Magazine - Fall 2020

WHEATON The magazine of Wheaton College, Massachusetts

Fall 2020

Features 19

Focused on adventure, social causes Photographer Chris Shane ’11 seeks to make impact through visual storytelling

By Laura Pedulli

22

Creatively carrying on Global pandemic inspires innovation

28

United in philanthropy Creating Possibility initiative surpasses $50 million goal

By Sandy Coleman

30

Emergency preparedness in a time of crisis Chris Paquet ’03 mobilizes the NYC Health Department’s response to COVID-19

By Laura Pedulli

Departments

Between the Lines

2

@DHANNO 3 Around the Dimple

4

Conversation 12 Lyons Pride

14

Alumni Association Network

32

Class Notes

36

In Memoriam

61

Perspective 64

On this page

Beauty continues on campus—even during a pandemic. Photo by Keith Nordstrom

On the cover

Photo by Keith Nordstrom

Read us online

Find all our stories and more online at wheatoncollege.edu/wheaton-magazine.

FALL 2020 1

BETWEEN THE LINES

The ‘new right now’ Global. Pandemic.

Sometimes I just need to repeat the words to be sure I’m not dreaming (or having a nightmare). In the very brief moment between sleep and waking each morning, I ask and answer my own question: Is there a …? Yes, there is. It is safe to say that none of us like being trapped in this very bad 3D sci-fi remake of the movie “Groundhog Day.” These past few months since March feel like years as we wait— for a vaccine or at least for people to behave and do the basics to keep us all safe. So much changed so fast that there has not been any time to come to terms with it all.

The roller coaster of emotions has been exhausting—the pride in humanity as most of us abided by locked-down guidance and appreciated our essential workers; the sudden shock of facing immortality together; and the strange feeling of solidarity of at first thinking a virus doesn’t discriminate and then sinking into disappointment after clearly seeing that the health care system does.

This is our new world. I will not call it the “new normal.”

Instead I will call it the “new right

WHEATON MAGAZINE

Vol. 110, No. 3

Director of Communications and magazine editor Sandy Coleman Designer David Laferriere

Multimedia producer Keith Nordstrom Staff writer Laura Pedulli KEITH NORDSTROM

Sandy Coleman in the Beard and Weil Galleries when things were normal

now.” I have faith in better days to come—eventually. That faith partially is based on what I’ve seen at Wheaton from alumni, students, staff and faculty.

I am inspired by watching how the Wheaton community has met this scary period in imaginative ways. Our cover story showcases a few of those ways. We also highlight alumni who have been at the forefront of dealing with the impact of the virus.

This issue also includes stories that seem like they happened years ago but occurred before March when things were normal and we didn’t realize how wonderful normal was. The above photo of me in the Beard and Weil Galleries was taken in February.

When I look at this photo now I laugh thinking about how easygoing that morning was. I will treasure it as a reminder to remain grateful for the good and mindful

of how fast things can change.

Speaking of change, Wheaton Magazine, which is available online and in print, now will be published three times per year— fall, winter and spring—to correspond with the academic year.

Hopefully, you already are receiving the monthly e-newsletter geared toward graduates.

I’d also like to encourage you to subscribe to Wheaton Week, a weekly e-newsletter, to get the latest news delivered to your inbox as it is happening. Also, visit our online news page, which is regularly updated with new content spotlighting Wheaton.

Information about all of the ways to receive news is available online.

Search “subscribe to Wheaton news” on the website. Be well.

COMMENTS I just received my spring issue of the magazine. On behalf of all alumni, please congratulate and thank Keith Nordstrom for his magnificent front inside cover photograph. Words cannot express the beauty nor instantaneous emotion every Wheaton alum likely feels when seeing this photograph.

Louise Hall Gerbasi ’53 2 WHEATON MAGAZINE

What a treasure the spring edition of the magazine was for my class! I loved the photo from the Florida mini-reunion, the inside back cover featuring Melinda Gray Murray, the photo and announcement of Commencement speaker Sally Bedell Smith, the “Strong advice” story about Lara Udell Pizzorno, and the photo

and mention of Sharon Levine as an Alumni Achievement Award recipient. Thank you for the special highlighting of members of the amazing (but very disappointed not to be able to celebrate our 50th Reunion) Class of 1970.

Marcia Seifert Hoffman ’70

Administrative assistant Ellen Cataloni

Vice president for marketing and communications Gene Begin

Connect with us on social media

WheatonCollege @wheaton Email us: magazine@ wheatoncollege.edu

Wheaton , The Magazine of Wheaton College (ISSN 1068-1558), is published three times a year (fall, winter and spring) by Wheaton College and printed by Lane Press of Burlington, Vt. Periodicals postage paid at Norton, Mass., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Wheaton College, Norton, MA 02766.

Wheaton College © 2020

@DHANNO

Connection generates resilience From the front rooms of the Presidents’ House, I can see clear across the campus—from Mary Lyon Hall and the Dimple straight to the Wallace library.

There isn’t a day that I don’t take some time to enjoy this incredible and historic view.

It predictably frames the passing of time as the seasons change, the academic year begins and ends, and the campus shifts gears for summer programs.

However, throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic, the only thing that has been “predictable” is the daily dose of new unknowns. It has been difficult to look out and see an empty campus that should have been filled with students, faculty Dennis M. Hanno, and staff finishing president up the academic year, alumni attending events and youths enjoying outdoor camps.

But I’m heartened when I look at our community and see how we have come together—even as we are apart.

Ironically, the isolation and separation we needed for safety has brought us closer as a community. And because of that, we are stronger, more resilient and able to weather this storm.

Wheaton is a beacon helping us navigate through some of the toughest challenges facing us and all of higher education. It sheds light on the fact that we are not alone. I treasure being at this institution for that very reason.

This crisis has required us to be our most creative in finding solutions to the ongoing complications that impact our students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Standing together has been critical as we work to design innovative ways to move forward with Wheaton’s mission to provide a distinctive liberal arts education.

Collectively, we have been inspired to find different ways of doing things and of engaging with each other during the past several months. This has been out

A late August view of the Wheaton campus from in front of the Presidents’ House

of necessity, but we have sought out and relished these opportunities.

For example, the virtual Commencement ceremony drew nearly 5,000 unique viewers from around the world, who watched via livestream.

Several hundred [375] alumni also attended the virtual Reunion Weekend, which was highlighted by a series of faculty panels, class parlor parties and a Wheaton Town Hall.

Wheaton’s virtual summer orientation doubled in attendance. In June, more than 200 people participated in a Zoom moment-of-silence and call to action event hosted by Wheaton’s Center for Social Justice and Community Impact in response to racial injustice and the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests.

Student leaders have made the most of technology and social media by creating activities and events to stay connected with their peers and the college, including during the summer.

In an effort to keep in close contact, I began communicating weekly in emails

KEITH NORDSTROM

to the campus community, parents and alumni.

And the relationship-building has extended beyond Wheaton. I have been regularly meeting with college and university presidents since March via Zoom.

In most circumstances pre-pandemic, each of us focused almost exclusively on our own institutions, but now we collaborate, share ideas and brainstorm solutions that will benefit us all.

What we see when we look at anything depends on our perspective. When challenges occur we can either fix our gaze on the problems or turn our focus and actions toward solutions. I’m glad that as a connected community we are doing the latter. We all should be very proud of the way that Wheaton has risen to the challenge and grown even stronger. Thank you for making that possible.

FALL 2020 3

AROUND THE DIMPLE

Zain Almutawa ’22, Gabriel Lee ’23 and Leah Kihn ’20 participated in Semester in the City in Boston this spring, taking two courses through the College for Social Innovation and interning 30 hours a week with social sector organizations.

Semester in the City

Students gain skills, insight and internship experience in Boston Tatyanna Cabral ’21 spent the spring semester of her sophomore year living in Boston and interning as a community organizer for Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp.

The business and management major led trainings, helped with promotion and community outreach, and participated in meetings and events. She developed her public speaking skills as well as some clarity.

“Getting the real-life experience of working a 9 to 5 job and doing hands-on work has helped me to prepare for life after college,” said Cabral, a participant in Wheaton’s Semester in the City program.

“I figured out that I don’t want to have a job where I am sitting at a desk all day. I want to be able to interact with the community.”

Semester in the City is an immersive program offered through the Boston-based College for Social Innovation (CFSI).

Wheaton is one of a dozen college partners throughout New England. CFSI matches students with internships in the social sector—at a nonprofit organization, government agency or social mission business.

As Semester in the City Fellows, they work 4 WHEATON MAGAZINE

30 hours per week while earning credit for two courses, “Social Innovator’s Toolbox” and “Becoming a Problem Solver.”

The students live alongside those from CFSI’s other college partners in apartments in Boston’s Allston neighborhood, supported by several community advisors. Since Wheaton joined the program in fall 2017, 28 students from a variety of majors have participated.

“Boston has so many great opportunities. It’s a great way to get a sort of trial version of adulthood while being well supported through the program team, our staff and the internship mentor,” said Stephanie Morales, manager of student recruitment at CFSI. At their internships, students are involved with major projects that support the work and mission of their organizations, said Associate Professor of History Dolita Cathcart, who serves as Wheaton’s Semester in the City coordinator. “In the classroom they’re putting it all together—giving presentations, understanding social media and personal branding, learning how to be effective, what kind of language works

best and how to present themselves.”

With a focus on communication and critical thinking, a Wheaton education prepares students to do well during their semester in Boston, she said.

Zain Almutawa ’22, an independent communications major, interned during the spring semester at Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, working on graphic design and social media and creating monthly newsletters for the nonprofit.

“I have learned so much about myself through this program,” she said. “It has taught me how to turn my creativity and artistic abilities into something tangible.”

Gabriel Lee ’23, who interned at Greater Boston Legal Services, enjoyed exploring his interest in the criminal justice field.

“I’ve built a lot of networking and communication skills as well as learned about what it’s like working in a professional environment with lawyers and clients,” he said.

—Becca Manning Read more online

Lessons from Ghana

STEPHEN DEETS, BABSON COLLEGE

Wheaton students, faculty, staff and President Dennis M. Hanno participated in the faculty-led course “Ghana: Innovation and Social Change in Emerging Economies” during January break.

Stepping out of the air-conditioned airport, the first thing they noticed was the heat. On campus, it had been unusually warm for January, but nothing like here. Here, the heat hung in the air and clung to their bodies. They heard the sound of horns blaring and the mumble of voices speaking languages they didn’t recognize. They walked through a market street, surrounded by the smell of smoked meat and the sounds of children laughing.

Finally, they were in Ghana.

For weeks, the Wheaton students had sat in the classroom and read about this West African nation, home to roughly 31 million people. They read statistics about the people, how many of them under 18 are enrolled in school and how many are not. They watched videos about the marketplaces, seeing people eat foods they had never heard of or seen before.

They learned about the slave trade; the digits displayed representing the millions of lives that had been impacted over the trade’s history.

But Ghana didn’t feel real until they arrived.

They were a team of 25, prepared to teach students in Ghana about entrepreneurship. They didn’t realize how much Ghana would teach them, how the experience would provide new, unanticipated perspectives that only come with travel.

Frank Giambibi, a native Ghanaian, has been working with Wheaton President Dennis M. Hanno and the college students Hanno has brought to Ghana for the past 20 years. During an interview, Giambibi expressed the value that comes with being physically present in a place you study: “People can explain things to you that you might not necessarily understand from books.”

Stepping into the courtyard of the church where they would be staying for two weeks, Lauren Hunt ’20 found herself instantly surrounded by a group of children. A psychology and early childhood education double major, Hunt didn’t expect to gain much from the businessbased trip as far as her focus on children

and maternal health went.

She was pleasantly surprised when on the first day she met a nurse who worked at the church part time. Throughout the trip, Hunt visited the clinic where the nurse worked and learned what it was like to do medical work in a context different from that of the United States.

“You don’t realize how narrow-minded you are until you start to hear other people’s opinions, then when you do allow them in, your perspective changes so much,” Hunt said.

Wheaton’s customizable offerings of travel abroad and other funded opportunities allow students to access areas of education, experience and perspective beyond the campus, and to apply what they’re learning at Wheaton in the greater world.

—Delaney Beaudoin ’22, double major in women’s and gender studies and political science Read more online FALL 2020 5

AROUND THE DIMPLE

South Korea

Vietnam

Thailand

Maia Hay ’20

Watson Fellows

Elizabeth Helmreich ’20

Two will explore art spaces, sexuality education Maia Hay ’20 and Elizabeth Helmreich ’20 are among just 47 students nationwide selected to receive the 2020 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, an award that gives graduating college seniors an opportunity to pursue their academic interests and passions internationally. The award grants each student $36,000 to cover travel and other expenses.

Including Hay and Helmreich, Wheaton has had 24 Watson winners during the past 20 years.

Hay, a double major in visual art and political science, will explore community art spaces in South Africa, Ethiopia, France and Vietnam in an attempt to better understand, as she put it, “why artists choose public spaces as their galleries and the wider public as their critics.”

“Through a Watson Fellowship, I will strengthen my understanding of how communities create, engage with and react to public art. I am particularly interested in learning more 6 WHEATON MAGAZINE

about artists’ current inspirations and collaborators, and about how they are perceived within their communities,” Hay wrote in her Watson proposal.

“Through journaling, drawing, photography and note-taking, I will document my experiences, compiling an archive that reflects both my understanding of public art in the four countries and that of the community members with whom I will interact and collaborate.”

A double major in political science and women’s and gender studies, Helmreich will be looking at comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in Denmark, Peru, Thailand and Uganda, analyzing systems of enforcement, government involvement and social structures in each country. She plans to meet with nonprofits that focus on sexuality, public health and sexual violence.

“I want to learn what statistics cannot tell us,” Helmreich said in her Watson proposal. “I will focus on engaging in

conversations with educators, students and other community members about their experiences and what it means to have complete and accurate knowledge of one’s body and sexuality. I want to explore how CSE, or a lack thereof, affects how people view their bodies.

“I applied for the Watson Fellowship in order to hopefully gain a better understanding of myself and my own experiences in regards to sexuality education and bodily autonomy, as well as have a broader multicultural understanding,” Helmreich added.

Both women said their Wheaton education has helped prepare them for their travels, through rigorous, intellectually engaging classwork, opportunities to take the lead on campus and impactful internship and study abroad programs.

Both also were student-athletes; Hay was on the club rugby team and Helmreich was a member of the women’s field hockey team.

—Becca Manning

Denmark France Kosovo

Ethiopia

Kiki Marlam ’20

Uganda Peru MacKenzie Jones ’20

Fulbright Scholars

South Africa

Two will teach in the Balkans, East Asia MacKenzie Jones ’20 and Kiki Marlam ’20 are traveling to the Balkans and East Asia, respectively, as winners of Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships.

In January 2021, Jones is scheduled to travel to Kosovo to teach English as a second language at the university level.

Her scholarship also entails independent research, which she plans to conduct on conflict-related sexual violence.

Jones’s decision to pursue a Fulbright Scholarship in Kosovo stems from her experience studying abroad in both Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2019. During that trip, she spent a week in Pristina, Kosovo, where she visited the remains of a high school looted and destroyed during the wars in the 1990s.

The opportunity in Kosovo also is an extension of Jones’s experience teaching, tutoring and mentoring students while at Wheaton. As a student, she served as an apprentice student teacher at Attleboro High School and as a classroom assistant at Elisabeth W. Amen Nursery School, as

well as an outreach tutor and a peer mentor at Wheaton.

“I see the opportunity to teach English abroad as a challenge as well as a necessary skill to have as a future educator.

I grew up in the United States with the knowledge that my language gave me a certain level of privilege. Teaching English as a second language requires a certain level of humility I am excited to explore,” said Jones, who majored in education and history.

Marlam, meanwhile, is scheduled to teach English in South Korea.

The recent graduate’s grasp of the inner workings of language is rich. Marlam grew up speaking three—English, Hindi and Tibetan—and later studied both Korean and Mandarin.

“I have had a long-standing interest in Korean culture and language.

The Fulbright ETA gives me an opportunity to build upon my Korean language skills while also engaging in intercultural understanding and developing skills in

diplomacy that I believe are integral to have in an increasingly global world like ours,” said Marlam, a double major in psychology and business and management.

At Wheaton, Marlam gained experience mentoring college students as a preceptor and as a teaching assistant.

As a preceptor, she held one-on-one meetings and email check-ins with a class of first-year students, providing academic counsel and social support for their successful transition to college life. Marlam also was president of the Asian Students Association.

She views the Fulbright as a vital opportunity to achieve her long-term goal of a career in international business.

“Living in South Korea with a homestay family and teaching English to elementary students will help me better understand Korean society to effectively contribute to Korean international affairs during my professional life,” Marlam said.

—Laura Pedulli FALL 2020 7

AROUND THE DIMPLE

First-year student earns Projects for Peace award

Agathe Mwehu hopes to ease despair for children in refugee camp in Africa At age 11, Agathe Mwehu ’23, who is originally from Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, experienced the traumatic impact of a tribal war and its aftermath. Because of that and the journey that eventually brought her to Wheaton, she has developed a proposal for a project to help other youths.

Her proposal, titled “They Can’t Take My Future,” won Mwehu a 2020 Projects for Peace prize. She plans to use the $10,000 grant to establish an information and recreation center for children in the Tongogara Refugee Camp, which is located near Chipinge, Zimbabwe.

The camp, to which she and her family fled during the tribal war, is home to about 13,000 migrants who face many challenges daily. “Living in the camp is not easy for anyone,” she wrote in her Projects for Peace essay. “I want them all to have hope that everything will be OK one day.”

The Projects for Peace program invites undergraduates to design grassroots projects that they will implement during the summer. The objective is to encourage and support today’s motivated youth to create and try out their own ideas for 8 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Agathe Mwehu’s proposal won a 2020 Projects for Peace grant.

building peace.

For Mwehu that means addressing despair. “Children and young adults have limited access to education and no form of entertainment, which leads to a sense of hopelessness and negative behavior,” she said.

The multipurpose center she plans to create will have a computer lab, access to math and English lessons, and a room for indoor games able to accommodate more than 1,000 children, according to her proposal.

“This project will benefit everyone in Tongogara because those in and out of school will have a place to study and explore online,” she said. “People will be able to obtain online degrees and learn the language and culture of other countries.”

Mwehu already has established connections with camp officers through her participation in and volunteering with many groups over the years, including

KEITH NORDSTROM

working with organizations that help run the camp and provide support to the refugees.

“I have always wanted to do something that can give refugees in the camp the zeal to not give up and keep carrying on,” she said. “With Projects for Peace, this is my chance to be able to give back to my community, doing something that will impact generations to come.”

The Projects for Peace grant is possible thanks to funding from the late Kathryn Wasserman Davis, who chose to celebrate her 100th birthday by committing $1 million toward projects that promote peace around the world. She was the mother of alumna Diana Davis Spencer ’60. The program is open to undergraduate students who are enrolled at a Davis United World College Scholars Program partner school, such as Wheaton, as well as a few other participating institutions.

—Sandy Coleman

Booked for the summer

Briana Gausland ’20 was selected for the Library of Congress Junior Fellows Summer Internship Program, which offers a paid 10-week internship for undergraduate and graduate students to work with the collections in the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution.

Fellows explore digital initiatives and inventory, catalog, arrange, preserve and research a backlog of special, legal or copyright collections in many different formats. Each intern works on a project that aims to increase access and awareness of the special collections of the Library of Congress, which serves as the research arm of Congress.

Gausland, who ended up working remotely from home due to COVID-19 restrictions, was assigned to work in the African and Middle Eastern division. She will create an online LibGuide for Egypt, a curated resource for researchers.

Gausland, a history major, has been interested in the subject since childhood.

“As a kid, it was my favorite subject in school. At Wheaton, that interest really came to life with a lot of help from the History Department,” she said.

For the past three years, she has worked in the Gebbie Archives on campus alongside Archivist and Records Manager Mark Armstrong and Director of Archives and Digital Initiatives Kate Boylan ’04, who describes Gausland as “outstanding.”

“They have allowed me to do a lot of hands-on work throughout my time there, all of which has prepared me for working at the Library of Congress,” Gausland said.

Being a student-athlete also has been key to her success, said Gausland, who was a member of the women’s track and field team. She is a four-time New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference champion, nine-time All-New

PHOTO COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESSS

Briana Gausland ’20 was scheduled to intern on-site at the Library of Congress (above), but her work was switched to remote from home (below) due to COVID-19 restrictions.

England honoree and finished second in the 200-meter dash in Wheaton’s invitational in January.

“The success that I have seen as a runner at Wheaton has really encouraged me to chase success in other parts of my life,” she said.

The Library of Congress internship fits

perfectly into the future she envisions, she said. “After Wheaton, I’m planning to attend graduate school to earn a master’s degree in both history and library and information science—with the goal of working as an archivist within an academic setting.”

—Sandy Coleman FALL 2020 9

AROUND THE DIMPLE

Helene Mantineo ’21 took first place for poster presentation at a national conference held in February.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Accolades for science presentation Helene Mantineo ’21 receives recognition for research on regeneration in zebrafish Helene Mantineo ’21 received a firstplace award for her poster presentation in the biological sciences category at the Emerging Researchers National Conference in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in Washington, D.C. The February conference, which featured more than 1,500 participants, was hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Science Foundation. It aims to help undergraduate and graduate students enhance their science communication skills and to better understand how to prepare for science careers in a global workforce.

Mantineo won in the subcategory of Cell and Molecular Biology/Biochemistry for her poster presentation “Identifying NonCoding RNAs as Pro-Regenerative Factors in Zebrafish Tissue Regeneration,” which shares the genomics research she 10 WHEATON MAGAZINE

co-authored with Benjamin King, assistant professor of bioinformatics at the University of Maine, and Emily Robinson, one of the professor’s former students.

A biochemistry major on a premed track, Mantineo did the work during a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in the University of Maine’s Accelerating New Environmental Workskills program in summer 2019.

“The capacity to regenerate tissues after injury is not equal across animals.

Humans can regenerate some tissues whereas other animals, such as the zebrafish, can regenerate nearly any tissue after injury,” she explained. “The long-term goal of our research is to discover the genetic factors that regulate regenerative capacity.

“I am interested in genetics and functional genomics because, if we can pinpoint the processes by which zebrafish

tissue can regenerate, there is a possibility for us to stimulate this process in humans,” she said. “Regeneration is such an interesting field because, as we age, we cannot regenerate our tissues. By stimulating regeneration, there is a way in which we can prolong life.”

Mantineo said her research on regeneration in zebrafish hearts with Wheaton Professor of Biology Robert Morris as well as coursework in genetics with Associate Professor of Biology Shawn McCafferty contributed to such a successful outcome at the conference.

Morris noted the significance of Mantineo’s award. “This prize is special because the meeting is prestigious and the attendees are top young scholars,” he said.

On campus, Mantineo has been very involved, including as a tutor in the Filene Center for Academic Advising and Career Services in biology, chemistry and calculus. She also is a member of the Ultimate Frisbee team.

—Sandy Coleman

Focus on Ecuador snags top prize in film competition

Scenes from Oriana Camara’s short film

Oriana Camara ’20, a double major in film and new media studies and Hispanic studies, won a top prize in the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest for a short documentary that she shot during a faculty-led course in Ecuador.

A jury of 19 filmmakers and environmental activists reviewed films submitted from all over the country to choose the finalists and prize-winners. Camara won the top prize at the college level.

The top films premiered as a part of the One Earth Film Festival at the awards event in March, at the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago.

Her film, “Yasuni National Park: The LYNDSEY AGUILAR Real Power Belongs to the People,” Oriana Camara ’20 focuses on the impact of oil drilling in the area that is home to thousands of species of plants and animals as well as return the power back to the individuIndigenous people. The documentary, als who tell their own truth best. Upon viewable on Vimeo, was shot last summer traveling to Ecuador, it became apparent while she was enrolled in “From the very quickly how their culture is a true Andes to the Amazon: Intersections of mix of the past and the present. While Culture, Food Systems and Biological this made for a rich and interesting Diversity,” which was experience exploring Quito, “My mission as taught by Assistant the Andes and the Amazon, Professor of Biology Jessie it was vital to understand a storyteller is Knowlton and Assistant the narrative and history to return the Professor of Sociology attached to the culture and power back to Justin Schupp and Melissa the colonization of Ecuador’s Mark from Northern Indigenous people,” she said. the individuals Arizona University.

“Much of the creative who tell their “It’s an honor to have process was understanding own truth best.” the importance of preservwon this award,” Camara said. “I often find myself ing the words of those I Oriana Camara ’20 overwhelmed by thinking interviewed and how to how one person could possibly begin effectively support them through visual to make change, but I know the more imagery and audio.” people who view my film means a larger Camara, who has been a Wheaton audience is learning about the injustices filmmaker in residence, hopes one day to happening in Ecuador’s rainforest.” work in film as a documentary storyteller, For the competition, filmmakers were perhaps for National Geographic. asked to create a short environmental “The biggest lesson I learned in the film that inspires or promotes action. making of this film is the importance and Camara’s film, which is 7 minutes and 14 capability of listening. It sounds like comseconds long, took three weeks to shoot mon sense, but I believe it’s a skill not and four months to edit. everyone has,” she said.

“My mission as a storyteller is to —Sandy Coleman FALL 2020 11

CONVERSATION

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Psychology professor sheds light on human behavior during COVID-19 Professor of Psychology Gail Sahar during the spring semester taught “Social Psychology,” which is an introduction to the systematic study of human social behavior. Witnessing how people began behaving as the initial impact of the coronavirus grew worldwide—crowding grocery stores and emptying shelves of toilet paper and food staples—magazine editor Sandy Coleman in March asked Sahar to share her perspective on why this happened.

Here is her insight:

“I’m one of the social psychologists in the department. One of the things we focus on is how particular emotions can shape our perceptions. For example, the feeling of fear can prime us to perceive potential threats. It’s adaptive because fear prepares us to escape from a dangerous situation. But it can be a problem if we constantly misinterpret situations as more dangerous than they are.

“An example is how we interpret a noise in our house after watching a scary movie. We are more likely to think it’s something dangerous [someone breaking in] if we are already feeling fearful. That is, we tend to perceive the world in a way that is consistent with the emotion we 12 WHEATON MAGAZINE

are feeling. I can surely feel that happening now.

“Feeling a tickle in one’s throat or being near someone who’s coughing would not normally cause us to panic, but when we are bombarded by fear messages, those things become terrifying. One interesting finding about fear—particularly fear of our own death—is that it even influences our political attitudes. It makes us more conservative and prone to nationalism, as we saw after the 9/11 attacks.

“Another relevant social psychology theory is the idea of emotional contagion, which is the spreading of an emotion from one person to another. Human beings are social animals and take cues from each other, especially in times of uncertainty. Therefore, emotions, like fear, can be contagious. This is not to say that we shouldn’t be feeling fearful. After all, fear is partially what is motivating us to do the right thing by staying home as much as possible to avoid making the crisis even worse.

“There is also something called informational social influence, which is the tendency to look to others to decide how to behave in a given situation. I have not been hoarding toilet paper or groceries,

KEITH NORDSTROM

Professor of Psychology Gail Sahar

but after seeing lots of information about people who are doing that, I began to question whether I should. We want to do the right thing, and we are guided by other people’s behavior.”

During her remote class, the professor added an online forum that allowed students to discuss the application of social psychology concepts to the real world in helping to understand the reactions to COVID-19.

PUBLICATIONS, HONORS AND CREATIVE WORKS

“California, 2019” by Leah Dyjak

Faculty Michael Berg, professor of psychology, co-wrote the article “How Effective Are Campus-wide Smoking Bans? A Comparison of Two Small Colleges” published in the Journal of American College Health in May. Imran Chowdhury, associate professor of business and management, in May was re-appointed to serve a second three-year term on the editorial board of the Academy of Management Learning and Education. In June, he co-presented with Mia Len ’22, Kamilah Thorne ’20 and Natalie Wind ’20 “Naloxbox: A Response to the Opioid Crisis” at the 2020 Eastern Academy of Management annual conference, held virtually. The teaching case study of a Rhode Island-based social enterprise that deals with the opioid epidemic was prepared by the three Wheaton students. In July, Chowdhury co-chaired the session “Repurposing the Corporation to Save Capitalism from Itself?” at the 2020 Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics annual conference, held virtually.

Beverly Clark, professor of English, cowrote with Camille Buffington ’17 and Eric Esten ’16 the article “On Curating Online Anthologies: Not the Traditional Term Paper” in Teaching Young Adult Literature (published by the Modern Language

Clinton O’Dell costumeaging work for horror series

Association) in May. Clark also co-wrote with Olivia James ’21 the op-ed essay “Young-Adult Novels Offer a Window on the Black Experience in America” published in The Providence Journal in June.

Leah Dyjak, assistant professor of photography, wrote the article “Stewards of Our Endings, AI and the Deepreal” published in the Leonardo Journal (MIT Press) in June.

Scott Gelber, professor of education, wrote Grading the College: A History of Evaluating Teaching and Learning (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020).

Clinton O’Dell, associate professor of theater design, created work as a costume ager of monstrous outfits for the second season of the television horror show “NOS4A2.”

John Partridge, associate professor of philosophy, wrote the article “Affinity, Worth, and Fecundity: On Susan Wolf’s Advice for Living a Meaningful Life” published in the Journal of Philosophy of Life in July.

Justin Schupp, assistant professor of sociology, wrote the article “The Prevalence and Offerings of Farmers’ Markets in Food Deserts: Analysis of 561 Markets in Nine U.S. States” published in Food and Public Health in June.

Alumni Rebekah Bryer ’13 wrote the essay “Yes, D.C.’s Emancipation Memorial Advances White Supremacy: The Statue Needs More Nuance that Highlights Black Agency” published in The Washington Post in June.

Megan Collins ’06 wrote Behind the Red Door (Atria Books, 2020).

Amanda Flanagan ’20 co-presented “Qualitative Analysis of Light Cycle Effects on Overnight Behaviors in Working Dogs” at the 57th Annual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society in July, based on research she has been working on with Associate Professor of Psychology Kathleen Morgan and James LaMonte, owner of the K9 PTSD Center in Seekonk, Mass.

Marjorie Gelb Jones ’62 wrote In the Convent: A Frances Yates Mystery (Dorrance Publishing Co., 2020).

Mary Walsh ’05, co-founder of Beyond the Boundaries, was featured in the article “‘Beyond The Boundaries’ Helps Female Snowboarders Up Their Shred Cred” published in Forbes magazine in February.

FALL 2020 13

LYONS PRIDE

A change of season COVID-19 throws a curveball

By Gavin Viano There was so much still happening in Wheaton athletics at the onset of the impact of COVID-19. For starters, members of three winter teams were preparing to compete at their respective national championship meets.

Women’s swim team members Lydia DaCorte ’21, Madeline Eller ’23, Chloe Deubner ’21 and Hope Campbell ’23 each qualified for NCAA championships, but the meet was canceled. Margaret Walker ’22 qualified for NCAA championships in the 60-meter dash and made the trip to the championship meet in North Carolina, only to have it canceled the day before her event. The synchronized swimming team members won their regional championship but, they, too, were unable to go to Arizona for nationals, as the competition was canceled.

The spring sports also were off to a great start. Wheaton baseball was ranked No. 21 in the nation after getting off to a 7–1 start. Women’s lacrosse was 4–1 at the start of the season and men’s lacrosse was 4–2. Men’s and women’s tennis and softball teams were in California and Florida, respectively, building chemistry on their spring break trips.

PHOTOS BY KEITH NORDSTROM

Track and field team members Briana Gausland ’20, left, and Margaret Walker ’22 at the Lyons track and field invitational; below, Wheaton’s synchronized swimming team and men’s lacrosse team

Wheaton’s outdoor track and field teams had several members who had been All-Region, All-New England and AllConference during the fall and winter seasons; they were poised for a breakout spring season.

Remote wins

Gavin Viano notes the team effort to meet challenges led to many accomplishments: • Virtual ways of doing business, teaching and communicating that can carry over into the “new normal.”

• Online team meetings and activities to stay connected.

• Virtual recruiting visits, virtual strengthand-conditioning programming.

• Social media takeovers of team accounts by several current student-athletes and alumni.

• A virtual athletic awards program that reached a broader audience.

14 WHEATON MAGAZINE

• A virtual “Life After Sport” panel for student-athletes, with panelists from various parts of the country.

We didn’t get to see any of those seasons complete properly, and I wish there would have been a way for those athletes and coaches to finish what they started.

They all worked so hard in preparing to represent Wheaton and make our community proud.

Many aspects of dealing with COVID-19 can provide a lesson into what it means to be a student-athlete. Being a student-athlete requires excelling at skills, including time management and accountability, problem-solving and rising to the occasion in big moments. Every student-athlete, and, really everybody at Wheaton, simultaneously learned the same lessons this spring.

We all learned that being nimble means more now than it ever has before. A

In addition to his strong defensive work behind the plate, Nick Raposo ‘20 hit .366 and showed great sportsmanship.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Catcher Nick Raposo ’20 signs MLB contract For the St. Louis Cardinals, Nick Raposo ’20 is a great catch.

In June, he signed a free-agent deal with the Missouri-based Major League Baseball (MLB) team.

“It is difficult to find the words to explain how I am feeling after signing with the St. Louis Cardinals. I’m just extremely grateful and excited to continue my baseball career at the next level,” said Raposo, a native of Johnston, R.I., who majored in economics.

During a televised interview with ABC6 News on June 15, Raposo thanked his family and Wheaton teammates for their support and encouragement.

“If you put in the work, good things will happen. I was just fortunate enough to have the right people around me. ... It led me to this path,” he said.

Although his final season was cut short due to the coronavirus, Raposo amassed an impressive record during his time on Wheaton’s baseball team. He compiled a .366 batting average for the Lyons. The college named him the Chad Yowell Male Athlete of the Year in both 2019 and 2020 for his extraordinary athletic ability as well as the sportsmanship he demonstrated.

Raposo credits the Wheaton baseball program, and Head Coach Eric Podbelski, for his success.

“Wheaton baseball has allowed me to grow as a baseball player but more importantly as a person. I am forever appreciative of Coach Podbelski, the coaching staff, teammates and everyone who has pushed me to become better along the way,” he said.

Raposo is the ninth Wheaton studentathlete to sign a professional contract to play baseball. He joins Christopher “Chris” Denorfia ’02, James “Jamie” Baker ’06, Mark Brown ’06, Christopher Martin ’06, Adam Laplante ’07, Christopher McDonough ’08, Jonathan Shepard ’10 and Mike Gibbons ’16.

perfect plan is only as good as its execution; and this spring took away every plan in an instant. The ability to shift on the fly, work together and problem-solve in real time is what sports are all about. Our athletes will utilize this experience often when they return to competition, as well

as in the years to come.

Overall, players, coaches and staff dealt with the loss of the season with incredible class. We all felt various stages of denial, sadness, anger, loss and isolation. We also experienced various levels of gratefulness, perseverance, grit,

commitment and hope.

This has been a life-changing event and one that Wheaton has handled with grace and determination.

Gavin Viano is the director of athletics and recreation.

FALL 2020 15

From Wheaton into the Many members of the Class of 2020 secured employment opportunities before they graduated in May— despite the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis. Excited for the next chapter, they say their Wheaton education and experiences have made them ready for the world and any challenges that await. Here are just a few.

Read the full details online.

Hali Baggett ’20

Home: Massachusetts Major: Biochemistry

Job: Certified nursing assistant at Life Care Center of Plymouth (Mass.) and at a facility in New Bedford, Mass.

Karin Dion ’20

Home: Rhode Island

Major: Computer science

Job: Software engineer at Raytheon in Woburn, Mass.

16 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Matthew Dubreuil ’20 Home: New Hampshire

Major: Business and management

Job: Associate business systems analyst at Mimecast in Lexington, Mass.

“Wheaton has equipped me with the ability to think, learn and communicate well. Gaining a liberal arts education at Wheaton provided me with versatile skills to enter the real world knowing how to analytically solve problems, think critically and work with a team. I am grateful for the experiences I had at Wheaton and I feel well-equipped to survive the challenges of entering the workforce and furthering my education.”

Julia Roth ’20

Blake Ferretti ’20 Home: Rhode Island

Major: Business and management

Job: Executive assistant, Agent Elite Inc., San Diego, Calif.

working world

Paola Salgado ’20 Home: Illinois

Major: Political science

Steven Flowers ’20 Home: New York Major: Theater

Job: Account manager at AON, New York

Carina Sclafani ’20 Home: Maine

Major: Biochemistry

Job: Intramural Research Training Award Postbaccalaureate Fellow at the National Institutes of Health in the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Maryland

Julia Roth ’20

Job: Elementary teacher at LEAD Nashville Public School, Teach For America 2020 corps

Home: Massachusetts Major: Biochemistry

Job: Health screener for Biokinetix in Marlborough, Mass.

“Wheaton offered me the opportunity to try new things and challenged me to push outside my comfort zone. Without the classes I took and the amazing professors, I would not have found my passion in data analysis and project management.”

Matthew Dubreuil ’20

Rishil Sheth ’20 Home: India

Major: Quantitative finance (an independent major) Job: Associate consultant, Charles River Development, Burlington, Mass.

FALL 2020 17

18 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Focused on adventure, social causes Photographer Chris Shane ’11 seeks to make impact through visual storytelling

By Laura Pedulli

Chris Shane ’11, who was an economics major at Wheaton, embarked on a career in the financial sector shortly after graduation. But during his seven years in the corporate world, he spent every minute of his free time shooting film and studying photography and storytelling.

“I left the office whenever it was possible to take on shooting assignments and used Chris Shane ’11 up all of my vacations to shoot stories and adventures with outdoor athletes,” he said.

Soon Shane developed a strong enough portfolio to turn his passion into a career.

He co-founded Pamola Creative, a Mainebased production company focused on telling the stories of people, culture and adventure in the outdoors.

Shane focuses his creative efforts on boosting social causes. His many clients include Boston Health Care for the Homeless and the Winter Walk organization, for which he has created videos to help raise public awareness about homelessness. He also has collaborated with educational nonprofits in Kenya and worked to encourage youths living in cities to go out into the mountains.

“It’s incredible to see how these stories told through film directly influence resources for these causes, and provide

PHOTOS BY CHRIS SHANE ’11

Goose Eye Mountain in Maine, left; the Keep Maine Beautiful Rock in Baxter State Park, above

Maine dark skies: “This is an ongoing campaign my production company Pamola Creative shot for the Office of Tourism in Maine. We pitched them a campaign focused on the incredibly dark night skies that Maine has. We shot night time-lapses across the entire state and created incredible still images and a short film shot after sunset and into the night [not an easy technical feat]. Our campaign and video are scheduled to launch with Maine’s bicentennial campaign.” a deeper purpose than just engaging in adventure, which will always be a part of my work,” he said.

Shane said he rediscovered his love for the outdoors as a junior at Wheaton and began taking photos with his first camera, an Olympus Tough.

“I started hiking all over New England, primarily in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, often for sunrise or sunset. I then got into mountaineering, taking on increasingly difficult challenges. All of these adventures always had an enormous impact on me, and it felt like photography was the best medium to share these experiences,” he said.

He credits his success to Wheaton classmate Erik Saksa ’11, a fellow outdoors

and photography enthusiast, who loaned him camera gear and encouraged him to pursue his craft.

Although he doesn’t use many economic principles in his day-to-day life (“sorry, Professor John Miller,” he quipped), Shane views his Wheaton liberal arts education as a long-term investment that enables him to thrive in his creative work today.

“The soft skills, social and cultural diversity and constant pursuit to identify the ‘why’ in the world are experiences that the Wheaton faculty and students help develop and sharpen,” he said.

Shane shared with Wheaton Magazine the photos and stories behind four projects that took him to locations as diverse as Maine, Bolivia, Kenya and Oman.

FALL 2020 19

A dream takes flight: “I traveled with Wellesley, Mass.-based nonprofit Flying Kites school to Kenya to shoot a short video on a former student’s inspiring story.

A young orphan in Kenya, Brian Kuria found his way to Flying Kites and, with a dream of becoming a pilot, he earned a grant funded by Kayak founder Paul English to go to flight school. Our video re-enacts his childhood using a current student from Flying Kites and reveals the real Brian toward the end.”

Bolivia: “I shot a project for iFit in Bolivia and Chile in August 2019, following athletes Hannah Eden and Tommy Rivers Puzey.

We drove almost the entire north-south distance of Bolivia, traveling along and hiking the giant Andes Mountains, running through the city of La Paz at 11,000 feet and the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia’s famous salt flats.”

20 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Oman-Musandam Peninsula traverse: “I went to Oman on assignment for Merrell [footwear and apparel company] with two of their athletes. Our objective was to traverse 50-plus miles across the Musandam Peninsula, a chain of 3,000foot mountains 17 miles from Iran. I shot photos and video following athlete Simon Donato and his adventure partner as they made their third attempt to traverse the entire mountain range. �

FALL 2020 21

Creatively carrying on Global pandemic inspires innovation

The coronavirus global pandemic has cost the lives of more than 800,000 loved ones worldwide, damaged economies, uprooted “normal” life and fueled a frantic search for a scientific weapon to fight an invisible enemy. However, it also has pushed everyone to rise to the challenge of engaging in innovative thinking to carry on even as the virus still rages.

For Wheaton College, which has built its foundation on community, connection and delivering a personal liberal arts education, the impact has required ongoing rethinking and the ability to be flexible and agile in responding to each new challenge. That has been happening since mid-March when the decision was made to shift college operations to virtual out of the need for safety.

Facing the daunting task of carrying on in the wake of the change, faculty, staff, administrators and student leaders quickly got creative. They worked together to find innovative ways to remotely teach classes, offer tutoring, give career advice, provide intramural games and other extracurricular activities.

They figured out how to continue 22 WHEATON MAGAZINE

KEITH NORDSTROM

President Dennis M. Hanno and Maia Hay ’20 social distancing before Commencement

time-honored traditions and celebrations in a digital environment, including the Honors Thesis Parade, Academic Festival, student awards ceremonies, and two of the biggest events, Commencement and Reunion. And President Dennis M. Hanno

kept the community close through a new level of email engagement and blogging that included parents and alumni.

Here, we chronicle the variety of ways the community created possibility.

—Sandy Coleman

Virtual Commencement, real inspiration The pomp and circumstance was very different than anticipated, but the pride for graduating seniors was the same during Wheaton’s 185th Commencement ceremony held on May 16, virtually rather than in person.

Not one to soon be forgotten, the event was livestreamed and the 433 members of the Class of 2020 were celebrated across computer and smartphone screens.

In previous years, watching online was a welcomed alternative for those who couldn’t join the crowd to sit in the Dimple on a sunny day or in Haas Athletic Center on a rainy one. However, safety precautions due to COVID-19 made what once was an option a necessity this year.

More than 5,000 viewers watched the livestreamed event.

“This is without a doubt the most unique Commencement in the history of the college,” said President Dennis M. Hanno, following the ceremony opening by Board of Trustees Chair Janet Lindholm Lebovitz ’72 and the singing of “A Wheaton Anthem” by Claire Buiocchi ’20.

“Today we gather online, from places all over the world, to honor the extraordinary Class of 2020. While this looks and feels very different than gathering on the Dimple, our tradition of recognizing and honoring our graduates goes on even in the face of significant challenges. This community is strong, vibrant and resilient—just like the graduates of the Class of 2020,” said Hanno.

“These are unusual times, but you have shown us all—certainly over the last few months, but also long before this—that you are up for the challenge,” he continued. “Life will return to some sense of normal and I know that the knowledge and skills and perspective that you earned in the past four years will serve you well. You are headed to exciting new places—outstanding jobs, top graduate schools, public service and much more. I know that you will do great things, just as you have done here.”

In her greetings to her classmates, Chair of the Class of 2020 Maia Hay was frank in expressing the sentiment likely

Graduates celebrating virtual Commencement from various locations: (top, clockwise): Maya Wylie, Ali Akpinar with parents Ipek and Belhhan Akpinar, Katheryn Ward, Nathan Domingos and Mwarianesu “Anesu” Makufa

shared by many regarding the impact of the pandemic. But she was also hopeful and forward-thinking: “When this year began we saw a different end, not this unforeseen anomaly of an event that would hijack the end of our senior year,” Hay said. “It’s a moment you would never even think of, yet here we are. Here we are with our degrees earned, through countless hours of studying, late nights in the library, pulling all-nighters to finish that final paper or project, and

CINZIA CALO/ MY THREE PHOTOGRAPHY

no one, no event, no virus, nothing, can take that away from us. When it comes down to it, people might remember the Class of 2020 as the one that graduated virtually, but that’s not the case at all. We FALL 2020 23

know we are more than how we ended. We know our story. And we will remember.”

Honorary degree recipients usually receive accolades in person, but this year they were recognized during the virtual ceremony and will receive their awards at a later date. They are: Sally Bedell Smith ’70, a historian and best-selling

author; Edmund Barry Gaither, executive director and curator of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists; Khrystian “Khrys” King ’95, a councilorat-large in the city of Worcester; and Abby Spencer Moffat, the chief executive officer of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation.

At the end of the Commencement

ceremony, beaming graduates would have left their seats and filed out between a line of applauding faculty members.

Instead, in the digital version of the day, their professors sent heartfelt shout-outs, quotes and musical salutes from their living rooms, dining tables and front yards.

—Sandy Coleman

Providing solutions for remote classes Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning helps faculty switch to distance learning

At institutions of higher learning all over the world, those who teach suddenly became students themselves, as the impact of COVID-19 forced faculty to pivot quickly from in-person classes to remote instruction.

For the first time in Wheaton’s history, the college’s personal face-to-face teaching and learning needed to be conducted via computer and smartphone screens. It was no small feat but, within a matter of a few days, Wheaton was up and running with virtual classes by the time students returned from an extended spring break on March 23.

That was thanks to the eagerness of faculty members to help, learn and support each other, and the leadership and guidance of Wheaton’s Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning (CCTL), which was established a year ago.

Co-directed by Professor of English Claire Buck, Professor of Anthropology M. Gabriela Torres and Humanities Liaison Cary Gouldin, CCTL leverages collaboration among faculty, staff and students to build a rigorous and culturally diverse learning community that advances a transformative student education.

In true collaborative spirit—even amid the storm of demands on their time—they shared their approach with others in several published essays and media stories, including in The New England Journal of Higher Education and University Business.

In preparing faculty for remote classes 24 WHEATON MAGAZINE

KEITH NORDSTROM

Staff and faculty members in January participated in the CoLAB Design Institute presented by the Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning. The three-day intensive workshop is just one example of how collaboration is employed to enhance and reshape courses and programs.

at Wheaton, the co-directors (as well as the Office of the Provost, Wallace library staff and other campus partners) worked with faculty to develop contingency planning for their courses.

While preparations were being made for technology resources, CCTL focused on helping faculty figure out how to adapt course objectives in this new situation

and learning space.

The co-directors, faculty and staff are continuing their collaborative conversations as they adapt assignments, manage student needs and expectations, address inclusion concerns and make adjustments as challenges demand for the fall semester.

—Sandy Coleman

A strong way forward

The graduating Class of 2020 “We have faced crises before, and colleges pandemic has placed significant has the unique distinction financial hardship, including and universities have consistently been up unexpected expenses and lost of being the first group to to the task meeting them. This situation be virtually welcomed into income from employment, on the Wheaton College Alumni many Wheaton College students. feels different because its duration and Association of more than 19,000 The Board of Directors is comimpact are so uncertain. … We need to keep mitted to raising sufficient funds graduates, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, Alumni to combat this hardship in coorsupporting and sharing with each other Association President Joshua dination with the college’s Office day-by-day as we move forward together Bauchner ’95 noted in his of Advancement,” he said. into this new reality in higher education.” remarks during the virtual Working with the Filene Commencement ceremony.

Center for Academic Advising President Dennis M. Hanno wrote in a March “While today is different than and Career Services, the aseditorial published in Education Dive most of you imagined, I believe sociation also plans to host your unique Wheaton experience virtual networking groups will bring an important perspective to The plans include: wholeheartedly targeting specific fields and interests, our association now and into the future,” supporting the Student Relief Fund, Bauchner announced. he told them. which was established to assist students The college’s virtual Reunion took place As part of the larger, yearlong celebraaffected by the COVID-19 outbreak; on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16. A tion of the Alumni Association’s 150th providing career networking opportuni- total of 375 alumni participated in several anniversary, Bauchner also unveiled ties for graduates; and increasing paronline events designed to foster connecseveral initiatives aimed at enhancing and ticipation in the process of nominating tions among alumni while keeping them strengthening Wheaton’s alumni network new board members. abreast of Wheaton’s latest developments. during these unprecedented times.

“The impact of the coronavirus —Laura Pedulli

SGA goes virtual

Student leaders engage, guide using varied approaches The majority of students were no longer on campus, but the Student Government Association (SGA) continued to lead.

In the weeks after the college pivoted to online learning, the SGA actively engaged students, provided platforms for them to voice their ideas and established a process for an online election to determine who would take the helm of the association next.

“We are still continuing to advocate on behalf of the student body,” said SGA President Sophia Hatzikos ’20 in an April interview. “Now more than ever is an important time to advocate for what the students and the campus community need to make this as smooth of a transition as possible.”

The SGA continued to hold all of its regular meetings virtually. The Senate also hosted weekly meetings on the Google Meet platform to allow as many students as possible to participate.

The Accessibility Board continued

Student Government Association members for the 2019–20 academic year

to meet online and hosted an event, “Surviving the Coronapocalypse: Finding Mental Health Care,” to help students navigate the process of obtaining therapeutic services. Members also created a self-care activity book for students.

KEITH NORDSTROM

The Programming Activities Council also hosted virtual events on Thursdays, including the April 23 presentation of “Virtual Drag Queen Bingo with Monique Heart,” in partnership with Alliance.

—Laura Pedulli FALL 2020 25

Making a difference Professors, student sew face masks to prevent spread of coronavirus

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began to encourage the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, a student and two faculty members jumped in to do their part during a time when masks were in short supply.

Rebecca Livingston ’20, a double major in business and management and elementary education, sewed masks for medical professionals in western Massachusetts to help address equipment shortages. Associate Professor of Theater Design Clinton O’Dell made masks for Phoenix House, a Rhode Island rehabilitation facility, and Associate Professor of Psychology Kathleen Morgan made masks for the emergency room staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Plymouth, Mass., where an alumna Alexandra Lund ’13 works as a nurse.

A news article inspired Livingston to get involved.

“Since the start of this pandemic, I have become slightly obsessed with the news. I found myself reading many articles about COVID-19 and our society’s response to it,” she said. “One night I landed upon an article

Rebecca Livingston ’20 sewing masks; left, masks by Associate Professor Clinton O’Dell

about a community that was responding to the lack of PPE [personal protection equipment] in hospitals by sewing homemade masks. I was immediately intrigued and wondered if I could do the same for my community. I retrieved my dusty sewing machine from my basement, with the intention of relearning my sewing skills from my elective clothing classes in high school, in order to start mask production.”

After a little practice and finding a pattern online, Livingston began making cloth masks that are designed for medical professionals to wear over N95 masks to extend wear during the supply shortage.

“I have been staying in touch with many of my family members who are still working as essential workers during this pandemic, so I know firsthand about their

Sending help from afar

Mingshi “Cecilia” Zhang ’20, who majored in business and management at Wheaton, helped her college community from afar by shipping several hundred KN95 face masks from her home in China to campus to offer protection against the spread of the coronavirus in March.

worries and fears due to their own lack of PPE,” she said. “I know that this fear reverberates across the country, so if I can help reduce this in my own community in a small way, I am eager to do so. Working with artistic mediums from fabrics to ceramics is something I have always enjoyed. To be able to donate my time and work for such an important cause gives me great joy.”

—Sandy Coleman

Sustaining community

CASSIE PELTOLA ’14

Initial food pantry set up in Cole chapel 26 WHEATON MAGAZINE

When it became clear that some students would be unable to return home for the foreseeable future following COVID-19 restrictions, Wheaton staff, faculty and students stepped up to ensure that those who remained on campus, as well as those dealing with uncertainty at home, would have more than enough food and supplies.

The First-Gen and Low-Income Task

Force and the Center for Social Justice and Community Impact led efforts to establish a food pantry in March in the basement of Cole Memorial Chapel.

Students still had access to Emerson Dining to pick up food to go daily using Lyons Bucks or their meal plans, but task force members wanted to provide additional opportunities for them to get food within the safety of the campus environment.

Learning about global health while living in a pandemic

In “Global Health: Power, Sex and Gender” taught by Professor of Anthropology M. Gabriela Torres, students were immersed in what they were learning as the impact of COVID-19 hit. Life itself turned into lessons about every aspect of the world, including global health during a pandemic. Students blogged about their experiences through Go online to read a collection of pandemic reflections by students as well as other research shared on the Wheaton blog.

The building was closed, but the library was open

More than 1.5 billion students and teachers across the world had to adjust to emergency remote learning and teaching in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A photo by Tatianna “Tia” Staszkow ’22 taken in Hawaii for her blog post “Finding Peace”

the lens of anthropology to fully comprehend how lives were being affected.

Their explorations are online as part of the Academic Festival, which was presented virtually this year.

Career and opportunity advising at a distance

Academic Advising and Registrar’s Office staff members have been working together to keep Wheaton’s advising process accessible and functional during this period.

They encouraged students to use the Google meeting platform and online scheduling tools to organize appointments and to have face-to-face virtual conversations.

Traditional phone call meetings also were available to help students clarify goals and priorities and to discuss academic planning.

“We wanted to make the transition for students who needed to remain on campus as smooth as possible,” said Cassie Peltola ’14, former assistant director for community service and civic engagement. “Also, we wanted to make sure we had something to offer students who were leaving campus and may have been returning to food-insecure homes or neighborhoods.”

When it first opened, the pantry offered more than $1,500 worth of non-perishable food items, toiletries, hygiene products and packing items, purchased by the center in collaboration with the Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning. It was continually restocked through the generosity of staff, faculty and students until it closed at the end of July.

—Becca Manning

Wallace library staff helped with the adjustment, as members of a profession that has been providing online services and collections for more than 30 years.

After the March pivot to remote operations, the building was quiet, but the library was very much open for business.

You might equate the library with its stacks and stacks of books and periodicals, but most of our collection—ebooks, videos, articles from journals, newspapers, magazines, trade journals—actually exists electronically in databases that are readily available from home. The Archives and Digital Initiatives Department also has a wealth of collections that can be accessed remotely.

Staff members were available for faculty and students to provide research help in accessing collections, and creating and using digital content for classes and assignments. They also worked with the Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning to help provide guidance for faculty adapting to a remote educational environment.

—Library Services leadership staff FALL 2020 27

United in philanthropy Creating Possibility initiative surpasses $50 million goal

By Sandy Coleman

Never before has the mission of Wheaton been as critical as it is right now during a global pandemic. And the college community has demonstrated its belief in that mission through its recent historic philanthropic support.

Not only did the community of alumni, family and friends help the college reach the $50 million goal of the three-year Creating Possibility initiative, it also pushed the effort over the top for a total of $52.3 million.

“The Creating Possibility initiative was launched in July 2017 to generate funding for the core institutional priorities—the people, programs and places—that define Wheaton College’s distinctive liberal arts experience,” said Merritt Crowley, vice president of advancement. “Achieving higher levels of giving to the Wheaton Fund and enhancing the culture of philanthropy also have been important goals,” she added.

With the Strategic Plan in mind, the funding focuses on investing in the recruitment and retention of world-class faculty; supporting students through scholarships and internships; and enhancing curricular and co-curricular programs in experiential learning, leadership and social entrepreneurship.

“The community has done what it always does—it has come together to make our goals a reality,” Crowley said.

“People support the institutions that have played a role in making them who they are. Wheaton alumni value the experiences they had at the college and they are inspired to support that experience for future generations by giving their time, 28 WHEATON MAGAZINE

By the numbers Place $15.5 million

Wheaton Fund $16.8 million

Programs $9 million

People $11 million

» Campus renewal » New academic center » Pine Hall

» Academic enterprise » New technology, library services » The arts, STEM learning, athletics, environmental sustainability and more

» Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning » Social entrepreneurship » Experiential learning

7,50 0 : Total donors

during past three years

» Scholarships » Faculty support » Academic/career advising

50 percent growth: New members of the Founders Society

talent and treasure to the college. Parents and friends in our community support Wheaton for the same reasons.”

A major boost to the initiative came during the final weeks of the fundraising year. In May, the Board of Trustees launched the $500,000 Trustee Challenge

“Wheaton aspires to be the leading liberal arts institution in preparing students to create innovative solutions to big challenges—and to act on them.”

Strategic Plan

$11.4 million: New planned gifts

for the Wheaton Fund. In response, more than 1,200 alumni, family and friends made gifts, totaling $1.3 million—releasing $500,000 in matching funds pledged by members of the board.

“This remarkable show of support is a testament to the strength of our community. Wheaton Fund gifts support virtually every aspect of our academic mission, including financial aid, internships, the library, STEM programs, the arts and more,” said President Dennis M. Hanno.

“This is the largest three-year fundraising result in the history of the college—at a time when it was hardest to achieve.”

Lisa and Mohammad Sajedi, the parents of Francesca Sajedi ’21, said it was

WILLIAM WALSH

Wheaton Board of Trustees Chair Janet Lindholm Lebovitz ’72 speaks at a philantrophic leaders celebration at the Museum of Science in Boston in September 2019.

important for them to support the initiative to give back for all the opportunities their daughter has received.

“My husband, Mohammad, and I raised our two daughters to become global citizens, and philanthropy fits into that big picture—to give time and money to others. We volunteer and support Wheaton because we want to do our part to make sure every student has the same opportunities that our daughter has had,” said Lisa Sajedi, who this year, along with her husband, served as co-chair on Wheaton’s new Parents Leadership Council.

One of Francesca Sajedi’s opportunities was an internship this summer at Amgen. She also has had the chance to do field research work on mixed species of flocks of birds in Ecuador with Assistant Professor of Biology Jessie Knowlton, with the support from a Mars Faculty/Student Research Grant and the Clemence Family Endowed Fund for Faculty and Student Research.

“This research put my major, bioinformatics, into full effect because I was studying biology using the computer science and statistical background I have gained from my academic coursework,” Francesca Sajedi said. “I am also a Hispanics studies minor, and the trip gave me the opportunity to experience the

culture and use my Spanish skills, since some of the other researchers only spoke Spanish. I got to learn about the rich history of Ecuador and how it has become what it is today.”

Makiyah Moody ’00, a former Wheaton trustee and member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, established the Adé Ayo Moody Memorial Ujima Wheaton Fund Scholarship to honor and celebrate the creative and inspiring life of her late brother. (Read what the recent

“The fact that so many alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends gave during the unprecedented dual disruption of a global public health and financial crisis is testament to the Wheaton community. This strong and resilient community recognizes, values and supports the importance of Wheaton’s liberal arts mission.”

Janet Lindholm Lebovitz ’72, Board of Trustees chair

scholarship recipient has to say about the significance of the support on page 50.)

“My time at Wheaton created many possibilities for me,” said Moody, a senior manager with La Piana Consulting, where she helps to guide nonprofits and foundations on how to accomplish their missions more effectively. “I was transformed by my international escapades in Lima, Peru, as a Diana Davis Spencer Fellow and my junior year abroad in Spain. It’s a big world and often we are limited by imaginary borders. Wheaton helped me realize that the world and my potential are indeed limitless.”

Molly Galler ’06, who recently served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, echoes that sentiment. Galler established a five-year Wheaton Fund internship that supported Rebekah Lajoie ’21, an economics major and member of the softball team who interned for the Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches, a developmental summer baseball league headquartered in Jupiter, Fla. “The career coaching and internship opportunities I was afforded during my four years at Wheaton completely altered the course of my life,” said Galler, a vice president at LaunchSquad, a public relations and creative communications agency. “I gained practical work experience, honed in on my strengths and graduated with a highly competitive resume. The decision to fund an internship for a current Wheaton student was an easy one.

I want to unlock real opportunities for members of the Wheaton community, the same way previous generations of alumni did for me.”

A lot has been accomplished in the three years since the Creating Possibility initiative began. To name a few: The Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning was launched; the new endowed professorship Diana Davis Spencer ’60 Chair of Social Entrepreneurship was established; and plans were developed to reimagine the science and Filene Center building for a new academic center.

More online at wheatoncollege.edu/ wheaton-magazine FALL 2020 29

Emergency preparedness in a time of crisis Chris Paquet ’03 mobilizes the NYC Health Department’s response to COVID-19

By Laura Pedulli For the past 11 years, Chris Paquet ’03, a Wheaton trustee, has dedicated his career to preparing New York City for disaster—whether it be a terrorist attack, a coastal storm or, more recently, a global pandemic.

“It is amazing to live in a city of immense size, density, diversity, economic power, tourism and position as a hub for national and international transit.

However, these factors also make New York City uniquely vulnerable to threats of all kinds, especially the coronavirus,” said Paquet, who serves as the assistant commissioner in the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response within the New

Chris Paquet ’03

NICKI PARDO

York City Health Department.

Wheaton Magazine writer Laura Pedulli spoke with Paquet both at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City in April, and also more recently in August to hear his reflections on how he and the city coped and found strength through these turbulent times.

At the epicenter It has been Paquet’s job to imagine and get ready for the worst-case scenario— with the primary goal of protecting the public’s health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been daunting in the number of lives it upended as well as taken in Paquet’s beloved city. Throughout the coronavirus crisis, which emerged at breakneck speed in New York City, Paquet and his staff worked around the clock to contain the wide-spreading virus.

In mid-April, New York City was the 30 WHEATON MAGAZINE

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

many people for things like essential worker transportation, grocery store operation, food delivery and so much more. I personally keep repeating, ‘We need everybody to save anybody,’ because every person in this city has a role in saving lives,” he said.

Reflections on a crisis

LEV RADIN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York served as a makeshift hospital.

epicenter of the virus, surpassing 10,000 deaths in just 31 days. Government officials were struggling with a limited supply of personal protective equipment and ventilators.

During an interview at that time, Paquet shared more about his job preparing the city’s health department to help agencies handle a rising number of cases. His department steers emergency response for New York’s extensive health care system, which includes 55 hospitals, more than 400 primary care centers, 137 community health centers, 183 nursing homes and 50 urgent care centers.

“We plan, drill and test our systems constantly, but this novel coronavirus stresses every system and affects day-to-day life. An actual pandemic requires real disruptions to curb the spread of the virus, so health care facilities and the medical staff aren’t overrun all at once,” said Paquet.

Since Paquet joined the NYC Health Department, the agency has responded to about 22 emergencies—including Ebola, H1N1 as well as Hurricane Sandy, which resulted in 44 deaths in the city.

COVID-19 is a whole other level, he said.

“There has never been a death ticker at the bottom of the news screen saying ‘this is yesterday’s deaths toll,’” Paquet said.

“And, unlike Hurricane Sandy, where the public could see and hear when the winds were howling and places were flooding

and there was no electricity, COVID-19 is an invisible enemy to most.”

The week of the April interview, Paquet noted current actions he and his colleagues were focusing on, especially the work to support the department’s health care delivery system partners.

“Setting up alternative care spaces, or makeshift hospitals, was a no-brainer but not an easy task. You are setting up a hospital with ICU capacity at places that normally host conferences or sports games. It’s a massive effort,” he said.

One such site, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York, was converted into a hospital within a week—with thousands of beds dedicated to patients with COVID-19. Also, the U.S. Department of Defense was deployed to operate the U.S Navy hospital ship Comfort as an overflow facility.

Paquet said his department was mobilizing every resource to serve New Yorkers at that moment, including helping residents find missing loved ones using a searchable database and by partnering with other agencies.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the amazing doctors, nurses and medical professionals, my staff, the department and the city that I work for. The work that people are doing puts them at risk to save the lives of people they don’t know.

I’m in awe. We also are relying on so

Four months later, by August 7, New York City had lost more than 23,000 people to COVID-19.

The city is no longer in the throes of the virus, yet caution remains paramount.

“When I think about what has helped me get through these challenging times, three things come to mind: focus on the things that I can control, trust in the ability of those you delegate to succeed and don’t hesitate to reach out to those you need for support,” Paquet said.

During emergencies, there are endless demands that can pull a person’s attention into efforts that don’t require immediate attention or are outside their sphere of influence or capability. Knowing how to focus on the efforts that have the biggest impact is key, Paquet said.

“The decisions you make literally have life-and-death consequences and making sure you focus on the right objectives and delegate efforts to those who you know can deliver, can give your action the injection it needs to potentially get ahead in our effort to protect the health and well-being of the public,” he said.

“Lastly, the support you get from friends, family and mentors can be a game-changer. No one person can address the challenges faced during disasters and knowing when you need to reset, seek support and tap out is important for you and for those you are working to protect,” he said.

He urged everyone to continue to do their part to save as many lives as possible.

“As the world works to find ways to combat this virus, it’s critical that each person does the things that they can do to help stop the spread: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance. These simple things can do so much in our efforts to beat this virus,” he said.

FALL 2020 31

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NETWORK

Insight into COVID-19 As the coronavirus spread in the United States, Wheaton alumni health and medical professionals stepped up to mitigate its impact. Here, they share their experiences and what they learned in the process.

32 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Keith Nordstrom

Julia Corey ’19

Job: Contact tracer, Partners in Health and the state of Massachusetts Wheaton major: International relations

When the state of Massachusetts and the Boston-based global nonprofit Partners in Health launched the COVID-19 Community Tracing Collaborative last spring—Julia Corey ’19 knew right away she wanted to help.

For four months, Corey—a master’s degree student in global health at Trinity College in Ireland—served as a contact tracer deployed to “flatten the curve.”

In this role, she reached out to patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 to determine who they may have come in contact with in the days before their symptoms developed. She screened these contacts for symptoms and provided them the necessary resources to self-quarantine.

The position ended when the collaborative needed fewer contact tracers as the number of positive COVID-19 cases fell significantly in the state.

“It meant that we did our job well,” said Corey. “We were able to contain and slow the spread of the virus so that fewer people were becoming sick. With fewer people becoming sick, there were fewer calls to be made, and therefore less staff needed.”

Atsuyoshi “Atsu” Ishizumi ’12

Job: ORISE (Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education) Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wheaton major: Anthropology

As a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) global immunization division, Atsuyoshi “Atsu” Ishizumi ’12 uses social and behavioral sciences to improve uptake of vaccines in various parts of the world.

When the pandemic became the CDC’s top priority this past spring, Ishizumi was pulled away from his typical duties for a 30-day deployment with the Cruise Ship Response Team, which was set up as part of CDC’s Emergency Operations Center.

The group published a report assessing the agency’s work containing outbreaks on cruise ships.

“What I’ve learned professionally is that it’s really a collaborative effort responding to this pandemic and that we need expertise from different fields, public and private sectors, and different countries,” said Ishizumi, who received his master of science, social anthropology, from the University of Oxford and his master’s degree in public health from Emory University.

Dr. Zaheer Faizi ’10 KEITH NORDSTROM

Dr. Seth Lotterman ’99

Job: Emergency room physician at Hartford Hospital (Connecticut) Wheaton major: Biology

Dr. Seth Lotterman ’99, an emergency room physician at Hartford Hospital, described an unusual atmosphere as the coronavirus spread: quiet.

“We are a fairly typical busy urban emergency department that sees a high volume of sick patients. That has changed significantly. We are seeing about twothirds of the typical daily volume and since there are now no visitors allowed, the department is much quieter,” Lotterman said in May. The volume was lower, but his work was as intense as ever. The physician frequently cared for older patients in advanced stages of infection from COVID-19.

Reflecting on the experience in July, Lotterman said the past few months have reinforced the importance of maintaining the ability to recognize what he could and could not control.

“Also, I recognize more the importance of having a strong support system and accepting help from family, friends and colleagues when they offer it—and that sometimes you need to ask for help,” he said.

Emily Toma ’19

Job: Research assistant, Division of Infectious Diseases at Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I. Wheaton major: Public health

In Rhode Island, Emily Toma ’19 helped to supply the data that government officials needed as the state implemented its reopening plan.

In her role as research assistant in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Miriam Hospital in Providence, she contributed to a study that tested a random sample of people to gain a better understanding of who has been impacted by COVID-19.

In addition to her work entering and fixing inaccuracies and inconsistencies in data for studies on COVID-19 surveillance and testing, Toma also conducted research on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.

“It has been very rewarding to be able to apply the skills I learned at Wheaton to COVID-19, one of the biggest public health crises the United States has faced in my lifetime,” she said.

Job: Medical doctor, second-year general surgery resident, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Upland, Pa. Wheaton major: Political science

As a general surgery resident, Dr. Zaheer Faizi ’10 is on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the doctor, who works in the trauma bay and critical care unit at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, managing the risk of contracting the coronavirus is a daily reality.

“In any emergency surgical procedure, I may get sick with the virus during that split second I don’t take to protect myself.

There might not be a person to replace me because my colleagues are getting sick, too, which is a problem,” Faizi said in March.

The coronavirus has impacted the doctor personally; he lost a family member to the virus and three of his sisters are physicians in New York City-area hospitals that were heavily impacted by COVID-19.

Despite personal risks that he and his colleagues faced, Faizi said he became a physician because of a desire to help people.

“No matter how bad the storm gets— much like the Coast Guard flies out in the middle of a storm to save people—we will keep showing up for our patients,” said Faizi, who received his medical degree from Saba University School of Medicine.

—Laura Pedulli

FALL 2020 33

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NETWORK

Alumni Board of Directors welcomes six new members

Elena Wong ’07, alumni trustee

Lynne DeLade

West Coast director of admissions, Drew University “Wheaton has shaped so much of my personal and professional life. ... I’m beyond thrilled to serve alongside other committed alums and to give back to a college that I cherish so dearly. As a native of San Francisco, I hope to connect with Wheaton alumni from around the globe, but especially from the West Coast.”

Katie Wieland ’05

Alison Sheehy

Chief executive officer, TalentED Advisors “As a board member, I hope to support our community in creating greater opportunities for representation across all volunteer roles and to help our graduates to find amazing opportunities in the workforce.”

Katelyn Brewer ’07

President and CEO, Darkness to Light “I look forward to engaging with Wheaton alumni around the world and building an active and inclusive network.”

Caitlin Grant ’09

Chief of staff, customer success, at PTC

Joshua Kelly ’17 Cheri Hurtubise ’05, nominating committee chair

Associate director, campus recruiting at Chewy “Serving on the alumni board gives me the opportunity to give back to Wheaton in a way that blends my professional life and my love for the experiences and connections I nurtured on campus.”

34 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Town administrator, Bolton, Conn.

“I firmly believe that the board can only succeed in its mission if its activities have support and understanding from the community at large. So, I encourage everyone to reach out to me with thoughts and ideas.”

“My hope is that I can help ensure that Wheaton continues to foster an environment that develops well-rounded individuals who make a positive impact on the world around them.”

—Laura Pedulli Read more online at wheatoncollege.edu/ magazine

Elizabeth Briody ’78 earns anthropology honor Elizabeth Briody ’78, an alumna who has dedicated her career to culture change within organizations, was named the winner of the 2020 Bronislaw Malinowski Award from the Society for Applied Anthropology.

The award, named after one of the most influential anthropologists of the 20th century, is presented each year to an established professional who has actively pursued the goal of solving human problems using the concepts and tools of social science, according to the society.

Briody will formally receive the award and deliver an address at the society’s meeting in spring 2021.

“It was a huge surprise. I had no idea that I would be nominated for this award.

My colleagues were the ones who got together, wrote letters and pushed for this,” she said.

The society’s members typically work in academia, so it’s unusual for practitionerscholars like Briody to receive the award, she noted.

After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, Briody received her master’s degree and doctorate of philosophy in anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.

After working for 24 years at General Motors Research conducting anthropological studies of work and organizational culture, Briody founded her own consulting practice, Cultural Keys. Now she helps companies and nonprofits diagnose and solve organizational and cultural issues to improve their overall effectiveness. She also helps these entities understand and strengthen their connections with customers by capturing diverse and changing behaviors, preferences and perceptions.

Briody received the Robert B. Textor and Family Prize for Excellence in Anticipatory Anthropology from the American Anthropological Association in 2012. She is the author of numerous

Elizabeth Briody ’78

publications and books. She also currently serves as secretary of the American Anthropological Association and past president of the National Association of Practicing Anthropologists.

Briody credits Ina Rosenthal-Urey, who served as chair of Wheaton’s Anthropology Department, for her successful career. Briody recalled that during her senior year at Wheaton, she was planning to become a French teacher when Rosenthal-Urey stepped in and encouraged her to pursue graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

As a graduate student, Briody conducted field research with Rosenthal-Urey in Mexico; Rosenthal-Urey also served on

her Ph.D. dissertation committee.

“She really was my inspiration, and the inspiration of several other anthropologists who graduated from Wheaton,” Briody said.

Professor of Anthropology M. Gabriela Torres, who has worked with Briody on the American Anthropological Association’s Members Programmatic, Advisory and Advocacy Committee, said the award is well-deserved.

“As a practicing anthropologist, she brings in key insights about anthropology’s commitment to making change in our society,” Torres said.

—Laura Pedulli

FALL 2020 35

CLASS NOTES

The Class of 1951 tree, the Japanese zelkova, stands tall in the Dimple. The class will celebrate its 70th Reunion next year.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Heather MacFarlane ’99 (center), communications director at The Salvation Army (Massachusetts headquarters), traveled to Puerto Rico in January to provide assistance to hurricane victims. Read more, Page 39 36 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Commencement/Reunion is May 21–23, 2021

Did your contact information change?

Report changes of address and email to Alumni Relations at 508-286-8207 or alum@wheatoncollege.edu.

Is your class year missing and you have news to share?

Contact us at classnotes@ wheatoncollege.edu and we will put you in touch with your class secretary.

Looking to volunteer?

Contact our Alumni Relations Office to get involved at 508-286-8207.

For class secretaries: How to submit your Class Notes

By email: Submit Class Notes to classnotes@wheatoncollege.edu.

Include your class year in the subject line (e.g., “Class Notes, 2001.”) Also, we accept Class Notes by snail mail: Class Notes Wheaton Magazine Wheaton College 26 E. Main St. Norton, MA 02766

Deadlines

Winter: Sept. 28, 2020 Spring: Jan. 18, 2021 Fall: June 1, 2021

Photos

Care to take a seat in style? The upholstery work of Gabrielle Ferreira ’12 was part of a campus exhibit. Read more, Page 40

To submit digital photos (preferred), email them as an attachment to classnotes@wheatoncollege.edu. For full guidelines, visit wheatoncollege.edu/wheatonmagazine/submitting-digitalimages. Mail photographic prints (at least 4x6 inches in size) to address above. Please send copies only; we cannot return photos.

For all photos: Please supply a brief description of the event and all the names and class years of the alumni in the picture.

Please note: The photos you send in must be sharp and clear.

Photos that are out of focus, or that have harsh shadows, overexposed areas or “red-eyed” subjects may not be usable. Often we receive more photos than we can use in any one issue. When this happens, we will select photos that represent a variety of class years and timely events.

FALL 2020 37

CLASS NOTES

A new chapter Wheaton began a new chapter in community engagement: a book club for alumni.

The Alumni Relations Office kicked off the virtual book club in mid-March with Elaine Weiss’s The Woman’s Hour, which shares the remarkable true stories behind the women who fought for the right to vote.

The book was chosen as the first book in honor of the 100th anniversary of the women’s suffrage movement.

The new club, which will read five books per year, aims to bring together the Wheaton community to engage in lively discussions in an online forum on a variety of books.

To date, club members have tackled Sally Bedell Smith ’70’s Elizabeth the Queen and then recently chose Pachinko by Min Jin Lee as its late summer read.

Patricia Turcotte, senior assistant director, alumni engagement, said the idea for a virtual

Carlie Smith ’14

book club emerged after she participated in an in-person faculty and staff book club on campus with Associate Professor and English Department Chair Deyonne Bryant.

“At that time, I thought it would be a great idea to open up

the book club to local alumni.

The response resulted in a few alumni reading the book and attending the author discussion on campus,” she said.

Turcotte wanted to expand the scope of the book club to involve more alumni, but it wasn’t until she went to the Northeast

Anne Williams Badanes ’76

Alumni Relations Conference in July 2019 at Amherst College that she was presented with a practical way to make that happen.

Soon, Wheaton partnered with the company Professional Book Club Guru, a company that works with businesses, alumni associations and professional societies to create platforms to launch such clubs.

The virtual book club aligns with Wheaton’s strategic goals, which include engaging alumni in the life of the college, Turcotte said. “We hope to accomplish this and provide lifelong learning.”

— Laura Pedulli

Karen Barnard Choate ’84

38 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Diane Leshefsky Troderman ’63

Disaster relief in Puerto Rico On a February morning, at her office at The Salvation Army in Canton, Mass., Heather MacFarlane’s phone buzzed with a dozen alerts. Each ding signified that yet another aftershock had rattled Puerto Rico—an island still reeling from a series of earthquakes that hit in December 2019 and early January.

The alerts felt personal to MacFarlane, as she recently witnessed firsthand the destruction and uncertainty that Puerto Ricans continue to face. In late January, she spent 10 days on the island as part of The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services response team.

MacFarlane, who majored in English literature at Wheaton, is the director of communications, marketing and public relations at The Salvation Army (Massachusetts Divisional Headquarters), a Christianbased international charitable organization. In Puerto Rico, she served as a public information officer, working with media to report the impact of the hurricanes, and assisted with relief

efforts.

MacFarlane visited the mountainous regions of southern Puerto Rico, near Ponce, where the need for assistance is great.

Many of the displaced Puerto Ricans she met never fully recovered from Hurricane Maria, the Category 5 hurricane that unleashed a major humanitarian crisis in 2017.

“You see people with tents pitched on their lawns. At camps, you see people in medical beds out in the open. What you learn is that people don’t want walls around them because, with the aftershocks, they are living in constant fear,” she said.

MacFarlane’s team, however, was there to provide hope, offering on-the-ground assistance, including food, hygiene kits and other supplies. Just as important: the offering of emotional and spiritual support.

“Families really did need our help with emotional and spiritual care. People just want to talk and share their story,” she said.

To raise spirits, the organization hosted events with live

entertainment and handed out toys and coloring books.

MacFarlane recalled meeting a 4-year-old boy with a rare kidney disease. When she approached the boy with a bat and ball, his demeanor quickly changed.

“I saw him transform with a huge smile,” she said.

MacFarlane completed the dual-degree program with Emerson College and received her master’s degree in journalism and public information from the Boston-based college.

She cited professors Michael Drout and the late Jay Goodman, as well as Dale Marshall, Wheaton’s former president, as mentors. They encouraged her to pursue the dual-degree program, as well as internships in politics and journalism.

Sally Grant ’91 connected MacFarlane to an internship in the White House Social Office as part of American University’s Washington Semester Program, which she completed her junior year.

“To work with people of that caliber in the Clinton adminis-

tration, at that young age, was an opportunity I felt lucky Wheaton offered me,” MacFarlane said.

Since graduation in 1999, MacFarlane has worked in public relations and communications for many organizations, including the Alzheimer’s Association, The Home for Little Wanderers, Boston Children’s Hospital and the Arthritis Foundation.

She said her work at The Salvation Army allows her to combine her skills in communications, event planning and public relations with her love of helping others. She appreciates that the organization has established bases around the world, so it has a presence before, during and after disaster strikes.

“My experience allowed me to see firsthand how in times of crisis we are transforming people’s lives. From lending a listening ear to sharing a hug or providing critical resources, we are giving people hope that they can rebuild their lives,” she said.

— Laura Pedulli

FALL 2020 39

CLASS NOTES

Weaving identity

Artist Gabrielle Ferreira ’12 returned to campus last winter to showcase her varied work in textiles and print design, which honors her Cape Verdean and Portuguese heritage.

The artwork—which she describes as an examination of place, heritage and identity—was part of “a nerve is not a nerve but a bundle of fibers,” an exhibition in the Beard and Weil Galleries in the Watson Fine Arts Center. The work of six other textile artists was also featured in the exhibition that ran from January 30 to March 28.

Ferreira, an art history major at Wheaton, curated exhibitions in the Beard and Weil Galleries as a student as part of her “Exhibition Design” course and as interim gallery director in fall 2018. As a student, she also curated a show at Mary Lyon Hall of prints and drawings from Wheaton’s Permanent Collection. This is the first time her own artwork has been formally exhibited on campus.

“It is incredibly uplifting to be back on campus bringing back the ideas and perspective I’ve gained. I would have never thought it was possible when I was enrolled at Wheaton that eight years after graduating my work would be hanging on the walls of the gallery,” Ferreira said.

Hand stitchery, sewing, knitting and weaving are all traditions passed down to Ferreira through her Cape Verdean and Portuguese heritage. She learned how to silkscreen and engrave at a young age and began making patterns after studying and working for Arteomete ii, a design company in Rome, Italy. She recently graduated with a master’s degree in fine arts textiles at the Rhode Island School of Design and currently works full-time as a textile designer at Natco Home Group, a home furnishing company based in West Warwick, R.I. For the exhibition at Wheaton, Ferreira drew, painted, wove and designed screenprints, murals and wall hangings centered around everyday stories and objects. Also on display were chairs made from mohair, viscose and bamboo fiber, upholstered on poplar wood frames.

“On a daily basis these objects are overlooked and considered simplistic for their generic quality, but they actually have long-

40 WHEATON MAGAZINE

Sitting in her upholstered loveseat, Gabrielle Ferreira ’12 poses with her exhibit.

standing social and economic significance and power,” she said.

Ferreira said her interdisciplinary liberal arts education at Wheaton shaped her development as an artist.

“At Wheaton, my studies demanded that I perform extensive research and transform that research into a defense of my ideas.

Creating paintings, weavings and tapestries is another way of defending my ideas. Every project I begin starts with research and gathering information; the only difference now is that I transform that data into color, pattern and texture,” she said.

— Laura Pedulli

Busy bee As a child, Katherine Burns ’15 enjoyed observing the ants and bumblebees in the meadow behind her home in Maine. Over the years, she witnessed the destruction of their habitat due to an onslaught of development, and soon resolved to pursue a career as an ecologist.

The alumna embraced that calling, studying environmental science at Wheaton and then winning the Clinton V. MacCoy Prize in Ecology, which is presented to a student at the college demonstrating excellence and promise in the field. After graduation, she spent several years working with native insect pollinators on five different projects across the United States.

Now a Ph.D. researcher in the Stanley Ecology Lab at University College Dublin in Ireland, Burns was interviewed

by Silicon Republic after becoming a finalist for FameLab Ireland, a national science communications competition. (She won third place not long after the interview.)

In the May 6 article, Burns shared her research focus: the preservation of pollinators.

These small insects carry pollen from one flowering plant to another, allowing the production of the seeds and fruits that are essential to ecosystem health and global food security.

“Unfortunately, there is evidence to suggest that pollinators are in decline due to stressors such as habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change. In order to enact evidence-driven policy and sustainable solutions to protect pollinators, we need to understand the roles of wild and managed pollinators

in nature and in agriculture, as well as the possible pressures that their populations are facing.

We also need to design effective public engagement campaigns to involve the public in the issue of pollinator conservation,” she said.

In the interview, Burns said “Save the Bees” campaigns tend to portray the issue of bee decline as a one-species issue, which may be misinformative and, in extreme cases, harmful. Honeybees only represent just one of 20,000 species of bee globally, and flies, moths, beetles and wasps also are essential contributors to pollination.

“Ecologists are concerned that, as a result of this misrepresentation, citizen efforts to conserve pollinators may be largely focused on installing honeybee hives, rather than enacting

Invest Today. Inspire Tomorrow.

Krystal Ssonko ’21

“At Wheaton I’ve had opportunities to volunteer on service trips for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico and Houston; dance with TRYBE; and sing with Voices United to Jam. The Adé Ayo Moody Memorial Ujima Wheaton Fund Scholarship and others support these kinds of activities, which are vital to my education. I’m majoring in women’s and gender studies. I hope to work in marketing to champion the voices of young women of color worldwide.”

conservation actions to preserve a wide diversity of species. These include mowing the lawn less and planting native wildflowers,” she told Silicon Republic.

“One way to address this misconception about insect pollinators is to take part in science communication events, particularly those that take place in ‘neutral territory,’ such as pubs and other public places, to reach a wider audience. As a researcher, it is also important to conduct research that studies a wide diversity of species, rather than just one charismatic species,” she said.

— Laura Pedulli

Give to the Wheaton Fund today to support the dreams of tomorrow.

Go online to learn more about how your support creates opportunities for Krystal and other students. wheatoncollege.edu/giving

FALL 2020 41

1945

Estelle Broude Hochberg, of Newton and Rockport, Mass., died on February 3. She was the beloved wife of the late Alvin Hochberg.

Nancy Kringel Osserman died in Ramat HaSharon, Israel, on April 8. Nancy was known for her field hockey and tennis talents.

She became an occupational and physical therapist, serving people who were blind and those with mental challenges for many decades. Nancy, a world traveler, was married to Elliott Osserman and raised three children in Closter, N.J. She moved to Israel at the age of 88 to live near her family.

1946

Christine Price Bartlett, 95, died in Concord, Mass., on March 11. Christine majored in English and was a competitive swimmer at Wheaton. After college and before she married and started a family, she worked in a secretarial pool in New York City. Christine was a dedicated Meals on Wheels volunteer and worked in the Emerson Hospital gift shop. She also was involved with philanthropy and set up a scholarship fund at Wheaton. Christine loved literature and could recite complete epic poems from memory. She also had a great sense of humor and knack for telling funny stories.

1947

Nancy Bates Yates died in Bellevue, Wash., on February 9. Nancy had recently relocated to Washington after 65 years in the San Francisco Bay Area. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history, she drove to San Francisco, where she worked for the Boy Scouts of America. After applying to the U.S. State Department, Nancy was assigned to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (then Malaya). She served as an administrative assistant to the counsel general. It was there she met the love of her life, John Yates, from Birmingham, England. They married and settled in San Rafael, Calif.

She enjoyed working for the Marin County Office of Education.

1949

Joan Wishart Moody, 92, died on March 2. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she married Samuel Moody. Joan was a member of the Colonial Dames, the Country Club of Virginia and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. After losing her husband

IN MEMORIAM

Emily Hood ’53, Wheaton trustee emerita Emily Hood ’53, a former member of the Wheaton Board of Trustees and lifelong educational volunteer and philanthropist, died on March 15 in her Boston home at 88.

Emily, who majored in French at Wheaton, began her professional career in 1954 as an administrative assistant and later front office manager at the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. She later held positions at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Executive Service Corps and Grants Management Associates, and as a faculty secretary and dean’s assistant at Harvard Business School.

Paralleling her professional career, Emily volunteered countless hours as a steward and champion in 1973, Joan focused on sustaining her family and starting a career in real estate. She entertained a love of travel and genealogy and a passion for interior and architectural design.

Marie Schloss Rautenberg, 92, died on April 1. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Marie was a longtime resident of Port Washington, N.Y. She loved travel, tennis and all things cultural, and proudly supported many civic and charitable organizations. Closest to her heart was North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center (Roslyn Heights, N.Y.), where she was a president and longtime board member.

1950

Sally Sprague Allen, 90, of Osterville, Mass., died on January 19. She was married to the late Gordon Allen for 64 years. She was the president of The Garden Club, helped to feed the homeless through St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and was a bridge and golf-playing member of Oyster Harbors Club.

Constance “Connie” Hartwell Fullerton, 90, died on February 9. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in English, she married George Fullerton, and they moved to Germany. The family moved around for 20 years of Army life, and then settled in Northern

of Wheaton.

“Emily’s contributions to Wheaton began with her enrollment as a student in 1949 and lasted throughout her lifetime. She served as a trustee until 2003 and was elected a trustee emerita after that. She was ever-present at Wheaton events both on and off-campus,” said Wheaton President Dennis M. Hanno.

In addition to serving as trustee, Emily was a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for eight years and volunteered at Wheaton in a number of capacities, including on the National Major Gifts Committee and the Commission on Coeducation. She supported scholarships and the building of Wheaton’s BalfourHood Center, which was named in her honor in 1986.

Virginia. Connie taught in many homes in various different states— the longest in Virginia.

1951

Constance “Connie” MacDonald Coletti, 90, of Monument Beach, Mass., died on May 18. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in French, she spent a year in Dijon, France, on a Fulbright Fellowship. Connie married Noel Coletti. She had a long career in education, as a French/ Latin teacher in New Haven, Conn., and later as a guidance counselor at Guilford High School and Branford High School. After retirement, Connie was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth.

Katharine “Kathie” Hall Preston, 90, of Westport Point, Mass., died on April 26. In November 1954, she married John Preston. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in music and founded The Whims, an a cappella group. She taught music for several years after college. She was an avid birder and an environmentalist, active in the Westport River Watershed Alliance.

She and her husband spent many hours and days in U.S. wildlife refuges and national parks. She was politically active throughout her life, both as a participant on local committees and boards and

In 2000, Emily’s passion for supporting young people prompted her to become a founding donor of the Trinity Education for Excellence Program (TEEP), a program of Trinity Church in Boston. TEEP began as a summer enrichment program for middle school students and has grown into a year-round college-track preparation program.

Emily hosted several celebration dinners for graduating seniors and their parents and helped a graduate of the very first class of TEEP matriculate at Wheaton.

Emily also served on the board of the Museum of Science in Boston, and gave hundreds of museum memberships to friends every Christmas for several decades. The connections Emily fostered and all the people she helped inspire and educate will be Emily’s living legacy. as an advocate for liberal and environmental causes.

1952

Phyllis Stephenson Bergman died in Chicago on April 28. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in classics and was a member of the synchronized swimming team and an editor of Rushlight, Wheaton’s literary journal. Phyllis completed her graduate studies at the Botany Department of the University of Illinois. Her research into a unique mold, Streptotheca psychrophila Bergman, bears her name in its permanent taxonomic nomenclature. Her work received critical acclaim, leading the way to numerous professorships, academic promotions and other achievements.

1953

Polly Griffen Clark died on April 2.

She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

Barbara Ackley Hildebrandt died on July 23 in Sycamore, Ill. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.

She spent the last years of her life living in West Chicago, Ill., and Mars Hill, N.C. Helen Stewart Yealy, 89, of Boynton Beach, Fla., died on May 10. She was married to the late Fritz Yealy. Helen graduated from Wheaton with a FALL 2020 61

IN MEMORIAM bachelor’s degree in English. During her lifetime, she enjoyed traveling, tennis and golf. She was a member of the Latrobe Presbyterian Church and was fond of her associations with the Latrobe Women’s Club, Latrobe Hospital Aid Society, Women’s Bridge Club, Latrobe Country Club and the Hikers Club.

1954

Ruth Estes Weeks died on May 10. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history and received a master’s degree in library science from the University of Maine. She was married to the late Harold Weeks for 53 years. Ruth was the librarian at the WilliamsCone School in Topsham, Maine, from 1969 to 1998. She served on the state committee that established the Maine Student Book Award.

Before she retired, the school library was renamed in her honor. She also helped establish the library at the West Harpswell School. In 1999, she was honored by the Topsham Grange as Citizen of the Year.

1956

Isabelle Magnus Pilskaln died on April 21 in South Hadley, Mass. She was married to Harold Pilskaln.

After college, Isabelle married her first husband, Dave Robinson, and moved to South Carolina, where she had two children. In 1984, Isabelle married Harold on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. They moved often during their 35 married years. In each location on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, the Boston area, Minneapolis, Bayfield, Wis., or Western Massachusetts, Isabelle made a

Myrna Pearson, professor emerita of chemistry Myrna Pearson, professor emerita of chemistry at Wheaton College, died on May 24 at the age of 83 in Mansfield, Mass.

Myrna graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree and earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. in chemistry from Columbia University in New York City.

After receiving her Ph.D. in 1963, she taught organic and physical chemistry at Clark University for one year.

Myrna became a member of Wheaton’s faculty in the fall of 1964. During her 35-year teaching career at Wheaton, she was a vivacious and influential member of the Chemistry Department. lovely home, filled with cherished photographs of family and friends, books and rescued dogs.

1957

Sara-Ann “Sally” Lincoln died in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, on April 25.

After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in English, she enrolled in the Macy’s executive program in New York City. She moved to West Hartford, Conn., to head up the new Lord and Taylor store’s home furnishing department.She then married Morey Oster and they moved to Windsor, Conn. After divorcing in 1984, Sally moved to Lexington, Va. She

She was instrumental in the creation of the college’s First-Year Seminar and in interdisciplinary teaching.

Myrna’s scholarship examined the intersection of chemistry and environmentalism. She introduced the courses “Chemistry and Our Environment:”“Current Problems in Environmental Chemistry,” “Water Pollution: Problems and Costs” and “Can We Win the Race to Save the Planet?” Her efforts paved the way for Wheaton to develop a minor and major in environmental science.

As an extension of her teaching initiatives, Myrna organized research projects studying the rescued many Samoyeds over the years, right up until the end.

Always knowing she was a New Englander at heart, in 1991, Sally decided to uproot and move to Maine.

She went to work as the office manager for the Schooner Stephen Taber and enjoyed regularly sailing Penobscot Bay.

1964

Dixie Dugan White, 77, of Allentown, Pa., died on April 18.

She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and later was a social worker with children and youth services.

Hilda Kahne, professor emerita of economics Hilda Kahne, 97, professor emerita of economics at Wheaton, died on April 27.

Hilda earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1943 and master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard University in 1953.

She launched her career at Wellesley College, where she began her research and teaching about women and work. She served as an assistant dean at Radcliffe Institute in Cambridge, Mass., for another decade.

Hilda joined Wheaton College 62 WHEATON MAGAZINE

in 1977 as a professor of economics—a position she held until her retirement in 1992.

During her teaching tenure at the college, she served as chair of the Economics Department. In that capacity, she hired professors John Miller, Gordon Weil and John Gildea. Hilda also initiated a two-year extension of the probationary period for tenure-track faculty who came to Wheaton before completing their dissertation.

She joined Brandeis University in 1992 to teach courses for a

professor on sabbatical that year. She ended up staying on as a faculty member in the Family and Children’s Policy Center at the Heller School until 2002.

Following her second retirement in 2002, she became a scholar at the university’s Women’s Studies Research Center.

Hilda, who is known for her scholarship as a labor economist, has been listed as a noteworthy economics educator by Marquis Who’s Who. She wrote the book Reconceiving Part-Time Work: New Perspectives for Older Workers and Women (Rowman and Allanheld, 1985).

chemistry of local water bodies in the town of Norton—namely the Norton Reservoir and Barrowsville Pond. Her research enabled town of Norton officials to apply for grants to help restore the Norton Reservoir as a desirable recreation area.

During her teaching tenure at Wheaton, Myrna authored numerous papers in academic journals, including the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Chemical Education, Journal of Organic Chemistry and Nature. She also helped organize an endowed science lecture named after LaDonne Heaton Schulman, a noted chemist and Mynra’s best friend in graduate school.

1965

Carol Dine, poet, memoirist and professor of creative writing and literature, died on March 17. She wrote with passion about the visual arts, life and love, and the experience of having breast cancer. Her volumes of poetry include Naming the Sky, Trying to Understand the Lunar Eclipse, Van Gogh in Poems and Orange Night. Her memoir is titled Places in the Bone. Before her death, she had completed a new volume of poems, Blood Moon. Carol taught for many years at Suffolk University and at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. She loved teaching and encouraging her students’ development as they wrote their own poems and memoirs.

Karen Kunde Gardner, 76, died on March 24 in Oxford, Conn. She was the wife of Robert Gardner. Karen graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in English. She taught at Duxbury High School, Ridgefield High School and Newtown Middle School. Karen was very active in her parish, Trinity Episcopal Church in Newtown. She moved to Fairview at Oxford Greens in 2014.

1967

Joan Fishman died on June 14 in Southport, N.C. She was married to Peter Brown. Joan graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and earned a master of science degree from the University of Southern California. She worked as a senior information systems analyst

at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., until her retirement in 2010. Joan was an active volunteer at Wheaton. For 13 years, she shared notes from her classmates in Wheaton’s alumni magazine as a class secretary. Also, she served on the Alumni and Parent Admission Committee for 15 years; 13 of which as chair. She also volunteered with the Filene Center for several years.

Terry Molina Minard died on April 23. Terry earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Wheaton and a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Bridgeport. She eschewed her privilege to passionately pursue world peace with millions of other Soka Gakkai Buddhist members. Terry raised a family that extended far beyond her two children, mixing love and compassion with humor and verve. Her soulful contributions to music are immortalized in her studio recordings.

Joan Bloomberg Whitehill, 74, died on May 9 in Cleveland. She was the wife of Charles Whitehill.

Joan graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history and received her law degree from the Cleveland State University School of Law. She first practiced law with the firm of Shore, Jacob & Gonda and then became a founding member of the Greater Cleveland law firm Simon & Sebelin.

1971

Janet Flaccus, 70, of Fayetteville, Ark., died on March 3. She was a law professor at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, from 1984 to 2018. After graduating from Wheaton, she earned her master’s degree in history. She studied law at the University of California at Davis, where she graduated first in her class in 1978. She spent five years in private, civil practice at Phebus, Tummelson, Bryan and Knox in Urbana, Ill. In 1984, Janet became an assistant professor of law at the University of Arkansas.

She was recognized multiple times as Best in Continuing Legal Education by the Arkansas Bar Association. Janet enjoyed tennis, golf and running. She also loved ornamental gardening.

Mary Muse died on May 5. She was married to William Fisher for 48 years. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in economics, she moved to California.

Richard Pearce, professor emeritus of English Richard Pearce, 87, professor emeritus of English at Wheaton and Korean War veteran, died on April 5 in East Providence.

Richard earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Hobart College, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in English literature from Columbia University. Prior to Wheaton, he took a position within the English Department at Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y. In 1964, Richard joined Wheaton’s English Department, where he taught for 37 years.

During his teaching tenure, he mentored many young colleagues. He enjoyed teaching and research, publishing books on modernist narrative, including: With her husband and father-inlaw, she founded the Pacific States Development Corp. After graduating from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento in 1978, Mary began a fulfilling legal career. Her professional life centered on family law, both as a Superior Court staff attorney and Superior Court Commissioner for El Dorado County and then with her private family law practice. Mary also served on the Buckeye Union School Board and the El Dorado Union High School Board.

Ann Frances Vinson died on April 30 in Athens, Ga. A retired educator, she was a teacher and principal of the Upper School at The Rutland Center.

She applied her considerable musical talents to her work and for the benefit of family and friends, even composing new pieces toward the end of her life. She loved to bird watch.

1974

Leslie Fields Lyken died on March 19. After studying political science and English at Wheaton, Leslie received her law degree at New York University School of Law. She worked for Con Edison and J.C. Penney in New York before returning to Boston to Harvard Business School. She continued her career as an attorney at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Leslie volunteered as a writing coach for Posse Scholars entering college, tutored adults and provided food and resources to first responders

Stages of the Clown: Perspectives on Modern Fiction from Dostoyevsky to Beckett (Southern Illinois University Press, 1970); William Styron (University of Minnesota, 1971); Critical Essays on Thomas Pynchon (Editor) (G.K. Hall, 1981); The Novel in Motion: An Approach to Modern Fiction (Ohio State University Press, 1991); and Molly Blooms: A Polylogue on Penelope and Cultural Studies (Editor) (University of Wisconsin Press, 1994).

Richard will be remembered for his leadership of the English Department, commitment to shared governance through his work on faculty committees and in the American Association of University Professors, and most after the terrorist attacks of the 1993 World Trade Center and again after Sept. 11, 2001 (her place of work).

1978

Linda Allen Walsh, 64, a longtime resident of Winnetka, Ill., died on April 15. She was a loving wife to Michael Walsh. At Wheaton, she majored in biology and was a member of the synchronized swim team. Upon graduation, she moved to Evanston, Ill., and worked at Baxter Laboratories and Nalco Chemical Co. before joining the family business, Allen Visual Systems. Linda found time to participate in sailing at Sheridan Shores in Wilmette, as well as golf, tennis and paddle tennis at Indian Hill Club in Winnetka.

1982

Marybeth McGurl, 59, died on March 18 in Savannah, Ga. Marybeth majored in English at Wheaton, where she was class president for three years, a member of the band and the tennis team. Following her graduation, she moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., and began her professional career working for Esquire Magazine, Rolling Stone, House Beautiful and The Radio Advertising Bureau.

While working in New York, she met her future husband, Peter Knight, to whom she was married for 20 years.

She and Peter moved to Durham, N.H., in 1991. Marybeth began writing for Foster’s Daily Democrat, where she received an award for her journalism. Later, she worked for the

especially, for the mentorship and friendship he extended to so many rising faculty members.

For his colleagues the screen porch in summer and woodstove in winter at the Pearce residence were a source of great food, drink, music and intellectual sustenance. Richard was always open to new ideas and new people. He modeled this for young faculty in his commitment to students, the creativity and excitement that went into his teaching.

Following his retirement, Richard became an avid fly fisherman and developed a new interest in Native American Ledger Art. After traveling West to interview women ledger artists and conduct research, he was inspired to write his latest book, Women and Ledger Art (University of Arizona Press, 2013).

Portsmouth Press Herald. She later moved to Hampton, N.H., where she was engaged in political activism.

1995

Andrew Grim, 46, died on March 14 in Weymouth, Mass. He graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history. Andrew loved biking and owned and managed bicycle shops. More recently, he was a service manager at Quirk Chevrolet.

Andrew enjoyed skiing, sailing and was active in the United Masonic Lodge in Weymouth.

Relatives

1948 William Gum, husband of Constance McCollum Gum, in February 1958 James Flood, husband of Astrid Sommer Flood, in February 1963 Gary Conrad, husband of Abigail Hooper Conrad, in July 1964 David Wheatland, husband of Susan Burke Wheatland, in February 1970 Elma Lucke, mother of Ann Lucke, in March 1972 Dennis Guittarr, husband of Candace Young Guittarr, in March 1978 Marianne Taylor, mother of Stephanie Taylor Scott, in March 1984 Willis Reals, father of Susan Reals Treadway, in April 1984 Lawrence Tafe, father of Anne Tafe Graw, in March 1994 James Banks, father of Jeffrey Banks, in February 2021 Suzanne Shaw, mother of Daniel Krause, in May FALL 2020 63

PERSPECTIVE

KEITH NORDSTROM

Alejandra Monge ’20, who double majored in anthropology and visual art, created a mural that reflects the principles of the Center for Social Justice and Community Impact and the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

Stepping out of the comfort zone and into creative power My name is Alejandra Monge (Class of 2020). I double majored in anthropology and visual art.

During fall semester 2019, I reached out to the Center for Social Justice and Community Impact and the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life regarding creating a mural in The Base, the basement of Cole Memorial Chapel, where the offices are located.

I wanted to create artwork to reflect the principles of both centers. I also wanted to use the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and showcase my work.

I’m not one to make my art public 64 WHEATON MAGAZINE

by posting on social media or even just showing something I made to a friend.

Admittedly, this is because I feel vulnerable and I’m afraid of judgment. My art is very personal because it represents who I am.

I believe that reaching out to collaborate with those in The Base has helped me grow as an artist and learn about my strengths and weaknesses.

The Base is a special place on campus that encourages positive change, inclusivity and community. These values mirror my own and align with my character.

Art is a form of power. This mural not only serves to represent the values of The

Base, but also provides a point of reflection and reminder of its mission.

After working through various rough drafts, I designed imagery that captures what The Base embodies: equity, intersectionality and community responsibility.

This collaboration has allowed me to use that power to invoke the positive changes I want to see in our community.

Throughout this process I have learned a lot about myself, where I want to take my creativity, and how to be comfortable with sharing my work.

— Alejandra Monge ’20

Planning the future.

CO U R T E SY O F MARI ON B

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Annie March Kilham, a member of the Class of 1870 and one of five Kilham sisters to attend Wheaton, was a founding member of the Alumni Association 150 years ago. She served on the Alumni Board of Trustees for more than 30 years, and taught Latin, English, German, mathematics, natural philosophy and astronomy at Wheaton. She also was among the trustees who led the charge for Wheaton’s growth in the early years of the 20th century and for its transformation from a seminary to a college in 1912. Annie provided for Wheaton in her testamentary plans, and, upon her passing in 1931, the Annie M. Kilham Endowed Scholarship was established. More than 100 students have benefited from Annie’s fund, and her modest bequest will continue to help make a Wheaton education possible for future generations of students. That’s legacy. That’s impact.

Annie March Kilham, Class of 1870

Alumna, educator, leader, benefactor

Giving possibility.

To learn how you can create a legacy at Wheaton College through a planned gift or bequest, call Amy Dumont ’09 in the Office of Gift Planning at 508-286-3391 or visit giftplanning.wheatoncollege.edu.

Wheaton College, 26 E. Main Street, Norton, MA 02766 wheatoncollege.edu

Invest Today. Inspire Tomorrow.

Wheaton Fund donor and volunteer

“Wheaton is a supportive environment where I thrived as a Posse Scholar. The college provided me with resources, mentors and a plethora of experiences that have fueled my professional success in academic/student affairs. I always worked on campus—as an assistant in the Admission Office; career advisor in the Filene Center; and student leadership assistant in the Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership Office. Going abroad to Egypt and studying anthropology, Egyptology and sociology also provided invaluable exposure to a different style of teaching and, most importantly, to other cultures and perspectives. I want current students to have access to opportunities that will shape their future. Gifts to the Wheaton Fund support the college’s mission at every level, including outof-the-classroom learning experiences, academic priorities, essential activities and scholarships. So, it is important for me and others to give back.”

Ryan Sermon ’11

Admissions counselor and program coordinator; TRIO Upward Bound Program instructor

Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz.

Wheaton Alumni Board of Directors member-at-large

Wheaton Fund Your investment today inspires the dreams of tomorrow.

Learn more at wheatoncollege.edu/giving.