Eastern Magazine Winter 2020

Issue 32

Winter 2020

A Decade of Opportunity for Eastern Students

Staff and Contributors Executive Editor Kenneth DeLisa Editor Edward Osborn Associate Editor Michael Rouleau Designers Leigh Balducci | Kevin Paquin Contributors Kathryn Arena ‘21 | Dwight Bachman | Meghan Carden | Peter Dane Joseph McGann | Robert Molta | Mekaila Stefano ‘20 | Michael Stenko | Jon Wilson ‘22 Photographer Tom Hurlbut Editor’s Note We encourage alumni and other readers to share their stories with us. Send us a Class Note. Tell us what you like and want more of in EASTERN Magazine.

Share stories of your time at Eastern . . . or what you are doing now by emailing us at editor@easternct.edu

EASTERN Magazine is published by the Division of Institutional Advancement for the benefit of alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of Eastern Connecticut State University.

EASTERN Magazine is printed on coated paper that is certified by three environmental groups and manufactured with 30 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.

From the President’s Desk This issue’s cover story, “A Decade of Opportunity,” found on pages 20-23, provides a brief snapshot of some of Eastern’s special moments over the past 10 years. While this is just a glimpse of the progress we have made during this time, the hard work of our students, faculty and staff have positioned Eastern h ffuture as we start the third decade of wellll ffor the the new millennium.

This past September we learned that Eastern Connecticut State University was ranked as New England’s top public regional university in the North in this year’s U.S. News and World Report ratings. We were also New England’s top public regional university in the North Region when it comes to “Best Value,” a measure of academic quality and affordability. Not only is the North Region the most competitive in the country, it spans from the Canadian-Maine border down to Washington, D.C., and out to Pennsylvania.

Such national recognition is gratifying and should be a source of pride for every member of the Eastern community. Accolades aside, the real-life success of our alumni — as professionals, active members of their communities and engaged citizens — is the ultimate measure of our value as an institution of higher learning.

It is fitting then, that much of this issue of EASTERN Magazine is devoted to showcasing the success of alumni in a variety of professions.

Connecticut’s television industry includes local affiliates for all four major broadcast networks as well as ESPN’s global headquarters in Bristol.

Read how Eastern’s modernized Communication Building — complete with a new television operation and radio station — is helping to prepare

our graduates for success in front of and behind the television camera.

Founded as a teacher preparation school 130 years ago, Eastern continues to prepare teachers for a variety of roles, including that of athletic coach. In this issue, you can learn more about the successes of alumni who are coaching at the high school and college level. One coach hasn’t even graduated from Eastern yet!

This issue also highlights the accomplishments of our 12th class of Eastern Fellows, three outstanding alumni who returned to campus this past October to share their success and career advice with Eastern students. This year’s class brings our total of Eastern Fellows to 35 inductees since the program began in 2008-09.

With more than 30,000 living alumni, it would be impossible to tell all their stories, but I assure you, we are proud of every one of them. In addition to the articles I have just mentioned, I encourage you to check in on your classmates in “Class Notes,” which spans from 1959 to 2019 — 60 years of Eastern alumni!

While we are pleased to focus much of this issue of EASTERN Magazine on our alumni, there are other stories for your reading pleasure found in these pages, and we hope you enjoy them!

As I near the end of my 14th year as Eastern’s president, I continue to be inspired by the students who walk our halls, the faculty and staff who are dedicated to their success, and the Eastern alumni who demonstrate why we are here — to transform lives and serve the state of Connecticut.

Elsa M. Núñez President

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 1

T Steady Support from Faithful Donors EASTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE SUPPORT FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER PROGRAMS FROM DONORS WHO HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR GENEROUS GIVING OVER THE YEARS. Above front row: Ann Gruenberg MS ’80, Mary Shea Sweeney ’54, Kathleen Fabian ’72; back row: William Strouse ’63, Matthew Abel ’14, Jennifer Reid Morrison ’84

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Jennifer Reid Morrison ’84 easily explains why she has remained a donor year after year. “I like Eastern’s philosophy. It builds a community of lifelong learners,” she says. “I felt a part of something. Kind of a home away from home.”

Morrison grew up in West Haven, graduated from West Haven High School in 1979 and has lived in the greater New Haven area throughout her life. She earned her Eastern degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Psychology.

For more than 18 years, Morrison has been a recreation therapy coordinator for Masonicare at Ashar Village, in

the assisted living recreation department known as “Pond Ridge” in Wallingford, CT. She feels her Eastern education helped her develop communication skills to find a niche working with senior citizens. “In my life senior citizens have played such an important role.

I communicate well with them.”

Mike Pernal came to Eastern in 1969 as a counselor and education instructor and was later promoted to assistant professor. He retired in 2013 after serving the University for 44 years, completing his career as executive vice president.

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THANK “When I was first asked as an employee to make a contribution in support of Eastern and its students, I regarded it as an obligation that I was happy to undertake,” Pernal recalls. “As the years went on, this sense of obligation changed to a feeling of pride for playing a small but important part of Eastern’s transformation into a quality liberal arts institution. As a retiree, I retain this sense of pride and look forward to continuing my support each year.”

Not long after she graduated from Eastern, Kathleen Fabian ’72 was working for a software company and thought it would be a good idea to take some computer classes at Manchester Community College (MCC).

She found the classes to be interesting and eventually applied for an administrative position at MCC that required data processing experience. “The job description could have been written for me,” she says, and she was hired as assistant registrar. “Every student had to come and see me once each semester to register for classes, so I saw everyone on campus.”

Eventually Fabian came to Eastern, where she served as registrar for more than 20 years. Since her retirement, she has remained active as a volunteer, serving on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association and the ECSU Foundation, Inc.

“I always thought of giving to Eastern as the right thing to do, and it became easy because of payroll deduction. During my years here, I saw the growth of the campus, and the encouragement that faculty and staff gave to the students. Eastern faculty were teachers and they cared.

The campus was intimate, and allowed me to grow.”

Robert Strouse ’63 was president of the Class of 1963, and is married to the former Judith Dolan who graduated from Eastern in 1965. He has very fond memories of his years on campus and his classmates. “We were all training to become teachers, and we were all very close. There couldn’t have been more than 75 in our graduating class, so we did everything together.” He and Judy married after his graduation, and he began his career teaching junior high school science in Waterford, going on to become an assistant principal and then a principal in the Groton Public Schools.

point to stay connected and to donate money to the school every year, and that’s what I learned from him. He instilled in me that giving back to your school was important.”

When Eastern began soliciting donations by mail years after they graduated, the Strouses knew immediately they were going to help. “I sent a check in response to that first letter, and I’ve been giving ever since,” says Robert. “I’m going to continue giving every year until I die.”

Stanley Morytko Jr. ’74 attended Alumni Day in fall 1984 after being laid off from Electric Boat that August.

He went to a seminar for people seeking employment, and afterwards spoke to the woman running the seminar. He returned the following week and she identified several companies that might want to hire him.

“Eastern gave me a good education, and the overall environment really nurtured me and gave me the foundation for all the success that I had as a teacher and administrator.”

YOU

Strouse’s father was an attorney and graduated from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. “He made it a

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 3

raising seven children with her husband, Paul. Her daughter, Sheila Sweeney Hummel ’83, is the director of the Small Business Development Office for the State of Connecticut. Mary’s son, John, served as Eastern’s associate vice president for finance for 10 years before being appointed senior vice president/ CFO at Providence College in 2010.

“Philanthropy was instilled in me by my parents and we tried to instill it in our family,” says Mary. “My husband died in 1996 but we always contributed to his alma mater, Boston College, and my two colleges, Eastern and St. Joe’s, because education was always so important to us. We started this trend and I have continued it year after year.”

John Sweeney, Mary Shea Sweeney and Dr. Núñez

Within months he was hired by the Air Force Plant Representative Office at Pratt & Whitney. “I was so grateful that the Eastern Placement Office was there for me when I needed it the most,” Morytko says, “and I have been giving back ever since.”

Stanley credits his late friend Brian Massey ’68, who he worked with at Electric Boat, for encouraging him to join the alumni association in 1979. “It was through the alumni newsletter that I was aware of the seminar in fall 1984.

Thanks to Brian, the woman at the Placement Center and divine intervention!”

Roger Abell ’70 started with Potter’s Oil in 1958. During the 1960s, he fluctuated between part-time and full-time employment status while an Eastern student, graduating with a degree in mathematics. He took over the company in 1990 with his wife, Tina.

Abell’s great aunt Clara Loomis Abell was the first family member to graduate from Eastern when she earned her diploma from Willimantic State Normal School in 1900.

Roger and Tina watched their son, Matthew, graduate in 2014 and their youngest son, Eric, will graduate this coming May. Their daughter Lori graduated in 1990 with a Business Administration major.

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“IT HAS BEEN MY HONOR TO BE A PART OF EASTERN’S ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, SUPPORTING ITS CONTINUED GROWTH AND LENDING A HELPING HAND TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS.” – Roger Abell ’70 “We all thank Eastern for providing us with a great academic foundation to the world beyond the classroom,” says Abell. “It has been my honor to be a part of Eastern’s annual giving campaign for the past 30 years, supporting its continued growth and lending a helping hand to the next generation of students.”

Mary Shea Sweeney ’54 has a connection to Eastern and the teaching profession that runs deep. Her mother, Eileen Sullivan Shea, graduated from Willimantic State Normal School in 1918 and taught in Colchester for more than 35 years.

An October 2018 Norwich Bulletin story noted that the Shea family had devoted a staggering 203 years to teaching.

Mary lived in Bozrah for 62 years,

Ann Gruenberg MS ’80 calls herself “an accidental academic” yet ended up spending 25 years teaching in the Education Department part time and then as a full-time professor specializing in early childhood and special education.

Gruenberg retired from Eastern in 2015 but stays busy volunteering, including a stint as president of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. She is proud to be a steady donor to the ECSU Foundation, Inc. — “I have some pretty deep roots in Eastern” — and applauds the University’s longstanding commitment to serving local communities, as well as the personal connections that are possible due to Eastern’s scale.

“Eastern has retained its value and character — it’s very distinctive, and keeps people involved and motivated to stay.” As to her philosophy on philanthropy, “I think it’s important for people to know that there are different ways to support organizations they appreciate.”

She says her own giving represents “the gratitude that I felt for having been a student here and then getting a job here.”

Held on Sept. 28, the second annual Andrej 5K Fun Run/Walk raised more than $17,000 in honor of the late Andrej Cavarkapa ’09. More than 150 people showed up for the brisk Saturday morning event at Mansfield Hollow State Park; runners from six other states and two other countries ran remotely. All proceeds went to the Andrej Cavarkapa Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

Cavarkapa was a science teacher at RHAM High School, where he was known as “Mr. C” and for his passion about physics and chemistry.

Heather Lepper ’12, a close friend and event organizer, commented: “The event was simply incredible. It was an emotional day but the love and support from all those who attended really made it special.

“It’s nice to have this as an annual memorial run for Andrej and it gives everyone an opportunity to come together and celebrate his life once a year,” said Lepper. “It means so much to us to see all of those whom he had an effect on come and run in his honor.”

is difficult to talk about him now in the past tense. He was caring, he loved other people and he was a loyal friend — all who knew him would agree.”

To donate to the Andrej Cavarkapa Memorial Endowed Scholarship, please visit https://ecsufoundation.com/andrej5k/.

Andrej’s father, Branko, business professor at Eastern, said: “It is about making education more affordable for others. It

ECSU Foundation Establishes Dr. Celia Catlett Prize in English “I have loved to write since childhood,” explains Celia Catlett, emerita professor of English, “and throughout my teaching career attempted to convince (sometimes recalcitrant) students that the written word is a magic code, which mastered, opens many doors.

I am pleased to join my daughter, Katherine Anderson, in setting up a yearly award for the best senior capstone project by an English major to be called the ‘Dr. Celia Catlett Prize in English.’”

Anderson, executive director of development for major gifts at Cornell University, had previously set up a scholarship to honor her late father Thomas Patrick Anderson, professor emeritus of history.

Catlett taught in Eastern’s English Department from 1972 until her retirement in 2001.

For 10 years she was the University’s writing director.

“Being writing director was a challenging but rewarding job,” recalls Catlett. “My two mandates when I was appointed were to choose or set up a method for assessing the writing skills of incoming freshmen and to establish writing across the curriculum.

My overall goal was to create a writing culture at Eastern.

“I strongly hold that being able to write in a thoughtful and coherent way—whether in science, technology, business or in the arts—is one of the prime skills that higher education can foster in students.”

True to this principle, Catlett insisted that freshman placement testing include a sample of student writing done on site. The program she developed for writing across the curriculum included two requirements beyond freshman writing: a 200-level requirement in each department and a capstone writing project in the senior year to demonstrate that students could write effectively in their chosen discipline. The program encouraged students to take a professional attitude about writing.

Catlett earned her B.A. (magna cum laude) from Saint Louis University, an M.A. from the University of Connecticut, and her Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island in literature and stylistics.

Dr. Celia Catlett

She was awarded two National Endowment for the Humanities’ grants and was a Mellon Fellow at Yale University, working with the writing director there to learn about Yale’s writing program.

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 5

Theatre students presented Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Our Town” in November. The iconic production showcases everyday life in mythical Grover’s Corners, NH, in the early 1900s.

Our Town

“Convergence” showcased the talents of Eastern students, faculty and alumni with guest artist Charles Anderson of the University of Texas-Austin to feature African music, ballet, 0H[LFDQ GDQFH DQG RWKHU LQÁXHQFHV VHW DJDLQVW YLGHR DQG ÀOP EDFNGURSV

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In September 2019, Eastern students used multi-media, music and dance to present “Africa to America.” The play chronicled the heritage and legacy of African Americans, covering an arch from regal life in Africa to the slave trade to the Civil Rights movement of the 20th century.

africa to america

convergence EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 7

CHANGING PLACES

By Michael Rouleau ’11

One former Warrior turned coach is Molly Rathbun ’12, a four-time All-American and two-time national pitcherof-the-year on the Eastern softball team. After beginning her collegiate coaching career at Muhlenberg College, Rathbun is now the head softball coach at Trinity College in Hartford.

“My experience at Eastern as a student athlete was life changing,” she said. “Everything I am doing today is in large part because of my time at Eastern. I was pushed every day to be the best version of myself. I was taught to work hard, to never doubt, and to find strength in your unit. Being a part of a team showed me the value of support and how important it is to cherish the relationships you have with those around you.”

MOLLYRATHBUN The goal of sport extends far beyond beating opponents or breaking records. It’s more than rivalry or tradition or physical excellence. Underneath the sweat and bruises, the victories and defeats, lies the essence of sport — commitment, perseverance, integrity.

Through their trials on the court and field, many Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors have developed these traits. With their lessons learned and wisdom gained, some of these former collegiate athletes continue to compete, but in a different way. They are now coaches, guiding their players through sport and life just as they were guided at Eastern.

8 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

“Do the little things right and the big things will follow.”

Rathbun

“The common goal is bigger than personal gains.” Esposito Sport as a means to develop character is a common theme among Eastern alumni coaches. Matt Esposito ’13 was a four-year starter on the soccer team who played midfield and defense. He’s now the men’s soccer coach at Sage College in New York.

“It’s much more than just wins and losses,” he said.

“We focus on the individual and how soccer can help them grow as a person. We focus on accountability.

I like to use the sport of soccer to develop strong ng values and character for young people.”

Michael Devine ’15 concurs. He’s the head boys’ lacrosse coach at Cheshire High School as well as a physical education/ health teacher at Stafford High School.

“Wins and losses will come, but building lasting relationships and making people into better men and women is what’s really important. At the end of the day there is more to life than lacrosse. Caring about the athlete as a whole person is what truly matters.” .”

MICHAELDEVINE

MATTESPOSITO Devine relates his coaching philosophy to that of his Eastern coaches, when he was a four-time all-conference midfielder on the lacrosse team under former head coach Justin Axel. “My experience at Eastern was probably the biggest influence on why I wanted to become a coach,” he said. “Coach Axel’s philosophy, preparation and dedication was unmatched and really turned my eye to the coaching profession.”

“Your players don’t care what you know until they know you care.” Devine EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 9

“Success is not measured in wins and losses, but whether an athlete shows up to achieve their goals.”

Boisette Overcoming adversity is another theme that Eastern’s alumni coaches work to impart on their players. Former track and field All-New England runner John Boisette ’17 is now the assistant track and cross country coach at Utica College in New York.

“Eastern taught me to persevere, the importance of optimism and how to take constructive criticism.

JOHNBOISETTE

“Track and field requires self-reflection; you cannot improve all around until you become aware of and invest in your weaknesses,” continued Boisette, who pushes his athletes outside of their comfort zones by requiring them to try events outside of their specialty. “This instills passion and commitment to self-improvement and reminds them that change is good.”

10 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

BENDESAULNIER

“It’s not about the end result, but the journey getting there.” Berkowsky Rachel Berkowsky ’18 is another track and field coach with thoughts on perseverance. A former soccer player and allconference track runner at Eastern, she is now the assistant coach at E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield — as well as a graduate student at the University of Connecticut pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science.

“I’ve always believed that it’s not about the end result, but the journey getting there,” said Berkowsky. She remembers a track meet in high school in which she missed qualifying for advancement by less than four-hundredths of a second. “I was so disappointed that I missed the qualifying time by less than half a second.

“Now I realize that the disappointment I felt only made me a stronger runner. I hope that if my athletes at E.O. Smith go through a similar situation, I can help them find the positives.”

Perhaps the youngest of Eastern’s cohort of coaches is Ben Desaulnier, unique in being hired as a head coach while still a student at Eastern and not a student athlete. The junior business administration major was recently named the head baseball coach at Killingly High School. Previously he coached alongside former Eastern All-American and Chicago Cubs pitcher Scott Chiasson with the Connecticut Hurricanes, a highly competitive travel baseball team based out of Norwich.

“I believe that players need to take ownership of their team,” said Desaulnier of his philosophy. “I empower my players to be leaders through establishing relationships with each of them.”

After graduating from Eastern, he intends to get a master’s degree in teaching. “Someday I hope to lead a college baseball program and coach for a living. Getting my first high school varsity coaching job at 20 years of age is a big first step in hopefully a successful career.”

RACHELBERKOWSKY EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 11

Goddard KPE Lab

Goddard and Shafer: A brand new look

Two buildings on the Eastern campus with storied pasts reopened their doors in fall 2019 after undergoing extensive renovations for more than a year. Shafer Hall, IRUPHUO\ KRPH WR WKH 8QLYHUVLW\Ĺ?V Ć“QH DUWV SURJUDPV has been transformed into a contemporary loft-style UHVLGHQFH KDOO *RGGDUG +DOO WKH 8QLYHUVLW\Ĺ?V Ć“UVW IDFLOLW\ GHYRWHG WR VFLHQFH KDV EHHQ RXWĆ“WWHG ZLWK QHZ ODEV and state-of-the-art technology.

Constructed in 1946, Shafer Hall was Eastern’s sole academic and administrative building for many years and remains one of the University’s most historic buildings.

While major renovations have converted it into a residence hall, the building retains its original glazed block arches, wooden benches lining the hallway and other classic touches. The original lobby’s raised paneling was restored and continues to serve as an entrance to the remodeled auditorium and a new cafÊ.

Goddard Psychology Lab

12 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

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Shafer Kitchen Lounge

Shafer Game Room

The building has capacity for 91 residents. Single apartments

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bedroom furniture, while three- and four-person suites include

research, lifespan and cognitive observation. Goddard has a

private bedrooms, kitchens and separate bath and toilet facil-

new “performance lab� for the Kinesiology and Physical Edu-

ities.

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pose as a gym for campus-wide student use. Other highlights

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include a game room, a kitchen lounge where students can gather to cook communal dinners, as well as computer, study and meeting rooms. All new mechanical systems, electrical, SOXPELQJ VSULQNOHUV GDWD FRQQHFWLYLW\ ZLQGRZV Ĺ´RRUV DQG URRĆ“QJ PHHW WKH XQLYHUVLW\Ĺ?V KLJK VWDQGDUGV IRU VDIHW\ WHFKQROogy and environmental stewardship.

The newly reopened Goddard Hall marks the completion of the Goddard/Communication Renovation Project; the Communication Building reopened in fall 2018. Completely gutted and rehabbed, Goddard Hall has new labs, classrooms and Shafer CafĂŠ

Goddard KPE Lab

Goddard Psychology Lab

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 13

Warriors@Work Former Eastern Field Hockey player Brianna Passero ’16, M’17 talks to current student-athletes about making her transition from student-athlete to auditor for the State of Connecticut Auditors of Public Accounts. Other student-athlete alumni sharing their experiences at the annual Warriors@ Work professional development program on Nov. 19 included John Boisette ’17, Lexis Foster ’17, Cooper Goslin ’18 and Alexandra Steward ’17.

History Alumni/Student Networking Event November 20, 2019 History alumni shared their career experiences with students at a professional development networking event on Nov. 20. Jacob Avery ’21 moderated the panel, which included John Allen ’14, Shawn Batchelder ’17, Ian Carey ’15, Morgan Considine ‘16, Ara Daglian ’18 and Christine Geer ’15. Geer chairs the “History Alumni Collaboration,” a group of alumni working to develop connections with current History students.

FALL ALUMNI EVENTS “Coach” Dan Switchenko presents Bonnie Edmondson ’87 with her Education Award from spring 2019 at the Women’s Basketball Alumni Day 14 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

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EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 15

EASTERN INDUCTS TH 12 CLASS of FELLOWS A liberal arts education ‘connects the dots’

Laurens “Larry” Smith ’77

Justin Piro ’05

Eastern Connecticut State University inducted three alumni into its distinguished Eastern Fellows program on Oct. 23. The 12th class of Eastern Fellows includes Laurens “Larry” Smith ’77, interim vice president of statewide campuses at Utah State University; Justin Piro ’05, principal research scientist at AbbVie’s Foundational Neuroscience Center; and Cody Guarnieri ’09, a lawyer and partner with the law firm Brown, Paindiris & Scott.

During their campus visit, the three alumni made classroom appearances and held a panel discussion in the library, in addition to being formally inducted as Eastern Fellows during a luncheon hosted by President Elsa Núñez.

A Biology major, Smith is a former researcher and college professor at Idaho State University who has spent the second half of his career as a senior university administrator. After years working as a professor of physiology and anatomy, he is now responsible for oversight of eight regional campuses and 25 education centers in Utah’s state university system. Smith fondly recalled an ecology field course to Bermuda as an undergraduate, led by former biology professors Barry Wulff and Mike Gable. Gable’s research interests in 16 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

Cody Guarnieri ’09

invertebrates became his own, and a topic of study later in Smith’s research career.

Piro is a Biochemistry major who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry since earning his Ph.D. at Dartmouth Medical School in 2011. He credits Eastern with setting him on the path of professional research that he’s enjoyed throughout his career — developing therapies for neurological disorders and injuries, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and traumatic brain injury. Piro said his work-study jobs in the Department of Biology led to summer research experiences at Wesleyan University, which solidified his desire to work in a laboratory.

A Political Science and History & Social Science double major, Guarnieri is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on criminal defense and personal injury litigation. He was elected to partnership with his firm just six years after graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2012. Guarnieri said when he came to Eastern he was sure he wanted to be a high school teacher. After job shadowing for one day, however, he decided that teaching high school students wasn’t for him. After a field course in Ireland, he became interested in political history, which led to an

internship at the public defender’s office in New Britain and eventually to law school.

Smith admitted to “knowing a lot of dots, but not knowing how to connect them.”

He said a liberal arts education was critical in making those connections, citing courses on logic that taught him the value of reasoning.

During the panel, Piro remarked on the soft skills developed by a liberal arts education. “They’re the most important skills,” he said.

“We can develop technical knowledge, but if you can’t think critically or communicate effectively, that knowledge is useless.” He added that students’ academic experience at Eastern, a public university, is equal to that of private liberal arts colleges. “The same quality. They’re just paying a premium” at a private school, he said.

Guarnieri recalled stimulating conversations with Father Larry LaPointe, head of Eastern’s Campus Ministry, whose contemplative masses helped foster his “analytical thinking framework.” Guarnieri assured students that “there are no barriers to anyone coming from Eastern who wants to become a lawyer.” Speaking to the rigors of law school, he added, “I did not feel any disadvantage compared to my peers.”

Naturally inclined toward science, Smith admitted to “knowing a lot of dots, but not knowing how to connect them.” He said a liberal arts education was critical in making those connections, citing courses on logic that taught him the value of reasoning. As an undergraduate, Smith remembered rolling his eyes at Eastern’s requirement to take a literature course. But these and other liberal arts courses gave him an appreciation for storytelling — a skill he says is vital for scientists, whose careers are dependent on writing grant proposals and research papers. “Scientists have to be great storytellers,” he said. “Stories give science meaning and make it come alive.”

The Eastern Fellows program was established in the 2008-09 academic year to recognize distinguished alumni and enrich the academic experience for undergraduate students. Including the three newest honorees, 35 alumni have been inducted into the program.

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 17

Nancy ’72 (Gratson) and Fred ’70 Souza As layout editor of the yearbook, Fred was on the Freshman Orientation Committee in fall 1968. “In those days, Freshman Orientation consisted of several days of welcoming social activities as well as academic and administrative events. Freshmen arrived almost a full week prior to upperclassmen, and those of us on the orientation committee served as their guides and hosts.”

Women students outnumbered male students eight to one, and without a dormitory for men, housing was an issue. Fred was boarding in a “beautiful room in a private home” but didn’t much like the 10 p.m. curfew imposed by the landlady, and moved in with a fellow Orientation Committee member that same week.

“As Saturday night approached, the big event at the end of Orientation Week was always the big welcome dance which was held in the parking lot behind Burr Hall,” says Fred.

“The instruction to the orientation leaders was to make everyone feel welcomed because classes would start on Monday, and this would be the freshmen’s first experience with a ‘college-level’ party . . . I noticed a group of freshmen students dancing and having a good time with my new roommate and a few other friends. I joined the group, and one of the new students was Nancy — and she caught my attention. I asked her to dance and other new friends joined in. I discovered she was from Long Island, NY, and didn’t really know anyone. She had just met her new roommates. Many of those friendships would last throughout the four years at Eastern and some to this very day.

“A few of us walked down to the local pizza house where we hung out for a while, and eventually I walked Nancy home to Blaise House, an off-campus private rooming house.

“Nancy and I dated the rest of that year and most of my senior year, but when I graduated, she was not interested in becoming engaged, so we broke off our relationship. She went on to graduate while I pursued my first two years of teaching. Later, I received a Christmas card from Nancy, which piqued my interest enough to contact her.”

Fred and Nancy married in July 1973. “Here we are, close to my 50th and her 48th reunion, both retired educators, and our 47th anniversary not too far in the distance . . . all because one day yw he e Bur Burr Hall parking g lott at a Fresh Fr Fre we happened to meet in the Freshman nO ance. nce. ce. Who would h ha t!” !

Orientation Dance. have thought!”

18 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

Step singing circa 1970

Ann ’86 (DeVito) and Rob ’86 Hacker Ann DeVito and Rob Hacker both came to Eastern as Biology majors in fall 1982.

That put them in a small group at a small college, which meant they were going to be in the same places a lot. Rob took notice of Ann, but she was not aware of that right away. A friend soon clued her in, and shortly after they were dating.

“I remember noticing Ann in two ways,” Rob said. “I saw her in the library and cafeteria; and I met her in chemistry class.”

There was to be no direct path to engagement and marriage, though. “We dated on and off,” explained Ann. “We weren’t really exclusive all the way through college.” By their senior year, however, it had become more “on.”

If there was any matchmaker, it was Father Larry LaPointe. They spent time with Father Larry separately and together. One favorite meeting point was Father Larry’s Sunday evening service and then movies after that. Rob and Ann have fond memories of those nights. “It was a great way to end the week, or a great way to begin the week, whichever way you looked at it,” Rob said.

Both graduated with degrees in Biology.

Rob followed his planned path to become a dentist, and said he chose Tufts Dental School to be as close to Ann as possible.

While he was there, she worked in sciencerelated research jobs in Connecticut, moved to another position in the Boston area, and then came back to Connecticut to accept an offer with Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Rob proposed after his second year in dental school, but they decided not to get married until after he finished. When he graduated in 1990, Ann bought a house in Connecticut, they married in August and then moved into their new home.

Their three children are grown and doing well; their youngest, Steven, is a senior at American University in Washington, D.C. Middle child, Robby, is also in Washington, D.C., having earned an M.B.A. and working for a company based in North Carolina.

Their oldest, Maria, also graduated from Tufts Dental School and is now completing a residency. She will be joining her father in his practice as it expands from a sole office in Branford, the family’s hometown, to another in Madison.

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 19

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EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 23

Communication Majors Help Shape Opinions in a Digital Age

By Dwight Bachman

(M @CCHSHNM SN SQ@CHSHNM@K AQN@CB@RS @EŰKH@SDR SGD st-century television environment features on-demand news distributed digitally on cell phones and via social media platforms around the clock and throughout the world. Local television stations adapting to these changes appreciate the skills of $@RSDQM "NMMDBSHBTS 2S@SD 4MHUDQRHSX FQ@CT@SDR VGN B@M AD ENTMC VNQJHMF @S RS@SHNMR @MC MDSVNQJR throughout Connecticut and beyond. Combining classroom theory with valuable hands-on experience HM $@RSDQMðR LNCDQMHYDC "NLLTMHB@SHNM !THKCHMF $@RSDQM @KTLMH @QD QDONQSHMF @MC OQNCTBHMF MDVR sports and weather or involved in the business side of television at a variety of companies.

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65(3 35 "NMMDBSHBTSðR -!" @EŰKH@SD ò-!" "NMMDBSHBTSó HR GNLD SN RDUDQ@K $@RSDQM FQ@CT@SDR Kevin Gilbert ’03 is the st@tiNMðs LeCi@ L@M@FeQ heKOiMF tN L@M@Fe the /QNCTBtiNM #eO@QtLeMt iMBKTCiMF CiQeBtNQs eCitNQs tQ@MsLissiNM NOeQ@tNQs @MC OQNCTBtiNM @ssist@Mts 'e @KsN NUeQsees LeCi@ @sset stNQ@Fe @MC ŰKe CeKiUeQX L@M@Fes the st@tiNMðs UiCeN @QBhiUe @MC OQNUiCes teBhMiB@K sTOONQt tN OQNCTBeQs eCitNQs @MC OhNtNFQ@OheQs @MC iMFest NOeQ@tNQs ò( eMINX heKOiMF BNKKe@FTes LNUe thQNTFh Bh@KKeMFes iM NQCeQ tN VNQJ eEŰBieMtKX @MC @BhieUe sTBBess ó s@iC &iKAeQt ò6NQJiMF Vith eLeQFiMF teBhMNKNFX iLOKeLeMtiMF VNQJűNVs th@t iMűTeMBe @MC heKO NtheQs @s VeKK @s eMsTQiMF NTQ @ssets @Qe OQNteBteC @KK OQNUiCe Le FQe@t s@tisE@BtiNM ó Kelly Franklin ’08 L@INQeC iM !TsiMess CLiMistQ@tiNM @MC is NMe NE -!" "NMMeBtiBTtðs thQee KNB@K s@Kes CiQeBtNQs !eENQe AeiMF 24 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

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leagues support the station’s “Air Chain,� the path that television signals follow throughout the building, out through transmission facilities to end users at home.

8ou can also Ĺ°nd $astern graduates at 63(C-35 , the %oW afĹ°liate in Connecticut. Carmen Chau ’10 started at 63(C in April and is one of the station’s evening reporters. 2he anchors 2aturdaX evenings and Ĺ°lls in during the weeJ when necessarX. After graduating from $astern, Chau earned her master’s degree in !roadcast )ournalism from 0uinnipiac 4niversitX in . $verX daX in the reporting world is different and unpredictable for Chau. 2he can be assigned a tragic storX one daX, and a happX, inspiring storX the neWt. “2ome daXs are eWtremelX busX and stressful, but at the end of the daX, it’s about the Ĺ°nal product, being proud of the hard worJ (’ve put in and being able to showcase it in our newscast,â€? said Chau.

Erin Wolf '00

6olf saXs $astern 35 -ews gave her the conĹ°dence and motivation to pursue a career in television media. “,aJing the choice to go to $astern was one of the best decisions ( ever made. ( still have the tapes of our old newscasts and have manX wonderful memories. ( love that ( can maJe a difference in the communitX and help people.â€? (n addition to Iobs at Connecticut’s broadcast stations, Xou can Ĺ°nd $astern alumni at cable television giant $2/-. Sheena Williams ’06 serves as manager of business operations for the !ristol, C3-based sports networJ, focusing on $2/-’s 7 &ames.

2he manages the 7 &ames budgets, and is responsible for housing, database management, uniforms, catering and staff hospitalitX.

Carmen Chau '10

2he said her most rewarding time at $astern was being involved in the student-run news program, -ews . “( tooJ a lot of hands-on classes at $astern with 35 /roduction being one of them. ( was able to trX out several positions ĂŽ whether it was on air or behind the scenes. 3his helped me understand what it tooJ to put together a successful newscast and to worJ in a hectic newsroom.â€?

Erin Wolf ’00 is %oW ’s assignment editor she started there shortlX after graduation in )une . 'er Ĺ°rst position was as a part-time assignment editor on the weeJends. .ver the Xears, her Iob responsibilities have changed considerablX. 6hen she Ĺ°rst started, %oW onlX had a p.m. newscast. 3he station now airs more than hours of local news and public affairs programming each weeJ. $verX daX of 6olf’s worJ weeJ is different. “( research, organiYe and decide what stories are relevant and necessarX for broadcast news,â€? said 6olf in describing her Iob.“( manage the schedules of multiple news crews and personnel for special and dailX assignments to ensure coverage of a wide varietX of topics.â€?

6illiam’s dailX routine is a testament to her problem-solving sJills. “Challenges can range from hosting a celebritX to maJing sure our recXcling vendor has all the necessarX tools to do their Iob. -o daX is ever the same it’s a new adventure everX time we step onsite.�

2he said $astern helped prepare her for those adventures. “( was a transfer student and as soon as ( toured $astern, ( Jnew it was eWactlX where ( wanted to go. 6hat ( loved most about $astern was the specialiYed attention each student received. ( was able to start a 35 club, go to the -A! Convention in +as 5egas and worJ in the 35 studio. A large school would never have afforded me so manX opportunities. 'aving to do so manX different things with professors who insisted on Xou doing all things well taught me how to juggle multiple leadership roles at once.�

2ome $astern alumni started in the television business in Connecticut onlX to Ĺ°nd opportunities in other parts of the countrX. 2ince graduating from $astern, Jeff Langan ’11 has worJed as a videographer in four different cities ĂŽ Colorado 2prings #enver 'artford and now Chicago. ,oving from one citX to another fascinates him. “3he 35 business is a craYX one, but ( got a good start at $astern`â€?

At *#51-35 in #enver, his videographX won a 'eartland $mmX Award for /hotojournalist +ifestXle /rogram 2eries and EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 25

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he was also nominated for three other awards. In June 2018, Langan was hired by WBBM-TV in Chicago, where he continues today as a photojournalist.

Langan said his Eastern degree really helped him work in the news business. “Dr. Utterback and Dr. Matthews taught me a lot. Dr. Utterback genuinely wanted us all to succeed, and he

pushed us to be the best that we could. I joined News 22 when I was a sophomore and met a lot of hard-working people who taught me what it was like to put on a newscast. Right away, I started shooting stories at Eastern, and was one of the producers of the show during my junior and senior years.�

Internships Link Classroom Instruction to the Real World It was through NBC-TV’s Chris Weedon ’15 that Tyler Madden ’22 landed a news internship at NBC Connecticut in summer 2019. During a campus visit, Weedon saw Madden working on the student-run Eastern TV newscast and told Madden about summer internships at NBC Connecticut.

During his time at NBC Connecticut, Madden supported the news team with in-studio recordings, live shots, content meetings and working on the assignment desk. ò( G@C SGD NOONQSTMHSX SN RDD Ĺ°QRSG@MC GNV @KK NE SGD LNUHMF O@QSR NE SDKDUHRHNM MDVR BNLD SNFDSGDQ each day,â€? said Madden. “No two days were the R@LD &NHMF NTS HM SGD Ĺ°DKC ( G@C SGD NOONQSTMHSX SN BQNRR SGD RS@SD BNUDQHMF CNYDMR NE DUDMSR including bill signings, court appearances and MDVR BNMEDQDMBDR ( HMSDQUHDVDC CNYDMR NE ODNOKD including Senator Richard Blumenthal and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp. My second day at the station, I wrote a voice over that made it into the 4 p.m. newscast. I wrote multiple pieces that made it on air. Seeing something that you wrote being aired on television was an awesome thing to see.â€?

Back on campus, Madden is the executive producDQ NE SGD $35 MDVRB@RS ò3GD ADRS O@QS @ANTS $35 News is that I get to take everything I have learned @MC @OOKX HS SN SGD RGNV NTSRHCD NE SGD BK@RRQNNL

and tell people’s stories. Here at Eastern everyone has a story, and as a journalist, it is an awesome privilege and opportunity to be able to tell those stories.�

MNSGDQ ONOTK@Q HMSDQMRGHO OK@BDLDMS ENQ $@RSDQM students is ESPN, where many Eastern interns have DMCDC TO @ESDQ FQ@CT@SHNM )@BJ /DSQTBBH ð ITRS ŰMHRGDC @M $2/- HMSDQMRGHO HM -NUDLADQ 'D K@MCDC SGD HMSDQMRGHO @ESDQ KD@QMHMF @ANTS HS SGQNTFG alumni such as Damon Gray ’16, Brian Dostaler ’17 and Nick Aconfora ’15, all now employed at ESPN.

Jack Petrucci '20 and Nick Aconfora '15

Working primarily in SportsCenter highlights, /DSQTBBH BNUDQDC F@LDR Q@MFHMF EQNL SGD -'+ -! @MC -%+ SN BNKKDFD ENNSA@KK @MC A@RJDSA@KK 'D V@R QDRONMRHAKD ENQ OQNCTBHMF @ GHFGKHFGS ENQ F@LDR SG@S VNTKC @HQ NM 2ONQSR"DMSDQ SGD R@LD MHFGS 'D @KRN OQNCTBDC GHFGKHFGSR ENQ $2/- BNL @MC SGD $2/- @OO ò!DHMF @M HMSDQM @S $2/- @KKNVDC LD SN F@HM @ ENTMC@SHNM NE RSNQXSDKKHMF RJHKKR VGHKD @KRN L@JHMF LD SGHMJ BQD@SHUDKX @MC VNQJ @S @ UDQX DEŰBHDMS Q@SD ó R@HC /DSQTBBH ò$35 2ONQSR @MC SGD $2/- HMSDQMRGHO have given me the opportunity to work on live productions and enhance my pre- and post-production @MC DCHSHMF RJHKKR ó /DSQTBBH ADF@M GHR ETKK SHLD INA at ESPN as a production assistant on Dec. 17.)

Tyler Madden '22

"From the Archives"

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EASTERN â&#x20AC;˘ Winter 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ 27

By Michael Rouleau ’11

10 years of Annual Study Investigates the Paradox of Play For millennia, toys have elicited joy and laughter in children.

They are also fundamental to a young child’s intellectual and social development. In this modern world of smart phones, smart houses and smart automobiles, surely the best toys for a preschooler are “smart toys” — full of microchips, long-life batteries, robotics and other technology.

Not so, say researchers at Eastern Connecticut State University. For the past 10 years, the TIMPANI study – Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination — has annually YLHɉYTLK H M\UKHTLU[HS PM UV[ WHYHKV_PJHS ÄUKPUN! [OL ZPTWSLZ[ [V`Z Z\WWVY[ [OL TVZ[ JVTWSL_ WSH` )HZLK VU careful observation and empirical data, the results are clear — children’s cognitive, social and language skills are best developed when they play with toys that allow them the greatest freedom of imagination.

December 2019 marked the conclusion of the 10th annual TIMPANI study, which investigates how young children learn as they play with toys in natural settings. ,HJO `LHY H KPɈLYLU[ ZLSLJ[PVU VM [V`Z PZ WSHJLK PU preschool classrooms at Eastern’s Child and Family Development Resource Center. Student researchers use hidden cameras to videotape children playing with the toys, then code the footage according to the study’s evaluation rubric, which assesses how well each toy inspires children’s problem-solving, cooperation with peers, creativity and use of language.

Since its inception in 2010, 26 Eastern students have participated in the study, a program of the Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE). Over the 10 years of the study, they have reviewed the quality of play stimulated by nearly 100 toys, annually crowning those achieving the highest score as the TIMPANI Toy of the Year. Another 11 student videographers have recorded the research activities and produced a composite ]PKLV LHJO `LHY [V KVJ\TLU[ ;047(50 ÄUKPUNZ

28 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

DUPLO Bricks, 2012

Brio Trains, 2013

Like adults, children are sometimes H[[YHJ[LK [V ÅHZO` [V`Z [OH[ TPNO[ UV[ promote development as well as other less WVW\SHY [V`Z ;HSRPUN KVSSZ HYL HU L_HTWSL “Children use less language when toys do [OL [HSRPUN MVY [OLT ¹ ZHPK 1LɈYL` ;YH^PJR Smith, principal co-investigator and professor emeritus of Education, adding that talking dolls may elicit higher-quality play with the batteries removed.

¸;047(50 PZ HU V\[Z[HUKPUN L_HTWSL VM students conducting faculty-sponsored research of the highest level,” said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. “As much as I look forward to the annual unveiling of the TIMPANI Toy of the Year, the research methodology continues to impress me — video-based observations assessed against a carefully crafted rubric. What’s most compelling are the consistent ÄUKPUNZ VM [OL Z[\K` V]LY [OL WHZ[ KLJHKL — that open-ended, ‘low-tech’ toys have the greatest value in advancing the skills and development of young children.”

Principal co-investigator and CECE direc[VY 1\SPH +L3HWW L_WSHPULK! ¸0[»Z PTWVY[HU[ for families to know that they don’t need to W\YJOHZL L_WLUZP]L LSHIVYH[L [V`Z ^P[O H lot of bells and whistles on them. Simple is often better because children have to use more of their own imagination.”

Two-year TIMPANI researcher Alyssa Zebrowski ’15, a reading interventionist H[ )SHJR 9VJR :JOVVS PU )YPKNLWVY[ *; agrees. “The fancier-looking toy might draw the attention of children more easily, but the play with those toys is typically SLZZ L_[LUZP]L HUK JYLH[P]L [OHU [OH[ VM a simple toy.”

Paint & Easel, 2014

Wooden Cash Register, 2015

Not all children respond to a toy in the same way

Plus Plus, 2016

Animal Kingdom Mega Pack, 2017

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 29

Different toys inspire different kinds of play and learning

Bottle Clix, 2018

Family Counters, 2019

From student to teacher, TIMPANI’s lasting impact The insights gained through the TIMPANI toy study have revolutionized students’ understanding of the role of teachers and play in the classroom. In many cases, they’ve found that less is more.

“TIMPANI taught me the importance of taking a step back and observing the children’s minds taking them on an adventure,” said 2019 researcher Alyssa Barry ’20. “I once felt that I had to be hands on and engaging constantly to be a successful teacher. It’s through this study and my early childhood classes that I’ve witnessed the positive interactions among children when adults aren’t around to interfere.”

Special education preschool teacher Marley Koschel ’13 concurs. “I still use the information I gained through TIMPANI when choosing toys and activities for my preschool classroom. I always think about how much imaginative and investigative play the toy will foster.” Koschel stays HIYLHZ[ ^P[O [OL Z[\K`»Z ÄUKPUNZ HKKPUN [OH[ WHZ[ ;V`Z VM the Year — Tinkertoys and Lego Duplo Blocks — are two classroom favorites.

“Observing and studying children’s play has really opened my eyes to the role of the teacher in facilitating quality play,” said Allison Lundy ’20, who participated in the 2018 and 2019 studies.

“Teachers need to take the time to get to know their students on an individual level because children YLX\PYL KPɈLYLU[ HTV\U[Z VM N\PKHUJL VY ZJHɈVSKing when playing with a new toy. Teachers should observe how children interact and play with toys and use these observations to guide future discussions and instruction.”

Many of the students who have participated in TIMPANI have now embarked on teaching careers and continue to incorporate what they’ve learned into their own classrooms.

Chamari Davis ’14 is a third-grade teacher at DREAM Charter School in New York City. “I promote play by having a variety of play breaks in my instructional practice, having students explore content and practice skills through games, problem-solving with manipulatives and dramatic retelling. I aim to truly make learning an adventure, and my research at Eastern showed me how to foster joy with cognitive development in the classroom.”

30 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

Basic, simple toys tend to inspire the highest-quality play

Questions for future TIMPANI researchers include the role of teachers in children’s play; which toys promote mixed ethnic and gender play; what toys are best for children with disabilities; and what can be done to make toys more accessible for children from low-income families.

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 31

The Heart of a

By Jon Wilson ’22

Samara Johnson ’20 is completing her running career at Eastern this spring during indoor track season. Over her time as a Warrior she has been a valued member of the cross-country and track teams.

The obstacles she has overcome to compete at all, let alone being Eastern’s second runner to finish at the November 2019 New England Regional Cross Country Championships, is tribute to her amazing resilience and grit. “She’s tough, I mean, she will try to run through whatever she can,” explained her coach Kathy Manizza.

Born with depth perception tracking disorders, Johnson also was a “toe walker” and spent time in leg braces as a child. In middle school, she began experiencing symptoms of a gastro-intestinal disorder and also must deal with low levels of cortisol — an energy producer — in her body. She has also had three concussions but continues to race for the Warriors.

Johnson is grateful for the support she has received on campus, validating the decision she made to come to Eastern in the first place. “Eastern assured me I would get necessary accommodations, and I saw a team that was like a family.”

Johnson is a Social Work major and as deeply committed to serving others as she is to her teammates. She helped found the DiversAbility Club on campus and is the club’s public relations officer. She also volunteers at the Women’s Center and interns at an outpatient substance abuse program in Willimantic.

She hopes to attend graduate school in social work after graduation and then work in the field of disability rights. But Johnson won’t stop running. “I have a goal to run in all 50 states and on all the continents,” she said, perhaps raising funds for social justice and disability rights in the process.

In January 2020, Johnson received the Connecticut Courage Award from Hartford Healthcare and the College Sports Information Directors of America as a student-athlete who has overcome adversity.

Jamie Kohn Energizes Austrian Hoops By Kathryn Arena ’21

A crowd of 213 family, friends and alumni attended the 26th Athletics Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 19 in the Student Center. (Class of 2019, from left: Jennifer M. Ferrari Hynes ’05, Kyle A. Bedini ’09, Michael T. Susi ’98, Marc A. DiGiovanni ’03 and Molly E. Rathbun ’12) 32 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

For several years after graduation, men’s basketball alumnus Jamie Kohn ’12 of Columbia, CT, traveled throughout Europe playing the game he loved on a variety of First Division teams. “It was as a said great experience to play at a very high level,” Kohnn said.

“It was cool that I could prove to myself that I could play with so many great players.”

In Austria, where he first fell in love with the game of basketball while living in Oberndorf with his family, Kohn joined the BSC Salzburg club as a playercoach for one of the men’s local league teams. After multiple successful seasons as a player-coach — “we won the championship two years in a row” — Kohn took on a new role as BSC Salzburg club president. “I just wanted to keep going and keep having a positive influence on those around me,” he said.

Kohn now wears three different hats as player, coach and president. As president, he is in charge of scheduling gym times, making schedules and managing player membership information. Although he now holds an administrative position, he still plays and coaches. The club travels locally and has a great advantage with the German border nearby. “We play and scrimmage teams in the German league, which is a great experience for the players,” he said.

One of Kohn’s goals has been to increase the interest of basketball with Austrian youth. “In America, kids are encouraged to play multiple sports in different seasons, but here that is not the norm at all,” Kohn noted. “The norm here is that you pick one sport and you stick with it and play it year-round. There are even schools where part of your school day is training for your sport.”

Men’s Soccer Receives National Recognition for All-Around Excellence The Eastern Connecticut State University men’s soccer program was one of only two men’s soccer teams in the nation to receive the inaugural Team Pinnacle Award from United Soccer Coaches (USC), presented for the first time this past fall to recognize academic, sportsmanship and athletic excellence during the 2018-19 academic year. Calvin University of Michigan was the other men’s soccer program honored.

Eastern combined an exceptional record on the playing field with excellence in the classroom and team sportsmanship to earn the award. “This prestigious new team award designed to recognize a combination of academics, sportsmanship and athletic excellence may be the most Head men’s soccer coach Greg DeVito is interviewed by ETV Sports’ Dom Conte after becoming the winningest coach in the program’s 60-year history with his 154th win following a 6-0 win over Medgar Evers College in the 2019 season opener at Rick McCarthy Field. DeVito broke the record of the late Alumni Hall of Fame coach Thomas Nevers (1961-78).

The men’s soccer program recognized its first Little East Conference champions at halftime of an Oct. 6 match against the University of Southern Maine at Rick McCarthy Field. The 1991 and 1992 squads captured the program’s first two LEC regular-season titles. Pictured with current assistant coaches Adam Phaiah (third from right) and Sebby Randazzo (second from right) are (from left) Hall of Famer Jason Brasher, Matt Morse, head coach Frantz Innocent, Jon Moser, Tony Tigeleiro and Demian DeVega.

difficult award to achieve for any soccer program,” said Steve Veal, USC awards manager.

Only 22 men’s and women’s college programs in the nation qualified for the award, with Eastern and the Saint Joseph’s College (Maine) women’s teams being the only qualifying schools from New England.

Eastern met the on-field performance standard of winning at least 75 percent of its games by winning 78.9 percent of its matches.

The team also won a Team Academic Award for the eighth straight year. In addition, the Warriors won a Team Ethics and Sportsmanship bronze award for the sixth time in the past eight years.

Agyemang Named Soccer All-American

Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore forward Patrick Agyemang of East Hartford was selected as the third All-American in the 60-year history of the men’s soccer program by United Soccer Coaches.

A third-team member for Division III, Agyemang was also honored as the Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Previous Eastern players named to the All-America team were Glenn Judge, a junior forward in 1986, and Kyle Bedini, a senior defender in 2008. Both are members of the Eastern Athletics Alumni Hall of Fame.

Agyemang was ranked among national leaders with a conference-leading 21 goals (tied for seventh nationally) and 49 points (seventh). During the year, he recorded three hat tricks, had two games with two goals, and contributed at least one point in 13 of the team’s 20 matches.

In 39 career matches over two seasons, Agyemang has 30 goals and 10 assists for 70 points. Ten of his goals were game-winners.

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 33

CLASS NOTES 73 59 Martha (Scott) Bauduccio (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scottieâ&#x20AC;?) has been a member of the New London school building and maintenance committee for more than 10 years as the district strives to become the ďŹ rst in Connecticut to operate magnet schools exclusively. To achieve magnet school status, a school must reach a minimum percentage of students from districts in surrounding communities. Five New London schools have reached magnet status. Martha is also a volunteer reader in the New London elementary schools and the Friendship School in Waterford, an early childhood center.

64 Larry Colvin and his wife Carol (Weber) Colvin â&#x20AC;&#x2122;65 attended all the events for his 55th reunion class in May. Their granddaughter Rachel Carterud is due to graduate from Eastern this year, and their grandson Ryan Carterud entered Eastern for the fall 2019 semester. Ryan is the eighth member of the family to attend Eastern over the years. Carolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aunt, Caroline Mirtl, who graduated in 1921, was the ďŹ rst. Larry and Carol now split their time between South Windsor and St. Petersburg, FL. Rachel and Ryan live in South Windsor as well.

partment at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce for 22 years, until 2018. She plans to retire from Indian River County schools in fall 2021.

Susan Wilson published her latest novel, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dog I Loved,â&#x20AC;? in November 2019.

76 Patti Lawson is not quite retired from Gettysburg College, where she is ofďŹ cially emerita associate vice president for communications and marketing.

Patti still works part time during the academic year in admissions, and also serves on the Gettysburg Borough Council. Patti toured Portugal last summer on a trip organized by Road Scholar, an agency specializing in educational travel, complete with reading lists, then went west in the fall to visit her son. She spends her summers in Maine where her married daughter lives. Patti says if any classmates are coming through Gettysburg, she would be happy to give them a battleďŹ eld tour.

77 During â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teacher Appreciation Weekâ&#x20AC;? in March, Gayle Bruce was surprised to receive the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unsung Hero Awardâ&#x20AC;? at Sebastian River High School in Sebastian, FL, for her work with 11th- and 12th-grade reading students studying for the FSA, SAT or ACT test. Her superintendent and principal presented her the award, along with ďŹ&#x201A;owers and a gift card. Gayle is now in her 19th year of teaching at Sebastian River. She also taught as an adjunct in the reading de-

Larry Smith was appointed interim vice president of statewide campuses for Utah State University (USU) in May, the latest of his moves in recent years to the highest administrative levels at USU. In his new position, Larry is responsible for oversight of eight regional campuses and 25 other educational centers throughout the state. His administrative career followed a distinguished academic career as a physiologist at Idaho State University. A Biology major at Eastern, Larry was inducted into the newest class of Eastern Fellows in October (See story on page 16.)

79 Dan Tenney is a Business Administration lecturer at Eastern, having taught two upper level courses in fall 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Management of Organizations and Introduction to Six Sigma. He is also

+HU ;LUUL`

After pursuing an eclectic career that started with teaching and then branched off into other directions, Martin Bryan '69 has settled into a â&#x20AC;&#x153;retirementâ&#x20AC;? job with a rural arts organization in northeastern Vermont. He has now been with Catamount Arts, based in St. Johnsbury, for more than 30 years. The organization focuses on presenting world-class performances â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as a Chinese orchestra, Ricky Skaggs and comedienne Paula Poundstone â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and screening ďŹ lms in an area where theaters for art ďŹ lms are a rarity. Catamount Arts also showcases local artists, conducts events, coordinates a ďŹ lmmaking event for teens, provides box ofďŹ ce services for small venues and more. Starting out as a volunteer, Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duties now range from working the box ofďŹ ce and maintaining the membership base to providing security for summer Sunday concerts and curating Catamountâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s video collection.

He started his career teaching ďŹ fth grade then moved north to Vermont to teach in rural elementary schools. After a decade or so, he moved into adult basic education and traveled Caledonia County as a home tutor preparing adults for the G.E.D. In the mid-1980s Martin left teaching to develop small businesses related to his hobby of collecting antique sound recordings and equipment, as well as publishing a small magazine for fellow collectors. Then came Catamount.

34 â&#x20AC;˘ Winter 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ EASTERN

Roger Dean '84 was one of eight graduates of Danbury High School inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in October. Roger was a two-sport athlete in basketball and baseball, but it was in baseball that he excelled, even though he didn’t earn varsity letters in high school until his senior year. He bloomed as a baseball player at Eastern, hitting .339 or better his final three seasons and amassing a career 22 home runs and driving in 111 runs, earning him All-New England honors in both his junior and senior seasons as a right fielder. He was the designated hitter and catcher his sophomore year for a team that won the Division III national championship.

Roger signed with the Detroit Tigers after graduating and played in their farm system for two seasons, before spending 12 years as a coach and scout in the Tigers’ system. Roger has been president and owner of Rye Ridge Ceramic Tile Company in Port Chester, NY, for more than two decades. He continues to live in Danbury with his wife Kathy and enjoys time spending with his children Cory and Rachel.

completing his Ph.D. in Technology and Management at the University of Bridgeport, one of five such Ph.D. programs in the United States. An Environmental Earth Science major at Eastern, Dan had a long career leading the quality assurance function as well as continuous improvement responsibilities of large, mid- and small-sized for-profit and non-profit companies. He retired in 2017 from 3M Purification in Meriden.

80 Linda (Whittlesey) Lennox writes that after viewing the Alan Root documentary “The Year of the Wildebeest” several times, she and husband Jim were able to witness the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania in the fall. She says a highlight was being able to see the last two northern white rhinos in the world.

81 Carrie (Summers) Fitts started Carrie Fitts Real Estate in Tuscaloosa, AL, in March 2019. The office is within a half mile of the University of Alabama campus.

Carrie has been a real estate agent in Tuscaloosa for nearly six years.

Kathy (Leary) Gentilozzi became chief people officer for Planet Fitness in April, her latest position as the top human resources officer for a major company in her long career in human resources.

Kathy was previously executive vice president for human resources for New York-based Full Beauty Brands and senior vice president for human resources for Aeropostale, also in New York, and Macy’s in St. Louis, prior to that. Planet Fitness, headquartered in Hampton, NH, is one of the largest operators and franchisors of fitness centers in the United States, with about 1,800 locations and more being added. Kathy holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources

(SPHR) certification and reports directly to Chris Rondeau, Planet Fitness’s CEO. Don Philips became pro bono attorney manager at Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut (SLS) in Wethersfield in April. SLS is a non-profit legal aid organization that provides legal advice and referral services to low-income Connecticut residents. In this position, Don coordinates SLS’s pro bono projects, recruits and provides training for volunteer attorneys and paralegals, supervises SLS’s pro bono unit staff, and seeks out new funding opportunities to support existing and new projects.

For four years prior to taking his new position, Don was executive director of the Connecticut Bar Foundation. He double-majored in Business Administration and Public Policy and Government, graduating magna cum laude from Eastern before receiving his law degree from the University of Connecticut Law School.

86 David Stone became first vice president and senior commercial loan officer for Eastern Connecticut Savings Bank in May. The bank is headquartered in Norwich and has two other offices there, as well as one in Jewett City and one in Plainfield. David came to the position after seven years with Chelsea Groton Bank, where he was a commercial lender; he has 30 years of experience in commercial lending.

87 Mark Gregorio was promoted from director of marketing to executive director of marketing at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ, in July. Mark has held marketing and public relations positions at universities in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey for the past 14

years. In addition to his B.A. in English, Mark holds an M.A. in strategic communication and leadership from Seton Hall University.

89 Rob Katko is a director for NBC Universal/MSNBC. He directs “On Assignment with Richard Engel” for MSNBC, which recently won a Scripps Howard Award and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Continuing Coverage for the story “Putin’s Covert War.” Rob also directs “The Rachel Maddow Show,” which has been nominated for a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information.

90 Cromwell Police Chief Denise Lamontagne received the Michael L. Green Award from the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in June. The chamber confers the annual award on a member of an area police or fire service for outstanding service to the community and the chamber. Denise joined the Cromwell Police Department in 1990 and rose through the ranks until she was appointed chief in 2015. She graduated from Eastern with a degree in Business Administration, and her accomplishments as a softball player earned her induction into Eastern’s Hall of Fame in 2010.

In May 2019, Jim Valente became global head of data services for RealFoundations, an international leader in the real estate industry. Jim is a member of the company’s executive team. His more than two decades in commercial real estate has focused on research, data analysis and investment strategy. Jim earned his M.B.A. in Real Estate and Finance at the University of Connecticut in 1995, and subsequently did more EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 35

graduate study in Economics and Statistics at Fordham University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. His Eastern degree is in Economics.

94 Greg Watrous, a 17-year veteran of the Branford Police Department, was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant in July and now serves as patrol shift commander. He had been a sergeant since 2007. Greg earned a B.A. in Sociology and Applied Social Relations at Eastern, with a minor in Criminal Justice. He also had three years of law enforcement experience for the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Town of Westbrook before joining the Branford Police Department.

Since completing her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in reading, Dorothy Drobney ďŹ nished her last 10 years in teaching as a reading specialist at Birch Grove Primary School in Tolland, CT. While simultaneously operating a photography studio in Willington, MansďŹ eld and Tolland, Dorothy gave that up to enter the world of retail and now owns a 25-artist gallery/gift shop on Main Street in Stafford Springs.

She loves being surrounded by creative souls and beautiful work, and would love to meet Eastern alumni whenever they pass through town.

a recipient of the Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s James F. McHugh Award, named for a former commissioner. It honors an employee for values modeled by McHugh, including wisdom, ďŹ delity to the law and human decency. Angelaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband David R. Smith â&#x20AC;&#x2122;01 is also an Eastern alumnus.

98 South African Airways appointed Danielle Manegio as director of sales development for the Northeast region in August. She is based in New York City and reports directly to the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice president of sales for North America. Danielle had worked for three other airlines based in other countries since 2007. Her Eastern degree is in Sociology and Applied Social Relations.

Sharale (Walker) Mathis became dean of academic and student affairs at Middlesex Community College in July. Prior to her appointment, she taught biology at Manchester Community College for more than 13 years and was director of the STEM program at MCC for two of those years. A Biology major at Eastern, Sharale earned a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Biological Sciences at Quinnipiac University in 2006, and her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration at the University of Hartford in 2018.

runner, he is a member of both the NFA and City of Norwich Sports Hall of Fame.

He continues to teach science at NFA and created the kinesiology curriculum there. (See story on page 32.)

Frederick-Douglass Knowles II, an associate professor of English at Three Rivers Community College, was named the Virginia D. Christian Educator of the Year by the Norwich branch of the NAACP in September, receiving the honor at the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 56th annual Freedom Fund dinner in October. FrederickDouglass majored in Sociology and Applied Social Relations at Eastern and earned an M.A. in English at Southern Connecticut State University in 2007.

Jackie Silverstein is director of enterprise information risk governance and operations for MassMutual. She joined the company in October 2018, and the operations oversight responsibility was added to her job duties in May.

00 Amanda Brouwer became director of Acton Public Library of Old Saybrook in September 2018. She has been proactive in upgrading the libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service to its constituencies and encourages staff members to follow their

99

96 Angela (Beckert) Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill Smith is senior supervising gaming agent for the State of Massachusetts Gaming Commission. She has held that post since January 2018 and works from the MGM SpringďŹ eld ofďŹ ce. Angela has been with the commission for nearly ďŹ ve years, having started as a supervising agent for investigations and enforcement. She is

Chad Johnson became cross country coach at Mitchell College in New London in July. Prior to his selection, he coached cross country at Norwich Free Academy (NFA), his alma mater, for 13 seasons. Chad also coached boys and girls indoor track at NFA from 2010-14.

Chad majored in Physical Education at Eastern, and also earned an M.S. in Secondary Education in 2004. A lifelong

(THUKH )YV\^LY

Nicole (Dupont) VanOverloop '00 became the ďŹ rst female lieutenant in the history of the Waterford Police Department when she was promoted to that rank in August. Although she earned her Eastern degree in Psychology and began her career in early childhood education as a long-term substitute, Nicole decided that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a ďŹ t and joined the Waterford Police Department in her hometown in 2002. Since then she served as a school resource ofďŹ cer at Waterford High School for seven years and was named an investigator in 2013. In that role she worked with detectives and became a specialist on sexual assault cases. Nicole was a patrol sergeant when she was promoted, and she will now focus more on administration. She played basketball and threw the javelin at Eastern. Nicole told the New London Day that her favorite part of being a police ofďŹ cer has been â&#x20AC;&#x153;working for the community that I live in. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that self-satisfaction that my kids go to school here,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My job means something in the community. My parents live here.â&#x20AC;?

36 â&#x20AC;˘ Winter 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ EASTERN

Corey Holmes '01, now a major in the Connecticut Army National Guard, was selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel last summer and will be promoted this year. Before this latest promotion he was chosen as the operations ofďŹ cer for the brigade-size 143rd Reserve Support Group. A full-time active duty ofďŹ cer in the Army National Guard, Corey has led a distinguished career as a soldier and ofďŹ cer going back to his 1996 enlistment. Until recent years, most of his duty has been with military police units. Corey has deployed to various locations around the United States and did a tour of duty in Iraq as a captain in 2009. He has received numerous awards and decorations for his professionalism and leadership, including a Meritorious Service Medal, ďŹ ve Army Achievement Medals, four Army Commendation Medals and four Army Reserve Components Achievement Medals.

passions to help that effort. The library board, Amanda and her staff have also launched work on a new strategic plan for the library. She has served in a variety of library positions, including at a historical and a high school library, but prefers public libraries. When she came to Acton, she had been director of the Douglas Library in Hebron for more than four years. After graduating with a degree in English from Eastern, Amanda earned a master of Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University in 2005.

Katie (Haley) Berube is director of university events at the University of Hartford. She is responsible for overseeing university-wide events including convocation, alumni weekend and commencement. She came to the University in December 2016, and has extensive experience at other non-proďŹ t organizations, including the Wadsworth Atheneum and Channel 3 Kids Camp.

Katie credits her start in the non-proďŹ t world to her experiences in the Division of Institutional Advancement at Eastern.

02 Doug Craig, who says he views teaching history like pursuing a detective story, was named Griswold Teacher of the Year for 2019. Principal Erin Palonen of Griswold High School, where Doug is now in his 13th year, says he â&#x20AC;&#x153;exem-

pliďŹ es the characteristics of quality teaching and learning.â&#x20AC;? Doug majored in History and Social Sciences at Eastern, graduating cum laude, and a James Madison Fellowship he received while teaching in Windham paid for his masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in History at Trinity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His passion and enthusiasm for history are like no other,â&#x20AC;? Palonen said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has this way of talking about past presidents as if he knew them personally.â&#x20AC;?

Jill Karrenberg, who earned her undergraduate degree from Eastern in 2002 and her M.S. in Organizational Management in 2019, became a lecturer in Business Administration and Economics at Eastern in August. She has worked in other positions at the University since 2017.

03 The West Hartford Police Department promoted Steven Morehouse from ofďŹ cer to detective on Sept. 11, 2019, a date Chief Vernon Riddick considered changing and then decided was appropriate.

It was especially so for Steven, because he was a student majoring in Sociology and minoring in Criminal Justice at Eastern on Sept. 11, 2001, and he says it was on that day he made the decision to pursue a career in law enforcement.

He was hired by the West Hartford Police Department on Sept. 11, 2005. He has worked as a patrol ofďŹ cer, a court liaison and in trafďŹ c enforcement and investigation.

Richard Palmer completed the certiďŹ cation process and was designated a CertiďŹ ed Public Accountant in June. He is an auditor in the Hartford ofďŹ ce of Marcum LLP.

04 In a career that has seen him move to increasingly responsible administrative positions in higher education, David E. Jones became chief diversity ofďŹ cer and director of talent management at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, in January 2020. David is responsible for leading and supporting the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic plan and commitment to creating a sustainable learning and working environment where everyone has an opportunity to succeed. He will also oversee the operational objectives within recruiting, selecting, hiring, training and development, engagement, institutional culture, and rewards and recognition.

Before joining William Paterson, David was director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. David earned a Master of Education degree at the University of South Florida in 2006 and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Communication at Northeastern in 2016. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, Stephanie (Laudone) Jones â&#x20AC;&#x2122;04, is an assistant professor of sociology at Manhattan Community College of the City University of New York.

+H]PK 1VULZ

Frederick Gordon was promoted to sergeant with the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department in August. He has been with the department since January 2007, progressing from ďŹ reďŹ ghter and EMT to community emergency response +V\N *YHPN 7OV[V JV\Y[LZ` VM /HY[MVYK *V\YHU[

EASTERN â&#x20AC;˘ Winter 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ 37

team instructor to technician before his promotion. He was a Public Policy and Government major at Eastern.

CPA Kristin (Dibartolo) Hustus, a senior manager with CohnReznick LLP since 2016, serves as the office manager for the firm’s two Connecticut offices in Hartford and Stamford. In that capacity, she works with the managing partner and other executives to guide the strategic plan and trajectory of the offices in the Connecticut market. Kristin has been with CohnReznick, one of the country’s largest accounting, tax and business advisory firms, for 15 years.

Wilbur Velarde, MSOM '04

Wilbur Velarde, MSOM ’04, stepped down in September from a decade of service in the U.S. State Department as a foreign service officer, also retiring as a reserve captain in the U.S. Coast Guard following a 29-year career. Wilbur left the State Department after serving as a political advisor in the Southern Command’s strategy, policy and plans directorate in Miami. His other postings as a foreign service officer had been in Mexico, Germany, Washington, D.C. and the Netherlands. He graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1989 and earned an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College in 2007.

Michael Wolter M’09 completed his doctorate in 2017, earning a Ph.D. in Organization and Management Teaching Fellow in Universal Design for Learning.

He was promoted to associate professor at Goodwin College in 2018.

38 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

05 Andrew Bessette has worked for the pharmaceutical company Novartis for more than six years, and was named a disease state awareness specialist focusing on rheumatology in the Boston area in August 2019. During his time at Novartis, Andrew has been recognized as the glaucoma representative of the year and given the international award, an honor that goes to the top one-half of one percent of representatives in each business unit. He earned his Eastern degree in Sport and Leisure Management, was a varsity athlete in soccer and track throughout his four years and served on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee all four years, three as president. In his senior year he was captain of the soccer team and named the Francis Geissler Male Sportsperson of the Year and the Student Government Leader of the Year.

Justin Piro is principal research scientist at the pharmaceutical company Abbvie in Cambridge, MA, where he manages a multi-site, multidisciplinary team of researchers that focuses on neuroimmunology. After graduating cum laude with a Biochemistry degree from Eastern, he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Dartmouth Medical School. Justin was inducted into the newest class of Eastern Fellows in October. (See story on page 16.)

she is the head cross country coach and assistant indoor and outdoor track coach at Austin Preparatory School in Reading, MA. Though Nicolle was not a varsity athlete at Eastern, she played basketball and ran in high school. She has run the Boston Marathon five times, most recently in 2018, as part of the Alzheimer’s Association charity team.

06 The Leominster Public Library displayed the acrylic paintings of Linda (Nutter) Snay during September. She also exhibited her art as part of the group exhibition “Stitched: Knot What it Seams,” at the Davis Art Gallery in Worcester from October to early January, where her watercolor with hand-stitched embroidery on paper fit into the show’s theme. She began exploring how to incorporate fiber arts into her watercolor paintings in 2017. Linda is an independent teaching artist who conducts classes for children in northeastern Massachusetts. She is also a self-employed yoga teacher. Linda earned her B.A. at Eastern in Studio Art with concentrations in Painting and Drawing and Art History.

07 Philip Lohman became a group life coordinator with the Oregon Youth Authority in October. After graduating from Eastern magna cum laude with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Sociology, he earned a Master of Social Work degree at the University of Connecticut in 2013.

08 Nicolle Renick '05

Nicolle Renick has been operating her own graphic design firm in the Boston area since graduating from Eastern with Dean’s Distinction with a degree in Visual Arts and a concentration in Graphic Design. She was the graphic designer for the Arlington, MA, film festival in November. Nicole specializes in print and web media in her business. In addition,

Adam Brzozowski was promoted to vice president of data analytics and insights at LogistiCare in Boston in June. He had joined the company as senior director of network insights just five months earlier.

Dominic Lombardozzi was named head baseball coach at Sheehan High School in Wallingford — his alma mater — in May. An assistant to coach Matt Altieri since 2015, Dom replaced Altieri when he retired after 25 years at the school.

The starting second baseman on a Sheehan team that won a state title, Dominic wanted to teach and coach

even then. He is also a mathematics teacher at Sheehan. He graduated cum laude with a Mathematics degree and 7-12 certification from Eastern.

09 Neil Frutuoso was promoted from account supervisor to account director with Rebel Interactive Group in Hartford in July.

Cody Guarnieri became a partner in the prominent Hartford area law firm Brown, Paindiris & Scott just six years after graduating from the University of Connecticut Law School with honors.

He has garnered numerous recognitions and honors in his short career, and is his firm’s youngest partner by more than a decade. Cody was inducted into the newest class of Eastern Fellows in October (See story on page 16.)

Brandon Lorentz was unanimously chosen in September by the Andover Board of Education to fill a vacancy on the board. He is in his ninth year teaching sixth-grade social studies at Milner Middle School in Hartford. In addition to graduating with a B.A. in History/American Studies from Eastern, Brandon earned his M.S. in Secondary Education in 2011.

Danielle Nardone is a school social worker and is the 2019–20 Teacher of the Year at Washington Elementary School.

She also runs a private psychotherapy practice, Growing Success Child & Family Therapy LLC, and is working towards her sixth-year degree in Educational Leadership at Central Connecticut State University.

10 Stephen Moker became director of paid media for LS Media in Westport in May. LS Media employs pay-per-click and digital marketing experts to help client businesses grow through digital promotion. Stephen majored in Business Administration at Eastern, where he was also in the Graphic Design Club and played rugby.

Katherine Patnaude, a senior manager with the accounting firm PKF O’Connor Davies in Wethersfield, is now a member-at-large of the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants Board of Directors. She had been serving on the organization’s advisory committee.

11 Ashley Barnum became senior human resources business partner with Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN) in June. She was previously human resources business partner with Community Health Services in Hartford for three years. Ashley earned a B.S. in Business Administration and was active with several student organizations at Eastern.

Charlotte Foged Sibbesen, known as “Charlie Ranger” at Eastern, owns and operates a small online business called Charlie’s Little Rangers from her home in Denmark. She designs, creates and sells handmade items for children.

Charlotte attributes some of her success to skills she acquired earning her degree in Communication and Digital Art at Eastern. She lives in central Denmark close to the North Sea. Rochelle McCarthy MSOM, is the organizational development and training

leader at FLEXcon in Spencer, MA, a global manufacturer of adhesives and laminates marketed to businesses for their product needs. Her role involves creating development programs and initiatives for employees at all levels and at all company locations. She feels her MSOM degree has helped her be more effective in her work. Independent of her primary job, she has been an adjunct facilitator and mentor for several years in the Women’s Leadership Program, now at Tunxis Community College but launched at Asnuntuck Community College.

James Schult became a staff accountant with Ernst & Young in Hartford in September. He graduated cum laude from Eastern with a degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Marketing, but developed an interest in accounting and completed a second bachelor’s degree in Accounting at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, in December 2018. Jim was a resident assistant and an Honors Club member at Eastern. In addition, he was All New England in baseball three times and an All American and Eastern’s Male Athlete of the Year his senior season, capping off his career by being named National Player of the Year in 2011.

12 Jacqueline Fedor was promoted to senior client success specialist with Indeed.com in January 2019. She came to the company in 2016 as a client success specialist. At Eastern, Jackie majored in Communication, with a concentration in Public Relations and Advertising.

Christina Frugale became assistant director for student leadership development at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI, in September. She had previously

In August 2019, the Hartford Business Journal named Shannon Mumley '10 one of its 2019 “40 under 40” honorees, Greater Hartford-area residents who have made noteworthy career achievements before age 40. Shannon became the internship program administrator at Cigna in September 2018. She feels she found her calling in her previous work at the University of Hartford, working with college students as the associate director of the Women’s Advancement Initiative program, which focuses on ensuring that female students are positioned for academic and career success. She also taught as an adjunct there. Shannon majored in Communication and minored in Business Administration at Eastern. She earned a master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology in 2017 from the University of Hartford.

She is also a founding member of Hartford’s East Side Civic Association, which promotes the value that the neighborhood brings to the city.

(Photo courtesy of Hartford Business Journal and J. Fiereck Photography)

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 39

Michael Mal '11 was named Bacon Academy Teacher of the Year and then Teacher of the Year for the Colchester school district last spring. Michael graduated from Eastern with a degree in History and Social Science and teaching certiďŹ cation for grades 7-12.

He teaches social studies, U.S. History and a senior capstone course that he created at the high school. His principal, Matthew Peel, was generous in his praise for Michael. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His students learn history, they deďŹ nitely do, but they learn it through inquiry, they learn it through debate, they have discussions, they have research projects,â&#x20AC;? Peel said. He added that Mal rarely lectures. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Usually they are working and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s walking around the room helping them.â&#x20AC;? Michael earned a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University in 2014, and a sixth-year certiďŹ cate in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University in 2017. been promoted to a similar position in November 2017 at Dean College in Massachusetts, where she had worked since 2014. Christina earned a Master of Education degree in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education at SpringďŹ eld College in 2014.

Alexander Cross is associate dean of student life at American International College in SpringďŹ eld, MA, where he has worked for almost six years. In his current role as the chief housing ofďŹ cer, Alex oversees residence life and student conduct, as well as diversity education, student engagement and the ďŹ tness center. Since his days at Eastern, where he graduated cum laude with a double major in History and Political Science, he has been involved with the IMPACT national conference, the largest

Audriana White '12 is the founder of Noble Gold Events, a New York City-based wedding and events planning company. She launched the company in September, but her involvement with event planning goes back to working in the OfďŹ ce of Alumni Affairs at Eastern during her undergraduate years. One of her recent positions was senior event manager for Forbes.

Audriana has also been a mentor for Girls Inspired for Total Success (GIFTS) at her high school alma mater, Middletown High School, since 2010. Her degree from Eastern is in Communication, with minors in Sociology and Criminology.

40 â&#x20AC;˘ Winter 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ EASTERN

where Molly grew up. In October she was inducted into the Eastern Hall of Fame in her ďŹ rst year of eligibility for her stellar achievements as a softball player.

See more on Molly in a story about young alumni who are forging careers as coaches on page 32.

13 (SL_HUKLY *YVZZ

national gathering for promoting civic engagement and community service for college students. The next conference in February will be his second as conference cocoordinator. Alex earned a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Higher Education from Merrimack College in 2014.

Thomas Leathe-Farnsworth is ďŹ nishing his doctorate in Behavior Analysis at Western New England University, hoping to earn his Ph.D. this year. In October he married the former Sarah Leathe and the couple has adopted the name Leathe-Farnsworth. Thomas is a doctoral fellow teaching introductory psychology and supervising undergraduate research. He hopes to become a psychology professor and/or conduct research and practice as a licensed and board-certiďŹ ed behavior analyst.

Heather Lepper is assistant director of graduate admissions at the University of New Haven, where she is also working on her M.B.A. Heather majored in Sociology at Eastern, with minors in Criminology and Public Health Studies.

Molly Rathbun had a big year in 2019.

After three years as the head softball coach at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, she was named softball coach at Trinity College in Hartford in June. In August she married Bill Foley of Hebron,

Chris Brown was the artist in residence at the Noah Webster Library in West Hartford for August and September 2019. A Visual Art major, Chris paints in oils and uses bold, vibrant colors to create eye-catching works.

Rachel Murad became an integrated producer with Wealthsimple in New York in August. Her degree is in Communication.

Megan Vo became associate director of student affairs at the University of Saint Joseph in September. She had been serving as the assistant director of residential life at the school.

Richard Hisman graduated from Assumption College in 2016, earning his M.A. in Counseling Psychology with a Concentration in Cognitive Behavioral Studies.

He has been a licensed professional counselor since January 2018 and is currently working in a public clinical setting full time and in private practice part time.

14 Brandon Berlin became director of cyber security systems for SAI International Systems in Shelton in July. He is also working as a senior vulnerability analyst for United Technologies on a contract basis. Brandon majored in Business Information Systems and was active in the Association of Information Technology Professionals during his time at

15

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Eastern. He earned a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Cyber Security with a concentration in Information Technology from Southern New Hampshire University in 2019.

Rachel (Junga) Bieniek has been assistant director for alumni engagement and development at the Webb School in Knoxville, TN, since May 2018. Rachel majored in Psychology at Eastern and earned her M.B.A. from the University of New Haven, where she also worked for three years.

Fresh from earning her Ph.D. in Cell Biology at Georgetown University in summer 2019, Erin Conn is a program associate for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She works on two initiatives, Sea Change and the AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors Program, where her mission is to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. A Biology major and Barnard Award recipient at Eastern, Erin said Eastern is â&#x20AC;&#x153;a good example of inclusivity in STEMâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;a great place to grow for a woman in science.â&#x20AC;? She also feels playing lacrosse at Eastern taught her lessons she can apply to her work.

Joe Saponaro is a ďŹ nancial planning and analysis manager at Aetna. He completed a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Accounting from Post University in 2016 and is scheduled to complete his M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Hartford next year. His Eastern degree is in Business Administration. Joe married Annie Smith on Nov. 8 and they reside in Glastonbury.

Erica Sikoski is marketing coordinator for RCN Network, a national real estate investments ďŹ rm, and BridgeLoanWork, companies that share an address in South Windsor.

Alexandria â&#x20AC;&#x153;Allyâ&#x20AC;? Holmes is a math teacher at The Morgan School, the public high school in Clinton. She teaches algebra 2 and geometry and also coaches ďŹ eld hockey. Ally graduated cum laude with a degree in Mathematics and 7-12 certiďŹ cation at Eastern.

ESPN promoted Nick Aconfora to ESPN Next program coordinator in May. Prior to that he was a content associate and production assistant with the global sports network for almost four years. ESPN Next is the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier leadership development program for young professionals based in production. In his new assignment, Nick supports the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy and operations by creating content for its social media platforms, recruiting top talent, and handling external and internal communications. He has been with ESPN since August 2015, after graduating with a degree in Communication.

Rachel Corso won ďŹ rst prize in 2019 in an essay contest for future school counselors conducted by the American Counseling Association. Her essay was printed in the June 2019 issue of the ACA publication Counseling Today.

Rachel is a rehabilitation counselor with Community Health Resources in EnďŹ eld.

She is studying for a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in School Counseling through Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She earned a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology at Eastern.

Destinee Holmes became a research and development analyst for Blue Buffalo, an all-natural pet nutrition company in Wilton, in April 2019. Her goal is to become a director of research and development, and she plans to take a step toward that dream by starting her M.B.A. at Sacred Heart University later this year. A Biology major at Eastern, Destinee says one of her most memorable research experiences was traveling to Maine for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;living laboratoryâ&#x20AC;? experience in a marine biology course taught by Professor Josh Idjadi.

Taylor Rose McBride became athletics event coordinator at Eastern in August.

She is also coordinator of intramurals and ďŹ tness programs, a position sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s held since October 2017. Taylor earned her B.S. in Sport and Leisure Management, with concentrations in Sociology and Sport Performance at Eastern; she was also a varsity basketball player. She earned a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Recreation Administration from Southern Connecticut State University in 2018.

Grant Messier was promoted to national sales manager at Turnkey Processing in Meriden last March. He had been director of communications for the company since January 2018. Turnkey provides credit card processing and trouble-shooting services for businesses. Grant graduated from Eastern with a B.A. in Sociology.

Nick Aconfora â&#x20AC;&#x2122;15 (middle front row) visited Communication Professor Andrew Utterback (far right, front row) and Eastern students on Oct. 23 to share information on internships and the ESPN Next program.

Coach Taylor Shannon led the Norwich Free Academy (NFA) girls soccer team to a 9-5-2 record and the semiďŹ nals of the ECC Division I tournament before losing to Woodstock in her ďŹ rst season.

She was named the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coach this past May. Shannon previously coached girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lacrosse at NFA. Her full-time job is teaching physical education at Clark Lane Middle School in Waterford. Shannon majored in Physical Education with a minor in Health and played soccer and lacrosse at Eastern.

16 Cooper Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ambrosio became a recruiter for Insight Global, a Hartford cable company, in July. He majored in Communication and minored in Sport & Leisure Management at Eastern.

Cassidy Gallup started a new position in October at Beacon Services of Connecticut as an early intervention associate.

She is teaching children with autism spectrum disorder and related special needs. Prior to accepting the new position with the Cromwell social services agency, Cassidy spent three years as a university assistant in Eastern's Division of Institutional Advancement.

The Dover, NH, accounting ďŹ rm Leone, McDonnell & Roberts promoted Zach McKenzie to senior accountant in July.

EASTERN â&#x20AC;˘ Winter 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ 41

Zach started with the firm in 2016. He earned a B.S. in Accounting with a minor in Business Administration at Eastern and was active with business-related student organizations. He is a member of the New Hampshire Society of Public Accountants and enjoys a range of outdoor activities.

Tyler Stevens became a talent acquisition recruiter for Hartford Health Care in September. He previously spent three years in employment recruitment with Robert Half Technology.

17 Jessica Tryon was appointed assistant director of residential life at Mitchell College in July. She had been a residence hall director there since August 2017.

Jessica earned her M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Southern New Hampshire University in 2019.

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42 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

18 Ralph Anthony joined Bankers Life in Milford in May as a Medicare and retirement planning specialist.

Ben Adams is a database administrator for TicketNetwork in South Windsor.

He started with the company as an SQL developer in June 2018. Ben graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Computer Science at Eastern and was active with the Organization of Latin American Students and the Outdoor Adventure Club at Eastern.

In July, Nicholas Afragola became an associate business analyst at Infosys in Hartford, a global company providing digital organization and consulting services to clients in 45 countries. Nick recently completed his M.S. in Organizational Management at Eastern.

Nathan Cusson is an actor, director and writer in New York City, where he has appeared in the off-Broadway run of the

new drama “A Therapy Session with Myself” at the Kraine Theater, as well as the AlphaNYC Theater Company’s 2019 production of “Twelfth Night.”

19 Stephanie Hogan became an administrative assistant at The Public’s Adjuster this past May. The private company in Hamden works with clients to be sure they are fairly compensated by insurance companies for property losses from fire, theft, water and other damages. Stephanie graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Mathematics at Eastern and played field hockey for four years.

correction Kelly Meakem ’10 was misidentified in the most recent issue of the magazine.

in memoriam Linda Adelaide Sennott ’29 Baltimore, MD, June 5, 2019

Susan Wheelan ’71 Provincetown, MA, Oct. 26, 2019

Patricia (Tourjee) Stage ’12 East Lyme, CT, Dec. 25, 2019

Doris (Donahue) Keyes ’47 Quaker Hill, CT, Oct. 5, 2019

Thomas Chapman ’72 Summerville, SC, May 28, 2019

Dustin J. Deschenes ’16 Manchester, CT, Aug. 27, 2019

Carolyn (Cooper) Hatcher ’54 Middletown, CT, Nov. 7, 2019

Phyllis Aschenbrenner ’74 Bar Harbor, ME, May 26, 2019

Justin E. Izzarelli, student Canterbury, CT, July 18, 2019

James G. Keenan ’54 Old Lyme, CT, May 11, 2019

Joseph L. Landry ’79 Vernon Rockville, CT, Aug. 31, 2019

Lauren Rose Tessitore, student North Baldwin, NY, Aug. 5, 2019

Joseph Narotsky ’54 former Eastern faculty member Columbia, CT, Dec. 11, 2019

Jan M. Krzanowski, Jr. ’81 Enfield, CT, Nov. 14, 2019

Lee Barrett, student Hamden, CT, Jan. 22, 2020

Carl R. Rozman ’87 Weeki Wachee, FL, June 20, 2019

Richard L. Nassiff Sr., former ECSU Foundation board member Willimantic, CT, June 11, 2019

Abigail (Moriarty) Flynn ’55 Wethersfield, CT, June 10, 2019 Ralph L. Marshall ’55 Colchester, CT, Sept. 23, 2019 Sally (Levita) Swale, ’56 Seminole, FL, June 5, 2019 Judith (Fletcher) Grzych ’64 Broad Brook, CT, Aug. 9, 2019 Claire (Schachinger) Krause ’67 Guilford, CT, Sept. 1, 2019

Irene L. Lasko ’94 Wolcott, CT, June 18, 2019 Donald A. Courtemanche ’00 Springfield, MA, May 4, 2019 Dru C. Schlosser ’00 New Hartford, CT, April 6, 2019 James N. Olayos, Jr. ’10 Brooklyn, NY, June 8, 2019

Kenneth H. Summerer former Eastern administrator Farmington, CT, Sept. 6, 2019 William “Andy” Jones Professor of Visual Arts Hampton, CT, Jan. 25, 2020 Martin Russel Seymour Photography Instructor Columbia, CT, Jan. 30, 2020

EASTERN • Winter 2020 • 43

This issue of EASTERN Magazine has been full of stories about successful alumni — excelling in their careers, serving their local communities, and representing the values they share with their alma mater.

This issue also highlights donors who continue to make Eastern a priority. Former Eastern English Professor Celia Catlett and her daughter Katherine Anderson recently established a scholarship in Celia’s honor. Another article in this issue showcases eight Eastern donors and their families who have steadily given annual contributions over the years.

In addition to such generosity, alumni are supporting our students in other ways.

Alumni in majors ranging from Psychology to History came back to campus this fall to offer career advice to current students. Our 2019 Class of Eastern Fellows gave their own counsel on how to prepare for today’s careers. And other alumni from across Connecticut and beyond continue to offer internship placements to Eastern students so that they can prepare for successful careers — many are hired by those same companies after graduation.

Demographers tell us that high school graduating classes will continue to diminish in size over the next decade. That means Eastern will be competing with other colleges and universities for a smaller pool of potential students. To be competitive, we must continue to ensure the quality of the University’s academic offerings. At the same time, we are committed to expanding educational access by providing much-needed scholarship funds to deserving students.

That is why I am so grateful for the financial support of thousands of generous Eastern donors. In the past fiscal year, we had 18 major gifts totaling more than $650,000. Through the generosity of alumni and friends, the ECSU Foundation, Inc. has been able to create 70 new endowed scholarships representing $7,329,900 in assets since Dr. Núñez arrived in 2006, funds that will generate income for hundreds of scholarships for students with unmet need.

Your support in maintaining Eastern’s academic reputation and the affordability of an Eastern degree is much appreciated. Eastern is strong and has a bright future because of the thousands of people who selflessly “pay it forward.” On behalf of President Núñez and the entire campus community, thank you!

Kenneth JJ. DeLisa Vice President for Institutional Advancement Chief Human Resources Officer

44 • Winter 2020 • EASTERN

Math/Computer Science Alumni Quadrennial Reunion XI is Coming!

Professor Emeritus Stephen Kenton is gearing up for the 11th edition of the Quadrennial Math and Computer Science Reunion on Oct. 10, 2020.

Plan now to attend! To make sure you receive your invitation, update your contact informatiion by contacting the Offi ffice of Alumni Aff ffaairs at alumni@ @ easternct.edu or online at https://25.selectsurvey.net/ easternct/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=p2KL596#

Attention Campus Lantern and Student Senate/SGA Alumni 1975-95!

We are planning a reunion for October 2020 and we’re putting together the invitation list.

If you worked on the Campus Lantern or served in the Student Senate and you want to be sure you get an invitation, email the Office of Alumni Affairs at alumni@easternct.edu.

Be sure to include your full name (including your name while you were a student at Eastern), your current mailing address and current phone number.

Eastern Celebrates Reunion Weekend 2020

Tell Us Your Own “Eastern Love Story” Countless Eastern students met and fell in love right here on campus.

If that’s you, we want to hear all about how it happened!

• How did you meet?

• Where was your first date?

• And, what keeps your love going strong?

Let us know at alumni@easternct.edu

Plan now to come back to campus for the 2020 edition of “Eastern Celebrates,” Eastern’s annual reunion weekend. On Friday, May 15, the Classes of 2010 through 2019 will have their “Bash for the Past” at Blarney’s Café on High Street. Then on Saturday, May 16, all five-year reunion classes from 1940 through 2005 will gather on campus for a day of celebration and memories. The day starts with a morning reception hosted by President Elsa Núñez, continues with the Alumni March and Big Tent Barbeque with the Class of 2020, and ends with the Reunion Happy Hour at Blarney’s. Watch your mail and email for more information!

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Willimantic, CT Permit No. 12