The Women’s Advancement Initiative / University of Hartford / 2024

TH E

WO M E N ’ S

A DVA N C E M E N T

I NI T I AT I V E

/

U N I V E RS I T Y

OF

H A RT F ORD

/

2024

THE

WOMEN’S

A DVA N C E M E N T

I N I T I AT I V E

/

UNIVERSITY

OF

HARTFORD

/ 2024

CONTENTS / VOL. 07 / ISSUE 07

F E ATU R E S

04 THE WOMEN’S ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE uniquely positions women for success through education and leadership programs; research and scholarship opportunities; and career connections and experiences, which open minds and open doors.

It is proud to continue to celebrate the legacy of Hartford College for Women, and is supported and sustained by a community of women and men who believe that advancing the potential of women is a personal and collective priority.

M A N AGING E D ITO R Glandina Morris Lyga ’04 CO N T RIBUTING WRITE R Theresa Sullivan Barger D E SI GN Lilly Pereira ’02 A R T DIRECTIO N Alicia Post Lindstadt E D I TO RIAL ASS ISTANCE Amelina Douangvongsa ’26 (LEAD) Jonathan Easterbrook ’87, M’90 Nancy Simonds P H OTO GRAP H Y Defining Studios, Roger Castonguay ’08 Nicholas DeLeo ’24 Hannah Dhom ’25 Jashia Hill ’25 Selmo Photos University of Hartford Archives and Special Collections P R O F E SS IO NAL STAFF Amy Jaffe Barzach, Executive Director Glandina Morris Lyga ’04, Director Hannah Alldredge Morris M’23, Assistant Director and LEAD Program Director H A R T FO RD.E D U/ WO M ENSADVANCEM ENT CO N TACT U S : 200 Bloomfield Avenue, GSU327 West Hartford, CT 06117 womenadv@hartford.edu

facebook.com/ womensadvancement

Progress over Perfection

Hereniah Otieno ’27 finds a new home with the LEAD community.

08

The Strength Within

Joyce Ashuntantang says “yes” to life with support from the Laura Johnson Leaders program.

DE PA R TM E N TS 02 HCW FEATURE 08 PROGRAM PROFILE 10 DONOR PROFILE

B OA R D OF F I CERS Pearl Douglas Chair Judy Casperson Treasurer Karishma Pinto ’17, ’18 (LEAD) Secretary B OA R D OF DI R E CTORS Kim Barberi ’99, ’02 (HCW) Moraima Gutiérrez Mary Ellen Ladieu Barry Lastra Karen Gibbs Orefice ’65 (HCW) Katharine A. Owens Debra Palmer ’82 Molly O’Shea Polk Sabrina Streeter ’18 (LEAD) H. Frederick Sweitzer Dr. Nicole Turnbow FOU N DI N G B OA R D CHA I R Lucille M. Nickerson

12 DONOR REPORT 14 IMPACT 15 ANNUAL REWIND 16 HCW ALUMNA PROFILE

DEA R A LU MN A E, PA R EN TS, FR I EN DS, A N D STU DEN TS, There is transformative power in the word “yes” because the trajectory of our lives can seem so uncertain at times. Miriam “Mims” Butterworth, former acting president at Hartford College for Women, reminded us to “Just say yes.” In fact, it is one of the core tenets of our Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program for today’s students. The LEAD program was inspired and designed by the way students at Hartford College for Women were challenged and supported.

This seventh issue of W magazine is dedicated to just that—our “yes” moments in life that can lead to endless possibilities and meaningful connections.

My first and biggest “yes” was leaving my family in Dominica and migrating to the United States as a foreign student at the age of 18. It was a culture shock, from weather to food, to experiencing life as a person of color in America for the first time. Along the way, I have also said yes to accepting new career roles, to pursuing new educational opportunities, to starting my own certified public accounting business, and to mentoring students.

The year 2017 was my “year of yes.” I longed to live intentionally. However, I did not feel a sense of fulfillment. I was scared of stepping out of the box and afraid of failure.

I was encouraged to quell that fear by saying yes because joy was waiting beyond the safety walls. I said yes to journaling, mindful reading, volunteering, and being a mentor for The Women’s Advancement Initiative, despite my time constraints and feelings of vulnerability.

Looking back, I see how one yes can open up so many new possibilities in life. I see the young women we serve face their fears by allowing us to help them navigate college life. The word “yes” also echoes in the voices of thousands of Hartford College for Women alumnae who found a supportive environment that challenged them to be their best selves. In May 2025, our tenth LEAD cohort will graduate, and every year, our amazing students carry that same spirit of courage, change, and curiosity.

Throughout my journey to creating and embracing my yes moments, I leaned on my communities of support during both challenging and rewarding times. I would like to thank our community that continues to encourage those who benefit from our programming to say yes to new goals, to new friends, to new ideas, and to the model that uncertainty breeds new opportunities. Together, we thrive!

With appreciation, PEARL DOUGLAS, Chair, The Women’s Advancement Initiative Board of Directors

02 / H CW F E AT U R E

EMPOWERING WOMEN’S POTENTIAL

Hartford College for Women President Laura Johnson

LAU RA JO HNSON had a modest upbringing in the small rural town of Wallingford, Vermont. Her dedication to education started with earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Vermont and a second master’s degree from Radcliffe College. In recognition of her career achievements, she received multiple honorary degrees, including a doctorate of humane letters from the University of Hartford. She held teaching assignments in Massachusetts and served as a resident head at Simmons College.

In 1943, Miss Johnson said “yes” to an opportunity that would significantly impact the trajectory of her life and the lives of thousands of individuals who were fortunate enough to meet her on their educational journeys. As the third dean of Hartford College for Women, she created a college community that became a family. In 1958, she was bestowed the much-deserved title of the College’s first president. Under her tenure and leadership, Hartford College for Women truly thrived.

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

Laura Johnson was known for encouraging women of every age and circumstance to discover their potential.

The roots of Hartford College for Women flourished under her leadership.

Above: Laura Johnson giving a commence­ ment speech as printed in the 1979 Highlander yearbook. Top right: A retirement tribute to Laura Johnson from the 1976 Highlander yearbook. Bottom right: Group photo from the 1970 Highlander yearbook.

H CW F E AT U R E

Miss Johnson was integrally involved in finding a larger campus in 1957 to accommodate the growing number of local women pursuing higher education.

She oversaw innovative ways to meet the needs of degree seeking women of any age, such as programs to support educated “empty nesters” interested in re-entering the job market, and continuing education programs for women in the Greater Hartford community.

President Johnson created a collaborative scholarly spirit by hiring dedicated administrators and faculty from esteemed regional colleges and universities to teach their specialties and offer programming that made the College a regional hub for women’s intellectual and personal development.

Miss Johnson was known for supporting all women, regardless of their personal or financial circumstances.

For more than 30 years, she elevated Hartford College for Women to academic prestige and always welcomed a casual visit from students, alumnae, staff, and faculty.

Pat McKinley is a 1972 graduate who later served as the College’s Director of Student Activities and Assistant in Administration to Laura Johnson. After Miss Johnson’s retirement in 1976, Pat continued serving as the Director of Housing & Student Affairs before becoming a trustee of Hartford College for Women.

“As for every student, Laura Johnson was my academic advisor and transfer counselor,” Pat shares. “She encouraged each student to continue their education and helped in securing financial aid and admission to make that possible. I am fortunate to have been part of an environment full of wonderful, smart, and creative people where the quality of the student experience was always the primary focus.”

An alumna from the Class of 1953 comments, “Miss Johnson understood human beings, especially young ladies.

She’d give you enough rope so you could get all the way out to the end. She wouldn’t pull you in, but she’d always have the right questions to ask: Have you

done this? Have you thought about that? Do you really want to do it that way? Is that what you really need? She’d always give you the option to come back and rethink.”

In the commemorative book, 90 Women. 90 Stories. 90 Years of Educating Women in Hartford., other alumnae remember Miss Johnson as, “Always wearing skirts and sweaters.”

“Knowing every student by name and taking a personal interest in them by hosting breakfast at her apartment.”

“Offering valuable advice in her impressive yet cozy office.”

In a tribute to her in 1969, Chase Woodhouse, then director of the Service Bureau for Women’s Organizations, wrote, “President Johnson has done more for women’s education, women’s status, and women’s employment in jobs on a level with their abilities than most educators have done in a lifetime.”

Her commitment to education and public service extended beyond the halls of Hartford College for Women. In the community, Laura Johnson was the first woman to be elected to the Hartford Courant board of directors. In 1972, she became a director of Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company, the first woman to serve as a director in a Hartford-based insurance company.

She also served as a trustee of many colleges, schools, and other nonprofit organizations.

Miss Johnson grew Hartford College for Women into an established presence and leader in women’s education.

After retiring in 1976, she moved to Farmington Woods in Avon, Connecticut. During her last years, she pursued her love of nature through her involvement in the Connecticut Horticultural Society, of which she was president, and the Bee and Botanical Society in Vermont. She died in 1980 at the age of 69 but is forever remembered as a champion for women’s success.

Her legacy lives on through the good work and achievements of the thousands who received the benefit of her service and counsel in providing extraordinary educational opportunities

/ 03

for women. It also lives on through the life-changing work of The Women’s Advancement Initiative at the University of Hartford.

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

0 4 / F E AT U R E

Progress Perfection Hereniah “Niah” Otieno ’27 finds a new home with the LEAD community.

Nursing student Hereniah Otieno ’27, affectionally known as Niah, ranked in the top 2 percent of national exams in Kenya after completing high school. Yet, despite her ambition to improve public health worldwide, her family’s finances placed higher education out of reach. Struggling with the unfairness of seeing her peers begin college, she faced a sense of despair.

But with a strong faith and determination to move forward, she found a way to contribute to her community. At 16, she began volunteering as a tutor at her local library, teaching children to read and write, and helping students with homework, research, and preparing for tests. She also provided encouragement, moral support, and a chance to ask questions. The opportunity caused her to discover talents she did not know she had.

Niah also returned to her former school as a volunteer biology and chemistry tutor and mentor. Growing up in an impoverished area of Nairobi, Kenya, Niah originally aspired to study law and justice. But after seeing how underprivileged communities lacked basic nutrition, exercise, and access to health care,

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

she decided she needed to help people facing these challenges.

First, she had to overcome the difficulty of being a woman in a male-dominated society led by people who believed that women belong in the kitchen. Growing up in this environment initially limited her capacity to dream. Her mother, Julianah, who did not have the advantage of a formal education, is one of her primary role models. Julianah served as mother and father to Niah and her five siblings and made sure they studied.

“My mom inspires me so much because of her self-discipline and tenacity,” she says. “Despite societal obstacles, she went against everything to fulfill her dream to become a teacher and help young kids.”

Niah also admires her mother’s gratitude for life. When her mom was growing up, women often felt confined as if they were stuck in a box. Her mom did not want to stay in that box and ensured her children would not have the same box.

F E AT U R E

/ 7

over

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

0 6 / F E AT U R E

Niah pictured on the University of Hartford campus where she also practices her nursing skills in the Hartford HealthCare Immersive Simulation Center.

Michelle Obama also inspires her, but not only because she was the First Lady. Obama follows her passion and helps empower others through her work supporting education, especially girls’ education in Africa. Niah has a similar global outlook.

“I want to serve not just my community; I want to serve the world. I feel like the world is my community,” she comments. “My ambition propels me forward. There is so much that can be done. We just need a willing heart.”

She is studying nursing and plans to work as a nurse practitioner when she graduates in 2027 so she can fund her additional education—a master’s in

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

nursing and a medical degree. Her ultimate goal is to simultaneously work as a physician and serve the World Health Organization so she can influence health policies.

“My desire is to blend it all because one is not independent of the others,” she states. “Most low-income communities have poor health because of poor sanitation and food scarcity.”

Director of Education Amy Hutchinson of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) and Bob and Linda Forrester supported Niah and helped her come to the United States to attend the University of Hartford.

SHOFCO is a leading community-based

organization dedicated to impacting change and providing resources in Kenya. Niah was then connected to University leaders like, Katherine Presutti, Molly Polk, Women’s Advancement staff, and community mentors like Bob and Frankie Goldfarb.

Upon arriving on campus, Niah felt an overwhelming newness and confusion that left her feeling lost and frustrated. Then she experienced the first-year retreat offered through The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program.

“My LEAD cohort, staff, and retreat volunteers welcomed me warmly, telling

F E AT U R E

“ LEAD is my safe space. It feels like a constant pat on the back. When I said ‘yes’ to joining LEAD, I had no idea I would also find a new home.” me that I deserve all the good things coming my way,” she shares, with a smile lighting her face.

“They did not just help me settle in physically; they made sure I was okay emotionally and mentally too. The first orientation felt like a sprint, and LEAD handed me the baton for this four-year race,” she adds.

“LEAD is my safe space,” the first-generation student says. “It feels like a constant pat on the back that comes from my cohort, the staff members, the workshops, and the team-building activities. I have learned it is okay to feel overwhelmed. It is what we do about it that really matters.”

Niah stops by the LEAD office nearly every day, usually without any specific reason in mind. She likes feeling connected to the LEAD staff.

“Just knowing that they are there, that they are concerned, they are interested— that is enough for me,” she states. “I know I have people who will clap for me. They will support me, mentor me, teach me, correct me, but above all, they will always be there. You don’t need to be in need to talk to someone.”

“It is not a transactional relationship for me. These are my people. This is the one space where I can remove my mask and just be myself. That is something I love,” she says.

Niah, a self-described introvert, credits the LEAD program with helping her form strong friendships with other students. It is comforting to her to be among a group of young women who share common goals, regardless of their major. One of the best LEAD lessons she has learned is that at times you have to be uncomfortable to achieve results.

“When I applied that lesson, I saw myself socially become more active,” she reflects. “I started to challenge myself academically, socially, and physically.”

The lesson reminded Niah of her favorite quote, from author Christine Mason Miller, “At any given point, you have the power to say this is not how this story has to end.”

Through LEAD workshops and hearing from successful women, she has learned to embrace progress, not perfection.

“I can see the woman I would like to become,” she shares. “I see how other women walk in and how they speak. I want to hear about how they are doing, but I also want to see how they listen and what they do.”

Looking ahead in her career, she intends to draw inspiration from the support and guidance LEAD has offered her and the resilience and self-confidence gained from her LEAD experiences. They have broadened her outlook.

“I have learned that I love being connected. Before, I just loved helping,” she says. “I love belonging. I value people. LEAD gives you an opportunity to reflect. Through reflection, you can feel the deep connection you have with community. When I said ‘yes’ to joining LEAD, I had no idea I would also find a new home.”

/ 07

SPONSORSHIP

Sponsor a LEAD Student Program Gifts to the LEAD program provide unique educational opportunities for young women to experience a life-changing professional development and personal enrichment program.

Gifts of all sizes are welcomed and appreciated.

For a gift of $2,000, you can sponsor a student’s participation in this transformative program for one year. Your LEAD student sponsorship: • Provides 13 annual interactive leadership training and life-skills workshops.

• Connects your student(s) to a network of peers and mentors who inspire them to pursue opportunities and persevere through challenges.

• Creates an opportunity for your student(s) to attend a leadership retreat and professional conferences.

• Helps your student(s) secure transportation to internships and interviews, and participate in community service trips.

You can impact a young woman’s life in a meaningful and powerful way.

If you are interested in sponsoring a LEAD student, please contact Amy Jaffe Barzach at 860.983.5040 or barzach@hartford.edu.

At right: Niah with her LEAD classmates and friends, Katie Casey ’27 and Evania Soljour ’25.

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

08 / PROGRAM PROFILE

The Strength Within JOYCE ASHUNTANTANG Laura Johnson Leader. Educator. Public Speaker. Poet.

JOYC E A S H U NTANTANG approaches each day with a quiet inner strength to excel. The Cameroon, Africa native finds her “yes” moments and victories in life often come during times of challenge.

Her parents instilled the values of integrity, love for education, and a work-recreation balance into the hearts and minds of their six children. Her father earned a degree in education and history. He also taught math and was a curriculum evaluator. He later served as the vice principal at a teacher’s college.

Her mother worked at the department of education and served as the chief of service of external exams.

At the age of 11, Joyce’s older sister, Emilia, died tragically from drowning.

The news struck Joyce particularly hard as she looked up to her sister as a role model and true leader. Emilia was active in several youth groups and Joyce aspired to live for her, be active in all the same activities, and overcome her grief through public service. That inspiration carried Joyce through the next chapter of her life. Then, in 1986, her world as she knew it ended.

Her father and mother were involved in a car accident. Her mother died at the scene and her father was in a coma. Two days after her mother was buried, her father died. Joyce and her siblings were suddenly left on their own to navigate the world.

The night of her father’s wake, she was confronted with the thought of the uncertain future.

“I had just finished high school and was getting ready to go to the only university in Cameroon at that time,” Joyce shares. “The day of the accident, I was

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

waiting for them to return home so I could go register.”

The deadline to register for classes was the morning after her father’s burial, but to make the journey back to Yaoundé to be at the university on time, she had to leave that evening before her father was buried. She only had a few hours to decide her future path.

Joyce was weak from crying and a lack of proper nutrition, but that night, she mustered the strength to think about what her father would want her to do in that situation.

“My dad would not want my life to be on hold because of his death,” she says.

“So, I left his funeral early and said ‘yes’ to education and honoring my family’s name.”

Joyce majored in modern English studies with a minor in theater arts at the University of Yaoundé. She later earned several master’s degrees in library and information science, education, English, and philosophy, and a doctorate in English with a concentration in African literature. In 2009, she came to the University of Hartford. Her inner determination, natural drive for leadership, and love of teaching and learning guided her to The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s Laura Johnson Leaders Program.

This dynamic two-year leadership program for women faculty and staff

at the University of Hartford provides participants with an innovative leadership training program, community building opportunities, and engage­ment in professional or personal development projects. The program was named for Laura Johnson, third dean and first president of Hartford College for Women.

“The Laura Johnson Leaders Program added value to my life as a professor and as a person,” Joyce comments. “The training I received fortified my values and skills, empowered me, and inspired me to write about the unique stories of other women as part of my leadership project.”

PROGRAM PROFILE / 09

The Laura Johnson Endowed Fund

“ The Laura Johnson Leaders Program added value to my life as a professor and as a person. It created a culture of community, connected me to other remarkable women, and allowed me to celebrate my uniqueness.”

More than a decade later, Joyce also remembers the Laura Johnson Leaders session where she created her vision board. Pulling out a box in her office, she shares beautiful artwork with a door of opportunity, her in the middle, and people surrounding her on all sides.

On the doorknob are her hands made long by determination and resilience, ready to pry the door open. Behind her are many people, including her mother, father, and siblings, along with a map of Africa and Cameroon reflecting her identity and ancestral strength, and a cross depicting her faith.

“Whenever there is an opportunity, I look to this vision board. It reminds me that I bring with me all of my identities,” she says. “I come from a culture where community is everything.

The Laura Johnson Leaders Program created a culture of community and allowed me to celebrate my uniqueness.”

The program also connected Joyce to a pillar of support for her next life challenge. She said “yes to life” after going through breast cancer.

“I fought with all I had,” she shares.

“I was thankful for the family, friends, and colleagues who rallied to support me. It is not surprising that the person I

called to take me to that crucial appointment after my diagnosis was Amy Barzach, executive director of The Women’s Advancement Initiative.

I thank her for her ongoing support.

I am happy to say that I just celebrated my first year of living cancer-free.”

On campus, Joyce teaches English Composition, African American Liter­ature, Literature Across NonWestern Countries, and Art for Social Change.

Joyce is also the proud mother of two wonderful sons who recently graduated from Ivy League law schools and now work as corporate lawyers.

She also infuses her love of literature and passion for writing into her poetry and public speaking. As a published author and poet, she speaks about hope, enthusiasm, achieving success, culture, and women’s empowerment in an intelligent, humorous, and captivating manner.

Every day, Joyce says yes to life and success because of her inner strength, family culture and values, inspiring women, and her community of support.

For more information about Joyce’s story and to read her poetry, visit joyceash.com.

Laura Johnson was the third dean and first president of Hartford College for Women (1943–76). Throughout her tenure, she helped thousands of students discover their strengths and aspire for even greater success. Her fortitude, charismatic spirit, and admirable leadership qualities served as the inspiration for The Women’s Advancement Initiative to establish the Laura Johnson Leaders program.

Since 2008, this dynamic leadership, professional development, and community building program has benefited 163 women faculty and staff at the University of Hartford.

Every year, alumnae of the Laura Johnson Leaders program are invited to reflect on the program’s impact and apply for a Laura Johnson Leadership award. Recipients receive funding for professional development or instructional supplies and a certificate in recognition of them honoring the spirit of Laura Johnson, who was known for her vision, leadership, and empowerment of others.

In 2023, the Laura Johnson Endowed Fund was established to support The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programming for faculty and staff. We thank the Fund’s inaugural donors, Nancy Kinsley Barrett ’57 (HCW) and Tom Barrett; Valerie Lewis ’62 (HCW), director of admissions at Hartford College for Women and former director of The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s board. Their generous gifts contributed to the creation of this fund that honors the legacy of Laura Johnson.

Nancy Kinsley Barrett, a 1957 graduate of Hartford College for Women, shares, “We are proud to support the Laura Johnson Endowed Fund. I felt an immediate connection to Laura Johnson. She truly transformed my life.”

Nancy also served on the Celebrating Hartford College for Women and 90 Years of Educating Women reunion planning committee as a decade captain for the 1950s. Last year, for her 87th birthday, Nancy received a box of her yearbook photos taken at the Highland Street campus, including Hartford College-Trinity mixer photos, class committee images, and personalized letters from current Laura Johnson Leaders expressing their gratitude for her generosity.

With hearts full of gratitude and appreciation, we celebrate Laura Johnson for her contributions to women’s education. We also acknowledge all of the Hartford College for Women alumnae, like Nancy Kinsley Barrett (shown here), and friends who commemorate Laura Johnson’s life by sharing their memories with today’s women.

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

10 / DONOR PROFILE

GI V I N G BAC K TH E HINDA N. FISHE R E N D OW E D FU N D

A Family Legacy Inspires the Future

H I N DA NE I D I T Z F I S HE R grew up in a closely-knit Jewish family in which her father, a grocer, struggled to feed his five children in Hartford’s North End. When she was 12, a distant relative, who was childless, loved Hinda so much that she wanted to adopt her, but her mother refused.

This affluent woman, whom Hinda called “Aunt Diane,” exposed her to a new world in which she thrived. On the weekends and during holidays, she visited her in New York City, where she was introduced to opera, music, and art. This inspired her to pursue a college education in the 1930s, a time when women had fewer opportunities than men.

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

After graduating from the University of Connecticut with a teaching degree, she married Stanley D. Fisher, a struggling young lawyer who became an astute businessman.

As president of the Connecticut Spring Company, his priority was the working conditions and morale of his employees. This moved him to relocate his city factory, where he deplored the sweatshop conditions, to the countryside, where he built the Farmington Industrial Park.

In their new surroundings, his workers experienced a clean and exemplary working environment, which, at that time, was an innovative idea.

His success enabled him to support hardworking people who needed

financial assistance to set up their small businesses. Stanley was a visionary who believed wealthy people should share their means with the less privileged, providing they earned it. This was a guiding principle not only for him, but also for his two daughters.

“Every person should be self-supporting and education is the bridge to this goal,” Lois, daughter of Hinda and Stanley, says.

Lois and her older sister, Diane, named after Hinda’s childhood benefactor, were not spoiled children. When they were given the choice to go to private or public school, they chose public school.

“We wanted to be like everyone else,” Lois comments. “I had a volunteer

DONOR PROFILE / 11

LEAD students who have benefited from the newly established Hinda N. Fisher Endowed Fund and the generosity of her daughter Lois Fisher-Dietzel.

Below: A photo of Hinda Neiditz Fisher.

summer job in a children’s hospital emptying bedpans, worked in a kitchen, and was a clerk in a department store.”

“My mother never forgot her humble roots,” Lois shares. “When she lived more comfortably, her parents, siblings, relatives, and the Greater Hartford community were recipients of her generosity.

Hinda was also an active volunteer at hospitals. She made site visits to projects she supported and was a board member of many nonprofit organizations.

“She lived to almost 102 years as an unpretentious, caring, and giving person,” Lois says.

Thanks to an introduction from Kelly Daly, a Women’s Advancement Initiative’s student mentor, board member, and friend, Lois learned about the LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program at the University of Hartford. In 2019, when she visited her hometown of West Hartford from Germany, where she now lives, she made an appointment with Amy Jaffe Barzach, executive director of The Women’s Advancement Initiative.

“Amy’s enthusiasm for her job and the LEAD students and her personal involvement in their lives impressed me so much that I wanted to help,” Lois says.

After spending time with students who shared their family history and future dreams with her, Lois decided that the most urgent needs of the students should be addressed. She did not want a student to be forced to quit her studies because of insurmountable financial problems.

“Through her family’s legacy and their generosity, Lois helped me at a pivotal moment in my academic career,” a student in the LEAD Class of 2024 shares.

“Her support and in-person meeting changed my entire perspective and opened more doors than I could have hoped for. Who she is, what she does, and all that she stands for inspire me beyond measure.”

When she heard about another LEAD student who was working 40 hours a week and needed to lease a car to get to work

and attend her college classes, Lois eased the student’s burden with a gift from her mother’s trust.

In honor of her mother and her love for learning, in March 2024, Lois donated $500,000 from her mother’s trust to establish an endowed fund to assist LEAD students facing financial hardships.

“Aunt Diane helped my mother when she was needy, and I know that mother would be as enthusiastic as I am to support in perpetuity a program for students that gives them the chance to become leading citizens in their community,” Lois states.

Beverly Boyle, a confidant of Hinda Fisher and the advisor to the former Fisher Foundation, regards the LEAD program as an ideal vehicle for this gift because it focuses on women and their ability to succeed in whatever field they choose.

In her praise of the LEAD program, Beverly says, “Mrs. Fisher would have seen herself in the women of the LEAD program. You could say these young women are a clone of her. They are living their life the way she lived hers. She would be very proud of each one of them. She valued educators and how they can make a difference in a student’s life. I think that was the teacher in her. She knew that by reaching out and giving a helping hand, sometimes you can really change the course of a person’s life for the better.”

Ways to Give GIVE ONLINE Scan the QR code at bottom right or “Make a Gift” at hartford.edu/ womensadvancement.

MAIL A GIFT Send a check in the enclosed envelope.

SUPPORT THE ANNUAL FUND Unrestricted annual gifts provide essential support for daily operations of The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programs, including LEAD, Dorothy Goodwin Scholars, and Laura Johnson Leaders.

DONATE TO THE LEAD PROGRAM The LEAD program was launched in 2012 to provide young women with unique educational opportunities through a life-changing professional and personal enrichment program. The program serves 100+ students annually.

See page 7 for information on how your gift directly impacts today’s students.

CONSIDER A MAJOR GIFT To discuss major gifts or alternative options—including directing a gift from a donor-advised fund, retirement assets, or real estate—please contact Rebecca Brandt at 860.768.2416 or brandt@hartford.edu.

GIVE TO THE HCW LEGACY FUND Gifts to the Hartford College for Women (HCW) Legacy Fund support The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programs for today’s women, and HCW reunions and events.

DONATE YOUR TIME: MENTOR A STUDENT There is nothing more energizing than making a difference in the lives of young women. Share your career and life experiences with a student— in person, on the phone, or through a video conference.

Enjoy lunch or coffee with students.

Hire a student as an intern. Or, host a student at your workplace for a few hours or a few days. To learn more, call 860.768.5961 or email womenadv@hartford.edu.

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

12 4 / D IM O PNAOCRT R/ E C PU OR RR TENT

PROGRAMS

THE WOMEN’S ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE

JULY 1, 2023, TO JUNE 30, 2024

Donor Report

Thanks to the support of donors like you, The Women’s Advancement Initiative is able to make a significant difference in the lives of today’s women. We honor and thank you for helping us advance women’s potential in the Hartford College for Women tradition. $2,500+

Margaret Pearl Douglas and Dr. Montgomery B. Douglas ’83

Teresa Cardona ’19 (LEAD)

American Endowment Foundation Aurora Women and Girls Foundation

David Estridge and Marjorie Estridge

Barrett Family Foundation

Karen Berner Flowers A’68 (HCW) and John H. Flowers

Joan Dombkowski Cooper A’66 (HCW) and William Cooper ’68

Nancy Kinsley Barrett A’57 (HCW) and Thomas R. Barrett Robert E. Donovan Endowed Scholarship Fund

Charities Aid Foundation of America

Linda Merkle Frank A’63 (HCW)

Susan Ellovich Guralnik A’60 (HCW)

Carol Stern Gendel A’67 (HCW)

Judith Harper

Mary Ann Godbout M’85 and Dr. Louis Godbout Jr.

Dr. Michelle Guillet Helmin ’85, M’94 and David Helmin ’84 Isabelle Jayawickrema P’16, P’19, P’24 and Arosha Jayawickrema M’91, P’16, P’19, P’24 Cheryl Benezra Landry ‘87 and Robert Landry Jr. Dulcy M. Lecour A’72 (HCW) and Charles Fujita

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund

Perry Daniels Huntington A’71 (HCW), ’73 and Gregory Huntington

Hinda N. Fisher Irrevocable Trust

Debra M. Javit A’83 (HCW)

Lisa Hamlin and Judson Hamlin

Lois Fisher-Dietzel

Janice Zaleski Klein A’70 (HCW) and David M. Klein

Valerie Fleming Lewis A’62 (HCW), Hon. ’08

Ruth E. Harlow A’67 (HCW)

Pamela Malloy ’76

Daniel Hynes ’96, P’21 and Christine Hynes P’21

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company

Brian Kruse P’24 and Brenda Kruse P’24

Phyllis Moore Mitchell M’12 and Gary Mitchell

Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial Charitable Trust

Patricia McKinley A’72 (HCW)

Moraima Gutiérrez

Francine Goldfarb and Robert Goldfarb

Bobbi McNeil ’94

Dorothy Goodwin Scholars Endowed Fund

Joan M. Pritchard A’74 (HCW) and Edward E. Clark

Barbara Cook Langner A’72 (HCW)

Michael Mize

Jennifer Lavore

Dr. Grace E. Jacobs A’50 (HCW)

Kate Farrow Stoddard A’72 (HCW)

Lincoln Financial Group

Georgette Nemr ’85 and Reynolds Onderdonk

Christine Millington

Laura Johnson Endowed Fund

James M. Linton Trust

Barry N. Lastra and Cynthia Gottlieb

$500–$999

Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Endowed Fund

Tricia Brunton

Linda Kautz Macy A’70 (HCW) and Terrence W. Macy

Joan Dombkowski Cooper A’66 (HCW) and William J. Cooper ’68

Jeffrey Novak P’16, P’16 and Jeanne Marie Novak P’16, P’16

Dr. Daniel Marshall

Margaret Curtis Cornely A’72 (HCW) and Capt. Edward Cornely (Ret)

Martin Parquette

Lucille M. Nickerson Hon. ’22 and Ralph Zegarelli Karen Gibbs Orefice A’65 (HCW) and Jerry A. Orefice ’66 Debra Palmer M’82 and Jeffrey Plocharczyk Sandra E. Peterson Dorothy Mylchreest Redmond A’36 (HCW) Endowed Fund for LEAD Jan Cassells Sweet A’65 (HCW)* and Joan Cassells Morgan A’53 (HCW)* Leadership Education and Development Fund

Karishma Pinto ’17, M’18 (LEAD) Lisa Christensen Petersen A’76 (HCW) Julia Parker Post ’63

Gail Sparrell Pease A’65 (HCW) and Thomas E. Pease

Marcia L. Hincks

Marie Castagno Pezzlo A’63 (HCW)

M. Martha Sandefer M’06 and Dr. H. Frederick Sweitzer III

Dr. Elizabeth Ivey and Robert Klein

Dorothy M. Schwobel A’52 (HCW)

Dr. Sharon Toffey Shepela

Kay Kloppenburg and Timothy Butterworth

Karin Stahl M’73 and William Stahl

Nancy Simonds

Paul J. Krause ’13 and Sarah Hawkes

$100–$249

Winfield Viering

Joanne E. Beers A’72 (HCW) and Earl C. Cree II

Adrienne Willets A’82 (HCW)

Annamarie Lavieri A’65 (HCW) and Albert C. Gunther Shirley Leong M’03 Glandina Morris Lyga ’04 and Matthew Lyga

Sabrina Streeter ’18 (LEAD)

Virginia Forte Berg A’72 (HCW) and Steven G. Berg Nannie Brown and Daniel Brown Jr.

$1,000–$2,499

Schwab Charitable Fund

Rosanne Casale-Daigneault A’66 (HCW) and Brian M. Daigneault

Dr. Elaine Karalus Altman A’64 (HCW) and Edward I. Altman

Ina L. Selden A’64 (HCW)

Judy Casperson

Lydia Mozzanica Tedone A’77 (HCW) and Peter L. Tedone

Gail Champlin ’66 Heather Corbett and Todd Bamford

Nancy A. Brennan

$250–$499

Eric Danielson Jr. and Esther Danielson

Miriam and Oliver Butterworth and Family LEAD Program Endowed Fund

Peter Arakas and Karen Kellerman

Linda A. Demikat A’66 (HCW)

Anne Reddy Baldwin A’83 (HCW)

Jennifer B. Fox A’70 (HCW) and Raymond O. George

Debra Cerwinski ’85 and Michael Block

Dr. Katharine A. Owens

Fidelity Foundation

Molly O. Polk and Ryan F. Polk

Amy Jaffe Barzach P’21 and Peter Barzach P’21

Maria Orefice ’72 and David Lundberg

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

Sandra Nowicki Garick A’62 (HCW)

Esther Scheinblum Yeck A’70 (HCW) Up to $99 All Saints’ Episcopal Church Deanna Ambrogio Teresa P. Anello A’85 (HCW) and Salvatore T. Anello Corinne Ansbro ’18 (LEAD) Charlotte Bacon Kathleen Ballard Gianna Balsamo A’23, ’24 (LEAD) Kim Y. Barberi A’99 (HCW), ’02 (HCW) and Charles F. Barberi Melanie Bazer A’89 (HCW) Ariana Bazile ’24 (LEAD)

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2022

DONOR REPORT

Meghan Becerril ’20 (LEAD)

Astrid Jarvis ’86

Jill Schneider P’24

Claire L. Bergin C’03 (HCW)

Clarice Jayawickrema ’24 (LEAD)

Janet Bilan A’90, ’94 and Mark Gering

Elijah Jean

Samuel Skinner M’85 and Diane Skinner

Fleece Johnson

Naomi Smith

Madeline Blinderman A’20, ‘22 (LEAD)

Mathews Kallukalam and Lisy Kallukalam Mathews

Sharon Smith and Robert Smith Jr.

Yasmine Bonner ’23 (LEAD)

Carrie Kelly

Dr. Dianne Bridgeman P’21 and John Bridgeman P’21

David Kerr

Allison Stewart P’24 and Stephen Stewart P’24

Gloria Kerr

Tyanna Stewart ’24 (LEAD)

Shanice Breanna Kerr

Samantha Stigliano C’24 and Paul Stigliano

Paula C. Bryant A’94 (HCW), ’99 Catherine Casey (LEAD) Samantha Cassanelli ’24 (LEAD) Nadine Cedro Sara Cerruto M’18 Cynthia Chaffee A’56 (HCW) Mikaela Chambers Dr. Caryn Christensen

Jacqueline Kimble ’87 Dr. Amy Kratzer ’17, D’20 Jenna Kruse ’24 (LEAD) Kathleen M. Lapan A’76 (HCW) Lauren Lesser (LEAD) Sydney Lewis ’22 (LEAD)

Christina Stone ’24 (LEAD) Amelie Suero ’24 (LEAD) Darien Tanner ’24 (LEAD) Nancy Powers Tanner A’66 (HCW), ’68 and Craig Tanner Lynn M. Thibodeau A’91 (HCW) and Nicolaus Nisula

Rosemarie Cristina A’97 (HCW) Kathleen A. Czarnota C’99 (HCW)

Kim Ly ’22 (LEAD)

Genta Daci ’18, M’20 (LEAD)

Karen Lyga

Colin Davis and Rebecca Davis

Patti Mantell-Broad

Julia Dunlop

Paulann Marianella A’82 (HCW), M’03

Jasmin Enriquez (LEAD)

Christabel Marranzini

Ruvens Exantus

Jennifer Martin ’24 (LEAD)

Marcy Bufithis Webster ’02 and William Webster II

Michelle Feciaszko

Kathy Melisi

Alan Weinstein M’91

Dr. Jennifer Feitel D’22 and Stephanie Feitel ’24

Monica W. Mills A’00, ’03 (HCW)

June Sapia Welwood A’63 (HCW)

Patricia Moran M’83, M’87

Mary Birtles White A’64 (HCW) and William R. White

Carol Gabrielson Fine Emma Fleur David Fleurantin

Hannah Morris M’23 Dr. Roberta Moss and Michael Isko Michaela Mueller ’20 (LEAD)

Christine Phillips Fraser A’68 (HCW)

Kochava Krieger Munro ’17 (LEAD) and Jacob Munro ’17

Sarah Gada ’23 (LEAD)

Phillippa Mupfumira ’24 (LEAD)

Crystal Gallagher ’24 (LEAD)

Lizzy Nachmias

Michele Gallagher and Casey Gallagher

Saralyn Siegel Neff A’70 (HCW), ’74

Alice Hubert Gardner A’65 (HCW) and David F. Gardner William Garrity P’16 and Jill Garrity P’16 Constance Gavrich and Lawrence Gavrich Marven Gene Alexa Ginis (LEAD) Helen Daley Giunta A’76 (HCW), ’79 and Joseph A. Giunta Samantha Goemans and Michael Goemans ’11, M’13

Emily R. Noel A’77, M’86 (HCW) and Timothy J. Sullivan Jr. Karen Van Heusen Norton A’66 (HCW) Dr. Danielle Novak ’16, D’19 (LEAD) Chinazo Odunze ’24 (LEAD) Francesca Onimus C’23, A’23, C’24, ’24 (LEAD) Anthony Pazienza P’24 Shianne Pazienza ’24 (LEAD) Krista L. Pich A’94 (HCW) Erin Pollard and Benjamin Pollard ’21

Patricia Katz Goldstein A’59 (HCW) and Arnold Goldstein

Jessica Pressoir

Brian Green M’12 and Dawn Green

Maralex Ramirez ’24 (LEAD)

Kevin Guy

Nordia Reid A’99, ’07, P’24

Shannon Hammer A’19, ’22 (LEAD)

Stacy Routhier ’10, M’13

Caroline Hollingsworth ’24 (LEAD)

Jennifer Sanborn and Matthew Burch

Katrina Jakab ’24 (LEAD)

* Deceased

Diahni Preval ’24 (LEAD)

15

Maria Sokoloski

Judith Nettleton Lou A’67 (HCW) and Kristian M. Lou

Susan M. Filupeit A’67 (HCW)

/

Max Thoby Dr. Nicole Turnbow Tanya Walker Laura Antonik Wallace A’68 (HCW) and Roy Wallace

Jeralyn Wiggins ’24 (LEAD) D’naijah Williams ’24 (LEAD

Every attempt has been made to record and honor gifts from our donors accurately. If you note any errors, please accept our most sincere apology and contact us at womenadv@hartford.edu or call 860.768.5961 so that we can correct our records.

Donations can be directed to the Hartford College for Women Legacy Fund, which supports The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programs for today’s women and Hartford College for Women activities; the Annual Fund; the LEAD program; the Miriam and Oliver Butterworth & Family LEAD Program Endowed Fund; the Laura Johnson Endowed Fund; or the LEAD Endowed Fund that was established thanks to Lucille Nickerson, founding board chair of The Women’s Advancement Initiative.

Honoring the Life of Jan Cassells Sweet A’65 (HCW) The Women’s Advancement Initiative honors the life of Jan Cassells Sweet A’65 (HCW). She had an enduring love for Hartford College for Women as it provided opportunities for education to her family.

Her mother, Violet Cassells, an advocate for women’s education, encouraged her and her sister Joan to attend the College.

Joan was the first generation in her family to attend and graduate from Hartford College. In 1965, Jan graduated, and then her niece, Donna Legner, graduated in 1977.

She was fond of her Hartford College for Women experience and with how the legacy is carried on by, and for, today’s students in the LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program.

Her dear friend, Rod Auclair, said that Amy Barzach, executive director of The Women’s Advancement Initiative, and the LEAD students were the best family Jan had outside of her own family.

In 2018, she established the Jan Cassells Sweet A’65 (HCW) and Joan Cassells Morgan A’53 (HCW) Leadership Education and Development Endowed Fund. Jan also met with students and sponsored their participation in the LEAD program annually.

In an article published by Haddam Killingworth Now, Jan was also recognized as a fierce history advocate, staunch preservationist, and consummate hostess. She served as the Haddam town historian, and contributed to many local organizations including the Haddam Historical Society, the Haddam Garden Club, the Old Burial Yard at Thirty Mile Plantation Cemetery, the Haddam Land Trust, and Brainerd Memorial Library.

Jan had a huge heart and will be dearly missed. We appreciate the Sweet family’s legacy of giving and supporting women’s education.

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

14 / IMPACT

LEADing the Way

3,570

Women said “yes” to attending and graduating from Hartford College for Women

130+

Community leaders and professionals facilitated LEAD sessions for today’s students

{

100%

LEAD seniors said “yes” to empowering future LEAD participants by making a donation

6,509 Hours spent volunteering in the Greater Hartford community and beyond

The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program was established in 2012 to advance the potential of women students by challenging and supporting them as they navigate college and beyond. The program was inspired by the way students at Hartford College for Women were provided with an empowering community and encouraged to be their authentic selves.

{

The Transformative Power of Education

Collaboration and Innovation

Robert E. Donovan was a prominent and successful engineer. After his untimely passing, his wife, Peg, remembered a discussion they had about educational opportunities for women.

“I was motivated to provide scholarships for women because of a New York Times article my husband recounted to me shortly before his death,” she says.

“A family had a son and a daughter but only enough funds to send one to college. The family felt the daughter would marry and be provided for by her husband, so the son was sent to college. The daughter married, had two children, and then divorced. She was struggling to raise her children. A stranger came forward to provide for her college education.”

Robert thought it was unfortunate that women were so often overlooked and put in this untenable position. Peg knew he would want people to donate to his favorite causes in his memory. In 2009, the Robert E. Donovan Scholarship Fund was established to honor and celebrate his life. These scholarships are given each year to women students studying engineering who are on track to complete their degrees, but who need financial assistance in order to continue.

To date, more than 50 students have received scholarships thanks to the Donovan’s philanthropic spirit and their belief in the transformative power of education.

Dorothy Cheney Goodwin was a longtime trustee of Hartford College for Women and supporter of the University of Hartford. Some say the time she devoted to academics and public service paled in comparison to her greatest achievement—seeing the potential in others and helping them set and achieve their goals.

Thanks to her generous bequest, since 2010, more than 140 Dorothy Goodwin Scholarships have been awarded to students engaging in innovative research or creative projects in collaboration with a faculty or staff mentor.

In spring 2024, the 2023–2024 Dorothy Goodwin Scholars showcased some of their projects, which included: studying the effect of plant extracts on cancer cell treatment; illustrating a children’s book to inspire young girls to dream big; traveling to Iceland to study and perform with a woman composer; developing a LibGuide to bridge the gap in the missing BIPOC communities in the Library Information Science field; creating a digital stethoscope; analyzing physics and the human body; researching low-income housing and developing recommendations for affordable and safe housing options; painting a mural in Mortensen Library; collaborating with the American Red Cross to educate others about maternal death during childbirth and increasing blood donations; and creating an anthology on how to thrive in college.

We celebrate Dorothy Goodwin for educating women leaders for tomorrow by supporting their present opportunities.

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

IMPACT / CURRENT

2 024

Events

3

2

PROGRAMS

/ 17

4

1

9

5

6

11

12

7

8

10

13

14

16

17

19

20

15

18

A Milestone Reunion: Celebrating the Hartford College for Women Classes of 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, and 2003–04 Hartford College for Women alumnae, faculty, and staff celebrated a milestone reunion with today’s LEAD students on a lovely fall day full of reconnection and empowerment. Attendees enjoyed a luncheon and dessert reception, listened in person and virtually to a speaking program highlighting “yes” moments in life, tested their trivia skills, visited the Hartford College for Women Legacy Garden and Reading Room, viewed archives, and watched a contemporary main stage production of Cyrano de Bergerac by Hartt School students. Special thanks to the Milestone Reunion Planning Committee: Judy Hall Kane ’64; Ina Lee Selden ’64; Laura Hollister ’74; Joan Pritchard ’74; Gretchen Levitz ’84; Kim Barberi ’99, ’02; Melissa Karcz ’03; Teresa Pappagallo ’03; and Deb Simpson ’03.

Attendees at the milestone reunion pose for a group photo on the University of Hartford campus.

1: Aurora: Luminaries from the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation joined LEAD students for meaningful “Table Conversations” focused on self-care, overcoming challenges, aspirations, and support systems. 2-4: Community service: Students from Africa showed appreciation for the school supplies they received that were donated by LEAD students during a drive organized by fellow LEAD member Benie Kwarteng ’23; LEAD students helped Mercy Housing and Shelter Corp. restock their food pantry, organize the clothing closet, and clean classrooms at Sue Ann Shay Place during our annual Community Service Day. 5+6: Mentoring the next generation: More than 40 middle school girls from the Young Women’s Leadership Corp. enjoyed coming to campus to participate in leadership activities, take campus tours, paint kindness rocks, and listen to a panel discussion facilitated by LEAD students. 7: Students and Women’s Advancement staff watched the eclipse from the Hartford College for Women Legacy Garden. 8: Anna VanDeBerg ’25 and Shianne Pazienza ’24 were all dressed up for our Barbie-themed holiday party. 9: Graduation: Amelie Suero ’24 dons her LEAD graduation cords in the Alison Gallagher Coolbrith Lastra A’65 (HCW) “Be Open” chair in the Hartford College for Women Legacy Garden. 10: New LEADher: We welcomed our youngest honorary LEAD member, Ciara, daughter of The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s Director Dina Morris Lyga. 11+12: The highlight of every academic year is the retreat hosted by Outside Perspectives. It encourages team bonding and builds community. 13: Mock interviews: Gina Cordone ’25 (right) met with Kim Barberi ’99, ’02 (HCW) during our mock job interview session for LEAD sophomores and juniors. 14+15: Sponsored students: Lucille Nickerson, The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s founding board chair, and her husband Ralph Zegarelli, professor emeritus, enjoy various activities with their sponsored students several times a year.

Barry Lastra, Women’s Advancement board member, hosts dinner for his sponsored LEAD students and alumnae. 16-18: Our annual symposium showcased live leadership lessons from LEAD students and 20 Dorothy Goodwin Scholars projects including Marnielle Charles ’24 (pictured) and Akili Farrow’s ’23 trip to Iceland to study with woman composer Hildigunnur Rúnarsdóttir.

We also celebrated this year’s recipients of the Irene Robinson Marshall and Dr. Dan Marshall Scholarships. Dr. Dan is pictured with one of the LEAD student awardees, Married Mesilien ’25. Deb Javit ’83 (HCW) presented her “Javy” Resilience Awards to Katie Casey ’27 (left) and Hereniah Otieno ’27 (right). 19+20: Thanks to Aramark and Executive Chef Melissa Zarella, our second annual Pasta Making Night was a huge success. Chef Melissa is one of only three women recognized as executive chefs on a college campus in the entire Northeast Region.

To view the full gallery of photos from this milestone reunion, visit flickr.com/photos/womenadv/albums

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

16 / HARTFORD COLLEGE FOR WOMEN ALUMNA PROFILE

I NA L EE SEL DEN ’ 64 (H CW)

Saying “Yes” to Hartford College I NA L E E S E L D E N ’6 4 (HCW) showed no signs of aptitude or yearning for higher learning when she was in high school. Her mother finished sixth grade. Her father second grade. For her mom, Eve, completing high school was a great accomplishment for a girl. And she worried how the family might pay for a luxury like college for Ina. Even the summer YMCA sleepaway camp at $25 a week had been a stretch.

Ina thanks the fates for an older brother and a great Weaver High School guidance counselor, both of whom had blind faith in her.

In 1962, encouraged by her advocates, she had two acceptance letters from local colleges: St. Francis and Hartford College for Women. It would take scholarships and a work study program to afford tuition.

Her guidance counselor favored St. Francis because she felt Hartford College for Women was “too Bohemian.”

However, Ina fell instantly in love with Butterworth Hall, especially its big fireplace in the living room. Plus, she had a notion that two years at Hartford College for Women might lead to the path out of poverty. Possibly a train out of Hartford to some big city to the north, south, or west. It didn’t matter which direction.

She never expected what happened next. At Hartford College, Ina had Larry Scanlon for English class. He set rigorous standards inside and outside of his classroom.

“He was confident we girls could take on serious academic work,” she says.

“We responded by striving for his

T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E

praise. He came to us from Mount Holyoke College. I think he understood that many of us were the first in our families to attend college. And that our families recognized that 1265 Asylum Avenue was the perfect place to prepare us for the future.”

Professor Scanlon also set up a reading club. Elie Wiesel’s Night was one of the first books. He canceled the club after discovering several of the students failed to finish the books. Many just wanted to bask in his erudition.

Scanlon assigned weekly essays and annotated each student’s efforts with copious, meticulous notes. He would not tolerate laziness, in thought, text, or footnotes.

“He would begin Friday class by reading one student’s essay he found particularly interesting,” Ina recalls. “Once he arrived with a book and placed it on the podium next to that week’s chosen 800 words. He read the student’s essay. It was terrific. We marveled. Then he opened the book and read the same exact words to us and cited the original author. He then handed us back our essays, row by row, as usual, so our classmate would not be outed. There was no lecture on plagiarism. No need for one,” she adds.

Ina also recalls the wonderful Laura Johnson. “How did she know which transfer school and course of further study each of us was made for?” she asks. “I’ll never know. How did she take a chance hiring someone like Larry Scanlon? I’ll never know that either.

But I am grateful she did.”

“There couldn’t have been a prouder parent than my mom at the

Hartford College for Women graduation ceremony.”

Those early years spent writing essays and studying French and Spanish at Hartford College for Women helped Ina discover her passion for linguistics. She earned her bachelor’s degree in language and linguistics from Georgetown University. She did some graduate work at Stanford University in linguistics.

Today, she takes courses at Swarthmore College’s Lifelong Learning Program, belongs to a book group, and writes a weekly blog, Monday Therapy. Subject: The joy of living in New York City.

She taught English as a second language to European Union civil servants, including interpreters, in Brussels, Belgium. In 1976, writing became her career for nearly a decade as she served as a writer and editor for various publications, including the Rome bureau of the New York Times, freelancing for the Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Magazine, and Florida Magazine. Later, she edited a newsletter on primary health care in developing countries for the American Public Health Association.

In 1986, Ina started her own business. MANHATTAN PASSPORT was one of New York’s leading destination management companies. She designed travel to New York City for corporate incentive and cultural groups. The goal was to leave visitors with an understanding why New York City looks and thinks the way it does.

Since 2019, Ina has served on the board of trustees for the nonprofit New Amsterdam History Center where she organizes public programs on the brief,

but impactful, 40-year rule of the Dutch colony in America, a small trading post called New Amsterdam. Today it is a place called New York.

Ina lives in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City with her partner, Maury Mandel. Ever Polich, her only child, born in 1989, lives in New Orleans.

Now semi-retired, Ina’s passion is conducting tours as a volunteer docent on the High Line, Manhattan’s newest park, 1.45 miles of pure beauty. As she did with her business, Ina explains why this park stands 30 feet above ground, how the plants, grasses, and trees survive in only 18 inches of soil.

“One thing just seems to flow into the next, like a dream,” she says. “And it all started by saying ‘yes’ to attending Hartford College for Women.”

“Hartford College for Women is full of so many wonderful memories,” she comments. “I was delighted to reconnect with my classmates at the milestone reunion this past October.”

She served on the Milestone Reunion Planning Committee and thought it would be nice to see not only what everyone’s trajectory was after graduation but what their “yes” moments were in life.

At the reunion, she facilitated a lively discussion on celebrating “yes” moments.

Ina says, “Hartford College for Women.

Fifty-eight years ago!

The legacy endures through alumnae and today’s students.

Yesssss!”

“ One thing just seems to flow into the next, like a dream. And it all started by saying ‘yes’ to attending Hartford College for Women.”

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2024

200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117

Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage PAID University of Hartford

UPCOMING EVENTS March 27, 2025, 5:30 p.m.

Explore The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programming and impact. Discover innovative research and creative projects from Dorothy Goodwin Scholars, meet Laura Johnson Leaders, and learn from interactive leadership lessons presented by today’s LEAD students.

May 3, 2025 The graduation of our tenth LEAD cohort is a major milestone. LEAD alumnae are invited to attend a special retreat and reunion. Save the date!

Fall 2025 The Hartford College for Women Class of 1975 50th reunion and a celebration of other milestone class years. Event details coming soon.

COV E R P H OTOS Front: LEAD student Hereniah “Niah” Otieno ’27 showcases her word of affirmation that guides her through life. Back left: LEAD Class of 2024 seniors on the University of Hartford campus steps at Closing Circle. Back right: Hartford College for Women students posing on stairs as featured in the 1976 Highlander yearbook.