A MAGAZINE FOR UMASS BOSTON ALUMNI AND FRIENDS Winter 2025
Governor Janet Mills ’70 reflects on her time at UMass Boston and in Maine’s highest office.
BEACONS GET PRIME SPOT
UMass Boston is featured in the 12th season of The College Tour, a groundbreaking video series streaming on Amazon Prime. Hosted by The Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, the UMass Boston episode takes viewers behind the scenes on Columbia Point to hear from 10 current students about all aspects of college and campus life, from our new central quad and waterfront views to the robotics team and ocean research boat.
The 30-minute episode is now live on the UMass Boston website and The College Tour website.
“UMass Boston offers students an extraordinary experience, and we’re so excited to share that on The College Tour,” said Boylan. “This episode gives prospective students a firsthand look at what makes this school so special.”
Watch the episode here.
16 A Call to Lead
Maine Governor Janet Mills ’70 shares reflections on education, service, state politics, and successful leadership.
20 A Major Score
Composer and lyricist Mark Governor ’78 shows his range and creativity as the man behind the music for some of the industry’s most beloved projects.
23 Partners in Care
Goddard House—the state’s first elder care institution—celebrates 10 years of partnership and elevated impact through its support of the Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences at UMass Boston.
26 A Living Testament
As archivist and historian for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Maureen Melton ’85, G’90 is uncovering and telling the stories behind artwork that’s been captivating the hearts of audiences for generations.
28 Worth the Whisk
With her award-winning bakery, Silver Whisk Bake Shop, Nancy Zhou ’11 is a sterling example of blending passion and purpose.
Maine Governor Janet Mills ’70 on the steps of the State House in Augusta.
For this issue of Beacons, we asked you:
What is your favorite tourist spot in or
Public Garden
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Freedom Trail
Boston Common
USS Constitution
Fenway Park
Which clubs, organizations, or sports were you involved in during your time as a student?
Visit umb.edu/yourtake to submit your answer! Submissions are edited for length and clarity.
FREEDOM TRAIL
“I have my own favorite spots in and around town, but for tourists, the first stop should definitely be the Freedom Trail. Just follow the line and you can’t get lost while hitting all of the historic highlights of the city.”
—Brian Hutzell ’90
“Long Wharf is a great place for tourists to spend time viewing the various activities around Boston Harbor and the Seaport District. It is within walking distance of the Aquarium, Christopher Columbus Park, Quincy Market, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and many restaurants and hotels.”
—Susan Flynn ’67 “What is better than getting the true historical Boston experience by reenacting the Boston Tea Party by throwing tea over a ship? Nothing! According to USA Today, it was voted as the #1 ‘Best Patriotic Attraction.’”
—Emily Franciszkowicz ’23
BOSTON TEA PARTY SHIPS & MUSEUM
“The Public Garden is a beautifully maintained sanctuary in the middle of the city. Filled with weeping willows, ducks, and squirrels. A space where people can stroll and relax. The Public Garden always seems filled with joy when I am in the city.”
—Aaron Battista ’88
PUBLIC GARDEN
LONG WHARF
AT A TIME when civility and community seems to be fraying, it is reassuring to know that there are people in the world who will choose to build community—by serving or creating in ways that engage voices and bring people together. Many of them are Beacon alumni, and in this edition of Beacons magazine, we share a few of their stories.
Our cover story profiles Governor Janet Mills ’70, who has enacted a vision for Maine that addresses educational, environmental, and health equity; resiliency in the face of climate change; innovation in shaping a diversified 21st-century economy; and compassion in addressing tribal relations and the opioid crisis. Her lifelong contributions to public life offer a model pathway for how students from all backgrounds can serve and give back.
You will also read about Maureen Melton ’85, G ’90, a first-generation Beacon from a working-class family in Foxborough, MA, who became the steward of records and storyteller for one of the nation’s most prestigious art museums. Empowered and encouraged by her passionate UMass Boston professors, Maureen now revels in sharing the stories that bring history and art to life for visitors to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Mark Governor ’78, a celebrated composer and lyricist, has spent the past three decades
uniting communities through his innovative compositions. In this issue, you will read about how Mark has lent his musical mastery to over 200 television shows, films, documentaries, and live stage performances—and how he has brought people together through the universal language of music.
And if a touch of sweetness is a treasured part of your community, then you may find inspiration in the story of Nancy Zhou ’11 and her bakery, Silver Whisk Bake Shop. As a creator and purveyor of inventive cakes and distinctive confections that draw on her Chinese heritage, Nancy has found immense joy in making her customers happy through her talent as a baker.
So often, a passion for contributing to the public good is nurtured by education that drives social conscience and sparks imagination to create strong, vibrant communities, in ways large and small. I suspect this is partly why many young people choose UMass Boston to explore how they might make the world better, one community at a time. I hope you enjoy reading about the good work of these exemplary Beacons.
Sincerely,
MARCELO SUÁREZ-OROZCO Chancellor
BEACONS
Chancellor
Marcelo Suárez-Orozco
Provost
Joseph Berger
Vice Chancellor for University
Advancement
Adam Wise
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni Engagement
Allison Duffy
Senior Director of Alumni Engagement
Steven Whittemore
Communications Specialist
Vanessa Chatterley
Editors
Allison Duffy
Vanessa Chatterley
Andrea Kennedy
Austyn Ellese Mayfield
Steven Whittemore
Art Director
Kaajal Asher
kaajalasher.com
Contributors
Danielle Bilotta G’23
Bill Doncaster ’24
Kelly Field
Susan Karcz
DeWayne Lehman G’15
Sandra Mason
Crystal Valencia G’14
Photos and Illustrations
Chris Churchill
Ed Collier
Sam Falconer
Bartosz Kosowski
Melissa Mahoney
Javier Rivas
Beacons magazine celebrates the accomplishments and impact of the UMass Boston community and the lasting connection alumni and friends have with UMass Boston, Boston State College, and our legacy schools.
We welcome your inquiries, ideas, and comments. Please share them with the UMass Boston Alumni Engagement team at 617.287.5330 or alumni@umb.edu.
The Tea
UMass Boston Professor Elected as a National Academy of Kinesiology Fellow
Associate Vice Provost of Graduate Education and Professor of Kinesiology
Tracy Baynard has been elected as a fellow to the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK), the highest recognition in the field of kinesiology. Baynard joined UMass Boston as a professor in the Manning College’s Department of Exercise & Health Sciences in 2022 and was appointed as the new associate vice provost for graduate education in 2023. Baynard’s research has helped uncover physiological mechanisms for why exercise is difficult in clinical populations, such as people with Down syndrome. Baynard serves as chair of the Steering Committee for the Environmental and Exercise Physiology Section of the American Physiological Society and is
Professor Chris Bobel Receives Fulbright Scholar Award
Professor of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality
Studies Chris Bobel has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award and is teaching in Istanbul, Turkey, this academic year. Through the prestigious Fulbright award, Bobel is teaching PhD students in gender studies at Kadir Has University, an experience she said will challenge her in exciting ways as a public intellectual and feminist educator and mentor. “I love travel as the best means of accessing and learning from cultures different than my own. And the chance to do my job in another place really excites me,” Bobel said. “The complexities of Turkey today are a fruitful site for thinking critically about the gendered dimensions of a range of pressing social issues.” A UMass Boston faculty member since 2001, Bobel teaches courses such as Gender and the Body, Feminist Theory, Feminist Research Methods, Women in U.S. Social Movements, and Feminist Activism.
UMass Boston Cuts Ribbon on New Student Veteran Center
Campus leaders, students, faculty, alumni, and friends gathered to cut the ribbon on a new permanent location for the Student Veteran Center on the first floor of McCormack Hall. The student-run center serves as a resource and connection hub, providing a wide range of support and information to student veterans and military-affiliated students. The new space features computers, workstations, and meeting areas as well as a lounge, new furniture, a kitchen, and other amenities for students to use.
“The center provides a place for veterans to be with those who they know, to a degree, understand what they have been through,” said Troy Hewitt, a nursing student and Army Reserve medic who serves as coordinator of the center. “I found students that had been through some of the same life experience as me, and even though we all came from different walks of life, we could all connect over our common bond of service.”
“This wonderful space is the culmination of collective effort, dedication, and support from colleagues across UMass Boston who share a commitment to our student veterans, and the unique and diverse individuals that comprise our military-affiliated student community,” said Jen Maitino, associate dean and director of housing and residential life.
Chancellor Suárez-Orozco said that “belonging” will remain a central theme as the campus continues to be transformed in the months and years ahead.
“Building community and bringing people together is an important part of our mission,” he said. “And this refresh marks another step in this direction for our Beacons who have served, are serving, seeking to serve, and are the partners or children of those who serve.”
associate editor of the prestigious research journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
FY2024 ANNUAL FUND GIVING
Annual Fund donors powered priorities in every corner of campus this fiscal year, boosting academics, research, campus life, and more.
New Grant Will Foster Connections
Jessica Whiteley, professor of urban public health and senior associate dean in the Manning College of Nursing & Health Science received a $200,000 grant from the Linde Family Foundation titled “Nurses Connect: A Peer Mentoring Program.” This program aims to enhance retention and success among new nursing undergraduate students by providing psychosocial support, improving confidence, and fostering a sense of belonging. Students will connect with peer mentors to help guide them with firsthand knowledge.
Starratt Family Funds FullRide Scholarship
Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Public Schools (BPS), and UMass Boston (UMB) announced a new scholarship for graduates of the newly renamed Ruth Batson Academy. A $1.9 million donation from lifelong educators Robert and Ruth Starratt to the UMass Boston College of Education & Human Development (CEHD) created the Robert and Ruth Starratt Endowed Scholarship, to be given to students from the Ruth Batson Academy who upon graduation plan to pursue a career in education in the Boston Public Schools. The scholarship underscores the collaboration among the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, and UMass Boston to foster college-level opportunities for high school students, and builds on the partnership between the city and the university to make the Ruth Batson Academy BPS’s first university-assisted community hub school.
Through 9,912 gifts, our campus received $2,595,203 in donations, with an average gift of $159.
Our 5,076 donors ranged in class years from 1952 to 2024, representing 7 countries and 50 states with 69% living in Massachusetts.
International Leaders Join Chancellor at Vatican Climate Summit
UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco has led scientists, social scientists, researchers, governors, and mayors from around the world in developing the Planetary Protocol for Climate Change Resilience. The compact, authored in part by Chancellor SuárezOrozco and Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer, was signed by international dignitaries, including Pope Francis, at a three-day global climate summit at the Vatican last spring, “From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience.”
Participants also committed to follow up on the global summit by hosting state and city summits to develop locally relevant resilience plans. Governor Healey announced that she will work with Chancellor Suárez-Orozco to host a summit in Massachusetts with local leaders from across the state to coordinate adaptation, transformation, and financing plans.
Inaugural AI Applications Hackathon a Success
The Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (PEAAII) Student Advisory Council (SAC) organized the institute's inaugural hackathon this fall. The SAC met weekly over the course of the summer break to map out ways to optimize and democratize the use of AI tools across a broad range of majors. The group created new communications channels through Microsoft Teams and social media accounts and planned a semester-long speaker series featuring faculty and external partners highlighting how they use AI in their daily work. The culminating event was the AI Applications Hackathon, where students formed teams and worked collaboratively over the course of a week to solve a problem using AI tools. The student teams presented their findings to institute founder Paul English ’87, G’89, H’19 and Provost Joseph Berger. Each student received a $50 stipend for their participation and the top three teams received $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000, respectively. To learn more about the Paul English AI Institute, visit ai.umb.edu.
“The philosophy of a ‘Sponge City’ is to retain water at its source, slow down its flow, give water more space – totally opposite of conventional grey infrastructure. Boston has great potential to become a Sponge City. [Boston Harbor’s] Cathleen Stone Island can be a beautiful demonstration of this idea.”
KONGJIAN YU, professor and dean of Peking University’s College of Architecture and Landscape, is the pioneer of the “sponge city” concept, which addresses climate change through nature-based solutions rather than high-tech fixes. Yu addressed the campus during the third installment of the Chancellor’s “From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience” Lecture Series.
Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco introduces Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey to Pope Francis at the Vatican climate summit “From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience.”
Student Q&A: Kolye Bankauskas ’25
Kolye Bankauskas ’25 is in his senior year at UMass Boston and serves as the captain of the men’s ice hockey team. Hailing from Coventry, RI, Bankauskas has played three seasons for the Beacons, and prior to enrolling at UMass Boston, played for Eastern Hockey League’s Worcester Railers. We huddled with Bankauskas to learn more about his UMass Boston experience, both on and off the ice.
Q: Why did you choose to attend UMass Boston?
This campus offers a top-tier education alongside the opportunity to compete in collegiate ice hockey. Its location in Boston offers me a wealth of life experiences and is just an hour from my home state of Rhode Island, so my family can come watch me play hockey.
Q: How has UMass Boston played a role in where you are today?
UMass Boston has helped me to cultivate a network of professional relationships that will support my future career endeavors.
Q: What has been your most memorable experience as a Beacon thus far?
Winning the Codfish Tournament for two consecutive years is something I'll always remember. The victory celebrated on home ice with my teammates is an experience I will never forget.
Q: Who at UMass Boston has had the most influence on your life?
Coach Peter Belisle has provided me with valuable advice throughout my college career. His focus on commitment and work ethic inspires me to approach each day with gratitude and determination. Additionally, he has been instrumental in helping me build my network, and his familyfirst mentality deeply resonates with me on a personal level.
Q: What are your goals after graduation?
I will be attending Logan University in St. Louis to complete my doctor of chiropractic degree along with a master’s in sport science and rehabilitation.
Q: What would you tell a prospective student considering attending UMass Boston?
The university offers extensive support and resources for career success. From my experience, the surrounding community provides valuable opportunities to engage with life and forge lasting friendships. Additionally, I have
been introduced to many mentors who will be a source of guidance and inspiration throughout my life.
Q: Is there anything you would like to add that we haven’t covered yet?
UMass Boston was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I would make the same choice again without hesitation.
Reflections on Teaching, Poetry, and UMass Boston
At 100 years old, Cornelia “Connie” Veenendaal has lived a life full of experiences that have shaped her as a poet, teacher, and lifelong learner. In this Q&A, Veenendaal shares her journey from her early days in Springfield, MA, to becoming one of the founding faculty members at UMass Boston.
Q: Can you tell us about your early life and education?
I grew up in Springfield and went on to attend UMass Amherst, where I majored in English. Originally, I wanted to be an artist, but over time I found my way as a teacher and writer.
Q: What was it like teaching during those early years at UMass Boston?
The university was still growing, and we expanded into some of the surrounding buildings. The library was housed in an old arsenal next to the Park Square building. It was also the era of the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the women’s movement, so we were often involved in protests or other events. I have four record books filled with the names of students I taught over the years, but it’s hard to remember them all!
Q: How did you develop your interest in poetry?
I wrote occasionally during my school years when I wanted to express an idea or feeling, but I didn’t have the ambition to be a poet back then. I thought I wanted to be an artist. I learned a lot from reading sonnets, odes, and blank verse in my English classes. I even heard Robert Frost read his poetry while I was at Amherst— that was inspiring.
It wasn’t until my early years at UMass Boston that I started meeting working poets. After my first reading, I was invited to join a small group of Boston poets in a workshop. That experience was a revelation, and I learned a lot. Eventually, our group founded the Alice James Poetry Cooperative and published our own books.
Q: What have you been up to since retiring from UMass Boston?
I retired in 1990 and soon after that went to China with a group of editors and writers as part of a cultural exchange. I also took a photography course at the New England School of Photography. Later, I returned to UMass Boston as a student in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), where I took many wonderful courses—everything from Mozart to Grimm’s Fairy Tales to courses on Iraq and the Israel–Palestine conflict. I was also a longtime member of a memoir-writing group.
I continued to write poetry too. My fourth collection, An Argument of Roots, was published in 2014, and I’m currently working on a new manuscript titled Terrestrial. I hope to publish it soon.
Q: Do you have any final thoughts on your long career as a teacher and poet?
I realize now how fortunate I’ve been. I had 30 years of the most rewarding work I could have found at UMass Boston. And poetry has always been a part of my life—it has given me a way to express myself and connect with others. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and look forward to what’s next.
RETURN
At the farmers’ market a woman in the crowd came toward me: “I was your student—twenty years ago.” She reminded me her name is Sarah, and said, “In your class we read about something that was blue as a heron’s leg. Do you remember?”
I mulled the blue of a bucket of globe thistles. To think that after all those years she remembered exactly—blue as a heron’s leg. I had to find it again— At home I looked through old books.
Was it in Turgenev’s Sketches, when the hunter lost his way as night fell over a dark meadow? Or was it blue of the Ngong Hills Isak Dinesen saw from her farm in Africa?
Wild winter sea off the coast of Florida came back—Stephen Crane! Not the storm of “The Open Boat,” but a blizzard on the prairie, a lone railroad station, “The Blue Hotel.”
The Hotel at Fort Romper, a painted light blue, a shade that is on the legs of a kind of heron,… stood alone on the prairie, and snow was falling…
Season and classroom filling up with snow and the students in their separate lives, bending over the words— I can only imagine now— but here wades the heron on long blue legs.
Tax-free has a nice ring to it.
Use your IRA to make a gift.
• Pay no tax on the distribution (subject to annual limitations)
• Satisfy part or all of your RMD
If you are age 701/2 or older, you can give from your IRA each year or use the special one-time option to set up a gift that pays a lifetime income to you and/or your spouse.
Learn more today.
Anthony J. Barbuto, Esq. Director of Planned Giving 617.388.4558
Anthony.Barbuto@umb.edu
A Year of Beacons
For the past year, on Beacon Feature Fridays, we’ve celebrated the successes of our alumni community across multiple industries and regions. And the best part was seeing so many of our alumni support and congratulate their fellow Beacons.
U Increase in Research Funding Moves UMass Boston to R1 Status
MASS BOSTON’S research enterprise has experienced unprecedented growth over the past three fiscal years. The university reported $81.1 million in annual research funding and $71.3 million in research expenditures in fiscal year 2024. These levels, along with the number of doctorates conferred annually, have moved the university into the R1 category on the 2025 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
“This growth is a result of a deep commitment to research excellence. You can see the efforts throughout the university, from the growth of a robust technology ecosystem to our faculty’s interdisciplinary collaborations to the leading-edge instrumentation and expertise in our core facilities,” explained Bala Sundaram, vice provost for research and strategic initiatives.
Sundaram added, “Across our campus, faculty, students, staff, and industry researchers engage in research seeking meaningful results to solve real-world problems. What’s more, our students who engage in research activities have opportunities to develop into creative problem-solvers with in-demand employment skills.”
Jason Evans, associate professor of chemistry, is the director of the Proteomics Core Facility. The centerpieces of the proteomics core facility are two state-of-the-art nanoflow LC-MS instruments, both were purchased with funds obtained from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. The core facility’s clients have included small biotech start-ups, larger biotech companies, local hospitals and universities, and academic collaborators from across the United States.
Alumni and Faculty Bookshelf
In Borderless (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2023), JENNIFER DE LEON G’10 tells the powerful story of Maya, a 17-year-old fashion design student from Guatemala City, whose life is turned upside down by gang violence. When threats invade their home, Maya and her mother are forced to flee, embarking on a dangerous journey through Guatemala and Mexico in a desperate bid to reach the U.S. border. De Leon’s gripping novel captures the resilience of a young girl and her unbreakable bond with her mother as they face unimaginable dangers as they fight for a chance at a new life.
GARY SIPERSTEIN co-edited Best Practices for Inclusive Camps: A Practical Guide to Inclusion of Youth with And Without Disabilities (Sagamore–Venture Publishing, 2023). The book offers practical guidance based on the standards for inclusive recreation developed and patented by UMass Boston, while providing case studies of exemplary day and overnight inclusive camps—including Camp Shriver, a national award-winning program for inclusive recreation launched by UMass Boston in 2006. Siperstein is professor emeritus in the School of Policy & Global Studies and founder and director of the Center for Social Development & Education at UMass Boston.
MEGHAN ELIZABETH KALLMAN, associate professor in the School for Global Inclusion & Social Development, and co-author and climate activist Josephine Ferorelli, published The Conceivable Future: Planning Families and Taking Action in the Age of Climate Change (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2024). The book offers informed perspectives on population, reproduction, and climate justice, exploring how these topics have various meanings all rooted in different histories of oppression and trauma and debunks common misconceptions among these topics, including the harmful legacy of population control. The book is a no-nonsense and compassionate guide to taking practical steps toward meaningful action in combating the climate crisis.
In How the News Feels: The Empathic Power of Literary Journalists (University of Massachusetts Press, 2023), JONATHAN D. FITZGERALD G’05 explores the origins and evolution of literary journalism from the nineteenth century to the present. This genre blends factual reporting with the emotional depth of fiction, fostering empathy through nuanced storytelling. Fitzgerald’s book showcases the work of often-overlooked women and non-binary writers who shed light on society’s marginalized individuals. Through their intimate and compelling narratives, these journalists have shaped and defined literary journalism, creating stories that inspire action and understanding.
New Leaders on Campus
CAROL THORNBER has been named dean of the School for the Environment and professor of environmental science.
Dr. Thornber joins us from the University of Rhode Island (URI), where, in addition to holding a tenured full professor position, she also held several leadership roles. She is a marine ecologist with a multidisciplinary funded research program that has investigated the impact of climate change on local and global coastal communities, multitrophic aquaculture, invasive species, coastal resilience, and harmful algal bloom ecology.
As associate dean at URI, Dr. Thornber coordinated the integration of research programs and graduate student support across social science and natural science departments. She was also the principal investigator of a $20 million grant to Rhode Island from the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Dr. Thornber is an active and engaged scholar, and her students and postdoctoral researchers have become faculty, environmental consultants, federal and state environmental scientists, and environmental lawyers, among other professions.
“Throughout our comprehensive search process, it became evident that Dr. Thornber possesses the exceptional blend of academic prowess, leadership experience, and passion for environmental issues essential to this role,” said Venky Venkatachalam, College of Management dean and distinguished professor.
Dr. Thornber said, “The cross-disciplinary research, coupled with the connection to the City of Boston, drew me to this position. I’m excited to lead a school focused on solving climate issues today and shaping a sustainable future for generations to come.”
Dr. Thornber received a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Stanford University, a PhD in ecology, evolution, and marine biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and conducted postdoctoral research and training at the University of California, Davis, and San Francisco State University.
CALVIN R. HILL has been named UMass Boston’s inaugural vice chancellor for inclusive excellence and belonging.
An accomplished administrator, teacher, and scholar who will bring more than two decades of higher education experience to this position, Dr. Hill joins us from Springfield College, where he served for nearly a decade as vice president for inclusion and community engagement. He previously excelled in leadership roles at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota; Worcester State University; Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions; and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In addition to his organizational leadership accomplishments, Dr. Hill has written and presented extensively on issues related to diversity and inclusion.
As vice chancellor, Dr. Hill will act as the university’s chief diversity officer, actively supporting and advancing the university’s values of diversity and inclusion, engagement, transformation, and cultural development
“Dr. Hill stood out not only for his exceptional qualifications and expertise but also for his alignment with our institution’s values and goals. His proven track record of success and dedication to advancing this mission makes him an ideal fit for this position,” said Karen Ferrer-Muñiz, vice chancellor for student affairs and search committee co-chair.
Dr. Hill remarked, “I am thrilled to join this vibrant community and am excited to continue the work of creating an environment where every individual feels valued, heard, and empowered to thrive. Together we can ensure that our campus reflects the rich tapestry of voices and experiences of the community we serve.”
Dr. Hill received a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Bethany College, a master’s degree in student personnel administration from Emporia State University, and a PhD in political science from Howard University.
Impacting Population Health Through Global Collaboration
Fulbright Scholar and Urban Public Health Professor Phil Gona uses complex statistical models to promote public health practice and health policy abroad.
WHILE HEALTH CARE is focused on the care and treatment of individual patients one at a time, public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of an entire community by studying the distribution and determinants of diseases, risk factors, and injuries to help influence policy.
As a faculty member in the Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences (MCNHS) and a biostatistician by training, Phil Gona, professor of urban public health, develops and applies innovative statistical methods and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams of health scientists. Together, they address scientific questions focused on improving health for communities, preventing disease, and informing health policy.
“My specialty in statistical methodology includes meticulously developing risk prediction models, which are a unique class of mathematical equations. The equations are useful for predicting, based on an individual’s characteristics and current health status, their likelihood of developing a particular disease in the future. I develop these equations using methods grounded in survival analysis or event history analysis of longitudinal follow-up study designs,” said Gona, a 2024 Fulbright Specialist at North-West University’s (NWU) Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
For his summer 2024 project at NWU, titled “Enhancement of Statistical and Epidemio-logical Excellence for Research in Hypertension in Africa,” Gona collaborated with scientists to conduct a 30-year descriptive epidemiological analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.
Gona and his colleagues at NWU assessed the changes and trajectories in the burden of hypertension and hypertensive heart diseases together with the burden of associated risk
factors in South Africa, where these conditions are very prominent compared to other regions of the world.”
Hypertensive heart disease is a progressive disease caused by prolonged elevated blood pressure and can rapidly progress to heart failure causing substantial disease burden and cardiovascular death. The GBD study, in which Gona is a Principal Collaborator, is the largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time, so health systems, and therefore population health, can be improved and lives saved. Future plans include conducting similar epidemiological analyses focused on diabetes, kidney dysfunction, and HIV/AIDS for South Africa.
A fellow of the American Heart Association, Gona was invited to present his team’s work at the regional conference of the International Society of Hypertension in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“The Fulbright opportunity has truly provided me an opportunity to strengthen scientific collaboration with other population
health scientists abroad. The relationships that I have built through teaching, mentoring, and capacity building are robust and have the potential to benefit my students at UMass Boston as well as faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students at NWU.”
Dr. Lebo Gafane-Matemane, an associate professor of cardiovascular physiology at HART said, “I benefited immensely through working side by side with Professor Gona during his two Fulbright visits to NWU. I am excited about the plan of action to continue to analyze and publish data for South Africa from the GBD study. I am even more delighted that we were able to present part of our work on hypertensive heart diseases at the Southern African Hypertension Society Conference.”
“Professor Gona’s work and presence on the global health stage as a Fulbright Scholar makes us proud and has been a wonderful opportunity to introduce UMass Boston’s new Urban Public Health Department to a broad audience,” said MCNHS Dean Bo Fernhall.
A CALL TO
LEAD
Maine Governor Janet Mills ’70 on her winding journey through higher ed and state politics and what it takes to be a successful leader today
BY KELLY FIELD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS CHURCHILL
Like many transfer students to UMass Boston, Janet Trafton Mills ’70, Maine’s first female governor, took the circuitous route to a degree.
HE ENROLLED at Colby College after graduating high school in 1965, but dropped out in her sophomore year, eager to explore the world beyond her home state. With the Vietnam War raging overseas and U.S. cities erupting in protest over the war and civil rights, Mills felt confined at the small, rural college in Waterville, whose culture then centered on football and fraternities, she said.
“I wasn’t focused on studying,” she recalled. “Things were happening outside Maine, and I felt a call to action.”
So Mills did what thousands of restless, idealistic youth did in 1967: she moved to San Francisco, just in time for the Summer of Love.
Though Mills didn’t consider herself part of the antiwar movement, she opposed the conflict and participated in some protests there. She also absorbed San Francisco’s hippie counterculture, which was, as she wryly put it, “quite different from Waterville or Farmington, Maine,” where she grew up.
But after a year and a half of bouncing between jobs as a waitress, office worker, and psychiatric aide, she decided to give college another try. By then, she had moved back east and was living just blocks from UMass Boston. A friend who attended the college suggested she enroll, and she did, in the fall of 1968.
“I realized that school isn’t a bad thing,” Mills said. “I now saw its value.”
This time, she took her studies seriously, earning mostly As. She dabbled in topics ranging from Shakespeare to Greek, grasped math “for the first time ever,” and honed analytical skills that have helped her succeed in law and public service, she said.
Looking back, Mills said the courses she took at UMass Boston, and the professors who taught them, “had a significant impact on my willingness and desire to do well at school.”
The highlight of her undergraduate education was taking part in the college’s first study abroad trip to France, led by Frederick Busi, a professor emeritus of French and Italian studies. Living abroad and being immersed in another culture “helped open my eyes to the wider world,” Mills said.
FROM UMASS BOSTON TO THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION
Upon graduating from UMass Boston with a bachelor’s degree in French in 1970, Mills took an office job in Washington, DC, and moved in with a smart, handsome, charming man with alcoholism. She left him when he threatened her with a gun—but the experience, and her later observations of how the criminal justice system fails victims of domestic violence, would motivate Mills to co-found in 1978 the Maine Women’s Lobby to advocate for battered and abused women.
After leaving the relationship, Mills returned to Maine for law school in 1973. At the time, there were few women in the legal profession, and she recalls feeling intimidated.
Yet Mills thrived in law school, entering public service as an assistant attorney general not long after graduating. Four years later, she became the first female district attorney in New England.
In 1985, she married Stanley Kuklinski, a widower with five young daughters whom she would help raise. He died following a stroke in 2014.
Mills won a seat in the Maine House of Representatives in 2002 and was elected Attorney General of Maine in 2008—the first, and only, woman to ever hold that office. A decade later, voters picked her over a Republican business executive to be the 75th Governor of Maine.
In 2022, Mills defeated her Republican challenger and longtime antagonist, former Governor Paul LePage, to win a second term in office.
During her six years in office, Mills has signed executive orders and bills that have expanded access to health care and affordable housing, modernized Maine’s aging infrastructure, and increased spending on K–12 education. She has worked with the legislature to diversify Maine’s economy, attract and integrate new workers, tackle the state’s opioid crisis, and strengthen relations with the state’s Native peoples.
Under her leadership, Maine has led New England in economic growth. The state emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic with one of the lowest death rates and highest vaccination rates in the country. To help high school graduates whose education was disrupted by the pandemic get back on track, she proposed—and the legislature funded—one of the nation’s first free community college programs, now in its third year.
‘KNOCKING HEADS A BIT’
Along the way, Mills has developed a reputation as a pragmatic problem-solver, a leader who listens to all sides and tries to build consensus.
“I tend to have everybody in the room at the same time—and that includes for issues on which people vehemently disagree,” she said. “I’d rather have people in the same room talking together and knocking heads a bit.”
It’s an approach Mills has taken in her effort to bring the nation’s first floating offshore wind research site to Maine, a state with consistently high winds and miles of coastline.
In public forums and private meetings on the project, Mills has heard from business leaders and environmentalists who view it as a historic opportunity to grow jobs and end the state’s reliance on fossil fuels, and also from lobstermen, concerned about impacts on Maine’s iconic fishing industry. In an effort to satisfy both sides, she signed into law legislation that prohibits offshore wind projects in state waters, which extend three miles offshore, but permits them further out, in federal waters.
“There’s always a fear of the unknown, of change,” Mills says. “We’re trying to overcome it by involving as many people from diverse sectors as possible.”
That doesn’t mean her decisions have always been popular, of course. Maine lobstermen, already feeling threatened by climate change and federal regulation, continue to raise concerns about the plan to place wind turbines roughly 30 miles offshore, saying they shouldn’t have to “co-exist” with the technology. Some environmentalists have objected to the state’s plan to build and assemble the turbines on Sears Island, two-thirds of which is held in a permanent conservation easement.
Looking ahead, Mills sees climate change as the biggest challenge confronting her state. Already, warming temperatures are causing tick populations to explode and mosquito-borne illnesses to migrate northward. Last winter, the state saw some of the most devastating storms in its history, with extreme high tides that swamped docks and wharves and washed out bridges and culverts.
“We know that’s not the end of it,” she said. “The worst is yet to come.”
In an effort to curb climate change, while also preparing for its inevitable impacts, Mills has promoted cleaner energy sources — including wind, solar, and heat pumps — and sent millions in grant money to cities and towns to help them get ready for flooding, rising sea levels, and extreme storms. Five years ago, she spoke to the United Nations General Assembly, urging world leaders to take action, and telling them Maine Won’t Wait—the name of the state’s four-year climate plan.
But reducing the state’s dependence on oil hasn’t been easy. Maine has one of the oldest housing stocks in the nation, and half the population uses oil to heat their homes.
“There’s a lot of money going out of state to big oil that could benefit Maine families,” Mills lamented.
ADVICE FOR TODAY’S BEACONS
Now 76 and approaching the final two years of her second term, Mills seems surprised by where she’s ended up, 57 years after she dropped out of college. Growing up, she thought she might become a teacher, like her mother, or maybe a writer. But she never imagined herself as a lawyer or politician, she said.
Still, Mills had at least one powerful female role model in U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith, a family friend who lived just up the road from where she grew up. From Smith, a Republican who stood up to Senator Joseph McCarthy when no one else in her party would, she learned the importance of staying firm under political pressure — and remaining civil in the process.
“She was vilified, but she was right, and she stood her ground,” Mills said. “And she was always civil.”
Asked what advice she’d give to college students considering a career in public service, Mills said she’d tell them to pay attention, read a lot, and “use words wisely.”
“Words can be the bearer of sorrow, hate, violence or love,” she said. “If you pick your words wisely and say exactly what you mean, you’ll have a greater effect on others, and a greater effect on society.”
And don’t wait to try to make your mark on the world, she adds.
“Think about the Nike slogan,” she said. “If you wait too long, you lose the effect. Just do it.”
Oh, and “take your studies seriously.”
“I didn’t, my first year,” she said. “UMass Boston helped me come around.”
A MAJOR s oc r e
Mark
Governor ’78 and His Musical Mastery in Hollywood
BY VANESSA CHATTERLEY
Even if you haven’t heard of Mark Governor ’78 until now—chances are, you’ve heard his music.
A celebrated composer and lyricist, Governor’s music has appeared in more than 200 television series, specials, documentaries, and feature films. His IMDB page reads like a highlight reel of iconic productions from the last 30 years, featuring hit shows like Friends, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Shameless Movie buffs have likely heard Governor’s haunting compositions in Pet Sematary II, Mindwarp, Masque of the Red Death, and Notes from Underground—as well as in the DVD extras for The Hobbit Trilogy.
His work goes beyond just film and television. Governor has composed music for award-winning stage productions and has had original pieces performed by orchestras around the globe. Between scoring for the screen and writing for live performances, Governor has mastered the art of creating music that elevates a story.
But his own story might have taken a completely different path had he never enrolled at UMass Boston.
“During my senior year at Needham High School, I attended an alternative high school program where you could pursue what you loved instead of what you were told to do. I realized I had always liked music, but I’d never had any formal training. I just loved music,” Governor explained. “And then one day my teacher asked me, ‘Why are you not pursuing music?’”
That simple question changed everything. Initially, Governor had planned to study business administration on a scholarship at a neighboring university. Instead, he chose to defer his scholarship, take a gap year to immerse himself in music, and eventually enroll at UMass Boston to study music—a decision he described as “a perfect fit.”
“UMass Boston kind of opened my mind,” he said, adding that the music department attracted a variety of aspiring musicians, from classical to jazz players to singersongwriters, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. “They were all people with exceptional reasons for being there.”
Governor landed a work-study job at WUMB, the university’s radio station. There, he developed skills in audio production and gained exposure to the entertainment business. This experience led him to his first professional gig at WGBH, where he began working on radio dramas and took his first steps into the world of scoring.
“I didn’t really know what I was doing, and something about naïveté makes you fearless,” said Governor. He convinced the station to let him score the dramas himself instead of using stock music from the station’s library. “That experience really, really prepared me for when I moved to Hollywood.”
In 1980, two years after graduating from UMass Boston, Governor made the leap to Los Angeles.
“At that time in Boston, there was no way to score feature films. I had hit the ceiling,” he said. “So, I moved to LA and cobbled together a living by performing in clubs, playing in bands, and taking day jobs.”
Thanks to his work on radio dramas in Boston, it wasn’t long before Governor began connecting with others in the industry.
I didn’t really know what I was doing, and something about naïveté makes you fearless.
One of his first major projects, a 1984 documentary titled Ticket to Hollywood, introduced him to a tight-knit community of filmmakers dedicated to preserving the legacy of old Hollywood. This opportunity paved the way for similar projects, and Governor was enlisted to score documentaries about legendary stars like Greta Garbo, Rock Hudson, and Groucho Marx.
Each documentary was a stepping stone for Governor, leading the way to his eventual collaboration with renowned filmmaker Roger Corman. Known in the film industry as the “king of the B-movies,” Corman was famous for giving future industry giants—like Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, William Shatner, and James Cameron—their big break.
“You could break into the industry by being the assistant to the assistant’s assistant, or mopping the floors of the recording studio, or if you were lucky enough, you could work for Roger Corman and really ply your craft,” Governor explained, calling the late director a visionary.
Governor became a key composer in Corman’s circle—and an asset to his vision, scoring six films and contributing to soundtracks that blended pop, rock, and orchestral music—a style that soon caught the attention of Pet Sematary director Mary Lambert.
Known for her work on Madonna’s music videos such as “Material Girl,” “Like a Virgin,” and “Like a Prayer,” Lambert had already made a name for herself when she took on the horror classic. For the film’s sequel, Pet Sematary II, she envisioned a score that melded edginess of rock with orchestral elements— something bold and unconventional for its time—but perfectly suited for Governor.
“It was groundbreaking at the time. Nobody did it, and nobody understood it. We kind of invented it,” Governor said, calling the musical fusion “orchestral grunge.” “From that point on, that became my thing. Anytime it was pop music, rock music, or a different kind of music, plus orchestral, that was my lane.”
When Governor composes music for film or television, he often has a clear vision of how the music will enhance the story or scene. Other times, though, he doesn’t even realize his music is being used until he receives a royalty check or stumbles upon it while channel surfing.
“I remember one time, my partner, Lily, and I were watching Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. I heard a piece of music I recognized and said, ‘Oh, I wrote that.’ We started watching more episodes, and I realized, ‘Wow, my music is in almost every episode.’”
His work has even appeared in blockbuster series like The Shrink Next Door, where his song “Cry,” co-written with Bob Mair, plays a pivotal role in the emotional finale starring Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd.
“I knew they were considering the song, but I didn’t know the deal had actually gone through,” Governor said. “I loved that show, so it was really special to say, ‘Hey, that’s my song!’”
But perhaps the most discernable use of Governor’s work comes from Clubmix, a compilation album he co-wrote with Glenn Nishida in 1998. Originally composed for the German record company Sonoton, the track “Stadium Rave” took a wild turn into pop culture fame when it landed in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode “Jellyfish Jam.” The song became a hit and continues to resonate with fans worldwide, even 25 years later.
“It’s funny—when I talk about projects like Notes from Underground, Santa Fe, or various TV shows, people often give me a blank look. But when I mention ‘Jellyfish Jam,’ their faces light up,” Governor said with a laugh. “If I’m a one-hit wonder, then that’s my hit.”
After over 40 years in the industry, Governor is now focusing on a deeply personal project: a concept album called Swan Song The album will showcase songs he’s written, or has wanted to write, throughout his life.
“Film scoring is always about supporting someone else’s vision—directors use music for a purpose. And the stuff I’m working on now is more of my experience as an artist. I’m working with a lot of people I’ve collaborated with over the years,” said Governor. “This is the part of my life where I get to be more of an artist, doing things I really want to do.”
PARTNERS IN CARE
Ten years ago, Goddard House—the first elder-care organization in Massachusetts—partnered with UMass Boston to launch a scholarship program for working Boston nurses. The result: 129 scholarships awarded to nurses eager to supercharge their service to the people of our city. Now, with a new and larger gift sponsoring the Goddard House–Doane Scholarship for another five years, Goddard House is taking its impact to the next level.
BY ANDREA KENNEDY
Serving those who have served others has been Goddard House’s mission since Day One.
Established in 1849 in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood as the Home for Aged Indigent Females, Goddard House was founded by a group of businessmen who felt there was a lack of quality care for older women, particularly those who had worked as governesses, nurses, or housekeepers and found themselves later in life without the means to support themselves. Today, 175 years later, Goddard House continues its service as a nonprofit assisted living and memory support community. It houses 119 older adults on its Brookline, MA campus and offers enrichment programs that engage more than 1,500 under-resourced older adults in greater Boston each year.
Upon its launch, a number of generous benefactors supported Goddard House. One of these early gifts—an 1851 charitable bequest from Caroline Doane and her nephew, Seth Wells, was the genesis of Goddard House’s partnership with UMass Boston today.
In the bequest, Doane and Wells stipulated that Goddard House use the gift to benefit nurses who had “served their profession for at least 10 years in Boston as vouched for by at least two respectable physicians.” Goddard House worked with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to expand the terms to include furthering the education of nurses meeting the 10-year work requirement and, in 2014, sought out a local educational partner to establish a scholarship program. UMass Boston was immediately interested.
UMass Boston’s Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences is the ninth largest nursing school in the nation and is the only public nursing program in greater Boston that graduates a significant number of nurses from diverse backgrounds at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Like three-quarters of UMass Boston alumni, many of these nurses remain in Massachusetts after graduation, contributing greatly to our region’s nursing workforce.
But more than 80 percent of UMass Boston nursing students need financial support to pay for their education. So when Goddard House called the college to inquire about the possibility of establishing a scholarship program, the college’s administration leaped at the chance. The resulting Goddard House–Doane Scholarship program is open to students in any Manning College degree or certificate program who have accumulated experience of 10 years or more as a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or
certified nursing assistant in the City of Boston, with preference given to nurses with an interest in elder care.
“This partnership is a wonderful example of how two aligned organizations can amplify each other’s missions,” said Bo Fernhall, dean of the Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences. “The Goddard House–Doane Scholarship celebrates the work of nurses and empowers nurses who want to take their service to the people of Boston to a higher level. It is truly transformative support, and we are tremendously grateful to be able to offer it to our students.”
The scholarship launched in 2015, awarding a total of $85,000 to 11 nursing students.
“At Goddard House, we are deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of health care professionals. By renewing and expanding our partnership with the Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences, we are investing in both the future of elder care and the broader health care system. This scholarship empowers dedicated nurses to thrive while bringing much-needed health care expertise to the community.”
CANDACE CRAMER, Goddard House President and CEO
“We knew that we had made a good choice when we had our first reception at Goddard House for the nurses who had received scholarships. They told their stories, and it was as moving a thing as you can imagine,” said Cary Armistead, a longtime Goddard House Board member who has played a key role in the creation and renewal of the scholarship program. “These are nurses who have made a decision to increase their capacity by getting a further degree. But they have families; they’re balancing budgets. One told us that she had been trying to decide whether to fund her own education or her child’s, and this scholarship allowed her to do both. That was an aha moment that really solidified for us the value of this program.”
To date, 80 nursing students have received the Goddard House–Doane Scholarship, 50 percent of them for two or more years. More than 60 have graduated and are now serving the health of the Boston community in many ways,
including bedside care, classroom instruction, and laboratory research. In 2023, UMass Boston sent a survey to past Goddard House–Doane Scholars to find out how their nursing careers had progressed since they received their awards. As a group, they overwhelmingly reported that their Goddard House–Doane award had a profound impact on their professional and personal lives.
“The Goddard House–Doane Scholarship was critical to my ability to obtain my doctorate in nursing. I had run out of funds and loans, and the scholarship allowed me to finish my degree and realize my dream,” said Linda Bresette PhD’16, who is now the program director of the Cerebrovascular Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “I also had the opportunity to interact with Goddard House residents during my nursing education, and they were delightful, and intelligent, and helped me to understand how to be a better nurse.”
Goddard House renewed its support of the scholarship in 2020, with an additional $500,000 for five years. In May 2024, the organization agreed to renew its support again, this time increasing it to $750,000 over five years, allowing the program to offer larger awards to more students.
The decision to renew was very easy, said Armistead, because the board feels that scholarship is “one of the best things we do” to serve the people of Greater Boston.
“This partnership not only supports nursing students but also strengthens the quality of health care, especially for the older adult population,” said Goddard House Board Chair Alexandra Schweitzer. “The Goddard House–Doane Scholarship exemplifies our commitment to the Boston community, and we’re proud to continue our collaboration with UMass Boston College of Nursing & Health Sciences.”
1849
A group of Boston businessmen establishes the Home for Aged Indigent Females. It is the first elder-care organization in Massachusetts and the third-oldest in the United States
1985
The home is renamed Goddard House, honoring original Board member Matilda Goddard, the organization’s first female vice president
2016
First Goddard House–Doane Scholars graduate
1851
The home receives an endowment bequest from Caroline Doane and her nephew, Seth Wells, who stipulate that the funds be used to support the education of working nurses
2015
Goddard House establishes a scholarship with $170,000 gift to UMass Boston, to be awarded over two years
2017
Goddard House contributes $170,000 to extend the scholarship for two years
2020
Goddard House makes $500,000 gift to renew scholarship support for another five years
2024
Goddard House celebrates its 175th anniversary
The Goddard House trustees renew their contribution to the scholarship program, increasing their support to $750,000 over five years
A Living Testament
In a role that is equal parts head and heart, Maureen Melton ’85, G’90 is crafting histories for the art world and connecting them with the audiences of today.
BY AUSTYN ELLESE MAYFIELD
“I came to UMass because it was affordable, but what I found was a remarkable education,” Melton recalled. Enrolling in 1974 as a part of the first class to attend the Columbia Point campus, she found mentors among professors who had left private institutions to teach at UMass Boston, drawn by its mission to expand access to quality college education. “UMass had professors who believed in lifting people up. They weren’t there to teach just the ‘elite,’ but to give kids like me a real chance,” she explained.
archivist, I organize and maintain records, but as a historian, I get to be the storyteller,” she explained. Her dual responsibilities allow her to delve into the lives of the people behind the art—the donors, sitters, and artists who have contributed to the MFA’s collection.
Maureen Melton ’85, G’90 knows things that you don’t know, and she’s made a career out of working to change that.
As the inaugural historian and archivist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), Melton spends her days carefully preserving the knowledge and narratives behind the museum’s collections. A story and a half below the museum’s sprawling marble galleries, her desk is nestled in an unassuming corner amid the stacks cataloging the countless stories behind more than a half million works of art. But perhaps one of the most interesting stories Melton carries is her own: a first-generation college graduate from a working-class background in Foxborough, MA, who became the steward of records for one of the nation’s most prestigious art museums. Growing up one of seven children, Melton’s early life was far from the world of art. “We didn’t grow up going to museums,” she said. “Art was something for other people—something we didn’t really feel a part of.” Her father worked as a lineman for the railroad, and with seven mouths to feed, college tuition wasn’t financially feasible. Melton’s trajectory shifted when she discovered UMass Boston, a place that welcomed ambitious students from diverse backgrounds with open arms.
Her academic path took a few unexpected turns. Initially an English major, she soon pivoted to political science, attracted by her love of public policy and campaign work. She paused her schooling to join political campaigns across the country, including the reelection campaign of President Jimmy Carter. But a life in politics proved unsustainable. “It was exhausting,” she said with a smile, “and campaigns don’t offer much in terms of job security.”
Melton returned to UMass Boston to complete her bachelor’s degree and then a graduate degree in history and archival management, supported by scholarships and fellowships that enabled her to study with less financial strain. While working toward her master’s, she began her job search, seeking a position that would allow her to work in history without limiting her to academia. “The MFA was hiring its first-ever archivist, and I thought, ‘Why not?!’” Overcoming her initial doubts about whether a public university graduate would be considered, she applied—and got the job. Since 1987, Melton has dedicated herself to unearthing, organizing, and sharing the MFA’s rich history, helping the public engage with art through personal, and often untold, stories.
At the MFA, Melton’s role is part cataloger, part chronicler—preserving the museum’s institutional memory while interpreting its past for the public. “As an
When she’s not in the archives, Melton can often be found in the galleries leading tours for new museum staff, orienting parts of the volunteer team, or even helping a guest find the Cassatt or Monet they’ve traveled miles to see in person. One of her passions is making art accessible to all, a perspective influenced by her own initial unfamiliarity with museums. “I want people to feel like they belong here,” she said. “You don’t need a PhD to enjoy art. Sometimes, all you need is a good story. When I tell people about the donors who gave the artwork or the artist’s life, I see their faces light up,” she said. “Art becomes personal. And when you share that history, people realize they’re not just looking at a painting; they’re entering a story that spans centuries.”
Melton’s deep affection for UMass Boston has never faded. As an active member of the UMass Boston Alumni Association Board of Directors and the university’s Board of Visitors, she frequently returns to campus, sharing her professional insights and advocating for students to “dream big.” Inspired by the institution’s commitment to giving back, in 2019 she established her own endowed scholarship to provide graduate students in history with the same support that changed her life’s path.
Her love of history, cultivated in UMass Boston’s classrooms, has come full circle in both Melton’s role at the museum and in her generosity. “UMass Boston gave me the tools to understand and share history,” she reflected. “Now, I get to bring art to life for people from all walks of life. I’m so grateful to the university for not once, but twice, propelling me into work that I love.”
whisk WORTH THE
by Vanessa Chatterley
for most of her career, Nancy Zhou ’11 was concerned with safeguarding natural resources, working as an environmental protection specialist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). There, she spent her days analyzing financial data for New England water-quality projects, ensuring compliance with EPA guidelines, and auditing states’ financial health.
But a different passion simmered beneath the surface.
“I’ve always wanted to do something with food. I knew it was a risky move, but I couldn’t shake that feeling,” Zhou said.
So instead, she chased it.
“I decided to enroll in a six-month certificate program at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, just to see if I liked it,” said Zhou, who experimented with savory cooking before discovering her talent for baking. “I ended up loving it.”
After posting a picture of her first wedding cake online, requests began to flood in.
“More and more people started to ask me to make cakes and other desserts for them,” said Zhou. “And then it just naturally evolved into a business.”
That business became Silver Whisk Bake Shop, an award-winning bakery Zhou launched in 2018. Specializing in custom cakes, confections, and wholesale desserts, the bakery quickly gained recognition for its high-quality, inventive offerings. In 2020 and 2022, Silver Whisk was named by Boston Magazine as one of Boston’s best wedding cake purveyors.
“It’s such a wonderful feeling to know that the effort I put in was recognized. Having someone appreciate and enjoy what I’ve created means so much to me. Being acknowledged like that was both surprising and deeply gratifying,” said Zhou. “It didn’t hit me right away, but when it did, I felt incredibly proud.”
One of the most memorable moments in her career was creating a cake for Brookline Booksmith, a beloved independent bookstore. She designed the cake to resemble the store itself, an iconic landmark in Brookline, Massachusetts.
“That project was special to me because I love Brookline Booksmith. It felt like I was celebrating something that’s stood the test of time—an independent bookstore that’s still thriving,” she said.
Another meaningful project involved creating a wedding cake that brought a bride to tears. The cake featured a replica of a printing block that hung in the bride’s grandparents’ house, a deeply personal touch that Zhou was honored to recreate in sugar.
“When the bride started crying, I started crying,” she laughed. “Moments like that make all the hard work worth it.”
Since opening Silver Whisk, Zhou has embraced that philosophy fully, pouring her heart into every order, from lavish wedding cakes to intricate birthday treats. The bakery has become known not just for the beauty of its designs but for its unique flavors too.
With flavors like ube coconut, masala chai, chocolate matcha, and black sesame, Silver Whisk Bake Shop offers something beyond the usual. Zhou said the inspiration behind her dessert flavors comes from her upbringing and personal experiences, particularly her background as a Chinese American.
“Growing up Asian, I was influenced by what was popular with my family. It’s interesting how different things at different times can inspire you,” she said. “When my distributor gave me samples of their chocolate, I was blown away! I thought, ‘So this is chocolate?’ It felt like I hadn’t had real, delicious chocolate until then.”
This revelation sparked her creativity, encouraging her to experiment with different flavor combinations.
“Walking through an Asian grocery store, I’d think, ‘What if?’ and just try different flavors, no matter how crazy they seemed,” Zhou said.
Drawing from her Chinese heritage, she incorporates distinctive ingredients into her confections, including cupcakes and chocolate bars flavored with adzuki bean and orange Sichuan peppercorn. Another notable creation is her pork floss caramel chocolate bar (dubbed “The Floss”), an idea Zhou nurtured for two years before finally adding it to her bakery’s offerings.
“I wasn’t sure if anyone would buy it, but when they did, I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to make more of this!’” Zhou said. “It’s really about what I like to eat. If it tastes good to me, I want others to try it too.”
With plans to expand her offerings and possibly introduce catering services, Zhou is eager to bring even more of her unique flavors and personal touches to a wider audience.
“I want to start to be able to offer more of a variety of desserts,” said Zhou. “I know we’ve got the cakes down. I know we’ve got the cupcakes down. I know we’ve got the chocolate bars down. And now I’m excited to bring some additional products for other people to try.”
Class notes
1970
Russell Dupont ’71 was selected for inclusion in Jerry Jazz Musician for his poem, ‘jazz at the Point.” Additionally, three of Dupont’s poems were published in the Poetry Porch, an online literary magazine.
Mike Gorman ’70, NBC Sports Boston and Boston Celtics play-by-play announcer, retired after 43 years of calling Boston Celtics games. Gorman holds the longest tenure as play-by-play voice for a Boston professional sports franchise. His extensive career as a play-by-play announcer spans Big Monday on ESPN in the 1980s, NCAA basketball tournaments on CBS, and NBA playoffs on TNT. He also covered basketball at the 2016 Rio Olympics for NBC and served as a tennis correspondent alongside Bud Collins during the 1992 Olympics.
Maureen Marx ’74 retired as the longtime head librarian of the Charlestown Branch of the Boston Public Library and was honored by the Friends of the Charlestown Branch Library in June 2024. In her role as head librarian, Marx strengthened ties to the Charlestown community, further developing children’s services and supporting teachers; all while building the library’s book collection.
Gina McCarthy ’76, the first White House National Climate Advisor and former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, was named the recipient of the American Council on Renewable Energy’s (ACORE’s) 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. ACORE is a national nonprofit organization that unites finance, policy, and technology to accelerate clean energy transition.
1980
Julie Berberian ’88 made history as the first female athletic director at Worcester Academy. She served as the associate athletics director since 1996, bringing nearly three decades of experience to her new role.
Stephen Collins ’81 performed in Sailing Towards My Father, a one-man play about Herman Melville, presented by the Berkshire County Historical Society and written and directed by Carl A. Rossi. Collins teaches seminars on Walt Whitman, Thomas Hardy, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and contemporary poetry. He also works as a professionally licensed tour guide, narrating historical tours of Boston.
Carole Hughes ’83 was elected as the 2024–2026 director of the Region for the Advisory Board of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
Joseph Kaplan ’82 was elected secretary of the Massachusetts Democratic Committee.
1990
Lana Hechtman Ayers ’91 published The Autobiography of Rain, a collection of poems that explore the healing power of nature in a world that is as rife with grief as it is ripe with beauty. The collection was nominated for the National Book Award.
Kurt Eidsvig ’99 published his fifth book, Drowning Girl, with Unsolicited Press.
Mara Nuon ’93, ’07, who owns Wellesley Bakery, recently celebrated the bakery’s 30-year anniversary. When Nuon was a young teenager, his family fled widespread violence in Cambodia
and settled in Stoughton, where school was the top priority. While working as a chemical engineer, he opened the bakery as an income stream and a way to ensure that family members would always have a job, eventually moving full-time into operating the bakery.
John C. Picardi’s ’93 had a painting, Explosion of Color, featured in an art exhibit at the Hingham Public Library.
Elaine Ward ’99, G’02, EdD’10 was promoted to professor of higher education in the Winston School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack College. Ward was also appointed to the Board of Directors for the United Way Massachusetts Bay.
2000
Lucia Campriello G’06 was named president and CEO at Hula, a technology coworking campus, business accelerator, and venture capital fund focused on elevating Vermont-based start-ups and entrepreneurs. Campriello joined Hula in September 2023 to develop and drive strategic initiatives to extend the organization’s impact. Prior to joining the company, she served as chief engagement officer at Let’s Grow Kids, where she helped marshal the support of over 300 Vermont business and community leaders to pass the ground breaking Child Care Bill (Act 76).
Jaime Curley CER’06 was named assistant superintendent of student services at the Old Rochester Regional School District. Curley previously served as the director of special education services for the Mashpee Public School District beginning in 2017. Prior to that, she worked in multiple roles—including director of pupil services and school psychologist—for the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District across a span of 10 years.
Guy D’Annolfo G’04 received the Wil Mills Chapbook Award from the West Chester University Poetry Center and Moonstone’s Annual Chapbook Contest for his chapbook Late Winter & Early Spring in the Arboretum (Moonstone Arts).
Ana Dapkas ’06 has been appointed school resource officer for the Acton Police Department. Detective Dapkas brings 11 years of patrol service and over five years of experience working as a caseworker in the Department of Child and Family Services. In her new role, she will maintain a safe and secure environment at the schools and during special events, provide counsel and guidance to school administrators regarding school safety, build positive relationships with students and staff, and provide safety presentations and programs.
Jonathan Fitzgerald G’05 was appointed associate professor and coordinator of the professional writing program at Salem State University.
Maura Giles-Watson G’02 published Performing Arguments: A Study of Debate in Early English Poetry and Drama. Drawing from her research and insights, Giles-Watson explores Middle English debate poetry, 15th-century plays, and select Shakespearean works. The study also examines rhetorical and performance theories and practices contemporary with the early texts and genres explored.
Elizabeth Henries ’02, founder and CEO of Henries PLLC, was recognized by The Upside for her firm’s reinvention of the law firm model.
Warren Hynes G’03 was appointed principal of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. He previously served as an assistant principal at Westfield High School. Prior to that, he taught English
and journalism at Westfield for 14 years and was an advisor for the school’s newspaper, community service club, and peer-mentoring programs.
Amanda Murphy G’04 was named the new Danvers Great Oak Elementary School principal after serving in the same position at Marblehead’s Village School for the past eight years.
Richard Musiol Jr. G’00 joined Vineyard Offshore as director of external affairs and community engagement. In this role, Musiol will spearhead community engagement efforts across Vineyard Offshore’s operations on both the East and West Coasts.
Nicholas Stewart ’09, G’13 published a book based on his personal struggles with insomnia, titled Sleep Fitness: The Top Ten Sleep Facts That Matter!
Nick Zaremba’s ’01 solo exhibition, Whimsy and Wonderment, showcased a vibrant collection of paintings, drawings, pottery, and wood sculptures at the Alias Gallery in Orleans, MA. Zaremba’s creative process, which embraces spontaneity and happy accidents, results in artworks that are both playful and profound. His use of bold colors, dynamic forms, and intricate lines creates compositions that invite viewers to see the world through a lens of curiosity and delight.
2010
Emily Calnan Adams G’18 received the 2024 Massachusetts State Universities Educator Alumni Award. Recipients of this award are acknowledged for their teaching excellence, especially in the face of challenging situations, in addition to their contributions to the communities in which they live and work. Adams teaches all levels of chemistry at Rockland High School, including college preparatory, honors, and advanced
B. Stephanie Siegmann ’94 was named to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s 2024 “Go To Lawyers” list for her exceptional work in cybersecurity and data privacy law. With more than 25 years of trial experience, Siegmann specializes in handling high-stakes investigations and enforcement proceedings. She currently serves as a litigation partner at Hinckley Allen, where she is chair of the International Trade & National Security group and co-chair of the Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection group. Previously, she spent 18 years as a national security prosecutor, most recently as national security chief at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
placement. In addition, she serves as advisor to a senior independent study program at Rockland High.
Kevin J. Bonnett G’15 was promoted to vice president and director at GT Reilly & Company, a CPA firm in the Greater Boston area. Bonnett provides audit, tax, and consulting services to privately held businesses, including manufacturers and distributors as well as financial institutions and nonprofit organizations.
Cristina A. Brinkerhoff ’11, G’14 was appointed a full-time lecturer in the Macro Social Work Department at Boston University School of Social Work. Previously, Brinkerhoff served as director of research, evaluation, and development at the Brazilian Worker Center in Boston, where she made substantial contributions to the community.
Nate Bryant EdD’16 was recognized as a 2024 Black Excellence on the Hill honoree by the Massachusetts Black
and Latino Caucus. He is vice president of student services at Salem State University and has over 35 years of experience working in higher education. Bryant has also served as vice president and chief of staff at Salem State University and interim president of North Shore Community College. He was also recently elected to the Salem Pantry Board of Directors.
Eliza Cassella G’18 was named assistant principal at Salem Collins Middle School. Previously, she was the director of social and emotional learning, culture, and climate at the middle school.
Moriah Cummings ’16 joined Mirick O’Connell as an associate in the Real Estate and Environmental Law Group at the firm’s Worcester office. Prior to joining Mirick O’Connell, Cummings was an analyst working in compliance and affordable housing finance for the Massachusetts Housing Partnership.
Tara DeSisto ’10 was appointed development director for the New England Legal Foundation. During her time at UMass Boston, DeSisto served as elected student representative for the UMass Board of Trustees.
Natasha Goss ’16, G’21, CER’21 published her first children’s book, Ace Talks About Feelings and Emotions Throughout the book, Ace teaches readers about twelve different emotions—including the seven most common and biggest emotions: happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, surprise and embarrassment—as he navigates them with the help of his mother and grandmother. Goss is a facilitator for Champions Network at Doc Wayne Youth Services, a nonprofit innovator of sport-based mental health therapy that has helped hundreds of thousands of youth worldwide.
Annie Imperato G’13 joined Boston University’s Computing & Data Sciences team in August 2024 as its student success specialist. In this role, Imperato advises and assists online students on their path to degree completion.
Shannon Moore G’11 was appointed vice president of Commonwealth Counsel, a full-service public affairs consulting firm. In her role, Moore focuses on developing tailored strategies that align with client objectives and guides them through Massachusetts’ complex legislative process to achieve optimal results.
Eleanor Martinez Proctor G’14, a research fellow at Historic New England, appeared at Ventfort Hall in August 2024 to discuss the lives of estate workers during the Gilded Age. Martinez Proctor has worked for three years at Historic New England, uncovering the lives of workers and women at the Eustis Estate. From this research, she helped create several new programs, including a regular tour that
explores Gilded Age working-class life, as well as the David Chesnut Jazz Festival, which brought together musicians, historians, and the local community to honor the musical traditions of one working family.
Andrew Rebello CER’16 was recognized as the Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association High School Principal of the Year. He is serving in his fourth year as the assistant superintendent-principal at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School. Rebello’s journey in education includes leadership and administrative roles in Boston Public Schools and Fall River Public Schools. In 2023, Rebello received the prestigious Milken Educator Award.
Jonas Roessel ’14 was named to the Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. Honorees work in a wide variety of fields, including life sciences, banking, health care, venture capital, and nonprofits. Roessel is the founding and managing partner of Roessel Joy LLC, a talent acquisition firm in the Greater Boston area.
Jovanny Rosado ’18 was promoted to vice president at Denterlein, a PR firm in Boston. Rosado leads strategic communications and media relations for several of Denterlein’s largest clients. He grew up in Puerto Rico, is fluent in English and Spanish, and previously led communications for a Boston nonprofit. He draws on his rich diversity of experience to craft creative, multilingual solutions and powerful storytelling to support his clients.
Emily True ’15 was appointed senior global sustainability manager at Pizza Hut earlier this year. True earned her bachelor in environmental science from UMass Boston and is using her expertise to elevate Pizza Hut’s commitment to sustainability with the brand’s Recipe for Good strategy.
Benjamin Whelihan ’15 joined the New Hampshire Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services as the New Hampshire State Approving Agency (SAA) for veteran education benefits. The SSA’s primary function is to review, evaluate, and approve quality
educational and training programs for veteran’s benefits. Whelihan joined DMAVS from Northeastern University in Boston, where he was a veteran services specialist responsible for certifying programming and assisting military-connected students.
Matthew Nestor G’95 was appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court by Governor Maura Healey. Currently, he serves as an associate justice on the District Court, where he has presided over his own courtroom for nearly two decades. Nestor’s legal career began as a civil litigator, followed by his role as an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County. He then advanced to the position of deputy secretary of the Commonwealth, where he oversaw the Securities Division before being appointed to the bench.
2020
Phillip Gonzalez G’01 was named president and CEO of the MetroWest Health Foundation in 2024. A distinguished national leader in health philanthropy, Gonzalez brings a wealth of experience in spearheading innovative initiatives in health and health care policy. His career includes leadership roles at renowned organizations such as the Point32Health Foundation, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, and Community Catalyst inspiring social change.
Miyabi Armstrong ’21 was promoted to senior staff accountant in the Audit Department at Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP.
Megan Dixon ’23 was named head women’s basketball coach at Dean College.
Madison Foley ’23 was named Dorchester Liaison in the Office of Neighborhood Services by Mayor Michelle Wu. The Office of Neighborhood Services is integral in connecting residents to city services and resources.
Bansari Kamdar G’21 was named Europe, Middle East and Africa editor for the Reuters Global Markets Forum. She previously was a markets
correspondent in India and wrote reports on equities, bonds, and currencies. Prior to Reuters, she reported for The Diplomat, The Boston Globe, Conversation, Huffington Post, and others. Kamdar is trained as an economist and was the winner of the Arthur MacEwan Award for Excellence in Political Economy.
Cynthia Orellana PhD’23 was appointed president and CEO at Mass Mentoring Partnership.
Anna Net ’22 was appointed campaign manager of councilor-at-large and candidate for state representative Hong Net.
Rozanna Penney ’06 was named to the Worcester Business Journal’s 2024 Power 100 list. As president and CEO of Heywood Healthcare in Gardner, MA, she has been instrumental in guiding the health care system through financial challenges. Under her leadership, surgical services and newborn deliveries have significantly increased, and Heywood reopened its inpatient mental health unit. Penney also joined the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association in January 2024.
Caroline Peters CER’22 was appointed Jamaica Plain Liaison within the Office of Neighborhood Services by Mayor Michelle Wu. ONS is integral in connecting residents to city services and resources.
Kelsey Soares CER’23 joined Southcoast Health Oncology. She received her post-master’s certificate from UMass Boston to become a family nurse practitioner.
Maria Vasco ’20, founder of Uvida Shop, Boston’s premier zero-waste store, is set to reopen its original location in the North End neighborhood. Uvida began with just three products and now has hundreds, along with a strong local zero-waste community that gathers for seasonal events like Uvida’s wildly popular clothing swaps.
In Memoriam
It has saddened us to learn of the passing of the following members of the UMass Boston community since our last issue.
ALUMNI
Charlene McBride Barranco ’64, G’88
Kathleen A. Bartlett ’72, G’77
Winifred F. Belmont ’91
Daniel R. Burke ’66
John L. Bynoe ’78
Lawrence J. Callahan G’61
Carol Ann MacDonald Campbell ’62
Michael J. Cataldo ’76
Maureen A. Crawford G’93
Ann L. Crimmings ’69
Diane Bedugnis Cronin ’70
Deborah D’Agresta ’76
Phillip O. Davis ’93
Kaydion L. Dawson ’09
Joseph C. DeCastro ’71
Antoinette E. DeVellis ’68
Lorraine M. DiBenedetto ’82
Patricia DiMaggio ’24
Robert C. English ’62, G’65
Dennis P. Farrell ’77
Mary P. Farrell ’88
Catherine C. Farren ’69
Elaine M. Fitzgerald ’69
Edward L. Forster ’96
Anne Cogger Foster G’82
Kimberly Ford Foster ’84
Helen H. Freniere ’88
Linda R. Gambell CER’00
Andre H. Gibeau ’94
Frederick W. Hanson Jr. ’78
Michael A. Hecht ’73, G’82
Paul J. Hogan G’90
Lixuan Huang G’93
Paula Catinella Johnson ’76
Victoria Rotman Kahn ’48
Victoria Berestecky Karnakis ’68
Hilary K. Keenan CER’11
John J. Kelley ’88
Kathleen Lyons Kelley ’57
Laurence R. Kessler ’74
James F. Killackey ’78
Frances L. King-Hayes ’80
Paul T. Kyte Jr. ’65
Michael W. Leonard ’77
Cathy A. Levin CER’05
Gary L. Lundquist ’88
Louise J. Lydon ’89
Francis J. Lyons ’19
Kathleen Sheehan Macione ’69
Katharine A. Maguire CER’92, CER’94, ’00
Katherine A. Marshall ’77
Mary I. McCall ’77
Lynne Moretti ’97, G’02
Carol Wilson Moss ’64
William J. Nagle Jr. ’68
Brian J. Nault ’11
Angela Neal G’96
Grant E. Newman ’16
Ellen Nollman ’72
Christopher W. O’Brien ’66
Marian Kremer O’Keefe ’58
Robert B. Olsen ’71
Philip J. O’Neil ’81
Shoshana C. Pakciarz ’73
Ronald Parsons ’87
Louis P. Perullo ’64
Joan A. Peterson CER’93, CER’94, ’96
Wayne L. Petrovek ’68
John A. Polito ’88
William D. Poule ’02
Peter K. Robdau ’80
Robert F. Ross ’78
Mary Brodie Sawicky ’65
Gordon R. Sherburne Jr. ’68
Annmarie Howard Silva ’62
Barbara Rodenstein Skolnick ’69
George E. Slyva ’78
Joan Reinstein Snow ’57
Constance Spinos ’74
Stephen P. Sugrue ’73, G’75
Sheila M. Sullivan-Jardim G’98
Kathryn R. Sweeney G’87
Mary J. Walsh ’72
Kristopher S. Wason ’21
Christopher M. Whitman ’74
Maryellen Williams ’82
Christine A. Wilson ’11
Margaret Gibbons Zaleskas ’59
Kathleen Bishop Zangla ’88, G’00
FACULTY AND STAFF
Chancellor Robert A. Corrigan
Professor David E. Flesche
Professor Katherine E. Gibson
Christopher M. Rivard
Joseph S. Slavet
Professor Raymond G. Torto
Professor Daniel Wakefield
FRIENDS
Eli Bontrager
Gay T. Carbonneau
Jack M. Connors Jr. H’15
Sheila P. Delage
William J. Driscoll Jr.
Robert S. Kennedy
Richard P. Ketchen
Heidi Knowlton
Larry Lucchino H’11
May Takayanagi
ROBERT A. CORRIGAN
Dr. Robert Corrigan, the fourth chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston, passed away at the age of 89. He served from 1979 to 1988 and during his tenure added several defining campus buildings and institutes, and oversaw the landmark merger between UMass Boston and Boston State College. He was an early proponent of strong partnerships between urban public universities and their host cities, launching the Urban Scholars Program with Boston Public Schools. Following his chancellorship at UMass Boston, Dr. Corrigan went on to serve as president of San Francisco State University for 24 years, diversifying that institution and reimagining the modern urban university. He leaves behind his wife, Joyce Mobley Corrigan, and their four children.
ROBERT C. ENGLISH
Robert passed away peacefully, surrounded by his beloved wife of 59 years, Crystal (Brokvist) English ’64, G’69, G’92, and his three cherished children. A graduate of English High School in Boston, Robert completed both his BS and MS in Education at Boston State College, where he met Crystal. After a five-year courtship, they married in 1965, and in 1971 moved to Marshfield, MA. Robert greatly enjoyed his professional career working with children, first as a teacher in Dedham and then as a school psychologist for 36 years in the Boston school system. Robert also had a penchant for collecting old cars, license plates, and porcelain signage. Above all else, Robert loved his family, and will be forever missed by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
KATHARINE A. MULLIN MAGUIRE
Katharine Maguire of Weymouth passed away at age 93, surrounded by her family. Katharine was born, raised, and educated in Quincy, and at North Quincy High School she met the love of her life, Robert. They married in 1950 and settled in Weymouth, where they raised their five children. Katharine attended the Radcliffe Women’s College and went back to school in her 60s and earned a bachelor’s in gerontology at UMass Boston. Her many accomplishments include being a teacher’s aide, a lobbyist for the Elder Caucus at the Massachusetts State House, and in her 70s volunteering at an orphanage in Haiti. Her greatest accomplishment in life was her family. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Robert Arthur Maguire, and survived by her loving children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Alumni Events
Provost Joseph Berger addresses alumni at the Santa Monica, CA reception.
(Photo: Barry Hackett Photography)
Judith Frink ’72, Daniel Belmes ’19, Giovanni Lima ’18, Shray Joshi ’19, Ariana DaCruz, and Igor DaCruz ’11 in San Diego, CA. (Photo: Barry Hackett Photography)
Alumni catch up at the Beverly Hills, CA reception. (Photo: Barry Hackett Photography)
Provost Joseph Berger chats with alumna Hitomi Minami ’97 and her husband, Masahiko Minami, at the San Francisco, CA reception. (Photo: Matthew Mikaelian Photography)
Jillian Tessier G’12, Anna Hurtado, Cassandra Schramm ’11, April Bolenbaugh G’05, and Ariana DaCruz pose for a photo in San Diego, CA. (Photo: Barry Hackett Photography)
Class of 2024 graduates gather for a photo on Senior Night at Dorchester Brewing Company. (Photo: Kahrim Wade)
Class of 2024 graduates gather for a photo on Senior Night at Dorchester Brewing Company. (Photo: Kahrim Wade)
Washington, DC alumni gather for a group photo.
(Photo: Chris Ferenzi Photography)
Delaney Bowen ’21, G’24, Elizabeth West ’19, Alana Hylton CER’21, G’22, Roman Davis ’14, Diana Tran ’21, Shubhankar Joshi ’17, Stephanie Bensadoun ’18, and Jake Bohenko ’19 gather for a photo at the inaugural Beacon Business After Hours event. (Photo: Kahrim Wade)
David Fontes G’07 presents at the inaugural Beacon Business After Hours event. (Photo: Kahrim Wade)
Fakisha Fabre ’17, G’17 and guest, Brionna Coleman chat with other alumni at the reception in New York City. (Photo: Jonathan Heisler Photography)
Alumni networking at the New York City reception. (Photo: Jonathan Heisler Photography)
Alumni Events
Nick Boraczek, Leanne Wancheck ’05, Cathy MacInnis ’86, Anita Miller G’89, EdD’06, and Christine Snow ’91 catch up at the Portsmouth, NH reception. (Photo: Brass Tacks Photography)
Alumni gather for a group photo at the Berkshires reception. (Photo: Eric Limon Photography)
Barbara Hopkins ’81 chats with another alumna at the Portland, ME reception. (Photo: Brass Tacks Photography)
Stephen Kelleher ’82, Tracy Atkinson ’88, James Kelleher ’78, DonnaMarie Maguire G’03, Mary-Ellen Gilbane, and Kevin Maguire pose for a photo at the Cape Cod reception. (Photo: Focus Forward Media)
Alumni in Naples, FL at the residence of Laurie and Larry Leppo ’81 (Photo: Jake Ford Photography)
Linda Lu Burciaga ’79 and husband, John, pose for a photo at the Portsmouth, NH reception. (Photo: Brass Tacks Photography)
2024 Beacon Award Recipients
At our annual Beacon Awards dinner in November, we honored four distinguished alumni who have gained distinction through success in their professions, contributions to their communities, and dedicated service to the university.
UMASS BOSTON DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
Robert Emmet Hayes ’90
For over four decades, Emmet has served his country and community. He joined the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War era, as an electronics communication technician aboard the destroyer USS Theodore E. Chandler in the Pacific. Upon returning from duty, he served as a selectman in Whitman, MA, and four terms in the Massachusetts Legislature as a State Representative. While in office, Emmet earned his BA in political science at the age of 39 and worked on major initiatives such as the “Hayes Bill,” which established a $1.4 billion revolving loan fund to help cities and towns finance sewer and clean water projects. He also chaired the Baird & Maguire Superfund Advisory Committee, which resolved one of the nation’s most hazardous waste site issues. He is currently co-founder and principal of Massachusetts Bay Associates, a government relations consulting firm. His prior professional roles include chair of the policy group at law firm Locke Lord LLP, partner at Smith, Ruddock, and Hayes, and vice president of client development at Payton Construction. A dedicated alumnus, Emmet has served on the UMass Boston Board of Visitors and is a founding member and long-time chair of the UMass Club Board of Governors.
UMASS BOSTON
OUTSTANDING
SERVICE AWARD
Patrice is the founder, CEO, and president of the LAMOUR Clinic and the LAMOUR Community Health Institute, which provide behavioral health, social services, and educational programs for Massachusetts residents.
A first-generation Haitian American, she has developed and led numerous initiatives and programs which address mental health, behavioral health, youth development, substance abuse, public health, and the adult and juvenile justice systems. Over the past three decades, Patrice has held leadership roles in organizations including Boston Public Schools, Forensic Mental Health Services, Roxbury Youthworks, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, among others. She has also served as an adjunct professor in the Mental Health Counseling Master’s Program at Springfield College. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in human services and criminal justice from UMass Boston in 2003, she obtained a master of clinical social work and a certificate in urban leadership from Simmons University in 2005. She also holds both a certificate of advanced graduate studies and a PhD in professional health care education from Simmons University, earned in 2015 and 2022, respectively. Her published dissertation focuses on cultural and linguistic competency in social work education.
UMASS BOSTON EMERGING LEADER AWARD
Alexis Perry ’21
After graduating summa cum laude from the Honors College with a BS in biology and a concentration in premedical studies, Alexis worked as a clinical research coordinator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and held roles as an emergency department medical scribe, a companion with The Arc of Greater Plymouth, and a home health aide providing hospice care. Currently a second-year medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM), she continues to give back by serving as a physical diagnosis
instructor for the TUSM/UMass Boston Enrichment Program. She also co-founded the Tufts Music and Medicine Collaborative, sharing music with patients, older adults, and veterans throughout the Greater Boston area; has volunteered with the English for New Bostonians and the Allies for Immigrants Program; and led a music program for individuals with dementia. During her time at UMass Boston, Alexis was recognized as one of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s “29 Who Shine,” was nominated for the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship, and served as a peer mentor. She earned several fellowships for her research in the Rister Lab and has presented her research at numerous conferences.
BOSTON STATE COLLEGE OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
Jack Wiggin G’82
Jack’s career in planning and environmental policy began at the Connecticut Coastal Area Management Program, followed by work as a land use planner. In 1989 he joined UMass Boston, serving as the assistant director, then director, of UMass Boston’s Urban Harbors
Institute until 2018. Jack co-chaired the committee that developed UMass Boston’s graduate program in urban planning and community development, where he continues to teach as an adjunct faculty member. During his tenure, Jack has mentored numerous students, contributed to many internal committees, and advanced coastal management and waterfront planning across New England and beyond. He has also served on boards for the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area Advisory Council, the National Working Waterfront Network, and other environmental and planning organizations. In 2014, Jack was inducted into the American Institute of Certified Planners’ (AICP) College of Fellows, the highest honor for members of the AICP. He also received the Visionary Award from the Gulf of Maine Council for his contributions to the field and for his work on Massachusetts’ first ocean-management plan.
The 2025 Beacon Award nominations open on February 1, 2025, and close on June 15, 2025. To nominate an alumnus/a from UMass Boston, Boston State College, or any of our legacy schools, please visit umb.edu/aaa.
Patrice Lamour ’03
Patrice Lamour ’03, Alexis Perry ’21, Chancellor Suárez-Orozco, Jack Wiggin G’82, and Robert Emmet Hayes ’90
The University Hall Theatre opened in Fall 2016 with The Musical and has since housed 15 mainstage productions, two musical theater cabarets, four runs of world premiere plays by UMass Boston student playwrights, and seven spring dance concerts. Dark for two semesters due to COVID, it burst back as a cultural center on campus with plays like Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, The Government Inspector, and last spring’s Radium Girls. Theater makers invite audiences to be transported to other worlds, connect with characters, and take a ride through heightened realities of heartbreak, laughter, song, triumph, and empathy. Theater artists want you to be swept up by the story, not having to think about all it takes to make that story unfold:
1
keep 11 sewing machines whirring and go through more than 1,400 yards of thread in a single production.
4
There are 160 lighting fixtures illuminating the stage in a single production. Twenty-eight feet above the audience, student techs walk a wire grid to hang and focus 156 LED lights that can change colors throughout the show. But lights aren’t just above ports and pathways allow for lighting anywhere, for an unlimited number of configurations.
The Scene Shop has an arsenal of power tools to make the imaginary a reality. A typical set is composed of 1,200 feet of common pine, 208 feet of 2x4s, 1150 feet of luan (a light hardwood), and 20 or more gallons of paint. The audience might believe they’re looking at ancient marble columns, an opulent mansion, or a cinder block and plaster urban high school, but it’s all wood, nails, paint, ingenuity, artistry, craftsmanship, and weeks of work by students, mentors, and designers.
2
There are approximately 60 people involved in every production, including 8 to 20 actors and 40 to 50 more not on stage are who are essential to every production. Directors and designers, stagehands, stage managers, props and costume crews, and dozens of students hammer, build, paint, sew, wire, and execute thousands of other tasks to make the world the characters live in.
5
The number of ways the theater space itself can change is nearly infinite. Audience members, seeing a second production, routinely pause and wonder if they are in the same room. The floor is made of panels and platforms that can be raised or lowered to alter the physical shape of the stage and seating arrangement. Students create thrusts, old-fashioned prosceniums, theater-in-theround, multilevel play spaces, immersive experiences, anything. Every play is different, and the theater is transformed for every production to best serve the story.
Visit umb.universitytickets.com to secure your seat at an upcoming performance!
Fuel Opportunity, Empower Success
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56% of UMass Boston undergraduates are the first in their families to attend college.
85% of UMass Boston graduates stay in Massachusetts, contributing to the local economy and workforce after completing their education.
Make your gift today at umb.edu/gift or by scanning the QR code to be part of their journey to success.
