Lifelong Learning PLUS:
Wentworth’s Response to COVID-19
SUMMER 2020
Masters of Disguise Costume Club president Angel Carboni, BCOS ’21 (right), assists Zack Solovay, BBME ’21, with his cosplay outfit. Solovay—wearing a mask in homage to Raiden from the Metal Gear Solid video game series and arms from the One Punch Man anime—is a member of the club and a fan of cosplay, the act of dressing as a character from a game, book or movie. “I’m always helping Zack put on his cosplay wear since he always sort of forgets to make his cosplays easy to wear or put on himself,” Carboni says with a laugh. Solovay constructed the face gear for a class project using a servomechanism that allows the mask to open and close via buttons on the side. The inside right contains a mini projector to show how fast the wearer is moving. LED
lights will also turn red when Solovay is running and orange if he is idle. The One Punch Man arms consist of mainly LED configurations, including tilt sensors in both palms. “If he tilts his hand up,” explains Carboni, “it makes the lights react as if he’s charging up for an attack, and so they rapidly increase in speed and build up flame colors.” The coup de grâce? A small, built-in machine that uses vegetable glycerin to make smoke bellow out of the arms. Learn more about the Costume Club and find other Wentworth clubs and organizations at wit.edu/student-life/ student-orgs. — Greg Abazorius PHOTO BY DEVLO MEDIA
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CONTENTS
E D ITO R
Greg Abazorius Director, Content D E SI G N
Stoltze Design E D ITO R I A L CO M M IT TE E
Michelle Davis Chief Marketing Officer
12
14
Dave Fraboni Vice President for Institutional Advancement Carol Estes-Schwartz Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement Erik Cote Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Policy Courtney McKenna Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Policy
FEATURES
PROLOGUE
12 Lifelong Learning
4
Ann-Marie Jennette has found great success in the construction field, but her humble beginnings taught her that money should never get in the way of an education. Now, she’s doing something about it.
14 New Life for an Aging Star Inside Wentworth’s push to rejuvenate one of Boston’s top public schools.
16 Finding Stability in Fluctuating Times
SE N I O R W R ITE R
Responding to COVID-19
Dennis Nealon Director, Public and Media Relations
New faces
STAFF W R ITE R
Wentworth@Home
John Franklin Social Media Specialist
Five Questions
P H OTO G R A PH E R S
CLASS NOTES
Kelly Benvenuto, Andre Betz, Webb Chappell, Devlo Media, Kathleen Dooher, Heratch Ekmekjian, Genevieve Shiffrar, Brian Smith, Joshua Touster
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O N T H E COV E R
Removing space debris Residence hall memories
Members of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee share why they believe in the plan and why it will serve the university well during unprecedented times.
Amy Intille Vice President of Executive Affairs
Environmental goals Remembering Professor Michael Greene
WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US? Email editor@wit.edu
Photo by Genevieve Shiffrar
Wentworth Magazine is published by the Office of Marketing and Communications at Wentworth Institute of Technology 550 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115-5998. Contact us at editor@wit.edu. Please send any mail address corrections or updates to DataUpdate@wit.edu. Wentworth Magazine is printed by Kirkwood Digital in Wilmington, Mass. MORE ONLINE wit.edu/magazine
2 | SUMMER 2020
Since we last published WIT magazine during the winter, it seems as if the whole world has changed. The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped how we learn, work and carry out everyday tasks in our personal and professional lives. Many are facing nontraditional working arrangements and unemployment, and lives have been disrupted. Across the world we are seeing drastic change in the education realm, in the way we do business and in our physical workplaces. This is all happening against a backdrop of societal unrest, as demands for social and racial justice and change echo across the country. The Wentworth community has a history of rising to the challenge of the moment and this legacy continues today. We have seen the creativity and dedication of our students and faculty on full display during these last several months. Within these pages, we share about the ways members of the Wentworth community have used creativity and ingenuity during the pandemic. You will read about those who are dedicating their efforts toward making a better world for all of us. You will learn about the university’s new strategic plan that was developed through broad participation and input from across our Wentworth community. We are excited about the new direction our university will take. The leading priority of the strategic plan is Inclusive Excellence. Wentworth, from its founding, has been committed to educational access and providing pathways to new economic and employment opportunities. We are proud of what we have accomplished in these areas, but our work is not yet done. The protest marches across the nation and emerging social movements give us renewed hope that we will move closer to achieving inclusive excellence in everything that we do at Wentworth. Still, there remains hard work and serious commitment from our entire community toward making positive and permanent change. We seek to turn our profound anger and anguish regarding racial inequality and systemic racism into hope and action for meaningful change. We need to lead together on this issue. We must and will do more. Our Wentworth community is resilient, creative, hard-working and unafraid to tackle new challenges. We are tapping into these core strengths now more than ever, and we must continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead. Despite this sense of uncertainty, I firmly believe that we will all come away from this period stronger, more supportive of one another and recommitted to writing the next chapter of Wentworth’s history together. I continue to wish you and your families well.
Respectfully yours,
Mark A. Thompson, Ph.D. President
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
4 | SUMMER 2020
A Defining Moment: The Wentworth Community During a Pandemic How students, faculty, staff and alumni have pitched in and done their part “I saw a seemingly young COVID-19 positive patient, through a glass door, attached to a ventilator that I had just set up in the room earlier that day,” says Jake Girard. Girard, BSME ’21, had been working as a perioperative clinical engineering co-op student for Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) when he suddenly found himself equipping new areas of the hospital to be used as intensive care units for patients who could not breathe on their own. The importance of this moment and the real-world scenarios that co-op employment could present were abundantly clear to Molly Donahue and Ally Rodriguez, also BSME ’21. As clinical engineer co-ops at Clockwise from top left: MGH, the two were tasked with inspecting, configuring and deploying 3,000 infusion pumps. Jake Girard stands with a mechanical ventilator “We had to just jump in with the nurses and all learn really fast,” says Donahue. Ally Rodriguez (left) and Molly Donahue in scrubs An impact was also being made down the street at prior to starting a shift Wentworth. Only essential personnel were on campus after Wentworth Facilities university officials made the decision to move to distance employees outside of the learning and work-from-home formats at the onset of the Mission Main apartment coronavirus pandemic. But a group of faculty members, lab complex in the Roxbury technicians and staff were busy producing face shields for neighborhood Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Ryan Bakinowski, BMET ’16, lead technician for Advanced Additive Manufacturing, began the printing process on campus on April 6, using a design from the hospital. The shield headbands are 3-D printed, and laser cutters are being used to make plastic shields. The group has since made the printing process open source, hopeful that hundreds more units of personal protective equipment (PPE) can be produced. “This project is part of Wentworth’s DNA,” said team member Monique Fuchs, associate vice president for innovation and entrepreneurship. “When the community has a need, the university mobilizes.”
Around the country, many alumni mobilized and found creative ways to help during the pandemic: • Founder of AET Labs David Kempskie, MEC ’94, put the Stratasys Continuous Build 3-D printer in his office to good use, working with colleagues to print and assemble face shields for local hospitals. • Michael Kyes, AET ’88, ARC ’91, senior associate and architecture team leader at the integrated design firm SMMA, is part of a group that has been working in conjunction with the Massachusetts General Brigham Center for COVID Innovation in producing vetted personal protective equipment. • Siena Construction Corporation’s Project Manager Carli Cabana, BSA ’13, MSFM ’16, and Director of Life Sciences Christina Gabriel, BFPM ’07, partnered with Broad Institute to transform a lab into a high-throughput COVID-19 testing facility. • Led by Douglas Foley, EEE ’86, EEC ’88, vice president for electric field operations in Massachusetts, Eversource Energy has supported the electrical needs for medical locations and pop-up testing sites that have sprung up across the commonwealth, such as the nation’s first dedicated care center for COVID-19 Patients at Carney Hospital in Dorchester. • CDM Smith, under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Tim Wall, CEC ’92, launched a collaboration with faculty members at Michigan State University and water reclamation utilities across the United States to track the presence of coronavirus in wastewater, with the goal of developing a tool to predict future outbreaks. • Sharon Jozokos, AET ’92, CMC ’92, vice president of healthcare at Columbia Construction, contributed an article in Healthcare Design on building and design responses for healthcare facilities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Jason J. Jewhurst, BARC ’02, principal at Bruner/Cott, has been working with architecture leaders to contribute to the Boston Society of Architects’ Best Practices Guide to COVID-19. Back at Wentworth, Department of Facilities employees worked to disinfect buildings and equipment, and to make a host of improvements in various areas including the Info Hub, Shawaf Terrace adjacent to the Schumann Library, Baker Hall and 610 Huntington Avenue. The department also helped collect and drop off toilet paper, disinfectants and other essential items for residents at the neighboring Mission Main apartments. Office of Community and Government Relations employees, meanwhile, have been distributing grocery gift cards to Boston residents. — Reporting by Dennis Nealon, Lori Friedman, John Franklin and Greg Abazorius
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
The Newest Leopards Wentworth this spring filled four big positions that will help shape the university for the foreseeable future. On May 20, Ian Lapp, Ph.D., was announced as Wentworth’s new senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. Lapp has held positions at Babson College, Harvard University and Columbia University, and worked on public health education programs in Africa, Asia and Europe. “Dr. Lapp’s entrepreneurial mindset and proven leadership in developing and implementing strategic initiatives make him uniquely qualified for this role at an important time in Wentworth’s history,” said President Mark A. Thompson. Lapp succeeds Dr. Richard Hansen, who is concluding his second tenure as Wentworth’s interim provost. The College of Engineering and Computer Science, meanwhile, has a new dean in Dr. José Sánchez. He was most recently an associate professor of engineering at the University of Indianapolis, where he served as the founding associate dean and director of the engineering programs at the R. B. Annis School of Engineering. During his tenure as associate dean, Sánchez launched seven engineering programs that supported more than 250 students. In addition to creating these new programs, he led the accreditation, facilities planning, strategic planning and staffing efforts for the school, and engaged with industry partners and community leaders to advance the school’s agenda. 6 | SUMMER 2020
Sánchez follows Dr. Ali Khabari, who stepped into the role of interim dean after the retirement of Fred Driscoll last year. The Center for Professional and Continuing Education named Darrell W. LeMar as its inaugural executive director. He will lead The Center’s community outreach, identifying links between Wentworth’s academic programs that enhance corporate, agency and workforce development. LeMar most recently served as executive director of workforce development for Bunker Hill Community College and previously held positions at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. Finally, Nicole Price was named in June as the Institute’s inaugural vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Price brings 20 years of advocacy work focused on underserved and underrepresented populations, including developing and leading comprehensive DEI strategies and programs in higher education, serving as a Title IX coordinator, establishing career pipeline programs, leading admissions, and serving as a legal advocate for immigration and other issues. Price will strategically lead a comprehensive framework for moving the university forward to create a welcoming and inclusive learning and working environment.
Center for Diversity and Social Justice Programs Director Alex Cabal (bottom right) and Center Assistant Director Ricky Meinke (top left) meeting virtually with Isaiah Simpson (top right), Mechanical Engineering ’21, and Dee Hunter (bottom left), Electrical Engineering ’21
The highly organized setup of Maureen Greenwood, assistant to the dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Jenn Kosses, assistant dean of students, shares a picture of her dog, Parker, sleeping on the job
Abbey Pober, assistant director, systems and marketing, in her home office
Wentworth@Home
Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs Annamaria Wenner keeps physically active with her heavy bag
Justin Sabourin, director of digital transformation, shares his “Take Your Baby to Work Day” picture
The Wentworth community has been working a little differently the last couple of months. Like many others across the world of higher education, students, faculty and the majority of staff have set up shop at home, allowing classes to continue and projects to be completed. Some even had the benefit of a newborn baby or a pet as their new officemate. Take a look at how some members of our community have been getting things done, and use #WentworthAtHome on social media to share your own image. Andrew Dechristopher, Computer Science ’19, shows off his setup as he works on a senior project with classmates called JukeVote, a startup that would allow people to suggest and vote on songs played at parties Director of Project Administration Janine Murphy spending time with her son
Pia Romano (top right), reference and instruction librarian, hosts a virtual meeting with students (counterclockwise from top left) Caroline Lynch, Biomedical Engineering ’20; Maya Spence, Biomedical Engineering ’20; Deanna DiPilato, Mechanical Engineering ’20; and Emily Magasic, Biomedical Engineering ’20
The workspace for Kristen Eckman, operations coordinator, comes complete with her cat
Sean McCormick, Electromechanical Engineering ’21, sharing his space with his dog
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Five Questions: Allison Lange on Teaching Women’s History in a 21stCentury World
IMAGE: HARRIS & EWING
By Greg Abazorius
The image of suffragettes picketing at the White House in 1917 that drew Lange to her book subject 8 | SUMMER 2020
Lange’s new book, Picturing Political Power
Allison Lange has firmly established herself nationally as a leading expert on the subject of women’s movements. She appeared in the New York Times, Time Magazine and Chronicle of Higher Education in the last year, and curated exhibits for the Massachusetts Historical Society and Harvard’s Schlesinger Library. Her new book, Picturing Political Power: Images in the Women’s Suffrage Movement was published in May. Suffragettes—women who seek the right to vote and run for office—have long interested Lange, and she believes their message and historical teachings are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. Teaching within Wentworth’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, the assistant professor conveys that women are still fighting for many rights, including within the United States.
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Wentworth: When did the suffrage movement begin to interest you? Allison Lange: A graduate class on American women’s history sparked my interest in women’s activism. The movement for suffrage—once a popular term meaning the right to vote—was just one of many women’s movements, but it spanned nearly a century. A photograph of suffragists picketing the White House in 1917 drew me to my book topic. In the 21st century, we regularly encounter protestors outside of the White House, but suffragists were the firstever group to do it. I wanted to learn more about these women and their bold actions. Why did they hire professional photographers to stage this photograph and send it to newspapers? My research inquiry led me to realize that they developed one of the first modern visual campaigns. They had to challenge expectations that women were only fit to stay at home and care for their families.
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W: Why is the subject especially relevant in 2020? AL: This year is the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which prohibited voter discrimination based on sex. Plus, it’s a presidential election year, and everyone’s vote matters.
PHOTO: KELLY BENVENUTO
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W: What attracted you to teaching at Wentworth? AL: I enjoy working with students on hands-on projects, which Wentworth prioritizes. Last year, an EPIC grant funded work with my classes to produce short documentary videos on women’s suffrage activism in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Historical Society, one of our Fenway neighbors, showed the videos as part of an exhibition. We had a lot of fun, and learned a lot, during the process. I strive to make history engaging and help students see the ways that history has shaped the present.
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W: You’ve taught many classes, delivered lectures across the country and talked with some of the biggest journalists around. Who has inspired you along the way? AL: Our students bring fascinating perspectives to my classes, and I enjoy looking at familiar topics through their eyes. For example, my students are surprised to learn that Alice Paul and fellow suffragists were arrested, sentenced to imprisonment in a workhouse, went on a hunger strike and endured force feeding to win the vote! They also cannot believe that women fought against having the vote. Their interest and curiosity refreshes my own.
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W: What do you hope people take away from your teachings and books? AL: The vote is an important form of power, which is why we still debate who should have access to the ballot today. Women lobbied, picketed, traveled the country to deliver lectures, marched and launched one of the first modern visual campaigns to win the vote. Let’s celebrate the work they did and make our own voices heard.
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Fun and Games
Ad Series Gives Thanks to First Responders Wentworth is offering its sincerest gratitude to first responders, essential employees and all those who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle. A series of ads created in conjunction with OUTFRONT Media debuted in May in various MBTA stations thanking EMTs, nurses, police officers, cooks, senior caregivers, firefighters, cleaning staff, delivery drivers and others. Catch the digital signs at Charles/MGH, Ruggles and Park Street.
For the second straight year, Wentworth played a significant role at PAX East, the largest video game conference in the United States. The event took place at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from Feb. 27–March 1 and featured tournaments, an exhibit hall, panel discussions, an indie game showcase and live performances. Wentworth’s booth saw Department of Industrial Design Chair Derek Casio conduct real-time illustrations, staff and faculty hold virtual reality demonstrations and gaming hardware manufacturer Razer partner to give away various electronic items. Thousands of potential Wentworth students met with university representatives working the booth. “Our students are clearly fans of PAX East, judging by how many we saw stop by our booth and let us know what the university’s presence means to them,” says Tristan Cary, director of technical services at Wentworth. Cary, who helps organize Wentworth’s PAX East appearance, points to the synergy between the multibilliondollar gaming industry and majors at the university. Video game clubs are also popular at Wentworth. “We offer computer science and engineering degrees, ones that can be geared toward the video game industry, as well as design degrees, because, as you might be aware,” says Cary, “all video games have design elements.” — Greg Abazorius
For Ken Shaw, a bequest to Wentworth was about giving back to support students, and it was also about honoring his father’s legacy. “Dad graduated with the Class of 1942 as part of the Pattern Making and Machine Design program at Wentworth,” says Shaw. “Their program filled that niche for my father, and I think that is why he went there. He must have loved it, because he kept everything they ever sent him.”
Wanting to pay tribute to his father Richard Shaw’s legacy, Ken made a bequest to Wentworth in his estate plans. “I knew I wanted to honor him when he passed, and I thought Wentworth would be the perfect place. Since then, they have done really well to keep me involved, and I’ve really embraced that.” Now, as a member of the 1904 Society, Ken continues to keep up with everything going on at Wentworth, knowing that his support will make a difference for generations to come. “I don’t do these things for the recognition,” says Shaw, “I do it in my father’s honor to help further the program. It’s all about helping other people that may not have had the same opportunities that I had.” For more information about creating your own legacy, estate planning or the 1904 Society, contact Carol EstesSchwartz at 617-989-4255 or visit wit.giftplans.org.
Transformative Learning Many people dream of changing the
world, but not changing themselves.
Ann-Marie Jennette wants to do both. by greg abazorius
“I don’t believe money should ever be a limitation for anything you do in life.” Ann-Marie Jennette believes fully in this idea. She says it as someone who helps provide opportunities for those looking to transform themselves and as someone who wholly appreciates what it’s like to be in a position without money. From humble beginnings, she put herself through school at Wentworth and became a highly successful senior project manager for Suffolk Construction in the San Francisco Bay
can improve who we are,” says Jennette. Several years ago, Mandy Ho and her husband discussed leaving all their money to a trust after they die. Funding transformational education is important to the couple, and doing what they could with their savings felt like the right thing to do. Ho recounts hearing from friends that it was a nice
area. “I’m not from much. I put myself through school and
idea, but no one wanted to actually form a plan until she
found a path to pay for it,” she says. “It wasn’t easy, but I did.
broached the idea with Jennette.
Not everyone can.” But personal enrichment opportunities including
“Ann-Marie thought this was not just a nice idea, it was a necessary one. And waiting for us to die isn’t good enough,”
extracurricular courses and workshops were not always in
Ho says. “She believed this was possible and achievable now,
the budget, even for someone who had achieved her level
probably more than I did.”
of career success. Last year, Jennette and good friend Mandy Ho created
The duo started to develop the organization in January 2018 and officially opened its doors in March 2019,
Dream Evolution, a nonprofit that provides financial
with an inaugural event held that May. Scholarships have
support “for people to participate in transformational
since funded Dreamers in taking various workshops,
education in order to make a difference in the world.” Their
certification courses and other classes in the name of
“Dreamers,” as they’re known, include: • A woman residing in Egypt who is taking mindfulness lessons she learned, translating them to Arabic and
personal transformation. Jennette knew she would be adding hours to an already demanding schedule. Having earned a Master of Science
distributing them to more than 3,000 people in her
in Construction Management and a Bachelor of Science in
community
Architectural Engineering from Wentworth, she took a full-
• A 79-year-old woman who wants to take what she’s learning in personal enrichment classes and teach it to the rest of her family • Two people who wanted to help others through physical
time position with Suffolk Construction in Boston (her co-op employer) as an assistant project manager. Her work can be found all over Boston and Cambridge in the form of the Mandarin Hotel, the MIT Dewey Library, Liberty Mutual’s
healing who were able to take the classes necessary to
executive suites and the MassArt Tree House Residence Hall,
become fitness and yoga instructors
among others.
The organization—consisting of seven board members— hosted various fundraising events that helped raise $30,000 in 2019 and is about to hand out an eighth scholarship. Helping others starts with helping oneself, Jennette believes. 12 | SUMMER 2020
“There is a way to grow within our personal selves beyond the career stuff. We do better for others when we
After nearly eight years in the Boston area, Jennette headed to California to work as a senior project manager in Suffolk’s San Francisco office. 340 Fremont—a $180 million, 42-story residential building in downtown San Francisco—is one of several high-end projects she has already worked on.
She notes that she loves her day job, but she also loves the gratification that comes from helping others redefine who they are. “Dream Evolution is for people who look in the mirror and think that there’s something more for them to do, that there’s something they’re meant to teach to others,” she says. “They’re feelings that a lot of us have. These are people who are really serious about doing it.” Looking ahead, Dream Evolution board members hope to provide scholarships to teachers. “They are the most underpaid group of people, who have huge responsibilities and contribute to future generations on a daily basis,” Ho says. Jennette continues to put in roughly 70 hours per week with Suffolk while also serving on the Dream Evolution board. Despite the long hours, she is proud of the path she has taken and considers everything she does a labor of love. “People who come out of Wentworth are among the best in the industry,” she says, “and what we grow and create doesn’t stop there.” Those interested in learning more or in applying for a scholarship may visit dreamevolution.org.
“There is a way to grow within our personal selves beyond the career stuff. We do better for others when we can improve who we are.”
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PHOTO: GENEVIEVE SHIFFRAR
ANN-MARIE JENNETTE
NEW LIFE AGING FOR AN
STAR by dennis nealon
E
For decades, it’s been an academic showpiece—a storied institution for some of
classroom, providing students the practical, career-oriented
Boston’s brightest students. But today, the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics
education that is the soul of Wentworth’s academic model.
and Science in Roxbury is showing its age, a tired and dated star in the City’s public education ecosystem.
The students rave about how much they’re taking from the process.
The good news is that City officials and building experts charting the future of the facility have been joined by laser-focused teams of Wentworth architecture students
“Most of architecture is based on conceptual design,” said Leah Rogoz, a Spring 2020 graduate of the Architecture
and faculty members. The students have proposed dramatic alterations to transform
program and an O’Bryant project team member across
underused and inhospitable areas of the property’s three buildings. To counter
two semesters. “But reimagining a place that is already
the school’s institutional character, they’ve proposed letting the light in and bathing
there has helped me visualize my ideas more than ever
interiors in bright colors, creating a welcoming entrance,
before.” She said her discussions with teachers, students,
Top: Rendering by Wentworth students José Cata and Alex Sauer
connecting buildings, conceiving spaces for school and
school employees and working professionals have given
community members to gather, bolstering security, adding
her “real-world experience outside of my major.”
Below left: Wentworth students Angela Grant and Daniel Deodato (seen right) discuss ideas with Boston students (Photo by Mark Pasnik)
corners and passageways.
Below right: Students Molly Aldrich and Allison West during their WIT Fall Studio Final Review with Boston Public Schools Superintendent Elia Bruggeman; Boston Public Schools Superintendent Lindsa McIntyre; Adjunct Professor Maressa Perreault; and Seunghae Lee, chair of the Department of Interior Design (Photo by Sam Rosenholtz)
identity and do not effectively support the educational
The students’ work on the O’Bryant school continued
potential of the students who attend the school,” he said.
virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Final design reviews
sorely needed classrooms and reconfiguring shadowy The plans emerged after an initial visit to the school
Rogoz, who has a minor in Construction Management, plans to attend Wentworth’s Master of Architecture degree program in the fall, as does project team member Angela
last September, where the Wentworth cohort identified a
Grant, a Spring 2020 graduate of the Architecture program
series of issues, according to Boston architect and Wentworth
who called her own O’Bryant experience “fantastic” and
Professor Mark Pasnik. “The interiors lack light and
“The most common descriptor we heard in interviews with more than 30 students was ‘prison.’” Working across two semesters, the Wentworth student teams comprised fourth-year undergraduates from the
“invaluable.”
were conducted remotely on April 9, with teams unveiling ideas and presenting to critics, who offered suggestions and lauded the students’ work as being imaginative and aesthetically rich. BPS High School Superintendent Elia
Architecture program, led by Pasnik and two adjunct faculty
Bruggeman joined the final reviews both semesters and
members, architects Maressa Perreault and Aaron Weinert.
enthusiastically endorsed the students’ ideas.
Boston Public Schools administrators, teachers and O’Bryant students have offered input. “The architecture students took the information from
Last December, some of the Wentworth students also previewed their work for Alexandra Valdez, director of engagement for the City’s Economic Mobility Lab; Lindsa
our students and their own observations of the school
McIntyre, BPS high school superintendent; Brett Dickens,
to create great designs,” said Axel Martinez, a physics and
assistant principal, Madison Park; Martinez; and two
engineering teacher at O’Bryant. He characterized the
O’Bryant students. More than 12 project critics, including
Wentworth contributions as key to the conversation about
architects Kelly Haigh of DesignLab and Tricia Kendall of
future revitalization.
Tricia Kendall Architecture & Design, reviewed the students’
Referencing the BuildBPS facilities master plan, the
concepts and designs. For the remote-learning format
students initially conducted a nine-point review of the
in April, Bruggeman, Valdez, Martinez, Haigh and Kendall
complex with Patreka Wood, assistant headmaster, and
returned with several other critics and school officials to
interviewed nearly 40 juniors and seniors at the school.
offer insights that built on earlier findings.
Early on, four potential improvement themes emerged, including developing an ecologically sustainable campus. The O’Bryant School project reflects an eagerness
Pasnik said a report on the O’Bryant revitalization will be developed over the summer, with expected completion in September. The document will be shared with leadership
on the part of City leaders to tap Wentworth for students’
from the school, BPS and the Mayor’s Office, and will be
imaginative fieldwork and the university’s faculty for their
broadly accessible online.
skills and familiarity with Boston. The consensus among
In the fall, Pasnik and a new group of students and faculty
officials, from City Hall to BPS to the State House, is that
will be turning to the adjacent Madison Park Technical
these kinds of collaborations make Wentworth a go-to place
Vocational High School abutting the O’Bryant property.
in a region full of renowned colleges and universities. Like many Wentworth projects, this one is classically symbiotic.
“This has been an extraordinary experience for our students,” said Pasnik. “It’s precisely what we mean when
The City gets Wentworth’s young minds and academic
we talk about the opportunities Wentworth provides to
expertise. The Institute uses Boston as a real-world
engage the world around us in a meaningful way.”
wit.edu/magazine | 15
College Planning in the Wake of a Global Pandemic How Wentworth Looks Ahead with Its Strategic Plan “The pandemic has changed everything. Having a formidable strategic plan is more important than ever,” says Wentworth Board of Trustees Chair Greg Janey, ARS ’82, BCM ’04, Hon. ’17. Institutions across the world are rethinking how they educate students in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Many schools have had to scramble to reconfigure their short-term plans, some facing economic peril if things are not drastically changed. Others already envisioned a day where business as usual could be upended, a time when a sweeping reform plan would be made necessary. Civil unrest and increased calls for an end to systemic racism have also helped evolve social priorities for many students. “We started building Wentworth’s strategic plan long ago,” says President Mark Thompson. “Obviously, a global pandemic was not something we had planned for, but the strategic plan did take into account unforeseen events, and it’s confident in its approach to the future of higher education and what needs to be done to stay at the forefront of learning.” Janey, a member of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee adds, “The things we consider in this plan allow Wentworth to offer a dynamic learning environment, one that allows us to be agile and strong even during the most challenging of times.” Wentworth’s plan began to take shape under Thompson in 2018 and will be formerly presented to the Board of Trustees this fall. But getting there took the efforts of four dedicated committees, each comprising diverse collections of faculty, students, staff members and alumni. We asked a few to tell us how they contributed to their areas and what values were important to them.
16 | SUMMER 2020
INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE By Drew Coutts, Mechanical Engineering ’21
By Lizzie Falvey, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Sciences, and Alex Cabal, Director, Center for Diversity and Social
Wentworth is known for fostering innovation and problem
Justice Programs
solving. In our engineering classes, we’re taught that collaboration and considering different points of view
The changing demographics of the United States mean that
will create the best solutions, because we all offer unique
higher education must reflect the needs of every student
strengths. However, if entire groups of our community
in order to create equitable and just communities. Becoming
aren’t being heard, how could Wentworth expect to innovate
the “University of Now” requires us to reflect upon how
at the highest possible level?
to best support a diverse body of students, faculty and staff.
When I heard President Thompson was including
Our subcommittee examined all areas of university life
Inclusive Excellence as one of his four strategic planning
to assess how we can ensure that every member of our
points, I was ecstatic. Emphasis on Inclusive Excellence
community will continue to feel seen and heard. Represented
is vital to Wentworth’s advancement as a university, because
by passionate members of the faculty, administration
it allows every member of our community to have a voice.
and student body, the Inclusive Excellence subcommittee
In early meetings with President Thompson, he asked to hear everything we had to say, even the ugly truths. Well, the community delivered. Many people expressed that they
brought a unique perspective to the table. For both of us, it was important to bring to light concerns and issues that affect persons of color and women, because
felt pushed aside because of their identity or ability. It was
these are two populations to which we feel individually
incredible to be a part of such a diverse group of community
committed. Managing the Center for Diversity and Social
members who came together to assist those who felt left
Justice Programs (Cabal) and co-chairing the Women’s
behind. These discussions were not always easy. We were
Caucus (Falvey) give us the platforms to hold spaces where
made aware of many physical barriers and bias-fueled
conversations around equity and justice happen openly.
challenges that we may not personally face, but others at
We also have the ability to amplify the voices of those who
Wentworth do. These were peers who needed serious
need to be heard.
changes to thrive, and it was up to us to outline these changes. I was honored to be part of this shift in our school’s culture. With President Thompson’s famous “optimistic urgency” mantra, it is our duty as designers, engineers, technicians and entrepreneurs to act now for a better tomorrow.
As a result of the work of the committee, the university has already adopted two significant initiatives: First, a search committee is already working toward hiring a new vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. Second, the implementation of a campuswide diversity and equity campus climate survey is underway. The survey will provide us with information on our strengths and our areas for improvement. The results will also be used as a tool to strengthen current programs while creating new policies, initiatives and practices that will ensure that Wentworth ultimately achieves Inclusive Excellence. Wentworth’s clear directive toward inclusive excellence will allow us to grow as an institution so that every community member feels supported, included and welcomed. We are both proud and grateful to have had the opportunity to help direct our future.
wit.edu/magazine | 17
HIGH-VALUE LEARNING By Joe Martel-Foley, Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Durga Suresh, Special Assistant to the Provost for Graduate Programs Our working group was composed of members from all over campus, many of whom had not previously worked together. This broad representation and set of diverse viewpoints were key in the idea generation and development of sound strategy. What inspired us the most about this group was that each person brought a passion for teaching and learning, a passion for the success of our students and Wentworth pride. High-value learning can set Wentworth apart: building on our existing strengths and exploring learning in new ways, ensuring the learning is personalized, making sure that everyone can find a path to success. What makes high-value learning so important is that it is intertwined with all of the pillars of the strategic plan. Stronger connections with partners are key for the relevance of learning and keep students in the now. Finally, if we get all of these items right, a learner can be transformed through their Wentworth education. A focus on creating personalized learning that is relevant and exploring ways of improving the value of education through more immersive practice will not only transform our students but Wentworth as a whole.
TRANSFORMATIVE STUDENT EXPERIENCE By Aaron Carpenter, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Carlie Biron, Architecture ’11, Master of Architecture ’12, President of Wentworth Alumni Association When our group first met, one thing was immediately clear: We were all passionate about the task at hand. Without students, there is no Wentworth. And without happy, safe, healthy students, we can’t be a happy, safe and healthy community. One of our early guiding principles was to make Wentworth feel like home, whether you are on campus or off campus, part-time or full-time. For Wentworth, “home” means whatever the student needs to succeed and be comfortable: leisure time to explore new opportunities
NEXT-GENERATION PARTNERSHIPS
in and out of the classroom, healthy food, exercise opportunities, mental-health resources and/or providing all academic supplies and reducing financial overhead.
By Joe Schnackertz, Business Management ’21
And of course, it means eliminating obstacles wherever possible. This enables a path for students to receive the
Being asked to play a role in the strategic planning process
best possible education and experience and make their
was a significant honor. Most students view college as a
college life their own. With the directive from President Thompson to think
place where you go and fit into the existing structure like a cog in a machine. Here, I had the chance to contribute
outside the box and imagine how we could improve the
to a group of highly motivated, intelligent and student-
student experience if there were no restrictions placed on
orientated people.
our thinking, we hit the ground running. Our initiatives ranged in scope and scale, but all were centered around a
The goal of our team was to develop a vision, direction and action steps for the future of Wentworth’s collaboration
student’s overall well-being and providing strong and
with community members. The process was exciting,
intentional resources. For a long time, the mentality of
starting off by getting to know all the contributors in the
academia has been “this is how it has always been done.”
room and what expertise and lenses they brought with
Students had to follow a strict path from enrollment to
them. I was impressed by how diverse the team was in
graduation. Wentworth has students who are varied in their
this manner; everyone had a different way of looking at
background and their interest, and the “University of Now”
Wentworth’s internal and external environments.
will ensure that every student is treated individually
We tackled an important aspect of partnerships at
to ensure that they get the experience that is best for them,
each meeting, identifying who they are or could be, how to
providing resources, mentorship, guidance and time.
connect with them and how to facilitate their creation.
As Wentworth adapts and evolves, we are aware that the students must be a cornerstone of our foundation. The
My favorite part of this experience, though, was the way our team worked together. Every member had a voice and was
strategic planning process put the student experience at the
encouraged to speak up and contribute. That can be hard to
forefront, and we are excited to see the proposed initiatives
do when 14 people are gathered in a conference room.
turned into reality.
I was especially appreciative of the way that the team included me. As a student, I was not sure, at first, how much I could contribute, because I did not know the ins and outs of Wentworth’s operation. Even so, the group relied on me for a student’s perspective: What did the students want from the university’s partnerships? By the end of the planning process, I felt I had not only made a significant contribution to the future of Wentworth, but also forged solid connections with those whom I worked with.
“Many students are isolated during this time. Our team of counselors knows how important it is to deliver services virtually— with no interruptions. I’m incredibly proud of our commitment to finding innovative ways to support students.” MAURA MULLIGAN, ASSISTANT DEAN OF STUDENTS / DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR WELLNESS
Supporting Students Where They Are The Wentworth Cares Fund Supports Students during This Challenging Time Wentworth’s Center for Wellness has been taking a proactive approach to supporting students’ mental health needs. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the Center is committed to offering relevant and essential services for those seeking mental health and accessibility support.
Sample programs open to all students: • Family Dynamics Group A support group to discuss how family dynamics have been impacted during quarantine.
• Virtual Meditation and Anxiety Workshops Workshops offered twice a week on a drop-in basis. • Virtual Dining Hall Gatherings Daily virtual dining hall to encourage socialization over meals.
The Wentworth Cares Fund was established to respond to our students’ needs during the COVID-19 health emergency. Your gift will immediately impact students and allow the university to remain nimble and strong in this unprecedented time. To learn more, please contact director of annual giving Katie Deprimo at deprimok@wit.edu.
CLASS NOTES
1971
1981
1988
David Castellucci, BCS, reports that he is now semiretired after working for 47 years in the natural stone industry. He is residing in Melbourne, Fla.
Scott Bengtson, WET, was appointed quality control manager for Advanced Vacuum Systems (AVC) in Ayer, Mass., which manufactures vacuum and pressure furnaces for material processing.
4 Darrin Ball, BCS, BCC ’89, joined Consigli as a project executive. Ball comes to Consigli with 30 years of diverse construction industry experience ranging from heavy civil to largescale pharmaceutical manufacturing projects that include renovations, new construction and significant infrastructure projects.
1978 1 Peter Carr, AD, BCS ’79, a senior construction professional with a distinguished career spanning nearly four decades of commercial real estate experience, has joined Corderman & Company as project superintendent.
1979 Ed Szajna, BCS, is continuing to grow his construction firm based in New York City— CCC NYC—and is looking to connect with other Wentworth alumni.
1982 3 Wilson Bent, EEE, released This Time, a new album of ambient electronic music. This new album from group Win Bent features fewer guitar sounds than his previous works, more piano sounds, a precollaboration piece and various outside influences. He adds that the album still contains “plenty of drones, along with recorders and windchimes.”
1989 Mark Driscoll, MET, MEC ’91, was named senior director of enterprise sales for software development firm AMC Bridge.
Stephen Pond, ATS, retired in 2019 after 38 years with Rolls-Royce North America. 2
1
2
3 4 Want additional Class Notes? Head to alumni.wit.edu to view more and/or submit your own!
wit.edu/magazine | 21
CLASS NOTES
1991
1992
1995
Rico Lepore, AEC, joined WSP USA, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy, as construction services manager for Florida. Lepore provides more than 30 years of extensive structural engineering and construction project management expertise on major transportation and bridge construction projects.
Sharon Jozokos, AET, CMC ’93, was promoted to the role of vice president, healthcare at Columbia Construction. Jozokos is also a University Advisor for Wentworth.
Marc Neveu, AET, ARC ’95, was recently appointed as the architecture program head at Arizona State University. He is also the current executive editor of the Journal of Architectural Education.
5
6 Jim Currie, AET, was hired by Fishman & Associates as a senior project manager. Currie has 29 years of experience managing and supporting projects within the foodservice and residential construction sectors. His experience includes managing projects in support of hospitals, assisted living centers, hotels, casinos, universities, military bases, restaurants, churches, country clubs and corporate headquarters.
1993 Tom Brennan, AET, CMC ’95, was promoted to executive project manager at Phelps Construction Group, a full-service construction management firm headquartered in Boonton, N.J. He previously served as project manager on the Statue of Liberty Museum on Liberty Island and on an addition to Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. in Branchburg, N.J.
1994 Christopher Poravas, ARC, AET ’94, was hired as a real estate manager, construction specialist by Hobbs Brook Management LLC in Waltham. With 27 years of experience in architecture, construction and project management, Poravas is managing multiple functions with a focus on the development of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island campuses. Prior to joining the company, Poravas worked for The LiRo Group and was responsible for multiple fit-out projects at the Hobbs Brook Edgewater campus in Wakefield.
1996 David Brown, CMT, CMC ’98, joined CNY as a project executive. CNY is a construction management and general contracting firm known for its innovative approach to construction projects.
1997 8 Cotton Chou, AET, BARC ’99, joined Mercy Fort Smith as director of performance excellence. Chou is a native of Taipei, Taiwan, and first arrived in the United States at age 26 to study architecture in Boston at Wentworth.
8 9
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7
6
7
2003 William Eldredge, BCET, accepted a position as senior consultant with Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. in their Boston office. Rimkus specializes in forensic engineering and consulting, with more than 60 offices across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Richard Grundy, BCOS, president of AVTECH Software, announced that his company has been named a 2018 Network Security Excellence Award Winner by INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine.
2006 Lyndsey Almon, BINT, accepted a new position as architectural and design marketing representative at FCi Furniture Consultants in Boston. She’s looking forward to fostering innovation through inspirational events and directing her 15 years of industry design experience into helping designers and project managers find furniture solutions for their clients. 9 Stacy O’Halloran, BINT, started a new publishing company entitled Briley & Baxter Publications. Additionally, she was named Top Educational Consultant of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals.
2007 Michael Bogdan, BCMT, started a new company, Avail Project Management, which provides clients with real estate and construction management expertise from project concept to completion. Currently wrapping up their first successful year in business, Avail has been fortunate to complete projects for clients including the JCC of Greater Boston, GEM Capital and HighSage Ventures. Sheryl Guglielmo, BAET, was promoted to senior project manager at DiPrete Engineering. She recently managed the site/civil engineering for a new building at Millstone Medical Outsourcing LLC’s headquarters in Fall River and also serves on the Attleboro Planning Board.
Making Space John Dargin is about to undertake a cleanup that is going to be out of this world. Dargin was granted a U.S. patent for space debris removal in near-Earth orbit and presented a paper at the First International Orbital Debris conference in Texas in December. His patent calls for a dedicated satellite with sensors to intercept debris before an electromagnetic wave would redirect or remove the debris. “It would definitely mean a safer environment. We have debris traveling in orbit at roughly six times the speed of a rifle bullet, or nine kilometers per second,” he says. The majority of debris is dangerously located in lowEarth orbit from 160 km to 2000 km at various altitudes and inclinations. Approximately 22,000 pieces of debris greater than 10 cm in diameter (the size of a softball) are catalogued and tracked. “Wentworth provided me the foundation with the Aeronautical and Space and Engineering (ASE) courses,” says Dargin, noting that he was always interested in space in some way or another, even envisioning himself as an astronaut at one point. He closely followed NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. Later, after receiving a commission in the Air Force, he worked on a joint Department of Defense/NASA space science mission, which piqued his interest in the near-Earth space environment. Dargin expects to make great strides 10 years down the line. He also knows that his development will be only one of multiple solutions and will require an international partnership to both remove the existing debris and plan for the future. “I would expect that all debris, large and small, would be eliminated from the near-Earth orbits. We have been accumulating debris since Sputnik in 1957, and it won’t go away over night or even in 10 years without active measures,” he says. — John Franklin wit.edu/magazine | 23
CLASS NOTES
11 12
10 Rebecca Jablonowski, BCM, joined design, engineering and project delivery firm Stantec as a project executive. She is responsible for mission-critical healthcare projects at an expert level and for mentoring mentor program and project management staff across the New England region. 10
2008 Francine Kupferman, BSM, was promoted to director of admissions and recruitment at Bunker Hill Community College last year. “I have the opportunity to provide access to education for a diverse student population,” she says. “In my everyday work, many students voice interest in transferring to Wentworth, and I am provided the opportunity to share my amazing experience from my time [here]!” Christopher Wysoczanski, BMET, was named the 2019 Professional Mechanical Engineer (PME) Mechanical Engineer of the Year. Currently working for Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates, Inc., Wysoczanski credits his co-op experiences while at Wentworth for the success he has enjoyed throughout his career.
24 | SUMMER 2020
2009
2010
Katelyn Manfredo, BSA, MARC ’10, was promoted to the role of senior project manager in the Cape Cod office of SV Design. Manfredo started with SV Design in 2008 as an architectural intern while attending Wentworth and has worked her way through the roles of architectural designer and project manager. She is involved in the Cape Cod community through various organizations.
Ryan Rainville, BELM, became the VP of student engagement on the Wentworth Alumni Association board. “I’m looking forward to helping create more connections between current students and alumni to strengthen the Wentworth community,” he says. “If you have ideas or are interested in connecting, please reach out through the Alumni Association!”
11
Matthew Pierce, BSCM, and Ali Smith, BSA, married in September 2019. They started dating during their sophomore year at Wentworth and have been together ever since. Classmates who attended the wedding festivities were Adam Bisson, BSCM, Michael Bucceri, BSME, Matt Pierce, BSCM, Jared Schiavoni, BSCM, Alison Smith, BSA, Nicole Levy ’09, JR Zacotinsky, BSCM, and Cam Teachout, BSCM. Others in attendance included Jenn Durant, BSA, Wes Young, BSA, Nik Pappastratis, BSA, and Alyssa Webb, BSCM.
Aki Yoshida, BSA, MARC ’11, has joined awardwinning architecture firm de Reus Architects as a project architect in Waimea, Hawaii. Born in Japan, Yoshida has lived in London, Maine, Los Angeles and Boston, fueling her interest in global expressions of architecture.
2011 Carlie Biron, BSA, MARC ’12, was engaged to Mark LaPre in Barnet, Ver., on Sept. 28. Biron is the current president of the Wentworth Alumni Association. 12 Megan Kane, BSA, was recently announced as DJSA Architecture PC’s new job captain. In this role, she serves as an essential member of the project team, working on all phases of a design project from conception through construction administration.
Campus Memories By Casey Galante, BSA ’12, MARC ’13 For the nine months I lived at Baker Hall on campus, not only did I meet friends whom I am still close with today, but I was able to grow as an individual as I navigated the social and academic challenges of being a student and budding adult. And, oh, how I cherish each and every memory of living in that brick box. What I noticed and experienced in Baker was an environment that allowed its residents to live, sleep, eat, explore, imagine, squabble, create, celebrate, commiserate and thrive. In was a blank canvas that allowed each of us to start our college experience in whichever format fit our personalities and interests. Most colleges have dorms like Baker Hall, but I think there is something particularly special about Wentworth students and the collaborative, experiential type of learning we are exposed to in class that transfers over to the way we coexist. I am an extrovert now and particularly enjoyed Baker Hall’s style of living, but I wasn’t always outgoing. I was shy in high school and came from a close-knit family, and honestly, I didn’t always know how to interact with people that I wasn’t related to. Cohabiting with 63 people on one floor—with communal bathrooms—you’re required to step out of your comfort zone a bit. But this is what college is for, right? You can find people who accept you and your quirks, and all it takes is stepping outside of your 190-square-foot double room—unless of course, your room becomes the gathering spot for watching movies, doing homework, playing video games, talking about nonsense, etc. Some nights in the common room were spent finishing studio models; some consisted of dance parties and binging on buffalo chicken pizza from Il Mondos. One night, we found a way to bring in a TV to watch the Red Sox win a playoff game, another we built forts out of the furniture, and another we had to work our way around 100 assembled FedEx boxes sent down from our mischievous fifth-floor neighbors. Needless to say, in addition to our rigorous
WIT
schoolwork, we always found a way to have fun, and unknowingly created a centerpiece for individualism and community, regardless of major, gender or personality. Now that it’s been 11 years since I moved out of Baker, I realize that what I ultimately got out of that first year was a foundation for a positive college experience at Wentworth. Casey Galante, BSA ’12, MARC ’13, is a marketing coordinator for Skanska and serves on the board of directors for the Wentworth Alumni Association.
wit.edu/magazine | 25
CLASS NOTES
2012 13 Bethany Keenan Ippolito, BSCN, was recently married, and several Wentworth alumni attended the wedding. She is currently an associate manager at Lockheed Martin. 14 Esther Brown, BSA, MARC ’13, married Adam Hodges-LeClaire on Sept. 15, 2019, in Sutton, Mass. The two reside in East Boston.
Benjamin Voelcker, BELM, was hired as an applications engineer by Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations (MHI). Voelcker will handle sales engineering and marketing relations as well as ensure that MHI is capitalizing on industry application trends. Casey Galante, BSA ’12, MARC ’13, joined Skanska as a marketing coordinator. This is her first position with a construction company, after working for architecture firms since graduating. She relates that she is looking forward to expanding her marketing skills and continuing to grow in her career. Galante is also a member of the Wentworth Alumni Association.
13 26 | SUMMER 2020
14
Reenergized: A Water Treatment Plant Goes Net-Zero Cheri Cousens, EVN ’98, has created an initiative to turn the tide in environmental energy. The executive director of the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District (GLSD), Cousens spearheaded the Organics-toEnergy Project, which called for the circa-1977 GLSD water treatment plant to produce enough power to meet its own electrical needs and become a net-zero or possibly net-positive energy user. The initiative was successfully completed with the implementation of a renewable fuel produced on-site and the potential to offset a nearly $3 million annual energy bill. The group added a fourth anaerobic digester, underground food acceptance tanks with associated pumps, a gas-cleaning process to produce pipeline-quality gas for fuel and two 1.6-megawatt cogeneration engines to reduce emissions. “The Organics-to-Energy capability also includes the ability for black start and islanding, which means if the electrical grid has a blackout, GLSD can disconnect from the grid and restart its engines to provide virtually uninterrupted operation of its treatment facility,” Cousens says. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources has estimated that the project will reduce GLSD’s greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent, which is equivalent to taking more than 1,000 cars off the road and fuel savings equivalent to filling 70,000 cars every year. Cousens notes that the achievement was a team effort. “[Thank you to] public officials of Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover, Andover, Dracut and Salem, New Hampshire for their continued support of this project,” Cousens said. “[I’d also like to] acknowledge the participation of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Department of Energy Resources, National Grid and the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, each of which provided partial funding to see the project through.” — John Franklin
2014
2018
Andrew Moscardelli, BCET, tied the knot in the company of several Wentworth alumni friends and classmates. Attendees pictured are Lawton McCracken, BCET ’14, Alexandre Peck, BSM ’15, Reed Rushing, BSME ’14, Curtis Heinz, BELM ’16, Seric Kapp, BSCM ’15, Ron Gover, Steve Gover, MPA ’77, Stephen Brussard, MPE ’77, Melissa Pilley ’15, Moscardelli and Rebecca Smith, BFPM ’14.
17 Stefano Basso, MSCM, was promoted to senior project manager at the North Shore office of SV Design. Stefano began his career at SV in 2012 as an architectural designer and worked his way up to project manager prior to his current position.
15
2016 16 David Puskar, BBME ’16, was hired at Mack Headquarters as a quality engineer. Before joining Mack, Puskar most recently worked in quality assurance for Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Conn., where he performed metallurgic testing and quality control of hollow fan blades for military aircraft engines.
2017 Matt Barker, BSM, published his debut book, Time is the Enemy, through Adelaide Books. The work is a collection of poems described as “raw thoughts captured in ink.” Barker delivers unfiltered observations of life and society, told through “gritty wordplay and a sarcastically sinister narrative.” Barker’s work uses unorthodox arrangements and a direct approach to shed light on overthinking and anxiety.
2019 18 Sean Brennan, BIND, was hired as a social media marketing guru for Donna McDine, an award-winning children’s author, as well as her Reiki-based company, Energy of Serenity LLC. 19 Hanlin Zhu, BSA, was named assistant project manager with Siena Construction.
16
17 15
19 18
wit.edu/magazine | 27
in memoriam / 1942
1958
1978
Irving C. Fisher, MW&TM Robert W. Gray, AC&D
Frederick M. Bodington, Jr., MC&TD Joseph V. Hunnefeld, AC * George W. Riccio, Jr., MD *
David H. Black, MPE, ME ’78
1949 A. Donald Behler, MV&TD Thomas J. Malloy, Jr., EC Anthony Mazza, S&DE Stephen K. Piccolo, AME Philip Sevinor, AC
1950 Nazzareno M. DiVito, Jr., AC Elliott L. LaMontagne, S&DE Robert A. Wood, MC&TD
1980 Peter M. O’Callaghan, AET
1959
1982
Raymond O. Cormier, MD
Evan D. Goldenberg, EEE Dennis E. Kilroy, EEN
1960 Ray H. Cable, AET James A. Fullerton, AM Bernard Gilfix, EEE James G. Huntley, MED Ray E. Pickles, CHE *
1983 Bruce M. Pierce, ATS, AM ’81, MEC ’83
1986 Anthony J. Direnzo, CSW
1951
1962
Arthur McArthur III, S&DE Joseph F. O’Connell, MC&TD
Maurice L. Nelson, Jr., CHE Edmund J. Reilly, EEE
1992
1952
1963
1997
Louis W. Graiff, S&DE Roger J. Serlick, AC
Edmund A. Gianetto, EEE * Daniel C. Guachione, CHE
Ian J. Fitzgerald, ATS, MEC ’97
Michael V. Halloran, BCS, BCC ’92
1953
1964
FACULTY
Joseph A. DiMattia, EC Charles H. Farrell, Jr., EC Arthur J. Haddad, EC William J. McCormick, PM&MD
David C. Burr, AM Ronald G. Vokey, Jr., AET
George Berry, Computer Science and Networking
1967
1954
Paul L. George, CHE Alfred J. Pratt, MPE *
Michael Greene, Humanities and Social Sciences
Richard A. Coughlin, AC
1955 Maurice D. Pickering, Jr., BC
1956 Stanley P. MacPhail, AC George T. Prior, IEC
1968 James J. Corkery III, EET
1969
Mark Hasso, Construction Management
STAFF Elbert Paige, Physical Plant
Paul B. Horne, ASE Bruce R. Hudson, ATS Paul Kapralos, MET
1971 Kenneth J. Slauta, BCS
1976 Merrill R. Webber, BCS
* Denotes a military veteran
28 | SUMMER 2020
Michael Greene 1946–2020 Dr. Michael Greene was more than a Wentworth professor. He played a key role in building lasting relationships with neighbors in Mission Hill and beyond, helping to lay the foundation for youth-focused community programs that thrive today. “Mike Greene was an extraordinary man, an amazing teacher and an inspiration to all of us committed to service, especially for the youth of Boston,” says Sandy Pascal, Wentworth’s associate vice president for community relations and external affairs. Pascal and Greene worked closely together for a number of years, forging friendships with campus neighbors and housing community leaders, and working with others at Wentworth to create community programs that would ultimately form the Center for Community and Learning Partnerships (CLP). Greene took the lead in establishing Camp Tech, Technology Goes Home, and Youth@Art Tech, among other initiatives. As a founding member of the Faculty ServiceLearning Committee, his work helped launch Wentworth’s first Dual Enrollment classes, which laid the foundation for CLP programs today. “Mike was a leading force in executing many programs for our neighborhoods,” says Pascal. “He made a difference in so many ways.” Known for his humor, wit and compassion, Greene believed strongly in equal rights. From marching in Selma, Ala. in 1965 to engaging in conversations around ethics and politics in recent years, his convictions were always well known. At Wentworth, Greene taught English, Ethics and Film, among other subjects. He loved reading and wrote poetry and several books.
He had a passion for music—playing and listening to it—as well as photography, gardening and traveling. Michael Greene died peacefully at his home January 24 while surrounded by family. He was 77. Gifts in his memory may be made to support RAMP, Wentworth’s precollege bridge program for Boston residents who are enrolling at the university. Visit wit.edu/supportWIT.
Michael Greene and Boston schoolchildren as pictured on the cover of the Fall 1991 issue of Wentworth Alumni News magazine
wit.edu/magazine | 29
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID WENTWORTH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
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1,628 4,291
Wentworth’s Talent Pool Pipeline
employers posted . . .
opportunities on WITworks
2,265
20,799
co-op positions
1,920 co-ops hired
coopsandcareers.wit.edu
1,954 full-time jobs
co-op and job applications submitted
56
%
receive full-time offers from their co-op employers
98%
of graduates are employed or in grad school six months post graduation
