Focus Fall 2011 by Westfield State

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R A L U M N I & F R I E N D S O F W E S T F I E L D S TAT E • FA L L 2 0 1 1

Champions

Alum helps Boston Bruins score the Stanley Cup College for Kids Westfield River Preservation Project

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

FOCUS FALL 2011

Editor Janice Beetle Godleski ’85 Beetle Press Design Editor Janet Garcia ’83 M. Ed ’04 Director of Marketing graphic Designer Todd M. LeMieux ’89 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 Kathi Braford, Director Advancement and University Relations Class Notes Kelly Galanis Advancement and University Relations Contributing Writers: Mickey Curtis, Vanessa Dion ’12, Dr. Evan S. Dobelle, Kelly A. Galanis, Janice Beetle Godleski ’85, Elizabeth R. LaFond, ’03, ’07, Peter Miller ’84, Claudia Moore-O’Brien M.Ed ’00, Meghan (Canning) Musante ’02, Laura Phelon ’11, Tracey (Innella) Pinto ‘85, Robert Plasse and Alyssa Zabierik ’11 ISSN 1520-7641

From the Editor

Coming Back Takes You Back By Janice Beetle Godleski

hen it plans a reunion, Westfield State University knows how to roll out the welcome mat! In June, Westfield State held its biggest reunion ever, planning events for former members of the University’s Musical Theatre Guild. These former performers are parents now. Business people. They go to work every day and pay mortgages. But when they came back to Westfield State in June, they were dancers again. Actors and actresses who took to the stage and let their hair down, and many of them are still talking about it on the MTG Reunion page on Facebook. “Seeing your former cast mates, the legends that you heard about before you, and meeting the kids who came afterwards was such a thrill,” said Michael Buster McMahon ’92, a seven-show veteran of MTG. “It brought me back to one of the happiest times of my life. “I was that wide-eyed, naive boy who just needed to entertain an audience again.” For three days, MTG alumni had time to socialize and perform. Organized by Peg DriskoJohnson ’88 and Christine McNamara ’90, events included a banquet, a performance and a memorial presentation for MTG alumni who have passed away. Susan Rogers Bailey ’79, who played Lucy in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown in the spring of ’76, said the reunion was not about the members of her graduating class. “This was about MTG,” she said. “The reunion was a once-in-a-lifetime event!” Bailey added. “It was an opportunity to reunite with very dear old friends that I hadn’t seen in over 30 years. I don’t know what the final attendance numbers were, but I know that we broke Westfield State records. There were MTG members from the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and even a few that graduated last month.” Drisko-Johnson said, “To sum it up, one MTG Alum actually said to me, ‘That was the best college weekend of my life, and I graduated

20 years ago!’” Alumni were so captured, in fact, that shortly after the reunion was held, Drisko-Johnson was already scheming another get-together for the fall. And for 2012. And 2013. No kidding. And speaking of the fall, that’s when the year’s greatest alumni event ever is held. Take a trip back to your alma mater on Saturday, Oct. 29 and celebrate Westfield State

Alumni were so captured, in fact, that shortly after the reunion was held, Drisko-Johnson was already scheming another get-together for the fall. And for 2012. And 2013. No kidding.

University’s annual Homecoming extravaganza. Reconnect with your classmates, friends, professors and alumni while you enjoy a wide variety of food and drink, dance to the music of a roster of fine live bands and enjoy great games, activities and more. The Westfield State Alumni staff, including Kathi Bradford and Kelly Galanis, have been planning this great event for many months. It’s important to them that you come back and enjoy yourself, so they put effort into the details. Maybe you won’t be dancing, or singing on the stage in Dever Auditorium, but I can promise that if you come back, you will find – just as the MTG alums did – that it was well worth your time. And when you leave, you’ll already be thinking about when you might come back again. n

FA L L 2 0 1 1

Table of Contents

ON CAMPUS 3–6 ALUMNI on the Go 7 – 13

FACULTY / Staff 14 – 19 ATHLETICS 20 – 27

ALUMNI NEWS and NOTES 28 – 29 CLASS NOTES 30 – 33

On Our Cover Don Delnegro ’84 holds the 2011 Stanley Cup won by the Boston Bruins. DelNegro is the head athletic trainer for the winning hockey team.

We’d love to hear from you! Want to get involved? Join our 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@ westfield.ma.edu or kgalanis@westfield.ma.edu

Our URL has changed to westfield.ma.edu, and with it, all email addresses have changed to firstinitiallastname@westfield.ma.edu. For instance, the email address for John Doe would be jdoe@westfield.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 email 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@westfield.ma.edu. Deadline for the Spring 2012 issue is Dec.F15, 2011. OCU S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

From the President

Energy, Reciprocity Brighten Campus Community T

here is electricity in the air each fall, when students and faculty return to campus: a palpable energy shift, buoyed by a sense of anticipation and excitement as our learning community begins another academic year of discovery. A sociologist friend of mine believes that this surge of feeling results from the exchange of positive energy created when a community focuses on healthy relationships — the process of giving, receiving and giving back. Westfield State has a rich 173-year old history of such reciprocity that is modeled and practiced. Examples abound. Faculty offer students their knowledge in exchange for lively discourse, critical thinking and expansive experiential learning. Professor Glen Brewster guides Honors Program students in the creation of specialized projects from an interdisciplinary perspective. Professor Buzz Hoagland brings students with him to St. Croix to study the habits of the mongoose. Professor Michael Filas encourages English majors to stretch themselves through internships at such local placements as Baystate Health and Cooley Dickinson Hospital, while Professor Bill Miller’s students complete athletic training program clinical rotations that benefit athletes at five area high schools. Faculty and staff also offer their time and expertise to numerous community causes, modeling lives of dedication and service. Gerry Hayes, Vice President for Administration and Finance, serves as co-leader of Springfield’s long-term tornado recovery effort. Assistant Professor of Music Ed Orgill is a member of the Westfield Arts Council. Director of Multicultural Affairs, Waleska LugoDeJesus, is a founding committee member of Leadership Pioneer Valley, a new nonprofit, that nurtures emerging area

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

leaders to serve the common good. Human Resources Director, Rafael Bonés is an active board member of the Mason Square Veteran’s Association and the Latino Chamber of Commerce in Springfield. Students also experience the joy of giving back. Members of the Student Athlete Board (SAB) purchased, wrapped and presented gifts to our city’s neediest children last December, while the entire hockey team read to fourth graders throughout the Westfield School System. Senior Rhodaja Shubrick led a 3.1 mile walk for the National Kidney Foundation this spring, raised more than $8000 and is now planning a student-driven event for later this year. The Circle K Club and the class of 2014 cleaned up Westfield’s downtown during the second annual Hoot Days. Westfield reciprocity is also reflected in the contributions that are annually made to our scholarship program. Five new scholarships have been established this year: the Oleksak Lumber Scholarship, which will support student travel abroad; the Sankofa Scholarship to support diversity efforts; the Dorothy Meadon Scholarship for elementary education; the Kareta Scholarship, for Criminal Justice majors in memory of Joe Kareta, class of 2010; and the MTG Memorial Scholarship for Musical Theatre Guild participants. Contributions to these and to more than 50 other scholarships truly make a difference in the lives of our students, as seen in the careers of graduates who received such financial assistance. Ross Hildonen ’08 is a prime example. After receiving his diploma, he went on to enroll in our masters in public administration program and worked as a graduate assistant in Graduate and Continuing Education, focusing on outreach. Following that, he worked as district director for State Senator James Welch ’98.

Professor David Smailes nominated him for the Presidential Management Fellows program of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the federal government’s premier leadership development program for advanced degree candidates. In addition to graduating this summer with his MBA, Ross became one of a select group chosen for this prestigious program. He was chosen from a pool of 9,000 candidates and is now working for the Veteran’s Health Administration as a health system specialist. Other recent scholarship recipients also continue to shine. Mike Primeau ’08 is a United States Probation Officer; Grace Rivera ’09 a U.S. Marshal assigned to a court in Washington, D.C. and Leah Howell ’11, a fourth grade teacher at the Brookings School in Springfield. Reciprocity is what builds and sustains community. How wonderful to know that this community is built on giving back — a community energized by relationships that honor the legacy of Westfield State’s founder Horace Mann, who championed the importance of public service. Such reciprocity celebrates our past, brightens our present and ensures our future. I invite you to plug into all the excitement here. Attend a concert, theatrical production, gallery opening, public lecture or athletic competition. Become an active member of our Alumni Association. And very importantly, consider a contribution to the University through the Westfield State Foundation. Its new director, Don Bowman, and his able staff will be happy to discuss all the ways through which you can help further your connection to this dynamic learning community. Here’s to this inspired new year of study, service, relationships and reciprocity. My very best wishes. n

On Campus

He’s No Kid Westfield State has always been the place for this College For Kids veteran By Meghan (Canning) Musante ’02

i m m y M a d i ga n g r e w u p down the street from

Westfield State University. He could see the campus from his family’s driveway. Thirteen years ago, Madigan’s parents, Lena and Jim, enrolled him in the College For Kids program. Now 18, Madigan is preparing for college. He is no longer a kid. This month he begins as a freshman at Westfield State University. Instead of attending traditional summer camps, Madigan returned to Westfield’s College For Kids program year after year from the time he was five years old. When he was too old to participate, he served as a volunteer. He watched as the program evolved, enrollment continued to grow and new classes were added to the course catalog. One of the first classes Madigan recalls participating in combined early reading and art. “It was so different than camp,” he says. “And it’s not like school. It’s more expressive and fun. You learn, and you don’t even realize it.” Madigan tried all the classes: from Legos and Robotics to Cooking, Camping and Photography. “They have so many,” he says. “They keep refreshing, updating and evolving so the classes are fresh and current.” These courses and many language-based classes may have steered Madigan toward his future career choice, as an English major. July in the Madigan household was blocked for College For Kids. Four sets of week-long innovative programs created an enjoyable environment for learning for children ages 5 to 16. “It’s a great time for the University and for College For Kids,”

says Madigan. “The program just keeps on growing.” Coordinator Maryann Walsh is also a firm believer in College For Kids. She was introduced to the program as an excited parent nearly ten years ago. Walsh appreciates

the family atmosphere and loves watching students like Madigan grow. She’s watched as Madigan developed from a child to a somewhat shy young man to someone who could volunteer in any class. “He has built some really good skills that will carry him through.” Walsh says. Since taking responsibility for the College For Kids program, Walsh has molded the week-long series to emphasize education at

the same time as entertainment. Madigan – like many other students – appreciated this. He is also one of the many participants to choose Westfield State for their undergraduate career. Every year, Walsh hears students say, “Oh, I’m definitely going here!” Children who are 7 or 8 years-old declare their admiration for Westfield State after one (or four) week-long programs because the instructors and volunteers take the scariness away from the aura of college. “On Monday, the kids are somewhat shy. By Friday, they are so over-the-top excited; it’s infectious,” Walsh says. “The success is really because we have terrific instructors and incredible volunteers.” The program’s success is also due to the excellent collaboration between the administration, volunteers, instructors and parents, adds Walsh. It has been dubbed a “wonderful opportunity for growth, not only through learning, but through community service.” Many of the students – like Madigan – have returned as volunteers. Some have even advanced to become instructors and join the ranks of the long-serving instructors like Bill Hardie, who recently retired from Westfield State but decided to continue to serve College For Kids. College For Kids boasts many creative courses, including classes like Junior Police Academy and Wilderness Survival 101, Recycled Architecture: Small Scale Tree Houses and Embrace Your Inner Fashionista and also Scriptwriting and Lego Robotics Camp. Can’t choose just one? Attend all four week-long sessions year after year. Madigan did and he loved it. n

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

O n ca m p u S

Offering Hope Around the Globe Westfield State’s Service Learning opportunities By Peter Miller ’84

o s o o n e r h a d s to r m c l o u d s c l e a r e d from

the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Katrina than faculty and staff at Westfield State University began to work on building its silver lining, known as Service Learning. With funds from a grant program instituted by then-College President Vicky Carwein, a plan came together. “The genius of the program came from Dr. Julian Fleuron,” says Dr. Phil Hotchkiss, math professor. “He took an idea from the television show, ‘Magic School Bus,’ and said we should travel down to New Orleans, help them rebuild and at the same time expand the horizon of the University staff and students.” Kathi Bradford, director of Alumni Relations, wrote the proposal that made it happen. In January of 2006, Dr. Hotchkiss, Dr. Janet Gebelt, Bradford and Kelli Nielsen ‘04, with a group of 23 students, traveled by bus to the upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans to help with the rebuilding process. Along with building homes, the group learned about the people and culture of New Orleans, made friends and lasting memories. This may sound like community service, but it goes much deeper than that. “With community service, one goes and spends a few hours working on the project and then goes home,” Bradford says. “Service learning is a commitment where one learns about the culture, the people and their concerns, their hopes. When one does Service Learning, it affects both the brain and the heart. It is a life-changing experience.” Dr. Marsha Marrotta, dean of Undergraduate Studies, agrees. “One exciting aspect of Service Learning is that it links the work of the classroom with the work in the community, and offers the opportunity to reflect on how these fit together,” Marrotta

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

says. “It encourages critical thinking, and it helps create civic consciousness. We hope it fosters life-long habits, not just of civic responsibility but also of engaging with the intersections of ideas and the experiences of daily life.” Bradford recently returned to the Ninth Ward with her daughter and Nielsen to show her the work the group had done. When they reached a house the group had helped build, the group spoke with the homeowner. Skeptical at first, he invited Bradford and Nielsen in, and then he realized they had indeed worked there. “He greatly appreciated what our group had done; how we had changed the life of his family,” says Bradford. When President Evan Dobelle arrived at Westfield State, he brought with him the philosophy of thinking globally. And so, today, the Service Learning program has gone global as well. Service learning trips have been offered in Nicaragua to help build the walls of a new school and in the Mexican Yucatan where students taught at an orphanage and in Belfast, Northern Ireland students helped with an adolescent reconciliation group. While each trip is different, there are similarities. “We go to areas where people need help and where our students can learn the most,” says Bradford. “They learn about the area and culture while at Westfield State, and then go there and live it. When we went to the Yucatan, we landed in Cancun and never set foot there. I wanted our group to experience the real Mexico, the real culture, not the one

tourists do.” At the orphanage in Merida, Westfield State students taught elementary students math, word games and American music. In some cases, they took over the actual monitoring of the students. Bradford believes each trip has an “Ah-ha” moment for each individual. “These are the moments that last with you a lifetime,” explains Bradford. Her “Ah-ha” moment on the Yucatan trip came when the group visited Playa Del Carmen after the work at the orphanage was complete. Playa Del Carmen isn’t as touristy as Cancun, but Bradford sensed a change in the group’s attitude. When she asked what was wrong, the group said they didn’t like it there because they didn’t feel like they were a part of the community. “I couldn’t have planned that moment,” says Bradford. “Our group had lived and learned to prefer the experience I had hoped they would.” One student wrote in her journal, “Helping the students at the orphanage was great, but we all walk away with lessons we will never forget. We must count our blessings and remind ourselves to be kind because others are fighting a harder battle.” Another wrote, “Although we are the ones here to teach, these children are the real teachers; they have taught us how to love, to understand and to be patient.” It is these “Ah-ha” moments that bring the passion Bradford has for this program close to the surface and in her voice. “On our trip to Belfast, I was standing in the Free Derry Museum with a student of color. Before us was a display that said ‘Rosa Parks in the United States, Mandela in South Africa, and us in Ireland’; we were fighting for the same thing. Continued on page 36

o n ca m p u s

Historical Journal Puts Out 75th Issue

Historical Journal of Massachusetts

By Claudia Moore-O’Brien, M.Ed ‘00

s c h o l a r ly j o u r n a l d e vot e d e xc l u s i v e ly

to articles about the history of Massachusetts may be regarded as dry or even lofty, but the Historical Journal of Massachusetts dispels that reputation. Hot off the press, the Journal’s 75th issue is celebrated with a special double edition. The Journal is a good read. Really. The Journal was established in 1972 by History Professor Martin Kaufman, who had great interest in local and state history. Initially called the Historical Journal of Western Massachusetts, in 1980 the Journal was re-named to reflect its expanded focus on the entire Commonwealth. One of the hallmarks of Dr. Kaufman’s leadership was the training of more than 100 students as editorial assistants. The Historical Journal of Massachusetts publishes only peer-reviewed articles about the history of Massachusetts. The Journal is published bi-annually in April and October by the Westfield State University history department. And it has a long, impressive list of articles by well-known historians, along with cutting-edge research by graduate students, middle and high school history teachers, amateur history buffs and countless local historians. A bit of Westfield State University history includes that when the school was known as “a college,” it was distinguished as being the only state college in the country to publish a local historical journal. In 2008, Dr. Michael F. Konig, Journal editor since 1997, passed the editorial baton to Dr. Mara Dodge. The Journal strives to present all topics of the Commonwealth’s past —from its Native American heritage through its colonial and revolutionary roots to the present time. Dodge says, “It is difficult to find places to publish articles about local history. This history would be lost if there was no place

to publish.” National journals and newspapers are only interested in stories with far-reaching appeal. With determination to cover all aspects of history, the Journal publishes articles about varied historical categories including political, social, cultural, economic, labor, legal and immigration. “We also seek to highlight the unique histories of different groups and populations, including women’s history, ethnic and religious studies and the experiences of the state’s many minority groups,” says Dodge. The Commonwealth has played an integral role throughout the nation’s history, one that must be preserved, not lost. Most importantly, says Dodge, “We want the Journal to be accessible to anyone.” In addition to accessible, the journal is committed to making the articles interesting and engaging. “We work hard with authors on their writing style to make it flow,” Dodge says. The Journal team, in addition to Dodge, includes associate editors, faculty from other academic departments, graduate assistants and student interns. “We are a huge collaborative team effort of students and staff,” says Dodge. The process from manuscript to print in the Journal is intense. Dodge is the first person to read the article. From there, other associate editors read and comment on the article. Because of the “peer-reviewed” status of the article, the staff at the Journal seek recognized experts and specialists from all over the world for their academic review. “The more feedback we get, the better the article,” says Dodge. The peer reviewers are

75th

Commemorative Double Issue Summer 2011

Institute for Mass

achusetts Studies

Westfield State Uni

versity

anonymous and free to critique in any manner. The manuscript returns and makes the rounds again, before being returned to the author. “It is not uncommon for a manuscript to go through three major re-writes,” says Dodge. For the student interns, the Journal office is very fertile ground. The interns learn much more than interesting local history: they learn the logistics of taking a manuscript to journal to subscribers. Dodge says, “Some of our students have very little or no office experience when they first arrive. That changes fast.” The Journal has a list of about 400 subscribers that includes history buffs and other colleges and universities — including some in Canada and Europe. A recent grant will enable the Journal to increase its Internet archives. With Journal-reading historians located all over the world, the archive will be a well-utilized resource. The Journal of Massachusetts History welcomes submissions, as well as subscriptions, which cost $12 per year. To subscribe or for more information, visit www.westfield. ma.edu/mhj. Email questions to masshistoryjournal@westfield.ma.edu. Copies of the recent Historical Journal of Massachusetts can be found at Historic Deerfield, Historic Northampton and the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke. The Journal welcomes input from its readers and encourages you to enjoy learning about the rich history of the Bay State. n F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

On Campus

Dining Commons Expansion

The bright windows in the newly renovated Tim & Jeanneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dining Common have created a panoramic view of the campus. The seating capacity has increased by 300, and a new TV room and bathrooms have been added. Couches, chairs and coffee tables have been added near the windows, and lighting and wood panels accent the new open area.

F OCUS MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ FA L L 2011

Alumni on the Go

He’s Super Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick ’70 named Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year By Claudia Moore-O’Brien, M.Ed ‘00

o n g r at u l at i o n s a r e i n o r d e r . Westfield State

Alumnus, Dr. Michael F. Fitzpatrick ’70 was named 2011 Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators, ARAMARK Education and the ING Foundations. This prestigious tribute is awarded to superintendents who successfully led learning in their districts, who have strength in both personal and organizational communication, who illustrate constant improvement of administrative knowledgeandskillsandwhoparticipateinlocal community activities and understand regional, national and international issues.

ing student internships. “It was an innovative and challenging program. I met education professionals that have become mainstays in my career, in addition to becoming life-long friends,” says Dr. Fitzpatrick. He earned his doctorate in education administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1981.

cate balance of nature, and that has been an important and ever-present concern of mine,” says Dr. Fitzpatrick. He is committed to his school being pro-active and a leader in environmental responsibility. Richard E. Neal, congressman in the Massachusetts Second District, has also taken notice of Dr. Fitzpatrick, saying, “Along with his academic achievements, Dr. Fitzpatrick has taken the steps recently in creating a ‘green’ school district in the 21st century. In Continued on page 36

The journey for Dr. Fitzpatrick began at Westfield State. The journey for Dr. Fitzpatrick began at Westfield State. He recalls the campus community fondly. “I felt so supported and encouraged by everyone,” says Dr. Fitzpatrick, who earned his bachelor’s degree in education in 1970. While at Westfield State, Dr. Fitzpatrick played varsity basketball and advanced several youth athletic programs in the city of Westfield. “I think I learned to ‘give back’ while I was at Westfield,” he says. He also contributed to the watershed project with biology professor Kenneth Taylor. Dr. Fitzpatrick earned his master’s in education as an Education Professional Development Act fellow. The pilot program, developed by two distinguished Westfield State professors, emphasized bringing highly regarded education professionals to the Westfield campus while providing outstand-

A dedicated administrator for over 40 years, Dr. Fitzpatrick has been superintendent-director of Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District for 16 years. He is also the first superintendent of a vocational school district to be honored as Superintendent of the Year. His district serves the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton and Uxbridge. The school works to enhance the economic, social and historic strengths of the region by providing integrated academic and vocational-technical skills and to empower students to achieve world-class educational excellence, diverse career opportunities and individual success in an ever-changing global society. “Dr. Taylor impressed on us the deliF O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Alumni on the Go

Don DelNegro, his wife, Claire, and daughter Renee enjoy the sweet taste of success while eating from the Stanley Cup.

F OCUS MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ FA L L 2011

o n D e l N e g r o ’ 8 4 s t i l l s t r u g g l e s to verbally

express the euphoria surrounding Boston winning the 2011 Stanley Cup, but the longtime Bruins head athletic trainer is at no loss for words in explaining how Westfield State shaped his career. “A big part of where I am at today is because of my years at Westfield State, and Rich Pierce played a big part of that in being my mentor,” says DelNegro of Pierce, Westfield State’s legendary athletic trainer from 1977-2006. “It bodes well on Rich, being where I am at today, along with my entire educational experience at Westfield State.” DelNegro, who begins his 19th year as the Boston Bruins head athletic trainer, was thinking of his Westfield State days shortly after the Bruins won their first Stanley Cup championship in 39 years, sending New Englanders into a summer-long celebration. He emailed Pierce a photograph of himself hoisting the Stanley Cup. DelNegro’s dream job of working in professional sports, especially for the Boston hockey team he grew up rooting for in his hometown of North Adams, was fulfilled when he was hired by the Bruins in 1993 after a five-year stint as the director of sports medicine at Williams College. He earned a master’s degree in athletic training

for Team USA at the 2000, 2005 and 2007 World Hockey championships. Moreover, he crossed paths with another Westfield State graduate when he served as head trainer for the U.S. men’s hockey team at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. Peter Laviolette ’84 was the head coach of

Bruins, DelNegro also owned the coveted Cup for a day. The Stanley Cup was delivered July 12 to his Lake Placid summer home, where he hosted an all-day Cup party for family and friends, including college roommates Justin Kelly ’85 and Shaun Gear ‘83. “Having the Cup for a day allowed me the unique opportunity to share it with my family, friends and community,” says DelNegro. “It gave me a chance to get together with everyone and say thank you for all their love and support over the last 18 years. It is a day I will never forget.” DelNegro also carried the Stanley Cup on

Don DelNegro, center, and his Westfield State roommates, Justin Kelly, ’85, left and Shawn Gear, ’83, enjoy DelNegro’s Stanley Cup party in Lake Placid, N.Y. on July 12.

He’s Holding the Cup Alum is a trainer for winning Boston Bruins By Mickey Cur tis, Spor ts Information Director from Indiana State then landed his first job as the assistant athletic trainer at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y., from 1986-88. “I was making $300 a month, plus room and board,” says DelNegro of his two years in Lake Placid. He accomplished other career goals by being selected the athletic trainer for the U.S. Bobsled and Luge teams at the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville, France, and

the 2006 Olympic squad. Laviolette, the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, also experienced the thrill of hoisting the Stanley Cup when he led the Carolina Hurricanes to the NHL title in 2006. “The NHL’s Stanley Cup is so much different than the others,” says DelNegro. “In no other sport do fans get to touch the trophy and players get to keep it for a day. It is really amazing.” As a vital team member of the Boston

the No. 2 Duckboat he shared with Bruin defensemen Johnny Boychuk and Dennis Seidenberg during the Rolling Rally through the streets of Boston to celebrate the Stanley Cup championship with Bruin fanatics. A chief reason DelNegro has stayed with the Bruins for nearly two decades is because the players truly make him feel part of the Continues on page 29

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Alumni on the Go

Rising From Illiteracy Distinguished teacher taught herself to read while at Westfield State By Peter Miller ’84

at t y G i l l e s p i e ’ 7 5 s e rv e s with distinction as a

teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In May, she was one of three named to receive the prestigious Anne Hazard Richardson Reading is Fundamental Volunteer of the Year Award in Washington, D.C. As impressive as that may sound, the story behind the award is what’s truly remarkable. Gillespie earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Westfield State, but she was illiterate when she enrolled at the University. She taught herself how to read at the age of 19. Many children enjoy reading and treasure books as a way of exploring new worlds and expanding horizons. For Gillespie, the experience was the exact opposite. “Reading was drudgery for me, and I didn’t enjoy being read to because I never understood what was being read (because of an auditory processing problem),” says Gillespie. “In elementary, junior and senior high school. I thought I was dumber than everyone else in the world. It seemed like

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

everyone else knew what was going on but me.” Elementary reading groups frightened and embarrassed Gillespie because she couldn’t sound out words and was a word-by-word reader when she did read. In an era when special education was reserved for severely disabled children, help was hard to find. Phonics didn’t work for her, and tutors used the same methods her teachers used. “I pretty much faked my way through,” says Gillespie. “By never missing a homework assignment, whether it was right or wrong, I was able to pass many classes.” Sympathetic teachers also passed Gillespie on to the next grade because they knew how hard she tried. With low SAT scores, she entered Westfield State in the fall of 1971, and it

was there that her illiteracy finally caught up with her. Both of her parents knew she struggled but wanted her to get the education they never had. “I was so overwhelmed I was in tears almost every day,” Gillespie says. “By the end of the first semester, I was within twotenths of a point of academic probation, and I was ready to walk away from college.” Continues on page 34

Alumni on the Go

A Passion for Others Volunteering and giving back are a lifestyle for this alum By Elizabeth R. LaFond, ’03, ‘07

o m C o n v e ry ’ 78 l i v e s e ac h day dedicated to oth-

ers and has a deep, soulful desire to serve in our communities around the state. “My father said, ‘Always give someone else your last $10 who needs it more than you do, and you’ll get it back.’ ” Convery’s volunteerism spans from organizing trivia nights at the Yawkey Family Inn in Brookline to granting wishes and running special events for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He also organizes care packages for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently, he was honored by the American Red Cross as its 2010 Massachusetts Apheresis Donor of the Year; Convery has donated blood over 100 times and platelets over 40 times. “Volunteering and donating blood and platelets is easy to do,” Convery adds. “I’ve been volunteering ever since I was a kid. It’s something everyone should do!” One small example of Convery’s thoughtfulness was when he purchased 50 boxes of Girl Scout cookies and brought them to his local food pantry. “I don’t think it’s that tough to do community service — there are so many little things you can do to help others.” Convery’s all time favorite community service moment was in 2000 when he helped to organize a bone marrow drive for a Wilmington girl who needed a match. Over 2,700 people were tested that day. “That was the best day of my life – just to see everyone from the surrounding communities come together,” he says. “From that drive, 10 people gave bone marrow to save others.” Growing up in a military family, Convery lived in many countries around the world, including Germany and South Korea. He

spent three consecutive years at Medford High School. In August of 1975, Convery finished serving in the United States Air Force and moved to Billerica. He first visited Westfield State in December of 1975 after one semester at Middlesex Community College. “Two of my friends asked if I wanted to visit Westfield State with them, mainly because I had the car to get us there,” Convery says. “I liked it, finished courses at Middlesex to graduate and got accepted into Westfield State, while my friends got wait-listed.” Convery, who now lives in Wilmington, moved from Billerica to an apartment off campus. He was 24 years old when he continued studying toward a bachelor’s degree

wing. “Westfield didn’t have a football program yet, and we played our games under the lights with most of the campus cheering us on,” he adds. “It was the number one sport on campus.” During his junior year, the team went to the NCCA tournament. Convery fondly remembers his professors. ““I liked the atmosphere at Westfield State,” Convery says. “All of my professors Continues on page 35

in history and teaching. He brought his giving and active spirit with him. On and off campus, Convery was a wellknown disc jockey; he played every intramural sport available and was a member of the varsity soccer team. “The intramural program was unbelievable,” he adds. “We played street hockey and basketball in Parenzo Hall, and we got to play softball and flag football on the turf under the lights. To a lot of other colleges, that was unheard of.” On the soccer field, Convery played left F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Alumni on the Go

President of Franklin Pierce University Alum finds experience to be life-giving By Paul Nesbit ’84

e c o n n e c t i n g w i t h a l u m n i always leads to great

conversations and reminiscences and the opportunity to learn about the experiences that led them to where they are now. Recently, we caught up with Jamie Birge ’84, now Dr. James Birge, president of Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire. Dr. Birge took on the presidency of Franklin Pierce in March 2009. While he is thrilled with his work there, becoming university president was, at one point, the furthest thing from his mind. “Not only did I not want to be a college president, I actively worked against it at one point,” says Dr. Birge. “I had completed my dissertation for my Ph.D. on ‘Academic Presidents as Public Leaders’ and came to the realization that, while I thoroughly enjoyed the research, I did not want to be president of a college. “However, everything happens for a reason,” he reflects. Dr. Birge’s career path led him to a university presidency nonetheless. It also led him across the country, then back to New Hampshire, where he took a graduate assistantship at Plymouth State University in residential life after graduating from Westfield State in 1984. At Plymouth State, he met his wife, Lisa, and earned his master’s degree in guidance and counseling. From there, Dr. Birge moved to Bryant College in Rhode Island and then, in an adventurous decision, moved to Colorado. There, Dr. Birge worked at Regis University in Denver as the coordinator of service learning. During his time at Regis, Dr. Birge decided to pursue his doctorate from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Dr. Birge’s education grew, as did his family; he and Lisa welcomed three daughters into the world.

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

In an effort to re-connect with their families still on the east coast, Dr. Birge and Lisa decided to return to the Northeast and landed in Pennsylvania. There, Dr. Birge worked with Campus Compact, a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement and

service-learning. Throughout this time, Dr. Birge enjoyed his work in higher education administration but did not feel called to be a university president. He welcomed the opportunity to serve as executive assistant to the president at Wheeling Jesuit University. “I found it to be the best of both worlds as I was able to continue work in higher education on

a university campus but without being the president,” he says. “I had been at Wheeling for one year when the president announced his intention to leave the university. The president recommended me to the Board of Trustees as an interim president, and they agreed. The university’s charter stated that the president had to be a Jesuit, but I was allowed to serve for a year while they conducted the search.” And, much to his surprise, Dr. Birge found that he loved the position. He says, “It was much more life-giving than I detected during my studies. In this capacity, I saw how the entire university operated as leaders sought to fulfill its mission.” At the conclusion of his year, a permanent president was chosen, and Dr. Birge returned to his former position. He was then recruited to be a university president and decided that, if it was meant to be, he would not stop the process. “Because of my time at Wheeling Jesuit, I was recruited mostly by Catholic universities. I was definitely leaning that way, until Franklin Pierce University contacted me. I went to visit and found that I really enjoyed the campus,” he says. “I had spent so much time working on the university level to coordinate community engagement and found the place virtually epitomizes that. The Franklin Pierce motto is ‘Out of the shadows into the light’; they truly allow that to guide their decisions.” Dr. Birge found that Franklin Pierce University was very similar to what he remembered about Westfield State. “While Westfield had no formal service program in place, I was able to participate in numerous events through the encouragement of professors.” Continued on page 34

Costa del Sol t r i p t o s pa i n

$2559 with 30 – 34 passengers in our group All rates are per person, twin occupancy, plus $532.08 in air taxes, fees, and Fuel Surcharge (subject to change).

For full details and the most current information please visit westfieldalumni.org/travel. Valid Passport required.

FALLEVENTS All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.

DeverStage andMusic Faculty Showcase September 14, 7:30PM Urinetown, the Musical A Musical Theatre Guild Production October 27–29, 7:30PM Matinee: October 29, 2PM Westfield State Dance Company Nov. 11, 7:30PM; Nov. 12, 2PM Wind Symphony November 15, 7:30PM Jazz Combo November 17, 7:30PM So Seductive Step Team November 18, 7:30PM Evening of Guitar Music November 21, 7:30PM Percussion, String & Piano Ensembles November 28, 7:30PM Chamber Ensembles November 30, 7:30PM

2011 ArtGallery Exhibits

New England Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition Made possible through an IMLS Grant September 14–November 12 Downtown Art Gallery Historical Reflections Charcoal Drawings by Peter McLean September 15–October 29 Arno Maris Gallery, Ely Campus Center Asparagus Valley Potters Guild 35th Anniversary Show November 3–December 17 Arno Maris Gallery, Ely Campus Center A Christmas Carol The Tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, An Illustrated Story November 30–December 17 Local and Student Artists Downtown Art Gallery

GuestLectureSeries “An Evening of Poetry with Joy Harjo” Poet, Performer, Musician Wednesday, October 19, 7PM Scanlon Banquet Hall “Race and Gender in Today’s Hip Hop Culture” Dr. Michael Jeffries, Ph.D., Prof. of American Studies Monday, October 24, 7PM Scanlon Banquet Hall

“An Evening of Poetry with Susan Deer Cloud” November 7, 7PM Scanlon Banquet Hall “Women, War & Religion in the Pre-modern World” Valerie Eads, Doctor November 15, 7PM Scanlon Living Room

sold at the door prior to each show Theatre Tickets Student Theatre Association Production WIT by Margaret Edson Directed by Laura Fusco October 6–8, 8PM | Ely Studio Theatre

Camp Shepard Playwriting Proj. October 28 & 29, 7PM Plays by Young Playwrights Ely Studio Theatre

Theatre Arts Program Mainstage Production THE DEPUTY by Rolf Hochhuth Directed by Jack Shea November 16–19, 8PM Ely Studio Theatre

For detailed information visit

westfield.ma.edu/events F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Fac u lt y C e n t e r

Farewell to a Friend Barry Maloney assumes post as 11th president of Worcester State University By Janice Beetle Godleski ’85

f t e r 2 0 y e a r s o f s e rv i n g Westfield State in

various capacities, Vice President of Student Affairs Barry M. Maloney said it’s the colleagues, faculty and students he will miss most. Maloney left his post at Westfield State in June to lead Worcester State University as its 11th president. “I’ve enjoyed my time here. Leaving Westfield is bittersweet,” Maloney said. “I have a lot of good friends, a lot of good colleagues. Nothing that I’ve accomplished here has been done by myself.” In his most visible role, for nearly two years, Maloney served as interim president at Westfield State, and it is that role that best prepared him for the presidency in Worcester, which began in July. But it wasn’t a role he went searching for. Former Westfield State President Frederick W. Woodward, who is still connected with the state school system, suggested to Maloney that he apply for the position at Worcester State. Maloney was offered the job in April, having been one of 60 applicants for the post. The field was narrowed down to eight semi–finalists and ultimately, four finalists. In May, the Massachusetts’ Board of Higher Education unanimously selected Maloney for the position. “It was exciting and surprising and somewhat overwhelming — all at the same time,” said Maloney, who noted he would have been content to either be offered the job or to stay in his Westfield State position. The process of seeking the Worcester State presidency involved multiple interviews, including a public meeting attended

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

by students, faculty and staff on the central Massachusetts campus. That was followed by a daylong interview with constituent groups on campus such as foundation members, faculty, staff and the Board of Trustees. “My expectation was if I got a public interview that would be a positive thing for my career,” he said, noting it was good for him to be viewed as a serious candidate in such a search. Maloney said he was “blessed” to have received encouragement from Westfield State President Evan Dobelle. “He was very supportive throughout the process,” Maloney said, especially since he had not been seeking a new career challenge when Woodward approached him about the Worcester State presidency.

At Westfield State, Maloney rose in the ranks from a resident director in the Department of Residential Life in 1991 to Vice President of Student Affairs in 2008, a post he held until his departure to Worcester. As vice president, he was responsible for a budget of $20.2 million of state, federal and trust funds. His Westfield State career also included serving as Interim President from August 2006 until 2008, Assistant Director in the Office of Career Services, Executive Assistant to the President, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Vice President for Advancement and University Relations. Maloney earned both his bachelor’s degree in political science and public management and his master’s degree in public administration at the University of Maine. He is also a graduate of the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University. He is currently enrolled in the 2012 doctoral program at the University of Hartford in Educational Administration. With his varied opportunities at Westfield State behind him, Maloney says his immediate goal at Worcester State University will be to acclimate. When he was interim president at Westfield State, Maloney called on the incredible experience of the staff at the school. Now he will need to draw on the experience of those at Worcester State. “You need to soak in the environment. I need to do a lot of listening up front. The next phase will be to apply resources (to areas of need),” he says. “I hope to bring a level of excellence, so we all have a Continues on page 35

Fac u lt y C e n t e r

The Green Detectives Westfield State’s Environmental Science Department By Laura Phelon ‘11

h r o u g h W e s t f i e l d S tat e ’ s Environmental Science

department, students solve complex environmental issues. It’s a challenging department, and one whose graduates secure relevant jobs immediately after graduating. And it is a department that is seeing notable growth.

Dr. Michael Vorwerk, the department’s head, reports that when he started teaching at Westfield State 10 years ago, there were only 23 students pursuing Environmental Science degrees. That number has spiked to 110 with 33 freshmen applying for slots in the fall. Vorwerk attributes the department’s success to teaching, research and service. Classes are hands-on and include many labs (often outdoors), and there are many opportunities to attend conferences and meet with professionals in the field. The department is designed to fit the needs of the students. Classes are small, generally 12 to 16 students, and labs are capped at 16 to create an interactive environment that allows students to ask questions and receive personal feedback. Rather than having students choose a concentration, Environmental Science requires all students to explore the three aspects the subject has to offer: natural dimensions (mainly animal-focused), human dimensions and technology/methods dimensions (more analytical route). Students are educated in the three main areas they will likely pursue careers in and upon graduation are fully rounded in their knowledge of the subject. The physical location of the University is one reason the department thrives. Westfield State’s proximity to the Westfield River, watershed and the forest surrounding it

his foot in the door for his current career. For his seminar, he used geographic information systems to document Hemlock Wooly Adelgi infestation of Hemlock trees in the Westfield River watershed. Guertin also designed and conducted his own research to determine the effects of parking lot runoff on the endangered Atlantic

Westfield State University students, faculty and staff members ranked high in the 2011 RecycleMania Tournament. This was the second year in a row that the Western Massachusetts University participated. This year, the 10th year that the tournament has been active, 630 schools across the nation, as well as two international schools were involved. The competition consists of recycling paper, cardboard, cans and bottles over a period of 10 weeks. Each week, participating schools report their recycling and trash data and are then ranked based on the results. The competition recorded over 91 million pounds of organic and recyclable materials in all. Nearly 270 million metric tons of carbon dioxide were prevented from being released. This reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to the annual emissions from more than 52.8 million passenger cars; electricity use of more than 32.7 million homes; or the burning of nearly 1.5 million railcars worth of coal. Westfield State ranked fourth place in paper and seventh place in cardboard for the National Rankings. Statewide, the university ranked second place in paper, as well as cans and bottles. Overall, the University has maintained its spot as one of the top five colleges in the country both this year and last year. — Vanessa Dion ’12

along with Mount Tekoa means the students do not have to travel far to conduct field research. Unlike other schools, Westfield State requires all Environmental Science majors to either participate in an internship or conduct their own research with a faculty mentor for a semester. Often, the research conducted by students is their stepping stone for their future careers. This was the case for Darren Guertin ’06, who claims his internship and research got

Salmon in the Westfield River. Guertin now works as a Conservation Administrator in Framingham, specifically in wetland preservation. According to Vorwerk, graduates of the department fall into one of three career path categories: private companies (including analytical labs and consulting), nonprofits that focus on conservation efforts and annual ecosystems and public municipalities/ Continues on page 35 F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

fac u lt y c e n t e r

Westfield State Professor Goes Green By Laura Phelon, ’11

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

r o f e s s o r H e n ry W e f i n g of the Department of

Communication at Westfield State is no novice around campus. He has been at the university for more than 25 years. He’s advised the campus newspaper, The Owl, and the Westfield State chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists. What most people don’t know about Henry Wefing is he has a hobby equal to his love for journalism.

It’s gardening. In fact, Henry Wefing tends to his own garden on campus and donates the entire contents of it to the Westfield Food Pantry. Before planting an on-campus garden for charitable purposes, Wefing donated vegetables from his personal garden to the pantry for many years. Wefing designed the on-campus plot with the hope of bringing a regular supply of organic produce to the Westfield Food Pantry. Since 1986 the Westfield Food Pantry has been serving needy families. An average of 950 community members are helped each month and 95% of the pantry’s food is supported by local donations. For years Wefing had discussed the fertility of the land at Westfield State with colleague Liz Preston. That dream came to life in the fall 2007 when he wrote to then interim president Barry Maloney suggesting the current plot. Maloney loved the idea. “I nearly fell over,” Wefing recalled when he got the go ahead from Maloney. With the help of Curt Robie, Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Operations, Wefing settled on an 80 by 35 foot area behind the Horace Mann Center located at 333 Western Avenue that he divided into four plots separated by mulched walking rows. Wefing dug the entire garden by hand without the use of power equipment. He continues to run his garden the “green” way and refrains from using pesticides by improving the soil with manure, compost, and organic fertilizers. To help keep his garden organic, Wefing plants cover crops like buckwheat that act as green manure. The garden produces a range of vegetables and herbs from potatoes and lettuce to rosemary and chives. Wefing designed

the garden to meet the needs and nutritional preferences of the Westfield Food Pantry. “I don’t really like radishes, but I do like the look on their faces when I bring radishes in,” Wefing said smiling. Currently, Wefing maintains the entire garden by himself, but would welcome student and faculty volunteers or even just company.

food to the Westfield Food Pantry three times a week. Generally, Wefing delivers the produce he harvests the same day, but he makes sure to take the time to clean and prepare them before bringing them to the food pantry. “The produce arrives carefully washed, packaged and labeled, which conveys a message of dignity to our clients,” said Rebecca Hart, director of the Westfield Food Pantry. According to Hart, Wefing’s food pantry garden is the only stable source of fresh produce available to the pantry’s clients throughout the summer. And it is because of his careful crafting of his produce that clients are so appreciative of it. “Some of the vegetables he brings are new to our clients such as kale, rutabaga, and turnips,” Hart said. “ Most folks are willing to try something new when it is presented so beautifully.” It’s not just his produce presentations that are well received. “The only thing nicer than his produce is his demeanor,” Hart said. “He is always pleasant and kind as he carries in his boxes of produce, smiling at everyone he encounters.” It’s clear that Wefing doesn’t maintain his garden for the praise. Inspired by back-tothe-landers Scott and Helen Nearing, he

Henry Wefing tends to his own garden on campus and donates the entire contents of it to the Westfield Food Pantry. “I have this vision of professors tending to their own plots all around this building,” Wefing joked. When asked about tips he would give to first time gardeners, Wefing laughed. “Have a good back and don’t pound your knees too much,” Wefing said. To better his body and refrain from overheating, Wefing works in the garden for hour-long periods of time, sometimes returning two or three times in the same day depending on his schedule. In the height of the growing season, Wefing is able to deliver

has been gardening since his 20s and firmly believes in growing your own produce organically. Wefing remains humble to the contributions he has made to the community through his garden. He encourages others both on campus and off to find their own plots and start their own gardens. His garden on Western Avenue is a great example of small-scale land producing a sufficient amount of food to feed multiple individuals. “It’s a productive use of land that would otherwise be decorative,” Wefing said. n

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

fac u lt y c e n t e r

Raising the River State and national groups collaborate with the University to preserve the Westfield River By Claudia Moore-O’Brien, M.Ed ‘00

n e w pa r t n e r s h i p has been formed between the

National Park Service (NPS), the Massachusetts State Division of Ecological Restoration (MSDER) and Westfield State University. Working with the University’s Westfield River Environmental Center, the federal and state agencies will be partners in preserving the 78 miles of the Westfield River that have been federally designated as a “River Wild and Scenic.” Dr. Robert Thompson, Westfield State environmental science professor and chair of the Westfield River Wild and Scenic Advisory Committee (WRWSAC), could not be more pleased. Unfamiliar with a “Wild and Scenic” river? In 1968, the U.S. Congress established a National Wild and Scenic Rivers system to protect outstanding rivers from the harmful effects of new federal projects, such as dams, hydroelectric facilities and bridges. “To be considered ‘wild and scenic,’ a river must have at least one outstanding natural, cultural, historical or recreational feature,” says Thompson. The Westfield River has many of these features. While the NPS maintains administrative responsibilities for the rivers, they are managed in partnership with local communities and organizations. Each river has a local committee, created by legislation, to work with and advise the NPS on protection of the outstanding resources of the river. Westfield State is now that local hub. As one of the founders of the Westfield State environmental center Thompson says, “This partnership is a win-win for all parties. We will have access to the federal

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

and state resources, and they will have our faculty and student participation to reach our shared goals of protecting and preserving the Westfield River.” The Westfield River Watershed Association, which was established in 1953, also calls the University’s environmental center home. The Westfield River links together historic villages, prime farm fields, pristine wilderness areas with tall waterfalls and deep gorges of remarkable quality. In addition, the river: • Is one of the best cold water fisheries in the state. • Is crossed by historic keystone arch bridges from the 1840s. • Is home to endangered species. • Sustains habitat for biodiversity and has the largest roadless wilderness area in Massachusetts.

The partnership of the NPS, MDER and WRWSAC is a perfect fit. “We are in need of resources, and they are in need of our student power,” Thompson says. “It is such a great opportunity for our students to get out in the field, in a real-world setting. The River has been supported and protected by Westfield State for a long time,” he adds. Students have a history of organizing the

community to help clear debris, including removing harmful plant species that infringe on the river and protecting the endangered species. In recognition of the river’s many qualities, the partnership of the NPS, MSDER and WRWSAC will encourage property owners, regional groups, citizens and all levels of government to become stewards by promoting and protecting the river. In addition, one of the benefits of this designation is that more resources — in the form of planning and technical assistance and grants — are available to the communities along the pristine stretches of river. The NPS and the MSDER will operate out of the University’s environmental center with the WRWSAC to implement a variety of initiatives and projects. Thompson says, “In the past, some projects have included: the Westfield River Water Quality Monitoring Program, GIS mapping and data collection, natural resource researching and general monitoring and conservation.” With the combined resources and student power, the partnership will support funds for interns, studies, land acquisitions, provide expertise in water/land management. Thompson has been involved with the river’s conservation efforts for over 15 years. “The University has great relations with Westfield’s city government. The tremendous inroads we’ve made are going to become even greater with the support and resources of the NPS and MSDER,” says Thompson. The excitement he exudes is nearly contagious. If you want to catch that excitement, consider volunteering. If you are interested, please visit: www.westfieldriver.org. n

fac u lt y c e n t e r

Westfield State’s Own ‘Weather Man’ By Alyssa Zabierik ‘11

r . K a r l L e i k e r , a professor in Geography and

Regional Planning (GARP) and an avid meteorologist, has assumed a second role at Westfield State University: he unofficially became its own personal “weather man.”

As soon as news broke that a super storm of snow could dump 14-plus inches of snow throughout Hampden County in December 2010, Dr. Leiker, who has shared his weather expertise with the Westfield State community throughout the years, began providing detailed updates to faculty and staff regarding what they could expect. Since that snow-covered day, Dr. Leiker’s weather updates have become some of the

ening weather. He is always the best source of data in determining whether we need to cancel classes.” Dr. Leiker grew up in Hays, Kansas, which is located about 270 miles west of Kansas City. Hailing from the Land of Oz and growing up with a grandfather who was a farmer piqued his fascination with the weather. He became a Radar Tech while in the Air Force for four years and did not start college at Fort Hays University until he was 21 years old. While there, he received a bachelor’s degree in geography and regional planning with a focus on weather/climate. Immediately afterwards, Dr. Leiker went on to the University of Missouri, where he received a master’s, and then to Pennsylvania State for his doctoral degree. After completing his education, Dr. Leiker accepted a position as a professor in Geography and Regional Planning (GARP) at Westfield State in the fall of 1976. Currently, he is the

Department Chair of Geography and Regional Planning. In addition to teaching, he divides his time between attending lectures and conferences on weather, and he does a lot of traveling. The Westfield State GARP department itself is unique as the only undergraduate Urban and Regional Planning program in Massachusetts. It is made up of eight faculty members, one who teaches half-time as a GARP professor. The department also is extremely diverse with two professors dedicated to teaching climate/weather. It is unique in another way as well. Many do not know the University has a weather station set up through HOBOlink. This link provides the latest conditions, connections, data, device information and graphs from the past month. After 35 years working at Westfield State University, some may believe that employees have done their duty, and it is time to relax on the beach after retirement. Dr. Leiker, on the other hand, looks at this topic on a year-by-year basis. He says, “I do not play golf or like working in the yard. I am happiest when I am in the lecture hall.” n

most anticipated and widely read emails, thanks to the recent amount of extreme weather and his accuracy and humor. But Dr. Leiker will be the first to tell you his forecasts are not always accurate, “I just have more time than the guys on TV.” “Karl’s email weather forecasts are detailed emails, light-hearted and accurate. It is always a delight to read his predictions,” says Jerry Hayes, Westfield State University, vice president for Administration and Finance. “And, he plays an important role in keeping the University informed on threatF O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

At h l e t i c s

Westfield administrators proudly display the Smith Cup, left to right: former vice president of student affairs Barry Maloney, athletics director Richard Lenfest, associate athletics director Nancy Bals, and President Evan S. Dobelle.

Another Stellar Season for the Owls By Mickey Cur tis, Spor ts Information Director

F OCUS MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ FA L L 2011

t ’ s o f f i c i a l . Westfield State University has created

a dynasty in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). For the second straight season and the fourth time in five years Westfield State University claimed the MASCAC Howard C. Smith Cup.

The coveted MASCAC Howard C. Smith Cup is awarded annually to the member institution in the eight-team conference that compiles the most points based on the placement of each of its programs competing in the 15 league championship sports. Westfield State captured 80.8 percent (129.33 points) of a possible 160 points to easily outdistance runner-up Bridgewater State University, which claimed 70.8 percent (104.86 points) of a possible 148 points to finish second. “On behalf of Westfield State, I am proud and honored to accept the 2010-11 Smith Cup,” says Dick Lenfest, who became Westfield’s Director of Athletics in June of 2005. “This award is very special for our student athletes and represents the overall success of our program in the MASCAC, and it also represents the hard work, commitment and teamwork of our coaches, student athletes, staff and administration.” “I would like to congratulate Westfield State’s student athletes and staff on all of their athletic achievements,” MASCAC Commissioner Angela Baumann said. “The Owls enjoyed another great year in winning eight MASCAC regular season championships, and their success is a testament to the hard work and dedication displayed by all student athletes in our conference.” It may have been Westfield’s most domi-

nating performance as it ran away with the Smith Cup crown with a strong finish during the spring season, winning conference championships in baseball, softball, men’s track and field and women’s track and field. During the past 16 years, Westfield State has won six Smith Cup crowns, finished second five times, and placed third three times. Westfield State won seven outright MASCAC titles and shared one championship in the following sports: women’s cross country, men’s soccer, volleyball, women’s basketball, baseball, women’s outdoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field and softball (co-champs). Placing second during the MASCAC regular season were: football, women’s soccer, men’s cross country and men’s basketball. The 21-6 women’s basketball team posted an 11-1 conference regular season record, including two victories over Bridgewater State, but the Bears edged the Owls, 47-42, in the conference tournament title game. The baseball squad, which won the MASCAC regular season title for the fourth time in the past five years, lost twice to Bridgewater in the MASCAC tournament, including a tough 12-inning setback in the semifinals. The Westfield State softball squad dropped a 2-1 decision to Worcester State in the conference tournament championship round.

The Westfield State men and women regained their outdoor track and field championships after having their impressive conference streaks snapped in 2010. Westfield State men have won 14 MASCAC crowns in 15 years and 27 titles in 29 years. The Westfield State women have captured 13 of the past 14 MASCAC championships. The men’s track and field team of veteran coach Sean O’Brien also regained the New England Alliance championship after a two-year hiatus by dominating the 11-team competition. The Owls have won 12 of 14 New England Alliance titles. Maintaining its winning ways was the swimming and diving team of veteran coach Dave Laing. Westfield State compiled a 6-3 record for its 18th straight winning season and placed ninth in the New England championships. The spring semester squads were led by a number of future Westfield State Hall of Famers. Westfield State women’s track and field freshman sensation Targie Gervais earned All-America honors by placing seventh in the 100 meter dash at the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships. Gervais shattered five sprint school records in her first collegiate season and was also a national qualifier in the 200 meter dash. She earned All-New England honors five times, including the 100 meter championship during the outdoor season. Teammate Amanda Gricus just missed earning All-America honors by placing ninth in the 20-pound weight throw at the NCAA indoor championships. Gricus was the New England Division III weight throw champion. Senior two-sport athlete Alicia Gardener

Dennis Zak was the 2011 MASCAC ice hockey player of the year and was also selected the conference’s male scholar-athlete of the year. F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

completed an outstanding collegiate career and was the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee by the MASCAC. The NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors graduating student athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. A four-time all-conference infielder, Gardner owns a .356 career batting average and ranks highly in the following career school record categories: at bats (2nd, 419), hits (3rd, 149), doubles (5th, 23), triples (2nd, 17), RBI (5th, 76), and walks (1st, 67). In field hockey Gardner holds the school record with 28 assists and ranks seventh on the all-time scoring list with 60 points. Two of Gardner’s softball teammates also had stellar seasons. Junior Madeline Tomich was the MASCAC pitcher of the year for the second consecutive season. Tomich posted a 15-5 record and a 1.71 earned run average and recorded 131 strikeouts in 130 2/3 innings pitched. She ranks second in strikeouts (372) and third in victories (36) in Westfield’s career record books. Senior second baseman Kristyn Carroll, a first-team all-conference second baseman, batted .321 with team highs of 45 hits and 13 doubles and only struck out nine times batting in the leadoff spot. She tied the school record with 140 at bats this season and her 45 hits are the sixth best in school history. The slick-fielding infielder ranks highly in the school career record books in the following categories: games played

(second place, 144), at bats (third, 392), hits (sixth, 119), and doubles (fourth, 27). The Owl baseball team was led by AllNew England second team pitcher Roman Mondalto. Mondalto recorded nearly one third of Westfield’s 22 victories with a stellar 7-1 record. The transfer student from Northern Essex Community College posted conference shutout victories on three consecutive weekends in leading the Owls to the regular season championship. During the MASCAC postseason tournament, the crafty lefty posted two victories and pitched the first four innings in a 6-2 victory over Bridgewater State that advanced Westfield State to a winner-take-all game in the championship round. Mondalto led the Owls in games started (10), earned run average (2.11), innings pitched (59.2), and strikeouts (51). In hockey, Dennis Zak was named the MASCAC player of the year and selected to the New England Hockey Writers Division II/III All-Star team for the second time. Zak was a key member of the men’s ice hockey team that was reinstituted as a varsity sport at Westfield in 2008 after a 20-year hiatus. The talented forward led the MASCAC in scoring (42 points, 18 goals, 24 assists) and ranked 11th nationally in scoring in 2011. Zak, who played his freshman year at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, finished his three years at Westfield State with 127 points, ranking ninth on the Owls’ all-time scoring list. He ranks eighth in assists (78) and ninth in goals (49) on Westfield State’s

career charts. Two senior members of the women’s lacrosse team — Laura Chiricosta and Rachel Dionne — also concluded outstanding careers. Dionne was a first-team allconference selection four straight years. She scored 52 points (28 goals, 24 assists) during the 2011 season and finished her outstanding four-year career with 274 points (180 goals, 94 assists). Chiricosta was a three-time first-team allconference honoree and a second-team selection in 2009. She led the Owls in scoring in 2011 with 65 points (43 goals, 22 assists) and ranks first on the university’s career scoring charts with 209 goals, 98 assists and 307 points.

Freshman sensation Targie Gervais earned AllAmerica honors by placing seventh in the 55 meter dash at the 2011 NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships.

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

Ashley Finnegan and Cassy Jouannet — the senior leaders for the MASCAC regular season basketball champions — were first-team all-conference selections. The twin towers teamed up to average 28.8 points and 19.3 rebounds per game. Finnegan was second in the conference in both scoring (15.4) and rebounding (11.0). She ranked eighth nationally with 19 doubledoubles during the 27-game season. Jouannet ranked third in the MASCAC in scoring (13.4) and fourth in rebounding (8.3). The senior inside tandem scored 417 and 361

points, respectively. Matt Devine — the 2009-2010 men’s basketball MASCAC Rookie of the Year — earned all-conference honors for the second straight season. The 6-foot-7-inch center led the Owls in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game. He ranked first in the MASCAC in blocked shots (2.4) and second in rebounding (9.2). Devine has 130 rejections in two seasons, just nine shy of the school career record. Sophomore Kim Schmidt nearly qualified for the swimming and diving national

For the second straight season and the fourth time in five years Westfield State University claimed the MASCAC Howard C. Smith Cup.

championships for the third straight season in defending her New England titles in the one and three meter diving. Schmidt was also honored as the New England and Little East Conference diver of the year. Men’s track and field standouts included Brendan Corcoran, the New England Division III 800 meter run indoor champion, Patrick Regan, who set a school record in the 1500 meter run, and Tom Gauger, who broke a longstanding school record in the pole vault. The Westfield State athletics department’s major award recipients were: Alicia Gardner (Female Athlete of the Year), Dennis Zak (Male Athlete of the Year), Rachel Ryan (Outstanding Contributor Award), and Cassy Jouannet (Peter Mazza Sportsmanship Award). The Westfield State Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year were seniors Rachel Dionne (lacrosse/cross country), Kate MacLellan (soccer), and Mike Czupryna (soccer). n

Need a new or replacement diploma? If you would like a new diploma with UNIVERSITY in the title, please contact the Registrar’s Office at westfield.ma.edu/registrar. All alumni of Westfield State are eligible to have their diploma reprinted. The cost for your new diploma is $25 and will be mailed six to eight weeks after your degree is verified and the diploma is printed. Please submit payment to the Office of the Registrar. The University will continue to offer re-orders using COLLEGE in the title for a limited time; please use the same form to request your re-order. Please note: Your diploma will NOT arrive with a cover. Should you have any further questions, contact our office or the Office of the Registrar.

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

At h l e t i c s Hall o f Fa m e

Six to be Inducted to Athletics Hall of Fame By Mickey Cur tis, Spor ts Information Director

h e 1 6 t h A n n ua l W e s t f i e l d S tat e U n i v e r s i t y Athletics Hall of Fame Inductions will

be held Friday, October 28, 2011, during Homecoming. The enshrinement starts at 6 p.m. at Scanlon Banquet Hall and tickets are available by calling (413) 572-5433. The Class of 2011 includes: Amanda (Braden) Theriault ’98, basketball; Don DelNegro ’84, athletic trainer; Dr. Tilia Fantasia, 1966-1998, administrator/coach/faculty; David Lima ’86, soccer; Kathy Norton ’87, cross country/track and field; and Jeff Stackpole ‘88, football. AMANDA (BRADEN) THERIAULT ’98 is Westfield State’s all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball, pouring in 1,526 points during her stellar career. Considered one of the best pure shooters in Westfield history, Theriault holds school career records for field goals made (547) and attempted (1,202) and free throw percentage (.766, 429 for 560). She was a key member of Westfield State squads that posted four consecutive 20-win seasons and participated in two NCAA and two ECAC Tournaments. Theriault was a first-team all-conference selection and team MVP during her junior and senior years. DON DelNEGRO, ’84 has achieved national and international acclaim as an athletic trainer. His most memorable moment came in June, when he hoisted the Stanley Cup as the head athletic trainer of the NHL champion Boston Bruins. DelNegro, now in his 19th season as the Bruins athletic trainer, was a student trainer all four years he attended Westfield State. DelNegro performed 1,800 hours of volunteer service, working primarily with the Owl football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey teams. DelNegro was hired by the Bruins in 1993 after a five-year stint as the director of sports medicine at Williams College. He was the athletic trainer for the U.S. Bobsled and Luge teams at the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville, France, and for Team USA at the 2000, 2005 and 2007 World Hockey championships. He served as head trainer for the U.S. men’s hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

DR. TILIA FANTASIA, has a long and distinguished career as an administrator, educator and a pioneer of women’s equality in sports on the local, state, regional and national levels. Dr. Fantasia’s prominent teaching and administration career at Westfield State spanned five decades, from 1966 – 1998, and she worked tirelessly to promote and create sports opportunities for women before and after the landmark Title IX federal law enacted in 1972 that barred gender discrimination in educational settings. Dr. Fantasia initiated the women’s varsity sports of field hockey, basketball, softball, gymnastics and volleyball shortly after arriving to Westfield State in 1966, and she coached the field hockey and softball teams for several years. She chaired Westfield State’s department of physical education for women from 1968-1971. Dr. Fantasia is a greatly respected in the area of leadership and administration. She has held countless leadership positions in multiple organizations, including the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), Massachusetts Division for Girls’ and Women’s Sports, United States Field Hockey Association, and national and regional associations for physical education in higher education. On the national level, Dr. Fantasia was the AAHPERD parliamentarian for 17 years and completed a three-year term on the board of governors. She was a member of the committee to form the first Massachusetts State Colleges Women’s Athletic Conference. The highly respected educator and mentor is a much sought-after speaker and an accomplished lawyer, having been admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1987.

Dr. Fantasia wore many hats at Westfield State from 1966 to her retirement in 1998, most notably as chairperson of the Department of Movement Science, Sport and Leisure Studies for 20 years, and her leadership skills were in high demand. She served acting administration roles as Westfield State’s Chief Executive Officer, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Vice President of Student Affairs. Westfield State awarded her professor emeritus status in 1999.

KATHY NORTON, ’87 was the premiere runner for the highly successful Westfield State women’s cross country and track teams in the mid-1980s. A two-time national qualifier in track, she earned All-America honors by placing eighth in the 5,000 meter run at the 1987 NCAA national championships.

DAVID LIMA, ’86 ranks as one of the best players in the storied history of the Westfield State men’s soccer program. The Ludlow native was an All-America nominee, a three-time All-New England and four-time all-conference selection. He was the 1984 MASCAC player of the year when he led the Owls to the second round of the NCAA national tournament.

She earned All-New England honors in three regional cross country championships, helping the Owls to third place team finishes in the 1984 and 1985 New England Division III finals.

Lima ranks seventh on the Owls’ all-time scoring charts with 120 points. During his senior season in 1984, he tallied 23 goals, the third best mark in school history. Lima led the Owls to a 15-4-2 record in 1984 and scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten Salem State in the NCAA Tournament. Lima excelled following his collegiate career. He played on the U.S. East Region National Select Team from 1984 to 1986 and was in the U.S. Olympic and national team pool as one of the top 100 players in country. In 1986, he was the only New England player chosen to participate in the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival. Lima was a two-time Luso American Soccer League first division all-star and played for six years on the Connecticut select team. He played 15 years as a semi-pro player in three leagues, and won multiple Connecticut Division I championships as a member of the Gremio Lusitano Club of Ludlow. Lima has been a player-coach for the Unity Athletic Club soccer team of the Pioneer Valley summer League for the past 30 years. He has led the club team to 11 championships and garnered multiple MVP trophies.

In 1985, Norton placed first in the inaugural MASCAC women’s cross country championship in a Stanley Park course record time of 18:39 in leading Westfield State to the team title. She earned all-conference honors in the 1986 MASCAC championships by placing second. JEFF STACKPOLE, ’88 is considered the best tight end in Westfield State football history. An imposing and athletic 6-4, 230-pounder, Stackpole was second team All-America in 1987. The sure-handed tight end dominated the aerial attack his senior season, catching more than half of the team’s 87 receptions. He set school records of 49 catches for 701 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards per reception and 5.4 catches per game. The Owls posted a then-school-best 6-3 record his senior season and were ranked eighth in New England. A three-year starter for the Owls, Stackpole holds school records for tight ends with career totals of 85 catches, 1,265 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He was All-New England and first-team all-conference in 1987 and an all-conference honoree his junior season. The consummate team player, Stackpole was an excellent blocker and also played defense on goal-line and short-yardage situations. Complete profiles of each inductee are located on the University’s Hall of Fame link at: www.WestfieldStateOwls.com n

Academic All-American Rachel Dionne receives her Academic All-America plaque from University President Evan Dobelle, left, and Athletics Director Richard Lenfest. A lacrosse and cross country standout for the Owls, Dionne graduated from Westfield State University on May 21 with a cumulative grade point average of 3.992, majoring in mathematics. F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

At h l e t i c s

Achieving, off the field Student athletes excel academically and in community service By Mickey Cur tis, Spor ts Information Director

e s t f i e l d S tat e U n i v e r s i t y student athletes are

also excelling off the playing fields with their academic and community service achievements. The Owls again placed the most student athletes on the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) All-Academic Teams during the fall, winter and spring sports seasons with grade point averages (GPAs) of 3.2 or better. Also, the cumulative GPA for Westfield State’s 420 varsity athletes following the 2011 spring semester was a best-ever 2.98. Fifty-eight percent, or 244 student athletes, again a best-ever, earned a 3.0 or better semester GPA, and an all-time best 51 percent, or 215 student athletes, finished the 2011 spring semester with cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher. Moreover, 15 of Westfield’s 21 varsity sports teams had cumulative GPAs

of 3.0 or higher, led by the women’s golf and women’s volleyball squads, with 3.28 and 3.26 GPAs, respectively. “Academics always will be a priority, and I would personally like to thank the Westfield State faculty and administration for their hard work in helping the student athletes excel in the classroom,” says Westfield Athletics Director Richard Lenfest. Individually, ice hockey player Dennis Zak received the Howard C. Smith Award as the top male senior scholar-athlete in the MASCAC. Zak is the 16th Westfield State student athlete since 1980 to receive the prestigious award, the most in the eight-team MASCAC. In the past, eight men and eight

Westfield State varsity athletic teams sponsored Think Pink games to raise money for and promote breast cancer awareness. Members of the women’s cross country team, left to right are: Liz Abate, Erin McDonough, Lynsay Wray and Kelsey Garvey

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

women have received the award. Senior Rachel Dionne earned another prestigious scholar-athlete award as she was named to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Women’s At-Large Second Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A lacrosse and cross country standout for the Owls, Dionne graduated from Westfield State University with a cumulative grade point average of 3.992, majoring in mathematics. Dionne is the first Westfield State student athlete to earn Academic All-America® honors in 24 years. Lisa Lebiecki (first team, softball), George Bent (second team, basketball) and Cheryl Bassett (third team, softball) were Academic All-Americans in 1987. Lebiecki also was a second-team selection in 1986. “This is a great honor for Rachel, and we congratulate her on her outstanding academic and athletic career,” says Lenfest. “During my six years at Westfield, we have had a number of outstanding student athletes. As a department we always strive to maintain that trend through the recruitment process.” Dionne was an Academic All-District I first team selection in 2011 and a second team pick in 2010. She is the fifth Westfield State student athlete to earn Academic All-District honors, which encompasses New England and eastern Canada, in the past two years. Other Owls honored have been Stephanie Bartkus (volleyball), Alicia Gardner (softball), Kerry Arouca, (track and field/cross country), and Kate MacLellan (soccer). Student Athlete Affairs, formally known as the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program, has helped student athletes succeed in the classroom through study halls and other academic programs. “The programs we run help the student athletes strike a balance between school work and athletics,” says Westfield State Associate

Athletic Director Nancy Bals. Another major component of Student Athlete Affairs program is community service. The university’s 21 varsity teams contributed more than 2,300 hours of community service during the 2010-11 academic year. From donating Christmas gifts to local youths, running clinics for Unified Sports Program participants, reading to Westfield school children, to volunteering with the Noble Hospital road race, the student athletes reached out to improve the social and economic conditions in the community. In a signature event, the varsity teams raised approximately $500 for the Westfield area Cancer House of Hope during “Think Pink” breast cancer awareness programs at selected games. “Westfield State athletics is pleased to establish these connections with the community,” says Bals. “Our student athletes embrace these service projects and their efforts are greatly appreciated by the community.” n

Varsity student athletes annually assist incoming Westfield State freshmen during move-in day. Volleyball players lending a hand, left to right, are: Angela Marguet, Rachel Ryan and Brittany Dussault.

Go Green! Read Focus online.

Visit the Alumni site at westfieldalumni.org

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Alumni News and Notes

Reunion Weekend 2011 Westfield State proudly welcomed back close to 200 alumni for our annual Reunion Weekend on campus. The classes of 1961, 1971 and 1986, along with the Musical Theatre Guild (MTG), came back to Westfield State this past June for a fun-filled weekend of reconnecting, reuniting and reminiscing.

Reunion Weekend 2012 underway

Keep in touch and share your news

We are currently deep in the planning stages of Reunion Weekend 2012. We will be celebrating reunions for track and field, crosscountry, orientation leaders, resident assistants and classes ending in 2s and 7s. If you were a part of any of these groups, please mark your calendars for June 2012 when we welcome you back to campus. More information coming soon.

We want to hear from you. Do you have a new job? Have you gotten married, had a baby or experienced a life-changing event? Tell us all about it. We welcome your news for publication in each issue of FOCUS magazine. Please send any news to Kelly Galanis at kgalanis@westfield.ma.edu. Photos are always encouraged. We look forward to hearing from you.

Alumni Travel

Visit the alumni website

Westfield State Alumni Travel programs are currently underway. Visit westfieldalumni.org/travel for more information on our upcoming trip to Spain in April 2012 and a Bermuda cruise in Summer 2012.

Mentors Needed Do you have an interesting career? Ever think about things you would have done differently while in school? Want to help our current students succeed? Consider being a mentor for our annual Alumni Mentor Day, scheduled in spring. We welcome back many alumni to the campus to share their career experiences with our students. This popular program is always looking for new and interesting individuals willing to speak about their journey in the real world. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Kelly Galanis at (413) 572-5228 or kgalanis@westfield.ma.edu.

Visit the Alumni Store Be sure to visit westfieldalumni.org for all the latest alumni gear. We have sweatshirts, camp chairs, diploma frames and more. Stop by today to place an order for yourself or your favorite graduate.

F OCUS MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ FA L L 2011

Have you logged on to our website at westfieldalumni.org? What are you waiting for? Be sure to stop by and visit your source for all things alumni. Learn about the latest happenings at the University, upcoming alumni functions and the benefits and perks of being an alumni association member. You may also log on to update your information. If it is your first time logging in, your username and password will be the same â&#x20AC;&#x201D; first initial, last name and four digit year of graduation (ex. Joe Smith, class of 1999 is jsmith1999). For assistance with logging in please contact Kelly Galanis at (413) 572-5228 or kgalanis@westfield.ma.edu.

Support Westfield State University Want to give back to Westfield State? Consider a year-end taxdeductible donation. Visit westfieldalumni.org to make a donation online or mail your payments to us at Westfield State Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1630, Westfield, MA 01086-1630. Every bit helps with our scholarship programs and more. For questions, please contact Kathi Bradford at (413) 572-5404 or kbradford@ westfield.ma.edu.

Stanley Cup Continued from page 9

Career Center The Westfield State University Career Center is a great resource for our alumni population. The Career Center knows that career development is a lifelong, ongoing process that does not end when you graduate. As an alumnus, you are welcome to use the resources available at the Career Center. Whether you want to find a new job or just ask some advice, the Career Center is here to support you through your career transition. We can help you: • Explore career and graduate school options • Write/critique your resume and cover letters • Improve your interview skills • Search and apply for internships • Apply to graduate school • Increase your networking options and conduct an effective job search Stop in and see us in the Lammers Hall Annex on the University campus at 577 Western Avenue, Westfield, MA, 01086. Our hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the academic year and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer months. You can reach us at (413) 572-5206 or at careers@westfield.ma.edu. Be sure to check out our website at westfield.ma.edu/careercenter.

Class of 2010 Post-Graduate Survey

Where Ar e You

Now?

The Office of Career Services is gearing up for its 2010 westfield.m a.edu/care Post Graduate Survey. By ercenter filling out this online survey, 2010 alumni will be helping Westfield State University report annually requested statistics on post-graduate activities. Look for the link at : www.westfield.ma.edu/offices-services/career-center/ career-center-alumni If you have any questions, please contact the Career Center at (413) 572-5206.

team. He says it is like a big family, and this year’s team is his favorite. Pierce says that DelNegro’s longevity with the Bruins during numerous head coaching changes is a testament to his training skills, which include the ability to work well with people in the demanding, pressure-packed and high stakes world of professional sports. “Don has been chosen as trainer in a lot of challenging positions,” says Pierce. “You have to know what needs to be done and be there for the players. A lot of times you are the go-between for players and coaches, and that can be tough.” As accommodating as the hockey players he treats, DelNegro always welcomes opportunities to share his experiences and expertise with aspiring athletic trainers. Prior to a regular season game early in 2011, DelNegro met with 13 Westfield State University students at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston and conducted a workshop for them, along with Pierce and Mary Allen Watson, a professor in the Westfield State movement science department. DelNegro has also returned to Westfield State several times to make presentations at career workshops for student trainers. n

Other Alums on the Team Mary Martell, class of 1984, is the Accounting Manager for the Bruins. She started in 1985 in accounts payable, right after she graduated from Westfield. She will have been with the Bruins for 26 years this November! Since she’s been there, she has done accounts payable, handled the books for a restaurant that they used to own in North Station, accounts receivable, payroll, Senior Accountant and now Account Manager. Sarah Farrell, class of 2010, is assistant at the Sports Museum and silent auction monitor at the TD Garden. She handles all of the bookings of the sports museum, tours of the garden, and helps coordinate events such as the annual golf tournament, the Tradition honoring Boston legends in sports, the Boston Baseball Writer’s Dinner, and many others. Her duties as silent auction monitor include auctioning off autographed memorabilia on the loge concourse level during Bruins home games. Amy Walsh, class of 2009, is a Bruins Ice Girl. She works all in-game promotions as well as outside marketing events for the team. She is also a Street Teamer for Radio 92.9 WBOS, where she promotes the radio station at events.

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

C la s s N o t e s

Births

Weddings

2000

2003

Dan ’99 and Maria DeStefano Doherty welcomed their new son, Domenic John, on April 18, 2011. He is pictured with the family puggle, Nugget. Dan is in online advertising and publishing at IDG Communications in Framingham, and Maria is a reading interventionist at the Reingold School in Fitchburg. The family is doing well and presently lives in Holden.

Diane Balicki married Craig Goodrow on Nov. 7, 2009. The bride graduated from Westfield State and is a life insurance case manager at MassMutual Financial Group in Enfield. The couple lives in Feeding Hills.

2006 Christopher and Kristen Cunningham Strycharz welcomed a baby boy, Zachary John, on June 22, 2011. Zack was 7 pounds, 10 ounces. The family is doing well and is thrilled with the new addition.

2007 Travis and Johanna Masotti Searles of Agawam are proud to announce that they have been blessed with a precious baby boy, JacobTravisSearles.Jacobwasborn on December 1, 2010, at Mercy Family Life Center. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. and measured 21 inches long.Johannaisafifthgradeteacher inAgawam,andTravisisalawyerat Robinson & Cole in Hartford, Conn. The family is doing well.

2006

2007

2004

On July 16, 2011, Shannon Green married Brian Broderick ’07 at a ceremony in Northampton. Many alumni were present at the event to wish the couple well. On September 24, 2010, Westfield State University graduate Thomas ReynoldsmarriedSaraAnnSiegelon the beautiful island of Bermuda. The groom works as personal trainer in Manhattan.

2005 On March 26, 2011, Westfield State University graduate John R. Stawarz married Erin Hefferan in Orlando, Florida. The groom went on to earn his master’s degree in counseling psychology from Antioch University and is currently pursuing a doctorate at Argosy University in Sarasota, Fla. The couple lives in Tampa.

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

2008

Nicole Rundall married Matthew Kosiorek in a June 27, 2009, ceremony at St. Patrick’s Church in Chicopee. The bride is a second grade teacher at Coburn School in WestSpringfield.Thecouplelivesin Huntington.

Andrea LeClair married Michael Denney on April 29, 2011, in a small civil ceremony in downtown San Diego, Calif. The couple lives north of San Diego and loves their new life together. Rosemary Dowling married Briana R. Sevigny on October 10, 2010, at the University of New Hampshire. Many Westfield State alumni were present. Pictured are Mike Primeau ’08, Charlie Bain ’11, Shannon Green ’04, Kate Quigley ’09, Kathi Bradford, Rosemary Dowling Sevigny ’07, Julie Kimball ’07, Ryan O’Connell ’07, Kelli Nielsen ’04, Lisa Donahue ’10, Brian Broderick ‘07, Megan Santos ’01, Jill Facchiano ‘06, Kerri Wemmitt, and Sarah Gaetani ’07.

2009 Melissa Moran married Kevin DooleyonFebruary13,2010,atOur Lady of Mount Carmel Church, in Springfield. The couple honeymooned in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic,andcurrentlylivesinWest Springfield.

2010 Erica Ann Galuszka married Morgan Keith Ireland on October 16, 2010. The bride graduated from Westfield State University and earned a master’s degree in criminal justice. Erica Ann is employed as a police officer for the West Springfield Police Department. The couple is currently living in Chicopee.

Deaths Courtney Murphy married her high school sweetheart Colin Bonzey on April 17, 2009. The couple celebrated with friends from Westfield State’s class of 2007, as pictured.

1947 Mary McGrath passed away on February 14, 2011, at the age of 84. Mary received her bachelor’s of science in education from Westfield State in 1947. Mary worked in education her entire career. She also served on the Westfield State Alumni Board.

1950

1974

1997

Edward F. Dwyer passed away on February 15, 2011, at the age of 83. Edward received his master’s degree in counseling at Westfield State University. Edward worked as a teacher and guidance counselor with the Springfield School Department.

Gary LaFountain passed away suddenly at his home in Green Hill, R.I., on June 27, 2011. He was a former corporate vice president for Stanhome, Inc. and president of Stanley Home Products.

Brett Fickett passed away on July 13, 2010.

1951 Donald W. Tuohey of Westfield passed away on July 19, 2010, after a short illness. He taught for many years in the West Springfield Schools and retired as principal of Southampton Road Elementary School in 1987.

1978 Kenneth Paul Brackett passed away on March 28, 2011. He earned his degree from Westfield State and was a beloved teacher and coach in the Medfield School System.

1981 Stanley J. Prunier, of Southbridge, passed away on June 30, 2011. Prior to attending Westfield State, he served in the U.S. Navy.

Maureen Conway passed away June 16, 2010.

1953 George Hamel passed away at his home on June 22, 2010. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Westfield State College and was a long time educator.

1960 Sheila A. Breton passed away on February 19, 2011. Sheila was in the process of obtaining her teaching degree at Westfield State University. She was an employee of the Westfield school system.

Robert Symington suddenly passed away on June 22, 2010. He received his master’s degree from Westfield State College and was a long time educator.

air in 1961. Phil later moved to Florida where he founded the English and Communications Department at St. Thomas University.

Faculty George Camara passed away on March 1, 2011, at the age of 75. George worked as an English professor for over 30 years at Westfield State University. He taught American literature, film and writing courses. David Vincent, professor of the Geography Department at Westfield State, passed away on Aug. 5, 2010, at his home with his family. He taught at Shrewsbury High School, Plymouth State College and SUNY College at Oneonta before he became part of the faculty of Westfield State, where he taught geography and regional planning, climatology and other related courses.

1984 Susan Farrington passed away on June 7, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer.

1990 Marilyn Johnson passed away at her home on August 5, 2010. She received her bachelor’s of science degree from in elementary education from Westfield State Teachers College.

1970 Nancy Dillon Tobias passed away in Westfield on June 23, 2011.

1973 Phyllis Bryar passed away suddenly on June 27, 2010.

Anne Marie (Nathan) Shannon of Somers, Conn., died unexpectedly on January 7, 2011.

1994 Bonnie Grenier passed away on July 22, 2010. Rosalie Szarkowski passed away July 2 peacefully at home. She graduated from Westfield State with a degree in psychology.

Phil Shepardson passed away in June at age 76 in Hollywood, Fla., where he moved after retiring in 1991. For 30 years, Phil was host of “As Schools Match Wits,” the TV quiz show that hasrunfor50years.Philwasbothan English professor at Westfield State and, in the days before “Wits,” host of“TheWickyWackyCloud,”amix of drawings and cartoons on television.“Wits”wasacollaborative effort between Westfield State and WWLP from the time it went on the

Edwin J. Abar, Professor Emeritus of Communication, passed away on Saturday, August 27th. Ed earned his B.A. and M.A. from Westfield State and his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, and joined the Westfield State faculty in 1971. The founding chair of the Department of Communication, Ed served as chair for 15 years and on the faculty for 34 years. In 2005, Ed was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus at the Westfield State Commencement. Ed was also involved with the University’s athletic programming as a member of the basketball team, assistant basketball coach, sports information director, and University’s NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative, . He was inducted in the Westfield Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. A member of Kiwanis, Ed established the Edwin J. Abar/ Kiwanis Communication Scholarship, a scholarship fund to assist juniors studying communication. Ed leaves his wife, Westfield State Trustee Dr. Sylvia Abar ‘71, and his daughter Meridith.

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

C la s s N o t e s

News 1972 James Pietras recently announced his retirement as a principal at East Meadow Elementary School in Granby. James received his bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in elementary administration at Westfield State University. He was also nominated for the statewide Outstanding Principal of the Year Award in 2004.

1975 Joseph Carvalho III has retired as the president of the Springfield Museums in Springfield. He was recently interviewed by The Republican newspaper about his revised and expanded work on “Black Families of Hampden County, Massachusetts: 1650-1865” in conjunction with Black History Month. Publication of his work is set to expand in June of 2011 by the New England Historic Genealogical Society in collaboration with the Institute for Massachusetts Studies and the Springfield Museums.

1979 Magdalena Picot has been employed as a home confinement (house arrest) administrator for the state of Rhode Island for the past few years and will soon celebrate 29 years of providing state services in Rhode Island. Her second poetry book Passion, Fire and Thunder was published on March 2011. This bilingual (English-Spanish) book is available at www.lulu.com/ letrasdeamerica. For over a year, Magdalena has hosted a halfhour program on Latino Public Radio called “Our Youth,” and in June, she started a radio

program from behind bars. To listen to her programs, please go to www.lprri.org and click on radio vivo.

1981 Anne Heston, most recently principal of Blessed Sacrament School in Holyoke, has been named principal of Holy Trinity School. R. Michael Murphy and Eileen Houlihan Murphy ‘82 celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on May 4, 2011. Eileen and Michael have one son, Drew, who is 14 years old.

1984 Daniel T. Smith is planning to retire as a high school principal at the end of the 2011 school year. Daniel currently works as a principal at South Hadley High School. He has been employed within the South Hadley school system for over 30 years.

news along with an innate ability to tap into what people in New England really care about. Doug has been heard on WTKK since May of 2011 and is pleased to be joining the Boston Talks weekday lineup. Michael Degutis has been named chief financial officer for the St. Johns County School District in Florida. After graduating from Westfield State, Michael earned his master’s in business administration from the University of Central Florida.

1988

1986 The Amherst Regional School Committee has selected Maria Halpin Geryk as superintendent of Amherst Schools. Through a national search, she won the respect and admiration of teachers, staff, parents and many others. Noted one teacher, “She has done more to inspire quality interaction than any superintendent in the past 20 years.”

1987 Boston Talks 96.9 FM, WTKK, announced that The Doug Meehan Show will be added to the station’s weekday lineup Monday through Friday from 2-6 p.m. Doug Meehan is a Massachusetts native and a passionate graduate of Westfield State. He brings his unique style and a flair for the fun side of

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

to retain their most valuable assets – their employees – by offering more flexibility. “Not only does our business model allow us to help improve the lives of our candidates with flexible work arrangements, but it also helps our clients enhance their competitive advantage by attracting and retaining top talent while more effectively managing their costs,” says Patrice. “It’s a solution that works well in our dynamic economic environment.”

1989 Steven Fleming, a criminal justice graduate, is the new school resource officer for the South Hadley Public Schools. His job responsibilities include reviewing logs of both the Police Department and Northwestern District Attorney’s office in order to be aware of any alarming incidents. Steven enjoys this new position very much.

1991 Patrice Grant of Marlborough recently opened a Mom Corps national franchise office in the Boston area. Mom Corps is a national corporation that redefines the search process for professionals seeking flexible careers and companies looking for top-notch talent. Patrice has identified a strong need for the Mom Corps concept in her region, where she has seen so many talented professionals and stay-at-home moms seeking non-traditional career options or being largely overlooked by traditional search firms. She has also seen companies needing to react quickly to the changing economic landscape with the use of interim talent, while working

Bruce Earnest is currently in his second year as associate professor of theatre and chair and director of musical theatre at the University of Mobile in Alabama. He enjoys directing and teaching but still takes the occasional professional gig, most recently touring Europe in a production of “Chess,” the musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by two members of Abba. His focus

has been building and developing the musical theater program at the University of Mobile, where he and his wife, Darla, an adjunct professor there, would like to see compete with more established theater programs at larger universities.

1992 Kathleen (Sullivan) Lynch recently became the owner of LaJustice Printing in Holyoke. She purchased the business from her father, who has retired to Florida. Her business was featured in a story in The Republican, a local newspaper for Western Massachusetts. Michael Robinson has been employed with Sun Life Insurance in Windsor, Conn., for 14 years. Michael lives in South Deerfield with his wife, Kimberly (Crosby) Robinson ‘94. They will be celebrating their 15th anniversary this July. Michael has been part of youth coaching for several years and is involved in baseball and basketball with his sons Brandyn, 11, and Brett, 9.

1994 Kimberly (Crosby) Robinson recently completed her first year as a second grade teacher at Hatfield Elementary School. Kim graduated this past May with her master’s degree in education from American International College. Kim is married to Michael Robinson ’92. They live in South Deerfield with their two sons Brandyn, 11, and Brett 9. Dr. Jennifer Thornton-Springer received the 2011 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in

Multicultural Teaching from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, where she is an associate professor of English. This prestigious award “acknowledges faculty who integrate culturally relevant content into their curriculum, who employ an inclusive, student-centered pedagogy, and who champion diversity as a value that ensures the academic success of all students.”

2000 Author Lori Szepelak, a native of Russell and long-time resident of Westfield, had always believed in the afterlife and in angels, but, like most people, didn’t have what she considered proof of their existence — until she looked at some photographs she had taken while on a walk in the woods soon after her mother passed away. There, in one photo was an aura, her mother smiling down from above. The author began studying her photographs closely and found auras in many of them. These are proof, she believes of guardian angels who are with us, protecting us. Through angelreading sessions, these same angels told the author to share her story, and her photographs, with others. An Angel On My Shoulder is her gift back to those angels who inspired her and compelled her to write this book. An Angel On My Shoulder sells for $18.95 and is available through Wings and a Prayer Press, P.O. Box 217, Southampton, MA 01073. Copies are also available at Noble Hospital’s Gift Shop in Westfield.

2002 Justin Reichers, a graduate of the English department at Westfield State, recently made a career change. Originally licensed to teach high school English and working as a bartender on Cape Cod for the last 121/2 years, he decided to begin a career in real estate at the Century 21 office in East Orleans. Justin is enjoying the change and hopes his classmates are doing well.

Danielle also owns and operates her own business, Frills and Thrills Events and Social Media, working as a consultant to area businesses and nonprofits. She is an adjunct professor at Middlesex Community College and has served as co-host of “Business Lunch with the Greater Lowell Chamber,” the organization’s weekly radio show on WCAP.

2006

2004 Paul Sawyer, who obtained his bachelor of music degree in education, received the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award from the Grinspoon Foundation for the 2009-2010 school year. He previously worked as the high school band director and music theory teacher but this year taught general music at all five Gateway elementary schools. He composes music and gives private flute lessons. He also is a singersongwriter who performs as a soloist and with several bands throughout New England.

2005 Danielle Bergeron has been named president of the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce. After graduating from Westfield State, Danielle earned her master’s in psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. She has served on several nonprofit boards and committees, both within and outside the chamber.

Dr. Gal Cohen-Chivvis graduated from Iowa State University (ISU) with a doctor of veterinary medicine degree in May 2011 and was hired as an adjunct professor and small animal rotating veterinary intern at the ISU student teaching hospital. She will be instructing fourthyear veterinary students and teaching them how to practice wholesome and compassionate veterinary medicine. She currently lives in Story City, Iowa, with her husband, Mark.

2009 Ashley McGilloway was recently hired as account coordinator for Single Source Marketing, a full-service marketing, advertising and promotions agency in Danvers, whose clients include Dunkin’ Donuts and the city of Lowell.

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Overcoming Illiteracy Continued from page 10

A stern warning from her father changed her mind and her future: “If that’s what you want to do, then quit. But remember you’ll always be a quitter,” he told her. “That really changed my life,” Gillespie says. “I wasn’t going to let him down.” She knew she had to learn to read, and she was going to have to teach herself how to do it. Living at home in Agawam, she started learning her vowels by using the pronunciation key in a dictionary and pictures instead of sounds. Practicing for hours and hours took its toll on her social life.

“I loved Westfield State. I had awesome classes and professors.”

“My friends thought I was a dud because I wouldn’t go out partying with them all the time,” recalled Gillespie. “I would go out with them on a Thursday or Friday night a couple of times a month to appease them.” Studying in her room for up to eight hours a day, Gillespie wouldn’t let herself turn a page until she understood what she’d read. By second semester of her sophomore year, Gillespie had learned to read and finally was able to enjoy her college experience. “I loved Westfield State. I had awesome classes and professors,” she says. By graduation, she had made the dean’s list and earned her bachelor of science in education. Ironically, when Gillespie returned to Westfield State for her master’s in reading, there was a reading center in place, and she helped other students at the center as part of a graduate assistance-ship. “It was interesting going back for my master’s and having some of the same professors from undergraduate classes.” It wasn’t until she had taught for many years that she finally let anyone know her amazing story. “Teachers are well-read, and I spent my adult life trying to catch-up,” Gillespie says. “I was too afraid to let anybody know I hadn’t read all the classics they had.” Today, Gillespie works with students that range from freshmen to seniors who read between the pre-first to fifth grade reading level. With over 400 books in her classroom, she works with each student at his or her own pace. For students who are reluctant to try, Gillespie distributes charts that show how much more money they will make with a college degree. Posters in her classroom cheer them on: “It’s okay to make a mistake when you’ve tried; it’s a mistake not to try.” While some of her students have given up on themselves, Gillespie refuses to do the same. “I won’t give up on my students. I have colleagues that tell me to ‘let it go’ when students refuse to work and are rude and disrespectful to me,” she says. “I just can’t let it go. I won’t give up on any of my students...to my own detriment, I know. I always believe I can make a difference in my students’ lives. For many, I do make a difference, and they make significant progress. I just want it for all of them.” Gillespie hopes to retire within a few years, teach on a part-time basis at the college level and perhaps write a book on her experience, a book people have been begging her to write for years. n

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

President of Franklin Pierce Continued from page 12

He also found that Westfield State shaped his own philosophy of education. “Westfield State taught me that education is a process through which you discover not how to make learning fun but how to make learning effective. Most importantly, education is an extended, prolonged process that exposes you to something new and allows you to see things through a different lense. “Dr. Bernie Fleury taught us that learning is a process-oriented phenomenon allowing you look at the world through different sets of lenses.”

“Now that I have worked in higher education, grown older, and hopefully wiser, I realize that I did not appreciate the faculty at Westfield State the way that I appreciate them now…I’m grateful for the education that I received at Westfield State and grateful for the work that they invested in me.” As he reminisced about his days at Westfield State, Dr. Birge mentioned that he learned a great deal from Curt Robie. “Curt had this gentle way of dealing with stubborn freshmen and sophomores and molding them into responsible young men. In his own style, he showed all of his resident advisors that it could be done.” Dr. Birge had the opportunity to visit the campus on a recent trip to the Pioneer Valley. He says, “Now that I have worked in higher education, grown older, and hopefully wiser, I realize that I did not appreciate the faculty at Westfield State the way that I appreciate them now. There were and are some great folks there. In retrospect, I’m grateful for the education that I received at Westfield State and grateful for the work that they invested in me. I hope that I am making them proud — and that they feel they did a good job with me.” n

Maloney Moves to Worcester Continued from page 14

Green detectives Continued from page 15

common goal, which is to do our very best at everything we are doing. That philosphy has always been very prevalent at Worcester.” While there are some similarities between the two campuses, there are more differences in Maloney’s mind. For example, Worcester State is more of a commuter school in an urban setting in a large city while Westfield State is more rural and in a smaller city. Worcester State is also part of a strong academic cluster of higher educational institutions, called the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, including the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Assumption College. Maloney called that “a great resource and selling point for the school.” One perk: students can take classes at WPI at Worcester State rates. The longtime Westfield resident will move his family — Laura (Collins) Maloney ’92 and their three children, Carden, 12; Liv, 8; and Bryce, 7 — to their new home in Worcester. During his tenure at Westfield State, Maloney was involved in a number of successful projects, but it’s his colleagues he’ll fondly recall and hopes to remain connected with them in some way. “I’m very proud of what I did, but it’s the people that I’ll remember most,” Maloney said. n

government work, including town planning commissions. Tawny Virgilio ’10 started off her educational journey at a private institution but transferred to Westfield State her sophomore year. WhileVirgiliowasinitiallyexploringtheideaoftransferringtosavemoney, field experience with Professor Vorwerk and his daughter during one of Virgilio’s visits helped solidify her decision. Vorwerk, his daughter and a few other Environmental Science students allowed Virgilio to accompany them to the Westfield River as they collected samples to calculate changes in pH. “Seeing that students in the major were doing real research and that the professors cared enough to go out and support them made me realize that Westfield State was going to be a good fit for me,” Virgilio says.

Volunteerism and giving back Continued from page 11

in the history and education departments really cared about their students.” After commencement in May of 1978, Convery stayed in Westfield and coached the first women’s soccer team in the fall of 1978 and the spring of 1979. “I coached for one year and I really enjoyed it,” he adds. Today, Convery is a huge advocate for future students of Westfield State University. “I talk about Westfield to parents, and tell them the

“I talk about Westfield to parents, and tell them the programs are phenomenal, and it’s the best choice for your money in all of Massachusetts.” programs are phenomenal, and it’s the best choice for your money in all of Massachusetts.” Convery stays connected to past and current Westfield State University students through Facebook and attends alumni events often. “I talk to anybody about Westfield, because I love Westfield State University,” Convery adds. n

“It was something I knew I could be passionate about.”

Virgiolio explored the interaction between two invasive pests on the eastern hemlock for her independent study project with Dr. Timothy Parshall at Westfield State. That experience helped guide her to an internship at Harvard University’s Harvard Forest REU, where she further explored the two pests. Virgilio is now a full-time graduate student at the University of Maine and her thesis is similar to her undergraduate research involving pest infestation on a different species of trees. Originally a sociology major, Jenna Flynn’08 opened her eyes to the realm of Environmental Science her sophomore year when she was enrolled in Introduction to Environmental Analysis. The class convinced Flynn that she was going down the wrong course. “I knew then that the Environmental Science route was really calling to me,” Flynn says. “It was something I knew I could be passionate about.” After studying the Westfield River as a microhabitat for Atlantic Salmon, Flynn now works as an Environmental Specialist for a contracting company within NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. Flynn’s background coursework in planning and management is put into action as she coordinates with other state and federal agencies to ensure that upcoming and existing construction projects are carried out with minimum adverse impacts to the surrounding aquatic habitats. It’s not just the graduates who are being recognized. Westfield State, as an institution, recently placed second in the nation in the national RecycleMania Tournament earning the EPA’s Environmental Merit Award for 2010. (See sidebar on page 15.) When asked which professors were most influential in their career paths, students named Professor Vorwerk, Dr. Timothy Parshnall, Dr. Carl Grobe and Dr. David Lovejoy for their guidance, dedication and teaching methods. “It all comes down to the students,” Vorwerk says, “and coaching a meaningful future for them.” n F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Service learning Continued from page 4

Upon reading this, the student said with tears streaming down her face, “It is bigger than me.” “We don’t think the United States and Ireland are that different, but they are. Then you travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the world is different still,” Bradford said. “You’re still in Ireland but now

From the dark clouds of Katrina to rays of hope in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, the orphanage in Medida, Mexico, the school house in San Ignacio, Nicaragua, and the divided communities of Northern Ireland, the silver lining of the Service Learning Program has brought Westfield State to the world and the world to Westfield State.

there are walls separating communities, buzzers that allow you in to businesses because they can’t risk opening the door due to bombings. We read about things like this, we see it on the news but when you experience it firsthand, that’s what brings it home.” In January 2012, the Service Learning Program will come full-circle and in a sense, “come home,” when besides the international trips, it offers a trip to San Francisco. This trip will be headed by Dr. Marrotta and Dr. Nanci Salvidio, executive assistant to the president and assistant vice president of Advancement and University Relations. Service Learning takes place during the J-Term sessions (or Short Term sessions) in January and June. Trips are open to all students. “If we had our wish, we would hope our campus would embrace the idea that all students need to do some aspect of Service Learning,” says Bradford. Marrotta embraces the programs value as well. “As the dean of Undergraduate Studies, I can tell you that I believe deeply in the benefits of service learning, for our students, our faculty, and our communities,” she says. “Service learning presents one of many options at Westfield State for experiential education, along with such opportunities as internships, teaching, social work practica and co-ops.” From the dark clouds of Katrina to rays of hope in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, the orphanage in Medida, Mexico, the school house in San Ignacio, Nicaragua, and the divided communities of Northern Ireland, the silver lining of the Service Learning Program has brought Westfield State to the world and the world to Westfield State. n

F OCUS MAGAZINE • FA L L 2011

Superintendent of the year Continued from page 7

doing so … he has not only prepared the physical structure for a new generation of technology, but also the students it houses for an energy efficient America.” While Dr. Fitzpatrick has been at Upton, student performance has improved. “The remarkable increase in student achievement Dr. Fitzpatrick fostered not only dispelled the image of career and technical education as a second-tier educational option, but serves as a powerful example of education reform at its best,” says Michael D. Peterson, chair of the Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District Committee. “Valley Tech is the epitome of what can be achieved when a school’s stakeholders work together to improve student outcomes.” The Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School received a Silver Award and was named Pacesetter Site for High Schools That Work program of the Southern Regional Education Board in 1997. That model school status was reaffirmed for 2007-2010 and again for 2010-2013. The school was named a Commonwealth Compass School by the state in 2003, the only school in the country to receive the 2004 National School Change Award from Fordham University, and earned designation as a 2005 Vanguard Model School by Mass Insight Education. “I love what I do. I could retire, but I truly enjoy my work,” Dr. Fitzpatrick says with the enthusiasm of a new teacher. “I developed a sense of community and sharing goals when I was at Westfield State. Peer relationships turned into enduring friendships. I still have a strong desire to contribute to my community,” he says. “It is so rewarding.” On the road to assist with an annual conference, Dr. Fitzpatrick emphasizedthatheenjoyswelcomingfolkstohisschoolandextendedaninvitation to his Westfield State friends.

“The remarkable increase in student achievement Dr. Fitzpatrick fostered not only dispelled the image of career and technical education as a second-tier educational option, but serves as a powerful example of education reform at its best.”

“Dr. Fitzpatrick has never backed down from challenging the system and proposing meaningful change that makes a difference in the lives of young people,” says Paul Reville, Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. “Throughout his career he has been an innovative leader who has been ahead of the curve on education policy initiatives, earning the respect and adulation of his colleagues across the Commonwealth.” Westfield State University congratulates Dr. Fitzpatrick and thanks him for carrying on the University’s mission of serving the community and supporting innovative education with outstanding results. n

Homecoming October 29, 2011 Come on back home to Westfield State on Saturday, Oct. 29, for our annual Homecoming event. Start your day out early by joining our Tailgate Party beginning at 11 a.m. and head over to the main event starting at Noon. Watch as our Owls football team takes on Mass Maritime with a 2 p.m. kickoff. Listen to the sounds of live bands L’Angelus, The Meishlunday and more. Enjoy delicious foods, such as fried dough, nachos, hot dogs, hamburgers, and, of course, ice cold beer. Admission to Homecoming is free!

Visit westfieldalumni.org/homecoming for more details and to register, or call Dave LaRocque at (413) 572-8356.

Housing for Homecoming 2011 We have a room block at the Holiday Inn Express in Westfield for HOMECOMING 2011 with a discounted rate of $99 plus tax (doubles, queens and kings) and, for those needing more folks living in the same room. Suites with space for 6 at $109 plus tax. Be sure to mention Homecoming when you are making your reservations.

Pre-Homecoming Tailgate/Premium Parking Join us for a pre-Homecoming Tailgate party in the parking lot of the Horace Mann Center from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm! Enjoy food and drink with your friends and listen to live music in the lot until 1:00 pm. Then, head on over to the Homecoming Festivities and keep your premium parking space for the day. $15 per car in advance; $20 at the door. Walk-ins welcome at $5 per person in advance, $10 at the door. LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE!

Football Game Watch the Westfield State Owls take on Mass Maritime at 2:00 pm Homecoming day! Purchase your tickets online for just $4.00 each (a $2.00 savings). E njoy food and drink game-side, sponsored by the Owl Club.

F O C U S M AG AZ I N E • FALL 2 0 1 1

Advancement and University Relations Westfield State University Westfield, MA 01086-1630

President Dobelle Honored On April 3, the Middlesex Community College Board of Trustees, recognizing Dr. Evan S. Dobelle’s tireless work on behalf of the college as a former President (1987–1990), dedicated the Lowell Campus Library in his honor. As President, he was seen as a change agent who raised the profile of Middlesex and helped to ensure funding for a permanent campus in the city of Lowell. Middlesex is now the second largest public two-year college in New England with 33,000 students.