FOCUS T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R A L U M N I A N D F R I E N D S O F W E S T F I E L D S TAT E
Spotlighting Technology and Services FA L L 2 0 1 0
FOCUS FALL 2011 Editor Janice Beetle Godleski ’85 Beetle Press Design Editor Janet Garcia ’83 M Ed ’04 Director of Marketing Designer G. John Devanski Guy With Glasses Design Photographer David Harris-Fried Enrollment Management Editorial Board Glen Brewster, Professor English Department
Mickey Curtis Athletics Michael Filas, Professor English Department Janet Garcia ’83 M Ed ’04 Enrollment Management George Layng, Professor English Department Marsha Marotta Dean of Undergraduate Studies Craig Phelon Advancement and College Relations Class Notes Kelly Galanis Advancement and College Relations EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE Chrysta Wheeler ’11 Contributing Writers:
Suzanne Boniface ’92, Kathi Bradford, Mickey Curtis, Dr. Evan S. Dobelle, Kelly A. Galanis, Janice Beetle Godleski ’85, Jessica Gray ’10, Jenn Krok ’09, Claudia Moore-O’Brien, M.Ed ’00, Craig Phelon, Robert Plasse, Brooke Wilson ’10 , Chrysta Wheeler ’11 Printing Mansir Printing
ISSN 1520-7641
F r o m t h e E d it o r
Westfield State—A Click Away By Janice Beetle Godleski in the pursuit of technology. Tracey Innella Pinto. She was a classmate of mine in 1985. Everybody knew Tracey. She was For starters, prospective students can find the University online. They can learn about athletic active and involved in all aspects of campus life, and she was friendly. She always had a smile and and academic offerings, take a virtual tour of the campus and reach out to staff for more informaa wave for you. tion. They can watch Westfield State athletic I can’t say I’ve thought of Tracey on a daily basis in these past 25 years—that is, until Tracey events streaming, live. There are telephones in dorm rooms, and most students have their own created a Facebook page for the 25th Reunion for cell phones, which get good the Class of 1985, and then, I service on the campus. Students thought of her often since I had also have personal computers or email and Facebook messages from her at least weekly. laptops, and they can use their laptops anywhere on cam Tracey used Facebook and pus, thanks to the University’s other means of social media to wireless updates. They can use organize the reunion in June. their laptops to check in with Again, she was a presence and a face for the University. their friends on Facebook or to research a school project. Like Tracey, Westfield State Musical theater students, art University has a major presence students—students in all majors, on the Internet and on social really—have state-of-the-art media sites such as Twitter and technology available to them. LinkedIn. Prospective students Students are learning so much and parents can find informaabout technology at Westfield, tion about the University in that alumni are now starting to report how they moments. have used technology to become successful Back when I was looking for a college, I needed business owners. And many students are taking a map and the telephone to get what I needed. advantage of the opportunity to earn a Westfield When I became a student, the dozens of girls State degree on line. on my dorm floor shared a Westfield State has made pay phone—one per floor. Westfield has done an getting an education easier I was a minor in computer extraordinary amount of than ever before with its science, and the computer work to stay on the cutting online learning programs. we had to work with was a Westfield has done an giant main frame in one of edge and to continue to be extraordinary amount of the academic buildings. It a competitive college for work to stay on the cutting took up an entire room, and students and alumni. As you it allowed us computer sciedge and to continue to be read this edition you will ence majors to write software a competitive college for learn some of the changes students and alumni. As you programs, not using html that the University has done read this edition you will learn code but using punch cards that ran through this giant to enhance its technology and some of the changes that main frame. (I think Bill Gates to make it more user friendly. the University has done to was diligently working on the enhance its technology and to make it more user friendly. PC at this time.) Students, and alumni, like Tracey, have As a member of the Musical Theater Guild, kept pace and been impressed with all the we struggled to be heard on the stage. The improvements. acoustics were bad, and the technology was, well, the best that was available at the time, Tracey, I will continue to look for you on Facebook... and Westfield State. I will keep in which isn’t saying much. touch and remain active and know you are right Now, as you will read in this fall issue of FOCUS magazine, Westfield State has come a long way there in cyberspace at a finger click. n
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Table of Contents On Campus Pages 3-5
Alumni on the Go Pages 6-11
Faculty Center Pages 12-15
Athletics Pages 16-19
Alumni News and Notes Pages 24-25
Class Notes Pages 26-31
Homecoming 2010 Page 33
On Our Cover Inside this issue of FOCUS magazine, learn how the campus is improving technology and services.
We’d love to hear from you! Want to get involved? Join the Westfield State Alumni Fan page or group on Facebook and LinkedIn; follow us on Twitter@WestfieldState and @WestfieldAlumni; call 413-572-5404, 413-572-5228; or email kbradford@wsc.ma.edu or kgalanis@wsc.ma.edu
FOCUS magazine is published for Westfield State University two times a year. The mission of the magazine is to highlight the work of the administration, faculty, staff, students and alumni at the University and to share with the wider community the stories of excellence on campus. FOCUS magazine welcomes story ideas and story submissions. Ideas and stories can be offered to Editor Janice Beetle Godleski ’85 at (413) 374-6239 or via e-mail at beetlepress@charter.net. Stories must be of interest to the general readership and should be no longer than 600 words. Class Notes, highlighting alums’ personal or vocational views, are also welcome and can be sent to kgalanis@wsc.ma.edu. Deadline for the Spring 2011 issue is Dec. 15, 2010. F OCUS MA GAZINE • FALL 2 0 1 0
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Fr o m t h e P r e s id e n t
Ahead of the Tech Curve at Westfield State As President of an institution of higher learning that has long prided itself on its founding principles of quality, innovation and accessibility, I am proud to say that Westfield State is on the cutting edge of all things technological. In this Age of Information, when advances are regularly changing the way we learn, do business, communicate and relate to each other, we continue to reflect the times in which we live. It is interesting to note that in 1838 when educator and social reformer Horace Mann was changing the face of education with his founding of Westfield as the first public coeducational college without barriers to race, gender or economic class, the world of communication was also being revolutionized.
“...I am proud to say that Westfield State is on the cutting edge of all things technological. In this Age of Information, when advances are regularly changing the way we learn, do business, communicate and relate to each other, we continue to reflect the times in which we live.” In January of that historic year, Samuel F.B. Morse, a well-known portrait artist and arts professor, introduced his new invention- the telegraph, to an amazed public. America marveled at how his machine could transmit ten words per minute across the electromagnetic airwaves, using Morse’s dot-dash code. Nearly two centuries later, technology continues to astound. Imagine what Morse would say if he spent time with our students, when at the push of a button or touch of a screen, they are instantly connected, using technology to help them achieve academic success. The majority of these “digital natives,” as John Palfrey and Urs Gasser, co-authors of the groundbreaking book, Born Digital (New York: Basic Books, 2008) call them, were born after 1981, when IBM first introduced the personal computer. Unafraid to
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use Facebook, blog or skype and enter the lands of virtual reality, they are adept at social networking and negotiating the iPad and the iPod. However, they may be less skilled at using technology to further their academic goals, according to Lynn Zayac, our Director of the Center for Instructional Technology (CIT).
accessed anywhere on campus—from the Ely Library to the football field. Computer labs provide access to the internet for those who do not have their own PCs and for students taking online courses there is a 24-7 help desk. While faculty members are also developing course websites using the Plato Course Management System to post syllabi, assignments and video mini-lectures, their students are creating course content, employing digital storytelling, podcasts, blogs and collaborative documents called “wikis” as
“Westfield has fast become a leader in the field of online learning. We are now offering more than 300 online courses yearly.”
They are not alone. Older individuals may need help to navigate the changing digital landscape. Palfrey and Gasser call us “digital immigrants,” eager and willing to learn, but often overwhelmed by the buttons, icons and language of the 21st century. With the help of CIT, our IT department and savvy communications gurus, Westfield is diving deep, “accessing rivers, as well as oceans of information,” as Palfrey and
“With the help of CIT, our IT department and savvy communications gurus, Westfield is diving deep, “accessing rivers, as well as oceans of information,”...to take advantage of technology and to prepare our students for their professional lives in the 21st century.” Gasser suggest, to take advantage of technology and to prepare our students for their professional lives in the 21st century. Smart classrooms are outfitted with computers, screens and projectors. The web can be
part of their learning experience. Some professors are conducting virtual office hours in addition to their traditional face to face hours and there’s a virtual island called “Westfield State University” with two conference centers that will house workshops and classes, using “Second Life” technology. As you see, Westfield has fast become a leader in the field of online learning. We are now offering more than 300 online courses yearly. Our new Business Management Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program— the first of its kind at a Massachusetts state college—boasts articulation agreements with 14 Massachusetts community colleges. Technology is helping us all to stay connected. Just click on our new interactive website at www.wsc.ma.edu to discover everything that you need to know. Just access www.westfieldalumni.org to keep informed about all the new trails that are being blazed. My thanks to everyone who is moving us forward—from the “digital pioneers” who create and manipulate our software to the “digital natives” and “immigrants” who dare to venture forward and explore “the next new idea” in this challenging Age of Information. Hope you will join us online! n
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On Ca m p us
‘Just A Few Clicks’ Westfield State launches new Web site By Claudia Moore-O’Brien, M.Ed ’00 a busy day. With such a Westfield State large and varied group launched a new Web of people seeking inforsite in June. Just as the mation about Westfield campus is abuzz with State, the Web site is an activity, so is its Web site. essential guide to the The University evaluated University. Moreover, its former Web site and we want people to find decided to ramp it up, what they’re looking for make it easier to navigate, in the minimum number provide more information of “clicks” on their and reflect the spirit and computers. feel of the campus. Designing and The University has a launching the new Web variety of audiences that site took over a year. visit the Web site on a Starting with a comdaily basis, ranging from mittee of three and a prospective students, subcommittee of five, to high school guidance Westfield State staff counselors, to current outlined the goals of Westfield State students, the project. Put sucfaculty and staff. In addiAlyssa Goodreau cinctly, they determined tion, Westfield alumni and that there were three areas of concentration: the Web site’s content, surrounding neighborhood community members like to know what design and organization. As web administrator, Alyssa Goodreau says, is going on at Westfield State. The number of people accessing the “The site consisted of thousands of pages of content that had to be University’s Web site ranges from about 6,000 a day to over 24,000 on Continued on page 23
Westfield State Launches New Alumni Website Offering simplified ways to stay connected The Office of Alumni Relations launched their new alumni website in May 2010. The sleek new site offers easy navigation, a classic layout and a smorgasbord of features. After careful consideration of a new website vendor, the office chose FinalSite as the vendor for this site, a company specializing in modern, simplistically designed sites for secondary schools, colleges and universities.
Visitors to http://www.westfieldalumni.org will be welcomed to an easy-to-navigate site. Users can explore and will find the following features on the site: • Event Registration – Find out about upcoming events, register and pay online using most major credit cards through our secure server! • Alumni Store – Purchase Alumni sweatshirts and camp chairs or visit our online Barnes and Noble bookstore where each purchase results in a donation from you to our scholarship fund. • Online Giving – Make your tax-deductible donation to Westfield State! • FOCUS online – Read an electronic version of our alumni magazine. • Update your information – provide corrections and updates to your record to keep in touch with your alma mater. F OCUS MA GAZINE • FALL 2 0 1 0
• New programs – Come back and visit the site often to learn about new programs and happenings on the campus and in our Life Long Learning section, including our newest program. . . Alumni Travel! (Mark your calendars TODAY for our first trip to Italy in 2011!) • Getting Involved – Write something for your class page, join a chapter or affinity group or volunteer at an upcoming event. • Who’s who? – Find out information about your Alumni Association, the WSC Foundation board and who is working for YOU in the Division of Alumni and University Relations. Alumni can also login to the website to search the alumni directory, find classmates, and maintain their personal profile. If you are a first time user your login information is your first initial, last name and four-digit year of graduation (ex. Joe Smith, class of 1998 would be jsmith1998). This login also doubles as your first time password. Please take a few minutes, today to update your information. So be sure to take a look at all the exciting offerings on our brand new site! Should you need assistance with the site, please contact Dave LaRocque in the Office of Alumni Relations at 413-572-8356 or email Associate Director, Kelly Galanis at kgalanis@wsc.ma.edu! 3
On Ca m p us
Byron Pitts of CBS News Inspires Graduates Urges that students focus on the world and people around them By Craig Phelon, Advancement and College Relation Byron Pitts, chief national correspondent for The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric and contributor to 60 Minutes, urged graduates of Westfield State to focus on the world around them, and use their education to help others in need at the University’s 171st Commencement. President Evan S. Dobelle presented diplomas to 1,200 graduates on the campus green, as well as to 179 graduates with advanced degrees in a separate Graduate Commencement. Pitts, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, described his experiences covering natural disasters and war zones throughout the world and noted that he marveled at the people who came to help in places like Haiti after the earthquake, Indonesia after the tsunami and New York City after 9/11. “I’ve seen what happens when good people give their best,” he said. Pitts also told how the encouragement of an English professor kept him from dropping out of Ohio Wesleyan University, where he earned
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his degree in journalism and speech communication not with honors, but with “Thank you Lord, I graduated on time.” “Never underestimate the power of a kind word,” Pitts said. “There are angels in this world. And don’t just thank them by being a high achiever. Thank them by helping somebody else—paying it forward.” Pitts is also the author of his memoir Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges, which highlights his journey from his childhood in Baltimore, where he was raised by a single mother and considered illiterate until he was 12 years old, to his career in journalism.
Pitts said he was incorrectly diagnosed as developmentally delayed in middle school, but his mother’s support and insistence on getting extra help kept him in school. However, he added, all the challenges he faced in his early years made him what he is today. “Every obstacle is an opportunity,” Pitts said. “Obstacles are not stumbling blocks in life, only stepping stones.” His other recommendations included working hard, believing in the power of optimism and having faith in something greater than yourself. During the ceremony, marked by encouraging words from many other speakers, President Dobelle told the assembly that the University had been designated by the research firm, MassInc., as having the best education value per cost in the state. “Number six was MIT. Number five was Amherst. Number four was Williams. Number three was UMass-Amherst. Number two was Harvard. And number one was Westfield State,” Dobelle said. n
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Getting Fused
Alum draws on College experience in shaping high-tech business
Jason Gates ’01 By Jessica Gray ’10 Lessons learned at Westfield State University helped alum Jason Gates ’01 succeed in the ever-expanding field of information technology. Working on the frontier of mobile applications to bring the latest information to the public, Gates credits Westfield State for helping him succeed in the business. “The thing that you get when you’re at college is the understanding and the capability to take what you’ve learned and apply it to the different facets of what you’re doing,” says Gates. Gates graduated nine years ago with a bachelor’s degree in math and economics and is now Vice President & Co-Founder of Getfused, Inc. He considers his special niche to be sports entities and their Web sites and mobile applications, which allow users to access Web sites on certain cellular phones. Gates and his company worked with the New England Patriots through Patriots.com to create a mobile application for the Patriots on the iPhone. His company also works with the Ultimate Fighting Championships over at UFC.com, Revolution Soccer and Major League Lacrosse. With all the different sports teams, Web sites, fans and information on the Internet, Gates works hard to analyze the demographics to find out what the customer base is and how to get them the information they want. “All right,” says Gates, “These guys actually need X, Y and Z. Here’s how we’re going to pose it. Here’s how we’re going to package it up. Here’s the plan.”
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Jason Gates
Getfused focuses on Smartphone applications that will take content from their clients’ Web sites and package it so that it can be easily accessed in one centralized area. The company can then upload content, such as new
“When you’re trying to build something, you just need to know what’s possible, you don’t need to know exactly how to do it.” stories, and have them appear on a Blackberry, Droid or iPhone, as well as on browsers on other mobile devices like laptop computers. Proving that ingenuity can go a long way, Gates began his business during his sophomore year at Westfield State. “I had a couple of folks I knew from high school who were in the process of doing the same thing, starting their own business, and we basically started a series
of Web companies that all serviced different areas,” Gates says. The same hardworking attitude has helped Getfused not only survive but flourish even during the recession. “We’ve been through two major recessions,” Gates explains. “The first was the dot-com bubble bursting in the year 2000… There were big companies in Boston that failed, and we were the main contacts for a lot of the entities like the New England Patriots, which was our first big break.” While Gates admits he has been lucky, he also says life lessons he has learned from his time in college helped him to excel in a fairly new area of business. “Understanding how to think. Understanding how you take what is given to you and apply it to the real world is what’s important,” he says. “A lot of it you’re not going to directly use but the fact that you learned it and you understood the thinking process, how you came to that conclusion or how you solved a certain problem—that process is the valuable part.” The advice he has for other aspiring entrepreneurs is to be flexible. Since most of what Gates works with is constantly changing technology, he knows the obstacles he faces in approaching new situations and being able to apply what he already knows when planning or troubleshooting. Gates says, “When you’re trying to build something, you just need to know what’s possible, you don’t need to know exactly how to do it. If you know what’s possible you can fill in the blanks later.” n
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Designing a Career
A professor and computer technology helped lay the foundation for this alum’s future
Todd LeMieux ’89 By Jessica Gray ’10 Todd LeMieux ’89 entered Westfield State as a psychology major but exited with a degree in art. This, in part, is because of the release of the MacIntosh computer in the mid-80s. LeMieux decided to change his major to art after a professor from one of his core art classes encouraged him to do so after viewing his work. “I was always interested in art, but when I was in high school, I didn’t have any art classes, surprisingly,” says LeMieux. “I was in all the advanced placement classes, and my counselor kind of steered me to all the college stuff, and art was not in there.” As an art major, LeMieux decided to go into the graphic design concentration. Then, the MacIntosh entered the scene. New to the art scene in 1984 was the MacIntosh computer. “Computers changed everything in my industry,” says LeMieux. The computer would become a symbol of a new genre of art, graphic design and the endless possibilities it provides. Electronic publication design, typography, Web page design, illustration and computer graphics were—and still are—included in Westfield State’s graphic design program. “It was hands-on, and it was great,” says LeMieux. “I knew immediately what I wanted to do.” Because of new advances in technology, LeMieux and his classmates had to work to apply traditional graphic design methods to newly acquired computer programs. Though the addition of computers to the field of graphic design opened many doors,
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Todd LeMieux ’89
it also presented unique problems. “It was all new back then… It was exciting. It was frustrating,” says LeMieux. “We were learning new stuff. It did some amazing things. It also didn’t do some stuff you wanted it to do.” He adds
The computer would become a symbol of a new genre of art, graphic design and the endless possibilities it provides. that because of the lack of experience with computers then as compared with today it was a steep learning curve. Illustrating the importance of computer experience, LeMieux was hired as a graphic designer for Business West magazine shortly after graduating. Also illustrating the importance of networking, LeMieux, who had kept in touch with members of Westfield State’s
faculty, was invited to speak to a class as a guest lecturer because of his success in the field of graphic design. “I loved that particular class,” says LeMieux. The professor who had asked him to speak said the class enjoyed it as well and asked him to come back to speak again. A semester later, the same professor asked him if he would like to teach a class. “And I said, ‘Are you serious?’ ” says LeMieux, who accepted the teaching opportunity. LeMieux taught classes for about a decade. “And I miss it,” he says, “It was a great experience.” LeMieux considers that one his greatest assets as a professor was the fact that he had been a student of the University and had knowledge of its history and philosophies. “I knew how things worked, and I knew the challenges and the opportunities and the benefits the students had, so I think I was better able to help with certain things,” says LeMieux. “I liked the academic environment. I liked the energy. I liked the students,” he adds. Last year, LeMieux was hired as the graphic designer for Westfield State’s Marketing Department. His job involves working on print materials by designing posters, fliers, advertisements and brochures as well as working on the University’s Web site design. “It’s a lot of stuff,” says LeMieux. “The Marketing Department here is relatively new. It’s only a few years old, so we’re sort of finding our place, and we’re refining our process as we do things. We’re growing.” n
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Alums Use Social Media to make it BIG By Claudia Moore-O’Brien, M.Ed ’00 Dana Goldstein Schaeffer knows social media. Schaeffer, a student at Westfield State in the mid-80s, majored in English with a minor in psychology. Now, Schaeffer is the director of business development for her family-owned business, Chop-Shop Customs, a high-end automobile restoration business. That business began as an email address in 2004; today, there is an eight-month waiting list for service. The growth is totally aligned with her effective use of social media.
As social media developed with Web sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, Schaeffer started to branch out. Critical to the success of her business is the marketing strategy she’s employed. “It is just common sense,” she says. “I think about myself and what I would want to know about a product or service. I answer my own questions with the information I post on our Web site.” Further, Schaeffer says, “Think big. Though you may be a small business, you can have a big presence on the Internet. And, it is free advertising that you can track.” Rarely using print media to promote the company, Shaeffer’s business has grown from an email address to a very busy automobile restoration business. Visit the site at: www.chop-shopcustoms.com
Lesley Lambert
Dana Goldstein Schaeffer
Auto enthusiasts, Schaeffer and her husband launched the business with one means of advertising: their email address. In order to create that address, they needed to name the business. Schaeffer believed that all the business-related promotional material had to be consistent. With that in mind, she labored over what to name the business. Chop Shop Customs. She liked it, but it was already in use. Her quick easy fix was to add a hyphen between “Chop” and “Shop,” and she had the name: Chop-Shop Customs. Next, she created a Web site for business. “I am totally selftaught,” she points out, “and if I can do it, so can anybody.”
Lesley Lambert put herself through college by selling real estate. Her 1992 B.A. in English, with a mass communication concentration, coupled with effective use of social media, has made her a successful realtor with 21 years of experience. Lambert, who’s been using social media since her college days, relies on the latest Internet technology to grow her business. At the suggestion of a fellow realtor, Lambert created a blog (short-hand for Web log) to reach out to the real estate community around her. Blogs offer the author the opportunity to interact and communicate electronically with other realtors, business associates and clients. It was her opportunity to “get people to know me. It answered the question, ‘Who am I?’ to the visitors to the site,” she says. Also, using tracking software, Lambert can monitor who subscribes to her blog, as well as how many people are one-time or occasional visitors. Her demo-
graphic becomes defined; she knows where to concentrate her efforts. Lambert says, “Eighty percent of my business comes from social media.” As a result of reaching out through social media, Lambert has landed many opportunities. Real estate trainers have used her blog, and she hosted “ERA Home Today,” a local television program that showcased homes that were currently on the market. “Using social media has totally impacted my business,” says Lambert. “It has allowed me to use my Westfield degree in a unique way. An English degree doesn’t seem to have relevance to real estate. However, my writing abilities and communication knowledge from Westfield State, paired with social media, have been tremendously useful in expanding my business.” View Lambert’s Web site at: www.lesleylambert.com Continued on page 20
Lesley Lambert ’12
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FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
Social Media Lingo Social Media is widely used today, but the buzzwords can often be confusing. Below are a few basic definitions to help get you started on the Social Media bandwagon.
(From Wikipedia): Social Media/Social Networking is focused on the building and reflecting of social relationships among people who share interests and/ or activities. A social network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/ her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web-based and provide means for users to interact over the Internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Online Communities are group-centered social network services. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events and interests within their individual networks.
Westfield State on Facebook
Social Media at Westfield State— Reconnecting…One Alumnus at a Time By Kelly A. Galanis, Associate Director, Alumni Services For the past 20-30 years, companies and organizations have looked to mainstream advertising to get their messages out. Television commercials, billboards and newspaper advertisements have been the solution for marketing success. Social media and Web 2.0, though, is changing the way we do business in the region and across the world. Today, social media has brought word of mouth referrals and consumer reviews to a whole new level. Businesses and organizations can now—at less expense—offer the audience they are seeking to reach more information, more interaction and more access. Westfield State has not just jumped onto the social media bandwagon, it has embraced it. With much of social media’s roots stemming from higher education, colleges and universities must have a presence in order to find success today. Web sites, blogs and tweets are where prospective students look first now when researching schools to attend, and it is toward those medias that alumni look to find old classmates and reconnect with their alma mater. Faculty are using social media more and more in the classroom, creating interactive methods to tune students into the importance of being proficient with these tools as they prepare to enter the workforce. Westfield State’s Office of Alumni Relations has found great success in reconnecting with alumni through social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and alumni have found a place to stay up-to-date, reconnect with their University and reunite with former classmates through this modern form of technology. Some classes celebrating reunions have spend a good amount of time advertising through
(From Facebook.com) Facebook is the world’s most popular Social Media Web site. Over 500 million people use Facebook every day to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Facebook is a great place to reconnect with old friends, classmates and colleagues. Users are constantly kept in the loop of their friends lives. They can also stay up to date on popular culture, sports, music, movies and more! (From Twitter.com) Twitter is a real-time information network powered by people all around the world that lets users share and discover what’s happening now. Twitter asks “what’s happening” and makes the answer spread across the globe to millions, immediately. The timely bits of information that spread through Twitter can help you make better choices and decisions and creates a platform for you to influence what’s being talked about around the world. Search results spread across Twitter and in other ways across the Web so users can discover what’s happening. Twitter can be used online, through a Smart phone or through a third-party application on your desktop. It’s great for businesses, individuals, colleges, groups, organizations and more. (From LinkedIn.com) LinkedIn has over 70 million users in over 200 countries. A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second. Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members. With LinkedIn, relationships matter. LinkedIn exists to help users make better use of their professional network and help the people they trust in return. LinkedIn’s mission is to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. LinkedIn believes that in a global connected economy, success as a professional and competitiveness as a company depends upon faster access to insight and resources users can trust. n
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Letter from Association President Suzanne Boniface ’92 The tradition of building friendships continues for me at Westfield State. While a student here, I built many
friendships that have been everlasting. During this past year as president of the Alumni Association that feeling of tradition returned. I am so pleased with the new friendships I have found through the Executive Council of the Alumni Association and the fun that we have had meeting, planning and attending the long list of events the Association has held. I am also pleased with the dedication of this first-year alumni association council. I can honestly reflect back and say that anyone who was elected really had no idea what was coming at them this past year, including me. But each member stepped up and met the challenges we faced. Each of the nine committees met goals that were established at the Summer of 2009 Alumni Association retreat. Each met success. This past summer we gathered again at the retreat of 2010, and we were able to use this past year of learning and exploring to guide us into our second year of existence. It is an exciting time for all alumni. There are only good things ahead for us including volunteering with the association, attending our events, reconnecting with those we have lost touch with, or connecting with new people. And of course, acknowledging our alma mater, Westfield State.
Letter from Association President-Elect Ryan O’Connell ’07 After the excitement of our second annual Alumni Summer Retreat Weekend and our elections for the 2010-2011 Executive Council, I am now looking forward to taking over the reins of the organization at Homecoming 2010 in October. We will again begin to focus on achieving the strategic priorities set by the association and the University. One of the most important parts of this plan includes you and the commitment to reconnect with the University or our Association. Please take a moment to think about how you can “give back” to Westfield State. This is not about your donation and the dollars you have committed (to the tune of over $500,000 last year alone) but, a way you can give of your time to reconnect. We are seeking committee members, near or far! Technology allows us to include you in our meetings, even from a distance. We are seeking alums who want to host events, come to events, travel to great places, help with Homecoming and so much more. Please check out the new Web site, and reconnect! I look forward to serving as your president and plan to share my experience with you on the new Web site through podcasts or blogs. Please write and share your thoughts, wishes for the association and concerns to me throughout the year. I look forward to meeting so many of you. Finally, I would like to thank Suzanne Boniface and the 2009-2010 council members for all the work they did to bring us to this point. This past year was full of excitement and change. I hope to continue this legacy in the future.
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FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
Reunion Weekend 2010 Westfield State welcomed back over 140 guests to campus June 25-27 for its annual Reunion Weekend. Alumni returned from the class of 1970 to celebrate their 40th reunion and the class of 1985, their 25th. In addition, many friends from the classes of 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1971 also attended. The Social Work department was the first affinity group to join in and participate in Reunion Weekend activities. Between 1985 and 1970 the classes managed to raise over $115,000 in pledges and gifts that will be used towards scholarships through the Westfield State University Foundation. “Your Father’s No No”, a band comprised of members from their graduating class, delighted the class of 1970 with their special performance. These gents spent many hours tuning up and dusting off the instruments to delight their classmates. They did not disappoint as they rocked the Savignano Auditorium on Saturday evening to a
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roaring group of their biggest fans! The Class of 1985 held a wonderful luncheon remembering those who have served the country since they graduated, those they have lost and to honor three classmates for giving back to the University. Tracey Innella Pinto, Jim Duffy and Janice Ripley Beetle were honored for service to the community. The Social Work Group enjoyed lunch at the Tavern, hosted by Dr. Bob Kersting and members of the department’s faculty and staff. On behalf of everyone at Westfield State, we were thrilled to welcome you back to campus and hope to see you again soon! Mark your calendars for Reunion Weekend 2011 –> June 24-26! If you and your alumni friends would like to return for Reunion Weekend, contact Kathi Bradford in Alumni Relations at kbradford@wsc.ma.edu. n
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Helping With Health Care Westfield State launches nursing program By Chrysta Wheeler ’11 With the go-ahead from the Q: When does the program begin? When will the first State Board of Higher Education students be accepted into the for a new Bachelor of Science program, and when will the first in Nursing (BSN) program at class of this program graduate? Westfield State, the University welcomes Dr. Jacquelyn D. Jordan A: The program and this first as program administrator. “The accepted students began this nursing shortage is a national September. These students will and statewide health care issue,” graduate in 2014. Jordan says. “Westfield State is responding to the shortage by Q: How many students are expected to apply to the developing a baccalaureateprogram and how many level nursing program in Western students are expected to be Massachusetts.” accepted? Jordan is extremely excited about taking part in this new A: We are expecting 500 appliprogram and is eager to work cants for the program for fall with the students, helping them 2011 admissions. We will only gain the knowledge they need to be able to fill 32 spots for the be successful in the nursing field. program. Dr. Jacqueline D. Jordan The program will provide nursing graduates with professional Q: Will there be any special type of application process for potential nursing majors? nursing requirements. In addition, students will also complete the University’s standard core requirements. Jordan says that in addition A: There is no special application process for this program. However, to this programwhich leads to the RN, Westfield hopes in the future to each applicant has to meet the standards of the University, and then if offer other nursing credentials including a master’s in nursing. they are accepted by the University those applicants will then be given Jordan offers this other information about the University’s new nursto me for final acceptance. We will look closely at the applicant’s math ing program, in interview style. and science grades.
Q: Why do you think educational institutions are having problems producing an adequate number of nurses? A: There are two reasons why institutions are having this problem. One, the amount of space that’s required for teaching these programs, and second, the shortage of faculty out there. This isn’t just a local problem. It’s a national problem. There is an increase in people wanting to become nurses, but there is the shortage of the programs to teach them, and with the baby boomers retiring the demand is apparent. Q: Why did Westfield State decide to offer a nursing major? A: It was actually President Dobelle’s idea. He went into the community, and he saw that there was a need for nurses. He felt that by adding this type of program to Westfield State that we could help meet this need. Q: Are we the first state university to offer such a major, aside from community colleges? A: The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is the first four-year state university in Western Massachusetts to offer this bachelor program. Westfield State is the second.
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Q: Will Westfield State’s nursing students be required to complete an internship at a local hospital? If so which hospital has the University partnered with? A: Yes, students will be required to do a clinical during their junior or senior year. We have partnered up with Noble Hospital right in Westfield. Noble has been great. It has set aside space for our students to do their clinical and practical work. We are grateful to Noble for giving our students this opportunity and helping Westfield State make this program all it can be. Q: Through the program, will Westfield State graduate Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Registered Nurses (RNs), or Advance Practice Nurses (APNs)? A: Our students in our program will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). These students will then apply for a state board of nursing exam called, the National Council Licensing Examination in Nursing for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), which is a national exam. If they pass this exam, they will then be an RN. More information on the nursing program can be found on the Universitys’ Web site http://www.wsc.ma.edu/prospective-students/ academics/nursing/nursing-about-the-department/ n FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
Faculty Online By Jennifer Krok ’09 Although a classroom and a notebook may never be completely replaced, online classes are helping more and more students complete their degrees while meeting their demanding schedules. Westfield State does just this for thousands of graduate and undergraduate students. According to Lynn Zayac, director of the Center for Instructional Technology, the University started with one online class in 2002. That class was sociology and 20 students enrolled. Today there are about 277 online classes offered and over 5,500 students are learning in cyberspace. Zayac says almost every major is offering some classes online and the University currently offers a completion program for students working towards a bachelor’s degree in business management. Concentrations available for this degree include finance, management and marketing. An accounting concentration will be integrated in the near future. “We are also in the process of developing other bachelor completion programs. By the summer we hope to have our first cohort of students enrolled in a sociology degree program, with other majors to follow,” Zayac says. “We are also are very excited about the development of a masters in art history and a visual culture degree.” Online classes are taught through a variety of traditional and non-traditional ways including lectures, videos and group discussions. Zayac says that the structure of an online class is similar to a traditional class and is designed so that students have to interact with the professor. There are online discussions, Web links for quizzes and assessments and weekly folders for students to access assignments and projects.
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Lisa Clark
Carmen Diaz Two students that are currently enrolled in online classes at Westfield State are Carmen Diaz and Lisa Clark. Undergraduate student
Carmen Diaz is working towards her bachelor’s degree in business management with a tentative graduation date of 2011. Diaz works as an administrative assistant in the economics and management department at the University and currently takes all of her courses online. “The advantage of online courses is that I can work full-time and work toward my degree on my own time,” she says. “Sometimes you need to solve a problem by yourself or wait for faculty to respond to your email. But in all the courses I have taken, the faculty has been very helpful and responded to my entire question very fast.” Lisa Clark works as an online faculty support specialist in the Center for Instructional Technology at the University. She fits a mixture of traditional and online classes into her schedule to work towards completing her undergraduate degree in Business Management. Like many working adults today online classes work perfectly for Clark’s busy life. “Being home with my kids while taking the course in the comfort of my own home is a huge advantage,” she says. Clark says that online classes at Westfield State are well organized, very interactive and convenient. The faculty that teach the online classes are just as important as the students enrolled. Zayac says she has received positive feedback from faculty members. She says that some professors have observed that students work harder online and are more actively engaged in the classes. The University does a great job of giving busy students a chance to complete their eduContinued on page 21
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F ac ulty Center
Going Once, Going Twice Assistance from Westfield State computer and information science students makes Kiwanis Club auction a great sell When the Kiwanis Club of This year was the club’s 41st Westfield conducted its annual annual auction and for many of fundraising auction this March those years it has been conducted in the Westfield State television at Westfield State. Proceeds from studio, some amazing things hapthe auction benefit many parts of pened. Bids appeared instantly on the community through Kiwanis screen so everyone watching the charitable projects helping both auction on the Comcast community children and the elderly. Kiwanis access channel could see updates founded the Boys and Girls immediately. Club of Greater Westfield and There was no question about Westfield Little League baseball who had gotten their bid in first, and softball. and video meshed perfectly with Delisle and Kiwanis member the new software created by Michael Monahan approached Westfield State computer and James Carabetta, chair of the information science students. Computer and Information Well, almost perfectly—the Science Department, last year James Carabetta maiden launch of the new system requesting the University’s assishad a slight glitch that delayed the start of the auction for a few mintance in creating software that could improve the auction. utes. But that glitch turned out to be a mistake in one line of code (out Three Computer Information Systems students, Tri Chau, Michael of some 20,000 lines), which was feverishly found and fixed directly. Pray and Nicholas Meszaros, took on the challenge as their senior cap Once that was discovered and fixed, “It worked like a champ for the stone project. Aaron Childs, network administrator of the Information remaining seven hours of the auction,” said George Delisle, former Technology Department, and St. Jean helped with operational details. Kiwanis president and auction chairman. The auction was the club’s Carabetta oversaw the students’ work and this year, seniors Kevin most successful ever. Nickl and Martina Desnoyers joined the project team, replacing gradu “Last year was a record year and we raised $35,000,” Delisle said. ates Chau and Pray. “The original incarnation was written last spring “This year it was almost $41,000 and to do that in this economy is proband the students this year picked up from last year and got it to the ably amazing! It was the first time ever we could register bids instantapoint where it was fully functional,” Carabetta said. neously, and I’m convinced that helped raise prices a little.” “It is truly a major piece of software, as robust as anything that might “I can’t say enough about what Westfield State’s computer and be found commercially,” he said. “There is a level of sophistication information science department has done for us and is doing for us,” that is probably unmatched by almost any other auction you might he said. “Mark St. Jean (coordinator of video production and televisee. In fact, it is actually two systems—one that does the immediate sion operations) and his staff were working hand and glove with the auction day activities, and another that gathers and maintains inforcomputer science folks. So it looked good, and it was fast and accurate, mation about bidders, donors, and auction items prior to the auction, as well.” handles reporting after the auction, and deals with security and other The program also was streamed live over the Internet. functions.” “Great things can happen when the University and a community “When someone posted a bid, it was displayed within a 10th of a group like Kiwanis work together on a major project,” said Evan S. second and nobody else could make that same bid,” Carabetta said. “It Dobelle, president of Westfield State. “In this case Kiwanis raised a cleared up all those types of issues, such as who called in first?” record amount of funds to help the community and our students “In addition to a powerful server located in the computer and inforgained valuable hands-on experience in creating an impressive piece mation science department area—located a half-campus away from of software.” the auction studio—we also brought a dozen laptop computers to the Delisle said other Kiwanis clubs have conducted auctions that were television studio to run the system,” he said. far less successful because of the costs involved in staging them and However, the computer and information science department is not the fact that “they don’t have a Westfield State.” resting on its laurels. Carabetta said the students are continuing to “If we were in their position, I don’t think an auction would be practitweak the software. Among other things, they are updating the code cal here,” he said. “But it’s our biggest fundraiser, and it’s all thanks to to create a more portable application, and reevaluating project goals in Westfield State.” anticipation of a long-term plan to combine the two current systems in Kiwanis gave a $1,000 donation to the computer and information a single, comprehensive software solution. n science department in appreciation for its work.
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FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
Career Services: A Lifelong Membership By Jessica Gray ’10 Many times, when students check in with about the way we work is that we are flexible Career Services and Experiential Education, it and adaptable,” adds McCartney. is at the end of their academic career, not the Part of being flexible means expanding beginning. career options. If a person is unsure of what While the services are promoted at orientacareer they want or unable to find an open tion, so student have access for the entire four position in the career they would like Career years of their schooling, some students don’t Services is able present new options, some show up until April when they will be graduating option a person may not have even know in May. existed. “Look at some of the green jobs,” Fortunately for students and alumni, career explains Delgado, “That’s the field that’s going services is a place where it is never too late to to expand. Some of the jobs we have today start—where there is no real beginning or end. are jobs we didn’t have 10 years ago. In the Career Services has seen alumni return 20 years next five years there will be position that after graduation for help. Reasons for seeking don’t exist right now.” Federal employment their services range from layoffs to changing is also a growing job market. To aid students interests. The new advances made by Career looking for a career with Federal employment, Services makes them a great option for both curCareer Services sends 50 or more students to rent students and alumni. Washington D.C. every year with great success. Located in a new facility in Lammers Hall, For students and alumni looking to further Career Services has added a full-time professiontheir education after receiving their bachelor’s al staff as well as a support staff. Thanks to new degree, Career Services also provides much technology at the center Career Services was help in continued training and graduate school Junior Delgado able to expand its Web page so that students advising. They work with students and alumni and alumni can access registration, job and to understand the application process and how internships listing, assessments and programs to create cover letters, to search for the right degree program. “ portfolios and resumes at their own convenience. Career Services, Alumni are also encouraged to offer their help to students. Here’s which is free of costs to both students and alumni, also works with one example: An alum from the class of ’09 secured a position at employers to improve job searching. Travelers Insurance. He’s speaking to classes and is doing a lunch with Junior Delgado, director and coordinator of employer services and students in order to guide them in what they need in order to know senior programs, created the University’s first career fair in response to what they need to get into the industry. Also, many alumni return to a lack of enthusiasm on behalf of employers in the current economy. Westfield State as employers during the career fairs as loyal and very The fair was described as a big move forward and the second annual helpful. About 70 percent of employers who participate in the career career fair brought approximately 80 employers to the campus. As it fairs are Westfield State alumni. is such a large part of the University, the Criminal Justice major has its The Web site for Career Services is located at: www.wsc.ma.edu/ own career fair. “I think we have a great team here and the nice part Current_Students/Career_Services/index.html n
New Trustee Westfield State welcomes Joseph Carvalho III of Springfield, recently retired president and executive director of Springfield Museums, as a new member of its Board of Trustees. Appointed by Gov. Deval L. Patrick, Carvalho is a 1975 graduate of Westfield State with a bachelor’s degree in history. He also holds a master’s degree in history from the College of William and Mary and an M.L.S. from the University of Rhode Island. He has done further studies at the Non-Profit Management Institute at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration and the Library Administrator’s Development Program at the University of Maryland. Carvalho has served as a consultant for several historic organizations and has received several awards from such organizations as the National Genealogical Society and the New England Historical Association. Carvalho and his wife, Gayle, have two children, Alyssa Gayle and Michael Armand. n Joseph Carvalho III F OCUS MA GAZINE • FALL 2 0 1 0
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Athletics
Smith Cup Returns
Woodward Center Trophy Case holds trophy once again, thanks to outstanding athletes By Mickey Curtis, Sports Information Director The Smith Cup trophy has returned to Westfield State. Missing from the Woodward Center trophy case for a year, Westfield State reclaimed the coveted Smith Cup with another outstanding effort on the playing fields during the 2009-2010 academic year. “On behalf of Westfield State athletics, I am proud and honored to accept the 2009-10 Smith Cup,” says Westfield State Director of Athletics Richard Lenfest. “This award is very special for our student athletes and represents the overall success of our program in The Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC), and it also represents the hard work, commitment and teamwork of our coaches, student athletes, staff and administration.” MASCAC Howard C. Smith Cup is awarded annually to the member institution that compiles the most points based on the placement of each of its programs competing in the 17-league championship sports. Westfield State captured 77 percent (129.5 points) of a possible 168 points to best 2008-09 Smith Cup winner Bridgewater State, which claimed 72.8 percent (113.7 points) of a possible 156 points to finish second, as the Owls took their third Smith Cup in the last four years. Framingham State finished in third place with 55.4 percent (73.2 points) of a possible 132 points, while Salem State was next in fourth place after garnering 51.7 percent (74.5 points) of a possible 144 points. “I would like to congratulate Director of Athletics John Harper and Bridgewater State on an outstanding year,” says Lenfest, whose Owls were runners-up by less than a point to the Bears during the 2008-2009 academic year. “Bridgewater State is a first-class athletics program, and our teams
respect and enjoy the healthy rivalry that exists between our two schools.” The Owls finished first or second in 13 of the 17 MASCAC sports, including eight regular season championships. And a strong showing during the spring sports season lifted Westfield State to the Smith Cup crown. The Westfield State baseball team completed one of its finest seasons, winning 30 games (30-11 record) for the first time in 31 years. The Owls captured the MASCAC regular season championship and participated in the NCAA Tournament, both for the third time in four years. The Westfield State softball squad set a school record for victories in a season (26-13 record) and claimed its first MASCAC regular season crown in 25 years. Placing second in the MASCAC were women’s lacrosse, men’s track and field and women’s track and field. The baseball and softball teams were led by MASCAC players of the year senior Kevin Lyons and junior Alicia Gardner. Lyons, who was an All-New England selection along with senior teammate Jeff Fields, set school records for RBI in a season (58) and career (114). Also excelling on the baseball diamond was senior Ben Wagner, who shattered the school record for career hits (212). Gardner was an All-New England selection along with sophomore Kerin DeGirolamo. The Owls top performer during the spring semester was senior track and field standout Kerry Arouca, who earned three All-America certificates by placing second in the 5,000 meter run at both the NCAA indoor and outdoor national championships and eighth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA outdoor finals. Westfield State has now won outright or shared the Smith Cup nine times. Now celebrating its 40th year, Kerri Arouca
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FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
...For Owl Action…
…Westfield State athletics home page is only a click away ... By Mickey Curtis, Sports Information Director Westfield State is taking full advantage of the Web-based technology to promote, publicize and manage its highly successful varsity athletics program. The Owls launched its athletics Web site—www. WestfieldStateOwls—five years ago, and it has received rave reviews from students, athletes, parents, alumni and fans. “When I became (Westfield State) athletics director in the summer of 2005, I knew one of the first things we had to do to establish and maintain a top-notch athletics program was to promote it, and the best way to do that nowadays is through the Internet,” says Athletics Director Richard Lenfest, who knows the importance of generating positive publicity after working 11 years in minor league baseball. The athletics Web site has many fan-friendly features and keeps getting better. One of the most popular is the Webcasts that provide live video and audio stream—free free of charge—of selected Westfield State’s home and away games through a special Internet package with the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC). This past year Westfield State produced live video and audio stream for its home football and basketball games and selected men’s and women’s soccer games. In addition, the MASCAC indoor track and field championships and the NCAA baseball tournament games were also video streamed live. “People really enjoy watching these games, especially if they live far
away,” says Lenfest. “We have a football alumnus who lives in Mexico City who watches the football games. And the NCAA baseball games were extremely popular with our alumni and parents.” This year the athletics department plans to launch live video stream for men’s ice hockey home games. This should generate many Web site hits from families and friends of the players, who come from all over the United States and Canada. Also benefitting from the Webcasts are Westfield State students, mostly communication majors. These students provide the live audio and a camera crew for the home games. “It has been a great experience announcing and producing the games,” says Westfield State Senior Matt LaPan, who has presented the athletics department with a detailed plan on how to enhance the Webcasts. And because of his Webcast experiences, LaPan was able to secure an internship this past summer with a team in the Florida Collegiate Baseball League. Live Stats are also a fan favorite. The Westfield State athletics department generates in-game computer statistics for most of its teams that can be viewed being updated in real time on the Owl Web site. “The Live Stats are especially popular for baseball and softball games because many parents are not able to make the weekday games, plus we are not able to video stream these games,” says Lenfest. Continued on page 22
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Athletics
Rachel Ryan ’11 Excels Performing On the Big Stage Track is only one aspect of this all-around student athlete By Brooke Wilson ’10 The Westfield State junior music and self-esteem she obtained major is an accomplished singer, a from athletics. However, she had track and field conference champion another passion, and it was in the and a standout for the championship classroom—music. After that initial Owl volleyball team. volleyball season, Ryan began track In addition to her work ethic and and field to stay in shape. But she passion for athletics—she competes quit basketball in order to perform and practices during the entire in musicals, where she starred in academic year in three sports—and “Guys and Dolls” and “Pirates of a demanding academic major that Penzance.” requires her to attend classes more After graduating high school, than 30 hours per week, Ryan also Ryan chose to attend Westfield shines as a classmate and teammate. State over two other colleges. Her demeanor gets her through “Westfield State was my top her long days. choice, and I wanted to go some “Rachel is very easygoing and where where I could play volleyball isalways laughing. She is liked by all and study music. The Woodward of her teammates and the first one Center is a nice (athletic) facility to congratulate someone after an and the professors are enthusiastic event. She even cheers me on,” says to help you succeed and work one Westfield track and field head coach on one.” Sean O’Brien. Ryan was even interested in Ryan grew up in Westborough, playing softball after being looked where she became an athlete at at very closely by Westfield’s softa young age. She played soccer, ball coach. She ultimately decided softball, basketball and was even a to compete in both indoor and youth cheerleader for 10 years, which outdoor track as well as volleyball. eventually led her to her career as a It is a challenging schedule, Rachel Ryan volleyball player. competing and practicing dur “At my high school if you didn’t play sports or weren’t into some sort ing the fall, winter and spring sports season, and being a music major of music field, you were considered weird. It was really out of the norm makes her schedule even more demanding. to not be involved,” says Ryan. As a music major, Ryan is enrolled As a high school freshman, Ryan in as many as 12 classes each had never played volleyball before semester. She typically takes six and did not join the team right away; regular classes and an additional however, she had a brief stint with seven music courses (she generally cheerleading. The freshman tried out receives 1 or ½ credit for each music for the cheerleading team and was class) during a semester. pressured to make a commitment “I know when I ask Rachel to do to the squad. Then, she realized something and she consents, I can she could apply her same strength count on her to fulfill her obligations and passion from cheerleading to fully and enthusiastically—she is a volleyball. hard worker, and responsible. She Ryan, along with Westfield State, does more than most people do who is happy she chose volleyball. actually do two degrees,” says vocal Like many young high school professor Dr. Mary Bonacci. athletes, Ryan enjoyed the success Continued on page 22
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FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
Westfield State Athletics Hall of Fame to Induct Five Greats By Mickey Curtis, Sports Information Director Five former greats will be inducted into the Westfield State Athletics Hall of Fame to kick off the 2010 Alumni Weekend. The enshrinement ceremony will be held Friday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. at Scanlon Banquet Hall. Tickets are available by calling (413) 572-5433. The Class of 2010 includes: Tom Brincklow (’92, basketball), Matt Collins (’00, track and field), Hector Gomes (’81, soccer), Holly (Maines) McGovern (’99, basketball/soccer), and Rick Vittum (’94, football). Brincklow was a four-year starter and holds the school record for starting in 92 consecutive games. He ranks seventh on the all-time scoring charts with 1,364 points. Collins was a three-time NCAA qualifier and placed second in the 400 hurdles at the 1999 national championships. He was a 14-time
Tom Brincklow (’92, basketball)
Matt Collins (’00, track and field)
Holly (Maines) McGovern (’99, basketball/soccer)
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All-New England performer, including five championships in the 400 hurdles. Gomes was a two-time All-New England and four-time all-conference selection. The standout defender ranks 14th on the Owls’ all-time scoring list. McGovern is one of the finest two-sport athletes in school history. She was a four-time all-conference selection in both basketball and soccer. She ranks third on the all-time soccer scoring list and holds basketball school records for assists, steals, and free throw shooting. Vittum is considered one of the finest offensive linemen in Owl history. He was an All-America and All-New England selection his senior year. n
Hector Gomes (’81, soccer)
Rick Vittum (’94, football)
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alums use social media Continued from page 8 Aaron Morris Seventh-grade Holyoke math teacher, Aaron Morris, ’02, B.A., ’08, Eventually, Morris began designing digital papers and embellishM.Ed, sings the praises of social media. The math teacher, by day, has ments to sell through an online store. “The digital images are able to creative and artistic interests that focus on scrapbooking. “I wanted to be used more than once, which makes them very desirable for the get away from being on budget-minded scrapa computer all the time,” booker,” says Morris. In says Morris, “and actuaddition to becoming ally work with materials.” a designer, Morris was Well, there is irony to that getting to know scrapstatement now. bookers from all over Morris started by the world. “I had a great looking for scrapbookonline conversation with ing materials on line. a designer in Australia,” The tools of the trade, Morris says, “and was such as, papers and thrilled to actually see embellishments were her designs at Michael’s often less expensive and (a craft store) in West offered more variety if Springfield.” purchased from an online Visit Morris at his web store. However, during site: www.sirscrapalotdethis exploration, Morris signs.com discovered “digital scrapbooking” which involves One thing is for sure, purchasing digital images social media is all of papers and embellisharound us, connecting ments, rather than the us. Alumni are using it actual materials. with great success in Morris began using both professional and Aaron Morris the digital images and social activities. The composing scrapbook pages on the computer. He imports digital three alumnae above all agreed that social media is about interacting, photo images and then prints the page on a sheet of paper. “The only connecting and staying in touch with their clients and peers. As Morris difference is the page is flat,” says Morris, referring to the bulky pages says, “I’m present (on the Web site), when I’m really not. And, connecof hand-applied scrapbook materials. tions made online often go from friendships to customers.” n
On campus Wireless access at Westfield State By Jenn Krok ’09 The days of dial-up and cable modems are long gone for Westfield State. With most colleges working to offer wireless Internet access to their students, it was up to the University to offer the latest and greatest. Wireless Internet access at Westfield State was first offered in the fall of 2003, says Christopher Hirtle, Chief information Officer in the Information Technology Department. The first three spots on campus to become wireless were Wilson Hall, the Dining Commons and the Library. Hirtle says that during one of his first meetings with University President Evan Dobelle, one of the first questions Dr. Dobelle asked was, “What is the University’s most glaring need?” Hirtle says his response was, “To make the campus wireless.” The next step was to have blanket coverage across the University. This meant making wireless Internet accessible in all of the residence halls, academics buildings, open space on campus and the open space in
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Stanley Park, often referred to as “the beach.” According to Aaron Childs, a network administrator and assistant director in the Information Technology Department, Westfield State was 100 percent wireless at the end of August 2008. With wireless Internet access becoming the norm, Hirtle says that students have come to expect this type of service. “When seeing presentations and meeting with current and prospective students they always ask the question, ‘Are you wireless?’ ” Hirtle says, “They have become used to this type of environment and it has become a necessity.” Westfield State is keeping on the cutting edge in today’s race for technology. “We are looking to expand the wireless access to Juniper Park in the future and will definitely offer wireless printing,” says Hirtle. n
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social media at westfield state
Faculty Center Online Education Continued from page 13
these mediums, having found great success in contacting their old classmates through Facebook. Alumni Relations has spent a great deal of time creating a presence for Westfield State on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. We asked alumni how they wanted to see social media used and largely heard one common theme: To reconnect. This past year, Alumni Relations welcomed Andrew Richard ’12 as its Social Media Maintainer. Richard’s role within the department is to maintain and promote Westfield State to the Alumni and University community. Here are some of Richard’s thoughts on social media and how he feels it is making a difference in higher education.
cation through online classes, but just as important is the technical support they provide for current and prospective students and faculty members. According to Zayac, Westfield State has articulation agreements with 14 community colleges and is looking to increase that number. (An Articulation Agreement is an agreement with a community college that helps students make a seamless transition to Westfield State.) The agreement shows students what courses they need to take to complete their degree, which courses will be transferred in and what those courses will be called once they’re transferred to Westfield State. Westfield State is also working on articulation agreements with community colleges in Connecticut. Resources available for online classes are both Web-based and face-to-face tutoring services, a help desk and virtual office hours. The help desk is open 24 hours for students and faculty who need technical assistance with their classes. During virtual office hours students can click on a link to see and talk to a professor and students have access to online tutoring 24 hours a day, seven days a week via phone, email, chat and live web conferencing. In a day and age where both people and technology are moving faster than ever it is up to colleges to keep up with the pace. Zayac says that Westfield State is ahead of the curve when it comes to online education. “Our growth has really been substantial in relationship to our peer institutions. Westfield has been a leader in online learning,” she says. n
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Q: How do you feel the University has benefited using social media? How will it continue to succeed with social media? A: The University has strongly benefited from the use of social media. Andrew Richard ’12 It has opened a new door for the institution, bringing in and informing prospective students, connecting the community and reuniting alumni with their alma mater. As the development of social media continues, we will create a stronger, more informed and connected community here at Westfield State. Q: What do you feel is the next big social media outlet for colleges and universities? A: I still think Facebook is the “big social media outlet” with no close competitor at the moment. Facebook has a wide array of networking tools to help communicate, inform, connect and share. Q: Where do you see social media fitting in to colleges and universities in the next year? Five years? A: In the next year I see the majority of higher education institutions embracing social media and starting to utilize it as an official communication outlet. In the next five years I think social media will override most traditional forms of communication. E-mail is becoming obsolete and students no longer refer to the University’s home page for information. People walk right by posters without looking, but most everyone in this generation uses Facebook and other social media daily, which supply the same information. Social media is real-time communication between the University and its community. Now people are able to interact, comment on an event, share their opinions publicly and find other classmates. It brings in prospective students, and connects them and their parents with current students, faculty, staff and alumni. It creates this stronger sense of community and a place to belong. Social media is now, and it’s here to stay!
Smith Cup Returns
continued from page 16
the MASCAC is comprised of eight Massachusetts state colleges in the NCAA Division III. “We take great pride in winning the Smith Cup, and we know that we cannot rest on our laurels. Our goals are to continue to improve our programs, and make more of an impact on the regional and national levels,” says Lenfest, who had three of his teams earn NCAA Tournament berths for the second consecutive year. “The University and the alumni are very proud of our student athletes’ efforts and accomplishments. And the administration has been extremely supportive and believes in the positive impact that athletics plays in the University’s educational experience.” n
Be sure to check out Westfield State’s Alumni pages on Facebook and LinkedIn, and follow us on Twitter @WestfieldAlumni. n
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Rachel Ryan Continued from page 18 Her courses consist of choir, solo and most competitive position singing and instrumentals, where in college. She was not starting she plays percussion, saxophone in the beginning of this season, and the oboe. The high-level but she always kept positive and musician/athlete posts her daily continued working hard and schedule (15 total copies) all over improving to earn that outside her room in an effort to stay sane position,” says Westfield volleyball and organized. coach Fred Glanville. Last fall, Ryan was invited Ryan’s junior season brought with seven other Westfield State one of the biggest challenges students to sing with the Bay to her volleyball career, as she Path College Choir in Prague participated with Division I playover Thanksgiving break. Ryan ers from all over the country at sang in Lichtenstein Palace, St. the USA Olympics Training Center Nicholas Cathedral and the Spanish in Colorado this past January. Synagogue. “The hardest part was just going, “I was able to attend operas and because I was scared out of my sing solo for hundreds of people in mind. The experience showed me the coolest places imaginable. No that I can actually do this, and my matter where we went we were goal to attain a 10-foot jump is in Rachel Ryan ’11 always listening to music, even if it close reach,” says Ryan. came from street players. It was an “Rachel is an extremely hard amazing trip that I was lucky enough to experience,” she says. hitter. She smashes the ball. She is very passionate and an emotional The high-energy junior also enjoys performing at Westfield State. player in a game or practicing; she wears her emotions on her sleeves. This past April she and classmate Tyler Cavanaugh performed voice You know she loves volleyball, and she works hard at it. Although, I solos in Dever Auditorium. And Westfield State students, teammates don’t think she considers it work, but rather a labor of love, which is and spectators also have an opportunity to hear her sing the national why it’s such a pleasure to coach her,” says Glanville. anthem prior to home volleyball games. Ryan’s success continued during the indoor track and field season When Rachel isn’t performing her music magic she’s working hard as she won the MASCAC championships in the shot put and weight to achieve her athletic goals. Ryan finished her 2009 volleyball season throw. And during the outdoor season she was an All-New England by capturing the Massachusetts State Athletics Conference (MASCAC) performer in the javelin. Ryan is always looking for new ways to tournament MVP honors. She averaged 2.70 kills per game in helping improve her throwing techniques. the Owls to the MASCAC championship and its first ever berth in the “It’s all about mentality. I have an expectation to go hard every NCAA Tournament. minute,” she says. n “Rachel plays at an outside position, and it’s the most contested
Owl Action Continued from page 17 Following each game the Westfield State sports information department posts stories, box scores and photos on the content management based Web site. “The athletics Web site is like our own daily newspaper. It’s constantly being updated,” Lenfest says. “And we also like to post as many feature stories as we can on the student athletes.” Those who do not have to time to check the site on a daily basis can sign up for an athletics department newsletter, which is sent weekly to subscribers. And Owl sports fans are also targeted through the athletics department’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. Other fine features are: photo galleries for all varsity sports teams, a Web store, where Owl apparel can be ordered online, an Athletics Hall of Fame site, and an online questionnaire for prospective student athletes. “One of the best features of the Web site is that all of the photos, team rosters, stories, statistics and even the game Webcasts are
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archived online,” says Lenfest. “So a year from now or in 20 years our alumni and their families can surf the site to check their records, watch the replay of a Webcast and even purchase their own photos.” The site is also a huge advantage from an environmental and administration perspective. Pre-season and athletic training forms— and there a lots of them—are no longer mailed to the student athletes. The forms are posted online and some can be completed electronically. The athletics department’s next goal is to post its compliance and eligibility forms online. “Not only does this save money but it also allows staff members to do their jobs more efficiently,” says Lenfest, whose future plans include posting advertisements on the site to generate revenue. n
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Just a few clicks Continued from page 3 reviewed, revised and reorganized.” This job required some outside expertise and assistance. After interviewing five of eight candidates that responded to Westfield’s request for proposals, Mind Over Media (MOM) was unanimously selected by the committee. They had what the others did not: a fresh and creative approach coupled with limitless technical capabilities. With MOM on board, the University took on the massive challenge of organizing all the information in a manner that would make sense to the site’s readers. The new Web site had to be easy to navigate, with information organized in a clear manner. This process presented numerous bumps along the way, but the determination and dedication of the team prevailed. The biggest challenge was developing the architecture, or organizational structure, of the site. Goodreau recalls, “It was Mission Organization!” As with any big project, along with the challenges, there are some fun and engaging parts. For instance, Goodreau spent four days with the team from MOM shooting a video of the campus for the Web site. “We wanted the video to reflect the vibrant feel of the campus,” says Goodreau. The team also interviewed several students around the campus. They were asked questions on an impromptu basis that elicited fresh and original thoughts and opinions. “This approach was great because they all delivered exceptional interviews that truly reflected their enthusiasm and passion for Westfield State,” says Goodreau. Visit the University’s new Web site at the same address, wsc.ma.edu. You will find—with very few ‘clicks’—the information you seek. Visitors will be able to take a video tour, see inside a residence hall, review majors, see what’s happening in the graduate school and do it at their leisure. Though the Web site is up and running, there will continue to be tweaks. “It wouldn’t be a successful Web site if it wasn’t tweaked and massaged every day,” says Goodreau. We will no longer be asking what other colleges are doing with their Web sites. “I want them to be asking, ‘What’s Westfield State doing?’ If they are asking that question,” says Goodreau, “then we are doing it right.” n
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Al um ni News a n d No te s
Class of 1985 check presentation
Class of 1970 check presentation
Westfield Alumni are giving more than ever!
Reunion Giving shows commitment to future Alumni
Students are the benefactors
Whether someone graduated in 2010 or in 1960—they are proud of what Westfield State is today. This is shown by the number of new Scholarships being formed by Reunion Classes and other alumni groups. The Classes of 1970 and 1985 each have embarked on raising $100,000 in order to establish class scholarships to help today’s students.
In these days of budgets being slashed, Westfield State Alumni are seeing something in their alma mater that is making them give—and more are giving to the institution than ever before. In fact, in fiscal year 2009, 11.5 percent of Westfield State Alumni made a gift to support the University’s Foundation, which provides Scholarships and program money for students. In 2010, more than 13 percent of alumni will have made a gift totaling nearly $500,000 in support of Westfield Students. In comparison less than 4 percent of alumni were making gifts in 2007. What is happening? Why have Westfield State Alumni become more focused on supporting their Alma Mater? Westfield State’s quality and reputation are growing.
Alumni have made gifts to support the Westfield Fund, but they have supported students in many ways. The Westfield Fund has provided for scholarships, library materials and technology, equipment and travel for student athletes, outreach programs for students to help others in the community and the world.
The University and the University’s Foundation have made great strides in providing quality programs for Alumni coupled with the success and the popularity Westfield State has through the Commonwealth, the region and the country.
Westfield State launches Alumni Street Team
Alumni are taking pride in their University, which was ranked #1 in the state by an independent research group. This positive reputation is helping to give Alumni a leg up in their careers and in life.
The Westfield State Division of Graduate and Continuing Education (DGCE) recently launched the Alumni Street Team, a new initiative to help build alumni relations.
Alumni and Parents to make a greater impact in New School year
Members of the Alumni Street Team will promote Westfield State at events and will have the opportunity to be featured in the University’s publications on the Westfield State Web site.
Alumni and Parents will be striving to raise more than $500,000 to support today’s Westfield Students. If more than 13% of Alumni make an average gift of $75 and 40% of parents make an average gift of $100 the Westfield Fund would break records in the amount of Scholarships it will provide to students. This will be a great testament to the education and quality opportunities that Westfield is providing to students. On Reunion Weekend, checks totalling $115,000 were donated.
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The Westfield Fund makes it easy to support Students
“Westfield State alumni are found in every corner of the world,” says Katheryn Bradford of Advancement and College Relations. “This newest initiative will again showcase the relationships they have developed and the skills they gained from their experiences on our campus.” Alumni who are interested in volunteering for the Street Team can contact Callie Hutchinson at chutchinson@wsc.ma.edu or (413) 572-8149.
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Two Westfield State Firefighters put their education to use coordinating response to Northampton’s arson fires An education in public administration from Westfield State proved to be of great use for Deputy Chief Chris Norris ’97 and Captain Matt Lemberg ’13 (expected) of the Northampton Fire Department. This past December, during a string of arson fires, the firefighters of the Northampton Fire Department and surrounding communities were put to the test. When 18 separate fires broke out across the city, the response by the firefighting community was large in scale. It required the coordination of more than 20 fire departments, as well as state and federal agencies brought in to assist with the investigation. At the center of all the fire departments and government agencies, were the two former Westfield State master of public administration students. In addition to their firefighter training, Norris and Lemberg credit their education from Westfield State in helping to inform their decisions. “Initially most of my thoughts were on tactics learned at the fire academy,” Lemberg said. “However, as it turned into a multiagency response, I had a chance to reflect on a few things I had picked up at Westfield State.” “It was helpful to have the skills acquired at the University in dealing with the other agencies and their members” Lemberg says. “I felt that the knowledge I had acquired up to that point helped me to deal with all the players.” The Westfield State Master of Public Administration Program offers specialized tracks in criminal justice administration, public management and nonprofit management and includes coursework ranging from community preparedness to managing towns and cities. “It helped to have a foundation in public administration to base my actions and decisions on, not only on the night of the fires, but also going forward in my career,” Lemberg says.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW. . . September 25, 2010 – Westfield Harvest Days Downtown Restaurant and Pub Tour Register at www.westfieldalumni.org/Harvestdays $10 in advance, $12 at the door Contact: Kathi Bradford, kbradford@wsc.ma.edu October 2, 2010 – Family Day at Westfield State Contact: Jess Murphy, jmurphy@wsc.ma.edu October 6, 2010 - Announcement of the 2010-2011 Alumni Association Council Contact: www.westfieldalumni.org October 22, 2010 – Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner Contact: Dave Caspole, dcaspole@wsc.ma.edu October 23, 2010 – HOMECOMING 2010 Contact: Kelly Galanis, kgalanis@wsc.ma.edu Registration: www.westfieldalumni.org/homecoming2010 November 6, 2010 – Horace Mann Society Celebration Contact: Julie Phillips, japhillips@wsc.ma.edu December 2-4, 2010 – The Music Department presents “Amahl and the Night Visitors” Contact: Karen Ducharme, ducharme@wsc.ma.edu January 27-29, 2011 – Alumni Arts Weekend sponsored by the Art, Theatre and Music Departments Contact: Kelly Galanis, kgalanis@wsc.ma.edu March 3-4, 2011 – Westfield State Alumni in Washington, DC (tentative) Contact: Kathi Bradford, kbradford@wsc.ma.edu March 6, 2011 – Annual “Celebration of Music” at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA Contact: Nancy Woitkowski, nwoitkowski@wsc.ma.edu April, 2011 (Date, TBA) Alumni Mentor Day Contact: Kelly Galanis, kgalanis@wsc.ma.edu May 21, 2011 – Golden Owls Celebration at Commencement 2011 (for all alumni celebrating 50 or more years!) Contact: Kathi Bradford, kbradford@wsc.ma.edu June 24-26, 2011 – Reunion Weekend 2011 Classes ending in 1 or 6 and friends, affinity groups and all alumni interested in returning for a visit Contact: Kathi Bradford, kbradford@wsc.ma.edu
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Cla ss No t es
1970 Members of the class of 1970 came back to the Westfield Sate campus to reconnect and celebrate good times with lifelong friends. Check out the pictures below to see what a great time was had by all. The class was especially thrilled to welcome back “Your Father’s No No” for a very special performance! The Class of 1970 has established an endowed scholarship for current Westfield State students. Please visit www. westfieldalumni.org/WSC1970 to learn more about the scholarship and to make your gift!
Robert Johnson was honored by Westfield State at the May 2010 commencement ceremony. He received an Honorary Degree from the University and has just been appointed to serve on the Westfield State Foundation Board of Directors.
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Johnson is the President and CEO of Massachusetts Special Olympics.
1972 Mary Ellen Hogan of Springfield was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Elms College at commencement exercises on May 16. The award has been made annually since 1967 to a graduate who has distinguished herself or himself through exemplary service to profession, community, family and religious life. Hogan, who graduated from Elms in 1966, retired as
guidance director from the High School of Commerce in Springfield after 36 years. She began her career as a Spanish teacher and later was a guidance counselor. She went on to earn a master’s of education at Westfield State and a mas-
ter’s of teaching at American International College.
1977 Debbi Dickinson currently lives in Lisle, Illinois, and has published two books, which can be found in Barnes and Noble stores nationwide. She recently had a role in Animal Planet’s “Animal Witness,” which premiered in September 2008. This episode was based on a true story. Anna Saldo-Burke has published a book that provides an understanding about autism. Green Mittens Covered Her Ears: A Look at Autism is a fascinating nonfiction book that presents a glimpse into the world of autism and provides an understanding about autism for youths and adults. The book reveals how Anna and her twin sister influenced Jessica’s life and she in turn touched theirs. The story begins when Jessica shared her autistic world and the sisters learned about her multitude of obsessions that annoyed or delighted her and the different behaviors that they triggered. During high school, the sisters tutored Jessica and continued the relationship in a summer job as her companions. Because people with disabilities have to adjust to the world, they constantly worked
Anna Saldo-Burke
with Jessica on controlling her behaviors and gaining skills so she was more socially acceptable and independent. While enlightening readers about autism the book educates them in areas such as looking beyond the obvious and demonstrates there can be success for people with disabilities. A 27-year veteran teacher in both special and inclusive education classrooms, Anna sees the need to create awareness and provide understanding about others who are different. For teachers, inclusive education, in which special needs students are educated within general education settings, is part of present-day learning. As a result, it exposes our youth to people with autism in schools. Anna will donate $1 from the sale of each copy of her book to help with the mission, “…to make life better for the millions of people touched by autism.”
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1978 Mark Todd is head of the Holyoke High School music department and has a 10-year history of musicals. He took extra consideration into this year’s selection and after vigorous process decided that this year’s musical performed by the students would be “Fame.”
paintings, Year of the Locusts, to the University’s permanent art collection. “I am thrilled to be able to add Year of the Locusts to our permanent art collection,” says Faith Lund, a member of the Art Department faculty and curator
of the University’s Arno Maris and Downtown galleries. “Diane Savino has been very generous in donating a wonderful representation of her amazing work. She has mastered the technique of tempera painting through an evolution of many years of work.” “The process involves many layers of pigment applied in thin veils,” Lund says. “It is very time intensive, but the results are incredible. She is parting with one of her treasures. It is an amazing painting and will enhance our collection.” Savino says her work is always symbolic, especially her donated piece, Year of the Locusts. This particular painting denotes challenges with Lyme disease, the flower in the piece representing hope inside. The piece also represents
looking out a window into another world, she says. Savino’s high school had no art program, so she was self-taught. Her education at Westfield State gave her a good foundation for drawing. The classes opened her eyes to the history and what was out there, especially color theory. “Westfield State gave me a good foundation,” Savino says. “This is my way to give back to the school and the students.” Savino was curator for a 2007 exhibit at Westfield State featuring nationally known artists working in the egg tempera medium. The exhibit, “Tempera: Ten,” received national attention, with profiles in American Artist magazine and American Art Collector.
1981 Mary Stern is running for her third and final term as Yamhill County Commissioner in the 2010 election.
1982 Artist Diane Savino has become one of this country’s most prominent masters of the egg tempera medium. The Hatfield resident has donated one of her
Diane Savino
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Cla ss No t es
1983 Laura Tryon Jennings ’83 will hold a retrospective solo exhibit at Westfield State’s Downtown Gallery from Oct. 22-Dec. 4. The opening reception is Friday, Oct. 22 from 5:30-8 p.m. The opening coincides with Homecoming Weekend. Laura was an art major at Westfield State. She plans to have paintings from her college days up through her current series in the exhibit! “My paintings represent the complexity and intricacy of life and relationships.” Laura says each of her works conveys the message that we ought to take time from our hectic pace to reflect, treasure life’s simplicity, if only for a moment. She uses an amalgam of color and composition to depict the wavering tension between tranquility and chaos. Much of her work projects a feeling of calmness, peacefulness and enlightenment that she hopes causes the viewer to pause, look and focus on the art and serenity within the moments of everyday life. Other works include articles and details that are seemingly out of place, just as relationships and life are not always in tidy order.
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Doug Meehan has been cast in “The Town,” a 2010 production directed by Ben Affleck. The film stars Ben Affleck and Blake Lively.
1989
1985 The Class of ’85 Reunion at Westfield State was a blast. For those of you who attended, you know how much fun it was to be back on campus and reunite with so many old friends and classmates! The Class of ’85 has established a scholarship fund which will support a needy student each year at Westfield. As of reunion weekend, the class has $51,000 committed to the fund, and a class goal of
$100,000—which will provide much-needed financial aid, and ensure the class’ legacy in perpetuity. Please consider making the gift that suits your budget—every gift, including yours—helps the class of 1985 get one step closer to reaching their goal of $100,000. For more information, to view reunion weekend photos, and to make your pledge or gift, please visit the alumni website at www. westfieldalumni.org.
William T. Fallon of Roanoke, Va., was honored by Partnership for Public Service in Washington, D.C., last September for his successful leadership of Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally), a nationwide anticrime initiative that coordinated the efforts of several law enforcement agencies. Fallon also was a finalist for the Service to America Medal that pays tribute to America’s federal workforce, highlighting those who have made significant contributions to the country. Fallon was nominated along with his Operation FALCON 2008 Team, for their involvement in what is considered the largest law enforcement operation in American history, resulting in the arrests of 19,380 felons wanted for various, mostly violent, crimes. Fallon is chief deputy U.S. Marshal for the Department of Justice at the U.S. Marshals Service. He graduated from Westfield State with a degree in criminal justice, and is currently in the U.S. Naval War College Graduate School. Honorees are chosen based on their commitment and innovation, as well as the impact of
FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
their work on addressing the needs of the nation. During one week in June 2008, Fallon’s team prompted arrests of individuals in 47 states, including those wanted for murder, sex offense, gang violence, narcotics, and firearms violations. The fugitives arrested had a collective history of nearly 94,000 prior arrests. Led by Fallon, Deputy Commander Thomas Thompson and Investigative Program Analyst Lance Eastwood, Operation FALCON brought together more than 5,000 law enforcement officials from the local, state, and federal levels. Fallon’s team built an intraagency website, created task force partnerships for geographic areas, provided briefings across the country, and helped develop detailed case files to improve communication. Rep. Donald F. Humason Jr. received the Legislator of The Year Award from the Gun Owners Action League on Feb. 20. The association of gun owners said Humason is a staunch supporter of protecting civil rights and is working hard on issues important to the league.
James Leahy
Jill Monson
1999 James Leahy was named to BusinessWest magazine’s fourth annual “Forty Under Forty” list. Leahy is a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for Alcon Laboratories and a City Councilor for the City of Holyoke. He received his bachelor of arts in sociology from Westfield State.
The list honors up and coming members of the business community for their work and community service.
2004 Stacey Ferguson is a new recruiter for the Peace Corps. She served in Morocco from
2005-2007 and joined the Boston Regional Recruitment Office in 2010.
2005 Jill Monson was named to BusinessWest magazine’s fourth annual “Forty Under Forty” list. Monson is director of marketing for Adam Quenneville Roofing and Siding and received her bachelor of arts in communication from the University. The list honors up and coming members of the business community for their work and community service.
1997 Shana and Stephen Hall welcomed their second daughter, Gracie Cathleen on Nov. 27, 2009. She joins big sister Ava. Gracie and Ava, daughters of Shana and Stephen Hall.
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Cla ss No t es
Thomas A. Galanis
Philip Ettman
2009 Thomas A. Galanis was named to BusinessWest magazine’s fourth annual “Forty Under Forty” list. Galanis is portal manager and an adjunct professor at Westfield State and received his masters of public administration from the University. The issue featuring the 40 honorees was released April 26. The list honors up and coming members of the business community for their work and community service. Galanis, 32, has worked for Westfield State since Aug. 2005. He works in the Information Technology department and teaches for the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education. See story on Galanis on Page 15.
Faculty and Staff Philip Ettman of Avon, Conn., a business law professor at Westfield State, was a contestant in the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire hot seat on Tuesday, May 18, and Wednesday, May 19. Ettman’s wife, Marilyn, came with him to New York and sat
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in the Millionaire audience as his on-air companion for the show. The couple has one son, Glenn. Ettman says he intended to teach, just until he found another job. He eventually fell in love with it and has been teaching law classes for 29 years at Westfield State. He gave his students the day off while he came to appear in the hot seat, but he didn’t tell them why. Instead, he gave them a special project and said they’d need a lot of time to do it, so to be nice; he’d give them a day off to work on it. Ettman also volunteers once a week in the Hartford Public Schools, tutoring at-risk youth. The first thing Ettman said he would do if he won the million? Take Meredith and the entire studio audience out for a drink. Then, he would buy his wife “something sparkly” for putting up with him for 37 years. The following employees have been appointed to permanent positions at the University: Katheryn Bradford, Advancement and University Relations, Jennifer Carlson, Registrar’s Office, Kelly Galanis,
Advancement and College Relations, Barbara Laffert, Academic Achievement, Monique Lopez, Registrar’s Office, Azanda Seymour, Academic Achievement, Cynthia Seigler, International Programs, Linda Silk, Registrar’s Office, Laurie Simpson, Academic Achievement. Dr. Enrique Morales-Diaz will lead Liberal Studies for the upcoming academic year and Dr. Ricki Kantrowitz will continue as the leader in the Honors Program. Dr. Cheryl Stanley has been appointed as Acting Dean of Education. Dr. Stanley has been a respected, engaged, and natural leader in our Department of education for many years. Dr. Ojae Beale has begun work as Associate Dean in the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education. DGCE is positioning itself for extended growth, and for leadership in initiatives where our primary goal is student success. Maureen McCartney has been appointed Acting Associate Dean in Academic Achievement. Maureen will work closely with the many directors leading programs that serve our student success. Katheryn Bradford has received a Lifetime Service Award from the Northeast Association of College and University Housing Officers (NEACUHO)
Weddings 1978 Jacquelyn Hethcoat and David Jones were married on April 10, 2010.
1999 Leah Dawn Cervonayco married Richard Angus Scheller Jr. in an Oct. 24 ceremony. Leah is a special education teacher in West Springfield and the couple lives in Easthampton.
2002 Emily Loignon and John Byrne III were married on July 25, 2009 at St. Michael’s Church in East Longmeadow. They honeymooned in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and live in East Longmeadow.
2003 Diane Balicki married Craig Goodrow on Nov. 7, 2009. The ceremony was held at St. Francis Xavier Cabrini in West Springfield followed by a reception at Oak Ridge Country Club in Feeding Hills. Diane is a life insurance case manager at MassMutual Financial Group in Enfield, Conn. The couple Honeymooned at Disney World in Florida and currently live in Feeding Hills. Allison Marie Willett married Matthew Andrew Radon in a Sept. 25, 2009 ceremony
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and reception at Oak Ridge Country Club in Agawam. The couple spent their honeymoon in St. Lucia, and they live in Southampton.
Melissa is employed as a teacher by the Chicopee Public Schools. The two honeymooned in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and currently live in West Springfield.
2005
2010
Nicole Spataro and Gregory Dower, above, were married on Sept. 26, 2009. The couple
Laura-Beth Guyer married Christopher Olson in a ceremony at St. Michael’s Church in East Longmeadow on Oct. 2. LauraBeth is a teacher for MassMutual Children’s House in Springfield.
Pictured from left to right are: Robert Maccioli ’05, Matthew Moauro ’05, Sherrie Mulholland ’07, Joe Beaudoin ’06, Carrie Crowell ’06, Sarah Minde (Jacintho) ’07, Randy Minde ’05, Jen Wyse ’06, Corinne Walters (Carritte) ’01, Nick Pizzoferatto ’05, Ryan Walters ’05.
of an impact Westfield State has had on their lives and they are thrilled to be a part of the University family! welcomed 23 Westfield State Alumni from the classes of 1970 through 2006 as their guests at the Andover Country Club. Included in the alumni group were Gregory’s father, Rick Dower ’70 and his Westfield State roommate Barry Kostanski ’70. Westfield State holds a special place in the couple’s hearts, as well as their friends and family. The picture of all the alumni truly shows what kind
2006 Sarah Plasse and Joseph Florek III were married on Feb. 6, 2010 at Storrowton Village Meeting House in West Springfield. The reception that followed was held at the Castle of Knights in Chicopee. Sarah is a registered dental hygienist and the couple lives in North Carolina.
Colleen Wimberly married Steven Bruso on June 5, 2010. The couple lives in Boylston.
2007 Sarah Jacintho married Randy Minde, Jr. ’05 on May 29, 2010. Sarah and Randy welcomed many Westfield Alumni as guests at their wedding. Kicking off Westfield State’s newest tradition, they are seen here posing with the University banner.
Daniel Pardi, a business major with a concentration in marketing, is featured on the Jimmy Fund’s Web site for triumping over a pediatric battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at 7 years old. Back then, baseball provided a wonderful diversion for Dan, 21, who says,
2009 Melissa Moran married Kevin Dooley on Feb. 13, 2010.
< Westfield State alumni celebrate Nicole Spataro and Gregory Dower’s wedding. Included in photo are: Gregory Dower ’05, Nicole Spataro
’05, Derek Dubois ’05, Katie Abare ’04, Michael Dudley ’06, Tara Yaffi ’05, Sarah Hardy ’05, Erin Coburn ’05, Jason Bramwell ’05, Lisa Raschilla ’06, Elizabeth Watts ’05, Patrick Padgett ’06, John McMahan ’06, Lucas Gonzalez ’06, Danielle Burkinshaw ’03, Michael Burwell ’05, Jackie Vautour ’06, Rebecca Auld ’05, Andrew Plummer ’05, Matthew Gurley ’06, Barry Kostanski ’70, Richard Dower ’70, and Mary Petrie ’87.
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Daniel Pardi
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Cla ss No t es “Loving baseball helped me get through. “Going through [baseball] cards, looking up stats, watching games—that’s what took up my time at home or in the hospital. Ken Griffey was my favorite player, but the Red Sox were always my favorite team.” Dan graduated in May and reports he is currently applying for jobs. “Hopefully I will find something soon,” he says. Read Dan’s whole story at: http://www.jimmyfund.org/ abo/red/related-stories/thered-sox-are-good-for-what-ailsyou.html
Deaths 1933 Theone Christiansen passed away on Dec. 29, 2009 in a local nursing home. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Westfield State she taught math in Tolland and later taught math in the Southwick Public School System for 25 years.
1953 Irene M. “Lou” LeTellier Kelly passed away on June 4, 2010 in Holyoke. She was a longtime teacher for the Holyoke Public Schools.
1957 Eleanora Burns, Westfield Public Schools Reading teacher
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for over 30 years passed away on April 28, 2010.
1959 Stell Wiernasz passed away on May 1, 2010 at the home of her daughter. She was a teacher and librarian in the Holyoke Public Schools and retired in 1987. She opened the first preschool at her home in Easthampton in 1960.
1961 Janice Link passed away on Jan. 25, 2010 in a local nursing home. Janice was a substitute teacher for many years in Westfield and returned to college to finish her degrees in 1959.
She received her teaching degree from Westfield State and spent her entire career as a librarian and classroom teacher for the Wilbraham School System. She served as president of the Wilbraham Teachers’ Association and belonged to the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
1966 Eileen Hough passed away on May 21 at Holyoke Medical Center.
1967
at Westfield Vocational High School.
1974 Susan Provost passed away on May 9, 2010 at her home.
1975 Robert Diduk died Feb. 13, 2010 at Baystate Medical Center surrounded by his loving family and friends. Robert Kirschling passed away at Baystate Medical Center on Jan. 14, 2010.
Patricia Hartmann (1971 master’s earned) passed away on Feb. 27, 2010 at her home surrounded by her family. She was a teacher in the Holyoke Public Schools for many years and received the Pope Pius X Award for people involved in religious education.
1980
1984
Ira Bylow passed away on May 19, 2010 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
Leo Kleciak passed away on Jan. 31, 2010 surrounded by his loving family. He served as an English teacher in the Holyoke Public School system for 30 years.
1963
1970
Frank Ball passed away on Feb. 6, 2010 in Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
Carl Wright passed away on May 2, 2010 in the Holyoke Soldier’s Home. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII and owned and operated the former Wrights Auto Services in East Springfield and taught
1961 Margaret Schmidt passed away on April 30, 2010 peacefully at her home.
1962
1965 Jeanne Strycharz of Ludlow passed away on April 15, 2010.
Patricia McCollum passed away April 15, 2010 home surrounded by her loving family. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Westfield State and worked for the Wilbraham Public Library.
Susan A. Farrington passed away June 7, 2010 after a courageous battle with cancer.
1994 Dexter Turner passed away on March 7, 2010 at Holyoke Hospital in Holyoke.
FO C U S M A G A ZI NE • FA L L 2010
Homecoming Weekend is happening October 22-23, 2010! Come back to campus and reconnect with friends from good ol’ Westfield State! Watch our fighting Owls take to the football field, enjoy some great food and beverages and reconnect with friends, faculty, staff, and other alumni. Our Athletics Hall of Fame banquet is slated for Friday evening, Oct. 22. Events for all ages are scheduled on Homecoming Day, Saturday, Oct. 23. We’ll start the day out over brunch at our Alumni Association Executive Council’s annual meeting, open to all alumni and friends, and will follow up with a scrumptious brunch and performance by the Pioneer Valley Chordsmen. The Homecoming tents open at Noon and the football game kicks off at 1 p.m. Featuring food and beverages from the Munich haus, music by Lesser Known Contender and more! The Arno Maris gallery will feature alumni Laura Tryon Jenning’s Retrospective, with a reception on Friday, Oct. 22 from 5:30-8 p.m. and a gallery talk on the 22 at 1:40 p.m. The gallery will also be open on Homecoming Day, Oct. 23, from 2-5 p.m. Stay tuned to our alumni Web site at http://www.westfieldalumni.org/ homecoming for more information. We look forward to seeing you at Homecoming 2010! n
HOMECOMING 2010 REGISTRATION FORM First Name _____________________________________ Last Name _____________________________________ Maiden Name ___________________________________ Grad Year ______________________________________ Email Address ___________________________________ Phone Number __________________________________ Mailing Address _________________________________ _____________________________________________ City, State ZIP ___________________________________
Please enter number of individuals attending each portion of Homecoming 2010:
��� Homecoming 2010 General Admission for 2009 and 2010 Graduates FREE! ��� Homecoming 2010 General Admission for Faculty and Staff FREE! ��� Homecoming 2010 General Admission for all other Graduates $20 ��� Homecoming Alumni Brunch featuring the Pioneer Valley Chordsmen $10 ��� Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet $45 Total amount of your transaction: $_________ Please make checks payable to Westfield State University Foundation, Inc. Mail form and payment to: Westfield State University, Office of Alumni Relations, PO Box 1630, Westfield, MA 01086-1630 or register online at www.westfieldalumni.org/homecoming
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID STRATEGIC MAIL 01152
Advancement and College Relations Westfield State University Westfield, MA 01086-1630
Westfield State University!
On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, Governor Patrick signed a bill creating a Massachusetts State University system. The bill recognizes that as comprehensive institutions offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide range of disciplines, the State Colleges all meet nationally recognized criteria for being universities. As a result of this bill, Westfield State College will officially be known as Westfield State University, effective October 26, 2010.