Winter 2018
MAGAZINE
Scott Tingle ’87 Astronaut 50 Years of College Now Perseverance Pays
LAUNCHING SUCCESS
Liftoff
Scott Tingle ’87 headed to the International Space Station on December 17, 2017 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
UMASSD
UMASSD Magazine is produced for the alumni, students, employees, and partners of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The information contained in this publication is intended to engage readers in the mission of UMassD, which is critical to the social and economic development of the region. We welcome letters from our readers and encourage you to email your comments to editor@umassd.edu, or mail them to: UMASSD Magazine c/o University Marketing, LARTS 222 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Dartmouth, MA 02747
Chancellor Robert E. Johnson, PhD Vice Chancellor for Marketing Renee Buisson
Follow Scott Tingle #UMassDinspace or our special website umassd.edu/scott-tingle/
Managing Editors Renee Buisson Barbara LeBlanc Design and Production University Marketing Contributing Writers Kristle Blais Tricia Breton ’14, MA ’16 Jack Holleran Barbara LeBlanc Marissa Matton ’14, MA ’16 Seth Tamarkin ’20 Nancy Tooley ’99 Adrienne N. Wartts
Photographers Levante Billings Anderson ’18 Kristle Blais Tailyn Clark ’19 Deirdre Confar Elizabeth Friar ’12 Marissa McCabe ’18 Lindsay Roth
COVER: Photo illustration is based on the NASA patch unique to Scott Tingle’s Expedition 54/55 to the International Space Station.
inside
features
UMass Dartmouth has an outstanding history of educating students to enable them to achieve personal and professional success. It all starts with giving someone an opportunity.
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Scott Tingle ’87 has achieved his dream job — astronaut
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College Now — 50 Years of Inspiration
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Fostering Success
Essay winner Jade Figueroa ’21 credits perseverance for success
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2017 Homecoming
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UMassD Launches a Dream
Alumni tell the story of College Now —then and now
Photos of the weekend’s events, September 28-30
departments 2 3 8 12 14 18
Chancellor’s Message News Around Ring Road Research UMass School of Law Sports
alumni 32
33 34
Welcome from the Alumni Association President Upcoming Events Class Notes
Art Seen
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Message from the Chancellor This institution is grounded in a proud history, and our future is bright.”
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Convocation 2017
Dear UMass Dartmouth community,
I
n October, I initiated “Inventing Our Future: Vision 2025,” a series of more than 30 internal and external conversations held over 45 days. I met with faculty, staff, students, alumni, business and community leaders, and legislators, and distributed a survey as well so as many people as possible could provide their ideas for the optimum future of UMass Dartmouth. In December, I held a Town Hall meeting to present my initial findings. This process has enabled me to identify themes that will inform us as we develop a strategic plan to carry us through 2025. Over the course of the spring semester, I will articulate and refine those themes, and I will introduce a shared ambition for our future at my Inauguration Installation Ceremony on April 20, 2018. To take advantage of some of the opportunities that I see for UMass Dartmouth, it is essential that we: • Proudly explain exactly how UMass Dartmouth provides a private college educational experience and public university value. • Let the world know that our faculty hold degrees from the finest institutions in the world, and that they choose to teach and do their research here with UMass Dartmouth undergraduate and graduate students. • Highlight outcomes and the success of our students who go to the best graduate schools— Yale, Brown, Duke, and Michigan, to name a few; and land jobs at prestigious companies like Johnson & Johnson, PWC, ESPN, Google, and State Street. • Implement our comprehensive Campus Master Plan, which honors the unique legacy of renowned architect Paul Rudolph, and accommodates 21st century living and learning spaces and practices, so that our students will have the best possible experience and preparation for the jobs of the future. This institution is grounded in a proud history, and our future is bright. We are poised for greater visibility on the national stage. As we embark on this journey together, we must continue to evolve, and even disrupt the current higher education model to best prepare our students for a rapidly changing world. I am delighted by the possibilities I see at UMass Dartmouth, and I know that as a community we are smarter and more creative than any individual. Together, we will propel our great institution forward. Best regards, Robert E. Johnson, PhD Chancellor
SMAST East opening: The speaking program included Congressman William Keating, state Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Mark Montigny ’84, State Representative Antonio F.D. Cabral ’78, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Ron Amidon, and Division of Marine Fisheries Director David Pierce '71, MS '81, UMass President Marty Meehan, and UMassD Chancellor Robert E. Johnson.
around Ring Road
news
Marine science in the 21st Century UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) tripled its presence in New Bedford with the new $55 million, 64,000-square-foot SMAST East building. There were more than 200 people in attendance at the ribbon cutting in September. The Division of Marine Fisheries partnered with SMAST on the space. There are 150 marine scientists, students, and staff in the two facilities. “SMAST is a shining example of how academic research, in partnership with industry and government, can serve a regional economy,” said UMass President Marty Meehan. “With the talent, passion, and brainpower
here at SMAST and on our main campus, UMass Dartmouth will address issues that directly affect the quality of life for people who live and work near the ocean,” said UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert E. Johnson. Two UMass Dartmouth civil engineering students, Brandon Roderick ’17 and Henry Smith ’17, had a co-op with Bond Brothers to work on the project. Bond hired both graduates to work as full-time project engineers. Brandon is currently assisting in the completion of the SMAST project, and Henry has moved on to a new construction project in Massachusetts.
SMAST East's expanded seawater lab allows researchers to study marine life and habitats in a scientifically controlled environment.
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news | around Ring Road
UMassD welcomes the Class of 2021
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around Ring Road | news
Some traditions never grow old Move In Day on September 3 for first-year students brought together hundreds of UMassD students, faculty, and staff to greet and assist new Corsairs and their families as they unloaded cars and carried their treasures to their new homes. Over the next several days, these students enjoyed fall Orientation, Corsair Olympics, and Convocation.
UMassD statistics • 1,333 first-year students • 636 new transfer students • 551 new graduate students, including law • 7,199 Massachusetts residents • 45 states and 60 countries represented • 3,614 students living on campus
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news | around Ring Road
Rudolph’s vision comes to life on the quad After two years of replacing the steam lines throughout the quad, a dramatic new vista was opened in the middle of campus. Concrete walkways across the campus, new seating areas and steps, and a fire pit outside of the MacLean Campus Center and Main Auditorium enhance the spaces that support the daily life of students, faculty, and staff. Access across campus is improved, and new seating areas encourage relaxation and the opportunity to linger and enjoy our distinctive architecture.
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around Ring Road | news UMassD celebrates 3 faculty Fulbright scholars Three faculty members have won Fulbright awards. The Fulbright Scholarship Program sponsors teaching and research opportunities to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries.
› Victoria Crayhon, MFA, associate professor in CVPA, began her second research and teaching Fulbright to Russia for six months in January 2018. Her work, “Far East, The Other Side of Russia,” is an exploration of the adaptation to consumer culture by the Russian Federation and how it is faring within the complex global economic picture of the early 21st century.
#207 Tier 1
National Research Universities
› Robin Robinson, PhD, PsyD, professor of sociology, is studying the underreporting of sexual violence in Hungary working with the National Institute of Criminology of Hungary, Scientific Research Institute of the Supreme Prosecution over a two-year period.
› Amit Tandon, PhD, professor of mechanical engineering and an affiliate professor at SMAST, is studying monsoons over the Indian Ocean in 20172018. This internationally collaborative research project will have a direct impact on improving multi-week weather forecasting across the globe.
College of Engineering reaccredited The College was reaccredited for its undergraduate degree programs in Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc., through September 30, 2023. The undergraduate Bioengineering program went for its initial accreditation and the program was accredited through the same time period. The program was also retroactively accredited to 2014, the year of its first graduating class. “This most recent ABET reaccreditation reaffirms our outstanding programs, worldclass faculty, and highly successful students,” said Provost Mohammad Karim.
U.S. News & World Report ranking There are more than 3,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. In the fall, UMass Dartmouth was ranked #207 among the Tier 1 national research universities by U.S. News & World Report.
Charlton College of Business ranked #150 among the business schools and the College of Engineering ranked #137 among the engineering schools at national universities–U.S. News & World Report. “This ranking reflects the excellence of our academic programs, the dedication of our faculty to teaching and discovery, and the transformative economic impact that our university has on the region and Commonwealth,” Chancellor Robert E. Johnson said.
3 new academic programs approved UMass Dartmouth constantly evaluates its academic offerings to ensure that we are meeting the needs of current and future generations of students. Proposals for new programs are carefully considered with internal and external review. In 2017, the UMass Board of Trustees and the Board of Higher Education approved several new academic programs for UMass Dartmouth.
›
PhD in Integrative Biology
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BA in Health & Society
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BA or BS in Public Administration UMASSD
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research
FOOD
Professor de Sá explores the food options at the Portugalia Marketplace in Fall River.
and
Portuguese
Gloria de Sá, associate professor of sociology, uses the food traditions of the Portuguese-American communities of New Bedford and Fall River to explore the mobility of culture and the construction of Portuguese identity. Her project, titled Pão e Vinho Sobre a Mesa: Portuguese Food Cultures, Migration and Mobility, received a $15,000 grant from Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon. De Sá, who is faculty director of the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives, used the funds to collect oral histories and record food practices. She also organized a conference, “Food Cultures, Migration and Mobility,” held at the Star Store in September. Pão e Vinho Sobre a Mesa was done in collaboration with Dr. Rhian Atkin, of Cardiff University, and Sonia Pacheco, archivist of the FerreiraMendes Portuguese-American Archives, where the work of transcribing and archiving the interviews is ongoing. De Sá also is developing a course syllabus on the conference’s theme and organized a guided tour for the UMassD students and faculty
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identity
to explore the Portuguese food, history, and culture of New Bedford. The tour was sponsored by a Provost’s Seminar Series grant awarded to the Urban Studies Program, as well as by the Arnold Dubin Labor Education Center and the Portuguese-American Archives. “Since the Portuguese are the largest ethnic group in our local area and thousands of members of the UMass Dartmouth community share this ancestry, the project also served as a means of recording and valorizing their history and culture, and promoting values of inclusion and mutual understanding,” de Sá said. “The project also engaged several UMassD students in paid research and provided members of our community the opportunity to engage in pertinent discussions regarding the relationships between food (including food security), migration, and culture.” De Sá’s research interests intersect the fields of immigration, race, and ethnicity as they relate to Portuguese-speaking groups in the U.S., with a particular focus on the integration of Portuguese-Americans into American society.
news | research
Amanda Hart and Gavin Fay
Protecting Atlantic herring Atlantic herring are important to the New England economy and the marine ecosystem, which makes the fisheries management strategies that sustain fish populations vital. To that end, the New England Fishery Management Council reached out to the fishing industry, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and members of the public to examine alternatives for managing the Atlantic herring fishery. The council then hired Gavin Fay, assistant professor of fisheries oceanography at SMAST, and graduate student Amanda Hart to review the results of the stakeholder workshops and statistical and computer modeling analyses, which were part of the Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE). “We were tasked with translating this data into something that the council and stakeholders would find meaningful and would be reflective of the stakeholder analysis,” said Hart. Hart, who produced narratives, decision tables, and visual aids, said the overall goal of the MSE was to assist council members as they compared management options and to communicate findings to stakeholders. Fay said that MSEs are considered the gold standard for making fisheries management decisions, and this was the first, large-scale evaluation in New England. A focus is on “coming up with a control rule for herring— a way to decide what the quota should be, which hopefully is based on what’s good for employment, the fishing community, and also recognizes the role of herring as food in the ecosystem,” he said.
Green asphalt The UMassD Highway Sustainability Research Center is a national leader in increasing the sustainability of asphalt pavements. Led by Walaa Mogawer, civil engineering professor, the center recently received a $783,996 grant from the Massachusetts State Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The project aims to safely increase the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in new asphalt. Large amounts of RAP can make new pavement more susceptible to cracking and other distress because the liquid asphalt in RAP has been changed through years of use. MassDOT currently allows surface course pavements to contain no more than 15 percent of RAP. Mogawer and his team will evaluate the properties of different RAP sources so the center can develop guidelines for MassDOT to safely use the most recycled asphalt possible. In addition to environmental benefits, using recycled materials has a cost advantage. “These cost savings will allow MassDOT to address more transportation infrastructure projects within the existing budget,” he said. Mogawer is joined by a professionally licensed, full-time senior research engineer, and graduate and undergraduate civil engineering students.
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research | news
research | news
Safer structures with carbon nanotubes Vijaya Chalivendra, professor of mechanical engineering, is researching the use of carbon nanotubes in avoiding catastrophic failure in buildings. He is embedding carbon nanotubes in composite building materials to allow early detection of damage in structures, which can prevent buildings from collapsing and help save lives. Carbon nanotubes are strong and conduct electricity at almost 1,000 times the conductive rate of pure copper. “Thus if we add a tiny bit of carbon nanotubes into plastics or composites, we can make composites or plastics conductive,” Chalivendra said. The long, skinny carbon nanotubes can create a network of conductivity throughout a building or other structure. Experts could then measure the change in electrical resistance of a structure under various loads and circumstances, allowing them to detect damage early. Composites are currently used to build Army, Navy, and Air Force structures and commercial airline and transportation systems, he said. He is also trying to strengthen natural fibers with nanotubes. “Natural fibers are abundant in nature and if we make use of them effectively, we can reduce the carbon footprint caused by traditional composites,” said Chalivendra. Chalivendra collaborates in his research with other UMassD professors, including Lamya Karim, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, who is studying bones affected by diabetes (see Summer 2017 issue). He has received multiple awards for his research — including a $291,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, a $671,000 grant from the Army Research Laboratory, and a $235,000 grant from the Department of Defense.
Making math
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Professor Chandra Orrill received $738,337 from the National Science Foundation for her project, “Proportions Playground: A Dynamic World to Support Teachers’ Proportional Reasoning.” The three-year project seeks to build tools that allow teachers to play with the mathematics they teach in ways that build connections between key ideas. The aim is to develop teachers’ knowledge and help them think about how their students learn mathematics, as well as provide fun and engaging ways of working on complex math ideas. “In order to build more effective professional development, we need to better understand what teachers do know and how we might best support them,” Orrill said. “I work from a perspective that assumes teachers have considerable knowledge, but that they may need opportunities to build connections between and among those ideas to make them more usable in the classroom.” Orrill has been at UMass Dartmouth for eight years and currently serves as the director of the Kaput Center for Research & Innovation in STEM Education, which is a research center dedicated to making STEM learning accessible for all students. Orrill also has extensive experience doing professional development and curriculum development for teachers.
news | research
BIG DATA
for better health
Biostatistician Joohyun Chung, assistant professor of nursing, is working to bring electronic health records (EHRs) into the classroom and to use their data to improve healthcare. An EHR creates a single, digital record of a patient’s medical history that can be updated in real time and available to any caregiver with access to the system. “The wide adoption of EHRs has led us to emphasize the use of informatics as a core competency required of not only nurses, but also all healthcare professions,” said Chung. Chung recently received a $7,500 grant from Community Engaged Research for her study of the effects of using academic EHRs with nursing undergraduates. She is working on the project with SouthCoast Health in New Bedford. Chung also helps nurses use EHRs to improve psychiatric care of teenagers at Bradley Hospital. Using information extracted from EHRs, Chung has developed a rating scale for managing aggressive patients ages 13 to 18 years. “This helps us determine if the use of restraint or seclusion is necessary or can be avoided,” she said. This is just one example of how information contained in large numbers of nursing notes that are available on EHRs can improve patient care, she said. “We try to discover hidden knowledge from big data so we can use this information to best manage patient care,” said Chung. “Because the amount of available data is so vast, critical thinking and using tools that better enhance our ability to manage patient care based on meaningful data are important.”
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news
UMass School of Law • Dartmouth Eric Mitnick named dean Eric Mitnick was named dean of UMass Law in October, after leading the law school as interim dean since July 2016. Under his leadership, UMass Law earned full accreditation by the American Bar Association and received multiple recognitions for excellence and service. “It is a privilege to be chosen to lead the Commonwealth’s law school,” Mitnick said. “Our UMass Law brand is global, our identity as Massachusetts’ only public law school is unique, and our mission of educating students to pursue justice in any field of law is imperative. UMass Law offers a value proposition second to none, and the institution’s potential is only now starting to get recognized.” Mitnick received his A.B. from Cornell University; his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan; and an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Princeton University in the fields of Public Law, Political Theory, and American Politics. “Eric Mitnick has proven himself to be a strong, dynamic leader with a passion for UMass Law and its critical social justice mission,” said UMass President Marty Meehan. “I witnessed Dean Mitnick’s dedication during the law school’s successful bid for ABA accreditation last year, and I am confident that he will continue to lead UMass Law to new heights. The law school is lucky to have him.” “With growing enrollment, outstanding faculty and staff, students with a passion to right wrongs, and Dean Mitnick’s many talents, UMass Law has a bright future,” Chancellor Robert E. Johnson noted. Prior to joining UMass Law in 2012 as associate dean for Academic Affairs, Mitnick practiced law at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, LLP, in New York City and taught at the University of Wisconsin Law School, Princeton University, and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. An accomplished scholar in the areas of constitutional law, rights, and socio-legal and multicultural theory, he is the author of the book, Rights, Groups, and Self-Invention: Group-Differentiated Rights in Liberal Theory (2006).
UMass Law expands student opportunities UMass Law further expanded its footprint within Massachusetts with the introduction of its sixth and seventh 3+3 programs with Worcester State University and Becker College. Under the programs, students have the opportunity to receive both an undergraduate and a law degree in six rather than seven years. In their fourth year, qualified undergraduate students matriculate at UMass Law as first-year students, saving them a year of undergraduate tuition.
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UMass Law also has 3+3 programs in place with UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, Fitchburg State, and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Agreements with four additional undergraduate institutions are currently in progress. “As the Commonwealth’s only public law school, UMass Law is committed to building strong connections with colleges and universities throughout the state,” Dean Eric Mitnick said. “These programs support
our mission to make a legal education more affordable for students seeking to pursue justice.” UMass Dartmouth also recently created an exchange program with the University of Limerick School of Law. Through the exchange program, UMass Law students can spend a semester focusing on international and comparative law in Ireland, and Limerick students can study U.S. law in Dartmouth.
UMass School of Law | news
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STUDENTS
22
21%
states & territories
increase over 2016
35%
from outside
30%
New England
Fall 2017
Incoming Class
STUDENTS OF COLOR
48 % FEMALE
52 % MALE
3rd national ranking of the Class of 2016’s public interest employment
Public Service Award
from the Massachusetts Bar Association
82% full-time 18%
part-time
32%
72%
of first-time takers passed the bar in 2017
37
private law firms, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations where Class of 2017 graduates volunteered as students
2016 graduates in permanent, full-time government or public-interest jobs
7,000 + pro bono and
other law-related service hours provided by the
UMass Law
is recognized for providing an exceptional legal education that is affordable, and for promoting access to justice for lowincome individuals and families.
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sports
Corsair roundup
C ham
pion
M ag
a z in
e , St
an da
rd-T i
me s
, M ik
e Va
le r i p
hoto
Corsair featured in NCAA Champion magazine
I use my strength to overcome obstacles and become triumphant.”
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Soccer player Kayleigh Ellison (Troy, MO) spoke to NCAA’s Champion magazine about what soccer means to her. Ellison is a brain cancer survivor and second-year UMass Law student. “Soccer teaches me to persevere,” she said in the Fall ’17 issue. “Life does not always go as planned, and soccer is my way of comprehending that and learning how to persist. It teaches me that there is only so much in our control. Yes, I can control the ball, and yes, I can control how I strike, but I cannot control the goalie. I cannot control the elements or the unexpected pains that might occur to cause complications. But I can control how I react, how I use my strength to overcome obstacles and become triumphant. I can control my will to be strong, brave and fearless. I love this sport, and I
will not stop playing until they kick me out.”
UMassD baseball hosts First Pitch dinner
The baseball team held its inaugural First Pitch Dinner in November to help fund the team’s annual Spring Break trip to Orlando. Head Coach Bob Prince was master of ceremonies for a program that included testimonials from former players and former head coach Bob Curran, and a live auction. The event raised $14,000.
Ryan Murphy named Corsairs’ head men’s lacrosse coach Ryan Murphy is the new head coach for men’s lacrosse. A former
Corsair roundup | sports named the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Football Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Jacob Burkhead, of Plymouth, was named MASCAC Football Defensive Rookie of the Year. A total of 17 fall athletes made one of the conferences’ AllConference teams.
Three teams recognized for academic excellence
standout college player, he also serves as assistant director of operations at Kings Lacrosse in Plymouth and was an assistant coach at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “Ryan is equipped with a skill set to lead our men’s lacrosse program into the future,” said Athletic Director Amanda Van Voorhis. “He possesses a vast peer network and a wealth of access to recruits through his association with the Kings Lacrosse club program. It’s clear he is passionate, genuine, and eager to lead our young men with a strategic and focused effort. I expect a smooth transition under
and youth development roles in southeastern Massachusetts. At Kings Lacrosse, he manages all operations of the nine club lacrosse teams. He migrated into the role after serving as the assistant director of Cape Cod Lacrosse. Last season, Murphy was an offensive assistant at Mass Maritime, coaching the attackers and scouting opponents. He earned the spot after serving as the head coach at DennisYarmouth Regional High School in 2016 and Sharon High School in 2015.
Corsairs earn fall All-Conference accolades
his direction.” Murphy had a prolific lacrosse career at Springfield College from 2011-14. A two-time First Team All-Conference honoree at attack, he finished with 96 goals and 54
assists for 147 points, ranking 18th all-time in the program record books. Since graduating from Springfield with his bachelor’s in sport management, Murphy has held a variety of coaching
Three first-year Corsairs earned major conference awards following their fall seasons. Bruno Pires, of New Bedford, was the Little East Conference’s Men’s Cross Country Rookie of the Year. Stephen Gacioch, of Tiverton, RI, was
National coaches’ organizations recognized three Corsair teams for their performance in the classroom. Women’s soccer received the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for 2016-17 (3.35 team GPA). Women’s swimming & diving was named College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar AllAmerica Team for Spring 2017 (3.30 team GPA). Women’s tennis saw seven team members named Intercollegiate Tennis Association ScholarAthletes for 2017. They are sophomores Jaime Fastino; of Rehoboth, and Melanie Wong, of Somerset; junior Amelia Ralowicz, of Lowell; and seniors Nicole Nault, of Wareham; Mollie McCaffrey, of Taunton; Jillian Reicert, of Marion; and Samantha Rollings, of Tiverton, RI.
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sports | Corsair roundup
Women’s basketball earns national preseason notice For the first time in its history, the women’s basketball team entered the season with a national ranking. D3Hoops.com ranked the Corsairs No. 18 among New England’s top 20 teams. Furthermore, defending Little East Conference Player of the Year Nakira Examond (New Bedford) was recognized as a D3Hoops.com Preseason
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Third Team All-American, one of just 25 players in all of Division III to receive the honor. The team also was tabbed as the unanimous LEC Preseason Poll favorite, taking the top spot among its peers for the secondstraight season. The national and regional buzz follows a historic season that saw the Corsairs post an
overall record of 25-6, including earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship for the first appearance in the tournament in program history. The season concluded in the national quarterfinal round with a loss to Amherst College. The Corsairs are set on making a return to the national stage. Their 2017-18 roster is
nearly identical to last season’s, as head coach Matt Ducharme looks to replace only Rachel McCarron, a starter at guard last season. The roster is full of players who gained valuable experience from that run in the tournament. By class, there are four seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, and just two first-year students who are
Nakira Examond, junior, New Bedford, heads to the basket for a layup.
new to college hoops. Seniors Alicia Kutil (Franklin), Leah Douty (Framingham), and Chelsea Houlihan (Wolcott, Conn.) round out UMass Dartmouth’s four returning starters, all of whom saw top minutes last season.
Corsair roundup | sports
Corsair Hall of Fame Class of 2017
Linee Mello-Frost ’11 Track & Field, Field Hockey
Corsair Hall of Fame celebrates our athletic tradition
UMass Dartmouth celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Corsair Hall of Fame on September 29 with the induction of the Class of 2017. Five outstanding Corsair alumni were inducted (pictured above). Also honored were: Darren DeAndrade Track and Field Assistant coach (inducted posthumously)
Dan Holbrook ’08 Men’s Basketball
Steve Pereira ’98 Baseball
Jeff Duchemin ’89 Football
Paul Moore ’85 Ice Hockey
Cressy Field grandstand project nears completion
Cressy Field is getting a new set of bleachers on the home sideline, a press box complex, and six storage bins underneath the structure. The enhancements will provide home seating between the 20-yard lines and improve sight lines from the press box.
1971 Southeastern Massachusetts University Men’s Cross Country 2017 Team of Distinction
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art seen
news from CVPA
Matthew Najarian ’17 inspires dialogue on campus through art
M
atthew Najarian worked hard to finish his senior project for the College of Visual & Performing Arts (CVPA) and begin his career in graphic design. Only five months later, Najarian returned to campus as an alumnus to participate in a panel discussion on Shared Voices, the project that began as his senior thesis. Najarian created Shared Voices as a poster series aimed at encouraging students to consider how they talk about political, social, and cultural issues. He also wanted to spark discussion among students, which happened in October, when Najarian presented an artist’s talk and joined a panel of students who talked about their views on diversity, inclusion, and community on campus. As a student, Najarian found motivation for his project in UMassD’s diverse community and the students who tried to create meaningful change. Now as an alumnus, he is encouraged to see faculty, staff, and administration empowering students to take part in social, political, and cultural discussions. “It speaks volumes about the community at UMass Dartmouth,” he said. Najarian works as an artist for Wayfair and as a freelance graphic designer creating print and animations for clientele. He is pleased, and a bit shocked, that his project has lived on. “It was the interest and excitement of the faculty that really made that dream possible,” Najarian said. “Without their connections, partial funding, and willingness to commit to my vision, Shared Voices would've been nothing more than a senior thesis project.” Energized by the reception of Shared Voices, Najarian wants to continue to push boundaries through graphic design. "Graphic designers possess unique ways of conveying information and expressing emotion," he said. He views his work on campus as integral to “creating a dialogue where these issues can be discussed early for students so that they might change the world in a positive way.” By Seth Tamarkin ’20
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news from CVPA | art seen
t r A
that engages
Works of art pop up in unexpected places. People who view art are encouraged to interact with it. Art projects inspire dialogue about sustainability, music, and the meaning of community. The Center for Undisciplined Research at the College of Visual & Performing Arts (CVPA) was created by Rozalyn Crews, a social practice artist who was hired as a visiting artist to introduce a new dynamic. Her ninemonth, student-focused research group fuses artistic research with social fields of study. CVPA is collaborating with Housing and Residence Education on this effort. “Because I design projects for specific places, it’s important to my process as an artist that I develop the work in dialogue with the place and the people there,” said Crews, whose primary goal is to connect first-year students from the residence halls to other people, places, and resources on campus and within the region. In the fall, the Center installed portraits around “social justice heroes” at the New Bedford Art Museum, starting with first-year student Mark Kayanja’s portrait of Malcolm X. An ongoing drawing project for the current “SCAPES: Placemaking in the 21st Century” exhibition, also at the museum,
includes weekly additions of new illustrations of emotional experiences to a large walldrawing of New Bedford. Visitors can also submit an emotional experience to be illustrated. There is a student-run exhibition space in Chestnut Residence Hall called Ant Farm/Art Fam, featuring work by 15 UMassD students. The Center released Publix, a photo catalogue of public art at UMass Dartmouth including controversial public art from the region. “In collaboration with
the Student Government Association, we’re launching a new opportunity for students to design a commissioned piece of public art for campus,” said Crews. The Center has also partnered with the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement for a recycling/ sustainability project, and will begin working with the School for Marine Science & Technology on a public installation featuring SMAST sustainability research. “The Center is about freely experimenting, questioning the many ways of learning about a
topic, asking questions, exercising our right to assemble in honor of curiosity, trying out new forms of art making, putting art in public places, collaboration, and community building,” Crews said. “As artists, we have so much freedom in how we engage with the world—one of the only professions that allows this kind of movability and self-organization.” Learn more about Crews’ work and the center at undisciplinedresearch.info. By Adrienne Wartts
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“It is not often that a student tells his professor that his goal is to become an astronaut.” — Ron DiPippo Chancellor Professor Mechanical Engineering
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launches a dream
S
cott Tingle ’87 doesn’t remember when he first dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Maybe it was when his mother talked to him about Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon, which happened when Tingle was just four years old. Maybe it was when he realized he was attracted to anything fast and mechanical—he was racing and repairing motorcycles by the time he was 12. Whatever his inspiration, Tingle always knew he wanted to fly in space. “It’s a goal that sat in the middle of my head and just would not leave,” he said. “It’s in my DNA.” Tingle’s dream came true on December 17, when, at age 52, he launched into space aboard a Russian Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft. Flying with crewmates Anton Shkaplerov, of Russia, and Norishige Kanai, of Japan, he docked at the International Space Station a day and a half later. The crew is scheduled to return to earth in April. The mission’s flight engineer, Tingle will also serve as a subject for research on how the human spine responds to life in space. The aging process accelerates in zero gravity, with astronauts losing bone and muscle mass while on missions. Exercising at least two hours a day while in space can prevent some of the deterioration, he said. In addition to serving as a research subject, Tingle was selected to make a spacewalk to repair the space station’s
robotic arm. He trained for the task in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab, donning the spacesuit and performing procedures underwater. Just getting into the spacesuit is a challenge, he said. And because it is pressurized, simple tasks, such as moving your arm or squeezing a wrench, exhaust astronauts during a six-hour spacewalk. Tingle has lost as many as seven pounds each time he trained in the suit. “It’s the toughest thing you can do,” he said. “You have to concentrate your mind. The system is complicated and you have to be able to figure out what to do.” UMass Dartmouth nurtured his dream Tingle has been drawn to mechanical challenges since he was a boy growing up in Randolph. He attended Blue Hills Regional Technical High School, in Canton, where instead of attending shop classes during his senior year, he worked in machine design at the Phoenix Electric Corporation. He also worked the night shift at a bagel bakery. Saving enough money to pay for his first year, he enrolled at what was then Southeastern Massachusetts University (SMU). “It is not often that a student tells his professor that his goal is to become an astronaut,” said Ron DiPippo, now Chancellor Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. “I’ve only had one in my 37 years of teaching.” In the 1980s, vocational high schools
Follow Scott Tingle's journey at the International Space Station—umassd.edu/scott-tingle/ Photos: NASA
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NASA astronauts Steve Swanson, Expedition 39 flight engineer and Expedition 40 commander, and Scott Tingle (right), attired in training versions of their Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuits, participate in a spacewalk training session in the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory near NASA's Johnson Space Center. Photo: NASA
“It’s a goal that sat in the middle of my head and just would not leave... It’s in my DNA.”
were not the path to college that they are today. Before the mechanical engineering program would accept him, Tingle had to prove himself with advanced courses in math, physics and mechanics. He got As in all three classes. “Well, I hope you like engineering,” DiPippo said, in what Tingle recalls was his first inkling that he was accepted. DiPippo became one of Tingle’s mentors at UMass Dartmouth, along with engineering professors John Rice and the late John Hansberry. “They were very patient with me,” Tingle said. “I didn’t have the academic preparation that my classmates did.” He still remembers the Chevy V-8 engine that DiPippo had on a stand in class. Measuring the engine’s thermodynamic properties, calculating its efficiencies and producing technical drawings and diagrams started his understanding “that a system is just a system and the laws of physics will apply,” he said. “There isn’t anything in my house that I can’t fix,” he said. “Very frequently, I will draw a basic diagram and try to figure out the symptoms I’m seeing, and technically think my way through it.” Hansberry would begin class by describing a noise he heard in his car that morning, and lead the class in creating an equation to pinpoint the problem. “He was the best I ever saw in doing that,” Tingle said.
Flying was in his blood Tingle paid for the rest of college by joining the Navy ROTC and the Naval Reserve in 1984, and went on to earn his master’s at Purdue University, where he applied only because there was no application fee. When he arrived on campus, he realized his good fortune. Purdue is known as “The Cradle of Astronauts” and now lists Tingle among its 22 astronaut alumni, including his boyhood idol, Neil Armstrong. After earning his master’s in mechanical engineering, he worked on satellite systems for the Aerospace Corporation, in El Segundo, CA. He satisfied his need to fly with lunch hour stunts in the company’s acrobatic bi-plane. One day, flying upside down, his tie hit him in the face. That was his sign, he said. It was time to leave for active duty. In 1993 he qualified as a naval aviator, earning his wings of gold. Five years later, he graduated from the Navy Test Pilot School and tested the legendary FA-18E/F Super Hornets. Responding to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, he served with Carrier Air Wing Eleven aboard the USS Carl Vinson, which launched the first airstrikes against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. He also served aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, and flew 54 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Before becoming an astronaut, Tingle flew a total of 3,500 hours on 48 different aircraft.
—Scott Tingle
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Tingle was selected for astronaut training in 2009, part of the class that calls themselves “The Chumps.” His years of training have included International Space Station systems, spacewalking, robotic operations, flying the T-38 jet, and six to eight hours a week of Russian language instruction. As an astronaut, he has traded his combatant role for one of international cooperation. He did much of his training in Russia, and he calls his crewmates, Commander Shkaplerov and Flight Engineer Kanai, brothers. Tingle sees that the International Space Station, with “18 international partners who are very dedicated,” could be a model for international collaboration in a world facing a host of seemingly intractable problems. “The most exciting thing for me is getting up there and working with the incredibly capable team of people who come together from all over the world,” he said. “The fact that we have a cooperative environment makes it cool to work in. It doesn’t matter what country you’re from, we’re friends. We’re a team of professionals.” He is grateful to everyone who supported him in achieving his dream, including his hometown community, and his wife of 24 years, Raynette, and their three children, Amy, Sean and Eric, “We’re doing this as a family,” he said. “I’ve trained for decades for this,” he said. “And everyone who has supported me along the way is launching with me in my heart.” By Barbara LeBlanc
Bottom row on video screen: Scott Tingle (L) of NASA, Anton Shkaplerov (C) of Roscosmos, and Norishige Kanai (R) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Top row:, Joe Acaba (L) of NASA, Commander Alexander Misurkin (C), and Mark Vande Hei (R) of NASA. The crew members spoke with family and friends at the Moscow Mission Control Center in Korolev, Russia a few hours after they docked to the International Space Station on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Movie night aboard the space station on December 23, 2017, complete with “bungee cord chairs”, drink bags, and a science fiction flick! (Scott Tingle in red) photo and tweet by Mark T. Vande Hei
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Susan T. Costa ’72 and former Dean of Students Don Howard shared a great enthusiasm for College Now.
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attending college seemed like a distant dream for Susan Costa. Without college preparatory classes and the means to pay, Costa believed that her choices were limited. College Now, a new program at then Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute, would prove to be the catalyst for a life-changing experience. “Coming out of high school, without any prospects, and wanting so desperately to go to college, College
Dr. Lura Teeter helped launch the College Now Program in 1968.
Now was like a miracle,” said Costa, a member of the program’s first graduating class. Created 50 years ago by a faculty task force inspired by the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., College Now facilitates access to higher education for high school graduates who demonstrate the desire and ability to attend college, but who require additional support to reach their full potential. The task force, chaired by Professor of Philosophy Dr. Lura Teeter, sought to keep Dr. King’s dream alive in the SouthCoast region by placing higher education within reach for local students who faced cultural, economic or educational barriers. Following a community-wide fundraising initiative and outreach to prospective students, College Now launched in September 1968 with 31 students from southeastern Massachusetts. Faculty members volunteered as mentors and counselors to College Now students, provided tutoring, guidance, and other support to help overcome obstacles that could — Susan complicate a successful college career. College Now helped Costa, a New Bedford native, realize her dreams. She was able to satisfy academic requirements, become an involved student leader on campus, and complete a bachelor of science degree in accounting. “Had it not been for College Now, I would not be where I am today,” Costa said, who initially pursued a career in finance at State Street Bank. She was later drawn back to campus as an administrator in Student Affairs, eventually serving as Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs until
retiring in 2007. Today, College Now continues to make a college degree a reality for students who struggle academically or financially, or who need additional guidance. The program receives more than 700 applications and admits 125 students each year. Applicants must live in Massachusetts, be either a U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident, and have a minimum high school GPA of 2.0. Applicants must also meet federal guidelines for low income or be the first in their family to complete a four-year degree. A special track is available for students with an interest in science, technology, engineering or math. An intensive semester-long academic program is designed to help College Now students transition to college. Working with peer mentors, tutors, and counselors, they develop such skills as time management, study habits and goal setting. Students who successfully complete the program then enroll in Costa ’72 a specific major. Last year, 85 percent of College Now students successfully completed the program. Thirty-four students earned Talent Merit Scholarships and several others received awards and scholarships for their academic performance. “These students prove that their socioeconomic backgrounds or prior academic performances do not define their potential to become educated citizens,” said College Now Director Craig Elkins.
Coming out of high school, without any prospects, and wanting so desperately to go to college, College Now was like a miracle.”
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COLLEGE NOW…NOW
Aldina Vicente ’18 believes that the mentoring component of College Now has helped her become successful at UMassD.
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“Their motivation to succeed far surpasses the grades on their high school transcripts.” Aldina Vicente ’18, a first-generation college student from Brockton, knows this first hand. When she came from Cape Verde at age 10, adapting to a new culture created challenges in school. “My grades weren’t good and I didn’t have the resources or guidance in high school to see that college could be an option for me,” Vicente said. “College Now helped me to see that I had the ability to be successful.” She is now majoring in psychology in the Honors Program and recently studied abroad in Germany. Because of her experiences with College Now, she will pursue a master of education so she can help others realize their dreams. “I want other students to know that it is possible,” Vicente said. For students like Rashelle Noncent ’18, from Brockton, College Now can make the difference between just getting by and getting the most out of college. The program helped her to maintain focus and earn better grades. “It was tough to
adjust to college life,” Noncent said. “The resources were there, but it was up to me to open up to my counselors and let them know what I needed help with.” Last summer, Noncent advanced her pursuit of a career in criminal justice with an internship in the Palm Beach County Courthouse in Florida “I learned so much about the court system and established great relationships with court deputies, judges and lawyers,” she said. Vicente and Noncent are peer mentors in College Now, proving to other students that they can be successful in a fouryear college. “College Now students recognize the opportunity given to them and demonstrate the value of that to other students in the program,” said Carol Spencer-Monteiro, assistant vice chancellor for student success. “College Now was life changing for me,” Noncent said. “When I work with other College Now students, I try to motivate them to believe that they can achieve this dream too.” By Kristle Blais
Ed Hill ’77 didn’t start out on
the college track. After graduating from Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School with a trade that he really didn’t want to pursue, College Now presented the opportunity he needed to make the transition to a four-year college. College Now allowed Hill to fulfill the academic requirements that he lacked. Armed with improved study habits and the support of College Now staff, he became an involved student-athlete at thenSoutheastern Massachusetts University, on the road to being the first college graduate in his family. “I struggled to decide on a degree, but my College Now counselor helped me identify my interests and create a multidisciplinary major in economics, history, and political science,” Hill said. That degree provided Hill with the preparation necessary for a career in social services. His work over four decades has focused on building workforce development programs and services in the SouthCoast area that place others on the path to success—just as College Now did for him. Hill is currently a career counselor and job specialist at SER Jobs for Progress in Fall River.
Ucal Palmer ’94 found
the perfect fit at UMass Dartmouth— close enough to his home in Springfield, yet far enough away to be able to stretch his wings. On the recommendation of his guidance counselor, Ucal Palmer applied to College Now and found a support system that would help him build the foundation for a lifetime of success. “When you arrive as a freshman, you don’t know what to expect,” said Palmer. “College Now helped me assimilate to college life.” Through College Now, Palmer acquired better study habits and time management skills that helped him balance academics and student life. As the self-described “quiet-kid,” he benefitted from regular check-ins with his counselors that kept him on track. Those check-ins developed into relationships that Palmer values today. “College Now was such a significant part of my life. After I graduated, I stayed in contact with the staff,” Palmer said. “It keeps me connected to College Now so I can support the program and continue to help UMassD students succeed.” Palmer graduated from the Charlton College of Business with a degree in accounting. He is a relationship manager at Wells Fargo Capital Finance in Atlanta.
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Fostering “It’s great to be here and know that I’ve succeeded.”
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SUCCESS Blue and red flickering lights shone through the windows of the apartment where Jade Figueroa lived with her mom and brother in 2011. Half asleep, the 12-year old gazed up from her bed only to be blinded by the glare of a polished badge. “My first instinct was to protect my brother,” she said. “I was scared and confused because my mother was nowhere to be found.” But quickly, Jade began to understand—they were being taken away because of her mother’s struggle with drug addiction. As the police yanked her clothes from her bureau and stuffed them into black trash bags, Jade felt her childhood disappear. “We couldn’t say no; we couldn’t run away; and we didn’t know where our mother was,” she said. “I clung to the stuffed animal they gave me, while my brother was held in the arms of a stranger.” On September 5, 2017, Jade stood under the bright September sun and shared the story of that life-changing night with hundreds of UMass Dartmouth students, faculty, and staff at Convocation. As the first-place winner of the Provost’s Essay Contest, she took the stage in the Vietnam Veterans Peace Memorial Amphitheater, along with two runners-up, to read her winning essay. “The purpose of the essay was to share what I believe in,” she said. “I believe in perseverance because that’s what my life has stood for, today and every day.” Jade didn’t focus on the bleakness of her past, however. Instead, she spoke with pride about her perseverance and grit, about loving someone with a drug addiction, and about finally finding a loving family where she could thrive. As a foster child in and out of the system for six years, the odds were against Jade ever reaching that podium. In 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families oversaw services for 51,684 children between birth and age 17, and they assisted 6,914 youth ages 16 to 21. The most recent research suggests that fewer than 10 percent of college-aged children in foster care will graduate from college. Jade was placed in seven different foster homes, but never found a place to call her own. It became a pattern. She’d get to a new home, and it would be awkward. The family would either be overly nice at first or push her aside. They’d leave Jade home and attend family gatherings without her. They’d overreact when she made a mistake. For the most part, Jade did not feel accepted. But then she landed in a home in Bellingham that was unlike any of her past foster placements. From the start, Pauline and Emilio DiSpirito treated Jade like she was their own. They didn’t force anything on her or expect her to
talk before she was ready. “I was never just a foster child to them, and that is something that I loved,” Jade said. “Never in my life have I ever had a mom and a dad at the same time, but in just a matter of a few months, I was already calling them mom and dad.” With Pauline and Emilio’s guidance, Jade flourished as she experienced what it was like to have a family, to be cared for and loved. In April 2014, they took full guardianship of Jade. “They told me that college was a necessity, and that I should set out to be a role model for my 13-year-old brother,” Jade said. “My brother only has me to look up to, so I want to show him that college is a possibility for him too.” Acting more as a caretaker than a sister, Jade watched her brother when they lived with their mother. "I would have to be there to get him off the bus, make him dinner, and put him to bed for the majority of the week,” she said. “I never thought of it as a chore, but as a responsibility or obligation.” About eight years ago, the siblings were moved into separate homes, but they remain in touch. Jade intends on continuing to be someone he can look up to. “I will try to guide him on the right path,” she said. “I want every foster child, troubled kid, or anyone that was told they couldn't do something to keep pushing and defy all odds.” Growing up surrounded by drug addiction, Jade dealt with situations that could have overwhelmed a less determined child. Her mother would disappear into the bedroom early in the mornings, and left Jade to find her own transportation to school. “I knew what was going on in my mother’s room,” Jade said. “I knew I needed to find a way to get to school because it was my safe place, and kept me from abusive situations.” As a foster child, she struggled with uncertainty. “I doubted my own worth because I was always labeled as that girl who didn’t really have a mom or dad,” Jade said. “It felt horrible because I wanted people to see me as anything but a foster child, I just wanted to be a normal girl.” Jade is no longer that girl. In September, she took her place among the Class of 2021 at UMass Dartmouth. She plays lacrosse and is pursuing a crime & justice studies degree, with a goal of one day joining the FBI. “It’s great to be here and to know that I’ve succeeded,” she said. “But my journey isn’t over, I still need to keep pushing and persevering, so I can be a UMass Dartmouth graduate.”
By Tricia Breton To read Jade Figueroa’s essay visit umassd.edu/magazine/jade-figueroa-essay/
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alumni | Homecoming
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alumni An exciting year on campus
Daniel B. DeOliveira President, Alumni Association
The best way to know what’s happening at UMassD or with your fellow Corsairs is to stay connected.
UMass Dartmouth Alumni
Dear Alumni and Friends, This is a very exciting time on the UMass Dartmouth campus. In July, we welcomed Chancellor Robert E. Johnson. In September, we held one of our largest Homecoming weekends despite the rain, and the Alumni Association hosted UMassD alumni events from Boston to Dartmouth to western Massachusetts. Working closely with the Office of Alumni Relations, the Alumni Association continues to plan exciting and educational events and offer ways to stay connected to the UMass Dartmouth community through networking, volunteering, and supporting current students. One of these events is our 47th Annual Alumni Awards Ceremony on April 26, where we will celebrate the achievements of our Corsair alumni. Supporting current students is paramount to the Alumni Association, and again this year we plan to award over $36,000 in scholarships. In addition, we have joined with another donor to purchase a 3D printer for the UMassD IDEAStudio. These scholarships and purchases are made possible through our partnership with Liberty Mutual Insurance. The Liberty Mutual affinity program generates income that is used by the Alumni Association for these activities. Alumni can take advantage of exclusive savings on home and auto insurance, and support the Alumni Association at the same time. We encourage you to attend events, volunteer and show your Corsair pride! Be sure to check out the calendar of upcoming events in this magazine and online. Yours truly,
Daniel B. DeOliveira, PhD, PMP Class of 1993 Chemistry/Biochemistry President, Alumni Association
umassd_alumni
April 3, 2018 1,895 minutes to join together
UMass Dartmouth Alumni
Why 1,895 minutes? @umassdalumni
umassd.edu/alumni
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Are you up for it?
umassd.edu/corsairchallenge
In 1895, the predecessor institutions of UMass Dartmouth began educating students for the future. On April 3, you can ensure that Corsairs continue to benefit from a world-class education during our first ever #CorsairChallenge —a 1,895-minute fundraiser to join together and give back as a community. Make a gift, and you could secure vital bonus funds for the area of UMassD that means most to you. All gifts up to $50 will be matched by a generous group of alumni.
news | alumni After 26 years of serving alumni, Nancy Tooley ’99 retires
If you have ever called UMass Dartmouth’s Alumni Relations Office to update your contact information, or find out more about an Alumni Association event, you were greeted by the always-pleasant and helpful Nancy Tooley. After 26 years as the department’s administrative assistant, Nancy retired in January 2018. Nancy is also a proud 1999 graduate of UMass Dartmouth’s College of Arts and Sciences. On behalf of our Corsair community, we thank Nancy for her dedication and wish her the best in her retirement!
Don’t miss the fun
Upcoming events Check our website, umassd.edu/alumni, for updated information on events below: February 3
April 11
February 13 A Corsair's Guide to Planning Your Financial Future: Tips on personal finance, real estate and more from UMassD alumni Claire T. Carney Library
April 17-20
Share the Dream Banquet Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of College Now White’s of Westport
February 14
Frederick Douglass 200th Birthday Celebration Frederick Douglass Unity House
March 17 Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Florida with UMass Alumni: 42nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Alumni Luncheon Naples, FL The Golden Grads enjoy an annual lobster bake, but there are plenty of activities for all alumni. Check the calendar and find activities that suit your interests. Connect with old friends and meet new ones.
March 19
Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies (UMass system event) JetBlue Park, Ft. Myers, FL
April 3-4
Corsair Challenge: Show your support for UMassD during our days of giving challenge
10th Annual Scholarship Luncheon Lawrence Hall, Woodland Commons
Inauguration Week Activities: Inventing Our Future umassd.edu/inauguration April 26 Alumni Awards Ceremony and Reception May 12 Commencement Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
May 14
UMass School of Law Commencement Main Auditorium
May 31
Alumni Association Networking Reception The Cove Restaurant & Marina Fall River
June 28
50th & 60th Class Reunions UMassD Campus
June 29
Golden Graduates Annual Clam Boil Woodland Commons
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alumni | class notes 1969
1980
Richard R. Paradis, SMTI, COE, of Virginia Beach, VA, retired after a long career as the director of the Whole Building Design Guide and program director at the National Institute of Building Sciences, in Washington, DC.
Sherilyn S. McCoy, COE, of Skillman, NJ, was named a member of the board of directors at Astra Zeneca.
1972 Jennifer Cipriano, CVPA, of Marion, presented an alla prima oil painting demonstration at the Bourne Wareham Art Association’s meeting in September. She creates landscapes, botanical paintings, and animal renderings using oil paints, as well as watercolor and other media.
Mitch Winkler, COE, of Houston, TX, retired from the Shell Exploration and Production Company in June 2017 after nearly 36 years with the company. He and his family lived in Houston, New Orleans, and the Netherlands. He plans to stay in Houston, balancing consulting, volunteer work, and leisure pursuits.
1985
Michael D. Hubert, CVPA, MAE ’80, of South Dartmouth, held a fall exhibit of his work at the Marion Art Center. A visual artist and teacher, Hubert and his wife Christine have operated the Dartmouth Early Learning Center, an arts-based independent school, for the past 39 years.
Michael P. Fredericksen, COE, of Nashua, NH, was named principal of Laconia High School in Laconia, NH. He previously held positions as interim assistant superintendent at the Nashua School District and principal of Elm Street Middle School in Nashua. He holds a master’s degree in educational administration from Rivier University in Nashua. He and his wife, Kathy, have five children.
1979
1992
1973
Susan E. Norlin-Staudaher, CVPA, of Sterling, creates one-of-a kind batik textile pieces inspired by picturesque surroundings. Staudaher launched Wildflower Textiles after retiring from a successful 18-year career in the newspaper business. A textile design major, she worked at Worcester Magazine as a graphic designer before starting and publishing her own newspaper.
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Brian P. Morrill, CAS, of West Bridgewater, was promoted to associate principal at the Metro Boston/Norwood office of GZA, which provides environmental, geotechnical, ecological, water, and construction management services. He joined GZA in 1997. He earned an Environmental and Regulatory Management Certificate from Northeastern University, and is a certified
In Memoriam
June through October 2017
ALUMNI William R. Markey ’55 Peter F. DeCosta ’62 Alan Dunnigan ’65 George A. Robinson III ’75 Paul A. Gilchrist ’77 John L. Lewis ’81 Katherine B. Kearley ’86 Michael J. Cafarella ’95 Rachel F. Hassett ’97 Charles A. Rose ’06
FACULTY Professor William R. Allen Management Professor Alden W. Counsell ’42 Mechanical Engineering Dr. Lewis Dars Center for Jewish Culture Professor Howard T. Glasser Design Chancellor Professor Kenneth D. Langley ’64 Bioengineering Dr. Dorothy L. Read Biology Professor John J. Reardon Biology Professor Conrad Richard ’48 Industrial Engineering Professor Manuel C. Rosenfield History Professor Walter E. Mierzejewski Mathematics
hazardous materials manager; an environmental, safety and health trainer; a third-party underground storage tank inspector in Massachusetts, and a class a/b underground storage tank operator in Massachusetts, Maine, and New York. He is on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Chemistry and Technology Alliance
and the New England Chapter of the Academy of Hazardous Materials Managers. He is also a member of the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals. John N. Tammaro, CCB, of Braintree, has been working in the debt collection field since graduating. He previously worked for
firms including Transworld Systems before starting Debt Management Inc. in 1999. He founded All Debt Solutions Inc., based in Milford, in 2016.
1996 Seth Rainville, CVPA, PBC, of New Bedford, has been selected as a 2017-2018 Artist-in-Residence in the Ceramics Program at Harvard University. A potter, educator, and curator, he has taught at the Falmouth Art Center, South County Art Association and other programs. He also has held the title of curator/ exhibitions coordinator at the New Bedford Art Museum. He sits on the advisory board of Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts and was formerly on the Advisory Board of the Arizona State University Ceramic Research Center in Tempe. Katie Cook Rayburn, Esq., CAS, of Weymouth, was unanimously confirmed for a district court judgeship by the Governor’s Council. Rayburn has worked as a prosecutor in Bristol County for nearly a decade and was deputy chief of the Homicide Unit since 2014. She previously worked at Grassia, Murphy & Whitney, the Law Office of Daniel W. O’Malley, and for the Plymouth County District Attorney. A graduate of Suffolk University Law School, Rayburn successfully prosecuted Michelle Carter in the suicide-texting case and is one of the youngest people in the Commonwealth to sit on the district court.
1998 Sandra A. Bonazoli, CVPA, of Tiverton, RI, owns Beehive Handmade, a metalsmithing studio in Bristol, RI. Bonazoli has been a metal smith for 20 years. She and Jim Dowd, a fellow artist, potter, educator, and curator, have been in business together for 17 years. Beehive Handmade distributes its creations to stores in Rhode Island and around the country.
2001 Dennis K. Kohut, CAS, of Concord, was named the assistant principal of Swampscott High School. Kohut taught there for 11 years, and was named the English department chair in 2016. He has a master’s degree in school administration from Endicott College and a master’s in education from UMass Boston. Dennis lives in Concord with his wife, Melissa, and their two sons.
2003 John Walsh, CAS, of Wakefield, is head boys basketball coach at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence.
2006 Steven C. Antunes, CCB, of Swansea, joined SK Wealth Management as a financial planner. Antunes has over 11 years of experience in corporate finance, accounting, and personal financial planning. He was previously with Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and Corrigan Financial, Inc. Steve resides in Swansea with his wife and four children.
Vanessa C. Silveira, CCB, of Peabody, is training manager at Metro Credit Union in Peabody. Silveira began her career as branch sales and service representative at Metro Credit Union’s main headquarters in Chelsea, later becoming branch manager at the Peabody location. She is a past president of the Peabody Rotary Club, and was twice awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of her contributions to the Peabody community.
2007 Steve Martins, CAS, New Bedford, was appointed Massachusetts Justice of the Peace by the Honorable Governor Charlie Baker and the Governor’s Council. Martins served as a New Bedford City Councilor (2007-2017) and is a past member of the UMass Dartmouth Alumni Board of Directors. Garrett D. Thayer, CCB, of Brandy Station, VA, opened Old Trade Brewery in Culpeper, VA. Thayer expanded his home brewing hobby into a brewery and tasting room set on a 20-acre site that was formerly a horse farm. Thayer received an MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology and worked in the mortgage industry, as a teacher, and for the Department of Justice and the TSA before embarking on his newest adventure.
2008 Hannah Blount, CVPA, of Nantucket, designs fine jewelry in her studio in Boston, MA. The daughter
of a fisherman and a seamstress, Blount says she was raised in the tradition of hand skills, hard work, and dedication. Her fine jewelry is sold in boutiques and galleries across the world.
2009 Christopher Ryan Mader, COE, of Agawam, was promoted to technical services manager at OMG Roofing Products. In his new role, Mader will manage the day-to-day activities of the technical services department, which oversees building code and approval issues, product application issues, as well as technical customer support activities. Prior to joining OMG, he was a manufacturing engineer with Hamilton Sundstrand. He is a member of the National Roofing Contractors Association, the Single-Ply Roofing Industry, and the Roof Consultants Institute.
2010 Valery Thurber Nardacci, MFA, CVPA, of North Scituate, RI, is one of the three local artists featured in “Observation Recollection,” an exhibition at Green Space Gallery, located at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI, that ran through January 4, 2018.
2014 Justin S. March, CAS, of Port Washington, NY, joined New York City’s Police Department in 2015. After graduation from the academy in April 2016, he worked patrol in the 33 Precinct, the area of
Les Cory, Professor Emeritus
Director Center for Rehabilitation Engineering Professor Emeritus Dr. Lester W. Cory ’63 has been associated with UMass Dartmouth for over 50 years, first, as a student and then as a beloved engineering professor. “When I enrolled at Bradford Durfee College of Technology as a student in 1959, I never dreamed that it would be 58 years later when I would finally depart as a College of Engineering faculty member,” Cory said. Cory retired from teaching in 2007, but remained as director of the Center for Rehabilitation Engineering, which develops technology-driven solutions to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Cory, who officially retires this spring, was particularly interested in helping those who are physically unable to communicate independently. This spring marks Cory’s official retirement from the University. In 2006, Cory and his wife, Pat, established the endowed Lester W. Cory Scholarship, which provides financial support for a sophomore and junior engineering student. Since its establishment, the scholarship has provided nearly $7,000 in assistance to students. Cory has seen his students succeed as corporate leaders, senior military commanders, elected officials and even inventors. “Nothing could provide greater joy than knowing we have helped a student remain in school and that we contributed in some small way to his or her success,” he said.
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alumni | class notes Washington Heights Upper Manhattan West, for about six months.
2015
Robert Coyne ’07, MS ’11
Robert Coyne photo
Physics Lecturer University of Rhode Island
Robert Coyne ’07, MS ’11 turned his childhood curiosity with the stars into a career in a new era of astronomy. Coyne, who today is a physics lecturer at the University of Rhode Island, changed majors from computer engineering and then electrical engineering before settling on physics and identifying what would become his true passion: gravity. He credits his mentor, Physics Professor Gaurav Khanna, with motivating him to study gravitational wave astronomy. “Professor Khanna nurtured my enthusiasm for the subject and supervised a capstone project that I would pivot into my first research project in graduate school,” he said. Coyne pursued a master’s degree in physics at UMassD, studying experimental nuclear science. That drove him to focus on astronomy, and he went on to earn a PhD in physics at George Washington University. As an astronomer, Coyne studies small fluctuations in gravity called gravitational waves — small “ripples” in the fabric of space that carry information about the motion of massive, far away things that we cannot see, like black holes. Coyne describes gravitational waves as our “ears” for perceiving the universe, in the same way that telescopes serve as our “eyes.” Coyne recently gained membership into an exclusive group of colleagues at the Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory (LIGO), whose advancements in detection methods have made new observations of gravitational waves in the universe possible. “My road to studying astronomy was meandering, but now I am privileged to be on the cutting edge of a new way to view the universe,” he said.
Michael Thomas Fernandes, CCB, of North Dartmouth, works as a production coordinator for Dartmouth Community Television. After completing an internship with DCTV as a high school sophomore, he attended Emerson College in Boston and graduated in 2010 and earned his MBA at UMass Dartmouth. Between editing videos and brainstorming new remodeling ideas for the studio, Fernandes also works with interns teaching a new crop of video enthusiasts about editing. Kurt Harris, PGC, CAS, of Concord, CA, was named investor and community relations manager at Longmont Economic Development Partnership. His past work experience includes roles in public policy, fundraising, event planning, sales and marketing, and communications.
Zachary M. White, CVPA, PBC, of New Bedford, was a featured artist at the “Maps and Legends Two: If by the Sea,” an exhibit at Haskell Public Gardens in New Bedford. His work, which is heavily influenced by the history of New Bedford and its cartography, has also been included in exhibitions throughout Massachusetts. His work has been published in A Picture History of New Bedford: Volume One 16021925 (Spinner Publications, 2013); Reconstructing History: The Redevelopment of New Bedford in the 20th Century (Self-published, 2015): and A Picture History of New Bedford: Volume Two 1925-1980 (Spinner Publications, 2015).
2016 Ashley Ciulla, CAS, of Quincy, has pursued several career opportunities following her undergraduate studies. Immediately after graduating, the biology alumna secured a job with MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and a job with
Harvard Medical School’s Biopolymers Facility. In the spring of 2016, Ciulla, who also minored in sustainability, presented climate change research to Dr. Jane Goodall, and she just recently was a leader in organizing Boston’s March for Science. Jillian Zucco, CON, of Mattapoisett, represented Massachusetts in the 2018 Miss America Competition. Zucco was one of three women to win a $5,000 scholarship for STEM fields— science, technology, engineering, and math. She plans to apply to graduate schools to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. She hopes to work as a nurse practitioner and teach nursing at the college level.
2017 Michael P. Kelly, CCB, of Stoneham, the former captain of the UMass Dartmouth men’s hockey team, has signed with the Evansville Thunderbolts of the Southern Professional Hockey League.
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Winter 2018 umassd.edu
The IDEAl gift gives back The UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association recently purchased a new 3D printer for the Hall-Hildreth IDEAStudio, a donation made possible through the Association’s partnership with Liberty Mutual Insurance. When UMassD alumni purchase insurance through Liberty Mutual, the company makes donations to the Alumni Association, and alumni receive exclusive savings on home and auto insurance. In the IDEAStudio, UMassD students can use the latest tools to develop creative solutions to complex functional and design questions, and to implement their own ideas. Students and faculty can collaborate to design prototypes, using computers with CAD programs, a 3D scanner, a 3D printer, a laser engraver, and a full-length green screen wall for motion-capture animation.
The IDEAStudio was established in
You can help
art education, and Chip Hildreth ’85,
Take advantage of exclusive savings on home and auto insurance for UMassD alumni, and support the Alumni Association.
www.libertymutual.com/umassdaraa
2013 as an interdisciplinary collaboration between the College of Engineering and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. It was sponsored by Susan Hall ’85, electrical engineering, seen here at the opening with Lara Stone (center), University Advancement officer.
Non-profit Org. US Postage PAID New Bedford, MA Permit Number 149
285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300
the
Save Date
Our goal is to prepare students to create jobs that do not yet exist, utilizing technologies not yet invented, to solve problems not yet identified.”
Inventing our future •
THE INAUGURATION OF
•
Chancellor Robert E. Johnson Ph.D.
• •
Inauguration week activities
April 17, 18, and 19, 2018
Installation ceremony
April 20, 2018
For information, visit
umassd.edu/inauguration