Saint Michael's College Magazine, Spring/Summer 2018 by Saint Michael's College Magazine

Saint Michael’s SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SPRING/SUMMER 2018

FOUNDERS HALL 2 A Letter from President Jack J. Neuhauser STORIES 3 Jack Neuhauser and the Art of Serendipity by Susan Salter Reynolds 5 Our Community Admires a Leader’s Job Well Done by Mark Tarnacki 8 Welcome, Lorraine Sterritt by Lauren Read 10 The House That Reiss Built by Mark Tarnacki

22 Coming Home: Legacy Families 44 Legacies of Planned Giving at Saint Michael’s College at Saint Michael’s by Jen Conetta ’09 by Phung Pham 24 Model United Nations: Global Minds at Home by Danielle Joubert ’20 26 Liz Scott: Alice in Wonderland by Danielle Joubert ’20

48 Commencement 2018: Chart a New Path by Lauren Read

50 Reunion 2018 28 This Work Is Never Done: Combatting Racism on College Campuses CLASS NOTES by Susan Salter Reynolds 51 Message from the Alumni 34 Peter Riley ’78: Making a Association President Living Doing What He Loves by Annie Rosello ’94 by Cherise (LaPine) Threewitt ’04 52 Class Notes 36 The Edmundites: 175 Years of Devotion, Insight, Faith, 60 In Memoriam and Love

14 Thank You, Jack: Memories and Reflections from Students and Alumni 40 A Family Affair: Mariah Newman ’19 20 Levi Holmes III: Giving It His All by Lauren Read by Susan Salter Reynolds 42 The O’Hara Family: A Generational Legacy by Phung Pham

President’s Office in Founders Hall lit up at night

46 Faculty and Alumni Works

“ U P O N T H E S U B J E C T O F E D UC ATION, NOT PRE SUMING T O DICTAT E A N Y P L A N OR SYSTE M RE SPE C TING IT, I CA N O N LY S AY T H AT I VIE W IT AS TH E MOST IMP ORTANT S U BJ E C T W H I C H W E A S A P E OP L E C AN BE E NGAGED I N.” — Abraham Lincoln

SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE MAGAZINE Spring/Summer 2018 Volume 18, No. 1 smcvt.edu/magazine EDITOR Susan Salter Reynolds CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mark Tarnacki Cherise (LaPine) Threewitt ’04 Kaylee Sullivan ’16 Lauren Read Phung Pham Danielle Joubert ’20

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER Jerald Swope DESIGN Harp and Company Graphic Design Douglas G. Harp Jennifer Fisher MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD Angela Armour ’99 M’09 Alessandro Bertoni Lindsay Damici Rev. Raymond Doherty ’51, S.S.E. Sarah M. Kelly Josh Kessler ’04 Jerald Swope Mark Tarnacki

Saint Michael’s College Magazine (ISSN 0279-3016) is published by the Office of Marketing and Communications twice a year. The views expressed in the Saint Michael’s College Magazine do not necessarily represent the official policies and views of Saint Michael’s College. POSTMASTER Please send address changes to: Saint Michael’s College One Winooski Park, Box 6 Colchester, VT 05439

FOUNDERS HALL 2

Magazine, Summer 2018

ue September song. In this tardy spring, winter seems to be holding on as much as I, but it is time for each of us to step aside. I arrived a bit uncertain but was soon captured by the people, the beauty of place, the hold of an education which at its best liberates. Not all roses to be sure, but a very nice journey doing good work with good people. For that and for the friendship of so may I will always be grateful.

We often mark this place’s most distinctive element as its sense of community, yet I think we use this term too casually to denote all manner of association. Community ought to mean more than a group of individuals who share characteristics, zip codes, census tracts, or sports affiliation — these are communities of accident as my friend Dick has noted. Communities in the strong sense are composed of individuals who share a common purpose which transcends self-interest. Belonging and affiliation come later. Community evolves from noble work that needs doing by more than a single individual. Community ultimately comes from the work, the hard work

that needs attention, and when it is done with care and with love something unique can happen. The point here is that community is not bestowed by any affiliation no matter how noble. It is earned by hard work toward a common end, a shared vision. Our hope ultimately rests with the strength of this community. For this College, the common end is a liberating education for young adults that embraces the great Catholic Intellectual Tradition so well stated by William Blake, “…all that is, is holy.” It is a type of education that has not concerned itself with close-in, more immediate agenda. It has never confused honest inquiry and dialogue with any political or social indoctrination. It requires the acceptance of others and their beliefs and more than anything compels the hard work of listening to history and to each other. To be sure, even this noble education should not be immune from more immediate concerns; our graduates have to make their way in the world as soon as they step off campus. They are no longer fed their daily bread but have to earn it. So we now have to assume that obligation as well. Our ultimate concern

is with a long, well-lived life, but one that also recognizes that even this life must begin well. But to what end is this education? Quite simply, we wish to develop intellects that can inform hearts, to create a well-formed character so that, in Montaigne’s phrase, “we live appropriately.” A college’s ultimate success is measured by the character of its graduates, not by accumulations, but by the example of a life of influence and goodness. It’s hard to find a better example than Fr. Ray Doherty, a beacon even to Yankee fans. And there are more such alums sprinkled

everywhere. In this regard Saint Michael’s is a community of noble purpose nourished by the hard and gentle work of many. The world needs this place more than ever. As Cutullus lamented his brother, so I lament leaving this wonderful place and its people: “Ave atque vale.”

John J. Neuhauser President

Jack Neuhauser and the Art of Serendipity by Susan Salter Reynolds

“M

ost of my life has been unplanned.” Jack Neuhauser, poised on the brink of his return to civilian life, is lighthearted and a bit nostalgic. His life may not look unplanned on paper, but life never does (there’s a lesson in here for young minds).

THANK YOU, MR. METZ

Jack was born in Brooklyn and grew up on Long Island. His list of jobs included delivery boy for a local drugstore, operating his own lawn-cutting business, and

“ W E DO N O T F O L L O W MAP S TO BUR I ED T R E A S U R E , A N D ‘X ’ NE VE R, EV ER M A R K S T H E S P O T. ” — Indiana Jones

working as a runner on Wall Street. Each position, no matter the common perception of importance or compensation, had an impact on who he was to become. One experience in his junior

year of high school had a lasting effect on how Jack treats people. He had appendicitis and couldn’t take the final math exam. His teacher, Mr. Metz, chose not to factor that into Jack’s final grade, although he clearly had performed well all semester. Mr. Metz failed Jack on the final. Jack didn’t complain, even though it left him with an undeserved C- in trigonometry, but he never forgot the injustice. His future students, and those who have worked for him, can be grateful to Mr. Metz for making Jack a more empathetic teacher and leader. Thanks to math, Jack’s GPA wasn’t that good. A counselor pointed out that Jack was skilled at physics — a good call. Jack got his B.S. in Physics at Manhattan College. “I went to college with little ambition,” Jack admits, but he did learn how to study during his first years in college, and his grades got better. On the long subway commute, he would read and do crossword puzzles. Both made him a better student. The 80 physics majors in his class whittled down to 13. Jack was one of them. He was a shy student, and he recalls raising his hand twice in his college career, both times in a probability class.

THE ART OF SERENDIPITY 4

ON THE R OAD

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

After college, Jack received a tempting offer from IBM in Armonk. “The idea of that life; a station wagon…I almost took the job.” Offered the chance to continue to a doctorate, Jack faced a decision: academia or business. Walking across the campus on a spring day, a fellow student asked, “How can you leave this?”

This is what everyone who knows him says about Jack Neuhauser: he’s humble, straightforward, an excellent listener, easy to be around. That said, he had high ambitions for building the reputation of Saint Michael’s College, in a time when the liberal arts, in decline after the post-WWII golden years, were going through exciting and challenging changes. His belief in the liberal arts drove many decisions.

“Jack Kerouac was in the back of my mind. I already had a built-in anti-corporate bias. It was the ’60s! I was a well-behaved rebel.” He chose to pursue a Ph.D. “I was more curious than driven by a single intellectual pursuit. But I was a TA, and I liked teaching. I was good at it. I cared about the students and encouraged them to believe in themselves, but I was demanding. A’s were hard to come by.” Jack took a job teaching at Boston College, which was facing difficult financial problems at the time. He taught there for 30 years. MOTIVATED BY MENTORS

At Boston College, a dean of academic affairs, a Yale-educated Jesuit priest named Fr. Charles Donovan, took Jack under his wing. “He led a genteel life. He had a dog. I had a dog. I liked him enormously,” Jack says. When the dean of the business school left suddenly, Fr. Donovan asked if Jack could fill in. “I said ‘yes’ because the job was supposed to last eight months. But after the eight months they said, ‘could you stay another year?’ I said OK.” It was an OK that developed into 22 years as dean of the Carroll School of Management and seven years as academic vice president and dean of faculty for Boston College.

In the early 2000s, many colleges were laying people off. “I thought we shouldn’t do that,” he says. Jack kept a steady hand on the tiller through those years; this is the kind of leadership he will be remembered for. What’s next? An opportunity for serendipity. “I’d like to get a dog again; spend more time in the garden. I’m not much of a traveler, but I can imagine driving across the country, Travels with Charley style. I might teach math again, maybe at a community college. I’d like to write long letters to friends, and let them know their love is not unrequited.” Jack recalls a scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when Indiana Jones has to cross an invisible bridge to get to the Holy Grail. He thinks back to when Fr. Charles asked him to fill in as dean. “Maybe we have an obligation,” he muses, “to accept certain challenges.”

hough reluctant by nature ever to make a parade of his wide-ranging achievements as president of Saint Michael’s College, Jack Neuhauser has kept the institution in balanced step with its welcoming, faith-based liberal arts mission despite financial, societal, and intermittent campus challenges.

As Neuhauser’s tenure nears its end, fellow administrators, faculty, and staff took time to appreciate his signature low-key but confidently forward-looking style and consequential body of work. Joan Wry, an alumna and former dean now teaching on the English faculty, was struck from the start by how Neuhauser always listened intently and thought before he spoke — “and it’s been my impression of him ever since,” she says.

Our Community Admires a Leader’s Job Well Done by Mark Tarnacki

Ernie Pomerleau ’69, trustee and highly successful businessman, says Neuhauser’s decisions invariably have been well-considered and considerate, reflecting a deep grasp of the business world. “We were entering our worst recession,” Pomerleau says of the president’s early years. “With his background in mathematics, statistics, accounting, and business, we were fortunate to have him at the head.” Pomerleau emphasizes the importance of the president’s extreme transparency throughout his administration — ever an “open book” intent on expressing clearly, and sharing widely, any initiatives — which fostered trust. He values the way the president works to advance the community spirit that is a St. Mike’s hallmark.

A LEADER’S JOB WELL DONE

“J ACK’S U N Q U E S T I O N A BLE INTE GRITY AND D E E P I NT ELLIG E N C E A R E M ATC HE D BY HIS D E D IC ATIO N TO I MPROV ING TH E Q U A L I T Y O F T H E A C AD E MIC E X P E RIE NC E FO R ALL SAI NT MI C H A E L’ S C O L L E GE STUD E NTS.” — Mary-Kate McKenna ’80, Chair of the Board of Trustees

That the president always was open to new ideas, would think about decisions with an eye to longer-term effects, and would “move things forward in a humble and kind way” was important to Kellie Campbell ’08 of Information Technology, a leader of the innovative and thriving Accelerated Summer College that began under Neuhauser, as did many other pioneering programs. Mark Lubkowitz of the biology faculty lauds Neuhauser’s unqualified support of a vibrant summer and year-round research culture at the College. “He’s one of the biggest fans of undergraduate research — you see him at all the presentations and events,” he says. Jerome Allen of Information Technology appreciates how the president’s style “empowers others.” He explains: “You know where he stands and you know he’s going to support you.” As the president’s assistant, Tara Arcury, puts it, “It’s not about Jack — It’s about him bringing out the best in people. That’s what he’s always done as a teacher, and he’s done it as a president.” Karen Talentino, vice president for academic affairs, stresses how the president is “always focused on the student experience.” She appreciates the

way he committed, early on, to significantly growing the College’s student research program. In honor of his legacy, Trustees, the Society of Saint Edmund, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends all joined together to create the John J. Neuhauser Fund for Innovation and Research. The fund will be used to expand student research and create initiatives that have a direct and lasting impact on students. As of the printing of this magazine, the fund already has raised over $1 million. Just walk around campus to see Neuhauser’s visible imprint, note both Ernie Pomerleau and the College’s Chief Information Officer Bill Anderson. They mention the Dion Family Student Center, Quad Commons and new residence halls, Bergeron Wellness Center, Maker Space, and The Farm (formerly the Organic Garden) — all of which came into being during the Neuhauser years. They and others also point to the sensitive environmental awareness that all of these major projects reflect. Neuhauser’s civic work beyond campus has been robust as well: “I don’t think there’s a board he’s not on,” says Anderson, who also points to Neuhauser’s leadership in working with the presidents of Middlebury College and Champlain College to found the Green Mountain Higher Education Consortium, created to develop ways to reduce administrative costs and improve services that are

common to all three institutions. Patrick Gallivan, vice president for government and community affairs in the President’s Office, notes how the College also recently joined in the American Talent Initiative, which brings together a number of the country’s top colleges and universities to work jointly to expand access and opportunity for talented low- and moderateincome students; and the Life After College program, which provides practical experience, research opportunities, and meaningful work to all students prior to their graduation. Fr. Ray Doherty ’51, who has seen a lot of Saint Michael’s leaders up close since his student days in the late 1940s, calls Neuhauser “one of the best leaders we’ve had,” noting how his friend always seeks out a place in the back row of photos — which to Father Ray tells a lot about him and his character. Joan Wry says that when she was an associate dean, she’d leave Founders late and would almost always see a light in the president’s office and Neuhauser still at his desk working. “He was always the last one to leave. I think he’s the hardest-working person on this campus,” she says. The president’s support of the Edmundites, his relationship with the Diocese of Burlington, and his strong support for

the Edmundite Center for Faith and Culture have been touchstones of his tenure too, Gallivan says. A major upgrade of facilities at Saint Anne’s Shrine in Isle LaMotte, administered by the Edmundites, has provided an ideal facility for retreats and is widely used by students, faculty, and staff throughout the year. “Jack’s unquestionable integrity and deep intelligence are matched by his dedication to improving the quality of the academic experience for all Saint Michael’s College students,” said Mary-Kate McKenna ’80, chair of the Board of Trustees. “He has focused the College on the important goals of improving academic rigor, providing research opportunities for students in their field of study, creating initiatives that better ensure students’ readiness to enter the job market, and upgrading campus facilities to support the best possible student experience. His tenure defines what it means to be an outstanding college president.” Major achievements at Saint Michael’s during the Neuhauser presidency, briefly noted, also include improving the College’s academic profile in national rankings, and initiating institutional studies to understand and improve the student experience, such as a comprehensive alumni outcomes research project through the Gallup organization that concluded Saint Michael’s alumni “are far more likely to be thriving in four of five elements of well-being compared with all comparison groups and college graduates nationally.” The College also has maintained a consistently high graduation rate under Neuhauser, while rates nationally and among the College’s peers have experienced declines. The Commission on Institutions of Higher

Education wrote positively about the College’s high graduation rate of African, Latino, Asian, and Native American (ALANA) students, and how it exceeded that of peer colleges. The College’s NCAA Division II Academic Success Rate has been consistently above 97 percent, ranking in the top four of the 321 Division II colleges and universities. The quality of the incoming class as measured by standardized test scores has continued to improve nearly each year, and in recent years the College has increased its already deep commitment to and association with the military and veterans, opening an active Office of Student Veteran and Family Services with a full-time coordinator. “Jack’s concept that institutional size and capacity should follow changes in the size of the market of potential students received considerable attention in a number of media outlets, as the dominant belief was that institutions could counter such demographic shifts,” Gallivan says.

Even with all of that, a consensus emerges from the community that Neuhauser’s most enduring legacy will be the importance he placed on students’ academic experiences, particularly developing research, internship, and mentorship experiences, which span a significant portion of students’ time at the College. Tara Arcury speaks of the less tangible, but no less important, strengths she sees in her boss daily: “He saw what was intrinsic in the Edmundite charism, their hospitality, their going out on a limb, and that’s who he is. So that connection between Jack and the Edmundites and the mission of the College, that’s why it’s meaningful and lasting.”

To see a video of these interviews, visit smcvt.edu/magazine

WELCOME, LORRAINE STERRITT by Lauren Read

“SAINT MICHAEL’S STOLE MY HEART.”

ack in January, in front of a full house at the McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College President Jack Neuhauser began a proverbial changing of the guard.

“Lorraine, these are people that I care deeply about,” President Neuhauser said to gathered students, faculty, and staff. “I am so glad that in a few months they will be in your good hands. Congratulations and good luck.” With those words, President Neuhauser passed the baton to Lorraine Sterritt, who was named the College’s 17th president earlier in January. “When I first started exploring this opportunity, Saint Michael’s stole my heart,” Sterritt said to the crowd at McCarthy. “The more I fell in love with Saint Michael’s, the more I realized how fundamentally the institution’s values and my own values were in alignment ... The spirit of Saint Michael’s came through loud and clear at every turn.” Sterritt will be the first woman to lead Saint Michael’s in its 114-year history and comes to the College from Salem Academy and College in WinstonSalem, North Carolina, where she will serve as president until taking over at Saint Michael’s in July. “She brings over 20 years of experience to our community,” said Mary-Kate McKenna ’80, Presidential Search Committee chair, and chair of the Saint Michael’s College Board of Trustees. “Dr. Sterritt possesses a deep love of the liberal arts and a clear vision of the future of higher education. She is the visionary president we need to lead Saint Michael’s College into the future.”

Sterritt, who is originally from Ireland, holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in French from Queen’s University Belfast, and a master’s degree and a doctorate in French from Princeton University. “But we won’t hold that against her,” McKenna joked after outlining Sterritt’s many credentials at the welcoming ceremony. Prior to assuming the position at Salem, Sterritt served as dean for administration at Harvard College, and as a member of the faculty of arts and sciences. Before working at Harvard, Sterritt held positions as associate dean and associate vice provost and was a member of the faculty at Stanford University. She has also previously held positions at the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, and Princeton University. “It was clear that this is an institution devoted to mind, body, heart, and soul,” Sterritt said in her first remarks to the Saint Michael’s community in that January assembly. “It was clear that this is a community devoted to learning, to social justice, to hospitality, to respect for the dignity of every human being, and to the stewardship of our planet.” Sterritt, who compared learning about St. Mike’s to online dating, also laid out her plan for her first few months on campus — she will begin her tenure on July 1. “Saint Michael’s, we are going to do great things together,” Sterritt said. “I believe in triple A — analysis, assessment, and action. All of that takes a village and we will do it together.”

To read more on Lorraine Sterritt’s visit smcvt.edu/magazine

The House That by Mark Tarnacki

hen President-Designate Lorraine Sterritt and her husband Bert Lain move this summer into Reiss House — the president’s official residence on the Saint Michael’s College campus — they will be the fourth presidential family occupants of the handsome red-brick colonial-style two-story home and grounds that back up against the steep banks of the Winooski River, just an easy stroll across Route 15 from the main campus buildings and the President’s Office.

The quarters that Saint Michael’s presidents have called home changed and evolved over 104 years to reflect times, circumstances, and resources available to the presidents. The first ten presidents in a row were Edmundite priests; laymen took the reins starting in 1969 with Bernard Boutin (except for Rev. Francis Moriarty, SSE’s interim stint in 1974–76 after his initial presidency ran 1952–58). Sterritt will be the first woman to lead the College. The past 30 years or so have afforded more continuity in presidential quarters than in the College’s earlier years, thanks to the 1985 construction of Reiss House — so-named because funding for its construction was a gift from the College’s 14th president, Paul Reiss (who had the job 1985– 1996), when he moved to Vermont from Fordham University and decided that for him, it was important the president live either directly on, or right beside, campus.

“I tell people I’m the only person who moved to northern Vermont to warm up, because I grew up in Lake Placid,” says Reiss. He desired proximity “just so that I could stay in touch with life on campus and the life that students and faculty were experiencing.” He worked with a Saint Michael’s vice president, John Gutman, who handled many of the design and logistics elements of the building project. Reiss says he had no interest in building “a mansion,” but wanted to be sure the house was large enough to host visitors overnight, such as the occasional campus speaker — it has a first-floor suite for that purpose — or to accommodate gatherings of some size, as with the large first-floor College Room off the back. The current resident of the Reiss House, Saint Michael’s President Jack Neuhauser, speaks with appreciation for the Reiss influence on the home’s location and character. “Reiss House for me was a comfortable, bright place to return to each evening, a place where a family of three deer would visit almost every day and often send their turkey cousins each early morning,” Neuhauser says. “My children and their children would often stay and came to think of the house as a second home. Reiss House is an extremely inviting, unpretentious place for members of the community to gather on occasion and always a quiet place to read and think. I am very grateful to Paul and Rosemary Reiss for providing me with this wonderful college residence.”

Reiss Built 11

T H E H O U S E T H AT R E I S S B U I LT

Early Humble Dwellings Because the first 10 presidents of Saint Michael’s all were clergy and members of the Society of Saint Edmund, they lived among their fellow Edmundites (with the student body in close proximity) — in the building that is now Founders Hall, when it was essentially the entire college plant, including a basement gym, student

photo courtesy of Rosemary and Paul Reiss

“Reiss House is an extremely inviting, unpretentious place for members of the community to gather on occasion and always a quiet place to read and think.”

John Reiss, the son of President Emeritus Paul Reiss, stands at about age five in front of the Reiss House, under construction in 1985. beds in large open upstairs dormitory spaces, classrooms, and offices, with the Edmundites in the southerly old farmhouse section. In the early 1970s, the large threestory old base commander’s quarters on Officers’ Row/ Dalton Drive on North Campus (the former Fort Ethan Allen) became home to President Boutin and his notably large family. After that came a private home in South Burlington to accommodate Ed Henry (president 1976-85) and any younger few of his nine children who still lived at home. When he first came to Vermont, Paul Reiss remembers moving for several months with his two youngest of nine

children and his wife Rosemary into part of St. Joseph’s Hall, the big white house on Lime Kiln Road that is now the Human Resources headquarters, while Reiss House was under construction.

The VanderHeyden Touch Marc vanderHeyden, successor to Reiss (and president from 1996 to 2007), jokes that when he and his wife, Dana, moved into Reiss House without having any children, “we lowered the average number of children of this College’s lay presidents to about eight.” But Dana vanderHeyden says “when people asked us ‘how many children do you have?’ in those years we lived on campus, we’d say ‘about 2000’ — because students were always coming over for functions at the house.” The highly social vanderHeydens said their personal overriding consideration in occupying the house was for “the house to be a center for different groups — events for students, faculty and staff, or community service groups like United Way or visiting musicians to the campus or area,” as Marc describes it. Dana grew vegetables and flowers on the grounds, with Alan Dickinson from facilities checking in on them from time to time. Since she had spent much of her childhood in Iran, Dana turned one downstairs room into a “Persian Room,” using items she already possessed or acquired to suggest such a motif. The remaining furnishings came largely from several weekends trips to Ikea in Montreal early on, they say. The kitchen has been renovated twice already — before the vanderHeydens, and again before Jack Neuhauser moved in, says veteran College architect Jim Farrington.

For both the Reisses and the vanderHeydens, the old fire and rescue station across the back Salmon Hall parking lot from the house kept the neighborhood hopping with activity, day and night — but neither considered that an unwelcome distraction, given the important work the group does and the fine students who do it. Often after parties, they would bring food to the usually hungry students on call there since otherwise it might go to waste. “The first decision I had to make as president was about the huge old white cedar in front of the house,” recalls Marc vanderHeyden of a wide and sprawling multi-trunked tree that is probably more than 100 years old, which the grounds crew told him was in jeopardy in 1996 — so the question was, he says, “should we take it down and plant something else or try to keep it, with cables for support since storm or wind might have taken care of it after some damage that year?” The presidential couple lobbied for the tree to stay, and now, more than 20 years later, it still stands majestically in the yard and is relatively healthy.

John Boutin ’79 (far left) shared this photo of his large family’s Thanksgiving in (he believes) 1970 — in what was the President’s House at 503 Dalton Drive on North Campus not long after John’s dad, Bernard Boutin ’45 (far right), had become the College’s first lay president.

Fond Memories From Campus Kids For the children of Saint Michael’s presidents, living on campus offered what they remember as pleasant, educational, and active years growing up, even if distinctly different experiences from most of their friends’ suburbanneighborhood upbringings. Paul and Rosemary Reiss’s son John Reiss, now a successful New York City attorney living in Connecticut with his family, says his older sister lived briefly at the home and finished public high school in Essex before moving away to college at Fordham, but he spent most of his years from kindergarten through his graduation from Burlington’s Rice High School as a young Reiss House resident, immersed in campus life and loving it. “I remember that our cat who we came up with, ‘Kitty,’ really took to St. Joseph’s, and when we moved across to Reiss House she ran away and we lost her,” Reiss says.

John Boutin, son of the first lay president, Bernard Boutin, estimates he spent six years living on North Campus with his large family. “I was probably 12 when we moved up,” he says. “It was great because right behind the house was the old Herrouet Theatre where we saw some plays, and there was a small chapel, and a big classroom building close by where I remember my father taught.” Some indelible memories for him from those volatile late ’60s/ early ’70s years on a college campus included student protests on the front lawn at Dalton Drive after Kent State, “and Mom would say to stay away from the window.” He also remembers then-Sen. Ted Kennedy spending the afternoon with his family at the house one year when Kennedy was Commencement speaker (Bernard Boutin served in the Kennedy and Johnson presidential cabinets). “I was more captivated by the Secret Service agents, including one out on the fire escape — I was in awe of them,” he says.

One tradition from those impressionable years for Boutin turned out to have real staying power: On Thanksgiving of 1969, his family played the inaugural “Boutin Turkey Bowl” touch football game on the large parade-ground field across from Dalton Drive — and they or their direct descendants have returned each year since for Turkey Bowl, even after they moved away. “Now it’s all the grandkids, and it’s still held in the field at the Fort, and next year will be the 50th anniversary,” Boutin says. “My mom, who’s 93 and doing great, wants to come up from New Hampshire for that.” Paul and Rosemary Reiss, who these days have a condo just down the hill in Winooski, are still regulars at campus events and Sunday Mass in the campus chapel, and both say they have a fond reminder of so many good years immersed in the middle of campus life, each time they walk or drive by the house that Reiss built.

Jack and I first met my senior year, his first year; as the student body president I was involved in his inauguration. I loved the opportunity to welcome him to our community and to be one of the initial bridges to help him learn about the Saint Michael’s College students and vice versa. Having read so much about him and his impressive background, I remember being nervous to meet him for the first time. Those nerves quickly subsided once we met because of his calm demeanor and his love for the Red Sox. Jack quickly became a mentor to me, helped me think about post14

graduation plans, and played a large role in my decision to attend Boston College for my graduate degree. Jack had a large influence on my life and where I am today. — Alex Monahan ’08

President Neuhauser was an important mentor for me in my early 20s. I was a student leader during Jack’s inaugural year and one of the first students he met. Our team spent a lot of time with Jack that year — talking to him about what it was like to be a student at St. Mike’s, voicing student concerns, and sharing our experiences — and we had a lot of fun. A mentor relationship developed and continued following graduation, when I worked for the admission and marketing offices. I’ll forever be grateful for Jack’s guidance during some pivotal moments in my early career. — Mallory Wood Willsea ‘08

My first year at Saint Michael’s I met President Neuhauser. I found him to be approachable, but as a student I didn’t get to know him well. Post-college, I have gotten to know him. During my time in the Boston Saint Michael’s alumni group I have spoken with him at various events. He has taken the time out of his busy schedule to discuss work and graduate school opportunities. With his experience working at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, he was very helpful during

my process in choosing an MBA program. My relationship with President Neuhauser has strengthened over time. Even though his time at Saint Michael’s College is coming to an end, we will always be connected in the community that makes Saint Michael’s special. — Chris Hurley ’11

When President Neuhauser first approached me to have lunch with him, I must say I was left quite speechless and in a state of wonder. “Why me?” “Did I offend him in some way?” “What could a man of his stature possibly gain from a conversation with me?” All these questions ran through my mind when he asked me to have lunch. But I simply responded, “It would be my pleasure.” ¶ President Neuhauser and I first met during an on-campus panel held during the MLK Convocation week. The panel consisted of various faculty members who had written reflections in the Saint Michael’s Digest concerning racial tension, equality, and what it means to take a knee. I was a member of the St. Mike’s basketball team, and it was well-known that some of my teammates and I demonstrated our social awareness by taking a knee prior to our UVM game. This action caused quite a stir and generated very necessary dialogue, not only at St. Mike’s but throughout Vermont. ¶ The day of our lunch, I felt quite nervous. However, a few minutes into our conversation, I felt as if I had known him my whole life. The president and I grew up in the same town and played the same sports and even shared the same favorite food spots. I was comfortable and didn’t feel I was speaking to a highly respected president but to a childhood friend. What I believe made President Neuhauser an easy person to talk to was his transparency. He came across as genuine and real. He was authentic and genuinely cared about the environment I was maturing in here

THANK YOU, JACK

at St. Mike’s. ¶ What did he learn from me? How mature and influential the youth are in today’s society. While looking from the outside in, it may seem as if the youth are overly consumed with social media, trends, and other irrelevant tasks. But it is actually quite the opposite. The youth are influential, powerful, and resilient. He learned how informed and how active the citizens of the next generation are. And to think all this information was gained over some food in Alliot in a matter of 20 minutes! Good luck to President Neuhauser in his future endeavors. 16

— Winston Jones II ’19

I first met President Neuhauser when I interviewed for a position as the student worker in the President’s Office the summer before my sophomore year. I worked in the office for three years, and even stayed full-time for the summers. Over the course of those three years, I was lucky to be able to get to know the people working in the office. They gave me many opportunities to grow as a student as well as a person, and helped me to form deeper attachments to Saint Michael’s College. What always made an impression on me was President Neuhauser’s ability to deliver meaningful speeches, maintain a quiet humor, and handle difficult situations with poise and professionalism. As the years passed, my responsibilities grew and I worked more closely with President Neuhauser. Seeing his ability to maintain positive relationships with everyone in the office as well as the community really left an impression on me. It was watching his acts of kindness and his ability to approach situations without fear that influenced me as a student and gave me skills to carry into my life after college. President Neuhauser always encouraged me in my work and in my classes, and I believe that I owe much of my success to him. With his support, I was able to graduate and was hired as a full-time teacher in a Vermont school. President Neuhauser, along with those in the office, was always happy to check in and see how I was doing. President Neuhauser gave me so many skills to go forward after graduation and achieve my dreams, and for that I will always be grateful. — Laura Verville ’17

I first had the chance to meet Jack at an accepted students event during the spring of my senior year of high school. He was extremely approachable and friendly and, as I think back on it, his demeanor reflected the sense of community that is so unique to the College. At the time, I remember thinking, “Wow, I haven’t had the chance to meet the presidents of any other schools I’ve been accepted to!” Jack’s humility gave me a sense of comfort that the College was a special place. ¶ Through my years at Saint Michael’s College I was fortunate enough to get to know Jack better. He was incredibly accessible and generous with his time, regardless of his busy schedule. It was not uncommon for a 30-minute appointment to stretch into an hour, especially as graduation crept closer and life after St. Mike’s awaited. Senior year, my visits to Founders Hall became more frequent, and I would stop into Jack’s office, stressing about what I was going to do with my life post-graduation. In his calming way, he met each of my stresses with his thoughtful insight and advice. Jack is also someone who puts incredible value on relationships, and happily would offer his network to me as I began to build my own. I even ended up getting my first job offer as a result of this network! ¶ Since graduation, I have remained in touch with Jack and continue to reference the advice he gave me during my time on campus. Maybe most importantly, he taught me about kindness and the importance of treating everyone I encounter with respect and a smile. I am so grateful for getting to know Jack and hope I can do for other young students and alumni what he did for me. ¶ Jack truly embodies St. Mike’s culture and community. As he prepares to move on to the next chapter of his life, we are grateful for all of his tireless work and contributions to the College, and his legacy will live on with the incredible things he accomplished throughout his tenure. — John Vallely ’14

THANK YOU, JACK 18

The first time I saw President Neuhauser was at a Martin Luther King Jr. event in the chapel. His speech was powerful and informative. ¶ Another day, I saw him in the dining hall standing in a long line behind students to get his food. I really liked the fact that he included himself among students. He considers himself similar to others. If this was Afghanistan, a college president would not stand in a line — he would go right in front of the line and get his food! Or even have someone serve him. This man was definitely considerate and thoughtful. ¶ He was friendly with everyone and encouraged and empowered all students. ¶ President Neuhauser granted me a VPAA (Vice President of Academic Affairs) Summer Research Grant at Saint Michael’s College in the summer of 2015. I was lucky to receive this great opportunity and finish my first autobiographical novel in English, which is not my native language. I had a chance to reflect on my experiences back in Afghanistan and accomplish something that I could not have imagined there. I am working on my final draft of the book and actively looking for a publisher. President Neuhauser was a great role model and set high standards for me. ¶ His leadership, behavior, and character affected both my academic and my personal life. The SMC community is surely going to miss him dearly. — Rahela Mohammad Akbar ’16

PORTRAIT OF A PRESIDENT by Trevor J. Brown ’15

Recently, as I was packing up books in preparation for a move, an essay fell out that I had saved some time back. The essay, titled “The Indispensable Man,” had been sent to me by President Neuhauser. While the piece focused on George Washington’s contributions to constitutional democracy, the title could aptly describe the sender himself, a man who has seemed indispensable to the College for the past decade. ¶ Coming in as a first-year student, I’m sure that I met the president once or twice at events around campus. It was during the summer between my sophomore and junior years, however, that I started working in the President’s Office. At that time, my office was located in the kitchenette in Founders Hall, so I would see the president come in to get his lunch, afternoon tea, and the like. As a student working there, I did not want to get in the president’s way — I understood he was a busy man and I did not want to interrupt him. What struck me then, from those first few weeks that summer, was that he always made the time to chat with me. From small conversations on his way to the fridge, to lengthy conversations in which we discussed history and politics, the importance of putting a human face on difficult issues, or whether it is actually possible to read Ulysses in one go, I was uniquely privileged to receive an education in Founders Hall equal to that which I received in Jeanmarie, St. Edmund’s, and Cheray. President Neuhauser became one of the greatest influences on my education — both when I was a student at the College and since. ¶ Reflecting three years out, I think that I can better appreciate now than at the time what a tremendous period of growth and change college was for me. In the face of that change, President Neuhauser was a constant source of sound advice and generosity. From bringing in vegetables from his garden to discussing the latest political issue of the day, he was generous with his treasure and his time. Today, he continues to generously add to my reading list. ¶ While it is hard for me to point to just one thing that President Neuhauser has taught me, I am frequently reminded of the importance he places on listening. Rather than shouting one another down when you have a disagreement, try listening and being responsive to change. As I sit in the courtroom or listen to news in the morning, I am reminded that many more people should take this advice. At the same time, I reflect on how fortunate I am for having such a fine friend and mentor. ¶ Shortly before I went to take the LSATs my junior year, President Neuhauser gave me the sound advice that “the best way to do well is to get all the answers right.” Saint Michael’s certainly “got it right” when he was selected as president. I am a better person for having known President Neuhauser, and the College is a better institution for having him at the helm.

Levi Holmes III:

Giving It His All by Susan Salter Reynolds

evi Holmes III ’19 is a little tired.

Between the double major in Economics and Mathematics, being captain of the men’s basketball team, and showing up for local high school kids and special needs students in a variety of “Dream Events,” Holmes works hard to “keep a clear mind.” A typical day? 7 a.m. workout, classes from 8 to 10, another workout, lunch, more classes, another workout or pick-up game, dinner, then homework. If there’s any time to rest, maybe an episode or two of Breaking Bad, or The Office.

“You put in your best effort. Then you breathe. Life happens.” 21

choice of college came down to two possibilities, Holmes explains that Saint Michael’s felt right. (And that he wanted to get out of New Jersey.) At St. Mike’s, he has been the recipient of an Arthur Ashe Sports Scholarship. Eighth grade is when Holmes “locked in on what’s important, outside of family,” which is the most important thing to him. “My parents have a lot to do with who I am,” he says. “They faced real adversity growing up, worked so hard to give us a better life, and have sacrificed so much for us, including sending me to private school.” Holmes has three siblings, a younger brother and an older brother and sister. He narrowed his focus down to basketball and academics, and hasn’t looked back. While the math comes easily, the reading and writing are harder. “You can’t have everything,” says his wise mother.

Holmes has, from an early age, excelled in mathematics. It’s tough to get him to say anything remotely self-congratulatory, but he does admit that math has always been pretty easy for him (he’s been inducted into the august Pi Mu Epsilon U.S. honorary national mathematics society, founded in 1914). It’s much tougher to get him to admit to being a star “Time management has been athlete on the Saint Michael’s tough,” he admits. “And staying campus (he recently hit the 1,000 level-headed, not getting too career points mark). “It’s a anxious about what I can and can’t small community,” he demurs. get to. You put in your best effort. “Everyone knows everyone.” Then you breathe. Life happens.” Holmes has been playing basketball more or less since he could walk, but more seriously since eighth grade. He was a star player and captain of the team in his New Jersey high school. When the

Holmes’s parents have come to almost all of his games—his dad to every game, sometimes twice a week. Will he play professionally after college? “I’m not sure. I

talk to my parents about it a lot.” He’s hoping to do an internship this summer in an insurance or financial firm, and may go into data analytics or actuarial work after graduating. “One day I say, ‘yes, I can give up basketball,’ the next day I say ‘no way,’” he says. In the meantime, “I’ll just keep on doing what I’m doing.” He’s off to practice, and has two final papers due by the end of the week. Maybe he’ll fit in a phone call home. “My family is everything to me. The least I can do for them is give it my all.”

NOT TO MENTION… • Named the 15th CoSIDA Academic All-American — first time in Saint Michael’s College history —across ALL sports. • Led the Northeast-10 Conference in scoring (24.1), matching the best scoring average by a St. Mike’s player since 1964-65. • Top 12 across all of NCAA Division II in four stat categories, leading all East Region players in each category. • Levi’s 43 points scored on January 31, 2018, were the most by a St. Mike’s player in 51 years.

Read more on Levi Holmes III at smcvt. edu/magazine

Coming Home:

Legacy Families at Saint Michael’s College

by Jen Conetta ’09, Director for Annual Giving and Stewardship

You often hear the phrase “Saint Michael’s family” used to describe the tight knit community here at the College.

I came to campus as a legacy student, and one of my very first memories of Move-In Day was assembling on the steps of the library with my dad and other legacy families to have our picture taken. It has been 13 years since that photo was taken. In that time I shared the first of many Reunions with my dad, Dennis Conetta ’79, and our Saint Michael’s family has grown to include my husband, Tommy McCann ’09, as well as my brother-in-law, Pat McCann ’17. My dad and I have a special bond in our shared love for skiing, Vermont, craft beer, and the people we met at Saint Michael’s College. During my years of working for the College I have come to realize that our bond is not all that unique — it’s shared by generations of fellow alumni. Take for example, Joe Boutin ’69. His father, Bernard Boutin, graduated in the Class of 1945 and went on to be the 11th President of Saint Michael’s College. Joe was the second of Bernard’s children to attend Saint Michael’s and he was far from the last. In fact, two Boutins graduated with the Class of 2018 this past spring, including Joe’s grandson, Mackenzie.

Joe Boutin recounts, “I can still vividly remember my first visit to campus in the spring of 1963. The warm reception from the Edmundites, the engaged faculty interactions, the precocious students observed from a distance all influenced my decision to come to Saint Michael’s. My brother, Ed Boutin ’68 was the first to follow in my dad’s footsteps, but there are 15 of us at last count. No doubt Dad influenced us all. There was something he saw in the mid-1940s that has remained to this day: a sense of community and common purpose that permeates every part of the institution. It is why I, like many other alumni, still come back.” Currently, more than 100 students, about seven percent of the undergraduate population, on campus have at least one parent who has graduated from Saint Michael’s. Elisabeth O’Donnell ’19 is one of those students. She writes that she is the oldest grandchild, and “the family joke throughout my senior year of high school was that I was going to St. Mike’s. My grandfather, Bob ‘O’D’ O’Donnell graduated in 1969, and five members of our family later followed his lead. The first time I visited campus was actually for my uncle’s graduation in 1998. Before my first year, I figured that

hearing so many stories about the College would deprive me of what was supposed to be an exciting, unknown, new adventure. Instead, my three years at Saint Michael’s have been more exciting than I expected because my experience is rooted in the footsteps of my grandfather and other family members. Although I am finding my own way, I can relate to stories I’ve heard a million times about the College in the ’70s and ’90s. While the College has evolved since my grandfather was here, some things never change (P-day, the mountains, the chapel, Joyce Hall). It is incredibly cool to think that my grandfather was in the same places 49 years ago. St. Mike’s is something we will always share — we even have the same reunion year!” These days, when families are more spread out than ever and busy schedules too often make it hard for us to spend as much time with our extended families, sharing memories from our college years and walking in the footsteps of our ancestors is a rare pleasure.

M O D E L U N I T E D N AT I O N S :

GLOBAL MINDS AT HOME by Danielle Joubert ’20

Saint Michael’s Model U.N. delegation attends the Harvard Model United Nations Conference (February 2018)

he classroom is a space for making mistakes. Learning at the collegiate level is usually about safe environments, room for error, and preparing for pressures that can seem firmly rooted in the future. But for some students, education means seeking out high stakes here and now.

After only two years of official club status, the Saint Michael’s College Model United Nations group has competed in conferences at the University of Pennsylvania and at Harvard University. These competitions draw students from around the globe.

They involve role-playing as delegates from various countries and simulating real-world UN processes. Students draft and present resolutions in the interests of their assigned countries and are judged on their ability to research, write, speak, and persuade. According to club president Asah Whalen ’19, the competition is fierce and the outcome is invigorating. “I think New England is sort of the epicenter of academics and higher thought in America and I think St. Mike’s is living up to that [reputation].”

This isn’t the first time that a Model UN group has been active on campus. Saint Michael’s was one of a few colleges to attend the first Model UN conference in the country, at St. Lawrence University in 1949. Later, during the 1980s and ’90s, the group saw a student-led revival with Professor Bill Wilson of the Political Science Department as an advisor. “My greatest involvement was to drive the van,” Wilson insists. He says that the Political Science Club leadership at the time decided to pursue the Model UN on their own. “For me, teaching international relations is pale if it doesn’t

have some vehicle for people to see how another nation sees the world... The model UN is another dimension of that possibility,” he says. The spirit of global citizenship is certainly nothing new for Saint Michael’s students. Wilson notes that even when he first started at the College in 1971, he found it to be an easy transition from his graduate school experience at Tufts University in Boston. “My studies were all international... Having a significant number of students in the English as a Second

“It was a great experience for me to realize the cost you pay for ignorance.” His time in Vietnam also revealed a “disconnect between what happens at the top and what happens at the bottom of policy,” so much so that he became active in the anti-war movement upon his return. During his tenure at Saint Michael’s, he took a sabbatical to return to Vietnam for a semester of teaching English. He plans to go back and teach another course in the summer and is currently teaching an English conservation course for non-native speakers in Burlington.

This year, the Model UN group at Saint Michael’s officially became the United Nations Association, a chapter of the national group in the United States. Their focus now isn’t just on the competition, but on educating the campus community at large. This new, expanded mission includes coordinating events, such as an on-campus lecture by Robert Ford, former ambassador to Syria. Whalen takes pride in these campuswide efforts. He also sees a personal

“F OR M E, TEACHIN G I N TER N ATI O N AL R EL ATI O N S IS PA L E IF IT DOESN’ T H AVE SO M E VEH I C L E F OR P EOPLE TO SEE H O W AN O TH ER N ATI O N SEE S T H E WORLD. . . THE M O DEL UN I S AN O TH ER DIME N SION OF THAT PO SSI B I L I TY. ” Language program really meant there was a presence and an energy on campus that was more international.” For Wilson, who served in the Vietnam War, life as a global citizen is very personal. “Vietnam is where I first taught English... I felt awful. Here I was in a society about which I knew nothing, involved in a war in which [citizens] were sometimes drawn in and not always willing participants,” he said.

Wilson and Whalen are both proponents of the United Nations and wish to see it understood for its full potential. “I think in the American public mind, it’s pretty much relegated to ‘it’s there, but it doesn’t do anything,’” Wilson says. “I think that that’s an incorrect perception.” Whalen expressed similar sentiments. “The UN is seen as this global government organization that’s destroying any national sovereignty. I’d say that’s the less educated perspective. When you see the work that the UN does on the ground, [you realize] it’s immensely valuable.”

transformation in himself and in his peers. He was recently awarded a Freeman Foundation Scholarship for a sustainability internship in Hong Kong. “One thing I’ve seen change in myself is just [gaining] a greater knowledge of global affairs and a greater respect for the international process,” he says. “I’d say the model UN is an element in a broader experience of St. Mike’s, which is a much more international institution than I’ve ever been a part of.”

LIZ SCOTT:

by Danielle Joubert ’20 illustration by Sir John Tenniel

“I think that there are stories to be discovered in things.”

n the basement of the Durick Library, tucked away at the end of a long, narrow hallway, is an unassuming windowless door. The somewhat disorienting journey through the building’s signature curved architecture seems to be a fitting introduction to what lies inside. Shelves are stacked to the ceiling with seemingly endless boxes full of carefully packed items: photographs, records, student scrapbooks, minutes from meetings spanning decades, and more. The only truly open space here among the archives is the office of Liz Scott, archivist for Saint Michael’s College and the Society of Saint Edmund. After working at libraries in South Dakota, Oregon, and Kentucky, Scott came to Saint Michael’s in 2001. Though she didn’t grow up in Vermont, the presence of family in the state finally drew her in. “It seemed like an excellent fit with the religious studies part of my background,” she says of her position at the College. Initially, Scott didn’t intend to become a librarian. While obtaining her master’s degree in Religious Studies, she realized that she didn’t want to pursue a Ph.D. A class on using religion sources made library work seem like an attractive option. She had first become interested in archival work specifically during her undergraduate studies in history. Scott has relatively little interest in the standout items that might draw more buzz from the uninitiated; relics of Saint Edmund, for instance, or penance items like a shirt made of braided hair that was worn specifically for the discomfort it offered. The true magic of the archives is in the historical tapestry woven by the things that were

once mundane, now made extraordinary by the passage of time. “Because it’s a primary source, you get to discover the stories,” Scott says. “It’s not like somebody’s presenting you with what it is.” When asked about her favorite items, she produced a student registration book from the earliest days of the College. Every detail tells a story, from who does a student’s laundry, to the immaculate cursive handwriting indicative of the era. Students’ ages varied wildly at the time, with some of those listed being as young as 13. Any number of facts about the history of Saint Michael’s, Vermont, and life in the 1910s can be gleaned from such a source. It’s certainly a different experience from reading a history book, but one that can be much more engaging and personal. According to Scott, visitors to the archives are often looking for information on family or regional history. One could find an article that one’s parent wrote for the school newspaper or information on the curriculum that one’s grandparent followed back in the 1950s. “I think that there are stories to be discovered in things,” Scott says. “Sometimes the work of a historian is to put that stuff together, but I also think that it can be the work of more than just a historian. It’s how you learn about your family, or how you learn about the place where you live.” Scott says she sees fewer new items entering the archives as we move into the digital age. While there are special concerns involved in maintaining and storing paper, such a task comes with relative ease. “It’s a lot more difficult to do when things are born digital,” Scott says.

This is true especially of photographs. “It used to be you had a roll of film and there were 24 or 36 photos that you took, so you might think pretty carefully about what you were going to take a picture of. Now, you could take a thousand.” Despite her enthusiasm over the ease of access with new digital databases, the importance of physical records can’t be overstated. The process of digitization, Scott explains, is demanding and timeconsuming. “It’s hard for me to communicate to people that even though there are 5,000 photos in the St. Mike’s database, there are another 15,000 photos that aren’t in there yet.” Additionally, it can be hard to tell how long a digital copy of something might last. “I don’t think that you could consider it permanent at this point. Not yet. Maybe we’re getting there” For now, there’s much comfort to be taken in those things that sit in boxes waiting to be rediscovered. While Saint Michael’s is a very different college today than it was in 1904, every stage of its is being kept safe, sound, and ready for curious minds to peruse.

Visit the St. Mike’s Archives smcvt.edu/magazine

THIS WO Combatting by Susan Salter Reynolds

earning how to talk about racism on college campuses has taken decades. But is talking enough?

THIRTY YEARS AGO

When Jason Curry ’95 got off the plane in Burlington in September of 1991, excited to begin his life as a Saint Michael’s student, he was met by two police officers. “I was the only black person on the plane,” he recalls. “When I exited the plane the police indicated another passenger on the flight was reading a newspaper article and stated that I fit the description of a rape suspect in Central Park. At the time I was wearing a Knicks cap, was 5-11 and weighed 145 pounds,” Curry added. “The suspect was wearing a Knicks shirt, was approximately 5’ 6” and weighed over 200 pounds. Our only common denominator was that we were both black.”

Kimoi Seale ’06 with students in the Center for Multicultural Affairs and Services.

The police held him until his basketball coach arrived to pick him up. And that wasn’t the end of it. Later that afternoon, his first day on campus, a meeting in his dorm with students and dorm staff in his residence hall was interrupted by multiple calls: “The Burlington police are on the phone for Jason Curry,” announced the student who had answered the phone. No one knew who Curry was until he stood up as the lone African-American student and walked to the pay phone, in the middle of the hallway, to accept the call. They were calling to apologize.

RK IS NEVER DONE:

Racism on College Campuses Was it embarrassing? Of course. Has Curry gotten over it? Of course. “In reality, I put it behind me very quickly. I really just wanted to begin college life and play basketball. The fact that the incident didn’t directly happen on campus where I had to live and interact every day helped me move on, but it was still very shocking.” HAVE THINGS GOTTEN BETTER? LET’S TAKE A LOOK.

Jason Curry graduated and went on to a thrilling, impressive career as a broadcast journalist, and creator of Big Apple Basketball, a New York nonprofit organization that hosts basketball events, conducts clinics, offers college scholarship programs, runs mentoring programs, and manages teams. Despite the rocky start, he has fond memories of his time at Saint Michael’s. “It was an amazing four years, a significant change from NYC,” he says. “I was immediately struck by how genuine, open, and loving people were there.” It was a tough road getting there, Curry recalls — five high schools in five years, until he got away from the distractions of New York, and found mentors and coaches who believed in him. The skills he learned at St. Mike’s — writing, editing video, working in front of the camera, and teamwork learned playing basketball — set him up well for his first jobs as production assistant,

video editor, and announcer, all the way to WNBC, WABC, and CNN. Curry started Big Apple Basketball in 1999 as a pro travel team, but the organization grew as Curry developed relationships with coaches, agents, and school administrators across the country. Soon, he was helping kids in high school get college scholarships. Today, Big Apple Basketball is a “one-stop shop” for players of all ages moving to the next level. “This is my baby,” Curry says proudly. “I’ve walked in many of these kids’ shoes. I know what they are going through.”

I began to hear African-Americans tell their story of White America. This is perhaps the place where the silence was finally broken.” Theroux grew up in a French Canadian family in Connecticut. After teaching in the South, primarily African-American students, for many decades, he is deeply sensitive to the stresses placed on students of color in institutions in which the majority of students, faculty, and staff are white.

“During college, all students are exploring their identities. African-American students want to discover who they are. Sometimes this means isolating While Curry says he didn’t experience themselves from the White culture, racism on the St. Mike’s campus, he coming to peace with what it means to was not oblivious to subsurface tensions. be Black, vs. having their consciousness Today, he notices, “people are more shaped by whites.” Several organizations outspoken. They say what they feel vs. on campus, like the MLK Society and suppressing it.” He recalls being the International Student Services, he says, only black person in most of his classes, “support this journey.” But it’s not easy. with “people who cannot relate to you. Sometimes the only way they can Living in a predominantly white learn is to ask you about your experienc- dorm, for example, might be oppressive. es.” This, he admits, can be exhausting, Students see all kinds of micro-aggresbut he says, “I definitely don’t consider sions the faculty don’t see. Can colleges it racism.” adequately provide for the needs of students of color so that they have a voice? Can Saint Michael’s deliver the experience they were promised? SIXTY YEARS AGO Rev. David Theroux, SSE, was assigned as an Edmundite to Mobile, Alabama, to teach in a Catholic high school. It was here, he has written, “that I began to come in contact with Black people in any meaningful sense. I found myself teaching African-Americans at the school, and I interacted with Black people in the parish where I lived. It was here that

In order to do this, Fr. Theroux says, we have to explore whiteness. How do white people give up power? Diversity can sensitize them, he believes. “But what is the critical mass? At what point do people of color stop feeling like visitors in our house?” We must, he says, hear the call to our better selves and

C O M B AT T I N G R A C I S M 30

recognize attempts to divide us. Students of color on college campuses often feel they have to “push a great weight. They are constantly called upon to represent diversity and educate white students. Some white students are tired of hearing about it. They don’t know what to say anymore. They might close down. Then the dialogue breaks down.” Fr. Theroux believes the classroom can provide a vehicle for these discussions, a place to explore similarities and differences, if faculty and students are willing to bring these discussions into the classroom. He hopes that the new curriculum will include more courses that speak to people of color— History of the Black Church; Black Theology. FIFTY YEARS AGO

In his first year at St. Mike’s, Charlie Titus ’72 recalls turning on the TV and seeing that during winter carnival on the UVM campus in Burlington, fraternity

bring the NAACP to campus, but on the day the Kake Walk was supposed to happen, the fraternities got together and began the parade. “We got a call from UVM, and we hopped in a car and went up there. The Burlington police were already there. I thought to myself, ‘what am I even doing up here?’” Titus is the vice chancellor for athletics and recreation, special projects and programs, and director of athletics at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. “I never felt any racism on campus,” he recalls, “though there were hardly any African- American students — maybe four black guys my first year, two from Ghana, one from the Caribbean, and me, so there was a bit of isolation.

“Athletes know how to live with diversity — it’s the nature of life on a team, and it’s a good place for a kid to start learning about diversity.” Titus played basketball in college. Does he resent the common assumption that black students play basketball? “I played basketball, but that’s not all I did. I love being a coach, but there’s more to me than that. Don’t limit my substance. I consider myself an academic and a father.” 16 YEARS AGO AND COUNTING

Kimoi Seale ’06 is the coordinator of multicultural & international programs and educational initiatives and an assistant dean of students at “Conversation is important,” says Saint Michael’s. He came to campus in Titus, “but the conversation really has to 2002 from high school in New York be about living with diversity. You can’t City, as part of a U.S. Department of really call yourself a diverse community Education Upward Bound program. without these efforts. I have my red lines, “I was born in Barbados; I’m an island but there are [also] things I’ve learned boy, so Vermont had a good easygoing to live with. I don’t have the energy pace for me, that was different from to fight every battle, but don’t try telling the hustle and bustle of the city.” Seale

“TODAY, PEOPLE ARE EMBOLDENED TO SPEAK UP.” members dressed in blackface and satin tuxedos in a minstrel show they called the “Kake Walk,” a decades-old tradition. “I could not believe this,” says Titus. “And I vowed that it should not happen again.” The Kake Walk was officially canceled when students threatened to

me a racist joke! I believe deeply that racism in this country has been institutionalized over 400 years. It’s not going to come tumbling down in a generation or two.

speaks with an easy smile. He’s patient and calm, and it’s no wonder that students facing all kinds of challenges come to speak with him. “I grew to love snowboarding. I played soccer and worked in admissions. Because of my experience in Upward Bound, I understood the importance of mentors,” he

Jason Curry with a youth award winner at halftime of his Big Apple Basketball Invitational in January 2018. says. After graduation, Seale worked as an admissions counselor, helping to recruit students in New York and New Jersey, then came back to campus. “I never experienced in-your-face racism,” he says (the kind that Jason Curry and Charlie Titus saw firsthand), “but I’ve seen plenty of the subtle stuff.” Seale gives some examples of “the subtle stuff ” — the people who assume that because he is tall and black, he must have come to Saint Michael’s on a basketball scholarship. This is something he still occasionally experiences even as a staff member. “Do they think that’s the only way I could be here? I tend to assume they have no ill intent. I’ve had enough of these experiences to develop my own way of coping, but for some others, experiencing it for the first time in their lives can be debilitating.”

It’s exhausting. Seale admits that he can’t just “be” on the campus. He has to think about how he presents himself. He understands that to others his actions are viewed as a representation of his race. “Others have the opportunity to mess up. We don’t. I talk to many students who feel this way.” The good news, Seale says, is that “we talk about race more on campus than we did—even when I was a student.” Structurally, he says, “it’s difficult to see change. We are nowhere near where we should be in terms of having a number of faculty and staff from racially diverse backgrounds.” If a student is having an experience on campus, he explains, there are only a few people that student can talk to who look like him

or her. Students need examples when they are trying to figure out where they want to go in life. They need to see themselves reflected in the people around them. Seale has seen some momentum in the hiring process and in educational programming, but there’s more work to be done, much of it in the classroom. Often, a student might be the only African-American (or Latina, or AsianAmerican) student in the class. “The professor might put you in the position of spokesperson for your group. Is this racism?” When one assumes that an international student is wealthy, is this racism? What is not in question is the negative impact these assumptions, whether racist or not, have on people’s lives, especially in spaces where they already feel isolated.

C O M B AT T I N G R A C I S M 32

“Today, people are emboldened to speak up. That’s good, because with all the polarization and the divisive language used by so many, the posters popping up on college campuses, and the hate messages, students of color may well wonder whom they can trust. Does the person sitting next to you agree with that stuff? If you are a white person and you’re silent, think about the message your silence is sending.”

have that internal conversation and weigh the risk to make the best decision. I find myself speaking out more often than not because if I don’t speak up, who will?” CHANGE IN THE CLASSROOM

Coalition ad hoc group. She agrees with Seale that until the faculty and staff fully reflect campus diversity, students of color will be more likely to feel marginalized and unheard. Efforts such as the “We All Belong” workshops attended by faculty and staff, resources like the Center for Multicultural Affairs and Services, and groups like the MLK Society and the Diversity Coalition have increased general sensitivity and awareness, removing some of the blinders symptomatic of white privilege. The current polarized climate doesn’t make change any easier. Students staged a march last year, with demands. Faculty, students, and staff have set up a Bias Response Team and protocol. “It takes creative thinking,” Smith says. “And leadership,” especially when it comes to prioritizing diversity in the hiring process.

The new liberal studies curriculum includes plans for a core course titled Engaging Diverse Identities. Lorrie Smith, English Department chair, professor of English and American studies, is delighted with this new piece of the required curriculum, but frustrated with the pace of change. Smith On the plus side, Smith appreciates has been at Saint the freedom she has to develop syllabi Michael’s since for her classes that encourage discussion 1986 and has and general knowledge of other seen efforts and histories. Classes like The Musical Roots initiatives to of African-American Literature and create a more diverse, inclusive Legacies of Slavery; readings like Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize lecture and campus lurch, stall, and stumble Claudia Rankine’s “Citizen”; and a TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, forward. Like “The Danger of a Single Story” inspire Titus, Curry, discussions that are not simply guilt-inSeale, and ducing but thought-provoking. “I don’t Theroux, she presume to speak from experience,” knows that racism and white Smith says. “It is a great joy for me to learn alongside my students.” privilege are Fr. David Theroux, SSE, with students at Bishop Perry Middle deep and School in New Orleans in approximately 1997. systemic in American institutions. Smith has been Students of color have to learn to WALKING THE WALK an active member of the Diversity and advocate for themselves, despite the Inclusion Council, serving on a subcom- Of course, Saint Michael’s is not the only cost. It can be painful, he acknowledges, mittees, the Campus Climate Commitbut it’s something they have to do. college facing these challenges. Nationtee, and as a member of the Diversity “I’m a quiet person. I realize there are ally, disparities in access to higher costs even when I’m silent so I have to education, opportunity gaps, and

Vermont is the second-whitest state in the nation, and multicultural students want to know that they will feel welcome and safe here. “Vermont is one of the safest states in the union,” Kelly reminds students with doubts about Vermont. “And we do a terrific job taking care of our students once they get here.” Black student debt in 2016 averaged $52,000 for a B.A. White student debt in the same year averaged $28,000. “Discrimination takes many forms,” Kelly reminds a listener. “Many of them Kimoi Seale ’06 (center) with students Melanie Castillo (left) ’18 and Nga Nguyen ’18 economic. We have to create the (right) in the Center for Multicultural Affairs and Services. conditions under which multicultural world. Links with schools in Puerto Rico, students can thrive here. It is not discrimination on college campuses enough to simply recruit them.” Kelly Florida, and Texas have brought new have all grown in the last decade. students of color to Saint Michael’s. Multi- and her staff work hard to create According to a recent study by the U.S. scholarships, like the Presidential cultural students are flown to St. Mike’s Department of Education, “Advancing Community Partnership Scholarship, (often with family members) to spend Diversity and Inclusion in Higher which offers full tuition to between time with students, attend classes, and Education,” “data show gaps in preparaeight and 10 academically talented become familiar with the St. Mike’s tion, enrollment, and degree attainment students of color each year. In 2013, 14 community. for many students of color compared percent of the students were from with white students and Asian students.” domestic multicultural backgrounds. In Saint Michael’s was recently invited While “bachelor’s degree attainment 2017, that number rose to 20 percent. to join the American Talent Initiative, for Hispanic, black, white, and Asian Low-income (Pell Grant-eligible) one of just 100 U.S. colleges. “It was an adults has risen over time…the attainstudents make up 20 percent of each honor to be included among such a ment gap has more than doubled year’s incoming class. select group of schools,” Saint Michael’s between whites and blacks, as well as President Neuhauser said at a recent between whites and Hispanics.” “The demographics in the U.S. campus event. The goal is to see 50,000 are changing and the College needs to talented low-income students in higher “You have to build the pipeline,” says change, too,” Kelly acknowledges. education by 2025. “We were invited,” Sarah Kelly, vice president for EnrollKelly explains, “because our graduation “Living our institutional values of ment and Marketing at Saint Michael’s respecting the dignity of every member rate for low-income students is close to College, “that leads talented students of our community so that our students our graduation rate for non-low-income of color to St. Mike’s.” One of the best can become who they are called to ways to do this is to get them on campus. students. Saint Michael’s is one of only be is the right thing to do….and it 270 colleges nationwide with statistics Associate Director of Admissions makes good business sense. Thank God Carlos Vega makes regular presentations like that.” St. Mike’s has also been invited to join the Coalition Application, there are people in our community at the Pace University Upward Bound saying ‘this is not enough.’ This work is an alternative application. As early as program and establishes relationships never done.” seventh grade, students begin to build a with middle and high school counselors “locker” of items, experiences, and essays across the country and around the that allow admissions staff to look beyond test scores.

“I’m trying to point out to people how much we walk by without noticing.”

Peter Riley ’78:

Making a Living Doing What He Loves by Cherise (LaPine) Threewitt ’04

Great Blue Heron on Colchester Pond, VT by Peter Riley ’78

“I

Riley was a sophomore when Saint Michael’s College began offering journalism courses. Back then, the program was geared toward getting a job at a newspaper, and there was a darkroom on campus where students processed their own black and white film. He recalls that there were about 15 students who graduated with a Journalism major in the first eligible group. After college, journalism and photography fell by the wayside. “All my classmates and everyone who was in school with me, they all know me as a musician,” says Riley. “I’ve made my living, really, as a performing musician and a piano tuner. I’ve tuned about 500 pianos a year for the past 28 years and I’ve played about 100 gigs a year since I graduated from St. Mike’s.” Riley has performed around the world, has appeared on a lot of records as a session musician, and was part of a band called Breakaway that, in 1988, became the first bluegrass band ever to perform in Russia. Breakaway has also opened for Emmylou Harris at Burlington’s Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, and landed in the Top 20 in the bluegrass charts. As a piano tuner, Riley’s notable clients have included the jam band Phish.

photo: Rob Swanson ’81

really should write my own life story, because it’s a little unusual,” says Peter Riley ’78. “Somehow I was just brave enough to follow my nose and do what I thought I should be doing.” “I’ve known those guys since before they were rock stars,” says Riley. “They used to come see me play all the time.” Nature photography is an obvious choice for someone who’s been bird watching for 40 years, and Riley has a distinctive style that shines through despite his long hiatus from the art form. Riley picked up a digital camera just a few years ago, and, as he says, he “put [his photos] on Facebook and it blew up from there.” A friend shared Riley’s photos of Eastern king birds with a relative who happens to be the world’s leading authority on that species. Soon, Riley was asked if his photos could be used for a lecture at the Smithsonian, and the attention grew from there. The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and New Jersey Audubon Society are two other notable organizations that have used Riley’s photography, which can also be viewed locally around Vermont. Not bad for someone who sold his first photo just two and a half years ago. Colchester Pond and the Woodside Correctional Facility across from North Campus are regular shooting spots; Riley also takes regular trips to a bird observatory in Cape May, New Jersey. “I’m trying to point out to people how much we walk by without noticing,” he says.

Riley believes that a lot of his photography success is due to his editing skills. “It’s not unlike music,” he says, in that the song you hear is always heavily edited, and like a musician in the studio, a photographer can “emphasize what you like and de-emphasize what you don’t like.” As the Class of 1978 celebrates its 40th reunion, it’s almost certain that these Purple Knights are reflecting on their careers and their lives. Riley says he has no regrets. “I’ve practically never had a job, but I work almost every day,” he says. “I’ve never been in any kind of rut, and I think a lot of people suffer from that. I never do the same thing two days in a row.” Riley tunes pianos most days, but every day is different since he’s on the road talking to different people and working on different instruments. In his downtime, he edits photos and works on music. “All of this with a Journalism degree from St. Mike’s,” Riley says. “For me, it’s always been, what do I love to do and how can I make a living doing it?”

You can see Peter Riley’s work at www.vermontlifeofriley.com

The Edmundites: 175 Years of Devotion, Insight, Faith, and Love 36

This year marks the 175th anniversary of the Edmundites’ 1843 founding at a humble former Cistercian Abbey in Pontigny, France, by Fathers Jean Baptiste Muard and Pierre Boyer, French diocesan priests who dedicated their lives to evangelism, the caretaking of holy shrines, and the intercessory protection and aid of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Those founders’ spiritual heirs continue these traditions at Saint Michael’s College and around the world. At a ceremony last August to commemorate the anniversary, Very Rev. Stephen Hornat, SSE ’72, the Society of St. Edmund’s superior general, said: “This anniversary year provides an opportunity for those of us in the Edmundite community to renew our devotion to Mary. As we Edmundites journey through this anniversary year, with all of its many challenges that we face in this secular culture, I hope that we will find strength and comfort under the mantel of Our Lady.” He closed by quoting St. Bernard’s “Memorare” prayer: “Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.”

MEMBERS OF THE SAINT MICHAEL’S COMMUNITY HAVE FOND (AND SOMETIMES FUNNY!) MEMORIES OF THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE EDMUNDITES. TAKE A LOOK: We were heartbroken when the Bishop told us we could not have a Catholic wedding performed if we were not planning to have a civil marriage (a civil marriage would have jeopardized my insurance coverage). But Fr. Mike performed a blessing at our commitment ceremony and said that we would be married in his eyes. That’s all that mattered to us. — Maria Rinaldi ’00, Staff Member It all began the first year we moved here when Fr. D’Agostino came to our little living space and built a counter so we’d have someplace to eat in the kitchen. And Fr. Joe Hart talked to me about students and their plights in life that opened up learning in a new way. Fr. Steve watched over my daughter Katie as she spent a year volunteering in Selma. And Fr. Dave put me up for a semester when I was on sabbatical in New Orleans. Not only were these men quick to respond with thoughtful and meaningful words, it was the action that they took that represented true compassion and empathy—strengths I will always be working on but that I saw mostly represented in these fine men. Of course one Edmundite who has significantly affected my life is Fr. Mike Cronogue. I knew him as a student in my graduate class, a confidant, a mentor, and a friend. Three weddings and two funerals—he helped me through them all from understanding something about “daughter-in-law” to that deep feeling of adaptation and resilience that allows one to live with purpose and meaning. — Susan Kuntz, Professor of Psychology

The four years at Saint Michael’s was everything I thought it would be. We were blessed to have Edmundites throughout our entire college experience. Besides being spiritual leaders, they were in the classrooms, dorms, administration, and [they were] even classmates. They established the environment of a home away from home that consisted of love and discipline. Fr. Ray Doherty continues to amaze us all with his zest for life and love for the College. To this day, [62 years after meeting him], I can count on his warm greetings and having discussions about our mutual friends like Joe and Amy Curtin. To show my affection and appreciation for what the Edmundites meant to me and the entire Alumni Association, I established the Annual Alumni Association Edmundite’s Award. It was awarded each year to an Edmundite during Reunion weekend. I will always cherish the Edmundite genuine warm greetings when returning to campus, visiting the shrine, and their relaxing weekend visits at our homes. I am forever grateful for the support, influence, and love of the Edmundites. — Alfred Scaia ’56 Even in the sometimes more rigid Catholicism of the 1950s, Fr. Paulin was a free spirit: a genuinely holy and spiritual man. He seemed always to be smoking his pipe, except when teaching theology or French. Blessings and gratitude for all the Edmundites living and deceased. They made their mark and still do. — Fr. Art Kirwin, O.P., ’57

TOUCHING LIVES 38

When I was applying to colleges during my senior year of high school, I did not consider a school’s religious affiliation as an important factor. Once I arrived at Saint Michael’s, however, I came to realize how important the “Catholic” is in “Catholic Higher Education.” From growing in my faith through campus ministry and trips to Saint Anne’s Shrine, to exploring the intricacies of Irish history from the English colonization through the Troubles, to learning how to smoke cigars, the Edmundites had a tremendous impact on my time in Winooski Park. — Trevor Brown ’15 Fr. Paul Couture was my professor for three Religious Studies courses while at I was at Saint Michael’s. His intelligence, love of Scripture, and prayer are the foundations of my personal spiritual life. He taught me to see Jesus in not only a spiritual way but also in a sociological and psychological and [historical way.] I am indebted to him and he remains close to my heart. I have been a Camaldolese Benedictine Oblate for over 10 years and remain faithful in prayer. — Bob Cochrane ’81 The Edmundites (especially at St. Mike’s) keep my departed loved ones in their prayers. It’s comforting to feel this support year after year, and it’s an instantaneous faith-booster. I value and cherish the connection to the Saint Michael’s Edmundite community. Gratitude and appreciation abounds. Happy Anniversary and a special shout-out to Jerry Flanagan and classmate and pal, Rev. Brian J. Cummings, S.S.E. — Donna Von Oehsen ’86

I would like to call your attention to the Reverend Aime Trahan, S.S.E. Fr. Trahan was in Pontigny, France, when the Nazis first occupied France. His experiences I will not present here but are worthy of note. Details can be found in news copy found in the Saint Michael’s Archives. I strongly suggest his early life as a priest was both stressful and remarkable. Long after his escape from occupied France and return to the Edmundites, he was stationed as pastor of St. Elizabeth’s in Lyndonville, Vermont. I first met him when I was a freshman at Lyndon Institute. I served as an altar boy for four years, watching Fr. Trahan build and strengthen the parish. Frankly, he became a “father figure” for me. He greatly influenced my choice of college. In 1961 my wife, Marjorie, and I were married by Father Trahan. He also later married our oldest daughter in the chapel. — James Willard, Ph.D. ’61, Biology Adjunct since 2004 I am indebted to the Society for their policy on scholarships. It has enabled me to get a college education and a job I loved. I am especially thankful to Fr. Gerald Dupont for offering me the job as athletic director on “Doc” Jacobs’ death. — Ed Markey ’51, Former Longtime Athletic Director

The Edmundites are made up of some pretty spectacular men! They have great insight and instantaneously make you feel welcome. I was originally registered to attend Villanova when I visited the College back in 1969. That day changed my life. As I wandered the campus I came upon Fr. Ray and we chatted a bit. By the end of that short conversation, I made up my mind on the spot that St. Mike’s was for me. As one gets older and has greater perspective on life, one realizes that these men helped formulate us into the adults that we are today. And guess what, they continue daily in that mission. May God continue to bless all the Edmundites for another 175 years!! — Philip Ciulla, Jr ’73 I attended the Edmundites’ Bishop Perry Middle School in New Orleans and graduated from St. Mike’s in 2006. For over 21 years the Edmundites have been a constant reminder in my life of the spiritual calling of love and impactful service we as Christians enjoy. — Tyronne Walker ’06 Fr. Brian Cummings always had a smile and a warm welcome of “Walshee!” for me. He made me feel at home, even though I was in another state. Church with the Edmundites no longer felt like an obligation. It became enjoyable, and you became part of a community. Their presence around the classrooms allowed for better connections, and their knowledge helped shape my faith and understanding. I will forever be grateful to them. — Katie Cianelli ’07

When I was freshmen in 1957, we ate in the barracks cafeteria. We were all male, too bad. At the time the guys got very anxious around February. A food fight thus occurred in the cafeteria, and it was interrupted by Fr. Coombs, the dean. He caught one student who was a bit shaken and Father said to stop throwing food, and he said “yes sir” and Father replied “I am a priest, and address me as such.” With that the overwhelmed student replied, “yes priest.” — Bob Benashski ’61 In September of 1965 I made my first appearance at Saint Michael’s as an undergraduate.... Nervous, alone, and afraid I meandered past the chapel... contemplating my time here, speculating as to the future.... Could I be on my own? Would I succeed as a college student? Suddenly a figure emerged from the chapel... proceeded directly towards me, extended his hand, smiled brilliantly, and said “ Welcome to Saint Michael’s, Bob!” It was Fr. Ziter... From that day forward I have never forgotten his kindness, which typifies the Edmundite community! — Robert Pelletreau ’69 The Edmundites have taught me how to be hospitable to others. Fr. Marcel generously invited me to join the Edmundite heritage trip in 2001. I was on campus an evening early, so Fr. VanderWeel invited me to join him to eat some ice cream with him. I really enjoyed the time together and felt at home. — Jane Hingston Wilkins ’01

For extended submissions visit smcvt.edu/magazine

A Family Affair: MARIAH NEWMAN ’19 by Lauren Read 40

eet an alum or a parent or a current student at Saint Michael’s College and there is a familiar refrain when describing the community found at the school: it’s a family.

For Mariah Newman ’19, that statement is an actual fact. Newman, a rising senior, is the 15th member of her family to attend the Colchester college.

“ I ’ V E R E A L LY E N J O Y E D G O I N G T O A S C H O O L W H E R E M Y FA M I LY H A S G O N E . I N FA C T, I FIND IT COMFORTING AND PRETTY COOL TO KNOW T H AT I ’ V E WA L K E D T H E S A M E PAT H S T H AT M Y G R A N D FAT H E R WA L K E D . ”

“Ever since I was a baby, I’ve been hearing stories about St. Mike’s and how special a place it is,” Newman said in an e-mail from Galway, Ireland, where she is studying abroad. “There’s even a picture of me

Mariah Newman ’19 with her parents Thomas Newman ’82 and Erin Morris Newman ’83 as an infant in a St. Mike’s onesie hung up in my home.” The tradition with Newman’s family began with her grandfather, F. Richard Morris, who attended the school from 1948 through 1950.

Three of her great-uncles followed — two on her grandmother’s side, Eugene R. Geary ’52 and Paul J. Geary ’62, and one on her grandfather’s, Edward A. Morris (1948-51).

Eugene Geary ’52

Paul Geary ’61

Thomas Geary ’79

Thomas Newman ’82

Erin Morris Newman ’83

Michael Geary ’83

“ I T H I N K S T. M I K E ’ S H A S H E L P E D M E A N D M Y FA M I LY M E M B E R S

T O B E C O M E B E T T E R , M O R E R E S P O N S I B L E P E O P L E .”

Edward Morris ’86

Kacey Katherine Connor ’86

Edward Geary ’88

In addition to Newman’s Newman’s father (Thomas immediate family, there is Rich Newman ’82) and another whole branch of her mother (Erin Morris family tree full of St. Mike’s Newman ’83, M’99) followed the path to Saint Michael’s, alums — the Gearys. followed closely by her uncle (Edward “Ted” Morris “I think St. Mike’s has ’86) and aunt (Kacey Connor helped me and my family members become better, Morris ’86). more responsible people.” “I think my family has conThomas A. Geary ’79, tinued to attend St. Mike’s, Michael Q. Geary ’83, generation after generation, Edward “Ted” Geary ’88 and because St. Mike’s possesses Eugene R. Geary, Jr. ’92, all such a strong community Newman’s first cousins, and academic program,” attended St. Mike’s. And a Newman said. whole new generation,

Eugene Geary Jr ’92

Matthew T. Geary ’11 and Joshua T. Geary ’13, all graduated from the College as well. “We all recognize that the St. Mike’s community is the strongest community that we’ve been a part of,” Newman said. “My parents met at St. Mike’s, my aunt and uncle also met here, and it’s really cool to know that they started families based on the relationships they formed here!”

Matthew Geary ’11

Joshua Geary ’13

And the line does not end with Mariah: her cousin Kathleen “Kit” Geary will attend Saint Michael’s as a member of the Class of 2022. “I’ve really enjoyed going to a school where my family has gone,” Newman said. “In fact, I find it comforting and pretty cool to know that I’ve walked the same paths that my grandfather walked.”

The O’Hara Family: 42

The O’Hara family this past Thanksgiving: Sue O’Hara, Mike Zani, Liz Zani ’04, Samantha Zani, Drew O’Hara, Steve O’Hara ’00, Nathan O’Hara, Christy O’Hara, Chase Zani and Howie O’Hara ’71

Paying It Forward by Phung Pham

ith the support of his wife, Sue, Howie O’Hara ’71 created the O’Hara Family Scholarship in honor of his parents. Both of their children (Steve ’00 and Liz ’04) have joined the O’Haras in directing annual gifts to their family scholarship at Saint Michael’s.

“My parents sacrificed to make a St. Mike’s education a reality for me, so now my family and I want to pay it forward. Sue and I also wanted to do something to honor my parents’ memory,” says Howie O’Hara. Teaching their kids about giving back to the College was an active decision made by the couple, since both of their children are Saint Michael’s alumni. Leveraging a generous 100 percent match from Verizon, Howie O’Hara’s employer at the time, he started the O’Hara Family Scholarship over a decade ago. To this day, the O’Hara family actively contributes to the family scholarship. In addition to their annual contributions, the O’Haras

leverage Verizon’s matching program for retirees, which gives up to an additional $5,000 to the family scholarship annually. “When it was time to do long-term planning, we wanted to remember Saint Michael’s in our estate,” they say. They chose to direct a certain percentage of their estate, up to a certain dollar amount, to Saint Michael’s. For Howie O’Hara, it is about giving back to a place that he remembers fondly and where he found lifetime

from salesman to product manager to project engineer. It was also the place where he met his wife, Sue. They’ve been married for over 42 years.

When asked what he’s most proud of, Howie reflected on his family. “I’m most proud of my kids and my marriage to a great partner. I look at my kids now with their own families and am proud of what they’ve become. I’m happy to see my grandkids grow up and to be a part of their lives.”

“Remember to work hard but also make sure you have fun.” friendships that are important in his life today. “There are probably around 20 guys that still get together often for golfing, summer outings, and basketball games here on campus. What I appreciate most is the camaraderie and the quality education.” O’Hara secured his job with Verizon through Saint Michael’s on-campus recruiting and spent 34 years there in various positions,

As for advice to current students at Saint Michael’s, O’Hara encourages “getting involved, doing good work, and participating in any way you can. Remember to work hard but also make sure you have fun.”

For more information on how you can give back to Saint Michael’s College visit smcvt.edu/magazine

Legacies of Planned Giving at Saint Michael’s by Phung Pham

“M

y scholarship at St. Mike’s made my college education possible. I’m the first in my family who is expected to graduate with a college degree and it means the world to me that I’ve been given the opportunity to do so,” says Emily Lanci ’21. As a rising sophomore majoring in English and minoring in Philosophy, Emily has her eyes on law school after Saint Michael’s.

PLANNED GIVING IS LIKE PLANTING A TREE TODAY SO OTHERS CAN ENJOY ITS SHADE TOMORROW.

Simply put, it is a gift that aligns donors’ values with projects that exemplify their legacy. At Saint Michael’s, planned gifts have established a number of scholarships that leave a lasting mark on students’ education. The estate of A. Francis Politi, a friend of the College, established the Politi Language Incentive Scholarship, which opens opportunities for studying foreign languages and increasing global awareness for close to 250 students since 2007. President Neuhauser and Vice President for Academic Affairs Karen Talentino stand with family members of alumni donor Frank Harrison ’52 Scholarship near the new NMR machine during its dedication and demonstration event. support changes From left are Katherine Pelson, Margaret Santacroce, Vice President for lives. For current Academic Affairs Karen Talentino, President Neuhauser, Amy Klimock, students like Alex Claire Cocklin and Patricia Brandt. Bigelow ’19, a scholarship “has opened up the doors of Emily is at Saint Michael’s thanks to a opportunities that I have now as a Music planned gift from the Hoehl’s family major. St. Mike’s gave me the hands-on estate. She is an awardee of the Cynthia experience to pursue my dreams.” K. and Robert H. Hoehl Scholarship, which provides financial support to Alumni who were scholarship recipients students with demonstrated need. As a find that their Saint Michael’s experience continuing legacy of the donors’ values, lives on with them today. A recipient the Hoehl scholarship continues to of the Heinrich Journalism Scholarship, make a Saint Michael’s education Matt Reno ’03, reflects that “Saint possible for generations of students. Michael’s gave me the opportunity to

learn about the world beyond the small city I grew up in. I hadn’t heard the saying ‘Think globally, act locally’ before coming to the College, but it’s something that has stuck with me since. Seeing so much good work being done at St. Mike’s for the betterment of the community and the world has inspired me in my adult life to give back as much as I can.” ShawnnaLea Zemanek ’01 expresses a similar feeling about her Don Sutton Fire and Rescue Scholarship. “If it wasn’t for my scholarship, my time at St. Mike’s would not have happened. I value my St. Mike’s education. The bonds with professors and staff just took my experience to another level that I wouldn’t experience at a big college. I made lifelong friends, learned more than I could have imagined, and came away with confidence that I could succeed.” Scholarships at Saint Michael’s demonstrate the legacy of giving from generations of alumni and friends who believe in giving back. “The cost of education has gone up, and by including the College in my estate plan, I can help future students afford the same quality education that I received,” said says Phil Howrigan ‘57, who chose a charitable gift annuity as his planned giving vehicle. Planned giving makes a lasting difference for the future of the College. Donors who make a planned gift are the guardians of Saint Michael’s future; they are planting the tree that continues to provide protection for the future of a Catholic liberal arts education.

OUR NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROMETER Saint Michael’s Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer was made possible by a planned gift from Francis Harrison ’52 this past year. Harrison remembered Saint Michael’s in his estate and expressed a particular interest in supporting science education. When he passed away in 2016, his planned gift covered a significant portion of the nearly $300,000 cost of the new NMR spectrometer. Access to such equipment is fundamental to science education, and the NMR spectrometer will provide hands-on experience for generations of Saint Michael’s students who are becoming tomorrow’s scientists, educators, and healthcare professionals.

WORKS

George Dameron, “Feeding the Medieval Italian City-State: Grain, War and Political Legitimacy in Tuscany, c. 1150-c. 1350.” (Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies, Vol 92, No. 4.) “The failure of any state to guarantee adequate access to food for its citizens can undermine political legitimacy and imperil its survival. Success with food security can, however, contribute to domestic stability and legitimacy.”

Kristin Dykstra, an interview with Cuban poet Marcelo Morales, Bomb Magazine, January 2017; “In Memoriam: Juan Carlos Flores (1962-2016),” Chicago Review; “Soleida Ríos,” translated by Kristin Dykstra, Tripwire Thirteen — A Journal of Poetics.

Joan R. Wry, “Margaret Fuller’s ‘Raphael’s Deposition from the Cross,’ and the Tribune Letters: The Mater Dolorosa’s Tripartite Rites of Passage,” in Transatlantic Conversations — Nineteenth-Century American Women’s Encounters with Italy and the Atlantic World, Beth L. Lueck, ed.; Sirpa Salenius, ed.; Nancy Lusignan Schultz, ed. (University of New Hampshire Press).

FA C U LT Y A N D A L U M N I

WORKS

Joanna A. Ellis-Monaghan, “Design Tools for Reporter Strands and DNA Origami Scaffold Strands,” (Theroretical Computer Science, August 2015 [Elsevier]).

James Nagle and Don Taylor, “Using a Personal Learning Framework to Transform Middle Grades Teaching Practice.” (Middle Grades Research Journal, Vol. 11, No.1, 2017); and “Tapping the Experts in Effective Practices: Students as Educators in Middle Grades Professional Development,” with John M. Downes and Penny A. Bishop (Middle School Journal, Vol. 48, No. 4).

Adrie S. Kusserou, “Himalayan Facebook Fiction.” (Himalaya: The Journal for the Association of Nepal and Himalayan Studies, Fall 2017).

COMMENCEMENT 2018: by Lauren Read

n his Commencement remarks to Saint Michael’s College 2018 graduates on May 13, Mitch Landrieu, the recent mayor of New Orleans, offered their promising generation a mission: “to chart a new path.”

“Don’t let anyone diminish your voices,” Landrieu said during the Sunday Commencement ceremony. “Don’t let anyone make you feel like you don’t deserve full participation in your community, in your civic life, in your church life, and in our politics.” Landrieu received an honorary degree during the College’s 111th Commencement. He gained notice last year when he led efforts to remove Confederate statues in the city of New Orleans. He also received a Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award for the stand he took. “Those monuments had to come down because in New Orleans, we know that our diversity is our strength,” said Landrieu. “You know that here at Saint Michael’s College — diversity is the defining characteristic of the United States of America, the greatest nation on the planet.” Throughout his speech he also praised the proud mission, legacy, and long civil rights activism of the College’s founding religious order, the Society of St. Edmund — which this year marks 175 years since its founding.

Others receiving Saint Michael’s honorary degrees along with Landrieu similarly embodied the mission of the Edmundites: Rev. Joseph McLaughlin, SSE ’66, an expert on Edmundite and Saint Michael’s history and former professor and superior general and trustee; and President Patricia McGuire of Trinity Washington College, who has spent a lifetime advocating for historically disenfranchised individuals, particularly black and Latina women in Washington, D.C., at the college she leads. It was the last Commencement at the College’s helm for President John J. Neuhauser, who has announced plans to wind up his 10-plus-year tenure this summer. President Neuhauser, as he has done with past classes, told graduates that, “Perhaps more than anything I wish for you the gift of kindness…at the end it is the little things of life that create difference,” and finally: “I hope each of you…will return to this sandy plain below a mountain and next to a lake as often as you can. You will always be welcome here.” About 500 undergraduates — 289 bachelor of arts and 219 bachelor of science degree recipients, plus 63 master’s degree recipients, were awarded diplomas at the two-and-a-half-hour ceremony. The day also saw the awarding of the College’s top academic honors to Aisling O’Leary of Oak Park, Illinois, a Mathematics major with minors in Spanish and Philosophy; Lindsay Rogers of Park Ridge, New Jersey, a Neuroscience major; and Roxanne Withers of Hampden, Maine, a

Biology graduate with minors in Chemistry and Mathematics who were all named the 2018 valedictorians. Additionally, three students were awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Scholarships, making this the most successful student Fulbright Scholarship year in the school’s history. The students were Sophia Adams, a mathematics major from NH, Emily Byrne, a Spanish and Elementary Education major from NY, and Emily Burns, a Spanish and French major from NY. The Katherine Fairbanks Memorial Award and Father Prevel Memorial Award are for the woman and man, respectively, “demonstrating commitment and achievement related to the intellectual, spiritual, moral, and social values of Saint Michael’s College.” The Fairbanks winner was Summer Colley of Colchester, Vermont, who majored in Political Science with minors in Psychology, Philosophy, and Gender Studies. The Prevel winner was Zachary Maroon of Scarborough, Maine, who had a double major in Business and Economics, had many campus leadership positions including with the Student Association, the Business Society, and the Water Polo Club, and was an Orientation leader.

For more photos from Commencement 2018 visit smcvt.edu/magazine

Top left: Commencement Speaker, Mitchell J. Landrieu, politician, lawyer, and former Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana.

CHART A NEW PATH

For more photos from Commencement 2018 visit smcvt.edu/magazine

REUNION 2018: BACK FOR THE FUTURE by Mark Tarnacki

early a thousand Saint Michael’s College alumni returned to campus for Reunion 2018, which featured a wide assortment of events from Thursday, May 31 through Sunday, June 1. The Class of 1968 broke records for attendance, with 60 members returning for their 50th, said Angela Armour, Director of Alumni and Parent Relations. During the Leadership reception held in the Durick Library over the weekend, Board of

Trustees Chair Mary-Kate McKenna ’80 P’15 announced that $1 million was raised for the Jack Neuhauser Fund for Innovation and Research. Well-known author, activist, and Cambodian genocide survivor Loung Ung ’93, celebrating her 25th Reunion, held a conversation in the Farrell Room on Saturday morning; in the audience was Marty Lucenti ’68 and his wife, Candy, who helped

sponsor Loung’s family as refugees and brought them to Essex Junction, VT in 1980. For her unselfish service to others, Ung was presented The Col. Donald Cook, USMC ’56 Distinguished Citizen Award, given for the first time in six years. Golden Knights from the Class of 1968 arrived Thursday for an afternoon Mass together in the Chapel before a cocktail reception and Golden Knights Dinner in Dion Family Student Center. Honored as Alumni of the Year at a Welcome Home Celebration lunch on Saturday in Alliot Dining Hall were Alumni of the Year Frank Russo ’68, Phil Ciulla ’73, Rick Boyle ’78, Tim Ford ’83, Deb Gavron-Ravenelle ’88, and Jay London ’03 — all honored for their longstanding service to the College. Young Alumnus of the Year, Matt Connolly ’13, already has an impressive list of volunteer accomplishments for someone just out five years, said Armour, who served as master of ceremonies. At a brief Friday afternoon ceremony, the former Quad Commons Residence Hall was rededicated as Fr. Theophile Aubin Hall to honor a key Edmundite founder of the College from France who was responsible for buying the land that became the Saint Michael’s campus.

Other Reunion highlights: The first-ever Fr. Mike Cronogue Award for Service was awarded to Brian Donahue ’88 P’19, MOVE’s first director; the Makerspace put on two “Intro to Laser Cutting” classes for alumni.; over 50 alumni and guests attended “Lunch on the Lake” on board the Spirit of Ethan Allen; Kevin Jeter ’19 of Minnesota spoke on his student experience and thanked donors at the Leadership Reception; Alliot was packed on Friday for Surf and Turf with singer/songwriter Ryan Sweezey performing; a moving tribute to Saint Michael’s fallen alumni heroes at the Military Appreciation Reception in Pomerleau Alumni Center was hosted by retired Army Sargent John Brodeur ’68, as more than 50 alumni veterans celebrating their reunion came to honor deceased military graduates; the sun came out just in time for the BBQ and numerous class events that were held outside in downtown Burlington at establishments up and down Church Street. Alumni had a chance to “Share Your SMC Story” via Podcast Recordings. Several took part in campus tours. New Golden Knight Royal Hartigan ’68 offered an African music and dance workshop and a later jazz concert with friends in McCarthy Recital Hall. Children of returning alumni enjoyed a Saturday scavenger hunt; and many alumni stayed for a Strawberry Brunch and Sunday Mass at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel before heading home.

For more photos from reunion visit smcvt.edu/magazine

Message from the Alumni Association President

n March, I attended my final Alumni Board meeting. I’ve had a lengthy tenure on the board, and have spent nearly a decade working with alumni from the class of ’52 to present day. Together, we received updates on new achievements, technologies, and milestones from faculty and staff, and we’ve met hundreds, maybe thousands, of St. Mike’s students who are possibly more motivated, interesting, and well-rounded than ever before.

I’m here to assure you that these “millennials,” as they’re often derided, are a remarkable generation of students. I’ve witnessed their ingenuity and intelligence in the classroom, their great commitment to causes such as the environment and social justice, their ability to communicate effectively, and their willingness to live out the mission of Saint Michael’s College. The many students and young alumni whom I’ve met, listened to, observed, and worked with will impress you, too. You may be thinking, “I haven’t been to campus in years. I haven’t stayed in touch. I’m a very busy person. How could I possibly get involved now?” Well, thanks to SMC Connect, it’s easier than ever! SMC Connect is a

powerful new online networking platform that connects our alumni with fellow graduates and students to assist with professional development opportunities. SMC Connect technology offers two ways for students to reach out to alumni in career fields that interest them: through a chat feature or a calling system. No private information is exchanged, and alumni cannot see student profiles unless the student reaches out first. You can choose how you want to help students and other alumni, whether it’s through informational interviews, resume review, or advising about graduate school. Those who view your profile can see your offers of assistance. The “Communities” feature allows alumni to join different communities that are meaningful to them. For example, a lawyer in D.C. can join both the Washington, D.C., community and the “Law” community. We’ll be building more and more communities by industry, location, on-campus experiences, and more as a way to better connect our 20,000+ alumni, all around the world.

On a personal note, one of the best parts of my role on the Alumni Board has been getting to know and admire President Jack Neuhauser. I have learned a great deal from Jack, whose quiet yet determined leadership, humility, fortitude, and good humor have served Saint Michael’s well. During our shared tenure, we’ve seen stalwarts of this place say their goodbyes: Dave Landers, Grace Kelly, Jennie Cernosia, Mike Samara, Zaf Bludevich, Jerry Flanagan, and many more. I was on campus for the devastating funeral of our beloved Fr. Mike Cronogue in 2016. But within a year, I was honored to witness the ordination of the newest Edmundite priest, Fr. Michael Carter. As time goes on, blessings are continually bestowed upon our Saint Michael’s community, and new and gifted staff, faculty, and Edmundites continue to bring enthusiasm into the minds and lives of students. We lose Jack Neuhauser to retirement this year, and thank him for all he’s done to improve and secure the legacy of Saint Michael’s, yet we look forward to welcoming Dr. Lorraine Sterritt as our next college president. Our Alumni Board is in wonderful hands with the incoming vice president,

George Bowen ’92, and President Craig Duffy ’06. I wish them and the board continued success. I intend to remain an involved member of the alumni community—I hope you’ll join me. Thank you for this opportunity and honor. Annie Rosello ’94 smcalumnipres@smcvt.edu

1955 ANTHONY J. AGOSTINELLI,

Middletown, RI, writes: “It seems as if I never retired!” Like so many other retirees, I don’t know where I had all the time to do what I was doing while I was a full-time professor at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. These following ancillary projects, some begun during my professorring days, are continuing in my post retirement career. For a while, I did something entirely different; along with a colleague who retired from a major professional position in Newport, RI, we drove cars for a local Toyota dealership. During that time, I also started up a Public Access Cable TV program where over the years, I have

interviewed over 200 jazz artists. The program is still running! All programs are being placed on the internet at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s New England Jazz Data Base. At that site you will also find a video interview with me about my career in teaching and music. I have already published one novella, The Professor Was Dead, and I am working on my second, The Priest Was Dead (working title). I continue to offer courses each semester for at least 15 years at Salve Regina University’s “Circle of Scholars.” The areas have been in the arts, mostly: Music courses (big bands, jazz history, Broadway and operas), a few in religion and the history of jazz. I continue to maintain a

strong interest in the Circle of Scholars; I serve on its Leadership Council. For someone who will be 85 (God willing) in December, I am still chugging along. Thanks, St. Michael’s … for giving me the “stuff ” I needed, to continue in my quest for sharing and learning.”

proud as we do of Bernie’s heroic efforts during the Tet Offensive. If you wish send it on to other classmates.” John added: “It is an honor that is so well deserved, Bernie, congrats from your fellow classmates. God Bless.” The article with a video is viewable at this web address: https://bit.ly/2K9EEMj

1961

DON DAKIN, Washington, DC, wanted to share some BOB HESLER, Bismarck, ND, words with classmates and alumni honoring his late and JOHN VAROL, Hilton classmate, Dr. Joseph Rowan Head, SC, in early March ’61, whose obituary appears circulated emails among in this issue. Writes Don, classmates sharing news they “Joe was an extraordinarily had seen via the website of Joint Base San Antonio about successful professional, a loving and supportive family BERNIE DINISIO and his man and a renaissance heroic efforts during the Tet man of the first order. The offensive in the Vietnam war. Bob wrote to classmates: St. Michael’s family can be proud of this man of “Hopefully, you will feel as

“The Shelburne Apartment Boys hold annual mini-SMC Junior Year Reunion”— Harold Lloyd sends the following report with photo: “We held our third annual mini SMC alumni reunion on March 15, 2018 (the ides of March…”et tu Brute”) at the Sunset Grill, on Lake Jackson., Sebring, FL. Accompanied by our spouses, Carolyn Hart, Mary Larke, Jane Lloyd and Ann O’Brien, we had an enjoyable luncheon and lively four hour get together. We are looking forward to our next meeting in March 2019. Since we live in different parts of Florida, we are on the lookout for a more equitable venue, although that possibility is pretty well hidden at this point. However, there is ample time to look. The four of us were roommates in the Shelburne Apartments in South Burlington, VT, during our SMC Junior year (September 1959 – June 1960) due to no dorm rooms available on campus (Ryan Hall was not ready for occupancy yet). We did our own cooking, mostly by OB’, Jack O’Brien, thus avoiding chow hall “offerings”! Thanksgiving turkey and trimmings were prepared for us by the restaurant across the highway (Rte. 7 Shelburne Rd.), which turned out to be an early form of “take-out” as we brought it back to the apartment to eat and celebrate together. We had about a ten mile drive to and from classes every day from Monday through Saturday…not like today’s classes of one or two times a week! I don’t recall any accidents or traffic tickets for any of us. I’m not sure of flat tires or breakdowns though. The four of us got along pretty well judging that we all graduated on time on June 5, 1961. Joseph T. ‘Joe’ Hart, Raymond R. ‘Dick’ Larke, Harold C. ‘Harry’ Lloyd, Jr. and John H. ‘Jack’ O’Brien. Photo (left to right around the table): Harry, Joe, Carolyn, Mary, Jane, Ann, Dick, Jack.”

Keith Maloney ’66 writes: “Tim Sweeney ‘02 and I were together at a reunion for honorees who have been named “Men Who Make a Difference” by the Women’s Resource Center in Newport, RI. We were honored in 2015. The SMC service ethic is very present in both of us.”

character. He left us too soon. — Don Dakin.”

1966 STEPHEN J. COLE, Mililani, HI, retired after 50 years with the US Army in 2016, and writes that he is now teaching high school history to keep busy. KEITH MALONEY, Bristol, RI, writes: “Tim Sweeney ’02 and I were together at a reunion for honorees who have been named “Men Who Make a Difference” by the Women’s Resource Center in Newport, RI. We were honored in 2015. The SMC service ethic is very present in both of us.” (See photo)

1967 JOHN GIOVANNI, Bonita

Springs, FL, shares an update on his writing career, mentioned last issue: “…

thank you for placing the picture and description of my first novel MAC-124 No Way To Die in … Fall/ Winter Magazine.” Adds John—who notes he also is a proud recent “Golden Knight” who also holds a 1968 M.A.T from the College: “I am not a writer by nature, but I believe God has given me an imagination which has suddenly erupted as a Septuagenarian … I just finished the sequel to MAC-124, Three Queens All In, due to be in print in July of this year. I’m also 50 pages into my first non-fiction book, Horse Tails about working 28 years for the New York Racing Association. Last but not least, I have started another book of fiction Riches to Rags. These last two books I plan publishing summer/fall of 2019. These books are now available through Barnes and Noble and John has had articles about the book appear in the Amsterdam

Recorder (N.Y.) and Fort Myers Beach newspapers. DAVE PETERSON,

Centreville, MD, and Gretchen Bushnell ’77 recently participated in the 14th International Submarine Races (ISR14) held in late June at the Navy Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in Bethesda, Maryland. (See photo with more information).

1969 J. CHURCHILL HINDES,

Colchester, VT, was elected in January as chair of the Vermont State Colleges System Board of Trustees by unanimous vote. Church will lead the 15-member board, which provides governance and stewardship for the VSCS and its institutions. He retired in 2015 as the Vice President for Accountable Care at the UVM Medical Center and Clinical Associate Professor

of Medicine. Previously he was CEO of the VNA of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties and Vice President for Finance at Fletcher Allen Health Care. During the 1980’s he was appointed to four terms as Commissioner of Budget and Management and as Deputy Secretary of Administration, serving in the cabinets of Governors Snelling and Kunin. Church holds a PhD from the University of Iowa and has served on numerous community, private foundation and state boards. He was a trustee for the Vermont State Colleges from 1987 to 2001. Governor Shumlin reappointed him in 2014. In addition to chairing the full board, he serves as Chair of the Finance and Facilities Committee. His term began with the Board vote on Tuesday, January 9. He succeeds Martha O’Connor, who remains on the Board. “My retirement continues,” Church jokes in sharing the news.

Dave Peterson ’67, left, and Gretchen Bushnell ’77 recently participated in the 14th International Submarine Races (ISR14) held in late June at the Navy Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in Bethesda, Maryland. Dave started volunteering at the human powered submarine races at ISR2 in 1991 where he coordinated the Navy Divers providing safety support, and he has volunteered since at the biennial competition and is a Board Member of the sponsoring Foundation For Underwater Research and Education. Gretchen was at the races as the Team Advisor for the Old Saybrook High School entrant JESSE V. This was Gretchen’s 4th race as a team advisor. The races consist of one- or two-person wet submarines designed and built by high school or college students from throughout the world. Of the 21 entrants at this year’s race, 5 were high schools, 6 US universities and 10 foreign universities from 5 countries. Submarines are either propeller or non-propeller and must be human powered. Gretchen’s team JESSE V completed the course several times (not all teams do) with a top speed of 2.79 knots. Over the 8 years that Gretchen has been mentoring the team, her students have gone on to earn engineering degrees. Many have received scholarships based on their participation in her program.

CLASS NOTES

1976

Jerry Flanagan ‘71 of the College’s Institutional Advancement Office (center) recently visited with John Dowd ’80 (right) and his son Jack Dowd ’11 at their fifth-generation family insurance business in Holyoke, MA—a gathering that had special meaning for Jerry and the Dowd men since Jerry, in his former longtime role as the College’s admission director, admitted both father and son to Saint Michael’s. As Jerry tells it, the principal of John Dowd’s high school (Holyoke High School at that time), was Ed Shevlin ‘53, the St. Mike’s graduate who introduced Jerry to John and asked him to do what he could to admit him—“so I had the pleasure of admitting him, and later, both his son and also another daughter to Saint Michael’s,” Jerry says. “Since my wife’s from Holyoke, I had had an affinity for that area too—They’re a great family, with a family company that goes back to like 1889—they’re keeping the family history and company alive from generation to generation.” Christi Turnbull Turner ’96 of Cary, NC, writes: “We wanted to share this amazing story! Sarah Coghlan ’09 (Derry, NH) and I work for the same company (Red Hat, Inc), in the same departments (Global Workplace Solutions), but in different states (Sarah works in our Westford, MA, office and Christi works in Raleigh, NC). Our North America team all met for a few days (rare opportunity). We were at dinner with our team, and colleges was a topic of discussion. We found out we are both SMC grads! Not only that, but she lived in Lyons Hall 351 and I was in Lyons Hall 350. Just a small world!”

EARLE W. PITT, JR. Marshfield, MA, managing director of Centinel Financial Group, LLC in Marshfield, MA, was named a 2018 Five Star Wealth Manager from an independent survey conducted by Five Star Professional. The award recognizes a select group of wealth managers in the Boston area who excel in quality service and client retention. Pitt’s selection was announced in the February 2018 Issue of Boston magazine. Five Star Professional identifies wealth manager award candidates through firm nominations, peer nominations and industry qualifications.

1977 GRETCHEN BUSHNELL, Old Saybrook, CT, and Dave Peterson ’67 recently participated in the 14th International Submarine Races (ISR14) held in late June at the Navy Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in Bethesda, Maryland. (See photo with more information).

1978 Jennifer Piqueira Philips ’98 writes that she and her husband, Sasha, “welcomed our second set of twins born on June 30, 2017. Our first set of twins are now 3 years old and Noah is the big brother at 5 years old. Yes 5 under 5!” The children are Noah Alexander born 10-23-12, Samuel Andrew born 10-27-14, Avielle Sophia born 10-27-14, Elias Daniel born 6-30-17 and Joshua David born 6-30-17.

Three Saint Michael’s alumni ran in this year’s Boston Marathon as part of the Miles for Miracles Team for Boston Children’s Hospital. Writes one of them, Hannah Pasman ’12, “Between the three of us we raised over $30,000 dollars to Boston Children’s Hospital.” Pictured from left are Hannah, Megan Whalen ’98) and Julie Garvey ’87).

PAUL GALBRAITH, Highland Falls, NY, writes: “On November 29th 2017 my Great Uncle William H. Galbraith was honored by the NYPD at the Fallen Heroes Ceremony at One Police Plaza at NYC. Mayor DiBlasio and Police Commissioner O’Neill in attendance. It took me 14

years of work, but finally proud and happy he is finally on the Memorial Wall.” Paul included a 1911 newspaper clipping about his late great-uncle, a police “mounted man,” being thrown from his horse while on duty.

1980 JOHN DOWD, Longmead-

ow, MA, recently had a visit from Jerry Flanagan ’71 who made note upon his return of the thriving fifth-generation family insurance company in Holyoke, MA, run by John and his son, Jack ’11. (See photo).

1982 GARRY HARRINGTON, East Swanzey, NH, talked about his book, Chasing Summits: In Pursuit of High Places and an Unconventional Life, at the Richmond Public Library on the night of Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. This event was sponsored by the Burlington Section of the Green Mountain Club and was part of its 26th annual James P. Taylor Adventure Series, named for the man who first envisioned Vermont’s Long Trail. Proceeds supported the local sections of the GMC Education Program. Garry, a Vermont native, recounted his hiking adventures in Vermont, New England and beyond, including having climbed all the “14ers” and all the state highpoints in the Continental U.S., and high peaks around the world, such as the Matterhorn in Switzerland.

1985

ANTHONY PIOPPI, Middle-

town, CT, a graduate of the College’s journalism program, shares that his fifth book, The Finest Nines, North America’s Best 9-Hole Golf Courses, from Skyhorse Publishing, is now available in hardcover and electronic formats. His previous book, Shoreacres, The First 100 Years: 1916-2016 was published by the club in the summer of 2017.

1987 WAYNE JONES, Durham,

NH, dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at University of New Hampshire, recently was elected to the American Chemical Society’s Board of Directors for 2018. Wayne, also professor of chemistry,

JONATHAN BILLINGS,

St. Albans, VT, received the 2017 Catherine Wotherspoon Spirit of Commitment and Excellence Award from Nebraska Methodist College. The award is given in memory of a professor who inspired others by example to “live what you believe, in all aspects of your life, each and every day.” Jonathan and his wife MARILYN (St. Mike’s ’87 as well) are active kayakers, hikers, professionals, and volunteers in northwestern Vermont. DIANE (KACZYNSKI) MAGRANE, Nashua, NH,

recently was named Director of Army Community Service at Natick Soldier Systems Center, Natick, MA. She oversees a “One Stop Shop” providing social services to Active, Retired, and Veteran service members and their families at the only active duty Army installation in New England. The center offers assistance with relocation, education, employment, finances, domestic violence, victim advocacy, child advocacy, special needs, deployment support and more. Diane has recently moved back “home” after 30 military moves with her husband Michael and their four children.

1993 LEW DELUCA, Branford, CT, has led the Financial Literacy Office at Southern Connecticut State University since 2014. Recently that office led by Lew was recognized by LendEdu as a “Top 50 Financial Literacy Program” in the country. In 2017, they tied at 29th place and in 2018 they ranked alone at 29th.

1996 CHRISTI TURNBULL TURNER, Cary, NC, had a

“small-world” chance alumni encounter through a work meeting. (See photo for more information).

1997 KRISTEN MAHONY, Millis, MA, and her fiancé Matt Scully had a baby girl, Hayden Joanne Scully, on May 9, 2017. Kristen is an 8th grade science teacher and Science Curriculum Leader at Ashland Middle School in Ashland, MA.

1998 JENNIFER PIQUEIRA PHILIPS, Southington, CT,

writes, “As always loved my SMC magazine that just arrived and the funny part is that my husband reads it cover to cover too! He says it is better than his college magazine … we welcomed our second set of twins born on June 30, 2017. Our first

set of twins are now 3 years old and Noah is the big brother at 5 years old. Yes 5 under 5! (See photo).

2000 Kevin Plourde and his wife Nicole (Ross) Plourde, South Riding, VA, and their children, McKenzie and Camden, were guests of President and Mrs. Trump at the Secret Service Christmas party, December 2017. (See photo). TIM SWEENEY, Bristol,

RI, and Keith Maloney of the same home city were together at a reunion for honorees who have been named “Men Who Make a Difference” by the Women’s Resource Center in Newport, RI. (See photo).

2002 DAVE PATTERSON, Cape Elizabeth, ME, recently sold his novel to Hanover Square Press, an imprint of Harper Collins. The book was also picked up by Aryeh Nir Publishing for release in Israel. The novel is forthcoming in the spring of 2019.

2004 JENNIFER QUINLAN CANCELLIERI, Scitiate, MA,

and her husband, Andy, welcomed a baby girl, Quinn Sonoma, on February 14, 2018. Quinn joins big brothers Colin and Nolan.

CLASS NOTES

NANCY DIVENERE, Essex Junction, VT, recently marked 30 years since she established Parent to Parent of Vermont, a support and information network to address the needs of families faced with health care challenges. Today that agency is called Vermont Family Network, and on November 3, 2017, Nancy, as faculty and founding Board member, attended the 25th anniversary gala of the Institute for Patient and Family Center Care in Washington, D.C. This organization leads the charge to insure partnerships among patients, families and health care professionals which is the heart of the health care system to establish the standard of care.

became dean of CEPS in July 2017, previously serving as professor and chair in the department of chemistry at Binghamton University, State University of New York. He was also the founding director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at Binghamton.

CLASS NOTES

Kevin Plourde and his wife Nicole (Ross) Plourde, both Saint Michael’s Class of 2000, live in South Riding, VA and with their children, McKenzie and Camden, were guests of President and Mrs. Trump at the Secret Service Christmas party, December 2017.

Mallory Wood ‘08 married Grant Willsea in Temecula, CA on October 14, 2017. Saint Michael’s people in attendance included, from left” Back row: Zach Pratt ’10, Norah Breen ’08, Owen Glubiak ’08, Shana Lothrop ’07, Kevin Anglin ’08, Pamela Weagle ’08, Sean Dulmaine ’08’ Front row: Marci Wood ’14, Bride: Mallory Wood ’08, Groom: Grant Willsea, Kate Bohannan ’08.

Charlie Carroll ’08 married Drake Douglas on April 21, 2018 at Grace Episcopal Church in Providence, RI. From left: Julie Bentzen ’09, Beth Thomas ’07, Drake Douglas (groom), Charles Carroll ’08 (groom), Amy Sweetser ’08, Michele Mulrenan Bouchard ’84, Michael Stefanowicz ’09, Keith Bouchard ’84, Nicole Marshall Stefanowicz ’09. Not pictured: Stan Baker (husband of Saint Michael’s fine arts theater Professor Peter Harrigan) who offered the homily at the wedding liturgy.

Chris Healey ’09, Bradford, MA, married Kathryn Feenan on November 4, 2017 at Mountain View Grand in Whitefield, NH. Saint Michael’s people attending were: Derek Girouard ’07, Nicole DePena (Auclair) ’98, Fran Briand ’11, Brendan Rimmer ’11, Tully Labelle-Hamer ’11, Christian Zizza ’11, Andrew Deloria ’08, Patrick McGuirk ’10, Nick Daley ’09, Tim Geverd ’10, Ryan Nest ’10, Erik Caron ’08, Brady Earle ’12, Dave Vorozilchak ’10, Josh Geary ’13, Bryan Dodge ’09, Nick Sheehan ’11.

Kristin Haas and Jonathan Wheeler ’10 were married on August 5, 2017 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in South Bend, Indiana. St. Michael’s alumni in attendance included (L-R) Timothy Mason-Osann ’09, Michael O’Neill ’13, Erik Loescher ’10, Marc Massery ’13, Edward Griffin ’10, and Andrew Gilbert ’11.

Michelle Johnson ’10 married Anthony Carestia on August 13, 2016 in Harvard, MA. Saint Michael’s alumni in attendance: Danielle Moore ’10, Sarah (Maslak) Rizzo ’10, Ellen Parent ’10, McKayla Kashner ’10, Elizabeth MacPhee ’10, Brynn (O’Neil) Bartlett ’10, Krista Tunnell ’10, Zachary Pratt ’10, Michelle (Johnson) Carestia ’10, Anthony Carestia, William Jeralds ’10, Kathryn Wuerker ’10, Catherine Robertson ’10, Elizabeth Levenson ’12, Nicholas Rizzo ’10. They live in Waltham, MA.

2005 THATO RATSEBE, Essex

Junction, VT, recently was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Howard Center in Burlington for a three-year term. Thato is a communication professional with extensive experience in public relations, research, and development in non-profit organizations in

the United States and Canada. She is currently the Assistant Director for the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV). Along with her undergraduate Saint Michael’s degree she holds a Master of Science degree in Administration and Management from the College in 2008.

Meghan Cary ’10 married Jim Behen August 12 at The Exeter Inn in Exeter, NH, in an outdoor ceremony followed by a reception in the Inn’s small ballroom. They was surrounded for the occasion by a small gathering of family and friends including fellow alumni bridesmaids Brynn Bartlett (O’Neil) ’10, Laura Seifert ’11, and Lindsey Ranstrom (Levesque) ’09.

2008 MICHELLE LIMOGE, Beavercreek, OH, in September 2017 earned her PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her thesis entitled “Dissecting Signaling Pathways Regulating Tumor Angiogenesis and Metastasis in the Breast Carcinoma Microenvi-

ronment” was the culmination of 6 1/2 years of breast cancer research performed in the Cancer Genetics department at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. LEAH O’BRIEN PALONE, Swampscott, MA, and her husband, Mickey, welcomed a healthy baby girl, Phoebe Louise, on September 25, 2017.

Ashley Langlands married Ethan Romagnoli on November 4, 2017 at Saint Mary of the Annunciation in Danvers, MA. A reception followed at The Mansion on Turner Hill, Ipswich, MA. Alumni in attendance were, from left, back: JP McCormick ’11, Jesse Sullivan ’12, Kevin O’Brien ’11, Emily Rendine ’12, Kevin Schneider ’12, Molly Yasi ’13; Front: Kaytlyn (Kelley) McCormick ’12, Chelsea Bush ’12, Brittany (Benton) O’Brien ’12, groom Ethan Romagnoli, bride Ashley (Langlands) Romagnoli ’12, Meghan O’Brien ’12, Alli Roberts ’12.

CHARLIE CARROLL, Providence, RI, married Drake Douglas on April 21, 2018 at Grace Episcopal Church in Providence, RI (see photo). MALLORY WOOD, Los Angeles, CA, married Grant Willsea in Temecula, CA on October 14, 2017 (See photo). 58

2009 SARAH COGHLAN, Derry, NH, had a small-world chance alumni encounter through a work meeting recently. See photo for more information. CHRIS HEALEY, Bradford,

MA, married Kathryn Feenan on November 4, 2017 at Mountain View Grand in Whitefield, NH (See photo).

2010 JONATHAN WHEELER,

South Bend, IN, married Kristin Haas on August 5, 2017 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in South Bend. Saint Michael’s alumni in attendance included (L-R) Timothy Mason-Osann ’09, Michael O’Neill ’13, Erik Loescher ’10, Marc Massery ’13, Edward Griffin ’10, and Andrew Gilbert ’11. (See photo).

MICHELLE JOHNSON, Waltham, MA, married Anthony Carestia on August 13, 2016 in Harvard, MA. (See photo). MEGHAN CARY, Exeter, NH, married Jim Behen August 12 at The Exeter Inn

in Exeter, NH, in an outdoor ceremony followed by a reception in the Inn’s small ballroom. They was surrounded for the occasion by a small gathering of family and friends. (See photo).

2011 JACK DOWD, Longmeadow,

MA, recently had a visit from Jerry Flanagan ’71 who made note upon his return of the thriving fifth-generation family insurance company in Holyoke, MA, run by Jack and his dad, John ’80. (See photo).

Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel on campus with Rev. Scott Gratton presiding.

2013 DYLAN and KATIE (MISCHKE) LAVALLEE,

Williston, VT, both members of the Class of 2013, tied the knot on July 29, 2017 at Saint Francis Xavier Church in Winooski. They celebrated with a reception at Vermont National Country Club in South Burlington. (See photo). DANIEL EVARTS and MORGAN SHERRY, Tulsa,

JOHN MCCORMICK,

Waltham, MA, got married (see 2012 notes).

OK, were married in Hinesburg VT on September 3, 2017. (See photo).

ALEX HIGGINS, Seattle, WA,

THOMAS DICKERSON,

has been accepted to the University of Washington in Seattle for a medical residency program in Orthopedic Surgery.

anyone else who wants to work with the real world in a virtual environment.” Thomas said he and Mitchell were excited to learn that as the winning team they will get a free trip to the 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival in Nashville, TN, this August.

MAS T ER ’S DEGREE GRADUATE S

M1997 SUK (CHOI) MASSEY, Amhert, MA, lecturer in East Asian languages and literatures at Smith College in Northampton, MA, recently was honored with The Kathleen Compton Sherrerd ’54 and John J. F. Sherrerd Prize for Distinguished Teaching. The Prize is given annually to Smith College faculty members in recognition of their distinguished teaching records and demonstrated enthusiasm and excellence. Massey earned her Master of Arts degree from the Saint Michael’s MATESOL program.

Providence, RI, a Saint Michael’s College computer science/mathematics/physics graduate, continued to rapidly advance his budding tech and business career when the current master’s-doctorate 2012 student in computer science at Brown University brought ASHLEY LANGLANDS, his shared startup idea called Salisbury, MA, married Ethan “GeoPipe” to “Student Startup Romagnoli on November 4, Madness” at the SXSW event 2017 at Saint Mary of the Annunciation in Danvers, MA. in Austin, Texas, March 9-18—and won! The prize A reception followed at The was announced and presented, M 2 0 0 1 Mansion on Turner Hill, March 12 in Austin. Last Ipswich, MA. (See photo). spring, Dickerson and his JUNE PLANKEY, Milton, VT, Geopipe business partner, has a business as a negotiating STEVE THOMPSON and Christopher Mitchell, won a coach and speaker, called SUSAN (LONGCHAMP) $300,000 competition at New “June, Inc.” She says her workTHOMPSON, New Haven, York University promoting shops and speaking events CT, welcomed their first son, teach participants “to learn George Raymond, on October the same startup. Dickerson explained what Geopipe does: the language of negotiating, to 29, 2017. (See photo). “We automatically generate find your voice, to speak and city-scale (and up) virtual 3D write with clarity, to eliminate KAYTLYN MARIE KELLEY, models of the real world to the struggles and to create a Waltham, MA, married John improve the lives of architects, solid agreement.” Her email is Patrick McCormick ’11 on video game designers, and June@Fastmail.us September 30, 2017 in the

LE T T E R S TO T H E E DI T O R Dear St. Michael’s Magazine Design Team: While I am not a graduate of Saint Michael’s College, my husband Matthew Sweet was (Class of 1989). Matt continues to receive your magazine, which I always find interesting and read cover to cover. I love your winter cover! I am a graduate of Moore College of Art and presently teach elementary art. I so appreciate your constant interest in the arts.

Steve Thompson ’12 and his wife Susan Longchamp Thompson ’12 write, “We wanted to share the attached photo of our first son, George Raymond, on October 29, 2017, pictured here at 11 weeks old” (in his St. Mike’s baby gear).

Dylan and Katie (Mischke) Lavallee, both members of the Class of 2013, tied the knot on July 29, 2017 at Saint Francis Xavier Church in Winooski. They celebrated with a reception at Vermont National Country Club in South Burlington. Saint Michael’s College grads that were in attendance included: Matt DeMenna ’13, Ben Garrow ’13, Andy Virnig ’13, Kevin Granata ’13, Ben Hodges ’12, Chris Schleper ’13, Tessa Mascetta ’13, Jordan Leamy ’13, Megan Roush ’14, Alyssa McBride ’12, Caroline Neubauer ’13, Jake Botto ’13, and Katelyn Whitman ’14.

Keep up your incredible design and dedication to the creative world. Sincerely, Laurie Sweet Goshen, Connecticut

C ALL FOR LE T T E RS TO T H E E DITOR Send us your thoughts, reactions to stories, memories, dreams, and reflections. We’ll get back to you, and let you know if we’d like to publish them.

Denise Belanger ’12 and James Watson ’12 were married on September 24, 2016. Alumni and Saint Michael’s community members in attendance included Wallace Anctil ’61, Denise’s Uncle Paul Reiss and Aunt Rosemary Reiss. (Paul is president emeritus of the College); Peter Soons ’82, Kate Soons ’92, Leslie Lindquist ’05, Patrick Mager ’08, Bridget Mager ’10, Katie Berry ’09, Alex Hill ’09 Class of 2010, Sarah (Watson) Sawyer ’10, Thomas Sawyer ’10, Mike Lapan ’11, Tim Hackett ’11, Erik Haversang ’11, Elizabeth (Morono) Haversang ’11, Thomas Farragher ’11 (spelling wrong?), Danielle (Cheever) Potter ’11, Kyle Potter’11, Megan Flanagan ’11, Denise (Belanger) Watson ’12, Jim Watson ’12, Ben Granja ’12, Matt Tivnan ’12, Christian Ortiz ’12, Rebecca Belrose ’12(soon to be Rebecca Ortiz 6/2/18), Michael Buttimer ’12, Sean Mannion ’12, Lauren (Haley) Fennelly ’12, Richie Fennelly ’12, Kyle Craven ’12, Michael Roberto ’12, Sarah (Cino) Noyes ’12, Kaitlin McCarthy ’12, Chris Eldridge ’12, James Seamus McLaughlin ’13, Andy Virnig ’13, Alex Remy ’13,Thomas Beaudoin’ 13, Amy McGann ’15, David Weiss ’15 Rebekah Balch ’16, Sam Johnston ’15, Mark Flowers ’15, Emily Polo ’15, Mary Hall ’14, and also in the photo, non-alum Caitlin Dugan).

Daniel Evarts and Morgan Sherry, both of the Class of 2013, were married in Hinesburg VT on September 3, 2017. Alumni in attendance were, row one left to right, Ali Soustal ’13, Nora Moore ’13, Molly Yasi ’13, Jean-Marie McGrath ’13, Julia Heald ’13, Ali Shappy ’13, Morgan Evarts ’13, Daniel Evarts ’13, Kelly MacDonald ’13, Rich Rodeschini ’13, Justin Castagna ’13, Ryan Arsenault ’14; Row 2 from left: Colby MacDonald ’13, George Flanagan ’13, Eric McGuirk ’13, Connor Logan ’13, Petr Soustal ’13, Tim McAuliffe ’13, Kevin Schneider ’12.

In Memoriam 1950 THOMAS H. HANNIGAN SR., Concord, NH, died

November 10, 2017. A Revere, MA, native, Tom entered Army service in 1944 and worked as a horse-shoer with the 613th Pack Artillery Battalion, a cavalry unit that served in India, Burma and China He attended Saint Michael’s on the GI Bill after the war. He was hired by the FBI in 1950 and went on to serve as a Special Agent for the next 29 years. He was an accomplished marksman and served as a firearms instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA, as well as for numerous police schools throughout the Northeast over his career. After a four-year retirement on Cape Cod, Tom resumed his law enforcement career as an investigator with the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office for another 10 years. A lifetime athlete and dedicated to sports and fitness, he played football and baseball in his youth and was captain for the Saint Michael’s football team his senior year. Later he came to love tennis, taking up the game when assigned to surveillance of tennis-playing Russians during the Cold War. He also enjoyed golf and target/skeet shooting. Tom was recently predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Mary, in August 2017. Tom was a President’s

Medallion supporter of the College. He is survived by two sons, including Michael Hannigan ’93, two daughters, a sister and extended family, including grandson Thomas Hannigan ’06. CHARLES J. COLLOVA, Lancaster, PA, died March 28, 2018. He was a Navy veteran of World War II, and after Saint Michael’s earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Charlie worked as an account executive for various advertising agencies in the Boston area from the mid-1950s until 1965. He then became the marketing vice president for a mutual fund company in Washington, DC in 1969. In 1982, Charlie became an IRA consultant to credit unions, which he continued until retiring in the mid-1980s. After moving to Lancaster in 1995, he was a longtime member and supporter of the YMCA, especially programs for disadvantaged children. He was an avid believer in vigorous daily exercise, an accomplished cook, and developed a love for animals later in life after adopting a stray cat. He was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College. A son predeceased him. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Camilla, two daughters and a sister.

ROBERT B. MICHAUD, Lyndonville, VT, died March 14, 2018. Bob entered the University of Vermont briefly before World War II, then served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater during the war, after which he continued his education at Saint Michael’s in business. Later education included a college administration certificate from the University of Omaha, NE, and continuing education in Vermont and Canadian history and French at Lyndon State. His early work career included with the Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation, McGraw-Edison (successor to Fairchild), and the New York Life Insurance Company until 1963, when he was appointed as business manager at Lyndon State College, remaining there for 26 years until retiring in 1988. He was Lyndon State’s campus construction coordinator and saw most of the present campus go together. He was most proud of the construction of the first Vermont campus building to house a college rescue squad and was considered one of the founders of the Lyndon State Rescue Squad, now known as Lyndon Rescue, Inc. He was active at his parish, serving on the building commission when St. Elizabeth was restored. He also was active in Rotary and the VFW and was a corporator for the

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury since 1972 when it opened. In retirement Bob wrote an informal history of Burlington, published in 1991 by Lyndon State with proceeds to a scholarship fund for that college’s Rescue Squad. In 1993 he was a contributing writer for the 50th anniversary of VJ Edition of the history of the 19th Bombardment Group, and also authored a second book titled Mission 40 in 2004. He was an avid reader and historian. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Colleen, three sons, two daughters and extended family.

1951 ROBERT D. CREEGAN, Harrisonburg, VA, died March 10, 2018. He served in the Army after Saint Michael’s, later living in Richmond, VA for 25 years and then in Harrisonburg for 30 years. He was a personnel technician with the Internal Revenue Service before retiring. A history buff, he loved reading and also was active in his parish. He is survived by his wife of 63-plus years, Elaine, five sons, two daughters and extended family. THOMAS R. WELCH,

North Adams, MA, died April 5, 2018. After high school he

attended St. John’s Atonement Seminary in Garrison, NY and North Adams State College before Saint Michael’s where he earned his classics degree with honors and then his teaching master’s. He took additional courses in French at Williams College and in Spanish at Berkshire and Greenfield Community Colleges. Tom first taught junior high Latin and English in Adams and later taught Latin, English and French at the former Adams Memorial High School and then Hoosac Valley High School in Cheshire, MA. He also was coordinator of the Foreign Language Program at Hoosac Valley. He was part of the Continuing Education Department at North Adams State as assistant professor of English, and was an apprentice embalmer and funeral director at Flynn & Roach Funeral Home, retiring from that position in 1992. He went on to serve as the assistant hearse driver until his final retirement. He was active in his parish as a lector and acolyte, a former member of the Adams Teachers Association (secretary and later president); and also of professional groups in teaching, classics and languages. He enjoyed etymology, golf, reading and the Red Sox. His wife, Patricia, died in 2013. He is survived by a son and extended family.

1952 DR. RAYMOND E. CORMIER, Methuen, MA.

Correction: We regret an error in the last (Fall/Winter

2017) Saint Michael’s Magazine. The obituary for Dr. Raymond E. Cormier, a proud member of the Class of ’52, mistakenly appeared under the previous class year’s listing. HAROLD J. BOGAN,

Grand Rapids, MI, died September 14, 2017 at the rehab/care center where he had lived for five years. He enlisted in the Marines after Saint Michael’s and remained in the service until retiring from the Marine Reserves in Syracuse, NY, where he retired as corporate secretary for Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation after 39 years of service. Hal was very active in his local parish and the K of C and also with the Boys Club of America, the American Legion and his local country club. He was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College. His wife, Claire, died in 2006, and a son predeceased him in 1987. He is survived by a son, two daughters and extended family.

America Legion. He is survived by three sisters and extended family.

1953 GEORGE R. BARRY, Bradley Beach, NJ, died November 13, 2017. He was an All-State high basketball player in Jersey City before coming to Saint Michael’s on a basketball scholarship. George served as a captain in Marine Corps; he lived in Avon, NJ, before moving to Bradley Beach in 1984, and was the owner of Barry’s Tavern in Bradley Beach for 34 years. He was active in his local parish. George is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and extended family. DR. BERNARD R. BLAIS, MD, Clifton Park, NY, died

December 23, 2017. A respected ophthalmologist and decorated 30-year military veteran, Bernie attended University of Vermont Medical School after Saint Michael’s. Throughout his Navy career he received many honors including the Navy Commendation Medal, GEORGE E. MULCAHY, Adams, MA, died February 28, Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service 2018. After high school he joined the Navy and became a Medal with Bronze Star (Vietnam), National Defense radioman before coming to Medal and Meritorious Saint Michael’s and graduatService Medal. He specialized ing with honors. After in ophthalmology and working numerous jobs, he occupational medicine and enrolled at Canias College led two ophthalmology where he earned his master’s departments as chairman degree in English. He then – Naval Hospital Philadelphia took the job of chairman of and Naval Medical Center of the Language Arts DepartBethesda, MD. Later he ment at a college where he served as Force Medical taught until his retirement in Officer of the Military Sealift 1982. He was active in his Command (Corporate community and with the

Medical Director), and head of the Surface/Sealift Operational Division of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery for the Navy. After the military he became regional medical director for Knolls Atomic Plant laboratory in Schenectady, NY. He also was president of Blais Consulting, specializing in occupational ophthalmology. He was known in his field for his book Color Vision in the Occupational Setting: Analysis and Testing. He loved music, especially opera, and volunteered at several arts venues. Bernie was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College. His first wife, Claire, died in 2005. He is survived by his wife, Jean, two daughters, a stepson and stepdaughter, a brother and extended family. JAMES F. CONSEDINE,

Williston, VT, died January 25, 2018. He entered the Army after Saint Michael’s and was assigned to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. He retired from IBM after more than 25 years there. He was an accomplished golfer and bowler and a member of several local golf clubs, along with the local Elks and Moose lodges. Jim was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College. He married M. Carmen Tessier in 1954 and they raised five children. She died in 2001. Later in life he met and married Mary Lee, who survives; other survivors are a son, four daughters, two stepsons, two stepdaughters, a brother and extended family.

IN MEMORIAM

THOMAS F. FLANIGAN,

Shrewsbury, MA, formerly of Westboro, died December 2, 2017. After college he spent two years in the Army Medical Corps prior to 10 years as a principal in several family businesses producing components for the shoe industry. Tom then spent 25 years working at the U.S. Army Natick R&D Center, retiring in 1992. He was very active in his children’s athletics programs at Westboro High School, and also in the K of C and Westboro Civic Club, playing Santa at Christmas for them and selling Christmas trees. He also loved golf at Westboro Country Club and once scored a hole-in-one. Tom was active with his class reunion activities through the years. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marilyn; five sons, two daughters and extended family. GEORGE C. MITCHELL, Hernando, FL, died March 8, 2017. No further information was available. ROBERT J. BARBA, Enfield, CT, died April 10, 2018. After Saint Michael’s he earned a master’s in public relations from Boston University, followed eventually by a master’s in teaching from American International College in 1971 after a career change. His lifelong thirst for learning continued with a later sixth-year diploma in Professional Education from the University of Connecticut. His first job out of college was at Hallmark Cards for 10 years as a department head. His first teaching assignment

in his second work career was as a 5th grade teacher at the Warehouse Point School in Connecticut for five years. Upon earning his UConn certificate he became a principal at Kelly Lane, Granby, for the next 22 years. In retirement he continued to tutor homebound students in the Enfield school system and was for many years an educational surrogate parent for children removed from their parents. He had an interest in studying World War II and military memorabilia. He loved his inherited Berkshires cottage in the woods and coffee at a local pastry shop with pals. A daughter predeceased him in 1998. Bob is survived by his wife of 52 years, Anne, a son, a sister and extended family. EDWARD J. SHEVLIN, Centerville, MA, died March 17, 2018. Ed was valedictorian, president and a star athlete at Holyoke Catholic High School (then Holy Rosary) before Saint Michael’s, and later was inducted into the Holyoke Catholic Athletic Hall of Fame. He served in the Army for the Far East Engineering Company during the Korean War and was posted in Japan, achieving the rank of sergeant. After Saint Michael’s he earned a master’s in education from Springfield College and later a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies. He spent 35 years in the Holyoke Public School System, retiring in 1992 after serving for 16 years as Holyoke High School principal. He was honored with the naming of the Edward J. Shevlin Television

Studio and Media Center at the school in 2006. He was active in his community, including Kiwanis, the American Legion, Elks and the Irish American Club, as well as the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Among his many awards and accolades was being named Alumnus of the Year by Saint Michael’s in 1988. Ed is survived by his wife, Shirley, a sister and extended family.

1954 WILLIAM R. BOLGER, Largo, FL, died August 20, 2014, the College learned recently. After Saint Michael’s, Bill served in the Army for two years at Fort Benning, GA. His work career included four years in the insurance business during the 1960s, five years with the New York State Welfare Department as a social worker, and eight years in banking. He retired in 1988. Bill was a disabled non-combat military veteran due to an accident during his service. He is survived by a brother, two sisters and extended family. JOSEPH W. CORRIGAN,

Watertown/Richmond, MA, died April 16, 2018 of congestive heart failure. After Saint Michael’s he attended graduate classes at Northeastern University and served overseas in the Army before joining the J.C. Corrigan family conveyor company, eventually becoming president in the 1960s. He completed his professional career at the Massachusetts Water Resource Association in Boston. He enjoyed travel,

art, nature, animals and good food. Joe is survived by his wife, Gail, two daughters, a brother and extended family including son-in-law Matthew Farkas ’04.

1955 ROBERT CLARKE, South Burlington, VT, died February 21, 2018. After Saint Michael’s he earned his master’s at the University of Vermont, continuing his career as a nutritional biochemist for more than 25 years at UVM and in the Vermont Department of Agriculture and Animal Sciences. He published books and papers in his field around the world. Robert enjoyed gardening, fishing, canning (especially pickles — his signature Christmas gift). His wife, Madelaine, died in 1983. He is survived by two sons, a daughter and extended family. JAMES M. MAGNER,

Portsmouth, N.H., died December 30, 2017. He served in the Army in the Korean War, and later was the manager of the Portsmouth Met-Life insurance Office for many years. His wife, Fernande, predeceased him. He is survived by two sons, a daughter and extended family.

RICHARD A. NOLAN, St. Petersburg, FL, died January 2, 2018. Dick, also known as Growler, completed four years of Air Force ROTC at Saint Michael’s and got hooked on flying once an instructor took up him up in a fighter jet. He joined the Air Force and became a pilot,

RONALD D. MUSSEN, Essex Junction, VT, died April 4, 2018. His work career had included years with IBM in accounting and later as a development advisory planner. He is survived by his wife, Louise, a sister and extended family.

1956 RAYNALD ROY, Cumberland Foreside, Maine, died November 22, 2017 from Parkinson’s disease. After Saint Michael’s Ray graduated from the University of Maryland’s Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, and after completing a three-year program in oral surgery at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT and Tufts University in Boston, he joined Dr. Edmond Lebel in the practice of oral surgery in Lewiston, ME for 30 years. He held many posts at both St. Mary’s Hospital and Central Maine Medical Center, including chief of the medical staff at CMMC (and on its Board of Directors.) A hockey enthusiast, Ray was a founder of organized youth hockey in his home region and coached several teams. He became chairman of the board of Central Maine Youth Center. He served in the Army Reserves and volunteered for many community groups and boards. He was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marguerite, three sons, a daughter and extended family.

1957 FRANCIS T. WELCH, Rensselaer, NY, died February 2, 2018. After college he was an officer in the Army Reserves before taking over the family insurance business, Hickey and Connolly, which later merged with Barne Agency. Frank was active in his lifelong hometown

community including former chair of the Rensselaer City Planning Commission; he was very involved in his church, coached various youth sports in Rensselaer and loved nature. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Barbara, two sons, two daughters, a sister and extended family. PATRICK GERALD DOWD, Ridgewood, NJ, died March 6, 2018. After Saint Michael’s he earned a master’s from Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. He began his work career at Western Electric where he was a programmer assisting in the development of radar systems, working on a government contract and traveling the U.S. to test radar with military flight operations. This included work and study in a laboratory at MIT. He then worked at AT&T Bell Laboratories where he retired after 35 years of service. There he continued programming and managed groups responsible for creating the UNIX operating system. An avid athlete, Pat played baseball at Saint Michael’s and holds records for the longest game pitched (15 innings) and most strike-outs in a game (17). He was a devoted Red Sox and New York Giants fan and also rooted for Universities Maryland and Wisconsin teams since his children were graduates. He coached youth sports, and enjoyed camping. In retirement he and his wife moved to Shelburne, VT, and loved attending Saint Michael’s sports events and Vermont Lake Monsters baseball

games. He moved back to New Jersey in 2016 to be closer to family. Pat is survived by his wife of 49 years, Linda, a son, Peter Dowd ’92, three daughters, two sisters, and extended family including daughter-inlaw Amy Murphy Dowd ’92.

1958 NEIL JEROME FITZPATRICK, Monroe Township, NJ, formerly of Matawan, died December 10, 2017. After Saint Michael’s, Neil earned a teaching certificate from Kean University in his native New Jersey. For 14 years during his academic career, Neil studied piano under many inspiring instructors, including the eminent Viennese composer Dr. Richard Stoehr while attending Saint Michael’s. Neil worked in the insurance industry before leaving to follow his passion for music. He became music teacher and director of music for over 30 years at St. James Catholic School in Red Bank where he oversaw many Christmas plays and Midnight Mass productions including full choir and ensemble. He also was an avid history buff and reader who enjoyed historical biographies of American presidents. Neil also served in the New Jersey Army National Guard and was active in the American Legion, Kiwanis and Catholic Young Adults Club. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Anna; a son, three daughters, a sister, a brother and extended family.

IN MEMORIAM

including reconnaissance during the Vietnam War. Other tours of duty took him to Japan, Taiwan and the Netherlands, both U.S. coasts and several states in between. Along the way he earned a master’s of Aerospace Management and achieved the rank of colonel. Before retiring from Central Command, MacDill AFB, Florida, he served as vice commandant of the Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. In retirement he volunteered for Meals on Wheels and Saint Vincent de Paul, was active in his parish as a Eucharistic minister and head usher, and earned a third degree in religious studies, He enjoyed golf, boating, fishing, travel and researching ancestors, organizing family kazoo bands and planning golf tournaments and sing-alongs. He was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College and its Military Heritage program. Dick attended Saint Michael’s with his older brothers Edmund ’52 (surviving) and Robert ’52 (now deceased). He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Peggy, two sons, four daughters and extended family including alumni nephew and niece, Charlie Nolan ’75 and Kathleen Nolan Tonelli ’78.

IN MEMORIAM

RICHARD M. CZACHOROWSKI, Glen

Rock, NJ, died April 7, 2018. He was retired after a long career as a senior national accounts manager for Steelcase Inc. in New York City. After Saint Michael’s, Richard, aka “Zack,” served in the National Guard for two years while also going to work in sales for the pharmaceutical company Parke Davis. He later moved to IBM and eventually to Steelcase where he remained for nearly 30 years before retiring in 1995. An avid sports fan, Richard attended the NCAA Final Four, the Olympic Games, the NBA Finals and the All-Star Game, as well as being a summer regular for the Saratoga thoroughbred racing season. He also enjoyed travel, particularly to Italy and Captiva, FL. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Madeline, two daughters including Karin Czachorowski ‘84, a brother and extended family.

1959 JOHN M. FINNEGAN,

Colchester, VT, died April 26, 2016 in Florida. He retired from Burlington Drug Company after 58 years of employment. He also worked at the Elks Club, where he was a member and volunteered for Meals on Wheels. He enjoyed fishing, gardening, casinos and the Yankees. He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Elizabeth; six sons, two brothers, three sisters and extended family.

ROBERT E. SENECAL, Deer Isle, ME (formerly of Northborough, MA), died January 7, 2018. A three-sport varsity athlete and team-founding hockey captain in high school (Worcester, MA), he participated in ROTC at Saint Michael’s and enlisted in the Air Force, serving as a first lieutenant based at Loring Air Force Base in Caribou, ME. His work career was as an electrical manager, starting at his father’s business, AC Senecal Electric in Shewsbury, MA, and finishing his career at Perini Corp. in Framingham, MA. He was very active in youth hockey as a program founder, coach and official, and also in youth baseball. He enjoyed cribbage, story-telling and attending his offspring’s sports and arts events. Robert’s wife, Paula, predeceased him. He is survived by four sons, a daughter, two sisters and extended family.

1961 HENRY A. BESSETTE, Latham, NY, died December 24, 2017. He served as an Army medic before coming to Saint Michael’s. After graduating he had a successful career as a pharmaceutical sales representative and later as a business owner, including owner/president of Home Convalescent Equipment in Cahoes, NY. He was fluent in French and an avid collector of military memorabilia. Henry is survived by his wife of 58 years, Helen, a son, daughter Sharon Davis ’85, a sister and extended family.

GEORGE W. GREENE, Lake George, NY, died February 1, 2018. After high school George enlisted in the Marines in 1954, graduating from Marine Corps Sea School in 1955 and serving in the European, Atlantic and Caribbean Theaters. He worked hard at many jobs from a young age and through college—mail carrier, barn boy, rodeo wrangler, managing a bar, and jobs at Champlain Valley Fruit Co. and with Burlington Daily News. After Saint Michael’s he worked at Liberty Mutual Insurance doing pre-trial work to prepare for law school, but after an uncle’s death he took over managing Roaring Brook Ranch resort near Lake George, which he did for the next 54 year. He was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College. He was deeply dedicated to regular Mass attendance, and enjoyed boating. He is survived by his wife, Jill ’92, two daughters, a sister and extended family. JAMES A. MCSWEENEY,

Merrimack, NH, died February 2, 2018. He was municipal manager for the towns of St. Albans, VT, and Franklin, Merrimack, Wolfeboro, Portsmouth and Lebanon, NH. During retirement he worked as the business manager/superintendent for the Merrimack Village Water District. Jim served in the Vermont National Guard from 1962-69 and was a 60-year member of the K of C. He also was active in the American Legion and International City Management Association. He also

served on multiple professional boards and volunteer committees. He loved travel, coaching youth baseball, and rooting for the Patriots and Red Sox. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Evie, four sons including Kevin McSweeney ’87, a daughter, a sister and extended family. DR. JOSEPH E. ROWAN, New York, NY, died April 7, 2018. After Saint Michael’s he went on to earn his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Georgetown University School of Dentistry and his specialization in periodontology from NYU College of Dentistry. He served as president of New York Academy of Dentistry, chair of the American College of Dentists - New York Section, associate attending in periodontics at New York Presbyterian Hospital at the Weill Cornell campus (40-plus years), and was a Diplomate of the American Board in Periodontics. An avid outdoorsman, he loved walking, hiking, biking, skiing, kayaking and photography, along with yoga, painting and reading. He was active in his residential communities in Litchfield County, CT, and Seal Harbor, ME. Joe was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Diana; two sons, a daughter, a sister and extended family. (Several of Joe’s St. Mike’s classmates were moved enough by the eulogy tributes from his funeral to share the text of those with us. They can be found online at smcvt.edu/ magazine)

1962

1964 JOHN “JACK” DORSEY,

Mashpee, MA (formerly of Franklin, MA), died January 31, 2018. He was an English teacher at Waltham High School for many years until his 1999 retirement, and also worked for a time at an insurance agency. He was active in his parish and at the Mashpee Council on Aging. Jack enjoyed golf, wooden-bird-carving, fishing and New England sports teams. He is survived by two sons, a daughter, a brother, a sister and extended family.

JEFFREY KETTERSON,

Bernardsville, NJ/Oakland Park, FL (from earlier alumni survey addresses), died February 28, 2018. After serving as a platoon commander/lieutenant in the Marines, Jeff graduated from Seton Hall Law School in New Jersey worked as an attorney specializing in international law. On a1992 alumni survey he listed post-Saint-Michael’s graduate studies at Harvard and NYU, and also indicated affiliation with the CIA. Jeff was a former dean at Seton Hall Law School, a former special assistant to the governor of New Jersey, and had been a senior partner at Ketterson, White & McCann in New Jersey and at Ketterson, McCann, Hertz & Howe in Oakland Park at different points. In the 1970s he also listed practicing law for Guarini & Guarini in the Empire State Building, New York, N.Y. He was a President’s Medallion Supporter of the College. No information was available about survivors.

1965 ROBERT M. HAYDEN, SR., Troy, NY, died November 5, 2017. After Saint Michael’s he achieved a Master’s of Public Administration at SUNY Albany. “The Bobster” had a long public service career beginning as a probation officer and retiring as Director of the Rensselaer County Probation Department in 2005. He enjoyed the Red Sox, Saratoga race course, travel to Maine and Cape Cod, hunting, fishing, golf, and supporting his grandchildren’s activities. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carol; a daughter, a son a sister and extended family.

1966 WALTER A. ARCHACKI, Colchester, VT, died April 22. Walt worked for General Electric and owned several businesses. He had the culinary abilities of a gourmet chef and loved skiing and golfing, gardening, perfect lawns, and helping others. Walt is survived by his wife, Julie, a son, three daughters, a stepson and stepdaughter, a sister and extended family.

1968 JAMES R. LACLAIR,

Richford, VT, died November 20, 2017. He was a Master Teacher of English Literature, and during his career he taught at Highgate, Missisquoi and Richford High Schools. A devout Catholic, he taught catechism and adult Bible studies, participat-

ed in LEAP retreats, played guitar at Mass and made custom rosaries. As a guitarist and singer he had played in the bands Green Mountain Connection and The Relics. A Bob Dylan aficionado, he attended 62 Dylan concerts. He also loved football and auto racing, was a New York Giants fan and announced high school basketball games for Enosburg and Richford High Schools. Jim is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, a son, Joshua LaClair ’99, two daughters including Johanna Bendt ’02, along with his children’s mother and Jim’s brother, two sisters, and extended family. JOHN R. HICKEY, Alexan-

dria, VA, died March 18, 2018. He had worked for a time as a consultant with Veda, Inc. (information technology services). After Saint Michael’s Jack earned a master’s in guidance and counseling in 1976 from Troy State University. He also served in the Air Force, achieving the rank of Major with assignments that included duty in Saudi Arabia as an adviser at King Faisal Air Academy and teaching at various officer schools in the U.S. He is survived by his wife, Claudia; no further word was available on survivors.

1969 WALTER P. O’NEILL, Westhampton Beach, NY, died on August 10, 2015, the College learned recently. He was an Army veteran of the Vietnam Era, 2nd Battalion,

IN MEMORIAM

ROBERT P. WARREN, Colchester, CT, died November 13, 2017. He was active in ROTC at Saint Michael’s while earning his English literature degree and joined the Air Force after college. After his 1965 discharge Bob began a career as an English teacher at Nathan Hale-Ray High School in East Haddam, CT, going on to teach in Glastonbury and then at Weaver High in Hartford. After earning his master’s from the University of Hartford he came to Colchester public schools in 1974 as middle school principal before becoming principal of Bacon Academy for 22 years—the longest tenure since the school’s 1803 founding. He led major building initiatives during that time. He is survived by a son and daughter, his former wife and extended family.

PAUL R. HAYES, Troy, NY, died February 25, 2018 of multiple sclerosis. After Saint Michael’s he served in the Navy as a sonar specialist on a destroyer escort during the Vietnam era. He worked for 20 years for Yonder Farms in North Greenbush, NY. Upon retirement at age 60 he lived in Cahoes, NY, for a time before moving to Troy for nursing care. He is survived by a son and a sister.

IN MEMORIAM 66

327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne. Walter was a President’s Medallion supporter of the College. His work career, much of it in New York City, had included with Kemper and Dean Witter, Shearson American Express, and Tucker Anthony R.L Day. He was survived at his death by his wife, Beth, and a son, two daughters, two brothers, two sisters and extended family. MARTIN G. STEERE, Omaha, NE, died of multiple sclerosis March 27, 2010, the College learned recently. He joined the Air Force in 1969, serving as a fighter pilot for 20 years, including duty with the Connecticut Air National Guard. After retirement he received his law degree in 1997 from Creighton University. He also had a master’s degree from Rensselaer Polytech. Marty is survived by a son, two daughters, his mother, a sister and extended family. DR. THOMAS F. KNAIDE, DMD, Bangor, ME, died April

11, 2018. After Saint Michael’s, Tom taught 8th grade science and biology for two years in Winooski before pursuing a career in dentistry, graduating from Tufts Dental School in 1975. He and his family lived in Vermont, Massachusetts and late settled in Hampden, ME, where he began his dental practice and practiced there before an association with Dr. Shaun Dowd in Bangor, finally retiring after more than 30 years in practice. After retirement he pursued an interest in designing and selling custom made sea glass

jewelry. He loved reading, golf, history (Civil War particularly), Jeopardy, cribbage, dogs and all sports (lifelong Red Sox fan). He was also active in state and national professional groups for dentists. Tom coached Little League, raised funds for Special Olympics and was active in his parish. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sandra, a son, two daughters including Kara Kitchen ’97, and extended family.

Blasters Model Rocketry Club and a fixture with the Monmouth County 4-H Fair. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Mary; a son, a daughter, a sister and extended family.

1971 EDWARD A. “EDDIE” COSSETTE, Dunstable, MA,

WAYNE D. SKELLY, Vonore, TN, died on January 8, 2018. After Saint Michael’s, Wayne worked for New England Telephone and then For AT&T until retirement. He was an executive in the Commercial Sales Division in the Bedford, NH, office. He loved reading, crossword puzzles, sports and talking about politics. His wife, Jane, died in 2015. No word was available on survivors.

died October 28, 2017. After Saint Michael’s he earned a master’s of criminal justice from Anna Maria College. He began a distinguished 32-year career with the Westford (MA) Police Department in 1974 as a patrol officer and was promoted through ranks to become a captain in 2000, retiring in 2006. He enjoyed vacations in the Bahamas and family visits to Maine. He loved reading, teaching, cribbage, dominos, and his dog. His wife of 25 years, Aniko, died in 2011. Eddie is survived by a stepson, a stepdaughter, a sister and extended family.

WILLIAM “CHRIS” WHITEHOUSE, Freehold, NJ, died

1972

1970

November 6, 2017. After Saint Michael’s he graduated from Drake University law school in Iowa and became an assistant prosecutor for Hudson County, NJ, for 32 years, serving as head of the Grand Jury unit and the CEDU unit. He also served as a deputy Attorney General assigned to the Racketeering and Drug Enforcement Task Force. He retired in 2006. Chris was an avid community volunteer, including club leader for the Monmouth 4-H

JEFFREY J. BLACKWELL,

Standish, Maine, died February 20, 2018. He worked for more than 30 years as a federal agent for the Social Security Administration in Hudson, NY, before retiring to Standish, ME. He enjoyed horse racing, painting, gardening, playing music, watching Jeopardy and the New York Giants. Jeffrey’s wife, Susan, died in 2009, and a son predeceased him. He is survived by his mother, two brothers and extended family.

JOHN D. ESAU, Marlboro,

VT, died January 9, 2018 of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. After Saint Michael’s he earned an education degree at Keene State College (NH). He first taught at Windham Elementary School (VT) as a teaching principal, and for much of his career he taught at Marlboro Elementary School (VT); he also taught at Reading Elementary (VT) and served as the “Turn Off Texting” presenter for the Vermont Governor’s Highway Safety Council. At Marlboro Elementary he coordinated the building of the Johnny Esau Covered Bridge and co-directed the annual school musicals. He loved music (early-on with the Saint Michael’s Glee Club) and later sang with the prestigious Blanche Moyse Chorale and Brattleboro Music Center Chorus. He also was a member of the Marlboro Fire Department and served on the board of the Vermont Covered Bridge Society. He enjoyed boating, beaches, building, metal detecting, Italian food and dogs. John is survived by his wife of 42 years, Joanne; a daughter, a brother, three sisters and extended family. CHRISTOPHER G. LIMBERIS, Bangor, ME, died February 11, 2018. After Saint Michael’s he graduated from Delaware Law School and later was a member of the Maine Air National Guard. After law school he returned to Bangor to join his father in forming Limberis & Limberis, P.A., a partnership that lasted the

1974 EUGENE MARTIN “GENE” CAPPELLO, Litchfield, CT,

died November 2, 2017. He had worked more than 40 years in sales and marketing in the entertainment industry and in sports memorabilia and promotion in New York City and elsewhere. He is survived by two sons, two daughters, his mother, a sister and extended family.

1975 THOMAS MULVIHILL,

Holyoke, MA, died November 15, 2017. Tom was a retired underwriter at The Hartford Insurance Company, active in the K of C and his parish, and was an avid Yankees fan. He is survived by two sisters and extended family

1978 CHRISTOPHER R. BRYNGA, Westfield, MA, died March 22, 2018. After earning his undergraduate economics degree he continued work

toward a master’s at Saint Michael’s, then began a long career in information technology, beginning with the former Burlington Savings Bank. He then worked for CDI Professional Services as an E-Business Practice Leader. From 2006-2014 Chris worked for The Travelers Companies where he became 2nd Vice President of Information Technology. Most recently he worked as an independent consultant based in Waitsfield, VT, and Alexandria, VA. Chris was an avid skier, serving on the Ski Patrol more than 30 years at Sugarbush resort in Warren, VT. He also was a volunteer EMTI with Mad River Valley Ambulance Service for more than 10 years, and was a member and chair of the Waitsfield Elementary School Board covering 17 years. He enjoyed bicycling and his family‘s Connecticut beach house. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Denise; two sons, two daughters, a sister, a brother and extended family. TIMOTHY J. LEAHY, Peoria, AZ, died January 26, 2018. He lived and worked in Vermont many years before moving to Arizona in 2006. His professional career included market administrator at the New England Telephone Company, real estate broker, film editor and master controller for WVNY-TV, Champlain Water District lead-treatment and transmission specialist, and most recently, an employee of the Peoria, AZ, City Water Department. He was a frequent volunteer at charitable events all of his

adult life and loved sports as a participant—basketball, golf, tennis swimming and motorcycling—and as a spectator. His wife of 26 years, Linda, died in 2016. Tim is survived his mother, a sister and extended family. DONALD O. REINAUER,

Sheffield, MA, died October 3, 2014 from cancer. After Saint Michael’s he studied to be a physician’s assistant at Stony Brook University, graduating in 1981. He worked as a pediatric physician assistant— early on at Bernstein & Glatt in Oceanside, NY, and later in the Berkshires at MACONY Pediatrics. He was active in Fire & Rescue at Saint Michael’s, and enjoyed skiing, tennis, music and photography. He is survived by his wife, Judy, his parents, four siblings and extended family.

1980 MICHAEL G. RIVARD, South Burlington/Winooski, VT, died April 24, 2013, the College learned recently. Michael was an Air Force veteran who served overseas for four-plus years before Saint Michael’s, including a year and a half in Vietnam. He was an intelligence specialist, linguist (fluent in French), special investigator and aircraft maintenance technician. He traveled the world extensively in his life and worked hard at many jobs, from sales, restaurants, grocery stores, public relations, and as an insurance agent in New Jersey where he also worked for the United Way, and later also in

insurance in his hometown of Winooski for Transamerica Occidental. He is survived by extended family.

1981 MARK J. MURPHY, Need-

ham, MA, died November 21, 2017. He had a successful career in finance in Boston, and developed a passion for the stock market. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Tracy, three sons, a daughter, two brothers, a sister and extended family.

1983 TIMOTHY C. MEYER, Santa

Clarita, CA, died November 11, 2017. After College Tim moved to California as a sales associate in the semiconductor business before starting a water purification company in northern California, securing four U.S. patents in building his business. He was proud of his German ancestry, was a talented cook, hockey and soccer player, and was an avid outdoorsman who shared his passion for fishing with his children. He is survived by his wife, Vivian, a son, two daughters, a brother and extended family.

1984 JOSEPH S. LABRECQUE,

Keene, N.H. and formerly of Brandon, VT, died January 20, 2018. After Saint Michael’s he went on to further education studies at Castleton Sate College He was a teacher in Keene public schools,

IN MEMORIAM

rest of his father’s life. Christopher was active in his community and local Greek Orthodox Church. He was a keen supporter of his children’s school activities. He enjoyed spending 24 summers on Beech Hill Pond in Otis, Maine with his family and friends, and also enjoyed music. Christopher is survived by his wife of 45 years, Nancy, three daughters and extended family.

IN MEMORIAM 68

working mainly with preschool students; he worked with Keene families and children for 18 years. He was active in Keene’s Sturtevant Chapel for many years, was a scout master, church youth leader, and member of the Sons of the American Legion. Joe was a dedicated youth mentor for all of his adult life. He is survived by his wife, Claudia, three sons, three daughters, two brothers, five sisters and extended family.

1992 MSGT. (RET.) JOHN CHARLES BOUCHARD,

Augusta, GA, died December 31, 2017. A Maine native, he studied political science and minored in Russian language while active in ROTC and Fire and Rescue at Saint Michael’s, which was his first and only College choice. He enlisted in the Air Force after graduation and served 21 years. John loved to fly, and his career took him around the globe on several Air Force platforms. He made Augusta his home after retiring from the Air Force, and he worked there several years for LG Tek. John is survived by his wife, Ginny; a daughter, his parents, a brother, and extended family.

1994 STEPHANIE A. GARDNER, Dryden, NY, died December 21, 2017 from cancer. She was her high school valedictorian in Fair Haven, VT and a three-sport athlete. At Saint

Michael’s she also was valedictorian of her class, graduating summa cum laude with double major in education and Spanish. She taught junior high Spanish for six years and earned a master’s degree in education from New England College in Maine before leaving teaching to raise her family and take up a career of small-animal care, which lasted until her death. Stephanie, always athletic, took up triathlons when her children were older and eventually became a six-time Ironman finisher with a national ranking in her age group. She is survived by her husband, Marty, two sons, a daughter, her parents including Stephen Whalen M’77, a brother, two sisters including Tobrina Calvin ’95, and extended family.

1997 ERIN W. THOMAS, Mt. Pleasant. S.C., died February 6, 2018 from a tragic accident. Erin worked for Global Financial Services, U.S. State Department, North Charleston, S.C., since 2009 as well as for Dunes West Golf Club since 2006. After Saint Michael’s she pursued graduate studies at Boston University School of Theology and was in the thesis stage for master’s in psychology at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. She was a local and global volunteer since childhood, including Our Lady of Mercy Outreach on Johns Island, S.C., the Sisters of St. Joseph ministries in Boston and international service in Russia. Erin was an avid swimmer,

cyclist, runner and world traveler, a blood donor with the Red Cross, and an organ donor. She is survived by her husband, John; parents, David LaMarche ’60 (Saint Michael’s emeritus faculty) and Jane LaMarche ’81, (former trustee for the College from 2001-07), five brothers including Kyle LaMarche ’94, three sisters including Kateri Fitts ’90, and extended family,

2014 RYAN P. SCHROEDER, Essex, VT, died February 1, 2018 in a tragic accident while attending a conference in Baltimore, MD, on behalf of his employer, Vermont Information Processing of Burlington. A 2010 graduate of Duxbury (MA) High School where he was varsity hockey captain, Ryan was a great lover of the outdoors— an avid skier, snowboarder, wakeboarder, hiker and aspiring fly fisherman. He had a wide circle of lifetime friends and was known for organizing activities among them that promoted living life to the fullest: he spent his time playing sports, planning game nights and enjoying craft beers. He started working with VIP in 2016 and fulfilled key roles in the firm’s SRS Sales group. Ryan is survived by his parents, one brother, one sister, his grandparents and extended family.

MAS T ER ’S DEGREE GRADUATE S

M1975 SISTER LORRAINE MACPHERSON, SUSC,

Pawtucket, RI, died January 8, 2018. She entered the Holy Union Sisters in 1950 and made final vows in 1958. She studied at Sacred Heart Teacher Training School in Groton, MA, and earned her education bachelor’s from Catholic Teachers College, Providence, RI, before later earning her teaching master’s from Saint Michael’s. She did further studies in religious education at Emmanuel College, Cardinal Stritch College and Salem Sate College. She taught elementary school in Massachusetts from 1952 to 1970 and become religious education coordinator at parishes in Rhode Island. In 1997 she became pastoral bereavement minister at a funeral home. She moved to residence homes in Central Falls and later Pawtucket, RI, volunteering as bereavement minister along with other ministries to residents. She is survived extended family. ROSEMARY MCGEE, Millbury, MA (formerly of Grafton, MA) died November 5, 2017. She earned a bachelor’s in history at Emanuel College, a master’s in guidance from Boston State College, and later her Saint Michael’s teaching master’s. As a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, she taught in parochial schools and was a

M1 9 7 7 SISTER EILEEN E. BARDEN, CSJ, Brentwood, NY, died

January 3, 2018. A Brooklyn native, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1956, earning a bachelor’s degree in education/theology from Brentwood College. At Saint Michael’s she earned her master’s in theology (1977) and a certificate of advanced study in spirituality/Scriptures (1985). She earned her master’s degree in education and administration from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico in 1993. Formerly Sister Mary Una, she taught at St. Cecilia, Greenpoint, 1959-65, and Sacred Heart, North Merrick, L.I., 1965-66 before responding to the congregation’s invitation to go to Puerto Rico, where she ministered for 30 years, teaching school and religious education and serving as a principal, and later as the San Juan Diocese’s catechetics coordinator. In addition to

community service and a position on the board of directors for Centro San Francisco in Ponce, she was responsible for formation of deacons. Returning to New York, she continued her ministry at St. Joseph Convent, Brentwood, 1995-2007, and Maria Regina Residence, 2016-17. No information was available on survivors SISTER RITA KAUFMAN, RSM, Rochester, NY, died

November 25, 2017. She received a bachelor’s in English from Nazareth College, another in home economics from Marywood College, Pa and her theology master’s from Saint Michael’s. She taught home economics and English at Notre Dame High School in Elmira, NY and was director of religious education in Newark, NY, also serving as a spiritual director at a parish and Mercy Center there. She studied at the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology in California and became a spiritual director there to foreign students for 16 years. Upon retirement she joined the Mercy Center Spiritual Apostolate in Newark. She is survived by a brother and extended family.

M1979 MARY A. BOURGEOIS, Littleton, MA (formerly Maynard/ Gardner, MA), died January 7, 2018. She was a school teacher as a nun with the Sisters of St. Joseph for over 29 years. After leaving the CSJ she continued to

serve the Church as a parish CCD director in Holyoke and later teaching at Rice High School in Burlington, VT. She returned to Massachusetts and directed parish religious education in Maynard. She was active in community service collecting clothes and household good for needy families. She enjoyed her Irish heritage and visited Ireland 11 times, also visiting Vermont each summer. She is survived by a sister and extended family.

M1984 SISTER THERESE LANDRY, SUSC, Fall River, MA, died

January 27, 2018. She entered the Holy Union Sisters in 1947, and earned a bachelor’s from Catholic Teachers College, Providence, before later earning her Saint Michael’s master’s degree. For years she taught in elementary schools staffed by her order in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and later oversaw food services in Holy Union convents in those states and New York state. She was school secretary for her home parish in Chelsea, MA for 14 years and joined her order’s retirement community in North Attleboro in 1990, serving the elderly and teaching parish religious education. She moved to her order’s Landmark residence in 2003 and Catholic Memorial Home in 2014. She is survived by a sister and extended family.

M1986 DORIS E. BARON, Grand Isle, VT, died March 19, 2018. She received degrees and biology from Johns Hopkins University and Florida Southern. During World War II she was a first lieutenant in the Army Nurse Crops, stationed stateside caring for soldiers returning from the European Theater. She taught ob/gyn nursing at Keene State (NH), Mary Fletcher School of Nursing (Burlington), and was nursing coordinator at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester, MA, during her career. She also led Lamaze classes and was a summer camp nurse at a Vermont youth camp. After earning her Saint Michael’s healthcare administration master’s she entered nursing administration at what is now the UVM Medical Center and was instrumental in establishing the first neonatal intensive care unit there. She was a national leader in professional groups in her field. Doris enjoyed travel, bridge, knitting, needlepoint and painting, and was a longtime member of the Order of the Eastern Star, including as secretary. Her husband of 36 years, Alexander, died in 1990. Doris is survived by a son and daughter, a brother and extended family.

IN MEMORIAM

principal of a school in Marblehead. She also was religious education coordinator at a Northborough, MA, parish. After leaving Notre Dame she taught in Northborough Public Schools for 20 years and was a sister advocate and pastoral care assistant at Notre Dame Long Term Care Center where she was a lector and volunteer tutor and helping those studying for citizenship or for college degrees. She loved reading and gardening. She is survived extended family.

IN MEMORIAM

FA C U LTY, STA FF, A N D F R IE N DS

JERALD G. “JERRY” CASE,

Hinesburg, VT, died December 21, 2017. Jerry taught philosophy at Saint Michael’s from 1960 through 2004, innovating various courses based on Thomistic philosophy. He was active for several years on the Vermont State College board, the Champlain Valley Union High School board and other civic engagements. He was involved in the ecumenical movement from its early days and served on the Board of Trustees of the Vermont Ecumenical Council. He was chairman of the Roman Catholic Diocesan Ecumenical Commission. A son predeceased him in 2012. Jerry is survived by his wife of 57 years, Irena; two daughters and extended family. SUZANNE F. FERLAND,

South Burlington, VT, died January 11, 2018. A former adjunct lecturer at the College (and at UVM) in Extemporaneous Speaking and Argumentation, Suzanne was a Quebec native and native French speaker who moved as a child to Vermont from New Jersey when her psychiatrist father went to work at Waterbury State Hospital. After high school she worked at National Life until marriage and moving to the Burlington/Colchester area. Widowed in 1964, she enrolled at UVM and earned an eventual master’s in speech pathology (1972); later in 1988 she

received a Certification in Oral History. Her many jobs included communications coordinator for Chittenden South School District, state director for the Burlington YWCA, sales rep for Business Digest, and oral historian for UVM College of Medicine— she also in 1972 initiated two events for the Chittenden County Historical Society to review the Burlington area’s French and Jewish history. She served the Vermont Mozart Festival, Lane Series and Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival Boards, Ethan Allen Homestead Trustees. Suzanne was best known for her hats, dancing and humor. She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Ferland, and is survived by two sons, a daughter, a brother and extended family. MICHAEL H. GIANNI, Burlington, VT, died August 4, 2017. Michael was a longtime chemistry professor at Saint Michael’s. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara, in 2011, and is survived by a daughter, a son and extended family. VIRGINIA D. GOLODETZ,

Shelburne, VT, died December 17, 2017 after living with Alzheimer’s for 12 years. She was a scholar of Children’s Literature and taught that topic as an adjunct at Saint Michael’s for several years, coordinating the Annual Institute on Children’s Literature for three summers at the College. When moving out of her Burlington house to Wake Robin, she donated her 4,500 books to the

Children’s Literature program at Saint Michael’s. After earning her graduate nursing degree from the University of Nebraska in 1953, she moved to Boston and earned a BS from Simmons College in 1956. She was a visiting nurse in Boston, earned a nursing/ public health master’s from a joint Harvard/Simmons program, then coordinated home medical services and was a preventative medicine instructor at Tufts University School of Medicine. She was active with the Appalachian Mountain Club in New Hampshire and Maine. She moved with her family to Burlington in 1969 and helped found The Children’s School, a parent cooperative Montessori preschool. She was parent coordinator for the Burlington Public Schools Right to Read program in the 1970s and in those years also studied children’s literature at Simmons. She was on the Board of the Children’s Literature New England for 26 years. An arts enthusiast, she was a leader in Friends of Music for Youth in the 1970s and served on the Flynn Theater Board for 11 years, connecting educational and theater experiences. She also was an accomplished cook and seamstress who knitted and did embroidery. She loved hikes, skiing, camping, travel and music. Her husband of 48 years, Arnold, died in 2012. Ginny is survived by three daughters and extended family.

TIMOTHY L. KASTEN,

Middlesex, VT, died November 27, 2017. He taught physics at Saint Michael’s College for a time after earning his master’s in physics from the University of Vermont, living those years in Winooski. Tim was a youthful adventurer, driving cross-country out of high school, traveling to Hawaii with friends, and hitchhiking through Central America with his brother. In 1986 he took the Trans-Siberian Railway to visit Asia. He took a Transcendental Meditation course in Belgium in the early 1970s, and studied at Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. In his early 20s Tim was challenged by the painful progression of Ankylosing Spondytlitis. For many years after building a house in Middlesex subsequent to his time at Saint Michael’s, Tim taught physics and calculus at Montpelier High School. He retired when diagnosed with prostate cancer to focus on his Buddhist practice, and cared for his mother until her 2013 death. He is survived by his companion/coparent Annie Greensfelder, a daughter, a brother and extended family. FLORENCE M. SAUCIER, Winooski, VT, died December 21, 2017. Florence worked for Saint Michael’s College for 25 years as an executive secretary and was a Winooski citizen for over 70 years, remaining on her Florida Avenue home adjoining campus until moving to Burlington’s Converse home two years ago. She

CHARLES T. “CHARLIE” WILSON, St. George, VT,

died December 13, 2017 of a stroke following heart surgery. He taught graduate education courses at Saint Michael’s for a time. He had an education bachelor’s from Castleton State College (1969) and a master’s from the University of Vermont. He taught at Williston Central School for 35 years, first in math and then as the school’s first technology director and pioneered the use of computers there. He was a founder of VITA-learn (Vermont Information Technology Association for Learning), worked with educators around the state on technology in schools, and won awards for his work. He loved world travel, waterskiing and tubing, flying planes, doing Sudoku puzzles and playing guitar. He built his own home and lake house. Charlie is survived by his wife, Jane, a daughter a son and extended family.

ROBERT DECORMIER, Belmont, VT, died November 7, 2017. The famous composer, musician and prolific arranger of choral music was presented an Honorary Degree by Saint Michael’s at the May Commencement in 2016, sponsored by Nathaniel E. Lew of the College’s music faculty, who took over as conductor of the Vermont choral group Counterpoint from DeCormier in recent years. For well over half a century, DeCormier’s presence in the world of classical and folk music has been felt around the world and at home in Vermont, A graduate of Juilliard, he straddled classical and folk music, often bringing the two together in new ways. After Army service in World War II and being wounded, he came to sing in a socially conscious chorus, went to Juilliard, became a conductor of Jewish folk group and started arranging folk music. Around that time he met Harry Belafonte and soon was working with him on albums and other projects It became an extended collaboration. He began the Robert De Cormier singers in 1962, and the group toured and recorded. In 1970 he became director of the New York Choral Society. He also worked extensively with the popular folk trio Peter, Pau & Mary. In 1993 he started the Vermont, Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and

then Counterpoint. He and his wife lived on a farmhouse in Belmont, Vermont since 1956 on and off, moving full-time to Vermont in 1977. His son predeceased him that year. He is survived by his wife, Louise, a daughter and extended family. ROBERT L. DILLMEIER, Hobe Sound, FL, died February 6, 2018. Robert served on the Saint Michael’s Board of Trustees from 1993-99, and his family established the Dillmeier Family Scholarship in 1993 and Robert had been a Leadership Supporter of the College. A 1962 graduate of Brown University where he played lacrosse, was his fraternity president and earned an economics degree, Robert went on to a long and accomplished work career as an entrepreneur. He later earned his MBA from New York University. His diversified professional career started at Paine Webber, Jackson and Curtis as an investment banker. From there he co-founded Campbell and Dillmeier, a real estate investment trust consulting firm. He retired as president and CEO of Dillmeier Enterprises, a glass fabrication company in Fort Smith, AR. With offices in Garden City, NY, Robert served on the board of the Knights of Malta along with his time on the Saint Michael’s board. He was an accomplished seaman and member of a yacht club. He retired to Florida in 2017. Robert is survived by his wife, Margaret, two sons, David Dillmeier ’93 and Kurt

Dillmeier ’93, a daughter, Elizabeth Reilly ’88, and extended family including daughter-in-law Allyson Dillmeier ’91. ANTONIO “TONY” POMERLEAU, Burlington,

VT died February 8, 2018. He was an emeritus trustee, serving from 1970-78 and 1997-2003, and earned an Honorary Degree from the College in 1994, while sending two children and a granddaughter to Saint Michael’s. The Antonio and Rita Pomerleau Alumni Center at the College is named to honor Mr. Pomerleau and his wife of 71 years, Rita. Tony was born in Quebec and drew up in Newport, VT, in the Northeast Kingdom, before moving to Burlington in 1945. He and Rita raised 10 children. Tony built a business empire in the greater Burlington area and beyond. He was entrepreneurial and clever from his youth and a foray into the grocery business combined with an offer to get into the new “motel” business soon led to the innovative idea of creating a cluster of retail businesses joined together in the same location outside a city-center with convenient parking. His retail empire was born with the opening of the Ethan Allen Shopping Center in Burlington’s new north end in 1955. He also established a large insurance agency in the early 1950s, and lucrative real estate business with his oldest son, Ernest Pomerleau ’69. Once

IN MEMORIAM

earned her bachelor’s degree at the College of St. Rose in Albany in 1941. Florence was active with the Catholic Daughters, the Bishop’s Fund, and the Edmundite-administered St. Stephen’s Church in Winooski. She enjoyed travel, camping at Malletts Bay and time at the Winooski Senior Center. She learned to drive at the age of 75 when her husband, Lafayette, the former Winooski schools superintendent, died in 1987. Florence is survived by Dr. John Saucier, MD, and extended family.

he achieved such financial success, he turned his immense talents to philanthropy, supporting Vermont-based initiatives that touched thousands of Vermonters through The Antonio and Rita Pomerleau Foundation. Major gifts supported Saint Michael’s and also the YMCA, Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, Burlington Boys and Girls Club, Vermont National Guard and Hurricane Irene victims along with so many others. He enjoyed boating, cribbage and storytelling and was a man of deep Catholic faith, supporting his home parishes generously through the years. He valued education deeply for all of his 100 years. Tony, whose funeral was in the campus Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel filled

nearly to capacity including many officials, is survived by his wife of 71 years, Rita, two sons, Ernest A. Pomerleau ’69 and Dennis F. Pomerleau ’80, five daughters, and extended family including niece Marcelle Pomerleau Leahy H’09. PATRICIA NOWAK, South Burlington, VT, died March 31, 2018. A former Saint Michael’s Associate Trustee, Pat was a strong mentor and supporter of student interns at the College, working closely with Paul Olsen of the business faculty. He also was an avid supporter of the Purple Knights Men’s Ice Hockey team. She worked in the insurance industry starting in 1979 at New York Life, and eventually with her husband opened Nowak & Nowak Financial Services in Williston. She won many sales and service award in her industry. She and her husband offered internships to more than 80 Saint

Michael’s students over the past 20 years. She served in many jobs for the State of Vermont, including on the Natural Resources Board and running the Vermont Job Expo, and she served South Burlington on several civic boards. Pat is survived by her husband, Robert, three sons, two daughters, a sister, a brother and extended family. SHIRLEY A. O’BRIEN, Winooski, VT, died March 9, 2018. She was the widow of former Saint Michael’s Trustee and the late campus physician Dr. Robert E. O’Brien ’42. Shirley was a nurse by training, and also an accomplished chef, seamstress, bridge player and golfer who also enjoyed bowling, cross-country skiing, knitting and travel. She is survived by four sons including Timothy O’Brien ’72 and Stephen O’Brien ’74, five daughters

including Brigid Kulhowvick ’78, and extended family included John Kulhowvick ’78 (retired longtime researcher for the College) and granddaughters Erin O’Brien ’02 and Kelli Reno ’03.

“ BE IT GR A N D O R S L E N D ER, BURROWING, BL ASTING, O R RE F U S I N G T O S A N CTIFY; WH ETH E R IT L AUGH S OUT LOUD OR IS A CRY W I T H O U T A N AL P H ABET, TH E C H OIC E WORD , T HE CHO S E N S I L E N C E , U N M OL ESTE D L ANGUAGE SURGE S TOWARD KN O W L E D G E , N O T I T S D E STRUC TION.” — Toni Morrison, Nobel Lecture, 1993

Cedar Waxwing taken across Rt. 15 from Saint Michael’s College by Peter Riley ’78

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Saint Michael’s College One Winooski Park, Box 6 Colchester, VT 05439 Change Service Requested

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