents nearly 100 countries and CCRI has the highest minority population of any college or university in Rhode Island. The event celebrated that diversity and the strength it brings to the college.

The Bronze sponsor for the event was BankNewport; other key sponsors included Abrams & Verri, BankRI, RDW Group, RI Temps Inc., Sloan Associates, The Miriam Hospital and The Washington Trust Co. A portion of the money raised will be used for student scholarships and emergency funds: $1,000 has been allocated to the Student Assistance for Emergencies (SAFE) fund,

which aids students in emergency situations where a relatively small amount of money might help them overcome an unexpected personal predicament and remain enrolled.

Live entertainment was provided by alumnus and native Narragansett Indian storyteller Thawn Sherente Harris ’06 and three students: singer and songwriter Shyanne Aponte; second-generation steel pan tuner Jason Roseman, a native of Trinidad and Tobago; and magician Dan Cipolla.

Those in attendance tasted specialties from the Mediterranean, Asia and the Caribbean along with some American cuisine. The silent auction offered a number of exciting items including a cruise on the Aphrodite, a 74-foot luxury yacht, fishing trip, international baskets and much more.

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A Knight of Stars The Community College of Rhode Island Alumni Association will induct five graduates into the Society of the Knights and present 10 honorees with Squire Awards at its biennial ceremony, titled “A Knight of Stars,” on April 1. The event will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, Rhode Island. WPRI news anchor Mike Montecalvo will emcee the awards ceremony.

First presented in 1999, the Society of the Knights Alumni Awards are bestowed upon CCRI graduates who have been active as community leaders, attained personal and professional success, provided volunteer service to the college community, and have brought honor to themselves and the college. The new Squire Award recognizes CCRI alumni who have shown outstanding professional accomplishments in their field.

The recipients of these awards have unique stories to tell. This elite group includes graduates whose careers vary widely, in fields including health care, finance, education, information technology, acting and law. Their achievements are representative of the groundwork and quality education CCRI provides.

The Alumni Association invites you to join in the celebration. Proceeds will be used to provide financial assistance for students through programs such as textbook purchases and funds for tuition. For more information, or to register, visit www.ccri.edu/alumni.

SOCIETY of the KNIGHTS HONOREES Candida Castillo ’94 The Dental Health program at the Community College of Rhode Island boasts a roster of accomplished men and women who have used their studies as a springboard into a competitive and challenging profession. Chief among those is Castillo, who went on to eventually achieve her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and to open her own successful practice, Aesthetic Dental Studio of RI. Her beginning at CCRI was a meaningful one for Castillo, who came to the United States from the Dominican Republic at 17. Although she was in the top tier of her high school class, she knew she needed a stronger fluency in English before proceeding to a four-year college. She began her college career at CCRI by taking ESL classes and received another benefit: clarity of purpose. After taking a career aptitude test, she discovered dentistry.

“I believe education is the most powerful thing that a person can receive and share,” she said. “It’s an honor to be recognized by CCRI, which gave me the opportunity to change my life.”

Now, in addition to owning her own successful dentistry practice, Castillo takes time to give back to others. She pointed to her involvement with the Providence Rescue Mission and Rhode Island Oral Health Foundation’s annual Mission of Mercy clinic at CCRI, both of which provide free dental work to those in need.

Kathleen A. Charbonneau ’83 As vice president, director of community relations for BankNewport, Charbonneau knows the importance of giving back in one’s own backyard. As part of her job at the bank, where she also holds the title of Community Reinvestment Act officer, she proactively seeks opportunities for community partnership, building and maintaining relationships with community-based, charitable and nonprofit organizations such as schools, youth groups, human service agencies and more.

An active community leader, Charbonneau serves on the board of directors of the East Bay Community Action Program, as a member of the United Way of

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2016 SOCIETY of the KNIGHTS HONOREES

Rosemary

Candida

Kathleen

Marjorie

Louis

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Rhode Island’s Women’s Leadership Council, a member of the Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island and a lector at Saint Mary’s Church in Newport.

After CCRI, Charbonneau attended Bryant College, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration and Providence College, where she was awarded a Master of Business Administration.

Clearly accomplished both in her field and in life, Charbonneau points to CCRI as the institution that allowed her to establish this success.

“I am certainly very proud to be inducted into the Society of Knights,” she said. “It means a lot to be honored by the college that provided me with such a valuable foundation.”

Rosemary Costigan ’78 From student to interim vice president for Academic Affairs, Costigan’s story very much embodies the CCRI mission: In changing her life, she’s now helping others achieve their dreams.

At an age younger than most traditional college graduates, she was already working as a nurse in an intensive care unit, transitioning a few years later to the operating room. It was clear that her education had given her the solid foundation necessary to take on multiple roles in the nursing profession, and she would spend the rest of her career doing just that – not just in the hospital setting, but in the classroom, as well.

“CCRI empowered me to confidently adopt a lifelong learning philosophy that assisted me in reaching the pinnacle of academic preparation within my field of nursing,” said Costigan.

Costigan would keep climbing the academic ladder, earning a bachelor’s in nursing from Rhode Island College followed by both a master’s and a Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Rhode Island. Answering her profession’s calling to educate its future nursing leaders, Costigan has been an adjunct professor at URI, a professor and department chair of Nursing Level 1 at CCRI, as well as the interim assistant dean – Academic Affairs/Nursing Education, also at CCRI. “My education [CCRI] prepared me very well to enter into the nursing profession and provide quality patient-centered care,” she said.

“To be honored by the institution that gave me my start is beyond my wildest dreams. I am truly humbled.”

Marjorie H. Martiesian ’66 As a teacher, Martiesian knows what doors an education can open.

Now retired from the Providence Public School District, where she was a reading specialist for 28 years, she can proudly look back on the door she first opened on her own – to higher education at what was then Rhode Island Junior College.

“It was the spring of 1964, and I heard a new college was starting up. It opened up a great opportunity for me to be a part of something special,” she recalled. “At that time, I didn’t realize how special the college and the experience would be.”

After completing her coursework at the college, she moved on to earn her bachelor’s in education at Mount St. Joseph College and then a master’s degree in education from Rhode Island College, amassing credits far beyond what she needed to graduate.

“CCRI helped me open my eyes to see that if you really want to achieve something, you can,” she said.

She would go on to achieve much, and to give just as much back to the college. She has been a member of the CCRI Alumni Association Board for 12 years, and in 2013, established the Andre Antranig Martiesian Memorial Scholarship in honor of her father.

Louis J. Saccoccio ’68 When Saccoccio was just getting started with his journey in higher education, so was CCRI. Then the Rhode Island Junior College and located in a rented space in the Foundry Building in Providence, the institution had graduated its first class in 1966.

“The whole experience was new and exciting,” said Saccoccio, who came to the college directly from high school. “The atmosphere had a real awareness that we were part of something new in Rhode Island. Both students and faculty were committed to making the experiment successful.”

For Saccoccio, that commitment would continue. Since delivering the 1968 commencement address, he has sustained a leadership presence in the college, serving as the president of the Alumni Association from 2012 to 2015.

Saccoccio has impacted many communities well beyond the CCRI campuses. Building on the experience he gained with the college’s debate and law clubs, he decided to pursue a career in law. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Rhode Island and then attended the New England School of Law, where he graduated with his Juris Doctor in 1974. He worked in private practice until 1990 and then joined the URI legal department as assistant legal counsel. He was promoted to general counsel in 1995.

“CCRI is the reason I am where I am today,” he said.

“ CCRI empowered me to confidently adopt a lifelong learning philosophy that assisted me in reaching the pinnacle of academic preparation within my field of nursing.”

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— ROSEMARY COSTIGAN ’78

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2016 SQUIRE AWARD HONOREES

Christopher

Eileen

Christopher S. Barber ’08 Barber wasn’t just a father to two small children, but was working full time when he enrolled in CCRI’s Nursing program. It was the clear choice for Barber: The college’s night and weekend program was the perfect option for his alreadypacked schedule, and he was determined to make a go out of nursing as a second career.

Now, as a registered nurse at The Miriam Hospital in Providence, he knows that decision paid off. Through his clinical rotations during the program, Barber was inspired to apply for and continue to excel in the medical surgical field, even going on to earn Miriam employee of the month in December 2013.

“I started the CCRI Nursing program as a second career choice feeling uncertain about where it would lead, only to finish optimistic and in a great career,” he said. “I love my profession, and the nursing instructors did a great job listening to and addressing our concerns and taking the time to help us begin our nursing career.”

Eileen Breslin Chaput ’82 Chaput has owned Wickford Appliance and Lighting, now with stores in North Kingstown, Pawtucket, Cranston and soon in Middletown, with her husband, Tim, since 1986. And while being a business owner wasn’t what she had initially planned for herself – she had aspirations of working in early childhood education – the long and satisfying career wouldn’t have been possible without her time at CCRI.

Jenny

Angela

“The experience that I received from CCRI assisted in my thirst for knowledge in any field – now the family business – and gave me confidence to keep on learning. The solid CCRI foundation that I received has prepared me for all stages of my life,” said Chaput.

She excelled at the college, making the most of the hands-on field experience that the early childhood education curriculum provided. She built on that experience as a substitute teacher for many years before joining her husband in growing the family business.

“I’m sincerely thankful to have been thought of for the CCRI Squire Award,” she added. “It has renewed my pride in my educational background.”

Jenny Chan-Remka ’88 When Chan-Remka came to the United States at the age of 16 from Hong Kong, she knew she needed a learning community that would offer her support and a flexible schedule. Because she faced cultural barriers that did not encourage higher education for women, she had to pay for college on her own. She found that learning community at CCRI, where she was able to fit in both working and studying full time.

Today, Chan-Remka is instrumental in the education of young people coming up through the public schools system. The assistant superintendent of the Woonsocket Education Department credited her own education, first at CCRI, then a bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College, master’s degrees from RIC and the University of Rhode Island, and a doctorate from Johnson &

Aida

Wales University, with preparing her to lead this inspiring life.

She continues to give back to the college as an English as a second language adjunct instructor. “I truly believe that my success started at CCRI,” she said. “[It was there that] I developed an interest in helping others.”

Angela M. Creta ’98 CCRI has long been a haven for the nontraditional student – individuals for whom higher education is a return, rather than a progression.

Creta, who already had a bachelor’s degree in marketing, came to CCRI full time to pursue her nursing degree while her three children were still toddlers.

And she didn’t stop there: Creta continued on to earn her bachelor’s and master’s in nursing at the University of Rhode Island and completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice in May 2015 from Simmons College. She is director, professional practice innovation/magnet at The Miriam Hospital.

A leader in her field, she now looks back fondly at the institution that provided a solid nursing education that helped her assume new roles and take advantage of many new opportunities.

“I feel privileged to be honored by the CCRI Alumni Board and I’m grateful for the many professional doors that CCRI opened for me,” she said. “CCRI provides students with a strong foundation that supports future success.”

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2016 SQUIRE AWARD HONOREES

Joanne

David

Anthony

Rick

Aida P. Crosson ’89 When Crosson walked into her first day of class at CCRI, she was a first-time college student with butterflies in her stomach, intimidated by the sheer size of the megastructure of the Knight Campus. But she was excited, too, and she excelled in her studies.

“CCRI has always had a special place in my heart,” she said. “It was the beginning of a great career path.”

Not content to stop with her associate degree in business administration, she went on to earn her bachelor’s in the same field at Johnson & Wales University. A lifelong student, she is expected to earn her Master of Public Administration degree from Roger Williams University in May 2017.

She has put that considerable education to use in a diverse array of professional contexts: as director of personnel for former Attorney

“ CCRI provides students with a strong foundation that supports future success.”

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— ANGELA M. CRETA ’98

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General Patrick C. Lynch, former deputy secretary of state under A. Ralph Mollis, and now as community affairs director for U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. She also remains active in her community, serving as the founder and chair for the Lupus Foundation benefit Runway for a Cure, and was a board member for the Girl Scouts of Southern New England, International Personnel Management Association and others.

Joanne Daly ’79 When Daly was a student at Toll Gate High School in Warwick, a professor of fashion merchandising from CCRI came to speak to her class, and it sparked her interest in the college. Though fashion merchandising wasn’t her ultimate destination, it proved the start of a great journey.

“At CCRI, I explored different majors,” she said, eventually deciding on accounting.

She would go on to her late father’s alma mater, Bryant College, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Daly has had a long career in financial services, and is first vice president/ financial adviser at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Earlier in her career, she became a CPA in management at Ernst and Young, serving as the only woman in management in its large Pittsburgh office.

She volunteers throughout the state. Among others, she is a member of the Investment Committee for South County Hospital, Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants

COVER STORY

Women Leadership Council and Financial Planning and Literacy Committee, General Federation of Women’s Clubs, South County chapter, and a member of the fundraising committee for the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County. Daly is also a 2012 graduate of Leadership Rhode Island and has been honored with the YWCA Women of Achievement Award for her work helping women to become financially empowered.

David P. DiSanto ’77 A lifelong Rhode Islander, DiSanto continues to impact his community both as a business and civic leader. After earning his associate degree from CCRI, where he credits professor Jack Renza with inspiring him to become an accountant, DiSanto went on to what was then Bryant College, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration as well as a master’s degree in taxation and served as his class valedictorian.

“CCRI provides students with a great foundation of knowledge at an affordable price,” he reflected when asked what drew him to the college.

Drawing on decades of experience in the public accounting sector, he is a partner in DiSanto, Priest & Co., a Warwick-based tax, accounting and business consulting firm, where he serves as director of business development.

A member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Aurora Civic Association and the Alpine Country Club, as well as a board member of Coastway Community Bank and Alliott Group, he is an in-demand presence on the professional and academic lecture circuits.

Anthony J. Goes ’02 It has been a busy couple of years for Goes.

In 2015, he made two big debuts: as the lead, Stanley Kowalski, in “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the Gamm Theatre, in his hometown of Pawtucket, and in television on CBS’s “Person of Interest.” This spring, he will be making his off-Broadway debut in a play called “Fly.” The recent success has come on the heels of over a decade of hard work in the theater world, all inspired by his early experiences at CCRI, where he earned his associate degree in fine

“ CCRI gave me a path to follow and helped develop the hunger that I still carry with me in 2016, as I continue to chase my dreams.”

arts. Goes continued his education and earned his bachelor’s degree from Salem State University and a Master of Fine Arts in acting from the University of Connecticut.

“CCRI gave me a path to follow and helped develop the hunger that I still carry with me in 2016, as I continue to chase my dreams,” said Goes, who discovered his love for the theater when, as an understudy, he was called upon by Professor Bert Silverberg to take on a lead role in a CCRI Players production.

“To be recognized by the school that helped me find this path I’m on today is an absolute honor,” he said.

Rick Norberg ’94 When Norberg graduated from high school, he knew that a college degree would be what would set him apart in the working world. Now the president of Atrion SMB, an information technology services company in Warwick, Rhode Island, he was just as savvy back then.

Norberg did not want to incur debt for his degree, so he started out at CCRI, making sure that his classes would transfer to Bryant College, where he would eventually earn his Bachelor of Science in management. He built his résumé there, too; working full time for such companies as Stream International Inc., Compaq Computer Corp. and Fidelity during his time as an undergrad, fitting classes in whenever he could at night.

Now he is his own boss as the co-founder of Atrion SMB, a company whose annual revenues have grown, under his leadership, to $5.1 million.

Additionally, Norberg is active in his community,

— ANTHONY J. GOES ’02

serving on the board of Junior Achievement of Rhode Island.

“I am honored to be a graduate and product of CCRI,” he said. “It no doubt instilled some of my drive and willingness to sacrifice to make things happen.”

Cynthia A. Padula ’72 Padula’s career in nursing has been a lifelong passion. And, like many of her fellow nurses and nurse-educators in the state of Rhode Island, she got her start at CCRI. “I graduated second in my high school class, but I was unsure of how to proceed,” said Padula.

“I decided to go to CCRI because the tuition was very reasonable and I could become a nurse in two years.”

After accomplishing that first step and earning her associate degree, she went on to earn her bachelor’s from Salve Regina College, master’s from Boston University and her doctorate from the University of Connecticut.

Padula has spent her life ensuring that the next generation of nurses have access to quality education. As part of a long and rewarding career that has included publishing in numerous journals, Padula has been a faculty member at Salve Regina University, the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. She is a professor and director of the master’s program at RIC and per diem nurse researcher at The Miriam Hospital.

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FEATURE

Creating pathways to opportunity, one student at a time

“ I believe that it takes a village, and I’m going to ask the alumni to be that first, closest circle of the village.” ­— D R. MEGHAN HUGHES President

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r. Meghan Hughes, a former liberal arts faculty member raised by teachers who undeniably shaped her ethics and ethos, said

there was only one job that would draw her back into academia.

On Feb. 1, she stepped into that role: president of the Community College of Rhode Island. As former executive director of Year Up Providence, a nonprofit that provides one year of college credit along with intensive training and skills development programs for low-

income adults, Hughes is hyper-aware of the gaps that exist between the educational ideal that everyone should have access to a quality education and the reality that not all students receive equal treatment.

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In her eyes, leading New England’s largest community college is an important step in creating a more equitable playing field.

“From a very early age, I saw myself choosing this path of education,” she said.

A product of the public school system in Indianapolis, Hughes, the daughter of a teacher and a trial lawyer, said she “grew up with a dinner table that actively discussed the relationship between race, class, ZIP code and access to a quality education.

“I was raised by parents and grandparents who really believed that education is the bedrock of this country, and if we say we believe that everyone has a right to a quality education, we better make sure we are actually delivering it to everyone, regardless of ZIP code,” she added.

Coming of age in the ’70s, Hughes remembers watching, from afar, the desegregation of Boston public schools. She watched as her classes began to be largely defined by ZIP code, the honors track culling its students from within a mile of her house in an upper middle-class suburban community.

“I credit my public school education with being the single most important element in my life beyond my parents in terms of forming who I am,” she said. “What was so rich about my experience was that I absolutely formed friendships, relationships, and was educated by people who came from a profoundly different socioeconomic background than my own and helped me, at a young age, truly experience that the world is a big place. And not everyone sees the way you and your family do.”

Hughes underscored how equally important her family’s stories were in shaping her own. Her great-grandmother, who helped raise Hughes, grew up in an Irish Catholic coal miner’s family in a community in western Pennsylvania. Both of her parents were illiterate, but she became a schoolteacher in the early 1900s. “She was a living example of how education brought her out of poverty into a life where she could really contribute to a society. She was a lifelong educator,” said Hughes, adding that a picture of her great-grandmother in front of her one-room schoolhouse with a class of 35 students was the first thing she proudly installed on her office wall.

And though Hughes’ grandfather had to drop out of school in the eighth grade to help support his family during the Depression in Chicago, it was his “mythic American entrepreneurial spirit” that eventually paid for her education at Yale University, where she studied history.

An early adopter of flight, an airfield her grandfather purchased in rural Illinois grew into a significant airport, and he earmarked funds for Hughes, her siblings and cousins to graduate college debt free.

So there are, among many, two important themes for Hughes when she surveys her life’s accomplishments and what lies ahead in her vision for CCRI. First, that education is key. But second, that while work ethic should be honed and celebrated, it is far from the only ingredient in the recipe for success.

“Any time I hear someone who was born into privilege not announce that right up front, it feels disingenuous. Here’s what I know. I have worked hard my entire life. I didn’t get a free pass. However, what I did get was an exceptional head start,” she said.

Understanding her own beginnings and wanting to open those opportunities to others has translated into a clear calling for Hughes.

Though her time at Year Up was marked by such notable successes as signing a dual enrollment contract with CCRI in 2010, bringing former

Brown University President Ruth Simmons into the Year Up family on its national board, and overseeing the expansion of the nonprofit to twice its size during a time when Rhode Island ranked No. 1 in unemployment nationally, Hughes said her proudest moments were watching individual students succeed.

“Watching a young adult whom the entire world had been betting against for 18 to 24 years cross the Year Up graduation stage with a job in hand and an education plan: That’s the fuel that still keeps me going,” she said. “It’s one student at a time, one human being at a time.”

To Hughes, the position of a community college presidency represented the chance to take that passion for the individual student and grow it to scale. “We know that 40 percent of all college students in the United States are community college students and we know that percentage is growing. This represents the greatest potential for this country’s future.

What could be more inspiring than that? It’s an incredible chance to create a pathway to opportunity,” she said.

Before she took office, she was a regular visitor to campus, meeting with her predecessor, Ray Di Pasquale, and his senior leadership team as well as with students, faculty and staff during “office hours”-style appointments. At that time, Hughes spoke of an “anticipatory delight and satisfaction” at the chance to serve the college’s diverse student body, made up of everyone from high school seniors taking part in the Running Start program to lifelong learners returning to the classroom after decades away.

“Every time I come in, I see students coming in who bring with them this energy and openness to working in partnership with their instructors and administrators. The persistence, resiliency, grit and intelligence of our students is incredibly inspiring to me,” she said.

Hughes sees the people who make up the college – the students, faculty and staff – as her most valuable resource. She wants her tenure as president to come with a high-energy, laser-like focus on excellence, accountability and support and emphasized that she is interested in creating an open and bilateral channel for feedback. But the notion that CCRI offers a wellspring of opportunity, of diversity, of narratives, of ideas and of hope needs to be heard by everyone, Hughes said.

“I want CCRI to be a secret to no one, a discovery to no one,” she said.

This is particularly true when it comes to job creation and job training, Hughes said. She sees herself as here to serve the students first and foremost, and any student in the halls these days will be quick to say that quality employment prospects are top of mind. Hughes said she wants to work with local employers – as she did at Year Up, forging partnerships with power players such as Gilbane Inc, Hasbro and CVS – and alumni to build a strong network for students once they leave the college.

“Alumni need to play an instrumental role in coaching and advising our current students,” she said. “I believe that it takes a village, and I’m going to ask the alumni to be that first, closest circle of the village.”

Hughes emphasized that those efforts would continue to coincide with a solid liberal arts foundation. Herself a product and practitioner of a strong liberal arts education, she sees the liberal arts and STEM fields as existing in an inextricable link.

“It is in the liberal arts where you should be learning how to be creative, how to be innovative, how to ask challenging questions, how to read, how to think, how to write, how to analyze and how to research,” she said. “Liberal arts is, in essence, workforce development of the highest kind.”

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INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Why I give: Sharen Gleckman ’80

S

haren Gleckman ’80 was well into her career with the Providence Public School District when, surrounded by educators, she began to think about taking her own education to the next level.

A human resources specialist in the district, she assisted in coaching teachers and counseling them on which certificates and specialties to pursue. She found she enjoyed the recruitment and counseling connected with her job, and realized that pursuing a degree in a social work-related field could lead her to new rewarding experiences.

“I chose CCRI because it came highly recommended from individuals who had graduated from there,” she said, adding that she continued to work full time for the school department while completing her associate degree in Human Services.

“I’m a Type A personality; I like to get good grades,” she said. “So I worked hard to maintain a high average.”

Gleckman graduated with honors from the college and went on to do the same with her bachelor’s degree at Rhode Island College, while still maintaining full-time employment.

She worked in the school department for more than 40 years until she retired six years ago, shortly after spearheading the movement to rename Laurel Hill Avenue Elementary School in honor of the late Frank D. Spaziano, an educator and former director of human resources for the Providence School Department. Given the amount of work she had put into her life so far, you’d think Gleckman would be content to sit back and relax. However, life had other plans for her.

“A fellow high school classmate of mine said, ‘I’ve got the perfect job for you,’” she recalled when Monty Monteiro approached her about joining the CCRI Alumni Board.

Gleckman pursued her new involvement with gusto, contributing not just money to help fund scholarships and book awards to assist students in financial need, but time as well, obtaining gift certificates from vendors for auctions, and serving on the travel and book awards committees. She has recruited board members, such as Ana Cruz, and recommended honorees for special events, including Aida Crosson at

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“ It’s very rewarding to give back and assist individuals to help fulfill their dreams in life.”

this year’s Society of the Knights event and Doris De Los Santos at last year’s Celebrating Alumni for 50 Years event.

“It’s very rewarding to give back and assist individuals to help fulfill their dreams in life,” said Gleckman of why she gives of her time and her resources to CCRI. “You hear the struggles individuals are going through by raising a family, working two or three jobs and questioning where they are going to get money so they don’t have to drop out of college. I listen to all these rewarding stories, and it’s wonderful, because I’m helping to contribute to the future.”

Gleckman often references poet Khalil Gibran’s “The Profit,” saying that, “the only true giving is when you give of yourself.” It’s

— SHAREN GLECKMAN ’80 that mantra that pushes her forward in her work with the Alumni Association. In addition to her own mentorship, time and resources, she hopes to serve as an example for fellow alumni to stand up, get involved and give back to the institution that gave them a start.

“You’re making a difference,” she said.

“You’re paving the way for others so that they, too, can make a difference. Get involved, be a role model and go for it.” _______ To learn how to establish a scholarship for students or donate to the Alumni Fund, call the Office of Institutional Advancement at 401-333-7150 or online at www.ccri.edu/ alumni.

CLASS NOTES

1970s

Calendar of events

1979 – Margaret (Peg) L. Crompton’s memoir “Me & My Dogs” in which she writes about the challenges and joys of pet ownership, is available for purchase on Amazon.com.

April 1

1990s

A Knight of Stars – Society of the Knights and Squire Awards See Page 6 for additional details.

April 5 to 8

All College Week 2016, events at all CCRI campuses

April 15

1999 – Jaime M. DeCosta has been hired

by BankRI as its new vice president and marketing manager.

Student voice recital, Knight Campus, Warwick

2000s

April 28

2002 – Anthony J. Goes played brutish Stanley Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in fall 2015.

May 14

2002 – Jupesi Gonzalez graduated with a Bachelor of Science in aquatics from Ball State University. He plans to attend graduate school at the university, with the goal of obtaining a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in emergency management and homeland security.

April 26

Jazz ensemble concert, Knight Campus, Warwick Chamber ensemble, Knight Campus, Warwick Alumni Association wine tasting and networking event, Chris Gasbarro’s Fine Wines & Spirits, Seekonk, Massachusetts See inside front cover for additional details.

May 20

Commencement, Knight Campus, Warwick

June 15

Alumni Golf Tournament, Crystal Lake Golf Club, Mapleville See back cover for additional details.

2008 – Alison Arsenault and Brandon Hayes were married on Sept. 19, 2015, at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford.

June 24 to 26

_______

This calendar lists some of the upcoming events and important dates involving Community College of Rhode Island students, alumni, faculty and staff. For more information about what is happening at CCRI campuses, visit www.ccri.edu.

What’s new in your life?

Send information to: CCRI Office of Alumni Affairs 1762 Louisquisset Pike Lincoln, RI 02865 Email: alumni@ccri.edu

“Hello Broadway,” Knight Campus, Warwick

In memoriam The Green & White Alumni Magazine publishes “In memoriam” in honor of college alumni.

Alumni Association trip to Niagara Falls in December 2015.

Normand L. Blain ’04 Stephen R. Boisclair ’10 Karen M. Brunelli ’86 John T. DiGrado ’72 Michael D. Downey ’80 Thomas L. Dwyer ’71 Dr. Raymond A. Ferland – Retired CCRI staff and faculty member William T. Gallonio ’68 Norma R. Gildea ’94 Jacqueline B. Low ’97 Linda L. (Savitsky) McCloud ’88 Chad E. Stephen ’08

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FLASHBACK

1999 – First Society of the Knights induction ceremony

The Community College of Rhode Island inducted seven alumni at the first Society of the Knights ceremony on Oct. 15, 1999, at Quidnessett Country Club.

The awards were created as a means of recognizing alumni for their outstanding professional achievements, community service and service to the college. The first group of graduates to be inducted to the Society of the Knights were Richard J. Cardin ’66, Tom Coderre ’89, Gerald P. Conroy ’74, Glenda M. Morrison ’87, Richard V. DiGennaro, CPA’79, Virginia K. Greenwood, M.D. ’73 and Sondra V. Ahlijian Pitts ’66. To date, 47 individuals have been honored.

The college will honor its ninth class of inductees on April 1. See Page 6 of this issue for details.

——— Pictured from left to right: Former director of Alumni Affairs Marcia Allen, Richard J. Cardin, Thomas Coderre, Virginia K. Greenwood, former Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Raymond A. Ferland, Glenda M. Morrison, Richard V. DiGennaro, Sondra V. Ahlijian Pitts and Alumni Association board member Robert Carosi. Society of the Knights inductee Gerald Conroy is not pictured.

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We’re looking for a few good alumni The Community College of Rhode Island is always seeking unique stories about members of the college community, especially alumni.

Are you a graduate who is changing lives or helping others achieve their dreams?

Share your story with us for possible coverage in a future issue of the Green & White or on the CCRI website.

Please send your story to: CCRI Office of Alumni Affairs, 1762 Louisquisset Pike, Lincoln, RI 02865 or alumni@ccri.edu.

M E M B E R U P D AT E

If you’re not receiving a discount on your auto insurance, PLEASE CALL METLIFE AUTO & HOME®: 1-877-491-5087 Community College of Rhode Island’s Alumni Association members will get a discount on auto insurance!

MetLife Auto & Home has screened top insurers to find companies that will offer competitive rates to our members. All you need to do is call one number to get multiple quotes from top-rated insurers that have agreed to give you an immediate member discount.

As a member of the Community College of Rhode Island’s Alumni Association, you could save hundreds** every year with discounts like these: n Up to 15% member discount n Up to 20% discount based on length of membership n Up to $250* credit for claim-free driving n Extra savings with a multi-policy discount

By calling MetLife Auto & Home, you’re making the most of your membership and you could save hundreds!

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*NY drivers must pay state-mandated minimum deductible before using this benefit. **Savings are based on an annualized average savings for a group auto policy where the customer provided his/her prior premium and prior carrier at the time of the original quote (between 01/1012/10) and where the written auto premium amount resulted in a price less than the disclosed prior carrier’s premium. Discounts may not be available from all carriers and are only available to those who qualify. Coverages, discounts and billing options are subject to state availability, individual qualification and/or the insuring company’s underwriting guidelines.

CCRI is not a sponsor of this program and is in no way responsible for the insurance provided through this program.

MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates: Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan General Insurance Company, Metropolitan Group Property and Casualty Insurance Company, and Metropolitan Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas, all with administrative home offices in Warwick, RI. Coverage, rates, and discounts are available in most states to those who qualify. MetP&C®, MetCasSM, and MetGenSM are licensed in Minnesota. © 2011 MetLife Auto & Home. L0711194521[exp0614][xMA]

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE ISLAND Liston Campus One Hilton St. Providence, RI 02905-2304

Stay connected

Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Providence, RI Permit No. 1693

SAVE THE DATE 14th Annual Golf Tournament

Wednesday, June 15 • Crystal Lake Golf Club, Mapleville, R.I. For more information, call 401-333-7150 or visit www.ccri.edu/alumni/golf.

7:30 a.m. — Registration 8:15 a.m. — Shotgun tee-off, Texas Scramble format The number of students needing assistance continues to grow. Proceeds raised through this event will help the Alumni Association provide tuition assistance and emergency funds for college expenses as well as money to buy textbooks and supplies.